Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 37 As-Saffat, Ayat 22-74

اُحۡشُرُوا الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا وَاَزۡوَاجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡبُدُوۡنَۙ‏  ﴿37:22﴾ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ فَاهۡدُوۡهُمۡ اِلٰى صِرَاطِ الۡجَحِيۡمِ‏ ﴿37:23﴾ وَقِفُوۡهُمۡ​ اِنَّهُمۡ مَّسْـُٔـوۡلُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:24﴾ مَا لَـكُمۡ لَا تَنَاصَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:25﴾ بَلۡ هُمُ الۡيَوۡمَ مُسۡتَسۡلِمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:26﴾ وَاَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلٰى بَعۡضٍ يَّتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:27﴾ قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّكُمۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَاۡتُوۡنَنَا عَنِ الۡيَمِيۡنِ‏ ﴿37:28﴾ قَالُوۡا بَلْ لَّمۡ تَكُوۡنُوۡا مُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿37:29﴾ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ سُلۡطٰنِ​ۚ بَلۡ كُنۡتُمۡ قَوۡمًا طٰغِيۡنَ‏  ﴿37:30﴾ فَحَقَّ عَلَيۡنَا قَوۡلُ رَبِّنَآ ۖ اِنَّا لَذَآئِقُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:31﴾ فَاَغۡوَيۡنٰكُمۡ اِنَّا كُنَّا غٰوِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:32﴾ فَاِنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَـئِذٍ فِى الۡعَذَابِ مُشۡتَرِكُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:33﴾ اِنَّا كَذٰلِكَ نَفۡعَلُ بِالۡمُجۡرِمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:34﴾ اِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوۡۤا اِذَا قِيۡلَ لَهُمۡ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُۙ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَۙ‏  ﴿37:35﴾ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ اَـئِنَّا لَتٰرِكُوۡۤا اٰلِهَـتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَّجۡـنُوۡنٍ ؕ‏ ﴿37:36﴾ بَلۡ جَآءَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَصَدَّقَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:37﴾ اِنَّكُمۡ لَذَآئِقُوا الۡعَذَابِ الۡاَلِيۡمِ​ۚ‏ ﴿37:38﴾ وَمَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ اِلَّا مَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:39﴾ اِلَّا عِبَادَ اللّٰهِ الۡمُخۡلَصِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:40﴾ اُولٰٓـئِكَ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقٌ مَّعۡلُوۡمٌۙ‏ ﴿37:41﴾ فَوَاكِهُ​ۚ وَهُمۡ مُّكۡرَمُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:42﴾ فِىۡ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِيۡمِۙ‏ ﴿37:43﴾ عَلٰى سُرُرٍ مُّتَقٰبِلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:44﴾ يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ بِكَاۡسٍ مِّنۡ مَّعِيۡنٍۢ ۙ‏ ﴿37:45﴾ بَيۡضَآءَ لَذَّةٍ لِّلشّٰرِبِيۡنَ​ ۖ​ۚ‏ ﴿37:46﴾ لَا فِيۡهَا غَوۡلٌ وَّلَا هُمۡ عَنۡهَا يُنۡزَفُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:47﴾ وَعِنۡدَهُمۡ قٰصِرٰتُ الطَّرۡفِ عِيۡنٌۙ‏ ﴿37:48﴾ كَاَنَّهُنَّ بَيۡضٌ مَّكۡنُوۡنٌ‏ ﴿37:49﴾ فَاَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلٰى بَعۡضٍ يَّتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:50﴾ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ اِنِّىۡ كَانَ لِىۡ قَرِيۡنٌۙ‏ ﴿37:51﴾ يَقُوۡلُ اَءِ نَّكَ لَمِنَ الۡمُصَدِّقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:52﴾ ءَاِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَّعِظَامًا ءَاِنَّا لَمَدِيۡنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:53﴾ قَالَ هَلۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّطَّلِعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:54﴾ فَاطَّلَعَ فَرَاٰهُ فِىۡ سَوَآءِ الۡجَحِيۡمِ‏ ﴿37:55﴾ قَالَ تَاللّٰهِ اِنۡ كِدْتَّ لَـتُرۡدِيۡنِۙ‏ ﴿37:56﴾ وَلَوۡلَا نِعۡمَةُ رَبِّىۡ لَـكُنۡتُ مِنَ الۡمُحۡضَرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:57﴾ اَفَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَيِّتِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:58﴾ اِلَّا مَوۡتَتَـنَا الۡاُوۡلٰى وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:59﴾ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَهُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيۡمُ‏ ﴿37:60﴾ لِمِثۡلِ هٰذَا فَلۡيَعۡمَلِ الۡعٰمِلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:61﴾ اَذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ نُّزُلًا اَمۡ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّوۡمِ‏ ﴿37:62﴾ اِنَّا جَعَلۡنٰهَا فِتۡنَةً لِّلظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:63﴾ اِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخۡرُجُ فِىۡۤ اَصۡلِ الۡجَحِيۡمِۙ‏ ﴿37:64﴾ طَلۡعُهَا كَاَنَّهٗ رُءُوۡسُ الشَّيٰطِيۡنِ‏ ﴿37:65﴾ فَاِنَّهُمۡ لَاٰكِلُوۡنَ مِنۡهَا فَمٰلِـُٔـوۡنَ مِنۡهَا الۡبُطُوۡنَ ؕ‏  ﴿37:66﴾ ثُمَّ اِنَّ لَهُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا لَشَوۡبًا مِّنۡ حَمِيۡمٍ​ۚ‏ ﴿37:67﴾ ثُمَّ اِنَّ مَرۡجِعَهُمۡ لَا۟اِلَى الۡجَحِيۡمِ‏ ﴿37:68﴾ اِنَّهُمۡ اَلۡفَوۡا اٰبَآءَهُمۡ ضَآلِّيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:69﴾ فَهُمۡ عَلٰٓى اٰثٰرِهِمۡ يُهۡرَعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿37:70﴾ وَلَـقَدۡ ضَلَّ قَبۡلَهُمۡ اَكۡثَرُ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:71﴾ وَلَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا فِيۡهِمۡ مُّنۡذِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:72﴾ فَانْظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الۡمُنۡذَرِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿37:73﴾ اِلَّا عِبَادَ اللّٰهِ الۡمُخۡلَصِيۡنَ‏ ﴿37:74﴾

(37:22) (Then will the command be given): “Muster all the wrong-doers14 and their spouses15 and the deities whom they used to serve (37:23) apart from Allah,16 and direct them to the path of Hell, (37:24) and detain them there; they will be called to account. (37:25) How is it that you are not helping one another? (37:26) Indeed, today they are surrendering themselves completely.”17 (37:27) They will then turn towards each other (and start wrangling). (37:28) (The followers will say to their leaders): “You used to come to us from the right hand.”18 (37:29) They will say: “Nay, you yourselves were not the ones who would believe. (37:30) We had no power over you. You were a rebellious people, (37:31) and so we became deserving of the Word of our Lord that we shall be made to suffer chastisement. (37:32) So we led you astray; we ourselves were strayed.”19 (37:33) On that Day, they will all share the chastisement.20 (37:34) Thus do We treat the culprits. (37:35) Whenever it was said to them: “There is no true deity apart from Allah,” they waxed proud (37:36) and said: “Shall we forsake our deities for the sake of a distracted poet?” (37:37) (They say so although) he brought the Truth and confirmed the veracity of the Messengers.21 (37:38) (They will be told): “You shall taste the grievous chastisement. (37:39) You will only be recompensed according to your deeds.” (37:40) But Allah's chosen servants (shall be spared this woeful end). (37:41) For them awaits a known provision,22 (37:42) a variety of delicious fruits; and they shall be honoured23 (37:43) in the Gardens of Bliss. (37:44) They will be seated upon couches set face to face; (37:45) a cup filled with wine24 from its springs,25 will be passed around to them;26 (37:46) white, sparkling (wine), a delight to the drinkers. (37:47) There will neither be any harm in it for their body nor will it intoxicate their mind.27 (37:48) Theirs shall be wide-eyed maidens28 with bashful, restrained glances,29 (37:49) so delicate as the hidden peel under an egg's shell.30 (37:50) Then some of them will turn to others, and will ask each other. (37:51) One of them will say: “I had a companion in the world (37:52) who used to say: �Are you also one of those who confirm the Truth (of life after death)? (37:53) After we are dead and have become all dust and bones shall we still be requited?'31 (37:54) He will say: �Do you wish to know where he is now?' (37:55) Then he will look downwards, and will see him in the depths of Hell. (37:56) He will say to him: �By Allah, you almost ruined me. (37:57) But for Allah's favour, I should be one of those who have been mustered here.32 (37:58) So, are we not going to die, (37:59) except for our first death? And shall we suffer no chastisement?'”33 (37:60) Surely this is the supreme triumph. (37:61) For the like of it should the workers work. (37:62) Is this a better hospitality or the tree of al-Zaqqum?34 (37:63) We have made this tree a trial for the wrong-doers.35 (37:64) It is a tree that grows in the nethermost part of Hell. (37:65) Its spathes are like the heads of satans.36 (37:66) (The people of Hell) will surely eat of it, filling their bellies with it. (37:67) Then on top of it they will have a brew of boiling water. (37:68) Then their return will be to the same blazing Hell.37 (37:69) These are the ones who found their fathers steeped in error, (37:70) and they are running in their footsteps. (37:71) Before them a multitude of people of olden times had erred, (37:72) and We had sent among them Messengers to warn them. (37:73) Observe, then, what was the end of those that had been warned, (37:74) except for the chosen servants of Allah?38

Notes

14. “The unjust people” does not only imply those who committed injustices in the world, but as a Quranic term zalamo implies to every such person, who might have adopted the way of rebellion and disobedience against Allah.

15. The word “azwaj” in the original text might also imply their wives, who were their associates in this rebellion, and also all those people who were rebellious and disobedient like them. Moreover it may also mean that the culprits of different categories will be gathered together in separate groups.

16. “gods” here implies two kinds of the gods.

(1) Those men and satans who themselves desired that the people should worship them instead of Allah.

(2) Those idols and trees and stones, etc., which have actually been worshiped in the world.

The first kind of the gods will be included among the culprits themselves and will be led to Hell for punishment. The other kind of them will be thrown into Hell along with their worshipers so that they constantly feel ashamed of and continue to regret their follies. Besides, there is also a third kind of the gods, who have been worshiped in the world, but without their own consent and knowledge. They rather forbade the people to worship anyone but Allah, e.g. the angels, prophets and saints. Obviously, this kind of the gods will not be included among the gods who will be driven to Hell along with their worshipers.

17. The first sentence will be addressed to the culprits, and the second to the common spectators, who will be watching the scene of the culprits’ departure for Hell. This sentence itself tells of the general conditions at the time. It tells how the haughty and stubborn culprits of the world will be moving towards Hell meekly and without showing any resistance. Somewhere some kind will be seen being pushed about, and no one from among his courtiers will come forward to rescue “his majesty”. Somewhere some conqueror of the world and some dictator will be moving away in humiliation and disgrace, and his brave army itself will deliver him for the punishment. Somewhere some saint or some holy father will be seen being thrown into Hell, and no one of his disciples will bother to save him from disgrace. Somewhere some leader will be trudging helplessly towards Hell, and those who used to glorify and applaud him in the world will turn away their eyes from him. So much so that the one who was ever prepared to sacrifice everything for the beloved in the world, will feel least concerned to save him from his plight. By depicting this scene Allah wants to impress how the relationships of man with man, which are based on rebellion against Allah in the world, will break in the Hereafter, and how the pride of those who are involved in arrogance and conceit here will be ruined.

18. The word yameen in Arabic is used for several meanings. It may mean use of the force, or well-wishing, or swearing of an oath. Accordingly, the verse would mean.

(1) You compelled us into following error and deviation.

(2) You deceived us by posing as our well-wishers.

(3) You swore oaths to satisfy us that what you were presenting was the very truth.

19. For explanation see ( E.Ns 51, 52, 53 of Surah Saba). 3

20. That is, the followers as well as the guides, misleaders as well as the misled, all shall suffer the same torment. Neither will the followers’ excuse be heeded that they did not go astray but had been led astray, nor the guides’ excuse accepted that the people themselves were not desirous of following the right way.

21. Confirmation of the Messengers has three meanings and all the three are implied here.

(1) That he had not opposed any former Messenger so that the believers of that Messenger could have a rational ground of prejudice against him; he had rather confirmed all the former Messengers sent by God.

(2) That he had not brought any new or novel thing, but he had presented the same that the former Messengers of God had been presenting from the very beginning.

(3) That he truly fulfilled and corresponded to the predictions that the former Messengers had made concerning him.

22. “A provision, determined”: A provision all of whose characteristics have been made known to them, which they are sure to receive, about which they have also the full satisfaction that they will continue to receive it forever, and about which there is no apprehension that they may or may not get it at some time.

23. In this there is also a subtle allusion to the fact that, in Paradise, the food will be provided not to serve as food but for pleasure and delight. That is, the food there will not be meant to replenish the bodily deficiencies through diet, for no deficiency whatever will occur in the body in that eternal life, nor will man have appetite, for appetite is caused by the process of assimilation in the body, nor will the body demand food for its survival. That is why the word fawakih has been used for the different kinds of food in Paradise, which contains the sense of taste and pleasure more than that of nutrition.

24. Here it has not been mentioned as to who will take these cups of wine round to the dwellers of Paradise. This has been stated at other places. And there will go round to them young boys, exclusively appointed for their service, who will be as lovely as well-guarded pearls. (Surah At- Toor, Ayat 24). They will be attended by brisk-moving boys who will forever remain boys. If you saw them, you would think they were pearls, scattered. (Surah Ad-Dahr, Ayat 19). Then, its further details are found in the traditions related by Anas and Samurah bin Jundub from the Prophet (peace be upon him), according to which: The children of the mushrikin will be attendants of the dwellers of Paradise. (Abu Daud Tayalisi, Tabarani, Bazzar). Though these traditions are weak as regards their links of transmitters, there are several other Ahadith which mean that children who died young, before attaining maturity, will go to Paradise. Ahadith also show that the children whose parents are blessed with Paradise will live with them so as to be a comfort of the eyes for them. This leaves behind those children whose parents will not go to Paradise. Thus, with regard to them, it seems reasonable that they will be made the attendants of the dwellers of Paradise. (For a detailed discussion of this, see Fath ul-Bari and Umdat ul-Qari: Kitab ul-Janaiz, Bab; Maqila fi-aulad il-mushrikin; Rasail-o-Masail, vol. iii, pp. 177-187).

25. Here the word kaas (cup) only has been used and there is no mention of the wine. But in Arabic the use of kass always implies wine. The cup which contains milk or water, instead of wine, or is empty, is not called kaas. The word kaas is used for a cup only when it contains wine.

26. That is, it will not be the kind of wine that is extracted from rotten fruit and corn in the world, but it will flow naturally from fountains like canals. In Surah Muhammad, the same thing has been described more clearly, thus: And canals will be flowing in it of wine which will be delightful for the drinkers. (verse 15).

27. That is, the wine of Paradise will be free from both the evils which are found in the wine of the world. The wine of the world, first of all, afflicts man with its stink; then it embitters his taste, upsets his stomach, affects his mind and causes illusion; then it affects the liver and spoils the health generally. Then, when the intoxication is gone, it leaves behind other ill-effects on the body. Its other evil is that man gets drunk with it, talks nonsense and brawls. This is how the wine affects man’s mind and reason. Man suffers both these evil effects of the wine only for the sake of delight and pleasure. Allah says that the wine of Paradise will certainly afford and give full pleasure and delight, but it will be free from the kinds of the evils that go with the worldly wine.

28. Probably, these will be the girls who died before attaining the age of discretion in the world, and whose parents did not deserve to enter Paradise. This can be said on the basis of analogy that just as the boys similarly placed will be appointed for the service of the dwellers of Paradise, and they will ever remain boys, so will the girls be made the houris and they will ever remain young and beautiful. The correct knowledge, however, is with Allah.

29. “Restraining their looks”: Restraining their looks from everyone except their husbands.

30. The words of the text actually mean this: As if they were the hidden or well preserved eggs. The commentators have given different interpretations of these words, but the correct commentary is the one which Umm Salamah has related from the Prophet (peace be upon him). She says that when she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), the meaning of this verse, he said: Their delicacy and elegance and tenderness will be like the thin skin which is there between the shell of the egg and its fleshy part. (Ibn Jarir).

31. That is, were you also one of those credulous people who put their faith in an irrational and impossible thing like life-after-death.

32. This shows how powerful will be man’s hearing, seeing and speaking powers in the Hereafter. Sitting in Paradise he bends his head a little and is able to see a person, who is undergoing torment thousands of miles away in Hell, without the agency of a television set. Then, they not only just see each other, but also commune with each other directly without the medium of the telephone or radio and they speak and hear each other over vast distances.

33. The style clearly shows that while speaking to his friend in Hell, the dweller of Paradise suddenly starts talking to himself. He speaks these three sentences in a way as if he found himself in a state much better than that he ever expected and imagined for himself, and now being beside himself with wonder and joy he is engaged in a sort of soliloquy. In such a state the speaker does not speak to an addressee, nor the questions he asks are meant to find out something from somebody, but in this state the man’s own feelings find expression through his tongue. The dweller of Paradise, while speaking to the dweller of Hell, suddenly starts feeling how he has been favored by good fortune: now there is neither death nor any torment: all troubles and distresses have come to an end and he has been blessed with immortality. Under this very feeling he exclaims: Well are we not to die any other than our first death? Are we not to be punished?

34. Zaqqum is a tree of the cactus species found in Tihamah. It is bitter in taste, obnoxious in smell and sheds a milk like juice when cut or broken.

35. That is, on hearing this, the disbelievers get a new opportunity to taunt the Quran and mock the Prophet (peace be upon him). They ridicule it saying: Listen another strange thing: A tree will grow in the blazing fire of Hell.

36. Nobody should have the misunderstanding that since no one has seen the head of Satan, it was no use likening the buds of zaqqum to it. This is, in fact, an imaginative kind of the simile, and is employed in the literature of every language. For example, in order to give an idea of the rare beauty of a woman, it is said she is a fairy, and in order to describe her ugliness, it is said that she is a hag or a demon. Likewise, a pious-looking person is described as an angel and a dreadful-looking person as a devil.

37. This shows that when the dwellers of Hell will be in distress due to hunger and thirst, they will be driven to the side where there would be the zaqqum trees and the springs of boiling water. When they will have eaten and drunk, they will be brought back to Hell.

38. That is, they never used their own common sense to see whether the way their forefathers had been following was right or wrong; they just blindly adopted the way that they found others following.