Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 54 Al-Qamar, Ayat 41-55

وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَ اٰلَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ النُّذُرُ​ۚ‏ ﴿54:41﴾ كَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰيٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَاَخَذۡنٰهُمۡ اَخۡذَ عَزِيۡزٍ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ‏  ﴿54:42﴾ اَكُفَّارُكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡ اُولٰٓـئِكُمۡ اَمۡ لَكُمۡ بَرَآءَةٌ فِى الزُّبُرِ​ۚ‏  ﴿54:43﴾ اَمۡ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيۡعٌ مُّنۡتَصِرٌ‏ ﴿54:44﴾ سَيُهۡزَمُ الۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّوۡنَ الدُّبُرَ‏ ﴿54:45﴾ بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَالسَّاعَةُ اَدۡهٰى وَاَمَرُّ‏ ﴿54:46﴾ اِنَّ الۡمُجۡرِمِيۡنَ فِىۡ ضَلٰلٍ وَّسُعُرٍ​ۘ‏ ﴿54:47﴾ يَوۡمَ يُسۡحَبُوۡنَ فِى النَّارِ عَلٰى وُجُوۡهِهِمۡؕ ذُوۡقُوۡا مَسَّ سَقَرَ‏  ﴿54:48﴾ اِنَّا كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنٰهُ بِقَدَرٍ‏ ﴿54:49﴾ وَمَاۤ اَمۡرُنَاۤ اِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمۡحٍۢ بِالۡبَصَرِ‏ ﴿54:50﴾ وَلَقَدۡ اَهۡلَـكۡنَاۤ اَشۡيَاعَكُمۡ فَهَلۡ مِنۡ مُّدَّكِرٍ‏ ﴿54:51﴾ وَكُلُّ شَىۡءٍ فَعَلُوۡهُ فِى الزُّبُرِ‏ ﴿54:52﴾ وَ كُلُّ صَغِيۡرٍ وَّكَبِيۡرٍ مُّسۡتَطَرٌ‏ ﴿54:53﴾ اِنَّ الۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ فِىۡ جَنّٰتٍ وَّنَهَرٍۙ‏ ﴿54:54﴾   فِىۡ مَقۡعَدِ صِدۡقٍ عِنۡدَ مَلِيۡكٍ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ‏ ﴿54:55﴾

(54:41) Warnings also came to the Pharaonites, (54:42) but they gave the lie to Our Signs, to all of them. Thereupon We seized them with the seizing of the Most Mighty, the Most Powerful. (54:43) Are your unbelievers (of Makkah) any better than they?23 Or have you been granted any immunity in the Scriptures? (54:44) Or do they say: “We are a strong legion, strong enough for victory?” (54:45) Soon shall this legion be routed and shall turn their backs and flee. 24 (54:46) Nay; the Hour of Doom is their appointed time, and the Hour shall be more calamitous and bitter. (54:47) The evil-doers are victims of error and madness. (54:48) There shall come a Day when they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire and will be told: “Now taste the flame of Hell.” (54:49) We have created everything in a determined measure.25 (54:50) Our command consists of only one Word which is carried out in the twinkling of an eye.26 (54:51) We did indeed destroy many like you.27 Is there, then, any who will heed? (54:52) All their deeds are recorded in the Scrolls; (54:53) everything large or small, is duly inscribed.28 (54:54) Surely those who shun disobedience will dwell amidst Gardens and running streams (54:55) where they will be honourably seated in the presence of a King, Mighty in Power.

Notes

23. The address here is directed to the Quraish, as if to say: When the other nation have been punished for adopting disbelief and showing stubbornness and denying the truth, why would you not be punished if you adopted the same attitude and conduct. For, you are not a special people in any way.

24. This is a specific prophecy that was made five years before the hijrah, saying that the hosts of the Quraish who waxed proud of their strength would soon be put to rout by the Muslims. At that time no one could imagine how such a revolution would take place in the near future. Such was the helplessness of the Muslims that a group of them had already left the country and taken refuge in Habash and the rest of the believers lay besieged in Shiab Abi Talib, and were being starved by the Quraish boycott and siege. Under such conditions no one could imagine that only within next seven years the tables were going to turn. A pupil of Ahdullah bin Abbas has related that Umar used to say: When this verse of Surah Al-Qamar was sent down. I wondered what hosts it is that would be routed. But when in the Battle of Badr the pagan Quraish were routed and they were fleeing from the battlefield, I saw the Messenger of Allah in his armor rushing forward and reciting this verse: Sa-yuhzam-al -jamu yuwallun-ad-dubur. Then only did I realize that this was the defeat that had been foretold. (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim).

25. That is, nothing in the world has been created at random but with a purpose and destiny. A thing comes into being at an appointed time, takes a particular form and shape, develops to its fullest extent, survives for a certain period, and then decays and dies at an appointed time. Even according to this universal principle this world too has a destiny in accordance with which it is functioning till an appointed time and will come to an end at an appointed tune. It will neither come to an end a moment earlier than its appointed time of end nor survive a moment longer; it has neither existed since eternity nor will exist till eternity, nor is it the plaything of a child which he may destroy as and when he likes.

26. That is, We shall not have to make any lengthy preparations for bringing about Resurrection, nor will it take long to come. For no sooner will a command be issued forth from Us, it will take place in the twinkling of an eye.

27. That is, if you think that the world is not the kingdom of a Wise and Just God but the lawless empire of a blind ruler, in which man may behave and conduct himself as he likes, without any fear of accountability, history is proof and an eye-opener for you, which shows that the nations that adopted such a way of life, have been sent to their doom, one after

28. That is, these people should not be under the delusion that whatever they did in the world has become extinct; nay, they should know that full record of the deeds of every person, every group and every nation lies preserved and it will be presented before them at the appropriate time.