19. Then is he who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? They will only be reminded who are people of understanding -
22. And those who are patient, seeking the face [i.e., acceptance] of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home638 -
Notes
[638] i.e., the world and its trials, its good consequence being Paradise.
23. Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying],
25. But those who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.639
Notes
[639] i.e., Hell. Another meaning is (in contrast to verse 22), "...and they will have the bad consequence of [this] home," also referring to Hell.
26. Allāh extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief] enjoyment.
27. And those who disbelieved say, "Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, Allāh leaves astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him] -
30. Thus have We sent you to a community before which [other] communities have passed on so you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Merciful. Say, "He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return."
31. And if there was any Qur’ān [i.e., recitation] by which the mountains would be removed or the earth would be broken apart or the dead would be made to speak,640 [it would be this Qur’ān], but to Allāh belongs the affair entirely. Then have those who believed not accepted that had Allāh willed, He would have guided the people, all of them? And those who disbelieve do not cease to be struck, for what they have done, by calamity - or it will descend near their home - until there comes the promise of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh does not fail in [His] promise.
32. And already were [other] messengers ridiculed before you, and I extended the time of those who disbelieved; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.
33. Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned, [like any other]? But to Allāh they have attributed partners. Say, "Name them. Or do you inform Him of that641 which He knows not upon the earth or of what is apparent [i.e., alleged] of speech?"642 Rather, their [own] plan has been made attractive to those who disbelieve, and they have been averted from the way. And whomever Allāh sends astray - there will be for him no guide.
Notes
[641] i.e., other "deities."
[642] i.e., your attributing of divinity to other than Allāh.
34. For them will be punishment in the life of [this] world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe. And they will not have from Allāh any protector.
35. The example [i.e., description] of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous, and the consequence for the disbelievers is the Fire.
36. And [the believers among] those to whom We have given the [previous] Scripture rejoice at what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], but among the [opposing] factions are those who deny part of it [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Say, "I have only been commanded to worship Allāh and not associate [anything] with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return."
37. And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic legislation.643 And if you should follow their inclinations after what has come to you of knowledge, you would not have against Allāh any ally or any protector.
38. And We have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendants. And it was not for a messenger to come with a sign except by permission of Allāh. For every term is a decree.
40. And whether We show you part of what We promise them or take you in death, upon you is only the [duty of] notification, and upon Us is the account.
41. Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?645 And Allāh decides; there is no adjuster of His decision. And He is swift in account.
Notes
[645] Referring to the spread of Islām through Allāh's Prophet (ﷺ) and the diminishing of those areas controlled by the polytheists.
42. And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
43. And those who have disbelieved say, "You are not a messenger." Say, [O Muḥammad], "Sufficient is Allāh as Witness between me and you, and [the witness of] whoever has knowledge of the Scripture."646
Notes
[646] i.e., those who recognize the truth through their knowledge of previous scriptures.
1. Alif, Lām, Rā.648 [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord - to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy -
2. Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And woe [i.e., destruction] to the disbelievers from a severe punishment -
3. The ones who prefer the worldly life over the Hereafter and avert [people] from the way of Allāh, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. Those are in extreme error.
4. And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them, and Allāh sends astray [thereby] whom He wills649 and guides whom He wills. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
5. And We certainly sent Moses with Our signs, [saying], "Bring out your people from darknesses into the light and remind them of the days650 of Allāh." Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
Notes
[650] Days of blessings bestowed upon the Children of Israel. Also interpreted as days of punishment and destruction of the former nations.
6. And [recall, O Children of Israel], when Moses said to his people, "Remember the favor of Allāh upon you when He saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were afflicting you with the worst torment and were slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.
7. And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'"
9. Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and ʿAad and Thamūd and those after them? No one knows them [i.e., their number] but Allāh. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths651 and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."
Notes
[651] Several explanations have been given as to the meaning. Based upon the conclusion of the verse, Ibn Katheer preferred that this was a gesture of denial and rejection.
10. Their messengers said, "Can there be doubt about Allāh, Creator of the heavens and earth? He invites you that He may forgive you of your sins, and He delays you [i.e., your death] for a specified term." They said, "You are not but men like us who wish to avert us from what our fathers were worshipping. So bring us a clear authority [i.e., evidence]."
11. Their messengers said to them, "We are only men like you, but Allāh confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants. It has never been for us to bring you evidence except by permission of Allāh. And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
12. And why should we not rely upon Allāh while He has guided us to our [good] ways. And we will surely be patient against whatever harm you should cause us. And upon Allāh let those who would rely [indeed] rely."
13. And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, "We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion." So their Lord inspired to them, "We will surely destroy the wrongdoers.
17. He will gulp it but will hardly [be able to] swallow it. And death will come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die. And before him is a massive punishment.
18. The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord is [that] their deeds are like ashes which the wind blows forcefully on a stormy day; they are unable [to keep] from what they earned a [single] thing. That is what is extreme error.
19. Have you not seen [i.e., considered] that Allāh created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He can do away with you and produce a new creation.
21. And they will come out [for judgement] before Allāh all together, and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, "Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allāh?" They will say, "If Allāh had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape."
22. And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, "Indeed, Allāh had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allāh] before.655 Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment."
Notes
[655] By your obedience to me instead of Him during life on earth.
23. And those who believed and did righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein by permission of their Lord; and their greeting therein will be, "Peace!"
24. Have you not considered how Allāh presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
27. Allāh keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word,656 in worldly life and in the Hereafter.657 And Allāh sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allāh does what He wills.
Notes
[656] The testimony that there is no deity except Allāh and that Muḥammad (ﷺ) is the messenger of Allāh.
[657] When questioned in their graves by the angels after death.
31. [O Muḥammad], tell My servants who have believed to establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, before a Day comes in which there will be no exchange [i.e., ransom], nor any friendships.
32. It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you659 the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers.
34. And He gave you from all you asked of Him.660 And if you should count the favor [i.e., blessings] of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful.661
Notes
[660] Something of what you asked and all of what you continually require, according to His wisdom.
[661] i.e., disbelieving and denying of Allāh's favor.
36. My Lord, indeed they have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me - then he is of me;662 and whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.
37. Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.
42. And never think that Allāh is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them [i.e., their account] for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].
44. And, [O Muḥammad], warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, "Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers." [But it will be said], "Had you not sworn, before, that for you there would be no cessation?664
Notes
[664] Of the blessings which Allāh had bestowed upon you during life on earth.
45. And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how We dealt with them. And We presented for you [many] examples."
46. And they had planned their plan, but with Allāh is [recorded] their plan, even if their plan had been [sufficient] to do away with the mountains.665
Notes
[665] An alternative meaning is "...and their plan was not [sufficient] to do away with the mountains," i.e., it had no effect against Allāh's will.
48. [It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and they [i.e., all creatures] will come out before Allāh, the One, the Prevailing,
52. This [Qur’ān] is notification for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one God and that those of understanding will be reminded.