41. Fussilat
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
HāMīm.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'ān, and none but Allāh (Alone) knows their meanings.]
A revelation from Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
A Book whereof the Verses are explained in detail; A Qur'ān in Arabic for people who know.
Giving glad tidings [of Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of Allāh (i.e. Islāmic Monotheism) and fears Allāh much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds) and loves Allāh much (performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in the Hell Fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allāh), but most of them turn away, so they listen not.
And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen, so work you (on your way); verily, we are working (on our way)."
Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I am only a human being like you. It is inspired in me that your Ilāh (God) is One Ilāh (God - Allāh), therefore take Straight Path to Him (with true Faith Islāmic Monotheism) and obedience to Him, and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe to Al-Mushrikūn (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allāh, polytheists, idolaters, etc. - see V.2:105).
Those who give not the Zakāt and they are disbelievers in the Hereafter.
Truly, those who believe (in the Oneness of Allāh Islāmic Monotheism, and in His Messenger Muhammad SAW) and do righteous good deeds, for them will be an endless reward that will never stop (i.e. Paradise).
Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days and you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the 'Alamīn (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four 'days' were equal in the length of time), for all those who ask (about its creation).
Then He Istawā (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come, willingly."
Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars)[] to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.
But if they turn away, then say (O Muhammad SAW): "I have warned you of a Sā'iqah (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunderbolt) like the Sā'iqah which overtook 'Ad and Thamūd (people)."
When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them (saying): "Worship none but Allāh" They said: "If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. So indeed! We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent."
As for 'Ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: "Who is mightier than us in strength?" See they not that Allāh, Who created them was mightier in strength than them. And they used to deny Our Ayāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.)!
So We sent upon them furious wind in days of evil omen (for them) that We might give them a taste of disgracing torment in this present worldly life, but surely the torment of the Hereafter will be more disgracing, and they will never be helped.
And as for Thamūd, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islāmic Monotheism) through Our Messenger, (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance, so the Sā'iqah (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunderbolt) of disgracing torment seized them, because of what they used to earn.
And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allāh, keep their duty to Him and avoid evil.
And (remember) the Day that the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire, so they will be collected there (the first and the last).
Till, when they reach it (Hell-fire), their hearing (ears) and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do.
And they will say to their skins, "Why do you testify against us?" They will say: "Allāh has caused us to speak, as He causes all things to speak, and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return."
And you have not been hiding against yourselves, lest your ears, and your eyes, and your skins testify against you, but you thought that Allāh knew not much of what you were doing.
And that thought of yours which you thought about your Lord, has brought you to destruction, and you have become (this Day) of those utterly lost!
Then, if they have patience, yet the Fire will be a home for them, and if they beg for to be excused, yet they are not of those who will ever be excused.
And We have assigned them (devils) intimate companions (in this world), who have made fair-seeming to them, what was before them (evil deeds which they were doing in the present worldly life and disbelief in the Reckoning and the Resurrection, etc.) and what was behind them (denial of the matters in the coming life of the Hereafter as regards punishment or reward, etc.). And the Word (i.e. the torment) is justified against them as it was justified against those who were among the previous generations of jinns and men that had passed away before them. Indeed they (all) were the losers.
And those who disbelieve say: "Listen not to this Qur'ān, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome."
But surely, We shall cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe torment, and certainly, We shall requite them the worst of what they used to do.
That is the recompense of the enemies of Allāh: The Fire, therein will be for them the eternal home, a (deserving) recompense for that they used to deny Our Ayāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.).
And those who disbelieve will say: "Our Lord! Show us those among jinns and men who led us astray, we shall crush them under our feet, so that they become the lowest."
Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allāh (Alone)," and then they Istaqāmū[] , on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!
"We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have (all) that your inner-selves desire, and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask for.
"An entertainment from (Allāh), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allāh (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allāh's (Islāmic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."
The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allāh ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.
But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise and in this world of a high moral character).
And if an evil whisper from Shaitān (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad SAW) (from doing good, etc.), then seek refuge in Allāh. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.
And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allāh Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.
But if they are too proud[] (to do so), then there are those who are with your Lord (angels) glorify Him night and day, and never are they tired.
And among His Signs (in this), that you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) to it, it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Verily, He Who gives it life, surely, (He) is Able to give life to the dead (on the Day of Resurrection). Indeed! He is Able to do all things.
Verily, those who turn away from Our Ayāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc. by attacking, distorting and denying them), are not hidden from Us. Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do what you will. Verily! He is All-Seer of what you do (this is a severe threat to the disbelievers[]).
Verily, those who disbelieved in the Reminder (i.e. the Qur'ān) when it came to them (shall receive the punishment). And verily, it is an honourable respected Book (because it is Allāh's Speech, and He has protected it from corruption, etc.). (See V.15:9]
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allāh swt).
Nothing is said to you (O Muhammad SAW) except what was said to the Messengers before you. Verily, your Lord is the Possessor of forgiveness, and (also) the Possessor of painful punishment[].
And if We had sent this as a Qur'ān in a foreign language other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its Verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur'ān) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand).
And indeed We gave Mūsa (Moses) the Scripture, but dispute arose therein. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, (the torment would have overtaken them) and the matter would have been settled between them. But truly, they are in grave doubt thereto (i.e. about the Qur'ān). [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 15, Page 370]
Whosoever does righteous good deed it is for (the benefit of) his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself, and your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves[].
(The learned men) refer to Him (Alone) the knowledge of the Hour[]. No fruit comes out of its sheath, nor does a female conceive (within her womb), nor brings forth (young), except by His Knowledge. And on the Day when He will call unto them (polytheists) (saying): "Where are My (so-called) partners (whom you did invent)?" They will say: "We inform You that none of us bears witness to it (that they are Your partners)!"
And those whom they used to invoke before will fail them, and they will perceive that they have no place of refuge (from Allāh's punishment).[]
Man (the disbeliever) does not get tired of asking good (things from Allāh), but if an evil touches him, then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.
And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from us, after some adversity (severe poverty or disease, etc.) has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is for me (due to my merit), I think not that the Hour will be established. But if I am brought back to my Lord, Surely, there will be for me the best (wealth, etc.) with Him. Then, We verily, will show to the disbelievers what they have done and We shall make them taste a severe torment.
And when We show favour to man, he withdraws and turns away, but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications.
Say: "Tell me, if it (the Qur'ān) is from Allāh, and you disbelieve in it, who is more astray than one who is in opposition far away (from Allāh's Right Path and His obedience).
We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their ownselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur'ān) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?
Verily! They are in doubt concerning the Meeting with their Lord? (i.e. Resurrection after their deaths, and their return to their Lord). Verily! He it is Who is surrounding all things!