About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

       Alif-Lam-Ra (Only Allah knows their meanings). (This is) a Book which We have sent down to you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] so that you might lead mankind out of (all forms of) darkness (i.e. ignorances) into light with the Permission of your Creator to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of All-Praise.

       Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth and woe to the disbelievers from a severe torment.

       Those who love the worldly life against the Hereafter and hinder (others) from the Path of Allah and look for crookedness in it. They have gone far astray.

       And We have not sent any messenger except with the language of his people so that he might convey (the message) clearly to them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

       And, indeed, We sent Musa ( )  with Our proofs (instructing him): “Bring out your people from darkness into light, and remind them of the Favours of Allah (through the historical events mentioned below). Indeed, there are signs in these for every patient, thankful person.”

       And (remember) when Musa ( )  said to his people: “Try to recall Allah’s favours to you, when He rescued you from the people of Firaun who were inflicting you with a terrible torment, by killing your sons and letting your ladies survive. And there was a big test for you in it from your Creator.”

       And (remember) when your Creator announced: “If you give thanks, I will increase (My blessings on you), but if you do not give thanks (i.e. be disbelievers), indeed, my punishment is very severe.”

       And Musa ( )  said: “If you and all those on the earth disbelieve, then, indeed, Allah is All-Rich (free of all needs), Owner of all Praise.”

       Did you not hear the stories of those before you, the people of Nuh ( ) , and A’d and Thamud and those after them? Nobody knows (the details) of these stories except Allah. (The summary of those stories is as follows). Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they put their hands in the mouths of their messengers (i.e. preventing them even to speak). And they said: “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with and we are in grave doubt in that which you invite us to.”

       Their messengers said: “Do you doubt about Allah who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Allah is inviting you so that He may forgive your sins, and grant you delay for a fixed period.” They said: “You are only a human being like us! You wish to stop us from what our forefathers used to worship. So bring us a clear miracle.”

       Their messengers said to them: “True, we are human beings like you, but Allah bestows His Grace to whom He wills from His slaves. And it is not up to us to bring a miracle except with the Permission of Allah, and believers should put their trust in Allah (Alone).

       “And why should we not put our trust in Allah when He has guided us to our (good) ways? And we shall certainly bear with patience what torture you inflict upon us, and those who trust, should put their trust in Allah (Alone).”

       And the disbelievers said to their messengers: “We shall definitely expel you from our land unless you return to our religion.” So their Creator revealed to them (for their satisfaction): “We shall definitely destroy the wrong-doers. (Also Surah As-Saffat:171-173)

       “And We shall surely make you reside in this land after them. (This promise is not just for you but, for everybody) who is afraid to stand before Me (on the Day of Judgement) and also fears My threat.” (Also Surah Al-Anbiya:105)

       And they (the messengers) prayed for judgement and victory and every obstinate, arrogant tyrant was totally destroyed.

       In front of every such person is Hell, and he will be made to drink water like liquid puss. 

       He will try to drink it (due to extreme thirst) sip by sip with a great difficulty even then he will not be able to swallow it down his throat, and death will come to him from every direction, yet he will not die (i.e. will have permanent torture), and beyond this he will have even more painful torment.

       The example of those who disbelieve in their Creator is that their deeds are like ashes (which blow away easily) on which a strong wind blows on a stormy day. (Hence, no sign of ashes will be left). Similarly they (the disbelievers) will not benefit from their deeds at all (they will disappear like the ashes). That is, indeed, straying far away (from the Right Path).

       Do you not see that Allah has created the heavens and the earth with utmost wisdom? If He wills He can destroy you and replace you with a new creature.

       And that is not difficult for Allah.

       And they all shall appear before Allah (on the Day of Judgement), then the weak will say to those who were arrogant “We, indeed, obeyed you, so can you remove at least part of Allah’s torment from us?” They will say: “Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. Now it makes no difference if we are impatient or bear it patiently. There is no place to escape for us from it.”

       When all the matters have been settled (then all the people of the Hell will blame Satan for their misery) Satan will say: “Indeed, Allah gave you true promise (through His messengers) and I promised you too but I acted against my promise. I had no authority (or pressure) on you at all, except that, I invited you and you (spontaneously) accepted my invitation. Hence, don’t blame me rather blame yourselves. Neither I can help you nor can you help me. I, indeed, deny that you made me a partner in worship with Allah in the past. Indeed, there is a painful torment for the wrong-doers.” (Also Surah An-Nisa:120)

       And those who believed and did righteous deeds will be made to enter Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to reside there forever, with the Permission of their Creator. Their greeting will be “Salam” (i.e. peace) (between themselves and from the angels too).

       Don’t you see how Allah describes an example, that a good word is like a good tree that has its strong roots and its branches are in the sky?

       It bears its fruit all the time by the Permission of Allah. And Allah describes examples for the people so that they may learn a lesson from it.

       And the example of an impure thing is that of an evil tree which can be easily uprooted from the surface of the earth since it has no stability.

       Allah keeps the believers firm with firm wording (i.e. with the blessing of Kalimah Tayyibah) in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah makes the disbelievers go astray, and Allah does what He wills.

       Have you not seen those who have changed the Favours of Allah with disbelief [by denying Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] and caused their people to reside in the house of destruction (i.e. Hell)?

       They will enter Hell and it is an evil place to reside.

       And they made rivals to Allah, to mislead people from His Path. Say: “Have fun (in this short life), but certainly your destination is the Hell-Fire.”

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say to My slaves who have believed: “Perform Salat and spend (in charity) openly and secretly from what We have given them, before the coming of the Day on which there will neither be mutual trading nor befriending.”

       Allah has created the heavens and the earth and sends down rainwater from the sky to bring forth fruits as provision for you. And He has put the boats under your control so that they may sail in the river by His Command (for your trading and journey). And He has made the rivers (and canals) to serve you (for drinking water, irrigation and boating etc.).

       And He has made the sun and the moon, both running con-tinuously, to serve you (for light and heat etc). And He has made the day and the night to serve you (provide comfort and to help economics).

       And He gave you all that you asked from Him. And if you try to count the favours of Allah, you will never be able to count them. Indeed, the people are very unjust and very ungrateful (to Allah).

       And (remember) when Ibrahim ( )  said: “O my Creator! Make this city (Makkah) peaceful and save me and my children from worshipping idols.

       “O my Creator! Indeed, these (idols) have, led astray many among  mankind. So whosoever follows me, he is, indeed, from me. And whosoever disobeys me, (please provide him guidance) since You are, indeed, very Forgiving, Most Merciful.

       “O our Creator! I have made some of my children to reside in this valley, which is not suitable for cultivation, near your Sacred House so that they may establish Salat. So incline the hearts of some people towards them (so that they reside here too) and provide them fruits (in some miraculous way)  so that they may be thankful to You (for Your Favours).

       “O our Creator! Indeed, you know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing in the earth and in the heaven is hidden from Allah.

       “All praise and thanks are due to Allah (Alone) who has granted me Ismail ( )  and Ishaq ( )  in my old age. Indeed, my Creator does hear the supplication (i.e. grants the supplication).

       “O my Creator! Make me establish the Salat and (some) of my children too. O our Creator! And (please) accept my supplication.

       “O our Creator! (Please) for-give me and my parents, and all the believers on the Day when accountability will take place.”

       And don’t consider that Allah is unaware of the activities of the wrong-doers. Indeed, He is postponing (their punishment) up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.

       (That Day) they will be running in fear with their raised heads, and their glances will not even return towards themselves, and their hearts will be horror struck.

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And warn the people about the Day when the torment will come to them, so the wrong-doers will say: “Our Creator! (Please) postpone it for a short while, so that we may accept Your preaching and we may obey Your messengers.” (It will be said): “Did you not swear before that (the enjoyment of) the worldly life will not decrease for you (and there is no Hereafter)?

       “And did you not reside in the houses of those people who wronged themselves and was it not clear to you how We treated them? And We gave you many examples (to explain things to you).”

       And they hatched their plot (to eliminate Islam), and Allah knew all their plots, though, their plots were so big that it will move the mountains from their sites. (But all their plots were foiled by Allah).

       So don’t think that Allah will not keep His promise with His messengers. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able to take revenge.

       On that Day the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens (since they will be completely destroyed at the blowing of the first Trumpet). And they (all creatures) will appear before Allah, the One, the Supreme.

       And you will see on that Day the criminals are bound together in chains.

       Their clothes will be of pitch (or tar), and fire will cover their faces.

       So that Allah may reward every person according to his deeds. Indeed, Allah is Swift in accountability.

       This (the Quran) is a Message for mankind to warn them with it and that they may know that He is the only One God (worth worshipping) and that the people of understanding may learn a lesson from it.