Saba

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

1. All praise belongs to Allah to whom belongs everything that is in the heavens and everything that is on Earth, by way of being His creation, in His ownership and under His control. And for Him is all praise in the Hereafter; He is the Wise in His creation and management, and the Knower of the conditions of His servants. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

or 55 verses, revealed after [surat] Luqman. In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful: [34:1] Praise be to God — God, exalted be He, praises Himself with these [words]; the import constitutes the eulogy that ‘praise’ is ever-established [for God] and it entails the attribution to Him of all that is beautiful, exalted be He — to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, as possessions and creation. And to Him belongs [all] praise in the Hereafter, as in this world, for His friends praise Him as they enter Paradise.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

2. He knows everything that enters the earth, i.e. water, seeds and minerals; He knows whatever comes out of it i.e. plants etc.; He knows whatever descends from the heavens i.e. rain, angels and sustenance, and He knows whatever ascends to the heavens i.e. angels, the deeds of His servants and their souls. He is merciful to His believing servants and forgiving of the sins of whoever repents to Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ise Him as they enter Paradise. And He is the Wise, in what He does, the Aware, of His crea¬ tures. [34:2] He knows what penetrates the earth, of water and so forth, and what issues out of it, of vegetation and so on, and what comes down from the heaven, of provision and so on, and what ascends into it, of deeds and so on, and He is the Merciful, to His friends, the Forgiving, to them.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

3. Those who disbelieved in Allah said, “The hour will never come to us!” O Messenger! Say to them: “No, by Allah, the very hour that you reject will definitely come to you, but its time is only known to Allah. He (may He be glorified) is the knower of whatever is hidden such as the hour, even the equivalent of the smallest ant is not hidden from His knowledge, nor anything smaller than that in the heavens or on Earth or larger, except that it is recorded in a clear book, which is the Preserved Tablet in which everything that is to happen until the Day of Judgement is recorded.”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

scends into it, of deeds and so on, and He is the Merciful, to His friends, the Forgiving, to them. [34:3] And those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour, the Resurrection, will never come to us’. Say, to them: ‘Yes indeed, by my Lord, it shall come to you — [by] the Knower of the Unseen (read ‘ dlimi’l-ghaybi as an adjecftival qualification [of wa-rabbi, ‘by my Lord’], or read ‘alimu’l-ghaybi, as the predicate of a [miss¬ ing] subject [such as huwa, ‘He is’]; or read ' alldmi’l-ghaybi ).…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

4. Allah has recorded everything He has in the Preserved Tablet so that He may requite those who have faith in Him and do good deeds. They will receive forgiveness from Allah for their sins; He will not take them to account for them, and they will receive generous sustenance on the Day of Judgement, which is His Paradise.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

that or greater, but it is in a Manifest Book, namely, the Preserved Tablet ( al-lawh al-mahfuz ), [34:4] that He may requite, thereat, those who believe and perform righteous deeds —for such there will be forgiveness and a fair provision, in Paradise.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

5. As for those who strove to falsify all the verses Allah revealed, and said regarding them, “It is sorcery!” and said regarding My Messenger, “He is a fortune-teller, a sorcerer, and a poet”, they will receive the worst and severest punishment on the Day of Judgement.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

and perform righteous deeds —for such there will be forgiveness and a fair provision, in Paradise. [34:5] And those who strive againSt, [who strive] to invalidate, Our signs, namely, the Qur’an, deeming Us inomnipotent ( mu’ajjizina, a variant reading [of this] here and later on [in verse 38, be¬ low] is mu’djizina: [so that repetitively these mean] ‘deeming that We are incapable’ [mu ajjizina], or [if read muajizina ] ‘vying with Us, in order to elude Us’) for they suppose that there is no [such thing as] resurrection or punishment — for such there will be a chastisement of an awful puni…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

6. Some scholars of the people of the book i.e. Abdullah bin Salām testify that the revelation Allah revealed to you is the truth without doubt, and it guides towards the path of the Almighty whom no one can beat and who is praiseworthy in the world and the Hereafter.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

petitively] as an adjectival qualification of rijzin, ‘punish¬ ment’ or ‘ adhabun, ‘chastisement’). [34:6] And those who have been given knowledge — the believers from among the People of the Scrip¬ ture, such as ‘Abd Allah b. Salam and his companions — see, they know, that what has been revealed to you from your Lord, that is, the Qur’an, is the, decisive, truth, and [ that] it guides to the path, the way, of the Mighty, the Praised, in other words, of God, the Lord of Might Who is ever-praised. [34:7] And those who disbelieve say, that is, some of them say to others in order to provoke…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

7. Those who disbelieved in Allah say to one another in astonishment and mocking whatever the Messenger (peace be upon him) brought, “Shall we lead you to a man who will tell you that when you die and decompose into pieces, you will be resurrected alive again?!”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

8. And they said, “Has this man fabricated and attributed a lie to Allah, claiming that we shall be resurrected after we die, or is he insane, talking of nonsense?” It is not as these people say, rather, the reality is that those who do not believe in the Hereafter will suffer a severe punishment on the Day of Judgement, and are very far astray in the world.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

o will inform you that when you have been utterly torn to pieces you shall indeed be created anew?’ [34:8] Has he invented (read a’ftard; the hamza, read with a fatha vowelling, is for the interrogative and suffices in place of the conjunctive hamza ) a lie again St God, in this [repedt], or is there a madness in him, [does he suffer] a dementia on account of which he has imagined that? God, exalted be He, says: Nay, but those who do not believe in the Hereafter, that comprises resurrection and chastisement, will be in the chastisement, thereat, and in error that is far, from the truth, i…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

9. Do these rejectors of resurrection not see the earth that is in front of them and the sky that is above them? If I wished the earth beneath their feet to swallow them up, I would have caused it to happen; and if I wished to send down portions/pieces of the punishment from the heavens, I would have done so. Indeed, there is a clear sign in that for every repentant servant through which he witnesses the power of Allah. The One capable of doing that, is also capable of resurrecting you after your death and the decomposition of your bodies.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ent, will be in the chastisement, thereat, and in error that is far, from the truth, in this world. [34:9] Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them, in other words, what is above them and what is beneath them, of heaven and earth? If We will [ it], We can make the earth swal- 1 Although tajlb means to provoke marvel or amazement, it is being used pejoratively, in the idiomatic sense of‘disbeliefas op¬ posed to its theological one (even though the result is the same).

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

10. And verily I granted David (peace be upon him) messengership and a kingdom, and I said to the mountains, ”O Mountains! Echo My glorification together with David.” and I said the same to the birds. I also made iron soft for him so that he could make whatever tools he wanted with it.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

vant, turning back to his Lord, [signs] indicating God’s power to resurredt and to do what He will. [34:10] And verily We bestowed on David a [great] favour from Us — prophethood and scripture — and We said: ‘O mountains, repeat with him [in praise], by making glorifications, and the birds [too]!’ (read wa’l-tayra in the accusative as a supplement to the [syntactical] locus of jibal, ‘mountains’, in other words, and We also called on them to glorify [God] with him). And We made iron malleable for him, so that it was as dough in his hands.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

11. O David! Make an expansive armour which will protect your soldiers from the attacks of their enemies, and make the rivets in proportion to the rings so that they are not too fine such that do not lodge in them, nor too thick such that they do not fit in them either. And do good deeds; I am watching over your actions, none of your actions are hidden from Me and I shall requite you for them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

glorify [God] with him). And We made iron malleable for him, so that it was as dough in his hands. [34:11] And We said: ‘Fashion, from it, long coats of mail — complete suits of armour which the person wearing it drags behind him along the ground — and measure [well] the links’, that is, in the weaving of the coats (the maker of these is called sarrad). In other words, make them so that the rings thereof are arranged properly. And ad, O family of David, together with him, righteously. Indeed I am Seer of what you do, and will requite you for it accordingly.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

12. And I made the wind serviceable to Solomon, son of David. It would blow the distance of a month in a morning, and the same distance in an evening. I also made springs of copper flow for him so that he could make whatever he wanted from it, together with employing the Jinn who would work in front of him by the command of his Lord. Whichever of the Jinn would deviate from whatever I commanded it to do, I would make it taste the punishment of a flaring fire.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

er with him, righteously. Indeed I am Seer of what you do, and will requite you for it accordingly. [34:12] And, We dHjtosed, for Solomon the wind (the nominative reading of al-rihu would be based on an implicit [missing verb] sakhkharna, ‘We di,<]x>sed’) its morning course, meaning its journey from the morning to the noon, was a month’s journey and its evening course, that is, its journey from the noon to sunset, was a month’s journey.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

13. These Jinn constructed for him whatever he wanted from places of worship, palaces, lofty structures. And I said to them: O the family of David! Be grateful for the blessings I have bestowed upon you, because very few of My servants are grateful to Me for the blessings I grant them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

is world, in which case an angel would smite one of them with a lash thereof that would scorch him. [34:13] They fashioned for him whatever he wished: lofty shrines (maharib are high edifices which are ascended by Stairs) and Statues ( tamathil is the plural of timthdl, which is any thing which you fashion as a likeness [of another]), in other words, brass, crystal or marble figures — the use of figures was not prohibited according to his Law; and basins (jifan is the plural oijafna ) like cisterns (jawabin is the plu¬ ral oijdbiya, which is a large basin) — around each ‘basin’ a thousand…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

14. When we decreed for Solomon to die, the Jinn did not realise he had passed away until the woodworms had eroded away the staff he was leaning on. When he fell it became clear to the Jinn that they do not know the unseen/ghayb, as if they did, they would have not remained subdued, continuing to carry out the difficult tasks imposed upon them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

And few indeed of My servants are thankful’, labouring in obedience to Me in thanks for My favours. [34:14] And when We decreed for him, for Solomon, death, in other words, [when] he died — he re¬ mained supported againft his ft aft an entire year, while the jinn continued to toil in hard labour as was cuftomary, unaware of his death, until [finally] when a termite ate through his ftaff, he fell to the ground [and was seen to be] dead — nothing indicated to them that he had died except a termite ( al-ard is the verbal noun from uridat al-khashaba , 2 passive verbal form, in other words, ‘…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

15. There was for the tribe of Sheba, in the dwelling they lived in, a clear sign of Allah’s power and His favour on them, and the clear sign was two gardens: one on the right and the second on the left. And I said to them: “Eat of the provision of your Lord and thank Him for His favours. This is a pleasant city and you Lord, Allah is a forgiving Lord, who absolves the sins of those who repent to Him.”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

n of the insect. in the humiliating chastisement] for a single day or even a single night [longer]. [34:15] Verily there was for Sheba (Saba’, declined [as li-Saba’in ] or left as indeclinable [li-Saba’a], is [the name of] a tribe that took its name from one of their Arab ancestors) in their dwelling-place, in Yemen, a sign: indicating Gods power, exalted be He, two gardens (jannatdn, a substitution [for dyatun, ‘a sign ]) to the right and to the left, in other words, on the right side of their valley and on its left side.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

16. But they turned away from thanking Allah and believing in His messengers, so I punished them by turning their favours into difficulties, then I sent upon them a strong flood which destroyed their damn and flooded their fields. And I replaced their two pleasant gardens with two gardens which gave bitter fruit, and which contained fruitless tamarisk trees and a small amount of the lote tree (sidr).

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

these [lice] would be killed off because of the purity of its air — and, God is, a forgiving Lord.’ [34:16] But they were disregardftd, of giving thanks to Him and became disbelievers, so We unleashed upon them the flood of the Dam ( al-’arim is the plural of ‘arima, which is a Structure or something similar that holds water back [to be Stored] for when it is needed), in other words, [We unleashed upon them] the flood-waters of their valley which had been held back by the mentioned [Structure] so that they engulfed their two gardens together with all their property.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

17. That change which occurred to the favours they were on was because of their disbelief and turning away from being thankful for the favours. And I do not punish so severely except one who rejects Allah’s favours.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ted [by the following, wa-athlin wa- shay’in min sidrin qalil ) and tamarisk and sparse lote trees. [34:17] That, replacement [of what they had], is what We requited them with for their ingratitude: and is anyone but the ingrate ever [so] requited? (read hal yujaza illd’l-kafuru; or read as hal nujazi illd’l- kafura, ‘Would We requite anyone but the ingrate?’), 3 in other words, it is only the like of such who is called to account.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

18. And I made between the people of Sheba in Yemen and between the cities of the blessed land of Levant, many neighbouring cities, making easier for them the distance of travelling, so they may pass through these cities and towns, stopping when needed, without any difficulty until they reach the land of Levant. And we announced: “Travel through them day and night in complete security from any enemy, hunger or thirst”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

anyone but the ingrate?’), 3 in other words, it is only the like of such who is called to account. [34:18] And We set between them, between Sheba, who were in Yemen, and the towns which We had blessed, with [abundance of] water and trees — these being the towns of Syria, to which they used to travel for commerce — prominent towns , 4 continuous [along the route] from Yemen to Syria, and We facilitated [for travellers] the journeying through them, such that they would reft for the afternoon in one and s'Jiend the night in the next, [and so on] until the end of their travel, having no need…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

19. But they arrogantly rejected Allah's favour of facilitating their journey and they said: “Our Lord, make our journeys longer by removing those cities in between so that we can have a taste of the exhaustion of travelling, and we can make clear the excellence of our riding mounts”. And they wronged themselves by arrogantly rejecting Allah’s favour, turning away from thanking Him, so I made them into tales which those after them talk of and I totally separated between them in the lands so they cannot reach each other.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

he way; and We said, ‘Travel through them night and day safely’, having no fear by night or by day. [34:19] But they said, ‘Our Lord, make far apart (ba“id : a variant reading has baid) the Stages of our travel’, to Syria: make these [ftages through] deserts, so that they could glory before the poor in rid¬ ing their camels and bearing their supplies and water, and so they behaved wantonly with the graces [beftowed on them by God], and they wronged their soids, through disbelief, and so We made them bywords, [of wrongdoing] in this re^ecft, for those who came after them, and We caused the…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

20. And Iblis confirmed through them what he assumed i.e., that he is able to lead them astray and misguide them from the truth, so they followed him in disbelief and misguidance except a group of the believers, as they ruined his hope by not following him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

[servant who is] Steadfast, [in refraining] from ads of disobedience, grateful, for [God’s] graces. [34:20] And verily Iblis proved true (read sadaqa or saddaqa) his opinion of them, that is, of the dis¬ believers among them — [the folk of] Sheba — which was that by his tempting them to go aftray, they would follow him.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

21. And Iblis has no power over them through which he can force them to be misguided, but he only beautifies for them to entice them to lead them astray. We have given him permission to entice so we can make it clear the one who has faith in the Hereafter from the one who is in doubt about the Hereafter. And your Lord, O Messenger, is a Guardian over everything. He guards the actions of His servants and will reward them for them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

rtitive], in other words, [all except that group] who were the believers: they did not follow him). [34:21] And he did not have any warrant over them, any power to sway [them], from Us, but that We might know, by [this] knowledge being made manifeft, him who believed in the Hereafter from him who 3 The reading, together with the consequent inflections, is determined by the verb in question and whether it is read as passive yujaza or aCtive nujazi. 4 That is, towns which can be clearly seen from the main route. was in doubt thereof, and so requite each of the two accordingly.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

22. Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: “Call upon those whom you claimed were your gods besides Allah, so that they can bring you benefit or remove harm from you. They do not have ownership of anything, even as small as a dust particle, nor are they partners with Allah in ownership, nor does Allah have any helpers from amongst them. He is Self Sufficient, in no need of anyone else.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

of, and so requite each of the two accordingly. And your Lord is Preserver, Watcher, of all things. [34:22] Say, O Muhammad (s), to the disbelievers of Mecca: ‘Call on those whom you have asserted, those whom you have asserted to be gods, besides God, in other words, other than Him, so that they might benefit you, as you are wont to assert.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

23. And intercession in His presence does not benefit except for one whom Allah gives permission, and Allah does not give permission to intercede except for whom He is pleased, due to His greatness. And part of His greatness is that when He speaks in the heavens, the angels flap their wings in submission to what He says, until when the state of fear dissappears from their hearts some of them say to others: “What did your Lord just say?” The angels reply He said the truth, and He is High in His essence, and subduing, the Great.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

, nor has He, exalted be He, among them, the gods, any auxiliary’, [anyone required as His] helper. [34:23] And intercession will not avail with Him, exalted be He — this was in response to their saying that their gods would intercede [for them] with Him — except for him to whom leave is given, in this rested (read adhina, ‘ [to whom] He gives leave; or udhina, ‘ [to whom] leave is given).…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

24. Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: “Who provides you from the skies by bringing out the crops, plants and fruits?” Say: “It is Allah who provides you. O idolaters! only one of us can be rightly guided with the other on clear misguidance. There can be no doubt that the believers are on clear guidance and the idolaters are misguided.”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

d He is the Exalted, above His creation, by [His] subjugation [of them], the Great, the Tremendous. [34:24] Say: ‘Who provides for you from the heavens, rain, and [from] the earth?’, vegetation. Say: ‘God!’ — [even] if they do not say it, there is no other [valid] answer. And indeed either we or you are — in other words [either] one of the two parties [is] — rightly guided or in manifest error.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

25. O Messenger! Say to them: “You will not be asked on the day of judgment about the sins we committed nor will we be asked about what you used to do”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

26. Say to them: “Allah will gather us and you on the day of judgment, then He will judge between us and you with justice, then He will manifest the truthful from the liar, and He is the Judge who adjudicates with justice, the all Knowing of how to pass judgment.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

about the sins we committed, nor shall we be questioned about what you do’, for we are quit of you. [34:26] Say: ‘Our Lord will bring us together, on the Day of Resurredion, then He will judge between us with truth, and He will admit the truthful into Paradise and the liars into the Fire. And He is the Judge, the Knowing’, in what He judges. [34:27] Say: ‘Show me, apprise me of, those whom you have joined to Him as associates, in worship. No indeed! — [this is] meant to deter them from [even] supposing that He has an associate.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

27. O Messenger! Say to them: “Show me those whom you have made for Allah as partners which you associate with Him in worship. No indeed, the matter is not as you have thought, i.e, that He has partners, but rather He is Allah, the Mighty whom nobody can overpower, Wise in his creation, decree, and control.”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

28. And I did not send you, O Messenger, except for the sake of all of mankind, to give good news to the pious that for them is Paradise, and to warn the disbelievers and transgressors of the fire, but most people do not know that. Had they known, they would not have denied you.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ich He manages [the affairs of] His creation and so He could not have any associate in His kingdom. [34:28] And We did not send you except to all (kaffatan is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-nds, ‘mankind’, and is made to precede [li’l-nas] because of the importance attached to it) of mankind [both] as a bearer of good tidings, to believers, of Paradise, and a Warner, to the disbelievers, of chastisement, but rnoSt people, such as the disbelievers of Mecca, do not know, this. [34:29] And they say, ‘When shall this promise, of chastisement, be [fulfilled], if you are being truth…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

29. And the idolaters say, whilst hastily seeking the punishment you are warning them of: “If you are truthful tell us When is this promise of punishment going to occur?”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

30. O Messenger! Say to these people who are hastily seeking the punishment: “For you is a fixed appointed time, when the time comes upon you it will not be delayed or preceded for the smallest moment of time. And this day is the day of judgment”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

31. Those who disbelieved in Allah said: “We will never believe in the Qur’ān which Muhammad claim is revealed to him nor will we ever believe in the previous divine books”. And if you were to see, O Messenger, when the wrongdoers are detained before their Lord on the day of judgment for the reckoning. They will dispute with one another, each one placing the responsibility and blame on the other. The subjects/citizens who were subdued will say to their leaders who oppressed them in this life: “If you had not led us astray, we would have been believers in Allah and His messengers”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

Day which you can neither defer nor advance by a single hour’, and this is the Day of Resurrection. [34:31] And those who disbelieve, from among the people of Mecca, say, ‘We will not believe in this Qur’an, nor in that which was [revealed] before it’ — in other words, what preceded it, such as the To¬ rah and the GoSJiel, both of which contain proofs of the Resurrection — because they rejecft the truth of this [laSt].…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

32. The leaders who were arrogant to the truth will say to the followers they oppressed: “Did we stop you from the guidance which Muhammad brought? No, but rather you were the wrongdoers and the people who were corrupt spreading immorality.”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

rs: ‘Had it not been for you, barring us from faith, we would have been believers’, in the Prophet. [34:32] Those who were arrogant will say to those who were oppressed, ‘Was it us who barred you from guidance after it had come to you?. Nay! Rather you were guilty’, of your own accord.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

33. The followers who were oppressed by their leaders will say to their leaders who were arrogant to the truth: “But your scheming about us night and day stopped us from guidance, when you would order us to disbelieve in Allah and to worship creations besides Him”. And they will hide the regret over the disbelief they were on in this world when they see the punishment, and they will know they are going to be punished. And I will put chains on the necks of the disbelievers.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

rred you from guidance after it had come to you?. Nay! Rather you were guilty’, of your own accord. [34:33] And those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, ‘Nay, but [it was your] scheming night and day, in other words, [such were] your schemes against us during both [of these times], when you used to command us to disbelieve in God and set up partners with Him’.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

34. I have not sent a messenger in any city to warn of Allah’s punishment except that the affluent people in it amongst those of power, fame and wealth said: “We are of what you have been sent with, O messengers, disbelievers”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

in the Fire. Shall they be requited except, the requital, for what they used to do?, in the world. [34:34] And We did not send a Warner to any town without its affluent ones, its leaders, those enjoying [life’s] comforts, saying, ‘Indeed we disbelieve in that [Message] with which you have been sent’. [34:35] And they say, ‘Wepossess more wealth and children, than those who are believers, and we shall not be chastised’. [34:36] Say: ‘Truly my Lord extends provision.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

35. And these people of fame said braggingly and boastfully: “We are more in wealth and more in children. And your claim that we will be punished is a lie, as we will not be punished in this world nor in the Hereafter”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

36. O Messenger, say to these who have been deceived by the favours they have been given: “My Lord expands provision for whom He wants, to test whether he is grateful or ungrateful, and He makes it tight for whom He wants, to test whether he is patient or becomes upset. But most people do not know that Allah is Wise. He does not decree a matter except due to complete wisdom which is known to those who know and which the ignorant are unaware of”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

37. And your wealth and your children which you boast over are not what leads you to Allah’s pleasure, but the one who believes in Allah and does good actions has acquired has acquired a multiplied reward. His wealth draws him closer to Allah by him spending it in Allah's way, and his children also are a means for raising his rank, by their prayers for him. So those believers who do good deeds - for them is a multiple reward for the good they did and they will be in the higher ranks of Paradise, safe from whatever they fear; punishment, death and ending of joy.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

will, to try [them], but mod people, such as the disbelievers of Mecca, do not know’, this [truth]. [34:37] Nor is it your wealth or your children that will bring you near to Us in closeness, except for, but [it is], those who believe and ad righteously: those, they shall have a twofold reward for what they did, in other words, [they shall have it] as the reward of their acftion — as a good deed, for example, is rewarded tenfold or more — and they shall be in the lofty abodes, of Paradise, secure, from death and otherwise (a variant reading [for al-ghurufat] is al-ghurfa [the generic noun…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

38. And the disbelievers who make it their utmost effort to turn people away from our verses and strive hard to achieve these goals of theirs are losers in this world and will be punished in the Hereafter.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

otherwise (a variant reading [for al-ghurufat] is al-ghurfa [the generic noun] implying a plural). [34:38] And those who drive againd Our signs, namely, the Qur’an, [seeking] to invalidate it, supposing [Us] to be inomnipotent — or [supposing] that they can elude Us — 5 those, they will be arraigned into the chadisement.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

39. O Messenger, say: “My Lord expands provision for whom He wants from His creation and makes it tight for whom He wants. And whatever you spend in Allah’s way, Allah will replace it for you in this world by giving you what is better than it and by giving you great reward in the Hereafter. And Allah is the best of providers, so whoever seeks provision should resort to Him”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ent — or [supposing] that they can elude Us — 5 those, they will be arraigned into the chadisement. [34:39] Say: ‘My Lord extends provision. He makes it abundant, for whomever He will of His servants, as a teSt, and redrids [it] for him, after having extended it — or [He reStridts it] for him whom He will to try, and whatever thing you may expend, for [the cause of] good, He will replace it. And He is the bed of providers’. It is said that every man ‘provides for’ his dependants ( yarzuqu ‘ailatahu), meaning that [he does so] from the provision given [to him] by God.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

40. O Messenger, remember the day Allah will gather them all, then Allah will say to the angels, to scold the idolaters and rebuke them: “Are these the ones who used to worship you in the worldly life besides Allah?”

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ependants ( yarzuqu ‘ailatahu), meaning that [he does so] from the provision given [to him] by God. [34:40] And, mention, on the Day when He will gather them all together, namely, [all] the idolaters, He will say to the angels, ‘Was it these who used to worship you?’ (read a-haulai iyyakum, pronouncing both hamzas, or by replacing the firSt with a ya or dropping it altogether).

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

41. The angels will say: “You are pure and exalted. You are our guardian, not them, so there is no friendship between us and them, but rather these idolaters used to worship the satans. They used to appear to them as angels, so they would worship them besides Allah, most of them were believers in them”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

i iyyakum, pronouncing both hamzas, or by replacing the firSt with a ya or dropping it altogether). [34:41] They will say, ‘Glory be to You, exalted above that You should have an associate! You are our Supporter, not they, in other words, as far as we are concerned there are no bonds of association between us and them. Nay, ( bal, is to indicate transition) rather, they used to worship the jinn, the devils, in other words, [they used to] obey them and [agree to] worship us; mod of them were believers in them’, accept¬ ing as truth what these [jinn] used to say to them.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

42. On the day of gathering and reckoning, the worshipped will not be able to benefit those who worshipped them besides Allah in the world nor will they be able to harm them. And I will say to those who wronged themselves through disbelief and sins: “Taste the punishment of the fire which you used to deny in the world”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

s; mod of them were believers in them’, accept¬ ing as truth what these [jinn] used to say to them. [34:42] God, exalted be He, says: ‘So today none among you has any power over another, in other words, none of those worshipped [have any power] over any of those who worshipped, either to benefit, [through] intercession, or to hurt’, [through] chastisement. And We shall say to those who did wrong, who disbelieved: ‘Tade the chadisement of the Fire which you used to deny!’

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

43. And when you read to these denying idolaters our clear verses revealed to our Messenger and in which there is no uncertainty they say: “"This is a mere human being who has brought this message to divert us away from the path of our forefathers”. And they said: “The Qur’ān is nothing but a fabricated lie against Allah”. And those who disbelieved in Allah said regarding the Qur’ān when it came to them from Allah: “This is nothing but clear magic to separate between husband and wife, and son and father”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

to those who did wrong, who disbelieved: ‘Tade the chadisement of the Fire which you used to deny!’ [34:43] And when Our signs, [from] the Qur’an, are recited to them, [being] clear signs, evident [ones], by the tongue of our Prophet Muhammad (5), they say, ‘This isjud a man who desires to bar you from [worshipping] what your fathers used to worship’, of idols. And they say, ‘This, Qur’an, is nothing but a calumny, a lie, that has been invented, against God.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

44. And I have not give them books which they are reading, which may be a reason for them to pass judgement on the Qur’ān being a lie which Muhammad fabricated, nor did I send towards them, before sending you O Messenger, a messenger who would warn them of Allah’s punishment.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

vely. Qur’an, when it comes to them, ‘This is nothing but plain sorcery’. God, exalted be He, says: [34:44] And We did not give them any scriptures for them to Study, nor did We send them any Warner before you, so on what grounds do they deny you? [34:45] And those who were before them [also] denied, and they, these ones [the Meccans], have not received [even] a tenth of what We gave those [others], in the way of might, long life and abundance of wealth.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

45. And the previous nations such as Aad, Thamud and the people of Lot denied. And the idolaters from your people have not reached even a tenth of the strength, might and numbers the previous nations reached. Every one of them denied their Messenger, so the wealth, strength and numbers they were given did not benefit, and so My punishment befell them. So see the outcome of My reproachment and that of My punishment.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

46. Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: “I only direct you to and advise you of one characteristic, which is that you stand free from desires, for Allah’s sake, in twos and individually, then think about the life of your companion and what you know of his intelligence, truthfulness and trustworthiness”, so that it becomes clear to you that he (peace be upon him) is not insane. He is not but a warner to you before a severe punishment, if you do not repent to Allah from associating partners with Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

s] My rebuttal against them through punishment and destruction, in other words, it was appropriate. [34:46] Say: ‘I will give you juSt one [piece of] admonition: namely, that you rise up for God, in other words, for His sake, in twos and individually, and then reflect: and realise [that], there is no madness in your companion, Muhammad (s). He isjuSt a Warner to you before [the befalling of] a severe chastise¬ ment’, in the Hereafter, if you disobey him.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

47. O Messenger! Say to these idolaters who reject: “Whatever reward or payment I ask you for the guidance and good I have brought you, then it is - assuming it exists - for you. My reward is only with Allah alone, and He is Witness to everything. He witnesses that I have conveyed to you, and witnesses your actions and will then give you their full reward”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

er to you before [the befalling of] a severe chastise¬ ment’, in the Hereafter, if you disobey him. [34:47] Say, to them: 7 have not asked you, in return for [my] warning and delivering the Message [to you], any reward, since it is for [the benefit of] you, in other words, I do not ask you for any reward in return for this. Indeed my reward lies only with God, and He is Witness over all things’, observing [them all], knowing my truthfulness. [34:48] Say: ‘Indeed my Lord hurls the truth.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

48. O Messenger, say: “My Lord will empower the truth over falsehood, thus invalidating it, and He is Knower of the Ghaib. Nothing in the heavens or the earth is hidden from Him, and the actions of His servants are not hidden from Him”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

49. O Messenger! Say to these idolaters who reject: “The truth which is Islam has come, and falsehood which has no effect or supremacy has gone, and it will not return to its dominance”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

er of the Unseen’, [of] all that is hidden from His creatures throughout the heavens and the earth. [34:49] Say: ‘The truth, Islam, has come. And falsehood, disbelief, neither originates nor restores [any¬ thing]’, in other words, it leaves no trace [of itself] behind. [34:50] Say: ‘If I go aStray, from the truth, I will be going aStray only to my own loss, that is to say, the sin of my going aStray shall be held against me; and if I am rightly guided, it will have been by what my Lord reveals to me, of the Qur’an and wisdom. Truly He is Hearer, of supplications, Nigh’.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

50. O Messenger! Say to these idolaters who reject: “If I go astray from the truth in what I convey to you, the harm of my misguidance is confined to me. None of it will affect you. And if I am guided to Him, it is due to what my Lord reveals to me. He is Hearing of the sayings of His servants and Near, it not being difficult for Him to hear what I say”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

—

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

51. And if you were to see, O Messenger, when these deniers will be terrified when they see the punishment on the day of judgment. So there will be no place for them to run to from it, nor any refuge for them to resort to, and they will be seized from a nearby place which is easy to reach from the very beginning. If you were to see that, you would see a strange matter.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

what my Lord reveals to me, of the Qur’an and wisdom. Truly He is Hearer, of supplications, Nigh’. [34:51] If you could but see, O Muhammad (s), when they are Stricken with terror, at the Resurrection, you would see a dreadful thing, and so there is no escape, for them, from Us, that is to say, they will not [be able to] elude Us, and they are seized from a close quarter, namely, [from] the graves. [34:52] And they will say, ‘We believe in him [now]’, in other words, [in] Muhammad (s) — or [if read ‘We believe in if, then] in the Qur’an.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

52. And they will say when they see their fate: “We have brought faith in the day of judgment”, but how will they pursue and acquire faith when the place for accepting faith has gone far from them, by their leaving the worldly abode, the abode of action and no reward, to the abode of the Hereafter, the abode of reward and no action?

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

53. And how will faith be attained for them and accepted from them, when they had disbelieved in it in the worldly life and would suspiciously accuse from a direction far from the truth, thus saying about the Messenger (peace be upon him): magician, soothsayer and poet?

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

— as they are [now] in the Hereafter, and the [proper] place for [attaining] it was in this world — [34:53] when they disbelieved in it before?, in this world. And they throw guesses at the Unseen from a far-off place, in other words, [they make guesses] about something the knowledge of which was hidden far away from them, as when they would say that the Prophet was a sorcerer, or a poet, or a soothsayer, or that the Qur’an was sorcery, poetry or soothsaying.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

54. And these deniers were prevented from that which they desire, from the pleasure of this life, as well as repentance from disbelief, salvation from the fire and returning to the worldly life, just as was done with their likes from the nations before them who denied. They were in doubt about what the messengers brought, i.e., believing the Oneness of Allah and faith in the resurrection.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

was a sorcerer, or a poet, or a soothsayer, or that the Qur’an was sorcery, poetry or soothsaying. [34:54] And a barrier is set between them and what they crave, in the way of faith — in other words, [their craving] to embrace it — juSt as was done with their counterparts, in [reSJaeCt to] disbelief, for¬ merly, in other words, before them.…