Surah 28. Al-Qasas

Is, then, he to whom We have given that goodly promise which he shall see fulfilled [on his resurrection]⁶² comparable to one on whom We have bestowed [all] the enjoyments of this worldly life but who, on Resurrection Day, will find himself among those that shall be arraigned [before Us]?⁶³

  - Mohammad Asad

See second half of note [58].

Sc., "for having misused Our gifts and attributed them to powers other than Us".

Can a person to whom We have made a handsome promise and he is sure to receive it, be like the one to whom We have only given the provisions of this world and he is scheduled to be presented on the Day of Resurrection for punishment?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Can those to whom We have made a fine promise- which they will see fulfilled- be like those who We have allowed to enjoy the pleasures of this worldly life, but on the Day of Judgment will be brought 'for punishment'?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Is he whom We have promised a fair promise which he will find (true) like him whom We suffer to enjoy awhile the comfort of the life of the world, then on the Day of Resurrection he will be of those arraigned?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Are (these two) alike? one to whom We have made a goodly promise and who is going to reach its (fulfillment) and one to whom we have given the good things of this life but who on the Day of Judgment is to be among those brought up (for punishment)? ³³⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The two classes of people are: (1) those who have faith in the goodly promise of Allah to the righteous, and who are doing everything in life to reach the fulfilment of that promise, i.e., those who believe and work righteousness, and (2) those who are ungrateful for such good things in this life as Allah has bestowed on them, by worshipping wealth or power or other symbols or idols of their fancy, i.e., those who reject Faith and lead evil lives, for which they will have to answer in the Hereafter. The two classes are poles asunder, and their future is described below.

For, on that Day He will call unto them, and will ask: "Where, now, are those [beings or powers] whom you imagined to have a share in My divinity?"⁶⁴ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those partners of Mine whom you supposed [to exist]": see notes [15] and [16] on {6:22-23}.

Let them not forget that Day when We shall call them and ask: "Where are those whom you deemed to be My associates?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Watch for' the Day He will call to them, 'Where are those you claimed were My associate-gods?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

On the Day when He will call unto them and say: Where are My partners whom ye imagined?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That Day Allah will call to them and say: "Where are my `partners'? whom ye imagined (to be such)?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[whereupon] they against whom the word [of truth] shall thus stand revealed⁶⁵ will exclaim: "O our Sustainer! Those whom we caused to err so grievously, we but caused to err as we our-selves had been erring.⁶⁶ We [now] disavow them before Thee: it was not us that they worshipped!"⁶⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in the very fact of God's calling them to account (cf. 27:82 and the corresponding note [73]). As the sequence shows, the persons thus addressed are the "leaders of thought" supposed to have set the community's faulty standards of social behaviour and moral valuation; and since they are primarily responsible for the wrong direction which their followers have taken, they will be the first to suffer in the life to come.

I.e., "we did not lead them astray out of malice, but simply because we ourselves had been led astray by our predecessors". This "answer" is, of course, evasive, but it is quoted here to show that man's attachment to false -but, nevertheless, almost deified - values and concepts based on stark materialism is, more often than not, a matter of "social continuity": in other words, the validity of those materialistic pseudo-values is taken for granted simply because they are time-honoured, with every generation blindly subscribing to the views held by their forebears. In its deepest sense, this passage - as so many similar ones throughout the Qur'an - points to the moral inadmissibility of accepting an ethical or intellectual proposition as true on no other grounds than that it was held to be true by earlier generations.

In other words, they were but wont to worship their own passions and desires projected onto extraneous beings. See in this connection 10:28 and the corresponding notes, especially note [46] also 34:41 and note [52].

Those who are proven guilty as charged will say: "Our Rabb! These are the ones whom we led astray; we led them astray as we were astray ourselves. However, we plead our innocence before You; it was not us that they worshipped."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those 'misleaders' against whom the decree 'of torment' is justified will cry, 'Our Lord! These 'followers' are the ones we caused to deviate. We led them into deviance, for we ourselves were deviant. We disassociate ourselves 'from them' before You. It was not us that they used to worship.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those concerning whom the Word will have come true will say: Our Lord! These are they whom we led astray. We led them astray even as we ourselves were astray. We declare our innocence before Thee: us they never worshipped

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Those against whom the charge will be proved will say: "Our Lord! these are the ones whom we led astray: we led them astray as we were astray ourselves: we free ourselves (from them) in Thy presence! It was not us they worshipped." ^{3393 3394}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This and the next verse are concerned with the examination of those who neglected truth and righteousness and went after the worship of false gods. These were the "partners" they associated with Allah. In so far as they were embodied in false or wicked leaders, the leaders will disown responsibility for them. 'We ourselves went wrong, and they followed our example, because it suited them: they worshipped, not us, but their own lusts.'

Cf. x. 28 False worship often names others, but really it is the worship of Self. The others whom they name will have nothing to do with them when the awful Penalty stands in the sight of both. Then each wrong-doer will have to look to his own case. The wicked will then realise the gravity of the situation and wish that they had accepted the true guidance of Allah's Messengers.

And [they] will be told: "Call [now] unto those [beings or powers] to whom you were wont to ascribe a share in God's divinity!"⁶⁸ -and they will call unto them [for help], but those [false objects of worship] will not respond to them: whereupon they will see the suffering [that awaits them - the suffering which could have been avoided] if only they had allowed them-selves to be guided!⁶⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those [God-]partners of yours": see note [64] above.

For this rendering of the phrase law kanu yahtadun, see note [56] above.

Then they will be told: "Appeal to your shoraka' (associate gods)," so they will appeal them but will get no answer. They will see the punishment and wish that they had accepted guidance.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It will be said 'to the disbelievers', 'Call upon your associate-gods 'for help'.' So they will call them, but will receive no response. And they will face the punishment, wishing they had been 'rightly' guided!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And it will be said: Cry unto your (so-called) partners (of Allah). And they will cry unto them, and they will give no answer unto them, and they will see the Doom. Ah, if they had but been guided!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It will be said (to them): "Call upon your `partners' (for help)": they will call upon them but they will not listen to them; and they will see the Penalty (before them); (how they will wish) `If only they had been open to guidance!'

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And on that Day He will call unto them, and will ask: "How did you respond to My message-bearers?"⁷⁰ -

  - Mohammad Asad

This connects with the first sentence of verse {59}, which has been explained in the corresponding note [60]. The present verse clearly implies that those sinners had not responded to the guidance offered them by God's apostles. As in many other instances in the Qur'an, God's "question" is but meant to stress a moral failure which by now has become obvious to man's self-accusing conscience.

Let them also not forget that, on that Day, He will call them and ask: "How did you answer Our Rasools?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'watch for' the Day He will call to them, asking, 'What response did you give to the messengers?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And on the Day when He will call unto them and say: What answer gave ye to the messengers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That Day (Allah) will call to them and say: "What was the answer ye gave to the apostles?" ³³⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Now we come to the examination of those who rejected or persecuted Allah's Messengers on the earth. It may be the same men as those mentioned in xxviii. 62-64, but this is a different count in the charge.

but all arguments and excuses will by then have been erased from their minds,⁷¹ and they will not [be able to] obtain any [helpful] answer from one another.⁷²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "will on that Day have become obscured to them". The operative noun anba', which literally denotes "tidings", has here the compound meaning of "arguments and excuses" (Tabari).

I.e., they will all be equally confused. For the above rendering of la yatasa'alun (lit., "they will not [be able to] ask one another"), see the explanations of this phrase advanced by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Baydawi.

They will be so confused on that Day that they will not even ask one another.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will be too dumbstruck on that Day to ask one another 'for answers'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

On that day (all) tidings will be dimmed for them, nor will they ask one of another,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Then the (whole) story that day will seem obscure to them (like light to the blind) and they will not be able (even) to question each other. ³³⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In their utter confusion and despair their minds will be blank. The past will seem to them unreal, and the present unintelligible, and they will not even be able to consult each other, as every one's state will be the same.

But as against this - anyone who repents⁷³ and attains to faith and does righteous deeds may well [hope to] find himself among those who achieve a happy state [in the life to come]

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., during his life in this world. For an explanation of this stress on repentance-which flows from one's realization of moral failure - see surah {24}, note [41].

However, the one who has repented in this life, and believed, and done good deeds may hope to be among those who will achieve salvation.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

As for those who repent, believe, and do good 'in this world', it is right to hope that they will be among the successful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

But as for him who shall repent and believe and do right, he haply may be one of the successful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But any that (in this life) had repented believed and worked righteousness will have hopes to be among those who achieve salvation.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

AND [thus it is:] thy Sustainer creates whatever He wills; and He chooses [for mankind] whatever is best for them.⁷⁴ Limitless is God in His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!

  - Mohammad Asad

Some of the classical commentators incline to interpret the ma in the phrase ma kana lahum al-khirah as a particle of negation and the noun khirah as "choice" or "freedom of choice", thus giving to this phrase the meaning of "He chooses, [but] they [i.e., human beings] have no freedom of choice". To my mind, however, this interpretation conflicts not only with the immediately preceding passages but with the tenor of the Qur'an as a whole, which insists throughout on man's responsibility for (and, hence, on relative freedom in) choosing between right and wrong - and this side by side with its stress on God's unlimited power to determine the factual course of events. Hence, I prefer to base my rendering on the interpretation advanced and convincingly argued by Tabari, who regards the crucial particle ma not as a negation but as a relative pronoun synonymous with alladhi ("that which" or "whatever"), and understands the noun khirah in its primary significance of "that which is chosen" or "preferred", i.e., because it is considered to be the best: in another word, as a synonym of khayr. Zamakhshari refers to this interpretation with evident approval (without, however, mentioning Tabari specifically), and enlarges upon it thus: "God chooses for mankind whatever is best (ma hawa khayr) and most beneficial (aslah) for them, for He knows better than they themselves do what is good for them."

Your Rabb creates whatever He wills and chooses for His work whom He pleases. It is not for them (mushrikin) to choose and assign the powers of Allah to whom they want. Glory be to Allah! He is far above the shirk that these people commit.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills- the choice is not theirs. Glorified and Exalted is Allah above what they associate 'with Him'!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thy Lord bringeth to pass what He willeth and chooseth. They have never any choice. Glorified be Allah and exalted above all that they associate (with Him)!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thy Lord does create and choose as He pleases: no choice have they (in the matter): Glory to Allah! and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)! ³³⁹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As He pleases: according to His own Will and Plan. Allah is not dependent on other people for advice or help. He has no partners. All creation is an act of His Will, and no one can direct Him how or why certain things should be, because He is supreme in wisdom and knowledge. He chooses His messengers also by His own unfettered choice. Inspiration or spiritual knowledge and dignity cannot be judged of by our relative or temporary standards. Worldly greatness or even wisdom do not necessarily go with spiritual insight.

And thy Sustainer knows all that their hearts conceal as well as all that they bring into the open:

  - Mohammad Asad

Your Rabb knows all that they conceal in their hearts and all that they reveal.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And your Lord knows what their hearts conceal and what they reveal.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And thy Lord knoweth what thee breasts conceal, and what they publish.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And thy Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they reveal. ³³⁹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Men may form all sorts of vain wishes or conceal their designs. But Allah's Will is supreme, and nothing can withstand its fulfilment.

for He is God, save whom there is no deity. Unto Him all praise is due, at the beginning and at the end [of time];⁷⁵ and with Him rests all judgment; and unto Him shall you all be brought back.

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "in this first [i.e., present life] as well as in the life to come".

He is Allah; there is no god but Him. Praise belongs to Him in this world and in the hereafter: His is the Judgement and to Him you all shall be brought back.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He is Allah. There is no god 'worthy of worship' except Him. All praise belongs to Him in this life and the next. All authority is His. And to Him you will 'all' be returned.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And He is Allah; there is no God save Him. His is all praise in the former and the latter (state), and His is the command, and unto Him ye will be brought back.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And He is Allah: there is no god but He. To him be praise at the first and at the last: for Him is the Command and to Him shall ye (all) be brought back.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say: "Have you ever considered [this]: If God had willed that there should always be night about you, without break, until the Day of Resurrection - is there any deity other than God that could bring you light?⁷⁶ Will you not, then, listen [to the truth]?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who [i.e., "where"] is a deity . . .". etc.. obviously implying that no such "deity" exists.

O Prophet, ask them: "Have you ever considered that if Allah were to make the night perpetual till the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you light?" Will you not listen?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ask 'them, O Prophet', 'Imagine if Allah were to make the night perpetual for you until the Day of Judgment, which god other than Allah could bring you sunlight? Will you not then listen?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made night everlasting for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is a God beside Allah who could bring you light? Will ye not then hear?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: see ye? If Allah were to make the Night perpetual over you to the Day of Judgment what god is there other than Allah who can give you enlightenment? Will ye not then hearken? ³³⁹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the physical world the Night and the Day are both blessings, the one for rest and the other for work, and the alternation itself is one of the mercies of Allah, and none but He can give us these blessings. If we were perpetually resting, or screened from the light, our faculties would be blunted and we should be worse than dead. If we were perpetually working, we should be tired, and we should also be dead in another way. This daily miracle keeps us alive and prepares us, in this our probationary life, for our final destiny in the Hereafter. In the same way our spiritual strivings require periodical alternations of rest in the form of attention to our temporal concerns: hence the justification of a good and pure life on the plane of this earth also. Also, in the world's history, there are periods when a living messenger stimulates intense spiritual activity, and periods when it is comparatively quiescent (the so-called Dark Ages); but both are examples of the working of Allah's Plan of wisdom and mercy. But this applies only up to the Day of Judgment. After that we shall be on another plane altogether.

Say: "Have you ever considered [this]: If God had willed that there should always be daylight about you, without break, until the Day of Resurrection - is there any deity other than God that could bring you [the darkness of] night, wherein you might rest? Will you not, then, see [the truth]?"⁷⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "Will you not recognize the miracle of planned and purposeful creation?"

Ask them again: "Have you ever considered that if Allah were to make the day perpetual till the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you the night in which you could rest? Will you not see?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ask 'them also', 'Imagine if Allah were to make the day perpetual for you until the Day of Judgment, which god other than Allah could bring you night to rest in? Will you not then see?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made day everlasting for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is a God beside Allah who could, bring you night wherein ye rest? Will ye not then see?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: see ye? If Allah were to make the Day perpetual over you to the Day of Judgment what god is there other than Allah who can give you a Night in which ye can rest? Will ye not then see? ³⁴⁰⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In verse 71 was mentioned a "perpetual Night," for which the faculty of "hearkening" was appropriate, as all light was shut out. In this verse a perpetual Day is mentioned, for which the faculty of "seeing" is appropriate. Through many doors can the higher knowledge enter our souls. Shall we not use each of them as the occasion demands?

For it is out of His grace that He has made for you the night and the day, so that you might rest therein as well as seek to obtain [what you need] of His bounty: and [He gave you all this] so that you might have cause to be grateful.

  - Mohammad Asad

It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night that you may rest in it, and the day that you may seek His bounty, so that you may render thanks.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the day and night so that you may rest 'in the latter' and seek His bounty 'in the former', and perhaps you will be grateful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Of His mercy hath He appointed for you night and day that therein ye may rest, and that ye may seek His bounty, and that haply ye may be thankful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is out of His Mercy that He has made for you Night and Day that ye may rest therein and that ye may seek of His Grace and in ;order that ye may be grateful.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

AND ON THAT DAY⁷⁸ He will call unto those [that shall have been arraigned before His judgment seat], and will ask: "Where, now, are those [beings or powers] whom you imagined to have a share in My divinity?"⁷⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the Day of Resurrection - thus reverting to the theme enunciated in verses {62-66} above.

This repetition of God's "question", already mentioned in verse {62} above, is meant to stress the utter inability of the sinners concerned to justify their erstwhile attitude rationally; hence my interpolation at the beginning of the next verse.

They should be mindful of that Day when He will call them and ask: "Where are those deities whom you deemed My associates?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'watch for' the Day He will call to them, 'Where are those you claimed were My associate-gods?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And on the Day when He shall call unto them and say: Where are My partners whom ye pretended?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The Day that He will call on them He will say: "Where are My `partners' whom ye imagined (to be such)?" ³⁴⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxviii. 62 above. The reminiscence of the words closes and rounds off the argument of this Section.

And [they will remain silent: for by then] We will have called forth witnesses from within every community,⁸⁰ and will have said [unto the sinners]: "Produce an evidence for what you have been claiminng!"⁸¹ And so they will come to understand that all truth is God's [alone]:⁸² and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.⁸³

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the prophets who had appeared at various stages of man's history, and who will now bear witness that they had duly conveyed God's message to the people for whom it was meant.

Lit., "Produce your evidence" - i.e., for the possibility of anyone or anything having a share in God's divinity.

I.e., that He is the Ultimate Reality, and that whatever is or could be is an outcome of His will alone.

For the meaning of the phrase ma kanu yaftarun (lit., "all that they were wont to invent" - rendered by me here as well as in 6:24 , 7:53 , 10:30 , 11:21 and 16:87 as "all their false imagery"), see surah {11}, note [42]; also note [15] on 6:22 . A specific instance of such "false imagery" - the futility of man's relying on his own wealth and worldly power - is illustrated in the immediately following legend of Qarun (see next note).

And We shall bring forth a witness from every nation and ask: "Bring your proof about other deities besides Me." Then they shall come to know that in reality there is only One God, Allah, and gods of their own inventions have left them in the lurch."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We will bring forth a witness¹ from every faith-community and ask 'the polytheists', 'Show 'Us' your proof.' Then they will 'come to' know that the truth is with Allah 'alone'. And whatever 'gods' they fabricated will fail them.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 A prophet.

And We shall take out from every nation a witness and We shall say: Bring your proof. Then they will know that Allah hath the Truth, and all that they invented will have failed them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And from each people shall We draw a witness and We shall say: "Produce your Proof": then shall they know that the Truth is in Allah (alone) and the (lies) which they invented will leave them in the lurch." ^{3402 3403}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. iv. 41. The Prophet from each People or Nation will bear testimony that he preached the true gospel of Unity, and the People who rejected him will be asked to show the Proof or authority on which they rejected him: Cf. ii. 111.

In that new world, all the fancies or lies, which had been invented in this world of reflected or relative truths mixed with illusions, will have vanished, and left those in the lurch who relied on them. Cf. vi. 24.