Surah 37. As-Saffat

We delivered him and his family¹ from the great distress,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the believers in his family.

And We delivered him and his people from the Great Calamity. ⁴⁰⁸¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Deluge, the Flood of Noah. The main story will be found in xi. 25-48.

and made his descendants the sole survivors.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

And made his progeny to endure (on this earth); ⁴⁰⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Noah's posterity survived the Flood in the Ark, while the rest perished.

And We blessed him 'with honourable mention' among later generations:

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We left (this blessing) for him among generations to come in later times: ⁴⁰⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

His name is remembered for ever, commencing a new era in religious history. Note that the words in verses 78-81, with slight modifications, form a sort of refrain to the following paragraphs about Abraham, Moses, and Elias, but not about Lot and Jonah. Lot was a nephew of Abraham, and may be supposed to belong to the story of Abraham. Jonah's career nearly ended in a tragedy for himself, and his people got a further lease of power "for a time" (xxxvii. 148). And both Lot and Jonah belong to a limited local tradition.

'Peace be upon Noah among all peoples.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Peace and salutation to Noah among the nations!" ⁴⁰⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of the Flood is found in some form or other among all nations, and not only among those who follow the Mosaic tradition. In Greek tradition, the hero of the Flood is Deukalion, with his wife Pyrrha: in Indian tradition (Shatapatha Brahmana and Mahabharata) it is the sage Manu and the Fish. The Chinese tradition of a great Flood is recorded in Sha-King. Among American Indians the tradition was common to many tribes.

Indeed, this is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'For' he was truly one of Our faithful servants.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For he was one of Our believing Servants.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then We drowned the others.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then the rest We overwhelmed in the Flood.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And indeed, one of those who followed his way was Abraham.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily among those who followed his Way was Abraham. ⁴⁰⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The main story will be found in xxi. 51-73; but the episode about his readiness and that of his son to submit to the most extreme form of self-sacrifice under trial (in verses 102-107 below) is told here for the first time, as this Sura deals with the theme, "Not my will, but Thine be done!" In "followed his way", the pronoun "his" refers to Noah, "he", of verse 81 above.

'Remember' when he came to his Lord with a pure heart,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Behold He approached his Lord with a sound heart. ⁴⁰⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A sound heart: qalb salim: a heart that is pure, and unaffected by the diseases that afflict others. As the heart in Arabic is taken to be not only the seat of feelings and affections, but also of intelligence and resulting action, it implies the whole character. Cf. Abraham's title of Hanif (the True): ii. 135 and n. 134. Cf. also xxvi. 89: "only he will prosper who brings to Allah a sound heart."

and said to his father and his people, 'What are you worshipping?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Behold he said to his father and to his people "What is that which ye worship?

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Is it false gods that you desire instead of Allah?

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Is it a Falsehood gods other than Allah that ye desire? ⁴⁰⁸⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

False worship-worship of idols or stars or symbols, or Mammon or Self-is due either to false and degrading conceptions of Allah, or to a sort of make-believe, where practice is inconsistent with knowledge or ignores the inner promptings of Conscience. Abraham's challenge to his people is: 'Are you fools or hypocrites?'

What then do you expect from the Lord of all worlds?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Then what is your idea about the Lord of the Worlds?" ⁴⁰⁸⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'Do you not realise that the real Creator is One-above all the forms and superstitions that you associate with Him?'

He later looked up to the stars 'in contemplation',¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 His people reportedly made decisions based on constellations, so Abraham (ﷺ) pretended to do the same to convince them he was not able to join them at their pagan feast.

Then did he cast a glance at the stars.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

then said, 'I am really sick.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 26:82.

And he said "I am indeed sick (at heart)!" ⁴⁰⁸⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The grief was really preying on his mind and soul, that he should be associated with such falsehoods. His father himself was among the chief supporters of such falsehoods, and his people were given up wholly to them. He could not possibly share in their mummeries, and they left him in disgust. Then he made his practical protest in the manner narrated in xxi. 56-64.

So they turned their backs on him and went away.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So they turned away from him and departed.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then he 'stealthily' advanced towards their gods, and said 'mockingly', 'Will you not eat 'your offerings'?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then did he turn to their gods and said "Will ye not eat (of the offerings before you)?...

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What is wrong with you that you cannot speak?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"What is the matter with you that ye speak not (intelligently)?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then he swiftly turned on them, striking 'them' with his right hand.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then did he turn upon them striking (them) with the right hand. ^{4090 4091}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See the reference in the last note.

With the right hand: as the right hand is the hand of power, the phrase means that he struck them with might and main and broke them.

Later, his people came rushing towards him 'furiously'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then came (the worshippers) with hurried steps and faced (him).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He argued, 'How can you worship what you carve 'with your own hands',

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: "Worship ye that which ye have (yourselves) carved? ⁴⁰⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

His action was a challenge, and he drives home the challenge now with argument. 'Do you worship your own handiwork? Surely worship is due to Him Who made you and made possible your handiwork!'