Surah 46. Al-Ahqaf

But they who are bent on denying the truth speak thus of those who have attained to faith: "If this [message] were any good, these [people] would not have preceded us in accepting it!"¹³ And since they refuse to be guided by it, they will always say, "This¹⁴ is [but] an ancient falsehood!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "towards it". Almost all of the classical commentators assume that this refers specifically, to the contempt with which the pagan Quraysh looked down upon the early followers of Muhammad, most of whom came from the poorest, lowliest strata of Meccan society. However, the abouve "saying" has undoubtedly a timeless import inasmuch as the poor and lowly have always been among the first to follow a prophet. Moreover, it may also have a bearing on our times as well, inasmuch as the materially powerful nations, whom their technological progress has blinded to many spiritual verities, are increasingly contemptuous of the weakness of those civilizations in which religion still plays an important, albeit largely formalistic, role; and so, not realizing that this very formalism and the ensuing cultural sterility, and not religious faith as such, is the innermost cause of that weakness, they attribute it to the influence of religion per se, saying as it were, "If religion were any good, we would have been the first in holding on to it" - thus "justifying" their own materialistic attitude and their refusal to be guided by spiritual considerations.

I.e., the concept of divine revelation as such, as is evident from the subsequent reference to the revelation of Moses.

The unbelievers say about the believers: "Had there been any good to believe in, this Qur'an, they would not have believed in it before us." And since they reject its guidance, they say: "This is an ancient falsehood."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: If it had been (any) good, they would not have been before us in attaining it. And since they will not be guided by it, they say: This is an ancient lie;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And yet, before this there was the revelation of Moses, a guide and a [sign of God's] grace; and this [Qur'an] is a divine writ confirming the truth [of the Torah¹⁵] in the Arabic tongue, to warn those who are bent on evildoing, and [to bring] a glad tiding to the doers of good:

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., in its original, uncorrupted form.

Yet before it the Book of Musa was revealed which was a guide and blessing; and this Book (Qur'an) confirms it. It is revealed in the Arabic language to forewarn the wrongdoers and to give good news to those who have adopted the righteous conduct.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When before it there was the Scripture of Moses, an example and a mercy; and this is a confirming Scripture in the Arabic language, that it may warn those who do wrong and bring good tidings for the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, behold, all who say, "Our Sustainer is God", and thereafter stand firm [in their faith] - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve:

  - Mohammad Asad

Indeed those who say: "Our Rabb is Allah, and then remain firm shall have nothing to fear or to regret.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who say: our Lord is Allah, and thereafter walk aright, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

it is they who are destined for paradise, therein to abide as a reward for all that they have done.

  - Mohammad Asad

They shall dwell in paradise forever as a reward for their good deeds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Such are rightful owners of the Garden, immortal thereafter as a reward for what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

NOW [among the best of the deeds which] We have enjoined upon man is goodness towards his parents.¹⁶ In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth; and her bearing him and his utter dependence on her took thirty months.¹⁷ And so, when he attains to full maturity and reaches forty years,¹⁸ he [that is righteous] prays: "O my Sustainer! Inspire me so that I may forever be grateful for those blessings of Thine with which Thou hast graced me and my parents, and that I may do what is right [in a manner] that will meet with Thy goodly acceptance; and grant me righteousness in my offspring [as well]. Verily, unto Thee have I turned in repentance:¹⁹ for, verily, I am of those who have surrendered themselves unto Thee!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 29:8 and 31:14 . In the present instance, this connects with the reference to the "doers of good" at the end of verse {12} and in verses {13-14}.

See note [14] on 31:14 .

I.e., the age at which man is supposed to attain to full intellectual and spiritual maturity. It is to be borne in mind that the masculine noun insan ("man" or "human being") appearing in the first sentence of this verse applies to both sexes alike.

Sc.. "of whatever sin I may have committed". See note [41] on the last sentence of 24:31 .

We have enjoined man to treat his parents with kindness. With much trouble his mother bore him, and much pain did she give him birth. His bearing and his weaning took thirty months. When he reaches the age of full strength and becomes forty years old, he says: "My Rabb! Grant me the grace that I may thank you for the favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good deeds that will please You, and grant me good children. Surely I turn to You in repentance and surely I am of those who are Muslims."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favor wherewith Thou hast favored me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me In the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is [such as] these from whom We shall accept the best that they ever did,²⁰ and bad deeds We shall overlook: [they will find themselves] among those who are destined for paradise, in fulfilment of the true promise which they were given [in this world].

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "whom We shall reward in accordance with the best that they ever did": cf. 29:7 .

Such are the people from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their misdeeds. They shall be among the residents of paradise: true is the promise that has been made to them in this life.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those are they from whom We accept the best of what they do, and overlook their evil deeds. (They are) among the owners of the Garden. This is the true promise which they were promised (in the world).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But [there is many a one] who says to his parents [whenever they try to imbue him with faith in God]: "Fie upon both of you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth [from the dead], although [so many] generations have passed away before me?"²¹ And [while] they both pray for God's help [and say], "Alas for thee! For, behold, God's promise always comes true!" - he but answers, "All this is nothing but fables of ancient times!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "without any indication that anyone has been or will be resurrected". This parabolical "dialogue" is not only meant to illustrate the ever-recurring - and perhaps natural - conflict between older and younger generations, but also points to the transmission of religious ideas as the most important function of parenthood, and thus, in a wider sense, as the basic element of all social continuity.

But those who rebukes his parents and say: "Uff (as if to say, do not bothering me)! Do you threaten me with a resurrection, whereas many a generations have passed before me and none has come back from among them?" And they both cry for Allah's help and say: "Woe to you! Be a good believer. Surely the promise of Allah is true." But he replies: "This is nothing but tales of the ancients."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And whoso saith unto his parents: Fie upon you both! Do ye threaten me that I shall be brought forth (again) when generations before me have passed away? And they twain cry unto Allah for help (and say): Woe unto thee! Believe! Lo! the promise of Allah is true. But he saith: This is naught save fables of the men of old:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is [such as] these upon whom the sentence [of doom] will fall due, together with the [other sinful] communities of invisible beings²² and humans that have passed away before their time. Verily, they will be lost:

  - Mohammad Asad

See Appendix III.

Such are the people against whom the verdict of torment has proved true and they will be among the prior people of the jinns and the men that have passed away before them. Indeed they will be the losers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Such are those on whom the Word concerning nations of the Jinn and mankind which have passed away before them hath effect. Lo! they are the losers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, [in the life to come,] all shall have their degrees in accordance with whatever [good or evil] they did: and so,²³ He will repay them in full for their doings, and none shall be wronged.

  - Mohammad Asad

The particle li prefixed to the subsequent verb is evidently what the grammarians call a lam al-'aqibah: i.e., not an indication of intent ("so that") but simply of a causal sequence, which is best rendered as "and", "and so", or "hence".

All will be assigned in ranks, according to their deeds, so that He may reward them fully for what they have done and they shall not be wronged.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And for all there will be ranks from what they do, that He may pay them for their deeds! and they will not be wronged.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And on the Day when those who were bent on denying the truth will be brought within sight of the fire, [they will be told:] "You have exhausted your [share of] good things in your worldly life, having enjoyed them [without any thought of the hereafter]: and so today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having gloried on earth in your arrogance,²⁴ offending against all that is right, and for all your iniquitous doings!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., for having arrogantly, without any objective justification, asserted that there is no life after death.

On that Day when the disbelievers will be brought before the fire, they will be told: "You squandered away your good things in your earthly life and you enjoyed them for a while. Today you shall be recompensed with a punishment of humiliation because you behaved with arrogance for which you had no right during your life on earth and because of the transgressions you committed."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And on the day when those who disbelieve are exposed to the Fire (it will be said): Ye squandered your good things in the life of the world and sought comfort therein. Now this day ye are rewarded with the doom of ignominy because ye were disdainful in the land without a right and because ye used to transgress.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND REMEMBER that brother of [the tribe of] 'Ad,²⁵ how - seeing that [other] warnings had already come and gone within his own knowledge as well as in times beyond his ken²⁶ - he warned his people [who lived] among those sand-dunes: "Worship none but God! Verily, I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the Prophet Hud (see surah {7}, note [48]). The mention of Hud and the tribe of 'Ad connects with the last sentence of the preceding verse, inasmuch as this tribe "transgressed all bounds of equity all over their lands" ( 89:11 ).

Lit., "from between his hands and from behind him". This idiomatic phrase (explained in note [247] on 2:255 ) is evidently an allusion to the many warning messages, in Hud's own time as well as in the almost forgotten past, which ought to have made - but did not make - the tribe of 'Ad conscious of how far astray they had gone. We have here a subtle, parenthetic reminder that, apart from the revelations which He bestows upon His prophets, God offers His guidance to man through the many signs and warnings apparent in all nature as well as in the changing conditions of human society.

Tell them the story of 'Ad's brethren, the Prophet Hud, when he warned his people, the residents of Ahqaf - in fact Warners came to them before him and after him - saying: "Worship none but Allah. Surely I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And make mention (O Muhammad) of the brother of Aad when he warned his folk among the wind curved sand hills and verily warners came and went before and after him saying: Serve none but Allah. Lo! I fear for you the doom of a tremendous Day.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They answered: "Hast thou come to seduce us away from our gods? Bring, then, upon us that [doom] with which thou threatenest us, if thou art a man of truth!"

  - Mohammad Asad

They replied: "Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring us the torment that you threaten us with, if you are telling the truth."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They said; Hast come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us, if thou art of the truthful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said he: "Knowledge [of when it is to befall you] rests with God alone: I but convey unto you the message with which I have been entrusted; but I see that you are people ignorant [of right and wrong]!"

  - Mohammad Asad

The Prophet Hud said: "The Knowledge of when it is going to come is only with Allah. I am only conveying the Message with which I have been sent, however, I can see that you are ignorant people."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: The knowledge is with Allah only. I convey unto you that wherewith I have been sent, but I see you are a folk that know not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And so, when they beheld it²⁷ in the shape of a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they exclaimed, "This is but a heavy cloud which will bring us [welcome] rain!" [But Hud said:] "Nay, but it is the very thing which you [so contemptuously] sought to hasten - a wind bearing grievous suffering,

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., when they beheld, without recognizing it as such, the approach of their doom.

Then when they saw the torment in the shape of a cloud coming towards their valleys, they said: "This cloud will bring us rain." - "Nay! It is what you were asking for, a fierce wind bringing you a woeful torment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then when they beheld it a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said; Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

bound to destroy everything at its Sustainer's behest!" And then they were so utterly wiped out²⁸ that nothing could be seen save their [empty] dwellings: thus do We requite people lost in sin.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "then they became so that .. .", etc. See {69:6-8}, describing the sandstorm which destroyed the tribe of 'Ad without leaving any trace of them.

It is going to destroy everything by the command of its Rabb. Consequently by the morning, there was nothing to be seen except the ruins of their dwellings. Thus did We reward those guilty people.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall