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Surah 14. Ibrahim

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14:21
وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا فَقَالَ ٱلضُّعَفَـٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ لَهَدَيْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْنَآ أَجَزِعْنَآ أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍ Wabarazoo lill a hi jameeAAan faq a la a l dd uAAaf a o lilla th eena istakbaroo inn a kunn a lakum tabaAAan fahal antum mughnoona AAann a min AAa tha bi All a hi min shayin q a loo law had a n a All a hu lahadayn a kum saw a on AAalayn a ajaziAAn a am s abarn a m a lan a min ma h ee s in
And all [mankind] will appear before God [on the Day of Judement]; and then the weak28 will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance: "Behold, We were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of something of God's chastisement?" [And the others] will answer: "If God would but show us the way [to salvation], we would indeed guide you [towards it].29 It is [now] all one, as far as we are concerned, whether we grieve impatiently or endure [our lot] with patience: there is no escape for us!"
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., those who had sinned out of moral weakness and self-indulgence, relying on the supposedly superior wisdom of the so-called "leaders of thought", who are described in the sequence as having "gloried in their arrogance" (astakbaru) inasmuch as they refused to pay heed to God's messages (Tabari, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas).

Sc., "but now it is too late for repentance". According to Tabari and Razi, this is the meaning of the above passage. Zamakhshari, however, prefers another interpretation, implying a reference not to the present but to the past, thus: "If God had guided us aright, we would have guided you [too] aright": in other words, he understands the phrase as an attempt on the part of the doomed to divest themselves of all responsibility, and to attribute their past sinning to God's "not having willed" to guide them aright. To my mind, the interpretation offered by Tabari and Razi is preferable because - all other considerations apart - it provides a logical connection between the request of "the weak" (see preceding note) and the reply of those who in their earthly life had "gloried in their arrogance", as well as with the latters' subsequent, despairing utterance, which can be summed up in the words, "too late!"

When all people appear before Allah, those who were weak in the world will say to those who thought themselves mighty: "We were your followers. Now! Can you do anything to relieve us from the punishment of Allah?" They will reply: "Had Allah given us guidance, we would have guided you. Now it makes no difference whether we panic or bear it with patience, for there is no escape for us."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They will all appear before Allah, and the lowly 'followers' will appeal to the arrogant 'leaders', 'We were your 'dedicated' followers, so will you 'then' protect us from Allah's torment in any way?' They will reply, 'Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. 'Now' it is all the same for us whether we suffer patiently or impatiently, there is no escape for us.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
They all come forth unto their Lord. Then those who were despised say unto those who were scornful: We were unto you a following, can ye then avert from us aught of Allah's doom? They say: Had Allah guided us, we should have guided you. Whether we rage or patiently endure is (now) all one for us: we have no place of refuge.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They will all be marshalled before Allah together: then will the weak say to those who were arrogant "For us we but followed you; can ye then avail us at all against the wrath of Allah?" They will reply "If we had received the guidance of Allah we should have given it to you: to us it makes no difference (now) whether we rage or bear (these torments) with patience: for ourselves there is no way of escape." 1895 1896
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the time for judgment comes, there are two kinds of disillusionment waiting for the ungodly: (1) Those who were misled and failed to see that each soul bears its own personal responsibility (ii. 134) and cannot shift it on to others, will turn to those who misled them, in the hope that they might intercede for them or do something to help them. They receive a plain answer as in the latter part of this verse. (2) Those who relied on Satan, His answer (in xiv. 22 below) is frank, cynical and brutal.

Those whose power or specious intelligence or influence misled them-such as false priests or leaders-will find themselves in a parlous state. How can they help others? They themselves failed to profit from Allah's guidance, and they can with some justice retort that they put them in the wrong path as they followed it themselves!

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14:22
وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِى ۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِى وَلُومُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُم ۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِىَّ ۖ إِنِّى كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Waq a la a l shshay ta nu lamm a qu d iya alamru inna All a ha waAAadakum waAAda al h aqqi wawaAAadtukum faakhlaftukum wam a k a na liya AAalaykum min sul ta nin ill a an daAAawtukum fa i stajabtum lee fal a taloomoonee waloomoo anfusakum m a an a bimu s rikhikum wam a antum bimu s rikhiyya innee kafartu bim a ashraktumooni min qablu inna a l thth a limeena lahum AAa tha bun aleem un
And when everything will have been decided, Satan will say: "Behold, God promised you something that was bound to come true!30 I, too, held out [all manner of] promises to you - but I deceived you. Yet I had no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded unto me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves.31 It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor for you to respond to mine:32 for, behold, I have [always] refused to admit that there was any truth in your erstwhile belief that I had a share in God's divinity."33 Verily, for all evildoers34 there is grievous suffering in store.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "God promised you a promise of truth" - i.e., the promise of resurrection and last judgment.

In his commentary on this passage, Razi remarks: "This verse shows that the real Satan (ash-shaytan al-asli) is [man's own] complex of desires (an-nafs): for, Satan makes it clear [in the above] that it was only by means of insinuations (waswasah) that he was able to reach [the sinner's soul]; and had it not been for an already-existing [evil] disposition due to lusts, anger, superstition or fanciful ideas, these [satanic] insinuations would have had no effect whatsoever."

I.e., "I cannot respond to your call for help, just as you should not have, in your lifetime, responded to my call." The above sentence is often interpreted in another sense, namely, "I cannot succour you, just as you cannot succour me". However, in view of Satan's allegorical reference - in the preceding passages as well as in the next sentence - to the sinners' earthly past, the rendering adopted by me seems to be more suitable; moreover, it is closer to the primary meaning of the verb sarakha ("he cried out"), from which the form musrikh ("one who responds to a cry") is derived (Jawhari).

This is, to my mind, the meaning of the highly elliptical phrase kafartu bi-ma ashraktumuni min qabl, which could be literally - but most inadequately - translated thus: "I have refused to admit the truth of that whereby you associated me aforetime [with God]." The implication is that Satan, while endeavouring to lead men astray, never claims to be God's "equal" (cf. 7:20 , where he speaks of God, to Adam and Eve, as "your Sustainer", or 15:36 and {39}, where he addresses Him as "my Sustainer", or 8:48 and 59:16 , where he says, "behold, I fear God") but, rather, tries to make men's sinful doings "seem goodly to them" (cf. 6:43 , 8:48 , 16:63 , 27:24 , 29:38 ), i.e., persuades them that it is morally justifiable to follow one's fancies and selfish desires without any restraint. But while Satan himself does not make any claim to equality with God, the sinner who submits to Satan's blandishments attributes to him thereby, as it were, "a share in God's divinity". - It must be stressed, in this connection, that the Qur'anic expression shaytan is often used as a metaphor for every human impulse that is intrinsically immoral and, therefore, contrary to man's best - i.e., spiritual - interests.

I.e., all those who had consciously - either from intellectual arrogance or from moral weakness - responded to "Satan's call".

Once the matter has been decided, Shaitan will say: "In fact, the promises which Allah made to you were all true; I too made some promises to you but failed to keep any of them. However, I had no power over you. I just invited you, and you accepted my invitation. Now! Do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor you can help me. I reject what you did before; that you associated me with Allah. Certainly such wrongdoers will have painful punishment."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And Satan will say 'to his followers' after the judgment has been passed, 'Indeed, Allah has made you a true promise. I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I did not have any authority over you. I only called you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; blame yourselves. I cannot save you, nor can you save me. Indeed, I denounce your previous association of me with Allah 'in loyalty'. Surely the wrongdoers will suffer a painful punishment.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me. Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you a promise of truth: I too promised but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not me but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries nor can ye listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrongdoers there must be a Grievous Penalty." 1897 1898
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

After the Judgment, Evil declares itself in its true colours. Frankly it says: 'I deceived you. The promise of Allah was true, but you believed me rather than Allah. I had no power to force you. I had but to call you, and you came running after me. You must blame yourselves. Did you think I was equal with Allah? I know too well that I was not and never could be. If you did wrong, you must suffer the Penalty.'

See the last note. An alternative interpretation of this sentence may be: "I had already beforehand rebelled against Allah with Whom ye associated me."

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14:23
وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَـٰمٌ Waodkhila alla th eena a manoo waAAamiloo a l ssa li ha ti jann a tin tajree min ta h tih a alanh a ru kh a lideena feeh a bii th ni rabbihim ta h iyyatuhum feeh a sal a m un
But those who shall have attained to faith and done righteous deeds will be brought into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide by their Sustainer's leave, and will be welcomed with the greeting, "Peace!"35
  - Mohammad Asad

As in 10:10 , this phrase reads literally, "their greeting therein [will be], 'Peace!' (salam)" - a term which has been explained in surah {5}, note [29].

Those who believe and do good deeds will be admitted to Paradise, beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever with the permission of their Rabb, and their greetings therein will be: "Peace!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Those who believe and do good will be admitted into Gardens, under which rivers flow- to stay there forever by the Will of their Lord- where they will be greeted with 'Peace!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye with the leave of their Lord: their greeting therein will be: "Peace!" 1899
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

How this contrasts with the misery and the mutual self-recriminations of the ungodly!

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14:24
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ Alam tara kayfa d araba All a hu mathalan kalimatan t ayyibatan kashajaratin t ayyibatin a s luh a th a bitun wafarAAuh a fee a l ssam a i
ART THOU NOT aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word?36 [It is] like a good tree, firmly rooted, [reaching out] with its branches towards the sky,
  - Mohammad Asad

In its wider meaning, the term kalimah ("word") denotes any conceptual statement or proposition. Thus, a "good word" circumscribes any proposition (or idea) that is intrinsically true and - because it implies a call to what is good in the moral sense - is ultimately beneficent and enduring; and since a call to moral righteousness is the innermost purport of every one of God's messages, the term "good word" applies to them as well. Similarly, the "corrupt word" mentioned in verse {26} applies to the opposite of what a divine message aims at: namely, to every idea that is intrinsically false or morally evil and, therefore, spiritually harmful.

Do you not see how Allah gave the example of comparing a good word with a good tree, whose roots are firm and its branches are in the sky?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? a goodly Word like a goodly tree whose root is firmly fixed and its branches (reach) to the heavens 1900
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Goodly word" is usually interpreted as the Divine Word, the Divine Message, the True Religion. It may also be interpreted in a more general sense as a word of truth, a word of goodness or kindness, which follows from a true appreciation of Religion. For Religion includes our duty to Allah and our duty to man. The "evil word" is opposite to this: false religion, blasphemy, false speech, or preaching or teaching unkindness and wrong-doing.

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14:25
تُؤْتِىٓ أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍۭ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ Tutee okulah a kulla h eenin bii th ni rabbih a waya d ribu All a hu alamth a la li l nn a si laAAallahum yata th akkaroon a
yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer's leave. And [thus it is that] God propounds parables unto men, so that they might bethink themselves [of the truth].37
  - Mohammad Asad

See note [33] on the first clause of 39:27 .

It yields its fruits in every season by Allah's leave. Allah cites these examples for men so that they may learn a lesson from them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'always' yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord. This is how Allah sets forth parables for the people, so perhaps they will be mindful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It brings forth its fruit at all times by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men in order that they may receive admonition. 1901
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The goodly tree is known for: (1) its beauty; it gives pleasure to all who see it; (2) its stability; it remains firm and unshaken in storms, because its roots are firmly fixed in the earth; (3) its wide compass; its branches reach high, and it catches all the sunshine from heaven, and gives shade to countless birds in its branches and men and animals beneath it, and (4) its abundant fruit, which it yields at all times. So is the Good Word. It is as beautiful as it is true. It abides in all the changes and chances of this life, and even beyond (see verse 27 below); it is never shaken by sorrow or what seems to us calamity; its roots are deep down in the bed-rock facts of life. Its reach is universal, above, around, below: it is illuminated by the divine light from heaven, and its consolation reaches countless beings of all grades of life. Its fruit-the enjoyment of its blessings-is not confined to one season or one set of circumstances; furthermore the fortunate man who is the vehicle of that word has no self-pride; he attributes all its goodness, and his act in spreading it, to the Will and Leave of Allah. Cf. the New Testament Parable of the Sower (Matt. iv. 14-20) or of the Mustard-seed (Matt. iv. 30- 32). In this Parable of the Qur-an there are fewer words and more spiritual meaning, and the emphasis is on more essential things.

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14:26
وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ ٱجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ Wamathalu kalimatin khabeethatin kashajaratin khabeethatin ijtuththat min fawqi alar d i m a lah a min qar a r in
And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up [from its roots] onto the face of the earth, wholly unable to endure.38
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "having no permanence (qarar) whatever": i.e., the "corrupt word" (see note [36] above) is ephemeral in its effect, however strong its original impact on the minds of people who fall prey to it.

But the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, which is torn out from the earth and has no stability.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And the parable of an evil Word is that of an evil tree. It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: it has no stability. 1902
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The evil tree is the opposite of the goodly tree. The parallelism of contrast can be followed out in all the details of the last note.

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14:27
يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلْقَوْلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ۚ وَيَفْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ Yuthabbitu All a hu alla th eena a manoo bi a lqawli a l thth a biti fee al h ay a ti a l dduny a wafee al a khirati wayu d illu All a hu a l thth a limeena wayafAAalu All a hu m a yash a o
[Thus,] God grants firmness unto those who have attained to faith through the word that is unshakably true39 in the life of this world as well as in the life to come; but the wrongdoers He lets go astray:40 for God does whatever He wills.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "firm" (thabit). The term qawl - similar to the term kalimah (see note [36] above) - denote, beyond its primary meaning of "saying" or "utterance", also anything that can be defined as a statement of belief or opinion, namely, "concept", "tenet", "assertion of faith", and so on. In this context it expresses the concept that there is no deity save God, and that Muhammad is His Apostle: which is an interpretation of the above phrase given by the Prophet himself, as quoted by Bukhari in a Tradition on the authority of Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (Kitab at-Tafsir), and by other Traditionists, including Muslim, on the authority of Shu'bah. The adjective thabit connotes the "firmness" - that is, the unshakable truth-of the "word" (or "concept") which it qualifies, thus connecting it with the preceding parable of the "good word" and the "good tree".

See note [4] on verse {4} of this surah.

With firm words, Allah makes the believers steadfast in the life of this world and in the hereafter; but Allah lets the wrongdoers go astray. Allah does what He pleases.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Allah makes the believers steadfast with the firm Word 'of faith'1 in this worldly life and the Hereafter. And Allah leaves the wrongdoers to stray. For Allah does what He wills.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 That there is only one God worthy of worship.

Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrongdoers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Allah will establish in strength those who believe with the Word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah will leave to stray those who do wrong: Allah doeth what He willeth. 1903
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

His Will and Plan may be above comprehension, but will prevail over all things. It is not like the will of man, who may plan good things but is not necessarily able to carry them out.

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14:28
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ ٱلْبَوَارِ Alam tara il a alla th eena baddaloo niAAmata All a hi kufran waa h alloo qawmahum d a ra albaw a r i
ART THOU NOT aware of those who have preferred a denial of the truth to God's blessings,41 and [thereby] invited their people to alight in that abode of utter desolation
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who have exchanged God's blessings for a denial of the truth". The expression "God's blessings (ni'mah)" obviously refers here to the messages revealed through His apostles.

Have you not seen those people who have responded to the favors of Allah with ingratitude and drive their people into the House of Perdition?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have you not seen those 'disbelievers' who meet Allah's favours with ingratitude and lead their own people to their doom?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou not seen those who gave the grace of Allah in exchange for thanklessness and led their people down to the Abode of Loss,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who have changed the favor of Allah into blasphemy and caused their people to descend to the House of Perdition? 1904
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There is a particular and a general meaning. The particular meaning is understood to be a reference to the Makkan Pagans who turned the House of Allah into a place for the worship of horrible idols and the practice of unseemly rites and cults. There is no real difficulty in accepting this as part of a late Makkan Sura even without supposing it to be a prophecy. The Makkan Pagans had turned Religion into a blasphemous superstition, and were misguiding their people, persecuting the true Messenger of Allah and all who followed his teaching. Their cup of iniquity seemed about full, and they seemed to be heading to perdition, as later events indeed showed to be the case. The general meaning is also clear. Selfish men, when they seize power, want worship for themselves or their Phantasies, in derogation of the true God. Power, which should have been an instrument of good, becomes in their hands an instrument of evil. They and their people rush headlong to perdition. "These be thy gods, 0 Israel!" has been a cry repeated again and again in history, in the face, or at the back, of men of God!

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14:29
جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْقَرَارُ Jahannama ya s lawnah a wabisa alqar a r u
- hell - which they [themselves] will have to endure?42 And how vile a state to settle in!
  - Mohammad Asad

This is evidently an allusion to the relationship between the arrogant leaders of thought and their weak followers spoken of in verse {21} above.

Which is hell! Wherein they shall burn, an evil place to live.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
In Hell they will burn. What an evil place for settlement.
  - Mustafa Khattab
(Even to) hell? They are exposed thereto. A hapless end!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Into Hell? They will burn therein an evil place to stay in!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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14:30
وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۗ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ WajaAAaloo lill a hi and a dan liyu d illoo AAan sabeelihi qul tamattaAAoo fainna ma s eerakum il a a l nn a r i
For, they claimed that there are powers that could rival God,43 and so they strayed from His path. Say: "Enjoy yourselves [in this world], but, verily, the fire will be your journey's end!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "they gave God compeers (andad)". For an explanation of my paraphrase of this sentence (fully justified by Razi), see surah {2}, note [13]. - The particle li prefixed to the subsequent verb li-yudillu does not denote intent but is a so-called lam al-'aqibah, i.e., "the [letter] lam indicating a consequence" or "a result" (Razi), and is in this case suitably rendered as "and so".

They set up equals with Allah to mislead people from His Way. Tell them: "Well, you may enjoy yourself for a while, but your final destination is going to be hellfire."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They set up equals to Allah to mislead 'others' from His Way. Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Enjoy yourselves! Surely your destination is the Fire.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And they set up rivals to Allah that they may mislead (men) from His way. Say: Enjoy life (while ye may) for lo! your journey's end will be the Fire.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And they set up (idols) as equal to Allah to mislead (men) from the Path! Say: "Enjoy (your brief power)! But verily ye are making straightway for Hell!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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14:31
قُل لِّعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـٰلٌ Qul liAAib a diya alla th eena a manoo yuqeemoo a l ss al a ta wayunfiqoo mimm a razaqn a hum sirran waAAal a niyatan min qabli an yatiya yawmun l a bayAAun feehi wal a khil a l un
[And] tell [those of] My servants who have attained to faith that they should be constant in prayer and spend [in Our way], secretly and openly, out of what We provide for them as sustenance,44 ere there come a Day when there will be no bargaining, and no mutual befriending.45
  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {2}, note [4].

Cf. 2:254 . According to the philologist Abu 'Ubaydah, as quoted by Razi, the expression bay' ("selling and buying" or "bargaining") denotes here the metaphorical "[giving and taking] ransom" which, as the Qur'an repeatedly stresses, will be inadmissible on the Day of Judgment (cf. 3:91 and the corresponding note [71], as well as 5:36 , 10:54 , 13:18 , 39:47 and {70:11-15}); similarly, the denial of khilal - which Abu 'Ubaydah regards as synonymous, in this context, with makhalah ("mutual befriending") - expresses the impossibility of "ransom" through intercession on Judgment Day, for "now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as We created you in the first instance" ( 6:94 ).

O Prophet, tell My devotees who have believed, to establish Salah (regular five times daily prayers) and spend in charity openly and secretly out of the sustenance which We have given them, before the coming of that Day in which there will neither be trading nor any friendship.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Tell My believing servants to establish prayer and donate from what We have provided for them- openly and secretly- before the arrival of a Day in which there will be no ransom or friendly connections.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Tell My bondmen who believe to establish worship and spend of that which We have given them, secretly and publicly, before a day cometh wherein there will be neither traffic nor befriending.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Speak to My servants who have believed that they may establish regular prayers and spend (in charity) out of the Sustenance We have given them secretly and openly before the coming of a Day in which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. 1905 1906 1907
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Putting ourselves back in the position in which the Muslim community found themselves in Makkah just before the Hijrat, we can imagine how much encouragement and consolation they needed from the preaching, the Faith, and the steadfast character of Al-Mustafa. Intolerant persecution was the order of the day; neither the life nor the property or reputation of the Muslims was safe. They are asked to find strength and tranquillity in prayer and in helping each other according to their needs and resources.

Here, as elsewhere, "Sustenance" is to be taken in the literal as well as the metaphorical sense. There were many among the Muslims who were poor, or slaves, or depressed, because they were deprived of the means of livelihood on account of their Faith. They were to be fed, clothed, and sheltered, by those who had means. Charity was to be ordinarily secret, so as to cut out all show or parade, and perhaps also lest the enemy should dry up those sources by unprincipled violence; but there must be much that had to be open and organised, so that all the needy could know where to go to be relieved.

The great Day of Reckoning would be one on which all values would be changed. Wealth, as understood in this world, would no longer count. Should we not therefore use any wealth we have in this life, to give here and receive there? Bai inlcudes all bargaining,-barter, purchase and sale, etc. In this world, where wealth has some value, let us spend it and get for ourselves "treasures in heaven." In the next life each man will stand on his merits and personal responsibility. One man cannot help another. Let us here help each other to become true and righteous, so that our personal account may be favourable there.

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14:32
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِىَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِۦ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ All a hu alla th ee khalaqa a l ssam a w a ti wa a lar d a waanzala mina a l ssam a i m a an faakhraja bihi mina a l ththamar a ti rizqan lakum wasakhkhara lakumu alfulka litajriya fee alba h ri biamrihi wasakhkhara lakumu alanh a r a
[And remember that] it is God who has created the heavens and the earth, and who sends down water from the sky and thereby brings forth [all manner] of fruits for your sustenance; and who has made ships subservient to you, so that they may sail through the sea at His behest; and has made the rivers subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you;
  - Mohammad Asad
It is Allah , Who has created the heavens and the earth. He sends down water from the sky with which He brings forth fruits for your sustenance. He has made the ships subservient to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command; and likewise the rivers are made for your benefit.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain from the sky, causing fruits to grow as a provision for you. He has subjected the ships for your service, sailing through the sea by His command, and has subjected the rivers for you.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth, and causeth water to descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you, and maketh the ships to be of service unto you, that they may run upon the sea at His command, and hath made of service unto you the rivers;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It is Allah Who hath created the heavens and the earth and sendeth down rain from the skies and with it bringeth out fruits wherewith to feed you; it is He Who hath made the ships subject to you that they may sail through the sea by His command; and the rivers (also) hath He made subject to you. 1908
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We must realise that behind all our strength, skill, and intelligence there is the power and goodness of Allah, Who gave us all these things. Man can understand and control the forces of nature so as to bring them to his own service: he can only do so, because (1) he has got these gifts from Allah, and (2) Allah has fixed definite laws in nature, of which he can take advantage by Allah's command and permission. He has been made Vicegerent on earth (ii. 30); Allah commanded the highest creatures to bow down to Adam (ii. 34). Man, by Allah's command, can use rain to produce food for himself; make ships to sail the seas; use rivers as highways, and cut canals for traffic and irrigation. Not only this, but even the heavenly bodies can (by Allah's command) contribute to his needs (see next verse).

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14:33
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَيْنِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ Wasakhkhara lakumu a l shshamsa wa a lqamara d a ibayni wasakhkhara lakumu allayla wa al nnah a r a
and has made the sun and the moon, both of them constant upon their courses, subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you; and has made the night and the day subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you.46
  - Mohammad Asad

Almost all classical commentators agree that God's having made the natural phenomena "subservient" to man is a metaphor (majaz) for His having enabled man to derive lasting benefit from them: hence my explanatory interpolations. In the same sense, the night and the day are spoken of in 10:67 , 27:86 or 40:61 as having been "made for you" (resp. "for them").

The sun and the moon are also assigned for your benefit, which steadfastly pursue their courses, to cause the night and the day for your benefit.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He has 'also' subjected for you the sun and the moon, both constantly orbiting, and has subjected the day and night for you.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And maketh the sun and the moon, constant in their courses, to be of service unto you, and hath made of service unto you the night and the day.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And He hath made subject to you the sun and the moon both diligently pursuing their courses: and the Night and the Day hath He (also) made subject to you. 1909
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The sun gives out heat, which is the source of all life and energy on this planet, and produces the seasons of the year, by utilising which man can supply his needs, not only material, but immaterial in the shape of light, health, and other blessings. The sun and the moon together produce tides, and are responsible for atmospheric changes which are of the highest importance in the life of man. The succession of Day and Night is due to the apparent daily course of the sun through the skies; and the cool light of the moon performs other services different from those of warm day-light. Because there are laws here, which man can understand and calculate, he can use all such things for his own service, and in that sense the heavenly bodies are themselves made subject to him by Allah's command.

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14:34
وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ Wa a t a kum min kulli m a saaltumoohu wain taAAuddoo niAAmata All a hi l a tu hs ooh a inna alins a na la th aloomun kaff a r un
And [always] does He give you something out of what you may be asking of Him;47 and should you try to count God's blessings, you could never compute them. [And yet,] behold, man is indeed most persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ingrate!
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., God satisfies every one of man's desires, provided that His unfathomable wisdom regards its satisfaction as ultimately beneficial to the human being concerned: this is the meaning of the preposition min (lit., "out of", but in this context, "something out of") preceding the phrase "what you may be asking".

He has given you all that you could ask for and if you want to count the favors of Allah, you will never be able to count them. In fact, man is unjust, thankless.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah's blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, 'totally' ungrateful.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 In this context, “humankind” refers only to those who deny Allah’s favours.

And He giveth you of all ye ask of Him, and if ye would count the bounty of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! man is verily a wrong-doer, an ingrate.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors of Allah never will ye be able to number them: verily man is given up to injustice and ingratitude. 1910 1911
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Sincere and true prayer in faith is answered by Allah. Thus He gives us everything which a wise and benevolent Providence can give.

I have tried to render the intensive forms of the Arabic by what I consider their near equivalent here: the phrase "given up to injustice and ingratitude" suggests habitual ignoring of just values and ingratitude for the innumerable gifts and favours which Allah has showered on mankind.

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14:35
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدَ ءَامِنًا وَٱجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ ٱلْأَصْنَامَ Wai th q a la ibr a heemu rabbi ijAAal h atha albalada a minan wa o jnubnee wabaniyya an naAAbuda ala s n a m a
AND [remember the time] when Abraham spoke [thus]:48 "O my Sustainer! Make this land secure 49 and preserve me and my children from ever worshipping idols50 -
  - Mohammad Asad

The whole of this passage (verses {35-41}) - from which the title of this surah is derived - represents a parenthetic reminder, in the form of Abraham's prayer, of the only way to righteousness, in the deepest sense of the word, open to man: namely, a recognition of God's existence, oneness and uniqueness and, hence, a rejection of all belief in "other powers" supposedly co-existent with Him (cf. verse {30} above). Inasmuch as this prayer implies a realization of, and gratitude for, God's infinite bounty, it connects directly with the preceding verse {34} and the subsequent verse {42}.

I.e., the land in which the Ka'bah is situated (see surah {2}, note [102]) and, more specifically, Mecca.

The term "idols" (asnam, sing. sanam) does not apply exclusively to actual, concrete representations of false "deities": for shirk - that is, an attribution of divine powers or qualities to anyone or anything beside God - may consist also, as Razi points out, in a worshipful devotion to all manner of "causative agencies and outward means to an end" - an obvious allusion to wealth, power, luck, people's favour or disfavour, and so forth - whereas genuine faith in the oneness and uniqueness of God (at-tawhid al-mahd) consists in divesting oneself of all inner attachment to [such] causative agencies and in being convinced that there exists no real directing power apart from God".

Remember when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: "My Rabb! Make this city a city of peace and save me and my sons from the worship of idols.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Remember' when Abraham prayed, 'My Lord! Make this city 'of Mecca' secure, and keep me and my children away from the worship of idols.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And when Abraham said: My Lord! Make safe this territory, and preserve me and my sons from serving idols.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Remember Abraham said: "O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security: and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols. 1912 1913
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This Prayer of Abraham, the True in Faith, the progenitor of the Semitic peoples and the Prototype of their Religion, is introduced in this place, to illustrate the points referred to in the preceding section, xiv. 31-34, viz., how the new Revelation through the Ka'ba bears out the universal Revelation of Prayer and Charity, Love of Allah and man, Recognition of Allah's handiwork in nature, and Insistence on man's turning away from false worship and ingratitude to Allah. Notice the four divisions into which it falls: (1) verses 35-36 are spoken by Abraham as on his own behalf ("O my Lord!"); (2) verses 37-38 are spoken on behalf of his progeny ("O our Lord!") but with special reference to the elder branch, the children of Isma'il; (3) verses 39-40 are again a personal appeal, but both branches of his family, viz., the sons of Isma'il and Isaac, are expressly mentioned; (4) verse 41 is a Prayer for himself, his parents, and all Believers, typifying that in the universality of Islam all nations are to be blessed. Jerusalem, for the Mosaic Law and the Gospel of Jesus, was the centre and symbol for the Jewish race, though of course all Allah's Truth is universal; Makkah, the centre of the Arab race, was to throw off its tribal character and become universal, in spite of the Makkans themselves.

Cf. ii. 125-129. Abraham (with Isma'il) built the Ka'ba, and Abraham asks a blessing on his handiwork and forgiveness for such lapses into idolatry as both branches of his family might fall into.

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Ibrahim

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