Surah 32. As-Sajdah

Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Alif Lam Mim. ³⁶²⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 25 to ii. 1, and Introduction to S. xxx.

The revelation of this Book is- beyond doubt- from the Lord of all worlds.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(This is) the revelation of the Book in which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the Worlds. ³⁶²⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

By the time of the holy Prophet the earlier Books of Revelation had been corrupted, by human ignorance or selfishness or fraud, or misinterpreted, or lost altogether. There were sects violently disputing with each other as to their true meaning. Such doubts had to be set at rest, and they were set at rest by the revelation of the Qur-an. The Quranic inspiration came direct from Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and did not consist merely of human conjectures or a reconstructed philosophy, in which there is always room for doubt or dispute. Cf. also ii. 2.

Or do they say, 'He has fabricated it!'? No! It is the truth from your Lord in order for you to warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so they may be 'rightly' guided.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or do they say "He has forged it"? Nay it is the Truth from the Lord that thou mayest admonish a people to whom no warner has come before thee: in order that they may receive guidance. ^{3630 3631}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The force of "or" (am in Arabic) is that the only alternative to the acceptance of the Book as a divine revelation is the supposition that it was a forgery by the holy Prophet. But the supposition is absurd on the face of it: because (1) the Quraish, his critics, knew him to be an honest and truthful man; (2) he was unlettered, and such a Book would have been beyond his powers as a simple unlettered Arab, unless Allah inspired it; and (3) there was a definite reason for its coming as it did, because the Arabs had received no Messenger before him and Allah has sent Messengers to every nation.

The Arabs very much needed guidance for themselves, and the advent of a World Prophet through them was what might have been expected in view of the past course of Allah's Revelations.

It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six Days,¹ then established Himself on the Throne. You have no protector or intercessor besides Him. Will you not then be mindful?

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 7:54.

It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six Days and is firmly established on the Throne (of authority): ye have none besides Him to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition? ^{3632 3633}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Six Days: See n. 1031 to vii. 54. The "Day" does not mean a day as we reckon it, viz., one apparent course of the sun round the earth, for it refers to conditions which began before the earth and the sun were created. In verse 5 below, a Day is compared to a thousand years of our reckoning, and in lxx. 4 to 50,000 years. These figures "as we reckon" have no relation to "timeless Time", and must be taken to mean very long Periods, or Ages, or Aeons. See further xli. 9-12, and notes.

Cf. x. 3. n. 1386. Allah created the World as we see it in six great Stages. But after the initial creation, He is still in authority and directs and controls all affairs. He has not delegated His powers to others, and Himself retired. Also see vii. 54.

He conducts every affair from the heavens to the earth, then it all ascends to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by your counting.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He rules (all) affairs from the heavens to the earth: in the end will (all affairs) go up to Him on a Day the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning. ³⁶³⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

How could the immense mystery of Time behind our ideas of it be enforced on our minds better? Our Day may be a thousand or fifty thousand years, and our years in proportion. In the immense Past was Allah's act of creation: it still continues, for He guides, rules, and controls all affairs: and in the immense Future all affairs will go up to Him, for He will be the Judge, and His restoration of all values will be as in a Day or an Hour or the Twinkling of an eye; and yet to our ideas it will be as a thousand years!

That is the Knower of the seen and unseen- the Almighty, Most Merciful,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Such as He the knower of all things hidden and open the Exalted (in power) the Merciful; ³⁶³⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's attributes, then, may be summed up with reference to Knowledge, Power, and Mercy. Where our knowledge is partial and uncertain, His is complete and certain. Where our power often falls short of the carrying out of our will, or needs the help of Time, His is complete and conterminous with His Will. Where our mercy seems to be bounded by or opposed to justice, His is absolute and unconditioned.

Who has perfected everything He created. And He originated the creation of humankind from clay.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Adam (ﷺ).

He Who has made everything which He has created most Good. He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay ^{3636 3637}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's creation in itself is good: it is beautiful, in proper proportions, and adapted for the functions it has to perform. There is no evil or disorder in it. Such evil or disorder as creeps in is due to man's will (as far as the world of man is concerned), and spiritual Teaching is directed to train and cure that will and bring it into conformity with the Universal Order and Plan.

Man is asked to contemplate his own humble beginning. His material body (apart from life) is a piece of earth or clay, which is another term for primeval matter. Matter is therefore the first stage, but even matter was not self-created. It was created by Allah.

Then He made his descendants from an extract of a humble fluid,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: ³⁶³⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then comes life and the reproduction of life. We are still looking at the purely physical aspect, but it is now a stage higher; it is an animal. Its reproduction is through the sperm or semen, which is a quintessence of every part of the body of man. Yet it issues from the same part of his body as the urine, and is therefore despicable in man's sight. It is a living cell or cells, summing up so much ancestral life-history. Cf. xxiii. 12, and n. 2872.

then He fashioned them and had a spirit of His Own 'creation' breathed into them. And He gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. 'Yet' you hardly give any thanks.

  - Mustafa Khattab

But He fashioned him in due proportion and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give! ^{3639 3640}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The third stage is indicated by "fashioned him in due proportion". Cf. xv. 29. After fertilisation of ovum by the sperm, an individual life comes into existence, and it is gradually fashioned into shape, its limbs are formed; its animal life begins to function; all the beautiful adaptations come into play. The fourth stage here mentioned is that of distinctive Man, into whom Allah's spirit is breathed. Then he rises higher than animals.

As a complete man he gets the higher faculties. The five animal senses I understand to be included in the third stage. But in the fourth stage he rises higher, and is addressed in the second person, "you," instead of the third person "him". He has now the spiritual counterpart of hearing (i.e., the capacity of hearing Allah's Message) and seeing (i.e., the inner vision), and feeling the nobler heights of love and understanding the bearings of the inner life (both typified by the Heart). Yet with all these gifts, what thanks does unregenerate or corrupted man give to Allah?

'Still' they ask 'mockingly', 'When we are disintegrated into the earth, will we really be raised as a new creation?' In fact, they are in denial of the meeting with their Lord.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they say: "What! when we lie hidden and lost in the earth shall we indeed be in a creation renewed?" Nay they deny the meeting with their Lord! ³⁶⁴¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xiii. 5. It has been the cry of Materialists and Sceptics through the ages not only to bound their horizon with this brief life, but to deny dogmatically that there can be a future life. Though this is against the professed principles of Sceptics, in practice they take up that attitude. Here "they" refers to those "who give little thanks" to Allah, mentioned in the last verse. The argument used against them is: if Allah can produce such a wonderful creation the first time, why can He not make it again? That points to the possibility: our own general inner hope and expectation of a future life, coupled with Faith in Allah's work, is the ground of our certainty.

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Your soul will be taken by the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. Then to your Lord you will 'all' be returned.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: "The Angel of Death put in charge of you will (duly) take your souls: then shall ye be brought back to your Lord." ³⁶⁴²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If death is certain, as it is, and this life by itself in no way satisfies our instincts and expectations, we may be sure that the agency which separates our soul from our body will bring us into the new world. If we believe in a soul at all-the very foundation of Religion-we must believe in a Future, without which the soul has no meaning.

If only you could see the wicked hanging their heads 'in shame' before their Lord, 'crying:' 'Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back and we will do good. We truly have sure faith 'now'!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

If only thou couldst see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord (saying:) "Our Lord! We have seen and we have heard: now then send us back (to the world): we will work righteousness: for we do indeed (now) believe." ³⁶⁴³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In life on the new plane, there will be no room for deception or self-deception. The most hardened sinner will see the truth and the justice of the Day of Account. He will wish he could be sent back, but it will be too late. The world as we know it will have already passed away.

Had We willed, We could have easily imposed guidance on every soul. But My Word will come to pass: I will surely fill up Hell with jinn and humans all together.

  - Mustafa Khattab

If We had so willed We could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance: but the Word from Me will come true. "I will fill Hell with Jinns and men all together." ^{3644 3645}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Could evil have been avoided? Certainly everything is in Allah's power. If it had been His Will and Plan, He could have created a world in which there would have been no choice or will in any of His creatures. But that was not His Will and Plan. In the world as we see it, man has a certain amount of choice and free-will. That being so, He has provided Signs and means of instruction for man, in order that man's will may be straight and pure. A necessary corollary will be Punishment for the infraction of His Law. That Punishment must come to pass, for Allah's Word is true and must be fulfilled.

Cf. xi. 119. n. 1623, and vii. 18, and see last note. Jinns are the evil spirits that tempt men, and the men who will suffer punishment will be those who have succumbed to their temptations.

So taste 'the punishment' for neglecting the meeting of this Day of yours. We 'too' will certainly neglect you. And taste the torment of eternity for what you used to do!

  - Mustafa Khattab

"Taste ye then for ye forgot the meeting of this day of yours and We too will forget you taste ye the Penalty of Eternity for your (evil) deeds!" ³⁶⁴⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Forgot": Cf. n. 1029 to vii. 51. "Forget" is here in the sense of "to ignore deliberately, to reject with scorn". In the sense of mistake or defect of knowledge it is inapplicable to the All-Perfect Being, for we are expressly told: "My Lord never errs, nor forgets": xx. 52.

The only 'true' believers in Our revelation are those who- when it is recited to them- fall into prostration and glorify the praises of their Lord and are not too proud.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Only those believe in Our Signs who when they are recited to them fall down in adoration and celebrate the praises of their Lord nor are they (ever) puffed up with pride. ³⁶⁴⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"In adoration": Sujjadan, or in a posture of prostration, expressive of deep humility and faith. This is the keyword of the Sura, which bears the title of Sajda. All the Signs of Allah lead our thoughts upwards towards Him, and when they are expounded, our attitude should be one of humble gratitude to Allah. At this passage it is usual to make a prostration.