Surah 57. Al-Hadid

ALL THAT IS in the heavens and on earth extols God's limitless glory: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!

  - Mohammad Asad

All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, for He is the Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifieth Allah and He is the Mighty, the Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Whatever is in the heavens and on earth let it declare the Praises and Glory of Allah: for He is the Exalted in Might the Wise. ⁵²⁷⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A connecting thought between this and the last Sura, of which see verse 96. See also paragraph 3 of the Introduction to S. liii.

His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; He grants life and deals death; and He has the power to will anything.

  - Mohammad Asad

To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; it is He Who gives life and causes death; and He has power over all things.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death. And He is Most Capable of everything.

  - Mustafa Khattab

His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth; He quickeneth and He giveth death; and He is Able to do things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; it is He Who gives life and Death; and He has Power over all things.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He is the First and the Last,¹ and the Outward as well as the Inward:² and He has full knowledge of everything.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., His Being is eternal, without anything preceding His existence and without anything outlasting its infinity: an interpretation given by the Prophet himself, as recorded in several well-authenticated Traditions. Thus, "time" itself - a concept beyond man's understanding - is but God's creation.

I.e., He is the transcendental Cause of all that exists and, at the same time, immanent in every phenomenon of His creation - cf. the oft-repeated Qur'anic phrase (e.g., in verse {5}), "all things go back unto God [as their source]"; in the words of Tabari, "He is closer to everything than anything else could be". Another - perhaps supplementary - rendering could be, "He is the Evident as well as the Hidden": i.e., "His existence is evident (zahir) in the effects of His activity whereas He Himself is not perceptible (ghayr mudrak) to our senses" Zamakhshari).

He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent, and He has the knowledge of all things.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He is the First and the Last, the Most High and Most Near,¹ and He has 'perfect' knowledge of all things.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Another possible translation: “the Manifest ˹through His signs˺ and the Hidden ˹from His creation˺.”

He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward; and He is Knower of all things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He is the First and the Last the Evident and the immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things. ⁵²⁷⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah is Evident in so far as there is ample evidence of His existence and providence all around us. On the other hand, Allah is Hidden in so far as intellect cannot grasp His essence nor can He be seen in the present world. The following tradition in Sahih Muslim is also significant for an understanding of this verse. The Prophet (peace be on him) said: "Thou art the First, so that there was nothing before Thee; and Thou art the Last, so that there is nothing after Thee; and Thou art Evident, (or Ascendant) so that there is nothing above Thee, and Thou art the the Hidden, the Knower of hidden things, so that there is nothing hidden from Thee."

He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness.³ He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them.⁴ And He is with you wherever you may be; and God sees all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the identical phrase in 7:54 and the corresponding note [43].

See note [l] on 34:2 .

It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, then firmly established Himself on the throne of authority. He knows all that enters the earth and all that emerges from it, all that comes down from Heaven and all that ascends to it; and He is with you wherever you are. Allah is aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,¹ then established Himself on the Throne. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out of it, and whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends into it. And He is with you wherever you are.² For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 7:54.

 By His knowledge.

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in Days; then He mounted the Throne. He knoweth all that entereth the earth and all that emergeth therefrom and all that cometh down from the sky and all that ascendeth therein; and He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And Allah is Seer of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and is moreover firmly established on the Throne (of authority). He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And Allah sees well all that ye do. ^{5277 5278 5279}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"In six Days": see xli. 9-12, and notes; also more briefly, n. 1031 to vii. 54.

Cf. x. 3, and n. 1386. It is not that Allah completed His Creation in six days and rested on the seventh day, or rests now. Certain external forms of the universe were by Allah's Command completed in six periods of evolution. But His creative process still goes on, and He is still, and will always be, in full control, knowing all and guiding all affairs.

Allah watches over man and observes his deeds. His knowledge comprehends all, the earth, heavens, what is in them or above them or whatever is in between them, comes out of them or goes into them, for "not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge", and "there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is inscribed in a Record". (vi. 59).

His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; and all things go back unto God [as their source].

  - Mohammad Asad

To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all affairs go back to Allah for decision.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And to Allah all matters are returned.

  - Mustafa Khattab

His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and, unto Allah (all) things are brought back.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: and all affairs are referred back to Allah. ⁵²⁸⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See lvii. 2 above, where this phrase referred to Allah's complete authority over the whole of the external universe: the same phrase now refers to His complete authority over the abstract world-of thoughts and affairs. Every affair must finally go back to Him, whether it comes out here from Darkness into Light, or hides itself from Light into Darkness. Allah's knowledge penetrates into the imnost recesses of all Hearts.

He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].

  - Mohammad Asad

He causes the night to pass into the day and the day to pass into the night, and He has knowledge of the inmost secrets of your hearts.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He merges the night into day and the day into night. And He knows best what is 'hidden' in the heart.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He causeth the night to pass into the day, and He causeth the day to pass into the night, and He is Knower of all that is in the breasts.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night; and He has full knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

BELIEVE in God and His Apostle, and spend on others out of that of which He has made you trustees:⁵ for, those of you who have attained to faith and who spend freely [in God's cause] shall have a great reward.

  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that all that man "possesses" is but held in trust from God, since "all that is in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him", whereas man is allowed only its usufruct.

Believe in Allah and His Rasool and spend in charity out of what you have been made the inheritors of, for those of you who believe and spend in charity shall be richly rewarded.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and donate from what He has entrusted you with. So those of you who believe and donate will have a mighty reward.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Believe in Allah and His messenger, and spend of that whereof He hath made you trustees; and such of you as believe and spend (aright), theirs will be a great reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Believe in Allah and His Apostle and spend (in charity) out of the (substance) whereof He has made you heirs. For those of you who believe and spend (in charity) for them is a great Reward. ⁵²⁸¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Whenever power or wealth or influence or any good thing is transferred from one person or group of persons to another, it involves added responsibilities to the persons receiving these advantages. They must be the more zealous in real charity and all good works, for that is a part of the evidence which they give of their faith and gratitude. And, besides, their good deeds carry their own reward.

And why should you not believe in God, seeing that the Apostle calls you to believe in [Him who is] your Sustainer, and [seeing that] He has taken a pledge from you?⁶ [Why should you not believe in Him] if you are able to believe [in anything]?⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

God's "taking a pledge" is a metonymic allusion to the faculty of reason with which He has endowed man, and which ought to enable every sane person to grasp the evidence of God's existence by observing the effects of His creativeness in all nature and by paying heed to the teachings of His prophets (Zamakhshari). See in this connection 7:172 and the corresponding note [139].

Lit., "if you are believers": implying, according to Razi, "if you can believe in anything on the basis of sound evidence".

What is the matter with you that you do not believe in Allah, whereas the Rasool is inviting you to believe in your Rabb, Who has indeed taken your covenant, if you are true men of faith?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Why do you not believe in Allah while the Messenger is inviting you to have faith in your Lord, although He has already taken your covenant,¹ if you will ever believe.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See 7:172.

What aileth you that ye believe not in Allah, when the messenger calleth you to believe in your Lord, and He hath already made a covenant with you, if ye are believers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

What cause have ye why ye should not believe in Allah? And the Apostle invites you to believe in your Lord and has indeed taken your Covenant if ye are men of faith. ^{5282 5283}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A figure of speech implying a far wider meaning than the words express. It is equivalent to saying: "There is every reason why ye should believe in Allah", etc. The same construction applies to verse 10 below.

There are two shades of meaning. (1) There is the implied Covenant in a man who accepts the Gospel of Unity that he will bring forth all the fruits of that Gospel, i.e., believe in Allah, and serve Allah and humanity. See n. 682 to v. 1. (2) There were at various times express Covenants entered into by the Muslims to serve Allah and be true to the Prophet, comparable to the Covenants of the Jewish nation about the Message of Moses; e.g., the two Covenants of 'Aqaba (v. 8, and n. 705) and the Pledge of Hudaibiya (xlviii. 10, n. 4877). For the Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, see. ii. 63, n. 78.

It is He who bestows from on high clear messages unto [this] His servant, to lead you out of the deep darkness into the light: for, behold, God is most compassionate towards you, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

He it is Who sends clear revelations to His servant, so that he may lead you from the depths of darkness into the light. Surely Allah is Most Kind and Most Merciful to you.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He is the One Who sends down clear revelations to His servant to bring you out of darkness and into light. For indeed Allah is Ever Gracious and Most Merciful to you.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He it is Who sendeth down clear revelations unto His slave, that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and lo! for you, Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He is the One Who Sends to His Servants manifest Signs that He may lead you from the depths of Darkness into the Light. And verily Allah is to you Most Kind and Merciful. ⁵²⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

THe holy Prophet Muhammad. The Signs sent to him were: (1) the Ayats of the Qur-an, and (2) his life and work, in which Allah's Plan and Purpose were unfolded.

And why should you not spend freely in the cause of God, seeing that God's [alone] is the heritage of the heavens and the earth?⁸ Not equal are those of you who spent and fought [in God's cause] before the Victory⁹ [and those who did not do so]: they are of a higher rank than those who would spend and fight [only] after it - although God has promised the ultimate good to all [who strive in His cause].¹⁰ And God is aware of all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "that to God belongs all that is...", etc.: see note [5] above; also Note [22] on 15:23 .

I.e., before the conquest of Mecca in 8 H., when the Muslims were still weak and their future uncertain.

The above principle applies, of course, to the relative merits of believers of all times who strive in God's cause before and/or after success has been achieved.

What is the matter with you that you do not spend in the Way of Allah, whereas to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent and fought in the Cause of Allah before the victory, shall receive higher ranks of honor than the others who spent and fought thereafter. Yet Allah has promised you all a good reward, and Allah is aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And why should you not spend in the cause of Allah, while Allah is the 'sole' inheritor of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who donated and fought before the victory 'over Mecca' are unparalleled. They are far greater in rank than those who donated and fought afterwards.¹ Yet Allah has promised each a fine reward. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Prior to the victory over Mecca, Muslims were outnumbered and perceived as weak. Once Mecca surrendered to the Muslims, many tribes either accepted Islam or made peace agreements with the Muslim victors. Therefore, the believers who donated and strived at the time of hardship and weakness deserve more rewards than those who did so at the time of ease and prominence.

And what aileth you that ye spend not in the way of Allah, when unto Allah belongeth the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent and fought before the victory are not upon a level (with the rest of you). Such are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Unto each hath Allah promised good. And Allah is Informed of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And what cause have ye why ye should not spend in the cause of Allah? For to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought before the Victory (with those who did so later). Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought afterwards. But to all has Allah promised a goodly (reward) and Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. ^{5285 5286}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"To Allah belongs the heritage of...": see n. 485 to iii. 180; also n. 988 to vi. 165; and n. 1964 to xv. 23.

This is usually understood to refer to the Conquest of Makkah, after which the Muslims succeeded to the power and position which the Pagan Quraish had so misused at Makkah. Thereafter the Muslims had the hegemony of Arabia, and in a few centuries, for a time, the hegemony of the world. But the words are perfectly general, and we must understand the general meaning also: that the people who fight and struggle in Allah's Cause and give of their best to it at any time are worthy of praise: but those are worthy of special distinction who do it when the Cause is being persecuted and in most need of assistance, before victory comes.