Surah 72. Al-Jinn

24The background of this verse is that those of the Quraish who used to mob and surround the, Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) as soon as they heard his invitation calling to Allah, were under the delusion that they had a strong band at their back and that the Holy Prophet had only a handful of men with him, and therefore, they would easily overwhelm him. At this it is being said: Today these people find the Messenger helpless and friendless and themselves supported and strengthened by great hosts and, therefore, feel encouraged and emboldened to suppress the invitation to the Truth. But when the evil time with which they are being threatened comes, they will know who in actual fact is helpless and friendless.

25The style itself shows that this is an answer which has been given without citing the question. Probably, hearing what has been said above, the opponents might have asked mockingly and tauntingly: "When will the time with which you are threatening us come?" In response, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was commanded to say: "The time will certainly come, but I have not been told the date of its coming. Allah alone knows whether is will come soon, or whether a distant term has been set for it. "

26That is, the knowledge of the unseen wholly rests with Allah: He does not give the whole of this knowledge to anyone.

27That is, the Messenger by himself is no knower of the unseen, but when Allah chooses him to perform the mission of Prophethood, He grants him the knowledge of those of the unseen truths which He is pleased to grant.

28"Guards": Angels. That is, when Allah sends down the knowledge of the unseen realities to the Messenger by revelation, He appoints angels on every side to safeguard it so that the knowledge reaches the Messenger in a safe condition, free from every kind of adulteration. This is the same thing which has been expressed in vv. 8-9 above, saying: After the appointment of the Holy Messenger the jinn found that all the doors to the heavens had been closed, and they noticed that strict security measures had been adopted because of which no room had been left for them to eavesdrop.

29This can have three meanings:

(1) That the Messenger may know that the angels have delivered the messages of Allah to him precisely and accurately;

(2) that Allah may know that the angels have conveyed the messages of their Lord to His Messenger precisely and accurately; and

(3) that Allah may know that the Messenger has conveyed the messages of his Lord to His servants precisely and accurately.

The words of the verse are comprehensive and may possibly imply all the three meanings. Besides, the verse also points out two other things: first, that the Messenger is given that knowledge of the unseen, which is necessary for him to perform his mission of Prophethood; second, that the angels keep watch that the Revelation reaches the Messenger safely and also that the Messenger conveys the messages of his Lord to His servants precisely and accurately.

30That is, Allah's power so encompasses the Messenger as well as the angels that if they swerve even a little from His will, they can be detected immediately. Moreover, a complete record has been kept of each letter of the messages sent down by Allah. The Messengers and the angels cannot dare add or subtract even a letter from them.