["He said: \"Did I not tell you that you will not be able to patiently bear with me?\"","Moses said: \"Keep me no more in your company if I question you concerning anything after this. You will then be fully justified.\"","Then the two went forth until when they came to a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to play host to them. They found in that town a wall that was on the verge of tumbling down, and he buttressed it, whereupon Moses said: \"If you had wished, you could have received payment for it.\"","He said: \"This brings me and you to a parting of ways. Now I shall explain to you the true meaning of things about which you could not remain patient.","As for the boat it belonged to some poor people who worked on the river, and I desired to damage it for beyond them lay the dominion of a king who was wont to seize every boat by force.","As for the lad, his parents were people of faith, and we feared lest he should plague them with transgression and disbelief,","and we desired that their Lord should grant them another in his place, a son more upright and more tender hearted.","As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and under it there was a treasure that belonged to them. Their father was a righteous man and your Lord intended that they should come of age and then bring forth their treasure as a mercy from your Lord; I did not do this of my own bidding. This is the true meaning of things with which you could not keep your patience.\"[1]###[1] In connection with this story, a very hard problem arises to which an answer must be found. Two of the three things done by Khidr are obviously against those commandments of the law which have always been in force since the creation of man. No law allows anyone the right to damage the property of another and kill an innocent person. So much so that if a man were to know by inspiration that some usurper would illegally seize a certain boat, and that a certain boy would be involved in a rebellion and unbelief, even then no law, sent down by Allah, makes it lawful that one should bore a hole in the boat and kill the innocent boy by virtue of his inspiration. If in answer to this, one were to say that Khidr committed these two acts by the commands of Allah, this does not solve the problem, for the question is not this: “By whose command did Khidr commit these acts”, but it is this: “What was the nature of these commands”? This is important because Khidr did these acts in accordance with divine command, for he himself says that these acts of his were not done by his own authority, but were moved by the mercy of Allah, and Allah Himself has testified this by saying: “We gave him a special knowledge from Ourselves”. Thus it is beyond any doubt that these acts were done by the command of Allah, but the question about the nature of the command remains there, for it is obvious that these commands were not legal because it is not allowed by any divine law, and the fundamental principles of the Quran also do not allow that a person should kill another person without any proof of his guilt. Therefore we shall have to admit that these commands belonged to one of those decrees of Allah in accordance with which one sick person recovers, while another dies: one becomes prosperous and the other is ruined. If the commands given to Khidr were of this nature, then one must come to the conclusion that Khidr was an angel (or some other kind of Allah’s creation) who is not bound by the divine law prescribed for human beings, for such commands as have no legal aspect, can be addressed to angels only. This is because the question of the lawful or the unlawful cannot arise about them: they obey the commands of Allah without having any personal power. In contrast to them, a man shall be guilty of a sin whether he does any such thing inadvertently by intuition or by some inspiration, if his act goes against some divine commandment. This is because a man is bound to abide by divine commandments as a man, and there is no room whatsoever in the divine law that an act may become lawful for a man merely because he had received an instruction by inspiration and had been informed in a secret way of the wisdom of that unlawful act.","(O Muhammad), they ask you about Dhu al-Qarnayn.[1] Say: \"I will give you an account of him.\"[2]###[1] It is quite obvious that the conjunction wao joins this story with the previous story of Khidr. Thus it is a selfevident proof that the previous two stories of the sleepers of the cave and Moses and Khidr were also related in answer to the queries of the disbelievers of Makkah who, in consultation with the people of the Book, had put these questions to Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a test of his Prophethood. \t [2] The identification of Zul-Qarnain has been a controversial matter from the earliest times. In general the commentators have been of the opinion that he was Alexander the Great but the characteristics of Zul-Qarnain described in the Quran are not applicable to him. However, now the commentators are inclined to believe that Zul- Qarnain was Cyrus, an ancient king of Iran. We are also of the opinion that probably Zul-Qarnain was Cyrus, but the historical facts, which have come to light up to this time, are not sufficient to make any categorical assertion.","We granted him power in the land and endowed him with all kinds of resources.","He set out (westwards) on an expedition,","until when he reached the very limits where the sun sets,[1] he saw it setting in dark turbid waters;[2] and nearby he met a people. We said: \"O Dhu al-Qarnayn, you have the power to punish or to treat them with kindness.\"[3]###[1] “The setting place of the sun” does not mean the place of the setting of the sun. According to Ibn Kathir, it means that he marched to the west conquering one country after the other till he reached the last boundary of the land, beyond which there was ocean. \t [2] “He found it setting in a muddy spring”: If Zul Qarnain was Cyrus, then that place would be the western limit of Asia Minor and the black waters would be the Aegean Sea. This interpretation is supported by the use of the word ain instead of bahr in the Quran. \t [3] “We said” does not necessarily mean that Allah directly revealed to him these words, and that Zul-Qarnain was a Prophet or was the one who received inspiration from Allah, and the same is the reasonable conjecture. This concerns the time when Zul-Qarnain had taken possession of the land as a conqueror and the conquered people were utterly at your mercy. Then Allah posed a question before his conscience, as if to say: Now is the time of your trial. These people are utterly at your mercy, and you have the option either to behave unjustly towards them or to treat them generously.","He said: \"We will chastise him who does wrong, whereafter he will be returned to his Lord and He will chastise him grievously.","But as for him who believes and acts righteously, his will be a goodly reward and we shall enjoin upon him only mild commands.\"","Then he set out on another expedition","until he reached the limit where the sun rises and he found it rising on a people whom We had provided no shelter from it.[1]###[1] That is, when he advanced towards the east, conquering one country after the other, he reached a territory where the limits of the civilized world had come to an end and beyond which was the territory of barbaric people, who had no shelter at all of tents or buildings.”","Thus was the state of those people, and We encompassed in knowledge all concerning Dhu al- Qarnayn.","Then he set out on another expedition","until when he reached a place between the two mountains,[1] he found beside the mountains a people who scarcely understood anything.[2]###[1] The “two mountains” must have been parts of that mountain range which runs between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea as stated in (Ayat 96). This must be so because beyond them was the territory of Gog and Magog. \t [2] That is, it was difficult to communicate with them: their language was almost foreign to Zul-Qarnain and his companions, and, as they were quite barbaric, none could understand their language, nor were they acquainted with any foreign language.","They said: \"O Dhu al-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog[1] are spreading corruption in this land. So shall we pay you taxes on the understanding that you will set up a barrier between us and them?\"###[1] As has already been pointed out in (E.N. 62), Gog and Magog were the wild tribes of North Eastern Asia which, from the very early times had been making inroads on settled kingdoms and empires in Asia and Europe and ravaging them. According to Genesis (Chapter 10), they were the descendants of Japheth, the son of Noah, and the Muslim historians have also accepted this. And according to the book of Ezekiel (Chapters 38, 39), they inhabited the territories of Meshech (Moscow) and Tubal (Tubalsek). According to the Israelite historian Josephus, they were the Scythians and their territory spread to the north and the east of the Black Sea. According to Jerome, Magog inhabited the territory to the north of Caucasia near the Caspian Sea.","He answered: \"Whatever my Lord has granted me is good enough. But help me with your labour and I will erect a rampart between you and them.[1]###[1] That is, as a ruler it is my duty to protect you from the ravages of your enemies: therefore it is not lawful for me to levy any extra taxes on you for this purpose. The treasury that Allah has placed in my custody suffices for this purpose. You shall, however, have to help me with your manual labor.","Bring me ingots of iron.\" Then after he had filled up the space between the two mountain-sides, he said: \"(Light a fire) and ply bellows.\" When he had made it (red like) fire, he said: \"Bring me molten copper which I may pour on it.\"","Such was the rampart that Gog and Magog could not scale, nor could they pierce it.","Dhu al-Qarnayn said: \"This is a mercy from my Lord: but when the time of my Lord's promise shall come, He will level the rampart with the ground.[1] My Lord's promise always comes true.\"[2]###[1] That is, though I have built a very strong iron wall, as far as it was possible for me, it is not ever lasting, for it will last only as long as Allah wills, and will fall down to pieces when the time of my Lord’s promise shall come. Then no power in the world shall be able to keep it safe and secure. \t [2] As regards to the time of Allah’s promise, it has two meanings. (1) It may mean the time of the destruction of the wall. (2) It may also mean the time of the death and destruction of everything destined by Allah at the end of the world i.e. the Hour of Resurrection.","And on that Day[1] We shall let some of them surge like waves against others, and the Trumpet shall be blown. Then We shall gather them all together.###[1] “That Day”: “The Day of Resurrection”. As if to continue the theme of life after death to which Zul-Qarnain referred as the time of my Lord’s promise, the Quran has added (verses 99-101) to it.","That will be the Day We shall place Hell before the unbelievers","whose eyes had become blind against My admonition and who were utterly disinclined to hear it.","Do the unbelievers,[1] then, believe that they can take any of My creatures as their guardians beside Me?[2] Verily We have prepared Hell to welcome the unbelievers.###[1] This is the conclusion of the whole Surah and is not connected with the story of Zul-Qarnain only but with the subject matter of this Surah as a whole. That theme was enunciated at the beginning of the (Surah Ayats 1-8): The Prophet (peace be upon him) invited his people. (1) To give up shirk and adopt the doctrine of Tauhid instead. (2) To give up the worship of the world and to believe in the life of the Hereafter. But the chiefs of his people, who were puffed up with their wealth and grandeur, not only rejected his invitation but also persecuted and insulted those righteous people who had accepted his invitation. The discourse deals with the same themes and utilizes in an excellent manner the three stories which were related in answer to the questions put by the opponents of Islam as a test of his Prophethood. \t [2] That is, do they still stick to their presumption even after hearing all this and believe that their attitude will be profitable for them?","Say, (O Muhammad): \"Shall We tell you who will be the greatest losers in respect of their works?","It will be those whose effort went astray[1] in the life of the world and who believe nevertheless that they are doing good.###[1] This verse has two meanings. The one is the same that we have adopted in the translation. The other meaning is this: Those who confined all their endeavors to the worldly life. That is, whatever they did, they did for this world without paying any regard to God and the Hereafter. As they considered the worldly life to be the real life, they made the success and prosperity in this world their sole aim and object. Even if they professed the existence of Allah, they never paid any heed to the two implications of this profession: to lead their lives in a way to please Allah and to come out successful on the Day they shall have to render an account of what they did in this world. This was because they considered themselves to be mere rational animals who were absolutely independent and free from every kind of responsibility and had nothing else to do but to enjoy the good things of the world like animals in a meadow.","Those are the ones who refused to believe in the revelations of their Lord and that they are bound to meet Him. Hence, all their deeds have come to naught, and We shall assign no weight to them on the Day of Resurrection.[1]###[1] “So worthless will be their deeds” in the sense that they will be of no avail to them in the life after death, even though they might have considered them as their great achievements but the fact is that they will lose all their value as soon as the world shall come to an end. When they will go before their Lord, and all their deeds shall be placed in the scales, they will have no weight at all whether they had built great palaces, established great universities and libraries, set up great factories and laboratories, constructed highways and railways, in short, all their inventions, industries, sciences and arts and other things of which they were very proud in this world, will lose their weights in the scales. The only thing which will have weight there will be that which had been done in accordance with the divine instructions and with the intention to please Allah. It is, therefore, obvious that if all of one’s endeavors were confined to the worldly things and the achievement of worldly desires whose results one would see in this world, one should not reasonably expect to see their results in the Hereafter, for they would have gone waste with the end of this world. It is equally obvious, that only the deeds of the one, who performed them strictly in accordance with His instructions to win His approval with a view to avail of their results in the Hereafter, will find that his deeds had weight in the scales. On the contrary, such a one will find that all his endeavors in the world had gone waste.","Hell is their recompense for disbelieving and their taking My revelations and My Messengers as objects of jest.","As for those who believe and do good works, the Gardens of Paradise shall be there to welcome them;","there they will abide for ever, with no desire to be removed from there.\"[1]###[1] “No desire will they have to be removed there from” because they will find no place and no condition better than those in Paradise.","Say: \"If the sea were to become ink to record the Words[1] of my Lord, indeed the sea would be all used up before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, and it would be the same even if We were to bring an equal amount of ink.\"###[1] By “words” are meant the marvelous works, the excellences and the wonders of His Power and Wisdom.","Say (O Muhammad): \"I am no more than a human being like you; one to whom revelation is made: 'Your Lord is the One and Only God.' Hence, whoever looks forward to meet his Lord, let him do righteous works, and let him associate none with the worship of his Lord.\"","Kaf. Ha'. Ya'. Ayn. Sad.","This is an account[1] of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah[2]###[1] For comparison please see the story of Zachariah as given in  (Ayats 34-57 of Surah Aal-Imran) and the E.Ns thereof. \t [2] In order to understand the position held by Zachariah, a descendant of Prophet Aaron, one should be acquainted with the system of priesthood among the children of Israel.","when he cried to his Lord in secret.","He said: \"Lord! My bones have grown feeble and my head is glistening with age; yet, never have my prayers to You, my Lord, been unfruitful.","I fear evil from my kinsmen after I am gone;[1] and my wife is barren, so grant me an heir out of Your special grace,###[1] That is, I see none among my kinsmen, the family of Abiah, who is religiously and morally sound and capable of carrying on the work of the mission that has been entrusted to me.","one that might be my heir and the heir of the house of Jacob;[1] and make him, Lord, one that will be pleasing to You.###[1] That is, I do not pray for a successor to inherit me alone, but a successor who may inherit the good ways of the house of Jacob.","(He was told): \"Zechariah, We bring you the good news of the birth of a son whose name shall be Yahya (John), one whose namesake We never created before.\"[1]###[1] In Luke the words are: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. (1: 61).","He said: \"My Lord! How can I have a boy when my wife is barren and I have reached an extremely old age?\"","He answered: \"So shall it be.\" Your Lord says: \"It is easy for Me,\" and then added: \"For beyond doubt, I created you earlier when you were nothing.\"[1]###[1] This dialogue is meant to impress that Allah is able to do whatever He wills and can make an impotent man and a barren woman give birth to a child, and likewise a virgin can be made to conceive a child.","Zechariah said: \"Lord, grant me a Sign.\" Said He: \"Your Sign is that you shall not be able to speak to people for three nights, though you will be otherwise sound.\"","Thereupon Zechariah came out from the sanctuary[1] and directed his people by gestures to extol His glory by day and by night.[2]###[1] For the explanation of mihrab (sanctuary), see  (E.N. 36 of Aal-Imran). \t [2] Below we reproduce the details of this event as given in Luke’s Gospel so that the reader may study and compare the Quranic version with the Christian version. The references and additions within the brackets are ours:","\"O John! Hold the Book with all your strength.\"[1] We had bestowed wisdom upon him while he was still a child;[2]###[1] The details regarding the birth of Prophet John (peace be upon him), according to the divine will, and his coming of age, have been left out. Here, in one sentence, the mission of Prophethood entrusted to him on attaining maturity has been stated, which was to observe and follow the Torah in letter and spirit, and to exhort the Israelites as well to do the same. \t [2] The Arabic word hukm implies ability (1) to make decisions, (2) to form right opinions, (3) to interpret the divine law, (4) to solve problems, and (5) it also means authority from Allah to decide affairs.","and We also endowed him with tenderness[1] and purity, and he was exceedingly pious###[1] The Arabic word hanan is almost synonymous with mother’s love. In other words, Prophet John bore in his heart the same kind of intense love for Allah’s servants as a mother has for her child.","and cherishing to his parents. Never was he insolent or rebellious.","Peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day he will die, and the day he will be raised up alive.[1]###[1] In order to have a full understanding of the mission and the pure character of Prophet John, about which brief references have been made in this Surah and Surah Aal- Imran, it will be useful to study this story as given in different Books of the New Testament in the following order:","(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Mary,[1] when she withdrew from her people to a place towards the east;###[1] For comparison, see( Surah Aal-Imran, Ayats 34-57), and (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 156) and E.Ns thereof.","and drew a curtain, screening herself from people[1] whereupon We sent to her Our spirit and he appeared to her as a well-shaped man.###[1] The Sanctuary where she had retired for devotion was an eastern chamber in the Temple, and as was customary she had hung a curtain to conceal herself from the people. It cannot be Nazareth as some people have wrongly taken it to be, because Nazareth is to the north of Jerusalem.","Mary exclaimed: \"I surely take refuge from you with the Most Compassionate Lord, if you are at all God-fearing.\"","He said: \"I am just a message-bearer of your Lord, I have come to grant you a most pure boy.\"","Mary said: \"How can a boy be born to me when no man has even touched me, nor have I ever been unchaste?\"","The angel said: \"Thus shall it be. Your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me; and We shall do so in order to make him a Sign for mankind[1] and a mercy from Us. This has been decreed.' \"###[1] The word “Thus shall it be” are very significant as has been stated in (E.N. 6). The plain meaning is this: A pure son shall be born to you just as your Lord has decreed, even though no man has touched you. The same was the response to prophet Zachariah as stated in( Ayat 9) above. And it is a sheer perversion to interpret it as: So shall it be that a man will touch you and a son will be born to you. For, if it were to mean: You will bear a son like all other women of the world, the subsequent two sentences, Your Lord says: This is an easy thing for Me to do, and We will make that boy a sign for the people, would have become meaningless. Had this birth been an ordinary birth like the birth of every other child, there would have been no occasion to boast: It is an easy thing, and that it will be made a sign (miracle). This will be so because the child will speak in the cradle.","Then she conceived him and withdrew with him to a far-off place.[1]###[1] When she conceived the child, she left the sanctuary and went to a distant place (Bethlehem) in order to escape the bitter criticism of the people. They would have said: Look at the virgin daughter of the pious house of Aaron! She has conceived a child and that, too, in the sanctuary where she had retired for devotion! Thus she temporarily succeeded in concealing the shame of the conception, but this event itself is a proof that prophet Jesus was born without a father. Had Mary been married and had a husband, she would not have left his or her parents house by herself and chosen a distant place for the purpose of delivery.","Then the birth pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree and she said: \"Oh, would that I had died before this and had been all forgotten.\"[1]###[1] The words “Would that...” show the extreme state of anxiety in which Mary found herself at the time. She did not utter these words on account of the labor pains but due to the pangs of sorrow as to how she would conceal the child from her people. The angel’s words, grieve not at all explain why she had spoken these desperate words. When a married girl is delivering her first baby, she might be dying with pains, but she is never so sorrowful and grieved.","Thereupon the angel below her cried out: \"Grieve not, for your Lord has caused a stream of water to flow beneath you.","Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself and fresh and ripe dates shall fall upon you.","So eat and drink and cool your eyes; and if you see any person say to him: 'Verily I have vowed a fast to the Most Compassionate Lord, and so I shall not speak to anyone today.' \"[1]###[1] That is, you need not say anything with regard to the child. It is now Our responsibility to answer the critics. This also indicates why Mary was so sad and grieved. Had she been married and given birth to her first baby like any other mother, there was no occasion to tell her to observe a fast of silence, though it was a common custom among the Jews.","Then she came to her people, carrying her baby. They said: \"O Mary! You have committed a monstrous thing.","O sister of Aaron![1] Your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.\"###[1] “Sister of Aaron” may either mean that Mary had a brother of the name of Aaron, or it may mean that she belonged to the family of Prophet Aaron. The first meaning is supported by a tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the second is plausible because that is supported by the Arabic idiom. But we are inclined to the second meaning, for the wording of the said tradition does not necessarily mean that she actually had a brother named Aaron. The tradition as related in Muslim, Nasai, Tirmizi, etc. says that when the Christians of Najran criticized the Quranic version of stating Mary as the sister of Aaron before Mughirah bin Shubah, he was not able to satisfy them, because Prophet Aaron had passed away centuries earlier. When he presented the problem before the Prophet (peace be upon him), he replied: Why didn’t you say that the Israelites named their children after their Prophets and other pious men? That is: You could have answered their objection like this as well.\" See also(E.N. 32 of Aal-Imran).","Thereupon Mary pointed to the child. They exclaimed: \"How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, a mere child?\"[1]###[1] People who misinterpret the Quran translate this verse as: How shall we talk with him, who is but a child of yesterday? They attribute these words to the elderly people of the Jews, who said years later, when Jesus was a grown up boy, that they could not have any useful dialogue with a mere kid. But the person who keeps the whole context in view, will realize that this interpretation is absurd and has been given merely to avoid the miracle. As a matter of fact, the dialogue took place when the people were condemning Mary who being unmarried, had brought forth a child, and not when the child had grown up into manhood. (Ayat 46 of Surah Aal-Imran) and (Ayat 110 of Surah Al-Maidah) also support the view that Prophet Jesus had uttered these words as a baby in the cradle and not when grown up. In the first verse, the angel while giving the good news of a son to Mary, says: He will speak to the people alike when in the cradle and when grown up. In the other verse, Allah Himself says to Prophet Jesus: You talked to the people even in the cradle as you talked when you were grown up.","The child cried out: \"Verily I am Allah's servant. He has granted me the Book and has made me a Prophet","and has blessed me wherever I might be and has enjoined upon me Prayer and Zakah (purifying alms) as long as I live;","and has made me dutiful to my mother.[1] He has not made me oppressive, nor bereft of God's blessings.###[1] People who misinterpret the Quran translate this verse as: How shall we talk with him, who is but a child of yesterday? They attribute these words to the elderly people of the Jews, who said years later, when Jesus was a grown up boy, that they could not have any useful dialogue with a mere kid. But the person who keeps the whole context in view, will realize that this interpretation is absurd and has been given merely to avoid the miracle. As a matter of fact, the dialogue took place when the people were condemning Mary who being unmarried, had brought forth a child, and not when the child had grown up into manhood. (Ayat 46 of Surah Aal-Imran) and (Ayat 110 of Surah Al-Maidah) also support the view that Prophet Jesus had uttered these words as a baby in the cradle and not when grown up. In the first verse, the angel while giving the good news of a son to Mary, says: He will speak to the people alike when in the cradle and when grown up. In the other verse, Allah Himself says to Prophet Jesus: You talked to the people even in the cradle as you talked when you were grown up.","Peace be upon me the day I was born and the day I will die, and the day I will be raised up alive.\"[1]###[1] This speech in the cradle by Jesus was the sign to which the angel referred in( Ayat 21). As Allah intended to punish the children of Israel for their continuous wicked ways and evil deeds, He made a pious virgin girl of the family of Prophet Aaron, who had devoted herself to worship in the Temple under the patronage of Zachariah, bear a child and bring it before her people in order to concentrate the whole attention of the thousands of people assembled there on this extraordinary event. Then He made this new born child speak out even in the cradle that he had been appointed a Prophet. Though they had seen this wonderful sign of Allah, they rejected the Prophethood of Jesus and brought him to the court for crucifixion, and thus incurred the wrath of Allah. (For further details, please see (Surah Aal- Imran E.Ns 44 and 53), and (Surah An-Nisa E.Ns 212, 213).","This is Jesus, the son of Mary; and this is the truth about him concerning which they are in doubt.","It does not befit Allah to take for Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing He only says: \"Be\" and it is.[1]###[1] In (Ayats 1-35), it has been shown that the “Doctrine of the son of God” in regard to Prophet Jesus is absolutely wrong. For just as the miraculous birth of Prophet John did not make him the son of God, so the miraculous birth of Prophet Jesus could not make him the son of God. For the births of both were the result of the same sort of miracle as they have been mentioned together in the same context in the Gospel of Luke. Therefore, it is mere distortion that the Christians should regard one as the servant of God and the other as the son of God.","(Jesus had said): \"Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him alone. This is the Straight Way.\"[1]###[1] This declaration by Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) has been cited to tell the Christians that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) also taught the same doctrine of Tauhid as was taught by all other Prophets. And it was they who had invented the doctrine of shirk by making him the son of God. (Please also refer to(Aal-Imran E.N. 68, and(Al- Maidah E.Ns 100, 101 and 130).","But different parties began to dispute with one another.[1] A dreadful woe awaits on that great Day for those that reject the Truth.###[1] That is, the sects of the Christians.","How well shall they hear and how well shall they see on the Day they come to Us! But today the evil-doers are in manifest error.","(O Muhammad), warn those who are steeped in heedlessness and are obstinately rejecting the truth that the Day shall come when things will be finally decided and they shall be left with utter remorse.","Ultimately, We shall inherit the earth and whatever is on it; to Us shall they be returned.[1]###[1] Here the address which was meant to be delivered before King Negus and his courtiers comes to an end. In the introduction to this Surah, we have already stated the historical background of this address. In order to form an idea of its great significance, it should be kept in mind that:","(O Muhammad), recite in the Book the account of Abraham.[1] Most surely he was a man of truth, a Prophet.###[1] From here the address is directed towards the people of Makkah, who had forced their own near and dear relatives to emigrate from their homes, just as Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had been exiled by his own father and brethren. The story of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) has been selected for this purpose because the Quraish professed to accept him as their religious leader and were proud of being his descendants.","(And remind people) when he said to his father: \"Father! Why do you worship that which neither sees nor hears, and which can be of no avail to you?","Father, a knowledge that has not reached you has come to me. So follow me that I may guide you to a Straight Way.","Father, do not serve Satan,[1] for Satan has indeed been a persistent rebel against the Most Compassionate Lord.###[1] It should be noted that the literal translation of the Arabic text is: “Do not worship Satan”, though Abraham’s father and the other people did not worship Satan in the same sense as they worshiped idols. But as they followed and obeyed Satan, he accused them of worshiping Satan. Thus it is clear that if somebody follows and obeys Satan, he virtually worships him. For Satan has never been a deity in the sense that people have made him an object of worship; nay, they have always been cursing him and following him at the same time. (For further details see (Surah Al-Kahf E.Ns 49-50).","Father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Compassionate Lord might strike you and you may end up as one of Satan's companions?\"","The father said: \"Abraham, have you turned away from my gods? If you do not give this up, I shall stone you to death. Now begone from me forever.\"","Abraham answered: \"Peace be upon you. I shall seek pardon for you from my Lord. My Lord has always been kind to Me.","I shall withdraw from you and all that you call upon beside Allah. I shall only call upon my Lord. I trust the prayer to my Lord will not go unanswered.\"","Thereupon Abraham dissociated himself from his people and the deities they worshipped instead of Allah, and We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob and made each of them a Prophet;","and We bestowed on them Our mercy, and granted them a truly lofty renown.[1]###[1] This is to give comfort to the migrants who had been forced to migrate from their homes. They were told that they would be honored and blessed with true renown just as Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had been blessed with true renown after his migration.","And recite in the Book the account of Moses.[1] He was a chosen one, a Messenger, a Prophet.[2]###[1] The word used is mukhlasan, which means purified. In other words, Allah had specially chosen Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) for the mission of Prophethood. \t [2] Rasul literally means the one who is sent; therefore it is used for an ambassador, envoy, messenger and representative. The Quran has used this title for angels, who are sent by Allah on a special mission, or for the human beings who brought His Message to mankind.","We called out to him from the right side of the Mount,[1] and We drew him near to Us by communing to him in secret,[2]###[1] “The right side of the Mount” means the eastern side of the mountain. As Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), on his way from Midian to Egypt, was passing from the southern side of Mountt Toor, the eastern side would lie on his right and the western on his left if he faced the mountain, otherwise a mountain by itself cannot have a right or a left side. \t [2] See( E.N. 206 of Surah An-Nisa).","and out of Our mercy We appointed his brother Aaron, a Prophet (that he may assist him).","And recite in the Book the account of Ishmael. He was ever true to his promise, and was a Messenger, a Prophet.","He enjoined his household to observe Prayer and to give Zakah (purifying alms); and his Lord was well pleased with him.","And recite in the Book the account of Idris.[1] He was a man of truth, a Prophet;###[1] There is a difference of opinion as to who Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was. Some commentators opine that he was a Prophet from among the Israelites, but the majority of them are inclined to the view that he was a Prophet before Noah (peace be upon him). There is no authentic tradition which may help determine his identity. The next (verse 58), however, supports the view that he appeared before Prophet Noah (peace be upon him). For of all the Prophets mentioned, he alone was the one who may be said to be from the descendants of Adam.","and We exalted him to a lofty position.[1]###[1] The plain meaning is that God had favored Idris with a high rank, but according to the Israelite traditions, God took up Idris (Enoch) to heavens. The Bible says: And he was not; for God took him, but the Talmud has a long story to tell, which ends with the words: Enoch ascended to heaven in a whirlwind, with chariot and horses of fire.","These are the Prophets upon whom Allah bestowed His favour from the seed of Adam, and from the seed of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and from the seed of Abraham and Israel. They were those whom We guided and chose (for an exalted position). They were such that when the words of the Most Compassionate Lord were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.","They were succeeded by a people who neglected the Prayers[1] and pursued their lusts.[2] They shall presently meet with their doom,###[1] It appears that the degenerate people totally discarded Salat, or they had become neglectful and careless in its observance. This is the first evil that is committed by a degenerate people. For, after this there remains no connection whatever between them and God. Here it has been stated as a universal principle that the degeneration of the people of all the former Prophets started with the abandonment of Salat by them. \t [2] This was the inevitable result of the loss of the connection with Allah. As they became more and more neglectful of their Salat, their lusts took complete hold of them and they fell to the lowest depths of moral depravity and began to follow their whims instead of the divine commands.","except those who repent and believe and act righteously. Such shall enter Paradise and shall not be wronged at all.","Theirs shall be everlasting Gardens which the Most Compassionate Lord has promised His servants in a realm which is beyond the ken of perception.[1] Surely His promise shall he fulfilled.###[1] That is, the promised gardens which are yet unseen by His servants.","They shall not hear in it anything vain; they shall hear only what is good;[1] and they shall have their provision in it, morning and evening.###[1] The word used is salam, which means free from defect and fault. It implies to mean that the greatest blessing that man will enjoy in Paradise will be that there he will hear no idle, vile or indecent talk. All the dwellers of Paradise will be neat and clean and pure people and every individual will be gentle and right minded by nature. Everybody will be secure against backbiting, slander and indecent songs and other ugly sounds. Whatever men will hear will be good, sensible and right.","Such is the Paradise which We shall cause those of Our servants who have been God-fearing to inherit.","(The angels will say):[1] \"(O Muhammad!) We descend not except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs all that is before us and all that is behind us, and all that is in between. Your Lord is not forgetful in the least.###[1] This paragraph is a parenthesis, which has been inserted at the end of one theme and before the commencement of the other. It is obvious from this that this Surah was sent down after a long delay. At that time the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions were passing through very hard times and were always expecting a revelation to guide and comfort them. When Angel Gabriel came with other angels with this revelation, he at first delivered that part of the message which was immediately needed. Then before proceeding further, he said these words by the leave of Allah as an explanation for the delay and to give them comfort from Allah and counsel of fortitude. This interpretation is not only borne out by the wording of the passage but also by some traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which have been cited by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, and the author of Ruh-ul-Maani in their commentary on this passage.","He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between. Serve Him, then, and be constant in serving Him.[1] Do you know anyone that might be His compeer?\"[2]###[1] That is, you should not only follow strictly the way of service and face all the obstacles and afflictions with patience, but also should not get uneasy, if there is a delay in revelation and help. You should rest content with His service as an obedient servant and perform persistently the duties and responsibilities entrusted to you as a servant and Messenger. \t [2] The word Samiya literally means a name sake. Here it implies: Allah is the only Deity. Do you know of any other deity besides Him? If there is none, and you know that there is none, then you do not have any alternative but to serve Him and obey His commands.","Man is prone to say: \"Shall I be raised to life after I die?\"","Does man not remember that We created him before when he was nothing?","By your Lord, We will surely muster them and the devils together.[1] Then We will surely bring them all, on their knees, around Hell,###[1] The Satans are the leaders who persuade the wicked people to enjoy themselves in this worldly life, for there is no life in the Hereafter, where they shall have to present themselves before Allah and give an account of their deeds.","and then We will draw aside from each party those who were most rebellious against the Most Compassionate Lord,[1]###[1] The leader of every rebel band.","and then We shall know well all those most worthy to be cast in Hell.","There is not one of you but shall pass by Hell.[1] This is a decree which your Lord will fulfil.###[1] According to some traditions, “pass over it (Hell)” means to enter Hell, but none of these traditions is authentic. Then this interpretation goes against the Quran and a great many authentic traditions, which clearly state that the true believers will never be cast into Hell. Lexically also, variduha (being presented unto) is not synonymous with dukhul (causing to enter). Therefore, the correct meaning would be that every human being will be presented before Hell, but then, as the next verse clarifies, the pious people will be rescued and the transgressors left therein on their knees. 7","Then We shall deliver those that feared Allah and leave the wrong-doers there on their knees.","When Our clear revelations are recited to those who deny the Truth they are wont to say to those who have faith: \"Which of the two groups has a better status and whose assemblies are grander?\"[1]###[1] In response to the recital of clear revelations, instead of accepting their message, the unbelievers put such questions as these to the believers to show that they were in the right: Who has grander houses to live in? Who has a higher standard of life? Who enjoys splendid meetings? If we are enjoying all these things while you are deprived of them, you may decide for yourselves whether we, who are enjoying happy worldly lives, are in the wrong, or you who are living miserable lives of indigence are in the right? Also see (Surah Al-Kahf E.Ns 37-38). 7","How numerous are the peoples We destroyed before them - those that were more resourceful and grander in outward appearance!","Say: \"The Most Compassionate Lord grants respite to those who stray into error, until they behold what they had been threatened with, either God's chastisement (in the world) or the Hour (of Resurrection)\" - then they fully know whose station is worse, and who is weaker in hosts!","(On the contrary), Allah increases in guidance those who follow the Right Way.[1] Lasting acts of righteousness are better in the sight of your Lord as reward and conducive to a better end.###[1] That is, On every critical occasion, Allah guides them to make right decisions and helps them to adopt the right way, and protects them from evil and wrong things; thus they go on making more and more progress on the right way.","Have you seen him who rejected Our signs and said: \"Surely I shall continue to be favoured with riches and children.\"[1]###[1] The boastful person was not a particular man but a typical chief of the disbelievers of Makkah. Everyone of them claimed: Howsoever you may call me an erroneous and un-righteous person and threaten me with the divine scourge, the fact is that I am more prosperous than you today and shall continue being blessed with favors in future as well. Just have a look at my riches, at my grandeur and at my estate, and at my well-known sons, and then say where you see any signs of the wrath of God.","Has he obtained knowledge of the Unseen, or has he taken a covenant with the Most Compassionate Lord?","By no means! We shall write down all what he says;[1] and We shall greatly prolong his chastisement,###[1] That is, the boastful words of his shall also be included in the record of his crimes and he shall have to bear the consequences of his arrogant claim.","and We shall inherit all the resources and hosts of which he boasts, and he will come to Us all alone.","They have taken other gods instead of Allah that they may be a source of strength for them.[1]###[1] The Arabic word Izzan (from Izat) implies a powerful and strong person whom nobody may dare do any harm; here it means a person’s having such a strong supporter that no enemy or opponent of his may even cherish an evil intention against him.","By no means! They shall soon deny their worship[1] and shall become their adversaries instead.###[1] That is, they will say: We never asked them to worship us nor were we aware that these foolish people were worshiping us.","Do you not see that We have sent devils upon the unbelievers who greatly incite them (to oppose the Truth)?","Therefore, do not hasten (in seeking a scourge against them). We are counting their days.[1]###[1] That is: Endure their persecutions patiently a little more, for the time of their punishment is coming near, for We have given them respite for a fixed term, and let that term expire.","The Day shall soon come when We shall bring together the God-fearing to the Most Compassionate Lord, as honoured guests;","and We shall drive the guilty ones to Hell as a thirsty herd.","On that Day none will have the power to intercede for them except those who received a sanction from the Most Compassionate Lord.[1]###[1] This implies two things: (1) Intercession will be allowed only for the one who might have received permission for it from the Merciful, that is, the one who believed in Allah in the world and made himself deserving of His pardon. (2) Only that one will be able to plead intercession who might have received permission for this from the Merciful, and not those ones whom people themselves had made their intercessors without any reason.","They claim: \"The Most Compassionate Lord has taken a son to Himself.\"","Surely you have made a monstrous statement.","It is such a monstrosity that heavens might well-nigh burst forth at it, the earth might be cleaved, and the mountains fall","at their ascribing a son to the Most Compassionate Lord.","It does not befit the Most Compassionate Lord that He should take a son.","There is no one in the heavens and the earth but he shall come to the Most Compassionate Lord as His servant.","Verily He encompasses them and has counted them all.","On the Day of Resurrection each one of these will come to Him singly.","Indeed, the Most Compassionate Lord will soon create enduring love for those who believe and do righteous works.[1]###[1] This is to comfort the righteous people who were being persecuted and insulted in the streets of Makkah. They are being assured that the time is coming near when the people will honor and love them because of their righteous deeds and good conduct. Hearts will be attracted towards them and the world will hold them in high esteem. And this will happen according to a universal principle. Those who are wicked, proud and haughty and try to rule over the people with falsehood and hypocrisy can never captivate the hearts of the people. On the other hand, those who invite the people to the right way with truth, honesty, sincerity and good conduct succeed in winning their hearts in the end, even though at first they might have to face the indifference and opposition of the dishonest people. 97. So, We have only made this (Quran) easy in your tongue that you may give good tidings therewith to those who are righteous, and warn with it a contentious people.","Therefore, We have revealed the Qur'an in your tongue and made it easy to understand that you may give glad tidings to the God-fearing and warn a contentious people.","How numerous are the peoples that We destroyed before them! Do you now perceive any one of them, or hear even their whisper?","Ta' Ha'","We did not reveal the Qur'an to you to cause you distress;","it is only a reminder for him who fears Allah;[1]###[1] This verse makes plain the meaning of the previous one. The object of the revelation of the Quran is not to make the Prophet (peace be upon him) do something impossible and to put him to unnecessary distress by demanding from him to imbue the hearts of the obdurate people with faith, but to admonish those people who have fear of Allah. Therefore the Prophet (peace be upon him) should not waste his efforts on those people who have no fear of God left in them, and who do not bother at all about what is truth and what is falsehood.","a revelation from Him Who created the earth and the high heavens.","The Most Compassionate Lord is settled on the Throne (of the Universe).[1]###[1] That is, after creating the universe, He is ruling over it and conducting all the affairs of its management.","To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and all that is in between, and all that is beneath the soil.","Whether you speak out aloud (or in a low voice), He knows what is said secretly, and even that which is most hidden.[1]###[1] That is, you need not complain to Allah in a loud voice against the persecution from which you and your companions are suffering and the mischievous machinations your enemies are devising to defeat you for Allah is fully aware of all those things, and He hears even the complaints you cherish in your hearts.","Allah - there is no god but He. His are the most excellent names.[1]###[1] That is, He possesses all the excellent attributes and characteristics.","Has the story of Moses reached you?","When he saw a fire[1] and said to his family: \"Hold on! I have just perceived a fire; perhaps I will bring a brand from it for you, or I will find some guidance at the fire about the way to follow.\"[2]###[1] This happened when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was returning to Egypt after passing several years in exile in Midian, along with his wife whom he had married there. According to the early part of his history, which has been related in Surah Al-Qasas, an Egyptian had been killed by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), so he had to leave Egypt in order to escape arrest and had taken refuge in Midian. \t [2] It appears that this happened during a night of winter, when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was passing through the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. When he saw a fire at a distance, he went towards it in the hope that he might get some of it to keep his wife and children warm during the night, or at least get some guidance concerning the direction of his journey. But instead of this it was his good fortune that he found the guidance to the right way.","When he came to it, a voice called out: \"Moses!","Verily I am your Lord! Take off your shoes.[1] You are in the sacred valley, Tuwa![2]###[1] Probably, it is because of this that the Jews do not say their prayers with their shoes on. The Prophet (peace be upon him), however, removed this misunderstanding, saying: Act in contrast to the practice of the Jews who do not say their prayers with their shoes or leather socks on. (Abu Daud). It does not, however, mean that one must say his prayers with the shoes on, but it is merely to make it lawful to say prayers with shoes on. This is confirmed by another tradition, related by Abu Daud from Amar bin Aas, that he had seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying his prayer both with and without the shoes. There are other traditions also to this effect but it should also be kept in mind that there were no carpets, mats, etc. in the mosques in those days, not even in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Mosque. Therefore it would be improper to go with shoes on into the mosques of today which have carpets, mats, etc. However, one may say his prayer on grassy plots or open ground with shoes on. \t [2] In general, the commentators are of the opinion that Tuwa was the name of the valley, but according to some, it is the valley that had been made sacred for the time being.","I Myself have chosen you; therefore, give ear to what is revealed.","Verily I am Allah. There is no god beside Me. So serve Me and establish Prayers to remember Me.[1]###[1] This is the real object of Salat. It has been prescribed to remind people that they should not become neglectful of Allah by worldly diversions and that they should remember that man is not an unbridled free being but a servant of Allah. Salat has been prescribed five times a day to remind man of Allah’s presence.","The Hour of Resurrection is coming. I have willed to keep the time of its coming hidden so that everyone may be recompensed in accordance with his effort.[1]###[1] After Tauhid, the second thing that was revealed to all the Prophets was the reality of the Hereafter, and they were appointed to impart its knowledge to their peoples. Here its object has also been stated. The Hour of Resurrection is destined to come so that everyone should get the recompense in the Hereafter of what he did in this world, and that Hour has been kept secret to fulfill the requirement of the trial. For the one who believes in the Hereafter will always be on his guard against any deviation from the right way, and the one who does not believe in the coming of that Hour will remain engaged in other things, for he will think that he did not see any sign of the coming of the Hour.","Let him who does not believe in it and follows his lust not turn your thought away from it, lest you are ruined.","And what is in your right hand, O Moses?\"[1]###[1] This question was not asked for the sake of getting any information, for Allah knew that Moses (peace be upon him) held a staff in his hand. The question was posed with a view to impressing upon him the fact that it was a staff so that he might be mentally prepared to see the miracle which was going to be performed with it.","Moses answered: \"This is my staff. I lean on it (when I walk), and with it I beat down leaves for my flock, and I have many other uses for it.\"[1]###[1] Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) deliberately prolonged his answer and did not stop at: It is my staff. This was because he naturally wanted to prolong the dialogue to make the privilege meeting last longer.","He said: \"Moses, throw it down.\"","So he threw it down, and lo! it was a rapidly moving snake.","Then He said: \"Seize it and have no fear. We shall restore it to its former state.","And place your hand in your armpit, it will come forth shining white, without blemish.[1] This is another Sign of Allah,###[1] That is, your hand will shine brightly like the sun, but it will not cause any hurt to you. It is strange that the Bible interprets this miracle, saying that his hand was leprous as snow but it was turned again as his other flesh. The Talmud also interprets the miracle in the same way and adds that this was a miracle which was meant for Pharaoh who was suffering from leprosy. It is a pity that the same interpretation has been adopted by our own commentators, though the correct interpretation is the one that has been adopted by us, and many former commentators. Obviously, it is bad taste to attribute to a Prophet the repugnant miracle of leprosy and that, too, before a king in his court.","for We shall show you some of Our greatest Signs.","And go to Pharaoh now for he has transgressed all bounds.\"","Moses said: \"Lord! Open my breast for me;[1]###[1] That is, fill my heart with the courage that may enable me to perform the obligations connected with the great mission of a Messenger, and give me the confidence for its fulfillment. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed for this because he realized the grave responsibilities of the great mission.","and ease my task for me,","and loosen the knot from my tongue","so that they may understand my speech;[1]###[1] Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah for this because he was conscious that he was not a fluent speaker but was slow of speech. He also knew that as a Messenger he would have to be fluent in order to impress Pharaoh and his courtiers. This is confirmed by the Bible (Exodus 4: 10) but the Talmud gives a strange explanation for this impediment in his speech. According to it, when he was a child he burnt his tongue with a live coal to escape punishment from Pharaoh whose crown he had taken off from his head and put it on his own head. The same story has been adopted by many of our commentators though it is absurd on the face of it. Our interpretation is also confirmed by the Quran. The fact is, that at first he was not a fluent speaker and Pharaoh had also taunted him on this impediment. (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayat 52). Prophet Moses realized the same for he said: My brother Aaron is more fluent than me, so send him with me as a helper, so that he may support me (with his fluent speech). (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 34). Afterwards this impediment in his speech was removed and he was able to deliver very fluent speeches. This may be testified by his speeches which have been cited both in the Bible and in the Quran for they are masterpieces of eloquence and rhetoric.","and appoint for me, from my household, someone who will help me bear my burden -","Aaron, my brother.[1]###[1] Prophet Aaron was three years older than Prophet Moses (peace be upon them). (Exodus7:7).","Strengthen me through him","and let him share my task","that we may abundantly extol Your glory;","and may remember You much.","Verily, You have always watched over us.\"","He said: \"Moses, your petition is granted.","We have again bestowed Our favour upon you.[1]###[1] Allah recounts the favors He had shown to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) since his birth in order to impress upon him the fact that he had been brought up under divine care right from his birth for the purpose of appointing him as a Messenger. Here mere references have been made but in Surah Al-Qasas details of the favors have been given.","Recall, when We indicated to your mother through inspiration:","'Put the baby into a chest and then throw him in the river. The river will throw him up on the shore, and then an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his will take him.' And I spread My love over you in order that you might be reared in My sight.","Recall, when your sister went along, saying: 'Shall I direct you to one who will take charge of him?' Thus We brought you back to your mother so that her heart might be gladdened and she might not grieve. Moses, recall when you slew a person. We delivered you from distress and made you go through several trials. Then you stayed for several years among the people of Midian, and now you have come at the right moment as ordained.","I have chosen you for My service.","So go forth, both you and your brother, with My Signs, and do not slacken in remembering Me.","Go both of you to Pharaoh, for he has transgressed all bounds,","and speak to him gently, perhaps he may take heed or fear (Allah).\"[1]###[1] The only two ways of bringing a man to the right way are: (1) To convince him by argument and admonition, or (2) To warn him of the consequences of deviation.","The two said:\"[1] Lord! We fear he may commit excesses against us, or transgress all bounds.\"###[1] The only two ways of bringing a man to the right way are: (1) To convince him by argument and admonition, or (2) To warn him of the consequences of deviation.","He said: \"Have no fear. I am with you, hearing and seeing all.","So, go to him, and say: 'Behold, both of us are the Messengers of your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go with us, and do not chastise them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord; and peace shall be for him who follows the true guidance.","It has been revealed to us that chastisement awaits those who called the lie to the truth and turned away from it.' \"[1]###[1] A comparative study of this incident as given in the Bible and the Talmud will show that the Quran does not copy the stories from these books, but gives its own version in order to portray the Messengers in their true glory and dignity. According to the Bible, when God said to Moses (peace be upon him) that He would send him to Pharaoh, Moses (peace be upon him) replied: Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3: 11). God persuaded and encouraged Moses (peace be upon him) by giving him signs but he was still reluctant and said: O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. (Exodus 4: 13). And the Talmud goes even further than this and says that there was an argument between God and Moses (peace be upon him) for seven days that he should become a Prophet but Moses (peace be upon him) did not accept the offer. At this God was angry with him and so made his brother Aaron (peace be upon him) a partner in his Prophethood. Moreover, He deprived the descendants of Moses (peace be upon him) of the office of priesthood and bestowed it on the descendants of Aaron (peace be upon him). These two versions depict Allah to be suffering from human weaknesses and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) from inferiority complex.","Pharaoh[1] said:\" Moses![2] Who is the Lord of the two of you?\"###[1] Here the details have been omitted. These have been given in (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats: 103-108); (Surah Ash- Shuara, Ayats 10-33); (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayats 28-40); (Surah An-Naziat, Ayats 15-25). As regards to the necessary information about Pharaoh, see (E.N. 85 of Surah Al-Aaraf). \t [2] Pharaoh addressed Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) because he was, in regards to Prophethood, the senior of the two. It is also possible that he deliberately addressed him in order to exploit his impediment in speech, and ignored Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him), who was more fluent.","He said: \"Our Lord is He[1] Who gave everything its form and then guided it.\"[2]###[1] That is, we acknowledge Him alone as our Lord in every sense. He is our Sustainer, our Maker, our Master, our Sovereign and is Supreme in everything, and there is no other lord in any sense but Him. \t [2] This concise sentence needs serious attention. It means that it is Allah alone Who has created everything and given it its distinctive structure, form, capabilities, characteristics, etc.","Pharaoh asked: \"Then, what is the state of the former generations?\"[1]###[1] The question posed by Pharaoh was very subtle. He meant to say: If there is no other lord than the One Who has given a distinctive form to everyone, then what will be the position of our forefathers who had been worshiping other deities since centuries? Were all those people in error? Did all of them deserve torment? Did they all lack common sense? Thus Pharaoh perhaps wanted to give vent to his anger against Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) for showing disrespect to his forefathers. At the same time he also wanted to incite his courtiers and the common people of Egypt against the message of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). And this trick has always been used against the people who propagate the truth and has always proved very effective to incite those people who lack common sense. This same trick has been mentioned here for it was being employed at the very time against the Prophet (peace be upon him) by the people of Makkah.","Moses said: \"Its knowledge is with my Lord, recorded in the Book. My Lord does not err, nor does He forget.\"[1]###[1] This answer is full of wisdom. If Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had said: Yes, they all lacked common sense and had gone astray and would become the fuel of Hell, this answer, though true, would have served the very purpose Pharaoh had in mind in putting the question. But the answer given by the Prophet was true and it frustrated the trick of Pharaoh as well. His answer was to this effect: Well, those people have now gone before their Lord, and I have no means of judging their deeds and intentions. However, their whole record is safe and secure with Allah, and nothing can escape Him. Allah alone knows how to deal with them. What concerns you and me is our own position and attitude to life. We should be more concerned about our own end than of those who have already passed away into Allah’s presence.","He[1] it is Who spread the earth for you; and made in it paths for you, and sent down water from the sky, and then through it We brought forth many species of diverse plants.###[1] It is quite obvious that (Ayats 53-55 )are an addition by Allah to the foregoing answer by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). There are other instances of this in the Quran that Allah added a few sentences to the speech of someone by way of admonition. Moreover, it is connected not only with the preceding verse but also with the whole reply of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). (Ayats 50-52).","So eat yourself and pasture your cattle. Surely there are many Signs in this for people of understanding.[1]###[1] That is, those who use their common sense in their search for the truth, find a way to the reality by the help of these signs, which clearly show that the universe has One Lord Who alone is sustaining it, and there is no room here for any other lord.","From this very earth We created you and to the same earth We shall cause you to return, and from it We shall bring you forth to life again.[1]###[1] That is, every man has to pass through three stages: (1) From birth to death. (2) From death to Resurrection, and (3) From the Day of Resurrection to Eternity. According to this verse, all the three stages will take place on this earth.","Indeed We showed Pharaoh Our Signs,[1] all of them, but he declared them to be false and rejected them.###[1] “Signs” comprised those arguments which were based on natural phenomena and human life and those miracles which were given to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). These arguments are contained in the speeches of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) which he delivered before Pharaoh, and the miracles which he showed and are mentioned at several places in the Quran.","He said: \"Have you come to us to drive us out of our land by your sorcery?[1]###[1] Here by sorcery are meant the miracles of the staff and the shining hand, which according to the details given in Surahs Al-Aaraf and Ash-Shuara, were shown to Pharaoh by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) in his first visit to his court. On seeing these miracles Pharaoh was so upset that he cried out: Have you come to drive us out of our country by the power of your sorcery? Although he knew that it had never happened in history that a magician had conquered a country by the power of sorcery. Moreover, there were hundreds of magicians in his own country, who used to show their feats to earn rewards and prizes. Accordingly, Pharaoh’s statement that “you are a sorcerer” on the one hand, and his apprehension that “you want to snatch my kingdom” on the other, were a clear indication of his perturbed mind. In fact, Pharaoh had come to understand that the well reasoned speech of Moses and his miracles were bound to influence not only his courtiers, but also the common people and accordingly he tried to play upon their prejudices through falsehood and treachery. He did not admit that it was a miracle, but called it sorcery. He wanted to create an impression that any sorcerer of his empire could turn a staff into a serpent. He also incited the people, saying: Look, he says that your forefathers were on the wrong way and deserved perdition. So beware of him, he is not a Prophet. He simply aspires for power. He wants that the Israelites should again capture power here like the times of Joseph and wrest the reigns of government from the Copts. Pharaoh, in fact, wanted to suppress the invitation to the truth through such devices. (For details please see (E.Ns 87-89 of Surah Al-Aaraf);(E.N. 75 of Surah Younus).","We shall confront you with a sorcery like your own. So appoint a day when both of us might meet face to face in an open space; an appointment which neither we nor you shall fail to keep.\"","Moses said: \"The appointment to meet you is on the Day of the Feast and let all people come together before noon.\"[1]###[1] The object of Pharaoh was this: Once the sorcerers are able to transform the staffs and ropes into serpents, the entire effect of the miracle performed by Moses (peace be upon him) would disappear from the people’s minds. That was exactly to Moses’ (peace be upon him) advantage, who suggested that it was no good fixing an ordinary day or place for the purpose. The Day of the Feast was at hand. People would flock on that occasion from all corners of the empire. Therefore, the encounter should be held in the open so that all might witness it, and in the day time so that everyone should be able to see it clearly.","Pharaoh went back and concerted all his stratagem and returned for the encounter.[1]###[1] Pharaoh and his courtiers considered the coming encounter as a decisive one as far as their own future was concerned and, therefore, they attached the utmost importance to it. Courtiers were sent throughout the country to muster round all the magicians wherever available. People were especially encouraged to come in the largest numbers to witness the magic skills so as to keep them immune from the awe inspired by the staff of Moses (peace be upon him). It was openly said that the fate of their religion hinged on the skill of their magicians. Their religion could survive only if they won, otherwise the religion of Moses (peace be upon him) would have its sway see (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayat 34-51).","(At the time of the encounter) Moses said to them:[1] \"Woe to you! Do not invent falsehoods against Allah[2] lest He destroy you with a scourge. Surely those who invent lies shall come to grief.\"###[1] The adversaries whom Prophet Moses addressed were Pharaoh and his courtiers who had dubbed him as a sorcerer, and not the common people, who had yet to see the encounter between him and the magicians. \t [2] The inventing of lie was that they had dubbed Allah’s Messenger as a sorcerer and his miracles as a piece of sorcery.","Thereupon they wrangled among themselves about the matter and conferred in secret.[1]###[1] This shows that those people felt in their hearts that their position was weak and knew that the miracle shown by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was not a piece of magic. Therefore, they had come for the encounter with hesitation and fear. But when the timely, sudden warning of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) shook them to the core, they began to debate the wisdom of holding the encounter on the Feast Day in an open place in the broad day light. For they thought that if they were defeated in the presence of the common people, all would come to know of the difference between magic and a miracle and they would lose the battle once for all.","Some of them said:[1] \"These two are magicians, who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and to destroy your excellent way of life.[2]###[1] Those who were of this view must have been a few fanatics of Pharaoh’s party who were prepared to go to any extent to oppose Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Those people must have been preparing the public for a determined encounter, while the reasonable people among them must have been advising caution and restraint. \t [2] Probably those people based their argument on two things:","So muster all your stratagem and come forth in a row.[1] Whoever prevails today shall triumph.\"###[1] They also urged them to present a united front and not to show their differences on the very occasion of the encounter. For, they argued, any hesitation and secret consultation before the very eyes of the public would show that they did not consider themselves to be in the right.","The magicians[1] said: \"Moses, will you throw down or shall we be the first to throw?\"###[1] That confidence was subsequently restored among Pharaoh’s party by the speech of the head-strong people, and the magicians were asked to come into the field for the encounter.","Moses replied: \"No, let it be you to throw first.\" Then suddenly it appeared to Moses, owing to their magic,[1] as if their ropes and staffs were running.###[1] In (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 116), it was stated: When they threw down their devices they bewitched the eyes of the people and filled their hearts with terror. Here it is stated that it was not the common people alone who were terrified by their magic but Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) also suffered from its effect. He not only seemed to see that the staffs and cords were running about like serpents but he also felt a dread of them.","So Moses' heart was filled with fear.[1]###[1] It appears that no sooner did Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) say: Cast down, the magicians immediately cast their staffs and cords and it seemed as if hundreds of serpents were running towards him, and he instinctively felt a dread of them. And there is nothing strange in this because a Prophet is after all a human being. Besides this, it is also possible that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) apprehended that the demonstration of the magic might create a misunderstanding among the people about his miracle. This is also a proof that a Prophet too can be influenced by magic to a certain extent like the common people, though magicians have no power to produce any effect on his Prophethood or interfere with revelation, or misguide him. Therefore there is no reason why one should consider as false those traditions in which it has been stated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) suffered temporarily from the effect of magic.","We said to him: \"Have no fear; for it is you who will prevail.","And throw down what is in your right hand; it will swallow up all that they have wrought. They have wrought only a magician's stratagem.[1] A magician cannot come to any good, come whence he may.\"###[1] This is capable of two interpretations:","Eventually the magicians were impelled to fall down prostrate[1] and said: \"We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron.\"[2]###[1] When they saw the power of the staff of Moses (peace be upon him), they involuntarily fell prostrate as if someone had made them do so, because they were convinced that it was a miracle and not a feat of magic. \t [2] This profession of faith by the magicians shows that everyone was aware of the basic object of the encounter. It was not an encounter between the feats of the magicians and those of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), but it was to decide whether the claim of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) that he was a Messenger of Allah was true or not. If this staff was actually turned into a dragon, it was by means of a miracle. On the other hand, Pharaoh intended to prove by the feats of his magicians that it was not a miracle but a feat of magic. Incidentally, this also shows that Pharaoh and his magicians and the common people fully understood the distinction between a miracle and a feat of magic. ,That is why when the magicians saw that it was a miracle shown by the power of Allah which had exposed their magic, they did not say that Moses (peace be upon him) was a more skillful magician, but straightway fell prostrate, saying: We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.","Pharaoh said: \"What! Did you believe in Him even before I permitted you to do so? Surely, he must be your chief who taught you magic.[1] Now I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides,[2] and will crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees,[3] and then you will come to know which of us can inflict sterner and more lasting torment.\"[4]###[1] In( Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat, 123), it has been stated: Indeed it was a plot you conspired in the city to deprive the rightful owners of their power. Here the same thing has been further explained, as if to say: It is not merely a plot between you and him but it appears that Moses is your master and leader. You conspired beforehand that you would be defeated by your master in the encounter to prove that he was a Messenger who had shown the miracle of the staff to frustrate your magic and bring about a political revolution in the country. \t [2] That is, right hand and left foot or vice versa. \t [3] This was a very cruel way of punishment in ancient times. They fixed a long pole in the ground or used the trunk of a tree for this purpose. Then a piece of wood was tied across it at the top. Then the hands of the criminal were nailed on to it and he was left hanging there for hours to die a slow, painful death. \t [4] This was the last trick played by Pharaoh to win the losing game. He held out the threat of a cruel punishment in order to coerce them to admit that there really was a conspiracy between Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and them against the kingdom. But the fortitude and determination of the magicians turned the tables on him. The very fact that, they were ready to endure the terrible punishment proved to the world that they had sincerely believed in the Prophethood of Moses (peace be upon him) and that the charge of conspiracy was an impudent trick that had been invented as a device.","The magicians answered: \"By Him Who has created us, we shall never prefer you to the Truth after manifest Signs have come to us.[1] So decree whatever you will. Your decree will pertain, at the most, to the present life of the world.###[1] It may also be interpreted like this: It cannot be that we should prefer you to these plain signs which have come before us and to that Being Who has created us.","We believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and also forgive us the practice of magic to which you had compelled us. Allah is the Best and He alone will abide.\"","The truth is[1] that Hell awaits him who comes to his Lord laden with sin; he shall neither die in it nor live.[2]###[1] This is a saying of Allah, which has been added to the foregoing words of the magicians. \t [2] This is the most terrible of all the punishments that have been mentioned in the Quran. The criminal will prefer death to the horrible life in Hell, but death will not come to him. He will remain in that state of agony without any hope of relief from it.","But he who comes to Him with faith and righteous works shall be exalted to high ranks,","and shall live for ever in everlasting Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves.","Most certainly We[1] revealed to Moses: \"Proceed with My servants in the night and strike for them a dry path in the sea.[2] Have no fear of being overtaken, nor be afraid of treading through the sea.\"###[1] Here the details of the events which happened during the long period of Prophet Moses’(peace be upon him) stay in Egypt have been omitted. For these please see(Surah Al- Aaraf, Ayat 130-147), (Surah Younus, Ayats 83-92); (Surah Al-Momin, Ayats 23-50) and (Surah Az-Zukhuruf 46-56). \t [2] This happened when God at last appointed a night for the exodus of the Israelites and the other Muslims from Egypt. They were asked to gather at a fixed place and set forth as a caravan. Just at the time when they reached the coast of the Red Sea from where they had to cross to the Sinai Peninsula, Pharaoh arrived there with a large army in their pursuit. We learn from (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 61-63) that when they were literally between the army and the deep sea, Allah commanded Moses (peace be upon him) to smite the sea with his staff and according to this verse the sea split and stood like two high walls on both sides, leaving a dry path between them for the caravan to pass. Thus, it is quite clear and plain that it was a miracle, and not the result of a wind storm or tide, for when the water rises in this way it does not remain standing like two high walls, leaving a dry path between them. (For details see (E.N. 47 of Surah Ash-Shuara).","Pharaoh pursued them with his hosts, but they were fully overwhelmed by the sea.[1]###[1] According to( Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 64-66), Pharaoh with his hosts followed the caravan on the dry path and they all were drowned. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 50, it has been stated that the Israelites had reached the other shore and saw them drowning in the sea. From (Surah Younus, Ayats 90-92), we learn that Pharaoh professed to believe in God while he was drowning but this was rejected by God and he was told that his dead body would he preserved for the coming generations to serve as a lesson for them.","Pharaoh led his people astray; he did not guide them aright.[1]###[1] This was a subtle warning to the disbelievers of Makkah, as if to say: Your chiefs and leaders are leading you on the same way on which Pharaoh led his people. Now you can see yourselves that he did not guide them aright.","Children of Israel![1] We saved you from your enemy and made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount[2][3] and sent down on you manna and quails,[4]###[1] The part of the story relating to their journey from the Red Sea to the foot of Mount Toor has been omitted. This has already been given in(Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats 138-147). It has also been stated there that the Israelites said to Moses: O Moses, make a god for us like the gods these people have. See(Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 138 and its E.N. 98). \t [2] That is, on the eastern side of Toor. \t [3] According to(Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 51) and (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 142), Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and the chiefs of the Israelites were summoned to Mount Toor for receiving the divine commandments on stone tablets for the guidance of the people. See (E.N. 71 of Surah Al-Baqarah). \t [4] For details please see (E.N. 73 of Surah Al-Baqarah )and (E.N. 119 of Surah Al-Aaraf). According to the Bible, manna and salva started being provided to the Israelites when they were passing through the wilderness between Elim and Sinai. According to Exodus, manna and salva were sent down thus.","saying: \"Partake of the good things that We have provided for you, but do not transgress lest My wrath fall upon you; for he upon whom My wrath falls is ruined.","But I am indeed Most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does righteous works and keeps to the Right Way.\"[1]###[1] According to this (verse 82), there are four conditions for forgiveness:","\"But, O Moses,[1] what has made you come in haste from your people?\"[2]###[1] From here the same account is resumed that was interrupted by the parenthesis (Ayats 81-82). The Israelites were told to stay on the right side of Mount Toor, and they would be given the commandments after forty days. \t [2] This shows that in his eagerness to see his Lord as soon as possible, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had left them in the way and reached the meeting place alone. For the details of that meeting the reader should see (Surah Al- Aaraf, Ayats 143-145). Here only that portion has been mentioned which is connected with the calf-worship by the Israelites. This has been stated here to bring home to the disbelievers of Makkah how idol-worship starts and how deeply a Prophet of Allah is concerned about this evil.","He said: \"They are close behind me, and I hastened to You, Lord, that You may be pleased with me.\"","Said He: \"Verily We tested your people in your absence and the Samiri[1] led them astray.\"###[1] It is obvious from the last Arabic letter ‘ya’ that Samiri was not the proper name of the person, for this Arabic letter is always added to show a person’s connection with his race or clan or place. Moreover, the prefix al (definite article ‘the’) in the original Arabic text clearly denotes that the Samiri was a particular man from among many other persons of the same race or clan or place, who had propagated the worship of the golden calf. In fact, this does not require any further explanation than this, but this has been necessitated because many Christian missionaries and the Western Orientalists have tried to criticize the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quran on this account. They say, (God forbid,) \"This is a proof of the grievous ignorance of history on the part of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the author of the Quran, and is one of the anachronisms of the Quran. They base this absurd criticism on the assumption that this Samiri was the inhabitant of Samaria, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Israel, which was built in 925 B.C. long after this happening; then centuries after this, a generation of the Samaritans came into existence as a result of inter-marriage between the Israelites and the non-Israelites. As the Samaritans worshiped the golden calf, the critics accuse the Prophet (peace be upon him) of inventing this story on the basis of mere hearsay. They say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) might have heard something like this from the neighboring Jews and inserted it in the Quran. That is not all. They also criticize that Haman who was a courtier of Cyrus has been mentioned in the Quran as a minister of Pharaoh. It is a pity that these so called scholars seem to think that in the ancient times there used to be only one person bearing one name in a clan or a place, and there was absolutely no possibility of another person or persons having the same name. They do not know, or pretend they do not know, that during the time of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), a famous people known as the Sumerians inhabited Iraq and the neighboring regions, and it is just possible that during the time of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) there were some people known as the Samiris who might have migrated to Egypt from Iraq. Besides this, according to the Bible (1 Kings, 16: 24), Samaria itself was built on a hill which was bought from Shemer and named Samaria after him. This is a clear proof that there were people named Shemer (or Sumer) even before Samaria came into existence and it is also just possible that some clans might have been called Samiri","Moses returned to his people full of wrath and grief, and said: \"My people! Has your Lord not made good an excellent promise He made to you?[1] And has a long time passed since those promises were fulfilled?[2] Or was it to incur the wrath of your Lord that you broke your promise with me?\"[3]###[1] That is, did not Allah fulfill the promises He made with you of showing His favors to you? For instance, He safely brought you out of Egypt and not only freed you from the slavery of your enemy but also destroyed him totally. He provided you with provisions in the desert and in the mountainous regions. It may also be translated like this: Did not Allah make a good promise with you? In that case, it will mean: He made a promise that he will give you the law and guidance. Was this not a good promise for your well being and betterment? \t [2] That is, had a long time passed since those great favors were done to you that you forgot them? Had long ages passed since you were afflicted with persecution by your enemy that you committed such a blasphemy? It may also be translated like this: Had you to wait for a long time for the fulfillment of God’s promise that you became so impatient? In that case, the meaning is obvious: You had not to wait for a long time to see the fulfillment of the promise of guidance. Therefore there was no excuse for what you did. \t [3] This covenant was the one which every community makes with its Prophet and promises that it will steadfastly follow the guidance brought by him and will not worship anyone except Allah.","They answered: \"We did not break our promise with you out of our own volition; but we were laden with the load of people's ornaments, and we simply threw them down[1](into the fire), and[2] the Samiri also threw down something,###[1] This excuse was put forward by those people who were involved in the shirk fabricated by the Samiri. They meant to say: We did not throw down the ornaments with the intention of setting up a calf nor did we know what was going to be made of these, but when the calf was brought before us, we involuntarily got involved in shirk. The Arabic text which we have translated into: “We were laden with burdens of ornaments of the people”, simply means this: The heavy ornaments which our men and women were wearing like the Egyptians proved very burdensome to us in our wanderings in the desert and we did not know how to get rid of them for it appeared very difficult for us to travel in the desert with them. But according to the Bible these ornaments had been borrowed by every family of the Israelites from their Egyptian neighbors with this intention, “....and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters and ye shall spoil the Egyptians....and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold....And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians....so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.” And that, too, on the advice of Prophet Moses, whom God Himself had instructed to do this noble deed. (Exodus, 3: 14-22, 11: 2-3, and I 2: 35-36). \t [2] It is a pity that some of our commentators have interpreted this verse in the light of the above traditions of the Bible. They say that the Israelites felt burdened with the weight of those ornaments which they had borrowed from their Egyptian neighbors, with the intention of carrying them away as a spoil bestowed by God.","and brought out of there (from the molten gold) the effigy of a calf that lowed.\" The people cried out: \"This is your deity and the deity of Moses, whom Moses has forgotten.\"","Did they not see that it did not return a word to them, and had no power either to hurt them or to cause them any benefit?","Certainly Aaron had said to them even before (the return of Moses): \"My people, you were fallen into error because of the calf. Surely your Lord is Most Compassionate; so follow me and obey my command.\"","But they answered: \"By no means shall we cease to worship it until Moses returns to us.\"[1]###[1] Here the Quran exonerates Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him) from the sin of taking any part in the calfworship, but in contrast to this, the Bible makes him wholly responsible for making the golden calf and setting it up as a god. According to Exodus:","(After rebuking his people) Moses turned to Aaron and said: \"Aaron! What prevented you, when you saw them going astray,","from following my way? Have you disobeyed my command?\"[1]###[1] The “command” refers to the instructions which Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) gave to his brother Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him) when he made him his deputy in his absence when he went up to Mount Toor: After me take my place and do the right and follow not the way of the mischief-makers. (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 142).","Aaron answered: \"Son of my mother! Do not seize me with my beard, nor by (the hair of) my head.[1] I feared that on returning you might say: 'You sowed discord among the Children of Israel, and did not pay heed to my words.'\"[2]###[1] See (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 150). \t [2] It can also be interpreted like this: You did not wait for orders from me. In order to understand fully the statement of Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him), one should read this verse along with (verse 150 of Surah Al-Aaraf), where he says: Son of my mother, these people overpowered me and were going to kill me. So, let not the enemies gloat over me. Do not count me among the people who have done wrong. Now if both these verses are read together, one can easily see the true picture of the event. Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him) did his utmost to stop the people from committing the sin of calf-worship, but they revolted against him and might even have killed him. Fearing a clash between them, therefore, he held his peace lest Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), on his return, might blame him for letting the situation worsen and failing to control it effectively in his absence. The last clause of (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 150) also gives the hint that there existed among the people a good number of the enemies of the two brothers.","Moses said: \"What, then, is your case, O Samiri?\"","He answered: \"I saw what the people did not see. So I took a handful of dust from the trail of the Messenger, and I flung it (into the fire). Thus did my mind prompt me.\"[1]###[1] Here it has been a good deal of divergence of opinion in regard to the interpretation of this verse. According to the majority of the early commentators and their followers, it means: The Samiri saw the Messenger (Angel Gabriel) when he was passing and took a handful of dust from his footprints. Then he sprinkled this upon the idol of the golden calf. This created life in it and it began to low like a living calf. The Quran, in fact, does not say that this actually happened but merely cites the reply given by the Samiri to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) when the latter took him to task for the great sin he had committed.","Moses said: \"Be gone, then. All your life you shall cry: 'Untouchable.'[1] There awaits a term for your reckoning that you cannot fail to keep. Now look at your god that you devotedly adored: We shall burn it and scatter its remains in the sea.###[1] The words show that he was not only made an outcast for life but was made to inform the people himself that he was an outcast, as given in Leviticus:","Your God is none else than Allah, beside Whom there is no god. His knowledge embraces everything.\"","(O Muhammad),[1] thus do We recount to you the events of the past, and We have bestowed upon you from Ourself an admonition.[2]###[1] Now that the story of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) comes to an end, the same theme, that was interrupted by this story, has been resumed. \t [2] That is, the Quran about which it was said at the beginning of the Surah that it had not been sent down to put the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in distress, and that it was an admonition for the God-fearing.","He who turns away from it will surely bear a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection,","and will abide under this burden for ever. Grievous shall be the burden on the Day of Resurrection,[1]###[1] Here the people have been warned that whoso will turn away front the Quran and will reject its guidance, he shall do harm to himself only and not to Allah and His Messenger, and that the one, who rejects His Message, shall inevitably be punished in the Hereafter. And this warning holds good for every people, every country and every age. This is because there are only two alternatives for an individual or a community, whom the message of the Quran reaches. They can either accept it or reject it, there is no third way.","the Day when the Trumpet shall be sounded[1] and We shall muster the sinners, their eyes turned blue with terror.[2]###[1] As regards to the nature of the blowing of the Trumpet on the Day of Resurrection, it may be likened to the blowing of the bugle in the army to muster or disperse the soldiers. It is obvious that these words and terms have been used because these are known to the people. Therefore it will be wrong to consider the Trumpet to be exactly like the bugles and trumpets of this world. \t [2] According to some commentators, it means this: The bodies of the criminals will turn white as if no drop of blood had been left in them.","They shall whisper among themselves: \"You stayed on the earth barely ten days.\"[1]###[1] The original text may also be interpreted to mean: After your death, you may have passed hardly ten days till now. As regards to the interpretation adopted in the translation, it is supported by (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 112-113): When Allah will ask them, for how many years did you stay on the earth? They will say: We stayed there for a day or part of a day. You may ask those who have kept the record. The second interpretation is supported by (Surah Ar-Room, Ayats 55-56): And on the day when Resurrection will take place, the criminals will declare under oaths: We have not remained in the state of death for more than an hour. And likewise they were deluded on the earth. On the other hand, those who have been given knowledge and faith will say: According to the Book of Allah, you have remained in this state up to the Day of Resurrection, and this is the very Day of Resurrection, but you did not know of it. Both the interpretations are supported by other verses of the Quran. It is clear from these that they will consider both the life on the earth and the life in the interval between death and Resurrection to be very short. They will consider the earthly life to be very short because, against all their expectations, they will have to face the eternal life in the Hereafter which they denied in their earthly life. As they had made no preparation for this life, they will regret that they had ruined their eternal life for the sake of a few transitory pleasures of the short life they had been given on the earth. As regards to the duration of the interval between death and Resurrection, they will consider it to be very short, for they will imagine that they had been suddenly awakened by the Trumpet from their last sleep or unconsciousness in their earthly life. Thus, they will not at first realize that the Trumpet was the signal for the Day of Resurrection because they had no expectation whatever that the Day of Resurrection would ever come. As a matter of fact, they used to make fun of this Day as a nonsensical thing.","We know well[1] what they will say to one another: We also know that even the most cautious in his estimate will say: \"You lived in the world no more than a day.\"[2]###[1] This is a parenthesis that has been inserted to remove this doubt of the hearers: How has it been known today what the people will be talking in whispers on the Day of Resurrection? \t [2] This is another parenthesis which has been inserted in answer to another objection raised by some hearer. It appears that when this Surah was being recited, someone might have raised this question as a ridicule: Where will these high mountains go on the Day of Resurrection, for it appears from your description of Resurrection that all the people of the world will be running about in a level plain? In order to understand the background of the question, it should be kept in mind that Makkah, where this Surah was first recited on the occasion of its revelation, is surrounded on all sides by high mountains. The answer to this question follows immediately: Allah will reduce them to fine dust and scatter it away.","They ask you concerning the mountains: \"Where will they go?\" Say: \"My Lord will scatter them like dust,","and leave the earth a levelled plain","in which you shall find no crookedness or curvature.[1]###[1] According to the Quran, the earth will take a new shape in the Hereafter:","On that Day people shall follow straight on to the call of the summoner, no one daring to show any haughtiness. Their voices shall be hushed before the Most Compassionate Lord, so that you will hear nothing but a whispering murmur.[1]###[1] The original Arabic word hams is used for the sound of footsteps, the sound of whispering and other low sounds. What it implies here is that the people will be so awestricken on that Day that there will be no sound other than that of footsteps and whispering.","On that Day intercession shall not avail save of him whom the Most Compassionate Lord permits, and whose word of intercession is pleasing to Him.[1]###[1] This also has another interpretation: On that Day intercession will not be effective except in the case of the one for whom the Merciful may allow it and be pleased to hear it for him. Both these interpretations are supported by the following:","He knows all that is ahead of them and all that is behind them, while the others do not know.[1]###[1] Here the reasons for the restrictions on intercession have been stated. On the one hand, no angel, no prophet, no saint, nor anyone else knows, nor can know, the full details about the records of others. On the other hand, Allah has full knowledge of all the deeds and misdeeds of everyone and He knows who deserves pardon or punishment, and how much. If, therefore, there had been full freedom for intercession, the whole purpose of the creation of man would have become meaningless. According to this verse, the door against intercession has not been entirely closed. The righteous people will be allowed to show their sympathy for other human beings as they did in the world, but they will have to get permission for this beforehand and even then make only a right sort of recommendation.","All faces shall be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting Lord, and he who bears the burden of iniquity will have failed;","but whosoever does righteous works, being a believer, shall have no fear of suffering wrong or loss.\"[1]###[1] From this, it is clear that in the Hereafter the case of every individual will be decided on merits. If a man had been guilty of iniquity and injustice in regard to the rights of God or the rights of man or even his own rights, he shall be dealt with accordingly. On the other hand, those, who are both believers and workers of righteous deeds, shall have no fear that they would be deprived of their rights or punished even though they were innocent.","(O Muhammad), thus have We revealed this as an Arabic Qur'an[1] and have expounded in it warning in diverse ways so that they may avoid evil or become heedful.[2]###[1] This means that the Quran is full of such high themes, wise teachings and admonitions as are contained in the preceding portion of this Surah as well as in the other Surahs of the Book. \t [2] That is, the Arabic Quran might awaken them from their heedlessness and they might recollect the forgotten lessons and feel that they are going astray and might realize the consequences thereof.","Exalted is Allah, the True King![1] Hasten not with reciting the Qur'an before its revelation to you is finished, and pray: \"Lord! Increase me in knowledge.\"[2]###[1] Such sentences as this are usually found in the Quran at the end of a discourse so that it may end with the praise of Allah. It is plain from the context that the discourse ends with “the Sovereign.” \t [2] At the end of the discourse, the angel cautions the Prophet (peace be upon him) by Allah’s command to guard against a thing that had been noticed during the revelation, for it was not considered appropriate to do so during its recital. It is obvious from the wording of the caution that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was trying to learn the revealed discourse and was repeating it during its recital by the angel. Naturally this might have diverted his attention over and over again from listening to and grasping the revelation. Therefore it was felt necessary that he should be taught the right method of the receipt of the message of revelation and be asked not to try to commit it to memory during the revelation.","Most certainly We[1] had given Adam a command before,[2] but he forgot. We found him lacking in firmness of resolution.[3]###[1] From here begins a new discourse, which probably was revealed some time after the preceding discourse see (E.N. 90), and it was incorporated in this Surah by the command of Allah because both deal with the same theme. The following are the similarities between the two: \t [2] (1) Both the discourses remind mankind of the forgotten lesson, the admonition, which Allah had taught man on the occasion of his creation. \t [3] (2) Both teach that it is Satan who seduces man to forget that lesson. He succeeded in this by causing his first parents to forget it. Since then he has been forgetting it over and over again and, therefore, has been cautioned against this.","Recall when We said to the angels: \"Prostrate yourselves before Adam\"; all prostrated themselves save Iblis. He refused.","Then We said: \"Adam![1] He is an enemy to you and to your wife.[2] So let him not drive both of you out of Paradise[3] and plunge you into affliction,###[1] Here the command, which was given to Prophet Adam, has not been mentioned, which was: You must not eat the fruit of this tree. This has been mentioned at other places but has been omitted here because the emphasis here is on this weakness of man that he is easily seduced by Satan in spite of the forewarnings and admonitions to this effect. \t [2] Both knew that Satan was their enemy, for Adam himself had witnessed the demonstration of his enmity, when he had refused to bow down before him and declared in plain words: I am better than him. You created me of fire and him of clay. (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 12);(Surah Suad, Ayat 76), see also(Surah Al-Hijr, Ayat 33). Should I bow before the one whom You created out of clay. And then added: Just consider was he worthy of this that You have exalted him over me. (Surah Al-Isra, Ayats 61-62). Then Satan did not rest content with this bragging of superiority but evinced his jealousy by giving an open challenge that he would prove it by seducing Adam. (Surah Al_Aaraf, Ayats 16, 17); (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayats 36-42); (Surah Al-Isra, Ayats 62-66); (Surah Suad, Ayats 82-83). \t [3] This was to forewarn both of them of the consequences of disobedience of the command.","(for in Paradise) neither are you hungry nor naked,","nor face thirst or scorching heat.\"[1]###[1] This is the explanation of the distress which they had to undergo immediately after their expulsion from the Garden. Here instead of mentioning the high and perfect blessings of the Garden, only four basic necessities of life have been stated, namely, food, drink, dress, and shelter, as if to say: In the Garden you are being supplied with all these necessities without any labor from you. But if you succumb to the temptations and seduction of Satan, you will be totally deprived not only of these facilities but also of the higher blessings of the Garden. In that case, you will have to work so hard for these necessities that very little energy and time and leisure will be left with you to strive for higher aims of life.","But Satan seduced him,[1] saying: \"Adam! Shall I direct you to a tree of eternal life and an abiding kingdom?\"[2]###[1] According to this verse, it was Adam whom Satan primarily wanted to seduce and not Eve. Though according to (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 20), he tempted both of them and both were seduced, but Satan’s efforts were mainly directed to Adam. On the contrary, according to the Bible, the serpent first tempted the woman to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree and then she seduced her husband. (Genesis, 3). \t [2] According to this verse, Satan tempted Adam to eat the fruit of the tree so that he might get eternal life and everlasting kingdom, and according to (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 20), he put an additional temptation in their way, saying that they would become angels and immortal.","Then the two of them ate the fruit of that tree and their shameful parts became revealed to each other, and they began to cover themselves with the leaves from the Garden.[1] Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord and strayed into error.[2]###[1] No sooner did they disobey the command, they were deprived of all the facilities, but naturally the immediate effect of this as felt by them was that they were stripped of their garments. Then gradually, as they felt thirsty, hungry etc. they realized that they had been deprived of all the facilities that they enjoyed in the Garden. \t [2] It is worth while to understand the nature of human weakness which helped Satan to seduce Adam and Eve. They succumbed to seduction because Satan tempted them in the garb of a true friend and well-wisher even though they knew well that he was their enemy. For, Adam had a direct knowledge of the envy and enmity of Satan, who had challenged to seduce and ruin him in his very presence. Allah had also warned them to guard against the envy of and the temptations by Satan and had informed them of the consequences of disobedience. Above all, Adam and Eve still believed in Allah and never thought of intentional disobedience. But in spite of this, when Satan tempted them in the garb of a friend, they disobeyed their Lord: they forgot the command for the time being for lack of fineness of purpose. And since then this human weakness has persisted in their descendants during all ages.","Thereafter his Lord exalted him,[1] accepted his repentance, and bestowed guidance upon him,###[1] “His Lord chose him” because he did not disobey Him intentionally and did not persist in sin arrogantly. As soon as he realized his error, he felt ashamed of it and asked Allah’s pardon: O our Lord, we have wronged ourselves gravely. If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we shall be totally ruined. (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 23). In contrast to Adam and Eve, Satan was cursed because he not only disobeyed his Lord but also persisted in his sin, and boldly challenged Him that it was He Who was responsible for his disobedience, for He had preferred Adam whom He had created of clay over him whom He had made of fire.","and said:[1] \"Get down, both of you, (that is, man and Satan), and be out of it; each of you shall be an enemy to the other. Henceforth if there comes to you a guidance from Me, then whosoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor suffer misery.###[1] That is, Allah not only pardoned him but also gave him guidance and taught him the way to follow it. 1","But whosoever turns away from this Admonition from Me shall have a straitened life;[1] We shall raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection,\"[2]###[1] “A life of hardship” does not mean a life of poverty. It means that such a one shall be deprived of the peace of mind, even though he may be a millionaire or the ruler of a vast empire. For, the one who will turn away from the admonition will win all the worldly successes by unlawful means and, therefore, will always be suffering from pangs of a guilty conscience and deprived of the peace of mind and real happiness. \t [2] Here the story of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) ends. In the light of this part of the story which has been related here and at other places in the Quran, I have come to the conclusion (and correct knowledge is with Allah alone) that the vicegerency of the earth was the same as was initially bestowed on Adam in the Garden, which might have been created in the heavens or on this earth. Anyhow the vicegerent of Allah was supplied gratis with all the necessities of life and the angels were placed under his command for service. This was to enable him to discharge the high and noble obligations of vicegerency, without any worry about the procurement of the necessities of life. But in order to make him permanent in this office, it was necessary to put him to a test so that all his capabilities, excellences and weaknesses might be known. Accordingly, he had to take his test in which some of his weaknesses came to the surface. He was prone to be seduced by greed and temptation. He did not remain firm in obedience. He was capable of forgetfulness. That is why he was given the vicegerency as a trial on the earth for a fixed term up to the Day of Judgment. During this period of trial, he had himself to make arrangements for the necessities of life though he was allowed to exploit all the resources of the earth and to rule over other creatures. The trial is this: does he or does he not obey his Lord in spite of having the power to obey or not to obey. And if he forgets or is seduced by greed, does he or does he not repent through warning and admonition, when he realizes his error. At the same time, his Lord has warned him that a full and perfect record of all his deeds and misdeeds is being kept, and that he shall be judged on the Day of Reckoning in accordance with it. Those who will come out successful will be given permanent vicegerency and that eternal life and everlasting kingdom by which Satan seduced him. The righteous servants will become the heirs to the Garden, if they had obeyed their Lord or repented after forgetfulness. It should also be noted well that life in the Garden will not merely be to eat, drink and be merry, but there will be such higher things to achieve as no human being can conceive in this world. That is why only those blessings of the Garden have been mentioned in the Quran which can be comprehended by human beings in this world.","where-upon he will say: \"Lord! Why have You raised me blind when I had sight in the world?\"","He will say: \"Even so it is. Our Signs came to you and you ignored them. So shall you be ignored this Day.\"[1]###[1] The Quran has described the different conditions and experiences through which the criminals will pass from the Day of Resurrection to the time of their entry into Hell: You were neglectful of this, now We have removed the curtain from before you and your sight has become very sharp. (Surah Qaaf, Ayat 22). He is only deferring them to the Day when all eyes shall stare with consternation. They will be running in terror with heads uplifted and eyes fixed upwards and hearts void. (Surah Ibrahim, Ayats 42-43). We have fastened the augury of every man to his own neck and on the Day of Resurrection We will bring forth a writing which he will find like an open book. (It will be said to him:) Here is your record: read it. Today you can yourself reckon your account. (Surah Al-Isra, Ayats 13-14). In the light of the above and this (verse 126), it appears that in the Hereafter, the criminals shall be enabled to see the horrible sights and to realize the consequences of their evil deeds, but in other respects they will be like the blind man who cannot see his way and is deprived of even a staff to feel his way, nor is there anyone to guide him. So he stumbles and is knocked about and does not know where to go and how to satisfy his needs. This very state has been expressed thus: You forgot Our Revelations when they came to you, so you are being forgotten today, as if, you were blind and had no one to look after you.","Thus do We requite him who transgresses and does not believe in the signs of your Lord[1] (during the life of the world); and surely the punishment of the Hereafter is even more terrible and more enduring.###[1] This refers to the wretched life which will be the lot of those who turn away from the admonition in this worldly life.","Did they[1] not find any guidance in the fact that We destroyed many nations in whose ruined dwelling-places they now walk about? Surely there are many Signs in them for people endowed with wisdom.[2]###[1] “For them”: means people of Makkah. \t [2] That is, in this lesson of history and in the observation of the archaeological remains and in this experience of mankind.","Were it not for a word already gone from your Lord, the decree (of their destruction) would have come to pass.","So bear patiently with what they say. Glorify your Lord, praising Him before sunrise and before sunset, and in the watches of the night,[1] and glorify Him and at the ends of the day that you may attain to happiness.[2]###[1] This is to comfort and console the Prophet (peace be upon him), as if to say: Allah does not intend to destroy them yet, for He has appointed for them a term of respite, so you should endure with patience whatever they do against you and hear their harsh talk and go on performing the obligations of your mission. For this purpose you should offer Salat in accordance with the prescribed times because it will create in you necessary forbearance and fortitude. \t [2] “Glorify Him” means: Offer your prescribed Prayers, as is clear from Ayat 132.","Do not turn your eyes covetously towards the embellishments of worldly life that We have bestowed upon various kinds of people to test them. But the clean provision bestowed upon you[1] by your Lord is better and more enduring.###[1] It means: It does not behoove you and your companions to be envious of the riches of the wicked people who are amassing wealth by unlawful means. The best thing for you is the lawful provision which you earn by your hard labor, even though this may be meager in quantity. That is better for the pious and righteous and is of everlasting virtue.","Enjoin Prayer on your household,[1] and do keep observing it. We do not ask you for any worldly provision; rather, it is We Who provide you, and ultimately the pious will end up the best.[2]###[1] That is, also teach your children that lawful provision is much better than the unlawful riches of the wicked people. For this purpose, enjoin them to say their prescribed Prayers, for this will change their attitude, their standard of values, and make them contented with pure provisions and virtuous life in preference to the life of sin and luxury. \t [2] It implies this: We do not ask you to offer your Prayers for any benefit of Our own. We ask you to do that for your own good, because this will create piety in you which will bring about true success for you in this world and in the Hereafter.","They ask: \"Why does he not bring us a (miraculous) sign from his Lord?\" Has there not come to them a Book containing the teachings of the previous scriptures?[1]###[1] This means that the Quran itself is a great miracle, for though it is being presented by an unlettered person from among them, it contains the essence of the teachings and guidance of all tire previous divine Books. Not only that, it makes those teachings and guidance so plain and clear that even a simple man of the desert can benefit from them.","Had We destroyed them through some calamity before his coming, they would have said: \"Our Lord! Why did You not send any Messenger to us that we might have followed Your signs before being humbled and disgraced?\"","Tell them, (O Muhammad): \"Everyone is waiting for his end.[1] Wait, then, and you will soon know who are the people of the Right Way, and are rightly-guided.\"###[1] That is, ever since the message of Islam is being presented in your city (Makkah), it is not only every person of this city who is waiting for its ultimate result but also every one outside it, who has heard of it."]