An-Naml: 59

Ayah

Word by Word

قُلِ

Say

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ

All praise (be)

لِلَّهِ

to Allah

وَسَلَٰمٌ

and peace (be)

عَلَىٰ

upon

عِبَادِهِ

His slaves

ٱلَّذِينَ

those whom

ٱصۡطَفَىٰٓۗ

He has chosen

ءَآللَّهُ

Is Allah

خَيۡرٌ

better

أَمَّا

or what

يُشۡرِكُونَ

they associate (with Him)

Translation

Say: Praise be to Allah, and Peace on his servants whom He has chosen (for his Message). (Who) is better?- Allah or the false gods they associate (with Him)?

Tafsir

The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers

Allah commands His Messenger to:

قُلِ

Say:

الۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ

Praise and thanks be to Allah,

meaning, for His innumerable blessings upon His servants and for His exalted Attributes and most beautiful Names.

وَسَلَمٌ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الَّذِينَ اصۡطَفَى

and peace be on His servants whom He has chosen!

And He commands him to send peace upon the servants of Allah whom He chose and selected, i.e., His noble Messengers and Prophets, may the best of peace and blessings from Allah be upon them.

This was the view of Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and others;the meaning of the servants He has chose is the Prophets. He said,

This like He said in the Ayah;

سُبۡحَـنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الۡعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

وَسَلَـمٌ عَلَى الۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

وَالۡحَمۡدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الۡعَـلَمِينَ

Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of honor and power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him! And peace be on the Messengers! And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, Lord of all that exists. (37:180-182)

Ath-Thawri and As-Suddi said,

This refers to the Companions of Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Something similar was also narrated from Ibn Abbas, and there is no contradiction between the two views, because they were also among the servants of Allah whom He had chosen, although the description is more befitting of the Prophets.

اللَّهُ خَيۡرٌ أَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ

Is Allah better, or what they ascribe as partners (to Him)!

This is a question aimed at denouncing the idolators for their worship of other gods besides Allah.

Some more Proofs of Tawhid

Then Allah begins to explain that He is the Only One Who creates, provides and controls, as He says

أَمَّنۡ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ

Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth,

meaning, He created those heavens which are so high and serene, with their shining stars and revolving planets. And He created the earth, with its varying heights and densities, and He created everything in it, mountains, hills, plains, rugged terrain, wildernesses, crops, trees, fruits, seas and animals of all different kinds and colors and shapes, etc.

وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاء مَاء

and sends down for you water from the sky,

means, He sends it as a provision for His servants,

فَأَنبَتۡنَا بِهِ حَدَايِقَ ذَاتَ بَهۡجَةٍ

whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight

means, beautiful and delightful to behold.

مَّا كَانَ لَكُمۡ أَن تُنبِتُوا شَجَرَهَا

It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees.

meaning, `you are not able to cause their trees to grow. The One Who is able to do that is the Creator and Provider, Who is doing all this Alone and Independent of any idol and other rival.'

The idolators themselves admitted this, as Allah says in another Ayah:

وَلَيِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَهُمۡ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And if you ask them:Who has created them! they will certainly say:Allah. (31:25)

وَلَيِن سَأَلۡتَهُمۡ مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ الاٌّرۡضَ مِن بَعۡدِ مَوۡتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّه

And if you were to ask them:Who sends down water from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death! they will surely reply:Allah. (29:63)

Meaning they will admit that He is the One Who does all these things, Alone, with no partner or associate, but then they worship others alongside Him, others who they admit cannot create or provide anything. But the Only One Who deserves to be worshipped is the Only One Who can create and provide,

Allah says:

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ

Is there any god with Allah,

meaning, `is there any god that can be worshipped alongside Allah, when it is clear to you and anyone who with reason that He is the Creator and Provider, as you yourselves admit!'

Then Allah says:

بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ يَعۡدِلُونَ

Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)!

meaning, they describe others as being equal and comparable to Allah

Allah says:

أَمَّن جَعَلَ الاَۡرۡضَ قَرَارًا

Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,

meaning, stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse, because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved.

This is like the Ayah,

اللَّهُ الَّذِى جَعَـلَ لَكُـمُ الاٌّرۡضَ قَـرَاراً وَالسَّمَأءَ بِنَـأءً

Allah, Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy. (40:64)

وَجَعَلَ خِلَلَهَا أَنۡهَارًا

and has placed rivers in its midst,

means, He has placed rivers which are fresh and sweet, cutting through the earth, and He has made them of different types, large rivers, small rivers and some in between. He has caused them to flow in all directions, east, west, south, north, according to the needs of mankind in different areas and regions, as He has created them throughout the world and sends them their provision according to their needs.

وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِيَ

and has placed firm mountains therein,

means, high mountains which stabilize the earth and make it steadfast, so that it does not shake.

وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَ الۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ حَاجِزًا

and has set a barrier between the two seas,

means, He has placed a barrier between the fresh water and the salt water, to prevent them from mixing lest they corrupt one another. Divine wisdom dictates that each of them should stay as it is meant to be. The sweet water is that which flows in rivers among mankind, and it is meant to be fresh and palatable so that it may be used to water animals and plants and fruits. The salt water is that which surrounds the continents on all sides, and its water is meant to be salty and undrinkable lest the air be corrupted by its smell, as Allah says:

وَهُوَ الَّذِى مَرَجَ الۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ هَـذَا عَذۡبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَـذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخاً وَحِجۡراً مَّحۡجُوراً

And it is He Who has let free the two seas, this is palatable and sweet, and that is salty and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them. (25:53)

Allah says:

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ

Is there any god with Allah!

meaning, any god who could do this, or who deserves to be worshipped

Both meanings are indicated by the context.

بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Nay, but most of them know not!

means, in that they worship others than Allah

Allah points out that He is the One upon Whom people call in times of difficulty, and He is the One to Whom they turn when calamity strikes, as He says elsewhere:

وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الۡضُّرُّ فِى الۡبَحۡرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدۡعُونَ إِلَا إِيَّاهُ

And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him, (17:67)

ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيۡهِ تَجۡـَرُونَ

Then, when harm touches you, unto Him you cry aloud for help. (16:53)

Similarly, Allah says here:

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الۡمُضۡطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ

Is not He Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him,

meaning, Who is the only One to Whom the person in desperate need turns, and the only One Who can relieve those who are stricken by harm

وَيَكۡشِفُ السُّوءَ

and Who removes the evil,

Imam Ahmad reported that a man of Balhajim said:

O Messenger of Allah, what are you calling for?

He said:

أَدۡعُو إِلَى اللهِ وَحۡدَهُ الَّذِي إِنۡ مَسَّكَ ضُرٌّ فَدَعَوۡتَهُ كَشَفَ عَنۡكَ وَالَّذِي إِنۡ أَضۡلَلۡتَ بِأَرۡضٍ قَفۡرٍ فَدَعَوۡتَهُ رَدَّ عَلَيۡكَ وَالَّذِي إِنۡ أَصَابَتۡكَ سَنَةٌ فَدَعَوۡتَهُ أَنۡبَتَ لَك

I am calling people to Allah Alone, the One Who,

if you call on Him when harm befalls you, will relieve you; and

when you are lost in the wilderness, you call on Him and He brings you back:and

when drought (famine) strikes, you call on Him and He makes your crops grow.

He said:Advise me.

He said:

لَاا تَسُبَّنَّ أَحَدًا وَلَاا تَزۡهَدَنَّ فِي الۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَلَوۡ أَنۡ تَلۡقَى أَخَاكَ وَأَنۡتَ مُنۡبَسِطٌ إِلَيۡهِ وَجۡهُكَ وَلَوۡ أَنۡ تُفۡرغَ مِنۡ دَلۡوِكَ فِي إِنَاءِ الۡمُسۡتَقِي وَاتَّزِرۡ إِلَى نِصۡفِ السَّاقِ فَإِنۡ أَبَيۡتَ فَإِلَى الۡكَعۡبَيۡنِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَإِسۡبَالَ الاۡاِزَارِ فَإِنَّ إِسۡبَالَ الاۡاِزَارِ مِنَ الۡمَخِيلَةِ وَإِنَّ اللهَ لَاا يُحِبُّ الۡمَخِيلَة

Do not slander anyone and do not think of any good deed as insignificant, even if it is only meeting your brother with a cheerful face or emptying your vessel into the vessel of one who is asking for water.

Wear your lower garment at mid-calf length, or -- if you insist -- let it reach your ankles, and beware of lowering the garment below the ankles along the ground, for it is a form of showing-off, and Allah does not like showing-off.

The Story of a Mujahid who fought for the sake of Allah

In his biography of Fatimah bint Al-Hasan Umm Ahmad Al-Ajaliyyah, Al-Hafiz bin Asakir reported that she said:

One day the disbelievers defeated the Muslims in a battle. There was a good horse which belonged to a rich man who was also righteous. The horse just stood there, so its owner said, `What is the matter with you Woe to you! I was only preparing you for a day such as this.'

The horse said to him:`How can you expect me not to perform badly, when you delegated my feeding to the grooms, and they mistreated me and only fed me a little.'

The man said, `I make you a promise before Allah that from this day on, only I will feed you from my own lap.'

So the horse began to run, and his owner was saved, and after that he only ever fed the horse from his own lap.

This story became well known among the people, and they started to come to him to hear the story from his own lips. News of this reached the king of Byzantium, and he said:`A city where this man is, will be kept safe from harm.' He wanted to bring the man to his own city, so he sent an apostate (a man who had left Islam) who was living in his city to go to him, and when he reached him, he pretended that his intentions towards Islam and its followers were good, so the Mujahid trusted him.

One day they went out walking along the shore, but the apostate made a pact with another person, a follower of the Byzantine king, to come and help him take the Mujahid prisoner. When they made their move, he lifted his gaze to the sky and said, `O Allah! He has deceived me by swearing in Your Name, so protect me in whatever way You will.'

Then two wild animals came out and seized them, and the Mujahid came back safe and sound.

The Inheritance of the Earth

Allah says:

وَيَجۡعَلُكُمۡ خُلَفَاء الاَۡرۡضِ

and makes you inheritors of the earth,

means, each generation inherits from the generation that came before them, one after the other, as Allah says:

إِن يَشَأۡ يُذۡهِبۡكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَخۡلِفۡ مِن بَعۡدِكُم مَّا يَشَأءُ كَمَأ أَنشَأَكُمۡ مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوۡمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ

if He wills, He can destroy you, and in your place make whom He wills as your successors, as He raised you from the seed of other people, (6:133)

وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَكُمۡ خَلَـيِفَ الاٌّرۡضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَكُمۡ فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍ دَرَجَـتٍ

And it is He Who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others, (6:165)

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـيِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِى الَارۡضِ خَلِيفَةً

And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels:Verily, I am going to place generations after generations on earth. (2:30)

meaning, people who will come after one another, as we have already stated.

Allah's saying:

وَيَجۡعَلُكُمۡ خُلَفَاء الاَۡرۡضِ

and makes you inheritors of the earth,

means, nation after nation, generation after generation, people after people.

If He had willed, He could have created them all at one time, and not made some of them the offspring of others.

If He had willed, He could have created them all together, as He created Adam from dust.

If He had willed, He could have made some of them the offspring of others, but not caused any of them to die until they all died at one time; in this case the earth would have become constricted for them and it would be too difficult for them to live and earn a living, and they would have caused inconvenience and harm to one another.

But His wisdom and decree ruled that they should be created from one soul, then their numbers should be greatly increased, so He created them on the earth and made them generation after generation, nation after nation, until their time will come to an end and there will be no one left on earth, as Allah has decreed and as He has completely counted out their numbers. Then the Resurrection will come to pass, and each person will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds.

Allah says:

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الۡمُضۡطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكۡشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجۡعَلُكُمۡ خُلَفَاء الاَۡرۡضِ

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ

Is not He Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations! Is there any god with Allah,

meaning, is there anyone else able to do that, or a god with Allah worth worshipping -- while you know that He is the only one who can do that, having no partners

قَلِيلً مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Little is that you remember!

meaning, how little they think about that which would guide them to the truth and show them the straight path

Allah says,

أَمَّن يَهۡدِيكُمۡ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الۡبَرِّ وَالۡبَحۡرِ

Is not He Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea,

meaning, by means of what He has created of heavenly and earthly signposts.

This is like the Ayah,

وَعَلمَـتٍ وَبِالنَّجۡمِ هُمۡ يَهۡتَدُونَ

And landmarks and by the stars, they guide themselves. (16:16)

وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهۡتَدُواۡ بِهَا فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الۡبَرِّ وَالۡبَحۡرِ

It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea... (6:97)

...

وَمَن يُرۡسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشۡرًا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِ

and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy,

meaning, ahead of the clouds which bring rain, by means of which Allah shows His mercy to His servants who are suffering drought and despair.

...

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ

Is there any god with Allah!

Exalted be Allah above all that they associate as partners!

Allah says,

أَمَّن يَبۡدَأُ الۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ

Is not He Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it,

He is the One Who, by His might and power, originates creation and then repeats it.

This is like the Ayat:

إِنَّ بَطۡشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ

إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبۡدِىءُ وَيُعِيدُ

Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful. Verily, He it is Who begins and repeats. (85:12-13)

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبۡدَأُ الۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهۡوَنُ عَلَيۡهِ

And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; and this is easier for Him. (30:27)

...

وَمَن يَرۡزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالاَۡرۡضِ

and Who provides for you from heaven and earth,

with the rain He sends down from the sky causing the blessings of the earth to grow, as He says elsewhere:

وَالسَّمَأءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجۡعِ

وَالاّرۡضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدۡعِ

By the sky which gives rain, again and again. And the earth which splits. (86:11-12)

يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلۡجُ فِى الاٌّرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيهَا

He knows that which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it, and that which descends from the heaven and that which ascends to it. (34:2)

Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, sends down water from the sky as a blessing, and causes it to penetrate the earth, and then come forth as springs. After that, by means of the water He brings forth all kinds of crops, fruits and flowers, in all their different forms and colors.

كُلُواۡ وَارۡعَوۡا أَنۡعَـمَكُمۡ إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لايَـتٍ لاٌّوۡلِى النُّهَى

Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are signs for men of understanding. (20:54)

Allah says:

...

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ

Is there any god with Allah!

meaning, who did this Or,

according to another interpretation:after this who could be worth worship!

...

قُلۡ هَاتُوا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَادِقِينَ

Say:Bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful.

Produce the evidence of that.

But it is known that they have no proof or evidence, as Allah says:

وَمَن يَدۡعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ لَا بُرۡهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفۡلِحُ الۡكَـفِرُونَ

And whoever invokes besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely, the disbelievers will not be successful. (23:117

The One Who knows the Unseen is Allah

Allah says:

قُل لاَّ يَعۡلَمُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضِ الۡغَيۡبَ

Say:None in the heavens and the earth knows the Unseen,

Allah commands His Messenger to inform all of creation that no one among the dwellers of heaven and earth knows the Unseen, except Allah.

...

إِلاَّ اللَّهُ

except Allah,

This is an absolute exception, meaning that no one knows this besides Allah, He is alone in that regard, having no partner in that knowledge.

This is like the Ayat:

وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَأ إِلاَّ هُوَ

And with Him are the keys of the Unseen, none knows them but He. (6:59)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلۡمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الۡغَيۡثَ

Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain. (31:34). until the end of the Surah.

And there are many Ayat which mention similar things.

...

وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبۡعَثُونَ

nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.

That is, the created beings who dwell in the heavens and on earth do not know when the Hour will occur, as Allah says:

ثَقُلَتۡ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ لَا تَأۡتِيكُمۡ إِلاَّ بَغۡتَةً

Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden. (7:187)

meaning, it is a grave matter for the dwellers of heaven and earth.

بَلِ ادَّارَكَ عِلۡمُهُمۡ فِي الاۡخِرَةِ بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي شَكٍّ مِّنۡهَا

Nay, their knowledge will perceive that in the Hereafter. Nay, they are in doubt about it.

means their knowledge and amazement stops short of knowing its time.

Other scholars read this with the meaning their knowledge is all the same with regard to that,

which reflects the meaning of the Hadith in Sahih Muslim which states that the Messenger of Allah said to Jibril, when the latter asked him when the Hour would come:

مَا الۡمَسۡوُولُ عَنۡهَا بِأَعۡلَمَ مِنَ السَّايِل

The one who is being asked about it does not know any more than the one who is asking.

In other words, they were both equal in the fact that their knowledge did not extend that far.

...

بَلۡ هُم مِّنۡهَا عَمِونَ

Nay, they are in doubt about it.

This refers to the disbelievers in general as Allah says elsewhere:

وَعُرِضُواۡ عَلَى رَبِّكَ صَفَا لَّقَدۡ جِيۡتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقۡنَـكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ بَلۡ زَعَمۡتُمۡ أَلَّن نَّجۡعَلَ لَكُمۡ مَّوۡعِدًا

And they will be set before your Lord in rows, (and Allah will say:) Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time. Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with Us). (18:48)

i.e., the disbelievers among you.

By the same token, Allah says here:

بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي شَكٍّ مِّنۡهَا

(Nay, they are in doubt about it).

meaning, they doubt that it will come to pass.

...

بَلۡ هُم مِّنۡهَا عَمِونَ

Nay, they are in complete blindness about it.

They are blind and completely ignorant about it.

An-Naml: 59

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