An-Naml: 85

Ayah

Word by Word

وَوَقَعَ

And (will be) fulfilled

ٱلۡقَوۡلُ

the word

عَلَيۡهِم

against them

بِمَا

because

ظَلَمُواْ

they wronged

فَهُمۡ

and they

لَا

(will) not

يَنطِقُونَ

speak

Translation

And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because of their wrong-doing, and they will be unable to speak (in plea).

Tafsir

The Emergence of the Beast of the Earth

Allah tells:

وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الۡقَوۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَهُمۡ دَابَّةً مِّنَ الاۡإَرۡضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمۡ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِأيَاتِنَا لَاإ يُوقِنُونَ

And when the Word is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast for them, to speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayat.

This is the beast which will emerge at the end of time, when mankind has become corrupt and neglected the commands of Allah and changed the true religion. Then Allah will cause a beast to emerge from the earth.

It was said that it will be brought from Makkah, or from somewhere else, as we shall discuss in detail below, if Allah wills.

The beast will speak to people about matters. Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan and Qatadah said, and it was also narrated from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that it will speak words, meaning, it will address them.

Many Hadiths and reports have been narrated about the beast, and we will narrate as many of them as Allah enables us to, for He is the One Whose help we seek.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah bin Asid Al-Ghifari said,

The Messenger of Allah came out from his room while we were discussing the matter of the Hour.

He said:

لَاا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَرَوۡا عَشۡرَ ايَاتٍ

طُلُوعُ الشَّمۡسِ مِنۡ مَغۡرِبِهَا

وَالدُّخَانُ

وَالدَّابَّةُ

وَخُرُوجُ يَأۡجُوجَ وَمَأۡجُوجَ

وَخُرُوجُ عِيسَى ابۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَمُ

وَالدَّجَّالُ

وَثَلَثَةُ خُسُوفٍ خَسۡفٌ بِالۡمَغۡرِبِ وَخَسۡفٌ بِالۡمَشۡرِقِ وَخَسۡفٌ بِجَزِيرَةِ الۡعَرَبِ

وَنَارٌ تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ قَعۡرِ عَدَنٍ تَسُوقُ أَوۡ تَحۡشُرُ النَّاسَ تَبِيتُ مَعَهُمۡ حَيۡثُ بَاتُوا وَتَقِيلُ مَعَهُمۡ حَيۡثُ قَالُوا

The Hour will not come until you see ten signs:

the rising of the sun from the west;

the smoke (Ad-Dukhan);

emergence of the beast;

the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj;

the appearance of `Isa bin Maryam, upon him be peace;

the Dajjal;

and three land cave-ins, one in the west, one in the east and one in the Arabian Peninsula;

and a Fire which will emerge from the midst of Yemen, and will drive or gather the people, stopping with them whenever they stop for the night or to rest during the day.

This was also recorded by Muslim and the Sunan compilers from Hudhayfah, in a Mawquf report.

At-Tirmidhi said, It is Hasan Sahih.

It was also recorded by Muslim from Hudhayfah in a Marfu` report. And Allah knows best.

Another Hadith

Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj recorded that Abdullah bin Amr said,

I memorized a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah which I never forgot afterwards. I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ الاۡيَاتِ خُرُوجًا طُلُوعُ الشَّمۡسِ مِنۡ مَغۡرِبِهَا وَخُرُوجُ الدَّابَّةِ عَلَى النَّاسِ ضُحًى وَأَيَّتُهُمَا مَا كَانَتۡ قَبۡلَ صَاحِبَتِهَا فَالاُۡخۡرَى عَلَى إِثۡرِهَا قَرِيبًا

The first of the signs to appear will be the rising of the sun from the west, and the emergence of the beast to mankind in the forenoon. Whichever of them appears first, the other will follow close behind it.

Another Hadith

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

بَادِرُوا بِالاۡاَعۡمَالِ سِتًّا طُلُوعَ الشَّمۡسِ مِنۡ مَغۡرِبِهَا وَالدُّخَانَ وَالدَّجَّالَ وَالدَّابَّةَ وَخَاصَّةَ أَحَدِكُمۡ وَأَمۡرَ الۡعَامَّة

Hasten to do good deeds before six things appear:

the rising of the sun from the west;

the smoke; the Dajjal;

the beast;

the (death) of one of your favorite, or general affliction.

This was recorded by Muslim alone.

Muslim also recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the the Prophet said:

بَادِرُوا بِالاۡاَعۡمَالِ سِتًّا الدَّجَّالَ وَالدُّخَانَ وَدَابَّةَ الاۡاَرۡضِ وَطُلُوعَ الشَّمۡسِ مِنۡ مَغۡرِبِهَا وَأَمۡرَ الۡعَامَّةِ وَخُوَيۡصَّةَ أَحَدِكُم

Hasten to do good deeds before six things appear:

the Dajjal;

the smoke;

the beast of the earth;

the rising of the sun from the west;

and the (death of one of your favorite) or

general affliction.

Another Hadith

Ibn Majah recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah said:

بَادِرُوا بِالاۡاَعۡمَالِ سِتًّا طُلُوعَ الشَّمۡسِ مِنۡ مَغۡرِبِهَا وَالدُّخَانَ وَالدَّابَّةَ الدَّجَّالَ وَخُوَيۡصَّةَ أَحَدِكُمۡ وَأَمۡرَ الۡعَامَّة

Hasten to do good deeds before six things appear:

the rising of the sun from the west;

the smoke;

the beast;

the Dajjal; and

the (death of one of your favorite) or

general affliction.

He was the only one who recorded this version.

Another Hadith

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah said:

تَخۡرُجُ دَابَّةُ الاَۡرۡضِ وَمَعَهَا عَصَا مُوسَى وَخَاتَمُ سُلَيۡمَانَ عَلَيۡهِمَا السَّلَمُ فَتَخۡطِمُ أَنۡفَ الۡكَافِرِ بِالۡعَصَا وَتُجَلِّي وَجۡهَ الۡمُوۡمِنِ بِالۡخَاتَمِ حَتَّى يَجۡتَمِعَ النَّاسُ عَلَى الۡخِوَانِ يُعۡرَفُ الۡمُوۡمِنُ مِنَ الۡكَافِر

A beast will emerge from the earth, and with it will be the staff of Musa and the ring of Suleiman, peace be upon them both. It will strike the nose of the disbelievers with the staff, and it will make the face of the believer bright with the ring, until when people gather to eat, they will be able to recognize the believers from the disbelievers.

It also was recorded by Imam Ahmad, with the wording:

فَتَخۡطِمُ أَنۡفَ الۡكَافِر بِالۡخَاتَمِ وَتَجۡلُو وَجۡهَ الۡمُوۡمِن بِالۡعَصَا حَتَّى إِنَّ أَهۡلَ الۡخِوَانَ الۡوَاحِدِ لَيَجۡتَمِعُونَ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا يَا مُوۡمِنُ وَيَقُولُ هَذَا يَا كَافِر

It will strike the nose of the disbelievers with the ring, and will make the face of the believer bright with the staff, until when people gather for a meal, they will say to one another, O believer, or O disbeliever.

It was also recorded by Ibn Majah.

Ibn Jurayj reported that Ibn Az-Zubayr described the beast and said,

Its head is like the head of a bull, its eyes are like the eyes of a pig, its ears are like the ears of an elephant, its horns are like the horns of a stag, its neck is like the neck of an ostrich, its chest is like the chest of a lion, its color is like the color of a tiger, its haunches are like the haunches of a cat, its tail is like the tail of a ram, and its legs are like the legs of a camel. Between each pair of its joints is a distance of twelve cubits. It will bring out with it the staff of Musa and the ring of Suleiman.

There will be no believer left without it making a white spot on his face, which will spread until all his face is shining white as a result; and there will be no disbeliever left without it making a black spot on his face, which will spread until all his face is black as a result, then when the people trade with one another in the marketplace, they will say, `How much is this, O believer?' `How much is this, O disbeliever?' And when the members of one household sit down together to eat, they will know who is a believer and who is a disbeliever.

Then the beast will say:`O so-and-so, enjoy yourself, for you are among the people of Paradise.'

And it will say:`O so-and-so, you are among the people of Hell,'

This is what Allah says:

And when the Word is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast for them, to speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayat

Gathering the Wrongdoers on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells us about the Day of Resurrection when the wrongdoers who disbelieved in the signs and Messengers of Allah will be gathered before Allah, so that He will ask them about what they did in this world, rebuking, scolding and belittling them.

وَيَوۡمَ نَحۡشُرُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ فَوۡجًا

And the Day when We shall gather out of every nation, a Fawj,

means, from every people and generation a group.

مِّمَّن يُكَذِّبُ بِأيَاتِنَا

of those who denied Our Ayat.

This is like the Ayat:

احۡشُرُواۡ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ وَأَزۡوَجَهُمۡ

Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions (from the devils). (37:22)

وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتۡ

And when the souls are joined with their bodies. (81:7)

فَهُمۡ يُوزَعُونَ

and they shall be driven,

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

They will be pushed.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said:

They will be driven.

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاوُوا

Till, when they come,

and stand before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, in the place of reckoning,

قَالَ أَكَذَّبۡتُم بِأيَاتِي وَلَمۡ تُحِيطُوا بِهَا عِلۡمًا أَمَّاذَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

He will say:Did you deny My Ayat whereas you comprehended them not by knowledge, or what was it that you used to do!

meaning they will be asked about their beliefs and their deeds. Since they are among the doomed and, as Allah says:

فَلَ صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّى

وَلَـكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

He neither believed nor performed Salah! But on the contrary, he denied and turned away! (75:31-32)

Then the proof will be established against them and they will have no excuse whatsoever, as Allah says:

هَـذَا يَوۡمُ لَا يَنطِقُونَ

وَلَا يُوۡذَنُ لَهُمۡ فَيَعۡتَذِرُونَ

That will be a Day when they shall not speak. And they will not be permitted to put forth any excuse. (77:35-36)

Similarly, Allah says here:

وَوَقَعَ الۡقَوۡلُ عَلَيۡهِم بِمَا ظَلَمُوا فَهُمۡ لَا يَنطِقُونَ

And the Word will be fulfilled against them, because they have done wrong, and they will be unable to speak.

They will be stunned and speechless, unable to give any answer. This is because they wronged themselves in the world, and now they have returned to the One Who sees the unseen and the seen, from Whom nothing can be hidden.

Then Allah points out His complete power, immense authority and greatness, all dictating that He is to be obeyed and that His commands must be followed, and that the message of inescapable truth brought by His Prophets must be believed in.

Allah says

أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡا أَنَّا جَعَلۡنَا اللَّيۡلَ لِيَسۡكُنُوا فِيهِ

See they not that We have made the night for them to rest therein,

Due to the darkness of the night they halt their activities and calm themselves down, to recover from the exhausting efforts of the day.

وَالنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًا

and the day sight-giving,

meaning filled with light, so that they can work and earn a living, and travel and engage in business, and do other things that they need to do.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ يُوۡمِنُونَ

Verily, in this are Ayat for the people who believe

The Terrors of the Day of Resurrection, the Rewards for Good Deeds and the Punishments for Evil Deeds

Allah tells:

وَيَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الاَۡرۡضِ

And (remember) the Day on which the Trumpet (Sur) will be blown -- and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, will be terrified,

Allah tells us about the terrors of the Day when the Sur will be blown.

The Sur, as described in the Hadith, is,

قَرۡنٌ يُنۡفَخُ فِيه

(a horn which is blown into).

According to the Hadith about the Sur (Trumpet), it is (the angel) Israfil who will blow into it by the command of Allah, may He be exalted. He will blow into it for the first time, for a long time. This will signal the end of the life of this world, and the Hour will come upon the most evil of people ever to live. Everyone who is in the heavens and on earth will be terrified,

إِلاَّ مَن شَاء اللَّهُ

except him whom Allah wills.

these are the martyrs, for they are alive, with their Lord, and being provided for.

Imam Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that a man came to him and said,

What is this Hadith that you are narrating, that the Hour will come upon such and such people?

He said,

Subhan Allah or `La Ilaha Illallah (or something similar), I had decided that I would not narrate anything to anyone now. I had only said that after a little while, you will see a major event which will destroy the House (the Ka`bah), and such and such will happen.

Then he said,

The Messenger of Allah said:

يَخۡرُجُ الدَّجَّالُ فِي أُمَّتِي فَيَمۡكُثُ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَا أَدۡرِي أَرۡبَعِينَ يَوۡمًا أَوۡ أَرۡبَعِينَ شَهۡرًا أَوۡ أَرۡبَعِينَ عَامًا فَيَبۡعَثُ اللهُ عِيسَى ابۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ كَأَنَّهُ عُرۡوَةُ بۡنُ مَسۡعُودٍ فَيَطۡلُبُهُ فَيُهۡلِكُهُ ثُمَّ يَمۡكُثُ النَّاسُ سَبۡعَ سِنِينَ لَيۡسَ بَيۡنَ اثۡنَيۡنِ عَدَاوَةٌ ثُمَّ يُرۡسِلُ اللهُ رِيحًا بَارِدَةً مِنۡ قِبَلِ الشَّامِ فَلَ يَبۡقَى عَلَى وَجۡهِ الاَۡرۡضِ أَحَدٌ فِي قَلۡبِهِ مِثۡقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ أَوۡ إِيمَانٍ إِلاَّ قَبَضَتۡهُ حَتَّى لَوۡ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمۡ دَخَلَ في كَبِدِ جَبَلٍ لَدَخَلَتۡهُ عَلَيۡهِ حَتَّى تَقۡبِضَه

The Dajjal will emerge in my Ummah, and will remain for forty -- I do not know whether he said forty days, or forty months, or forty years -- then Allah will send `Isa son of Maryam, who looks like Urwah bin Mas`ud, and he will search for him and destroy him.

Then mankind will remain for seven years during which there will not be any enmity between any two people.

Then Allah will send a cool wind from the direction of Syria, and no one will be left on the face of the earth who has even a speck of goodness or faith in his heart, but it will take him. Even if he entered into the heart of a mountain, the wind would follow him and seize him.

He said,

I heard it from the Messenger of Allah who said:

فَيَبۡقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ فِي خِفَّةِ الطَّيۡرِ وَأَحۡلَمِ السِّبَاعِ لَا يَعۡرِفُونَ مَعۡرُوفًا وَلَا يُنۡكِرُونَ مُنۡكَرًا فَيَتَمَثَّلُ لَهُمُ الشَّيۡطَانُ فَيَقُولُ أَلَا تَسۡتَجِيبُونَ فَيَقُولُونَ فَمَا تَأۡمُرُنَا فَيَأۡمُرُهُمۡ بِعِبَادَةِ الاَۡوۡثَانِ وَهُمۡ فِي ذَلِكَ دَارٌّ رِزۡقُهُمۡ حَسَنٌ عَيۡشُهُمۡ ثُمَّ يُنۡفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَلَ يَسۡمَعُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ أَصۡغَى لِيتًا وَرَفَعَ لِيتًا قَالَ وَأَوَّلُ مَنۡ يَسۡمَعُهُ رَجُلٌ يَلُوطُ حَوۡضَ إِبِلِهِ قَالَ فَيَصۡعَقُ وَيَصۡعَقُ النَّاسُ ثُمَّ يُرۡسِلُ اللهُ أَوۡ قَالَ يُنۡزِلُ اللهُ مَطَرًا كَأَنَّهُ الطَّلُّ أَوۡ قَالَ الظِّلُّ نُعۡمَانُ الشَّاكُّ فَتَنۡبُتُ مِنۡهُ أَجۡسَادُ النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يُنۡفَخُ فِيهِ أُخۡرَى فَإِذَا هُمۡ قِيَامٌ يَنۡظُرُونَ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ هَلُمُّوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمۡ وَقِفُوهُمۡ إِنَّهُمۡ مَسۡوُولُونَ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ أَخۡرِجُوا بَعۡثَ النَّارِ فَيُقَالُ مِنۡ كَمۡ فَيُقَالُ مِنۡ كُلِّ أَلۡفٍ تِسۡعَمِايَةٍ وَتِسۡعَةً وَتِسۡعِينَ قَالَ فَذَلِكَ يَوۡمَ يَجۡعَلُ الۡوِلۡدَانُ شِيبًا وَذَلِكَ يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَنۡ سَاق

Then the most evil of people will remain, and they will be as nimble as birds and will be more temperamental than wild beasts. They will not recognize anything good or denounce anything evil. The Shaytan will appear to them and will say,

Will you do as I tell you!

They will say, What do you command us to do?

He will command them to worship idols but in spite of this their provision will be plentiful and they will lead comfortable lives.

Then the Sur (Trumpet) will be blown, and no one will hear it but he will tilt his head to hear the sound. The first person to hear it will be a man who is setting up the tank for watering his camels. He will fall down, and all the other people will also fall down.

Then Allah will send -- or send down -- rain like dew -- or he said, like shade (Nu'man was the one who was not sure) -- from which will grow the bodies of the people.

Then the Trumpet will be blown again, and they will get up and look around.

Then it will be said:O mankind! Go to your Lord! And they will be stopped, for they are to be questioned.

Then it will be said:Bring forth the people who are to be sent to the Fire.

It will be asked:How many are they?

It will be said, Out of every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine.

That will be the Day which will make the children grey-headed, and that will be the Day when the Shin shall be uncovered.

His saying;

ثُمَّ يُنۡفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَلَ يَسۡمَعُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ أَصۡغَى لِيتًا وَرَفَعَ لِيتًا

Then the Sur (Trumpet) will be blown, and no one will hear it but he will tilt his head to hear the sound.

means that they will tilt their heads so that they can better hear the sound coming from the heavens. That is the blast of the Sur which will terrify everyone, then after that will come the blast which will cause them to die, then the blast which will resurrect them to meet the Lord of the worlds -- this is when all of the creation will be brought forth from their graves.

Allah says:

وَكُلٌّ أَتَوۡهُ دَاخِرِينَ

And all shall come to Him, humbled.

meaning, humbling themselves and obeying Him, and no one will go against His command.

This is like the Ayat:

يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِ

On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer with His praise and obedience. (17:52)

ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ دَعۡوَةً مِّنَ الاٌّرۡضِ إِذَا أَنتُمۡ تَخۡرُجُونَ

Then afterwards when He will call you by a single call, behold, you will come out from the earth. (30:25)

According to the Hadith about the Sur, when it is blown for the third time, Allah will command the souls to be put into the hole of the Sur (Trumpet), then Israfil will blow into it, after the bodies have grown in their graves and resting places, and when he blows into the Sur (Trumpet), the souls will fly, the believers' souls glowing with light, and the disbelievers' souls looking like darkness. And Allah will say:By My might and majesty, every soul will go back to its body.

And the souls will come back to their bodies and go through them like poison going through a person who is bitten or stung by a poisonous creature. Then they will get up, brushing off the dirt of their graves.

Allah says:

يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ الاٌّجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعاً كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَى نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ

The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly as racing to a goal. (70:43)

Allah says

وَتَرَى الۡجِبَالَ تَحۡسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِيَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds.

meaning, you will see them as if they are fixed and as if they will remain as they are, but they will pass away as the passing away of the clouds, i.e., they will move away from their places.

This is like the Ayat:

يَوۡمَ تَمُورُ السَّمَأءُ مَوۡراً

وَتَسِيرُ الۡجِبَالُ سَيۡراً

On the Day when the heaven will shake with a dreadful shaking, And the mountains will move away with a (horrible) movement. (52:9-10)

وَيَسۡـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسۡفاً فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعاً صَفۡصَفاً

لااَّ تَرَى فِيهَا عِوَجاً وَلاا أَمۡتاً

And they ask you concerning the mountains:say, My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust. Then He shall leave them as a level smooth plain. You will see therein nothing crooked or curved. (20:105-107)

وَيَوۡمَ نُسَيِّرُ الۡجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرۡضَ بَارِزَةً

And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away, and you will see the earth as a leveled plain. (18:47)

صُنۡعَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَتۡقَنَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ

The work of Allah, Who perfected all things,

means, He does that by His great power.

الَّذِي أَتۡقَنَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ

Who perfected all things,

means, He has perfected all that He has created, and has fashioned it according to His wisdom.

إِنَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَفۡعَلُونَ

verily, He is well-acquainted with what you do.

means, He knows all that His servants do, good or evil, and He will reward or punish them accordingly.

Then Allah describes the state of the blessed and the doomed on that Day, and says

مَن جَاء بِالۡحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡهَا

Whoever brings a good deed, will have better than its worth.

Qatadah said,

That is sincerely for Allah alone.

Allah has explained elsewhere in the Qur'an that He will give ten like it.

وَهُم مِّن فَزَعٍ يَوۡمَيِذٍ امِنُونَ

and they will be safe from the terror on that Day.

This is like the Ayah,

لَا يَحۡزُنُهُمُ الۡفَزَعُ الااٌّكۡبَرُ

The greatest terror will not grieve them. (21:103)

and Allah said:

أَفَمَن يُلۡقَى فِى النَّارِ خَيۡرٌ أَم مَّن يَأۡتِى ءَامِناً يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَـمَةِ

Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection. (41:40)

وَهُمۡ فِى الۡغُرُفَـتِ ءَامِنُونَ

and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security. (34:37

وَمَن جَاء بِالسَّيِّيَةِ فَكُبَّتۡ وُجُوهُهُمۡ فِي النَّارِ

And whoever brings an evil deed, they will be cast down on their faces in the Fire.

means, whoever comes to Allah with evil deeds, and with no good deeds to his credit, or whose evil deeds outweigh his good deeds.

Allah says:

هَلۡ تُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلاَّ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

(And it will be said to them) Are you being recompensed anything except what you used to do!

The Command to worship Allah and to call People with the Qur'an

Allah commands His Messenger to say:

إِنَّمَا أُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَعۡبُدَ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الۡبَلۡدَةِ الَّذِي حَرَّمَهَا وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ

I have been commanded only to worship the Lord of this city, Who has sanctified it and to Whom belongs everything.

This is like the Ayah,

قُلۡ يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِى شَكٍّ مِّن دِينِى فَلَ أَعۡبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنۡ أَعۡبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّاكُمۡ

Say:O you mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion, then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship besides Allah. But I worship Allah Who causes you to die. (10:104)

The fact that the word Rabb (Lord) is connected to the word city (in the phrase the Lord of this city) is a sign of honor and divine care for that city.

This is like the Ayah,

فَلۡيَعۡبُدُواۡ رَبَّ هَـذَا الۡبَيۡتِ

الَّذِى أَطۡعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنۡ خوۡفٍ

So let them worship the Lord of this House (the Ka`bah), Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear. (106:3-4)

الَّذِي حَرَّمَهَا

Who has sanctified it,

means, the One Who made it a sanctuary by His Law and by His decree, making it sanctified.

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Abbas said:

On the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ هَذَا الۡبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ يَوۡمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرۡمَةِ اللهِ إِلَى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيَامَةِ لَا يُعۡضَدُ شَوۡكُهُ وَلَا يُنَفَّرُ صَيۡدُهُ وَلَا يَلۡتَقِطُ لُقَطَتَهُ إِلاَّ مَنۡ عَرَّفَهَا وَلَا يُخۡتَلَى خَلَهَا

Verily, this city was made sacred by Allah the day He created the heavens and the earth, so it is sacred by the sanctity of Allah until the Day of Resurrection. Its thorny bushes should not be cut, its game should not be chased, and its lost property should not be picked up except by one who would announce it publicly and none is allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs...

This was reported in Sahih, Hasan, Musnad narrations, through various routes, by such a large group that it is absolutely unquestionable, as has been explained in the appropriate place in the book Al-Ahkam, to Allah is the praise and thanks.

وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ

and to Whom belongs everything.

This is a statement of general application following a specific statement, i.e., He is the Lord of this city, and the Lord and Sovereign of all things, there is no god worthy of worship besides Him.

وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِنَ الۡمُسۡلِمِينَ

And I am commanded to be from among the Muslims.

means, those who believe in Allah alone, who are sincere towards Him and who obediently follow His commands

وَأَنۡ أَتۡلُوَ الۡقُرۡانَ

And that I should recite the Qur'an,

means, to people, so as to convey it to them.

This is like the Ayah,

ذَلِكَ نَتۡلُوهُ عَلَيۡكَ مِنَ الايَـتِ وَالذِّكۡرِ الۡحَكِيمِ

This is what We recite to you of the Ayat and the Wise Reminder. (3:58)

نَتۡلُواۡ عَلَيۡكَ مِن نَّبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ بِالۡحَقِّ

We recite to you some of the news of Musa and Fir`awn in truth. (28:3)

meaning, `I am a conveyer and a warner.'

فَمَنِ اهۡتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهۡتَدِي لِنَفۡسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَقُلۡ إِنَّمَا أَنَا مِنَ الۡمُنذِرِينَ

then whosoever receives guidance, receives it for the good of himself; and whosoever goes astray, say (to him):I am only one of the warners.

meaning, `I have an example to follow in the Messengers who warned their people, and did what they had to do in order to convey the Message to them and fulfill the covenant they had made.'

Allah will judge their nations to whom they were sent, as He says:

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ الۡبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيۡنَا الۡحِسَابُ

your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning. (13:40)

إِنَّمَأ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَكِيلٌ

But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Protector over all thing. (11:12

وَقُلِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ سَيُرِيكُمۡ ايَاتِهِ فَتَعۡرِفُونَهَا

And say:All the praises and thanks be to Allah. He will show you His Ayat (signs), and you shall recognize them.

means, praise be to Allah, Who does not punish anyone except after establishing plea against him, warning him (and leaving him with no excuse).

Allah says:

سَيُرِيكُمۡ ايَاتِهِ فَتَعۡرِفُونَهَا

(He will show you His Ayat (signs), and you shall recognize them), This is like the Ayah,

سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَـتِنَا فِى الاٌّفَاقِ وَفِى أَنفُسِهِمۡ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ الۡحَقُّ

We will show them Our signs in the universe, and in themselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth. (41:53)

وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ

And your Lord is not unaware of what you do.

means, on the contrary, He witnesses and sees all things.

It was recorded that Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to recite the following two lines of verse, whether they were written by him or someone else:

If you are alone one day, do not say, `I am alone.' Rather say, `Someone is watching me.'

Do not think that Allah will let His attention wander for even an instant, or that anything is hidden from Him.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Al-Naml. All praise and thanks be to Allah.