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Ayah
Word by Word
وَكَمۡ
And how many
أَهۡلَكۡنَا
We destroyed
قَبۡلَهُم
before them
مِّن
of
قَرۡنٍ
a generation
هُمۡ
they
أَشَدُّ
(were) stronger
مِنۡهُم
than them
بَطۡشٗا
(in) power
فَنَقَّبُواْ
so they explored
فِي
throughout
ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ
the lands
هَلۡ
Is (there)
مِن
any
مَّحِيصٍ
place of escape
وَكَمۡ
And how many
أَهۡلَكۡنَا
We destroyed
قَبۡلَهُم
before them
مِّن
of
قَرۡنٍ
a generation
هُمۡ
they
أَشَدُّ
(were) stronger
مِنۡهُم
than them
بَطۡشٗا
(in) power
فَنَقَّبُواْ
so they explored
فِي
throughout
ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ
the lands
هَلۡ
Is (there)
مِن
any
مَّحِيصٍ
place of escape
Translation
But how many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins),- stronger in power than they? Then did they wander through the land: was there any place of escape (for them)?
Tafsir
And how many a generation We destroyed before them, that is, before the disbelievers of Quraysh We destroyed many generations of disbelievers, who were mightier than these in prowess, and [who] then searched throughout the land [wondering]: is there any escape?, for them and others from death, but they found none.
Warning the Disbelievers of the imminent Torment;
Allah says,
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم
And how many
Allah the Exalted asks, `how many We have destroyed before these denying disbelievers?'
مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُم بَطۡشًا
a generation who were stronger in power than they.
they were more numerous, mightier than they and who constructed on the earth and built on it more than they.
The statement of Allah the Exalted,
فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الۡبِلَدِ هَلۡ مِن مَّحِيصٍ
And they went about the land! Could they find any place of refuge?
Ibn Abbas commented,
They left the traces throughout the land,
Qatadah said,
They traveled throughout the land seeking provisions through trade and business, more than you have.
Allah's statement,
هَلۡ مِن مَّحِيصٍ
(Could they find any place of refuge?)
means, `could they find a shelter from Allah's decision and appointed destiny? Have what they collected benefited them or averted Allah's torment when it came to them on account of their denial of the Messengers? Likewise, you will never be able to avert, avoid, or find refuge or shelter (from His torment).'
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكۡرَى
Verily, therein is indeed a reminder, (and a lesson),
لِمَن كَانَ لَهُ قَلۡبٌ
for him who has a heart,
meaning, a sound understanding with which he comprehends, or, a good mind, according to Mujahid,
أَوۡ أَلۡقَى السَّمۡعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ
or gives ear while he is heedful.
meaning, he hears the speech, comprehends and understands it in his mind and grasps its indications with his intellect.
Mujahid said that,
أَوۡ أَلۡقَى السَّمۡعَ
(or gives ear),
means, he does not talk to himself but listens with an attentive heart.
Ad-Dahhak commented,
The Arabs would say that someone has given ear when he hears with his ears, while his heart is present and not absent.
Ath-Thawri and several others said similarly.
The statement of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored;
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ
And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and all that between them in six Days and nothing of fatigue touched Us.
is emphasis on the Resurrection because He Who is able to create the heavens and earth without fatigue, then surely He is able to resurrect the dead.
Qatadah said,
The Jews, may Allah's curses descend on them, said that Allah created the heavens and earth in six days and then rested on the seventh day, which was the Sabbath. This is why they call it a holiday. Allah the Exalted then sent down denial of their statement and false opinion.
Allah said,
وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ
(and nothing of fatigue touched Us).
indicating that no sleep, exhaustion or weariness affects Him. Allah the Exalted the Blessed said in other Ayat,
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاۡ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ وَلَمۡ يَعۡىَ بِخَلۡقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحۡىِ الۡمَوۡتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes, He surely is Able to do all things. (46:33)
and,
لَخَلۡقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ أَكۡـبَرُ مِنۡ خَلۡقِ النَّاسِ
The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind. (40:57)
and,
أَءَنتُمۡ أَشَدُّ خَلۡقاً أَمِ السَّمَأءُ بَنَـهَا
Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed? (79:27)
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said
فَاصۡبِرۡ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ
So bear with patience all that they say,
in reference to those who deny the Prophet, ordering him to be patient with them and turn away from them in a good way,
وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ الۡغُرُوبِ
and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.
There were two ordained prayers prior to the Isra' journey. One before the rising of the sun at dawn and the other before sunset in the evening. Qiyam Al-Layl, prayer at night, was a command for the Prophet and his followers for sometime but it was later abrogated for the Ummah. Later, during the Isra' journey, Allah abrogated all of the previous orders for prayer by ordaining five daily prayers, including the prayers of Fajr before sunrise, and `Asr in the late afternoon.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir bin Abdullah said,
When we were sitting with the Prophet, he looked at the full moon and said,
أَمَا إِنَّكُمۡ سَتُعۡرَضُونَ عَلَى رَبِّكُمۡ فَتَرَوۡنَهُ كَمَا تَرَوۡنَ هذَا الۡقَمَرَ لَا تُضَامُّونَ فِيهِ فَإِنِ اسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ أَنۡ لَا تُغۡلَبُوا عَلَى صَلَةٍ قَبۡلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ غُرُوبِهَا فَافۡعَلُوا
Certainly you will be brought before your Lord and will see Him as you see this moon, and you will have no trouble in seeing Him. So, if you can avoid missing the prayer before the sunrise and the prayer before sunset, you must do so.
He then recited Allah's statement,
وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ الۡغُرُوبِ
(and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.)'
The Two Sahihs and the rest of the Group collected this Hadith through the chain of Ismail.
Allah the Exalted said
وَمِنَ اللَّيۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡهُ
And during a part of the night glorify His praises,
meaning pray to Him.
Allah said in another Ayah,
وَمِنَ الَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَى أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحۡمُودًا
And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it, as an additional prayer for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud. (17:79)
Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَأَدۡبَارَ السُّجُودِ
and after the prostrations.
refers to Tasbih, i.e. glorifying Allah's praises, after the prayers.
There is a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs that supports this meaning.
Abu Hurayrah said,
Some poor migrants came and said, `O Allah's Messenger! The wealthy people will get higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment.'
The Prophet said,
وَمَا ذَاكَ
Why is that?
They said, `They pray as we do, fast as we do, yet they give charity, but we can not. They free slaves, but we can not.'
The Prophet said,
أَفَلَ أُعَلِّمُكُمۡ شَيۡيًا إِذَا فَعَلۡتُمُوهُ سَبَقۡتُمۡ مَنۡ بَعۡدَكُمۡ وَلَا يَكُونُ أَحَدٌ أَفۡضَلَ مِنۡكُمۡ إِلاَّ مَنۡ فَعَلَ مِثۡلَ مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ
تُسَبِّحُونَ
وَتَحۡمَدُونَ
وَتُكَبِّرُونَ
دُبُرَ كُلِّ صَلَةٍ ثَلَثًا وَثَلَثِين
Shall I tell you about something that, if you did it, you would catch up with those who have surpassed you and nobody would be better than you except those who would do the same Say,
`Subhan Allah,
Alhamdulillah and
Allahu Akbar,'
thirty-three times each after every prayer.
Later, they came back and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Our brethren, the wealthy Muslims, heard of what we did and they also did the same.'
The Prophet said,
ذلِكَ فَضۡلُ اللهِ يُوۡتِيهِ مَنۡ يَشَاء
This is a favor and grace of Allah, and He grants it to whom He wills.
There is another way of explaining the Ayah.
It is that Allah's statement,
وَأَدۡبَارَ السُّجُودِ
(and after the prostrations),
refers to the two Rak`ahs after the Maghrib prayer.
This was reported from Umar bin Al-Khattab, Ali bin Abi Talib and his son Al-Hasan, Abdullah bin Abbas, Abu Hurayrah and Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with them.
This is also the saying of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Ash-Sha`bi, An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, and others.
Admonition from Some Scenes of the Day of Resurrection
Allah the Exalted said,
وَاسۡتَمِعۡ
And listen, (O Muhammad),
يَوۡمَ يُنَادِ الۡمُنَادِ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ
on the Day when the caller will call from a near place.
to the gathering for the Day of Judgement
يَوۡمَ يَسۡمَعُونَ الصَّيۡحَةَ بِالۡحَقِّ
The Day when they will hear As-Sayhah in truth,
in reference to the blowing in the Trumpet which will bring forth the truth that most of them discounted and denied,
ذَلِكَ يَوۡمُ الۡخُرُوجِ
that will be the Day of coming out. (from the graves),
إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نُحۡيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيۡنَا الۡمَصِيرُ
Verily, it is We Who give life and cause death; and to Us is the final return.
Allah is He Who starts creation and then brings it back to life, and the latter is easier for Him; to Him is the final return of all creations. At this time, He will recompense each according to his or her deeds, good for good and evil for evil.
Allah the Exalted said
يَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ الاَۡرۡضُ عَنۡهُمۡ سِرَاعًا
On the Day when the earth shall be cleft, from off them (they will come out) hastening forth.
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored will send down rain from the sky. From that rain the bodies of the creations will grow while they are in their graves, just as the seed grows in soil in the aftermath of rain. When the bodies grow to their full strength, Allah the Exalted will command angel Israfil and he will blow in the Trumpet (for a second time). The souls will be enclosed in a hole in the Trumpet. When Israfil blows in the Trumpet, the souls will depart from it and will fly between the heavens and earth. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored, will declare,
By My grace and power, each soul shall return to the body that it used to inhabit,
and indeed, every soul will return to its body. The soul will enter its body just as poison enters the body, then the earth will be uncovered from above them, and they will all stand and head towards the Reckoning place hastening to obey the command of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored,
مُّهۡطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ يَقُولُ الۡكَـفِرُونَ هَـذَا يَوۡمٌ عَسِرٌ
Hastening towards the caller. The disbelievers will say:This is a hard Day. (54:8),
and,
يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer (His Call) with (words of) His praise and obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while! (17:52)
In the Sahih, it is recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,
أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنۡ تَنۡشَقُّ عَنۡهُ الاَۡرۡض
The earth will open up first around me.
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,
ذَلِكَ حَشۡرٌ عَلَيۡنَا يَسِيرٌ
That will be a gathering, quite easy for Us.
`bringing them back to life is easy for Us and effortless.'
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,
وَمَأ أَمۡرُنَأ إِلاَّ وَحِدَةٌ كَلَمۡحٍ بِالۡبَصَرِ
And Our commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye. (54:50)
and,
مَّا خَلۡقُكُمۡ وَلَا بَعۡثُكُمۡ إِلاَّ كَنَفۡسٍ وَحِدَةٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ
The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as of a single person. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Seer. (31:28)
Comforting the Prophet
The statement of Allah the Exalted and Most High
نَحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ
We know best what they say.
means, `Our knowledge is all encompassing of the denial that the idolators are confronting you with, so do not be concerned.'
In similar Ayat, Allah said,
وَلَقَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدۡرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ
فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنۡ مِّنَ السَّـجِدِينَ
وَاعۡبُدۡ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأۡتِيَكَ الۡيَقِينُ
Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him). And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e., death). (15:97-99)
Allah's statement,
وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِجَبَّارٍ
And you are not the one to force them.
says, `it is not you who forces them to accept the guidance; this is not a part of your mission.'
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,
فَذَكِّرۡ بِالۡقُرۡانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ
But warn by the Qur'an; him who fears My threat.
meaning, `convey the Message of your Lord, for only those who fear Allah and dread His torment, and hope in His promise will remember and heed,'
فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ الۡبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيۡنَا الۡحِسَابُ
Your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning. (13:40),
فَذَكِّرۡ إِنَّمَأ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
لَّسۡتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِمُسَيۡطِرٍ
So remind them -- you are only one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them. (88:21-22)
لَّيۡسَ عَلَيۡكَ هُدَاهُمۡ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهۡدِى مَن يَشَأءُ
Not upon you is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. (2:272)
and,
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهۡدِى مَنۡ أَحۡبَبۡتَ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهۡدِى مَن يَشَأءُ
Verily, you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. (28:56)
Allah's statement here,
وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِجَبَّارٍ
فَذَكِّرۡ بِالۡقُرۡانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ
(And you are not the one to force them. But warn by the Qur'an; him who fears My threat). Qatadah used to invoke Allah by saying,
O Allah! Make us among those who fear Your threat and hope for Your promise, O Barr (Subtle, Kind, Courteous, and Generous), O Rahim (the Most Merciful.
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Qaf. All praise is due to Allah, He is for us, the most excellent Trustee.
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