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Ayah
Word by Word
نَحۡنُ
We
جَعَلۡنَٰهَا
have made it
تَذۡكِرَةٗ
a reminder
وَمَتَٰعٗا
and a provision
لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ
for the wayfarers in the desert
نَحۡنُ
We
جَعَلۡنَٰهَا
have made it
تَذۡكِرَةٗ
a reminder
وَمَتَٰعٗا
and a provision
لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ
for the wayfarers in the desert
Translation
We have made it a memorial (of Our handiwork), and an article of comfort and convenience for the denizens of deserts.
Tafsir
We made it a reminder, of the fire of Hell, and a boon, a provision, for the desert-travellers (al-muqween derives from [the expression] aqwaa al-qawmu, 'they have reached al-qawaa or al-qawaa', that is, al-qafr, 'desolate land', which is a wilderness (mafaaza) that has neither vegetation nor water).
Proof that Resurrection will occur
Allah asserts that Resurrection will occur and refutes the misguided atheists who deny it, those who said,
أَيِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَيِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُون
(When we die and become dust and bones, shall we then indeed be resurrected?)
They said this statement in denial and discounting Resurrection.
Allah the Exalted said,
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنَاكُمۡ
We created you,
meaning, `We have created you after you were nothing. Therefore, is not that Who is able to start the creation, more able to bring it back'
Allah's statement,
فَلَوۡلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ
then why do you believe not?
`why do you not then believe in Resurrection?'
Then Allah said, while bringing forth evidence that Resurrection occurs,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُم مَّا تُمۡنُونَ
أَأَنتُمۡ تَخۡلُقُونَهُ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡخَالِقُونَ
Do you not see the semen you emit? Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?
meaning, `do you make the semen remain in the wombs and create life from it therein, stage after stage? Or is Allah the One Who does all this'?
Allah said
نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَيۡنَكُمُ الۡمَوۡتَ
We have decreed death to you all,
meaning, `We made death exist between you.'
Ad-Dahhak commented,
Allah made the residents of the heavens and earth equal with regards to death.
Allah said,
وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ
and We are not outstripped,
meaning, `We are never unable,
عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمۡثَالَكُمۡ
To transfigure you,
meaning, `to change your current shapes, on the Day of Resurrection,'
وَنُنشِيَكُمۡ فِي مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ
and create you in that you know not.
meaning, `out of shapes and forms.'
Allah the Exalted said,
وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ النَّشۡأَةَ الاُۡولَى فَلَوۡلَا تَذكَّرُونَ
And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation, why then do you not remember?
meaning, `you know that Allah has created you after you were nothing. He created you and gave you hearing, sight and hearts. Will you not then remember and take heed that He Who is able to create you in the beginning is more able to bring you back and resurrect you to life anew?' Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,
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),
أَوَلَا يَذۡكُرُ إلاِنۡسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَاهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَلَمۡ يَكُ شَيۡياً
Does not man remember that We created him before, while he was nothing? (19:67),
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَ الاِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَـهُ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ
وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلً وَنَسِىَ خَلۡقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الۡعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ
قُلۡ يُحۡيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَأ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلۡقٍ عَلِيمٌ
Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation.
He says:Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust
Say:He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation. (36:77-79),
and,
أَيَحۡسَبُ الاِنسَـنُ أَن يُتۡرَكَ سُدًى
أَلَمۡ يَكُ نُطۡفَةً مِّن مَّنِىٍّ يُمۡنَى
ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى
فَجَعَلَ مِنۡهُ الزَّوۡجَيۡنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالاٍّنثَى
أَلَيۡسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحۡيِىَ الۡمَوۡتَى
Does man think that he will be left neglected? Was he not a Nutfah of semen emitted? Then he became an `Alaqah (a clot); then shaped and fashioned in due proportion. And made of him two sexes, male and female. Is not He able to give life to the dead? (75:36-40)
Allah's Oneness demonstrated by causing the Plants to grow, sending down the Rain and creating the Fire that Mankind needs
Allah the Exalted said,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُم مَّا تَحۡرُثُونَ
Do you not see what you sow?
in reference to tilling the earth and planting seeds inside it
أَأَنتُمۡ تَزۡرَعُونَهُ
Is it you that make it grow,
`do you cause these seeds to grow inside the earth,'
أَمۡ نَحۡنُ الزَّارِعُونَ
or are We the Grower.
Allah says, `rather it is We Who cause the seeds to remain firmly and grow inside the earth.'
Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَاا تَقُولَنَّ زَرَعۡتُ وَلكِنۡ قُلۡ حَرَثۡت
Do not say, Zara`tu (I made it grew), but say, Harathtu (I sowed tilled).
Abu Hurayrah added, Have you not heard Allah's statement,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُم مَّا تَحۡرُثُونَ
-
أَأَنتُمۡ تَزۡرَعُونَهُ
أَمۡ نَحۡنُ الزَّارِعُونَ
-
Do you not see what you sow. Is it you that make it grow, or are We the Grower
Allah the Exalted said
لَوۡ نَشَاء لَجَعَلۡنَاهُ حُطَامً
Were it Our will, We could crumble it to dry pieces,
meaning, `We caused the seeds to grow with Our compassion and mercy and left them intact inside the earth as mercy for you. If We will, We would turn them dry before they ripen and get ready to be harvested,'
ا فَظَلَلۡتُمۡ تَفَكَّهُونَ
and you would be Tafakkahun.
Allah explained this statement by saying,
إِنَّا لَمُغۡرَمُونَ
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ
(Saying:) We are indeed Mughramun! Nay, but we are deprived!
Allah says, `if We crumble the plants into dry pieces, you would be wondering regarding what happened, sometimes saying:we are indeed Mughramun, i.e., ruined.'
Mujahid and Ikrimah said that Mughramun means,
being the subject of revenge.
Qatadah commented,
You would say, `We were punished,' sometimes, and, `We were deprived,' some other times.
Ikrimah said that `You will be
`You will blame each other (and yourselves),'
According to Al-Hasan, Qatadah and As-Suddi Tafakkahun' means,
feel sorrow.
They will be feeling grief for what they spent or for the sins that they have committed in the past (which cost the destruction of their plants).
Al-Kisa'i said,
Tafakkaha is both the synonym and the antonym.
The Arabs say Tafakkahtu when they mean that they have enjoyed something or felt grief.
Allah the Exalted said next,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُمُ الۡمَاء الَّذِي تَشۡرَبُونَ
أَأَنتُمۡ أَنزَلۡتُمُوهُ مِنَ الۡمُزۡنِ
Do you not see the water that you drink. Is it you who cause it to come down from Al-Muzn?
meaning clouds, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others.
Allah said,
أَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡمُنزِلُونَ
or are We the Causer of it to come down?
Allah is stating that indeed He is the One Who causes the rain to fall
لَوۡ نَشَاء جَعَلۡنَاهُ أُجَاجًا
(If We willed, We verily could make it salty;) meaning salty, sour, undrinkable and unfit for growing plants,
فَلَوۡلَا تَشۡكُرُونَ
why then do you not give thanks?
`why do you not appreciate the favor Allah does for you by sending down the rain fresh, ready to consume,'
هُوَ الَّذِى أَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَأءً لَّكُم مَّنۡهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنۡهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ
يُنبِتُ لَكُمۡ بِهِ الزَّرۡعَ وَالزَّيۡتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالَاعۡنَـبَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لايَةً لِّقَوۡمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
From it you drink and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send your cattle to pasture. With it He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit. Verily, in this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought. (16:10-11)
Allah said,
أَفَرَأَيۡتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِي تُورُونَ
Do you not see the fire which you kindle.
`and the fire you start with the use of trees,'
أَأَنتُمۡ أَنشَأۡتُمۡ شَجَرَتَهَا أَمۡ نَحۡنُ الۡمُنشِوُونَ
Is it you who made the tree thereof to grow, or are We the Grower?
meaning, `rather We have made kindling fire possible.'
The Arabs had two kinds of trees called Al-Markh and Al-`Afar (that they used to ignite a fire). When they would rub a green branch from each of these two trees against each other, sparkles of fire would emit from them.
Allah's statement
نَحۡنُ جَعَلۡنَاهَا تَذۡكِرَةً
We have made it a Reminder,
According to Mujahid and Qatadah, of the Hellfire.
Qatadah said, We were told that the Messenger of Allah said,
يَا قَوۡمِ نَارُكُمۡ هذِهِ الَّتِي تُوقِدُونَ جُزۡءٌ مِنۡ سَبۡعِينَ جُزۡءًا مِنۡ نَارِ جَهَنَّم
O people, this fire of yours that you kindle, is but one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell.
They said, O Allah's Messenger! This fire alone is sufficiently hot.
The Messenger said,
إِنَّهَا قَدۡ ضُرِبَتۡ بِالۡمَاءِ ضَرۡبَتَيۡنِ أَوۡ مَرَّتَيۡنِ حَتۡى يَسۡتَنۡفِعَ بِهَا بَنُو ادَمَ وَيَدۡنُوا مِنۡهَا
It was submerged in the water twice so that the Children of `Adam would be able to benefit from it and draw closer to it.
This narration from Qatadah which is Mursal, was recorded by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet;
إِنَّ نَارَكُمۡ هذِهِ جُزۡءٌ مِنۡ سَبۡعِينَ جُزۡءًا مِنۡ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَضُرِبَتۡ بِالۡبَحۡرِ مَرَّتَيۡنِ وَلَوۡلَا ذلِكَ مَا جَعَلَ اللهُ فِيهَا مَنۡفَعَةً لاَِحَد
Verily, this fire of yours is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell. It was struck twice against the sea, otherwise, Allah would not have made benefit in it for anyone.
Imam Malik also recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that Allah's Messenger said,
نَارُ بَنِي ادَمَ الَّتِي يُوقِدُونَ جُزۡءٌ مِنۡ سَبۡعِينَ جُزۡءًا مِنۡ نَارِ جَهَنَّم
The fire that the Children of Adam kindle is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell.
They said, O Allah's Messenger! This fire alone is sufficiently hot.
He said,
إِنَّهَا قَدۡ فُضِّلَتۡ عَلَيۡهَا بِتِسۡعَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ جُزۡءًا
(The fire of Hell) was made sixty-nine times hotter.
Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith from Malik and Muslim from Abu Az-Zinad.
Allah's statement,
وَمَتَاعًا لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ
and an article of use for the Muqwin.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and An-Nadr bin Arabi said,
The meaning of Al-Muqwin is travelers.
This is also what Ibn Jarir chose, and he said,
From it comes the saying Aqwat Ad-Dar (the house has become empty), when its people traveled.
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that here Al-Muqwi means the hungry.
Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported that Mujahid said about the Ayah,
وَمَتَاعًا لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ
(and an article of use for the Muqwin).
For those who are present at their homes and travelers, for every kind of food that requires cooking by fire.
Ibn Abi Najih also reported that Mujahid said,
For the Muqwin, means, all people who enjoy (eating food cooked by fire).
Similar was mentioned from Ikrimah, and this explanation is more general than the previous, since those who are in their own locale and traveling, whether rich or poor, all need fire for cooking, heating and lighting purposes. It is out of Allah's kindness that He has made the quality of kindling fire in some elements, such as stones, that people can use and take in the baggage for their journeys. When a traveler needs fire at his campsite for cooking and heating, he takes out these substances and uses them to kindle fire. He feels comfort next to the fire and he can use it for various needs that he has. Allah mentions this favor specifically in the case of travelers, even though everyone benefits from the fire.
Allah's statement,
فَسَبِّحۡ بِاسۡمِ رَبِّكَ الۡعَظِيمِ
Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.
meaning, the One by Whose ability these things opposites were created. He created the fresh tasty water, and had He willed, He would have created it salty like seawater. He also created the fire that burns, and made a benefit in it for the servants, suitable for their livelihood in this life and as a warning and a punishment for them in the Hereafter.
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