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Ayah
Word by Word
وَهُوَ
And He
ٱلۡقَاهِرُ
(is) the Subjugator
فَوۡقَ
over
عِبَادِهِۦۖ
His slaves
وَيُرۡسِلُ
and He sends
عَلَيۡكُمۡ
over you
حَفَظَةً
guardians
حَتَّىٰٓ
until
إِذَا
when
جَآءَ
comes
أَحَدَكُمُ
(to) anyone of you
ٱلۡمَوۡتُ
the death
تَوَفَّتۡهُ
take him
رُسُلُنَا
Our messengers
وَهُمۡ
and they
لَا
(do) not
يُفَرِّطُونَ
fail
وَهُوَ
And He
ٱلۡقَاهِرُ
(is) the Subjugator
فَوۡقَ
over
عِبَادِهِۦۖ
His slaves
وَيُرۡسِلُ
and He sends
عَلَيۡكُمۡ
over you
حَفَظَةً
guardians
حَتَّىٰٓ
until
إِذَا
when
جَآءَ
comes
أَحَدَكُمُ
(to) anyone of you
ٱلۡمَوۡتُ
the death
تَوَفَّتۡهُ
take him
رُسُلُنَا
Our messengers
وَهُمۡ
and they
لَا
(do) not
يُفَرِّطُونَ
fail
Translation
He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers, and He sets guardians over you. At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.
Tafsir
He is the Vanquisher, Superior, over His servants. And He sends guardians over you, angels, to record your deeds, until, when death approaches one of you, Our messengers, the angels charged with the seizing of the spirits, take him (tawaffathu; a variant reading has tawaffaahu) and they neglect not, they do not fall short of what they have been commanded.
The Messenger Neither has the Key to Allah's Treasures, Nor Knows the Unseen
Allah said to His Messenger,
قُل لاَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمۡ عِندِي خَزَايِنُ اللّهِ
Say:I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah.
meaning, I do not own Allah's treasures or have any power over them,
وَلا أَعۡلَمُ الۡغَيۡبَ
nor (that) I know the Unseen,
and I do not say that I know the Unseen, because its knowledge is with Allah and I only know what He conveys of it to me.
وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمۡ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ
nor I tell you that I am an angel.
meaning, I do not claim that I am an angel. I am only a human to whom Allah sends revelation, and He honored me with this duty and favored me with it.
إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ
I but follow what is revealed to me.
and I never disobey the revelation in the least.
قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي الَاعۡمَى وَالۡبَصِيرُ
Say:Are the blind and the one who sees equal!
meaning, `Is the one who is guided, following the truth, equal to the one misled!'
أَفَلَ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Will you not then consider!
In another Ayah, Allah said;
أَفَمَن يَعۡلَمُ أَنَّمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الۡحَقُّ كَمَنۡ هُوَ أَعۡمَى إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوۡلُواۡ الَالۡبَـبِ
Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed. (13:19)
Allah's statement
وَأَنذِرۡ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحۡشَرُواۡ إِلَى رَبِّهِمۡ لَيۡسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ
And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him,
means, warn with this Qur'an, O Muhammad,
الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيةِ رَبِّهِمۡ مُّشۡفِقُونَ
Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord, (23:57)
who,
يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُموَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ
Fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning. (13:21)
وَأَنذِرۡ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحۡشَرُواۡ إِلَى رَبِّهِمۡ
(those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord), on the Day of Resurrection,
لَيۡسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ
(when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him), for on that Day, they will have no relative or intercessor who can prevent His torment if He decides to punish them with it,
لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ
(so that they may have Taqwa).
Therefore, warn of the Day when there will be no judge except Allah,
لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ
so that they may have Taqwa.
and thus work good deeds in this life, so that their good deeds may save them on the Day of Resurrection from Allah's torment, and so that He will grant them multiple rewards.
Prohibiting the Messenger from Turning the Weak Away and the Order to Honor Them
Allah said
وَلَا تَطۡرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالۡغَدَاةِ وَالۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُ
And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face.
meaning, do not turn away those who have these qualities, instead make them your companions and associates.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَاصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالۡغَدَاةِ وَالۡعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الۡحَيَوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُ فُرُطًا
And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.(18:28)
Allah's statement,
يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم
(invoke their Lord...),
refers to those who worship Him and supplicate to Him,
بِالۡغَدَاةِ وَالۡعَشِيِّ
(morning and evening),
referring to the obligatory prayers, according to Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Qatadah.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُـمۡ ادۡعُونِى أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡ
And your Lord said, Invoke Me, I will respond (to your invocation). (40:60)
I will accept your supplication.
Allah said next,
يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُ
(seeking His Face),
meaning, they seek Allah's Most Generous Face, by sincerity for Him in the acts of worship and obedience they perform.
Allah said;
مَا عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيۡءٍ وَمَا مِنۡ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن شَيۡءٍ
You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing,
This is similar to the answer Nuh gave to his people when they said,
أَنُوۡمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاَۡرۡذَلُونَ
(Shall we believe in you, when the meekest (of the people) follow you! (26:111) Nuh answered them,
قَالَ وَمَا عِلۡمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعۡمَلُونَ
إِنۡ حِسَابُهُمۡ إِلاَّ عَلَى رَبِّي لَوۡ تَشۡعُرُونَ
And what knowledge have I of what they used to do! Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know. (26:112-113)
meaning, their reckoning is for Allah not me, just as my reckoning is not up to them.
Allah said here,
فَتَطۡرُدَهُمۡ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
that you may turn them away, and thus become of the wrongdoers.
meaning, you will be unjust if you turn them away.
Allah's statement
وَكَذَلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعۡضَهُم بِبَعۡضٍ
Thus We have tried some of them with others!
means, We tested, tried and checked them with each other,
لِّيَقُولواۡ أَهَـوُلاء مَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن بَيۡنِنَا
That they might say:Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us!
This is because at first, most of those who followed the Messenger of Allah were the weak among the people, men, women, slaves, and only a few chiefs or noted men followed him.
Nuh, was also addressed by his people
مَا نَرَاكَ إِلاَّ بَشَرًا مِّثۡلَنَا وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمۡ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأۡيِ
(Nor do we see any follow you but the meekest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking). (11:27)
Heraclius, emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan, Do the noblemen or the weak among people follow him (Muhammad)?
Abu Sufyan replied, Rather the weak among them.
Heraclius commented, Such is the case with followers of the Messengers.
The idolators of Quraysh used to mock the weak among them who believed in the Prophet and they even tortured some of them. They used to say, Are these the ones whom Allah favored above us, meaning, Allah would not guide these people, instead of us, to all that is good, if indeed what they embraced is good.
Allah mentioned similar statements in the Qur'an from the disbelievers,
لَوۡ كَانَ خَيۡراً مَّا سَبَقُونَأ إِلَيۡهِ
Had it been a good thing, they (weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it! (46:11)
and,
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَى عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَـتُنَا بِيِّنَـتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ أَىُّ الۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ خَيۡرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحۡسَنُ نَدِيّاً
And when Our clear verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe:Which of the two groups is best in position and station. (19:73)
Allah said in reply,
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُمۡ مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءۡياً
And how many a generation (past nations) have We destroyed before them, who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance. (19:74)
Here, Allah answered the disbelievers when they said,
أَهَـوُلاء مَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن بَيۡنِنَا
أَلَيۡسَ اللّهُ بِأَعۡلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِينَ
Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us! Does not Allah know best those who are grateful!
Meaning is not Allah more knowledgeable of those who thank and appreciate Him in statement, action and heart!
Thus Allah directs these believers to the ways of peace, transfers them from darkness to light by His leave, and guides them to the straight path.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَالَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواۡ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
As for those who strive hard for Us (Our cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allah's religion). And verily, Allah is with the doers of good. (29:69)
An authentic Hadith states,
إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنۡظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمۡ وَلَا إِلَى أَلۡوَانِكُمۡ وَلَكِنۡ يَنۡظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمۡ وَأَعۡمَالِكُم
Allah does not look at your shapes or colors, but He looks at your heart and actions.
Allah's statement,
وَإِذَا ءكَ الَّذِينَ يُوۡمِنُونَ بِأيَاتِنَا فَقُلۡ سَلَمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ
When those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say:Salamun `Alaykum (peace be on you);
means, honor them by returning the Salam and give them the good news of Allah's exclusive, encompassing mercy for them.
So Allah said;
...
كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلَى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ
your Lord has written Mercy for Himself,
meaning, He has obliged His Most Honored Self to grant mercy, as a favor, out of His compassion and beneficence,
...
أَنَّهُ مَن عَمِلَ مِنكُمۡ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ
So that, if any of you does evil in ignorance...
as every person who disobeys Allah does it in ignorance,
...
ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعۡدِهِ وَأَصۡلَحَ
and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds,
by repenting from the sins that he committed, intending not to repeat the sin in the future, but to perform righteous deeds,
...
فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَمَّا قَضَى اللهُ الۡخَلۡقَ كَتَبَ فِي كِتَابٍ فَهُوَ عِنۡدَهُ فَوۡقَ الۡعَرۡشِ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتِي غَلَبَتۡ غَضَبِي
When Allah finished with the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne, `My mercy prevails over My anger'.
This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.
The Prophet Understands What He Conveys; Torment is in Allah's Hands Not the Prophet's
Allah says, just as We mentioned the clear signs that testify and direct to the path of guidance, all the while chastising useless arguments and defiance,
وَكَذَلِكَ نفَصِّلُ الايَاتِ
And thus do We explain the Ayat in detail,
that is, whatever responsible adults need explained to them, in the affairs of life and religion,
وَلِتَسۡتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ الۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
That the way of the criminals may become manifest.
so that the path of the criminals who defy the Prophets is apparent and clear.
This Ayah was also said to mean, so that you, O Muhammad, are aware of the path of the criminals.
Allah's statement,
قُلۡ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنۡ أَعۡبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ
قُل لاَّ أَتَّبِعُ أَهۡوَاءكُمۡ قَدۡ ضَلَلۡتُ إِذًا وَمَا أَنَاۡ مِنَ الۡمُهۡتَدِينَ
Say:I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke (worship) besides Allah.
Say:I will not follow your vain desires. If I did, I would go astray, and I would not be one of the rightly guided.
Allah's statement
قُلۡ إِنِّي عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي
Say:I am on clear proof from my Lord...
means:I have a clear understanding of the Law of Allah that He has revealed to me,
وَكَذَّبۡتُم بِهِ
but you deny it.
meaning, but you disbelieve in the truth that came to me from Allah.
مَا عِندِي مَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِهِ
I do not have what you are hastily seeking,
meaning, the torment,
إِنِ الۡحُكۡمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ
The decision is only for Allah,
for the ruling of this is with Allah. If He wills, He will punish you soon in response to your wish! If He wills, He will give you respite, out of His great wisdom.
This is why Allah said,
يَقُصُّ الۡحَقَّ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ الۡفَاصِلِينَ
He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.
and the best in reckoning between His servants.
Allah's statement
قُل لَّوۡ أَنَّ عِندِي مَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِيَ الَامۡرُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ
Say:If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I,
means, if I have what you ask for, I will surely send down what you deserve of it,
وَاللّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِالظَّالِمِينَ
but Allah knows best the wrongdoers.
Someone might ask about the meaning of this Ayah compared to the Hadith in the Two Sahihs, from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that;
she said to the Messenger, O Allah's Messenger ! Have you encountered a day harder than the day (of the battle) of Uhud?
The Prophet replied,
لَقَدۡ لَقِيتُ مِنۡ قَوۡمِكِ وَكَانَ أَشَدَّ مَا لَقِيتُ مِنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡعَقَبَةِ إِذۡ عَرَضۡتُ نَفۡسِي عَلَى ابۡنِ عَبۡدِيَالِيلَ بۡنِ عَبۡدِكُلَلٍ فَلَمۡ يُجِبۡنِي إِلَى مَا أَرَدۡتُ فَانۡطَلَقۡتُ وَأَنَا مَهۡمُومٌ عَلَى وَجۡهِي فَلَمۡ أَسۡتَفِقۡ إِلاَّ بِقَرۡنِ الثَّعَالِبِ فَرَفَعۡتُ رَأۡسِي فَإِذَا أَنَا بِسَحَاَبَةٍ قَدۡ ظَلَّلَتۡنِي
Your people have troubled me a lot and the worst trouble was on the day of Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn Abd Yalil bin Abd Kulal, who did not respond to my call. So I departed, overwhelmed with severe sorrow, proceeded on and could not relax until I found myself at Qarn Ath-Tha`alib where I raised my head towards the sky to see a cloud unexpectedly shading me.
فَنَظَرۡتُ فَإِذَا فِيهَا جِبۡرِيلُ عَلَيۡهِ السَّلَمُ فَنَادَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله قَدۡ سَمِعَ قَوۡلَ قَوۡمِكَ لَكَ وَمَا رَدُّوا عَلَيۡكَ وَقَدۡ بَعَثَ إِلَيۡكَ مَلَكَ الۡجِبَالِ لِتَأۡمُرَهُ بِمَا شِيۡتَ فِيهِمۡ
I looked up and ﷺ Jibril in it and he called me saying, `Indeed Allah has heard what you said to the people and what they have responded to you. Therefore, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.'
فَنَادَانِي مَلَكُ الۡجِبَالِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدۡ سَمِعَ قَوۡلَ قَوۡمِكَ لَكَ وَقَدۡ بَعَثَنِي رَبُّكَ إِلَيۡكَ لِتَأۡمُرَنِي بِأَمۡرِكَ فِيمَا شِيۡتَ إِنۡ شِيۡتَ أَطۡبَقۡتُ عَلَيۡهِمُ الاَۡخۡشَبَيۡن
The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, `O Muhammad! verily, Allah has heard how your people responded to you and He has sent me to you so that you could order me to do what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabayn (two mountains to the north and south of Makkah) fall on them.'
فَقَالَ
رَسُولَُ
اللهَ
بَلۡ أَرۡجُو أَنۡ يُخۡرِجَ اللهُ مِنۡ أَصۡلَبِهِمۡ مَنۡ يَعۡبُدُ اللهَ لَا يُشۡرِكُ بِهِ شَيۡيًا
The Prophet said, No, but I hope that Allah will let them generate offspring who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship none besides Him.
This is the wording of Muslim.
Tormenting the disbelievers of Quraysh was offered to the Prophet, but he chose patience and asked Allah for respite for them, so that Allah might let them generate offspring who will not associate anything with Him in worship.
Therefore, how can we combine the meaning of this Hadith and the honorable Ayah,
قُل لَّوۡ أَنَّ عِندِي مَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِيَ الَامۡرُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ وَاللّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِالظَّالِمِينَ
Say:If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I, but Allah knows best the wrongdoers.
The answer to this question is, Allah knows the best, that the Ayah states that if the punishment that they asked for was in the Prophet's hand at the time, he would have sent it on them as they asked.
As for the Hadith, the disbelievers did not ask the Prophet to send the torment down on them. Rather, the angel responsible for the mountains offered him the choice to let the two mountains to the north and south of Makkah close in on the disbelievers and crush them. The Prophet did not wish that and asked for respite out of compassion for them.
Only Allah Knows the Unseen
Allah said next
وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ
And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Salim bin Abdullah said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَفَاتِيحُ الۡغَيۡبِ خَمۡسٌ لَا يَعۡلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ الله
The keys of the Unseen are five and none except Allah knows them:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلۡمُ السَّاعَةِ
وَيُنَزِّلُ الۡغَيۡثَ
وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرۡحَامِ
وَمَا تَدۡرِى نَفۡسٌ مَّاذَا تَكۡسِبُ غَداً
وَمَا تَدۡرِى نَفۡسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرۡضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour,
He sends down the rain,
and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow,
and no person knows in what land he will die.
Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. (31:34)
Allah's statement,
وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي الۡبَرِّ وَالۡبَحۡرِ
And He knows whatever there is on the land and in the sea;
means, Allah's honored knowledge encompasses everything, including the creatures living in the sea and on land, and none of it, not even the weight of an atom on earth or in heaven, ever escapes His knowledge.
Allah's statement,
وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعۡلَمُهَا
not a leaf falls, but He knows it.
means, He knows the movements of everything including inanimate things. Therefore, what about His knowledge of the living creatures, especially, those whom the Divine laws have been imposed upon such as mankind and the Jinns.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
يَعۡلَمُ خَأيِنَةَ الاٌّعۡيُنِ وَمَا تُخۡفِى الصُّدُورُ
Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal. (40:19)
وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الَارۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.
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