Interpretation of the Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur'an E-Book

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Interpretation of Tabarak Part (The Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur’an)
Authored by the Great Humane Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (His soul has been sanctified by Al’lah)
Checked and introduced by the researcher and thinker Prof. A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani.

Contents:

• Foreword by the Educator Prof. A. K. John, alias al-Dayrani.
• Interpretation of Fortress 67‎ (AL-MULK SURAH).
• Interpretation of Fortress 68‎ (AL-QALAM SURAH).
• Interpretation of Fortress 69 (AL-HAQQA SURAH‏(‏‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 70‎ (AL-MA’ARIJ SURAH).
• Interpretation of Fortress 71‎ (NUH SURAH).
• Interpretation of Fortress 72‎ (AL-JINN SURAH)‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 73‎ (AL-MUZZAMMIL SURAH)‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 74 (AL-MUDDATHTHIR SURAH)‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 75‎ (AL-QIYAMA SURAH)‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 76‎ (AL-INSAN SURAH)‎.
• Interpretation of Fortress 77‎ ‎‎(AL-MURSALAT SURAH).

Leseprobe

Mohammad Amin Sheikho, A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

Interpretation of the Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur'an

Tabarak Part [Part 19]

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

About the Book

Interpretation of the Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur’an

Tabarak Part [Part 19]

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Authored by

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

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Checked and Introduced by

Prof. A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

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English Language Editing by

S. M. Hopkins

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Copyright © Amin-sheikho.com

Foreword by the Educator Prof. A. K. John, alias al-Dayrani

Praises are to God, the Provider of all worlds; best and perfect communication with Him and peace are attained by means of the shining lamp Mohammad (cpth) [1] who was sent as a mercy for all worlds, and through all his brothers in Prophecy and his companions.

The earth now floats over a flood of misery and pain; life has become bitter and loathsome and humanity is mired in a vast swamp of gloominess and purposeless endeavour. People do not know the starting point nor do they know what end awaits them.

Today’s pervasive culture of consuming and coveting has made humanity listless, for all the merchandise we desire is trite and corrupt and in the end only creates boredom and disgust in human spirits, since there is no actual benefit to these purchases, they are just things to have. The same is true for humanity’s sciences which have turned into inhumane sciences, focused on more efficient killing, destruction, and even extermination, they bring only arbitrariness and injustice to this world.

In fact, before the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al’lah) revealed the sublime reality of the Islamic religion, the majority of people held misunderstandings about Islam. They had fallen prey to false interpretations and misleading stories, including contradictory explanations of the Holy Qur’an. This led to the religion, as perceived by public opinion, being forced into an inflexible and inaccurate mold, a portrayal of Islam inadequate for the needs and requirements of the age and incompatible with the intellectual currents; a religion that falls short when confronted with many modern problems and offers no answers for the many serious questions facing people today.

This faulty representation of Islam thus caused the majority of Muslims to abandon their Holy Book and religion. God says, ‘And the Envoy said, “Oh, my Lord, my people have turned their back to this Qur’an.” ’ [2]

Thus, people were susceptible to theories such as Karl Marx’s pronouncement that ‘Religion is the opium for the masses.’ These false conjectures gained favour in people’s minds; worse, people believed that religion is merely rhetorical words with a hollow message, only a theory and not something applicable to their existence. They believed trying to apply religion to their lives would destroy human society. They see that these promises of Paradise which religions offer are merely castles made of sand, awaiting only the turn of the tide to meet their destruction.

This increasing shift toward godlessness led some to declare that the time of religion was over; and thus many people turned to lay laws to create rules in harmony with their whims, desires and greed.

And so things grew worse: one crisis followed another on all levels and in all fields, bringing down communities, sinking nations to the lowest level and throwing countries into bankruptcy. Thus has suppression prevailed and civilisation fallen down after it was the hope of humanity to bring back the lost garden.

But even that was not the end of the world, for unexpectedly the world shook and the spirit of the earth trembled with joy. A heavenly luminary shone over the earth that changed notions and concepts and even the course of history.

This luminary turned heads and inspired bows as it illuminated the fields of thought and presented solutions to problems which had previously baffled the national intellect. It extricated the world’s thoughts from its loss, devotion to materialism and blind dependency and cleansed religious thought of all imperfections, contradictions and differences.

If humanity seeks guidance by this star, the legislation will return pure and clear just as it was upon its birth, flowing over with good and blessings throughout day and night. The new luminosity revealed by the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al’lah) made the twentieth-century philosopher Sir John Bennett declare in 1953, ‘Indeed, all the scientific knowledge that we have obtained do not equal the sea of scientific understanding of that great scholar in the Orient.’ [3]

And here are some jewels from the great revelations of Scholar Sheikho:

❝The impeccability of the masters of creatures, the great Prophets and Envoys (cptt). [4] The scholar proved that these men are completely immaculate. They never fall into error and it is impossible for them to be at fault, make a mistake or be wrong in any matter. Therefore no one at all may have control over them. The Holy Qur’an described them that, ‘They do not speak till He has spoken, and they act by His Command.’ [5]

❝Cupping, the simplest of all medical surgeries, has occupied the place of honour among all other medical sciences as it renders all cures by only a few incisions from a scalpel.

This Prophetic Sunna, which scholar Sheikho brought to light once again in the year 2000, drives away all the incurable diseases for which modern medicine could offer neither treatment nor cure, including hereditary diseases (such as hemophilia), cancer, immune system diseases, irreversible conditions (including paralysis and sterility). Thus the hand of Prophecy presented cure, good health, well-being and protection for all humankind and thereby brought a smile and hopeful words to lips that have long been suffering ailments and pains with no expectation of relief.

❝One of the scholar’s great revelations is the necessity of the pronunciation of the statement ‘Al’lah is Greater’ over animals when they are being slaughtered. This makes the meat we and our sweet children eat become pure and free of any germs, viruses or any other pathogenic factors and consequently spares us and our families suffering and disease. What is more, this pronunciation was the decisive word which protected the abundance of animal life in Syria and put an end to the epidemics and plagues that threatened to decimate it. This is a fact, it was proven in the large slaughterhouse of Dooma [Near the city of Damascus, Syria] when the slaughters abided by always pronouncing the statement ‘Al’lah is Greater’ over the poultry, sheep and calves killed therein. Had this measure been practiced in the other countries of the world they would have not been smitten with mad cow, bird flu and sheep plague nor would they have been obliged to throw their animals into fire instead of enjoying their production and gaining the benefits of eating them. [6]

❝The sources of spring water in the world. All the technology of civilisation, its instruments and sciences could not discover the source of the fresh, pure thirst-quenching water that all humanity drinks. As for our most erudite human, he unveiled this great scientific theory when he demonstrated that the ice of the north and south poles is the source of the water of all the springs.

❝Not to mention, his wondrous explanation of the meanings of the first Fortress (Surah) of the Holy Qur’an (al-Fatiha) and all the other Fortresses, the matter with which he surpassed all other religious scholars.

❝The wisdom of the Grand Creator behind the need to circumcise males and behind His perfect creation of the foreskin, a matter that baffled the masters of medicine. The august scholar clarified that the Godly Perfection requires the creation of the foreskin while the male embryo is in his mother’s womb. And then it requires it be cut after birth. This insightful discovery was completely unknown to all people of medicine until the great humane master revealed it.

❝In the field of economics, the scholar explained how the theory of the distribution of almsgiving among those who deserve it (al-Zakat) offers the singular solution for all the economic problems that so thoroughly shake the world. He elucidated how to avoid these problems and even how to come out of them. This theory ‘the distribution of the portions of almsgiving’ annihilates all the destructive economic theories pertaining to godlessness. It produces mercy, love and peace for all humanity of our age and puts an end to poverty, misery, enmity and loss.

❝In fields of social sciences and psychology, he clarified the ways to avoid all manner of spiritual disease and desperation, and how to be cured of them forever – although all sciences of the East and West failed to treat them. Nevertheless, the scientists and scholars did not ponder on the great knowledge the scholar presented and explained, nor did they perceive the benefits and advantages his suggestions would have brought. Had they done so, people would now live in Paradise on this earth and happiness and bliss would prevail all over the world.

❝The venerable scholar is the only man who not only unveiled the tricks and malice of the magicians, but is also able to root out magic and destroy it. This is manifested in his book Unveiling the Secrets of Magic and Magicians.

❝In linguistics, the scholar gave value to the vowel points of the Qur’anic letter when he clarified what it holds of significance and indications that inspire in spirits great appreciation for the Words of the Grand God. This is in addition to the value he gave to the letter itself and the whole word, nay to every Fortress and verse of the Qur’an. Above all, he interpreted the Fortresses in a way that showed what they include of plot, correlation, meanings and heart visions, revealing they are similar to the plot and correlation of the strictly precise cosmic order. This correlation put in our minds that the Maker of the universe and the Sayer of these holy Words is one and the same, that is the Great God (Glory to Him).

By virtue of this amazing illustration of the meanings of the Qur’an, many people on diverse continents of the earth have, in these days, begun to turn in spirit towards the Omnipotent Creator and to see with His Light. If only humanity as a whole gave heed to this guideline, they would follow the Words of the Grand God and walk on the straight path. They would bear the stamp of truth because of what they would know of truth and would guide each other to what is right. And then, their spirits would perceive and realise that this revelation (the Holy Qur’an) is in agreement with the Perfection of He (Glory to Him), with His Beautiful Names and Supreme Self, as well as they would comprehend its suitability for all the present modern communities.

❝To God belong the Supreme Names; and so whatever comes from Him always includes good and charity. From His Side, no evil and no ill may ever issue. There is no wrong in the universe, for the judgement of justice prevails over all creation. Humans have their own choice and determination, but the action is controlled by God alone, the Almighty Who revealed these Words (the Holy Qur’an).

It is a fact that the Hand of God holds the reins of all His creation and servants. He does not give authority to one human over another unless the latter deserves be punished because of some evil he committed. A wronged person is absolutely a wrongdoer in his reality.

How many times have we seen powerful people treating others wrongfully; but even in this justice manifests itself. This is because those whom we think ill-treated have, in fact, surely transgressed against other people weaker than they are and therefore they have rightfully fallen victim to the hands of people endowed with more power than they possess.

Comparatively, no one has control over those who are on the right way. This is a firm law which applies to all people, individuals and nations. God says, ‘Thus we let some of the wrongdoers have power over others because of what they are wont to earn.’ [7]

Accordingly, injustice befalls only those who deserve it. When one merits no injustice, no one will rule over them. The Almighty also says, ‘What does Al’lah gain by your punishment if you are grateful [in offering good acts] and you believe? Al’lah is Worthy of thanks and Omniscient.’ [8]

But what is certain is that those who do wrong do so only to themselves. For Al’lah does exist, and since He exists there is no injustice among His creatures at all. In a holy saying, the Almighty tells us, ‘Oh My obedient followers, I have decreed injustice to be forbidden to My Self and made it so among you.’[Narrated by Muslim.]

This absolute truth, which states that there is no injustice in the universe, was not revealed by any man before our humane scholar. [9]

In this interpretation of the Holy Qur’an concerning the Tabarak part, which we understood through his lofty and supreme reasoning, gentle readers will perceive, as they perceived before in the interpretation of the Am’ma part, that Al’lah’s Love for humanity knows no bounds and that His Orders and Actions include absolute logic, sheer goodness and perfect humanity.

❝The scholar also showed the wisdom and the compassion that are folded within Islam’s pronouncements on the veil, divorce and polygamy. The misunderstanding of the benevolent knowledge behind these issues created a negative reputation for Islam and became a tremendous obstacle that spurred the West turn their back on the religion. But when some of those who turned away understood the high purpose behind these issues, they acknowledged their sublimity and set to support them seriously, even translating them to different languages so that others might also comprehend.

These are only a few of the revelations of our venerable scholar; there are many others.

And today a new heavenly sun of his great revelation has risen to allow us to bask in the beautiful light of an interpretation of the Tabarak part of the Qur’an that implants in our hearts love for the Great God and fills them with appreciation for His limitless Favour.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds

FORTRESS 67 (AL-MULK SURAH)

CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1}Blessed are the Graces of He Who holds control of the universe in His Hands and Who does all things with proper judgement; {2}Who has created death and life so that He may test which of you excels. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving, {3}Who has created seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last. You will never find any fault with what the All-Compassionate creates. Look again! Do you see any flaws? {4}Look again and again! Your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated.

{5}We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and made of them missiles to throw at devils; We have prepared for these fiends the torment that they deserve. {6}Those who do not believe in their Provider will inevitably suffer the torment of Gehenna [Hell], a grievous destination. {7}When they are thrown into it, they will hear its deafening howl. It blazes forth, {8}bursting with fury. Every time a group is thrown in, its keepers will ask, ‘Did no one ever come to warn you?’ {9}Those who did not believe will answer, ‘Yes, indeed a warner did come to us, but we didn’t believe him and said [to him], “Al’lah has revealed nothing, you are greatly misguided.” ’ {10}They will say, ‘If only we had listened, or reasoned [for ourselves], we would not be with the companions of the Fire that we deserve!’ [10] {11}In this way they will confess their sins. A terrible and deserved punishment awaits the companions of the Fire! {12}But those who come to revere their Lord, upon perceiving realities hidden [from people], will receive forgiveness and a great reward.

{13}Whether you speak privately or openly, He knows the contents of every heart. {14}How could He Who created not know His own creation, when He is the Most Kind, the All-Aware? {15}It is He Who has made the earth hospitable for you; so travel its regions and eat His Provision. It is His to distribute and allot as He wishes. {16}Are you absolutely sure that He, Who is in Heaven, will not cause the earth to collapse beneath you, that the ground will not tremble violently and swallow you up? {17}Are you confident that He, Who is in Heaven, will not send a terrible storm to rain down on you? In this way you will know what My Warning means.

{18}Those who went before them also disbelieved [the Envoys of Al’lah], so what was their punishment for denying Me? {19}Have they never noticed the birds soaring above them, spreading and folding their wings? Nothing holds them aloft except the All-Compassionate; He watches over everything. {20}Who else but the All-Compassionate could help you with an army? The non-believers are deluded. {21}If Al’lah should deny you His Benefits, who else could provide for you? Yet they continue to wallow in their pride and refuse to hear the truth. {22}Who is better guided: he who falls flat on his face, or he who stands tall and walks a straight road?

{23}Say [oh Mohammad], ‘It is He Who made you; He Who endowed you with hearing, sight and hearts. But you do not offer even the smallest thanks!’ {24}Say, ‘It is He Who scattered you across the earth, and you will be gathered back to Him [in the Hereafter].’ {25}They say [scornfully], ‘When will this Promise be fulfilled, if you are telling the truth?’ {26}Reply [oh Mohammad], ‘Only Al’lah knows the exact time [of the Hour of destruction]: my only duty is to give clear warning.’ {27}When they realise that the time [foretold] is close, the faces of those who disbelieve will show their misery and they will be told, ‘This is what you refused to believe.’ {28}Say [oh Mohammad], ‘Just think – regardless of whether Al’lah destroys me and my followers or shows us His Mercy – who would possibly protect the non-believers from an agonising torment?’ {29}Say, ‘He is the All-Compassionate; we believe in Him and we trust in Him. Eventually you will come to understand who is obviously in the wrong.’ {30}Say [oh Mohammad], ‘Just think: if your water [that sustains you] were to soak deep into the earth, then who could supply you with the fresh water you require?’

Interpretation of Fortress 67

CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE

(AL-MULK SURAH)

{1}

Blessed are the Graces of He - The generosity and abundance of Al’lah are endless. He is the One Who sows boundless and abundant goodness into all things; thus it is only through Him that a wheat kernel matures into ears of corn, and a seed renders fruit. Likewise has the Lord of the worlds taken a single drop of sperm and from it populated the entire earth. Al’lah has always and will always abundantly provide for them; His Blessing and Benevolence never cease.

This verse also has particular relevance for the believers who are on the right path, those who listened to the words of the Envoy [The word ‘Envoy’ also means ‘Messenger.’] (cpth) [11] and heeded them. Their spirits quivered with fear as they contemplated death and understood it was inevitable that they would one day leave this world. With this realisation, their obedience to Al’lah became unshakable. They turned completely away from the unlawful, refusing to watch or speak of that which Al’lah forbids. Instead they contemplated the wonders around them, the universe, the planets and galaxies, the sun and the moon, until they could not help but believe in God and witness that there is no god but Al’lah. And to such believers Al’lah always bestows more – more knowledge, paradises, and happiness – an ever increasing enjoyment and understanding which allows them to ascend from one degree of Paradise to higher and more blissful levels as their understanding of the Divine deepens and expands through His Revelations.

He Who holds control of the universe in His Hands - Oh Man! Ask yourself: Whose hands rule the universe?

If you objectively and intellectually consider this question you must realise and witness that the One Who gives without limit and bestows without boundary is the One Whose Hands hold the control and Who directs and manages all affairs with perfect competence. Think about it. Who nurtures the tiny seed into a majestic tree? Nay, into a forest? Who masters and dispatches the elements? Who crafted the entire universe and every single thing in it? Who nourishes it and keeps it running smoothly?

And Who does all things with proper judgement - In other words, every gift bestowed by Al’lah is given to you, oh Man, strictly in measure with what you have earned.

In the second verse, God shares more insight, continuing to acquaint us with Himself.

{2}

Who has created death and life - God first created the spirits, then fastened them to the spines of men and sent them to live on earth. But the full explanation is that the spirits chose to indulge in their desires and turn away from Him, thus disconnected, they began to descend into darkness and oblivion. Merciful Al’lah stopped their freefall and, although their actions made them forfeit their lives in Paradise, He attached them to the spine of our master Adam (pth),[(pth) is an acronym for ‘peace is through him.’ ] and sent them to the physical world, halting their downward spiral.

This verse explains the fate of the spirits who turned away from Al’lah. In al-Azal, the pre-material world, some spirits succumbed to the temptations of lust and therefore drifted far away from the Presence of Al’lah. They forsook their Provider, and their isolation from Al’lah, the Almighty, rendered them spiritually lifeless. [12] To halt their fall and give them a second chance, [13] Al’lah (Glory to Him) dispatched these spirits to the world in our present form – the human body – so they might have the opportunity to regain purity of heart and eternal life. Thus, if those chosen few, the spirits who bear the Trust, wish to recover the heart life that was lost when they turned away from God in al-Azal, they have only to contemplate the universe until they come to believe in God, and they must love Al’lah’s Envoy (cpth) who is the ideal for humankind. Only then will they return to their Provider and receive again the gift of heart life.

God has created death and life, so that He may test - That is, He has created a context for humankind, an environment in which He may observe and examine the accomplishment of people to see which of you excels. - And which of you falls short in good deeds. This is the sole reason for our existence in this world. The Lord of the worlds created humanity and placed us in this setting because He wishes us to perform good works and selfless acts so that He can reward us with paradises. In short, He has put us here that we might achieve happiness. And since that is God’s Purpose and Goal, every human being should believe that all that happens in this life is for their benefit and leads only to what is good for them.

He is the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving - That is, He is the Individual Being, the Regulator of affairs and the only Source of goodness. The Lord of the worlds has created and organised the universe with the specific goal that its perfection and harmony might encourage you to contemplate it for your own good. Thus if you meditate upon it earnestly, you will gain blessings, paradises and happiness from Him, the Exalted.

To say ‘All-Forgiving’ signifies ‘the Healer.’ It is He (Glory to Him) Who cures the human spirit of its affliction, delivers it from the filthy stain of wretched lust which has tarnished humans since al-Azal, the pre-material world. Al’lah wants to restore your spirit and heal it of its sickness – its love for this world – so that you will be fit to return to Him and rejoice in what awaits you there.

{3}

Who has created seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last. - The heavens are connected to each other and similar in goodness, but they are also separate and layered, one above the other, like steps on a staircase leading ever higher. Consider the sky as an illustration, the sun and moon both reside there, yet the sun swims within a heaven that is much higher and farther away, while the moon lingers within a heaven close to us, but still above that of the clouds, which also loll in an adjacent sky but lower still. Oh Man! With this example can you see the harmony of creation and function which exists just for you?

You will never find any fault with what the All-Compassionate creates. - All creation is in consistent harmony, you will not find anything which is incompatible with its surroundings. Instead all that the universe contains is symbiotic, intertwined and interconnected, working and functioning together in perfect rhythm. Oh Man! Consider Whose Hand created all these beings, Who supplies this interwoven universe and keeps it functioning seamlessly? Since Al’lah has stocked this entire world solely for your well-being, shouldn’t you turn to Him and seek closeness? He is the Almighty, He offers you food and drink, and ensures your comfort and happiness with His Generosity.

Look again! Do you see any flaws? - Observe the universe and think deeply about what you see. Do you see any flaws? - Are there any shortcomings or instabilities in the whole of the universe? Is anything inconsistent or damaged or even just out of sync? No, of course not, everything is precisely and particularly intertwined with everything else. For example, fruit may grow from a seed, but this cannot happen unless the seed receives air, sun and water in proper quantities. Without these elements, it would remain forever a seed, yet Al’lah has thoughtfully provided not only the seed but all that it needs to flourish as well.

{4}

Look again and again! - That is, look as much as you like, high and low and from different angles and places and still your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated. - You will find only unity in this universe, no matter how diligently you search for exceptions. Weak and defeated. - No matter how you strain your eyes searching for discord, they will detect nothing, and find only exhaustion in the end. It does not matter how meticulously you examine the universe, there simply are no flaws to find. Rather, your vision will be overwhelmed and exhausted before you will find a single imperfection or instability. And in the end, your strained eyes will be unable to see the Almighty’s many creations or gaze upon His innumerable Bounties.

Likewise if a person meditates upon the harmony of the universe, he will undoubtedly come to believe in the Provider and then he will love the people of perfection[14] and especially the master of those people, the Envoy of Al’lah (cpth). The beliefs which arise from contemplating the universe will lead a person to join with Mohammad (cpth) and emulate him. This companionship with the Envoy (cpth) then helps that person to witness the pervasiveness of God’s Light through His Supreme Names in every part of His creation. Then your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated. - For when someone uses their spiritual eyes instead of their physical ones, they can at last truly observe the Light of Al’lah and the light of the Envoy (cpth), and thus will they see truly, and recognise good as good and evil as evil. The Light of Al’lah will illuminate their thoughts so they finally understand that this world is despicable and worthless in its own right, and that everything of value comes from Al’lah, the Almighty.

When you see this with your spiritual eyes and truly understand, then you will be humbled by what you have seen: weak and defeated.

A human might dwell in the past, fretting and regretting what they wasted and lost before they saw the Light of Al’lah and understood what is truly important. They will berate themselves and wish that they had discovered the truth sooner, instead of wasting years of their life in ignorant darkness.

{5}

We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps - That is, the closest heaven was carefully and intentionally embellished with twinkling orbs, and made of them missiles to throw at devils - These neighbouring celestial bodies may hurl forth meteors like weapons to singe those devils who presume to eavesdrop on the angels in heaven. Similarly, a person who follows the path of our master Abraham (pth) and eventually attains the Presence of our Provider also achieves a spiritual connection with Al’lah’s Envoy (cpth), who is the firm link to Al’lah. Protected by this connection, these believers are safe from devils who can neither approach them nor enter their spirits. These believers are beyond the seduction of worldly pleasures because they receive from Al’lah such vast and unimagined wonderments and rewards that this world ceases to interest them and they are easily able to resist its temptations. Such believers scorch the devils with their own light and the light of the Envoy (cpth).

The rest of this noble verse declares, We have prepared for these fiends the torment that they deserve - Thus We are assured that on the Day of Resurrection these devils will receive an appropriate torment. All punishments meted out to the non-believers on that Day will be different and individually tailored, varying in severity and length according to the spirits they harbour. Each spirit must accept their share of the Fire, allotted according to what it deserves, as determined by the scope of its disease and the worthlessness of deeds rendered in its earthly life.

{6}

Those who do not believe in their Provider - Those who do not devote serious thought to their Lord and see clearly by the Light of God, frequently, in their ignorance, commit transgressions and crimes. These culprits have failed to acquaint themselves with the One Who sustains them and nourishes them, providing water and food.

Such people will inevitably suffer the torment of Gehenna[15] [Hell] - In the beginning Al’lah offered humanity an elevated status but humans squandered the benefit bestowed upon them and so forfeited their privileged position. In time, those who do not believe will realise their mistake and be consumed by remorse and anguish for their grievous error. A grievous destination. - Because they did not believe their evil actions will haunt them and they will endure misery and suffer the Fire.

{7}

When they are thrown into it, they will hear its deafening howl. - Fire is a spirit just as you are. On Doomsday, it will cry in confusion, demanding of the unbelievers, ‘Why did you come to me? You forsook your Provider and your Paradise and come instead to me, although I possess nothing!’ It will speak thus because it grieves for them and the terrible anguish they will endure when boiling in its flames. So, it blazes forth - The Fire rages strongly.

{8}

Bursting with fury. - The terrible fury the Fire will feel for these non-believers will cause its intensity to increase so drastically that it will come close to exploding into harmless, scattered particles and ceasing to exist. Every time a group is thrown in, its keepers - The angels will ask, ‘Did no one ever come to warn you?’ - The merciful angels will ask the unbelievers with great concern, ‘Didn’t Al’lah, the Almighty, send Envoys to warn you and lead you on the correct path? Why then did you not believe? Why did you refuse to align yourselves with Al’lah through these Envoys and thus avoid the terrible end which now awaits you?’

{9}

Those who did not believe will answer, ‘Yes, indeed a warner did come to us, but we didn’t believe him - Or follow his guidelines, ‘and said [to him], “Al’lah has revealed nothing - The disbelievers will admit they claimed that the Envoy who was sent to them was not credible and that Almighty Al’lah had revealed nothing to him. They did not believe in God and therefore did not hesitate to call him a liar. Worse still, the disbelievers accused the Envoys of being ‘ “greatly misguided.” ’ - That is, the disbelievers pointed out that the Envoys understand nothing of the world or its pleasures.

Yet this phrase will be repeated at least once more, for on Doomsday the angels will again address the unbelievers and tell them, ‘ “You are greatly misguided.” ’ - Then the angels will say, ‘Today, your error has been magnified. Al’lah’s Envoys brought you countless reminders (of Paradise) in the worldly life and you could have benefited and gained a light for yourselves that would admit you into Paradise. But as of today your straying is irreversible, the means that were available to you in the worldly life are no longer at your disposal. Now, the universe and your physical body no longer exist and you are lost. It is no longer possible for you to perform the good deeds that might have brought you close to Al’lah (Glory to Him).’

{10}

They will say, ‘If only we had listened - That is, ‘If we had only paid attention to the Envoys and heeded the truth they offered us.’ The Envoys showed them the right path but the unbelievers ignored them and did not implement their teachings. Their ears heard but their hearts did not.

The ‘listening’ intended here is listening of the spirit, as referred to in the following verse when God says, ‘If you two[16] turn in repentance to Al’lah, your hearts have indeed listened.’ [17]

The unbelievers mistakenly assume that the material world has value. They believe that it offers happiness, pleasure, and comfort and do not see past these distractions to the reality beyond. They are blind to its cunning, deception, and hazards, for if they saw past the facade they would come to despise the debased world and seek truth and sincerity instead. Upon surrendering to these qualities, they would finally feel joy in their hearts. This joy had previously been denied to them because low and debased virtues go against human nature.

The non-believers will wish that they had heeded the Envoys of God ‘or reasoned - Thought carefully on their truthful words, for then ‘we would not be with the companions of the Fire that we deserve!’ - That is to say, if they had but listened to the Envoys they would not find themselves about to be thrown into Al’lah’s blazing Fire, to help them forget the torment of Gehenna (Hell) which burns their corrupted spirits, instead they would be joining the people of Paradise and happiness. If they had been open to the words of the Envoys and considered, practised, and realised what they heard, they would never have met with Gehenna and deserved Al’lah’s blazing Fire.

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In this way they will confess their sins. - But, what is the point of people confessing their sins in the Hereafter? Confessing them in the present world offers the chance of redemption and the possibility of escaping punishment. For example, when the brothers of our master Joseph (pth) sincerely confessed their faults and returned to Al’lah (Glory to Him) with true repentance they were elevated to higher ranks.

So what purpose would it serve to confess sins in the Hereafter, when there is no longer an opportunity to escape punishment?

Confession in the Hereafter is valuable because it helps the confessor to understand that any punishment they suffer is due entirely to their own misdeeds, and this knowledge is calming. This is an example of God’s Mercy for the unbelievers, a way He relieves their suffering. When they finally understand that their punishment is their own doing, they are able to accept their situation because they realise their predicament is entirely their own fault and no one else is to blame.

A terrible and deserved punishment awaits the companions of the Fire! - How terrible are the flames which will envelop them! But the cleansing Fire is not a pointless punishment, its function is to sear away the evil, wickedness, and arrogance which taints the spirits of these disbelievers. Only then they can turn towards Al’lah and purify their spirits so that they might gain admission to Paradise.

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But, those who come to revere their Lord, upon perceiving realities hidden [from people] - These believers are the ones who observe and consider the obvious perfection manifested in the universe, and witnessing this perfection, they fear Al’lah and submit to Him and follow the Envoys (ptt). [18] The Divine Presence was hidden from them; however, when the harbinger guided them to the way of belief they followed it. They deeply ponder and eventually come to believe, at that moment they will witness the Greatness of Al’lah and His Mercy. Then, certain of His Existence (Glory to Him) and aware that He is the Great Observer, they will not dare to disobey Him.

Thus, those believers will receive forgiveness - Those who heed the words of the Envoys (ptt) and follow their path to God’s Presence, will be forgiven their previous transgressions. Their spirits will be cured of disease, filth, and wicked desires and, thus purified, their sublime intentions will encourage them to perform great deeds for which they will receive a great reward.

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Whether you speak privately or openly - The choice is yours, oh Man! It doesn’t matter whether you keep your own counsel or you proclaim your thoughts to the world, He knows the contents of every heart. - Nothing is hidden from Al’lah, He is Cognizant of you and all your intentions.

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How could He Who created not know His own creation - Do you think that He Who created and formed you and even now provides for you knows nothing about you? Your soul is in His Hands (Glory to Him) and your nourishment comes from Him.

When He is the Most Kind - His Kindness surrounds you wherever you are. Al’lah is always gentle with humanity. He is the All-Aware - Al’lah is perpetually Aware of your condition and spirit. Al’lah has even dressed your spirit with a body. He made it, yet He allows you to move and manipulate it as you like. Al’lah has put it under your control so the body moves according to your spirit’s wishes. If He can do all of this, how would it even be possible for Him to not know everything about you?

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It is He Who has made the earth hospitable for you - That is, Al’lah has made the earth tame enough for you to thrive upon it. If you farm it and cultivate the land, it, in turn, yields produce for your sustenance. Al’lah (Glory to Him) has made this earth submissive to you. Whatever you do with it you will find no resistance, indeed it surrenders to your wishes. Yet in this world you will hear people claim, ‘We have subdued nature!’ Why would they challenge the Work of God?

So travel its regions - That is, walk all through this world on the path of righteousness. Should you stray from this straight path you will plunge into the carnal world and its pleasures and so ensnared you will soon forget Al’lah and lose your Paradise, and do yourself a grave injustice.

And eat His Provision. - Every single human being has an allotted portion; thus you should be reasonable when seeking provisions to meet your needs. If you allow yourself to become immersed in the carnal world, you will inevitably turn away from God and your spirit will become far removed from Him (Glory to Him). As a result, soon you will believe that humans feed each other, forgetting entirely that Al’lah is the Sustainer.

It is His to distribute and allot as He wishes. - It is He Who distributes resources over creation. If the rain should cease to fall, who can send it down again? It is Al’lah Who distributes these provisions among His servants, and every person receives what they deserve and what profits them.

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Are you absolutely sure that He, Who is in Heaven - ‘He’ is Al’lah (Glory to Him) Who reveals Himself to His obedient followers, will not cause the earth to collapse beneath you - That is, how can you be sure He won’t send earthquakes to plague you? Oh Man! All your science and technology is of this earth, so if the ground should give way beneath your feet, then all your knowledge and progress will crumble with it. Has all your progress and learning rendered you able to ward off even a small tremor or a storm? If you can’t do it by now, you will never be able to do it.

Are you sure that the ground will not tremble violently and swallow you up? - Suppose that an earthquake turns the earth upside down. At first you are held in place by its spinning, but then you are plunged into darkness and imprisoned in its depths, where you can hope for nothing but deprivation, pain, and suffering. Can anyone other than Al’lah (Glory to Him) save you?

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Are you confident that He, Who is in Heaven, will not send a terrible storm to rain down on you? - In a modern analogy, are you sure nuclear bombs won’t plummet from the sky leaving only destruction and nothingness? But this disaster will take place on the day of the Greatest Hour, [19] and in this way you will know what My Warning means. - On that day you will understand the harbinger’s mission and warning to humankind. When the Greatest Hour[20] is upon us, only then will you realise that everything the harbinger told you is true. No one spoke of the Greatest Hour or about Jesus (pth) except the Prophet Mohammad, and so any words other than his are only ignorant gossip. Worse! It would be even worse than the ignorance of Arabs in the time before Islam.

Oh Man! Do not mistake that these millions of people who feel self-satisfied and act confident are safely on the right path. They have neither heard nor considered the words of the harbinger, and so they are moving towards destruction.

{18}

Those who went before them - All previous nations, also disbelieved [the Envoys of Al’lah], so what was their punishment for denying Me? - What was the result of denying My Favour and disavowing the word of the Envoys?

{19}

Have they never noticed the birds soaring above them - In order that they may understand the earth spins, let the non-believers watch birds flying in formation, literally spreading and folding their wings - Great flocks of innumerable birds all soar together, held aloft only by flapping their fragile wings in seemingly nothing but thin air. Nothing holds them aloft except the All-Compassionate. - Ask an observer on the ground who keeps them in the sky. It can be none other than the Almighty.

Hence, Al’lah holds everything that He created in His Hands (Glory to Him). He animates His creations and guides their movements because their souls are cradled in His Hands. No other being takes any autonomous action, because just holding the power hastens them toward destruction. Thus, everything is held in His Hands (Glory to Him).

He watches over everything. - He sees all and knows everything He has created. He nourishes everything and guides its movements, and it is He (Glory to Him) Who allows them to see reality with their heart’s eye that will be opened by Al’lah’s Light - if they pay heed.

{20}

Who else but the All-Compassionate could help you with an army? - Al’lah (Glory to Him) admonishes us, ‘You believe that power and strength come with knowledge and wealth and weapons, but would the best equipped and trained army be able to defeat disease, death, or an earthquake should I send any of them against you? Could they save you from a virus? Or death? Or would you and your material possessions be able to protect other people against any of these afflictions? No, not one of you has the ability to do so. Feeble are those who seek protection of this sort and those who offer it!’

The non-believers are deluded. - The non-believers are conceited and deluded. They are completely enamoured of each other and the world and are absorbed by its vanities. They make each other into false gods because they are fascinated by each other rather than being fascinated by Al’lah (Glory to Him) and His great Envoy (cpth).

Thus confused and distracted, their spirits become tangled together although Al’lah clearly warned them against this, ‘Allow your spirits to intertwine only with the true spirits of My obedient followers, My Envoys, so that you may become illuminated by My Light. Do not let your spirits mix with each other.’ And even though Al’lah has admonished against it, in this world you will often find people who say, ‘We enjoy raising our children and being in the company of women, and we satisfy our requirements with money.’ However the question is, do children, wealth, or women lead to increased knowledge and awareness of the Afterlife? Are they capable of saving you or releasing you from the torment of the grave, or from the terrors of the Hereafter, or from the Fire?

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If Al’lah should deny you His Benefits, who else could provide for you? - If Al’lah withholds water, and refuses to let the rain fall, then what can these atheists do about it? You take great pride in them, believing they are capable of action or possess power or strength, but can they bring rain to nourish your crops? Can they provide sunlight or air or water for you? They are unable to quicken a fly! What could these atheists do about earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes if they were plagued by them?

Yet they continue to wallow - False providers such as these are easy prey for worldly pleasures. Their quest for power and strength takes them deep into the earth, as they mine for gold and drill for oil and build factories to mass produce weapons of war. They are brought low in their pride - Because of their extreme arrogance, each seeks superiority over the other so they might boast that they are the strongest and the smartest. Thus they proclaim themselves deities and refuse to hear the truth. - That is to say, they shun the truth of the Envoy (cpth).

The phrase they continue to wallow in their pride - also signifies that these disbelievers continually scorn the Commands of God, one Command after another is cavalierly disregarded, until they become totally immersed and enmeshed in the worldly life and its pleasures and their spirits turn away entirely from Al’lah (Glory to Him) and His great Envoy (cpth). Soon, they begin to engage in crime and wars will break out among them.

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Who is better guided: he who falls flat on his face - That is, someone who is completely engrossed in his worldly affairs, and ignores or disregards everything outside his narrow sphere and mean desires. Is such a person better guided, or he who stands tall and walks a straight road?

So is a person wholly consumed with their own earthly affairs better guided than one who walks a righteous path seeking the truth and its people?

If you consider the conduct of these two types of people it is easy to see they are not equal. Someone who is far from God goes through this life with his face pressed to the ground and blinkers on his eyes, keeping a very narrow focus. When you examine the behaviour and morals of this person you will find only avarice and harshness, stinginess, injustice, and a mind constantly attacked with false whispers. Conversely, if you consider the conduct of a believer who turns towards Al’lah (Glory to Him) and follows His great Envoy (cpth), you will discover a compassionate and kind character, honest dealings, and a soft nature. The two types are not equal in any way, shape, or form.

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Say - To them, oh Mohammad! ‘It is He Who made you’ - He created you in the wombs of your mothers. He took a single drop of sperm and turned you into a human being! ‘He Who endowed you with hearing’ - You must listen to the truth and the Words which God revealed to His Envoy (cpth) and act accordingly.

If you do this, that is, listen and take the proper action; if you contemplate the universe and carefully consider God’s Words, only then will Al’lah grant you a light and a heart-vision which will allow you to easily distinguish between truth and falsehood, between good and evil. This heart-vision is the true connotation of the word ‘sight’ in this verse. In addition to the gifts of deep emotional hearing and insight, God also endowed us with ‘hearts’ - The cores of the spirits within our bodies.

But ask yourselves who made these organs for you? Certainly you should be grateful for His Favour upon you, and yet despite this regard ‘you do not offer even the smallest thanks!’ - That is, you do not try to gain access to belief! Oh Man! These many bounties were granted to you so that, through them, you might turn towards your Lord and perform righteous deeds on behalf of His creation.

Yet people take these bounties and offer nothing in return. They do not turn towards Al’lah (Glory to Him) nor towards the noble Envoy (cpth). They do not perform good deeds to earn their life in the Hereafter; instead they act only to achieve their own purposes and interests in this world. They yield no good for humanity.

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Say, ‘It is He Who scattered you across the earth - He brought us out of our mothers’ bellies to live on this earth. God used the word ‘scattered’ to stress to us that all humans are as tiny as atoms when compared to the universe. Oh Man! You are only a tiny speck in the enormous universe! Yet despite the vastness and greatness of the universe, it is still submissive and surrenders always to Al’lah (Glory to Him). Surely you do not think you are bigger than the universe. Why then are you so arrogant? Yield to your Provider so that He might grant you His Bounties. Truly, it is He Who bestows His Gifts upon the universe and all creation, and you will be gathered back to Him [in the Hereafter].’ - That is, on Doomsday you will return to Him.

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They say [scornfully], ‘When will this Promise be fulfilled - He, the Envoy of God (cpth), threatens the unbelievers with the Greatest Hour, with the total destruction of this life, but still they refuse to believe. Instead they challenge the Envoy, asking, ‘When will this Promise be fulfilled, if you are telling the truth?’ - Their love for the carnal world is strong and they become suspicious of his words.

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Reply [oh Mohammad], ‘Only Al’lah knows the exact time [of the Hour of destruction]: my only duty is to give clear warning.’ - Only Al’lah truly knows the precise moment. The harbinger can only warn you that this day is to come, describe to you what will happen when it does, and instruct you on how you might escape from it and its terrors.

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When they realise that the time [foretold] is close - When the Promise comes to pass and the day of destruction arrives, that is, at the time of death, humanity will witness everything. At that time, the faces of those who disbelieve will show their misery - That is to say, after their shunning of God and His Path, and their refusal to fear this day, everything the unbelievers thought they achieved during their lives will bring them great unhappiness, and they will be told, ‘This is what you refused to believe.’ - They will be told, ‘This is what you did not want to hear.’

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