قُلْ
أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ
الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا
عَجَبًا﴿72:1﴾
(72:1) O Prophet, say: It has been revealed to
me that a company of the jinn listened, *1
then (returning to their folks) they said, "We
have indeed heard a wonderful Qur'an *2
*1 This shows that the jinn at that tithe were
not visible to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be
peace), nor he knew that they were hearing the
Qur'an being recited, but AIIah informed him of
the incident afterwards by Revelation. Hadrat
'Abdullah bin 'Abbas also has, in connection
with this incident, stated: "The Holy Messenger
of AIIah had not recited the Qur'an before the
jinn, nor did he see them." (Muslim, Tirmidhi,
Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir).
*2 The words in the original are: Qur an-an 'ajaba.
Qur an means "something which is read again and
again", and the jinn probably used this word in
this very meaning, for they were introduced to
this Divine Revelation for the first time, and
they did not perhaps know then that what they
were hearing, was the Qur'an itself. 'Ajab is a
superlative, which is used in Arabic for a
wonderful thing. So, what the jinn said means:
"We have heard such a wonderful recital which is
unique both in its language and in its
subject-matter. " This also shows that the jinn
not only hear what human beings say but also
understand their language fully, although it is
not necessary that alI the jinn might know all
the human languages. It is possible that those
of them who live in a particular region of the
earth might know the language of the people of
that region. But in any case this statement of
the Qur'an clearly shows that the jinn who
listened to the Qur'an at that time were so
conversant with the Arabic language that they
not only appreciated the matchless eloquence of
the Divine Word but also understood its sublime
subject-matter fully well.
يَهْدِي
إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ وَلَن نُّشْرِكَ
بِرَبِّنَا أَحَدًا﴿72:2﴾
(72:2) which guides to the right way, so we have
believed in it, and now we shall never associate
a anyone with our Lord." *3
*3 This throws light on several things: (1) That
the jinn do not deny Allah's existence and His
being Lord and Sustainer; (2) that among them
also there are polytheists, who like
polytheistic human beings ascribe divinity to
others than AIlah: thus, the community of the
jinn whose members heard the Qur'an was
polytheistic; (3) that the Prophethood and
revelation of Divine scriptures dces not exist
among the jinn, but whoever of them believe,
they believe in the Prophets raised among human
beings and in the Books brought by them. This
same thing is confirmed by Al-Ahqaf: 29-30,
where it has been stated that the jinn who had
then heard the Qur'an, were from among the
followers of the Prophet Moses, and they after
having heard the Qur'an, had invited their
people to believe in the Revelation that had
been sent down by God confirming the previous
scriptures. Surah ArRahman also points to the
same, for its whole subject-matter shows that
the audience of the Holy Prophet's invitation
are both the men and the jinn.
وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ
صَاحِبَةً وَلَا وَلَدًا﴿72:3﴾
(72:3) And that: "Our Lord's majesty is exalted:
Ne has neither taken a wife nor a son. " *4
*4 From this we know two things; (1) That these
jinn were either from among the Christian jinn,
or they were followers of a different religion
in which Allah was regarded as having children
and families. (2) That at that time the Holy
Prophet (upon whom be peace) was reciting some
such part of the Qur'an hearing which they
realized the error of their creed and knew that
it was sheer ignorance and impudence to ascribe
wife and children to the High and Exalted Being
of Allah.
وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ
شَطَطًا﴿72:4﴾
(72:4) And that: "The foolish among us *5
have been uttering falsehood against Allah. "
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَن لَّن تَقُولَ الْإِنسُ
وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا﴿72:5﴾
(72:5) And that: "We thought that the men and
the jinn could never utter a lie against God. " *6
*5 The word safihuna as used in the Text can be
spoken for an individual as well as for a group.
If it is taken for a foolish individual, it
would imply Iblis and if for a group, it would
imply a group of foolish jinn who said such
things.
وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ
يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ
رَهَقًا﴿72:6﴾
(72:6) And that: "Some people from among the men
used to seek refuge with some people from among
the jinn, so they caused the jinn to become even
more arrogant." *7
*6 That is, "We were misled by those falsehoods
because we could never think that the men or the
jinn could ever dare forge a lie about Allah,
but having heard this Qur'an we now know that
they were, in fact, liars."
وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوا كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن
يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا﴿72:7﴾
(72:7) And that: "Men thought, even as you
thought, that Allah would not send anyone as a
Messenger. " *8
*7 Ibn `Abbas says that in the pre-lslamic days
of ignorance when the Arabs had to spend a night
in some uninhabited, desolate valley, they would
shout out: "We seek refuge of the jinn, who is
owner of this valley." In other traditions of
the pre-Islamic ignorance also the same thing
has been reported frequently. For example, if in
a place they ran short of water and fodder, the
wandering Bedouins would send one of their men
to some other place to see if water and fodder
were available; and when they reached the new
site under his direction, they would shout out
before they halted to pitch the camp: "We seek
refuge of the sustainer of this valley so that
we may live here in peace from every calamity."
They believed that every un-inhabited place was
under the control of one or another jinn, and if
someone stayed there without seeking his refuge,
the jinn would either himself trouble the
settlers, or would let others trouble them.
These believing jinn are referring to this very
thing. They meant that when man, the vicegerent
of the earth, started fearing them without any
reason, and started seeking their refuge instead
of God's, it caused their people to become even
more arrogant, haughty and wicked, and they
became even more fearless and bold in adopting
error and disbelief.
وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَاء فَوَجَدْنَاهَا
مُلِئَتْ حَرَسًا شَدِيدًا وَشُهُبًا﴿72:8﴾
(72:8) And that: " We searched the heavens and
found it filled with guards and shooting-stars."
*8 Another meaning of this sentence can be:
"Allah will not resurrect anyone after death."
As the wards are comprehensive they can be taken
to mean that, as among human beings, so among
the jinn too there were the people who denied
both the Prophethood and the Hereafter. However,
in view of the theme that follows, the meaning
that we have given in the text above is
preferable, for according to it these believing
jinn tell the people of their community: "Your
view is proved wrong that AIlah will not appoint
anyone as a Messenger. In fact, the gates of
heavens have been closed on us only because
AIIah has already appointed a Messenger. "
وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْهَا مَقَاعِدَ
لِلسَّمْعِ فَمَن يَسْتَمِعِ الْآنَ يَجِدْ لَهُ
شِهَابًا رَّصَدًا﴿72:9﴾
(72:9) And that: "Before this we used to find a
seat in heaven for eavesdropping, but now if
some one tries to eavesdrop, he finds a
shooting-star Iying in ambush for him. " *9
وَأَنَّا لَا نَدْرِي أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِي
الْأَرْضِ أَمْ أَرَادَ بِهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ رَشَدًا﴿72:10﴾
(72:10) And that: "We did not know whether some
evil was intended for the dwellers of the earth
or their Lord wanted to show them the right
way." *10
*9 This is the reason why these jinn were now
out searching as to what particularly had
happened, or was going to happen, on the earth,
which had necessitated strict security measures
against eavesdropping so that they were driven
away from wherever they tried to eavesdrop in
any way.
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ
ذَلِكَ كُنَّا طَرَائِقَ قِدَدًا﴿72:11﴾
(72:11) And that: "Some of us are righteous,
while some are otherwise. We follow different
ways." *11
*10 This shows that such extraordinary measures
were adopted in the heavens only on two kinds of
occasions: first, when Allah might decide to
inflict the dwellers of the earth with a
torment, and the Divine will might be that
before it was actually inflicted the jinn might
not know and convey its news to warn their
friendly human beings of the impending disaster.
Second, that Allah might appoint a Messenger on
the earth, and strict security measures might be
adopted so that neither the messages being
conveyed to him be interfered with by the satans
nor should they be able to know beforehand what
instructions were being given to the Messenger.
Thus, the saying of the jinn means: "When we
noticed that strict security measures had been
adopted in the heavens for the safeguard of the
news, and the meteorites were being showered
profusely, we wanted to know which of the two
things had happened: whether Allah had caused a
torment to descend suddenly on some people of
the earth, or a Messenger had been raised
somewhere on the earth. We were on the lookout
for the same when we heard the wonderful
Revelation, which guides to the Right Path, and
we came to know that Allah had not sent down a
torment but had raised a Messenger to show the
Right Way to the people." For further
explanation, see E.N.'s 8 to 12 of Al-Hijr, E.N.
7 of ASSaaffat, E.N. I 1 of Al-Mulk).
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَن لَّن نُّعجِزَ اللَّهَ فِي
الْأَرْضِ وَلَن نُّعْجِزَهُ هَرَبًا﴿72:12﴾
(72:12) And that: "We thought"that we could
neither frustrate Allah in the earth nor
frustrate Him by flight." *12
*11 That is, "Morally also there are good and
bad jinn among us, and from the viewpoint of
creed as well all do not follow one and the same
religion, but we are divided into different
groups." With these words the believing jinn
want to convince the other jinn of their
community that they certainly stood in need of
finding out the right way and could not dispense
with this need.
وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعْنَا الْهُدَى آمَنَّا بِهِ
فَمَن يُؤْمِن بِرَبِّهِ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخْسًا
وَلَا رَهَقًا﴿72:13﴾
(72:13) And that: "As soon as we heard the
message of guidance, we believed in it. Now
whoever believes in his Lord, will have neither
fear of loss nor of injustice. *13
*12 That is, "We were led by this very idea to
the way of success. As we were not fearless of
AIlah and we believed that we would not be able
to avoid His punishment if we disobeyed Him, so
when we heard the Divine Revelation that had
been sent to show the right way, we could not
have the courage and boldness to persist in the
beliefs that our foolish people had spread among
us, afar we had known the truth. "
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا
الْقَاسِطُونَ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ
تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا﴿72:14﴾
(72:14) And that: "Some of us are Muslims
(submissive to Allah) and some deviators from
the Truth. Those who have adopted Islam (the way
of submission) have found the way to salvation,
*13 "Fear of loss": fear of being given a lesser
reward than what one actually deserves for one's
good deeds, and "injustice" that one may be
deprived of the reward for the good deeds done
but duly punished for the errors committed or
punished innocent; no believer has any fear of
such an injustice from Allah.
وَأَمَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَكَانُوا لِجَهَنَّمَ
حَطَبًا﴿72:15﴾
(72:15) and those who have deviated from the
Truth, will become fuel for Hell." *14
وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ
لَأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا﴿72:16﴾
(72:16) And *15
(O Prophet, say: it has been revealed to me:)
"If the people had steadfastly pursued the right
way, We would have given them abundant waters to
drink *16
*14 Here, one may ask: when, according to the
Qur'an, the jinn have been created from the
fire, what harm can the fire of Hell do them?
The answer is: Even according to the Qur'an, man
has been created out of the earth; why does then
man feel hurt when a clod of earth is thrown at
him? The truth is that although the whole body
of man has been made from the earthly
substances, when a living man of flesh and blood
is moulded from them he becomes an entirely
different thing from those substances; then
other things made from the same substances
become a means of causing harm to him. Likewise,
although the jinn also have been created from
the fire, when a living and sentient creation
has been made from it, the same fire becomes a
means of causing harm and hurt for it. (For
further explanation, see E.N. 15 of Surah
Ar-Rahman).
لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ وَمَن يُعْرِضْ عَن ذِكْرِ
رَبِّهِ يَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا﴿72:17﴾
(72:17) that We might try them by that blessing. *17
And he who turns away from his Lord's
remembrance, *18
his Lord shall punish him with a severe torment.
*15 The conversation of the jinn having come to
an end, with this begins the speech of Allah.
*16 This is the same thing as has been said
above in Surah Nuh: 10-11. "Seek forgiveness of
Allah. .. He will send abundant rains for you
from heaven. " (For explanation, see E.N. 12 of
Surah Nuh). Abundance of water has been used for
abundance of blessings metaphorically for human
life and habitation depend on water. Without
water there can be no human settlement, nor can
man's basic needs be fulfilled, nor his
industries work and prosper.
وَأَنَّ
الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ
أَحَدًا﴿72:18﴾
(72:18) And that the mosques are for Allah;
therefore, do not call upon anyone else in them
along with Allah. *19
*17 "We might try them by that blessing": "We
might see whether they remain grateful after
having received the blessing or not, and whether
they put Our blessing to right use or not. "
*18 "To turn away from Allah's remembrance"
means that one may reject the advice and
admonition sent down by Allah, or one may
disdain giving ear to Allah's remembrance, or
one may turn away from the worship of Allah.
وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ
كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا﴿72:19﴾
(72:19) And that when the servant of Allah *20
" stood up to invoke Him, the people were ready
to assault him."
*19 The commentators generally have taken
"mosques" to mean the places of worship.
Accordingly, the verse means: "None should he
associated in the worship of Allah in the places
of worship. Hadrat Hasan Basri says: The entire
earth is a place of worship, and the verse means
to say: polytheism ought not to be committed
anywhere on God's earth," He has reasoned out
this meaning from the Holy Prophet's Hadith "For
me the entire earth has been made a place of
worship and a means of obtaining purity:" Hadrat
Sa`id bin Jubair has interpreted masajid to
imply the parts of the body on which one
prostrates oneself, i.e. the hands, the knees,
toes and forehead. According to this
explanation, the verse means: These limbs have
been made by Allah; no one should prostrate
oneself on these before anyone other than Allah.
قُلْ
إِنَّمَا أَدْعُو رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ
أَحَدًا﴿72:20﴾
(72:20) O Prophet, say; "I call upon my Lord
alone, and I do not associate anyone with Him. " *21
*20 "Servant of AIIah": the Holy Prophet (upon
whom be peace).
قُلْ
إِنِّي لَا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا رَشَدًا﴿72:21﴾
(72:21) Say, "I have no control over any harm or
good for you. "
*21 That is, to call upon Allah is no
objectionable thing, which may so provoke the
people. The evil thing, however, is that one
should associate another with Allah in His
divinity, and this I never do; this is done by
those who mob and surround me when they hear God
mentioned by me.
قُلْ
إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ
أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَدًا﴿72:22﴾
(72:22) Say, "None can protect me from Allah,
nor can I find any refuge apart from Him.
إِلَّا
بَلَاغًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالَاتِهِ وَمَن
يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ
جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا﴿72:23﴾
(72:23) My mission is only to convey what I
receive from Him and His messages. *22
Now whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger for
him awaits the fire of Hell: such people shall
dwell in it for ever. *23
حَتَّى
إِذَا رَأَوْا مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ
مَنْ أَضْعَفُ نَاصِرًا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدًا﴿72:24﴾
(72:24) (These people shall not change their
ways) until when they see that what they are
being promised, they shall come to know whose
helpers are weaker and whose supporters are
fewer in number. *24
*22 That is, "I do not claim to have any share
or role in the Godhead of AIIah, nor that I
possess any power in making or marring the
people's destinies. I am only a Messenger and
the mission that has been entrusted to me is no
more than that I should convey the messages of
Allah to you. As for the powers of Godhead, they
wholly belong to Allah. Not to speak of
benefiting or harming others, I do not have the
power to cause good or harm even to myself. If I
disobey AIlah, I cannot seek and have refuge
anywhere from His punishment, and 1 have no
helper and protector beside AIIah." (For further
explanation, see E.N. 7 of Ash-Shura).
*23 This does not mean that every sin and act of
disobedience will cause one to live in Hell for
ever, but in view of the context in which this
thing bas been said, the verse means: the one
who dces not accept the invitation to Tauhid
given by AIlah and His Messenger and does not
refrain from polytheism will suffer in Hell for
ever.
قُلْ
إِنْ أَدْرِي أَقَرِيبٌ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ
يَجْعَلُ لَهُ رَبِّي أَمَدًا﴿72:25﴾
(72:25) Say, "I do not know whether that which
you are being promised, is near at hand, or
whether my Lord appoints a lengthy term for it *25
*24 The background of this verse is that those
of the Quraish who used to mob and surround the,
Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) as soon as
they heard his invitation calling to Allah, were
under the delusion that they had a strong band
at their back and that the Holy Prophet had only
a handful of men with him, and therefore, they
would easily overwhelm him. At this it is being
said: Today these people find the Messenger
helpless and friendless and themselves supported
and strengthened by great hosts and, therefore,
feel encouraged and emboldened to suppress the
invitation to the Truth. But when the evil time
with which they are being threatened comes, they
will know who in actual fact is helpless and
friendless.
عَالِمُ
الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا﴿72:26﴾
(72:26) He alone is the Knower of the unseen: He
does not reveal His secrets to anyone *26
*25 The style itself shows that this is an
answer which has been given without citing the
question. Probably, hearing what has been said
above, the opponents might have asked mockingly
and tauntingly: "When will the time with which
you are threatening us come?" In response, the
Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was commanded
to say: "The time will certainly come, but I
have not been told the date of its coming. AIIah
alone knows whether is will come soon, or
whether a distant term has been set for it. "
إِلَّا
مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ
مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا﴿72:27﴾
(72:27) except to the Messenger whom He may
choose *27
(for the purpose) Then He appoints before him
and behind him guards *28
*26 That is, the knowledge of the unseen wholly
rests with Allah: He does not give the whole of
this knowledge to anyone.
لِيَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ أَبْلَغُوا رِسَالَاتِ
رَبِّهِمْ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ وَأَحْصَى
كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عَدَدًا﴿72:28﴾
(72:28) that He may know that they have truly
delivered the messages of their Lord; *29
and He encompasses all their surroundings and
keeps a count of each ana every thing. *30
*27 That is, the Messenger by himself is no
knower of the unseen, but when AIIah chooses him
to perform the mission of Prophethood, He grants
him the knowledge of those of the unseen truths
which He is pleased to grant.
*28 "Guards": Angels. That is, when Allah sends
down the knowledge of the unseen realities to
the Messenger by revelation, He appoints angels
on every side to safeguard it so that the
knowledge reaches the Messenger in a safe
condition, free from every kind of adulteration.
This is the same thing which has been expressed
in vv. 8-9 above, saying: After the appointment
of the Holy Messenger the jinn found that all
the doors to the heavens had been closed, and
they noticed that strict security measures had
been adopted because of which no room had been
left for them to eavesdrop.
