Surah 42: Ash-Shuraa
The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary (Five Volume Commentary)
[a]In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.[3601]
[a] See 1:1.
[3601] Commentary:
See 1:1.
[b]Ha Mim.[3602]
[b] 41:2; 43:2; 44:2; 45:2; 46:2.
[3602] Commentary:
For an explanation of the abbreviated letters حم see the preceding two Surahs. It may, however, be briefly stated here that the abbreviated letters placed at the beginning of different Surahs stand for those Divine attributes which have specific bearing on the subject matter dealt with in those Surahs. Thus the letters Ha Mim, besides meaning the "Praiseworthy" and "the Lord of Honour," may also mean حافظ الکتاب i.e. Guardian of the Book, and منزل الکتاب i.e. Revealer of the Book, because all the Surahs which open with these two abbreviated letters deal particularly with the subject of revelation of the Holy Qur’an and its protection and guardianship.
‘Ain Sin Qaf.[3603]
[3603] Commentary:
In the combined letters عسق, ع (‘ain) may stand for the Divine attribute العلی (the High), العلیم (the All-Knowing), العظیم (the Great) or العزیز (the Mighty). The subject matter of this Surah revolves round these attributes which are repeatedly mentioned in the text. س may stand for السمیع (All-Hearing) and ق may represent the Divine attributes, القادر or القدیر (the Possessor of Power and Authority), القوی (the Powerful) or القھار (the Most Supreme). These Divine attributes also are mentioned expressly or by implication at various places in this Surah.
Thus does Allah, the Mighty, the Wise, reveal to thee and He revealed to those before thee.[3604]
[3604] Commentary:
The Surah opens with the important subject of revelation of the Holy Qur’an as implied in the Divine attributes Ha Mim, placed at its beginning.
[c]To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the High, the Great.
[c] 16:53; 22:65; 31:27.
The heavens may well-nigh rend asunder from above them; [a]and the angels glorify their Lord with His praise and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Behold! it is surely Allah Who is the Most Forgiving, the Merciful.[3605]
[a] 13:14; 16:50-51.
[3605] Commentary:
The verse may mean that man’s sins and his ingratitude are so great that their enormity might cause the heavens to rend asunder but God’s mercy and forgiveness are greater than man’s sins. These Divine attributes demanded the revelation of the Holy Qur’an in order that mankind might be delivered from sin. Besides this, angels beg of God forgiveness and mercy for His erring creatures. The reference in the verse may also be to the blasphemous dogma of the Sonship of Jesus, which is so heinous a doctrine that in spite of God’s grace and mercy and of the fact that angels beg of God forgiveness for His sinful creatures, God will destroy those people who hold this belief. But to those who repent God is Most Forgiving and Merciful.
And as for those who take for themselves protectors beside Him–Allah watches over them; [b]and thou art not a guardian over them.[3606]
[b] 6:108; 88:23.
[3606] Commentary:
The particle علی (over) being generally used in the sense of "against," the meaning of the expression الله حفیظ علیم would be that God is watching over the blasphemous beliefs of men and is keeping an account of them and will punish them if they did not repent.
Thus have [c]We revealed to thee the Holy Qur’an in Arabic, [d]that thou mayest warn the Mother of towns, and all around it; and that thou mayest warn them of the Day of Gathering, whereof there is no doubt: A party will be in the Garden, and a party in the blazing Fire.[3607]
[c] 20:114; 39:29; 43:4; 46:13.
[d] 6:93.
[3607] Commentary:
For an explanation of قرآناً عربیاً see 12:3 and 41:4.
The reference in the words أم القری (Mother of Towns) may be to Mecca, because Mecca was not only the commercial and political metropolis of Arabia at the time when the Holy Qur’an was revealed but was destined for all time to come to be the spiritual centre of the whole world and from its breast the whole of humanity was to suck the milk of spiritual life. Geographically also Mecca is situated in the centre of the world. The Holy Qur’an has been called أم الکتاب (Mother of the Book) and Arabic in which the Holy Qur’an has been revealed أم الالسنة (Mother of Tongues) and Mecca أم القری (Mother of Towns or Mother-Town).
The reference in the expression یوم الجمع i.e. the Day of Gathering, may preferably be to the Judgement Day which has also been called یوم الحشر i.e. the Day of Resurrection (41:20), یوم التناد i.e. the Day of Mutual Calling (40:33), یوم التلاق i.e. the Day of Meeting (40:16) and یوم الحساب i.e. the Day of Reckoning (40:28), in the Holy Qur’an. یوم الجمع may also refer to that Day of Gathering when all the forces of disbelief assembled in the Battle of the Ditch to administer a coup de grace to the rising power of Islam. It may also refer to the Latter Days when the whole of mankind was to become, as it were, like one family. See also 38:12; 54:46.
[a]And if Allah had so pleased, He could have made them one people; but He admits into His mercy whomsoever He pleases. And as for the wrongdoers, they will have no protector and no helper.[3608]
[a] 2:214; 10:20; 11:119.
[3608] Commentary:
The expression یدخل من یشاء فی رحمته besides the translation given in the text, may also mean, "He admits into His mercy him who himself seeks to be admitted into it."
[b]Have they taken for themselves protectors other than Him? But it is Allah Who is the real Protector. And He quickens the dead, and He has power over all things.
[b] 13:17; 39:44.
[a]And in whatsoever you differ, the final decision thereof rests with Allah. Say: 'Such is Allah, my Lord; in Him I put my trust, and to Him I always turn.'[3609]
[a] 20:70; 39:47.
[3609] Commentary:
The verse means to say that as it has been the invariable Divine practice that whenever differences among the followers of different religions assume dangerous dimensions God sends down a new revelation to reveal His will; so now that great differences have arisen among the followers of different faiths, God has revealed the Holy Qur’an to which men should now refer all their disagreements and differences for decision and judgement.
He is [b]the Maker of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you pairs of your own selves, and of the cattle also He has made pairs. He multiplies you therein. There is nothing whatever like unto Him; and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.[3610]
[b] 6:15; 14:11; 35:2.
[3610] Commentary:
The pronoun ہ in فیه (therein) being taken as referring to the relationship subsisting between man and wife, the expression "He multiplies you therein" would mean that God multiplies mankind by the relationship that exists between husband and wife.
The words, is nothing whatever like unto Him, are meant to remove a possible misunderstanding to which the sentence, "God has made a pair of everything", might have given rise, viz. that God also needs a consort to make a pair. The words signify that it is impossible to conceive of anything like God. He is far above human perception and comprehension. It is, therefore, foolish to try to find a likeness between Divine and human attributes though the two possess some very remote and incomplete resemblance.