المدثر
Surah Al-Muddaththir
The Cloaked One · Surah 74 · Meccan · 56 verses
1يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُدَّثِّرُ ١O thou enveloped in thy cloak.InsightElmalılı explains “muddaththir” as one wrapped in his outer garment: “dithar” is the outer covering worn over the inner garment that touches the body.2قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ ٢Arise and warn.3وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ ٣Thy Lord magnify.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, just as you recognise in your heart that greatness belongs to Him alone and all is small before Him, proclaim it in word and deed. It is reported that when this was revealed the Prophet said “Allahu Akbar”, and Khadijah did too.4وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ ٤Thy raiment purify.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, garments sometimes stand for their wearer, and their purity for his chastity and clean character, like the saying “his skirts are clean”.5وَٱلرُّجۡزَ فَٱهۡجُرۡ ٥Pollution shun.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “rujz” means filth and punishment, and here has also been explained as idols.6وَلَا تَمۡنُن تَسۡتَكۡثِرُ ٦And show not favour, seeking wordly gain.InsightElmalılı gives two meanings: do not count your good deed as much and remind others of it, do not be vain of your deeds; or do not give something hoping to get more in return.7وَلِرَبِّكَ فَٱصۡبِرۡ ٧For the sake of thy Lord, be patient.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, however much hardship and harm you face in these duties, be patient purely for your Lord’s decree.8فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي ٱلنَّاقُورِ ٨For when the trumpet shall sound.InsightElmalılı explains “naqur” as a horn blown by mouth; the word also means striking and pecking, for when the horn is blown the air within is pressed and struck.9فَذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ يَوۡمٌ عَسِيرٌ ٩Surely that day will be a day of anguish.10عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ غَيۡرُ يَسِيرࣲ ١٠Not of ease, for disbelievers.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, there are two kinds of hardship: one is very hard at first but grows easier; the other grows harder and never eases. That day is the second kind for the disbelievers.11ذَرۡنِي وَمَنۡ خَلَقۡتُ وَحِيدࣰا ١١Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created lonely.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “wahidan” has two meanings: the one I, as the sole Creator without partner, created; or the one I created all alone, with nothing.12وَجَعَلۡتُ لَهُۥ مَالࣰا مَّمۡدُودࣰا ١٢And then bestowed upon him ample means.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is wealth stretching far, like al-Walid’s many holdings between Mecca and Ta’if, his garden in Ta’if never lacking fruit summer or winter, and his great fortune.13وَبَنِينَ شُهُودࣰا ١٣And sons abiding in his presence.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, these were sons with no need to travel for work, always present at their father’s side in gatherings and consulted on important matters.14وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُۥ تَمۡهِيدࣰا ١٤And made (life) smooth for him.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, besides wealth and sons, many means were prepared for him, and rank and prestige were given; al-Walid was counted among the leaders of Quraysh.15ثُمَّ يَطۡمَعُ أَنۡ أَزِيدَ ١٥Yet he desireth that I should give more.16كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِأٓيَٰتِنَا عَنِيدࣰا ١٦Nay! For lo! he hath been stubborn to Our revelations.InsightElmalılı explains “kalla” as a word rejecting a statement, claim or hope: “No, there is no such thing.”17سَأُرۡهِقُهُۥ صَعُودًا ١٧On him I shall impose a fearful doom.InsightElmalılı relates a hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim: “Sa‘ud” is a mountain of fire; one climbs it for seventy years, then falls into it.18إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ ١٨For lo! he did consider; then he planned.19فَقُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ ١٩(Self-)destroyed is he, how he planned.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, though in Arabic this phrase is originally a curse, it is also used to remark on something formidable, and sometimes in mockery.20ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ ٢٠Again (self-)destroyed is he, how he planned.21ثُمَّ نَظَرَ ٢١Then looked he.22ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ ٢٢Then frowned he and showed displeasure.InsightElmalılı explains “basr” as rushing before time, unripeness; an unripe date is called “busr”. He soured like an unripe grape picked too early.23ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ ٢٣Then turned he away in pride.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, he turned from the truth he had understood, turned his back to faith and his face to disbelief; his pride would not let him accept the truth.24فَقَالَ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرࣱ يُؤۡثَرُ ٢٤And said: This is naught else than magic from of old.InsightElmalılı gives “ma’thur” two meanings: magic taught and passed on from of old, or magic that captivates and wins people over.25إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوۡلُ ٱلۡبَشَرِ ٢٥This is naught else than speech of mortal man.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is in the end what stubborn deniers say about the Qur’an and the Prophet: “It is not what Allah revealed but Muhammad’s own words.”26سَأُصۡلِيهِ سَقَرَ ٢٦Him shall I fling unto the burning.InsightElmalılı explains “Saqar” as one of the names of Hell; it comes from “saqr”, the sun scorching the face, and means scorching.27وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا سَقَرُ ٢٧Ah, what will convey unto thee what that burning is.28لَا تُبۡقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ ٢٨It leaveth naught; it spareth naught.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, it is a fire that consumes whatever it seizes without leaving a trace, then still does not let go; the one recreated meets punishment again.29لَوَّاحَةࣱ لِّلۡبَشَرِ ٢٩It shrivelleth the man.InsightElmalılı explains “bashar” as the outer surface of human skin; that is why man is called “bashar”. “Lawwahah” means parching and scorching.30عَلَيۡهَا تِسۡعَةَ عَشَرَ ٣٠Above it are nineteen.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, what the nineteen are is not stated, but the next verse shows they are the angels guarding Hell. Views on the wisdom of the number have been offered by analysing man’s spiritual and moral faculties.31وَمَا جَعَلۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةࣰۖ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا عِدَّتَهُمۡ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةࣰ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيَسۡتَيۡقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَيَزۡدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنࣰا وَلَا يَرۡتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضࣱ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلࣰاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ ٣١We have appointed only angels to be wardens of the Fire, and their number have We made to be a stumbling-block for those who disbelieve; that those to whom the Scripture hath been given may have certainty, and that believers may increase in faith; and that those to whom the Scripture hath been given and believers may not doubt; and that those in whose hearts there is disease, and disbelievers, may say: What meaneth Allah by this similitude? Thus Allah sendeth astray whom He will, and whom He will He guideth. None knoweth the hosts of thy Lord save Him. This is naught else than a Reminder unto mortals.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “companions of the Fire” here are not those who remain in it but its keepers: the guardians led by Malik, described in Surat at-Tahrim. Their number is a test for the deniers.32كَلَّا وَٱلۡقَمَرِ ٣٢Nay, by the Moon.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the moon, night and morning are meant literally, but they also point to the rising of the light of prophethood in the age of ignorance when the world was drowned in darkness, and that night’s ending.33وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذۡ أَدۡبَرَ ٣٣And the night when it withdraweth.34وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَآ أَسۡفَرَ ٣٤And the dawn when it shineth forth.35إِنَّهَا لَإِحۡدَى ٱلۡكُبَرِ ٣٥Lo! this is one of the greatest (portents).36نَذِيرࣰا لِّلۡبَشَرِ ٣٦As a warning unto men.37لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوۡ يَتَأَخَّرَ ٣٧Unto him of you who will advance or hang back.38كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ رَهِينَةٌ ٣٨Every soul is a pledge for its own deeds.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, every soul is bound to its earnings as a debtor with Allah; its happiness or misery matches what it earned. Doing good and paying its debt, it frees itself.39إِلَّآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ ٣٩Save those who will stand on the right hand.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, these are the fortunate ones not bound only to their own earnings, whose share Allah, by His grace and generosity, has decreed to be greater.40فِي جَنَّـٰتࣲ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ٤٠In gardens they will ask one another.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, those on the right discuss the state of the criminals; though the question is for reproach, it may also be to seek whether intercession is possible according to their crimes.41عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ٤١Concerning the guilty.42مَا سَلَكَكُمۡ فِي سَقَرَ ٤٢What hath brought you to this burning.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is a question those on the right ask not one another but the criminals, directly or through others.43قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ ٤٣They will answer: We were not of those who prayed.44وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ ٤٤Nor did we feed the wretched.45وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ ٱلۡخَآئِضِينَ ٤٥We used to wade (in vain dispute) with (all) waders.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is losing oneself with the heedless who plunge into empty talk, futile pursuits and vain things that kill time and serve whims.46وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ ٤٦And we used to deny the Day of Judgment.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the root cause of not praying, not caring for the poor and drifting with the heedless is this lack of faith.47حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰنَا ٱلۡيَقِينُ ٤٧Till the Inevitable came unto us.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the certainty is death: they went on this way until death came; only then did they know for sure that the Day of Recompense was true.48فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ ٤٨The mediation of no mediators will avail them then.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, there will be intercession for believers that day; had these not denied, intercession might have been possible for them, but they died without faith.49فَمَا لَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلتَّذۡكِرَةِ مُعۡرِضِينَ ٤٩Why now turn they away from the Admonishment.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, is there any benefit to them in turning away from the reminder? Do they think fleeing the advice will save them from that end?50كَأَنَّهُمۡ حُمُرࣱ مُّسۡتَنفِرَةࣱ ٥٠As they were frightened asses.51فَرَّتۡ مِن قَسۡوَرَةِۭ ٥١Fleeing from a lion.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “qaswarah” means a band of fierce hunters or a lion; most lexicographers said lion. This is how they flee from the reminder.52بَلۡ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُؤۡتَىٰ صُحُفࣰا مُّنَشَّرَةࣰ ٥٢Nay, but everyone of them desireth that he should be given open pages (from Allah).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, none of them is content with a general reminder; each wants a personal invitation, as if invited to a banquet.53كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ ٥٣Nay, verily. They fear not the Hereafter.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, even if a separate book came to each, they still would not come; for they do not believe those who ignore this reminder will be punished, and do not think of the end.54كَلَّآ إِنَّهُۥ تَذۡكِرَةࣱ ٥٤Nay, verily. Lo! this is an Admonishment.55فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ٥٥So whosoever will may heed.56وَمَا يَذۡكُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ هُوَ أَهۡلُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَأَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ ٥٦And they will not heed unless Allah willeth (it). He is the fount of fear. He is the fount of Mercy.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, He is the One whose punishment is to be feared and guarded against, and the One who forgives. One who does not fear Him guards against nothing, and none but He can forgive sins.