القمر
Surah Al-Qamar
The Moon · Surah 54 · Meccan · 55 verses
1ٱقۡتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلۡقَمَرُ ١The hour drew nigh and the moon was rent in twain.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the Hour, when reward is promised to believers and punishment to disbelievers, draws nearer day by day; one must prepare. The splitting of the moon is among the Prophet’s miracles.2وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ ءَايَةࣰ يُعۡرِضُواْ وَيَقُولُواْ سِحۡرࣱ مُّسۡتَمِرࣱّ ٢And if they behold a portent they turn away and say: Prolonged illusion.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they do not learn until it happens, do not consider the end, do not want to take heed, and turn from every sign they see.3وَكَذَّبُواْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۚ وَكُلُّ أَمۡرࣲ مُّسۡتَقِرࣱّ ٣They denied (the Truth) and followed their own lusts. Yet everything will come to a decision.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they denied the Prophet and what he brought not from knowledge but from following their desires.4وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَنۢبَآءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزۡدَجَرٌ ٤And surely there hath come unto them news whereof the purport should deter.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, there came in the Qur’an such important news about past peoples or the Hereafter that it holds deterrence.5حِكۡمَةُۢ بَٰلِغَةࣱۖ فَمَا تُغۡنِ ٱلنُّذُرُ ٥Effective wisdom; but warnings avail not.InsightElmalılı explains “hikmah balighah” as wisdom that has reached the highest degree of soundness and accuracy.6فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡۘ يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُ ٱلدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَيۡءࣲ نُّكُرٍ ٦So withdraw from them (O Muhammad) on the day when the Summoner summoneth unto a painful thing.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, one should not waste time disputing with deniers who follow their whims, but look to the approaching Hour.7خُشَّعًا أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمۡ جَرَادࣱ مُّنتَشِرࣱ ٧With downcast eyes, they come forth from the graves as they were locusts spread abroad.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, from the terror of the event, eyes downcast in fear and awe, they will emerge from the graves like swarming locusts.8مُّهۡطِعِينَ إِلَى ٱلدَّاعِۖ يَقُولُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوۡمٌ عَسِرࣱ ٨Hastening toward the summoner; the disbelievers say: This is a hard day.9۞كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحࣲ فَكَذَّبُواْ عَبۡدَنَا وَقَالُواْ مَجۡنُونࣱ وَٱزۡدُجِرَ ٩The folk of Noah denied before them, yea, they denied Our slave and said: A madman; and he was repulsed.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, before your people, Noah’s people denied in the same way and did not believe that Allah sends prophets.10فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَغۡلُوبࣱ فَٱنتَصِرۡ ١٠So he cried unto his Lord, saying: I am vanquished, so give help.11فَفَتَحۡنَآ أَبۡوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءࣲ مُّنۡهَمِرࣲ ١١Then opened We the gates of heaven with pouring water.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, by the majority view this is an extended metaphor: water pouring violently from the clouds.12وَفَجَّرۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ عُيُونࣰا فَٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرࣲ قَدۡ قُدِرَ ١٢And caused the earth to gush forth springs, so that the waters met for a predestined purpose.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, saying “water” in the singular rather than “two waters” indicates that both were in essence one water.13وَحَمَلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلۡوَٰحࣲ وَدُسُرࣲ ١٣And We carried him upon a thing of planks and nails.InsightElmalılı explains “alwah” as flat planks and “dusur” as nails or ropes: Noah’s ark.14تَجۡرِي بِأَعۡيُنِنَا جَزَآءࣰ لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ ١٤That ran (upon the waters) in Our sight, as a reward for him who was rejected.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the ship sailed amid mountainous waves under Allah’s watch, directly under His protection.15وَلَقَد تَّرَكۡنَٰهَآ ءَايَةࣰ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ١٥And verily We left it as a token; but is there any that remembereth.InsightElmalılı relates the report that the remains of Noah’s ark stayed on Mount Judi and that the early members of this community saw it.16فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ١٦Then see how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings.17وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ١٧And in truth We have made the Qur’an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this verse is the surah’s refrain: the Qur’an has been made easy for reflection, but where is the one who reflects?18كَذَّبَتۡ عَادࣱ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ١٨(The tribe of) A’ad rejected warnings. Then how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the absence of a connecting word here draws attention to the story’s independence.19إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحࣰا صَرۡصَرࣰا فِي يَوۡمِ نَحۡسࣲ مُّسۡتَمِرࣲّ ١٩Lo! We let loose on them a raging wind on a day of constant calamity.InsightElmalılı explains “sarsar” as a cold or roaring storm; the day’s ill fortune relates to their destruction.20تَنزِعُ ٱلنَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلࣲ مُّنقَعِرࣲ ٢٠Sweeping men away as though they were uprooted trunks of palm-trees.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, since the people of ‘Ad were huge, they toppled like palm trunks torn from their roots.21فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ٢١Then see how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings.22وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ٢٢And in truth We have made the Qur’an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth.23كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِٱلنُّذُرِ ٢٣(The tribe of) Thamud rejected warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “nudhur” may mean warnings or warners, that is, prophets.24فَقَالُوٓاْ أَبَشَرࣰا مِّنَّا وَٰحِدࣰا نَّتَّبِعُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذࣰا لَّفِي ضَلَٰلࣲ وَسُعُرٍ ٢٤For they said; Is it a mortal man, alone among us, that we are to follow? Then indeed we should fall into error and madness.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, first they refused to follow a human, expecting an angel; then they disdained that he was one of them.25أَءُلۡقِيَ ٱلذِّكۡرُ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا بَلۡ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرࣱ ٢٥Hath the remembrance been given unto him alone among us? Nay, but he is a rash liar.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this means: “Are we not human like him? Is there none among us more worthy than he?”26سَيَعۡلَمُونَ غَدࣰا مَّنِ ٱلۡكَذَّابُ ٱلۡأَشِرُ ٢٦(Unto their warner it was said): To-morrow they will know who is the rash liar.27إِنَّا مُرۡسِلُواْ ٱلنَّاقَةِ فِتۡنَةࣰ لَّهُمۡ فَٱرۡتَقِبۡهُمۡ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ ٢٧Lo! We are sending the she-camel as a test for them; so watch them and have patience.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the camel was sent as a sign of Salih’s prophethood.28وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡ أَنَّ ٱلۡمَآءَ قِسۡمَةُۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ كُلُّ شِرۡبࣲ مُّحۡتَضَرࣱ ٢٨And inform them that the water is to be shared between (her and) them. Every drinking will be witnessed.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the water was shared in turns between the camel and them: one day the camel drank, the next they drew water.29فَنَادَوۡاْ صَاحِبَهُمۡ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ ٢٩But they call their comrade and he took and hamstrung (her).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they called Qudar ibn Salif, leader of the town’s nine gangs, called “the red one of Thamud”, and he slaughtered the camel.30فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ٣٠Then see how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, after Salih’s warning “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days”, the punishment came bitterly to pass.31إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَيۡحَةࣰ وَٰحِدَةࣰ فَكَانُواْ كَهَشِيمِ ٱلۡمُحۡتَظِرِ ٣١Lo! We sent upon them one Shout, and they became as the dry twigs (rejected by) the builder of a cattle-fold.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, as they stood trembling in front of their homes, a blast like a thunderclap came from the sky and a tremor from the earth.32وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ٣٢And in truth We have made the Qur’an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth.33كَذَّبَتۡ قَوۡمُ لُوطِۭ بِٱلنُّذُرِ ٣٣The folk of Lot rejected warnings.34إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَاصِبًا إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطࣲۖ نَّجَّيۡنَٰهُم بِسَحَرࣲ ٣٤Lo! We sent a storm of stones upon them (all) save the family of Lot, whom We rescued in the last watch of the night.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, a wind raining stones was sent upon them; only Lot’s believing family was saved before dawn.35نِّعۡمَةࣰ مِّنۡ عِندِنَاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي مَن شَكَرَ ٣٥As grace from Us. Thus We reward him who giveth thanks.36وَلَقَدۡ أَنذَرَهُم بَطۡشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوۡاْ بِٱلنُّذُرِ ٣٦And he indeed had warned them of Our blow, but they did doubt the warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, Lot had told his people of the terror of the seizure; but they met the warnings with doubt and dispute.37وَلَقَدۡ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيۡفِهِۦ فَطَمَسۡنَآ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ٣٧They even asked of him his guests for an ill purpose. Then We blinded their eyes (and said): Taste now My punishment after My warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they tried to force their way to do evil to his guests; upon this their eyes were wiped out and they were blinded.38وَلَقَدۡ صَبَّحَهُم بُكۡرَةً عَذَابࣱ مُّسۡتَقِرࣱّ ٣٨And in truth the punishment decreed befell them early in the morning.InsightElmalılı explains “mustaqirr” as a punishment settled upon them, unavoidable, or one that leads them to their abode, Hell.39فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ ٣٩Now taste My punishment after My warnings.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is either the punishment descending with these words, or a figurative address expressing what they deserved.40وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ٤٠And in truth We have made the Qur’an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth.41وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ ٱلنُّذُرُ ٤١And warnings came in truth unto the house of Pharaoh.42كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُمۡ أَخۡذَ عَزِيزࣲ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ ٤٢Who denied Our revelations, every one. Therefore We grasped them with the grasp of the Mighty, the Powerful.43أَكُفَّارُكُمۡ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكُمۡ أَمۡ لَكُم بَرَآءَةࣱ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ ٤٣Are your disbelievers better than those, or have ye some immunity in the scriptures.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the address is to the people of Mecca, and through them to the Arabs and the people of the last age: are your disbelievers any better than those?44أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعࣱ مُّنتَصِرࣱ ٤٤Or say they: We are a host victorious.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this points to people of later ages relying on the means of society and civilisation to save themselves.45سَيُهۡزَمُ ٱلۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ ٤٥The hosts will all be routed and will turn and flee.InsightElmalılı relates from Abu Hurayrah: when this verse came, ‘Umar asked “Which assembly?”, and understood when he saw the Prophet recite it on the day of Badr.46بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ ٤٦Nay, but the Hour (of doom) is their appointed tryst, and the Hour will be more wretched and more bitter (than their earthly failure).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, that defeat is not their full punishment but a beginning; their true appointment is the Hour, when punishment is promised.47إِنَّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَٰلࣲ وَسُعُرࣲ ٤٧Lo! the guilty are in error and madness.48يَوۡمَ يُسۡحَبُونَ فِي ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمۡ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ ٤٨On the day when they are dragged into the Fire upon their faces (it is said unto them): Feel the touch of hell.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “Saqar” is one of the names of Hell; this expresses what its touch is like.49إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ بِقَدَرࣲ ٤٩Lo! We have created every thing by measure.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, everything has, before it happens, a destiny decreed from eternity in divine knowledge, a reality in knowledge.50وَمَآ أَمۡرُنَآ إِلَّا وَٰحِدَةࣱ كَلَمۡحِۭ بِٱلۡبَصَرِ ٥٠And Our commandment is but one (commandment), as the twinkling of an eye.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, Allah’s command to create something is but a single word or a single instant.51وَلَقَدۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَآ أَشۡيَاعَكُمۡ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرࣲ ٥١And verily We have destroyed your fellows; but is there any that remembereth.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, if you reflected you would realise you too are about to depart; but where is the one who reflects?52وَكُلُّ شَيۡءࣲ فَعَلُوهُ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ ٥٢And every thing they did is in the scriptures.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, though they perish, all their good and bad deeds are written in their records.53وَكُلُّ صَغِيرࣲ وَكَبِيرࣲ مُّسۡتَطَرٌ ٥٣And every small and great thing is recorded.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this shows man has a future even after death, and that his reality there will be the result of his deeds in the world.54إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّـٰتࣲ وَنَهَرࣲ ٥٤Lo! the righteous will dwell among gardens and rivers.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, those guarded from disbelief and disobedience are in gardens and a flow of light; “nahar” means river and also brightness.55فِي مَقۡعَدِ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكࣲ مُّقۡتَدِرِۭ ٥٥Firmly established in the favour of a Mighty King.InsightElmalılı explains “maq‘ad sidq” as a gathering of truth, a seat of sincerity: a fixed station for the truthful that can never prove false or vanish.