Verses 1–11
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful
This sūrah was revealed in Medina and consists of 11 verses. It explains how humans are ungrateful to their Lord and hanker after material good. Since they are cognizant of this trait, it will be an argument against them on the Day of Judgment and they will be held accountable for it.
This chapter was revealed in Medina, as one can see from the oaths in it, such as: By the snorting chargers (). These oaths apparently refer to the horses of the cavalry, as we shall discuss below. Jihad was ordained only after the Prophet’s migration to Medina. This view is supported by Shia narrations from the Imams, saying that the sūrah was revealed about Imam ʿAlī and his army in the Battle of Dhāt al-Salāsil. Some Sunni narrations also support this, which will be discussed in our examination of narrations below, God-willing.
Commentary
وَالْعَادِيَاتِ ضَبْحًا ١
(100:1) By the snorting (ḍabḥan) chargers (al-ʿādiyāt, from ʿadw)!
ʿAdw means “galloping, running quickly.” Ḍabḥ is the sound of horses’ breaths as they race along. Typically, it is used for horses, although some say that it is also used for other animals. The verse means: “I swear by the horses which are rushing along and panting hard!”
Two other suggested views are:
- The verse is about the camels of pilgrims which carry their riders from Muzdalifah to Miná on the Day of Sacrifice.
- It refers to war-camels.
Comment: The descriptions in the subsequent verses do not suit camels.
فَالْمُورِيَاتِ قَدْحًا ٢
(100:2) By the strikers (fal-mūriyāt, from īrāʾ) of sparks [with their hoofs] (qadḥan)!
Īrāʾ means “causing fire, igniting, kindling.” Qadḥ means “hitting, striking.” When one makes a fire by striking two things, it is said: qadaḥa fa-awrá. Here, it is means the sparks that fly when the hooves of horses hit stones and the pebbly ground.
Other suggested meanings for īrāʾ include:
- People’s plots in war.
- Kindling fire [of war].
- The tongues of people which kindle fires [of animosity and destruction] through the enormity of their speech.
Comment: The weakness of these views should be clear [given the context].
فَالْمُغِيرَاتِ صُبْحًا ٣
(100:3) By the raiders (fal-mughīrāt, from ighārah) at dawn,
Ighārah and ghārah mean “making a surprise attack on the enemy with cavalry.” It is a quality of the horse-riders; hence, its applications to the horses in this verse is figurative. The verse means, “I swear by the horses attacking the enemy by surprise at dawn.”
Some exegetes have said: The verse refers to the camels which rise and carry their riders from Muzdalifah to Miná on the Day of Sacrifice, because it is recommended that they wait until the morning before they move.
According to this view, ighārah would express how fast they urge the camels along. However, this conflicts with the apparent meaning of ighārah.
فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعًا ٤
(100:4): raising (fa-atharna, from ithārah) therein a trail of dust (naqʿan),
Ithārah means “kicking up” dust or the like. Naqʿ means “dust.” The meaning is: “The horses strike up clouds of dust as they gallop and raid.”
فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعًا ٥
(100:5): and penetrating (fa-wasaṭna, from wasṭ) by it (bihi) a host!
Wasṭ is synonymous with tawassuṭ (being in the midst of, interposing). There are two possible meanings for the verse depending on how by it is interpreted: (1) “They appeared in the midst of the enemy forces at dawn.” (2) “They appeared in the midst of the crowd covered by dust.”
Some have suggested that the verse describes the camels which appear in the midst of the crowd in Miná. However, the reader should realize by now that, given the words used in these five verses [], they cannot plausibly be matched with the camels of the pilgrims, moving from Muzadlifah to Miná.
The surest view is that the verses pertain to the horses of the warriors [in the way of God]. And the context of these verses—especially And by the raiders at dawn () and, and penetrating by it a host ()—clarify that what is meant is the warriors themselves, though God swears by their charging horses. The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of each verses show the sequence of the events.
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ ٦
(100:6) Indeed man (al-insān) is ungrateful (la-kanūd) to his Lord,
Kanūd, is synonymous with kafūr (ungrateful). This verse can be compared to: Indeed man is very ungrateful (la-kafūr) (). The verse speaks of the aspect of human nature which leads them to pursue their desires and immerse in worldly pleasures. As a result, they cease to be grateful to their Lord for what He has blessed them with. The verse criticizes those who were raided since they were ungrateful for the blessing of Islam that God had sent them. This is the greatest blessing, because with it, comes a goodly life here and eternal bliss in the hereafter.
وَإِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ ٧
(100:7) and indeed he is [himself] witness to that!
To maintain consistency across the verses, the pronoun “he” must refer to al-insān (man, the human being; ). It means that people are aware of carrying the ungrateful gene. “Being witness” here means observing a reality [not testifying to it in a court]. The meaning is: “Human beings carry this knowledge that they are ungrateful toward their Lord.” Hence, the verse is comparable to: Rather, man is very insightful over himself ().
Some exegetes hold that the pronoun “he” refers to God, but the context does not support this.
وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ ٨
(100:8) And he is indeed avid (shadīd) in the love (li-ḥubb) of good (al-khayr).
Exegetes have offered two interpretations for this verse:
- “Because of their intense love for wealth, people are greedy and stingy.”
- “Humans are enamored by wealth, and that dissuades them from paying God’s due and spending in the way of God.”
However, perhaps khayr signifies good in its unqualified sense. The meaning is: “Loving one’s good and interest is inherent in humankind.” The problem is when the people come across the dazzling display and adornments of this world, and take that to be their good. This attraction diverts them from being grateful to their Lord.
أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِي الْقُبُورِ ٩ وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ ١٠ إِنَّ رَبَّهُمْ بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَخَبِيرٌ ١١
(100:9-11) Does he not know? When what is in the graves is turned over (buʿthira, from baʿtharah), and what is in the breasts is divulged (ḥuṣṣila mā fī al-ṣudūr), indeed their Lord will be best aware of them on that day.
Baʿtharah (like baḥtharah) means “resurrecting, arousing, dispersing.” The verse literally says, “when what is in the breasts is obtained.” This means distinguishing and classifying what people hold within, such as belief or disbelief, benevolence or malevolence. God says: On the day when the secrets are examined (). Another suggested meaning is: “The secrets that have been concealed in the breasts will be revealed so that people are requited for them just as they are requited for their outward deeds.”
Do they not know?...: This is a rhetorical question that conveys rebuke. The object of knowing is an omitted sentence that is implied by the context. Then the verse starts a new sentence which emphasizes the rebuke: When what is in the graves is turned over… (), referring to their bodies.
The meaning is—and God knows best: “Do they not know that their ingratitude toward their Lord has consequences that they shall face and be requited for? When their bodies are taken out of their graves, and everything inside their souls—such as belief and disbelief, obedience and disobedience—is extracted, then their Lord will be well aware of them. Thus He will requite them for it all.”
Examining Narrations
- The Messenger of God sent an army detachment to one of the branches of Kinānah tribe, and appointed al-Mundhir b. ʿAmr al-Anṣārī, who was one of the tribal chiefs, as its commander. When they did not return on time, the hypocrites said, “They have been all killed.” So God informed about them by revealing: By the snorting chargers ().
- Imam al-Ṣādiq said: This sūrah was revealed when the Prophet sent Imam ʿAlī on the operation Dhāt al-Salāsil, where he defeated the enemy. That was after several other Companions had been sent there, but had returned to the Messenger of God [without success].
Author’s comment: Majmaʿ al-bayān adds: “This battle was named Dhāt al-Salāsil (chained, fettered) because the enemy was [widely] slain and taken captive. Their hands were tied from the back with ropes, as if they were fettered in chains.”
- When this sūrah was revealed, the Messenger of God led the Morning Prayer for the people, and recited this sūrah in it. When he finished, the Companions said, “We had not heard this sūrah before.” The Messenger of God said, “That is right. Indeed ʿAlī triumphed over the enemies of God, and Gabriel brought me its good news last night.” After a few days, ʿAlī returned with war booty and prisoners.”
Dhāt al-Salāsil refers to a battle fought in either 629 or 633 CE, which would be either during the time of the Prophet or the time of Abū Bakr. Since Sunni and Shia accounts differ widely in their accounts of this battle, it is possible that there were two separate battles called Dhāt al-Salāsil. The narrations cited at the end of this chapter about ʿAlī refer to a battle during the time of the Prophet. (Trans.) ↩︎
While the previous verses start by an adjective, this verse starts by a verb (atharna). Yet, the verse is connected to the previous verses by the conjunction fāʾ (so, therefore, then). Some exegetes have clarified that such usage of fāʾ is acceptable because the adjectives in the previous verses are active participial nouns (sing. ism al-fāʿil), which take on the meaning of a verb. Hence, it is as though the verses say: “I swear by those horses which gallop, which kindle sparks, which raid, and which arouse dust.” (Auth.) ↩︎
Here, the pronoun “it” refers to dawn (), and the preposition bāʾ (by, with) means fī (in, at). (Auth.) ↩︎
Here, the pronoun “it” refers to dust (), and the preposition bāʾ indicates mulābasah (coverage, connectedness, company). (Auth.) ↩︎
Here, the letter lām—in li-ḥubb—signifies justification (taʿlīl); good (khayr) means “wealth”; and shadīd (intense, avid, strong) means “covetous, avaricious.” (Auth.) ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān, on the authority of Muqātil. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān, part of a longer hadith. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎