Verses 16–50

Chapter 77: Al-Mursalāt (The Emissaries) · Printed edition: Volume 39, from p. 243

أَ لَمْ نُهْلِكِ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٦ ثُمَّ نُتْبِعُهُمُ الْآخِرِينَ ١٧ كَذلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ ١٨وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ١٩ أَ لَمْ نَخْلُقْكُمْ مِنْ ماءٍ مَهِينٍ ٢٠ فَجَعَلْناهُ فِي قَرارٍ مَكِينٍ ٢١ إِلى‏ قَدَرٍ مَعْلُومٍ ٢٢ فَقَدَرْنا فَنِعْمَ الْقادِرُونَ ٢٣ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٢٤ أَ لَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ كِفاتاً ٢٥ أَحْياءً وَ أَمْواتاً ٢٦ وَ جَعَلْنا فِيها رَواسِيَ شامِخاتٍ وَ أَسْقَيْناكُمْ ماءً فُراتاً ٢٧ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٢٨ انْطَلِقُوا إِلى‏ ما كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٢٩ انْطَلِقُوا إِلى‏ ظِلٍّ ذِي ثَلاثِ شُعَبٍ ٣٠ لا ظَلِيلٍ وَ لا يُغْنِي مِنَ اللَّهَبِ ٣١ إِنَّها تَرْمِي بِشَرَرٍ كَالْقَصْرِ ٣٢ كَأَنَّهُ جِمالَتٌ صُفْرٌ ٣٣ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٣٤ هذا يَوْمُ لا يَنْطِقُونَ ٣٥ وَ لا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ ٣٦ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٣٧ هذا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ جَمَعْناكُمْ وَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ٣٨ فَإِنْ كانَ لَكُمْ كَيْدٌ فَكِيدُونِ ٣٩ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٠ إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلالٍ وَ عُيُونٍ ٤١ وَ فَواكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ ٤٢ كُلُوا وَ اشْرَبُوا هَنِيئاً بِما كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ٤٣ إِنَّا كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ٤٤ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٥ كُلُوا وَ تَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ ٤٦ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٧ وَ إِذا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لا يَرْكَعُونَ ٤٨ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٩ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ ٥٠

16. Did We not destroy the ancients?
17. Then made the latter ones follow them.
18. That is how We deal with the guilty.
19. Woe to the deniers on that day!
20. Have We not created you from a base fluid,
21. [and] then lodged it in a secure abode
22. until a known term?
23. Then We designed; so how excellent designers We are!
24. Woe to the deniers on that day!
25. Have We not made the earth a receptacle,
26. both for the living and the dead,
27. and set in it lofty [and] firm mountains, and given you agreeable water to drink?
28. Woe to the deniers on that day!
29. [They will be told]: “Get off toward what you used to deny!
30. Get off toward the triple-forked shadow.”
31. Neither shading nor is of any avail against the flame.
32. Indeed it throws up sparks [huge] like palaces,
33. [bright] as if they were yellow camels.
34. Woe to the deniers on that day!
35. This is a day wherein they will not speak,
36. nor will they be permitted to offer excuses.
37. Woe to the deniers on that day!
38. “This is the Day of Judgement. We have brought together you and the ancients.
39. If you have any stratagems [left], try out your stratagems against Me!”
40. Woe to the deniers on that day!
41. Indeed the Godwary will be amid shades and springs,
42. and fruits, such as they desire.
43. [They will be told:] “Eat and drink to your heart’s content, [as a reward] for what you used to do.”
44. Thus indeed do We reward the good-doers.
45. Woe to the deniers on that day!
46. “Eat and enjoy a little! You are indeed guilty.”
47. Woe to the deniers on that day!
48. And when they are told, “Bow down,” they do not bow down!
49. Woe to the deniers on that day!
50. So what discourse will they believe after this?

Introduction & Commentary

These verses provide arguments for the oneness of God’s Lordship, which necessitates a Day of Judgment for a final settlement of disputes. That is when those who denied it will be punished. The verses describe the retribution that is prepared for the deniers, and the rewards that will be given to the Godwary. The chapter ends by rebuking the disbelievers for arrogantly turning away from serving God and believing in His words.

أَ لَمْ نُهْلِكِ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٦ ثُمَّ نُتْبِعُهُمُ الْآخِرِينَ ١٧ كَذلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ ١٨ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ١٩

(77:16-19) Did We not destroy (nuhlik) the ancients? Then made the latter ones follow them (nutbiʿuhum, from itbāʾ). That is how We deal with the guilty. Woe to the deniers on that day!

The question in the first verse is a rhetorical one, implying a negation. The ancients refer to nations and communities who lived in the distant past, such as the tribes of Noah, ʿĀd and Thamūd. The latter ones refer to any nation that came after them. Itbāʿ means “placing something after another.” The second verse marks an independent statement from the first one. The meaning is: “We certainly destroyed the deniers amongst the ancient nations. Then We also destroy the subsequent nations that follow them.”

That is how We deal with the guilty: This verse serves as a justification and explanation for the last two verses. That is why it does not start with the conjunction “and,” but is stated as an independent sentence. It is as though one asked, “Why were they destroyed?” and the Qur’an replies: That is how We deal with the guilty.

There are three main aspects to the above verses []:

(1) As one can see, these verses have the same theme and tone of warning that is found in the central message of the chapter, which is the repeated verse: Woe to the deniers on that day ().

(2) At the same time, the verses serve as a proof for God’s unity in Lordship. The verses’ argument can be elaborated as follows:

Premise A: Destroying the guilty people is a form of management and direction of affairs in the human world.

Premise B: The polytheists would acknowledge that the destroyer is no one but God.

Conclusion: God is the Lord of humankind, and there is no lord but Him. He is the One to be worshiped, and no one else.

(3) The verses prove the Day of Judgment. This is because destroying a nation for their sin is only justified and sensible if they disobey a set of obligations that was previously given to them. Further, obligation would be redundant unless there is some reward for those who obey, and some punishment for those who disobey. Thus there must be a Day of Judgment to differentiate between the people—the obedient and the disobedient. Such reward and punishment cannot take place in this world, because this realm lacks the capacity to encompass all rewards and punishments. Therefore, there must be a day when everyone will be paid according to their deeds. That is the Day of Judgment (); That is a day on which all humankind will be gathered ().

أَ لَمْ نَخْلُقْكُمْ مِنْ ماءٍ مَهِينٍ ٢٠ فَجَعَلْناهُ فِي قَرارٍ مَكِينٍ ٢١ إِلى‏ قَدَرٍ مَعْلُومٍ ٢٢ فَقَدَرْنا فَنِعْمَ الْقادِرُونَ ٣ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٢٤

(77:20-24) Have We not created you from a base fluid (māʾ mahīn), [and] then lodged it in a secure abode until a known term? Then We designed; so how excellent designers We are! Woe to the deniers on that day!

Here again we have a rhetorical question which implies a negation [as in verse ]. Māʾ mahīn (lit. despicable water) means an insignificant and worthless amount of water that does not satisfy any need. What is meant here is nuṭfah (semen, sperm). The secure abode is the womb. The known term is the period of pregnancy.

Then We designed (fa-qadarna, from qadr); so how excellent designers We are: What is meant by qadr here is the transitive sense of taqdīr (measurement, ordainment, allotment). The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of verse indicates that the stage of measurement is subsequent and consequent to the creation []. The meaning is: “We first created you, then We ordained all the events that should occur to you, as well as all your properties and future states, such as the length or brevity of your life, your physical stature and beauty, your health and illness, and your sustenance in life.” Another suggested possibility is that the verb qadarnā is derived from qudrah (strength, ability, power), which is the antonym of ḍaʿf (weakness, inability). Then the meaning would be: “Thus We are capable of all these tasks.” However, the first meaning is more plausible.

The meaning of the above verses [] is: “Surely We created you of a worthless fluid, which is the semen. Then We placed that fluid in a secure abode, which is the womb. We preserved it there until a specified time, which is the period of pregnancy. Then We planned and ordained everything that pertains to your existence, including all events, traits, and states. This shows how excellent of planners We are!”

Much like the previous set of verses [], these verses also prove God’s unity of Lordship, as well as the inevitability of the Day of Judgment. God’s Lordship of the people necessitates their humility and obedience toward Him. That is an obligation that any servant owes their Master. And any obligation necessitates some retribution for its observation or violation. Thus there must be a day when the people are paid for their deeds, and that is the Day of Judgment.

أَ لَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ كِفاتاً ٢٥ أَحْياءً وَ أَمْواتاً ٢٦ وَ جَعَلْنا فِيها رَواسِيَ شامِخاتٍ وَ أَسْقَيْناكُمْ ماءً فُراتاً ٢٧ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٢٨

(77:25-28) Have We not made the earth a receptacle (kifātan), both for the living and the dead, and set in it lofty [and] firm mountains, and given you agreeable water to drink? Woe to the deniers on that day!

Kifāt and kaft mean “gathering, joining, combining.” The meaning of the first two verses is: “Have We not made the earth a gathering that accommodates all people—both the living and the dead?” It is also said that kifāt is the plural of kaft, which means “container, receptacle.” The meaning would be: “Have We not made the earth into receptacles that accommodate both the living and the dead?”

and set in it lofty (shāmikhāt) [and] firm mountains (rawāsī), and given you agreeable (furātan) water to drink?: Rawāsī means “firm mountains.” Shāmikhāt means “high, elevated.” Referring to the mountains is a prelude to the next part of the verse—and given you agreeable water to drink—because the streams and natural fountains spring from the mountains, and then flow down to the plains. Furāt means “sweet and potable water.” We can deduce the same kind of proof and argument from these verses [] as we did from the previous verses [concerning God’s unity of Lordship, and the Day of Judgment].

انْطَلِقُوا إِلى‏ ما كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٢٩

(77:29) [They will be told]: “Get off (inṭaliqū, from inṭilāq) toward what you used to deny!

This verse narrates what the guilty will be told on the Day of Judgment. The speaker is God, as we can infer from a verse below: If you have any stratagems [left], try out your stratagems against Me! (). What you used to deny is hell. Inṭilāq means “moving directly and immediately from one place to another.” The meaning is: “They will be told, ‘Move right away from the plain of resurrection to the fire that you used to deny.”

انْطَلِقُوا إِلى‏ ظِلٍّ ذِي ثَلاثِ شُعَبٍ ٣٠

(77:30) Get off toward the triple-forked shadow.”

According to the exegetes, shadow in this verse means the plume of the smoke that will fume from hellfire. The Qur’an says: And the shadow of a dense black smoke (). Exegetes have also suggested that the smoke is described as triple-forked in reference to its breadth and immensity, because a massive smoke would naturally divide into several branches.

لا ظَلِيلٍ وَ لا يُغْنِي مِنَ اللَّهَبِ ٣١

(77:31) Neither shading (ẓalīl) nor is of any avail against the flame (al-lahab).

The adjective ẓalīl is used for a shadow or canopy that protects one from heat and harm. What overshadows them in hell will not provide such protection. Lahab means the upper parts of a flame, which would be red, yellow or green.

إِنَّها تَرْمِي بِشَرَرٍ كَالْقَصْرِ ٣٢ كَأَنَّهُ جِمالَتٌ صُفْرٌ ٣٣ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٣٤

(77:32-34) Indeed it throws up sparks (bi-sharar) [huge] like palaces (qaṣr), [bright] as if they were yellow camels (jimālah). Woe to the deniers on that day!

The antecedent of the pronoun “it” is the fire, which is understood from the context. Sharar means “sparks that jump out from fire.” The meaning of qaṣr is well-known (palace, castle, mansion). Jimālah is the plural of jamal, which means “male camel.” The meaning should be clear.

هذا يَوْمُ لا يَنْطِقُونَ ٣٥ وَ لا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ ٣٦ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٣٧

(77:35-37) This is a day wherein they will not speak, nor will they be permitted to offer excuses. Woe to the deniers on that day!

The demonstrative pronoun “this” refers to the Day of Judgment. What is meant by “permission” is the permission to speak or apologize. Offer excuses () is added to the clause, will not speak (), in the same context of negation.

The meaning is: “This is a day when they—meaning the people who are resurrected—will not speak. Nor will they make excuses because they will not be permitted to speak or apologize.” The negation of speaking in these verses does not contradict its affirmation in other verses, because that day will consist of various stages. In some stages people will be questioned and will have to answer. In other stages, their mouths will be sealed, and they will be unable to speak. We explained this under the verse: The day it comes, no one shall speak except by His leave (). The reader should refer to that discussion.

هذا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ جَمَعْناكُمْ وَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ٣٨ فَإِنْ كانَ لَكُمْ كَيْدٌ فَكِيدُونِ ٣٩ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٠

() “This is the Day of Judgement (al-faṣl). We have brought together you and the ancients. If you have any stratagems [left], try out your stratagems against Me!” Woe to the deniers on that day!

It is called a day of faṣl (separation, distinction, differentiation) since God will separate and distinguish between the followers of truth and the followers of falsehood through His decisive judgment between them. The Qur’an says: Indeed your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that about which they used to differ (); Indeed your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that about which they used to differ (, ).

… We have brought together you and the ancients: This is addressed to the disbelievers among the Prophet’s nation, in the sense that they are a subsequent generation, in contrast to the ancients. The Qur’an says: That is a day on which all humankind will be gathered (); We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them ().

If you have any stratagems [left], try out your stratagems against Me: That is, “If you can devise any plot against Me to counteract My punishment, then do so.” This address is a humiliating challenge that indicates their total loss of all power and ability on that day, as it will become manifest that all power belongs to the Almighty God alone. The Qur’an says: the wrongdoers will see, when they sight the punishment, that power, altogether, belongs to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment. When those who were followed will disown the followers, and they will sight the punishment while all their means of recourse will be cut off ().

This verse—If you have any stratagems [left], try out your stratagems against Me ()—is more comprehensive than the verse: O company of jinn and humans! If you can pass through the confines of the heavens and the earth, then do pass through. But you will not pass through except by an authority [from Allah] (), because the latter is specifically about the ability to escape, while the current verse of discussion is unqualified.

… try out your stratagems against Me: While the last verse [] was in the first person plural, this verse switches to the first person singular. The point behind this transition is that the command in the verse is a humiliating challenge. Such command should issue from the Source which holds all might and power, which is God alone. If the verse had said, “Try out your stratagems against Us,” then it would not reflect God’s singular omnipotence.

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلالٍ وَ عُيُونٍ ٤١ وَ فَواكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ ٤٢ كُلُوا وَ اشْرَبُوا هَنِيئاً بِما كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ٤٣ إِنَّا كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ٤٤ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٥

(77:41-45) Indeed the Godwary will be amid shades and springs, and fruits (fawākih), such as they desire. [They will be told:] “Eat and drink to your heart’s content, [as a reward] for what you used to do.” Thus indeed do We reward the good-doers. Woe to the deniers on that day!

The first verse refers to the shades of paradise where they will rest, and its fountains from which they will drink. Fawākih is the plural of fākihah (fruit).

Eat and drink to your heart’s content, [as a reward] for what you used to do: The imperative mood in this verse implies permission and freedom [not obligation]. Apparently “eating and drinking” are used metaphorically for any kind of enjoyment of heavenly pleasures, not strictly food and drink. Such usage is quite common, as “eating” (akl) is used for any kind of usage and consumption.

Thus indeed do We reward the good-doers: This verse affirms their happy ending.

كُلُوا وَ تَمَتَّعُوا قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ مُجْرِمُونَ ٤٦ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٧

(77:46-47) “Eat and enjoy a little! You are indeed guilty.” Woe to the deniers on that day!

The address here is much like saying: “Do whatever you wish; it will not help you in any way.” Such an expression is meant to disappoint the audience from achieving the goal that they wish to reach through their course of conduct. Two other similar verses are: Execute whatever you may execute. You can only decide about the life of this world (); Act as you wish; indeed He sees best what you do ().

Eat and enjoy a little…: The adverb “a little” (qalīlan) implies an omission here. The implied meaning is “enjoy a little enjoyment” or “enjoy for a little while.” It means that their eating and enjoyment will be ineffective in warding off God’s punishment. Hence, they may proceed to indulge and have their desire [in this life], but that will be of no benefit to them [in their eternal life]. The verse specifically mentions eating and enjoyment in accordance to their mindset. To those who denied the hereafter, happiness only consists of worldly happiness, and that amounts to the ability to indulge in more eating and consumption, much like irrational animals. The Qur’an says: As for the faithless, they enjoy and eat just like the cattle eat, and the fire will be their [final] abode ().

… You are indeed guilty: This sentence justifies the previous imperative statement. That is: “Your little eating and transitory enjoyment will be of no avail to you because you are guilty of denying the Day of Judgment. Indeed the punishment of such deniers is hell.”

وَ إِذا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لا يَرْكَعُونَ ٤٨ وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٤٩

(77:48-49) And when they are told, “Bow down,” they do not bow down! Woe to the deniers on that day!

Here are some suggested views concerning what is meant by “bowing” (rukūʿ) in this verse:

(1) It means the prayer.

Comment: This usage is based on bowing being a part and element of the prayer.

(2) It means humility, devotion and subservience before God, which is reflected in responding to His call, accepting His message, following His religion, and worshiping Him.

(3) It means prostration, which they will be ordered to perform on the Day of Resurrection, as reflected in the verse: and they are summoned to prostrate themselves, they will not be able [to do it] ().

Comment: The last two interpretations are not apparent.

This verse builds on the preceding verses, which threatened the deniers of the Day of Judgment, and described the consequences of their denial. It says that they do not worship God when they are ordered to do so, just as they do not believe in the Last Day. After all, it is meaningless to worship God for someone who denies reward and retribution. The verse is also a prelude to the next verse: So what discourse will they believe after this? (). Another possible connection, attributed to al-Zamakhsharī, is that the verse adds to the deniers (). The effective meaning would be: “Woe on that day to those who deny and those who do not bow down when they are told to do so.”

And when they are told…: There is a shift of address here from the second person to the third person. This is because they are left on their own to do whatever they wish, as they were told: Eat and enjoy ().

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَ عْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ ٥٠

(77:50) So what discourse will they believe after this?

The Qur’an is a divine sign and miracle, which has clarified for them, through the most expressive discourse, that God is the only deity Who is worthy of worship, and that they will face the Day of Judgment. Now, if they do not believe in this discourse, in what other discourse would they believe?

The verse implies that there is no hope in their acceptance and belief in God, His Messenger, and the Last Day. The verse also clarifies that it is justified to leave them on their own and stop calling them to faith—by telling them: Eat and enjoy ()—because they are not a people who would believe, and there is no benefit in calling them to faith. The only benefit in that is to complete God’s argument against them, and leave them without any excuse.

Examining Narrations

1. Tafsīr al-Qummī says concerning Have We not created you from a base (mahīn) fluid (): It [mahīn] means foul-smelling. Then lodged it in a secure abode (): In the womb. Until a known term (): Until the end of one’s life.
2. There is narration from Imam al-Kāẓim which compares the verse, Did We not destroy the ancients? () with those who refrained from obeying the messengers with respect to their successors. The Imam also interprets Then made the latter ones follow them () as those who wronged Muḥammad’s household.

Author’s comment: This should be viewed as extending the verse to other contexts (called jary), not an interpretation for the apparent and primary meaning of the verse (called tafsīr). Not to mention that the narration suffers from internal inconsistency.

3. When Imam ʿAlī returned from the Battle of Ṣiffīn, as he came across the graves [outside Kūfah] he said, “These are the kifāt of the dead,” meaning their dwellings. Then as he came across the houses in Kūfah he said, “These are the kifāt of the living.” Then he recited the verse: Have We not made the earth a receptacle (kifātan), both for the living and the dead ().
4. Concerning rawāsī shāmikhāt () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: It means towering moutains.
5. Tafsīr al-Qummī says concerning Get off toward the triple-forked shadow (): It will have three branches of fire. Indeed it throws up sparks [huge] like palaces (): The sparkles of hell will be as huge as palaces and mountains.
6. Concerning Indeed the Godwary will be amid shades and springs () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: They will be in shades that are brighter than sunlight.
7. It is said that the verse, And when they are told, “Bow down,” they do not bow down! () was revealed with reference to the Thaqīf. When the Messenger of God ordered them to pray, they said, “We do not bow down, because that is an insult to us.”

“There is no good,” the Prophet replied, “in a religion that is devoid of bowing and prostration.”

Author’s comment: It is not clear how this story relates to the verse, because it must have occurred after the Prophet’s migration to Medina.

8. Concerning the same verse [] Tafsīr al-Qummī says: When they are told, “Subscribe to the Imam,” they do not subscribe to him.

Author’s comment: This would be extending the verse to other contexts (jary), not the verse’s interpretation (tafsīr).

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1. If the verse were extending and adding to the rhetorical question in the first verse, then its verb (nutbiʿuhum) should have been majzūm (apocopated), just like the verb nuhlik (destroy) in the first verse. (Auth.)

   In other words, the verses are not only describing a past event, but they outline God’s ongoing custom with all nations throughout the times. (Trans.) ↩︎

2. Al-Kāfī. ↩︎

3. Tafsīr al-Qummī. It is also narrated that Imam al-Ṣādiq said the same thing as he looked at the graves, reported in Maʿānī al-akhbār, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Ḥammād. ↩︎

4. Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎

5. The chapter was revealed in Mecca before the migration, but the tribe Thaqīf lived in Ṭāʾif, which converted to Islam after the conquest of Mecca in the eighth year after the migration. However, the story could relate to the Prophet’s short visit to Ṭāʾif before his migration to Medina, assuming that bowing and/or prostration was already prescribed. (Trans.) ↩︎