Verses 1–30
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
This sūrah was revealed in Mecca and consists of 30 verses. It criticizes worldly attachments, which lead one to transgression and ungratefulness. It threatens such individuals with the severest punishments of God in this world and the next. It explains how humankind, due to their short-sightedness and misconception, imagine that it is for their honor before God that He bestows His bounties upon them, and that it shows their dishonor if they are afflicted with poverty and need. As a result of this view, they rebel and cause mischief on the earth when they are endowed, and fall into ingratitude when they lack. However, they are mistaken in this. The fact is that whatever they experience—including power, wealth, poverty and calamity—is a test and trial from God to reveal what the person would send forth from what they have in this world for their hereafter.
Things are not as people imagine and claim. They will soon realize the fact of the matter when they face reckoning and punishment. At that point, it will become evident to them that whatever reached them—including poverty, wealth, potence and impotence—was a divine test. They will also learn that they could have sent ahead [good deeds] for their life tomorrow, but they failed to do so. Thus they chose punishment over reward. Achieving a happy life in the hereafter will only be the reward of a soul which has found peace with its Lord, which has submitted to His commands, which does not shake by the turmoil of calamities, which does not rebel when it is endowed with power, and which does not show ingratitude in the face of tragedy. The theme of the verses testify that the chapter was revealed in Mecca.
Commentary
وَ الْفَجْرِ ١
(89:1) By the dawn (wa al-fajr)!
Fajr means “morning, dawn.” Apparently what is meant here is the dawn in an absolute sense [including all dawns]. It is also possible that it refers to the dawn of the tenth day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, which is the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha, Yawm al-Naḥr). Other suggested interpretations are:
- The dawn of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.
- The dawn of Muḥarram, which is the beginning of the new year.
- The dawn of Friday.
- The dawn of the Night of Gathering (laylat al-jamʿ).
- The Morning Prayer.
- The entire day.
- The eruption (fajr) of springs from rocks.
Comment: There is more to the list, but they are all weak possibilities.
وَ لَيالٍ عَشْرٍ ٢
(89:2) By ten nights!
This apparently refers to the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. The indefinite form of the verse indicates glorification and aggrandizement. Other suggested views are:
- The last ten days of Ramadan.
- The first ten days of Ramadan.
- The first ten days of Muḥarram.
- Worshiping for ten nights, assuming that the dawn () refers to the Morning Prayer.
وَ الشَّفْعِ وَ الْوَتْرِ ٣
(89:3) By the Even (al-shafʿ) and by the Odd (al-watr)!
Shafʿ is synonymous with zawj (even, couple, pair). Al-Rāghib says:
Shafʿ means pairing and attaching a thing to something similar to it. Shafʿ is that which is paired and attached.
The Even can be matched with the Day of Tarwiyah (eighth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah), and the Odd with the Day of ʿArafah (ninth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah). This is the most appropriate interpretation assuming that the last two verses refer to the dawn of Dhū al-Ḥijjah and its first ten nights. Other suggested views are:
- The verse refers to the optional shafʿ and watr prayers at the end of the night.
- The verse refers to all prayers, since some of them are odd and some are even.
- Shafʿ is the Day of Sacrifice. Watr is the Day of ʿArafah.
- Shafʿ corresponds to all humankind, as per the verse: And We created you in pairs (). Watr refers to God.
Comment: There are some narrations which express these views. We shall present them in our upcoming examination of narrations, by God’s will.
- The verse refers to even and odd numbers. Swearing by them reminds the audience about the great blessing of having numbers for measurements.
- What is meant here is all beings, because everything is either even or odd.
- Watr refers to Adam, who was paired and coupled (shuffiʿa) with his wife.
- Shafʿ refers to all days and nights [in this world]. Watr signifies a day which will not be followed by night: the Day of Resurrection.
- Shafʿ corresponds to al-Ṣafā and al-Marwah [hills in Mecca]. Watr corresponds to the Holy House (Kaʿbah).
- Shafʿ refers to the [seven] days when ʿĀd was exterminated. Watr refers to their [eight] nights.
- Shafʿ refers to the gates of paradise, which are eight. Watr refers to the gates of hell, which are seven.
Comment: There is many more to be added to this list, reaching 36 views according to some exegetes. However, most of them involve unfounded impositions on the verse.
وَ اللَّيْلِ إِذا يَسْرِ ٤
(89:4) By the night (al-layl) when it departs (yasr, yasrī, from sary)!
Sary means the “passing and ending” of the night. The meaning is: “By the night, as it passes.” Hence, this verse is similar to the verse, and the night when it recedes (). The article al- in al-layl (“the” in the night) indicates the genus of night. Therefore, what is meant is the last part of all nights.
Some have suggested that the verse refers to the night of Muzdalifah specifically, which the night before the Day of Sacrifice. That is when the pilgrims journey (yasrī) from ʿArafāt to Muzdalifah, gather there to worship God, and then depart for Miná in the morning.
The problem with this suggestion should be clear, especially based on the view that the ten nights () are the first ten nights [of Dhū al-Ḥijjah].
هَلْ فِي ذلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ ٥
(89:5) Is there an oath in that (dhālika) for one possessing intellect (ḥijr)?
This is a rhetorical question which implies a confirmation. The demonstrative pronoun “that” (dhālika) refers to the above mentioned vows. Ḥijr means ʿaql (intellect, reason, wit). The meaning is: “In what We said above there is a sufficient oath for anyone who has an intellect to comprehend what is said, and to distinguish between truth and falsehood.” If God takes an oath for a statement, it emphasizes its correctness, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Also, God would only swear by something of significance and value.
The complement to the above vows is omitted since it is understood from the subsequent verses, which cover the following themes: (1) the worldly and otherworldly punishments of those who are immersed in transgression and ingratitude [, ]; (2) the reward of the souls at peace []; (3) any blessing that God gives to someone or withholds from someone is only a test and trial []. Omitting the main clause of an oath and alluding to it indirectly serve to emphasize the chapter’s main theme of warning and glad tidings.
أَ لَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعادٍ ٦
(89:6) Have you not regarded how your Lord dealt with [the people of] ʿĀd,
This verse refers to the former ʿĀd (), whose prophet was Hūd, and who used to live in al-Aḥqāf (lit. sand-dunes) []. Their story is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an, and we discussed it in Sūrah Hūd [under verses ].
إِرَمَ ذاتِ الْعِمادِ ٧ الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُها فِي الْبِلادِ ٨
(89:7-8) Iram, possessor of the pillars (ʿimād), the like of which was not created among cities?
ʿImād (pillar, column, pole) is “that which upholds a structure.” Its plural is ʿamad. These two verses describe a city of the tribe ʿĀd named Iram. It was apparently a prosperous and matchless city with lofty palaces and towering colonnades. Their stories have been lost through the passage of time, and their remains are effaced over the ages. We have no access to a detailed account of their case in a way that would satisfy a seeker’s soul. All we have are brief accounts of them mentioned in the Qur’an, from which we can gather the following facts: (1) They were a tribe which came after Noah’s tribe. (2) They lived in al-Aḥqāf [in Yemen]. (3) They were a powerful nation and physically sturdy people. (4) They were an advanced civilization, with prosperous cities, splendid places, and fecund lands that grew gardens, palm groves and farmlands. We already discussed their story [under verses ].
Here are some other views on these verses:
- The word Iram denotes the people of ʿĀd as a patronymic designation. Originally, Iram was the name of their forefather. This is like using the name Quraysh for the entire tribe [that descended from him], or applying Israel to the Children of Israel. “Being possessed of pillars” refers to their power and dominance. The meaning is: “Have you not seen what your Lord did to the ʿĀd tribe, who were the people of Iram? They were very mighty and powerful, the like of whom was not created among the people in terms of high stature, physical strength, and political influence—over other nations or throughout the earth.”
Comment: This is far from the apparent meaning of the text.
- “Being possessed of pillars” means that they were a nomadic people who lived in tents. They would migrate in the springtime, and would then return to their homelands when the plants grew.
Comment: This is even farther from the apparent text of the verse than the last view. There are also mythical accounts about the famous Garden of Iram, narrated from Wahb b. Munabbih and Kaʿb al-Aḥbār.
وَ ثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوادِ ٩
(89:9) And [the people of] Thamūd, who hollowed out (jābū, from jawb) the rocks in the valley.
Jawb means “cutting, carving, cleaving.” What is meant here is building houses in the mountains by hewing them. Hence, the verse is equivalent to the verse: And you hew houses out of the mountains skillfully ().
وَ فِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتادِ ١٠
(89:10) And Pharaoh, possessor of pegs.
This verse refers to the Pharaoh who was a contemporary of Moses. According to some narrations, he is called possessor of pegs because when he wanted to torture someone, he would peg the person’s hands and feet on the ground or on a wooden surface. This can be confirmed by how he threatened the magicians when they believed in Moses, as reflected in the Qur’an: then I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees (). He used to affix the limbs of the victim on a wooden cross with pegs.
الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلادِ ١١ فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسادَ ١٢
(89:11-12) Those who rebelled [against Allah] in their cities and caused much corruption in them,
These two verses describe ʿĀd, Thamūd and Pharaoh in the previous verses. The meaning should be clear.
فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذابٍ ١٣
(89:13) so your Lord poured (fa-ṣabba) on them a scourge of punishment.
Ṣabb means “pouring down,” as used for water. When used for “the whip of punishment,” it is a metaphor for a recurrent, frequent and excruciating series of punishments. The indefinite form of punishment indicates glorification and aggrandizement. The meaning is: “For each of the above mentioned transgressors who caused abundant mischief, their transgression and abundant mischief was followed by a punishment that God poured on them. It was such an excruciating, recurrent and frequent punishment that defies description.”
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصادِ ١٤
(89:14) Indeed your Lord is ever in ambush (la-bil-mirṣād).
Mirṣād is “a place where one waits in ambush and on guard.” Lying in ambush is used metaphorically for God. It compares how He records the acts of His servants to someone sitting in ambush to watch the person or the thing that they want to catch, as the victim comes to pass unaware. In like manner, God watches the deeds of His servants. And once they transgress and exceed in corruption, He seizes them with the severest of punishments.
This verse serves as an explanation and justification for the previous verses about God’s punishment of the previous nations who caused abundant mischief. There is also a subtle point in referring to God as your Lord: It indicates that the divine custom of punishment is equally applicable to the Prophet’s nation, just as it was applicable to the previous nations.
فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسانُ إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَ نَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ١٥
(89:15) As for man, whenever his Lord tests him and grants him honor and blesses him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.”
This verse and the next one describe the human condition when they are endowed with or deprived of worldly pleasures. The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of this verse shows that it builds on the previous discussion. It is as though the verses say: “Indeed humankind is under the watch of God, Who observes whether they improve for the better or deteriorate into corruption. To ascertain this, God tests and examines them by granting them a bounty, or by taking it away from them. This is the truth of the matter. However, humans take themselves to be honored and favored by God when He bestows a bounty upon them. They imagine that now they are entitled to act as they wish, so they transgress and exceed in mischief. And should He withhold His sustenance from them, they take that to be a sign of divine curse and dishonor. Accordingly, they fall into impatience and ingratitude.”
As for man (al-insān)…: Given our interpretation above, what is meant by al-insān (man, the human being) is humankind in terms of their natural disposition.
… whenever (idhā) his Lord tests him (ibtalāhu, from ibtilāʾ)…: Ibtilāʾ means “examining, trying.”
… and grants him honor and blesses him…: This phrase interprets God’s testing of humankind. What is meant here is apparent honoring and blessing. Alternatively, it means initial honoring and blessing, not a continued and perpetual one. That is, God honors them and grants them a blessing so that they may be grateful to their Lord and serve Him. However, they tend to turn that initial grace into a curse on themselves which brings about punishment.
… he says, “My Lord has honored me”: There are two possible interpretations for this statement: (1) “By granting me these blessings, God is showing that I am honorable and virtuous to Him.” (2) “The power and pleasure that He has given me are not only initial honors and blessings, but they shall continue and last forever. Hence, I may do as I wish.”
This statement is an expression of humankind’s mode of being and how they perceive things according to their natural inclination, not something that they would say verbally. Referring to God as my Lord implies the belief in God’s Lordship. That is, the person considers God to direct the affairs of their life and universe. This was not something that the idolaters and atheists acknowledged. The statement is nevertheless attributable to them on the account of their pristine intuition (fiṭrah), which admitted God as their Lord. Besides, there is a stylistic consideration behind word choice in this sentence: to be consistent with whenever his Lord tests him () at the beginning of the verse.
وَ أَمَّا إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهانَنِ ١٦
(89:16) But when He tests him and tightens his provision against him, he says, “My Lord has dishonored me.”
The meaning is: “Whenever God tests and examines them by limiting their sustenance, they claim, ‘My Lord has disgraced me and let me down.’” We can infer three points from these two verses []:
(1) The repetition of “testing” before both the granting and withholding of bounties indicates that both of them are components of divine examination, as opposed to how people view such events. God says: and We try you with good and ill by way of test ().
(2) Inasmuch as bestowing bounties is a grace and mercy from God, it is a divine honor—conditional on the person not turning it into a misfortune for themselves.
(3) People tend to associate happiness and honor with material enjoyment. If one is not endowed with God’s bounties in this world, they consider that as falling out of favor with Him. However, the fact of the matter is that honor lies in getting closer to God through belief and righteous deeds, which are equally accessible to the haves and have-nots. One’s financial status of wealth or poverty is only a test and trial.
Exegetes have offered other views on these two verses, which we shall not present and discuss since there is not much benefit in that.
كَلاَّ بَلْ لا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ ١٧
(89:17) Nay (kallā)! Rather (bal), you do not honor the orphan,
The exclamation kallā (nay, never, no way) refutes people’s common misconception that honor is defined by wealth and possessions, while poverty and lack are signs of disgrace and humiliation. The meaning is: “It is not as you say. Rather, both the giving and withholding of bounties by God are tests and trials through which He examines the people’s level of servitude and obedience.”
The word bal (rather, nay) serves two functions here: (1) It adds a tone of rebuke to the verse. This sense of censure is intensified by a shift from the third person to the second person [to rebuke the audience directly]. (2) It reiterates the refutation implied by kallā. It does so by introducing several examples where the person lacks virtue and value even though they are well-to-do: (i) when they do not honor the orphans; (ii) when they usurp the properties of orphans and do not give them what belongs to them; (iii) when they do not support feeding the needy due to their intense love for money. The human fiṭrah (primal nature, innate disposition, pristine conscience) would no doubt rule that there is no honor in this way of being wealthy.
… Rather, you do not honor the orphan: What is meant by “not honoring them” is depriving them of their father’s inheritance, as the minors at the time were not entitled to inheritance. They were left empty-handed, no matter how hard they would be pressed for their basic needs. This can be confirmed by a verse below: and you eat the inheritance rapaciously ().
وَ لا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلى طَعامِ الْمِسْكِينِ ١٨
(89:18) and do not urge (taḥāḍḍūna) the feeding of the needy,
What is meant here is encouraging one another to give charity to the poor and the needy. The source of this [lack of philanthropy] was their love for wealth, as we read below: and you love wealth… ().
وَ تَأْكُلُونَ التُّراثَ أَكْلاً لَمًّا ١٩
(89:19) and you eat the inheritance rapaciously (lamman),
Lamm means “consuming the share of oneself and others.” That is, taking up whatever one finds with no consideration of whether it is lawful or unlawful. This verse interprets their failure to honor the orphans [], as we explained.
وَ تُحِبُّونَ الْمالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا ٢٠
(89:20) and you love wealth with much fondness (jamman).
Jamm means “abundant, great.” This verse interprets their failure to urge feeding the needy [], as we explained.
كَلاَّ إِذا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا ٢١
(89:21) Nay! When the earth is leveled (dakkan) to a plain,
Dakk means “intense hammering, powerful striking.” The word when corresponds to the Day of Resurrection. The exclamation kallā (nay, never, no way) shows a second refutation [after the one in verse ] of what humans say [through their mode of being] at times of affluence and lack. And what comes after it—When the earth is leveled… (ff)—is a justification for that refutation. The effective meaning is: “It is not how the people suppose. They will realize, when the Resurrection occurs, that the life of this world and all that transpires therein—including wealth, poverty and so on—are not final goals which are intended for their own sake. Rather, they are tests and trials from God to differentiate between the felicitous and the wretched. They are also an opportunity for the people to prepare for themselves the means by which they would live in the hereafter. However, they are mistaken and confused, for they imagine these endowments to be honors and values that should be sought for their own sake. Thus they get engaged by these endeavors, and fail to send ahead anything for their eternal life. They will regret at that point, and will wish: had I sent ahead for my life! (). But their wish will not spare them anything of the punishment.”
وَ جاءَ رَبُّكَ وَ الْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا ٢٢
(89:22) and your Lord comes, and the angels rank on rank,
The idea of God’s “coming” is an ambiguous (mutashābih) expression which is overruled by decisive verses such as: Nothing is like Him (). This expression should be interpreted under the light of other muḥkam (decisive, solid, clear) verses which describe the properties of the Day of Resurrection. Some of these properties are: (i) All causal links and means of recourse will be cut off []. (ii) The veils [of ignorance and heedlessness] will be lifted from the people [so that they may observe the truth; , ]. (iii) It will become patent that Allah is the Manifest Reality ().
In the same light, there are some narrations which interpret the “coming” of God as the coming of His amr (command, verdict, matter, affair), corresponding to the verse: and all command (al-amr) that day will belong to Allah (). This interpretation can be somewhat supported by adding the following two verses together: Do they await anything but that Allah should come to them in the shades of the clouds, with the angels, and the matter be decided [once for all]? (); Do they await anything but that the angels should come to them, or your Lord’s command (amr) should come? (). Based on this view, there is an omitted muḍāf (annexed noun, construct noun) in the verse. The implied meaning is: “and your Lord’s command comes.”
Another possible explanation is that “coming” is ascribed to God figuratively. We already explained what is meant by the coming of the angels, and their lining up in ranks.
وَ جِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسانُ وَ أَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرى ٢٣
(89:23) the day when hell is brought [near], on that day man will take admonition, but what will that admonition avail him?
Hell “being brought” probably refers to its unveiling, as reflected elsewhere in the Qur’an: and hell is brought into view for one who sees (); and hell will be brought into view for the perverse (); You were certainly oblivious of this. We have removed your veil from you, and so your sight is sharp today ().
… on that day man will take admonition…: Based on the theme and context of the verses, the meaning is: “They will realize in the most patent way that anything pleasant or unpleasant that they were given in their worldly life was a test and trial from God. They will also realize that they fell short of preparing for their future eternal life.”
… but what (anná) will that admonition avail him?: This is a way of saying that they will not benefit from their awakening at that point. Admonitions and reminders are useful as long as one has the means and opportunity to make up for what they have missed through repentance and righteous deeds. However, that day will be a day of retribution, not a day of repentance and action. The word anná means “how, from where.”
يَقُولُ يا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَياتِي ٢٤
(89:24) He will say, “Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!”
There are two possible interpretations for my life: (1) “My life here,” which means the person’s life in the hereafter. (2) “My real life,” which again is one’s life in the hereafter. This verse corresponds to the verse: The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is indeed Life, had they known ().
“Sending ahead for one’s life” means doing righteous deeds ahead of time to serve one’s eternal life. The wish expressed in this verse is what humans will yearn for when they are awakened on the Day of Resurrection, but realize that their awakening is of no avail to him.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لا يُعَذِّبُ عَذابَهُ أَحَدٌ ٢٥ وَ لا يُوثِقُ وَثاقَهُ أَحَدٌ ٢٦
(89:25-26) On that day none shall punish as He punishes, and none shall bind as He binds.
The antecedent of the pronoun “He” in both verses is God. The meaning is: “On that day, no one amongst His creatures will give out God’s punishment. Nor will any of His creatures bind God’s binding.” In other words, God’s punishment and binding on that day will be far greater than any punishment and binding that the creatures can administer. This emphasizes and intensifies the theme of warning in these verses.
According to another recitation of the verses, the verbs are in the passive voice: lā yuʿadhdhabu (he is not punished) and lā yūthaqu (he is not bound), where the pronouns “he” would refer to the human being. The meaning would be: “On that day no one will be punished like this person. Nor will anyone be confined the way this person is confined.”
يا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ٢٧
(89:27) O soul at peace!
This verse and the following verses are mentioned in contradistinction with the previous verses. Therefore, we can infer the qualities of this group by contrast. The previous group were those who are attached to this world, transgress their limits, cause corruption, and are ungrateful. Accordingly, the soul at peace is someone who: (1) finds peace with its Lord; (2) is satisfied with what God is satisfied with; (3) sees itself a servant that is not in charge of any good, evil, benefit or loss; (4) views this world as a temporary abode to pass; and (5) realizes that everything in this life—such as wealth, poverty, gain and loss—is a divine test and tribulation. As a result, such a soul is not led into transgression, excess corruption, ascendancy or pride at times of abundance; nor into ungratefulness or disbelief at times of poverty and lack. Rather, the soul is firmly established in servitude, and does not deviate from the straight path to either extreme of excess or deficiency.
ارْجِعِي إِلى رَبِّكِ راضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً ٢٨
(89:28) Return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing!
The person receives this address throughout the entire Day of Resurrection, from when they are raised to life, until when they settle in paradise. In fact, it is applicable from the time of one’s death until they enter paradise. Some have said that this call will be made only after the reckoning, but that is not the case.
… pleased…: There are two elements of being pleased with God: (1) being pleased with His existential and creational decrees (takwīnī); (2) being pleased with His legislative and imperative decrees (tashrīʿī). The former means that one would not be upset with anything that occurs to them. The latter means that one would not be unsettled by the temptation to sin.
… and pleasing: Once the servant is pleased with their Lord, their Lord will be pleased with the servant as well, because what dissatisfies God is transgressing the limits of servitude. Hence, when a servant observes the path of servitude, God will certainly be pleased with them. That is why the two qualities are mentioned in this sequence.
فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبادِي ٢٩
(89:29) Then enter among My servants!
The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of this verse indicates that this is a conclusion and consequence of Return to your Lord (). We can infer from this that the soul at peace () is among the servants of God. That is, it has reached the station of servitude. Being at peace with one’s Lord means ceasing to consider any independence for oneself, and being pleased with the truth that comes from God. Such a person would see their Lord to be the absolute owner of their essence, attributes and actions. As a result, they would only desire what their Lord desires in terms of existential events in the world of creation, as well as commands and prohibitions in the world of legislation. This is the perfection of servitude in a person. Accordingly, Then enter among My servants is a confirmation of the person’s station of servitude.
وَ ادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي ٣٠
(89:30) And enter My paradise!
This verse determines the soul’s residence. This is the only verse in the Qur’an where God ascribes paradise to Himself directly: My paradise. This indicates a very special honor and glorification [of the servant’s position].
Examining Narrations
- Concerning By the Even (al-shafʿ) and by the Odd (al-watr) () the Prophet said: Shafʿ is all humankind, because God says: And We created you in pairs (). Watr is God.
- In another narration the Prophet said: The Even and the Odd are the prayers, some of which are even and some of which are odd.
- In another narration the Prophet said: Shafʿ is the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha, Yawm al-Naḥr). Watr is the Day of ʿArafah.
Author’s comment: The connection here is that the Day of ʿArafah is a single day, but the Day of Sacrifice is coupled with (yushfaʿu) the Day of Departure (Yawm al-Nafr). These three narrations are also reported through Sunni chains of narration. We can reconcile them with one another by saying that the Even and the Odd are meant in an unqualified sense in the verse, and these narrations provide some examples and applications of them [without restricting the verse’s meaning or negating other applications].
- It is narrated from Imams al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq: Shafʿ is the Day of Tarwiyah (eighth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah). Watr is the Day of ʿArafah (ninth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah).
- Tafsīr al-Qummī says concerning By ten nights (): These are the ten [first] days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. By the Even (al-shafʿ) and by the Odd (al-watr) (): Shafʿ is the two units (rakʿah), while watr is a sole unit [of the optional Night Prayer].
- According to a ḥadith, Shafʿ refers to al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, and watr is the Commander of the Faithful [Imam ʿAlī].
- Concerning By the night when it departs () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: This refers to the Night of Gathering (laylat al-jamʿ) [in Muzdalifah]
- Concerning one possessing ḥijr () Imam al-Bāqir said: [It means] one possessing ʿaql (intellect, reason, wit).
- Concerning And Pharaoh, possessor of pegs () once Imam al-Ṣādiq was asked: “Why was he called possessor of pegs?” The Imam explained, “Because when he wanted to torture someone, he would lay the person on the ground face down, would stretch the persons arms and legs, and would then nail them with four pegs into the ground. And sometimes he would affix the person on a wide wooden surface, and would nail the person’s hands and feet on it with four pegs. Then he would leave the person in that condition until they died. That is why God has called Pharaoh possessor of pegs.”
- Concerning Indeed your Lord is ever in ambush () Imam ʿAlī said: It means that your Lord is capable of repaying the sinners [what they deserve].
Author’s comment: This narration shows that the verse’s expression is metaphorical.
- Imam al-Ṣādiq said: Mirṣād (ambush; ) is a part of the bridge (ṣirāṭ) that no servant may pass if they have wronged another servant.
- Concerning And Dhū al-Nūn, when he left in a rage, thinking (fa-ẓanna) that We would not straiten against him () Imam al-Ṣādiq said: Ẓanna (he thought, he speculated) here means istayqana (he was certain, he knew for sure). He was certain that God will not straiten his provision against him. Have you not heard of His words: But when He tests him and tightens (naqdira) his provision against him (), where naqdira means ḍayyaqa (tightens, restricts, presses)?
- Concerning Nay! When the earth is leveled to a plain () Imam al-Bāqir said: That is the quake [of the Hour; , ].
- The Messenger of God said: “Do you know the meaning of these verses: Nay! When the earth is leveled… the day when hell is brought ()?” Then he explained: “On the Day of Resurrection, hell will be dragged forth with seventy thousand reins in the hands of seventy thousand angels. Then it will flare up a flame which would certainly burn the heavens and the earth—were it not that God shall confine it.”
- Once Imam al-Riḍā was inquired about the verse, and your Lord comes, and the angels rank on rank (). He said: Coming and going are not applicable attributes to God. Glory be to Him! He is transcendent of movement and transition. What is meant here is your Lord’s command comes.
- Sadīr al-Ṣayrafī said: Once I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq, “May I be your ransom, O son of God’s Messenger! Would a believer have any displeasure upon the parting of his soul?”
He replied, “No, by God! When the Angel of Death comes to seize his soul, he will fret at first. But the Angle of Death will say, ‘Don’t worry, O friend of God! By the One Who sent Muḥammad [as a messenger], I am more compassionate and benevolent to you than a kind father by the deathbed of his son. Open up your eyes and see!’
Then the Messenger of God, the Commander of the Faithful [Imam ʿAlī], Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn, and the Imams from their progeny will appear to him. He will be told, ‘Here are the Messenger of God, the Commander of the Faithful, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn and the Imams. They shall be your companions.’
He opens his eyes and looks. Then a caller from God will address his soul, ‘O soul at peace () with Muḥammad and his family! Return to your Lord, pleased () with wilāyah (divine guardianship, spiritual authority) [of the Imams], and pleasing () by [being granted] reward. Then enter among My servants (), meaning Muḥammad and his Household (Ahl al-Bayt). And enter My paradise ().’ At that point, he will not love anything as much as the leaving his body and joining the caller.”
The letter wāw before al-fajr indicates a vow. The same applies to the same letter appearing before ten nights (), the Even (), the Odd () and the night (). (Auth.) ↩︎
This is the night before Eid al-Adha, when people gather in Muzdalifah to worship God, and to gather pebbles. This reduces to the second interpretation accepted by the author. This, however, was originally offered as an interpretation for And by the night when it departs (). The word “dawn” was added to the interpretation later by mistake. See the suggested interpretation under verse below. (Ed.) ↩︎
God is odd since He is absolute and simple. All other beings are even since they are compound. The former is the Necessary Being; the latter are contingent beings. (Ed.) ↩︎
This means that shafʿ refers to Eve. (Ed.). ↩︎
This is deduced from verse . (Ed.) ↩︎
In other words, the article al- (the) indicates the genus of human beings in general (jins), not every single member of them exhaustively (istighrāq). (Auth.) ↩︎
The word idhā (when, whenever) must be used with an operator, which is omitted here. The implied meaning is: “Whenever it happens (kāʾinan) that his Lord…” It is also suggested that the operator is fa-yaqūlu (he says). (Auth.) ↩︎
In other words, the person may not necessarily believe in God as their Lord, but the Qur’an has nevertheless used my Lord to match his Lord at the beginning of the verse. (Ed.) ↩︎
The verb taḥāḍḍūna was originally tataḥāḍḍūna. (Auth.) ↩︎
There is an almost identical expression in verse , with the difference that it says or your Lord should come instead or your Lord’s command should come (). Matching the two verses clarifies that what is meant by “the coming of God” is “the coming of His command (amr).” (Ed.) ↩︎
For the coming of the angels, see volume 3, pp. 135ff of the English translation, under verse ; and volume 14, p. 228, under verse . For the ranks of angels, see verse above. (Ed.) ↩︎
In other words: “This is too late. Where has this admonition been? From where has it come to help him? How could it possibly save him now?” (Ed.) ↩︎
Majmajʿ al-bayān, on the authority of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī. The book has also narrated this from ʿAṭiyyah al-ʿAwfī, Abū Ṣāliḥ, Ibn ʿAbbās and Mujāhid. ↩︎
Majmajʿ al-bayān, on the authority of Ibn Ḥuṣayn. ↩︎
Majmajʿ al-bayān, on the authority of Ibn Jābir. The book has also narrated this from Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿIkrimah and al-Ḍaḥḥāk. ↩︎
The Day of ʿArafah is the ninth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. It is the only day when the pilgrims are required to stay in ʿArafāt. The Day of Sacrifice the tenth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, when the pilgrims are in Miná. Their stay continues to the eleventh (called Yawm al-Qarr) and the twelfth (called the first Yawm al-Nafr), and sometimes to the thirteenth (called the second Yawm al-Nafr). See verse . (Ed.) ↩︎
Majmajʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī. ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of Abū al-Jārūd. ↩︎
ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ, on the authority of Abān al-Aḥmar, via its chain of narration. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān, on the authority of Ghawālī al-laʾālī, part of a longer hadith. (Auth.)
This narration could not be found in either Majmaʿ al-bayān or Ghawālī al-laʾālī, but it is narrated from Imam al-Riḍā in al-ʿUyūn. Also note that Ghawālī al-laʾālī more commonly known as ʿAwālī al-laʾālī. (Ed.) ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of Abū al-Jārūd. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh, from ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib. The book has also narrated this from the Prophet on the authority of Abū Saʿīd and Ibn Masʿūd. It is also reported through Shia chains of narration in al-Ṭūsī’s al-Amālī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Dāwūd b. Sulaymān, from Imam al-Riḍā, from his fathers, from Imam ʿAlī, from the Messenger of God. ↩︎
Al-ʿUyūn, via its chain of narration, on the authority of ʿAlī b. Faḍḍāl, on the authority of his father. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration. The same idea has been reported by al-Qummī in his Tafsīr al-Qummī, and by al-Barqī in al-Maḥāsin. ↩︎