Al-Hijr 15:72
The Rocky Tract · Juz 14 · Page 266
لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي سَكۡرَتِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ٧٢
By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 15:72–74
Commentary
A Great Honour for the Holy Prophet ﷺ
About the word of Allah: لَعَمرُکَ (la'amruk : By your life), the majority of commentators, as reported in Ruh al-Ma’ ani, have said that the addressee of 'la'amruka' is the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It is his life that Allah Ta’ ala has sworn by. Al-Baihaqi in Dala'ilun-Nubuwwah, and Abu Nu'aym, Ibn Marduwayh and others have reported from Sayyidna ` Ab-dullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that Allah Ta’ ala has not bestowed on anyone in the whole creation an honour and rank higher than that of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mutafa ﷺ . This is the reason why Allah Ta’ ala has never sworn by the life of any prophet or angel, while in this verse, He has sworn by the age and life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - which is the highest conceivable honour and deference accorded to him.
Swearing by Non-Allah
To swear by anyone or anything, other than the names and attributes of Allah Ta` ala, is not permissible for any human being because one would only swear by whoever is held in the highest of esteem - and, as obvious, Allah alone can be the highest.
According to Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Do not swear by your mothers, fathers and idols. And do not swear by anyone except Allah - and if you have to swear by Allah, do it only when you are truthful in your statement. (Reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah~aow )
It appears in the Sahihayn (the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and the Sahih of Muslim) that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once saw Sayyidna ` Umar ibn al-Khattab ؓ swearing by his father. He called out to him and said: 'Watch out! Allah Ta’ ala forbids swearing by fathers. Whoever has to take an oath, let him do it in the name of Allah, otherwise, let him be silent. (Al-Qurtubi under the commentary on Surah al-Ma'idah)
But, this injunction applies to Allah's creation in general. As for Allah Ta’ ala Himelf, He swears by different things He has created. This is particular to Him. Its purpose is to state the sublimity and beneficence of something from the desired angle. Then, the cause of forbidding common people from swearing by anyone other than Allah is not present here - because, in the Word of Allah there is no probability that He would take someone from His creation to be the highest and the best. Again, the reason is that absolute greatness is particular only with Allah Ta’ ala.
Page 266
15:71
قَالَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِيٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَٰعِلِينَ ٧١
[Lot] said, "These are my daughters1 - if you would be doers [of lawful marriage]."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the women of his community who were lawful for marriage. ↩
15:72
لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي سَكۡرَتِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ٧٢
By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.
15:73
فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُشۡرِقِينَ ٧٣
So the shriek1 seized them at sunrise.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 11:67. ↩
15:74
فَجَعَلۡنَا عَٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ ٧٤
And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay.
15:75
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّلۡمُتَوَسِّمِينَ ٧٥
Indeed in that are signs for those who discern.
15:76
وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٖ مُّقِيمٍ ٧٦
And indeed, they [i.e., those cities] are [situated] on an established road.
15:77
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٧٧
Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.
15:78
وَإِن كَانَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَيۡكَةِ لَظَٰلِمِينَ ٧٨
And the companions of the thicket [i.e., the people of Madyan] were [also] wrongdoers,
15:79
فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٖ مُّبِينٖ ٧٩
So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear highway.
15:80
وَلَقَدۡ كَذَّبَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡحِجۡرِ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٨٠
And certainly did the companions of al-Ḥijr1 [i.e., the Thamūd] deny the messengers.
1 translator’s note
- The valley of stone. ↩
15:81
وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَكَانُواْ عَنۡهَا مُعۡرِضِينَ ٨١
And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away.
15:82
وَكَانُواْ يَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ ٨٢
And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.
15:83
فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُصۡبِحِينَ ٨٣
But the shriek seized them at early morning,
15:84
فَمَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ ٨٤
So nothing availed them [from] what they used to earn.
15:85
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةٞۖ فَٱصۡفَحِ ٱلصَّفۡحَ ٱلۡجَمِيلَ ٨٥
And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.
15:86
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخَلَّٰقُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٨٦
Indeed, your Lord - He is the Knowing Creator.
15:87
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكَ سَبۡعٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَثَانِي وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡعَظِيمَ ٨٧
And We have certainly given you, [O Muḥammad], seven of the often repeated [verses]1 and the great Qur’ān.
1 translator’s note
- Referring to Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. ↩
15:88
لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا تَحۡزَنۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱخۡفِضۡ جَنَاحَكَ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٨٨
Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of them [i.e., the disbelievers], and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing [i.e., show kindness] to the believers.
15:89
وَقُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أَنَا ٱلنَّذِيرُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ٨٩
And say, "Indeed, I am the clear warner" -
15:90
كَمَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡمُقۡتَسِمِينَ ٩٠
Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to the separators1
1 translator’s note
- Those who separated from the teachings of their prophets. Another meaning is "As We sent down [punishment] on the sworn opponents [to Allāh's message]." ↩