Maryam 19:59
Mary · Juz 16 · Page 309
۞ فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ أَضَاعُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَلۡقَوۡنَ غَيًّا ٥٩
But there came after them successors [i.e., later generations] who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil1 -
1 translator’s note
- Described as a valley in Hell or may be rendered "the consequence of error." ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 19:59–61
Commentary
فَخَلَفَ (Khalf) means bad successors, while فَخَلَفَ (Khalaf) means good successors. (Mazhari) Mujahid (رح) has reported that when the Day of Judgment would be near and the pious people would all be dead and gone, people will lose interest in prayers and indulge in all sort of vices and evil deeds.
Offering prayers outside fixed time or not with congregation (جَمَاعَت) is a default and of no avail, and is a great sin.
Most exegetes / commentators are of the view that offering prayers after its time has lapsed is a default of prayers (اضَاعُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ ). Among them are Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud, Nakhai, Qasim, Mujahid, Ibrahim and ` Umar Ibn ` Abdul ` Aziz. While others consider that any lapse in the form and conditions of prayers is اِضَاعتِ صلٰوۃ and includes the lapse of time as well. Still others believe that offering of prayers at home and not with the congregation (جَمَاعَت) is اِضَاعتِ صلٰوۃ (Qurtubi, Bahr ul-Muhit).
Sayyidna ` Umar al-Faruq ؓ ، had sent out a circular to all his governors saying:
إن أھم امرکم عندی الصلوٰۃ، فمن ضیعھافھو لما سواھا اضیع (مؤطا امام مالک)
"In my view the most important among your tasks is prayer. So, whoever defaults in this, will default in discharging his other obligations all the more."
Once Sayyidna Hudaifah ؓ saw someone offering his prayers without observing the prescribed rules, and was going through the rituals rather hurriedly without pausing. He asked the man how long he had been offering his prayers like that. The man replied for the last forty years. 'Then Sayyidna Hudaifah ؓ said:
"You have not offered a single of your prayers correctly."
He further remarked:
"If you die offering your prayers like this then remember you will die without following the course given by The Holy Prophet ﷺ .
Sayyidna Abu Mas’ ud ؓ has been quoted in Tirmidhi that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had said that the prayer of a person is lost who does not observe اِقَامَت i.e. does not stand upright in his prayers. It means that if one does not pause while bowing down (رُکُوع) and prostrating (سَجدَہ) in his prayers or who does not stand straight up after bowing down ( رُکُوع) or does not sit up in between two prostrations (سَجدُوں) his prayers would be considered as not performed. Similarly, if one is not careful about ablution (وُضُو) and his cleanliness (طَھَارَت) his prayers will also be lost.
Sayyidna Hasan-al-Basri (رح) has observed that leaving the mosques unattended and being over involved in business and enjoyments of life is included in the meaning of this verse.
Imam Qurtubi' (رح) after reproducing these sayings had said that even knowledgeable people ignore the prescribed rules of prayers and merely go through its motions. He made this observation in the 6th century Hijrah when such people were few. Presently the position is worse, and there are many more people who disregard the rules of prayers. نَعُوذُ بِاللہِ مِن شُرُورِ انفُسِنَا وَ اَعمَالِنا (and pursued desires - 19:59) (شَھَوَات ) refers to all such wordly pleasures which make people negligent of their duty to Allah making them lose interest in Prayers. Sayyidna Ali ؓ has said that palatial houses and luxurious carriages which attract people's eye, and wearing dresses which distinguish a person from the common man all fall within the category of worldly pleasures. (Qurtubi)
فَسَوفَ یَلقَونَ غَیِّاً (So they will soon face[ the outcome of their ] perversion - 19:59) The word غَیّ in Arabic language is the opposite of رشاد . All virtues and good things are رشاد and all vices and evils are غَیّ. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Mas’ ud ؓ has reported that there is a cave in Hell by the name غَیّ which houses various types of severe punishments, more numerous than all the punishments of Hell.
Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has remarked that even Hell seeks protection from غَیّ , which is the name of a cave in the Hell. Allah Ta` ala has prepared it for habitual adulterers who persist in adultery, and for the drunkards who do not give up drinking, and for the usurers who do not stop taking interest and for those who disobey their parents, and those who give false witness and for the woman who declares someone else's child as her husband's. (Qurtubi)
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19:52
وَنَٰدَيۡنَٰهُ مِن جَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ ٱلۡأَيۡمَنِ وَقَرَّبۡنَٰهُ نَجِيّٗا ٥٢
And We called him from the side of the mount1 at [his] right and brought him near, confiding [to him].
1 translator’s note
- Mount Sinai. ↩
19:53
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥ مِن رَّحۡمَتِنَآ أَخَاهُ هَٰرُونَ نَبِيّٗا ٥٣
And We gave him out of Our mercy his brother Aaron as a prophet.
19:54
وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ إِسۡمَٰعِيلَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صَادِقَ ٱلۡوَعۡدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولٗا نَّبِيّٗا ٥٤
And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet.
19:55
وَكَانَ يَأۡمُرُ أَهۡلَهُۥ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ مَرۡضِيّٗا ٥٥
And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakāh and was to his Lord pleasing [i.e., accepted by Him].
19:56
وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ إِدۡرِيسَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقٗا نَّبِيّٗا ٥٦
And mention in the Book, Idrees. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.
19:57
وَرَفَعۡنَٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا ٥٧
And We raised him to a high station.
19:58
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءَادَمَ وَمِمَّنۡ حَمَلۡنَا مَعَ نُوحٖ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَمِمَّنۡ هَدَيۡنَا وَٱجۡتَبَيۡنَآۚ إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ خَرُّواْۤ سُجَّدٗاۤ وَبُكِيّٗا۩ ٥٨
Those were the ones upon whom Allāh bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping.
19:59
۞ فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ أَضَاعُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَلۡقَوۡنَ غَيًّا ٥٩
But there came after them successors [i.e., later generations] who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil1 -
1 translator’s note
- Described as a valley in Hell or may be rendered "the consequence of error." ↩
19:60
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَدۡخُلُونَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظۡلَمُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا ٦٠
Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all.
19:61
جَنَّٰتِ عَدۡنٍ ٱلَّتِي وَعَدَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ عِبَادَهُۥ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ وَعۡدُهُۥ مَأۡتِيّٗا ٦١
[Therein are] gardens of perpetual residence which the Most Merciful has promised His servants in the unseen. Indeed, His promise has ever been eminent.1
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "that to which all will come." ↩
19:62
لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغۡوًا إِلَّا سَلَٰمٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ رِزۡقُهُمۡ فِيهَا بُكۡرَةٗ وَعَشِيّٗا ٦٢
They will not hear therein any ill speech - only [greetings of] peace - and they will have their provision therein, morning and afternoon.
19:63
تِلۡكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِي نُورِثُ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا مَن كَانَ تَقِيّٗا ٦٣
That is Paradise, which We give as inheritance to those of Our servants who were fearing of Allāh.
19:64
وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلَّا بِأَمۡرِ رَبِّكَۖ لَهُۥ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِينَا وَمَا خَلۡفَنَا وَمَا بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَۚ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيّٗا ٦٤
[Gabriel said],1 "And we [angels] descend not except by the order of your Lord. To Him belongs that before us and that behind us and what is in between. And never is your Lord forgetful -
1 translator’s note
- In answer to the Prophet's wish that Gabriel would visit him more often. ↩