Al-Anbya 21:106
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 331
إِنَّ فِي هَٰذَا لَبَلَٰغٗا لِّقَوۡمٍ عَٰبِدِينَ ١٠٦
Indeed, in this [Qur’ān] is notification for a worshipping people.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 21:105–106
وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ (And We have written in Zabur (Psalms) after the Dhikr (the Torah) that the land will be inherited by My righteous slaves. - 21:105) The word لزَّبُورِ(zabur) is the plural of زُبُرّ (zuburr), which means book. It is also the name of the book which was revealed to Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) . Opinions differ as to the meaning of the word in the present context. According to a version attributed to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ the word ذِکر in the verse refers to Torah, and زبور to all other books revealed after Torah i.e. Zabur (Psalms), Injil (Evangel) and Qur'an. (Ibn Jarir) The same explanation is adopted by Dahhak. However, Ibn Zaid has explained that ذِکر refers to لَوحِ مَحفُوظ (the Preserved Tablet) and زبور relates to all the books which were revealed to the prophets. Zajjaj has also adopted this explanation. (Ruh ul-Ma ani)
الْأَرْضَ (the word 'land' in - 21:105) All commentators agree that the word in this verse refers to the land of Paradise. Ibn Jarir has reported this explanation from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . The same explanation is also adopted by Mujahid, Ibn Jubair, Ikrimah, Suddi and Ab Al-` Aaliyah. Imam Razi has said that another verse of the Holy Qur'an supports this explanation. The verse is وَأَوْرَثَنَا الْأَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَاءُ (And has bequeathed upon us the earth for us to make our dwelling wheresoever we will in Paradise - 39:74) The words used in the verse that the pious will inherit the أَرْضَ also lend credence to the view that the word أَرْضَ means land of Paradise, because the land of the earth can be inherited by all, whether believers or non-believers. Also the phrase that the pious will inherit the land (أَرْضَ ) follows the mention of Qiyamah, and it is well known that after the Qiymah there will be no land of the earth but only the land of the Paradise. Another version of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that the word أَرْضَ means just land, and includes both the land of the earth as well as of Paradise. It is quite obvious that the land of the Paradise will be inherited by the pious people. As for the land of the world also it is stated in the Holy Qur'an at several places that there will be a time when the entire land of the world will belong to the pious believers. One of such verse is: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, the land belongs to Allah. He lets whomsoever He wills, from among His slaves, inherit it. And the end-result is in favour of the God-fearing. - 7:128).
In another verse it is said: وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ (Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that He will certainly make them (His) vicegerents in the land. - 24:55).
Yet another verse says: إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْأَشْهَادُ (Surely, We shall help Our Messengers and those who have believed in the present life, and upon the day when the witnesses arise. - 40:51).
The history has already witnessed the control of the pious believers over the better part of the world, and it will again come under their control during the time of Sayyidna Mahdi ؓ . (Ruh ul-Ma` ani Ibn Kathir)
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21:102
لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَاۖ وَهُمۡ فِي مَا ٱشۡتَهَتۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ خَٰلِدُونَ ١٠٢
They will not hear its sound, while they are, in that which their souls desire, abiding eternally.
21:103
لَا يَحۡزُنُهُمُ ٱلۡفَزَعُ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرُ وَتَتَلَقَّىٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ هَٰذَا يَوۡمُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ١٠٣
They will not be grieved by the greatest terror,1 and the angels will meet them, [saying], "This is your Day which you have been promised" -
1 translator’s note
- The events of the Last Hour or of the Resurrection. ↩
21:104
يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقٖ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ١٠٤
The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.1
1 translator’s note
- More literally, "Indeed, We are ever doers" of what We will. ↩
21:105
وَلَقَدۡ كَتَبۡنَا فِي ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ أَنَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ ٱلصَّٰلِحُونَ ١٠٥
And We have already written in the book [of Psalms]1 after the [previous] mention2 that the land [of Paradise] is inherited by My righteous servants.
21:106
إِنَّ فِي هَٰذَا لَبَلَٰغٗا لِّقَوۡمٍ عَٰبِدِينَ ١٠٦
Indeed, in this [Qur’ān] is notification for a worshipping people.
21:107
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٠٧
And We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.
21:108
قُلۡ إِنَّمَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ١٠٨
Say, "It is only revealed to me that your god is but one God; so will you be Muslims [in submission to Him]?"
21:109
فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَقُلۡ ءَاذَنتُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٖۖ وَإِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبٌ أَم بَعِيدٞ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ ١٠٩
But if they turn away, then say, "I have announced to [all of] you equally.1 And I know not whether near or far is that which you are promised.
1 translator’s note
- The Prophet (ﷺ) made this message known to all people, not concealing any of it from anyone or preferring any group over another. ↩
21:110
إِنَّهُۥ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡجَهۡرَ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَكۡتُمُونَ ١١٠
Indeed, He knows what is declared of speech, and He knows what you conceal.
21:111
وَإِنۡ أَدۡرِي لَعَلَّهُۥ فِتۡنَةٞ لَّكُمۡ وَمَتَٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ ١١١
And I know not; perhaps it1 is a trial for you and enjoyment for a time."
1 translator’s note
- The postponement of punishment. ↩
21:112
قَٰلَ رَبِّ ٱحۡكُم بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَرَبُّنَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ ١١٢
[The Prophet (ﷺ)] has said, "My Lord, judge [between us] in truth. And our Lord is the Most Merciful, the one whose help is sought against that which you describe."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., their lies and disbelief. ↩