Al-Anbya 21:44
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 325
بَلۡ مَتَّعۡنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡعُمُرُۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَنَّا نَأۡتِي ٱلۡأَرۡضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنۡ أَطۡرَافِهَآۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ٤٤
But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?1 Is it they who will overcome?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 13:41. ↩
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 21:44
In ancient times, the people of Makkah were considered leaders of the Arab world. This leadership was God’s gift to them, but it only gave rise to false pride and egoism. So, when the Truth was declared through the Prophet Muhammad, they refused to accept it on account of their egoistic mentality. Such was the position of Islam in Makkah. But, among the people of other places who did not suffer from similar psychological complications, the truth of Islam was spreading. In Makkah, Islam was rejected, but in other places, Islam was being adopted by the tribesmen. The large-scale adoption of Islam by the people of Madinah had finally made it clear that the sphere of leadership of the people in Makkah was continually contracting. But those who suffer from a superiority complex do not learn a lesson from any warning, however open that might be.
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21:36
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي يَذۡكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ وَهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ هُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ ٣٦
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
21:37
خُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِنۡ عَجَلٖۚ سَأُوْرِيكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِي فَلَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونِ ٣٧
Man was created of haste [i.e., impatience]. I will show you My signs [i.e., vengeance], so do not impatiently urge Me.
21:38
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣٨
And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
21:39
لَوۡ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٣٩
If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not avert the Fire from their faces or from their backs and they will not be aided...1
1 translator’s note
- The completion of the sentence is understood to be "...they would not be asking in disbelief and ridicule to be shown the punishment." ↩
21:40
بَلۡ تَأۡتِيهِم بَغۡتَةٗ فَتَبۡهَتُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا وَلَا هُمۡ يُنظَرُونَ ٤٠
Rather, it will come to them unexpectedly and bewilder them, and they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be reprieved.
21:41
وَلَقَدِ ٱسۡتُهۡزِئَ بِرُسُلٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ٤١
And already were messengers ridiculed before you, but those who mocked them were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
21:42
قُلۡ مَن يَكۡلَؤُكُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٤٢
Say, "Who can protect you at night or by day from the Most Merciful?" But they are, from the remembrance of their Lord, turning away.
21:43
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ ءَالِهَةٞ تَمۡنَعُهُم مِّن دُونِنَاۚ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَا هُم مِّنَّا يُصۡحَبُونَ ٤٣
Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They are unable [even] to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.
21:44
بَلۡ مَتَّعۡنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡعُمُرُۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَنَّا نَأۡتِي ٱلۡأَرۡضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنۡ أَطۡرَافِهَآۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ٤٤
But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?1 Is it they who will overcome?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 13:41. ↩