Al-Anbya 21:47
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 326
وَنَضَعُ ٱلۡمَوَٰزِينَ ٱلۡقِسۡطَ لِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ فَلَا تُظۡلَمُ نَفۡسٞ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٖ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٍ أَتَيۡنَا بِهَاۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِنَا حَٰسِبِينَ ٤٧
And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed,1 We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., anything as small or insignificant as a mustard seed. ↩
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 21:47
In the present world, a ‘balance (or scale)’ is a device for finding out the weight of an object. Therefore, God has used this known term to explain the events on Judgement Day. Where the scales of the world weigh material things, on the Day of Judgement, the scales of God will weigh intangible facts and show their ‘weights.’ That is, the scales of the world can measure the material aspect of things but the divine scales will be able to measure the inner value of our deeds. In this world, a man obtains things by paying for them. One who pays less receives less and one who pays more receives more. The same will be the position on the Day of Judgement. Things of high value will be available only on payment of their price which will be in terms of good deeds. Just as things are not available gratis in this world, similarly things will be available on the Day of Judgement only on making a suitable payment: the Quran is a book which indicates what the cost will be. According to the Quranic criterion, a believer will have to develop a spiritual personality in this world itself. This is the price which he has to pay if he wants to find an entry into the ideal world of Paradise.
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21:45
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أُنذِرُكُم بِٱلۡوَحۡيِۚ وَلَا يَسۡمَعُ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ ٤٥
Say, "I only warn you by revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.
21:46
وَلَئِن مَّسَّتۡهُمۡ نَفۡحَةٞ مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٤٦
And if [as much as] a whiff of the punishment of your Lord should touch them, they would surely say, "O woe to us! Indeed, we have been wrongdoers."
21:47
وَنَضَعُ ٱلۡمَوَٰزِينَ ٱلۡقِسۡطَ لِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ فَلَا تُظۡلَمُ نَفۡسٞ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٖ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٍ أَتَيۡنَا بِهَاۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِنَا حَٰسِبِينَ ٤٧
And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed,1 We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., anything as small or insignificant as a mustard seed. ↩
21:48
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ وَضِيَآءٗ وَذِكۡرٗا لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨
And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder1 for the righteous
1 translator’s note
- These are three qualities of the Torah. ↩
21:49
ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ مُشۡفِقُونَ ٤٩
Who fear their Lord unseen,1 while they are of the Hour apprehensive.
1 translator’s note
- Which can mean "Him being unseen" by them or "though they are unseen" by others. ↩
21:50
وَهَٰذَا ذِكۡرٞ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُۚ أَفَأَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ ٥٠
And this [Qur’ān] is a blessed message which We have sent down. Then are you with it unacquainted?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., pretending ignorance, disapproving or refusing to acknowledge it? ↩
21:51
۞ وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَٰلِمِينَ ٥١
And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before,1 and We were of him well-Knowing
1 translator’s note
- i.e., before Moses. Allāh had guided him from early youth. ↩
21:52
إِذۡ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦ مَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنتُمۡ لَهَا عَٰكِفُونَ ٥٢
When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?"
21:53
قَالُواْ وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَٰبِدِينَ ٥٣
They said, "We found our fathers worshippers of them."
21:54
قَالَ لَقَدۡ كُنتُمۡ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُمۡ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٥٤
He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error."
21:55
قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ أَمۡ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّٰعِبِينَ ٥٥
They said, "Have you come to us with truth, or are you of those who jest?"
21:56
قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمۡ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا۠ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٥٦
He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify.
21:57
وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصۡنَٰمَكُم بَعۡدَ أَن تُوَلُّواْ مُدۡبِرِينَ ٥٧
And [I swear] by Allāh, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."