Al-Anbya 21:49
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 326
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. ↩
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Commentary on 21:48–50
The Revelation of the Tawrah and the Qur'an
We have already noted that Allah often mentions Musa and Muhammad together -- may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both -- and He often mentions their Books together as well. He says:
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى وَهَرُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ
(And indeed We granted to Musa and Harun the criterion) Mujahid said, "This means the Scripture." Abu Salih said: "The Tawrah." Qatadah said: "The Tawrah, what it permits and it forbids, and how Allah differentiated between truth and falsehood." In conclusion, we may say that the heavenly Books included the distinction between truth and falsehood, guidance and misguidance, transgression and the right way, lawful and unlawful, and that which will fill the heart with light, guidance, fear of Allah and repentance. So Allah says:
الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَآءً وَذِكْراً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(the criterion, and a shining light and a Reminder for those who have Taqwa.) meaning, a reminder and exhortation for them. Then He describes them as:
الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ
(Those who fear their Lord in the unseen.) This is like the Ayah:
مَّنْ خَشِىَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ
(Who feared the Most Gracious in the unseen and came with a repenting heart. ) 50:33
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ
(Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.) 67:12 t
وَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّاعَةِ مُشْفِقُونَ
(and they are afraid of the Hour.) means, they fear it. Then Allah says:
وَهَذَا ذِكْرٌ مُّبَارَكٌ أَنزَلْنَهُ
(And this is a blessed Reminder which We have sent down;) means, the Magnificent Qur'an, which falsehood cannot approach, from before it or behind it, revealed by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.
أَفَأَنْتُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ
(will you then deny it) means, will you deny it when it is the utmost in clarity and truth
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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."