An-Naml 27:14
The Ant · Juz 19 · Page 378
وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَٱسۡتَيۡقَنَتۡهَآ أَنفُسُهُمۡ ظُلۡمٗا وَعُلُوّٗاۚ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ١٤
And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness. So see how was the end of the corrupters.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 27:11–14
إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًا بَعْدَ سُوءٍ فَإِنِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿11﴾
Except him who did wrong, then after (doing) evil replaced (it) with good, then I am Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. 27:11
The miracle of the staff of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was mentioned in the verse prior to this, where it was also stated that when the staff turned into serpent, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) himself started running out of fear. The other miracle of illuminative hand of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) is related in the verse next to above referred verse. Then why this exception is mentioned in between two verses relating to miracles, and whether this exception is snapped from the subject (munqati`) or is it adjoining (muttasil)? The commentators have different view points on this subject. Some have declared it as snapped from the subject. In that case the verse will read as that in the previous verse it was stated that messengers do not get frightened, then it was also mentioned, by the way, as to who are the ones who should get frightened. They are those who have committed any sin, but later repented and sought Allah's pardon and performed good deeds. Although Allah Ta’ ala would pardon their sins, but even then there would be possibility of traces of sins being left over. It is for this reason that they always remain fearful of Allah. But If the exception is regarded adjoining with the subject, then the meaning of the verse would be that Allah's messengers do not get frightened except those who have committed some trifle or minor mistake and have repented on that. In that situation such trifle sins are forgiven. But the actual position is that even if there were some minor slips by the messengers, they were not regarded as sins - neither small nor big. Although they looked like sins but factually they were errors of ijtihad. According to this interpretation, this exception is an allusion toward the incident of the Egyptian who was killed by Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) by error of judgment. Although this error was pardoned by Allah Ta’ ala, yet its effect remained with Musa I leaving some fear of the incident. Had this incident not have occurred, there would not have been any fear of the sort.
Page 378
27:14
وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَٱسۡتَيۡقَنَتۡهَآ أَنفُسُهُمۡ ظُلۡمٗا وَعُلُوّٗاۚ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ١٤
And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness. So see how was the end of the corrupters.
27:15
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيۡمَٰنَ عِلۡمٗاۖ وَقَالَا ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي فَضَّلَنَا عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٖ مِّنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٥
And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise [is due] to Allāh, who has favored us over many of His believing servants."
27:16
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيۡمَٰنُ دَاوُۥدَۖ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمۡنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيۡرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلۡفَضۡلُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ١٦
And Solomon inherited David. He said, "O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty."
27:17
وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيۡمَٰنَ جُنُودُهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ وَٱلطَّيۡرِ فَهُمۡ يُوزَعُونَ ١٧
And gathered for Solomon were his soldiers of the jinn and men and birds, and they were [marching] in rows
27:18
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمۡلِ قَالَتۡ نَمۡلَةٞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمۡلُ ٱدۡخُلُواْ مَسَٰكِنَكُمۡ لَا يَحۡطِمَنَّكُمۡ سُلَيۡمَٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ ١٨
Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Solomon and his soldiers while they perceive not."
27:19
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكٗا مِّن قَوۡلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَيَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَٰلِحٗا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَدۡخِلۡنِي بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٩
So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me1 to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."2
27:20
وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيۡرَ فَقَالَ مَالِيَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَآئِبِينَ ٢٠
And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?
27:21
لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًا أَوۡ لَأَاْذۡبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوۡ لَيَأۡتِيَنِّي بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ ٢١
I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., a valid excuse. ↩
27:22
فَمَكَثَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٖ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ بِنَبَإٖ يَقِينٍ ٢٢
But he [i.e., the hoopoe] stayed not long and said, "I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news.