بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
As-Saffat 37:16
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 446
أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ ١٦
When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 37:15–18
The proof of the miracles of the Holy Prophet ﷺ
The word: آيَةً ('ayt tan) in verse وَإِذَا رَأَوْا آيَةً (And when they see a sign) literally means 'sign' and at this place it means 'miracle.' Hence, this verse proves that Allah Taala had given to the Holy Prophet t some other miracles as well in addition to that of the noble Qur'an - which refutes those who take the miracles of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as effects of physical causes, and thereby claim that no miracle, other than that of the Qur'an, was shown at the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .
In this verse (14), Allah Ta’ ala has clearly said: وَإِذَا رَأَوْا آيَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ ' (And when they see a sign, they make fun of it). Some people who deny miracles say that, at this place, the word: آيَہ ('ayat) does not mean مُعجِزَۃ ('mujizah) or miracle, instead, it means rational arguments. But, this approach is patently wrong in view of what is said in the next verse that follows immediately: وَقَالُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (and they say, "this is nothing but an open magic - 37:15). It is obvious that declaring an evidence and argument to be open magic does not make any sense. They could have said something like this only when they had seen a miracle.
Some deniers of miracles also say that the word: آيَۃ ('ayat) means ayat or verses of the Qur'an, as it is these verses that the disbelievers declare as magic. But, the word: رَأَوْا (raaw: they see) of the noble Qur'an is flatly contradicting this assertion. The verses of the Qur'an were not seen. Instead, they were heard. Hence, wherever Qur'anic verses have been mentioned in the noble Qur'an, the words used there are those of hearing, not of seeing. And place after place in the Qur'an, the word: v i (ayat) has appeared in the sense of mu jizah or miracle. For instance, while reporting the demand of the Pharaoh from Sayyidna Musa 3411 it was said:
إِن كُنتَ جِئْتَ بِآيَةٍ فَأْتِ بِهَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
If you have come with a sign bring it out, if you are one of the truthful (7:106).
In response, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had shown the miracle of his staff turning into a serpent. As for the verses of the Qur'an where it has been mentioned that the Holy Prophet ﷺ did not accede to their demand for a miracle, the fact is that miracles had been repeatedly shown thereby, but they used to ask for an ever-new miracle of their choice almost every day. It was in response to such demands for miracles that they were turned down. It was done for the reason that a prophet of Allah shows miracles at the will and command of Allah Ta’ ala. If anyone still refuses to accept the true message conveyed by him, then, coming up with a new miracle everyday is counter to the dignity of the prophet, as well as counter to the will of Allah Ta’ ala.
In addition to that, it has been the customary practice of Allah Ta’ ala that, once some people were granted the miracle they had asked for - and they still failed to believe - then, they were destroyed through a mass punishment. But, in view of the intended survival of the community of the Holy Prophet and with the objective of keeping it safe from any mass punishment, no such miracle on demand was shown before it.
Page 446
سورة الصافات
As-Saffat
Those who set the Ranks · Meccan · 182 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
37:1
وَٱلصَّٰٓفَّٰتِ صَفّٗا ١
By those [angels] lined up in rows
37:2
فَٱلزَّٰجِرَٰتِ زَجۡرٗا ٢
And those who drive [the clouds]
37:3
فَٱلتَّٰلِيَٰتِ ذِكۡرًا ٣
And those who recite the message,1
1 translator’s note
- To the prophets or among themselves. Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) swears by these three kinds of angels to the fact mentioned in the following verse. ↩
37:4
إِنَّ إِلَٰهَكُمۡ لَوَٰحِدٞ ٤
Indeed, your God is One,
37:5
رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَشَٰرِقِ ٥
Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., each point or place of sunrise. ↩
37:6
إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِزِينَةٍ ٱلۡكَوَاكِبِ ٦
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars
37:7
وَحِفۡظٗا مِّن كُلِّ شَيۡطَٰنٖ مَّارِدٖ ٧
And as protection against every rebellious devil
37:8
لَّا يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ وَيُقۡذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٖ ٨
[So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side,1
1 translator’s note
- By flaming meteors. ↩
37:9
دُحُورٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ وَاصِبٌ ٩
Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment,
37:10
إِلَّا مَنۡ خَطِفَ ٱلۡخَطۡفَةَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُۥ شِهَابٞ ثَاقِبٞ ١٠
Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].
37:11
فَٱسۡتَفۡتِهِمۡ أَهُمۡ أَشَدُّ خَلۡقًا أَم مَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَآۚ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُم مِّن طِينٖ لَّازِبِۭ ١١
Then inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], "Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?" Indeed, We created them [i.e., men] from sticky clay.
37:12
بَلۡ عَجِبۡتَ وَيَسۡخَرُونَ ١٢
But you wonder, while they mock,
37:13
وَإِذَا ذُكِّرُواْ لَا يَذۡكُرُونَ ١٣
And when they are reminded, they remember not.
37:14
وَإِذَا رَأَوۡاْ ءَايَةٗ يَسۡتَسۡخِرُونَ ١٤
And when they see a sign, they ridicule.
37:15
وَقَالُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٞ مُّبِينٌ ١٥
And say, "This is not but obvious magic.
37:16
أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ ١٦
When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?
37:17
أَوَءَابَآؤُنَا ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ ١٧
And our forefathers [as well]?"
37:18
قُلۡ نَعَمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ دَٰخِرُونَ ١٨
Say, "Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible."
37:19
فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجۡرَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ فَإِذَا هُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ ١٩
It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing.
37:20
وَقَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَا هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلدِّينِ ٢٠
They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense."
37:21
هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٢١
[They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny."
37:22
۞ ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٰجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ ٢٢
[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds,1 and what they used to worship
1 translator’s note
- Those similar to them in evil deeds. Another possible meaning is "their wives." ↩
37:23
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٢٣
Other than Allāh, and guide them to the path of Hellfire
37:24
وَقِفُوهُمۡۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسۡـُٔولُونَ ٢٤
And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned."