بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Sad 38:3
The Letter "Saad" · Juz 23 · Page 453
كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن قَرۡنٖ فَنَادَواْ وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٖ ٣
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they [then] called out; but it was not a time for escape.
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Commentary on 38:1–3
Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
وَالْقُرْءَانِ ذِى الذِّكْرِ
(By the Qur'an full of reminding.) means, by the Qur'an which includes all that is in it as a reminder and a benefit to people in this life and the Hereafter. Ad-Dahhak said that the Ayah,
ذِى الذِّكْرِ
(full of reminding.) is like the Ayah,
لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَباً فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ
(Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book in which there is Dhikrukum) (21:10). i.e., your reminder. This was also the view of Qatadah and of Ibn Jarir. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Isma`il bin Abi Khalid, Ibn `Uyaynah, Abu Husayn, Abu Salih and As-Suddi said:
ذِى الذِّكْرِ
(full of reminding.) "Full of honor," i.e., of high standing. There is no contradiction between the two views, because it is a noble Book which includes reminders and leaves no excuse and brings warnings. The reason for this oath is to be found in the Ayah:
إِن كُلٌّ إِلاَّ كَذَّبَ الرٌّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ
(Not one of them but denied the Messengers; therefore My torment was justified.) (38:14). Qatadah said, "The reason for it is to be found in the Ayah:
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
(Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition)." This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir.
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
(Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.) means, in this Qur'an there is a reminder for those who will be reminded and a lesson for those who will learn a lesson, but the disbelievers will not benefit from it because they
فِى عِزَّةٍ
(are in false pride) meaning, arrogance and tribalism,
وَشِقَاقٍ
(and opposition.) means, they are stubbornly opposed to it and go against it. Then Allah scares them with news of how the nations who came before them were destroyed because of their opposition to the Messengers and their disbelief in the Scriptures that were revealed from heaven. Allah says:
كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ
(How many a generation have We destroyed before them!) meaning, disbelieving nations.
فَنَادَوْاْ
(And they cried out) means, when the punishment came to them, they called for help and cried out to Allah, but that did not save them at all. This is like the Ayat:
فَلَمَّآ أَحَسُّواْ بَأْسَنَآ إِذَا هُمْ مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ - لاَ تَرْكُضُواْ وَارْجِعُواْ إِلَى مَآ أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ
(Then, when they perceived (saw) Our torment, behold, they (tried to) flee from it. Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned.) (21:12-13). Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that At-Tamimi said, "I asked Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, about the Ayah:
فَنَادَواْ وَّلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape.) He said that it was not the time for them to call or flee or escape. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, concerning the Ayah:
فَنَادَواْ وَّلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape.) "They called for Tawhid when their lives were over, and they resorted to repentance when their lives were over." Qatadah said, "When they saw the punishment, they wanted to repent when there was no longer time to call out." Mujahid said:
فَنَادَواْ وَّلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape.) "It was not the time to flee or escape." Allah says:
وَّلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(when there was no longer time for escape.) meaning, there was no time to escape or run away; and Allah knows best.
Page 453
38:1
صٓۚ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ذِي ٱلذِّكۡرِ ١
38:2
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي عِزَّةٖ وَشِقَاقٖ ٢
But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension.
38:3
كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن قَرۡنٖ فَنَادَواْ وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٖ ٣
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they [then] called out; but it was not a time for escape.
38:4
وَعَجِبُوٓاْ أَن جَآءَهُم مُّنذِرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَٰحِرٞ كَذَّابٌ ٤
And they wonder that there has come to them a warner [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, "This is a magician and a liar.
38:5
أَجَعَلَ ٱلۡأٓلِهَةَ إِلَٰهٗا وَٰحِدًاۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عُجَابٞ ٥
Has he made the gods [only] one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing."
38:6
وَٱنطَلَقَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِنۡهُمۡ أَنِ ٱمۡشُواْ وَٱصۡبِرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ ءَالِهَتِكُمۡۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٞ يُرَادُ ٦
And the eminent among them went forth, [saying], "Continue, and be patient over [the defense of] your gods. Indeed, this is a thing intended.1
1 translator’s note
- Planned by Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) in order to gain influence and prestige for himself. ↩
38:7
مَا سَمِعۡنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي ٱلۡمِلَّةِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا ٱخۡتِلَٰقٌ ٧
We have not heard of this in the latest religion.1 This is not but a fabrication.
1 translator’s note
- Referring to Christianity or possibly the pagan religion of the Quraysh. ↩
38:8
أَءُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي شَكّٖ مِّن ذِكۡرِيۚ بَل لَّمَّا يَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِ ٨
Has the message been revealed to him out of [all of] us?" Rather, they are in doubt about My message. Rather, they have not yet tasted My punishment.
38:9
أَمۡ عِندَهُمۡ خَزَآئِنُ رَحۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡوَهَّابِ ٩
Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower?1
1 translator’s note
- Refer to footnote of verse 3:8. ↩
38:10
أَمۡ لَهُم مُّلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَاۖ فَلۡيَرۡتَقُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَسۡبَٰبِ ١٠
Or is theirs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? Then let them ascend through [any] ways of access.1
1 translator’s note
- To oversee the affairs of their dominion. ↩
38:11
جُندٞ مَّا هُنَالِكَ مَهۡزُومٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابِ ١١
[They are but] soldiers [who will be] defeated there among the companies [of disbelievers].
38:12
كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ وَعَادٞ وَفِرۡعَوۡنُ ذُو ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ ١٢
The people of Noah denied before them, and [the tribe of] ʿAad and Pharaoh, the owner of stakes,1
1 translator’s note
- By which he tortured people. ↩
38:13
وَثَمُودُ وَقَوۡمُ لُوطٖ وَأَصۡحَٰبُ لۡـَٔيۡكَةِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ ١٣
And [the tribe of] Thamūd and the people of Lot and the companions of the thicket [i.e., people of Madyan]. Those are the companies.1
1 translator’s note
- That were defeated, among whom will be the disbelievers of Quraysh and others. ↩
38:14
إِن كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ ١٤
Each of them denied the messengers, so My penalty was justified.
38:15
وَمَا يَنظُرُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا صَيۡحَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٖ ١٥
And these [disbelievers] await not but one blast [of the Horn]; for it there will be no delay.1
1 translator’s note
- Or "respite." More literally, "a period between two milkings of a she-camel," which also alludes to the meanings of "return" or "repetition." ↩
38:16
وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبۡلَ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ١٦
And they say, "Our Lord, hasten for us our share [of the punishment] before the Day of Account."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy