Adh-Dhariyat 51:18
The Winnowing Winds · Juz 26 · Page 521
وَبِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ هُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ١٨
And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 51:18
Merits of Seeking Forgiveness in the hours before dawn
وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ (and in the hours before dawn, they used to pray for forgiveness..., 51:18) The word ashar is the plural of sahar, and it refers to the latter sixth part of the night. This verse speaks of the significance of seeking forgiveness in the latter part of the night. Another verse [ 3:17] also speaks of the significance of seeking forgiveness at the last hours of the night thus: وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ (...and who seek forgiveness in pre-dawn hours. - 3:17) It is confirmed in the Sahih collections as well as others, from several Companions, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Allah, the Most High, descends each night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains. He says: 'Is there anyone who is repenting, so that I may accept his repentance? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone asking of Me, so that I may grant him his request?
Here it may be noted that in this verse Allah is describing the pre-dawn prayer of forgiveness of those righteous ones who, according to the preceding verse, are preoccupied for the major part of the night with the worship of Allah and sleep very little. Thus there seems to be no link between their previous description and their description of asking for forgiveness in this verse, because forgiveness is sought when there are sins. People who spent the entire night in worshipping Allah - what does it mean to seek forgiveness of sins? The answer to this question is that these people have the true appreciation of Allah's majesty, dignity and splendour, and they realise that there are shortcomings in their night-long worship. Therefore they seek Allah's forgiveness for failing to perform His worship as due. (Mazhari)
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51:7
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡحُبُكِ ٧
By the heaven containing pathways,1
1 translator’s note
- Explained as tracks, layers or orbits. ↩
51:8
إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِي قَوۡلٖ مُّخۡتَلِفٖ ٨
Indeed, you are in differing speech.1
1 translator’s note
- About Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) and the Qur’ān. ↩
51:9
يُؤۡفَكُ عَنۡهُ مَنۡ أُفِكَ ٩
Deluded away from it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is he who is deluded.
51:10
قُتِلَ ٱلۡخَرَّٰصُونَ ١٠
Destroyed are the misinformers1
1 translator’s note
- Or "May they be destroyed" or "cursed." ↩
51:11
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِي غَمۡرَةٖ سَاهُونَ ١١
Who are within a flood [of confusion] and heedless.
51:12
يَسۡـَٔلُونَ أَيَّانَ يَوۡمُ ٱلدِّينِ ١٢
They ask, "When is the Day of Recompense?"
51:13
يَوۡمَ هُمۡ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ يُفۡتَنُونَ ١٣
[It is] the Day they will be tormented over the Fire
51:14
ذُوقُواْ فِتۡنَتَكُمۡ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ ١٤
[And will be told], "Taste your torment. This is that for which you were impatient."
51:15
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٍ ١٥
Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs,
51:16
ءَاخِذِينَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَبۡلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُحۡسِنِينَ ١٦
Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good.
51:17
كَانُواْ قَلِيلٗا مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ مَا يَهۡجَعُونَ ١٧
They used to sleep but little of the night,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., spending a portion of the night in prayer and supplication. ↩
51:18
وَبِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ هُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ١٨
And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,
51:19
وَفِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقّٞ لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ١٩
And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy] petitioner and the deprived.
51:20
وَفِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ءَايَٰتٞ لِّلۡمُوقِنِينَ ٢٠
And on the earth are signs for the certain [in faith]
51:21
وَفِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٢١
And in yourselves. Then will you not see?
51:22
وَفِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ رِزۡقُكُمۡ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ ٢٢
And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.
51:23
فَوَرَبِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِنَّهُۥ لَحَقّٞ مِّثۡلَ مَآ أَنَّكُمۡ تَنطِقُونَ ٢٣
Then by the Lord of the heaven and earth, indeed, it is truth - just as [sure as] it is that you are speaking.
51:24
هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيۡفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلۡمُكۡرَمِينَ ٢٤
Has there reached you the story of the honored guests of Abraham?1 -
1 translator’s note
- Who were angels given honored positions by Allāh. ↩
51:25
إِذۡ دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ فَقَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗاۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٞ قَوۡمٞ مُّنكَرُونَ ٢٥
When they entered upon him and said, "[We greet you with] peace." He answered, "[And upon you] peace; [you are] a people unknown."
51:26
فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ فَجَآءَ بِعِجۡلٖ سَمِينٖ ٢٦
Then he went to his family and came with a fat [roasted] calf.
51:27
فَقَرَّبَهُۥٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ قَالَ أَلَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ٢٧
And placed it near them; he said, "Will you not eat?"
51:28
فَأَوۡجَسَ مِنۡهُمۡ خِيفَةٗۖ قَالُواْ لَا تَخَفۡۖ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَٰمٍ عَلِيمٖ ٢٨
And he felt from them apprehension.1 They said, "Fear not," and gave him good tidings of a learned boy.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 11:70. ↩
51:29
فَأَقۡبَلَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُهُۥ فِي صَرَّةٖ فَصَكَّتۡ وَجۡهَهَا وَقَالَتۡ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٞ ٢٩
And his wife approached with a cry [of alarm] and struck her face and said, "[I am] a barren old woman!"
51:30
قَالُواْ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٣٠
They said, "Thus has said your Lord; indeed, He is the Wise, the Knowing."