Adh-Dhariyat 51:49
The Winnowing Winds · Juz 27 · Page 522
وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٩
And of all things We created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 51:48–49
The system of our world is a highly meaningful one. This proves that the creation of the present world has been brought about with some high purpose. But we see that man has wrecked disorder on the earth. In the meaningful universe, this meaningless development is incongrous and calls for a world which is free of all evils to come into existence. In the present world provision has already been made for this, i.e. all things in this world come in pairs—in matter, positive and negative particles, in plants male and female and among human beings, men and women. This is the quintessence of the universe: the prevalence of the law of compensating for the shortcomings of any given thing through its pair or complement. This duality is an indication of the possibility of the Hereafter. In other words, the world of Hereafter is the other part which makes up a pair with the present world and this combination makes our world complete.
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51:31
۞ قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ ٣١
[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
51:32
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ ٣٢
They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who defied Lot (upon him be peace). ↩
51:33
لِنُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن طِينٖ ٣٣
To send down upon them stones of clay,
51:34
مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٣٤
Marked in the presence of your Lord for the transgressors."
51:35
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٣٥
So We brought out whoever was in them [i.e., the cities] of the believers.
51:36
فَمَا وَجَدۡنَا فِيهَا غَيۡرَ بَيۡتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ ٣٦
And We found not within them other than a [single] house of Muslims.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., Lot and his family, excepting his wife. ↩
51:37
وَتَرَكۡنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ ٣٧
And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment.
51:38
وَفِي مُوسَىٰٓ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ ٣٨
And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., evidences. ↩
51:39
فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٞ ٣٩
But he turned away with his supporters and said, "A magician or a madman."
51:40
فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ ٤٠
So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.
51:41
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّيحَ ٱلۡعَقِيمَ ٤١
And in ʿAad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind.1
1 translator’s note
- Barren of any benefit, i.e., evil. ↩
51:42
مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَيۡءٍ أَتَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ إِلَّا جَعَلَتۡهُ كَٱلرَّمِيمِ ٤٢
It left nothing of what it came upon but that it made it like disintegrated ruins.
51:43
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَمَتَّعُواْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ ٤٣
And in Thamūd, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time."
51:44
فَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ وَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ ٤٤
But they were insolent toward the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on.
51:45
فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مِن قِيَامٖ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنتَصِرِينَ ٤٥
And they were unable to arise, nor could they defend themselves.
51:46
وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ ٤٦
And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient.
51:47
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٖ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ٤٧
And the heaven We constructed with strength,1 and indeed, We are [its] expander.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "hands." ↩
51:48
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَرَشۡنَٰهَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَٰهِدُونَ ٤٨
And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer.
51:49
وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٩
And of all things We created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.
51:50
فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٥٠
So flee to Allāh.1 Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., turn to Allāh and take refuge in Him from disbelief and sin, thereby escaping His punishment. ↩
51:51
وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٥١
And do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.