Ar-Rahman 55:37
The Beneficent · Juz 27 · Page 532
فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتۡ وَرۡدَةٗ كَٱلدِّهَانِ ٣٧
And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil1 -
1 translator’s note
- Or "like a tanned skin." ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 55:35–38
يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِّن نَّارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ (A flame of fire and a smoke will be loosed against you, and you will not [ be able ] to defend... 55:35) Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and other leading authorities on Qur'anic exegesis have said that the word shuwaz with refers to 'flame or fire without smoke' and the word nuhas refers to 'smoke in which there is no flame'. This verse too addresses the two species of creation, the jinns and mankind. It addresses them and describes how fire and smoke will be unleashed against them. The verse could mean that after the reckoning is over, and the disbelievers are sent to the Hell, they will experience two different types of punishment. In some places there will be only fire and flame, with no smoke at all. In other places there will be only smoke and no flame or fire. Other Qur'anic exegetes regard this verse as a supplement to the preceding one, and assign the following meaning to it: O jinn and mankind, it is not within your power to cross the bounds of the heavens. If you do attempt to escape on the Day of Resurrection, then the angels [ including those guarding the Hellfire ] will bring you back by directing the flames of fire and smoke. The verb فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ fala-tantasiran is derived from اِنتِصَار intisar which means 'to help someone to defend him against a calamity' and thus the words فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ fala-tantasiran signify that the jinns and mankind will not be able to help each other against Divine punishment, try as they might.
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55:17
رَبُّ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقَيۡنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَغۡرِبَيۡنِ ١٧
[He is] Lord of the two sunrises and Lord of the two sunsets.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the points of sunrise in the east and sunset in the west in both summer and winter. ↩
55:18
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ١٨
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:19
مَرَجَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ يَلۡتَقِيَانِ ١٩
He released the two seas,1 meeting [one another];
1 translator’s note
- Two bodies of water or two sea waters of distinct characteristics. ↩
55:20
بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخٞ لَّا يَبۡغِيَانِ ٢٠
Between them is a barrier so neither of them transgresses.
55:21
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢١
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:22
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهُمَا ٱللُّؤۡلُؤُ وَٱلۡمَرۡجَانُ ٢٢
From both of them emerge pearl and coral.
55:23
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٣
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:24
وَلَهُ ٱلۡجَوَارِ ٱلۡمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ كَٱلۡأَعۡلَٰمِ ٢٤
And to Him belong the ships [with sails] elevated in the sea like mountains.
55:25
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٥
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:26
كُلُّ مَنۡ عَلَيۡهَا فَانٖ ٢٦
Everyone upon it [i.e., the earth] will perish,
55:27
وَيَبۡقَىٰ وَجۡهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلۡجَلَٰلِ وَٱلۡإِكۡرَامِ ٢٧
And there will remain the Face1 of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19. ↩
55:28
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٢٨
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:29
يَسۡـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ كُلَّ يَوۡمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأۡنٖ ٢٩
Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is in [i.e., bringing about] a matter.1
1 translator’s note
- For each of His creatures. ↩
55:30
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٠
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:31
سَنَفۡرُغُ لَكُمۡ أَيُّهَ ٱلثَّقَلَانِ ٣١
We will attend to you, O prominent beings.1
1 translator’s note
- Specifically two: mankind and jinn. ↩
55:32
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٢
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:33
يَٰمَعۡشَرَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ أَن تَنفُذُواْ مِنۡ أَقۡطَارِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنفُذُواْۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ ٣٣
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allāh].
55:34
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٤
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:35
يُرۡسَلُ عَلَيۡكُمَا شُوَاظٞ مِّن نَّارٖ وَنُحَاسٞ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ ٣٥
There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke,1 and you will not defend yourselves.
1 translator’s note
- Another possible meaning is liquefied brass or copper. ↩
55:36
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٦
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
55:37
فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتۡ وَرۡدَةٗ كَٱلدِّهَانِ ٣٧
And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil1 -
1 translator’s note
- Or "like a tanned skin." ↩
55:38
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٣٨
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
55:39
فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَن ذَنۢبِهِۦٓ إِنسٞ وَلَا جَآنّٞ ٣٩
Then on that Day none will be asked about his sin among men or jinn.1
1 translator’s note
- Once they have been condemned to the Fire. ↩
55:40
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ٤٠
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?