Al-Hadid 57:17
The Iron · Juz 27 · Page 539
ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ١٧
Know that Allāh gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.1
1 translator’s note
- That similarly, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) can soften a heart after its hardness and guide one who had previously been astray. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 57:16–18
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ (Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended [ through revelation ]?...57:16) The phrase khushu'-ul-qalb means 'for the heart to soften; to be receptive to advice; to be obedient; to submit'. [ Ibn Kathir ] In the Qur'anic context, it implies 'a complete willingness to yield to the Divine injunctions, or the Divine imperatives and prohibitions without allowing any laxity in following them. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ]
This verse admonishes the believers. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that some of the believers were found to be lacking in firmness, and somewhat laziness was felt in their practices. So this verse was revealed. Imam A'mash (رح) said: After settling down in Madinah, the blessed Companions ؓ experienced socio-economic comfort and prosperity; as a result some of them relaxed in exerting their efforts to do good works as they used to do previously. Thus this verse was revealed. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ]
Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ is narration also carries the additional information that this admonitory verse was revealed thirteen years after the revelation had started. [ Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ narrates that this admonitory verse was revealed four years after they had embraced Islam to administer this mild reproof. Allah knows best!
In any case, the Muslims are cautioned in this verse that they should prepare themselves to turn to Allah totally and completely, and act upon the teachings of their religion. All actions revolve around khushu`-ul-qalb Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The first thing that will be taken away from the people will be their humility or humbleness [ khushu']." [ Ibn Kathir ]
Page 539
57:12
يَوۡمَ تَرَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَسۡعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَٰنِهِمۖ بُشۡرَىٰكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ جَنَّٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ١٢
On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], "Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally." That is what is the great attainment.
57:13
يَوۡمَ يَقُولُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقَٰتُ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱنظُرُونَا نَقۡتَبِسۡ مِن نُّورِكُمۡ قِيلَ ٱرۡجِعُواْ وَرَآءَكُمۡ فَٱلۡتَمِسُواْ نُورٗاۖ فَضُرِبَ بَيۡنَهُم بِسُورٖ لَّهُۥ بَابُۢ بَاطِنُهُۥ فِيهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَةُ وَظَٰهِرُهُۥ مِن قِبَلِهِ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ١٣
On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you1 and seek light." And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment.
1 translator’s note
- To where light was acquired, i.e., in the worldly life. ↩
57:14
يُنَادُونَهُمۡ أَلَمۡ نَكُن مَّعَكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِنَّكُمۡ فَتَنتُمۡ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَتَرَبَّصۡتُمۡ وَٱرۡتَبۡتُمۡ وَغَرَّتۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَمَانِيُّ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ وَغَرَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ ١٤
They [i.e., the hypocrites] will call to them [i.e., the believers], "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes, but you afflicted yourselves1 and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allāh. And the Deceiver [i.e., Satan] deceived you concerning Allāh.
1 translator’s note
- By hypocrisy or by falling into temptations. ↩
57:15
فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنكُمۡ فِدۡيَةٞ وَلَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ مَأۡوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُۖ هِيَ مَوۡلَىٰكُمۡۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ١٥
So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination."
57:16
۞ أَلَمۡ يَأۡنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَن تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡۖ وَكَثِيرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَٰسِقُونَ ١٦
Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allāh and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.
57:17
ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ١٧
Know that Allāh gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.1
1 translator’s note
- That similarly, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) can soften a heart after its hardness and guide one who had previously been astray. ↩
57:18
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَٱلۡمُصَّدِّقَٰتِ وَأَقۡرَضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا يُضَٰعَفُ لَهُمۡ وَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٞ كَرِيمٞ ١٨
Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice charity and [they who] have loaned Allāh a goodly loan - it will be multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward.