بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Ma'arij 70:3
The Ascending Stairways · Juz 29 · Page 568
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ٣
[It is] from Allāh, owner of the ways of ascent.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 70:1–3
The disbelievers used to come to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in groups mocking at the Muslims, and denying the Islamic beliefs, including Resurrection. But at the same time, they used to claim, in ironical style, that they would enter the Paradise, and enjoy its bliss. This verse refers to this attitude of the disbelievers.
Since their pretended aspiration to enter Paradise was merely a mockery, and in fact they intended to deny Resurrection, their denial is refuted in this verse by saying that admittedly Allah has created them from a lifeless drop of semen, as they knew it well, and a drop of semen is more difficult to be transformed into a perfect human being. If Allah has power to make it a living man, how easy it is for Him to give life to a dead body! Still, they do not believe in Resurrection. Then, how can they enter Paradise?' (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)
Commentary
سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ (A demanding person has asked for the punishment that is going to befall....70:1). The Arabic word suwal/su'al means to 'ask a question'. The word is used in more than one sense: [ 1] It could mean to inquire about something. In this sense, the Arabic word is followed by the preposition 'an' [ about ]; and [ 2] It is used in the sense of 'request'. In this sense, the word is followed by the preposition 'bi' [ for ] as in this instance.
Nasa'i transmits a narration from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that this demanding person was Nadr Ibn Harith. In rejecting the Qur'an and the Prophet ﷺ ، he daringly demanded:
اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَٰذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
'0 Allah, if this be indeed the truth [ revealed ] from You, then, rain down upon us stones from the heavens, or bring upon us a painful punishment. [ 8:32]
The result of this demand was that Nadr Ibn Harith was killed by Muslims in the Battle of Badr. (Mazhari, citing the narration of Ibn Abi Hatim). The Qur'an, further setting down the factual position of the demanded punishment, says that the punishment is inevitable and will most certainly occur in this world or in the Hereafter or in both the worlds. It cannot be averted. The impending punishment is from Allah, the Lord of the stairways. The last statement is also the proof of the preceding statement, in that the punishment is from the Lord of the Ascending Steps. It is not possible for anyone to avert it.
The word ma’ arij is the plural of mi` raj or mi'raj. It means a 'ladder or a staircase, having steps for reaching high places. The Divine attribute given in this verse as 'dhil-ma’ arij' [ Lord of the stairways ] means that He is the Lord of high degrees. This is the interpretation given by Said Ibn Jubair. Sayyidna Ibn Masud ؓ says that these stairways or higher rungs are seven heavens one above another, and 'dhil-ma’ arij' means 'dhis-samawat', that is to say, malik-us-samawat [ Lord of the heavens ].
Page 568
69:35
فَلَيۡسَ لَهُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ هَٰهُنَا حَمِيمٞ ٣٥
So there is not for him here this Day any devoted friend
69:36
وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنۡ غِسۡلِينٖ ٣٦
Nor any food except from the discharge of wounds;
69:37
لَّا يَأۡكُلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡخَٰطِـُٔونَ ٣٧
None will eat it except the sinners.
69:38
فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٣٨
So I swear by what you see
69:39
وَمَا لَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٣٩
And what you do not see
69:40
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ ٤٠
[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is the word of a noble Messenger.
69:41
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَاعِرٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تُؤۡمِنُونَ ٤١
And it is not the word of a poet; little do you believe.
69:42
وَلَا بِقَوۡلِ كَاهِنٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٢
Nor the word of a soothsayer; little do you remember.
69:43
تَنزِيلٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٤٣
[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.
69:44
وَلَوۡ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلۡأَقَاوِيلِ ٤٤
And if he [i.e., Muḥammad] had made up about Us some [false] sayings,
69:45
لَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُ بِٱلۡيَمِينِ ٤٥
We would have seized him by the right hand;1
1 translator’s note
- Another interpretation is "by [Our] right hand," i.e., Allāh would have exacted revenge with might and power. ↩
69:46
ثُمَّ لَقَطَعۡنَا مِنۡهُ ٱلۡوَتِينَ ٤٦
Then We would have cut from him the aorta.1
1 translator’s note
- Causing immediate death. ↩
69:47
فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ عَنۡهُ حَٰجِزِينَ ٤٧
And there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.
69:48
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَتَذۡكِرَةٞ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨
And indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a reminder for the righteous.
69:49
وَإِنَّا لَنَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَ ٤٩
And indeed, We know that among you are deniers.
69:50
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَسۡرَةٌ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٥٠
And indeed, it will be [a cause of] regret upon the disbelievers.
69:51
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ ٥١
And indeed, it is the truth of certainty.
69:52
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٥٢
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
سورة المعارج
Al-Ma'arij
The Ascending Stairways · Meccan · 44 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
70:1
سَأَلَ سَآئِلُۢ بِعَذَابٖ وَاقِعٖ ١
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen1
1 translator’s note
- In the Hereafter. Disbelievers had challenged the Prophet (ﷺ) by invoking Allāh to bring on His punishment. See 8:32. ↩
70:2
لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعٞ ٢
To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer.
70:3
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِي ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ٣
[It is] from Allāh, owner of the ways of ascent.
70:4
تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيۡهِ فِي يَوۡمٖ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٖ ٤
The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
70:5
فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرٗا جَمِيلًا ٥
So be patient with gracious patience.
70:6
إِنَّهُمۡ يَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِيدٗا ٦
Indeed, they see it [as] distant,
70:7
وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبٗا ٧
But We see it [as] near.
70:8
يَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ٨
On the Day the sky will be like murky oil,1
1 translator’s note
- Or "molten metal." ↩
70:9
وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ٩
And the mountains will be like wool,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in the process of disintegration. ↩
70:10
وَلَا يَسۡـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمٗا ١٠
And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend,