Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Adh-Dhariyat 51:7–16
51:7–8Page 521
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡحُبُكِ ٧
By the heaven containing pathways,1
إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِي قَوۡلٖ مُّخۡتَلِفٖ ٨
Indeed, you are in differing speech.1
وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْحُبُكِ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي قَوْلٍ مُّخْتَلِفٍ (By the sky, having paths, you are (involved) in a contradictory statement - 51:7-8) Hubuk is the plural habikah and primarily denotes thin irregular lines or streaks on fabrics when woven. They resemble tracks and pathways; therefore pathways are also referred to as hubuk in Arabic. Most interpreters take this to be the meaning in this context. Some scholars say that the 'tracks' refer to pathways used by the angels for entrance and exit. Others say that the tracks or paths of heaven are those orbits of planets and stars that are visible in the sky.
As the streaks of the woven fabric is its beauty, some scholars tend to interpret the verse as 'By the heaven full of beauty, grace, magnificence and perfection'.
Differing Beliefs of the Pagans
إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي قَوْلٍ مُّخْتَلِفٍ (you are [ involved ] in a contradictory statement... 51:8) Verse [ 7] was an oath and this verse is the statement for which oath is sworn. Apparently, the verse addresses the pagans of Makkah who assigned contradictory attributes to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، calling him at different times a madman, a sorcerer, a poet and other discordant names. According to another possible interpretation, the verse addresses the entire humankind - Muslims as well as non-believers. Thus 'contradictory statement' would mean that a sector believed in the Holy Prophet ﷺ and accepted him; and another sector rejected him and opposed him (Mazhari).
51:9Page 521
يُؤۡفَكُ عَنۡهُ مَنۡ أُفِكَ ٩
Deluded away from it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is he who is deluded.
يُؤْفَكُ عَنْهُ مَنْ أُفِكَ (Turned away from this (Qur'an) is the one who is turned away 51:9). The word 'ufik literally denotes to turn away. The pronoun in ` anhu has two possibilities: [ 1] it could be referring to Qur'an and Rasul. In this case, the verse would mean that only that person turns away from the Qur'an who has been destined to be deprived of their guidance. And [ 2] the pronoun could be referring to the 'contradictory statement' in which case the meaning would be: he who turns away from the truth because of your discordant thoughts, is the one deprived of truth.
51:10–16Page 521
قُتِلَ ٱلۡخَرَّٰصُونَ ١٠
Destroyed are the misinformers1
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِي غَمۡرَةٖ سَاهُونَ ١١
Who are within a flood [of confusion] and heedless.
يَسۡـَٔلُونَ أَيَّانَ يَوۡمُ ٱلدِّينِ ١٢
They ask, "When is the Day of Recompense?"
يَوۡمَ هُمۡ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ يُفۡتَنُونَ ١٣
[It is] the Day they will be tormented over the Fire
ذُوقُواْ فِتۡنَتَكُمۡ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ ١٤
[And will be told], "Taste your torment. This is that for which you were impatient."
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٍ ١٥
Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs,
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.
قُتِلَ الْخَرَّاصُونَ (Death upon those who make conjectures - 51:10). The expression kharrasun is the plural of kharras which means one who estimates or say things by conjecture. In this context the word refers to those stubborn and obstinate infidels who, without any reason or evidence, say discordant things about the Messenger ﷺ . Thus it would not be out of turn to interpret kharrasun as kadhdhabun, meaning 'the great liars' as they are condemned, denounced, cursed and imprecated (Mazhari) in this statement. After the mention of infidels, several verses that follow describe the qualities of the righteous people and the pleasant consequences of their righteousness.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences