At-Tur

Commentary

وَالطُّورِ‌ (By the Mount Tur,....52:1) The word Tur in Hebrew means a mountain that has trees [ as opposed to jabal a mountain that does not have trees { Trn.}]. Here Tur stands for mount Sinai which is situated in the land of Madyan where the Holy Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) had the honour of Allah's speaking to him. Some reports narrate that there are four mountains of Paradise in this world, and one of them is Tur (Qurtubi). Swearing an oath by Tur carries a special significance and honour of the mount. It also signifies that certain injunctions have been revealed by Allah for people to follow. Compliance with them is obligatory.

وَكِتَابٍ مَّسْطُورٍ‌ فِي رَ‌قٍّ مَّنشُورٍ‌ (and by a book, written on an unrolled scroll....52:2-3) The word raqq means fine parchment or fine piece of skin, used for the purpose of writing on it. It is, therefore, usually translated as paper. Here it could be referring to man's account-book of deeds or, according to some of the scholars, it stands for the Qur'an. (Qurtubi)

Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur

وَالْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ‌ (and by the Populated House [ AI-Bait-ul-Ma` mur ],...52:4) Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur is the Ka'bah in the heaven meant for the angels' service and is parallel to the Ka'bah on earth. According to a Tradition in Sahihain that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said about his Ascension to the seventh heaven: "Then, I was taken to Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur. It is visited every day by seventy thousand angels who will not come back to visit it again" because every day other new angels take their turn to visit it. (Ibn Kathir)

Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur is the Ka'bah of the angels who reside in the seventh heaven. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached the seventh heaven on the Night of Ascension, he saw Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) reclining with his back on Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur. It was Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) who built the Ka'bah on earth, and thus the reward is compatible with his action in that Allah Ta’ ala has blessed him with a special connection with Al-Bait-ul-Ma` mur (IbnKathir).

وَالْبَحْرِ‌ الْمَسْجُورِ‌ (and by the sea, filled up with fire...52:6) The word bar means sea and the passive participle masjur is derived from sajr which is used in several different senses, one of which is to kindle with fire. Some of the commentators interpret the participle in this sense here, that is, by the sea which will be kindled with fire on the Day of Resurrection, just as Allah said in another verse وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ‌ سُجِّرَ‌تْ "And when the seas will be kindled with fire". In other words, it will be kindled with fire and become a raging fire surrounding the people in the plain of hashr. This was reported by Sayyidna Said Ibn Musayyab from Sayyidna Ali Ibn Abi Talib ؓ . Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Mujahid, and ` Ubaidullah Ibn ` Umair ؓ also report likewise. (Ibn Kathir)

A Jewish person asked Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ 'where is the Hell?'. He replied 'the sea'. The Jew, who was the scholar of the previous scriptures, confirmed this. (Qurtubi) Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ and others interpreted the phrase to mean 'filled sea'. Ibn Jarir (رح) preferred this interpretation (Ibn Kathir). ' This is the interpretation adopted by Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح)