As-Sajdah

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas who said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (Alif. Lam. Mim.): '(Alif. Lam. Mim.) He says: I am Allah, I know; it is also said that it is an oath by which Allah swore.

(The revelation of the Scripture) this Scripture is Allah's speech addressed to you (whereof there is no doubt) there is no doubt that it (is from the Lord of the Worlds.

Or say they) the disbelievers of Mecca say: (He hath invented it) Muhammad invented the Qur'an? (Nay, but it) i.e. the Qur'an (is the Truth from thy Lord) Gabriel brought down to you, (that thou mayst warn a folk) i.e. the Quraysh (to whom no warner came before you) no warning messenger came to them before you, O Muhammad, (that haply they may walk aright) that they may be guided from error.

(Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them) of creation and marvels, (in six Days) the days of the beginning of creation which equal 1,000 years of the years of the life of this world; the first day being Sunday and the last Friday. (Then He mounted the throne) Allah was on the Throne before He created them. (Ye have not) O people of Mecca, (beside Him, a protecting friend) a relative to help you (or mediator) to intercede for you in order for you to forgo Allah's punishment. (Will ye not then remember) will you then not take admonition through the Qur'an and accept faith?

(He directeth the ordinance from the heaven unto the earth) He sends the angels with revelation, Scriptures and misfortunes; (then it ascendeth unto Him) the angels ascend to Him (in a Day, whereof the measure) the measure of its ascent for other than the angels (is a thousand years of that you reckon) of the years of the life of this world.

(Such) the Ordaining One (is the Knower of the invisible) what is hidden from the servants and will happen in the future (and the visible) that which the servants know and has already happened, (the Mighty) in retribution against the disbelievers, (the Merciful) towards the believers,

(Who made all things good which He created) He Who perfected everything He created, (and He began the creation of man) i.e. Adam (from clay) from the surface of the earth;

(Then He made his seed) his offspring (from a drought of despised fluid) from a weak drop of the water of man and woman;

(Then He fashioned him) He gathered his creation in the womb of his mother (and breathed into him of His Spirit) He placed the spirit in him; (and appointed for you hearing) He created for you hearing so that you hear the Truth and guidance (and sight) so that you see through them the Truth and guidance (and hearts) in order to perceive the Truth and guidance. (Small thanks give you) for that which you have been given!

(And they say) i.e. Abu Jahl and his host: (When we are lost) perished (in the earth) after we die, (how can we then be recreated) it is impossible that we be recreated after we die? (Nay but they are disbelievers in) they deny (the meeting with their Lord) resurrection after death.

(Say) to them, O Muhammad: (The angel of death, who hath charge concerning you, will gather you) will take away your souls, (and afterward unto your Lord ye will be returned) in the Hereafter.

(Couldst thou but see when the guilty) the idolaters (hang their heads) lower down their heads (before their Lord) on the Day of Judgement, ((and say): Our Lord!) O our Lord! (We have now seen) we know now that which we did not (and heard) and become certain about that which we were not certain of, (so send us back) so that we believe in You; (we will do right) sincerely to You, (now we are sure) we believe in You, in Your Book, Messenger and in resurrection after death.

(And if We had so willed, We could have given every soul its guidance) its God-fearingness, (but the word from Me concerning evil-doers took effect) My word decreed (that I will fill hell with the jinn and mankind together) with the disbelievers among the jinn and mankind. Had it not been for this, I would have honoured every single soul with knowledge and the confession of Allah's divine Oneness.

(So taste (the evil of your deeds). Forasmuch as ye forgot) the belief in and work for (the meeting of this your day, lo! We forget you) We leave you in the Fire. (Taste the doom immortality) the eternal torment (because of what ye used to do) in your state of disbelief.

(Only those believe in Our revelations) in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an (who, when they are reminded of them) invited through them to perform the five daily prayers with the call to prayer and the call announcing the start of the prayer, (fall down prostrate) they come in all humility (and hymn the praise of their Lord) and pray by the command of their Lord, (and they are not scornful) they are not too proud to believe in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an or too proud to pray in congregation. This verse was revealed about the hypocrites who were sluggish in their coming to the congregational prayer.

(Who forsake their beds) after sleeping a little at night (to cry unto their Lord) to worship their Lord by means of the five daily prayers; it is also said that they forsake their beds in order to pray the last night prayer ('Isha'); it is also said that this means: they leave their beds after sleeping a little at night to perform supererogatory prayers (in fear) of Him and His chastisement (and hope) in Him and His mercy, (and spend) in charity (of what we have bestowed on them) of wealth.

(No soul knoweth what is kept hid for them) what is prepared and stored for them (of joy) of gladness of the soul, reward and honour in Paradise, (as a reward for what they used to do) in the life of this world of good works.

(Is he who is a believer) a sincere believer; the reference here is to 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib (like unto him who is an evil-liver?) I.e. a hypocrite; the reference here is to al-Walid Ibn 'Uqbah Ibn Abi Ma'it. (They are not alike) in the life of this world in relation to their obedience nor are they alike in the Hereafter in relation to the reward and honour bestowed by Allah. This is because these two had an argument and exchanged words until 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be well pleased with him, said to him: " O sinner! ".

Allah then explained the destination of both of them after they die, saying: (But as for those who believe) in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an (and do good works) between them and their Lord, (for them are the Gardens of Retreat) as a reward for them in the Hereafter, (a welcome (in reward) for what they used to do) of good works in the life of this world.

(And as for those who do evil) and as for those who were hypocrites in the life of this world, (their retreat is the Fire) as a final destination. (Whenever they desire to issue forth from thence) from the Fire, (they are brought back thither) to the Fire in shackles of iron. (Unto them it is said) the angels of the Fire say to them: (Taste the torment of the Fire which ye used to deny) in the life of the world.

(And verily We make them taste) We will inflict on them, i.e. on the people of Mecca (the lower punishment) the punishment of the life of this world: dryness of the land, drought, hunger, assassination, etc; it is also said that this refers to the torment of the grave (before the greater) before the torment of the Fire; this is a warning to them, (that haply they may return) from their disbelief and accept faith.

(And who doth greater wrong) no one is more insolent and iniquitous (than he who is reminded of) admonished by (the revelations of his Lord) this was revealed about the hypocrites and the deriders of the Qur'an, (then turneth from them) in denial. (Lo! We shall requite) We will chastise (the guilty) the idolaters.

(We verily gave Moses the Scripture) the Torah in one bulk; (so be not ye) O Muhammad (in doubt of his receiving it) of meeting Moses the night you were transported to Jerusalem; (and We appointed it) the Scripture of Moses (a guidance for the Children of Israel) from guidance.

(And when they became steadfast) in their faith in and obedience of Me (and believed firmly) believed from their Scripture (in Our revelations) in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an, (We appointed from among them) from among the children of Israel (leaders) of goodness (who guided by Our command) who invite people to Our command.

(Lo! thy Lord) O Muhammad (will judge between them) between the believer and disbeliever; it is also said: between the Children of Israel (on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein) in Religion (they used to differ) they used to oppose.

(Is it not a guidance for them (to observe)) has not been explained to the disbelievers of Mecca (how many generations He destroyed before them) through His chastisement, (amid whose dwelling places they do walk) they walk amid the dwellings of the people of Shu'ayb, Salih and Hud? (Lo, therein) in that which We have done to them (verily are portents) signs and lessons for those who came after them! (Will they not then heed) will they not obey He Who did this to them?

(Have they not seen) do the people of Mecca not know (how We lead the water to the barren land) wherein there is no vegetation (and therewith) with the water (bring forth crops whereof) from the grass (their cattle eat, and they themselves) eat from the grains, fruits and legumes? (Will they not then see) do they not know it is from Allah?

(And they say) i.e. Banu Khuzaymah and Banu Kinanah say: (When cometh this victory (of yours)) the conquest of Mecca (if ye are truthful) that it will be conquered? They asked this question to mock the believers.

(Say) O Muhammad to Banu Khuzaymah and Banu Kinanah: (On the day of the victory) of the conquest of Mecca (the faith of those who disbelieve) i.e. Banu Khuzaymah ((and who then will believe) will not avail them) from being killed, (neither will they be reprieved) from being sentenced to death.

(So withdraw from them (O Muhammad)) from Banu Khuzaymah and do not preoccupy yourself with them, (and await (the event)) await their destruction on the day of the conquest of Mecca. (Lo! they also are awaiting (it)) they are also awaiting their destruction. And Allah did indeed destroy them upon the conquest of Mecca'.