Al-Qamar

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said in the interpretation of Allah's saying (The hour drew nigh): '(The hour drew nigh) He says: the coming of the Hour drew nigh by the advent of Muhammad (pbuh) and the coming down of the smock (and the moon was rent in twain) this is also another sign of the closeness of the Day of Judgement.

(And if they behold a portent) like the splitting of the moon (they turn away) they deny the sign (and say:) this sign is nothing but (Prolonged illusion) which will vanish.

(They denied) the sign and the coming of the Hour (and followed their own lusts) in denying the sign, the coming of the Hour and worshipping idols. (Yet everything will come to a decision) every word from Allah or His Messenger regarding promise, threat, tidings of Paradise or hell, mercy or punishment is true, some of this will happen in the life of the world, for all to see, and some of it will happen in the Hereafter and everything there will be manifest. It is also said that this means: every action and word that ensue from the slaves has a reality and this reality is in the heart.

(And surely there hath come unto them) unto the people of Mecca in the Qur'an (news) of the nations of old, how they were destroyed when they disbelieved (whereof the purport should deter) and take admonition,

(Effective) is the (wisdom) of the Qur'an; it is wisdom from Allah which they were conveyed on behalf of Allah; (but warnings) i.e. the messengers (avail not) the people who disbelieve in Allah as it is in His preeternal knowledge.

(So withdraw from them) so turn away from them, O Muhammad-but he was later commanded to fight them-(on the day) which is the Day of Judgement (when the Summoner summoneth unto a painful thing) a tremendous and frightful thing whereby the dwellers of Paradise will be taken to Paradise and the dwellers of hell to hell.

(With downcast eyes) humbled, (they come forth from the graves) upon the first blow of the Trumpet (as they were locusts spread abroad) He says: they fall on each other like locusts,

(Hastening towards the Summoner) to find out about what he is going to command them; (the disbelievers say) on the Day of Judgement: (This is a hard day) on them, that is.

(The folk of Noah denied) Noah (before them) before your folk, O Muhammad, (yea, they denied Our slave) Noah (and said: A madman) bewitched; (and he was repulsed) he was deterred from what he brought to them, crying in his face: " you have lost your mind! ".

(So he cried unto his Lord, saying: I am vanquished) I am oppressed, (so give help) by punishing them.

(Then opened We the gates of heaven) for 40 days (with pouring water) with pouring rain.

(And caused the earth to gush forth springs) for 40 days, (so that the waters) of the heaven and the earth (met for a predestined purpose) met for a measure that We have appointed: the rain of heaven and the water of springs; it is also said that this means: the waters met for a decreed purpose to destroy the folk of Noah.

(And We carried him) i.e. Noah and those who believed in him (upon a thing of planks and nails) an ark,

(That ran (upon the waters) in Our sight) under Our protection, (as a reward for him who was rejected) He says: this is as a reward for the folk of Noah as a result of their disbelief.

(And verily We left it as a token) as a sign for people, i.e. We left the ark of Noah, after the death of Noah, as a sign for people; it is also said that this means: We left the similitude of Noah as a sign for people; (but is there any that remembereth) is there any that will take admonition from what was done to the folk of Noah and, hence, desist from transgression?

(Then see how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings!) See, O Muhammad, how My punishment of these folk and how the state of those warned became, when Noah warned them but they rejected faith.

(And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember) recite and write; it is also said that this means: We have made the recitation of the Qur'an easy; (but is there any that remembereth) is there any that seeks knowledge and hence be helped to acquire it?

((The tribe of) 'Aad rejected warnings) the folk of Hud denied Hud. (Then how dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings) see, O Muhammad, how the state of those warned by Hud became when they disbelieved in him.

(Lo! We let loose on them a raging wind) a cold wind, which is the west wind (on a day of constant calamity) a day of continuous calamity upon the young and the old,

(Sweeping men away as though they were uprooted trunks of palm-trees.

Then see how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings!) See, O Muhammad, how was My punishment of them, and how was the state of those who were warned by Hud but did not believe him.

(And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember) and to recite; (but is there any that remembereth) is there any that takes admonition from what was done to the people of Hud and therefore abstain from transgression?

((The tribe of) Thamud) the folk of Salih (rejected warnings) disbelieved in Salih as well as in all the messengers.

(For they said: Is it a mortal man) he is a human being like us, (alone among us, that we are to follow) his matter and religion? (Then) if we follow him (indeed we should fall into error) in manifest error (and madness) tiredness and toil.

(Hath the remembrance) prophethood (been given unto him alone among us) when we are nobler than him? (Nay, but he is a rash liar) Salih is a vain liar who lies against Allah.

Salih said to them: (Tomorrow) on the Day of Judgement (they will know who is the rash liar) who is the vain liar who lies against Allah.

Then Allah said to Salih: (Lo! We are sending the she-camel) We shall bring forth the she-camel from the rock (as a test for them) as a trial for your folk; (so watch them) wait until the she-camel is brought forth (and have patience) for the harm coming to you and for the killing of the she-camel;

(And inform them that the water) of the well (is to be shared between (her and) them) one day for her and one day for them. (Every drinking will be witnessed) Salih informed them of this. They agreed to comply and observed this for a while but then their wretchedness overtook them.

(But they called their comrade) he called Masda' and Qudar Ibn Salif after Masda' Ibn Dahr shot her with an arrow (and he took) and Qudar took another arrow (and hamstrung (her)) killing the she-camel and dividing her meat.

(Then see) O Muhammad (how (dreadful) was My punishment after My warnings!) and how was the state of those warned by Salih but who rejected faith

(Lo! We sent upon them one Shout) the shout of Gabriel three days after the killing of the she-camel, (and they became as the dry twigs (rejected by) the builder of a cattle fold) they became like the things in the cattle fold on which the cattle step.

(And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember) easy to take admonition from, and easy to memorise and recite; (but is there any that remembers) but is there any that takes admonition from what was done to the folk of Salih and, as a result, desist from transgression? It is also said that this means: is there any that seeks knowledge such that he is helped to acquire it?

(The folk of Lot rejected warnings) they rejected Lot as well as all the messengers.

(Lo! We sent a storm of stones upon them (all) save the family of Lot) save Lot and his two daughters: Za'ura and Raytha, (whom We rescued in the last watch of the night) We rescued them at dawn,

(As grace from Us) as mercy from Us. (Thus We reward him who gives thanks) thus We save he who believes in Our divine Oneness and gives thanks for Our bounty.

(And he) Lot (indeed had warned them of Our blow) of Our chastisement, (but they did doubt the warnings) but they rejected what Lot said to them.

(They even asked of him his guests for an ill purpose) they wanted his guests, Gabriel and the angels who were with him, for their abominable deed. (Then We blinded their eyes) Gabriel blinded their eyes ((and said): Taste now My punishment after My warnings!) And I said to them: taste now My punishment and the warning of My warners!

(And in truth the punishment decreed befell them early in the morning) and this punishment is connected with the punishment of the Hereafter.

(Now taste My punishment after My warnings!) And I said to them: taste My punishment and the warning of My warners; those whom Lot warned but did not believe him.

(And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember) to memorise, recite and write down; (but is there any that remembereth) but is there any that takes admonition from what was done to the folk of Lot and, hence, desist from transgression?

(And warnings came in truth unto the house of Pharaoh) Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and his folk

(Who denied Our revelations, every one) of the nine signs. (Therefore We grasped them with the grasp of the Mighty) by means of punishment, (the Powerful) to inflict punishment.

(Are your disbelievers) O Muhammad; and it is said: O people of Mecca (better than those) We related to you, (or have ye some immunity in the Scriptures) from punishment?

(Or say they) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca: (We are a host victorious) and immune from punishment?

(The hosts) the hosts of the disbelieving (will all be routed) on the Day of Badr (and will turn and flee) defeated; this refers to Abu Jahl and his host, some of whom were killed on the Day of Badr and others defeated.

(Nay, but the Hour (of doom)) the advent of the Hour (is their appointed tryst) of punishment, (and the Hour) of punishment (will be more wretched) more tremendous (and more bitter) than the punishment they suffered on the Day of Badr.

(Lo! the guilty) the idolaters: Abu Jahl and his host (are in error) in manifest error in the life of the world (and madness) toil and tiredness in hell.

(On the day) which is the Day of Judgement (when they are dragged into the Fire) the angels of the Fire will drag them (upon their faces) and these angels will say to them: (Feel the touch of hell) taste the punishment of the Fire.

(Lo! We have created every thing) of your works (by measure) by you rejected this. This verse was revealed about those who argued about destiny.

(And Our commandment) concerning the coming of the Hour (is but one (commandment)) is but one word, (as the twinkling of an eye) in its swiftness. It is also said that (We have created every thing) means: We have created for everything something similar to it and also that which agrees with it of clothes and things.

(And verily We have destroyed your fellows) We have destroyed the like of you and those who followed your religion, O people of Mecca; (but is there any that remembereth) is there any that takes admonition from what was done with them and, thus, desist from transgression?

(And every thing they did) of transgression in their state of idolatry and opposition of the prophets (is in the Scriptures) written down; and it is said this means: it is written in the Guarded Tablet. This also was revealed about those who disputed about fate.

(And every small and great thing) of good or evil (is recorded) in the Guarded Tablet; this was revealed about the people who disputed about fate and who denied that everything is recorded in the Guarded Tablet.

(Lo! the righteous) those who ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies (will dwell among Gardens and rivers) many rivers; and it is said: in vast meadows,

(Firmly established) they are in an honoured place in Paradise (in the favour of a Mighty King) Who is able to dispense both reward and punishment to His slaves'.