Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
Al-Qasas 28:62–88
28:62–63Page 393
وَيَوۡمَ يُنَادِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُ أَيۡنَ شُرَكَآءِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ ٦٢
And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, "Where are My 'partners' which you used to claim?"
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ رَبَّنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَغۡوَيۡنَآ أَغۡوَيۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا غَوَيۡنَاۖ تَبَرَّأۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَۖ مَا كَانُوٓاْ إِيَّانَا يَعۡبُدُونَ ٦٣
Those upon whom the word1 will have come into effect will say, "Our Lord, these are the ones we led to error. We led them to error just as we were in error. We declare our disassociation [from them] to You. They did not used to worship [i.e., obey] us."2
On Judgement Day, the adherents of misguided leaders (sharik), whose word they accepted as if it were the word of God, will find themselves in a strange predicament. They will find that those great ones, whom they had been so proud to follow, have led them straight to Hell. They will then, in disgust, blame their leaders for their plight. But their leaders will retort that they have nobody to blame but themselves. They will allege that if their followers obtensibly bowed to their will, it was only because it was in accordance with their own desires. They will further accuse their followers of being slaves to their own desires. But they will then admit that they too had given in to temptation and that since leaders and followers had to face the same fate, there was no point in blaming each other.
28:64–70Page 393
وَقِيلَ ٱدۡعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَرَأَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَۚ لَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يَهۡتَدُونَ ٦٤
And it will be said, "Invoke your 'partners,'" and they will invoke them; but they will not respond to them, and they will see the punishment. If only they had followed guidance!
وَيَوۡمَ يُنَادِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أَجَبۡتُمُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٦٥
And [mention] the Day He will call them and say, "What did you answer the messengers?"
فَعَمِيَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۢبَآءُ يَوۡمَئِذٖ فَهُمۡ لَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ٦٦
But the information1 will be unapparent to them that Day, so they will not [be able to] ask one another.
فَأَمَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَعَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحِينَ ٦٧
But as for one who had repented, believed, and done righteousness, it is expected [i.e., promised by Allāh] that he will be among the successful.
وَرَبُّكَ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيَخۡتَارُۗ مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُۚ سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٦٨
And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; not for them was the choice. Exalted is Allāh and high above what they associate with Him.
وَرَبُّكَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمۡ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَ ٦٩
And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they declare.
وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ لَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِي ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَلَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٧٠
And He is Allāh; there is no deity except Him. To Him is [due all] praise in the first [life] and the Hereafter. And His is the [final] decision, and to Him you will be returned.
When a man denies the Truth in this life, he does so after placing his reliance on something or someone. In the Hereafter he will be asked to invoke those on whom he relied, so that they may save him from the consequences of his denial. But this will be the Day of God’s appearance and who can help anybody against God? In the world, man does not just silently accept defeat. Here he finds words to counter any argument. But all these words will prove false on the Day of Judgement. Then he will regret that, for the sake of small gains, he gave up a very great blessing. Almighty God creates human beings. Then He selects some individuals from among them for some particular work. This selection is not made on the basis of any mysterious reason, but depends on God’s own decision. Therefore, to treat such persons as holy and to give them the status of God is absolutely baseless. There is no scope for this in this world of God. Man denies the Truth on the basis of some personal (selfish) considerations, but talks as if his arguments were based on rationality. In the Hereafter this veil of pretence will be removed. At that time it will be known clearly that what he had in his heart, was very different from what he was saying—purely to maintain his prestige.
28:71–73Page 394
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ سَرۡمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَنۡ إِلَٰهٌ غَيۡرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأۡتِيكُم بِضِيَآءٍۚ أَفَلَا تَسۡمَعُونَ ٧١
Say, "Have you considered:1 if Allāh should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you light? Then will you not hear?"
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلنَّهَارَ سَرۡمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَنۡ إِلَٰهٌ غَيۡرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأۡتِيكُم بِلَيۡلٖ تَسۡكُنُونَ فِيهِۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٧٢
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the day continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you a night in which you may rest? Then will you not see?"
وَمِن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لِتَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ٧٣
And out of His mercy He made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and [by day] seek from His bounty and [that] perhaps you will be grateful.
The earth, which is inhabited by human beings, has innumerable wonderful aspects. One of these is that it is constantly revolving around the Sun. Its axial rotation as it passes around the sun is such that it completes one full circle in twenty four hours. This is what produces the phenomenon of the repeated alternation of day and night. Had it not been for this axial rotation of the earth, there would have been perpetual night in half portion of the earth and perpetual day in the other half. The result of this would have been that the comfortable earth we know would have become a punishment chamber horrible beyond expression. The constant rotation of the earth in space with perfect precision is so great a phenomenon that even the combined efforts of all men and all jinn could never have sufficed to bring it into existence. Nobody except the All Powerful God is capable of setting in motion such a great event. In view of this, it would be most misguided of man, to experience feelings of fear and love for anybody other than the One and Only God.
28:74–75Page 394
وَيَوۡمَ يُنَادِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُ أَيۡنَ شُرَكَآءِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ ٧٤
And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, "Where are My 'partners' which you used to claim?"
وَنَزَعۡنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ شَهِيدٗا فَقُلۡنَا هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَٰنَكُمۡ فَعَلِمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱلۡحَقَّ لِلَّهِ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ ٧٥
And We will extract from every nation a witness and say, "Produce your proof," and they will know that the truth belongs to Allāh, and lost from them is that which they used to invent.
The Prophet and the Prophet’s true missionaries will, on the Day of Judgement, be asked to act as witnesses of God. They will describe the reaction of the communities to whom it had been their duty to convey God’s message. On that Day, all the false props of these communities will collapse. Those who denied the Truth, while relying on others except God, will try to put up a defence, but they will not find the words to defend themselves.
28:76–77Page 394
۞ إِنَّ قَٰرُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡكُنُوزِ مَآ إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُۥ لَتَنُوٓأُ بِٱلۡعُصۡبَةِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡقُوَّةِ إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُۥ قَوۡمُهُۥ لَا تَفۡرَحۡۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡفَرِحِينَ ٧٦
Indeed, Qārūn was from the people of Moses, but he tyrannized them. And We gave him of treasures whose keys would burden a band of strong men; thereupon his people said to him, "Do not exult. Indeed, Allāh does not like the exultant.
وَٱبۡتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَأَحۡسِن كَمَآ أَحۡسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَلَا تَبۡغِ ٱلۡفَسَادَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ٧٧
But seek, through that which Allāh has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allāh has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allāh does not like corrupters."
Korah or Qarun was one of the Children of Israel, but he cut off his relations with his community and shifted his loyalties towards Pharaoh, as a result of which he became Pharaoh’s courtier. On account of his worldly wisdom, he accumulated great wealth, so much so that he became the richest man in Egypt. Having acquired wealth, he should have been duly grateful, but, instead he allowed his wealth to give him a sense of false pride. With the help of his resources, he should have earned the reward of goodness, but he did not do so. What is meant by creating ‘evil in the land?’ According to verse 77, one of the ways of creating a disturbance on earth is for a man acquiring a lot of wealth, to spend it only on himself. Water from various parts of land gathers in a sea. The sea again scatters the water back over the whole land after turning it into vapour. This is an example of peaceful activity (islah) which is the opposite of creating discord (fasad) in this world of God. The very same approach is required of man. If, for any reason, wealth is accumulated by someone, he should by different methods, return it to those less favoured in the distribution of wealth. In other words, circulating accumulated wealth promotes islah, while hoarding accumulated wealth brings about fasad.
28:78Page 395
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عِندِيٓۚ أَوَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ أَهۡلَكَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مَنۡ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُ قُوَّةٗ وَأَكۡثَرُ جَمۡعٗاۚ وَلَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٧٨
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.1
The character of Korah described here is the same as is invariably found in men of wealth. A wealthy man thinks that whatever he has acquired is thanks to his own talents. But with all his knowledge, the rich man never stops to wonder how his wealth is going to save him in this ephemeral world from the same fate as all his rich predecessors met with—namely death and destruction.
28:79–80Page 395
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فِي زِينَتِهِۦۖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا يَٰلَيۡتَ لَنَا مِثۡلَ مَآ أُوتِيَ قَٰرُونُ إِنَّهُۥ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٖ ٧٩
So he came out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the worldly life said, "Oh, would that we had like what was given to Qārūn. Indeed, he is one of great fortune."
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ وَيۡلَكُمۡ ثَوَابُ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ لِّمَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗاۚ وَلَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ ٨٠
But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allāh is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient."
All the glamour of the world gathers around a person who possesses wealth. Seeing this, many foolish persons envy his lot. But those who possess real knowledge are quick to realize that this glamour is ephemeral, and that something so unenduring has no value. Knowledge of reality is the most valuable thing in this world. But to acquire this knowledge, one must have the patience to mould one’s mind without being influenced by external pressures, and while forming one’s opinion to ignore things of temporary charm. This is of course the most difficult type of patience to exercise, but after passing this crucial test, man is rewarded with the precious attributes of knowledge and wisdom.
28:81–82Page 395
فَخَسَفۡنَا بِهِۦ وَبِدَارِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ مِن فِئَةٖ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنتَصِرِينَ ٨١
And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allāh, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.
وَأَصۡبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوۡاْ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيۡكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقۡدِرُۖ لَوۡلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَاۖ وَيۡكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ٨٢
And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"
According to the Bible, Moses cursed Korah for his evil deeds, and God caused him, his companions and his treasure to be swallowed up by the earth. This was visibly demonstrated by God as an example to clarify what the final result would be of leaving off the worship of God and adopting the worship of wealth. The amenities of the world are in fact given as a trial of human beings. These are provided to man, by the will of God in greater or lesser quantities. It is the duty of man to be patient if he receives fewer amenities and to be grateful if he receives more. This is the only way to the salvation and success of man.
28:83–84Page 395
تِلۡكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ نَجۡعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوّٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فَسَادٗاۚ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٨٣
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
مَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجۡزَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٨٤
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it; and whoever comes with an evil deed - then those who did evil deeds will not be recompensed except [as much as] what they used to do.
Those whose hearts are free of false pride are the ones eligible to be settled in paradise. They are so imbued with a sense of God’s greatness that everything else seems insignificant. If a man does not act in consonance with God’s scheme, i.e. he acts against God’s will in God’s world, it creates discord (fasad). Those who are free of false pride are the truly virtuous. They will be settled in the eternal gardens of God.
28:85–88Page 396
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لَرَآدُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٖۚ قُل رَّبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَمَنۡ هُوَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٨٥
Indeed, [O Muḥammad], He who imposed upon you the Qur’ān will take you back to a place of return.1 Say, "My Lord is most knowing of who brings guidance and who is in clear error."
وَمَا كُنتَ تَرۡجُوٓاْ أَن يُلۡقَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ ظَهِيرٗا لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٨٦
And you were not expecting that the Book would be conveyed to you, but [it is] a mercy from your Lord. So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.1
وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ أُنزِلَتۡ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٨٧
And never let them avert you from the verses of Allāh after they have been revealed to you. And invite [people] to your Lord. And never be of those who associate others with Allāh.
وَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۘ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجۡهَهُۥۚ لَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٨٨
And do not invoke with Allāh another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face.1 His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned.
The Prophet’s cause is in every way God’s cause. Prophethood is voluntarily given to him by God without any request on his part. Throughout his entire existence he remains steadfast in adhering to the Truth. He is appointed to announce the plain, unvarnished Truth, even if it is unpleasant to people. He is destined to reach his appointed goal and no impediment shall bar his path. After the Prophet, the same will hold true for those who rise, in conformity with the Prophet, as missionaries of Truth. To the extent that they resemble the Prophet in conduct, they will go on being entitled to succour promised by God to His prophets in His Book.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences