7-1 I, Allah, am the best Knower, the Truthful.a
الٓمٓصٓ (١)
7-1a: ص has been added to الٓم. ص stands for صادق meaning Truthful, as narrated by Dahak (RM) or it means افصل meaning the Best Decider as reported by Ibn Abbas (IJ). In addition, see note 2-1a.
7-2 A Book revealed to thee — so let there be no straitness in thy breast concerning it — that thou mayest warn thereby, and a Reminder to the believers.a
كِتَـٰبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِى صَدۡرِكَ حَرَجٌ۬ مِّنۡهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِۦ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٢)
7-2a: ذِكۡرَىٰ – It is more eloquent and meaningful than ذِکۡر and it means excessive remembrance. ذِکۡر means to have a thing present in one’s heart (R). The Quran is called ذِکۡر or ذِكۡرَىٰ or تَذۡکِرۃ because it is a reminder about things which are in human nature but remain dormant because of inattention. Divine revelation reminds one of these things and enables a person to pursue a path that is in accordance with the right laws of nature. Another reason is that one of the meanings of ذِکۡر is noble (LA) and for this reason, one of the names of the Quran is ذِکۡر as it takes a person to the highest levels of nobility.
فَلَا يَكُن فِى صَدۡرِكَ حَرَجٌ۬ مِّنۡهُ – This is a parenthetical clause in a sentence that conveys the real purpose for which the Book has been revealed, namely that the Holy Prophet should warn the disbelievers with it, and for it to be a reminder for the believers. The statement so let there be no straitness in thy breast indicates that the revelation of this Book expanded the breast of the Holy Prophet, as also stated elsewhere: أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ (Have We not expanded for thee thy breast) (94:1). The expansion of the breast signifies its illumination with Divine light and tranquility. (R). So, a benefit of the revelation is stated to be the removal of straitness in the breast of a reformer. The difficulties that confront a reformer in the work of reformation are sufficient to alarm an ordinary person, but when God ordains a person to do a job, He gives him a great disposition, excellent morals, belief in his success and other attributes that are necessary to be successful. This parenthetical clause, therefore, manifests another need for revelation. It is possible that there may be an indication in this to the difficulties that were confronting the Prophet at the time of the revelation of this surah. After ten or eleven years of striving, the opposition was only intensifying. So, the Holy Prophet is consoled that undoubtedly the difficulties are great but because the Book is revealed from the all knowledgeable God Who is truthful in keeping promises, there is no need for any unease in his breast in the face of these difficulties.
The real reason for the revelation of the Book has been explained in two sentences. First, is to warn the people of the evil consequence of evil deeds and to tell them that the consequence of evil can never be good. Second, for the Book to beذِکۡر or ذِكۡرَىٰ ( a reminder) for the believers as this will elevate and ennoble them or make them walk according to the correct rules of human nature. Hence instead of the word glad tidings, the word that is used is ذِكۡرَىٰ (Reminder).
Because in this surah the real discussion is about prophethood just as in the last surah, the discussion is about polytheism, therefore a statement about the purpose of revelation is most appropriate.
7-3 Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and follow not besides Him any guardians; little do you mind!
ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ أَوۡلِيَآءَۗ قَلِيلاً۬ مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ (٣)
7-4 And how many a town have We destroyed! So Our punishment came to it by night or while they slept at midday.a
وَكَم مِّن قَرۡيَةٍ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهَا فَجَآءَهَا بَأۡسُنَا بَيَـٰتًا أَوۡ هُمۡ قَآٮِٕلُونَ (٤)
7-3a: بیاتا – It is a verbal noun from بَیۡت and its literal meaning is قَصۡد العدوِّ لیلًا (to pursue the enemy at night) (R).
قَآٮِٕلُونَ – قال – It is derived from یقیل and means the repose in the afternoon (R).
7-5 Yet their cry, when Our punishment came to them, was nothing but that they said: Surely we were wrong-doers.
فَمَا كَانَ دَعۡوَٮٰهُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَآ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ (٥)
7-6 Then certainly We shall question those to whom messengers were sent, and We shall question the messengers,a
فَلَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُرۡسِلَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ (٦)
7-6a: The question that will be asked from those to whom the apostles are sent is: أَلَمۡ يَأۡتِكُمۡ نَذِيرٌ۬ (Did not a warner come to you?) (67:8); أَلَمۡ يَأۡتِكُمۡ رُسُلٌ۬ مِّنكُمۡ (did there not come to you messengers from among you) (6:130) and the question that will be asked of apostles is: مَاذَآ أُجِبۡتُمۡۖ (What was the response you received?) (5:109).
7-7 Then surely We shall relate to them with knowledge, and We are never absent.
فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيۡہِم بِعِلۡمٍ۬ۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآٮِٕبِينَ (٧)
7-8 And the judging on that day will be just; so as for those whose good deeds are heavy, they are the successful.
وَٱلۡوَزۡنُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٲزِينُهُ ۥ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (٨)
7-8a: ٱلۡوَزۡنُ – It means knowing the measure of a thing (R). Raghib states that generally وَزۡنُ is considered to be that which is weighed on a balance (and even in hadith there is a mention of the balance) but in the Quran وَزۡنُ is used in a different sense, as in: وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلۡوَزۡنَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ (And keep up the balance with equity) (55:9) and وَزِنُواْ بِٱلۡقِسۡطَاسِ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمِۚ (and weigh with a true balance) (17:35) and the meaning in these verses is that equity and justice must be considered in all human actions and words. Similarly, in: وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيہَا مِن كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مَّوۡزُونٍ۬ (and caused to grow in it of every suitable thing) (15:19) where the meaning of مَّوۡزُونٍ۬ is that everything is created according to a measure, as in: إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ بِقَدَرٍ۬ (Surely, We have created everything according to a measure) (54:49). Commentators conclude from this that ٱلۡوَزۡنُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّۚ (7:8) means equity in judging (R). Mujahid states that by وَزۡنُ here is meant قضاء (judgment or decision).
The meaning of the weight of deeds: No one can doubt that the word میزاان is used in the Quran in many different senses. In one place, the word is used in the context of sending messengers: وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ (and sent down with them the Book and the measure) (57:25). Under no circumstance can the meaning of میزاان here be interpreted as a balance and no commentator has ever made this suggestion. Similarly, in وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (And the heaven, He raised it High, and He set up the measure) (55:7), The meaning here is not a scale, but the meaning is to maintain equity on which depends even the stability of the earth and the heavens. The truth is that it is a mistake to consider the mention of scale in hadith as a scale of the type that determines the weight of an object. The real nature of this scale is known only to God. However, it cannot be compared to the things of this world. This is the reason why if there is a mention of the weight of deeds, there is also mention of a book of deeds, and a man of deeds. After a mention in the Quran of the worldly deeds of a nation that will not benefit them in the next world, it is stated: فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ وَزۡنً۬ا (Nor shall We set up a balance for them on the day of Resurrection) (18:105), that is, that no weight will be attached to the great effort they had put in this world in setting up industries.
مَوَٲزِينُ – It can be the plural of موزون (well advised) but also of میزان (balance). In the first instance, the meaning would be appropriate deeds, that is virtuous deeds. In the second instance, the heaviness or lightness of the میزان (balance) or مَوَٲزِينُ (balances) is also taken to mean whether the measure of good deeds is heavy or light. In this case, quite apart from the fact that the use of plural means that several balances would need to be set up, it must be admitted that much of the details are left out. The correct rendering, therefore, is that this is the plural of موزون . Mujahid too considers the meaning of مَوَٲزِينُ as حسنات (good deeds).
It is only revelation that provides guidance about the weight of deeds, that is, that every deed has to be accounted for. It is for this reason that while narrating the purpose for which the Quran is revealed, mention is made of the weight of deeds. The perfection of a person depends upon performing those deeds that will make his nature pursue the right path and abstain from deeds that are deleterious to human nature. Thus it is that it is mentioned in the next verse that those persons whose deeds that will be included in the measure are light have put their nature in a loss.
7-9 And as for those whose good deeds are light, those are they who ruined their souls because they disbelieved in Our messages.
وَمَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَٲزِينُهُ ۥ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَہُم بِمَا كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَظۡلِمُونَ (٩)
7-10 And certainly We established you in the earth and made therein means of livelihood for you; little it is that you give thanks!
وَلَقَدۡ مَكَّنَّـٰڪُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَكُمۡ فِيہَا مَعَـٰيِشَۗ قَلِيلاً۬ مَّا تَشۡكُرُونَ (١٠)
7-10a: مَعَـٰيِشۗ – It is the plural of مَعِیۡشة which means life and livelihood. The word عیش is specific to the life of animals, that is a corporeal life as distinct from non-corporeal beings. On the other hand, the word حیٰوۃ has a wider range of meaning and is also used for Allah and a country (R). In the Quran, the word عیش has been used for the spiritual life too, as in: مَعِيشَةً۬ ضَنكً۬ا (a straitened life) (20:124) and عِيشَةٍ۬ رَّاضِيَةٍ۬ (pleasant life) (101:7).
It is conveyed in this verse that when God has created all kinds of means of livelihood in the earth for one’s corporeal being, then should not have God created provisions for the part of one’s self that is loftier than the body, that is one’s soul and spirituality. This last verse of the section describing the need for revelation provides a transition into the subject of the next section.
Bayan-ul-Quran 