10-21 And when We make people taste of mercy after an affliction touches them, lo! they devise plans against Our messages. Say: Allah is quicker to plan. Surely Our messengers write down what you plan.a
وَإِذَآ أَذَقْنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحْمَةًۭ مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُمْ إِذَا لَهُم مَّكْرٌۭ فِىٓ ءَايَاتِنَا ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا ۚ إِنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ (۲۱)
10-21a: By رَحْمَةًۭ (mercy) is meant prosperity, health etcetera. The tasting of mercy is attributed to Allah but afflictions are said to touch them. In another place it is stated: وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ (And when I am sick, He heals me) (26:80). Allah desires only mercy for people and His mercy is hidden even in afflictions. However, men instead of valuing their abundance and prosperity, being thankful for it, and inclining towards Allah try to belie His messages. For مَّكْرٌۭ see 3-54a.
10-22 He it is Who makes you travel by land and sea; until, when you are in the ships, and they sail on with them in a pleasant breeze, and they rejoice at it, a violent wind overtakes them and the billows surge in on them from all sides, and they deem that they are encompassed about. Then they pray to Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience: If Thou deliver us from this, we will certainly be of the grateful onesa
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍۢ طَيِّبَةٍۢ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌۭ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍۢ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ (۲۲)
10-22a: عَاصِفٌۭ – When the leaves on the trunk of a plant dry up, fall and crumble into bits, they are called عَاصِفٌۭ, and in the verse: وَٱلْحَبُّ ذُو ٱلْعَصْفِ (And the grain with (its) husk) (55:12) عَصف is the husk which is not eaten (LA) and رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌۭ or عاصِفة is a fierce wind that breaks things into bits (R).
أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ – The meaning of حاط is to guard, protect, take care of (LA) and احتیاط is derived from it, as too is حائط which means a wall because it encloses an area. For اِحاطَة see 2-255b. In أَلَآ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مُّحِيطٌ (He surely encompasses all things) (41:54) the meaning is that He safeguards things from all directions. It is also used in the sense of منع (to prevent, hinder, stop). Another use of the word is in: إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ (unless you are completely surrounded) (12:66). In أَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ (his sins beset him on every side) (2:81) there is a fine metaphor describing the reality that when a person sins and does so repeatedly, he gets sucked into committing more serious sins and it becomes well neigh impossible for him to extricate himself from the sinful life. The purport in أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ and in وَأُخْرَىٰ لَمْ تَقْدِرُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا ۚ(And others which you have not yet been able to achieve – Allah has surely encompassed them) (48:21) and in عَذَابَ يَوْمٍۢ مُّحِيطٍۢ (chastisement of an all-encompassing day) (11:84) is احاط بالقدرۃ that is encompassed by His power (R). When a person’s destruction is close at hand, it is said احیط بفلانٍ as in أُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ (his fruit was destroyed) (18:42) and ای اصابه ما اھلکه (destruction overtook him) (LA). This is what is meant here, that is destruction has encompassed them.
This verse gives an example of what is stated earlier. In times of distress a person beseeches Allah repeatedly. What is conveyed is that it is inherent in the nature of a person to seek support from Allah but when distress is replaced with ease, a curtain of heedlessness descends on a person’s heart. This verse begins by addressing the reader in the second person with كُنتُمْ (you) but the narration is switched to a third person account with جَرَيْنَ (they). It is only a few who are in distress but the example is meant to convey the message to everyone and so the switch is made from the second person to the third person. The purpose is to draw attention to the remoteness from Allah that comes with ease.
10-23 But when He delivers them, lo! they are unjustly rebellious in the earth. O men, your rebellion is against yourselves — a provision (only) of this world’s life. Then to Us is your return, so We shall inform you of what you did.
فَلَمَّآ أَنجَىٰهُمْ إِذَا هُمْ يَبْغُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۗ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُم ۖ مَّتَـٰعَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (۲۳)
10-24 The likeness of this world’s life is only as water which We send down from the clouds, then the herbage of the earth, of which men and cattle eat, grows luxuriantly thereby; until when the earth puts on its golden raiment and it becomes adorned, and its people think that they are masters of it, Our command comes to it, by night or by day, so We render it as reaped seed-produce, as though it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We make clear the messages for a people who reflect.
إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَخَذَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَٱزَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَآ أَنَّهُمْ قَـٰدِرُونَ عَلَيْهَآ أَتَىٰهَآ أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًۭا فَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا حَصِيدًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (۲۴)
10-24a: ٱخْتَلَطَ – خَلۡط is to mix the ingredients of two or more things whether those things are only liquid or only solid or solid and liquid. خَلیط means a partner, neighbor or friend, as in وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ (And surely many partners) (38:24) and اختلاط (to talk nonsense) is derived from it (R). Ibn Abbas has taken the meaning here to be the growth of different vegetations so that they are all mixed together (IJ). It can also mean the extensive growth of one thing so that its various elements become mixed up (RM). In this case it will be for با سبب (on account of, by reason of), that is on account of rain the vegetation grew luxuriantly. The meaning can also be that the vegetation of the earth gets mixed with water because this is how growth takes place by the mixing of the ingredients of the water with the ingredients of the vegetations.
زُخْرُف – زُخْرُف Is spoken of the adornment and the perfect beauty of a thing and the reference here is to the adornment of the earth which it gets by the growth of luxuriant vegetation or for that adornment to reach its perfection. Gold is also called زُخْرُف and زُخْرُفَ ٱلْقَوْلِ (6:112) means gilded speech (LA).
حَصِيد – حَصد means to harvest, reap and that is also the meaning of حصاد as inوَءَاتُوا۟ حَقَّهُۥ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِۦ ۖ (and pay the due of it on the day of reaping) (6:141). The meaning of حَصِيد here is a reaped field which has been destroyed as it were. In this sense, the word occurs in: مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌۭ وَحَصِيدٌۭ (Of them are some that stand and (others) mown down) (11:100) and in حَبَّ ٱلْحَصِيدِ (the grain that is reaped) (50:9).
تَغْنَ – غنی means not in need of anything, affluent, and the meaning of غنی فی مکان کذا is that he lived in this house for a long time, as if he was not in need of anything besides himself (LA), and the word is used in this sense in كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَا ۚ(as though they had never dwelled therein) (7:92) (R). What is meant here by لَّمْ تَغْنَ is it had not flourished.
In this example also, the same thing is conveyed as in the previous verse. It is Allah’s blessing which creates the conditions for the adornment of the earth but when people forget Allah because of their ease and become regardless of the power and majesty of Allah and consider themselves as having power over their affairs (انہم قادرون علیھا ) then Allah shows them a second sign of His power so that people may understand that their power is not above all powers but there is another great power who holds the destiny of everything in His hands.
10-25 And Allah invites to the abode of peace, and guides whom He pleases to the right path.a
وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ (۲۵)
10-25a: دَارِ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ – The meaning of سَلۡم and سَلامَة is to be free from manifest and hidden calamities. The meaning of دَارِ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ is دارالسلامة (Home of peace) (and for this reason the cry therein is سلاماً سلاماً (Peace, peace)), as in لَهُمْ دَارُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ عِندَ رَبِّہِم (Theirs is the abode of peace with their Lord) (6:127). السلام is also an attribute of Allah, as in ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ (Author of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all) (59:23) because He is free from all faults and defects (R).
Compared to the blessings of this world which are mixed with pain and difficulties, Allah calls to a house which is free from pain and difficulties. If a person desires ease and comfort, then Allah too calls to ease and comfort but humans only consider the temporary comfort of this life and create difficulties for themselves for later.
10-26 For those who do good is good (reward) and more (than this). Neither blackness nor ignominy will cover their faces. These are the owners of the Garden; therein they will abide.a
لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ وَزِيَادَةٌۭ ۖ وَلَا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌۭ وَلَا ذِلَّةٌ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (۲۶)
10-26a: ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ – For حُسن see 2-283a and the difference between حُسْنَىٰ and حُسن is that the use of حُسن is general whereas حُسْنَىٰ is used only for inventions, innovations, and creations (R). حُسن and حُسْنَىٰ are both verbal nouns, and although the meaning of حُسْنَىٰ is mostly taken to be Garden (جنت ) or المنزلة السنی but Lisan al-Arab states that its real purport is المجازاۃ الحسنی (a good recompense) and Ibn Jarir has a similar interpretation.
زِيَادَةٌۭ – The literal meaning is an increment on a thing, but here since the reference is to the blessings of paradise, the meaning is taken to be seeing Allah which is the greatest blessing of the Garden. Raghib states that the sight of Allah is called زِيَادَہ because this is a thing which is beyond imagination in this world. Ibn Jarir has additional comments about its meaning, as for example an incremental reward, or ten times the reward, or Allah’s protection and pleasure, or the blessings of this world.
يَرْهَقُ – The meaning of رَھِق is, the affair with its its force and vehemence overpowered him, as in سَأُرْهِقُهُۥ صَعُودًا (I will make a distressing punishment overtake him) (74:17) (R).
قَتَرٌۭ – قَتَرۃ is a cloud of dust which is blackish in color like smoke (LA). In addition see 2-236a.
Among the things that happen when one does good by doing good to one’s soul or by doing good to others is that the recompense is good. One does not have to be ashamed, and one does not have to face the despair of failure which reflects a darkness on the face. Ibn Jarir has explained these words as: لا تغشی وجوھہم کابة و لا کسوف حتی تصیر من الحزن کانما علا ھاقتر (Their faces will never be covered with sorrow, regret, and darkness, so that broken down with sorrow they become as if they have been engulfed by smoke). In contrast to this the result of bad deeds is mentioned in the next verse.
10-27 And those who earn evil, the punishment of an evil is the like thereof, and abasement will cover them — they will have none to protect them from Allah — as if their faces had been covered with slices of the dense darkness of night. These are the companions of the Fire; therein they will abide.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَسَبُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ جَزَآءُ سَيِّئَةٍۭ بِمِثْلِهَا وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ مَّا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍۢ ۖ كَأَنَّمَآ أُغْشِيَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ مُظْلِمًا ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (۲۷)
10-28 And on the day when We gather them all together, then We shall say to those who associated others (with Allah): Keep where you are, you and your associate-gods. Then We shall separate them one from another, and their associates will say: It was not us that you served.a
وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ مَكَانَكُمْ أَنتُمْ وَشُرَكَآؤُكُمْ ۚ فَزَيَّلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ وَقَالَ شُرَكَآؤُهُم مَّا كُنتُمْ إِيَّانَا تَعْبُدُونَ (۲۸)
10-28a: مَكَانَكُمْ – The verb is omitted. الزموا مکانکم (Stay where you are).
زَيَّلْنَا – زال means a thing moves away from its position and becomes separated. Derived from it are other words such as زوال (decline) etcetera, and the meaning of تَزَيَّلُوا۟ is تفرقو (apart). The form used indicates an excess, that is the separation will be complete (R). So, the meaning of زَيَّلْنَا is فرقنا (We shall separate them).
Three types of gods: What is meant by شُرَكَآؤُكُمْ and شُرَكَآؤُهُم are deities that the disbelievers held to be partners with Allah. Jesus says in the Quran: مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرْتَنِى بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ(I said to them naught save as Thou didst command me: Serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord) (5:117). It is narrated that Allah will say to the angels: أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ (Did these worship you?) (34:40). It is stated here that those they associate with Allah will say that they did not worship them and Allah will separate the worshipped and the worshippers. In other places, it is stated: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Surely you and what you worship besides Allah are fuel of hell) (21:98); لَوْ كَانَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ءَالِهَةًۭ مَّا وَرَدُوهَا ۖ(Had these been gods, they would not have come to it (21:99). It follows that in these two places, the kinds of deities mentioned are different. One kind of deities are those that consist of pious men of God and angels who have been taken as deities. These verses are for such deities. In other places where the mention is of those worshipped being put in hell, the purport is those people who elevate themselves and get others to accept them as gods. The third kind taken as deities consists of stones, trees, wind etcetera but they are not mentioned in both the places because the gathering together on the Day of Judgment will only be of the humans and not of inanimate things and plants.
10-29 So Allah suffices as a witness between us and you that we were quite unaware of your serving (us).
فَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًۢا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ إِن كُنَّا عَنْ عِبَادَتِكُمْ لَغَـٰفِلِينَ (۲۹)
10-30 There will every soul become acquainted with what it sent before, and they will be brought back to Allah, their true Patron, and that which they devised will escape from them.a
هُنَالِكَ تَبْلُوا۟ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّآ أَسْلَفَتْ ۚ وَرُدُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوْلَىٰهُمُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ (۳۰)
10-30a: ٱلْحَقِّ – It is one of the attributes of Allah. See 2-42a.
تَبْلُوا – It is in the sense of getting the news. See 2-124a.
When the time comes to be punished for evil deeds, all props fall, and the reality is revealed to a person. This experiment can be conducted here as well. Every wrongdoer must bear the burden of his wrongdoing himself. Those who supported them in the wrongdoings separate themselves when it comes time for punishment. In the first part of this section, it is stated that in difficulties human nature only bows before Allah and one forgets other false deities. Compared to these small afflictions, the last verse of this section draws attention to that great calamity which will be revealed to the wrongdoers because of their evil deeds. The full realization will take place then that deities besides Allah are of no use and those taken for deities will refute that they were worshipped.
Bayan-ul-Quran 