11-110 And We certainly gave the Book to Moses, but differences arose therein. And had not a word gone forth from thy Lord, the matter would have been decided between them. And they are surely in a disquieting doubt about it.a
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ فَٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌۭ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍۢ (۱۱۰)
11-110a: The narration regarding Moses was taken up in the last Surah and hence he is mentioned here briefly. The purpose of mentioning him though is the same as the purpose of mentioning the other prophets, namely, to comfort the Holy Prophet. For اختلاف فی الکتاب (Disagreement in the Book) see 2-176a. The word that has gone forth is that Allah, because of his extreme mercy, keeps on postponing the punishment of His servants as is explained in verse 11:119 note 11:119a.
11-111 And thy Lord will surely pay back to all their deeds in full. He indeed is Aware of what they do.a
وَإِنَّ كُلًّۭا لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ (۱۱۱)
11-111a: The nunnation in كُلًّۭا is in place of the possessor in the possessive case, that is all the antagonists or all of them whether believers or disbelievers.
لَّمَّا is used in the Arabic language in many ways. Sometimes in the sense of حین that is time, as in: وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ (And when he came to the water of Midian) (28:23) and فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ (But when he became of (age to) work with him) (37:102). Sometimes لَمۡ is used in the sense of جازمہ that is to deny, as in بَل لَّمَّا يَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابِ (Nay, they have not yet tasted My chastisement) (38:8) and وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُم (while Allah has not yet known those of you who struggle hard) (9:16). Sometimes it is used in the sense of اِلّا (that is creating an exception) as in إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌۭ (There is not a soul but over it is a keeper) (86:4) and وَإِن كُلٌّۭ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌۭ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ (And all – surely all – will be brought before Us.) (36:32), that is ما كل الا جمیع there is no exception and all of them will be brought before Us. Thus it is a composite of لَمۡ and ما, just as اِلّا is made up of ان and لا and is a composite of two denials which come together to form one word whose meaning is outside the scope of denial. Another verse presented to show that its meaning is اِلّا is: إِن كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ (Not one of them but rejected the messengers) (38:14). Sometimes it occurs in the sense of waiting for a thing which is expected to happen (LA).
If the words in this verse had been اِنۡ کلا which is a denial, then interpreting the meaning of لَّمَّا as اِلّا would have been a workable solution but the wordings here are إِنَّ كُلًّۭا . Even so, some have still taken its meaning to be اِلّا , but some others have said that it is really لَمَن مَا , that is may be anyone. To go from لَمَن مَا to إِنَّ كُلًّۭ, it is argued that the alphabet نون has been replaced by the alphabet میم and this brings together three میم so one میم is omitted and out of the remaining two, one میم is amalgamated with the other (LA). Some have explained that لمَّا here without the nunation means the same thing as لمَّا with nunnation and the nunnation has only been omitted in reading. Therefore, what is really meant is لَمًّا and the meaning of لَمًّا is after gathering, as in وَتَأْكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكْلًۭا لَّمًّۭا (And you devour heritage, devouring all) (89:19) whose root is لَمّ which means الجمع الکثیرُ الشَّدِیۡدُ that is to gather intensely and abundantly (LA). So the meaning can be that all will be gathered and fully recompensed for their deeds, and it can also be that it is a certain thing, and the truth, that they will be fully recompensed for their deeds.
11-112 Continue then in the right way as thou art commanded, as also (should) those who turn (to Allah) with thee. And be not inordinate, (O men). Surely He is Seer of what you do.a
فَٱسْتَقِمْ كَمَآ أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ (۱۱۲)
11-112a: ٱسْتَقِمْ – A person’s اِستِقامَة (steadfastness) is to keep striving on the right path (R), that is, he should not stray from it whatever happens.
The Companion’s steadfastness: It is not only the Holy Prophet who is commanded in this verse not to stray from the right path under any condition but his Companions also are told not to deviate from the straight path. The successes that had been promised could not be achieved without this steadfastness. A prophet practically shows how the commands of Allah are to be carried out by fulfilling the commands in his person and demonstrates the teachings of the Book but for his followers to tread the same path with the same steadfastness is a very difficult matter. Accordingly, in a hadith the Holy Prophet is reported to have said: شَیبَّتَنِیۡ ھود (Surah Hud has aged me). Keeping the Companions steadfast on the right way was indeed a tough job. The Companions of many previous prophets declined to walk with their prophets. For example, the companions of Moses said: فَٱذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَـٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هَـٰهُنَا قَـٰعِدُونَ (go therefore thou and thy Lord, and fight; surely here we sit) (5:24). When Jesus asked his disciples to join him in an all-night vigil of prayer, they were unable to fulfill this request. However, this distinction falls to the lot of the Holy Prophet that his Companions set themselves so firmly on the straight path that their example is unparalleled in the annal of history. They made the Quran their guide in every affair and considered even deviating the breadth of a hair from it as equivalent to falling into the fire. According to the opinion of Ala bin Abdallah, the address in لَا تَطْغَوْا۟ (be not inordinate) is not to the Companions of the Holy Prophet but to the generations who would follow them (Fatah al Bayan).
وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ – The thing in which the Companions are commanded to imitate the Holy Prophet is in obedience to Allah or to show steadfastness in doing good and shunning evil. The meaning of تَابَ is to turn to Allah, and by so turning they create an association with the Holy Prophet and accept the dos and the don’ts of Allah, just as the God ordained person, that is the Holy Prophet, had accepted them. So, there is not only association with the Messenger of Allah but also association in the steadfastness with which they observed the dos and don’ts of Allah, that is in their obedience of Allah. This provides testimony to the elevated rank of the Companions and to their togetherness with the Holy Prophet in their obedience to Allah. Those ignorant persons who consider that being in the معیت (association) of the prophets (4:69) means being a prophet should reflect on the words here that the association with the Holy Prophet is granted to the pious Companions of the Holy Prophet. The meaning is not that all of them had become خاتم النبیین (the seal of prophets).
11-113 And incline not to those who do wrong, lest the fire touch you; and you have no protectors besides Allah, then you would not be helped.a
وَلَا تَرْكَنُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ (۱۱۳)
11-113a: ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ – By ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ is meant polytheists and by رکن (incline) is meant deep friendship. This is also generally considered to include just being satisfied with their actions. The Quranic words have generality and latitude. The previous verse commanded steadfastness in obeying Allah and prohibited all kinds of wrongdoing and oppression. This verse takes it a step further by requiring not only to stay away from wrongdoing oneself but also not to incline towards other wrongdoers.
Assistance from other than Allah: The period in which these surahs were revealed was one of great difficulties and hardships and in such a situation, one often seeks all kinds of support. Hence it is stated that it should not be that the believers should incline towards the disbelievers to find a way out of their difficulties. For in that case, they would lose Allah’s guardianship. Muslims of today need to particularly reflect on this verse. Instead of steadfast obedience to Allah, they seek assistance from other people, and these sources of support fail them one after another. Because Muslims do not make Allah their support, the result is that they face failure after failure.
11-114 And keep up prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely good deeds take away evil deeds. This is a reminder for the mindful.a
وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ (۱۱۴)
11-114a: Timing of prayers: طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ – طَرَف means a side whether in reference to time, or the body or something else (R), and نَهَار in the terminology of the shariah is the time from the break of dawn to sunset (R). So, its side or two sides is the period before sunrise and the period after the decline of the sun. This is further explained in أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْر (Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night) (17:78). So, the break of dawn is considered as one side and the time from the declining of the sun as the other side. Thus, included in طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ are the fajar, zuhar and asr prayers.
زُلَفًۭا – The meanings of زلف and زُلۡفی and زُلفة is to come close and to be honored in rank or position, as in: وَمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُم بِٱلَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰٓ (And it is not your wealth, nor your children, that bring you near to Us in rank (34:37); وَأُزْلِفَتِ ٱلْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the Garden is brought near for the dutiful (26:90); وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ (And there We brought near the others) (26:64); فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةًۭ (But when they see it nigh) (67:27). مزدلِفة , which is a place near Makkah, takes its name from being close because when the pilgrims reach this place after departing from Arafat, they are close to Minna. زُلَفۡ is the plural of زُلۡفة . The first part of the night which is close to the day just passed is also referred to by this name as in: زُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ (in the first hours of the night) (11:114) and stands for the time of the maghrib and isha prayers (LA).
Along with the command not to incline towards the wrongdoers, it is now indicated that one should incline to Allah for which prayer is the mechanism. For this reason, the Quran has repeatedly mentioned seeking assistance through prayer in periods of hardship. On the face of it, one may wonder what is the connection between prayer and the removal of hardships. Its reality can only be understood by a firm believer in the Unity of Allah for when a person foregoes all other means of support and takes Allah as his only Helper and falls down before Him, then the One Who is mightier than the mightiest becomes his. The command in the next verse to be patient further expounds on this reality. Here mention is also made of the five prayers. إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ can also mean that a person can obtain deliverance from difficulties and hardships by adopting goodness, and prayer opens the door to goodness. A golden rule has been stated in these words that the expiation of evil is acts of goodness. When one treads on the path of goodness, his evils are removed. It is the force of goodness that suppresses evil tendencies because goodness and evil arise out of the use of the same power in a good or a bad way. When a person learns to use his powers in the right way and at the right time, evil will automatically depart. Another truth that is gleaned from here is that the power of goodness is stronger than the power of evil which is no match for it.
11-116 Why were there not then among the generations before you those possessing understanding, forbidding mischief in the earth, except a few among them whom We delivered? And the unjust pursued the enjoyment of plenty, and they were guilty.a
فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ بَقِيَّةٍۢ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْفَسَادِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَآ أُتْرِفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَكَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ (۱۱۶)
11-116a: أُتْرِفُوا۟ – ترف means affluence, luxury, lavishness, and مُتۡرف is one who becomes proud because of his affluence (LA), as in: وَٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَآ أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ (and return to the easy life which you led) (21:13); أَخَذْنَا مُتْرَفِيهِم بِٱلْعَذَابِ (seize those who led easy lives) (23:64); أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا (We send commandments to its people who lead easy lives) (17:16).
Thus, regret is expressed as to why there are no intelligent people among them to stop the people from committing mischief. This goes to show that destruction is visited on the earth because of mischief mongers. Unjust people in pursuit of the luxuries of the world progress to a stage in their mischief that it becomes necessary to punish the guilty.
11-117 And thy Lord would not destroy the towns unjustly, while their people acted well.a
وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍۢ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ (۱۱۷)
11-117a: The meaning can also be that Allah does not destroy people just because they are polytheists if they do not create mischief in the land. Thus, a people are only destroyed when they exceed all limits in creating mischief, strife and injustice, and not just for wrong beliefs.
11-118 And if thy Lord had pleased, He would have made people a single nation. And they cease not to differ,
وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ (۱۱۸)
11-119 Except those on whom thy Lord has mercy; and for this did He create them. And the word of thy Lord is fulfilled: I shall fill hell with jinn and men, all together.a
إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ ۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ ۗ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ (۱۱۹)
11-119a: The purpose of creation is to show mercy: In the previous verse, it is stated that if Allah had desired, He would have made all the people a single nation, that is there would have been no disagreements among them, but the Divine will gave man certain powers and the freedom to exercise them. Hence disagreements and disputes are inevitable, that is there will be disagreements about Divine commandments, by which is meant that some people will oppose these commandments. It is stated in this verse that those people on whom Allah has mercy, that is, the believers, and those who are just, do not dispute with these commandments. The words that follow are: وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ (and for this did He create them). Ibn Jarir has gathered two kinds of explanations given to this by various commentators. According to one group of commentators, the meaning is that Allah created humans for the purpose of disagreements, and according to a second group, the meaning is that He created humans to have mercy on them. However, the former explanation that Allah has created humans so that they keep on disputing with each other is not supported from any other place in the Quran. In another place in the Quran, it is stated: وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (And I have not created the jnn and the men except that they should serve Me) (51:56). So, the real purpose of creation is to worship Allah, and this is equivalent to the meaning that He should have mercy on them. Nowhere in the Quran is there any statement that the purpose of creation is that they should disobey Him. In another place, it is clearly stated: وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ(and My mercy encompasses all things) (51:56). So, when Allah’s mercy encompasses all things, it follows that this is the purpose of creation. Ibn Kathir cites Ibn Abbas as stating: للرَّحۡمَةِ خَلَقَہُمۡ و لم یَخۡلُقہم لِلۡعذاب (created them for mercy and did not create them for chastisement). Further, a statement in the hadith is: My mercy takes precedence over My wrath. When Allah has created humans to have mercy on them, then in the end His mercy is going to encompass everybody, and this is in accordance with what is shown in 11-108a. This also goes to show that even hell is a facet of Allah’s mercy. In the same way that in this world, a person finds ease after tribulations, in the same way those who constantly seek physical comfort in this world will have to pass through another kind of suffering to gain Allah’s mercy. Just as the cutting required to drain an abscess appears to a patient to be a torment but the doctor knows that this is the best remedy and a mercy for the patient, the same is the case with the chastisement of the fire. It is for this reason that it is stated that Allah has created humans to have mercy on them. It is stated after this that hell will be filled with jinn and men and the purpose of that is also the same as discussed above.
11-120 And all We relate to thee of the account of the messengers is to strengthen thy heart therewith. And in this has come to thee the truth and an admonition and a reminder for the believers.a
وَكُلًّۭا نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۚ وَجَآءَكَ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌۭ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (۱۲۰)
11-120a: This verse shows that the purpose of narrating the histories of previous prophets is to give solace to the Holy Prophet. Thus, it is that in the narration of the histories of previous prophets and the destruction of their opponents, there is a prophecy of what will transpire with the Holy Prophet and about the destruction of his opposition. By فِى هَـٰذِهِ is meant either this surah or the narration of these histories.
11-121 And say to those who believe not: Act according to your power, surely we too are acting;a
وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنَّا عَـٰمِلُونَ (۱۲۱)
11-121a: This goes to show that a positive outcome cannot just be achieved by relying only on faith, words or prayers and the secret of success is in action as stated here: ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنَّا عَـٰمِلُونَ (Act according to your power, surely we too are acting). It is actions which determine the destiny of man, and it is actions which create life in a nation. By abandoning actions, the Muslim nation has reached a lifeless condition. If they are resurrected, it will be by springing into action.
11-122 And wait, surely we are waiting (also).
وَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ(۱۲۲)
11-123 And Allah’s is the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and to Him the whole affair will be returned. So serve Him and put thy trust in Him. And thy Lord is not heedless of what you do.
وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ ٱلْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُۥ فَٱعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ ۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (۱۲۳)
Bayan-ul-Quran 