15-80 And the dwellers of the Rock indeed rejected the messengers;a
وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْحِجْرِ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ (۸۰)
15-80a: ٱلْحِجْرِ – It is the name of the place where the tribe of Thamud dwelled (R). It is situated to the north of Madinah within the boundaries of Arabia.
The narration here is of the tribe of Thamud, which comes after the discourse about Prophet Lot, and the people of Prophet Shuaib. Why are these three tribes mentioned here exclusively and what is the purpose of mentioning them in this order when chronologically the people of Lot dwelled after Thamud, and the people of Shuaib dwelled after the people of Lot? This chapter starts Prophet Lot, then mentioning the people of Prophet Shuaib and lastly the tribe of Thamud. The reason is that these three tribes dwelled on the trading route between Mecca and Syria and the Meccans frequently traversed this route. The sequence of their mention is based on the location of their dwellings, with the dwellings of the tribe of Prophet Lot in the uppermost regions, the dwellings of the people of Prophet Shuaib below that, and those of Thamud below them in the Valley of Hijr. The purpose of the narration is for the Meccans to learn a lesson from the fate of these tribes about the consequences of opposing the truth. Many years later the Holy Prophet, while leading an exhibition to Tabuk, passed by the dwellings of these tribes and advised the Companions to weep while passing, being mindful of their fate (Bukhari). It appears that this nation (the dwellers of the rock) was extremely hard-hearted in accepting the truth and perhaps that is the reason this chapter is called Al Hijr (the Rock).
15-81 And We gave them Our messages, but they turned away from them;
وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ (۸۱)
15-82 And they hewed houses in the mountains, in security.
وَكَانُوا۟ يَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ (۸۲)
15-83 So the cry overtook them in the morning;
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ مُصْبِحِينَ (۸۳)
15-84 And what they earned availed them not.
فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ (۸۴)
15-85 And We created not the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with truth. And the Hour is surely coming, so turn away with kindly forgiveness.a
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَـَٔاتِيَةٌۭ ۖ فَٱصْفَحِ ٱلصَّفْحَ ٱلْجَمِيلَ (۸۵)
15-85a: جَمِيلَ – جَمَال means very pretty or beautiful and this beauty can be of two types, one which is specific to the individual and it may be in his body, temperament, or actions and the other is what he does for others. This fits in with the meaning of the hadith اِنَّ اللّٰهَ جَمِیۡلٌ یُحِبُّ الجَمَال : Allah is beautiful and loves the beautiful. It means Allah is the fountainhead of all goodness and since all goodness flows from Him, He loves all those individuals who do good to others. A derivative meaning of the word is abundance, and for this reason the meaning of جُمۡلَة is numerous or abundant, as in لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ : Why has not the Quran been revealed to him all at once? (25:32). When details are not available for something it is called مُجۡمل or summarized. A camel is called جَمَل after all its teeth have come out, as in: حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلْخِيَاطِ : until the camel pass through the eye of a needle (7:40). Its plural is جِمال or جِمَالَة as in جِمَـٰلَتٌۭ صُفْرٌۭ : tawny camel (77:33).
What is conveyed in the fate of these nations is that actions have consequences, and the reward of deeds is certain. This lesson is now generalized by stating that by observing our universe one finds that every deed has an outcome. A natural consequence of this rule is that a nation that keeps on progressing in its evil ways will ultimately be destroyed. ٱلسَّاعَةَ or the Hour, is the time of its destruction and is known as ٱلسَّاعَةَ الوسطیٰ (See 2-85a). For this reason, the believers are asked to turn away with kindness and forgiveness so that the disbelievers may have a change of heart before their سَّاعَةَ which is the time of their defeat. The same point is stated elsewhere as: ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةٌۭ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌۭ : Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! He between whom and thee is enmity would be as if he were a warm friend (41:34) and عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ ٱلَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُم مِّنْهُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ ۚ: It may be that Allah will bring about friendship between you and those of them whom you hold as enemies (60:7).
15-86 Surely thy Lord — He is the Creator, the Knower.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلْخَلَّـٰقُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ (۸۶)
15-87 And certainly We have given thee seven oft-repeated (verses) and the grand Qur’an.a
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكَ سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى وَٱلْقُرْءَانَ ٱلْعَظِيمَ (۸۷)
15-87: مَثَانِى – Its root is ثِنی. The words ثِنی and اثنان are also used in the sense of counting or frequency, in the sense of bringing back, and in the sense of dual or binary. ثَنَاء means praise because it is repeated many times. مَثَانی (plural مثاناۃ ) is the name given to the verses of the Quran because they are repeated again and again, since they are read frequently. In another place, the Quran has been called مَثَانی in ٱللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ كِتَـٰبًۭا مُّتَشَـٰبِهًۭا مَّثَانِىَ : Allah has revealed the best announcement, a Book consistent, repeating (its injunctions) (39:23). Another reason why the Quran is called مَثَانی is because its blessings are repeated and renewed over and over again, an attribute that is also mentioned in the following hadith:
لَا یَعۡوَجُّ قیُقَوَّمُ وَ لَا یَزِیۡخُ فَیُسۡتَع فَیُسۡتَعۡتَبُ و لا تَنۡقَضِیۡ عَجَائِبُهٗ : Whenever an attempt is made to inject crookedness in it, Allah will frustrate it and Allah will bring about the means to keep it right and when any deviation is created in it, Allah will remove it, and its wonders will never cease. The word مَثَانی is also an appropriate description of the Quran because new things will continuously manifest from it which will elicit praise for the Quran, and for those who read, learn, and practice it. It is in this sense that the Quran is also called کریم or bountiful, as in إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرْءَانٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ : Surely it is a bounteous Quran (56:77) and مَجِيد or glorious, as in بَلْ هُوَ قُرْءَانٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ : Nay, it is a glorious Quran (85:21) (R).
What is meant by سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى or seven oft-repeated (verses)? According to a hadith in Bukhari narrated by Abu Huraira and by one other Companion, the Holy Prophet said that
سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى refers to Surah Al-Fatihah and in both these narrations this surah has also been called the Great Quran. However, there is a narration from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and others that states that by سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى is meant the seven long surahs or chapters, indicating the first seven chapters (IJ). Since Surah Hijr was revealed in Mecca, while five of the seven long chapters were revealed in Madinah, this interpretation is not acceptable. It is therefore certain that by سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى is meant Surah Al-Fatihah which was revealed prior to this chapter and was repeated in the daily prayers. The description سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى also fits Surah Al-Fatihah because it is repeated several times in each prayer and a recitation from any other part of the Quran is added at its end in some rakahs. This surah is repeated in every single rakah and it consists of seven verses. It is called the Great Quran in the same sense that it has been called ام
الکتاب because it is a summary of the essence of the Quran. The purpose of mentioning the oft repeated verses in this surah is that if others have wealth and riches (see the next verse) with which they oppose Islam, the Muslims have the irrefutable truth and it is this truth that will ultimately triumph.
15-88 Strain not thine eyes at what We have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and grieve not for them, and make thyself gentle to the believers.a
لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًۭا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَٱخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (۸۸)
15-88a: تَمُدَّنَّ – مَدّ means to draw out, to extend, distend, dilate which are all words associated with pulling, and derived from it is مُدّۃ which means an extended period. The مَدّ of a word is to elongate it in pronunciation. ٰ In the Quran generally, اَمَدَّ (verb) is used for good things and مَدٌّ (stem of a verb) is used for bad things. Thus مدبصر or مدعین means to look at a thing greedily or longingly (R).
أَزْوَٰجًۭا – اَزۡواج is the plural of زَوۡج (See 2:25b and 6:143) and because this word is used for all kinds of friends or companions, the meaning of اَزۡواج here is اشباہ and اقران that is people of a similar kind (R). It has also been interpreted to mean اَصۡناف or all kinds of people. Some have interpreted it more literally to mean رجالا مع نسائہم or husband and wives (RM).
ٱخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ – خَفۡض or to abase is the opposite of رفع which means to elevate, raise, exalt, as in خَافِضَةٌۭ رَّافِعَةٌ : Abasing (some), exalting (others) (56:3). جناح means flank or wing, and the meaning of خَفۡض الجناح literally to lower or soften the flank is to adopt a soft attitude.
After mentioning the magnificent truth that is given to the Holy Prophet, a contrast is made by mentioning those things that are a source of pride for most people: worldly goods, luxuries and other worldly blessings. Some have thought this verse is addressed to the ummah because the Holy Prophet never cared for the wealth of this world, but see 2-110a and 4-106a. It appears that there is an indication here to a future time when worldly goods will become abundant, and Muslims are advised that they should not even cast a glance at them because they have a far greater wealth with them. According to a narration of Abu Bakr, he said that if a person who has been given the Quran thinks that someone else in this world has been given something greater than this, he has considered a great and magnificent thing as inferior and an inferior thing as something great.
The phrase تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ occurs in another place in connection with the Christians:
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا : Then maybe thou wilt kill thyself with grief, sorrowing after them, if they believe not in this announcement (18:6). The sorrow could be because the Christians use their wealth to oppose the truth which means they will face strict consequences.
15-89 And say: I am indeed the plain warner.
وَقُلْ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلنَّذِيرُ ٱلْمُبِينُ (۸۹)
15-90 Like as We sent down on them who took oaths,a
كَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْمُقْتَسِمِينَ (۹۰)
15-90a: مُقْتَسِمِينَ – قَسَمَ means to divide or to partition. تقاسما المال and اِقۡتَسَماہُ means they divided the wealth among themselves, and derived from it is قِسۡمَة as in وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلْقِسْمَةَ : And when, at the division, .. (4:8). قَسَم امرہ and اِقۡتَسَم sometimes means to deliberate for a long period whether to do a thing or not. The meaning of اَقۡسَمَ is to take an oath, and تقاسَمَ الۡقَوۡمُ means all the people took an oath as a compact with each other, as in تَقَاسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ : Swear one to another by Allah (27:49). Raghib has taken مُقْتَسِمِينَ here to mean those people who had taken a mutual oath in the valley of Makkah that they would stop the people who came to meet with the Holy Prophet from reaching him, or had taken an oath to mutually strategize against him. Bukhari too has interpreted its meaning to be الذین حلفوا meaning those people who had taken oaths. Some have interpreted اقتسام to mean the partition of the Quran, referring to those people who accepted the truth of a part of the Quran and held the other part as untrue, as is the case of the Ahle Kitab. This topic is expounded in the next verse.
Prophecy regarding a future chastisement: كَمَآ Like as has usually been understood as
ا لقا اتیناك : Surely, We have given thee, but the mention here is not of the coming of Divine revelation but the coming of chastisement which is indicated in أَنَا ٱلنَّذِيرُ ٱلْمُبِينُ : I am indeed the plain warner (15:89). When the warning for the chastisement is given, it is added that the chastisement will come to them like it came to those who had taken the oath and who had partitioned the Quran. It is obvious that this surah is Meccan when neither the Ahle Kitab (followers of previous scriptures) or the disbelievers of Mecca had been chastised. Hence some commentators are of the opinion that by مُقْتَسِمِينَ is meant the opponents of the previous prophets and they consider ٱلْقُرْءَانَ in the next verse as the previously revealed scriptures. However, this is incorrect on the face of it. The word ٱلْقُرْءَانَ cannot be correctly applied to previous scriptures. So, the indication here is to a future time when the worldly goods would become abundant. as has been shown in 15-88a. It is stated that Allah will chastise those people as He chastised the people before them who had taken oaths to oppose the Holy Prophet. In this case, the use of أَنزَلْنَا is correct because of the certainty of the occurrence and the fact that these prophecies had repeatedly been conveyed to the disbelievers.
It is also worth remembering that the dwellers of the rock (after whom this chapter is named) are the people about whom it is mentioned that they took an oath against their messenger as stated in: قَالُوا۟ تَقَاسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُۥ وَأَهْلَهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِۦ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ : They said: Swear one to another by Allah that we shall attack him and his family by night, then we shall say to his heirs: We witnessed not the destruction of his family, and we are surely truthful (27:49). This is exactly the plan that was devised against the Holy Prophet as well by the disbelievers of Mecca.
15-91 Those who divided the Qur’an into parts.a
ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ عِضِينَ (۹۱)
15-91a: عِضِينَ – عِضُون is the plural of عِضَة and its root is عِضۡوَۃ which means a part. عُضُو and عِضۡو are derived from it because عضو is also a part of the body. Among the meanings of تَعۡضِیَة is to divide or break into pieces (LA). The purpose in saying that they make the Quran عِضِينَ is that they believe in some parts and reject other parts or that they sometimes call the Quran enchantment, sometimes sorcery, and sometimes poetic fantasy. In Bukhari, Ibn Abbas has narrated the first meaning, and the Jews and Christians are identified as those who divided the Quran into parts.
15-92 So, by thy Lord! We shall question them all,
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَٔلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (۹۲)
15-93 As to what they did.
عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ (۹۳)
15-94 Therefore declare openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from the polytheists.a
فَٱصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ (۹۴)
15-94a: ٱصْدَعْ – صَدۡع means to break, split or crack a hard substance, and صَدَع الۡامۡر means opened it. صُداع means migraine, or a splitting headache, as in لَّا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا : They are not affected with headache (56:19). The meaning of تصَدَّع القوم is تفرقوا that is became scattered, dispersed, disunited, as in يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَصَّدَّعُونَ : on that day they will be separated (30:43).
The need for repeated warnings: The meaning of turning away from the polytheists is that the Holy Prophet should not care about their opposition, enmity, and plans and should keep on explaining the message of Allah openly. This chapter belongs to the late Meccan period and while the Holy Prophet had been declaring his faith openly but, now the disbelievers’ plans to do away with the Holy Prophet had taken on greater intensity. Hence the Quran reassures the Holy Prophet not to care for their plans. It is also indicated that the real success of Islam will come by openly explaining the Holy Quran. Just as a hard substance requires repeated blows to crack it, similarly it is necessary to repeatedly present the truth for it to have an impact on the hardhearted disbelievers who are sunk in the impurities of the world.
15-95 Surely We are sufficient for thee against the scoffers —
إِنَّا كَفَيْنَـٰكَ ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَ (۹۵)
15-96 Those who set up another god with Allah; so they will come to know.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْعَلُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ ۚ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ (۹۶)
15-97 And We know indeed that thy breast straitens at what they say;
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ (۹۷)
15-98 So celebrate the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who make obeisance.
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ (۹۸)
15-99 And serve thy Lord, until there comes to thee that which is certain.a
وَٱعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ ٱلْيَقِينُ (۹۹)
15-99a: ٱلْيَقِينُ – The meaning of يَقِينُ here is death. This is so because death is certain according to Bukhari. Some have taken it to mean Divine assistance which had been promised to the Holy Prophet.
How long does one need to worship? Some deviant individuals have interpreted this verse to mean that the command to worship is up to the point that one is certain. They claim that since they have achieved the stage of certainty hence there is no need for them to worship anymore. It is obvious that if this is the purpose of the verse, then a valid objection to it would be: why did the Holy Prophet not reach the stage of certainty because he worshipped Allah till his death and as a matter of fact stood so long in worship that his feet used to swell? The meaning of certainty here is death, but even if the common meaning of the word is taken, it does not mean that worship can be dispensed with when certainty is achieved, rather the meaning would be that worship creates certainty. Thus, one should worship so that one may achieve the stage of certainty and when this stage is reached, one will find so much joy in worship that one will not want to give up worshipping.
Bayan-ul-Quran 