In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
21-1 Their reckoning draws nigh to men, and they turn away in heedlessness.a
ٱقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍۢ مُّعْرِضُونَ (۱)
21-1a: The reckoning, or the time of reckoning drawing close, can be understood in several ways. First, every human action simultaneously produces a result. Second, there is reckoning when one dies and the time of death is closing in on everybody. Third, the reckoning of the nation to which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent, approached. Their misdeeds had made them liable for punishment, and the coming of the Holy Prophet was a final argument against them. Fourth, every person’s time of reckoning is near because the Day of Judgment is coming soon. The Holy Prophet said بُعِثْتُ أنا والساعةَ هكذا My advent and the hour are like these pointing with his two fingers. Some have taken nearness to indicate the certainty of the event. Something that is definitely going to happen is regarded as being near (RM).
Starting this chapter with the certainty of reward and punishment for deeds is entirely appropriate because the major theme of this chapter is prophethood, and one thing that all prophets emphasized was the consequences of actions.
21-2 There comes not to them a new Reminder from their Lord but they hear it while they sport,a
مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلَّا ٱسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ (۲)
21-2a: مُّحْدَثٍ – For حُدوث refer to 12-6a and the meaning of احداث is creation, production, origination and مُحۡدَث is something brought into creation after not existing before. Sometimes the احداث is with respect to the person who receives it, as in this verse where the Reminder is something new for the people to whom it is sent.
The dictionary meaning of مُحَدَّث : The word مُحَدَّث is found in a hadith about Caliph Umar and is also used for certain special people promised to be raised in the Muslim nation. It refers to a person in whose heart a fact is placed by the angels. A person who has true inspirations is called مُحَدَّث .
مُحَدَّث in the terminology of Islamic jurisprudence shariah: In the Books of Hadith مُحَدَّث has been explained as مُلۡہَم meaning people in whose heart a fact is placed, and they deliver it with far-sightedness and wisdom. They announce what has been made known to them (LA). The word مُحَدَّث is mentioned in a hadith about Caliph Umar and in another authentic hadith which is essentially the same but instead of مُحَدَّثون the words are رجال یُکَلَّمُوۡن من غیر ان یکونو انبیاء men who are communicated with but are not prophets which shows clearly that مُحَدَّث in the terminology of the shariah is people with whom Allah communicates but they are not prophets.
21-3 Their hearts trifling. And they —the wrongdoers — counsel in secret: He is nothing but a mortal like yourselves; will you then yield to enchantment while you see?a
لَاهِيَةًۭ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّجْوَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ هَلْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ (۳)
21-3a: The opponents declaring the Quran to be enchantment: This is a chapter belonging to the early Makkan period, when the great miracles that took place in the later periods, had not yet been manifested. The Quran was tugging at the hearts of people who were drawn to it and despite having to bear great hardships, people were accepting it. It was due to the remarkable influence of the message of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that the opponents called it an enchantment.
21-4 He said: My Lord knows (every) utterance in the heaven and the earth, and He is the Hearer, the Knower.a
قَالَ رَبِّى يَعْلَمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ (۴)
21-5 Nay, say they: Medleys of dreams! nay, he has forged it! nay, he is a poet! so let him bring to us a sign such as the former (prophets) were sent (with).a
بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ أَضْغَـٰثُ أَحْلَـٰمٍۭ بَلِ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌۭ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِـَٔايَةٍۢ كَمَآ أُرْسِلَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ (۵)
21-5a: The first objection the opponents make about the Quran is that it is the result of confused dreams. However, when they see the structure of the Quran they change their accusation to say it is a fabrication, being the words of the Holy Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him) but claiming Divine origin. Their third statement is that he is merely a poet, and like poets, his words are devoid of any reality. The opponents of the Quran are still unable to agree on a manner of criticism. One says one thing and another says something else. Confused dreams do not have a common theme and are like the prophecies of the soothsayers composed of random meaningless sentences. The Quran manifests a design and purpose and hence they switch to saying it is a forgery. Since a forgery does not have the kind of effect and influence that the Quran has, they allege it is a poetic collection, since a poet uses imagery to make their words impactful.
21-6 Not a town believed before them which We destroyed: will they then believe?
مَآ ءَامَنَتْ قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَآ ۖ أَفَهُمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ (۶)
21-7 And We sent not before thee any but men to whom We sent revelation; so ask the followers of the Reminder if you know not.a
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًۭا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (۷)
21-7a: This is the response to بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ a mortal like yourself (21:3), explaining that previous prophets were also mortals, and messengers must necessarily be human so that they can act as a role model for humans. If messengers had belonged to some other species, they could not be role models for human beings.
21-8 Nor did We give them bodies not eating food, nor did they abide.a
وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ جَسَدًۭا لَّا يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ خَـٰلِدِينَ (۸)
21-8a: Conclusive evidence regarding death of Prophet Jesus: For خلود and خالد refer to 2-25b. Its literal meaning is to stay free from any changes or disruptions. Someone who is dependent on food cannot be خالد meaning his body cannot be free from change because food is needed to restore it, and a person needs food because some elements are lost from the physical body as the result of the natural process of living and must be replenished with other elements. That is why a person is dependent on food. The need for replenishment is clear evidence of mortality. What is meant is that the physical body of messengers is like that of other humans, being subject to changes. This evidence negates the view held by some Muslims that Prophet Jesus is alive in heaven with his mortal body.
21-9 Then We made Our promise good to them; so We delivered them and whom We pleased, and We destroyed the extravagant.a
ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ (۹)
21-9a: This is a reply to the opponent’s objections in 21:5. The fulfillment of Allah’s promise to deliver the believers and to destroy their opponents who called them fabricators, proves those wrong who alleged the religion was the result of confused dreams. Events prophesied many years earlier proved true. The fulfilment of these promises also refutes charge of fabrication, because a fabricator will not make a strong prophecy about the future, in particular when he is without resources and is surrounded by opponents on all sides. Regarding the charge of being a poet, while a poet can produce verses, he cannot singlehandedly succeed against mighty nations.
21-10 Certainly We have revealed to you a Book which will give you eminence. Do you not then understand?a
لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَـٰبًۭا فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (۱۰)
21-10a: Nations will gain eminence through the Quran: For the meaning of ذِكْر refer to 2-152a and in this verse it means to give eminence and honor (IJ) This is confirmed by reports from Ibn Abbas (RM). The Quran not only contains deliverance for the believers and destruction for their detractors, rather there are such gems in it that by acting upon its wisdom, any group can reach the pinnacle of glory in this world, and the believers can become a magnificent nation.
Bayan-ul-Quran 