Author: sftwr2020

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)

11-96 And certainly We sent Moses with Our signs and a clear authority,

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَسُلْطَـٰنٍۢ مُّبِينٍ (۹۶)

11-97 To Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they followed the bidding of Pharaoh; and Pharaoh’s bidding was not right-directing.

إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِۦ فَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ فِرْعَوْنَ ۖ وَمَآ أَمْرُ فِرْعَوْنَ بِرَشِيدٍۢ (۹۷)

11-98 He will lead his people on the day of Resurrection, and bring them down to the Fire. And evil the place to which they are brought!^a

يَقْدُمُ قَوْمَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فَأَوْرَدَهُمُ ٱلنَّارَ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْوِرْدُ ٱلْمَوْرُودُ (۹۸)

11-98a: أَوْرَد –  دُرُودis arriving at water and is also used for arriving at some other thing. Here, and elsewhere in the Quran, أَوْرَد is used in the context of fire, that is instead of water they will find fire (R). The use of وَرَد is only for arriving but before entering it, as in وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ (And when he came to the water at Midian) (28:23). When a person has reached a town but has not yet entered it, it is described as وَرَدَ بَلَدَ کذا . However, according to some وَرَدَ can be used regardless of whether a person has just reached or entered. According to Jauhari ورود is used for a group reaching a place but before they have entered (LA). وِرۡد are those people or camels who reach the water. The watering place is called وِرۡد and وِرۡد is also the repeated recitation of a portion of the Quran (LA). The meaning of وَارِد  is a person who goes in advance to bring water, as in فَأَرْسَلُوا۟ وَارِدَهُمْ (and they sent their water-drawer) (12:19) (R).

11-99 And they are overtaken by a curse in this (world), and on the day of Resurrection. Evil the gift which shall be given!^a

وَأُتْبِعُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِۦ لَعْنَةًۭ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ بِئْسَ ٱلرِّفْدُ ٱلْمَرْفُودُ (۹۹)

11-99a:  رفد – رِفۡد is a gift, and رَفۡدٌ is gave a gift (R).

11-100 This is an account of the towns which We relate to thee. Of them are some that stand and (others) mown down.

ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْقُرَىٰ نَقُصُّهُۥ عَلَيْكَ ۖ مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌۭ وَحَصِيدٌۭ (۱۰۰)

11-101 And We wronged them not but they wronged themselves. And their gods whom they called upon besides Allah availed them naught when the decree of thy Lord came to pass. And they added to them naught but ruin.^a

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍۢ (۱۰۱)

11:101a: تَتْبِيبٍۢ – تَبّ and تیاب means to perish or to stay in a loss, as in تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍۢ (Abu Lahab’s hands will perish) (111:1) and وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِى تَبَابٍۢ (And the plot of Pharaoh ended in naught but ruin) (40:37)

11-102 And such is the punishment of thy Lord, when He punishes the towns while they are iniquitous. Surely His punishment is painful, severe.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَهِىَ ظَـٰلِمَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُۥٓ أَلِيمٌۭ شَدِيدٌ (۱۰۲)

11-103 Surely there is a sign in this for him who fears the chastisement of the Hereafter. That is a day on which people will be gathered together, and that is a day to be witnessed.

إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمٌۭ مَّجْمُوعٌۭ لَّهُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمٌۭ مَّشْهُودٌۭ (۱۰۳)

11-103a: مَّشْهُود – The meaning of شہود is to be present, and مشھود here is in the meaning of شاھد that is it will definitely be witnessed or that it will definitely come (R).

11-104 And We delay it not but for an appointed term.

وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِأَجَلٍۢ مَّعْدُودٍۢ (۱۰۴)

11-105 On the day when it comes, no soul will speak except by His permission; so (some) of them will be unhappy and (others) happy.^a

يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لَا تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّۭ وَسَعِيدٌۭ (۱۰۵)

11-105a: شَقِىٌّۭ andسَعِيدٌۭ  – شَقَاوۃ is the opposite of سعادۃ.  سَعۡد and سَعَادۃ is Divine assistance rendered to a person in attaining anything good. شَقَاوۃ and سَعَادۃ can be worldly or pertaining to the Hereafter. The greatest سَعَادۃ is Paradise (R) or سَعۡد is یُمن that is a blessing.

Here the division between شَقِىٌّۭ andسَعِيدٌۭ  is that those who enter paradise are سَعِيدٌۭ   and those who enter hell are شَقِىٌّۭ.

11-106 Then as for those who are unhappy, they will be in the Fire; for them therein will be sighing and groaning —

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ شَقُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلنَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌۭ وَشَهِيقٌ (۱۰۶)

11-106a: زَفِيرٌۭ وَشَهِيقٌ: زَفِيرٌ is to inhale deeply until the rib cage is fully extended and شَهِيقٌ is the exhaling۔ جَبَلٌ شاھِقٌ is a high mountain and شَهِيقٌ is derived from it (R). Both the words are used in connection with hell, as in سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا شَهِيقًۭا (hear a loud moaning) (67:7) and سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا تَغَيُّظًۭا وَزَفِيرًۭا (they will hear its raging and roaring) (25:12). Lisan al-Arab states that the first part of the bray of a donkey is زَفِير and the last part is شَهِيق because زَفِير is to inhale and شَهِيق is to exhale. A derivative meaning from this of زَفِير is that a person’s breast is full of sorrow to which he then gives vent.

11-107 Abiding therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord please. Surely thy Lord is Doer of what He intends.

خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌۭ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (۱۰۷)

11-108 And as for those who are made happy, they will be in the Garden abiding therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord please — a gift never to be cut off.^a

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۖ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍۢ(۱۰۸)

11-108a: مَجْذُوذٍۢ – The meaning of جَذّ is to break a thing and to destroy it, as in فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا (So he broke them into pieces) (21:58). The meaning of غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍۢ is غیر مَقۡطُوعٍ عنہم that is it will never be cut off from them (R).

There is a clear difference here between abiding in paradise and hell. The term إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ (except as thy Lord pleases) appears in both cases but is followed in the case of hell by surely thy Lord is Doer of what He intends, that is if He intends, He can take them out of Hell, and in the case of paradise it is followed by a gift never to be cut off, that is no one will be taken out of paradise. This difference clearly indicates that hell does not have the permanency that paradise has. This draws our attention to the question whether the inmates of hell will ever be taken out of hell. Ibn Jarir has put forward four interpretations in explaining verse 11:107.

The first interpretation is that the exception granted in إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ (except as thy Lord pleases) is for inmates who believed in One God. Thus, all inmates of hell will forever stay in hell except those sinful inmates who believed during their life that there is One God.

The second interpretation is that the exception granted in إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ (except as thy Lord pleases) is for the prohibition of sinful monotheists from entering hell, that is all sinful souls will enter the fire but not so the monotheists.

The third interpretation is that إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ (except as thy Lord pleases) is a general exemption applicable to all inmates of hell, that is all sinful souls will be ultimately taken out of hell.

The fourth interpretation is that Allah has not communicated His will. He may increase or decrease the punishment as He desires.

The second of these interpretations is patently incorrect because the entry into fire of transgressing believers is clearly established from Quranic verses and hadiths. The part of the fourth explanation which states that the exception means that if God desires, He may increase the punishment of the people of the fire is on the face of it unsound because the exception is from being subjected to everlasting punishment and there can be no question about increasing or decreasing something that is everlasting. The only exception to an everlasting punishment can be to take the inmates out of hell. Thus, the only interpretations left to consider are the first and third one. A discussion of the first interpretation is taken next.

Quran makes no distinction in the everlasting punishment for believing and disbelieving sinners: According to Jamhur, disobedient but believing inmates of fire will be taken out from the fire. The Mutazilites and Khawarij disagree. According to them, those who enter the fire will forever stay in it. Jamhur’s opinion is based on those ahadith that deal with intercession. However, the question is whether the Quran has made any distinction between the punishment for disobedient believers and disbelievers. This can be readily answered. Anyone who has read the Quran can see for himself that the Quran does not makes this distinction and has prescribed the same abiding punishment for both. It has not only stated that hell is the abode for all evildoers, without making any distinction whether one does evil after believing or while being a disbeliever, but states clearly that disobedience of Allah’s commands, by which is meant those who claim to be believers, will be consigned to abasing chastisement by the fire. For example, take the verse that follows the laws of inheritance and which very clearly addresses Muslims who disobey these laws of inheritance and states: وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُۥ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَـٰلِدًۭا فِيهَا وَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ (And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and goes beyond His limits, He will make him enter fire to abide in it, and for him is an abasing chastisement) (4:14). In other places in the Quran as well, the punishment for the disobedience of His Messenger is described in similar words and the word ابدا has been added to it, as in: وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا (whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, surely for him is the Fire of hell, to abide therein for ages) (72:23). Excluding the disobeying believers from the category of whoever disobeys is patently against the wording of the Quran. So as far as the words خلود and ابدا are concerned, they are equally applicable to a transgressing monotheist and a disbeliever and if there is an exception for the one, then there is also an exception for the other. If there had been any authentic hadith of the Holy Prophet in which he had said that the exception granted in إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ is only for the monotheists, then that would have been an acceptable testament. However, a statement from any person from the generation that followed the Holy Prophet or the one that came after cannot be accepted as proof. Furthermore, in another place the Quran mentions the disbelievers who do not accept Islam and states: قَالَ ٱلنَّارُ مَثْوَىٰكُمْ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ (Allah will say: The Fire is your abode – you shall abide therein, except as Allah please) (6:128). The exception here is stated here in favor of the disbelievers, that is they can be taken out of the everlasting punishment. There remains the hadith regarding intercession and that is discussed later on.

Testimony that hell will cease to exist: There is only one explanation which is left and in support of which there is not only the statements of the Companions but also the hadith about intercession. Among the statements of the Companions, there is a saying of Ibn Abbas that the fire will consume the denizens of hell, and there is a saying of Ibn Masud:لیاتتِینَّ علیٰ جہنم زمان تُخۡفَقُ ابوابُھا لَیۡس فیھا احدٌ و ذلك بعد ما یَلۡبَثُونَ فیھا اَحۡقابا   (A time will come when the doors of hell will be knocked but there will be no one in it, and this will happen after those who had resided in it had lived there for aeons). Both these sayings are cited in Ibn Jarir. Another citation there is by Shobi which states: جہنم اَسۡرَعُ  الدَّارین عِمۡراناً و اَسۡرَ عُہما خراباً (The house of hell is the quicker to construct out of the two houses and in terms of being deserted will also be the earliest to be deserted). In the explanation of this verse in Tafsir Fatah ul Bayan, Shobi cites Munadi al Kabir whose summary is as follows: The punishment of the disbelievers will be to abide in hell forever; apart from this, the rest of the statements are subject to interpretation. For example, the statement of Sheikh Mohyuddin Ibn Arabi that the chastisement of the people in hell will last for a time, but then their nature will adapt to it and for this reason, they will even begin to derive pleasure from it. Another opinion is that fulfilling the promise of punishment is a commendable affair but an admonition that is not followed by chastisement is not. In fact, going beyond the promised punishment is a commendable affair. He has further written that there is a group that believes that hell will ultimately be destroyed because Allah has decreed a time for it and when it reaches that time, it will be destroyed. It is then stated that Sheih ul Islam Ibn Taymiyya has collected statements of Companions, and from a party of second generation Muslims (Tabbaiin) that hell will ultimately be destroyed, and Ibn Qayyim has supported this view. However, Jamhur claims this belief to be obsolete and says that it is only the disobedient believers who will be taken out of hell and not the disbelievers. After reproducing these statements, Fatah al Bayan goes on to cite statements favorable to the other point of view that hell is only transitory by first giving a statement by Umar which states:

لو لَبِثَ اھلُ النارِ فی النار کقدرِ رَمۡلٍ عَلِجٍ لکان لہم علی ذٰلك یومٌ یُخۡرجون فیهِ    (Even if the dwellers of hell stay in hell for as many years as the grains in heaps of sand, a day will come when they will be taken out of it) and has termed its transmitters trustworthy. There is a saying also of Abu Hurairah: سیاتی علی جہنم زمانٌ لا یبقَی فیھا احدٌ (A time will come when there will be no one in hell). Fatah ul Bayan then goes on to reproduce the statement of Ibn Masud already cited above and of Ibn Umar, and the statement of Ibn al Aas: لیأتِیَنَّ علیٰ جہنم یوم تُصۡفَقُ فیھا ابوابُھا لَیۡس فیھا احدٌ (A time will come when the doors of hell will be closed, and no one will remain in it). It is further stated in this book that there are other statements from the Companions that have been narrated by previous writers just like the statements of Ibn Umar, Abu Hurairah, and Ibn Masud, and include statements by for example Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Jabar and Abi Saeed. There are also similar statements from the second-generation Muslims as well. Finally, Fatah ul Bayan concludes that this proves the credibility of what Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim have stated and proves the weakness of the views of Ibn Hajar and Munadi. This is in fact true because the view that only the disobedient believers will be taken out of hell and the disbelievers will stay in hell is in no way tenable in light of the statements by the Companions. The statements that the doors of hell will be closed, there will be nobody left in hell, that all will be taken out from it, shows clearly that the chastisement of hell is not infinite.

The hadith of intercession also supports this conclusion. An authentic hadith states: شَفَعَت الملا ئکةُ و شَفَع النّبیّون و شَفَع المومنونَ و لم یَبۡقَ اِلَّا ارحمُ الراحمین فَیَقۡبِضُ قَبۡضةً من النَّار فَیُخۡرج منہا قوماً لم یعملوا خیراً قَطُّ  (Allah will say the angels have interceded, the prophets have interceded, and the believers have interceded, and now the Most Merciful of the merciful is left. He will take a handful from the dwellers of hell and will take these people out who had never done anything good) (Muslim). This hadith clearly shows that there is first three types of intercession, namely of angels, prophets, and believers. It is obvious that the intercession by the believers is very limited and is for those with a relationship with the intercessor, beyond that is a broader intercession by the prophets which is for their followers. After that is the intercession of the angels whose sphere of intercession is even greater and is for all those who did good deeds. Finally, ارحمُ الراحمین (the Most Merciful of the Merciful) will take out from hell a people that had no connection with a believer, nor with a prophet, nor with the motivators of goodness, that is the angels, and hence there is no goodness associated with them. Now, there can be no one left outside the handful of God: وَٱلْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًۭا قَبْضَتُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وَٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ مَطْوِيَّـٰتٌۢ بِيَمِينِهِۦ ۚ(and the whole earth will be in His grip on the day of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand) (39:67).

In the light of the above narration, a discussion about خلود and ابد is futile because the خلود and ابد for the sinful Muslims and the disbelievers is the same. There is no difference for the two and whatever can create an exception for the one can also create an exception for the other. For the meaning of خلود see 2-25b where it is shown that it does not necessarily mean eternity but means abiding a long period. As far as the word ابد is concerned, Al-Mufradat states in the meaning of تَبَّدَ الشَّئُ that it is و یُعَبَّرُ بَهٖ عَمَّا یَبۡقیٰ مُدَّۃً طَوِیۡلَةً (it is taken to mean a thing that will abide for a long time). Further, in the Arabic language, ابد has a plural اٰباد and if its meaning had been eternity then it could not have a plural. In addition, it has an intensive form اَبَدُ – اَبَدٍ – ابِیدٍ and if its meaning had been only limitless time and eternity then it could not have an intensive form. Imam Raghib states that the fact is that there should not have been a plural of ابد as it is inconceivable that one ابد can be joined with another ابد but the plural اٰباد is used and this is because sometimes ابد is taken to be a specified period and اٰباد is made its plural even though nothing can be said to be a part of a limitless period. This is similar to the situation in which a generic noun is sometimes appropriated for chosen individuals and the dual and plural forms are then created for it, The crux of this explanation is that the word ابد can be used for a specified long period of time as well as for a limitless period of time. Even if it is taken to mean a limitless time, the exception created by إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ (except as thy Lord pleases) allows the dwellers of hell to be taken out of eternal punishment and this is further substantiated from another place in the Quran where it is stated: لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا (Living therein for long years) (78:23). This clearly shows that the ابد of hell is a limited time in contrast with the ابد of heaven for which no word is used which is spoken only for a limited period such as the word أَحْقَاب which is the plural of حقبة . Further the everlasting nature of heaven has been made clear by certifying its ابدیت with عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍۢ (a gift never to be cut off). This shows that the blessings of heaven are eternal.

11-109 So be not thou in doubt as to that which these worship. They worship only as their fathers worshipped before. And surely We shall pay them in full their due undiminished.

فَلَا تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍۢ مِّمَّا يَعْبُدُ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ مَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُهُم مِّن قَبْلُ ۚ وَإِنَّا لَمُوَفُّوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ غَيْرَ مَنقُوصٍۢ (۱۰۹)

11-84 And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu‘aib. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no other god save Him. And give not short measure and weight. I see you in prosperity, and I fear for you the chastisement of an all-encompassing day:^a

وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ ۚ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيْرٍۢ وَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍۢ مُّحِيطٍۢ (۸۴)

11-84a: خیر – It is something that everyone desires, and its opposite is شر . A thing can also be called خیر when compared to another thing, as for example having مال کثیر (great wealth) may be called خیر . The purport here is worldly blessings or a state of ease. 

For an explanation of the rest of the terms in this verse see7:85b. 

11-85 And, O my people, give full measure and weight justly, and defraud not men of their things, and act not corruptly in the land, making mischief:

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ أَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ (۸۵)

11-86 What remains with Allah is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not a keeper over you.^a

بَقِيَّتُ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ۚ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ عَلَيْكُم بِحَفِيظٍۢ (۸۶)

11-86a: بَقِيَّتُ ٱللَّهِ – بقاء is for something to stay firmly in its former condition. The only everlasting and unchanging Being is that of Allah and the continuance or بقا of everything else is dependent on Him. This is also the case with the denizens of paradise. ٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ (the ever abiding good works) (18:46) are those good works whose reward keeps on giving even after a person has gone, and this is also the purport of بَقِيَّتُ ٱللَّهِ where بقاء is annexed with ٱللَّهِ (R). It has also been interpreted to mean obedience to Allah or the sustenance from Allah (IJ). 

11-87 They said: O Shu‘aib, does thy prayer enjoin thee that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we should not do what we please with regard to our property? Forsooth thou art the forbearing, the right-directing one!^a

 قَالُوا۟ يَـٰشُعَيْبُ أَصَلَوٰتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَآ أَوْ أَن نَّفْعَلَ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِنَا مَا نَشَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۖ إِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ ٱلْحَلِيمُ ٱلرَّشِيدُ (۸۷)

11-87: Apparently the meaning of what they said seems to be that if you want to pray, keep on praying why do you interfere in our matters; we worship in our own manner like our forefathers used to; as to property, it belongs to us and we will do with it as we want and give less or more as we want. Some have said that that their calling Shuaib forbearing, the right-directing one is by way of cynicism, that is you presume to be forbearing and right directing but most probably they were convinced of Shuaib’s forbearance and that he was right directing.

11-88 He said: O my people, see you if I have a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me a goodly sustenance from Himself. And I desire not to act in opposition to you, in that which I forbid you. I desire nothing but reform, so far as I am able. And with none but Allah is the direction of my affair to a right issue. In Him I trust and to Him I turn.^a

 قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنْهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ ۚ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ (۸۸)

11-88a: رزق حسن – By رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا what is meant here is prophethood and wisdom (RM) because that is the sustenance that is specifically given to prophets. In response to their statement of no interference in their affairs, Shuaib’s response is that he wants to reform them and what he is proposing for them is what he is practicing himself and this shows that he considers these changes as beneficial.

11-89 And, O my people, let not opposition to me make you guilty so that there may befall you the like of that which befell the people of Noah, or the people of Hud, or the people of Salih. Nor are the people of Lot far off from you.^a

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِىٓ أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَآ أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَـٰلِحٍۢ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍۢ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍۢ (۸۹)

11-89a: It is very clearly stated here that the punishment for the people of Noah is like the punishment inflicted on the people of Hud, Salih, and Lot. This shows that the punishment inflicted by the flood of Noah was only for the nation of Noah and not for the whole world. Wherever in the Quran there is a narration of the people of Noah, the narration is very similar to the narration of the people of other prophets.

11-90 And ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him. Surely my Lord is Merciful, Loving-kind.^a

وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى رَحِيمٌۭ وَدُودٌۭ (۹۰)

11-90a:  وَدُودٌۭ – For وُدّ see 2-105a. It is to love a thing and more than that to have a desire for it to happen. وَدُودٌۭ  is a person who has affection for humanity that is consideration for people and their protection is also included in it; or also included in the description of وَدُودٌۭ  is that Allah keeps on bringing such nations that love Him and He loves them (R).

11-91 They said: O Shu‘aib, we understand not much of what thou sayest and surely we see thee to be weak among us. And were it not for thy family, we would surely stone thee, and thou art not mighty against us.^a

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰشُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًۭا مِّمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًۭا ۖ وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَـٰكَ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍۢ (۹۱)

11-91a: رَهْطُ – The رَهْطُ of a person is his nation or tribe. It also manifests that the number is three or from seven to ten (LA).

The story about Shuaib’s blindness: The teachings of prophets is so simple that even ordinary persons can understand it. Hence their saying that they did not understand him is tantamount to their stating that we do not care about what you are saying because you are not a powerful person among us so that we should listen to you. This is what is meant by ضَعِيفًۭ. The meaning of ضَعِيفًۭ as blind, attributed to Ibn Abbas is not correct because prophets are free from such defects. The statement here is that we see thee to be weak among us, by which is meant that compared to us you are weak. If the meaning of ضَعِيفًۭ is taken to be blind, then not only is the literal meaning of the word incorrect, but the sentence becomes meaningless because finding someone blind among them does not make sense.

11-92 He said: O my people, is my family more esteemed by you than Allah? And you neglect Him as a thing cast behind your backs! Surely my Lord encompasses what you do.

قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَهْطِىٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيًّا ۖ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌۭ (۹۲)

11-92a:   ظِهْرِيًّ – ظَھۡر means back and ظِهْرِيًّ means an animal that is prepared for riding and also something that is thrown at the back (R). This last meaning is what is meant here.

11-93 And, O my people, act according to your ability, I too am acting. You will come to know soon who it is on whom will light the punishment that will disgrace him, and who it is that is a liar. And watch, surely I too am watching with you.

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّى عَـٰمِلٌۭ ۖ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌۭ يُخْزِيهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ كَـٰذِبٌۭ ۖ وَٱرْتَقِبُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌۭ (۹۳)

11-94 And when Our decree came to pass, We delivered Shu‘aib and those who believed with him by mercy from Us. And the cry overtook those who were iniquitous, so they were motionless bodies in their abodes,

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دِيَـٰرِهِمْ جَـٰثِمِينَ (۹۴)

11-95 As though they had never dwelt in them. So away with Midian, just as Thamud perished!

كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَآ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّمَدْيَنَ كَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ (۹۵)

11-69 And certainly Our messengers came to Abraham with good news. They said: Peace! Peace! said he. And he made no delay in bringing a roasted calf.

وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًۭا ۖ قَالَ سَلَـٰمٌۭ ۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍۢ  (۶۹)

11-69a: حَنِيذٍۢ  – It means roasted between two (hot) stones and this is done so that the juices drain out (R).

The real purport here is not a narration about Abraham but that of Lot. Since the messengers who brought the news of the destruction of Lot’s nation also brought the glad tidings for Abraham, the Quran here and elsewhere where the Quran mentions the punishment of Lot’s nation has begun the narrative with the glad tidings of the birth of a son to Abraham. The indication in pairing these two incidents is that Allah does not desire to destroy people but to the contrary blesses them with great prizes. However, when a nation goes beyond limits in evil deeds, it becomes necessary to destroy the nation to save humanity at large. So, Abraham was granted the magnificent good news before the punishment of Lot’s nation, and it is conveyed that if a nation is being destroyed then it is from Abraham’s seed that another nation will be raised.

Were the messengers angels or humans: Who are these messengers? They disclose their purpose for coming as إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِ لُوطٍۢ (We have been sent to Lot’s people) (11:70). In the traditions about this subject, it is stated that they were angels, and their number is variously given from three to eleven. Some traditions name the angles as Gabriel, Michael and Israel. In Section 18 of Genesis, the Bible too states these were three angels who appeared in the form of humans. However, all the events that are narrated in the Bible show them as humans. For example, Abraham extending them hospitality, their partaking of his hospitality and Abraham accompanying them to show them the way, etcetera. It is further mentioned in the Bible that they gave him the glad tidings of a son and then departed for Sodom, the habitation where Lot lived.

The Quran does not mention anywhere clearly that they were angels but does state that when Abraham brought them food, they did not eat. However, all their other actions resembled humans and there can be many reasons for not partaking of Abrham’s food. It is possible that the reason they did not eat was that they were not hungry or were fasting. There is no hadith of the Holy Prophet which shows that they were angles. As for their giving Abrahm the news of a son, there is nothing strange that there were some pious people of the time to whom Allah gave this glad tiding and they mentioned it to Abraham. Allah had previously communicated to Abraham that he would have a son, but that prophecy had been fulfilled by the birth of Ishmael. So it is possible that Abraham thought that he would not have any more children and Allah communicated to him through another source that he would have a son from Sarah as well.

In fact these messengers were sent for Lot’s nation, a people who were evil and indulged in unnatural acts of homosexuality. The purpose of sending them there appears to be to furnish a final testimony against them in the following manner. They had been indulging in unnatural acts between themselves but now they tried to violate the guests, who considered these acts reprehensible and whose honor it was incumbent on them to protect. This ignited Allah’s wrath against them. If the messengers were angels through whom Allah conveys His messages to humans then it should have happened in the way Allah has disclosed Himself: أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًۭا فَيُوحِىَ بِإِذْنِهِۦ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ(or by sending a messenger and revealing by His permission what he pleases) (42:51). Divine revelation and the coming of an angel do not take place in the manner indicated here. In Divine revelation a person is transposed into a spiritual world. When Gabriel brought revelation to the Holy Prophet, those around him were unable to see him or hear the revelation he was bringing even though the Holy Prophet received the most excellent and glorious revelation. So, the revelation to Abrahma and Lot could only be in the same manner that the Holy Prophet received revelation. Since these events do not have the same coloring, it has to be admitted that the messengers were some righteous persons who were sent to the nation of Lot as a sign and it is in this respect that the term messenger has been used for them. There is a parallel with the story of Salih where it is stated about the she-camel that was sent: إِنَّا مُرْسِلُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةًۭ لَّهُم (Surely We are going to send the she-camel as a trial for them) (54:27).

Abraham’s hospitality: Abraham’s response in quickly bringing a roasted calf shows the kind of hospitality that perfects the good manners of a host. Abraham did not enquire from his guests whether they would like to eat, but straight away presents them with the best nutritional food available with him. The lesson taught here is that even such an enquiry is an imperfection in hospitality. Abraham put in so much effort, even though in the end, his guests did not eat the food. This incident is narrated to convey that whatever affable disposition was possessed by any prophet was also possessed by the Holy Prophet in its most excellent form. The attention drawn to certain manners and morals of specific prophets is for this purpose.

The use of the greeting سلام by both parties is to show that to hail each other with the salutation of peace has always been the way to greet each other. Even for a nation that knows no other way to greet except Good Morning and Good Evening, in their sacred scripture Jesus greets his disciples with peace. “Jesus met them, saying: All hail” (Matthew 28:9).

11-70 But when he saw that their hands reached not to it, he mistrusted them and conceived fear of them. They said: Fear not; we have been sent to Lot’s people.^a

 فَلَمَّا رَءَآ أَيْدِيَهُمْ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةًۭ ۚ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّآ أُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِ لُوطٍۢ (۷۰)

11-70a: نَكِر – اَنۡکِرۡتُ and نَکَرۡتُ have the same meaning. انکار عرفان is the opposite of to recognize, that is a stranger, and نَکِرَ ھم is used in this sense (R). The reason for this is that according to the prevalent culture of the time if someone came as a guest and did not eat, the presumption was that he had come with ill intentions.

أَوْجَسَ – وَجۡس صَوت means concealed, that is a voice that cannot be heard. اِیجاس is to feel something in your heart (R).

In accordance with the custom of the time, Abraham interpreted the non-partaking of food by his guests as meaning that they had some ill intention. Hence, he felt fear in his heart. They answered this by saying that in fact there was good news for him, and if there is any bad news they have brought, it for the nation of Lot.

11-71 And his wife was standing (by), so she wondered. Then We gave her the good news of Isaac, and beyond Isaac, of Jacob.^a

وَٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ قَآئِمَةٌۭ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَـٰهَا بِإِسْحَـٰقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـٰقَ يَعْقُوبَ (۷۱)

11-71a: ضَحِكَتْ – ضِحۡك is an expression of joy on the face and a smile that exposes the teeth which is the product of happiness in the heart. Metaphorically, it is also used for a derisive or jeering look, as in وَكُنتُم مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ (and you used to laugh at them) (23:110) and إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ (they laughed at them) (43:47). It is also used in the sense of just happiness, as in مُّسْفِرَةٌۭ  ضَاحِكَةٌۭ (bright, laughing) (80:38 and 39) and فَلْيَضْحَكُوا۟ قَلِيلًۭا (Then let them laugh a little) (9:82). It s also used for a look of amazement (R).

وَرَآءِ – Its root is وری and it is used both for at the back and in the front. Thus, it is a thing concealed, whether in the front or behind (T). So, the meaning of مِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـٰقَ will be in front of Isaac, that is in the next generation or the child of Isaac. Thus, the glad tiding is not only for the birth of a son but also the birth of a nation and hence it is conveyed that this son will have a son. According to Taj ul Arus, الوراء ایضاً ولد الولد  , that is the son of a son is also called وَرَآءِ . This is also the meaning attributed to Ibn Abbas (IJ). 

It is conveyed in ٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ قَآئِمَةٌۭ  that Abraham’s wife was also busy in serving the guests and if by her ضِحۡك is taken that she laughed or was happy, then it could be because she felt reassured that the guests had not brought any bad news for them but for the nation of Lot. This happiness is not about the birth of Isaac because that news is conveyed later. If ضِحۡك is taken to be amazement, then the amazement is because even though both husband and wife had made so much effort in their service, but they still did not eat the food.

11-72 She said: O wonder! Shall I bear a son when I am an extremely old woman, and this my husband an extremely old man? This is a wonderful thing indeed!^a

قَالَتْ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا۠ عَجُوزٌۭ وَهَـٰذَا بَعْلِى شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَشَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌۭ (۷۲)

11-72a: يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ – The literal meaning of وَیۡل is woe, but the expression يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ is used by Arabs also at times of amazement (IJ).

11-73 They said: Wonderest thou at Allah’s commandment? The mercy of Allah and His blessings on you, O people of the house! Surely He is Praised, Glorious.

قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَـٰتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَمِيدٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ (۷۳)

11-74 So when fear departed from Abraham and good news came to him, he began to plead with Us for Lot’s people.^a

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلرَّوْعُ وَجَآءَتْهُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ يُجَـٰدِلُنَا فِى قَوْمِ لُوطٍ (۷۴)

11-74a: روع  – رُوۡع means heart. A hadith states: اِنَّ رُوحُ الۡقُدُسِ نَفَثَ رُوۡعی (The Holy Spirit cast it in my heart), and رُوۡع is that thing which when cast into the heart strikes fear in it (R). A statement in the hadith is: اللّٰہم امن روۡعاتی and رَوۡعات is the plural form of رَوۡعة that is once the fear (LA).

يُجَـٰدِلُنَا فِى قَوْمِ لُوطٍ that is when Abraham received the new of the chastisement of Lot’s nation, he prayed to Allah for it to be averted. It is called مجادلہ because the Divine intention had become manifest.

11-75 Surely Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted, oft-returning (to Allah).

إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لَحَلِيمٌ أَوَّٰهٌۭ مُّنِيبٌۭ (۷۵)

11-75a: مُنِيب  –  نَوۡب means oft-returning, and نائبة is misfortune or calamity because they keep coming repeatedly. انابة is to turn to Allah repeatedly with sincerity and seeking forgiveness, as in خَرَّ رَاكِعًۭا وَأَنَابَ  (he fell down bowing and turned (to God)) (38:24); وَأَنِيبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ (And turn to your Lord) (39:54); مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ (Turning to Him) (30:31).

11-76 O Abraham, cease from this. Surely the decree of thy Lord has gone forth and there must come to them a chastisement that cannot be averted.

 يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـٰذَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ قَدْ جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنَّهُمْ ءَاتِيهِمْ عَذَابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍۢ (۷۶)

11-77 And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved for them, and he was unable to protect them, and said: This is a distressful day!

وَلَمَّا جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًۭا سِىٓءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًۭا وَقَالَ هَـٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَصِيبٌۭ (۷۷) 

11-77a: سِىٓءَ بِهِمْ – سُوۡء is that which causes a person grief or sorrow (R). Hence, سِىٓءَ بِهِمْ means he felt sorrowful on their account.

ضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًۭا – ذِراع is the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, as in ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًۭا فَٱسْلُكُوهُ (Chain the length of which is seventy cubits) (69:32). Just as ید metaphorically means strength, similarly ذَرۡع also means strength. The meaning of ضاقَ بِالۡامۡرِ ذَرۡعُه‘ is that his strength in the matter was weak (LA).

عَصِيبٌۭ – عَصَب means tendon. عَصۡب is used for everything hard and strong and عصیب means hard (R).

When Allah’s messengers came to Lot, he worried for their safety either because of the wicked ways of his nation or because they did not approve of strangers to come and stay with him as is indicated in أَوَلَمْ نَنْهَكَ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (Did we not forbid thee from (entertaining) people) (15:70). Lot feared that he will not be able to protect his guests and felt sorrowful on that account.

11-78 And his people came to him, (as if) driven on towards him, and they were used to the doing of evil deeds before. He said: O my people, these are my daughters — they are purer for you; so guard against (the punishment of) Allah and disgrace me not about my guests. Is there not among you any right-minded man?^a

وَجَآءَهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ فِى ضَيْفِىٓ ۖ أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَجُلٌۭ رَّشِيدٌۭ (۷۸)

11-78a: يُهْرَعُونَ – The meaning of ھَرِعَ and اَھۡرَع is to rush or drive headlong rashly and threateningly (R). Ibn Jarir in defining يُهْرَعُونَ has cited this verse: فجؤا يُهْرَعُونَ و ھم اساری – نقود ھم علی رغم الانوف which supports the meaning given above because prisoners are driven harshly and threateningly. He has also stated there that shivering from cold, anger or fever is also called اَھۡرَع. Their hastening here is attributed to their immoral quest (IJ).

ضَيْف – Its literal meaning is مَیۡل that is to be inclined. So, ضَيْف is somebody who is inclined towards staying with you, or in other words is a guest and because it is a verbal noun, hence it is used both for the singular and plural. ضِیافة is derived from it and so is اضافة which is used in the study of syntax (R).

The use of the word يُهْرَعُونَ for Lot’s nation shows that they hastened to Lot out of some fear, and it is possible that they were afraid that Lot was gathering some strangers, but the words that follow which mention their previous immoral acts does not support this assumption. This goes to show that they had come with the same intention. The shamelessness of this nation had exceeded all limits and they had become blind to openly and publicly showing a desire to commit immoral acts even with guests. They had no reverence for anything.

Lot’s daughters: هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ (These are my daughters – they are purer for you). One of the interpretations given is that to save his guests, Lot offered his daughters in marriage to them, while previously he had been rejecting their marriage proposals. Now for the safety of his guests, he even agreed to give his daughters in marriage to them. Some other commentators opine that the purpose of these words is just to shame them and not to actually give the daughters in marriage to them. Mujahid, Qatadah, ibn Jarir and others narrate that in هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى the indication is to women generally, and what Lot is saying is that their wives are present to satisfy their lust, and this is purer for them and that they should give up all prohibited and immodest ways. The women in general were referred to as بَنَاتِى because a prophet stands in the relationship of a father to his people (IJ). There is a weakness in this explanation in that the prophet is like a father for the believers but not for the disbelievers. Even so, بَنَاتِى can metaphorically be taken to refer to women in general. This interpretation is better and shows that Lot drew their attention to the natural and pure relationship between man and woman. The Bible has an extremely obscene story about the daughters of Lot that they made their father drunk with wine and committed incest with him. This Book is called holy even after narrating such lewd stories and the Christians are proudly spreading it in the world. If they had any shame, they could at least have taken such obscene stories out of it. 

11-79 They said: Certainly thou knowest that we have no claim on thy daughters, and thou knowest what we desire.^a

 قَالُوا۟ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّۢ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (۷۹)

11-79a: The reply that we have no claim on your daughters appears to indicate that since Lot was not from their tribe, they were not interested in marrying his daughters or that Lot had previously rejected proposals of marriage from them for his daughters.

11-80 He said: Would that I had the power to repel you! — rather I shall have recourse to a strong support.^a

قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ ءَاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍۢ شَدِيدٍۢ (۸۰)

11-80a: رُكْن – The رُكْن of a thing is that side of it which causes it to stand erect and so metaphorically it means strength, that is support. Derived from it is رَکَنَ that is inclined to one side, as inلَا تَرْكَنُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا  (incline not to those who do wrong) (11:113). اَرۡکَانُ الۡعِبَدات are the elements of worship that are foundational and whose abandonment makes the worship worthless (R).

What is meant by رُكْنٍۢ شَدِيدٍ : There is first an admission of weakness by Lot that he does not have the strength to confront them to save his guests, and so he states: ءَاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍۢ شَدِيدٍۢ  (I take recourse to a strong support). Although some commentators have taken the strong support to be his family, it is clear from a saying of the Holy Prophet that by support is meant Allah. Accordingly, the words of the Hadith are: رَحِمَ اللّٰہُ لوطاً فَاِنَّه‘ کان یاۡدی الی رُكْنٍۢ شَدِيدٍۢ (Allah had mercy on Lot because he sought recourse to a strong support) (IJ) that is Allah.

11-81 They said: O Lot, we are the messengers of thy Lord. They shall not reach thee. So travel with thy people for a part of the night — and let none of you turn back — except thy wife. Surely whatsoever befalls them shall befall her. Surely their appointed time is the morning. Is not the morning nigh?^a

 قَالُوا۟ يَـٰلُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوٓا۟ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مُصِيبُهَا مَآ أَصَابَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ ٱلصُّبْحُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ ٱلصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍۢ (۸۱)

11-81a: أَسْرِ – The meaning of سَرۡی and اَسۡرَی is traveled by night. قِطْعٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ is a portion of the night.

يَلْتَفِتْ – For التفات see 10-78a. According to Ibn Abbas the purported meaning here is یَتَخلَّفۡ , that is do not stay behind (RM). Some have taken the meaning to be look behind.

The Quran does not give the details of how those people failed in their design. It is stated in some traditions that they were made blind.

11-82 So when Our decree came to pass, We turned them upside down, and rained on them stones, as decreed, one after another,^a

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةًۭ مِّن سِجِّيلٍۢ مَّنضُودٍۢ (۸۲)

11-82a: عالی – سافل – سُفۡل – is the opposite of عُلُوّ (exaltedness, sublimity, superiority), and اَسۡفل is the opposite of اَعۡلیٰ  (high) (R). In وَٱلرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ ۚ(while the caravan was in a lower place than you) (8:42) the purport is that the place because of its proximity to the sea was at an elevation lower than Madinah. In إِذْ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ (When they came upon you from above you and below you) (33:10) the meaning is low ground, and in َوَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ (and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved) (9:40), ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ is used in the sense of brought low. In ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـٰهُ أَسْفَلَ سَـٰفِلِينَ (Then we render him the lowest of the low) (95:5), أَسْفَلَ is used in the sense of being in a despicable condition.

سِجِّيلٍۢ – It is generally considered to be an Arabicized foreign word that means baked clay pebbles. However, the root of this word سجل is present in the Arabic language and words derived from it are extensively used in the Arabic language. Hence it is an error to consider سِجِّيلٍۢ as an Arabicized word. سَجۡل is a big drum full of water. There is a statement of Abu Sufyan الحرب بینناسِجَالٌ that is in the battle between us sometimes one side wins and sometimes the other. A statement in the hadith about the recitation of a surah describes it as فَسَجَلَھَا that is it was recited with mixed inflections because another meaning of سَجۡل is صَبّ to drop. اَسۡجَلَ means اَرۡسَل or اَطۡلَق , that is sent or left it or gave it freedom. سِجّل means record book of promises. Abu Ubaidah states that من سجیل means کثیرۃ شدیدۃ that is abundant and strong. According to some سجیل is from اَسۡجَل in the sense of اَرۡسَلَ let fall. Thus, those stones were sent on them or allowed to fall. Another interpretation is that by سجیل is meant سِجِّل that is they were written for or decreed for them. سِجّیل and سجّین have the same meaning and سجِّین as كِتَـٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ (written book) occurs in the Quran:  وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا سِجِّينٌۭ كِتَـٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ  (And what will make thee know what the prison is? It is a written book) (83:8-9) (LA). Ibn Jarir has cited some scholars that by سجیل is meant hard.

مَّنضُودٍ – نَضۡد means to stack articles one on top of another (R). The meaning of مَّنضُودٍۢ is یَتۡبع بعضُه‘ بعضاً (IJ) which means they came one after another, or in other words were raining one after the other. Other uses of the word in the Quran are: طَلْحٍۢ مَّنضُودٍۢ (clustered banana trees) (56:29) and similarly طَلْعٌۭ نَّضِيدٌ (piled one above another) (50:10).

How were the dwellings of Lot’s nation destroyed: Some commentators in explaining جَعَلْنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا have surmised on the basis of some traditions that Gabriel lifted that part of the earth and raised it so high that the denizens of heaven heard the cocks crowing and the barking of dogs and then threw it down from there. However, there is no such mention in any hadith and if such was meant, then the mention of raining stones would be meaningless because if the top of the land went down and the bottom came up then where were the stones rained? The Quran by mentioning the raining of stones has shown that by سَافِلَهَا (upside down) is meant to destroy. In another place, the punishment of this nation is just mentioned as: أَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًۭا (We rained on them a rain) (27:58) and in another place as إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَاصِبًا (Surely We sent upon them a stone-storm) (54:34). Thus, this was the actual punishment with which the land was destroyed. It is obvious that the raining of stones takes place because of volcanic eruptions, and this is also what is meant by sent one after another.

11-83 Marked (for punishment) with thy Lord. And it is not far off from the wrongdoers.^a

مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا هِىَ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍۢ (۸۳)

11-83a: The stones are called مُّسَوَّمَةً or marked to show that it was as if the stones were decreed for them. By وَمَا هِىَ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍۢ it is conveyed that the place where the nation of Lot dwelled is not far from those who were now opposing the Holy Prophet. In another place it is stated that they pass by this place. An alternate meaning is that a similar punishment awaits the opponents.

11-61 And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. He brought you forth from the earth and made you dwell in it, so ask forgiveness of Him, then turn to Him. Surely my Lord is Nigh, Answering.

وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌۭ مُّجِيبٌۭ (۶۱)

11-62 They said: O Salih, thou wast among us a centre of (our) hopes before this. Dost thou forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? And surely we are in grave doubt about that to which thou callest us.^aa

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّۭا قَبْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۖ أَتَنْهَىٰنَآ أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍۢ (۶۲)

11-62a: مَرْجُوۭ – رجاء  is a conjecture whose purpose is to produce a happy expectation that is hope for betterment (R). So, مَرْجُو is a person from one expects great things.

مُرِيبٍۢ – The meaning of راب and اراب is to be put in رَیۡب and رَیۡب is to be doubtful or suspicious about a matter but later this doubt or suspicion is removed (R).

It is in the nature of prophets to serve humanity: The admission by Salih’s compatriots that they had great expectations from him shows that from the beginning a nation has high hopes from those individuals who become prophets. They have such great attributes of heart and mind and power of action that they acquire a significant distinction prior to prophethood. Historically, this is best seen in the Holy Prophet. He detested everything that was evil, stayed away from all frivolities and spent all his time serving his nation. Before his prophethood, he was involved in ثمال الیتامی عصمة الا رٰمل (Care of Orphans and Protection of Widows) and provided support and shelter to the poor and helpless. Day and night, he worried for a fallen humanity, and his righteousness was so perfect that nobody could find any fault in it right up to the end. In reality the portrayal of different prophets in the Quran is designed to draw attention to the similar but more perfect attributes of the Holy Prophet. Despite their outstanding attributes, when these people try to uproot evil from their society, a group of devilish persons become their enemies.

11-63 He said: O my people, see you if I have clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me mercy from Himself — who will then help me against Allah, if I disobey Him? So you would add to me naught but perdition.

قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّى وَءَاتَىٰنِى مِنْهُ رَحْمَةًۭ فَمَن يَنصُرُنِى مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَيْتُهُۥ ۖ فَمَا تَزِيدُونَنِى غَيْرَ تَخْسِيرٍۢ (۶۳)

11-64 And, O my people, this is Allah’s she-camel, a sign for you, so leave her to pasture on Allah’s earth and touch her not with evil, lest a near chastisement overtake you.

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ (۶۴)

11-65 But they hamstrung her, so he said: Enjoy yourselves in your houses for three days. That is a promise not to be belied.

فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ فِى دَارِكُمْ ثَلَـٰثَةَ أَيَّامٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ وَعْدٌ غَيْرُ مَكْذُوبٍۢ (۶۵)

11-66 So when Our commandment came to pass, We saved Salih and those who believed with him by mercy from Us from the disgrace of that day. Surely thy Lord — He is the Strong, the Mighty.

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَمِنْ خِزْىِ يَوْمِئِذٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ (۶۶)

11-67 And the cry overtook those who did wrong, so they were motionless bodies in their abodes,^a

وَأَخَذَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دِيَـٰرِهِمْ جَـٰثِمِينَ (۶۷)

11-67a: صَّيْحَةُ – It means to raise the level of sound (R). What is called صَّيْحَةُ here is called رجفة (earthquake) in 7:78, which shows that these are names for the different stages of the same punishment. Earthquakes are sometimes preceded by frightening noises. The narration of the she-camel, its killing and the coming of the punishment here is very similar to its recounting in Surah Al Araf section 7 and the reader is referred to it.

11-68 As though they had never dwelt therein. Now surely Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Thamud!

كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَآ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ ثَمُودَا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّثَمُودَ (۶۸)

11-50 And to ‘Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god save Him. You are only fabricators.

وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًۭا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ (۵۰)

11-51 O my people, I ask of you no reward for it. My reward is only with Him Who created me. Do you not then understand?

يَـٰقَوْمِ لَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِىٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (۵۱)

11-52 And, O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him, He will send on you clouds pouring down abundance of rain and add strength to your strength, and turn not back, guilty.

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًۭا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ (۵۲)

11-52a: By clouds pouring down abundance of rain is meant the blessings of Allah. If a nation turns to Allah and stops committing acts of cruelty and injustice, Allah sends even more blessings their way and their strength increases instead of decreasing.

11-53 They said: O Hud, thou hast brought us no clear argument, and we are not going to desert our gods for thy word, and we are not believers in thee.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍۢ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِىٓ ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (۵۳)

11-54 We say naught but that some of our gods have smitten thee with evil. He said: Surely I call Allah to witness, and do you, too, bear witness that I am innocent of what you associate (with Allah).^a

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا ٱعْتَرَىٰكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ ۗ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أُشْهِدُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱشْهَدُوٓا۟ أَنِّى بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (۵۴)

11-54a: اعتری – The meaning of عَرِی is to be naked, nude, bare, and عُریان is a nude person, as in: أَلَّا تَجُوعَ فِيهَا وَلَا تَعْرَىٰ (therein that thou art not hungry, nor naked). عَراء is an open ground that is not hidden by any cover, as in لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ (he would certainly have been cast down on naked ground) (68:49). The meaning of عَراہ and عترله is قَصَد عراہ (R) which means proceeded towards him or purposed to take something from him. The meaning here is coming of some tribulation and the purport is that one of our gods has made you demented.

11-55 Besides Him. So scheme against me all together, then give me no respite.

مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ (۵۵)

11-56 Surely I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no living creature but He grasps it by its forelock. Surely my Lord is on the right path.

إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُم ۚ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ ءَاخِذٌۢ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ (۵۶)

11-56a: اخِذٌۢ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ – ناصیة is forelock and the Arabs used the term اخذنا ناصیة in situations of intense disgrace and humility to show that another person has total control over them and makes them act as he wishes. It was also a custom among the Arabs that when they released a prisoner, they would cut off the forelock of the captive as a sign. The meaning here is that everything is in the total control of Allah. The meaning of surely my Lord is on the right path is that the treatment He metes out to everyone is according to the dictates of justice, good to the good and bad to the bad.

11-57 But if you turn away, then indeed I have delivered to you that with which I am sent to you. And my Lord will bring another people in your place, and you cannot do Him any harm. Surely my Lord is the Preserver of all things.^a

فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّى قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُۥ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌۭ (۵۷)

11-57a: تَوَلَّوْا۟ – It is actually تتولوا and some commentators hold that the address here is to the disbelievers of Makkah. This appears to be correct because in the mention of Hud, the real purpose is to warn the Makkans.

11-58 And when Our commandment came to pass, We delivered Hud and those who believed with him with mercy from Us; and We delivered them from a hard chastisement.

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا هُودًۭا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَّا وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍۢ (۵۸)

11-59 And such were ‘Ad. They denied the messages of their Lord, and disobeyed His messengers and followed the bidding of every insolent opposer (of truth).^a

وَتِلْكَ عَادٌۭ ۖ جَحَدُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا۟ رُسُلَهُۥ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍۢ (۵۹)

11-59a: عَنِيدٍۢ  – The meaning of عَنَد is to exceed all limits and bounds. The meaning of عَنَدالحق is turned away from the truth. معاندۃ and عِناد is to reject a thing even when recognizing its genuineness. So عَنِيدٍۢ is that rebellious person who turns away from the truth and rejects it even while knowing that it is true (LA).

11-60 And they were overtaken by a curse in this world and on the day of Resurrection. Now surely ‘Ad disbelieved in their Lord. Now surely, away with ‘Ad, the people of Hud!^a

وَأُتْبِعُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةًۭ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ عَادًۭا كَفَرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّعَادٍۢ قَوْمِ هُودٍۢ (۶۰)

11-60a: بُعد – بُعد (remote) is the opposite of قرب (to draw near or close) and is used in situations perceived by the intellect. The meaning of بَعِد is died and hence it is used in situations of death and destruction, as in بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ (Thamud perished) (11:95). بُعد and بَعَد are used both in the sense of destruction and also remoteness, as in فَبُعْدًۭا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (So away with the unjust people) (23:41) (R). With reference to this verse, the nation of Ad had already been destroyed and so the meaning of بُعد is being remote from the mercy of Allah or the meaning is that other nations will be destroyed just as Ad was destroyed if they follow the example of Ad. 

11-36 And it was revealed to Noah: None of thy people will believe except those who have already believed, so grieve not at what they do:^a

وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ (۳۶)

11-36a: تَبْتَئِسْ – Its root is بؤس or بأس which means distress and loathsome. تَبْتَئِسْ means لا تَلۡتَزِمُ البؤس و لا تحزن بؤس  (Do not feel obligated and do not grieve) (R).

Noah was grieved at the hardheartedness of his nation, as is the case with all prophets. The Quran testifies this about the Holy Prophet by stating: لَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ أَلَّا يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ (Perhaps thou wilt kill thyself with grief because they believe not) (26:3). In this situation, Allah states that this nation is now fit to be destroyed. Noah’s prayer: رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا  (My Lord leave not of the disbelievers any dweller on the land) (71:26) seems to have been made after receiving the revelation in this verse.

11-37 And make the ark under Our eyes and Our revelation, and speak not to Me on behalf of those who are unjust. Surely they will be drowned.^a

وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ (۳۷)

11-37a: بِأَعْيُنِنَا – عَیۡن is eyes, but someone who guards or protects another is also called عَیۡن . The meaning of فلانٌ بِعَیۡنِیۡ is I protect and look after him, and the meaning of the saying عین اللّٰه عَلیك is may you stay in the protection and patronage of Allah. In another place, it is stated تَجْرِى بِأَعْيُنِنَا (Floating on, before Our eyes) (54:14), that is the boat sailed under God’s protection. It is stated about Moses: وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِىٓ (and that thou mayest be brought up before My eyes) (20:39).

تُخَـٰطِبْنِى – خَطۡب and مُخاطَبَة is the back and forth in a conversation (R) and مُخاطَبَة with Allah is to intercede with Allah after being told that a nation is going to be destroyed.

Because Allah’s decree was that this nation be destroyed by a flood, Noah was aforetime ordered to build a boat. This boat was made in accordance with Divine revelation. God’s protection is mentioned because there were many opponents and so assurance is given that they will not be able to cause any harm.

11-38 And he began to make the ark. And whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they laughed at him. He said: If you laugh at us, surely we, too, laugh at you as you laugh (at us).^a

وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌۭ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ (۳۸)

11-38a: نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ – The purport is not that Noah or the believers actually laughed at the disbelievers because mockery does not befit a believer. This is only mentioned as a match to their action, just as in: جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ سَيِّئَةٍۢ سَيِّئَةٌۭ مِّثْلُهَا (the recompense of evil is punishment like it) (42:40). Kashaf has taken its meaning to be ignorant because the real cause of mockery is ignorance. So, the real cause of the laughter is taken and what is meant is that you laugh at us because of your ignorance but we consider you ignorant because you are unaware of the reality.

11-39 So you shall know who it is on whom will come a chastisement which will disgrace him, and on whom a lasting chastisement will fall.

فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌۭ يُخْزِيهِ وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌۭ مُّقِيمٌ (۳۹)

11-40 At length when Our command came and water gushed forth from the valley, We said: Carry in it two of all things, a pair, and thine own family — except those against whom the word has already gone forth — and those who believe. And there believed not with him but a few.^a

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّۢ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ (۴۰)

11-40a: فَارَ – Its meaning is جاش (get agitated, seethe, boil, to surge). فَارَ is used to describe situations such as when the pot begins to boil, when a person flies into a rage, when the aroma of perfume spreads in the air,  when the water gushes out of a spring (فار الماء من العین). فوارۃ is the head of a spring from where the water gushes out, that is منبع الماء . A tank that stores water is also called فوارۃ.

تنور – Some have called it an Arabicized word from Persian while others have given its root as نورٌ or نار . One meaning of تنور is quite common and used in Urdu as well, namely the oven where bread is baked. A second meaning given in Taj Al-Arus is وجه الارض (surface of the earth) and this meaning can be traced back to Ali and Ibn Abbas. It is then stated that کلُّ مَفۡجَرِ ماءٍ تَنُّورٌ (Every place from which water sprouts forth is called تنور ) and a valley in which water collects ( محفل ماء الوادی ) is also called تنور . According to Qatadah an elevated and fertile land is called تنور. Another meaning of فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ narrated by Ali is the break of dawn and a statement by Harvi is cited that this is a famous spring (T).

The mention here is of the well-known deluge that is known as Noah’s flood. It is commonly believed that it started by water sprouting out of a تنور (oven) but the Quran has described this in another place as: فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ (Then We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down) (54:11), that is it rained heavily. Similarly, when the time comes to stop the storm, it is stated:  يَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى (O cloud, clear away) (11:44) which shows that the deluge started as the result of heavy rain and the mention in the verse: O earth swallow thy water is a reference to the common phenomenon that the water is ultimately absorbed in the ground and the surface dries.

What is meant by فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ (water gushed forth): The use of the word تنور has led to the incorrect understanding that the water first sprouted out of the تنور . The dictionary meaning of تنور has been explained above. Out of the various explanations mentioned by Ibn Jarir, the first one is by Ibn Abbas who states that the meaning of تنور is وجه الارض  (surface of the earth) and Noah was commanded اذق رایت الماء علی وجہ الارض فارکت and Ibn Abbas adds: العوب تسمی وجه الارض تنور الارض . Next he mentions the explanation by Ali that by فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ is meant تنویر الصبح , that is the morning light. The third explanation is by Qatadah who states that what is meant is elevated and fertile land and the fourth explanation is that the water came out of an oven for baking bread. Ibn Kathir states that when Allah’s decree was issued, it rained heavily and incessantly. Neither did the clouds part nor did the rain stop. He quotes the verse فَفَتَحْنَآ أَبْوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٍۢ مُّنْهَمِرٍۢ (Then We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring down) (54:11) and then he copies the explanation of فَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ by Ibn Abbas and states: صادت الارض عیوناتفور حتیّٰ فار الماء من التنانیر  (the whole earth was flooded with water until the water even started coming out of the ovens. So, what can be gleaned from the Quran is that abundant rain caused a deluge which washed away all the habitations of Noah’s nation. It can also be deduced that there were hills near their dwellings as is apparent from سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍۢ (I will betake myself for refuge to a mountain) (11:43) and the runoff of the water from the mountains increased the strength of the torrents in the valley.

What did Noah take on the boat: The statement carry in it two of all things does not mean that Noah was required to travel the whole world collecting pairs of each kind of animal. Further it would not have been possible for a person to overpower all of Allah’s creatures. To overcome this objection, some have said that Allah revealed to a pair of each one of His creations to make a beeline to Noah and gather around him for embarking on the ark. One wonders why the revelation reached just one pair and not to the other members of the species. Then the gathering of so many wild beasts, birds and trees before the storm is a miracle that should surely have convinced Noah’s opponents of his genuineness and made them into believers. These stories are unnecessary, made-up and for which there is no testimony. By carry all things is meant everything necessary for Noah. This is analogous to calling the Torah: تَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ (a distinct explanation of all things) (12:111) the purport is explanation of all things necessary at the time. Similarly when it is stated about a queen that  أُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ (she has been given of everything) (27:23), the meaning is not everything in the world but everything that is necessary for her. This is the case here as well. In a pair, each one is the زَوْجَ (spouse) of the other. Hence by زَوْجَيْنِ is meant a male and female and further explanation of this is given in the word ٱثْنَيْنِ (a pair). Some have expanded the interpretation of كُلٍّۢ (all), and under the impression that this flood covered the whole world have included as passengers on the ark, not only animals and birds, but also a pair of every species of trees. On top of this, the commentators have made up all kinds of stories. For example, when the mice began to gnaw the ropes of the boat, Noah supplicated, and the sneeze of a lion created the cats. Similarly, when the refuse began to pile up, the sneeze of the elephant created the pigs, and to protect against the lion, Allah caused the lion to have a fever. Many such stories have been made up which have no reality and include the story where the devil managed to board the ark by grabbing on to the tail of the donkey. The Quran and the hadith are free from such absurdities.

Noah’s flood did not encompass the whole world: These absurdities were made up because the Bible version was assumed correct that the flood encompassed the whole world. The Quran, however, is clear that the flood came specifically for the nation of Noah, and it does not state anywhere that Noah was sent as a messenger for the whole world. The Quran states repeatedly that he was sent for his nation, and that only the disbelievers were drowned. It is stated earlier أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ (None of thy people will believe except those who have already believed) (11:36) and the mention here is only of Noah’s nation and not of the whole world. The word الارض is generic and can be spoken for a part of the earth or for a country. Noah’s nation was not spread over the whole world but was confined to a particular part of the world, and further it was not possible for one person in those days to roam around the whole world. When the Holy Prophet was ordained by Allah as a messenger for the whole world, his teachings were slowly spread to all parts of the world by his followers. If it was possible for a single person to traverse the world and his rejectors all over the world to be destroyed, then this should have been decreed for the Holy Prophet and not for Noah who was ordained only for one nation. This is another area where the Quranic narration has corrected the Biblical account.

11-41 And he said: Embark in it, in the name of Allah be its sailing and its anchoring. Surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.^a

  وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۴۱)

11-41a: مَجْرٖے – The یا is pronounced in a passive tone and read as مجرے and its root is جَرۡی which means to race by hurriedly like flowing water, as in جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ (Gardens wherein flow rivers) (3:195) and   فِيهَا عَيْنٌۭ جَارِيَ (Therein is a fountain flowing) (88:12). It is also spoken about a boat setting sail (R). Sailing and anchoring being in Allah’s name means that it is by His assistance, or His power, or His command and permission.

11-42 And it moved on with them amid waves like mountains. And Noah called out to his son, and he was aloof: O my son, embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.^a

وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍۢ كَٱلْجِبَالِ وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍۢ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ (۴۲)

11-42a: معزل – The meaning of عَزۡل is to separate and the purport of كَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍۢ is that he was separate from Noah, that is he was not of the believers. Noah wanted him to become a believer even at this stage or the meaning can be that he was distant from the ark.^a 

11-43 He said: I will betake myself for refuge to a mountain that will save me from the water. He said: There is none safe today from Allah’s command, but he on whom He has mercy. And a wave intervened between them, so he was among the drowned.

قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍۢ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ (۴۳)

11-44 And it was said: O earth, swallow thy water, and O cloud, clear away. And the water was made to abate, and the affair was decided, and it rested on the Judi, and it was said: Away with the iniquitous people!^a

وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًۭا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۴۴)

11-44a: ٱبْلَعِى – The meaning of بَلِع is جَرَع that is to swallow water little by little or one gulp at a time (LA). This word is used here because the water is also slowly absorbed in the ground.

أَقْلِعِى – قَلَع means to take out by its roots and اَقۡلَعَ means to quit, cease, discontinue and اَقۡلَعَ السحاب means the clouds stopped raining (LA).

غِيضَ – The meaning of غاض is نَقَص which means that a thing decreased or somebody decreased it, as in: تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ (that of which the wombs fall short of completion) (13:8), that is the womb spoils it or renders the condition like the earth that has swallowed the water.

جُودِىِّ – قیل ھو اسم جَبَلٍ بین الموصِلِ و الجزرۃ و ھو فی الاصل منسوب الی الجود (It is said that it is the name of a mountain that is between Mosul and Jazera and in reality it is attributed to جُود or forgiveness).

When the dwellings had been destroyed, the rain ceased, and the earth absorbed the water and the boat landed on Judi. Some narrations in Ibn Jarir state that شمخت الجبال و تواضع which has been understood to mean that the other mountains were proud, but Judi was humble. The real meaning of شمخ is to tower or be high and وضع means low, and the purport clearly appears to be that the other mountains were high and not under water while Judi was a lower submerged mountain on which the boat came to rest as the water subsided.

11-45 And Noah cried to his Lord and said: My Lord, surely my son is of my family, and Thy promise is true, and Thou art the Justest of the judges.

وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌۭ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ (۴۵)

11-46 He said: O Noah, he is not of thy family; he is (an embodiment of) unrighteous conduct. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be of the ignorant.^a

قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍۢ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ (۴۶)

11-46a: إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍۢ  (he is (an embodiment of) unrighteous conduct) – The personal pronoun in إِنَّهُۥ does not stand for the questioner but for the son and the purport is ذو عمل that is he is not righteous or that he does evil things. This is analogous with وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ (but righteous is the one who believes) (2:177) where the purport is not righteousness but righteous. See 2:177a.

Noah’s son not from his family: Some commentators have interpreted this verse literally and assumed that Noah’s son was not his real son but his wife’s son from a previous marriage. This may or may not be correct, but that is not the purport here. The real purport is that there was a Divine promise to save Noah’s family. So, in keeping with the literal meaning, Noah enquired that the son was included in his family with respect to relationship and why was he not saved in accordance with the promise. Allah states that to be included in the family of a righteous person, it is not sufficient to have ties of relationship, but inclusion also depends upon actions. Because the son’s actions are unrighteous and he does evil deeds, so he is not included in the family.

The purport of the statement ask not of which you have no knowledge is that one should supplicate for such affairs about which one has knowledge that its attainment is correct and in accordance with Divine wisdom. If a woman supplicates that she should become a man, then such a prayer is futile. Prayers for a disbeliever to believe or for his protection can be made only up to the time that there is a chance for him to believe. If such a person dies in a state of disbelief, then such a prayer is futile. Hence Allah has stopped one from making such supplications.

11-47 He said: My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from asking of Thee that of which I have no knowledge. And unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me, I shall be of the losers.

 قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ (۴۷)

11-48 It was said: O Noah, descend with peace from Us and blessing on thee and on nations (springing) from those with thee. And there are nations whom We afford provisions, then a painful punishment from Us afflicts them.^a

قِيلَ يَـٰنُوحُ ٱهْبِطْ بِسَلَـٰمٍۢ مِّنَّا وَبَرَكَـٰتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍۢ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ ۚ وَأُمَمٌۭ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ (۴۸)

11-48a: أُمَمٍۢ مِّمَّن مَّعَكَ – It means nations that will be formed from the offspring of the people with Noah. This shows that the companions of Noah became progenitors of nations. In أُمَمٌۭ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ (there are nations) the indication seems to be to other nations that existed in the world at that time, or it could be the nations to spring from those with Noah.

11-49 These are announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to thee; thou didst not know them —(neither) thou nor thy people — before this. So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for the dutiful.

تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـٰذَا ۖ فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (۴۹)

11-49a: In the last section too the subject at the end is turned to the enemies of the Holy Prophet and this is the case here as well. It is conveyed that the narration of Noah and his enemies is by way of a prophecy for the Holy Prophet and his enemies. This is the أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ (announcement relating to the unseen) that is mentioned here as is apparent from فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, the good end is for the dutiful).  

11-25 And certainly We sent Noah to his people: Surely I am a plain warner to you,

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌ (۲۵)

11-26 To serve none but Allah. Verily I fear for you the chastisement of a painful day.

أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍۢ (۲۶)

11-27 But the chiefs of his people who disbelieved said: We see thee not but a mortal like us, and we see not that any follow thee but those who are the meanest of us at first thought. Nor do we see in you any superiority over us; nay, we deem you liars.^a

فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًۭا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۭ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ (۲۷)

11-27a: أَرَاذِل – It is the plural of اَرۡذَل . رَذۡل and رَذِیل and  اَرۡذَلmeans a low, vile, despicable person and is also used for a thing that is worthless or rejected (LA), as in: وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرْذَلِ ٱلْعُمُرِ (and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life) (16:70) and وَٱتَّبَعَكَ ٱلْأَرْذَلُونَ (and the meanest follow thee) (26:111).

بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ – بَدَا means to manifest itself and بَدَء means to begin, start, commence. بَادِىَ can be a derivative from either بَدَء or بَادِىَ because hamzah gets changed to یا . In the first instance, the meaning of بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ will be a casual glance and in the second instance, the meaning will be at first glance. The meaning in both cases is the same which is that those who follow Noah have not acted with deep consideration and thinking.

The first objection made against the prophets is that he is a human like other men and is dependent on eating drinking and other human needs. It is only a human who can be a guide for other humans and anyone who does not have human needs cannot be a guide for humans. If education alone would have been sufficient for the guidance of humans and there was no need of a role model, then certainly it could have been that this education may have been conveyed to humans through an angel or some other mechanism without the intermediation of a human. However, just as education is necessary, so is a role model, and without a role model education is futile. The role model for a human can only be a human. Hence this objection against the prophets arises from a lack of comprehension. 

The second objection is that the followers of a prophet initially are the poor people. The rich who are intoxicated by their wealth and power are least likely to turn to Allah. It is they who are referred to here as أَرَاذِل (the meanest). Thus, they consider wealth and worldly titles as the gauge for nobility and eminence, and those who labor to earn enough to eat appear to them as mean whether they are washermen, barbers, or laborers. In fact, in the eyes of Allah, hard work and labor is the touchstone of human dignity. In some narrations it is stated that those who were with Noah were barbers and cobblers. Jesus by profession was a carpenter. His disciples were fishermen and washermen. This is Allah’s rule that he takes small people to heights of greatness when they follow the teachings of prophets and makes lowly their disobedient arrogant opponents.

Holy Prophet and diligence: The world has not appreciated the value of labor and hard work. Quran has greatly emphasized these traits and the Holy Prophet is a practical example of this behavior. He performed all kinds of tasks including carrying loaded baskets, wielding a pickaxe, milking the goats, mending his clothes, shoes etcetera. He performed these tasks with his own hands so that the world may know that all kinds of honest labor and hard work is commendable. Those people who have ignored this worthy rule have been punished by the birth of Bolshevism.

The third objection is that the prophet and his followers have no eminence or superiority over the objectors. By this they mean worldly eminence and status, although real eminence is that which is born out of high morals and spirituality and which the world can see and acknowledge. Those claimants of civilization who consider Asian men as inferior and lowly, bow their heads before an Asian who was a carpenter by profession and they have gone so far as to deify him. This shows that the real power in the world is that of morality and spirituality.

11-28 He said: O my people, see you if I have with me clear proof from my Lord, and He has granted me mercy from Himself and it has been made obscure to you. Can we compel you to (accept) it while you are averse to it?^a

قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّى وَءَاتَىٰنِى رَحْمَةًۭ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦ فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمْ لَهَا كَـٰرِهُونَ (۲۸)

11-28a: عُمِّيَتْ – It is a combination of the loss of عِمّی which is the physical eyesight and of بصیرت which is insight, discernment, perception and sagacity. There are multiple instances of the use of the derivatives of these two words in the Quran. جَآءَهُ ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ (the blind man came to him) (80:2); here the use is in the first sense, that is the man had physically lost his sight. صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌۭ (Deaf, dumb and blind) (2:18) and فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ (so they became blind and deaf) is the use of the word in the second sense or as an allegory, that is they were not physically blind but could not discern. Both the meanings are put together in: لَا تَعْمَى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعْمَى ٱلْقُلُوبُ (it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts) (22:46). The meaning of عَمِیَ علیه is the matter became doubtful or suspect or that he is اعمٰی (blind) with respect to the matter. This is the sense in which the word is used here. عماء also means cloud and ignorance.

Allah being in the state of عماء: There is a hadith according to which the Holy Prophet was asked: Where was our Lord before He created the heaven and earth? The Holy Prophet replied: عماءٍ تَحتَهٗ عَماءٌ و فَوۡقهٗ عَماءٌ , so this is an indication of a state which is not within human comprehension, and humans cannot have knowledge of it (R).

نلزم – لُزُوم – It mean for a thing to stay for a long period of time (as if it will get attached to the other thing), as in فَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ لِزَامًۢا  (so the punishment will come) (25:77), that is, it will become necessary or will adhere to them. Another example is: وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ (and made them keep the word of observance of duty) (48:26).

In the beginning of this surah, a comparison is made between those seeking this world and those seeking the truth. The former make the life of this world and its provisions their goal while the latter are following the clear guidance of their Lord. This same comparison is now given from the life of prophets, and it is shown that the thing which is a clear testament for a prophet and his followers appears obscure and doubtful to their opponents because their hearts are covered by all kinds of veils of the love for provisions of this world. Because of the rust on their hearts, they cannot see this light which is visible to a person with a pure heart. The mirror of their nature becomes cloudy while the mirror of the nature of a believer is clear.

11-29 And, O my people, I ask you not for wealth (in return) for it. My reward is only with Allah, and I am not going to drive away those who believe. Surely they will meet their Lord, but I see you a people who are ignorant.^a

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِطَارِدِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَـٰكِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُمْ قَوْمًۭا تَجْهَلُونَ (۲۹)

11-29a: There are some common traits among all the prophets. They do not care at all for the life of this world and its fineries, and they seek no reward for their hard work in serving their nation or humanity at large. Another of their outstanding qualities is that they are a perfect role model of sacrifice and selflessness for people. They spend whatever wealth they have in the service of God’s creation, and they have no worry at all about earning wealth. This example is seen at its best in the life of the Holy Prophet and the fact is that in the narration of all prophets the real purpose is to draw attention to the high status of the Holy Prophet from whom the addresses can enlighten themselves. It is true that this is the example of all prophets, namely that they desire no wealth, nor do they have any attachment with materialists and owners of wealth and properties. Their relationship is with those who value character and spirituality. Hence it is stated that those who are about to meet their Lord, that is those who consider the purpose and goal of their life is to prepare to meet their Lord instead of going after wealth and this world, are the ones who deserve to stay in the company of the prophet. How can the prophet turn them away in favor of the worldly people.

11-30 And, O my people, who will help me against Allah, if I drive them away? Will you not then mind?

وَيَـٰقَوْمِ مَن يَنصُرُنِى مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (۳۰)

11-31 And I say not to you that I have the treasures of Allah; and I know not the unseen; nor do I say that I am an angel. Nor do I say about those whom your eyes scorn that Allah will not grant them (any) good — Allah knows best what is in their souls — for then indeed I should be of the wrongdoers.^a

  وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌۭ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِىٓ أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ خَيْرًا ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ  ۖ إِنِّىٓ إِذًۭا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۳۱)

11-31a: تَزْدَرِىٓ – Its root is زری and the meaning of زَرَیۡتُ علیہ is I disparaged him. اِزۡدِراء is باب افتعال (a principle of conjugation of Arabic grammar) where its تا is replaced by دال . The meaning of تَزْدَرِىٓ أَعْيُنُكُمْ is that your eyes blamed them or looked upon them as low or that they appear low to you.

The call of the prophet is above the greed for wealth and rank: These things are narrated so that a person may not accept this teaching under the notion of worldly greed. A prophet does not have in his control wealth and other treasures so that he can enrich his disciples, nor does he claim to know the future so that he can save them from some misfortune, nor does he claim to be an angel so that he is free from human needs. However, because Allah rewards people according to the condition of their hearts, the prophet is hopeful of a good end for the downtrodden and lowly, who are considered by the worldly people as lowly and worthless just because they do not have much in the way of wealth and social status.

11-32 They said: O Noah, indeed thou hast disputed with us and prolonged dispute with us, so bring upon us that which thou threatenest us with, if thou art truthful.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰنُوحُ قَدْ جَـٰدَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَٰلَنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (۳۲)

11-33 He said: Only Allah will bring it on you, if He please, and you will not escape:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ (۳۳)

11-34 And my advice will not profit you, if I intend to give you good advice, if Allah intends to destroy you. He is your Lord; and to Him you will be brought back.^a

وَلَا يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِىٓ إِنْ أَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ ٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ ۚ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (۳۴)

11-34a: يُغْوِيَكُمْ – See 7:16a. A person’s well wishing cannot be of any use to another when the other person has drifted far away pursuing the wrong path and Allah brands him as wayward and passes a decree of punishment. Allah passes this decree only when he sees that a person is not going to reform himself under any circumstance.

11-35 Or say they: He has forged it? Say: If I have forged it, on me is my guilt; and I am free of that of which you are guilty.^a

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ إِنِ ٱفْتَرَيْتُهُۥ فَعَلَىَّ إِجْرَامِى وَأَنَا۠ بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّمَّا تُجْرِمُونَ (۳۵)

11-35a: إِجْرَامِ – جَرۡم means قَطۡع  (cut down) and is spoken for cutting down of a tree. شجرۃ جریمة is a tree that has been cut down. The meaning of اَجۡرَمَ is حانَ جرامُه that is, it is time to cut it. جُرۡم means sin (LA). Giving regard to the essence of the meaning, it appears that جُرۡم is that sin that cuts off, that is it is such a great sin that it causes severance of ties with Allah. This is the reason that إِجْرَامِ and مجرم are words that are used in the Quran for cardinal sins. With reference to the present verse, the meaning of إِجْرَامِى is the sin of making false imputations against Allah, and by تُجْرِمُونَ is meant the sins of the opponents of truth for actions they took to destroy the truth.

The addressee in this verse has been changed and the mention is of the Holy Prophet’s opponents.

11-9 And if We make man taste mercy from Us, then withdraw it from him, he is surely despairing, ungrateful.

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةًۭ ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَـٰهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيَـُٔوسٌۭ كَفُورٌۭ (۹)

11-10 And if We make him taste a favour after distress has afflicted him, he says: The evils are gone away from me. Certainly he is exultant, boastful,^a

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَـٰهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتُ عَنِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَفَرِحٌۭ فَخُورٌ (۱۰)

11-10a: فَرِحٌۭ  – فَرَح is happiness from a short-lived pleasure, that is it is a short burst of joy that dissipates quickly, and that is why it is mostly associated with physical pleasures, as in: وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا۟ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ (nor exult in that which He has given you) (57:23), وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا (And they rejoice in this world’s life) (13:26), and فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ (they exulted in what they had with them of knowledge) (40:83). The meaning of فَرِح is one who derives happiness in this way. There are only two situations where such happiness is allowed: فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا۟ (in that they should rejoice) (10:58), and وَيَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَفْرَحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ (And on that day the believers will rejoice) (30:4). There are two other senses in which فرح is used. One of these is as بَطَر became happy beyond all bounds and swelled with pride, the other is as اَشِرَ that is boasted (LA). For فخور see 4-36b.

Physical pleasure and afflictions: Mention is made of a shallow man of the world. In the first verse, it is stated that if after ease there is some distress, he totally despairs and is ungrateful even for his previous state of ease. If there is ease after affliction, he cannot contain his joy and he boasts, struts and prides himself over others. What is conveyed here is that neither should one despair of the mercy and blessings of Allah as a result of being inflicted with trials and tribulations nor should one exult at their departure. Thus, worldly goods and ease should be considered as temporary and not the real purpose of life. In the next verse, it is revealed that the real thing in human character is patience, and the purpose of life is fulfilled by doing good deeds. Mention is made of those who do good deeds and how they contrast with those who seek the world. 

11-11 Except those who are patient and do good. For them is forgiveness and a great reward.

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَأَجْرٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ (۱۱)

11-12 Then, may it be that thou wilt give up part of what is revealed to thee and thy breast will be straitened by it, because they say: Why has not a treasure been sent down for him or an angel come with him? Thou art only a warner. And Allah is in charge of all things.^a

    فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكٌۢ بَعْضَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَضَآئِقٌۢ بِهِۦ صَدْرُكَ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُۥ مَلَكٌ ۚ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ وَكِيلٌ (۱۲)

11-12a: لَعَلَّكَ تَارِكٌۢ – لعلّ which normally means perhaps or maybe does not stand here for progress but for remoteness, that is, it is impossible that you will do this. In other words, you cannot do this. It is a peculiar use of the word لعلّ . Razi says: you say of a person when you intend to show his remoteness from a thing, “ لَعَلَّكَ (Maybe) you have the power to do such a thing” (Rz). Another view is that it is a rhetorical question with an implied negative. Some have taken the purport to be ترجّی , that is wish or expectation, and have said that this ترجّی is for other people who are addressed, meaning that the disbelievers want or desire that the Holy Prophet may leave out some part of the propagation (RM).

ضَآئِقٌۢ بِهِۦ صَدْرُكَ – See 9-118a. The purport here is to become grief stricken because grief also straitens the breast.

كَنزٌ – It is to accumulate wealth and to safeguard it, as in: وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ (And those who hoard up gold and silver). The meaning of اسم is huge wealth or a treasure (R).

The religious imagination of worldly people is limited to this world and hence they say that if a prophet or moral reformer comes, he should bring a treasure with him although the purpose of his coming is that people should not make the provisions of this world their beloved. So, he comes to reduce the love for wealth. Muslims of today also wish for a reformer who would provide them with worldly goods. The second demand is that he should be accompanied by an angel. In other words, they want to see spirituality in a material form as well. Angels did descend on the Holy Prophet, but one needs different kinds of eyes to see them. These objections grieved the Holy Prophet and so it is stated that there is no cause to grieve because these objections are not going to make him renounce any part of the revelation.

11-13 Or, say they: He has forged it. Say: Then bring ten forged chapters like it, and call upon whom you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.^a

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍۢ مِّثْلِهِۦ مُفْتَرَيَـٰتٍۢ وَٱدْعُوا۟ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ (۱۳)

11-13a: Quran is not forged by humans: Here the challenge is to bring ten chapters that are like the verses of The Quran. This shows that this surah was revealed before Surah Yunus because in Surah Yunus the demand is reduced to just one chapter. Prior to Surah Hud, the challenge in Surah Bani Israel was to bring a book that would be the like of the Quran.

11-14 But if they answer you not, then know that it is revealed by Allah’s knowledge, and that there is no God but He. Will you then submit?^a

فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلْمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (۱۴)

11-14a: The meaning is that those whom you call to help turn you down or do not reply, that is are unable to being ten chapters the like of the Quran. This should make them understand that a work like this is beyond the ability of humans. The term أُنزِلَ بِعِلْمِ ٱللَّه (revealed by Allah’s knowledge) shows that the subjects covered in the Quran are so comprehensive and based on such knowledge that it cannot be part of the human knowledge set. So, the real contest is not just in the fluency of the language but to bring chapters that contain the same kind of knowledge as in the Quran.

11-15 Whoever desires this world’s life and its finery — We repay them their deeds therein, and they are not made to suffer loss in it.

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ (۱۵)

11-16 These are they for whom there is nothing but Fire in the Hereafter. And what they work therein is fruitless and their deeds are vain.^a

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا۟ فِيهَا وَبَـٰطِلٌۭ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ (۱۶)

11-16a: Such is Allah’s law that whatever path a person chooses to follow, he is able to achieve something in it. Those who make this world the purpose of their life are able to get quite a lot of worldly goods but in the final outcome and in the Hereafter, these things do not help at all. The consequence of excessive greed for the world is fire. Such actions are useless and produce no result. This also shows what is meant by حبط اعمال (deeds that are in vain or actions that produce no result). All efforts designed to enhance the ease of this world will be of no use in the next world. This is the حبط  (being in vain) of those actions.

11-17 Is he then (like these) who has with him clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from Him recites it, and before it (is) the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy? These believe in it. And whoever of the parties disbelieves in it, the Fire is his promised place. So be not in doubt about it. Surely it is the truth from thy Lord, but most men believe not.^a

أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌۭ مِّنْهُ وَمِن قَبْلِهِۦ كِتَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامًۭا وَرَحْمَةً ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ فَٱلنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُۥ ۚ فَلَا تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (۱۷)

11-17a: يَتْلُوهُ – تلی means followed him or acted. See Notes 2-44a and 2-121a. This is the sense in which the word is used here یَقۡتدَی به و یعمَلُ  (R).

أَحْزَابِ – It is the plural of حِزۡب and it means a party or group that is strict and intense (R). Examples of the use of حِزۡب in the Quran are: حِزْبُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ (devil’s party) (58:19); حِزْبُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ (Allah’s party) (58:22); أَىُّ ٱلْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓا۟ أَمَدًۭا (which of the two parties was best able to calculate the time for which they remained) (18:12); رَءَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلْأَحْزَابَ (when the believers saw the allies) (33:22).

بَيِّنَةٍۢ is the Quran: In contrast with the seeker of the world and its finery, another party is mentioned whose objective in life is very elevated. أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِ (Is he then who has clear proof from his Lord) is a generic statement and stands for the believer and بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِ is the Quran, which in another place has been referred to as بَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ (clear proofs of the guidance) (2:185), and it is just called ٱلْبَيِّنَة in Sural Al Bayyinah حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ (till clear evidence came to them) (98:1) and ٱلْبَيِّنَة can mean either the Holy Prophet or the Quran. The revelation of every prophet is بَيِّنَة or evidence in his favor as is mentioned further on in this surah in the narration of Noah, Salih etcetera. 

شَاهِدٌۭ مِّنْهُ (witness from Him) is the Holy Prophet who read the Quran and showed the people how to act on it by acting on it himself. شَاهِد and شھید can only be prophets who are sent by Allah.

يَتْلُوهُ can be interpreted in two ways, namely he recites the Quran or he acts on the Quran. The second meaning is preferable because the purpose here is to tell the believer that he has in his hands not just one بَيِّنَة , that is the Quran or light but there is also a perfect role model for him. This role model, by following the بَيِّنَة (the Quran), has clearly demonstrated the path to be followed, and this motivates the believer to act accordingly. There is a stark comparison between the one who seeks the world and derives his strength from worldly wealth and its beauty and the seeker of truth. It is to show this comparison that the last verse of this section states: مَثَلُ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْأَصَمِّ وَٱلْبَصِيرِ وَٱلسَّمِيعِ ۚ (The likeness of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf, and the seer and the hearer).

The statement: مِن قَبْلِهِۦ كِتَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامًۭا وَرَحْمَةً (before it is the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy) is to show that before the Quran, it was the Book of Moses that was followed and it was a blessing. The purpose of this statement is to convey that from time immemorial it is a tradition of Allah to reveal Books in this manner and to make the prophets be the role model for their Book and practices contained therein so that people may not consider this world as the aim and goal of life. This is the reason why all the prophets whose narrations follow address their people and tell them that they are on a بَيِّنَة (Book)from their Lord and a reflection of His blessing.  The revelation of every prophet is a بَيِّنَة in his favor. There is also another purpose in this statement, namely that this بَيِّنَة (that is the Quran) is so clear that the Book of Moses and previous scriptures give testimony to it.

11-18 And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah? These will be brought before their Lord, and the witnesses will say: These are they who lied against their Lord. Now surely the curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers,^a

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْأَشْهَـٰدُ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ أَلَا لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۱۸)

11-18a: This shows that those who forge a lie against Allah are the enemies of the truth. By أَشْهَـٰدُ is meant prophets, as is stated elsewhere: فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍۢ (But how will it be when We gring from every people a witness) (4:41). Their forgery is of two types. First, they stop people from the path of truth and second, they try to create crookedness in the faith, as is made obvious by the next verse.

11-19 Who hinder (men) from the path of Allah and desire to make it crooked. And they are disbelievers in the Hereafter.

ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًۭا وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ (۱۹)

11-20 These will not escape in the earth, nor have they guardians besides Allah. The chastisement will be doubled for them. They could not bear to hear, and they did not see.^a

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۘ يُضَـٰعَفُ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۚ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يُبْصِرُونَ (۲۰)

11-20a: مَا كَانُوا۟ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ٱلسَّمْعَ (They could not bear to hear) – Ibn Abbas narrates its meaning as that the disbelievers could not bear to hear the truth, nor could they bear to see it in a way that would have benefitted them. So they could not find guidance because they remained busy in their disbelief (IJ). It is obvious that when one remains busy day and night in opposing the truth, he loses the ability to listen to the reasonableness in it, and this is what is meant here.

11-21 These are they who have lost their souls, and that which they forged is gone from them.

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ (۲۱)

11-22 Truly in the Hereafter they are the greatest losers.

لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرُونَ (۲۲)

11-23 Surely those who believe and do good and humble themselves before their Lord, these are the owners of the Garden; therein they will abide.^a

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَأَخْبَتُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (۲۳)

11-23a: أَخْبَتُوٓا۟ – Low and soft land is called خَبۡت. Hence the meaning of اِخۡبات is to adopt humility and politeness, and مُخۡبِت is a person who is polite or humble, as in بَشِّرِ ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ (give good news to the humble) (22:34) (R).

11-24 The likeness of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf, and the seer and the hearer. Are they equal in condition? Will you not then mind?

مَثَلُ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْأَصَمِّ وَٱلْبَصِيرِ وَٱلسَّمِيعِ ۚ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (۲۴)

11-24a: Comparison of a man who seeks the world with one who seeks the truth: There is a clear comparison here between a worldly man who considers this world as the objective of life with a person who has understood the real purpose and aim of life. A worldly person’s likeness is that of a blind and dumb person because such a person is blind to the real purpose of life while the likeness of the seeker of truth is that of a person who sees and hears. 

11-1 I, Allah, am the Seer. A Book, whose verses are characterized by wisdom, then they are made plain, from One Wise, Aware:^a

الٓر ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءَايَـٰتُهُۥ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ (۱)

11-1a: أُحْكِمَتْ – One of the meanings of اَحۡکَمَ and حَکَمَ is مَنَعَهٗ عن الفَسادِ (saved it from corruption) and so one of the interpretations here is that the verses are safeguarded from falsity. The meaning of اَحۡکَم الامر is اَتۡقَنَهٗ (strengthened, solidified it) and the meaning of اَحۡکَمۡتهٗ التجارِب is that the life experiences made him wise, that is one having wisdom (LA). It appears that it is in the sense of the last meaning that the word اُحۡکِم is used here because corresponding to أُحْكِمَتْ ءَايَـٰتُهُ (characterized by wisdom) is Allah’s attribute of حَكِيمٍ (Wise) and corresponding to فُصِّلَتْ  (plain) is Allah’s attribute of خَبِيرٍ (Aware).

Necessary knowledge imparted in Quranic rules and derived doctrines: In the first verse of the last chapter the Quran is referred to as ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ (a Book full of wisdom) but in the first verse of this chapter, this is further supplemented by ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ (then they are made plain) possibly to indicate that the same subject in the last chapter is expanded with more details in this chapter. The real purport in the use of the word احکام is that the entire Quran is full of wisdom and its foundation rests on knowledge, and at the same time, all the necessary details are present in it. There is no aspect of human need which is not discussed in it. As stated elsewhere: تِبْيَـٰنًۭا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ (explaining all things) (16:89), which means that its rules are perfect and complete, as too are the doctrines derived from it.

11-2 That you should serve none but Allah. Surely I am to you from Him a warner and a giver of good news.

أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّنِى لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌۭ وَبَشِيرٌۭ (۲)

11-3 And ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him. He will provide you with a goodly provision to an appointed term, and will bestow His grace on every one endowed with grace. And if you turn away, I fear for you the chastisement of a great day.

وَأَنِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَـٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِى فَضْلٍۢ فَضْلَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍۢ كَبِيرٍ (۳)

11-3a: In the first part of the verse, it is stated that a person who asks forgiveness and turns to God does not have to give up this world and in fact gets the good things of this life. In the second part of the verse by ذِى فَضْلٍۢ is meant one who does good deeds abundantly and the personal pronoun in فَضْلَهُ either refers to Allah and the meaning is that Allah gives him out of His grace or it refers to the doer of the good and the meaning is his good works, that is the reward for his good work.

11-4 To Allah is your return, and He is Possessor of power over all things.

إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ (۴)

11-5 Now surely they cover up their breasts to conceal (their enmity) from Him. Now surely, when they put their garments as a covering, He knows what they hide and what they make public. Surely He is Knower of what is in the breasts.^a

أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِيَسْتَخْفُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ أَلَا حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ (۵)

11-5a: يَثْنُونَ – The meaning of ثنَی الشئَ is to to double one part over the other or to fold. Another meaning is to twist or turn. The meaning of يَثْنُونَ صدورھم is to show their love and it also means to conceal malice in their breast (LA). Mujahid has interpreted its meaning as suspicion and enmity (IJ), or the purport is eschewing the truth because when a person takes a thing, his chest is pointing towards the front and the one who eschews a thing turns his back to it (RM).

يَسْتَخْفُوا۟ مِنْهُ – The personal pronoun in it stands for Allah and the purport is that they want to hide from Allah their enmity with truth.

يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ – It means to wrap the clothes, and the meaning is either that they wrap their clothes over their ears, that is they eschew hearing the truth or it is a metaphor for running away just as شَمَّرَ ذیۡلاً and القیٰ ثَوۡبَهٗ are also metaphors for running away (R), as in: وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ (And whenever I call to them that Thou mayest forgive them, they thrust their fingers in their ears and cover themselves with their garments) (71:7). These are the two possible meanings here. The interpretation made by some people that they wrap themselves at the time of sleeping (RM) is not applicable here, or the meaning could be simply that they hide themselves.

11-6 And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, and He knows its resting-place and its depository. All is in a clear record.

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّۭ فِى كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ (۶)

11-6a: For the meaning of دَآبَّةٍۢ see 2-164a, and for the meaning of مُسْتَقَرّ and مُسْتَوْدَعَ see 6-98a.

The meaning of on Allah is the sustenance of it is that Allah has created all kinds of things for sustenance. The meaning is not that a person should not have any concern for his livelihood or sustenance. The purport of this verse is like verse 11:3, that is that by turning to Allah one is not deprived of worldly goods. One can earn sustenance having any kind of moral condition and sustenance does not cease just because a person turns good. This revelation is taking place when the disbelievers were subjecting Muslims to all kinds of cruelty and a little before this revelation, they had besieged the Muslims in Sheeb Abi Talib and prevented any provisions from reaching them. In the previous verse, the enmity of the disbelievers is mentioned, and so in this verse the Muslims are comforted that the disbelievers cannot seize the sustenance from them. This verse certainly does not mean that one should just sit at home with the hope that sustenance will be delivered. To interpret it as such is erroneous. Every animal ventures forth in search of their sustenance from the ants to the birds. Allah of course has created provisions for them and also for humans. The reference here is to دَآبَّةٍۢ that is for animates. The difference between animate and inanimate objects, like vegetation, is that animates have to find their sustenance from the things created by Allah because Allah has enabled them to move around while vegetation etcetera finds its sustenance in the place where they are. There is an indication in the statement at the end of the verse that He knows its resting place and its depository to the two lives which is further elucidated in the next verse.

11-7 And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods; and His Throne of Power is ever on water that He might manifest (the good qualities in) you, whoever of you is best in deeds. And if thou sayest, You shall surely be raised up after death, those who disbelieve say: This is nothing but clear deceit.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۗ وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ (۷)

11-7a: For the creation of heaven and earth in six periods see 7-54a. Ibn Jarir has narrated from Dahak and Kaab that the period referenced in this verse was of a thousand years but the reality is, as mentioned in the referenced note, that the six periods are actually six conditions and only Allah knows the duration that passed between one stage and the next.

وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْمَآءِ – For the meaning of عرش see 7-54b. Commentators have taken this to mean that prior to creation, Allah’s Throne of Power was on water. A hadith in Muslim states: کان اللّٰه تعالیٰ و لم یکن معه شئ و کان عرشه علی الماء and in its interpretation Ibn al Kamal writes that by عرش is meant Allah’s Self-Subsistence and مَآءِ indicates the attribute of Living (RM). As far as عرش is concerned, it has been shown with authentic arguments in 7-54b that, just as by کرسی is meant knowledge, by عرش is meant Divine power. So, what is meant by عرش or the enforcement of Divine power being on water? In another place in the Quran, it is stated: وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ (We made from water everything living) (21:30). In the previous verse, there is a mention of دَآبَّةٍۢ (animals). So, an ordered system requires that a mention of the creation of heavens and earth also have a mention of the creation of animals. So, from this an indication is made of human life and it is stated لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا (He might manifest (the good qualities in) you, whoever of you is best in deeds). Some commentators have taken this to ordain: وخلقکم لیبلوکم that is, the purpose of your creation is to manifest which of you does good actions. So, the indication in وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْمَآءِ is to the start of human life. It is now established in the scientific community that life began from water. The real purport here is to show that He who created life by such a fine mechanism will raise you again after death. Why then is there so much amazement at the disclosure that there will be a second life that the disbelievers say this is clear deceit. Here it is not some enchantment that is called سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ but it is the statement that people will be raised after death which is called سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ, by which is meant that this is clear deceit because how can it be so.

11-8 And if We delay for them the chastisement for a stated period, they will certainly say: What prevents it? Now surely on the day when it will come to them, it will not be averted from them, and that which they scoffed at will beset them.^a

وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍۢ مَّعْدُودَةٍۢ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ (۸)

11-8a: أُمَّةٍۢ – See 2-128a for its meaning. Apart from the meaning mentioned therein, this word is used in several other senses as well and one of its meanings is time (LA). Thus, it is the period of existence of a nation or group (IJ). This is the meaning here. Some commentators have taken أُمَّةٍۢ مَّعْدُودَةٍۢ  to be a group of people, that is the chastisement is postponed from one group until another group takes its place but such transference of punishment is against the laws of Allah.

By chastisement here is clearly meant the chastisement of this world. Some have stated it to be the chastisement of the disbelievers at the battle of Badr but the purport is all that befell the disbelievers.