15:1. Alif. Lam. Ra’.^{1Groups of letters (al-huroof al-muqatta‘ah) appear at the beginning of several chapters. The most correct scholarly view states that we are required to believe in them as they appear to be, without delving into their meaning, knowledge of which we should leave to Allah. We believe that they were not revealed in vain, and that there is wisdom behind them of which we are not aware.} These are verses of the Book and a clear Qur’an.

15:2. There will come a time when those who disbelieve will wish that they had been Muslims.

15:3. Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves, and let [false] hope divert them. They will come to know.

15:4. We never destroyed any city but its appointed time had previously been decreed.

15:5. No nation can bring its appointed time forward, nor can they delay it.

Here Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says, speaking highly of His Book and praising it: ﴾These are verses of the Book﴿, verses that point to the best of meanings and the most sublime of aims and goals fjand a clear Qur’an﴿) that explains real facts in the best and clearest of phrases, in the most straightforward manner. This dictates that all people should follow it, accept its rulings and receive it with approval, joy and happiness.

As for those who respond to this immense blessing by rejecting it and disbelieving in it, they are among the disbelievers who have gone astray; for them there will come a time when they will wish that they had been Muslims, that is, that they had followed its rulings. That will be when the veil is removed and the first signs of the hereafter and the precursors of death begin to appear. At every stage of the hereafter, they will wish that they had been Muslims, but the time for that will have passed; however in this world they are deceived.

﴾Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves﴿) and enjoy their pleasures ﴾fand let [false] hope divert them﴿) that is, they hope to live for a long time in this world, and that distracts them from the hereafter ﴾They will come to know﴿) that what they are following is false, and that their deeds increase them in loss. So they should not be deceived by the fact that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is giving them respite, for this is His way with all nations.

﴾We never destroyed any city﴿ that deserved punishment ﴾but its appointed time﴿) for its destruction ﴾had previously been decreed﴿.

﴾No nation can bring its appointed time forward, nor can they delay it﴿ nevertheless, the consequences of sin will inevitably catch up with the sinner, even if that is at a later stage.

15:6. They say: O you to whom the Reminder [the Qur’an] has been sent down, you are surely insane!

15:7. Why do you not bring the angels to us, if you are telling the truth?

15:8. We do not send down the angels except for just cause, and then in that case, they [the disbelievers] would have no respite.

15:9. Verily it is We Who have sent down the Reminder [the Qur’an], and verily it is We Who will preserve it.

The disbelievers said to Muhammad (ﷺ) by way of mockery: ﴾0 you to whom the Reminder [the Qur’an] has been sent down﴿, or so you claim

﴾you are surely insane! ﴿ If you think that we will follow you and give up what we found our forefathers following, just because you say so.

﴾Why do you not bring the angels to us﴿ to testify that the message that you bring is sound

﴾fif you are telling the truth﴿. As you have not brought the angels, then you are not telling the truth. This was the ultimate unfairness and ignorance.

As for being unfair, that is obvious, because this was insolence towards Allah and stubbornness in demanding specific signs thatHe had not chosen to send, because the aim was achieved and proof was established by means of many other signs that pointed to the soundness of the message He brought. As for ignorance, they could not differentiate between that which was in their best interests and that which was detrimental to their interests. There was nothing good for them in the angels coming down; rather Allah does not send down the angels except for just cause, after which there is no respite for anyone who does not follow the truth or submit to it.

﴾and then in that case﴿ that is, when the angels were sent down, if they had not believed - and they will never believe - ﴾they [the disbelievers] would have no respite﴿. So their demand for the angels to be sent down is hastening their own doom and destruction, for faith is not under their control; rather it is in the Hand of Allah. ﴾Even if We did send angels down to them, and the dead spoke to them, and We gathered together all things before them [to testify to the truth], they still would not believe, unless Allah willed it. But most of them are ignorant [of this fact].﴿ (al-An‘dm 6. Ill)

This Qur’an would be sufficient sign for them, if they were sincere. Hence Allah says here:

﴾Verily it is We Who have sent down the Reminder [the Qur’an]﴿ in which there is a reminder of all things, and clear proof, by means of which a person will be reminded if he wants to be reminded. ﴾fand verily it is We Who will preserve it﴿ at the time of revelation and after its revelation. At the time of revelation, Allah protected it from the tampering of any accursed devil, and after revelation Allah deposited it in the heart of His Messenger where it took root, then it was deposited in the hearts of his Ummah. Allah protected its words from being changed and from anything being added or subtracted, and He protected its meanings from alteration. So no one can distort any of its meanings but Allah will inspire scholars who will highlight the true meaning. This is one of the greatest signs of Allah, and one of His blessings to His believing slaves. Anotherway in which Allah protects it is that He protected people from their enemies, and no enemy will be given the upper hand in such a way that he will eradicate them.

15:10. Indeed We sent Messengers before you among the communities of old.

15:11. No Messenger came to them but they ridiculed him.

15:12. Thus we let it [disbelief] enter the hearts of the evildoers.

15:13. They will not believe in it [the Qur’an], although the precedent of the earlier peoples is well established.

Here Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said to His Prophet (ﷺ), when the polytheists disbelieved in him: This was the pattern with past nations and communities.

﴾Indeed We sent Messengers before you among the communities of old﴿ that is, to past nations and groups.

﴾No Messenger came to them﴿, calling them to true guidance ﴾but they ridiculed him﴿.

﴾Thus we let it [disbelief] enter the hearts of the evildoers﴿ that is, those whose characteristics were wrongdoing and telling lies; We punished them when their hearts were equally filled with disbelief and their attitudes towards their Prophets and Messengers became similar in terms of mockery, ridicule and lack of faith. Hence Allah says: ﴾They will not believe in it [the Qur’an], although the precedent of the earlier peoples is well established﴿ that is, this is the way ofAllah with them, to destroy those who do not believe in the revelations of Allah.

15:14. Even if a gate in heaven was opened to them, and they began to ascend through it,

15:15. They would still say: Our eyes are befuddled; indeed we have been bewilched!

That is, even if every great sign came to them, they would not believe and they would arrogantly reject it.

﴾Even if a gate in heaven was opened to them﴿ and they began to ascend through it, and they saw with their own eyes, they would still say, because of their wrongdoing and stubbornness, denying this sign: ﴾Our eyes are befuddled﴿ that is, they have become intoxicated and confused, so that we see things that are not real, ﴾indeed we have been bewitched!﴿ That is, this is not real; rather it is magic. When people reach such a level of denial, there is no hope for them whatsoever.

Then Allah mentions the signs that point to the truth that the Messengers brought:

15:16. We have placed big stars in the heaven, and made it lovely to behold.

15:17. And We have guarded it from every accursed devil.

15:18. But if any of them manages to eavesdrop, he is pursued by a clearly visible flame.

15:19. And the earth We have spread out, and set therein mountains standing firm, and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion.

15:20. And We have appointed means of livelihood therein for you and for those for whom you are not the providers.

Here Allah points out the perfect nature of His power and His mercy towards His creation:

﴾We have placed big stars in the heaven﴿ that is, the great stars by means of which people navigate in darkness on land and sea ﴾and made it lovely to behold﴿ - if it were not for the stars, the sky would not have this beautiful and amazing appearance. This calls the onlooker to reflect upon it, contemplate its significance, and see the indications of its Creator.

﴾f And We have guarded it from every accursed devil﴿ - when a devil tries to eavesdrop, he is pursued by a shooting flame. Thus the heaven remains outwardly beautified with bright stars and is invisibly guarded and protected from troubles.

﴾But if any of them manages to eavesdrop﴿ - on some occasions, some of the devils may manage to covertly eavesdrop on heaven and snatch some news

﴾fhe is pursued by a clearly visible flame﴿ that is, a flame that is bright and clear, which kills him or stuns him.

Sometimes the flame may strike him before that devil can convey the news to his familiar, so the news of heaven is prevented from reaching the earth, and sometimes he throws it to his familiar before the flame strikes him, and his familiar then takes it and adds one hundred lies to it, and he uses that word that was heard from heaven to prove himself.

﴾And the earth We have spread out﴿ that is, We have made it spacious and have made both humans and animals able to move about, seeking their provision and settling in various spots.

﴾fand set therein mountains standing firm﴿ that is, huge mountains that protect the earth, by Allah’s leave, from moving; they make it firm so that it does not shift.

﴾and caused to grow therein all kinds of things in due proportion﴿ that is, things that are of benefit and have value, that people need, such as palm trees, grapevines, different kinds of trees and all types of plants.

﴾And We have appointed means of livelihood therein for you﴿ such as crops and livestock, and all kinds of professions and crafts, ﴾and for those for whom you are not the providers﴿ that is, We have blessed you with male and female slaves, and livestock, for your benefit and best interests. You are not the providers; rather Allah has made them subject to you and has guaranteed their provision.

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15:21. And there is not a thing but its sources are under Our control, and We send it down only in a predetermined measure.

That is, no one has any control over any kind of provision except Allah. Its sources are in His Hand; He gives to whomever He willand He withholds from whomever He will, according to His all-encompassing wisdom and mercy.

﴾and We send it down﴿ that is, whatever is preordained of all things, rain and otherwise

﴾only in a predetermined measure﴿ so it is never more or less than what Allah has decreed.

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15:22. And We send the fecundating winds and bring down rain from the sky, thus providing you with water; you are not in control of its sources.

That is, We have made the winds to be of service, winds of mercy that fecundate the clouds as the male fecundates the female, resulting in rain by Allah’s leave, which Allah gives to people to drink, water their flocks and irrigate their land, and it remains stored in the land for their needs, in accordance with His decree and mercy.

﴾you are not in control of its sources﴿ that is, you have no power to store and save it; rather Allah stores it for you and causes it to flow from springs in the land, out of mercy and kindness towards you.

15:23. Verily it is We Who give life and cause death, and We are of [all things] heirs.

15:24. Well do We know those of you who have gone before and those who are yet to come.

15:25. Verily it is your Lord Who will gather them together; verily He is Most Wise, All-Knowing.

That is, He alone, with no partner or associate, is the One Who gives life and creates things from nothing, after they were nothing worth mentioning, and causes them to die at the time He has decreed. ﴾and We are of [all things] heirs﴿. This is like the verse in which Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

﴾Verily, it is We Who will inherit the earth and all who are upon it, and to Us they will be brought back.﴿ (Maryam 19 40)

That is not difficult or impossible for Allah, for He knows the earlier and later generations of humankind, and He knows what the earth consumes of them (cf 50:4) and what is scattered of their bodies. He is the One Whose power cannot be frustrated by anyone, and He will recreate His slaves and gather them to Him.

﴾verily He is Most Wise, All-Knowing﴿ He does what is appropriate and will requite each person for his deeds; if they were good then the outcome will be good, and if they were bad then the outcome will be bad.

15:26. Indeed We created man from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shape.

15:27. And the jinn We created before that, from intensely hot fire.

15:28. And [remember] when your Lord said to the angels: Verily I am going to create a human being from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shape.

15:29. So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him the soul which I created for him, fall down in prostration before him.

15:30. Thereupon, the angels all fell down in prostration,

15:31. Except Iblees; he refused to be among those who prostrated.

15:32. Allah said: O Iblees, what is the matter with you, that you were not among those who prostrated?

15:33. Iblees said: I am not one to prostrate to a human being whom You created from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shape.

15:34. Allah said: Then get out of here, for you are accursed,

15:35. And verily the curse will be upon you until the Day of Judgement.

15:36. Iblees said: O my Lord, grant me respite until the day they are resurrected.

15:37. Allah said: You are among those who are granted respite,

15:38. Until the day of the time appointed.

15:39. Iblees said: My Lord, because You have caused me to be misguided, I will certainly make [evil] fair-seeming to them on earth, and I will certainly mislead them all,

15:40. Except Your chosen [and sincere] slaves among them.

15:41. Allah said: This [the way of My chosen (and sincere) slaves] is a path which will lead straight to Me.

15:42. Verily you will have no power over My slaves, except those misguided ones who choose to follow you.

15:43. And verily, hell is the promised destiny for them all.

15:44. It has seven gates, each gate having its allotted share of them.

Here Allah mentions the blessings that He bestowed upon our father Adam (عليه السلام) and what happened with his enemy Iblees, including the warning to us of his evil and temptation.

﴾Indeed We created man﴿ that is, Adam (عليه السلام) ﴾from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shaped that is, clay that has dried after fermenting, until it makes a sound. Black mud moulded into shape is mud that has changed in colour and odour, and has been left alone for a long time.

﴾And the jinn﴿s> here the word is taken as referring to the father of the jinn, namely Iblees

﴾We created before that﴿ before the creation of Adam ﴾from intensely hot fire﴿.

When Allah wanted to create Adam, He said to the angels: ﴾Verily I am going to create a human being from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shape. So when I have fashioned him﴿ that is, shaped his body completely ffand breathed into him the soul which I created for him, fall down in prostration before him﴿ - and they obeyed the command of their Lord.

﴾Thereupon, the angels all fell down in prostration﴿. This is affirmation after affirmation, to highlight the fact that not one ofthem disobeyed, out of respect for the command of Allah and in order to honour Adam, for he knew what they did not know.

﴾Except Iblees; he refused to be among those who prostrated﴿. This was the beginning of his enmity towards Adam and his offspring.

﴾Allah said: O Iblees, what is the matter with you, that you were not among those who prostrated? Iblees said: I am not one to prostrate to a human being whom You created from sounding clay, made from black mud moulded into shaped He was too arrogant to obey the command of Allah, and he expressed enmity towards Adam and his offspring, for he was too proud of his race and said: I am better than Adam.

﴾Allah said﴿, punishing him for his rejection of the command and his arrogance:

t﴾Then get out of here, for you are accursed﴿ that is, condemned, shamed and cast far away from the mercy of Allah ﴾until the Day of Judgement﴿. This and similar verses indicate that he will persist in his disbelief and continue to be far away from goodness.

﴾Iblees said: O my Lord, grant me respite until the day they are resurrected. Allah said: You are among those who are granted respite, until the day of the time appointed﴿. The divine response to his supplication was not an honour in his case; rather it was a test and trial from Allah for him and for people, so that it might become clear who will be sincere and obey his Lord instead of his enemy, and who will not be like that. Hence Allah warned us against him in the strongest terms and explained to us what He wants from us.

﴾Iblees said: My Lord, because You have caused me to be misguided, I will certainly make [evil] fair-seeming to them on earth﴿ that is, I shall make this world fair-seeming to them and call them to give it precedence over the hereafter, so that they will commit all types of sins.

﴾and I will certainly mislead them all﴿ that is, I shall bar them all from the straight path﴾Except Your chosen [and sincere] slaves among them﴿ that is, those whom You choose and select for their sincerity, faith and trust in You.

﴾Allah said: This [the way of My chosen (and sincere) slaves] is a path which will lead straight to Me﴿ it is straightforward and leads to Me and to My paradise.

﴾Verily you will have no power over My slaves﴿ to make them incline towards whatever you want of all types of misguidance; because of their true servitude to their Lord and compliance with His commands, Allah will help them and protect them from the Shaytan.

﴾except those misguided ones﴿ - the word translated here as ﴾misguided﴿ is the opposite of rightly guided; it refers to one who knows the truth but shuns it. There are two types of misguided people, those who know the truth but shun it and those who go astray because they are not aware of the truth.

﴾who choose to follow you﴿ and are content to be your allies and obedient to you instead of being obedient to the Most Gracious.

﴾And verily, hell is the promised destiny for them all﴿ that is, for Iblees and his troops.

﴾It has seven gates﴿, each gate lower than another.

﴾each gate having its allotted share of them﴿ that is, of the followers of Iblees, according to their deeds. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says elsewhere:

﴾(Then they will be thrown headlong into hell, both they [the false gods] and those who went astray.﴿ (ash-Shu'ard'26: 94)

Having mentioned what He has prepared of torment and severe punishment for His enemies, the followers of Iblees, Allah then tells us what He has prepared for His close friends of great reward and eternal bliss:

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15:45. Verily the righteous will be amidst gardens and springs.

15:46. [It will be said to them:] Enter here in peace and security.

15:47. We will remove all ill feelings from their hearts; they will be like brethren seated on couches facing one another.

15:48. There no fatigue will touch them, nor will they [ever] be made to leave.

15:49. Tell My slaves that I am indeed the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15:50. And that My punishment is indeed the painful punishment.

﴾Verily the righteous﴿ who kept away from obeying the Shaytan and from all that he called them to of sin and evil ﴾will be amidst gardens and springs﴿ that contain all kinds of trees bearing all kinds of delicious fruit that are ready to eat at all times.

It will be said to them when they enter it: ﴾Enter here in peace and security﴿, for there will be no death, sleep, toil, tiredness, or cessation of joy and bliss that will never decrease, and there will be no sickness, grief, worry or any other ills.

﴾We will remove all ill feelings from their hearts﴿, so their hearts will remain free of any resentment or envy, and they will be pure and filled with mutual love.

﴾they will be like brethren seated on couches facing one another﴿ - this indicates that they will visit one another and gather together, with good etiquette among them, as they will all face one another, with no one turning his back on anyone; they will recline on those couches that are adorned with pearls and all kinds of gems.

﴾There no fatigue will touch them﴿ either visibly or invisibly, because Allah will create them anew and give them a perfect life in which they will not be vulnerable to any ills.﴾nor will they [ever] be made to leave﴿ at any time.

Having mentioned both encouragement and warning by describing what He has created in paradise and hell, Allah then tells us of His divine attributes that will help one attain paradise:

﴾Tell My slaves'﴿ that is, inform them in definitive terms, supported by evidence

﴾that I am indeed the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful﴿ for if they understand the perfect nature of His mercy and forgiveness, they will strive hard, taking all measures that could lead them to attain His mercy, and they will give up sin and repent therefrom, so that they may attain His forgiveness.

However, hope should not let them get carried away and feel safe and secure from punishment, so tell them: ﴾that My punishment is indeed the painful punishment﴿ that is, in fact there is no punishment except the punishment of Allah, of which no one could estimate the severity or understand the nature thereof. We seek refuge with Him from His punishment. If they knew that:

﴾.. .None can punish as He will punish on that day, and none can bind as He will bind.p (al-Fajr89 25-26)

they would be careful and would keep away from anything that could bring this punishment upon them. So the individual’s heart should always be between fear and hope; when he thinks of the mercy, forgiveness, generosity and kindness of his Lord, that fills him with hope, but when he thinks of his sins and shortcomings with regard to his duties towards his Lord, that instils fear in him and makes him give up his sin.

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15:51. Tell them about the guests of Ibraheem,

15:52. When they came to him and said: Peace. He said: Truly we are afraid of you.

15:53. They said: Do not be afraid; we bring you glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge.

15:54. He said: Do you bring me glad tidings when old age has overtaken me? What kind of glad tidings are you bringing me?

15:55. They said: We give you glad tidings in truth; so do not despair.

15:56. Ibraheem said: Who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who go astray?

Here Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says to His Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ):

﴾Tell them about the guests of Ibraheem﴿that is, tell them about that amazing story, for in your telling them the stories of the Messengers and what happened to them there are lessons for them and examples for them to follow, especially Ibraheem al-Khaleel (the close friend of Allah), whose path Allah has instructed us to follow. His guests were the noble angels; Allah honoured him by making them his guests.

﴾When they came to him and said: Peace﴿ that is, they greeted him with salam and he returned the greeting. ﴾He said: Truly we are afraid of you﴿ that is, scared. That was because, when they entered upon him, he thought that they were guests, so he rushed to offer them food and he hastened to bring them a roasted calf. But when he saw that their hands did not reach out towards it, he had misgivings about them and conceived a fear of them (11: 70), and thought that they might be thieves and the like.

﴾They said)* to him: ﴾Do not be afraid; we bring you glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge﴿ namely Is-haq (عليه السلام). This goodnews implied that the child would be a male, not a female, ﴾endowed with knowledge﴿ means one who possesses a great deal of knowledge. Elsewhere, Allah says:

t)We gave him the glad tidings of Is-haq, a Prophet, one of the righteous.﴿ (as-Ṣaffat 37: 112)

Ibraheem said, in amazement at this good news: ﴾Do you bring me glad tidings﴿ of a child ﴾when old age has overtaken me?﴿ This is indicative of a kind of despair of ever having a child. ﴾What kind of glad tidings are you bringing me?﴿ That is, on what basis are you giving me this good news, when there is no possible means of it happening?

e﴾They said: We give you glad tidings in truth﴿ of which there can be no doubt, because Allah is able to do all things, and you in particular - O people of this household - are people upon whom Allah has bestowed His mercy and blessings, so it is no wonder that Allah should bestow His favour and kindness upon you.

﴾so do not despair﴿ or be among those who do not expect any good to happen; rather keep hoping for the generosity, kindness, grace and favour of Allah. Ibraheem responded to them by saying:

t'fWho despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who go astray?﴿ that is, those who have no knowledge of their Lord and His perfect power. As for the one whom Allah has blessed with guidance and great knowledge, there is no way he can despair because he knows that there are many ways and means for the mercy of Allah to reach him. When they had given him this good news, he realised that they had been sent on an important mission.V^#S©

15:57. Ibraheem said: Then what is your business, O messengers?

15:58. They said: We have been sent to a wicked people [who are to be destroyed],

15:59. except the household of Loot; we will save them all,

15:60. except his wife. We decreed that she should be one of those who stayed behind.

15:61. When the messengers came to the household of Loot,

15:62. He said: You are strangers [to me],

15:63. They said: We have come to you with that [the punishment] concerning which they had doubts.

15:64. We have brought to you that which is inevitably due [the punishment], and indeed we are telling the truth.

15:65. So depart with your family in the dead of night, with yourself bringing up the rear. Let no one among you look back, but go on to where you are commanded.

15:66. We made this decree known to him, that the last remnants of those [sinners] would be wiped out by the morning.

15:67. The people of the city came, exulting at the news [of the arrival of those young men].

15:68. Loot said: These are my guests, so do not put me to shame.

15:69. Fear Allah, and do not disgrace me.

15:70. They said: Did we not forbid you to offer hospitality to anyone?

15:71. Loot said: Here are my daughters [to marry],^{1What is meant by ((my daughters)) is “the daughters of my nation”. Loot was urging his people to give up their immoral ways and marry women in a lawful and pure manner.} if you must.

15:72. By your life. [O Muhammad,] they were wandering blindly in their lustful frenzy.

15:73. So the blast overtook them at sunrise,

15:74. And We turned [their city] upside down and let loose upon them a shower of stones of baked clay.

15:75. Surely in that there are signs for the discerning.

15:76. And it [the city] is on a road that is still travelled.

15:77. Surely in that there is a sign for the believers.

﴾Ibraheem said﴿ to the angels

﴾Then what is your business, O messengers?﴿ That is, for what purpose have you been sent?

﴾They said: We have been sent to a wicked people﴿ that is, people who have committed a great deal of evil and whose evil has become widespread; we have been sent to punish them ﴾except the household of Loot﴿ that is, except Loot and his family ﴾except his wife. We decreed that she should be one of those who stayed behind﴿ that is, those who will remain and be punished; as for Loot, We will bring him and his family forth, and save him from the punishment. Ibraheem began to argue with the messengers about destroying them, and he pleaded with them, but it was said to him:

﴾O Ibraheem, cease your pleading, for verily the decree of your Lord has gone forth; verily there is coming to them a punishment that cannot be averted.﴿ (Hood 11. 76)

Then the angels departed.

﴾When the messengers came to the household of Loot, he said﴿ that is, Loot said to them: ﴾You are strangers [to me]﴿ that is, I do not recognise you and I do not know who you are.

﴾They said: We have come to you with that [the punishment] concerning which they had doubts]J that is, we have come to you with the punishment that they doubted and they disbelieved you when you warned them about it.

﴾We have brought to you that which is inevitably due [the punishment]﴿ and it is not a joke

﴾and indeed we are telling the truth﴿ in what we say to you.

﴾So depart with your family in the dead of night﴿ that is, during the night when people are asleep and no one will know of your departure ﴾Let no one among you look back﴿; rather hasten and hurry ﴾but go on to where you are commanded﴿ - it was as if they had a guide to show them the way in which they should go.

?[We made this decree known to him﴿ that is. We told him in definitive terms

﴾that the last remnants of those [sinners] would be wiped out by the morning﴿ that is, the punishment would come upon them in the morning and would overwhelm them and eradicate them.

﴾The people of the city earned that is, the city in which Loot was living

﴾exulting at the news [of the arrival of those young men]﴿ that is, telling one another the good news of the guests of Loot and how handsome they were, because they had the power to overwhelm them and they had the intention of committing evil deeds with them. So they came to the house of Loot and started to argue with him about his guests, and Loot sought refuge with Allah from them and said:

﴾These are my guests, so do not put me to shame. Fear Allah, and do not disgrace me﴿ that is, remember first of all that Allah iswatching, and if you have no fear of Allah, then at least do not put me to shame with regard to my guests and transgress against them in this abhorrent manner.

﴾They said﴿ in response to his pleas, and only answering his request not to disgrace him: ﴾Did we not forbid you to offer hospitality to anyone?﴿ That is, we warned you not to do that, and whoever has received the warning is left with no excuse.

﴾Loot said﴿ to them, because of the tremendous pressure he felt he was under:

﴾Here are my daughters [to marry], if you must﴿. But they paid no attention to his words, hence Allah said to His Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ):

﴾By your life, [O Muhammad,] they were wandering blindly in their lustful frenzy﴿. This frenzy resulted from their love of committing evil and they did not care about anyone who tried to stop them or who blamed them.

When the messengers explained the situation to Loot, his anxiety and distress dissipated, and he obeyed the command of his Lord by taking his family and departing at night, so they were saved.

As for the people of the city, ﴾the blast overtook them at sunrise﴿, which was a time when the punishment would be more severe.

﴾And We turned [their city] upside down﴿ on them ﴾and let loose upon them a shower of stones of baked clay﴿ which even went after some who were alone in some part of the city.

﴾Surely in that there are signs for the discerning﴿ that is, those who reflect and ponder and who have insight, for they will understand the point of this story, which is that anyone who has the audacity to disobey Allah, especially by committing this grave evil deed, will be punished by Allah in the worst way, as in the story of these people who dared to commit the most abhorrent of evil deeds.

﴾And it﴿ that is, the city of the people of Loot﴾is on a road that is still travelled﴿ and it is known to the travellers who pass by that land.

﴾Surely in that there is a sign for the believers﴿.

One of the lessons that we learn from this story is that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) cared for His close friend Ibraheem (عليه السلام), for Loot was one of his followers and those who believed in him, so it was as if he was a student of his. When Allah wanted to destroy the people of Loot, as they deserved that punishment. He commanded His messengers to pass by Ibraheem (عليه السلام) so that they might give him the glad tidings of a son and tell him the purpose for which they had been sent; he argued with them about destroying those people, until the angels convinced him and he felt at ease with it.

Similarly in the case of Loot (عليه السلام) because they were his fellow countrymen, perhaps he was seized with pity and compassion for them, so Allah decreed that events should take place by means of which he would become angry and upset with them, to the point that he could not wait for their punishment to come, when it was said to him: ﴾...Verily, their appointed time is the morning; is not the morning

When Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) willed to destroy a city, their evil and transgression increased, and when it reached an ultimate level the punishments that they deserved befell them.

15:78. And the dwellers of the Wood were also wrongdoers;

15:79. So We exacted retribution upon them. They are both on a well-known highway.

They were the people of ShiTayb. Allah described them as the dwellers of the Wood, which was an area with a lot of trees, as a reminder of His blessings to them and that they did not show gratitude; rather their Prophet Shu‘ayb came to them and called them to affirm the oneness of Allah and to stop wronging people with regard to weights and measures, and he tried very hard to persuade them. But they persisted in their wrongdoing with regard to the rights of their Creator and the rights of other people, therefore Allah described them as wrongdoers.

﴾So We exacted retribution upon them﴿ and the punishment of the day of overshadowing gloom overtook them; surely it was the punishment of a terrible day (cf. 26: 189).

﴾They are both﴿ that is, the lands of the people of Loot and of the dwellers of the Wood ﴾on a well-known highway﴿ that is, on a clear highway on which travellers pass by them all the time, and their ruins can be seen; thus people of understanding learn a lesson from that.

15:80. The people of al-Hijr also rejected the Messengers.

15:81. We sent them Our signs, but they persisted in turning away from them.

15:82. They carved out dwellings in the mountains, feeling secure.

15:83. So the blast overtook them in the morning.

15:84. And of no avail to them was all that they had acquired.

Here Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) tells us about the people of al-Hijr, who were the people of Ṣalili who lived in al-Hijr, the well-known rocky tract in the land of Hejaz. They disbelieved in the Messengers; that is, they disbelieved in Salih, and whoever disbelieves in one Messenger has disbelieved in all the Messengers, for their call is one and when one of them is rejected, it is not because of his character; rather it is because of what he brought of truth that all the Messengers brought.

﴾jWe sent them Our signs j﴿ that pointed to the soundness of the message of truth that Salih brought. One of these signs was the she-camel, which was one of the great signs of Allah.

﴾but they persisted in turning away from them﴿ out of arrogance and insolence towards Allah.

One of the many blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them was that ﴾They carved out dwellings in the mountains, feeling secure﴿, from fear and they felt at ease in their lands. If they had been grateful for that blessing and had believed in their Prophet Salih (عليه السلام) Allah would have granted them abundant provision and honoured them with all kinds of reward in this world and the hereafter. But - when they disbelieved and hamstrung the she-camel, and they rebelled against the command of their Lord and said:

﴾...0 Sal'h, bring us that with which you are threatening us, if you are indeed one of the Messengers [of Allah]!﴿ (al-A‘ra/7: 77)

- then ﴾the blast overtook them in the morning﴿ and tore their hearts from their chests, and morning found them lying lifeless in their homes, along with what accompanied that of ongoing disgrace and curses.

﴾And of no avail to them was all that they had acquired﴿ because when the decree of Allah comes to pass, it cannot be put back by numbers of troops or strength of supporters or abundance of wealth.

15:85. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except for a true purpose. And, verily, the Hour is surely coming, so [O Muhammad] bear with them graciously.

15:86. Verily your Lord is the Creator of all, the All-Knowing.

That is, We did not create them in vain for any false purpose, as the enemies of Allah think; rather We only created them ﴾for a true purpose﴿, part of which was that they, along with all that they contain, should point to the perfection and power of their Creator, and the vastness of His mercy and wisdom, and His all-encompassing knowledge, which proves that He alone is to be worshipped, with no partner or associate.

﴾And, verily, the Hour is surely coming﴿ no doubt about it, ﴾Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater matter than the creation [or recreation] of humankind... j?(Ghafir 40: 57)

﴾so [O Muhammad] bear with them graciously﴿ - this refers to forbearance without causing any offence to them; rather it means responding to their mistreatment with kindness and to their misdemeanours with forgiveness, so as to attain a great deal of reward with your Lord, for everything that is meant to happen is close at hand.

A better meaning than that which I have mentioned above occurred to me, which is that what is enjoined is gracious forbearance, which is graciousness that is free of resentment or offence in word or deed, as opposed to forbearance that is not gracious, which is inappropriate forbearance. So one should not be forbearing when what is required is punishment, such as punishment for transgressors and wrongdoers for whom nothing is effective except punishment. This is what is meant.

﴾Verily your Lord is the Creator of all, the All-Knowing﴿ that is, nothing that He created and is encompassed by His knowledge can escape Him, and applies to all created things.

•jy-

15:87. We have given you the seven oft-repeated ones and the glorious Qur’an.

15:88. Do not look longingly at the good things We have given some among them to enjoy, nor grieve over them, but lower your wing [in humility and gentleness] to the believers.

15:89. And say [O Muhammad]: Verily I am the clear warner [of a punishment that will befall you],

15:90. Like [the punishment] that We sent down upon the discriminators,

15:91. Those who break the Qur’an into different parts.

15:92. So, by your Lord, We will surely question them all

15:93. About what they used to do.

Here Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says, reminding His Messenger (ﷺ) of His favours to him:

﴾We have given you the seven oft-repeated ones﴿ According to the correct view, this refers to the seven long chapters: al-Baqarah, A1 with at-Tawbah. Or it may refer to al-Fatihah, because it containsseven verses. That is because the seven long chapters frequently mention the oneness of Allah, knowledge of the unseen and sublime rulings, which are repeated throughout.

According to the view that al-Fatihah is the seven oft-repeated ones, what is meant here is that they are seven verses that are repeated in every rak'ah. As Allah has given him the Glorious Qur’an with the seven oft-repeated ones, then He has given him the best thing for which people may compete and the greatest thing in which the believers may rejoice.

﴾Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy - in that let them rejoice. That is far better than all they could accumulate.﴿ (Yoonus 10: 58)

Hence Allah says after that:

﴾Do not look longingly at the good things We have given some among them to enjoy﴿ that is, do not admire them in such a way that causes you to become distracted by worldly desires that those who live a life of ease are enjoying and by which the ignorant are deceived; rather be content with what Allah has given you of the seven oft-repeated ones and the Glorious Qur’an

﴾nor grieve over them﴿ for there is nothing good to be hoped for from them and there is no benefit to be expected.

But in the believers you have the best alternative to them and the best compensation, so flower your wing [in humility and gentleness] to the believers﴿ that is, deal softly with them, with good manners, love, generosity and friendship.

﴾And say [O Muhammad]: Verily I am the clear warner [of a punishment that will befall you]﴿ that is, fulfil your duty of warning and conveying the message to relatives and strangers, enemies and friends, for if you do that, then you are not at all accountable for them nor are they accountable for you (cf. 6. 52).

Like [the punishment] that We sent down upon the discriminators﴿ who strive to bar people from the path of Allah.

﴾Those who break the Qur’an into different parts﴿ - they describe it according to their whims and desires; some of them call it magic and others call it soothsaying or fabrication, and other expressions of disbelief and rejection, using their criticism of it to bar people from true guidance.

﴾So, by your Lord, We will surely question them all﴿ that is, all those who criticise, condemn, distort and alter it ﴾About what they used to doj﴿ - this is a stem warning and rebuke to them for doing what they did.

15:94. Therefore proclaim what you are commanded to, and turn away from those who ascribe partners to Allah.

15:95. Verily, We will suffice you against those who ridicule you,

15:96. Those who set up another god beside Allah; but they will come to know.

15:97. We know you are distressed by what they say.

15:98. So glorify and praise your Lord, and be among those who prostrate [to Him],

15:99. And worship your Lord until that which is certain [namely, death] comes to you.

Then Allah instructed His Messenger (ﷺ) to pay no attention to them or to others, and to proclaim that which Allah had instructed him to proclaim, and to convey the message to everyone, not lettinganything stand in his way or prevent him from conveying the message, and not being deterred by what the ignorant said.

tfand turn away from those who ascribe partners to Allah﴿) that is, do not pay any attention to them, and refrain from trading insults with them; focus on your mission instead.

﴾Verily, We will suffice you against those who ridicule you﴿-) and the message you brought. This is a promise from Allah to His Messenger (ﷺ) that those who ridiculed him would not be able to harm him, and that Allah would suffice him against them by means of whatever kinds of punishment He willed. And He did indeed do that, for no one openly ridiculed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the message he brought but Allah destroyed him and caused him to die in the worst manner.

Then Allah explained that just as they offended His Messenger (ﷺ), they also offended Allah by setting up beside Him ﴾another god﴿) when He alone is their Lord, Creator and Controller.

﴾but they will come to know﴿) the consequences of their deeds when the Day of Resurrection comes.

We know you are distressed by what they say﴿) to you of disbelief and ridicule, and We are able to eradicate them by means of the punishment and to hasten for them that which they deserve. But Allah gives them respite although He does not let them get away with it.

﴾tfSo glorify and praise your Lord, and be among those who prostrate [to Him]}) that is, remember Allah a great deal, glorify and praise Him, and pray, for that will give you comfort and put you at ease, and it will help you in all your affairs.

﴾And worship your Lord until that which is certain [namely, death] comes to you﴿) that is, carry on at all times seeking to draw closer to Allah by means of various kinds of acts of worship. The Prophet (ﷺ) obeyed the command of his Lord and persisted in worship until that which is certain came to him from his Lord.

This is the end of the commentary on Soorat al-Hijr.

All praise and thanks are for Allah, and may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad his family, and his Companions abundantly until the Day of Judgement.