القلم
Al-Qalam
The Pen • makkah • 52 Verses
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نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
Important Words:
واو (by), means, I swear; I cite as witness or evidence. For the philosophy and significance of Quranic oaths, see 37:2; 51:2 & 91:2.
Commentary:
In this verse the inkstand, the pen and all the written material is cited as evidence to support and substantiate the statement made in the next three verses.
In this verse the inkstand and the pen and all the written material are cited as evidence to support and substantiate the statement made in the next three verses.
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
34:47; 52:30.
Commentary:
The verse means that by whatever test of knowledge and learning the claim of the Holy Prophet is examined, he will be found to be not a maniac, as the disbelievers say, but the sanest and the wisest of men. It further says that all other Divine Messengers were also stigmatised as lunatics because, in view of very heavy odds against them and of their own helpless weak position, their claim that despite the great power, prestige and resources of their opponents they would succeed and their enemies would fail, appeared to the latter to be nothing better than the ravings of a madman. The next verse gives the reason why this charge is not only unfounded but also foolish and fantastic.
34:47; 52:30.
The verse means that by whatever test of knowledge and learning the claim of the Holy Prophet is examined, he will be found to be not a maniac, as the disbelievers say, but the sanest and the wisest of men. The next verse gives the reason why this charge is not only unfounded but is also foolish and fantastic.
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
Commentary:
This verse, along with the next, exposes the absurdity of the charge of madness. It purports to say that the actions of a madman produce no useful result, but that the Holy Prophet will eminently succeed in fulfilling the object of his Divine mission and in bringing about a wonderful revolution in the lives of his degenerate people. And this revolution will not end with his death. On the contrary, whenever in future his followers will deviate from the path of rectitude, God will raise among them Reformers who will regenerate them and will infuse in them a new life. And this process will continue till the end of time. This is the significance of the words, "and for thee is an unending reward."
This verse, along with the next one, most effectively exposes the absurdity of the charge of madness. It purports to say that the actions of a madman produce no abiding and useful result, but the Holy Prophet is eminently succeeding in fulfilling the object of his Divine mission and in bringing about a wonderful revolution in the lives of his degenerate people. And this revolution will not end with his death. Whenever in future his followers will deviate from the path of rectitude, God will raise among them Reformers who will regenerate them and will infuse in them a new life. And this process will continue till the end of time.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
Commentary:
This verse constitutes a further eloquent commentary on the charge of madness imputed to the Holy Prophet. It purports to say that the Prophet, not only is not a maniac but is the noblest and sublimest of men possessing in full measure all those moral excellences that combine to make their possessor a perfect image of his Creator. The Holy Prophet’s humanity was of the most perfect character. He was a complete embodiment of all good moral qualities that a man is capable of possessing. It is to this aspect of the Holy Prophet’s greatness that his talented wife, ‘A’ishah, referred, when, on being asked to shed some light on the Prophet’s habits and morals she said کان خلقه القران i.e. he possessed all those moral excellences which are mentioned in the Quran as the special marks of its true followers (Bukhari). See also 20:2 & 33:22.
This verse constitutes a further eloquent commentary on the charge of madness, imputed to the Holy Prophet, as being foolish. The Prophet, it says, not only is not a maniac but is the noblest and sublimest of men, possessing in full measure all those moral excellences that combine to make their possessor a perfect image of his Creator. He is a complete embodiment of all good moral qualities that a man is capable of possessing. All the high moral qualities are blended in his person in a perfect and harmonious whole. ‘A’ishah, the Prophet’s talented spouse, when once asked to shed some light on the Prophet’s morals, said, 'He possessed all those moral excellences which are mentioned in the Qur’an as the special marks of a true servant of God' (Bukhari).
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ
Commentary:
The verse turns tables upon the accusers of the Holy Prophet, and tells them in challenging words that time will show whether it was he or they who suffered from madness, or whether his claim to be God’s Messenger was the outpouring of a heated brain, or whether they themselves were so demented as not to read the signs of time and thus refuse to believe in him.
The verse turns the tables upon the accusers of the Holy Prophet, and tells them in challenging words that time will show whether it was he or they who suffered from madness, or whether his claim to be God’s Messenger was the outpouring of a heated brain, or they themselves were so demented as not to read the signs of time and so refused to believe in him.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
16:126; 53:31.
16:126; 53:31.
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
17:74; 56:82.
Important Words:
تدھن (thou shouldst be pliant) is derived from دھن which means, he was or became weak. أدھن فلانا means, he endeavoured to conciliate or make peace with such a one; he treated him with gentleness; he acted towards him with dishonesty or dissimulation; he pretended the contrary of what he concealed in his mind with regard to him; he strove to deceive him (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The verse may have special reference to the offers which the Quraish of Mecca had made to the Holy Prophet in order to tempt him away from his fixed purpose, or it may possess general application, since truth is as firm as rock while falsehood has no legs to stand upon and gives way to pressure or temptation and is ready to make compromises.
17:74.
The verse may have special reference to the offers which the Quraish of Mecca made to the Holy Prophet in order to tempt him away from his fixed purpose; or it may possess general application, since Truth is as firm as rock while falsehood has no legs to stand upon and gives way to pressure or temptation and is ready to make compromises.
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
50:26.
50:26.
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Important Words:
عتل (ill-mannered) is derived from عتل (‘atala). عتله means, he dragged him or drove him along roughly. عتل means, a great eater who refuses to give; gross, coarse, rough or rude person; low, ignoble; mean (Lane).
زنیم (of doubtful birth) is derived from زنم (zannama) and تزنیم is conjoining anyone with a people or party to which he does not belong. زنیم means, one adopted among a people to whom he does not belong, not being needed by them; base, ignoble, mean; the son of an adulteress or fornicatress (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The reference in this and the three verses preceding it may be to Walid bin Mughirah or Abu Jahl, etc. or to every leader of falsehood.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
23:56; 74:13-14.
Commentary:
The verse signifies that all sin, vice and opposition to Truth is born of conceit or false pride which are maladies of one who manages to amass great wealth and who wields great power and influence. Or, the verse, in conjunction with those preceding it, may mean that base and vile man should not be shown consideration or respect, simply because he happens to possess wealth and influence.
23:56; 74:13, 14.
All sins, vices and opposition to Truth are born of conceit or false pride and are the moral maladies of one who manages to amass great wealth by questionable means, and wields great power and influence. Or, the verse may mean that a base and vile man should not be shown consideration or respect simply because he happens to possess wealth and influence.
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
8:32; 16:25; 83:14.
8:32; 16:25; 83:14.
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ
Commentary:
As, disbelievers, out of pride and a false sense of power reject the Divine Message, God will disgrace and humiliate them. "Branding on the snout" is a metaphor for disgracing a person.
"Branding on the snout" is a metaphor for disgracing a person.
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
Commentary:
Here the base, greedy and conceited disbelievers have been compared to the owner of a garden who would devour all its fruit and would not allow any share to those who had also put in their labour in developing the gardens and would defraud them of their just rights.
Here the base, greedy and conceited disbelievers have been compared to the owner of a garden who would devour all its fruit and would not share it with those who had also put in their labour in developing it and would defraud them of their just rights in it.
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
Important Words:
یستثنون (made no exception) is derived from ثنی . They say استثناہ i.e. he excluded it or excepted it. الاستثناء in the case of an oath means, saying انشاء اللّٰه i.e. if God please (Lane).
Commentary:
The owners of the "garden" greedily devoured the fruit of the labour of others and fed fat on it, excluding the latter from sharing it with them. Or, the verse may mean that they spent no part of their wealth for the benefit of their poor brethren. Or, it may signify that they were so sure of the successful outcome of their labours and were so certain of gathering in their harvest without any mishap that they completely forgot God, omitting to seek Divine protection by uttering the words "If God please."
The owners of the "garden" greedily devoured the fruit of the labour of others and fed fat on it, excluding the latter from sharing it with them. They were so sure of the successful outcome of their labours and so certain of gathering in their harvest without any mishap that they consigned God to complete oblivion, failing to Seek Divine protection by uttering the words, 'If God please.'