الحاقة

See 1:1.

Commentary:

See 1:1.

Important Words:

الحاقة (the Inevitable) is derived from حق which means, it was or became suitable to the requirements of wisdom, justice or truth; it was or became established as a fact. حق الامر means, he established it as a fact. الحاقة being synonymous with حقیقةmeans, an inevitable event, reality or truth. See also 2:148, 181; 3:109; 23:63; 32:4. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word الحاقة having the sense of an established or inevitable fact, or a catastrophe which is sure to happen, or according to some authorities, the final overthrow of disbelief, the verse may refer to the Day of Judgement or to a calamitous event that would befall disbelievers. The calamitous event may particularly refer to the Fall of Mecca when Islam became firmly and finally established in Arabia and idol worship disappeared from the land for all time. The three brief opening verses of the Surah embodied a great prophecy that the overthrow of disbelievers was inevitable. The inevitability of their doom was declared at a time when Islam was yet in its infancy and was fighting for its very existence. The inevitable proved to be literally true, and thus set the seal on the inevitability of the Day of Judgement. See also 13:32.

Important Words:

القارعة (the sudden calamity) is derived from قرع. They say قرع رأسه بالعصا i.e. he struck his head with a stick. قرع الباب means, he knocked at the door. القارعة means, a great calamity which strikes terror into the hearts of people (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Whereas, in the preceding three verses, the inevitability of the doom in store for the opponents of the Holy Prophet was emphasized, in the verse under comment the case of the ‘Ad and the Thamud tribes is cited to warn them that they should learn a lesson from the evil fate of these peoples, who in the remote past, flourished in their neighbourhood.

41:18; 54:32.

Commentary:

طاغیة having been derived from طغی which means, he exceeded the limits, signifies an extremely severe punishment. For the nature of the calamity which befell the tribe of Thamud see 7:79; 41:18 & 54:32. It has been variously described in the Quran as الصیحة (the violent cry): الرجفة (the earthquake): and الصاعقه (the thunderbolt). In fact it was a severe earthquake.

41:17; 54:20.

54:21.

Important Words:

حسوما (continuously) is derived from حسم. They say حسمه i.e. he cut it off entirely. حسمھم means, he caused them to perish completely. حسم فی العمل means, he laboured hard and wearied himself with continuous work. حسمت الدابة means, I cauterized the beast by successive operations. الایام الحسوم means, evil or unlucky days that are consecutive or permanent, or days preventing good or prosperity; disastrous days (Lane & Aqrab).

صرعٰی (lying prostrate) is the plural of صریع which is derived from صرع. They say صرعه he threw him down on the ground. صریع means, thrown down or prostrated in the ground; affected with epilepsy or madness; slain. One would say رأیت شجرھم صرعٰی i.e. I saw their trees cut down (Lane & Aqrab).

28:9.

Commentary:

"The overthrown cities" were Sodom and Gomorrah. See also 11:83.

73:17.

11:41; 54:14.

Commentary:

The reference in the verse is to Noah’s Flood.

29:16; 54:16.

Important Words:

تعیھا (might retain it) is derived from وعی. They say وعی الحدیث i.e. he kept or retained the narrative in his mind or memory; he learned it by heart (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The various punishments which overtook disbelievers for their sins and opposition to Divine Prophets at different times have been mentioned as a standing and permanent reminder to those who defy God’s laws and His Message, implying that opponents of the Holy Prophet would meet with no better fate if they did not repent and give up their evil ways.

18:100; 23:102; 36:52; 39:69; 50:21.

Commentary:

From this verse begins a description of the punishment that overtook the opponents of the Holy Prophet, namely, the Fall of Mecca, their greatest stronghold and the centre of their power and glory. The Holy Prophet’s march on Mecca was so swift and sudden that the Meccans were taken completely by surprise. It came, as it were, as a bolt from the blue.

The description may equally apply to the Day of Resurrection, when with the blowing of the trumpet both the righteous and the guilty will stand before God’s Great Judgement Seat to render an account of their actions and deeds.

Commentary:

The verse may also signify that the whole of Arabia will be shaken from one end to the other; leaders of Arab aristocracy and the common folk will feel the strong impact of the conquests of Islam and of the great and violent change it will bring about in their lives. الجبال may signify leaders of men and الارض common folk.

Commentary:

On that day Mecca, the great centre of idol worship in Arabia will fall. The great event referred to here is also mentioned in 56:2, along with the results that followed from it.

55:38; 84:2.

Important Words:

واھیة (frail) is derived from وھی. They say وھی الشیء i.e. the thing became worn out and weak. وھی الحائط means, the wall was about to fall. وھی الثوب means, the cloth was worn out. واھیة means, weak, frail; broken or rent (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The reference in the verse may be to some natural phenomenon which took the form of Divine punishment. Or the word السماء meaning the covering overhead, the verse may signify that the covering over the heads of disbelievers would cleave asunder, i.e. with the Fall of Mecca their political power would vanish and no protection or asylum would remain for them except that they should join the fold of Islam.

39:76; 40:8.

Important Words:

For عرش see 7:55, 10:4 and 20:6. The word represents God’s transcendent attributes (صفات تنزیھیة) which are His exclusive prerogative. These attributes are manifested through God’s attributes of similitude (صفات تشبیھیة) which have been described in the verse as the bearers of God’s Throne.

Commentary:

God’s attributes of similitude which have been described here as the bearers of the Divine Throne are رب العالمین i.e. the Creator and Sustainer of the world; الرحمن i.e. the Gracious, Who fulfils all the needs of man, even before he is born and without any effort on his part; الرحیم i.e. the Merciful. Who causes man’s labours to produce the best possible results, andمالک یوم الدین i.e. Master of the Day of Judgement, to Whom all will have to render an account of their actions. These are the basic Divine attributes by which the world subsists and which mainly concern man’s life and destiny. In view of their majesty, and greatness these four Divine attributes will have a double manifestation on the Day of Judgement. And as Divine attributes are manifested through angels, therefore, eight angels are mentioned to be the bearers of the Throne of God on that Great Day. Or the verse may signify that on the day of the Fall of Mecca the four basic Divine attributes will have a double manifestation, as on that day the foundations of Islam, humanity’s last and most perfect religious system, will be firmly laid and God’s power and glory will be manifested through, and for the sake of, the Holy Prophet. The clause "the angels would be standing on the sides thereof" may also signify that when the heavens of Arabia would be cleft asunder, i.e. when old order will vanish, the angels of God will lay the foundation of a new and better one. Or the words may mean that when the heavens will be cleft asunder, i.e. when terrible punishment will overtake the Meccans, God’s angels will take their stand on its sides in order to protect the Holy Prophet and the Muslims.

4:43; 41:21.

Commentary:

Besides the meaning given in the text, the verse signifies that on the day of the Fall of Mecca falsity of the idolatrous beliefs and practices of the Meccans will stand completely exposed.