الطارق
At-Tariq
The Nightcommer • makkah • 17 Verses
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وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ
Important Words:
الطارق (Morning Star) is derived from طرق. They say طرق الباب i.e. he knocked at the door. طرق أھله لیلاً means, he came to his family by night. The Arabs say, طرقه الزمان بنوائبه i.e. the time visited him with its calamities like one knocking at the door in the night. طارق means, a comer by night, because he has generally to knock; the star that appears in the night; the morning star because it comes in the end of night (Lane, Aqrab & Qadir). The word also means, a chief or great man, as the expression used by Hind on the day of Uhud shows, viz. نحن بنات طارق نـمشی علی النمارق i.e. we are the daughters of great men; and we walk upon pillows (Tarikhul-Kamil, vol. 2. and "The Life of Mahomet" by Muir).
Commentary:
The reference in the verse may be to the Promised Messiah whose advent like the morning star was to herald the dawn of the triumph and spread of Islam, after the night of spiritual darkness had passed. According to some commentators, however, the verse refers to the Holy Prophet who appeared when the night of spiritual darkness had spread over the entire world, it being pitch dark in Arabia, the land where he made his appearance.
The reference in the verse may be to the Holy Prophet’s Deputy whose advent like the morning star was to herald the dawn of the triumph and spread of Islam, after the night of spiritual darkness, which had come over Islam will have passed. According to some Commentators, however, the verse refers to the Holy Prophet himself who appeared when the night of spiritual darkness had spread over the entire world, it being pitch dark in Arabia, the land where he made his appearance.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ
Commentary:
The expression ما ادراک ما which occurs in several places in the Quran is used to impart a particular sense to the word or expression used after it. The word الطارق having several meanings may therefore be taken in one particular sense here, viz. النجم الثاقب i.e. the star of piercing brightness in the next verse.
ٱلنَّجْمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ
Important Words:
الثاقب (of piercing brightness) is act. part. from ثقب which means, he bored or pierced a thing. ثقب الکوکب means, the star shone brightly as though it pierced through the darkness, dispelling it. ثاقب الرأی means, a man of sound and penetrating judgement. حسب ثاقب means, a famous, exalted lineage (Lane & Aqrab).
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
Commentary:
"Soul" signifying the souls or persons of the class of النجم الثاقب i.e. the bright stars that dispel spiritual darkness, the verse means that God will guard and protect the Promised Messiah, the الطارق (the Morning Star) or النجم الثاقب (the Star of Piercing Brightness) of Islam.
The verse has also been taken to mean that God has appointed a guardian over every person who records his good or bad deeds. For this meaning of the verse see 50:19.
God will protect the Morning Star—the Holy Prophet’s Deputy and the Star of piercing brightness—the Holy Prophet.
فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍ
24:46; 25:55.
Commentary:
The fact that man has been created from a fluid which gushes forth may signify that he has been endowed with great natural faculties to make rapid progress, but he is also likely to sink to the lowest depths of degradation, if he does not make use of those God-gifted powers. Thus the verse means that man’s spiritual development is subject to alternate periods of progression and retrogression, like the seminal fluid that gushes forth and falls.
Man’s spiritual development is subject to alternate periods of progression and retrogression, like the seminal fluid that gushes forth and falls.
يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ ٱلصُّلْبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ
Commentary:
It is characteristic of the Quranic style that it substitutes mild or vague words or expressions for harsh and blunt ones. "From between the loins and the breastbones," is one of such euphemisms used by the Quran. Or the verse may mean that man is born of the water that comes out of the loins of his father and is fed by the breast of his mother.
It is characteristic of the Quranic style that it substitutes mild or vague words of expressions for harsh and blunt ones. 'From between the loins and the breastbones,' is one of such euphemisms used by the Qur’an. The verse may signify that man is born of the water that comes out of the loins of his father and is fed by the breast of his mother. The fact that man has been created from a fluid which gushes forth and then falls may signify that he has been endowed with great natural faculties to make rapid progress but he is also likely to fall to the lowest depths of degradation, if he does not make proper use of those God-given powers. The verse signifies that man’s spiritual development is subject to alternate periods of progression and retrogression, like the seminal fluid which gushes forth and then falls.
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٌ
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ
10:31.
Commentary:
The verse means that all the evil designs of the enemies of the Promised Messiah will be brought to light and they will suffer the consequences of their evil deeds. It may also mean that man will be called to account on the Day of Reckoning for the actions he had done in this life, when all secrets will become unmasked and all his actions, motives and thoughts will come to light, nothing will remain hidden, so much so that even his hands, feet and, tongue will bear witness against him (24:25).
10:31.
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجْعِ
Important Words:
ذات الرجع (which gives water repeatedly) is derived from رجع meaning, he returned. رجع (raj‘un) means, rain; hail, because it gives back the water that it takes; rain that returns; the place that retains water; a pool of water left by torrent; a place in which the torrent has returned; water in general; benefit; a good turn (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
See next verse.
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدْعِ
Commentary:
This and the preceding verse signify that rain on which depends very largely the greenness and vegetation of the earth comes down from heaven in times of need. If it ceases for a time, the water in upper strata of the earth gradually dries up. Thus there exists a connection between heavenly and earthly water. As with the cessation of heavenly water, earthly water begins gradually to dry up, so does human reason lose its purity and strength without heavenly revelation.
This and the preceding verse mean that just as the rain on which depends very largely the greenness and vegetation of the earth comes down from heaven and with its cessation earthly water begins gradually to dry up, similarly human reason loses its purity and strength without heavenly revelation.
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
Commentary:
See next verse.
وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلْهَزْلِ
Commentary:
In vv. 12-13, the Quran is represented as life-giving rain whereby those who believe in it and act upon its teaching are purified and fostered in the ways of righteousness. This constitutes a strong proof, not a "joke," that the Quran is God’s own revealed Word which distinguishes and discriminates between truth and falsehood; (ھزل meaning, a joke, jest or obscene talk or weak discourse) (Aqrab).
وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًۢا
68:45-46; 73:12.
Commentary:
Disbelievers are granted respite that they may try all their evil plans and employ all the strength and resources they possess against Islam and the Holy Prophet. The triumph of Islam, despite all their planning and their boasted strength, will be an irrefutable proof that it is from Allah and has His full support.
68:46; 73:12.
The verse purports to say that disbelievers are granted respite that they may try all their evil plans and employ all the strength and resources they possess against Islam and the Holy Prophet. The triumph of Islam, despite all their planning and boasted strength, will be an irrefutable proof that it is from Allah and has His support.