ٱقْتَرَبَ
Appears 4 times in Quran
📖 Lane's Lexicon
Classical definitions for root قرب
Derived Stems (89)
Derived Words (4)
Words derived from the lemma "ٱقْتَرَبَ".
- drawn nigh
- Nigh has drawn
- has drawn nigh
- and draw near
- draws nigh
Occurrences in Quran
Found 4 verses containing "ٱقْتَرَبَ".
أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا۟ فِى مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَدِ ٱقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَهُۥ يُؤْمِنُونَ
6:76; 10:102.
45:7; 77:51.
Do not the Meccans see the great and numerous changes that are taking place around them, which point to the approach of a new era? All signs point to the fact that idolatry is going to disappear from the country, giving place to Islam. The word "Kingdom" refers to the control which God exercises over heaven and earth.
When disbelievers are rejecting the Qur’an which is such a perfect and complete Law, what else is there for them to believe in?
6:76; 10:102.
45:7; 77:51.
Commentary:
The verse draws the attention of the Meccans to the great and numerous changes that were taking place around them, which pointed to the approach of a new era. All signs pointed to the fact that idolatry was going to disappear from the country, giving place to Islam. The word ملکوت (kingdom) refers to the control which God exercises over heaven and earth. See also 6:76.
The words بای حدیث (in what thing) may also be rendered as "by means of what thing". In this case, the last sentence of the verse would mean that when disbelievers had reached their term, they would have no time left to believe and repent. The sentence thus constitutes a sort of exhortation to them to make haste and avail themselves of the present opportunity before it is too late.
In the former sense of the words, (i.e. as rendered in the text), the sentence would mean, "When the disbelievers are rejecting the Quran,which is such a perfect and complete Law, what else is left for them to believe in?"
a
6:76; 10:102.
b
45:7; 77:51.
a
6:76; 10:102.
b
45:7; 77:51.
1072
Commentary:
The verse draws the attention of the Meccans to the great and numerous changes that were taking place around them, which pointed to the approach of a new era. All signs pointed to the fact that idolatry was going to disappear from the country, giving place to Islam. The word ملکوت (kingdom) refers to the control which God exercises over heaven and earth. See also 6:76.
The words بای حدیث (in what thing) may also be rendered as "by means of what thing". In this case, the last sentence of the verse would mean that when disbelievers had reached their term, they would have no time left to believe and repent. The sentence thus constitutes a sort of exhortation to them to make haste and avail themselves of the present opportunity before it is too late.
In the former sense of the words, (i.e. as rendered in the text), the sentence would mean, "When the disbelievers are rejecting the Quran,which is such a perfect and complete Law, what else is left for them to believe in?"
b
6:76; 10:102.
c
45:7; 77:51.
1079
Do not the Meccans see the great and numerous changes that are taking place around them, which point to the approach of a new era? All signs point to the fact that idolatry is going to disappear from the country, giving place to Islam. The word "Kingdom" refers to the control which God exercises over heaven and earth.
1080
When disbelievers are rejecting the Qur’an which is such a perfect and complete Law, what else is there for them to believe in?
ٱقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ
54:2, 3.
54:2, 3.
54:2-3.
Commentary:
As stated above (see Introduction to this Surah) according to western writers the Surah was revealed towards the 9th or 10th year of the Call. If this assumption be accepted as correct the verse under comment would mean that the time of migration of Muslims from Mecca has arrived as a result of which circumstances will come into being which will bring about the destruction of material might of the Meccans and their glory will depart. The verse may also be considered as pointing to the spread of Islam in Medina where the foundations had been laid for the future greatness and glory of Islam. It seems strange that the so-called learned western writers should have blundered into assigning to the revelation of this Surah a date which was very close to the time of the Hijrah and the spread of Islam in Medina and thus should have unwittingly provided evidence that the Quran is a Divine Book which contains prophecies according to which a small and weak community within the space of a few years came to occupy a predominant position in a vast country like Arabia, and Mecca which from time immemorial had refused to submit to any conqueror fell to Muslim arms.
The word اقترب signifies that the early signs of the impending Divine punishment have already begun to appear and yet disbelievers give no heed to this grim fact. It shows that they are completely heedless of the dreadful event that is about to overtake them.
b
54:2, 3.
b
54:2-3.
2343
Commentary:
As stated above (see Introduction to this Surah) according to western writers the Surah was revealed towards the 9th or 10th year of the Call. If this assumption be accepted as correct the verse under comment would mean that the time of migration of Muslims from Mecca has arrived as a result of which circumstances will come into being which will bring about the destruction of material might of the Meccans and their glory will depart. The verse may also be considered as pointing to the spread of Islam in Medina where the foundations had been laid for the future greatness and glory of Islam. It seems strange that the so-called learned western writers should have blundered into assigning to the revelation of this Surah a date which was very close to the time of the Hijrah and the spread of Islam in Medina and thus should have unwittingly provided evidence that the Quran is a Divine Book which contains prophecies according to which a small and weak community within the space of a few years came to occupy a predominant position in a vast country like Arabia, and Mecca which from time immemorial had refused to submit to any conqueror fell to Muslim arms.
The word اقترب signifies that the early signs of the impending Divine punishment have already begun to appear and yet disbelievers give no heed to this grim fact. It shows that they are completely heedless of the dreadful event that is about to overtake them.
b
54:2, 3.
وَٱقْتَرَبَ ٱلْوَعْدُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِىَ شَٰخِصَةٌ أَبْصَٰرُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ
یعنی کفار میں سے جو لوگ سمجھتے ہیں کہ مردہ قوموں کو ہم نے ہمیشہ کے لئے ختم کر دیا ہے ان کو زندہ ہوتے اور اٹھتے دیکھ کر حیران رہ جائیں گے۔
14:43.
The domination of Gog and Magog will be followed by catastrophic occurrences in the world which eventually will result in the triumph of Islam (61:10) and the vanquishment of the forces of falsehood and materialism as represented by Gog and Magog.
When after the complete destruction of Gog and Magog Islam will regain its former greatness and glory, those who had lost all hope of its regeneration, will scarcely believe their eyes.
14:43.
Commentary:
The words, the fulfilment of true promise draws nigh, refer to the destruction of the power of Gog and Magog and the triumph of Islam through the Promised Messiah whose advent by the consensus of Muslim scholarly opinion has been foretold in the verse, "He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of truth that He may cause it to prevail over all religions" (61:10). The domination of Gog and Magog will be followed by catastrophic occurrences in the world which eventually will result in the triumph of Islam and the vanquishment of the forces of falsehood and materialism as represented by Gog and Magog.
a
14:43.
845
在雅朱者和马朱者统治之后, 紧接着的将是世界发生许多大灾难, 其结果将是伊斯兰教的胜利 (61:10) 以及由雅朱者和马朱者代表的虚假的势力和唯物主义的失败。
846
雅朱者和马朱者彻底毁灭之后, 伊斯兰教将重新得到它过去的光荣伟大; 那些对它复兴丧失了一切希望的人们简直不能相信自己的眼睛。
2
یعنی کفار میں سے جو لوگ سمجھتے ہیں کہ مردہ قوموں کو ہم نے ہمیشہ کے لئے ختم کر دیا ہے ان کو زندہ ہوتے اور اٹھتے دیکھ کر حیران رہ جائیں گے۔
a
14:43.
2424
Commentary:
The words, the fulfilment of true promise draws nigh, refer to the destruction of the power of Gog and Magog and the triumph of Islam through the Promised Messiah whose advent by the consensus of Muslim scholarly opinion has been foretold in the verse, "He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of truth that He may cause it to prevail over all religions" (61:10). The domination of Gog and Magog will be followed by catastrophic occurrences in the world which eventually will result in the triumph of Islam and the vanquishment of the forces of falsehood and materialism as represented by Gog and Magog.
d
14:43.
1920
The domination of Gog and Magog will be followed by catastrophic occurrences in the world which eventually will result in the triumph of Islam (61:10) and the vanquishment of the forces of falsehood and materialism as represented by Gog and Magog.
1920A
When after the complete destruction of Gog and Magog Islam will regain its former greatness and glory, those who had lost all hope of its regeneration, will scarcely believe their eyes.
ٱقْتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلْقَمَرُ
21:2.
肉眼的观察到的月亮分一分为二是否违背自然规律, 很难否认这件事似乎缺乏可靠的历史证明。另一方面却谁也没法自以为能够探究真主的一切奥秘, 领悟或彻底理解大自然的一切秘密。不能想象, 一件事影响了地球上这样大一个地区, 在世界气象台的观察之下竟然仍没被人注意到, 也不能想象在历史书上没有记载。但这一事件在像 «布哈里圣训实录» 和 «穆斯林圣训实录» 等的可靠的圣训集子中提到了, 并相继在可靠的权威们所写的几种传说中谈到了, 由穆圣博学的伙伴伊本•麦斯武德作了报导, 因此确实说明了某种重大的自然现象一定在穆圣时代发生过。有些 «古兰经» 注释家--------其中有雷迪 (رَازِی, Radi)--------试图把这事件说成是一次月蚀, 以解说这个难题。教长格扎利 (غَزَالِی, Ghazali) 和沙•哇里乌拉 (شَاه وَلِی الله, Shah Waliyullah) 也主张, 月球事实上没有分裂, 无非是安拉有意要人看到这情景。根据伊本•阿巴斯 (اِبْنِ عَبَّاس, Ibn-e-‘Abbas) 和夏•阿布达尔•阿济慈 (شَاه عَبْدُالْعَزِيْز, Shah ‘Abdul-‘Aziz) 的说法, 这是一种月蚀。然而考虑一下«古兰经» 中提到这一事件所用的强硬措辞, 就显得这不是简单的月蚀了。在不信者不断的要求之下, 这确实成了穆圣所显示的一大奇迹 («布哈里圣训实录» 和 «穆斯林圣训实录»)。仿佛这是一个要使穆圣的一些伙伴而且要使一些不信者也一起看到的穆圣的精神景象--------正像变成巨蟒的手杖是要使巫师们也能看到的穆撒的精神景象。情形可能是这样, 穆撒手杖击海水刚好和退潮同时发生, 因此显得出奇, 安拉可能同样命令穆圣在这时展现奇迹, 使月球分裂, 而那时有个天体正要转到月球的前面, 使得这个月球看来好像一分为二。但是最合理而具有深刻的精神意义的解说还在于这个事实, 即月球是阿拉伯人的民族标记及其政权的象征, 正像太阳是波斯人的国旗。海巴尔 (خَيْبَر, Khaibar) 的犹太人领袖赫亚•彬•阿克塔布 (حُيَیْ اِبْن اَخْطَبْ, Huyay ibn Akhtab) 之女萨菲亚 (صَفِيَّة, Safiyyah) 对父亲提到她梦见月亮落在她衣裙上时, 她父亲打了她的耳光, 说她想嫁给阿拉伯人的领袖。海巴尔崩溃之后萨菲亚的梦境实现了, 那时她嫁给了穆圣 (زُرْقَانِی--------Zurqani & اُسُدُ الْغَابَة--------Usudul-Ghabbah)。阿依莎同样梦见三个月亮落在她的私室内, 梦后, 穆圣、阿布•伯克尔和欧麦尔一一埋葬于此 (مُوَطَّا--------كِتَابُ الْجَنَائِز Muwatta, Kitabul-Jana’iz)。根据卡马尔的这个象征意义, 这节经文的意思是, 53:58中曾受到威胁的不信安拉的阿拉伯人的政权覆灭时候已到来。“时候” 这词在这里是指白德尔之战, 在这次战役中几乎所有古莱西人领袖都阵亡了, 他们的权力被彻底摧毁的基础已奠定。因此这节经文成了一大预言, 说明约八、九年之后惊人地应验了。而且根据有些作者说, 阿拉伯语 اِنْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ (Inshaqqal-Qamaru) 的意思是, 事情已明显。从这个词的这个意义上说, 这节经文的意思是说, 古莱西人政权毁灭的时刻已到, 穆圣是真正的安拉使者这点到时将显示出来。
عربوں کے نزدیک چاند عرب حکومت کا نشان تھا۔ چنانچہ یہود بھی یہی یقین رکھتے تھے۔ حضرت صفیہؓ جو ایک یہودی سردار کی بیٹی تھیں اور بعد میں رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی ازواج مطہرات میں داخل ہوئیں۔ انہوں نے ایک دفعہ خواب میں دیکھا کہ ان کی گود میں چاند آگرا ہے۔ ان کے والدنے اس خواب سے یہی استدلال کیا کہ تو بادشاہِ وقت سے شادی کرنا چاہتی ہے (اسد الغابۃ) پس چاند پھٹنے اور عرب کی تباہی آجانے کے ایک معنے یہ ہیں کہ سَاعَۃ یعنی عرب کی تباہی کی ساعت آگئی ہے اور چاند یعنی عرب کی حکومت کا عروج پاش پاش ہو گیا ہے۔ مفسرین نے غلطی سے اس کے یہ معنے کیے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ عل
21:2.
Whether or not "splitting of the moon" into two parts, observable by the naked eye, had contravened any physical law of nature, it is difficult to deny that the event seems to lack unimpeachable historical evidence. On the other hand nobody can presume to have fathomed all Divine mysteries or fully comprehended or encompassed all the secrets of nature. It is not possible to imagine that such an event, affecting a considerable area of the globe, should have remained unnoticed in the observatories of the world, or that it should have remained unrecorded in books of history. But the incident, having found a mention in such reliable collections of Hadith as Bukhari and Muslim and having been narrated successively in traditions of reliable authority and reported by such a learned Companion of the Holy Prophet as Ibn-e-Mas‘ud, does show that some natural phenomenon of unusual importance must have taken place in the time of the Holy Prophet. Some Commentators of the Qur’an—Radi among them—have sought to s
21:2.
Important Words:
انشق (is rent asunder) is derived from شق. They say شق الشیء i.e. he split, clave, tore or rent the thing. شق العصا means, he broke the staff, i.e. he separated himself from the community. An Arab would say, شق عصا المسلمین i.e. he created disunion and dissension among the Muslims. انشق القمر means, the moon was or became rent asunder; or according to some, the affair became manifest (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).
القمر (the moon). قمر الشیء means, the light of the thing became intense. أقمر اللیل means, the night became bright with the light of the moon. القمر means, the moon in its third night and after; the moon absolutely. أقمار العلم و شموسه means, the ulema or learned men of the people. القمران means, the sun and the moon (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
Whether or not "splitting of the moon" into two parts, observable by the naked eye, contravened any physical law of nature, it cannot be denied that the event lacks historical evidence which could at all be described as unimpeachable. At the same time no one can presume to have fathomed all divine mysteries or fully comprehended or encompassed all the secrets of nature. It is not possible to imagine that such an event, affecting a considerable area of the globe, should have remained unnoticed in the observatories of the world or that it should have remained unrecorded in books of history. But the incident having found a mention in such reliable collections of Hadith as Bukhari and Muslim and having been narrated successively in traditions of reliable authority and reported by such learned Companions of the Holy Prophet as Ibn Mas‘ud and Ibn ‘Abbas, does show that some natural phenomenon of unusual importance must have taken place in the time of the Holy Prophet. Some commentators of the Quran—Radi among them—have sought to solve the difficult problem by declaring the incident to be a lunar eclipse. Imam Ghazali and Shah Wali Allah also hold the view that the moon had not in fact been rent asunder, but that God had so contrived that it appeared to the beholders as such. However, taking into consideration the forceful language in which it has been mentioned in the Quran, the incident appears to be something more than a mere lunar eclipse. It indeed constituted a great miracle shown by the Prophet at the insistent demand of disbelievers (see Bukhari & Muslim). It seems to be a vision of the Holy Prophet in which the Companions of the Holy Prophet and some of the Quraish were made to share—just as the rod turning into a serpent was a vision of Moses in which the magicians were made to share. Alternatively, it may be that just as the striking of seawater by Moses with his rod coincided with the ebb of the tide and thus assumed the character of a miracle, because God alone knew when the sea would recede and it was He Who commanded Moses to strike the waters at the time of recession, similarly God may have commanded the Holy Prophet to show the miracle of the cleaving asunder of the moon at a time when a heavenly body was to take such a position in front of the moon that it caused the moon to appear to the beholders as split into two parts.
But the most plausible explanation, which is also possessed of very deep spiritual significance of this, one of the most outstanding miracles shown by the Holy Prophet, lies in the fact that the moon was the national emblem of the Arabs and the symbol of their political power, just as the sun at that time was the national ensign of the Persians. When Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyay bin Akhtab, a leader of the Jews of Khaibar, mentioned to her father that she had seen in a dream that the moon had fallen into her lap, he slapped her face saying that she wanted to marry the leader of the Arabs. After the fall of Khaibar Safiyyah’s dream was fulfilled when she was married to the Holy Prophet (Zurqani & Usdul-Ghabbah). Similarly, ‘A’ishah had seen a dream that three moons had fallen in her private apartment which saw its fulfilment when the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were buried there one after the other (Mu’atta’, KitabuI-Jana’iz). According to this sense of the word و قمر the verse would signify that the hour of destruction of their political power with which the disbelieving Arabs had been threatened in 53:58 has already arrived. The word الساعه (Hour) in that case would refer to the Battle of Badr in which all the chiefs and leaders of the Quraish were killed and the foundations of the complete destruction of their power were laid. Thus the verse constituted a mighty prophecy which met with remarkable fulfilment, nearly eight or nine years after its announcement. Moreover, the Holy Prophet has been called "illuminating moon" (قمراً منیراً) in the Quran. In this sense of the word the verse would mean that after the Holy Prophet’s separation from the Quraish, the "Hour" of the destruction of their power would arrive, and it happened likewise. About a year after the Migration of the Holy Prophet to Medina, the Battle of Badr was fought which broke the Quraishite power.
Taking the expression انشق القمر in the sense, "the affair has become manifest," the verse would mean that the hour of the destruction of the Quraishite power has arrived and that now it would become manifest that the Prophet was a true Divine Messenger.
The word الساعة, besides the Battle of Badr, may apply to the Battle of the Ditch and the Fall of Mecca, as these three events combined to bring about complete and total annihilation of the power of pagan Arabs.
b
21:2.
1338
肉眼的观察到的月亮分一分为二是否违背自然规律, 很难否认这件事似乎缺乏可靠的历史证明。另一方面却谁也没法自以为能够探究真主的一切奥秘, 领悟或彻底理解大自然的一切秘密。不能想象, 一件事影响了地球上这样大一个地区, 在世界气象台的观察之下竟然仍没被人注意到, 也不能想象在历史书上没有记载。但这一事件在像 «布哈里圣训实录» 和 «穆斯林圣训实录» 等的可靠的圣训集子中提到了, 并相继在可靠的权威们所写的几种传说中谈到了, 由穆圣博学的伙伴伊本•麦斯武德作了报导, 因此确实说明了某种重大的自然现象一定在穆圣时代发生过。有些 «古兰经» 注释家--------其中有雷迪 (رَازِی, Radi)--------试图把这事件说成是一次月蚀, 以解说这个难题。教长格扎利 (غَزَالِی, Ghazali) 和沙•哇里乌拉 (شَاه وَلِی الله, Shah Waliyullah) 也主张, 月球事实上没有分裂, 无非是安拉有意要人看到这情景。根据伊本•阿巴斯 (اِبْنِ عَبَّاس, Ibn-e-‘Abbas) 和夏•阿布达尔•阿济慈 (شَاه عَبْدُالْعَزِيْز, Shah ‘Abdul-‘Aziz) 的说法, 这是一种月蚀。然而考虑一下«古兰经» 中提到这一事件所用的强硬措辞, 就显得这不是简单的月蚀了。在不信者不断的要求之下, 这确实成了穆圣所显示的一大奇迹 («布哈里圣训实录» 和 «穆斯林圣训实录»)。仿佛这是一个要使穆圣的一些伙伴而且要使一些不信者也一起看到的穆圣的精神景象--------正像变成巨蟒的手杖是要使巫师们也能看到的穆撒的精神景象。情形可能是这样, 穆撒手杖击海水刚好和退潮同时发生, 因此显得出奇, 安拉可能同样命令穆圣在这时展现奇迹, 使月球分裂, 而那时有个天体正要转到月球的前面, 使得这个月球看来好像一分为二。但是最合理而具有深刻的精神意义的解说还在于这个事实, 即月球是阿拉伯人的民族标记及其政权的象征, 正像太阳是波斯人的国旗。海巴尔 (خَيْبَر, Khaibar) 的犹太人领袖赫亚•彬•阿克塔布 (حُيَیْ اِبْن اَخْطَبْ, Huyay ibn Akhtab) 之女萨菲亚 (صَفِيَّة, Safiyyah) 对父亲提到她梦见月亮落在她衣裙上时, 她父亲打了她的耳光, 说她想嫁给阿拉伯人的领袖。海巴尔崩溃之后萨菲亚的梦境实现了, 那时她嫁给了穆圣 (زُرْقَانِی--------Zurqani & اُسُدُ الْغَابَة--------Usudul-Ghabbah)。阿依莎同样梦见三个月亮落在她的私室内, 梦后, 穆圣、阿布•伯克尔和欧麦尔一一埋葬于此 (مُوَطَّا--------كِتَابُ الْجَنَائِز Muwatta, Kitabul-Jana’iz)。根据卡马尔的这个象征意义, 这节经文的意思是, 53:58中曾受到威胁的不信安拉的阿拉伯人的政权覆灭时候已到来。“时候” 这词在这里是指白德尔之战, 在这次战役中几乎所有古莱西人领袖都阵亡了, 他们的权力被彻底摧毁的基础已奠定。因此这节经文成了一大预言, 说明约八、九年之后惊人地应验了。而且根据有些作者说, 阿拉伯语 اِنْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ (Inshaqqal-Qamaru) 的意思是, 事情已明显。从这个词的这个意义上说, 这节经文的意思是说, 古莱西人政权毁灭的时刻已到, 穆圣是真正的安拉使者这点到时将显示出来。
1
عربوں کے نزدیک چاند عرب حکومت کا نشان تھا۔ چنانچہ یہود بھی یہی یقین رکھتے تھے۔ حضرت صفیہؓ جو ایک یہودی سردار کی بیٹی تھیں اور بعد میں رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی ازواج مطہرات میں داخل ہوئیں۔ انہوں نے ایک دفعہ خواب میں دیکھا کہ ان کی گود میں چاند آگرا ہے۔ ان کے والدنے اس خواب سے یہی استدلال کیا کہ تو بادشاہِ وقت سے شادی کرنا چاہتی ہے (اسد الغابۃ) پس چاند پھٹنے اور عرب کی تباہی آجانے کے ایک معنے یہ ہیں کہ سَاعَۃ یعنی عرب کی تباہی کی ساعت آگئی ہے اور چاند یعنی عرب کی حکومت کا عروج پاش پاش ہو گیا ہے۔ مفسرین نے غلطی سے اس کے یہ معنے کیے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ عل
b
21:2.
4006
Important Words:
انشق (is rent asunder) is derived from شق. They say شق الشیء i.e. he split, clave, tore or rent the thing. شق العصا means, he broke the staff, i.e. he separated himself from the community. An Arab would say, شق عصا المسلمین i.e. he created disunion and dissension among the Muslims. انشق القمر means, the moon was or became rent asunder; or according to some, the affair became manifest (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).
القمر (the moon). قمر الشیء means, the light of the thing became intense. أقمر اللیل means, the night became bright with the light of the moon. القمر means, the moon in its third night and after; the moon absolutely. أقمار العلم و شموسه means, the ulema or learned men of the people. القمران means, the sun and the moon (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
Whether or not "splitting of the moon" into two parts, observable by the naked eye, contravened any physical law of nature, it cannot be denied that the event lacks historical evidence which could at all be described as unimpeachable. At the same time no one can presume to have fathomed all divine mysteries or fully comprehended or encompassed all the secrets of nature. It is not possible to imagine that such an event, affecting a considerable area of the globe, should have remained unnoticed in the observatories of the world or that it should have remained unrecorded in books of history. But the incident having found a mention in such reliable collections of Hadith as Bukhari and Muslim and having been narrated successively in traditions of reliable authority and reported by such learned Companions of the Holy Prophet as Ibn Mas‘ud and Ibn ‘Abbas, does show that some natural phenomenon of unusual importance must have taken place in the time of the Holy Prophet. Some commentators of the Quran—Radi among them—have sought to solve the difficult problem by declaring the incident to be a lunar eclipse. Imam Ghazali and Shah Wali Allah also hold the view that the moon had not in fact been rent asunder, but that God had so contrived that it appeared to the beholders as such. However, taking into consideration the forceful language in which it has been mentioned in the Quran, the incident appears to be something more than a mere lunar eclipse. It indeed constituted a great miracle shown by the Prophet at the insistent demand of disbelievers (see Bukhari & Muslim). It seems to be a vision of the Holy Prophet in which the Companions of the Holy Prophet and some of the Quraish were made to share—just as the rod turning into a serpent was a vision of Moses in which the magicians were made to share. Alternatively, it may be that just as the striking of seawater by Moses with his rod coincided with the ebb of the tide and thus assumed the character of a miracle, because God alone knew when the sea would recede and it was He Who commanded Moses to strike the waters at the time of recession, similarly God may have commanded the Holy Prophet to show the miracle of the cleaving asunder of the moon at a time when a heavenly body was to take such a position in front of the moon that it caused the moon to appear to the beholders as split into two parts.
But the most plausible explanation, which is also possessed of very deep spiritual significance of this, one of the most outstanding miracles shown by the Holy Prophet, lies in the fact that the moon was the national emblem of the Arabs and the symbol of their political power, just as the sun at that time was the national ensign of the Persians. When Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyay bin Akhtab, a leader of the Jews of Khaibar, mentioned to her father that she had seen in a dream that the moon had fallen into her lap, he slapped her face saying that she wanted to marry the leader of the Arabs. After the fall of Khaibar Safiyyah’s dream was fulfilled when she was married to the Holy Prophet (Zurqani & Usdul-Ghabbah). Similarly, ‘A’ishah had seen a dream that three moons had fallen in her private apartment which saw its fulfilment when the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were buried there one after the other (Mu’atta’, KitabuI-Jana’iz). According to this sense of the word و قمر the verse would signify that the hour of destruction of their political power with which the disbelieving Arabs had been threatened in 53:58 has already arrived. The word الساعه (Hour) in that case would refer to the Battle of Badr in which all the chiefs and leaders of the Quraish were killed and the foundations of the complete destruction of their power were laid. Thus the verse constituted a mighty prophecy which met with remarkable fulfilment, nearly eight or nine years after its announcement. Moreover, the Holy Prophet has been called "illuminating moon" (قمراً منیراً) in the Quran. In this sense of the word the verse would mean that after the Holy Prophet’s separation from the Quraish, the "Hour" of the destruction of their power would arrive, and it happened likewise. About a year after the Migration of the Holy Prophet to Medina, the Battle of Badr was fought which broke the Quraishite power.
Taking the expression انشق القمر in the sense, "the affair has become manifest," the verse would mean that the hour of the destruction of the Quraishite power has arrived and that now it would become manifest that the Prophet was a true Divine Messenger.
The word الساعة, besides the Battle of Badr, may apply to the Battle of the Ditch and the Fall of Mecca, as these three events combined to bring about complete and total annihilation of the power of pagan Arabs.
b
21:2.
2896
Whether or not "splitting of the moon" into two parts, observable by the naked eye, had contravened any physical law of nature, it is difficult to deny that the event seems to lack unimpeachable historical evidence. On the other hand nobody can presume to have fathomed all Divine mysteries or fully comprehended or encompassed all the secrets of nature. It is not possible to imagine that such an event, affecting a considerable area of the globe, should have remained unnoticed in the observatories of the world, or that it should have remained unrecorded in books of history. But the incident, having found a mention in such reliable collections of Hadith as Bukhari and Muslim and having been narrated successively in traditions of reliable authority and reported by such a learned Companion of the Holy Prophet as Ibn-e-Mas‘ud, does show that some natural phenomenon of unusual importance must have taken place in the time of the Holy Prophet. Some Commentators of the Qur’an—Radi among them—have sought to s