مُرْتَفَقًا

2:257; 10:100.

25:38; 42:46.

Important Words:

سرادقھا (whose tent). سرادق is derived from سردق. They say سردق البیت i.e. he covered the house with an awning over its interior court. سرادق means, an awning extended over the interior court of a house; a tent of cotton or hair-cloth; a tent; smoke rising high and surrounding a thing; dust rising or spreading itself. They say سرادق المجد علیک ممدود i.e. the canopy of glory is extended over thee (Lane & Aqrab).

مرتفقا (resting place) is derived from رفق i.e. he was or became gentle or he acted or behaved gently ارتفق means, he bought or demanded aid or help or he profited by him or it (a thing) or he made use of it; he leaned upon his elbow; and, it was or became full. مرتفقا means, a place or thing upon which one leans, hence a place of rest (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The words, It is the truth from your Lord, signify that the prophecy, implied in the foregoing verses, that the great material might and glory of Western Christian nations will be reduced to dust and that Islam will emerge triumphant and full of new life shall most surely come to pass.

The words, let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve, hint that the time of the Imam Mahdi will not be the time for waging jihad by the sword, but for the peaceful preaching of Islam.

The last part of the verse answers a natural question that arises from the first part, viz. if there was to be no jihad by the sword how was Islam to come into its own? To this question the last part of the verse returns the answer that God Himself will see to it that the seemingly irresistible might of western Christian nations is completely broken. Divine punish-ment will overtake these nations in the form of wars which will not end until their power is completely shattered and is reduced to ashes and dust. Molten lead and iron will scorch their faces. They will cry for peace and will get bombs and gun-shots instead. Their beautiful residences will become unfit for human habitation and life will become a veritable hell for them. All their efforts to bring about peace in the world, being insincere and dishonest, will come to nothing.

9:72; 13:24; 19:62; 20:77; 35:34; 38:51; 61:13; 98:9.

15:48; 36:57; 83:24.

Important Words:

اساور (bracelets) is the plural of سوار which is derived from سار. They say سار او تسور الحائط i.e. he climbed or scaled the wall. تسورalso means, he put on or decked himself with bracelets. سوار means, a man’s or woman’s bracelet of silver or of gold (Lane & Aqrab).

سندس (fine silk) means, thin or fine دیباج (silk brocade) or thin or fine حریر (silk). It is opposed to استبرق (Lane).

استبرق (heavy brocade) is derived from برق which means, it shone, gleamed or glistened. استبرق means, thick دیباج (silk brocade) or دیباج interwoven with gold; thick silk (Lane & Aqrab).

ارائک (raised couches) is the plural of اریکة which is derived from ارک which means, he persisted or persevered. They say ارک بالمکان i.e. he remained in the house, not quitting it. The Arabs say ارک الامر فی عنقه i.e. he compelled him to do the thing; he made him cleave to it. اریکة means, a raised couch in a tent or chamber decorated and adorned with cloth and curtains for a bride; a bed spread upon the ground to sit upon; anything upon which one reclines; a raised couch (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The wearing of bracelets of gold may refer either to this life or the next. In the former case, the words, They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, mean that gold bracelets being symbols of royalty, Muslims will become rulers of vast and mighty empires. But taken as referring to the next life they connote a spiritual sense, meaning that good works of Muslims in this life would assume an embodied form in the next. Or "bracelets of gold" may signify special marks of honour, i.e. the Faithful will enjoy great power, honour and dignity and their womenfolk will wear garments of fine silk and heavy brocade interwoven with gold. This prophecy was fulfilled when the treasures of Persia and Rome were laid at the feet of so-called illiterate and half-civilized Arabs who wore clothes made of coarse skins and the hair of animals.

The words, how good the reward, imply that these things will not make Muslims lovers of ease and luxury and will not lead to their moral or spiritual death. On the contrary they will prove "a good reward" for them, that is, these things will give them peace and contentment of mind.

The words, and how excellent the place of rest, signify that contacts and friendships formed in accordance with Quranic teaching, being based on sincere and honest motives, will not lead to war and mutual hatred but will bring about real peace and concord in the world.