70- Surat Alma'arij/Tafseer
44 Verses Meccan (revealed in Mecca)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Besmi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Sa-ala sa-ilon be-azabin waqi' (1).
A questioner asked for the punishment that is going to befall.
Lil-kafireena laysa lahu dafi' (2).
To the disbelievers, there is no preventer from it.
Mina Allahi zee alma'arij (3).
From Allah, Owner of the ways of ascent.
Ta'ruju Almalaikatu wa al-ruhu ilayhi fee yawmin kana miqdaruhu khamseena alfa sanah (4).
To whom ascend the Angels and the Spirit during a day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
Fa-sbir sabran jameela (5).
So Be patient with gracious patience.
Innahum yarawnahu ba-ida (6).
Indeed, they see it far off.
Wa-narahu qareeba (7).
And We see it near.
Yawma takunu alsamau kal-muhl (8).
On the day when the sky will be like murky oil.
Wa-takunu al-jibalu kal-ihn (9).
And the mountains will be like wool.
Wa-la yasa'lu hamimun hamima (10).
And no friend will ask about any friend.
Youbassarunahum yawaddu al-mujrimu laww yaftadi men azabi yawmi-izin bi-baneeh (11).
They will be made to see each other, the criminal will wish that he could ransom himself from the punishment of that day by his children.
Wa sahibatihi wa akheeh (12).
And his wife and his brother.
Wa fasilatihi allati tu'weeh (13).
And his kindred that sheltered him.
Wa man fee al-ardi jamee-an thumma younjeeh (14).
And whoever is on earth entirely, then it could save him.
Kalla innaha Laza (15).
Nay! Indeed it is the Flame.
Nazza-atan lel-shawa (16).
A remover of the exteriors.
Tadou man adbara wa tawalla (17).
It invites he who turned his back and went away.
Wa jamaa fa-aw'a (18).
And collected and hoarded.
Inna al-insana khuliqa halua (19).
Indeed, man was created anxious.
Iza massahu alsharru jazua (20).
When evil touches him, impatient.
Wa iza massahu al-khayru manua (21).
And when good touches him, withholding.
Illa almusalleen (22).
Except the performers of prayer.
Allazina hum ala salatihim da-imun (23).
Those who are regular in their prayers.
Wa allazina fee amwalihim haqqun ma'lum (24).
And those within whose wealth is a known right.
Lel-sa-ili wa al-mahrum (25).
For the one who asks and the one who is deprived.
Wa allazina yousaddiquna bi-yawmi aldin (26).
And those who believe in the day of Judgement.
Wa allazina hum men azabi Rabbihim mushfiqun (27).
And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord.
Inna azaba Rabbihim ghayru ma'mun (28).
Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not to be felt secure from.
Wa allazina hum le-furujihim hafizun (29).
And those who guard their private parts.
Illa ala azwajihim aww ma malakat aymanuhum fa-innahum ghayru malumeen (30).
Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, then indeed, they are not to be blamed.
Fa-mani ebtagha waraa zalika fa-aulaeka humu al-adun (31).
But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors.
Wa allazina hum li-amanatihim wa ahdihim ra-oun (32).
And those who are careful about their trusts and covenants.
Wa allazina hum bi-shahadatihim qa-imun (33).
And those who are upright in their testimonies.
Wa allazina hum ala salatihim youhafizun (34).
And those who maintain their prayers.
Aulaeka fee jannatin mukramun (35).
Those will be in gardens, honored.
Fa-mali Allazina kafaru qibalaka muhti-een (36).
So what is with those who disbelieve that they are hastening before You.
Ani alyameeni wa-ani alshimali izeen (37).
On the right and on the left in separate groups?.
A-yatmau kullu emre'in minhum an youdkhala jannata na-eem (38).
Does every one of them aspire to be admitted to the garden of bliss?.
Kalla inna khalaqnahum mimma ya'lamun (39).
Nay! indeed, We have created them from what they know.
Fa-la auqsemu be-Rabbi almashariqi wa al-magharibi inna la-qaderun (40).
But Nay! I swear by the Lord of the risings and settings that indeed We are Able.
Ala an nubaddila khayran minhum wa ma nahnu bi-masbuqeen (41).
To replace them with better than them, and We are not to be outdone.
Fa-zarhum yakhudu wa yal'abu hatta youlaqu yawmahuhu allazi you-adun (42).
So leave them to converse vainly and play until they meet their day which they are promised.
Yawma yakhrujuna mina al-ajdathi sera-an ka-annahum ila nusubin youfedun (43).
The day they will come out from the graves rapidly, as if they were hastening towards idols.
Khashi-atan absaruhum tarhaquhum zillatun zalika alyawmu allazi kanu you-adun (44).
Their eyes humbled, and humiliation will cover them, that is the day which they had been promised.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Alma'arij is a response from Allah Almighty to those who hasten His punishment, assuring them them that it is inevitable. It describes some scenes of the day of resurrection, and the state of the disbelievers on that day. Then Allah enumerates some characteristic of the believers who will enter Paradise, and warns the polytheists that He is Able to replace them with those who are better than them, and that they will inevitably face the day of resurrection.
Allah Almighty says in the first four verses (1-4) "A questioner asked for the punishment that is going to befall, to the disbelievers, there is no preventer from it, from Allah, Owner of the ways of ascent, to whom ascend the Angels and the Spirit during a day the extent of which is fifty thousand years", that is, the disbelievers of Quraish asked about Allah's punishment that would inevitably befall them and then they would have no refuge to save them from that punishment, and this is similar to Aya (47) of Surat Alhajj {And they ask You to hasten the punishment, and Allah will never break His promise, and indeed, a day with Your Lord is like a thousand years of what you count}. And Allah assures that their punishment is from Allah, the Owner of the ways of ascent, as Allah has made ascents through which the Angels and the Spirit ascend to Him during a day whose measure is fifty thousand years, and the Spirit here refers to Gabriel as mentioned in Surat Alqadr.
There was much debate in determining the day the length of which is fifty thousand years, and the scholars differed between four opinion. The first said that this day is the distance between the Throne and the seventh earth, the second said that it is the duration of the world's existence from the time Allah created this world until the day of resurrection, the third said that it is the day separating this world from the Hereafter, and the fourth said that it is the day of resurrection, and Allah's Messenger (PBUH) has clarified that the day the measure of which is fifty thousand years is the day of resurrection, as Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: ''If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on it, when the day of resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him, these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead, and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell" (Sahih Muslim 987). This Hadith proves that the measure of the day of resurrection will be like a fifty thousand years of those which mankind count, then comes eternity in Paradise or Hellfire.
Allah Almighty says in the next five verses (5-9) "So Be patient with gracious patience, indeed, they see it far off, and We see it near, on the day when the sky will be like murky oil, and the mountains will be like wool", that is, Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to be patient, a gracious patience, in the face of the denial and harm He encountered from the disbelievers. They hasten the punishment because they do not believe in the day of resurrection as mentioned in Aya (18) of Surat Alshura {Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it}, thereupon, Allah affirms that those who disbelieve in the Hereafter and the meeting with Allah on the day of resurrection see the day of resurrection as far off and unlikely to occur, and they used to say {Far fetched, far fetched, is what you are promised} as mentioned in Aya (36) of Surat Almu'minun, but Allah affirms that it is inevitable, and He describes two of its scenes where on the day of resurrection the sky will be like dregs of oil and the mountains will be like wool, which is a weak thing, as Allah says in Aya (20) of Surat Alnaba' that the mountains will be removed and will become as mirage on the day of resurrection.
Allah Almighty says in the next five verses (10-14) "And no friend will ask about any friend, they will be made to see each other, the criminal will wish that he could ransom himself from the punishment of that day by his children, and his wife and his brother, and his kindred that sheltered him, and whoever is on earth entirely, then it could save him", that is, on the day of resurrection, no friend will ask about his friend, and they will be made to see each other, although they will be made to see each other but no friend will ask about his friend because for every man among them will be a matter adequate for him as mentioned in Aya (37) of Surat Abasa. The criminal will wish he could ransom himself from the torment of the day of resurrection with his children, his wife, his brother, his relatives who sheltered him, and all those on earth, hoping that would save him, but he will not be able to redeem himself from that torment by any one even if he brought all those on earth.
Allah Almighty says in the next four verses (15-18) "Nay! Indeed it is the Flame, a remover of the exteriors, it invites he who turned his back and went away, and collected and hoarded", that is, Allah thwarts the wishes of the criminals saying their fate will be the Flame of Hell (Laza), and Laza is one of the names of Hellfire, and it is a very hot fire that burns the external organs such as the skin of head, hands, feet, and everything that does not lead to his death because he does not die or live in the Hellfire as Allah has stated in in Aya (13) of Surat Ala'la, and Hellfire will invite he who turned his back to belief in Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), and went away from the truth, and he collected and hoarded the wealth and did not fulfill Allah's right in it, so he did not give charity (Zakah), alms, or spending in the way of Allah.
Allah's Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) said in narration of Abu Hurayrah: ''If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on it, when the day of resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him, these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead, and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until Judgement is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell" (Sahih Muslim 987).
Allah Almighty says in the next five verses (19-23) "Indeed, man was created anxious, when evil touches him, impatient, and when good touches him, withholding, except the performers of prayer, those who are regular in their prayers", that is, Allah affirms that man's nature is based on intense panic, intense anxiety and intense miserliness, so if something bad happens o him, he panics and his heart falls out of fear, and if he receives a blessing from Allah, he withholds Allah's right in it, but Allah assures that this is the nature of the disbelievers, not the believers, for Allah has exempted the believers because they have purified themselves from such traits by following the path of truth, and they overcome excessive anxiety through their trust in their Lord and their certainty. Allah has exempted the performers of prayer, who are regular in their prayer as they perform it in its prescribed time, and preserve its pillars.
Allah Almighty says in the next twelve verses (24-35) "And those within whose wealth is a known right, for the one who asks and the one who is deprived, and those who believe in the day of Judgement, and those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord, indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not to be felt secure from, and those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, then indeed, they are not to be blamed, but whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors, and those who are careful about their trusts and covenants, and those who are upright in their testimonies, and those who maintain their prayers, those will be in gardens, honored", that is, Allah has exempted the believers who spend in the way of Allah from their wealth a known right for those who ask, so they are given Zakah (obligatory charity) and alms, and Allah commanded the believers to treat them kindly, not to cause harm to them as mentioned in Aya (263) of Surat Albaqarah, and not to repulse them as Allah has stated in Aya (10) of Surat Aldduha {And as for the beggar, Do not repel him}, and as narrated by Abu Musa Alash'ari: "Whenever a beggar or a person in need of something came to the Prophet (PBUH), He used to say Intercede and you will be rewarded for that, and Allah will fulfill what He wills through the tongue of His Messenger" (Sahih Albukhari 7476). There is also a known right for the deprived ones, and they are the needy who do not find enough food, clothing, or a shelter, but they do not ask the people anything despite their intense need, so they are given what will meet their needs, and Allah's Messenger said in narration of Abu Hurayrah: "The needy is not the one who asks a morsel or two from the others, but the needy is the one who has nothing and is shamed to beg from people" (Sahih Albukhari 1476).
Allah has exempted those who believe in the resurrection and reckoning on the day of resurrection, they also are fearful of the torment of their Lord, so they do the deeds of those who hope reward and fear punishment, for the torment of their Lord is not to be felt secure from if they disobeyed Him. They guard their private parts as they do not approach adultery or gays, except from their wives and those whom their right hands possess of the slave-girls, and if they do so, then they are not to be blamed but whoever seeks other than his wife or his slave-girls, then those are the transgressors; because adultery is forbidden and it is not one of the characteristics of the believers where the Prophet (PBUH) said in narration of Abu Hurayrah "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time he is doing it" (Sahih Albukhari 2475), and the adulterers deserve to be punished by the legal punishment of adultery, which is one hundred lashes for the unmarried and stoning to death (The Rajm) for the married fornicator as mentioned in Aya (2) of Surat Alnoor.
And when the believers are entrusted with trusts, they do not betray, rather they return the trusts to their owners, and when they make a promise or contract, they fulfill it, and they maintain their testimonies where they do not add to it, do not decrease it, and do not conceal it, whether it is against a relative or a stranger, and Allah says in Aya (283) of Surat Albaqarah that whoever conceals the testimony, then indeed, his heart is sinful. And because of its great importance, Allah says again that the believers guard their prayers i.e. its timing, pillars, and duties. Then Allah assures that those who do these deeds will be honored in gardens where He will honor them with His generosity in the gardens of bliss on the day of resurrection.
Allah Almighty says in the next four verses (36-39) "So what is with those who disbelieve that they are hastening before You, on the right and on the left in separate groups?, Does every one of them aspire to be admitted to the garden of bliss?, nay! indeed, We have created them from what they know", that is, Allah addresses His Messenger (PBUH) saying what is with the polytheists of Quraish that they hasten to flee from the truth and the remembrance and they are scattered in groups on the right and on the left and this is similar to Ayat (49-51) of Surat Almuddaththir {Then what is with them that they are turning away from the reminder, as if they are alarmed donkeys, fleeing from a lion?}. So Allah says Do they desire to enter the garden of bliss despite their disbelief, and the gardens of bliss (Jannatu Alna-eem) is one of the names of Paradise. Although the disbelievers knew the weakness of their creation, but they did not acknowledge the greatness to their Creator as they know that they were created from sperm-drop, then from clinging clot, then from a lump of flesh just as the rest of their kind were created, so they have no merit that would entitle them to Paradise, rather, Paradise is granted by faith, righteous deeds, and the mercy of Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (40,41) "But Nay! I swear by the Lord of the risings and settings that indeed We are Able, to replace them with better than them, and We are not to be outdone", that is, Allah Swears by Himself, the Great who created every point of the risings and settings of the sun, which determines the hours of day and night throughout the year, as well as the variation of sunrise and sunset times from one place to another, and this oath comes to assure that the One who created many risings and settings of the sun is also Able to replace the disbelievers with better ones, as they will believe in Him and obey Him, and Allah does whatever He wills and He is not to be outdone.
Allah Almighty says in the last three verses (42-44) "So leave them to converse vainly and play until they meet their day which they are promised, the day they will come out from the graves rapidly, as if they were hastening towards idols, their eyes humbled, and humiliation will cover them, that is the day which they had been promised", that is, And Allah addresses His Messenger saying Leave the disbelievers conversing vainly in their disbelief and stubbornness, and Let them play and be preoccupied with the pleasures of the worldly life until they meet the day of resurrection which they used to deny and see it far off as shown above in Aya (6), and then they will come out from the graves and race as if they are hurrying towards idols, and their eyes will be humbled, and disgrace will cover them because they found what they used to deny in the worldly life has become true before their eyes, so that is the day which they had been promised in the worldly life.