50- Surat Qaaf

50- Surat Qaaf

45 Verses Meccan (revealed in Mecca)

A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan

Bismi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Qaaf wa alqurani almajeed (1).

Qaaf, by the Honored Quran.

Bal ajebuo an ja'ahum munzerun menhum fa-qala alkaferuna haza shay-on ajeeb (2).

But they wonder that there has come to them a warner from them, so the disbelievers say this is a weird thing.

A-eza metna wa kunna turaban zaleka raj-on baeed (3).

Is it that when we died and we were dust, that is a far return.

Qad alemna ma tanqusuo alarduo menhum wa endana ketabun hafeez (4).

Indeed, We know what the earth diminishes of them, and with Us is a preserving book.

Bal kazzabuo bel-haqqi lamma ja'ahum fahum fee amrin mareej (5).

But they denied the truth when it came to them, so they are in a confused state.

A-falam yanzuruo ela alsama-ee fawqahum kaiyfa banaiynaha wa zayyannaha wa ma laha men furuoj (6). 

Then, do they not look at the sky above them, how we built it, and adorned it, and it has no cracks.

Wa alarda madadnaha wa alqaiyna feeha rawaseiya wa anbatna feeha men kulli zawjin baheej (7).

And the earth, We spread it out, and cast in it firmly set mountains, and We made to grow therein of every beautiful pair.

Tabseratan wa zekra le-kulli abdin muneeb (8).

Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who is oft-returning.

Wa nazzalna mena alsama-ee ma'an mubarakan fa-anbatna behi jannatin wa habba alhaseed (9).

And We have sent down blessed water from the sky, and made to grow therewith gardens and grain of the harvest.

Wa alnakhla baseqatin laha tal'on nadeed (10).

And the palm trees, tall, having layered inflorescence.

Rezqan lel-ebadi wa ahyayna behi baldatan maiytan kazaleka alkhuruoj (11).

A provision for the servants, and We gave life thereby to a dead land, thus is the coming forth.

Kazzabat qablahum qawma Noohin wa as-habuo alrassi wa Thamud (12).

The people of Noah denied before them, and the companions of the Rass, and Thamud.

Wa Adun wa Fer'wnuo wa ekhwanuo Lot (13).

And Ad, and Pharaoh, and the brothers of Lot.

Wa as-habuo alaiykati wa qawmuo tubba-in kullun kazzaba alrusula fa-haqqa waeed (14).

And the companions of the Aykah, and the people of Tubba', all denied the Messengers, so My threat was fulfilled.

Afa-ayina bel-khalqi alawwali bal hum fee labsin men khalqin jadeed (15).

Then, do We were tired from the first creation, but they are in doubt about a new creation.

Wa laqad khalaqna alinsana wa na'lamuo ma tuwaswisuo behi nafsuhuo wa nahnuo aqrabuo elaiyhi men habli alwareed (16). 

And indeed, We have created man, and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than jugular vein.

Iz yatalaqqa almutalaqqeiyani ani alyameeni wa ani alshemali qaeed (17).

When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left.

Ma yalfezuo men qawlin ella ladaiyhi raqeebun ateed (18). 

He does not utter any word except with him a ready observer.

Wa ja'at sakratuo almawti bel-haqqi zaleka ma kunta menhu taheed (19).

And the daze of the death has truly come, that is what you were trying to avoid.

Wa nufekha fee alsuori zaleka yawmuo alwaeed (20).

And the trumpet will be blown, that is the day of threat.

Wa ja'at kulluo nafsin ma'aha sa-equn wa shaheed (21).

And every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness.

Laqad kunta fee ghaflatin men haza fa-kashfna anka gheta'aka fa-basaruka alyawma hadeed (22).

Indeed, you were in heedlessness of this, and We have removed from you your cover, so your sight, today, is sharp. 

Wa qala qareenuhuo haza ma ladayya ateed (23). 

And his companion will say, this is what is with me, prepared.

Alqeya fee jahannama kulla kaffarin aneed (24). 

Throw into Hellfire every stubborn, a severe disbeliever.

Manna-in lel-khaiyri mu'tadin mureeb (25).

Preventer of good, aggressor, and doubter.

Allazi ja'ala ma'a Allahi ilahan akhara fa-alqeiyahuo fee alazabi alshadeed (26).

He who made with Allah another god, so throw him in the severe punishment.

Qala qareenuhuo Rabbana ma atghaiytuhuo wa laken kana fee dalalin baeed (27).

His companion will say, Our Lord, I did not make him transgress but he was in far error.

Qala la takhtasemuo ladayya wa qad qaddamtuo elaiykum bel-waeed (28).

He will say, do not dispute before Me, while I had sent to you the threat.

Ma youbaddaluo alqawluo ladayya wa ma ana be-zallamin lel-abeed (29).

The word will not be changed with Me, and I am not unjust to the servants.

Yawma naquluo le-jahannama hali emtala'ti wa taquluo hal men mazeed (30).

The day We will say to Hellfire, are you filled, and it will say, are there some more.

Wa auzlefati aljannatuo lel-muttakina ghaiyra baeed (31).

And the Paradise will be brought near for the righteous, not far.

Haza ma to'aduona le-kulli awwabin hafeez (32). 

This is what you were promised for every returner, keeper.

Man khasheiya alrahmana bel-ghaiybi wa ja'a be-qalbin muneeb (33).

He who feared the Most gracious, unseen, and came with a sincere heart.

Audkhuluha be-salamin zaleka yawmuo alkhuluod (34).

Enter it in peace, that is the day of eternity.

Lahum ma yasha'uona feeha wa ladayyna mazeed (35).

For them, therein, whatever they wish, and We have more.

Wa kam ahlakna qablahum men qarnin hum ashaddu menhum batshan fa-naqqabuo fee albeladi hal men mahees (36).

And how many of a generation before them We have destroyed, they were stronger than them in power, so they explored throughout the lands, is there any place of escape?.

Inna fee zaleka la-zekra leman kana lahuo qalbun aww alqa alsam'a wa huwa shaheed (37).

Indeed, in that is a reminder for he who has a heart or who listens, while he is attentive.

Wa laqad khalaqna alsamawati wa alarda wa ma baiynahuma fee settati ayyamin wa ma massana men lughuob (38). 

And indeed, We have created the heavens and the earth and what is between both of them in six days, and no weariness even touched Us.

Fa-ssber ala ma yaquluona wa sabbeh be-hamdi Rabbeka qabla tuolu-ee alshamsi wa qabla alghuruob (39).

So be patient over what they say, and glorify with the praise of Your lord before sunrise, and before sunset.

Wa mena allaili fa-sabbehhuo wa adbara alsujuod (40).

And from the night glorify Him and after the prostration.

Wa-stame' yawma younadi almunadi men makanin qareeb (41).

And listen, the day when the caller will call out from a near place.

Yawma yasma'uona alsaiyhata bel-haqqi zaleka yawmuo alkhuruoj (42). 

The day they will hear the blast in truth, that is the day of coming forth.

Inna nahnuo nuhyi wa numetuo wa elaiyna almaseer (43).

Indeed, We give life and cause death, and to Us is the final return.

Yawma tashaqqaquo alarduo anhum sera'an zaleka hashrun alaiyna yaseer (44).

The day when the earth will split from them, rapidly, that is an easy gathering for Us.

Nahnuo a'lamuo bema yaquluona wa ma anta alaiyhim be-jabbarin fa-zakker bel-qurani man yakhafuo waeed (45).

We know best what they say, and You are not a tyrant over them, so remind with the Holy Quran he who fears My warning.

Simplified interpretation: 

 Surat Qaaf begins with a single letter of the Arabic language, just like 28 Surahs of the Holy Quran that start with individual letters ranging from one to five letters. It is noticeable that in all 29 Surahs the book or the Holy Quran is mentioned whether it is immediately after these letters or it is included in the Surah or even at the end of it. It is a challenge from Allah, Almighty, to the infidels of Quraish, as if Allah says to them this is the book in the letters of the language you speak, but you will not be able to produce the like of it, and He has already challenged them in Aya (88) of Surat Alisraa "Say, if mankind and the Jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants". As for the current Surah it begins with the letter "Qaaf" or letter Q in English followed by "By the honored Quran", but the knowledge of these letters remains with Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And Our Prophet (PBUH) used to recite Surat Qaaf every Friday, where Umm Hisham Bint Harithah Bin Alnu'man said "I only learned Surat Qaaf from the tongue of the Messenger of Allah who used to recite it every Friday from the pulpit (Minbar), when He delivered the sermon to the people. 

 Allah says in the first five verses (1-5) ''Qaaf, by the Honored Quran, but they wonder that there has come to them a warner from them, so the disbelievers say this is a weird thing, Is it that when we died and we were dust, that is a far return, indeed, We know what the earth diminishes of them, and with Us is a preserving book, but they denied the truth when it came to them, so they are in a confused state", that is, Allah swears by the Honored Quran to confirm that the infidels of Quraish were astonished that Allah has sent a human being like them to warn them of His punishment, and He did not send an Angel instead of Him, and they ruled out that if they died and turned into dust, they will come back again, and they said this is impossible, and this Aya is similar to Aya (47) of Surat Alwaqi'ah "And they used to say, is it that when we die and become dust and bones, indeed, we will be resurrected?", so Allah responds to their statement and says that He knows what the earth eats of their flesh, their skin, their bones, and their hair after their death, and He has a written book which preserves what the earth eats from their bodies, and it is saved from change and alteration. Then Allah assures that they denied the truth which is the Holy Quran when it came to them, where they are in different, turbulent, and denounced matter as anyone who departs from the truth, whatever he says after that is false.

 Then Allah cites for those who denied the resurrection the greatness of His power in creating the sky, the earth, the mountains, the grain, the fruits, and the rain to show them that the One who created this is Able to bring them back again, where He says in the next six verses (6-11) "Then, do they not look at the sky above them, how we built it, and adorned it, and it has no cracks, and the earth, We spread it out, and cast in it firmly set mountains, and We made to grow therein of every beautiful pair, giving insight and a reminder for every servant who is oft-returning, and We have sent down blessed water from the sky, and made to grow therewith gardens and grain of the harvest, and the palm trees, tall, having layered inflorescence, a provision for the servants, and We gave life thereby to a dead land, thus is the coming forth", where the greatness of Allah is clear in building the sky without pillars, decorating it with the stars, and it has neither rifts nor flaws, and He spread out the earth, and He cast in it the mountains as pegs to remain anchored as mentioned in Surat Alnab' Aya (7) "And the mountains as pegs", and He made to grow in the earth of every beautiful pair of all crops, fruits, and plants. These great signs are an insight and a reminder for every fearful and humbled servant who always turns to his Lord in repentance.

 Then Allah cites the sign of the rain as the greatest example of His ability to resurrect man on the day of resurrection, where He sent down blessed water from the sky to grow gardens of all tress, the harvested grain of wheat, barely, and all kinds of grain, and the tall palm tress which have layered and arranged inflorescence inside the covers which are the inflorescence cones as mentioned in Surat Alrahman Aya (11), so that the rain is a source of provision for human being, and a source for reviving the dead earth, and this is like coming out from the graves on the day of resurrection, where Our Prophet Muhammad said in narration of Abu Hurayrah "Between the two blows of the trumpet, there will be forty, then Allah will send water from the sky and then the dead bodies will grow like vegetation grows, there is nothing of the human body that does not decay except one bone, that is, the little bone at the end of the coccyx of which the human body will be resurrected on the day of resurrection".

 And Allah says in the next four verses (12-15) "The people of Noah denied before them, and the companions of the Rass, and Thamud, and Ad, and Pharaoh, and the brothers of Lot, and the companions of the Aykah, and the people of Tubba', all denied the Messengers, so My threat was fulfilled, Then, do We were tired from the first creation, but they are in doubt about a new creation", that is, Quraish denied their Messenger, as those before them denied their Messengers, so they deserved Allah's punishment, where Allah had drowned the people of Noah in the flood, and He had destroyed the companions of the Rass, and the Holy Quran does not clearly specify who they are, but it was said that the Rass is a well in Azerbaijan, and they were named "the companions of the Rass" because they threw and buried their prophet in the well. 

 The thunderbolt destroyed Thamud, the people of the Prophet Salih, while Allah had destroyed Ad, the people of the Prophet Hud, with a sterile wind, and Allah had took Pharaoh and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and Allah had destroyed the people of the Prophet Lot with stones of hard clay. As for the Aykah, and they are the people of Madyan to whom the Prophet Shu'ayb was sent, Allah had destroyed them with the punishment of the day of shadow as mentioned in Surat Alshu'ara' Aya (189), And Allah had destroyed the people of Tubba', and the Holy Quran also did not specify who they are, even our Prophet did not know if Tubba' was a believer or not where He said in narration of Abu Hurayrah "I do not know whether Tubba' was accursed or not", but it was said that they were in Yemen because the king of that region was called Tubba', like the title of Pharaoh in Egypt and Najashi in Abyssinia. Allah had inflected His punishment upon the previous nations because they denied their Messengers, and they were in doubt about the resurrection, so Allah says as a denunciation "do We were tired from the first creation?", because the One who began the creation is Able to bring them back again and it is easier for Him as mentioned in Surat Alroom Aya (27) "And it is He who begins creation, then He repeats it, and that is even easier for Him".

 Then Allah says in the next six verses (16-21) "And indeed, We have created man, and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than jugular vein, when the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left, he does not utter any word except with him a ready observer, and the daze of the death has truly come, that is what you were trying to avoid, and the trumpet will be blown, that is the day of threat, and every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness", where Allah confirms that His knowledge encompasses all human being affairs to the extent that He knows what the soul of man whispers of good and evil, for Allah is nearer to him than the jugular vein which is a part of him, and there are two Angels (receivers) write his deeds, one of them is the Angel of good deeds on the right, and the other is the Angel of evil deeds on the left, and these two Angels are ready observers, where they write what man utters of good and evil, so the Angel of good deeds writes good deeds, and the Angel of evil deeds writes evil deeds, and this is similar to Ayat (10-12) of Surat Alinfitar "Verily, over you there are keepers, Noble, are recording, Know whatever you do".

 The two Angels continue to write his words and deeds until the daze of death comes to him truly, then he will face the certainty from which he used to flee, where he will be buried in the grave till the day of resurrection which begins with the two blows of the trumpet, and Allah has described the day of resurrection as the day of threat because He has promised the infidels that He will punish them on that day, and every man will come with a driver and a witness, that is, an Angel drives him to the land of gathering, and a witness who bears witness of what he had done in the worldly life whether good or evil.

 Then Allah says in the next eight verses (22-29) "Indeed, you were in heedlessness of this, and We have removed from you your cover, so your sight, today, is sharp, And his companion will say, this is what is with me, prepared, throw into Hellfire every stubborn, a severe disbeliever, preventer of good, aggressor, and doubter, he who made with Allah another god, so throw him in the severe punishment, His companion will say, Our Lord, I did not make him transgress but he was in far error, He will say, do not dispute before Me, while I had sent to you the threat, the word will not be changed with Me, and I am not unjust to the servants", that is, it will be said to the disbeliever on the day of resurrection, you were unaware of this, and your cover is removed so you are sharp-sighted today, knowing what you were in heedless of, then the Angel who was entrusted of His deeds will bring his deeds ready and prepared without decrease nor increase, so Allah will command His Angels to throw into Hellfire every stubborn, a severe disbeliever who denied the truth when it came to him, disbelieved in Allah, was ungrateful to Allah and denied that He is the One who bestows His blessings upon him, in addition to that, he does not spend his money, whether on duties imposed on him such as Zakah (charity), or not imposed such as Alms, he is aggressor in his words and his deeds, and he is doubter in the Oneness of Allah so that he made with Allah another god, therefore, Allah commands His Angels again to throw him in the sever punishment of the Hellfire.

 And then His companion from the Jinn, the devil who was with him in the worldly life, will disassociate himself from him, and will say to Allah that he did not make him transgress, but rather he was misguided, accepting falsehood, and opposing the truth. Then Allah will say to the disbeliever and His companion (Satan) Do not dispute before Me, I had sent to you My threat with the Messengers, and I had revealed the books with arguments and clear proofs, and My threat and judgment on you will not change, and I am not unjust to my servant: Because Allah does not punish anyone except for a sin, and He does not punish anyone except after the proof has been established against him, so everyone will be rewarded for His deeds and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another as mentioned in Aya (38) of Surat Alnajm 

 Then Allah says in the next verse (30) "The day We will say to Hellfire, are you filled, and it will say, are there some more", that is, Hellfire will keep asking for more till Allah puts His foot over it, where our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in narration of Abu Hurayrah: "Paradise and Hellfire argued, and the Hellfire said I have been given the privilege of receiving the arrogant and the tyrants, Paradise said "What is the matter with me?, why do only the weak and the humble among the people enter me", on that, Allah said to Paradise "You are my mercy which I bestow on whoever I wish of my servants, then Allah said to the Hellfire "You are my punishment by which I punish whoever I wish of My servants, and each of you will have its fill. As for the Hellfire, it will not be filled till Allah puts His foot over it whereupon it will say "Qati, Qati" (Enough, Enough), at that time it will be filled, and its different parts will come closer to each other, and Allah will not wrong any of His creation. As regards Paradise, Allah will create a new creation to fill it with". 

 On the contrary, the righteous will be in the gardens of eternal bliss as Allah says in the next five verses (31-35) "And the Paradise will be brought near for the righteous, not far, this is what you were promised for every returner, keeper, he who feared the Most gracious, unseen, and came with a sincere heart, enter it in peace, that is the day of eternity, For them, therein, whatever they wish, and We have more", that is, the Paradise will brought near for the righteous on the day of resurrection and it will not be far for it will inevitably happen, and it will be said to them "this is what you were promised", and this will be for every returner to Allah, for he who keeps his covenant with Allah and acknowledges His favor upon him, and for he who fears Allah before meeting Him so that he obeys Him, follows His commands, and fears Allah when no one but Allah sees him, thus, he will meet Allah with a sincere and humbled heart, so it will be said to them enter paradise in peace, this is the day of eternity for they will abide therein forever, and they will find in Paradise what their souls desire, and what pleases their eyes, and Allah have more blessings than they ever imagined.

 Then Allah says in the next three verses (36-38) "And how many of a generation before them We have destroyed, they were stronger than them in power, so they explored throughout the lands, is there any place of escape?, Indeed, in that is a reminder for he who has a heart or who listens, while he is attentive, and indeed, We have created the heavens and the earth and what is between both of them in six days, and no weariness even touched Us", that is, Allah had destroyed many nations before the deniers of Quraish, although they were stronger than them, and they explored the earth seeking sustenance and profits more than they explored, but they did not find any helper for them besides Allah, and in that is a reminder for he who has a mind with which he gives reason, and listens to speech carefully while his is attentive, and Allah acknowledges His great ability to create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days without being touched by fatigue, so whoever has a mind will realize that the One who is Able to create the heavens and the earth is Also Able to resurrect the dead on the day of resurrection as mentioned in Surat Alahqaf Aya (33).

 Thereupon Allah addresses His Messenger in the next three verses (39-41) and says "So be patient over what they say, and glorify with the praise of Your lord before sunrise, and before sunset, and from the night glorify Him and after the prostration, and listen, the day when the caller will call out from a near place", that is, Allah commanded His Prophet to be patient over what the infidels say of lies and slanders, and commanded Him to glorify with the praise of His Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and from night and after the prostration, and this verse refers to the prayers, where as narrated by Jarir Bin Abdullah: "We were in the company of the Prophet (PBUH) on a fourteenth night (Of the Hijri month), and He looked at the moon and said: "You will see Your Lord as you see this moon, and you will have no trouble in looking at Him, so, whoever can, should not miss the offering of prayers before sunrise (Fajr prayer) and before sunset (Asr prayer), then the Prophet recited "And glorify with the praise of Your lord before sunrise, and before sunset" (Sahih Bukhari 554). Allah also commanded His Messenger to pray at night as a voluntary prayer, and to glorify Him after the prayers, and as narrated by Mujahid: "Ibn Abbas said: "Allah ordered His Prophet to glorify after all prayers, He refers to His saying "After the prostration". And Allah commanded His Messenger to listen on the day of resurrection when the caller will call out for gathering from a near place, and it was said that the near place is the Rock of Jerusalem. 

 Then Allah says in the last four verses (42-45) "The day they will hear the blast in truth, that is the day of coming forth, indeed, We give life and cause death, and to Us is the final return, the day when the earth will split from them, rapidly, that is an easy gathering for Us, We know best what they say, and You are not a tyrant over them, so remind with the Holy Quran he who fears My warning", that is, on the day of resurrection, all creatures will hear the cry of resurrection to announce the coming forth from the graves in truth, then Allah confirms that He initiates the creation, He causes death, and He will bring them back, and that is easier for Him as mentioned above, where the fate of all creatures is to Him alone, so He will recompense every one for his deeds. On the day of resurrection, the earth will split open, and they will come out from it quickly, and that is an easy gathering for Allah, where Allah says in Surat Alqamar Aya (50) "And Our command is nothing but one, like the glance of the sight", then Allah says that He knows best what the deniers of Quraish say of lies and slanders, and Allah said to His Messenger that He is not the one who is forcing these people to guidance, and that is not what Allah has charged Him with, but all He has to do is conveying Allah's Message, and to reminder with the Holy Quran the one who fears Allah's threat of the punishment and the horrors of the Hereafter.

No one Knows its interpretation except Allah