Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 127–135

20. Taa-Haa · Taa-Haa

Makkan135 verses

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى مَنْ أَسْرَفَ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنۢ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ

20:127Thus do We requite those who transgress and do not believe in the signs of their Lord, and the punishment of the Hereafter is severer and more lasting.

أَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِى مَسَٰكِنِهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلنُّهَىٰ

20:128Does it not dawn upon them how many generations We have destroyed before them, amid [the ruins of] whose dwellings they walk? There are indeed signs in this for those who have reason.1

وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌۭ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًۭا وَأَجَلٌۭ مُّسَمًّۭى

20:129Were it not for a prior decree of your Lord and a specified time, [their doom] would have attended [their guilt].

فَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ ءَانَآئِ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ ٱلنَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ

20:130So be patient with what they say, and celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before the sunset, and glorify Him in watches of the night and at the day’s ends, that you may be pleased.2

وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًۭا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰ

20:131Do not extend your glance toward what We have provided certain groups of them as a glitter of the life of this world, so that We may test them thereby. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.

وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا ۖ لَا نَسْـَٔلُكَ رِزْقًۭا ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ۗ وَٱلْعَٰقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ

20:132And bid your family to prayer and be steadfast in maintaining it. We do not ask any provision of you: it is We who provide for you, and to Godwariness belongs the ultimate outcome [in the Hereafter].

وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا يَأْتِينَا بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ تَأْتِهِم بَيِّنَةُ مَا فِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ

20:133They say, ‘Why does he not bring us a sign from his Lord?’ Has there not come to them a clear proof in that which is in the former scriptures?

وَلَوْ أَنَّآ أَهْلَكْنَٰهُم بِعَذَابٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ لَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَوْلَآ أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًۭا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَٰتِكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن نَّذِلَّ وَنَخْزَىٰ

20:134Had We destroyed them with a punishment before it, they would have surely said, ‘Our Lord! Why did You not send us an apostle so that we might have followed Your signs before we were abased and disgraced?’

قُلْ كُلٌّۭ مُّتَرَبِّصٌۭ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ ٱلسَّوِىِّ وَمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ

20:135Say, ‘Everyone [of us] is waiting. So wait! Soon you will know who are the people of the right path, and who is [rightly] guided.’

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 130

1.There is no need to apply this auspicious Ayat of the Holy Quran for the time of prayer. It is a general law that one should pray at the right time and not only orally but with belief, purity and should declare it sincerely.

Verse 131

2.It is said that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) took a loan from a Jew who asked for interest. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) became sad and this Ayat was revealed at that time. But outwardly there is no special familiarity in both. It is another thing that a man should not keep an eye towards the property of others. As Allah has granted as much as property to a man as needed and its trial is also very hard and its account will be also very severe.

Verse 132

3.It is an Islamic duty to instruct people for prayer and keeping patience in this way is good morality and anyhow it should be kept in mind that prayer does not hinder livelihood. To begin with, prayer timings are very brief and if business suffers on this account, then too business is not the provider it is Allah; and its outcome is in the hands of Allah and not in the hands of people.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    Ajal-e-Musamma is the time limit of every nation and every people before which divine punishment does not descend. Delay in the descent of punishment is not because Allah is unaware of the misdeeds of the unbelievers. It is the demand of the system of reward and punishment. Allah is aware of everything and knows about every person.

  2. 1

    It should be clear that worldly comfort and enjoyment does not save one from the punishment of the Hereafter, as is apparent from the consequences suffered by the previous nations.

  3. 2

    Anaail lail - Night hours. Atraafe-Nahaar denotes morning and evening. Although some commentators maintain that before sunrise is the morning prayer and before sunset is Asr prayer. Night prayers are Maghrib and Isha and Atrafe Nahar denotes Zuhr prayer which is the last part of the first half of the day and the first part of the second half.

  4. 3

    The different types of infidels and polytheists are Jews, Christians etc.