Verses 33–40
34. Saba · Sheba
Makkan54 verses
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ بَلْ مَكْرُ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًۭا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
34:33Those who were abased will say to those who were arrogant, ‘No, [it was your] night and day plotting, when you prompted us to forswear Allah and to set up equals to Him.’ They will hide their remorse when they sight the punishment, and We will put iron collars around the necks of the faithless. Shall they not be requited for what they used to do?1
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍۢ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
34:34We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones saying, ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’
وَقَالُوا۟ نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَٰلًۭا وَأَوْلَٰدًۭا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ
34:35They say, ‘We have greater wealth and more children, and we will not be punished!’
قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
34:36Say, ‘Indeed my Lord expands the provision for whomever He wishes and He tightens it, but most people do not know.’
وَمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَٰدُكُم بِٱلَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحًۭا فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ ٱلضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغُرُفَٰتِ ءَامِنُونَ
34:37It is not your wealth, nor your children, that will bring you close to Us in nearness, excepting those who have faith and act righteously. It is they for whom there will be a twofold reward for what they did, and they will be secure in lofty abodes.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا مُعَٰجِزِينَ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ
34:38As for those who contend with Our signs seeking to frustrate [their purpose], they will be brought to the punishment.
قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُۥ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ
34:39Say, ‘Indeed my Lord expands the provision for whomever of His servants that He wishes and tightens it, and He will repay whatever you may spend, and He is the best of providers.’2
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ
34:40On the day He will muster them all together, He will say to the angels, ‘Was it you that these used to worship?’
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 35
1.A man has experienced in the world in order to achieve nearness to lofty personalities sometimes wealth and sometimes children are useful. Therefore they assumed the same belief in religion, that wealth and children may be the source of nearness to Allah.
The Holy Quran clarified this matter that neither wealth nor children would be useful to obtain the nearness of Allah. Only belief and good virtues can be the source of proximity and those who have obtained this source, have obtained this perfection by their faith and good virtues. Be it known that only belief is not the source of nearness of Allah, good virtues are also necessary along with faith. Without these there is no possibility of the nearness of Allah.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
What shameless people! They do not express regret even in Qiyamat, even though they have the yoke of sins around their necks. Although according to some scholars this could mean negation also but here its application is almost impossible.
- 1
In the duel of the weak ones and the arrogant ones the victory finally went to the weak ones. The arrogant ones had no reply to their last statement. That they have finally caught them at their weakest point. When they were asked that you claim never to have prevented anyone from the true path but in the world you had made new schemes to instigate people for disbelief and polytheism.
- 2
The same sentence occurred two ayats before, the only difference was that previously there was no mention of the word servant. Thus the first ayat was general and this one is specifically for the believers. They are also promised to spend in the way of Allah and Allah will reward them from His unlimited treasure.
Benefit
The question regarding the suitability of divine revelation according to the monetary status of the person was raised by Firon to Moosa (a.s.), by the polytheists regarding Quran’s revelation. Also the Bani Israel’s attitude to Talut and the people of Nuh (a.s.) towards Nuh (a.s.). Similarly the Quraysh questioned the economic status of the Prophet’s companions. The Almighty has clearly announced that wealth and property is a test. It is not a cause for high status and honourable position.