Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 32–43

42. Ash-Shura · Consultation

Makkan53 verses

وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِ ٱلْجَوَارِ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَٰمِ

42:32Among His signs are the ships [that run] on the sea [appearing] like landmarks.1

إِن يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ ٱلرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍۢ شَكُورٍ

42:33If He wishes He stills the wind, whereat they remain standstill on its surface. There are indeed signs in that for every patient and grateful [servant].

أَوْ يُوبِقْهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَيَعْفُ عَن كَثِيرٍۢ

42:34Or He wrecks them because of what they have earned, and He excuses many [an offense].

وَيَعْلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا مَا لَهُم مِّن مَّحِيصٍۢ

42:35Let those who dispute Our signs know that there is no escape for them.

فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ فَمَتَٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

42:36Whatever you have been given are the wares of the life of this world, but what is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who have faith and who put their trust in their Lord

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا۟ هُمْ يَغْفِرُونَ

42:37—those who avoid major sins and indecencies, and forgive when angered;2

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَجَابُوا۟ لِرَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

42:38those who answer their Lord, maintain the prayer, and [conduct] their affairs by counsel among themselves, and they spend out of what We have provided them;*

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَابَهُمُ ٱلْبَغْىُ هُمْ يَنتَصِرُونَ

42:39those who, when afflicted by oppression, defend themselves.

وَجَزَٰٓؤُا۟ سَيِّئَةٍۢ سَيِّئَةٌۭ مِّثْلُهَا ۖ فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

42:40The requital of evil is an evil like it, so whoever excuses and conciliates, his reward lies with Allah. Indeed, He does not like the wrongdoers.3

وَلَمَنِ ٱنتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ

42:41As for those who retaliate after being wronged, there is no ground for action against them.

إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ

42:42The ground for action is only against those who oppress the people and commit tyranny in the land in violation of justice. For such there will be a painful punishment.*

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ

42:43As for someone who endures patiently and forgives—that is indeed the steadiest of courses.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 36

1.Allah has guaranteed favors and bounties for people provided they fulfill the following conditions : (1) They should be true believers. (2) They trust in Allah and not depend on others. (3) They keep aloof from sins and shameful deeds. (4) They forgive if they are angry. (5) They accept His commands and instructions. (6) They keep up prayers. (7) They solve their problems by discussing with others and not use divinations to interfere in the law of Allah. (8) They spend money in the way of Allah and not be stingy. (9) If they are oppressed by wicked, they can take revenge from them so that they will not be emboldened. If not they must bear quietly provided they can tolerate it. This is a general law that oppressed people have the right to revenge and it is not wrong. It always happens that worldly people let the tyrants cause injustice and when the oppressed ones want to take revenge, they prevent them. Islam has made a law against this so as to prevent tyranny and those who give the right to oppress must also co-operate with the oppressed people to take revenge so that tyranny could be eradicated and they never would be able to raise their heads again. To tolerate his tyranny willingly is like being a tyrant oneself. Listening to the oppressed and doing nothing about him is worthy of curse.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Aalaam is the plural of Alam. That is mountain. Indeed one should not be proud of his inventions and discoveries. He should realise that if he has manufactured aeroplanes the winds are after all in the control of Allah. Or if he has flown the aeroplane, the fuel has been created by Allah. If He destroys all the oil wells how would they fly the planes. This same thing has been announced to warn the great powers that they should not base their treason and disobedience on the treasures of nature. Because He knows how to drown every Firon in the river of their own lands.

  2. 2

    Kabair are greater sins and Fawahish are sins that reach the level of shamelessness. Just as apparent in the western societies.

  3. Benefit

    In the 38th ayat the advantages of consultation is regarding subjects and specialties. The divine law is not promulgated by Shura and that is why the word Amrohum (their affair) is mentioned. And not Amr-e-ilaahi (Divine order).

  4. 3

    The ‘evil begets evil’ is only a proverb otherwise the result of evil is always good and not bad and neither can it be called evil. It should be clear that forgiveness is appropriate where there is scope for improvement otherwise if there is no possibility of reformation, retaliation is very much necessary so that evil can be prevented and the oppressors should not gain courage.

  5. Benefit

    The 42nd ayat mentions a point that Zulm is oppression and Baghiy is pride and arrogance and another view is that Zulm is with regard to the common people and ‘baghawat’ is against the Islamic government.