Verses 1–8
46. Al-Ahqaf · The Dunes
Makkan35 verses
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
حمٓ
46:1Ha, Meem.
تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
46:2The [gradual] sending down of the Book is from Allah, the All-mighty, the All-wise.
مَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَمَّآ أُنذِرُوا۟ مُعْرِضُونَ
46:3We did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them except with consummate wisdom and for a specified term. Yet the faithless are disregardful of what they are warned.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌۭ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ ۖ ٱئْتُونِى بِكِتَٰبٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِ هَٰذَآ أَوْ أَثَٰرَةٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
46:4Say, ‘Tell me about those you invoke besides Allah. Show me what [part] of the earth have they created. Do they have any share in the heavens? Bring me a scripture [revealed] before this, or some vestige of [divine] knowledge, if you are truthful.’
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَآئِهِمْ غَٰفِلُونَ
46:5Who is more astray than him who invokes besides Allah such [entities] as would not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and who are oblivious of their invocation?1
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَٰفِرِينَ
46:6When mankind are mustered [on Judgement’s Day] they will be their enemies, and they will disavow their worship.2
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌ
46:7When Our manifest signs are recited to them, the faithless say of the truth when it comes to them: ‘This is plain magic.’
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ إِنِ ٱفْتَرَيْتُهُۥ فَلَا تَمْلِكُونَ لِى مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۖ كَفَىٰ بِهِۦ شَهِيدًۢا بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
46:8Or they say, ‘He has fabricated it.’ Say, ‘Should I have fabricated it, you would not avail me anything against Allah. He best knows what you gossip concerning it. He suffices as a witness between me and you, and He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.’3
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 4
1.In every age in the history of religion such foolish acts had been committed that non-religious people have got a chance to say that religion is a collection of some baseless beliefs and views. The effect of this is that the terms religion and wisdom have been invented that religion is something altogether unrelated with wisdom. The world of wisdom is some different. In order to refute this misunderstanding Islam has time and again invited the people to use their reason and thinking capabilities and they are advised not to follow a religion which does not have a firm rational and logical base.
On this occasion also the idol worshippers are asked on what logical basis rests the divinity of the idols? The Creator and the Lord is called God. But have these idols created anything in the world? Or do they have any share in the heavens?
If we leave aside the topics of Creation and Lordship, does any heavenly book mention that these idols are gods? If it is so they must offer it as proof or they should prove it by any argument that they have on the basis of which they consider them gods. If there is no visual or logical proof of their divinity there is no reason for any rational person to believe in their divinity. The rational people must also understand that if these idols deserve to be worshipped then what about the hands that have produced these idols?
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
‘Hum’ denotes the idols and the dua-e-hum denotes the polytheists, That is the idols are not even aware their devotees are calling them. Benefit: There are three types of demands in the 4th ayat. With reference to creation the demand is for use of rational proof and with reference to the Book there is demand of heavenly revelation. And through Asaaratul Min Ilm there is demand of denial of the ancient intellectuals and thinkers. And which of them had invited towards polytheism and which proof is established on this polytheism?
- 2
On the day of Qiyamat the relationships between leader and followers will terminate in such a way that they will become enemies of each other and they will also begin to deny having worshipped them. This is the apparent difference between truth and falsehood that falsehood breaks off relationship at the mention of Qiyamat and truth promises intercession and appeal there also.
- 3
Tafeezoon Fee - You speak about that?
Benefit
One position of the 9th ayat is a comprehensive reply of all objections against the Prophet of Islam, That if these objections were not for the previous prophets. I am not a new Messenger. I have the same circumstances as the previous Prophets and Messengers.