Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 16–22

46. Al-Ahqaf · The Dunes

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أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ فِىٓ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱلصِّدْقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ

46:16Such are the ones from whom We accept the best of what they do, and overlook their misdeeds, [who will be] among the inhabitants of paradise—a true promise which they had been given.

وَٱلَّذِى قَالَ لِوَٰلِدَيْهِ أُفٍّۢ لَّكُمَآ أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓ أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِى وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ ٱللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ ءَامِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

46:17As for him who says to his parents, ‘Fie on you! Do you promise me that I shall be raised [from the dead] when generations have passed away before me?’ And they invoke Allah’s help [and say]: ‘Woe to you! Believe! Indeed Allah’s promise is true.’ But he says, ‘These are nothing but myths of the ancients.’1

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ فِىٓ أُمَمٍۢ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ خَٰسِرِينَ

46:18Such are the ones against whom the word has become due, along with the nations of jinn and humans that have passed away before them. They were the losers.

وَلِكُلٍّۢ دَرَجَٰتٌۭ مِّمَّا عَمِلُوا۟ ۖ وَلِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

46:19For everyone there are degrees [of merit] pertaining to what he has done: He will recompense them fully for their works, and they will not be wronged.

وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَٰتِكُمْ فِى حَيَاتِكُمُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهَا فَٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَفْسُقُونَ

46:20The day when the faithless are exposed to the Fire, [they will be told,] ‘You have exhausted your good things in the life of the world and enjoyed them. So today you will be requited with a humiliating punishment for your acting arrogantly in the earth unduly, and because you used to transgress.’

۞ وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ

46:21And mention [Hud] the brother of ‘Ad, when he warned his people at Ahqaf—and warners have passed away before and after him—saying, ‘Do not worship anyone but Allah. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day.’2

قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

46:22They said, ‘Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring us what you threaten us with, if you are truthful.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 20

1.It is indeed an edifying scene that the infidels would be told that you have tasted all the pleasures of life, now you must taste the punishment. This indicates that most of the time the pleasures and comforts of this life are followed by pain and suffering in the hereafter. In spite of this most of the believing people are always trying to obtain the pleasures and comforts of this world. No one wants to save anything for the hereafter and this is the greatest weakness of their faith.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Apparently it is the description of a condition where the son is ready for revolt and infidelity and the parents are restless for guidance which is seen especially in good parents and more than food and cloth they are more worried of the guidance and righteousness of their children.

    Benefit: It is said that Abdul Rahman bin Abu Bakr objected to the demand of Bayat to Marwan on the behalf of Yazeed, Marwan referred to the 17th ayat and Ayesha said in reply that she knew about whom this ayat was revealed. You are accursed before the birth.

    Benefit: Though the great day is generally used for Qiyamat, but after some Verses the day of punishment is called the day of the painful chastisement. That this punishment has occurred in the world itself.

  2. 2

    Ahqaf is the plural of Haqeef which means a high desert. This is the name of the area of Yemen which is also called Shajar, And the people of Aad were spread in that area, A part of this area is adjacent to Hijaz. Therefore its example would have been more beneficial for the polytheists if they could learn a lesson from it.