ترجمهٔ معانی قرآن کریم - ترجمه‌ى انگلیسی ـ دکتر ولید بلیهش العمری ـ در حال اجراى آن است.
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلۡنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصۡلَىٰهَا مَذۡمُومٗا مَّدۡحُورٗا
[3531] The following draws attention to the fact that the reason behind people not heeding the Message is people’s (who are ‘ever rash’, cf. Aya 11 above) eagerness for worldly gain, wealth and privilege (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3532] al-ʿĀjilah (the instant one) is this worldly life. The worldly-oriented, who have only this life in mind, and crave instant gratification, will be, out of God’s complete Justice, given a portion of it and, rebellious as they are, will not be completely denied what they covet most (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We will increase their harvest; whoever desires ˹only˺ the harvest of this world, We will give them some of it, but they will have no share in the Hereafter” (42: 20).
[3533] This caveat, goes to show that such giving is bound by God Almighty’s will and is not unbound (cf. Ibn Kathīr). Those who think that they would win this world over by trading off the life to come for this one, need to be mindful that they might lose both in the process (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3534] That is, reproached by God and His servants for his corrupt intention and vile deed, and turned away from God’s Mercy (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar): “Whoever cares ˹only˺ for the worldly life and its adornment, We will deliver ˹the reward of ˺ their deeds to them in full; they shall not be swindled naught ˹out of it˺. * These are the ones for whom is nothing but the Fire in the Hereafter; nullified are their deeds in it and futile is what they are used to labour ˹at˺!” (11: 15-16)
وَمَنۡ أَرَادَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعۡيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ سَعۡيُهُم مَّشۡكُورٗا
[3535] By contrast, these are the well-intentioned, true Believers, to whom the reward of the Hereafter is topmost on their minds and work hard for it (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Suyūṭī, al-Iklīl, al-Saʿdī). They willingly heed the Message, and thus are handsomely rewarded.
[3536] God Almighty would accept their labour, multiply their reward, overlook their misdeeds and reward them handsomely (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī).
كُلّٗا نُّمِدُّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مِنۡ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَۚ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَآءُ رَبِّكَ مَحۡظُورًا
[3537] God’s provision in this life is withheld from neither those who labour solely for the gains of this worldly life nor those who seek the reward of the Hereafter (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
ٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۚ وَلَلۡأٓخِرَةُ أَكۡبَرُ دَرَجَٰتٖ وَأَكۡبَرُ تَفۡضِيلٗا
[3538] Attention is drawn here to consider how people are favoured over each other and to draw lessons from this fact (cf. al-Alūsī). People are of varying degrees with regards to God’s bounty on them: beauty, strength, character, wealth, intellectual ability, power, knowledge, etc. (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). This is to see what they do with what they are endowed with (cf. Riḍā). They are being tested; to be thankful for what they were given and patient over what they have been deprived of: “Indeed He is the One Who made you successors in the land and raised some of you ranks above others so that He may test you through what He bestowed upon you” (6: 165).
[3539] The bestowal of worldly life, being imperfect as it is, is not based on such criteria as good deeds and purity of Faith, but it is so in the Hereafter (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “We will set up the scales of justice on the Day of Judgement, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And ˹even˺ if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth; sufficient are We as a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner” (21: 47); “But whoever comes to Him as a Believer, having done righteous deeds, will have the highest ranks!” (20: 75)
لَّا تَجۡعَلۡ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَذۡمُومٗا مَّخۡذُولٗا
[3540] Ayas 22-39 concisely chart the foundation of the truly Godly society, which fulfils its duty on Earth and is spared God’s Wrath (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shaʿrāwī). To be spared what inevitably befalls the wrongful, such a society heeds these pieces of advice so that they may gain God’s Trusteeship (cf. al-Ghazālī, al-Tafsīr al-Mawḍūʿī li Suwar al-Qur’ān al-Karīm).
These are so significant that it is narrated that the great Qur’anic exegete, ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما), said about them that the whole Torah is contained in 18 ayas of the Qur’an (i.e., these ayas, cf. al-Ṭabarī). They contain the foundations of Divine creedal and moral codes. The significance of these fundamental dictates, which safeguard a society’s uprightness and cohesion, is underlined in a number of Qur’anic passages: “˹Mention˺ When We took the pledge of the Children of Israel that: you should worship none but Allah; be kind to your parents, relatives, orphans and the needy; speak nicely to people; and keep up Prayer and give out the prescribed alms; then you turned away – save a few of you – paying no heed”. (2: 83); “Worship Allah ˹alone˺ and Associate none with Him, and be beneficent to your parents, to relatives, to orphans, to the needy, to the close ˹relative˺ neighbour, to the adjoining neighbour, to the companion at your side, the stranded and those whom your right hands possess—verily Allah does not like any who is proud and boastful” (4: 36); “Come ˹you˺ along so that I may recite what your Lord ˹really˺ forbade for you: that you do not Associate anything with Him, and being kind to ˹one’s˺ parents; do not kill your children out of ˹desperate˺ destitution – We shall provide for both of you and them; do not come near vices, both open and secret; do not kill the soul that Allah forbade, except with a right to it. That He bade you to, so that you may reason. *“Do not ˹neither˺ come near the money of the orphan – except in a comely manner – until his coming of age; give weights and scales their full measure with equity – We shall only task a soul with that which it could bear; when you say ˹something˺ say it fairly, even against a next of kin; and fulfil your duty to Allah. That He bade you so that you may remember. *Indeed this is My path, Straight, so follow it and do not follow the ˹diverse˺ roads and get driven away from His road; that He bade you so that you may become Mindful. *Then ˹know that˺ We had given Mūsā ˹Moses˺ the Book in perfection ˹for Our bounty˺ for he who did well and detailing everything; a guidance and mercy so that they may Believe in meeting their Lord. *And this ˹Qur’an˺ is a Book We sent down, blessed, so follow it and be Mindful so that you may be shown mercy. *Lest that you may say: “But this Book was sent down to two ˹other˺ groups before us; indeed we are totally oblivious to their studying!” *Or you may say: “Had we had the Book sent down to us, we would have been more guided than they are!” Surely then a clear evidence has come to you from your Lord, a guidance and mercy” (6: 151-157).
[3541] Both the first and the last (cf. Aya 39 below), and surest of these foundations are to purify one’s Faith and Associate none with God Almighty in worship (cf. al-Shawkānī). This is the Believer’s starting point of departure in wanting to do good which makes one successful in the Hereafter. Association is the fountainhead of confusion and being misled (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Their gods, whom they prayed to besides Allah, availed them nothing when your Lord’s Command came; indeed they increased them nothing but carnage” (11: 101).
[3542] That is, having none to thank them for it, and that they will find no helper or supporter (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr). Associators are reproachful (madhmūman) for not being discerning and worshipping whatever is of no use to them, and are ever let down (makhdhūlan) because these so-called gods of theirs do not answer their prayers (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “To Him ˹Alone˺ is the Call of Truth but those whom they call besides Him do not ever answer them with a thing; except like he who stretches out his hand for water to reach his mouth and it shall never reach it—the calls of the Deniers are but lost” (13: 14).
۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفّٖ وَلَا تَنۡهَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلٗا كَرِيمٗا
[3543] Given the significance of the purity of Faith and worshipping none but God Almighty Alone, it is reiterated and reemphasized in other, more direct words, thus no one is left in doubt about it (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). Purity of Faith is the driver of good deeds because it implicates the reform of the heart and the mind. Such a heart and mind are ever heedful and willing to do good (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3544] The same Godly decree extends to parents; one’s first benefactors after the life-giving, sustenance-providing Benefactor of all creatures, God Almighty. Through His Will parents are the reason for one’s coming into existence and rearing and the caring for one as a small child and beyond. They are the most deserving of one’s beneficence (iḥsān) (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). The graveness of their right is highlighted through its almost invariable joining with none but that of God’s in many Qur’anic instances (cf. 2: 83, 4: 36, 6:151). In fact, Nufayʿ Ibn al-Ḥārith al-Thaqafī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Shall I inform you of the gravest of the gravest sins? They are three: Associating with Allah, being undutiful to one’s parents and perjury!” (al-Bukhārī: 2754; Muslim: 87).
[3545] Especially when they are old and frail and in need of their children’s service, they should be taken great care of and treated with utmost consideration and upmost respect (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, Ibn Kathīr).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Woe to him, then woe to him, then woe to him!” It was then said: “Who, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Whoever lives to find his both parents, or one of them, in their old age and fails to enter Paradise ˹due to lack of dutifulness towards them˺!” (Muslim: 2551).
[3546] One is not to show disgruntlement in their service even in as small a word as “ugh”, let alone what is beyond that. They are not to be hurt in the slightest (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3547] One should not only not hurt one’s parents with words, but one should make sure to say only good words to them (cf. al-Rāzī); words that please their hearts (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī).
وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرٗا
[3548] This is a metaphor for the utmost humbleness that one has to assume when dealing with one’s parents. This is a beautiful imagery of a bird lowering its wing as when it does to hug its young or draw its mate closer (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, Abū al-Suʿūd): “And We have commanded every human to ˹honour˺ his parents. His mother bore him through hardship upon hardship, and his weaning takes two years. So be grateful to Me and your parents. To Me is the final return. *But if they pressure you to Associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them. Still keep their company in this world courteously, and follow the way of those who turn to Me ˹in devotion˺. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do” (31: 14-15).
[3549] One is to invoke God’s Mercy for one’s parents, whether dead or alive, for their charity towards one during one’s most weak and needing phase in life, i.e. early childhood (cf. Abū Ḥayyān Ibn Kathīr, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar).
رَّبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمۡۚ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَٰلِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِلۡأَوَّٰبِينَ غَفُورٗا
[3550] One’s dutifulness to one’s parents should be carried out with sincerity and good intention. God Almighty knows what hearts harbour and will hold people accountable for it, so they need to guard their intentions towards their parents (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Qurṭubī).
[3551] Should the child be of good intentions and sincerely repenting, and carries out his duties to his parents, then God Almighty will forgive the little mishaps and errors that might have been shown towards parents (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا
[3552] This passage talks about the very important issue of economic security both in its social and financial aspects. Social security is accomplished through members maintaining bonds and partaking in wealth in the form of charity, and financial security is attained through wise management of finances (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3553] As much as one’s relatives branch off from ones’ parents, they are to be given their “due right” of maintaining ties, empathy and sympathy (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samarqandī). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever wishes his provision expanded and his mark more enduring, let him maintain the ties of the womb!” (al-Bukhārī: 2067; Muslim: 2557).
[3554] This “due right” which springs from a Divine dictate and a sense of social bond is also to be given to the less advantaged segments of society, the financially straitened. Whereas dutifulness to the wayfarer (ibn al-sabīl, lit. the son of the road) comes out of nurturing empathy and building a society on a spirit of dutifulness shown even to those outside the family and close community (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3555] Giving charity is a great human trait, but squandering and wasting away money is an unhealthy one; mention of one calls for the other (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
Tabdhīr comes from throwing seeds on the ground (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt), however, here it acquires the added meaning of doing so carelessly and indiscriminately (as opposed to the careful act of seed sowing al-badhr, cf. Abū al-Suʿūd). Given the context, exegetes differ on what is meant by it here. Ibn Taymiyyah, al-ʿUqūd, pp. 18-19, opines that here it could mean giving the right-owners mentioned here lavishly and more than they need yet ignoring those who are more needing of it. On the other hand, many other exegetes see that the word tabdhīr here refers to generally spending money on no good causes, especially in sinning against God (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Abū al-Suʿūd, al-Alūsī). Because, no matter how generous the charity is, it is not considered a waste of money (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓاْ إِخۡوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورٗا
[3556] This is how frowned upon wasting money away is. Wasters are the likes of the devils (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar). They are called the “brothers” of the devils because they follow their footsteps; being up to no good and doing whatever they wish for without check (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar). However, it remains that Islam is a religion of moderation and good consideration: “˹The true worshippers of the Most Merciful are˺ those who spend neither wastefully nor stingily, but moderately in between” (25: 67).
[3557] Kafūran (ever ungrateful) because of his constant denial of God Almighty’s favours on him and that he is never thankful for them; thus he leaves behind obedience to God’s command and indulges in rebelling against it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr).
