CHAPTER 39: AZ-ZUMAR (THE HOSTS / THE GROUPS)

 

It was revealed during the Meccan period. It consists of 75 verses. However, verses 53-59 were revealed during the Medinan period. The name Zumar means ‘groups’ or ‘crowds,’ as mentioned in verses 71 and 73, and the surah takes its name from this word. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/457)

 

Jabir b. Abdullah (r) stated: ‘The Prophet (pbuh) would not sleep until he had recited Surah Az-Zumar and Surah Al-Mulk’ (Tirmidhi, Tafsir 9). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/446)

 

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

 

39/1-5 WORSHIPPING BY DEVOTING THE RELIGION SOLELY TO ALLAH

 

Translation

 

1- The revelation of the Qur'an is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the All-Wise. [cf. 26/192; 41/42]

 

2- (O My Messenger!) Indeed, We have sent down this Qur'an to you in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere (devoted) to Him in His religion.

 

3- (O people!) Know well that pure religion belongs only to Allah. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’ Indeed, Allah will judge between them (and the believers) concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide the one who is a liar and an ungrateful disbeliever. [cf. 2/165-167; 5/35]

 

4- If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed. He is Exalted (far above this). He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing (the Subduer). [cf. 43/81]

 

5- (Allah) created the heavens and the earth in truth (with a purpose and wisdom). He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night (lengthening and shortening each). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His command for the benefit of humanity). Each runs [its course] for a specified term. Know well that He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.

 

Commentary

 

(1). ‘The revelation of (this) Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the All-Wise.’ Aziz: The powerful one whose sovereignty and authority are not disputed; Hakim: The one whose wisdom is infinite in His planning, management, words and actions, Sharia, and destiny. (S. HAWWA, 12/370)

 

As a response to the disbelievers' accusations that ‘Muhammad fabricated the Qur'an,’ the very beginning of the surah contents itself with a brief declaration that what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said was not from himself, and Allah informed that the Qur'an was revealed by Him. (MAWDUDI, 5/90, 91)

 

(2). ‘(O My Messenger!) Indeed, We have sent down this Qur'an to you in truth.’ That is, this book is Truth from beginning to end, and no falsehood has mixed with it. (MAWDUDI, 5/91)

 

‘So worship Allah, making the religion exclusive to Him!’ That is, purify the religion for Him from polytheism (shirk) and showing off (riya). This is possible through tawhid (oneness) and the purification of one's inner self. Ibn Kathir says the following: ‘That is, worship only Almighty Allah without associating anything as a partner to Him! Invite people to this as well, and inform them that only He can be worshipped, and that He has no partner, no likeness, and no equal.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/376)

 

Sincerity (ikhlas) is performing a duty for the sake of Allah (76/9). The opposite of sincerity is hypocrisy/showing off (riya). Riya is showing off and considering others besides Allah in acts of worship. Riya is a sign of hidden polytheism and hypocrisy (4/142). Almighty Allah says: ‘So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord—let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.’ (18/110). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/448)

 

‘Making the religion exclusive to Allah’ while obeying Him includes not worshipping others along with worshipping Allah, living only by the rules and principles set by Allah, following His judgments, and avoiding His prohibitions. (MAWDUDI, 5/91)

 

(3). The principle of ‘worshipping by making the religion exclusive to Allah alone’ has been put forward as an absolute and unchanging reality. Because this is the right of Allah, and only His. He is the only one worthy of being worshipped, and He alone must be obeyed. Whoever rejects worshipping Allah and obeys others is in deviance. If one worships others alongside worshipping Allah, this is polytheism (shirk). (MAWDUDI, 5/91)

 

‘Taking protectors besides Him, they say, ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’(The Arab pagans) (...) believed in the myth that angels were the daughters of Almighty Allah. Furthermore, they made statues in the names of these angels and worshipped the angels through them. Then they would turn around and believe that worshipping the statues of the angels did not actually mean worshipping the angels, but that these were means of bringing them closer to Allah, acting as intermediaries between the servants and Him. They thought these would intercede for them in the sight of Allah and bring them closer to Him. Indeed, deities like Lat, Manat, and Uzza were some of these statues erected in the names of angels. (S. KUTUB, 8/567)

 

‘Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ.’ On the Day of Judgment, He will judge between His servants who worship Him with sincerity and the pagans who associate partners with Him. This command shows that the pagans argue unnecessarily, produce philosophies, make claims, and try to find justifications for these claims and their situations. Indeed, this holy verse shows that Almighty Allah will judge between the two groups in their disputes on the Day of Judgment, that is, He will judge between people following the resurrection after death, distinguish between the rightful and the wrongful, and give every person the reward or punishment appropriate to their deeds. (S. HAWWA, 12/376)

 

‘Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and a disbeliever.’ Nasafi says: ‘That is, Almighty Allah does not guide those He knows will choose disbelief; that is, He does not make them successful in finding guidance, and if they choose disbelief, He does not help them in this matter but leaves them without help.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/376)

 

We would also like to state this: The holy verse is proof that if the qualities of lying and denial exist together in a person, Almighty Allah will not grant that person the inspiration of guidance. Therefore, every individual must avoid the qualities of lying and denial as much as possible. (S. HAWWA, 12/376, 377)

 

Calling idols ‘deities’ is a lie; saying that Allah has a son or a daughter is a lie. Not believing in the existence and oneness of Allah is denial and ungratefulness. Not complying with the commands and prohibitions of Allah is ungratefulness. Even though Almighty Allah wants people to be believers and Muslims and has sent prophets and books for this purpose, He does not guide those who persist in denial and rebellion to the straight path. If a person leaves lying, ungratefulness, polytheism, and denial, turns to Allah, and wants to be a believer, Allah leads His servant to guidance and ensures that they become a believer and a Muslim. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/451)

 

(4). ‘If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed.’ This is a hypothesis accepted for the sake of argument to correct thought. According to this, if Almighty Allah were to adopt a child, He would choose whomever He willed from His creation as a child for Himself. For His will is not limited, but unlimited. However, Almighty Allah declares Himself far above taking a child. Therefore, no one has the right to attribute a child to Him. This is the will, the desire, and the decree of Almighty Allah. This is Almighty Allah declaring Himself free from children and partners. (S. KUTUB, 8/568)

 

That is, it is already impossible for Allah to have a son. However, if Allah willed, He would choose whomever He wanted for Himself. But it should not be forgotten that the one He chooses would, in any case, be a created being (makhluq). Because Allah created everything in the universe, and His relationship with them is in the form of a Creator–created relationship. Therefore, for a father-son relationship to exist, a bond related to lineage is necessary. Allah the Almighty is far above such attributes and definitions. He is One and Unique. (MAWDUDI, 5/92)

 

‘He is Exalted (far above this). He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing.’ While Almighty Allah is the only deity who brought everything into existence from nothing, created everything, and manages everything, why would He adopt a child? Because everything and everyone is His property. He uses it as He wills. (S. KUTUB, 8/568)

 

The name of (Allah) ‘Wahid’ literally means one, single. As an attribute of Allah, it means the unique being who has no peer, like, example, or partner, who is not divided into parts, and who is unique in being eternal and everlasting. This name of Almighty Allah is repeated in dozens of verses in the Qur'an: ‘Your God is one God.’ (2/163, 16/22, 22/34). ‘Allah is one God.’ (4/171, 14/52; I. KARAGOZ, 6/452)

 

(5). ‘Allah (created) the heavens and the earth’—all the beings between these two—not in vain or as a matter of idle play, but ‘in truth’ and correctly, that is, in a way that includes various benefits (maslahat). (I. H. BURSEVI, 17/204)

 

It is Almighty Allah who created the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, determined their duties, the order between them, and the law of gravity, and ensured their continued existence. These stars have been maintaining their existence for billions of years without their order being disrupted. This shows both the existence and power of Allah, as well as His infinite knowledge, will, power, and wisdom. Since it is commanded: ‘He has subjected to you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command.’ (16/12), all stars—that is, all celestial bodies—have submitted to His command. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/454)

 

‘He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night.’ The wrapping and enveloping of the night and day over each other points to the lengthening and shortening of their durations, the spherical shape of the earth, and its rotation both on its own axis and around the axis of the sun. All these are proofs that will strengthen faith in Allah. (H. DONDUREN, 2/722)

 

The word ‘tekvir’ mentioned in the verse means to wrap something, for example, a turban, by rotating it around a spherical object like a head; more clearly, it means to ‘coil.’ It is understood that this term describes a reality occurring in nature: The part of the earth rotating on its own orbit that faces the sun becomes bright, i.e., day. However, because the earth rotates, this bright part does not continue exactly as it is. As it moves, the bright parts are shrouded in darkness, and the dark parts are shrouded in light. That is, the night is continuously coiled over the day, and the day over the night. This shows that the ground of the earth is spherical. Thus, the term tekvir used in the verse indicates that the earth is in a spherical roundness and that it rotates; the fact that the earth is a sphere and its rotation interprets the term tekvir in an extremely precise manner. (O. CELIK, 4/306)

 

‘He has subjected the sun and the moon for the service of man. Each until a specified term’—until a period known by Allah that reaches the Day of Judgment—‘runs its course. Know well that He is the Exalted in Might’—the Prevailing and Capable one. ‘He is the Perpetual Forgiver’—that is, with His might, majesty, and greatness, He is the one who forgives the one who rebels against Him and then repents and turns to Him. (S. HAWWA, 12/379)

 

‘.. the heavens and the earth in truth..’ His offering the Sun, the Moon, and other beings to the service of humans shows the value, importance, and blessings that Almighty Allah gives to humans. For a human to live, there is a need for the heat and light of the Sun, and for their movements within a system between planets for the formation of days, nights, and seasons. It is Almighty Allah who provides these. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/454)

 

39/6-9 ARE THOSE WHO KNOW EQUAL TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW?

 

Translation

 

6- (O people! Allah) created you from one soul, then He made from it (from its essence) its mate. And He sent down for you eight pairs of livestock (such as camels, cows, sheep, and goats). He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation (passing through stages starting from a drop of fluid), within three darknesses. That is Allah, your Lord (and no other); to Him belongs the dominion. There is no deity except Him. So how are you turned away (from faith and obedience to Him, taking other lords and worshipping them)? [cf. 9/31]

 

7- (O people!) If you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah is in no need of you (your faith). Yet He is not pleased with disbelief for His servants. And if you are grateful (if you believe and obey), He is pleased with it for you. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return. (In the hereafter) He will inform you of what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts (the hidden).

 

8- And when adversity touches (the polytheist and disbeliever) man (such as disaster, calamity, or illness), he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him (sincerely). Then when He bestows upon him a favor from Him (when he is saved and finds relief), he forgets that for which he called upon Him before (and the real Savior) and sets up equals to Allah to mislead [others] from His way (by saying, ‘Such and such saved us’). (O My Messenger!) Say, ‘Enjoy your disbelief for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire.’ [cf. 10/12; 17/67]

 

9- Is one who (the disbeliever who prays only in distress) is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (like the one who does not)? Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ (Certainly, the believer is better.) Only they will remember [and take heed] who are people of understanding (clean intellects). [cf. 35/28]

 

Commentary

 

(6). ‘(Allah) created you from one soul.’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘Despite the differences in your races, classes, languages, and colors, He created you from a single soul, and that is Adam (as). ‘Then He made from it its mate.’ This is Eve (peace be upon her).’ (S. HAWWA, 12/379)

 

‘And He bestowed upon you eight pairs of livestock.’ The ‘eight pairs’ reported to be bestowed from livestock are the pairs of sheep, goats, camels, and cattle, in both male and female genders, mentioned in verses 143-144 of Surah al-An'am. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/601)

 

‘He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses.’ This holy verse describes the project of a genetic code. The three dark periods and locations reported are medically stated as follows: (1) The fallopian tubes where fertilization and the cell stage occur. (2) The intrauterine environment which is the forty-day tissue (alaqah) stage. (3) The inside of the amniotic sac, which is the organ formation stage. Our Almighty Lord gave this message back in that century—a message He created knowingly and left the solution to science. The fetus also develops in three dark places in terms of location. From the inside out: (a) Amniotic membrane: contains fluid and is heat-proof. (b) Chorion membrane: light-proof. (c) Uterine wall membranes: water-proof. (From Bâr, pp. 159-163; Özyazıcı, p. 64 cited in H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/458)

 

According to Abdullah b. Abbas, Mujahid, Dahhak, Ikrima, and Qatada, what is meant by the three darknesses in the mother's womb is the darkness formed by the abdomen (abdominal wall), the uterine wall, and the membrane surrounding the fetus. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/20)

 

In the verse, particular attention is drawn to the darkness of these layers, pointing out that even what happens in these dark environments occurs thanks to Allah's knowledge and power; and that the wonders of creation are realized in this environment which is not even noticed from the outside. By the expression ‘passing through various stages of creation,’ it is understood that the stages of nutfah, alaqah, and mudghah, whose expansion is given in Surah al-Hajj (22/5) and Surah al-Mu'minun (23/12-14), and the subsequent developments are meant. (From Ibn Ashur, QUR’AN WAY, 4/600)

 

‘That is Allah, your Lord.’ That is, the one who does all these is your Lord, Allah. ‘Dominion belongs to Him.’ Because He is the Creator. This command shows this: He who does all these is the only one worthy of Lordship; the true Owner. Therefore, the holy verse ends with Almighty Allah's command: ‘There is no deity except Him; so how are you turned away?’ How is it that you leave worshipping Him and turn to worshipping others? Where are your intellects? (S. HAWWA, 12/380)

 

The sentence ‘All dominion belongs to Him’ expresses the name al-Malik (The Owner/Sovereign) of Almighty Allah. Allah is the owner and possessor of all beings. The word mulk (dominion) also expresses the sovereignty of Almighty Allah and that He is the governor and disposer of the universe. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/458)

 

‘There is no deity except Him.’ Deity (ilah) means the one who is worshipped (mabut). Although the people of Mecca, who were the first addressees of our Prophet, accepted the existence of Allah, they did not accept His oneness (38/4) and worshipped idols as deities. Almighty Allah, with this sentence of tawhid (monotheism), informed that there is no deity other than Himself. Accepting a being other than Allah as a deity is polytheism (shirk). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/458)

 

(7). ‘If you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah is in no need of you (your faith).’ That is, ‘Your denial does not bring any harm to Allah's sovereignty. Whether you accept Allah as the sole deity or not, it makes no difference to Allah.’ (MAWDUDI, 5/95)

 

Hadith-i Qudsi: ‘O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the humans among you and the jinn among you, were to be as the heart of the most God-fearing man among you, that would not add anything to My dominion. O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the humans among you and the jinn among you, were to be as the heart of the most sinful man among you, that would not diminish anything from My dominion.’ (From Muslim, Birr 55; O. CELIK, 4/310)

 

‘Yet He is not pleased with disbelief for His servants.’ That is, Allah does not approve of disbelief for the good of His servants, not for His own benefit. Because disbelief is harmful to humans, not to Allah. What is noteworthy here is that Allah's will (irada) and His pleasure (rida) are different things. Because nothing occurs outside of Allah's will. However, events may occur that He is not pleased with—indeed, they already do. Oppressors, tyrants, bandits, thieves, murderers, and criminals operate day and night in the world. Almighty Allah has granted these people opportunities in the order He created. Just as Allah has granted opportunities to righteous people to do good, He has also granted opportunities to wicked people to do evil. If Allah had not granted them such an opportunity, there would be no such thing as evil on earth. All these happen within Allah's will, but this does not mean that Allah is pleased with these evils. (MAWDUDI, 5/95)

 

Almighty Allah, while leaving people free regarding faith or denial, is not pleased with their denial and ungratefulness; He does not want them to deny and be ungrateful. The sentence ‘Allah is not pleased with disbelief for His servants’ carries this meaning. Almighty Allah does not like the disbelief and rebellion of His servants. Almighty Allah does not lead any believer away from the right path, nor does He want them to be deviant; He does not lead them astray, nor does He want them to go astray and rebel. However, if the person himself wants to deviate or stay in deviance or rebel, He allows it and creates disbelief and rebellion in him. In this case, it is ‘the person who wants, and Allah who creates.’ Although He allows it and creates it, He is never pleased with disbelief. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/460)

 

Almighty Allah, out of His mercy, wants His servants to believe and reach salvation. Therefore, He has given people intellect to find the right path, sent prophets and books, shown the proofs of His existence and oneness, brought glad tidings of paradise to those who believe, and warned those who disbelieve with the punishment of hell. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/460)

 

‘If’ you are grateful by being in faith, worship, and righteous deeds, ‘He is pleased with it for your benefit.’ He is pleased with your gratitude. Because your gratitude is the cause of your salvation. In return for your gratitude, He will reward you with paradise. Ibn Kathir: ‘That is, He loves your being grateful for your sake and gives you more from His bounty.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/381)

 

The sentence ‘No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another’ expresses the principle of the individuality of crime, punishment, and sins. In case of the commission of acts that are crimes and sins, only the perpetrator of the crime and sin is responsible. No one can be punished for a crime or sin they did not commit. This principle can also be expressed by the sentence ‘punishment is given only to the one who commits the crime.’ No matter the degree of closeness or friendship between them, others cannot be held responsible for a crime committed by someone else. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/461)

 

Hadith: ‘A person cannot be held responsible for the crime of either his father or his brother.’ (Nasai, Tahrimu’d-dem 29; I. KARAGOZ, 6/461)

 

Jesus (as) will also not bear the sin of anyone. He was not crucified for our sins. This holy verse is also an answer to the false beliefs of Christians. (From M. TOPTAŞ; N. YASDIMAN, 8/407)

 

‘Allah will inform you of what you did in the hereafter.’ Almighty Allah has His recording angels write down all the deeds—good or bad, right or wrong—of all people in worldly life. On the Day of Resurrection, what everyone has done will be revealed. There are many verses in the Qur'an regarding this subject. (82/10-12; 36/12; 18/49; I. KARAGOZ, 6/462)

 

(8). ‘When adversity touches (the disbeliever) man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him (sincerely). Then when (Allah) bestows upon him a favor from Him, he forgets that for which he called upon Him before and sets up equals to Allah to mislead from His way.’ It is understood from the continuation of the verse that by ‘man’ here, primarily the deniers among the addressees of the Qur'an are meant. As stated in other places (see e.g., Baqarah 2/177), the true believer is always with Allah both in times of distress and in times of ease. He trusts and relies on Him. He shows this devotion with patience without rebelling in his bad days, and with gratitude without overstepping in his good days. He meets everything coming from Allah by saying, ‘Both Your grace is pleasant, and Your wrath is pleasant.’ (QUR’AN WAY, 4/602, 603)

 

‘And to mislead from His way,’ that is, from Islam, ‘he sets up equals to Allah.’ When he is in peace, he associates partners with Allah and invites to polytheism (shirk). O Muhammad, you say to this disbeliever: ‘Enjoy your disbelief’ in this world ‘for a little while.’ This command is for the purpose of a threat. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, to someone whose condition, way, and course is this: play around with your disbelief for a short while. This is a quite large and certain threat for the future.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/382)

 

‘Say: Enjoy your disbelief for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire.’ No matter how long-lived, every kind of blessing of this earth is short-lived. No matter how long he lives, a person's days on this earth are numbered. Even the lives of all people on earth can go no further than a short benefit when compared with the days of Almighty Allah. (S. KUTUB, 8/574)

 

Hardship and ease, abundance and distress, are the touchstones that reveal a person's character and the color they keep hidden inside. At the same time, it is another proof that life is not ‘rose-pink’ and that the road between the points of birth and death is not completely flat, without thorns or obstacles. (From C. YILDIRIM; N. YASDIMAN, 8/409)

 

People suffer calamities for the following reasons: (a) Material mistakes of people (4/123, 42/30; 30/42). (b) Sins committed (29/40; 4/78). (c) Allah's test (2/155, 3/186). (d) Oppression against people (Ibn Majah, Dua 11). (e) Negligence in servitude (Abu Dawud, Jana'iz 1). Furthermore, Almighty Allah may also give disasters and calamities to ensure that His servants pray and supplicate (6/42). All calamities occur with Allah's decree (4/78, 57/22, 23) and permission (64/11). No calamity happens unless Almighty Allah gives permission. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/463, 464).

 

(9). ‘Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (like that denier)?’ The interrogation/question here is in the sense of emphasizing the subject. That is, is the condition of a hard-hearted, forgetful disbeliever better, or is his end more beautiful; or the one who worships by prostrating and standing in the night, fearing the hereafter and wishing for the mercy of his Lord? On the contrary, it means the one who worships by prostrating and standing in the night, fearing the hereafter and wishing for the mercy of his Lord, is better. (I. H. BURSEVI, 17/223)

 

While explaining the command of Almighty Allah describing the quality of the believer: ‘Fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord...’ (verse 9), Nasafi says: ‘This holy verse is proof that the believer should be in a state between hawf (fear) and raja (hope). He hopes for his Lord's mercy, not for the reward of his deeds. And because he is also deficient in his deeds, he fears and avoids His punishment. On the other hand, if hope (raja) exceeds its limit, it becomes amn (feeling safe). If fear (hawf) exceeds its limit, it becomes yas (despair). Allah, whose glory is exalted, says: ‘No one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the people who are in loss.’ (al-A'raf 7/99). In another place, He says: ‘Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.’ (Yusuf 12/87). Therefore, it is necessary that neither fear nor hope exceeds its limit.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/386)

 

‘Say: Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, is a person in this condition equal at all to those mentioned before who set up partners to Allah to hinder from Allah's way?’ Thus, he has evaluated the disbeliever as a ‘person who does not know.’ Indeed, how can the knowledge of a person who does not know his Lord and is ignorant of the way to thank Him be in question? (S. HAWWA, 12/383)

 

By ‘knowing’ in the expression ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’, in the context of these verses, it primarily refers to knowing and recognizing Allah (marifatullah) at all times, not only when in a difficult situation, and through this wisdom (irfan), grasping the importance of being a servant to the Creator instead of being a servant to created beings. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/603)

 

True science is recognition, it is marifah (gnosis); it is grasping the truth. This science opens a person's insight (basirah) and foresight. it ensures that a person connects with the unchanging truths existing in this universe. Science is not disconnected and abstract information that fills the mind but does not lead to the great truths of the universe and does not go beyond objects that are clear and concrete. (S. KUTUB, 8/574)

 

Indeed, this is the way to reach true science and illuminating gnosis (marifah). This way is submission to Almighty Allah and worshipping Him, the sensitivity of the heart, becoming aware of the concern for the hereafter, pinning hope on Allah's mercy and benevolence, and keeping in mind that Allah is watching over one within this fear and trembling. This is the way. Only in this way can the essence of the matter be grasped and recognized. (S. KUTUB, 8/574, 575)

 

‘Only the people of understanding (intellect) reflect rightfully.’ That is, only the owners of intellect take heed from the advice given by Almighty Allah, or only the people who have intellect can know the difference between these two. (S. HAWWA, 12/383)

 

39/10-16 O MY SERVANTS! FEAR ONLY ME

 

Translation

 

10- (O My Prophet!) Say (that Allah commands): ‘O My servants who have believed! Live in accordance with your Lord's command and beware of His punishment. For those who do good in this world, there is a good [reward]. Allah’s earth is spacious. (You may migrate to a place where you can live the requirements and rulings of religion freely.) But only those who endure (who persevere in migrating to live the path of Allah without compromise) will be paid their reward without account.’ [cf. 29/56]

 

11-12- (O My Prophet!) Say: ‘Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making the religion exclusive to Him (with sincerity).’ ‘And I have [also] been commanded to be the first of the Muslims.’

 

13- (O My Prophet!) Say: ‘Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.’

 

14-15- (O My Prophet!) Say: ‘It is Allah I worship, making my religion exclusive to Him (with sincerity).’ ‘So worship whatever you will besides Him!’ (Also) say: ‘(In reality) the losers/those who suffer loss are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss/delusion itself.’ [cf. 2/165-167]

 

16- They will have canopies of fire above them and canopies (of fire) beneath them. By that Allah threatens His servants. ‘O My servants! Then live in accordance with My commands and prohibitions and beware of My punishment.’ [cf. 7/41; 21/39; 29/55]

 

Commentary

 

(10). ‘Say (that Allah commands): ‘O My servants who have believed! Live in accordance with your Lord's command and beware of His punishment.’That is, do not settle for just believing; along with it, fulfill His commands by fearing Allah. Stay away from what He has forbidden and lead your life in the world by fearing Allah. (MAWDUDI, 5/97)

 

‘For those who do good in this world, there is a good [reward].’ Nasafi says: ‘That is, for those who do good in this worldly life, there is a goodness in the hereafter; and that is entering Paradise.’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘For those who perform good deeds in worldly life, there is goodness and beauty both in their world and in their hereafter.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/388)

 

Based on the definition of ‘hasene’ (goodness/beauty), we can interpret it as all kinds of worldly and otherworldly goodness, beauty, health, well-being, victory, success, and happiness. Accordingly, every positive thing that can be for the benefit of a person in the world is hasene, as are the blessings of Paradise to be obtained in the hereafter. However, of course, for believers, the greatest hasene is to be saved from the punishment of hell and reach paradise. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/26)

 

‘Allah’s earth is spacious.’ Mujahid says: Therefore, migrate there and stay away from idols. Ata says: Flee when you are called to a sin. (S. HAWWA, 12/388)

 

This verse indicates that a Muslim can settle in any country in the world when necessary. For a believer, it becomes necessary to migrate as an individual or a family from a country where there is no security of property, life, honor, or freedom of belief and worship, to regions or countries where these rights are respected. However, it is noteworthy that it is stated that those who endure by struggling to obtain these rights in that place will be given provision without account. (H. DONDUREN, 2/724)

 

Do not let the love of the land, being accustomed to the environment, or ties of lineage, proximity, and friendship prevent you from migrating (hijrah) for the cause. When these make it difficult to live your religion or prevent you from working for Allah there, staying rooted to the ground in that situation is one of the traps of Satan. (S. KUTUB, 8/576)

 

Almighty Allah, the Creator of people, knows that migrating from one place to another is difficult for people. He well appreciates that it is a difficult obligation for human beings to be completely detached from these ties, to leave the life and means of livelihood they are used to, and to adapt to life conditions in a new place. For this reason, He mentions enduring here and the boundless—unaccounted/limitless—reward of this patience in the sight of Allah: ‘Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.’ (S. KUTUB, 8/576)

 

Patience (sabir) is the triumph of divine feelings at the moment of the encounter between divine and satanic feelings, showing perseverance in fulfilling the requirements of religion against the force that compels one toward lust, and fulfilling the requirements of our religion by abandoning the desires of the soul and laziness. (..) Allah loves those who are patient (3/146), and He is always with them (8/46). He helps them (3/125), rewards them with the best of what they did (16/96), forgives them, and has mercy on them (16/110). He gives their reward twice, in this world and the hereafter (28/54), and has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (33/35). Those who are patient will find salvation in the hereafter (23/111) and will be rewarded with the highest chambers of paradise. (25/75, 76/12-21, 13/24; I. KARAGOZ, 6/470)

 

(11, 12). ‘Say: ‘Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making the religion exclusive to Him.’That is, I was commanded to dedicate worship to Allah with a sincerity (ikhlas) purified from polytheism, showing off, and similar things. Although this command is directed at the Prophet (pbuh), those who worship idols are condemned in this verse. Therefore, the message is for all Muslims. (From V. ZUHAYLI; N. YASDIMAN, 8/414)

 

‘And I have [also] been commanded to be the first of the Muslims.’ Nasafi says: ‘The reason this command was given to me is that I was commanded to be the first of the Muslims, that is, the foremost and most advanced among them in the world and the hereafter.’ The meaning is: Sincerity has an advancing feature in religion. Whoever possesses sincerity advances. (S. HAWWA, 12/389)

 

(13). ‘Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.’(Zumar 39/13) This declaration is noteworthy in terms of reporting that the Prophet (pbuh), like other people, would suffer Allah's punishment if he did evil, and that as a principle, he was not granted a right of choice in this matter. In short, Allah's punishment is of a terrifying nature that even prophets tremble at. To see it as light or not to fear it is an indication of lack of faith and ignorance. (O. CELIK, 4/314)

 

The one who does not believe is rebellious, and the one who believes but does not comply with Allah's commands and prohibitions—for example, the one who does not pray or who drinks alcohol—is also rebellious. The disbeliever who rebels against the command of Almighty Allah to ‘believe,’ and the person who does not follow His commands and prohibitions despite believing, becomes an oppressor and a transgressor (fasiq) and earns a great sin. The person who rebels exposes himself to divine punishment. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/473)

 

(14, 15). ‘Say: ‘It is Allah I worship, making my religion exclusive to Him (with sincerity).’Religion becomes exclusive to Allah not according to people's whims, but by living and implementing it as Almighty Allah determined, was pleased with, and as His Messenger practiced. The pagans, however, wanted a form of religion from the Messenger of Allah that would be compatible with their own systems, traditions, and lives and would not change them. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not act in accordance with these requests, they said ‘he is being divisive.’ With these verses, Almighty Allah informs what a person should prefer and whom they should worship. [cf. 5/92; 6/102; 9/31; 39/64-66] (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/459)

 

The sentence ‘So worship whatever you will besides Him!’ in the verse is an expression of warning and threat. The end for those who do not take this warning into account will only be ‘hüsran’ (loss, ruin, damage). Their losing their own selves in the hereafter is explained as being subjected to the punishment they deserve in hell, and losing their families is explained as being deprived of the opportunity to meet, see, and help their relatives and friends in the hell environment they are in. (From Ibn Atiyyah, Razi; QUR’AN WAY, 4/607, 608)

 

‘Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss itself.’ Because they wanted fire instead of paradise. They did not want the high ranks in paradise but wanted the pits of hell. (S. HAWWA, 12/390)

 

(16). ‘They will have canopies of fire above them and canopies (of fire) beneath them.’ The 16th verse provides a concise explanation of the loss of the deniers in the hereafter. In the commentaries, it is stated that this verse indicates there are layers in hell and that there are clouds or layers of fire in each layer; it is mentioned that since the clusters of fire covering those suffering punishment in one layer correspond to the bottom of those in a layer above, it is said in the verse: ‘They will have layers of fire above them and layers (likewise) beneath them.’ (From Ibn Atiyyah, Ibn Ashur; QUR’AN WAY, 4/608)

 

‘..and canopies beneath them’ There are layers of fire beneath them as well, and there are many degrees (darakat) beneath each other, which are shades for others even as they descend downward in the pits of fire. Indeed, Suddi says: ‘These layers are a shade for those beneath them. This situation continues to the bottom of hell and the lowest floor belonging to the hypocrites. In this case, while the canopy (zulel) is for those beneath them, it serves as a bedding for themselves.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 17/243)

 

‘..and canopies beneath them’ The aim is to express that the fire surrounds them from every side. As Allah the Almighty says: ‘Its walls have surrounded them.’ (al-Kahf 18/29). The word suradiqh means fustat, that is, a tent. As mentioned in Surah al-Kahf, the fire surrounding them from all sides is likened to such a tent. Similar to this verse are the verse ‘On the Day the punishment will cover them from above them and from below their feet’ (al-Ankabut, 29/55) and the verse ‘They will have from Hell a bed and over them coverings!’ (al-A'raf, 7/41). (I. H. BURSEVI, 17/243)

 

39/17-21 GLAD TIDINGS TO THOSE WHO TURN TO ALLAH

 

Translation

 

17-18- (As for) those who avoid Taghut (false gods) and worshipping Satan and turn to Allah: there are glad tidings for them. (O My Messenger!) Give glad tidings to My servants who listen to the word and follow the best of it (that which leads to goodness). These are the ones whom Allah has guided, and these are the people of understanding (intellect).

 

19- (O My Prophet!) Can you save the one against whom the word (decree) of punishment has become justified—the one who is [already] in the Fire? (You cannot save them.)

 

20- But those who live in accordance with the commands of their Lord and fear Him—for them are built lofty mansions (in Paradise), one above another, beneath which rivers flow. (This is) the promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in His promise.

 

21- (O My Prophet!) Have you not seen that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow into springs in the earth (storing it), then He produces thereby crops (plants) of varying colors, then they dry? Finally, you see them turned yellow. Then (Allah) turns them into broken chaff. Indeed, in that is a reminder (and a lesson regarding Allah's power to resurrect after death) for people of sound intellect. [cf. 10/24; 18/45; 57/20]

 

Commentary

 

(17, 18). ‘(As for) those who avoid Taghut (idols) and worshipping Satan and turn to Allah: there are glad tidings for them.’ Nasafi says: ‘This is the glad tidings of the reward they will encounter. Angels meet them with glad tidings on their deathbed, and they are also given glad tidings when they are resurrected after death.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/390)

 

The word ‘Taghut’ in the verse text, which we translated as ‘false gods,’ is used as a term expressing all activities of disbelief and atheism/denial that reflect the efforts to show truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth throughout human history; the visible and invisible beings that cause rebellion against Allah the Almighty; and the false deities worshipped by people. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/608)

 

(Therefore) every kind of false deity and ideology that is worshipped means Taghut. Furthermore, let us state here that this concept is also used today for individuals, institutions, orders, systems, and understandings accepted as anti-Islamic. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/28)

 

‘(O My Messenger!) Give glad tidings to My servants who listen to the word and follow the best of it (that which leads to goodness).’ A believer has the power to distinguish between the good and the best, the superior and the most superior. When they stay between a wajib (obligatory) and a mandub (recommended), they prefer the wajib; when they stay between a mubah (permissible) and a mandub, they prefer the mandub. It is also like this when they encounter retaliation (qisas) and prefer forgiveness (afw), or when they encounter a license (rukhsah) and prefer the strict adherence (azimat). (H. DONDUREN, 2/724)

 

The meaning of ‘..and they listen to the word’ is that they listen carefully to the Qur'an and things other than the Qur'an, but they follow the Qur'an above all. Or, what is meant by ‘al-qavl / the word’ is Allah's command. Accordingly, the meaning is: ‘They listen carefully to Allah's command and follow the best of it.’ For example, when faced with retaliation or forgiveness, they choose ‘forgiveness.’ Or, when they hear any word containing both good and evil, they speak the good part of it and turn away from the evil part. (From Baydawi, Madarik; H. B. CANTAY, 2/826)

 

‘These are the ones whom Allah has guided, and these are the people of understanding (intellect).’ Since Almighty Allah knows there is goodness in their hearts, He has directed them to listen to the beauty of the word and to take and accept it. Indeed, guiding to the right path belongs only to Allah. ‘They are the owners of intellect.’ ‘Sound intellect’ (Aql-i selim) is the intellect that leads its owner to purification and salvation. It is as if the intellect has been taken away from one who does not follow the path of purification and salvation. It is as if he is deprived of this blessing that Allah has given him. (S. KUTUB, 8/578, 579)

 

Before the scenes of these people being in blessings in the hereafter are displayed, it is stated that those who worship Taghut have entered hell. And it is expressed that no one can save them from this fire: ‘Can you save the one against whom the word of punishment has become justified, who is in the fire?’ Here, the address is directed to our Prophet. Since even a prophet cannot save them from the fire they are in, who else besides Him can save them? (S. KUTUB, 8/579)

 

This verse carries an expression of consolation for the Prophet (pbuh). Because the Prophet (pbuh) was very eager for his people to believe. For this reason, Allah the Almighty informs him that you cannot guide those who are people of misguidance and destruction. (From V. ZUHAYLI; N. YASDIMAN, 8/422)

 

(19). ‘Can you save the one against whom the word (decree) of punishment has become justified, the one who is in the fire?’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘Almighty Allah says: Can you save the one whom Almighty Allah has decreed and written to be wretched from the misguidance or destruction they are in? That is, no one other than Allah can lead them to guidance. Because no one can show the right path to the one whom Allah has led astray. And no one can lead astray the one He has guided to the right path. After this, Almighty Allah informs us of the situation of His happy servants...’ (S. HAWWA, 12/393)

 

The Prophet (pbuh) wanted people to be believers very much and was very upset that they did not believe. Almighty Allah did not want the Prophet to be sad with the verse ‘(O My Prophet!) Perhaps you will kill yourself with grief because they do not become believers’ (26/3, 18/6). Because the Prophet's duty is only to convey Islam to people. The Prophet (pbuh) does not have the duty to force people into faith. It is not possible to make people believers by force. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/479)

 

(20). ‘But for those who fear their Lord, there are lofty mansions built one above another, beneath which rivers flow.’ They have quite high mansions in Paradise. The disbelievers, on the other hand, have fires surrounding them in layers in hell. Those with taqwa (piety), however, have mansions. (S. HAWWA, 12/393)

 

Hadith: Imam Ahmed narrates. Abu Malik al-Ash'ari (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘In Paradise, there are such mansions that their outside can be seen from their inside, and their inside from their outside. Allah has prepared these for those who provide food, speak gentle words, fast consecutively, and pray while people are asleep.’ Only Imam Ahmed narrated this hadith. (S. HAWWA, 12/407)

 

Hadith: Imam Ahmed narrates... From Abu Hurayra (r), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘The people of Paradise see the inhabitants of the lofty mansions in Paradise just as you see the high and pearl-like shining star appearing on the highest horizon. This is due to the superiority of the possessors of degrees.’ When asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, are these the prophets?’, he replied: ‘Yes, I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul, there are also those who believed in Allah along with them and testified to the truth of the Messengers.’ Tirmidhi also narrated this hadith and said it is hasan-sahih. (S. HAWWA, 12/407, 408)

 

‘Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the sky and places it into springs in the earth?’ Almighty Allah has put this water into springs, channels, and courses, just like the veins in bodies. That is, when the water descends from the heavens/sky, it is hidden in the earth. Then Almighty Allah makes it flow as He wills in all four corners of the earth and brings it out to the surface as springs, small or large, according to need. (S. HAWWA, 12/393)

 

‘..then He produces thereby crops of various colors.’ With this water, He brings forth crops like wheat, barley, sesame, and similar types in green, red, yellow, and white colors. (S. HAWWA, 12/394)

 

‘Then the crops dry.’ While they were previously eye-catching and beautiful, ‘you see them sapsarı (completely yellow).’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, these crops become withered after their beauty and youth; this time you see them starting to dry and turning yellow.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/394)

 

‘Then He turns that crop into broken chaff.’ He turns it into broken, scattered pieces, or it dries up in a way that it shatters. ‘Indeed, in those’—that is, in the sending down of water and the bringing forth of crops; for those ‘owners of intellect’ who know that there is certainly an all-wise Creator to do this and that this exists not from neglect and aimlessness but originating from decree and planning—‘there is a lesson’ that has the quality of a reminder and warning. (S. HAWWA, 12/394)

 

’..there is a lesson for the people of understanding’ That is, those who remember these and take advice understand by taking a lesson that the world is also like this. While the world is first green, eye-catching, and beautiful, it later turns into an old person so ugly that one cannot look at their face. A young person later turns into an elderly, aged, and weak old person. After all these comes death. The truly happy person is the one who encounters goodness after death. (From Ibn Kathir; S. HAWWA, 12/394)

 

‘Indeed, in these there is a ‘great advice’ and a drawing of attention to what the truth is for people of understanding.’ In this way, they take a lesson regarding the fact that this worldly life is rapidly moving toward an end from that crop which turns into chaff, which they witness every year; they are not deceived by its beauty and do not fall into its fitnah (trials). (I. H. BURSEVI, 17/258)

 

The growing of plants, their drying, then their growing again is an example of people being born and growing up, dying, and being resurrected again when the Day of Judgment occurs. Allah, who is capable of growing plants again after their drying, is certainly capable of resurrecting the dead. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/482)

 

39/22-31 ALLAH HAS SENT DOWN THE BEST OF WORDS

 

Translation

 

22- Is one whose breast Allah has opened to Islam (due to his intention and desire) and is upon a light from his Lord [like the one whose heart is rejected]? Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah (against accepting His rulings, thus losing their human nature and worshipping worldly things and their ego)! Those are in manifest error. [cf. 6/122; 57/19, 28]

 

23- Allah has sent down the best of words: a Book (the Qur'an) consistent in its similarity (harmony and rhythm) and oft-repeated (with paired expressions). The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (due to listening to the verses); then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah (the last guide He sent). He guides with it whom He wills/the one who wills. And whoever Allah leaves astray (due to persistence in denial), for him there is no guide. [cf. 8/25; 57/16]

 

24- Then is he who will shield with his face the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection (because his hands are tied to his neck) [like one secure from it]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, ‘Taste what you used to earn!’

 

25- Those before them denied (their messengers), so the punishment came upon them from where they did not perceive.

 

26- So Allah made them taste disgrace in worldly life (with disasters and calamities). And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater. If they only knew.

 

27- And We have certainly presented for the people in this Qur'an from every [kind of] example—that they might remember. [cf. 18/54; 29/43]

 

28- [It is] an Arabic Qur'an, without any deviance, conflict, or contradiction, that they might avoid [evil/disobeying Allah].

 

29- Allah presents an example (regarding the one who worships many gods versus the one who worships only Allah): a man owned by [several] quarreling partners (masters) and another completely devoted to one man. Are they equal in condition? (Certainly not.) All praise is due to Allah. But most of them do not know. [cf. 16/75-76]

 

30- (O My Messenger!) Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die.

 

31- Then (O people!) indeed, on the Day of Resurrection, before your Lord, you will dispute.

 

Commentary

 

(22). ‘Is one whose breast Allah has opened to Islam and is upon a light from his Lord [like the one whose heart is rejected]?’ That is, is the person who finds guidance through the expansion Allah gives to his heart like the one whose heart is sealed and hardened? (S. HAWWA, 12/395)

 

‘Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah!’ That is, woe to those who are in a state where their hearts do not soften, do not fear, do not understand, and do not perceive anything when Allah is mentioned! Nasafi says: ‘That is, woe to those (whose hearts are hardened) due to abandoning the remembrance of Allah or because of abandoning the remembrance of Allah! In the presence of such people, when Allah or His verses are mentioned, the hardness of their hearts increases. As stated in the following command of Almighty Allah: ‘But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has [only] added filth to their filth...’ (at-Tawbah, 9/125).’ (S. HAWWA, 12/395, 396)

 

‘Those are in manifest error.’ Since they do not carry the concern of distinguishing right from wrong, good from evil, or beneficial from harmful regarding beliefs and values, and since they have blunted their abilities in this regard, the verse reports that they are in ‘manifest error.’ (QUR’AN WAY, 4/611)

 

The one whose heart is opened to Islam because of his love for Allah is now a person who has attained light, illumination, and guidance. The measure of action for a person whose heart is filled with the love of Allah becomes Islam. No one suffers harm from his hand, tongue, or thoughts. He also works for his worldly life, but he does not disrupt the balance of the hereafter. He takes refuge in Allah and relies on Him. In every deed, he prioritizes Allah's pleasure/contentment, not the pleasure of his ego or someone else. These people can never be one with those who have closed their hearts to Allah. Those who have closed their hearts to Allah still feel that something is missing inside; they set out to look for something to respect, love, and bow down before. For this, they try to bow down before and glorify things made of stone, wood, or things brought forward by their ego. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/460)

 

Hadith: ‘When faith, which is light, enters the heart, the breast opens and finds relief. It was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is there a sign to know this?’ The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Yes, it is the person turning away from the deceiving world, turning toward the hereafter, the home of eternity, and preparing for death before death comes.’(Hakim, 4/346; No: 7863)

 

(23). This (holy verse) speaks of four characteristics of the Holy Qur'an. All of them demonstrate that it is the book of the Lord of the worlds: (a) ‘Allah has sent down the best of words...’ The Holy Qur'an speaks the best of words; its words are the most beautiful. The meanings it expresses are the most beautiful meanings. (In our work titled er-Rasûl) we have shown many examples that every single word of the Qur'an is in its proper place and that it is impossible for a better word to exist in that place, and no other word could replace it. This alone is a miracle. What happens if, along with this, the beauty of meaning, tone, style, and similar types of beauty that cannot be encompassed are gathered together? (b) ‘consistent in similarity’ (mutashabih): It is similar in truthfulness and clarity, advice and wisdom, conciseness and reporting, reminding, glad tidings, and warning. In every part of it, all the characteristics of this Holy Qur'an are clearly seen. This is so despite the subjects being numerous and varied. This alone is a miracle. Otherwise, is there any other book in this world that can speak with such an extraordinary style on the issue of inheritance as it does on other issues? (c) ‘oft-repeated’ (masani): The word masani here is the plural of the word masna. It means ‘repeated.’ Because the stories, reports, rulings, commands, meanings, prohibitions, promises, threats, and advice of this book are constantly repeated. (In this commentary) we have seen how certain matters are repeated many times, and each time they are presented with a new style, a new spirit, and a new form, and all these are of a nature that cannot be realized by humans in a way that causes awe and amazement. This alone is one of the manifestations of its conciseness, which is proof that this Holy Qur'an was sent by Allah. (d) ‘The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah.’ The effect that the Holy Qur'an creates in the believing hearts that turn to Allah and fear Him is something to be wondered at. Here, this holy verse characterizes this effect. This effect is characterized in many holy verses in the Holy Qur'an. If this book were not from Allah, it would be impossible for such an effect to occur in this way. (S. HAWWA, 12/397, 398)

 

In the verse, the Qur'an is called ‘the best of words.’ Because the Qur'an is the word of Allah. The information and news in the Qur'an are true and real; the rulings are just and beneficial, and the path it shows is right and salvific. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/485)

 

‘The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it.’ This is the quality of the good servants of Allah when they listen to the command of Allah, who is the Compeller (Jabbar), Absolute Sovereign, the Mighty (Aziz), and the Perpetual Forgiver (Ghaffar). Because when they listen to this Qur'an, they understand the promises and threats, the warnings and cautions therein, and their skins shiver due to awe and fear. ‘Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah.’ The reason for this is what they hope for and expect from His grace. (From Ibn Kathir; S. HAWWA, 12/408)

 

When the believers listen to these verses, they adhere to a certain etiquette; they adopt this etiquette. Indeed, when the Companions (Ashab-i Kiram) listened to the words of Almighty Allah as recited by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), their skins would shiver. Then, along with their skins, their hearts would soften due to the remembrance of Allah. They would not cry out or wail in any way, nor would they try to forcibly manifest what was not in them. On the contrary, they would adopt a certain perseverance, tranquility, etiquette, and awe such that no one can reach them in this regard. Because of this, they have been honored with the praise of our Most High Lord in both the world and the hereafter. (S. HAWWA, 12/409)

 

The Qur'an is masani, that is, it is a book that expresses the same information repeatedly, sometimes with the same and sometimes with different expressions to sufficiently enlighten the one who reads or listens to it; and it is read or listened to with pleasure repeatedly without giving boredom. Interpretations have also been made that the word masani is used to indicate the frequent occurrence of paired concepts and rulings such as Creator–created, angel–devil, light–darkness, world–hereafter, paradise–hell, promise–threat, fear–hope, and commands–prohibitions. (From Razi; QUR’AN WAY, 4/612)

 

Almighty Allah does not take a person He has guided out of guidance and make them a disbeliever. Because Allah wants His servants to believe, not to deny (39/7). In the next verse, it is reported that it will be said to the disbelievers in the hereafter: ‘Taste the punishment for what you used to earn.’ This means that man, by his own acquisition (kasb), i.e., his will, chose disbelief and performed sinful acts with his own will. Therefore, Almighty Allah did not make him a disbeliever and did not force him to perform haraam acts. The person wanted the denial and sinful acts, and Allah created them. (..) Almighty Allah guided His servants by creating them with the fitrah of Islam, giving them intellect, and sending Prophets and books; He wanted them to be believers, but He did not force anyone into faith or denial, leaving being a believer or a disbeliever to the people's own will. (10/99, 18/49; I. KARAGOZ, 6/487)

 

(24). ‘Then is he who will shield with his face the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection (like one secure from it)? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, ‘Taste what you used to earn!’These wretched people who turned their backs on the Qur'an and the Prophet will be thrown into hell in the hereafter with their hands and feet tightly bound behind them with iron chains. Since they have no opportunity to move their hands, they will try to save themselves from that terrifying punishment with their faces. However, in the face of danger, a person tries to protect their face with another limb. Accordingly, the expression ‘trying to protect oneself with the face against the sever<