CHAPTER 43: AZ-ZUKHRUF (THE ORNAMENTS OF GOLD / GOLD DECORATION)

 

This surah was revealed during the Meccan period. It consists of 89 verses. The 45th verse was revealed during the Medina period. Zukhruf means ‘gold and jewelry.’ In its 35th verse, it is explained that Allah does not value man by these, but according to the virtues in his heart, and the surah is known by this name. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/488)

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

43/1-16 HE IS THE ONE WHO SENDS DOWN WATER FROM THE SKY IN MEASURE

 

Translation

 

1- Ha, Meem.

 

2, 3- By the clear (and truth-revealing) Book! Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand and use your reason. [see 26/195]

 

4- And indeed it is in the Mother of the Book (Lawh al-Mahfuz) with Us. It is surely exalted and full of wisdom. [see 56/77-78]

 

5- (O pagans!) Should We then take away the Qur'an (the Reminder) from you because you are a people committing excesses?

 

6- And how many a prophet did We send among the former (peoples)?

 

7- Not a prophet came to them but they used to mock him.

 

8- (O My Prophet!) So We destroyed (many communities) who were superior to them in strength. And the example of the former peoples has (already) passed (in many verses).

 

9, 10- (O pagans!) If you should ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they would surely say, ‘They were created by the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing (Allah).’ 10. He (Allah) who has made for you the earth a bed (cradle) and made for you therein ways (and passages) that you may be guided.

 

11- And He (Allah) who sends down from the sky water in measure. And We give life thereby to a dead land. (O mankind!) Thus will you be brought forth (resurrected).

 

12, 13, 14- And He (Allah) who created all pairs (and varieties) and has made for you of ships (in the sea) and animals (on land) those which you mount. 13. That you may settle yourselves upon (and on) their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say, ‘Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.’ [see 16/7; 23/21-22; 40/79-81] 14. ‘And indeed we, to our Lord, will surely return.’

 

15- (Even though Allah is the Creator of everything) they have attributed to some of His servants a part of Him. Indeed, man is a clearly ungrateful (in disbelief and shirk).

 

16- Or has He taken, out of what He has created, daughters for Himself and chosen you to have sons?

 

Commentary

 

(1, 2). ‘Ha, Meem.’2. ‘By the Book’which is clear—distinct and net in its meanings and words because it was revealed in the Arabic language, which is the most eloquent and understandable of languages—’that you might think and understand,’grasp it, reflect upon it, and act accordingly, ‘We have made it an Arabic’—a ‘Qur'an’that is eloquent, fluent, and clear in the Arabic tongue. (S. HAWWA, 13/187)

 

The Holy Qur'an is ‘mubin’; it explains Allah's commands and prohibitions. It is a book with clear and understandable content. Its expressions are eloquent and fluent. It separates truth from falsehood and right from wrong with clear lines. (O. CELIK, 4/456)

 

(4). ‘And indeed it is in the Mother of the Book with Us. It is surely exalted and full of wisdom.’Nasafi says: ‘That is, it is at the highest level of eloquence, or it has a high rank and position among books because it is a miraculous book among them.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/188) ‘Full of wisdom’means this book is firm and solid. It is far from confusion and crookedness. All these draw attention to its honor and superiority. (S. HAWWA, 13/188, from Ibn Kathir)

 

The Qur'an comes from a ‘protected source’called Lawh al-Mahfuz; it is exalted and full of wisdom. Some have also given the meaning ‘Allah's knowledge’ to the term Lawh al-Mahfuz. According to this, the meaning would be: The Qur'an has come from Allah's exalted and wisdom-filled knowledge; it is a reflection of it through revelation. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/766)

 

The ‘Umm al-Kitab’(Mother of the Book) in which the Holy Qur'an is reported to be recorded is Lawh al-Mahfuz. Another name for this is ‘Kitabun Maknun’(a well-guarded Book). (see Waqi’a 56/77, 78; Buruj 85/21, 22). The Qur'an is ‘aliyy’; it is very honorable, exalted enough that it cannot be reached or changed. It is ‘hakim’; its composition, style, and the information it provides are very solid. It is full of divine rulings and wisdom from beginning to end. (O. CELIK, 4/456)

 

(5). ‘Should We then take away the Qur'an from you because you are a people committing excesses?’That is, did you think We would give up on advising and warning you, or stop revealing that book which is a reminder, just because you are pagans who persist in denial and injustice and have made a habit of going too far in crime, fearing that you might harm the Prophet, and just leave you to your own devices? (ELMALILI, 7/45)

 

Almighty Allah, as required by His infinite compassion and mercy, says to His denying servants: ‘Leaving you in this state does not comply with My mercy and generosity. No matter how rebellious you are or how much you go to extremes, I will not abandon you to drowning or destruction. In that case, do you not think at all about the consequences of ungratefulness, turning away, and clinging to falsehood against this mercy and generosity of Mine?’ and invites them to take lessons from the states of previous societies. (O. CELIK, 4/457)

 

The Meccan pagans also mocked the Prophet. Almighty Allah consoled the Prophet by reporting that mocking was not the first time and that previous prophets were also mocked. Mocking the prophet is disbelief. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/8)

 

(6, 7, 8). ‘And how many a prophet did We send among the former (peoples)?’Not a prophet came to them but they used to mock him.’(O My Prophet!) So We destroyed (many communities) who were superior to them in strength. And the example of the former peoples has passed.’As is known, ‘mathal’(example) means example, lesson, attribute, and news in the dictionary. However, here (...) the most appropriate interpretation (...) is Suddi's interpretation. For the said commentator interpreted the word in question as ‘lesson’(ibret). Accordingly, the matters told in the Qur'an regarding previous communities mean a document of lesson for the former ones. This is clearly expressed in verses Al-i Imran 3/13; Yusuf 12/111; Nahl 16/66; Mu’minun 23/21; Nur 24/44; Nazi’at 79/26 of the Qur'an. Because in all these verses, the word ‘lesson’ is included, and it is stated that there is a lesson to be taken for those of understanding in the story (qissa) in the relevant verse. Essentially, one of the targets and goals of the stories is to ensure that people think about these stories and take lessons. Qur'anic stories generally take the conflict between good and evil as their subject. In this conflict, they show that good is the truth and evil is falsehood by reflecting the feelings and thoughts of both the good and the bad. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/86)

 

(9). ‘(If you) should ask them: 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they would surely say: 'They were created by the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing (Allah).'‘The polytheist Arabs, who were the addressees of the Prophet, did not hold the idols they worshipped as equal to Allah in terms of His attributes; for example, they knew and confessed that the act of creation belongs to Allah and that only a being with great power and knowledge could create this universe. According to them, the job of the idols was to be a mediator between them and Allah to obtain good and be protected from evil, and to bring them closer to Allah; they worshipped idols for this reason (Yunus 10/18; Zumar 39/3). (QUR’AN WAY, 4/769)

 

(10). ‘He has made the earth a bed for you’—He has made it into a bed suitable for you to continue your life on and to be comfortable in. (S. HAWWA, 13/191)

 

Making the earth a bed means that it is suitable and convenient for living, walking, working, and resting on it. On the earth, people can build dwellings and grow all kinds of vegetables, fruits, and similar products in the soil. It is Almighty Allah who created the earth in a way that allows this. This is a blessing for people. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/11)

 

Today, we know regarding the fact that the earth was made a cradle where the human species could find the opportunity to live, that this planet passed through various successive stages and eventually became a cradle suitable for humans to live in. During these stages, the hard, dry, rocky surface of the earth turned into soil suitable for agriculture. Water occurred on the earth with the combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Days that would balance its heat and make it suitable for living were formed by the Earth turning on its own axis. The rotation speed also took a form suitable for living and non-living beings to stand in balance on it, not to be scattered, and not to fly into the void of space. (S. KUTUB, 9/110)

 

(...) The earth stands in the void within space and moves at a speed of 66,600 miles per hour. The heat inside the earth is powerful enough to melt even stones. Indeed, the earth makes this power felt by erupting its lava from time to time. However, despite this terrifying danger, Allah the Creator has made the earth a place of rest for people. Therefore, you wander on it without being aware of any danger and can travel without falling even though we stand upside down in space. Again, although the earth turns faster than a bullet from a gun, you can sow and reap on the earth and obtain many blessings without encountering any problem. (MAWDUDI, 5/248, 249)

 

‘And He made for you ways therein that you may find your way.’That is, He did this so that you may find the right path leading to your destination in the journeys you make. Ibn Kathir says as follows: ‘That is, He enabled you to travel from one place to another, from one region to another, and from one climate to another.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/191)

 

(11). ‘Allah sends down water from the sky in measure.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘He sent down enough water for your crops, your fruits, and for both you and your animals to drink.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/191)

 

That is, rains are sent for each region that fall in roughly the same amount from year to year and make the soil productive by feeding it with water. It is a wisdom of Allah that some regions are created as arid and desert, and that famine occurs by not sending rain to some regions. For when rain is sent to those regions, people understand what a great blessing rain is. Furthermore, it is explained that everyone remains helpless in the face of there being a manager of this order and system, and that no one's power is sufficient to change the measure of the rain falling on a country, to break the order of the huge earth, or to prevent the arrival of floods and deluges, or to take the clouds to the desired region. (MAWDUDI, 5/249)

 

‘We gave life thereby to a dead land.’The creation of living things and the emergence of life depend on water. Because every living being owes its vitality to water. (S. KUTUB, 9/112)

 

‘Thus will you be brought forth again.’Because the one who brought life into existence for the first time will repeat this process in the same way. Almighty Allah, who brought living beings out of dead soil for the first time, will bring these living beings out of the soil again on the Day of Resurrection. Because doing something again is like doing it for the first time. According to Almighty Allah, there is no difficult side to this. (S. KUTUB, 9/112)

 

(12, 13, 14). ‘He (Allah) who created all pairs and made for you of ships and animals those which you mount.’(...) The basis of life is that living things are created in pairs. Because all living things are pairs. Even the single cell created first had both male and female characteristics. Rather, if we accept the atom consisting of negative electrons and positive protons as the basis of the universe, as the research in the field of natural sciences so far indicates, we can say that the basis of the entire universe, not just living things, consists of dual elements. (S. KUTUB, 9/113)

 

‘Azwaj’(...) What is meant here is the bipolarity we mentioned. For instance, earth-sky, bottom-top, right-left, front-back, past-future, summer-winter, night-day, moon-sun, sweet-bitter, white-black, low-high, past-future, essence-attribute, etc. mean ‘azwaj’in the expression of the verse. Because all of these constitute pairs. It seems that the creation of everything created as a pair also points to the oneness of Allah. As is known, even electrical energy occurs from the coming together of negative (-) and positive (+) poles. The same thing is in question for humans, animals, and plants as well. For humans, animals, and plants also have males and females. All of these show on the one hand that Allah is a single being and on the other hand the miraculous aspect of the Qur'an. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/87, 88)

 

‘That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say: 'Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.'‘When you mount their backs, you should remember the blessing of your Lord with your hearts, appreciate His greatness by confessing these blessings, and after remembering Allah from the heart, you should praise Him with your tongue. By feeling wonder and admiration for this, you should say, ‘We glorify and sanctify the One who put this at our service.’ That is, Allah, who showed mercy by putting these ships and animals under our hand and at our command so that we can mount them and travel on land and sea, is pure from everything; He is clean and transcendent. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/361, 362)

 

Hadith: When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) put his foot in the stirrup, he would say ‘Bismillah,’and when he straightened up on the animal, he would say: ‘Praise be to Allah in every situation. I glorify that Allah who has subjected this to us, otherwise we could not have brought it near, and in any case, we will turn around and reach our Lord.’(Zukhruf, 43/13, 14) and he would take three takbirs and three tahlils (La Ilaha Illallah). (ELMALILI, 7/46, from Muslim Hajj 425, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ahmad b. Hanbel)

 

On the other hand, this verse read by Nuh (as) when he got on the ship can also be read while getting on a vehicle: ‘The sailing of this vehicle and its stopping are with the name of Allah. Indeed, my Lord is certainly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’(Hud 11/41). (H. DONDUREN, 2/783)

 

‘And indeed we, to our Lord, will surely return.’(This) sentence expresses that people will be resurrected when the Day of Judgment comes, they will be gathered at the place of Mahshar, they will be held to account, and eventually the believers will go to heaven and the infidels will go to hell. Because the Meccans, who were the first addressees of the Prophet, did not believe that they would be resurrected after they died. (30/8, 50/3). (I. KARAGOZ, 7/12)

 

All our returns, all our turnings around are towards Him; finally, we will reach Him. This verse also expresses the greatest goal, the greatest spirit, and the greatest consolation of Islam according to its meaning. This points here to this subtle meaning: a person mounting a vehicle should think that the journey is a change, and from that, he should think of the actual great journey, the walking and going towards Allah, and act according to that thought. The result of this is that mounting should be purely for a legitimate job. (ELMALILI, 7/46)

 

(15). ‘But the pagans attributed a part of His servants to Him.’That is, they accepted angels as a part and a piece of Him by saying ‘angels are Allah's daughters.’Indeed, a child is like a part of his father. (S. HAWWA, 13/194, from Nasafi)

 

Let us state here: This verse rejects all kinds of views and opinions that say the creatures are a part of the Creator. For example, views such as ‘this universe is a part of the divine essence’ or ‘the divine essence has condensed and this universe has occurred’ are rejected by this verse. Because all such views express partiality (cuz'iyya), and such a claim is to deny this verse. (S. HAWWA, 13/194)

 

‘Indeed, man is a clearly ungrateful.’That is, he is a person who clearly denies the blessing. Because attributing a child to Him is disbelief (kufr). Disbelief is the basis of all kinds of ungratefulness. (S. HAWWA, 13/194, from Nasafi)

 

‘Making a part of His servants for Allah’is to attribute any (a) child to Him, girl or boy. Because the child is ultimately a part of the father's body. At the same time, if one associates a person as a partner with Allah in His essence, attributes, and actions, and begs that person as if begging Allah, he would be considered to have attributed divinity and lordship to that person, and thus would have made him a part of Allah. Therefore, every kind of shirk is included in the scope of this verse. (O. CELIK, 4/460)

 

(16). ‘Or has He taken daughters for Himself from what He created and chosen sons for you?’Nasafi says: ‘With this question, it is revealed that they are quite ignorant and in an astonishing situation. Because they are choosing a position that is lower according to them for Him, and choosing a position that is superior according to them for themselves.’ Ibn Kathir says as follows: ‘With this expression, their attitude is extremely denied and rejected.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/194)

 

43/17-25 LOOK, HOW WAS THE END OF THE DENIERS?

 

Translation

 

17- When one of the Meccan pagans is given the news of (the birth of) what he attributes to the Most Gracious (Allah) as a part (a daughter), his face becomes dark, and he is filled with suppressed grief.

 

18- (Do they attribute to Allah) those who are brought up among ornaments and who are not clear (effective) in dispute (and struggle)?

 

19- And the pagans have made the angels, who are servants of the Most Gracious, females. Did they witness their creation? Their (lying) testimony and claims will be recorded, and they will be questioned. [cf. 16/57-58; 53/21-22; 17/40]

 

20- (The Meccan pagans say mockingly:) ‘If the Most Gracious had willed, we would not have worshipped them (by making them idols).’ They have of that no knowledge. They are only lying (out of stubbornness).

 

21- Or have We given them a book before this (containing their claims) to which they are now adhering?

 

22- No! They said, ‘Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are guided by their footsteps.’

 

23- (O My Prophet!) And similarly, We did not send before you a warner (a prophet) to any city but that its affluent ones (those deceived by vain desires) said: ‘Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are followers of their footsteps.’

 

24- (Each prophet) said, ‘Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers (would you still follow them)?’ They said, ‘Indeed we, in that with which you were sent (the religion), are disbelievers.’

 

25- So We took retribution from the disbelievers. Then look at how was the end of the deniers (of the Truth)!

 

Commentary

 

(17). ‘When one of the Meccan pagans is given the news of (the birth of) what he attributes to the Most Gracious (Allah) as a part, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with suppressed grief.’That is, while they attribute such a thing to Almighty Allah, if any of them is told, ‘You have a daughter,’ he grieves, the color of his face changes from sorrow and anger, and he is filled with pain and suffering. (S. HAWWA, 13/194)

 

The ‘irrationality of the pagans’ is clearly laid out here. For the pagans called angels ‘Allah's daughters,’ made idols in the form of ‘girls,’ and worshipped them. In response, it is stated: ‘You know that Allah created the universe, made the earth a cradle for you, sent rain and put animals at your service, yet despite this, you associate partners with Him and serve others. Moreover, you do not stop at associating partners with Allah in His attributes, but you also accept that He has partners in His essence by attributing female children to Allah. Yet, you consider having a girl child a cause for shame even for yourselves, and you do not even hesitate to bury them (alive). While you deem male children worthy for yourselves, you attribute female children to Allah, but you still claim to believe in Allah.’ (MAWDUDI, 5/252, 253)

 

(18). ‘Do they attribute to Allah those who are brought up among ornaments and who are not clear in dispute?’The pagans are condemned for attributing to Allah the female children—whom they dislike due to excuses like an extreme sense of honor, the fact that she will spend her life decorating herself for another, and her remaining weak in war and struggle—and whose birth announcement makes them turn dark with rage. The type of fire and unrest this sickness causes in their inner worlds is described in verses 16/58-59 of Surah An-Nahl. (O. CELIK, 4/461)

 

The pagans accepted angels as females and called them Allah's daughters, and gave female names to their idols; despite this, they did not want girl children, saying, ‘Girls are not strong like boys.’ However, one of the important reasons behind this rejection was the fear of them becoming material for an unchaste environment. With the arrival of Islam, girls were saved from both being street ornaments and objects of pleasure due to lack of chastity, and from being killed while small. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/489)

 

(19). ‘The pagans have made the angels, who are servants of the Most Gracious, females.’However, angels are luminous creatures; they do not have attributes such as masculinity, femininity, or being in between. On the other hand, they are servants of Allah. Since they are servants of Allah, how can they also be Allah's children? (S. HAWWA, 13/195)

 

‘Did they witness their creation?’Nasafi says: ‘That is, they put forward these claims without relying on any knowledge. For Almighty Allah has not given them definitive knowledge on this matter. Furthermore, they did not reach this conclusion by using a specific proof. No news has reached them that would require them to have knowledge on this matter, nor did they witness their creation to be able to report a witnessed situation.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/195)

 

‘This claim of theirs’—regarding the femininity of angels and them being Allah's children—’will be recorded and’on the Day of Resurrection, they ‘will be questioned’for this. Ibn Kathir says: ‘This is a very heavy threat and a definitive warning.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/195)

 

(20). ‘(The Meccan pagans say mockingly): 'If the Most Gracious had willed, we would not have worshipped them.'‘That is, if Almighty Allah had wanted us to leave the worship of angels, He would have prevented it, He would have blocked us. Ibn Kathir said: ‘That is, if Almighty Allah had willed, He would have put an obstacle between us and our worshipping these idols, which are the forms of the angels we claim to be Allah's daughters.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/195)

 

‘They have of that’—regarding the truth of what they say and the evidence they show—’no knowledge. They are only making baseless assumptions.’They are lying, fabricating. (S. HAWWA, 13/195)

 

(21). ‘Or have We given them a book before’—before the Holy Qur'an or before these words of theirs, meaning before their shirk—’to which they are now adhering?’Do they take it and act accordingly? Since the situation is not so, there is no proof or document for their worshipping others besides Almighty Allah. (S. HAWWA, 13/196)

 

(22). ‘No! They said, 'Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are guided by their footsteps.'‘This is a ridiculous statement that, beyond being inconsistent and contradictory without relying on any power, makes a person laughable. It is a sign of merely imitating, repeating what is said like a parrot, without thinking, without reflecting, without feeling the need for proof or evidence. This is a demeaning scene reminiscent of a herd of animals that goes whichever way it is dragged, without asking ‘Where are we going?’ or knowing the signs on the road. (S. KUTUB, 9/117)

 

Islam is a religion that envisages freedom of thought and free thinking; therefore, it does not approve of this kind of demeaning imitation, blindly following fathers and ancestors for the purpose of boasting with sins and passions. There must be a support, there must be a proof, and one needs to think and evaluate. Then, a free choice based on a definitive belief and a clear understanding is necessary. (S. KUTUB, 9/117)

 

The truth put forth by verse 22 is universal; in history and today, a large part of beliefs and opinions rely on imitation (taqlid). What is meant by imitation here is to accept what an authority says and believe in it without seeking proof, without exercising one's reason, without doubting or testing. The polytheist Arabs also based their knowledge on subjects like Allah, religion, idols, and angels not on reliable sources of information such as revelation, reason, and observation, but on imitation. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/771)

 

However, Almighty Allah has reported that seeking another religion (path and system) other than Islam, which He sent with the last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is not accepted, and those who seek it will suffer loss, and at the same time, giving Allah's attributes to other beings is shirk. [cf. 2/138; 3/83, 85; 5/50] (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/489)

 

‘Similarly, We did not send before you a warner’—a prophet—’to any town but its affluent ones...’Nasafi says: The word ‘mutrafun’mentioned in the verse, which is translated as ‘affluent ones,’means ‘those swimming in blessings.’These are people whom blessings have made rebellious, and as a result, they love nothing but lust and entertainment and do not like the hardships and obligations of religion.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/197)

 

Since they are in wealth and prosperity thanks to the current system, they never desire the destruction of the system. They know that as a result of the acceptance and spread of the ideas put forward by the prophets, the rank and position they gained thanks to the current system will be taken from them and their illegitimate property and honor will be confiscated. For this reason, they are the most severe opponents of the cause the prophets try to spread. (MAWDUDI, 5/255)

 

‘...They said: 'Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are following their footsteps.'‘Nasafi says: ‘This expression is both a consolation to the Prophet (pbuh) and an explanation that imitating ancestors is a very old sickness.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/197)

 

(24). ‘When (the prophet) said: 'Even if I brought you better guidance than that upon which you found your fathers'...’If I bring a religion that is a more correct path and guidance than the religion of your ancestors, will you still persist in following your ancestors? (S. HAWWA, 13/197)

 

‘They said: 'Indeed we, in that with which you were sent'‘’—even if you have brought a religion with more guidance than our religion—’are disbelievers.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, even if they knew and were convinced of the truth of the religion you brought, they would still not obey and submit to it. Because their intentions are bad; they are stubborn people who behave arrogantly against the truth and the people of truth.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/197)

 

(25). ‘So We took retribution from them.’We punished them with various punishments as they deserved due to their persistence in disbelief. Indeed, Almighty Allah has explained these punishments in their stories. ‘Then look at how was the end of the deniers!’Ibn Kathir says: ‘See how they were destroyed and vanished, and how Almighty Allah saved the believers!’ (S. HAWWA, 13/197)

 

43/26-35 DO THEY DISTRIBUTE THE MERCY OF YOUR LORD?

 

Translation

 

26, 27- And [mention, O Muhammad] when Abraham said to his father and his people, ‘Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship. Except for He who created me, for He will indeed guide me.’

 

28- And he (Abraham) made it (the phrase ‘I worship only the One who created me’) a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to the true religion].

 

29- However, I enjoyed these [pagans] and their fathers until there came to them the Qur'an and a Messenger making things clear.

 

30- But when the truth (the Qur'an) came to them, they said, ‘This is magic, and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers.’

 

31- And they said, ‘Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities (Mecca and Taif)?’

 

32- Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may employ one another in service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.

 

33, 34, 35- And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah) – for their houses – ceilings of silver and stairways (of silver) upon which they mount. And for their houses – (silver) doors and (silver) couches upon which they recline. And [We would have made] ornaments (of gold). And all that is nothing but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter (happiness) with your Lord is for the righteous (those who live according to Allah's commands and avoid crossing them).

 

Commentary

 

(26, 27). ‘And [mention] when Abraham said to his father and his people, 'Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship. Except for He who created me, for He will indeed guide me.'‘The ‘call to tawhid’ (the oneness of Allah) that the Quraish pagans turned away from and refused to accept is the very same call that their ancestor Abraham (as) strove with all his might to announce to people. With this call, Prophet Abraham stood against his father and his kinsmen, clashing with their distorted belief systems. He did not follow the belief systems they inherited from their own ancestors, nor did he blindly bind himself to this system just because he saw his father and kinsmen following it. Rather, while announcing in clear and definitive terms that he had no relationship with them or their belief systems and that he was far from them and their distorted beliefs, he did not enter into an effort to appear charming to them or to please them. (S. KUTUB, 9/119)

 

‘I am disassociated from that which you worship. I worship only the One who created me. For He will show me the right path.’From Prophet Abraham's words and his specifying that he is far from the other fabricated deities they worship except for the Allah who created him, it is understood that Abraham's kinsmen did not fundamentally deny Allah's existence; they merely associated certain fabricated gods as partners to Him and offered servitude to others besides Him. For this reason, Prophet Abraham states he is far from the fabricated gods they serve, but he keeps Almighty Allah out of this generalization and describes Almighty Allah with an attribute that necessitates offering servitude in the first place; he emphasizes that He created him from nothing. He says that since He is the one who brought him into existence, He is the one who deserves servitude. Since Allah is the one who created him from nothing and brought him into the world, he expresses his unshakable faith that He will definitely show him the right path. (S. KUTUB, 9/119)

 

‘Indeed, He will guide me.’He will give me steadfastness upon guidance. (S. HAWWA, 13/198)

 

(28). ‘And he left it’—meaning Abraham (as) left the word of tawhid—’as a lasting legacy among those to come after him.’He left it as an inheritance among his progeny. Among those coming from his lineage, there have always been people who unify Allah (muwahhid). (S. HAWWA, 13/198)

 

The ‘kalimatun baqiya / lasting word’ in the 28th verse refers to the phrase ‘I worship only the Allah who created me, there is no god but Him.’ (I. KARAGOZ, 7/23)

 

‘(The pagans) That they might return [to the right path].’Nasafi says: ‘That is, it may be that the one among them who associates partners returns from shirk through the invitation of those among them who are bound to tawhid. This expression of hope belongs to Abraham (as).’ (S. HAWWA, 13/198)

 

(29). ‘However, I enjoyed these [pagans] and their fathers until there came to them the Qur'an and a Messenger making things clear.’That is, Almighty Allah provided for them and let them benefit by lengthening their lives and giving them abundant blessings. They, instead of binding themselves to the word of tawhid, were deceived by this period given to them. They were distracted by diving into blessings, followed their lustful desires, and obeyed Satan. Thus, there was nothing to be surprised about in the arrival of someone from the lineage of Abraham who carries the banner of tawhid and invites to Allah with His command and revelation to the descendants of such people. (S. HAWWA, 13/198)

 

(30). ‘(But now) when the Qur'an came to them, they said, 'This is magic, and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers.'‘Ibn Kathir says: ‘They behaved arrogantly against it and became stubborn. Due to their disbelief, jealousy, and transgression, they tried to repel it, eliminate it, and prevent it.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/201)

 

(31). ‘And they said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities (Mecca and Taif)?'‘Qaryeteyn: Mecca and Taif. This means they feel the beauty of the Qur'an but cannot attribute it to the Prophet; the poor souls think greatness consists of worldly goods and worldly rank. They consider those they see as worldly wealthy, like Walid b. Mughira in Mecca and Urwa b. Mas'ud as-Saqafi in Taif, as greater than the Prophet and deem the Qur'an worthy of them. (ELMALILI, 7/51)

 

The disbelievers put forward such a claim: ‘If Allah were really to send a book, He would have sent it from the notables of two great cities like Mecca and Taif. Was there no one left to be a prophet that the prophethood came to someone like Muhammad, who came into the world as an orphan, who does not possess wealth, who spent his youth as a shepherd, who now provides his livelihood by relying on the assets of his wealthy wife, and who is not among the notables of his tribe?’ (MAWDUDI, 5/257)

 

Their error is knotted at this point: They did not believe in the hereafter and saw all of life as consisting only of the world, worldly pleasure, and entertainment. For them, the most important measure of value was money, property, possessions, and other material means. The more a person obtains, accumulates, eats, drinks, and enjoys these; the more he calms and satisfies those insatiable pleasures of the soul, the more advantaged, the more intelligent and superior he is. This understanding is diametrically opposed to the understanding of life brought by Islam. Moreover, it is definitely Allah the Almighty, not humans, who distributes livelihoods in the world, as well as reason, intelligence, and talents; all material and spiritual blessings and opportunities. (O. CELIK, 4/465)

 

(32). ‘Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord?’It is not up to them to decide on this matter. This is the work of Almighty Allah. He knows best to whom He will give prophethood. He sends down prophethood among people to those who are the purest in heart and soul, the most honorable in terms of family, and the most tahir (clean) in terms of origin. (S. HAWWA, 13/201, from Ibn Kathir)

 

‘It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world.’Nasafi says as follows: ‘That is, since We have not left even the matter of distributing livelihood, which is at a lower degree, to them, how could we leave prophethood to them? Or it means: Just as I hold some superior to others in terms of livelihood, I also bestow prophethood as a special grace to whom I will.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/201, 202)

 

Almighty Allah created a ‘division of labor’ and ‘social balances’ in society by making some people learned, some ignorant, some wealthy, some poor, some employers, some workers, some managers, and some managed. (H. DONDUREN, 2/783)

 

‘We have raised some of them above others in degrees that they may employ one another in service.’Accordingly, the rich and the poor, the employer and the worker each constitute various layers of society. Just as one cannot speak of a state of superiority for the rich purely due to their wealth, the poor do not have a deficiency due to their poverty. These differences in talent, education, profession, and wealth among people are an important element of balance that binds them together and makes them in need of one another. (H. DONDUREN, 2/783)

 

‘But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, the mercy of Almighty Allah to His servants is better than the worldly goods in their hands.’ According to this expression of Ibn Kathir, there is an indication that what falls upon a person is to trust and rely on Almighty Allah, and that he should not trust the things in his own hands more than those in the hand of Almighty Allah. (S. HAWWA, 13/203)

 

Almighty Allah gives His spiritual blessing, which is valuable from His presence and therefore ‘mercy,’ such as prophethood, to those who possess superior virtues. This mercy is much better and more beneficial than the nobility, wealth, power, and authority valued by the pagans. At the same time, the blessings of heaven are also better. Why? Because the world and its blessings are temporary, and the blessings of the hereafter are permanent. Worldly blessings run out; the blessings of the hereafter do not. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/27, 28)

 

(33, 34, 35). ‘And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah) – for their houses – ceilings of silver and stairways (of silver) upon which they mount.’(There is an important message in this verse so that Muslim societies do not envy the wealth and prosperity of the People of the Book, become one community with them, and lose their identities in social and cultural terms.) (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/490)

 

‘And for their houses doors and couches upon which they recline’—We would make the locks on their house doors and whatever they sit and recline on all out of silver. ‘And [We would have made] ornaments’—We would adorn them with gold and ornaments. That is: If all people were not going to become disbelievers, We would have given the disbelievers ceilings, stairs, doors, and couches, all made of silver. We would bestow ornaments upon them from everything. ‘But all that is nothing but the enjoyment of worldly life.’That is, these are from worldly things that are unimportant, worthless, mortal, and temporary in the sight of Allah. ‘And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.’That is, in the sight of Allah, the reward of the hereafter is for those who guard themselves against Allah by implementing what He commanded and avoiding what He prohibited. (S. HAWWA, 13/203, 204)

 

‘All that is nothing but the enjoyment of worldly life.’(That is) these houses, mansions, villas, etc., which have been described in all their details as decorated, furnished, and gilded, all consist of a benefit in the temporary worldly life. They have no continuation. Nothing remains in hand except regret and responsibility. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/401)

 

Accordingly, worldly property given to a person as a test does not show his degree and value in the sight of Allah. Indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) says: Hadith: ‘If the world had a value as much as a mosquito's wing in the sight of Allah, Allah would not have let any disbeliever drink even a sip of water from the world.’ (O. CELIK, 4/467, from Tirmidhi Zuhd 13)

 

Hadith: ‘Be alert! Indeed, the world is worthless. The property and possessions of the world are also worthless. However, the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and things that bring one closer to Him, being one who teaches good things and one who learns them, is different.’ (O. CELIK, 4/467, from Tirmidhi Zuhd 14, Ibn Majah Zuhd 3)

 

Hadith: (...) While the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was performing ila (vow of separation) with his wives, when he swore that he would not approach them for a month, in the place where he withdrew under the porch, when Prophet Umar went up to him and saw that the mat he was lying on left marks on his body, his eyes filled with tears and he cried. And he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, while Khosrow and Caesar are in those known states of theirs, you (find yourself in this state) as the most select person among Allah's creatures.’ The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was reclining at that time. Upon this, he sat up and said: ‘Are you in doubt, O son of Khattab?’ Later, he continued his words as follows: ‘They are such people that their good deeds have been given to them urgently / immediately in the life of this world.’ In another narration, it is recorded that he said: ‘Does it not please you that the worldly life belongs to them and the Hereafter belongs to us?’ (S. HAWWA, 13/219)

 

43/36-45 INDEED, YOU ARE ON THE STRAIGHT PATH

 

Translation

 

36- And whoever is blinded from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (the Qur'an and its rulings) – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.

 

37- And indeed, these (devils) avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are rightly guided.

 

38- Until, when (that person who went astray because of his companion) comes to Us (on the Day of Resurrection), he says (to his companion), ‘Oh, I wish there was between me and you the distance between the two easts (i.e., the east and the west) – what a wretched companion (you were)!’ [see 18/103-104; 55/17]

 

39- (O disbelievers!) And never will it benefit you today, since you (strayed and) did wrong, that you are sharing in the punishment.

 

40- (O My Messenger!) Then will you make the deaf hear? (You cannot) Or will you guide the blind and those who are in manifest error? (You cannot.)

 

41, 42- (O My Messenger!) Even if We take you away (from the world), We will surely take retribution from them. 42. Or We show you that (punishment) which We have promised them (in this world). For indeed, We are All-Powerful over them.

 

43- (O Messenger!) So adhere to that which is revealed to you (the Qur'an). Indeed, you are on a straight path.

 

44- (O My Prophet!) And indeed, it (the Qur'an) is a reminder (and honor) for you and for your people, and soon (all of) you will be questioned (about whether you followed it).

 

45- (O My Prophet!) And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you (their nations and scholars): Have We made besides the Most Gracious (Allah) any deities to be worshipped (and told them to worship/serve them)?

 

Commentary

 

(36). ‘And whoever is blinded from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (the Qur'an and its rulings) – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.’He stays with him in both this world and the hereafter. In this world, the devil pushes him toward sins, and on the Day of Resurrection, he enters Hell together with him. Nasafi says: ‘In this command, there is an indication that a person who constantly reads the Holy Qur'an (meaning the 'dhikr') cannot be together with the devil, nor can the devil be a companion to him.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/210)

 

‘...To be blind to the remembrance of the Most Gracious’means to ignore the commands and prohibitions, the lawful and the forbidden, the advice and principles of the Qur'an, and not to take divine messages into account in private, family, and social life. The blindness mentioned here is not in the physical sense; it means not taking Qur'anic truths into account and disregarding the rulings of the Qur'an. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/31)

 

Hadith: ‘Every one of you has a companion from the jinn and a companion from the angels attached to him.’ The noble Sahaba asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Was a devil from the jinn also attached to you?’ Our Prophet (pbuh) replied: ‘Yes, a devil was also assigned to me. However, Allah the Almighty helped me against him. And that devil became a Muslim. Now he only suggests good to me.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/406, from Ahmad b. Hanbel 1/385)

 

(37). ‘Indeed, they’—meaning the devils—’avert them’—those who are blind to the remembrance of the Most Gracious—’from the way’of guidance and righteousness. ‘And they’—those who ignore the dhikr—’think that they are rightly guided.’However, they are in misguidance and merely assume they are on guidance. Indeed, this is the situation of many people. Every single person thinks the path they are on is guidance itself; however, the situation is not like that at all. (S. HAWWA, 13/210)

 

(38). ‘Until (when the one who ignored the remembrance of the Most Gracious) 'comes to Us' (on the Day of Resurrection), he says’to his companion devil: ‘Oh, I wish there was between me and you the distance between the east and the west.’However far apart the east and the west are, I wish the distance between us were that much; ‘what a wretched companion you were,’O devil! (S. HAWWA, 13/210, 211)

 

The faction of the devil consisting of humans and jinn directs those who take them as allies not to fulfill Allah's commands, but toward what He has forbidden; they encourage sinning and make evil deeds appear attractive. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/491)

 

(39). ‘Since you both were wrongdoers, your regret will not benefit you at all today. Indeed, you are sharing in the punishment.’That is, you were truly wrongdoers and disbelievers, and now there is no doubt left for you or anyone else that you were wrongdoers. (...) Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, being together in Hell and being together in the painful punishment will not benefit you.’ Thus, Almighty Allah has also explained the end of the heedless and those who turn away from His Book in this world and the hereafter. (S. HAWWA, 13/211)

 

(40). ‘Will you make the deaf hear?’For there is a deafness in the ears of such people against hearing the truth. ‘Or the blind’—those who do not see, whose insight is blinded and who cannot see the truth because of the blindness in their hearts—’and those who are in manifest error’—who have strayed from the truth and cannot recognize the truth or its path, and do not know the way leading to it—’will you guide them?’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, this task does not fall to you; your task consists only of notification (tabligh). Guiding them is not a duty belonging to you. However, Almighty Allah guides whom He wills and leads astray whom He wills; He is the absolute sovereign who judges with justice.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/211, 212)

 

The prophet's duty is to make the one who listens hear. It is to show the one who looks. If they are disabling their organs, if they are plugging the open windows of their hearts and souls, it will not be possible for the prophet to guide them to the right path; the responsibility for their swimming in misguidance does not belong to the prophet. Because the prophet has fulfilled his duty as much as he could and as much as his power allowed. (S. KUTUB, 9/129, 130)

 

(41, 42). ‘Even if We take you away from them’—even if We take your soul before making you victorious over them and before healing the hearts of the believers with the calamities that will befall them—’We will surely take retribution from them.’We will take retribution from them in the worst way in both this world and the hereafter. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, even if you yourself depart from the world, Our taking retribution and punishing them is an inevitable thing.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/212)

 

Qatada read the command ‘Even if We take you away from them, We will surely take retribution from them’and said: ‘The Prophet (pbuh) went, and retribution remained. Almighty Allah did not show his prophet anything that would displease him among his Ummah until he passed away. However, whenever a prophet came, he saw his Ummah being punished. The only exception to this is your prophet. Peace and blessings be upon him.’ Furthermore, Qatada said: ‘According to what has been told to us, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was shown the calamities that would befall his Ummah after him. Therefore, he was not seen laughing very comfortably until Almighty Allah took his soul.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/220, 221, from Ibn Kathir)

 

‘Or We show you that (punishment) which We have promised them (in this world). For indeed, We are All-Powerful over them.’Every prophet saw the troubles and calamities that came to his Ummah. Only our prophet is an exception to this. Allah honored him, and our Prophet (pbuh) saw only things that would be a delight to his eyes and give satisfaction from his Ummah. Many troubles and calamities destined for the Ummah were left until after our prophet's death. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/414)

 

Hadith: ‘Your deeds are presented to me every Monday and Thursday. I praise Allah for the good ones among them, and I ask for forgiveness from Allah on your behalf for the evil ones.’ (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/415, from Camiussağir 3771, Kenzül Ummâl 31903)

 

(43). ‘(O Messenger!) So adhere to that which is revealed to you (the Qur'an). Indeed, you are on a straight path.’You are upon a religion that has no crookedness. Ibn Kathir says as follows: ‘That is, you take this Holy Qur'an which has been sent down to your heart! Because it is the truth itself. What this Holy Qur'an shows is the truth. It leads to the straight path of Allah, reaches the heavens full of blessings, and to lasting and eternal goodness.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/212)

 

‘You are on a straight path.’By emphasizing this truth, Almighty Allah gives morale to His prophet and instills confidence. This is also a message to the callers who take over the task of calling after our prophet, even if they encounter various torments and stubbornness from those who stray from the straight path. It is aimed at instilling confidence in them as well. (S. KUTUB, 9/130)

 

(44). ‘Indeed, it (the Qur'an) is a reminder for you and for your people.’Ibn Kathir (...) says: ‘This Holy Qur'an is an honor for them because it was revealed in their own language. For they are the ones among people who can understand it best. Therefore, they should be the ones among all people who implement it most perfectly and who know best what it says. Indeed, the early Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the chosen sincere ones who resembled them and followed their path, and the best of the Arabs, were like this.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/222)

 

‘You will be questioned.’As Ibn Kathir explained: ‘That is, because of this Holy Qur'an, you will be questioned about how you acted with it, and whether you accepted its call or not.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/223)

 

(45). ‘Ask Our messengers whom We sent before you (their nations and their religious scholars).’That is, be aware that all prophets are in agreement regarding the fact that there is no god but Allah. None of them accepted polytheism or idolatry; if you wish, ask the believing scholars, the works, and the spirits of their nations, or investigate with ijtihad and bring proof. (ELMALILI, 7/53)

 

There is a need to estimate a ‘muzaf’ (an implied word) here in the form of ‘their nations.’ Indeed, since it is not possible to ask the prophets sent previously, the meaning is: ‘Ask the nations and religious scholars of the messengers We sent before!’ Another verse of this kind says: ‘If you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you, ask those who read the Book before you.’ (Yunus 10/94). (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/419)

 

According to Mujahid, Dahhak, al-Hasan al-Basri, Qatada, and Suddi, the questioning mentioned is directed toward ‘believers of the People of the Book.’ (...) It can be said that Allah the Almighty must have wanted His messenger to ask this question in the said verse to the followers of the People of the Book. The aim here is to reveal that all divine religions sent down by Allah to the earth are based on tawhid. For tawhid constitutes the common belief preached by all prophets. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/90, 91)

 

43/46-56 INDEED, WE SENT MOSES TO PHARAOH

 

Translation

 

46- And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, and he said, ‘Indeed, I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds (believe in me).’

 

47- But when he came to them with Our signs, at once they laughed at them.

 

48- And We showed them no sign but that it was greater than its predecessor. And We seized them with (various) punishments that perhaps they might return (from disbelief). [cf. 7/133-136; 17/101]

 

49- (When they saw the calamities befalling them, they said to Moses:) ‘O magician! Invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will then (believe and) be guided.’

 

50- But when We removed the punishment from them, at once they broke their word (and did not believe).

 

51- (Because) Pharaoh called out among his people, saying, ‘O my people! Does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me? And these rivers flow beneath me (in my palace)? Do you not then see (my greatness)?’

 

52- ‘Or am I [not] better than this one who is a wretch and can hardly explain himself (Moses)?’

 

53-54- ‘Then why have there not been placed upon him bracelets of gold or angels come with him in succession?’ Thus he made light of (and accused) his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient (fasiqun). [cf. 28/38]

 

55, 56- So when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all. And We made them a precedent and an example (as a lesson) for those who succeeded them. [cf. 10/92; 43/55-56]

 

Commentary

 

(46). ‘And certainly did We send Moses’with many ‘with Our signs to Pharaoh and’to his ‘establishment’consisting of ministers, viziers, commanders, followers, and general subjects; ‘and he (Moses) said: 'Indeed, I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds.'‘I am the prophet Allah has sent to you. From the flow of the expressions, we understand that they asked him to present evidence for the truth of his claim and to bring a clear miracle. The proof of this is Almighty Allah's statement: ‘But when he came to them with Our signs, at once they laughed at them.’That is, they mocked these miracles and called them ‘magic.’ (S. HAWWA, 13/225)

 

This story is stated here based on three reasons: (1) First, ‘When Allah sends a prophet to a society, He gives that society an opportunity. If that society fails to benefit from this opportunity, its end resembles the end of Pharaoh. In other words, Pharaoh's end is a lesson for humanity.’ (2) Second, ‘Just as the Quraish saw Prophet Muhammad as inferior, Pharaoh saw Prophet Moses as inferior. However, since Allah's decree was different, He destroyed Pharaoh and showed them who was truly humiliated.’ (3) Third, ‘If you do not take a lesson by seeing how those who mocked Allah's signs with arrogance met their end before, and do not change your attitude, your end will be the same.’ (MAWDUDI, 5/262)

 

(48). ‘We showed them no sign but that it was greater than its predecessor.’Greater than the other sign, meaning it was more magnificent than the previous miracle in terms of being extraordinary. (S. HAWWA, 13/225)

 

‘We seized them with punishment that perhaps they might return’from disbelief to faith. Although they were subjected to punishment with things like the flood, locusts, lice, frogs, blood, and deficiency in crops, fruits, and population, they did not return. (S. HAWWA, 13/225)

 

(49). ‘(When they saw the calamities befalling them, they said to Moses:) 'O magician! Invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will then be guided.'‘Their addressing Prophet Moses as ‘magician’ and then turning away from the covenant they gave shows how stubborn they were. Because they clearly revealed their guilt by acting this way, Allah destroyed Pharaoh and his people. Furthermore, the fact that they described Prophet Moses as a ‘magician’ does not mean he was actually a magician. For they knew very well that this was a miracle given by the Lord of the worlds. For example, this point is mentioned in verse 27/14 of Surah An-Naml: ‘And they rejected them, while their inner selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness. So see how was the end of the corrupters.’ (MAWDUDI, 5/265)

 

(50). ‘But when We removed the punishment from them, at once they broke their word.’They immediately broke the promise of guidance and faith they had given. They hurried to break their word and did not delay it at all. They immediately returned to their disbelief and persisted in it. When they did not keep their promise and broke their covenant, they were cursed by Allah. As a result of this curse, they were condemned to drowning. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/428, 429)

 

(51). ‘(Because) Pharaoh called out among his people, saying, 'O my people! Does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me? And these rivers flow beneath me? Do you not then see?'‘Do you not see this magnificence and kingdom that I possess? That is, he wants to say that Moses and those who follow him are poor and weak people. Nasafi says: ‘That is, do you not see my power and Moses' weakness, my wealth and his poverty?’ Thus, that person in loss and ruin shows the position, wealth, and prosperity he possesses as a justification for being right. This is a subject that constitutes what disbelievers put forward as evidence, causing the misguided to fall into doubt and those with limited intellect to fall into fitna (tribulation). (S. HAWWA, 13/226)

 

(52). ‘Or am I [not] better than this one who is a wretch and can hardly explain himself (Moses)?’That is, the notables of Quraish were now putting forward the justification of ‘This Moses is a poor man, he has no property or wealth’ against Prophet Muhammad. (MAWDUDI, 5/265)

 

There was no stuttering in Prophet Moses after his messengership. For the prayer ‘Unloose the knot from my tongue’ reported in verses 27-36 of Surah Ta-Ha was certainly accepted. Pharaoh's evaluation of him as unable even to explain his purpose stemmed from his own stubbornness in not understanding the divine message. He intentionally ignored him or appeared to ignore him. (O. CELIK, 4/472, 473)

 

(53, 54). ‘Then why have there not been given to him bracelets of gold?’Yes! They see these simple and worthless ornaments, bracelets made of gold, as a measure of the truth of a prophet's prophethood. According to them, gold bracelets are equivalent to many miracles that Almighty Allah presented for the purpose of supporting His respected prophet. Perhaps by gold bracelets, he meant that he should have worn a royal crown. Because their tradition at that time was like this. According to this, the prophet should have possessed property and sovereignty! (S. KUTUB, 9/135)