CHAPTER 68: AL-QALAM (THE PEN)

 

It was revealed in the Mecca period. It consists of 52 verses. It takes its name from the word "Al-Qalam" (The Pen) mentioned in the first verse. Verses 17, 33, and 48-50 were revealed in Medina. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/563)

 

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

 

68/1-6 INDEED, YOU ARE OF A GREAT MORAL CHARACTER

 

Translation

 

1- Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

 

2- You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

 

3- And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

 

4- And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

 

5- So you will see and they will see

 

6- Which of you is the afflicted [with madness].

 

Commentary

 

(1, 2) ‘Nun.’ This is a disjointed letter (huruf-i muqatta'a) and is the first to be revealed at the beginning of a Surah. Its meaning is a secret between Allah and the Prophet. (O. CELIK, 5/202) ‘By the pen and what they inscribe.’ The pen is a general name encompassing the pen that wrote the Preserved Tablet (Lawh al-Mahfuz), as well as the pens used by humans and angels (cf. Alaq 96/3-5). Hadith: Allah first created the pen and commanded it to write the destiny. At that moment, the pen wrote everything that has happened and will happen until eternity. (From Tirmidhi Qadar 17, Ahmad b. Hanbel 5/317; H. DONDUREN, 2/920)

 

It is a noteworthy point that the first revealed Surah, Alaq, begins with the command ‘Read!’ and this second revealed Surah begins by swearing by ‘the pen and what they inscribe.’ This fact is remarkable in showing the importance Islam gives to reading, writing, science, culture, and civilization, and to the transfer of these from generation to generation through writing. (O. CELIK, 5/202)

 

(2) ‘(O Messenger!) You are not, by the favor of your Lord, a madman.’ The Meccan pagans believed that poets, soothsayers, and sorcerers received information and inspiration from jinn. Because they believed the Prophet was also under the influence of jinn like them and that what he said was suggested to him by jinn, they called him a poet, soothsayer, sorcerer, and a madman (majnun) (cf. 15/6; 52/29-30; 74/24 and verse 51 of this surah). For this reason, Allah Almighty swore by the pen and the lines written by the people of the pen, stating that he was not a madman as claimed, but on the contrary, he had attained Allah's grace—an honor such as prophethood. (From Shawkani; QUR’AN WAY, 5/429)

 

Nesefi says: "This is an answer to their words: 'O you to whom the Message has been sent down, indeed you are a madman' (al-Hijr 15/6)." (S. HAWWA, 15/261)

 

(3) ‘And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.’ The "never-ending reward" given to the Prophet (pbuh) consists of Allah's help, which he found against all kinds of obstacles while fulfilling his prophetic duty in this world, and the exceptional rewards Allah will bestow upon him in the hereafter. (From Ibn Ashur; QUR’AN WAY, 5/430)

 

(4) ‘And indeed, you are of a great moral character.’ Through his commands and prohibitions, the Prophet (pbuh) made following the Holy Quran a habit, a morality, and a character, effectively leaving behind his innate characteristic traits. In that respect, whatever the Quran commanded him, he did, and whatever it forbade, he abandoned. Along with this, Allah the Glorious had created him possessing great moral characteristics such as modesty, generosity, heroism, forgiveness, mildness (hilm), and all kinds of beautiful traits. (From Ibn Kesir; S. HAWWA, 15/261, 262)

 

Our Prophet (pbuh) was characterized by knowledge, wisdom, piety, and excellence (ihsan) as a requirement of his theoretical strength. As a requirement of his practical strength, he did not perform any deed other than the beautiful deeds that are obligatory (fard), necessary (wajib), or recommended (mustahab), which ensure Allah's pleasure. Forbidden (haram), corruptive (mufsid), or disliked (makruh) things never issued from our Prophet (pbuh). He was almost like an angel, even loftier than angels. Everything we have described so far was summarized by the answer Hz. Aisha (ra) gave when she was asked about the character of the Prophet (pbuh). She said to those who asked: "His character was the Quran." (From Ahmad b. Hanbel, No 24645; I. H. BURSEVI, 22/97)

 

This morality did not arise from society or the environment. It certainly did not originate from earthly values. Islamic morality does not depend on or originate from any traditional understanding, interest, or human relations valid in any generation. Islamic morality originates from the heavens; it relies on the heavens. It stems from the call directed from heaven to earth so that people may turn toward lofty horizons. (S. KUTUB, 10/124, 125)

 

Furthermore, Islamic morality does not consist only of individual excellences such as honesty, reliability, justice, mercy, and kindness. Islamic morality is a perfect life system that is flawless and responds to every need of man. In this system, discipline for spiritual purification and legal regulations work in solidarity. The entire concept of life and all goals related to life depend on this and are finally connected to Almighty Allah, not to any understanding valid in the life of this world. (S. KUTUB, 10/125)

 

This Islamic morality, with all its perfection, beauty, balance, truthfulness, continuity, and permanence, was embodied in the personality of Muhammad (pbuh). It found its expression in this high praise from Almighty Allah: "And you are of a great moral character." (S. KUTUB, 10/125)

 

(5, 6) ‘So you will see and they will see which of you is the afflicted (with madness).’ That is, "O Muhammad, both you and those who oppose and deny you will know whether it is you who is mad and straying, or themselves." The word al-maftun (mad) mentioned in the verse refers to the one who is diverted from the truth and led astray. Ibn Abbas and Nesefi explained this word as "madman." (S. HAWWA, 15/262)

 

68/7-16 DO NOT YIELD TO THE REJECTERS OF TRUTH

 

Translation

 

7- Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

 

8- So do not obey the deniers.

 

9- They wish that you would soften [your position], so they would soften [toward you].

 

10- And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer,

 

11- [And] habitual scorner, spreader of slander,

 

12- Hinderer of good, transgressor, and sinful,

 

13- Cruel, moreover, and an outsider (base-born).

 

14- Because he is a possessor of wealth and children.

 

15- When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Ancient legends."

 

16- We will brand him upon the snout.

 

Commentary

 

(7) ‘Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way. He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.’ Nesefi says: "He truly knows who is mad. They are the ones who stray from His path. He also knows who is intelligent; the intelligent ones are those who find the right way." (S. HAWWA, 15/262)

 

(8) ‘So do not obey those who deny (you and the Quran)!’ Do not listen to, recognize, or follow the words of the deniers who try to make truths out to be lies and who will eventually prove themselves to be liars; do not go down the wrong path they want to lead you into; despite their injustice and rebellion, continue your duty and the practice of that great morality. (ELMALILI, 8/268)

 

Even under the most difficult conditions in Mecca, the Prophet (pbuh) did not make his religion a subject of bargaining. Although his invitation was surrounded on all sides and a handful of his companions were caught and put in chains to be subjected to unbearable torture and persecution in the way of Allah, he did not attempt to hide the words that needed to be said to the faces of the powerful tyrants. He did not see the need for such a maneuver to soften their hearts toward Islam or to ward off their oppression and torture. Similarly, he did not hold back from explaining any truth that was even remotely related to the belief system. (S. KUTUB, 10/127)

 

(9) ‘The disbelievers wished that you would act softly, so they would act softly (toward you).’ According to Al-Hasan al-Basri, the verb "idhan" in the verse is evaluated in the sense of "making concessions." (Begavi, Kurtubi, Shawkani). As a matter of fact, Zamakhshari also gave the meaning of "acting softly and concessionary" to the verb "idhan" mentioned in the verse in his tafsir. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/403)

 

(...) A group of Quraysh leaders proposed to the Prophet (pbuh) that he stop criticizing their gods and condemning their beliefs in exchange for them treating him well and showing ease; they asked him not to touch their traditions and rituals for a while longer. (Darwaza). However, in the following verses, in response to their expectations, Almighty Allah commanded His messenger not to bow down to those people who accused him of lying, who swore oaths on every occasion, who were always looking for faults, who carried gossip among people, who always hindered goodness, who were aggressive, sinful, ill-tempered, harsh, and of unknown origin. From these expressions, we understand that the real aim of the pagans, who were trying to extract some concessions from the Prophet (pbuh), was nothing more than to extinguish the light of the Quran. For this reason, Almighty Allah warned His messenger and commanded him never to enter into any compromise (mudahana) with the pagans. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/404)

 

They are trying to bargain and compromise on a common point, just as in trade. However, there is a great difference between faith and trade. A person of faith does not give up any principle of his belief. In his eyes, all principles, big or small, are of equal importance. More precisely, in the faith system, there is no distinction between big and small. The faith system is an indivisible truth where each part complements the other. Someone committed to the faith system can never give up one principle while following another. (S. KUTUB, 10/126)

 

(10-14) ‘Do not obey every worthless person who swears much.’ Whether it is for the truth or falsehood, this is sufficient as a rebuke to those who have made swearing an oath a habit, as Nesefi pointed out. "To every worthless person": That is, do not give credit to anyone who is worthless in terms of their opinion and power of discernment. (...) Ibn Abbas interpreted the "worthless" one as a liar. The censure of the one who swears much is proof that his frequent swearing is a form of audacity toward the names of Almighty Allah and that he uses them all the time, appropriately or inappropriately. (S. HAWWA, 15/264, 265)

 

(...) A person should avoid swearing too much even for the truth he knows for certain. For one who swears thoughtlessly also gets used to swearing falsely. All of the following qualities can be found in those who are used to swearing to the right and the wrong: (a) "mehin: low/base": Unimportant in opinion and thought, thinks vulgarly, belittles himself, a liar, worthless, molded into every shape, dragged into every evil. (b) "Always seeking fault and blaming": He blames and censures this and that, gossips behind them, stings and prods by criticizing and blaming (...) a piercer, a spurrer; (c) "Goes about with slander": Lives with espionage and talkativeness. (d) "Hinderer of good": He is a barrier to good, he is of no use for good. Just as he is extremely stingy, he also prevents the good that others would do. An enemy of good. (e) "Aggressor": Knows no bounds, excessive, not satisfied with his right, a usurper of rights. (f) "Sinful": Does not hesitate from sin and burden, loaded with sin. (g) "Coarse and harsh": Rude, coarse, disrespectful, tyrannical, gluttonous, grabs and eats what he finds, says immeasurable and unbecoming words; merciless, despot. "Afterwards": That is, along with all these bad habits, (h) "Branded with evil": A label of being pierced, a fake lineage, a fabrication or known for wickedness, branded as indecent, or a sycophant. (ELMALILI, 8/269, 270)

 

 (...) "Just because he has wealth and sons (do not yield)": That is, do not obey him thinking that he has gained wealth and has power, or that he might be of some benefit or his evil might be avoided. (ELMALILI, 8/271)

 

(15) ‘When Our verses are recited to him, he says, 'Tales of the ancients!'‘ When you recite the verses of our Eternal Word to him, he says, "These consist of mere tales, they have fabricated these falsely." As a matter of fact, "And they said: These are the tales of the ancients that he has written down, which are being recited to him morning and evening." (al-Furqan, 25/5; I. H. BURSEVI, 22/115)

 

(16) ‘We will soon brand him on his nose (breaking his pride and disgracing him).’ Calling it a "snout" instead of a "nose" here is an indication of the acts of "pride and arrogance" that we said were estimated above. Metaphors like "his nose growing" or "puffing out the nose" are used for pride and arrogance. Furthermore, since "snout" is used for the noses of elephants and pigs, and branding or cauterizing the face/nose is among the ugliest things, there is a meaning of great humiliation in this statement. (ELMALILI, 8/272)

 

68/17-33 THE PUNISHMENT OF THE HEREAFTER IS GREATER

 

Translation

 

17- Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would surely pluck its fruit in the morning,

 

18- And they were not making any exception (by saying, "If Allah wills").

 

19- So there came upon it an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep,

 

20- And it became as if reaped (burnt and black).

 

21- Then they called out to one another at morning,

 

22- [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would pluck the fruit."

 

23- So they set out, while they were whispering to one another,

 

24- [Saying], "No needy person shall enter it today upon you."

 

25- And they went early with the resolve of being able [to prevent the poor].

 

26- But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost (we have taken the wrong way)!"

 

27- [Then they realized and said], "Rather, we are deprived."

 

28- The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allah]?'"

 

29- They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

 

30- Then they turned to one another, blaming each other.

 

31- They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were transgressors.

 

32- Perhaps our Lord will give us in exchange [a garden] better than it. Indeed, we are turning to our Lord [in hope]."

 

33- Such is the punishment [in this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

 

Commentary

 

(17) In the story within these verses, a garden incident is shown as an example to warn the Meccan pagans who do not give thanks for the blessings Allah has given. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/433)

 

‘And they were not making any exception.’ They were not setting a condition or a reservation accounted for the future, such as "Insha'Allah" (if Allah wills), "if Allah permits," or "if we reach the morning safe and sound," or "if we do not encounter an accident or calamity." (ELMALILI, 8/274)

 

While intending to do a job in the future, it is necessary to tie the matter to Allah's will by saying "Insha'Allah." As a matter of fact, Almighty Allah warned the Prophet (pbuh) on this subject as follows: ‘And never say of anything, 'Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,' except [when adding], 'If Allah wills.'‘ (Al-Kahf 18/23-24); ‘And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow.’ (Luqman 31/34). For the will and power of man alone are not sufficient for something to happen; Allah must also will it. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/433, 434)

 

(23) ‘Aman, let no poor person approach you there today! (they whispered).’ They should have thought that that vineyard and the product belong to Allah, who gave it to them before them and who would watch over them while they slept. In it, there is a right of Allah and many rights of Allah's poor servants. It was necessary to look after those poor people, to act as masters toward them for the sake of Allah as a sign of recognizing this goodness, and while going to harvest that vineyard, not to act so despotically but to give some of them the opportunity to benefit as much as possible. Instead of increasing enemies for their vineyards through greed and tyranny, they should have raised people who would pray for them and wish for their goodness, as well as watchmen, by looking after the poor who might have their eyes on the garden, more or less as it was during their father's time, and they should not have forgotten that this was a duty for them. (ELMALILI, 8/275)

 

(28) ‘The most reasonable among them said:’ ‘Evsatühüm:’ As Ibn Jarir explicitly stated by narrating from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatada, and Dahhak, just as "vasat" means "just" in the verse ‘Thus we have made you a middle (just) nation’ (Al-Baqara 2/143), here too, as its superlative noun, it means the most upright, the most fair-minded, the most auspicious, or in another expression, ‘the one who acts with the most moderation.’ (From Tabari; ELMALILI, 8/276)

 

‘Did I not say to you, 'Should you not exalt (tasbih) your Lord?'‘ If only you recognized Almighty Allah's flawlessness, knew that He is a God far from deficiency and that He will not give His sovereignty to anyone; if you knew that He does not love baseness, injustice, and tyranny; if you observed the truth, made an exception (said Insha'Allah), and did not drift into tyranny. (ELMALILI, 8/276)

 

(29) ‘(They:) 'We exalt our Lord from deficiency. Indeed, we have been wrongdoers,' they said.’ Thus, they stated that Allah is far from deficiencies and confessed their own wrongdoing, and that they had wronged themselves by their thoughtless oaths, by not making an exception while swearing, and by deciding firmly not to look after the poor. They did not stop at this, nor did they just disperse and leave. They turned toward becoming righteous persons by repenting and feeling regret even more. (ELMALILI, 8/277)

 

(33) ‘Such is the punishment (in the world).’ Ibn Kesir says: ‘That is, such is the punishment to be seen by those who act contrary to Allah's command, show stinginess with the things Allah has given them and the blessings Allah has bestowed, prevent the rights of the poor, the needy, and the destitute, and show ingratitude toward Allah's blessing.’ (S. HAWWA, 15/270)

 

‘And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater.’ It is not to property, but to the soul. It is not temporary, but eternal. Once that happens, waking up is of no use. As it is realized, its severity increases. It is so great and severe that one who falls into it cannot escape. (ELMALILI, 8/277)

 

68/34-41 OR DO THEY HAVE PARTNERS?

 

Translation

 

34- Indeed, for the righteous are the Gardens of Pleasure with their Lord.

 

35- Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

 

36- What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

 

37- Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

 

38- That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

 

39- Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, reaching until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

 

40- Ask them, which of them is a guarantor for that.

 

41- Or do they have "partners"? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

 

Commentary

 

(34) ‘Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals (disbelievers)?’ In Mecca, the disbelievers had said: "After death, everything ends; the Muslim and the criminal become equal. We do not miss the opportunity in this world; we do what our souls desire, we judge as we wish, and we look to our pleasure. For this reason, after death, we will have died better than the Muslims. If that resurrection after death, as Muhammad says, exists, we will have taken our pleasure in advance." Here, to severely reject and condemn them, Almighty Allah says: (ELMALILI, 8/282)

 

(36) ‘What is the matter with you?’ That is, what has happened to your mind and your thought? Or what, which evidence or strength of yours are you trusting? ‘How do you judge?’ How do you hold the criminals as better than the Muslims or hold them both as equal? How can one be a judge who denies the punishment, counts good and evil as one, and cannot distinguish the criminal from the Muslim or holds the former as better? (ELMALILI, 8/282)

 

(...) In order to state that the words and judgments the pagans spoke according to their carnal desires are not correct, Almighty Allah asks them silencing questions. (O. CELIK, 5/212):

 

(37, 38) First (1): ‘Or do you have a scripture special to you, in which (it is written) that the things you like are yours, that you read from it?’ Since the situation is not like this, why do you deny the news that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) received from Allah and informed you of? Why do you not act accordingly, why do you not enter Islam, why do you think that you and the Muslims will be equal to each other in the sight of Allah, and why do you hope to be blessed with a beautiful result and a beautiful help? (S. HAWWA, 15/274) However, the power of judgment and the authority to determine good and evil belong only to Allah. He has certainly not given this authority to anyone else. (O. CELIK, 5/212)

 

(39) Second (2): ‘Or do you have oaths [given in your favor] upon Us, that will last until the Day of Resurrection, that the things you judge are yours?’ If they do not have a book in their hands, then they must have received such a promise. They must have received a promise from Allah to judge as they wish and to choose what they wish until the Day of Resurrection. Yet, there is no such thing. They have not received such a promise from Allah. In that case, based on what are they speaking? What is their basis? (S. KUTUB, 10/140)

 

(40) Third (3): ‘(O Messenger!) Ask them: Which of them will be the defender (guarantor) of this?’ That is, who is the one who undertakes this, who guarantees this? Since they do not have a guarantor in this matter and the situation is not as such, then why do they deny and not enter Islam?

 

(41) Fourth (4): ‘Or do they have many partners?’ Do they claim that they have many partners who join them in that judgment and follow the desire of their hearts through imitation, or gods they have fabricated, and that with the strength they receive from them, they can change the truth and reality and force Allah to make the Muslims like the criminals as they wish? ‘Then let them come with their partners, if they are truthful in their claims.’ For even if the whole world came together, it could not break a judgment of Allah or change a reality; they are all destined to be humiliated and destroyed in the face of the truth. (ELMALILI, 8/283)

 

You are giving judgment about yourselves. These have no foundation. It is contrary to reason and logic. Moreover, you cannot show any evidence from any book sent by Allah. None of you can claim that Allah made such a promise. On the other hand, those you accept as deities cannot provide a guarantee that they will put you into Paradise. In that case, from where do you get these wrong ideas? (MAWDUDI, 6/397)

 

68/42-47 LEAVE TO ME THE ONE WHO DENIES THE QURAN

 

Translation

 

42- The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,

 

43- Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

 

44- So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement (the Quran). We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know.

 

45- And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

 

46- Or do you ask them a fee, so they are burdened by a load of debt?

 

47- Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

 

Commentary

 

(42) ‘The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able.’ "The Day the shin will be uncovered," that is, when matters become difficult; a group from among the Companions and the Tabi'un stated that this is used as an idiom. In Arabic, "kashf-i sak" (uncovering the shin) is also said for a person who falls into a difficult situation. Abdullah bin Abbas narrates that it is in this sense and reinforces this with some evidence he brings from Arabic literature. According to another view, it was narrated from Ibn Abbas and Rubay bin Anas that what is meant by "kashf-i sak" is "the lifting of the veil from the truth." According to this interpretation, the meaning is as follows: "On that day, when all truths come to light, what everyone has done will be revealed." (MAWDUDI, 6/398)

 

In the verse, by saying "and they are invited to prostration," the invitation of the deniers to prostrate is not an invitation to worship by way of obligation, but for the purpose of "rubbing it in" and "shaming" them. In fact, at the end of the verse, by saying "they will not be able," it is clearly expressed that they will not have the power to prostrate. That is, when the deniers are called to prostrate in the hereafter, a barrier will be placed between them and their strength, and their opportunity, power, and might to prostrate will be taken away. For while they were in the world, they were in peace and had power and might, yet they did not prostrate to Allah. They were subjected to such treatment in the hereafter so that they might understand their mistakes and their grief and regret would increase. (M. DEMIRCI from ELMALILI, 3/405)

 

Hadith: Abu Said al-Khudri said: I heard the Prophet (pbuh) say: "My Lord uncovers His shin. Every believing man and woman falls prostrate to Him. Those who used to prostrate in the world only for show and hypocrisy will remain. They will attempt to prostrate, but their backs will become a single, flat piece." (From Bukhari; S. HAWWA, 15/287)

 

(43) ‘(Because) now their eyes are cast down (in terror), and a state of abasement and humiliation covers them. They were called to prostrate while they were sound (in the world), (but they used to turn away out of arrogance).’ Who worshiped Allah and who did not will be determined by a small test. For this task, everyone will be asked to fall prostrate in the presence of Allah. Those who worshiped while in the world will prostrate immediately. As for those who denied, their spines will become stiff and locked, and they will not be able to go into prostration; they will remain standing, humiliated and regretful. (From Bukhari Tafsir 68/2; O. CELIK, 5/214)

 

‘So leave to Me the one who denies this word (the Quran),’ That is, do not be affected by what they do, do not hesitate, do not mind what they say, and look to perform your duty, O Muhammad! (ELMALILI, 8/290) ‘We are gradually drawing them towards punishment from a direction they do not know.’ By giving them some deceptive wealth, strength, and pleasures that they think are good for them, and by increasing and accelerating them gradually, We pull them step by step into the abyss of punishment without them feeling it, and We roll them down from a direction they cannot know. (ELMALILI, 8/290)

 

(44, 45) Istidraj: The state of giving time and approaching punishment degree by degree mentioned in the verse is called "istidraj." It means that as a servant renews his sin, Almighty Allah increases his health, blessings, and state, making him forget his gratitude, repentance, and seeking of forgiveness, thus bringing him closer to wrath and punishment degree by degree and catching him suddenly. Events like Satan's request being accepted and being given the opportunity to do evil until the Day of Judgment, and the earthly reigns of Pharaoh, Nimrod, and the like continuing for a while as they wished, are events of the istidraj type. Likewise, the fact that the worldly affairs of some of the oppressors and the people of disbelief go well is also related to istidraj. (H. DONDUREN, 2/921)

 

Hadith: "If you see that Allah gives a servant whatever he wants from the world despite his persistence in sins, this is only an istidraj from Almighty Allah." (Ahmad b. Hanbel 4/145; See also A’raf 7/182, 183; H. DONDUREN, 2/921)

 

‘I am giving them a respite.’ I give them a respite as if I have left them to their own desires; they think of it as a good deed or a gain for themselves, and they dive into sins according to their pleasures, rejoicing and playing. They fall into the assumption that they are now saved and will continue as such; I do not break the rope lest they might break it and flee. ‘Indeed, My trap / plan is very firm.’ My knowledge has encompassed everything, and the precaution I have taken is sound. I know their every state at every moment; when the exact time comes, I will pull their ropes and roll them down to the place where I will roll them in an instant with the speed I gave them. (ELMALILI, 8/290, 291)

 

Hadith: "There is no doubt that Allah gives a respite to the oppressor. But when He catches him, He does not let go again." Then he read the command of Almighty Allah: "Such is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities while they are doing wrong. Indeed, His seizure is painful and severe." (Hud, 11/102). (From Bukhari and Muslim Birr wa Sila 61; S. HAWWA, 15/287)

 

(46) ‘Or do you ask them for a fee, so they are burdened by a heavy debt?’ Ibn Kesir says: "That is, O Muhammad, you are calling them to the way of Allah without any fee to be taken from them. Instead of asking for a fee from them, you hope for the reward and merit of this from Allah. They, however, deny what you have brought them only because of their ignorance, disbelief, and stubbornness." (S. HAWWA, 15/278)

 

(47) ‘Or is the [knowledge of the] unseen with them so that they are writing [the destiny] down?’ That is, is the knowledge of the unseen, which belongs to Allah, with them? Is the supreme pen that writes the Preserved Tablet in their hands so that they now write the destiny of everything and the events that will happen? Do they write in the register that the crimes they committed, denying Allah, and associating partners with Him are not sins but merits and correct deeds, so that they give such judgments that do not comply with reason and the book, commit oppressions, and do not fear the day when the divine judgment, which is still in the realm of the unseen, will descend upon their heads? (ELMALILI, 8/291)

 

68/48-50 DO NOT BE LIKE THE COMPANION OF THE FISH, JONAH (YOUNUS)!

 

Translation

 

48- So be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muhammad], and be not like the companion of the fish (Jonah) when he called out while he was distressed.

 

49- If not that a favor from his Lord reached him, he would have been cast onto the naked [shore] while he was censured.

 

50- But his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

 

Commentary

 

(48) ‘(O Messenger!) So be patient for the decision of your Lord.’ That is, at that time, Allah will send His victory to you and will defeat your opponents. Until that time comes, continue to endure calamities and persecutions for the sake of conveying the religion. (MAWDUDI, 6/399)

 

‘Do not be like the companion of the fish!’ Be patient for the decision and wisdom of your Lord. Do not engage in any action without permission from Us. Otherwise, what befell Jonah (as) will also befall you. For he had been punished. (S. HAWWA, 15/279)

 

‘When he called out while he was (full of anger toward his people and) filled with sorrow.’ When he was filled with grief in the belly of the fish, he supplicated to his Lord: "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." (al-Anbiya, 21/87). He prayed and pleaded to Allah. (I. H. BURSEVI, 22/156)

 

(49) ‘If a favor from his Lord had not reached him,’ if He had not helped him by inspiring him to repent and glorify Allah with regret, and by accepting his prayer, ‘he would certainly have been cast onto a barren land in a state of being censured.’ Although he would not have remained in the belly of the fish forever and would have been cast out somehow; however, he would have been cast out in a bad state, as someone rebuked, not as something good and praised. This means that his falling there, and the anger and impatience that caused him to fall, were naturally not good things. (ELMALILI, 8/292)

 

What is meant by Allah's favor or mercy is that He granted Jonah (as) the opportunity to repent and accepted the repentance he made. (I. H. BURSEVI, 22/158)

 

(50) ‘But his Lord chose him.’ He did not leave him with that disposition; He purified him, gathered and recovered him with His help, refined him, protected him from being censured, saved him from anger and anxiety, and bestowed His revelation upon him anew. ‘He made him among the righteous (good) servants.’ He sent him as a prophet to hundreds of thousands and for intercession, and because of this, He saved them from punishment and benefited them, making him one of the Prophets who reached perfection in being a righteous servant. (ELMALILI, 8/292, 293)

 

68/51-52 THEY WERE ALMOST ABOUT TO TOPPLE YOU WITH THEIR EYES

 

Translation

 

51- And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost strike you down with their eyes when they hear the message (the Quran), and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."

 

52- But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.

 

Commentary

 

(51) ‘And indeed, those who disbelieve,’ the Meccan disbelievers who were ungrateful for Allah's blessings, called His verses lies, and tried to prove you a liar, and whose conditions and temperaments have been described, ‘would almost topple you with their eyes.’ They felt his loftiness so much that out of their jealousy, they almost afflicted him with the "evil eye" (nazar); they would have destroyed him if they could with the evil of their hungry and malicious eyes. (ELMALILI, 8/293) ‘And they say, 'He is surely mad!'‘ Just as they looked at the Prophet (pbuh) with evil eyes and treacherously, they also disturbed him with their tongues, saying, "He is surely mad." That is, they claimed he was mad because he brought the Holy Quran. (S. HAWWA, 15/280)

 

The Evil Eye (Nazar): Throughout history, people have believed that the evil eye causes harm and has a spiritual effect. Even today, scientific publications are put forward claiming that various brain waves generated by the human mind spread around. It is stated that the evil eye occurs as a result of these brain waves being focused on a person. According to the dominant belief, people exposed to negative brain energy and afflicted by the evil eye start yawning frequently. The evil eye, which initially manifests itself in the form of yawning, then affects the person in a psychological sense. It is even said that some animals, like snakes, stun their prey with their gaze. (A tortoise also cracks its egg by looking at it, and its offspring comes into the world—M. SELMAN). This means that, in the end, the evil eye, which emerges from the gaze of humans and some animals and harms the beings across from them, is an inevitable reality of life. (...) For this, as Al-Hasan al-Basri said, the first thing to be done should be to read the "verse of the evil eye" (nazar ayeti) and then benefit from the practices mentioned in the hadiths. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/409, 410)

 

Hadith: "The evil eye is a reality." (From Bukhari Tib 36; Muslim Tib 41, 42; O. CELIK, 5/216)

 

Hadith: "If anything could overcome destiny, it would be the evil eye." (From Muslim Tib 42; Tirmidhi Tib 17; O. CELIK, 5/216)

 

Hadith: Abdurrazzaq narrates... Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would recite muavviza for Hasan and Husayn and say: "I seek refuge for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, every poisonous creature with deadly venom, and every malicious eye." (Eûzü bi kelimâtillâhi ‘t tâmmeti min külli şeytânin ve hâmmetin min külli aynin lâmmetin). He would also say: Abraham used to seek refuge in Allah for Isaac and Ishmael—peace be upon them both—in the same way. (Narrated with this wording by Ibn Majah Tib 36; Bukhari and the authors of Sunan from al-Minhal; S. HAWWA, 15/288)

 

Against the evil eye, Surah Al-Fatiha and the muavvizeteyn (Surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas) can be recited. Abu Said al-Khudri (ra) said: The Prophet (pbuh) used to seek refuge in Allah from jinn and the human eye. This situation continued until the muavvizeteyn (Al-Falaq, An-Nas) surahs were revealed. Afterward, he read these surahs and left the others. (Tirmidhi Tib 162)

 

(52) ‘The Quran is but a reminder for the worlds.’ The Holy Quran is only a reminder for jinn and humans. They, however, judged the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to be mad and looked at him sideways because of the Quran. Yet the Holy Quran is a reminder for the worlds. How can a judgment of madness be given about the one who brings a book like the Holy Quran? (S. HAWWA, 15/281; cf. 10/57, 81/27)

 

‘For the worlds’ means for all humans and jinn. (I. KARAGOZ,8/189)