CHAPTER 36: YA-SIN (YA-SIN)

 

It was revealed during the Meccan period. It takes its name from the first verse. It consists of 83 verses. Only the 45th verse was revealed during the Medina period. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/439)

 

Hadith: Read Surah Yasin to your dead (those who are about to die). (Abu Dawud, Jana'iz 24; from Ibn Majah, I. H. BURSEVI, 16/432)

 

Hadith: Everything has a heart. The heart of the Qur'an is Yasin. (Tirmidhi, Fada'il al-Qur'an 7; I. H. BURSEVI, 16/432)

 

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

 

36/1-7 YOU ARE DOUBTLESSLY ONE OF THE MESSENGERS

 

Translation

 

1- Ya, Seen.

 

2, 3, 4- (O my Prophet!) By the wise Qur’an, indeed you are of the messengers. On a straight path.

 

5, 6- (O my Prophet! This Qur’an is) a revelation of the Almighty, the Merciful, that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned (with Tawhid), so they are unaware.

 

7- (O my Prophet!) Already the word (of punishment) has come into effect upon most of them (due to their disbelief), so they do not believe.

 

Commentary

 

(1). ‘Ya, Seen.’ There is certainly wisdom in the mention of these disjointed letters (huruf al-muqatta'ah) at the beginning of the Surah. These letters express a meaning, even if we do not understand it. Their meaning will continue to remain as a secret between Allah and His Messenger. These letters resemble the codes/ciphers of our time. Certainly, Allah knows best which meaning is intended by them. (M. HIJAZI, 5/191)

 

(2, 3, 4). ‘By the wise Qur’an.’ Since the Qur’an is the word of Allah, who is the All-Wise (al-Hakim) with infinite wisdom, it has also been characterized as "Hakim," meaning infinitely wise. (S. HAWWA, 12/126)

 

Hakim means wise, speaking wisdom, possessor of wisdom, or very judge-like and firm (muhkam); all of these are correct regarding the Qur’an. (ELMALILI, 6/399)

 

‘(O my Messenger!) Indeed you are of the messengers.’ (That is) The disbelievers are truly in a great error. Therefore, by swearing by the Qur’an, the Qur’an is mentioned with the attribute of "Hakim." "The Qur’an is a proof of your prophethood and is full of wisdom." Only a prophet can convey such wise words. Because these words are far beyond the capabilities of a human being. Everyone who knows Prophet Muhammad (s) knows very well that these words do not belong to him or that he did not learn them from someone else. (MAWDUDI, 4/511)

 

‘On a straight path.’ You have been sent upon a new avenue that has no crookedness and leads straight to Allah, which is the Islamic Shari'ah. (ELMALILI, 6/399)

 

The Meccan pagans did not believe that Muhammad (s) was a prophet and denied him by accusing him of being a magician, a madman, a poet, and a soothsayer (38/4, 37/36). Allah the Almighty informed that Muhammad (s) is a prophet by swearing by the Qur’an. (I. KARAGOZ 6/251, 252)

 

‘This is a revelation of the Almighty and the Merciful.’ Ibn Kathir (also) says: ‘That is, this path, this order, and this religion that you have brought have been sent down by the Lord who is the possessor of might (Aziz) and whose mercy is abundant (Rahim) for His believing servants.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/126)

 

The word Tanzil (revelation) is built upon frequency and emphasis. It points to this: This Qur’an did not descend from the sky all at once; on the contrary, it descended many times over a period of twenty-three years. It descended gradually, verse by verse, surah by surah, according to need and time—thirteen years in Mecca and ten years in Medina. (I. H. BURSEVI, 16/263)

 

(5, 6). ‘That you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are unaware.’ What is meant by the fathers (forefathers) is their recent ancestors. Otherwise, Ishmael (as) warned their relatively distant ancestors and conveyed to them the Shari'ah of Abraham (as). (From Alusi; S. HAWWA, 12/127)

 

Generally, commentators are of the opinion that the expression "whose forefathers were not warned" points to the fact that no prophet had been sent in recent times to the Quraysh and those around them, who were the first audience of Prophet Muhammad. (On this subject, see also Sajdah 32/3; Saba 34/44; Fatir 35/24; QUR’AN WAY, 4/476)

 

The generations before Prophet Moses are called the "former generations" (Qasas 28/43). While many prophets were sent to the Children of Israel among the "middle generations" that passed until Prophet Muhammad, because no prophet was sent directly to the Arabs, they had remained ignorant about religion. These verses are interesting for Meccan history. However, the message of Prophet Muhammad is for both the Arabs (Shu'ara 26/214), the people of the book (Ma'idah 5/19), and all humans and jinn (Saba 34/28; Anbiya 21/17; Jinn 72/1-28). (H. DONDUREN, 2/691)

 

(7). ‘Already the word (of punishment) has come into effect upon most of them.’ The finalized word is the word of "punishment" that comes in the form of "I will surely fill Hell with the rebellious ones among jinn and men together" (Sajdah 32/13). Allah the Almighty will punish those who go outside the religion of Islam, which He declared through the Qur’an and the Sunnah al-Saniyya. (O. CELIK, 4/196)

 

‘So they do not believe.’ That is, this word has been realized for them and has become fixed regarding them. Because Allah the Almighty knows that they will die upon disbelief. Therefore, they do not believe in Allah and do not confirm His prophets. (S. HAWWA, 12/128)

 

36/8-12 WE HAVE WRITTEN EVERYTHING IN A BOOK

 

Translation

 

8- Indeed, We have put shackles (iron collars) around their necks (because of their persistence in shirk and disbelief), and they are up to their chins, so their heads are forced up.

 

9- And We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and We have covered them so they do not see (the truth).

 

10- And it is all the same for them whether you warn them (against the punishment) or do not warn them; they will not believe.

 

11- You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful (Allah) unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and a noble reward.

 

12- Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life. We record what they have sent before them and their traces (all the good or evil works they leave behind). And all things We have enumerated (and recorded) in a clear register (the Preserved Slate / Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz).

 

Commentary

 

(8). ‘Indeed, We have put shackles / iron collars around their necks, and they are up to their chins, so their heads are forced up.’ Their determination in disbelief and the lack of a way for them to take heed—their failure to turn toward the truth, their inability to turn their necks in that direction, and their failure to bow their heads before the truth—is likened to people whose heads are held high and who are bound by the neck with chains. (From Nasafi; S. HAWWA, 12/128)

 

The verse in question describes the state of those who persist in denial while living in this world in a figurative manner. Although Abu Muslim al-Isfahani argued that this event would take place in the hereafter, the fact that the following verse mentions Allah drawing barriers before and behind these disbelieving types, and drawing a veil over their eyes so that they no longer see, does not allow for that commentator's view. Therefore, we can briefly say that the verse we have dealt with here represents the arrogant and proud state of man in this world, not in the hereafter. (M. DEMIRCI, 2/643)

 

‘Aglâl’ / iron collars: These ‘aglâl’, which at first glance might seem to remind one of the ‘neckties of modern civilization,’ represent both the evil distress of social pressure that directs the individual's innate creative capacity toward wrong goals, and the permanent state of the soul being accustomed to wicked traits and situations—such as false beliefs, ugly habits, bad character, imitation, bigotry, and the desires of the ego—which make disbelief and sin attractive and cause them to shun faith. Yes, those shackles have been placed around their necks in an inescapable way, as per the expression ‘Allah has set a seal upon their hearts’ (Baqarah 2/7), and those iron hoops, in the form of wide, stiff collars, have ‘reached the chins.’ Their noses are turned up, their eyes looking down in a pout. They do not and cannot look around to see the truth. (ELMALILI, 6/402)

 

With the expression ‘neck collar,’ their stubbornness that prevents them from accepting the truth is meant. With the expression ‘those hoops reach up to their chins and therefore their heads are tilted upward,’ it is intended to describe how they are stiffened by displaying arrogance (takabbur). Due to this stubbornness, a hoop of pride and arrogance has been placed around their necks. No matter how much evidence is brought, they cannot see the reality and do not accept even the most obvious proofs. (MAWDUDI, 4/513)

 

(9). With the expression ‘We set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them,’ it is meant that due to the stubbornness and arrogance in their nature, they do not learn lessons from past events nor do they even think about their future. Because bigotry has surrounded them on all sides and wrong thoughts have become a veil over their eyes, they are unable to see the obvious truths. If they possessed a sound nature (fitra), they could see these truths. (MAWDUDI, 4/513)

 

‘So they do not see (the truth).’ That is, they do not benefit from good and can find no way to any good. Abdurrahman b. Zayd b. Aslam said: Allah the Almighty has placed this barrier between them and faith and Islam. In this respect, they can never reach faith and Islam. Then he recited these verses: ‘Indeed, those upon whom the word of your Lord has come into effect will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful punishment.’ (Yunus 10/96, 97) Later, he said: ‘One whom Allah has restrained can do nothing.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/129)

 

(10). ‘And it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.’ In the 10th verse, it is pointed out that the Prophet is not responsible for bringing those who persist in denial into the circle of faith, and that such people will have to bear the consequences of their own choices. (On this subject, see also Baqarah 2/6-7; QUR’AN WAY, 4/478)

 

(11). ‘You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful (Allah) unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and a noble reward!’ Those who can benefit from your warning are those who both follow the Holy Qur'an and fear Allah. This expresses that following the Qur'an and fearing Allah is the beginning of the path. Similarly, it is the beginning of accepting advice and reminders. This is a truth that must inevitably be accepted in order to go to Allah the Almighty. (S. HAWWA, 12/129)

 

Maghfirah / Forgiving sin: Allah the Almighty forgives all the sins of a believer committed before faith. The promise of forgiveness to the believer who follows the Qur'an and respects Allah indicates that a believer who commits a sin requiring forgiveness does not leave the religion, and that Allah may forgive this sin in the hereafter. Allah the Almighty forgives His servant who repents according to the conditions in this world. If a believer who dies without repenting has no violation of human rights (kul hakkı), He forgives him if He wills, or punishes him if He wills (2/284). (I. KARAGOZ 6/258)

 

(12). ‘Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life. We record what they have sent before them’ (the good and evil deeds they did in their lives) ‘and their traces’ (that is, the beneficial or harmful works they left behind, whether charitable and benevolent institutions such as the sciences they taught, the books they wrote, the foundations, madrasas, mosques, schools, roads, fountains, bridges, hospitals, various soup kitchens they built, or their ill-fated evil and wickedness such as establishing laws of oppression and enmity and organizing examples of sin and rebellion; even all their footprints and shadows), ‘We write them down, We record them to their names and accounts.’ (ELMALILI, 6/403)

 

‘And all things We have enumerated in a clear register (the Preserved Slate).’ That is, while everything is already known in Allah's knowledge before its occurrence and recorded in the Preserved Slate (Lawh-i Mahfuz) in its full count, it is also written with all its traces and shadows after it occurs, and people are held responsible for what they have done in this way. (ELMALILI, 6/403)

 

Hadith: When a person dies, all their deeds are cut off. However, the following three things are exceptions: Ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah), knowledge from which benefit is derived, and a righteous child who prays for them. (From Muslim, Wasiyya 14; O. CELIK, 4/199)

 

Hadith: Whoever opens a good path in Islam has its reward. He is also given from the reward of those who walk in that path. However, nothing is diminished from their reward. And whoever opens an evil path in Islam, the sin of that evil path he opened belongs to him. He is also assigned a share from the sin of those who walk in that evil path. However, nothing is diminished from their sin. (From Muslim, Ilm 15, Zakat 69; Nasai, Zakat 64; O. CELIK, 4/199)

 

Hadith: Imam Ahmad narrates... From Abu Nadra, from Jabir b. Abdullah (r), who said: Some houses near the (Prophet's) mosque became vacant. The sons of Salama wanted to move near the mosque. When this situation reached the Messenger of Allah (s.a.), he said to them: ‘The news has reached me that you want to move near the mosque.’ They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, we wanted to do such a thing." Then the Prophet (s.a.) said: ‘O sons of Salama, stay in your place; your footprints are recorded. Stay in your place; your footprints are recorded.’ Muslim also narrated it in this way. (S. HAWWA, 12/134)

 

36/13-25 INDEED, WE ARE MESSENGERS SENT TO YOU

 

Translation

 

13- (O my Prophet!) Set forth to the pagans a parable of the people of the city, when the messengers came to it.

 

14- When We sent to them two messengers, they denied them; so We supported them with a third, and they said: "Indeed, we are messengers sent to you."

 

15- (The disbelievers) said: "You are only human beings like us, and the Most Merciful has not revealed anything. You are only telling lies."

 

16, 17- (The messengers) said: "Our Lord knows that we are indeed messengers sent to you. And our duty is only to convey (the message) clearly."

 

18- (The disbelievers) said: "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen (famine has come because of you). If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and a painful punishment from us will surely touch you."

 

19- (The messengers) said: "Your bad omen is with yourselves (because of your disbelief). Is it because you are reminded? No! You are a people committing excesses (in rebellion)."

 

20-21-22-23-24-25- And there came from the farthest end of the city a man (a believer who heard they had arrived) running. He said: "O my people! Follow the messengers. Follow those who ask no reward of you and who are rightly guided. And why should I not worship Him who created me and to whom you will be returned? Should I take other than Him gods? If the Most Merciful intends me any harm, their (the idols') intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me. Indeed, (if I did so) I would then be in manifest error and loss. (O messengers!) Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me (and bear witness)."

 

Commentary

 

(13). ‘Set forth to the pagans a parable of the people of the city, when the messengers came to it.’ The Qur’an does not specify who the inhabitants of the town were or what kind of place that town was. The narrations on this subject are not the same as each other. Therefore, there is no benefit in chasing after these narrations. The fact that the Qur’an does not explain that town or specify its name and location is proof that this would not add strength to the lesson and message it provides. Therefore, the name and location of the town were not specified, and the essence and foundation of the lesson were directly addressed. (S. KUTUB, 8/463)

 

What is the name of the town mentioned here? There is no narration from our Prophet regarding this matter. There are some other narrations based on the People of the Book that many people have accepted, but the accuracy of these narrations is questionable, and knowing this has no practical importance. If it were important, either Allah Almighty or His Messenger would have told us what the name of this town was. (S. HAWWA, 12/141)

 

Most of the ancient commentators thought this city was Antioch and the two messengers were two apostles, and they were able to say that this event took place during the period of King Antiochus. However, Ibn Abbas, Ikrima, Qatada, Ka'b al-Ahbar, and Wahb b. Munabbih narrated this story based on unreliable Christian reports. (MAWDUDI, 4/514)

 

(Again) In the Bible, it is mentioned that many non-Jewish people in Antioch accepted Christianity. However, the Qur’an clearly explains an important feature of the aforementioned town: that the people of the town rejected the prophet's call and therefore suffered punishment. In no historical document is there a record of punishment coming to Antioch. Therefore, it is not possible to claim that the people of Antioch rejected the prophets and were punished for it. (MAWDUDI, 4/514)

 

The purpose of narrating the story in question: A warning is given by saying to the Quraysh, "Just as you deny the Messenger of Allah (s) in stubbornness and opposition, those in that town were in the same error. If you follow the same path and persist in your stubbornness, your end will be like the people in that town." (MAWDUDI, 4/514)

 

(14). ‘When We sent to them two messengers, they denied them; so We supported them with a third. And they said: "Indeed, we are messengers sent to you."’ Since the main goal of the explanation is representation (tamthil), its expression in this way is to show the glory and honor of Prophet Muhammad's prophethood with a sign so clear it could be called manifest. That is, the reinforcement of the two with a third represents the reinforcement and strength given to Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus later by the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad as ‘confirming what came before him’ (Al-i Imran 3/3). It becomes as if it were said: We sent Moses (as) and Jesus (as) first, they denied them, and then We gave them power and strength with Muhammad (as). (ELMALILI, 6/407)

 

(15). ‘(The disbelievers) said: "You are nothing but a human being like us. And the Most Merciful has not revealed anything. You are only telling lies."’ In another sense, they mean to say, "You are humans like us and cannot be prophets." The pagans in Mecca also defended the same thought, saying, "Muhammad is not a prophet because he is a human like us." They said: "What is the matter with this messenger that he eats food and walks in the marketplaces? Why was there not sent down to him an angel to be a warner with him?" (Furqan 25/7; MAWDUDI, 4/514)

 

(16, 17). ‘(The messengers) said: "Our Lord knows that we are indeed messengers sent to you. And our duty is only to convey clearly."’ That is, to convey in a clear and distinct way with miracles and documents that testify to its truth. (S. HAWWA, 12/136)

 

That is, our duty is to deliver the message of Allah, the Lord of the worlds, to you. It is not in our hands to make you accept this message. Whether you accept it or reject it. However, if you reject it, the responsibility for this belongs to you. By doing our own duty, we have conveyed Allah's message to you. (MAWDUDI, 4/515)

 

The sentences "and our duty is only to convey clearly" mentioned in the verse emphasize that a person cannot be forced into faith, and that this is a matter of the heart. If there is coercion, hypocrisy (munafiqah) emerges. It causes people who are different on the inside than the outside to appear. However, there is the freedom to go to both Paradise and Hell. (N. YASDIMAN, 8/175)

 

(18). ‘(The disbelievers) said: "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen (misfortunes, disasters have come)."’ Nasafi says: Because they did not like their religion, their souls hated this religion. It is a habit of the ignorant to consider everything they are inclined to and their natures accept as auspicious, and to consider the things they hate and are disgusted by as a bad omen. If a calamity or a blessing hits them, they say the calamity hit us because of the bad omen of this, and the blessing hit us because of its abundance. (S. HAWWA, 12/136)

 

‘If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and a painful punishment from us will surely touch you.’ We will subject you to a severe punishment. That is, we will punish you quite harshly. This is the attitude that the wrongdoers always and everywhere take toward those who call to the path of Allah the Almighty. Because the wrongdoers, since they cannot put forward a healthy attitude against them, turn to threats and intimidation and then put this into practice. (S. HAWWA, 12/136)

 

(19). ‘The messengers said: Your bad omen is with yourselves.’ No one is a bad omen for another. The bad omen is from the person himself. Because everyone's portion has been decreed. ‘We have fastened every man's deeds to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find spread open.’ (Isra 17/13; MAWDUDI, 4/516)

 

‘Is it because you are reminded (of this bad omen)?’ That is, is the reason you want to stone us and torture us because we give you advice and counsel? is this the reward for warning? (S. KUTUB, 8/465)

 

‘No! You are a people committing excesses.’ You are losing measure in your thinking and in your evaluation of events. For this reason, you respond to advice and warning with threats, and you answer the call to the right path with stoning and torture. (S. KUTUB, 8/466)

 

(20-25). ‘Then there came from the farthest end of the city a man running. He said: "O my people! Follow these messengers!" He said: "Follow those who ask no reward of you, for they are rightly guided."’ The messengers mentioned in the verse performed their prophetic duties. They delivered the trust, but did anyone respond to/follow them? Yes, some people responded to/followed them. A perfect and mature man came from a distant district of the city. He made an effort to reveal the truth. He wanted to help the truth and fight against falsehood and the power of falsehood. He rebelled against the strength of falsehood. He said: O my tribe and O my people! Follow these messengers; they are speaking the truth while making the claim of prophethood. Follow these people who do not ask for a fee from you, do not demand property, and do not pursue leadership or any other purpose. These are people who walk on the path of truth and find the right way. (M. HIJAZI, 5/197, 198)

 

‘And why should I not worship Him who created me!’ That is, those messengers are calling us to serve our Creator and to recognize only Him as the deity and worship Him. The correctness of this is clear. I think of you as I think of myself; I consider it my debt and duty to serve my Creator because He created me. I have no excuse or obstacle for not doing my duty toward Him. Then why should you not worship your Lord who created you? (ELMALILI, 6/408)

 

‘Whereas you will all be returned to Him.’ Your return on the Day of Resurrection will be to Him. He will give the reward for your deeds; if you have done good, you will see good; if you have done evil, you will see evil. (S. HAWWA, 12/137)

 

‘Should I take other than Him gods? If the Most Merciful intends me any harm, their (the idols') intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me.’ These deities you worship besides Allah have no opportunity to do anything. Because if Allah the Almighty wants to do me an evil, these idols cannot open and remove this evil, they cannot prevent it, they cannot hold it back, and they cannot save me from the situation I am in. (S. HAWWA, 12/137)

 

‘Indeed, I would then be in manifest error.’ If I leave Allah and take them as gods, I would have strayed quite clearly. (S. HAWWA, 12/137)

 

‘Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me.’ He said these last words either to the prophets so they would testify in his favor, or he said them to his people in defiance when they caught him to kill him. Commentators have two views on this matter. (S. HAWWA, 12/137)

 

36/26-32 IF ONLY MY PEOPLE KNEW!

 

Translation

 

26-27- (When the believer was martyred, it was said to him:) "Enter Paradise." (He) said: "If only my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored ones (then they would surely have believed)!"

 

28- And We did not send down upon his people after him any army from heaven (for their destruction), nor would We have done so.

 

29- It (their destruction) was not but one blast (shout belonging to Gabriel), and immediately they were extinguished.

 

30- How regretful for the (disbelieving) servants! There did not come to them a messenger but they used to ridicule him.

 

31- (O my Prophet!) Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, which will not return to them?

 

32- And indeed, all of them will surely be brought together before Us.

 

Commentary

 

(26, 27). ‘When it was said (to the martyred believer): Enter Paradise, he said: "If only my people knew."’ This shows that his people killed him, and in return, Allah the Almighty rewarded him by placing him in Paradise. Ibn Kathir says: ‘He entered Paradise, and there he was given provision. Allah removed from him the evils, sorrows, and weariness of worldly life. Upon seeing Allah’s reward in this way, he said: "If only my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored ones." If only they knew that my Lord rewarded me with Paradise because I believed and confirmed the messengers.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/137, 138)

 

Ibn Abbas said: Just as he advised his people while alive by saying, ‘O my people, follow the messengers’ (verse 20), he also demonstrated his sincerity after his death with the words, ‘If only my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored ones.’ This was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim. (S. HAWWA, 12/140)

 

The verse in question, like many others, clearly proves the existence of the realm of ‘Barzakh’. From this verse, it is understood that there will not be a period of stagnation after death until the Resurrection, as some ignorant people assume. However, at this stage, the soul is alive without its physical body; it speaks, hears, feels, and can be both pleased or sorrowful; it also feels an interest in those in the world. If it were not so, could the believer in question have said, ‘If only my people were aware of my good end,’ upon hearing the tidings of Paradise? (MAWDUDI, 4/520)

 

(28). ‘And We did not send down upon his people after him any army from heaven, nor would We have done so.’ That is, sending an army from heaven to destroy his people was not in accordance with Our wisdom. For Allah the Almighty carried out the destruction of each people in a distinct way, and this was due to His wisdom. Ibn Masud says: ‘That is, We did not send very large armies against them. For the matter was easy enough not to require this.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/138)

 

(29). ‘It (their destruction) was not but one blast’—A single sound, a cry, a shout by Gabriel (ELMALILI, 6/409)—‘and immediately they were extinguished.’ Nasafi says: ‘They died just as a fire is extinguished.’ That is, it was sufficient for Allah to send the shout of an angel upon them. He did not send armies from heaven to destroy them as He did on the days of Badr and Khandaq. (S. HAWWA, 12/138)

 

(30). ‘How regretful for those servants!’ Ibn Kathir says: On the Day of Resurrection, when they see the punishment, they will feel longing and regret, wondering how they could have denied the messengers and acted contrary to Allah's command. For whenever a messenger came to those among them who denied, they would immediately ‘ridicule him’; they were denying and mocking him. They were rejecting the truth sent with him. (S. HAWWA, 12/138, 139)

 

To belittle, dislike, or mock a prophet, the verses, or the religious decrees he conveyed causes a person to become a disbeliever. Belittling or mocking any human being, however, is a great sin, a violation of human rights (kul hakkı), and an act of oppression. (I. KARAGOZ 6/271)

 

(31). ‘Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them.’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘Does the fact that Allah destroyed those who denied the messengers before them not constitute an advice for them? Is the fact that they will never return to this world not a lesson for them?’ (S. HAWWA, 12/149)

 

‘Which will not return to them?’ That is, they do not return to the world again. (ELMALILI, 6/410) Let us also state here that this command clearly rejects the views of those who accept reincarnation (tanasukh) or the view that souls keep returning. (S. HAWWA, 12/149)

 

(32). ‘And indeed, all of them will surely be brought together before Us.’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘All of the past and future nations will certainly be brought before Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, to be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection, and He will give the reward for all their deeds, both good and evil.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/149)

 

Ihzâr: It means to bring into the presence. It is used in the sense of seizing someone who does not come to court voluntarily and bringing them before the judge by force, which is specifically the meaning here. That is, not everyone simply vanishes and goes away by dying; they are gathered and driven into the presence of the True God for account and punishment. (ELMALILI, 6/410)

 

36/33-40 EACH SWIMS IN AN ORBIT

 

Translation

 

33- And a sign for them is the dead earth. We give it life and bring forth from it grain, and from it they eat.

 

34, 35- And We placed therein gardens of palm trees and grapevines and caused to gush forth therefrom some springs. That they may eat of His fruit and what their hands have not made. Will they not then be grateful? [cf. 16/11; 23/19]

 

36- Exalted is He (Allah) who created all pairs—from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.

 

37- And a sign for them is the night. We strip from it the day, and at once they are in darkness.

 

38- And the sun (is a sign that) runs (on its course) toward its stopping point (revolving regularly around its axis). That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. [cf. 7/54; 13/2]

 

39- And the moon—We have determined for it phases (for its daily cycle and journey around the earth), until it returns like the old (dried) curved date stalk (taking the shape of the last and first crescent).

 

40- It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon (to prevent the night), nor does the night outstrip the day (coming at an untimely moment). And all (the sun, moon, earth, and stars) are swimming in an orbit.

 

Commentary

 

(33). ‘And a sign for them is the dead earth.’ Another sign indicating that Allah the Almighty brings the dead to life is the reviving of the dry earth. Alternatively, the reviving of the parched earth, which has no plants on it, constitutes a proof for them of the existence of the Creator, His perfect power, and His bringing of the dead back to life. (S. HAWWA, 12/149)

 

What is meant by ‘dead earth’ is the soil that dries up and loses its greenness due to thirst. Just as the drying soil turns green again when it rains, and the plant roots and seeds within the soil do not vanish, people will not vanish when they die; when the angel named Israfil blows into the instrument called the Sur and the Resurrection occurs, the dead will also be resurrected. (I. KARAGOZ 6/273)

 

‘And We bring forth from it grain, and from it they eat.’ We have made it a provision both for themselves and for their animals. The expression ‘from it they eat’ in the verse indicates that these grains constitute the basis of livelihood and are essential for the sustenance of people. If grains decrease, famine occurs and troubles arise; then destruction approaches, and hardships and calamities follow one after another. (S. HAWWA, 12/150)

 

(34, 35). ‘And We placed therein gardens of palm trees and grapevines and caused to gush forth therefrom some springs. That they may eat of His fruit and what their hands have not made. Will they not then be grateful?’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, all of this is due to the mercy of Allah the Almighty upon them. It is not by their own efforts, power, or means.’ Accordingly, Ibn Kathir evaluates the particle ‘ma’ in the verse as a negation, meaning "their hands did not make these" (footnote). Others mention that the particle ‘ma’ here is a relative pronoun (ism-i mawful). According to this, the interpretation of the verse would be: ‘So that they may eat of its fruit and of what their hands have made, such as planting, watering, grafting, and other works they do until the completion of the harvest.’ This means that while fruit and crops are essentially the action and creation of Allah the Almighty, the efforts of the children of Adam also have some effects on this. (S. HAWWA, 12/150)

 

When the elements of soil, water, air, and seasons come together in an appropriate way, plants begin to grow and develop. Plants and trees that emerge from each seed in the same genus carry characteristics based on their lineage. Moreover, these plants and trees are created in countless varieties, not just a few. Thus, these countless types of plants meet many needs such as food, clothing, and medicine for humans and animals. (MAWDUDI, 4/522)

 

If a person who is not stuck in stubbornness and bigotry thinks about this astonishing order, their conscience will immediately testify that all this arrangement is not spontaneous and that there is a plan based on wisdom behind this grandeur. So much so that, thanks to that wisdom, soil, water, air, and seasons have come together according to an appropriate balance, and thus the needs of humans, animals, and plants have been created. No person of reason can think that such a magnificent order is merely a matter of chance. Therefore, it emerges that a few deities did not create these. The Creator and Lord of everything, including soil, water, air, the sun, plants, animals, and humans, is Allah, who is One. (MAWDUDI, 4/522)

 

(36). ‘Exalted is He who created all pairs—from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.’ As can be seen, the characteristic of being ‘created in pairs’ applies to plants, living beings, humans, and all entities we do not know besides Allah. For example, the positive and negative poles in electricity, the forces of attraction and repulsion between objects, and even the positive and negative electrons in atoms are counted among the things this verse miraculously reports. Scientific studies to be carried out in the light of the horizon opened by the verse will ensure the emergence of many more remarkable and detailed results in this field. The purpose of all this is to declare that Allah, who created everything in pairs, is One; He has no partner or equal. (O. CELIK, 4/207)

 

In the 36th verse, it is stated that Allah the Almighty created all pairs in the universe, both those known and unknown to man, drawing attention to the characteristic of being created—and thus to the oneness of the One who created them—of all these pairs, each of which has a partner, mate, like, or opposite. The fact that the characteristic of being created in pairs exists in many things that people did not know at the time the Qur'an was revealed has been uncovered by modern research, which is a sign that many more pairs of beings, events, and concepts will be discovered in the future. Developments such as the scientist Paul Dirac determining that atomic particles are also created in pairs—meaning the existence of the positron opposite the electron—and discovering the "law of parity," thereby winning the Nobel Prize, can be evaluated as a development shedding light on the depth of meaning in this verse. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/488)

 

‘Subhan’: As explained in verse 32 of Surah Baqarah and at the beginning of Surah Isra (17/1), it is the specific name of the glorification (tasbih). However, it is also used in places of great astonishment. Glorification is the highest degree of sanctification (tenzih). That is, it is the extreme sanctification from any stain or inappropriateness in belief, word, or deed. How beautiful it is that this glorification, which expresses the meaning "I glorify" or "glorify ye," is brought at the beginning of the speech here! (ELMALILI, 6/415)

 

‘I glorify and sanctify Allah.’ That is, He is far from every defect. Just as there is no weakness or deficiency in Him, He has no partner. (MAWDUDI, 4/522)

 

(37). ‘And a sign for them is the night. We strip from it the day, and at once they are in darkness.’ The existence of humans, animals, plants, and even water, air, and other substances on earth is made possible by an appropriate distance between the sun and the earth. Again, some regions enter the sun's field of influence within certain time intervals and are illuminated. If it were not so, it would not be possible to sustain life there. If the sun were closer or further from the earth than its current state, or if it were permanent night in one region and permanent day in another, or if the rotation of night and day were very fast, very slow, or irregular—in short, random—life would not be possible in such a state. So much so that even the formal characteristics of inanimate matter would be different. If one's "eye of the heart" is not closed, they clearly witness the existence of Allah in this order. (MAWDUDI, 4/523)

 

The majority of commentators, considering the sentence ‘they are left in darkness’ that follows in the verse, have interpreted it as drawing attention to the chilling and depriving effect of this event; some have stated that this expression points to the blessing of light provided to people and, with a broader perspective, to the power of Allah the Almighty to give life to the dead. (From Zamakhshari and ELMALILI; QUR’AN WAY, 4/489)

 

(38). ‘And the sun (is a sign that) runs on its course toward its stopping point. That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.’ That is, one of the signs for them is the Sun, which flows toward a fixed destination determined for it. Alusi says: ‘That is, it flows until a certain limit where its orbit ends at the end of the year.’ Nasafi says: Or it flows until the time when the world will end, the time when its end will come. (S. HAWWA, 12/152)

 

Mustaqarr: Since it can be a mim-infinitive, a noun of time, or a noun of place, and the letter ‘la’ (lam) has several meanings, this expression is suitable for many meanings. (1) First: The sun flows due to a decree and allocation for itself and stability—that is, by a fixed decree and a regular law. Not by an uncalculated, stray, blind chance. (2) Second: It flows for a stability, that is, with the wisdom and purpose of creating a decree and measure in its own world, or to reach a tranquility and stop in the end. (3) Third: Since it is a noun of time, it flows for a stability time specific to itself, that is, until a time when it will stop, a certain time, which is the time mentioned in the expression ‘when the sun is wound up’ (Tekvir 81/1). (4) Fourth: Since it is a noun of place, it flows specific to a stability place peculiar to itself, that is, remaining fixed in its place, revolving on its own axis, or it flows for the benefits of the world which is its station. In this sense, there is also an encouragement to serve the homeland. Finally, with the first ‘lam’ meaning ‘ila’ (toward), there is also this meaning: It is going toward a stability point for itself. Of course, according to this meaning, which is likely to be explained in several ways, it can also be understood that the sun is moving toward another center. Indeed, in a Hadith Sharif, it is narrated that "The sun's place of stability is under the Throne" (Bukhari, Muslim). (ELMALILI, 6/416, 417)

 

‘tecrî / flows’: In our opinion, if the verb ‘tecrî’ in this verse is given the meaning "flows" and this movement is interpreted as a journey toward the constellation Hercules, it would be appropriate to understand the word ‘shams’ (sun) in this context as the "solar system." For this movement, which is determined to be completed in a nearly circular orbit every 250 million years, belongs not directly to the sun but to the solar system, and our world is within this movement; it has been calculated that the solar system has made nineteen such rotations since the formation of the earth. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/494)

 

This enormous sun we are talking about is just one of an estimated 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Similarly, the Milky Way galaxy is just one of a few hundred billion galaxies visible with modern telescopes. And it takes 100,000 light-years to go from one end of this Milky Way galaxy to the other. Light travels at 300,000 km per second. Here, the earth is located in one of the spiral arms of this galaxy. To travel from the earth and reach the center of our galaxy, we would need to go 300,000 trillion km. Here, the power that creates, rotates, and will take away and extinguish the light of the giant ball of fire that burns constantly like the sun within this immense system is undoubtedly the power of our Lord. (O. CELIK, 4/208, 209)

 

‘That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.’ That is, it is by the decree of Allah—who is victorious and dominant over everything with His power, encompasses everything with His knowledge, and sent down the Qur'an to you to show the right path—that is, by His knowing and measuring all its limits and breadths. (ELMALILI, 6/417)

 

(39). ‘And the moon—We have determined for it phases, until it returns like the old curved date stalk.’ Phases (manazil) are the 28 stopping places the moon traverses in a month as it revolves in its own orbit around the earth. Again, as the moon revolves around the sun together with the earth, it traverses the 12 zodiac signs (25/61), each consisting of a cluster of stars. These verses—10/5; 15/16; 36/38-40—constitute the key to the science of astronomy. [cf. 55/17] (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/441)

 

‘Until it returns like an old dry date branch.’ That is, when the last station of the Moon comes, it becomes extremely thin and takes a curved shape, and finally resembles the date stalk when it dries and bends. Nasafi says: ‘When it gets old, it becomes thin, bends, and turns yellow. Thus, from three aspects, the Moon is likened to this date stalk.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/152)

 

(40). ‘It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. And all are swimming in an orbit.’ Dahhak understood/interpreted the sun not "reaching" the moon as the lights belonging to both entities not coming together. For, according to him, when the sun rises, no trace of moonlight remains, and when the moon rises, sunlight vanishes. (From Tabari; M. DEMIRCI, 2/649)

 

One does not collide with the other; their duties are distributed so beautifully and regularly. By using the plural form for "swimming" (yasbahun), it is explained that what is meant by "all" is not only each of the sun and moon, but all celestial bodies. (ELMALILI, 6/418)

 

Arabs use the word ‘Felek’ for the axis of the stars. It also means the sky. Here, an expression like ‘All are swimming in the same orbit (felek)’ is used. Thus, four truths are pointed out: (1) Not only the sun, but also the moon, stars, planets, the Milky Way, etc., are all moving. (2) Each of their axes is separate. (3) The stars and planets are moving, not the orbits themselves. (4) These are swimming in space just like the appearance of any substance in water. (MAWDUDI, 4/524, 525)

 

Of course, it is not intended to provide astronomical information with this verse. Here, people are only invited to think: That is, wherever you look, from the earth to the sky, you see the signs of Allah, and you cannot find any sign (amâre) that any being is associated as a partner with Allah. (MAWDUDI, 4/525)

 

This information in the Qur'an is also a proof that Muhammad (s) is a true prophet and the Qur'an is the word of Allah. Because it is not possible for Muhammad (s), who was illiterate, did not receive special education, and had no knowledge of astronomy or astrophysics, to know this information on his own. Allah the Almighty, who knows everything best, reported this information through revelation. (I. KARAGOZ 6/281)

 

The fact that people engaged in astronomy, such as Copernicus, Newton, and Laplace, found the astronomical law—that is, that every celestial body moves in an orbit in space—is a scientific success, while the fact that the illiterate Prophet Muhammad (s) reported this information is a miracle. (I. KARAGOZ 6/281)

 

36/41-50 A TERRIBLE CRY THAT WILL SEIZE SUDDENLY

 

Translation

 

41, 42- And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in the laden ship. And We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride.

 

43- And if We should will, We could drown them; then no helper would there be for them, nor would they be saved.

 

44- Except as a mercy from Us and provision for a time.

 

45- And when it is said to them (the Meccan pagans), "Beware of what is before you (the worldly punishment) and what is behind you (the punishment of the Hereafter) that you may receive mercy," (they turn away).

 

46- And no sign comes to them from the signs of their Lord except that they are from it turning away.

 

47- And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allah has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allah had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in manifest error."

 

48- And they say, "When is this promise (of the day you threaten), if you should be truthful?"

 

49- They do not await but one shout (the first blowing of the Trumpet) which will seize them while they are disputing.

 

50- Then they will not be able to make a bequest, nor can they return to their families.

 

Commentary

 

(41, 42). ‘And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in the laden ship.’ In all likelihood, the "laden ship" mentioned here is the Ark of Noah, the second father of humanity. For that ship carried the descendants of Adam. Then Allah Almighty gave them these ships that travel by cleaving the seas as its likeness... All of these are the power of Allah the Almighty, the laws of nature He has determined to dominate and manage the universe and to keep ships floating on the surface of the water. The factors that keep ships afloat are the properties of those ships, the properties of water, the properties of wind and steam, and the energy derived from atoms or non-atomic power sources. All of these are by the command and creation of Allah the Almighty. (S. KUTUB, 8/474)

 

According to the Qur'an, Allah the Almighty designed this ship (the ship of the world) in a way suitable for human life and constructed it in six stages (Araf 7/54, Yunus 10/3, Hud 11/7, Furqan 25/59, Hadid 57/4). Thus, the Lord addresses the polytheistic elements in this verse, asking them to reflect and take a lesson from the ship in question, which He presents as a proof of His existence, oneness, power, and majesty. For it is such a ship that, despite being full and its weight increasing gradually, it carries all the living beings on it safely. Furthermore, this ship carrying humans also contains many other blessings on it. All of these are blessings offered by Allah to man. Therefore, what falls upon man is to recognize the Giver of the blessing and never be ungrateful to Him. If he does not do this—that is, if man does not make an effort to recognize Allah and worship Him—then why should the Great Lord value him? (From Tabari; M. DEMIRCI, 2/652)

 

‘And We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride.’ This encompasses all sea and land vehicles. (ELMALILI, 6/418)

 

In the command (Verse 41, 42), we see a manifestation of the Qur'anic conciseness (i'jaz). We can even perceive how the Qur'anic conciseness encompasses all ages through this verse. As seen, ships are mentioned here. Ships are made of timber, iron, or just iron. Among the modern vehicles that move on land and resemble ships are cars, trains, tanks, and in the air, airplanes. These are things that did not exist during the periods when the revelation was sent down. Thus, the Qur'anic text pointed to all of these with the command ‘And for them from the likes of it (ships) that which they ride.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/167)

 

Accordingly, there is a miracle of the unseen (ghayb) in this verse. There is also proof that the knowledge of the One who sent down this Holy Qur'an encompasses all times and places. Someone might stand up and say that Allah the Almighty's verb "We created" is in the past tense. Our answer is this: Sometimes the past tense is used in the Holy Qur'an to mean the future as well. The intent behind this is to indicate that it will definitely happen. Just like Allah the Almighty's command: "The command of Allah has come..." (an-Nahl, 16/1). On the other hand, today's vehicles will remain in the past relative to the vehicles that will come later. (S. HAWWA, 12/167)

 

(43). ‘And if We should will, We could drown them; then no helper would there be for them, nor would they be saved.’ No matter how heavy, large, and sturdy a ship is, it is like a feather before the wind in these vast waters. If it were not for the mercy of Allah the Almighty, the ship would perish and be destroyed in a moment of night or day. People who set out on a sea voyage, whether they cross the sea by sail or by transatlantic-type ships that cross oceans, understand the horror of the sea, its terrible danger, and what it means to be deprived of safety against its irresistible swelling. And as they travel in the midst of this terrible creature, whose wild neck no hand but His can hold in heaven and earth, they feel that Allah the Almighty is the sole savior amidst the waves and storms. (S. KUTUB, 8/475)

 

(44). ‘Except as a mercy from Us and provision for a time.’ That is, unless it is a mercy from Us and for their sustenance in life until their terms end. Ibn Kathir says: ‘But We, with Our mercy, make you walk on land and sea and protect you from future harms until a certain period.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/156)

 

(45, 46). ‘And when it is said to the Meccan pagans: Beware of what is before you and what is behind you, that you may receive mercy, (they turn away).’ That is, from the sins you committed before and those you will do later, or from events resembling the calamities faced by nations that denied their prophets, and from the Resurrection you will encounter later, or from Allah’s punishment in this world and the hereafter—"beware, so that you may receive mercy"—that is, thanks to this caution, Allah will have mercy on you and save you from His punishment... (46) Every time ‘any sign from the signs of their Lord’—indicating tawhid and the truthfulness of the prophets—‘comes to them, they have been from it turning away.’ They do not think about that sign, do not accept it, and do not benefit from it. That is, the behavior they constantly display is to turn away from every sign and advice. (S. HAWWA, 12/157)

 

Sufyan al-Thawri put forward that what is meant by ‘before you’ is worldly life, and what is meant by ‘behind you’ is the ‘afterlife.’ (M. DEMIRCI, 2/654)

 

Considering the previous explanations, it is appropriate to understand the word sign (ayah) here as all kinds of evidence that clearly reveal the oneness and greatness of Allah—namely, prophets, revelation (divine notification), and miracles—as evidence that can be easily observed in the universe, in man's own essence, and in his immediate surroundings. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/500)

 

(47). ‘And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allah has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allah had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in manifest error."’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘If Allah the Almighty had willed, He would have made these people—whom you order us to spend on—wealthy and fed them from His own provision. We are acting in accordance with Allah's will regarding their remaining poor in this way; we do not spend on them or feed them.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/158)

 

There are narrations that this verse was revealed when the Prophet called for helping and showing interest in the poor, against the Meccan pagans cutting off aid to their slaves who became Muslims and their poor relatives, or taking a decision to cut off aid and interest to all poor people, whether they were Muslim or not. (From Ibn Atiyyah; QUR’AN WAY, 4/501)

 

Some scholars, based on a narration from Ibn Abbas, have stated that this verse was revealed about a group (heretics/zindiqs) who fundamentally denied the existence of Allah and mocked the Muslims. (From Zamakhshari; QUR’AN WAY, 4/501)

 

This verse shows that disbelief is the source of stinginess, and that it is impossible for human life to establish an economic order based on mutual mercy and compassion without faith. For this reason, we see that in the communist and capitalist orders currently dominant in the world, solidarity does not occur unless it is by the compulsion of the law. (S. HAWWA, 12/168)

 

In the Islamic order, while the authority to make laws exists, there is also a certain place for mercy and compassion between people. Indeed, it is impossible for human life to take the straight path without this. (S. HAWWA, 12/168)

 

(48). ‘And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"’ Their main purpose is not to learn the time of the Resurrection. Even if they were told that this time would come on "such a day, at such an hour," their doubts would not be erased. Since their purpose is to mock, they were only given this answer: ‘The Resurrection will surely come. Have no doubt about it.’ (MAWDUDI, 4/527)

 

(49). ‘They do not await but one shout which will seize them while they are disputing.’ Allah knows, this is the first blast known as the ‘Blast of Terror’ (Nafha al-Faza). While people are in disagreement and argument over their livelihoods as is their custom in their markets, the Trumpet will be blown for the ‘Blast of Terror’. While they are in this state, Allah the Almighty will command Israfil to blow the Trumpet once, and he will blow it at length. There will be no one left on earth who does not bend his neck and listen to the sound toward the sky. Then the existing people will be driven by fire toward the gathering place of the Day of Resurrection. This fire will surround them on all four sides. It is because of this that Allah the Almighty says: ‘Then they will not be able to make a bequest’—that is, they will not be able to make a will regarding the things they possess. (S. HAWWA, 12/168)

 

The part of the verse meaning ‘while they are disputing’ has been interpreted as "while they are immersed in worldly affairs, while they are quarreling among themselves, while they are arguing about the resurrection after death, while they are trying to struggle against the people of truth." (From Ibn Atiyyah, Razi, Shawkani; QUR’AN WAY, 4/501)

 

Hadith: ‘The Resurrection will come while two people have spread out their cloth to sell it. Before they can even fold it up, the Resurrection will occur. The Resurrection will occur while a man is plastering his basin with mud for the purpose of watering his livestock, before he can even water them. While a person wants to weigh on his scales, when he has put weight on one pan and it has lowered, before he can put what he will put on the other and raise it, the Resurrection will occur. While a man has taken a morsel to his mouth to eat, before he can swallow it, the Resurrection will occur.’ (Bukhari, Fiten 26; Muslim, Fiten 140; O. CELIK, 4/214)

 

(50). ‘Then they will not be able to make a bequest, nor can they return to their families.’ They will not even have the power to return to their homes. According to Ibn Kathir's view, this is the ‘blast of terror/dread.’ After this will come the ‘blast of fainting,’ followed by the ‘blast of resurrection’ after death. (S. HAWWA, 12/159)

 

36/51-58 THAT DAY NO ONE WILL BE WRONGED

 

Translation

 

51- And (at last, for the second time) the Trumpet will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.

 

52- (The disbelievers) will say, "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" (It will be said,) "This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the messengers told the truth." [cf. 2/166-167; 7/53]

 

53- It (the blowing by Israfil) will be but a single terrible shout, and at once they will all be brought before Us.

 

54- On the Day of Resurrection, no soul will be wronged in the least, (O people!) and you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do.

 

55- Indeed the companions of Paradise, that day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation.

 

56- They and their spouses will be in pleasant shades, reclining on adorned couches.

 

57- For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request [or desire].

 

58- "Peace" (Salam)—a word from a Merciful Lord. [cf. 10/10; 33/44]

 

Commentary

 

(51). ‘And (at last, for the second time) the Trumpet will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.’ Nasafi says: ‘This is the second blowing.’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘This is the third blowing, which is the blowing of resurrection and gathering to rise from the graves after death.’ (S. HAWWA, 12/159)

 

The afterlife begins with the second blowing of the Trumpet (18/99, 20/102, 50/20). Now, ‘The earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well]’ (14/48). ‘The earth will shine with the light of its Lord’ (39/69; I. KARAGOZ 6/290).

 

‘The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly’ (al-Ma'arij, 70/43). Their rising from the graves and running toward their Lord, as indicated by this verse, is an obligatory journey, not a voluntary one. For Allah the Almighty says: ‘they will all be brought before Us’ (Yasin, 36/53). (I. H. BURSEVI, 16/364)

 

Allah the Almighty has decreed that this rapid running will occur at the time of the blowing of the trumpet and will not be delayed. However, this running will happen after certain stages. These stages include the gathering and merging of dispersed parts and bones that have become dust, their revival, standing up, and then running. (I. H. BURSEVI, 16/364)

 

(52). ‘(The disbelievers) will say, "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?"’ Ibn Kathir says: ‘This does not contradict the fact that they are punished in their graves. For the punishment they see in their graves is like sleep compared to the hardships that follow it. Ubayy b. Ka’b (r), Mujahid, Hasan, and Qatada said: They sleep a kind of sleep before the resurrection. Qatada also says: This will be between the two blowing