In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. ‘Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah al-Shura.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sendeth down by measure as He willeth. Lo! He is Informed, a Seer of His bondmen.” (42:27)
“And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sendeth down by measure as He willeth. Lo! He is Informed, a Seer of His bondmen.” (42:27)
“And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sendeth down by measure as He willeth. Lo! He is Informed, a Seer of His bondmen.” (42:27)
If Allah were to grant abundant provision to His servants, expanding and increasing it for them,
they would surely transgress and exceed the limits that Allah has set for them.
However, He sends down their provision in precise measure.
Indeed, Allah is fully aware of what benefits His servants and what corrupts them, whether through wealth, poverty, or otherwise.
He is All-Knowing and All-Seeing regarding their affairs.
It is Allah who sends down the rain, providing you with relief, O people,
after you had despaired of its arrival.
He is the One who attends to you with His grace and bounty.
He is the Praiseworthy for the favors He has bestowed upon you.
Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth,
and the living creatures He has dispersed throughout them.
“And of His portents is the creation of the heaven and the earth, and of whatever beasts He hath dispersed therein. And He is Able to gather them when He will.” (42:29)
Among the proofs He has provided for you, O people,
is His creation of the heavens and the earth,
and the living creatures He has scattered throughout them.
He is fully capable of gathering the creatures He has dispersed in both realms.
It is not difficult for Him to create them or to gather them.
Likewise, He is the One capable of gathering His creation on the Day of Resurrection,
after their remains have disintegrated in their graves.
“Whatever of misfortune striketh you, it is what your right hands have earned. And He forgiveth much.” (42:30)
“Whatever of misfortune striketh you, it is what your right hands have earned. And He forgiveth much.” (42:30)
Whatever calamity befalls you, O people, in this world,
it is only a consequence of the sins you have committed.
Yet, your Lord pardons much of your wrongdoing.
You cannot escape His grasp on earth.
You have no protector or helper besides Allah.
You cannot escape your Lord by fleeing on earth,
such that He would be unable to reach you.
You have no protector besides Allah to defend you if He intends to punish you,
nor do you have any helper to aid you if He inflicts His punishment upon you.
“And of His portents are the ships, like banners on the sea;” (42:32)
“If He will He calmeth the wind so that they keep still upon its surface - Lo! herein verily are signs for every steadfast grateful (heart). -” (42:33)
Indeed, in this are signs for everyone who is patient and grateful.
Or He may destroy them because of what they have earned, while pardoning much.
Among the proofs of Allah against you, O people,
are the ships sailing in the sea like mountains.
If Allah wills, He stills the wind that drives them,
leaving them motionless upon the surface of the water.
Indeed, the movement of these vessels in the sea by the power of Allah
is a lesson and a proof for everyone who is patient in obeying Allah and grateful for His blessings.
Or He may destroy them by drowning in the sea
because of the sins their passengers have committed.
Yet He overlooks many of your sins and does not punish you for them.
“And that those who argue concerning Our revelations may know they have no refuge.” (42:35)
Let those who dispute with His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him), know
that they have no escape from the punishment of Allah,
nor do they have any refuge from Him.
“Now whatever ye have been given is but a passing comfort for the life of the world, and that which Allah hath is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord,” (42:36)
“Now whatever ye have been given is but a passing comfort for the life of the world, and that which Allah hath is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord,” (42:36)
Whatever you have been given of the things of this world,
it is merely a temporary enjoyment for you in this worldly life.
But that which is with Allah is better for those who obey Him than what you have been given in this world,
and it is more lasting for those who believe in Him and rely upon Him in all their affairs.
“And those who shun the worst of sins and indecencies and, when they are wroth, forgive,” (42:37)
And when they are angered, they forgive.
“And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them,” (42:38)
That which is with Allah is better for those who believe.
And those who avoid the major sins and shameful deeds,
and when they are angered by someone who has wronged them, they forgive the offender for his sin.
And those who respond to their Lord when He calls them to His Oneness, and who establish the prescribed prayer with its requirements,
and when a matter arises among them, they consult one another, and they spend in the way of Allah from the wealth He has provided them.
“And those who, when great wrong is done to them, defend themselves,” (42:39)
“The guerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the like thereof. But whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo! He loveth not wrong-doers.” (42:40)
And those who, when a tyrant transgresses against them, defend themselves without exceeding the limits.
The recompense for an evil deed is a punishment equivalent to it, as Allah has ordained.
But whoever pardons the one who wronged him, seeking the countenance of Allah, his reward is with Allah.
Indeed, Allah does not love the wrongdoers who transgress against people, harming them without permission from Allah.
“And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong - for such, there is no way (of blame) against them.” (42:41)
“The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom.” (42:42)
For them is a painful punishment.
“And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth - lo! that, verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things.” (42:43)
As for those who defend themselves after having been wronged, there is no blame upon them for seeking justice,
because they defended themselves rightfully.
The path of blame is only against those who transgress against people unjustly,
and who exceed the limits in the land of Allah that their Lord has permitted them.
These are the ones who commit injustice without right,
and for them is a painful punishment in Hell.
But whoever is patient regarding the wrong done to him,
and forgives the one who committed the offense against him,
choosing not to retaliate,
then that patience and forgiveness are among the matters of resolve that He has urged His servants toward,
and commanded them to practice.
“He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after Him. And thou (Muhammad) wilt see the evil-doers when they see the doom, (how) they say: Is there any way of return?” (42:44)
“He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after Him. And thou (Muhammad) wilt see the evil-doers when they see the doom, (how) they say: Is there any way of return?” (42:44)
Whoever Allah leaves to stray from guidance,
has no protector to guide him to the path of righteousness.
You will see the disbelievers, O Muhammad, on the Day of Resurrection, when they witness the punishment of Allah,
saying to their Lord:
"Is there any way, O Lord, for us to return to the world?"
You will see them being brought before it, humbled by disgrace, looking with a furtive glance.
“And thou wilt see them exposed to (the Fire), made humble by disgrace, and looking with veiled eyes. And those who believe will say: Lo! the (eternal) losers are they who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Resurrection. Lo! are not the wrong-doers in perpetual torment?” (42:45)
“And thou wilt see them exposed to (the Fire), made humble by disgrace, and looking with veiled eyes. And those who believe will say: Lo! the (eternal) losers are they who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Resurrection. Lo! are not the wrong-doers in perpetual torment?” (42:45)
You will see, O Muhammad, the wrongdoers being presented to the Fire, submissive and humiliated.
These wrongdoers will look at the Fire with a glance of disgrace.
And those who believed in Allah and His Messenger will say:
"The true losers are those who have lost themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection in Paradise."
Indeed, the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection will be in a lasting punishment that will not cease for them.
“And they will have no protecting friends to help them instead of Allah. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no road.” (42:46)
These disbelievers will have no one, when Allah punishes them on the Day of Resurrection,
to protect them from the punishment of Allah,
nor will they have any helpers against their Lord regarding the punishment He inflicts upon them.
Whoever Allah leaves to stray from the path of truth, there is no way for him to reach it,
because guidance and misguidance are in His hand, to the exclusion of everyone else.
Respond, O people, to the caller of Allah and believe in Him,
before there comes a day that cannot be averted once Allah brings it about.
That is the Day of Resurrection.
You will have no refuge, O people, to which you can flee,
nor will you be able to escape Allah.
You will have no shelter on that day, and you will have no one to deny your deeds.
You will not be able to change your fate, nor will you be able to defend yourselves if He punishes you.
For man is indeed ungrateful.
They are in distress because of the sins their hands have committed, as a punishment for them.
For man is indeed a denier of his Lord's blessings.
“Or He mingleth them, males and females, and He maketh barren whom He will. Lo! He is Knower, Powerful.” (42:50)
And He makes whom He wills barren, so that they cannot bear children.
Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of what He creates and All-Powerful over what He wills.
Nothing escapes His knowledge, and nothing renders Him incapable.