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-Hadid.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16)
“Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16)
“Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16)
Has the time not come for those who believe in Allah and His Messenger to have their hearts soften at the remembrance of Allah?
So that their hearts may submit to Him and to what has been revealed of the Qur'an.
And let not those who believe from the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him, be
Like those who were given the Torah and the Gospel before from the Children of Israel.
For a long time passed between them and Moses, peace be upon him,
And so their hearts hardened against doing good.
And many of those who were given the Scripture are defiantly disobedient.
“Know that Allah quickeneth the earth after its death. We have made clear Our revelations for you, that haply ye may understand.” (57:17)
“Know that Allah quickeneth the earth after its death. We have made clear Our revelations for you, that haply ye may understand.” (57:17)
Know, O people, that Allah gives life to the dead earth that produces nothing,
After its decay and desolation.
And just as We give life to this dead earth after its desolation,
So too do We guide the misguided human being,
Granting him success and directing him toward faith.
We have clarified the proofs and arguments for you so that you may understand.
Indeed, the men who give charity and the women who give charity and who loan Allah a goodly loan will have it multiplied for them,
And they shall have a noble reward.
Indeed, the men and women who give charity and loan Allah a goodly loan by spending in His cause,
Allah will multiply for them the loans they have lent,
And He will pay them their reward in full on the Day of Resurrection,
And they shall have a noble reward, which is Paradise.
“And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the loyal, and the martyrs are with their Lord; they have their reward and their light; while as for those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are owners of hell-fire.” (57:19)
“And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the loyal, and the martyrs are with their Lord; they have their reward and their light; while as for those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are owners of hell-fire.” (57:19)
And those who disbelieved and denied Our signs, they are the companions of the Hellfire.
And those who affirmed the oneness of Allah and believed the messengers, they are the truthful ones.
And the martyrs who were killed in the cause of Allah,
Shall have their reward from Allah in the Hereafter, along with their light.
And those who disbelieved in Allah and denied His proofs and arguments, they are the companions of the Hellfire.
“Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.” (57:20)
“Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.” (57:20)
“Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.” (57:20)
“Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.” (57:20)
And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.
Know, O people, that the enjoyment of this worldly life granted to you
Is nothing but play, amusement, diversion, and adornment with which you decorate yourselves,
And mutual boasting among you, as some of you boast over others,
And vying with one another in the abundance of wealth and children.
It is like rain whose vegetation pleases the disbelievers, then that vegetation withers,
And you see it turn yellow after it had been green and lush, then that vegetation becomes debris.
And in the Hereafter, there is severe punishment for the disbelievers, and forgiveness from Allah and approval for those who believe in Allah and His Messenger.
And the adornment of this worldly life granted to you, O people, is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.
Race, O people, toward an action that will earn you forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the width of the heaven and the earth,
Prepared for those who believed in the oneness of Allah and believed His messengers.
This Paradise is the bounty of Allah, which He bestows upon the believers.
And Allah grants His bounty to the believers.
And Allah grants His bounty to whom He wills of His creation,
And He is the Possessor of great bounty toward them, through the provision He has expanded for them in this world, then rewarding them in the Hereafter for their obedience.
“Naught of disaster befalleth in the earth or in yourselves but it is in a Book before we bring it into being - Lo! that is easy for Allah -” (57:22)
“Naught of disaster befalleth in the earth or in yourselves but it is in a Book before we bring it into being - Lo! that is easy for Allah -” (57:22)
No disaster strikes you, O people, upon the earth—in its drought, barrenness, the loss of its crops, or its corruption—
Nor in your own selves—through pain and illness—but that it is in a record before We create the souls.
Indeed, the creation of souls and the recording of the disasters they will encounter is easy and simple for Allah.
“That ye grieve not for the sake of that which hath escaped you, nor yet exult because of that which hath been given. Allah loveth not all prideful boasters,” (57:23)
No disaster strikes you, O people, in your wealth or in your own selves,
But that it is in a book, written therein before We created your souls,
So that you may not grieve over what has escaped you of this world,
Nor exult in what your Lord has given you, possessed you of, and entrusted to you.
And Allah does not like anyone who is arrogant regarding what he has been given of this world,
Boasting about it to the people,
Those who are stingy and command people to be stingy.
And whoever turns away, then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Those who are stingy with what they have been given in this world,
They withhold the right of Allah that He has made obligatory upon them.
And along with their stinginess, they also command people to be stingy.
And whoever turns away, ignoring the admonition of Allah,
Abandoning the action to which He has called him—namely, spending in His cause—
Then indeed, Allah is free of need for his wealth, his spending, and for anyone else.
He is Praiseworthy to His creation for the blessings He has bestowed upon them.
“We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; and He revealed iron, wherein is mighty power and (many) uses for mankind, and that Allah may know him who helpeth Him and His messengers, though unseen. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty.” (57:25)
“We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; and He revealed iron, wherein is mighty power and (many) uses for mankind, and that Allah may know him who helpeth Him and His messengers, though unseen. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty.” (57:25)
So that people may maintain justice.
“We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; and He revealed iron, wherein is mighty power and (many) uses for mankind, and that Allah may know him who helpeth Him and His messengers, though unseen. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty.” (57:25)
And benefits for the people.
“We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; and He revealed iron, wherein is mighty power and (many) uses for mankind, and that Allah may know him who helpeth Him and His messengers, though unseen. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty.” (57:25)
Indeed, Allah is Powerful, Exalted in Might.
We have sent Our messengers with clear proofs and arguments,
And We sent down with them the Scripture containing rulings and laws,
And the balance, for justice,
So that people may deal with one another in justice.
And We sent down for them iron, in which there is great strength and benefits for the people,
And that is what they benefit from when they encounter the enemy,
And other benefits besides that.
And so that Allah may make known who supports the religion of Allah and His messengers, even though He is unseen to them.
Indeed, Allah is Powerful to take vengeance upon those who challenge Him with enmity,
And who oppose His command and His prohibition.
He is Exalted in Might in His retribution against them;
No one can escape from Him regarding the punishment He inflicts upon them.
“And We verily sent Noah and Abraham and placed the prophethood and the scripture among their seed, and among them there is he who goeth right, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:26)
And We placed prophethood and the Scripture among their descendants.
Among them is the rightly guided,
But many of them are defiantly disobedient.
And We sent, O people, Noah to Our creation,
And Abraham, His close friend, as messengers to them.
And likewise, prophethood continued among their descendants.
And to them were revealed the Scriptures: the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Criterion,
And all other known Scriptures.
Among their descendants are those who are rightly guided to the truth and have insight,
But many of their descendants are astray, departing from the obedience of Allah to His disobedience.
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
And We followed them up with Jesus, son of Mary,
And We gave him the Gospel,
And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy.
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
And many of them are defiantly disobedient.
Then We followed the footsteps of Noah and Abraham with Our messengers,
And We followed them up with Jesus, son of Mary,
And We placed in the hearts of those who followed Jesus compassion and mercy.
And compassion is the most intense form of mercy.
And monasticism, which they innovated,
We did not prescribe that monasticism for them.
Rather, they innovated it seeking the pleasure of Allah.
“Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)
So We gave those who believed in Allah and His messengers among those who innovated monasticism
Their reward for their seeking the pleasure of Allah,
And their faith in Him and His Messenger in the Hereafter.
But many of them are people of disobedience and departure from His obedience and faith in Him.
“O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah and put faith in His messenger. He will give you twofold of His mercy and will appoint for you a light wherein ye shall walk, and will forgive you. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful;” (57:28)
O you who believe in Allah and His Messenger from among the people of the two Scriptures, the Torah and the Gospel,
Fear Allah by performing His obedience and avoiding His disobedience,
And believe in His Messenger, Muhammad, peace be upon him; He will give you a double portion of reward and grant you a light by which you may walk.
For the Qur'an, along with following the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
Is a light for whoever believes in them both, confirms them, and is guided.
Because whoever believes in that has indeed been guided.
And He will forgive your sins and conceal them for you.
And Allah is Possessor of forgiveness and mercy.
So that the People of the Scripture may know
“That the People of the Scripture may know that they control naught of the bounty of Allah, but that the bounty is in Allah's hand to give to whom He will. And Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (57:29)
“That the People of the Scripture may know that they control naught of the bounty of Allah, but that the bounty is in Allah's hand to give to whom He will. And Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (57:29)
“That the People of the Scripture may know that they control naught of the bounty of Allah, but that the bounty is in Allah's hand to give to whom He will. And Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (57:29)
“That the People of the Scripture may know that they control naught of the bounty of Allah, but that the bounty is in Allah's hand to give to whom He will. And Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (57:29)
He gives it to whom He wills.
And Allah is the Possessor of great bounty.
Your Lord does this for you,
So that the People of the Scripture may know that they have no power over anything of the bounty of Allah which He has given you and singled you out with.
Because they used to believe that Allah had favored them over all of creation.
So Allah informed them that He has given the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him, of bounty and honor what He did not give them.
And so that they may know that all bounty is in the hand of Allah, not theirs or anyone else's among the creation.
He gives that bounty to whom He wills of His creation.
And Allah is the Possessor of great bounty toward His creation.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.