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-Qamar.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“The hour drew nigh and the moon was rent in twain.” (54:1)
The Hour has drawn near, the time when the Resurrection shall take place.
And the moon has split asunder.
This occurred, according to what has been mentioned, during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
This was in Makkah, before his migration to Madinah.
It happened because the disbelievers of Makkah asked him for a sign.
So he, peace be upon him, showed them the splitting of the moon.
“And if they behold a portent they turn away and say: Prolonged illusion.” (54:2)
And if the polytheists see a sign that points them to the truth of the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be upon him,
they turn away from it, turning their backs while denying and rejecting it.
And they say, in their denial,
"This is magic; Muhammad has bewitched us."
It is continuous and fleeting.
“They denied (the Truth) and followed their own lusts. Yet everything will come to a decision” (54:3)
These polytheists have denied the signs of Allah,
and they have chosen to follow their own desires by persisting in that denial.
Every matter, whether of good or evil, has a settled outcome.
Good is settled for its people in Paradise,
and evil is settled for its people in the Fire.
“And surely there hath come unto them news whereof the purport should deter,” (54:4)
There has certainly come to these polytheists news of the nations of the past,
who were, in their denial of the messengers of Allah, just like those who are currently in that state.
And Allah brought upon them His punishments, which should deter them from the denial they are currently in.
A profound wisdom, yet warnings are of no avail.
There has come to them a profound wisdom, which is the Qur'an.
It is said: There has come to them of the reports that which contains a deterrent.
That is a profound wisdom, or it is a profound wisdom.
So the warnings are of no use to them because of their turning away.
It is said: What could the warnings possibly avail them?
So turn away from them, on the day the Caller calls to a terrible thing.
“With downcast eyes, they come forth from the graves as they were locusts spread abroad,” (54:7)
“Hastening toward the summoner; the disbelievers say: This is a hard day.” (54:8)
So turn away, O Muhammad, from these polytheists.
For on the day the Caller of Allah calls them to the station of the Resurrection,
their eyes will be humbled and downcast as they emerge from the graves.
As if they were, in their spreading out and rushing toward the place of reckoning, locusts scattered.
Hastening with their eyes fixed toward the Caller to that station.
The disbelievers in Allah will say, "This is a difficult day," due to the intensity of its terrors.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.