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 Saba'.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Praise be to Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. His is the praise in the Hereafter, and He is the Wise, the Aware.” (34:1)
“Praise be to Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. His is the praise in the Hereafter, and He is the Wise, the Aware.” (34:1)
He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.
All perfect praise and complete gratitude belong to the Worshipped One,
Who is the Owner of all that is in the seven heavens and all that is in the earths.
To Him belongs perfect praise in the Hereafter,
just as it belongs to Him in this fleeting worldly life.
He is the All-Wise in His governance of His creation,
and All-Aware of them and what is beneficial for them.
He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it, and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein.
He is the Most Merciful, the All-Forgiving.
He knows what enters the earth and what is hidden within it,
and what emerges from the earth,
and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein.
He is merciful to those of His servants who repent, by not punishing them after their repentance,
and He is forgiving of their sins once they have repented from them.
Those who deny Allah’s power to recreate His creation after their annihilation at the coming of the Hour seek to hasten it from you, O Muhammad,
out of mockery and denial of your message.
Say to them: "I swear by Him, the Hour will surely come to you."
He is the Knower of that which is hidden from the sight of the creation.
And despite that, say to them: "I swear by Him, the Hour will surely come to you."
He is the Knower of that which is hidden from the sight of the creation.
Not even the weight of an atom in the heavens or on the earth escapes His knowledge,
nor is there anything smaller than that or greater,
but it is recorded in a clear Book, demonstrating to the one who looks into it that Allah the Exalted has recorded, enumerated, and known it.
This is so that He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds.
“That He may reward those who believe and do good works. For them is pardon and a rich provision.” (34:4)
He has recorded that in the Clear Book,
so that He may reward those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and act upon what Allah and His Messenger have commanded them.
For those who believe and do righteous deeds,
there is forgiveness from their Lord for their sins,
and an honorable provision in Paradise on the Day of Resurrection.
“But those who strive against Our revelations, challenging (Us), theirs will be a painful doom of wrath.” (34:5)
“But those who strive against Our revelations, challenging (Us), theirs will be a painful doom of wrath.” (34:5)
He has recorded that in the Book,
so that He may punish those who strive to invalidate Our signs and proofs, thinking they can escape Us.
They imagine they can outrun Us, and that We are unable to seize them.
For these, there is a punishment of severe, painful torment.
“Those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed unto thee from thy Lord is the truth and leadeth unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise.” (34:6)
“Those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed unto thee from thy Lord is the truth and leadeth unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise.” (34:6)
And let those who have been given knowledge of the Book of Allah see—
which is the Torah—
that the Book which has been revealed to you, O Muhammad, from your Lord is the truth,
and it guides those who follow it and act upon its contents to the path of Allah,
the Almighty in His retribution against His enemies,
the Praiseworthy in the sight of His creation,
for His favors and blessings are upon them.
“Those who disbelieve say: Shall we show you a man who will tell you (that) when ye have become dispersed in dust with most complete dispersal still, even then, ye will be created anew?” (34:7)
“Those who disbelieve say: Shall we show you a man who will tell you (that) when ye have become dispersed in dust with most complete dispersal still, even then, ye will be created anew?” (34:7)
Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger have said:
"Shall we point out to you, O people, a man who tells you that after you have disintegrated in the earth and become dust,
you will be brought back to life in a new creation, just as you were before death?"
“Hath he invented a lie concerning Allah, or is there in him a madness? Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are in torment and far error.” (34:8)
“Hath he invented a lie concerning Allah, or is there in him a madness? Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are in torment and far error.” (34:8)
"Has he invented a lie about Allah,
or is he possessed by madness, speaking words that have no meaning?"
The matter is not as these polytheists claim regarding Muhammad, peace be upon him,
nor is it as they suspect—that he has fabricated a lie against Allah or that he is afflicted with madness.
Rather, those who do not believe in the Hereafter will face the punishment of Allah in the Hereafter,
and they are in a state of deep error, far from the path of truth.
It is because of this that they say what they say about him.
“Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.” (34:9)
“Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.” (34:9)
“Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.” (34:9)
Have these deniers of the Resurrection not looked at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth?
If they did, they would know that wherever they are,
My earth and heaven surround them from before them and from behind them.
Let them then desist from denying Our signs,
fearing that We might command the earth to swallow them up,
or that the heaven might fall upon them in fragments.
Indeed, in the encompassing of the heavens and the earth over the servants of Allah,
there is a sign for every servant who turns in repentance to his Lord.