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 Yunus.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“For those who do good is the best (reward) and more (thereto). Neither dust nor ignominy cometh near their faces. Such are rightful owners of the Garden; they will abide therein.” (10:26)
“For those who do good is the best (reward) and more (thereto). Neither dust nor ignominy cometh near their faces. Such are rightful owners of the Garden; they will abide therein.” (10:26)
Those are the people of Paradise.
They shall abide therein forever.
For those who perfected their worship of Allah,
and obeyed Him in what He commanded and forbade, is Paradise.
He promised them, along with the best reward, an increase beyond it.
Among this increase is that He will honor them by allowing them to gaze upon His Countenance.
And He will grant them chambers of pearls.
And He will increase them in forgiveness and pleasure.
No gloom shall cover their faces,
as if they were covered in dust from sorrow.
Nor shall there be any humiliation upon them.
These are the people of Paradise and its inhabitants.
They shall remain therein forever.
“And those who earn ill-deeds, (for them) requital of each ill-deed by the like thereof; and ignominy overtaketh them - They have no protector from Allah - as if their faces had been covered with a cloak of darkest night. Such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein.” (10:27)
And humiliation shall cover them.
“And those who earn ill-deeds, (for them) requital of each ill-deed by the like thereof; and ignominy overtaketh them - They have no protector from Allah - as if their faces had been covered with a cloak of darkest night. Such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein.” (10:27)
“And those who earn ill-deeds, (for them) requital of each ill-deed by the like thereof; and ignominy overtaketh them - They have no protector from Allah - as if their faces had been covered with a cloak of darkest night. Such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein.” (10:27)
Those are the people of the Fire.
They shall abide therein forever.
As for those who committed evil deeds in this world,
the recompense for an evil deed—the evil they committed in the world—
is a like punishment from Allah in the Hereafter.
Humiliation and disgrace shall cover them due to the punishment of Allah upon them.
They shall have no protector against Allah to defend them when He punishes them,
nor anyone to intervene between Him and them.
It will be as if their faces were covered with pieces of the dark night.
These are the people of the Fire.
They shall remain therein.
“On the day when We gather them all together, then We say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Us): Stand back, ye and your (pretended) partners (of Allah)! And We separate them, the one from the other, and their (pretended) partners say: It was not us ye worshipped.” (10:28)
Stay in your place, you and your partners.
Then We will separate them.
“On the day when We gather them all together, then We say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Us): Stand back, ye and your (pretended) partners (of Allah)! And We separate them, the one from the other, and their (pretended) partners say: It was not us ye worshipped.” (10:28)
On the Day We gather all of creation for the station of reckoning,
We will then say to those who associated gods and rivals with Allah:
"Stay in your place, you polytheists,
and your partners whom you used to worship instead of Allah."
We will then cause a separation between the polytheists and what they associated with Him.
When it is said to the polytheists:
"Follow what you used to worship instead of Allah,"
and their gods are set up for them,
they will say, "We used to worship these."
The gods will then say to them, "You did not worship us."
“Allah sufficeth as a witness between us and you, that we were unaware of your worship.” (10:29)
“Allah sufficeth as a witness between us and you, that we were unaware of your worship.” (10:29)
The partners of the polytheists—the gods and idols—will say:
"Allah is sufficient as a witness between us and you, O polytheists,
for He knows that we were unaware of what you were saying.
We were completely oblivious to your worship of us instead of Allah;
we were neither aware of it nor did we know."
There, every soul will test what it has sent forth.
“There doth every soul experience that which it did aforetime, and they are returned unto Allah, their rightful Lord, and that which they used to invent hath failed them.” (10:30)
And what they used to fabricate will vanish from them.
At that moment, every soul will be tested by the good or evil it has sent forth.
These polytheists will return on that Day
to Allah, who is their true Lord and Owner, in whom there is no doubt.
And what they used to invent—the lies and fabrications against Allah—will prove false,
such as their claim that their idols were partners to Allah.
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provideth for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directeth the course? They will say: Allah. Then say: Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)?” (10:31)
Or who possesses the hearing?
Or who possesses the hearing and the sight?
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provideth for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directeth the course? They will say: Allah. Then say: Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)?” (10:31)
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provideth for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directeth the course? They will say: Allah. Then say: Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)?” (10:31)
And He brings the living out of the dead.
And who manages the affair?
They will say, "Allah."
Say, "Will you not then fear Him?"
Say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists:
"Who provides for you from the sky, the rain and the downpour?
And who brings forth from the earth your sustenance and food that He grows for you?
Or who is it that possesses your hearing—which you hear with—to increase its power,
or take it away from you and make you deaf?
And who possesses your sight—which you see with—to grant you light,
or take away its light and make you blind?
And who brings the living thing out of the dead,
and brings the dead thing out of the living?
And who manages the affair of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them?"
They will surely answer you:
"The One who does all that is Allah."
Say, "Will you not then fear the punishment of Allah for your polytheism,
and your worshiping alongside Him those who do not provide you with anything?"
“Such then is Allah, your rightful Lord. After the Truth what is there saving error? How then are ye turned away!” (10:32)
“Such then is Allah, your rightful Lord. After the Truth what is there saving error? How then are ye turned away!” (10:32)
So how are you deluded?
O people,
this One who performs these actions
is Allah, your true Lord, in whom there is no doubt.
So what is there beyond the truth except straying from the straight path?
If the truth is as such,
then your claiming anyone else as a god or lord
is error and a departure from the truth.
So how are you turned away from guidance and the truth,
while you admit that the One from whom you are turning away is the Truth?
Thus has the word of your Lord been justified against those who defiantly disobeyed:
that they will not believe.
Just as these polytheists have been turned away from the truth to error,
His decree and judgment have become binding, according to His prior knowledge,
upon those who departed from the obedience of their Lord to His disobedience:
that they will not believe in the oneness of Allah,
nor in the prophethood of His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that produceth Creation and then reproduceth it? Say: Allah produceth Creation, then reproduceth it. How then, are ye misled!” (10:34)
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that produceth Creation and then reproduceth it? Say: Allah produceth Creation, then reproduceth it. How then, are ye misled!” (10:34)
So how are you deluded?
Say, O Muhammad, "Is there among your gods and idols
anyone who originates the creation of something from nothing,
then destroys it after creating it, then restores it to its original state?"
They are unable to even claim that for them.
Say to them then, O Muhammad:
"Allah begins the creation and originates it from nothing,
then He destroys it when He wills,
then He restores it when He desires."
So how are you turned away and diverted from the straight path and the way of righteousness?
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that leadeth to the Truth? Say: Allah leadeth to the Truth. Is He Who leadeth to the Truth more deserving that He should be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he (himself) be guided. What aileth you? How judge ye?” (10:35)
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that leadeth to the Truth? Say: Allah leadeth to the Truth. Is He Who leadeth to the Truth more deserving that He should be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he (himself) be guided. What aileth you? How judge ye?” (10:35)
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that leadeth to the Truth? Say: Allah leadeth to the Truth. Is He Who leadeth to the Truth more deserving that He should be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he (himself) be guided. What aileth you? How judge ye?” (10:35)
Is there one who does not guide unless he is guided?
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that leadeth to the Truth? Say: Allah leadeth to the Truth. Is He Who leadeth to the Truth more deserving that He should be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he (himself) be guided. What aileth you? How judge ye?” (10:35)
Say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists:
"Is there among your gods anyone who guides the straying one from his error to the straight path?"
When they say "No" and admit to that,
say to them, "Then Allah guides the one who has strayed from guidance to the truth."
Is then the one who guides, O people, the straying one to the truth
more worthy to be followed in what he calls to,
or the one who does not guide unless another guide directs him to it?
“Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that leadeth to the Truth? Say: Allah leadeth to the Truth. Is He Who leadeth to the Truth more deserving that He should be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he (himself) be guided. What aileth you? How judge ye?” (10:35)
Do you not know that the One who guides to the truth is more worthy to be followed than the one who does not guide to anything?
So you should abandon the worship of one who does not guide to anything,
and follow the One who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea,
and devote your worship sincerely to Him.
“Most of them follow not but conjecture. Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do.” (10:36)
Indeed, conjecture does not avail against the truth at all.
“Most of them follow not but conjecture. Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do.” (10:36)
And most of these polytheists do not follow
anything but what they have no knowledge of its reality or validity.
Rather, they are in doubt and uncertainty regarding it.
Indeed, doubt does not avail against certainty at all.
Indeed, Allah has knowledge of what these polytheists do in following conjecture
and denying the absolute truth.
And He is in wait for them.
“And this Qur'an is not such as could ever be invented in despite of Allah; but it is a confirmation of that which was before it and an exposition of that which is decreed for mankind - Therein is no doubt - from the Lord of the Worlds.” (10:37)
But it is a confirmation of what was before it.
“And this Qur'an is not such as could ever be invented in despite of Allah; but it is a confirmation of that which was before it and an exposition of that which is decreed for mankind - Therein is no doubt - from the Lord of the Worlds.” (10:37)
This Qur'an could not have been fabricated by anyone other than Allah,
but it is from Allah.
He revealed it as a confirmation of the scriptures that preceded it, which were revealed to the prophets of Allah,
and as an explanation of the Book that Allah decreed for the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
in His prior knowledge.
There is no doubt that it is a confirmation of what was before it,
and a detailed explanation of the Book from the Lord of the worlds,
not a fabrication from anyone else.
Or do they say, "He fabricated it"?
“Or say they: He hath invented it? Say: Then bring a surah like unto it, and call (for help) on all ye can besides Allah, if ye are truthful.” (10:38)
Or do these polytheists say,
"Muhammad fabricated this Qur'an from himself"?
Say, O Muhammad, to them:
"If it were as you say—that I fabricated and invented it—
then you are like me among the Arabs,
and my tongue is like your tongue.
So bring a surah like this Qur'an,
and call upon, O polytheists, whomever you are able to call upon from your allies and partners besides Allah."
For you will never be able to bring a surah like it,
if you are truthful in your claim that Muhammad fabricated it.
But if you do not do that,
then there is no doubt that you are liars in your claim.
“Nay, but they denied that, the knowledge whereof they could not compass, and whereof the interpretation (in events) hath not yet come unto them. Even so did those before them deny. Then see what was the consequence for the wrong-doers!” (10:39)
Likewise did those before them deny.
So observe how the end of the wrongdoers was.
It is not that these polytheists deny you, O Muhammad,
but they deny what they have not encompassed in knowledge of what Allah revealed to you in this Qur'an,
regarding the warning of their punishment for their disbelief in their Lord.
And the explanation of what that warning leads to has not yet come to them,
which Allah has threatened them with in this Qur'an.
Just as these polytheists denied, O Muhammad,
so did the nations that passed away before them deny.
So observe, O Muhammad, how the end of those who disbelieved in Allah was.
For the end of these people from the disbelievers of your tribe
is like the end of those who were before them,
if they do not repent from their disbelief.
“And of them is he who believeth therein, and of them is he who believeth not therein, and thy Lord is Best Aware of the corrupters.” (10:40)
And your Lord is most knowing of the corrupters.
And among your people from Quraysh, O Muhammad,
are those who will believe in the Qur'an,
and among them are those who will not believe in it.
And Allah is most knowing of the deniers among them.
Nothing is hidden from Him,
and He is in wait to punish them.
“And if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do.” (10:41)
And for you is your deed.
“And if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do.” (10:41)
“And if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do.” (10:41)
And if these polytheists deny you, O Muhammad,
then say to them, "O people,
for me is my religion and my deed,
and for you is your religion and your deed."
“And if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do.” (10:41)
And you will not be held accountable for his crime.
“And if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do.” (10:41)
Nor will I be held accountable for the crime of your deed.
“And of them are some who listen unto thee. But canst thou make the deaf to hear even though they apprehend not?” (10:42)
Can you make the deaf hear?
“And of them are some who listen unto thee. But canst thou make the deaf to hear even though they apprehend not?” (10:42)
And among these polytheists
are those who listen to your speech.
Can you create hearing for them,
even if they have no hearing
with which they can reason? Or am I [the one who does that]?
Just as you are unable to make someone hear, O Muhammad,
whom He has deprived of hearing,
so too are you unable to make someone understand My command and prohibition,
a heart that He has deprived of understanding that.
This is an announcement from Allah to His servants
that the granting of success to believe is in His hand,
not in the hand of anyone else.
“And of them is he who looketh toward thee. But canst thou guide the blind even though they see not?” (10:43)
Can you guide the blind?
“And of them is he who looketh toward thee. But canst thou guide the blind even though they see not?” (10:43)
And among these polytheists
are those who look at you, O Muhammad,
and see your signs and proofs of your prophethood.
Can you, O Muhammad,
provide sight for those who look at you
and at your evidences and proofs,
yet are not granted success to believe in you?
[Can you provide] eyes for those who are blind,
so that they may be guided by them and see?
Just as you are unable to do that,
so too are you unable to make them see the path of righteousness,
neither you nor anyone other than Me,
because that is in My hand and belongs to Me.
Indeed, people [do not wrong] anything.
“Lo! Allah wrongeth not mankind in aught; but mankind wrong themselves.” (10:44)
“Lo! Allah wrongeth not mankind in aught; but mankind wrong themselves.” (10:44)
Allah does not treat His creation in a way they do not deserve.
He does not punish them except for their disobedience and disbelief in Him.
Rather, it is people who wrong their own souls,
by committing acts that invite the wrath of Allah.
“And on the day when He shall gather them together, (when it will seem) as though they had tarried but an hour of the day, recognising one another, those will verily have perished who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided.” (10:45)
“And on the day when He shall gather them together, (when it will seem) as though they had tarried but an hour of the day, recognising one another, those will verily have perished who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided.” (10:45)
Those who denied the meeting with Allah have indeed lost,
and they were not guided.
On the day We gather these polytheists,
and assemble them at the place of reckoning,
it will be as if they had only remained in the world for a short time,
“Then have patience (O Muhammad) even as the stout of heart among the messengers (of old) had patience, and seek not to hasten on (the doom) for them. On the day when they see that which they are promised (it will seem to them) as though they had tarried but an hour of daylight. A clear message. Shall any be destroyed save evil-living folk?” (46:35)
recognizing one another among themselves.
Then, that recognition will be severed.
Those who rejected the reward and punishment of Allah have suffered a loss and perished,
for they were not granted the success to attain right guidance.
This was due to their denial of the meeting with Allah,
because that denial earned them
a punishment from Allah they could not withstand.
Whether We show you, O Muhammad, some of what We have promised them,
or We take your soul before that,
to Us is their return.
“Whether We let thee (O Muhammad) behold something of that which We promise them or (whether We) cause thee to die, still unto Us is their return, and Allah, moreover, is Witness over what they do.” (10:46)
Whether We show you, O Muhammad, during your lifetime,
some of what We have promised these polytheists,
or We take your soul before We show you that regarding them,
their ultimate destination in any case is to Us.
Then, I am a witness to the deeds
that they used to perform in the world,
and I will requite them for those deeds when they return to Me.
For every community, there is a messenger.
“And for every nation there is a messenger. And when their messenger cometh (on the Day of Judgment) it will be judged between them fairly, and they will not be wronged.” (10:47)
And they will not be wronged.
For every community that passed before you, O people,
there was a messenger whom I sent to them,
just as I have sent Muhammad to you.
When their messenger comes in the Hereafter,
judgment will be passed between them with justice,
and they will not be wronged in the slightest regarding their deeds.
That is the judgment of Allah between them with justice.
They ask, "When will this promise be fulfilled,
if you are truthful?"
These polytheists from your people, O Muhammad, say,
"When will this promise that you threaten us with be fulfilled,
which you claim will come to us from Allah,
if you are truthful?"
You and those who follow you in what you warn us of regarding that.
“Say: I have no power to hurt or benefit myself, save that which Allah willeth. For every nation there is an appointed time. When their time cometh, then they cannot put it off an hour, nor hasten (it).” (10:49)
Except for what Allah wills.
For every community, there is a set term.
When their term arrives,
they cannot delay it by a single hour,
nor can they advance it.
Say, O Muhammad, to those who hasten the punishment of Allah,
"I possess no power to bring benefit or harm to myself in this world or in the religion,
except for what Allah wills that I possess,
so I may bring it about by His permission."
If I do not possess that power except by His permission,
then I am even more incapable of possessing the power to reach the knowledge of the Unseen,
or to know when the Hour will arrive.
Every people has a fixed time for the expiration of their duration and term.
When the time for the expiration of their term arrives,
they cannot delay it by an hour, nor will they be granted respite,
nor can they advance it before that time,
because Allah has decreed that it shall not occur before the time He has measured and ordained.
“Say: Have ye thought: When His doom cometh unto you as a raid by night, or in the (busy) day; what is there of it that the guilty ones desire to hasten?” (10:50)
“Say: Have ye thought: When His doom cometh unto you as a raid by night, or in the (busy) day; what is there of it that the guilty ones desire to hasten?” (10:50)
Say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists,
"Have you considered if the punishment of Allah were to come to you by night or by day,
and the Resurrection were to occur,
would you be able to avert that from yourselves?"
Why do the criminals hasten the arrival of the punishment,
when they are the ones who will be scorched by its heat, to the exclusion of others?
Then they will not be able to avert it from themselves.
“Is it (only) then, when it hath befallen you, that ye will believe? What! (Believe) now, when (until now) ye have been hastening it on (through disbelief)?” (10:51)
"Is it now [that you believe], when you were previously hastening it?"
Is it then, when the punishment of Allah befalls you, O polytheists,
that you believe in it, at a time when belief will not benefit you?
And it will be said to you then,
"Is it now that you believe in it,
when you were previously hastening it?"
So taste now what you used to deny.
“Then will it be said unto those who dealt unjustly Taste the torment of eternity. Are ye requited aught save what ye used to earn?” (10:52)
Taste the punishment of eternity.
“Then will it be said unto those who dealt unjustly Taste the torment of eternity. Are ye requited aught save what ye used to earn?” (10:52)
Then it will be said to those who wronged their own souls by their disbelief in Allah,
"Taste the punishment of Allah that will be yours forever."
So consider, are you being requited for anything other than what you used to do in your life,
before your death, of acts of disobedience to Allah?
This is the summary from the Tafsir of al-Tabari.