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-Shammar.
Surah al-Shura.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ha-Mim.
'Ayn-Sin-Qaf.
“Thus Allah the Mighty, the Knower inspireth thee (Muhammad) as (He inspired) those before thee.” (42:3)
Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth.
He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Ha-Mim.
'Ayn-Sin-Qaf.
Thus does Allah reveal to you, O Muhammad, and to those before you.
The Almighty in His retribution against His enemies.
The All-Wise in His governance of His creation.
To Allah belongs the dominion of all that is in the heavens and the earth, and everything therein.
He is the One possessing loftiness and elevation above all things.
The Most Great, to whom belong majesty, pride, and absolute sovereignty.
“Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth. Lo! Allah, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.” (42:5)
“Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth. Lo! Allah, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.” (42:5)
“Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth. Lo! Allah, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.” (42:5)
“Almost might the heavens above be rent asunder while the angels hymn the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth. Lo! Allah, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.” (42:5)
The heavens are almost rent asunder from above the earths.
Due to the majesty and glory of the Most Merciful.
And the angels glorify Him by obeying their Lord.
And by thanking Him, out of awe of His majesty and greatness.
And they ask their Lord for forgiveness for the sins of those on earth who believe in Him.
Verily, Allah is the Oft-Forgiving to the believing among His servants.
The Most Merciful to them, that He might not punish them after they have repented.
And those who have taken, O Muhammad, from among the polytheists of your people, protectors other than Him, whom they follow and worship.
Allah keeps account of their deeds for them.
So that He may recompense them for them on the Day of Resurrection.
You, O Muhammad, are not a guardian over them to preserve their deeds.
You are only a warner.
To warn the Mother of Cities (Makkah) and those around it.
“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
And thus We have revealed to you, O Muhammad, a Qur'an in the Arabic tongue.
So that they may understand the proofs and the reminder of Allah contained within it.
To warn Makkah and those around it from among the rest of mankind.
And to warn of the punishment of Allah on the day He gathers His servants for the station of reckoning.
There is no doubt about that day.
A party of them will be in Paradise.
They are those who believed in Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him.
And a party of them will be in the Blazing Fire, kindled against its inhabitants.
They are those who disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger.
“Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy. And the wrong-doers have no friend nor helper.” (42:8)
“Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy. And the wrong-doers have no friend nor helper.” (42:8)
“Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy. And the wrong-doers have no friend nor helper.” (42:8)
And if Allah had willed to gather His creation upon guidance.
And make them one single nation, He would have done so.
But He admits whom He wills of His servants into His mercy.
By granting them success to enter His religion.
And the disbelievers will have no protector to defend them on the Day of Resurrection.
Nor any helper to save them from the punishment of Allah.
Or have they taken protectors other than Him?
“Or have they chosen protecting friends besides Him? But Allah, He (alone) is the Protecting Friend. He quickeneth the dead, and He is Able to do all things.” (42:9)
And He is over all things competent.
Or have these polytheists taken protectors other than Allah, whom they follow?
But Allah is the Protector of His allies.
And Allah gives life to the dead.
And Allah is the One capable of reviving His creation after their death.
Indeed, He has power over all things.
“And in whatsoever ye differ, the verdict therein belongeth to Allah. Such is my Lord, in Whom I put my trust, and unto Whom I turn.” (42:10)
“And in whatsoever ye differ, the verdict therein belongeth to Allah. Such is my Lord, in Whom I put my trust, and unto Whom I turn.” (42:10)
And in whatever you, O people, differ and dispute among yourselves.
Its judgment belongs to Allah.
Say to these polytheists.
This One, whose attributes are these, is my Lord.
Not your idols whom you invoke besides Him.
In Him I have placed my trust in my affairs, and to Him I have delegated my matters.
And to Him I return in my affairs, and I repent from my sins.
The Originator of the heavens and the earth.
He has made for you mates from among yourselves.
And from the cattle, mates, by which He multiplies you.
There is nothing like unto Him.
And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
The Creator of the seven heavens and the earth.
Your Lord has paired you with mates from among yourselves.
And He said "from among yourselves."
Because He created Eve from the rib of Adam, peace be upon him.
And He made for you from the cattle, mates.
Males and females.
He multiplies you through the mates He has provided for you.
And He sustains you through the cattle He has provided for you.
He is not like anything.
And it is said: there is nothing similar to Him.
And He is the All-Hearing of what His creation utters in speech.
The All-Seeing of their deeds.
Nothing of that is hidden from Him.
To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth.
He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it.
“His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlargeth providence for whom He will and straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo! He is Knower of all things.” (42:12)
To Him belong the keys to the treasuries of the heavens and the earth.
He expands His provision and bounty to whom He wills of His creation.
And He restricts it for whom He wills among them.
Indeed, Allah, in all that He does regarding His expansion for whom He expands.
And His restriction for whom He restricts.
And other such matters, is All-Knowing.
Nothing is hidden from Him regarding the place of expansion, restriction, and other aspects of the wise governance of His creation.