Conclusion from Al-Tabari’s interpretation | Episode (27-1) | Surah An-Naml

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:05 A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.

0:08 Abridged by Dr. Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.

0:14 Surah al-Naml.

0:18 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:22 Ta-Sin.

0:26 “Ta. Sin. These are revelations of the Qur'an and a Scripture that maketh plain;” (27:1)

0:32 Guidance and glad tidings for the believers.

0:36 Who establish prayer and give zakat.

0:41 And who are certain of the Hereafter.

0:46 Ta-Sin.

0:48 We have previously explained the meaning of the disjointed letters at the beginning of the surahs.

0:53 It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)

0:57 that the phrase "Ta-Sin"

0:59 is an oath by which Allah swears.

1:01 Others say it is one of the names of Allah.

1:03 According to this view, the obligation

1:05 is that its meaning

1:07 is "The All-Hearing, the Subtle."

1:09 These verses that I have revealed to you, O Muhammad, are verses of the Qur'an.

1:15 They are verses of a Book that makes clear to those who contemplate it that it is from Allah.

1:20 These are the verses of the Qur'an, guidance and glad tidings for those who believe in it,

1:25 and who establish the obligatory prayer with its proper requirements,

1:28 and who pay the obligatory zakat.

1:31 It has also been said that its meaning is

1:33 that they purify their bodies from the filth of sins.

1:37 And they are certain of the return to Allah after death.

1:41 Thus, they humble themselves in obedience to Allah,

1:43 hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment.

2:00 They will have the worst of punishments.

2:03 “Those are they for whom is the worst of punishment, and in the Hereafter they will be the greatest losers.” (27:5)

2:07 Those who do not believe in the Hereafter,

2:11 We have made their evil deeds seem pleasing to them,

2:15 and We have made that easy for them.

2:18 So they wander blindly in their deeds, bewildered.

2:22 They think they are doing good.

2:25 These brothers are dealing [with matters],

2:28 and they think they are doing good.

2:31 These are the ones who do not believe in the Hereafter;

2:34 they will have the worst of punishments in this world,

2:37 and they are the ones among the polytheists of Quraysh who were killed at Badr.

2:41 On the Day of Resurrection, they will be the greatest losers in their trade,

2:45 by having exchanged guidance for misguidance.

2:48 Indeed, you receive the Qur'an from One who is Wise and All-Knowing.

2:56 Indeed, O Muhammad, you are receiving and learning the Qur'an

3:00 from One who is Wise in the management of His creation,

3:03 and All-Knowing of the affairs of His creation and their interests.

3:08 “(Remember) when Moses said unto his household: Lo! I spy afar off a fire; I will bring you tidings thence, or bring to you a borrowed flame that ye may warm yourselves.” (27:7)

3:11 "I have perceived a fire."

3:15 "I will bring you news from it."

3:18 “(Remember) when Moses said unto his household: Lo! I spy afar off a fire; I will bring you tidings thence, or bring to you a borrowed flame that ye may warm yourselves.” (27:7)

3:23 "That you may warm yourselves."

3:27 This was when Moses (peace be upon him) said to his family,

3:30 while he was on his journey from Madyan to Egypt,

3:33 and the cold of the night had troubled them:

3:36 "I have perceived a fire."

3:39 "So stay where you are."

3:42 "I will bring you news from the fire,"

3:45 "or I will bring you a burning brand,"

3:48 "so that you may warm yourselves by it."

3:52 But when he came to it,

3:55 he was called: "Blessed is whoever is in the fire,"

3:58 he was called: "Blessed is whoever is in the fire,"

4:01 "and whoever is around it."

4:04 “But when he reached it, he was called, saying: Blessed is Whosoever is in the fire and Whosoever is round about it! And Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!” (27:8)

4:07 When Moses came to the fire

4:12 that he had perceived,

4:15 he was called: "Blessed is whoever is in the fire."

4:18 By this, He meant Himself.

4:21 The fire was light.

4:24 Others said: "The fire is blessed."

4:27 The exegetes differed regarding the meaning of the "fire."

4:30 It was said it means "light."

4:33 And it was said it means "fire."

4:36 As for "whoever is around the fire,"

4:39 it was said to refer to the angels.

4:42 [Exalted is] Allah, the Lord of the worlds,

4:45 above what the wrongdoers describe Him with.

4:49 “O Moses! Lo! it is I, Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.” (27:9)

4:52 The Exalted in Might, the Wise.

4:55 "And throw down your staff."

4:58 But when he saw it

5:01 writhing as if it were a snake,

5:04 he did not [turn back],

5:07 and he did not turn to flee.

5:10 “And throw down thy staff! But when he saw it writhing as it were a demon, he turned to flee headlong; (but it was said unto him): O Moses! Fear not! the emissaries fear not in My presence,” (27:10)

5:13 “And throw down thy staff! But when he saw it writhing as it were a demon, he turned to flee headlong; (but it was said unto him): O Moses! Fear not! the emissaries fear not in My presence,” (27:10)

5:16 The messengers.

5:19 “Save him who hath done wrong and afterward hath changed evil for good. And lo! I am Forgiving, Merciful.” (27:11)

5:22 Good after evil.

5:25 Indeed, I am Forgiving, Merciful.

5:28 "O Moses,"

5:32 "it is I, Allah, the Exalted in Might in My retribution"

5:35 "against My enemies, the Wise in My decree."

5:39 "And throw down your staff."

5:42 So he threw it down, and it became a snake writhing.

5:45 When he saw it writhing as if it were a great snake,

5:48 Moses did not flee,

5:51 out of fear of it, and he did not turn back.

5:54 Then his Lord called to him: "O Moses,"

5:57 "do not fear this snake."

6:00 "Indeed, My messengers and prophets do not fear in My presence,"

6:03 "those whom I have chosen for prophethood."

6:06 "But if one acts contrary to what he was permitted,"

6:09 "in his actions, then whoever commits"

6:12 "a wrong, then repents after that wrong,"

6:15 "then I am covering his sin with My pardon,"

6:18 "and I am Merciful to him, so I will not punish him,"

6:21 "after he has replaced the good with its opposite."

6:25 “And put thy hand into the bosom of thy robe, it will come forth white but unhurt. (This will be one) among nine tokens unto Pharaoh and his people Lo! they were ever evil-living folk.” (27:12)

6:28 "It will come out white, without disease."

6:31 "Among nine signs"

6:34 "to Pharaoh and his people."

6:37 "Indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient."

6:40 “And put thy hand into the bosom of thy robe, it will come forth white but unhurt. (This will be one) among nine tokens unto Pharaoh and his people Lo! they were ever evil-living folk.” (27:12)

6:43 The hand comes out white,

6:46 without the color of Moses, and without leprosy.

6:49 It is one sign among nine signs

6:52 with which you are sent to Pharaoh.

6:55 Indeed, Pharaoh and his people, the Copts,

6:58 were a people who disbelieved in Allah.

7:01 The nine signs are the staff, the hand,

7:04 the locusts, the lice, the frogs,

7:07 the flood, the blood, the stones,

7:10 and the blight that afflicted the family of Pharaoh

7:13 in their wealth.

7:18 But when Our signs came to them,

7:21 visible and clear, they said:

7:24 "This is clear magic."

7:27 And they rejected them, while their souls were certain of them,

7:30 out of injustice and arrogance.

7:34 So see how was

7:37 the end of the corrupters.

7:40 When there came to Pharaoh

7:44 Our proofs and arguments,

7:47 which make clear to whoever looks at them and sees them as the truth,

7:50 Pharaoh and his people said:

7:53 "This which Moses has brought to us"

7:56 "is magic that is clear to those who see it as magic."

7:59 They denied the nine signs as being

8:02 from Allah, even though their hearts were certain of them.

8:05 They acted out of hostility and arrogance.

8:08 So look, O Muhammad, with the eye of your heart,

8:11 how was the end of the denial of those

8:14 who rejected Our signs,

8:17 and what befell them because of their corruption in the land.

8:20 And likewise, O Muhammad, is My way

8:23 with those who deny what you have brought them.

8:27 And We gave David

8:31 and Solomon knowledge.

8:34 And they said: "Praise to Allah, who"

8:37 "has favored us over many"

8:40 "of His believing servants."

8:44 “And We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves!” (27:15)

8:47 Knowledge of the speech of birds and beasts,

8:50 and other things that Allah singled them out to know.

8:53 And David and Solomon said:

8:56 “And We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves!” (27:15)

8:59 "Because of what He has singled us out with of knowledge,"

9:02 "above the rest of His creation from the children of Adam,"

9:05 "in this time of ours."

9:08 “And We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves!” (27:15)

9:12 And Solomon inherited David.

9:15 “And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given (abundance) of all things. This surely is evident favour.” (27:16)

9:18 "We have been taught the language of birds."

9:21 “And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given (abundance) of all things. This surely is evident favour.” (27:16)

9:24 "Indeed, this is the clear favor."

9:31 Solomon inherited from his father, David,

9:34 the knowledge that Allah had given him during his life,

9:37 and the kingdom that He had singled him out with

9:40 over the rest of his people.

9:43 And Solomon said to his people:

9:46 "O people, we have been taught the speech of birds,"

9:49 "and we have been given and bestowed with everything."

9:52 "Indeed, this which we have been given of blessings"

9:55 "is the favor over all the people of our time,"

9:58 "which makes clear to whoever contemplates it"

10:01 "and reflects upon it that it is a favor we were given"

10:04 "over those other than us among the people."

10:08 And there were gathered for Solomon his soldiers,

10:11 “And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order;” (27:17)

10:14 and they were kept in check.

10:18 His soldiers were gathered for Solomon

10:21 during a journey of theirs,

10:24 and the first of them were held back for the last of them.

10:27 “Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving.” (27:18)

10:31 The valley of the ants, she said:

10:34 “Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving.” (27:18)

10:37 An ant said:

10:40 "O ants,"

10:43 "enter your dwellings,"

10:46 "lest Solomon crush you,"

10:49 “Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving.” (27:18)

10:56 until when Solomon and his soldiers came to the valley of the ants,

11:02 an ant said: "O ants, enter your dwellings,"

11:07 "lest Solomon and his soldiers break and kill you,"

11:11 "while they do not perceive that they are crushing you."

11:16 “And (Solomon) smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in (the number of) Thy righteous slaves.” (27:19)

11:29 "Which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I do righteousness that You approve."

11:40 “And (Solomon) smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in (the number of) Thy righteous slaves.” (27:19)

11:47 Solomon smiled, laughing at the speech of the ant,

11:51 and said: "My Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me,"

11:57 "and enable me to do righteousness that You approve,"

12:01 "and admit me by Your mercy into [the company of] Your righteous servants whom You have chosen for Your message."

12:07 “And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent?” (27:20)

12:16 “I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse.” (27:21)

12:32 Solomon inspected the birds and said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe?"

12:39 The reason for his asking specifically about the hoopoe

12:43 was either to inquire about the distance of water in the valley where he had landed,

12:48 or because of his failure to perform the duty he was assigned.

12:52 So Solomon said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Has my sight missed him so I do not see him, though he is present?"

13:00 "Or is he absent among those who are absent from the rest of the kinds of creation, so he is not present?"

13:06 When Solomon was informed that the hoopoe was absent,

13:10 he swore that he would punish him with a severe punishment—and the punishment of birds was to pluck their feathers—

13:18 "or I will kill him, or he must bring me a clear argument whose truth and reality is evident to the listener."

13:25 “But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings.” (27:22)

13:37 "And I have come to you from Sheba with certain news."

13:43 Solomon did not wait long before the hoopoe came,

13:49 and he said: "I have encompassed knowledge of what you have not encompassed, O Solomon,"

13:55 "and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news."

13:58 "Indeed, I found a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne."

14:14 "Indeed, I found a woman ruling Sheba, and she has been given of all things that a ruler is given in the immediate life of this world,"

14:23 "of the equipment and tools they possess, and she has a great throne in its value and importance, not its greatness in size and breadth."

14:34 “I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan maketh their works fairseeming unto them, and debarreth them from the way (of Truth), so that they go not aright;” (27:24)

14:52 This woman, the Queen of Sheba, and her people were found prostrating to the sun, worshipping it instead of Allah.

15:01 Iblis had made their worship of the sun and their prostration to it appear pleasing to them, apart from Allah.

15:07 By thus beautifying their actions, he prevented them from following the straight path.

15:12 Because Satan had adorned their deeds for them, they were unable to find the way of truth or walk upon it.

15:20 Instead, they remained wandering in their misguidance.

15:24 “So that they worship not Allah, Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim,” (27:25)

15:39 Satan made their deeds seem fair to them so that they would not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth.

15:48 This includes the rain from the sky, the vegetation from the earth, and the like, for He knows the secrets of His creation.

16:04 Allah is the One to whom alone worship is due, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, compared to which every other throne, no matter how great, is insignificant.

Conclusion from Al-Tabari’s interpretation | Episode (27-1) | Surah An-Naml | Verses from (1) to (26)

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