[1] (In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

The meaning

More explanation

[2] 1. Alif, Lam, Ra.

[These abbreviated letters mean:]

Recite To people O Messenger.^a

A scripture [: the Quran] that We have revealed to you [Mohammed] that you may bring people out of the darkness [of ignorance] to the light [of knowledge and science], with permission of their Lord^b, [and so he will be guided] to the way of the Almighty [in His kingdom], the Praiseworthy [for His favor.^c]

[3] 2. God to whom belongs ‘whatsoever is in the heavens’^d and ‘whatsoever is in the earth’^e.

And woe, to unbelievers, of severe torment [in the Next Life.]

[4] 3. Such as prefer the Worldly life to the Next Life^f, and bar [people] from God's way [leading to His Gardens], seeking to make it crooked^g – they are in misguidance far away [from the truth.]

[5] 4. We did not send any messenger [before you, Mohammed], but only [to teach] in the language of his [own] people, in order to explain to them [the statements of His religion^h.]

So God would lead astray those whom He please and would guide whom He pleaseⁱ,

and He is the Almighty [in His kingdom^j] , the Most Wise [in His acts.]

^{1 a} This has been previously interpreted.

^{1 b} Anyone worthy of guidance, God will give permission to His angels to let him desire and long for the Islam, so He will convert and believe, and that is by means of inspiration.

^{1 c} i.e. to those whom God favors by guiding to the Islam.

^{2 d} and ^{2 e} Have been explained in the interpretation of the aya 2: 285 and the aya 3: 129.

^{3 f} i.e. they choose to stay in the temporary World to the repose and rest in the Next Life: the eternal life.

^{3 g} It means: They alter the truth to people by means of their lying and deceit.

^{4 h} And so they would not then need any translator. As such have We sent you, Mohammed, in the language of your people in order to explain to them.

^{4 i} It means: He would misguide any who deserves the misguidance on account of his bad acts and his wronging people. And God guides any who deserves guidance because of his kindness to people and his mercy to the weak and needy.

^{4 j} He does whatever He likes.

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[6] 5. And We sent Moses [to Pharaoh] with Our miracles;

[We said to Moses:] "Bring your people out of darkness into light^a,

and remind them of the days of God['s grace^b.]

That^c indeed includes signs^d to everyone forbearing patiently^e and is grateful ^f.

[7] 6. And [remember] when Moses said to his people^g: "O my people, remember God's favor to you: for He saved you from Pharaoh's household, who were afflicting you with dreadful torment^h, and killing your [little] sons and letting your women live [for service]; in that was a great trial [for you] from your Lordⁱ."

[8] 7. [O Jews], remember when your Lord was requested^j [by your enemies to fight you but He did not permit them to do that; and He said to you]: "If you are thankful, I will surely increase you[r blessing]; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is terrible indeed [to the disbeliever and denier of My bounties.]"

^{5 a} i.e. out of misguidance into guidance, and out of slavery into freedom.

^{5 b} i.e. the days of blessings, which passed away in the time of Joseph, when he was prime minister, and he had authority on Egypt and its people. He only attained that position because of his God-fearing and his obedience to God.

While you disobeyed your Lord’s command and disbelieved in Him, so He abased you and let you suffer the ruling of Pharaoh who enslaved you.

But now repent to your Lord and work according to what He commands you with, so that He may save you from the hand of Pharaoh and from the slavery, He may then bring your glory back to you, as was it in the time of Joseph.

^{5 c} Ruling and authority which God bestowed on Joseph.

^{5 d} i.e. clear indications that anyone fears God and wards off His disobedience, will attain the position which Joseph attained because of his obedience and patience.

^{5 e} Who forbears afflictions patiently, as did Joseph forbear.

^{5 f} Who gives alms to the weak and needy, as has God given to him.

^{6 g} After he took them in the Exodus out of Egypt, and saved them from the hand of Pharaoh.

^{6 h} i.e. they treated you so badly, and imposed on you the worst working and toiling.

^{6 i} Because of your disbelief and rejecting your Lord’s obedience.

^{7 j} The meaning: Mohammed, mention to the [Jews] the story of the Sidonians, when you came to them and to their country; they asked God’s permission to fight you, but He did not permit them, then they asked His permission to welcome you and give you food and drink, and He permitted them to do so. This was some of His bounties to you; so you should thank Him for it.

The story: When the Israelites set forth in their exodus out of Egypt, and they approached the city of the Sidonians, their king gathered the chiefs and ministers and said to them: “The Children of Israel has approached us, and they are so many, and we cannot fight them, so what shall we do?”

After discussion, they said to him: “Consult God.”
So he wrote two signboards and hung them on the wall: on the first, he wrote: “I should fight them”, and he wrote on the other one: “I should welcome them with food and drink and hospitability.”

Then he threw an arrow towards them, and the arrow fell on the second; therefore, they took food and drink and went out to welcome them. Their story is mentioned in the Bible, the Book of Exodus.

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[9] 8. And Moses said [to his people]: "If you disbelieve [and are ungrateful] together with whoso are on the earth altogether, then assuredly God is not in need [of your worship and gratitude, and He is] a Praiseworthy^a."

[10] 9. [Children of Israel,] have not the story – reached you – of those before you: the people of Noah, and [the tribes of] Aad and Thamood^b,

and those after them: none save God knows their [number]?

Their messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they thrust their hands on their mouths^c,

and said: "Surely, we deny that which you have been sent with, and indeed we have a grave doubt about that which you preach to us."

[11] 10. Their messengers said: "Is there any doubt regarding God, the Splitter of the heavens and the earth^d, Who calls you [to worship Him]: that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you to a stated term^e?”

They said [answering the messengers]: 'You are only human beings like us, intending to turn us away from that our fathers served; then bring us an obvious authority^f.

[12] 11. Their messengers said to them: "We certainly are humans like yourselves, but God does favor [: the apostle-hood] to any of His servants whom He likes.

It is not for us to bring you any authority [or a miracle] except as God permits^g.

And in God let all men of faith put their trust.^h "

[13] 12. “And why we should not rely on God, seeing that He has guided us to the [righteous] ways which we [follow and which will lead us to Paradise?]

We shall certainly forbear with patience all the hurt you may cause to usⁱ. And ‘those who put trust’ in God’ should rely on Him^j."

[14] 13. And those who disbelieved said to their messengers: "We will assuredly drive you out of our land unless you return into our creed."

Then their Lord revealed to the [messengers]: "We will surely destroy the wrong-doers [who denied and hurt you,]"

[15] 14. "And We will surely make you to dwell in the land after [destroying] them –

that [warning and telling about the ancients] is for him who fears My might and fears My threat^k."

[16] 15. Then the [messengers] sought victory [from God on the disbelievers, and so He helped them], and frustrated was every stubborn arrogant.

[17] 16. Hell will be [for him] after his [death]; and he will be given [in Hell] to drink some [very hot] water to curb [him.]^l

[18] 17. Which he will gulp [one gulp only after another, because of its extreme heat] but can hardly swallow [if not for his extreme thirst], and [the means of] death will come to him from every side, but yet he will not die^m, and after [this torment] there will be a more severe torment.

^{8 a} i.e. His angels praise and glorify Him.

^{9 b} In the Torah [included in the Old Testament], Book of Genesis.

^{9 c} It means: the associaters rejected the words of the apostles (or messengers) and thrust their hands on the mouths of the apostles, and said to them: “Shut up and don’t speak such words; we deny that which you have been sent with …”

^{10 d} i.e. the planets including the earth, so that He made them nine objects after being a single one.

^{10 e} i.e. He postpones your punishment to the day of your death appointment, and if you believe, He will not hasten to punish you.

^{10 f} To prove that your word is the truth, and what we have is the falsehood.

^{11 g} It means: except the miracle which God gives us and permits us to show it to you, but we cannot bring you the miracles which you demand.

This is indicated by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 40: 78, which means:

(It was not possible for any messenger to bring a miracle except as God pleased.)

^{11 h} And rely on Him, to propagate the Islam religion.

^{12 i} For God will avert your evil from us, and help us against you.

^{12 j} In propagating His religion, and they should not fear of anyone.

^{14 k} With punishment to disbelievers, so he takes lesson of their stories and tales, and will not be like them.

^{16 l} Which will prevent him from crossing from one place to another because of its extreme heat.

^{17 m} Because he will be an ethereal spiritual soul, and souls will not perish from existence.

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[19] 18. The likeness of those who blaspheme about their Lord [concerning the consequences of their righteous acts] is that:

their [righteous] acts are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day [so that it scatters on the land surface]:

no power have they over [obtaining] anything [of their acts] that they have earned [because of being associaters^a]: that [association with God] is [in fact] the straying, faraway [from the truth.]

^{18 a} And acts of the associater will not be accepted even though they be so many.

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[20] 19. Don't you [O associater,] see that God has created the heavens and the earth with the true [promise]^a?

If He please, He will make you, [associaters,] perish [with plague, earthquake or other factors] and will bring [instead of you] a new creation [other than you.]

[21] 20. Nor is that [: your destruction] so hard a matter for God.

^{19 a} This has been explained in the interpretation of the Quran 6: 73, which means:

(And He it is Who created the heavens [: the planets] and the earth with the true [promise])

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[Then God – be glorified – told about associaters, and said:

N.B. This aya is related to the aya 18 in this soora], which means: (The likeness of those who blaspheme about their Lord [concerning the consequences of their righteous acts] is that …) Then comes this aya: (And they [leaders and their followers] all together appear to God [in the space] …) ]

[22] 21. And they [leaders and their followers] all together appear to God [in the space]^a,

and the weak say to those big with pride^b: "We were your followers [in the life of the World], so can you [now] avail us against any part of God's punishment^c?"

The [chief will] say [to their followers]: "Had God guided us, we should have guided you; it is all the same to us [now] whether we become impatient [about the torment] or forbear patiently; [in either case] we have no escape.

[23] 22. And Satan [will] say when the matter [will] have been over^d:

"God [surely] promised you [with the reward and punishment] a promise of truth [and you did not listen to His words and did not work according to His command.]

While I promised you [with lying and deception], then I deviated you [from the truth, to follow my words.]

Even I had no authority over you [so as to compel you], but only that I invited you [by suggesting and deceiving] and you responded to me [according to your bad choice.]

So don't blame me [about the punishment that inflicted you], but blame yourselves [because you refrained from God’s command and followed me without any proof.]

[for] I cannot [now] rescue you [from the punishment] nor can you rescue me; I deny^e your former act of associating me [with God in the obedience];

[Then God told us about the condition of wrong-doers and He said:]

There awaits wrong-doers a painful torment.

^{21 a} Similar to this aya is another one in the Quran 40: 16, which means:

(On the day when they will appear exposed [in the space g]; none of them being hidden from God.)

It means: They will be apparent to the eye-sight.

^{21 b} i.e. the weak will say to their chiefs who were proud over the messengers, and did not believe in them.

^{21 c} It means: Can you avert from us any part of the punishment?

^{22 d} And when the repentance and regret will be useless.

^{22 e} It means: I deny [your associating me with God] and blame you for your responding to me without any proof or argument.

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[24] 23. And those – who believe and work righteous works – will be admitted into Gardens under [the trees of] which rivers flow,

to live therein forever,

by their Lord's leave^a;

with 'Salam' being their salutation therein.

^{23 a} i.e. the angels admit them into the Gardens, by the permission of their Lord.

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[25] 24. Don't you [man] see how God propounds a parable [about the righteous work and the goodly word?] –– a goodly word [which man says^a] is like a goodly tree^b: its derivation is permanent [on earth^c], and its derivatives are [taken] into heaven^d,

[26] 25. Giving its fruit at all times^e with its Lord's leave.

God surely propounds parables to people^f that they may receive admonition.

[27] 26. And the parable of an evil word^g is that of an evil tree^h, uprootedⁱ from [the garden on the mountain^j which was] over the earth, having no stability ^k.

[28] 27. God confirms those who believe, through the enduring word [that is unchangeable^l] in the Worldly life and in the Next Life ^m;

but God misguides wrong-doersⁿ, and God does [to the two parties, on Doomsday] what [goodness and blessings to believers, and evil and revenge on wrong-doers ] He pleases ^o.

^{24 a} Which is the word of the ‘exclusive devotion to God alone’: that is to say : “No god but God”, or other words of mentioning God like the praising and the glorification [that is to say: “Praise be to God”, or “Glory be to God”.]

^{24 b} It is every tree with fruit, but without spikes, and it gives shade from the sun to anyone who sits under it.

^{24 c} It means: the material tree remains on earth, and of it many trees will be derived by means of pruning, or seeding by planting the seed to be another tree.

^{24 d} It means: The ethereal trees derived from it, will be taken by angels to heaven to be among the trees of Paradise.

That is because, trees and fruits have spirits, just as that man and animal have spirits. So if one of the World trees is cut and is dead, then its spirit will not die, but will live for all years and eras, being fresh and fruitful with much many branches full of fruits; its leaves will not fall and it will not be depleted of its fruits; it does not need water, neither any manure; neither will coldness nor any disease kills it.

I have fully explained about Paradise (or the Garden) and Trees of Paradise in my book Man after Death

^{25 e} It means: The ethereal trees give you the fruit always, and have no limited time.

This is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 13: 37, which means:

(Its food is perpetual, and [likewise] its shade!)

It means: Its fruit exists on trees always.

^{25 f} To let people understand and to make their minds comprehend that easily.

^{26 g} Which is the word of blasphemy, atheism and every word of falsehood like the lying and the false witness or the perjury.

^{26 h} Which is every tree with spikes and which does not give shade from the sun to anyone sit under it, and it deceives you with its fruit, so if you cull some of its fruit, it hurts you with its spikes.

One of such trees is the blackberry tree of which Adam and Eve ate, and it tore their clothes and scratched their hands and they were driven out of the garden because of it.

^{26 i} Because Adam uprooted it and cast it on the ground, on account of the regret which befell him because of it.

^{26 j} I, [the interpreter Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly], said previously that the garden, in which God created Adam and Eve, was on a mountain.

^{26 k} i.e. that tree does not stand fixed in its place, but it extends in different directions, so that once a branch springs to its right, and once to its left and so on it extends in the land and hurts people with its spikes.

This is a parable given by God – be glorified – about the hypocrites who deceive people with their decorated words and arranged lies so they will lead them to destruction, until when their lying and trickery appear to people, they change their words and say: We did not say this, but we said so and so, and they start to alter the meaning; therefore, they are liars whose words are not steady and have no stability.

^{27 l} That is their saying: (Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.)
And it is some of God’s favor on them.

^{27 m} In the life of the World, they say: "Praise be to God Who has guided us to the Islam so we converted and believed”; and as such will they say in the Next Life: "Praise be to God Who has guided us to the way to Paradise and saved us from the Fire.”
The indication of this is in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 10: 10, which means:

(Their prayer [therein] will end [by saying:] "Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.")

^{27 n} It means: Those who wrong people, God will misguide them away from the way of the truth. While those who believe: they are merciful, and therefore, God guided them to the way of the truth.

^{27 o} Therefore, sons of Adam, be merciful to each other, in order to attain the mercy of your Lord and to be saved of His punishment.

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[29] 28. Will you [man] not consider those [kings and chiefs of Jews] who substituted ingratitude^a instead of [gratitude for] God's grace, and they settled their people [in the afterlife] in the Home Barren [of all blessings]?

[Then God – be glorified – explained about what such ‘Home, Barren of all blessings’, is:]

[30] 29. [That is] Hell in which they will be broiled; an evil abode [for them, in which they will abide.]

[31] 30. And they set up [statues which they worship as] peers of God; that they may mislead [their people] from His way [leading to His Gardens.]

Say [Mohammed to the progeny of those Jews, contemporary to you]: "Enjoy [your life of the World with wealth and children], for [surely] your fate [in the Next Life] will be into the Fire [because you followed the program of your kings and chiefs.]^b

^{28 a} So after had God rescued them from Pharaoh, and saved them from his enslaving, and settled them in the land of Canaan, and made them kings and chiefs, they denied all these bounties, and instead of commanding their people with God-fearing and righteousness, they started to compel them to worship the idols and to kill the prophets and the ascetics who enjoined righteousness, and they altered the Law of Prophet Moses.

^{30 b} This is in the Torah [included in the New Commandment], Book of Kings 1, chapter 12:
“26 Jeroboam^c thought to himself, “The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David.

27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”

28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.

31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.

32 He instituted a festival in the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made.”

^c Jeroboam son of Nebat was a slave of Solomon; he was an Ephraimite from the city of Zeredah. Solomon put him in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph. Then he rebelled against Solomon and went to Egypt, where the king of Egypt brought him close and offered to him; then when Solomon died, Jeroboam returned from Egypt to Jerusalem and fought against Rehoboam son of Solomon competing with him for the kingdom, which at last was divided between them.

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[32] 31. [Mohammed,] Tell those who believe among My servants, to establish the prayer and spend [on the poor and needy] out of that which We provide for them, secretly and in public, before the coming of a day wherein there will neither be trafficking^{a nor} befriending^b.

[33] 32. God is He Who created the heavens and the earth^c and sent down – from the sky – [rain] water, therewith producing fruits as a sustenance for you, and subjected for you ships to sail on in the sea with His bidding, and subjected for you rivers [to flow with water, for your advantages.]

[34] 33. And [God] subjected to you the sun and the moon, both diligently moving^d. And He subjected to you the night as well as the day^e.

[35] 34. And He gave you, [Muslims^f,] of all that you asked of Him, and if you would count the bounty of God you cannot count it^g.

Man [who is an associater], indeed, is so wrong-doer, and so ingrate.

^{31 a} i.e. on that day there will be no exchange, as do they [in the life of the World] exchange a commodity with another.

^{31 b} i.e. there is no friendship between disbelievers.

Similar to this aya, is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 43: 67, which means:

(Intimate friends on that day will be enemies to one another, except the God-fearing [: they will not be enemies to one another.])

This also is confirmed by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 254, which means:

(Before there comes a day [of your death] wherein shall be

no trafficking [so that you may buy some righteous deeds],

no friendship [so that your friend may give you some of his righteous deeds],

nor intercession [because the prophets and saints are in Paradise and will not meet them, after death, to intercede for them.])

^{32 c} i.e. the planets including the earth.

^{33 d} For the sun spins around itself, the moon circles around the earth, and the earth spins around its axis and circles around the sun.

^{33 e} By means of the spinning of the earth around its axis, so that the side on which sunrays fall will be day, and the opposite side will be night.

^{34 f} Just mentioned in His saying – be glorified – in this soora 14: 31, which means:

([Mohammed,] Tell those who believe among My servants, to establish the prayers.)

The thing which they asked of God, and He gave it to them is mentioned in the terminal part of the second chapter of the Quran, when they said [as in the Quran 2: 286, which means:]

([The believers say:] "Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget [some of Your orders], or mistake [unintentionally.]

Our Lord, do not load us with any burden [of difficult duties] such as You loaded those [past nations] before us..etc.)

Moreover, He gave them what they asked of Him on the day of Battle of Bad’r to help them: they asked of Him the rain, and He sent rain on them, and they asked of Him to aid them with the angels, and he gave that to them.
This is included in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 8: 9, which means:

([Remember, O believers] when you asked your Lord's help [on the day of the Battle of Badr], and He answered your prayer [by sending down the angels, and He said]: "I shall soon reinforce you with a thousand angels [coming to help you], followed [by many other thousands.]")

^{34 g} i.e. you cannot count their number, because of their large number.

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[36] 35. ^a And when Abraham said: "My Lord, make this city [of Mecca] secure^b, and turn me and my sons from worshipping idols^c."

[37] 36. "My Lord, the [female servants of idols] have – indeed – misguided a large number of people^d.

Then anyone [of people] who follows me [in my program and religion] is among My [followers],

but anyone who disobeys me [in anything], then You, surely are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

[38] 37. "Our^e Lord, I have made some of my progeny [Ishmael, his first born, together with his mother Agar] to dwell in a valley^f devoid of cultivation, by your Inviolable House^g.

That, our Lord, they may keep up the prayer^h,

so let some hearts among people incline towards themⁱ

and provide them with the land produce

that they may show gratitude^j."

[39] 38. "Our Lord, truly You know that which we hide and that which we proclaim; for nothing is unknown to God neither in the earth nor in the sky^k."

[40] 39. "Praise be to God Who has offered to me, though I am old, Ishmael and Isaac; certainly, my Lord does hear the supplication^l."

[41] 40. "My Lord, make me constant in observing the prayers, and out of my progeny too^m. Our Lord, accept also my preachingⁿ."

[42] 41. "My Lord, forgive me and my parents and believers, on the Day when the Judgment will be due [for people on Doomsday.]"^o

^{35 a} It means: O Mohammed, mention to Quraish] when Abraham …

^{35 b} So God made the [House of God at Mecca] secure to anyone who enter it, so that one of them might see the killer of his father in the House [of God], and he did not react against him with any evil reaction, and a wild beast might approach people therein but it would be secure of them.

^{35 c} According to Your kindness to us.
This actually is an address to the people of Mecca, which means: You say we follow Abraham’s religion, while he was a monotheist worshipping God alone, then when he built the House [of God], he prayed God with this prayer; therefore, if truly you follow his religion as you claim, then why do you worship the idols?

^{36 d} In the time of Abraham, they assigned the custody of idols to some beautiful women, who invited people to worship the idols.

The meaning therefore is: the women, who served the idols, misguided much many of people with their invitation to the idol worshipping.

As such did Jezabel invite her husband King Achab to worship the idol called Baal, so he followed her and was misguided far from the way of the truth, and he invited his people too to worship the idol after he personally prostrated himself to it.

^{37 e} It implies his Lord and Lord of those who followed him.

^{37 f} He means the valley of Mecca, in which there was not any water, neither any cultivation nor any cattle at that time.

^{37 g} That is to be greatly sanctified.

The foundations of the House were still prominent; Adam had built the House of God in the past, then Abraham renewed its construction, after it had been destroyed.

^{37 h} i.e. I settled them by Your House, so that they may constantly observe the prayers.

^{37 i} By means of their visiting the House, trading and performing the pilgrimage.

^{37 j} For Your bounties to them.

The story [of Abraham taking Ishmael and his mother to Mecca]

Abraham married Agar after his wife Sara, and Agar bore for him Ishmael, so Sara resented and was jealous of Agar, and said to Abraham: “Take her away from me.”

Therefore, God revealed to him that: “Settle her together with your son Ishmael in Mecca near My Inviolable House.”

Abraham at that time was in Hijaz [which is the region in the Arab Peninsula, parallel to the Red Sea, including Mecca and Medina], so he took them to the land of Mecca, which was devoid of water and cultivation, and he left with them a goatskin full of water, and some bread, and he went back.

On his way back he said: “Our Lord, I have made some of my progeny [Ishmael, his first born, together with his mother Agar] to dwell in a valley devoid of cultivation ..etc.”

Agar remained in Mecca together with Ishmael who at that time was a baby; then when the water of the goatskin finished, Ishmael became thirsty, so Agar started to roam in the valley seeking after water: going to the Safa and coming back to the Marwa, looking to the mirage deeming it water; she did that seven times, and in the seventh course when she was on the Marwa, she looked at Ishmael with the water issuing under his feet; so she came towards it and collected sand around it, and the water was flowing, so she surrounded it with sand (in Arabic: she ‘zammat’ the water) and so the well was called Zamzam.

The tribe of Jurhum was sojourning in the Zyl Majaz and Arafat, then when the water issued in Mecca, the bird and wild beast started to come there, and Jurhum tribesmen looked at the bird coming down in that place, so they followed the bird to find a woman and a baby in that place; they asked her about the reason for her staying in that valley, and she told them about her story.

They said to her: “Will you allow us to be in your neighborhood, and that we may give drink out of this water to our cattle?”

She allowed them that according to some conditions, so they settled in the land of Mecca, and started to give drink to their cattle out of that water fountain, and give to Agar some of the cattle in exchange of giving drink to their cattle.

The story of Agar and Ishmael is also written in the Torah [included in the Old Testament], Book of Genesis, chapter twenty one.

^{38 k i.e}. nor in the space.

^{39 l} So He answers the prayer of the obedient who devote themselves to Him alone.

^{40 m} i.e. And make, out of my progeny, some righteous men who will observe the prayers.

^{40 n} i.e. And accept from me, my inviting people to worship you; it means: Accept from me this act which I do: that is the preaching to your religion and to your worship alone.

In fact he said: “Accept my preaching” but did not say: “Accept my worship”, because the preaching to God’s religion is better than the worshipping, and because the preaching to God’s religion includes difficulties and humiliation by people, while the worship alone does not include any hurt by people.

^{41 o} It means: in the ‘gathering-together’ on Judgment Day.

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[43] 42. Think not that God is unaware of wrong-doers. He only postpones their [punishment] till a day [of their death and their coming to Us] when eyes will fixedly stare forwards^a.

[44] 43. Being submissive and listening [to the words of the angel of death],

stooping their heads [looking down to the ground, being humble^b.]

Their eyelids blinking not ^c, and their hearts being void [of blood, as being their lungs void of air.^d]

[45] 44. But [O Mohammed] warn people [of the Next life punishment, which they will face in the world of souls] on the day [of their death] when the chastisement will come on them^e,

and wrong-doers will say [when they will see the death angels seizing their spirits]:

"Our Lord, defer us to a near appointment^f, and we will respond to Your call and obey the messengers^g."

[The angels will reply to them:]

"Didn't you swear before that you would never abandon [your idolatry]?"^h

[46] 45. "And [didn't you] reside in the dwellings of those [before you] who wronged themselves, though it was evident to you how We had dealt with them [when they denied Our messengersⁱ], and We expounded [in the Quran] the examples for you [to take lesson and be not like them?]"

^{42 a} Because the sights of souls are fixed and do not rotate to the right and left, but keep staring forwards; and their sights do not blink as were they in the life of the World, but will always remain open and staring forwards, unless they want to close their sights, for then they can do that.

^{43 b} The indication of this is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 32: 12, which means:

(If you [Mohammed] but only see when sinners lower down their heads [with humiliation and shyness] before their Lord [in the Afterlife: the world of souls.])

^{43 c} But they will always keep staring forwards.

^{43 d} Because souls do not inhale the oxygen and do not need to inhale the air.

^{44 e} i.e. Warn them of the Next life punishment, in the afterlife (or the world of souls), which they will face following their death.

^{44 f} i.e. Postpone our death hour, and keep us in the life of the World for a little while.

^{44 g} About your obedience to which they enjoined us.

^{44 h} It means: Didn’t you swear before that you would never change your religion of the idolatry which you followed, and that you would not follow the messengers, so how it comes that you now renege on your words?

^{45 i} Hadn’t We destroyed them by the earthquake; some with the hurricanes, some others with the torrents, and still others with the plague.

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[47] 46. They have designed their plots [against you, Mohammed], when [the frustration of] their plots is due to God^a, even though that their plots were such as to remove mountains^b.

[48] 47. So do not deem that God will fail in His promise to His messengers [to help the believers and destroy the disbelievers]; for surely God is Almighty, Who takes vengeance [of disbelievers in the Next Life.]

[49] 48. On the day [of Doom] when the earth shall be exchanged by another earth, and the [gaseous] heavens too [shall be exchanged by other gaseous heavens]^c; and [all] shall come forth unto God^d, the One, the Subduer.

[50] 49. On that day [of Doom], you [Mohammed] will see the guilty chained in fetters^e.

[51] 50. Their [only] raiment will be of pitch^f, and the fire will cover their faces^g.

[52] 51. So that [in the Next Life] God may repay every soul according to what [righteousness or sins] it earned [in the life of the World]; for God is Swift at requiting.

^{46 a} Therefore, they cannot inflict you with anything of their plotting, because God will tell you about what plotting and trickery they intend to do to you.

^{46 b} This is a parable of the serious matter; it means: Whatever effective and dangerous their plotting is, God will frustrate it and tell you about it to be cautious of them.

^{48 c} Because the present solar system will tear up, and then another solar system will issue instead of it. This aya has been interpreted in details in my book The Universe and the Quran

^{48 d} i.e. they will go up in the space to the ‘gathering-together’, and they appear to the eyesight, so that none of them can hide from Our sight.

^{49 e} i.e. in chains, to bind the hands with the neck.

^{50 f} It means: they have no dresses but only the smoke soot which issues from the fire.

^{50 g} That is because the sun draws them to it, and they will circle around it, and their faces will be towards the sun, and therefore, it overwhelms their faces.

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[53] 52. This [Quran] is a message to be conveyed to mankind that they may be warned by it^a, and that they may know that He is [only] One God [in the universe, and there is not any other god besides Him], and that men of understanding^b may receive admonition.

^{52 a} i.e. it is a message and warning to people about the eternal life, lest they should fall in the imprisonment and punishment.

^{52 b} i.e. men with discerning hearts.

By God's help, the interpretation of the soora 14 of the Quran is completed;

So (praise be to God: Lord of the worlds.)

[1] بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

[2] 1. الَر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

[3] 2. اللّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ

[4] 3. الَّذِينَ يَسْتَحِبُّونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الآخِرَةِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا أُوْلَـئِكَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ بَعِيدٍ

[5] 4. وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ فَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

[6] 5. وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى بِآيَاتِنَا أَنْ أَخْرِجْ قَوْمَكَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللّهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ

[7] 6. وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ أَنجَاكُم مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءكُمْ وَفِي ذَلِكُم بَلاء مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

[8] 7. وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

[9] 8. وَقَالَ مُوسَى إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

[10] 9. أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَالَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ اللّهُ جَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرَدُّواْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُواْ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ

[11] 10. قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَـمًّى قَالُواْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ

[12] 11. قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِن نَّحْنُ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَعلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

[13] 12. وَمَا لَنَا أَلاَّ نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانَا سُبُلَنَا وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَى مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

[14] 13. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّـكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ

[15] 14. وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّـكُمُ الأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ

[16] 15. وَاسْتَفْتَحُواْ وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

[17] 16. مِّن وَرَآئِهِ جَهَنَّمُ وَيُسْقَى مِن مَّاء صَدِيدٍ

[18] 17. يَتَجَرَّعُهُ وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُسِيغُهُ وَيَأْتِيهِ الْمَوْتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمَيِّتٍ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ

[19] 18. مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ لاَّ يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُواْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الضَّلاَلُ الْبَعِيدُ

[20] 19. أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللّهَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِالْحقِّ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ

[21] 20. وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ

[22] 21. وَبَرَزُواْ لِلّهِ جَمِيعًا فَقَالَ الضُّعَفَاء لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ قَالُواْ لَوْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ لَهَدَيْنَاكُمْ سَوَاء عَلَيْنَآ أَجَزِعْنَا أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍ

[23] 22. وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلاَ تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُواْ أَنفُسَكُم مَّا أَنَاْ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

[24] 23. وَأُدْخِلَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلاَمٌ

[25] 24. أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء

[26] 25. تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

[27] 26. وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ

[28] 27. يُثَبِّتُ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء

[29] 28. أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ

[30] 29. جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ

[31] 30. وَجَعَلُواْ لِلّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُواْ فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ

[32] 31. قُل لِّعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خِلاَلٌ

[33] 32. اللّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الأَنْهَارَ

[34] 33. وَسَخَّر لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَينَ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

[35] 34. وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ

[36] 35. وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الأَصْنَامَ

[37] 36. رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ فَمَن تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

[38] 37. رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ

[39] 38. رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ وَمَا يَخْفَى عَلَى اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فَي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاء

[40] 39. الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء

[41] 40. رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاء

[42] 41. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

[43] 42. وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللّهَ غَافِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَارُ

[44] 43. مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ لاَ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاء

[45] 44. وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ رَبَّنَا أَخِّرْنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ نُّجِبْ دَعْوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعِ الرُّسُلَ أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُواْ أَقْسَمْتُم مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٍ

[46] 45. وَسَكَنتُمْ فِي مَسَـاكِنِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمْ كَيْفَ فَعَلْنَا بِهِمْ وَضَرَبْنَا لَكُمُ الأَمْثَالَ

[47] 46. وَقَدْ مَكَرُواْ مَكْرَهُمْ وَعِندَ اللّهِ مَكْرُهُمْ وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ

[48] 47. فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللّهَ مُخْلِفَ وَعْدِهِ رُسُلَهُ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ

[49] 48. يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

[50] 49. وَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّقَرَّنِينَ فِي الأَصْفَادِ

[51] 50. سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ

[52] 51. لِيَجْزِي اللّهُ كُلَّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ إِنَّ اللّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

[53] 52. هَـذَا بَلاَغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُواْ بِهِ وَلِيَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ