The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary (HarperOne, 2015)

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THE ST UDY QUR A N A New Translation with Notes and Commentary Seyyed Hossein Nasr Editor-in-Chief Caner K. Dagli Maria Massi Dakake Joseph E. B. Lumbard General Editors Mohammed Rustom Assistant Editor !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-011222--- 34'(4&3222&$5$%26, the study quran: A New Translation with Notes and Commentary. Copyright © 2015 by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. All rights reserved. Printed in China. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007. HarperCollins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please e-mail the Special Markets Department at [email protected]. HarperCollins website: http://www.harpercollins.com HarperCollins®, ®, and HarperOne™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers. first edition Designer: Ralph Fowler Copy editor: Ann Moru Proofreaders: Jane Hardick, Karin Mullins, and TK Indexer: TK Executive editor: Mickey Maudlin Executive managing editor: Terri Leonard Production editor: Suzanne Quist and TK Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request. isbn 978–0–06–112586–7 (hardcover) isbn 978–0–06–112588–1 (leather) isbn 978–0–06–112587–4 (paperback) 15 16 17 18 19 imago !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-011222-3 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 45'(5&4222&$6$%27, Contents vi The Quran: Translation and Commentary 1 The Opening, al-Fātiȵah 2 The Cow, al-Baqarah 32 Prostration, al-Sajdah 000 000 33 The Parties, al-Aȵzāb 000 3 The House of ŧImrān, Āl ŧImrān 000 4 Women, al-NisāŦ 34 Sheba, SabaŦ 000 35 The Originator, Fāȹir 000 5 The Table Spread, al-MāŦidah 6 The Cattle, al-Anŧām 000 000 000 000 36 Yā Sīn, Yā Sīn 000 37 Those Ranged in Ranks, al-ȶāffāt 000 7 The Heights, al-Aŧrāf 000 38 ȶād, ȶād 000 8 The Spoils, al-Anfāl 39 The Throngs, al-Zumar 000 000 9 Repentance, al-Tawbah 000 10 Jonah, Yūnus 000 000 41 Expounded, Fuȷȷilat 000 11 Hūd, Hūd 000 42 Counsel, al-Shūrā 000 12 Joseph, Yūsuf 000 43 Gold Ornaments, al-Zukhruf 13 The Thunder, al-Raŧd 000 45 Upon Their Knees, al-Jāthiyah 000 000 16 The Bee, al-Naȵl 000 46 The Sand Dunes, al-Aȵqāf 000 17 The Night Journey, al-IsrāŦ 000 47 Muhammad, Muȵammad 18 The Cave, al-Kahf 000 48 Victory, al-Fatȵ 19 Mary, Maryam 000 49 The Private Apartments, al-ȴujurāt 000 20 ȸā Hā, ȸā Hā 000 44 Smoke, al-Dukhān 000 14 Abraham, Ibrāhīm 000 15 ȴijr, al-ȴijr 40 The Forgiver, Ghāfir 000 21 The Prophets, al-AnbiyāŦ 000 000 000 50 Qāf, Qāf 000 22 The Pilgrimage, al-ȴajj 000 51 The Scatterers, al-Dhāriyāt 000 23 The Believers, al-MuŦminūn 000 52 The Mount, al-ȸūr 000 24 Light, al-Nūr 53 The Star, al-Najm 000 000 25 The Criterion, al-Furqān 26 The Poets, al-ShuŧarāŦ 000 000 54 The Moon, al-Qamar 000 55 The Compassionate, al-Raȵmān 000 27 The Ants, al-Naml 000 56 The Event, al-Wāqiŧah 000 28 The Story, al-Qaȷaȷ 000 57 Iron, al-ȴadīd 000 29 The Spider, al-ŧAnkabūt 000 30 The Byzantines, al-Rūm 000 58 She Who Disputes, al-Mujādilah 000 31 Luqmān, Luqmān 000 59 The Gathering, al-ȴashr 000 !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-0112223- 45'(5&4222&$6$%27, vii Contents 60 She Who Is Examined, al-Mumtaȵanah 000 86 What Comes by Night, al-ȸāriq 000 61 The Ranks, al-ȶaff 000 87 The Most High, al-Aŧlā 000 62 The Congregational Prayer, al-Jumuŧah 000 88 The Overwhelming Event, al-Ghāshiyah 000 63 The Hypocrites, al-Munāfiqūn 000 64 Mutual Dispossession, al-Taghābun 000 65 Divorce, al-ȸalāq 89 The Dawn, al-Fajr 000 90 The Land, al-Balad 000 91 The Sun, al-Shams 000 000 92 The Night, al-Layl 000 66 Forbiddance, al-Taȵrīm 000 67 Dominion, al-Mulk 000 93 The Morning Brightness, al-Ȳuȵā 000 68 The Pen, al-Qalam 000 94 Expansion, al-Sharȵ 69 The Undeniable Reality, al-ȴāqqah 000 95 The Fig, al-Tīn 000 70 The Ascending Ways, al-Maŧārij 000 71 Noah, Nūȵ 000 72 The Jinn, al-Jinn 000 97 Power, al-Qadr 000 99 The Earthquake, al-Zalzalah 73 The Enwrapped One, al-Muzzammil 000 100 The Chargers, al-ŧĀdiyāt 000 102 Vying for Increase, al-Takāthur 75 The Resurrection, al-Qiyāmah 000 76 Man, al-Insān 000 000 103 The Declining Day, al-ŧAȷr000 104 The Slanderer, al-Humazah 000 77 Those Sent Forth, al-Mursalāt 000 000 79 The Wresters, al-Nāziŧāt 000 000 81 The Enfolding, al-Takwīr 000 82 The Cleaving Asunder, al-Infiȹār 000 105 The Elephant, al-Fīl 106 Quraysh, Quraysh 000 000 107 Small Kindnesses, al-Māŧūn 000 108 Abundant Good, al-Kawthar 000 109 The Disbelievers, al-Kāfirūn 000 110 Help, al-Naȷr 000 111 The Palm Fiber, al-Masad 000 83 Those Who Defraud, al-Muȹaffi fīn 000 112 Sincerity, al-Ikhlāȷ 000 84 The Sundering, al-Inshiqāq 000 113 The Daybreak, al-Falaq 000 85 The Constellations, al-Burūj 000 114 Mankind, al-Nās !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-0112223-- 000 101 The Calamity, al-Qāriŧah 000 74 The Covered One, al-Muddaththir 000 80 He Frowned, ŧAbasa 96 The Blood Clot, al-ŧAlaq 98 The Clear Proof, al-Bayyinah 000 000 78 The Tiding, al-NabaŦ 000 000 45'(5&4222&$6$%27, Contents viii essays How to Read the Quran, Ingrid Mattson 000 The Quran in Translation, Joseph Lumbard 000 The Islamic View of the Quran, Mohammad Mustafa al-Azami 000 Quranic Arabic: Its Characteristics and Impact on Arabic Language and Literature and the Languages and Literatures of Other Islamic Peoples, Muhammad Abdel Haleem 000 Quranic Commentaries, Walid Saleh 000 Traditions of Esoteric and Sapiential Quranic Commentary, Toby Mayer 000 Scientific Commentary on the Quran, Muzaffar Iqbal 000 The Quran as Source of Islamic Law, Aȵmad Muȵammad al-ȸayyib 000 The Quran and Schools of Islamic Theology and Philosophy, Muȷȹafā Muȵaqqiq Dāmād 000 The Quran and Sufism, William C. Chittick 000 The Quran and Islamic Art, Jean-Louis Michon 000 The Quranic View of Sacred History and Other Religions, Joseph Lumbard 000 Quranic Ethics, Human Rights, and Society, Maria Massi Dakake 000 Conquest and Conversion, War and Peace in the Quran, Caner K. Dagli 000 Death, Dying, and the Afterlife in the Quran, Hamza Yusuf 000 Essay Author Biographies 000 Appendix A: ȴadīth Citations 000 Appendix B: Timeline of Events Related to the Quran 000 Appendix C: Commentator Biographies 000 Index 000 Maps 000 !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-0112223--- 45'(5&4222&$6$%27, Understanding the Citations in the Commentary Passages from the Quran When a passage from this translation of the Quran is quoted in the commentary, it appears in italics. For example, in the following sentence from the commentary on 3:18, the italicized words come from the translation of 3:18: Upholding justice is thought by most to refer to God or He, but grammatically it could refer to the angels and possessors of knowledge as well. Longer Quranic quotations in the commentary are italicized as well. Alternate translations or variant readings appear in standard quotation marks. Thus, all italicized words in English in the commentary are words or passages from this translation. Transliterated Arabic words, such as ȵadīth and tafsīr, also appear in italics. Unless otherwise identified, all references in the form of two numbers separated by a colon denote Quranic passages. For example, 12:34 refers the 34th verse (or āyah) of the 12th chapter (or sūrah) of the Quran. The numbering of the verses matches that of the standard Egyptian edition, which is found in other widely distributed editions such as the Muȷȵaf al-Madīnah. Other translations, such as those of Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, number verses somewhat differently in a few cases. This difference exists because traditionally scholars, while agreeing on the text, have disagreed about where some verses end and others begin. The most famous example of this is in the Fātiȵah, the first sūrah of the Quran. According to some scholars, its first verse is In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, while others say it begins with Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-01122234- 56'(6&5222&$7$%28, Understanding the Citations in the Commentary xlii References to the Sayings of the Prophet Rather than appearing in the commentary text, full citations for the sayings of the Prophet (sing. ȵadīth, pl. aȵādīth) are located in Appendix A, in the sequence they appear in the commentary. Sayings of the Prophet are cited in the text using standard quotation marks. References to the Traditional Commentators on the Quran Throughout the commentary, capital letters in parentheses follow immediately after various opinions or interpretations. These letters correspond to the commentators listed in the “Commentator Key,” whose biographies are provided in Appendix C. For example, when one reads in the commentary on 12:34 the phrase, “Some interpret x to mean y (ȸ),” this means that the opinion is to be found mentioned in al-ȸabarī’s commentary on 12:34. This does not mean that it is al-ȸabarī’s personal opinion, only that the argument or interpretation can be found discussed or recorded by al-ȸabarī, whether he accepts or rejects it. By extension “(R, Q, ȸ)” means that some interpretations can be found in multiple sources. These citations are not meant to be exhaustive; very often a given opinion will be found in dozens of commentaries, though only one is cited. We have generally preferred to mention those that are the most widely available and universally recognized. Other times the individual opinions of these commentators are cited, as are those of other Islamic scholars such as al-Ghazzālī (d. 505/1111). For example, “According to al-Rāzī …” signifies the personal opinion of al-Rāzī, not only an opinion that he records in his commentary from his contemporaries or earlier sources. Opinions other than al-Rāzī’s own but discussed by him would be cited using “(R).” Full scholarly citations of all the interpretations and opinions in this commentary would have been impractical for a work of this kind. However, writing a commentary without any citations, although it would have saved space and smoothed the style, would have severed a crucial and fruitful connection to the tradition and left our commentary unmoored and ambiguous in its sourcing. Since the traditional commentaries are also histories of the intellectual activity of interpreting the Quran, and since they are arranged verse by verse in sequence like the present work, citing them in the commentary maintains transparency without weighing down the text with innumerable book titles and page numbers. All of the commentaries we cite exist in print and are also available from various dependable online resources, such as altafsir.org. These citations serve several functions. First, they make clear which elements in the commentary come directly from the traditional commentaries and which parts constitute analysis and contributions by the editors. Second, they provide a research tool for further scholarly investigation. Third, since the traditional commentaries are slowly becoming available in English, these citations will allow English readers easier access to the traditional scholarship on the Quran. Cross-References Cross-references in the commentary text use a lowercase c appended to a verse number to indicate a cross-reference to another portion of the commentary. For example, “See also 24:35c” means “See also the commentary on 24:35.” !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-01122234-- 56'(6&5222&$7$%28, Commentator Key AF Abu’l-Futūȵ ȴusayn ibn ŧAlī al-Rāzī (d. 525/1131), !"#ȵ$"%&'()Ã)$#"$*ĭȵ$"%&'")Ã) Aj Aȵmad ibn ŧAjībah (d. 1224/1809), "%&+"ȵ*$"%&,"-í-$.í$/".0í*$"%&12*ŦÃ)$"%&,"'í- Āl Shihāb al-Dīn al-Ālūsī (d. 1270/1854), !ĭȵ$"%&,"ŧÃ)í$.í$/".0í*$"%&12*ŦÃ)$"%&ŧ"Ɂí,$ #"3 %&0"4ŧ$"%&,"/5Ã)í Ās Muȵammad al-ȸāhir ibn ŧĀshūr (d. 1393/1973), "%&6"ȵ*í*$#"3 %&/")#í* Bȳ ŧAbd Allāh ibnŧUmar ibn Muȵammad al-Bayȳāwī (d. 685/1286), 7)#Ã*$"%&/")8í%$ #"$"0*Ã*$"%&/"Ŧ#í% Bg Al-ȴusayn ibn al-FarrāŦ al-Baghawī (d. 516/1122), 9"ŧÃ%(,$"%&/")8í% Bq Burhān al-Dīn Abu’l-ȴasan Ibrāhīm al-Biqāŧī (d. 885/1480), :"Ɂ,$"%&-2*"*$.í$ /")Ã024$"%&Ã;Ã/$#"3 %&02#"* IA Qāȳī Abū Bakr Muȵammad ibn ŧAbd Allāh ibn al-ŧArabī (d. 543/1148), 7ȵ<Ã,$ "%&12*ŦÃ) Iȴ Ismāŧīl ȴaqqī al-Burūsawī (d. 1137/1725), !ĭȵ$"%&4";Ã) IJ Abu’l-Faraj ŧAbd al-Raȵmān ibn ŧAlī ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201), =Ã-$"%&,"0í*$.í$ ŧ(%,$"%&/".0í* IK ŧImād al-Dīn Abu’l-FidāŦ Ismāŧīl ibn ŧUmar ibn Kathīr (d. 774/1373), 6".0í*$"%& 12*ŦÃ)$"%&ŧ"Ɂí, !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-01122234--- 56'(6&5222&$7$%28, Commentator Key xliv Iȷ Al-Rāghib al-Iȷfahānī (d. 502/1108), !"#$%&Ã'(%)#ÃɁ(%)*+"$ŦÃ, Iȸ Abū Muȵammad ŧAbd al-ȴaqq ibn ŧAȸiyyah al-Andalusī (d. 541/1147), %)* !"ȵ%$$%$(%)*-%.í/(#í('%#0í$(%)*12'Ã3(%)*ŧ%/í/ JJ Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maȵallī (d. 864/1459) and Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūȸī (d. 911/1505), 4%#0í$(%)*5%)Ã)%6, K ŧAbd al-Razzāq al-Kāshānī (d. 736/1336), 4%Ŧ-í)(%)*+"$ŦÃ,(%)*1%$í7, known by many as 4%#0í$(23,(ŧ8$%3í Kā Muȵammad Muȵsin al-Fayȳ al-Kāshānī (d. 1091/1680), 4%#0í$(%)*ȷÃ#í Kl Muȵammad ibn Aȵmad ibn Juzayy al-Kalbī (d. 741/1340), %)*4%09í)()2*ŧ")ĭ7( %)*'%,/í) M Abū Manȷūr Muȵammad ibn Muȵammad al-Māturīdī (d. 333/944), 4%Ŧ-í)Ã'(%9)( %)*0",,%9 Mȶ ȶadr al-Dīn al-Shīrāzī (Mullā ȶadrā; d. 1050/1640), 4%#0í$(%)*+"$ŦÃ,(%)*1%$í7 Mu Muqātil ibn Sulaymān (d. 150/767),(4%#0í$(!":Ã'2)(23,(;")%67Ã, Mw ŧAlī ibn Muȵammad al-Māwardī (d. 450/1058),(%)*<"1%'(-%= )*ŧ"6ĭ,(#í('%#0í$( %)*+"$ŦÃ, My Rashīd al-Dīn al-Maybudī (d. ca. 520/1126), >%09#(%)*%0$Ã$(-%(ŧ"&&%'(%)*%3$Ã$ N ŧAbd Allāh ibn Aȵmad al-Nasafī (d. 710/1310), !%&Ã$21(%)*'%,/í)(-%(ȵ%:ÃŦ2: %)*'%Ŧ-í) Ni NiɁām al-Dīn ȴasan al-Nīsābūrī (or al-Naysābūrī; d. 728/1328),(4%#0í$(?9%$ÃŦ23( %)*+"$ŦÃ,(-%($%?9ÃŦ23(%)*#"$:Ã, Q Abū ŧAbd Allāh Muȵammad ibn Aȵmad al-Qurȸubī (d. 671/1272), %)*5Ã72ŧ()2* %ȵ1Ã7(%)*+"$ŦÃ, Qb Sayyid Quȸb (d. 1386/1966), @í(Ɂ2)Ã)(%)*+"$ŦÃ, Qm ŧAlī ibn Ibrāhīm al-Qummī (d. 328/939), 4%#0í$(%)*+"$ŦÃ, Qu Abu’l-Qāsim al-Qushayrī (d. 465/1072), A%ȹÃŦ2#(%)*209Ã$Ã' R Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 606/1210), %)*4%#0í$(%)*1%3í$ Rb Rūzbihān Baqlī al-Shīrāzī (d. 606/1209), ŧ8$ÃŦ20(%)*3%6Ã,(#í(ȵ%:ÃŦ2:(%)*+"$ŦÃ, Sa Naȷr ibn Muȵammad al-Samarqandī (d. 373/983), B%ȵ$(%)*ŧ")ĭ7 Sh Muȵammad ibn ŧAlī al-Shawkānī (d. 1250–55/1834–39), @%'ȵ(%)*:%&í$ ST Sahl ibn ŧAbd Allāh al-Tustarī (d. 283/896), 4%#0í$(%)*+"$ŦÃ,(%)*ŧ%Ɂí7( !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-01122234-5 67'(7&6222&$8$%29, xlv Commentator Key Su ŧAbd al-Raȵmān al-Sulamī (d. 412/1021), ȴ!"ÃŦ#"$!%&'!()í* Sy Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūȸī (d. 911/1505), !%&+,**$!%&-!.'/ĭ*$(í$'!()í*$!%&-!Ŧ'/ĭ* ! ȸ Muȵammad ibn Jarīr al-ȸabarī (d. 310/923), 0Ã-#ŧ$!%&1!2Ã.$ŧ!.$'!Ŧ3í%$Ã2$ !%&4,*ŦÃ. ! ȸb Muȵammad ȴusayn al-ȸabāȸabāŦī (d. 1401/1981), !%&5í6Ã.$(í$'!()í*$!%&4,*ŦÃ. Th ŧAbd al-Raȵmān ibn Muȵammad al-Thaŧālibī (d. 873/1468), !%&0!3Ã/#*$!%&ȵ#)Ã.$ (í$'!()í*$!%&4,*ŦÃ. TH Aȵmad ibn Muȵammad al-Thaŧlabī (d. 427/1035), !%&7!)/($3!8 %&1!2Ã.$ŧ!.$'!()í*$ !%&4,*ŦÃ. ! ȸs Abū ŧAlī al-Faȳl ibn al-ȴasan al-ȸabrisī (or al-ȸabarsī; d. 548/1153–54), 5!9-!ŧ$ !%&1!2Ã.$(í$'!()í*$!%&4,*ŦÃ. ! ȸū Muȵammad ibn ȴasan al-ȸūsī (d. 460/1067), !%&:#12Ã.$(í$'!()í*$!%&4,*ŦÃ. W Abu’l-ȴasan ŧAlī ibn Aȵmad al-Wāȵidī (d. 468/1076), ;)1Ã1$.,6ĭ%$!%&4,*ŦÃ. Z Abu’l-Qāsim Maȵmūd ibn ŧUmar al-Zamakhsharī (d. 538/1144), !%&7!)/)/Ã($ŧ!.$ </!3Ã-#ȳ ȵ!"ÃŦ#"$!%&'!.6í%$3!$ŧ,2ĭ.$!%&!"Ã3í%$(í$3,9ĭ/$!%&'!Ŧ3í% !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**)+,)-.$$'/-011222345 67'(7&6222&$8$%29, 36 Yā Sīn !Ã"#í$ T here is consensus among all scholars that Yā Sīn is a Makkan sūrah from the early part of the middle Makkan period. Some maintain that the whole of the sūrah is Makkan, though many commentators believe that v. 12 is from the Madinan period. The sūrah takes its name from the mention of the Arabic letters yāŦ and sīn in the opening verse. Some also refer to it as “The Heart of the Quran,” after a well-known ȵadīth: “Everything has a heart, and the heart of the Quran is Yā Sīn. Whosoever recites Yā Sīn, God records for him the recitation of the Quran ten times for his recitation of it” (Āl, Q). Seen as the heart of the Quran, this sūrah plays an important role in traditional Islamic piety. Many Muslims recite Yā Sīn regularly as part of their supererogatory devotions, and it is often the only sūrah longer than a page or so that Muslims have memorized in full. A famous ȵadīth says, “Recite Yā Sīn over your dead” (Q, Sy). It is thus recited for those who are close to death, those who have just died, and at the graves of loved ones. It is also recited for those who are sick, for another ȵadīth states, “Verily in the Quran there is a sūrah that heals through its recitation and forgives through its being heard—indeed, that is Sūrat Yā Sīn” (Āl, Q). Yā Sīn is also recited by many Muslims after the performance of the obligatory prayers in the morning and the evening. Regarding the latter, another report, sometimes recorded as a ȵadīth, states, “Whosoever recites Sūrat Yā Sīn at night, desiring the Face of God, is forgiven during that night” (Q, IK). Although many believe that the exhortation to recite Yā Sīn in the morning is a ȵadīth, it most likely derives from a saying attributed to Ibn ŧAbbās: “Whosoever recites Yā Sīn when he awakens is given ease for his day until the evening comes. And whosoever reads it in the midst of the night is given ease for his night until he awakens” (Q). Several scholars maintain that Yā Sīn is the heart of the Quran because it addresses its central teachings regarding God, prophethood, and the Hereafter. The sūrah begins with an address to the Prophet that clarifies both his mission and the nature of revelation (vv. 1–12) followed by a parable regarding those !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**"'%+&&,-./011222&$%" ,3'&3&-222-4,$256 36:1 1068 ! who reject prophets (vv. 13–30) that segues into a discussion of Resurrection and the signs of it in the natural world (vv. 31–44). Responses to various objections common to the disbelievers and the consequences of them (vv. 45–52) then lead into a discussion of the disparate ends of the disbelievers and the believers (vv. 53–68), which concludes with another reflection on the nature of Muhammad’s prophethood (vv. 69–70). The final section returns to a discussion of the signs in the created order that serve to inform one of God’s creative power and ability to resurrect (vv. 71–81) and concludes with an affirmation of God’s Omnipotence (vv. 82–83). In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful ! Yā. Sīn. " By the Wise Quran, # truly thou art among the message bearers, $ upon a straight path, % a revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, & that thou mayest warn a people whose fathers were not warned, such that they were 1 The Arabic letters yāŦ and sīn are among the separated letters (al-muqaȹȹaŧāt) that are found at the beginning of twenty-nine sūrahs and whose meaning is considered by most to be known only to God; see 2:1c. Some allow that yāŦ sīn could be an abbreviation meaning “O human being” (Q). In this interpretation, the yāŦ is the vocative “O,” used in many Quranic verses, and the sīn is an abbreviation for unsayn, the diminutive of insān (“human being”). In this context, the diminutive “O little human being” is a term of endearment interpreted as God’s address to the Prophet Muhammad. Others say that Yā Sīn is a name given to the Prophet by God whose exact meaning is unknown (Q). For this reason it is sometimes used in the Islamic world as the name for a male. ŧAlī ibn Abī ȸālib is reported to have said, “I heard the Messenger of God say, ‘Verily God has named me by seven names in the Quran: Muhammad [3:144; 33:40; 47:2; 48:29], Aȵmad [61:6], ȸā Hā [20:1], Yā Sīn [36:1], thou enwrapped [al-Muzzammil; 73:1], thou who art covered [alMudaththir; 74:1], and servant of God [ŧAbd Allāh; 72:19]’” (IA, Q). Other commentators take Yā Sīn to be a name of the Quran itself, while al-Qushayrī identifies it with the Day of the Covenant ( yawm al-mīthāq), when God made a covenant with all the children of Adam (see 7:172). !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**"'%+&&,-./011222&$%# 2 ȴakīm, here translated Wise, can also mean “determined” or “made firm” (muȵkam), as in 11:1, where the Quran is described as a Book whose signs have been determined (uȵkimat; Q). According to Ibn Kathīr, its being determined (muȵkam) indicates that falsehood comes not upon it from before it or from behind it (41:42). ȴakīm could also mean something that makes wise (muȵkim), indicating that the Quran teaches the truth. According to Ibn Kathīr, the use of ȵakīm here alludes to the Quran as a revealed book. The Quran is also described as wise in 10:1; 31:2; 43:3–4. 3–4 These verses affirm the Prophet’s mission, thus supporting the interpretations that see Yā Sīn as a reference to the Prophet himself. For straight path, see 1:6c. 5 Revelation can be read as the object of an implied verb, meaning, “We revealed it as a revelation,” in which case it refers back to the Wise Quran, or it can be read in the nominative, meaning, “It is a revelation.” Most commentators say revelation in either reading refers to the Quran, although some say it refers to the Prophet (Q, R), in which case “it” in the elided phrase would be rendered “he.” Both interpretations are possible, as the Prophet is also said to be sent down, as in 65:10–11: God has certainly sent down unto you a reminder: a Messenger reciting unto you the clear ,3'&3&-222-4,$256 1069 ! 36:9 heedless. ! The Word has indeed come due for most of them, for they do not believe. " Truly We have put shackles upon their necks, and they are up to their chins, such that they are forced up. # And We placed a barrier before them and signs of God. The juxtaposition of Mighty and Merciful here and in other verses (esp. throughout Sūrah 26) is seen as an allusion to God being both just and merciful, vengeful toward those who oppose Him and merciful toward those who obey Him. 6 Th is verse is similar to 32:3, which states that the Quran was sent so that the Prophet might warn a people to whom no warner has come before. Regarding the absence of a previous Arabic revelation, 34:44 says of the Arabs, We have not given them any books that they study, nor have We sent them a warner before. Although the Arabs had been sent messengers before in the intervening generations from the time of Ishmael, who was both a prophet and the progenitor of the Arabs (as Isaac was of the Jews), the pure monotheism of Abraham had become lost, and from the point of view of the Arabs the religion of their fathers was pagan. Read in connection to the following verse and the context of the entire Quran, there is an ominous tone to this verse, for as other verses state, Thy Lord never destroys towns until He sends a messenger to their mother city to recite unto them Our signs (28:59), and Never did We destroy a town save that it had warners (26:208); see also 6:131; 10:13. Some propose that the verse should be read, “of that of which their fathers were warned.” 7 The Word has indeed come due for most of them translates ȵaqqa al-qawlu ŧalā aktharihim, which could also be translated, “the Word has indeed proved true against most of them.” The Word most likely refers to the Word of punishment (39:71; see also 22:18); it indicates that they will be in Hell, for as 40:6 states, Likewise did the Word of thy Lord come due for those who disbelieve, that they are the inhabitants of the Fire. Th is is because they do not believe in the warning referred to in v. 6, in the Wise Quran (v. 2), or that the Prophet Muhammad is among the message bearers (v. 3). The Word that comes due or proves true is seen by some as God’s threat in 32:13: But the Word from Me comes due: “I shall fill Hell with jinn and men altogether!” Similar threats occur in 11:119 and 38:84–5. The Word could also be a reference to the !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**"'%+&&,-./011222&$%! Quran itself, for it is thought that when one turns away from revelation it proves one’s true nature. In this regard, a famous ȵadīth states, “The Quran is a proof, either for you or against you.” 8 The disbelievers’ hands are bound to the their necks with shackles, which translates aghlāl, specifically indicating iron shackles that bind the hands in cuffs that are attached to an iron ring around the neck. They is thus taken by most to indicate the hands that are bound to their necks (Q, ȸs) and is seen as related to 17:29, And let not thine hand be shackled to thy neck (IK, Q, ȸ), which is a warning against miserliness. The binding of their hands to their necks is taken by some to indicate their state on the Day of Resurrection (ȸs) or in the Hereafter, as in 40:71: They will be dragged, with shackles and chains around their necks (Q). Others say it refers to the state of the idolaters in this life, meaning that those who turn away from the Prophet’s call are like those whose hands are shackled to their necks so that they cannot extend them toward what is good (IK, ȸ, ȸs). In this interpretation their chins being forced up alludes to their arrogance in the face of the truth (Q). 9 Th is verse is interpreted to mean, “We have placed a barrier between them (the disbelievers) and the truth” or “We have blinded them to the truth” (IK), in light of 10:96–97: Truly those for whom the Word of thy Lord has come due will not believe, though every sign should come unto them, till they see the painful punishment. Understood in this way, it means that they cannot benefit from guidance, no matter what the Prophet does. Thus God counsels the Prophet in v. 76, Let not their speech grieve thee. Some say the barrier before them refers to their being deluded in the life of this world and the barrier behind them refers to their denying the life of the Hereafter (Q). Others maintain that vv. 8–9 refer to a specific incident in which a leader from the tribe of Quraysh saw the Prophet praying and went to smash his head with a rock; as he moved his hand forward to cast the rock, his hand returned to his neck and the rock was stuck in it (Q, ȸs). Then another man took the rock with the same purpose, but when he ,3'&3&-222-4,$256 36:9 ! 1070 a barrier behind them and veiled them, such that they see not. q It is the same for them whether thou warnest them or warnest them not; they do not believe. | Thou only warnest whomsoever follows the Reminder and fears the Compassionate unseen. So give such a one glad tidings of forgiveness and a generous reward. ‡ Truly We give life to the dead and record that which they have sent forth and that which they have left behind. And We have counted all things in did so, he could hear the Prophet but not see him. When a third man went to smash the Prophet’s head, he saw before him a tremendous camel that was about to swallow him (Q). These particular examples of the incident to which this verse may refer are not, however, taken to contravene the more general implications, but rather to be manifestations of particular forms of denial and disbelief represented by the acts described. 10–11 Cf. 2:6. The last phrase of v. 10 could also be read, “they will not believe.” For similar verses where warnings and guidance are of no avail to disbelievers, see 7:193; 26:136; 63:6. These verses remind the Prophet that he cannot guide those whom God has not guided and should simply leave them to God: Truly God leads astray whomsoever He will and guides whomsoever He will; so let not thy soul be expended in regrets over them. Truly God knows that which they do (35:8). The Reminder is a reference to the Quran itself (IK, Q, R, ȸ); for the Quran as Reminder, see 36:69c. Fears the Compassionate unseen (cf. 50:33) can be interpreted as a reference to worshipping God while God remains unseen or to worshipping God in seclusion (Q, ȸs). A noble reward here means Paradise or the Garden. See also 67:12c. 12 Th is verse follows upon the counsel to the Prophet to deliver the warning and leave the disbelievers to their own devices, since the price of their wrongdoing will come due upon the Resurrection. We give life to the dead can be seen as a reference to the Resurrection; to God’s bringing the earth back to life, as in 57:17: Know that God revives the earth after its death (IK); to bringing people from idolatry to faith (Z); or to the revivification, through knowledge and truth, of hearts made dead through heedlessness and ignorance (Aj, IK). That which they have sent forth refers to !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**"'%+&&,-./011222&$"$ the deeds that will testify for or against them in the Hereafter; see 5:80; 75:13c; 82:5c. Here, that which they have left behind literally means “their footsteps” or “their traces.” It is said to refer to one of the tribes of Madinah, the Banū Salamah, who were settled far from the Prophet’s mosque and desired to relocate closer to it. Th is verse was then revealed. So the Prophet said to them, “Your footprints are recorded [i.e., you receive reward for walking to the mosque]. Why then do you want to move?” (IK, Q, ȸ, W). More broadly, it is taken as a reference to the traces of good deeds that one leaves behind (Aj, ȸ). As a well-known ȵadīth states, “When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: knowledge that is beneficial, a righteous child who prays for him, or ongoing charity that he leaves behind” (IK); see 75:13c. And We have counted all things in a clear registry (imām) is taken by some to allude to the inscription of all things from the beginning of time to its end on the Preserved Tablet (85:22; Aj, ȸb, ȸs), which is the imām (“leader”) of all other books (Aj) and which is said to comprise all of God’s decrees (ȸb, ȸs); for the inscription of God’s decrees, see 68:1c. Others say imām refers to the book or “registry” in which all human actions are recorded (Aj, IK, Q, ȸs); see 17:71c; 18:49c. Th is is also one of the central verses cited by Shiite theologians as Quranic support for the Shiite understanding of Divinely ordained leadership in the form of the imamate after the death of the Prophet. In this vein al-Qummī relates a saying from ŧAlī ibn Abī ȸālib: “I, by God, am the clear imām; I clarify truth from falsehood. I inherited it from the Messenger of God” (Qm, ȸb). Shiite sources also relate that the Prophet said regarding ŧAlī, “He is the Imam in whom God records the knowledge of all things” (Qm, ȸb). ,3'&3&-222-4,$256 56:1–2 !"#$%&#'($ 1318 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful ! When the Event befalls, " none shall deny its befalling, # abasing, exalting. $ When the earth is shaken violently, % and the mountains are pulverized to powder, & such that they become scattered dust, ' and you shall be of three kinds: ( the companions of the right; what of the companions of the right? ) And the companions of the left; what of the companions of the left? 1–2 When v. 1 is read with a full stop at the end, when (idhā) is taken to introduce something too terrifying to be mentioned directly. If it is read continuously with v. 2, it is considered an adverbial clause: “When the Event befalls, no denial is there of its befalling,.” The fi rst verse may also be read as a reference to the previous sūrah, meaning that all of the blessings promised to the companions of the right and to the foremost will be granted to them when the Event befalls. In each reading, the Event refers to the eschatological event of the end of world leading to the Day of Judgment. The Event (al-wāqiŧah), deriving from the verb “to fall” (waqaŧa), which can also mean “to happen” or “to occur,” expresses a sense of inevitability, as if to say, “When what must happen happens” (Aj). It will be so overwhelming that none of those who denied it in this life will be able to deny it any longer (Q). These verses can also be seen as an allusion to individual transformation through sudden or profound spiritual realization. 3 The event of the Hour of Judgment abases some, lowering them into the depths of the Fire, and exalts others, raising them to the ranks of Heaven. Some take this as an allusion to the destruction of the natural order, when the stars and mountains will fall (e.g., 77:8–10; Aj, ȸ). From another perspective, the truth abases those who realize it by leveling everything within the soul that may have been opposed to the truth, and thus exalts the ones it abases by preparing them to receive the truth. As Ibn ŧAjībah expresses it, “The supreme truth exists in the soul like butter in milk: only when the milk is churned does the butter appear.” 4 Cf. 99:1; 73:14. !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**&&+(,&(#'-./00111&+&# 5–6 That mountains will be destroyed at the end of the world is mentioned in several verses, as in 69:14, where they are ground up in a single grinding, and in 70:9 and 101:5, where they are likened to carded wool (see also 18:47; 52:10; 73:14; 81:3). The destruction of mountains symbolizes the destruction of all that seems firm and everlasting, as in 27:88: And thou seest the mountains that thou dost suppose are solid pass away like clouds— the work of God, Who perfects all things. Here scattered dust translates habāŦ, which literally means “floating specks of dust that can only be seen when struck by light” (Aj); the image of scattered dust is similar to that of heaps of shifting sand in 73:14. 7 Almost all commentators take these three divisions to indicate the three categories into which human beings will be divided on the Day of Resurrection. 8–9 In Arabic, as in numerous other culturallinguistic systems, the right is associated with righteousness and blessedness. The companions of the right are those who will be seated to the right of God’s Th rone, who will receive the record of their deeds in their right hand (see 17:71; 69:19; 84:7), and who are described as having light spreading before them and on their right (57:12). They are believed to comprise the majority of the residents of the Garden (IK). The companions of the left are those who will receive the record of their deeds in their left hand (see 69:25). What of (mā) in both verses could also be taken to indicate amazement, thus meaning, “How wondrous are the companions of the right” and “How wretched are the companions of the left” (Z). In one account of the Prophet’s Ascension through the heavens (see 17:1; 53:1–17), he is reported to have said, “We went over the nearest heaven, and %2!2&3111%4'#156 1319 !"#$Ã%&ŧ!'( 56:15–16 q And the foremost shall be the foremost. | They are the ones brought nigh, ‡ in Gardens of bliss— ’ many from those of old,  and few from those of later times— ¨ upon embroidered couches, ³ reclining upon them, facing there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left . When he looked toward his right, he laughed, and when he looked toward his left , he wept. Then he said, ‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.’ I asked Gabriel, ‘Who is he?’ He replied, ‘He is Adam, and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise, and those on his left are the people of Hell. When he looks toward his right, he laughs, and when he looks toward his left , he weeps.’ ” 10 The foremost translates al-sābiqūn, which derives from the verb sabaqa, meaning “to go first, to go ahead, to outstrip” or “to win a race.” The syntax of this verse, in which the same word is the subject and the complement, is used to express something that is great and known to all (Aj, Z). The commentaries vary in identifying the foremost. Many identify them with the spiritual elite of the community, who understand the inner meaning of the religion and walk toward God in this life. Most commentators consider the foremost to be the prophets (IK, JJ). Some include the saints, the truthful (ȷiddīqūn), and the martyrs with them, since they too “outstrip” all others in faith (ȸū), while others believe the prophets to be beyond the foremost (Aj). Other interpretations include: the first to accept Islam (Aj, IK, ȸ); the first members of the religious community (ummah; IK, ȸ); the sincere (mukhliȷ), who are foremost in responding to the call of God and spare nothing in seeking God’s Contentment (Z); the first to come to the mosque, and the first to set out in the way of God (IK, ȸ); those who are foremost in attaining virtue (Aj); and the residents of the highest parts of Heaven (see 83:18; IK). According to some, the foremost will not be subject to the Reckoning before God on the Day of Judgment, going straight to Paradise, while the companions of the left and the companions of the right will stand before God for judgment (R). 11–14 These verses could mean that the foremost are “brought nigh in Gardens of bliss” (ȸ), brought nigh to the Divine Th rone (Z), or brought nigh unto God Himself (Aj, JJ). Ibn ŧAjībah notes !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**&&+(,&(#'-./00111&+&! that the ones brought nigh were greater in earlier times with regard to quantity, not quality. Those toward the end of time are considered by some to be of a higher degree, because they have awakened in a time of heedlessness and exerted themselves in a time of lassitude. Thus because they achieve spiritual awakening without many of the supports available to previous generations, God grants them a rank given to no others (Aj). Regarding the spiritual devolution of human beings over time, the Prophet said to his Companions, “You live at a time when whoever omits one-tenth of what he has been commanded [to do] shall be ruined. But there will come a time when whoever fulfi lls one-tenth of what he has been commanded [to do] shall be saved.” Some maintain that those of old means earlier religious communities and those of later times means the Muslim community ( JJ, IK, ȸ). Others interpret them as references to earlier and later generations of Muslims (Z), in accordance with a famous ȵadīth, “The best generation is mine, then those who follow them, then those who follow them” (Aj, IK). The foremost among those of later times are seen as those mentioned in another ȵadīth: “A group among my community ceases not to follow the truth (Ɂāhirīn ŧalā al-ȵaqq) until the Hour is come, unharmed by those who fail to support them and those who oppose them” (IK). Regarding the conditions of later times that cause others not to support the foremost, a ȵadīth states that at this time, “rapacity reigns, passions are obeyed, the world is given priority, and each person admires his own opinion.” From this perspective, these verses point to an ever greater spiritual devolution of human beings rather than progress over time. 15–16 Several verses indicate that the people of Paradise recline upon couches, meaning that they are content and at peace (see 18:31c; 55:54c). Embroidered is here interpreted to mean that the cushions are encrusted with gold or pearls and rubies (Q, Sh). Some also view the couches as thrones, indicating that those reclining upon them have attained a high rank (see also 18:31; %2!2&3111%4'#156 103 The Declining Day !"#ŧ$ȷ%& Makkan sūrah, al-ŧAȷr most likely follows Sūrah 94, al-Sharȵ, in the chronological order of revelation. It takes its title from the first word, al-ŧaȷr, which can be understood to mean the late afternoon (hence the translation declining day), the last hour of the afternoon, the entire afternoon, the later afternoon prayer, or a period of time in the sense of an epoch. It is said that whenever two Companions of the Prophet would meet they would not part company until one of them had recited al-ŧAȷr in its entirety and one of them had given greetings of peace to the other (IK). When viewed in relation to the previous sūrah, ŧaȷr can be understood as a reference to time in general, meaning that vying for increase (102:1) prevents people from spending their time in the most beneficial manner and that the blessing of time is that for which people will be questioned (102:8). From one perspective, these three short verses contain the entire message of the Quran, namely, that human beings are in loss unless they turn to God. In this vein, the famous legal scholar al-Shāfiŧī is reported to have said, “Were the people to ponder this sūrah, it would suffice them” (IK). A !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**&&+(,&(#'-./00111&((( %2!2&3111%4'#156 103:1 !"#$%#&'()()*$%+,$ 1556 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful ! By the declining day, " truly mankind is in loss, # save those who believe, perform righteous deeds, exhort one another to truth, and exhort one another to patience. 1 For the possible meanings of the declining day (al-ŧaȷr), see the introduction to this sūrah. Linguistically, ŧaȷr derives from the verb ŧaȷara, meaning “to squeeze,” and thus relates to time that is declining or fading quickly. Among those possible meanings, many judge the most likely to be the ŧaȷr prayer (Bȳ, Q, Z), which is considered to be the prayer referred to as the middlemost prayer in 2:238, though that verse is also interpreted in many different ways. Some also say the term in this verse refers to the “era (ŧaȷr) of the Prophet because of its bounty ( faȳl) through the renewal of prophethood in it” (Q). In this vein, this sūrah can be seen as pertaining to both the life of the individual and that of the human race; according to traditional Islamic belief, the fall of humanity continues as the historical cycle unfolds, and each generation is a degree below the generation before it. 2 Vv. 2–3 are the response to the oath in v. 1 and are similar in meaning to 95:5–6: Then We cast him to be the lowest of the low, save those who believe and perform righteous deeds; for theirs shall be a reward unceasing. The term mankind can be seen as a reference to disbelievers (Bg, Q) or to humanity in general (Q). Seen in light of the reference to the declining day, it can also be taken as a reference to humanity during the latter days of the historical cycle. According to 35:39, the disbelief of the disbelievers increases them in naught but loss. The Quranic understanding of loss pertains to losing this world and the Hereafter (22:11). The losers are thus those who lose what they value !"#$$%&&'(#%")&**)**&&+(,&(#'-./00111&((% most in this life, although not necessarily purely material things, and the next, as in 39:15: The losers are those who lose their souls and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Yea! That is the manifest loss. From a spiritual perspective, loss can also be seen as a reference to losing faith and attachment to God. When ŧaȷr is understood as a reference to time, v. 2 indicates that people who do not use their time properly are in a constant state of loss. 3 In this context, truth can mean God (Q), the Quran (Bg, Q, ȸs), or faith and professing Divine Unity (Bg, ȸs); it can also mean that at the moment of death one says to those one leaves behind, and die not except in submission (3:102; ȸs). Elsewhere believers are commanded, Be patient, vie in patience (3:200). Exhorting to patience (cf. 90:17) can be interpreted as encouraging one another in maintaining religious practice in the face of difficulties and opposition (R). The exhortation to truth and patience can thus be seen as an exhortation paralleling that between belief in God and performing righteous deeds (Sh) and, by extension, between all that one must know (discerning truth from falsehood) and all that one must do (maintaining the practices and principles of religion, no matter the obstacles). In this sense, this verse reflects the manner in which righteous deeds arise from and are always conjoined with faith and belief in God. In a broader sense, the sūrah emphasizes the two virtues of clinging to the truth and being patient in a world that has been spiritually darkened and at times full of spiritual crisis for a human being in particular. %2!2&3111%4'#156