The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations)

The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations)5%

The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations) Translator: Mohammad Habib Shakir, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall and Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
Category: Quran Text

The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations)
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The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations)

The Holy Quran (Arabic Text + Three English Translations)

Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
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سورة المدثر (Al-Muddathir)

Sura 74

Aya 1 to 56

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

[Shakir] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

[Pickthal] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

[Yusufali] In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ {1}

[Shakir 74:1] O you who are clothed!

[Pickthal 74:1] O thou enveloped in thy cloak,

[Yusufali 74:1] O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)!

قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ {2}

[Shakir 74:2] Arise and warn,

[Pickthal 74:2] Arise and warn!

[Yusufali 74:2] Arise and deliver thy warning!

وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ {3}

[Shakir 74:3] And your Lord do magnify,

[Pickthal 74:3] Thy Lord magnify,

[Yusufali 74:3] And thy Lord do thou magnify!

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ {4}

[Shakir 74:4] And your garments do purify,

[Pickthal 74:4] Thy raiment purify,

[Yusufali 74:4] And thy garments keep free from stain!

وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ {5}

[Shakir 74:5] And uncleanness do shun,

[Pickthal 74:5] Pollution shun!

[Yusufali 74:5] And all abomination shun!

وَلَا تَمْنُنْ تَسْتَكْثِرُ {6}

[Shakir 74:6] And bestow not favors that you may receive again with increase,

[Pickthal 74:6] And show not favour, seeking wordly gain!

[Yusufali 74:6] Nor expect, in giving, any increase (for thyself)!

وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ {7}

[Shakir 74:7] And for the sake of your Lord, be patient.

[Pickthal 74:7] For the sake of thy Lord, be patient!

[Yusufali 74:7] But, for thy Lord's (Cause), be patient and constant!

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ {8}

[Shakir 74:8] For when the trumpet is sounded,

[Pickthal 74:8] For when the trumpet shall sound,

[Yusufali 74:8] Finally, when the Trumpet is sounded,

فَذَٰلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ {9}

[Shakir 74:9] That, at that time, shall be a difficult day,

[Pickthal 74:9] Surely that day will be a day of anguish,

[Yusufali 74:9] That will be- that Day - a Day of Distress,-

عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ {10}

[Shakir 74:10] For the unbelievers, anything but easy.

[Pickthal 74:10] Not of ease, for disbelievers.

[Yusufali 74:10] Far from easy for those without Faith.

ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا {11}

[Shakir 74:11] Leave Me and him whom I created alone,

[Pickthal 74:11] Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created lonely,

[Yusufali 74:11] Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!-

وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالًا مَمْدُودًا {12}

[Shakir 74:12] And give him vast riches,

[Pickthal 74:12] And then bestowed upon him ample means,

[Yusufali 74:12] To whom I granted resources in abundance,

وَبَنِينَ شُهُودًا {13}

[Shakir 74:13] And sons dwelling in his presence,

[Pickthal 74:13] And sons abiding in his presence

[Yusufali 74:13] And sons to be by his side!-

وَمَهَّدْتُ لَهُ تَمْهِيدًا {14}

[Shakir 74:14] And I adjusted affairs for him adjustably;

[Pickthal 74:14] And made (life) smooth for him.

[Yusufali 74:14] To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable!

ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ {15}

[Shakir 74:15] And yet he desires that I should add more!

[Pickthal 74:15] Yet he desireth that I should give more.

[Yusufali 74:15] Yet is he greedy-that I should add (yet more);-

كَلَّا إِنَّهُ كَانَ لِآيَاتِنَا عَنِيدًا {16}

[Shakir 74:16] By no means! surely he offers opposition to Our communications.

[Pickthal 74:16] Nay! For lo! he hath been stubborn to Our revelations.

[Yusufali 74:16] By no means! For to Our Signs he has been refractory!

سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُودًا {17}

[Shakir 74:17] I will make a distressing punishment overtake him.

[Pickthal 74:17] On him I shall impose a fearful doom.

[Yusufali 74:17] Soon will I visit him with a mount of calamities!

إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ {18}

[Shakir 74:18] Surely he reflected and guessed,

[Pickthal 74:18] For lo! he did consider; then he planned -

[Yusufali 74:18] For he thought and he plotted;-

فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ {19}

[Shakir 74:19] But may he be cursed how he plotted;

[Pickthal 74:19] (Self-)destroyed is he, how he planned!

[Yusufali 74:19] And woe to him! How he plotted!-

ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ {20}

[Shakir 74:20] Again, may he be cursed how he plotted;

[Pickthal 74:20] Again (self-)destroyed is he, how he planned! -

[Yusufali 74:20] Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted!-

ثُمَّ نَظَرَ {21}

[Shakir 74:21] Then he looked,

[Pickthal 74:21] Then looked he,

[Yusufali 74:21] Then he looked round;

ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ {22}

[Shakir 74:22] Then he frowned and scowled,

[Pickthal 74:22] Then frowned he and showed displeasure.

[Yusufali 74:22] Then he frowned and he scowled;

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ {23}

[Shakir 74:23] Then he turned back and was big with pride,

[Pickthal 74:23] Then turned he away in pride

[Yusufali 74:23] Then he turned back and was haughty;

فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ {24}

[Shakir 74:24] ~Then he said: This is naught but enchantment, narrated (from others);

[Pickthal 74:24] And said: This is naught else than magic from of old;

[Yusufali 74:24] Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old;

إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ {25}

[Shakir 74:25] This is naught but the word of a mortal.

[Pickthal 74:25] This is naught else than speech of mortal man.

[Yusufali 74:25] "This is nothing but the word of a mortal!"

سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ {26}

[Shakir 74:26] I will cast him into hell.

[Pickthal 74:26] Him shall I fling unto the burning.

[Yusufali 74:26] Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire!

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ {27}

[Shakir 74:27] And what will make you realize what hell is?

[Pickthal 74:27] - Ah, what will convey unto thee what that burning is! -

[Yusufali 74:27] And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is?

لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ {28}

[Shakir 74:28] It leaves naught nor does it spare aught.

[Pickthal 74:28] It leaveth naught; it spareth naught

[Yusufali 74:28] Naught doth it permit to endure, and naught doth it leave alone!-

لَوَّاحَةٌ لِلْبَشَرِ {29}

[Shakir 74:29] It scorches the mortal.

[Pickthal 74:29] It shrivelleth the man.

[Yusufali 74:29] Darkening and changing the colour of man!

عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ {30}

[Shakir 74:30] Over it are nineteen.

[Pickthal 74:30] Above it are nineteen.

[Yusufali 74:30] Over it are Nineteen.

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَائِكَةًۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَيَزْدَادَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِيمَانًاۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَۙ وَلِيَقُولَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ {31}

[Shakir 74:31] And We have not made the wardens of the fire others than angels, and We have not made their number but as a trial for those who disbelieve, that those who have been given the book may be certain and those who believe may increase in faith, and those who have been given the book and the believers may not doubt, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers may say: What does Allah mean by this parable? Thus does Allah make err whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases, and none knows the hosts of your Lord but He Himself; and this is naught but a reminder to the mortals.

[Pickthal 74:31] We have appointed only angels to be wardens of the Fire, and their number have We made to be a stumbling-block for those who disbelieve; that those to whom the Scripture hath been given may have certainty, and that believers may increase in faith; and that those to whom the Scripture hath been given and believers may not doubt; and that those in whose hearts there is disease, and disbelievers, may say: What meaneth Allah by this similitude? Thus Allah sendeth astray whom He will, and whom He will He guideth. None knoweth the hosts of thy Lord save Him. This is naught else than a Reminder unto mortals.

[Yusufali 74:31] And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, "What symbol doth Allah intend by this?" Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind.

كَلَّا وَالْقَمَرِ {32}

[Shakir 74:32] Nay; I swear by the moon,

[Pickthal 74:32] Nay, by the Moon

[Yusufali 74:32] Nay, verily: By the Moon,

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذْ أَدْبَرَ {33}

[Shakir 74:33] And the night when it departs,

[Pickthal 74:33] And the night when it withdraweth

[Yusufali 74:33] And by the Night as it retreateth,

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا أَسْفَرَ {34}

[Shakir 74:34] And the daybreak when it shines;

[Pickthal 74:34] And the dawn when it shineth forth,

[Yusufali 74:34] And by the Dawn as it shineth forth,-

إِنَّهَا لَإِحْدَى الْكُبَرِ {35}

[Shakir 74:35] Surely it (hell) is one of the gravest (misfortunes),

[Pickthal 74:35] Lo! this is one of the greatest (portents)

[Yusufali 74:35] This is but one of the mighty (portents),

نَذِيرًا لِلْبَشَرِ {36}

[Shakir 74:36] A warning to mortals,

[Pickthal 74:36] As a warning unto men,

[Yusufali 74:36] A warning to mankind,-

لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوْ يَتَأَخَّرَ {37}

[Shakir 74:37] To him among you who wishes to go forward or remain behind.

[Pickthal 74:37] Unto him of you who will advance or hang back.

[Yusufali 74:37] To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind;-

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ {38}

[Shakir 74:38] Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns,

[Pickthal 74:38] Every soul is a pledge for its own deeds;

[Yusufali 74:38] Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.

إِلَّا أَصْحَابَ الْيَمِينِ {39}

[Shakir 74:39] Except the people of the right hand,

[Pickthal 74:39] Save those who will stand on the right hand.

[Yusufali 74:39] Except the Companions of the Right Hand.

فِي جَنَّاتٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ {40}

[Shakir 74:40] In gardens, they shall ask each other

[Pickthal 74:40] In gardens they will ask one another

[Yusufali 74:40] (They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): they will question each other,

عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ {41}

[Shakir 74:41] About the guilty:

[Pickthal 74:41] Concerning the guilty:

[Yusufali 74:41] And (ask) of the Sinners:

مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ {42}

[Shakir 74:42] What has brought you into hell?

[Pickthal 74:42] What hath brought you to this burning?

[Yusufali 74:42] "What led you into Hell Fire?"

قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ {43}

[Shakir 74:43] They shall say: We were not of those who prayed;

[Pickthal 74:43] They will answer: We were not of those who prayed

[Yusufali 74:43] They will say: "We were not of those who prayed;

وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ {44}

[Shakir 74:44] And we used not to feed the poor;

[Pickthal 74:44] Nor did we feed the wretched.

[Yusufali 74:44] "Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;

وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ {45}

[Shakir 74:45] And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who entered into vain discourses.

[Pickthal 74:45] We used to wade (in vain dispute) with (all) waders,

[Yusufali 74:45] "But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers;

وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ {46}

[Shakir 74:46] And we used to call the day of judgment a lie;

[Pickthal 74:46] And we used to deny the Day of Judgment,

[Yusufali 74:46] "And we used to deny the Day of Judgment,

حَتَّىٰ أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ {47}

[Shakir 74:47] Till death overtook us.

[Pickthal 74:47] Till the Inevitable came unto us.

[Yusufali 74:47] "Until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain."

فَمَا تَنْفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ {48}

[Shakir 74:48] So the intercession of intercessors shall not avail them.

[Pickthal 74:48] The mediation of no mediators will avail them then.

[Yusufali 74:48] Then will no intercession of (any) intercessors profit them.

فَمَا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ {49}

[Shakir 74:49] What is then the matter with them, that they turn away from the admonition

[Pickthal 74:49] Why now turn they away from the Admonishment,

[Yusufali 74:49] Then what is the matter with them that they turn away from admonition?-

كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُسْتَنْفِرَةٌ {50}

[Shakir 74:50] As if they were asses taking fright

[Pickthal 74:50] As they were frightened asses

[Yusufali 74:50] As if they were affrighted asses,

فَرَّتْ مِنْ قَسْوَرَةٍ {51}

[Shakir 74:51] That had fled from a lion?

[Pickthal 74:51] Fleeing from a lion?

[Yusufali 74:51] Fleeing from a lion!

بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْتَىٰ صُحُفًا مُنَشَّرَةً {52}

[Shakir 74:52] Nay; every one of them desires that he may be given pages spread out;

[Pickthal 74:52] Nay, but everyone of them desireth that he should be given open pages (from Allah).

[Yusufali 74:52] Forsooth, each one of them wants to be given scrolls (of revelation) spread out!

كَلَّا بَلْ لَا يَخَافُونَ الْآخِرَةَ {53}

[Shakir 74:53] Nay! but they do not fear the hereafter.

[Pickthal 74:53] Nay, verily. They fear not the Hereafter.

[Yusufali 74:53] By no means! But they fear not the Hereafter,

كَلَّا إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ {54}

[Shakir 74:54] Nay! it is surely an admonition.

[Pickthal 74:54] Nay, verily. Lo! this is an Admonishment.

[Yusufali 74:54] Nay, this surely is an admonition:

فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ {55}

[Shakir 74:55] So whoever pleases may mind it.

[Pickthal 74:55] So whosoever will may heed.

[Yusufali 74:55] Let any who will, keep it in remembrance!

وَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُۚ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَىٰ وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ {56}

[Shakir 74:56] And they will not mind unless Allah please. He is worthy to be feared and worthy to forgive.

[Pickthal 74:56] And they will not heed unless Allah willeth (it). He is the fount of fear. He is the fount of Mercy.

[Yusufali 74:56] But none will keep it in remembrance except as Allah wills: He is the Lord of Righteousness, and the Lord of Forgiveness.

سورة القيامة (Al-Qiyama)

Sura 75

Aya 1 to 40

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

[Shakir] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

[Pickthal] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

[Yusufali] In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ {1}

[Shakir 75:1] Nay! I swear by the day of resurrection.

[Pickthal 75:1] Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection;

[Yusufali 75:1] I do call to witness the Resurrection Day;

وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ {2}

[Shakir 75:2] Nay! I swear by the self-accusing soul.

[Pickthal 75:2] Nay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true).

[Yusufali 75:2] And I do call to witness the self-reproaching spirit: (Eschew Evil).

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَلَّنْ نَجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ {3}

[Shakir 75:3] Does man think that We shall not gather his bones?

[Pickthal 75:3] Thinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones?

[Yusufali 75:3] Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَادِرِينَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُ {4}

[Shakir 75:4] Yea! We are able to make complete his very fingertips

[Pickthal 75:4] Yea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers!

[Yusufali 75:4] Nay, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers.

بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ {5}

[Shakir 75:5] Nay! man desires to give the lie to what is before him.

[Pickthal 75:5] But man would fain deny what is before him.

[Yusufali 75:5] But man wishes to do wrong (even) in the time in front of him.

يَسْأَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ {6}

[Shakir 75:6] He asks: When is the day of resurrection?

[Pickthal 75:6] He asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection?

[Yusufali 75:6] He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?"

فَإِذَا بَرِقَ الْبَصَرُ {7}

[Shakir 75:7] So when the sight becomes dazed,

[Pickthal 75:7] But when sight is confounded

[Yusufali 75:7] At length, when the sight is dazed,

وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ {8}

[Shakir 75:8] And the moon becomes dark,

[Pickthal 75:8] And the moon is eclipsed

[Yusufali 75:8] And the moon is buried in darkness.

وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ {9}

[Shakir 75:9] And the sun and the moon are brought together,

[Pickthal 75:9] And sun and moon are united,

[Yusufali 75:9] And the sun and moon are joined together,-

يَقُولُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ {10}

[Shakir 75:10] Man shall say on that day: Whither to fly to?

[Pickthal 75:10] On that day man will cry: Whither to flee!

[Yusufali 75:10] That Day will Man say: "Where is the refuge?"

كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ {11}

[Shakir 75:11] By no means! there shall be no place of refuge!

[Pickthal 75:11] Alas! No refuge!

[Yusufali 75:11] By no means! No place of safety!

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرُّ {12}

[Shakir 75:12] With your Lord alone shall on that day be the place of rest.

[Pickthal 75:12] Unto thy Lord is the recourse that day.

[Yusufali 75:12] Before thy Lord (alone), that Day will be the place of rest.

يُنَبَّأُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ {13}

[Shakir 75:13] Man shall on that day be informed of what he sent before and (what he) put off.

[Pickthal 75:13] On that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind.

[Yusufali 75:13] That Day will Man be told (all) that he put forward, and all that he put back.

بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ {14}

[Shakir 75:14] Nay! man is evidence against himself,

[Pickthal 75:14] Oh, but man is a telling witness against himself,

[Yusufali 75:14] Nay, man will be evidence against himself,

وَلَوْ أَلْقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُ {15}

[Shakir 75:15] Though he puts forth his excuses.

[Pickthal 75:15] Although he tender his excuses.

[Yusufali 75:15] Even though he were to put up his excuses.

لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ {16}

[Shakir 75:16] Do not move your tongue with it to make haste with it,

[Pickthal 75:16] Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it.

[Yusufali 75:16] Move not thy tongue concerning the (Qur'an) to make haste therewith.

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ {17}

[Shakir 75:17] Surely on Us (devolves) the collecting of it and the reciting of it.

[Pickthal 75:17] Lo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof.

[Yusufali 75:17] It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it:

فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ {18}

[Shakir 75:18] Therefore when We have recited it, follow its recitation.

[Pickthal 75:18] And when We read it, follow thou the reading;

[Yusufali 75:18] But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated):

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ {19}

[Shakir 75:19] Again on Us (devolves) the explaining of it.

[Pickthal 75:19] Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof.

[Yusufali 75:19] Nay more, it is for Us to explain it (and make it clear):

كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ {20}

[Shakir 75:20] Nay! But you love the present life,

[Pickthal 75:20] Nay, but ye do love the fleeting Now

[Yusufali 75:20] Nay, (ye men!) but ye love the fleeting life,

وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ {21}

[Shakir 75:21] And neglect the hereafter.

[Pickthal 75:21] And neglect the Hereafter.

[Yusufali 75:21] And leave alone the Hereafter.

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ {22}

[Shakir 75:22] (Some) faces on that day shall be bright,

[Pickthal 75:22] That day will faces be resplendent,

[Yusufali 75:22] Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty);-

إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ {23}

[Shakir 75:23] Looking to their Lord.

[Pickthal 75:23] Looking toward their Lord;

[Yusufali 75:23] Looking towards their Lord;

وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَاسِرَةٌ {24}

[Shakir 75:24] And (other) faces on that day shall be gloomy,

[Pickthal 75:24] And that day will other faces be despondent,

[Yusufali 75:24] And some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal,

تَظُنُّ أَنْ يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ {25}

[Shakir 75:25] Knowing that there will be made to befall them some great calamity.

[Pickthal 75:25] Thou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them.

[Yusufali 75:25] In the thought that some back-breaking calamity was about to be inflicted on them;

كَلَّا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِيَ {26}

[Shakir 75:26] Nay! When it comes up to the throat,

[Pickthal 75:26] Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat

[Yusufali 75:26] Yea, when (the soul) reaches to the collar-bone (in its exit),

وَقِيلَ مَنْۜ رَاقٍ {27}

[Shakir 75:27] And it is said: Who will be a magician?

[Pickthal 75:27] And men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now)?

[Yusufali 75:27] And there will be a cry, "Who is a magician (to restore him)?"

وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ {28}

[Shakir 75:28] And he is sure that it is the (hour of) parting

[Pickthal 75:28] And he knoweth that it is the parting;

[Yusufali 75:28] And he will conclude that it was (the Time) of Parting;

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ {29}

[Shakir 75:29] And affliction is combined with affliction;

[Pickthal 75:29] And agony is heaped on agony;

[Yusufali 75:29] And one leg will be joined with another:

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاقُ {30}

[Shakir 75:30] To your Lord on that day shall be the driving.

[Pickthal 75:30] Unto thy Lord that day will be the driving.

[Yusufali 75:30] That Day the Drive will be (all) to thy Lord!

فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ {31}

[Shakir 75:31] So he did not accept the truth, nor did he pray,

[Pickthal 75:31] For he neither trusted, nor prayed.

[Yusufali 75:31] So he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray!-

وَلَٰكِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ {32}

[Shakir 75:32] But called the truth a lie and turned back,

[Pickthal 75:32] But he denied and flouted.

[Yusufali 75:32] But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away!

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّىٰ {33}

[Shakir 75:33] Then he went to his followers, walking away in haughtiness.

[Pickthal 75:33] Then went he to his folk with glee.

[Yusufali 75:33] Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit!

أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ {34}

[Shakir 75:34] Nearer to you (is destruction) and nearer,

[Pickthal 75:34] Nearer unto thee and nearer,

[Yusufali 75:34] Woe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!

ثُمَّ أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ {35}

[Shakir 75:35] Again (consider how) nearer to you and nearer.

[Pickthal 75:35] Again nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom).

[Yusufali 75:35] Again, Woe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ سُدًى {36}

[Shakir 75:36] Does man think that he is to be left to wander without an aim?

[Pickthal 75:36] Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless?

[Yusufali 75:36] Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)?

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِنْ مَنِيٍّ يُمْنَىٰ {37}

[Shakir 75:37] Was he not a small seed in the seminal elements,

[Pickthal 75:37] Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth?

[Yusufali 75:37] Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ {38}

[Shakir 75:38] Then he was a clot of blood, so He created (him) then made (him) perfect.

[Pickthal 75:38] Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned

[Yusufali 75:38] Then did he become a leech-like clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion.

فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ {39}

[Shakir 75:39] Then He made of him two kinds, the male and the female.

[Pickthal 75:39] And made of him a pair, the male and female.

[Yusufali 75:39] And of him He made two sexes, male and female.

أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَىٰ {40}

[Shakir 75:40] Is not He able to give life to the dead?

[Pickthal 75:40] Is not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life?

[Yusufali 75:40] Has not He, (the same), the power to give life to the dead?

Surah Bayyinah, Chapter 98

(The Clear Evidence)

Number of Verses: 8

Contents of the Surah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

The contents of the Surah attests to the fact that it was revealed in Medina, because, the People (Jews and Christians) of the Book (the Scripture) are repeatedly talked about, and we know that at the time of revelation the communication between the Muslims and the people of the Book occurred mostly in Medina.

Furthermore, the words of the Surah are both about prayers and alms. It is true that the duty of paying the alms-tax was issued in Mecca, but the act of spreading this idea with the necessary formalities, was extended in Medina.

In any case, this Surah refers to the universal message of our holy Prophet (S) in the same line of prophecy that the Jews and Christians received their scriptures. They should have prepared themselves for the Advent of the greatest and last of the prophets, but when the awaited Prophet, whom they were waiting for, came with clear signs and evidences, they rejected him, because they were not really searching for truth; they only followed their own desires to gain worldly profits.

By the way, this Surah shows the fact that the doctrine of the prophets such as Faith, monotheism, prayers and fasting are eternal and unchangeable principles in all Divine religions.

In another part of the Surah the different reactions of the pagans and the People of the Book, regarding the invitation to Islam, are referred to saying that those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures, and those who disbelieve and refuse to worship Him are certainly the worst of all creatures.

The most popular titles of this Surah are: ‘Bayyinah’, ‘Lam Yakun’, and ‘Ghayyimah’; titles which come from the text, itself.

The Virtue in Studying Surah Bayyinah

On the virtue in reciting this Surah, there is a tradition from the holy Prophet (S) who has said:

“If people knew how blessful this Surah is (Bayyinah), they would leave their property and family to learn it”.

Someone from the' Khaza'ih’ people asked:

“O Messenger of Allah! What is the reward for reciting it?”.

He (S) answered:

“Neither a hypocrite nor those in whose hearts contain doubt about Allah recite it. By Allah, the near-stationed angels have been reciting it from the time the heavens and the earth were created and do not languish in its recitation.

There will be no servant who recites it at night but that Allah sends angels who protect him in his Faith and his present life and that seek forgiveness and mercy for him; and when on the day he recites it, he will be rewarded as much as what the day sheds light upon and what the night darkens.”1

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

رَسُولٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً

فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ

وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

1. “Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them Clear Evidence,”

2. “A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

3. “Wherein are laws right and straight.”

4. “Nor were those divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

5. “And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

The Religion Right and Straight

At the beginning of the Surah the situation before Islam, the People of the Book and the pagan Arabs, is referred to.

It says:

“Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them the Clear Evidence,”

“A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

“Wherein are laws right and straight.”

Yes, they said that they were convinced of the coming of the Prophet of Islam (S), but later when his heavenly Book was revealed the circumstances changed and they differed in their ideas about the religion of Allah.

It says:

“Nor were these divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

Thus, the aforementioned verses reveal that the claim of the People of the Book and the disbelievers was that they insisted on a prophet having clear evidences to accept. But, when the clear evidence, Islam, and the awaited prophet, in the person of Muhammad (S) arrived, they rejected the religion of Islam and resisted the Prophet except for a minority of them.

The preceding verse is similar to the content of Surah Baqarah, No. 2 Verse 89 which says:

“And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what if with them, although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith, when there comes to that which they (should) have recognized, they refuse to believe in it, but the curse of Allah if on those without Faith.”

We know that the People of the Book expected such an Advent and too, the Pagan Arabs, who knowing the People of the Book to be more learned than themselves, customarily followed the same idea and adopted it as their own, but after reaching their goals they changed the way and joined the opponents.

A group of commentators have another idea on the contents of these verses. They say that the objective meaning is that the mentioned people, not simply by mere claim, but, in actuality, did not leave their old belief until they had clear evidences.

This statement means that after having such clear evidences they accepted the Prophet, but this contrasts with the following verses which indicate that they did not. Or, it may be said that the objective meaning is that some of them believed, though they were in the minority.

But, this idea seems improbable and perhaps it was for the same reason that Fakhr-i-Razi in his commentary considered the first verse which to him is in contrast with the next verse, one of the most complicated verses of the Qur'an and then, in order to solve the problem he gave some explanations the best of which is the very one that we have mentioned above.

A third commentary exists which says that the objective meaning is that Allah does not leave the People of the Book and disbelievers to themselves unless He completes the argument; sends them an evidence, and shows them the straight way. For this reason He sent the Messenger of Islam to guide them.

In fact, this verse is a reference to 'the principle of favor' which is discussed in 'speculative theology' and states that Allah sends clear evidences for every sect to complete the argument.

In any case, the meaning of /bayyinah/, here is 'Clear Evidence' and whose example, according to the second verse, is the Messenger of Allah (S), himself, who had at his disposal the Holy Qur'an for his teachings.

The term /suhuf/ is a plural form of /sahifah/ which means 'a leaf or page of a book', or 'some leaves of paper on which something is written' and here it means 'the contents of them', because we know that the holy Prophet (S) could not read anything from the pages and therefore, was teaching the 'contents' of them.

And the purpose of using the term /mutahharah/ is that it was exactly the very truth, the original Word of Allah, in its purity, without corruption having polluted it, and far from the evil hands of Jinn and the human race; as is mentioned in Surah Fussilat, No. 41, verse 42:

“No falsehood can approach it from before or behind it...”

Now, Verse 3

“Wherein are laws...”

refers to the fact that, in these scriptures, there are, without doubt, decrees contained therein that are right and straight.

Therefore, /kutub/, here means 'what is written', or it means 'the laws or decrees appointed by Allah', because / kitabat/, in Arabic, has been used in the sense of 'prescribing a decree' as in Surah Baqarah, No. 2, verse 183:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may learn self-restraint.”

Then, the term /qayyimah/ means 'smooth, straight, right, strong, confirmed, valuable, worthy' or all these meanings collectively.

It is also probable that since the Qur'an contains all that the former scriptures had, besides many other additional points, then, it is said that therein are the right ordinances of the past.

It is worthy to note that in the first verse 'the People of the Book' is mentioned prior to 'the polytheists' but, in the fourth verse only 'the People of the Book' is mentioned and while 'polytheists' is not stated, the verse refers to both of them.

Apparently, these differences may be for that, in this matter, the People of the Book were the main rejectors and the polytheists were their dependants; or for that the People of the Book deserved more blame, because they had many men of knowledge among them and had a higher standard of theology than the polytheists therefore, their rejection was more disgraceful and blameworthy.

Then, the Qur'an reproaches 'the People of the Book' and the polytheists saying:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

On the phrase

/wa ma umiru/ “and they were ordered no more”,

some have cited that the purpose of using this phrase is that the People of the Book already had the three eternal principles in their own religion: Unity of God, prayer, and alms. These are some fixed principles, but those people were not true to their promise concerning these principles.

Furthermore, the same decrees, in Islam, are, also, pure monotheism, prayer and alms which are the same eternal principles. So, why did they refuse to accept them?

Using this phrase, then, seems more suitable, because, /umiru/ ‘ordered', refers to the acceptance of the new religion, that which was mentioned in the preceding verse, over which 'they divided'.

Some of the commentators believe that using the word /din/ ‘religion', here means 'worship' and the phrase 'no more than that they should worship Allah (alone)’, confirms this idea.

The term /hunafa/ is the plural form of /hanif /derived from /hanaf/ ‘pure in faith' and as Raqib cites in Mufradat it means 'to decline from aberration to the straight way'. All those who make pilgrimage to Kaaba or were circumcised were called /hanif/, by the Arabs, referring to the fact that they had believed in Abraham's religion.

On the whole, this word in lexicology and in various dictionaries originally means 'crookedness or inclination', but, in the Qur'an and Islamic traditions it has been used with the sense of 'declining from polytheism and inclining toward monotheism and the straight way'.

The phrase 'the religion right and straight' denotes that those principles, i.e., pure montheism, prayers and alms, are eternal and unchangeable in all religions, or it can be said that they are found within the nature of all human beings.

So, the destiny of Man leads him to monotheism and his nature invites him to being grateful to his Lord, knowing His divine essence, and further, Man's social spirit calls him to the service of the deprived by practicing deeds of charity.

Therefore, the root of these characteristics, in general, exists in all humans and that is why these laws are also found in the teachings of all the former prophets and are the core in the teachings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S).

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 6-8

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ

جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ

6. “Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever; they are the worst of all creatures.”

7. “Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

8. “Their reward with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher.”

The Best and the Worst Creatures

In the former verses, it was mentioned that the people of the Book and the polytheists were waiting for clear evidence to be sent by Allah, but when it came they were dispersed and everyone went his separate way.

In the following verses, from the point of Faith in truth, people are divided into two groups believers and disbelievers, and then the fate of each is pointed out.

At first it says:

“Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever, they are the worst of all creatures.”

The term /kafaru/ ‘they disbelieved', here refers to their blasphemy rather than their being Muslim, otherwise their previous infidelity was not a new matter.

The phrase

“They are the worst of all creatures”

is a startling statement which shows that among all the living and non-living creatures there is nothing worse than those who left the right path and went astray after the truth became clear and the argument and reason became complete.

This is, in fact, like that which is mentioned in Surah Anfal, No. 8, verse 22:

“For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb. Those who understand not”.

Or similar still, to what Surah A'raf, No. 7, verse 179 says after referring to the people of Hell with the same characteristics:

“...they are like cattle, nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning)”.

There is also a point in the current verse which goes beyond these matters, because it introduces them as

“The worst of all creatures”,

and this is, indeed, a statement of evidence for their perpetual stay in the fire of Hell.

And why not! They were the worst of all creatures, because all the means of salvation were being prepared for them, but they refused it intentionally, due to their pride, deceit and enmity.

In this verse, again, the phrase 'the People of Book' is mentioned prior to 'polytheists' perhaps for the reason that they had heavenly Books and learned men among them and also possessed some signs and information about the Prophet of Islam which were clearly mentioned in their Books. Therefore, their rejection was more hideous and indecent.

In the next verse, the contrasting group, who are in a higher position, are referred to.

It says:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

Then their rewards are pointed out:

“Their rewards with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

This high rank and the splendid, unparalleled rewards are for the one who fears his Lord:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

It is worthy to note that when speaking about the righteous, it also mentions 'doing good deeds', which is in fact the fruit of Faith, and indicates that a mere claim of Faith is not enough. Man's conduct should adapt to this Faith, too. But blasphemy itself even with the lack of evil action causes aberration in Man and this is apart from the fact that blasphemy is usually the source of many kinds of sin, crimes, and wrong actions.

The phrase:

“They are the best of all creatures”

clearly shows that good believing people who do righteous deeds are even higher than the angels, because the verse is general and there is no exception made in it.

There are other verses, also, that are witness to this idea like the verses concerning the prostration of the angels to Adam, and the verse:

“We have honoured the sons of Adam...”2 .

However, in this verse, the material and physical rewards of the righteous; gardens full of different blessings in Heaven, are mentioned first, and then, their spiritual reward is referred to, that is;

“...Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him”.

They are well-pleased with Allah because whatever they have asked of Him, He has given them and if they erred He forgave them by His Grace. What pleasure can be better or higher than that one feels that his beloved, his Lord, accepts him and is pleased with him and he succeeds to be close to Him.

Yes, the Paradise, for Man's body, is the eternal Gardens of the next world, but the Paradise for his soul is the Lord's pleasure.

The sentence:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”

shows that all these gifts come into being because of the existence of the 'fear of Allah' since it is the motive of all obedience, piety, and righteous deeds.

It should also be noted that the 'fear of Allah' is the fear to offend His holy Law, the fear to do anything which is against His holy Will. Such fear is akin to love; for with it dawns the consciousness of Allah's loving care for all His creatures.

Some of the commentators have combined this verse with Surah Fatir, No. 35, Verse 28:

“...those truly fear Allah among His servants, who have knowledge...”,

and have concluded that Paradise is, in fact, the incontestable right of the scientists and learned people.

Of course, regarding the fact that the 'fear of Allah' has stages and degrees as well as knowledge, which has hierarchies too, the meaning of this statement is clear.

By the way, some believe that the position of /xasiyat/ is higher than that of /xauf/ because the latter is used for any fear, but the former is a kind of fear mixed with exaltation and respect.

Explanation: Hazrat Ali (as) and His Followers are 'the Best Creatures'

There are a great many narrations quoted by famous Sunnite and Shi'ite sources in which the verse:

“...they are the best of all creatures”

is rendered to mean Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

Hakim Haskani Neyshaburi, one of the famous Sunnite scholars, in the fifth century A.H., has cited some narrations with different references whose number is more than twenty in his well-known book Shawahid-ut-Tanzil.

The following are some examples:

1. Ibn-Abbas says that when the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”

was revealed, the holy Prophet (S) told Hazrat Ali (as):

“It is you and your followers who will come on the Day of Reckoning when you and your followers are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing Him and your enemy will come angrily pushed (into Hell)”.3

2. Abu Barazah has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (S) who recited the verse and said:

“They are you and your followers. O' Ali! The appointment for you and me is (beside) the Pool of Abundance”4

('Haud' is the pool of 'Kawthar').

3. Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari narrates in another tradition that they were sitting with the holy Prophet (S) in the Sacred House when Ali (as) came to them.

As soon as the Prophet (S) saw him, he said:

“My brother is coming to you”.

Then, he turned toward the Ka'ba and said:

“By the Lord of this Structure! Surely this man and his followers will be triumphant on the Day of Judgement”.

Then, he addressed them and added:

“By Allah! Truly he was formost to all of you in believing in Allah; and among you all he is the most correct in obeying Allah; the most faithful in fulfilling the covenant of Allah; the hardest to the decree of Allah, the best distributor of the (treasury) in equality, the justest to the citizen and the most important in position with Allah”.

Jabir said it was then that Allah sent down the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”,

and from then on whenever Ali came, the Helpers of the Prophet (S) would say:

“The best of all creatures next to the Messenger of Allah came”.5

The descent of this verse, in Mecca, does not contrast with the idea that the Surah is Medinan, because it might have been revealed, again, there. Further, the descent of this verse might have happened on one of the holy Prophet's trips from Medina to Mecca, in particular that the reporter of the narration is 'Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari' who joined the Prophet (S) in Medina. Then, terming these kinds of verses 'Medinan' is not improbable.

Some of these traditions are cited by 'Ibn-Hijr' in 'Sawa'iq' and some others by 'Muhammad Shablanji' in 'Nur-ul-Absar'.6

A great part of the last narration is narrated from Ibn- 'Asakir, from Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah by Jalal-id-Din-Suyuti in Durr-ul-Manthur.

4. It is narrated from Ibn-'Abbas in Durr-ul-Manthur that when the verse.

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature.”

was revealed the holy Prophet (S) told Ali:

“It is you and your followers who, on the Day of Reckoning are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing (Him).”7

5. In another tradition, the above mentioned person narrates from Ibn-Marduyah from Hazrat Ali (as) that the Prophet (S) had told him (Ali):

“Have you not heard the word of Allah:

'Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature'?

You and your followers are those and the appointment place of mine and yours will be at the Pool of Abundance'. When I come for the account of nations you will be invited in the case that your foreheads are white (to be known)”.8

Many other Sunnite scholars have also cited the same meaning in their works including: Khatib Kharazmi in 'Manaqib', Abu-Na'im Isfahani in' Kifayat -ul -Khisam', 'Allamah Tabari in his famous commentary, Tabari, Ibn- Shabbaq Maliki in 'Fusul-ul-Muhimmah', Allamah Shoukani in' Fath-ul-Qadir', Shaykh Sulayman Qanduzi in 'Yanabi' -ul- Mawwadah', Alusi in' Ruh -ul -Ma'ani', and some others.

In conclusion, the above mentioned tradition is one of the famous traditions that is accepted by a great many scholars of Islam. And this, in itself, is an important, matchless excellence for Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

By the way, this narration makes this fact clear that the term 'Shi'ah' was applied and was spread among Muslims by the Prophet (S), himself, at that time, and it refers to the particular followers of Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as).

The Necessity of Intention in Adorations

Some of the scholars of the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence have taken the verse:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience...”

as an evidence for (niyyat) 'intention' with divine motive being necessary in 'worship' and this depends on the word 'din', here to be meant 'worship' so that it becomes a reason for the necessity of sincerity in worship.

We should also take the term

/amr/, 'command'

in this verse, unlimited in order to have a sense of necessity of intention with divine motive in all commands. However, the meaning of the verse does not seem to be either of them, but the purpose of the verse is to prove monotheism in contrast with polytheism. It means they are only invited to monotheism.

The Wonderful Heights and Depths to Which Man Can Reach

We understand, clearly, from the verses of this Surah that there is no creature in the world like, Man to be able to gain the highest ranks and being the best of all by doing righteous deeds, (note that 'righteous deeds' includes all good deeds; not only a part of them), and if he goes on the path of blasphemy and aberration he will fall so deep that he can be the worst of all creatures.

The vast, great distance between these two extremes of highness and lowliness of Man; although a very sensitive and dangerous status for him, indicates his dignity and capability of development. It is natural that Man, with such an efficiency and extraordinary potentiality, is also quite close to the possibility of extraordinary aberration.

Supplication

O Lord! We look to You, Your Grace, to gain the high rank of “The best of all creatures”.

O Lord! Count us among the followers of the man who deserves this title the best.

O Lord! Endow us with such a sincerity that we worship and love nothing but You.

Notes

1. Majma’ al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 521

2. Surah Bani Israel, No. 17, verse. 70

3. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 357, tradition 1126.

4. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 359, tradition 1130.

5. Shawahid-ut- Tanzil, vol 2, p 362, tradition 1139

6. al-Sawa'iq ul Muharraqah, p 96, and Nur-ul-Absar, p 70, 101

7. Durr-ul Manthur, vol 6, p 379

8. Ibid

Surah Bayyinah, Chapter 98

(The Clear Evidence)

Number of Verses: 8

Contents of the Surah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

The contents of the Surah attests to the fact that it was revealed in Medina, because, the People (Jews and Christians) of the Book (the Scripture) are repeatedly talked about, and we know that at the time of revelation the communication between the Muslims and the people of the Book occurred mostly in Medina.

Furthermore, the words of the Surah are both about prayers and alms. It is true that the duty of paying the alms-tax was issued in Mecca, but the act of spreading this idea with the necessary formalities, was extended in Medina.

In any case, this Surah refers to the universal message of our holy Prophet (S) in the same line of prophecy that the Jews and Christians received their scriptures. They should have prepared themselves for the Advent of the greatest and last of the prophets, but when the awaited Prophet, whom they were waiting for, came with clear signs and evidences, they rejected him, because they were not really searching for truth; they only followed their own desires to gain worldly profits.

By the way, this Surah shows the fact that the doctrine of the prophets such as Faith, monotheism, prayers and fasting are eternal and unchangeable principles in all Divine religions.

In another part of the Surah the different reactions of the pagans and the People of the Book, regarding the invitation to Islam, are referred to saying that those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures, and those who disbelieve and refuse to worship Him are certainly the worst of all creatures.

The most popular titles of this Surah are: ‘Bayyinah’, ‘Lam Yakun’, and ‘Ghayyimah’; titles which come from the text, itself.

The Virtue in Studying Surah Bayyinah

On the virtue in reciting this Surah, there is a tradition from the holy Prophet (S) who has said:

“If people knew how blessful this Surah is (Bayyinah), they would leave their property and family to learn it”.

Someone from the' Khaza'ih’ people asked:

“O Messenger of Allah! What is the reward for reciting it?”.

He (S) answered:

“Neither a hypocrite nor those in whose hearts contain doubt about Allah recite it. By Allah, the near-stationed angels have been reciting it from the time the heavens and the earth were created and do not languish in its recitation.

There will be no servant who recites it at night but that Allah sends angels who protect him in his Faith and his present life and that seek forgiveness and mercy for him; and when on the day he recites it, he will be rewarded as much as what the day sheds light upon and what the night darkens.”1

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

رَسُولٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً

فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ

وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

1. “Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them Clear Evidence,”

2. “A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

3. “Wherein are laws right and straight.”

4. “Nor were those divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

5. “And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

The Religion Right and Straight

At the beginning of the Surah the situation before Islam, the People of the Book and the pagan Arabs, is referred to.

It says:

“Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them the Clear Evidence,”

“A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

“Wherein are laws right and straight.”

Yes, they said that they were convinced of the coming of the Prophet of Islam (S), but later when his heavenly Book was revealed the circumstances changed and they differed in their ideas about the religion of Allah.

It says:

“Nor were these divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

Thus, the aforementioned verses reveal that the claim of the People of the Book and the disbelievers was that they insisted on a prophet having clear evidences to accept. But, when the clear evidence, Islam, and the awaited prophet, in the person of Muhammad (S) arrived, they rejected the religion of Islam and resisted the Prophet except for a minority of them.

The preceding verse is similar to the content of Surah Baqarah, No. 2 Verse 89 which says:

“And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what if with them, although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith, when there comes to that which they (should) have recognized, they refuse to believe in it, but the curse of Allah if on those without Faith.”

We know that the People of the Book expected such an Advent and too, the Pagan Arabs, who knowing the People of the Book to be more learned than themselves, customarily followed the same idea and adopted it as their own, but after reaching their goals they changed the way and joined the opponents.

A group of commentators have another idea on the contents of these verses. They say that the objective meaning is that the mentioned people, not simply by mere claim, but, in actuality, did not leave their old belief until they had clear evidences.

This statement means that after having such clear evidences they accepted the Prophet, but this contrasts with the following verses which indicate that they did not. Or, it may be said that the objective meaning is that some of them believed, though they were in the minority.

But, this idea seems improbable and perhaps it was for the same reason that Fakhr-i-Razi in his commentary considered the first verse which to him is in contrast with the next verse, one of the most complicated verses of the Qur'an and then, in order to solve the problem he gave some explanations the best of which is the very one that we have mentioned above.

A third commentary exists which says that the objective meaning is that Allah does not leave the People of the Book and disbelievers to themselves unless He completes the argument; sends them an evidence, and shows them the straight way. For this reason He sent the Messenger of Islam to guide them.

In fact, this verse is a reference to 'the principle of favor' which is discussed in 'speculative theology' and states that Allah sends clear evidences for every sect to complete the argument.

In any case, the meaning of /bayyinah/, here is 'Clear Evidence' and whose example, according to the second verse, is the Messenger of Allah (S), himself, who had at his disposal the Holy Qur'an for his teachings.

The term /suhuf/ is a plural form of /sahifah/ which means 'a leaf or page of a book', or 'some leaves of paper on which something is written' and here it means 'the contents of them', because we know that the holy Prophet (S) could not read anything from the pages and therefore, was teaching the 'contents' of them.

And the purpose of using the term /mutahharah/ is that it was exactly the very truth, the original Word of Allah, in its purity, without corruption having polluted it, and far from the evil hands of Jinn and the human race; as is mentioned in Surah Fussilat, No. 41, verse 42:

“No falsehood can approach it from before or behind it...”

Now, Verse 3

“Wherein are laws...”

refers to the fact that, in these scriptures, there are, without doubt, decrees contained therein that are right and straight.

Therefore, /kutub/, here means 'what is written', or it means 'the laws or decrees appointed by Allah', because / kitabat/, in Arabic, has been used in the sense of 'prescribing a decree' as in Surah Baqarah, No. 2, verse 183:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may learn self-restraint.”

Then, the term /qayyimah/ means 'smooth, straight, right, strong, confirmed, valuable, worthy' or all these meanings collectively.

It is also probable that since the Qur'an contains all that the former scriptures had, besides many other additional points, then, it is said that therein are the right ordinances of the past.

It is worthy to note that in the first verse 'the People of the Book' is mentioned prior to 'the polytheists' but, in the fourth verse only 'the People of the Book' is mentioned and while 'polytheists' is not stated, the verse refers to both of them.

Apparently, these differences may be for that, in this matter, the People of the Book were the main rejectors and the polytheists were their dependants; or for that the People of the Book deserved more blame, because they had many men of knowledge among them and had a higher standard of theology than the polytheists therefore, their rejection was more disgraceful and blameworthy.

Then, the Qur'an reproaches 'the People of the Book' and the polytheists saying:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

On the phrase

/wa ma umiru/ “and they were ordered no more”,

some have cited that the purpose of using this phrase is that the People of the Book already had the three eternal principles in their own religion: Unity of God, prayer, and alms. These are some fixed principles, but those people were not true to their promise concerning these principles.

Furthermore, the same decrees, in Islam, are, also, pure monotheism, prayer and alms which are the same eternal principles. So, why did they refuse to accept them?

Using this phrase, then, seems more suitable, because, /umiru/ ‘ordered', refers to the acceptance of the new religion, that which was mentioned in the preceding verse, over which 'they divided'.

Some of the commentators believe that using the word /din/ ‘religion', here means 'worship' and the phrase 'no more than that they should worship Allah (alone)’, confirms this idea.

The term /hunafa/ is the plural form of /hanif /derived from /hanaf/ ‘pure in faith' and as Raqib cites in Mufradat it means 'to decline from aberration to the straight way'. All those who make pilgrimage to Kaaba or were circumcised were called /hanif/, by the Arabs, referring to the fact that they had believed in Abraham's religion.

On the whole, this word in lexicology and in various dictionaries originally means 'crookedness or inclination', but, in the Qur'an and Islamic traditions it has been used with the sense of 'declining from polytheism and inclining toward monotheism and the straight way'.

The phrase 'the religion right and straight' denotes that those principles, i.e., pure montheism, prayers and alms, are eternal and unchangeable in all religions, or it can be said that they are found within the nature of all human beings.

So, the destiny of Man leads him to monotheism and his nature invites him to being grateful to his Lord, knowing His divine essence, and further, Man's social spirit calls him to the service of the deprived by practicing deeds of charity.

Therefore, the root of these characteristics, in general, exists in all humans and that is why these laws are also found in the teachings of all the former prophets and are the core in the teachings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S).

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 6-8

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ

جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ

6. “Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever; they are the worst of all creatures.”

7. “Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

8. “Their reward with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher.”

The Best and the Worst Creatures

In the former verses, it was mentioned that the people of the Book and the polytheists were waiting for clear evidence to be sent by Allah, but when it came they were dispersed and everyone went his separate way.

In the following verses, from the point of Faith in truth, people are divided into two groups believers and disbelievers, and then the fate of each is pointed out.

At first it says:

“Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever, they are the worst of all creatures.”

The term /kafaru/ ‘they disbelieved', here refers to their blasphemy rather than their being Muslim, otherwise their previous infidelity was not a new matter.

The phrase

“They are the worst of all creatures”

is a startling statement which shows that among all the living and non-living creatures there is nothing worse than those who left the right path and went astray after the truth became clear and the argument and reason became complete.

This is, in fact, like that which is mentioned in Surah Anfal, No. 8, verse 22:

“For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb. Those who understand not”.

Or similar still, to what Surah A'raf, No. 7, verse 179 says after referring to the people of Hell with the same characteristics:

“...they are like cattle, nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning)”.

There is also a point in the current verse which goes beyond these matters, because it introduces them as

“The worst of all creatures”,

and this is, indeed, a statement of evidence for their perpetual stay in the fire of Hell.

And why not! They were the worst of all creatures, because all the means of salvation were being prepared for them, but they refused it intentionally, due to their pride, deceit and enmity.

In this verse, again, the phrase 'the People of Book' is mentioned prior to 'polytheists' perhaps for the reason that they had heavenly Books and learned men among them and also possessed some signs and information about the Prophet of Islam which were clearly mentioned in their Books. Therefore, their rejection was more hideous and indecent.

In the next verse, the contrasting group, who are in a higher position, are referred to.

It says:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

Then their rewards are pointed out:

“Their rewards with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

This high rank and the splendid, unparalleled rewards are for the one who fears his Lord:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

It is worthy to note that when speaking about the righteous, it also mentions 'doing good deeds', which is in fact the fruit of Faith, and indicates that a mere claim of Faith is not enough. Man's conduct should adapt to this Faith, too. But blasphemy itself even with the lack of evil action causes aberration in Man and this is apart from the fact that blasphemy is usually the source of many kinds of sin, crimes, and wrong actions.

The phrase:

“They are the best of all creatures”

clearly shows that good believing people who do righteous deeds are even higher than the angels, because the verse is general and there is no exception made in it.

There are other verses, also, that are witness to this idea like the verses concerning the prostration of the angels to Adam, and the verse:

“We have honoured the sons of Adam...”2 .

However, in this verse, the material and physical rewards of the righteous; gardens full of different blessings in Heaven, are mentioned first, and then, their spiritual reward is referred to, that is;

“...Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him”.

They are well-pleased with Allah because whatever they have asked of Him, He has given them and if they erred He forgave them by His Grace. What pleasure can be better or higher than that one feels that his beloved, his Lord, accepts him and is pleased with him and he succeeds to be close to Him.

Yes, the Paradise, for Man's body, is the eternal Gardens of the next world, but the Paradise for his soul is the Lord's pleasure.

The sentence:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”

shows that all these gifts come into being because of the existence of the 'fear of Allah' since it is the motive of all obedience, piety, and righteous deeds.

It should also be noted that the 'fear of Allah' is the fear to offend His holy Law, the fear to do anything which is against His holy Will. Such fear is akin to love; for with it dawns the consciousness of Allah's loving care for all His creatures.

Some of the commentators have combined this verse with Surah Fatir, No. 35, Verse 28:

“...those truly fear Allah among His servants, who have knowledge...”,

and have concluded that Paradise is, in fact, the incontestable right of the scientists and learned people.

Of course, regarding the fact that the 'fear of Allah' has stages and degrees as well as knowledge, which has hierarchies too, the meaning of this statement is clear.

By the way, some believe that the position of /xasiyat/ is higher than that of /xauf/ because the latter is used for any fear, but the former is a kind of fear mixed with exaltation and respect.

Explanation: Hazrat Ali (as) and His Followers are 'the Best Creatures'

There are a great many narrations quoted by famous Sunnite and Shi'ite sources in which the verse:

“...they are the best of all creatures”

is rendered to mean Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

Hakim Haskani Neyshaburi, one of the famous Sunnite scholars, in the fifth century A.H., has cited some narrations with different references whose number is more than twenty in his well-known book Shawahid-ut-Tanzil.

The following are some examples:

1. Ibn-Abbas says that when the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”

was revealed, the holy Prophet (S) told Hazrat Ali (as):

“It is you and your followers who will come on the Day of Reckoning when you and your followers are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing Him and your enemy will come angrily pushed (into Hell)”.3

2. Abu Barazah has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (S) who recited the verse and said:

“They are you and your followers. O' Ali! The appointment for you and me is (beside) the Pool of Abundance”4

('Haud' is the pool of 'Kawthar').

3. Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari narrates in another tradition that they were sitting with the holy Prophet (S) in the Sacred House when Ali (as) came to them.

As soon as the Prophet (S) saw him, he said:

“My brother is coming to you”.

Then, he turned toward the Ka'ba and said:

“By the Lord of this Structure! Surely this man and his followers will be triumphant on the Day of Judgement”.

Then, he addressed them and added:

“By Allah! Truly he was formost to all of you in believing in Allah; and among you all he is the most correct in obeying Allah; the most faithful in fulfilling the covenant of Allah; the hardest to the decree of Allah, the best distributor of the (treasury) in equality, the justest to the citizen and the most important in position with Allah”.

Jabir said it was then that Allah sent down the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”,

and from then on whenever Ali came, the Helpers of the Prophet (S) would say:

“The best of all creatures next to the Messenger of Allah came”.5

The descent of this verse, in Mecca, does not contrast with the idea that the Surah is Medinan, because it might have been revealed, again, there. Further, the descent of this verse might have happened on one of the holy Prophet's trips from Medina to Mecca, in particular that the reporter of the narration is 'Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari' who joined the Prophet (S) in Medina. Then, terming these kinds of verses 'Medinan' is not improbable.

Some of these traditions are cited by 'Ibn-Hijr' in 'Sawa'iq' and some others by 'Muhammad Shablanji' in 'Nur-ul-Absar'.6

A great part of the last narration is narrated from Ibn- 'Asakir, from Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah by Jalal-id-Din-Suyuti in Durr-ul-Manthur.

4. It is narrated from Ibn-'Abbas in Durr-ul-Manthur that when the verse.

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature.”

was revealed the holy Prophet (S) told Ali:

“It is you and your followers who, on the Day of Reckoning are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing (Him).”7

5. In another tradition, the above mentioned person narrates from Ibn-Marduyah from Hazrat Ali (as) that the Prophet (S) had told him (Ali):

“Have you not heard the word of Allah:

'Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature'?

You and your followers are those and the appointment place of mine and yours will be at the Pool of Abundance'. When I come for the account of nations you will be invited in the case that your foreheads are white (to be known)”.8

Many other Sunnite scholars have also cited the same meaning in their works including: Khatib Kharazmi in 'Manaqib', Abu-Na'im Isfahani in' Kifayat -ul -Khisam', 'Allamah Tabari in his famous commentary, Tabari, Ibn- Shabbaq Maliki in 'Fusul-ul-Muhimmah', Allamah Shoukani in' Fath-ul-Qadir', Shaykh Sulayman Qanduzi in 'Yanabi' -ul- Mawwadah', Alusi in' Ruh -ul -Ma'ani', and some others.

In conclusion, the above mentioned tradition is one of the famous traditions that is accepted by a great many scholars of Islam. And this, in itself, is an important, matchless excellence for Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

By the way, this narration makes this fact clear that the term 'Shi'ah' was applied and was spread among Muslims by the Prophet (S), himself, at that time, and it refers to the particular followers of Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as).

The Necessity of Intention in Adorations

Some of the scholars of the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence have taken the verse:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience...”

as an evidence for (niyyat) 'intention' with divine motive being necessary in 'worship' and this depends on the word 'din', here to be meant 'worship' so that it becomes a reason for the necessity of sincerity in worship.

We should also take the term

/amr/, 'command'

in this verse, unlimited in order to have a sense of necessity of intention with divine motive in all commands. However, the meaning of the verse does not seem to be either of them, but the purpose of the verse is to prove monotheism in contrast with polytheism. It means they are only invited to monotheism.

The Wonderful Heights and Depths to Which Man Can Reach

We understand, clearly, from the verses of this Surah that there is no creature in the world like, Man to be able to gain the highest ranks and being the best of all by doing righteous deeds, (note that 'righteous deeds' includes all good deeds; not only a part of them), and if he goes on the path of blasphemy and aberration he will fall so deep that he can be the worst of all creatures.

The vast, great distance between these two extremes of highness and lowliness of Man; although a very sensitive and dangerous status for him, indicates his dignity and capability of development. It is natural that Man, with such an efficiency and extraordinary potentiality, is also quite close to the possibility of extraordinary aberration.

Supplication

O Lord! We look to You, Your Grace, to gain the high rank of “The best of all creatures”.

O Lord! Count us among the followers of the man who deserves this title the best.

O Lord! Endow us with such a sincerity that we worship and love nothing but You.

Notes

1. Majma’ al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 521

2. Surah Bani Israel, No. 17, verse. 70

3. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 357, tradition 1126.

4. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 359, tradition 1130.

5. Shawahid-ut- Tanzil, vol 2, p 362, tradition 1139

6. al-Sawa'iq ul Muharraqah, p 96, and Nur-ul-Absar, p 70, 101

7. Durr-ul Manthur, vol 6, p 379

8. Ibid

Surah Bayyinah, Chapter 98

(The Clear Evidence)

Number of Verses: 8

Contents of the Surah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

The contents of the Surah attests to the fact that it was revealed in Medina, because, the People (Jews and Christians) of the Book (the Scripture) are repeatedly talked about, and we know that at the time of revelation the communication between the Muslims and the people of the Book occurred mostly in Medina.

Furthermore, the words of the Surah are both about prayers and alms. It is true that the duty of paying the alms-tax was issued in Mecca, but the act of spreading this idea with the necessary formalities, was extended in Medina.

In any case, this Surah refers to the universal message of our holy Prophet (S) in the same line of prophecy that the Jews and Christians received their scriptures. They should have prepared themselves for the Advent of the greatest and last of the prophets, but when the awaited Prophet, whom they were waiting for, came with clear signs and evidences, they rejected him, because they were not really searching for truth; they only followed their own desires to gain worldly profits.

By the way, this Surah shows the fact that the doctrine of the prophets such as Faith, monotheism, prayers and fasting are eternal and unchangeable principles in all Divine religions.

In another part of the Surah the different reactions of the pagans and the People of the Book, regarding the invitation to Islam, are referred to saying that those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures, and those who disbelieve and refuse to worship Him are certainly the worst of all creatures.

The most popular titles of this Surah are: ‘Bayyinah’, ‘Lam Yakun’, and ‘Ghayyimah’; titles which come from the text, itself.

The Virtue in Studying Surah Bayyinah

On the virtue in reciting this Surah, there is a tradition from the holy Prophet (S) who has said:

“If people knew how blessful this Surah is (Bayyinah), they would leave their property and family to learn it”.

Someone from the' Khaza'ih’ people asked:

“O Messenger of Allah! What is the reward for reciting it?”.

He (S) answered:

“Neither a hypocrite nor those in whose hearts contain doubt about Allah recite it. By Allah, the near-stationed angels have been reciting it from the time the heavens and the earth were created and do not languish in its recitation.

There will be no servant who recites it at night but that Allah sends angels who protect him in his Faith and his present life and that seek forgiveness and mercy for him; and when on the day he recites it, he will be rewarded as much as what the day sheds light upon and what the night darkens.”1

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

رَسُولٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً

فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ

وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

1. “Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them Clear Evidence,”

2. “A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

3. “Wherein are laws right and straight.”

4. “Nor were those divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

5. “And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

The Religion Right and Straight

At the beginning of the Surah the situation before Islam, the People of the Book and the pagan Arabs, is referred to.

It says:

“Those who reject (Truth) from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them the Clear Evidence,”

“A Messenger from Allah, reciting pure scriptures;”

“Wherein are laws right and straight.”

Yes, they said that they were convinced of the coming of the Prophet of Islam (S), but later when his heavenly Book was revealed the circumstances changed and they differed in their ideas about the religion of Allah.

It says:

“Nor were these divided who were given the Book, except after the Clear Evidence had come to them.”

Thus, the aforementioned verses reveal that the claim of the People of the Book and the disbelievers was that they insisted on a prophet having clear evidences to accept. But, when the clear evidence, Islam, and the awaited prophet, in the person of Muhammad (S) arrived, they rejected the religion of Islam and resisted the Prophet except for a minority of them.

The preceding verse is similar to the content of Surah Baqarah, No. 2 Verse 89 which says:

“And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what if with them, although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith, when there comes to that which they (should) have recognized, they refuse to believe in it, but the curse of Allah if on those without Faith.”

We know that the People of the Book expected such an Advent and too, the Pagan Arabs, who knowing the People of the Book to be more learned than themselves, customarily followed the same idea and adopted it as their own, but after reaching their goals they changed the way and joined the opponents.

A group of commentators have another idea on the contents of these verses. They say that the objective meaning is that the mentioned people, not simply by mere claim, but, in actuality, did not leave their old belief until they had clear evidences.

This statement means that after having such clear evidences they accepted the Prophet, but this contrasts with the following verses which indicate that they did not. Or, it may be said that the objective meaning is that some of them believed, though they were in the minority.

But, this idea seems improbable and perhaps it was for the same reason that Fakhr-i-Razi in his commentary considered the first verse which to him is in contrast with the next verse, one of the most complicated verses of the Qur'an and then, in order to solve the problem he gave some explanations the best of which is the very one that we have mentioned above.

A third commentary exists which says that the objective meaning is that Allah does not leave the People of the Book and disbelievers to themselves unless He completes the argument; sends them an evidence, and shows them the straight way. For this reason He sent the Messenger of Islam to guide them.

In fact, this verse is a reference to 'the principle of favor' which is discussed in 'speculative theology' and states that Allah sends clear evidences for every sect to complete the argument.

In any case, the meaning of /bayyinah/, here is 'Clear Evidence' and whose example, according to the second verse, is the Messenger of Allah (S), himself, who had at his disposal the Holy Qur'an for his teachings.

The term /suhuf/ is a plural form of /sahifah/ which means 'a leaf or page of a book', or 'some leaves of paper on which something is written' and here it means 'the contents of them', because we know that the holy Prophet (S) could not read anything from the pages and therefore, was teaching the 'contents' of them.

And the purpose of using the term /mutahharah/ is that it was exactly the very truth, the original Word of Allah, in its purity, without corruption having polluted it, and far from the evil hands of Jinn and the human race; as is mentioned in Surah Fussilat, No. 41, verse 42:

“No falsehood can approach it from before or behind it...”

Now, Verse 3

“Wherein are laws...”

refers to the fact that, in these scriptures, there are, without doubt, decrees contained therein that are right and straight.

Therefore, /kutub/, here means 'what is written', or it means 'the laws or decrees appointed by Allah', because / kitabat/, in Arabic, has been used in the sense of 'prescribing a decree' as in Surah Baqarah, No. 2, verse 183:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may learn self-restraint.”

Then, the term /qayyimah/ means 'smooth, straight, right, strong, confirmed, valuable, worthy' or all these meanings collectively.

It is also probable that since the Qur'an contains all that the former scriptures had, besides many other additional points, then, it is said that therein are the right ordinances of the past.

It is worthy to note that in the first verse 'the People of the Book' is mentioned prior to 'the polytheists' but, in the fourth verse only 'the People of the Book' is mentioned and while 'polytheists' is not stated, the verse refers to both of them.

Apparently, these differences may be for that, in this matter, the People of the Book were the main rejectors and the polytheists were their dependants; or for that the People of the Book deserved more blame, because they had many men of knowledge among them and had a higher standard of theology than the polytheists therefore, their rejection was more disgraceful and blameworthy.

Then, the Qur'an reproaches 'the People of the Book' and the polytheists saying:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and to keep up prayer, and pay zakat (poor-rate) and that is the religion right and straight.”

On the phrase

/wa ma umiru/ “and they were ordered no more”,

some have cited that the purpose of using this phrase is that the People of the Book already had the three eternal principles in their own religion: Unity of God, prayer, and alms. These are some fixed principles, but those people were not true to their promise concerning these principles.

Furthermore, the same decrees, in Islam, are, also, pure monotheism, prayer and alms which are the same eternal principles. So, why did they refuse to accept them?

Using this phrase, then, seems more suitable, because, /umiru/ ‘ordered', refers to the acceptance of the new religion, that which was mentioned in the preceding verse, over which 'they divided'.

Some of the commentators believe that using the word /din/ ‘religion', here means 'worship' and the phrase 'no more than that they should worship Allah (alone)’, confirms this idea.

The term /hunafa/ is the plural form of /hanif /derived from /hanaf/ ‘pure in faith' and as Raqib cites in Mufradat it means 'to decline from aberration to the straight way'. All those who make pilgrimage to Kaaba or were circumcised were called /hanif/, by the Arabs, referring to the fact that they had believed in Abraham's religion.

On the whole, this word in lexicology and in various dictionaries originally means 'crookedness or inclination', but, in the Qur'an and Islamic traditions it has been used with the sense of 'declining from polytheism and inclining toward monotheism and the straight way'.

The phrase 'the religion right and straight' denotes that those principles, i.e., pure montheism, prayers and alms, are eternal and unchangeable in all religions, or it can be said that they are found within the nature of all human beings.

So, the destiny of Man leads him to monotheism and his nature invites him to being grateful to his Lord, knowing His divine essence, and further, Man's social spirit calls him to the service of the deprived by practicing deeds of charity.

Therefore, the root of these characteristics, in general, exists in all humans and that is why these laws are also found in the teachings of all the former prophets and are the core in the teachings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S).

Surah Bayyinah, Verses 6-8

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ

جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ

6. “Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever; they are the worst of all creatures.”

7. “Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

8. “Their reward with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher.”

The Best and the Worst Creatures

In the former verses, it was mentioned that the people of the Book and the polytheists were waiting for clear evidence to be sent by Allah, but when it came they were dispersed and everyone went his separate way.

In the following verses, from the point of Faith in truth, people are divided into two groups believers and disbelievers, and then the fate of each is pointed out.

At first it says:

“Surely those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of Hell, therein dwelling forever, they are the worst of all creatures.”

The term /kafaru/ ‘they disbelieved', here refers to their blasphemy rather than their being Muslim, otherwise their previous infidelity was not a new matter.

The phrase

“They are the worst of all creatures”

is a startling statement which shows that among all the living and non-living creatures there is nothing worse than those who left the right path and went astray after the truth became clear and the argument and reason became complete.

This is, in fact, like that which is mentioned in Surah Anfal, No. 8, verse 22:

“For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb. Those who understand not”.

Or similar still, to what Surah A'raf, No. 7, verse 179 says after referring to the people of Hell with the same characteristics:

“...they are like cattle, nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning)”.

There is also a point in the current verse which goes beyond these matters, because it introduces them as

“The worst of all creatures”,

and this is, indeed, a statement of evidence for their perpetual stay in the fire of Hell.

And why not! They were the worst of all creatures, because all the means of salvation were being prepared for them, but they refused it intentionally, due to their pride, deceit and enmity.

In this verse, again, the phrase 'the People of Book' is mentioned prior to 'polytheists' perhaps for the reason that they had heavenly Books and learned men among them and also possessed some signs and information about the Prophet of Islam which were clearly mentioned in their Books. Therefore, their rejection was more hideous and indecent.

In the next verse, the contrasting group, who are in a higher position, are referred to.

It says:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures.”

Then their rewards are pointed out:

“Their rewards with their Lord will be Gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

This high rank and the splendid, unparalleled rewards are for the one who fears his Lord:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”.

It is worthy to note that when speaking about the righteous, it also mentions 'doing good deeds', which is in fact the fruit of Faith, and indicates that a mere claim of Faith is not enough. Man's conduct should adapt to this Faith, too. But blasphemy itself even with the lack of evil action causes aberration in Man and this is apart from the fact that blasphemy is usually the source of many kinds of sin, crimes, and wrong actions.

The phrase:

“They are the best of all creatures”

clearly shows that good believing people who do righteous deeds are even higher than the angels, because the verse is general and there is no exception made in it.

There are other verses, also, that are witness to this idea like the verses concerning the prostration of the angels to Adam, and the verse:

“We have honoured the sons of Adam...”2 .

However, in this verse, the material and physical rewards of the righteous; gardens full of different blessings in Heaven, are mentioned first, and then, their spiritual reward is referred to, that is;

“...Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him”.

They are well-pleased with Allah because whatever they have asked of Him, He has given them and if they erred He forgave them by His Grace. What pleasure can be better or higher than that one feels that his beloved, his Lord, accepts him and is pleased with him and he succeeds to be close to Him.

Yes, the Paradise, for Man's body, is the eternal Gardens of the next world, but the Paradise for his soul is the Lord's pleasure.

The sentence:

“That is for him who fears his Lord and Cherisher”

shows that all these gifts come into being because of the existence of the 'fear of Allah' since it is the motive of all obedience, piety, and righteous deeds.

It should also be noted that the 'fear of Allah' is the fear to offend His holy Law, the fear to do anything which is against His holy Will. Such fear is akin to love; for with it dawns the consciousness of Allah's loving care for all His creatures.

Some of the commentators have combined this verse with Surah Fatir, No. 35, Verse 28:

“...those truly fear Allah among His servants, who have knowledge...”,

and have concluded that Paradise is, in fact, the incontestable right of the scientists and learned people.

Of course, regarding the fact that the 'fear of Allah' has stages and degrees as well as knowledge, which has hierarchies too, the meaning of this statement is clear.

By the way, some believe that the position of /xasiyat/ is higher than that of /xauf/ because the latter is used for any fear, but the former is a kind of fear mixed with exaltation and respect.

Explanation: Hazrat Ali (as) and His Followers are 'the Best Creatures'

There are a great many narrations quoted by famous Sunnite and Shi'ite sources in which the verse:

“...they are the best of all creatures”

is rendered to mean Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

Hakim Haskani Neyshaburi, one of the famous Sunnite scholars, in the fifth century A.H., has cited some narrations with different references whose number is more than twenty in his well-known book Shawahid-ut-Tanzil.

The following are some examples:

1. Ibn-Abbas says that when the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”

was revealed, the holy Prophet (S) told Hazrat Ali (as):

“It is you and your followers who will come on the Day of Reckoning when you and your followers are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing Him and your enemy will come angrily pushed (into Hell)”.3

2. Abu Barazah has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (S) who recited the verse and said:

“They are you and your followers. O' Ali! The appointment for you and me is (beside) the Pool of Abundance”4

('Haud' is the pool of 'Kawthar').

3. Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari narrates in another tradition that they were sitting with the holy Prophet (S) in the Sacred House when Ali (as) came to them.

As soon as the Prophet (S) saw him, he said:

“My brother is coming to you”.

Then, he turned toward the Ka'ba and said:

“By the Lord of this Structure! Surely this man and his followers will be triumphant on the Day of Judgement”.

Then, he addressed them and added:

“By Allah! Truly he was formost to all of you in believing in Allah; and among you all he is the most correct in obeying Allah; the most faithful in fulfilling the covenant of Allah; the hardest to the decree of Allah, the best distributor of the (treasury) in equality, the justest to the citizen and the most important in position with Allah”.

Jabir said it was then that Allah sent down the verse:

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creatures”,

and from then on whenever Ali came, the Helpers of the Prophet (S) would say:

“The best of all creatures next to the Messenger of Allah came”.5

The descent of this verse, in Mecca, does not contrast with the idea that the Surah is Medinan, because it might have been revealed, again, there. Further, the descent of this verse might have happened on one of the holy Prophet's trips from Medina to Mecca, in particular that the reporter of the narration is 'Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah-Ansari' who joined the Prophet (S) in Medina. Then, terming these kinds of verses 'Medinan' is not improbable.

Some of these traditions are cited by 'Ibn-Hijr' in 'Sawa'iq' and some others by 'Muhammad Shablanji' in 'Nur-ul-Absar'.6

A great part of the last narration is narrated from Ibn- 'Asakir, from Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah by Jalal-id-Din-Suyuti in Durr-ul-Manthur.

4. It is narrated from Ibn-'Abbas in Durr-ul-Manthur that when the verse.

“Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature.”

was revealed the holy Prophet (S) told Ali:

“It is you and your followers who, on the Day of Reckoning are well-pleased (yourselves) and well-pleasing (Him).”7

5. In another tradition, the above mentioned person narrates from Ibn-Marduyah from Hazrat Ali (as) that the Prophet (S) had told him (Ali):

“Have you not heard the word of Allah:

'Surely those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of all creature'?

You and your followers are those and the appointment place of mine and yours will be at the Pool of Abundance'. When I come for the account of nations you will be invited in the case that your foreheads are white (to be known)”.8

Many other Sunnite scholars have also cited the same meaning in their works including: Khatib Kharazmi in 'Manaqib', Abu-Na'im Isfahani in' Kifayat -ul -Khisam', 'Allamah Tabari in his famous commentary, Tabari, Ibn- Shabbaq Maliki in 'Fusul-ul-Muhimmah', Allamah Shoukani in' Fath-ul-Qadir', Shaykh Sulayman Qanduzi in 'Yanabi' -ul- Mawwadah', Alusi in' Ruh -ul -Ma'ani', and some others.

In conclusion, the above mentioned tradition is one of the famous traditions that is accepted by a great many scholars of Islam. And this, in itself, is an important, matchless excellence for Hazrat Ali (as) and his followers.

By the way, this narration makes this fact clear that the term 'Shi'ah' was applied and was spread among Muslims by the Prophet (S), himself, at that time, and it refers to the particular followers of Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as).

The Necessity of Intention in Adorations

Some of the scholars of the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence have taken the verse:

“And they were ordered no more than that they should worship Allah (alone) being sincere to Him in obedience...”

as an evidence for (niyyat) 'intention' with divine motive being necessary in 'worship' and this depends on the word 'din', here to be meant 'worship' so that it becomes a reason for the necessity of sincerity in worship.

We should also take the term

/amr/, 'command'

in this verse, unlimited in order to have a sense of necessity of intention with divine motive in all commands. However, the meaning of the verse does not seem to be either of them, but the purpose of the verse is to prove monotheism in contrast with polytheism. It means they are only invited to monotheism.

The Wonderful Heights and Depths to Which Man Can Reach

We understand, clearly, from the verses of this Surah that there is no creature in the world like, Man to be able to gain the highest ranks and being the best of all by doing righteous deeds, (note that 'righteous deeds' includes all good deeds; not only a part of them), and if he goes on the path of blasphemy and aberration he will fall so deep that he can be the worst of all creatures.

The vast, great distance between these two extremes of highness and lowliness of Man; although a very sensitive and dangerous status for him, indicates his dignity and capability of development. It is natural that Man, with such an efficiency and extraordinary potentiality, is also quite close to the possibility of extraordinary aberration.

Supplication

O Lord! We look to You, Your Grace, to gain the high rank of “The best of all creatures”.

O Lord! Count us among the followers of the man who deserves this title the best.

O Lord! Endow us with such a sincerity that we worship and love nothing but You.

Notes

1. Majma’ al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 521

2. Surah Bani Israel, No. 17, verse. 70

3. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 357, tradition 1126.

4. Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, vol. 2, p. 359, tradition 1130.

5. Shawahid-ut- Tanzil, vol 2, p 362, tradition 1139

6. al-Sawa'iq ul Muharraqah, p 96, and Nur-ul-Absar, p 70, 101

7. Durr-ul Manthur, vol 6, p 379

8. Ibid


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