Tafseer Verse number 11-20
A Threat for Whoever claims that the Qur’an is Magic
Allah threatens this wicked person whom He has favored with the blessings of this world, yet he is ungrateful for the blessings of Allah and he meets them with disbelief (in Allah) and rejection of His Ayat. He invents lies against Allah’s Ayat and claims that they are the words of a man. Allah recounts to him His favors upon him when He says,
ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً
(Leave Me alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely.) meaning, he came out of the womb of his mother alone, without any wealth or children. Then, Allah provided him with
مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً
(resources in abundance.) meaning, vast and abundant. Allah then made for him,
وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً
(And children attending.) Mujahid said, “They are not absent.” This means that they are present with him. They do not travel for business and trade. Rather, their servants and hired workers handle all of that for them while they are sitting with their father. He enjoys their company and delights in being with them.
وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً
(And made life smooth and comfortable for him.) meaning, `I made possible for him to amass wealth, luxuries and other than that.’
ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ – كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً
(After all that he desires that I should give more. Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat.) meaning, obstinate. This refers to his ungratefulness for his blessings after knowing (these blessings). Allah says,
سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً
(I shall force him to Sa`ud!) Qatadah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, “Sa`ud is a rock in Hell that the disbeliever will be dragged across on his face.” As-Suddi said, “Sa`ud is a slippery rock in Hell that he will be forced to climb.” Mujahid said,
سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً
(I shall force him to Sa`ud!) “This is a harsh portion of the torment.” Qatadah said, “It is a torment that contains no relaxation (break for relief).” Concerning Allah’s statement,
إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ
(Verily, he thought and plotted.) meaning, `We only caused him to face the grievous torment of Sa`ud, that is Our bringing him close to the harsh torment, because he was far away from faith.’ This was because he thought and plotted, meaning he contemplated what he should say about the Qur’an when he was asked about it. So he deliberated over what statement he should invent against it.
وَقَدَّرَ
(and plotted.) meaning, he contemplated.
فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ – ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ
(So let him be cursed, how he plotted! And once more let him be cursed, how he plotted!) This is a supplication against him.
ثُمَّ نَظَرَ
(Then he thought.) meaning, he thought again and deliberated.
ثُمَّ عَبَسَ
(Then he frowned) meaning, he contracted his eyebrows together and frowned.
وَبَسَرَ
(and he looked in a bad tempered way.) meaning, he scowled and was disgusted. Concerning Allah’s statement,
ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ
(Then he turned back, and was proud.) meaning, he turned away from the truth and arrogantly refused to accept and submit to the Qur’an.
فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ
(Then he said: “This is nothing but magic from that of old.”) meaning, `this is magic that Muhammad received from those who were before him, and he is merely saying what he got from them.’ This is why he said,
إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ
(This is nothing but the word of a human being!) meaning, it is not the Words of Allah. The person who is mentioned in this discussion is Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah Al-Makhzumi. He was one of the chiefs of the Quraysh — may Allah curse him. Among the narrations about this is what was reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. He (Ibn `Abbas) said, “Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah entered the house of Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah and asked him about the Qur’an. When Abu Bakr informed him about it, he left and went to the Quraysh saying, `What a great thing this is that Ibn Abi Kabshah is saying. I swear by Allah that it is not poetry, nor magic, nor the prattling of insanity. Verily, his speech is from the Words of Allah!’ So when a group of the Quraysh heard this they gathered and said, `By Allah, if Al-Walid converts (to Islam) all of the Quraysh will convert.’ When Abu Jahl bin Hisham heard this he said, `By Allah, I will deal with him for you.’ So he went to Al-Walid’s house and entered upon him. He said to Al-Walid, `Don’t you see that your people are collecting charity for you’ Al-Walid replied, `Don’t I have more wealth and children than they do’ Abu Jahl answered, `They are saying that you only went to Ibn Abi Quhafah’s house so that you can get some of his food.’ Al-Walid then said, `Is this what my tribe is saying Nay, by Allah, I am not seeking to be close to Ibn Abi Quhafah, nor `Umar, nor Ibn Abi Kabshah. And his speech is only inherited magic of old.’ So Allah revealed to His Messenger ,
ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً
(Leave me alone with whom I created lonely.) until His statement,
لاَ تُبْقِى وَلاَ تَذَرُ
(It spares not, nor does it leave (anything)!)” Qatadah said, “They claim that he (Al-Walid) said, `By Allah, I thought about what the man says, and it is not poetry. Verily, it has a sweetness and it is truly elegant. Verily, it is exalted and it is not overcome. And I have no doubt that it is magic.’ So Allah revealed,
فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ
(So let him be cursed, how he plotted!)
ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ
(Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way.) He contracted his eyes together and scowled.” Allah says,
سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ
(I will cast him into Saqar.) meaning, `I will engulf him in it from all his sides.’ Then Allah says,
وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ
(And what will make you know (exactly) what Saqar is) This is to give fright and emphasis to its matter. Then Allah explains this by His saying,
لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ
(It spares not, nor does it leave (anything)!) meaning, it eats their flesh, veins, nerves and their skins. Then their organs will be changed into something else. They will remain in this (form), not living or dying. This was stated by Ibn Buraydah, Abu Sinan and others. Concerning Allah’s statement,
لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ
(Scorching for the humans!) Mujahid said, “This means for the skin.” Qatadah said,
لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ
(Scorching for the humans!) “This means burning the skin.” Ibn `Abbas said, “Burning the skin of man.” Concerning Allah’s statement,
عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ
(Over it are nineteen.) meaning, the first of the guardians of Hell. They are magnificent in (their appearance) and harsh in their character.Previous Ayah
Tafseer Verse number 121-137
The Number of Guardians of Hell and what the Disbelievers said about that
Allah says,
وَمَا جَعَلْنَآ أَصْحَـبَ النَّارِ
(And We have set none as (Ashab) guardians of the Fire) meaning, its guardians.
إِلاَّ مَلَـئِكَةً
(but angels.) Guardian angels, stern and severe. This is a refutation of the idolators of the Quraysh when they mentioned the number of guardian angels. Abu Jahl said, “O people of Quraysh! Are not every ten among you able to defeat one of them” So Allah said,
وَمَا جَعَلْنَآ أَصْحَـبَ النَّارِ إِلاَّ مَلَـئِكَةً
(And We have set none but angels as guardians of the Fire.) meaning, extremely strong in their creation. They cannot be stood against nor defeated. It has been said that Abu Al-Ashaddayn, and his name was Kaladah bin Usayd bin Khalaf, said, “O people of Quraysh! You defend me against two of them and I will defend you against seventeen of them.” He said this thinking himself to be very great. For they claimed that he achieved such strength that he would stand on a skin of cow hide and ten people would try to pull it out from under his feet, but the skin would be torn to pieces and still not be removed from under him. Concerning Allah’s statement,
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلاَّ فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
(And We have fixed their number only as a trial for the disbelievers,) meaning, `We only have mentioned their number as being nineteen as a test from Us for mankind.’
لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ
(In order that the People of the Scripture may arrive at a certainty) meaning, so that they may know that this Messenger is true. For he speaks according to the same thing that they have with them of heavenly revealed Scriptures that came to the Prophets before him. Concerning Allah’s statement,
وَيَزْدَادَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِيمَـناً
(and that the believers may increase in faith.) meaning, to their faith. This is due to what they witness from the truthfulness of the information of their Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ.
وَلاَ يَرْتَابَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَلِيَقُولَ الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ
(and that no doubt may be left for the People of the Scripture and the believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease) meaning, among the hypocrites.
وَالْكَـفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَـذَا مَثَلاً
(and the disbelievers may say: “What does Allah intend by this example”) meaning, they say, “What is the wisdom in mentioning this here” Allah says,
كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ
(Thus Allah leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.) meaning, by way of examples like this, faith becomes firm in the hearts of some people and it is shaken with others. This has a profound wisdom and it is an irrefutable proof. None knows the Soldiers of Allah except Him Allah says,
وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلاَّ هُوَ
(And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He.) meaning, none knows their number and their count except Allah. This is so that one does not make the mistake of thinking that they are only nineteen in all. It has been confirmed in the Hadith concerning Al-Isra’ that is reported in the Two Sahihs and other collections, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in describing the Frequented House (Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur), which is in the seventh heaven,
«فَإِذَا هُوَ يَدْخُلُهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ لَا يَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَيْهِم»
(Seventy thousand angels enter into it every day and they do not return to it as it is all that is due upon them (one visit in their lifetime).) Concerning Allah’s statement,
وَمَا هِىَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْبَشَرِ
(And this is nothing but a reminder to mankind.) Mujahid and others said,
وَمَا هِىَ
(And this is not.) “This means the Hellfire which has been described.”
إِلاَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْبَشَرِ
(but a reminder to mankind. ) Then Allah says,
كَلاَّ وَالْقَمَرِ – وَالَّيْلِ إِذْ أَدْبَرَ
(Nay! And by the moon. And by the night when it withdraws.) meaning, when it withdraws.
وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَآ أَسْفَرَ
(And by the dawn when it brightens.) meaning, when it shines.
إِنَّهَا لإِحْدَى الْكُبَرِ
(Verily, it is but one of the greatest (signs).) meaning, the great things. This refers to the Hellfire. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others of the Salaf, all said this.
نَذِيراً لِّلْبَشَرِ – لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوْ يَتَأَخَّرَ
(A warning to mankind — to any of you that chooses to go forward, or to remain behind.) meaning, for whoever wishes to accept the warning and be guided to the truth, or hold back from accepting it, turn away from it and reject it.Previous Ayah