English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (1951/2002)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
سُوۡرَۃُ الدَّھۡرِ مَکِّیَّۃٌ
Chapter 76
Al-Insan / Ad-Dahr
The Man
Revealed at Makkah
(2 sections; 31 verses)
Introductory Note by Translator: The last chapter having shown the truth of the Resurrection, this deals with man’s attainment to perfection, which is the true object of his life, and is called The Man, the word itself occurring in the opening verse of the chapter. The first section shows how man is created out of nothing, and then the way to perfection is pointed out to him. It is then shown that in the attainment of perfection there are two stages, the first stage being the perfect suppression of all evil tendencies or the stage of attaining to sinlessness, but the goal lies far beyond. It is the way uphill, as it is termed elsewhere and briefly hinted at here. The pilgrim must be prepared to accomplish the most difficult tasks and to perform astonishing deeds of sacrifice in the way of Allah. The second section shows that, if those addressed by the Holy Prophet do not accept his message, Allah will cause another people to take their place, for the Quran, being the perfect revelation of the Almighty, must accomplish the object which it has set before itself, and that object is none other than to enable man to attain to perfection. Its revelation belongs to a very early Makkan period.
بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Section 1: Attainment of Perfection
رکوع ۱
ہَلۡ اَتٰی عَلَی الۡاِنۡسَانِ حِیۡنٌ مِّنَ الدَّہۡرِ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ شَیۡئًا مَّذۡکُوۡرًا ﴿۱﴾
76:1 Surely there came over man a time when he was nothing that could be mentioned.
اِنَّا خَلَقۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ مِنۡ نُّطۡفَۃٍ اَمۡشَاجٍ ٭ۖ نَّبۡتَلِیۡہِ فَجَعَلۡنٰہُ سَمِیۡعًۢا بَصِیۡرًا ﴿۲﴾
76:2 Surely We have created man from sperm mixed (with ovum), to try him, so We have made him hearing, seeing.
اِنَّا ہَدَیۡنٰہُ السَّبِیۡلَ اِمَّا شَاکِرًا وَّ اِمَّا کَفُوۡرًا ﴿۳﴾
76:3 We have truly shown him the way; he may be thankful or unthankful.a
3a (Commentary on 76:3) The right way is shown clearly; it is for man himself to walk in it and thus be thankful, or away from it and thus be unthankful. Or the meaning may be he may accept or reject.
اِنَّاۤ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ سَلٰسِلَا۠ وَ اَغۡلٰلًا وَّ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿۴﴾
76:4 Surely We have prepared for the disbelievers chains and shackles and a burning Fire.a
4a (Commentary on 76:4) See 69:32a.
اِنَّ الۡاَبۡرَارَ یَشۡرَبُوۡنَ مِنۡ کَاۡسٍ کَانَ مِزَاجُہَا کَافُوۡرًا ۚ﴿۵﴾
76:5 The righteous truly drink of a cup tempered with camphora —
5a (Commentary on 76:5) The original for camphor is kāfūr, which is derived from kafr meaning to cover or to suppress. Medically camphor is a cool and refreshing aromatic, but here it is used in reference to its original significance. The cup of which the righteous drink is the cup of the love of Allah, and its mixture with kāfūr is to indicate that by this cup all low desires and sexual passions which lead man away from the path of righteousness are suppressed, in the same manner as poisonous matter is suppressed by camphor. Man needs an intoxication and for it he generally resorts to alcoholic drinks, which bring in their train evil and slavery to sexual passions. The Prophet intoxicated his followers with the love of Allah, and as a result of this, their evil tendencies were altogether suppressed. vv. 7 and 8 show clearly that it is of the change brought about in this very life that the Holy Quran is speaking here. In the spiritual advancement of man this is the first stage, because it is not until the evil tendencies of man are completely suppressed that he is able to advance to the higher stages of spiritual perfection.
عَیۡنًا یَّشۡرَبُ بِہَا عِبَادُ اللّٰہِ یُفَجِّرُوۡنَہَا تَفۡجِیۡرًا ﴿۶﴾
76:6 A fountain from which the servants of Allah drink,a making it flow in abundance.
6a (Commentary on 76:6) The fountain from which the servants of Allah drink is the fountain of the love of God referred to in the previous verse. It is not a cup which may be exhausted with one draught; it is a fountain. The faithful are here spoken of as the servants of Allah — ‘ibād Allah — because an ‘abd is really one who is entirely lost in the love of God. But here we are further told that they not only drink of it themselves but they make it to flow forth in such abundance that others also may partake of it.
یُوۡفُوۡنَ بِالنَّذۡرِ وَ یَخَافُوۡنَ یَوۡمًا کَانَ شَرُّہٗ مُسۡتَطِیۡرًا ﴿۷﴾
76:7 They fulfil vows and fear a day, the evil of which is widespread.
وَ یُطۡعِمُوۡنَ الطَّعَامَ عَلٰی حُبِّہٖ مِسۡکِیۡنًا وَّ یَتِیۡمًا وَّ اَسِیۡرًا ﴿۸﴾
76:8 And they give food, out of love for Him, to the poor and the orphan and the captive.
اِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُکُمۡ لِوَجۡہِ اللّٰہِ لَا نُرِیۡدُ مِنۡکُمۡ جَزَآءً وَّ لَا شُکُوۡرًا ﴿۹﴾
76:9 We feed you, for Allah’s pleasure only — We desire from you neither reward nor thanks.a
9a (Commentary on 76:9) The fulfilment of vows spoken of in v. 7 is in relation to the service of God, or the act of bringing themselves closer and closer to God, while the feeding of the poor spoken of here is in relation to the service of humanity. Thus they combine the service of God with the service of humanity. The words for Allah’s pleasure (Ar., wajh) clearly show that it is of the love of God that these verses speak. Man worships Allah for the love of Allah, but the Holy Quran requires him to serve humanity also for the love of Allah.
اِنَّا نَخَافُ مِنۡ رَّبِّنَا یَوۡمًا عَبُوۡسًا قَمۡطَرِیۡرًا ﴿۱۰﴾
76:10 Surely we fear from our Lord a stern, distressful day.
فَوَقٰہُمُ اللّٰہُ شَرَّ ذٰلِکَ الۡیَوۡمِ وَ لَقّٰہُمۡ نَضۡرَۃً وَّ سُرُوۡرًا ﴿ۚ۱۱﴾
76:11 So Allah will ward off from them the evil of that day, and cause them to meet with splendour and happiness;
وَ جَزٰىہُمۡ بِمَا صَبَرُوۡا جَنَّۃً وَّ حَرِیۡرًا ﴿ۙ۱۲﴾
76:12 And reward them, for their steadfastness, with a Garden and with silk,
مُّتَّکِـِٕیۡنَ فِیۡہَا عَلَی الۡاَرَآئِکِ ۚ لَا یَرَوۡنَ فِیۡہَا شَمۡسًا وَّ لَا زَمۡہَرِیۡرًا ﴿ۚ۱۳﴾
76:13 Reclining therein on raised couches; they will see therein neither (excessive heat of) sun nor intense cold.
وَ دَانِیَۃً عَلَیۡہِمۡ ظِلٰلُہَا وَ ذُلِّلَتۡ قُطُوۡفُہَا تَذۡلِیۡلًا ﴿۱۴﴾
76:14 And close down upon them are its shadows, and its fruits are made near (to them), easy to reach.
وَ یُطَافُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ بِاٰنِیَۃٍ مِّنۡ فِضَّۃٍ وَّ اَکۡوَابٍ کَانَتۡ قَؔوَارِیۡرَا۠ ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾
76:15 And round about them are made to go vessels of silver and goblets of glass,
قَؔوَارِیۡرَا۠ مِنۡ فِضَّۃٍ قَدَّرُوۡہَا تَقۡدِیۡرًا ﴿۱۶﴾
76:16 Crystal-clear, made of silver — they have measured them according to a measure.a
16a (Commentary on 76:16) That is, everyone will receive them according to the measure of his deeds.
وَ یُسۡقَوۡنَ فِیۡہَا کَاۡسًا کَانَ مِزَاجُہَا زَنۡجَبِیۡلًا ﴿ۚ۱۷﴾
76:17 And they are made to drink therein a cup tempered with gingera —
17a (Commentary on 76:17) The Arabic word for ginger is zanjabīl. It is said to have a property that is heating or warming, strengthening to the venereal faculty, clearing to the phlegm, sharpening to the intellect and exhilarating (LL). The first cup of the love of God is spoken of in v. 5, as being tempered with camphor and bringing about suppression of evil, and this second cup is now spoken of as strengthening and exhilarating, i.e., enabling man to perform great and noble deeds. The love of God thus not only suppresses the evil inclinations of man, but also enables him to attain a still higher stage of spiritual advancement, giving him the strength to perform wonderful deeds of self-sacrifice.
عَیۡنًا فِیۡہَا تُسَمّٰی سَلۡسَبِیۡلًا ﴿۱۸﴾
76:18 (Of) a fountain therein called Salsabīl.a
18a (Commentary on 76:18) Salsabīl means easy, sweet, rapid-flowing (R). According to some it is made up of sal, meaning ask thou, and sabīl, way, as if it meant, Ask thy Lord a way to it. It is now applied to an artificial fountain throwing up water (LL).
وَ یَطُوۡفُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وِلۡدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُوۡنَ ۚ اِذَا رَاَیۡتَہُمۡ حَسِبۡتَہُمۡ لُؤۡلُؤًا مَّنۡثُوۡرًا ﴿۱۹﴾
76:19 And round about them will go youths, never altering in age; when thou seest them thou wilt think them to be scattered pearls.a
19a (Commentary on 76:19) Because these are heavenly blessings, and decay cannot overtake them; see 56:17a.
وَ اِذَا رَاَیۡتَ ثَمَّ رَاَیۡتَ نَعِیۡمًا وَّ مُلۡکًا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۲۰﴾
76:20 And when thou lookest thither, thou seest blessings and a great kingdom.a
20a (Commentary on 76:20) The word thamma — it is different from thumma — meaning there or thither is used here in reference to the spiritual kingdom which is granted to the faithful. They are granted blessings and a great kingdom in this life as well, to which man shuts his eyes on account of his ignorance. Note, however, that the faithful followers of the Prophet were granted material blessings and a great temporal kingdom as well, a kingdom which they inherited from the Prophet himself and which subsists to this day, and is indeed widening daily.
عٰلِیَہُمۡ ثِیَابُ سُنۡدُسٍ خُضۡرٌ وَّ اِسۡتَبۡرَقٌ ۫ وَّ حُلُّوۡۤا اَسَاوِرَ مِنۡ فِضَّۃٍ ۚ وَ سَقٰہُمۡ رَبُّہُمۡ شَرَابًا طَہُوۡرًا ﴿۲۱﴾
76:21 On them are garments of fine green silk and thick brocade, and they are adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord makes them to drink a pure drink.a
21a (Commentary on 76:21) As they led pure lives here, they were made to drink a pure drink in this very life. They will have a pure drink in the Hereafter, too, the heavenly life being the purest that can be imagined.
اِنَّ ہٰذَا کَانَ لَکُمۡ جَزَآءً وَّ کَانَ سَعۡیُکُمۡ مَّشۡکُوۡرًا ﴿٪۲۲﴾
76:22 Surely this is a reward for you, and your striving is recompensed.
Section 2: Another Generation will be raised up
رکوع ۲
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ تَنۡزِیۡلًا ﴿ۚ۲۳﴾
76:23 Surely We have revealed the Quran to thee, in portions.
فَاصۡبِرۡ لِحُکۡمِ رَبِّکَ وَ لَا تُطِعۡ مِنۡہُمۡ اٰثِمًا اَوۡ کَفُوۡرًا ﴿ۚ۲۴﴾
76:24 So wait patiently for the judgment of thy Lord,a and obey not a sinner or an ungrateful one among them.
24a (Commentary on 76:24) This shows that the blessings mentioned in the previous section will also find a manifestation in this life; the Divine judgment will bring about the fall of one party and the rise of another.
وَ اذۡکُرِ اسۡمَ رَبِّکَ بُکۡرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿ۖۚ۲۵﴾
76:25 And glorify the name of thy Lord morning and evening.
وَ مِنَ الَّیۡلِ فَاسۡجُدۡ لَہٗ وَ سَبِّحۡہُ لَیۡلًا طَوِیۡلًا ﴿۲۶﴾
76:26 And during part of the night adore Him, and glorify Him throughout a long night.
اِنَّ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ یُحِبُّوۡنَ الۡعَاجِلَۃَ وَ یَذَرُوۡنَ وَرَآءَہُمۡ یَوۡمًا ثَقِیۡلًا ﴿۲۷﴾
76:27 Surely these love the transitory life and neglect a grievous day before them.
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنٰہُمۡ وَ شَدَدۡنَاۤ اَسۡرَہُمۡ ۚ وَ اِذَا شِئۡنَا بَدَّلۡنَاۤ اَمۡثَالَہُمۡ تَبۡدِیۡلًا ﴿۲۸﴾
76:28 We created them and made firm their make, and, when We will, We can bring in their place the like of them by change.a
28a (Commentary on 76:28) The mention of the grievous day in the previous verse and the statement here that another people will take the place of these are clear prophecies for this life. Hence it is called a warning in the verse that follows.
اِنَّ ہٰذِہٖ تَذۡکِرَۃٌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰی رَبِّہٖ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۲۹﴾
76:29 Surely this is a Reminder; so whoever will, let him take a way to his Lord.
وَ مَا تَشَآءُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ یَّشَآءَ اللّٰہُ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَلِیۡمًا حَکِیۡمًا ﴿٭ۖ۳۰﴾
76:30 And you will not, unless Allah please.a Surely Allah is ever Knowing, Wise —
30a (Commentary on 76:30) As the context clearly shows, the faithful are spoken of here; the previous verse states that whoever will, let him take a way to his Lord, and the verse that follows refers to the faithful in the words, He admits whom He pleases to His mercy. The meaning is that true and sincere believers have so completely submitted themselves to the Divine will and are so completely resigned that they have no desires of their own, and all their desires are in accordance with Allah’s pleasure.
Taking the words as a general statement, there can still be little doubt as to their real significance. The chapter opens with the clear statement, We have truly shown him the way; he may be thankful or unthankful; so that man has not been constrained by God to adopt a particular course, whether for good or for evil. The end of the chapter is equally clear: Surely this is a Reminder; so whoever will, let him take a way to his Lord. The words — you will not, unless Allah please — therefore mean that man’s choice would have no effect, if it did not please Allah. We can easily see that there are two things necessary for the guidance of man: firstly, the revelation of the Reminder by Allah, and secondly, the acceptance of that Reminder by man. If Allah had not pleased to reveal the Reminder, man’s choice would have been nowhere.
یُّدۡخِلُ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ فِیۡ رَحۡمَتِہٖ ؕ وَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ اَعَدَّ لَہُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿٪۳۱﴾
76:31 He admits whom He pleases to His mercy; and the wrongdoers — He has prepared for them a painful chastisement.