English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

وَ لَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا فِی السَّمَآءِ بُرُوۡجًا وَّ زَیَّنّٰہَا لِلنّٰظِرِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۱۶﴾

15:16 And certainly We have made strongholds in the heaven, and We have made it attractive for the onlookers,

وَ حَفِظۡنٰہَا مِنۡ کُلِّ شَیۡطٰنٍ رَّجِیۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۱۷﴾

15:17 and We guard it against every accursed devil,

اِلَّا مَنِ اسۡتَرَقَ السَّمۡعَ فَاَتۡبَعَہٗ شِہَابٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۱۸﴾

15:18 but he who steals a hearing; so there follows him a visible flame.¹

وَ الۡاَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنٰہَا وَ اَلۡقَیۡنَا فِیۡہَا رَوَاسِیَ وَ اَنۡۢبَتۡنَا فِیۡہَا مِنۡ کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ مَّوۡزُوۡنٍ ﴿۱۹﴾

15:19 And the earth — We have spread it out and made in it firm mountains and caused to grow in it of every suitable thing.

وَ جَعَلۡنَا لَکُمۡ فِیۡہَا مَعَایِشَ وَ مَنۡ لَّسۡتُمۡ لَہٗ بِرٰزِقِیۡنَ ﴿۲۰﴾

15:20 And We have made in it means of subsistence for you and for those (creatures) for whom you do not provide.

وَ اِنۡ مِّنۡ شَیۡءٍ اِلَّا عِنۡدَنَا خَزَآئِنُہٗ ۫ وَ مَا نُنَزِّلُہٗۤ اِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ ﴿۲۱﴾

15:21 And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it, and We do not send it down but in a known measure.

وَ اَرۡسَلۡنَا الرِّیٰحَ لَوَاقِحَ فَاَنۡزَلۡنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَاَسۡقَیۡنٰکُمُوۡہُ ۚ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ لَہٗ بِخٰزِنِیۡنَ ﴿۲۲﴾

15:22 And We send the winds fertilizing, then send down water from the clouds,² so We give it to you to drink; nor is it you who store it up.

وَ اِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ نُحۡیٖ وَ نُمِیۡتُ وَ نَحۡنُ الۡوٰرِثُوۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾

15:23 And surely it is We, Who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritors.³

وَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا الۡمُسۡتَقۡدِمِیۡنَ مِنۡکُمۡ وَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا الۡمُسۡتَاۡخِرِیۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾

15:24 And certainly We know those among you who go forward and We certainly know those who lag behind.

وَ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ ہُوَ یَحۡشُرُہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّہٗ حَکِیۡمٌ عَلِیۡمٌ ﴿٪۲۵﴾

15:25 And surely your Lord will gather them together. He indeed is Wise, Knowing.⁴

The three verses 16–18 speak of the soothsayers and the diviners, who were among the opponents of the Holy Prophet; they pretended to receive communications from on high. We are here told that they were really driven from the Divine presence, and therefore could not have any access to that source of purity. In speaking of the divinations as being followed by a visible flame, it is indicated that they meet with failure and disappointment. The description of spiritual truths in words relating to physical laws prevailing in the world is of common occurrence in the Quran. ↩
The fertilizing winds represent the signs of the progress of Islam before its final triumph, which is indicated by the rain from the clouds. ↩
One who inherits is the one who remains after another has perished. The announcement made here is a prophecy that the true worshippers of Allah will be heirs in the land while the others will perish. ↩
One meaning is that those who are foremost in accepting truth and those who lag behind in accepting it will all be gathered together, i.e., ultimately those who now lag behind will be brought over to the right course. ↩