English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 22: Al-Hajj — The Pilgrimage (Revealed at Makkah: 10 sections, 78 verses)
Section 9 (Verses 22:65–22:72): Divine Mercy in Dealing with People
Translation:
اَلَمۡ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمۡ مَّا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ الۡفُلۡکَ تَجۡرِیۡ فِی الۡبَحۡرِ بِاَمۡرِہٖ ؕ وَ یُمۡسِکُ السَّمَآءَ اَنۡ تَقَعَ عَلَی الۡاَرۡضِ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِہٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ ﴿۶۵﴾
22:65 Do you not see that Allah has made subservient to you all that is in the earth, and the ships gliding in the sea by His command? And He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except with His permission. Surely Allah is Compassionate, Merciful to mankind.1
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَحۡیَاکُمۡ ۫ ثُمَّ یُمِیۡتُکُمۡ ثُمَّ یُحۡیِیۡکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَکَفُوۡرٌ ﴿۶۶﴾
22:66 And He it is Who brings you to life, then He causes you to die, then He will bring you to life. Surely man is ungrateful.
لِکُلِّ اُمَّۃٍ جَعَلۡنَا مَنۡسَکًا ہُمۡ نَاسِکُوۡہُ فَلَا یُنَازِعُنَّکَ فِی الۡاَمۡرِ وَ ادۡعُ اِلٰی رَبِّکَ ؕ اِنَّکَ لَعَلٰی ہُدًی مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ ﴿۶۷﴾
22:67 To every nation We appointed acts of devotion, which they observe,2 so do not let them dispute with you in the matter, and call (them) to your Lord. Surely you are on a right guidance.
وَ اِنۡ جٰدَلُوۡکَ فَقُلِ اللّٰہُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۶۸﴾
22:68 And if they argue with you, say: Allah best knows what you do.
اَللّٰہُ یَحۡکُمُ بَیۡنَکُمۡ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ فِیۡمَا کُنۡتُمۡ فِیۡہِ تَخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ ﴿۶۹﴾
22:69 Allah will judge between you on the day of Resurrection in that in which you differ.
اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ یَعۡلَمُ مَا فِی السَّمَآءِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ فِیۡ کِتٰبٍ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ یَسِیۡرٌ ﴿۷۰﴾
22:70 Do you not know that Allah knows what is in the heaven and the earth? Surely this is in a book. That is surely easy to Allah.
وَ یَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَا لَمۡ یُنَزِّلۡ بِہٖ سُلۡطٰنًا وَّ مَا لَیۡسَ لَہُمۡ بِہٖ عِلۡمٌ ؕ وَ مَا لِلظّٰلِمِیۡنَ مِنۡ نَّصِیۡرٍ ﴿۷۱﴾
22:71 And they serve besides Allah that for which He has not sent any authority, and of which they have no knowledge. And for the unjust there is no helper.
وَ اِذَا تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتُنَا بَیِّنٰتٍ تَعۡرِفُ فِیۡ وُجُوۡہِ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوا الۡمُنۡکَرَ ؕ یَکَادُوۡنَ یَسۡطُوۡنَ بِالَّذِیۡنَ یَتۡلُوۡنَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتِنَا ؕ قُلۡ اَفَاُنَبِّئُکُمۡ بِشَرٍّ مِّنۡ ذٰلِکُمۡ ؕ اَلنَّارُ ؕ وَعَدَہَا اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ الۡمَصِیۡرُ ﴿٪۷۲﴾
22:72 And when Our clear messages are recited to them, you will notice a denial on the faces of those who disbelieve — they almost attack those who recite to them Our messages. Say: Shall I inform you of what is worse than this? The Fire. Allah has promised it to those who disbelieve. And evil is the destination.
Commentary:
- The first part of the verse gives a promise of victory to the Muslims, while the latter part warns the opponents that Allah withholds the punishment from them for a time, for He is Compassionate and Merciful to people. The withholding of the heaven means the withholding of the punishment, which the opponents were told would come down upon them from heaven. ↩
- The principle that all nations were given spiritual light is reiterated throughout the Quran. ↩