English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

Chapter 54: Al-Qamar — The Moon (Revealed at Makkah: 3 sections, 55 verses)

Section 3 (Verses 54:41–54:55): Pharaoh and the Prophet’s Opponents

Translation:

وَ لَقَدۡ جَآءَ اٰلَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ النُّذُرُ ﴿ۚ۴۱﴾

54:41 And certainly the warning came to Pharaoh’s people.

کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا کُلِّہَا فَاَخَذۡنٰہُمۡ اَخۡذَ عَزِیۡزٍ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ ﴿۴۲﴾

54:42 They rejected all Our signs, so We caught them with the seizing of the Mighty, the Powerful.

اَکُفَّارُکُمۡ خَیۡرٌ مِّنۡ اُولٰٓئِکُمۡ اَمۡ لَکُمۡ بَرَآءَۃٌ فِی الزُّبُرِ ﴿ۚ۴۳﴾

54:43 Are your disbelievers better than these, or have you (been granted) an immunity in the scriptures?

اَمۡ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ نَحۡنُ جَمِیۡعٌ مُّنۡتَصِرٌ ﴿۴۴﴾

54:44 Or do they say: We are an army allied together to help each other?

سَیُہۡزَمُ الۡجَمۡعُ وَ یُوَلُّوۡنَ الدُّبُرَ ﴿۴۵﴾

54:45 Soon shall the armies be routed, and they will show (their) backs.¹

بَلِ السَّاعَۃُ مَوۡعِدُہُمۡ وَ السَّاعَۃُ اَدۡہٰی وَ اَمَرُّ ﴿۴۶﴾

54:46 Indeed, the Hour is their promised time, and the Hour is most grievous and bitter.²

اِنَّ الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ وَّ سُعُرٍ ﴿ۘ۴۷﴾

54:47 Surely the guilty are in error and distress.

یَوۡمَ یُسۡحَبُوۡنَ فِی النَّارِ عَلٰی وُجُوۡہِہِمۡ ؕ ذُوۡقُوۡا مَسَّ سَقَرَ ﴿۴۸﴾

54:48 On the day when they are dragged into the Fire upon their faces: Taste the touch of hell.³

اِنَّا کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقۡنٰہُ بِقَدَرٍ ﴿۴۹﴾

54:49 Surely We have created everything according to a measure.⁴

وَ مَاۤ اَمۡرُنَاۤ اِلَّا وَاحِدَۃٌ کَلَمۡحٍۭ بِالۡبَصَرِ ﴿۵۰﴾

54:50 And Our command is but once, as the twinkling of an eye.

وَ لَقَدۡ اَہۡلَکۡنَاۤ اَشۡیَاعَکُمۡ فَہَلۡ مِنۡ مُّدَّکِرٍ ﴿۵۱﴾

54:51 And certainly We destroyed your fellows, but is there anyone who will be mindful?

وَ کُلُّ شَیۡءٍ فَعَلُوۡہُ فِی الزُّبُرِ ﴿۵۲﴾

54:52 And everything they do is in the writings.

وَ کُلُّ صَغِیۡرٍ وَّ کَبِیۡرٍ مُّسۡتَطَرٌ ﴿۵۳﴾

54:53 And everything small and great is written down.

اِنَّ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ فِیۡ جَنّٰتٍ وَّ نَہَرٍ ﴿ۙ۵۴﴾

54:54 Surely the dutiful will be among Gardens and rivers,

فِیۡ مَقۡعَدِ صِدۡقٍ عِنۡدَ مَلِیۡکٍ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ ﴿٪۵۵﴾

54:55 in the seat of truth, with a most Powerful King.

Commentary:

1. It is related that the Holy Prophet prayed within his tent on the day of Badr, saying: “O Lord, I beseech You according to Your covenant and Your pro­mise; O Lord, if such is Your will (i.e. defeat for the Muslims), You may not be served after this day”. Abu Bakr took his hand and said: “Allah is sufficient for you, O Messenger of Allah”. So the Holy Prophet went out and he recited the verses 45–46 occurring here (Bukhari, 56:89). This shows how the Holy Prophet and his companions read prophecies of the vanquishment of the opponents in words rela­ting apparently to the Hereafter. ↩
2. The report referred to in the last footnote shows that the Holy Prophet understood the Hour to mean the hour or time of the discomfiture of the Quraish, and looked upon the battle of Badr as fulfilling this prophecy. ↩
3. The Quraish who were slain at Badr were removed to a pit for burial, and the Holy Prophet is reported as having addressed them thus: “Surely we have found true what our Lord promised us: have you too found true what your Lord promised you?” The punishment of this life is called here a touch of hell. ↩
4. So that even nations and people cannot go beyond a certain limit. ↩

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