English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 76: Al-Dahr / Al-Insan — The Man (Revealed at Makkah: 2 sections, 31 verses)
Section 2 (Verses 76:23–76:31): Another Generation will be Raised Up
Translation:
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ تَنۡزِیۡلًا ﴿ۚ۲۳﴾
76:23 Surely We have revealed the Quran to you, in portions.
فَاصۡبِرۡ لِحُکۡمِ رَبِّکَ وَ لَا تُطِعۡ مِنۡہُمۡ اٰثِمًا اَوۡ کَفُوۡرًا ﴿ۚ۲۴﴾
76:24 So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord,1 and do not obey a sinner or an ungrateful one among them.
وَ اذۡکُرِ اسۡمَ رَبِّکَ بُکۡرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿ۖۚ۲۵﴾
76:25 And glorify the name of your 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 (people) 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 others like them by change.2
اِنَّ ہٰذِہٖ تَذۡکِرَۃٌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰی رَبِّہٖ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۲۹﴾
76:29 Surely this is a Reminder; so whoever wishes, 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 do not (so) wish, unless Allah please.3 Surely Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.
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 punishment.
Commentary:
- 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. ↩
- 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. ↩
- The faithful may be spoken of here; v. 29 states that whoever wishes, let him take a way to his Lord, and v. 31 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 all their wishes and desires are in accordance with Allah’s pleasure (the words conveying: you do not wish but what Allah pleases). Taking the words as a general statement, note that the chapter opens with the clear statement in v. 3, 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 wishes, let him take a way to his Lord. The words — you do not wish, unless Allah please — therefore mean that man’s choice would have no effect, if it did not please Allah. 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. ↩