سورة الأحقاف   

Surah Name: Al-Ahqaf Meaning: The Sandhills (Sand-dunes)

  • Revealed at Madinah
  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 4
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 35
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 46
  • Rukū / Section 2 contains Āyāt / Parts 10
  • Siparah/ Volume 26

bismillah

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِذْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا بِهِ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَذَا إِفْكٌ قَدِيمٌ

Waqala allatheena kafaroo lillatheena amanoo law kana khayran ma sabaqoona ilayhi waith lam yahtadoo bihi fasayaqooloona hatha ifkun qadeem(un)

And they who disbelieve say of those who believe: Had it been good they would not have preceded us thereto. And when they have not let themselves guided by it, they say: This is an ancient falsehood.

(46:11)

وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Wamin qablihi kitabu moosa imaman warahmatan wahatha kitabun musaddiqun lisanan AAarabiyyan liyunthira allatheena thalamoo wabushra lilmuhsineen(a)

And prior to it there has been the Book of Musa-AS a guidance and a Mercy. And this is a Book confirming it in Arabic speech, that it may warn those who have done wrong and as glad tidings to the well-doers.

(46:12)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Inna allatheena qaloo rabbuna Allahu thumma istaqamoo fala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoon(a)

Verily those who say: Our Rabb-SWT is Allah-SWT, and then stand fast to it, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.

(46:13)

أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا جَزَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Olaika ashabu aljannati khalideena feeha jazaan bima kanoo yaAAmaloon(a)

Those are the inmates of the Garden, abiders therein: A recompense for what they have been working.

(46:14)

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

Wawassayna alinsana biwalidayhi ihsanan hamalathu ommuhu kurhan wawadaAAathu kurhan wahamluhu wafisaluhu thalathoona shahran hatta itha balagha ashuddahu wabalagha arbaAAeena sanatan qala rabbi awziAAnee an ashkura niAAmataka allatee anAAamta AAalayya waAAala walidayya waan aAAmala salihan tardahu waaslih lee fee thurriyyatee innee tubtu ilayka wainnee mina almuslimeen(a)

And We-SWT have enjoined upon man kindness to the parents, with hardship bears him his mother, and with hardship she brings him forth, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, until, when he attains his full strength and attains the age of forty years, he says: Rabb-SWT ! Grant me that I may give thanks for the favour which You-SWT have done me and my parents and that I may work righteously such as You-SWT may approve. And be You-SWT good in my progeny, verily I have turned to You-SWT penitent; verily I am of those who submit.

(46:15)

أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا وَنَتَجاوَزُ عَن سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ فِي أَصْحَابِ الْجَنَّةِ وَعْدَ الصِّدْقِ الَّذِي كَانُوا يُوعَدُونَ

Olaika allatheena nataqabbalu AAanhum ahsana ma AAamiloo wanatajawazu AAan sayyiatihim fee ashabi aljannati waAAda a(l)ssidqi allathee kanoo yooAAadoon(a)

Those are they from whom We-SWT shall accept the best of what they have worked, and their misdeeds We shall pass by. They will be among the inmates of the Garden-a true promise this, what they have been promised.

(46:16)

وَالَّذِي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَّكُمَا أَتَعِدَانِنِي أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ الْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِي وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ اللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ آمِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

Wa(a)llathee qala liwalidayhi offin lakuma ataAAidaninee an okhraja waqad khalati alquroonu min qablee wahuma yastagheethani Allaha waylaka amin inna waAAda Allahi haqqun fayaqoolu ma hatha illa asateeru alawwaleen(a)

And he who says to his parents: Fie upon you both! Do you threaten me that I shall be taken forth, whereas generations have passed away before me. And the twain implore Allah-SWT‘s assistance; woe to you! Come to believe, verily the promise of Allaah-SWT is true. Yet he says: This is nothing but the fables of the ancients.

(46:17)

أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا خَاسِرِينَ

Olaika allatheena haqqa AAalayhimu alqawlu fee umamin qad khalat min qablihim mina aljinni wa(a)linsi innahum kanoo khasireen(a)

Those are they upon whom has been justified the saying about the communities of Jinn and mankind who have passed away before them; verily they are ever the losers.

(46:18)

وَلِكُلٍّ دَرَجَاتٌ مِّمَّا عَمِلُوا وَلِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Walikullin darajatun mimma AAamiloo waliyuwaffiyahum aAAmalahum wahum la yuthlamoon(a)

And for all are ranks according to what they have worked, that He-SWT may repay them in full for their work, and they shall not be wronged.

.(46:19)

وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَلَى النَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَاتِكُمْ فِي حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَاسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهَا فَالْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَفْسُقُونَ

Wayawma yuAAradu allatheena kafaroo AAala a(l)nnari athhabtum tayyibatikum fee hayatikumu a(l)ddunya wa(i)stamtaAAtum biha fa(a)lyawma tujzawna AAathaba alhooni bima kuntum tastakbiroona fee alardi bighayri alhaqqi wabima kuntum tafsuqoon(a)

And on the Day when those who disbelieve shall be placed before the Fire: You made away with your good things in your life of the world, and you enjoyed yourselves therewith, so Today you shall be requited with torment of ignominy because you have been growing stiff-necked on the earth without justification, and because you have been transgressing.

(46:20)

In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Self-conceit pushes a person to his own choice as the criterion, like these infidels. They assert that had Islam been the Divine Religion having any merit, they would have accepted it, and the poor would not have preceded them. They think that because they are better of than the believers in temporal affluence, they deserve to avail all goodness. Denied the guidance, they label Quran as false like fables of the ancient, though the Scriptures revealed before it were also based on Truth. For instance, the Torah revealed to Prophet Musa-AS was guidance and a source of countless blessings for his nation. Besides the eternal bliss, they were also given success in this world, as a great Divine Mercy. Now this Book revealed in clear Arabic language not only endorses it but also testifies the prophecy of its revelation by the Torah. It forewarns the transgressors and the infidels of the evil consequences of denial, and gives glad tidings to those who obey Allaah-SWT after embracing Islam with due sincerity.

 

Who are Mohsinin?

Those who acknowledge Allaah-SWT as their Rabb-SWT , pin all hopes on Him-SWT with utmost sincerity and persevere on true beliefs and practices for the rest of their lives. They will have no fears of any punishment, nor will they grieve over leaving this world. They will enter Jannah gleefully to abide therein. This will be Allah-SWT ‘s favour unto them because of their noble conduct. Allaah-SWT has also enjoined upon mankind mutual rights besides His-SWT own. The foremost among them is kindness to parents, especially to the mother, who endures lots of pain through the process of pregnancy, delivery and suckling, spread over thirty months.

 

Pregnancy and the Period of Lactation

Here the duration of pregnancy and lactation is thirty months, while in an another Ayah it is two years. Thus the minimum period of gestation is six months; the baby does not completely develop before this period. The maximum duration of a pregnancy has not been determined; it may well be in years while the breast feeding is two years. Imam Abu Hanifa-RAU adds another six months subject to the provision that the baby does not take any other food or is weak etc. Otherwise all the scholars agree that breastfeeding is upto two years. Beyond this period, if a baby is breast fed by some other woman, the rules of fosterage will not apply.

 

The baby grows into maturity (generally 18 years) and steps into practical life. He learns from his experiences until at forty, he becomes pragmatic and begins to handle the affairs of life deliberately instead of being impulsive. It is then that he begins to appreciate deeply the greatness of parents and the toilsome process of bringing up children which they go through. He therefore, pleads: "Rabb-SWT ! Grant me that I may give thanks for the favour which You-SWT have done me and my parents and that I may work righteously such as You-SWT may approve. And be You-SWT good in my progeny, verily I have turned to You-SWT penitent; verily I am of those who submit."

 

Abu Bakr Siddiq-RAU

Quran is for the entire mankind. Yet the Commentators assert that the very first practical example of this Ayah was Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq-RAU. At 18, he accompanied the Holy Prophet-SW on a business trip and never left his-SW side. When the Holy Prophet-SW declared Prophethood, he was 38 and was the first to embrace Islam. His parents followed suit and his grandchildren enjoyed the honour of Companionship down to four generations.

 

Such are the souls whose piety Allaah-SWT accepts and whose omissions He-SWT overlooks. They are the dwellers of Jannah, who shall fully avail His-SWT Promise. And there are the unfortunate people who, despite having been born to Muslim parents, go astray (May Allaah-SWT protect us) and when advised by their parents, scold them in arrogance. They advise avoiding such beliefs like quickening after death for centuries have gone by and never did anyone come back to life. Their parents plead with them to realize that Allah-SWT ‘s Promise will certainly come true; yet they insist that these are myths of the old. For them the Promise of a doom will come true including those in the preceding nations who had acted in the similar manner, be they human or Jinn. Every nation and each individual will have the due share of reward or retribution commensurate to their conduct and none will be wronged in the least.

 

The Reward for the Noble Deed of an Infidel

The Day the infidels are driven to Hell, they will recall their noble deeds, for instance, helping the needy or construction of hospitals and wells etc in the temporal life. They will be told that since they had acted piously only for worldly purposes, affluence or fame or for averting a distress, without ever believing in the Akhirah, they had already availed their reward there. Now they will be kept in a humiliating torment for being arrogant  on Allah-SWT‘s  land and for His-SWT disobedience, a natural outcome of such attitude.

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