هذه السورة، وهي مكية، تصف بعض جوانب الاستقبال الذي لقيه الإسلام من المشركين. فهي تحكي إجاباتهم السطحية الهينة عن حججه وآياته، وتبيّن رفضهم العنيد للحق، وكيف كانوا يتبعون أهواءهم دون حياء. كما يصوّر القرآن عقولهم مختومة عن الهداية الإلهية، تتيه في أي اتجاه تقودها أهواؤها. ومع ذلك ظل القرآن يواجههم بآيات الله، ويذكّرهم بعقابه، ويصف ثوابه وسننه التي تجري في الكون.

This surah, revealed in Makkah, describes some aspects of the reception Islam received from the idolaters. It reports their facile answers to its arguments and signs, states their stubborn rejection of the truth and shows how they unashamedly pursued desire. The Qur’an also portrays their minds as sealed to Divine guidance, straying in whatever direction their fancies led them. Yet the Qur’an continued to confront them with God’s signs, reminded them of God’s punishment and described His reward and His laws that operate in the universe.

وفي وصف السورة لأولئك الذين عارضوا الدعوة في مكة، نرى جماعةً أصرّت على الضلال، ورفضت الحق عناداً، وأساءت في وصفها لله وآياته. وقد وصفتهم السورة بما يستحقون، وحذّرتهم من عذاب الله الأليم المُهين: ﴿وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ * يَسْمَعُ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ * وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا شَيْئًا اتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ * مِّن وَرَائِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا شَيْئًا وَلَا مَا اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾ (الجاثية: 7-10).

As the surah describes those who opposed the message in Makkah, we see a group of people who insisted on going astray, who stubbornly rejected the truth and who were rude in their description of God and His revelations. Such people are described in the surah in the terms they deserve. They are also warned against God’s grievous and humiliating punishment: “Woe betide every lying, sinful person who hears God's revelations being recited to him, and yet persists in his haughty disdain, as though he had not heard them. So, give him the news of painful suffering. When he learns something ofOur revelations, he ridicules it. For such people there is humiliating suffering in store. Hell lurks behind them; and all that they may have gained shall be of no avail whatsoever to them, nor shall any of those which they took for their protectors beside God. Grievous suffering awaits them ” (Verses 7-10)

نرى أيضًا جماعةً من الناس، لعلهم من الذين أُوتوا الكتب السابقة، لكنهم استولت عليهم الظنون السيئة وسوء التقدير. كانوا يولون حقيقة الإيمان قليلَ اهتمام، ويرون تفاوتًا يسيرًا بين من يعملون السيئات ومن يعملون الصالحات. وتُبيّن السورةُ لهم بجلاء أن ثمة فرقًا هائلًا بين هذين الصنفين في ميزان الله. وتصفهم بأنهم يحكمون بالظن الفاسد، وتوضح أن الله يحكم بين الخلق بالعدل المطلق، وهو العدل المغروس في صميم الكون منذ بدء الخلق: ﴿أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ * وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ﴾ [الجاثية: 21-22].

We also see a group of people, perhaps belonging to those who received earlier revelations but who were given to ill thoughts and misjudgement. They paid little attention to the truth of faith and saw little difference between those who did evil and those who did good works. The surah makes it abundantly clear to them that there is a huge difference between these two types on Gods scales. It describes them as ill-judging and makes it clear that God judges all on the basis of absolute justice, which has been ingrained within the core of the universe since the beginning of creation: “Do those who indulge in sinful deeds think that We shall place them, both in their life and their death, on an equal footing with those who believe and do righteous deeds? Flawed is their judgement. God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with the truth, so that every soul shall be recompensed according to its deeds. None shall be wronged.” (Verses 21-22)

وَنَرَى أيضًا مَن لا يملك معيارًا لِلحُكمِ على أيِّ شيءٍ سِوى هواه. فمثلُ هذا الصِّنفِ يتّخذُ هواهُ إلهًا يعبدُه ويُطيعُه. وقد عجبت السورةُ من أمثالِ هؤلاءِ، وأعلنت أنهم عُميٌ عن الحقِّ: ﴿أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾ (الآية 23). وهؤلاء ينكرون الحياةَ الآخرةَ بالكليّة، ويُبدون شكوكًا بالغةً في مسألةِ البعثِ والمحاسبةِ، ويرفضون الحقَّ عنادًا، ويطلبون أدلّةً لا يمكنُ تقديمُها في هذه الحياةِ. والقرآنُ يوجّهُ هؤلاءِ إلى التأمّلِ في الآياتِ والبراهينِ القائمةِ بالفعلِ، لكنهم يظلّون غافلين عنها: ﴿وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ * وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا ائْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ * قُلِ اللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ (الآيات 24-26).

We also see the person who has no criterion other than his own desire for judging anything. For this type, desire is the deity he worships and obeys. The surah wonders at such people and publicizes the fact that they are blind to the truth: “ Consider the one who takes his own desires as his deity, and whom God has [therefore] let go astray despite his knowledge [of the truth], sealing his ears and heart and placing a cover on his eyes: who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not, then, take heed?' (Verse 23) Such people deny the life to come altogether, express grave doubts about the issue of resurrection and accountability and they stubbornly reject the truth asking for proofs that cannot be given in this life. The Qur’an directs such people to consider the signs and proofs already in place. They, however, remain oblivious to these: “ They say: 'There is nothing beyond our life in this world. We die, we live, nothing but time destroys us.9 Of this they have no knowledge whatsoever. They merely guess. Whenever Our revelations are recited to them in all their clarity, their only argument is to say: 'Bring back our forefathers, if what you claim be true.’Say: ‘It is God who gives you life, then causes you to die; and then He will gather you all on Resurrection Day of which there is no doubt, though most people do not understand. (Verses 24-26)

يمكن أن تُقرأ جميع هذه الأوصاف على أنها تشير إلى صنف واحد من الناس. ومن الممكن بالقدر نفسه أن تكون جماعات مختلفة، وكلها كانت معارضة للرسالة الإسلامية في فترة وجودها بمكة. فقد تشمل هذه الجماعات بعضًا ممن أُنزلت إليهم الكتب في الأزمنة السابقة، غير أن عددهم في مكة آنذاك كان قليلًا جدًا. ومع ذلك فإن هذه الإشارة إلى أهل الكتب السابقة لا يلزم أن تعني جماعة بعينها في مكة؛ فقد تكون مجرد تنبيه إلى صنف من الناس ينبغي أن يُعرَّف به الآخرون.

It is possible to read all these descriptions as pointing to a single type of people. It is equally possible that they are different groups, all of which were opposed to the Islamic message during its period in Makkah. They would, thus, include some people to whom revelations were given in former times, but these would have been very small in number in Makkah at that time. Yet this reference to people of earlier revelations need not point to a particular group in Makkah; it may just be a pointer to a type of people that others should be made aware of.

ومع ذلك، فإن القرآن الكريم يواجه هؤلاء الناس، مُبرِزًا صفاتهم وأنماط سلوكهم. ويصف لهم آيات الله المنتشرة في الكون وفي أنفسهم، ويحذّرهم من أنهم سيُحاسَبون يوم القيامة. كما يذكر ما حلّ بالأمم التي سبقتهم حين أعرضت عن الإيمان بالله.

Be that as it may, the Qur’an confronts these people, highlighting as it does their qualities and behavioural patterns. It describes for them God’s signs all over the universe and within themselves, warning them that they will have to face the reckoning on the Day of Judgement. It also cites what happened to communities before them when they abandoned Divine faith.

في المقام الأول، تُعرَض على الناس آيات الله بأسلوبٍ عميقٍ مؤثرٍ وبسيط: ﴿إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ * وَفِي خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَابَّةٍ آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ * وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن رِّزْقٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ * تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ [الجاثية: 3-6]

In the first instance, God’s signs are put before them in a profound, effective and simple way: “Surely, in the heavens and the earth there are signs for those who believe. And in your own creation, and in the animals God scatters on earth there are signs for people of sure faith. And in the alternation of night and day, and in the means of subsistence God sends down from the skies, reviving with it the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the shifting of the winds there are signs for those who use their reason. Such are God's signs that We recount to you, setting forth the truth. In what discourse will they then believe, if they deny God and His revelations?' Jesses 3-6)

ثُمَّ تُشِيرُ السُّورَةُ إِلَى آيَاتٍ أُخْرَى، تُبَيِّنُهَا بِوَصْفِهَا نِعَمًا وَمِنَنًا مِنَ اللَّهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ الْمُنْكِرِينَ لَا يَلْتَفِتُونَ إِلَى الرِّسَالَةِ الَّتِي تَحْمِلُهَا: ﴿اللَّهُ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِيَ الْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ * وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾ (الجاثية: 12-13)

The surah then refers to other signs, showing them as blessings and favours granted by God, but the rejecters are oblivious to the message these impart: “It is God who has subjected the sea for you, so that ships sail through it by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you give thanks. And He has subjected to you, as a gift from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth. In this there are signs for people who think* (Verses 12-13)

وتُبيِّنُ السورةُ أيضًا للكافرين ما سيكونون عليه يومَ القيامة، وهو ما يُنكرونه إنكارًا تامًّا: ﴿وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَخْسَرُ الْمُبْطِلُونَ. وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً، كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَىٰ إِلَىٰ كِتَابِهَا، الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ. هَٰذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ. فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ. وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا﴾ [فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ]:

The surah also shows the unbelievers what they will be like on the Day of Resurrection, which is something they deny altogether: “ When the Last Hour strikes, those who follow falsehood will on that Day lose all. You will see every community on its knees. Every community will be summoned to its record: ‘ Today you shall be requited for all that you did. This Our record speaks of you in all truth; for We have been recording everything you do.' Those who believed and did righteous deeds will be admitted by their Lord into His grace. That will be the manifest triumph. And as for the unbelievers, [they will be asked]:

"أَلَمْ تَكُنْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ بِهَا تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ وَكُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ؟ وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُمْ مَا نَدْرِي مَا السَّاعَةُ"

‘When My revelations were recited to you, did you not glory in your arrogance and persist in your wicked ways? For when it was said, “God's promise will certainly come true, and there can be no doubt about the Last Hour,"you would answer, “We know nothing of the Last Hour.

وَقَالُوا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا ظَنٌّ، وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ. فَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّئَاتُ مَا عَمِلُوا، وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ. وَقِيلَ: الْيَوْمَ نَنْسَاكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا، وَمَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ نَاصِرِينَ. ذَٰلِكُمْ بِأَنَّكُمُ اتَّخَذْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا، وَغَرَّتْكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا. فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ.

We think it is all conjecture, and we are by no means convinced.The evil of their deeds will become clear to them, and they will be overwhelmed by the very thing they used to deride. It will be said to them: ‘Today We shall be oblivious of you as you were oblivious of the coming of this your Day! The fire will be your abode, and you will have no one to help you. Thus it is, because you received God's revelations with ridicule and allowed the life of this world to beguile you.' Therefore, they will not be brought out of the Fire on that Day, nor will they be given a chance to make amends." (Verses 27-35)

لا تترك هذه السورة أدنى شك في عدالة الجزاء ومسؤولية كل شخص الفردية. ويتبين أن هذا المبدأ الأساسي محوري في الكيفية التي نشأ بها الكون، وفي الكيفية التي يُحفظ بها: {مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ} (الآية ١٥). ويتضح هذا أكثر حين تردّ السورة على الذين يعملون السيئات ويظنون أنهم سيكونون على قدم المساواة مع الذين آمنوا بالله وعملوا الصالحات: {خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ} (الآية ٢٢).

The surah leaves absolutely no doubt about the fairness of the requital or each persons individual responsibility. This fundamental principle is shown to be central in the way the universe came into existence and in the way it is maintained: “ Whoever does what is right benefits himself; and whoever does evil causes himself harm. In the end to your Lord you will all return." (Verse 15) This is further clarified as the surah responds to those who do evil yet consider that they will be on an equal footing with those who believe in God and do good deeds: “God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with the truth, so that every soul shall be recompensed according to its deeds.

"ولَا يُظْلَمُونَ" (الآية ٢٢)

None shall be wronged." (Verse 22)

في أسلوب تناوله لموضوعاته، تُعدّ هذه السورة كلاً واحداً، غير أننا قسّمناها إلى جزأين لتسهيل دراستها. تبتدئ بالحروف المقطعة: حم، مع إشارة إلى القرآن: ﴿تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ﴾ (الآية 2). وتختتم بحمد الله وتمجيده، رب العالمين المطلق على الكون كله: ﴿فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْحَمْدُ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَاتِ وَرَبِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ * وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَاتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ﴾ (الآيتان 36-37). ويأتي هذا التمجيد في تضاد مع موقف أولئك الذين يغفلون عن آيات الله ويستهزئون بوحيه.

In the way it addresses its subject matter, the surah is one single whole, but we have divided it into two parts for easier study. It begins with the two separate letters, Ha, Mlm, adding a reference to the Qur’an: “This Book is bestowed from on high by God, the Almighty, the Wise." (Verse 2) It concludes by addressing all praise to God, the absolute Lord of all the universe. This glorification of Him contrasts with the attitude of those who remain oblivious to His signs and who ridicule His revelations: “All praise is due to God, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth and the Lord of all the worlds. His alone is all supremacy in the heavens and the earth. He alone is the Almighty, the Wise." (Verses 36-37)

تتميّز السورة بسلاسة أسلوبها وإيقاعها الهادئ اللطيف، في تباين واضح مع الإيقاع القوي الشديد للسورة التي قبلها، وهي سورة الدخان. والله، خالق قلوب الناس، والذي أنزل هذا القرآن من عليائه، يخاطب الناس تارة بأسلوب قوي شديد، وتارة بلمسات رقيقة، وتارة أخرى بإيقاع ناعم هادئ. وهو سبحانه يراعي أحوالهم المختلفة، وظروفهم، واتجاهاتهم، وردود أفعالهم. وعلمه مطلق، وحكمته لا نهاية لها.

The surah is characterized by its easy flow and a soft beat that contrasts with the strong rhythm of the preceding surah, Smoke. God, the Creator of people s hearts and the One who has bestowed this Qur’an from on high, sometimes addresses people in a strong and hard way, at other times with gentle touches, and then again sometimes with a soft and quiet beat. He takes into account their different conditions, circumstances, attitudes and responses. His knowledge is absolute and His wisdom infinite.