سبأ (شبا)

سبأ (شبا) - في ظلال القرآن | Quran Course

تتضمن السورة أيضًا مشاهد عديدة من يوم القيامة، تبيّن كيف يُوبَّخ الكافرون على رفضهم الحق، وصورًا من العذاب الذي كانوا يكذّبون به أو يُبدون فيه شكًّا شديدًا: ﴿وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ ۝ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُم ۖ بَلْ كُنتُم مُّجْرِمِينَ ۝ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ﴾ ﷺ

The sūrah also portrays a number of scenes from the Day of Judgement, showing how unbelievers are rebuked for their rejection of the truth as well as images of the punishment they used to deny or express strong doubts about: “If only you could see how the wrongdoers shall be made to stand before their Lord, hurling reproaches at one another. Those of them who were weak on earth will say to those who had deemed themselves mighty: ‘Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.’ The ones who deemed themselves mighty will say to those who were weak: ‘Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you? No. It was you who were guilty’ Those who were weak will reply to those who deemed themselves mighty: No. It was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up equals to Him.’ When they see the punishment awaiting them, they will all harbour utter and unmitigated remorse.

في أحد المشاهد التي تصوّر يوم القيامة، تشير السورة إلى عبادتهم للملائكة والجن: ﴿وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ * قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ ۖ بَلْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ ۖ أَكْثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ﴾ [سبأ: 40-41]. وهي تردّ على زعمهم في شفاعة الملائكة لهم: ﴿وَلَا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ﴾ [سبأ: 23]. وفيما يتعلق بعبادتهم للجن يُذكر سليمان وكيف سُخّرت الجنّ لخدمته، وتُبيّن السورة أنهم لم يدركوا موته: ﴿فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ﴾ [سبأ: 14].

In one of the scenes it portrays of the Day of Judgement, the sūrah refers to their worship of angels and jinn: “On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels: ‘Was it you that these people worshipped?’ They will answer: ‘Limitless are You in Your glory! You alone are our patron, not they. In fact they worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.” (Verses 40-41) It refutes their ideas about intercession by the angels on their behalf: “Before Him, intercession is of no avail, except by one to whom He may have granted permission. When the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will ask [one another]: ‘What has your Lord ordained?’ They will answer: ‘The truth. He is the Most High, the Supreme.” (Verse 23) In connection with their worship of the jinn mention is made of Solomon and how the jinn were placed in his service. It highlights the fact that they were unable to realize that he was dead: “When We decreed his death, nothing showed them that he was dead except an earthworm that gnawed away at his staff And when he fell to the ground, the jinn saw clearly that, had they understood the reality which was beyond [their] perception, they would not have remained in humiliating servitude.” (Verse 14)

على موضوع نزول رسالة الله، تذكر السورة: "وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ بِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ" (الآية 31). "وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ" (الآية 43)، "وَقَالُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا إِفْكٌ مُّفْتَرًى". ﷺ "فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ قَالُوا هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ" (الآية 43). ترد السورة ردًّا حاسمًا: "وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ هُوَ الْحَقَّ وَيَهْدِي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ" (الآية 6). "وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ" (الآية 28).

On the theme of the revelation of God’s message, the sūrah reports: “The unbelievers say: We will never believe in this Qur’ān, nor in any earlier revelations.” (Verse 31) “When Our revelations are recited to them in all their clarity, they say: ‘This is but a man who wants to turn you away from what your forefathers worshipped.’ They also say: ‘This is nothing but an invented falsehood’ Furthermore, when the truth comes to them, the unbelievers will say: ‘This is just plain sorcery.” (Verse 43) The sūrah issues a decisive reply: “Those who are endowed with knowledge are well aware that what has been revealed to you by your Lord is indeed the truth, and that it guides to the way that leads to the Almighty, the One to whom all praise is due.” (Verse 6) “We have sent you to all mankind so that you bring them good news and give them warning; but most people do not understand” (Verse 28)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ. وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ. قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ. وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰ إِلَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ آمِنُونَ. وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ. (الآيات 34-38) وَتَذْكُرُ السُّورَةُ بَعْضَ الْأَمْثِلَةِ التَّارِيخِيَّةِ، فَتَذْكُرُ دَاوُدَ وَأَهْلَهُ الَّذِينَ أَظْهَرُوا شُكْرَهُمْ لِنِعَمِ اللهِ، وَتُقَابِلُ ذٰلِكَ بِقَوْمِ سَبَإٍ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا فِي غَايَةِ الْكُفْرَانِ. وَكَانَ مَا حَلَّ بِالْقَوْمَيْنِ مَعْلُومًا، مُؤَكِّدًا وَعْدَ اللهِ وَوَعِيدَهُ.

“Whenever We sent a warner to any community, those of them who lived in luxury said: ‘We do not believe in the message with which you have been sent.’ They also say: ‘Richer than you are we in wealth, and we have more children. We certainly are not going to be made to suffer.’ Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand’ It is neither your riches nor your children that can bring you nearer to Us: only he who believes and does what is right [comes near to Us]. To these multiple reward will be given for all that they have done. They will dwell in safety in the mansions of paradise; whereas all who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, shall be given over to suffering.” (Verses 34-38) The sūrah gives some historical examples, citing David and his household who demonstrated their gratitude for God’s favours and contrasting this with the people of Sheba who were totally ungrateful. What happened to both communities was well known, confirming God’s promises and warnings.

تمام مکی سورتیں انہی موضوعات سے بحث کرتی ہیں، لیکن ہر سورت میں یہ موضوعات ایک خاص کائناتی پس منظر میں پیش کیے گئے ہیں۔ درحقیقت، اس موضوع کے ساتھ مختلف اثرات بھی وابستہ ہوتے ہیں جو ہمیں ہر بار نئے محسوس ہوتے ہیں۔ زیرِ نظر سورت کا پس منظر آسمان و زمین کی وسیع فضا ہے، وہ حیرت انگیز اور ناقابلِ ادراک عالم جو ہمارے ادراک کی پہنچ سے ماورا ہے، وہ لامحدود میدان جہاں قیامت کے دن اجتماع ہوگا، انسانی روح کی گہرائیاں، اور تاریخ کے کئی حیرت انگیز مناظر۔ ان میں سے ہر ایک کا ہمارے دلوں کے لیے واضح پیغام ہے، جو ہمیں بیدار رکھتا ہے۔ سورت کے آغاز ہی میں ہمیں اس وسیع کائناتی پھیلاؤ اور اللہ کے لامحدود علم سے متعارف کرایا جاتا ہے: "وہ جانتا ہے جو کچھ زمین میں داخل ہوتا ہے اور جو کچھ اس سے نکلتا ہے، اور جو کچھ آسمان سے اترتا ہے اور جو کچھ اس میں چڑھتا ہے... اور کافر کہتے ہیں: قیامت ہم پر ہرگز نہیں آئے گی! کہہ دیجیے: ہاں، میرے رب کی قسم، وہ تم پر ضرور آئے گی۔ وہ (اللہ) عالم الغیب ہے۔ آسمانوں اور زمین میں ذرہ برابر کوئی چیز اس سے پوشیدہ نہیں، نہ اس سے چھوٹی اور نہ بڑی، مگر وہ ایک واضح کتاب میں درج ہے۔" (آیات 2-3)

All Makkan sūrahs tackle these topics, but in each sūrah they are portrayed against a special cosmic background. Indeed, this theme is accompanied by diverse influences that we feel to be new each time. The background in the present sūrah is the wide space of the heaven and earth, the awesome, unfathomable realm that lies beyond the reach of our perception, the limitless plateau where the gathering takes place on the Day of Judgement, the inner depths of the human soul, and a number of amazing historical scenes. Each has its clear message for our hearts, ensuring we remain alert. At the very beginning of the sūrah we are introduced to this broad universal expanse and God’s limitless knowledge: “He knows all that goes into the earth and all that comes out of it; all that descends from the skies and all that ascends to them... The unbelievers say: Never shall the Last Hour come upon us!’ Say: ‘Yes, by my Lord, it shall most certainly come to you. It is He who knows all that lies beyond the reach of human perception. Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes Him; nor is there anything smaller or larger but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verses 2-3)

يُحذَّر الذين ينكرون البعث والآخرة من عظيم الكوارث السماوية: ﴿أَفَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِم وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ﴾ (الآية 9). أما الذين يعبدون الملائكة أو الجن فيواجهون مشهدًا مهيبًا: ﴿وَلَا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ﴾ (الآية 23). وقد يُوقَفون وجهًا لوجه أمام الملَك يوم القيامة حين لا يبقى مجال للحجة أو اللبس: ﴿يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ﴾

Those who deny resurrection and the hereafter are warned against great celestial catastrophes: “Do they not consider how much of the sky and the earth lies open before them and how much lies hidden from them? If We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall upon them. In all this, there is a sign for every servant of God turning to Him in repentance.” (Verse 9) On the other hand, those who worship angels or jinn are faced with an awesome scene: “Before Him, intercession is of no avail, except by one to whom He may have granted permission. When the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will ask [one another]: ‘What has your Lord ordained?’ They will answer: ‘The truth. He is the Most High, the Supreme.’“ (Verse 23) Alternatively, they are placed face to face with the angel on the Day of Resurrection when no argument or ambiguity is allowed: “On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels:

يبدأ السورة حمدُ الله، مع بيان بعض صفاته، كملكه ما في السماوات والأرض، واستحقاقه الحمد في الآخرة، وحكمته، وعلمه التام بكل ما يجري في الكون. كما تذكر إنكار الكفار للساعة، وردّ الله عليهم ردًّا مؤكدًا بأنها ستقع لا محالة. وتبيّن السورة أيضًا أنه لا يغيب عن علم الله وزنُ ذرةٍ في الكون كله، مما يضمن أن جزاء الله لجميع الناس، مؤمنِهم وكافرِهم، سيكون مبنيًّا على علمٍ دقيق تام بجميع الأحوال والظروف. وفي هذا الجزء الأول تقرر السورة أن أهل العلم والحكمة يوقنون بأن ما أنزله الله على رسوله ﷺ هو الحق. وتذكر أن الكفار يستغربون فكرة البعث، فتردّ حججهم، وتخبرهم أنهم يعانون نتيجة بعدهم الشديد عن الصواب. وتحذّرهم من أن تبتلعهم الأرض أو أن تسقط عليهم السماء قطعًا. وبهذا ينتهي الجزء الأول من السورة.

Praise of God forms the beginning of the sūrah, identifying some of His attributes, such as having dominion in the heavens and earth, receiving praise in the hereafter, wisdom and full knowledge of all that takes place in the universe. It also mentions the unbelievers’ denial of the Last Hour and God’s emphatic reply that it will certainly come. Again the sūrah states that not an atom’s weight in the whole universe escapes God’s knowledge, which will ensure that God’s requital o all, believers and unbelievers, will be based on accurate and full knowledge of all situations and circumstances. In this early part, the sūrah states that those who are endowed with wisdom confirm that what God has revealed to His Messenger is the truth. It states that the unbelievers find the idea of resurrection strange, refuting their arguments and telling them that they suffer as a result of being far in error. It warns them that they could be swallowed up by the earth or that the skies could fall apart on them. On this note, the first part of the sūrah ends.

يتحدّى القسمُ الثالث من السورة المشركين أن يدعوا معبوداتهم المزعومة، ويخبرهم أنّ هذه المعبودات «لا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ» (سبأ: 22). فليس لأيٍّ من هذه الآلهة الباطلة أن يشفع عند الله لأحد، ولو كانوا من الملائكة، إذ إنّ الملائكة يخشَون الله، ويُنفِّذون أمره، ولا يتكلّمون حتى يُؤذَن لهم. وكما أُمر، يسألهم النبيّ ﷺ: مَن يرزقكم من السماوات والأرض، والله هو المالك لهما؟ فهو وحده، لا غيره، الذي يرزقهم ويرزق سائر المخلوقات. ثم يترك النبيّ ﷺ الأمر بينه وبينهم لله ليحكم بينهم. ويختم هذا القسم من السورة بتحدٍّ مماثل للتحدي الذي بدأت به: «قُلْ أَرُونِيَ الَّذِينَ أَلْحَقْتُم بِهِ شُرَكَاءَ ۖ كَلَّا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ» (سبأ: 27).

The third part challenges the idolaters to invoke their alleged deities, and tells them that these “do not have even an atom’s weight of authority either in the heavens or the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor does He have any helper from among them.” (Verse 22) None of these false deities can intercede with God on anyone’s behalf, not even if they were angels, for angels stand in awe of God, do His bidding and do not talk until they are reassured. As instructed, the Prophet asks them who provides their sustenance out of the heavens and the earth, when it is God who has dominion over both? He, and no one else, provides for them and for all other creatures. The Prophet then leaves the matter between himself and them to God for judgement. This part of the sūrah ends with a similar challenge to that with which it began: “Say: Show me those whom you allege to be partners with Him. Nay! He alone is God, the Almighty, the Wise.’“ (Verse 27)

تتناول الفقرتان الرابعة والخامسة معاً مسألة نزول رسالة الله وموقف الكافرين منها. وتتحدثان عن نظرة الأثرياء إلى كل دعوة إلى الإيمان، وكيف يُظهرون الكبر بأموالهم وأولادهم. وتقرران هاتان الفقرتان أن الإيمان والعمل الصالح هما المعياران الأساسيان للثواب. وتُعرض هنا عدة مشاهد لمصائر مختلفة للمؤمنين والكافرين، يتبرأ فيها القادة من أتباعهم، وتتبرأ الملائكة ممن عبدوهم. وبين هذه المشاهد تدعو السورة الكافرين إلى الرجوع إلى فطرتهم، طلباً لجوابها بعيداً عن الضجيج الذي يثيرونه حول رسول الله ﷺ. وتذكّرهم بأنه لا دليل لهم على الاتهامات التي يوجهونها إليه، وهو لا يسألهم أجراً ولا يقول عليهم إلا الحق. وتُختتم كل واحدة من هاتين الفقرتين بمشهد من يوم القيامة. وأخيراً تختم السورة بمجموعة من الآيات القصيرة تتميز بإيقاع قوي وسريع: «قل: إن ربي يقذف بالحق».

Together the fourth and fifth parts tackle the question of the revelation of God’s message and the unbelievers’ attitude towards it. They speak about how the affluent view every call to faith, and how they show pride in their wealth and children. These two parts establish the fact that faith and good actions are the basic criteria for reward. Several scenes are shown here of the different fates of the believers and unbelievers, in which we see the leaders disowning their followers and the angels disassociating themselves from those who worshipped them. In between these scenes, the sūrah calls on the unbelievers to resort to their own nature, seeking its answers free from all the fuss they create about God’s Messenger. It reminds them that they have no evidence for the accusations they level at him, when he asks them for no reward and tells them no lie. Each of these two parts is concluded with a scene from the Day of Resurrection. Then, finally, the sūrah ends with a run of short verses that are characterized by a powerful, fast rhythm: “Say: My Lord hurls forth the truth.

سبأ (شبا)

المقدمة