نزلت هذه السورة بمكة، وتتناول ثلاث قضايا: توحيد الله، والوحي، والحساب يوم القيامة. وتُعالج هذه القضايا الثلاث في جزئها الأول المكوّن من ستة عشر آية. وفيه يُصوَّر عجب كبراء قريش من دعوة النبي ﷺ إياهم إلى الإيمان بتوحيد الله، وأنه اصطفاه الله ليكون رسولًا منه. ﴿وَعَجِبُوا أَن جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ * أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ * وَانطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَىٰ آلِهَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ * مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ الْآخِرَةِ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ * أَأُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِن بَيْنِنَا ۚ﴾ (الآيات 4-8). وتُبيّن هذه الآيات أيضًا كيف واجهوا وعيد الله لهم بالعذاب في الآخرة: ﴿وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ﴾ (الآية 16).

Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah addresses three issues: God’s oneness, revelation, and the reckoning on the Day of Judgement. These three issues are discussed in its first part comprising 16 verses. Here the Makkan elders’ amazement at the Prophet’s call on them to believe in God’s oneness and that he was chosen by God to be His Messenger is described. “They deem it strange that one from among them has come to warn them. The unbelievers say: ‘This is a sorcerer telling lies. Does he make all the gods into one God? This is indeed most strange!’ Their leaders go about saying: ‘Walk away, and hold steadfastly to your deities: this is the only thing to do. Never did we hear of a claim like this in any faith of latter days! It is all an invention. Was the message given to him alone out of all of us?’” (Verses 4-8) In these verses we are also told how they met God’s warnings of punishment in the life to come: “They say: Our Lord! Hasten to us our share of punishment even before the Day of Reckoning.” (Verse 16)

والمختصر أنهم وجدوا من المستحيل أن يصدّقوا أن الله سبحانه يختار واحدًا منهم ليبلّغ رسالته، وزيادةً على ذلك أن يكون هذا الشخص هو محمد بن عبد الله الذي لم يكن له منصب سلطة بينهم.

Basically, they found it impossible to believe that God would choose one of their own number to deliver His message and moreover that this person should be Muĥammad ibn Abdullah who had not held a position of authority among them.

فَيَرُدُّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِدَوْرِهِ سُؤَالَهُمْ عَنْ اخْتِيَارِهِ، فَيَقُولُ: ﴿أَمْ عِندَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ﴾ ﴿أَمْ لَهُم مُّلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَلْيَرْتَقُوا فِي الْأَسْبَابِ﴾. وفي ذلك بيانٌ لهم أنَّ اللهَ إذا أراد أن يفتح أبوابَ رحمته لأحدٍ، فلا شيءَ يمنعُ ذلك. ويُقالُ لهم كذلك: إنَّ الناسَ لا يملكون شيئًا في السماواتِ والأرضِ، وإنما هو رزقُ اللهِ ورحمتُه، يُعطيها من يشاءُ. وهو سبحانه يختارُ مَن يعلمُ أنهم مستحقون لفضله، ويَهَبُ لهم ما شاءَ بغيرِ حدٍّ ولا قيد.

Therefore, in reply to their question about His choice, God too questions them: “Or do they own the treasures of your Lord’s grace, the Almighty, the Munificent? Or do they have control over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them? Let them, then, try to ascend by all conceivable means.” (Verses 9-10) This tells them that when God wishes to open the gates of His mercy to anyone, nothing can withhold it. They are further told that human beings own nothing in the heavens and earth; it is a matter of God’s sustenance and mercy, which He bestows on whomever He wishes. It is He who chooses those He knows to deserve His bounty and bestows on them whatever He will, without limit or restriction.

في هذا السياق تحكي السورة قصة داود وسليمان والنعم التي أنعم الله بها عليهما، ومنها النبوة والملك، وتسخير الجبال والطير والجن والريح لهما. ومع ذلك كانا بشرًا عاديين يعتريهما ما يعتري غيرهما من ضعف بشري، فاحتاجا هما أيضًا إلى رحمة الله وعنايته للتغلب على تلك الضعفات. وفي هذا الشأن تُقبل توبتهما، ويُهديان إلى الطريق الذي يرضي الله.

Within this context the sūrah gives an account of David and Solomon and the favours God blessed them with, including prophethood, kingdom, and the fact that the mountains, birds, jinn and wind were subjected to them. Yet they were ordinary human beings afflicted by the same type of human weakness as anyone else. They too then needed God’s mercy and care to overcome such weaknesses. In this respect, their repentance is accepted and they are set on the way to God’s pleasure.

بِهَاتَيْنِ الْقِصَّتَيْنِ يُؤْمَرُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِالصَّبْرِ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا يُوَاجِهُهُ بِهِ الْكَافِرُونَ مِنَ الْمُعَارَضَةِ. وَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَتَطَلَّعَ إِلَى فَضْلِ اللهِ وَرِعَايَتِهِ كَمَا تَجَلَّتْ لِدَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ: ﴿اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُدَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ﴾. (الآية 17)

By means of both stories the Prophet is instructed to persevere in the face of all the opposition the unbelievers put up against him. He should look to God’s grace and care as demonstrated to David and Solomon: “Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us.” (Verse 17)

یُبیّن السورۃ أیضاً نبذةً موجزةً عن النبیّ أیوب، وتَصِف كیف یمكن أن یَبتلي اللهُ عبادَه الصادقین بالشدائد والبلاء. وإنّ الصبر الذي أظهره أیوب في المحنة مثالٌ رائعٌ على كیفیّة الثبات. كما تَصِف القصّةُ الحسنَ الذي لقیه أیوب في عاقبته، إذ أنعم اللهُ علیه برحمته، فأزال عنه كلّ ألمه. وهكذا یُرى المسلمون في مكّة كیف یجدون السلوى وسط الشدّة المتواصلة التي یحاول الكفّار إنزالها بهم. ویُذكَّرون بأنّ مثل هذه الشدّة تفتح لا محالة طریق رحمة الله، التي لا تنفد.

The sūrah also gives a brief account of the Prophet Job, describing how God may test His true servants with hardship and affliction. The patience Job showed in adversity provides a splendid example of how to remain steadfast. The account also describes the good end Job experienced as God bestowed His mercy on him, dispelling all his pain. The Muslims in Makkah are thus shown how to find solace amidst the constant hardship the unbelievers try to inflict on them. They are reminded that such hardship invariably opens the way to God’s mercy, which is inexhaustible.

تشكّل هذه القصص الجزءَ الثاني والرئيسي من السورة. وتتضمن أيضاً ردّاً على استعجال الكافرين لعذاب الله، وتعرض مشهداً من يوم القيامة، وتصف السعادة التي تنتظر المتقين، والنارَ المتأجّجة التي تنتظر الذين كفروا بالحق. إن قيم الحق راسخة في الحياة الآخرة، وهي المعيار الذي يُحكم به. وسيدرك كبراءُ مكة المستكبرون ذلك حين يرون مصيرهم ويقارنونه بمصير الضعفاء الذين كانوا يسخرون منهم، زاعمين أن رحمة الله لن تُدرك من كانوا بهذا الضعف. ويقدّم المشهدُ المصوَّر صوراً متقابلة: ﴿إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ * جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ الْأَبْوَابُ * مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ وَشَرَابٍ * وَعِندَهُمْ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ أَتْرَابٌ﴾ (الآيات 49-52). وفي المقابل: ﴿وَإِنَّ لِلطَّاغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَآبٍ * جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ * هَٰذَا فَلْيَذُوقُوهُ حَمِيمٌ وَغَسَّاقٌ * وَآخَرُ مِن شَكْلِهِ أَزْوَاجٌ﴾ (الآيات 55-58). وسيتجادلون ويتخاصمون ويلعن بعضهم بعضاً في النار، فيتذكرون كيف كانوا يسخرون من المؤمنين: ﴿وَقَالُوا مَا لَنَا لَا نَرَىٰ رِجَالًا كُنَّا نَعُدُّهُم مِّنَ الْأَشْرَارِ * أَتَّخَذْنَاهُمْ سِخْرِيًّا أَمْ زَاغَتْ عَنْهُمُ الْأَبْصَارُ﴾ (الآيتان 62-63). ولن يجدوا أولئك في جهنم، لأنهم أهل الجنة. وهذا هو الجواب على استعجالهم لعذاب الله وعلى سخريتهم من المؤمنين. ويشكّل هذا المشهد الجزءَ الثالث من السورة.

These stories form the second and major part of the sūrah. It also includes a reply to the unbelievers’ hastening of God’s punishment, presenting a scene from the Day of Judgement, describing the happiness that awaits the God-fearing and the blazing fire that awaits those who reject the truth. The values of truth are well established in the life to come, providing the criterion for judgement. The arrogant Makkan chiefs will realize this when they see their fate and compare it with that of the weak elements on whom they poured their derision, claiming that God’s mercy would never he shown to those so weak. The scene so described provides contrasting images: “The God-fearing will certainly have a good place to return to: gardens of perpetual bliss, with gates wide open to them. They will he comfortably seated there, and they will call for abundant fruit and drink, having beside them well-matched mates of modest gaze.” (Verses 49-52) On the other hand, “those who transgress the bounds of what is right will have the most evil place to return to: hell will they have to endure; and how evil a resting place. Let them, then, taste this: a scalding fluid and a dark, disgusting food, and coupled with it, further [suffering! of a similar nature.” (Verses 55-58) They will argue, quarrel and curse one another in hell, and they will remember how they used to ridicule the believers: “They will say: How is it that we do not see here men whom we considered to be wicked, and whom we made the target of our derision? Or is it that our eyes have missed them?” (Verses 62-63) They cannot find such people in hell, because they are the ones who belong to heaven. This then is the answer to both their hastening of God’s punishment and their ridicule of the believers. This scene forms the third part of the sūrah.

ردًّا على تكذيبهم لما أخبرهم به النبي ﷺ من الوحي الذي تلقّاه من عند الله، يقصّ عليهم خبر آدم وما جرى في الملأ الأعلى. ولم يكن النبي ﷺ حاضرًا حين وقع ذلك، وإنما أخبره الله به. ولم يكن أحد من البشر حاضرًا غير آدم. ومن هذا الخبر نعلم لعنة إبليس، وأن حسده على تفضيل الله لآدم هو ما أدّى إلى طرده من الجنة. ولمّا رأى المشركون أن اختيار الله لمحمد ﷺ من بينهم فضلٌ عظيم لا يستحقه، كان موقفهم شبيهًا بموقف إبليس. ويختم هذا الجزء من السورة ببيان واضح من النبي ﷺ: ﴿قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ * وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُ بَعْدَ حِينٍ﴾ (الآيات ٨٦-٨٨).

In reply to their disbelieving reaction to what the Prophet had told them of the revelations he received from on high, he tells them about Adam and what happened on high. The Prophet was not present when this took place; he was only told about it by God. Indeed no human being, other than Adam, was present. From this account we learn about Iblīs’ condemnation and that it was his envy at God’s preference for Adam that brought about his expulsion from heaven. Since the unbelievers thought it was too big a favour for God to choose Muĥammad from among them, their attitude is not dissimilar to that of Iblīs. This last part of the sūrah concludes with a clear statement from the Prophet: “Say: No reward do I ask of you for this, and I am not one to claim what I am not. This is no less than a reminder to all the worlds, and in time you will certainly come to know its truth.” (Verses 86-88)

تُصوِّر السورة، في أجزائها الأربعة، هلاكَ الأمم السابقة حين لجأت إلى الاستكبار، فكذّبت رسلَ الله واحتقرت المؤمنين. وباختصار، فقد كانوا هم أنفسُهم سببَ هزيمتهم وذُلّهم: ﴿جُندٌ ما هنالك مهزومٌ من الأحزاب﴾. ﴿كذّبت قبلهم قومُ نوحٍ وعادٌ وفرعونُ ذو الأوتاد * وثمودُ وقومُ لوطٍ وأصحابُ الأَيكة، أولئك الأحزاب * إن كلٌّ إلا كذّبَ الرسلَ فحقّ عقاب﴾. (الآيات ١١-١٤) وتقابل السورةُ ذلك بالنعم التي يُنعم الله بها على عباده المصطفين، فيمكّن لهم ويرعاهم أحسن رعاية. ويتجلّى ذلك بوضوح تام في قصص داود وسليمان وأيوب.

The sūrah, in all its four parts, depicts the destruction of earlier communities when they resorted to arrogance, accusing God’s messengers of lying and holding the believers in contempt. In short, they themselves sealed their own defeat and humiliation: “Whatever hosts, of any affiliation, may be raised will suffer defeat. Before their time, the truth was rejected by Noah’s people, the Ad, Pharaoh of the tent-pegs, the Thamūd, Lot’s people and the dwellers of the wooded dales: these were different groupings; yet each one of them accused God’s messengers of lying. Therefore, My retribution fell due.” (Verses 11- 14) The sūrah contrasts this with the favours God bestows on His chosen servants, giving them power and taking good care of them. This is made abundantly clear in the stories about David, Solomon and Job.

تَأْخُذُنَا السُّورَةُ أَيْضًا فِي جَوْلَةٍ نَرَى فِيهَا مَا يَنْتَظِرُ بَعْدَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَتُعْطِينَا صُوَرًا لِلسَّعَادَةِ وَالنَّعِيمِ مِنْ جِهَةٍ، وَلِلْعَذَابِ مِنْ جِهَةٍ أُخْرَى. وَتَعْرِضُ الْجَوْلَةُ الْأَخِيرَةُ فِي السُّورَةِ قِصَّةَ أَوَّلِ الْبَشَرِ، وَالْعَدَاوَةَ الَّتِي أَظْهَرَهَا عَدُوُّهُ الْأَوَّلُ، ذَلِكَ الَّذِي يُضِلُّ النَّاسَ عَمْدًا، وَهُمْ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ غَيْرَ مُدْرِكِينَ لِمَكَايِدِهِ.

The sūrah also takes us on a round in which we see what lies in store beyond the Day of Judgement, giving us images of happiness and bliss on the one hand, and torment on the other. The last round in the sūrah gives the story of the first human being and the hostility shown by his first enemy, the one who deliberately leads people astray, and who they follow unaware of his designs.

السورۃ تتضمن أيضًا لمسةً خاصةً تُقصد بها تنبيه القلوب إلى الحقّ الذي يعكسه خلقُ السماوات والأرض. وهذا هو الحقّ الذي يريد الله أن يُرسّخه في الأرض بالرسل الذين يبعثهم. وبين الأمرين صلةٌ وثيقة: ﴿وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا﴾ (ص: 27).

The sūrah also includes a special touch that is meant to alert hearts to the truth reflected in the creation of the heavens and earth. This is the truth that God wants to establish on earth through the messengers He sends. The two are interrelated: “We have not created heaven and earth and all that is between them without a purpose.” (Verse 27)