Surah As-Sajda (32): Read Online and Download - English Translation

The Book of Musa and the Leadership of the Children of Israel

Allah tells us that He gave the Book -- the Tawrah -- to His servant and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him.

(So, be not you in doubt of meeting him.) Qatadah said, "This refers to the Night of Isra'," then he narrated that Abu Al-`Aliyah Ar-Riyahi said, "The cousin of your Prophet, meaning Ibn `Abbas, told me that the Messenger of Allah said:

(On the night of Isra', I saw Musa bin `Imran, a tall, brown-skinned man with curly hair, looking like the men of Shanu'ah; and I saw `Isa, a man of medium stature and ruddy white skin, and with lank hair. And I saw Malik the Keeper of Hell, and the Dajjal.) Among the signs which Allah showed him were:

(So, be not you in doubt of meeting him.) i.e., he saw Musa and met with him on the Night of Isra'."

(And We made it) means, `the Book which We gave to him, '

(a guide to the Children of Israel.) This is similar to what Allah says in Surat Al-Isra':

(And We gave Musa the Scripture and made it a guidance for the Children of Israel (saying): "Take none other than Me as Trustee.") (17:2)

(And We made from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat.) means, because they were patient in adhering to the commands of Allah and avoiding what He prohibited, and they believed in His Messengers and followed what they brought, there were among them leaders who guided others to the truth by the command of Allah, calling for goodness, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Then when they changed the Words of Allah, twisting and distorting them, they lost that position and their hearts became hard. They change the words from their places, so they do no righteous deeds and have no correct beliefs. Allah says:

(And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they were patient) Qatadah and Sufyan said: "When they patiently shunned the temptations of this world." This was also the view of Al-Hasan bin Salih. Sufyan said, "This is how these people were. A man cannot be an example to be followed unless he shuns the temptation of this world." Allah says:

(And indeed We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, and the understanding of the Scripture and its laws, and the prophethood; and provided them with good things, and preferred them above the nations. And We gave them clear proofs in matters.) (45:16-17). And He says here:

(Verily, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection, concerning that wherein they used to differ.) meaning, with regard to beliefs and actions.

Learning the Lessons of the Past

Allah says: will these people who deny the Messengers not learn from the nations who came before them, whom Allah destroyed for their rejection of His Messengers and their opposition to what the Messengers brought them of the straight path No trace is left of them whatsoever.

(Can you find a single one of them or hear even a whisper of them) (19:98). Allah says:

(in whose dwellings they do walk about) meaning, these disbelievers walk about in the places where those disbelievers used to live, but they do not see any of those who used to live there, for they have gone --

(As if they had never lived there) (11:68) This is like the Ayat:

(These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong) (27:52).

(And many a township did We destroy while they were given to wrongdoing, so that it lie in ruins, and (many) a deserted well and lofty castle! Have they not traveled through the land) until:

(but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.) (22:45-46) Allah says here:

(Verily, therein indeed are signs.) meaning, in the fact that these people are gone and have been destroyed, and in what happened to them because they disbelieved the Messengers, and how those who believed in them were saved, there are many signs, proofs and important lessons.

(Would they not then listen) means, to the stories of those who came before and what happened to them. n

The Revival of the Earth with Water is Proof of the Resurrection to come

(Have they not seen how We drive water to the dry land) Here Allah explains His kindness and goodness towards them by His sending water to them, whether from the sky or from water flowing through the land, water carried by rivers down from the mountains to the lands that need it at particular times. Allah says:

(to the dry land) which means the land where nothing grows, as in the Ayah,

(And verily, We shall make all that is on it a bare dry soil.) (18:8) i.e., barren land where nothing grows. Allah says here:

(Have they not seen how We drive water to the dry land that has no vegetation, and therewith bring forth crops providing food for their cattle and themselves Will they not then see) This is like the Ayah,

(Then let man look at his food: We pour forth water in abundance.) (80:24-25). Allah says here:

(Will they not then see)

How the Disbelievers sought to hasten on the Punishment, and what happened to Them

Allah tells us how the disbelievers sought to hasten on the punishment, and to bring the wrath and vengeance of Allah upon themselves, because they thought this punishment would never happen, and because of their disbelief and stubbornness.

(They say: "When will this Fath be...") meaning, `when will you prevail over us, O Muhammad, since you claim that there will be a time when you will gain the upper hand over us and take your revenge on us, so when will that happen All we see of you and your companions is that you are hiding, afraid and humiliated.' Allah says:

(Say: "On the Day of Al-Fath...") meaning, `when the wrath and punishment of Allah befall you, in this world and the next,'

(no profit will it be to those who disbelieve if they (then) believe! Nor will they be granted a respite.) This is like the Ayah,

(Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad with that which they had of the knowledge...) (40:83-85) Those who claim that this refers to the conquest of Makkah go too far, and have made a grievous mistake, for on the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah accepted the Islam of the freed Makkan prisoners-of-war, who numbered nearly two thousand. If what was meant by this Ayah was the conquest of Makkah, he would not have accepted their Islam, because Allah says:

(Say: "On the Day of Al-Fath, no profit will it be to those who disbelieve if they (then) believe! Nor will they be granted a respite.") What is meant by Al-Fath here is Judgement, as in the Ayat:

(Nuh said: So Aftah (judge) between me and them) (26:118). and:

(Say: "Our Lord will assemble us all together, then He will judge between us with truth") (34:26).

(And they sought judgement and every obstinate, arrogant dictator was brought to a complete loss and destruction. ) (14:15)

(although aforetime they had invoked Allah to pass judgement over those who disbelieved) (2:89)

(If you ask for a judgement, now has the judgement come unto you) (8:19). Then Allah says:

(So turn aside from them and await, verily, they (too) are awaiting.) meaning, `turn away from these idolators, and convey that which has been revealed to you from your Lord.' This is like the Ayah,

(Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord, there is no God but Him.) (6:106) `Wait until Allah fulfills that which He has promised you, and grants you victory over those who oppose you, for He never breaks His promise.'

(verily, they (too) are awaiting.) means, `you are waiting, and they are waiting and plotting against you,'

(Or do they say: "A poet! We await for him some calamity by time!") (52:30). `You will see the consequences of your patience towards them, and the fulfillment of the promise of your Lord in your victory over them, and they will see the consequences of their wait for something bad to befall you and your Companions, in that Allah's punishment will come upon them.' Sufficient unto us is Allah, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat As-Sajdah.