Surah Yunus (10): Read Online and Download - English Translation

Commentary

In the previous verses, by mentioning the heavens and the earth and the Moon and the Sun, prominent manifestations of Allah's perfect power and wisdom, the belief in the Oneness of Allah and the Hereafter was proved eloquently. The first three of the present verses tell us that, despite such open signs and evidences spread out in this universe, human beings split up in two groups. One of the two groups was of those who paid just no heed to these Divine signs, failed to recognize their creator and master and failed to recognize even themselves. It never occurred to them that they were no animal like other animals. They never discovered that their Almighty Lord had blessed them with intelligence, reason and commonsense in a degree much higher than that of the animals. Their Lord had put the entire resources of Divine creation at their doorsteps. Everything was as if commissioned to serve them. This should have made them realize that there has to be something their Lord would want them to do, some duty or obligation or charge. If that had to be the case, they would have to ac-count for whatever they had been asked to do. And for this it would be necessary that there should be a day fixed for ultimate reckoning and recompense - known as the day of Qiyamah or al-Hashr (Doomsday, Resurrection) in the terminology of the Qur'an. But, such people did nothing like that, instead, preferred to live their lives at the level of common animals. In the first two verses, after giving the signs and marks of these people, the text mentions the punishment they would receive in the Hereafter. The first thing the text tells is that such people did not think that they would meet their Lord. They have forgotten all about the inevitability of their life in the Hereafter and have become pleased and content with their worldly life alone.

Then, they are sitting there, so satisfied and so content, as if they just do not have to go anywhere else from here. This, to them, was the end of the line and this was where they have to live forever. It never occurs to them that everyone has to bid farewell to this world. This is so open a truth that no one can go about doubting it. And when going away from here is certain, then, some preparation has to be made for the place one is going to.

And then, they are continuously heedless to Allah's verses and signs. Had they pondered over the marvel of the heavens and the earth and what was created in between them and, for that matter, over what was in the their own person, they would have understood the reality behind everything and they would have thus come out of their fatal negligence.

The punishment of people whose signs have been given above is the fire of Jahannam that waits for them in the Hereafter - and this punishment is nothing but the outcome of their own deeds.

How regrettable that the signs of disbelievers and deniers pin-pointed by the Qur'an are no different as far as our own present condition as Muslims is concerned. By looking at our way of life and the pattern of our activities and thoughts, no one can come to the conclusion that we have some other concern bothering us except the concerns of this world under our noses. Yet, despite all that, we sit comfortably believing that we are Muslims, as staunch and true as they come. The hard reality is that the kind of staunch and true Muslims our worthy forbears were has become unimaginable for us. They were the ones a look at whose faces would remind one of God and transmit unmistakably that they feared someone above them and their hearts throbbed with the concern of being accountable to Him. Not to say more about these wonderful people, even the Holy Prophet ﷺ despite being protected from sins (ma` sum مَعصُوم), lived his blessed life in that state. It appears in Shama'il al-Tirmidhi that the Holy Prophet ﷺ looked sad and concerned fairly often.

Mentioned in the third verse (9) are those fortunate people who pondered over the signs of the most exalted Allah. Thereby, they recognized Him, believed in Him and, by acting in accordance with the dictates of their faith, became duty-bound to say and do what was good and right (al-a` mal as-salihah: good deeds).

The good return and reward made due by the Holy Qur'an for these wonderful people has been mentioned in a particular manner. It was said: يَهْدِيهِمْ رَ‌بُّهُم بِإِيمَانِهِمْ (their Lord will guide them by virtue of their belief), that is, ` take them to their destination, the Jannah [ Paradise ], where rivers shall be flowing in the Gardens of Bliss.'

The well known meaning of the word: ھِدَیَہ (hidayah) used here is to tell or show the way. Then, on occasions, it is also used in the sense of taking someone all the way to the desired destination. At this place, this is the meaning intended. As for the desired destination, it means Jannah that stands clarified by the words appearing later.

It will be recalled that the punishment of the first group was the outcome of their own misdeeds. Here, similar to that, it was said about the reward of the second group (of believers), that they have been blessed with this reward by virtue of their belief. And since, belief has been bracketed with good deeds earlier, therefore, 'Iman or belief mentioned at this place will mean belief that is supported by good deeds (al-a` mal as-salilhah). The return for belief and good deeds is Jannah, the place of unimaginable and unparalleled bliss.

Some particular states in which the people of Jannah shall find themselves after their arrival there have been spelt out in the fourth verse (10). First of all: دَعْوَاهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ :(their prayer therein will be, "Pure are you, 0 Allah" ). Here, the word: دَعوی (da` wa) should not be taken in its well known sense of claim, something a plaintiff does against the responding party. Instead of that, da` wa has been used here in the sense of du'a' (prayer, supplication). It means that the du'a' of the people of Jannah, after they have reached Jannah, will be in the form that they will be saying: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ (Pure are You, 0 Allah), that is, they will be glorifying the exalted majesty of Allah (known as Tasbih in the religious terminology of Islam).

This raises a question for du` a', as commonly recognized, is the act of asking for something or the seeking of what one would like to have. The words: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ (subhanaka 'l-lahumma: Pure are You, 0 Allah) have no element of asking or seeking in them. Then, what was the basis of calling it 'du` a'?

The answer is that the expression used here is there to communicate something relevant to the great occasion. Is it not that the people of Jannah will have the most comprehensive bliss which will include everything they could wish for almost automatically as they would have wished? So, there will be no asking or seeking. As a replacement of the popular mode of du` a, what they would be able to say would be nothing more than the tasbih of Allah in total submission. That too would not be something like an obligatory act of worship they used to do in their mortal lives (whether or not they enjoyed doing so). In fact, they would savor the taste of saying these words of glorification and say سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ subhanaka 'l-lahumma on their own, gratefully delighted. In addition, reports a Qudsi Hadith that Allah Ta` ala said, ` a servant of Mine who remains busy glorifying Me all the time, so much so that he finds no time even to ask what was to be asked, then, I shall give him the best of what is asked by all those who ask, that is, take care of what he needs to be done without his having to ask for it.' If so, the expression: subhanaka 'l-lahumma that has been translated as ` Pure are You, 0 Allah' could also be called a du` a ' (prayer).

It is in terms of this sense that a Hadith in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to make the following du'a' when in pain or anxiety:

لا إلہ إلا اللہ اَلعَظِیم اَلحَلِیم، لا إلہ إلا اللہ رَبُّ العَرشِ العَظِیم، لا إلہ إلا اللہ رَبُّ السَمٰوٰتِ و رَبُّ الاَرضِ وَ رَبُّ العَرشِ الکَرِیم

There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Forbearing; there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Great Throne; there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Lord of the Earth and the Lord of the Generous Throne.

Imam al-Tabari said: The worthy forbears of the Muslim Community (al-salaf al-salihun) used to call it the prayer of pain (the du` a of karb کَرب ). Whenever in intense pain, anxiety or distress, they would recite these words and pray to Allah for relief. (Tafsir Qurtubi)

There is yet another Hadith report carried by Imam Ibn Jarir, Ibn Mundhir and others that the people of Jannah, when they wish to have something, will say سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ subhanaka 'l-lahumma. Hearing this, the angels will instantly present what they wished before them - as if, the words: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ subhanaka 'l-lahumma will serve as a password or access code for the people of Jannah through which they will articulate their wish, and the angels, doing their duty, will fulfill it every time. (Ruh al-M for the people of Jannah through which they will articulate their wish, and the angels, doing their duty, will fulfill it every time. (Ruh al-Ma'ani and Qurtubi) From that angle, we can also call the statement: subhanaka 'l-lahumma, a du'a.

Describing the second state of the life of the people of Jannah, it was said: تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَامٌ (and their greeting therein will be "Salam" ). In customary usage, تَحِیَّہ (tahiyyah) is the word used to greet someone coming in or met elsewhere, for example ahlan wa sahlan, as the Arabs say, or good morning, good evening, nice to see you, hello, hi as used in English with varying degrees of formality or informality. This verse tells us that the people of Jannah will be greeted with the word: سلام salam from Allah Ta'ala or from the angels. It would mean, ` good news to you that you now stand protected against everything painful or unpleasant.' This 'salam' greeting could also be from Allah Ta'ala Himself as in Surah Ya Sin: سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِّن رَّ‌بٍّ رَّ‌حِيمٍ ﴿58﴾ ("Salam" [ peace ], a word from a merciful Lord - 36:58). And it could also be from the angels as said elsewhere: وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُم "and angels will come to them from every gate [ saying ] 'salamun 'alaikum' [ may you be in peace and security ] - 13:23, 24." By the way, there is no contradiction in the two sayings. There could be the time when salam greeting comes directly from Allah Ta'ala and there could be the time when it comes from the angels. Though, the salam greeting is actually a du'a (prayer) in the mortal world but, once in Jannah where one would have everything one needs or wishes to have, therefore, this word will not retain its sense of prayer there, instead, will become a complement of glad tidings. (Ruh al Ma’ ani)

Describing the third state of the life of the people of Jannah, it was said: آخِرُ‌ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (And the end of their call will be, 'praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds' ).

The essential aim of the statement is to indicate that the people of Jannah, once there, will start knowing Allah Ta'ala better. The spiritual master Shahabuddin Suhrawardi, said, 'after having reached Jannah, the people of Jannah as a whole will be blessed with a station of knowledge and wisdom which is occupied by 'Ulama in the mortal world. The 'Ulama would rise to the station the prophets have here. The prophets would rise to the station occupied by Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ the foremost among them in this world.

And he, blessings and peace on him, will occupy the highest station of nearness to Allah in Jannah. It is possible that this may be the celebrated place called ` the praised station' (al-maqam al-mahmud), a place referred to in the du` a' to be recited after adhan where Muslims pray that their Prophet may be blessed with ` the praised station,' a prayer he had himself taught them to make.

In short, the initial du` a of the people of Jannah will be: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّـهُمَّ (subhanaka 'l-lahumma: Pure are You, 0 Allah) and the last du` a will be: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (alhamdu li '1-la-hi rabbi 'l alamin: praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds). Pointed to here are two kinds of attributes of Allah Ta` ala. One: The attributes of being the most exalted which show that He is free from and beyond any shortcoming or evil. Two: The attributes of being the noblest which show honor, greatness, magnanimity and perfection. In the last verse of Surah ar-Rahman both kinds have been named by saying: تَبَارَ‌كَ اسْمُ رَ‌بِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَ‌امِ ﴿78﴾ (Blessed is the name of your Lord, the Possessor-par-Excellence of Majesty and Honor - 55:78). If we were to ponder a little, we will see that absolute purity of Allah Ta` ala forms part of His attribute of Majesty. And that He de-serves being praised is one of His attributes of Honor. Since the attributes of Majesty and Honor follow in that order, therefore, the people of Jannah will first recount His Majesty by saying: subhanaka ` llahumma: Pure are You, 0 Allah. Then, they will mention the words: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (alhamdu li 'l-lahi rabbi 'l ` alamin: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds) being a tribute to His Honour, something they are engaged in all the time.

And according to the natural order of these three states, when the people of Jannah will say subhanaka 'l-lahumma, in response to which, they will receive the greeting of salam from Allah Ta` a1a, as a result of which, they will say: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ' (praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds). (Ruh a1-Ma` ani)

Injunctions and Rulings

Al-Qurtubi has said in Ahkam al-Qur'an: According to this conduct of the people of Jannah, Sunnah in eating and drinking, and in everything else we do, is that one starts with Bismillah and ends at Alhamdulillah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, It is liked by Allah Ta` ala that His servant, when he eats or drinks something, starts with Bismillah (بسم اللہ) and, when he is finished with it, says Al-hamdulillah' ۔ (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ )

It is recommended (mustahabb) that a person making du'a also says: وَآخِرُ‌ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ and our prayer at the end is that praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds) at the end of it. AI-Qurtubi adds to that by saying: Along with it, it is better to also recite the following last verses of Surah As-Saffat:

سُبْحَانَ رَ‌بِّكَ رَ‌بِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿180﴾ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ ﴿181﴾ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿182﴾

Pure is your Lord, Lord of all might, above from what they ascribe to Him. And salam (peace and security) be on the Messengers. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds - 37:180-182.

Commentary

The first of the seven verses cited above relates to people who deny 'Akhirah (Hereafter, life to come). For this reason, when they are warned against the punishment of 'Akhirah, they mockingly say, ` if you are telling the truth, bring this punishment now' or say something like, ` why would this punishment not come soon enough?' This was like what Nadr ibn Harith had said, ` O Allah, if this thing is true, let stones rain down upon us from the heavens, or send some other severe punishment.'

It has been answered in the same verse by saying that Allah Ta` ala is, after all, powerful over everything. He can send the promised punishment instantly, right now. But, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, He prefers not to do so. When people like these wish to have evil and hardship sent upon them, they do not realize what they were doing. Had Allah Ta` ala been granting their curses on themselves as soon as they wished - similar to how He would answer their positive prayers fairly often - all of them would have been destroyed to the last man.

From here we learn that it is the customary practice of Allah Ta` ala that He would answer prayers for one's good fairly often and if, on one or the other occasion, a prayer is not answered due to some wise consideration, it would not be contrary to the general rule. But, the case of a person who, because of his ignorance, or anger, or grief, falls into the error of hurling on himself or his family a curse in the fair name of prayer is different. Similar to this is the unfortunate one who invites Divine punishment, due against those who reject the truth of a Here-after, to fall on him, as if playing a game with God. Allah Ta` ala does not accept these prayers promptly, instead, gives them respite so that the denier gets the time to think and abstain from his denial. Or, if the curse has been invoked because of some sudden grief, anger or desperation, then one gets the lease of time to sort out his conduct, avoid what is bad about it and try to stay away from it thereafter.

Ibn Jarir on the authority of Qatadah and al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Mujahid report that, at this place, the invoking of curse refers to what an angry person sometimes does when he breaks into supplicating adversely to the effect that his children, wealth or property be destroyed. Even if the person were to blurt out words of curse on these, it will stand included therein. Allah Ta` ala, in His infinite mercy, does not hasten to answer such prayers. Imam al-Qurtubi, on the authority of a Hadith narrative, reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, ` I have prayed to Allah jalla thana'uh imploring Him not to answer the curse invoked by a friend or relative upon another friend or relative.' Shahr ibn Hawshab says, ` I have read that angels appointed to take care of human needs have been instructed by Allah Ta` ala, in His mercy, that they should not write down what His servant says in grief or anger.' (Qurtubi)

Despite what has been said here, there are occasions when comes that moment of Divine approval in which what one is saying on the spot gets to be accepted instantly. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, ` never pray that evil may fall on your children or things you own - lest, that time be the time the prayer is to be accepted - and the curse so invoked may stand answered (and activated) all of a sudden (causing you remorse afterwards).' This Hadith on the authority of Sayyidna Jabir ؓ appears in the Sahih of Muslim under the event of the battle of Buwat.

The outcome of all these Hadith reports is as follows. As obvious, the main address in the verse under reference concerns the deniers of 'Akhirah who demanded an instant punishment. But, in view of its universality, it includes Muslims as well, who may also break into invoking a curse on themselves or on their belongings and children under some fit of grief or anger. Such is the customary practice of Allah Ta` ala, because of His grace and compassion, that he deals with both of them in the same manner. He does not allow such invocations for curses to be actualized and implemented instantly so that the erring person gets the opportunity to think it out and rescind.

An eloquent approach has been made in the second verse (12) to convince those who denied that Allah was One (Tauhid) and that there was a life to come ('Akhirah). It was said: When conditions are normal, people would find time to engage in debating the nature and existence of God and the Hereafter. They would feel free to ascribe all sorts of partners and associates to His pristine divinity and look forward to them in the hope that they would respond at their hour of need. But, as soon as some major distress overtakes them, even these very people, disappointed by the entire range of their false gods they pinned their hopes on, do nothing but call Allah for help, not simply once but repeatedly, lying, sitting, standing. They have no choice. They must invoke Him for help. However, along with this attitude, certainly terrible is their ingratitude. When Allah Ta` ala removes their distress, they forget all about Him becoming so disconnected and indifferent to Him as if they had never called Him and never sought His help in their hour of need. This tells us that those who associate anyone or anything else with Allah Ta` ala in His exclusive domain as the Dispenser of all that is needed by His creation do themselves get to experience the demolition of this belief of theirs. But, because of their hostility and obstinacy, they keep glued to their false notion.

The subject of verse 12 has been emphasized from a different angle in verse 13. It has been said: Let no one miscalculate that punishment cannot come in this world just because Allah Ta` ala gives respite to those who deny and disbelieve. The history of past peoples shows that different kinds of punishments have visited them because of their contumacy and disobedience right here in this world. It is a different matter that Allah Ta` ala has promised that no mass punishment will come upon the Muslim ummah in consideration of the honor of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ the foremost among prophets. But, it is in the face of this very merciful indulgence of Almighty Allah that people have become audacious enough to come forward and invite, even demand, Divine punishment. On the contrary, it is necessary to remember that indifference to Divine punishment is not proper under any condition even for them (Muslims). The reason is that the promise of not sending mass punishment upon the Muslim ummah, or the world as a whole, certainly stands there, but the coming of such punishment on particular individuals and nations is possible even now.

In verse 14, it was said: ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ خَلَائِفَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لِنَنظُرَ‌ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿14﴾ (Then We made you vice-regents on the earth, in order to see how you would act), that is, ` after the destruction of past peoples, We made you successors to them giving you the vice-regency of the earth. But, let this not give you any false idea that this vice-regency of the earth has been given to you so that you could have a good time. In fact, this honor has been bestowed on you to test you and to see how you would act - would you learn your lesson from the history of past peoples or would you lose your head drunk with power and wealth?'

This tells us that worldly power is not something to be proud of or arrogant about. This is responsibility at its toughest, a charge very heavy and very fragile to handle.