Chapter 41 - 56
Clarity (Surah Al - Fussilat)
(54 verses; revealed in Makkah, beginning of Middle Period – Middle Makkan 5th or 6th year. Also known by various other names such as Ha Mim Sajdah, The Lamps, The Sustenance)
This chapter focuses on the clarity of the message and the preponderance of evidence in nature regarding God and His creation for us to be mindful.
The key themes in this chapter are as follows:
· An Arabic scripture in their native language with details and explanations that should be easy for tribes of the Prophet to understand
· The creation of the earth, all its resources and its placement in the solar system which came together following God’s command are evidence themselves of God’s presence
· The disbelievers not only denied the message but even acted in hostility against the Prophet and his followers which was uncalled for
· The consequence of denials and evils are as God had prescribed, though the deniers may find it difficult to accept in this life and in the life to come when they can neither escape the resurrection nor avoid the retribution due to them
In the name of Allah, the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
Ha Mim!
A revelation – from the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
A book – verses with clarity (fussilat), in plain Arabic; so you know!
Warnings! Good News! – but they turn aside and hear not! (v. 1-4)
They say, “Our hearts are protected from what you (Prophet) tell us, we don’t hear you and there is a separation between us and you. Therefore, go on doing what you are doing but we will do what we need to do.” (v. 5)
(Prophet) Tell them, “I am a mortal just like you, but it has been revealed to me that your God is but One! That you should stay on the straight path towards your God and seek refuge in God. How unfortunate those who are polytheists, who do not care for the poor and who deny the Hereafter? Whereas those who believe and do good, theirs’ is a reward for sure, a reward never to be exhausted!” (v. 5-8)
Say, “Do you disbelieve in God Who created the earth in two Days?1 Do you set rivals with God when God is the Master of the universe?” (v. 9)
God established mountains on its surface, blessed all (creatures) therein and measured its provisions for all seekers in four Days! God directed attention to the sky, it was gaseous and said to it and the earth, “Come both, come willingly or unwillingly.” They both said, “We come willingly.” In two Days God arranged the seven heavens and establish in each heaven its orders. The lower heaven was given its light and made to safeguard. Such is the decree of God – the Mighty, the Knowing! (v. 10-12)
If they still turn away, say to them, “I am warning you of a calamity, the like of which afflicted the people of A’d and Thamud.” (Recall) when prophets came at various points in time (to people of Thamud) and said, “Serve none but God.”, but they said, “If our Cherisher God had so willed He would have sent angels instead – so we deny the very purpose for which you claim to have been sent.” The community of A’d were arrogant too, unjust in their conduct and said, “Who is more powerful than us?” If they could only see that God Who created them is more powerful than they were. They rejected Our messages! (v. 13-15)
We then sent violent wind and storm on days unfortunate enough to make them taste humiliation in this life, while the humiliation in the Hereafter will be further degrading and no help will be available then. We showed the people of Thamud the right way, but they preferred blindness to guidance – so a blinding blast overtook them, commensurate with what they have earned, but We saved those who believed and who acted responsibly! (v. 16-18)
(Imagine) the Day when the deniers and enemies of God will be gathered by the fire, and they will be in placed in groups. Until their arrival by the fire, their own ears, eyes, and skins will proclaim as witness against their own conducts, and they will say to their skins, “Why do you testify against us?” Their skins will say, “God Who made power of expression available to all creations, made us speak. God created you first and now you are being returned to God. You did not think of covering yourselves lest your ears, your eyes and your skins could testify against you – you thought instead that God did not know much about what you did! It is your thoughts and doubts that you entertained against God is the source of your ruins and you have come to be a loser. If you can but maintain patience since fire is your destiny. If you ask for goodwill, you are not the ones to be granted such goodwill. (v. 19-24)
We assigned to them their accomplice who tempted them, making their past conducts and future scheming look good to them and thus their guilt was proven – the nations of jinn and humankind who passed away before this current generation – they indeed are losers! (v. 26)
Those who lack faith say, “Do not listen to this Qur’an being recited – rather, make noise so that you can prevail.” We will make those who disbelieve taste the consequences and they will account for the worst of their behavior. Such is the reward for the enemies of God – the fire! They will reside in it – a
fitting requital for denying Our messages. The disbelievers will plead, “Our God, show us those – from among jinn and mankind – who led us astray, so that we may trample them under our feet and make them the lowest of the low.” (v. 27-29)
But those who say, “Our god is God.”, and stay on the right path, angels will descend on them assuring, “Fear not, and do not grieve! Receive the advent of the Garden that you were promised – we are your friends in this life and in the Afterlife. You will have what your souls desire and what you ask for – a welcome gift from the Forgiving, the Merciful God!” (v. 30-32)
Who is better in speech than the one who calls (people) to God, does good and says, “I am one of those who submits to God”? The evil and the good are not same – repel evils with goodness, and behold, an enemy of yours becomes as if an old and loyal friend! But none can achieve goodness except those who exercise patience and are blessed with ample righteousness! (v. 33-35)
If a temptation from the devil (and evil people) were to stir you, seek (immediate) refuge from God, the Knowing, the Hearing! (v. 36)
Among God’s signs are these – the day, the night, the sun, and the moon; do not worship the sun or the moon but worship God Who created you if you truly intend to worship. But if these people are proud, then know that those who are with God glorify God, day and night, and do so tirelessly!2 (v. 37-38)
Among God’ signs is this – you see the earth lifeless but as soon as We send down water in its soil, it stirs and swells (with life); God Who gives it life is also the One Who gives life to the dead! Indeed, God is powerful over all things! (v. 39)
Anyone who distorts Our messages should know that they are not hidden or protected from Us. Who is better – one cast into the fire or the one who arrives in safety on the Day of Resurrection? Do as you please while God sees what you do. You disbelieve in this Reminder when it is recited to you while it is a scripture unassailable3 – falsehood cannot come to it from any directions – a revelation from the Wise, the Praised God! Nothing is revealed to you (Prophet) that was not revealed to prophets before you. Indeed, your Sustainer God is the God of grand forgiveness and severe retribution! (v. 40-43)
If We had revealed the Qur’an in a foreign tongue, they would have complained, “Only if its verses were made clear – a foreign tongue and an Arab (messenger)?” Say to them, “It is a guidance and a healing for those who believe, but those who deny, it adds deafness in their ears and blurriness in their sights, as if they are called from a distant place. (v. 44)
We indeed gave Moses the Book (the Torah) but they differed and failed regarding it. If a word had not gone forth from your Sustainer God, judgment would have been rendered already – they are in deep doubt about it (the guidance). Whoever does good, does so for its own good and whoever does evil, it is against itself! Your Cherisher God is never unjust to the servants! (v. 45-46)
The matter of the Hour (end of the world) only God encompasses. There is not a grain that comes out of its covering, or a female who conceives and brings forth except with God’s knowledge. On the Day God will ask, “Where are My partners?”, and they (deniers) will respond, “We confirm that none of us can find them.” The deities they invoked will have vanished and they will realize that there is no further escape! (v. 47-48)
Humankind is never tired of asking for good but if misfortune were to fall on them, they lose hope and become despondent! If We make them receive mercy from Us after they have endured distress, they claim, “It is my doing. I do think that the Hour will never occur, but even if does and I am sent back to my Creator, I am sure to have (similar) mercy from God.” We will certainly inform those who deny God as to what they do, and We shall make them suffer a severe consequence! Whenever We give a favor to humankind, they turn away in self-defiance and distance themselves (from God), but when evil falls on them, they offer intense and lengthy supplications! (v. 50-51)
Say, “Can you not see, if this revelation is from God and you deny it, then who demonstrates greater error than the one who opposes it the farthest?” We will soon show them signs over the horizons and in themselves4, until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth. Is it not adequate that God is a Witness to all affairs? Alas, they are in deep doubt about their meeting with God, whereas God encompasses them all! (v. 52-54)
1Days is best captured as period or stages the length of which is given, as in 22:47 and 32:5 as thousand years or in 70:4 as fifty thousand years of our earthly measures, indicating that the celestial clock or the spiritual clock, if any, is on a vastly different scale from our earthly clock, such as light years used by astronomers for measuring distance between starts and galaxies
2Prostration to God is due as you recite this verse
3Refer to verses 18:1, 4:82, 2:23, 10:38 and 11:13 to refute those who deny or distort the Qur’an
4Horizons and in ourselves may imply that the presence of God can be felt and seen in nature and in our own consciousness. Other have interpreted it as Islam will expand throughout Arabia and around the world as a testimony to the veracity and truth of Islam and the Qur’an
