Chapter 57 - 108
Iron (Surah Al-Hadid)
(29 verses; revealed during 8th year of Hijra)
In the Name of Allah, the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
All that is in the heavens and the earth praises Allah – the Grand Decider! God’s dominion extends all over the heavens and the earth – giving life and causing death, Possessor of Power over all things! God is the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden, and Knower of all things! It is God Who created the heavens and the earth in six stages and then assumed control of the Throne of Power! God knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, and which comes down from heavens and which goes up to heavens! God is with you wherever you are, and Allah sees what you do! The kingdoms of the heavens and the earth belongs to God all affairs return to Allah! God causes the night to transit into the day and the day into the night; God knows the affairs of the hearts! (v. 1-6)
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and share in what you have made to inherit1. Whoever believes and shares will have a grand reward! (v. 7)
What reasons do you have that you do not believe in Allah while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Sustainer God! God has indeed accepted your covenant, if you did it sincerely!2 It is God Who sends clear messages to His servant prophet so that he may bring you out of darkness into the light. Allah is Ever Kind, Merciful! What reasons do you have not to share in the service of Allah that He allowed you to inherit from the heavens and the earth? Those of you who shared before this Victory3 and fought with your person are on a different level – their rank is greater than those who share and fight afterwards. But Allah has promised good for all, regardless – Allah is fully Aware of what you do! (v. 8-10)
Who is that will offer Allah a good loan and Allah will double it? They will have generous rewards! On that Day you will see believing men and believing women with their lights beaming before them on their right hand. There is good news for you on this day – Garden with flowing springs, to live therein! That is a grand achievement! (v. 11-12)
While on that (same) day, the hypocritical men and hypocritical women will say to the believers, “Will you wait for us? Let us borrow from your light. But they will be told, “Turn back and seek a light,” and a wall with a door in it will be raised separating them – within the wall there will be mercy and outside of it chastisement! The hypocrites will cry out, “Were we not with you?” The believers will say, “Yes, but you fell victim to you own temptations – you waited, showed doubt and your frivolous desires overtook you until the threatened chastisement of Allah came and the Arch-Deceiver (Shaitan) deceived you about Allah!” Therefore, on this day no ransom will be taken from you or from the disbelievers – Fire is your residence and your patron, an evil resort indeed! (v. 13-15)
Isn’t time that the hearts of the believers should humble themselves at the remembrance of Allah and the truth that has been revealed? They should not behave like those who were given books before. Time seemed stretched for them and their hearts became heedless and most of them became transgressors. (v. 16)
Recognize that Allah gives life to the earth after its demise. God had indeed made the signs clear so that you may understand. The charitable men and the charitable women who set aside a goodly portion of charity for Allah – it will be doubled for them and a generous reward! Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger are the truthful ones to bear witness with Allah. They will have their rewards and their lights, whereas those who denied and rejected Our messages will reside in the abyss! (v. 17-19)
Know that the life of this world is nothing but a game, a diversion, a temptation, full of boasting among yourselves and a competition to multiply in wealth and lineage. It is like the vegetation that sprouts forth from rain delighting the farmers, but then withers away, turning yellow and into dry stubbles. In the Hereafter there will be chastisement, but also forgiveness and approval from Allah. The life of this world is nothing but an illusion, a pleasure! (v. 20)
Therefore, compete for the forgiveness from your Sustainer God and a Garden whose expansiveness is as vast of the sky and the earth combined, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers! This is a grace from Allah, bestowing to whom He pleases! Allah’s bounty is infinite! (v. 21)
No misfortune touches the earth or you except that it is already prescribed in a book before its execution – this is indeed easy for Allah! Therefore, do not grieve at what you lost or show pride in what you have gained – Allah does not love any arrogant boaster, who not only acts niggardly but also encourage others to behave that way. If you turn back, know that Allah is Self-sufficient, Praiseworthy! (v. 22-24)
We have indeed sent messengers with clear reasoning and send with them the Book and the Balance so that people can conduct themselves with justice and equity! We also deposited iron that has strength and benefit for people so that Allah may know who serves God and His messengers, though unseen. Allah is Strong, Mighty! (v. 25)
Certainly, We (God) sent Noah and Abraham and bestowed prophethood and books to their offspring; some of them are guided right, but most are transgressors! We made other messengers to follow their footsteps and then came Jesus, son of Mary whom We gifted the Bible! We put compassion and mercy into the hearts of those who followed him but as for monasticism, that was their own invention not prescribed by Us; still they could have served God’s pleasure, but they did not conduct in a manner that would have been a true observance. We rewarded those who believed but most of them were corrupt and mischief-makers! (v. 26-27)
O Believers! Be mindful of Allah (attaqu) and believe in your Messenger! God will give two portions of His Mercy, a light (nooran) with which to regulate your life and forgiveness for you. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful! This is how the People of the Book will come to know that they control none of Allah’s grace – it is in the hands of Allah alone and He gives it to whomever He pleases. Allah’s grace is truly immense! (v. 28-29)
1 This is a broad statement – all that we have is truly an inheritance from God and this mindset if fundamental in the way we earn and in the way we share anything of value – education, wealth, property, relationships, natural resources, intellect, health, community…
2 It is being addressed to both the disbelievers and the believers!
3 Reference to either the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah or the Conquest of Makkah, depending on when the verses were revealed
