Surah 15. Al-Hijr

for We did vouchsafe them Our messages, but they obstinately turned their backs upon them -

  - Mohammad Asad

We gave them Our signs, but they ignored them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We gave them Our revelations, but they were averse to them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

notwithstanding that they had been wont [to enjoy Our blessings and] to hew out dwellings from the mountains, [wherein they could live] in security⁵⁹ -:

  - Mohammad Asad

See 7:74 and the corresponding notes (particularly note [59]).

They hewed their homes in the mountains for safety.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they used to hew out dwellings from the hills, (wherein they dwelt) secure.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and so the blast [of Our punishment] overtook them at early morn,

  - Mohammad Asad

But the mighty blast seized them one morning.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But the (Awful) Cry overtook them at the morning hour,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and of no avail to them was all [the power] that they had acquired.

  - Mohammad Asad

And all their labor of building their homes through carving the rocks did not avail them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And that which they were wont to count as gain availed them not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND [remember:] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth;⁶⁰ but, behold, the Hour [when this will become clear to all] is indeed yet to come. Hence, forgive [men's failings] with fair forbearance:

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of this rendering of illa bi'l-haqq (lit., "otherwise than with [or "in"] truth"), see surah {10}, note [11].

We have not created the Heavens and the Earth, and all that lies between them but to manifest the Truth.The Hour of Doom is sure to come, so overlook their misbehavior in a gracious manner.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them save with truth, and lo! the Hour is surely coming. So forgive, O Muhammad, with a gracious forgiveness.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

verily, thy Sustainer is the all-knowing Creator of all things!⁶¹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "He has created all human beings with full knowledge of their natural differentiation and the disparity in their respective conditions" (Razi) - and this, of course, includes their failings and errors. (Cf. 7:199 - "Make due allowance for man's nature" - and the corresponding note [162].)

Surely your Rabb is the All-Knowing Creator.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! Thy Lord! He is the All Wise Creator.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND, INDEED, We have bestowed upon thee seven of the oft-repeated [verses], and [have, thus, laid open before thee] this sublime Qur'an:⁶²

  - Mohammad Asad

With these words, the discourse returns to the theme enunciated at the beginning of this surah and indirectly alluded to in verse {85} as well: namely, the revelation of the divine writ, destined to serve as a moral guidance to man, who cannot, as yet, discern the meaning and purpose of God's creation. - According to most of the authorities, including some of the foremost Companions of the Prophet, "The Seven Oft-Repeated [Verses]" is a designation given by Muhammad himself to the first surah of the Qur'an, which has also been described by him as "The Essence of the Divine Writ" (Umm al-Kitab) inasmuch as it alludes to all the ethical and metaphysical principles set forth in the Qur'an (Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir). See also my introductory note to Al-Fatihah ("The Opening").

We have given you the Seven Verses that are worthy of recitation over and over again (Surah Al-Fatiha) and the Glorious Qur'an.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We have given thee seven of the oft repeated (verses) and the great Quran.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[so] turn not shine eyes [longingly] towards the worldly benefits which We have granted unto some⁶³ of those [that deny the truth]. And neither grieve over those [who refuse to heed thee], but spread the wings of thy tenderness over the believers,⁶⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

The philological authorities are unanimous in that the plural noun azwaj denotes here"kinds" of people, or "some" of them, and not - as certain modern translators of the Qur'an have assumed - "pairs".

Lit., "lower thy wing for the believers": an idiomatic metaphor for loving tenderness and humility (see 17:24 and the corresponding note [28]).

Do not look at the worldly wealth which We have given to different people among them, nor grieve at their condition. Leave them alone, attend to the believers in kindness,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Strain not thine eyes toward that which We cause some wedded pairs among them to enjoy, and be not grieved on their account, and lower thy wing (in tenderness) for the believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and say: "Behold, I am indeed the plain warner [promised by God]!"⁶⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

The above interpolated phrase offers, to my mind, the only satisfactory explanation of the definite articles prefixed to the words an-nadhir al-mubin ("the plain warner"). This construction possibly alludes to the Biblical prediction of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad appearing in Deuteronomy xviii, {15} and {18}, which has been discussed by me in surah {2}, note [33].

and tell the unbelievers: "Surely I am only a plain Warner."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And say: Lo! I, even I, am a plain warner,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[For, thou art the bearer of a divine writ⁶⁶] such as We have bestowed from on high upon those who [afterwards] broke it up into parts,⁶⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus Zamakhshari, explaining the elliptic beginning of this sentence and its logical connection with the preceding verse as well as with verse {87}.

This is apparently a reference to the followers of the Bible, who "believe in some parts of the divine writ and deny the truth of other parts" (cf. 2:85 ) - i.e., who act in accordance with those principles of the Bible which suit their inclinations and the prevailing social trends, and disregard the others, thus denying, by implication, their validity.

This warning is like the warning which We sent down to the schismatics,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Such as We send down for those who make division,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[and] who [now] declare this Qur'an to be [a tissue of] falsehoods!⁶⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

This, according to the Taj al-'Arus (art. 'adiha and 'adawa) is the meaning of 'idin in the above context: an interpretation also advanced by Tabari and Razi (in the last paragraph of the latter's commentary on this verse). Another interpretation - equally acceptable from the purely linguistic point of view - is "[those] who cut up the Qur'an into separate parts": i.e., accept (on the analogy of the Jews and the Christians) some of it as true and regard the rest as Muhammad's invention. But since - as Tabari points out - those who refuse to believe in the divine origin of the Quran do not accept any of it as true, the first interpretation is by far the preferable.

the one who divided their Qur'an into separate parts, believing in some and denying others.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who break the Quran into parts.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But, by thy Sustainer! [On the Day of Judgment] We shall indeed call them to account, one and all,

  - Mohammad Asad

So by your Rabb! We will question them all

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for whatever they have done!

  - Mohammad Asad

about their doings.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Of what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, proclaim openly all that thou hast been bidden [to say], and leave alone all those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God:

  - Mohammad Asad

Therefore, proclaim publicly what you are commanded and turn away from the mushrikin.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So proclaim that which thou art commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

verily, We shall suffice thee against all who [now] deride [this message - all]

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely We Ourself will suffice you against the scoffers;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! We defend thee from the scoffers,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall