Surah 57. Al-Hadid

He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].

  - Mohammad Asad

He causes the night to pass into the day and the day to pass into the night, and He has knowledge of the inmost secrets of your hearts.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He causeth the night to pass into the day, and He causeth the day to pass into the night, and He is Knower of all that is in the breasts.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BELIEVE in God and His Apostle, and spend on others out of that of which He has made you trustees:⁵ for, those of you who have attained to faith and who spend freely [in God's cause] shall have a great reward.

  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that all that man "possesses" is but held in trust from God, since "all that is in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him", whereas man is allowed only its usufruct.

Believe in Allah and His Rasool and spend in charity out of what you have been made the inheritors of, for those of you who believe and spend in charity shall be richly rewarded.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Believe in Allah and His messenger, and spend of that whereof He hath made you trustees; and such of you as believe and spend (aright), theirs will be a great reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And why should you not believe in God, seeing that the Apostle calls you to believe in [Him who is] your Sustainer, and [seeing that] He has taken a pledge from you?⁶ [Why should you not believe in Him] if you are able to believe [in anything]?⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

God's "taking a pledge" is a metonymic allusion to the faculty of reason with which He has endowed man, and which ought to enable every sane person to grasp the evidence of God's existence by observing the effects of His creativeness in all nature and by paying heed to the teachings of His prophets (Zamakhshari). See in this connection 7:172 and the corresponding note [139].

Lit., "if you are believers": implying, according to Razi, "if you can believe in anything on the basis of sound evidence".

What is the matter with you that you do not believe in Allah, whereas the Rasool is inviting you to believe in your Rabb, Who has indeed taken your covenant, if you are true men of faith?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

What aileth you that ye believe not in Allah, when the messenger calleth you to believe in your Lord, and He hath already made a covenant with you, if ye are believers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is He who bestows from on high clear messages unto [this] His servant, to lead you out of the deep darkness into the light: for, behold, God is most compassionate towards you, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

He it is Who sends clear revelations to His servant, so that he may lead you from the depths of darkness into the light. Surely Allah is Most Kind and Most Merciful to you.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He it is Who sendeth down clear revelations unto His slave, that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and lo! for you, Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And why should you not spend freely in the cause of God, seeing that God's [alone] is the heritage of the heavens and the earth?⁸ Not equal are those of you who spent and fought [in God's cause] before the Victory⁹ [and those who did not do so]: they are of a higher rank than those who would spend and fight [only] after it - although God has promised the ultimate good to all [who strive in His cause].¹⁰ And God is aware of all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "that to God belongs all that is...", etc.: see note [5] above; also Note [22] on 15:23 .

I.e., before the conquest of Mecca in 8 H., when the Muslims were still weak and their future uncertain.

The above principle applies, of course, to the relative merits of believers of all times who strive in God's cause before and/or after success has been achieved.

What is the matter with you that you do not spend in the Way of Allah, whereas to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent and fought in the Cause of Allah before the victory, shall receive higher ranks of honor than the others who spent and fought thereafter. Yet Allah has promised you all a good reward, and Allah is aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And what aileth you that ye spend not in the way of Allah, when unto Allah belongeth the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent and fought before the victory are not upon a level (with the rest of you). Such are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Unto each hath Allah promised good. And Allah is Informed of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

WHO IS IT that will offer up unto God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay?¹¹ For, such [as do so] shall have a noble reward

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [234] on the identical phrase in 2:245 . In the present instance the meaning is apparently wider, applying to all that man may do selflessly. for the sake of God alone.

Who is the one that will give to Allah a goodly loan, so that He may increase it manifold to his credit and give him a liberal reward besides it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Who is he that will lend unto Allah a goodly loan, that He may double it for him and his may be a rich reward?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

on the Day when thou shalt see all believing men and believing women, with their light spreading rapidly before them and on their right,¹² [and with this welcome awaiting them:] "A glad tiding for you today gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide! This, this is the triumph supreme!"

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [25] on the expression ashab al-yamin ("those on the right hand") in 74:39 . In many instances, the metaphor of "the right hand" or "right side" is used in the Qur'an to denote "righteousness" and, therefore, "blessedness", symbolized in the present context by the "light spreading rapidly" before and on the right side of the believers as a result of their "cognition of God, and their high morality, and their freedom from ignorance and blameworthy traits" (Razi).

On the Day of Judgement you shall see the true believing men and the believing women, with their light shining before them and on their right hands, and it will be said to them: "Rejoice today, you shall enter the gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which you shall live forever, and that is the highest achievement."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the day when thou (Muhammad) wilt see the believers, men and women, their light shining forth before them and on their right hands, (and wilt hear it said unto them): Glad news for you this day: Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein ye are immortal. That is the supreme triumph.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

On that Day shall the hypocrites, both men and women,¹³ speak [thus] unto those who have attained to faith: "Wait for us! Let us have a [ray of] light from your light!" [But] they will be told: "Turn back, and seek a light [of your own]!"¹⁴ And thereupon a wall will be raised between them [and the believers], with a gate in it: within it will be grace and mercy, and against the outside thereof, suffering.¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Meant here are, apparently, not only outright "hypocrites" (in the connotation given to this term in Western languages), but also people who, being shaky in their beliefs and uncertain in their moral convictions, are inclined to deceive themselves (see note [7] on 29:11 ).

I.e., "you should have sought light while you lived on earth".

The stress on there being a gate in the wall separating true believers and hypocrites (or the weak of faith) points to the possibility of the latters' redemption: cf. the famous hadith quoted in note [10] on 40:12 . Mujahid (as quoted by Tabari) identifies the "wall" spoken of here with the "barrier" (hijab) mentioned in 7:46 .

On that Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to the true believers: "Wait for us, that we may borrow some of your light." But they will be told: "Go away! Seek your light elsewhere." So a wall with a gate shall be set up between them. Inside there shall be mercy, and outside all along there shall be punishment of hell.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the day when the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will say unto those who believe: Look on us that we may borrow from your light! it will be said: Go back and seek for light! Then there will separate them a wall wherein is a gate, the inner side whereof containeth mercy, while the outer side thereof is toward the doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They [who will remain without] will call out to those [within], "Were we not with you? - [to which]; the others will answer: "So it was! But you allowed yourselves to succumb to temptation,¹⁶ and you were hesitant [in your faith¹⁷ ], and you were doubtful [of resurrection]; and your wishful thinking beguiled you until God's command came to pass:¹⁸ for, [indeed, your own] deceptive thoughts about God deluded you!¹⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "by the prospect of worldly gains" or "by fear for your personal safety" - both of which characterize the half-hearted as well as the hypocrites.

Thus Ibn Zayd (quoted by Tabari), explaining the verb tarabbastum.

I.e., "until your death".

See note [30] on the last sentence of 31:33 .

They will call out the believers, saying: "Were we not on your side?" "Yes," they will reply, "but you led yourselves into temptation, you wavered, you doubted, and were deceived by your vain desires until Allah's command came, while the arch-deceiver (shaitan) deceived you concerning Allah till the last moment."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will cry unto them (saying): Were we not with you? They will say: Yea, verily; but ye tempted one another, and hesitated, and doubted, and vain desires beguiled you till the ordinance of Allah came to pass; and the deceiver deceived you concerning Allah;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And so, no ransom²⁰ shall be accepted today from you, and neither from those who were [openly] bent on denying the truth. Your goal is the fire: it is your [only] refuge²¹ - and how evil a journey's end!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., belated repentance.

Lit., "your friend" (mawlakum) - i.e., "the only thing by which you may hope to be purified and redeemed": cf. the saying of the Prophet mentioned in note [10] on 40:12 , see also note [15] above.

They will be told, "Today no ransom shall be accepted from you, or from the unbelievers. Your abode is the fire: which you have justly earned, and it is an evil refuge."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So this day no ransom can be taken from you nor from those who disbelieved. Your home is the Fire; that is your patron, and a hapless journey's end.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

IS IT NOT time that the hearts of all who have attained to faith should feel humble at the remembrance of God and of all the truth that has been bestowed [on them] from on high,²² lest they become like those who were granted revelation aforetime,²³ and whose hearts have hardened with the passing of time so that many of them are [now] depraved?²⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "Should not the remembrance of God and His revelation make them humble rather than proud?" This is an emphatic warning against all smugness, self-righteousness and false pride at having "attained to faith" - a failing which only too often attains to such as consider themselves "pious".

This is apparently an allusion to the spiritually arrogant among the Jews, who regard themselves as "God's chosen people" and, therefore, as predestined for His acceptance.

I.e., so that now they act contrary to the ethical precepts of their religion: implying that the purpose of all true faith is to make man humble and God-conscious rather than self-satisfied, and that a loss of that spiritual humility invariably results in moral degeneration.

Has not the time arrived for the believers to submit with fervent hearts to Allah's warning and to the truth He has revealed, so that they may not become like those who were given the Book before this, even though their term was prolonged for them but their hearts became hardened? Today most among them are transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the Scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[But] know that God gives life to the earth after it has been lifeless!²⁵ We have indeed made Our messages clear unto you, so that you might use your reason.

  - Mohammad Asad

According to most of the commentators - and, particularly, Zamakhshari, Razi and Ibn Kathir - this is a parabolic allusion to the effect of a re-awakening of God-consciousness in hearts that had become deadened by self-satisfaction and false pride.

You should know that Allah restores the earth to life after its death. We have spelled out Our revelations for you, so that you may understand.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Know that Allah quickeneth the earth after its death. We have made clear Our revelations for you, that haply ye may understand.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, as for the men and women who accept the truth as true,²⁶ and who [thus] offer up unto God a goodly loan, they will be amply repaid,²⁷ and shall have a noble reward [in the life to come].

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "who give in charity" - depending on the vocalization of the consonants sad and dal. In view of the sequence, the sense given in my rendering seems preferable (and is, indeed, stressed by Zamakhshari), although in the reading of Hafs ibn Sulayman al-Asadi, on which this translation is based, the relevant nouns appear in the spelling mussaddiqin and mussaddiqat, "men and women who give in charity".

See verse {11} above.

Surely the charitable men and the charitable women, and those who give a goodly loan to Allah, shall be repaid manifold, and also be given a liberal reward besides it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who give alms, both men and women, and lend unto Allah a goodly loan, it will be doubled for them, and theirs will be a rich reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For, they who have attained to faith in God and His Apostle - it is they, they who uphold the truth, and they who bear witness [thereto] before God:²⁸ [and so] they shall have their reward and their light! But as for those who are bent on denying the truth and on giving the lie to Our messages - it is they who are destined for the blazing fire!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by their readiness for any sacrifice.

Those who believe in Allah and His Rasool, they are the truthful and the true witnesses in the sight of their Rabb; they shall have their reward and their light. But those who disbelieve and reject Our revelations; they shall be the inmates of hellfire.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the loyal; and the martyrs are with their Lord; they have their reward and their light; while as for those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are owners of hell fire.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

KNOW [O men] that the life of this world is but a play and a passing delight, and a beautiful show, and [the cause of] your boastful vying with one another, and [of your] greed for more and more riches and children.²⁹ Its parable is that of³⁰ [life-giving] rain: the herbage which it causes to grow delights the tillers of the soil;³¹ but then it withers, and thou canst see it turn yellow; and in the end it crumbles into dust. But [the abiding truth of man's condition will become fully apparent] in the life to come: [either] suffering severe, or³² God's forgiveness and His goodly acceptance: for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion.

  - Mohammad Asad

Commenting at length on this passage, Razi makes it clear that life as such is not to be despised, inasmuch as it has been created by God: cf. 38:27 - "We have not created heaven and earth and all that is between them without meaning and purpose"; and 23:115 - "Did you think that We have created you in mere idle play?" But whereas life in itself is a positive gift of God and - as Razi points out - the potential source of all blessings, it loses this positive quality if it is indulged in recklessly, blindly and with disregard of spiritual values and considerations: in brief, if it is indulged in without any thought of the hereafter.

Lit., "[It is] like the parable of...", etc.

This is the sole instance in the Qur'an where the participial noun kafir (in its plural form kuffar) has its original meaning of "tiller of the soil". For the etymology of this meaning, see note [4] on 74:10 , where the term kafir (in the sense of "denier of the truth") appears for the first time in the sequence of Qur'anic revelation.

According to Tabari, the conjunction wa has here the meaning of aw ("or").

You should know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, a show and boasting among yourselves, a quest for greater riches and more children. Its similitude is that of vegetation that flourish after rain: the growth of which delights the tillers, then it withers and you see it turn yellow, soon it becomes dry and crumbles away. In the hereafter there will be either severe punishment or forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure. The life of this world is nothing but an illusion.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Know that the life of this world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall