14: Abraham (Ibrahim)
Revealed at Makkah
This chapter is named after Abraham, whose prayer is mentioned in verses 35–41. It explains that the work of the Quran is to lead people out of darkness into light, but that previous prophets too, such as Moses, had their message rejected at first. However, in all cases the opposition failed and God’s promise to help the prophet was fulfilled. Truth is confirmed and man brings about his own ruin by rejecting it. Then Abraham’s prayer for the right guidance of his descendants is mentioned and we are told that opposition to the truth will always end in failure. This chapter was revealed during the last four years of the period of the Holy Prophet’s life at Makkah.
Section 1 (Verses 14:1–14:6): Revelation Dispels Darkness
14:1
الٓرٰ ۟ کِتٰبٌ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ اِلَیۡکَ لِتُخۡرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَی النُّوۡرِ ۬ۙ بِاِذۡنِ رَبِّہِمۡ اِلٰی صِرَاطِ الۡعَزِیۡزِ الۡحَمِیۡدِ ۙ﴿۱﴾
I, Allah, am the Seer. A Book which We have revealed to you that you may bring forth people, by their Lord’s permission, from darkness into light, to the way of the Mighty, the Praised One,
14:2
اللّٰہِ الَّذِیۡ لَہٗ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ وَیۡلٌ لِّلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ شَدِیۡدِۣ ۙ﴿۲﴾
of Allah, Whose is whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And woe to the disbelievers for the severe punishment!
14:3
الَّذِیۡنَ یَسۡتَحِبُّوۡنَ الۡحَیٰوۃَ الدُّنۡیَا عَلَی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ وَ یَصُدُّوۡنَ عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ یَبۡغُوۡنَہَا عِوَجًا ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍۭ بَعِیۡدٍ ﴿۳﴾
Those who love this world’s life more than the Hereafter, and turn away from Allah’s path, and would have it crooked. Those are far astray.
14:4
وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَا مِنۡ رَّسُوۡلٍ اِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوۡمِہٖ لِیُبَیِّنَ لَہُمۡ ؕ فَیُضِلُّ اللّٰہُ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ یَہۡدِیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ ﴿۴﴾
And We sent no messenger but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly. Then Allah leaves in error whom He pleases and He guides whom He pleases. And He is the Mighty, the Wise.
Nothing is said here about the extent of the mission of the Holy Prophet, which was for all mankind; see 7:158. All that is said here is that every prophet is sent with the language of his people so that he may explain to his people, because it is his people who are the first recipients of his message.
14:5
وَ لَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا مُوۡسٰی بِاٰیٰتِنَاۤ اَنۡ اَخۡرِجۡ قَوۡمَکَ مِنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَی النُّوۡرِ ۬ۙ وَ ذَکِّرۡہُمۡ بِاَیّٰىمِ اللّٰہِ ؕ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّکُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَکُوۡرٍ ﴿۵﴾
And certainly We sent Moses with Our messages, saying: Bring forth your people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of Allah. In this are surely signs for every steadfast, grateful one.
“The days of Allah” signify His merciful dealings with the righteous and His punishment of the wicked.
14:6
وَ اِذۡ قَالَ مُوۡسٰی لِقَوۡمِہِ اذۡکُرُوۡا نِعۡمَۃَ اللّٰہِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ اِذۡ اَنۡجٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ اٰلِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ یَسُوۡمُوۡنَکُمۡ سُوۡٓءَ الۡعَذَابِ وَ یُذَبِّحُوۡنَ اَبۡنَآءَکُمۡ وَ یَسۡتَحۡیُوۡنَ نِسَآءَکُمۡ ؕ وَ فِیۡ ذٰلِکُمۡ بَلَآءٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ عَظِیۡمٌ ٪﴿۶﴾
And when Moses said to his people: Call to mind Allah’s favour to you, when He delivered you from Pharaoh’s people, who subjected you to severe torment, and slaughtered your sons and spared your women. And there was a great trial in it from your Lord.
Section 2 (Verses 14:7–14:12): Truth is Rejected First
14:7
وَ اِذۡ تَاَذَّنَ رَبُّکُمۡ لَئِنۡ شَکَرۡتُمۡ لَاَزِیۡدَنَّکُمۡ وَ لَئِنۡ کَفَرۡتُمۡ اِنَّ عَذَابِیۡ لَشَدِیۡدٌ ﴿۷﴾
And when your Lord made it known: If you are grateful, I will give you more, and if you are ungrateful, My punishment is truly severe.
14:8
وَ قَالَ مُوۡسٰۤی اِنۡ تَکۡفُرُوۡۤا اَنۡتُمۡ وَ مَنۡ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ جَمِیۡعًا ۙ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَغَنِیٌّ حَمِیۡدٌ ﴿۸﴾
And Moses said: If you are ungrateful, you and all those on earth, then Allah is surely Self-sufficient, Praised.
14:9
اَلَمۡ یَاۡتِکُمۡ نَبَؤُا الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ قَوۡمِ نُوۡحٍ وَّ عَادٍ وَّ ثَمُوۡدَ ۬ؕۛ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہِمۡ ؕۛ لَا یَعۡلَمُہُمۡ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ ؕ جَآءَتۡہُمۡ رُسُلُہُمۡ بِالۡبَیِّنٰتِ فَرَدُّوۡۤا اَیۡدِیَہُمۡ فِیۡۤ اَفۡوَاہِہِمۡ وَ قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّا کَفَرۡنَا بِمَاۤ اُرۡسِلۡتُمۡ بِہٖ وَ اِنَّا لَفِیۡ شَکٍّ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُوۡنَنَاۤ اِلَیۡہِ مُرِیۡبٍ ﴿۹﴾
Has not the account reached you of those before you, of the people of Noah and Ād and Thamūd — and those after them? None knows them but Allah. Their messengers came to them with clear arguments, but they thrust their hands into their mouths and said: We deny what you are sent with, and surely we are in serious doubt about that to which you invite us.
The Quran does not claim to give a history of all the prophets; see 4:164 and 40:78. The statement made here is much wider. It is claimed that no other book mentions them all; they are known only to Allah.
14:10
قَالَتۡ رُسُلُہُمۡ اَفِی اللّٰہِ شَکٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ یَدۡعُوۡکُمۡ لِیَغۡفِرَ لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذُنُوۡبِکُمۡ وَ یُؤَخِّرَکُمۡ اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی ؕ قَالُوۡۤا اِنۡ اَنۡتُمۡ اِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثۡلُنَا ؕ تُرِیۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَصُدُّوۡنَا عَمَّا کَانَ یَعۡبُدُ اٰبَآؤُنَا فَاۡتُوۡنَا بِسُلۡطٰنٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿۱۰﴾
Their messengers said: Is there doubt about Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth? He invites you to forgive you your faults and to give you respite till an appointed term. They said: You are nothing but mortals like us; you wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship, so bring us clear authority.
14:11
قَالَتۡ لَہُمۡ رُسُلُہُمۡ اِنۡ نَّحۡنُ اِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثۡلُکُمۡ وَ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَمُنُّ عَلٰی مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِہٖ ؕ وَ مَا کَانَ لَنَاۤ اَنۡ نَّاۡتِیَکُمۡ بِسُلۡطٰنٍ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ فَلۡیَتَوَکَّلِ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱﴾
Their messengers said to them: We are nothing but mortals like yourselves, but Allah bestows (His) favours on whom He pleases of His servants. And it is not for us to bring you an authority, except by Allah’s permission. And on Allah let the believers rely.
14:12
وَ مَا لَنَاۤ اَلَّا نَتَوَکَّلَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ وَ قَدۡ ہَدٰىنَا سُبُلَنَا ؕ وَ لَنَصۡبِرَنَّ عَلٰی مَاۤ اٰذَیۡتُمُوۡنَا ؕ وَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ فَلۡیَتَوَکَّلِ الۡمُتَوَکِّلُوۡنَ ﴿٪۱۲﴾
And why should we not rely on Allah and He has indeed guided us in our ways? And we would certainly bear with patience your persecution of us. And on Allah should the reliant rely.
Section 3 (Verses 14:13–14:21): Opposition is at Last Destroyed
14:13
وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا لِرُسُلِہِمۡ لَنُخۡرِجَنَّکُمۡ مِّنۡ اَرۡضِنَاۤ اَوۡ لَتَعُوۡدُنَّ فِیۡ مِلَّتِنَا ؕ فَاَوۡحٰۤی اِلَیۡہِمۡ رَبُّہُمۡ لَنُہۡلِکَنَّ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۱۳﴾
And those who disbelieved said to their messengers: We will certainly drive you out of our land, unless you come back into our religion. So their Lord revealed to them: We shall certainly destroy the wrongdoers,
This is no doubt equally a description of what the Holy Prophet was suffering at the hands of his enemies.
14:14
وَ لَنُسۡکِنَنَّـکُمُ الۡاَرۡضَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہِمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ لِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامِیۡ وَ خَافَ وَعِیۡدِ ﴿۱۴﴾
and We shall certainly settle you in the land after them. This is for him who fears standing in My presence and fears My threat.
This verse contains a very clear prophecy of the flight of the Holy Prophet from Makkah and of his re-entry into that city as a conqueror and ruler.
14:15
وَ اسۡتَفۡتَحُوۡا وَ خَابَ کُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِیۡدٍ ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾
And they sought judgment, and every insolent opposer was disappointed:
14:16
مِّنۡ وَّرَآئِہٖ جَہَنَّمُ وَ یُسۡقٰی مِنۡ مَّآءٍ صَدِیۡدٍ ﴿ۙ۱۶﴾
Hell is before him and he is given to drink boiling water;
14:17
یَّتَجَرَّعُہٗ وَ لَا یَکَادُ یُسِیۡغُہٗ وَ یَاۡتِیۡہِ الۡمَوۡتُ مِنۡ کُلِّ مَکَانٍ وَّ مَا ہُوَ بِمَیِّتٍ ؕ وَ مِنۡ وَّرَآئِہٖ عَذَابٌ غَلِیۡظٌ ﴿۱۷﴾
he drinks it little by little and is not able to swallow it; and death comes to him from every quarter, yet he does not die. And before him is vehement punishment.
He experiences, as it were, the pangs of death, but death, which would end all distress, does not come to him.
14:18
مَثَلُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِرَبِّہِمۡ اَعۡمَالُہُمۡ کَرَمَادِۣ اشۡتَدَّتۡ بِہِ الرِّیۡحُ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ عَاصِفٍ ؕ لَا یَقۡدِرُوۡنَ مِمَّا کَسَبُوۡا عَلٰی شَیۡءٍ ؕ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الضَّلٰلُ الۡبَعِیۡدُ ﴿۱۸﴾
The parable of those who disbelieve in their Lord: Their works are as ashes on which the wind blows hard on a stormy day. They have no power over anything they have earned. That is straying far away.
14:19
اَلَمۡ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ اِنۡ یَّشَاۡ یُذۡہِبۡکُمۡ وَ یَاۡتِ بِخَلۡقٍ جَدِیۡدٍ ﴿ۙ۱۹﴾
Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth? If He please, He will take you away and bring a new creation,
V. 18 states that all the exertions of the opponents against the Prophet will be useless, while verses 19 and 20 warn the disbelievers that their power will come to an end and another people will take their place.
14:21
وَ بَرَزُوۡا لِلّٰہِ جَمِیۡعًا فَقَالَ الضُّعَفٰٓؤُا لِلَّذِیۡنَ اسۡتَکۡبَرُوۡۤا اِنَّا کُنَّا لَکُمۡ تَبَعًا فَہَلۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّغۡنُوۡنَ عَنَّا مِنۡ عَذَابِ اللّٰہِ مِنۡ شَیۡءٍ ؕ قَالُوۡا لَوۡ ہَدٰىنَا اللّٰہُ لَہَدَیۡنٰکُمۡ ؕ سَوَآءٌ عَلَیۡنَاۤ اَجَزِعۡنَاۤ اَمۡ صَبَرۡنَا مَا لَنَا مِنۡ مَّحِیۡصٍ ﴿٪۲۱﴾
And they will all come forth to Allah, then the weak will say to those who were proud: We were your followers, can you then avert from us any of the punishment of Allah? They will say: If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is the same to us whether we cry or bear patiently; there is no escape for us.
Section 4 (Verses 14:22–14:27): Truth is Confirmed
14:22
وَ قَالَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِیَ الۡاَمۡرُ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ وَعَدَکُمۡ وَعۡدَ الۡحَقِّ وَ وَعَدۡتُّکُمۡ فَاَخۡلَفۡتُکُمۡ ؕ وَ مَا کَانَ لِیَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ سُلۡطٰنٍ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ دَعَوۡتُکُمۡ فَاسۡتَجَبۡتُمۡ لِیۡ ۚ فَلَا تَلُوۡمُوۡنِیۡ وَ لُوۡمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَکُمۡ ؕ مَاۤ اَنَا بِمُصۡرِخِکُمۡ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ بِمُصۡرِخِیَّ ؕ اِنِّیۡ کَفَرۡتُ بِمَاۤ اَشۡرَکۡتُمُوۡنِ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ ؕ اِنَّ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ ﴿۲۲﴾
And the devil will say, when the matter is decided: Surely Allah promised you a promise of truth, and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you obeyed me; so do not blame me but blame yourselves. I cannot come to your help, nor can you come to my help. I deny your taking me as partner with Allah before. Surely for the unjust is a painful punishment.
The devil mentioned in this verse is none other than the proud misleader of the preceding one. Compare also 37:30, where the very words we had no authority over you are put into the mouth of the leaders of evil from among mankind.
14:23
وَ اُدۡخِلَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا بِاِذۡنِ رَبِّہِمۡ ؕ تَحِیَّتُہُمۡ فِیۡہَا سَلٰمٌ ﴿۲۳﴾
And those who believe and do good are made to enter Gardens, in which rivers flow, abiding in them by their Lord’s permission. Their greeting therein is, Peace!
14:24
اَلَمۡ تَرَ کَیۡفَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰہُ مَثَلًا کَلِمَۃً طَیِّبَۃً کَشَجَرَۃٍ طَیِّبَۃٍ اَصۡلُہَا ثَابِتٌ وَّ فَرۡعُہَا فِی السَّمَآءِ ﴿ۙ۲۴﴾
Do you not see how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word as a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are high,
The parable likening a good word to a good tree follows immediately a description of the final abode of those who do good — Gardens in which rivers flow. A good word is like a good tree which gives its fruit in every season, and therefore the fruits which a man will find in paradise are only the fruits of his own good deeds. The trees of paradise are in fact man’s own good deeds, which have grown into trees, bearing a fruit which is an embodiment of the spiritual fruits of the good deeds of this life. As good deeds are likened to fruit-bearing trees, faith is likened to water repeatedly in the Quran, being the source of physical life. It is for this reason that, just as the righteous are always spoken of as being those who believe and do good, paradise is always described as being a Garden in which rivers flow, the rivers corresponding to faith and the trees of the Garden corresponding to the good which a person does.
14:25
تُؤۡتِیۡۤ اُکُلَہَا کُلَّ حِیۡنٍۭ بِاِذۡنِ رَبِّہَا ؕ وَ یَضۡرِبُ اللّٰہُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَتَذَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۵﴾
yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? And Allah sets forth parables for people that they may be mindful.
14:26
وَ مَثَلُ کَلِمَۃٍ خَبِیۡثَۃٍ کَشَجَرَۃٍ خَبِیۡثَۃِۣ اجۡتُثَّتۡ مِنۡ فَوۡقِ الۡاَرۡضِ مَا لَہَا مِنۡ قَرَارٍ ﴿۲۶﴾
And the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree pulled up from the earth’s surface; it has no stability.
The evil deed is likened to a tree whose roots do not go down into the earth, and in whose case, therefore, the process of nutrition must stop. Therefore an evil deed does not prosper and cannot bear any fruit.
14:27
یُثَبِّتُ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِالۡقَوۡلِ الثَّابِتِ فِی الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا وَ فِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ ۚ وَ یُضِلُّ اللّٰہُ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ۟ۙ وَ یَفۡعَلُ اللّٰہُ مَا یَشَآءُ ﴿٪۲۷﴾
Allah confirms those who believe with the sure word in this world’s life and in the Hereafter; and Allah leaves the wrongdoers in error; and Allah does what He pleases.
Allah does what He pleases, but it is the wrongdoers only, whom He leaves in error. The immediate cause of their going astray is their own iniquity.
Section 5 (Verses 14:28–14:34): Man’s Injustice in Rejecting Truth
14:28
اَلَمۡ تَرَ اِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ بَدَّلُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰہِ کُفۡرًا وَّ اَحَلُّوۡا قَوۡمَہُمۡ دَارَ الۡبَوَارِ ﴿ۙ۲۸﴾
Do you not see those who change Allah’s favour for disbelief and make their people reach the abode of destruction —
They reject Allah’s favour, the Revelation, which aims at making them a great and exalted people, and adopt disbelief in its place.
14:29
جَہَنَّمَ ۚ یَصۡلَوۡنَہَا ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ الۡقَرَارُ ﴿۲۹﴾
Hell. They will burn in it. And an evil place it is to settle in!
14:30
وَ جَعَلُوۡا لِلّٰہِ اَنۡدَادًا لِّیُضِلُّوۡا عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِہٖ ؕ قُلۡ تَمَتَّعُوۡا فَاِنَّ مَصِیۡرَکُمۡ اِلَی النَّارِ ﴿۳۰﴾
And they set up equals with Allah to lead astray from His path. Say: Enjoy yourselves, for surely your return is to the Fire.
14:31
قُلۡ لِّعِبَادِیَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا یُقِیۡمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ یُنۡفِقُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰہُمۡ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِیَۃً مِّنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ یَّاۡتِیَ یَوۡمٌ لَّا بَیۡعٌ فِیۡہِ وَ لَا خِلٰلٌ ﴿۳۱﴾
Tell My servants who believe to keep up prayer and spend (on good works) out of what We have given them, secretly and openly, before the coming of the day in which there is no bartering, nor befriending.
14:32
اَللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَاَخۡرَجَ بِہٖ مِنَ الثَّمَرٰتِ رِزۡقًا لَّکُمۡ ۚ وَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الۡفُلۡکَ لِتَجۡرِیَ فِی الۡبَحۡرِ بِاَمۡرِہٖ ۚ وَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الۡاَنۡہٰرَ ﴿ۚ۳۲﴾
Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the clouds, then brought forth with it fruits as a sustenance for you, and He has made the ships subservient to you to run their course in the sea by His command, and He has made the rivers subservient to you.
The whole of creation is here, and in the next verse, declared to be made subservient to man, to show his high place in creation. How much then does man degrade himself by worshipping things which were made to serve him!
14:33
وَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الشَّمۡسَ وَ الۡقَمَرَ دَآئِبَیۡنِ ۚ وَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الَّیۡلَ وَ النَّہَارَ ﴿ۚ۳۳﴾
And He has made subservient to you the sun and the moon, pursuing their courses; and He has made subservient to you the night and the day.
14:34
وَ اٰتٰىکُمۡ مِّنۡ کُلِّ مَا سَاَلۡتُمُوۡہُ ؕ وَ اِنۡ تَعُدُّوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰہِ لَا تُحۡصُوۡہَا ؕ اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَظَلُوۡمٌ کَفَّارٌ ﴿٪۳۴﴾
And He gives you of all that you ask of Him. And if you count Allah’s favours, you will not be able to number them. Surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
Section 6 (Verses 14:35–14:41): Abraham’s Prayer
14:35
وَ اِذۡ قَالَ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمُ رَبِّ اجۡعَلۡ ہٰذَا الۡبَلَدَ اٰمِنًا وَّ اجۡنُبۡنِیۡ وَ بَنِیَّ اَنۡ نَّعۡبُدَ الۡاَصۡنَامَ ﴿ؕ۳۵﴾
And when Abraham said: My Lord, make this city secure, and save me and my sons from worshipping idols.
That idolatry received a death-blow from the hands of one of Abraham’s descendants shows that Abraham’s prayer was not in vain.
14:36
رَبِّ اِنَّہُنَّ اَضۡلَلۡنَ کَثِیۡرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۚ فَمَنۡ تَبِعَنِیۡ فَاِنَّہٗ مِنِّیۡ ۚ وَ مَنۡ عَصَانِیۡ فَاِنَّکَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ ﴿۳۶﴾
My Lord, surely they have led many people astray. So whoever follows me, he is surely of me; and whoever disobeys me, You surely are Forgiving, Merciful.
Idols do not actually lead people astray; the meaning is that it is on account of them that people go astray.
14:37
رَبَّنَاۤ اِنِّیۡۤ اَسۡکَنۡتُ مِنۡ ذُرِّیَّتِیۡ بِوَادٍ غَیۡرِ ذِیۡ زَرۡعٍ عِنۡدَ بَیۡتِکَ الۡمُحَرَّمِ ۙ رَبَّنَا لِیُـقِیۡمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ فَاجۡعَلۡ اَفۡئِدَۃً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَہۡوِیۡۤ اِلَیۡہِمۡ وَارۡ زُقۡہُمۡ مِّنَ الثَّمَرٰتِ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۳۷﴾
Our Lord, I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive of fruit near Your Sacred House, our Lord, that they may keep up prayer; so make the hearts of some people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits; perhaps they may be grateful.
According to a Hadith report (Bukhari, 60:9), Abraham brought Hagar and Ishmael, and settled them near the ruins of the Sacred House, the Ka‘bah. This, as the hadith states, was done under a Divine commandment. For when Abraham was going back, on leaving them both in this wilderness, where there was no town at this time, Hagar asked him, Is it by Allah’s commandment that you are doing this? Abraham’s reply was, Yes. Then said Hagar: “Allah will not leave us to perish”. It is further stated that, when no water was left with her, Hagar ran to and fro, between the Safa and the Marwah, to find out if there was any caravan going that way. It was on this occasion that she saw an angel, who pointed to her a place where she could find water. This was the place known now as Zamzam. It was due to this water that some people settled there. Even the Bible accepts that Ishmael’s descendants settled in Arabia.
14:38
رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّکَ تَعۡلَمُ مَا نُخۡفِیۡ وَ مَا نُعۡلِنُ ؕ وَ مَا یَخۡفٰی عَلَی اللّٰہِ مِنۡ شَیۡءٍ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ لَا فِی السَّمَآءِ ﴿۳۸﴾
Our Lord, surely You know what we hide and what we proclaim. And nothing is hidden from Allah, either in the earth or in the heaven.
14:39
اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ الَّذِیۡ وَہَبَ لِیۡ عَلَی الۡکِبَرِ اِسۡمٰعِیۡلَ وَ اِسۡحٰقَ ؕ اِنَّ رَبِّیۡ لَسَمِیۡعُ الدُّعَآءِ ﴿۳۹﴾
Praise be to Allah, Who has given me, in old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Surely my Lord is the Hearer of prayer.
14:40
رَبِّ اجۡعَلۡنِیۡ مُقِیۡمَ الصَّلٰوۃِ وَ مِنۡ ذُرِّیَّتِیۡ ٭ۖ رَبَّنَا وَ تَقَبَّلۡ دُعَآءِ ﴿۴۰﴾
My Lord, make me keep up prayer and (those) from my offspring (too), our Lord, and accept my prayer.
14:41
رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لِیۡ وَ لِوَالِدَیَّ وَ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یَوۡمَ یَقُوۡمُ الۡحِسَابُ ﴿٪۴۱﴾
Our Lord, grant me protection and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning comes to pass.
Section 7 (Verses 14:42–14:52): The End of Opposition
14:42
وَ لَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ اللّٰہَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا یَعۡمَلُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ ۬ؕ اِنَّمَا یُؤَخِّرُہُمۡ لِیَوۡمٍ تَشۡخَصُ فِیۡہِ الۡاَبۡصَارُ ﴿ۙ۴۲﴾
And do not think Allah to be heedless of what the unjust do. He only gives them respite to a day when the eyes will stare (in terror),
14:43
مُہۡطِعِیۡنَ مُقۡنِعِیۡ رُءُوۡسِہِمۡ لَا یَرۡتَدُّ اِلَیۡہِمۡ طَرۡفُہُمۡ ۚ وَ اَفۡـِٕدَتُہُمۡ ہَوَآءٌ ﴿ؕ۴۳﴾
hastening forward, their heads upraised, their gaze not returning to them, and their hearts vacant.
The striking of terror into the hearts of those who opposed the Prophet was witnessed in this very life, when the Prophet advanced on Makkah. The vacancy or blankness of the heart indicates a state of great terror.
14:44
وَ اَنۡذِرِ النَّاسَ یَوۡمَ یَاۡتِیۡہِمُ الۡعَذَابُ فَیَقُوۡلُ الَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا رَبَّنَاۤ اَخِّرۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ قَرِیۡبٍ ۙ نُّجِبۡ دَعۡوَتَکَ وَ نَتَّبِعِ الرُّسُلَ ؕ اَوَ لَمۡ تَکُوۡنُوۡۤا اَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ قَبۡلُ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ زَوَالٍ ﴿ۙ۴۴﴾
And warn people of a day when the punishment will come to them, then the wrongdoers will say: Our Lord, grant us respite for a short while, we will respond to Your call and follow the messengers. Did you not swear before, that there will be no passing away for you?
14:45
وَّ سَکَنۡتُمۡ فِیۡ مَسٰکِنِ الَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ وَ تَبَیَّنَ لَکُمۡ کَیۡفَ فَعَلۡنَا بِہِمۡ وَ ضَرَبۡنَا لَکُمُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ﴿۴۵﴾
And you dwell in the abodes of those who wronged themselves, and it is clear to you how We dealt with them and We made (them) examples for you.
14:46
وَ قَدۡ مَکَرُوۡا مَکۡرَہُمۡ وَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ مَکۡرُہُمۡ ؕ وَ اِنۡ کَانَ مَکۡرُہُمۡ لِتَزُوۡلَ مِنۡہُ الۡجِبَالُ ﴿۴۶﴾
And they have indeed planned their plan, and their plan is with Allah, though their plan is such that the mountains should be moved by it.
The reference is to the plan of the Quraish to put an end to the Prophet’s life, when he was left almost alone in Makkah. The words their plan is with Allah signify that their plan is controlled by Allah, Who will make it ineffective. A wonderful prophecy indeed in the mouth of a man whose only chance of saving himself now lay in escaping from his enemies, while they were taking every precaution not to allow him to escape, having decided to put him to death!
14:47
فَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ اللّٰہَ مُخۡلِفَ وَعۡدِہٖ رُسُلَہٗ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزِیۡزٌ ذُو انۡتِقَامٍ ﴿ؕ۴۷﴾
So do not think that Allah will fail in His promise to His messengers. Surely Allah is Mighty, the Lord of retribution.
14:48
یَوۡمَ تُبَدَّلُ الۡاَرۡضُ غَیۡرَ الۡاَرۡضِ وَ السَّمٰوٰتُ وَ بَرَزُوۡا لِلّٰہِ الۡوَاحِدِ الۡقَہَّارِ ﴿۴۸﴾
On the day when the earth will be changed into a different earth, and the heavens (as well), and they will come forth to Allah, the One, the Supreme.
The transformation wrought by the Holy Prophet no doubt changed the earth into a different earth and the heaven into a new heaven. The Arabia at the birth of the Prophet was not the Arabia at his death. Beliefs, usages, and practices, which had baffled all attempts at reformation for centuries, were swept away, and the ignorant, superstitious, and warring tribes had become a single nation, holding aloft the torch of knowledge and civilization to the whole world. Idolatry was blotted out of existence so completely that no vestige of it could be found among a people who had remained addicted to it for centuries. And that great change must now come over the whole world. But the spiritual resurrection is only an indication of the great day of Resurrection.
14:49
وَ تَـرَی الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ یَوۡمَئِذٍ مُّقَرَّنِیۡنَ فِی الۡاَصۡفَادِ ﴿ۚ۴۹﴾
And you will see the guilty on that day linked together in chains —
The powerful opponents of the Prophet were brought before him linked together in chains in this very life, at the battle of Badr. These promises were fulfilled in this life to show that they were equally true as regards the next.
14:50
سَرَابِیۡلُہُمۡ مِّنۡ قَطِرَانٍ وَّ تَغۡشٰی وُجُوۡہَہُمُ النَّارُ ﴿ۙ۵۰﴾
their shirts made of pitch, and fire covering their faces,
14:51
لِیَجۡزِیَ اللّٰہُ کُلَّ نَفۡسٍ مَّا کَسَبَتۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ سَرِیۡعُ الۡحِسَابِ ﴿۵۱﴾
that Allah may repay each soul what it has earned. Surely Allah is Swift in reckoning.
14:52
ہٰذَا بَلٰغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَ لِیُنۡذَرُوۡا بِہٖ وَ لِیَعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّمَا ہُوَ اِلٰہٌ وَّاحِدٌ وَّ لِیَذَّکَّرَ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ ﴿٪۵۲﴾
This is a message for the people and that they may be warned by it, and that they may know that He is One God, and that those who have understanding may be mindful.