25: The Criterion (Al-Furqan)
Revealed at Makkah
The name of this chapter, Al-Furqān, meaning criterion, distinction or discrimination, is one of the names of the Holy Quran because of the distinction it brings about between truth and falsehood. It deals with the great transformation which the Quran brought about in the lives of those who accepted it. At the outset it declares that the Holy Prophet’s message is for all nations of the world. It goes on to assert the truth of the warning conveyed by the Holy Prophet and prophesies that a discrimination will be finally made between good and evil. It then draws lessons from the fate of previous peoples as well as from phenomena in nature. It ends with a description of the righteous, showing the transformation in people that the Quran was to effect. This chapter was revealed entirely at Makkah, most probably in the last period.
Section 1 (Verses 25:1–25:9): A Warner for all Nations
25:1
تَبٰرَکَ الَّذِیۡ نَزَّلَ الۡفُرۡقَانَ عَلٰی عَبۡدِہٖ لِیَکُوۡنَ لِلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ نَذِیۡرَا ۙ﴿۱﴾
Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion upon His servant that he might be a warner to the nations —
As this chapter deals with the mighty transformation which the Quran had brought about in the lives of the people, it is mentioned here by the name Furqān (criterion for distinguishing or discriminating between truth and falsehood). The words “he might be a warner to the nations” show that the transformation which was being brought about in Arabia would ultimately extend over the whole world and all nations would benefit.
25:2
ۣالَّذِیۡ لَہٗ مُلۡکُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ وَ لَمۡ یَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدًا وَّ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّہٗ شَرِیۡکٌ فِی الۡمُلۡکِ وَ خَلَقَ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ فَقَدَّرَہٗ تَقۡدِیۡرًا ﴿۲﴾
He, Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Who did not take to Himself a son, and Who has no partner in the kingdom, and Who created everything, then ordained for it a measure.
Verses 2 and 3 speak of the different kinds of polytheistic beliefs prevailing in the world, which were all destined to be swept away by the doctrine of Divine Unity as preached by Islam.
25:3
وَ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖۤ اٰلِہَۃً لَّا یَخۡلُقُوۡنَ شَیۡئًا وَّ ہُمۡ یُخۡلَقُوۡنَ وَ لَا یَمۡلِکُوۡنَ لِاَنۡفُسِہِمۡ ضَرًّا وَّ لَا نَفۡعًا وَّ لَا یَمۡلِکُوۡنَ مَوۡتًا وَّ لَا حَیٰوۃً وَّ لَا نُشُوۡرًا ﴿۳﴾
And they take besides Him gods who create nothing, while they are themselves created, and they control for themselves no harm nor benefit, and they do not control death, nor life, nor raising to life.
25:4
وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡۤا اِنۡ ہٰذَاۤ اِلَّاۤ اِفۡکُۨ افۡتَرٰىہُ وَ اَعَانَہٗ عَلَیۡہِ قَوۡمٌ اٰخَرُوۡنَ ۚۛ فَقَدۡ جَآءُوۡ ظُلۡمًا وَّ زُوۡرًا ۚ﴿ۛ۴﴾
And those who disbelieve say: This is nothing but a lie, which he has forged, and other people have helped him at it. So indeed they have brought an injustice and a falsehood.
25:5
وَ قَالُوۡۤا اَسَاطِیۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ اکۡتَتَبَہَا فَہِیَ تُمۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِ بُکۡرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿۵﴾
And they say: Stories of the ancients, which he has got written, so they are read out to him morning and evening!
In the previous verse, their allegation is that the Quran is a forgery; here they allege that the Prophet had caused some stories of the ancients to be written down by some people who helped him and it was these stories which were recited to him and which he gave out as a revelation from on High. How could mere stories bring about the transformation which the Quran was working in the hearts of people? Attention to this is drawn in the next verse.
25:6
قُلۡ اَنۡزَلَہُ الَّذِیۡ یَعۡلَمُ السِّرَّ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِیۡمًا ﴿۶﴾
Say: He has revealed it, Who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth. Surely He is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
The secrets of the heavens and the earth which are known to God alone include the secrets of human nature. Transformation in people’s lives has always been brought about by means of Divine revelation, and mortal efforts have ever failed in changing the hearts of people.
25:7
وَ قَالُوۡا مَالِ ہٰذَا الرَّسُوۡلِ یَاۡکُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَ یَمۡشِیۡ فِی الۡاَسۡوَاقِ ؕ لَوۡ لَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡہِ مَلَکٌ فَیَکُوۡنَ مَعَہٗ نَذِیۡرًا ۙ﴿۷﴾
And they say: What a Messenger is this? He eats food and goes about in the markets. Why has not an angel been sent down to him to be a warner with him?
The Holy Prophet’s life was one of the utmost simplicity. He did all his work himself. He aided his wives in their household duties, mended his clothes, tied up the goats, and even cobbled his sandals. In fact, his kind and genial nature often led him to do others’ work. Once a woman, unable to work for herself, asked him to lead her into a certain street; he accompanied her there, only taking leave when her work was accomplished. He was a mortal, and partook of the ordinary food of a simple Arab. Hence they speak of him as eating food. The answer to this is given in v. 20, viz., that all prophets were mortal and subject to human laws, as was the Holy Prophet.
25:8
اَوۡ یُلۡقٰۤی اِلَیۡہِ کَنۡزٌ اَوۡ تَکُوۡنُ لَہٗ جَنَّۃٌ یَّاۡکُلُ مِنۡہَا ؕ وَ قَالَ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ اِنۡ تَتَّبِعُوۡنَ اِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسۡحُوۡرًا ﴿۸﴾
Or a treasure given to him, or a garden from which to eat? And the evildoers say: You follow only a man bewitched!
Their idea of a messenger of God was that he should be rolling in wealth. In fact, wealth was all in all to them and they paid no consideration to the moral, the higher, values of life for which the Prophet came. They were at the same time told that, though the Muslims had to suffer privations, they would be rewarded for their sacrifices in this very life. Treasures were placed at the feet of the companions of the Holy Prophet, and they were given gardens. But all this happened in accordance with Divine law, which requires the fulfilment of prophecy to be brought about gradually, even as it requires all growth to be gradual in the physical world.
25:9
اُنۡظُرۡ کَیۡفَ ضَرَبُوۡا لَکَ الۡاَمۡثَالَ فَضَلُّوۡا فَلَا یَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿٪۹﴾
See what parables they set forth for you — they have gone astray, so they cannot find a way.
Elsewhere, the disbelievers are quoted as saying: “Why was not this Quran revealed to a man of importance in the two towns?” (43:31). Nothing except rank or wealth had any importance in their eyes. Their very conception of the real values of life was wrong, so they could not find a way.
Section 2 (Verses 25:10–25:20): Truth of the Warning
25:10
تَبٰرَکَ الَّذِیۡۤ اِنۡ شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَکَ خَیۡرًا مِّنۡ ذٰلِکَ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ ۙ وَ یَجۡعَلۡ لَّکَ قُصُوۡرًا ﴿۱۰﴾
Blessed is He Who, if He please, will give you what is better than this: Gardens in which rivers flow. And He will give you palaces.
These words contain a clear prophecy that the Prophet and his followers will receive the good things of this life too. The gardens of Mesopotamia, the palaces of Persia and of the Caesars, were given to the companions of the Holy Prophet.
25:11
بَلۡ کَذَّبُوۡا بِالسَّاعَۃِ ۟ وَ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِمَنۡ کَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَۃِ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿ۚ۱۱﴾
But they deny the Hour, and We have prepared a burning Fire for him who denies the Hour.
25:12
اِذَا رَاَتۡہُمۡ مِّنۡ مَّکَانٍۭ بَعِیۡدٍ سَمِعُوۡا لَہَا تَغَیُّظًا وَّ زَفِیۡرًا ﴿۱۲﴾
When it sees them from a far-off place, they will hear its raging and roaring.
25:13
وَ اِذَاۤ اُلۡقُوۡا مِنۡہَا مَکَانًا ضَیِّقًا مُّقَرَّنِیۡنَ دَعَوۡا ہُنَالِکَ ثُبُوۡرًا ﴿ؕ۱۳﴾
And when they are cast into a narrow place in it, in chains, they will there pray for destruction.
25:14
لَا تَدۡعُوا الۡیَوۡمَ ثُبُوۡرًا وَّاحِدًا وَّ ادۡعُوۡا ثُبُوۡرًا کَثِیۡرًا ﴿۱۴﴾
Do not pray this day for destruction once but pray for destruction again and again.
25:15
قُلۡ اَذٰلِکَ خَیۡرٌ اَمۡ جَنَّۃُ الۡخُلۡدِ الَّتِیۡ وُعِدَ الۡمُتَّقُوۡنَ ؕ کَانَتۡ لَہُمۡ جَزَآءً وَّ مَصِیۡرًا ﴿۱۵﴾
Say: Is this better or the Garden of Perpetuity, which the dutiful are promised? That is a reward and a destination for them.
25:16
لَہُمۡ فِیۡہَا مَا یَشَآءُوۡنَ خٰلِدِیۡنَ ؕ کَانَ عَلٰی رَبِّکَ وَعۡدًا مَّسۡـُٔوۡلًا ﴿۱۶﴾
They shall have in it what they desire, to abide. It is a promise to be prayed for from your Lord.
The Garden is promised to the faithful but they should pray to their Lord for its bestowal, because prayer to God is the means by which it can be attained.
25:17
وَ یَوۡمَ یَحۡشُرُہُمۡ وَ مَا یَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ فَیَقُوۡلُ ءَاَنۡتُمۡ اَضۡلَلۡتُمۡ عِبَادِیۡ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ اَمۡ ہُمۡ ضَلُّوا السَّبِیۡلَ ﴿ؕ۱۷﴾
And on the day when He will gather them, and what they serve besides Allah, He will say: Was it you who led astray these My servants, or did they themselves stray from the path?
25:18
قَالُوۡا سُبۡحٰنَکَ مَا کَانَ یَنۡۢبَغِیۡ لَنَاۤ اَنۡ نَّتَّخِذَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِکَ مِنۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ وَ لٰکِنۡ مَّتَّعۡتَہُمۡ وَ اٰبَآءَہُمۡ حَتّٰی نَسُوا الذِّکۡرَ ۚ وَ کَانُوۡا قَوۡمًۢا بُوۡرًا ﴿۱۸﴾
They will say: Glory be to You! It was not befitting for us to take for protectors others besides You, but You made them and their fathers to enjoy until they forgot the Reminder, and they became a lost people.
The words it was not befitting for us to take for protectors others besides You show that those who worshipped God alone could not ask their followers to worship others than God. The reference is clearly to Jesus Christ.
25:19
فَقَدۡ کَذَّبُوۡکُمۡ بِمَا تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ ۙ فَمَا تَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ صَرۡفًا وَّ لَا نَصۡرًا ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّظۡلِمۡ مِّنۡکُمۡ نُذِقۡہُ عَذَابًا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۱۹﴾
So they will call you liars in what you say, then you can neither avert (punishment), nor (obtain) help. And whoever among you does wrong, We shall make him taste a great punishment.
25:20
وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَا قَبۡلَکَ مِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اِنَّہُمۡ لَیَاۡکُلُوۡنَ الطَّعَامَ وَ یَمۡشُوۡنَ فِی الۡاَسۡوَاقِ ؕ وَ جَعَلۡنَا بَعۡضَکُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ فِتۡنَۃً ؕ اَتَصۡبِرُوۡنَ ۚ وَ کَانَ رَبُّکَ بَصِیۡرًا ﴿٪۲۰﴾
And We did not send before you any messengers but they surely ate food and went about in the markets. And We make some of you a trial for others. Will you bear patiently? And your Lord is ever Seeing.
This is an injunction to the Muslims to bear the persecutions of their opponents patiently, for these trials will distinguish the bad from the good. The concluding words are a solace to them: your Lord is ever Seeing — He will punish the oppressors.
Section 3 (Verses 25:21–25:34): The Day of Discrimination
25:21
وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوۡ لَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَیۡنَا الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ اَوۡ نَرٰی رَبَّنَا ؕ لَقَدِ اسۡتَکۡبَرُوۡا فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ وَ عَتَوۡ عُتُوًّا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۲۱﴾
And those who do not look for meeting with Us, say: Why have not angels been sent down to us, or (why) do we not see our Lord? Indeed they are too proud of themselves and revolt in great revolt.
The coming of the angels and the Lord signifies the coming of the threatened punishment, and the next verse makes it clear; see 2:210.
25:22
یَوۡمَ یَرَوۡنَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃَ لَا بُشۡرٰی یَوۡمَئِذٍ لِّلۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ وَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ حِجۡرًا مَّحۡجُوۡرًا ﴿۲۲﴾
On the day when they will see the angels, there will be no good news for the guilty, and they will say: Let there be a strong barrier!
The words “strong barrier” bear different interpretations according to whether they are taken to be spoken by the angels or by the guilty. In the former case, the meaning is that good news will be a forbidden thing to the guilty, which is equivalent to saying that they will be punished. In the latter case, the words are a kind of prayer for the coming of a barrier between them and their punishment.
25:23
وَ قَدِمۡنَاۤ اِلٰی مَا عَمِلُوۡا مِنۡ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلۡنٰہُ ہَبَآءً مَّنۡثُوۡرًا ﴿۲۳﴾
And We shall turn to the work they have done, so We shall render it as scattered dust.
All the exertions of the Quraish were brought to naught in the battle of Badr, and all attempts to uproot Truth are dealt with similarly.
25:24
اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَنَّۃِ یَوۡمَئِذٍ خَیۡرٌ مُّسۡتَقَرًّا وَّ اَحۡسَنُ مَقِیۡلًا ﴿۲۴﴾
The owners of the Garden will on that day be in a better abiding-place and a fairer resting-place.
25:25
وَ یَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ السَّمَآءُ بِالۡغَمَامِ وَ نُزِّلَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ تَنۡزِیۡلًا ﴿۲۵﴾
And on the day when the heaven bursts apart with clouds, and the angels are sent down, as they are sent.
This description of the day of Badr is also given in 8:11–12, where the falling of rain is clearly mentioned, and on the same occasion is also mentioned the coming of the angels. The next verse shows that it will be a day of victory for the Muslims, the believers in the Beneficent, and a hard day for the disbelievers. In fact, the distress and hardship the Quraish experienced in the battle of Badr were not tasted by them in any of their subsequent encounters with the Muslims.
25:26
اَلۡمُلۡکُ یَوۡمَئِذِۣ الۡحَقُّ لِلرَّحۡمٰنِ ؕ وَ کَانَ یَوۡمًا عَلَی الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ عَسِیۡرًا ﴿۲۶﴾
The kingdom on that day rightly belongs to the Beneficent, and it will be a hard day for the disbelievers.
25:27
وَ یَوۡمَ یَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلٰی یَدَیۡہِ یَقُوۡلُ یٰلَیۡتَنِی اتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ الرَّسُوۡلِ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۲۷﴾
And on the day when the wrongdoer will bite his hands, saying: If only I had taken a way with the Messenger!
Commentators have here mentioned the names of some people who fought with the Prophet at Badr. But the statement is general and the evildoer often regrets the evil he did, when he suffers the consequences of the evil done.
25:28
یٰوَیۡلَتٰی لَیۡتَنِیۡ لَمۡ اَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِیۡلًا ﴿۲۸﴾
O woe is me! If only I had not taken such a one for a friend!
25:29
لَقَدۡ اَضَلَّنِیۡ عَنِ الذِّکۡرِ بَعۡدَ اِذۡ جَآءَنِیۡ ؕ وَ کَانَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ خَذُوۡلًا ﴿۲۹﴾
Certainly he led me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me. And the devil ever deserts man.
25:30
وَ قَالَ الرَّسُوۡلُ یٰرَبِّ اِنَّ قَوۡمِی اتَّخَذُوۡا ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ مَہۡجُوۡرًا ﴿۳۰﴾
And the Messenger will say: My Lord, surely my people treat this Quran as a forsaken thing.
25:31
وَ کَذٰلِکَ جَعَلۡنَا لِکُلِّ نَبِیٍّ عَدُوًّا مِّنَ الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِرَبِّکَ ہَادِیًا وَّ نَصِیۡرًا ﴿۳۱﴾
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the guilty, and sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and a Helper.
25:32
وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا لَوۡ لَا نُزِّلَ عَلَیۡہِ الۡقُرۡاٰنُ جُمۡلَۃً وَّاحِدَۃً ۚۛ کَذٰلِکَ ۚۛ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِہٖ فُؤَادَکَ وَ رَتَّلۡنٰہُ تَرۡتِیۡلًا ﴿۳۲﴾
And those who disbelieve say: Why has not the Quran been revealed to him all at once? It is so that We may strengthen your heart with it and We have arranged it well in arranging.
The Quran was revealed piecemeal so that, under the varying circumstances through which the Prophet passed, the Divine revelation might be a source of strength to his heart; and then, as it were, to refute any suggestion that the revelation might remain a disorderly collection of fragments revealed under different circumstances, it is added that the entire arrangement was also Divinely accomplished. The arrangement of the Quran, according to this verse, was a part of the Divine scheme, brought about in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet.
25:33
وَ لَا یَاۡتُوۡنَکَ بِمَثَلٍ اِلَّا جِئۡنٰکَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَ اَحۡسَنَ تَفۡسِیۡرًا ﴿ؕ۳۳﴾
And they cannot bring you a question, but We have brought you the truth and the best explanation.
This verse lays down the basis of an important principle, namely, that the Quran not only contains answers to all objections against it, but also adduces arguments of the truth of the assertions made. No other religious book of the world satisfies this requirement, which circumstance alone places the Quran above all scriptures, and points to it as a unique revelation capable of satisfying the spiritual requirements of all people in all times.
25:34
اَلَّذِیۡنَ یُحۡشَرُوۡنَ عَلٰی وُجُوۡہِہِمۡ اِلٰی جَہَنَّمَ ۙ اُولٰٓئِکَ شَرٌّ مَّکَانًا وَّ اَضَلُّ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿٪۳۴﴾
Those who will be gathered to hell on their faces — they are in an evil plight and straying farther away from the path.
Section 4 (Verses 25:35–25:44): A Lesson in the Fate of Former People
25:35
وَ لَقَدۡ اٰتَیۡنَا مُوۡسَی الۡکِتٰبَ وَ جَعَلۡنَا مَعَہٗۤ اَخَاہُ ہٰرُوۡنَ وَزِیۡرًا ﴿ۚۖ۳۵﴾
And certainly We gave Moses the Book and We appointed with him his brother Aaron, an aider.
25:36
فَقُلۡنَا اذۡہَبَاۤ اِلَی الۡقَوۡمِ الَّذِیۡنَ کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا ؕ فَدَمَّرۡنٰہُمۡ تَدۡمِیۡرًا ﴿ؕ۳۶﴾
Then We said: Go, both of you, to the people who reject Our messages. So We destroyed them with utter destruction.
25:37
وَ قَوۡمَ نُوۡحٍ لَّمَّا کَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ اَغۡرَقۡنٰہُمۡ وَ جَعَلۡنٰہُمۡ لِلنَّاسِ اٰیَۃً ؕ وَ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلظّٰلِمِیۡنَ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿ۚۖ۳۷﴾
And the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers, We drowned them, and made them a sign for people. And We have prepared a painful punishment for the wrongdoers —
25:38
وَّ عَادًا وَّ ثَمُوۡدَا۠ وَ اَصۡحٰبَ الرَّسِّ وَ قُرُوۡنًۢا بَیۡنَ ذٰلِکَ کَثِیۡرًا ﴿۳۸﴾
And Ād and Thamūd and the dwellers of Rass and many generations in between.
According to some, Rass was a country in which a part of the tribe of Thamūd resided; others say that Rass is the name of a town in Yamāmah.
25:39
وَ کُلًّا ضَرَبۡنَا لَہُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ۫ وَ کُلًّا تَبَّرۡنَا تَتۡبِیۡرًا ﴿۳۹﴾
And to each We gave examples and each did We destroy with utter destruction.
The meaning is that every one of these generations was warned of its doom by citing examples of those who had previously perished, but, not heeding the warning, was destroyed.
25:40
وَ لَقَدۡ اَتَوۡا عَلَی الۡقَرۡیَۃِ الَّتِیۡۤ اُمۡطِرَتۡ مَطَرَ السَّوۡءِ ؕ اَفَلَمۡ یَکُوۡنُوۡا یَرَوۡنَہَا ۚ بَلۡ کَانُوۡا لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ نُشُوۡرًا ﴿۴۰﴾
And indeed they pass by the town on which was rained an evil rain. Do they not see it? But they hope not to be raised again.
This town is Sodom, which was situated on the way to Syria.
25:41
وَ اِذَا رَاَوۡکَ اِنۡ یَّتَّخِذُوۡنَکَ اِلَّا ہُزُوًا ؕ اَہٰذَا الَّذِیۡ بَعَثَ اللّٰہُ رَسُوۡلًا ﴿۴۱﴾
And when they see you, they take you only for a jest: Is this he whom Allah has raised to be a messenger?
25:42
اِنۡ کَادَ لَیُضِلُّنَا عَنۡ اٰلِہَتِنَا لَوۡ لَاۤ اَنۡ صَبَرۡنَا عَلَیۡہَا ؕ وَ سَوۡفَ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ حِیۡنَ یَرَوۡنَ الۡعَذَابَ مَنۡ اَضَلُّ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۴۲﴾
He had almost led us astray from our gods, if we had not adhered to them patiently! And they will know, when they see the punishment, who is more astray from the path.
25:43
اَرَءَیۡتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰـہَہٗ ہَوٰىہُ ؕ اَفَاَنۡتَ تَکُوۡنُ عَلَیۡہِ وَکِیۡلًا ﴿ۙ۴۳﴾
Have you seen him who takes his low desire for his god? Will you be a guardian over him?
This verse shows how broad is the idea of shirk or polytheism according to the Quran. It is not simply worship of idols that is condemned, but blindly following one’s desires is equally condemned. Many people who consider themselves the servants of the One God really bow in submission before the greatest of their idols, i.e., their desire. The monotheistic doctrine has here been brought to a perfection not to be met with elsewhere.
25:44
اَمۡ تَحۡسَبُ اَنَّ اَکۡثَرَہُمۡ یَسۡمَعُوۡنَ اَوۡ یَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ؕ اِنۡ ہُمۡ اِلَّا کَالۡاَنۡعَامِ بَلۡ ہُمۡ اَضَلُّ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿٪۴۴﴾
Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only as the cattle; rather, they are farther astray from the path.
Section 5 (Verses 25:45–25:60): A Lesson from Nature
25:45
اَلَمۡ تَرَ اِلٰی رَبِّکَ کَیۡفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ ۚ وَ لَوۡ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَہٗ سَاکِنًا ۚ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا الشَّمۡسَ عَلَیۡہِ دَلِیۡلًا ﴿ۙ۴۵﴾
Do you not see how your Lord extends the shade? And if He pleased, He would have made it stationary. Then We have made the sun an indication of it,
25:46
ثُمَّ قَبَضۡنٰہُ اِلَیۡنَا قَبۡضًا یَّسِیۡرًا ﴿۴۶﴾
then We take it to Ourselves, taking little by little.
This and the previous verse show that Allah deals mercifully with His servants. He would not destroy them all at once. The sun of righteousness had risen, and there were clear indications that the shadows of darkness would disappear, but, as in physical nature, they would not disappear suddenly, but gradually, diminishing little by little.
25:47
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ الَّیۡلَ لِبَاسًا وَّ النَّوۡمَ سُبَاتًا وَّ جَعَلَ النَّہَارَ نُشُوۡرًا ﴿۴۷﴾
And He it is Who made the night a covering for you, and sleep a rest, and He made the day to rise up again.
25:48
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَرۡسَلَ الرِّیٰحَ بُشۡرًۢا بَیۡنَ یَدَیۡ رَحۡمَتِہٖ ۚ وَ اَنۡزَلۡنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً طَہُوۡرًا ﴿ۙ۴۸﴾
And He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy; and We send down pure water from the clouds,
25:49
لِّنُحۡیَِۧ بِہٖ بَلۡدَۃً مَّیۡتًا وَّ نُسۡقِیَہٗ مِمَّا خَلَقۡنَاۤ اَنۡعَامًا وَّ اَنَاسِیَّ کَثِیۡرًا ﴿۴۹﴾
that We may give life with it to a dead land, and give it for drink to cattle and many people that We have created.
The mercy of Allah, which appears in the form of rain in physical nature, comes spiritually in the form of revelation. As the pure water from the clouds gives life to a dead land, so does the pure water of revelation from Him raise the spiritually dead to life.
25:50
وَ لَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنٰہُ بَیۡنَہُمۡ لِیَذَّکَّرُوۡا ۫ۖ فَاَبٰۤی اَکۡثَرُ النَّاسِ اِلَّا کُفُوۡرًا ﴿۵۰﴾
And certainly We repeat this to them that they may be mindful, but most people only consent to denying.
25:51
وَ لَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَبَعَثۡنَا فِیۡ کُلِّ قَرۡیَۃٍ نَّذِیۡرًا ﴿۫ۖ۵۱﴾
And if We pleased, We could raise a warner in every town.
The companions of the Holy Prophet no doubt had this in mind when they spread far and wide, taking his message and warning to every distant town. It should, however, be noted that the verse does not contradict the statement in 35:24, and elsewhere, that a prophet was raised among every nation. The chapter opens with the statement that the Prophet was a warner to all nations. The statement made here shows that, if God had pleased, He would have raised a warner in every town, but the oneness of humanity, which was a grand object following upon the Oneness of God, could not have thus been brought about. Hence the verse that follows requires a hard striving on the part of the Prophet and his followers for this grand achievement.
25:52
فَلَا تُطِعِ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ وَ جَاہِدۡہُمۡ بِہٖ جِہَادًا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۵۲﴾
So do not obey the disbelievers, and strive against them a mighty striving with it.
This verse affords a clear proof of the significance of the word jihād, as used in the Quran. Every exertion to spread the Truth is, according to this verse, a jihād; in fact, it is called the jihād kabīr (“mighty striving”) or the great jihād. Fighting in defence of religion received the name of jihād, because under the circumstances it became necessary for the Truth to live and prosper; if fighting had not been permitted, Truth would surely have been uprooted. The commentators all accept this significance of the word here. It should be noted that the greatest jihād which a Muslim can carry on is one by means of the Quran, to which the personal pronoun it at the end of the verse unquestionably refers, because such jihād must be carried on by every Muslim under all circumstances.
25:53
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ مَرَجَ الۡبَحۡرَیۡنِ ہٰذَا عَذۡبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَّ ہٰذَا مِلۡحٌ اُجَاجٌ ۚ وَ جَعَلَ بَیۡنَہُمَا بَرۡزَخًا وَّ حِجۡرًا مَّحۡجُوۡرًا ﴿۵۳﴾
And He it is Who has made the two seas to flow freely, the one sweet, very sweet, and the other saltish, bitter. And between the two He has made a barrier and inviolable obstruction.
Apparently the reference is to the sweet-water rivers flowing on earth or underground and to the saltish sea-water. But there is a deeper reference to the two lives which man leads on earth, a sweet life of faith and goodness, which brings satisfaction and peace to the mind, and a bitter life of faithlessness and wickedness, which ever increases the thirst for material gains and never brings satisfaction to the mind of man. Both existed in the world side by side, and so they would continue.
25:54
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ مِنَ الۡمَآءِ بَشَرًا فَجَعَلَہٗ نَسَبًا وَّ صِہۡرًا ؕ وَ کَانَ رَبُّکَ قَدِیۡرًا ﴿۵۴﴾
And He it is Who has created man from water, then He has made for him blood-relationship and marriage-relationship. And your Lord is ever Powerful.
The passage seems to hint at the flight to Madinah. The Prophet was related to the Makkans through his father, and to the Madinans through his mother. As his blood-relations had persecuted him and were bent upon killing him, he is now reminded of his relationship through marriage to another people. It was no doubt due to some such hint in the Divine revelation that the Prophet was searching, on the occasion of the pilgrimage, for adherents among the people of Madinah.
25:55
وَ یَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَا لَا یَنۡفَعُہُمۡ وَ لَا یَضُرُّہُمۡ ؕ وَ کَانَ الۡکَافِرُ عَلٰی رَبِّہٖ ظَہِیۡرًا ﴿۵۵﴾
And they serve besides Allah that which can neither benefit them, nor harm them. And the disbeliever is ever an aider against his Lord.
The disbeliever aided the cause of untruth, as against his Lord, while the Prophet aimed at establishing the Truth in the world.
25:56
وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ اِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَّ نَذِیۡرًا ﴿۵۶﴾
And We have not sent you but as a giver of good news and as a warner.
25:57
قُلۡ مَاۤ اَسۡـَٔلُکُمۡ عَلَیۡہِ مِنۡ اَجۡرٍ اِلَّا مَنۡ شَآءَ اَنۡ یَّتَّخِذَ اِلٰی رَبِّہٖ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۵۷﴾
Say: I ask of you no reward for it except that whoever wishes may take a way to his Lord.
25:58
وَ تَوَکَّلۡ عَلَی الۡحَیِّ الَّذِیۡ لَا یَمُوۡتُ وَ سَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِہٖ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِہٖ بِذُنُوۡبِ عِبَادِہٖ خَبِیۡرَا ﴿ۚۛۙ۵۸﴾
And rely on the Ever-Living Who does not die, and celebrate His praise. And sufficient is He as being Aware of His servants’ sins,
25:59
ۣالَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَا فِیۡ سِتَّۃِ اَیَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰی عَلَی الۡعَرۡشِ ۚۛ اَلرَّحۡمٰنُ فَسۡـَٔلۡ بِہٖ خَبِیۡرًا ﴿۵۹﴾
Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six periods, and He is established on the Throne of Power, the Beneficent. So ask respecting Him one aware.
The one aware is the Prophet, who possessed true knowledge of God.
25:60
وَ اِذَا قِیۡلَ لَہُمُ اسۡجُدُوۡا لِلرَّحۡمٰنِ قَالُوۡا وَ مَا الرَّحۡمٰنُ ٭ اَنَسۡجُدُ لِمَا تَاۡمُرُنَا وَ زَادَہُمۡ نُفُوۡرًا ﴿٪ٛ۶۰﴾
And when it is said to them: Be submissive to the Beneficent, they say: And what is the Beneficent? Shall we be submissive to what you order us? And it adds to their aversion.
Section 6 (Verses 25:61–25:77): The Transformation Brought About
25:61
تَبٰرَکَ الَّذِیۡ جَعَلَ فِی السَّمَآءِ بُرُوۡجًا وَّ جَعَلَ فِیۡہَا سِرٰجًا وَّ قَمَرًا مُّنِیۡرًا ﴿۶۱﴾
Blessed is He Who made the stars in the heavens and made therein a sun and a moon giving light!
25:62
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ جَعَلَ الَّیۡلَ وَ النَّہَارَ خِلۡفَۃً لِّمَنۡ اَرَادَ اَنۡ یَّذَّکَّرَ اَوۡ اَرَادَ شُکُوۡرًا ﴿۶۲﴾
And He it is Who made the night and the day to follow each other, for him who desires to be mindful or desires to be thankful.
The night is here spoken of as being the more opportune time for being mindful, i.e., for prayers, and the day for being thankful, i.e., for work and livelihood.
25:63
وَ عِبَادُ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الَّذِیۡنَ یَمۡشُوۡنَ عَلَی الۡاَرۡضِ ہَوۡنًا وَّ اِذَا خَاطَبَہُمُ الۡجٰہِلُوۡنَ قَالُوۡا سَلٰمًا ﴿۶۳﴾
And the servants of the Beneficent are they who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, Peace!
From here to the end of the chapter is described the great transformation which the Prophet had already brought about. The great qualities spoken of as being met with in the servants of the Beneficent present a striking contrast with the evils which reigned supreme in Arabia. They were an arrogant people, who trampled the rights of their fellow-beings under their feet, but the faithful now walked in humility and led lives of lowliness, in which they had the greatest regard for others’ rights (v. 63). In the days of ignorance they passed their nights in drunken orgies, but now they kept awake at night in devotion and were instead drunk with the love of God (v. 64). In the days of ignorance they spent money extravagantly, when it was a question of pride, and they did not care for the poor dying of hunger, but now they spent every penny they could on others (v. 67). Formerly idols were worshipped in Arabia, human blood was shed on the slightest pretext, sex-relations were loose to an extreme, but they had now become the torch-bearers of Divine Unity, for whose sake they willingly suffered every privation, homicide was looked upon with abhorrence, the highest value was placed on the chastity of men and women, and righteousness was the one thing in which men and women vied with one another (v. 68–71). Truth and faithfulness were the great qualities that ruled people’s minds, in the new dispensation, and a life full of vigour and earnestness was seen in the place of ignorance, superstition and immorality, which were the chief features of pre-Islamic Arabia (v. 72–74).
25:64
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَبِیۡتُوۡنَ لِرَبِّہِمۡ سُجَّدًا وَّ قِیَامًا ﴿۶۴﴾
And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.
25:65
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا اصۡرِفۡ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَہَنَّمَ ٭ۖ اِنَّ عَذَابَہَا کَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٭ۖ۶۵﴾
And they who say: Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of hell; surely its punishment is a lasting evil:
25:67
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اِذَاۤ اَنۡفَقُوۡا لَمۡ یُسۡرِفُوۡا وَ لَمۡ یَقۡتُرُوۡا وَ کَانَ بَیۡنَ ذٰلِکَ قَوَامًا ﴿۶۷﴾
And they who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, and the just mean is ever between these.
25:68
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَدۡعُوۡنَ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ وَ لَا یَقۡتُلُوۡنَ النَّفۡسَ الَّتِیۡ حَرَّمَ اللّٰہُ اِلَّا بِالۡحَقِّ وَ لَا یَزۡنُوۡنَ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّفۡعَلۡ ذٰلِکَ یَلۡقَ اَثَامًا ﴿ۙ۶۸﴾
And they who do not call upon another god with Allah, nor slay the soul which Allah has forbidden, except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication; and he who does this shall meet a penalty of sin —
25:69
یُّضٰعَفۡ لَہُ الۡعَذَابُ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ وَ یَخۡلُدۡ فِیۡہٖ مُہَانًا ﴿٭ۖ۶۹﴾
The punishment will be doubled to him on the day of Resurrection, and he will abide in it in humiliation —
25:70
اِلَّا مَنۡ تَابَ وَ اٰمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَاُولٰٓئِکَ یُبَدِّلُ اللّٰہُ سَیِّاٰتِہِمۡ حَسَنٰتٍ ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِیۡمًا ﴿۷۰﴾
except him who repents and believes and does good deeds; for such Allah changes their evil deeds to good ones. And Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
Here we are plainly told that the transformation had already been wrought; the vices in which the people indulged formerly had been changed to good and righteous deeds, and those who found pleasure in evil deeds now found pleasure in the doing of good. It was the soul-force of the Prophet that had wrought this miraculous transformation.
25:71
وَ مَنۡ تَابَ وَ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَاِنَّہٗ یَتُوۡبُ اِلَی اللّٰہِ مَتَابًا ﴿۷۱﴾
And whoever repents and does good, he surely turns to Allah a (goodly) turning.
25:72
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَشۡہَدُوۡنَ الزُّوۡرَ ۙ وَ اِذَا مَرُّوۡا بِاللَّغۡوِ مَرُّوۡا کِرَامًا ﴿۷۲﴾
And they who witness no falsehood, and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly.
They not only shunned falsehood but were now above everything that was vain or futile.
25:73
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اِذَا ذُکِّرُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِ رَبِّہِمۡ لَمۡ یَخِرُّوۡا عَلَیۡہَا صُمًّا وَّ عُمۡیَانًا ﴿۷۳﴾
And they who, when reminded of the messages of their Lord, do not fall down at them deaf and blind.
25:74
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا ہَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ اَزۡوَاجِنَا وَ ذُرِّیّٰتِنَا قُرَّۃَ اَعۡیُنٍ وَّ اجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ اِمَامًا ﴿۷۴﴾
And they who say, Our Lord, grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes, and make us leaders for those who guard against evil.
25:75
اُولٰٓئِکَ یُجۡزَوۡنَ الۡغُرۡفَۃَ بِمَا صَبَرُوۡا وَ یُلَقَّوۡنَ فِیۡہَا تَحِیَّۃً وَّ سَلٰمًا ﴿ۙ۷۵﴾
These are rewarded with high places because they are patient, and are met there with greetings and salutation,
Apparently they were being expelled from their homes but they felt as if they were being rewarded with high places, because their outlook on life was now spiritual and not material. In addition to the greetings and salutations of the angels they were promised greetings and salutations in their new centre of activity, Madinah, to which they were fleeing, because there a similar brotherhood of the righteous was now ready to receive these emigrants.
25:76
خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ؕ حَسُنَتۡ مُسۡتَقَرًّا وَّ مُقَامًا ﴿۷۶﴾
abiding there — a goodly abode and resting-place!
25:77
قُلۡ مَا یَعۡبَؤُا بِکُمۡ رَبِّیۡ لَوۡ لَا دُعَآؤُکُمۡ ۚ فَقَدۡ کَذَّبۡتُمۡ فَسَوۡفَ یَکُوۡنُ لِزَامًا ﴿٪۷۷﴾
Say: My Lord would not care for you, if it were not for your prayer. Now indeed you have rejected, so the punishment will come.
The Truth had finally been rejected by the Makkans, so the disgrace and abasement which was promised for the opponents of Truth was now awaiting them. The righteous were finally separated from the wicked, so the punishment must come.