45: The Kneeling (Al-Jathiyah)
Revealed at Makkah
The title of this chapter is taken from v. 28, which speaks of every nation ultimately kneeling before God. Chapters 40 to 46 form one group; see the introductory note to chapter 40. The first half of this chapter relates that there are many signs of the truth of revelation but it is still denied by the disbelievers. The second half tells us that while the coming of the judgment is denied by those whose hearts are hardened, they shall have to face their doom.
Section 1 (Verses 45:1–45:11): Denial of Revelation
45:2
تَنۡزِیۡلُ الۡکِتٰبِ مِنَ اللّٰہِ الۡعَزِیۡزِ الۡحَکِیۡمِ ﴿۲﴾
The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.
45:3
اِنَّ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ؕ﴿۳﴾
Surely in the heavens and the earth are signs for believers.
45:4
وَ فِیۡ خَلۡقِکُمۡ وَ مَا یَبُثُّ مِنۡ دَآبَّۃٍ اٰیٰتٌ لِّقَوۡمٍ یُّوۡقِنُوۡنَ ۙ﴿۴﴾
And in your creation, and in the animals He spreads all over, are signs for a people who are sure;
45:5
وَ اخۡتِلَافِ الَّیۡلِ وَ النَّہَارِ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مِنۡ رِّزۡقٍ فَاَحۡیَا بِہِ الۡاَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا وَ تَصۡرِیۡفِ الرِّیٰحِ اٰیٰتٌ لِّقَوۡمٍ یَّعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۵﴾
and (in) the alternation of the night and the day and (in) the sustenance which Allah sends down from the heaven, then gives life with it to the earth after its death, and (in) the changing of the winds, are signs for a people who understand.
45:6
تِلۡکَ اٰیٰتُ اللّٰہِ نَتۡلُوۡہَا عَلَیۡکَ بِالۡحَقِّ ۚ فَبِاَیِّ حَدِیۡثٍۭ بَعۡدَ اللّٰہِ وَ اٰیٰتِہٖ یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ﴿۶﴾
These are the messages of Allah, which We recite to you with truth. In what announcement will they then believe after Allah and His signs?
After Allah and His signs, i.e., after the word of Allah and His signs have come to them.
45:8
یَّسۡمَعُ اٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِ ثُمَّ یُصِرُّ مُسۡتَکۡبِرًا کَاَنۡ لَّمۡ یَسۡمَعۡہَا ۚ فَبَشِّرۡہُ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِیۡمٍ ﴿۸﴾
who hears the messages of Allah recited to him then persists in arrogance, as though he had not heard them. So announce to him a painful punishment.
45:9
وَ اِذَا عَلِمَ مِنۡ اٰیٰتِنَا شَیۡئَۨا اتَّخَذَہَا ہُزُوًا ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ مُّہِیۡنٌ ؕ﴿۹﴾
And when he comes to know of any of Our messages, he takes them for a jest. For such is a humiliating punishment.
45:10
مِنۡ وَّرَآئِہِمۡ جَہَنَّمُ ۚ وَ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ عَنۡہُمۡ مَّا کَسَبُوۡا شَیۡئًا وَّ لَا مَا اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ اَوۡلِیَآءَ ۚ وَ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ ﴿ؕ۱۰﴾
In front of them is hell, and what they have earned will not avail them in the least, nor those whom they take for protectors besides Allah, and for them is a grievous punishment.
45:11
ہٰذَا ہُدًی ۚ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِ رَبِّہِمۡ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ مِّنۡ رِّجۡزٍ اَلِیۡمٌ ﴿٪۱۱﴾
This is guidance; and those who disbelieve in the messages of their Lord, for them is a painful punishment of an evil (kind).
Section 2 (Verses 45:12–45:21): Truth of the Revelation
45:12
اَللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡ سَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الۡبَحۡرَ لِتَجۡرِیَ الۡفُلۡکُ فِیۡہِ بِاَمۡرِہٖ وَ لِتَبۡتَغُوۡا مِنۡ فَضۡلِہٖ وَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۱۲﴾
Allah is He Who made subservient to you the sea that the ships may glide in it by His command, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks.
45:13
وَ سَخَّرَ لَکُمۡ مَّا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ جَمِیۡعًا مِّنۡہُ ؕ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ یَّتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۳﴾
And He has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, all, from Himself. Surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.
45:14
قُلۡ لِّلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا یَغۡفِرُوۡا لِلَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ اَیَّامَ اللّٰہِ لِیَجۡزِیَ قَوۡمًۢا بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَکۡسِبُوۡنَ ﴿۱۴﴾
Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not fear the days of Allah that He may reward a people for what they earn.
By the days of Allah are meant the favours which are bestowed on the righteous; see 14:5. These words make it clear that there is an assurance given to the faithful in the two previous verses that they will be triumphant in this world, and rule the land as well as the sea.
45:15
مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفۡسِہٖ ۚ وَ مَنۡ اَسَآءَ فَعَلَیۡہَا ۫ ثُمَّ اِلٰی رَبِّکُمۡ تُرۡجَعُوۡنَ ﴿۱۵﴾
Whoever does good, it is for the good of his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is to its detriment; then to your Lord you will be brought back.
45:16
وَ لَقَدۡ اٰتَیۡنَا بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡحُکۡمَ وَ النُّبُوَّۃَ وَ رَزَقۡنٰہُمۡ مِّنَ الطَّیِّبٰتِ وَ فَضَّلۡنٰہُمۡ عَلَی الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۱۶﴾
And certainly We gave the Children of Israel the Book and judgment and prophethood and provided them with good things, and made them excel the nations.
45:17
وَ اٰتَیۡنٰہُمۡ بَیِّنٰتٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ ۚ فَمَا اخۡتَلَفُوۡۤا اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَہُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ ۙ بَغۡیًۢا بَیۡنَہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ یَقۡضِیۡ بَیۡنَہُمۡ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ فِیۡمَا کَانُوۡا فِیۡہِ یَخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷﴾
And We gave them clear arguments in the Affair. So they did not differ until after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves. Surely your Lord will judge between them on the day of Resurrection in that in which they differed.
The Affair or Amr here signifies the prophethood of Muhammad, regarding which the Israelites were given the clearest prophecies. In the next verse the Holy Prophet is plainly addressed as having been given this Affair.
45:18
ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنٰکَ عَلٰی شَرِیۡعَۃٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ فَاتَّبِعۡہَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعۡ اَہۡوَآءَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۸﴾
Then We made you follow a course in the Affair, so follow it, and do not follow the low desires of those who do not know.
45:19
اِنَّہُمۡ لَنۡ یُّغۡنُوۡا عَنۡکَ مِنَ اللّٰہِ شَیۡئًا ؕ وَ اِنَّ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ بَعۡضُہُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءُ بَعۡضٍ ۚ وَ اللّٰہُ وَلِیُّ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ ﴿۱۹﴾
Surely they cannot avail you in the least against Allah. And surely the wrongdoers are friends of each other, and Allah is the Friend of the dutiful.
45:20
ہٰذَا بَصَآئِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَ ہُدًی وَّ رَحۡمَۃٌ لِّقَوۡمٍ یُّوۡقِنُوۡنَ ﴿۲۰﴾
These are clear proofs for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who are sure.
45:21
اَمۡ حَسِبَ الَّذِیۡنَ اجۡتَرَحُوا السَّیِّاٰتِ اَنۡ نَّجۡعَلَہُمۡ کَالَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ۙ سَوَآءً مَّحۡیَاہُمۡ وَ مَمَاتُہُمۡ ؕ سَآءَ مَا یَحۡکُمُوۡنَ ﴿٪۲۱﴾
Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall make them as those who believe and do good — their life and their death being equal? Evil is what they judge!
The meaning may be that the wicked are not like the righteous, either in life or in death; or, that the wicked will not find themselves in death in a state of ease resembling what they enjoy in this life. Or, the doing of good is here called life, and the doing of evil death, because good deeds give life to man and evil deeds cause his spiritual death.
Section 3 (Verses 45:22–45:26): Denial of Judgment
45:22
وَ خَلَقَ اللّٰہُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَ لِتُجۡزٰی کُلُّ نَفۡسٍۭ بِمَا کَسَبَتۡ وَ ہُمۡ لَا یُظۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۲۲﴾
And Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth, and that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
45:23
اَفَرَءَیۡتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰـہَہٗ ہَوٰىہُ وَ اَضَلَّہُ اللّٰہُ عَلٰی عِلۡمٍ وَّ خَتَمَ عَلٰی سَمۡعِہٖ وَ قَلۡبِہٖ وَ جَعَلَ عَلٰی بَصَرِہٖ غِشٰوَۃً ؕ فَمَنۡ یَّہۡدِیۡہِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اللّٰہِ ؕ اَفَلَا تَذَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾
Have you seen him who takes his desire for his god, and Allah leaves him in error knowingly, and seals his hearing and his heart and puts a covering on his sight? Who can then guide him after Allah? Will you not be mindful?
The word knowingly implies that Allah knows the heart and mental attitude of the people of low desires, and the consequence of their evil deeds is that they remain in error.
45:24
وَ قَالُوۡا مَا ہِیَ اِلَّا حَیَاتُنَا الدُّنۡیَا نَمُوۡتُ وَ نَحۡیَا وَ مَا یُہۡلِکُنَاۤ اِلَّا الدَّہۡرُ ۚ وَ مَا لَہُمۡ بِذٰلِکَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ ۚ اِنۡ ہُمۡ اِلَّا یَظُنُّوۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾
And they say: There is nothing but our life of the world; we die and we live and nothing destroys us but time, and they have no knowledge of that; they only conjecture.
45:25
وَ اِذَا تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتُنَا بَیِّنٰتٍ مَّا کَانَ حُجَّتَہُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوا ائۡتُوۡا بِاٰبَآئِنَاۤ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ ﴿۲۵﴾
And when Our clear messages are recited to them, their only argument is that they say: Bring (back) our fathers, if you are truthful.
45:26
قُلِ اللّٰہُ یُحۡیِیۡکُمۡ ثُمَّ یُمِیۡتُکُمۡ ثُمَّ یَجۡمَعُکُمۡ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ لَا رَیۡبَ فِیۡہِ وَ لٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿٪۲۶﴾
Say: Allah gives you life, then makes you die, then will He gather you to the day of Resurrection, of which there is no doubt, but most people do not know.
Section 4 (Verses 45:27–45:37): The Doom
45:27
وَ لِلّٰہِ مُلۡکُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ یَوۡمَ تَقُوۡمُ السَّاعَۃُ یَوۡمَئِذٍ یَّخۡسَرُ الۡمُبۡطِلُوۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾
And Allah’s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And on the day when the Hour comes to pass, on that day will the followers of falsehood perish.
45:28
وَ تَرٰی کُلَّ اُمَّۃٍ جَاثِیَۃً ۟ کُلُّ اُمَّۃٍ تُدۡعٰۤی اِلٰی کِتٰبِہَا ؕ اَلۡیَوۡمَ تُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۲۸﴾
And you will see every nation kneeling down. Every nation will be called to its record. This day you are recompensed for what you did.
That every nation shall have a book or a record of its deeds shows that nations are also judged according to their deeds. But nations are judged in this life, therefore the day on which every nation is called to its record is the day of its doom. The words — you will see every nation kneeling down — hint at a great spiritual awakening being brought about in the world.
45:29
ہٰذَا کِتٰبُنَا یَنۡطِقُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ اِنَّا کُنَّا نَسۡتَنۡسِخُ مَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۲۹﴾
This is Our record that speaks against you with truth. Surely We wrote what you did.
45:30
فَاَمَّا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ فَیُدۡخِلُہُمۡ رَبُّہُمۡ فِیۡ رَحۡمَتِہٖ ؕ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡمُبِیۡنُ ﴿۳۰﴾
Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will admit them to His mercy. That is the manifest achievement.
45:31
وَ اَمَّا الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا ۟ اَفَلَمۡ تَکُنۡ اٰیٰتِیۡ تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡکُمۡ فَاسۡتَکۡبَرۡتُمۡ وَ کُنۡتُمۡ قَوۡمًا مُّجۡرِمِیۡنَ ﴿۳۱﴾
And as to those who disbelieved — were not My messages recited to you? But you were proud and you were a guilty people.
45:32
وَ اِذَا قِیۡلَ اِنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰہِ حَقٌّ وَّ السَّاعَۃُ لَا رَیۡبَ فِیۡہَا قُلۡتُمۡ مَّا نَدۡرِیۡ مَا السَّاعَۃُ ۙ اِنۡ نَّظُنُّ اِلَّا ظَنًّا وَّ مَا نَحۡنُ بِمُسۡتَیۡقِنِیۡنَ ﴿۳۲﴾
And when it was said, Surely the promise of Allah is true and the Hour — there is no doubt about it, you said: We do not know what the Hour is. We think (it) only a conjecture and we are not at all sure.
45:33
وَ بَدَا لَہُمۡ سَیِّاٰتُ مَا عَمِلُوۡا وَ حَاقَ بِہِمۡ مَّا کَانُوۡا بِہٖ یَسۡتَہۡزِءُوۡنَ ﴿۳۳﴾
And the evil of what they did will become plain to them, and that at which they mocked will beset them.
45:34
وَ قِیۡلَ الۡیَوۡمَ نَنۡسٰکُمۡ کَمَا نَسِیۡتُمۡ لِقَآءَ یَوۡمِکُمۡ ہٰذَا وَ مَاۡوٰىکُمُ النَّارُ وَ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ نّٰصِرِیۡنَ ﴿۳۴﴾
And it will be said: This day We forsake you as you neglected the meeting of this day of yours, and your abode is the Fire, and you have no helpers.
45:35
ذٰلِکُمۡ بِاَنَّکُمُ اتَّخَذۡتُمۡ اٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ ہُزُوًا وَّ غَرَّتۡکُمُ الۡحَیٰوۃُ الدُّنۡیَا ۚ فَالۡیَوۡمَ لَا یُخۡرَجُوۡنَ مِنۡہَا وَ لَا ہُمۡ یُسۡتَعۡتَبُوۡنَ ﴿۳۵﴾
That is because you made the messages of Allah a jest and the life of this world deceived you. So on that day they shall not be taken out of it, nor shall they be granted goodwill.
45:36
فَلِلّٰہِ الۡحَمۡدُ رَبِّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ رَبِّ الۡاَرۡضِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿۳۶﴾
So praise be to Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth, the Lord of the worlds!
45:37
وَ لَہُ الۡکِبۡرِیَآءُ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ۪ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ ﴿٪۳۷﴾
And to Him belongs greatness in the heavens and the earth; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.