57: Iron (Al-Hadid)
Revealed at Madinah
In reference to the punishment of the opponents who were bent on extirpating Islam with the sword, this chapter is entitled Iron, from the word occurring in v. 25. It opens with a prophecy of the future conquests of Islam, for which Muslims will have to make sacrifices. Then it speaks of the hypocrites and prophesies that, due to the passage of a long time, the hearts of the believers will harden but again they will receive spiritual life after that. It goes on to say that worldly enjoyments are temporary and one should strive for permanent good. The chapter ends with a promise of two kinds of Divine grace which were in store for the believers. Chapters 57–66 constitute the last group of chapters in the Quranic arrangement that were revealed at Madinah. Chapters 57–60, 65 and 66 were revealed in the period 4 A.H. to 7 A.H.
Section 1 (Verses 57:1–57:10): Establishment of the Kingdom of God
57:1
سَبَّحَ لِلّٰہِ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ۚ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ ﴿۱﴾
Whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares the glory of Allah, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
57:2
لَہٗ مُلۡکُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ۚ یُحۡیٖ وَ یُمِیۡتُ ۚ وَ ہُوَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرٌ ﴿۲﴾
His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death, and He is Powerful over all things.
57:3
ہُوَ الۡاَوَّلُ وَ الۡاٰخِرُ وَ الظَّاہِرُ وَ الۡبَاطِنُ ۚ وَ ہُوَ بِکُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیۡمٌ ﴿۳﴾
He is the First and the Last and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is Knower of all things.
The Holy Prophet has explained the four attributes of the Divine Being mentioned here as follows. He is the First, so that there was nothing before Him, He is the Last, so that there is nothing after Him, He is the Manifest, or the Ascendant over all, so that there is nothing above Him, and He is the Hidden, the Knower of the hidden things, so that there is nothing hidden from Him (Sahih Muslim, 48:13).
57:4
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ فِیۡ سِتَّۃِ اَیَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰی عَلَی الۡعَرۡشِ ؕ یَعۡلَمُ مَا یَلِجُ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ مَا یَخۡرُجُ مِنۡہَا وَ مَا یَنۡزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ وَ مَا یَعۡرُجُ فِیۡہَا ؕ وَ ہُوَ مَعَکُمۡ اَیۡنَ مَا کُنۡتُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِیۡرٌ ﴿۴﴾
He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and He is established on the Throne of Power. He knows what goes down into the earth and what comes forth out of it, and what comes down from heaven and what goes up to it. And He is with you wherever you are. And Allah is Seer of what you do.
57:5
لَہٗ مُلۡکُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ اِلَی اللّٰہِ تُرۡجَعُ الۡاُمُوۡرُ ﴿۵﴾
His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah are (all) affairs returned.
57:6
یُوۡلِجُ الَّیۡلَ فِی النَّہَارِ وَ یُوۡلِجُ النَّہَارَ فِی الَّیۡلِ ؕ وَ ہُوَ عَلِیۡمٌۢ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُوۡرِ ﴿۶﴾
He makes the night to pass into the day, and makes the day to pass into the night. And He is Knower of what is in the hearts.
57:7
اٰمِنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ وَ اَنۡفِقُوۡا مِمَّا جَعَلَکُمۡ مُّسۡتَخۡلَفِیۡنَ فِیۡہِ ؕ فَالَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ وَ اَنۡفَقُوۡا لَہُمۡ اَجۡرٌ کَبِیۡرٌ ﴿۷﴾
Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend (on good works) out of that in which He has made you heirs. So those of you who believe and spend — for them is a great reward.
57:8
وَ مَا لَکُمۡ لَا تُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ ۚ وَ الرَّسُوۡلُ یَدۡعُوۡکُمۡ لِتُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِرَبِّکُمۡ وَ قَدۡ اَخَذَ مِیۡثَاقَکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ﴿۸﴾
And what reason have you that you do not believe in Allah? And the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord, and He has indeed accepted your covenant, if you are believers.
The believers, who are addressed, are exhorted to be true to their belief. Belief is thus not mere confession of the Truth but the upholding of it under trials.
57:9
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ یُنَزِّلُ عَلٰی عَبۡدِہٖۤ اٰیٰتٍۭ بَیِّنٰتٍ لِّیُخۡرِجَکُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَی النُّوۡرِ ؕ وَ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ بِکُمۡ لَرَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ ﴿۹﴾
He it is Who sends down clear messages to His servant, that he may bring you forth from darkness into light. And surely Allah is Kind, Merciful to you.
57:10
وَ مَا لَکُمۡ اَلَّا تُنۡفِقُوۡا فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ لِلّٰہِ مِیۡرَاثُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ لَا یَسۡتَوِیۡ مِنۡکُمۡ مَّنۡ اَنۡفَقَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ الۡفَتۡحِ وَ قٰتَلَ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ اَعۡظَمُ دَرَجَۃً مِّنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَنۡفَقُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدُ وَ قٰتَلُوۡا ؕ وَ کُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰہُ الۡحُسۡنٰی ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِیۡرٌ ﴿٪۱۰﴾
And what reason have you that you do not spend in Allah’s way? And Allah’s is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. Those of you who spent before the Victory and fought are not on a level (with others). They are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. But Allah has promised good to all. And Allah is Aware of what you do.
By Victory here is meant the moral victory gained by the Hudaibiyah truce, or the conquest of Makkah, which made Muslims virtually the masters of the whole of Arabia. The sacrifices made earlier had therefore a greater value on account of the trials which Muslims had then to face.
Section 2 (Verses 57:11–57:19): Light and Life Given by the Prophet
57:11
مَنۡ ذَا الَّذِیۡ یُقۡرِضُ اللّٰہَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا فَیُضٰعِفَہٗ لَہٗ وَ لَہٗۤ اَجۡرٌ کَرِیۡمٌ ﴿ۚ۱۱﴾
Who is it that will offer to Allah a goodly gift, so He will double it for him, and he will have a generous reward.
57:12
یَوۡمَ تَرَی الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ یَسۡعٰی نُوۡرُہُمۡ بَیۡنَ اَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ وَ بِاَیۡمَانِہِمۡ بُشۡرٰىکُمُ الۡیَوۡمَ جَنّٰتٌ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ؕ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِیۡمُ ﴿ۚ۱۲﴾
On that day you will see the believers, men and women, their light gleaming before them and on their right hand. Good news for you this day! — Gardens in which rivers flow, to abide in them! That is the mighty achievement.
The light of faith, which was given through the Prophet, will become manifest on the day of Resurrection.
57:13
یَوۡمَ یَقُوۡلُ الۡمُنٰفِقُوۡنَ وَ الۡمُنٰفِقٰتُ لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوا انۡظُرُوۡنَا نَقۡتَبِسۡ مِنۡ نُّوۡرِکُمۡ ۚ قِیۡلَ ارۡجِعُوۡا وَرَآءَکُمۡ فَالۡتَمِسُوۡا نُوۡرًا ؕ فَضُرِبَ بَیۡنَہُمۡ بِسُوۡرٍ لَّہٗ بَابٌ ؕ بَاطِنُہٗ فِیۡہِ الرَّحۡمَۃُ وَ ظَاہِرُہٗ مِنۡ قِبَلِہِ الۡعَذَابُ ﴿ؕ۱۳﴾
On the day when the hypocrites, men and women, will say to those who believe: Wait for us, that we may borrow from your light. It will be said: Turn back and seek a light. Then a wall, with a door in it, will be raised between them. Within it shall be mercy, and outside of it punishment.
Although the hypocrites remained mixed with the believers for a time, yet separation was brought about even in this life towards the close of the Holy Prophet’s life. As the Resurrection will bring hidden things to light, the hypocrites will find themselves devoid of light, because they did not possess the light of faith in this life.
57:14
یُنَادُوۡنَہُمۡ اَلَمۡ نَکُنۡ مَّعَکُمۡ ؕ قَالُوۡا بَلٰی وَ لٰکِنَّکُمۡ فَتَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡفُسَکُمۡ وَ تَرَبَّصۡتُمۡ وَ ارۡتَبۡتُمۡ وَ غَرَّتۡکُمُ الۡاَمَانِیُّ حَتّٰی جَآءَ اَمۡرُ اللّٰہِ وَ غَرَّکُمۡ بِاللّٰہِ الۡغَرُوۡرُ ﴿۱۴﴾
They will cry out to them: Were we not with you? They will say: Indeed, but you caused yourselves to fall into temptation, and you waited and doubted, and vain desires deceived you, till the threatened punishment of Allah came, and the arch-deceiver deceived you about Allah.
The hypocrites hoped that the Muslims would be annihilated by their powerful opponents.
57:15
فَالۡیَوۡمَ لَا یُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡکُمۡ فِدۡیَۃٌ وَّ لَا مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا ؕ مَاۡوٰىکُمُ النَّارُ ؕ ہِیَ مَوۡلٰىکُمۡ ؕ وَ بِئۡسَ الۡمَصِیۡرُ ﴿۱۵﴾
So this day no ransom will be accepted from you, nor from those who disbelieved. Your abode is the Fire; it is your patron and evil is the destination.
The Fire is here called a maulā, or a friend or patron, of the disbelievers, thus showing that it is for their good that they will have to undergo the suffering of fire. Hell is elsewhere also represented to be a place or a state which will ultimately lead to the purification of man, as fire purifies gold of dross. The process of purification, which is in other words hell, is thus a necessary stage in the spiritual perfection of those who do not avail themselves of the opportunity granted to them in this life.
57:16
اَلَمۡ یَاۡنِ لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنۡ تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوۡبُہُمۡ لِذِکۡرِ اللّٰہِ وَ مَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الۡحَقِّ ۙ وَ لَا یَکُوۡنُوۡا کَالَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ فَطَالَ عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡاَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُہُمۡ ؕ وَ کَثِیۡرٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿۱۶﴾
Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and the Truth that is revealed, and (that) they should not be like those who were given the Book before, but time was prolonged for them, so their hearts hardened. And most of them are transgressors.
This verse speaks of Muslims of a later age, for it compares their case to those who were given the scriptures before them and then a long time having passed over them, their hearts hardened. They are reminded that after the passing of a long time, they will fall off from the high standard of the earlier generations, and their hearts will be hardened like the hearts of the earlier people.
57:17
اِعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحۡیِ الۡاَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا ؕ قَدۡ بَیَّنَّا لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷﴾
Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death. Indeed, We have made the signs clear for you that you may understand.
Having spoken of the falling off of the Muslims of a later age, the good news is here announced that, after that, the dead earth will be generated with a new life, the life spiritual. The next verse then goes on to add that it will be through the sacrifices of a part of them that the Muslim nation will again be raised to eminence.
57:18
اِنَّ الۡمُصَّدِّقِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُصَّدِّقٰتِ وَ اَقۡرَضُوا اللّٰہَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا یُّضٰعَفُ لَہُمۡ وَ لَہُمۡ اَجۡرٌ کَرِیۡمٌ ﴿۱۸﴾
The men who give in charity and the women who give in charity and set apart for Allah a goodly portion, it will be doubled for them, and theirs is a generous reward.
57:19
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رُسُلِہٖۤ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الصِّدِّیۡقُوۡنَ ٭ۖ وَ الشُّہَدَآءُ عِنۡدَ رَبِّہِمۡ ؕ لَہُمۡ اَجۡرُہُمۡ وَ نُوۡرُہُمۡ ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا وَ کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَاۤ اُولٰٓئِکَ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَحِیۡمِ ﴿٪۱۹﴾
And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the truthful and the faithful ones with their Lord. They have their reward and their light. And those who disbelieve and reject Our messages, they are the inmates of hell.
Section 3 (Verses 57:20–57:25): Truth shall be Established
57:20
اِعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّمَا الۡحَیٰوۃُ الدُّنۡیَا لَعِبٌ وَّ لَہۡوٌ وَّ زِیۡنَۃٌ وَّ تَفَاخُرٌۢ بَیۡنَکُمۡ وَ تَکَاثُرٌ فِی الۡاَمۡوَالِ وَ الۡاَوۡلَادِ ؕ کَمَثَلِ غَیۡثٍ اَعۡجَبَ الۡکُفَّارَ نَبَاتُہٗ ثُمَّ یَہِیۡجُ فَتَرٰىہُ مُصۡفَرًّا ثُمَّ یَکُوۡنُ حُطَامًا ؕ وَ فِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ عَذَابٌ شَدِیۡدٌ ۙ وَّ مَغۡفِرَۃٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ وَ رِضۡوَانٌ ؕ وَ مَا الۡحَیٰوۃُ الدُّنۡیَاۤ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الۡغُرُوۡرِ ﴿۲۰﴾
Know that this world’s life is only an idle sport and play and an attraction and boasting among yourselves and a race in the multiplication of wealth and children. It is as rain, whose causing the vegetation to grow pleases the tillers, then it withers away so that you see it turning yellow, then it becomes chaff. And in the Hereafter is a severe punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and (His) pleasure. And this world’s life is nothing but a source of vanity.
This world’s life here means the material side of life. It is entirely a pursuit of unreality. Individuals as well as nations are, as it were, racing for the transitory goods of this life, for means of adorning the outside, for riches and gaiety, utterly neglecting the higher values of life which are pointed out in v. 21.
57:21
سَابِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی مَغۡفِرَۃٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ جَنَّۃٍ عَرۡضُہَا کَعَرۡضِ السَّمَآءِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ۙ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رُسُلِہٖ ؕ ذٰلِکَ فَضۡلُ اللّٰہِ یُؤۡتِیۡہِ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ ﴿۲۱﴾
Vie with one another for forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden as vast as the vastness of the heaven and the earth — it is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the grace of Allah; He gives it to whom He pleases. And Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.
The Garden or the Paradise is here said to be as extensive as the heavens and the earth, and a similar statement occurs in 3:133. It shows clearly that heaven and hell are not the names of two places, but are really two conditions, because if paradise were the name of a particular place, hell could not exist, as paradise would according to these verses extend over the whole of space.
57:22
مَاۤ اَصَابَ مِنۡ مُّصِیۡبَۃٍ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ لَا فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِکُمۡ اِلَّا فِیۡ کِتٰبٍ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ نَّبۡرَاَہَا ؕ اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ یَسِیۡرٌ ﴿ۚۖ۲۲﴾
No disaster befalls in the earth, or in yourselves, but it is in a book before We bring it into existence — surely that is easy to Allah —
The book here means Divine knowledge. Disaster is here spoken of as befalling in the earth or in yourselves, i.e., it either affects the people of the world generally or the Muslims in particular. In view of v. 16, relating to the lapse of a long time and the hardening of the hearts of the Muslims, it is easy to see that the disasters which are predicted as befalling the Muslims in the latter days are due to their own falling off from the high standard of life which they were required to follow, and hence the remedy suggested is again the making of sacrifices as pointed out in v. 18.
57:23
لِّکَیۡلَا تَاۡسَوۡا عَلٰی مَا فَاتَکُمۡ وَ لَا تَفۡرَحُوۡا بِمَاۤ اٰتٰىکُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ لَا یُحِبُّ کُلَّ مُخۡتَالٍ فَخُوۡرِۣ ﴿ۙ۲۳﴾
so that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor exult in what He has given you. And Allah does not love any arrogant boaster,
57:24
الَّذِیۡنَ یَبۡخَلُوۡنَ وَ یَاۡمُرُوۡنَ النَّاسَ بِالۡبُخۡلِ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ ہُوَ الۡغَنِیُّ الۡحَمِیۡدُ ﴿۲۴﴾
such as are miserly and enjoin miserliness on people. And whoever turns back, then surely Allah is the Self-Sufficient, the Praised.
57:25
لَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالۡبَیِّنٰتِ وَ اَنۡزَلۡنَا مَعَہُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡمِیۡزَانَ لِیَقُوۡمَ النَّاسُ بِالۡقِسۡطِ ۚ وَ اَنۡزَلۡنَا الۡحَدِیۡدَ فِیۡہِ بَاۡسٌ شَدِیۡدٌ وَّ مَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَ لِیَعۡلَمَ اللّٰہُ مَنۡ یَّنۡصُرُہٗ وَ رُسُلَہٗ بِالۡغَیۡبِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ قَوِیٌّ عَزِیۡزٌ ﴿٪۲۵﴾
Certainly We sent Our messengers with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the measure, that people may conduct themselves with equity. And We sent down iron, in which is great violence and advantages for people, and that Allah may know who helps Him and His messengers, unseen. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.
See 42:17 footnote and 55:7 footnote. Here the measure is spoken of as being sent down with messengers of God along with the Book. Now the Book contains the Divine commandments or the moral code of life, and the measure is therefore clearly the example of the Prophet, who by carrying out the Divine commandments shows how the directions contained in the Book are to be followed.
Section 4 (Verses 57:26–57:29): Double Reward for Believers
57:26
وَ لَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوۡحًا وَّ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ وَ جَعَلۡنَا فِیۡ ذُرِّیَّتِہِمَا النُّبُوَّۃَ وَ الۡکِتٰبَ فَمِنۡہُمۡ مُّہۡتَدٍ ۚ وَ کَثِیۡرٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿۲۶﴾
And certainly We sent Noah and Abraham, and We gave prophethood and the Book to their offspring; so some of them go aright, but most of them are transgressors.
57:27
ثُمَّ قَفَّیۡنَا عَلٰۤی اٰثَارِہِمۡ بِرُسُلِنَا وَ قَفَّیۡنَا بِعِیۡسَی ابۡنِ مَرۡیَمَ وَ اٰتَیۡنٰہُ الۡاِنۡجِیۡلَ ۬ۙ وَ جَعَلۡنَا فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِ الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّبَعُوۡہُ رَاۡفَۃً وَّ رَحۡمَۃً ؕ وَ رَہۡبَانِیَّۃَۨ ابۡتَدَعُوۡہَا مَا کَتَبۡنٰہَا عَلَیۡہِمۡ اِلَّا ابۡتِغَآءَ رِضۡوَانِ اللّٰہِ فَمَا رَعَوۡہَا حَقَّ رِعَایَتِہَا ۚ فَاٰتَیۡنَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡہُمۡ اَجۡرَہُمۡ ۚ وَ کَثِیۡرٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾
Then We made Our messengers to follow in their footsteps, and We made Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and We gave him the Gospel. And We put compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. And (as for) monkery, they innovated it — We did not prescribe it to them — only to seek Allah’s pleasure, but they did not observe it with its due observance. So We gave those of them who believed their reward, but most of them are transgressors.
Muslims were now becoming a great nation, and as they were brought up in the utmost simplicity, and were also enjoined to disdain the gaiety of this life, they are told that while retaining their simplicity of life they should not stoop to practices like that of monkery. They are thus required to keep the balance between the material and moral sides of life. Christians innovated monkery but failed to attain the object for which they adopted it.
57:28
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ وَ اٰمِنُوۡا بِرَسُوۡلِہٖ یُؤۡتِکُمۡ کِفۡلَیۡنِ مِنۡ رَّحۡمَتِہٖ وَ یَجۡعَلۡ لَّکُمۡ نُوۡرًا تَمۡشُوۡنَ بِہٖ وَ یَغۡفِرۡ لَکُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ ﴿ۚۙ۲۸﴾
O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and believe in His Messenger — He will give you two portions of His mercy, and give you a light in which you shall walk, and forgive you. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful —
By the two portions of mercy are meant their portion in this world and their portion in the Hereafter. A Muslim is thus required to enjoy the worldly benefits but not to the neglect of his moral responsibilities. Christian civilization started with monkery and has ended in engrossment in the world to the utter neglect of the spiritual side. The history of Islam on the other hand shows temporal and spiritual advancement going hand in hand. The only lasting civilization is one which offers a middle course, and chalks out a way, by walking in which man can attain material along with spiritual advancement. Hence the next verse speaks clearly of the People of the Book.
57:29
لِّئَلَّا یَعۡلَمَ اَہۡلُ الۡکِتٰبِ اَلَّا یَقۡدِرُوۡنَ عَلٰی شَیۡءٍ مِّنۡ فَضۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ اَنَّ الۡفَضۡلَ بِیَدِ اللّٰہِ یُؤۡتِیۡہِ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ ﴿٪۲۹﴾
that the People of the Book may know that they control nothing of the grace of Allah, and that grace is in Allah’s hand. He gives it to whom He pleases. And Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.
The People of the Book or the Christians are here told that they do not control Allah’s grace. They wanted first to control His spiritual grace by monkery, but failed. Later, they have tried to control His material grace and bounties by their entire engrossment in worldly pursuits, but even their material advancement is leading to their ruin, because it is not being balanced by spiritual progress.