(1–8) “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. * Hā Mīm. * A revelation from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. * A Book whose verses have been fully explained—an Arabic Quran for people who know— * giving glad tidings and warning. Yet most of them turn away, so they do not listen. * They say, ‘Our hearts are veiled from that to which you call us, there is deafness in our ears, and between us and you is a barrier. So act; we too are acting.’ * Say, ‘I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me that your God is but One God. So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to the polytheists— * those who do not give zakat and who disbelieve in the Hereafter. * Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have an unending reward.’”
Allah Most High informs His servants that this glorious Book and splendid Quran is “a revelation” proceeding “from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,” whose mercy encompasses all things. Among the greatest and most magnificent manifestations of His mercy is the revelation of this Book, through which knowledge, guidance, light, healing, mercy, and abundant good have come. It is among His most magnificent blessings upon His servants and is the path to happiness in both abodes.
He then praises the Book for the completeness of its exposition, saying, “whose verses have been fully explained.” That is, every matter, with its various kinds, has been set out separately. This entails complete clarity, the distinction of one matter from another, and the discernment of realities. “An Arabic Quran”—that is, in eloquent Arabic, the most perfect of languages. Its verses have been fully explained, and it has been made an Arabic Quran “for people who know,” so that its meaning may become as clear to them as its wording, and so that guidance may be distinguished for them from misguidance, and error from right guidance.
As for the ignorant, whom guidance only increases in misguidance and clear explanation only increases in blindness, this discourse was not directed to them: “It is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe.”
“Giving glad tidings and warning”—that is, giving glad tidings of reward both immediate and deferred, and warning of punishment both immediate and deferred. It gives the details of both, together with the causes and qualities by which glad tidings or warning become applicable. These qualities of the Book require that it be received with acceptance, submission, faith, and obedience. Most people, however, turn away from it in arrogance, “so they do not listen” ⦗745⦘—that is, they do not listen to it with acceptance and response, even though they have heard it sufficiently for the revealed proof to be established against them.
“They say”—that is, those who turn away from it, declaring that they derive no benefit from it because they have barred every avenue leading to it—“Our hearts are veiled,” meaning enveloped in coverings, “from that to which you call us, there is deafness in our ears,” so we cannot hear you, “and between us and you is a barrier,” so we cannot see you.
They thereby meant to display their complete aversion to it, their hatred of it, and their satisfaction with their present condition. Hence they said, “So act; we too are acting.” That is, just as you are content to follow your religion, we are entirely content to follow ours. This is among the gravest forms of abandonment: they were content with misguidance in place of guidance, exchanged faith for disbelief, and sold the Hereafter for this world.
“Say” to them, O Prophet, “I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me.” That is my nature and function: I am a human being like you, with no control over the affair and no possession of that which you demand be hastened. Allah has merely favored me above you, distinguished me, and singled me out with the revelation He sent to me, which He commanded me to follow and to which I have called you.
“So take a straight course to Him”—that is, follow the path leading to Allah Most High by affirming what He has declared, obeying His commands, and avoiding His prohibitions. This is the reality of steadfastness, followed by remaining constant upon it. The words “to Him” indicate sincerity: the one who acts should make his purpose and ultimate aim—the reason for which he acts—meeting Allah and reaching the abode of His honor. Only then will his deed be sincere, righteous, and beneficial; without this, his deed is void.
Since a servant—however eager he may be to remain steadfast—will inevitably fall into some deficiency by neglecting something commanded or committing something prohibited, Allah commanded him to remedy this by seeking forgiveness, which includes repentance. Thus He said, “and seek His forgiveness.” He then warned those who abandon steadfastness: “Woe to the polytheists—those who do not give zakat.” These are the people who worship besides Him beings that possess neither benefit nor harm, neither death nor life nor resurrection. They have defiled their souls and failed to purify them by affirming their Lord’s oneness and being sincere to Him; nor do they pray or pay zakat. Thus, they show neither sincerity toward the Creator through affirming His oneness and praying, nor benefit toward creation through zakat and other means. “And who disbelieve in the Hereafter”—that is, they do not believe in the resurrection, Paradise, or Hell. Because fear is absent from their hearts, they dare to commit deeds that will harm them in the Hereafter.
After mentioning the disbelievers, He mentions the believers and describes both them and their reward, saying, “Indeed, those who believe” in this Book and in all the matters of faith that it contains and calls to, and who confirm the truth of their faith through righteous deeds combining sincerity with faithful adherence, “shall have a reward”—that is, a tremendous reward—“unending”: neither interrupted nor exhausted. Rather, it continues for all time, increasing hour by hour and encompassing every delight and object of desire.