“And that He created the two kinds, male and female, from a sperm-drop when it is emitted; and that upon Him rests the next creation.”
He explains “the two kinds” (1) with His words, “male and female.” This is a generic term encompassing all animate creatures, both humans and beasts. He alone created them “from a sperm-drop when it is emitted.” This is among the greatest proofs of His perfect power and His sole possession of supreme might: He created all those creatures, small and great, from a feeble drop (2) of lowly fluid. He then caused them to grow and brought them to perfection until they attained their full development. Thereafter, the human being among them proceeds either to the loftiest stations in the highest heights or to the lowest condition in the lowest depths.
Thus He cites the first creation as evidence for resurrection, saying, “And that upon Him rests the next creation.” He will raise His servants from their graves, gather them for the appointed Day, and recompense them for their good and evil deeds.
“And that it is He who enriches and grants possessions”; that is, He enriches His servants by facilitating their means of livelihood through commerce, various forms of gain, trades, and other occupations. He “grants possessions,” meaning that He bestows every kind of wealth upon His servants, enabling them to acquire it and to own many tangible assets. It is among His favors to His servants that every blessing comes from Him, Exalted is He (3). This requires His servants to thank Him and worship Him alone, without any partner.
“And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius.” This is the well-known star called al-Shi‘rā al-‘Abūr and also known as al-Mirzam. Allah singles it out for mention, even though He is the Lord of everything, because this star was worshipped during the Age of Ignorance. He thus informs us that everything the polytheists worship is itself subject to a Lord, governed, and created. How, then, can it be taken as a god alongside Allah? (4)
“And that He destroyed the former ‘Ād.” They were the people of Hūd, peace be upon him. When they denied Hūd, ⦗823⦘ Allah destroyed them with a fiercely raging, bitterly cold wind.
“And Thamūd”—the people of Sālih, peace be upon him. Allah sent him to Thamūd, but they denied him. Allah then sent them (5) the she-camel as a sign, but they hamstrung her and denied him. Allah therefore destroyed them, “sparing none” of them; rather, He destroyed every last one (6).
“And the people of Noah before them; they were indeed more unjust and more transgressive” than these nations. Allah destroyed them and drowned them in the sea.
“And He cast down the overturned cities”—the people of Lot, peace be upon him. That is, Allah struck them with a punishment unlike any inflicted upon anyone else in all creation: He turned their dwellings upside down and rained stones of baked clay upon them.
He therefore says, “Then there covered them whatever covered them”; that is, an immense and indescribable punishment, agonizing and grievous, covered them.
“Then which of your Lord’s favors do you doubt?” That is: O human being, which of Allah’s blessings and bounty do you doubt? Allah’s blessings are manifest and admit no doubt whatsoever. Every blessing the servants possess is from Him, Exalted is He, and none but He repels afflictions.
“This is a warner like the warners of old.” That is, this Qurashī, Hāshimī Messenger, Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh, is no unprecedented messenger. Messengers came before him and called to the same message to which he calls. Why, then, do you deny his mission? With what proof do you seek to invalidate his call?
Are not his character traits [the loftiest] character traits of the noble messengers? Does he not call to every good and forbid every evil? (7) Did he not bring the Noble Quran, “which falsehood cannot approach from before it or from behind it—a revelation from One All-Wise, Praiseworthy”? Did Allah not destroy those who denied the noble messengers before him? What, then, could prevent the punishment from reaching those who deny Muhammad, the foremost of the messengers, the leader of the God-fearing, and the leader of those whose faces and limbs will shine?
“The Approaching Event has drawn near”; that is, the Resurrection has drawn near, its time is close, and its signs have appeared. “None besides Allah can disclose it”; that is, when the Resurrection arrives and the punishment they were promised comes upon them.
He then threatens those who deny the mission of the Messenger Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and reject the Noble Quran that he brought. He says, “Is it this discourse that you find astonishing?” That is, do you find this discourse—which is the best, most excellent, and noblest speech—astonishing, regarding it as something contrary to the ordinary course and beyond familiar matters [and realities]? This arises only from their ignorance, misguidance, and obstinacy. In truth, it is a discourse that speaks truth whenever it relates something, and whenever it makes a pronouncement, it is the decisive word, not frivolity. It is the magnificent Quran (8) which, had it been sent down upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and split apart from fear of Allah. It increases people of understanding in discernment and reason, rectitude and steadfastness, faith and certainty. And what (9) should truly astonish us is the mind of anyone who finds it astonishing, along with his foolishness and misguidance.
“And you laugh and do not weep”; that is, you respond to it with laughter and mockery, even though souls ought to be moved by it, hearts softened by it, and eyes brought to tears by hearing its commands and prohibitions, heeding its promises and warnings, and reflecting upon its beautiful and truthful accounts.
“While you remain heedless”; that is, heedless of it and distracted from reflecting upon it. This stems from the deficiency in your reason and religion. Had you worshipped Allah and sought His pleasure in every circumstance, you would not have remained in this state, which people of sound understanding disdain. Allah therefore says, “So prostrate yourselves before Allah and worship Him.” Allah specifically commands prostration to Him to demonstrate its excellence (10) and that it is the innermost secret and very core of worship, for the core of worship is humility before Allah (11) and submission to Him. Prostration is the greatest state in which a servant (12) humbles himself: he submits with both his heart and body and places the noblest part of his body upon the lowly ground that feet tread upon. Allah then commands worship in general, encompassing every outward and inward deed and statement that He loves and is pleased with.
This completes the commentary on Sūrat al-Najm. Praise be to Allah, whose praise we cannot fully enumerate. Rather, He is as He has praised Himself and beyond all praise bestowed upon Him by His servants. May Allah bless Muhammad and grant him abundant peace.
Commentary on Sūrat Iqtarabat
Meccan