(38 - 52) “So I swear by what you see * and what you do not see * Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger * It is not the word of a poet—little do you believe * Nor is it the word of a soothsayer—little do you take heed * It is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds * Had he falsely attributed some sayings to Us * We would surely have seized him by the right hand * then severed his aorta * and none of you could have shielded him from Us * Indeed, it is a reminder for the God-fearing * We certainly know that some of you are deniers * It will surely be a cause of regret for the disbelievers * Indeed, it is the truth of certainty * So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.”
Allah Most High swore by everything creatures can see and everything they cannot see. This encompasses all creatures; indeed, His own holy Self is included (1) therein. He swore to the truthfulness of the Messenger in what he brought of this noble Quran, and that the noble Messenger conveyed it from Allah Most High.
Allah declared His Messenger free of the accusations made by his enemies—that he was a poet or a magician—and explained that they made these accusations only because they neither believed nor took heed. Had they believed and reflected, they would have known what benefited them and what harmed them. This includes examining the condition of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and closely observing his qualities and character. They would then have beheld something as evident as the sun, showing them that he was truly the Messenger of Allah and that what he brought was a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. It could not fittingly be the speech of ⦗885⦘ human beings (2); rather, it is speech that demonstrates the greatness of the One who spoke it, the majesty of His attributes, His perfect care for His servants, and that He is high above His servants. Moreover, their supposition entails something unbefitting Allah and His wisdom. For had the Messenger attributed words to Him (3) and fabricated “some sayings” that were false:
“We would surely have seized him by the right hand, then severed his aorta.”
The aorta is an artery connected to the heart; if it is severed, a person dies (4). Thus, if, hypothetically, the Messenger—far be it from him, never!—had fabricated anything against Allah, He would have swiftly punished him and seized him with the grip of the Almighty, All-Powerful. That is because He is All-Wise and has power over all things. His wisdom requires that He not grant respite to one who lies about Him while claiming that Allah has made lawful to him the lives and property of those who oppose him, that he and his followers will be saved, and that whoever opposes him will be destroyed.
Since Allah supported His Messenger with miracles, established the truthfulness of what he brought through clear signs, granted him victory over his enemies, and placed them under his power, this constitutes Allah’s greatest testimony to his messengership.
His words, “and none of you could have shielded him from Us,” mean that if Allah had destroyed him, he could not have protected himself, nor could anyone have shielded him from Allah’s punishment.
“Indeed, it”—meaning the noble Quran—“is a reminder for the God-fearing.” Through it, they remember what benefits their religious and worldly lives, recognize those benefits, and act upon them. It reminds them of the tenets of faith, praiseworthy character, and the rulings of the Sacred Law. They thereby become godly scholars, knowledgeable worshippers, and rightly guided leaders.
“We certainly know that some of you are deniers” of it. This contains a threat and warning to the deniers: Allah will punish them severely for their denial.
“It will surely be a cause of regret for the disbelievers.” When they see what it had promised them after having disbelieved in it, they will bitterly regret that they did not accept its guidance or submit to its command. They will have forfeited the reward, incurred the severest punishment, and lost every means of deliverance.
“Indeed, it is the truth of certainty”—that is, the highest degree of knowledge. The highest degree of knowledge is certainty: firm knowledge that neither wavers nor disappears.
Certainty has three degrees, each higher than the one before it:
The first is knowledge of certainty, which is knowledge acquired through a report.
The next is the eye of certainty, which is knowledge perceived through the faculty of sight.
The third is the truth of certainty, which is knowledge perceived through taste and direct experience.
This noble Quran possesses this quality. Through the knowledge it contains, supported by definitive proofs, and through the truths and insights of faith found within it, whoever tastes it attains the truth of certainty.
“So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.” That is, declare Him free of everything unbefitting His majesty and sanctify Him by mentioning His attributes of majesty, beauty, and perfection.
This concludes the commentary on Sūrat al-Hāqqah. All praise belongs to Allah, at the beginning and the end, outwardly and inwardly, for His perfection, bounty, and justice.
Commentary on the Surah “A Questioner Asked”
It is a Meccan surah.