(1–20) “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. I swear by this city, * while you reside in this city, * and by the father and his offspring. * We have certainly created man in hardship. * Does he think that no one has power over him? * He says, ‘I have squandered vast wealth!’ * Does he think that no one has seen him? * Have We not given him two eyes, * a tongue, and two lips, * and guided him to the two paths? * Yet he has not braved the steep ascent. * And what will make you comprehend what the steep ascent is? * It is freeing a slave, * or feeding, on a day of severe hunger, * an orphaned relative, * or a needy person in misery. * Then he became one of those who believed, urged one another to patience, and urged one another to compassion. * Those are the people of the right. * But those who disbelieve in Our signs are the people of the left. * Over them is a sealed Fire.”
Allah Most High swears by “this city,” ⦗925⦘ the secure city of honored Mecca, the finest of all lands—especially while the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was dwelling there—and “by the father and his offspring,” meaning Adam and his progeny.
What the oath affirms is His statement: “We have certainly created man in hardship.” This may refer to the hardships that he struggles and suffers through in this world, in the intermediate realm, and on the Day when the witnesses arise. He should therefore strive to perform deeds that will relieve him of these hardships and bring him everlasting joy and happiness.
If he does not, he will continue to suffer severe punishment for all eternity.
It may also mean: We created man in the finest form and most upright constitution, endowed with the capacity (1) to act and undertake difficult tasks. Yet despite this, [he] did not thank Allah for this [great] blessing. Instead, he grew insolent in prosperity and acted arrogantly toward his Creator. In his ignorance and wrongdoing, he thought that this condition would last forever and that his power to act would never be taken away. Thus Allah Most High says: “Does he think that no one has power over him?” He transgresses and boasts of the wealth he has spent gratifying his own desires. He therefore “says, ‘I have squandered vast wealth!’” meaning a great amount, one part piled upon another.
Allah Most High calls spending on desires and sins “squandering” because the spender gains no benefit from what he spends, and nothing returns to him from it except regret, loss, toil, and depletion. This is unlike one who spends seeking Allah’s pleasure in ways of goodness. Such a person has traded with Allah and earned many times over what he spent.
Warning the one who boasts of what he has spent on his desires, Allah says: “Does he think that no one has seen him?” That is, does he think (2), while doing this, that Allah does not see him and will not hold him accountable for matters both small and great?
Allah has indeed seen him, preserved the record of his deeds, and appointed over him the noble recording angels to record everything he does, whether good or evil.
Allah then reminds him of His blessings, saying: “Have We not given him two eyes, a tongue, and two lips?” These provide beauty, sight, speech, and other essential benefits. These are worldly blessings. Regarding the blessings of religion, He then says: “And guided him to the two paths,” meaning the paths of good and evil. We made guidance distinct from misguidance for him, and sound judgment from waywardness.
These abundant favors require the servant to fulfill the rights due to Allah, thank Him for His blessings, and not use them to disobey Him (3). But this man did none of that.
“Yet he has not braved the steep ascent.” That is, he did not undertake it and cross over it, because he follows his desires (4).
This steep ascent is difficult for him. Allah then explains [this] steep ascent: “freeing a slave,” meaning releasing him from bondage by emancipating him or helping him pay off his emancipation contract. This includes, with even greater reason, securing the release of a Muslim prisoner held by the disbelievers.
“Or feeding, on a day of severe hunger,” meaning a day of intense famine, by feeding those most in need at a time of need.
“An orphaned relative,” meaning one who combines being an orphan, poor, and a relative.
“Or a needy person in misery,” meaning one who is reduced to clinging to the dust by need and dire necessity.
“Then he became one of those who believed” (5)—that is, they believed in their hearts in everything in which belief is obligatory and performed righteous deeds with their limbs, including every obligatory or recommended word (6) and deed. They “urged one another to patience” in obeying Allah, refraining from disobedience to Him, and bearing Allah’s painful decrees. They encourage one another to submit to these things and fulfill them completely, with open hearts and tranquil souls.
They also “urged one another to compassion” toward creation by giving to those among them who are in need, teaching those who are ignorant, attending to all their needs in every way, helping them pursue their religious and worldly interests, loving for them what they love for themselves, and disliking for them what they dislike for themselves.
Those who embody these qualities and whom Allah enables to surmount this steep ascent—“those are the people of the right,” because they fulfilled what Allah commanded concerning His rights and the rights of His servants, and they abandoned what He forbade. This is the hallmark and sign of true happiness.
“But those who disbelieve in Our signs,” casting all these matters behind their backs: they had no faith in Allah [nor did they believe in Him], performed no righteous deeds, and showed no mercy to Allah’s servants. “Those who disbelieve in Our signs are the people of the left; over them is a sealed Fire.” That is, it is closed upon them by extended pillars, ⦗926⦘ drawn across behind its doors so that they cannot open, leaving them in constriction, anguish, and hardship. [And all praise is due to Allah.]