Qur'an 68: The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the merciful, especially merciful.
DIVINE OATH AND DEFENSE OF THE PROPHET
By the pen and all that is written, you, by the grace of your Lord, are not a madman. Indeed, an unending reward is yours, and you are of a truly noble character. Soon you and they will both see which of you is afflicted with madness. Surely, your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path and who is rightly guided.
WARNINGS AGAINST THE ARROGANT DENIER
Therefore, do not yield to the deniers. They wish that you would compromise so they too could compromise. Do not obey every worthless oath-taker, slanderer, and mischief-maker—one who hinders good, transgresses, and is steeped in sin. He is cruel and of dubious lineage, arrogant because of his wealth and sons. When Our revelations are recited to him, he dismisses them as "tales of the ancients." We will mark him on his snout (a sign of utter disgrace).
THE PARABLE OF THE STINGY GARDEN OWNERS
We have tested them just as We tested the owners of a garden who swore they would harvest its fruits in the morning without setting aside any portion for the poor or making exception for God’s will. While they slept, a disaster from your Lord swept through the garden, leaving it barren and dark as night. In the morning, they called to one another to go early to their fields if they wanted to harvest. They set out, whispering that no poor person should be allowed to enter the garden that day.
They went with the firm intention of withholding their charity, but when they saw the ruined garden, they said they must have taken the wrong way. Then, realizing the truth, they exclaimed that they were deprived of their harvest. The most reasonable among them said, "Did I not tell you to glorify God?" They replied, "Glory to our Lord! We have truly been wrongdoers." They then began to blame one another. They lamented, "Woe to us; we have been arrogant. Perhaps our Lord will give us something better in its place; to our Lord we now turn in hope." Such is the punishment in this life, but the punishment of the Hereafter is far greater, if only they knew.
CHALLENGE TO THE DISBELIEVERS' CLAIMS
Indeed, for the righteous, there are Gardens of Bliss with their Lord. Should We treat those who submit to God (Muslims) the same as the criminals? What is wrong with your judgment? Do you have a scripture that teaches you that you can have whatever you choose? Or have you secured a binding oath from Us, valid until the Day of Resurrection, that you will have whatever you decree? Ask them which of them will guarantee such a claim. Or do they have 'partners' with God? Then let them produce their partners, if they are telling the truth.
On the Day when the great terror is unveiled and they are called to prostrate themselves, they will be unable to do so. Their eyes will be downcast, and humiliation will cover them, for they were called to prostrate when they were able and healthy, but they refused. So leave to Me those who deny this message. We will gradually lead them to ruin from directions they do not perceive. I will grant them respite, for My plan is firm and sure. Are you asking them for a payment that burdens them? Or do they have knowledge of the unseen, which they are writing down?
A CALL FOR PATIENT ENDURANCE
So be patient with your Lord’s decree, and do not be like the Companion of the Fish (Jonah), who cried out in despair from within the fish. If not for the grace of his Lord, he would have been cast onto the barren shore in disgrace. But his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous. When the disbelievers hear the reminder, they almost strike you down with their piercing stares, saying, "He is surely possessed."
Concise Summary: This chapter defends the Prophet's character against accusations of madness, uses the parable of a destroyed garden to warn against arrogance and stinginess, and challenges the disbelievers' logic while urging the Prophet to remain patient, affirming the Qur'an is a universal message.
Full Text.
68:1a: ن ۚ. Nūn. (নূন্; n-w-n / ন-ও-ন – ḥarf muqaṭṭaʿah (disjointed letter), possibly referencing inkwell, fish, or divine knowledge)
68:1b: وَالْقَلَمِ. By the pen. (ওয়া ল্-ক্বলামি; q-l-m / ক-ল-ম – pen, reed // qalam // Greek: kalamos "reed, pen")
68:1c: وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ. and by what they inscribe. (ওয়া মা ইয়াস্-তুরুন্; s-ṭ-r / স-ত-র – to write, inscribe in a line // yasṭurūn // Aramaic: šəṭārā "document")
Tafsīr 68:1: The Sacred Pen
The Sūrah opens with an oath by the enigmatic letter Nūn, the Pen, and the act of writing, immediately sanctifying knowledge and revelation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathīr identify the Pen as the primordial instrument that recorded all destiny. Modern thought emphasizes this as a divine validation of literacy and intellect. Sufis interpret the Pen as the First Intellect (al-ʿAql al-Awwal) and the inscription as the unfolding of divine archetypes into the created world.
68:2a: مَا أَنتَ. You are not. (মা আন্তা; an-t / অ-ন-ত – you (masc. sing.) // anta // Hebrew: ʾattā "you")
68:2b: بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ. by the grace of your Lord. (বিনি'মাতি রব্বিকা; n-ʿ-m / ন-ʿ-ম – to be blissful, bestow favor // niʿmah // Ugaritic: nʿm "pleasantness" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:2c: بِمَجْنُونٍ. a madman. (বিমাজ্নূন্; j-n-n / জ-ন-ন – to cover, be mad, be possessed by jinn // majnūn // Akkadian: enēnu "to be possessed")
Tafsīr 68:2: Divine Vindication
This verse is a direct divine reassurance to the Prophet Muḥammad against accusations of madness. Classically, it is seen as a powerful divine defense of his prophetic sanity and mission. Modern interpretations view it as a psychological fortification against the ridicule faced by those who challenge societal norms with a transcendent message. Esoterically, the "grace of your Lord" is the divine connection that distinguishes true inspiration from delusion, a sanity rooted in the Absolute.
68:3a: وَإِنَّ لَكَ. And indeed, for you. (ওয়া ইন্না লাকা; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!")
68:3b: لَأَجْرًا. is surely a reward. (লা-'আজ্রান্; ʼ-j-r / অ-জ-র – to reward, recompense // ajr // Aramaic: ʾagrā "hire, wage")
68:3c: غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ. unfailing. (ঘইরা মাম্নূন্; gh-y-r / ঘ-য়-র – other than, not // ghayr // Sabaic: ġyr "other" ; m-n-n / ম-ন-ন – to sever, interrupt, remind of a favor // mamnūn // Hebrew: mānāh "to count, assign")
Tafsīr 68:3: Unending Recompense
God promises the Prophet an eternal and uninterrupted reward, countering the ephemeral nature of worldly recognition. Al-Ṭabarī explained this as a recompense that is neither cut off nor tainted by being reproachfully reminded of. For modern readers, it highlights the principle that sincere effort in a noble cause carries an intrinsic, lasting value beyond immediate results. Sufis see this ajr as perpetual divine intimacy, a reward not given but eternally present for the sincere soul.
68:4a: وَإِنَّكَ. And indeed, you. (ওয়া ইন্নাকা; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!")
68:4b: لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ. are of a character. (লা-'আলা খুলুক্বিন্; kh-l-q / খ-ল-ক – to create, proportion, be of a nature // khuluq // Akkadian: ilqu "portion, nature")
68:4c: عَظِيمٍ. magnificent. (আযীম্; ʿ-ẓ-m / ʿ-য-ম – to be great, mighty // ʿaẓīm // Ugaritic: ʿẓm "mighty")
Tafsīr 68:4: Supreme Character
This is a paramount divine testimony to the Prophet's exemplary character. Classically, as Aisha famously stated, his character was the Qurʾān, making him the living embodiment of the revelation. Modern thinkers emphasize this as the ethical foundation of leadership, where moral integrity is the ultimate proof of a message's truth. Esoterically, his khuluq ʿaẓīm is the perfection of the human form as a mirror reflecting the totality of Divine Names and Attributes.
68:5a: فَسَتُبْصِرُ. So you will see. (ফাসাতুব্-সিরু; b-ṣ-r / ব-স-র – to see, have insight // tubṣir // Hebrew: bāśār "flesh," metaphorically, what is visible)
68:5b: وَيُبْصِرُونَ. and they will see. (ওয়া ইয়ুব্-সিরূন্; b-ṣ-r / ব-স-র – to see, have insight // yubṣirūn // Hebrew: bāśār "flesh," metaphorically, what is visible)
Tafsīr 68:5: Impending Clarity
A prophetic declaration that a time of clarity will come for both the Prophet and his detractors. Ancient commentators viewed this as a prophecy of future victory, like at the Battle of Badr, where the truth of his mission would become undeniable. In a modern context, it speaks to the ultimate vindication of truth over falsehood, however long it may take. For Sufis, this "seeing" is the unveiling of inner realities (baṣīrah), where the spiritual states of all souls will be made manifest.
68:6a: بِأَييِّكُمُ. Which of you. (বি-'আইয়্যিকুমু; ay-y / অ-য়-য় – which, what // ayy // Syriac: ayy "which")
68:6b: الْمَفْتُونُ. is the afflicted. (ল্-মাফ্তূন্; f-t-n / ফ-ত-ন – to test, afflict, lead astray // maftūn // Akkadian: petēnu "to protect," with semantic shift to trial)
Tafsīr 68:6: The True Affliction
The verse turns the accusers' charge back on them, questioning who is truly afflicted with madness or delusion. Classical exegesis identifies al-maftūn as the one led astray by Satan, a direct challenge to the Meccan polytheists. Modern thought frames this as a universal question: who is truly deviated—the one aligned with divine purpose or the one consumed by worldly delusion? Esoterically, the true affliction is the veil of ego that obscures the perception of divine reality.
68:7a: إِنَّ رَبَّكَ. Indeed, your Lord. (ইন্না রব্বাকা; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:7b: هُوَ أَعْلَمُ. He knows best. (হুওয়া আ'লামু; ʿ-l-m / ʿ-ল-ম – to know // aʿlam // Hebrew: ʿālam "world, eternity," from a sense of hidden knowledge)
68:7c: بِمَن ضَلَّ. who has strayed. (বিমান্ দল্লা; ḍ-l-l / দ-ল-ল – to stray, be lost // ḍalla // Ge'ez: ḍalala "he perished")
68:7d: عَن سَبِيلِهِ. from His path. ('আন্ সাবীলিহী; s-b-l / স-ব-ল – way, path // sabīl // Akkadian: subultu "path, way")
68:7e: وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ. and He knows best. (ওয়া হুওয়া আ'লামু; ʿ-l-m / ʿ-ল-ম – to know // aʿlam // Hebrew: ʿālam "world, eternity," from a sense of hidden knowledge)
68:7f: بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ. the rightly guided. (বিল্-মুহ্তাদীন্; h-d-y / হ-দ-য় – to guide // muhtadīn // Syriac: hedayā "guidance")
Tafsīr 68:7: Divine Omniscience
This verse affirms God's absolute knowledge as the ultimate arbiter of who is guided and who is astray, rendering human judgment secondary. Classically, it's a reassurance that God is fully aware of the Prophet's righteousness and his opponents' error. In a modern sense, it cautions against human arrogance in judging others' spiritual states, deferring ultimate knowledge to God. The Sufi perspective is that divine knowledge (ʿilm) is not just informational but efficacious; God actively knows and thus sustains the guidance of the guided.
68:8a: فَلَا تُطِعِ. So do not obey. (ফালা তুতি'ই; ṭ-w-ʿ / ত-ও-ʿ – to obey, consent // tuṭiʿ // Hebrew: ṭāʿāh "to wander, err," with semantic shift)
68:8b: الْمُكَذِّبِينَ. the deniers. (ল্-মুকায্যিবীন্; k-dh-b / ক-য-ব – to lie, deny // mukadhdhibīn // Aramaic: kaddābā "liar")
Tafsīr 68:8: Rejecting Falsehood
A firm command to the Prophet to maintain his integrity and not yield to the pressures of those who deny the truth. Exegetes like al-Qurṭubī saw this as a prohibition against compromising on core principles of faith for the sake of appeasement. It serves as a modern ethical directive for leaders and individuals to resist pressures that would dilute their moral and intellectual convictions. For the Sufi, the "deniers" are also internal—the whispers of the ego (nafs) that call for compromising with the lower self.
68:9a: وَدُّوا. They wish. (ওয়াদ্দূ; w-d-d / ও-দ-দ – to love, wish, desire // waddū // Ugaritic: ydd "beloved")
68:9b: لَوْ تُدْهِنُ. if you would compromise. (লাও তুদ্-হিনু; d-h-n / দ-হ-ন – to anoint with oil, be smooth, compromise // tudhin // Syriac: dəhen "to be fat, sleek")
68:9c: فَيُدْهِنُونَ. so they would compromise. (ফাইয়ুদ্-হিনূন্; d-h-n / দ-হ-ন – to anoint with oil, be smooth, compromise // yudhinūn // Syriac: dəhen "to be fat, sleek")
Tafsīr 68:9: The Politics of Compromise
This verse exposes the opponents' strategy: they desire a mutual softening of stances not from a love of truth, but to neutralize the Prophet's challenge. Classical commentators note this refers to the Meccan leaders' offer to worship God for a year if the Prophet worshipped their idols for a year. It's a timeless warning against false syncretism where core principles are traded for social peace. The esoteric reading warns the spiritual seeker against "oiling" or smoothing the path by diluting spiritual discipline.
68:10a: وَلَا تُطِعْ. And do not obey. (ওয়া লা তুতি'; ṭ-w-ʿ / ত-ও-ʿ – to obey, consent // tuṭiʿ // Hebrew: ṭāʿāh "to wander, err," with semantic shift)
68:10b: كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ. every habitual swearer. (কুল্লা হাল্লাফিন্; ḥ-l-f / হ-ল-ফ – to swear, take an oath // ḥallāf // Akkadian: (w)alāpu "to bind")
68:10c: مَّهِينٍ. despicable. (মাহীন্; h-w-n / হ-ও-ন – to be base, despicable // mahīn // Hebrew: hōn "wealth," with semantic shift to arrogance then baseness)
Tafsīr 68:10: The Unworthy Oath-Taker
The prohibition continues, now detailing the contemptible character types to be shunned. The list begins with the "despicable, habitual swearer," whose oaths are frequent precisely because their word lacks intrinsic worth. Classical tafsīr often identifies specific Meccan antagonists like al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah. Modern psychology sees this as a profile of insecurity, where one constantly invokes higher powers to validate a base character. Sufis view this as the ego's tendency to swear by external things while being internally worthless.
68:11a: هَمَّازٍ. A slanderer. (হাম্মাযিন্; h-m-z / হ-ম-য – to slander, backbite, defame // hammāz // Ge'ez: ḥamā "to speak evil of")
68:11b: مَّشَّاءٍ. going about with. (মাশ্শা-ইম্; m-sh-y / ম-শ-য় – to walk // mashshāʾ // Aramaic: məšā "to depart")
68:11c: بِنَمِيمٍ. malicious gossip. (বিনামীম্; n-m-m / ন-ম-ম – to slander, spread gossip // namīm // Syriac: nammā "tale-bearer")
Tafsīr 68:11: The Corrupting Tongue
This verse describes a socially destructive personality: one who actively defames others and walks among people spreading gossip to corrupt relationships. Al-Rāzī noted the active participle forms (hammāz, mashshāʾ) indicate these are habitual, ingrained traits. This is a timeless condemnation of the social evils of backbiting and rumor-mongering that poison communities. Esoterically, this represents the divisive speech of the ego, which seeks to create separation and discord where unity should prevail.
68:12a: مَّنَّاعٍ. A hinderer. (মান্না'ইল্; m-n-ʿ / ম-ন-ʿ – to prevent, forbid // mannāʿ // Hebrew: mānaʿ "to withhold, prevent")
68:12b: لِّلْخَيْرِ. of good. (লিল্-খইরি; kh-y-r / খ-য়-র – good, wealth // khayr // Sabaic: ḫyr "nobleman")
68:12c: مُعْتَدٍ. a transgressor. (মু'তাদিন্; ʿ-d-w / ʿ-দ-ও – to transgress, be hostile // muʿtad // Syriac: ʿədā "to pass over, transgress")
68:12d: أَثِيمٍ. a sinner. (আছীম্; ʼ-th-m / অ-ছ-ম – to sin, be guilty // athīm // Ge'ez: ʾasāma "guilt, crime")
Tafsīr 68:12: The Obstructionist
The portrait of the corrupt individual continues, identifying one who actively prevents good (khayr), transgresses divine and social boundaries, and is steeped in sin. Classical commentators specify "good" as both charity and belief in Islam. Modern interpretations see this as the profile of a nihilistic personality who not only avoids good but actively obstructs others from doing it. Sufis see this as the soul captive to vice, where sin becomes a barrier (mannāʿ) preventing the light of goodness from entering or leaving.
68:13a: عُتُلٍّ. Cruel. ('উতুল্লিন্; ʿ-t-l / ʿ-ত-ল – to be harsh, violent, coarse // ʿutull // Cognates are debated, possibly related to strength/coarseness)
68:13b: بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ. beyond all that. (বা'দা যালিকা; b-ʿ-d / ব-ʿ-দ – after // baʿda // Ugaritic: bʿd "behind, after" ; dh-l-k / য-ল-ক – to be that // dhālika // Aramaic: dāk "that")
68:13c: زَنِيمٍ. an impostor. (যানীম্; z-n-m / য-ন-ম – to be an outsider, illegitimate, superfluous // zanīm // Classical Arabic term for one basely attached to a tribe)
Tafsīr 68:13: The Cruel Impostor
The list of vices culminates in describing the individual as harsh and coarse (ʿutull) and, most damningly, an outsider of ignoble character pretending to be part of the noble community (zanīm). Al-Zamakhsharī explained zanīm as someone known for their evil, like a goat marked by a clipped ear. This highlights social and moral illegitimacy. In a psychological sense, it is the state of being fundamentally alien to one's own community due to a profound lack of empathy and moral decency.
68:14a: أَنْ كَانَ. Because he is. (আন্ কা-না; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kāna // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:14b: ذَا مَالٍ. a possessor of wealth. (যা মালিন্; m-w-l / ম-ও-ল – to be rich // māl // Hebrew: məlō "fullness, abundance")
68:14c: وَبَنِينَ. and children. (ওয়া বানিন্; b-n-y / ব-ন-য় – to build, procreate // banīn // Aramaic: bənā "to build")
Tafsīr 68:14: The Arrogance of Wealth
This verse diagnoses the root cause of the preceding vices: arrogance born of wealth and numerous offspring. Classically, these were the primary markers of status and power in Meccan society, leading figures like al-Walīd to feel self-sufficient and above reproach. This is a universal critique of materialism, where worldly blessings, instead of inducing gratitude, become a source of hubris and moral decay. Sufis teach that attachment to such gifts veils the heart from the Giver, making them a trial (fitnah).
68:15a: إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ. When are recited. (ইযা তুৎলা; t-l-w / ত-ল-ও – to recite, follow // tutlā // Hebrew: tāliy "disciple," from following)
68:15b: عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا. to him Our verses. ('আলাইহি আ-য়া-তুনা; ʼ-y-y / অ-য়-য় – sign, miracle, verse // āyāt // Syriac: ʾāṯā "sign")
68:15c: قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ. he says, "Fables of". (ক্ব-লা আসাতীরু; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // qāla // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound" ; s-ṭ-r / স-ত-র – to write, inscribe // asāṭīr // Greek: historia "story, inquiry")
68:15d: الْأَوَّلِينَ. the ancients.". (ল্-আওওয়ালীন্; ʼ-w-l / অ-ও-ল – to be first // awwalīn // Sabaic: ʾwl "first")
Tafsīr 68:15: Dismissing Revelation
The arrogant man's response to divine revelation is dismissive contempt. Instead of engaging with the message, he labels it "tales of the ancients," a common trope used by detractors to deny the Qurʾān's divine origin and relevance. This reflects a classical apologetic theme defending the Qurʾān against such charges. For modern thought, it illustrates the psychological defense mechanism of belittling a message that challenges one's worldview and lifestyle. The esoteric meaning shows the veiled heart calling truth a mere story.
68:16a: سَنَسِمُهُ. We will brand him. (সানাসিমুহূ; w-s-m / ও-স-ম – to mark, brand // nasimuhu // Ge'ez: wasama "to make beautiful," a semantic opposite from marking)
68:16b: عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ. on the snout. ('আলা ল্-খুরতূম্; kh-r-ṭ-m / খ-র-ত-ম – nose, snout, trunk // khurṭūm // A specifically Arabic term for the proboscis, used contemptuously for a human nose)
Tafsīr 68:16: The Mark of Disgrace
A powerful and vivid threat of ultimate humiliation. God promises to "brand him on the snout," using a term for an animal's nose to denote utter degradation. Classical exegetes debated whether this was a physical mark (a sword wound in battle) or a metaphorical branding of permanent disgrace on the Day of Judgment. The image serves as a stark warning that arrogance will be met with a conspicuous and eternal shame, stripping the sinner of all honor.
68:17a: إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ. Indeed, We have tried them. (ইন্না বালায়না-হুম্; b-l-w / ব-ল-ও – to test, try // balawnāhum // Akkadian: balû "to extinguish," related to a trial that consumes)
68:17b: كَمَا بَلَوْنَا. as We tried. (কামা বালায়না; b-l-w / ব-ল-ও – to test, try // balawnā // Akkadian: balû "to extinguish")
68:17c: أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ. the companions of the garden. (আস্-হা-বা ল্-জান্নাতি; ṣ-ḥ-b / স-হ-ব – to accompany // aṣḥāb // Syriac: ṣaḥbā "friend" ; j-n-n / জ-ন-ন – to cover, hide (a garden) // jannah // Aramaic: gannəṯā "garden")
68:17d: إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا. when they swore. (ইয্ আক্ব্সামূ; q-s-m / ক-স-ম – to swear, divide // aqsamū // Ge'ez: qasama "to distribute")
68:17e: لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا. to harvest it. (লাইয়াসরিমুন্নাহা; ṣ-r-m / স-র-ম – to cut, harvest decisively // yaṣrimunnahā // Syriac: ṣram "to cut off")
68:17f: مُصْبِحِينَ. in the morning. (মুস্-বিহীন্; ṣ-b-ḥ / স-ব-হ – to be in the morning // muṣbiḥīn // Hebrew: bōqer "morning")
Tafsīr 68:17: The Parable of the Garden
The discourse shifts to a parable illustrating the consequences of arrogance and ingratitude. The Meccans are being tested with prosperity, just like the "owners of the garden" were. This story, known from oral tradition, serves as a historical precedent. The owners' conspiratorial oath to harvest early to avoid the poor sets a scene of calculated selfishness. The parable acts as a mirror, forcing the Quraysh to see their own behavior reflected in the garden owners' plot.
68:18a: وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ. And they made no exception. (ওয়া লা ইয়াস্-তাছ্নূন্; th-n-y / ছ-ন-য় – to bend, fold, except // yastathnūn // Hebrew: šānāh "to repeat, do again")
Tafsīr 68:18: Forgetting God's Will
Their critical error is pinpointed: they failed to make an exception by saying "if God wills" (in shāʾ Allāh). This omission is not merely a forgotten phrase but signifies a mindset of absolute self-reliance and forgetting God's sovereignty over their affairs. Al-Bayḍāwī highlights this as the core of their sin—acting as if they had ultimate control. It's a profound lesson on acknowledging divine will in all plans, a guard against the hubris of human autonomy.
68:19a: فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا. So there came upon it. (ফাত্ব-ফা 'আলাইহা; ṭ-w-f / ত-ও-ফ – to go around, encompass // ṭāfa // Syriac: ṭwp "to surround")
68:19b: طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ. an encircling disaster from your Lord. (ত্বোয়া-ইফুম্-মির্ রব্বিকা; ṭ-w-f / ত-ও-ফ – to go around, encompass // ṭāʾif // Syriac: ṭwp "to surround" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:19c: وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ. while they were asleep. (ওয়া হুম্ না-ইমূন্; n-w-m / ন-ও-ম – to sleep // nāʾimūn // Hebrew: nūm "to be drowsy")
Tafsīr 68:19: Nocturnal Retribution
Divine retribution arrives swiftly and stealthily. The "encircling disaster" (ṭāʾif) suggests a comprehensive calamity that left nothing untouched. It came at night while they slept, symbolizing their utter helplessness and moral heedlessness. Classically, this is divine power responding to human arrogance. For a modern reader, it's a metaphor for how carefully laid plans, if morally corrupt, can be undone overnight by unforeseen circumstances, exposing human vulnerability.
68:20a: فَأَصْبَحَتْ. So it became. (ফা-'আস্-বাহাৎ; ṣ-b-ḥ / স-ব-হ – to be in the morning, become // aṣbaḥat // Hebrew: bōqer "morning")
68:20b: كَالصَّرِيمِ. like a harvested field. (কাস্-সারীম্; ṣ-r-m / স-র-ম – to cut, harvest decisively // ṣarīm // Syriac: ṣram "to cut off")
Tafsīr 68:20: Utter Devastation
By morning, their lush garden was reduced to a blackened, barren ruin. The word al-ṣarīm carries a double meaning: a dark, starless night or a cleanly harvested field, both implying complete desolation. The very outcome they selfishly sought—a full harvest for themselves—was ironically and tragically delivered as a punishment, leaving them with nothing. This stark image powerfully illustrates how greed consumes the very source of its own sustenance, a lesson on ecological and social justice.
68:21a: فَتَنَادَوْا. Then they called one another. (ফাতানা-দাও; n-d-y / ন-দ-য় – to call out, proclaim // tanādaw // Hebrew: nādā "to impel, offer freely," a call for offerings)
68:21b: مُصْبِحِينَ. in the morning. (মুস্-বিহীন্; ṣ-b-ḥ / স-ব-হ – to be in the morning // muṣbiḥīn // Hebrew: bōqer "morning")
Tafsīr 68:21: The Heedless Call
At dawn, ignorant of the ruin that befell their garden, the owners call to each other to execute their plan. The mutual call (tanādaw) highlights their shared conspiratorial intent. Al-Rāzī notes the irony of their morning industriousness being for a sinful purpose. It's a poignant depiction of human beings proceeding with their worldly schemes, completely unaware that the divine decree has already rendered their efforts futile, a powerful moment of dramatic irony.
68:22a: أَنِ اغْدُوا. "Go early". (আনি গ্দূ; gh-d-w / ঘ-দ-ও – to go early in the morning // ighdū // Ge'ez: gadawa "to journey")
68:22b: عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ. to your cultivation. ('আলা হারছিকুম্; ḥ-r-th / হ-র-ছ – to cultivate, till // ḥarth // Akkadian: erēšu "to cultivate")
68:22c: إِن كُنتُمْ. if you are. (ইন্ কুন্তুম্; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kuntum // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:22d: صَارِمِينَ. to harvest. (স-রিমিইন; ṣ-r-m / স-র-ম – to cut, harvest decisively // ṣārimīn // Syriac: ṣram "to cut off")
Tafsīr 68:22: Eagerness to Sin
Their call to action reveals their determination: "Go early...if you are to harvest." The command underscores their resolve and haste to commit the injustice before the needy arrive. Ibn ʿĀshūr explains that their conditional phrase "if you are to harvest" is a form of self-motivation, urging each other toward their goal. This captures the psychology of collective wrongdoing, where the group dynamic reinforces a shared sinful resolve against any lingering conscience.
68:23a: فَانطَلَقُوا. So they set out. (ফান্-ത്വলাক্বূ; ṭ-l-q / ত-ল-ক – to be free, set out // inṭalaqū // Hebrew: ḥālaq "to divide, go away")
68:23b: وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ. whispering to one another. (ওয়া হুম্ ইয়াতাখা-ফাতূন্; kh-f-t / খ-ফ-ত – to be low, whisper // yatakhafatūn // Ge'ez: ḫafata "he spoke softly")
Tafsīr 68:23: Conspiratorial Steps
They depart in stealth, whispering so as not to be discovered. Their secrecy betrays their guilt; they know their actions are shameful and unjust. Classical exegesis highlights this whispering (yatakhafatūn) as the hallmark of a conspiracy, as righteous deeds are done openly. It's a timeless depiction of how injustice often requires secrecy to succeed, as it cannot withstand the light of public scrutiny and moral accountability.
68:24a: أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا. "That shall not enter it". (আল্-লা ইয়াদখুলান্নাহা; d-kh-l / দ-খ-ল – to enter // yadkhulannahā // Aramaic: ʿəlal "to enter")
68:24b: الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم. today upon you. (ল্-ইয়াওমা 'আলাইকুম্; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawm // Hebrew: yōm "day")
68:24c: مِّسْكِينٌ. any needy person. (মিস্কীন্; s-k-n / স-ক-ন – to be still, poor, needy // miskīn // Akkadian: muškenu "commoner, poor person")
Tafsīr 68:24: The Explicit Prohibition
The content of their secret whispers is now revealed: an explicit, emphatic prohibition against allowing any poor person to enter the garden that day. The doubled nunnation in yadkhulannahā intensifies the command, showing their absolute determination. This is the moral core of their transgression: a conscious and deliberate act to withhold God's bounty from the destitute. Their sin is not mere neglect but an active, planned deprivation.
68:25a: وَغَدَوْا. And they went. (ওয়া ঘাদাও; gh-d-w / ঘ-দ-ও – to go early in the morning // ghadaw // Ge'ez: gadawa "to journey")
68:25b: عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ. with a firm resolve. ('আলা হারদিন্; ḥ-r-d / হ-র-দ – to be angry, determinedly prevent // ḥard // A uniquely Arabic root related to angry resolve.)
68:25c: قَادِرِينَ. thinking themselves able. (ক্ব-দিরীন্; q-d-r / ক-দ-র – to have power, be able // qādirīn // Aramaic: qədar "to be dark," with a shift to "destine," then "power")
Tafsīr 68:25: The Delusion of Power
They set out early, filled with a sense of power (qādirīn) and firm in their miserly resolve (ḥard). This verse captures their psychological state of complete self-assurance, believing they had full control over their property and the outcome. Al-Ṭabarī explains they felt "able" to deprive the poor as they wished. This hubris is the immediate prelude to their downfall, illustrating the Qurʾānic theme that human feelings of power are often a delusion just before a divine humbling.
68:26a: فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا. But when they saw it. (ফালাম্মা র-'আওহা; r-ʼ-y / র-ʼ-য় – to see // raʾawhā // Hebrew: rāʾāh "to see")
68:26b: قَالُوا إِنَّا. they said, "Indeed, we". (ক্ব-লূ ইন্না; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // qālū // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound" ; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna)
68:26c: لَضَالُّونَ. are lost!". (লাদ্বোয়াল্লূন্; ḍ-l-l / দ-ল-ল – to stray, be lost // ḍāllūn // Ge'ez: ḍalala "he perished")
Tafsīr 68:26: The Shock of Reality
The moment of confrontation with reality is devastating. Upon seeing the ruined garden, their first reaction is disorientation and disbelief. Their statement, "Surely we are lost," can mean they have lost their way to the correct garden or, more profoundly, that they are spiritually lost and ruined. This initial shock signifies the complete shattering of their self-assured worldview. It's the beginning of their painful realization that they were never truly in control.
68:27a: بَلْ نَحْنُ. "Nay, but we are". (বাল্ নাহ্নু; n-ḥ-n / ন-হ-ন – we // naḥnu // Hebrew: ʾănaḥnū "we")
68:27b: مَحْرُومُونَ. the deprived!". (মাহরূমূন; ḥ-r-m / হ-র-ম – to forbid, deprive // maḥrūmūn // Hebrew: ḥērem "ban, proscription")
Tafsīr 68:27: The Painful Realization
Their initial confusion quickly turns into a stark realization. They grasp the truth: they are not merely lost, they have been actively deprived (maḥrūmūn). In trying to deprive the poor, they themselves have become the deprived. This is a classic Qurʾānic statement of divine justice and cosmic reciprocity. As Ibn Kathīr notes, their punishment perfectly matched their intended crime. The verse powerfully illustrates that hoarding blessings results in losing them entirely.
68:28a: قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ. The most moderate of them said. (ক্ব-লা আওসাতুহুৃম্; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // qāla // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound" ; w-s-ṭ / ও-স-ত – to be in the middle, be just // awsaṭ // Ethiopic: wasṭ "interior")
68:28b: أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ. "Did I not say to you". (আলাম্ আকুল্ লাকুম্; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // aqul // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound")
68:28c: لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ. 'If only you would exalt [Allah]?'". (লাওলা তুসাব্বিহূন্; s-b-ḥ / স-ব-হ – to praise, glorify, swim // tusabbiḥūn // Syriac: šabbaḥ "to praise")
Tafsīr 68:28: The Voice of Conscience
The most just or wisest (awsaṭ) among them speaks up, representing the voice of suppressed conscience. His reminder, "Did I not tell you to say tasbīḥ?" reveals he had previously warned them. This tasbīḥ (glorifying God) implies acknowledging God's sovereignty and, by extension, God's command to care for the poor. His presence in the story shows that guidance is often available but ignored, and that regretful wisdom in the face of disaster is too late.
68:29a: قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ. They said, "Glory be". (ক্ব-লূ সুব্হা-না; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // qālū // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound" ; s-b-ḥ / স-ব-হ – to praise, glorify // subḥān // Syriac: šabbaḥ "to praise")
68:29b: رَبِّنَا. to our Lord!". (রব্বিনা; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:29c: إِنَّا كُنَّا. Indeed, we have been". (ইন্না কুন্না; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!" ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kunnā // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:29d: ظَالِمِينَ. wrongdoers.". (য-লিমিইন; ẓ-l-m / য-ল-ম – to do wrong, be dark // ẓālimīn // Aramaic: ṣalmā "darkness")
Tafsīr 68:29: Repentance after Ruin
Finally, they collectively turn to God in repentance. Their utterance of Subḥāna Rabbinā ("Glory to our Lord") is the very act of remembrance they had neglected. They now explicitly admit their wrongdoing (ẓālimīn). Classical tafsīr discusses whether this late repentance was accepted. Regardless, the narrative serves its purpose: demonstrating that calamity can be a catalyst for spiritual awakening, forcing a recognition of divine power and human fallibility when prosperity fails to do so.
68:30a: فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ. Then they turned, some of them. (ফা-'আক্ব্বালা বা'দুহুম্; q-b-l / ক-ব-ল – to turn toward, accept // aqbala // Ugaritic: qbl "in front of")
68:30b: عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ. to others. ('আলা বা'দিন্; b-ʿ-ḍ / ব-ʿ-দ – some, part // baʿḍ)
68:30c: يَتَلَاوَمُونَ. blaming one another. (ইয়াতালা-ওয়ামূন্; l-w-m / ল-ও-ম – to blame, reproach // yatalāwamūn // Hebrew: lā'am "to find fault with")
Tafsīr 68:30: The Cycle of Blame
In the aftermath of their confession to God, they turn on each other in mutual recrimination. This act of blaming (yatalāwamūn) is a natural human reaction to shared failure, as each party tries to displace guilt. It shows that even after a moment of spiritual clarity, the ego can resurface. Al-Qurṭubī suggests they blamed each other for initiating the sinful plan. This psychological detail adds realism to the parable, showing the social fallout that accompanies collective moral failure.
68:31a: قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا. They said, "O woe to us!". (ক্ব-লূ ইয়া-ওয়াইলানা; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // qālū // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound" ; w-y-l / ও-য়-ল – woe, destruction // wayl // Hebrew: ʾôy "woe!")
68:31b: إِنَّا كُنَّا. Indeed, we have been". (ইন্না কুন্না; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!" ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kunnā // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:31c: طَاغِينَ. transgressors.". (ত্বোয়াঘীন্; ṭ-gh-y / ত-ঘ-য় – to transgress, exceed bounds // ṭāghīn // Syriac: ṭgā "to go astray")
Tafsīr 68:31: Acknowledging Transgression
Their blame game evolves into a collective cry of despair and a deeper confession. They acknowledge not just simple wrongdoing (ẓulm) but flagrant transgression (ṭughyān)—willfully crossing established moral and divine limits. This recognition of ṭughyān is key, as it is the same root attitude ascribed to the arrogant Meccans. This verse marks the climax of their repentance, moving from blaming others to fully internalizing the severity of their own collective sin.
68:32a: عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا. Perhaps our Lord will". ('আসা রব্বুনা; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:32b: أَن يُبْدِلَنَا. exchange for us. (আইঁ-ইয়ুব্দিলানা; b-d-l / ব-দ-ল – to change, exchange // yubdilanā // Aramaic: badal "to cease, be idle," with semantic shift)
68:32c: خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا. better than it. (খইরম্-মিন্হা; kh-y-r / খ-য়-র – good, wealth // khayr // Sabaic: ḫyr "nobleman")
68:32d: إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا. Indeed, we, to our Lord". (ইন্না ইলা রব্বিনা; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:32e: رَاغِبُونَ. are turning in hope. (র-ঘিবূন্; r-gh-b / র-ঘ-ব – to desire, long for // rāghibūn // Ge'ez: ragaba "to desire")
Tafsīr 68:32: Hopeful Repentance
Having fully admitted their fault, their despair turns to hope. They express a plea (ʿasā, perhaps) for a better substitute from their Lord, redirecting their desire (rāghibūn) from worldly wealth towards God's mercy. This concludes their spiritual journey from arrogant conspiracy to humble supplication. Whether they received a new garden is secondary; the true transformation was internal. Their story becomes a lesson in sincere repentance, which involves recognizing sin, taking responsibility, and turning hopefully to God.
68:33a: كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ. Such is the punishment. (কাযালিকা ল্-'আযা-বু; ʿ-dh-b / ʿ-য-ব – to punish, torment // ʿadhāb // Aramaic: ʿaḏab "to vex")
68:33b: وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ. and the punishment of the Hereafter. (ওয়া লা-'আযা-বু ল্-আ-খিরাতি; ʼ-kh-r / অ-খ-র – to be last, after // ākhirah // Ugaritic: aḫr "after")
68:33c: أَكْبَرُ. is greater. (আক্-বারু; k-b-r / ক-ব-র – to be great // akbar // Hebrew: kabbīr "great, mighty")
68:33d: لَوْ كَانُوا. if only they knew. (লাও কা-নূ; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānū // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:33e: يَعْلَمُونَ. [what it is]. (ইয়া'লামূন্; ʿ-l-m / ʿ-ল-ম – to know // yaʿlamūn // Hebrew: ʿālam "world, eternity," from a sense of hidden knowledge)
Tafsīr 68:33: The Moral of the Story
The parable concludes with an explicit moral, connecting the story back to the audience. The garden's destruction is presented as a sample of divine punishment in this life, but the punishment of the Hereafter is far greater. This serves as a direct warning to the Quraysh: their current prosperity is a test, and their arrogance could lead to a similar, or worse, fate. The final phrase, "if only they knew," underscores their ignorance of the true scale of divine justice.
68:34a: إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ. Indeed, for the God-conscious. (ইন্না লিল্-মুত্তাক্বীন্; w-q-y / ও-ক-য় – to guard, be pious // muttaqīn // Ge'ez: waqaya "he kept safe")
68:34b: عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ. with their Lord. ('ইন্দা রব্বিহিম্; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb // Syriac: rabbā "great, master")
68:34c: جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ. are Gardens of Bliss. (জান্না-তিন্ না'ঈম্; j-n-n / জ-ন-ন – to cover, hide // jannāt // Aramaic: gannəṯā "garden" ; n-ʿ-m / ন-ʿ-ম – to be blissful, pleasant // naʿīm // Ugaritic: nʿm "pleasantness")
Tafsīr 68:34: The Reward of Piety
In stark contrast to the fate of the arrogant, the reward for the pious (muttaqīn) is now described. Their reward is not a temporal garden subject to blight, but eternal "Gardens of Bliss" in the very presence of their Lord. The placement of this verse directly after the parable creates a powerful dichotomy between the fleeting, vulnerable wealth of the worldly and the secure, everlasting bliss of the righteous. It clarifies the ultimate outcomes of the two opposing spiritual paths.
68:35a: أَفَنَجْعَلُ. Shall We then treat. (আফানাজ্-'আলু; j-ʿ-l / জ-ʿ-ল – to make, place // najʿal // Ge'ez: gaʿala "to work, make")
68:35b: الْمُسْلِمِينَ. the Muslims. (ল্-মুস্লিমীন্; s-l-m / স-ল-ম – to be safe, submit // muslimīn // Hebrew: šālōm "peace")
68:35c: كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ. like the criminals?. (কাল্-মুজ্রিমিইন; j-r-m / জ-র-ম – to cut off, commit a crime // mujrimīn // Syriac: gəram "bone," implying severance/crime)
Tafsīr 68:35: The Injustice of Equalization
A rhetorical question powerfully refutes the Meccan assumption that their worldly status guarantees them a favored position in the afterlife. To treat those who submit to God (al-muslimīn) the same as the guilty (al-mujrimīn) would be a violation of divine justice. Al-Zamakhsharī stresses the absurdity of such a notion. The verse challenges the listener's basic sense of fairness to affirm that moral and spiritual states must have different consequences, rejecting any theology of arbitrary reward.
68:36a: مَا لَكُمْ. What is [the matter] with you?. (মা লাকুম্; m-ā / ম-আ – what // mā)
68:36b: كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ. How do you judge?. (কাইফা তাহ্কুমূন্; ḥ-k-m / হ-ক-ম – to judge, rule // taḥkumūn // Aramaic: ḥkm "to be wise, judge")
Tafsīr 68:36: A Faulty Judgment
This verse expresses astonishment at the flawed logic of the disbelievers. The sharp, direct question "How do you judge?" challenges the very foundation of their worldview. It implies their conclusion—that they will be favored despite their disbelief and actions—is not just wrong, but irrational and devoid of any sound basis. This is a critique of subjective, self-serving reasoning, calling for a judgment based on clear moral and rational principles instead of wishful thinking.
68:37a: أَمْ لَكُمْ. Or do you have. (আম্ লাকুম্; am / অ-ম – or // am)
68:37b: كِتَابٌ. a scripture. (কিতা-বুন্; k-t-b / ক-ত-ব – write, decree // kitāb // Hebrew: kəṯāḇ "writing")
68:37c: فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ. in which you study. (ফীহি তাদ্রুসূন্; d-r-s / দ-র-স – to study, efface // tadrusūn // Hebrew: dāraš "to seek, inquire, study")
Tafsīr 68:37: The Unrevealed Book
The argument continues with a sarcastic challenge: Do you possess a rival divine scripture that validates your baseless judgments? The question highlights the fact that their claims have no revealed authority. The verb tadrusūn (you study) implies a text that is read repeatedly, emphasizing the contrast between their imagined book and the recited Qurʾān. This verse asserts that any claim about God's judgment must be based on divine revelation, not human conjecture or desire.
68:38a: إِنَّ لَكُمْ. That indeed for you. (ইন্না লাকুম্; an-n / অ-ন-ন – emphatic particle // inna // Ge'ez: ǝna "behold!")
68:38b: فِيهِ. is in it. (ফীহি; f-ī / ফ-ঈ – in, within // fīhi // Ugaritic: p- "in, at")
68:38c: لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ. whatever you choose?. (লামা তাখাইয়্যারূন্; kh-y-r / খ-য়-র – to choose, be good // takhayyarūn // Sabaic: ḫyr "nobleman")
Tafsīr 68:38: The Book of Desires
The absurdity is heightened: does this supposed book of yours contain a divine promise that you will receive whatever you desire? This mocks the core of their self-serving theology—a universe that conforms to their whims. Ibn Juzayy notes that this is the essence of wishful thinking. The verse critiques any religious belief system that is fundamentally about validating human desires rather than submitting to a divine, objective standard of truth and morality.
68:39a: أَمْ لَكُمْ. Or do you have. (আম্ লাকুম্; am / অ-ম – or // am)
68:39b: أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا. oaths from Us. (আইমা-নুন্ 'আলাইনা; y-m-n / য়-ম-ন – right hand, oath // aymān // Hebrew: yāmīn "right hand")
68:39c: بَالِغَةٌ. binding. (বা-লিঘাতুন্; b-l-gh / ব-ল-ঘ – to reach, attain // bālighah // Akkadian: balāġu "to attain")
68:39d: إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ. until the Day of Resurrection. (ইলা ইয়াওমি ল্-ক্বিয়া-মাতি; y-w-m / য়-ও-ম – day // yawm // Hebrew: yōm "day" ; q-w-m / ক-ও-ম – to stand, rise // qiyāmah // Syriac: qəyāmtā "resurrection")
68:39e: إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ. that you will have whatever you judge?. (ইন্না লাকুম্ লামা তাহ্কুমূন্; ḥ-k-m / হ-ক-ম – to judge, rule // taḥkumūn // Aramaic: ḥkm "to be wise, judge")
Tafsīr 68:39: The Unsworn Oath
The argument shifts: if not a book, have you secured a binding, unbreakable oath from God Himself, valid until Judgment Day, guaranteeing that your judgment will prevail? The question exposes the utter lack of any divine covenant or promise supporting their claims. The language—a solemn, binding oath (aymān bālighah)—contrasts sharply with their own flimsy, self-serving assumptions, further dismantling their position by showing it has no basis in revelation, reason, or covenant.
68:40a: سَلْهُمْ. Ask them. (সাল্হুম্; s-ʼ-l / স-ʼ-ল – to ask // salhum // Hebrew: šāʾal "to ask")
68:40b: أَيُّهُم. which of them. (আইয়্যুহুম্; ay-y / অ-য়-য় – which // ayy // Syriac: ayy "which")
68:40c: بِذَٰلِكَ. for that. (বিযা-লিকা; dh-l-k / য-ল-ক – that // dhālika // Aramaic: dāk "that")
68:40d: زَعِيمٌ. is a guarantor. (যা'ঈম্; z-ʿ-m / য-ʿ-ম – to claim, guarantee // zaʿīm // Aramaic: zǝʿam "to be angry," with semantic shift to making a strong claim)
Tafsīr 68:40: The Unnamed Guarantor
The Prophet is commanded to challenge them directly: "Ask them, which of them will guarantee this?" This shifts the burden of proof squarely onto them. A zaʿīm is a spokesman or guarantor who takes responsibility for a claim. By demanding they produce such a figure, the Qurʾān exposes the fact that their collective arrogance is just that—a shared delusion with no one willing or able to take ultimate responsibility for its truth. Their ideology has no credible authority.
68:41a: أَمْ لَهُمْ. Or have they. (আম্ লাহুম্; am / অ-ম – or // am)
68:41b: شُرَكَاءُ. partners?. (শুরাকা-উ; sh-r-k / শ-র-ক – to share, be a partner // shurakāʾ // Akkadian: širkultu "dowry," something shared)
68:41c: فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ. Then let them bring their partners. (ফাল্ইয়া'তূ বিশুরাকা-ইহিম্; ʼ-t-y / অ-ত-য় – to come, bring // fal-yaʾtū // Ugaritic: atw "to come" ; sh-r-k / শ-র-ক – to share, be a partner // shurakāʾihim)
68:41d: إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ. if they should be truthful. (ইন্ কা-নূ স-দিক্বীন্; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // kānū // Hebrew: kūn "to be established" ; ṣ-d-q / স-দ-ক – to be true // ṣādiqīn // Aramaic: zaddīqā "righteous, true")
Tafsīr 68:41: The Impotent Partners
The argument culminates in a final challenge regarding their polytheistic beliefs. If their confidence comes from associated gods or "partners," they are dared to produce them as witnesses or helpers. This is a powerful rhetorical move to expose the utter impotence of their idols. As al-Ṭabarī notes, these partners will be unable to appear or assist. The challenge "if they are truthful" reveals that their entire belief system is based on a falsehood that cannot be substantiated.
68:42a: يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ. The Day will come when it is laid bare. (ইয়াওমা ইউক্-শাফু; k-sh-f / ক-শ-ফ – to uncover, reveal // yukshafu // Akkadian: kasāpu "to cut off," a related sense of revealing what's beneath)
68:42b: عَن سَاقٍ. the Shin. ('আন্ সা-ক্বিন্; s-w-q / স-ও-ক – leg, shin, driver // sāq // Hebrew: šōq "leg")
68:42c: وَيُدْعَوْنَ. and they are called. (ওয়া ইউদ্-'আওনা; d-ʿ-w / দ-ʿ-ও – to call, supplicate // yudʿawna // Syriac: dəʿā "to ask, entreat")
68:42d: إِلَى السُّجُودِ. to prostration. (ইলা স্-সুজূদি; s-j-d / স-জ-দ – to prostrate // sujūd // Akkadian: sakādu "to bow down")
68:42e: فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ. but they will not be able. (ফালা ইয়াস্তাতি'ঊন্; ṭ-w-ʿ / ত-ও-ʿ – to obey, be able // yastaṭīʿūn // Hebrew: ṭāʿāh "to wander, err," with semantic shift to capacity)
Tafsīr 68:42: The Day of Unveiling
This verse paints a vivid eschatological scene. On a day of immense gravity, metaphorically described as "the uncovering of the Shin" (a classical Arabic idiom for extreme hardship or a moment of ultimate truth/divine manifestation), they will be called to prostrate. In this moment of ultimate reality, the arrogant disbelievers, who refused to bow in this life, will find themselves physically unable to do so, their backs metaphorically rigid with the same pride that defined their earthly existence.
68:43a: خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ. Their eyes will be downcast. (খ-শি'আতান্ আব্স-রুহুম্; kh-sh-ʿ / খ-শ-ʿ – to be humbled, downcast // khāshiʿah // Ge'ez: ḫaswa "to be humble" ; b-ṣ-r / ব-স-র – to see, have insight // abṣāruhum // Hebrew: bāśār "flesh," what is visible)
68:43b: تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ. overwhelming them will be humiliation. (তারহাক্বুহুম্ যিল্লাতুন্; r-h-q / র-হ-ক – to overtake, overwhelm // tarhaquhum // Sabaic: rhq "to pursue" ; dh-l-l / য-ল-ল – to be low, humble // dhillah // Akkadian: dalālu "to be humble")
68:43c: وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ. for they had been called. (ওয়া ক্বদ্ কা-নূ ইউদ্-'আওনা; d-ʿ-w / দ-ʿ-ও – to call, supplicate // yudʿawna // Syriac: dəʿā "to ask, entreat")
68:43d: إِلَى السُّجُودِ. to prostration. (ইলা স্-সুজূদি; s-j-d / স-জ-দ – to prostrate // sujūd // Akkadian: sakādu "to bow down")
68:43e: وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ. when they were sound. (ওয়া হুম্ সা-লিমূন্; s-l-m / স-ল-ম – to be safe, sound // sālimūn // Hebrew: šālōm "peace, wholeness")
Tafsīr 68:43: The Humiliation of Inability
The consequence of their inability to prostrate is utter humiliation (dhillah). Their downcast eyes signify complete defeat. The verse makes a poignant connection: they were called to this same act of submission in their worldly lives when they were physically sound (sālimūn) and fully capable, but they refused out of arrogance. Their punishment in the Hereafter is a direct and fitting consequence of their earthly choice—the physical inability to perform the very act they willfully rejected.
68:44a: فَذَرْنِي. So leave Me. (ফাযারনী; w-dh-r / ও-য-র – to leave, let be // dharnī // Ge'ez: gadfa "he left")
68:44b: وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ. with whoever denies. (ওয়া মাইঁ-ইয়ুকায্যিবু; k-dh-b / ক-য-ব – to lie, deny // yukadhdhibu // Aramaic: kaddābā "liar")
68:44c: بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ. this discourse. (বিহাযা ল্-হাদীছি; ḥ-d-th / হ-দ-ছ – to be new, narrate // ḥadīth // Hebrew: ḥādāš "new")
68:44d: سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم. We will draw them on gradually. (সানাস্ তাদ্রিজুহুম্; d-r-j / দ-র-জ – to advance step-by-step // nastadrijuhum // Syriac: dargā "step, rank")
68:44e: مِّنْ حَيْثُ. from where. (মিন্ হাইছু; ḥ-y-th / হ-য়-ছ – where, whence // ḥayth)
68:44f: لَا يَعْلَمُونَ. they do not know. (লা ইয়া'লামূন্; ʿ-l-m / ʿ-ল-ম – to know // yaʿlamūn // Hebrew: ʿālam "world, eternity," from a sense of hidden knowledge)
Tafsīr 68:44: The Gradual Path to Ruin
A chilling address to the Prophet: "Leave Me" to deal with the deniers. This signifies the matter is now directly in God's hands. The method of retribution is istidrāj—leading them to ruin gradually, by bestowing blessings that increase their arrogance and heedlessness, making their eventual fall all the greater. They perceive this gradual slide toward destruction as success, completely unaware of the true nature of their trajectory. This is the divine strategy of the long rope.
68:45a: وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ. And I will give them respite. (ওয়া উম্লী লাহুম্; m-l-w / ম-ল-ও – to prolong, give respite // umlī // Ge'ez: maləʾa "to be full, to fulfill a time")
68:45b: إِنَّ كَيْدِي. Indeed, My plan. (ইন্না কাইদী; k-y-d / ক-য়-দ – to plot, plan // kayd // Hebrew: kīḏōḏ "spark, calamity," something planned to strike)
68:45c: مَتِينٌ. is firm. (মাতীন্; m-t-n / ম-ত-ন – to be strong, firm // matīn // Akkadian: mitnu "cord, sinew")
Tafsīr 68:45: The Firm Plan
God's respite (umlī) is not a sign of approval but part of a masterful, unshakeable plan (kayd matīn). While human plotting (kayd) is deceitful, God's "plan" is the execution of perfect, inescapable justice. Their extended time and prosperity are merely the rope they are given; the plan is firm and its outcome certain. This verse serves as a reassurance to the believers that the apparent success of the wicked is temporary and part of a larger, divine strategy that will not fail.
68:46a: أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ. Or do you ask them. (আম্ তাস্-'আலுহুম্; s-ʼ-l / স-ʼ-ল – to ask // tasʾaluhum // Hebrew: šāʾal "to ask")
68:46b: أَجْرًا. for a payment. (আজ্রান্; ʼ-j-r / অ-জ-র – to reward, recompense // ajr // Aramaic: ʾagrā "hire, wage")
68:46c: فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ. so that they, from a debt. (ফাহুম্-মিম্ মাগ্রামিন্; gh-r-m / ঘ-র-ম – to be in debt, incur a loss // maghram // Syriac: gəram "bone," hence a weighty matter/debt)
68:46d: مُّثْقَلُونَ. are burdened?. (মুছ্ক্বালূন্; th-q-l / ছ-ক-ল – to be heavy // muthqalūn // Hebrew: šāqal "to weigh")
Tafsīr 68:46: The Unburdened Message
The argument returns to the Prophet's mission, questioning the reasons for the disbelievers' rejection. Are they being asked for payment, which would burden them with debt? This highlights a key feature of prophecy: the message is delivered freely, without seeking personal gain. Since there is no financial burden, their rejection cannot be for this reason, implying its roots lie in pure arrogance and an aversion to the truth itself, not in any hardship imposed by the messenger.
68:47a: أَمْ عِندَهُمُ. Or have they. (আম্ 'ইন্দাহুমু; ʿ-n-d / ʿ-ন-দ – at, with // ʿindahum)
68:47b: الْغَيْبُ. the [knowledge of the] Unseen. (ল্-ঘইবু; gh-y-b / ঘ-য়-ব – to be absent, unseen // ghayb // Aramaic: ʿaybā "shame," something hidden)
68:47c: فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ. so they write [it] down?. (ফাহুম্ ইয়াক্তুবূন্; k-t-b / ক-ত-ব – write, decree // yaktubūn // Hebrew: kəṯāḇ "writing")
Tafsīr 68:47: The Unseen Record
The final rhetorical question is posed: Do they possess knowledge of the Unseen (al-ghayb), from which they are recording their own version of reality and destiny? This challenges their ultimate claim to knowledge. By denying them access to the Unseen, the Qurʾān asserts that all true knowledge of ultimate reality comes exclusively from God through revelation. Their judgments and claims are thus exposed as mere conjecture, lacking any authoritative source.
68:48a: فَاصْبِرْ. So be patient. (ফাস্ব্বির; ṣ-b-r / স-ব-র – to be patient // iṣbir // Akkadian: ṣabāru "to bend, incline," with a shift to enduring)
68:48b: لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ. for the decision of your Lord. (লিহুক্মি রব্বিকা; ḥ-k-m / হ-ক-ম – to judge, rule // ḥukm // Aramaic: ḥkm "to be wise, judge" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb)
68:48c: وَلَا تَكُن. and do not be. (ওয়া লা তাকুন্; k-w-n / ক-ও-ন – to be // takun // Hebrew: kūn "to be established")
68:48d: كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ. like the Companion of the Fish. (কাস-হিবি ল্-হূতি; ṣ-ḥ-b / স-হ-ব – to accompany // ṣāḥib // Syriac: ṣaḥbā "friend" ; ḥ-w-t / হ-ও-ত – fish // ḥūt // *Ugaritic: ḥwt "life," possibly a mis-cognate)
68:48e: إِذْ نَادَىٰ. when he called out. (ইয না-দা; n-d-y / ন-দ-য় – to call out // nādā // *Hebrew: nādā "to impel")
68:48f: وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ. while he was in distress. (ওয়া হুওয়া মাকযূম্; k-ẓ-m / ক-য-ম – to suppress, fill with grief // makẓūm // *Syriac: kəzam "to restrain")
Tafsīr 68:48: The Lesson of Jonah
The Prophet is exhorted to persevere with patience (ṣabr), awaiting God's judgment, and is warned not to be like Jonah (the "Companion of the Fish"). Jonah's flaw was his impatient anger, leading him to abandon his mission prematurely. His distressed cry from within the fish is a symbol of anguish born from impatience. This is a crucial instruction: prophetic work requires steadfast endurance, trusting in God’s timing rather than succumbing to frustration with a resistant audience.
68:49a: لَّوْلَا أَن تَدَارَكَهُ. If not that had overtaken him. (লাওলা আন্ তাদা-রকাহূ; d-r-k / দ-র-ক – to overtake, reach // tadārakahu // Aramaic: dǝrak "to tread, go")
68:49b: نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ. a grace from his Lord. (নি'মাতুম্-মির্ রব্বিহী; n-ʿ-m / ন-ʿ-ম – to be blissful, bestow favor // niʿmah // Ugaritic: nʿm "pleasantness" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb)
68:49c: لَنُبِذَ. he would have been cast. (লানুবিযা; n-b-dh / ন-ব-য – to cast, throw away // nubidha // Akkadian: nabāzu "to abandon")
68:49d: بِالْعَرَاءِ. onto the barren shore. (বিল্-'আরা-ই; ʿ-r-w / ʿ-র-ও – to be naked, bare // ʿarāʾ // Hebrew: ʿārāh "to make bare")
68:49e: وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ. while he was blameworthy. (ওয়া হুওয়া মায্মূম্; dh-m-m / য-ম-ম – to blame, revile // madhmūm // Ge'ez: zamama "he reviled")
Tafsīr 68:49: Grace and Redemption
Jonah's story concludes with redemption through divine grace (niʿmah). Without it, he would have been cast out in a state of blame. This highlights a key theological point: even a prophet's error requires divine mercy for rectification. The "barren shore" symbolizes a state of spiritual desolation. God's grace, however, transformed this outcome. The lesson for Prophet Muḥammad and believers is that patience is key, but if one falters, sincere repentance can still attract divine grace.
68:50a: فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ. But his Lord chose him. (ফাজ্তাবা-হু রব্বুহূ; j-b-y / জ-ব-য় – to collect, choose // ijtabāhu // Ge'ez: gabaya "to gather" ; r-b-b / র-ব-ব – to be lord, sustain // rabb)
68:50b: فَجَعَلَهُ. and made him. (ফাজা'আলাহূ; j-ʿ-l / জ-ʿ-ল – to make, place // jaʿalahu // Ge'ez: gaʿala "to work, make")
68:50c: مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ. of the righteous. (মিনা স্-স-লিহীন্; ṣ-l-ḥ / স-ল-হ – to be righteous, good // ṣāliḥīn // Akkadian: šalāmu "to be well, complete")
Tafsīr 68:50: Divine Selection
Despite his lapse, Jonah was chosen (ijtabāhu) and restored to the ranks of the righteous (ṣāliḥīn). This act of "choosing" signifies a special divine selection and purification. It demonstrates that God's plan is not thwarted by human error; rather, sincere repentance can lead to an elevated spiritual station. This serves as a source of immense hope, showing that God's purpose for His messengers and servants is ultimately one of elevation and inclusion among the righteous.
68:51a: وَإِن يَكَادُ. And indeed, they are near. (ওয়া ইঁই-ইয়াকা-দু; k-w-d / ক-ও-দ – to be near, about to // yakādu)
68:51b: الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا. those who disbelieve. (ল্লাযীনা কাফারূ; k-f-r / ক-ফ-র – to disbelieve, cover // kafarū // Syriac: kəpar "to deny")
68:51c: لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ. to make you slip. (লাইউয্লিক্বূনাকা; z-l-q / য-ল-ক – to slip, slide // yuzliqūnaka // Aramaic: zǝlaḥ "to sprinkle," with shift to being slippery)
68:51d: بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ. with their eyes. (বি-'আব্স-রিহিম্; b-ṣ-r / ব-স-র – to see, have insight // abṣārihim // Hebrew: bāśār "flesh," what is visible)
68:51e: لَمَّا سَمِعُوا. when they hear. (লাম্মা সামি'উ; s-m-ʿ / স-ম-ʿ – to hear // samiʿū // Hebrew: šāmaʿ "to hear")
68:51f: الذِّكْرَ. the Reminder. (য্-যিক্রা; dh-k-r / য-ক-র – to remember, mention // dhikr // Ugaritic: dkr "to mention")
68:51g: وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ. and they say, "Indeed, he is". (ওয়া ইয়াক্বূলূনা ইন্নাহূ; q-w-l / ক-ও-ল – to say // yaqūlūna // Aramaic: qālā "voice, sound")
68:51h: لَمَجْنُونٌ. surely a madman.". (লামাজ্নূন্; j-n-n / জ-ন-ন – to cover, be mad, be possessed by jinn // majnūn // Akkadian: enēnu "to be possessed")
Tafsīr 68:51: The Hostile Gaze
The Sūrah circles back to its opening theme. The intense animosity of the disbelievers is described as a gaze so hateful it could almost make the Prophet "slip." This is classically interpreted as a reference to the evil eye or simply the sheer force of their malice. Their verbal assault continues, repeating the initial charge of madness (majnūn) upon hearing the Qurʾān (al-dhikr). This encapsulates the psychological pressure the Prophet endured from their piercing stares and sharp tongues.
68:52a: وَمَا هُوَ. But it is not. (ওয়া মা হুওয়া; m-ā / ম-আ – not // mā)
68:52b: إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ. except a reminder. (ইল্লা যিক্রুল্; dh-k-r / য-ক-র – to remember, mention // dhikr // Ugaritic: dkr "to mention")
68:52c: لِّلْعَالَمِينَ. for the worlds. (লিল্-'আ-লামীন্; ʿ-l-m / ʿ-ল-ম – world, universe // ʿālamīn // Aramaic: ʿālam "world, eternity")
Tafsīr 68:52: Universal Reminder
The Sūrah concludes with a resounding declaration of the Qurʾān's true nature and purpose. In direct refutation of their slander, it is affirmed not as the ravings of a madman, but as a universal "Reminder" (dhikr) for all beings (al-ʿālamīn). This final statement elevates the message beyond its local context, defining it as a timeless and global source of guidance. It is the ultimate answer to all accusations: the proof of the Qurʾān is its universal and enduring message to all worlds.