سورة الجاثية
Surah Al-Jathiyah
The Crouching
Surah Al-Jathiyah (The Crouching) is the 45th surah of the Quran. It has 37 verses and is a Meccan surah. Below is the complete Arabic text with an English translation and transliteration, verse by verse.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
حمٓ﴿١﴾
Hameem
Ḥā, Meem.
تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ﴿٢﴾
Tanzeelu alkitabi mina Allahi alʿazeezi alhakeemi
The revelation of the Book is from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
إِنَّ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأٓيَٰتࣲ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ﴿٣﴾
Inna fee alssamawati waalardi laayatin lilmumineena
Indeed, within the heavens and earth are signs for the believers.
وَ فِي خَلۡقِكُمۡ وَ مَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ءَايَٰتࣱ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يُوقِنُونَ﴿٤﴾
Wafee khalqikum wama yabuththu min dabbatin ayatun liqawmin yooqinoona
And in the creation of yourselves and what He disperses of moving creatures are signs for people who are certain [in faith].
وَ ٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزۡقࣲ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا وَ تَصۡرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ ءَايَٰتࣱ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يَعۡقِلُونَ﴿٥﴾
Waikhtilafi allayli waalnnahari wama anzala Allahu mina alssamai min rizqin faahya bihi alarda baʿda mawtiha watasreefi alrriyahi ayatun liqawmin yaʿqiloona
And [in] the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allāh sends down from the sky of provision [i.e., rain] and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason.
تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتۡلُوهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ وَ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُؤۡمِنُونَ﴿٦﴾
Tilka ayatu Allahi natlooha ʿalayka bialhaqqi fabiayyi hadeethin baʿda Allahi waayatihi yuminoona
These are the verses of Allāh which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allāh and His verses will they believe?
وَيۡلࣱ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمࣲ﴿٧﴾
Waylun likulli affakin atheemin
Woe to every sinful liar
يَسۡمَعُ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسۡتَكۡبِرࣰا كَأَن لَّمۡ يَسۡمَعۡهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرۡهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمࣲ﴿٨﴾
Yasmaʿu ayati Allahi tutla ʿalayhi thumma yusirru mustakbiran kaan lam yasmaʿha fabashshirhu biʿathabin aleemin
Who hears the verses of Allāh recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
وَ إِذَا عَلِمَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا شَيۡـًٔا ٱتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابࣱ مُّهِينࣱ﴿٩﴾
Waitha ʿalima min ayatina shayan ittakhathaha huzuwan olaika lahum ʿathabun muheenun
And when he knows anything of Our verses, he takes them in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمۡ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَ لَا يُغۡنِي عَنۡهُم مَّا كَسَبُواْ شَيۡـࣰٔا وَ لَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ۖ وَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴿١٠﴾
Min waraihim jahannamu wala yughnee ʿanhum ma kasaboo shayan wala ma ittakhathoo min dooni Allahi awliyaa walahum ʿathabun ʿatheemun
Before them is Hell, and what they had earned will not avail them at all nor what they had taken besides Allāh as allies. And they will have a great punishment.
هَٰذَا هُدࣰى ۖ وَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ لَهُمۡ عَذَابࣱ مِّن رِّجۡزٍ أَلِيمٌ﴿١١﴾
Hatha hudan waallatheena kafaroo biayati rabbihim lahum ʿathabun min rijzin aleemin
This [Qur’ān] is guidance. And those who have disbelieved in the verses of their Lord will have a painful punishment of foul nature.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ لِتَجۡرِيَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ فِيهِ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَ لِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ﴿١٢﴾
Allahu allathee sakhkhara lakumu albahra litajriya alfulku feehi biamrihi walitabtaghoo min fadlihi walaʿallakum tashkuroona
It is Allāh who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
وَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ مَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعࣰا مِّنۡهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴿١٣﴾
Wasakhkhara lakum ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi jameeʿan minhu inna fee thalika laayatin liqawmin yatafakkaroona
And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَغۡفِرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجۡزِيَ قَوۡمَۢا بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ﴿١٤﴾
Qul lillatheena amanoo yaghfiroo lillatheena la yarjoona ayyama Allahi liyajziya qawman bima kanoo yaksiboona
Say, [O Muḥammad], to those who have believed that they [should] forgive those who expect not the days of Allāh [i.e., of His retribution] so that He may recompense a people for what they used to earn.
مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحࣰا فَلِنَفۡسِهِۦ ۖ وَ مَنۡ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيۡهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ تُرۡجَعُونَ﴿١٥﴾
Man ʿamila salihan falinafsihi waman asaa faʿalayha thumma ila rabbikum turjaʿoona
Whoever does a good deed - it is for himself; and whoever does evil - it is against it [i.e., the self or soul]. Then to your Lord you will be returned.
وَ لَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَ ٱلۡحُكۡمَ وَ ٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَ رَزَقۡنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَ فَضَّلۡنَٰهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴿١٦﴾
Walaqad atayna banee israeela alkitaba waalhukma waalnnubuwwata warazaqnahum mina alttayyibati wafaddalnahum ʿala alʿalameena
And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgement and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds.
وَ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُم بَيِّنَٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ ۖ فَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوٓاْ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقۡضِي بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ﴿١٧﴾
Waataynahum bayyinatin mina alamri fama ikhtalafoo illa min baʿdi ma jaahumu alʿilmu baghyan baynahum inna rabbaka yaqdee baynahum yawma alqiyamati feema kanoo feehi yakhtalifoona
And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ فَٱتَّبِعۡهَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ﴿١٨﴾
Thumma jaʿalnaka ʿala shareeʿatin mina alamri faittabiʿha wala tattabiʿ ahwaa allatheena la yaʿlamoona
Then We put you, [O Muḥammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.
إِنَّهُمۡ لَن يُغۡنُواْ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـࣰٔا ۚ وَ إِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضࣲ ۖ وَ ٱللَّهُ وَلِيُّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ﴿١٩﴾
Innahum lan yughnoo ʿanka mina Allahi shayan wainna alththalimeena baʿduhum awliyao baʿdin waAllahu waliyyu almuttaqeena
Indeed, they will never avail you against Allāh at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another; but Allāh is the protector of the righteous.
هَٰذَا بَصَٰٓئِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَ هُدࣰى وَ رَحۡمَةࣱ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يُوقِنُونَ﴿٢٠﴾
Hatha basairu lilnnasi wahudan warahmatun liqawmin yooqinoona
This [Qur’ān] is enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain [in faith].
أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجۡتَرَحُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجۡعَلَهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ سَوَآءࣰ مَّحۡيَاهُمۡ وَ مَمَاتُهُمۡ ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡكُمُونَ﴿٢١﴾
Am hasiba allatheena ijtarahoo alssayyiati an najʿalahum kaallatheena amanoo waʿamiloo alssalihati sawaan mahyahum wamamatuhum saa ma yahkumoona
Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds - [make them] equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge [i.e., assume].
وَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَ لِتُجۡزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ وَ هُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ﴿٢٢﴾
Wakhalaqa Allahu alssamawati waalarda bialhaqqi walitujza kullu nafsin bima kasabat wahum la yuthlamoona
And Allāh created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَ أَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمࣲ وَ خَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَ قَلۡبِهِۦ وَ جَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةࣰ فَمَن يَهۡدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴿٢٣﴾
Afaraayta mani ittakhatha ilahahu hawahu waadallahu Allahu ʿala ʿilmin wakhatama ʿala samʿihi waqalbihi wajaʿala ʿala basarihi ghishawatan faman yahdeehi min baʿdi Allahi afala tathakkaroona
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?
وَ قَالُواْ مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنۡيَا نَمُوتُ وَ نَحۡيَا وَ مَا يُهۡلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهۡرُ ۚ وَ مَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ ۖ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ﴿٢٤﴾
Waqaloo ma hiya illa hayatuna alddunya namootu wanahya wama yuhlikuna illa alddahru wama lahum bithalika min ʿilmin in hum illa yathunnoona
And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming.
وَ إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتࣲ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُواْ ٱئۡتُواْ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ﴿٢٥﴾
Waitha tutla ʿalayhim ayatuna bayyinatin ma kana hujjatahum illa an qaloo itoo biabaina in kuntum sadiqeena
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُحۡيِيكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يَجۡمَعُكُمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ وَ لَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ﴿٢٦﴾
Quli Allahu yuhyeekum thumma yumeetukum thumma yajmaʿukum ila yawmi alqiyamati la rayba feehi walakinna akthara alnnasi la yaʿlamoona
Say, "Allāh causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know."
وَ لِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ۚ وَ يَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ يَخۡسَرُ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ﴿٢٧﴾
Walillahi mulku alssamawati waalardi wayawma taqoomu alssaʿatu yawmaithin yakhsaru almubtiloona
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And the Day the Hour appears - that Day the falsifiers will lose.
وَ تَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةࣲ جَاثِيَةࣰ ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةࣲ تُدۡعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ تُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٨﴾
Watara kulla ommatin jathiyatan kullu ommatin tudʿa ila kitabiha alyawma tujzawna ma kuntum taʿmaloona
And you will see every nation kneeling [from fear]. Every nation will be called to its record [and told], "Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do.
هَٰذَا كِتَٰبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيۡكُم بِٱلۡحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسۡتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ﴿٢٩﴾
Hatha kitabuna yantiqu ʿalaykum bialhaqqi inna kunna nastansikhu ma kuntum taʿmaloona
This, Our record, speaks about you in truth. Indeed, We were having transcribed whatever you used to do."
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ فِي رَحۡمَتِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ﴿٣٠﴾
Faamma allatheena amanoo waʿamiloo alssalihati fayudkhiluhum rabbuhum fee rahmatihi thalika huwa alfawzu almubeenu
So as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is what is the clear attainment.
وَ أَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ ءَايَٰتِي تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ وَ كُنتُمۡ قَوۡمࣰا مُّجۡرِمِينَ﴿٣١﴾
Waamma allatheena kafaroo afalam takun ayatee tutla ʿalaykum faistakbartum wakuntum qawman mujrimeena
But as for those who disbelieved, [it will be said], "Were not Our verses recited to you, but you were arrogant and became a criminal people?
وَ إِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقࣱّ وَ ٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهَا قُلۡتُم مَّا نَدۡرِي مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنࣰّا وَ مَا نَحۡنُ بِمُسۡتَيۡقِنِينَ﴿٣٢﴾
Waitha qeela inna waʿda Allahi haqqun waalssaʿatu la rayba feeha qultum ma nadree ma alssaʿatu in nathunnu illa thannan wama nahnu bimustayqineena
And when it was said, 'Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth and the Hour [is coming] - no doubt about it,' you said, 'We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.'"
وَ بَدَا لَهُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا عَمِلُواْ وَ حَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ﴿٣٣﴾
Wabada lahum sayyiatu ma ʿamiloo wahaqa bihim ma kanoo bihi yastahzioona
And the evil consequences of what they did will appear to them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
وَ قِيلَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَنسَىٰكُمۡ كَمَا نَسِيتُمۡ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِكُمۡ هَٰذَا وَ مَأۡوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَ مَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ﴿٣٤﴾
Waqeela alyawma nansakum kama naseetum liqaa yawmikum hatha wamawakumu alnnaru wama lakum min nasireena
And it will be said, "Today We will forget you as you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours, and your refuge is the Fire, and for you there are no helpers.
ذَٰلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوࣰا وَ غَرَّتۡكُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا ۚ فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡرَجُونَ مِنۡهَا وَ لَا هُمۡ يُسۡتَعۡتَبُونَ﴿٣٥﴾
Thalikum biannakumu ittakhathtum ayati Allahi huzuwan wagharratkumu alhayatu alddunya faalyawma la yukhrajoona minha wala hum yustaʿtaboona
That is because you took the verses of Allāh in ridicule, and worldly life deluded you." So that Day they will not be removed from it, nor will they be asked to appease [Allāh].
فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ رَبِّ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ﴿٣٦﴾
Falillahi alhamdu rabbi alssamawati warabbi alardi rabbi alʿalameena
Then, to Allāh belongs [all] praise - Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds.
وَ لَهُ ٱلۡكِبۡرِيَآءُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ۖ وَ هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ﴿٣٧﴾
Walahu alkibriyao fee alssamawati waalardi wahuwa alʿazeezu alhakeemu
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
It is derived from the sentence wa tartt kullu ummat- in jathiyat-un of verse 28, implying thereby that it is the Surah in which the word jathiyah has occurred.
Period of Revelation
The period of the revelation of this Surah also has not been mentioned in any authentic tradition, but its subject matter clearly shows that it was revealed consecutively after Surah Ad Dukhan. The close resemblance between the contents of the two Surahs makes them look like the twin Surahs.
Subject Matter and Topics
It answers the doubts and objections of the disbelievers of Makkah about Tauhid and the Hereafter and warns them for their attitude that they had adopted against the message of the Qur'an.
The discourse begins with the arguments for Tauhid. In this connection, reference has been made to the count- less Signs that are found in the world, from man's own body to the earth and heavens, and it is pointed out that everywhere around him man finds things which testify to Tauhid which he refuses to acknowledge. If man sees carefully the variety of animals, the day and night, the rainfall and the vegetation thereby, the winds and his own creation, and ponders over them intelligently, without prejudice, he will find these Signs sufficiently convincing of the truth that this universe is not Godless, nor under the control of many gods, but it has been created by One God, and He alone is its Controller and Ruler. However, the case of the person who is determined not to acknowledge and wants to remain involved in doubts and suspicions is different. He cannot be blessed with the faith and conviction from anywhere in the world.
A little below, in the beginning of the second section, it has been reiterated that the things man is exploiting in the world, and the countless forces and agencies that are serving his interests in the universe, did not come into being just accidentally, nor have they been provided by the gods and goddesses, but it is One God alone, Who has supplied and subjected these to him from Himself. If only a person uses his mind properly and rightly, his own intellect will proclaim that God alone is man's real Benefactor and He alone deserves that man should pay obeisance to Him.
After this, the disbelievers of Makkah have been taken to task and reproved for their stubbornness, arrogance, mockery and insistence on disbelief with which they were resisting the invitation of the Qur'an they have been warned that this Qur'an has brought the same blessing which had been granted to the children of Israel before, by virtue of which they became distinguished above all the people of the world. Then, when they failed to recognize the true worth of this blessing and disputed their religion and lost it, this blessing now has been sent to them. This is such a code of guidance which shows the clear highway of Religion to man. The people who would turn it down by their own folly, would only prepare for their own doom, and only such people would become worthy of God's succour and mercy who would adopt obedience to it and lead a life of piety and righteousness.
In this connection, the followers of the Holy Prophet have been instructed that they should forbear and pardon the absurd and foolish behavior towards them of the people fearless of God, for if they showed patience God Himself would deal with their opponents and would reward them for their fortitude.
Then, there is a criticism of the erroneous ideas that the disbelievers hold about the Hereafter. They said that life was only this worldly life there was no life hereafter. Man dies in the course of time just as a watch stops functioning suddenly. The body is not survived by any soul, which might be seized and then breathed again into the human body some time in the future. In this regard, they challenged the Holy Prophet, saying: "If you lay a claim to this, then raise our dead forefathers back to life." In answer to this, Allah has given the following arguments:
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"You do not say this on the basis of any knowledge but are uttering this grave thing on the basis of conjecture. Do you really have the knowledge that there is no other life after death, and the souls are not seized but are annihilated?"
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"Your this claim rests mainly on this that you have not seen any dead person rising back to life and returning to the world. Is this basis strong enough for a person to make a claim that the dead people will never rise to life?When you do not experience and observe a thing, does it mean that you have the knowledge that it does not exist at all?
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It is utterly against reason and justice that the good and the bad, the obedient and the disobedient, the oppressor and the oppressed, should be made equal ultimately. Neither a good act should bear a good result nor an evil act an evil result; neither the grievances of the oppressed be redressed nor the oppressor be punished, but everyone should meet with the same fate ultimately. Whoever has formed this view about the universe of God, has formed a patently wrong view. The unjust and wicked people adopt this view because they do not want to face the evil results of their deeds, but this world of God is not a lawless kingdom; it is rather a system based on the Truth, in which there can be no question of the injustice of regarding the good and the bad as equal.
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That the creed of the denial of the Hereafter is highly destructive of morals. This is adopted only by such people as are the slaves of their lusts, and for the reason that they should have full freedom to serve their lusts. Then, when they have adopted this creed, it goes on making them more and more perverse till at last their moral sense becomes dead and all avenues of guidance are closed against them.
After giving these arguments Allah says most emphatically: "Just as you did not become living of your own accord, but became living by Our power, so you do not die of your own accord, but die when We send death on you. And a time is certainly coming when you will all be gathered together. If you do not believe in this because of your ignorance and folly today, you may not; when the time arrives, you will see for yourself that you are present before your God and your whole book of conduct is ready accurately, which bears evidence against each of your misdeeds. Then you will come to know how dearly has your denial of the Hereafter and your mockery of it cost you."
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran