15. Surah Al Hijr
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
آتَيْنَاكَ
سَبْعًا مِّنَ
الْمَثَانِي
وَالْقُرْآنَ
الْعَظِيمَ ﴿٨٧﴾
15:87. And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft-Repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'án.
C2008. The Seven Oft-repeated Verses are usually understood to be the Opening Surah, the Fatihah. They sum up the whole teaching of the Quran.
What can be a more precious gift to a Muslim than the glorious Quran or any Surah of it?
Worldly wealth, honour, possessions, or anything else, sinks into insignificance in comparison with it.
لاَ تَمُدَّنَّ
عَيْنَيْكَ
إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا
بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا
مِّنْهُمْ ...
15:88. Strain not thine eyes (wistfully) at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them,
C2009. It may be that other people have worldly goods which worldly men envy. Do they necessarily bring happiness?
Even the temporary pleasure that they may give is not unmixed with spiritual poisons, and even so, will not last. The man of God looks with wistful eyes at other things,-the favour and countenance of Allah.
... وَلاَ تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ...
nor grieve over them:
C2010. The Prophet of Allah, in his human love and sympathy, may grieve over certain classes of people who are puffed up with false notions and callous to the Message of Allah. But he should not make himself unhappy. There is no flaw in Allah's Plan, and it must prevail.
This was addressed in the first instance to Al-Mustafa, but in a minor degree, it applies to all righteous men. (R).
...وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨٨﴾
but lower thy wing (in gentleness) to the Believers.
C2011. The metaphor is from a bird who lowers her wing in tender solicitude for her little ones.
Cf. 17:24, where it is applied to "lowering the wing" to aged parents.
Other versions:
15: 87
Pickthall We have given thee seven of the oft repeated (verses) and the great Quran.
Yuksel We have given you seven of the pairs and the great Quran.*
Transliteration Wa laqad a_taina_ka sab'am minal masa_ni wal qur'a_nal 'azim(a).
15: 88
Pickthall Strain not your eyes toward that which We cause some wedded pairs among them to enjoy, and be not grieved on their account, and lower thy wing (in tenderness) for the believers.
Yuksel So do not linger with your eyes on what We have bestowed upon some couples from them, do not grieve for them, and lower your wing for those who acknowledge.
Transliteration La_ tamuddanna 'ainaika ila_ ma_ matta'na_ bihi azwa_jam minhum wa la_ tahzan 'alaihim wa-khfid jana_haka lil mu'minin(a).
[[ Yuksel’s notes - 015:087 The meaning of saban minal mathani (seven from pairs) has been interpreted by the majority of scholars as "oft-repeated seven," implying the most repeated chapter of the Quran, the seven-versed first chapter. However, if the first chapter of the Quran is part of the Quran, it surely is the part of the "great Quran." If the arrangement of the words were different, "we gave you the great Quran and seven from pairs," then, such an interpretation could be more plausible, since a part of the whole can be repeated after the whole for the purpose of emphasis.
If the "great Quran" is the entire Quran, which is the most reasonable understanding, then the "seven pairs" or "fourteen" (of something) might have implications beyond the Quran. There is a hint in the verse: it might refer to the life span of Muhammad's people and its relation to the end of the world.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 2008 The Seven Oft-repeated Verses are usually understood to be the Opening Sura, the Fatiha. They sum up the whole teaching of the Qur-an. What can be a more precious gift to a Muslim than the glorious Qur-an or any Sura of it? Worldly wealth, honour, possessions, or anything else, sinks into insignificance in comparison with it. (15.87)
2009 …………. The man of God looks with wistful eyes at other things,-the favor and countenance of Allah. (15.88) ]]
[[ Ruby’s notes – The above two verse next to each other seem to allude to the idea that God is exhorting the Prophet and the people not to grieve over what others particularly the opponents have in wealth and power, but to feel happy what he has received instead – God’s guidance and direct word.]]