38. Surah Sad [88 verses]
Mecca Period 38
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَّبَتْ
قَبْلَهُمْ
قَوْمُ نُوحٍ
وَعَادٌ ...
38: 12. Before them (were many who) rejected messengers --
the People of Noah, and 'Ad,
C4159. In their day, Noah's contemporaries, or the 'Ad and the Thamud, so frequently mentioned, or Pharaoh the mighty king of Egypt, or the people to whom Lut was sent (cf. 37:75-82; 7:65-73; 7:103-137; 7:80-84) were examples of arrogance and rebellion against Allah: they rejected the divine Message brought by their messengers, and they all came to an evil end. Will not their posterity learn their lesson?
... وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو الْأَوْتَادِ ﴿١٢﴾
and Pharaoh the Lord of Stakes.
C4160. The title of Pharaoh, "Lord of the Stakes", denotes power and arrogance, in all or any of the following ways:
- the stake makes a tent firm and stable, and is a symbol of firmness and stability;
- many stakes mean a large camp and a numerous army to fight;
- impaling with stakes was a cruel punishment resorted to by the Pharaohs in arrogant pride of power.
وَثَمُودُ
وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ
وَأَصْحَابُ
الأَيْكَةِ
...
38: 13. And Thamud, and the People of Lut, and the Companions of the Wood;
C4161. Companions of the Wood; see 15:78, and n. 2000.
... أُوْلَئِكَ الْأَحْزَابُ ﴿١٣﴾
such were the Confederates.
C4162. Cf. above, verse 11, and n. 4158.
إِن
كُلٌّ إِلَّا
كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ
فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ
﴿١٤﴾
38: 14. Not one (of them) but rejected the messengers, but My Punishment came justly and inevitably (on them).
C4163. Cf. 15:64, n. 1990; and 22:18.
وَمَا
يَنظُرُ هَؤُلَاء
إِلَّا صَيْحَةً
وَاحِدَةً ...
38: 15. These (to-day) only wait for a single mighty Blast,
... مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٍ ﴿١٥﴾
which (when it comes) will brook no delay.
C4165. Fawaq: delay, the interval between one milking of a she-camel, and another, either to give her a breathing space or to give her young time to suck,-or perhaps the milker to adjust his fingers. Such interval will be quite short.
The derived meaning is that when the inevitable just punishment for sin arrives, it will not tarry, but do its work without delay.
وَقَالُوا
رَبَّنَا عَجِّل
لَّنَا قِطَّنَا
قَبْلَ يَوْمِ
الْحِسَابِ
﴿١٦﴾
38: 16. They say:
"Our Lord! Hasten to us our sentence (even) before the Day of Account!"
C4166. Cf. 26:204 and n. 3230.
Those who do not believe in the Hereafter say ironically: "Let us have our punishment and sentence now: why delay it?"
The last verse and the next verse supply the commentary. As to those who mock, they will find out the truth soon enough, when it is too late for repentance or mercy.
As to the prophets of Allah, who are mocked, they must wait patiently for Allah to fulfil His Plan: even men who had worldly strength and power, like David had to exercise infinite patience when mocked by their contemporaries.
Asad’s Version:
38:12 To the truth gave the lie aforetime 16 Noah's people, and (the tribe of] 'Ad, and Pharaoh of the [many] tent-poles, 17
(38:13) and [the tribe of] Thamud, and the people of Lot, and the dwellers
of the wooded dales [of Madyan]: they all were leagued together, [as it were, in their
unbelief:]
(38:14) not one [was there] but gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon My retribution fell due.
38:15 And they [who now deny the truth - they, too,] have but to wait for one single blast [of punishment to overtake them]: it shall not be delayed a whit. 18
(38:16) As it is, they say [mockingly]: "O our Sustainer! Hasten on to us our share [of punishment even] before the Day of Reckoning!" 1 '
50. Surah Qaf [45 verses]
Mecca Period 34
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَّبَتْ
قَبْلَهُمْ
قَوْمُ نُوحٍ
وَأَصْحَابُ
الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ
﴿١٢﴾
50: 12. Before them was denied (the Hereafter) by
the people of Noah,
the Companions of the Rass,
the Thamud,
C4950. Just the names of the peoples of Arabian tradition who were punished for their sins are mentioned; their stories will be found elsewhere.
For the People of Noah, see 11:25-48 and other passages.
For the Companions of the Rass, see 25:38 and n. 3094;
وَعَادٌ
وَفِرْعَوْنُ
وَإِخْوَانُ
لُوطٍ ﴿١٣﴾
50: 13. The 'Ad,
Pharaoh,
the Brethren of Lut,
for the 'Ad and the Thamud, see 26:123-158, and other passages;
for Pharaoh and his People, see 2:49-50 and other passages;
for the Brethren of Lut, see 7:80-84, and other passages;
وَأَصْحَابُ
الْأَيْكَةِ
وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ
...
50: 14. The companions of the Wood,
and the people of Tubba;
for the Companions of the Wood, see 15:78-79, and n. 2000;
and for the People of Tubba', see 44:37 and n. 4715.
... كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ ﴿١٤﴾
each one (of them) rejected the messengers, and My warning was duly fulfilled (in them).
Asad’s Version:
50:12 [Long] before those [who now deny resurrection) did Noah's people give the lie to this truth, and [so did] the folk of Ar-Rass, 6 and [the tribes of] Thamud
(50:13) and Ad, and Pharaoh, and Lot's brethren, 7
(50:14) and the dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan], and the people of Tubba': 8 they all gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon that whereof I had warned [them] came true.
[[Asad’s notes - 6 See note 33 on 25:38.
7 The term "brethren" (ikhwan) is used here metonymically, denoting a group of people who share the same views or, alternatively, the same environment. Since the people referred to formed Lot's social environment (cf 7:83 or 11 : 77-83), they are described as his "brethren" although his moral concepts and inclinations were entirely different from theirs. ]]