37. Surah As-Saffat (Those Ranged In Ranks)

Mecca 56 [182 verses]

Asad’s comments on 37:123: …..The above stress on his, too, having been "one of the message-bearers" (min al- mursalin) recalls the Qur'anic principle that God makes "no distinction between any of His apostles" (cf 2:136 and 285, 3:84, 4:152, and the corresponding notes).

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِنَّ إِلْيَاسَ لَمِنْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿١٢٣﴾

37: 123. So also was Elias among those sent (by us).

إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٢٤﴾

37: 124. Behold, he said to his people,

"Will ye not fear (Allah)?

أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلًا...

37: 125. "Will ye call upon Baal

وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقِينَ ﴿١٢٥﴾

and forsake the Best of Creators --

وَاللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَرَبَّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٢٦﴾

37: 126. "Allah, your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?"

Asad’s Version:

37:123 AND, BEHOLD, Elijah [too] was indeed one of Our message-bearers 48

(37:124) when he spoke[thus] to his people: "Will you not remain conscious of God?

(37:125) Will you invoke Baal and forsake [God,] the best of artisans 49 –

(37: 126) God, your Sustainer and the Sustainer of your forebears of old?"

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Asad’s comments

48 The Hebrew prophet Elijah (Ilyas in Arabic) is mentioned in the Bible (I Kings xvii if. and 1 1 Kings i-ii) as having lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah - i.e., in the ninth century B.C. - and having been succeeded by Elisha (Al-Yasa in Arabic). The above stress on his, too, having been "one of the message-bearers" (min al- mursalin) recalls the Qur'anic principle that God makes "no distinction between any of His apostles" (cf 2:136 and 285, 3:84, 4:152, and the corresponding notes).

49 As regards this rendering of ahsan al-khaliqin, see surah 23, note 6. - The term ba'l (conventionally spelt Baal in European languages) signified "lord" or "master" in all branches of ancient Arabic, including Hebrew and Phoenician; it was an honorific applied to every one of the many "male" deities worshipped by the ancient Semites, especially in Syria and Palestine. In the Old Testament this designation has sometimes the generic connotation of "idol- worship" - a sin into which, according to the Bible, the early Israelites often relapsed.

Ali’s comments:

C4112. See n. 905 to 6:85.

Elias is the same as Elijah, whose story will be found in the Old Testament in I Kings 17-19. and 2 Kings 1-2.

Elijah lived in the reign of Ahab (B.C. 896-874) and Ahaziah (B.C. 874-872), kings of the (northern) kingdom of Israel or Samaria. He was a prophet of the desert, like John the Baptist,-unlike our holy Prophet, who took part in, controlled, and guided all the affairs of his people. Both Ahab and Azariah were prone to lapse into the worship of Baal, the sun-god worshipped in Syria. That worship also included the worship of nature-powers and procreative powers, as in the Hindu worship of the Lingam, and led to many abuses.

King Ahab had married a princess of Sidon, Jezebel, a wicked woman who led her husband to forsake Allah and adopt Baal-worship.

Elijah denounced all Ahab's sins as well as the sins of Ahaziah and had to flee for his life. Eventually, according to the Old Testament (4 Kings, 2:11) he was taken up in a whirlwind to heaven in a chariot of fire after he had left his mantle with Elisha the prophet. (R).

C4113. For Baal-worship see last note.