076- AL-INSAN
MAN
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
# Has there come upon man a span of time in which he was a thing unremembered? # Truly We created man from a drop of mixed fluid that We may test him, and We endowed him with hearing, seeing. # Truly We guided him upon the way, be he grateful or ungrateful. # We have surely prepared for the disbelievers chains, shackles, and a blazing flame. # Truly the pious drink of a cup mixed with camphor, # a fountain whereof drink the servants of God, while they make it gush forth abundantly. # They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose evil is widespread, # and give food, despite loving it, to the indigent, the orphan, and the captive. # “We feed you only for the Face of God. We do not desire any recompense or thanks from you. # Truly we fear from our Lord a grim, calamitous day.” # So God has shielded them from the evil of that Day, bestowed upon them radiance and joy, # and rewarded them for having been patient with a Garden and with silk. # Therein they recline upon couches, seeing neither sun nor bitter cold. # Its shade shall be close above them, and its clusters shall be made to hang low. # And vessels of silver and goblets of crystal are brought round for them— # silvern crystal that they have measured out with due measure. # Therein they are given to drink of a cup mixed with ginger, # a spring therein named Salsabīl. # Immortal youths wait upon them; when you see them you would suppose them to be scattered pearls. # And when thou seest, there thou wilt see bliss and a great kingdom. # Upon them are garments of fine green silk and rich brocade. They are adorned with silvern bracelets and their Lord shall give them to drink of a drink most pure. # Truly this is a reward for you, and your endeavoring is held in gratitude. # Truly We have sent down the Quran upon thee as a revelation. # So be patient with thy Lord’s judgment and obey neither sinner nor disbeliever among them. # And invoke the Name of thy Lord morning and evening, # prostrate unto Him during the night, and glorify Him by night at length. # Truly they love the ephemeral and put a weighty day behind them. # We created them and made firm their frames; and whensoever We will, We shall exchange them for others like them. # Truly this is a reminder; so let him who will, take a way unto his Lord. # And you do not will but that God wills. Truly God is Knowing, Wise. # He causes whomsoever He will to enter into His Mercy. And as for the wrongdoers, He has prepared for them a painful punishment.
Commentary
# Has there come upon man a span of time in which he was a thing unremembered?
1 In both vv. 1 and 2, man (insān) refers to Adam, all of humanity (R), or both. As translated, the verse should be taken as a rhetorical question, either indicating that there has never been a time when human beings were not known to God (Qu) or emphasizing that there was indeed a time when man was a thing unknown, meaning nonexistent. The verse could also be translated, “There has come upon man,” which is taken by most as a reference to the time when Adam was not yet fully formed (JJ, Q, R, Ṭs) or more generally to the time when humanity had not yet come into existence (R).
***
# Truly We created man from a drop of mixed fluid that We may test him, and We endowed him with hearing, seeing.
2 A drop of mixed fluid (cf. 16:4; 18:37; 22:5; 35:11; 36:77; 40:67; 53:46; 75:37; 80:19) refers to the mixing of the male and female fluids (IK). This is one of several verses that remind human beings of the base origins of their physical nature; see also 86:6–7c. That We may test him could also be read as a new sentence: “We will test him” (JJ). The gifts of hearing and sight are part of the test, as they may be used for obedience or disobedience (IK); those who do not use them properly have eyes with which they see not, and they have ears with which they hear not (7:179; also see 7:198; 10:43). In this vein, the verse may also indicate that the physical nature, that which comes from a drop of mixed fluid, is created for the purpose of being tested and tried. Regarding the manner in which human beings are tested, see commentary on 29:2–3; 67:2.
***
# Truly We guided him upon the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.
3 This verse is similar to 90:8–10: Did We not make for him two eyes, a tongue, and two lips, and guide him upon the two highways? (R). Both passages indicate that God provides guidance for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, and that each person is thus responsible for the state of his or her own soul. The guidance provided by God could be through the human intellect (R), the messengers that God sends (JJ), or the many signs in revelation, in the created order, and within the human being; see 41:53c. Grateful or ungrateful indicates being either happy or wretched (IK), or a believer or a disbeliever, as in 18:29: It is the truth from your Lord! So whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve.
***
# We have surely prepared for the disbelievers chains, shackles, and a blazing flame.
# Truly the pious drink of a cup mixed with camphor,
4–5 These two verses express the disparate ends of those who are grateful (v. 5) and those who are ungrateful (v. 4) for the guidance God has provided. Regarding the chains and shackles that will be placed upon the disbelievers in the Hereafter, see 40:70–72c. 5–22 These verses are said to have been revealed about the family of the Prophet; see the introduction to this sūrah.
***
# a fountain whereof drink the servants of God, while they make it gush forth abundantly.
5–6 The pious translates al-abrār (sing. barr), which indicates something that is broad, ample, and expansive, thus connoting beneficence, magnanimity, and associated virtues. Regarding the meaning of the pious and piety (birr), see 2:44c. Birr can also be attributed to God, as in 52:28, Truly He is the Righteous (al-Birr), the Merciful, and as when one says, Allāhu yaburru biʿibādihi, meaning, “God is righteous unto His servant.” Here cup refers to what the cup contains, the paradisal wine (JJ); see also 37:45–47; 78:34c. In medieval times, camphor was used widely for sweet and savory dishes. It is also thought to have cooling properties. According to some, this is the same wine whose seal is musk (83:26; Ṭ). That they make it gush forth abundantly indicates that the servants of God are able to partake of it as they will and that it flows wherever they wish (IK, R, Ṭ). From one perspective, while the pious drink of a cup mixed with camphor, the servants of God drink directly from a fountain that is pure and unmixed. Interpreted as a spiritual symbol, those who drink what is mixed are lovers of the Divine Attributes, while the pure spring is for lovers of the Divine Essence, whose love endures no matter which Attribute of God they experience (K).
***
# They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose evil is widespread,
7 In the context of the occasion of revelation provided in the sūrah introduction, fulfill their vows refers to the perseverance of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and his family in continuing to fulfill their vow to fast three days even in the face of great hunger. Others interpret it as a reference to fulfilling the covenant made with God before the creation of the world (see 7:172c; K) or to being obedient toward God and fulfilling the obligations of religion (Ṭ).
***
# and give food, despite loving it, to the indigent, the orphan, and the captive.
8 Despite loving it can also be interpreted to mean “out of love for Him.” Together the two interpretations indicate the manner in which this world is transcended by overcoming love for it and focusing love entirely upon God. In this vein, 3:92 states, You will never attain piety till you spend from that which you love. And whatever you spend, truly God knows it. Regarding the feeding of orphans, see 2:83, 177, 215; 4:2–3, 8–10, 127; 6:152. According to a ḥadīth, “The indigent is not one who goes among the people asking them for a mouthful or two or a date or two; rather, the indigent is one who has not enough to satisfy his needs and whose condition is not known to others, that others may give him charity, and who does not beg of people.” The captive refers to prisoners of war (IK, Ṭ). At this time, the Muslims did not have prisons in which to keep captives from among their adversaries. The Prophet thus distributed the captives among the Muslims of Madinah and instructed them to care for the captives. As resources were scarce for many in Madinah, some of them could not feed the captives who had been entrusted to their care and some of the captives were free to seek food from other sources. This verse thus encourages charity toward those non-Muslims, even those who may have opposed the Muslims (see also 2:271; 60:8).
***
# “We feed you only for the Face of God. We do not desire any recompense or thanks from you.
9 The words spoken by the pious in vv. 9–10 are most likely said to themselves, but can also be understood as said out loud to those whom they feed. In Arabic “face” is understood as a reference to the true nature of a thing. The Face of God is thus seen as a reference to the Divine Essence or to the Divine Essence, Attributes, and Qualities (K), or that aspect of the Divine Reality that is turned to creation. To perform charitable acts for the Face of God indicates seeking only to please God out of love for God, rather than seeking a reward for oneself (K; for a discussion of the Face of God, see 28:88c; 55:26–27c). Others, however, maintain that there is a juxtaposition in these verses, indicating that they do seek recompense from God, but not from anyone other than God (IK), as in 2:272: Whatever good you spend, it is for yourselves, when you spend only seeking the Face of God (see also 30:38–39).
***
# Truly we fear from our Lord a grim, calamitous day.”
10 Grim translates ʿabūs, which literally means “frowning,” and is understood to mean that the severity of this day causes the disbelievers to frown (Āl, Q). Calamitous translates qamṭarīr, which is interpreted to mean “long” (Āl, Q) and is also understood by many to indicate a more severe state of frowning than ʿabūs or to indicate that it enfolds evil upon evil (Āl).
***
# So God has shielded them from the evil of that Day, bestowed upon them radiance and joy,
11 According to some, radiance is what appears on the faces of the pious, while joy is in their hearts, as in 80:38–39: Faces that Day shall be shining, radiant, laughing, joyous (IK).
***
# and rewarded them for having been patient with a Garden and with silk.
12 That human beings are rewarded for patience and constancy is a central Quranic theme. In this life, God provides signs for all who are patient, thankful (31:31; 34:19; 42:33) and God is with the patient (2:153, 249; 8:46), while in the Hereafter those who are patient shall be paid their reward in full without reckoning (39:10) and none shall receive it save the patient (28:80); see also 2:177; 3:120, 125; 11:11, 49, 115; 12:90; 13:22; 16:96; 29:59; 41:34–35. It is also reported that the angels greet the inhabitants of the Garden saying, Peace be upon you because you were patient (13:24; see also 25:75; 28:54).
***
# Therein they recline upon couches, seeing neither sun nor bitter cold.
13 Bitter cold translates zamharīr, which is understood to mean a cold icy wind and can also mean “the moon,” thus meaning that the Garden will be bright without any sun or moon (JJ). In either understanding, there is an allusion to the temperate state of Paradise, where extremes are not felt on either end, as opposed to Hell, where there is both bitter cold and scorching heat. When zamharīr is understood as the moon, there is also an allusion to an eternal twilight or shade, in which everything radiates with a subtle beauty like that just after sunset or just before sunrise. Many also understand zamharīr to be a special state where sinful descendants of the Prophet, who are vouchsafed to be saved from the fires of Hell, will go in the Hereafter.
***
# Its shade shall be close above them, and its clusters shall be made to hang low.
14 For the connotations of the Quranic use of shade, see 56:30c. Regarding the clusters of the Garden (see also 55:54; 69:23), it is reported that when the Prophet was upon his deathbed, he said to his Companions, “Verily, I saw the Garden and came upon a cluster of grapes. Had I taken it, you would have eaten of it so long as the world remained.”
***
# And vessels of silver and goblets of crystal are brought round for them—
# silvern crystal that they have measured out with due measure.
15–16 The goblets are made of silver that is transparent like crystal (JJ). Measured out with due measure (cf. 25:2) indicates that individuals will have measured for them exactly what each requires, neither more nor less (JJ).
***
# Therein they are given to drink of a cup mixed with ginger,
17 Ginger, which translates zanjabīl, can be taken as a reference to the tuber that was considered a delicacy by the Arabs (Bḍ) and was used as both a medicine and a spice, though it is said that the ginger of Paradise does not resemble that of this world (Sh). Zanjabīl can also be understood as a proper name for one of the springs of Paradise from which drink those brought nigh (see 83:25–28; Sh).
***
# a spring therein named Salsabīl.
18 According to some, in this context named means “described” (Ṭ). The precise meaning of Salsabīl is debated. While some understand it as a proper name, others take it to mean that the water flows well (Iṣ, Ṭ) or is easy to swallow and refreshing for the throat (K). Still others say that Salsabīl is a contraction of sal (“seek” or “request”) and sabīl (“a way”), thus meaning “seek a way [to the Garden]” (Iṣ, R).
***
# Immortal youths wait upon them; when you see them you would suppose them to be scattered pearls.
19 Immortal translates mukhalladūn, which can also mean “those who wear earrings”; see also 56:17. The youths will appear as scattered pearls because of their beauty and nobility (Ṭ).
***
# And when thou seest, there thou wilt see bliss and a great kingdom.
20 A great kingdom is said to indicate one that does not cease to exist (Ṭs).
***
# Upon them are garments of fine green silk and rich brocade. They are adorned with silvern bracelets and their Lord shall give them to drink of a drink most pure.
21 Regarding the silk and brocade (cf. 44:53) that adorn the inhabitants of Paradise, see 18:31c. Whereas the paradisal beverages mentioned in vv. 15–18 are served by immortal youths, here their Lord shall give them to drink directly with no intermediary. Most pure translates ṭahūr, an emphatic form employed to emphasize the contrast between the wine of this world and the wine of the Hereafter. Invoking another perspective, Maybudī writes: “Whoever has no wine of love today will not have the drink most pure tomorrow. Today they swallow the wine of love from the cup of gnosis; tomorrow they drink the drink most pure in the presence of the Forgiving King—today the wine of love in the paradise of gnosis, tomorrow the drink most pure in the paradise of Contentment (riḍwān).” Ṭahūr can also be taken as an active participle, meaning “purifying.” Thus some say it is a drink through which God removes vice from the heart (Sh). It is reported that the sixth Shiite Imam, Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq, said of this drink, “It purifies them of all that is other than God” (Ṭs).
***
# Truly this is a reward for you, and your endeavoring is held in gratitude.
22 This refers to the drink most pure (v. 21), or to all of the rewards mentioned in the preceding verses, or to the bliss that derives from these rewards. Endeavoring refers to all the good deeds that one has done; that it is held in gratitude indicates that such deeds have been accepted by God, one of Whose Attributes is Thankful (see 2:158; 4:147; 35:30, 34; 42:23; IK, Sh, Ṭs).
***
# Truly We have sent down the Quran upon thee as a revelation.
23 This verse is understood as an indication of the gradual manner in which God revealed the Quran, that is, in periodic installments rather than all at once. Regarding the nature of the revelation and its stages, see the essay “The Islamic View of the Quran.”
***
# So be patient with thy Lord’s judgment and obey neither sinner nor disbeliever among them.
24 This verse is taken as counsel to the Prophet to be patient in the face of the opposition from ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah and al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, two leaders of the Quraysh, both of whom said to the Prophet, “Abandon this affair of yours” (JJ, Ṭs). Sinner and disbeliever can thus be understood both as a specific reference to these two men and as a more general reference to all sinners and disbelievers (JJ).
***
# And invoke the Name of thy Lord morning and evening,
# prostrate unto Him during the night, and glorify Him by night at length.
25–26 These verses enjoin mentioning the Name of God during the daily prayers (Aj, JJ, Ṭs) or remembering God at every moment (Aj). In the context of the previous verse, they can be understood as counsel not to be overly concerned with the tribulations of this world, but to remember God always, as in 15:97–98: And certainly We know that thy breast is straitened because of what they say. So hymn the praise of thy Lord, and be among those who prostrate (Aj). In this latter sense, many Sufis take v. 25 as an injunction to invoke the Supreme Divine Name, Allāh (Aj). Glorify Him by night at length enjoins the supererogatory practice of night vigil and prayer. For other references to night vigil, see 11:114; 20:130; 21:20; 25:63–64; 50:40; 52:49; 73:2, 6, 20. Regarding its significance and historical development, see 73:1–2c; 73:20c.
***
# Truly they love the ephemeral and put a weighty day behind them.
27 As with its near analog, 75:20–21, this verse indicates the manner in which preoccupation with the things of this world distracts one from the Hereafter (IK), and from the remembrance of God, as in 17:18–19: Whosoever would desire the ephemeral, We hasten for him therein whatsoever We will for whomsoever We desire. Then We appointed Hell for him, wherein he shall burn, blameworthy, banished. And whosoever desires the Hereafter, and endeavors for it earnestly, and is a believer, it is they whose ef orts shall be appreciated.
***
# We created them and made firm their frames; and whensoever We will, We shall exchange them for others like them.
28 This verse indicates either that God can replace any group of people with another (IK, R, Ṭs), as in 6:133, If He will, He can remove you, and in your place appoint whomsoever He will to succeed you, or that God can resurrect people in the Hereafter; see also 4:133; 14:19–20; 17:49–51; 35:16–17; 56:61.
***
# Truly this is a reminder; so let him who will, take a way unto his Lord.
29–30 These verses and a closely related passage in 81:28–29 present a notable contrast between human free will and Divine predeterminism. On the one hand, Let him who will, take a way unto his Lord could be understood to indicate that human beings are free to decide between right and wrong and to choose their own way (see also 18:29). Yet on the other hand, You do not will but that God wills (or “You do not will except as God wills”) could be understood to indicate that the final determination is in God’s Hands alone. A moderate position holds that there is neither absolute free will nor absolute determinism. God has willed that human beings have the ability to will, but could remove it any moment. God wills that human beings will, but does not necessarily determine the content of what they will, meaning that human beings have a limited range of freedom willed by God and that they are ultimately responsible for their own acts; for the extensive debates regarding the relationship between free will and determinism, see 54:49c. 29 Cf. 73:19. This can refer to this sūrah (Āl, IK, JJ, Ṭs), this particular group of verses (Āl), or the entire Quran, in which case it refers to the “message” (risālah; Ṭs). See 73:19c.
***
# And you do not will but that God wills. Truly God is Knowing, Wise.
30 In other schools of recitation, you do not will is read “they do not will.”
***
# He causes whomsoever He will to enter into His Mercy. And as for the wrongdoers, He has prepared for them a painful punishment.
31 Here His Mercy is interpreted by many as a reference to the Garden (Ṭs), while others understand it to mean that God relents unto human beings so that they may die in a state of repentance, forgives their sins, and admits them to the Garden (Ṭ). In contrast, the wrongdoers are understood to be those who die without repenting (Ṭ). This verse can be seen as a continuation of the message in v. 3, in which God is said to have guided people upon the way, after which they may choose to be either grateful or ungrateful; God allows those who are grateful to enter into His Mercy and has prepared . . . a painful punishment for those who are ungrateful.
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.