Surah Adh Dhariyat - The Winnowing Winds: Exegesis of 51st Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt (also called Surah Az Zariat) is the fifty first surah with 60 ayahs with three rukus, part of the 26th-27th Juzʼ  of the Holy Qur'an. The surah takes its name from the very first verse "Wad dhariat e zarwa" - The winnowing winds !!

This is the early Makkah period (probably the fifth year of proclamation of Islam) surah, and deals with varying ways in which Truth prevails irresistibly even against all human probability. 

According to Neuwirth’s literary analysis, as related through Ernst, sura 51, like many early Meccan suras, consists of a tripartite structure: I, 1– 23; II, 24– 46; III, 47– 60.

The theme of the surah hinges upon the fact that unlike winds that may blow and scatter, lift, and rush, or divide in all directions, the Truth and Promise of Allah are sure an stable, whereof many may signs both around and within oneself [Verses 1-23]. 

It reminds the disbelievers that past events and what they see before them point to to the unfailing consequence of all they do: Allah of His Grace, send them a reminder; the loss of their own if they reject and deny it [Verses 24-60].

At the end, it presents the invitation to Tawhid. In giving the invitation to Tawhid briefly, it has been said : "Your Creator has not created you for the service of others but for His own service. He is not like your false gods, which receive sustenance from you and godhead of which cannot function without your help, but He is a God Who is the Sustainer of all, Who does not stand in need of sustenance from anyone and Whose Godhead is functioning by His own power and might."

Finally, the Prophet is instructed to ignore the rebels and keep on performing his mission of invitation and admonition, for it is useful and beneficial for the believers, although it may not be so for the other people. As for the wicked people who still persist in their rebellion, they should know that their predecessors who followed the same way of life, have already received their shares of the punishment.

Let us now read the translation and exegesis in English of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter (For Arabic Text, please refer to the references given below):

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

Verses 1-23 proclaim that Surely the day of judgement shall come to pass, only the perverse persons turn away from this truth:

1. By the (Winds) that scatter broadcast;2. And those that lift and bear away heavy weights;

In verse 1, adh-dhariyat implies the winds that disperse ("Zarwa") and mist up the dust, and al-hamilat-i wiqran (verse 2) implies the winds that lift up millions of tons of water vapors from the oceans in the form of clouds. 

3. And those that flow with ease and gentleness;4. And those that distribute and apportion by Command 

Taking of the winds in the verses 3 and 4, it implies the same very winds then transport the clouds, and spreading over different parts of the earth, distribute the water as and where required according to Allah’s command.

اِنَّمَا تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ لَصَادِقٌ 

5. Verily that which ye are promised is true;

In the verse 5, the word used in the original is "too adoona." If it is derived from "waad", the meaning would be: That which you are promised; and if it is from waid, it would mean: That which you are threatened with. As regards the context, the second meaning is preferable, for the addressees are the people who were lost in disbelief, polytheism and sin, and were not prepared to believe that they would be held accountable some time in the future and would be rewarded or punished accordingly. That is why too adoona has been taken in the meaning of waid (threaten) and not of waad (promise).

6. And verily Judgment and Justice must indeed come to pass.

Verse 6 is the commandment, for which the oath of winds has been taken by Allah.  The oath implies this: The unique order and regularity with which the wonderful system of the rain is functioning and the wisdom and good reasons which clearly underlie it, testify to the reality that this world is not meaningless. In fact, it is a wise system of the highest order in which everything that happens has a purpose and reason behind it. And it is not possible that man should have been given intellect, senses and the powers to exploit things to advantage, distinguish the good and evil, right and wrong and then might have been left alone foolishly and meaninglessly in the world to behave as he pleased. And that he should never be questioned as to how he had used and employed the powers of the heart and mind and body, and the power and authority granted to him to employ the countless creatures of God to his advantage. How can the creation of a unique being like man only be purposeless? Whatever good or evil act he has committed by his own will and choice, he must get the reward or suffer the punishment for it justly and equitably. For, this is the basic requirement of the factor under which, contrary to other creatures, he has been endowed with the freedom of choice and will. If he is not held accountable, if he is not rewarded or punished according to his moral acts, his creation would inevitably be altogether futile, and a Wise Being cannot be expected to indulge in a futile exercise.

7. By the Sky with (its) numerous Paths,

In the verse seven "وَالسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ الۡحُـبُكِ", word hubuk in the original is also used for the paths and for the waves which are produced on the sand of the desert and the surface of stagnant water by the wind; it is also spoken for the curls in wavy hair. Here, the sky has been characterized by hubuk either because the sky is often overcast with clouds of different shapes, which go on changing because of the wind, and no shape lasts nor resembles any other, or because at night one sees the stars scattered in the sky in many different combinations and no combination resembles any other combination.

8. surely you are at variance (about the Hereafter);

The oath has been sworn by the sky of various appearances on this difference of views because of the similarity. That is, just as the clouds and the clusters of stars in the sky have different appearances and there is uniformity among them, so are also your views about the Hereafter, each different from the other. Like the hereafter, the resurrection and rewards and awards and punishment. Some believe in the Hereafter and Hell and Heaven, but says that God by giving death to His only son on the cross had atoned for the original sin of man, and man will escape the evil consequences of his evil acts by believing in the son. Some other people generally believe in the Hereafter and the meting out of the rewards and punishments but at the same time regard certain holy men as the intercessors, who are such favorites of Allah, or wield such influence with Him, that anyone who attaches himself to them as a disciple can escape the punishment whatever he may do in the world. About these holy men there is also no agreement among their devotees; every group of them has its own separate intercessor. This difference of the views itself is a proof that whenever man has formed an opinion about his own and the world’s end, independent of revelation and Prophethood, he has formed it without knowledge; otherwise if man in this regard really had some direct means of knowledge there would not have arisen so many different and contradictory beliefs.

 9. Through which are deluded (away from the Truth) such as would be deluded. 10. Woe to the falsehood-mongers,-11. Those who (flounder) heedless in a flood of confusion:12. They ask, "When will be the Day of Judgment and Justice?"  13. (It will be) a Day when they will be tried (and tested) over the Fire!  14. "Taste ye your trial! This is what ye used to ask to be hastened!" 15. As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs,16. Taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them, because, before then, they lived a good life.17. They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night,18. And in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness;19. And in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy,) him who asked, and him who (for some reason) was prevented (from asking).20. On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith,21. As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see?22. And in heaven is your Sustenance, as (also) that which ye are promised.23. Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth, as much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other.

From verses 24-46, brief allusions have been made about Allah’s Prophets and some of the nations of the past, which are meant to impress two things:

• First, that in human history God’s law of retribution has been working constantly, in which precedents are found of the rewards for the righteous and of punishments for the wicked people continuously. This is a clear evidence of the fact that even in the life of this world the Creator’s relationship with man is not merely based on the physical law but the moral law also is working side by aide with it. And when the temper of the kingdom of the universe is such that the creation which has been given an opportunity to act morally while living in a physical body, should not only be dealt with on the basis of physical laws, like animals and plants, but the moral law also should be applied to its moral acts. This by itself points to the truth that a time must come in this kingdom when on the completion of man’s role in the physical world, full results of his moral acts should also appear strictly in accordance with the moral law because in the physical world they do not appear fully.
• The second thing that has been impressed by these historical allusions is that the nations which did not believe in the Prophets of Allah and based the conduct and attitude in life on the denial of the Oneness of Allah, the Prophethood and the Hereafter, were ultimately doomed to destruction. This continuous experience of history testifies that God’s law of morality that was conveyed through the Prophets, and on the basis of which man will be subjected to accountability in the Hereafter, is entirely based on the truth. For whichever nation determined its conduct and attitude in the world independent of this law, considering itself irresponsible and unaccountable, has gone straight to its doom.

In verses 24-30 the story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) is related when he was given a good news of having a son. This story has also been narrated at three places in the Quran, in (Surah Hood, Ayats 69-73); (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayats 51-56) and (Surah Al-Ankabut, Ayat 31).:

24. Has the story reached thee, of the honoured guests of Abraham? 25. Behold, they entered his presence, and said: "Peace!" He said, "Peace!" (and thought, "These seem) unusual people."26. Then he turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, 27. And placed it before them.. he said, "Will ye not eat?" 28. (When they did not eat), He conceived a fear of them. They said, "Fear not," and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge.29. But his wife came forward (laughing) aloud: she smote her forehead and said: "A barren old woman!"30. They said, "Even so has thy Lord spoken: and He is full of Wisdom and Knowledge."

31-37 The same angels who gave good news to Ibrahim annihilated the nation of homosexuals, the people of the Prophet Lot (peace be upon him). The epithet of a criminal people was enough to tell which people were meant in view of the gravity of their crimes. They have already been mentioned in the Quran in (Surah Al-Araf, Ayats 80-84); (Surah Hood, Ayats 74-83); (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayats 58-79); (Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayats 74-75); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 160-175); (Surah An-Naml, Ayats 54-58); (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayats 133-137). Also read "Prophet Lut and Allah's wrath on his people":

31. (Abraham) said: "And what, O ye Messengers, is your errand (now)?" 32. They said, "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin;- 33. "To bring on, on them, (a shower of) stones of clay (brimstone), 34. "Marked as from thy Lord for those who trespass beyond bounds." 35. Then We evacuated those of the Believers who were there, 36. But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house: 37. And We left there a Sign for such as fear the Grievous Penalty.

38-46 show that there is a lesson in the stories of Fir'on, A'd, Thamud and people of Nuh

38. And in Moses (was another Sign): Behold, We sent him to Pharaoh, with authority manifest.39. But (Pharaoh) turned back with his Chiefs, and said, "A sorcerer, or one possessed!" 

40. So We took him and his forces, and threw them into the sea; and his was the blame.

In verse 40 above, a whole history has been compressed into this brief sentence. To understand it well one should know that Pharaoh was the absolute ruler of the greatest center of civilization and culture of the world in those days and the people of the adjoining lands were overawed by his power and might. Obviously, when he might have sunk suddenly one day in the sea along with his armies, the event must have become well known not only in Egypt but among all the neighboring nations as well. At this, except for those whose kith and kin had sunk, there was no one else among their own people, or in the other nations of the world who would mourn them or write an elegy on them, or would at least express sorrow and say that good and noble people had become a victim of the disaster. Instead of this, as the world had become fed up with their wickedness and injustices, every person heaved a sigh of relief at their exemplary fate, everyone cursed them, and anyone who heard this news exclaimed that the wicked people had deserved the fate justly. In Surah Ad-Dukhan [44th chapter], the same thing has been expressed, thus: Then neither did the heavens weep on them nor the earth.

41. And in the 'Ad (people) (was another Sign): Behold, We sent against them the devastating Wind: 42. It left nothing whatever that it came up against, but reduced it to ruin and rottenness. 

In verse 42, the word used for this wind is "aqim", which is used for a barren woman, though literally it means dry. If the literal meaning is taken it would mean that it was such an intensely hot and dry wind that whatever it blew on, it caused it to become absolutely dry; and if it is taken in the idiomatic sense it would mean that like a barren woman it was a wind without any benefit: neither it was pleasant, nor it brought rain, nor fertilized the trees, nor contained any other benefit for which the wind blows. At other places it has been stated that this wind was not only useless and dry but it blew so violently that it swept the people off the ground and it continued to rage for eight days and seven nights continuously, till it laid the entire land of the Aad to a waste.

The details of this torment given at other places in the Quran show that this wind continued to rage for seven nights and eight days consecutively. It swept the people off the ground and they fell down dead and lay scattered here and there like hollow trunks of the palm-tree. (Surah Al- Haaqqah, Ayat 7). When the people of Aad saw it advancing, they rejoiced with the hope that the dense clouds would bring much rain, which would water their withering crops. But when it came, it laid waste the entire land. (Surah Al-Ahqaf, Ayats 24-25).

43. And in the Thamud (was another Sign): Behold, they were told, "Enjoy (your brief day) for a little while!"

Verse 43: The commentators have disputed as to which respite it implies. Qatadah says that it alludes to that verse of Surah Houd in which it has been stated that when the Thamud killed the she camel of the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him), they were warned by Allah that they had three more days to enjoy life after which they would be overtaken by the torment. Contrary to this, Hasan Basri has expressed the opinion that this thing had been said by the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) to his people in the beginning of his mission and by this he meant that if they would not adopt the way of repentance and faith, they would be granted a respite to enjoy life in the world only till an appointed time, and then they would be overtaken by the torment. The second of these two commentaries seems to be more correct, for the following verse (But they defied the command of their Lord) indicates that the respite being mentioned here had been given before the defiance and they committed it after the warning. On the contrary, the three days respite mentioned in Surah Houd had been given after the wicked people had committed the final defiance which became decisive in their case and sealed their doom forever afterwards.

44. But they insolently defied the Command of their Lord: So the stunning noise (of an earthquake) seized them, even while they were looking on.45. Then they could not even stand (on their feet), nor could they help themselves. 46. So were the People of Noah before them for they wickedly transgressed.

And last portion of the surah comprising of verses 47-60 tell that Allah, Who built the heavens and spread out the earth, has assigned Prophet Muhammad to be a Warner for mankind:

47. With power and skill did We construct the Firmament: for it is We Who create the vastness of pace.  

 The verse 47 "وَ السَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنٰهَا بِاَيۡٮدٍ وَّاِنَّا لَمُوۡسِعُوۡنَ" uses the word musi (pl. musiun) may mean the one who possesses power and means, and also the one who can extend and expand something. According to the first meaning, the verse would mean: We have built this heaven by Our own might and not with somebody else’s help, and its erection was in no way beyond Us. Then how can you ever conceive that We shall not be able to recreate it? According to the second meaning, it would mean: This huge universe that We have created, is not a finished work, but We are expanding it continuously, and new and ever new manifestations of Our creation are appearing in it every moment. How do you then think that such a marvelous Creator would not be able to repeat His creation.

48. And We have spread out the (spacious) earth: How excellently We do spread out!  49. And of every thing We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction.

Verse 49: That is, the creation of the whole universe on the principle of the pairs and the existence of all things in the world in couples is a reality that testifies expressly to the necessity of the Hereafter. If you consider it deeply you will yourself come to the conclusion that when everything in the world has a partner and nothing becomes productive without combining with its partner, how can the life of the world be without a match and partner? Its match and partner necessarily is the Hereafter. Without that partner it would be absolutely fruitless.

To understand the following verses, one should also understand that the discussion heretofore centers around the Hereafter, but this very discussion and argument afford a proof of the Oneness of God. Just as the argument of the rain, the structure of the earth, the creation of the heavens, man’s own existence, the wonderful working of the law of pairs in the universe, testify to the possibility and necessity of the Hereafter, so they are also testifying that neither is this Godless nor it has many gods, but One All-Wise and All- Powerful God alone is its Creator and Master and Controller. That is why in the following verses the invitation to the Oneness of God is being presented on the basis of these very arguments. Furthermore, the inevitable result of believing in the Hereafter is that man should give up his attitude of rebellion against God and should adopt the way of obedience and servitude. He remains turned away from God as long as he remains involved in the false belief that he is not accountable before anyone and that he will not have to render an account of his deeds of the worldly life to anyone. Whenever this misunderstanding is removed, man immediately comes to the realization that he was committing a grave error by regarding himself as irresponsible, and this realization compels him to return to God. That is why immediately after concluding the arguments for the Hereafter, it has been said: So flee unto Allah.

50. Hasten ye then (at once) to Allah. I am from Him a Warner to you, clear and open!  51. and do not set up any deity with Allah. Surely I am a clear warner to you from Him. 

Though these sentences (verses 50,51) are the Word of Allah, the speaker here is not Allah but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). In fact, Allah has made his Messenger say: Flee unto Allah, I am to you from Him a clear warner. An instance of this style is found in the very first Surah of the Quran, Surah Al-Fatihah, where the Word is of Allah, but the speakers are the servants, who say: Iyyaka na budu wa lyyaka nastain; ihdi-nas siratal-mustaqim. Thee alone we worship and to Thee alone we ask for help, show us the straight path. Just as there it has not been said: O believers, pray to your Lord thus, but the context itself shows that it is a supplication which Allah is teaching His servants, so here also it has not been said: O Prophet, say to these people, but the context itself indicates that it is an invitation to the Oneness of God, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) is presenting according to Allah’s command. Besides Surah Al-Fatihah, there are also several other instances of this style in the Quran, where though the word is of Allah, the speakers somewhere are the angels and somewhere the Prophet, and the context shows as through whom Allah is speaking at that particular place. For instance, see (Surah Maryam, Ayats 64-65); (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayats 159-167); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayat 10).

52. Similarly, no apostle came to the Peoples before them, but they said (of him) in like manner, "A sorcerer, or one possessed"! 53. Is this the legacy they have transmitted, one to another? Nay, they are themselves a people transgressing beyond bounds!  

That is, the fact that the people of different countries and nations adopted the same attitude as against the invitation of the Prophets and opposed them in the same manner in different ages for thousands of years could not be due to the reason that all the former and the latter generations had settled in a conference that whenever a prophet came with his message, he should be given such and such an answer. Then, what could be the reason for the uniformity of their attitude and behavior? There could be no other reason for this than that rebellion and transgression was their common characteristic. As all the ignorant people of every age have been desirous of living a life free of Allah’s service and fearless of His accountability, whoever called them to the service of Allah and to lead a God-conscious life, they gave him one and the same fixed answer.

54. So turn away from them: not thine is the blame. 

In verse 54 a method of the preaching of religion has been taught which should be well understood. When a preacher of the truth has presented his message clearly before a person with rational arguments, and has also removed his doubts and objections and answered his arguments, he becomes relieved of his duty of making the truth plain. Even after this if the other person persists in his belief and creed, the responsibility for it does not lie on the preacher of the truth. It is no more necessary that he should pursue the same person, should go on spending his time in discussing things with him, and should make it a point that he has somehow to convince the same one man of the truth. The preacher, in fact, has done his duty; if the other man is not convinced, leave him alone. If the preacher does not any more attend to him, he cannot be blamed for letting a person remain involved in error, because the other person himself is responsible for his deviation and error.

 55. Do, however, keep exhorting them; for exhortation benefits those endowed with faith.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) has not been addressed here to be taught this method because, God forbid, in his preaching he unnecessarily pursued the people and Allah wanted to stop him from this fact, the real reason for stating this method is that when a preacher of the truth has done his best to make the people understand his message in a rational way and then seeing the signs of stubbornness in them withdraws from them, the people inveigh against him and start accusing him of indifference and inattention whereas, they, as they say, want to discuss things in order to understand his message. The fact, however, is that they do not intend to understand anything but only to involve the preacher in disputation and waste his time. Therefore, Allah Himself said in clear words: Turn away from them, you are not at all to blame for showing any indifference towards them. After this nobody could blame the Prophet (peace be upon him) that, according to the Book that he had brought, he had been appointed to make them understand his religion, then why he did not answer their objections.

56. I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me.

In the verse 56, only the jinn and men have been asked to serve Allah for they have been granted the freedom that they may serve Allah within their sphere of choice if they so like; otherwise they can turn away from Allah’s service as well as serve others beside Him. The rest of the creatures in the world do not have this freedom. Therefore, only about the jinn and men it has been said here that by turning away from the obedience and servitude of their Creator within the bounds of their option and choice and by serving others than the Creator, they are fighting their own nature.

57. No Sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. 

Allah does not require sustenance from His creations. Thus here Allah says: I indeed do not stand in need of their service, but it is the demand of their own nature that they should serve Me. They have been created for this very object, and fighting nature would be to their own detriment.

58. For Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance,- Lord of Power,- Steadfast (for ever). 59. For the Wrong-doers, their portion is like unto the portion of their fellows (of earlier generations): then let them not ask Me to hasten (that portion)! 60. Woe, then, to the Unbelievers, on account of that Day of theirs which they have been promised!

Thus those who have done wrong, and choose to serve others than the Lord of the universe, who disbelieve in the Hereafter, who regard themselves as irresponsible in the world, and have denied those Prophets who have tried to make them understand the reality, will stand for accountability on the Day of Judgement.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt with English subtitles:

For those readers who can understand Urdu, please listen to enlightening exegesis (tafsir) of thei surah by Dr Israr in two videos | Verses 1-23 | Verses 24-60 |

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our Reference Page "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, explanation and exegesis of all other chapters of the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation and explanation have been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  [2]

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources (links to Reference Pages given below):  

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Nouman Ali Khan
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given below. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites:

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |  4 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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Muslims in Non Muslims Countries: Argentina

Argentina is home to one of Latin America’s largest Muslim communities. There are varying estimates as to the exact number of Muslims living in Argentina as state census does not take into account the religious considerations while counting the heads. However the best estimates by the Pew Research Centre put Argentinians Muslims around  1,000,000 in in the year 2010. The first mentioned Muslim settlers were the 15th century's Moorish-Morisco (Muslims of the Iberian peninsula of North African, Middle-Eastern and Spanish descent) who explored the Americas with Spanish explorers, many of them settling in Argentina who were fleeing from persecution in Spain such as the Spanish Inquisition. [1]

Later Syrians and Lebanese, came to Argentina as immigrants during the 19th and 20th century. Currently, Islam is easily accepted in Argentina as a religion, and there is no oddity to being a Muslim in Argentine society. According to The Argentina Independent, “no discrimination exists [in Argentina] on account of being Muslim” and “a Muslim in Argentina…can practice his faith in complete peace, without any inconvenience.” [2]

There are also many mosques and cultural centers throughout Argentina, including the Central Mosque, built by Muslim Argentines in 1989, and the King Fahd Islamic Culture Centre, which is the largest mosque in South America.

In Argentina, there are a small community of believers, who are converts that attend retreats and social programs in order to share their commitments to spread the teachings of Islam. Many Muslim Argentines would gather on a weekly basis to learn about their faith, the Quran, and the meaning of belonging to an Ummah (Community).

Although Muslims represent a minority in Argentina, the government is making an effort to ensure that Argentine Muslims are free to express their religion without facing discrimination. In 2011, the government passed legislation allowing women to wear Hijab in public without facing persecution. This law expanded the freedom of religion and expression in Latin America, and helped “the Muslim community to better integrate into Argentine society.” In addition, “according to the new law, Argentinean Muslim women can use photographs wearing headscarf for their national ID cards.”

While in many other countries where Muslim population is increasing, it is the other way in Argentina where the number of Argentine Muslims is decreasing due to several key factors: [2] 

• Firstly, many customs are being lost including learning about the Islamic culture, religion, and the Arabic language. Many Muslim Argentines only have one Muslim parent and do not know Arabic as the younger generations have learned Spanish as their first language. 
• Secondly, there is very little reading material for native Spanish speakers or texts relevant to Islam, especially the Quran. 
• And lastly, there is a lack of study centers and madrasas (Schools) for Islamic teachings. Many Argentine Muslims have better integrated into their country’s culture and they are sometimes not aware of their origins.

Thus the present community feels that there is an urgent need to establish Muslim teaching communities in Spanish language as there are millions of Latin Americans whose native language is Spanish. The problem for conserving Islam in Argentina is that some Argentine Muslims no longer connect to their faith, and most Argentines do not even consider themselves Muslim, even though their ancestors were Muslim. There is less of a fear for Islam in Argentina than in Europe. According to Waqas Syed, the Deputy Secretary General for the Islamic Center of North America, “Unlike Europe and North America, Latin America has been quite untouched with any of the anti-Islamic rhetoric and the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslim Latinos can be described as excellent and strong.” Many Europeans and Americans associate Islam with radicalization, but this is not necessarily the case in Argentina. [2]

The Muslim and Jewish communities rather go well with each other. Despite the fact that there have been attacks on the Jewish communities and Jews had reservations about Muslims' involvement, both the communities still get together and try to have harmonious relationship. 

I came across an article "In Argentina, Muslims and Jews make hummus not war" - which is about a coexistence initiative, by both Muslims and Jews in Argentina’s bustling capital city of Buenos Aires. In September 2017, 20 amateur chefs participated in a hummus-making competition at the Tetuan Moroccan Grill restaurant in the trendy Palermo Soho neighborhood. About 300 people showed up to see judges award a winner of what was unofficially dubbed The First World Championship of Hummus. The event was less about competition and more about bringing people of different cultures and religions together through the food they all love. [3]

However, the Muslim community in Argentina, along with the Diaspora across Latin America and worldwide, has been subject to the Western media’s biased and faulty inferences about Muslims. But despite these reservations, Muslims live a life as per their beliefs and trying to coexist with Jews and other faiths. In the capital Buenos Aires, one can find halal meat and eateries serving halal food. Besides there a re number of centers teaching Arabic and selling Islam related books.

Watch a video in which Muslims are seen welcoming the Hijab law in Argentina:

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references as given below. IF any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo (King Fahd Islamic Cultural Center)| References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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Surah At-Tur - The Mount - Exegesis of 52nd Chapter of Holy Quran

Sūrat aṭ-Ṭūr is the 52nd surah with 49 ayahs with two rukus, part of the 27th Juzʼ of the Holy Qur'an. The surah opens with the oath of Allah Almighty swearing by the Mount of Sinai, where the Torah was revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him). It takes its name from "Wat Tur.(The Mount Tūr) mentioned in the very first Ayah.

This surah appears to have been revealed at time when Surah Ad-Dhariyat was revealed in Makkah. I t was the time when the Prophet of Allah was facing acute objections and accusations from the pagans of Makkah. However, there is no evidence yet to show that severe persecution of the Muslims had started.

Let us now read explanation of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

The subject matter of its first section (verses 1-28) is the Hereafter. As arguments for its possibility, necessity and occurrence had already been given in Surah Adh-Dhariyat, these have not been repeated here. However, swearing an oath by some realities and signs which testify to the Hereafter, it has been stated most emphatically that it will surely come to pass, and none has the power to prevent its occurrence. Then, it has been stated as to what will be the fate of those who deny it when it actually occurs, and how will those who believe in it and adopt the way of piety and righteousness accordingly, be blessed by Allah.

The surah begins with Allah taking oath of five things as a preamble for the text and subject to follow (refer to verse 7 later):

1. By the Mount (of Revelation); 2. By a Decree inscribed 3. On fine parchment; 

In ancient times the books and writings which were meant to be preserved for long were written on the skin of deer instead of the paper. This skin was especially prepared for writing as a thin and fine parchment and was called رَقٍّ (raqq) terminologically. The Jews and Christians in general wrote the Torah, Psalms, the Gospels and the Prophets’ Books on this same raqq so that they would endure. Here, by Scripture inscribed is implied the same collection of the holy scriptures which the followers of the Book possessed. It has been described as unrolled because it was not extinct; it was read and one could easily find out what was written in it.

4. By the much-frequented House.

 According to Hasan Basri, the much-frequented House implies the House of Allah, the Kabah, which is never without its visitors and pilgrims at any time of the day and night. However, Ali, Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Mujahid, Qatadah, Dahhak, Ibn Zaid and others are of the opinion that it implies the Bait-al-mamur (in Heavens) which the Prophet (ﷺ) referred to in connection with his Miraj (Ascension), against the wall of which he had seen the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) reclining. It is opined that just as the Kaabah is the center and place of refuge for all God-worshipers, so is there in every heaven a similar Kaabah for its dwellers which occupies a similar central position for the worshipers of Allah there. One of these Kaabahs was the one against the wall of which Prophet (ﷺ) had seen the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) reclining on the occasion of the Mairaj; with which Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had a natural affinity, for he was the first builder of the Kaabah of the earth. In view of this explanation, this second commentary does not go against the commentary given by Hasan Basri, but if both are read together, we can understand that here the oath has not been sworn only by the Kaabah of the earth, but it also includes an oath by all the Kaabahs that are there in the entire universe.

5. By the Canopy Raised High; 6. And by swelling sea ( وَالۡبَحۡرِ الۡمَسۡجُوۡرِۙ‏ )

The roof exalted (verse 5): the sky which seems to be spread over the earth like a vault; here this word has been used for the entire universe. 

Verse 6: Several meanings have ban given of the word al-bahril-masjur as used in the original. Some commentators have taken it in the meaning of full of fire; some take it in the sense of empty and unoccupied, the water of which might have sunk into the earth; some take it in the meaning of restricted and confined by which they imply that the ocean has been restrained so that its water neither sinks into the earth nor spreads over the land to drown all its dwellers. Some have taken it in the meaning of mixed and blended because in it sweet and saline, warm and cold, water is mixed together; and some take it in the meaning of brimful and surging. The first two of these meanings bear no relevance to the context. These two states of the ocean-splitting of the bottom of the ocean and sinking of its water into the earth and then its being filled with fire will appear on the Day of Resurrection, as mentioned in (Surah At- Takweer, Ayat 6 "when the seas shall be set boiling") and (Surah Al-Infitar, Ayat 3 "when the seas are made to burst forth,"). These states of the future do not exist at present and therefore cannot be sworn by to convince the people of today of the occurrence of the Hereafter. Therefore, here al-bahril-masjur can be taken only in the meaning of confined, mixed, brimful and surging.

7. Verily, your Lord's chastisement shall come to pass. 8. none can avert that.

Verse 7: This is that truth for which an oath has been sworn by the five things. “The punishment of your Lord” implies the Hereafter, for it will be a torment for those who deny that it will come. That is why it has been called “the punishment of your Lord” instead of the Resurrection, or the Hereafter, or the Day of Retribution.

Now let us consider how the five things by which an oath has been sworn point to its occurrence:

• Mount Toor is the place where a decision was taken to exalt an oppressed nation and to abase an oppressive nation, and this decision was taken not on the basis of a physical law but on the basis of a moral law and the law of retribution. Therefore, Mount Toor has been presented as a symbol for the Hereafter. It implies that the decision of exalting a helpless nation like the children of Israel and the drowning of a powerful and mighty ruler like the Pharaoh along with his hosts, which was taken in a quiet and lifeless night on the Mount Toor, is proof of the fact how the nature of the kingdom of the universe demands that man who has been endowed with powers and authority, should be subjected to moral accountability and rewarded and punished accordingly, and for meeting this demand adequately a Day of Reckoning is necessary when the entire mankind should be gathered together and called to account for its deeds. 
• The holy scriptures have been sworn by because all the Prophets who came to the world from the Lord of the universe and the Books they brought gave the same one news in every age which the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is giving, i.e. that all humans of the former and latter generations will one day be resurrected and presented before their God and rewarded and punished according to their deeds. Every heavenly Book proclaimed that this life is not the only life. And that, after death, man will not end up in the dust forever, and that there will be both accountability and reckoning.
• “The inhabited House” has been sworn by for the reason that in those days the building of the Kaabah was a great sign, particularly for the Arabs, which pointed to the truthfulness of Allah’s Prophets and to the fact that they were supported by Allah Almighty’s far-reaching wisdom and great power. 2,500 years before the revelation of these verses a person happens to visit these barren and uninhabited mountains, without any army or worldly provision, leaving behind a wife and a suckling child devoid of material support. Then, some time later the same man returns and builds at this desolate place a house for the worship of Allah and gives a call to the people to come and visit that house as pilgrims. For 2,500 years this House continues to remain such a sanctuary of peace that while blood is shed in the country around it, none can dare raise his hand against another as soon as people enter its sacred boundaries; and then because of this very House, Arabia is blessed with four months of such total peace every year when caravans travel in full safety, trade flourishes and markets are held. Then the House inspired such awe that during this whole period no tyrant could ever look towards it with an evil intention, and whoever dared do so was so seized by Allah’s wrath that he became an object of warning for others. Such a miracle had been witnessed by the people themselves only 45 years before the revelation of these verses, and many of those who had witnessed it were still present and living in the city at the time when these verses were being recited to the people of Makkah. What greater proof could be there of the fact that the Prophets of Allah never uttered empty words?  When men of such caliber have unanimously been giving in every age the news that Resurrection shall occur and accountability shall take place, it would be sheer madness to dub it as the bragging of the insane.
• The exalted roof (the sky) and the surging ocean have been sworn by, for both of these are a pointer to Allah’s wisdom and His power, and the same wisdom and power prove both the possibility of the Hereafter and its occurrence and necessity. As for the ocean, anyone who considers it deeply with an unbiased mind will testify that the provision of water in such abundance on the earth is by itself such an amazing work which cannot be the result of an accident or chance. Its water has been made saline so that the bodies of the millions of the animals which die in it daily do not rot. Its water has been restrained at a particular level in such a way that it neither sinks into the earth’s belly passing through its cracks and holes, nor it spreads over the land to submerge it, but has been checked at the same level for millions of years. Because of the existence of this great store of water the rainfall is arranged on the dry parts of the earth, in which the heat of the sun and the circulation of the winds cooperate with full regularity. Then the ocean’s being inhabited with life and the creation in it of the various kinds of creatures has given man the advantage that he obtains from it his food and other necessities in large quantities. Then its being checked and restrained to a limit has given birth to the continents and islands which are the home of man, and became of its adhering to and following some fixed laws has it become possible that man may navigate his ships in it. Such an arrangement could not have possibly existed without the wisdom of an All-Wise Being and the power of an Absolute Ruler. Now, if this is undeniable evidence that an All-Wise and All-Powerful God has also created a vast and surging, brackish ocean besides making countless other arrangements for the purpose of settling man on the earth, then that person would be foolhardy, who expects that the All-Wise God would make arrangements for man that he should water his crops from the ocean and provide him sustenance thereby but would never question him as to how he returned thanks after eating His provisions. And that He would grant man the power that he should run his ships on the surface of the ocean but would never question him as to whether he had run the ships for the sake of the truth, righteousness and justice, or had committed robberies. Likewise, it would also be sheer folly to imagine that the Absolute Sovereign, Who has checked and restrained this vast store of water on this suspended globe which is moving in space, Who has dissolved a huge quantity of salt in it, Who has created countless varieties of creatures in it, and has arranged their sustenance therein, Who carries billions of tons of water from it every year by means of the wind and causes it to fall regularly as rain on millions of square miles of dry land, becomes so helpless and powerless after creating man that He could not resurrect him again.

In the verse 9 below, the word '"maur" is used for turning round, boiling, fluttering, rotating, swinging and moving forward and backward. The object of depicting the condition of the heavens on the Day of Resurrection in these words is to give the idea that the system of the heavens on that Day will be wholly upset, and when an observer will look up to the sky, he will feel that the constant pattern and order that it always used to present, has been broken and there is disorder, confusion and chaos on every side.

9. (It shall come to pass) on the Day when the heaven will convulse in a great convulsion, 10. And the mountains will fly hither and thither. 11. Then woe that Day to those that treat (Truth) as Falsehood 12. and amuse themselves with vain argumentation. 

Verse 12: It means that they are mocking and ridiculing the news of Resurrection, Hereafter, Heaven and Hell when they hear it from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and instead of considering it seriously they are disputing it only for fun and amusement. Their discussions of the Hereafter are not meant to understand the reality, but only to amuse themselves, and they do not at all realize the fate for which they arc destined.

13. That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell, irresistibly. 14. "This: it will be said, "Is the Fire, - which ye were wont to deny! 15. "Is this then a fake, or is it ye that do not, see? 16. "Burn ye therein: the same is it to you whether ye bear it with patience, or not: Ye but receive the recompense of your (own) deeds." 17. As to the Righteous, they will be in Gardens, and in Happiness 

18. enjoying what Allah will have endowed them with; and their Lord will have saved them from the torment of the Blazing Fire. 

Verse 18: There seems to be no need to mention a person’s being saved from Hell after it has been said that he will be admitted to Heaven, but at several places in the Quran these two things have been mentioned separately because a person’s being saved from Hell is by itself a great blessing. And the words, “and their Lord saved them from the punishment of Hell”, is an allusion to the truth that man’s being saved from Hell is possible only through Allah’s grace and bounty; otherwise, human weaknesses cause such flaws to occur in everyone’s work that if Allah does not overlook them by His grace and instead decides to subject him to accountability, none can save himself from His punishment. That is why although entry into Paradise is a great bounty from Allah, his being saved from Hell is no less a mercy.

19. (To them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye, with profit and health, because of your (good) deeds." 20. They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and We shall join them to Companions, with beautiful big and lustrous eyes.

وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَاتَّبَعَتۡهُمۡ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمۡ بِاِيۡمَانٍ اَلۡحَـقۡنَا بِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ وَمَاۤ اَلَـتۡنٰهُمۡ مِّنۡ عَمَلِهِمۡ مِّنۡ شَىۡءٍ​ؕ كُلُّ امۡرِیءٍۢ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِيۡنٌ‏  

 21. We shall unite the believers with those descendants of theirs who followed them in their faith, and shall not deny them any part of the reward for their good deeds. Every person is pledged to what he did.

 Verse 21: If the children had been following in the footsteps of their forefathers in faith, they will be joined with them in Paradise even though they might not deserve, on the basis of their deeds, the same high rank which the elders would attain on the basis of their superior faith and deeds, and this joining will not be of the nature of occasional visits and meetings but they will be lodged permanently with them in Paradise as is borne out by the words: alhaqna bi-him. For the sake of further satisfaction, it has been stated: In order to be joined with their offspring the parents will not be lowered and reduced in rank, but in order to be joined with their elders the rank of the children will be enhanced and exalted.

The last word of the verse 21 the metaphor of " رَهِيۡنٌ‏" rahn (pledge) is very meaningful. If a person takes a loan from somebody, and the creditor keeps some article belonging to the debtor with himself as a guarantee for the payment of his right, the debtor cannot redeem his pledge unless he pays off the debts; and if he does not redeem his pledge within the fixed time limit, the pledged article stands forfeited. The nature of the affair between man and God has been compared here to this very situation. The provisions, powers, capabilities and authority that God has granted man in the world are a debt that the Master has given to His servant, and as a guarantee for this debt the self of man is a pledge with Allah. If man by employing the provisions and the powers and authority in the right way earns the good by which the debt can be paid off, he will redeem the pledged thing, i.e. his own self, otherwise it will be forfeited. This thing has been said immediately after the preceding verse because even though the righteous believers may themselves be the people of a very high rank, their children cannot redeem their pledge unless they redeem their self by their own labor and effort. The earning of the forefathers cannot redeem the children. However, if the children are able to redeem themselves by virtue of their faith in some degree by following their righteous forefathers in their footsteps, it would then be Allah’s grace and bounty that in Paradise He may exalt them from lower ranks to be joined with their parents in the higher ranks. The good done by the forefathers can benefit the children only so far, but if by their own deeds they deserve Hell, it is not possible that they may be admitted to Paradise for the sake of the forefathers. Another thing that can be deduced from this verse is that the less righteous children’s being joined with their more righteous forefathers is not in reality the result of the lifework of the children but of their forefathers’. They by virtue of their deeds will deserve the grace that their children be joined with them in order to be a comfort of the eyes for them. That is why Allah will not lower their ranks to join them with their children but will exalt the children’s ranks to be joined with them, so that the perfection of Allah’s blessings on them is not marred by the distress that they may suffer on account of the remoteness of their children far away.

22. And We shall bestow on them, of fruit and meat, anything they shall desire. 23. They shall there exchange, one with another, a (loving) cup free of frivolity, free of all taint of ill. 24. Round about them will serve, (devoted) to them. Youths (handsome) as Pearls well-guarded. 25. They will advance to each other, engaging in mutual inquiry. 26. They will say: "Aforetime, we were not without fear for the sake of our people. 27. "But Allah has been good to us, and has delivered us from the Penalty of the Scorching Wind. 28. "Truly, we did call unto Him from of old: truly it is He, the Beneficent, the Merciful!"

In the second section (verses 29-49) the Quraish chiefs' attitude towards the message of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah he upon him) has been criticized. They called him a sorcerer, a madman, or a poet, and would thus mislead the common people against him so that they should not pay any serious attention to the message he preached. They looked upon him as a calamity that had suddenly descended on them and would openly wish that he met with a disaster so that they were rid of him. They accused him of fabricating the Qur'an by himself and of presenting it in the name of Allah, and this was, God forbid, a fraud that he was practicing. They would often taunt him, saying that God could not have appointed an ordinary man like him to the office of Prophet-hood. They expressed great disgust at his invitation and message and would avoid him as if he was asking them for a reward for it. They would sit and take counsels together to devise schemes in order to put an end to his mission. And while they did all this they never realized what creeds of ignorance they were involved in and how selflessly and sincerely was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exerting himself to deliver them from their error. While criticizing them for this attitude and conduct, Allah has put them certain questions, one after the other, each of which is either an answer to some objection of theirs, or a criticism of some error. Then, it has been said that it would absolutely be of no avail to show them a miracle in order to convince them of his Prophet-hood, for they were such stubborn people as would misinterpret anything they were shown only to avoid affirming the faith.

29. Therefore proclaim thou the praises (of thy Lord): for by the Grace of thy Lord, thou art no (vulgar) soothsayer, nor art thou one possessed. 30. Or do they say: - "A Poet! we wait for him some calamity (hatched) by Time!" 31. Say thou: "Await ye! - I too will wait along with you!" 32. Is it that their faculties of understanding urge them to do this, or are they but a people transgressing beyond bounds? 33. Or do they say, "He fabricated the (Message)"? Nay, they have no faith!34. Let them then produce a recital like unto it, if (it be) they speak the truth!35. Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators?36. Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief.

 Verse 37 is an answer to the objection of the disbelievers of Makkah who said: Why had Muhammad (peace be upon him), son of Abdullah, only been appointed a Messenger?

37. Or do they have your Lord's treasures in their keeping? Or do you have absolute authority over them? 

The answer implies this: Somebody in any case had to be appointed a Messenger in order to deliver the people from their error of serving others than Allah. Now the question is: Who should decide whom Allah should appoint His Messenger and whom He should not? If these people refuse to accept the Messenger appointed by Allah, it means that either they regard themselves as the masters of the world or they presume that the world may belong to Allah, but it should be ruled by them.

38. Or do they have a ladder whereon they can climb and attempt to listen (to what is transpiring in the Higher Realm)? Then, let any of them who has listened to it produce a clear proof of it. 39. Or has He only daughters and ye have sons? 

In verses 38 and 39 a detailed reasoning has been compressed into these brief sentences. It means to say: If you deny what the Prophet (peace be upon him) says, then what other means do you have to know the reality? Has any of you had access to the heavens where he found out directly from Allah or His angels that the beliefs on which you have based your religion are absolutely in accord with the reality? If someone makes this claim, he should come forward and tell as to when and how he had access to the heavens and what knowledge he has brought from there. If you do not make any such claim, then consider how ridiculous is your creed that you assign children to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and that too daughters, whom you regard as disgraceful for yourselves. Without knowledge you are wandering in the darkness of such errors and turning hostile to the person who brings to you the light of knowledge from God.

40. Or is it that thou dost ask for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?41. Or that the Unseen in it their hands, and they write it  down?  

In verse 42, the allusion is to the secret plots that the disbelievers of Makkah used to devise in their meetings in order to defeat the mission of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and to kill him.

42. Or are they contriving a stratagem against you? If so, that stratagem will rebound against the unbelievers. 

This is one of the clear prophecies of the Quran. In the initial stage at Makkah when the Prophet (ﷺ) had no apparent power and support with him except a handful of the ill-equipped Muslims and the whole nation was opposing and resisting him relentlessly, the confrontation between Islam and disbelief appeared to be utterly unequal. No one at that time could imagine that after a few years the tables would be turned on disbelief. Rather, the superficial observer could safely predict that the strong opposition of the Quraish and entire Arabia would at last put an end to the message of Islam. But even under those conditions, a challenge was thrown to the disbelievers and they were told in clear terms: You may devise whatever plots you wish in order to frustrate this message, they will all recoil upon you, and you will never succeed in defeating and putting an end to it.

43. Or have they a god other than Allah. Exalted is Allah far above the things they associate with Him! 

The verse 44 is meant to expose the stubbornness of the Quraish chiefs on the one hand; and to console the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions, on the other. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions wished that those people should be shown such a miracle by Allah as should convince them of the truth of his Prophet-hood.

44. Were they to see a piece of the sky falling (on them), they would (only) say: "Clouds gathered in heaps!" 

At this, it has been said: Whatever miracle they might see with their eyes, they will in any case misinterpret it and invent an excuse for persisting in disbelief, for their hearts are not at all inclined to believe. At several other places also in the Quran their this stubbornness has been mentioned, e.g. in (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 111), it has been said: Even if we had sent down the angels to them and made the dead speak to them and ranged all the things of the world before them (as a proof thereof), they would still have disbelieved, and in( Surah Al-Hijr, Ayat 15): Even if We had opened a gate for them in heaven, and they had begun to ascend through it during day time, they would have said: Our eyes have been dazzled; nay, we have been bewitched.

45. So leave them alone until they encounter that Day of theirs, wherein they shall (perforce) swoon (with terror), 46. The Day when their plotting will avail them nothing and no help shall be given them. 47. And verily, for those who do wrong, there is another punishment besides this: But most of them understand not. 48. Now await in patience the command of thy Lord: for verily thou art in Our eyes: and celebrate the praises of thy Lord the while thou standest forth, 49. And for part of the night also praise thou Him, - and at the retreat of the stars!

As can be noticed that In the beginning of second section as well as in its end, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has been given the instruction that he should persistently continue giving his invitation and preaching his message in spite of the accusations and objections of his opponents and enemies, and should endure their resistance patiently till Allah's judgment comes to pass. Besides, he has been consoled, as if to say "Your Lord has not left you alone to face your enemies, after raising you as a Prophet, but He is constantly watching over you. Therefore, endure every hardship patiently till the Hour of His judgment comes, and seek through praising and glorifying your Lord the power that is required for exerting in the cause of Allah under such conditions.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat aṭ-Ṭūr with English subtitles:

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our Reference Page "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, explanation and exegesis of all other chapters of the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation and explanation have been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  [2]

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources (links to Reference Pages given below):  

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Nouman Ali Khan
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given below. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites:

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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