Tafsir of Surah Al-Muddaththir - Verse 25

A Threat for Whoever claims that the Qur'an is Magic

Allah threatens this wicked person whom He has favored with the blessings of this world, yet he is ungrateful for the blessings of Allah and he meets them with disbelief (in Allah) and rejection of His Ayat. He invents lies against Allah's Ayat and claims that they are the words of a man. Allah recounts to him His favors upon him when He says,

ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً

(Leave Me alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely.) meaning, he came out of the womb of his mother alone, without any wealth or children. Then, Allah provided him with

مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً

(resources in abundance.) meaning, vast and abundant. Allah then made for him,

وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً

(And children attending.) Mujahid said, "They are not absent." This means that they are present with him. They do not travel for business and trade. Rather, their servants and hired workers handle all of that for them while they are sitting with their father. He enjoys their company and delights in being with them.

وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً

(And made life smooth and comfortable for him.) meaning, `I made possible for him to amass wealth, luxuries and other than that.'

ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً

(After all that he desires that I should give more. Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat.) meaning, obstinate. This refers to his ungratefulness for his blessings after knowing (these blessings). Allah says,

سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً

(I shall force him to Sa`ud!) Qatadah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Sa`ud is a rock in Hell that the disbeliever will be dragged across on his face." As-Suddi said, "Sa`ud is a slippery rock in Hell that he will be forced to climb." Mujahid said,

سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً

(I shall force him to Sa`ud!) "This is a harsh portion of the torment." Qatadah said, "It is a torment that contains no relaxation (break for relief)." Concerning Allah's statement,

إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

(Verily, he thought and plotted.) meaning, `We only caused him to face the grievous torment of Sa`ud, that is Our bringing him close to the harsh torment, because he was far away from faith.' This was because he thought and plotted, meaning he contemplated what he should say about the Qur'an when he was asked about it. So he deliberated over what statement he should invent against it.

وَقَدَّرَ

(and plotted.) meaning, he contemplated.

فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ - ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

(So let him be cursed, how he plotted! And once more let him be cursed, how he plotted!) This is a supplication against him.

ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

(Then he thought.) meaning, he thought again and deliberated.

ثُمَّ عَبَسَ

(Then he frowned) meaning, he contracted his eyebrows together and frowned.

وَبَسَرَ

(and he looked in a bad tempered way.) meaning, he scowled and was disgusted. Concerning Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ

(Then he turned back, and was proud.) meaning, he turned away from the truth and arrogantly refused to accept and submit to the Qur'an.

فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ

(Then he said: "This is nothing but magic from that of old.") meaning, `this is magic that Muhammad received from those who were before him, and he is merely saying what he got from them.' This is why he said,

إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ

(This is nothing but the word of a human being!) meaning, it is not the Words of Allah. The person who is mentioned in this discussion is Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah Al-Makhzumi. He was one of the chiefs of the Quraysh -- may Allah curse him. Among the narrations about this is what was reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. He (Ibn `Abbas) said, "Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah entered the house of Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah and asked him about the Qur'an. When Abu Bakr informed him about it, he left and went to the Quraysh saying, `What a great thing this is that Ibn Abi Kabshah is saying. I swear by Allah that it is not poetry, nor magic, nor the prattling of insanity. Verily, his speech is from the Words of Allah!' So when a group of the Quraysh heard this they gathered and said, `By Allah, if Al-Walid converts (to Islam) all of the Quraysh will convert.' When Abu Jahl bin Hisham heard this he said, `By Allah, I will deal with him for you.' So he went to Al-Walid's house and entered upon him. He said to Al-Walid, `Don't you see that your people are collecting charity for you' Al-Walid replied, `Don't I have more wealth and children than they do' Abu Jahl answered, `They are saying that you only went to Ibn Abi Quhafah's house so that you can get some of his food.' Al-Walid then said, `Is this what my tribe is saying Nay, by Allah, I am not seeking to be close to Ibn Abi Quhafah, nor `Umar, nor Ibn Abi Kabshah. And his speech is only inherited magic of old.' So Allah revealed to His Messenger ,

ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً

(Leave me alone with whom I created lonely.) until His statement,

لاَ تُبْقِى وَلاَ تَذَرُ

(It spares not, nor does it leave (anything)!)" Qatadah said, "They claim that he (Al-Walid) said, `By Allah, I thought about what the man says, and it is not poetry. Verily, it has a sweetness and it is truly elegant. Verily, it is exalted and it is not overcome. And I have no doubt that it is magic.' So Allah revealed,

فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

(So let him be cursed, how he plotted!)

ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ

(Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way.) He contracted his eyes together and scowled." Allah says,

سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ

(I will cast him into Saqar.) meaning, `I will engulf him in it from all his sides.' Then Allah says,

وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ

(And what will make you know (exactly) what Saqar is) This is to give fright and emphasis to its matter. Then Allah explains this by His saying,

لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ

(It spares not, nor does it leave (anything)!) meaning, it eats their flesh, veins, nerves and their skins. Then their organs will be changed into something else. They will remain in this (form), not living or dying. This was stated by Ibn Buraydah, Abu Sinan and others. Concerning Allah's statement,

لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ

(Scorching for the humans!) Mujahid said, "This means for the skin." Qatadah said,

لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ

(Scorching for the humans!) "This means burning the skin." Ibn `Abbas said, "Burning the skin of man." Concerning Allah's statement,

عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ

(Over it are nineteen.) meaning, the first of the guardians of Hell. They are magnificent in (their appearance) and harsh in their character.

The Annual Income of Walid Ibn Mughirah: Ten Million Guineas

The disbeliever referred to here is Walid Ibn Mughirah. Allah had favoured him with abundant wealth, property and children. According to Ibn ` Abbas 4his land, property and gardens stretched from Makkah to Ta'if. According to Thauri, his annual income was ten million Dinars. Some scholars have estimated less than this amount. It is, nonetheless, agreed that the income and yearly produce of his fields and gardens were available in every season, winter or summer. Thus the Qur'an says:

وَّجَعَلْتُ لَهٗ مَالًا مَّمْدُوْدًا وَّبَنِيْنَ شُهُوْدًا (and I gave him extensive wealth, [ 12] and sons present before (his) eyes...74:12-13) He was recognised as the Arab leader. He was known among his fellow citizens by the title of raihanah (the Fragrance) of the Quraish. He himself used to boastfully refer to himself as Wahid Ibn-ul-Walhid 'Unique, the son of the Unique', meaning 'Neither I have any match in my nation, nor my father Mughirah.'. [ Qurtubl ]. But he was ungrateful to Allah for His favours. Despite accepting Qur'an as the Word of Allah, he imputed a lie to the Qur'an, calling it sorcery and calling the Holy Prophet a sorcerer. Tafsir of Qurtubi recounts the story thus: When the following passage of the Qur'an was revealed, the Holy Prophet was reciting it:

۝ حٰمۗ Ǻ۝ۚتَنْزِيْلُ الْكِتٰبِ مِنَ اللّٰهِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْعَلِيْمِ Ą۝ۙغَافِرِ الذَّنْۢبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوْبِ شَدِيْدِ الْعِقَابِ ۙ ذِي الطَّوْلِ ۭ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ۭ اِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيْرُ Ǽ۝

Ha Meem. [ 1] This is revelation of the Book from Allah, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, [ 2] the One who forgives sins and accepts repentance, the One who is severe in punishment, the One who is the source of all power. There is no god but He. To Him is the ultimate return (of all) [ 3]. [ 40:1-3].

Walid Ibn Mughirah, hearing the recitation, exclaimed spontaneously, in which he was forced to concede as follows:

واللہ لقد سمعت منہ کلاما ما ھو من کلام الانس ولا من کلام الجن وان لہ لحلاوۃ و ان علیہ لطلاوۃ وان اعلاہ لمثمر وان اسفلہ لمغدق وانہ لیعلموا ولا یعلی علیہ وما یقول ھذا بشر۔

'By Allah! I have heard such a speech from him [ Muhammad ] as can neither be the speech of a mortal, nor of Jinn. It has sweetness and elegance. Its upper part is fruit-bearing, and its lower part causes water to flow. Its beauty, no doubt, surpasses the beauty of all speeches, and cannot be superseded. It is not the speech of any human being. '

When the Quraish heard about what the great wealthy Arab leader had to say, it created a great convulsion in the Quraish, because it resulted in a wide inclination of the people towards Islam. This was a cause for concern for the leaders of the Quraish. They gathered and discussed (that if Walid were to embrace the Islamic faith, the rest of the Quraish would soon follow suit.) Abu Jahl put their mind at ease when he took upon himself the responsibility of speaking to him and solving the problem.

Dialogue between Abu Jahl And Walid: They Concur on the Holy Prophet's Veracity

Abu Jahl went to Walid and sat next to him, pretending to be very sad. Walid enquired, 'What is the matter? Why do you look so sad?' Abu Jahl made the reply, 'The Quraish decided to collect money for you and help you in your old age. Now they have learnt that you visit Muhammad t and son of Abu Quhafah [ ie Sayyidna Abu Bakr 4] so that you may have some eatables from them, and to this end you flatter them. You praise their speech. (Obviously, it was a lie that the Quraish was collecting money to help Walid. The lie was invented merely to make him angry. Similarly it was also a lie that he was getting food from the Holy Prophet.) ' Walid was highly enraged on hearing this. His anger knew no bounds and said in arrogance and conceit, 'How can the Quraish think this? I swear by Lat and ` Uzza [ the two Arabian idols ], I am not in need of their food. Do they not know that I am superior to them in abundance of wealth? However, when you say that Muhammad is insane, nobody would believe it. Did you ever see him perform any act of insanity?' Abu Jahl replied aU~ jy 'Never, by God!' He said, 'You claim that Muhammad is a soothsayer. Did you hear him speak like a soothsayer?' Abu Jahl's reply was again in the negative. Then Walid said, 'You say that he is a poet. Did you hear him recite poetry?' When Abu Jahl declared that he had not, Walid added, 'You say that he is a liar. Did you ever heard him telling a lie? Abu Jahl was forced to concede that they had never heard him tell a lie. (In fact, they had conferred upon him the titles of As-Sadiq 'The Truthful' and Al-` Amin 'The Honest'.). Then Walid said, 'You say that he is a soothsayer. Have you then seen him uttering such words or doing such acts as the soothsayers are accustomed to? We know well the utterings of the soothsayers. Muhammad's discourse cannot be held as the utterance of a soothsayer.' Abu Jahl again had to admit. 'No, by God!' Now Abu Jahl had to withdraw from all such false allegations, but he was wondering what he should say to the people about the Holy Prophet to stop them from following him. So, he said to Walid, "Then, you tell me what we should say about him?" Walid started thinking, then he raised his eyes towards Abu Jahl, frowned in a hateful manner, and ultimately replied, 'I think he is certainly a magician'. He knew well that the Holy Prophet is not a magician either. But in order to devise an excuse for saying so, he argued, 'Do you not see how his speech separates husband from wife, brother from brother and father from son? This is the magical effect of faith. As soon as a person embraces the faith, he begins to hate his unbelieving mother, father and other relatives.' The verses describe him thus:

17؀ۭاِنَّهٗ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ 18؀ۙفَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ 19؀ۙثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ 20؀ۙثُمَّ نَــظَرَ 21؀ۙثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ 22؀ۙثُمَّ اَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ 23؀ۙفَقَالَ اِنْ هٰذَآ اِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُّؤْثَرُ 24؀ۙاِنْ هٰذَآ اِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ 25؀ۭ (He pondered and suggested. [ 18] Death onto him! How [ bad ] is the suggestion he has put forward! [ 19] Again, death unto him! How [ bad ] is the suggestion he has put forward! [ 20] Then he looked [ to those around him,] [ 21] then he frowned and scowled, [ 22] then turned his back, and waxed proud, [ 23] then said, "This is nothing but traditional magic; [ 24] this is nothing but saying of a mortal."...25)

The word qaddara is derived from tagdir, and literally denotes 'to suggest'. The wretched Walid was fully convinced of the veracity of the Messengership of the Holy Prophet, but his anger got the better of him, and being vanquished by his arrogance and conceit, he had decided to oppose him. However, he wanted to abstain from lying openly, so that he might not be exposed to shame and disgrace. Therefore, he pondered very carefully, and suggested that he should be labelled a 'magician' on the grounds that his speech causes separation between father and son, and between brothers, as it happens in the case of sorcery. He is therefore cursed repeatedly in the verses cited above.

Unbelievers Abstained from Telling Lies

When we analyse, it would appear very clearly that all unbelievers and transgressors were involved in committing all kinds of sins and shameful deeds, but they abstained from the enormity of telling lies. Abu Sufyan's statement in the royal court of Heraculus shows that the pagans were willing to sacrifice their lives and children in opposing the Holy Prophet ", but they were not willing to tell lies lest they are socially stigmatised as liars. Alas, in this so-called progressive world where everything moves retrogressively 'telling lies' is no sin. It is in fact treated as a great art. Let alone unbelievers, even the pious and religious Muslims do not find it hateful. They pride upon telling lies and getting others to tell lies. We seek Allah's refuge from such an attitude.

Children's Stay with the Father is a Great Boon

While mentioning the favours Allah had bestowed on Walid, the Holy Qur'an has said, ۙوَّبَنِيْنَ شُهُوْدًا 13؀'and sons present before (his) eyes, [ 13] '

This shows that just as the birth of children and their being alive are a boon of Allah, their staying with parents is also a great divine blessing, because it is the cause of coolness of their eyes and a satisfaction of their heart. Additionally, abiding in their presence, children can be of assistance to the parents in their service and businesses. But the progress which this retrogressive age is making is based on gold and silver currencies. Comfort and peace are founded on promissory notes. Parents throw away their children in foreign countries. They are happy at their children's staying overseas for years, and it does not matter if they do not see their faces all their lives as long as they receive news of their huge earnings and salaries or income, enabling them to express their superiority to their family members. This indicates that they are unaware of the concept of peace and comfort. This should be the result of forgetting Allah as the Qur'an says:

نَسُوا اللّٰهَ فَاَنْسٰـىهُمْ اَنْفُسَهُمْ

'...those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget their own selves_[ 59:19] '

The greatest impediment to acceptance of the Truth is a man’s egoism or pride. Those who attain a high status in society do not accept the Truth for the simple reason that, by such acceptance, their greatness will be diminished. In order to cover up their rejection, they try to find defects in the discourse of the preacher of Truth. They try to degrade him by making allegations against him.