Overview

Prologue

This surah has a special character. It begins by mentioning four forces that work by God's command, using ambiguous terms which give us an initial impression that we are being introduced to things wrapped in secrecy. God Almighty makes an oath by these four forces to emphasize a certain matter: "By those that scatter far and wide; by those that are heavily laden; by those that speed along with gentle ease; by those that distribute by command; that which you are promised is true indeed, and, for certain, judgement is bound to come." (Verses 1-6)

The words used in this opening for those four forces mentioned in the oath, i.e. al-dhariyat, al-jariyat and al-muqassimat, are not usually used to refer to immediately recognized objects. They invite questions and requests for explanation. Indeed, their very sounds impart this feeling of ambiguity, which is perhaps intended so as to give the surah its particular aura.

The first oath is hardly stated when it is followed by a second. God states this oath "By the sky and its starry pathways you people are at vari¬ance in what you say." (Verses 7-8) What you say is inconsistent, based on conjecture, not fact.

With this particular opening and by its general drift, the surah sets itself a particular objective, which is the establishment of a bond between the human heart and the sky, or rather what lies beyond the reach of human perception and known only to God. The human heart will thus become free of the constraints of this world, unchained by anything that prevents it from being dedicated to God's service. It will then be ready to move unhindered towards Him: "Flee, then, to God." (Verse 50) This would fulfil God's purpose of creation: "I have not created the jinn and mankind for any end other than they may worship Me." (Verse 56)

Since preoccupation with one's livelihood and what the future may bring with regard to it is one of the hardest of these hindrances, the surah takes particular care to free man of it, and to reassure him so that his heart turns to God, free of earthly chains. References to this point are found in several places in the surah. For example, explicit references include: "And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised." (Verse 22) and "God is indeed the Provider of all sustenance, the Lord of Power; the Ever Mighty." (Verse 58) Other references are implicit, as in the verse describing the attitude of the righteous towards money. They " would give a rightful share of their possessions to the one who asks [for help] and the one who is deprived." (Verse 19) Likewise, the surah describes Abraham's hospitality and the welcome he gave to his guests, or rather the angels he thought to be his guests. When they greeted him, he went straight to his household and brought a fat calf, yet prior to their arrival at his doorstep, they were total strangers to him.

It is all, then, about freeing one's mind from the shackles of life on earth and earning one's living, so that one looks up to heaven, yearning for its bliss, eager to earn God's pleasure and seeking His acceptance. This is the focus of all the issues the surah raises. This explains the reason for its rather ambiguous start followed by an oath by the sky and the subsequent references made to it.

Thus we see in the picture the surah draws early on the main charac-teristics of those who are God--fearing: dedication to God, worship at night, sacrifice of money, assigning a portion of it to the poor and the deprived: "The God-fearing will be amid gardens and springs. They will happily receive what their Lord will grant them; for they were keen to do good. They would sleep but little at night, and would pray for forgiveness at the time of dawn, and would give a rightful share of their possessions to the one who asks [fir help] and the one who is deprived." (Verses 15-19)
 
To achieve the same purpose, the surah directs our attentions to God's signs on earth and within ourselves, while also emphasizing that provisions are given by heaven. We must not, therefore, give undue importance to its immediate means on earth: "On earth there are signs for those with sure faith, and in yourselves too: can you not see? And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised." (Verses 20-22)

The same may be said about the reference to the building of the skies with ample space, while the earth has been made easy for people to traverse, and to the fact that all creatures are created in pairs. All this leads to the all-important advice that we should all turn to God paying full heed to the warnings given by His Messenger: "We built the skies with power; and We gave it a vast expanse; and We spread out the earth: how well have We prepared it! All things We have created in pairs, so that you may take thought. Flee, then, to God! I am sent by Him to give you clear warning." (Verses 47-50)

The surah concludes with a statement reiterating the same message, making clear the purpose of creating humans and jinn, and their major roles in life: "I have not created the jinn and mankind to any end other than they may worship Me. No sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. God is indeed the Provider of all sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Ever Mighty." (Verses 56-58)

Thus the surah plays on the same theme throughout, using different tunes but maintaining the same beat, directing man's heart to look to the sky.

The surah includes quick references to the stories of Abraham, Lot, Moses, the 'Ad, the Thamad and Noah's people. In its account of Abraham, the surah makes a quick reference to money, as well as the realm beyond our perception when he is given the happy news of the birth of a son to be endowed with knowledge. He and his wife are given this child when they could have never expected it. In the other stories, the reference is mainly to the fact that God's promise always comes true, just as it is emphatically stated at the beginning: "That which you are promised is true indeed." (Verse 5) Another reference to this is made at the conclusion, where the unbelievers are issued with a clear warning: "The wrongdoers shall have their share [of evil] like their predecessors. Let them not ask Me to hasten it." (Verse 59) This comes after the statement that implies that generations of unbelievers seem to have recommended to each other that they reject God's messengers: "Thus whenever a messenger came to those that lived before them, they also said: 'He is but a sorcerer, or maybe a madman.' Have they, perchance, handed down this legacy to one another? No! They are people who transgress all bounds." (Verses 52-53)

Thus the historical accounts in the surah are closely related to its main theme, namely, pure and complete heart devotion to God, freeing it from all hindrances, strengthening its bond with heaven, first by faith and then by removing obstacles that prevent man from flying to that open horizon.
 
                        
 

Overview (Verses 1 - 6)

A True Promise

By those that scatter far and wide; By those that are heavily laden; By those that speed along with gentle ease; By those that distribute by command; That which you are promised is true indeed, and for certain, judgement is bound to come. (Verses 1-6)

The surah begins with a quick beat, using ambiguous phrases to imply that it is talking about a serious matter that deserves our full attention. Inevitably though, the four ambiguous words used in the first four verses — al-hdariyat, al-jariyat and al-muqassimat — have made people ask questions, even in the very early days of Islam, as they sought further explanation. In this respect, Ibn Kathir reports:

Ali was on the pulpit in Kufah one day when he said: If you have any query about a verse in the Qur'an or a hadith by the Prophet, I will give you an answer.' Ibn al-Kawwa' asked him the meaning of ad-dhdriyat, [those that scatter], and he answered, 'the winds'. Then he said: 'What about al-hamilat [those heavily laden]?' Ali answered, 'the clouds'. The man then asked about al-jariyat [those that speed along], and (Ali's answer was, 'the ships'. The man asked: `What about al-muqassimat [those that distribute]?' Ali said, 'the angels'.

Sabigh ibn `Isl al-Tamimi asked (Umar ibn al-Khattab about these words and his reply was the same as above. `Umar felt, however, that al-Taming was asking only for argument's sake, thereby hinting at the ambiguity. By way of reprimand for his behavior, (Umar banned him from future social gatherings. Subsequently, Sabigh al-Taming repented and swore most seriously that he no longer entertained any of his earlier doubts. This report suggests that the ambiguity contained in these words encouraged those who tried to raise doubts about the Qur'an, making such words the point of their questioning. The same explanation of these words was given by Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Said ibn jubayr, al-Hasan, Qatadah, al-Suddi and many others.

God states an oath by the winds that move and scatter things such as dust, grain, pollen, clouds and other material known or unknown to us; by the clouds carrying water and driven by God Almighty to wherever He pleases; by the ships that easily float on water making use of the characteristics God has given to water, shipping and the whole universe, and by the angels carrying God's commands and delivering them as He pleases, giving details as to what matters they are concerned with.

The winds, the clouds, the ships and the angels are all God's creatures which He uses as a means to implement His will with regard to the universe and His servants. By using them in His oath, He draws attention to them and what they signify. In this way we are able to reflect on how God initiates these creatures, sets them in operation and uses them to fulfil what He wishes to be fulfilled. Mentioning them in this way invites our minds to think about the secrets they embody so that we look to their Creator. They may also, in some way, relate to the issue of sustenance, preoccupation with which the surah wants to free us from. The winds, the clouds and the ships have a definite connection with sustenance. Moreover, sustenance is one of the things that the angels distribute by God's command. Thus, we clearly see the relation between this opening and one of the main topics of the surah.

God states an oath by these four types of creation, confirming that "that which you are promised is true indeed, and, for certain, judgement is bound to come." (Verses 5-6) God has promised mankind that He will reward their good actions with what is better, and that He will requite their bad deeds with what is bad. If He delays holding them to account during their lives on earth, He will not ignore doing so in the life to come, where all reckoning and accounting will inevitably take place: "For certain, judgement is bound to come." (Verse 6) The promise is undoubtedly true, and will be fulfilled in either life. He has also promised people that their sustenance, in plenty or limited measure, is guaranteed. Again His promise in this matter is true.

God's promise to mankind is sure to be realized in the way and at the time He chooses. This needs no oath from Him. However, He makes this oath by these four types of His creation to draw attention to them, as they clearly point to His power and planning. When we contemplate these entities we have a clearer impression of the truth of God's promise and, therefore, our accountability for our deeds will inevitably take place. By their very nature, these entities suggest that life is not the result of idle play, accident or blind coincidence. Indeed, the oath leads us to view them as proofs of the divine message.