Dear Readers, As Salaamu Alaikum
Today we will do Tafsir of verses 13-19 of Surah Al 'Alaq (The Clot)
13) Hast thou seen if he denieth (Allah’s guidance) and is forward?
14) Is he then unaware that Allah seeth?
15) No indeed! If he does not desist, We will seize him by the forelock –
16) a lying, sinful forelock!
17) Let him call his henchmen,
18) We will call the guards of Hell!
19) No indeed, do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near (to Allah).
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) proceeds to threaten those who persists in such a state, “No indeed! If he does not desist,” from what he says and does “We will seize him by the forelock,” forcibly, harshly as is befitting “a lying,” in what it says “sinful” in what it does “forelock! Let him” who is deserving of this punishment “call his henchmen,” his companions and friends, and those around him to help him out of his predicament. “We will call the guards of Hell,” to seize him and torment him.
16) a lying, sinful forelock!
17) Let him call his henchmen,
18) We will call the guards of Hell!
19) No indeed, do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near (to Allah).
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) proceeds to threaten those who persists in such a state, “No indeed! If he does not desist,” from what he says and does “We will seize him by the forelock,” forcibly, harshly as is befitting “a lying,” in what it says “sinful” in what it does “forelock! Let him” who is deserving of this punishment “call his henchmen,” his companions and friends, and those around him to help him out of his predicament. “We will call the guards of Hell,” to seize him and torment him.
Carefully consider which of the two groups is mightier and more able! This then is the state of this prohibiter and the punishment he is threatened with. As for the one who is being prohibited, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) orders him never to lend ear to such a person, “No indeed, do not obey him,” for he commands only to that which will bring loss and anguish“but prostrate,” to your Lord “and draw near,” to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) in prostration and outside of prostration by performing all the various duties of obedience: all of them draw one closer to Him and His good-pleasure.
This is general to every prohibiter and every person prohibited even though the specific occasion of revelation concerned Abu Jahl when he prohibited the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassallam) from praying and tormented him and harmed him.
So dear friends, let us follow these verses and learn a lesson. No matter how much influential or powerful we are in this world, we still have to return to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). And if a person is a transgressor or disbeliever or the one who desist men and women from worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), he is warned that he will be flung from his forelock and thrown in hell fire, his power and influence which he gathered in this world will never help him to save the torment of hell. His friends and well wishers on this earth can never come and help him too.
This verse should install fear in our hearts of the punishment of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Let us not be ignorant and let us learn and follow the religion. Teach it to others and fear Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Never stop anyone from worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). And similarly, do not obey anyone who stops you from worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). Race with each other in good deeds and keep the Qur’an and Sunnah in your mind and in your actions.
With Best Wishes
