Day 284; Qur’an 77: 1-50, pages 580-581

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

Yusuf Ali’s explanation of this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s explanation of this Chapter..

NEW: Laleh Bakhtiar’s explanation of this Chapter.

سورة المرسلات

'Those Sent Forth’

 

 

From Introduction of Yusuf Ali:

“This Surah belongs to the early Makkan period, somewhere near to Surah 75 (Al Qiyamah). The theme is somewhat similar. It denounces the horrors of the Hereafter, for those who rejected Truth. The refrain, "Ah woe, that day, to the Rejecters of Truth!" which occurs ten times in its fifty verses, or, on an average once in every five verses, indicates the leitmotif.”

From Introduction of Muhammad Asad:

 

TAKING its name from the word al-mursalat which appears in the first verse (and which obviously refers to the gradual revelation of the Qur'an), this surah may be placed chronologically between surahs 104 (Al-Humazah) and 50 (Qaf), i.e., almost certainly in the fourth year of the Prophet's missio

COMMENTS:

 

This Chapter begins by invoking magnificent yet familiar natural phenomena to take us through the creative process which brought about our earthly existence... onto the cataclysms which shall end it... onto the Hereafter with its recompense of agony for some, and bliss for others.. meanwhile ten times warning 'The Beliers/ Al Mukath-thibeen/ المكذبين' (who had belied God's Messengers/ Messages) of an impending time of 'Bewailing' which shall be upon them. This Chapter is carries verses of STRONG Dissuasion!

The title, 'Al Mursalaat,' or 'Those (f) sent forth'(ⁱ):

When we look at the verb 'arsalna' (sent forth) in the Qur'an, we notice that God has specified that He has 'sent' Messengers (human and angelic), as well as winds, storms, floods, lightning, rain, and other such phenomena, but He does NOT use this specific verb to indicate 'sending forth' the Qur'an, the Compilation, or its verses.

The 'Mursalaat' therefore (and the next noun 'AaSifaat-العاصفات' joined to it) seem both to be about universally observable signs of nature. Light breezes, then stormy winds, bearing both promise and peril.

The following three nouns seem to be about Custodian/ Angels.

 

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1.  This Chapter begins with an 'oath,' calling out several momentous phenomena so as to draw our attention to its subject matter (known grammatically as 'the object of the oath/ jawaab el qassam').

New Readers: Put 'importance oath' in 'Search.'

Note how the oath appears mostly in the Qur'an to draw attention to the certainty of final Judgment. Here, it points to the inevitable advent of the 'Time/ Day' of Differentiation/ Distinction/ 'Yawm al FaSl-يوم الفصل' (mentioned six times in the Qur'an).

After this initial oath, which invokes light breezes and forceful gales, a second oath flows smoothly into line in Verse 3... but this time, it invokes more than wind! It invokes 'Those who Spread God's Mercy all around (ⁱⁱ), then 'Who distribute (matters of wisdom) all around' (ⁱⁱⁱ), then 'Who cast down a 'Thikr/ Reminder' from Him,' as a sanction (for certain deeds) or as a warning (against others). These descriptions seem to fit 'Custodians/ Angels' who, as Emissaries of God, 'broad+cast' God's Mercy and wise Revelation to us.

Listen to this Chapter, dear Reader, and notice its rhyme and rhythm (Recitation> Al-Afasy).

2.  After vowing by seen and unseen phenomena, Verse 7 gives us the OBJECT of the oath:

'Indeed, what you (all) are promised, shall certainly befall.'

But what are we promised, which is of such great consequence to merit all these oaths?

Verses 8-11 increase us in awe, bringing us closer to it, introducing HUGE galactic events leading up to 'what we are promised':

The stars are obliterated (^iv), and the exalted expanse comes apart, and the mountains are uprooted/ exposed (^v), and the Messengers are 'timed' (^vi), to what event/ time/ day they'd been postponed.

THEN we are told what it is that everything leads up to:

'To the Separating/ Differentiating Event/ To the Time of Distinction!'

This is the momentous occurrence which ALL these verses were leading up to, the time when all us Cognizant Humans shall be sorted out, differentiated, and distinguished by our deeds (^vii)!

Did you notice that in this Chapter alone 'Yawm al FaSl-يوم الفصل'' is mentioned three times? That is the main topic!

Verse 14 tells the Messenger/ Listener that he would not be able to 'pursue to determine' what Yawm al FaSl is (put 'daraa' in 'Search'). Some Commentators see this as a rhetorical question, as in 'How would you/ could you determine what it is?' (^viii)

3. Verse 15 evokes an image of 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that 'day'- for 'Those who had Belied' ويل للمكذبين (giving us the major characteristic AND regretful recompense of those who had called their Messengers 'liars'). We already encountered the expression 'wail-un' in HQ 52:11, where we spoke of its Arabic origin.
We shall hear this condemnation repeated TEN TIMES in this Chapter of 50 verses; One fifth of this chapter bewails those who belie God's Message and Messengers!
4. Verses 16- 19 draw our attention to past peoples, generation after generation who were caused to expire, again 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- 'Those who had Belied.'

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5. Verses 20- 22 begin with a rhetorical question, before giving us so much to be in awe of:
'Did We not create you (all) from 'still/ despised' water which was 'rendered/ delivered' to 'settle in security,' (remaining there) until a well-recognized/ well-known 'Projection/ Qadar' ..?
This either refers to our initial development out of water as a specie, or to the semen+ovum settling in the womb, until the time of birth.
New Readers: Please put the VERY important word 'qadar' in Search to understand how it is about 'projection' meeting 'power, ability, and strength.' I
Indeed, Verse 23 sums up the miracle of our creation and the 'competence' of our Creator:
'So We projected, and the best of Capable/ Projectors (are We).'


(God has created all beings with an innate capacity to fulfill themselves by projecting their characteristics to the utmost.)
After that, again, we hear the 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- of 'Those who had Belied.'

6. Verses 25- 28 tell us of this earth which was rendered for us an 'embracing / herding' place (v. 'kafata'^ix) when we are alive AND when we are dead, and of the towering firmaments (mountains pegged firmly in the earth), and the palatable water ('furaat') given to us to drink.
After that, again, we hear the 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- of 'Those who had Belied.' Verses 29- 40 address them DIRECTLY this time, telling them to rush-forth/ 'release themselves' (root-verb: Talaqa/ طلق).... whereto?
…. TO THAT WHICH YOU HAD BEEN BELYING!!!
Oh! Now we can better understand the wailing on their part: What they had been belying, and spent their entire lives denying, is EXACTLY what they are told to rush forth to now. No wonder they bewail themselves!
And what a scene awaits them!
Read these verses in Muhammad Asad's interpretation (his translation of 'jumaalaat' as ropes is better than Yusuf Ali's 'camels.' Put 'camel rope' in 'Search'). It is interesting to know that only a couple of commentators out of 44 researched beyond the familiar -to the lexicon- and got it right!
The words 'sharar kal qaSr' are explained as 'sparks huge as forts/ sparks like (burning) logs' by Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad. Perhaps the fire 'closing in on them' is a more accurate interpretation of this scene, because we found the root-verb 'qasara' to indicate 'enclosing' in our 1000 year old Lexicon. Put 'qasara' in Search.
Isn't Qur'an-explanation an immeasurable responsibility?
Meanwhile within these verses, we hear THREE more times the 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- of 'Those who had Belied,' telling them that on this day/ at this time, they shall not (be able to) utter anything, nor shall they have public recourse 'ithn' for excuse, and that no scheming will avail them with God.
'THIS is the Time of Differentiation/ Distinction/ in which you shall be joined
with Those (who came) Before!'

7. In Verses 41- 44 we have beautiful verses of Persuasion, as we see a category of people titled The Aware, who after having been 'sorted out/ distinguished' (as per their deeds in life), find themselves basking in shady orchards, eating the fruits they desire and enjoying its water-springs... indeed welcomed to eat and drink to contentment, in recompense for what they had been doing.
Dear Reader: It is all about our deeds in life! By our deeds we are distinguished. Here, we are not told what deeds were performed by The Aware, but we gather that their deeds must have been at par with their distinguishing feature: Awareness. As Verse 44 indicates: Taqwa and Ihsaan go hand-in-hand.
'Such do We recompense The Doers of Ultimate Goodness/ MuHsineen'

After we are given that beautiful glimpse, Verses 45- 48 take us back again to dire Dissuasion, and we hear the 'bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- of 'Those who had Belied,' Those who, when told to 'bow/ prostrate,' do NOT 'bow/ prostrate' (^x).
This seems to be it. The reason behind their calculated lying. It is not simple 'denial,' where one denies and goes one's way. Belying... calling the Messenger a 'Liar,' and calling the 'Message' a 'fabrication...' because one simply cannot give in to something greater than oneself. The 'heart/ mind/ qalb' is so stiff and SO full of itself... it cannot bow to anyone or anything other than its own ego. And we realize, once again, that since the first EVER disobedience of Iblees: The greatest fault one can have is Arrogance.
Verse 49 again presents 'Bewailing/ ويل' -on that day- for 'Those who had Belied,' then the Chapter concludes by asking (as in HQ 7: 18):
In what 'Hadeeth' after this will they have faith?
New Readers: Please put 'Hadeeth' in 'Search.'
'Hadeeth' is 'new' or 'live' communication, broadcast to living Cognizant Humans (reading or listening to it at any moment) directly from God, transmitted in His Arabic words of choice. 'This' Hadeeth is the Qur'an... to which nothing compares. It is the TRUEST of Hadeeth (HQ 4:87). It is the BEST of Hadeeth (HQ 39:23).
Now we better understand the wrong which 'Those who Belie' have done themselves and others: They have spent their entire lives belying the truest and best of communications, robbing themselves and countless generations of its benefit!
With this post, dear Reader, we end Part 29/30 of the Qur'an.
Pray for me as we near the end, and do send in your comments. If it were YOU writing this, wouldn't you want to know your dear Readers?
Peace unto all!

i

'Mursalaat' is feminine-plural for 'Mursal.' The masculine-plural, 'Mursaleen/ Mursaloon' is mentioned 26/ 9 times, in reference to the Prophet-Messengers of God. So it is not about them, but rather about something feminine-plural, which was 'sent'

Yusuf Ali sees this as reference to the winds /'riyaaH,' while Muhammad Asad sees it as reference to the 'Message' itself, and the gradual step-by-step revelation 'of the Qur'an. Zamakhshari sees it as referring mostly to the angels/ 'malaa'ikah,' while some Commentators see all three as relevant.

ii

See verb 'yanshur/ ينشر/ spread' which is used in the context of Mercy alone.

iii

See HQ 44: 1-6.

iv 

طمس: يدلُّ على محوِ الشيء ومسحِهِ. يقال طَمَسْتُ الخَطَّ، وطَمست الأثرَ. والشيءُ طامسٌ أيضاً. وقد طَمَسَ هو بنفسه 

كدر:  أصلٌ يدلُّ على خلاف الصَّفو، والآخَر يدلُّ على حركة

فالأول الكَدَر: خلاف الصَّفْو، يقال كَدِر الماءُ وكَدُر. ويقولون: "خُذْ ما صَفَا ودع ما كَدَُر". ويُستعار هذا فيقال: كَدِر عيشه. وأمَّا الأصل الآخر فيقال: انكدَرَ، إذا أسْرَع، قال الله تعالى: {وإذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ} [التكوير

v 

نسف: يدلُّ على كَشْف شيء. وانتسَفَت الرِّيحُ الشَّيءَ مثلَ التُّراب والعَصْف، كأنَّها كشفَتْه عن وجه الأرض وسلبته. ونَسْفُ البِناءِ: استِئْصالُه قَطعاً. ويقال للرُّغوة: النُّسَافة، لأنَّها تُنْتَسَف عن وجه اللَّبَن. وقولهم انتُسِفَ لونُه من ذلك

vi

The word 'timed' here seems related to HQ 5: 109, regarding the Messengers being awarded an occasion in which God gathers them all, and asks them about the response they got from their people

Dear Reader:

Let us marvel together at the PRECISION of the Arabic Qur'an: When we put these two words ' answered + Messengers/رسل أجبتم' in Tanzil (our 'Qur'an Search-Engine') we see that this combination appears only twice in Qur'an to show BOTH SIDES being questioned. Indeed, even as the Messengers are questioned as to what response they got, people shall be questioned as to what response they gave! Such precision in terminology can only be found in the Arabic Qur'an; there is no compilation on earth even similar to its consistency.

vii

See occurrences of 'faSala' in Qur'an.

viii

The term 'ma adraaka' appears 13 times in the Qur'an.

ix 

كفت:  يدلُّ على جَمْعٍ وضمّ. من ذلك قولهم: كفَتُّ الشَّيءَ، إذا ضممتَه إليك. قال رسول الله عليه الصلاة والسلام في اللَّيل: "واكفِتُوا صِبْيَانكم"، يعني ضُمُّوهم إليكم واحبسوهم في البُيوت. وقال عزّ وجلّ: {ألَمْ نَجْعَلِ الأَرْضَ كِفَاتاً. أحياءً وأمْوَاتاً} [المرسلات 25، 26]. يقول: إنَّهم يَمشُون عليها ما دامُوا أحياءً، فإذا ماتُوا ضمَّتهم إليها في جَوْفها.

ويقال: جَرِابٌ كَفِيتٌ: لا يُضَيِّعُ شيئاً يُجعَل فيه. وأمَّا قولهم إنّ الكَفْتَ: صرفُكَ الشّيءَ عن وجهه فيَكْفِتُ أي يرجع، فهذا صحيح، لأنّه يضمه عن جانب. والكَفْتُ: السَّوق الشديد، لأنَّه يضم الإبل ضمَّاً ويَسوقُها، كما يقال يَقْبِضُها. وسيرٌ كَفِيتٌ، أي سريع، من هذا.

x 

  ركع: يدلُّ على انحناءٍ في الإنسان وغيرِه. يقال ركَعَ الرّجلُ، إذا انحنى. وكلُّ منحنٍ راكع. قال لَبيد وفي الحديث ذِكْر المشايخ الرُّكَّع، يريد به الذين انحنَوْا. والرُّكوع في الصلاة من هذا. ثمّ تصرّف الكلامُ فقيل للمصلِّي راكع، وقيل للسَّاجد شكراً: راكع. قال الله تعالى في شأن داودَ عليه السلام: {فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعاً وَأَنَابَ} [ص 24]. وقال في موضع آخر: {وَاسْجُدِي وَارْكَعِي مَعَ الرّاكِعِينَ} [آل عمران 43]، قال قومٌ: تأويلها اسجدي، أي صلِّي؛ واركعي مع الراكعين، أي اشكري لِله جلّ ثناؤُه مع الشاكرين