74:11 Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One)

هذه الآيات، نزلت في الوليد بن المغيرة، معاند الحق، والمبارز لله ولرسوله بالمحاربة والمشاقة، فذمه الله ذما لم يذمه غيره، وهذا جزاء كل من عاند الحق ونابذه، أن له الخزي في الدنيا، ولعذاب الآخرة أخزى، فقال: { ذَرْنِي وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيدًا } أي: خلقته منفردا، بلا مال ولا أهل، ولا غيره، فلم أزل أنميه وأربيه

يقول تعالى متوعدا لهذا الخبيث الذي أنعم الله عليه بنعم الدنيا فكفر بأنعم الله وبدلها كفرا وقابلها بالجحود بآيات الله والافتراء عليها وجعلها من قول البشر وقد عدد الله عليه نعمه حيث قال تعالى "ذرني ومن خلقت وحيدا" أي خرج من بطن أمه وحده لا مال له ولا ولد ثم رزقه الله تعالى.

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.

Leave Me to deal with him whom I created wa-man khalaqtu is a supplement to the direct object or it is an object of accompaniment lonely wahīdan is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the man ‘whom’ or to the pronoun referring to it but omitted from khalaqtu sc. khalaqtuhu alone without family or wealth — this was al-Walīd b. al-Mughīra al-Makhzūmī —

Injunction [ 6]

وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ ( and for the sake of your Lord, observe patience 74:7) The word sabr literally signifies 'to restrain oneself. In the Qur'anic context, the word has a very wide scope. It signifies to bind oneself to the laws of Allah, to restrain oneself from things made unlawful by Allah, and to control oneself, as far as possible, from unnecessary bewailing and complaining in times of difficulties and hardships. Thus this injunction is rather comprehensive which embraces almost the entire religion. On this occasion, the Holy Prophet is directed to observe patience, particularly because the earlier verses have directed him to invite the people towards the true faith and to avoid the infidelity and shirk. It is obvious that he will be opposed and persecuted by the forces of evil, as the result of his missionary efforts. He should, therefore, be ready to bear all opposition and persecution with patience and fortitude.

Having given these few injunctions to the Holy Prophet, the verses further refer to the Hereafter and its horrors. The word naqur means 'trumpet' and the verb nuqira means 'to blow into the trumpet so that it makes a loud high sound'. After stating that the Day of Doom will be very horrible for all the infidels, a particular arrogant and conceited disbeliever has been described. He was a great mischief-maker and the gravity of his punishment will befit the enormity and gravity of his sins.

(Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created lonely�) [74:11-24]. Abu�l-Qasim al-Hudhami informed us> Muhammad ibn �Abd Allah ibn Nu�aym Muhammad ibn �Ali al-Saghani> Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Dabari> �Abd al-Razzaq> Ma�mar> Ayyub al-Sikhtiyyani> �Ikrimah> Ibn �Abbas who related that al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, who read the Qur�an to him and it seemed as if his heart softened to it. Abu Jahl heard of this. He went to him and said: �O uncle, your clan want to collect money to give it to you, for you went to Muhammad exposing yourself to his message�. He said: �The Quraysh know well that I am among its wealthiest�. Abu Jahl said: �Then say something about him which will let your people know that you condemn and dislike him�. He said: �But what shall I say? By Allah, there is not a man among you who is more knowledgeable about poetry and its composition than me. By Allah, what he says does not resemble any poetry. By Allah, the speech which he utters is sweet and graceful, fruitful at the top, copious at the bottom; it has the upper hand and nothing has the upper hand over it. But let me think about what I shall say about it. Then he said [as reported by the Qur�an] (This is naught else than magic from of old) [74:24], which he simply learnt from others�. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created lonely�), and the other verses which follows it. Mujahid said: �Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah was in the habit of visiting the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and Abu Bakr so much so that the Quraysh thought he was going to embrace Islam. Abu Jahl then said to him: �The Quraysh claim that you visit Muhammad and Ibn Abi Quhafah to share food with them�. Al-Walid said to the Quraysh: �You are people of noble lineages and sound minds, but you claim that Muhammad is mad. Have you ever seen him seized by a bout of madness?� They said: �No!� He said: �And you claim that he is a soothsayer; have you ever seen him soothsaying?� They said: �No!� He said: �You claim that he is a poet; have you ever heard him utter poetry?� They said: �No!� He said: �You claim that he is a liar; have you ever caught him lying?� They said: �No!� The Quraysh said to al-Walid: �What is he, then?� He thought for a while, looked and frowned and then said: �He is nothing but a sorcerer�, hence Allah�s saying (For lo! he did consider; then he planned�) [74:12] up to His saying (This is naught else than magic from of old)�.