• Men returning the bounties of God with ingratitude

• Exhortation to the faithful servants of God to establish regular prayer and giving of alms

• The Great Bounties of God referred to

Ibrahim (Abraham) Verses 28 – 34

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ

Hast thou not seen those who have exchanged God’s bounties with ingratitude and halted their people down into the abode of perdition, (14:28)

جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ

Hell! shall they enter into it; and an evil place (it is) to stay in! (14:29)

وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْدَادًا لِيُضِلُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُوا فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ

And they set up (idols 1as) equals2to God that they may lead people astray from His path. Say! thou “Enjoy ye (your pleasures yet a while) for your return is unto the (Hell) fire.” (14:30)3

قُلْ لِعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَالٌ

Say thou (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!) unto My servants who believe that they should establish prayer and spend (in charity) secretly and openly, out of what We have given them, ere cometh the day in which there shall be no bargaining nor mutual befriending. (14:31)

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْأَنْهَارَ

God is He who created the heavens and earth, and sent down from the heavens water, then brought forth with it fruits as sustenance for you; and subjected for you the ships4that they may sail in the sea by His command; and subjected for you the rivers. (14:32)

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

And He hath subject for you the sun and the moon pursuing their {respective) courses; and He hath subject for you the night and the day. (14:33)

وَآتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ

And He giveth you 5of every thing what ye ask Him; and if ye reckon God’s bounties ye will not be able to compute6them; Verily man is very unjust; and very ungrateful. (14:34)

Commentary

Verse 28

The reference is to the leading personalities who turn out ungrateful towards the bounties bestowed on them, by sending His Apostles for their guidance. Its application is not restricted to the disbelievers, but it applies to the leading personalities who did not keep the covenants of the faith and led others astray. (A.P.)

• 1. equals in (authority).
• 2. equals in (authority).
• 3. Referable also to the Chiefs of the Quraish.
• 4. Run by Steam, by Sail or by any other energy.
• 5. Not all the prayers but some of them - But if taken to mean all prayers, then not the verbal supplicatioins but the actual needs and requirements. Refer to verse 41:10. Asking here and in 41:10 will be in the same figurative sense.
• 6. To number - To estimate.