• The recompense of the good and the evil

• How the former disbeliever people were destroyed

• The lesson in the destruction of the previous people for those who have a heart to understand and ears to hear

• To glorify God morning and evening

Qaf Verses 30 – 45

يَوْمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ امْتَلَأْتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ

That day We will say unto hell: “Art thou filled up?” And it will say: “Are there (any) more?” (50:30)1

وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ

And the Garden (Paradise) shall be brought near unto the pious ones, not far (from thence). (50:31)

هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ

“This is what ye have been promised; (this is) for every one who turneth (frequently) unto God, (and) guardeth (His limits);” (50:32)

مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ

“Who feareth the Beneficent God in secret, and cometh (unto Him) with a heart, turned (to Him in devotion)” (50:33)2

ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ

“Enter it ye in peace, this is the Day of eternal life!” (50:34)

لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ

For them therein shall be whatever they desire and with Us is yet more. (50:35)

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ هَلْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ

And how many a generation We did destroy before them who were mightier than they in power! then they did wander through the lands; (searching) if there was any place of refuge (for them)? (50:36)

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ

Verily in this is a reminder for him who hath a heart or he giveth ear with the presence of his mind. (50:37)

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِنْ لُغُوبٍ

And indeed created We the heavens and the earth and what is between them two, in six periods and touched Us not any fatigue.3(50:38)

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ

So be thou patient on what they say, and celebrate the praise of thy Lord ere the rising of the sun and ere its setting, (50:39)4

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَارَ السُّجُودِ

And in the night glorify Him and after the prostrations (prayers). (50:40)

وَاسْتَمِعْ يَوْمَ يُنَادِ الْمُنَادِ مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ

And listen for the day whereon the crier shall cry from near place, (50:41)

يَوْمَ يَسْمَعُونَ الصَّيْحَةَ بِالْحَقِّ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُرُوجِ

The Day when they hear the cry in truth; that is the Day of coming forth (from the graves) (50:42)

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْنَا الْمَصِيرُ

Verily, We give life and cause death, and unto Us shall all return. (50:43)

يَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ الْأَرْضُ عَنْهُمْ سِرَاعًا ذَٰلِكَ حَشْرٌ عَلَيْنَا يَسِيرٌ

The Day on which the earth shall cleave asunder under them, they will make haste; that is a gathering together easy for Us, (50:44)5

نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِجَبَّارٍ فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ

We know best what they say, and thou art not one to compel6them; therefore remind him though the Quran who feareth My threat. (50:45)

Commentary

Verse 30

To make man know that the hell is not a place of any limited accommodation for God’s punishment to stop for want of any space in the hell for the sinners. Any number of the convicts thrown into it, would never fill it, there would still be space for even more.

Verse 35

The main feature of the heavenly life, is having what is wanted - and free from any need - i.e., satisfaction with blessing after blessing. (A.P.)

Verse 37

Only those would be benefited by the Holy Qur’an who have hearts to understand, who have ears to hear the truth and who are and an there ready to bear witness to the Truth, i.e., only those who make a sincere and an intelligent study of it. Jesus has also said the same thing. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”7

Either with a pure heart to reflect the Truth or listen to the former, with the presence of mind. (A.P.)

Verse 38

Refer to verses 7:54, 41:12, 10:3, 11:7, 25:59, 31:4, 40:9. Regarding fatigue of any kind not touching God, see 35:35.

This confirms that the total periods of creation does not exceed six.8 (A.P.)

Verse 39

This verse hints about the five daily canonical prayers. The prayers before sunrise, Fajr. 2 and 3 ‘Zuhr’ the (afternoon prayers and Asr 4 and 5) Sunset and the night prayers, i.e., Maghrib and Isha.

Man has always to remember His real Lord but for the individual adoration the best times are enumerated in this verse.

Verse 40

By the glorification at night referred to here, is taken as ‘Tahajjud’ (i.e., after the Midnight prayers) which is among the supernumerary or the extra prayers called the ‘Sunnat’ or the Nawafil. After the prostration is taken as the Sunnat prayers and the remembering God’s glorious attributes (on a rosary) or the extra supplication by concluding the prayers, attitude of the individual in meditation and seeking the divine grace for the individual.

Verse 42

The reference may be to the advent of the Last Imam Mahdi and the return of Jesus or the Final Resurrection but the contents are more in favour of the first - for it commands to listen which can refer to the living while the resurrection will only follow the second Trumpet and there will be none living to listen. (A.P.)

Verse 44

This may refer to the Total Resurrection or the partial one9 (A.P.)

• 1. The main feature of the State of hell is dissatisfaction.
• 2. Refer to verses 35:18, 36:11
• 3. Refer to verses 50:15, 35:35, 7:54
• 4. Refer to verses 20:130; 38:17; 40:55; 52:48–49; 15:97–99.
• 5. This may refer to the total resurrection or the partial one. (A.P.). Refer to note on verses 20:102, 27:83.
• 6. Refer to note on verse 2:256
• 7. Math. 11/15.
• 8. Refer to verses 41:9-11.
• 9. Refer to verses 20:102 & 27:83