Introduction to English Translation and Tafsir of Surah At-Talaq

 

Name of the Surah

This Surah is called At-Talaq (The Divorce) because it discusses the rules related to divorce and the waiting period of the divorcee. It begins by addressing Messenger Muhammad:

65:1 O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them during the purity period and calculate the period,

Relationship between Surah At-Taghabun and Surah At-Talaq

Surah At-Talaq comes after Surah At-Taghabun in the written copy of the Quran. Surah At-Taghabun mentions that one's wife and children may become enemies to him, which may lead to divorce and refraining from spending on one's children. Therefore, Surah At-Talaq addresses the rules related to divorce and spending on the divorcee and the children.

Surah At-Taghabun also refers to the perfect knowledge of Allah and that He knows the seen and the unseen. Likewise, Surah At-Talaq refers to the perfect knowledge of Allah with regard to the interests of women and the rules related to their divorce.

Most Important Topics Discussed in the Surah

As Surah At-Talaq was revealed in Al-Madinah, it discusses Islamic rulings regulating family affairs before and after divorce.

Surah At-Talaq begins by explaining the rules concerning divorce in accordance with Islamic law. Specifically:

• Divorce must take place during the purity period of the divorcee.
• In other words, divorce should take place after the divorcee has completed her menstruation and entered the period of purity. At that point, the divorce may take place, and the calculation of the waiting period may begin.
• The Surah also emphasizes that fear of Allah must be observed at all times, especially when spouses are about to end their marital relationship.
• Furthermore, the Surah commands husbands either to continue the marital relationship with kindness or to divorce their wives with kindness.
• It also highlights that fear of Allah and reliance upon Him should be maintained at all times.

65:1 O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them during the purity period and calculate the period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not drive them out of their homes nor should they leave unless they clear commit immoral conduct. These are the limits set by Allah and whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah – he has wronged himself. You do not know that may Allah bring about something.

The Surah then explains the waiting periods for different categories of women:

• A woman who has reached menopause has a waiting period of three months.
• A young woman who has not reached the age of puberty also has a waiting period of three months.
• A pregnant woman remains in her waiting period until she gives birth.

65:4 And those of your women, who have passed the age of menstruation, if you are unsure, their waiting period is three months and those who have not menstruated too, and the pregnant, their waiting period, is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affair easy for him.

As the rules related to the waiting period of women are mentioned, the Surah also addresses the rules concerning spending and housing during the waiting period, the payment for suckling, and the determination of appropriate compensation in such situations. The discussion of these rulings is accompanied by repeated commands to fear Allah so that wrongdoing does not occur.

65:6 Let them dwell where you dwell according to your means, and do not harass them to straiten their conditions. If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth to their babies. And if they suckle your child, give them their compensation. And you should advise one another honorably and if you have a disagreement, then another woman may suckle for him.

Finally, Surah At-Talaq concludes by warning against violating the rules of divorce and transgressing the limits set by Allah, Exalted be He. It also threatens wrongdoers with a punishment similar to that which befell the former nations that transgressed the limits set by Allah. Furthermore, the command to fear Allah at all times is repeated.

The Surah also states that reciting the revelation of Allah to bring the believers out of darkness into light is the duty of Messenger Muhammad. It further refers to the great reward for believing in the Oneness of Allah and performing righteous deeds for His sake.

Finally, the Surah presents conclusive evidence confirming the comprehensive power and knowledge of Allah by referring to the creation of the seven heavens and the seven earths, as well as the descent of the revelation and command of Allah throughout the heavens and the earth.

65:8 How many a town insolently disobeyed the command of its Lord and His Messengers; and then We called it to a severe reckoning and punished it with a horrible punishment.

65:9 So it tasted the evil consequence of its affair and the end of its affair was loss.

65:12 It is Allah, Who created seven heavens and of the earth their like, between them the command descends, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah has encompasses all things with knowledge.

 

Tafsir Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 14–18 The Trial of Wealth and Children

 

64:14 O you who believe, truly, among your wives and children there is an enemy to you; so beware of them. And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

64:15 Your wealth and your children are only a trial, and with Allah is a great reward.

64:16 So fear Allah as much as you can; and listen, obey, and spend, that is better for yourselves. And whoever is guarded against the avarice of his soul, those—they are the successful.

64:17 If you lend to Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you. And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Forbearing.

64:18 He is the Knower of the unseen and the seen; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Relationship with the Previous Part

In the previous part, the believers were commanded to obey Allah and His Messenger Muhammad. In this part, they are warned about the trial of wives and children if these relationships lead them to neglect righteous deeds. Furthermore, the believers are informed that their wealth and children are a trial. Therefore, they should beware of giving them priority over fulfilling their religious duties. They are also commanded to fear Allah and spend for His sake as much as they can. By doing so, they will attain Allah's forgiveness and abundant reward.

Cause of Revelation

Imam Muhammad Bin Jarir At-Tabari mentions that the following Ayah was revealed concerning some believers who intended to emigrate to Al-Madinah for the sake of Allah. However, their wives and children discouraged them from doing so. Thus, Allah, Exalted be He, revealed:

[64:14 O you who believe, truly, among your wives and children there is an enemy to you; so beware of them. And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.]

Abdul Allah Bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, was asked about the following Ayah:

[64:14 O you who believe, truly, among your wives and children there is an enemy to you; so beware of them. And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.]

He said,

"These were men who embraced Islam in Makkah and wished to join Messenger Muhammad in Al-Madinah. However, their wives and children discouraged them from doing so and refused to accompany them to Al-Madinah. When they later joined Messenger Muhammad in Al-Madinah, they found that the believers had learned much about Islam. Consequently, they wanted to punish their wives and children. Then Allah, Exalted be He, revealed:

[64:14 O you who believe, truly, among your wives and children there is an enemy to you; so beware of them. And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.]"

Tafsir

64:14 O you who believe, truly, among your wives and children there is an enemy to you; so beware of them. And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

O you who believe in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, truly, among your wives and children are those who become enemies to you when they cause you to neglect righteous deeds that will benefit you in the Hereafter. Therefore, beware of them, and do not allow them to discourage you from seeking the pleasure of Allah. Beware of giving preference to your wives and children over obeying the commands of Allah and performing righteous deeds for His sake.

The enmity referred to in this Ayah includes both religious and worldly enmity. In other words, wives and children may have harmful intentions toward their husbands and fathers because of differences in creed, character, or disposition.

In other words, O you who believe in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, some of your wives and children may oppose you in matters relating to religion or worldly affairs. Therefore, beware of them, and do not obey them in matters that contradict the teachings of Islam, for no created being should be obeyed at the expense of disobeying the Creator, Allah.

And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

O believers, if you pardon your wives and children, overlook their mistakes, and forgive them, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful. He will reward you immensely, for He loves those who forgive others and show mercy.

64:15 Your wealth and your children are only a trial, and with Allah is a great reward.

O people, your wealth and your children are nothing but a trial and a test. They may lead you to disobey Allah by encouraging you to seek unlawful earnings, neglect His rights, and commit sins and unrighteous deeds. Therefore, you should remember that with Allah is a great reward for those who give preference to obeying Him over satisfying their attachment to wealth and children.

64:16 So fear Allah as much as you can; and listen, obey, and spend, that is better for yourselves. And whoever is guarded against the avarice of his soul, those—they are the successful.

O believers, beware of Allah's punishment and strive to protect yourselves from it by fulfilling His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Fear Allah to the best of your ability. Listen attentively to the commands of Allah, obey Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, and spend from what Allah has provided you for His sake. Do not be stingy in spending on righteous causes. This is better for yourselves, as it will bring you happiness in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.

Qatada said,

"[64:16 So fear Allah as much as you can; and listen…] This is permission Allah has given to His slaves, and He is Merciful towards His slaves. [O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.] [Q. 3:102] This Ayah was revealed earlier. Then Allah, Exalted be He, lightened the matter for His slaves and subsequently revealed: [64:16 So fear Allah as much as you can; and listen…] As much as you can, O son of Adam. Messenger Muhammad took the pledge of allegiance from the believers to listen and obey according to their ability."

And whoever is guarded against the avarice of his soul, those—they are the successful.

Whoever Allah protects from the avarice of his own soul and enables to spend on righteous causes for His sake will be among the successful.

64:17 If you lend to Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you. And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Forbearing.

If you sincerely and willingly spend some of your wealth on righteous causes that please Allah, He will multiply your reward. Out of His generosity, He multiplies one good deed tenfold, seven hundredfold, or even more. He will also forgive your sins.

Allah is All-Thankful and All-Forbearing. He grants immense reward for even the smallest righteous deed and forgives and pardons sins. Furthermore, Allah does not hasten to punish sinners. Rather, He gives them time to repent sincerely and amend their mistakes.

64:18 He is the Knower of the unseen and the seen; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Allah is the Knower of the unseen and the seen. His knowledge is perfect, and nothing is hidden from Him.

Allah is the All-Mighty and the All-Wise. Nothing can stand against His perfect will and power, and He manages the affairs of the universe with perfect wisdom.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 14–18

·         Allah, Exalted be He, warns the believers of the potential danger posed by their wives and children. They may become a source of religious or worldly harm by encouraging them to neglect the commands of Allah. For example, they may discourage them from spending for the sake of Allah or from emigrating in His cause.

·         A person's wife and children are not enemies in themselves. Rather, their unrighteous influence becomes harmful if a believer obeys them at the expense of obeying the commands of Allah.

·         Forgiveness and pardon are better than punishment and revenge. Allah encourages the believers to overlook the mistakes of others and respond with mercy whenever appropriate.

·         Allah is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful. He forgives those who sincerely repent of their sins and perform righteous deeds. Out of His mercy and generosity, He does not hasten to punish sinners; rather, He grants them opportunities to repent and return to Him.

·         With Allah is the greatest reward: Paradise and its everlasting bliss.

·         True fear of Allah is demonstrated by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions to the best of one's ability.

·         The believers are required to listen to, obey, and adhere to the commands of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad.

·         The believers are encouraged to spend part of their wealth for the sake of Allah. Their spending will be rewarded abundantly, for Allah multiplies the reward of righteous deeds many times over.

·         Success belongs to those whom Allah protects from the avarice and greed of their own souls, enabling them to give generously for His sake.

·         Allah is All-Knowing. He knows both the unseen and the seen, and nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge.

·         Allah is the All-Mighty. Nothing can overcome His perfect power or prevent the fulfillment of His will.

·         Allah is the All-Wise. He manages the affairs of the universe with perfect wisdom, and all His decrees are based on absolute justice and wisdom.

 

Tafsir Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 11–13 Everything Is Subject to the Will of Allah

64:11 No affliction befalls save by the leave of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is All-Knowing of all things.

64:12 And obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Then, if you turn away, it is only upon Our Messenger the clear proclamation.

64:13 Allah, there is no god but He. And on Allah, let the believers put their trust.

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part mentions that people will be divided into two groups: the inhabitants of Paradise and the dwellers of Hell. It also commands people to believe in the Oneness of Allah and perform righteous deeds for the sake of Allah. This part then explains that everything that happens in the universe takes place by the perfect will of Allah. It also commands people to obey His commands and avoid His prohibitions, obey His Messenger Muhammad, and rely on Him alone.

Tafsir

64:11 No affliction befalls save by the leave of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is All-Knowing of all things.

Whatever affliction befalls a person happens by the leave of Allah. A person should do his best to attain beneficial things and ward off harmful ones, and then rely on Allah to guide him and grant him what He knows is best for him. However, achieving results depends on the will of Allah.

And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is All-Knowing of all things.

Whoever believes in Allah, knows that whatever befalls him is by the will of Allah, and then patiently submits to the will of Allah, Allah will guide his heart to the right path and reward him abundantly. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing of all things, and nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge.

Abdul Allah Bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said:

‘[And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart.] Allah will guide his heart to certainty. He will know that what befell him will never miss him, and whatever missed him would never befall him.’

Alqama said:

‘[And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart.] He is a man who is afflicted with an affliction, and he knows that it happened by the leave of Allah. Then, he submits and is pleased with it.’

64:12 And obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Then, if you turn away, it is only upon Our Messenger the clear proclamation.

O people, obey the commands of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad and avoid their prohibitions. Then, if you turn away from abiding by the commands of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, the consequence of your sins will be upon yourselves, and you will harm none but yourselves. The duty of the Messenger of Allah is only the clear proclamation, which he fulfilled properly.

64:13 Allah, there is no god but He. And on Allah, let the believers put their trust.

O people, Allah, there is no god but He. Only Allah deserves sincere worship. And on Allah let the believers put their trust, and on Him let the believers place their hope. He, Exalted be He, is the only Creator, and all matters are under His perfect will.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 11–13

• It is obligatory to be pleased with the decree of Allah, whether good or evil, as everything that happens in the universe takes place by the will of Allah.
• Whoever firmly believes and knows that nothing happens except by the leave of Allah, Allah will guide his heart to patiently accept and be pleased with His decree. If he is blessed with a blessing, he thanks Allah, and if he is afflicted with an affliction, he remains patient.
• Allah is All-Knowing, and nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge. He knows those who submissively accept and are pleased with His decree and those who do not.
• Afflictions in the life of this world are not signs of Allah's displeasure, and success in this world is not a sign of His pleasure.
• The believers should comfort themselves when afflictions befall them and occupy themselves with obeying Allah and His Messenger. If they turn away from abiding by the commands of Allah, the duty of the Messenger of Allah is only the clear proclamation of the message of Allah.
• People must worship Allah alone, as there is no god worthy of worship but Him. Allah is the Creator of the universe and all that is in it. They must also rely on Allah in all their affairs after taking the necessary means to achieve their desired goals.

 

Tafsir Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 8–10 Commanding Belief in the Oneness of Allah and Warning of the Horrors of the Day of Judgment

 

64:8 So, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have revealed. And Allah is well aware of what you do.

64:9 On the day that He will gather you for the Day of Gathering, that is the Day of Mutual Loss and Gain. And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will absolve him of his sins and admit him into gardens underneath which rivers flow, to abide therein forever. That is the great success.

64:10 And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs, those shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, to abide therein forever. And what an evil end!

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part sheds light on the proofs of the Oneness of Allah, divinity, and prophethood. It also refutes the claims of the deniers of resurrection on the Day of Judgment and refers to the punishment that befell them because of their disbelief in the Oneness of Allah and their refusal to believe in the Messengers of Allah. This part then invites people to believe in Allah alone, His Messenger Muhammad, the Quran, and resurrection on the Day of Judgment. It notes that acknowledging resurrection on the Day of Judgment is one of the requirements of belief in Allah and His Oneness. Furthermore, it warns of reckoning and recompense on the Day of Judgment and elaborates on some aspects of mutual loss and gain on that day. 

Tafsir

64:8 So, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have revealed. And Allah is well aware of what you do.

O disbelievers, truly, raising people from their graves on the Day of Judgment for reckoning and recompense is easy for Allah. Therefore, you should believe in the Oneness of Allah, His Messenger Muhammad, and the Quran. Allah revealed the Quran to His Messenger Muhammad as a light that guides people to attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter. It brings people out of the darkness of disbelief into the light of belief in the Oneness of Allah. Verily, Allah is well aware of all people's statements and deeds, and nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge. Allah, Exalted be He, will justly recompense people for all their statements and deeds on the Day of Judgment.

64:9 On the day that He will gather you for the Day of Gathering, that is the Day of Mutual Loss and Gain. And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will absolve him of his sins and admit him into gardens underneath which rivers flow, to abide therein forever. That is the great success.

The Ayah warns of the horrors of the Day of Gathering, namely, the Day of Judgment. It is called the Day of Gathering because Allah will gather all people on this day. It is also called the Day of Mutual Loss and Gain because the disbelievers will be the losers and the believers will be the gainers on this day.

O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to the deniers of the occurrence of the Day of Judgment: “You shall be raised from your graves for reckoning on the Day of Judgment, and you shall be informed of all your deeds and statements. On the Day of Gathering and Mutual Loss and Gain, Allah, Exalted be He, will gather all creatures for reckoning. The people of truth, the believers, shall be the gainers, as they will enter Paradise, where they shall enjoy lasting happiness. On the other hand, the people of falsehood, the disbelievers, shall be the losers, as they will enter Hell, where they shall suffer lasting and painful punishment.”

And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will absolve him of his sins and admit him into gardens underneath which rivers flow, to abide therein forever. That is the great success.

Whoever believes in the Oneness of Allah and in what the Messengers of Allah brought, and performs righteous deeds by obeying the commands of Allah and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah will absolve him of his sins and admit him into Paradise, underneath which rivers flow, where he will abide forever. Indeed, that is the great success, beyond which there is no greater success.

64:10 And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs, those shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, to abide therein forever. And what an evil end!

Those who disbelieve in the Oneness of Allah and His Messengers and deny the signs that confirm His Oneness and perfect ability shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, where they will abide forever. Indeed, Hell is an evil end and abode.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 8–10

• Allah commands people to believe in His Oneness, His Messenger Muhammad, and the Quran, which He revealed to guide people to the right path. If they disbelieve, a punishment similar to that which befell the former disbelieving nations will befall them.
• The Ayat warn people of the horrors of the Day of Judgment. On that day, Allah will gather all people for reckoning and recompense. The disbelievers will be the losers, and the believers will be the gainers.
• The believers in the Oneness of Allah will enter Paradise by the will and mercy of Allah, where they will enjoy lasting happiness. On the other hand, the disbelievers will enter Hell, where they will suffer severe punishment because of their disbelief in the Oneness of Allah.

 

Tafsir Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 5–7 The Disbelievers’ Denial of Resurrection on the Day of Judgment

 

64:5 Has there not come to you the news of those who disbelieved in the past? They tested the evil consequence of their conduct, and for them will be a painful punishment.

64:6 That is because their Messengers came to them with the clear proofs, and then they said, ‘Shall mere men guide us?’ So they disbelieved and turned away, and Allah was in no need of them. And Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Laudable.

64:7 Those who disbelieve claim that they shall never be raised. Say, ‘Yes, indeed, by my Lord, you shall certainly be raised, then shall be told what you did, and that is easy for Allah.’

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part refers to some signs denoting the existence and perfect ability of Allah and His signs in the universe. Then, Allah warns the disbelievers against disbelieving in His Oneness, the prophethood of Allah’s Prophets, and resurrection on the Day of Judgment. Their punishment will be severe torment in the Hereafter. Furthermore, the surah confirms that resurrection on the Day of Judgment will certainly take place and that people will be recompensed according to their deeds on the Day of Judgment.

Tafsir

64:5 Has there not come to you the news of those who disbelieved in the past? They tested the evil consequence of their conduct, and for them will be a painful punishment.

O disbelievers, has there not come to you the news of the disbelievers among the former nations, such as the people of Prophet Noah and the people of Thamud? Has there not come to you the news of the severe punishment that befell them because they disbelieved in the Messengers of Allah and refused to believe in the truth and divine guidance that they brought to them?

Allah’s Messengers invited those disbelievers among the former nations to believe in the Oneness of Allah and obey His commands; however, they insisted on following the path of misguidance and disbelieved in the Oneness of Allah. Thus, they tested the evil consequence of their misconduct and disbelief in the Oneness of Allah in the life of this world. They will also suffer severe punishment in the Hereafter in Hell.

The intended meaning is to warn the disbelievers of the evil consequence of their disbelief in the Oneness of Allah and their denial of the occurrence of the Day of Judgment.

64:6 That is because their Messengers came to them with the clear proofs, and then they said, ‘Shall mere men guide us?’ So they disbelieved and turned away, and Allah was in no need of them. And Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Laudable.

This Ayah mentions why the disbelievers of the former nations deserved severe punishment in the life of this world and the Hereafter.

The disbelievers of the former nations deserved severe punishment because their Messengers brought them clear proofs confirming the Oneness of Allah and invited them to follow the path of guidance leading to success in the life of this world and the Hereafter. However, those disbelievers turned away from accepting the invitation of the Messengers. Denying and ridiculing, they said, ‘Shall mere men guide us to the right path? Is it possible that men like us be Messengers of Allah?’ In other words, they thought that it was impossible for men like them to be Messengers of Allah. Thus, they disbelieved in their Messengers and turned away from following the right path. They did not even give themselves a chance to think about that matter carefully. Verily, Allah was in no need of their belief in His Oneness or their worship; therefore, He destroyed them. Indeed, Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Laudable.

64:7 Those who disbelieve claim that they shall never be raised. Say, ‘Yes, indeed, by my Lord, you shall certainly be raised, then shall be told what you did, and that is easy for Allah.’

This Ayah narrates an example of the claims of the disbelievers who deny resurrection and reckoning on the Day of Judgment. It also provides a response that puts an end to their baseless claim.

Those who disbelieve in the Oneness of Allah and His Messengers claim that they shall never be raised for reckoning on the Day of Judgment. Then, Allah, Exalted be He, commands His Messenger Muhammad to reply to their absurd claim and give them an answer that will put an end to such a claim.

O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to the disbelievers who deny resurrection on the Day of Judgment, ‘Yes, indeed, by my Lord, you shall certainly be raised for reckoning on the Day of Judgment. Then you shall be told what you did in the life of this world and be justly recompensed for all your deeds, whether good or evil. Indeed, that is easy for Allah, before Whose perfect will nothing can stand.’

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Taghabun Ayah 5–7

• The disbelievers are warned against persisting in disbelief in the Oneness of Allah, which will make them deserve punishment like that which befell the former disbelieving nations in the life of this world. They will also suffer severe torment in the Hereafter if they die as disbelievers.
• The disbelievers of the former nations were punished because they disbelieved in the Oneness of Allah, rejected the Messengers of Allah despite the clear proofs they brought confirming that Allah had sent them, and denied resurrection and reckoning on the Day of Judgment.
• The disbelievers reject the idea that the Messengers of Allah are human beings, which leads them to disbelieve in Allah. They do not know that Allah does what He wills and sends whomever He wills among His slaves as His Messengers. They also do not know that Allah is All-Sufficient and All-Laudable. He is in no need of His slaves.
• The Day of Judgment will certainly take place, and people will be raised from their graves for reckoning and recompense on that Day. Verily, resurrecting people on the Day of Judgment is easy for Allah.    

 

Tafsir Surah At-Taghabun Ayat 1–4 Some Aspects of the Perfect Ability of Allah

 

64:1 Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorify Allah. To Him belongs the kingdom, and to Him belongs all praises, and He is able over all things.

64:2 He is Who created you; then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allah sees well what you do.

64:3 He created the heavens and the earth with the truth, and He shaped you and perfected your shapes, and to Him is the return.

64:4 He knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal. And Allah is well aware of what is in the breasts.

Tafsir

 64:1 Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorify Allah. To Him belongs the kingdom, and to Him belongs all praises, and He is able over all things.

Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies and praises Allah and affirms that He is free from every imperfection and defect. Allah is the Creator of all that is in the universe, and the kingdom belongs to Him alone. To Allah are due all praise and thanks, as He is the only One Who deserves them. Allah is praised for whatever He creates and preordains. Ownership and praise belong to Him alone, and He is able to do all things. Nothing in the heavens and the earth can stand before the perfect ability of Allah, Exalted be He.

Glorifying Allah can be with the tongue, as human beings do, or through an utterance and manner that human beings cannot understand.

The seven heavens, the earth, and all that is in them glorify Him. There is not a thing but glorifies Him, but you do not understand their glorification. Indeed, He is ever All-Forbearing, All-Forgiving. [Surah Al-Isra’: 44]

 64:2 He is Who created you; then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allah sees well what you do.

Allah, Exalted be He, created mankind; then some people become disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, while others become believers in the Oneness of Allah. Allah sees and knows all the deeds of people, and nothing of their affairs is hidden from Him. Allah will justly recompense them for all their deeds, whether good or evil. Therefore, people must fear Allah and not disobey His commands lest His punishment befall them.

64:3 He created the heavens and the earth with the truth, and He shaped you and perfected your shapes, and to Him is the return.

Allah, Exalted be He, created the heavens and the earth with truth, justice, and perfect wisdom, producing beneficial results for people in their religion and worldly life. O people, Allah created you in the best form and shape, and you will return to Allah for reckoning on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, you should obey His commands and avoid His prohibitions.

64:4 He knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal. And Allah is well aware of what is in the breasts.

This Ayah demonstrates the perfect knowledge of Allah concerning all things.

Allah, Exalted be He, knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and nothing therein is hidden from Him. Furthermore, O people, Allah knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and nothing of your statements and deeds is hidden from Him. Indeed, Allah is well aware of what is in the breasts of people. Therefore, O people, beware lest you conceal what you do not reveal, or say and act contrary to what you hide within your souls. Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, and He will recompense you according to your deeds and statements.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Taghabun Ayat 1–4

• All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, which indicates His perfection and self-sufficiency. This glorification is continual and constant, embracing every part of the universe.
• Allah, Exalted be He, is the Creator of mankind, and He knows who will be a believer and who will be a disbeliever even before their creation.
• Allah, Exalted be He, created the universe with truth, justice, and perfect wisdom. Moreover, He created mankind in the best form, and to Him they will return for reckoning on the Day of Judgment.
• Allah, Exalted be He, knows the seen and the unseen, and He knows what people conceal and what they reveal. Nothing is hidden from the perfect knowledge of Allah.