
# Interpretation of the Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur'an

Tabarak Part [Part 19]

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Authored by

The Great Humane Eminent Scholar

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

1890-1964

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Checked and Introduced by

The Researcher and Thinker

Prof. A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

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English Language Editing by

S. M. Hopkins

Published by

Amin-sheikho.com at Smashwords.com

Copyright © Amin-sheikho.com

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Our web sites

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# Foreword by the Educator Prof. A. K. John, alias al-Dayrani

Praises are to God, the Provider of all worlds; best and perfect communication with Him and peace are attained by means of the shining lamp Mohammad (cpth) [‎1] who was sent as a mercy for all worlds, and through all his brothers in Prophecy and his companions.

The earth now floats over a flood of misery and pain; life has become bitter and loathsome and humanity is mired in a vast swamp of gloominess and purposeless endeavour. People do not know the starting point nor do they know what end awaits them.

Today's pervasive culture of consuming and coveting has made humanity listless, for all the merchandise we desire is trite and corrupt and in the end only creates boredom and disgust in human spirits, since there is no actual benefit to these purchases, they are just things to have. The same is true for humanity's sciences which have turned into inhumane sciences, focused on more efficient killing, destruction, and even extermination, they bring only arbitrariness and injustice to this world.

In fact, before the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah) revealed the sublime reality of the Islamic religion, the majority of people held misunderstandings about Islam. They had fallen prey to false interpretations and misleading stories, including contradictory explanations of the Holy Qur'an. This led to the religion, as perceived by public opinion, being forced into an inflexible and inaccurate mold, a portrayal of Islam inadequate for the needs and requirements of the age and incompatible with the intellectual currents; a religion that falls short when confronted with many modern problems and offers no answers for the many serious questions facing people today.

This faulty representation of Islam thus caused the majority of Muslims to abandon their Holy Book and religion. God says, 'And the Envoy said, "Oh, my Lord, my people have turned their back to this Qur'an." ' [2‎]

Thus, people were susceptible to theories such as Karl Marx's pronouncement that 'Religion is the opium for the masses.' These false conjectures gained favour in people's minds; worse, people believed that religion is merely rhetorical words with a hollow message, only a theory and not something applicable to their existence. They believed trying to apply religion to their lives would destroy human society. They see that these promises of Paradise which religions offer are merely castles made of sand, awaiting only the turn of the tide to meet their destruction.

This increasing shift toward godlessness led some to declare that the time of religion was over; and thus many people turned to lay laws to create rules in harmony with their whims, desires and greed.

And so things grew worse: one crisis followed another on all levels and in all fields, bringing down communities, sinking nations to the lowest level and throwing countries into bankruptcy. Thus has suppression prevailed and civilisation fallen down after it was the hope of humanity to bring back the lost garden.

But even that was not the end of the world, for unexpectedly the world shook and the spirit of the earth trembled with joy. A heavenly luminary shone over the earth that changed notions and concepts and even the course of history.

This luminary turned heads and inspired bows as it illuminated the fields of thought and presented solutions to problems which had previously baffled the national intellect. It extricated the world's thoughts from its loss, devotion to materialism and blind dependency and cleansed religious thought of all imperfections, contradictions and differences.

If humanity seeks guidance by this star, the legislation will return pure and clear just as it was upon its birth, flowing over with good and blessings throughout day and night. The new luminosity revealed by the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah) made the twentieth-century philosopher Sir John Bennett declare in 1953, 'Indeed, all the scientific knowledge that we have obtained do not equal the sea of scientific understanding of that great scholar in the Orient.' [3‎]

And here are some jewels from the great revelations of Scholar Sheikho:

❝The impeccability of the masters of creatures, the great Prophets and Envoys (cptt). [4‎] The scholar proved that these men are completely immaculate. They never fall into error and it is impossible for them to be at fault, make a mistake or be wrong in any matter. Therefore no one at all may have control over them. The Holy Qur'an described them that, 'They do not speak till He has spoken, and they act by His Command.' [‎5]

❝Cupping, the simplest of all medical surgeries, has occupied the place of honour among all other medical sciences as it renders all cures by only a few incisions from a scalpel.

This Prophetic Sunna, which scholar Sheikho brought to light once again in the year 2000, drives away all the incurable diseases for which modern medicine could offer neither treatment nor cure, including hereditary diseases (such as hemophilia), cancer, immune system diseases, irreversible conditions (including paralysis and sterility). Thus the hand of Prophecy presented cure, good health, well-being and protection for all humankind and thereby brought a smile and hopeful words to lips that have long been suffering ailments and pains with no expectation of relief.

❝One of the scholar's great revelations is the necessity of the pronunciation of the statement 'Al'lah is Greater' over animals when they are being slaughtered. This makes the meat we and our sweet children eat become pure and free of any germs, viruses or any other pathogenic factors and consequently spares us and our families suffering and disease. What is more, this pronunciation was the decisive word which protected the abundance of animal life in Syria and put an end to the epidemics and plagues that threatened to decimate it. This is a fact, it was proven in the large slaughterhouse of Dooma Near the city of Damascus, Syria] when the slaughters abided by always pronouncing the statement 'Al'lah is Greater' over the poultry, sheep and calves killed therein. Had this measure been practiced in the other countries of the world they would have not been smitten with mad cow, bird flu and sheep plague nor would they have been obliged to throw their animals into fire instead of enjoying their production and gaining the benefits of eating them. [[6‎]

❝The sources of spring water in the world. All the technology of civilisation, its instruments and sciences could not discover the source of the fresh, pure thirst-quenching water that all humanity drinks. As for our most erudite human, he unveiled this great scientific theory when he demonstrated that the ice of the north and south poles is the source of the water of all the springs.

❝Not to mention, his wondrous explanation of the meanings of the first Fortress (Surah) of the Holy Qur'an (al-Fatiha) and all the other Fortresses, the matter with which he surpassed all other religious scholars.

❝The wisdom of the Grand Creator behind the need to circumcise males and behind His perfect creation of the foreskin, a matter that baffled the masters of medicine. The august scholar clarified that the Godly Perfection requires the creation of the foreskin while the male embryo is in his mother's womb. And then it requires it be cut after birth. This insightful discovery was completely unknown to all people of medicine until the great humane master revealed it.

❝In the field of economics, the scholar explained how the theory of the distribution of almsgiving among those who deserve it (al-Zakat) offers the singular solution for all the economic problems that so thoroughly shake the world. He elucidated how to avoid these problems and even how to come out of them. This theory 'the distribution of the portions of almsgiving' annihilates all the destructive economic theories pertaining to godlessness. It produces mercy, love and peace for all humanity of our age and puts an end to poverty, misery, enmity and loss.

❝In fields of social sciences and psychology, he clarified the ways to avoid all manner of spiritual disease and desperation, and how to be cured of them forever – although all sciences of the East and West failed to treat them. Nevertheless, the scientists and scholars did not ponder on the great knowledge the scholar presented and explained, nor did they perceive the benefits and advantages his suggestions would have brought. Had they done so, people would now live in Paradise on this earth and happiness and bliss would prevail all over the world.

❝The venerable scholar is the only man who not only unveiled the tricks and malice of the magicians, but is also able to root out magic and destroy it. This is manifested in his book Unveiling the Secrets of Magic and Magicians.

❝In linguistics, the scholar gave value to the vowel points of the Qur'anic letter when he clarified what it holds of significance and indications that inspire in spirits great appreciation for the Words of the Grand God. This is in addition to the value he gave to the letter itself and the whole word, nay to every Fortress and verse of the Qur'an. Above all, he interpreted the Fortresses in a way that showed what they include of plot, correlation, meanings and heart visions, revealing they are similar to the plot and correlation of the strictly precise cosmic order. This correlation put in our minds that the Maker of the universe and the Sayer of these holy Words is one and the same, that is the Great God (Glory to Him).

By virtue of this amazing illustration of the meanings of the Qur'an, many people on diverse continents of the earth have, in these days, begun to turn in spirit towards the Omnipotent Creator and to see with His Light. If only humanity as a whole gave heed to this guideline, they would follow the Words of the Grand God and walk on the straight path. They would bear the stamp of truth because of what they would know of truth and would guide each other to what is right. And then, their spirits would perceive and realise that this revelation (the Holy Qur'an) is in agreement with the Perfection of He (Glory to Him), with His Beautiful Names and Supreme Self, as well as they would comprehend its suitability for all the present modern communities.

❝To God belong the Supreme Names; and so whatever comes from Him always includes good and charity. From His Side, no evil and no ill may ever issue. There is no wrong in the universe, for the judgement of justice prevails over all creation. Humans have their own choice and determination, but the action is controlled by God alone, the Almighty Who revealed these Words (the Holy Qur'an).

It is a fact that the Hand of God holds the reins of all His creation and servants. He does not give authority to one human over another unless the latter deserves be punished because of some evil he committed. A wronged person is absolutely a wrongdoer in his reality.

How many times have we seen powerful people treating others wrongfully; but even in this justice manifests itself. This is because those whom we think ill-treated have, in fact, surely transgressed against other people weaker than they are and therefore they have rightfully fallen victim to the hands of people endowed with more power than they possess.

Comparatively, no one has control over those who are on the right way. This is a firm law which applies to all people, individuals and nations. God says, 'Thus we let some of the wrongdoers have power over others because of what they are wont to earn.' [‎7]

Accordingly, injustice befalls only those who deserve it. When one merits no injustice, no one will rule over them. The Almighty also says, 'What does Al'lah gain by your punishment if you are grateful in offering good acts] and you believe? Al'lah is Worthy of thanks and Omniscient.' [[‎8]

But what is certain is that those who do wrong do so only to themselves. For Al'lah does exist, and since He exists there is no injustice among His creatures at all. In a holy saying, the Almighty tells us, 'Oh My obedient followers, I have decreed injustice to be forbidden to My Self and made it so among you.'[Narrated by Muslim.]

This absolute truth, which states that there is no injustice in the universe, was not revealed by any man before our humane scholar. [‎9]

In this interpretation of the Holy Qur'an concerning the Tabarak part, which we understood through his lofty and supreme reasoning, gentle readers will perceive, as they perceived before in the interpretation of the Am'ma part, that Al'lah's Love for humanity knows no bounds and that His Orders and Actions include absolute logic, sheer goodness and perfect humanity.

❝The scholar also showed the wisdom and the compassion that are folded within Islam's pronouncements on the veil, divorce and polygamy. The misunderstanding of the benevolent knowledge behind these issues created a negative reputation for Islam and became a tremendous obstacle that spurred the West turn their back on the religion. But when some of those who turned away understood the high purpose behind these issues, they acknowledged their sublimity and set to support them seriously, even translating them to different languages so that others might also comprehend.

These are only a few of the revelations of our venerable scholar; there are many others.

And today a new heavenly sun of his great revelation has risen to allow us to bask in the beautiful light of an interpretation of the Tabarak part of the Qur'an that implants in our hearts love for the Great God and fills them with appreciation for His limitless Favour.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds

# FORTRESS 67 (AL-MULK SURAH)

CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Blessed are the Graces of He Who holds control of the universe in His Hands and Who does all things with proper judgement;{2} Who has created death and life so that He may test which of you excels. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving,{3} Who has created seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last. You will never find any fault with what the All-Compassionate creates. Look again! Do you see any flaws? {4} Look again and again! Your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated.

{5} We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and made of them missiles to throw at devils; We have prepared for these fiends the torment that they deserve.{6} Those who do not believe in their Provider will inevitably suffer the torment of Gehenna Hell], a grievous destination.{7} When they are thrown into it, they will hear its deafening howl. It blazes forth, {8} bursting with fury. Every time a group is thrown in, its keepers will ask, 'Did no one ever come to warn you?'{9} Those who did not believe will answer, 'Yes, indeed a warner did come to us, but we didn't believe him and said [to him], "Al'lah has revealed nothing, you are greatly misguided." '{10} They will say, 'If only we had listened, or reasoned [for ourselves], we would not be with the companions of the Fire that we deserve!' [[‎10] {11} In this way they will confess their sins. A terrible and deserved punishment awaits the companions of the Fire!{12} But those who come to revere their Lord, upon perceiving realities hidden [from people], will receive forgiveness and a great reward.

{13} Whether you speak privately or openly, He knows the contents of every heart.{14} How could He Who created not know His own creation, when He is the Most Kind, the All-Aware?{15} It is He Who has made the earth hospitable for you; so travel its regions and eat His Provision. It is His to distribute and allot as He wishes.{16} Are you absolutely sure that He, Who is in Heaven, will not cause the earth to collapse beneath you, that the ground will not tremble violently and swallow you up? {17} Are you confident that He, Who is in Heaven, will not send a terrible storm to rain down on you? In this way you will know what My Warning means.

{18} Those who went before them also disbelieved [the Envoys of Al'lah], so what was their punishment for denying Me?{19} Have they never noticed the birds soaring above them, spreading and folding their wings? Nothing holds them aloft except the All-Compassionate; He watches over everything. {20} Who else but the All-Compassionate could help you with an army? The non-believers are deluded.{21} If Al'lah should deny you His Benefits, who else could provide for you? Yet they continue to wallow in their pride and refuse to hear the truth. {22} Who is better guided: he who falls flat on his face, or he who stands tall and walks a straight road?

{23} Say [oh Mohammad], 'It is He Who made you; He Who endowed you with hearing, sight and hearts. But you do not offer even the smallest thanks!'{24} Say, 'It is He Who scattered you across the earth, and you will be gathered back to Him [in the Hereafter].'{25} They say [scornfully], 'When will this Promise be fulfilled, if you are telling the truth?'{26} Reply [oh Mohammad], 'Only Al'lah knows the exact time [of the Hour of destruction]: my only duty is to give clear warning.' {27} When they realise that the time [foretold] is close, the faces of those who disbelieve will show their misery and they will be told, 'This is what you refused to believe.'{28} Say [oh Mohammad], 'Just think – regardless of whether Al'lah destroys me and my followers or shows us His Mercy – who would possibly protect the non-believers from an agonising torment?' {29} Say, 'He is the All-Compassionate; we believe in Him and we trust in Him. Eventually you will come to understand who is obviously in the wrong.'{30} Say [oh Mohammad], 'Just think: if your water [that sustains you] were to soak deep into the earth, then who could supply you with the fresh water you require?'

## Interpretation of Fortress 67

CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE

(AL-MULK SURAH)

### {1}

Blessed are the Graces of He \- The generosity and abundance of Al'lah are endless. He is the One Who sows boundless and abundant goodness into all things; thus it is only through Him that a wheat kernel matures into ears of corn, and a seed renders fruit. Likewise has the Lord of the worlds taken a single drop of sperm and from it populated the entire earth. Al'lah has always and will always abundantly provide for them; His Blessing and Benevolence never cease.

This verse also has particular relevance for the believers who are on the right path, those who listened to the words of the Envoy The word 'Envoy' also means 'Messenger.'] (cpth) [[‎11] and heeded them. Their spirits quivered with fear as they contemplated death and understood it was inevitable that they would one day leave this world. With this realisation, their obedience to Al'lah became unshakable. They turned completely away from the unlawful, refusing to watch or speak of that which Al'lah forbids. Instead they contemplated the wonders around them, the universe, the planets and galaxies, the sun and the moon, until they could not help but believe in God and witness that there is no god but Al'lah. And to such believers Al'lah always bestows more – more knowledge, paradises, and happiness – an ever increasing enjoyment and understanding which allows them to ascend from one degree of Paradise to higher and more blissful levels as their understanding of the Divine deepens and expands through His Revelations.

He Who holds control of the universe in His Hands \- Oh Man! Ask yourself: Whose hands rule the universe?

If you objectively and intellectually consider this question you must realise and witness that the One Who gives without limit and bestows without boundary is the One Whose Hands hold the control and Who directs and manages all affairs with perfect competence. Think about it. Who nurtures the tiny seed into a majestic tree? Nay, into a forest? Who masters and dispatches the elements? Who crafted the entire universe and every single thing in it? Who nourishes it and keeps it running smoothly?

And Who does all things with proper judgement \- In other words, every gift bestowed by Al'lah is given to you, oh Man, strictly in measure with what you have earned.

In the second verse, God shares more insight, continuing to acquaint us with Himself.

### {2}

Who has created death and life \- God first created the spirits, then fastened them to the spines of men and sent them to live on earth. But the full explanation is that the spirits chose to indulge in their desires and turn away from Him, thus disconnected, they began to descend into darkness and oblivion. Merciful Al'lah stopped their freefall and, although their actions made them forfeit their lives in Paradise, He attached them to the spine of our master Adam (pth),[ (pth) is an acronym for 'peace is through him.' ] and sent them to the physical world, halting their downward spiral.

This verse explains the fate of the spirits who turned away from Al'lah. In al-Azal, the pre-material world, some spirits succumbed to the temptations of lust and therefore drifted far away from the Presence of Al'lah. They forsook their Provider, and their isolation from Al'lah, the Almighty, rendered them spiritually lifeless. [‎12] To halt their fall and give them a second chance, [‎13] Al'lah (Glory to Him) dispatched these spirits to the world in our present form – the human body – so they might have the opportunity to regain purity of heart and eternal life. Thus, if those chosen few, the spirits who bear the Trust, wish to recover the heart life that was lost when they turned away from God in al-Azal, they have only to contemplate the universe until they come to believe in God, and they must love Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) who is the ideal for humankind. Only then will they return to their Provider and receive again the gift of heart life.

God has created death and life, so that He may test \- That is, He has created a context for humankind, an environment in which He may observe and examine the accomplishment of people to see which of you excels. - And which of you falls short in good deeds. This is the sole reason for our existence in this world. The Lord of the worlds created humanity and placed us in this setting because He wishes us to perform good works and selfless acts so that He can reward us with paradises. In short, He has put us here that we might achieve happiness. And since that is God's Purpose and Goal, every human being should believe that all that happens in this life is for their benefit and leads only to what is good for them.

He is the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving \- That is, He is the Individual Being, the Regulator of affairs and the only Source of goodness. The Lord of the worlds has created and organised the universe with the specific goal that its perfection and harmony might encourage you to contemplate it for your own good. Thus if you meditate upon it earnestly, you will gain blessings, paradises and happiness from Him, the Exalted.

To say 'All-Forgiving' signifies 'the Healer.' It is He (Glory to Him) Who cures the human spirit of its affliction, delivers it from the filthy stain of wretched lust which has tarnished humans since al-Azal, the pre-material world. Al'lah wants to restore your spirit and heal it of its sickness – its love for this world – so that you will be fit to return to Him and rejoice in what awaits you there.

### {3}

Who has created seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last. - The heavens are connected to each other and similar in goodness, but they are also separate and layered, one above the other, like steps on a staircase leading ever higher. Consider the sky as an illustration, the sun and moon both reside there, yet the sun swims within a heaven that is much higher and farther away, while the moon lingers within a heaven close to us, but still above that of the clouds, which also loll in an adjacent sky but lower still. Oh Man! With this example can you see the harmony of creation and function which exists just for you?

You will never find any fault with what the All-Compassionate creates. - All creation is in consistent harmony, you will not find anything which is incompatible with its surroundings. Instead all that the universe contains is symbiotic, intertwined and interconnected, working and functioning together in perfect rhythm. Oh Man! Consider Whose Hand created all these beings, Who supplies this interwoven universe and keeps it functioning seamlessly? Since Al'lah has stocked this entire world solely for your well-being, shouldn't you turn to Him and seek closeness? He is the Almighty, He offers you food and drink, and ensures your comfort and happiness with His Generosity.

Look again! Do you see any flaws? \- Observe the universe and think deeply about what you see. Do you see any flaws? - Are there any shortcomings or instabilities in the whole of the universe? Is anything inconsistent or damaged or even just out of sync? No, of course not, everything is precisely and particularly intertwined with everything else. For example, fruit may grow from a seed, but this cannot happen unless the seed receives air, sun and water in proper quantities. Without these elements, it would remain forever a seed, yet Al'lah has thoughtfully provided not only the seed but all that it needs to flourish as well.

### {4}

Look again and again! \- That is, look as much as you like, high and low and from different angles and places and still your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated. \- You will find only unity in this universe, no matter how diligently you search for exceptions. Weak and defeated. - No matter how you strain your eyes searching for discord, they will detect nothing, and find only exhaustion in the end. It does not matter how meticulously you examine the universe, there simply are no flaws to find. Rather, your vision will be overwhelmed and exhausted before you will find a single imperfection or instability. And in the end, your strained eyes will be unable to see the Almighty's many creations or gaze upon His innumerable Bounties.

Likewise if a person meditates upon the harmony of the universe, he will undoubtedly come to believe in the Provider and then he will love the people of perfection[‎14] and especially the master of those people, the Envoy of Al'lah (cpth). The beliefs which arise from contemplating the universe will lead a person to join with Mohammad (cpth) and emulate him. This companionship with the Envoy (cpth) then helps that person to witness the pervasiveness of God's Light through His Supreme Names in every part of His creation. Then your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated. \- For when someone uses their spiritual eyes instead of their physical ones, they can at last truly observe the Light of Al'lah and the light of the Envoy (cpth), and thus will they see truly, and recognise good as good and evil as evil. The Light of Al'lah will illuminate their thoughts so they finally understand that this world is despicable and worthless in its own right, and that everything of value comes from Al'lah, the Almighty.

When you see this with your spiritual eyes and truly understand, then you will be humbled by what you have seen: weak and defeated.

A human might dwell in the past, fretting and regretting what they wasted and lost before they saw the Light of Al'lah and understood what is truly important. They will berate themselves and wish that they had discovered the truth sooner, instead of wasting years of their life in ignorant darkness.

### {5}

We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps \- That is, the closest heaven was carefully and intentionally embellished with twinkling orbs, and made of them missiles to throw at devils \- These neighbouring celestial bodies may hurl forth meteors like weapons to singe those devils who presume to eavesdrop on the angels in heaven. Similarly, a person who follows the path of our master Abraham (pth) and eventually attains the Presence of our Provider also achieves a spiritual connection with Al'lah's Envoy (cpth), who is the firm link to Al'lah. Protected by this connection, these believers are safe from devils who can neither approach them nor enter their spirits. These believers are beyond the seduction of worldly pleasures because they receive from Al'lah such vast and unimagined wonderments and rewards that this world ceases to interest them and they are easily able to resist its temptations. Such believers scorch the devils with their own light and the light of the Envoy (cpth).

The rest of this noble verse declares, We have prepared for these fiends the torment that they deserve \- Thus We are assured that on the Day of Resurrection these devils will receive an appropriate torment. All punishments meted out to the non-believers on that Day will be different and individually tailored, varying in severity and length according to the spirits they harbour. Each spirit must accept their share of the Fire, allotted according to what it deserves, as determined by the scope of its disease and the worthlessness of deeds rendered in its earthly life.

### {6}

Those who do not believe in their Provider \- Those who do not devote serious thought to their Lord and see clearly by the Light of God, frequently, in their ignorance, commit transgressions and crimes. These culprits have failed to acquaint themselves with the One Who sustains them and nourishes them, providing water and food.

Such people will inevitably suffer the torment of Gehenna[‎15] [Hell] \- In the beginning Al'lah offered humanity an elevated status but humans squandered the benefit bestowed upon them and so forfeited their privileged position. In time, those who do not believe will realise their mistake and be consumed by remorse and anguish for their grievous error. A grievous destination. - Because they did not believe their evil actions will haunt them and they will endure misery and suffer the Fire.

### {7}

When they are thrown into it, they will hear its deafening howl. - Fire is a spirit just as you are. On Doomsday, it will cry in confusion, demanding of the unbelievers, 'Why did you come to me? You forsook your Provider and your Paradise and come instead to me, although I possess nothing!' It will speak thus because it grieves for them and the terrible anguish they will endure when boiling in its flames. So, it blazes forth - The Fire rages strongly.

### {8}

Bursting with fury. - The terrible fury the Fire will feel for these non-believers will cause its intensity to increase so drastically that it will come close to exploding into harmless, scattered particles and ceasing to exist. Every time a group is thrown in, its keepers - The angels will ask, 'Did no one ever come to warn you?' - The merciful angels will ask the unbelievers with great concern, 'Didn't Al'lah, the Almighty, send Envoys to warn you and lead you on the correct path? Why then did you not believe? Why did you refuse to align yourselves with Al'lah through these Envoys and thus avoid the terrible end which now awaits you?'

### {9}

Those who did not believe will answer, 'Yes, indeed a warner did come to us, but we didn't believe him \- Or follow his guidelines, 'and said [to him], "Al'lah has revealed nothing \- The disbelievers will admit they claimed that the Envoy who was sent to them was not credible and that Almighty Al'lah had revealed nothing to him. They did not believe in God and therefore did not hesitate to call him a liar. Worse still, the disbelievers accused the Envoys of being ' "greatly misguided." ' \- That is, the disbelievers pointed out that the Envoys understand nothing of the world or its pleasures.

Yet this phrase will be repeated at least once more, for on Doomsday the angels will again address the unbelievers and tell them, ' "You are greatly misguided." ' - Then the angels will say, 'Today, your error has been magnified. Al'lah's Envoys brought you countless reminders (of Paradise) in the worldly life and you could have benefited and gained a light for yourselves that would admit you into Paradise. But as of today your straying is irreversible, the means that were available to you in the worldly life are no longer at your disposal. Now, the universe and your physical body no longer exist and you are lost. It is no longer possible for you to perform the good deeds that might have brought you close to Al'lah (Glory to Him).'

### {10}

They will say, 'If only we had listened \- That is, 'If we had only paid attention to the Envoys and heeded the truth they offered us.' The Envoys showed them the right path but the unbelievers ignored them and did not implement their teachings. Their ears heard but their hearts did not.

The 'listening' intended here is listening of the spirit, as referred to in the following verse when God says, 'If you two[‎16] turn in repentance to Al'lah, your hearts have indeed listened.' [‎17]

The unbelievers mistakenly assume that the material world has value. They believe that it offers happiness, pleasure, and comfort and do not see past these distractions to the reality beyond. They are blind to its cunning, deception, and hazards, for if they saw past the facade they would come to despise the debased world and seek truth and sincerity instead. Upon surrendering to these qualities, they would finally feel joy in their hearts. This joy had previously been denied to them because low and debased virtues go against human nature.

The non-believers will wish that they had heeded the Envoys of God 'or reasoned \- Thought carefully on their truthful words, for then 'we would not be with the companions of the Fire that we deserve!' - That is to say, if they had but listened to the Envoys they would not find themselves about to be thrown into Al'lah's blazing Fire, to help them forget the torment of Gehenna (Hell) which burns their corrupted spirits, instead they would be joining the people of Paradise and happiness. If they had been open to the words of the Envoys and considered, practised, and realised what they heard, they would never have met with Gehenna and deserved Al'lah's blazing Fire.

### {11}

In this way they will confess their sins. \- But, what is the point of people confessing their sins in the Hereafter? Confessing them in the present world offers the chance of redemption and the possibility of escaping punishment. For example, when the brothers of our master Joseph (pth) sincerely confessed their faults and returned to Al'lah (Glory to Him) with true repentance they were elevated to higher ranks.

So what purpose would it serve to confess sins in the Hereafter, when there is no longer an opportunity to escape punishment?

Confession in the Hereafter is valuable because it helps the confessor to understand that any punishment they suffer is due entirely to their own misdeeds, and this knowledge is calming. This is an example of God's Mercy for the unbelievers, a way He relieves their suffering. When they finally understand that their punishment is their own doing, they are able to accept their situation because they realise their predicament is entirely their own fault and no one else is to blame.

A terrible and deserved punishment awaits the companions of the Fire! \- How terrible are the flames which will envelop them! But the cleansing Fire is not a pointless punishment, its function is to sear away the evil, wickedness, and arrogance which taints the spirits of these disbelievers. Only then they can turn towards Al'lah and purify their spirits so that they might gain admission to Paradise.

### {12}

But, those who come to revere their Lord, upon perceiving realities hidden from people] \- These believers are the ones who observe and consider the obvious perfection manifested in the universe, and witnessing this perfection, they fear Al'lah and submit to Him and follow the Envoys (ptt). [[‎18] The Divine Presence was hidden from them; however, when the harbinger guided them to the way of belief they followed it. They deeply ponder and eventually come to believe, at that moment they will witness the Greatness of Al'lah and His Mercy. Then, certain of His Existence (Glory to Him) and aware that He is the Great Observer, they will not dare to disobey Him.

Thus, those believers will receive forgiveness \- Those who heed the words of the Envoys (ptt) and follow their path to God's Presence, will be forgiven their previous transgressions. Their spirits will be cured of disease, filth, and wicked desires and, thus purified, their sublime intentions will encourage them to perform great deeds for which they will receive a great reward.

### {13}

Whether you speak privately or openly \- The choice is yours, oh Man! It doesn't matter whether you keep your own counsel or you proclaim your thoughts to the world, He knows the contents of every heart. \- Nothing is hidden from Al'lah, He is Cognizant of you and all your intentions.

### {14}

How could He Who created not know His own creation \- Do you think that He Who created and formed you and even now provides for you knows nothing about you? Your soul is in His Hands (Glory to Him) and your nourishment comes from Him.

When He is the Most Kind \- His Kindness surrounds you wherever you are. Al'lah is always gentle with humanity. He is the All-Aware \- Al'lah is perpetually Aware of your condition and spirit. Al'lah has even dressed your spirit with a body. He made it, yet He allows you to move and manipulate it as you like. Al'lah has put it under your control so the body moves according to your spirit's wishes. If He can do all of this, how would it even be possible for Him to not know everything about you?

### {15}

It is He Who has made the earth hospitable for you - That is, Al'lah has made the earth tame enough for you to thrive upon it. If you farm it and cultivate the land, it, in turn, yields produce for your sustenance. Al'lah (Glory to Him) has made this earth submissive to you. Whatever you do with it you will find no resistance, indeed it surrenders to your wishes. Yet in this world you will hear people claim, 'We have subdued nature!' Why would they challenge the Work of God?

So travel its regions - That is, walk all through this world on the path of righteousness. Should you stray from this straight path you will plunge into the carnal world and its pleasures and so ensnared you will soon forget Al'lah and lose your Paradise, and do yourself a grave injustice.

And eat His Provision. - Every single human being has an allotted portion; thus you should be reasonable when seeking provisions to meet your needs. If you allow yourself to become immersed in the carnal world, you will inevitably turn away from God and your spirit will become far removed from Him (Glory to Him). As a result, soon you will believe that humans feed each other, forgetting entirely that Al'lah is the Sustainer.

It is His to distribute and allot as He wishes. \- It is He Who distributes resources over creation. If the rain should cease to fall, who can send it down again? It is Al'lah Who distributes these provisions among His servants, and every person receives what they deserve and what profits them.

### {16}

Are you absolutely sure that He, Who is in Heaven \- 'He' is Al'lah (Glory to Him) Who reveals Himself to His obedient followers, will not cause the earth to collapse beneath you - That is, how can you be sure He won't send earthquakes to plague you? Oh Man! All your science and technology is of this earth, so if the ground should give way beneath your feet, then all your knowledge and progress will crumble with it. Has all your progress and learning rendered you able to ward off even a small tremor or a storm? If you can't do it by now, you will never be able to do it.

Are you sure that the ground will not tremble violently and swallow you up? - Suppose that an earthquake turns the earth upside down. At first you are held in place by its spinning, but then you are plunged into darkness and imprisoned in its depths, where you can hope for nothing but deprivation, pain, and suffering. Can anyone other than Al'lah (Glory to Him) save you?

### {17}

Are you confident that He, Who is in Heaven, will not send a terrible storm to rain down on you? \- In a modern analogy, are you sure nuclear bombs won't plummet from the sky leaving only destruction and nothingness? But this disaster will take place on the day of the Greatest Hour, [‎19] and in this way you will know what My Warning means. - On that day you will understand the harbinger's mission and warning to humankind. When the Greatest Hour[‎20] is upon us, only then will you realise that everything the harbinger told you is true. No one spoke of the Greatest Hour or about Jesus (pth) except the Prophet Mohammad, and so any words other than his are only ignorant gossip. Worse! It would be even worse than the ignorance of Arabs in the time before Islam.

Oh Man! Do not mistake that these millions of people who feel self-satisfied and act confident are safely on the right path. They have neither heard nor considered the words of the harbinger, and so they are moving towards destruction.

### {18}

Those who went before them \- All previous nations, also disbelieved [the Envoys of Al'lah], so what was their punishment for denying Me? \- What was the result of denying My Favour and disavowing the word of the Envoys?

### {19}

Have they never noticed the birds soaring above them - In order that they may understand the earth spins, let the non-believers watch birds flying in formation, literally spreading and folding their wings \- Great flocks of innumerable birds all soar together, held aloft only by flapping their fragile wings in seemingly nothing but thin air. Nothing holds them aloft except the All-Compassionate. - Ask an observer on the ground who keeps them in the sky. It can be none other than the Almighty.

Hence, Al'lah holds everything that He created in His Hands (Glory to Him). He animates His creations and guides their movements because their souls are cradled in His Hands. No other being takes any autonomous action, because just holding the power hastens them toward destruction. Thus, everything is held in His Hands (Glory to Him).

He watches over everything. \- He sees all and knows everything He has created. He nourishes everything and guides its movements, and it is He (Glory to Him) Who allows them to see reality with their heart's eye that will be opened by Al'lah's Light - if they pay heed.

### {20}

Who else but the All-Compassionate could help you with an army? \- Al'lah (Glory to Him) admonishes us, 'You believe that power and strength come with knowledge and wealth and weapons, but would the best equipped and trained army be able to defeat disease, death, or an earthquake should I send any of them against you? Could they save you from a virus? Or death? Or would you and your material possessions be able to protect other people against any of these afflictions? No, not one of you has the ability to do so. Feeble are those who seek protection of this sort and those who offer it!'

The non-believers are deluded. - The non-believers are conceited and deluded. They are completely enamoured of each other and the world and are absorbed by its vanities. They make each other into false gods because they are fascinated by each other rather than being fascinated by Al'lah (Glory to Him) and His great Envoy (cpth).

Thus confused and distracted, their spirits become tangled together although Al'lah clearly warned them against this, 'Allow your spirits to intertwine only with the true spirits of My obedient followers, My Envoys, so that you may become illuminated by My Light. Do not let your spirits mix with each other.' And even though Al'lah has admonished against it, in this world you will often find people who say, 'We enjoy raising our children and being in the company of women, and we satisfy our requirements with money.' However the question is, do children, wealth, or women lead to increased knowledge and awareness of the Afterlife? Are they capable of saving you or releasing you from the torment of the grave, or from the terrors of the Hereafter, or from the Fire?

### {21}

If Al'lah should deny you His Benefits, who else could provide for you? - If Al'lah withholds water, and refuses to let the rain fall, then what can these atheists do about it? You take great pride in them, believing they are capable of action or possess power or strength, but can they bring rain to nourish your crops? Can they provide sunlight or air or water for you? They are unable to quicken a fly! What could these atheists do about earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes if they were plagued by them?

Yet they continue to wallow \- False providers such as these are easy prey for worldly pleasures. Their quest for power and strength takes them deep into the earth, as they mine for gold and drill for oil and build factories to mass produce weapons of war. They are brought low in their pride \- Because of their extreme arrogance, each seeks superiority over the other so they might boast that they are the strongest and the smartest. Thus they proclaim themselves deities and refuse to hear the truth. - That is to say, they shun the truth of the Envoy (cpth).

The phrase they continue to wallow in their pride \- also signifies that these disbelievers continually scorn the Commands of God, one Command after another is cavalierly disregarded, until they become totally immersed and enmeshed in the worldly life and its pleasures and their spirits turn away entirely from Al'lah (Glory to Him) and His great Envoy (cpth). Soon, they begin to engage in crime and wars will break out among them.

### {22}

Who is better guided: he who falls flat on his face \- That is, someone who is completely engrossed in his worldly affairs, and ignores or disregards everything outside his narrow sphere and mean desires. Is such a person better guided, or he who stands tall and walks a straight road?

So is a person wholly consumed with their own earthly affairs better guided than one who walks a righteous path seeking the truth and its people?

If you consider the conduct of these two types of people it is easy to see they are not equal. Someone who is far from God goes through this life with his face pressed to the ground and blinkers on his eyes, keeping a very narrow focus. When you examine the behaviour and morals of this person you will find only avarice and harshness, stinginess, injustice, and a mind constantly attacked with false whispers. Conversely, if you consider the conduct of a believer who turns towards Al'lah (Glory to Him) and follows His great Envoy (cpth), you will discover a compassionate and kind character, honest dealings, and a soft nature. The two types are not equal in any way, shape, or form.

### {23}

Say \- To them, oh Mohammad! 'It is He Who made you' \- He created you in the wombs of your mothers. He took a single drop of sperm and turned you into a human being! 'He Who endowed you with hearing' \- You must listen to the truth and the Words which God revealed to His Envoy (cpth) and act accordingly.

If you do this, that is, listen and take the proper action; if you contemplate the universe and carefully consider God's Words, only then will Al'lah grant you a light and a heart-vision which will allow you to easily distinguish between truth and falsehood, between good and evil. This heart-vision is the true connotation of the word 'sight' in this verse. In addition to the gifts of deep emotional hearing and insight, God also endowed us with 'hearts' \- The cores of the spirits within our bodies.

But ask yourselves who made these organs for you? Certainly you should be grateful for His Favour upon you, and yet despite this regard 'you do not offer even the smallest thanks!' - That is, you do not try to gain access to belief! Oh Man! These many bounties were granted to you so that, through them, you might turn towards your Lord and perform righteous deeds on behalf of His creation.

Yet people take these bounties and offer nothing in return. They do not turn towards Al'lah (Glory to Him) nor towards the noble Envoy (cpth). They do not perform good deeds to earn their life in the Hereafter; instead they act only to achieve their own purposes and interests in this world. They yield no good for humanity.

### {24}

Say, 'It is He Who scattered you across the earth - He brought us out of our mothers' bellies to live on this earth. God used the word 'scattered' to stress to us that all humans are as tiny as atoms when compared to the universe. Oh Man! You are only a tiny speck in the enormous universe! Yet despite the vastness and greatness of the universe, it is still submissive and surrenders always to Al'lah (Glory to Him). Surely you do not think you are bigger than the universe. Why then are you so arrogant? Yield to your Provider so that He might grant you His Bounties. Truly, it is He Who bestows His Gifts upon the universe and all creation, and you will be gathered back to Him [in the Hereafter].' - That is, on Doomsday you will return to Him.

### {25}

They say [scornfully], 'When will this Promise be fulfilled \- He, the Envoy of God (cpth), threatens the unbelievers with the Greatest Hour, with the total destruction of this life, but still they refuse to believe. Instead they challenge the Envoy, asking, 'When will this Promise be fulfilled, if you are telling the truth?' - Their love for the carnal world is strong and they become suspicious of his words.

### {26}

Reply [oh Mohammad], 'Only Al'lah knows the exact time [of the Hour of destruction]: my only duty is to give clear warning.' \- Only Al'lah truly knows the precise moment. The harbinger can only warn you that this day is to come, describe to you what will happen when it does, and instruct you on how you might escape from it and its terrors.

### {27}

When they realise that the time [foretold] is close - When the Promise comes to pass and the day of destruction arrives, that is, at the time of death, humanity will witness everything. At that time, the faces of those who disbelieve will show their misery \- That is to say, after their shunning of God and His Path, and their refusal to fear this day, everything the unbelievers thought they achieved during their lives will bring them great unhappiness, and they will be told, 'This is what you refused to believe.' - They will be told, 'This is what you did not want to hear.'

### {28}

As a last address to those who are far from God, He says, Say [oh Mohammad] \- Tell them, oh My Envoy! 'Just think – regardless of whether Al'lah destroys me and my followers or shows us His Mercy \- Those people hope and strive to be rid of the Envoy (cpth) and the believers, then no one will stand between them and their desires and decay. Thus, the Envoy said to them, 'We will all definitely die. Each of us has been allotted a certain life span and that's it. So, whether Al'lah (Glory to Him) destroys or has mercy upon us, you cannot avoid the punishment.'

The Envoy (cpth) says, 'Who would possibly protect the non-believers from an agonising torment?' \- That is to say, 'At the time of destruction who will protect you, unbelievers? Do you think that if Al'lah destroys us you will be safe from torment?' Let each one of us decide which party they will follow: choose either the party that is degraded and misled or the party that is elevated and noble-mannered.

### {29}

Say, 'He is the All-Compassionate' \- Al'lah is the Source of Mercy, the One Who is praised by all creation. 'We believe in Him' \- We have witnessed His Supreme Names, 'and we trust in Him.' - We trust Him because He is Mercy, Affection and Kindness for us and for all of His creation. We know that whatever afflictions He visits upon humans, it will always contain goodness and mercy, in fact, it is actually extra favour from Him (Glory to Him). Realising this, we put our trust in Him. 'Eventually you will come to understand \- At the time of death and on the Day of Resurrection you will finally see 'who is obviously in the wrong.' \- That is, who is now clearly straying from the truth. The Envoy of Al'lah (cpth) tirelessly explains to the unbelievers the misdirection and wickedness that they indulge in and offers them the means to change their conduct and enjoy happiness, yet they refuse and do not change their behaviour. Instead they say, 'We are people of science and civilisation,' but in reality they are people of disbelief, immorality, debauchery, misdirection, cruelty, criminality, injustice and degradation. And yet despite this ethical dearth, many who lack insight and perception look respectfully and reverently at these non-believers.

### {30}

This is the final warning to humanity: Say [oh Mohammad], 'Just think: if your water [that sustains you] were to soak deep into the earth' \- Al'lah commands His Envoy (cpth) to speculate, what if the many sources of freshwater on this earth were to vanish, 'then who could supply you with the fresh water you require?' \- Water is essential to life, all life, and if all the water were to dry up and drain away, would you then be able to bring it back? With all your learning and civilisation could you bring back the water?

Indeed, it is sadly true that in these modern times the springs have run dry and the water that humanity drinks has become stagnant.

All praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 68 (AL-QALAM SURAH)

THE GODLY PEN

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Nun, [‎21] the Godly Pen and what they [the believers] inscribe{2} [testify that] you [oh Prophet] are not [mad, or] veiled from the Grace of your Lord,{3} and truly, you will receive a boundless reward,{4} for you are of sublime character.{5} Soon you will see, as will they,{6} by what means the captive is taken. {7} Your Provider knows best who strays from His Path, and it is He Who knows best who is rightly guided.{8} So do not yield to those who deny [the truth].{9} They wish you to compromise [with them in matters of faith], so they might compromise [you].{10} Do not yield to any contemptible swearer,{11} a self-indulger, gossiper,{12} hinderer of good, [or to anyone who is] aggressive and sinful,{13} a bearer [of others' sins], and consequently degrades himself.{14} [He holds all these qualities] whatever wealth and children he may have.{15} When Our Signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fables of the ancient.'{16} We shall brand him on the snout [nose]!

{17} We have tried them just as We tried the people of the garden, they who swore that they would harvest its bounty in the morning,{18} and allow no share [for the needy].{19} Then your Provider visited it [the garden] while they were sleeping.{20} And by morning it had become like a desolate land.{21} Still having risen for the morning, they called each other [unknowing], {22} 'Go early to your gardens, if you mean to gather [the harvest].' {23} So they went off, conversing in hushed tones,{24} '[Take care] that no destitute person enter there with you today!'{25} They turned, firmly resolved in intent [that is, to collect the harvest and not share it with the needy, convinced that] they have power.{26} But when they saw it [the destruction], they said, 'We must have lost our way!{27} No – rather we are deprived [of the fruits]!'{28} Their moderator said, 'Did I not say to you, "Why do you not glorify God?" '{29} They said, 'Glory is to our Provider! Truly, we have done wrong!'{30} And then they looked at each other in mutual reproach.{31} They said, 'Oh, woe to us! We have indeed transgressed!{32} But it may be that our Provider will give us something better in its place: we truly turn to our Provider in hope.'{33} Such is [the purpose of] the punishment [in this life], but greater still is the punishment in the Hereafter, if only they knew.

{34} For the ones who become illuminated by Al'lah's Light, there are Gardens of bliss with their Lord.{35} Should We treat those who submit [to Us] as We treat those who do evil!{36} This [universe] does not belong to you. How then can you [act as] judge [in it]?{37} Or do you have a book from which you learn {38} that what is for you therein is whatever you choose?{39} Or have you done blessed performances [conferring benefits] upon Us until the Day of Resurrection? Do you have possession of that whereof you judge?{40} Ask them [Prophet] which of them may lead them in that [pretence].{41} Or do they have partners [besides God]? Then let them produce their partners, if what they say is true.{42} On the Day when all that was driven will be manifest, and they will be invited to prostrate themselves, they will be incapable of it.{43} Downcast will be their eyes, abasement overwhelming them. They had been invited to prostrate themselves while they were still safe and whole [but refused].

{44} So Prophet] leave Me with those who deny this Word: We will lead them on, step by step, from where they do not know.{45} I fulfil for them [all their requirements], for truly My Plan is firm and unfailing.{46} Or is it that you asked them for some reward [in return for calling them to Our Word], and so they are heavily burdened with debt!{47} Or is the hidden[[‎22] within their reach? Thus, it is they who transcribe [their fate]. {48} So wait patiently [Prophet] for your Lord's Judgement, and do not be like the companion of the whale, who called out [to Us] choking inwardly [with distress].{49} Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would have been abandoned alone and bare, reproaching himself.{50} But his Lord chose him and made him one of those who are worthy [of His Gift].{51} Those who disbelieve would [if they could] smite you with their looks when they hear the Reminder, and they say, 'He must be mad!'{52} But truly it is nothing other than a Reminder for all the worlds.

## Interpretation of Fortress 68

THE GODLY PEN

(AL-QALAM SURAH)

### {1}

Nun \- Al'lah addresses His Envoy (cpth), saying, 'You are the light for the world. Anyone who proceeds in this life with companions other than you, they proceed only in darkness.'

Nun \- 'Oh Mohammad! The Qur'an is a beacon in your hands for the believers; it enlightens the path to illumination by Al'lah's Light.' God says, 'Oh people, a persuasive proof has come to you from your Lord and We have beamed a clear light down to you.[‎23]'

The light of the Qur'an saves humanity from darkness, blindness and ignorance. It contains true insight and the logical and just humanitarian guidelines. Understanding and following the instructions it contains leads not only to happiness, but causes pain and disease to vanish. This must occur, because the Qur'an is a revelation from the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

Before we came to inhabit this world, we were all mere spirits in the pre-material world. These spirits were not covered with a body, not covered with flesh, blood and bones. Rather God created all spirits from light, and so there was no difference nor disparity between them in anything. Then the Almighty Al'lah offered the Trust to the spirits; that is, He offered them free will and freedom of choice. He offered to give them the opportunity to independently choose the right path by their deeds and achievements and man accepted the Trust. So they agreed to come to this material world, where deeds might be performed, so that they might act righteously and carry out moral acts. Thus they requested to experience desire not from a longing to undergo want and lust and the pleasures they sometimes bring, but rather because they hoped it would be the impetus to do good deeds. However, after the spirits had accepted the Trust, God wished to temper the covenant by exposing them to desire; unfortunately, they succumbed to the temptations; and, in turning away from Al'lah, they lost His Light and their right path. This is true of all the spirits except for the spirits of the Prophets and Envoys; they kept faith with their covenant and therefore their light was not extinguished, rather the brightness and illumination of their lights increased. The greatest Envoy Mohammad (cpth) possessed the strongest light, its brightness eclipsed the light of all the Prophets and Envoys (ptt). Thus the Prophet Mohammad (cpth) became a source of light for them and remains so to this day, for his illumination can never be extinguished or hidden.

Hence, the beacon of the Prophet (cpth) will lead you to the Light of Al'lah, the Almighty, which is the Qur'an, and by his light (cpth) you can understand its significance and meaning.

This explains the letters Nun. As for the term the Godly Pen, it refers to the Pen of the Divine Judgement, that is, to what was written and imprinted in the spirit of the Envoy (cpth).

The Almighty Al'lah wove the words of the Holy Qur'an into the spirit of the Prophet Mohammad (cpth). He inscribed realities there which were translated for the sake of the Prophet, into words and meanings which no mortal could produce, not so much as a word or even a single letter. He (cpth) also left behind his deeds, which the people that followed him and those yet to come have failed to replicate. These acts have never been rendered because his intentions (cpth) were so high, yet this is why he (cpth) could guide nations and generations, one after another.

Due to the high purpose of the Envoy, God made him (cpth) the pen of His Divine Judgement which He ordains for us. He (cpth) engraves in the spirits of the believers what Al'lah has inscribed onto his own noble chest: His Lights and Supreme Names and the realities of the Qur'an. The Supreme Names of Al'lah also include the lofty Gardens.

In this verse, the Almighty confirms the mission of His Envoy, thus He mentioned Nun, then the Godly Pen and then: and what they [the believers] inscribe \- 'From you, comes this lofty Revelation which you requested from Me for the people's sake, for their salvation and guidance, and which, if all humankind and jinn-kind worked together to create a like revelation, they would surely fail and never be able to do so.'

Those who followed his teaching (cpth) and persisted until they loved Mohammad and joined with him: these are the ones who have light and happiness etched first in their own hearts and then in the hearts of their nations. They led humanity the right way, leading them from darkness and into the light. This statement may also be applied to the unbelievers when read as a question: and what [will] they inscribe? \- 'You are a light for them; so if they leave you, My Envoy, they will plunge into darkness, and what then will they inscribe?'

The people who decided to turn away from the noble Envoy (cpth) and ignore his teaching and his guidance, chose not to obey him (cpth), thus they have written a prescription of the Fire for themselves, merited because they destroyed nations and generations and caused humanity to live in suffering and misery.

The Envoy Mohammad (cpth) seeks the truth; his tongue speaks only that which is true. He is the beacon by which one can become illuminated. He is a mercy for all the worlds, without him hearts and visions would become blind, and what can blind-hearted people hope to inscribe in their spirits?

### {2}

All of this will [testify that] you [oh Prophet] are not [mad, or] veiled from the Grace of your Lord - 'You stand in the light, thus the truth is not hidden from you. You are not ignorant of the Names of Al'lah (Glory to Him). This guidance which has led you to Al'lah proves that you possess a great degree of knowledge about Al'lah.' It is a testimony bestowed from Al'lah to His Envoy (cpth) to show all that he is not veiled from the truth as people with blind hearts often claimed. They said, 'He (the Envoy of Al'lah) needlessly deprives himself of the pleasures of the world, shuns joy and amusement. But as for us, people of science and civilisation, we do not deprive ourselves of anything.' They did not understand that acting unlawfully ultimately leads to misery and torment. That is why they drew unhappiness upon themselves and all those with them, nay upon all humanity. Their perspective was reversed because they betrayed Al'lah and turned away from Him and thus they became confused. As for the Prophet (cpth) he never moved far from his Provider nor was he inconstant in his love for Him; no one can compete with him in this love. Thus, this verse makes known: 'The light which is in your hands, that which is imprinted in your spirit, and that which others inscribe in themselves because of what they have learned from you: all of this testifies that you possess great knowledge about God.'

### {3}

And truly, you will receive a boundless reward. - That is, an endless and uninterrupted reward, a reward which grows and increases and progresses. This is because the duty of the Prophet (cpth) is continuous and his deeds still cover the whole of creation. Also every righteous deed may only take place through him (cpth), thus without him good deeds cannot exist. This is because people are living in darkness and how can a person work in darkness?

### {4}

For you are of sublime character. - Because Mohammad dwells permanently in God's Presence and harbours a great love for Al'lah, his Lord granted him aspects of perfection derived from His Mercy, Compassion, Affection and Kindness and let these define him (cpth). The Prophet Mohammad (cpth) assimilated these attributes until they became part of his nature. These characteristics shared mercy and tenderness with all of creation, and thus he (cpth) was able to patiently bear what other people cannot. Consequently, whoever believes in their Lord and loves the Envoy (cpth) to the extent they connect spiritually with him will feel deep reverence and honour towards him (cpth). From this bond they will attain good character and undoubtedly advance on the pathway leading to Al'lah (Glory to Him).

This verse is a testimonial from Al'lah of His Envoy's great nature. For whose words have more credibility than Al'lah's? These lines unequivocally refute any wrongdoing or unflattering reports about him (cpth) and further they refute the claim that Al'lah the Almighty reproached him for his treatment of the blind man mentioned in God's Saying, 'He the Envoy Mohammad] frowned and turned away, when there came to him the blind man.' [[‎24]

### {5}

Soon you will see, - 'You will observe their state,' as will they \- 'And they will see your state. At that moment, remorse and understanding will overcome them as they realise what they have wasted by the wrongs they have committed, and what they have lost by these transgressions. So tomorrow the truth will be obvious to both of you as soon as you see the other.'

### {6}

By what means the captive is taken. - That is, they will see who was led astray from the truth by their fascination with the trappings of this world. Perhaps they were fascinated by each other; or wealth, women and children wholly consumed their hearts. But in this way they deceive themselves and others. They were so enamoured of their civilisation that they did not achieve perfection. Instead this admiration brought them only misery, anguish and regrets.

### {7}

Your Provider \- Oh Mohammad! Knows best \- Al'lah Almighty, through His knowledge, had made you aware of Who strays from His Path \- That is, the misled, the deniers, and the hypocrites, and it is He Who knows best who is rightly guided. \- And He has made you aware of the truthful ones.

No one but Al'lah knows all the hidden matters; Al'lah made His Envoy (cpth) aware of the state of all of creation because the Prophet (cpth) is the doctor and the saviour, and a doctor must know everything regarding his patients. For this reason, his knowledge (cpth) encompasses everything from the beginning of this life until the earth will stop its rotation.

### {8}

So do not yield to those who deny [the truth]. \- 'Go ahead and do not be distracted by the deniers. Do not disregard their mistakes, instead refute them with proof and logic. Perhaps they will change their conduct and follow the right path which will lead them to happiness and Paradise in this world and in the Hereafter.'

### {9}

They wish you to compromise [with them in matters of faith], so they might compromise [you]. \- 'They want to negotiate with you regarding religious matters so that you might pretend to be on friendly terms with each other.' They also hope to convince the Prophet (cpth) to ignore the truth and side with them, overlooking their mistakes if they promise to side with him (cpth); but this he (cpth) will never do.

### {10}

Do not yield to any contemptible swearer, \- That is, to those who swear much without regard for the truth. The word swearer hallaf in Arabic also means 'the allied' muhalef. These people who swear to falsehoods are allied with this low world and its base pleasures. Their spirits are filled with vice, and therefore they swear to falsehoods. When they decided to follow the primrose path they chose not to ally themselves to Al'lah (Glory to Him) and His Envoy (cpth). In the pre-material world they pledged to their Provider that they would not turn away from Him when they came to this world, but they broke this oath. They promised to contemplate His Signs until they received illumination and attained a heart vision; they pledged to follow the Envoy. This is what the noble verse explains in God's Saying, 'And warn people of the Day when the torment will come to them, then the wrongdoers will say, "Our Lord, respite us for a short while; we shall answer Your Call and follow the Envoys." God will say to them], "Did you not swear before [in al-Azal] to keep in touch with Me? But now you have no escape." ' [[‎25]

When they came to this world they betrayed their Lord and broke their oath to Al'lah, that is why they became contemptible \- They are despicable. They humiliated themselves by chasing this low world and its desires. So intently do they seek to obtain what is in creation that they forget to seek what is found with the Creator. Hence, they debase themselves and become the lowest of the low, as glory belongs only to Al'lah and His Envoy and to the believers.

### {11}

A self-indulger \- They are fully absorbed in and confined by the carnal world. They are always occupied with satisfying their demands and fulfilling their desires, never concerned with whether or not their methods are lawful. They are submersed in their troubles, and therefore they always appear worried, distressed and burdened. It was said, 'Take whatever you want from this world, but suffer distress equal to it.' They do not stop at misleading themselves, but instead strive to entice others with what they possess. They use their possessions to corrupt the hearts of Al'lah's servants and lure them towards pleasures that lead to destruction.

Gossiper \- Gossips speak ill about a group of people in front of another group and then talk bad about the second group before the first. They breed corruption amongst people by showing off their own affluence and so enticing the poor to envy them and fall into sin. They follow whatever whim rises in their spirits or crosses their minds. They talk freely about wealth, women and sex so as to make people's hearts incline to these things, thus luring them to indulge in sins, theft, adultery and the forbidden. This is what their distance from Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth) leads them to. In life they do not think or realise their deeds will have consequences, but when death comes they will understand the punishment they have brought upon themselves.

Then they will see that this world is a mere stone, nothing in and of itself, and that everything in it comes from Al'lah. So, it is for a mere stone that they have turned away from their Lord! When comprehension dawns they will be overtaken by grief and remorse, and fear and horror will overwhelm them until they find no shelter for themselves except the Fire.

### {12}

Hinderer of good \- This is their character. Anything they do causes evil and harm for other people. They are not only disobedient but they discourage others from doing good deeds and actively oppose the truth and its followers. [Or to anyone who is] aggressive - They aggressively attack people's honour and property, they care for nothing except their own affairs and possessions. And sinful \- They have evil purposes. They have shrouded themselves in garments of sin and resentment and allowed themselves to be subsumed by it; therefore they commit morally reprehensible deeds and influence others to be like them.

### {13}

A bearer [of others' sins] - They will bear not only their own sins but the sins of others, and will be accountable for all. And consequently degrades himself. - They are censured by other people as well as degraded in their own self-esteem. No matter how much others may praise them, they know in their hearts that they have fallen.

### {14}

[He holds all these qualities] whatever wealth and children he may have. - No matter how great their wealth or how many children they are blessed with, they never feel satisfied by worldly things because they have mistaken the high purpose behind them. Al'lah says, 'Whatever wealth and children this man has,' that is, whatever abundance Al'lah grants them, they are always greedy, seeking ever more unlawful wealth; likewise whatever children and adoring women they may have, they keep flirting with other beauties. This is their situation. The Prophetic saying denotes, 'Two types of greedy people never become satiated: those greedy for acquiring knowledge and those greedy for wealth.'[Al-Tabarani in his book al-Awsat, up to Ibn Abbas.]

The capacity of the human spirit can grow by acquiring either worldly things or otherworldly things relating to its Heavenly Provider. People who are far from their Lord do not look beyond this world, instead they study it always. They strive to have ever more of it and, fearing poverty, do not give money to charity. The following verse clarifies the reason for that in God's Saying,

### {15}

When Our Signs are recited to him \- 'Our Signs' signifies the Word of the Provider of the world which He has bestowed upon His Envoy (cpth). When the Prophet, in turn, delivered this revelation and its explanation to those who never even conceived of such splendid and sublime meaning, he says, 'Fables of the ancient.' - In their ignorance, they used to scoff whenever they were advised or instructed. They said, 'If we followed this teaching we would deny ourselves joy, amusement and desires.' Fables of the ancient \- They claimed that the Prophet Mohammad composed these words from the speeches of men who lived in times long past. But since the men of old could not possibly know the meaning of even a single word he (cpth) had brought, they resorted instead to saying, 'He (the Prophet) is a genius. He has a way with words that far surpasses his contemporaries and has created beautiful verses with only a little help from other people. Thus this (revelation) was created by humans and there is no truth in it.' They claimed that Mohammad fabricated all of this although it is the Lord of the worlds Who speaks through the tongue of His noble Envoy.

This shows that they do not desire the truth but prefer its opposite, error and transgression. That is why God says,

### {16}

We shall brand him on the snout [nose]! - 'We will mark him on his nose.' He will be humiliated every time he turns up his nose. Thus every arrogant rich man and everyone who is too worldly will be insulted by means of that which they cherish, be it their children, their property or their own spirit. Al'lah Almighty does not permit humanity to keep advancing in error. His Mercy calls for errors to be addressed, and the treatment differs according to the severity of the deeds. The intent behind all of this is to encourage humans to relinquish their pride and regain their senses. Those who have mistaken the path of truth and happiness have fallen from grace and lost the position which God bestowed on them. He created humankind to be masters over all other beings, however, they became distracted and only concerned themselves with the world and its pleasures, forgetting there is any life except the present. As treatment, God's Mercy required such a person be inflicted with difficulties, diseases, poverty, hunger, tornados and earthquakes so that they might be guided to return to the right path and enter Paradise.

### {17}

We have tried them just as We tried the people of the garden \- 'We have tested other people just like We tested the owners of farms and orchards,' that is, those who were preoccupied with wealth and worldly pleasures. They who swore that they would harvest its bounty in the morning - They not only decided but actually swore that in the morning they would harvest and keep all the fruits of all their farms, their fields and their orchards and not share any of it with the poor. They said, 'This is only for us and our families.' They did not want to give the poor and the needy their rightful share. They argued instead, 'Why should we give to the poor? Let them work for themselves.'

God revealed their saying such in the noble verse, ' "Should we feed those that Al'lah could feed if He willed?" ' [‎26]

Those who seek to reap benefits only for themselves or their loved ones are indeed bereft of good because 'Everything in creation is dependent on God.' [‎27]

As for these people, they cared only for their blood relations and forgot that kindness should reach all creation.

### {18}

And allow no share [for the needy]. \- They were determined to harvest and hoard every last bit for themselves and not spare even a single fruit for others to enjoy.

### {19}

Then your Provider visited it [the garden] while they were sleeping. - At night a frost, or something similar, afflicted the trees and fruits of these selfish farmers, destroying their harvest.

### {20}

And by morning it had become like a desolate land. \- In the morning, no edible fruit was left on their land. The fruits had all been rendered dry and withered by the frost.

### {21}

Still having risen for the morning, they called each other [unknowing] \- In the morning, unaware of the destruction, they met up as planned and encouraged each other to harvest everything as arranged the night before.

### {22}

'Go early to your gardens if you mean to gather [the harvest].' \- 'If you are steadfastly determined to deprive the poor of their share, then go to your fields now while it is early.' This was because the poor were accustomed to come at a certain time and receive their share, but these people had decided to harvest prior to that time so they might avoid the needy altogether.

### {23}

So they went off, conversing in hushed tones \- They set off for their fields, whispering and hiding from the poor.

### {24}

'[Take care] that no destitute person enter there with you today!' - They were talking in secret because they did not wish to feed the poor or even be seen by them.

### {25}

They turned, firmly resolved in intent [that is, to collect the harvest and not share it with the needy, convinced that] they have power. \- They were so focused on not sharing with the poor that they forgot about God and became disconnected from Him. Instead they turned away and moved far from Him, the Almighty, as their spirits became stubborn. [Convinced that] they have power. \- They were sure that they would be able to unilaterally implement their decision and thus had no need of the Almighty Al'lah.

### {26}

But when they saw it [the destruction] they said, 'We must have lost our way! \- At first they did not recognise their own fields and thought they must have gone to the wrong orchards.

### {27}

'No – rather we are deprived [of the fruits]!' \- Then they understood they were in the right fields but their harvest was ruined. They said, 'Oh no, these are our orchards, but Al'lah has deprived us of their fruits.' Thus they wrongly attributed their loss to Al'lah, not realising that they had caused the affliction themselves with their bad intentions.

### {28}

Their moderator said \- Their sheikh, the leader who guided them to Al'lah, and the mediator between them and Al'lah, said, 'Did I not say to you, "Why do you not glorify God?" ' - 'Why don't you allow your spirits to bask in God's Favour and remember His Graces upon you?'

### {29}

They said, 'Glory is to our Provider! - How Great He is! 'Truly, we have done wrong!' - Finally, they understood and confessed their sins.

### {30}

And then they looked at each other in mutual reproach. - The best among them said, 'Didn't I tell you that it is forbidden to deprive the poor of their share?' The others replied, 'But why didn't you try to stop us? You should not have gone along with us, instead you should have argued strongly against our decision.'

### {31}

They said, 'Oh, woe to us! We have indeed transgressed! \- 'We have left the path of justice. We violated the boundaries of humanity. What if we were poor and needy and the rich did not give us our share, what would we do then?'

### {32}

'But it may be that our Provider will give us something better in its place: we truly turn to our Provider in hope.' - 'Let us turn ourselves towards Al'lah.' They repented of their bad intentions and strove to do better. Thus, their spirits returned to Al'lah and, desiring the Satisfaction of the Lord of the worlds, they performed good deeds with no motive other than approaching Him, the Almighty.

### {33}

Such is [the purpose of] the punishment [in this life] - Any punishment in this world intends only goodness for humanity. Al'lah sends afflictions and disasters so that someone who has strayed may be motivated to return to the right path and thus attain eternal happiness. Not one single person of any nationality is deprived of the Mercy of Al'lah, rather Al'lah tailors His Treatments to each individual; He carefully chooses the most auspicious time and method for each treatment. But greater still is the punishment in the Hereafter \- These earthly treatments pale in comparison to the punishments that await in the Hereafter; when humans realise their evil deeds, their suffering will be far more severe. In the Hereafter, every guilty person will clearly comprehend their wrongdoings and, since they will return to their pure nature at that time, the wrongness of their actions will burn inside them and cause them to withdraw inside themselves. Then, in order to forget the torment of their spirits, Al'lah will make them suffer the pain of Fire. If only they knew. \- If only they had believed and forged a link with God's Envoy (cpth), then in this life they would have received a light and a heart vision which would have shown them the torment that awaits those who do not believe, and, forewarned, they would have never committed wrongs and offences.

### {34}

For the ones who become illuminated by Al'lah's Light, there are Gardens of bliss with their Lord. \- These paradises await everyone who repents and faithfully follows the right path until they attain belief and illumination by Al'lah's Light. Al'lah's Punishments intend only that the people afflicted should repent and return to belief so that they might ultimately enter Paradise and be delighted by its view. Suffering is a component, not the goal.

### {35}

Should We treat those who submit to Us] as We treat those who do evil! - Are the wicked sinner and the right-minded equals? Does a hardened criminal have the same worth as a pious believer? Would Al'lah value all His people equally, regardless of their deeds? How could you[[‎28] say, 'My intercession will be only for the wrongdoers of my nation'? [‎29] Yet this saying (hadith) is ascribed to the Prophet (cpth) although he never said such a thing! These words are an invitation for lechery, sins and immoralities, yet you condone it!

### {36}

This [universe] does not belong to you. How then can you [act as] judge [in it]? - God tells us, 'This universe is not yours, so... How then can you [act as] judge [in it]? - 'How can you pronounce judgement over that which does not belong to you or create laws to govern a universe you did not create? Isn't that a little ridiculous?' All that is in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Al'lah, while you possess your belief, your good deeds and Paradise. Thus if you do not pursue the truth, you will find only loss.

### {37}

Or do you have a book from which you learn, \- That is, are you only blindly quoting from a book?

### {38}

That what is for you therein is whatever you choose? - Do you take from it only that which pleases you? Do you pick and choose, selecting whatever agrees with your whims? Alas, if you are not guided by the Book of Al'lah where will your course lead you? The reality is that this path leads only to misery, suffering, war, transgression, swindle, fraud, immorality, oppression, cruelty, humiliation and defeat.

### {39}

Or have you done blessed performances [conferring benefits] upon Us until the Day of Resurrection? \- 'Or have you performed deeds splendid enough to outweigh your transgressions on Judgement Day? Have you done favours for Us or perhaps you even surpassed Our Achievements? Did you create a new universe? Or even so much as a new sun or moon? Do you have possession of that whereof you judge? \- In your own home you make your own policies because it is your domain, but this universe is the Dominion of Al'lah Almighty. Why then do you presume to legislate policies for it? Its property and creation do not belong to you. The one who creates an instrument has the best knowledge of it and can best prescribe directions for its use. Likewise, this universe is the Creation of God, so His Laws predominate, and you should abide by them. It is He Who gives you food and water, and the one who nourishes you must be obeyed.

### {40}

Ask them [Prophet] \- The Prophet (cpth) remonstrated with them and his proof convinced them they were wrong, which of them may lead them in that [pretence]. \- Who could champion such a ridiculous claim? He (cpth) said to them: 'Where is your favour? What special rights can you bestow? You have no favour. You cannot even create an ant!'

### {41}

Or do they have partners [besides God]? \- Who could have brought the earth into existence, shaped and moulded it, and then let it run? Who causes night to follow day? Do these others bring water, air or vegetation? Why do they take pride in and seek these things they have nothing to do with instead of taking pride in their Provider and following His Guidance? Then let them produce their partners \- If they believe some others possess enough power to be capable of these mighty acts, then they should introduce them to us all. Oh, but they are dead. So they were not even capable of thwarting death. To be sure, they are ruled by the laws of this world but the one who sets a law does not come under it. If what they say is true. - If their claims are truthful, then surely their false gods can save them from any torment in the eternal life that follows.

### {42}

On the Day when all that was driven will be manifest - On Judgement Day the evil which humanity brought upon itself will be displayed for the spirits. And each spirit will show whatever forces drove it, whether good or evil, and what Al'lah steered to them to help guide them, good, schemes and treatments. And they will be invited to prostrate themselves, - On this Day they will be invited to turn towards Al'lah. It will be said to them, 'Come, enter Paradise!' But they will be incapable of it. \- When they truly see themselves and understand the evil deeds they committed, their shame and disgrace will be so great they will be unable to enter Paradise.

### {43}

Downcast will be their eyes \- Their eyes will be cast down from shame at their disgrace and delinquency, abasement overwhelming them. \- Dishonoured, they will live in the fire of Hell. It is the fire of anguish and remorse ignited and fed by bad deeds, such as killing, oppression, looting, robbery and brutality. They had been invited to prostrate themselves \- In this world, they were called by God's Envoys to turn towards Al'lah but they refused, while they were still safe and whole [but refused]. \- One who is sick in his heart cannot properly pray. While in the world, they were still healthy and possessed the power of thought. Even though Al'lah assigned angels to inspire them to turn to Him, created this enormous universe for them, sent them Envoys to show them the path of belief and guide them, still they refused to believe while they felt themselves content.

### {44}

So [Prophet] leave Me \- The Prophet (cpth) observed them always and witnessed their pitiable states. He (cpth) was well aware of what their deeds would bring upon them in the Hereafter. Concerned, he was always lamenting over them and tirelessly beseeching their Lord for their salvation. So finally his Provider said to him, leave Me - Meaning: 'Your mercy is great, but when compared to My Mercy it is not even worth mentioning. These people have denied and turned away from Me, so this is the only suitable outcome.' With those who deny this Word \- 'I have bestowed guidance upon your heart and revealed wisdom through your tongue. You requested this from Me for their benefit, so that you might aid them, but they refused your guidance. They do not desire the truth, therefore We will lead them on, step by step - 'We will give them what they do desire, wealth, children, whatever is suitable for their spirits. I gave them freedom of choice and this is what they chose, so now I will grant them what they crave and it will feed the wickedness and desires of their spirits,' from where they do not know. - They do not realise what lurks behind these pleasures, nor the deeds they will commit because of them, nor the bleak end those deeds will bring upon them. If only they had been aware of all this, they would never have cultivated these desires, and they would not have fallen into the claws of Satan.

### {45}

I fulfil for them [all their requirements] for truly My Plan is firm and unfailing. \- 'My Management is trustworthy and comprehensive. First I shall grant them their desires, then I will send treatments and adversity to shake them from their heedlessness, and spur them to reconsider their values, then hopefully they can return to enjoy happiness.'

### {46}

Or is it that you asked them for some reward [in return for calling them to Our Word] \- 'Did you seek a reward in return for your guidance?' Certainly, the Prophet (cpth) never demanded anything from anyone; and so they are heavily burdened with debt! \- 'Are they heavily burdened with debt because you asked them for a large reward? Did you make oppressive demands which hindered them? Of course not! You offer only guidance and require nothing in return except belief.'

### {47}

Or is the hidden within their reach? - No one truly knows the unseen except Al'lah and the Envoy whom He is pleased with! So they are not aware of what will happen tomorrow, or even one hour in the future. For if they could know the unseen, surely they would have been forewarned and prepared for the earthquakes and the hurricanes and thus avoided the treatments that befell them. Thus, it is they who transcribe [their fate]. - Their actions and desires dictated their own misery and destruction. Thus because of their cravings, wars came, famines struck them, and all manner of injustice prevailed. Yet if they still refuse to return to God in repentance in this world, they will face an even worse torment in the Hereafter.

### {48}

So wait patiently [Prophet] for your Lord's Judgement - 'Oh Mohammad (cpth), be steadfast and await His Announcement with equanimity,' and do not be like the companion of the whale \- That is, our master Jonah (pth). God says to His Prophet (cpth), 'Do not let the pain you feel from their opposition and denial cause you to abandon them.' For God's Envoy (cpth), perfection required him to stay with his people even as they erred, but conversely, for our master Jonah (pth), the perfect act was to leave his heedless people. Who called out [to Us] choking inwardly [with distress]. \- That is, he concealed his anger and suffering and did not express his true feelings to the creatures, but only to his Lord, the Owner of power and might Who knows everything. Our master Jonah (pth) was dissatisfied with his people and disapproved of their actions, so he left them. During his absence (pth), his people had time to consider whether they were better off with or without him. Our master Jonah (pth) thought himself bereft of good deeds and companions because he (pth) could not continue teaching people who persisted in following the wrong path and drawing ever farther from Al'lah. But after he stopped guiding them and indeed steered his own course away from them entirely, his people were impelled to compare their previous state to their condition after his departure. After much thoughtful consideration, they changed their conduct for the better, and then the Lord of the worlds changed the arrangements our master Jonah (pth) had made.

### {49}

Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him \- Our Lord revised Jonah's (pth) arrangement by casting him into the sea where he was swallowed by a whale which then carried him unharmed back to his people. This happened only after his people received treatments from the Lord of the worlds and subsequently decided to change their ways. He would have been abandoned alone and bare \- If the Lord had not sent him back to his people, on the Day of Judgement, Jonah would have been bare, that is, without companions. Reproaching himself. - He would have been alone and rebuking himself, because he thought himself separated from good deeds when he left his people.

### {50}

But his Lord chose him - He selected Jonah because of his lofty intentions. He fulfilled these intentions for him and then gave him his just and well-earned reward. God made Jonah close to Himself because he had great compassion, honourable intentions and performed his task admirably. And made him one of those who are worthy [of His Gift]. - Because of Jonah's efforts, many people accepted his guidance and followed him, not just his own people but also those of the surrounding cities.

### {51}

Those who disbelieve would [if they could] smite you with their looks - The unbelievers do not wish to see you who are faithful. Instead they hope for your demise. When they hear the Reminder \- When they hear this revelation, these lofty guidelines, and they say, 'He must be mad!' \- They will declare that only someone not in their right mind would willingly deprive himself of the pleasures of the world.

### {52}

But truly it is nothing other than a Reminder for all the worlds. \- Adhering to religious beliefs is completely voluntary. Those who choose to believe may do so, and in time they will receive the Gardens. Others may choose disbelief and eventually they will suffer for their evil deeds. Also, through this noble verse, Al'lah gave welcome tidings and encouragement to His Envoy (cpth), implying that at some point unbelief will vanish entirely and all the nations on earth will follow his guidance. This will come to pass because this Word has descended from the Provider of the worlds for the whole worlds.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 69 (AL-HAQQA SURAH(

TRUTH-CONTROL

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} The Truth-control!{2} What is the Truth-control?{3} And what will make you understand what the Truth-control is?

{4} The people of Thamud and 'Ad denied that the self-reproach would come:{5} Thamud was destroyed by an awful shrill scream.{6} 'Ad was destroyed by a furious, roaring wind, {7} that God applied to them for seven nights and eight days decisively, so that you could have seen its people lying dead like old, hollow palm-trunks.{8} Do you see any remnants of them now?{9} Pharaoh, too, and those before him, and perpetrators of grave sins [they] all came [to earth] with wrong spirits.{10} And they disobeyed the Envoy of their Lord, so He seized them with duly required force.{11} When the Flood rose high, We carried you in the on-moving [floating] Ark,{12} making all those events a reminder for you, that mindful ears might take heed.

{13} Then when it is ensouled in the bodies with one breath [of Resurrection],{14} and the earth, and the mountains will be removed and taken off duty never to return.{15} On that Day the Certain Event will come to pass.{16} And the heaven will sunder, as on that Day it will be insubstantial;{17} and the angels will be on all its sides and, on that Day, Eight will bear the Manifestation of your Lord above them.{18} On that Day you will be revealed and none of your secrets will remain hidden. {19} Then anyone who is given his record in his right will say, 'Here! Read my record.{20} I did really believe that I would meet my account.'{21} And so he will be in a state of life pleasing to him,{22} in a lofty garden,{23} with blessings within easy reach. {24} [It will be said,] 'Eat and drink with gusto for what you have already earned in days past!'{25} But anyone who is given his record in his left will say, 'If only I had never been given my record,{26} and knew nothing of my account!{27} How I wish death had been my end!

{28} My wealth has availed me nothing,{29} and my power has gone from me!'{30} [Al'lah will say], 'Take him and show him his yield [of deeds].{31} Then lead him to burn in the blazing Fire.{32} Then let him pass through a chain whose length is seventy cubits.'{33} Truly, he used not to believe in Almighty God,{34} and did not encourage feeding the destitute,{35} and so, today he has no real friend here,{36} nor any food except filth. {37} None will eat it except the wrongdoers.

{38} So I do not swear by whatsoever you can see,{39} nor by whatsoever you cannot see:{40} it [the Qur'an] surely is the word of a noble Envoy,{41} and not the word of a poet: how little you believe!{42} Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: how little you reflect!{43} It is a Message sent down from the Provider of the worlds.{44} If he [the Envoy] had attributed some false saying to Us,{45} We would certainly have taken from him [what he gained] with [his] right;{46} and then We would certainly have cut off his lifeblood [God's Revelation].{47} And none of you could deprive him of this.{48} And truly, he [the Envoy] is a reminder for true seekers of Al'lah's Light.{49} We certainly know that some of you consider [God's Revelation] to be lies, {50} although this will be a source of bitter regret for the disbelievers.{51} But it [the Qur'an] is absolutely the true way leading to certainty.{52} So [Prophet,] glorify and soar through the Name of your Provider, the Almighty.

## Interpretation of Fortress 69

TRUTH-CONTROL

(AL-HAQQA SURAH(

### {1}

The Truth-control! - In Arabic, it means concrete reality, the undeniable truth. Truth-control is when the very spirit of a human is surrounded by all its evil deeds and finally realises that it alone is responsible for its actions. The spirit is so overwhelmed by the evidence of its own wrongdoing that it cannot deny its guilt, thus it is proven. This will take place when humans die; they will lose their earthly desires and return to the nature of perfection. Faced with this evidence, they and none other will condemn their spirits for the bad deeds they have committed. Al'lah Almighty says, 'Read your book. Today your own spirit is enough to be a judge against you.' [‎30]Whatever wrong deeds a person commits stay with them always and follow them. Then after death they will be surrounded by those deeds and forced to confront their actions and the reality that they have no one to blame but themselves.

Truth-control refers to the spirit itself when it is in the horrifically difficult situation of being enclosed and confronted by its deeds, loss and outcome. Man came to the world to fulfil the Trust and receive great rewards from their Lord for their burden. But in turning away from their Lord, they lose everything even if they do not realise it in life. But when death approaches, they will be confronted with this loss and their deeds. Their grave will be like a viper's den, their deeds will crystallise into the serpent. Then on the Day of Resurrection all creatures and creation will see them in this state. Overwhelmed by humiliation, they will throw themselves into the Fire, the blazing Fire of God, so that it may relieve the fire of disgrace, ignominy and loss which blazes in them; namely, Hell.

So, there is certainly a duty you must fulfil in this world, oh Man!

### {2}

What is the Truth-control? - What encompasses you and what will be your due and duty? Oh Man, how terrible and difficult it will be for you at the time of death and on the Day of Resurrection, when you will be surrounded and enveloped by horror, terror and pain. What is this infernal feeling that will drive you to hurl yourself into the Fire?

### {3}

And what will make you understand what the Truth-control is? - Oh Man! You are not aware of what Truth-control is because people – except for the Prophets and Envoys – have cut themselves off from the Lord and consequently lost their heart light. And without that light man cannot see or witness anything at all. Therefore, a light is essential, and that light comes from God's Envoy (cpth) who honoured his covenant to bear the Trust and did not disconnect himself from Al'lah. Without him (cpth) you cannot hope to see or comprehend the Truth-control, or anything about it. Thus, if you, oh Man, wish to understand and avoid the Truth-control, you must first seek the light of God's Envoy (cpth). By this light you will be able to observe it and thus informed, you will be able to avoid being subject to it.

Indeed, those who followed the Envoy (cpth) and believed, pursuing the path of belief in God in their places of seclusion as he (cpth) taught them, connected themselves to him and attained perfection and a light from Al'lah. Having witnessed the Truth-control, they performed only good deeds to avoid ever experiencing its horrors. But others were not able to see its reality, and so they denied it and said, 'There is no evidence to prove it exists. Has anyone ever died and returned to life? It doesn't even make sense. Why would a sane person throw themselves into Fire? We would not do that.' But this is where they made a fatal error.

### {4}

The people of Thamud and 'Ad denied that the self-reproach would come \- It is not a state of reproach the spirit will find itself in at the time of death, rather it will be self-reproach; for once it is encompassed by its own evil deeds, the rebuke comes from the spirit itself and none other.

Once the people of Thamud lived in Jordan and Al'lah sent to them an Envoy, Salih (pth).

And the people of 'Ad resided in Syria even before them; Al'lah had sent to 'Ad Prophet Hud (pth) as an Envoy to preach to them and warn them, just as Prophet Salih later preached to and warned his people. He cautioned them about the self-reproach. He said, 'Tomorrow, when everything is returned to its state (nature) of perfection, realities will be shown to you and all of creation. On that Day you will see with your own eyes what deeds you committed, how much you wasted and the evil you did to others. You will be unable to deny it, and at that moment, your spirit will rebuke you for what you have done and you will experience an agony of remorse. When you realise you have squandered the elevated status and lofty Gardens that Al'lah had prepared for you, it will ignite a blaze of regret and disgrace within you. When you comprehend the severity of your situation and your own responsibility for it, in despair you will throw yourself into the Fire, seeking release from the unbearable pains and sorrows.' And so, many denied the truth because they were lulled asleep by their worldly life and their desires. They disregarded what they heard from their Envoys, they denied the reality of self-torment. They insisted, 'Our spirits will not rebuke us and we will never throw ourselves into the Fire.' They did not repent their evil deeds nor change their ways. Because they turned away from Al'lah, they did not attain perfection. If they had believed and sought piety they would have achieved perfection (virtue) and Al'lah's Light would have enabled them to see the self-reproach, pain, wretchedness and Hell that await the disobedient. The light of piety illuminates the cost of disobedience.

### {5}

Thamud was destroyed by an awful shrill scream. \- The sound of construction defeated them eventually, for they built palaces and large buildings which mesmerised the people and distracted them from their life to come, from their Provider and His Heavens. God says, 'And with the tribe of] Thamud, who brought rocks to the valley?': [[‎31] They transgressed in this world by seeking to build ever more glorious monuments to worldly life. The lasting sign of their transgression is the city of Petra in Jordan and the buildings where they once lived. God says, 'Remember] the people of 'Ad and Thamud: their fate is made clear to you by [the ruins of] their dwellings. Satan made their foul deeds seem alluring to them and barred them from the right way, though they were capable of seeing [for themselves].' [[‎32] To build so many lavish buildings and palaces, a great deal of money was needed and they did not care how they collected it, often using unlawful means. They diverted money intended for the poor and did not observe their Provider's Side or consider the requirements of the needy. They were only concerned with their own comfort and amusement and were not troubled by the suffering it caused others. This attitude caused a great divide between rich and poor; and the wealthy acted remorselessly against the poor, behaving as a wild animal might. The people of great power had no mercy, compassion or tenderness in their hearts towards others. They cared only for their vast power.

### {6}

'Ad was destroyed by a furious, roaring wind \- They were destroyed by a ferocious, destructive wind. Their primary concern in this world was to feel joy and pleasure and breathe fresh air; thus they constructed palaces for themselves on top of pillars where the purest air circulated. But they failed to recognise that this world was only a place of training, a path toward the Hereafter where lofty Gardens await those who have performed good deeds. Consumed by their passion for worldly comforts and open-air amusements, they enjoyed the gardens they constructed and they abandoned Al'lah and their Envoy. They took great pride in their mightiness, and they oppressed others haughtily. Cruel tyrants, they ruled over other nations without right, plundering their treasures for their own pleasures, leaving the native peoples beset by poverty and hunger.

As a result, Al'lah gathered up the wind and air they so loved and sent it all down upon them at once, destroying them. God said, 'The people of 'Ad behaved arrogantly throughout the land without right, and said, "Who could be stronger than us?" Did they not see that Al'lah, Who created them, was stronger than them? They continued to reject Our Signs.' [‎33]

The world holds much beauty but it must be viewed from the right path, otherwise it offers man only terror and distress here and in the Hereafter. Man has not come to the world purely to experience it, for if this were the case, then death would be pointless. Rather they have been sent with a lofty mission and a noble goal, which is to recognise their Provider through His great creations. They should perform righteous acts and thus earn admittance to the Gardens. But the people of 'Ad turned their backs on Al'lah and denied their Envoy, preferring to wallow in the pleasures of the world. Thus they were met by a furious, roaring wind \- This wind shrieked reproach at them for their insistence on so loving the world. Hud (pth) instructed them tirelessly, but they ignored his advice and did not alter their ways. Furious \- A violent and calamitous wind destroyed them because they were insolent towards God, and indulged in horrific crimes and immoralities, such as murdering, looting and plundering. Thus the wind destroyed them all, sweeping them away without exception. They returned to their Lord dragging with them serpents and scorpions, rather than righteous deeds.

### {7}

That God applied to them for seven nights and eight days \- The wind lasted seven nights and eight days and during this time they lived in terror, experiencing pain and suffering Al'lah sent them as a mercy to purify their spirits.

Decisively \- Conclusively, the wind purified their spirits of the love of earthly pleasures, but the germ that originated the desires remained in them. This wind stopped their wickedness so their torment in the Hereafter would also stop increasing. So that you could have seen its people lying dead \- Due to its severity. Like old, hollow palm-trunks. - A fallen date-palm tree will hollow from inside as it begins to dry out and desiccate. This simile indicates that in life they were giants, strong people of a civilisation which built more than we have today. God said, 'Have they not travelled through the land and seen how their predecessors met their end? They were mightier than them: they cultivated the earth more and built more upon it. Their own Envoys also came to them with clear proof: Al'lah did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves.' [‎34]

### {8}

Do you see any remnants of them now? \- Once so mighty, every single one of them without exception died, disappeared. They and all traces of their civilisation and their offspring and their remains were removed. Nothing remained to lessen their pains in the Afterlife.

### {9}

Pharaoh, too, and those before him \- They came to the world already turned away from their Provider, already determined to betray. But still Al'lah gave them what they chose, al-though He only allowed their wrongdoings to affect the other transgressors, and continually invited them back to the way of righteousness; He even sent guides to instruct and lead them, Prophets Moses and Aaron (ptt). The noble Envoys said to them, 'Enough of your wickedness, immorality and transgression.' But in their arrogance they did not listen and instead turned away. Thus, they approached the Hereafter having committed evil deeds: murder, robbery, looting, bribery, etc.

And perpetrators of grave sins \- The evil action of the people of Lot was unprecedented. They all came [to earth] with wrong spirits. \- All were sinning spirits. Their spirits were at fault. For they had erred first in al-Azal (the pre-material world) when they turned away and disconnected from Al'lah, the Source of perfection and Owner of benevolence. Then they erred again in the world; they hoarded wealth and committed crimes, even preventing good and charity. Through His Envoys Al'lah invited them towards Himself, but they did not heed. Thus, these erring spirits returned to their Provider in the same state they left, carrying wickedness within them. The Fire will be the hospital and resting place where they alleviate their infernal spiritual pains.

### {10}

And they disobeyed the Envoy of their Lord \- Al'lah sent Envoys to bring them from darkness into light, to lead them from wretchedness to happiness so that they might enter His Paradise, but they did not obey and refused to accept the truth the Envoys revealed to them. Instead they persisted in their errors, disbelief and blindness.

So He seized them with duly required force. - The destruction God afflicted them with was clear and evident to everyone, and this is out of the Godly Providence with them. Thus the Almighty granted all their requests and desires to the point that they had not a single wish left unfulfilled. Then He moved them from this terrible condition to a situation where relief could be found as the torture of the grave and blaze of the Fire reduced their afflictions. For them, Fire will be a place of treatment, a way to alter the lamentable condition they are in. For Al'lah does not torment this human as a punishment, instead out of His Mercy, He offers a means of purification. Consider a man who has lost his entire family, both children and wife, in an accident; if he dwells continually on what he has lost he would almost become insane. So, Al'lah afflicts him with a pain in his tooth to divert his attention away from his greater suffering and help him forget what has befallen him.

### {11}

When the Flood rose high \- At the time of Noah (pth). We carried you in the on-moving [floating] Ark - This refers to the ark of Noah (pth), you are descended from those who believed in Al'lah with him and were saved. On that day, Al'lah safely carried the believers in the ark and drowned the disbelievers. And the total number of the believers was seventeen. But the humans were in their backbones and thus from them future human generations came into being.

### {12}

Making all those events a reminder for you \- The believer has the Light from Al'lah which allows them to see and remember. But a non-believer has only darkness, so they cannot see or recall these events.

Al'lah the Almighty admonishes us in this verse not to be like the nations whose existence was washed away by the destruction. He addressed us, saying, 'If you follow their path and disobey My Envoy then your consequences will be the same as theirs, you will be destroyed.' That mindful ears might take heed. \- This does not refer to the ear as such, but rather the spirit itself when it believes and connects with its Envoy, which allows it to perceive God's Light and the Divine Perfections.

But how does a spirit come to believe? The human listened to the words of the truth spoken by the Envoy and contemplated death until the spirit accepted that it would one day leave this world. This knowledge inspired fear of what might come and so the spirit chose to remain steadfast in obedience to Al'lah, abstaining from that which does not please Him. Persisting on the right path, the spirit became assured that Al'lah was pleased with it. Motivated by its fear of death, the spirit contemplated the universe and witnessed the Divine Existence through its signs. Thus it bore witness that there is no god except Al'lah and continued to work for its Hereafter, striving for perfection through prayer (communication with God). The spirit started loving the perfect people and their master, God's Envoy Mohammad (cpth). And this affection produced a spiritual bond with the Envoy which allowed it to witness reality through the visions of the Envoy (cpth).

You must believe in Al'lah and know the Envoy so well that you come to realise all those events. When attached to the Envoy, the spirit hears, sees and experiences realities and acquires perfections; all the companions of God's Envoy (cpth) become listeners and witnesses through him.

### {13}

Then when it is ensouled in the bodies with one breath [of Resurrection] \- On the Day of Resurrection Al'lah will breathe the soul into the body reanimating all the creations, humanity and the jinn. He will command, 'Be,' and all that He has created will stand before Him. Every human has specific atoms of soil that formed his body; Al'lah will assemble the scattered particles of the body and the spirit will surround it, conscious and witnessing. But the body cannot move until Al'lah breathes the soul into it. After that breath, the soul will again inhabit the body, animating it in the blink of an eye. This resurrection is contrary to the accepted worldly law that requires nine months for a human to come into being.

### {14}

And the earth, and the mountains will be removed \- In the world, it is Al'lah Who has organised the earth and set up laws and systems so that it will flourish and support life. He carefully placed the mountains on it so they will anchor the earth against drifting as it rotates for He is the Holder of the galaxy and what it contains. The universe and all its careful organisation has been crafted so that man, when contemplating its perfection, can come to believe in their Provider, and witness His Greatness, Knowledge and Mercy. But on the Day of Judgement, all of this will no longer be necessary. Thus God will transform them from their worldly shapes of earth and mountain into something else.

And taken off duty never to return. \- Also bodies will cease to have any purpose, thus will He (Glory to Him) relieve them of their duties and ultimately merge them into their spirits. Relieved of their duties and responsibilities, He will reward them with pleasure where they will serve no more and ultimately turn into spirits. For it is stated, 'We will bring the creation back into existence as easily as We originated it in the first instance.' [‎35] Thus the creatures will return to being spirits, as they were in the first stage of creation, when there was not yet a need for bodies. But different from the worldly state, your spirit will not be clothed by your body but your spirit will encompass your body. Thus the body will have no function but neither will it cease to be. This afterworldly state will allow the creatures to continue to progressively approach Al'lah.

### {15}

On that Day the Certain Event will come to pass. \- On that Day, every single person, pious and wicked alike, will have their deeds disclosed before all and then be separated according to what their behaviour merits. The people of Paradise will be admitted to Paradise and the people of Fire will enter Fire. On that Day there will be no intercessions nor additional deeds performed. The school of worldly life will be ended; God said, 'You who believe, spend of what We have provided for you, before the Day comes when there is no bargaining, no friendship and no intercession. It is the disbelievers who are wrong.' [‎36]

### {16}

And the heaven will sunder - On that Day, the sky will be useless and so it will relinquish its function. As on that Day it will be insubstantial \- Thus surrendering its function, it will become flimsy and feeble, fraying apart. In the world the sky was important, for by it Al'lah granted life, water and light; but on the Day of Resurrection, the sky will no longer be necessary and thus cease to function. It will become a frail and fragile spirit, without form, substance or strength. All the merits that formerly defined it will vanish as it fades into ether. And so humans should consider that the sky which surrounds and protects the earth was once a flimsy spirit like the air itself, and its vastness and grandeur are solely due to the Great Creator, they are but an iota of what He is capable of. Al'lah in His Greatness granted the sky its vastness and then relieves it when that function no longer serves. Then how Great is Al'lah the Almighty?

Those who turned away from Al'lah and did not believe in Him relied instead on the sky to supply them with life and light. But when the sky ceases to function what will these shunners of God do? If they rely solely on the sky, when it is no more how will they find light and life?

That is why those who are blind in the world, and do not look to their Provider for light and life, will still be blind in the Hereafter. If they do not seek heart life and light in this world, in the next they will know only the deplorable situation of living in distress, pain and deprivation.

### {17}

And the angels will be on all its sides \- Al'lah witnesses all the deeds of man, as does man himself, but the angels are observers as well. It is the duty of angels in the worldly life to record the deeds each human carries out during his lifetime and keep a copy of this record. On Doomsday the angels will present these lists to each human who must then face an accounting of all their worldly deeds, be they good or evil. God said, 'The angels descend upon them and say, "Do not fear or grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise, which you have been promised. We are your allies in this world and in the world to come." ' [‎37]

God also said, 'Even the greatest terror will not distress them, and the angels will receive them with the words, "This is the Day you were promised!" ' [‎38]

'However, there are indeed guardians over you, to protect you: noble recorders. They know everything that you do.' [‎39]

And, on that Day, Eight will bear the Manifestation of your Lord \- Oh Mohammad. Above them. - In the world, Al'lah reveals Himself to all His creation to sustain them with movement, power and life. By His Manifestation (Glory to Him) the universe came into existence, with such a beautiful appearance, however, God holds it to certain laws; Al'lah's Power is always and completely directed towards good. But on the Day of Resurrection, the training ground of worldly life will end and the sky, earth and mountains will vanish. No longer useful, the universe, which Al'lah used to reveal Himself to His people and nourish them, will also vanish. Then the Divine Manifestation will be through the Eight, the Envoys and Prophets (ptt), the holders of the four Books and Scriptures. They are the most precious, beautiful and dear of all the creations. Thus whoever loves them will flourish by their inexhaustible spring, for Al'lah grants all bounties through them.

### {18}

On that Day you will be revealed \- In front of everyone and everything your deeds will be disclosed – even to the jinns, angels, the smallest atoms in the universe and your body. And none of your secrets will remain hidden. - Oh Man! On that Day every secret you concealed and every deed you performed in the world will be exposed before all the creations, nothing will remain hidden. And all the creations will be witnesses for or against you, whether your deeds be good or evil. The criminals will be embarrassed and shamed as their ignominy and disgrace is displayed before all. But those who believed and did righteous deeds, will receive only goodness on that Day.

### {19}

Then anyone who is given his record in his right \- This does not mean that they will take their book with their right hand. 'Record' here refers to what has been recorded for or against the human, a tally of their deeds in the worldly life. This record is written on the pages of their spirit, everything is recorded there. Thus, oh Man, you can mentally examine the record of your life and scrutinise what deeds you have performed. 'In his right' refers to 'prosperity' which indicates many blessings and good fortune.

Thus, this verse tells us that the human who has done many righteous deeds in the world has these acts of good recorded in their spirits. This is a good omen, those who acted in the right can expect their Provider to reward them with Gardens and gifts. The good deeds will bring them prosperousness, blessings and good.

Will say: 'Here! Read my record. - The person who is successful in gaining admittance to Paradise will want all of creation to see their record and their result. They will say to their family and loved ones, 'Look at my record. See what lofty deeds I have performed and what Al'lah has already bestowed upon me. Take from this Divine Manifestation which is engulfing me and that I wholly and continuously turn to.'

### {20}

'I did really believe that I would meet my account.' \- The believers always knew the Day of Reckoning would come and thus prepared for it beforehand. But how did they prepare for it? At first they simply believed in the Hereafter, and thought about death and their destination in the next life. After much contemplation of their place in the Hereafter fear was instilled in their spirits, which, through the heart's eye, witnessed the Last Day. Thus to witness things before they happen makes the spirit realise them and puts them in its mind; you should therefore see the pit you will be laid in before you reach it and fall in. Likewise, the spirits of these people considered the Hereafter and eventually observed it. Then, having glimpsed it, they began working towards it, performing good deeds while avoiding evil and sin.

'I did really believe \- So how did this person order their thoughts? They gave priority to Al'lah and His followers, putting them before all else. They observed the Prophet and the people of guidance and, witnessing their perfection, mercy and kindness, developed a great love for them. By communicating with God through prayer, they attained for themselves elevated conditions, sensations and glimmers of heart light. They began to sense a happiness and sweetness which do not exist in this world. They lived the rest of their life like this, contemplating their Provider and performing good deeds until they eventually reached the end, witnessing with certainty.

### {21}

And so he will be in a state of life pleasing to him - Having pleased their Provider, He in turn will please them, lavishing upon them Gardens, delight and happiness. This Grant of Al'lah will bestow upon them happiness and pleasure, a wondrous thing. They will also be able to see that Al'lah is pleased with them for the deeds they had performed in the world. This will be the blessed condition of a believer in the Hereafter.

The world contains pain, illness and grudges. But in the Hereafter, there is only happiness. Nothing will cause a moment's distress to this human; they will always experience only increasing happiness.

### {22}

In a lofty garden - Paradise is to witness the Noble Face of Al'lah. And these believers will be rewarded in lofty Paradise where they can witness the Beauty and Perfection of the Provider of the worlds, illuminated by the luminous lamp of God's Envoy (cpth) in whose company they dwell. In Paradise, they shall never leave his side, for in the worldly life they held fast to God's Envoy (cpth), and refused to be separated. Thus in the Hereafter, they are together still.

### {23}

With blessings within easy reach. \- In the Hereafter, their pleasures will be multiplied and close at hand. In the world, the spirit is attached to the body which has physical limitations. No matter how delicious the food is, there is a limit at which the body must stop. Thus, the pleasure of the spirit is limited by the capacity of the body. But in the Hereafter, the spirit is detached from the body and this limitation does not exist. Liberated from physical bounds, the spirit continually moves to higher states of bliss and joy, from this Paradise to a higher Paradise, with limitless ascension. All desires and requests will be granted the spirit and it will remain this way forever.

### {24}

It will be said,] 'Eat and drink \- Just as the body requires nourishment for life, so does the spirit. And this necessity can only be fulfilled by prayer, communication with Al'lah. Thus, in company with God's Envoy (cpth) the spirit nourishes itself with spiritual eating and drinking. God said, 'If they had taken the right way, We would have given them abundant life water, to enthrall them.' [[‎40]

Therefore, in the Hereafter the spirit is in continuous communication with Al'lah from which it receives perpetual nourishment, never wanting for food, and drinking from His inexhaustible Spring.

'With gusto - Spared grief, distress, disease and illness, they live in everlasting happiness and contentment.

'For what you have already earned \- These people did not wait for the Judgement Day. Instead they reached out to their Provider while they were still in the world and so witnessed His Beauty, Perfection and His Beautiful Names. In this life, they grew in blessings and communication with Him.

'In days past!' - But how did they do this? While in the world, they set aside time to sit alone and contemplate their Provider and consider how much they desired Him. They faithfully strove until they reached their Lord and the love of the world that was a screen between them and Al'lah fell away. They sacrificed the world and its pleasures and instead pondered death until this barrier was removed. As they pondered the universe, regarded the sun and the moon, they came to witness with their heart's eye that there is no god but Al'lah. They loved their Envoy, linked themselves to him, and by this means grew in communication with Al'lah.

### {25}

But anyone who is given his record in his left \- Again this does not refer to the left hand. Rather this describes those people who will understand that they have committed wicked, debased and cruel deeds during their worldly life when their tally is displayed before all. For all their deeds are preserved, recorded and inscribed not only in their spirits but with Al'lah and the angels.

Will say, 'If only I had never been given my record - Ashamed by what their record contains they will wish that neither they nor anyone else had ever seen it. Like the student who hides his failed exam, they will want to conceal their deficiencies, even from themselves.

It is for this reason that in the Hereafter the spirit will return to its nature of perfection which Al'lah has created. Thus restored they will be overcome when they see their hideous deeds exposed and lament grievously what they have done.

### {26}

'And knew nothing of my account! \- In the Hereafter, the human will see their accounting in minute detail, every deed and action, no matter how small, will be laid bare and then the necessary treatment will be revealed. Those that have performed wretched deeds and evil acts will realise that what they have wrought in this life will bring them only disgrace, ignominy, Fire, wretchedness and distress in the next. They will further come to understand that Al'lah does not wish this condition for them, in fact He detests it. For He (Glory to Him) has said, 'But those who disbelieved will be told, "Al'lah's Disgust for you] is even greater than the self-disgust you feel [today], for you were called to the belief and rejected it." ' [[‎41]

### {27}

'How I wish death had been my end! - They will wish for death but that will not happen.

### {28}

'My wealth has availed me nothing \- The non-believer realises, 'All the wealth and possessions that I had amassed in the carnal world did not benefit me at all.'

Thus will they conclude, 'Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to me; in truth, I have nothing. In the world, I saw that when the affluent died their wealth was left behind. But why didn't I heed that lesson? Instead, I disregarded the obvious truth and gathered what was not mine, only to leave it behind when my turn came. It never benefited me at all.'

Thus, everything a person collects in the world is not truly theirs because when they inevitably die, they must leave their possessions behind.

### {29}

'And my power has gone from me!' \- They realise and confess, 'My reasoning and intellect were confused in life; I did not use it to reach Al'lah.'

Al'lah referred to thought as 'power' because a person can use their mind to overcome whatever situation they are in. But if their intellect is diminished or gone, they have no authority over anything.

Al'lah has designated everything in this world for man; He gave them authority over what surrounds them by way of their superior intellect. This was done so that man might perform righteous deeds and return to their Provider with their spirit confident of their goodness, saying truly, 'I was generous, oh my Lord, to so and so, I guided so and so towards You, and I rescued so and so amongst Your servants by my example.' These righteous actions will direct their course towards Al'lah (Glory to Him) and thus will they be admitted to Paradise. But if a person, rather than doing good deeds, instead murdered, robbed, looted, deceived and led themselves and others astray, then a different fate awaits. In the Hereafter, they will agonise over what they did when they realise that Al'lah gifted them the power of thought, bestowed on them this world, and awarded them dominance over their surroundings, such as family, trees and animals, but they did not make use of their intellect for good deeds. And now all authority has deserted them and in death they no longer have dominance over anything.

### {30}

[Al'lah will say], 'Take him and show him his yield [of deeds]. \- The Provider of the worlds, motivated by His Mercy towards this disobeyer, instructs His angels, 'Save them from their miserable condition of pain and regret for what they have lost. It is enough for them. Take them and show them their deeds so that they may be distracted from this grave suffering.'

### {31}

'Then lead him to burn in the blazing Fire. \- Their situation is deplorable. Within them ignites a blazing fire of Hell fuelled by the pain, agony, shame and remorse they feel for their deeds. That is why Al'lah in His Mercy commands His noble angels to escort this person to His blazing Fire where they forget and find relief from these unbearable infernal feelings.

### {32}

'Then let him pass through a chain whose length is seventy cubits.' \- Al'lah says to His angels, 'Severely agonise them using a gradual progressive torture.' This is necessary because this disobeyer has a chain of torment, and requires a slow progression of torture so that he can be purified. The number seven in Arabic signifies purification, for example, you must wash your hands and clothes seven times to be purified. For everything that man endures in the Hereafter is intended to purify their spirit so they might be admitted into Paradise, if they have any good deeds. All is done out of Al'lah's Mercy for humankind.

### {33}

Truly, he used not to believe in Almighty God \- They refused to believe or accept that Al'lah is the Steering Driver of the universe because they did not meditate on the universe nor come to witness the Grandeur of Al'lah through His Management and Guidance. If they had given the universe any thought at all they would certainly have observed His Mercy, Omniscience and Justice. Then they would not have attributed actions to someone other than Al'lah, for it is Al'lah Who honours and elevates, Al'lah Who cures and Al'lah Who makes them suffer the consequences of their deeds. No one else ever wronged them.

He (Glory to Him) is the Maintainer. Al'lah pours down rain, encourages the trees and plants to grow and imbues them with flavours and nutrients. It is Al'lah Who created the sun and tasked it to make the crops grow. It is Al'lah Who cures diseases, not the doctor. Our master Abraham (pth) said in the noble verse, ' "It is He Who gives me food and drink; and when I fall ill, it is He Who cures me." ' [‎42] If only they had believed they would never have harmed so much as an ant.

### {34}

And did not encourage feeding the destitute \- Despite their abundance of wealth, they did not perform charitable acts or offer donations. Rather they hoarded their wealth and feared poverty because they did not understand that Al'lah is the Maintainer.

### {35}

And so, today \- On the Day of Resurrection. He has no real friend here \- In the world they did not cultivate friendships with acts of goodness and charity, preferring instead to focus on improving their own material situation. Thus in the next life they will have no affectionate associates, only loneliness awaits.

### {36}

Nor any food except filth. \- They must eat filth as a bitter remedy for all that has befallen them and to relieve their pains and anguish.

### {37}

None will eat it except the wrongdoers. \- Only the wrongdoers must eat this foul remedy for they are the ones who erred in the world and took it to be everything, missing the true path. Forgetting the Hereafter, they did not perform righteous deeds, and only worked for their worldly life. Instead of placing thought or belief in those who led them, they persisted in wrongly loving this world.

### {38}

So I do not swear by whatsoever you can see \- Al'lah does not swear by this universe because even though it is tremendous, it is His creation.

### {39}

Nor by whatsoever you cannot see \- Much of the world has been concealed from man: the jinn, angels and atoms, plus many other worlds that man has never even glimpsed.

In refusing to swear by this awesome universe, Al'lah reminds man of the lofty position He has bestowed on them. He admonishes, 'If I do not swear by this universe then neither should you cling to it and what it contains. It will not last so do not let it divert you from the purpose for which you have been created: to recognise Me and perform righteous deeds.' He has created this universe that you may believe in Him and reach out to Him (Glory to Him), not that you might love the universe for its own sake. But what is the great thing in God's Sight which He wants humans to cling to and derive benefits from?

### {40}

It [the Qur'an] surely is the word of a noble Envoy - This verse is a testimony from Al'lah about the infallibility and purity of His Envoy (cpth), for he is perfect. The Envoy brings to you the Qur'an, a revelation which will be a great and beneficial thing to you, oh Man. Compared to it, every other thing is only loss and obstacles. 'But this Envoy,' God says to us, 'this carrier of revelation (the Divine Manifestations), Gardens and light; by My Words he will take you from a Paradise to a higher one.'

In this verse Al'lah (Glory to Him) says, 'You have only to obey My perfect Envoy and do what he commands you, then you will reach Gardens and bliss such as no living person has ever experienced nor even conceived of. All your bounty, produce, offerings and happiness will be from this path, the path of the Envoy (cpth). Through him you will rise and become esteemed, oh Man, so do not turn away from him or follow anyone else. I do not swear by anything in the universe, for it would not benefit you at the moment of death, when you must leave everything and everyone behind.'

Do not be distracted or fooled by anything other than the Words of Al'lah. His Words and His Guidance revealed by His Envoy ensure safety, survival and happiness in the world and the Hereafter, and anything other than His Words offers only loss and distress in both places.

### {41}

And not the word of a poet \- Poets express their thoughts, feelings and emotions in charming verses, mesmerising those who have turned away from their Provider. The poet's imaginative words play upon the emotions and feelings of people through variations in speech and style. But everything the poet says is only make believe. Compare this to the blessed speech of the Prophet, which is all divine luminous facts that will connect you to the Lord of the worlds.

The speech of the Prophet (cpth) contains within it Gardens, lights and Divine Manifestations for all of humankind. Hence, the significance of the Qur'anic verses is greater than their syntax, the importance of its meaning surpasses by far the beauty of its words. For it is the treasure inside the chest we value, no matter how beautiful the trunk that contains it.

The Envoy Mohammad (cpth) did not speak words of poetry, he only spoke the Words of Al'lah. He brought explanations and revelations that stunned even the great thinkers, as he spoke about the meaning of prayer (communication with God), pilgrimage and its purpose, and how both benefit man. He explained how humans can use the path of belief to reach their Provider and attain Gardens.

How little you believe! \- The words you say have little meaning if you do not truly believe in Al'lah. Many people say repeatedly, 'I witness that there is no god but Al'lah,' though they do not truly witness its meaning, their belief is restricted only to their words. This is because without heart belief, there can be no understanding and you can never hope to witness the words of God's Envoy or the realities beyond words. Thus, man should strive always to connect to Al'lah and see with their heart's eye, recognising that Al'lah is the Speaker Who put words on the tongue of the Prophet (cpth), for the Prophet does not speak for himself, all his actions and words are only a revelation inspired by Al'lah.

### {42}

Nor is it the word of a soothsayer \- The soothsayer whispers the words of devils, words with no meaning, beyond understanding. He repeats what Satan dictates to him but every syllable is a notorious lie. Conversely, the words of God's Envoy (cpth) come from Al'lah directly and thus are clear, distinct and true. He spoke of prophecies that were soon fulfilled: the Muslims losing control of Jerusalem, the construction of lofty towers, he predicted that women would go about scantily clad, and he foretold Islamic conquests. He told the companions, 'You will conquer al-Mada'in, al-Sham and Iraq.' And all of these prophecies have been fulfilled. Long before their time, he spoke of the victory of the Romans and the conquest of Mecca. Al'lah said, 'The Byzantines have been defeated in the nearest land. They will reverse their defeat with a victory within a few years – to God belongs the Command both before and after – and on that day the believers will rejoice.' [‎43] The believers will rejoice at the reconquest of Mecca.

How little you reflect! - In the company of God's Envoy (cpth), the believer remembers everything. They remember the pre-material world, al-Azal, and the covenant they made with their Provider, the oath they swore that after coming to the world they would perform righteous deeds and never detach themselves from Al'lah. They remember the Hereafter and can see it with their heart's eye. The same way they see Paradise and its pleasures, and Fire along with its torment. They see and witness the past, the present and the future because time and place are in the Hands of Al'lah.

### {43}

It is a Message sent down from the Provider of the worlds. \- This revelation, this Qur'an, is the Words of the Provider of the worlds revealed through His Envoy so that you might progress, rise, attain happiness and ultimately enter Paradise. It (God's Revelation) began as scriptures but then grew into the Qur'an. It is for the entire world from Adam to the final inhabitant.

### {44}

If he [the Envoy] had attributed some false saying to Us - The devils tried to whisper lies and sow doubt by attributing false words to the Prophet. The non-believers then accepted the words of the devils and ascribed them to God's Envoy. Al'lah said, 'Mohammad did not invent or repeat these false sayings, he never fabricated against Us.' Some religious scholars claim that there are four sources for legislation, because in absence of the Prophet Mohammad they no longer understood the Qur'an and so fabricated a tale of its origins because they did not believe in God and thus were unable to achieve comprehension of the Qur'an through Him. But the truth is that there is only one Legislator, Al'lah. The Envoy never spoke anything from his own desire, everything he said was from the Qur'an and the Revelation of Al'lah.

'For if what they had claimed was true, that he had fabricated against Us, then:'

### {45}

We would certainly have taken from him [what he gained] with [his] right - 'Had Mohammad lied and spoken from his own desires, We certainly would have stripped him of the perfection that We had granted him, thwarting all his deeds and rendering his actions worthless. Indeed he would not have been rewarded for them on the Day of Resurrection, nor would he have been able to achieve the deeds he did in this life.'

### {46}

And then We would certainly have cut off his lifeblood God's Revelation]. \- 'Had he not faithfully presented the Great Manifestations revealed to him, We would have deprived him of this Godly Provision; his knowledge would have vanished. But Mohammad did not do this, never did he invent any sayings about Us. And every word he spoke was sent to him from his Provider.' God says, '[Al'lah] with All-Mighty Powers has taught him.' [[‎44]

### {47}

And none of you could deprive him of this. - 'Mohammad would never invent false words on Our Tongue. That is why We will not allow any one of you to cause a cessation of this Revelation upon him.

'Rather these lights, manifestations and great knowledge, once gifted to the world, will disperse and spread and flourish before the Day of Resurrection comes. And then nothing other than them will remain for all the people of the earth will believe in him.'

Also Al'lah would never deny His Envoy or His Words to anyone who truthfully sought the Prophet (cpth). This is the reason why no one was able to challenge him in Mecca, Medina or in the entire Arabian Peninsula, rather his guidance flowed freely until it reached almost the entire world.

### {48}

And truly, he [the Envoy] is a reminder for true seekers of Al'lah's Light. \- Those who seek piety by Al'lah's Light benefit from him. They wanted to know what is right and true and so sought the company of God's Envoy (cpth) on their own initiative and were diligent in their journey. They remember their purpose in coming to this world and also they recall the Gardens that they aspire to return to.

Belief is a prerequisite for being in the company of God's Envoy (cpth).

If man believes, then they will stay in the company of the Prophet (cpth) and by his companionship and light they will be able to see the Light and Manifestation of Al'lah. By this Light they can see the Grandeur of Al'lah and His Beautiful Names and be inspired to remember al-Azal, the pre-material world, and the afterworld.

### {49}

We certainly know that some of you consider [God's Revelation] to be lies - There are some who follow the Prophet (cpth) yet keep a hidden agenda and deny him and his message.

All of mankind is known to Al'lah and the Envoy is aware of those who are false and knows who they are, but out of his mercy and kindness, he does not expose them or even mention them. However, when the time comes for their exposure, he will do so.

### {50}

Although this will be a source of bitter regret \- If they do not return to the truth, they will deeply regret it when they realise that the truth, blessings and Gardens had come to them, but they wasted all. For the disbelievers. - The disbeliever will lament, regret and grieve for what they so foolishly wasted and squandered.

### {51}

But it [the Qur'an] is absolutely the true way leading to certainty. - Nothing other than this revelation can lead you to certainty, because it is the words of truth, the Speech of the Great God. Hearing these words, the eye of the heart will open, able to see and witness the realities, and then you will know that everything else is mirage and delusion.

### {52}

So [Prophet] glorify and soar through the Name of your Provider, the Almighty. \- 'When they believe they will turn to you, Mohammad, with love and appreciation, and then you must exalt their spirits in prayer (communication with Al'lah), glorify them through Mercy, Approval, Kindness and Knowledge, and elevate the creations through Gardens. Make them aware of My Names and bring them into My Presence. Then I will please them for I have created them so that they might find their way back to happiness.' This verse is a joyful tiding from Al'lah for His Envoy (cpth) as he hopes that his guidance will encompass the world and all the people of earth will believe in him.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 70 (AL-MA'ARIJ SURAH)

THE WAYS OF ASCENT

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} A questioner [mockingly] asked about a torment certain to befall{2} the disbelievers; none can ward it off.{3} [For it will come] from Al'lah, the Lord of the Ways of Ascent.{4} The angels with the souls [of the humans] ascend to Him on a day whose length is fifty thousand years.{5} So be patient [My Envoy], with a sweet patience.{6} They see it [the torment] as far off.{7} But we see it [quite] near.{8} On the Day when the heavens will be like boiling oil,{9} and the mountains will be like carded cotton,{10} and no loyal friend will ask about his close friend, {11} they shall show them. The criminal will like to ransom himself from the torment of that Day even by [sacrificing] his sons,{12} and his spouse and his brother,{13} and all his kinsfolk who gave him shelter,{14} and everyone on earth, so that it might save him.{15} But no! It is a furiously flaming Fire,{16} taking away what broils [the spirit's pains].{17} It will call those who turn away [from the truth] and take to [this world],{18} and collect [wealth] and so mind it [passing fancy].

{19} Truly human was created fearful,{20} weakhearted when evil touches him,{21} and tight-fisted when good reaches him. {22} Not so those who are in communication with God:{23} those who are constant in their communication;{24} and those in whose wealth there is a due share,{25} for the beggars and the deprived; {26} and those who believe in the Day of Judgement;{27} and those who fear the Punishment of their Lord –{28} for indeed, none may feel wholly secure from it –{29} and those who strictly guard their chastity [body's senses],{30} from all but their spouses, or those [the women slaves] whom their right possess [in wars] – for with regard to them they are free from blame;{31} but whoever seeks beyond that, then they are truly trespassers. {32} And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenants; {33} and those who keep achieving a witnessing [of the truth] of everything their eyes catch.{34} And those who keep their prayers; {35} those will be high-honoured in Gardens.

{36} So what is wrong with the disbelievers, that they are negligent of obeying your words [oh Mohammad],{37} looking down upon what is right and what is left?{38} Does every one of them hope to enter a garden of bliss?{39} No, We are weariless! We have created them from what they know!{40} So I never swear by the Lord of all that rises and all that sets, that surely We are able{41} to substitute for them others better than they are, and We are not to be outrun.{42} So leave them plunging [in worldly life] and having fun until they come face to face with their promised Day –{43} the Day when they will rush out of their graves as if racing to a post [for them],{44} with their eyes downcast and covered in shame: that is the Day of which they were repeatedly warned.

## Interpretation of Fortress 70

THE WAYS OF ASCENT

(AL-MA'ARIJ SURAH)

### {1}

A questioner [mockingly] asked about a torment certain to befall \- The questioner is one of the disbelievers who scoffs at Judgement Day.

### {2}

The disbelievers; none can ward it off. \- The disbeliever sneered, 'If Al'lah is All-Merciful, then why did He create the Fire? If He is filled with mercy and justice, why would He waste His Time burning weak humans? If a man spends fifty years sinning on earth, why doesn't Al'lah just torment him in the Fire for fifty years and then take him out and call it even?' Another disbeliever contemplated Doomsday and decided: 'Al'lah does not burn anyone. Rather He exposes the evil deeds of the sinner to them and to their shame, and then the deeds are burned.' To support their conclusion they say that a mother would never burn her child no matter what he has done. And neither could any mother stand to watch her child burn. Since Al'lah treats His creations with even more kindness and mercy than a mother, how then could He burn anyone in Fire? Thus it must be only their deeds He burns.

Meanwhile the Christians claim, 'Our master Adam (pth) disobeyed his Lord, but then God sent His Son, Jesus (for this is what they believe), who sacrificed his life to atone for Adam's sin. Therefore all Christians are spared accountability for our deeds and we shall all enter Paradise.'

As for the Jews they maintain, 'We are the chosen nation of Al'lah; He singled us out and prefers us over all other humans. Therefore Fire will never touch us except for a brief period of cleansing, forty days; after that all Jews will enter Paradise.'

But the Muslims say, 'On Doomsday, Mohammad (cpth) will intercede for us so that we might escape the Fire and instead be admitted into Paradise.' And to support this belief they claim that he (cpth) said, 'My intercession will be on behalf of the doers of grave sins from my nation.' [‎45] But Mohammad never said such a thing, and by this false imputation they negate reckoning, torment and Fire. They also wrongly claim that Al'lah said, 'My Mercy has surpassed My Wrath.'[Musnad al-Imam Ahmad book, part 2, no. 7257.]

Hence you will frequently find people from these groups who are utterly convinced they will enter Paradise no matter what sins, crimes and immoralities they have committed.

Al'lah states in the Qur'an, 'It will not be as you hope nor as the people of Scripture do Jews, Christians]: whoever does wrong will be held accountable for it and will find no guardian or helper for himself besides God.' [[‎46]

They said these foolish things because they did not understand the rationale behind the Fire and torture. They failed to realise that this Fire is a Mercy Al'lah (Glory to Him) extends to humans who have turned away from Him. For the pain of the Fire is infinitely less than the spiritual suffering these wayward souls bring upon themselves. In the Hereafter, the disbelievers will yearn for the Fire, they will seek it out and gladly embrace its flames. They will enter the Fire voluntarily, grateful for the searing pain it offers which gives them relief from their intolerable spiritual flames. Al'lah (Glory to Him) described the condition of these disbelievers and their attraction to the Fire by saying, 'On a Day when they will be infatuated with the Fire.' [‎47]

Desperate for a respite from their spiritual pains, the disbelievers will be infatuated with the Fire and its promise of relief. They become like the chronically ill patient who is willing to try anything for a respite, seeking ever more difficult treatments and operations, willing to endure ever more brutal procedures hoping for even momentary relief from their intolerable suffering.

### {3}

For it will come] from Al'lah \- They said, 'Al'lah is all Merciful and Kind and so everyone will go to Paradise.' The Lord of the Ways of Ascent. \- They claim that Al'lah dwells far away, beyond the seventh sky, but in reality there is no distance between you and Him. For Al'lah is always close to you, He keeps observing you, out of His Mercy upon you. God says, 'And He is with you wherever you are. And Al'lah is the All-Seer of what you do.' [[‎48]

### {4}

The angels with the souls [of the humans] ascend to Him on a day whose length is fifty thousand years. \- In His Wisdom, Al'lah (Glory to Him) has assigned some of the angels to labour on behalf of humanity, nourishing the spirits of man with their mercy, and observing their deeds as they record the progress each human makes in his journey towards Al'lah (Exalted is He). Thus these angels never lose the elevated rank they achieved by turning towards Him, nor is their position ever diminished.

One of the tasks assigned to these angels is taking the soul at the moment of a person's death. For each and every human has their own angel; this angel breathes the soul into a drop of sperm so that it might become an embryo and, eventually, a person. Then this same angel returns at the moment of death and reclaims the soul, taking it back to its Creator and Evolver. God said, 'Say, "The angel of death put in charge of you will reclaim you take your soul], and then you will be brought back to your Lord." ' [[‎49]

The angels with the souls ascend to Him \- This noble verse means that when a man's lifetime ends – along with his sojourn in the worldly life –the angel who first bestowed a soul upon him, will reclaim it, as is the angel's duty; and these angels continue to perform this task all during a day whose length is fifty thousand years.

### {5}

So be patient [My Envoy], with a sweet patience. - The Envoy of Al'lah (cpth), who had great mercy and tenderness for his people, was always worried about them and what would befall them. In this verse, Al'lah (Glory to Him) soothes His Envoy (cpth) by saying, 'Be patient with their ignorance, their irrational statements and deeds.'

The Envoy's mission is continuous, it does not end, and that is why his Lord counselled him, So be patient - For Mohammad must bear the suffering and maladies of all of creation for a very long time. Fortunately, his mercy, affection and kindness are great and equal to his task. Hence, if he directs his noble spirit (cpth) towards a person and they reciprocate and turn to him (cpth), seeking God or honouring the Envoy's (cpth) perfection, then their evil qualities will transform into good ones and they will be healed, this is exactly what happened when the magicians of Pharaoh turned to our master Moses (pth). Thus, Mohammad's mercy extended to all creation. He wept always and for everyone and never, ever looked away from humanity, even as they did great wrongs. Al'lah (Glory to Him) had told him, 'Direct your spirit to them and I will reveal powerful, clear and beautiful Manifestations to you.'

### {6}

They see it [the torment] as far off. \- These people believe that Al'lah and the Hereafter are distant and so they commit sins and behave immorally because they tell themselves that Al'lah is far beyond the seventh sky, too far away to see what they do or even care. They do not believe in the Day of Reckoning or Questioning and so they do not fear Judgement Day. For if they did believe and accept Al'lah's Presence, they would never act so shamefully or speak such mistruths. If only they could see that Al'lah is always Close, always Present, always Guiding. His Hand is above all, guided by His Wisdom; He gives, withholds, honours and humiliates as is necessitated by human behaviour. However those people who do not understand the nearness of Al'lah foolishly turn to other humans for support and guidance. But how can people save each other from illness or death? They cannot make rain, day, night or air for each other.

### {7}

But we see it [quite] near. - 'We' refers to the Envoy of Al'lah and his companions; whoever truly believes the Day of Resurrection will come and they will soon witness their Provider. Those believers in company with the Envoy (cpth) know this Day will come while they are still in the world because while in the earthly life they believed in God and reached out to Him. Thus, Al'lah linked them to Himself and allowed their spirits to travel across time to witness everything through the company and light of His Envoy.

The believer does not fear death but rather longs for the next life and all its rewards. However even the believers fear the Day of Resurrection because they know the reckoning will consider and expose every act, no matter how small or hidden; on that Day all a person's deeds will be evident to all of creation. God said, 'On that Day you will be revealed and none of your secrets will remain hidden.' [‎50]

God also said in a holy saying, 'Oh son of Adam! Seek Me and you will find Me, and when you do, you will find everything else; but if you miss Me, you will miss everything and I am more beloved to you than anything else.' [‎51]

When will the disbelievers see the reality and know that Al'lah is always close by?

### {8}

On the Day when the heavens will be like boiling oil \- On the Day of Resurrection, those who did not seek Al'lah (Glory to Him) will find their souls and conditions to be intolerable. A fire will ignite within them that burns and roils like boiling oil and so their torment will begin. For while in the world they pursued carnal pleasures and delights, strove for earthly advancement and insisted that these things were important. So Al'lah gave them what they sought and they flourished in the worldly life, revelling in all that would soon pass. Thus they were corrupted and corrupted others who were like them. But on the Day of Resurrection, when all their deeds are exposed and judged, the fire of Hell will burn them, the fire of regret and remorse over what they have done and what they have lost will be intolerable and their spirits will ignite and become like boiling oil.

Similarly, on the Day of Resurrection the Envoy (cpth) will be so overcome with mercy and fear for his companions that he will be like boiling oil towards them, fearing their reactions when they must face the Fire. To spare them he will show them their good deeds and overwhelm them with light, thus shielding them from facing their past mistakes. In this way he (cpth) will act as restraint for them so that they will not be impelled to enter the Fire when faced with all that they have done and instead they will enter Paradise.

### {9}

And the mountains will be like carded cotton \- The mountains will be like carded wool, which has been cleansed and detangled in preparation for its purpose, spinning. In al-Azal, the pre-material world, mountains were flimsy and formless spirits, thinner and less substantial than air. Then they requested to become great hulking shapes that would exist in service to humanity, the bearer of the Trust and charge. So Al'lah granted their request and bestowed on them the stature and greatness they desired, yet on the Day of Resurrection they will abandon this magnificent shape and return to being spirits that lack form or structure. And then their greatness will return to its Owner, Al'lah. But the greatness of the Envoys and Prophets will remain in the Hereafter because they are endlessly the mountains of the Hereafter.

And the mountains will be like carded cotton \- These are the mountains of mercy, kindness and light. The hour of accountability is an arduous one, and the believers will turn to the mountains to find security and tranquillity in their terror; indeed they will believe that the mountains offer them salvation. For the Envoys and the Prophets (ptt) possess boundless mercy and kindness and on that Day they will overwhelm creation with their goodness and in the Hereafter the true reality will be apparent to all: they are mountains without end.

### {10}

And no loyal friend will ask about his close friend \- This applies to both the believers and the disbelievers, for each and every person will be so concerned with their own situation and salvation that there will be no room to think of others on the Day of Result. Everyone will be completely consumed by the anticipation of what they are about to face, no one will even think to enquire about the fate of another, no matter how beloved.

The believers will be so astonished by the awesomeness of what they are granted that will be unable to turn towards anyone, no matter how important they were to them. Conversely, the disbelievers will be so overcome by humiliation and disgrace and the direness of their own predicaments that they will not be able to think of any other.

### {11}

They shall show them. \- On that Day, Al'lah will allow the angels to show those people who did not believe what they were blind to while in the world. Thus the angels will show them what their deeds were and what these acts have brought about. This is possible because in the pre-material world everyone had light, but when they left Al'lah, they left their light as well. So the angels will return to these disbelievers their pre-material light and then they will witness that there is no might and no power save in Al'lah and that everything refers to Him for they cannot dispense with Him. Then the disbelievers will be overwhelmed with regret because they will understand that they focused their efforts and attention on someone other than Him and consequently lost His Blessing. The criminal will like to - Those people who committed crimes in the world are bereft of good because they indulged in evil deeds and neither pursued the truthful path nor attained good through their acts. Instead all their deeds revolved around corruption, immoralities, intoxication and fornication. Upon realising what he has lost, the disbeliever will desire to ransom himself from the torment of that Day - On the Day of Reckoning, that Day which holds ignominy, Fire, torment and humiliation before the Lord of the Worlds, the Envoys and all of creation, the disbeliever will seek to avoid exposure of their embarrassing deeds. For these people were awarded a high position, keepers of the Trust, but they wasted their chance and lost their opportunity, becoming instead the lowest and most despised of all the creations. Thus a man will seek to spare himself from this hideous torture even by [sacrificing] his sons \- The shame and agony will be so unendurable that the disbelievers will seek to end their suffering even by sacrificing the thing dearest to them: their children. For on the Day of Resurrection, the awesome love and mercy a parent feels for their child will be obliterated by the terror, fear and punishment they will face.

### {12}

And his spouse and his brother \- The same is true for their husbands and wives and siblings, the disbelievers would betray them all in an instant for even the chance of a reprieve.

### {13}

And all his kinsfolk who gave him shelter - All those who kept company with the disbeliever in the world, once offering tranquillity and respite to their comrade, will now be offered in their stead as they try anything to buy their escape from the torment that begins on that Day.

### {14}

And everyone on earth - The disbeliever will offer the whole world and everything in it. So that it might save him. - They will offer everything and anything, desperate for relief from the terror of that Day and a respite from the horror of the moment. But nothing can save them and no one can intercede for them, for it will be their crushing pain that overwhelms them and forces them to seek the treatment. And like a sick person, suffering and in need of treatment, no one should come between them and their cure.

### {15}

But no! - 'But this person is not deserted nor are they a burden upon Us. We do not leave them alone, but rather We have prepared an appropriate treatment for their critical condition at a hospital that offers the intensive and special care their affliction requires.'

Al'lah (Glory to Him) says in this verse, 'Indeed these humans who have turned away have made themselves sick by doing so. I am their Lord, the Most Compassionate to them. So I do not abandon them, rather I grant them the treatment they require so that they may be cured and enter Paradise.'

But no! \- Man is not a burden upon Al'lah (Glory to Him) Who would never weary of people nor abandon them. Just as Al'lah cared for them in the world even though they had turned away from Him, He will treat and favour them in this bleak situation as well. Indeed, He has prepared for them the treatment necessary to purify their spirits and allow them to enter Paradise. But how will Al'lah favour them? By what means will He treat them?

It is a furiously flaming Fire \- There are two fires to consider. The first is the intolerable fire of remorse, regret and ignominy which ignites in the human spirit when someone realises what they have forfeited by their bad acts. This blaze of this fire will cause unbearable pain and suffering, until the afflicted person craves relief from the second fire, the Fire Al'lah has prepared for them to distract them from their unbearable torment, remorse and regret, and which is seventy times easier to bear than the first fire.

### {16}

Taking away what broils [the spirit's pains]. \- The torment of their inner fire that broils and burns their spirit will be relieved by the Fire that Al'lah has prepared for those disbelievers who turned away in the worldly life. Al'lah's Fire distracts them from their suffering, purges the regret and loss that overwhelmed them when they realised that they had forfeited their true life and Gardens so they might partake in fleeting pleasures. The misery this knowledge causes spurs them to throw themselves into the Fire which Al'lah (Glory to Him) has prepared for them to lessen their suffering. So observe, oh Man, how Merciful is Al'lah with those who turned away.

### {17}

It will call those who turn away [from the truth] \- The Fire will beckon those who turned away from Al'lah and the truth and truthful people. And take to [this world] - These people were obsessed with the prestige that could be attained in the worldly life and so they took as their companions those who brought them pleasure or money instead of seeking out the friends of God. Thus they turned away from their Provider and embraced their desires; they abandoned their Lord to pursue fleeting whims and desired more and more until they were concerned only with the world and their wants. Separated from their Lord, they became hard-hearted and merciless, never doing good deeds, and eventually they fell into wretchedness and ultimately deprived their spirit of the happiness and Paradise that Al'lah (Glory to Him) had prepared for it.

### {18}

And collect [wealth] \- While in the world, instead of amassing good deeds and Gardens and attaining sublime knowledge about God that benefits them, they collected a most frivolous and useless thing: wealth. And so mind it [passing fancy]. \- They valued their accumulated wealth and became attached to it. So distracted they lived in the world and saw it, but did not contemplate it or realise the Divine Perfections. Their wealth and pleasure distanced them from Al'lah and deprived them of their heavens.

### {19}

Truly human was created fearful \- The Arabic word halu'a is derived from two other words; the first, hal'la, means 'to come,' and the second, wa'a, means 'to instil.' Thus this word signifies that a human comes to this world completely unaware and ignorant and then things are slowly and gradually instilled in their spirit. As Al'lah (Glory to Him) states, 'And Al'lah has brought you out of the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing, and arranged for you hearing and sight and hearts, so that you may give thanks.' [‎52]

Al'lah (Glory to Him) has created man according to the nature of perfection; He gives each human a clean and pure spirit without any trace of wickedness, a spirit void of everything. The noble saying declares, 'Every child is born on nature,' [‎53] for Al'lah cleansed and purified all spirits before He sent them to the world and they will remain in this state until they are sixteen years old, when they are old enough to choose their own course and decide how they want to direct their energies and efforts. They will either direct themselves towards Al'lah (Glory to Him) and walk the righteous path in the company of truthful people, or they will embrace the world and its fleeting pleasures. The first choice will lead them to obtain perfections from their Provider, they will embrace them and commit righteous deeds. The second option, choosing to immerse themselves in the world and its pleasures, will bring only debased qualities such as stinginess, harshness, deviancy and depravity and eventually this shunner of God will require purification, cleansing treatment with Fire and terrors in the Hereafter. They cannot look forward to returning to their Lord with honour for even though their Lord treated them fairly and gave them what they sought while in the world, these shunners did not return to Him. Therefore, in the Hereafter they will have no hope of returning honourably to their Provider; instead they have chosen depravity in this life so Fire will be a necessary treatment in the next, fitting for these ungrateful people go to excess in their wrong deeds even when dealt with honourably. Those who shun God will not even request that they be admitted to Paradise, instead they will seek the opportunity to return to the world to perform righteous deeds, once they understand entrance to Paradise is earned through deeds. But this will just be another lie, they only want to return to the world.

The Arabic word halu'a also implies fear because humanity comes to this world as children, weak and feeble, lacking both might and power, and so needing the care of others. The child is affected by anything they face, they are unable to feed or defend themselves and therefore they always seek the protection and generosity of their parents. Thus a strong and helpful supporter is required, otherwise fear and hunger will consume them for humanity is born weak and unable to even feed itself.

### {20}

Weakhearted when evil touches him \- Evil is the wicked desire which may taint their spirits and bring with it pain, misery, hardships and adversity which in turn make people fearful, dreadful and weakhearted.

The word weakhearted describes someone who is cowardly and fearful as opposed to the strong-hearted and brave believer who strives to comply with the Instructions of their Lord and avoid all evil and harm. The fruit of belief is a link with God, prayer. Through prayer a person can earn blessings and perfections, filling their spirits with righteousness which will eventually overflow into the world, just as a pot filled beyond capacity will spill its contents. Conversely 'weakheartedness' is caused by holding tightly to the debased world. For example, if someone who values their wealth loses it, they become anxious and weakhearted; they will experience increasing anxiety spurred by ever more trivial events. They will fear impotent humans who sprang from a single drop of sperm and possess no real power. The weakhearted do not see that Al'lah is the only Doer in this existence, rather they see thousands of human doers besides Him, they do not understand that the Hand of Al'lah is above all the creations and that He (Glory to Him) is the Creator, the Provider and the Steering Driver. Instead they will list their petty grievances against their fellow man and blame others for their misfortunes, failing to mention that it was their own bad deeds which returned evil to them.

### {21}

And tight-fisted when good reaches him. \- When the Lord of the worlds favours and sustains people yet they are stingy and keep it all for themselves, no good comes out of it for other people. And if Al'lah grants them still more, still they will hoard and not share their bounty with others. For they listen to Satan's whisperings which inspire in them a fear of poverty. He says, 'Do not spend your wealth or it will waste away. Do not go into battle or you will die.' Instead Satan encourages them to be immoral and indulge in the forbidden and sinful; he whispers soothingly, 'Drink wine and your worries will be gone, collect wealth by any means possible so that you might be honoured and enjoy yourself.' And those who do not pray listen to him and act accordingly.

### {22}

Not so those who are in communication with God - This is always true: those people who maintain their link with God do not indulge in these selfish acts. They are exceptions because they have derived perfection through their prayers. Thus they do not fear anything and their spirits overflow with perfection derived from Al'lah. They have observed that Al'lah alone is truly Active, and so they lean upon Him (Exalted and Glorified is He).

### {23}

Those who are constant in their communication - There are some who are always in communication with Al'lah (Glory to Him); they do not depart from Him between their prayers. Instead their hearts are always connected to Al'lah through their leader Mohammad (cpth) who is always with Al'lah and never disconnected from Him. Thus if a person joins with him (cpth) and becomes Mohammad's companion, they are also connected to Al'lah by means of the Envoy and never depart from Him. It is as though they are in constant and endless prayer. Hence, they are always safe from temptation because the world no longer holds value for them. So for these people: 'No fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve.' [‎54] Nothing in the world can harm them, they are safe from evil, poverty and humiliation because they are free from guilt. This blissful state results from their continuous connection to a Great Entity, Al'lah, Who is always with them. For who can stand against those who stand with Al'lah? Al'lah is always with them because in His Hands is the control over everyone, thus He does not allow anyone to oppress or oppose His believers. Al'lah (Glory to Him) says, 'Why should Al'lah make you suffer torment if you give thanks to Him] and believe in Him? And Al'lah is ever All-Appreciative [of good], All-Knowing.' [[‎55]

Also 'No fear shall come upon them': They will not fear death because death and the wonderful reward it brings is a gift to the believer. 'Nor shall they grieve.' They will not be sad to leave the world for they performed good deeds in it and obtained Gardens and perpetual delight.

So how can we identify those who have built a connection with Al'lah?

### {24}

And those in whose wealth there is a due share - Believers gladly give a percentage of their wealth, an alms tax or the required al-zakat, to charities and those less fortunate. They do not hand the poor all their wealth nor do they deprive them, rather they give what suffices. They fix a monthly sum or percentage according to what they are able to give and then pay it every month they possibly can.

### {25}

For the beggars and the deprived \- This alms tax and charity go to the deserving needy people.

### {26}

And those who believe in the Day of Judgement \- They pondered death and its consequences until they became certain about the Hereafter. Their spirits began to witness the Hereafter as they continued to contemplate death and visit graveyards, thus they came to believe in the Day of Judgement. This is the initial belief, after it comes belief through the signs in the universe.

### {27}

And those who fear the Punishment of their Lord \- They fear the Day of Resurrection because the reckoning will be done according to weight of the purposes behind every deed. Humans will be called to account on the Day, and witness every deed they performed in their lives; every deed, be it good or evil, will be considered, whether big or small. God says, 'Then, whoever has done an atom's weight of good shall see it, and whoever has done an atom's weight of evil shall see it.' [‎56]

They are aware of the Mercy and Justice of Al'lah, and know that every person whose evil acts exceeded the limit will have their just share of punishment. No matter how much a human has been elevated, if they commit bad acts there will be an appropriate punishment. For even if our master Mohammad (cpth) (God forbid) stepped on an ant intentionally he will be punished for it. And those who fear - They fear for themselves, they worry about making mistakes because they know that Al'lah is the Great, the All-Compassionate and the Just, so they fear to disobey Him. They are also worried about what will befall their fellow creations on the Day of Judgement because they can see the consequences that await them.

### {28}

For indeed, none may feel wholly secure from it \- No one feels safe from what is to come. They do not trust themselves and are always fearful of negligence and error. They think carefully before every step they take because of their worry about bringing humiliation, scandal, disgrace and torment upon themselves on the Day of Recompense. For they understand that Al'lah is Just, and if they make mistakes He will hold them accountable and punish them but never leave them. Regardless of whatever high rank a human has reached, if they but stomp an ant they will be punished for it; thus none – save the deviant disobeyers – should feel secure in this carnal and transient life, nor neglect the Plans of Al'lah, Who does not wish us to lose the life to come.

### {29}

And those who strictly guard their chastity [body's senses] - The pious are disconnected from the world and its pleasures yet still they cautiously guard their eyes, ears and tongues. They are careful to avoid temptations. But those who are not careful and diligent will ultimately be driven by their own lust and indulge in fornication and other sins.

### {30}

From all but their spouses, or those the women slaves] whom their right possess [in wars] - This refers to the Godly Permission of taking women (female slaves) when a pious believer is victorious in battle. If such a man takes such a captive with the intention and purpose of guiding her to Al'lah, then it is possible for him to cohabit with her without a contract or dowry. But he may not call her his wife until she is a believer, until then she is only a concubine. However, once she comes to believe in Al'lah she will become his wife, with the customary marriage contract and dowry. If he takes her as a wife before she believes then she might corrupt his other wives and thus marriage is delayed. However, if one takes a female captive only to sate his lust[[‎57] then contract and dowry are necessary from the beginning. For with regard to them they are free from blame - The pious believers who take a female captive to wife in this way are not blamed.

### {31}

But whoever seeks beyond that - Namely, seeks fornication. Then they are truly trespassers. \- Adultery is a sin, a major transgression, and so people must avoid anything that invites them or tempts them towards it. This includes all pornography, the mingling (of men and women) and even staring at women, allowing carnal thoughts to enter their minds. For adultery is a terrible act and it is better that a person should take an iron rod heated by fire between their thighs than commit adultery.

### {32}

And those who are faithful to their trusts - The 'trusts' referred to here are those who are under the guardianship of another, such as children or wives. It is the responsibility of the guardian to treat them in a way that pleases God. They must keep their children away from the unlawful and direct them always towards the right path and the love of God and the Envoy (cpth). They give their children a high upbringing and teach them that unlawfulness leads only to misery while lawful conduct brings only happiness. Likewise, a man must guide and teach his wife so that she may enter Paradise; he must do this without concern for how he himself may benefit but rather with only her good in mind. Thus all guardians must treat their charges – be they workers, wives, students or soldiers – with compassion, kindness and mercy. They are entrusted to guide their wards to join the people of righteousness. Thus they must not be ruled by emotions or remain silent when they see their charges acting unlawfully. And their covenants \- When those who seek the truth make promises to their Provider and their guide then they never renege on those promises. They promised their Lord and their guide that they would remain in the light and they fulfilled their promise. Although this group of people broke their first covenant with God in al-Azal (the pre-material world) when they disconnected themselves from Al'lah and His Light, when they came to the material world, they promised anew and this time they fulfilled their pledge.

### {33}

And those who keep achieving a witnessing [of the truth] of everything their eyes catch. \- They observe God in all that they see and so their belief is constantly reinforced. Thus they do not cease from Al'lah even when they meet people because they contemplated the universe, its sun, moon, stars and earth, and through this contemplation of the universal signs, they reached God. Hence, the world and its pleasures, which once almost drowned them, become the means by which they enter into Al'lah's Presence and the things that make them feel nourished and sustained by God (Glory to Him). The world will no longer tempt them away from their heartfelt visions, rather, through their contemplation of it, they will progress to an ever higher status, for their spirits are nobly attached to Mohammad and they are thinking always of their God. Their bodies remain on earth but their spirits travel with God in lofty heart journeys.

### {34}

And those who keep their prayers - The five daily prayers are the foundation of all the noble qualities mentioned in the previous verses, they support all spiritual advancement. For if the believers perform their prayers faithfully and properly they will be able to perform these noble acts and continue in their journey to Al'lah, encouraged by the sweetness they have already tasted, for tasting is the initial stage of feeling close to God. This is why the true believers never miss a prayer, they know that the five daily prayers bring them into everlasting and eternal communication with God.

### {35}

Those will be high-honoured in Gardens. \- Al'lah (Glory to Him) is Appreciative and Thankful and so these faithfully praying people will be rewarded with heavens. Al'lah will admit them into Paradise from the world.

### {36}

So what is wrong with the disbelievers, that they are negligent of obeying your words oh Mohammad] - The disbelievers pay no attention to the words of Mohammad nor anyone else who might speak the truth to them. Indeed, even if they hear the words, they will not comprehend them. They are negligent of obeying your words - Not only did they not obey him, but in the end, they actively opposed the Envoy (cpth). For when they first met him, they pursued him and begged Mohammad for guidance. So he (cpth) bestowed upon them deeds until they obtained sweet tastes and high sensations. But then they committed breaches and therefore became detached from the Envoy (cpth), although he is the eye through which the Face of Al'lah, His Beautiful Names and Supreme Spirit are seen. They abandoned their faith because they found it difficult to fight against the spirit's caprices and inclinations; it was far easier to just give in. Thus they are hypocrites because they initially followed the Envoy (cpth) vigorously and believed. But then they altered their path and began to follow their own inclinations rather than the directions of the Envoy (cpth). God says, 'That is because they believed, then disbelieved, so a seal has been set on their hearts so that they do not understand.' [[‎‎58]

### {37}

Looking down upon what is right and what is left? - Among this group of hypocrites are those who are neither true nor false, and aspire only to neutrality. They are concerned only with their own affairs and do not care for others. These people will not achieve high rank in this world for they do not seek it, neither through evil ways nor good, but nor will they achieve high rank in the Hereafter for they do not do any good. They think that they are on the right path but this is not so for they do nothing when they were created to do good.

### {38}

Does every one of them hope to enter a garden of bliss? - They assume they are destined for Paradise and aspire to enter it. Yet how can this be when they have done nothing? How can they gain admittance without striving to overcome the caprices of the spirit? Even though they heard the truth and are aware of everything, still they do not perform good acts nor strive against the spirit's whims. They stopped at a particular degree and chose instead to remain neutral, but Paradise can only be attained through deeds.

### {39}

No \- Neither Al'lah nor the Envoy (cpth) ever left them, for he always encompasses them with his lights, but still they chose to leave God and His Envoy (cpth). The only escape from their situation is careful consideration. To come to belief they must consider what they were: nothing, just a single drop of sperm. And upon realising they began as nothing, they must renounce their arrogance and opinions and submit to God and the Envoy (cpth). We are weariless! We have created them from what they know! \- From a single drop of sperm, they became a human being. If they think about this and meditate upon it, they will reach God and forgo their pride and arrogance. This the only way for them to return.

### {40}

So I never swear by the Lord of all that rises and all that sets \- They contemplated the world around them and came to believe in their Lord through the cosmic signs, which spread light throughout this universe and which, with all other cosmic signs, will disappear on the Day of Resurrection. These people believed in the Provider, the Lord Who gives us east and west and sunrises and sunsets, but this is not enough. They must also believe in the Envoy (cpth) so that they may enter with him into Al'lah's Presence. If they do not believe in the Envoy that means they do not truly believe and are contemptuous towards him (cpth). For it is not enough to believe in the Provider of the universe, they must also acknowledge the great Envoy (cpth) and humble themselves before him (cpth) or the guide that came after him, for all goodness, bounties, blessings and Gardens can only be obtained through him.

Hence, belief which is reached by means of contemplating the universe and humanity's place in it without recognising the shining lamp (cpth) will not benefit them at all because, unlike the Envoy with his bright heart light, the uncommitted creations of the universe are unable to show the believer's spirit, al-Azal (the pre-material world) and the Hereafter. Without these insights, they will never know why they have been created or be inspired to act upon what they witnessed and thus enter Paradise based on the righteous deeds that they have put forth in this world. That surely We are Able

### {41}

To substitute for them others better than they are - Al'lah (Glory to Him) is Omnipotent and in His Wisdom He will bring to the world men who are humble towards the believers and the Envoy over those who deny the Envoy (cpth). That is, He will do so if they remain as they are and do not desire believe in the Envoy (cpth) nor seek to spread the Words of Al'lah descended upon His Envoy (cpth) to save His servants. And We are not to be outrun. \- They assume that no one else can replace them, but the Lord of the worlds has many great people and many people of great belief with whom He will easily replace them.

### {42}

So leave them plunging [in worldly life] - They are completely immersed in their world. And having fun \- They amuse themselves with wife, child and wealth and think that happiness depends on these things. Until they come face to face with their promised Day - They did not witness that Day while in the worldly life for they did not see by the Envoy's light. While in the world they did not strive towards the unavoidable certainty of death and gain their spirits the opportunity to see the Hereafter, thus joining the people of witnessing and certainty. For them this Day remained as a promise and never became a witnessed truth.

### {43}

The Day when they will rush out of their graves \- On the Day of Resurrection, they will hurriedly emerge expecting to be cured of their illnesses, diseases and pains. And indeed, they shall receive instant relief. For when they understand what they have done and the great loss they have brought upon themselves, their torment will begin. It was possible for them to be rightly guided and also for them to guide others while in the world, but instead they did not allow themselves to be guided nor did they offer guidance to anyone else, leaving them to go to Fire. Their condition is too hard to endure and that is why they will come out rapidly and hurry towards rescue and relief. As if racing to a post [for them] \- Their feeling, at that time, will be akin to a man who has been taken to an execution platform when he was expecting a party.

### {44}

With their eyes downcast \- They will finally understand the reality of the debased world and cast down their eyes in shame. And covered in shame \- Because they wasted everything and this Hell will surround them. That is the Day of which they were repeatedly warned. - Of all humanity, their condition will be the toughest because they had reached the spring of the Envoy (cpth) but still did not believe. When they arrived at the luminous lamp (cpth) they turned away from his guidance and light and instead followed their own interests. Thus they walked in darkness for how can they see without him?

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 71 (NUH SURAH)

NOAH

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} We sent Noah as Envoy to his people [saying], 'Warn your people before a painful torment comes to them.'{2} And so he said, 'Oh my people! I am indeed an illuminating warner to you [and so I urge you]:{3} worship Al'lah and see by His Light, and obey me,{4} thus He will forgive you your sins and turn you to [live] an elevated appointed term [in the world]. [But] when Al'lah's appointed time [for you] comes, it cannot be deferred, if only you knew!'

{5} He said, 'My Lord! I have called my people night and day;{6} but my call has only caused them to flee more and more [from the truth].{7} And every time I have called them so that You may forgive them, they have thrust their fingers in their ears and wrapped themselves up in their garments, and persisted [in their rejection of the truth] growing ever more arrogant.{8} Furthermore, I have called them openly;{9} I have preached to them in public and spoken to them in private.{10} I have said, "Ask forgiveness of your Lord: He is ever All-Forgiving.{11} He will send down abundant rain from the sky for you,{12} and give you an increase in wealth and children, and make for you Gardens and rivers [of blessings].{13} What is the matter with you that you do not seek to see the Majesty of God, {14} when He has created you stage by stage?{15} Have you not seen how Al'lah created seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last?{16} And He set up within them the moon as a light, and the sun as a lamp.{17} And then Al'lah caused you to grow from the earth, gradually maturing.{18} Thereafter He will return you into it [the earth], and then bring you out again, quickly.{19} And Al'lah has made the earth a wide level expanse for you,{20} so that you can draw advantage from its paths which reach everywhere." '

{21} Noah said, 'My Lord! They have disobeyed me and followed those whose riches and children have increased them only in loss.{22} And they have plotted a mighty scheme.{23} And they have said [to others], "Do not abandon your gods! Abandon neither Wadd nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, or Ya'uq, or Nasr!" {24} And they have indeed led many astray. Oh [my Lord, in Your Mercy] grant no increase to these wrongdoers save their present straying.'{25} Because of their faults, they were drowned [in the Flood], and were made to enter a fire; and they found none to help them instead of God.{26} And Noah said, 'My Lord! Do not leave on the earth any from among the unbelievers dwelling there!{27} If You do leave them, they will lead Your servants astray, and beget none but licentious ungrateful ones [unbelievers].{28} My Lord! Forgive me, my parents and whomever enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women, and do not increase the wrongdoers in loss and destruction!'

## Interpretation of Fortress 71

NOAH

(NUH SURAH)

### {1}

We sent Noah as Envoy to his people saying] - The Possessor of Mercy and Tenderness towards humanity sent Noah (pth) as an Envoy to lead his people from darkness into light and happiness. God chose him because of the tenderness and mercy Noah's heart held for his brothers in humanity. God named him Noah, which derives from the Arabic word for 'crying' and 'weeping,' because Noah's compassion and mercy caused him to weep for his fellow man. 'Warn your people before a painful torment comes to them.' \- Envoys and Prophets (ptt) are sent by God only for guidance and they do not have any connection with this universe. [[‎59] God the Almighty sent Noah to warn people about the painful spiritual suffering they would experience on Doomsday which would cause them to throw themselves into Fire, and guide them instead towards His Light.

### {2}

And so he said, 'Oh my people! I am indeed an illuminating warner to you [and so I urge you] \- Consider how the people of Noah's time differ from people today. When the deeds and cunning of both are examined, the acts of Noah's people pale in comparison to the evil perpetrated in modern times. Yet Noah was sent to warn and preach to his people and he told them why he had come. They accepted and admitted that he was their Envoy, but still they did not heed him.

Conversely, modern people have not accepted or obeyed the Envoy of God (cpth), ignoring what he brought of the Qur'an. Instead of applying his teachings, they choose to follow the sayings of their fathers. In our time, the Envoy is denied, his message is ignored and the truth he brought for everyone is disregarded. Thus the evil acts of people today are far worse than those of Noah's people and there is no way to compare the two.

### {3}

'Worship Al'lah and see by His Light - 'Oh People, listen carefully to the Words of Al'lah and contemplate them well. Then do as He orders you and you will see by His Light. If you apply His Words and heed His Instructions, you will achieve piety and thus be able to see by Al'lah's Light. For He (Glory to Him) will make a beacon for you, and by its illumination you will be able to see good and understand that it is good; and see evil and know that it is evil: but there is a strict condition,' 'and obey me \- 'Don't be arrogant towards me, but rather obey me. You will never achieve piety unless you obey me. Obedience leads to piety. If you listen attentively to my speech about God and then apply what you have heard in your lives, you will receive light from Al'lah the Almighty. Contemplation is important for concentration and study lead to belief. Belief, in turn, brings about fear, and fear leads to correctness and piety, or seeing by Al'lah's Light. Thus you should only worship Al'lah, contemplate Him and His creations, see by His Light and obey me, the Envoy.'

### {4}

'Thus He will forgive you your sins - 'God will heal your spirits by sending His Light into your hearts; it will mix with pleasure and delight as you communicate with Al'lah in prayer. Eventually this Light will purify your spirits, healing them gradually from the illnesses that afflict them and making them worthy of receiving God's Blessings, paradises and happiness.' 'And turn you to [live] an elevated appointed term [in the world]. \- Al'lah will grant you a good life in this world for He is Merciful. If you stop straying and change your ways to live as God orders you, and you obey the Envoy, then you shall live a high, privileged heart life until your death. This elevation will inspire you to shun all worldly pleasures and will protect you from fatal desires, which you, before this guidance, would have surely practised and thus become degraded by had you not followed this guidance. By conducting yourself as the Envoy beseeches, all worldly temptations will be converted into elevators which will transport you ever higher in your eminence and loftiness. In this state, happiness will be yours and pleasure and gladness will overwhelm your hearts. Thus will you live a good life till your death day, and know that; '[But] when Al'lah's appointed time [for you] comes, it cannot be deferred - 'If you choose not to follow my teachings, your end, when it comes, will be horrific. You will find your terrifying destination to be Hell because Al'lah offered you the truth through me (Noah), yet you wasted what was available to you of goodness, paradises and blessings. Your spirits will be imprisoned in Hell by your own actions: you refused to listen to or heed the law (rule). Consequently on Doomsday when your deeds became known, you lost your honour and now nothing can purge your torment except Fire.' 'If only you knew!' \- 'If you know absolutely and scientifically that there is no god except Al'lah, then believe, follow the law and you will value my guidance and what Al'lah orders you to do.'

### {5}

He said, 'My Lord! I have called my people night and day - Noah (pth) tried many ways of delivering his important message to his people. He was a great and distinguished person, held in high esteem by his contemporaries for all the great deeds he had done. Thus he tried to deliver his message by conversing with people, sharing and discussing with them his Provider's Words; this method induced in them positive feelings and enjoyable sensations. But still they did not struggle against their whims and caprices, instead they retreated from Al'lah's Commands and did not believe. Noah continued to spread his message for many years, he repeatedly invited all his people to follow his teachings, but there was no hope for any of them. They would not change. For man must decide for himself which path he will follow, and choosing righteousness man must struggle alone against his inclinations and insist on searching for the truth, else there is no hope nor benefit in guiding him.

### {6}

'But my call has only caused them to flee more and more [from the truth]. \- Instead of listening to Noah and heeding his words, they insisted on running away from the truth until finally they decided to resist it.

### {7}

'And every time I have called them so that You may forgive them, they have thrust their fingers in their ears - This is meant figuratively, for it was not that they covered their ears and ran away like naughty children. Rather, their abominations and evil deeds distorted their perception and prevented them from hearing the truth. Their whims ruled over their spirits and so they did not listen to the truth, distracted instead by the capricious and forbidden actions of their hands and fingers. Because their hearts were attached to these foul deeds, they refused to give them up and thus these deeds were their downfall. Their love of these vices prevented them from listening to the truth because they knew Noah's teachings would instruct them to change their wicked ways and cease these evil acts, but this they did not want to do. Therefore, the evil deeds committed by their hands in this worldly life stood like a strong wall between their ears and the truth. This 'wall' also prevented them from seeing the reality of the situation and caused them to be deaf to Noah's message. And so, they did not repent at all to Al'lah while the opportunity was there. 'And wrapped themselves up in their garments - Instead they allowed their worldly inclinations to guide them and let their bad intentions envelop them. 'And persisted [in their rejection of the truth] - They insisted on shunning God and turned away from the truth because they did not wish to hear it. And so they were: 'Growing ever more arrogant. - They put out of their minds that their existence grew from a drop of sperm. They did not consider that they had been nothing until God fashioned them into something. If only they had remembered and contemplated their origins, they would have considered these things and come to believe in God. But by ignoring their beginnings, they increased in their arrogance and did not believe.

### {8}

'Furthermore, I have called them openly - Noah tried many ways to deliver Al'lah's Message, making his invitation public.

### {9}

'I have preached to them in public - Noah gave sermons in the mosques; and he spoke at lectures, clubs and public meetings. 'And spoken to them in private. - When people desired to hear his teachings privately, he agreed and happily obliged them. For Noah pursued his people night and day; his spirituality and guidance never ceased as he strove to draw them into paradises and delight; but the people were inconstant, always changing and retreating.

### {10}

'I have said, "Ask forgiveness of your Lord: He is ever All-Forgiving - Our master Noah (pth) was determined to turn his people away from their unhappy states, pursuing them by his spirituality and word and deed and imploring them to turn to their Provider and seek the recovery of their spirits.

### {11}

' "He will send down abundant rain from the sky for you - Al'lah had been withholding the rain, afflicting the people with the adversity of drought in the hope it would spur them to repent and do good. If they turned to Him, He would send down not only the rain but also shower delight upon their hearts. For you should only do honourable, good deeds so that in the Afterlife you may obtain paradises and Al'lah will rain down the blessings of Heaven and earth upon you.

### {12}

' "And give you an increase in wealth - Once you turn to Al'lah He will provide for you in this life and the life to come. In the world, He will grant you money which you may use to further elevate yourself, spending the money in good deeds. For God would never impoverish you. And by your great and generous offerings in this life, you will acquire paradises in the Afterlife. ' "And children \- And Al'lah will send you children who are inclined to belief and capable of great piety. Thus you can further increase your prestige in the Afterlife as your righteous children will follow God's Guidance and do good deeds and their deeds will be added to the book of your own deeds; God said, 'Those who have believed and whose offspring have followed them in faith, to them will We join their offspring, and We will not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything.' [‎60]

' "And make for you Gardens - He will make paradises for you even while in this worldly life. For you came to the world not to cut yourself off from God and be separate from Him, but to attain piety and see Al'lah's Light. ' "And rivers [of blessings]. - He will bestow upon you graces and goodness, material and immaterial.

### {13}

' "What is the matter with you that you do not seek to see the Majesty of God \- You can clearly see with your own eyes that this universe is expertly guided, that a strict discipline rules and drives it. So does this not indicate that there exists a Steerer, a Creator and a Discipliner? And is it not proper that you should honour and praise Him? But perhaps you suppose that you possess things in your own right. If so, you are mistaken and proud, considering yourself above Al'lah (Glory to Him) and committing ever more egregious sins.

### {14}

' "When He has created you stage by stage? - He created you in stages, beginning from a drop of semen, which He fashioned into a clot, then a little lump of flesh and bones and continued until you became a human being. Oh this Provider has truly bestowed His Favour upon you.

### {15}

' "Have you not seen how Al'lah created - For you. All He has created has been for you, for your benefit, for your subsistence and for your life, ' "seven harmonious heavens, each one above the last? - These skies are equal in goodness and stacked one above the other. For the sky of the sun is atop the moon's while the sky of the moon is above the sky of the clouds. And all the universe works and rotates for you.

### {16}

' "And He set up within them the moon as a light - Have you ever considered who placed the moon in the sky so you might rest in darkness yet still benefit by its glow? Have you ever contemplated the bounties and benefits His Favour bestows upon you? ' "And the sun as a lamp. - Consider that if Al'lah had not made the sun for you, you would have no water to drink. For the sun's warmth evaporates the water from the earth, and the wind drives the moisture up to form clouds. Then, Al'lah sends down the rain so that you, your children and your animals can drink fresh, clean water. For without water nothing can live. Have you never considered this Provider Who gives you the things necessary for life?

### {17}

' "And then Al'lah caused you to grow from the earth, gradually maturing. - Once you were only scattered particles, atoms. Then your fathers ate food and semen formed in their bodies. Next God secured you in the bellies of your mothers where you were nourished by what they ate from the fruits and produce of the earth, nurturing your bodies so they would take shape and form.

### {18}

' "Thereafter He will return you into it [the earth] - There is no point in being arrogant, for the end is unavoidable. You came to this world naked, like everyone else, and you will leave this world naked, like everyone else. For who has escaped death? No one; you will die like everyone else. ' "And then bring you out again, quickly. - As once God assembled particles into your infant body, so God will again reassemble you when the time comes. But on Doomsday this will done with the word 'Be' and a single breath blown on your remains.

### {19}

' "And Al'lah has made the earth a wide level expanse for you - You perceive the earth as flat and level even though God (Glory to Him) in His Wisdom and Kindness made it round and smoothly rotating.

### {20}

' "So that you can draw advantage from its paths which reach everywhere." ' - 'Paths' refers to the springs in the mountains, which become streams, then rivers flowing down. The mountains are creating temporary reservoirs of drinking water. For Al'lah made the polar caps permanent reservoirs of this water, which travels great distances from vast depths so that it might reach the mountains where it be stored and then springs forth, flowing into rivers and streams, filling wells and flowing to villages and plains. [‎61]

### {21}

Noah said, 'My Lord! They have disobeyed me - The people did not want to listen to Noah's message though he had invited them to hear it for nine hundred and fifty years. 'And followed - Instead they listened to and followed the wealthy people. 'Those whose riches and children have increased them only in loss. - This verse also applies to the people today who are so focused on following and participating in Western civilisation that they focus on it instead of seeking guidance for themselves and then for these people of civilisation. And so they enjoyed earthly pleasures yet lost eternal life.

### {22}

'And they have plotted a mighty scheme. - In that time and in this time, many have plotted to oppose the truth.

### {23}

'And they have said [to others], "Do not abandon your gods! - Those far from Al'lah beseeched others not to turn away from their old idols, but have these 'gods' ever bestowed the goodness Al'lah grants? These idols did not make for you the sun, the moon, the rains, the fruits and vegetables. ' "Abandon neither Wadd - The people of Noah's time were greatly attached to this idol, Wadd. In their silly thinking, they believed it created affection and kindness among people. ' "Nor Suwa - This idol purportedly brought them good and happiness. ' "Nor Yaghuth - who was reputed to provide aid in times of need and adversity. ' "Or Ya'uq - who allegedly protected them from evil. ' "Or Nasr!" - This was the greatest idol and the chief over all others. So, they supposed that these idols possessed might and power; but they were wrong. There is neither might nor power except in God.

### {24}

'And they have indeed led many astray. - They persisted in their misguided beliefs in order to follow the primrose path. 'Oh [my Lord, in Your Mercy] grant no increase to these wrongdoers save their present straying.' - 'You have granted their desires, and what they desired was for their hearts to be blind and to live far from You. They sought dissolution and distance and received it. Oh Provider, they will suffer enough, please do not allow them to stray further.' Our master Noah said this out of his mercy upon his people for death would halt their straying, disbelief and obstinacy. Death will halt their evil ways which will surely earn them the Fire on Doomsday.

Some religious scholars explained this verse incorrectly. They falsely claimed that our master Noah, at the end of his struggle to guide his people, invoked God to afflict them with stern punishment and to increase their straying from Him. But as we notice at the beginning of the Fortress, or Surah, Al'lah (Glory to Him) tells us that He has selected our master Noah to be an Envoy to his people and warn them from the severe pain that awaits when this life inevitably ends. So is what these interpreters claimed plausible? Is it at all possible that Al'lah was unaware of the lofty state of our master Noah and his worthiness to be His Envoy, an Envoy merciful towards his people who will never ask God to punish them or lead them astray, as they maintained? Absolutely not.

Thus, the fact is that our master Noah (pth) asked his Provider to grant his people relief, saying in this verse, 'Oh my Lord, in Your Mercy] grant no increase to these wrongdoers save their present straying' after Al'lah had already told him 'that, "None of your people will believe, other than those who have already believed. " ' [[‎62] Their spirits were so filled by their love for the worldly life that they could never be guided. Rather they could only advance in sinfulness and disobedience, further increasing their fire and torment on Doomsday. Our master Noah understood that these people would persist in their straying and so only increase the loss and torment that awaited them. Thus he asked his Provider to grant them relief by preventing them from bringing further suffering upon themselves. He said, 'Oh Provider, if You do not intervene, they will commit ever more destructive deeds and their fires will continue to increase in the Afterlife. For they insist on straying and refuse to believe. Oh Provider, on Your Part, stop them.' Noah asked for help for his people much as someone might plead for the relief of a greatly suffering loved one who had no hope of recovery. Our master Noah's people had covenanted Al'lah (Glory to Him) and agreed to come to this world where they would do good deeds and never separate from Him. But they came to this world and changed, although they swore they would not. And Al'lah long endured them, though they broke both the promise and the covenant.

### {25}

Because of their faults, they were drowned [in the Flood] - The evilness of their actions caused them to deserve drowning. Thus Al'lah Almighty said that they were drowned due to their mistakes, and not because our master Noah called this fate upon them. Indeed he wept and mourned and wished only mercy for his people. And were made to enter a fire - Fire witnessed the horrible reality of what they had done in their worldly life. Behold the miserable end their commitments led them to! And they found none to help them instead of God. - Surely, those who are sick in spirit need to seek treatment; And will there be any who prevent them from being treated? If you do not believe in God, you will find no other saviour for He alone is the Deliver. Did the false gods the people of Noah so prized help them at all on Judgement Day? Did the people of worldly wealth and property whom they followed avail them?

### {26}

And Noah said, 'My Lord! Do not leave on the earth any from among the unbelievers dwelling there! - As we have already discussed, Noah implored Al'lah in His Mercy to remove the unbelievers from the worldly life where they dwelt in sin. In fact, Al'lah (Glory to Him), 'revealed to Noah that, "None of your people will believe, other than those who have already believed, so do not be distressed because of what they have been doing." ' [‎63] But still Noah tried to convince them. For nine hundred and fifty years he (pth) continued to preach to them and invite them to join him, and during those long years of Noah's striving Al'lah Almighty tested the people and tried to bring them back to reason and rationality by any means possible. God would not accept they were disbelievers and forget about them; instead He persistently tried to turn them back to the path of truth. But it became clear they did not want to believe and had no intention of doing so. In addition, they made no secret of their wickedness and announced their refusal of truth and its people. So, Al'lah informed our master Noah (pth) that his people did not want belief, insisted on their erring ways and that there was no possibility they would change, for He (Glory to Him) was Omniscient of their spirits and saw their true intent. 'So do not be distressed': Our master Noah (pth) grieved for his people and what awaited them. But God told him not to be sad for them because it was their own fault, they had refused to believe. So, our master Noah (pth) asked his Provider to help them. And Noah said, 'My Lord! Do not leave on the earth any from among the unbelievers dwelling there! \- Our master Noah (pth) looked at his people and saw for himself what God had told him; there was no hope in them or for them, they would not believe. Noah understood then that they were without good and so asked their Provider to relieve them of the ever-increasing suffering they would incur as these bad people became worse. He asked for relief for them as if they were patients with no hope of recovery. Although he could not spare their suffering entirely, because Noah loved them he wished to limit it. But our master Noah's people were saturated with evil, their spirits were filled with it and indeed they revelled in it and had no wish to change. Thus the cure of this life was insufficient to turn them back to God and they merited another kind of cure which would come on Doomsday. So, our master Noah (pth) said, 'Oh Provider, they do not want belief, they want only evil; so, would You please not allow them to bring further suffering upon themselves? Oh Provider, stop them from committing vices and evil in this worldly life by ending their time on earth. Let them perish.' Noah made this plea from his mercy, his desire to spare them additional torment in Hell and Fire. He also made the statement 'any from among the unbelievers dwelling there! \- Noah beseeched God that not a single trace of these unbelieving sinners should remain in the world for if they stayed any longer, it would only cause harm, to themselves first, then to Noah's believing companions and those who come after.

### {27}

'If You do leave them, they will lead Your servants astray \- Noah feared that those few who believed and followed him would be transfixed and lured astray by the many sinners of his people. 'And beget none but licentious ungrateful ones [unbelievers]. - 'Oh Provider, dispatch them soon lest they beget children just like them who will continue the cycle of evilness.' For if they possessed even an atom of good, God would send them virtuous children, who would benefit their parents by the good deeds they would do. But alas, they did not possess even an atom of good. The dissolute man declares his disbelief by conspicuously indulging in this worldly life, moving from one sin to another.

### {28}

'My Lord! Forgive me, my parents - His parents (pth) were people of goodness and righteousness. 'And whomever enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women, and do not increase the wrongdoers in loss and destruction!' - That is, in this life the wrongdoers were accumulating ever more loss and suffering, which awaited them in the next. 'Oh Provider save them from themselves for they must be stopped. As long as these people remained alive, they would continue to increase their loss.' The word al-tabar is derived from two Arabic words al-tabab and al-bawar; translated literally their definition is 'final barrenness.' Al-tabab signifies 'loss' and 'destruction' while al-bawar denotes they possess nothing except decay and corruption. This word also expresses that they have become stagnant, stuck in their evil ways, lost. If they continued to live without truth, to be nurtured by hearts devoid of any goodness and benevolence, no good would come of it. Better that they die than continue on in such a wretched state which would only increase their loss on Doomsday when humiliation, dishonour and fires await them. These disbelievers have spoiled humanity, bringing great damage upon themselves and others; thus their lives cause them more harm than their deaths would. So, 'Oh Provider, stop them from increasing their suffering.' Our master Noah (pth) made this compassionate plea for his people motivated by his great love and mercy for them; it was in no way an act of malice or a mistake. And because his request was true, merciful and faultless, God answered it, 'And Noah had called upon Us, and how excellent We are in answering prayer]!' [[‎64] He (Glory to Him) responded to Noah's entreaty because it was best for the disbelievers, the only way to rid them of their increasing oppression.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 72 (AL-JINN SURAH)

THE JINN

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Say [oh Mohammad], 'It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn once listened in and said, "We have indeed heard a wondrous Qur'an,{2} that guides [us all] to the right path, and we have believed in it, and we shall never set up partners as equals to our Lord.{3} And certainly, it is not mere fancy but very serious indeed that Al'lah is truly our Provider, [He] Who has neither spouse nor child,{4} and that ignoramus among us spoke outrageous enormities against Al'lah.{5} Although we had [mistakenly] thought that neither man nor jinn would ever tell a lie about Al'lah."{6} Men have sought refuge with the jinn in the past, but they only exhausted themselves and brought further misery.{7} They thought, as you did, that Al'lah would never raise anyone [from the dead].{8} "We tried to reach the heaven, but have found it to be full of stern guards and shooting stars. {9} We used to sit in places there, listening, but anyone trying to listen now will find a shooting star lying in wait for him.{10} We did not know whether those who live on earth are due for misfortune [if they do not heed], or whether their Lord intends to guide them [if they heed].{11} Some of us are righteous and others less so; we follow different paths.{12} We know we can never thwart Al'lah on earth; we can never escape Him. {13} When we heard the guidance we came to believe; whoever believes in his Lord need not fear loss nor exhaustion.{14} Some of us submit to God and others go the wrong way; those who submit to God have found wise guidance,{15} but those who go wrong will be fuel for Hell." '

{16} If they had taken to the right way, We would have given them abundant life water{17} to enthral them, but whoever turns away from his Lord's Revelation will be sent by Him into spiralling torment.{18} Places of worship [spirits] are for God alone, so do not worship anyone other than Al'lah.{19} Yet when Al'lah's Servant rises to call to Him, they [the disbelievers] press in on him.{20} Say [oh Mohammad], 'I call to my Provider alone; I set up no equal to Him.'{21} Say, 'I have no control over any harm or good that may befall you.'{22} Say, 'No one can protect me from Al'lah; I do never attach myself except to Him.{23} I only deliver the truth from Al'lah and His Messages.' Whoever disobeys God and His Envoy will dwell in Hell's fire forever; {24} when they are confronted by what they had been warned about, they will realise who has the weaker protector and the smaller number.

{25} Say [oh Mohammad], 'I do not know whether what you have been promised is near, or whether a distant time has been appointed for it by my Lord.'{26} He is the All-Knower of the Hidden, and He does not disclose His Hidden to anyone, {27} except to an Envoy whom He has chosen. He sends watchful guards to go in front and behind;{28} in order that He may ensure that each of His Envoys delivers his Lord's Message; and He encompasses [all people] with what they [the Envoys] have, and He takes account of everything.

## Interpretation of Fortress 72

THE JINN

(AL-JINN SURAH)

### {1}

Say \- Oh Mohammad, speak to your companions, tell them that 'It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn once listened in - The Almighty once guided the jinn to Mohammad so they might hear the Envoy's message. Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, then allowed His Envoy to inform his companions about the jinn and what had subsequently happened to them; for Al'lah had treated them so they might change what had been in their spirits.

Like humankind, jinn-kind, too, are charged with the Trust. They have their own world, a universe like ours with a sun, moon and stars. The jinn plant and sow crops, they eat and work, and there are obedient and disobedient jinn, just like humans. However, they differ from humankind in that their first father did not eat of the material (forbidden fruit) as did our father Adam (pth). When Adam put this fruit into his mouth, our spirits entered into our bodies but the jinn remained spirits who surround their bodies rather than being contained by them.

There are no Envoys or Prophets from among the jinn; they share the Prophets and Envoys from mankind. Thus, the Envoy Mohammad (cpth) is sent to both mankind and jinn-kind, for God said, 'We have not sent you oh Prophet] but as a mercy for all worlds.' [[‎][65]

Out of His Love and Mercy, Al'lah compelled these jinn to seek out God's Envoy (cpth) and listen to him, so they might understand what He, prompted by their depraved conduct, had sent of misfortune, grief, disease and poverty. He treated them with all this adversity to turn them back to the way of happiness, to spur their spirits to reject and detest the desires and temptations of this lowly life. Thus they might adopt the path of truth and enter the heavens of their Provider, having discovered that no happiness comes from the carnal world. For many thought to find happiness in money, children, women and fornication. But anyone who indulges in these things will find they bring only misery, grief and sorrow. Thus they understood that this worldly life is full of cheating, cunning, deception and criminality, and so they said that, 'There is no happiness to be found on earth, whatever we do, we shall live in misery and wretchedness.' They were at a loss; they could no longer tolerate that the angels of our master Mohammad (cpth) prevented them from soaring into the sky and chased them relentlessly on earth. Thus pursued they began to think and enquire about the great numbers of these supervising angels, particularly their origins. So with many questions, they came to Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) with no intention other than to hear the truth.

So again it is shown that the Actions of Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, are always for the goodness and happiness of His creatures. He (Glory to Him) treats them from His Most Beautiful Attributes, for their own benefit. So, when they find themselves afflicted with sickness or poverty, beset by misfortunes, they must ask why this has happened. For what reason has Al'lah treated them thus? And when they have examined their lives and actions and recognised their misdeeds, they will know. Then they must change their ways, turn away from what they now know to be wrong and change what is in their spirits. Only then Al'lah will change their entire condition, replacing their sickness with good health, their poverty with wealth, their disgrace with honour, and their misery with happiness, for God said, 'Al'lah does not change the condition of a people unless they themselves change what is in their spirits.' [‎66]

'And said, "We have indeed heard a wondrous Qur'an - 'We heard from God's Envoy wonderful and logical speech that gives us great cheer and gladdens our hearts. While we were with God's Envoy (cpth) and while we were listening to his words, our spiritual states changed, evolving from wretchedness into joy and spiritual life. That which had been causing us pain and suffering was lifted from us.' And the Envoy (cpth) spoke of wonderful and amazing things, his spirit includes all bliss and heavens.

That group of jinn contemplated God's Signs and came to believe in Him, then they glorified God's Envoy (cpth). Everyone who meditates on the signs Al'lah has placed in the universe until they come to believe in Him and glorify their Provider and revere His Envoy will enter into God's Presence. For this is the Envoy's function: he facilitates the entrance of your spirit into God's Presence so you might attain your Provider's Gifts. And that company of jinns contemplated and believed, then they revered the speech and guidance of God's Envoy (cpth): 'and said, "We have indeed heard a wondrous Qur'an - Hearing the revelation, they were astounded and admired both the message and the Envoy greatly. They turned to one another in amazement and asked, 'Are there truly great men such as this in our time?'

### {2}

' "That guides [us all] to the right path - Those who accept this revelation and the direction offered by God's Envoy (cpth) become rightly guided and are consequently uplifted to follow the ways of truth, virtue and happiness. ' "And we have believed in it - Once they approached Mohammad and believed in the revelation sent down upon him, they were led to the path of righteousness and became believers. By means of his (cpth) company, they remembered and witnessed that in the al-Azal world they had promised Al'lah to stay in communication with Him if He sent them to the worldly life. Thus they swore pray to Him, and would offer good deeds and always help all the creatures of Al'lah, the Almighty. By means of the Envoy's light these jinn witnessed the end (death) and what is after it, they witnessed what transpires in the grave and what awaits in the Afterlife – the wonder of heavens for the obedient and faithful, and the disgrace and suffering of Fire for the disobedient. Therefore they said, ' "We shall never set up partners [as equals] to our Lord. - 'This will never be. How could we obey any other than Him, the Almighty, when He has created and ordered this universe and everything in it? We followed the guidance that Al'lah offered us from the tongue of His Envoy (cpth), we witnessed what comes next and so our spirits lived in happiness, bliss and Paradise, therefore we shall obey none other than our Provider.'

They entered into God's Presence, and adhered to Him, Who is the eternal Home. Never again did they separate from Him

But what about mankind? Their spirits dwell in this worldly life, revelling in its pleasures. They have not witnessed the lights, heavens, and the revelations that Al'lah has prepared for them, yet the Almighty will never neglect them. He will treat them to turn them back to the right path, afflicting them with misfortune and suffering as a favour from Him. For man should dwell at home, where we were and where we will return. Can there be an eternal home for the spirit other than Al'lah, the Almighty? 'Homesickness springs from true belief.'

This lowly life is a home only for fools who have no home. The Envoy (cpth) said, 'This worldly life is an abode for those who have no abode, money for him who has no money, and only the mindless ones collect from it.' [‎67]

That company of jinn heeded the Envoy, believed and redeemed their covenant, and thus they entered into God's Presence coupling with the spirit of God's Envoy (cpth) who is the lifeboat and the lifeline leading to Al'lah.

### {3}

' "And certainly, it is not mere fancy but very serious indeed that Al'lah is truly our Provider - 'In the past and even today there have been people who believe religion is nothing more than delusions! But this path we follow and the truth our spirits have come to understand are very real; there is nothing fanciful about them. We have surely witnessed it and attained the lights, happiness, and spiritual life therein. We have witnessed the Existence of Al'lah, the Almighty, and His Favour and Benevolence upon us and upon all creatures. Glory to Him Who is the Provider for us: He steers this universe, He sends the rain to nourish our plants and bodies, He rotates the planets and guides the sun. For He (Glory to Him) is the Teacher, the Supporter Who grants victory, and every goodness flows from Him.' ' "Who has neither spouse nor child. - No words are adequate to describe His Benevolence and Generosity. He brought all creatures into existence simply by uttering the word 'Be,' Glory to His Majesty! He needs nothing of them, has no use for wife nor son, for there is nothing like Him, so how could anyone speak such ridiculous words?

### {4}

' "And that ignoramus among us - Namely, Satan, for he did not acquaint his spirit with God and left it ignorant and with little value. He disobeyed Al'lah, the Almighty, and refused to follow His Orders that lead only to happiness. In his ignorance, Satan had no light to help him distinguish between truth and lies; therefore, he confused evil for good and followed it. ' "Spoke outrageous enormities against Al'lah - He knew nothing of God, the Almighty, and so spoke only from his malice, inviting other ignorant people to follow his lies. Thus those who were unaware of the Provider or easily swayed believed Satan's fallacies and clung to him. He falsely claimed that Jesus (pth), God's Envoy, and his mother were both gods, confusing people and turning them away from Al'lah the Almighty, costing them the happiness and heavens that their Provider had prepared for them. It was Satan who deceived the polytheists with these extravagant lies.

But Satan has gone too far. Since the beginning of creation, Al'lah (Glory to His Majesty) has fulfilled his requests and given him all that he desires; the more he wants, the more Al'lah grants. Yet the Devil has not recognised his error and has stayed firm in his determination to mislead people, tempting them with his lie that Jesus and his mother are two gods.

### {5}

' "Although we had [mistakenly] thought - 'After we came to believe in our Provider and witnessed His Favour, Benefaction and Mercy, once we had heard the wonderful guidance and revelation delivered by God's Envoy (cpth) and witnessed the facts revealed by his words and his deeds, we assumed': ' "that neither man nor jinn would ever tell a lie about Al'lah." - 'After the Envoy (cpth) spoke to us and revealed by his great knowledge that people would proceed in faith and follow his guidelines because they are the true guidance, we thought that everyone would accept the truth and that disbelief, heresy and false idols would fall away.' But this group of jinns said so because they had witnessed the realities and glorified what they had seen and heard. They said, 'Isn't this revelation great enough to be followed? Did not he (cpth) show all the realities by his revelation?'

The words of the Holy Qur'an are those of Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, but the meanings and explanations come from God's Envoy (cpth). By virtue of his nearness to Al'lah, he has a singular understanding of his Provider's Knowledge and was therefore able to explain and interpret His Words to the people of the world. [‎68]

### {6}

'Men have sought refuge with the jinn in the past, but they only exhausted themselves and brought further misery. - Those members of humanity who degraded themselves by their distance from God became even lower than the jinn-kind devils, although mankind holds a status above jinn-kind.

'Men have sought refuge with the jinn - Instead of saving the jinn and guiding them to the truth, some men followed them down, degrading and lowering themselves. These men foolishly thought that the jinn held supernatural power and strength, and would grant them these talents as well, thus they might gain riches and superiority over the rest of mankind. So they followed the jinn. 'But they only exhausted themselves and brought further misery. - But the jinn did not empower their human followers; rather they oppressed them and inflicted great misery, grief and distress upon them. The jinn destroyed their acolytes, igniting fire in their spirits which would not allow them rest or sleep. For although these humans sought an advantage when they followed these devils, they received only curses, becoming madmen scorned by their fellow humans for their foul smells and actions, and the vile fornications they committed both in secret and in the open. It is clear to all the righteous, these jinn-followers are the devils' brethren.

### {7}

'They thought - But why would humans disbelieve and follow the jinn into evil, degradation and fornication? They simply did not think that Al'lah, the Almighty, would ever call them to account; they assumed there is no life to come, and therefore no reckoning, nor retribution – no Paradise nor Fire. And since this worldly life is everything, they claimed we should indulge ourselves in every pleasure and happiness it might offer. Thus they acted basely, committing crimes and adultery. 'As you did - That company of jinn who came to God's Envoy (cpth) believed just as you did before they met with him (cpth). 'That Al'lah would never raise anyone [from the dead]. - They used to believe there is no resurrection, no judgement nor retribution, and thus this worldly life is their paradise, their be-all and end-all. They did not consider death so that their spirit might fear its destination and thus turn to ponder God's Graces and His Signs in the universe; therefore, they did not believe in resurrection and denied its existence. They also did not credit that Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, would send noble men (Envoys) for the time we live in, men who could expose their fraud, and so they persisted in their falsehood and went too far, as did all the people who were like them.

### {8}

' "We tried to reach the heaven - Before these jinn came to meet God's Envoy (cpth) they used to ascend their spirits and bodies towards the heaven, hoping to overhear the Orders God daily gave His angels concerning their duties with humankind and their charges for the next day. They were able to do so before the coming of God's Envoy (cpth) but after that, it was only attempted by suicidal jinn. ' "But have found it - After the coming of the Envoy (cpth): ' "to be full of stern guards and shooting stars. - When the Envoy (cpth) came, he was accompanied by a host of angels whose true number was known only to Al'lah. These angels were armed with meteors and so the devils no longer dared to ascend into the sky for they would certainly be repulsed by the blockade of fire. One foolhardy jinn might still attempt to ascend and eavesdrop but the Almighty God would smite him with a meteor, so that he would burn and die.

### {9}

' "We used to sit in places there, listening - Before the coming of God's Envoy (cpth) they had been free to ascend. The jinn, and the magicians who were like them, were popular with the people, and so they acted freely and attached no importance to anyone. ' "But anyone trying to listen now - Now, after God's Envoy (cpth) had come with this great host of angels with him, none could even try to ascend, for if they did, they would surely be exterminated. They were quickly chased and restrained by the angels. ' "Will find a shooting star lying in wait for him. - Any jinn who attempts to ascend would be hit with a shooting star and burned; death would be their certain fate. Their motivation for ascending is that each day the Godly Orders descend upon the angels by Al'lah's Presence – the Almighty orders them to do such and such and warns them that this and that will come to pass. If the devils overhear what is to happen, then they can rush to their assistants, the magicians, and tell them what they have learned. The magicians then go forth and circulate among the people, telling them what is to come. Thus do the people believe the magicians have the power to foresee the future which inspires belief in them. Empowered by such misguided belief, they shall lead people astray while Al'lah says, 'I do not take as My supporters those who lead others astray.' [‎69] Therefore He sends down falling stars to burn and repel them.

### {10}

' "We did not know - In the past, before these jinn came to God's Envoy (cpth), they had no understanding of why Al'lah, the Almighty, sent us to the worldly life, for what purpose He created us and this great universe. In other words, what are praying, fasting and making pilgrimage for? Indeed, although they knew nothing about any of this, they listened to the guidance of God's Envoy (cpth), then they believed and discerned the truth. ' "Whether those who live on earth are due for misfortune [if they do not heed] \- Those who are determined to pursue a course of disbelief, error and transgression will bring only wretchedness upon themselves. This misery is not caused by Al'lah, the Almighty, but rather self-inflicted. For Al'lah in His Mercy wants happiness for all creation, He created them so they might attain this happiness and receive His Bounties and Heavens. But they shunned God and by their evil deeds dictated that they would receive only wretchedness. For their ill deeds were returned to them. God's Envoy (cpth) said, 'Your deeds serve as workers for you [and determine] whether good or bad will return to you.'[Narrated by al-Tabarani.]

' "Or whether their Lord intends to guide them [if they heed]. - However, those who change their ways, shunning malfeasance and returning to Al'lah, will be guided to happiness and virtue when they obey His Words and His Guidance as transmitted through His Envoy (cpth). For Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, will replace their wretchedness with happiness, change their poverty and disgrace for richness and honour, and this worldly life will become a paradise where they will dwell happily and peacefully, steeped in blessings from Him, the Almighty.

### {11}

' "Some of us - That is, some of the jinns, ' "are righteous - are like humans in that some are pious (seeing by God's Light) and deserve the Godly Donation. ' "And others less so - While there are others who are inferior to the pious. ' "We follow different paths. - Again like humankind, they once had many different religious orders, but with the coming of God's Envoy and his great revelation, all others were invalidated and exterminated, only the Holy Qur'an remained to be followed.

For who could possibly have the right to offer a path or guidance other than that sent down on God's Envoy (cpth)? Anyone is capable of speaking and offering their own opinions but that only means they neither appreciate nor heed the guidance of their Provider's Envoy. Once God's Envoy (cpth) brought this guidance and revelation from the Presence of Al'lah, the Almighty, all other religious paths were exterminated. It is not permissible for anyone to introduce any law or revelation that disagrees with what he (cpth) has revealed.

### {12}

' "We know we can never thwart Al'lah on earth - Before the coming of the Envoy (cpth), they acted with impunity, free from restraint or punishment, but after that they were hounded as criminals. They could no longer ascend into the sky and, stuck on earth, pain, affliction, wretchedness and misfortune overcame them from all directions. [‎70] ' "We can never escape Him. - However the jinn try to escape, eventually they will die and return to Him, the Great and the Almighty. Realising this, they decided to voluntarily return to Al'lah while still in this world and follow the path of His Guidance. They were impelled to seek God's Envoy because they wished to understand why they had been thus afflicted; they intended no evil and sought only the truth. Therefore, when they listened to his guidance they understood everything. They perceived that their deeds had caused their affliction. By their own actions, the jinn both brought the affliction on themselves and ended it. For when they returned to Al'lah and changed themselves, He in His Mercy changed their conditions. Al'lah, the Almighty, because of His Mercy and Sympathy, sent great hardship to them, so that by this constraint they would renounce worldly pleasures and stop following the wrong path; only then did He (Glory to Him) guide them to His Envoy (cpth).

### {13}

' "When we heard the guidance we came to believe - 'Hearing the words of God's Envoy (cpth) we embraced the path of truth with full devotion; thus we believed in our Provider and were rightly guided.' ' "Whoever believes in his Lord need not fear loss \- When someone truly believes in the Lord and sees by God's Light they need not fear loss, for it will not touch them. Rather, they will always and increasingly triumph. ' "Nor exhaustion. - They do not fear spiritual or physical suffering, instead they always enjoy happiness and good health; they thrive, living in lights, heavens and winnings. Conversely, we find the unbelievers constantly suffering illness and spiritual pains, bereft of happiness and always complaining of their condition.

### {14}

' "Some of us submit to God - When someone, having witnessed God's Supreme Attributes, His Mercy, Justice and Sympathy, surrenders to Him, all other people instinctively feel at ease with this person and trust them. This is because they have yielded themselves completely to God's Envoy (cpth) who then became their shining lamp, and numerous virtuous qualities were bestowed on them from Al'lah's Most Beautiful Attributes, rendering them humane and sympathetic to their fellow man. Thus we find that it is Al'lah, the Great and the Almighty, Who changes man's character and replaces cruelty with mercy, stinginess with generosity and injustice with justice. This is the fruit of prayer, for these changes occur during communication with God. Thus a believer is one who offers good deeds while truly communicating with Al'lah. However, if a man neglects to pray and witness their Provider and His Favour upon them, it becomes impossible for them to render good deeds. For even the devils themselves, when they sought guidance and belief, they thought, and thus were able to come to believe in Him. Thus man must seek his own guidance, for the Almighty Al'lah says, 'Indeed, this is but a reminder to all the worlds, to whoever among you wishes to go straight.' [‎71] That is, Al'lah will guide anyone who seeks the true guidance. As for those who speak righteous words but do not follow the way of belief or put it into practice, their mouths do not reflect what is in their hearts. In public they pretend to pray with fancy words, but God knows what is in their hearts. The believer who has truly recognised their Provider speaks only good and true sayings. They make jokes only when it serves a greater purpose, namely, to bring people together and garner otherworldly recompense; they never sow division by their jests. ' "And others go the wrong way \- Many who have strayed from the truth tried to measure it with the scales of their fathers and were misguided. For there is no goodness in most inherited religions. Yet these people quote their fathers' sayings instead of the Holy Qur'an, which they do not follow. And when they do quote the Qur'an they speak verses they committed to memory solely for purposes of chanting or bragging or lording their knowledge over one another. They oppose the truth and are determined in their opposition. They neglect the Qur'an for it stands in the way of their mean desires and evil intentions. ' "And others go the wrong way - They promised Al'lah that they would follow only His Speech and Guidance, yet they broke their pledge and this breach rendered them merciless. They encroached upon one another with increasing malice, assaulting the other's honour and pilfering their funds. This sorry state came about because they did not obey God's Envoy, and they disregarded the way of true belief that he had guided them to; they refused to contemplate death and the universe signs until they witness with their hearts that there is no god but Al'lah.

' "Those who submit to God have found wise guidance - Someone who listens to His Guidance and heeds it, will, by their belief, witness and hear the Sacred Revelations and Lights of Al'lah, the Almighty, through His Envoy. Then they are certain to not only believe but become wise caliphs who guide their people to the right path.

### {15}

' "But those who go wrong will be fuel for Hell." ' \- Those who perform wicked actions are destined for Hell.

### {16}

If they had taken to the right way - This group of jinns who sought God's Envoy and, hearing his guidance, believed then at first fervently followed the right path. But over time, they were affected by people of weak belief, those who had heard God's Guidance before them and were seemingly convinced yet didn't truly believe because they were not motivated enough to follow the steps of belief. These apathetic people affected the jinns in issue whose will eventually weakened until they regressed and became like them. But had they stayed strong and kept following the right way, We would have given them abundant life water - Water of life is the drink of the pious, those who see by God's Light, for the water of the heart life gives happiness, recovery, bliss and heavens. However this water springs forth only from the Prophets and Envoys.

### {17}

To enthral them - True believers so love this water that the longing for it helps them turn away from the desires, lowliness and fleeting pleasures of this life, a life which ultimately leads only to unhappiness. Instead they have a desire for this water which offers bliss, happiness and spiritual life, for there is a wondrous delight in true communication with Al'lah. Those who have never tasted this heart water become like rutting dogs in this worldly life, as discussed in the noble saying, 'The worldly life is carrion. He who desires it should then be patient for the company of dogs.'[Kanz al-Ummal book, part 3, no. 8564.]

But whoever turns away from his Lord's Revelation \- God, the Great and the Almighty, sent a lofty guidance which leads to never-ending happiness, yet still there are those who turn away from their Provider and His Envoy (cpth). The root of their sins is a love for this worldly life. They shunned their Provider that they might pursue fleshly desires, degenerating into criminals who lie, kill and steal, acting without honour or shame; yet they fear death always and their heart is void of happiness. Will be sent by Him - Although Al'lah will actually send them, the choice is always theirs. They decided to turn away and shun God, thus they will go to spiralling torment. - Every torment that they will suffer is entirely self-inflicted, brought on by their low deeds and actions and the way they shunned the truth and turned away from their Provider. All their actions will be returned to them; the noble saying reads, 'Take from this world whatever you want, and you will be careworn as much as you have taken.'

For all the torture God dispatches against a man who has shunned Him is only intended to turn the sinner back to the right way. Suffering and distress teach men to leave off loving this world and return to their happiness, that is their purpose. Those jinns were once determined to shun God, but after suffering distresses, they returned to the path of truth.

### {18}

Places of worship [spirits] are for God alone, so do not worship anyone other than Al'lah. - Your spirit belongs to God. Whenever the spirit is prostrate before Al'lah, it is called a place of worship. A spirit in this state is possessed only by God, so it should never be attached to any other than Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth), who is always with Him and never ceases to communicate with Him. For if man loves God's Envoy, they are with Al'lah. Therefore, never turn away from the Envoy nor allow your spirits to love other than him (cpth). Man should always strive to love those who do not separate themselves from God and never attach their spirits to those who turn away from God.

### {19}

Yet when Al'lah's Servant rises to call to Him they [the disbelievers] press in on him. - When God's Envoy first called people to Al'lah, he was opposed by everybody, no one wanted to hear the truth and thus no one supported him. Then the people of al-Medina invited the noble Envoy to their country. Al-Ab'bas, the Prophet Mohammad's uncle, said to them, 'As you know... Mohammad is one of us; in his country his people honour and protect him. So if you are sure to fulfil your promise to him and defend him against all opposition...it is your choice to bear the consequences of your obligation.' They responded, 'We have already heard what you say.'

Al-Ab'bas ibn Obadah then said, 'Do you know what you are pledging to God's Envoy?' They said, 'Yes.' He continued, 'You are pledging to him that you will fight the black and the red ones, that is, all people.' [‎72]

It was strange indeed that everyone opposed him and refused the truth. Even when the people heard the right guidance from God's Envoy (cpth), still they opposed it. They feared that if they followed the right way, Al'lah would deprive them of worldly pleasures. And so instead they schemed against the Envoy and plotted to oppose God's Guidance and do harm to him (cpth).

They [the disbelievers] press in on him - That is, they all opposed him.

### {20}

Say oh Mohammad], 'I call to my Provider alone - So Mohammad said, 'I follow only God's Speech, the Holy Qur'an, and I speak nothing but my Provider's Orders and the Holy Qur'an.' He (cpth) said, 'By Al'lah, [even] if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left one in order to give off this call, I will not [do so] until Al'lah grants victory to it or I die for the sake of it.' [[‎][73] His speech (cpth) was always of the Holy Qur'an.

'I set up no equal to Him.' - When his (cpth) people tried to sway Mohammad with worldly funds, he said to his uncle Abu Taleb, 'I worship and obey only my Provider, so why would He – the Great and the Almighty – give them power over me? Why would He enable these people to hurt me when He (Glory to Him) is the Real Active and everything is in His Hands? You are in His Hands, as I am, and I never worship others nor do I obey the speech of other than He. I scrupulously follow only His Guidance, and so it is impossible that Al'lah would give them power over me.'

### {21}

Say, 'I have no control over any harm or good that may befall you.' - Had they believed in God, Mohammad (cpth) would never have said this to them, for if they believed, Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth) would sustain them. Al'lah maintains the believers but for those who choose not to believe, Al'lah does not promise this support. The believer follows their Provider's Speech, but others do not believe; they have only let the words touch their ears, there is no true understanding. They will freely accede that the speech has a high logic, but still their spirits will not obey. Therefore God's Envoy (cpth) said to them, 'Al'lah (Glory to Him) has given you free choice, [so you must decide]. Will you listen and heed His Guidance or will you listen to those who disbelieve or give the creature a share in obedience?'

### {22}

Say, 'No one can protect me from Al'lah \- Declare for yourself, 'I will not follow you in your aberrant ways, nor will I listen to the idolaters. For I obey none but Al'lah (Glory to Him). Death is the inevitable end and so I must surely die and meet my Provider. If I obey you now will you be able to drive away what will afflict me then?' 'I do never attach myself except to Him. - 'Iunite with none except Him, the Almighty.'

### {23}

'I only deliver the truth from Al'lah - I faithfully inform you of Al'lah's Words 'and His Messages.' - The Torah, Psalms and Gospel are all included in the Holy Qur'an. Whoever disobeys God and His Envoy - You know well the results of disobedience. Will dwell in Hell's fire forever - Desperate for a reprieve from the torment of the Hell's fire inside their own spirits, they will throw themselves into the Fire of their own volition. And they will voluntary and continuously return to it forever, for it turns them away from suffering the fire of regret, disgrace and repentance.

### {24}

When they are confronted by what they had been warned about - When they are faced with death or affliction, or when the Hour arrives, the terrible earthquake which will destroy all the disbelievers. They will realise - Then they shall witness their deeds and understand that, alone among all the creatures that Al'lah created and sent to this world to perform a function, only they have failed. Who has the weaker protector - Thus will they become humbled and despised, and who will be there to help them? And the smaller number. - Of all the creatures that Al'lah created in all the worlds, they are the lowliest because they broke their pact with God and did not fulfil their function. Those who will be admitted to Fire are only a small percentage of all the creatures that Al'lah created in all the worlds. For all these creatures did not turn away from Him – only the disbelievers did. Even dogs are held higher than disbelievers since all animals came to this world and performed their functions; but as for the disbelievers, they alone broke their promise and therefore, they alone will taste the Fire.

### {25}

Say oh Mohammad], 'I do not know whether what you have been promised is near - All conditions are ripe to fulfil the promise of victory, the Hour, the terrible earthquake which will destroy all the disbelievers, all that remains is to await its occurrence. Remember what happened in ancient times, the people of our master Noah were drowned by the flood, and the folk of our master Lot were similarly destroyed, as were the Pharaoh's people when they were drowned in the sea because they opposed the truth. These are but a few examples among many. [[‎74] 'Or whether a distant time has been appointed for it by my Lord.' \- Maybe the victory will be delayed, but rest assured it will occur. For Al'lah promised our master Jesus that He would exalt the believers who would follow him above the disbelievers until the Day of Resurrection, as the noble verse explains, 'When Al'lah said, "Jesus, I am about to take you back and lift you up to Me. I shall purify you of the disbelievers and exalt your followers above those who disbelieve till the Day of Resurrection. Then, to Me you all shall return and I shall judge your disputes." ' [‎75]

### {26}

He is the All-Knower of the Hidden - He (cpth) said to them, 'It is only He, the Great and the Almighty, Who knows that which is hidden. I do not know when the Hour will occur, but I do know the indications.' And now, all of its conditions have been realised. But the exact time of the Hour's occurrence is unknown except to Al'lah: and He does not disclose His Hidden to anyone.

### {27}

Except to an Envoy whom He has chosen. - Al'lah, the Almighty, if He wills it, informs His Envoy (cpth) who then informs his companions (if they are believers). He sends watchful guards to go in front and behind \- No one can harm the Envoy for he is accompanied by a mighty escort of angels; and all that they said about him (cpth), claiming he had been afflicted or humbled or tortured, is false and unfounded. Mohammad was pure and followed God's Orders, thus no other had power over him, neither persons nor nations. As his uncle al-Ab'bas told the believers of al-Medina, 'In his country his people honour and protect him.' And as al-Ab'bas ibn Obadah said, 'Do you know what you are pledging to God's Envoy?' They said, 'Yes.' He continued, 'You are pledging to him that you will fight the black and the red ones, that is, all people.' [‎76]

So how can they falsely claim that he was dishonoured and humiliated in al-Ta'if or at the Ka'ba? It is an unfounded rumour with a devilish origins.

### {28}

In order that He may ensure - Al'lah, the Provider of the worlds, knows everything, but here the choice is man's: man is free to stop following the path of truth and pursue another path whenever he chooses. That each of His Envoys delivers his Lord's Message - Al'lah protects His Envoys and nothing and no one can stop them from doing what they have been dispatched to do. Their companions are also preserved and protected by virtue of their proximity; no one can harm them as long as they are true and righteous. And He encompasses [all people] with what they [the Envoys] have - It is the function of Envoys and Prophets to teach the people all the science and knowledge that they have obtained from God's Presence. And He takes account of everything. - He knows what each man has heard and implemented of the true guidance; what he has done and what he has attained. For all man's deeds are recorded and kept by Him, the Great and the Almighty.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 73 (AL-MUZZAMMIL SURAH)

THE ASSOCIATE

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Oh you [Prophet Mohammad], who liked to be an associate with [and advocate for] all creation!{2} Rise to keep vigil throughout the night, all but a small part of it,{3} half of it [perhaps], or lessen it a little,{4} or add to it [a little]; and then [by day] recite the Qur'an verse by verse.{5} We shall send a weighty Word [with blessings] down to you.{6} Truly the produce [fruit from the prayer] of night makes a deeper impression and [brings] a more upright understanding of the Words [of Al'lah].{7} For [then] by day you do have extended praising.{8} And keep in remembrance the Name of your Lord, and dedicate yourself to Him with complete devotion.{9} He is the Provider of the east and west, there is no god but Him, so take Him alone for One to rely on and to entrust your affairs to. {10} And endure patiently whatever they say, and ignore them in a becoming [and polite] manner.{11} And leave Me alone [to deal] with those who deny the truth, those who are in possession of the good things of life [yet deny Me], instead grant them respite for a little while.{12} We have punishments [for them relative to what they themselves determined], and a blazing Fire,{13} and food that chokes and a painful torment,{14} on the Day when the earth and the mountains will shake, although [before that] the mountains were [only] heaps of rocks that delayed [the earth's crust from slipping].

{15} We have sent an Envoy [Mohammad] to you [oh People] to be a witness over you, just as We sent an Envoy [Moses] to Pharaoh,{16} but Pharaoh disobeyed the Envoy and so We seized him with a calamitous grasp.{17} Thus, if you disbelieve, how can you guard yourselves against a Day that will turn children's hair grey?{18} [A Day] when the heaven will return to its pure nature. Al'lah's Promise is certain to be fulfilled.{19} This is [only] a reminder, and so let whoever wills, take a path to his Lord.

{20} Surely your Lord knows that you [oh Envoy] rise and keep vigil nearly two-thirds of the night, sometimes half of it or a third of it, and so do an encircling group of those who are in your company. Al'lah determines the measure of the night and day. He knows that you [oh Believers] are unable to parallel [the nightly vigils of] him [God's Envoy], therefore He has turned to you in Mercy. So, recite as much of the Qur'an as is easy for you. He knows that some of you are sick, some of you are travelling through the land seeking of God's Bounty, some of you are fighting in God's Cause: thus recite as much as is easy for you, establish communication with God and achieve purification, and lend Al'lah a good loan [by charitable acts and donations]. Whatever good you forward [to your eternal life] for yourselves, you will find [again] with Al'lah, better and with a greater reward. And seek Forgiveness of Al'lah: for Al'lah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

## Interpretation of Fortress 73

THE ASSOCIATE

(AL-MUZZAMMIL SURAH)

### {1}

Oh you [Prophet Mohammad], who liked to be an associate with [and advocate for] all creation! - The Envoy Mohammad (cpth), never disconnected from Al'lah's Presence and this lofty entrance into Him allowed Mohammad to love Al'lah with a great and pure love which was unequalled in all of creation. Because of his unparalleled love for his Provider, Mohammad also loved all His creation greatly and thus aspired to be their advocate, he wished to save them from the darkness and misery they were causing themselves, and lead them to the light, to heavens and happiness. The Envoy desired to deliver them from all the pain and suffering they were experiencing because of their disconnection from Al'lah's Presence.

Thus the word al-Muzzammil derives from the Arabic verb zamala, and signifies a person who associates with another for a purpose; someone who supports his equals in pursuing a greater goal, one who advocates for another. It has the added meaning, or sense, that the associates frequently keep company together and one uplifts and leads the other. The precise definition of the Arabic word combines the meanings of the English words 'associate' and 'advocate.'

Accordingly, the Envoy (cpth) is an associate of and an advocate for all creation, he is a guide to Al'lah; for the Envoy takes his followers under his wing and, supporting them with his own spirit, they become his noble companions, and he uplifts them to Al'lah. Thus for his followers, he is (cpth) their peer and their leader, their associate and their advocate, their guide to Al'lah, working by His Order.

In this Fortress, Al'lah addresses His Envoy saying, Oh you [Prophet Mohammad], who liked to be an associate with [and advocate for] all creation! - He (the Envoy) aspired to associate with and advocate for all of creation and to inspire them to greater amiability and humanity, and to help them obtain blessings from the All-Compassionate and the All-Merciful through his company and association.

The Almighty (Glory to Him) realised that His Envoy possessed great dedication, mercy and a yearning to lead people from darkness into light. God found him (cpth) true in his desire to intercede and so He obliged Mohammad with the greatest Manifestation and made him the associate of humanity, creating a doorway to His Presence so His Envoy might uplift them to Empyrean (Ascending Heavens); thus, Al'lah addressed him, 'Oh, you, who so desired to be an associate and intercessor for My servants. Your pure spirit has been enhanced with sanctity and blessed with halos of bright light, so that you might be a shining lamp by which they can view My Heavens and Supreme Attributes. You, oh, always merciful and tender towards My servants, lead the way for them, for they must rise and keep vigil.'

### {2}

Rise to keep vigil - 'Awaken for God, and ascend with them to Me.' Throughout the night, all but a small part of it - But, what purpose does it serve for Al'lah's Envoy to wake up in the middle of the night? It is to benefit the world, to lead people from darkness to light, and to inspire himself (cpth) to fight the devils of darkness. For Al'lah is the Giver and the Envoy (cpth) is the distributor, he dispenses the bounties which Al'lah supplies him to the believers through his recitations. The Great God says 'You, My Envoy, want to overwhelm them with light, paradises and happiness, but to get what you desire, you must arise while it is still night and pray in the darkness, then I shall send to you the Qur'an and reveal to you this revelation for them so that you might guide them.'

Thus, before the Holy Qur'an was sent down to Al'lah's Envoy (cpth), no one had received guidance. Yet after it was revealed, he (cpth) received guidance through it and in turn offered that guidance to all of creation; thus through the Envoy they achieved true belief and wisdom. Even the Envoys and the Prophets (ptt) were able to ascend still higher through his guidance and revelation, for by him they witnessed more of Al'lah's Attributes and His Heavens and better understood the significance of the Almighty's Words. All this – which they could never have achieved alone – was acquired by association with the Envoy. Also the great event of al-Isra' and al-Mi'raj [‎77] took place during night worshipping. Thus, the Envoy arose at night to worship Al'lah and then as he remained awake, the Holy Qur'an was revealed to him for the sake and benefit of all creation including his noble companions, for they were only beginning their journeys and did not know how to direct themselves towards him. Therefore, when he (cpth) stayed up at night, there were no distractions, no other people or business to attend to, and so he (cpth) could dedicate himself entirely to the verses which he would then share with others during the day, according to the following noble verse, 'For then] by day you do have extended praising.' [[‎78]

### {3}

Half of it perhaps], or lessen it a little[[‎79] \- Half of the night or maybe a little less.

### {4}

Or add to it [a little] \- The length of the night varies, it is short in summer and much longer in winter. So although the Envoy habitually spent part of the night awake and praying, the length of his vigils varied according to circumstances, such as the seasonal length of the night, illness or business, including how early he was able to go to bed. And then [by day] recite the Qur'an \- 'After sleeping awhile and then rising in darkness to study the Qur'an and pray to Al'lah, then by day share that which you have learned and the blessings you have gained with your companions.' Verse by verse. \- 'Recite to them one verse at a time. In this way they will have time to take the verses into their hearts and minds and think carefully on them.'

The Envoy (cpth) usually recited about a page of the Holy Qur'an in each Friday's lesson, his followers would then study and ponder what they had heard all week long, enjoying good spirits and positive lifestyles, inspired by the lofty meanings of the verses. Then, the next Friday would arrive and at that week's lesson, the Envoy (cpth) would explain what he had recited the week before so they might realise the true meanings of what they had heard and contemplated. By teaching them in this way, the Qur'an was taken into their hearts. Thus, when a person is in communication with Al'lah during prayer, they should recite only two or three verses, or a short Fortress in one session after reading al-Fatiha Fortress and then allow their meanings to wash over them, envelope them. They must think and consider their significance, feel them in hearts and see their lights, witnessing them through the heart company of their reciter (cpth).

### {5}

We shall send a weighty Word [with blessings] down to you. \- 'Rich blessings of heavens, bounties and lights await you and indeed the entire world when My Lights join with yours. This Word will bring happiness into people's hearts and cure their ailments.' These boons were sent upon the Envoy (cpth) personally, for the Almighty specifically says, down to you \- Not 'down to everyone.' So, all blessings sent down from Al'lah's Presence are bestowed upon His Envoy (cpth) who possesses such comprehensive and limitless benevolence. Al'lah is the Granter and he (cpth) is the distributor who recites and relays it to the noble companions. Thus, if man fails to love or appreciate Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) and does not strive to forge a link with him and benefit from his intercession, they will remain deprived of benefits and happiness, nor shall they perform good deeds. But, who then shall profit from the Envoy's words and receive these boons?

### {6}

Truly the produce fruit from the prayer] of night - There are great blessings to be realised by spending the night awake yet engaged in prayer. At night there are no distractions, it is quiet and dark and a person's thoughts do not wander to food or drink or work; this stillness brings with it a spiritual clarity that facilitates the realisation of the facts of the Qur'an. Then the heart is cured so that a person can enter into Al'lah's Presence and thereby let their spirit soar. For Al'lah has prepared wondrous benefits and blessings for those who burn the midnight oil for God, boons that can only be achieved by spending the night in prayer. This is why the noble companions (God is well-pleased with them) were reclusive monks by night yet spent their days interacting with people and showing great acumen in worldly matters. By night they had attained an insight from Al'lah and so they were always viewing by His Light, therefore no one could deceive or cheat them. Thus, the Almighty had praised and commended them saying, 'They used to sleep but little by night. And in the hour before dawn, they were imploring Al'lah's Forgiveness.' [[‎80]

That is to say, because they devotedly and habitually arose at night to worship Al'lah, their spirits were cured of loving this lower life and its diseases, thus they became guides who led oblivious mankind to their Provider and to the Envoy. They brought his love (cpth) into people's hearts and in turn, the Envoy (cpth) helped them enter into Al'lah's. Indeed Al'lah entrusted the land and all people to the deserving and qualified noble companions for He saw their only purpose was to guide all creation. Makes a deeper impression \- Praying at night has a great effect on the spirit, for it is in the darkness and stillness that the clarity of the spirit can be discovered and right imprinted upon it. Additionally, Satan, who has sworn to mislead all humankind, works his dark tricks at night, sowing lust into the spirits of sleeping humans, so they might yearn for women, fortune, and worldly prestige, and turn away from their Provider. Yet if a person is awake at night, they will thwart these harmful schemes, their spirits protected by prayer against what the devil would put there. Thus yearning will not dominate them and the devil's evil plans will be trampled. The noble companions (Al'lah is well-pleased with them) not only withstood the evils and the corruption of this world but fought against them. They triumphed when they achieved heart company with Al'lah's Envoy. Their zeal never lessened or slacked for they had attained spiritual and physical endurance through their heart company with the Envoy, enabling them to battle against the most powerful and violent armies and men, and so, they never felt fear nor did they lose heart (courage). Their spirits held firm even when tempted with yearnings for money, women, sons and prestige. None of these worldly desires affected them nor diverted them from their purpose of guiding creation nor from their belief in and love for Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth) because Al'lah had overwhelmed their hearts with graces, and compared to those, worldly pleasures were not even worth mentioning. And [brings] a more upright understanding of the Words [of Al'lah]. - Hearing the Qur'an became associated with witnessing, since by listening to Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) recite His Sayings the believer may obtain light from Al'lah and this, in turn, provides an insight by which they are able to comprehend the true sense behind the verses. So enabled they will clearly see the good, the truth and the happiness they include and by this insight into the verses they are able to witness Al'lah's Supreme Attributes. Thus they will see and spiritually witness all that the Envoy (cpth) recites to them. They will realise Al'lah's Words through His Envoy (cpth), and in this way, the true senses of the Qur'an will be imprinted in their spirits. Thus their own speech becomes more effective as it is based upon what they have witnessed and not merely what they have heard others saying. So, Al'lah's Speech is first directed to His Envoy (cpth) but then it is intended for those who follow his example.

### {7}

For [then] by day you do have extended praising. - His (cpth) eternal and unceasing function is to help all creation soar in Al'lah's Benevolence and His Sublime Lights and Supreme Names. For he (cpth) advances the spirit from one state to an ever loftier one, from this Paradise to a still higher one. Thus the spirit becomes rapt in God's Lights and Names. It is he (cpth) who serves the Envoys, the Prophets (ptt), the pious (those illuminated by God's Light) and the believers, through him they bask in God's Favour; this pleasurable state lasts indefinitely, from before time to forever. And those true companions who have accompanied him (cpth) become wise and are nearly Prophets due to their great knowledge of jurisprudence. These are the noble companions whose spirits the Envoy (cpth) helps, both in his lifetime and also after his (cpth) departure, to glorify and lead to their Provider so they might dwell in the rapture of His Blessed Lights. By virtue of his heartfelt companionship and lights (cpth), they will help the other true believers to soar as well, for it is by soaring in God's Favour, Manifestation and Lights that cure and bounties will be attained. In fact, this soaring has lasted for more than one thousand and two hundred years; so, we all are justly indebted to the companions for their great efforts. The guidance of our Envoy deserves all the credit, for if it were not for Al'lah's Favour upon the Envoy (cpth) and the noble companions, none of us would have received guidance, nor come to believe.

### {8}

And keep in remembrance the Name of your Lord - Oh Mohammad, celebrate and glorify Al'lah's Supreme Attributes, and dedicate yourself to Him - Dedicate yourself exclusively to Him and no other. Al'lah is the Teacher, and because of His Great Love for His Envoy (cpth), in this verse, He instructs him on how to reach the uppermost echelon, to gain a prestige never before achieved by anyone else. Thus, Al'lah says to His Envoy, 'Now, receive your perfect morals from Me in order to attain this rank.' Dedicate yourself to Him - Abandon everything except Al'lah. Never cease communicating with Him. In his blessed hadith, the noble Envoy (cpth) says, 'I spend an hour with my Provider during which neither an honoured angel nor a missionary Prophet can bear [to look at the lights of] me.' By that dedication and single-minded devotion, the grand Envoy attained and achieved the greatest rank, a prestige above all others. With complete devotion. - First forget all else, cease to be concerned with anything other than Al'lah. By this wholehearted concentration you will attain the highest shore of Al'lah's Light and then you will keep the eyes of your spirit with Al'lah while the eyes in your head remain in the world.

### {9}

He is the Provider of the east and west - Everything of value and substance flows from Al'lah (Glory to Him). Behold how amazing is He Who rotates the globe with such a gentle and perfect twenty-four-hour rotation, such that no one even feels it, neither is water disturbed nor glasses rattled on the shelves. But how can this be? It is because He provides every single thing in this universe for you, oh Man, all is given out of His Love and Compassion for you. He even supplies food and drink to nourish your body. All this is done for you, so you might turn to Him with love and thereby attain belief in Him, thus will you achieve your heavens and happiness and join the people of light, those worthy of viewing manifestations. Then, led by your true faith in Him inspired by seeing this Grandeur, if you turn your spirit toward His Light (Glory to Him) it will shine upon your spirit and cure it of all its defects and diseases, all the flaws and maladies which kept you from the Almighty, and from His Bounties and Lights. Thus, for everyone who followed the Envoy (cpth), abided by his sayings and truly believed, Al'lah the Almighty provides lights and heart manifestation (illumination) through His Envoy, the shining beacon, the sun and light for all hearts. Hence, the link with Al'lah's Envoy and his light (cpth) will allow them to recognise people of luminosity, bounty and goodness, and this will allow their Provider's Revelations and Gifts to descend upon them. He will bestow light and heart illumination through His Envoy (cpth) and all of His noble Envoys and Prophets (ptt); thus blessed and enlightened, the believer will never turn away from the happiness and bliss they have attained. Had the kings of the earth known such bliss existed, they would gladly have abdicated their thrones for it. This noble verse tells of both the tangible benefits of this earth and the heartfelt elevation rising in their spirits that true believers will experience. But whether or not you believe is your choice, your Provider will honour your decision and grant you whatever you choose.

If you decide to shun Al'lah and resolve to turn away from Him, then you are free to do so but your spirit will sink far away from Him. You may choose to turn your back on Him and His everlasting and increasing Lights and, refusing to allow His Light to blossom in your heart, you will reject His Heavens and instead embrace the lower world with its trinkets and mortal lights. For Al'lah the Almighty says, 'Each do We supply – these ones people of low desires] as well as those ones [people of high desires] – out of the free Gifts of your Provider; the Gift of your Provider is not forbidden.' [[‎81]

Then there are those who have not turned toward their Provider, nor have they sought the company of their Envoy, rather they strove only to satisfy the fleeting pleasures and desires of this lower life. Their spirits are far from Al'lah and mired in this worldly place. When death comes, they shall lose everything they value and find only misery, torture and Fire. There is no god but Him \- 'Explain to them, instruct them and show them the path to true belief, thus shall they witness that Al'lah directs all in this universe.' He (Glory to Him) steers you, granting your dues according to what your spirit demands. If you harbour good intentions, He will direct you to do good works and grant you what you desire. But even if your intentions are not so lofty and yet you are determined to pursue the base things your spirit yearns for, even then He would direct you according to your goal... So, the choice always belongs to you. So take Him alone for One to rely on and to entrust your affairs to. \- The Envoy (cpth) always depends on Al'lah, as does everyone who accompanies and joins with him. In this noble verse, the Almighty addresses us through him (cpth) saying, 'Oh My servants, I am the Supplier, the Pilot and the Provider! Everything is in My Hands, yield all your affairs to Me and depend upon Me just as your Imam (the Envoy) did. Ask Me, and I shall grant you. I shall help you achieve My Bounties; you need only to rely on Me. So, believe truly and cling to the Envoy I have designated to be your guide, through him you shall receive all that is good, every blessing and bounty, and you will no longer be tempted by this lower life and its fleeting yearnings. Whereas without the Envoy, you will always be tempted.' That is why humanity should cling to the essential link, that is the Envoy (cpth), with one hand while using the other to offer good deeds and help others to get guidance. Thus occupied, he will never fall prey to temptations.

### {10}

And endure patiently whatever they say \- Whatever they said of denial and disbelief caused his noble heart (cpth) to break for them as he sought only to guide them, to help them move from darkness to light. Yet they opposed him and badmouthed him. So, God says, 'Be patient with those who do not believe you and ignore your guidelines. Your only aim is to benefit them by offering the path of deliverance that they might enter Paradise, yet they speak harshly of you and doubt your intentions.' And ignore them in a becoming [and polite] manner. \- Be kind and polite towards them, never respond in kind lest that drives them even farther away from Al'lah. By your gentle response, they may be able to return to Him one day if they so choose.

### {11}

And leave Me alone [to deal] with those who deny the truth \- 'I will handle them.' Thus the Almighty God addresses His merciful Envoy in this verse, saying, 'Those people have not believed in Me and rejected My Guidance. They do the same with you, ignoring your words and speaking badly of you. They will never follow you, nor will they ever adopt the path of right, for they love this lower world and embrace its yearnings. So leave them to Me and focus your attentions on the believers. Since the others must definitely be treated, I shall handle them and administer the treatment they require, don't feel sad for them.' Those who are in possession of the good things of life [yet deny Me] \- 'The gift of this lowly world is a fleeting pleasure and not a grace; yet many aim to achieve money, women, high rank and prestige instead of seeking Me. In this lower world they strive to look down on each other and patronize their fellow humans. So I shall give them what they have chosen and desire, but only for those who deserve to be looked down on. This gift will not be a grace for them, it is a passing fancy, and it will bring upon them harsh treatment, torture and suffering. Then they will know only misery, pain and disease. Yet even that suffering will be granted out of My Mercy and Tenderness towards them, it will be a treatment for their spirits so that they might return to Me and become purified and fit to enter My Heavens. After their treatment, they might feel only disdain for this lower world with its many wants and desires which turned them away from Me and from My Gift and Heavens.' Instead grant them respite for a little while. \- Explain to them how they might lessen their sins. Show them what harmful results they bring upon themselves. For if they do not repent and change what is entwined in their spirits and believe, the wickedness settled in their spirits will inevitably be brought out into actions, no matter how many of the Envoy's lessons they attend. Yet still, he can offer them a little reprieve. If the Envoy bathes them in his light, they will be inspired to lessen their offences and pause from committing heinous sins and crimes. But it will not last and if they do not change and repent during the respite, after it ends that which lingered inside their spirits will again emerge and they will revert to their old ways.

### {12}

We have punishments [for them relative to what they themselves determined] \- Al'lah never forgets them. Their foul deeds shall be returned to them in woe, regrets and loss equal to that which they inflicted on others. The word 'punishments' here indicates that they shall receive only what is their just due, what they brought on themselves. In the noble hadith, the Envoy (cpth) said, 'Your deeds serve as workers for you [and determine] whether good or bad will return to you.'[Narrated by al-Tabarani.]

For ultimately they will lose everything, forfeiting the great position that Al'lah created for them in the Hereafter so they might feel powerful in this fleeting world and enjoy its material boons. And all because they refused to follow the path to true belief which was adopted by our master Abraham (pth). The way of the believer has rules and laws, if you adhere to them, you will succeed. And a blazing Fire \- The forbidden yearnings which they succumbed to, their guilt and their perversions, will bring hellish fires upon them, and afterwards, their deeds will return to them in Al'lah's burning Fire. Their spirits will be agonised and distressed ceaselessly in this life and there will be no joy for them as they suffer from fire inside them. Al'lah the Almighty says, 'But whoever turns away from My Remembrance will have a life of great hardship.' [‎82]

All happiness comes from Al'lah through entering into His Presence. This is achieved by offering good deeds, but there are those people who shun Him and perform no good acts, so, how will they experience delight? Where will their happiness come from? They became as parasites on humanity, spreading evil through their deeds; and all their malice and harmful intentions brought plundering, spoiling, killing, wars, earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes upon themselves.

### {13}

And food that chokes \- They fell prey to diseases, pains and sorrows and consequently their lives filled with grief, gloominess and distress. Due to their illness and unhappiness, they can only eat certain things and after their death even trying to eat will cause them to choke. In the Prophetic Tradition, the Envoy (cpth) said, 'Take from this world whatever you want, and you will be careworn as much as you have taken.'

And a painful torment \- Their hateful actions will bring pain and suffering upon themselves. Much like a very ill patient is not aided in his recovery by pleasurable, rich food, they too must be treated with medicines and remedies until they are cured.

### {14}

On the Day when the earth and the mountains will shake - This will happen when the Hour occurs. The Hour of woe against which the Almighty has warned people; for those who disobey His Envoys and do not follow the path of right will be instantly stopped from perpetrating evil deeds, just like the people of Noah were, and those 'Ad and Thamoud. At this Hour our master Jesus Christ (pth) will appear and eliminate all disbelief and unhappiness from the universe, replacing them with security, peace and happiness. In this Hour, the earth and mountains will tremble as intense earthquakes shake away what is on its surface and reveal what is hidden inside it. The Almighty says, 'Oh people! See by the Light of your Provider! For the convulsions of the Hour will be a terrible thing!' [‎83]

So, the Almighty God describes it with gravity for the muchness of woes it will include. Although [before that] the mountains were \- Out of rocks and stone Al'lah created these mountains and gave them their function, to act as pegs which fix the earth against drifting. And just as the Almighty created these great stone mountains, He also created mountains in science, knowledge and lights for our hearts and sent them to us. They are our masters the Envoys and Prophets (ptt) and they are the pegs which keep creatures from drifting towards abnormality and fornication. These mountains were [only] heaps of rocks that delayed [the earth's crust from slipping]. - At the beginning of the creation Al'lah created the mountains, the earth and the heavens as abstract spirits. Even so the mountains liked to be given a massive size and towering height that suited their distinctive powers. First, they (as spirits) were tasked with strengthening the earth's resolve when it (the earth) becomes disheartened by the foul deeds of the lofty people who chose to bear the Trust, yet shun God and commit bad acts, thus causing the earth's spirit to become distressed and desire to cease fulfilling its function for humanity. But the mountains have greater spirits and powers than even the earth's, and so they steady it and persuade it to keep performing its task. But all this occurs in the hidden world, the supernatural, immaterial world, and so these spiritual occurrences may not be seen by the unaided eye, yet they may be viewed by those whose spirits see by the Light of Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth).

Another function of these immense mountains created of massive rock and reaching tremendous heights there is to prevent the layers of the earth from drifting apart and cracking. These rocky dunes (for even sand hills have stony origins) are greater than what we see, with three and a half times their visible height extending below the earth. Thus do they peg together the earth's layers, keeping them in place and ensuring the perfect balance of the earth as it makes its daily rotation. Additionally, mountains form reservoirs holding stores of water and making life possible for all creatures. Yet in spite of the awesomeness of mountains, they exist only to benefit you, Humankind.

Thus do these mountains belong to this lower life and serve no function in the Hereafter. Accordingly, all trace of them shall be removed on Doomsday, never to return. When the Day of Resurrection comes, then the mountains of the Hereafter will manifest. They are grand spirits which completely surpass the spirits of mankind and indeed all creatures.

These awesome mountains contain water and life inside, and they give us springs and rivers, and every type of life, according to Al'lah's Saying, 'And We have made every living thing from water.' [‎84] Similarly, the mountains of the Afterlife also contain ample water for all creatures. Indeed, they are the focus of Godly Revelations and springs of life for humankind... they are the spirits of the grand noble Prophets and Envoys.

These great rocky dunes show only one part of themselves, while the majority of their bulk remains hidden underground. They are much larger than they appear. Heaps of rocks - The worldly mountains, as previously mentioned, also help the earth when it tries to shake away the horribleness it must witness, the evil deeds committed by entrusted mankind. They steady the earth when it trembles before the sinful actions of people who shun Al'lah and turn away from Him, people who should be springs of goodness because of their pledge to Al'lah in the al-Azal world yet are instead dreadful to behold. That delayed [the earth's crust from slipping]. \- This refers to the human mountains, whose reality (ptt) flows through existence. In fact, they are always with you, oh Man! Their eyes are on you ceaselessly, they never leave you even for an instant; that is the mission they were assigned by Almighty God because of their mercy and compassion towards Al'lah's creatures.

That delayed the earth's crust from slipping]. - As they oversee mankind, they offer direction and guidance, leading their spirits towards them with the light they possess, illuminating the spirits who turn to them in appreciation and magnifying them so they do not fall into sin and aberration, committing foul deeds and acts of delinquency. They help them stifle their forbidden desires and turn them away from base yearnings by linking with them and gradually flooding their spirits with light and perfections, which finally allow them to view the true costs and harmful consequences of these lowly cravings. The Almighty says, 'And communicate your self with theirs, for your communication is a source of comfort for them.' [[‎85]

### {15}

We have sent an Envoy [Mohammad] to you [oh People] \- Al'lah has sent us an Envoy, just like other nations... Glory to Him! He did not leave us without a conductor or a guide, of course not, instead He sent His Envoy and revealed this manifestation upon him which the Envoy (cpth) then explained to us along with warnings of what is to come. To be a witness over you \- The Envoy, compelled by his mercy and tenderness, always keeps his eyes upon you, he never looks away, not even for a moment. He (cpth) is invariably close to you, and you need only ever turn towards him with feelings of love, appreciation and magnification. He (cpth) is always bathing you with his light and seeing you by Al'lah's. And he wants you to see him, for if you do not it means you are far from him. Just as We sent an Envoy [Moses] to Pharaoh \- Moses (pth) was sent to him but the Pharaoh received no benefit from Al'lah's Envoy. In this verse, Al'lah warns us against a similar fate, saying, 'I've sent My Envoy to you, so, do not be like Pharaoh and his people who never knew or appreciated their Envoy nor did they believe in him truly... and what happened to them?'

### {16}

But Pharaoh disobeyed the Envoy \- Moses invited the Pharaoh to belief, eternal happiness and heavens, yet the Pharoah refused to listen or even consider his (pth) words, much less apply them. Pharoah did not listen to the speech of our master Moses (pth), thus, he failed to obey Al'lah's Successor and ignored his influence. Indeed, he not only wilfully disobeyed the Envoy and spoke against him but pursued him and sought to get rid of him. And so We seized him with a calamitous grasp. \- But, what end did this gross insubordination bring? It resulted in the Pharaoh's demise. He was destroyed as were all those who were with him, his country and properties ruined. Similarly, if we disobey the Envoy (cpth) and refuse to follow his guidelines or walk the path of right, Al'lah will seize us and treat us just as He did Pharaoh. Al'lah the Almighty says, 'And We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had made and what they had erected.' [‎86]

### {17}

Thus, if you disbelieve, how can you guard yourselves \- If you don't truly believe or even consider Mohammad's words, if you refuse to follow the Envoy's orders or apply his guidelines, if instead you shun the Mohammadan school and turn away from it, if you disbelieve in God and His Envoy, how then will you avoid the affliction that awaits? How will you guard yourself against the inevitable and intense horror of that Day? Indeed, if you have failed to offer good deeds and attained neither belief nor piety (seeing by Al'lah's Light) there will be nothing you can do to ward off what is your due. Against a Day that will turn children's hair grey? \- Children will be so utterly horrified by what befalls their sinful parents on that Day, that the shock will turn their hair white. And for the disbelievers, there is no protection from this fate. Al'lah the Almighty says, 'Oh People! See by the Light of your Provider! For the convulsion of the Hour will be a terrible thing!' [‎87]

When that Day comes, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes and all manner of natural disaster will rock the earth and fire will descend from the sky and blaze on earth. If you are not prepared, if you have not attained illumination by God's Light, then you will suffer a grave fate. Al'lah describes this Day of intensity and torture saying, 'On the Day when you see it the Hour], every nursing mother will utterly forsake her nursling in dread.' [[‎88]

A mother's great love and compassion for her child is beyond compare. Yet when the Hour arrives, in her terror she will abandon her infant; the scourge will be so intense that people will forget everything and unless we truly believe in God and His Envoy, we shall certainly be afflicted by this torture. But the Envoy (cpth) has warned us against this inevitable Hour and revealed to us the way to attain illumination and deliverance, however, if we don't heed his warnings, if we choose instead to disobey him, then nothing can be done for us. Doom will befall us just as it has befallen the previous nations. And when that happens, he (cpth) shall be heartbroken for the creature who has elected to suffer.

### {18}

[A Day] when the heaven will return to its pure nature - On that Day, Mohammad shall suffer terribly because of his sorrow and empathy for the creatures who must endure the scourge. At the same time, the sky will return to its original state, all pollutants shall vanish and it will become clear and pure. Today, the atmosphere is tainted and polluted but tomorrow all contaminants will be swept away and everything shall be as it was. Al'lah's Promise is certain to be fulfilled. - This calamity has happened before, it befell the previous nations, and it will definitely happen again, perhaps in the not too distant future. The delay is only out of Al'lah's Mercy, Patience and Compassion.

### {19}

This is [only] a reminder \- No one is ever forced or compelled to adopt the religion. Instead we are given reminders of what is to come, these are the guidance and manifestation which are revealed by Al'lah's Envoy. He (cpth) reminds us once again in this Fortress (Surah) that if we follow the path of right when the affliction occurs and people are being lost in the terrors of the Hour, we will feel only happiness. And so let whoever wills \- Never forget the choice is yours, oh Man! Anyone who pleases may take a path to his Lord. \- Anyone who wishes may follow the path revealed to us by Al'lah's Envoy and attain true belief; he (cpth) is the teacher who instructs us on how to attain belief and guides us to Al'lah's. Everyone who desires true belief and is willing to follow the path and guidelines will attain it.

But what is the way? A person must ponder death until his spirit becomes certain that death will occur and it will leave this world for another; then, fearing his fate, he ceases doing abominable deeds and abandons the disbelievers in his acquaintance. He turns away from sin and towards Al'lah, obeying His Instructions. Thus he ponders the signs contained in the universe and he chooses an hour in the morning and one in the evening to be always dedicated to these contemplations. He rises in the darkness of early morning, praying, and renders charitable acts. He gives from what he treasures and holds close to his heart. In this way he attains true belief and sees Al'lah's Grandeur and Compassion in the universe. After that, he will love the people of perfection and Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) and gladly link to him with love. This is the law and anyone who seeks Al'lah must follow the way to his Provider by means of the Envoy (cpth) whose reality permeates existence, for Al'lah sent His Envoy (cpth) with His Lights so that all who truly seek will see. This is the illumination by Godly Light.

### {20}

Surely your Lord knows that you [oh Envoy] rise and keep vigil nearly two-thirds of the night, sometimes half of it or a third of it - This is a public affirmation from Al'lah, the Almighty, acknowledging that His Envoy (cpth) stays awake at night, praying. Thus, Al'lah blessed him with a laudable rank and revealed to him His enriching Sayings which lead hearts to Him. Mohammad is the associate of all creatures, tasked with lifting them out of darkness and into light, to Al'lah. And so do an encircling group of those who are in your company. - Those in companionship with the Envoy also rise at night to tend to their spirits and communicate with Al'lah. They direct their spirits towards the Envoy (cpth) and encircle him in love and appreciation, and, so connected, they reflect on the layers of meaning in his grand Qur'anic revelation. Al'lah determines the measure of the night and day. \- Al'lah controls the fluctuating lengths of day and night; in winter the darkness is long but the day is short and in summer it is the opposite, as the seasons change so does the length of the night. All this occurs for your sake, oh Man! It facilitates your life and your happiness. Oh Man, if the night did not lengthen and then diminish, the plants would not provide fruits to nourish you, nor indeed would there be water to drink, all results from the increase and the decrease of night. He knows that you [oh Believers] are unable to parallel [the nightly vigils of] him [God's Envoy] - You cannot stay awake at night every night as the Envoy (cpth) does, it is simply impossible. So, however hard you try, and however much effort and sacrifice you pour into your quest for true belief, you will never reach his rank (cpth) nor will you ever exceed him. You will never surpass him (cpth) in rank because his intentions are so high and lofty and his entrance into Al'lah's Presence so great and momentous that he has attained a degree of knowledge and science that no one else can. Therefore He has turned to you in Mercy. - He has, once again, lavished blessings upon you, so, recite \- From the Holy Qur'an. Read the Qur'anic Guidance of Al'lah and carefully meditate on its meanings. As much of the Qur'an as is easy for you. - Read what you can comprehend of the Holy Qur'an, try to understand its senses, and then let its instructions guide your actions. He knows that some of you are sick \- There will always be some people who are too sick to arise at night. Some of you are travelling through the land - In the time of Mohammad, travel was achieved with great discomfort and exhaustion and it was frequently impossible for depleted travellers arise at night, although they should still try, even if they last only a short while. Seeking of God's Bounty – Those who travel through the land seek of God's Bounty by inviting people to belief. In fact, companions of the Envoy (cpth) spread Islam all over the world through charitable dealing and fair trade, setting beautiful, virtuous, true and real examples for Al'lah's Envoy (cpth). They treated everyone they encountered charitably and through their straight dealing, tolerance, mercy and science – and since they represented the religion in all things – people viewed them favourably and admired them and consequently embraced Islam in droves. Some of you are fighting in God's Cause \- There are those who battle the aggressors with swords, striving to return people to truth and happiness and to lead them from darkness to light by the companionship of their Envoy (cpth), as they seek to keep Al'lah's Word triumphant. So for these, the time of sleeping and waking is beyond their control, but if they rise at night even for a short time, they will foil the devil's schemes and disrupt his traps. Thus recite as much as is easy for you \- Read the Holy Qur'an alone during the night, learn what you can and study what you understand, even if it is just a few verses, for this act is a grace which will block Satan during the vulnerability of sleep. The devil will no longer be able to tempt you with base desires because these will have no value to your spirit and thus he will no longer have power over you. Establish communication with God \- For yourself and for others. This is achieved by careful thought, which leads to loving the Envoy (cpth) and performing charitable and noble acts. Then the spirit becomes sure of Al'lah's Satisfaction with it, so, it communicates with Him. And achieve purification \- This communication will bring purification for your spirit. And lend Al'lah a good loan [by charitable acts and donations]. \- Al'lah (Glory to Him), does not need your money for everything flows from His Presence. So is it with the Envoy (cpth); he doesn't need your money either, yet any money you distribute through almsgiving and charitable acts will be repaid in heavens to you by Al'lah. Whatever good you forward [to your eternal life] for yourselves, you will find [again] - Any good you do in this life will return to you in this life and the next, when you will receive perfection and heavens from Al'lah. With Al'lah \- During communication with Him, in prayer. Better and with a greater reward. \- You'll be more than compensated for your expenditures of money and effort in the good you do when you receive eternal Gardens, bliss and mercy from Al'lah here and in the Hereafter. And seek Forgiveness of Al'lah \- Ask Al'lah to cure your spirit. If you persist in rising at night, eventually your spirit will be cured of what illness and contamination lurks inside it and become pure and able to love Al'lah's Envoy (cpth). Your cleansed spirit will join to his and through this link with Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) you can ask for forgiveness for yourself and for the others. For Al'lah is All-Forgiving - He alone is the Healer (Glory to Him), no one else. He overwhelms you with His Light (manifests His Light to you) and cures all spirits, relieving them from their ailments. He sent you (to this life) to achieve this purpose, to heal your spirits from their defects since He is All-Merciful. - With you. He wants only your happiness and desires you enter the heavens.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 74 (AL-MUDDATHTHIR SURAH)

ALL DIVINE PERFECTION HE[‎89] ACHIEVED

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Oh you, [Mohammad,] who best achieved Divine Perfection! {2} Arise and give warning [of the Hereafter]!{3} And magnify your Provider!{4} And purify your true seekers!{5} And keep away from all pollution!{6} And do not suppose good is in a large group.{7} And be patient for your Provider's Cause.

{8} Then, a grave is dug out with a pickax,{9} that day will be a hard day;{10} for the non-believers it will not be easy.{11} Leave Me [to deal] with whom I alone created,{12} for I granted him abundant wealth{13} and children as witnesses;{14} and I have paved [the way] for him smoothly{15} and yet, he still expects I should give him more.{16} No! Surely he has been stubbornly hostile to Our Revelation.{17} I will oblige him to face a strenuous escalating torment.{18} Has he pondered and so appreciated [Al'lah's Guidance]?{19} He had perished; how he ill-appreciated [God's Guidance]!{20} And then he perished once more; how he ill-appreciated!{21} Then he took a look, {22} then he frowned and forfeited his pleasure [in the Hereafter]. {23} Then he turned his back and grew in arrogance,{24} and he said, 'This is nothing but sorcery, requoted from olden times. {25} This is nothing but the words of a mortal!'

{26} I will allow him to reach the mis-abode.{27} What will make you know what the mis-abode is?{28} It [Fire] spares nothing and leaves nothing;{29} it [Fire] looms over humans. {30} There are nineteen in charge of it [Fire].{31} We have appointed only angels as keepers of Fire, and We have not caused their equipment [the Fire] to be anything but temptation for those who disbelieve; so that those who have been granted the Book will arrive at certainty and those who believe will grow firmer in faith, and thus neither those who have been granted the Book nor the believers will have any doubts, but that those in whose hearts is disease and those who disbelieve will say, 'What could Al'lah intend by this example?' In this way God leads astray whoever so desires [wants it], and guides whoever so strives [for it]. No one knows the hosts of your Provider except He. It [God's Guidance] is only a reminder to humanity.{32} [Has God ever wearied?] Not at all, and the moon [testifies this to you, Human]!{33} And [so does] the night when it quickly retreats,{34} and [also] the morning as it shines forth,{35} surely it [the succession of day and night] is one of the greatest [signs];{36} a warning to all humankind –{37} to those of you who choose to forge ahead and those who choose to draw apart.

{38} Every spirit is held in pledge for what it has earned,{39} except the companions of the right{40} [they will be] in Gardens, they will question each other,{41} about the criminals. [And when they find them, they will ask the criminals,]{42} 'What has brought you into the mis-abode?'{43} They will reply, 'We were not of those who communicated with God;{44} nor did we use to feed the poor;{45} we used to plunge [in sin] together with those who thrust [themselves in it].{46} And we used to deny the [coming of the] Day of Judgement.{47} Until what is certain to come did come upon us.'{48} So no intercession of intercessors will benefit them.

{49} What, then, is the matter with them that they turn away from the reminder [the Qur'an],{50} as though they were stampeding asses,{51} fleeing from a lion?{52} Truly, every one of them desires that he should be given pages opened out [to the correct place].{53} No! Truly they have no fear of the Hereafter. {54} No! It [the Qur'an] is a reminder.{55} Thus, whoever so strives will remember Him.{56} Yet they will not remember except as Al'lah wills. He is the One Who qualifies [the believers] for illumination by His Light and Who qualifies [them] for Forgiveness.

## Interpretation of Fortress 74

ALL DIVINE PERFECTION HE ACHIEVED

(AL-MUDDATHTHIR SURAH)

### {1}

Oh you, [Mohammad,] who best achieved Divine Perfection! \- This addresses Mohammad, the Envoy of God (cpth), and describes his state. The Arabic word al-Muddaththir is derived from al-duthour which signifies riches, both physical and spiritual. Some of the Envoy's companions once said to him, 'Truly, the people of opulence have drawn to themselves all rewards.'[Narrated by Imam Muslim, saying no. 2376.] This refers to the wealthy followers of the famous companions (Al'lah is pleased with them) who earned great rewards for their generous charity (alms).

Therefore, al-Muddaththir is one who is rich in either material goods or spiritual blessings from the Provider. In this verse, this word refers to the Envoy (cpth) who had attained spiritual richness and humane perfection and is rewarded with heart gifts from his Provider, the Rich and Enricher. Thus, it is He (Glory to Him) Who endowed His Envoy with the boundless spiritual richness that made him a mercy to everyone and everything, from the Envoys and Prophets to all pious people and believers, when He bestowed upon the Envoy His Speech (Glory to Him).

The word al-Muddaththir derives its linguistic roots from two Arabic words, mudda which means to 'provide' and thir which means to 'enrich them.' God said, 'And indeed, We have granted you seven of the praising verses and the Grand Qur'an.' [‎90] This refers to the fact the Qur'an includes both the Straight Bibles and the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, Al'lah addresses His Envoy Mohammad (cpth), 'Oh you, who best achieved Divine Perfection!' - In other words: 'Oh My Envoy, you will apportion My Gifts and paradises which are flowing from Me upon you to My obedient people for Me, for I am the Donor and you are the distributor.'

God's Envoy (cpth) is sent as a mercy to all worlds, a guide who might lead us to the Treasure, Al'lah, Who is the Source of boundless joy and wealth over all worlds. Mohammad is the one who best achieved Divine Perfection! - He obtained the abundant Goodness of God and wished it for us all (humanity). Because of his closeness to Al'lah, the Envoy (cpth) gained vast benefits which he saw that his fellow people did not acquire from their Provider as he did. Thus he wished that others might obtain what he had acquired, and asked Al'lah to make him a conduit, a door by which others might gain the same benefits he had received. Al'lah in His Goodness (Glory to Him) granted the Envoy his request and said to him, 'Oh Envoy, enriched from Me and by Me, walk among those you seek to guide; never stop watching and observing them. 'And be patient with those who invoke their Provider morning and evening seeking His Face.' [‎91] So you might enrich their spirits and help them gain heart richness and worldly wealth, never again knowing poverty. Thus would they be rich in this life, on Doomsday and in the life to come, forever dwelling in paradises.'

### {2}

Arise \- 'Oh My Envoy, rise to fulfil your wish. You have asked Me to guide all creation and lead them from darkness into light, from misery and darkness into happiness and paradises. It is time for you to fulfil your hope and be a guide for all people. The true ones of Quraish's progeny are already prepared for belief, so you might rise with their spirits from the way of al-Ka'ba.' And give warning [of the Hereafter]! - 'Warn all those sinners who pledged their Provider, then violated that covenant and forgot their bond with Al'lah. Warn those who wallow in ignorance, lust and distress to cease their straying and return to reason. Make it clear to them that they too will die just like every other human being, all will be judged for their deeds and they will face agony in the grave and the torment of Fire.

'Incite them to fear, allowing their fright to spur them back to the truth and away from the pits of burning Fire, let their fear show them the way to bright and abundant paradises. Since you (the Envoy) have attained that sublime state with Me, they need only turn to you and they, too, shall be delivered from their straying ways.' And so he (cpth) warned them, but they were neither incited to fear nor moved to turn to him. All the heads of the Quraish continued to stray but their progeny believed, those elite of the first noble companions, the Immigrants.

### {3}

And magnify your Provider! \- 'Oh Mohammad, proclaim to them the Eminence of your Provider. Make known to them the Greatness of Al'lah so they might join you in communication with Al'lah, the heart prayer. Lead them to Al'lah, and reveal His Supreme Names to them so they come to love their Provider. You are a lamp to them, illuminate the way to My Light, My Supreme Names, My Perfection and My Beauty; be a guiding lamp for them so they might live in paradises by your light.' Thus, through the magnifying language of prayer, the Envoy (cpth) captivates the attention of the pious believer, overwhelming them by the Greatness and the Glory of their Provider, motivating them to advance and improve, reaching ever higher degrees. Then he will say to them in the prayer, 'Al'lah is Greater,' and they will witness something even bigger than what they have already witnessed and so it will continue. Thus, the Envoy (cpth) guided them to the way of belief; they followed his path, considered death, and contemplated the wonder of the universe and the signs it holds, seeing the Greatness of Al'lah through the universe just as our master Abraham (pth) did. After that, they elevated to an even higher degree where Al'lah's Greatness in the universe was further magnified by the light of God's Envoy, there they could witness a portion of his views (cpth), perceiving that everything exists by God, and that all was attained through the Envoy (cpth), who best achieved Divine Perfection!

### {4}

And purify your true seekers! \- 'Everyone who basked in the light of your pure spirit, oh Mohammad, who turned to you in appreciation and love and understood the value of your guidance to those seeking purification of their spirits for Al'lah's Sake; all those who heard the truth, accepted and applied it and surrendered the sovereignty of their hearts, binding their spirits to you. Purify \- Guide your light to them, illuminate them with your lofty state so they might experience the delight of prayer and this joy will purge their hearts of filth and impurities.' Those the Envoy (cpth) has guided by his spirit and light will join with him and be graced with attributes of perfection. He has gently released them from the heavy burden of loving this worldly life and freed them from the desires of the flesh that shackled them. Then by their sitting with him (cpth) and his sociable dealings with them, their spirits ascend with his pure spirit during the prayers until they enter Al'lah's Presence in his company. Thus their spirits become cleansed of all dirt and tinted only with perfection. Thus is the believer elevated by perfect communication.

### {5}

And keep away from all pollution! \- 'There are dissolute sinners who revel in their deviancy and vile perpetrations; they are friends of Satan. These defiled sinners may approach you but they will never change what is in their spirits. Instead they seek to corrupt and divert the believers from the right path. Thus, it is not the time for these unworthy people; their time for changing is in the future. Then they will be purged of their love for worldly life and desires only by enduring treatments, disasters and adversities so that they may come back to truth.'

So, keep away \- 'Walk away from them and avoid them kindly; do not allow them to mix with the believers and sow doubt and confusion among them. Care for only those who sincerely seek the truth and include them in your meeting.'

### {6}

And do not suppose good is in a large group. \- 'Remember that those who joined you were very weak in the beginning and avoid large numbers of people lest there be some among them who would interrupt the current goodness. If those who shun God and embrace luxury and worldliness are concealed within this large number they will negatively influence those who are still weak and struggling to join you. Thus never consider large groups, instead value sincerity. Stay with those who wholeheartedly seek the truth and observe them always.'

### {7}

And be patient for your Provider's Cause. \- 'You, Mohammad, by your heart lead spirits to God, the Owner of Good Names.' Be patient \- 'Be patient with true seekers, allow them to mature, and then you will rise with them, completely and perfectly.' Through communication, the believer will be cleansed, coloured with perfection; the bliss that floods their spirits will purge them of all malignancies and maladies, leaving only desirable qualities. They will set aside the worldly life and all it holds, and they will reach the Provider through you, for there is no healer except Al'lah (Glory to Him). 'You lead them to Me and by their own efforts I shall heal them.'

### {8}

Then, a grave is dug out with a pickax \- Every human being must suffer that horrible moment of death. And as human beings must die, so must their graves be dug, and each one ultimately descends alone into it. If you die with a diseased spirit and an ignorant mind, what will your situation be? But for the believer, the moment of death is one of great relief because all their efforts on earth were aimed at achieving the Eternal Home, Al'lah. In this world, the believer toiled in illness and isolation, endured agony and affliction; at the moment of death it will be time for them to return Home again. They have known that the promise of Paradise is honest; thus for them, death is a beautiful thing.

### {9}

That day will be a hard day \- The day of their death will be arduous for the sinners and transgressors who have not attained certain belief by sincerely and earnestly seeking it. On their deaths, they will lose everything they have relied on, including their desires and ambitions; thus will they descend into their graves frightened, alone and friendless, suffering agony and darkness. But out of His Mercy, Al'lah (Glory to Him) will never abandon them like this, instead He will dispatch the angels to beat them and divert them from their wretched state. 'You (Mohammad), must show them that this unavoidable day will be too hard to endure. Say to them, "Has anyone ever survived death? Of course not, every human being must return to their Provider alone. So, how will you meet Al'lah before you have opened your mind and gained insight? How much avoidable sorrow and torment will you suffer?" '

### {10}

For the non-believers it will not be easy. - At the moment of death, what these disbelievers will suffer defies description. Hell will ignite within them, as the desires which they cherished become fire in their spirits.

### {11}

Leave Me [to deal] with whom I alone created, - Al'lah addresses His Envoy (cpth) to alleviate the sorrow his mercy and tenderness causes him to feel for the opposers of God. He (cpth) was distraught and suffered greatly knowing the horrible end that awaited them and almost destroyed himself for these sinners. So, God Almighty admonished him; leave Me - God said, 'My Mercy is greater than yours, and I have never abandoned anyone. Those opposers of God refused all guidance while in the world and I must now treat their diseased states. I am Compassionate with them, thus will I cure them from their misery and diseases.' [To deal] with whom I alone created - 'I have already taken so much care with those human beings, I alone formed them in their mothers' bellies; I organised them into beings. I have never forgotten them and ever observed them, manifesting My Mercy and Tenderness to them all their lives. Likewise, I shall never leave them in despair; I will treat them until they are purified.'

### {12}

For I granted him abundant wealth - 'They emerged from their mothers' bellies knowing and possessing nothing, I gave them all they required for all their life – senses, nourishment, power and air. Moreover, I subjected all other beings to them so that they might turn to Me, become illuminated by Me, and follow the path of truth to achieve happiness. But they ignored these bounties and diverted from that path in their worldly life.' Although Al'lah obliged them with His Favour, they followed their whims and did not turn to the Obliger (Glory to His Favour) despite what Al'lah provided them with.

### {13}

And children as witnesses - 'They desired children; so, I have created children for them and provided for their upbringing. When they witness the sons I have provided them, they should recall their own beginning and providence, the affection and tenderness I have shown them. But in spite of all they have received, they have not appreciated My Grace.' As witnesses \- All this has been done so they might recognise and witness that they themselves began as semen, and, like their children, were formed by God. Then remembering their insignificant origins they might come to renounce their arrogance and cease shunning God, which has thrown them into misery and wretchedness. If man contemplates this point, they will come to witness that there is no god except Al'lah. This great universe Al'lah has built for you, Humanity, in order that you might consider its order and creation and thus come to think about His Favour and His Care for you; then turn to Him.

### {14}

And I have paved [the way] for him smoothly - 'I have removed all obstacles and hindrances, smoothing the way for their guidance to belief and happiness. In al-Azal world (the pre-material world) they shunned Me, turned away from Me, losing their senses and choosing to live in darkness. They wasted everything. Still I have given them this physical body as a loan, gifting them a tongue to taste, ears to hear and eyes to see.' Al'lah has again given them all they lost when they shunned Him so they might return to Him. But in spite of this second chance, they did not turn back to their Provider.

'When they came to this world, I granted all their desires, refusing them nothing even though they did not return to Me. Then I sent them hardships and disasters so they might cleanse their spirits of their love for this dirty world and follow the course of truth. But through all their trials, they continue to shun Me and crave more of this low world.'

### {15}

And yet, he still expects I should give him more. - 'They always want more from this world and are never satiated. Whatever I give them, still they want more, never tiring of it. So I give more, but still they shun Me and destroy themselves, for the agonies and fire that await them on Doomsday increase as do their demands.'

### {16}

No! \- Linguistically, this word is derived from two Arabic words: kal'la which means 'to weary' and la which means 'never.'

For Al'lah never wearies of treating the disbelievers. In spite of their disbelief and diseased spirits, He (Glory to Him) does not give up on them and persists until they are lifted from their misery and illness. Their hearts beat, who makes it so? The nourishment they eat and drink is distributed to every cell of their bodies, but who is the distributor? Who sees every atom of their bodies, allotting to each what it needs? Who converts the food into senses, power and motion? Who guides this universe, steering its sun, moon, stars and clouds? This is all done for their sake, so they might have their food and drink. But by whose tender and merciful hand? Great Al'lah did not give them up, He did not abandon them in this world nor will He leave them after their death. His Tenderness towards them is so great that He will never forsake the transgressors; His Mercy and Affection (Glory to Him) require that they must be treated until they are purified. Surely he has been stubbornly hostile to Our Revelation. \- They have wilfully resisted God's Words, refused the guidance of Al'lah's Envoy (cpth). To lead people out of darkness and into the light of belief Al'lah the Almighty has sent Prophets and Envoys and descended His Revelation upon them. But even though they have listened to the Prophets, these disbelievers have continued to oppose the truth and refused to take action and change their ways. They stubbornly resisted the guidance of Al'lah's Envoy (cpth), and instead fought against truth and its people. But even as they fought Him, did Al'lah, Who provides them food and drink, fight back?

### {17}

I will oblige him to face a strenuous escalating torment. - First consider someone who is far from God; their condition is miserable and careworn, they lack the happiness which can only be obtained from God and by God. This worldly life can never make humans truly happy, instead it offers only fleeting desires which are followed by agony, failure and misery. But when they insist on satisfying these desires, even though it will bring only unhappiness, God allows it. The noble saying states, 'Take from this world whatever you want, and you will be careworn as much as you have taken.' They will also have to endure a strenuous escalating torment. \- This refers to the case of the disbeliever who obstinately opposes God and refuses to return to Him despite all of Al'lah's Efforts. The more they obtain in this worldly life, the more agony and grief they will experience, so that they may come to feel fed up with the hassle of it all, and finally seeking truth and reality, reach belief and piety (seeing by Al'lah's Light).

### {18}

Has he pondered and so appreciated [Al'lah's Guidiance]? \- Did they ever consider and appreciate? No, they never did. If they had turned to the Envoy and appreciated him then they would be believers, people of sublimity and Paradise. If they had bothered to consider, to compare the Envoy (cpth) to ordinary human beings and then judge logically, they would have found that his words were beyond compare, thus would they come to appreciate him and become of the dwellers of Paradise. But since this is not so, they certainly did not think or appreciate, instead they rushed headlong after their lust, considering only how best to reach it.

### {19}

He had perished; how he ill-appreciated [God's Guidance]! \- In al-Azal, before coming to this worldly life, they dwelled in happiness and delight, alongside Al'lah in Paradise. All of their spirits were eyes and ears, they were enjoying witnessing and looking at God. But then when they were put to the test, they destroyed themselves. For they appreciated only their desires and so arrogantly turned their backs on Him. But guided by lust, without light or guidance, they blindly satisfied their wants in darkness. Thus did they violate their covenant with their Provider; after they agreed to assume the burden of freedom of choice. Their lack of appreciation had distanced them from God and removed their spirits from Paradise and happiness into darkness and deprivation. They had lost their senses and abandoned the Great Provider; instead allowing themselves to be absorbed into the pleasure of lust until their immersion stood between them and their God.

### {20}

And then he perished once more; how he ill-appreciated! - In Arabic, thum'ma means 'then.' It is a conjunctive which indicates both separation and a long time. Here it implies that in this worldly life, some actively ruined themselves once again after Al'lah had revived them and graced them with thought and intellect. They perished by their own actions because they refused to believe in God and would not allow piety and the illumination of the Light of Al'lah and His Envoy (cpth) to open their heart-eyes. Instead they allowed themselves to fall, committing crimes and evil deeds, practising deviation and misguidance.

### {21}

Then he took a look - They contemplated God's Revelation and Words, but it did not appeal to them for they worried that the Envoy (cpth) would condemn their lustful ways.

### {22}

Then he frowned - Deciding that God's Path did not suit them, they frowned for they believed that their worldly pursuits would suffer if they followed the truth. They frowned in rejection of God's Indication, choosing instead to continue drinking deeply of this world, sinking into it and wallowing in it. And forfeited his pleasure [in the Hereafter]. \- But truly they deprived themselves of pleasure, the bliss of heart delight and the happiness of spirit that comes to people of truth and godliness. They did not want that. Instead they chose to be reprehensible people of lust.

### {23}

Then he turned his back - Al'lah's Revelation and His people did not appeal to them, so they pursued illicit pleasures, and followed the people of deviation and transgression, and grew in arrogance \- One said, 'How can we be sure it is true that Al'lah holds everything in His Hand? Perhaps there is might and power in other than Him, for it seems farfetched that this saying will bring us happiness and good. Afterall, what have we seen with our own eyes? Only this world.' And thus does their arrogance grow because of what they possess.

### {24}

And he said, 'This is nothing but sorcery - One said, 'But these things are only make-believe, for we cannot see them or touch them. They are only fancies, hidden and untouchable things. They only imagine that there is God and Envoy. For we have never seen Al'lah; nor have we seen His Envoy except as an ordinary person. But this worldly life is before us, we can see it and touch it and taste it; how then do we deny it?' 'Requoted from olden times. - One still says, 'Their saying is quoted from ancient times when people lacking science or civilisation invented fables to explain what they could not understand. But now we have science and technology, why should we rely on fables about things we have never even witnessed?'

### {25}

'This is nothing but the words of a mortal!' - One refuses to admit that Mohammad is the Envoy of Al'lah speaking words revealed to him by God; instead they maintain he is only a clever wordsmith with an active imagination. Nothing more than a cunning human, certainly not an Instrument of Al'lah. But did they really think this through? Could any one person speak even a single word equal to his?

### {26}

I will allow him to reach the mis-abode. - Preferring the low world and what civilisation offers, including technology and false science, over their Provider, they have fallen down into the mis-abode. [‎92] They chose their worldly gains over the Creator of heavens and earth. And so at the moment of death, they will be confined in the bowels of the earth, for that has been their goal. Then will their deeds come back to them and burn them.

### {27}

What will make you know what the mis-abode is? - How can you understand how vast this prison will be? It will endure endlessly and each cell will seamlessly lead to another, deeper one. Oh Man, unless you believe you can never understand or witness the mis-abode. Only the believers, illuminated by the company and light of God's Envoy (cpth), have witnessed the mis-abode in this worldly life. Indeed they have witnessed everything that will happen in this life and the Hereafter, just as did the magicians who appreciated our master Moses (pth), and by their heart-eyes saw for themselves the opposing conditions of Paradise dwellers and Fire dwellers on Doomsday. But the blind transgressors witness nothing, blindly hurling themselves and their spirits down into the mis-abode. This path leads only to Fire which they will crave so they might escape their hellish agony after the arrival of death lifts the veil of lust from them.

### {28}

It Fire] spares nothing - Fire never spares worldly goods. They will lose their family, friends, money, body and senses. They will lose this universe that meant everything to them. Further, they will lose themselves, their heavens and happiness. Then they will say, 'We are utterly alone, no one remains with us.' But has Al'lah truly left them? After that, they will go to Fire. And leaves nothing - The intensity of this Fire will make them forget all of their pain and sorrow, purging them of their inner torment and cleansing them of the grief and agony that have befallen them. It shall also purge their spirits, although nothing of joy and life[[‎93] will be created. The Fire will burn away the pain but it will not heal the spirit for only Al'lah is the Healer, only He can heal spirits.

### {29}

It [Fire] looms over humans. - This Fire is not a hidden torment. Those humans who have followed the path of belief, keeping company with God's Envoy (cpth) have been informed of Paradise and what is to come. These people witnessed the Fire from this worldly life and protected themselves from it by drawing ever closer to God's Light and His Envoy's (cpth).

### {30}

There are nineteen in charge of it [Fire]. - In the Arabic language, numbers too have linguistic meaning. For example, the number seven signifies purification, the number eight indicates a thing is valuable, nine implies vastness and greatness, and number ten denotes sociability and companionship. In this verse, Al'lah (Glory to Him) says that this Fire is prepared for those who turned away from Him and will be of sufficient intensity to encompass and contain all of their spirits' defects, filth and diseases. It will also isolate the undesirable traits with which this spirit has been tainted and remove anything that displeased God and was taken by means other than His (illicitly).

This Fire will purge them of their faults, make them forget their agonies and turn them away from the fire of the regret and grief which settled in their spirits and caused them pain more intense and severe than God's blazing Fire.

### {31}

We have appointed only angels as keepers of Fire - Al'lah says, 'Even My sick disobedient follower (abd) [‎94] is never forgotten from My Mercy; I have prepared a hospital to treat their illnesses and I have appointed the most honourable and the most beautiful of My creation, My angels, as nurses to help heal this human who shunned Me, refused to believe and did not perform good deeds. By their own actions, they have lost heavens and the delight I prepared for them.' When someone who shunned God understands the massive loss of Heaven that was prepared for them and which they squandered, despair would spur them to hurl themselves into the Fire. Moreover, they forfeited the great prestige awarded them when they agreed to bear the Trust[95‎] by violating it. Consequently, they not only lost their family and themselves (their spirits), they also no longer witnessed their Provider's Noble Face. What greater loss could there be? When they comprehend all that they have wasted and lost, the high rank they have squandered, they will throw themselves into Fire desperate to forget their unbearable agonies. In a noble saying, the Envoy explains, 'On Doomsday, shame will befall man to the extent that he says, "Oh my Provider, sending me to Fire would be easier to tolerate than what I am suffering." Although he knows the great torture that will result.' [‎96]

Therefore, Al'lah says, We have appointed only angels as keepers of Fire - These angels possess abundant mercy, kindness, tenderness and affection, and they are graced with the Good Names of God. And We have not caused their equipment the Fire] to be anything but temptation for those who disbelieve \- Like a sick man who craves a drug, believing it will cure all his pain and suffering, so do the disbelievers yearn for the Fire, desiring it, longing for it. Further, they will consider it proof of Al'lah's Hospitality towards them; Al'lah (Glory to Him) says, 'And their abode will be the Fire; and how miserable is the lodging of the wrongdoers!' [[‎97] The word 'abode' describes a place of rest, for example a man returns to his abode, or his house and bed, and the word 'lodging' indicates a place of suitable hospitality for each man. God said, 'And he the man] who bought him in Egypt said to his wife, "Give him honourable, good lodging." ' [[‎98] Just as the sick man longs to lodge in a hospital, so the disbeliever will consider Fire the proper place for their lodging, and so convinced they will ask for it and eventually hurl themselves into it, desperate to escape the hellish agonies of their spirits' fire. How horrific and miserable is the life of the disbeliever! God says, 'However, on that Day their torture will not be inflicted upon them by anyone other than themselves]; nor will any bind their bonds upon them.' [[‎99] The disbelievers themselves will choose to throw their spirits into Fire.

So that those who have been granted the Book will arrive at certainty - The people of the Scripture are all those who responded to God and the Envoy (cpth) – both Jews and Christians, such as Abdullah ibn Salam, Negus, Suhaib al-Rumi, and Bilal al-Habashi among others (Al'lah is pleased with them). These were all pious believers illuminated by Al'lah's Light; in realising the Scripture through their Envoys, the truth became stamped into their spirits. These people all know that Al'lah is All-Merciful and not cruel to humans, nor does He force them into Fire. However, even such as these do not understand the meaning of this verse, nor do they grasp the importance of Fire. Thus, when the Envoy of Al'lah (cpth) revealed to them the significance behind the concept of Fire, the truth soothed their hearts, easing their spirits as they understood. Once they comprehended its meaning, they witnessed Fire, the wisdom lying behind it, and the mercy which had inspired its creation. And those who believe will grow firmer in faith \- The Envoy's revelation and explanation about Fire and the understanding that it is born of Al'lah's Mercy will cause their love for God and their belief and certainty to increase exponentially. And thus neither those who have been granted the Book nor the believers will have any doubts \- The word 'doubt' indicates suspicions which may distract humans from truth. Those people who have been granted the Book - are cemented in their belief when they receive the indisputable proof of God's high Purposes by virtue of what Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) had already shown them. Thereafter no one can make them doubt God's Mercy or suspect His Affection and Wisdom. Nor the believers - Likewise, the believers never doubt God's Supreme Names by virtue of the revelation of God's Envoy (cpth) because he taught them the Scripture; namely, the Qur'an and the wisdom it contains. But that those in whose hearts is disease \- They are diseased by their love for the low world and the temptations it holds – money, reputation, women and children. Those so infected will deny the meaning of Fire because of the aforementioned mistrust they harbour in their spirits towards their Provider. And those who disbelieve - The enemies of truth and guidance, they both will say, 'What could Al'lah intend by this example?' \- But in fact, the Qur'an can only be understood by the believers, God said, 'Say Prophet], "For those who believe it is guidance and healing." ' [[‎100]

In this way God leads astray whoever so desires wants it] - Oh Man, the choice is yours, for Al'lah has given you free will. When you demand misguidance, then Al'lah shall give it to you and not stand in the way of your choice. For God said, 'There is no compulsion in religion: true guidance has become distinct from error.' [[‎101]

And guides whoever so strives [for it]. - Al'lah guides all those who truly and earnestly seek guidance for themselves and follow the laws leading to it.

No one knows the hosts of your Provider - That is, all the other spirits which did not accept the Trust were made subservient to man to inspire fear in his spirit and thus guide him from deviance – this includes germs, viruses, diseases and countless other worlds which are known only to Al'lah. All spirits not charged with the Trust exist to steer man to the course of truth. No one except He. - Glory to Him, He shapes all these things for your good. It [God's Guidance] is only a reminder to humanity. - This revelation will benefit only those who seek the truth and receive the good news. These people will remember their covenant and by means of the Envoy's eye (cpth) witness the entire reality.

### {32}

[Has God ever wearied?] Not at all, and the moon [testifies this to you, Human]! - You Man, have never been deserted, Al'lah has never abandoned you. For you, He hung the moon and placed a clear sign. He conceived it and created its first rotation through till its last. Without the moon, people could not conceive of time, note the passing of days and nights, or recognise the sacred months. Its nightly light gives comfort to the wakeful sick man. Al'lah (Glory to Him) set the moon for your sake; it is a sign that you must consider. Meditate on its function and the perfection of its phases so that you might lead yourself to the Greatness of its Creator, His Care and His Love for you.

### {33}

And [so does] the night when it quickly retreats \- The night, with its coldness, calmness and quietness, encourages beings and plants to flourish. When it quickly retreats - The word 'when' signifies an unexpected and sudden occurrence. The night withdraws rapidly, its darkness interrupted as the light again begins to spread, bringing with it the dawn and illumination as the night disappears. Yet this amazing transformation takes only a short time, from dawn till full morning light.

### {34}

And [also] the morning as it shines forth \- The word subh is derived from two Arabic words: sab'ba signifying 'to pour,' and saha which means 'to clear.' In this sense, each morning the sun's light begins pouring over the earth, saturating it and clearing the world of darkness, as it stays until twilight. Thus morning truly begins with the first rays of pre-sunrise light and spreads to illuminate the entire day, manifesting things by the sun's light.

### {35}

Surely it [the succession of day and night] is one of the greatest [signs] - Absolutely the turning of day into night is a marvellous symphony. But who is the conductor? Who rotates the earth and orbits the sun and moon in such perfect harmony? Whose hand directs all that exists in the universe? Who guides the solid moon through its phases? How great must that hand be to manoeuvre such an object with such precision? By inspiring such questions, this great verse incites us to meditate and consider the artful transition of day into night, thus helping those who truly seek belief to reach the Conducting and Coordinating God.

This is certainly one sense of the verse's significance, but Al'lah's Words cannot be contained in a single, absolute explanation. So while, these noble Qur'anic verses obviously indicate concrete and tangible signs of God (Glory to Him) in this universe that can easily be perceived by humans, they also signify more complex meanings and senses in the world of realities. In several verses, the noble Qur'an likens the Envoys to the sun; for example, our master Joseph's dream of his father, our master Jacob (ptt): 'Remember] when Joseph said to his father, "Oh my father! I saw in a dream eleven stars and the sun, and the moon: I saw them prostrating themselves to me." ' [[‎102]

By 'sun' he means his father and the 'moon' his mother who receives her light from her husband, our master Jacob (pth), exactly as the moon receives its light from the sun. Similarly, our master Mohammad is the sun for the Prophets and Envoys who receive their light through him (cpth); he is a sun for them and they are his moons.

So now let us come back to the verses and discover some of their realities, Not at all, and the moon \- This reveals to us that the moon is a symbol of God's Envoy, our master Jesus (pth), who is, in turn, a moon of the Prophets' sun, our master Mohammad (cpth). When the world is honoured by his second rise, the darkness obscuring hearts will vanish. And the night when it quickly retreats - Nowadays, the world is rife with ignorance and darkness, alienation from God, the Creator of Light and Life abounds. People live in the perpetual night of their dark hearts surrounded by injustice, oppression, deviancy and disobedience, all the disorder and sin knitting together to prevent light from ever penetrating into hearts; thus they fall into twilight. But Al'lah never wishes blindness and waste for His servants.

Also, He (Glory to Him) neither likes nor approves of disbelief for His creation. Thus, this night must fade away, and that will occur by God's Command; for He said in the Qur'an, 'And Our Commanding is not other than a single Act], like the twinkling of an eye.' [[‎103] One act will happen that clears up the night and from that moment on, Islam and peace will blanket the world till Doomsday. And the morning as it shines forth - When that light of belief, Islam, peace and humanity dawns, it will illuminate the earth until it ceases to rotate. And that will only happen when the universe is honoured by the return of the Envoy of peace, the moon of reality, our master Jesus Christ (pth). In the Holy Qur'an there is ample evidence to be certain of this event, when we will be honoured with his splendid illumination and sublime look. [‎104]

Surely it is one of the greatest signs] - The occurrence of the Hour and its terrors is truly a great event; God said, 'Nay, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour shall be more calamitous and more bitter.' [[‎105] All of the Envoys and Prophets spoke of the Hour. Then, we elaborated on the reality in the previous verse and we have also already explained its formal meaning. God said, 'Say, "If all the sea were ink for writing] the Words of my Provider, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Provider would be finished, even if We were to bring [another sea] like it for its aid." ' [[‎‎106]

### {36}

A warning to all humankind \- 'Oh Mohammad, tell them that you are nothing other than a blunt warning.' He (cpth) warned them of the Hour and its terrors, of death and what awaits in the grave, of the Hereafter and its Fire, all so that they might fear what is to come and follow the way of truth in this life. Those who meditated on the signs and feared what was to come would be warned, receive benefits, then believe and finally succeed. They would join the people of happiness in this world and the next. Thus, Al'lah descended this revelation upon His Envoy (cpth).

### {37}

To those of you who choose[‎107] \- For the choice is yours to forge ahead \- To continue on in belief and good deeds. They listened and meditated, considered death and pondered God's Verses and the signs of the universe. After they believed, they performed good deeds for God's Sake and for the benefit of humanity. And those who choose to draw apart. - They retreat from doing evil and committing bad deeds; they repent and return to truth.

### {38}

Every spirit is held in pledge for what it has earned - They are constrained by their evil deeds. The actions of a person turning away from God will lead them to be imprisoned in the darkness of the grave, lonely and frightened till the Day of Resurrection. This is because they shunned God and turned away from the Source of lights (Glory to Him) refusing to believe in the Great God.

### {39}

Except the companions of the right - The people of the right, the doers of good deeds and righteous actions have blessings and goodness in all they do. Their labours guide them to happiness and Paradise and allow them to escape the torture of the grave and Fire.

### {40}

[They will be] in Gardens, they will question each other, - They ask after their family and friends whom they were together with in the world. The people of the right will seek to know what end they reached and feel content with what they hear from those who, like them, listened to Al'lah's Revelation, but others they will find deprived of goodness.

### {41}

About the criminals. [And when they find them, they will ask the criminals]- These are the culprits who wronged their spirits and deprived themselves of boundless good by indulging in their lust. They never worked for their Afterlife and Paradise, and ultimately caused themselves only unhappiness. Their folly deprived their spirits of eternal happiness and threw them into the torture of the grave and Fire.

### {42}

'What has brought you into the mis-abode?' - 'What has caused you to reach this disgraceful end, this prison and this Fire?'

### {43}

They will reply, 'We were not of those who communicated with God -They did not turn their spirits to Al'lah in prayer and thus could not earn perfection and mercy within their spirits; they did not perform righteous works. For good only comes from Al'lah. Thus, Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) said, 'One who leaves prayer [communication with God] has never done good at all.'

### {44}

'Nor did we use to feed the poor - They ignored their Provider's Side, and neglected to care for the poor and helpless of the world. They were hard-hearted and performed no good acts, instead their works were evil and wicked.

### {45}

'We used to plunge [in sin] together - 'We misguidedly sank into lust and deviancy.' 'With those who thrust [themselves in it]. - 'We regarded the people of the world and mimicked the conduct that appealed to us most, sinking into forbidden lust. Finally, we indulged our spirits in desires and whims and became blind to the life to come.'

### {46}

'And we used to deny the [coming of the] Day of Judgement. - 'Our spirits refused to believe that Doomsday would ever come or that we would be judged for our deeds.' They may confess that there must be resurrection, judgement, and reward but only with their tongues.

### {47}

'Until what is certain to come did come upon us.' - Namely, death. At death their spirits witnessed what they denied and refused to believe.

### {48}

So no intercession of intercessors will benefit them. - Al'lah made the Envoys and Prophets (ptt) intercessors; they intercede when we connect our spirits with them by love and appreciation. In turn, they (ptt) guide us to join with God's Love and be admitted into His Presence. This companionship is forged in this world but it endures forever, lasting into light, delight and heavens. But how should those who disbelieved in this life seek the intercession of noble Envoys and Prophets (ptt) after death? They must first be treated. For in addition to their diseased spirits, their putrid smell reflects their evil and mean deeds, but the scent of the Envoy (cpth) is pleasant and fragrant. Thus how can they, in this condition, keep company with the Envoys and Prophets?

### {49}

What, then, is the matter with them - Do they possess anything at all? What single minute part of this universe belongs to them? Is the universe theirs? Have they created any aspect of it? Did they fashion their own bodies and animate their limbs? No, their bodies and places in this universe are a loan entrusted to them; tomorrow everything will fall away. The universe will fade and their bodies will wither and die. Worldly life will be gone, nothing of the senses or material goods will endure. Nothing will remain for them but Al'lah. Then, why have they acted this way, that they turn away from the reminder [the Qur'an]? \- 'They shunned My Words spoken by My Envoy; they did not follow the path of truth nor did they even try to.' Al'lah describes their reaction when the Envoy (cpth) offered them guidance.

### {50}

As though they were stampeding asses - Donkeys will carry a burden with no idea of its value or curiosity about what it contains. Like the donkey, those who shun God bore a great thing, the Trust, with no understanding of it. They covenanted with Al'lah to fulfil it but then made no effort to keep up their end of the deal. They memorised the words but did not attempt to witness their reality or take them to heart, they did not keep their covenant with Al'lah. And like the donkey, too, are those who hold interpolated sayings about the Envoys of God and spread them among people to teach them. They got the Wrath of Al'lah, although they thought themselves to be guided.

### {51}

Fleeing from a lion? - When a lion appears to donkeys, they flee in fright. So it was when revelation and guidance (that is to say, the truth) came to them from Al'lah on the tongue of His Envoy (cpth); like the donkeys they ran away from it frightened and scared. They did not follow it for fear they would deprive themselves of the world with its lust and pleasures. They considered the truth, its people and God (Glory to Him) to be hard and oppressive, intent on depriving them of their lust. And so they went away from Al'lah and the Envoy to find others who agreed with them. They opposed the truth and its people. They became content with the worldly life and revelled in it, thinking that death would never catch them.

### {52}

Truly, every one of them desires[‎108] that he should be given pages opened out [to the correct place]. - Like the lazy student who wanted the exam's answers to materialise without effort or study on his part, those people wanted to see Al'lah, the angels and Doomsday without hard work. But they must apply the Divine Rule, meditating and considering the provision until they are able to put Al'lah's Words into practise and find the right path, persisting in His Obedience. For admittance to Paradise can only be gained by righteous works, so showing all of these to someone who has not performed good deeds is useless.

### {53}

No! Truly they have no fear of the Hereafter. - This is the real problem, it keeps them from following the path of truth. Since they did not fear death, they did not worry about it, or think about what would happen after death or acknowledge their fear and modify their behaviour with the Hereafter in mind. They simply did not believe that they would die and leave this world, and were instead content to delude themselves into thinking it would be everlasting. Had they only considered the Hereafter they might have realised that there awaited recompense, judgement and rewards.

### {54}

No! It [the Qur'an] - And this revelation brought by Al'lah's Envoy comes from God. It is a reminder. - It is an admonishment, oh Human, for with the company of God's Envoy (cpth); your spirit is able to witness the reality of the senses hidden beyond the words. Thus you will remember and witness your covenant with Al'lah; and how you promised Him not to turn away but instead be always enlightened by His Light. Your spirit will flow till you reach the Hereafter and witness it during your worldly life, encompassing Paradise.

### {55}

Thus, whoever so strives will remember Him. - The choice is yours; oh Human, you have only to behave in accordance with the true path and you will certainly witness this thing. This possibility is open to every person.

### {56}

Yet they will not remember except as Al'lah wills. - Oh Human, you must behave as God wills you and apply the laws. If you meditate on death and the universe's signs, conduct yourself with uprightness and avoid forbidden things, persisting in God's Obedience, then your search to reach Al'lah shall be truthful. But you must be progressively persistent in following these rules, however much time it takes. If your Provider finds you to be sincere, He will reveal truth to you, make you witness realities by means of His Envoy's (cpth) accompaniment to you. If your Provider finds that you lack truthfulness He will not guide you nor will He remind you of anything. Thus, sincerity is everything and whatever you sincerely seek, you will find. He is - The Provider of worlds, the One Who qualifies [the believers] for illumination by His Light - Piety is the illumination of God's Light. It is Al'lah (Glory to Him) Who certifies you for piety; then, you will witness by His Light and the light of His Envoy (cpth) His Supreme Names; after that you will experience an insight which allows you to see good as good and evil as evil. And Who qualifies [them] for Forgiveness. \- He will heal you from defects, diseases, filth and worldly love. Truly, your spirit cannot be mended except by your Provider. So having your spirit cured, you can turn to Him and obtain goodness and heavens through your righteous works.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 75 (AL-QIYAMA SURAH)

THE RESURRECTION

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} I never swear by the Day of Resurrection,{2} nor do I swear by the self-reproaching human spirit.{3} Does human think that We shall not put his bones back together [to resurrect him]? {4} For, indeed We are Able to reshape his very fingertips.{5} But human wants it [the Day of Resurrection] to be clearly seen before him.{6} He asks, 'When will this Day of Resurrection be?'

{7} Thus, when the eyesight is dazzled,{8} and the moon is eclipsed,{9} and then the sun and the moon are brought together, {10} on that Day human will say, 'Where is my escape?'{11} Not at all! None will bear the burdens of another.{12} Back with your Provider [oh Mohammad] will be the place of settlement on that Day.{13} Human will see on that Day what [good and evil] he produced and what he diminished.{14} Yet, human is an eye-witness against himself,{15} even though he puts forth his excuses.

{16} Move not your tongue [you who believe,] with it [your high deed] to hasten it.{17} It is for Us to collect it and to proclaim it.{18} So when We declare it, follow what he [God's Envoy] reads to you.{19} And then, it is for Us to make it clear.

{20} No, but you [oblivious people] love this fleeting world, {21} and neglect the world to come.{22} Some faces on that Day will be blossoming in beauty,{23} looking up towards their Provider, {24} and some faces on that Day will be cheerless,{25} imagining that deprivation is about to be inflicted on them.

{26} No indeed! When the soul comes up to the collarbone [preparing to leave the body],{27} and it is said, 'Who has risen in rank?'{28} While he [who is dying] expects that it is the [moment of] parting,{29} and one leg is intertwined with the other.{30} To your Lord [oh Mohammad] is, on that Day, the driving.{31} He did not subscribe to the truth nor communicate with God [through prayer];{32} rather, he denied [the truth] and turned away.{33} Then he rejoined his people, undisciplined.

{34} He put you in charge, and then He puts you in charge {35} Thereafter [in the grave] He will apply His Care to you, and then [again in the Afterlife] He will apply His Care to you. {36} Does human think he is left without purpose?{37} Was he not once a mere drop of semen poured forth?{38} Then he became a clot clinging [to the womb wall], and then He created and fashioned [life] in due proportion;{39} and so He made of him the sexes, male and female.{40} Is not He [Who creates life, equally] Able to bring the dead back to life?

## Interpretation of Fortress 75

THE RESURRECTION

(AL-QIYAMA SURAH)

### {1}

I never swear by the Day of Resurrection - Although this Day is undeniably significant and will bring horrible and apocalyptic events, Al'lah (Glory to Him) never swears by it, for an oath can never be sworn by something imperfect, rather it can only be made by that which is absolute and flawless. Al'lah the Almighty created all the spirits for happiness and eventual admission into Paradise. However, when they came to the world, these spirits turned away from God and chose another path. But those who shun God will receive only loss while those who keep their covenant will know only happiness and benefits.

Some people poisoned their spirits by performing evil deeds. This weakness led them to failure and unhappiness as they indulged themselves in the lust and temptations of the worldly life. These people are tainted; they must be cured. On Doomsday, Fire awaits them and will treat their illness.

Others performed good deeds and acted nobly in the material world. For these, eternal happiness and delight awaits them in Paradise, where they shall dwell.

As an example, consider a father who had ten children. Nine of them were successful while only one was a disappointment, succumbing to lust and crime and ultimately being put in prison. Would this father be content or would he yearn for the rehabilitation of his wayward child? And if a father wishes mercy and happiness for his wanton child, how much greater would God's Mercy be? Can the compassion of a human father even be compared to that of God?

Al'lah the Almighty invited every spirit to be dignified and blessed with eternal happiness. Some heeded His Call and earned their reward, but others ignored His Invitation even while acknowledging the benefits and blessings He offered and possessing the ability and faculties that would help them to respond. If every spirit always responded to Al'lah and none ever turned away, then and only then would He swear by the Day of Resurrection. But this is not the case, and thus Al'lah never swears by Resurrection Day. Furthermore, on the Day of Resurrection God will easily bring back the spirits and revive the bodies, for Him such a thing is not difficult. Therefore He does not swear by this Day.

### {2}

Nor do I swear by the self-reproaching human spirit. - The splendid human spirit is second only to those of the Envoys and Prophets. People who possess this sort of spirit are characterised by modesty and not impeded by pride. If someone shows them their faults they do not harbour feelings of hatred against them, nay they love them, and, understanding their failures, they repent and return to Al'lah, humbled and beloved. The self-reproaching human spirit. - The person who possesses this sort of spirit does not blame others for his shortcomings, but instead they seek to improve themselves. They acknowledge their defects and invoke Al'lah to heal them. God said, 'In it the mosque] are men who love to grow in purity.' [[‎109] Oh Man, do not spend your time assessing the faults of others. Never say, 'So-and-so did such-and-such to me, or so-and-so said this-and-that about me.' No, you must say to yourself, 'I erred and it caused me anguish.' You must look for your own mistake and repent. The spirits who accept blame and seek to improve will be purged of taint and acquire the Provider's Gifts and achieve ever higher degrees of piety (seeing by Al'lah's Light), until finally they will keep company with Al'lah's Envoy (cpth). Yet in spite of all that, Al'lah never swears by these self-reproaching spirits. He only swore by the life of the Envoy Mohammad (cpth) who never wasted a single moment of his time in error or folly, thus he never went astray and was always perfect and constant.

### {3}

Does human think that We shall not put his bones back together [to resurrect him]? Bones are the foundation of the body, without them humans cannot stand or move, nor can they act to satisfy their lust or fulfil their wishes. A human who believed his bones would never be reassembled after death denied resurrection and judgement. They wrongly assumed this world to be the end, worth everything, with nothing greater to come, thus denying the existence of the Hereafter. Furthermore, they denied the Existence of the Provider of the worlds, and because they did not consider or believe in the world to come, they wasted their body and destroyed themselves. They did not make use of the precious gift of intellect given to them by Al'lah or else they would never have reached this mistaken conclusion. Al'lah is Able to assemble their bones, and the proof is this: He created our master Adam (pth) from soil just by uttering the word 'Be.' Knowing this, how could anyone say, 'Once I am done with this life my bones cannot be assembled again'? Humans did not exist until they were created from the earth's bounty and its soil. A father eats so that he might produce sperm; a mother eats so that she might create and nurture an embryo. So how can a human say that Al'lah, Who brings forth every life from the earth, is not Able to do so again and reassemble them from the soil? Why would it be hard for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) to re-create what He has already created?

### {4}

For, indeed We are Able to reshape his very fingertips. - The word 'Able' is a direct reply to the human who chose to outright reject the possibility of re-creation rather than meditating and thinking about it. This word signifies that what they so thoughtlessly denied was happening right in front of them, every moment of every day. The Provider of the world never ceases to create and bring forth things from the soil, including whole bodies. Has this doubter not observed the creation of his own children as well as countless other beings? What more proof does he need that Al'lah is Able to re-create him? For Al'lah will revive all people and call them to reckoning. Why then, would anyone deny re-creation? How can it be more difficult to make something the second time than the first? On the contrary, each time something is created or built, it becomes easier and simpler than it was the time before.

### {5}

But human wants it [the Day of Resurrection] to be clearly seen before him. - This human, despite shunning God, still wanted the realities to effortlessly appear before him. This person claimed that it was God's Responsibility to prove the existence of the Hereafter to him; after all nobody came back to life after death and spoke about suffering Fire and torture, so where did this idea come from? Humans die and decay until they are nothing but soil, so all this talk of the torture in the grave which would continue to the Day of Resurrection must be nonsense. And if it is not, then let God prove otherwise. But that is ridiculous, like an unprepared student who tells the teacher, 'Give me the answers to the exam.'

But even if everything is shown to someone who shuns God, they still will not benefit or be convinced. After all, how many miracles did the children of Israel witness and still they did not believe. They saw our master Moses (pth) hit the sea with his stick and create reeds which they walked over like a bridge. They witnessed a dead man coming back to life to name his murderer. They saw countless miracles and wonders, but still they did not believe. On the contrary, they turned away and followed a false companion, Samiri. [‎110] But look around, isn't this great universe proof enough of God's Existence? Every day, He creates new plants, flowers, trees, fruits, animals and humans. Every day He forms children in their mothers' bellies. He formed you and your children; how then can you deny Him? This great universe is Al'lah's Building; why would He create it aimlessly? He must have a purpose for it; likewise, why did He create you? God said, 'We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them as a game for Us.' [‎111]

### {6}

He asks, 'When will this Day of Resurrection be?' \- So now this person asks for an exact date, because even if there will be a Resurrection it will likely occur too far in the future for him to change his ways now when this world is so full of pleasures. Why deny himself enjoyment today for fear of something that won't happen for a while? But every day man approaches Resurrection and death; he should always be preparing.

### {7}

Thus, when the eyesight is dazzled \- In a flash at the moment of death, everything is lost to this doubting person. The world and all its pleasures vanish as quickly as lightning. After death his spirit will experience only blindness, for tangible things are no more and he has depended only on his eyes, never preparing for the Hereafter. Yet people who have sought to lead their spirits to God are able to see by His Light, both in this life and the next. By His Light they will witness the realities of the next life while still on the earth. Thus will they earn Paradise.

### {8}

And the moon is eclipsed - Just as the moon takes its illumination from the sun, Al'lah wants every human being to illuminate his spirit and make it as a moon from the shining lamp of His Envoy (cpth), the sun which never sets. However, the person who shuns God has eclipsed the moon of his spirit by allowing it to pass into darkness, veiled from the Envoy's light by the shadow of the earth and its lust and temptations. Thus does his spirit dwell in darkness.

### {9}

And then the sun and the moon are brought together - Then at the moment of death, this person who shuns God is denied both sun and moon, and is plunged into total darkness. For God has said, 'The one to whom Al'lah gives no light has no light at all.' [‎112]

This person will be both eye-blind and heart-blind, a horrible condition of total deprivation. They had depended on worldly light, assuming that was all there was, but when they departed this life, its lights went out and left them in darkness. They had neglected God and did not meditate on His Signs while distracted by earthly pleasures, thus they were deprived of His Light after death. For Al'lah made the physical sun and moon to be sources of light for the body but He also made an eternal sun and a guiding moon for the illumination of the spirit; this eternal sun is Envoy's spirit and the moon is the spirit of the guide of the age who leads other spirits to the Envoy of God. However, this shunner of God never made use of the sun nor the moon. He did not believe in nor did he know his Provider. Then when death came, he lost his chance for illumination and plunged into darkness, regret and grief, finally realising what he had wasted. But God in His Mercy, sent him angels to help with the unbearable pain of remorse. Thus in the Hereafter, the Provider would have prepared for him Fire[‎113] so that he might subject himself to its cleansing heat and forget the fire of Hell[‎114] that had ignited within his spirit.

### {10}

On that Day human will say, 'Where is my escape?' - In the worldly life, this person had friends, a wife, children and relatives with whom they interacted and shared worldly dealings and interests. But they neglected to prepare for the Afterlife by seeking guidance and truth, so, at the moment of death, all these worldly interactions were lost to this person who found himself utterly alone. Only that which is for God's Sake is permanent and productive; everything else is transient and finite. Thus at the moment of death, they would lament, 'I am completely alone; where is my escape? Who will offer me refuge and shelter now that I have left the world?' After death, nobody could help them and, in fact, the entire world would leave them. If only they had believed in their Provider, they would never had found themselves alone and desperate. Instead they would have seen Al'lah with them, and been spared the horror, fright, worry, loneliness and darkness.

Oh Human, succumbing to the world's temptations, do you really think you can escape death? Has anyone ever done so? The mightiest kings, the richest men, the most powerful rulers, all are dead, just as you will be. So why do you not think about that inescapable, inevitable moment at which nobody will bring you a benefit but Al'lah and His Envoy Mohammad (cpth)?

### {11}

Not at all! - Great Al'lah replied to this reluctant man's desperation; He said, Not at all! - Namely, 'Oh servant, you have not been left or forgotten, far from it. Do not say that you are all alone for I am always with you, even in this case. Why did you turn away from Me and seek other than Me when I am yours and you are My servant? Even though you shunned Me, I did not abandon you in the world; rather, I provided you food and drink and animated your organs and limbs and beating heart. And I have not left you now, although you see only darkness. I never tire of curing you, helping you so that you may overcome your weakness and difficulty and enter My Paradise.'

None will bear the burdens of another. - 'Burden' means a load; nobody can bear the load of another, neither a friend, nor a wife, nor a child, and not for love nor for money. Oh Human, there will come that day on which your loved ones, children, wife and relatives, will abandon you, and only He (Glorified and Exalted is He) will remain beside you and your burden. No king can stay forever in his kingdom, and in death his castle brings no benefit. Once he is gone, the kingdom remains in this world and passes to others.

### {12}

Back with your Provider [oh Mohammad] will be the place of settlement on that Day. - 'Everyone who loved you and forged a spiritual bond with you, oh Mohammad, will settle in heavens. This bond with you will spare them grave torture and bring them great delight.' A line of poetry describes the task of the Envoy Mohammad at the moment of death, 'If you [the Envoy] have not given me [the believer] your hand in my return stand [on my death]; out of your affection, otherwise; one will say, "What a foot's slip." '

The Envoy never has anything in his heart but Al'lah; he is a guide and leads us to God (Glorified and Exalted is He). Therefore, if a human loves Al'lah's Envoy (cpth) they will consequently love Al'lah, and by this love earn perfection. Then their love for the Envoy and the perfection they earned from Al'lah will lead them to perform righteous deeds and their reward will be an abode in heavens. But the reluctant person who instead reaches the mis-abode would have found himself in heavens if only they had followed God's Envoy (cpth) while in the world. Instead they deserted God's Envoy and after death found themselves in a horrible condition that must be treated. All this is a warning, and a revelation so that we might avoid this deplorable destination.

### {13}

Human will see on that Day what [good and evil] he produced and what he diminished. - In the Hereafter, everything is witnessed. No words will be spoken without seeing the reality they contain. The human will see every noble and glorious deed they have accomplished and every petty and evil deed they have avoided and which would have brought them only destruction.

They will understand that they loved the Envoy Mohammad (cpth) above all else in this world – including money, wife and children – and because of this love, they were inspired to good works, noble behaviour and set an example on a straight path for those who loved them, thus guiding all their family and friends to heavens and happiness.

The believer desires, but never succumbs to lust and temptation. Instead they will return to Al'lah and invoke Him (Exalted is He) and then Al'lah will show them the evil this desire contains and thus help them avoid tainting their spirits. People who do not believe will experience the lust and temptation and be intent on satiating it. The word 'human' in Arabic means the one who has acquired perfection and mercy by their companionship with God and His Envoy (cpth), and thus do they benefit all those around them.

### {14}

Yet, human is an eye-witness against himself - Each person knows the truth of what they have done or not done; thus even if others think them blameless and praise them, their spirits will remind them, 'You are not truly like that, you have done such-and-such.' Also a person can always find himself in his prayers. If someone, having believed, achieves a connection with God and His Envoy (cpth), when turning towards God in prayer, this means that they are true believers and their works are sublime. But if they cannot turn to God in prayer and thus have no connection with Him, this means that something is wrong in their conduct and their spirit is faulty, unable to turn towards God.

### {15}

Even though he puts forth his excuses. - Even if a person makes excuses and justifications, they always know that they are lying. The believer does not make excuses. Instead they acknowledge their flaws so they might mend them because they seek the purification of their spirits, rather than to seem perfect to others. They love whoever shows them their faults and do not act from malice or spite and treat everyone with equal kindness. Instead of saying, 'So-and-so overruled me,' they ask, 'Why does Al'lah (Exalted is He) Who is Just and Fair make him overrule me? I must bring this on myself, there is some defect in me which Al'lah wishes me to discover and rid myself of.' Then they will seek the fault and act to remove it from themselves. Rather than blaming others, they accept Al'lah's Guidance and seek to learn from it and act more wisely in the future, striving to stay on God's Path. By this conduct, they will eventually rid themselves of those who once overruled them. Furthermore, this believer will lead by example, encouraging this person to seek the same guidance and saving him by his wisdom and fairness. Never did the believer seek revenge upon him or scorn him, instead they sought his good for God's Sake.

### {16}

Move not your tongue [you who believe,] with it [your high deed] to hasten it. - Do not boast of yourself or your works. Never brag of your spiritual gains and high acts, nor speak proudly of your illuminations of belief or what you might witness with your heart-eye. Never say, 'I have done such-and-such; I have given this much in alms; I have guided so-and-so; or I have saved so-and-so from a dilemma.' If you speak this way, your good work will be for naught because you have, consciously or unconsciously, put more importance on pride and hypocrisy than people. And how will you know if your acts and intentions were motivated by the desire to boast about them or to draw nearer to the Provider of people? Never praise yourself, for conceit has never any good.

### {17}

It is for Us to collect it \- Everything you have done, Al'lah keeps track of and tallies for you. Al'lah (Exalted is He) never forgets or ignores anything you do and collects it all to Himself (Glory to Him). And to proclaim it. - Al'lah will show your works to all people in their native tongues at the proper time. Then when He mentions your deeds, you will improve and move from one Paradise to another, higher one. Al'lah (Exalted is He) is All-Wise and will show what befits you. The noble companions never said, 'We conquered Iraq, al-Mada'in and al-Sham.' Instead after each conquest, they said, 'Al'lah enabled us to conquer this country and that...' and they praised Al'lah. The believer never speaks about their own works and conquests. Rather they speak about the works and revelations of the Envoy (cpth), and lead people to him (cpth).

### {18}

So when We declare it, - 'If We (Al'lah) reveal your works to all people through people's tongues, in the future,' follow what he [God's Envoy] reads to you. \- Turn towards Al'lah in prayer and gratitude; as Al'lah (Glorified and Exalted is He) led you to this course and by His Grace granted you these high works. When you turn yourself towards Him (Glory to Him), you would rise high and thank Him and His Envoy Mohammad (cpth) and acknowledge he is the reason for any goodness you earned from your Provider.

### {19}

And then, it is for Us to make it clear. - On the Day of Resurrection, Al'lah will reveal your works to you so that you might ascend, and all creation will know the deeds by which you gained admittance to Paradise.

### {20}

No, but you [oblivious people] love this fleeting world - The word 'no' indicates that Al'lah never abandoned these oblivious people; it was they who forsook and turned away from their Creator, Supplier and Beloved (Glory to Him). Because they loved the worldly life (the sooner), with its hasty lust and immediate gratification, they neglected to meditate and consider death. Thus distracted by worldly thoughts, they abandoned Al'lah and never considered what He prepared for them of heavens (the later); though, both the sooner and the later are in His Hands.

In this verse, Al'lah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says, 'They have deserted Me in favour of the immediate world and forgotten that everything comes from Me, and without Me, everything is worthless.' The earth is only a big rotating stone; so then, who holds it and nourishes its inhabitants? Oh Human, why don't you think intelligently? This immediate life is very brief and will soon vanish, leaving you in darkness and agony. Those people who limit themselves to this fleeting world will lose it as they will lose the treasures of the Hereafter that Al'lah has prepared for them.

### {21}

And neglect the world to come. - If you do not consider the Hereafter and what your eternal heavens will be, you will not want what you receive. So think about it now: What is Paradise? And what awaits in the Hereafter?

### {22}

Some faces on that Day will be blossoming in beauty - 'Faces' are the spirits that have turned towards Al'lah, and thus has beauty been imprinted on them.

### {23}

Looking up towards their Provider - Looking with their insight at the Noble Face of God brings joy and beauty and no wonder, He is the Creator of Beauty and Consummation; every beautiful thing in this world is only an atom of His Beauty that He manifested to us through His creation.. Tomorrow, the creature dies and this world fades, nothing stays but the Creator. Those people who relinquish Al'lah in pursuit of worldly beauty will suffer a great loss. They will have squandered the opportunity to look at His Noble Face and experience Paradise and all that it contains for eternity in favour of enjoying a fleeting thing. When you die, where is the past and its pleasures? The Hereafter is eternal and the worldly life is just a passing moment.

### {24}

And some faces on that Day will be cheerless - Imagine a student who neglects his schoolwork and instead flits about, frequenting cafes and going shopping. Eventually he will discover that he has failed in his studies and lost all hope of gainful employment while his friends have gone on without him. He then finds himself alone and unemployed and deeply regretful of all that he wasted. Similar to the student are those people who were joyful in the world and waste all their time eating and laughing with family, friends and women. At the moment of their death, this pleasurable world, which was everything to them, ceases to exist for them. At that moment they realise the results of these acts of folly and the consequences of their failure to consider the next world. What their spirits flew to and were pleased with has surrounded them. Then they wasted themselves in pursuing what was around them. They enjoyed this world and their surroundings but they never observed or admired the Creator; so they lost their happiness along with the world. Thus, on the Day of Resurrection, the reluctant human would perceive themselves as poor and bereft of good deeds; grieving they become degraded in front of the Creator and creation.

### {25}

Imagining that deprivation is about to be inflicted on them. - In this world, they mistrusted God and thought that they provided for themselves, Al'lah gave them nothing. In their blindness they never realised that God's Affection, Mercy, Generosity and His Tenderness provided for them.

In the world, they always feared poverty and guarded against it. They did not give money to charity out of fear they themselves would become poor, persisting in their belief that Al'lah did not give them anything. Therefore, they always desired and sought more, keeping them very busy in their pursuit of material things. All their effort and interest was concentrated on the world. In the Hereafter, this mistrust of God's Benevolence will stay with them and keep them from being one of the joyful. God says in a holy saying, 'I am as My servant thinks [expects] I am. Then, let them think of Me whatever they like.'[Musnad al-Imam Ahmad.]

They mistrusted God although He created them and gave them everything and wished them only happiness; this distrust ultimately destroyed them. Oh Human, there is no escape from death; you will leave your family, your loved ones and your friends. Then, only Al'lah will be with you; at that moment, what will your situation be?

### {26}

No indeed! When the soul comes up to the collarbone [preparing to leave the body] - This refers to the actual moment of death, when the soul moves up to the collarbone preparing to leave the body as someone breathes their last breath; namely, to breathe their soul.

### {27}

And it is said, 'Who has risen in rank?' - The word 'risen' indicates 'sublimity' which signifies lifting and ascension. The word 'collarbone' also denotes 'sublimity' because it is located in the upper part of the body. At the moment of death, the spirit begins to leave the body by drawing upwards from the feet till it reaches the collarbones, located in the upper part of the back. As someone is suffering the agony of death, the feet first become cold as the death angel pulls up the soul, causing the body to lose its heat. The more the soul is pulled upwards, the more coldness spreads from the feet, moving up the body. As the spirit will not linger in coldness, it follows the soul little by little all the way up to the collarbones. But upon reaching the throat, the spirit will hesitate in confusion because it does not know where to go, thus will the spirit cling to the body and refuse to leave it; and then pulling out the soul from the body will be like plucky a silky cloth from thorns: this applies only to the disbelievers. However, this verse is asking what your situation will be when your spirit reaches this inevitable juncture of leaving the worldly life and passing to the unknown. When you have reached that critical moment, what will your destination be? This you should meditate on; God said, 'And the angels stretched out their hands to them]; saying, "Give up your spirits." ' [[‎115]

The word 'risen' also signifies the 'clearness' and 'cleanness' that occur after the sun rises and removes the darkness of night. Here the angels await Al'lah's Verdict on the human, not knowing who ascends into eternal light and sublimity and who will find darkness having failed to save themselves from the temptations of this worldly life.

Although the angels are the most beautiful of Al'lah's creations, after the Envoys and Prophets (ptt), the reluctant dead never witness their beauty, seeing instead only stern and severe beings who will deliver them to torment; but in fact, Al'lah sent them for mercy.

### {28}

While he [who is dying] expects that it is the [moment of] parting \- This human has suspected all their life that the moment of death would eventually occur but never truly believed it until they reached the last moment of their life when the truth of death was undeniable. Yet even then they had a great hope of returning to life again. They do not want to die and lose their world and all that it contains only to go to the nothingness they believe awaits. But, Al'lah (Glory to Him) says, 'No'; that is, 'Even this human is not forgotten for I am their Provider and will never abandon them. They will never burden Me and I will never tire of curing them, so they must be treated.'

### {29}

And one leg is intertwined with the other. - At this moment, the human will understand the reality of what they have done in this world, how they wasted themselves and deprived themselves of eternal happiness. Then they will regret and grieve, but, like the Pharaoh who confessed and believed only while drowning, they will receive no benefit beyond the relief of confessing their failures. They will see what benefits Al'lah drove to them over their lifetime, and understand what they drove to themselves by their own free will. It will be clear to them that they have reciprocated favour and grace with ingratitude, denial and ungratefulness. Likewise, in the throes of death, those who perpetrated evil deeds in life will become agitated and fearful, not knowing what awaits them. People who experience this discomfort at the moment of death, will twist their legs together in distress, interlacing them and symbolising misery, waste and loss.

### {30}

To your Lord - Oh Mohammad (cpth), they will be driven to the Owner of Mercy, Affection, Generosity and Benefaction, upon death a human finally clearly perceives the status of God's Envoy (cpth); then they will grieve and regret that they did not follow the way of the Envoy and keep company with him. To your Lord is, on that Day, the driving. \- They will be transported to the Generous, the All-Merciful, the Tender and the Healer; so, why would you fear death if you are going to Al'lah, the Owner of Supreme Names?

The cause of their fear:

### {31}

He did not subscribe to the truth nor communicate with God [through prayer] - They listened to the truth, but did not heed it or believe it. For if they had believed, they would have prayed (communed with God) and thereby earned the perfection that would enrich and strengthen them enough to resist worldly temptations and shun forbidden things, avoiding all that is evil. However, they did not believe and instead they disregarded the Rules Al'lah provided for their escape and happiness. They never considered death, thus their spirits never became afraid; they were never motivated to resist the low world and turn to their Provider, striving to follow His Path. They did not meditate on the universe and how its symmetry and perfection indicated God's Greatness, Mercy and His Kindness towards them as well as all creation. They never considered that Al'lah had transformed them from a weak sperm drop into a perfect human. They did not hold themselves accountable for how they had behaved in this world; they never thought about death and what would come after.

### {32}

Rather, he denied [the truth] and turned away. - They ignored the truth issued by Al'lah on the tongue of His Envoy (cpth). If they had been interested, they would have obeyed the Laws, heeded the truth and never turned away from Al'lah; they would have kept company only with Al'lah and His Envoy. Al'lah has provided Laws so that humans can obey them and thus achieve happiness in this life and admittance to Paradise in the Hereafter. Conversely, those who shun God's Laws and instead contradict the truth and take companions other than Al'lah and His Envoy will never gain admittance to Paradise, having chosen instead to consort with the worldly creature who can offer nothing at all, neither in this world nor in the world to come.

### {33}

Then he rejoined his people, undisciplined. - Ignoring God's Laws he returned to his misguided companions (including relatives and friends) with relaxed spirit and they encouraged each other in their deviation and license. He gladly accompanied them, in spite of their ignorance and straying; for he has given his spirit over to shameless pleasure and indulgence and they are all drawn together in sinful and sexual misconduct.

### {34}

He put you in charge, and then He puts you in charge. - Oh Human who shuns your Provider, did God put you in charge in order that you put your own laws above His and leave yourself weak and exposed before worldly temptations? In their sublimity, loftiness, impeccability and perfection, the Envoys and Prophets (ptt) never followed any laws but those of their Provider. Why then would you presume to follow your own laws and elevate your opinion above all else, the same misguided opinion which caused your blindness in al-Azal (the pre-material world)? He put you in charge - In al-Azal, before coming to this world, you had the power to accept or refuse the covenant with your Provider. You chose to stay with Him in the light and swore never to turn away from Him (Glory to Him), accepting the lust not for pleasure's sake but that it might spur you to good deeds. However, when Al'lah put the lust within the spirit, you broke your promise to your Provider, instead shunning Him and becoming blind in that world. Your choice degraded your spirit. When you experienced lust you turned away from your Provider and all that He prepared for you of heavens and forgot your promise for the sake of fleeting pleasure, forsaking your part of the covenant. And then He puts you in charge. - But now the stage is in this world. Even after this spirit lost the light in the al-Azal world, Al'lah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created the lights of the universe for it and clothed it in a body which allowed it to experience sensations and mobility. Into this universe God also included Signs of Himself so that the spirit might be inspired to meditate on its Creator. He then sent Prophets and Envoys so that their guidance might lead it to return to its Provider, and inspire its heart's eye to open. But through it all, this shunner of God persisted in the same misguided opinion that had blinded them in al-Azal (the pre-material world). So succumbing again to the pleasures of lust and indulging in fleeting temptations, they became blind once again and ignored all that Al'lah had entrusted them with. Thus indulged and misguided, they frolicked on this earth until the moment of their death was upon them when they realised what they had squandered. But even at that hard moment, will Al'lah (Glory to Him) leave them? No.

### {35}

Thereafter [in the grave] He will apply His Care to you, - The word 'thereafter' is an adverb which indicates separation and a long time, and, as such, may refer to the grave. This erring human is dear to the Provider; so, He will never abandon them. Instead He created a cure for them; after death the angels will expose them to grave torture and attempt to treat their lamentable condition so that they might repent shunning God and emerge from their hellish state of shame and degradation to bask in happiness and light by God's Side. For there are those who will continue to shun God and never recover from it. Yet others will return, survive and escape the grave torture after enduring great terrors.

And then [again in the afterlife] He will apply His Care to you. \- Even in the Hereafter, they are some who arrogantly persist in refusing to submit to their Provider, refusing to give up their self-conceit till they are plunged in Fire. But even for these, Al'lah's Care never ceased for a moment, nor would it. The burning of the Fire and its horrific pain is a merciful distraction from the agony of shame and degradation they suffer within their spirits when they realise what they have done. Al'lah obliged them with Tenderness and Care in this life and also the Hereafter; but because they refused to be purified in the worldly life or the grave, only Fire could purge them. However, they will not be cured unless they seek refuge in God and turn towards their Provider. A spirit will never be purified except by God (Glory to Him).

### {36}

Does human think he is left without purpose \- Oh Human, do you think that Al'lah sent you to this world only so that you might enjoy yourself with no higher purpose? He did not create you without aim nor leave you without guidance; indeed He made this universe like a school where you might observe and study the signs and eventually obtain the wisdom to witness with your heart's eye that there is no god but Al'lah and that Mohammad is Al'lah's Envoy. Thus, Al'lah did not create this human on a whim, but rather for a high purpose: to emerge from blindness, give up self-conceit and avoid a horrible destination, instead attaining happiness and Paradise.

### {37}

Was he not once a mere drop of semen poured forth? - You Human, conveniently forget this important point, once you were an insignificant drop of sperm, one of millions. But who transformed you from this inconsequential droplet into a proper human? If only you remembered how you began, you would not be so arrogant towards your Provider, nor would you hold your own opinion so highly. Thus you must continually remind yourself of your origin and remember that all you have and are is nothing, everything comes only from Al'lah Who transformed you into a being and can guide you to Paradise if you request His Guidance and offer your obedience.

### {38}

Then he became a clot clinging [to the womb wall], and then He created and fashioned [life] in due proportion - Al'lah made you perfectly proportioned, arranging you in harmony, gifting you with intellect as a mature and complete human.

### {39}

And so He made of him the sexes, male and female. - From a drop of sperm, God creates male and female and perfectly proportioned organs for each. Originally, they were only spirits, lacking male and female traits.

### {40}

Is not He [Who creates life, equally] - Al'lah created the soil and then He created you from the soil, fashioning for you organs and systems, all that is needed for life. Also from that same soil, He created nourishment for you so you might grow and prosper upon the earth. Able to bring the dead back to life? - Having already created all this from the soil, it stands to reason that Al'lah could revive and reassemble the dead after they have rejoined the soil.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 76 (AL-INSAN SURAH)

HUMANE MAN

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} Was there not a period of time when human was nothing to speak of?{2} We have surely created human from a drop of mingled fluid to put him to the test; We have made him able to hear and see.{3} We have guided him to the right path, he shall willingly [choose to] be either grateful or ungrateful.

{4} For the disbelievers We have prepared chains, fetters and deserved Fire.{5} The righteous are surely drinking from a cup [in this life and the next] mixed with overwhelming delight. {6} A spring by which Al'lah's servants may drink [their fill], causing it to gush forth abundantly.{7} They fulfil the vow; and they fear a Day of widespread woes.{8} They willingly give food, for the love of Him, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, {9} [soliloquizing], 'We feed you only for the Sake of God; we seek neither recompense nor thanks from you.{10} We fear the Day of our Lord, a woefully grim and bitter Day.'{11} So Al'lah will save them from the woes of that Day, and give them radiance and gladness,{12} and He will reward them for their patience, a garden and freedom [from all duties],{13} reclining therein on couches [of their worldly good deeds], they will feel neither scorching heat nor biting cold,{14} with shade [trees] spread above them and the fruits [God's Gifts] hanging close at hand.{15} They [the angels] will pass round them with vessels of silver [denoting pure deeds] with cups of delight already settled inside them.{16} These pure silver-like [deeds] settled inside them because they determined perfectly them to be high and valuable,{17} and [because of their good acts] they will be given to drink of a cup flavoured with a sweet pleasant smell.{18} A spring therein called Salsabil [just ask to be given].{19} And there will attend them eternalised youths [children who died before reaching sixteen years of age]; if you see them, you will think them scattered pearls [these bright spirits].{20} And if you could [in life] see Paradise [with heart's eye] – and oh, what a sight! – you would see a bliss [which would make you forgo the carnal world] and a great dominion [will become yours forever]. {21} They ascend because they wear vivid green garments glimmering with lofty deeds, and they will be graced with pleasure because of their silver-like deeds; their Lord will give them a pure drink.{22} [It will be said,] 'This is your reward. Your endeavours are appreciated.'

{23} We Ourself have sent down the Qur'an on you [oh Mohammad], all at once [for you] and in gradual revelation [for humanity].{24} Await your Lord's Judgement with patience; and do not yield to any of these sinners and disbelievers,{25} and mention the Name of your Provider early and late;{26} and during night, prostrate [yourself] to Him, and glorify Him for a long night.

{27} These people love the fleeting life, and they put aside [thoughts of] a heavy Day.{28} Although We created them [with free will], yet We steer them; if We will, We can replace such people entirely.

{29} This is a reminder. Let whoever wills take the way to his Provider.{30} But you cannot really will [so] unless Al'lah wills, Al'lah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.{31} He admits whomever so wills [it] into His Mercy and has prepared a painful torment for the wrongdoers.

## Interpretation of Fortress 76

HUMANE MAN

(AL-INSAN SURAH)

### {1}

Was there not a period of time when human was nothing to speak of? - This period actually lasted from the time our master Adam (pth) walked the earth until the end of the world. Human was once a sperm drop and before that a spirit, and before that they did not exist. There was only the Presence of Al'lah. People were not anything at all. Just so, humans should consider their origins: What happened to ancient civilisations? How did they vanish? Where did they come from? Who helped them to flourish? And Who took them away? For to be human is to contemplate the origin of humanity.

### {2}

We have surely created human from a drop of mingled fluid - Every part of the vast universe contributed to your creation, oh Human. From the bounty of its fruits, to the rhythms of day and night, to the changing seasons, the air you breathe, the clouds you see... All of this is part of your Provider's Care for you. The father eats and thus his body forms sperm, the mother eats and nourishes the embryo until it develops into a human being. But does food mature into a human on its own? Can food develop muscles, systems and nerves? Does unattended food become sentient? If you contemplate this, you will inevitably realise that human development does not spontaneously occur, it is guided by an unseen Hand. And if you continue to meditate upon this Hand, you will understand that there is no god but Al'lah. To put him to the test \- If a human has good intentions, they will translate into good actions and it will be apparent, on that Day, who possessed goodness in this earthly life. For the human is created to be tried and tested in the material world, tempted by all its physical goods and fleshy desires; Al'lah (Glorified and Exalted is He) allows humanity the opportunity to do good works, and so gain admittance to Paradise. We have made him able to hear and see. \- Al'lah has given humanity the capability to hear and see the truth so that everyone might possess goodness; for God will surely bring this goodness into action. God made us able to hear so we might listen to the truth from God's Envoy (cpth). For every human being who has an innate goodness must be shown by Him (Glory to Him). If we listen to the Envoy and apply his words, we will eventually be able to see realities by God's Light. Thus this passage refers to the spirit itself hearing the truth, not the ears perceiving words. In the Qur'an, Al'lah addressed the wives of God's Envoy (cpth) admonishing them, 'If both of you repent to Al'lah, your hearts will have indeed listened.' [‎116] Therefore, to truly listen to the truth we must hear the realities with our spirits and our hearts, not with our superficial senses. Every human who reaches majority is capable of doing this; once of age we can hear, see and attain belief and piety (seeing by Al'lah's Light), and thus we will become both hearer and seer.

### {3}

We have guided him to the right path - Al'lah has led humanity to the right path, the path of truth. Humans know that we must die eventually and leave this world, indeed we have seen it is so. We have all witnessed this great universe with its signs of Al'lah's Existence. Humanity has watched aggressive people rise up, and we have also observed the consequences of their actions, and the evil they brought upon themselves. Al'lah has sent humanity a Book (the Qur'an) and an Envoy to lead us to belief and meditation; the choice then belongs to us. He shall willingly [choose to] be either grateful - Thus may a human choose to be grateful to Al'lah for all the Care, Organisation and good Guidance He has obliged them with; and in appreciation and gratitude they will turn towards their Provider and offer good deeds. Or ungrateful. \- A human may also choose to deny these graces. They may opt to ignore the truth and turn away from their Provider, but even then Al'lah does not leave them.

### {4}

For the disbelievers We have prepared - Out of Al'lah's Compassion and Tenderness, He (Glory to Him) does not abandon any human until they find their way back to the truth and experience the happiness it brings. Thus, Al'lah says, 'We do not leave them in vain, We have prepared for them': chains - The disbelievers will be subjected to a series of cures in the world, in the grave and in the Hereafter; just like a patient who does not respond to the initial treatment must undergo additional remedies. Yet all these treatments are given out of Al'lah's Compassion and Tenderness, so that this human might return to their Provider. No one is ever left or forgotten and thus is the erring human still dear to their Provider. He will not leave them in vain. Fetters - The evil actions they willingly conceive and commit will eventually confine them. These foul deeds will become fetters that hinder them from entering Paradise and turning to Al'lah. Thus will they harvest the consequences of their actions, the evil they have sown will bear fruit: if wickedness and misery were sown by their actions, then that is what they shall reap. However, if they changed their bad behaviour into good, they will harvest only goodness and happiness, for that is what Al'lah wishes for all His servants. Therefore He (Glory to Him) shows them the path and sends them warnings, and He will give them what they choose. If a human being falls prey to something unpleasant, let that person carefully examine their actions to discover the cause and then repent. For as soon as they repent, Al'lah will change their condition for the better, replacing poverty and illness with riches and good health, honour will supplant humiliation. And deserved Fire. \- The disbelievers will suffer Fire proportional to what their foul actions merit; they will receive exactly what they deserve.

### {5}

The righteous - To redeem a promise is to faithfully fulfil an accepted obligation. The righteous in this verse refers to the Envoys and Prophets (ptt). They covenanted with Al'lah and then fulfilled their pledge. They were never cut off from their Provider. Instead they stayed true to their word and never turned away from Him. Likewise, the pious believers sought the company of their Envoys in this worldly life, and with their (ptt) guidance redeemed and fulfilled their covenant with Al'lah. Basking in His Light, their insights were illuminated. Are surely drinking from a cup[‎117] in this life and the next] - This cup is representative of the righteous spirit and it is filled with their high good deeds just as their spirits are filled with the bounty and delight of Godly Manifestation. Mixed with \- This contents of this cup are mingled with affection and love towards God. Overwhelming delight. \- Whoever drinks from the cup will experience great delight and extreme pleasure which will shield and protect the drinker from all evil. The contents of the cup will fully occupy their spirits with love, affection and fondness towards God and He will bless them with previously unseen, unheard and unimagined wonderments. Also, when the pious believers drink of this cup Al'lah will cover their past and wash all that they did previously from their spirits. Moreover, they will not even remember these past actions which would cause them displeasure in their pious state and shame them before their Provider. They will even forget the bad people with whom they were familiar in the past. God said, 'It [the sign of belief] is Al'lah's Mark [His Perfection], and who has a better mark than Al'lah's?' [[‎118]

### {6}

A spring - This cup is an eternal and inexhaustible spring from which Godly Manifestations ceaselessly flow to the righteous as their high good deeds bring them ever closer to God and heavens. For because of this cup the righteous are permanently advancing from one degree of closeness to God to a higher one, from one Heaven to the one above it, forever and without end. Thus the blessing of this cup will never run dry, it will perpetually gush forth water and life. By which Al'lah's servants may drink [their fill] \- Those humans who obey Al'lah and serve Him in the world will be admitted to Paradise for these followers have never defied Him in anything. Causing it to gush forth abundantly. \- This spring, nourished by their virtuous feats, will burst from its source, again and again, flowing with abundant blessings and goodness. The more a human witnesses their own good works, the more they will regard the blessings and heavens that lie beyond it. In the company of this spring (God's Envoy), they will witness more than they could ever have imagined, experiencing endlessly increasing heavens and boons.

### {7}

They fulfil the vow - They pledged to Al'lah that if they came to the world, they would not turn away from Him. They promised to stay constantly in the glow of His Light, and they fulfilled their pledge. They were determined to disagree with Satan, and diligently prepared themselves to do so. Because of their vigilance these followers were never tempted by Satan nor the whims of their spirits. And they fear a Day of widespread woes. - On Judgement Day the consequences of their actions will be visited upon them, the sum total of all their worldly activities will come to them at that moment. The people whom this verse talks about never do any evil at all in this world because they recognise there is a price to pay for it, in this world and in the next. They realise that if they commit a bad act, it will be displayed to them and before all creation and this will make them diffident and take them far from their Provider Thus, they will ultimately experience failure and be deprived of heavens. This is why in this world these people always eagerly seek opportunities to do only what is good.

### {8}

They willingly give food, for the love of Him - Thus desirous to commit good acts, they will gladly give food to those in need, for they love spending, sacrifice, charity and performing righteous deeds as they seek to please Al'lah. They remember that they have come to the world to carry out charitable deeds, and they understand that doing good brings happiness and gladness, which will eventually return to them. To the poor - Those incapable of earning or providing for themselves, for whatever reason. The orphan - Those defenceless who exist without parents, protectors or patrons. And the captive - Those who are prisoners of war or lust must still be dealt with fairly and charitably, even if they adhere to another religion.

### {9}

[Soliloquizing], 'We feed you only for the Sake of God - 'We have no earthly goal, our only objective is to please Al'lah and witness His Supreme Names. Our deeds are not intended to solicit earthly gains or profit, they are only for charity and God's Sake.' 'We seek neither recompense nor thanks from you. - This is not something they literally say, rather it is a reflection of the state of their spirits. All their good actions are for God's Sake and they seek no additional rewards or praise.

### {10}

'We fear the Day of our Lord, a woefully grim - They know that if they have not helped their fellow man in this world by donating their time and money to do good works, a hard and distressing Day of Judgement will await them. For on that Day, the reckoning will weigh everything, even to a speck of dust. 'And bitter Day.' - The resulting tension and bitter regret born on this Day will eventually lead the shunners of truth to throw themselves into Fire.

### {11}

So Al'lah will save them from the woes of that Day - He (Glory to Him) will protect them from the horror of that Day by manifesting scenes of His Supreme Names to them. And give them radiance and gladness - Life and pleasure will flow into their spirits along with happiness and delight.

### {12}

And He will reward them for their patience - With great patience, they have steadfastly endured their fellow man as well as controlled the whims and caprices of their own spirits. What's more, they bore times of great distress and adversity with ample patience and so God will reward them for their tranquillity; a garden and freedom [from all duties] \- They will be enshrined in heavens and happiness, near to Al'lah and always witnessing His Magnificence and Light. Such is the state they will dwell in forever. Freedom [from all duties] - No spark of fire remains within them, for by turning to Al'lah, they have been purged of all their hellish symptoms. Thus, their spirits will flourish, growing free from disease and independent of the body's control. They will eventually attain total freedom and no longer be confined to time or place. They will cease to be tethered by the laws of duty and responsibility; rather they will have whatever they desire, and Al'lah will grant them abundance without measure and honour for they have triumphed.

### {13}

Reclining therein on couches [of their worldly good deeds] - Everyone draws strength from the good deeds and charitable actions they have performed in their worldly lives. They are supported by the delight, Paradise and closeness to God these actions have brought them; their charitable feats have instilled confidence and honour in their pure spirits. Therefore, they draw ever nearer to Al'lah and rise higher and higher in witnessing His Lofty Names. They will feel neither scorching heat nor biting cold - They will no longer perceive coldness for Paradise has neither hot nor cold. The world is ended and with it the Trust; all forbidden restrictions cease to exist.

### {14}

With shade [trees] spread above them - Al'lah's Manifestation and Life descend upon them and shelter them. And the fruits [God's Gifts] hanging close - All that Paradise contains is now offered to them. It is within their grasp. At hand. \- Then shall they take of what is offered, one after the other, for now everything is permissible.

### {15}

They [the angels] will pass round them - The angels will circulate round them, permanently reminding them of their high deeds. With vessels of silver [denoting pure deeds] - The pure and clean intentions they bore behind their deeds in the earthly life, those chaste acts which were motivated by nothing other than Al'lah's Consent, have been sincerely held (reordered) in their spirits. With cups of delight - The spirit will be fully focused on what delight, heavens and happiness these 'cups' of good deeds contain. Already settled inside them. - Although the deeds are already within their spirits, the angels serve only to remind the believers of them.

### {16}

These pure silver-like [deeds] settled inside them - These deeds are permanently fixed in their spirits and so their blessings are ever present and without end. Pure silver-like deeds - Pure, they will be rewarded for these good actions by becoming free from all that spoils their pleasure. No longer will they be affected by misery, disease or boredom, for all of these have been banished by their right deeds and clear, high intentions. Because they determined - Their elevated status from their righteous deeds and what they have attained of perfection by believing in Him has earned them still more perfection from Al'lah; their belief is amply rewarded. Hence, they derived a light which allows them to watch and truly understand what boons good deeds brings to them. Perfectly them to be high and valuable \- They have found charity to be superior to all other acts, and so their deeds were noble and worthy and never brought even a hint of disgrace upon them. They have committed good acts, spending and sacrificing things that were once dear to them and that they considered valuable for the benefit of others. Moreover, they have sacrificed many things of great value for the benefit of their spirits.

### {17}

And [because of their good acts] they will be given to drink of a cup - This cup contains all the sublime and honest deeds that they have ever performed. Flavoured with a sweet pleasant smell. \- Its flavour is accompanied by a delightful fragrance. The righteous will taste its flavour and smell its heavenly scent in the Hereafter where everything is witnessed and seen, for Al'lah has manifested Himself upon them by means of His Supreme Names.

### {18}

A spring therein called Salsabil [just ask to be given]. - As soon as you ask, you will receive your reward; all offerings are in just proportion to will. Al'lah will bless them with boundless abundance, they shall have whatever they desire. For example, if one of the Paradise people wished to meet a person – anyone from any degree of importance, even a Prophet or Envoy – they would soon see that person standing before them; all they need do is will it and God would soon fulfil their will with the word 'Be.' The same is true for food, if they wished for it, it would soon materialize in front of them, ready to eat. Likewise if a pious woman desired diamonds, Al'lah would soon turn all to diamond for her by way of this Mohammadan spring, for it is through His Envoy that Al'lah achieves all His Offerings for His pious obedient followers. This spring refers to the Mohammadan spirit.

### {19}

And there will attend them - They will be courteously looked after by eternalised youths [children who died before reaching sixteen years of age] - They will join the people of Paradise by virtue of their great and lofty status, reflected upon them by the Prophets and the pious people whom they obligingly wandered among. They will roam among the people of Paradise, at their service, bringing to them lights and delight and all that is pleasant. However, boys who died before majority age, the eternalised youths, will forever have the same degree, even if they were the son of a Prophet or an Envoy. If you see them, you will think them scattered pearls [these bright spirits]. \- Having never committed harmful deeds in the worldly life, the spirits of those who died young (before age sixteen) will be ever pure and clear and luminescent. For, Al'lah admired their risk when they accepted the Trust (freedom of choice), but He made them die before age sixteen because they had shunned God in the pre-material world, al-Azal, and thus were incapable of returning to Him and attaining Paradise once they reached adulthood. So God in His Mercy gave them death and in the Hereafter made them servants of the people of Paradise. Thus, when the people of Paradise regard the eternalised boys who attend them, they will see their exalted status reflected in the boys' great clarity and purity. In other words, the boys will be like mirrors that, when regarded, reflect the lofty spiritual states of the people of Paradise back to them. Scattered \- These youths will be like pearls that have been sprinkled over the people of Paradise.

### {20}

And if you could [in life] see Paradise [with heart's eye] - If a human believes in Al'lah and binds himself spiritually to God's Envoy (cpth), they will be able to witness (see with heart's eye) these things whilst still in the world, before reaching the Hereafter. – And oh, what a sight! – you would see a bliss [which would make you forgo the carnal world] \- Upon seeing these things with the heart's eye you will experience a delight within your spirit that inspires you to dispense with all worldly concerns – not only your existence but the world and all its temptations – for you will witness the lights and beauty in your spirit. The exclamation, 'and oh, what a sight!' translates the Arabic word tham'ma which is used when a man tastes something delicious, for example they will unconsciously utter tham'ma to express the great enjoyment, pleasure and happiness what they saw and tasted caused them to experience in their spirits. And so, those followers who believed in Al'lah and joined themselves to God's Envoy (cpth) received a light that allows them to see, they particularly enjoy looking at the eternalised boys, who reflect the beauty and illumination of the Prophets. And a great dominion [will become yours forever]. - These rewards will be yours forever, they will always be within your reach. Thus when Al'lah grants a spirit something, they will flow to it eagerly and embrace it from all sides. They will enjoy hearing it, seeing it, smelling and even witnessing its fragrance, for everything is witnessed by the people of Paradise. But whatever a human possesses of worldly goods will inhibit them, only allowing them to see the place in which they dwell.

### {21}

They ascend \- The people of Paradise are constantly advanced upward. They are progressively and perpetually promoted from one level of status, witnessing and heavens to the one above it, ever ascending to the next degree. Because they wear vivid green garments \- The colour green signifies the life which flows to them from Al'lah through His Manifestation and animates their spirits. Because of the good deeds they have performed, they will be rewarded with clothes of dignity, greatness, and mercy. Al'lah has attired them in accordance with what they performed of right actions and also elevated them to higher levels of happiness in this world. Glimmering with lofty deeds \- The lofty deeds which were entrusted to them animate their spirits and bestow life from Al'lah. Glimmering \- Seeing with heart's eye, their deeds shine and shimmer before them. And they will be graced with pleasure \- They have earned a special grace, a unique beauty and pleasure which will adorn their spirits. Thus the people of Paradise are constantly enveloped in pleasure and this makes them grow ever sweeter. Because of their silver-like deeds \- This state occurs because their spirits are pure, their activities blameless. Their Lord will give them a pure drink. \- Their Provider manifested Himself upon them, bestowing a life without troubles and vexation. By partaking of this beverage, their spirits have become pure. This beverage is the drink of the pious people who imbibe with the Envoys and Prophets (ptt). Whoever drinks it will be blessed with happiness and heavens, which will never leave them.

### {22}

[It will be said,], 'This is your reward. - 'This will be your reward for all the good and righteous deeds you have performed.' 'Your endeavours - 'The efforts you have put into your belief.' 'Are appreciated.' - 'All your good works will bring you heavens and blessings for you have worked hard at belief, which is the most important thing.' Belief is the foundation upon which all else is built. Those people who have considered and sacrificed everything that is dear and precious to them to attain belief in their Provider shall be rewarded. For their belief and prayer (communication with God) will open their sights, bringing enlightenment and the ability to witness, see realities with heart's eye. And so, they begin to perceive that their Provider is close to them. They have witnessed (seen with their heart's eye) that God is ever Present and Watchful and so they understand that everything issues from Him (Exalted and Glorified is He). Consequently they performed many pure high deeds.

### {23}

We Ourself have sent down the Qur'an on you oh Mohammad] all at once [for you] and in gradual revelation [for humanity]. \- Every believer receives the Qur'an in proportion to their status and nearness to Him. However, Al'lah sent the entire Qur'an down to His Envoy (cpth) in one night. God said, 'We have indeed revealed it [the Qur'an] on the Night of Valuation.' [[‎119] And said, 'We sent it the Qur'an] down on a blessed Night.' [[‎120] Thus, it was given to the noble companions (Al'lah is pleased with them) over a period of twenty-three years.

### {24}

Await your Lord's Judgement with patience; and do not yield to any of these sinners - Never silently observe or endure the acts of those criminals lacking in restraint and revelling in worldly vices. And disbelievers \- The same is true for non-believers who will only increase in disbelief and stray ever farther from the right path.

### {25}

And mention the Name of your Provider - Oh Mohammad, speak of His Tenderness, Mercy and Affection. Early - From al-Azal (the pre-material world). And late \- Until eternity; this is special to God's Envoy (cpth) because he is present for all creation, from the very beginning until eternity; God says, 'It was only as a mercy that We sent you Prophet] to all worlds.' [[‎121]

### {26}

And during night, prostrate [yourself] to Him \- Seek His Favour and pray for yourself and others. And glorify Him - Bask in His Favour for a long night. - 'From the day of your birth until the Day of Resurrection, you (cpth) must take the earnest seekers of truth out of worldly heart darkness and deliver them into My Light so that they may recognise and distinguish between good and evil, for you (cpth) are sent as mercy for all worlds and your spiritual purpose is everlasting.'

### {27}

These people love the fleeting life - Some love the transitory temptations of worldly lust. And they put aside [thoughts of] a heavy Day. - But because they have neglected to think of the Hereafter while in the world, on the Day of Resurrection, their reckoning will be severe.

### {28}

Although We created them [with free will], yet We steer them - 'Although We have given humanity the power of choice, their autonomy is allowed by Our Hand.' Al'lah (Glory to Him) alone is the Executive Director and all actions are permitted by Him. You are free to choose, but the skill to act, the ability to achieve your choice and the direction of your progress all come from Him; and so He will do what is most appropriate. If We will, We can replace such people entirely. - If We see fit, We shall end their lives and instead bring others who are humble before the believers, stern in their admonishment of the non-believers and never afraid of the blame of others, for such is the way of truth.

### {29}

This is a reminder. - Al'lah sent this revelation to His Envoy as both encouragement and warning to you, so that you might return to Al'lah and receive your heavens. If the believers hear this Godly Guidance and turn their spirits towards its reciter (cpth), enlightened by his illumination they will be guided to God's Light. Through the Prophet (the reciter), they will be reminded of their covenant with Al'lah, and witness (with heart's eye) al-Azal (the pre-material world), the Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter along with its heavens while still in this world. Let whoever wills[‎122] take the way to his Provider. \- Thus this revelation will serve as an admonishment to every human who listens, considers and follows the true path.

### {30}

But you cannot really will [so] unless Al'lah wills \- He is the only Doer (Exalted and Glorified is He); a human can't do anything unless He has given His Permission. Al'lah is All-Knowing - Al'lah is Omniscient, completely Aware of every human and their intention. All-Wise. - With perfect knowledge, He gives every human their due.

### {31}

He admits whomever so wills [it] into His Mercy - A human being possesses two wills: the will to seek and the will to act. In al-Azal (the pre-material world) humanity freely chose to accept the Trust (instead of refusing it) and our master Mohammad distinguished himself with his perfect sincerity, surpassing all others and acquiring great prestige as the highest-ranking, the leader of Envoys and Prophets (ptt). Thus he became the leading Prophet of them all.

The second will is the decision to act or not, He (Glory to Him) is Omniscient of human's first will and hence He is Wise in helping them (or not) achieve this will. But the action itself must occur in the worldly life. As a result of good actions, the Envoys are promoted along with Prophets, the honest, the martyrs, the believers and the true seekers. For if your will is sincere, God will pave the way of deeds and award you blessings as He is Omniscient of your objectives. Thus actions are judged by their intentions. If your will is not strong enough, you do not act from pure motives and with lofty goals, God will not pave the road of deeds for you. And has prepared a painful torment for the wrongdoers. - Those who do not follow the example of our master Abraham and pursue the way of belief as he did will never use his model to strengthen and build their link (prayer) with God. Thus they will have wronged themselves.

May Al'lah never make Fire a necessary consequence for us. Oh Provider, we have repented, we turn to You.

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# FORTRESS 77 (AL-MURSALAT SURAH)

RAIN SENT FORTH

In the Name of God, the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

{1} [Consider] those creatures sent forth [by Al'lah] to make you know [His Favour is upon you],{2} and the winds that blow with discipline.{3} And the clouds that serve good wisely.{4} They all work to separate qualities and kinds of things [on earth],{5} and they deliver a reminder to you,{6} [take it] as a proof or a warning;{7} surely, what you are promised will come to pass. {8} Then when the stars are dimmed,{9} and when the sky is released,{10} and when the mountains are blown away,{11} and the Envoys are given their appointed time.{12} For what Day has all this [the warnings of the Envoys] been postponed?{13} For the Day of Decision.{14} What [amount of feeling] will explain to you what the Day of Decision is?{15} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [in this life]!{16} Did We not destroy the first nations?{17} So We shall make the last follow them.{18} This is how We deal with the guilty.{19} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [when they will be destroyed on Doomsday]!

{20} Did We not create you from a despised fluid?{21} Then We housed it in a firm safe place{22} for a known period [of gestation].{23} So We did determine [it]; how excellently We decide!{24} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [will suffer loss]!{25} Did We not make the earth a sufficient home {26} for the living and the dead?{27} Did We not place firm, lofty mountains on it and provide you with safe sweet water?{28} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [regret]!

{29} [They will be told], 'Go towards that [Fire] which you used to deny!{30} Go to the shadow of three sections [of treatment].{31} No shade does it give, nor cure from the flame [ignited in their spirit].'{32} It [the spirit's Hell] shoots out sparks that surround them as [walls and trees surround] the palace, {33} and [they will rage] as [do] the panicking, frightened camels. {34} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [in life]! {35} On that Day they cannot speak,{36} and they will not be allowed to offer an apology.{37} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [are to be treated]!{38} [They will be told,] 'This is the Day of Decision; We have gathered you and earlier people [whom you wrongly followed].{39} If you have any plots against Me, try them now.'{40} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [have forfeited all]!{41} But those who saw by Al'lah's Light will enjoy shades and springs,{42} and any fruit they desire; {43} [they will be told], 'Eat and drink to your hearts' content as a reward for your [noble] deeds;{44} this is how We reward those who do good.'{45} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth[they shall be offered no portion of God's Offering]!

{46} Eat and enjoy yourselves for a short while [in this life], evildoers that you are.{47} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [for they have sunk in vain enjoyment!]{48} When they are told [while in the world], 'Consider; submit to God's Order,' they do not do so.{49} Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [they have disobeyed]!{50} In what revelation, after this, will they believe?

## Interpretation of Fortress 77

RAIN SENT FORTH

(AL-MURSALAT SURAH)

### {1}

[Consider] those creatures sent forth [by Al'lah] - Consider everything around you. For example, the sun and the moon symbolise everything in your life and surroundings, all that Al'lah (Glory to Him) has blessed you with: flora and fauna and other wondrous things. He gave all this to you by way of this universe, including the many beings in it who did not agree to bear the Trust. Al'lah made these uncommitted creatures subservient to you and, motivated by His Love, Affection and Mercy towards you, gave them different shapes, colours and sizes. He made all this so that you might consider the wonder of your universe and become convinced of Al'lah's Greatness, thus building a connection with your Creator and Provider. If you meditate on this, you wil¬¬l witness Al'lah's Mercy and Affection towards you, and you will love Him. To make you know [His Favour is upon you] - All the wonder and variety of creation show you His Favour is upon you, oh Human. All has been created so that you might witness His Grace and understand that you have a Provider Who cares for you and tends to your needs. He (Glory to Him) has created you and brought you to this world for a noble and sublime purpose – not so that you might occupy yourself with what He created and made subservient to you. All in this universe has only one function: to inspire you to acquaint yourself with Him, so that you might believe in Him and do good in this life, thus receiving happiness now and in the Hereafter, where you will be admitted to Paradise. Everything in this universe, every pebble and blade of grass, was created by Al'lah so that you might witness (with heart's eye) that there is no god but Al'lah. Oh Human, observe how much your God cares for you; He has sent Envoys to lead you to Him, He has descended His Book and given laws and orders for your way of life. He has even employed angels to inspire you to believe in Him. They always whisper to you, 'Oh servant of Al'lah, return to Al'lah, meditate on what is around you, seek your own happiness. Oh spirit, listen to the Words of Al'lah, and accept the guidance of this universe, for it leads only to Al'lah.' Thus if you follow the Godly Law and consider all that is around you, the harmony of the universe will convince you that there is no god except Al'lah; and then, you will witness (with heart's eye) the fact that Mohammad is the Envoy of Al'lah. It is by this path of contemplation that many before you, from our great master Abraham (pth), to cavemen to the noble companions, have arrived at belief, and so they came to not only love their Provider but adore Him.

### {2}

And the winds that blow with discipline. - The wind has many functions and faithfully performs them all. The systems and laws that govern the universe require it to blow water vapour away, carrying it up to the sky. Then there is a wind that comes and causes the droplets to form clouds and yet another wind moves the clouds through the sky. There are also cold winds and hot winds, gusts and breezes. And each breeze that gently blows and every wind that blusters has a specific function, all of which serve you and work for your sake, oh Human.

### {3}

And the clouds that serve good - Out of God's Favour, the clouds spread and distribute blessings over all creation, carrying the life- and health-giving water of Al'lah which they allot among you. For God said, 'And in the heaven there awaits your provision, and what you are promised.' [‎123]

Wisely. - Wisdom dictates the share and portion that each one shall deservedly receive. However, some become rich while others grow poor. Yet nothing is random chance for Al'lah (Glory to Him) is All-Wise and His Acts always with wisdom.

### {4}

They all work to separate qualities and kinds of things [on earth] \- Al'lah has not only populated the earth with many varieties of species and varied the genders, but He also created a diverse wealth of colour, shape, smell and taste, so that all types differ from the other. Hence all the distinct creatures and plants offer humanity a variety of benefits.

### {5}

And they deliver a reminder to you \- Oh Human Beings, if you consider all these wondrous and various creatures you will be reminded of the Great Creator. For this is the reason Al'lah (Exalted and Glorified is He) has created them, to remind you always that you too have a Creator and a Provider Who provides for and nurtures you. If you remember this you will turn towards Him and do good deeds, so you might obtain happiness. And so, He created the wonders of this universe to do more for you than slake your thirst and fill your belly.

### {6}

[Take it] as a proof - Unfruitfully. Or a warning - Fruitfully.

As a proof - If Al'lah's Reminder to us is ignored, it bears no fruitful results. Consider for instance, a father who excellently cares for his son. He educates him at the best schools and universities, and makes sure the boy has every advantage in life. Meanwhile the son, instead of making the most of his opportunities by studying and preparing himself for his adult life, has been negligent and lazy. He doesn't go to class or study; he ignores his teachers and neglects his homework. Worse still, he fritters away his time at increasingly depraved amusements. The boy's behaviour can only result in failure. But then will the son blame his father or himself? Just so, the Provider of worlds tells those who did not appreciate their universe and contemplate its wonders that they have only themselves to blame for not achieving fruitful results. He addresses them thusly, 'Oh My servants, I have created this great universe for you and provided all that you need for your guidance; I have sent you Prophets and Envoys and filled nature with harmonious wonders. And yet, you have not turned towards Me, nor have you achieved fruitful consequences.' As a proof - If you do not allow the agreeable universe to lead you to Al'lah, then all its wonders will testify against you. They will be proof against you, for God said, 'Say Prophet], "The conclusive argument belongs to God alone." ' [[‎124]

For the universe is as a proof of God's Presence. Specifically the flawlessness of the universe will be perfect evidence against the human who refused to contemplate it. Or a warning \- But if a spirit considers the universe and fears for its destination after death, this will lead them to remembrance and return to Al'lah, their results will be fruitful for they will prosper and perform charitable deeds and the warning will serve them well. Fearing for their destination and heeding the omens, they will judge themselves before Judgement Day and thus these humans will never be frightened in the Hereafter. God said, 'He is only a warner to you in face of severe torment.' [‎125] Those people who listened to God's Envoy or His other Guides and heeded their words feared for their destination and so strove for deliverance. So motivated, they pondered death and, fearing it, adhered strictly to the path of straightness and obedience to God as they moved ever closer to Him. Then, meditating upon the universe they were able to witness (with heart's eye) that there is no god except Al'lah. These humans listened to the warning and responded fruitfully, changing their ways in the carnal world so they might be admitted to heavens.

### {7}

Surely, what you are promised will come to pass. - If by thinking about these things you are guided to the Creator, then you will realise that His Promise is unquestionably true and absolutely certain, for serious contemplation of all the wonders of the universe must inevitably lead you to Al'lah (Glory to Him) and as you approach Him, you will be able to see with your heart's eye, illuminated and enabled by His Light along with His Envoy's (cpth). Thus looking with your heart's eye, you will clearly see that reckoning and responsibility are to come. For why did He create the universe with its wonderfully interconnected discipline? What is His Purpose? And further, why did He create humanity? For what goal is humanity commanded to achieve? The only answer is that there must be reckoning and responsibility, else our time in this world is pointless. So if you contemplate death and its grave questions, then your spirit will grow fearful of what is to come and you will be spurred to reach out to the Provider. Hence, if you first believe in the Hereafter, He (Glory to Him) will lead you by His Light and His Envoy's (cpth) to witness the realities of this world.

### {8}

Then when the stars are dimmed - On the Day of Resurrection, the light of the stars will be extinguished. At the moment of death, these lights will be lost to you, oh Human.

### {9}

And when the sky is released - On that Day the sky you now see will disappear, for this great sky is only a feeble spirit. Al'lah has clothed it in vastness and greatness, and fashioned this task for it. Yet as with all beings, it likes freedom and dislikes confinement. On the Day of Resurrection, the sky's function will be fulfilled, and it will be released from its celestial garment, free to go where it will enjoy bliss.

### {10}

And when the mountains are blown away - Ultimately the mountains will be blown away and no trace of them will remain, nor will they ever return. When this worldly life ends, they will have completed their task and there will be no further need for them. In fact, the worldly life where we now dwell is a place for working and doing, when it ends, there will be no return to it nor further test for us. For even if the non-believer returns, they will revert to their disbelief and dissension. God said, 'But if they were returned to the world], they would certainly revert to that which they had been forbidden. For indeed they are liars.' [[‎126] They have lied to themselves, denying that which is before them and refusing to achieve a sought-for belief through contemplating their Provider's cosmic Signs. And so, even after the test, there is no hope humans like this will ever change. Even if their Provider makes another universe and sends them back again, they will not benefit from it. As long as the malicious seed blackens their spirits, nothing can save them. Thus it matters not if the mountains remain; so they will be pulverised and gone forever.

### {11}

And the Envoys are given their appointed time. - The tasks which the Envoys perform by their bodies last for only a finite period of time, until the bodies of the Envoys disappear from the earth. The Envoys have used their Godly Light to reveal to you that the hour of Reckoning is already fixed. Through this Light, they disclose to you, Human, everything and nothing will remain concealed from you. By their light, you can see the Day of Resurrection – witnessing all of its goings-on, everything. Just as did the magicians who prostrated themselves to God's Envoy, Moses (pth) and therefore could witness the Hereafter and all it contains by his light.

### {12}

For what Day has all this the warnings of the Envoys] been postponed? - Every Envoy was on earth during a specific period of time, as God said, 'But Al'lah knows best where to place His Message.' [[‎127] Every era has its own Prophet or Envoy, and they must continue to perform their functions ceaselessly until the Day of Resurrection. For their tasks continue to be meaningful and necessary to all creation, all those who seek Al'lah's Face.

### {13}

For the Day of Decision. \- The spiritual function of the Envoys and Prophets is progressive and lasts till the Day of Resurrection, the decisive judgement. 'To pass judgement on a case' signifies that the trial is over, the sentence has been issued and everything is certain, and so it is with the Day of Resurrection.

### {14}

What [amount of feeling] will explain to you what the Day of Decision is? \- How weighty will that Day be for you, Human! Have you taken any steps to prepare for that Day? Do you follow the path of truth, striving to witness that Day by the lamp of the Envoy? The magicians who prostrated themselves to our master Moses (pth) became illuminated by his shining light, and thus they could witness the Hereafter and speak about the conditions of Paradise people and Fire people.

### {15}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [in this life]! \- Those who did not believe in this life will forfeit immense blessings and untold happiness in the next. Instead misery and destruction beyond description will befall them.

### {16}

Did We not destroy the first nations? - What about those peoples who preceded us on the earth? Do you ever consider the great and powerful nations who ruled and dominated at one time or another in history? Yet where are they now? What became of their empires, those people of 'Ad, Thamud and Pharaoh? Did they not leave this world with nothing and never return? And won't the same happen to you? What awaits you in the grave? In the Hereafter? It certainly bears contemplation.

### {17}

So We shall make the last follow them. - Tyrants of history rose in power and then vanished, for all who perish leave this world with nothing.

### {18}

This is how We deal with the guilty. - A criminal is someone whose good has vanished; they do not think at all – much less contemplate God's Signs – and they are ruled by wickedness. Destruction awaits them in this world, indeed it is in store for all those who commit crimes against themselves or others, tyrannizing their fellow man. For them awaits only destruction, it is as law.

### {19}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [when they will be destroyed on Doomsday]! - At the moment of destruction and also in the Hereafter, great anguish and misery awaits some humans, those who deny the truth. Thus Al'lah is warning us of what we will bring onto ourselves so that we might change our ways now and embrace the truth before it is too late. He (Glory to Him) has guided us to consider our origins, from whence we came. This meditation will lead us to observe Al'lah's Sympathy, Mercy and Tenderness towards all mankind. In addition, we will realise that we were brought to life from nothing and so inspired, discard our arrogance towards our Creator and instead love Him and turn to Him, obtaining blessings and happiness. God has warned us not only about the consequences of denial, but also that any malignant action will bring evil and ill will back upon its doer, deservedly so. He has guided us to the path of change, the way to behave and repent so that we may acquire perfection by accepting the truth and turning to Him for He is the Source of all good and the Essence of all perfection.

### {20}

Did We not create you from a despised fluid? - Oh Human, consider your origins; once you were a drop of discarded and despised fluid, ejected and forgotten. Meditate on how you transformed from one of millions of spermatozoa, swimming in expelled fluid into a perfect human. From a microscopic drop of that contemptible fluid, Al'lah (Glory to Him) created you, He made your systems, organs, blood, veins, and bones – don't you think about that? How can you not contemplate His Favour upon you? Without the perfectly designed physique Al'lah has fashioned for you, you could not do anything. Think about this and you will be guided to realise that you have a benevolent Creator, a Director Who is the only Provider for His creation, and so knowing, you will turn to Him so that perfection, mercy and tenderness can be instilled in your spirit. As a result, you will carry out charitable deeds and obtain Paradise.

### {21}

Then We housed it in a firm safe place - The fertilized egg is nestled snugly in the appropriate place, the mother's womb, which includes everything necessary to nurture an embryo into a human baby. And who made the mother's womb such a safe and perfectly supplied place for you to develop into a flawless human? Do not forget the Favour, Mercy, and Care that Al'lah has bestowed on you from the moment of your conception and continues to shower on you even after you have attained full maturity.

### {22}

For a known period [of gestation]. - This refers to the length of human pregnancy, usually nine months but at least seven.

### {23}

So We did determine [it]; how excellently We decide! - During this gestation period, We obliged the embryo with Our Graces of creation, hearing, sight, and a heart.

### {24}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [will suffer loss]! - Those humans who did not contemplate the perfection of human development will suffer losses swift and sure when Resurrection Day is at hand.

### {25}

Did We not make the earth a sufficient home - The earth contains adequate resources to sustain human life. It is stocked with enough fresh water and nourishment to support all the needs of all the people Al'lah has and will create. So why then is there hoarding and greed when Al'lah is Guarantor of your sustenance? Oh Human, there is food and drink and everything you need.

Thus, this verse directly refutes the theory of Malthus who wrote that if wars did not occur in the world, in the year 2000 the earth's resources would not be sufficient to nourish us all and, with the food supplies exhausted, great famines would come to pass.

### {26}

For the living - Those who turn to Al'lah have their spirits revived in nearness to Him. These are the ones who contemplated God's Favour, sacrificed and spent every earthly thing dear to their spirits and then committed virtuous acts for God's Sake. And so, they are in communication with Al'lah; to these Al'lah gives everything and denies nothing; they will be blessed with boundless happiness here and in the Hereafter.

In addition, these believers reap the harvest of the earth, the bounty bestowed by its Provider. For everything has both a specific form and a reality. Consider the rose, its form is certainly pretty, but its reality is prettier still because of what Al'lah provides it with of His Supreme Names. The believers perceive what is beyond the form, they see His Provision (Glorified is He) for it, and so they turn to Him. Thus, He manifested Himself to them. After that, they will take what Al'lah offered to them through His Envoy. Hence, for the believers the worldly life contains vast and great sublimity.

And the dead? - The earth is sufficient for those who shun their Provider. Instead of observing and contemplating His Favour, Tenderness, and Mercy, they pursued the pleasures of the carnal world. These people have the power of choice, and so Al'lah gives them what they have chosen. However, every ambition their worldly lust craves – such as money, fame, women, children, food and drink – Al'lah gives to them on earth; but by their choice and actions they will incur a great loss on that Day.

### {27}

Did We not place firm, lofty mountains on it - Mountains stabilise the earth and anchor it. If Al'lah had not created the mountains, then the earth's crust would eventually be stripped away. These mountains stake the earth as it rotates on its axis and allow it to orbit without going off course. Lofty - Towering above civilisation and seeming to touch the sky, these massive and noble mountains derive their greatness from Al'lah. Thus everyone who, seeking belief, considers and contemplates them will see the Greatness of Al'lah through them.

As well as fastening the earth's form, keeping it in its proper place, these mountains also strengthen the earth in reality. For this earth is but another spirit that Al'lah has dressed in a particular garment, to serve a specific function in the service of humanity. Namely that its contemplation would inspire for belief in their Provider. But when the earth's spirit sees the corruption, immorality, criminality and disobedience to God that is occurring on its surface, it sometimes becomes so disgusted that it will no longer be able to bear this corruption and seek to abandon its function, but the mountains are ever ready to strengthen it in its resolve and service. And provide you - Consider this Favour. With safe sweet water? - This water is safe and clean and endlessly flows down from the high reservoirs of the mountains so that you might drink. At the source it is clean, pure, and void of germs, for Al'lah (Glory to Him) purifies it for you, out of His Love and Sympathy towards you.

### {28}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [regret]! - On the Day of Resurrection, those who have not believed in God nor followed the true path will learn how much loss they have incurred. Woe unto them who have belied the truth for they will be overcome with misery, regret and remorse when they comprehend what they have lost of Favour and Offering that Al'lah has prepared for them and that they foolishly wasted by denying the truth.

### {29}

They will be told], 'Go towards that [Fire] which you used to deny! - Just as someone who complains of pains and ailments is sent to hospital, these deniers of the reckoning will be sent to the Fire, even as they deny its existence. On that Day, aches and pains will befall the deniers and they will seek treatment in Fire, it shall be their hospital. Thus, it is said to them, 'Hurry to Fire,' as in the Prophet's saying, 'On Doomsday, shame will befall man to the extent that he says, "Oh my Provider, sending me to Fire would be easier to tolerate than what I am suffering." Although he knows the great torture that will result.' [[‎128]

### {30}

'Go to the shadow of three sections [of treatment]. - The three categories of those who merit treatment are the hypocrite, the non-believer and the lewd wrongdoer, and each one has a specific place where they will be treated. However, Al'lah does not leave them; in fact, it is His Compassion that necessitates their treatment.

### {31}

'No shade does it give - There is no shade to shelter them from their pain; Fire is their last and only resort. Although the Godly Manifestation shades and shelters the believers, the non-believers, the hypocrites and the lewd wrongdoers cannot seek the Shade of their Provider; they are held back by their misdeeds and shame. For they did not know Him in the world – nor even believe in Him. Thus in the Hereafter, Fire is the only shade available to them, yet it will never offer them shelter nor happiness. But, happiness does await those who seek the shading of their Provider. Fire will only temporarily alleviate their anguish, it will never heal; the spirit can only be healed by the Provider. 'Nor cure from the flame [ignited in their spirit].' - Nothing wards off the torture of the non-believers, search as they might. Even Fire does not heal the fierce flame inside their spirits, the burning only offers relief because they forget their other sufferings. Recovery is effected by God alone, Fire can never heal. When you turn towards Him, the Godly Manifestation will purge the evil from your spirit. Al'lah is the All-Healer and thus no one heals except Him. Thus without belief in God there can be no escape from torment.

### {32}

It [the spirit's Hell] - The spirit inside which Hell fiercely blazes shoots out \- The fire of Hell boiling in the spirit of the shunner of God is stoked by the flame of forbidden appetites and the fuel of shame, disgrace, remorse and regret for what they have forfeited of the high prestige, heavens and happiness that Al'lah had prepared for them. Sparks \- Al'lah (Exalted and Glorified is He) aids our understanding by likening the case of this shunner of God, suffering the agitated fire of Hell blazing inside their spirit, to a crackling fire that, due to its intensity and strength, throws off flying sparks. The dreadful and deplorable condition of the non-believer forces them to seek the burning Fire of Al'lah and hurl themselves into it so they might forget what befalls them of Hell. That surround them as [walls and trees surround] the palace \- The fire of Hell encircles them and confines them to their hellish state and contemplation of their previous misdeeds. Those who came to the world and shunned God never considered His Signs nor did they follow the path of truth or listen to the guidance of the Envoy (cpth), thus they never led themselves to Al'lah. Worse still, they never performed the good deeds that result from belief in God; thus in the Hereafter, they will be trapped in this hard hellish state and it will surround and isolate them, exactly as a walls and trees encircle a castle.

### {33}

And [they will rage] as [do] the panicking, frightened camels. - Their condition is similar to the case of furious camels panicked by disease, fear and fright. Likewise, the spirit of this shunner of God will be furiously agitated by the agonies, remorse and Hell contained within and they will flail and lash out, nervous and excited by fear.

### {34}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [in life]! - Those who followed their own whims and caprices and fatally denied the truth and contradicted the Envoys will find their behaviour and freedom of choice come with consequences on the Day of Resurrection.

### {35}

On that Day they cannot speak - They will be rendered mute as they witness their deeds presented before them. Overcome, they will be unable to utter even a single syllable.

### {36}

And they will not be allowed to offer an apology. - At this point an apology serves no purpose, for those who apologize signal a willingness and ability to change; but after this change they must have time to return to God. But since those deniers did not change their ways during their lifetime, an apology would be of no use.

### {37}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [are to be treated]! - For the deniers, there must be a treatment.

### {38}

[They will be told,] 'This is the Day of Decision; We have gathered you and earlier people [whom you wrongly followed]. - Those people whom you followed and heeded instead of listening to the Envoy (cpth) and the Words of God will be with you on that Day and suffer your fate. The same will be true for modern civilisations that are built upon the foundation of ancient civilisations and the theories of their scientists, such as Thales, Archimedes and Pythagoras. (Electricity was in streetlamps before Edison, but he brought it into houses.)

### {39}

'If you have any plots against Me, try them now.' - So what good do your inventions and worldly schemes do you on that Day? In fact, you have squandered your eternal happiness for the sake of the carnal world and the fleeting pleasures it contains. But you were not created for that, rather you were intended to be sublime and uplifted.

### {40}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [have forfeited all]! - The word 'woe' is derived from two Arabic words: wai expresses exclamation, and the word wal'la means 'to flee.' That is to say, how much good have these non-believers squandered and let slip away! For on that Day everything is lost to them: the carnal world and its pleasures are forfeit as is the delight Al'lah prepared for them in the Hereafter.

### {41}

But those who saw by Al'lah's Light will enjoy shades - Only the Godly Manifestations offer increasing and continuous shelter. And springs \- Springs of blessings and Supreme Godly Names wash over them.

### {42}

And any fruit they desire - Great pleasures.

### {43}

[They will be told], 'Eat and drink to your hearts' content as a reward for your [noble] deeds - As a reward for what you have accomplished of high good deeds, you shall have all that you desire.

### {44}

'This is how We reward those who do good.' - This is a law: Al'lah offers this recompense to every charitable do-gooder.

### {45}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [they shall be offered no portion of God's Offering]! \- The non-believers not only forfeited this generous offering, but lost their happiness and heavens.

### {46}

Eat and enjoy yourselves for a short while [in this life] - Eat, drink and be merry in this fleeting world for no joy awaits you. Evildoers that you are. - There is no good in you.

### {47}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth[for they have sunk in vain enjoyment]! - Woe unto them, they did not accept the truth and instead distracted themselves with material pleasures and indulgences until all good had gone from them.

### {48}

When they are told [while in the world], 'Consider; submit to God's Order,' they do not do so. - They heard the message of the Envoy and the other people of guidance when they said to them, 'Submit yourselves to God's Edict, contemplate this universe to glorify your Provider and grow in communication with Him, achieving prayer.' But, the words fell on deaf ears and the guidance was never followed.

### {49}

Woe, on that Day, to those who denied the truth [they have disobeyed]! - They did not listen to the words of the truth and their disobedience cost them untold blessings!

### {50}

In what revelation, after this, will they believe? - After reading this true and lofty revelation with its guidance to Al'lah, what will they believe in when they walk away?

Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds.

# A Glimpse and a Definition

You may wonder, as do I, and as do people everywhere: how could this great scholar have gained access to such truth, when all of the earlier scholars and the great guides and imams failed to do the like? I would reply to you: a person has nothing except what they strive for.

Indeed, people are differentiated through their actions. This is true even for the Envoys and noble Prophets... and there will be a different level for everyone according to what they do.

Our own great scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho was given knowledge by Al'lah, and he was distinguished by his high deeds and his great and humane sacrifices. Al'lah did not grant him anything unless it was in accordance with what he deserved. God says, 'And We sent down it deservedly, and with righteousness it came down.' [‎129]

## A Glimpse into the Life of the Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

### His Honourable Birth

A splendid full moon appeared over Damascus on a blessed night in 1890 when a baby son was born to a Damascene merchant and his wife... surely a portent of good news! The father loved his son very much because of his admirable and bright companionship, and because, for him, he resembled the full moon in all its heavenly beauty.

All during his young years, the son was an active, clever, and lively child; and his constant cheerfulness and joy radiated out to all those around him, creating a great sense of well-being in them too. Day by day he grew bigger and stronger, and showed an ever increasing level of intelligence and strength of personality, which led his devoted parents to become ever more deeply attached to him. They adored the child and cared for him with great love, affection and understanding. Sadly, however, his loving father died at a young age after suffering an exhausting and painful illness.

The entire family was greatly affected by the death of their husband and father, for he left behind a widow and two sons to grieve his passing. He was also sorely missed by his friends and colleagues for he was a good and honest man. The child, Mohammad Amin was not yet seven years of age when he took on the responsibility of protecting his mother and defending her against the difficulties which surrounded his family after the death of his father, and the departure of his brother Saleem to Turkey.

Even as the only child Mohammad Amin was distinguished for his serenity when faced with the many problems of life. Patiently he bore difficulties that powerful men might never have been able to deal with, because he was a member of a small, respectable family that had faced much adversity.

### A Distinguished Young Man and a Glimpse at His Deeds

Because of his honourable lineage that is linked directly to the great Envoy[The word 'Envoy' also means 'Messenger.' ] (cpth) he had direct access to the hierarchy of the ruling Turkish state of the time, which entitled his family to reside in Sarouja Quarter, known as 'Little Istanbul,' a residential quarter reserved then for Turkish statesmen. This connection also enabled him to study at Amber, the Royal Ottoman Faculty for police officers in Damascus.

Mohammad Amin completed his studies when he was eighteen years old and graduated with the rank of police officer. He was far superior to his colleagues insomuch as he displayed extreme courage, trust and integrity; also his perseverance and dedication to hard work led to distinction. Succesively, he became the commanding officer of many of the police stations in various districts of Damascus, thus eliminating the criminal and political chaos rampant in the city at that time. Thereafter he was appointed as the chief of police in a succession of small towns away from the capital city, where, yet again he established law and order in his unfailing way. In recognition of his professional ability and success he was eventually appointed to the position of director of the citadel of Damascus where the central prison was located. He was a great example to all, for no sooner had he taken up each new position than peace and safety prevailed throughout the entire area under his administration.

By day and by night he was constantly alert and prepared to protect and defend his country.

Whenever the state was confronted by any lawlessness or atrocity, his assistance would be requested. When all manner of evil such as killing, corruption and criminality spread across a region, he was their hope, their saviour, the man they could always rely on to resolve a dangerous situation and liberate people from oppression.

When decay began to nibble at the body of the Turkish state, and the light of Islam was dimmed, corruption and chaos prevailed all over the country to the extent that the level of crime became overwhelming; life became difficult, the daytime was fraught with danger, and the darkness of the night covered many horrific crimes; except in Damascus! Damascus, its suburbs and surrounding countryside, was a haven of calm and safety under the ever watchful eye of the eminent officer Mohammad Amin, whose life was dedicated to peace.

In his work he dauntlessly faced numerous criminals, showing superior courage and audacity, besieging many guerrillas and arresting their leaders. All of the tasks he undertook in the line of duty culminated in success and further support and he was given the nickname Aslan, meaning 'the Lion,' for his fearlessness in facing adversity. With the Help of God, he was the only officer possessing the courage to confront injustice and terrorism. Fearing his bravery, criminals would surrender to him, and beg for his mercy and compassion.

He rose through the ranks and was moved from one police station to another until eventually he was appointed director of the citadel of Damascus, which contained the city's warehouses and prisons. He held this position for many years during which he achieved great distinction and demonstrated a level of bravery, the like of which Damascus had never seen before. He took audacious measures when, during the First World War, he freed thousands of soldiers facing the death sentence because of their flight from fighting in this war and put them in the army front lines to defend the country against the invading enemy. This singular decision was the reason that all gallows throughout the country could be demolished. These gallows had originally been constructed on the orders of Djemal Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Syria, known as 'the Butcher' for his brutal acts. They were placed prominently in marketplaces and neighbourhoods across the country and were used, rightly or wrongly, to snuff out the lives of hundreds of young men every day. For that reason he was frequently exposed to the threat of death. Thus, by His Greatness, His Mercy, and His Assistance, Al'lah saved Mohammad Amin by enabling him to have this innovative idea.

During the French mandate of Syria 1920-1946, as he was a trusted civil security officer, he was returned to his former position as the director of a district or the chief of a police station, until the great Syrian revolution took place. At this time, due to his love for God and his noble wish to serve his country, he became the incomparable driving force of the revolutionaries and the life blood of the revolution. In recognition of his sincerity and commitment to their cause the revolutionaries put the seal ring into his trustworthy hands. He unnerved the French forces with the astounding tactics that he employed to turn retreat into victory. The French forces were further infuriated when he showed his sympathy to the revolutionaries and arranged, to the benefit of the revolutionaries, the greatest arms transfer between France and Greater Syria.

At that time the French had appointed him to the prestigious position of director of Anjar Castle (in Lebanon) where they had stored a great amount of arms. One dark night, Officer Sheiko handed over these arms to the revolutionaries. General Catroux, the governor of Syria at that time, was totally enraged and ordered that Mohammad Amin be executed, but the Almighty God saved him and his adjutant through His Complete Words, and the French came to trust and respect him again despite their original error of judgement.

### Guidance and Invitation to Al'lah

When Mohammad was forty years old, God revealed to him vast knowledge of all things, that is, His Omniscience.

He began to envision and to hear the Prophet's (cpth) recitation of al-Fatiha (the Opening) Fortress[‎130] while he was praying to God. After that he started to guide his disciples, undertaking this great task with unparalleled strength and great worthiness.

He used to be called 'Amin Bey' for 'Bey' is a Turkish word meaning 'the pure'. His salon attracted the flower of the youth of Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, who came asking to bathe in his Mohammadan well of wisdom. Here they found a rich, dignified and generous spiritual sanctuary.

'It is sufficient that your noble deeds are mentioned,

For us to know that you are the shining example to all of us.'

### A Glimpse of Mohammad Amin's Invitation to Al'lah - His Revelation

Mohammad Amin's blessed gatherings were distinguished by his captivating and unique revelations which he explained perfectly with plain and realistic meanings. His words flew like an arrow that always hit the target and fell peacefully on the hearts of the listeners, and was like a light that charmed them into allowing their spirits to soar higher and higher.

He drove away darkness, ripped apart all contradiction, and finally obliterated the schools of intrigue and empty debate which created a mental chasm between the people and their God. He made them aware of the Reality of God, and the consummation of His Qualities: a Merciful God, Compassionate, Wise, Fair, Conferrer of benefit, Giver, and that He deserved to be worshipped for Himself for He is the Owner of Beauty and Consummation. He should be praised even if a man suffers something harmful because this harm results in a cure and assistance from God. Al'lah has no need of any part of creation nor of man's allegiance and obedience, because He is Rich and we are poor; our obedience to Him is solely for our own good and benefit. We need to enter His Presence through prayer and good deeds in order to enter the shining stronghold of faith, and to be protected from misfortune and adversity.

The history of Mohammad Amin's acclaimed life is full of meaning and is a perfect structure for the wonderful revelation that he brought: a revelation which contained facts at which heads bowed in great respect. The reality of his life was like a light: his own behaviour was proof and his true practical application of God's Word was a guide. His revelation was without equal in world civilisations and the positive laws of contemporary life.

Why are we created?

What is this universe for?

What is the use of religious rituals?

What is the reason for fasting, followed by eating in Ramadan?

What does prayer achieve? And what are its benefits?

Why go on pilgrimage to a dry and barren desert?

Why were we brought into existence?

Where were we before coming to this earth?

What is death for? And what really comes after it?

What is the spirit?

What is the soul?

What is the mind?

What is Paradise?

What is Hell?

What about the question of fate?

What is the pre-material world (the world of spirits)?

People have not allowed themselves to ask these questions because they were taken up with the temptations and deceptions of this human world, and they forgot to search in the files of existence to discover the secrets it holds.

In one of his meetings with other Western scientists, the famous English scientist, Sir John Bennett, a contemporary of Mohammad Amin, said, 'Indeed, all the scientific knowledge that we have obtained do not equal the sea of scientific understanding of that great scholar in the Orient.'

His invitation to follow God's Path is based on a course of action that never fails, 'Say, "This is my way: I, and whoever follows me, invite you to Al'lah with certainty, for Al'lah is Glorified and Exalted. And I am not one of those who worship many gods." ' [‎131]

After Mohammad Amin received such a message through this honorable Ayah (verse), he began to ask for God's Guidance for all mankind and continued to do so for a period lasting more than thirty years, concentrating on the following points:

1-Acquainting people with the absolute Perfection of the Almighty God, and demonstrating His Mercy to His obedient and disobedient people; and His Justice towards His creation.

He discredited all the bad thoughts about God that remained in the minds of humans, and whatever else that acted against Godly Justice, Clemency, Mercy, and all Godly Perfection. In this point Mohammad Amin Sheiko was guided by the Word of God, 'And all the most Beautiful Names Attributes] belong to Al'lah, so call on Him by these Names, and do not keep company with those who deny His Names. They will be paid back for what they have done.' [[‎132]

2-Revealing the perfection of the Envoys (ptt), whose purity and flawless spirits God guaranteed in His Glorious Book (the Qur'an), and He made them the ultimate role models and guides for all the worlds[‎133] as mentioned in Mohammad Amin's book, Impeccability of Prophets, the like of which could only have come through God and could never have been written by his predecessors. He refuted all falsehood or interpretation that disagreed with the Envoys' (ptt) high spiritual worth and their flawless adherence to the Word of God, 'They are the ones who are guided by Al'lah, so follow their guidance.' [‎134]

3-Calling people to strictly adhere to the high principles and directions of the Godly Statute and to attain the true devotion to God (as witnessed by Al'lah's Light), besides warning people not to let their spirits follow their capricious whims, nor to depend upon worthless wishes but turn to the Word of God, It will not be as you hope nor as the people of Scripture do Jews, Christians]: whoever does wrong will be held accountable for it and will find no guardian or helper for himself besides Al'lah.' [[‎135]

And also calling on the tradition of the Envoy (cpth), 'The discerning person is one who knows his own faults and works towards what comes after death; and the disabled person is one who follows his own whims and asks God to grant whatever he wishes for.'[Narrated by al-Turmuzi.]

4-Guiding people to the steps of true faith that the Envoy (cpth) showed to his noble companions: steps which were derived from the Book of God. When a person's heart begins to sense the joy of faith they will definitely follow God's Order and be self-disciplined so as not to commit sins. God mentioned this in His noble Saying, 'And whoever believes in God, will have his heart guided by Him.' [‎136]

5-Revering God's Envoy (cpth), glorifying him, and demonstrating the eminent position in which Al'lah holds him; then guiding people towards the way of his love (cpth) and revealing what benefits come from loving that pure, virtuous spirit, are twofold: man will enter into Al'lah's Presence through him; and if a man's spirit is joined to the Envoy (cpth) through the perfection which comes to him from God, he will be the one to benefit, according to the Almighty's Saying, 'So those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light sent down through him, will be the ones to gain.' [‎‎137]

The years that this pure man spent striving and seeking closeness to Al'lah were of the greatest benefit. And through this closeness to God he achieved great prominence and fulfillment; he brought about wonderful things, undertook work that was full of bitter conflict, and made great humane sacrifices. So his life was the greatest example of perfect behaviour, in that he supported what is right through the unequalled heroic deeds that he did to defeat and destroy all falsehood.

Mohammad Amin devoted his valuable life to the service of mankind. He fought against the passing of time and radiated light as did the sun in the sky. At his hands, the dark, shadowy Damascus nights seemed as bright as day because of the glittering light of his works and the blessed grace brought by his sacrifices. He worked tirelessly, by night and by day, taking little time to rest. He rarely closed his eyes except to take short naps as his over-riding driving force was to save his human brethren who were mired in spiritual sorrow and pain. He gave no thought to the risks and dangers he faced, knowing that he might be punished or even put to death for his humane actions and deeds. He made many concessions and paid much money in the service of God, and despite his previous wealth, many times he became penniless. Due to Mohammad Amin's unique virtue it is no wonder that God chose to reveal to him that clear revelation one divine night so that he could witness the Realm of God and his spirit could rise to the sacred lofty worlds of Mohammad (cpth) which were prepared for him because of his truthfulness, endeavours and great sacrifice undertaken to bring the Word of God to mankind. Similarly, anyone who does their utmost to follow this example and is honest in their love and their quest for God and the Envoy (cpth), will find the door open for them along with all their comrades, if they too choose to follow this path.

### Joining the Highest Comrade – the Death of Mohammad Amin

In this wonderful way, Mohammad Amin spent a beneficial life, brimming with the knowledge of God, that makes the heart feel secure, and without which humankind will never achieve true happiness. He was like a lamp that lit generations on their path towards achieving bliss through the Book of God (the Qur'an), and the light that guided mankind to great joy, fulfillment, integrity, and the virtuous life that comes only from knowing God. He carried out this unique work until he left this world to join Al'lah, man's Highest Comrade, during the first days of Rabi' al-Thani in the year 1384 A.H. (1964 A.D.). He was buried in the cemetery of God's Prophet, Dhi al-Kifl, in the al-Salhiyeh district of Damascus.

God says, 'And who can say anything better than the one who invites others to follow the Words of Al'lah, does good deeds, and states, "I am one of those who submitted to God." ' [‎138]

## Glimpse into the Life of the Researcher & Islamic Scholar

Prof. A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

Verifier & Publisher of Books of the Humane Scholar

Mohammad Amin Sheikho (His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

The birth of Abdul-Kadir al-Dayrani took place on 24 July 1934, and he was most fortunate that this momentous occasion occurred in the Damascus house of his father, a great scholar, Sheikh Mohammad al-Dayrani (God has mercy upon him), a disciple of the great Sheikh Badrud-Deen al-Hassani al-Hussaini (God has mercy upon him), who was one of the great scholars of Hadith in Damascus. It was at his hands, too, that Professor Abdul-Kadir received an ethical education during which he gained a great amount of knowledge and learning. He was so eager in his acquisition for knowledge that during his youth he assiduously read every one of his father's books.

Before completing his secondary education, he met the scholar, Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah), and was astonished at the scholar's knowledge of the greatest Godly Sciences. He then followed him like his shadow for nine years, throughout which he too was educated as a scholar. These were years abundant with information and a time when great scientific discoveries came to the fore.

He finished his secondary education and started university where he gained ten university diplomas.

### Prof. Abdul-Kadir said,

'I gained no real knowledge whilst acquiring these diplomas; rather, I learnt everything from my guide, the great scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho. I have a diploma in Arabic literature, but it has never been of any benefit to me in philology or in understanding the meanings of language. I know the language and its meanings directly from the words of the scholar, and the same can be said of my learning of other sciences.

'All the information contained in the books that I have published is derived solely from the scholar's scientific studies, and includes facts which have astonished every philosopher and scientist. I have received certain great discoveries and proven facts directly from the great scholar himself; I have published them literally, as they are Godly Revelations that could not be acquired through the usual teaching of human science, even if the whole of humanity came together to collaborate to assist one another. They form a tangible and actual challenge which has diminished the sciences as known to humankind.

'Some of these facts came to light and then brought enlightenment to many; for example, the operation of cupping[‎139] which far surpassed accepted medical practice when results showed that it cured diseases that had been considered incurable by Arabic, Roman and Greek medicine for thousands of years. This practice has since come to the notice of millions of people who have applied cupping, and therefore, it is considered a miracle of the present age.

'Equal to this in importance is the previously unknown secret of mentioning Al'lah's Name aloud over animal carcasses while they are being slaughtered. This was discovered by the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho, and since then has been a blessing for both the cattle slaughtered in this way and the people who consume the meat.

'In addition, there is all that he revealed in the field of physics, such as his discovery of the true sources of spring water, an issue which no-one had been aware of in earlier times.

'Besides this are the great Qur'anic sciences, such as the revelation of the significance of the letters with which some Fortresses begin, his remarkable explanation of the Introduction al-Fatiha and of the meanings enclosed within the verse, 'Praise is to God, the Provider of the worlds', and further, the meanings of each verse of the Holy Qur'an (Al'lah's Saying). There are, too, other sciences instituted by the scholar which contain facts not brought to light by anyone before him, or indeed, after him.

'I welcome any discussion about these sciences: an impartial, scientific, open and pragmatic discussion, devoid of emotion, in search of the absolute truth untainted by any dispute, fraudulent practice or error.'

Professor Abdul-Kadir compiled numerous collections of works through the Qur'anic lessons of his guide, the humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho, and he imbibed much knowledge from the wellspring of his scientific teaching. The renown of the scholar had spread far and wide and he had heard of the scholar's deeds from those who had witnessed them, just as he had observed many of them for himself.

When he devoted himself to guidance and the call to Al'lah, he collected, checked and examined the information and knowledge he had received from his scholar, and published these collections so that their benefits might spread all over the world, at a time when mankind is in great need of such knowledge.

Prof. Abdul-Kadir al-Dayrani has checked and verified more than fifty-five books, and his name has become widely known as being associated with the name of the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah).

He undertook unique modern scientific research on the medical procedure of cupping which the scholar had taught to his disciples who followed the holy Prophetic tradition. Furthermore, he became the head of the Syrian medical team which carried out a modern scientific study of the process of cupping, wherein all the essential requirements of research and the application of the rules of cupping were fulfilled under his authority and with his guidance and consultation at every step.

The method and results of this study have been spread widely around the world so that many Eastern and Western hospitals have acknowledged its efficacy and adopted it as part of their medical practice. Since then it has become discussed extensively because of the astonishing cures that have been achieved by virtue of its application.

Prof. al-Dayrani also carried out further scientific research to prove the wisdom behind uttering the words, 'In the Name of God, Al'lah is Greater' over cattle when slaughtering them.

This was an astounding modern medical method based on the tests of great medical scholars and through which it was confirmed that mentioning the Name of Al'lah results in purifying the cattle's meat from microbes, saving it from the pain of slaughter, and curing it from certain previously incurable dangerous diseases such as mad cow disease and bird plague, which would be harmful to the consumer. This was a subject which had been elucidated by the scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah) through his Qur'anic teaching to his disciples.

Damascus, 4 September 2007

## Excerpts from the Sciences of the Humane Scholar

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

The research and fields of thinking of the scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho cannot be written down in any specific sequence for the purposes of study; indeed, this document is simply to draw attention to the knowledge of the Holy Qur'an that he offered and revealed to humanity.

Many venerable scholars have discussed him at length and praised his knowledge, his deep insight into the Holy Qur'an and his great understanding of it.

They found truth and faithfulness in his mission, and found that it gathers all humankind under the banner of the Holy Qur'an and the sacred Sun'na of God's noble Envoy (cpth), so that all the hateful sectarian disputes destroying the religion of our master Mohammad (cpth) will be driven away by this guidance.

This sectarianism is no longer a faithful adherence to the words and meaning implicit in the Holy Qur'an but has been diminished by many who are merely following in the footsteps of their forefathers and their misguided beliefs.

## Excerpts from the Sciences of the Humane Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

❝ The scope of endless knowledge of the venerable humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah) was such that he filled all the heavens with boundless Quranic scientific learning: a level of learning which has inspired awe in man, prompting him to bow in homage, and to glorify and revere the meanings of the Holy Qur'an. It is he who, in his book Impeccability of Prophets, acquitted the noble Prophets of all that might conflict with their perfection, truthfulness and purity of spirit, as he explained their noble deeds for which they deserved to receive the Message of their Provider and become guides who are guided by Al'lah's Light.

He also disproved every rumour or story that contradicted the flawlessness of our master, Mohammad (cpth). In two books that he wrote he singled out the chosen beloved Prophet Mohammad (cpth) – The Reality of our Master Mohammad (cpth) Appears in the Twentieth Century, and Visiting the Prophet's Position (cpth) and the Effect of his Love in Elevating the Believing Spirit.

He showed the rightly held position of the Prophet's pure companions, and that they were the legitimate holders of the caliphate, according to the Law of Al'lah, the Almighty and His Envoy (cpth), the master all creation: we speak of our master Abu-Bakr, who triumphed over the heretic Arabs, Persians and Romans, and of our master Omar Ibn al-Khattab who completed the conquests, [‎140] supported orphans, and confirmed blood ties, besides the other two caliphs and all of their honourable companions. He clarified that the source of their knowledge and the reason behind their sublimity and authority over the worlds was entirely due to their belief in Al'lah the Almighty and their love for His noble Envoy (cpth).

❝He revealed the wisdom enclosed in the verses of the Holy Qur'an and concealed within every Command given by the Great and the Almighty, and disclosed the meaning of the letters that are given at the beginning of some Fortresses (Surah), which no previous Muslim scholar had known or understood.

Besides this there is his wondrous revelation of the Introduction al-Fatiha and the secret implicit in reading this when communicating with Al'lah, which had bewildered all earlier scholars and holy men.

All of this is mentioned in his books: Secrets of the Seven Praising Verses and Al-Amin Interpretation of the Great Qur'an.

❝He derived the times of the five daily prayers (communication with Al'lah) from the Holy Qur'an, and showed the wisdom implicit in prayer and the secret of turning toward al-Ka'ba. [‎‎141] Similarly, he derived the proportion of Zakat[‎142] (2.5%) from the Qur'anic verses. He explained the significance of piety (seeing by Al'lah's Light) and how to attain it during Ramadan; in the same way he explained the meaning of the Night of al-Qadr (Night of Valuation) and showed the reason the Qur'an was revealed on that blessed Night.

He also made known the secrets of the rites of pilgrimage and the wisdom behind each ritual that the pilgrim (al-Hajji) performs. Besides all this he showed the path to true belief and clarified that believing in God is not attained simply by saying or admitting it, but it is rather putting into practice the meaning of the statement, 'I witness that there is no god but Al'lah, and I witness that Mohammad is the Envoy of Al'lah.' All that is stated in his book: High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light) – The Jewels of Rules in Explaining the Pillars of Islam.

❝He solved the problem of fate which puzzled the minds of the scientists and philosophers of al-Mu'tazilah, [‎143] Necessitarianism, [‎144] and of the Greek and Roman philosophers, as well as the scholars and philosophers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In addition there is his deep understanding of the Almighty's Sayings, 'He pardons whoever wills, and torments whoever pleases.' [‎145]

'He misguides whoever pleases and gives guidance to whoever wills.' [‎146]

This showed that the will belongs to the servant who truly follows the way of belief, by asking for guidance, avoiding the path of perversity, and seeking to achieve the reality, the truth and the right religion. He also explained the freedom of choice which every man has in this life.

❝He explained in detail the meaning of 'the Six Days' mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, 'Your Provider is Al'lah Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days; then He controlled their destiny.' [‎147]

He also expounded the meaning of 'the Ten Nights' and 'the Seven Heavens' which no scholars, whether Muslim, Christian or Jewish, could know. This is in his book: The Great Scientific Discovery – The Astonishing Reality of the Six Days and the Seven Heavens.

❝By the use of sound logic and reason he clarified the great praise which God's Envoy (cpth) deserves in 'Abasa Fortress (He Frowned!), when the noble Envoy, a man of high morals, frowns as Abdul-lah Ibn Om Maktoom comes to him, whereas all other interpreters put God's Envoy (cpth) in the wrong position when interpreting the beginning of this noble Fortress.

❝He clarified the meaning of all the Fortresses reported in the Am'ma section of the Qur'an and explained the word Am'ma in incomparable detail in his book Interpretation of Am'ma Part of the Qur'an.

❝He also demonstrated the reality and the compassion that are enfolded within the case of polygamy, as given at the beginning of the al-Nisa' Fortress (Women), when he solved this problematic case and discredited every statement that causes Islam to seem like a lustful religion which allows a man to marry four women. He firmly stated that this comes about entirely as a result of man not turning to the noble verse for guidance, failing to read it as a whole, and not following its correct teaching.

The truth is that a Muslim is usually not permitted to marry more than one woman. As for taking a second, third, and fourth wife, it is forbidden unless the reasons fall within the conditions set down at the beginning of the noble verse and which have been neglected and are no longer adhered to. The noble verse stipulates that the woman should be one whose husband has died, that is, a widow with children, so the purpose of polygamy is actually both humane and compassionate. It is allowed in order to maintain the widow and raise her children in such a way so as to build a sound society, and it is not because of spiritual lust as interpreted by many people who put the verse into effect without referring to its core meaning. These people have created a bad reputation for Islam and Muslims, whereby the religion appears to be an immoral and inhumane proponent of polygamy.

He also disclosed the laws of divorce, which he derived from the Holy Qur'an, and revealed the way to fulfill these stipulations and rules in case of disobedience or incorrect behaviour on the part of the wife and the emergence of marital discord between the couple. All of this is stated in his book: Islam... What is the Veil for? What is Divorce for? What is Polygamy for?

❝He elucidated the Almighty's Aim behind His creation of the world and His reason for creating humankind and their coming to this world which he indicated when he spoke about the al-Azal world, the world of first creating, the offering of Trust, and the undertaking of man to accept and bear it.

He also answered the puzzling questions: Why are Prophets born as Prophets? And what are the Almighty's Criteria when choosing them as Prophets and noble Envoys even before they are born?

He explained Godly Justice and demonstrated it with the greatest logic; he also showed the reasons for poverty, sickness, afflictions, and all that may happen to man in this world, whether it be good or evil. In addition, he gave full and remarkable explanation of the elements of which man is composed, wherein he spoke about the difference between the soul and the spirit, and between thought and the mind, thus revealing the essence of each of them.

That was when the famous British scholar Sir John Godolphin Bennett professed Islam at the hands of Mohammad Amin Sheikho as he (Sir John) went to him to ask him to clarify certain questions which were difficult for him and for all other scientists and scholars to comprehend.

The meeting took place in the city of Damascus where Sir John asked the esteemed scholar important questions and enquired about all that crossed his mind concerning Islam and its pillars, and about fasting, pilgrimage, Zakat, and the wisdom behind each, until the scholar interjected and asked him, 'Do you, Sir, know the source of the water you drink?'

Sir John replied that rain water is the main source of drinking water. Then the scholar answered him, saying that rain water is for plants and animals only, and revealed to him with conclusive evidence the sources of spring water worldwide, deriving his explanation from the Holy Qur'an. He explained that the flowing of all rivers, great or small, on the surface of the earth is not ascribed at all to rain water: an astounding reply which was something previously unknown to any scientist, whether Eastern or Western.

Rather, it is a great scientific miracle, which shows that the water of these springs has greater and richer sources than rain water, for the scholar demonstrated with more than thirty scientific pieces of evidence derived from the noble verses that the ice of the North and South Poles is the original source of the water which feeds all springs and rivers. When Sir John heard of this research and discussed it with him, he immediately confessed Islam and said, 'I wonder how this question has never crossed my mind before!'

When he returned to his country, he recounted details of this experience and repeated the scholar's famous words before a gathering of eminent scientists and educated professors, saying, 'Indeed, all the scientific knowledge that we have obtained does not equal the sea of scientific understanding of that great scholar in the Orient.'

In his book, Journeys in Islamic Countries, Sir John Bennett mentioned his meeting with the great scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho and he spoke very highly of his unique character, his humane deeds and his logical dialogue, saying, for example:

'So ends the first talk. I still do not know what to say except that he is very good and a very sincere man who is truly turned toward God. But what he understands or does not understand, that I cannot say.'

-Today we started by verifying certain things about work about which I shall not write, beyond saying that I have no doubt that Amin Sheikho has reached a certain level of inner work that I have rarely met before.'

-As I listen to Amin Bey's explanations about inner work, I marvel; he is a real master. Not only has he achieved being for himself; but can show others the way and give them the strength and courage to follow it.'

-The chief difficulty with Amin Bey arises from his very goodness and purity. Here is, in truth, a saintly man who is utterly obedient to the Will of Al'lah as he understands it. He is doing, and has done, very much good. He is a faithful guide and example to his murids. [‎148] '

-I wrote that his very goodness is the difficulty. If he were an ordinary man, however learned he might be, I should not even trouble to spend hours in discussion of theology. But Amin Bey is not an ordinary man. He is a saint and he has the supernormal power of a saint. Therefore, one must accept him and understand.'

-I was told that all of them have passed through secondary school and many have been to the university. About one third are themselves secondary school teachers or university lecturers.'

-I mentioned this because it is important to realise that these murids are not ignorant peasants but men who have at least some knowledge of Western thought.'

-I have no right to talk to Amin Bey as an equal about questions of religion unless I am prepared to make demands upon myself no less severe than he makes upon himself.'

-He is a really good man. The saying that a teacher is known by his pupils is in his favour, for all I have met have remarkable mutual love and sincerity.'

-Now I meet and talk with a real dervish, Amin Bey.'

'He is an altogether extraordinary man in himself, and of the reality in him of the impulses of faith, hope and love, no one who has seen him as closely as I have, can possibly doubt.'

-The more I see of him and hear from others of his works, the more convinced I am that he is truly a saint and that his interpretations of the Qur'an are inspired by a higher consciousness.'

-Meeting him has been a lesson to me in many ways: I see what wholehearted devotion to work can be. I see nobility of character and an immense power to attract and hold the love and faith of others.'

-Men like Amin Bey are very rare. He has sought God all his life, and he had a real teacher. He is a man with real power of work and from it he has acquired real being.'

-For all his fundamentalism, Amin Bey is very tolerant and practical in his outlook. I believe that he truly listens to the heart and not to the spoken word.'

-But with this man I felt such comradeship and assurance of being fully understood and accepted that I told him things that I would not tell others.'

❝He showed the wisdom behind circumcision for males, and the reason for which the Almighty created this glans while the male foetus is in his mother's womb, and then the wisdom in cutting it after birth. This discovery of the scholar is unprecedented by any of the doctors of this time and by those of all the previous ages.

❝He saved cattle when he demonstrated the use of mentioning Al'lah's Name aloud over them as they are being slaughtered, by pronouncing the statement, 'In the Name of God, Al'lah is Greater', and clarified that when these cattle hear such a great statement as they are being killed then, the blood flows freely and their bodies tremble so that all the blood is released from the carcass and none remains inside the flesh; thus, the Almighty grants us pure fresh meat, free of any germs. On the contrary, if the Name of Al'lah is not spoken at the time of slaughter the germs will remain inside the carcass, so that whoever eats from it will be subjected to suffering from various diseases. Besides, neglecting to mention Al'lah's Name over cattle will also expose them to deadly and incurable diseases.

The scholar had derived all this knowledge from his study of the Qur'anic verses, and this was subjected to a medical study, where a laboratory medical team composed of masters of medicine in the Middle East carried out a comparative analysis between cattle slaughtered while Al'lah's Name was invoked over them, and cattle slaughtered without this being done. The results then came out precisely as the scholar had stated, i.e. colonies of germs and viruses remain inside the carcass over which Al'lah's Name is not mentioned.

These scientific tidings were transmitted by the mass media: broadcasting, magazines, newspapers, satellites and news agencies, warning people that they should be aware of the importance of mentioning Al'lah's Name over cattle which are about to be slaughtered,. Nonetheless, many people failed to heed the message and so ignored mentioning Al'lah's Name over cattle, and as a result the world was smitten by mad cow disease, bird flu, and sheep plague, issues which the scholar had warned of according to the Almighty's Saying, 'And cattle over which they do not pronounce Al'lah's Name during slaughter]; thus lying about Him. He will repay them for their deception.' [[‎149]

All this is mentioned in his book: Proclaiming God's Love – The Scientific and Qur'anic Motivations for Halal Slaughter.

❝He revived the sacred Prophetic Sun'na after the books of previous generations had effaced it, when he drove away incurable diseases by reviving the Sun'na of cupping. He clarified the safe and correct conditions for its application: it must be performed exclusively on the upper part of the back, during the early morning, before having breakfast, in the spring season, and when the crescent of the moon is waning: that is, after the seventeenth day of the lunar month, for the moon has the effect of gravitational pull on the earth.

A big medical team in the Middle East composed of about 350 professors and doctors, studied this operation according to appropriate conditions, as shown by the scholar, during three consecutive years. The outcome caused amazement in medical circles and there has been an increasing interest in this operation from year to year, whereby it has spread all over the world because of its great benefits.

Reports of thanks and gratitude followed in an unending stream from all countries of the world, thanking him for recreating this useful technique, and from all people, Muslim or non-Muslim, who put it into practice after they had verified its benefits. All this is mentioned in his book: Cupping: the Marvelous Medicine that Cured Heart Disease, Paralysis, Haemophilia, Migraine, Sterility and Cancer – A Prophetic Medical Science in its New Perspective.

Most news agencies and world satellite communication have broadcast news items about it; magazines and journals have written about it; conferences and meetings have been held to discuss it; and besides all this, many international medical and hygiene centres have adopted it for the many medical benefits it conveys, for it is a medical 'cure-all' containing all remedies in one minor procedure.

❝He also unveiled the existence of the charlatans, conjurers, and magicians who work together with devils to cause harm to people through magic, and he explained all the tricks and deception that magicians use on people who know nothing about the reality of magic, such as recounting tales of false, unseen matters. He thus revealed that this is a close cooperation between sorcerers and their evil companions. This problem has circulated among most people in this world to the extent that one can hardly find a home free from these tricks and the cunning of these magicians, or from the distress and grief which result from believing these messengers of the devil. This is especially true of those magicians who appear to people through the medium of television and internet communication and talk to them about their affairs and diseases, leading the viewer or the person who contacts them to believe what they say, being unaware that the magician colludes with his wicked companion in order to bring him his news.

He also offered the solution and showed the way that leads to release from, and the cure of, these spiritual diseases without resorting to others, especially those who allege that they treat people through spells or through reading verses of the Holy Qur'an, even though they, in fact, are ignorant. All this is clarified in his book: Unveiling the Secrets of Magic and Magicians.

❝He described a person's state at their time of death, in both cases: when they are a believer, or when they are an unbeliever. He also elucidated their state after death, that is, during the interval between death and the Day of Resurrection.

❝He also explained the verses relating to the account of the Day of Resurrection, and clarified that a person's deeds are imprinted on the pages of their spirit in this world so that on Doomsday they shall appear to them in all their clarity.

❝He revealed the reality of Paradise, which is looking at the Presence (the Enlightening Face) of the Generous Provider, Owner of Honouring, Beauty and Majesty, demonstrating that all the pleasures, honouring, and spiritual joy that man obtains do not match that lofty Paradise. He proved this statement with logical evidence derived from the Holy Qur'an.

He also clarified that Fire, on the Day of Resurrection, is like a hospital where the owners of spiritual diseases are treated because of what they bring with them from their lower life – the mean deeds which degrade them when facing Al'lah, the Almighty – so that their shame and disgrace cause them to request Fire (the treating) in order to escape from the spiritual pains and spiritual burning that they are suffering and that destroy them. God's Envoy (cpth) says, 'On Doomsday, shame will befall man to the extent that he says, "Oh my Provider, sending me to Fire would be easier to tolerate than what I am suffering." Although he knows the great torture that will result.' [‎150]

All that is mentioned in his book: Interpretation of the Great Qur'an, and his book: Al-Amin Interpretation of the Great Qur'an.

❝He revealed the reality of intercession, which most scholars failed to reach, and which they thought was an intercession of unjust mediation whereby the noble Envoy (cpth) got whoever he liked out of Fire; this is something which incited people to commit sins, hoping to have his mediation on Doomsday. Through the verses of the Holy Qur'an he elucidated that intercession can be achieved only by the believer, and it begins in this world and endures for him into the Afterlife. He further clarified that intercession is the binding of one spirit to another, derived from the word 'couple', which indicates that one thing binds itself to another, coupling with it and adhering to it. Intercession then, is the binding of believing spirits to the Envoy (cpth), and coupling with him so as to rise to the Godly Presence, just as the spirits of the honourable companions bound themselves to, and coupled with his pure chaste spirit (cpth). Thereby they entered into God's Presence through him, and so they accompanied him in this world, in the interval between death and Doomsday, and shall continue to accompany him in the Hereafter.

The one who does not couple with God's Envoy (cpth) in this world will receive no mediation in the life to come; instead, he will be able to indulge his spirit with nothing but hope, so as to allow himself to commit sins; for the Holy Qur'an, in its entirety, warns us of the consequences of our deeds, and informs us that we will be paid back accordingly for even the least of our actions, either with goodness in Paradise, or with treatment in Fire.

Besides, the Holy Qur'an indicates that God's Envoy (cpth) can do nothing for a creature except admonish that creature; he has no control or power over himself or others as it is God alone Who directs all matters. 'Say, "I have not the power to acquire benefits or to avert evil for myself." ' [‎151]

'Say, "I have no control over any harm or good that may befall you." [‎152]'

'It is] the Day when no spirit will have anything to do for any other, for the Decision, on that Day, will be God's entirely. [[‎153]

'What about the one who has been sentenced to punishment? Can you Prophet] rescue those already in the Fire?' [[‎154]

He set forth this important research in detail in most of his books, in particular in his book: Reality of Intercession – A Calm Dialogue between Dr. Mostafa Mahmood & Dr. Yousef Al-Qaradhawi.

❝He also showed the reality of the descent from Paradise of our father Adam, the reason why he ate from the tree, and the high spiritual state which he and our mother Eve (ptt) (ptt): peace is through them.] were in before eating from the tree. He also showed that his great love for his Provider had led him to forget the Godly Advice[[‎155] and eat from the tree. All these events were arranged by Al'lah, the Almighty, so as to let our father Adam (pth) leave Paradise, and to give him, together with his offspring, further Paradises in its stead. This was also to show to him and his sons the enmity of the devil so that humanity might know that he has an enemy who lurks in the shadows of man's life; thus we will be aware of him and follow the guidance of our Provider by Whom the noble Prophets were guided, and thereby, we will be saved from committing sins and from being under the control of the devil.

❝He is, as well, the first one who revealed the reality of belief in Al'lah and the straight path leading to it which the Holy Qur'an has outlined, and which all the noble Envoys and Prophets have followed.

❝He stated the reason behind mentioning the tale of the Israelites (sons of Israel) frequently in the Holy Qur'an, and their arguments with their noble Envoy, our master Moses (pth), clarifying the following: if people do not follow the way of true belief legislated to them by the Almighty, they will gain no profit from watching miracles and supernatural actions, nor will they be among believers, no matter what signs and obvious evidence you bring them. But indeed, seeking the truth honestly, and using thought in the search for it guides the spirit and leads it to the sources of real knowledge.

All of this is mentioned in his book: Al-Amin Interpretation of the Great Qur'an.

❝He also clarified all the indications of the Hour, and the evidence of the returning of Jesus the Christ (pth) from the Holy Qur'an, in his book: The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: The Return of Jesus Christ.

### A Drop in the Ocean

All of this is as a drop in the ocean compared to the entirety of what this great humane scholar, Mohammad Amin Sheikho, revealed, for the extent of his research and fields of thinking cannot be written down in systematic fashion for the reader; but indeed, this résumé is only to attract attention to what knowledge of the Holy Qur'an he offered and revealed to humanity.

Many venerable scholars have talked about him and praised his knowledge, his deep derivations from the Holy Qur'an and his great understanding of it.

They found both truth and faithfulness in his mission, and understood that it gathers all humanity under the banner of the Holy Qur'an and the sacred Sun'na of God's noble Envoy (cpth) so that all the hateful sectarian disputes currently destroying the religion of our master Mohammad (cpth) will be driven away by this guidance. Instead of a true abidance by the teaching of the Holy Qur'an the many forms of sectarianism have become a mere following of forefathers and their distorted beliefs. It has caused one nation to be divided into many and has turned them away from the right path, splitting them into sects and groups, whereby each party thinks its own false beliefs are, indeed, the right ones. There were many who deceived them by filling their books with wrongful words, infringements, and interpretations that contradict Al'lah's Supreme Attributes and the perfection of the noble Prophets. Thereafter Muslims lost their way and sank into the sea of disagreement which had arisen between sects and parties; they abstained from the correct practice of their religion and inclined towards this lower life because of them.

Dr. Mostafa Mahmood said that, 'The Holy Qur'an was deserted before the knowledge of this great scholar was made known, for his scientific knowledge is received from Al'lah and his revelation is logical. I have never found, during all my life, one word to compare to his from any other source.'

Dr. Mostafa has given us a special book about him entitled: Contemplations on the Sciences of the Great Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho.

Samer al-Hindy

Head of Nour al-Basheer publishing house

# Issued to the Great Humane Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(His soul has been sanctified by Al'lah)

1-Interpretation of Am'ma Part of the Qur'an

2-Visiting the Prophet's Position (cpth) and the Effect of his Love in Elevating the Believing Spirit

3-Impeccability of Prophets

4-High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light) – The Jewels of Rules in Explaining the Pillars of Islam

5-The Sources of Spring Water in the World

6-Interpretation of the Great Qur'an (Lights of Descending & Realities of Meaning) Volume –1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8–

7-Am'ma Encyclopedia (The Compassionate's Gifts in Interpreting the Qur'an) Volume –1–

8-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (The Courageous Boy and the Female Jinni) –1–

9-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (The Dog that Became a Horse) –2–

10-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (The Brave Boy and his Practical Reply to His Uncle) –3–

11-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (Ring of Wrestling) –4–

12-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (Disciplining the Greengrocer) –5–

13-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (God Bless you, Cub of a Lion of the Quarter) –6–

14-From the Heros' Careers for Children and Babies (Adventure of the Little Horseman) –7–

15-Al-Amin Interpretation of the Great Qur'an (The Previous Nations) volume –1–

16-The Sources of Spring Water in the World – English translation

17-Pages from the Eternal Glory (the Life of the Great Humane Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho) Volume –1–

18-Reality of Intercession – A Calm Dialogue between Dr. Mostafa Mahmood & Dr. Yousef Al-Qaradhawi

19-The Reality of our Master Mohammad (cpth) Appears in the Twentieth Century

20-The Reality of our Master Mohammad (cpth) Appears in the Twentieth Century – Persian translation

21-Proclaiming God's Love – The Scientific and Qur'anic Motivation for Halal Slaughter 22-Islam... What is the Veil for? What is Divorce for? What is Polygamy for?

23-The West has Disenthralled Man from Slavery – Why has Islam not?

24-The Great Scientific Discovery – The Astonishing Reality of the Six Days and the Seven Heavens

25-The Amazing Miracle of the Fundamental Verses of the Book in the Twenty-first Century

26-Faith – The First of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light)

37-Prayer (Communication with Al'lah) – The Second of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light)

28-Az-Zakat (Almsgiving) – The Third of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light)

29-Fasting – The Fourth of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light)

30-Pilgrimage (Hajj) – The Fifth of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light)

31-A Calm Dialogue about the Great Humane Eminent Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho

32-Am'ma Encyclopedia 8 – Interpretation of Al-Ma'un (Almsgiving) Fortress

33-Am'ma Encyclopedia 9 – Interpretation of Quraish (All Creation) Fortress

34-Am'ma Encyclopedia 10 – Interpretation of Al-Fil (the Elephant) Fortress

35-Am'ma Encyclopedia 11 – Interpretation of Al-Humaza (The Traducer, The Gossipmonger) Fortress

36-Cupping: the Marvelous Medicine that Cured Heart Disease, Paralysis, Haemophilia, Migraine, Sterility and Cancer – A Prophetic Medical Science in its New Perspective.

37-The Great Humane Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho Refutes his Opposers

38-The Glorious Researches

39-The Mohammadan Revelations – (part 1)

40-Unveiling the Secrets of Magic and Magicians

41-Proclaiming God's Love – The Scientific and Qur'anic Motivation for Halal Slaughter – Persian translation

42-The Reality of Tamerlane the Great Appears in the Twentyfirst Century – (parts 1 & 2)

43-The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: The Return of Jesus Christ

44-Secrets of the Seven Praising Verses

45-Goodbye to the Doctor of Al-Muqawqass

46-Contemplations on the Sciences of the Great Eminent Scholar M. A. Sheikho by Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud

47-The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: The Return of Jesus Christ – English translation

48-The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: The Return of Jesus Christ – French translation

49-Islam... What is the Veil for? What is Divorce for? What is Polygamy for? – English translation

50-Islam... What is the Veil for? What is Divorce for? What is Polygamy for? – French translation

51-Interpretation of Tabarak Part of the Qur'an

52-Unveiling the Secrets of Magic and Magicians – English translation

53-Is Happiness Really Beyond Reach?! – English translation

54-Pilgrimage (Hajj) – The Fifth of High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al'lah's Light) – English translation

55-Interpretation of the Twenty-ninth Part of the Holy Qur'an (Tabarak Part) – English translation
THE END

Praise is to God, the Provider of the Worlds

* * *

[1‎] (cpth) is an acronym for 'communication with Al'lah and peace are through him.'

[‎2] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 25, The Criterion (al-Furqan), verse 30.

[‎3] From Sir John Bennett's memories of the humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho, recorded in his book Journeys in Islamic Countries.

[‎4] (cptt) is an acronym for 'communication with Al'lah and peace are through them.'

[5‎] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 27.

[6‎] Kindly, refer to the book of the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho Proclaiming God's Love – The Scientific and Qur'anic Motivation for Halal Slaughter.

[7‎] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 129.

[‎8] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 4, Women (al-Nisa'), verse 147.

[‎9] Kindly, refer to the book of the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho, The Sources of Spring Water in the World.

[‎10] 'The deserved Fire' means that each of the Fire dwellers will suffer a degree of Fire and torment sufficient to purge and calm the amount of disease and agony within their spirits – their own personal, self-inflicted Hell, a spiritual fire of regret.

[‎11] (cpth) is an acronym for 'communication with Al'lah and peace are through him.'

[‎12] Spiritually lifeless' does not have a material or physical connotation. Non-believers are spiritually lifeless because they have forsaken their Provider Who is the Source of animation, beauty, perfection, and grandeur. He bestows all of these benefits along with light, happiness, and life to all creation as deserved. Consequently, people who are close to Al'lah will be blessed to live in light, happiness, and life. Eventually they will be admitted to Paradise. Those people who have turned away from Al'lah and now dwell far from Him will lose and squander everything they might gain in this world, their spirits will be empty and lifeless. They will retain only the physical body, just as animals and plants do. People who choose this path can only be healed through Fire.

[‎13] Conversely, some spirits did not turn away from their Provider and refused to surrender to lust, these were permitted to stay close to Al'lah in life, light, happiness, and Paradise. They never stopped ascending degree by degree and thus are endlessly rewarded with higher ranks of Paradise. These successful spirits come to this life as teachers of the path of belief for those spirits who failed but were granted a second chance in this life by Al'lah in His Mercy.

[‎14] The people of perfection, or the models of perfection, are the Prophets and Envoys and their master, our Prophet Mohammad; the believers and followers of truth are also included in this group.

[‎15] Gehenna (Hell): A spiritual inner fire of regret, grief and shame which ignites within the human spirit upon understanding its loss and failure, realising its neglect of Al'lah and the course of truth, and comprehending how it failed to achieve a prestigious position.

[‎16] This noble verse is addressed to two ladies, Aisha and Hafza, who were wives of the Envoy Mohammad (cpth).

[‎17] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 66, Prohibition (al-Tahrim), verse 4.

[‎18] (ptt): an acronym for 'peace is through them.'

[‎19] Please refer to the book The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon, by the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho.

[‎20] The Greatest Hour will come in the near future accompanied by the return of Jesus Christ (pth) who walked this earth about two thousand years ago. At that time, World War III will break out and bring total destruction through the use of nuclear weapons. All Envoys and Prophets (ptt) have warned of this.

[‎21] These three English letters represent the name of an Arabic letter, it is the twenty-fifth letter of the Arabic alphabet; in fact, there are twenty-nine Fortresses in the Holy Qur'an which begin by mentioning one or more letters. Here 'Nun' signifies the very essence of light. Al'lah addresses His Envoy as 'Nun' to show us that he (cpth) is the owner of His Light. 'Nun' also refers to the Qur'an which serves as a light for all humanity. All the Prophets and Envoys have Al'lah's Light and thus they are lamps for people. Our master Jesus said, 'I am a light for the world and whoever walks a road other than mine certainly travels in utter darkness.'

But actually, these acronyms refer to the sublime qualities of the Envoy of God (cpth). The Almighty presents these qualities as symbols to catch our attention and force us to consider them with care so that we might understand them. God's Use of symbols spurs us to ask ourselves: Who is intended by these letters? In this way, He encourages us to think and thought leads us to appreciate the Envoy (cpth) who is the conduit which guides us into God's Presence and ultimately to a true spiritual intercession with him (cpth).

Hence, when a Qur'anic Fortress begins with an acronym, it is intended as a symbol, a key word to aid in understanding the Qur'anic verse that follows. This understanding can be achieved by adopting the Envoy's illuminated thinking, he (cpth) is the opener of all that is closed and the seal, the finish, of all that was revealed before him; there are no new revelations after Mohammad. It is he (cpth) who aids the truth by fidelity and who is a beacon to the Straight Path of God.

Islamic scholars have utterly failed to decipher the esoteric meanings of these acronyms, declaring instead that they are one of Al'lah's Miracles and none but Him shall comprehend their particular significance.

Yet all these letters and many of the key words of the Qur'anic Fortresses were clearly explained by the venerable scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho by virtue of his noble proximity to his Provider and his pure spirit and illuminated thoughts.

[‎22] 'The hidden world': This is the immaterial world that contains things that cannot be seen or perceived by human eyes. Instead they can be looked upon only with the eye of the heart (the human spirit) by means of Al'lah's Light. This is the world of realities that includes the past, the present and the future and it lasts forever. It includes realities beyond shapes, the angels, Paradise and Fire. This world is unknown to ordinary people. Only those people who have had their hearts' eyes opened by Al'lah's Light can witness and attend the world of realities and can see the Manifestation of Al'lah.

[‎23] –The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 4, Women (al-Nisa'), verse 174.

[‎24] – The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 80, He Frowned! ('Abasa), verses 1–2.

[‎25] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 14, Abraham (Ibrahim), verse 44.

[‎26] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 36, Safe, Pure (Ya Sin), verse 47.

[‎27] Al-Tabarani in his books al-Awsat and al-Kabeer, up to Ibn Abbas.

[‎28] This is addressed to the scholars of religion who falsely attribute this saying to our Envoy Mohammad (cpth).

[‎29] Narrated by al-Turmozy, al-Bayhaqi, Ahmad and Abu-Dawud.

[‎30] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 17, The Night Journey (al-Isra'), verse 14.

[‎31] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 89, The Coming Appearance (al-Fajr), verse 9.

[‎32] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 29, The Spider (al-'Ankabut), verse 38.

[‎33] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 41, Explained (Fussilat), verse 15.

[‎34] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 30, The Romans (al-Rum), verse 9.

[‎35] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 104.

[‎36] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 2, The Cow (al-Baqara), verse 254.

[‎37] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 41, Explained (Fussilat), verses 30-31.

[‎38] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 103.

[‎39] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 82, Bursting Apart (al-Infitar), verses 10-12.

[‎40] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 72, The Jinn (al-Jinn), verses 16-17.

[‎41] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 40, The Forgiver (Ghafir), verse 10.

[‎42] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 26, The Poets (al-Shu'ara'), verses 79-80.

[‎43] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 30, The Romans (al-Rum), verses 2-4.

[‎44] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 53, The Star (al-Najm), verse 5.

[‎45] Narrated by al-Turmozy, al-Bayhaqi, Ahmad and Abu-Dawud.

[‎46] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 4, Women (al-Nisa'), verse 123.

[‎47] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 51, Sun Rays (al-Dhariyat), verse 13.

[‎48] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 57, Iron (al-Hadid), verse 4.

[‎49] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 32, The Prostration (al-Sajda), verse 11.

[‎50] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 69, Truth-Control (al-Haqqa), verse 18.

[‎51] Psalms book and Ihya Ulum Al-Din book, part 4.

[‎52] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 16, The Bees (al-Nahl), verse 78.

[‎53] Musnad al-Imam Ahmad book, part 2.

[‎54] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 10, Jonah (Yunus), verse 62.

[‎55] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 4, Women (al-Nisa'), verse 147

[‎56] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 99, The Earthquake (al-Zilzal), verses 7-8.

[‎57] In modern times Islam is one of many religions on the earth and so this passage does not apply today. It is not a call to kidnap women or force their conversion to Islam and does not condone the actions of those who try to do so. It refers instead to times when Islam is the main religion on earth, such as in the early Islamic period. In this time Al'lah permitted the pious believer to take a female captive as a spoil of war and make her his concubine. Al'lah's condition, however, is that this can only be done by men who have seen with their hearts' light and who will act for the woman's good and benefit her spirit. In other words, when the pious master sees that if she continued on without a husband, she would persist in her disbelief and it would grow and do her harm, then he could marry her – without the benefit of a marriage contract or dowry – in order to protect her from herself and her wrong beliefs. This was permissible only if he did not take her out of lust or desire, but only sought to lead her to belief and God's Love. For by her marital tie with him, she would drink in the true belief and the love of the pious believers.

Additionally, if he feared that the captive would fall into adulterous acts, he would have the right to make her his concubine. Otherwise, it would never be permissible for him to join with her in that way. He could only put her into his wife's care and give her a high education until she is grown and a believer herself. At that point he could either marry her to a male captive who has believed or a free believer who asked to take her as his wife.

[‎‎58] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 63, The Hypocrites (al-Munafiqun), verse 3.

[‎59] Prophets and Envoys have no connection with this universe in the sense that they have never been infatuated with nor fond of anything save Al'lah and thus are not prey to the temptations of this world. Freed from the confines of this material realm, their spirits prioritise and prefer God's love above all else, even above the love of their wives and children. Their spirits are only attached to Al'lah. By virtue of their nearness to Him, they have acquired God's Mercy in abundance. Thus they are constantly witnessing Al'lah's Beauty, Perfection and Grandeur and are never disconnected from Him. Nothing is hidden from them because they have succeeded in al-Azal (the pre-material world). For this reason, God chose them to come down to this world as teachers, to guide people, save them and instruct them on the path of truth and belief. And so, they are free from this carnal world and its desires because their spirits are always linked in some way with Al'lah, they are always with Him. They are lamps that shine forth Al'lah's Beacon hoping to lead people from darkness into light. Most importantly, they are Al'lah's Envoys on earth in the every sense of this word.

[‎60] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 52, So High (al-Tur), verse 21.

[‎61] Kindly refer to the book of the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho The Sources of Spring Water in the World.

[‎62] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 11, Hud (Hud), verse 36.

[‎63] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 11, Hud (Hud), verse 36.

[‎64] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 37, Those Who Set Ranks (al-Saffat), verse 75.

[‎65] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 107.

[‎66] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 13, The Thunder (al-Ra'd), verse 11.

[‎67] Narrated by Imam Ahmad in his book, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad.

[‎68] Similarly, the great humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al'lah) gleaned his vast share of the knowledge from his nearness to Al'lah: He disclosed the significance of the acronyms which begin some of the Fortresses (Surahs). He revealed the meaning of the Opening Surah (al-Fatiha). And it was he who first explained the difference between the meanings of the words: Fire, Hell, deserving Fire... and in fact the meanings of all the words of the Holy Qur'an. God said, 'In the Envoy of Al'lah you have indeed a good example [of conduct] for anyone whose hope is in Al'lah and the Final Day, and who engages himself much in praising Al'lah.' The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 33, The Combined Clans (al-Ahzab), verse 21.

[‎69] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 18, The Cave (al-Kahf), verse 51.

[‎70] Similarly, the people of this time are afflicted every day by diseases, earthquakes, volcanos and hurricanes which harm them and destroy their countries. In addition, their animals are diseased by epidemics such as bird flu, mad cow disease and pig flu. Even the sky has turned against them, dumping down frosts and floods and thunderbolts. On the earth there is everywhere pain, distress, wretchedness and wars; and the affliction continues to increase.

[‎71] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 81, Extinguished (al-Takwir), verses 27-28.

[‎72] The Biography of Mohammad book by Ibn Hisham, vol. 2.

[‎73] The Biography of Mohammad book by Ibn Hisham, vol. 2.

[‎74] Similarly, the people of this time may be included in the example for they commit fornication, sodomy, usury, killing and countless other heinous crimes; therefore when they shall face the Hour (of total destruction) they will suffer that which is even more bitter and calamitous than what the old nations endured.

[‎75] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 3, The Family of 'Imran (Al 'Imran), verse 55.

[‎76] The Biography of Mohammad book by Ibn Hisham, vol. 2.

[‎77] Al-Isra' and al-Mi'raj is the great and sacred Night Journey when our master Mohammad the Envoy (cpth) moved from Mecca to Jerusalem in both body and spirit. Once there, he began to pray and by this link with God led all the Prophets and Envoys and their followers, whose spirits were present in Jerusalem; with them he ascended to Heaven and back again to al-Ka'ba in a single night, by God's Grace.

This Night Journey occurred when the Prophet Mohammad changed the direction of all Prophets and Envoys from Jerusalem towards al-Ka'ba in Mecca. For the ultimate aim of this journey was to change al-qibla of prayer towards al-Ka'ba, the final and ultimate direction of Muslims till Doomsday.

[‎78] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 73, The Associate (al-Muzzammil), verse 7.

[‎79] This verse is a good omen from Al'lah to His Envoy (cpth), to remind him that similar to the darkness which prevents the eyes from seeing, darkness may also afflict the heart and render it blind; and just as there is a physical sun to take away the darkness of the eyes, so is he (cpth) a sun for the everlasting reality. The Envoy's aspiration is to guide but, since Al'lah looks directly into hearts, he must first remove the darkness from their hearts by God's Eternal Light – in the interstice (grave), in the Afterlife and forever – conversely the light which is seen by the eye will end with death. Mohammad (cpth) had done great works and deeds and so Al'lah rewarded him accordingly. In fact, had it not been for the resistance of Jews and Christians, Islam would have spread all over and become the world's dominant religion. So, this good omen from Al'lah has been realised, since he (cpth) truly is a mercy for all the worlds.

[‎80] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 51, Sun Rays (al-Dhariyat), verses 17-18.

[‎81] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 17, The Night Journey (al-Isra'), verse 20.

[‎82] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 20, Pure (Ta Ha), verse 124.

[‎83] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 22, The Pilgrimage (al-Hajj), verse 1.

[‎84] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 30.

[‎85] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 9, Repentance (al-Tawba), verse 103.

[‎86] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 7, The Heights (al-A'raf), verse 137.

[‎87] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 22, The Pilgrimage (al-Hajj), verse 1.

[‎88] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 22, The Pilgrimage (al-Hajj), verse 2.

[‎89] 'He' refers to God's Envoy Mohammad (cpth).

[‎90] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 15, Stone Buildings (al-Hijr), verse 87.

[‎91] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 18, The Cave (al-Kahf), verse 28.

[‎92] And so it is in our current time, their civilisation resulted in hurricanes, floods, volcanoes with their smoke and lava, earthquakes and their devastation, bankrupt banks, bird flu, mad cow disease, viruses, other diseases and wars that surrounded them; all because they fought against Al'lah's Religion. Thus, they have fallen prey to adversities and hardships, which displeased them. They have fallen down into the mis-abode which displeases them. May God guide them and take them back to goodness by His Mercy.

[‎93] The meaning of life here is the real eternal life near Al'lah, as He is the Source of life, light and happiness. Consequently, everyone who is far from Him will be lifeless, blind and unhappy.

[‎94] 'Disobedient follower' is the translation of the Arabic word abd which, in its full sense, means 'slave' but also denotes having freedom of choice to obey and worship or to disobey and disbelieve.

[‎95] The word 'Trust' means freedom of choice, the burden man accepted in the pre-material world.

[‎96] Al-Hakim in his book al-Mustadrak, saying no. 8871.

[‎97] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 3, The Family of 'Imran (Al 'Imran), verse 151.

[‎98] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 12, Joseph (Yusuf), verse 21.

[‎99] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 89, The Coming Appearance (al-Fajr), verses 25-26.

[‎100] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 41, Explained (Fussilat), verse 44.

[‎101] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 2, The Cow (al-Baqara), verse 256.

[‎102] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 12, Joseph (Yusuf), verse 4.

[‎103] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 54, The Moon (al-Qamar), verse 50.

[‎104] Hence, the humane scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho has singled out a particular book about this theme called: The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon, the Return of Jesus Christ. In this book, he displays the Qur'anic evidence of his advent (return) in this age. For more information, please refer to this book.

[‎105] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 54, The Moon (al-Qamar), verse 46.

[‎‎106] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 18, The Cave (al-Kahf), verse 109.

[‎107] 'Choose' in this verse is used for the Arabic word sha'a, which means to want something and then strive to achieve it.

[‎108] 'Desire' in this verse is used for the Arabic word arada, which means to want something but do nothing to realise that desire; thus it is only a wish.

[‎109] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 9, Repentance (al-Tawba), verse 108.

[‎110] Samiri, the same false companion, is also named in the Qur'an as Korah.

[‎111] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 16.

[‎112] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 24, Light (al-Nur), verse 40.

[‎113] Fire' means Al'lah's blazing Fire. It helps the disbelievers to relieve Hell which ignites inside them when they realise the error they made by indulging themselves in worldly desires and forgetting their purpose in coming down to this earth. Out of His Mercy, Al'lah has prepared Fire for them when they will return to Him, having debased themselves by succumbing to worldly temptations and diseasing their spirits. After this life, Fire will be the hospital which treats their wickedness, cleansing and removing it, until their spirits are healed and they can again be admitted into Paradise.

[‎114] 'Hell' describes the spiritual inner fire of regret, grief and shame that ignites within human spirits when they understand their loss and failure, finally realising their neglect of Al'lah and their failure to pursue the truth, as they forfeit sublime prestige. At the end of this life, they will ultimately see Al'lah's Treatment of them and understand all the perfection, beauty, happiness, real heart life and Paradise that they lost by indulging in their temporary lust, caprices and pleasures away from the Light of Al'lah and His Envoy.

[‎115] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 93.

[‎116] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 66, Prohibition (al-Tahrim), verse 4.

[‎117] This cup (which represents Mohammad, the Prophet) also includes the whole of the Divine Consummations; the Godly Manifestations, containing delight, bliss and heart pleasure, also fill it. However, Al'lah is the Giver and the owner of the cup, Mohammad (cpth) is the distributer, it is he who fills the believers' cups (their spirits) pouring from his own cup.

[‎118] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 2, The Cow (al-Baqara), verse 138.

[‎119] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 97, Valuation (al-Qadr), verse 1.

[‎120] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 44, Smoke (al-Dukhan), verse 3.

[‎121] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 21, The Prophets (al-Anbiya'), verse 107.

[‎122] To 'will' in Arabic is sha'a, it means to want something and then strive to achieve it.

[‎123] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 51, Sun Rays (al-Dhariyat), verse 22.

[‎124] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 149.

[‎125] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 34, Sheba (Saba'), verse 46.

[‎126] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 28.

[‎127] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 124.

[‎128] Al-Hakim in his book al-Mustadrak, saying no. 8871.

[‎129] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 17, The Night Journey (al-Isra'), verse 105.

[‎130] 'Fortress': this word means a Surah of the Holy Qur'an.

[‎131] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 12, Joseph (Yusuf), verse 108.

[‎132] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 7, The Heights (al-A'raf), verse 180.

[‎133] This refers to all humanity, nations and generations.

[‎134] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 90.

[‎135] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 4, Women (al-Nisa'), verse 123.

[‎136] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 64, The Apparent Loss (al-Taghabun), verse 11.

[‎‎137] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 7, The Heights (al-A'raf), verse 157.

[‎138] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 41, Explained (Fussilat), verse 33.

[‎139] A treatment in which evacuated glass cups are applied to the skin, exclusively on the upper part of the back, to draw out the corrupted blood from the body.

[‎140] At that time the countries conquered included Iraq, Greater Syria,Egypt,Persia,Turkey and others,where Islam had then spread and prevailed.

[‎‎141] The holiest place in Islam: situated in the courtyard of the Great Mosque at Mecca.

[‎142] The practice of obligatory alms-giving by Muslims.

[‎143] Al Mutazilah is the name of a theological school or movement which introduced speculative dogmatism into Islam.

[‎144] A philosophical doctrine that states all events are predetermined so that man is powerless to alter his destiny.

[‎145] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 3, The Family of 'Imran (Al 'Imran), verse 129.

[‎146] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 16, The Bees (al-Nahl), verse 93.

[‎147] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 7, The Heights (al-A'raf), verse 54.

[‎148] A person who wishes to dedicate himself to Islam and to master the fundamentals of certain mystical teachings.

[‎149] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 6, Livestock (al-An'am), verse 138.

[‎150] ] Al-Hakim in his book al-Mustadrak, saying no. 8871.

[‎151] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 10, Jonah (Yunus), verse 49.

[‎152] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 72, The Jinn (al-Jinn), verse 21.

[‎153] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 82, Bursting Apart (al-Infitar), verse 19.

[‎154] The Holy Qur'an, Fortress (Surah) 39, The Groups (al-Zumar), verse 19.

[‎155] Adam knew nothing about sins such as lying, so when Satan promised that he could be closer to God by eating from the tree Adam did as he said.
