The Moon — Verse 40

And verily We have made the Qur’ān easy to remember. So is there anyone who will remember?

ولقد سَهَّلْنا لفظ القرآن للتلاوة والحفظ، ومعانيه للفهم والتدبر لمن أراد أن يتذكر، فهل مِن متعظ به؟

يقول تعالى مخبرا عن فرعون وقومه إنهم جاءهم رسول الله موسى وأخوه هارون بالبشارة إن آمنوا والنذارة إن كفروا.

ثم ختم - سبحانه - قصتهم بما ختم به القصص السابقة فقال : ( وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا القرآن لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُدَّكِرٍ ) .قال صاحب الكشاف : فإن قلت : ما فائدة تكرير قوله : ( فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا القرآن لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُدَّكِرٍ ) ؟قلت : فائدته أن يجددوا عند استماع كل نبأ من أنباء الأولين ادكارا واتعاظا ، وأن يستأنفوا تنبها واستيقاظا إذا سمعوا الحث على ذلك والبعث عليه ، وأن يقرع لهم العصا مرات ، ويقعقع لهم الشن تارات لئلا يغلبهم السهو ، ولا تستولى عليهم الغفلة ، وهذا حكم التكرير ، كقوله : ( فَبِأَيِّ آلاء رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ) عند كل نعمة عدها فى سورة الرحمن .وكقوله : ( وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ) عند كل آية أوردها فى سورة المرسلات ، وكذلك تكرير الأنباء والقصص فى أنفسها ، لتكون تلك العبر حاضرة للقلوب ، مصورة للأذهان ، مذكورة غير منسية فى كل أوان .

وقوله ( وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: ولقد سهَّلنا القرآن للذكر لمن أراد التذكر به فهل من متعظ ومعتبر به فينـزجر به عما نهاه الله عنه إلى ما أمره به وأذن له فيه.

" ولقد يسرنا القرآن للذكر فهل من مدكر "

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآَنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ (40(تكرير ثالث تنويها بشأن القرآن للخصوصية التي تقدمت في المواضع التي كرر فيها نظيره وما يقاربه وخاصة في نظيره الموالي هو له . ولم يذكر هنا { فكيف كان عذابي ونذر } [ القمر : 30 ] اكتفاء بحكاية التنكيل لقوم لوط في التعريض بتهديد المشركين .

{ وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُمْ بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُسْتَقِرٌّ } قلب الله عليهم ديارهم، وجعل أسفلها أعلاها، وتتبعهم بحجارة من سجيل منضود، مسومة عند ربك للمسرفين، ونجى الله لوطا وأهله من الكرب العظيم، جزاء لهم على شكرهم لربهم، وعبادته وحده لا شريك له.

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِأي سهلناه للحفظ وأعنا عليه من أراد حفظه ; فهل من طالب لحفظه فيعان عليه ؟ ويجوز أن يكون المعنى : ولقد هيأناه للذكر مأخوذ من يسر ناقته للسفر : إذا رحلها ويسر فرسه للغزو إذا أسرجه وألجمه ; قال : وقمت إليه باللجام ميسرا هنالك يجزيني الذي كنت أصنع وقال سعيد بن جبير : ليس من كتب الله كتاب يقرأ كله ظاهرا إلا القرآن ; وقال غيره : ولم يكن هذا لبني إسرائيل , ولم يكونوا يقرءون التوراة إلا نظرا , غير موسى وهارون ويوشع بن نون وعزير صلوات الله عليهم , ومن أجل ذلك افتتنوا بعزير لما كتب لهم التوراة عن ظهر قلبه حين أحرقت ; على ما تقدم بيانه في سورة " التوبة " فيسر الله تعالى على هذه الأمة حفظ كتابه ليذكروا ما فيه ; أي يفتعلوا الذكر , والافتعال هو أن ينجع فيهم ذلك حتى يصير كالذات وكالتركيب فيهم .فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍقارئ يقرؤه .وقال أبو بكر الوراق وابن شوذب : فهل من طالب خير وعلم فيعان عليه , وكرر في هذه السورة للتنبيه والإفهام .وقيل : إن الله تعالى اقتص في هذه السورة على هذه الأمة أنباء الأمم وقصص المرسلين , وما عاملتهم به الأمم , وما كان من عقبى أمورهم وأمور المرسلين ; فكان في كل قصة ونبأ ذكر للمستمع أن لو ادكر , وإنما كرر هذه الآية عند ذكر كل قصة بقوله : " فهل من مدكر " لأن " هل " كلمة استفهام تستدعي أفهامهم التي ركبت في أجوافهم وجعلها حجة عليهم ; فاللام من " هل " للاستعراض والهاء للاستخراج .

When Lot called to the Truth, there were a few individuals who responded positively. They accepted the greatness of Truth and, as compared to it, they conceded that they were small. But many did not concur. Instead of accepting sound arguments in support of Lot’s call, they indulged in false reasoning just in order to reject it. This sort of rejection of the Truth is a major crime. So, while the accepters were spared, the rejecters were seized upon by God. This is an example which shows that, in this world, the fate of the rejecters of the call for Truth is destruction, while those who accept it earn salvation.

Lexicological Analysis The word سُعُر su'ur has appeared twice in this Surah. First it has appeared in verse 24 in connection with the people of Thamud where it is their own word, and means 'madness or insanity'. The second time, the word appears in connection with the punishment of the sinners where it is the word of Allah in the forthcoming verse [ 47] فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ‌. Here the word سُعُر su'ur may also be taken in the sense of Hell-Fire. According to lexicologists, the word su'ur is used in both these senses. رَ‌اوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they had even tried to tempt him against his guests...54:37). The word murawadah signifies to entice someone to satisfy one's lust. This verse refers to the night when the angels came to Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for his people who were addicted to homosexuality. Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) hosted his guests. The licentious people came to him from every direction, and the Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) had to shut the door to protect his guests. They came during the night and tried to break the door down and scale the walls to come in. The immoral behaviour of his people distressed Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) but when the guests revealed to him that they were angels and have been sent by Allah to inflict destructive punishment on his people, he felt comforted; they assured him that they will not be able to hurt them in any way. Surah Al-Qamar started on the note that Doomsday is fast approaching, so that the infidels and pagans, who have lust and greed for this world and are unaware of the Hereafter, come to their senses. First, the punishment of the Hereafter is mentioned. Then the evil consequences of their misdeeds in the present life are cited. Reference is made to the conditions of world-famous nations, their opposition to their respective prophets and its evil consequences. The people of Lut (علیہ السلام) were the first people who were destroyed by Divine punishment. Many different kinds of devastating torments were inflicted on the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) ، the tribes of ` Ad, Thamud and Lut (علیہ السلام) and the people of Fir'aun in this world. Their stories and histories are recounted in detail on several occasions in the Qur'an. Here they have been condensed. All these five nations were the strongest and resourceful. It was not possible for any of the subdued nations to overcome any of these superpowers. The current set of verses show how the superpowers were destroyed by Divine punishment. After describing the punishment of each nation, the Qur'an repeats the following statement as a refrain: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ‌ (How then was My torment and My warnings?). That is, when the Divine chastisement overtook these nations who were very powerful in terms of might, wealth and number were killed like flies and mosquitoes. In addition, the following verse is repeated to advise the Muslims and the infidels in general: وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْ‌نَا الْقُرْ‌آنَ لِلذِّكْرِ‌ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ‌ (and indeed We have made the Qur'an easy for seeking advice. So, is there one to seek advice?) This is to indicate that the only way to avoid the terrible chastisement is to take to the advice of the Qur'an. Allah has made the Qur'an easy to the extent of paying heed to the admonition and warnings. Only the most ill-fated person will not take advantage of the warnings. The forthcoming verses address the people of the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that they are not more powerful in terms of wealth, number and might than the people of Prophet Lut (علیہ السلام) the tribes of ` Ad and Thamud, Prophet Lut’ s علیہ السلام people and the people of Fir'aun. Then how are they sitting in a careless manner?

(And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember) to memorise, recite and write down; (but is there any that remembereth) but is there any that takes admonition from what was done to the folk of Lot and, hence, desist from transgression?

The Story of the People of the Prophet Lut Allah the Exalted states that the people of Lut defied and denied their Messenger and committed sodomy, the awful immoral sin that no people in the history of mankind had committed before. This is why Allah destroyed them with a type of torment that He never inflicted upon any nation before them. Allah the Exalted commanded Jibril, peace be upon him, to raise their cities to the sky and then turn them upside down over them, followed by stones made of marked Sijjil. So He said here: إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَـصِباً إِلاَّ آلَ لُوطٍ نَّجَّيْنَـهُم بِسَحَرٍ (Verily, We sent against them Hasib (a violent storm of stones) except the family of Lut, them We saved in the last hour of the night.) They left the city in the last part of the night and were saved from the torment that struck their people, none of whom believed in Lut. And even Lut's wife suffered the same end as her people. Allah's Prophet Lut left Sodom with his daughters in safety, unharmed. Allah said, كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى مَن شَكَرَوَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُمْ بَطْشَتَنَا (Thus do We reward him who gives thanks. And he indeed had warned them of Our punishment,) meaning, before the torment struck his people, he warned them of Allah's torment and punishment. They did not heed the warning, nor listen to Lut, but instead doubted and disputed the warning. وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيْفِهِ (And they indeed sought to shame his guests) that is the night the angels Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil came to him in the shape of handsome young men, as a test from Allah for Lut's people. Lut hosted his guests, while his wife, the evil old one, sent a message to her people informing them of Lut's guests. They came to him in haste from every direction, and Lut had to close the door in their faces. They came during the night and tried to break the door; Lut tried to fend them off, while shielding his guests from them, saying, هَـؤُلآءِ بَنَاتِى إِن كُنْتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ (These are my daughters, if you must act (so).) (15:71), in reference to their women, قَالُواْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ (They said: "Surely, you know that we have neither any desire nor need of your daughters!")(11:79), meaning, `we do not have any desire for women,' وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ (and indeed you know well what we want!)(11:79) When the situation became serious and they insisted on coming in, Jibril went out to them and struck their eyes with the tip of his wing, causing them to lose their sight. They went back feeling for the walls to guide them, threatening Lut with what would befall him in the morning. Allah the Exalted said, وَلَقَدْ صَبَّحَهُم بُكْرَةً عَذَابٌ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ (And verily, an abiding torment seized them early in the morning.) meaning, a torment that they had no way of escaping or avoiding, فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ (Then taste you My torment and My warnings. And indeed, We have made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there any that will remember)