The Moon — Verse 42

Rather They denied Our signs all nine of them which were given to Moses. So We seized them by way of chastisement with the seizing of One Who is Mighty Strong Omnipotent Powerful Whom nothing can thwart.

كذَّبوا بأدلتنا كلها الدالة على وحدانيتنا ونبوة أنبيائنا، فعاقبناهم بالعذاب عقوبة عزيز لا يغالَب، مقتدر على ما يشاء.

وأيدهما بمعجزات عظيمة وآيات متعددة فكذبوا بها كلها فأخذهم الله أخذ عزيز مقتدر أي فأبادهم الله ولم يبق منهم مخبر ولا عين ولا أثر.

بل ( كَذَّبُواْ بِئَايَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا ) أى : بل كذبوا بجميع المعجزات التى أيدنا موسى - عليه السلام - بها ، والتى كانت تدل أعظم دلالة على صدقة فيما يدعوهم إليه .وأمد - سبحانه - هذه المعجزات بقوله ، كلها للإشعار بكثرتها ، وبأنهم قد أنكروها جميعا دون أن يستثنوا منها شيئا .وقوله : ( فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عِزِيزٍ مُّقْتَدِرٍ ) بيان لشدة العذاب الذى نزل بهم إذ الأخذ مستعار ، للانتقام الشديد ، وانتصاب ( أَخْذَ . . ) على المفعولية المطلقة ، وإضافته إلى " عزيز مقتدر " من إضافة المصدر إلى فاعله .والعزيز : الذى لا يغلبه غالب ، والمقتدر : الذى لا يعجزه شىء يريده .أى : فأخذناهم أخذا لم يبق منهم أحدا ، بل أهلكناهم جميعا ، لأن هذا الأخذ صادر عن الله - عز وجل - الذى لا يغلبه غالب ، ولا يعجزه شىء .ووصف - سبحانه - ذاته هنا بصفة العزة والاقتدار ، للرد على دعاوى فرعون وطغيانه وتبجحه ، فقد وصل به الحال أن زعم أنه الرب الأعلى . . . فأخذه - سبحانه - أخذ عزيز مقتدر ، يحق الحق ويبطل الباطل .

( كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه كذّب آل فرعون بأدلتنا التي جاءتهم من عندنا, وحججنا التي أتتهم بأنه لا إله إلا الله وحده كلها( فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فعاقبناهم بكفرهم بالله عقوبة شديد لا يغلب, مقتدر على ما يشاء, غير عاجز ولا ضعيف.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن قتاده, قوله ( فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ ) يقول: عزيز في نقمته إذا انتقم.

( كذبوا بآياتنا كلها ) وهي الآيات التسع ( فأخذناهم ) بالعذاب ( أخذ عزيز ) غالب في انتقامه ( مقتدر ) قادر على إهلاكهم ، لا يعجزه ما أراد ، ثم خوف أهل مكة فقال :

كَذَّبُوا بِآَيَاتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ (42(وجملة { كذبوا بآياتنا كلها } بدل اشتمال من جملة { جاء آل فرعون النذر } لأن مجيء النذر إليهم ملابس للآيات ، وظهور الآيات مقارن لتكذيبهم بها فمجيء النذر مشتمل على التكذيب لأنه مقارنُ مقارنِهِ .وقوله : { بآياتنا } إشارة إلى آيات موسى المذكورة في قوله تعالى : { فأرسلنا عليهم الطوفان والجراد } [ الأعراف : 133 ] وهي تسع آيات منها الخمس المذكورة في آية الأعراف والأربع الأخر هي : انقلاب العصا حية ، وظهور يده بيضاء ، وسِنُو القحط ، وانفلاق البحر بمرأى من فرعون وآله ، ولم ينجع ذلك في تصميمهم على اللحاق ببني إسرائيل .وتأكيد { آياتنا } ب { كلها } إشارة إلى كثرتها وأنهم لم يؤمنوا بشيء منها ، وتكذيبهم بآية انفلاق البحر تكذيب فعلي لأن موسى لم يَتحدَّهُم بتلك الآية وقوم فرعون لما رأوا تلك الآية عدّوها سحراً وتوهموا البحر أرضاً فلم يهتدوا بتلك الآية .والأخذ : مستعار للانتقام ، وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { أو يأخذهم في تقلبهم فما هم بمعجزين أو يأخذهم على تخوف } في سورة النحل ( 46 ، 47 ( .وهذا الأخذ : هو إغراق فرعون ورجالُ دولته وجنده الذين خرجوا لنصرتِه كما تقدم في الأعراف .وانتصب أخذ عزيز مقتدر } على المفعولية المطلقة مبيناً لنوع الأخذ بأفظع ما هو معروف للمخاطبين من أخذ الملوك والجبابرة .والعزيز : الذي لا يغلب . والمقتدر : الذي لا يَعجِز .وأريد بذلك أنه أخْذ لم يبق على العدوّ أيّ إبقاء بحيث قطع دابر فرعون وآله .

وأشهدهم من العبر ما لم يشهد عليه أحدا غيرهم فكذبوا بآيات الله كلها، فأخذهم أخذ عزيز مقتدر، فأغرقهم في اليم هو وجنوده والمراد من ذكر هذه القصص تحذير [الناس و] المكذبين لمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم.

كذبوا بآياتنا معجزاتنا الدالة على توحيدنا ونبوة أنبيائنا ; وهي العصا ، واليد ، والسنون ، والطمسة ، والطوفان ، والجراد ، والقمل ، والضفادع ، والدم . وقيل : النذر : الرسل ; فقد جاءهم يوسف وبنوه إلى أن جاءهم موسى . وقيل : النذر الإنذار .فأخذناهم أخذ عزيز أي غالب في انتقامه مقتدر أي قادر على ما أراد .

Pharaoh was a very powerful ruler of his time, but on rejecting the truth he became valueless in the eyes of God. Thereafter, he was killed like any other helpless man. In this world, a man standing out against the Truth renders himself weak.

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?

(Who denied Our revelations, every one) of the nine signs. (Therefore We grasped them with the grasp of the Mighty) by means of punishment, (the Powerful) to inflict punishment.

The Story of Fir`awn and His People Allah the Exalted narrates to us the story of Fir`awn and his people. A Messenger came to them from Allah, Musa supported by his brother Harun. Their Messengers delivered good news if they believe, and a warning if they rejected the Message. Allah supported Musa and Harun with tremendous miracles and great signs, but Fir`awn and his people rejected all of them. Allah took them the way the All-Mighty, the All-Capable would; He destroyed them all leaving none surviving to tell the story of what happened to them. Advising and Threatening the Quraysh Allah said, أَكُفَّـرُكُمْ (Are your disbelievers) meaning, `O idolators of the Quraysh,' خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أُوْلَـئِكُمْ (better than these) meaning better than the nations that were mentioned here, who were destroyed on account of their disbelief in the Messengers and rejecting the Scriptures. `Are you better than these' أَمْ لَكُم بَرَآءَةٌ فِى الزُّبُرِ (Or have you immunity in the Divine Scriptures), `do you have immunity from Allah that the torment and punishment will not touch you' Allah said about the Quraysh, أَمْ يَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ جَمِيعٌ مُّنتَصِرٌ (Or say they: "We are a great multitude, victorious") stating that they believed they will support each other and their great gathering will avail them against those who intend to harm them. Allah the Exalted responded, سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ (Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs.) affirming that their gathering shall scatter, and they shall be defeated. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet , while in a dome-shaped tent on the day of the battle of Badr, said, «أَنْشُدُكَ عَهْدَكَ وَوَعْدَكَ، اللْهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ تُعْبَدْ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَبَدًا» (O Allah! I ask you for the fulfillment of Your covenant and promise. O Allah! If You wish (to destroy the believers), You will never be worshipped on the earth after today.) Abu Bakr caught him by the hand and said, `This is sufficient, O Allah's Messenger! You have sufficiently asked and petitioned Allah.' The Prophet was clad in his armor at that time and went out, saying, سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ - بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَى وَأَمَرُّ (Their multitude will be put to flight and they will show their backs. Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time and that Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.)" Al-Bukhari also recorded that Yusuf bin Mahak said, "I was with the Mother of the faithful, `A'ishah, when she said, `When I was still a young playful girl in Makkah, this Ayah was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ, بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوْعِدُهُمْ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَى وَأَمَرُّ (Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time and that Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.)" This is the abridged narration that Al-Bukhari collected, but he also collected a longer narration of it in the Book of the Virtues of the Qur'an. Muslim did not collect this Hadith. إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ وَسُعُرٍ - يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ