39:53. Say: O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. for Allah forgives (4324) all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 4324 Forgives all sins: i.e., on sincere repentance and amendment of conduct. 39:54. Turn ye to our Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before (4325) the Penalty comes on you: after that ye shall not be helped. 4325 The exhortation in brief is: Repent and work righteousness, before it becomes too late. No help will come to you when the Judgment is actually established and you stand before the Judgment Seat. 55. And follow the Best (4326) of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you - of a sudden while ye perceive not! – 4326 Cf. 39:18, and n. 4269. Allahs Command meets the weakness of His weakest servants, and only asks that His servants should surrender their selfish will to Allahs Will. In divine compassion, therefore, we are allowed to do just what we can, even though our standard should fall short of the highest standard, and Allahs Grace will come to our assistance. But we must do so in this life—and at once, as soon as the Word penetrates our mind or understanding. We must not delay a moment, for the Judgment may come at any time, suddenly, before we even perceive where we are. 39:56. Lest the soul should (then) say: ´Ah! Woe is me!- (4327) In that I neglected (my duty) towards Allah, and was but among those who mocked!´- 4327 Many kinds of sighs and regrets will then assail us. In the first place, we shall see our shortcomings: we were negligent when we should have been serious: we mocked when we should have tried to learn and understand. But it will be too late then to retrieve our position. 39:57. Or (lest) it should say: (4328) ´If only Allah had guided me, I should certainly have been among the righteous!´- 4328 In the second place, we might be inclined to say, I wish I had received warning or guidance. But this would not be true, because the warning and guidance are being conveyed in the clearest manner in Allahs Revelation. That is the force of lest it should say. It could have said so, had it not seen that the objection is clearly anticipated in the call to repent and in the warning about the Hereafter. 38:58. Or (lest) it should say (4329) when it (actually) sees the penalty: ´If only I had another chance, I should certainly be among those who do good!´ 4329 In the third place, when we stand face to face with the Penalty of our own deeds, we might say, I wish I had another chance. But not one, but many, chances are being given, especially when we are told (verse 53 above): Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The force of lest it should say here is the same as explained in the last note. 39:59. (The reply will be:) ´Nay, (4330) but there came to thee my Signs, and thou didst reject them: thou wast Haughty, and became one of those who reject faith!´ (4331) 4330 The reply explains how all such pleas have been anticipated and met. It was deliberate rejection that will deserve and meet its consequences. It is further explained that the motive of sin, as with Satan, was haughtiness and Self. 4331 Cf. 2:34 . The example of the arch-sinner illustrates what happens, to a minor degree, to every kind of sinner. 39:60. On the Day of Judgment wilt thou see those who told lies against Allah.- their faces will be turned black; (4332) Is there not in Hell an abode (4333) for the Haughty? 4332 As spotless white is the symbol of purity, honour and truth, so black is the symbol of evil, disgrace, and falsehood. Perhaps black in connection with Hell also refers to the scorching punishment of the Fire. 4333 Cf. above, 39:32, and n. 4292, where the subtle implication of the interrogative form is explained. 39:61. But Allah will deliver the righteous to their place (4334) of salvation: no evil shall touch them, nor shall they grieve. 4334 Mafazah place or state of safety or salvation, place or state of victory or achievement; accomplishment of wish or desire. This is contrasted against the frustration, failure, and perdition of the children of evil-what may be called damnation in theological phraseology. 39:62. Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian and Disposer (4334) of all affairs. 4334 Mafazah place or state of safety or salvation, place or state of victory or achievement; accomplishment of wish or desire. This is contrasted against the frustration, failure, and perdition of the children of evil-what may be called damnation in theological phraseology.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 08:24:25 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015