Surah An-Noor (24): Read Online and Download - English Translation

رِ‌جَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَ‌ةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ

By men whom no trade or sale makes neglectful of the remembrance of Allah - 37.

This verse describes special attributes of those believers who are the distinguished recipients of the Nur of guidance and remain in the mosques. By the use of word Rijal رِ‌جَالٌ (men) there is a hint that only men's presence is required in the mosques. For women it is better that they offer their prayers at homes.

Musnad of Ahmad and Baihaqi have related a hadith of Sayyidah Umm Salmah ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said خیر المساجد النساء قعر بیوتھنّ . ` The best mosques for women are the secluded corners of their homes'.

This verse describes that the involvement in trade and sales does not stop the righteous believers from the remembrance of Allah. Since 'sale' is included in the word 'trade', some commentators have preferred to assume trade for purchase only for the sake of comparison, while others have taken the trade in its common sense, that is transactions of sale and purchase, and have explained the wisdom of using the word 'sale' separately for the reason that trade transactions have a wide scope where profits and benefits are received after a long time. On the other hand by selling something one receives the money with profit immediately in cash. Hence, it is mentioned separately to stress that they do not bring into consideration even the most lucrative mundane benefit as against the prayers and remembrance of Allah Ta’ ala.

Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ has said that this verse was revealed in connection with the market people, and his son, Sayyidna Salim, has related that one day his father was passing through the market and the time for prayers had come. Then he noticed that people started closing their shops and set out to go towards the mosque. On that Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ said that it is for these persons that the Qur'an has said رِ‌جَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَ‌ةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ.

There were two companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ during his time, one was a general trader and the other a blacksmith who used to produce swords and sell them. It was the habit of the trader that when he would hear the call of the prayer while weighing something, he would leave everything there and get up to go to the mosque for prayers. The other one who was the blacksmith, when he was busy hammering the hot iron and would hear the call of the prayer, he would stop his hand wherever it was and throw the hammer out of his hand to rush to the mosque for prayers, without even bothering to strike the raised hammer. This verse was revealed in their praise. (Qurtubi)

Most of the companions were traders

This verse also points out that most of the companions were either traders or manufacturers, that is in the professions involved with the market, because the quality mentioned in the verse can be attributed only to those who are in the profession of trade and sales and do not let their profession interfere in the remembrance of Allah Ta’ ala. Otherwise it is irrelevant. (Ruh)

يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ‌

They are fearful of a day in which the hearts and the eyes will be overturned - 37.

The last quality of those believers who are mentioned in the above verse is that despite being busy in Allah's obedience, remembrance and worshiping all the time, they do not become careless or free themselves from Allah's fear. Instead the fear of reckoning on the Day of Judgment is constantly in their mind, which is the fruit of Nur of guidance granted to them by Allah Ta ala, mentioned in the earlier verse يَهْدِي اللَّـهُ لِنُورِ‌هِ مَن يَشَاءُ.

Toward the end of the verse their reward is described that they shall be graced with the best reward for their actions by Allah Ta’ ala, and then the verse says: وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ (and will give them more out of His grace - 38). It means that their reward will not end with the recompense against the good actions, but some extra reward will also be given on His own وَاللَّـهُ يَرْ‌زُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ‌ حِسَابٍ (and Allah gives whom He wills without counting - 38), that is neither Allah is bound by any rule nor does His treasure gets depleted. He grants unlimited sustenance to whomever He likes.

So far the righteous believers were described whose chests are the niches for the Nur of guidance and who readily accept the Nur of guidance. In verses 39 and 40 those disbelievers are being described who were given in their nature the Nur of guidance by Allah Ta’ ala, but when Allah's revelation reached them to lit them up, they turned away to reject it and lost the Nur to stay in the darkness. Since the disbelievers and atheists are of two types, therefore, two examples are related here. One category is that of those disbelievers who believe in the Dooms Day and Hereafter, and have faith that some of their good acts, according to their own reckoning, will be rewarded in the Hereafter. The second category is that of atheists, who do not believe in the Hereafter and the Dooms Day.

The example of the deeds of the first category is that of a mirage, which is nothing but illusion of sight. In a level plain the shining sand creates the illusion of water from a distance, and as a thirsty person approaches near it, the illusion (mirage) disappears, leaving the thirsty completely exhausted, who ultimately dies of thirst. Similarly, a disbeliever's deeds are like a mirage which he considers of value and benefit, but in actual fact they are no better than an illusion, like mirage, and as a thirsty person discovers the illusion when it is too late, in the same way the disbelievers will find out their blunder in the Hereafter, when it will be of no avail.

The second category of deeds is that of atheists or infidels, for which the example of a deep ocean is given, which is completely dark. In the first place it is dark because of its depth, then it is covered by a big wave which is also enshrouded by another wave, and over that there is a mass of dark cloud. In short there is darkness over darkness, so much so that if someone takes out his hand, he cannot have even a glimpse of it. The inference to be drawn from this example is that those infidels who deny the coming of the Dooms Day, the Reckoning and the Hereafter are devoid of even the illusive Nur, which the first category of disbelievers had. Although they too did not possess the useful Nur of guidance, but at least they were under the illusion that they had done some good deeds which will help them in the Hereafter, but the latter category did not deem it necessary to work for the Hereafter, since they had no belief in it. Hence, they will have nothing but darkness and complete darkness with them on the Dooms Day.

After describing the two examples the next sentence says: وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّـهُ لَهُ نُورً‌ا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ‌(And the one to whom Allah does not give light can have no light at all - 40).

This sentence about the disbelievers is like the one that appeared earlier for the believers: يَهْدِي اللَّـهُ لِنُورِ‌هِ مَن يَشَاءُ (Allah guides to His light whomsoever He wills - 35). It describes the deprivation of disbelievers from the Nur of guidance, which they lost by denying the injunctions of Allah, and when they have lost Allah's Nur of guidance how can they get any other Nur.

This verse also explains that no one can become a perspicacious scholar merely by having resource of insight and knowledge, rather it is bestowed by the grace of Allah only. It is for this reason that those who are regarded naive in mundane matters prove themselves very knowledgeable and scholarly in the cognizance of the Hereafter. And, vice versa, many who are regarded very intelligent and knowledgeable in worldly matters, prove themselves completely ignorant and foolish in the perception and comprehension of the Hereafter. (Mazhari)

Commentary

كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ (Everyone knows one's own (way of) praying - 41). In the beginning of the verse it is said that every creature on earth and heavens and in between them is busy in the glorification and sanctification of Allah Ta’ ala. The meaning of Tasbih is explained by Sufyan (رح) that Allah Ta’ ala has created everything in this universe like earth, heavens, sun, moon, stars, water, fire, air or sand with purpose, and they are all performing all the time the task they are assigned. They cannot refuse to perform their assigned job. This obedience and submission to carry out the assigned job is referred here as Tasbih. Hence, their Tasbih is by action and not by words. By their actions they are confirming that they are performing this worship because they believe Allah Ta’ ala to be Pure and Almighty.

Zamakhshari and some other commentators have, on the other hand, elaborated that it is not improbable that Allah Ta’ ala has placed so much sense and understanding in everything that they do recognize their Creator and Master. And it is also not improbable that He has taught them some sort of speech, and some special Tasbih and worship in which they keep themselves busy. There is an allusion towards this point in the last sentence كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ (Every one knows one's own { way of} praying and proclaiming Allah's purity - 41). It indicates that all creatures are busy in Tasbih and worship of Allah Ta’ ala, but the manner of worship of each creature is different. Angels worship in a different manner, humans worship differently, trees and vegetation also worship differently, and the rocks and minerals yet in another manner. Another verse of the Holy Qur’ an also confirms this view when it says أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ (He who gave everything its shape, then guidance - 20:50) that is ` Allah Ta’ ala created everything and then given guidance to them'. The guidance is that everything is obeying Allah and performing its assigned duty diligently. Apart from this, everything has been guided how to fulfill the need of its existence with such perfection that even the best of minds get boggled. How creative and complicated nests and holes they make for their living, and how they strive and work hard to find and collect their food is in itself a great wonder.

مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن جِبَالٍ فِيهَا

From the sky mountains (of clouds) having hail in them - 43.

Here the word سَمَاء is purported for clouds, and Jibal جِبَالٍ (mountains) for big masses of clouds, while hails are called Barad.