Surah Hud: Verse 1 - الر ۚ كتاب أحكمت آياته... - English

Tafsir of Verse 1, Surah Hud

الٓر ۚ كِتَٰبٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

English Translation

Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from [one who is] Wise and Acquainted.

English Transliteration

Aliflamra kitabun ohkimat ayatuhu thumma fussilat min ladun hakeemin khabeerin

Tafsir of Verse 1

Alif Lam Ra. A Book whose verses are set clear, and then distinguished, from One All-wise, All-aware:

A. L. R. (This is) a Book, with verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning), further explained in detail,- from One Who is Wise and Well-acquainted (with all things):

Commentary

Surah Hud is among the Surahs that describe the coming of several kinds of mass punishments triggered by Divine displeasure as well as the horrendous happenings of the fateful day of Judgment and its outcome in the form of individual reward and punishment, all in a manner that is unique.

For this reason, when a few strands of hair in the blessed beard of the Holy Prophet ﷺ had turned visibly grey, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ expressed his concern by saying: ` Ya Ras ulallah, you have become old.' He said: ` Yes, Surah Hud has made me old.' There are reports which also add Surah al-Waqi` ah, al-Mursalat, ` Amma Yatasa'alun (an-Naba' ) and at-Takwir with Surah Hud. (Reported by a1-Hakim and Tirmidhi)

The sense articulated through the Hadith given above was to highlight that such was the awe and terror inspired by the mention of these happenings that it caused the emergence of the signs of old age.

The first verse of the Surah opens with the letters: الر (alif lam, ra). These are isolated letters the meaning of which is a secret between Allah Ta` ala and His Rasul ﷺ . Others have not been informed about it. Rather, they have been prohibited from even worrying about it.

After that, about the Holy Qur'an it was said that it was a book the verses of which are made ` muhkam' (firm). The word: مُحکَم (muhkam) is from: اِحکَام (ihkam) which means such a correct balancing of meaningful speech as would not leave the probability of any error or disorder in word or meaning. Based on this definition, the making of these verses ` muhkam,' firm or established would mean that Allah Ta` ala has made these verses such as do not admit of any likelihood and probability of any error in words, or disorder in meanings, or defect, or falsity. (Qurtubi)

And Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that ` muhkam' (firm) at this place stands in contrast to 'mansukh' (abrogated). And the sense is that Allah Ta` ala has made the verses of the Qur'an as a whole firm, non-abrogated - that is, the way earlier Books, Torah, Injil etc. were abrogated after the revelation of the Qur'an. But, after the revelation of this Book, since the very chain of the coming of prophets and revelations came to an end, therefore, this Book will not be abrogated until the last day of Qiyamah. (Qurtubi) As for the abrogation of some verses of the Qur'an through the Qur'an itself, it is not contrary to this.

In the same verse, given there was another standing feature of the Qur'an: ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ (thumma fussilat) that is, ` then these verses were elaborated'. The real meaning of tafsil or elaboration is to separate two things and make them distinct from each other. For this reason, different sections in ordinary (Arabic) books bear the heading of 'Fasl'. At this place, the elaboration of verses could also mean that the verses concerning beliefs, acts of worship, dealings, social living, morals etc., have been separated from each other and described clearly.

And it could also mean that, as far as Allah Ta` ala's will is concerned, the entire Qur'an had already been embedded in the Preserved Tablet اَلَّوحَ اِلمَحفُوظ (al-lawh al-mahfuz). But, later it was revealed bit by bit in many installments as necessitated under different conditions prevailing among peoples and countries, so that its preservation could become easy and acting in accordance with it also turns out to be functionally convenient.

After that, it was said: مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ‌ that is, all these verses have come from a Sacred Being who is absolutely and simultaneously Wise and Aware. In other words, there are so many considerations of wisdom ingrained in everything that issues forth from Him. It is impossible for human beings to encompass them all. Then He is fully aware of every particle, present now or to be present in the future, of this multi-faceted universe. He knows all states of their existence as it is and as it will be and releases His commands keeping all this in sight. This is not like what human beings do. No matter how intelligent, smart and experienced they may be, their reason and vision are still cordoned by a limited frame of reference. Their experience is the product of what is around them. And this, mostly, proves to be unsuccessful, even wrong, especially when it concerns what would happen in the future under different times and conditions. (Interestingly enough, the observations of the commentator apply to what we now know as the intellectual phenomena of Futurology with its pundits, fellow travelers and dabblers all over the world, including Pakistan! tr).

Which was revealed in Makkah

Surah Hud made the Prophet's Hair turn Gray

Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhi recorded from Ibn `Abbas that Abu Bakr said, "O Messenger of Allah, verily your hair has turned gray." The Prophet replied,

«شَيَّبَتْنِي هُودٌ وَالْوَاقِعَةُ وَالْمُرْسَلَاتُ وَعَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ وَإِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَت»

(Surahs Hud, Al-Waqi`ah, Al-Mursalat, `Amma Yatasa'lun An-Naba' and Idhash-Shamsu Kuwwirat At-Takwir have turned my hair gray.) In another narration he said,

«هُودٌ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا»

(Surah Hud and its sisters...)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Qur'an and its Call to (worship) Allah Alone

A discussion concerning the letters of the alphabet (which appear at the beginning of some chapters of the Qur'an) has already preceded at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah. That discussion is sufficient without any need for repetition here. Concerning Allah's statement,

أُحْكِمَتْ ءايَـتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ

(The Ayat whereof are perfect and then explained in detail) This means perfect in its wording, detailed in its meaning. Thus, it is complete in its form and its meaning. This interpretation was reported from Mujahid and Qatadah, and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari preferred it. Concerning the meaning of Allah's statement,

مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

(from One (Allah), Who is All-Wise, Well-Acquainted.) This means that it (the Qur'an) is from Allah, Who is Most Wise in His statements and His Laws, and Most Aware of the final outcome of matters.

أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

((Saying) worship none but Allah.) This means that this Qur'an descended, perfect and detailed, with the purpose of Allah's worship alone, without any partners. This is similar to the statement of Allah, the Exalted,

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): There is no God but I, so worship Me.) 21:25 It is similar to Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): `Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (calling false deities.)')16:36 In reference to Allah's statement,

إِنَّنِى لَكُمْ مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ

(Verily, I am unto you from Him a warner and a bringer of glad tidings.) This means, "Verily, I am unto you a warner of the punishment if you oppose Him (Allah), and a bringer of the good news of reward if you obey Him." This meaning has been recorded in the authentic Hadith which states that the Messenger of Allah ascended mount As-Safa and called out to his near relatives of the Quraysh tribe. When they gathered around him, he said,

«يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلًا تُصَبِّحُكُمْ أَلَسْتُمْ مُصَدِّقِيَّ؟»

(O people of Quraysh, if I informed you that a cavalry was going to attack you in the morning, would you not believe me) They replied, "We have not found you to be a liar." He said,

«فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَي عَذَابٍ شَدِيد»

(Verily I am a warner unto you before a severe punishment.) Concerning His statement,

وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُمْ مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ

(And (commanding you): `Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding grace to every owner of grace.) This means, "I am commanding you to seek forgiveness from previous sins and to turn to Allah from future sins, and thereafter you abide by that."

يُمَتِّعْكُمْ مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا

(that He may grant you good enjoyment,) This is in reference to this worldly life.

إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ

(for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding grace to every owner of grace.) This refers to the Hereafter, according to Qatadah. "This is like the statement of Allah,

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَـلِحاً مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَوةً طَيِّبَةً

(Whoever works righteousness -- whether male or female -- while a true believer, verily to him We will give a good life.)16:97 Concerning Allah's statement,

وَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ

(But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day.) This is a severe threat for whoever turns away from the commandments of Allah, the Exalted, and rejects His Messengers. Verily, the punishment will afflict such a person on the Day of Resurrection and there will be no escape from it.

إِلَى الله مَرْجِعُكُمْ

(To Allah is your return,) This is means your return on the Day of Judgement.

وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

(and He is able to do all things.) This means that He is capable of doing whatever He wishes, whether it be goodness towards His Awliya' (friends and allies), or vengeance upon His enemies. This also includes His ability to repeat the creation of His creatures on the Day of Resurrection. This section encourages fear, just as the previous section encourages hope.

Verse 1 - Surah Hud: (الر ۚ كتاب أحكمت آياته ثم فصلت من لدن حكيم خبير...) - English