Commentary on Select Verses of Surah 41

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

‌قُدُّوسٌ ‌قُدُّوسٌ ‌قُدُّوسٌ

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Holy, Holy, Holy

Allah, Holy and Exalted is He, says:

فَاَعۡرَضَ اَکۡثَرُہُمۡ فَہُمۡ لَا یَسۡمَعُوۡنَ

Most of them turn away and they hear not

(Surah 41, Ayah 4)

Most of humanity is steeped in unbelief and rejection of the Truth. Despite its phenomenal growth, the Muslim Ummah comprises only a fifth of humanity today, meaning four-fifths have turned away and fail to hear the Message of Islam.

قُلۡ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثۡلُکُمۡ یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیَّ اَنَّمَاۤ اِلٰـہُکُمۡ اِلٰہٌ وَّاحِدٌ

Say (My beloved Prophet): “I am only a human like you. It has been inspired to me that your God is One God”

(Surah 41, Ayah 6)

The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, is a mortal human. His likeness to us is therefore only in genus, not at all a likeness in rank and many other characteristics. This is made clear when the Ayah adds that he is a recipient of Wahi (divine inspiration), making him a Prophet. And the difference between a Prophet and an ordinary human is like the difference between Heaven and Earth. Hence, the Prophet, peace be upon him, when asked why he prohibited his followers from ceaseless fasting (fasting in a day without breaking the fast at sunset) while he himself practiced it, said:

إِنِّي لَسْتُ مِثْلَكُمْ إِنِّي أُطْعَمُ وَأُسْقَى

I am not like you. I am fed and given drink (miraculously) (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

The Hadith is significant in rejecting the interpretation of the Ayah “Say I am a human like you” as meaning an absolute similarity. The similarity between the Prophet, peace be upon him, and us humans is only in genus. The Hadith also answers those who reject the life of the Messiah Jesus, peace be upon him, in Heaven on the basis that the Quran states:

وَمَا جَعَلۡنٰہُمۡ جَسَدًا لَّا یَاۡکُلُوۡنَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا کَانُوۡا خٰلِدِیۡنَ

We did not make them bodies that do not eat food, nor were they immortal

(Surah 21, Ayah 8)

While the bodies of the Prophets require food for sustenance, it is not necessary that they eat in the same way we ordinary humans do. Allah feeds and nourishes His Prophets invisibly, while they sleep, so that in the apparent the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, would fast ceaselessly without experiencing starvation. Likewise, it is possible that the Messiah, peace be upon him, who lives in Heaven and has not yet tasted death is being fed and nourished miraculously, in an unseen way.

قُلۡ اَئِنَّکُمۡ لَتَکۡفُرُوۡنَ بِالَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ الۡاَرۡضَ فِیۡ یَوۡمَیۡنِ

Say (My beloved Prophet): “Do you really disbelieve in the One Who created the Earth in two days?”

(Surah 41, Ayah 9)

Elsewhere in the Quran Allah explains that a yawm (day) is not necessarily the duration of twenty-four hours from one sunset to another:

وَاِنَّ یَوۡمًا عِنۡدَ رَبِّکَ کَاَلۡفِ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ

And verily a day with your Lord is as a thousand years of your reckoning

(Surah 22, Ayah 47)

Therefore, the creation of the Earth was in two days meaning two phases of equal but undefined duration. We can only be certain that those two days were much lengthier than the duration of two days in our reckoning. Ibn Taymiyah said:

فلا ريب أن تلك الأيام التي خلقت فيها السموات والأرض ‌غير ‌هذه ‌الأيام وغير الزمان الذي هو مقدار حركة هذه الأفلاك

There is no doubt that those days in which the Heavens and the Earth were created are not like these days and not the time whose duration is based on the movement of these spheres (Majmu’ al-Fatawa; v.18, p.235)

Scientists claims it took the Earth between ten to twenty million years to form, but Allah and His Apostle know best.

وَجَعَلَ فِیۡہَا رَوَاسِیَ مِنۡ فَوۡقِہَا وَبٰرَکَ فِیۡہَا وَقَدَّرَ فِیۡہَاۤ اَقۡوَاتَہَا فِیۡۤ اَرۡبَعَۃِ اَیَّامٍ ؕ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِیۡنَ

And He made therein firm mountains above it and He blessed therein and provided therein its sustenance in four equal days, for those who ask

(Surah 41, Ayah 10)

After the formation of the Earth in two days, Allah continued to develop its landscape so that it would eventually become habitable and a place of blessing and sustenance. This occurred in four days, meaning four phases of equal duration, the length of which remains undefined though certainly lengthier than our reckoning of four days. The Rawasiya, which means firm mountains, has been understood by the Sufis as a name for a category of Saints, Friends of Allah, who are like firm mountains that soar above the surface of the Earth. Hence, al-Qushayri says in his Tafsir:

الجبالُ أوتادُ الأرضِ في الصورة والأولياءُ أوتادٌ ورواسٍ للأرض في الحقيقة

The mountains are pegs of the Earth in form, and the Awliya (Saints) are Awtad (pegs) and Ruwas (firmly set mountains) in reality (Lata’if al-Isharat; v.3, p.321)

ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰۤی اِلَی السَّمَآءِ وَہِیَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَہَا وَلِلۡاَرۡضِ ائۡتِیَا طَوۡعًا اَوۡ کَرۡہًا ؕ قَالَتَاۤ اَتَیۡنَا طَآئِعِیۡنَ

Then He directed Himself to the Heaven and it was smoke. So He said to it and to the Earth: “Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.” They both said, “We come willingly.”

(Surah 41, Ayah 11)

Ibn Taymiyah and his blind-followers believe Allah created the universe from pre-existing matter (creatio ex materia) and cite this Ayah with the understanding that the universe was created from dukhan meaning some kind of steam or water vapor. But that seems to be a distortion of the Ayah, which more likely means that the universe was created by Allah and subsequently in one stage of its existence it was in some gaseous state. We understand the Heavens and Earth as unconscious things, but the Ayah reveals they are conscious and possess willpower. It may also suggest that there is an esoteric meaning of Heaven and Earth such that it becomes clear why they are addressed and described as having willpower. But this Ayah is essentially pointing to the reality that everything in nature is in a state of submission and prostration to Allah:

اَلَمۡ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ یَسۡجُدُ لَہٗ مَنۡ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَنۡ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَالشَّمۡسُ وَالۡقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُوۡمُ وَالۡجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَآبُّ وَکَثِیۡرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ

Do you not see that Allah, to Him prostrate whoever is in the Heaven and whoever is in the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the Trees, the Beasts and many from among Mankind

(Surah 22, Ayah 18)

We come to know that their submission and prostration to Allah is not coerced.

فَقَضٰہُنَّ سَبۡعَ سَمٰوَاتٍ فِیۡ یَوۡمَیۡنِ وَاَوۡحٰی فِیۡ کُلِّ سَمَآءٍ اَمۡرَہَا ؕ وَزَیَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنۡیَا بِمَصَابِیۡحَ ٭ۖ وَحِفۡظًا

So He determined them as seven Heavens in two days and He inspired in each Heaven its affair. And We adorned the sky of (this) world with lamps, (as) protection

(Surah 41, Ayah 12)

Here again the Heavens have been anthropomorphized in the sense that they are recipients of Wahi or divine inspiration from Allah. But this is like the inspiration that means placing intuitive instinct into something like in the example of honeybees:

وَاَوۡحٰی رَبُّکَ اِلَی النَّحۡلِ اَنِ اتَّخِذِیۡ مِنَ الۡجِبَالِ بُیُوۡتًا وَّمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا یَعۡرِشُوۡنَ

And your Lord inspired to the bee to take houses in mountains and in trees and in what they construct

(Surah 16, Ayah 68)

But the esoteric meaning of Allah inspiring every Heaven about its affair may be that seven ascending categories of Saints are intended. Likewise, the Lamps which beautify this otherwise dark and gloomy world are the Saints, who are guides that illuminate the Path to Allah. They also serve as protection for this world in the sense that Allah withholds disasters as an expression of His wrath and punishment upon the people for their sake, and on account of their intercession and prayers for mercy. Their serving as protection also means they repel the devils and demons, who seek to harm and misguide the people. This is indicated in another Ayah concerning the Lamps in which they are described as forces that drive away the devils:

وَلَقَدۡ زَیَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنۡیَا بِمَصَابِیۡحَ وَجَعَلۡنٰہَا رُجُوۡمًا لِّلشَّیٰطِیۡنِ

And certainly We have adorned the sky of (this) world with Lamps and We have made them missiles for the devils

(Surah 67, Ayah 5)

Continuing on the theme of divine inspiration in this Surah (Ha Mim as-Sajdah), Allah says:

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ قَالُوۡا رَبُّنَا اللّٰہُ ثُمَّ اسۡتَقَامُوۡا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ اَلَّا تَخَافُوۡا وَلَا تَحۡزَنُوۡا وَاَبۡشِرُوۡا بِالۡجَنَّۃِ الَّتِیۡ کُنۡتُمۡ تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ

Those who say, “Our Lord is Allah” then remain steadfast, the Angels descend upon them, “Fear not and do not grieve, but receive glad-tidings of Paradise that you were promised”

نَحۡنُ اَوۡلِیٰٓؤُکُمۡ فِی الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا وَفِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ

We are your friends in the life of (this) world and in the Afterlife

(Surah 41, Ayah 30 & 31)

This passage establishes the reality of Angels descending upon and inspiring the Believers. It refutes the false notion that Angels only descend upon and speak to Prophets. The nature of the inspiration that Believers experience through the Angels is reassurance, comfort, and glad-tidings for the Afterlife.

لَا تَسۡجُدُوۡا لِلشَّمۡسِ وَلَا لِلۡقَمَرِ وَاسۡجُدُوۡا لِلّٰہِ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَہُنَّ

Do not prostrate to the Sun and to the Moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them both

(Surah 41, Ayah 37)

The absurd allegation that Islam teaches worship of the moon, or that Allah is a lunar deity has been thoroughly debunked in this one Ayah. According to the Islamic Shari’ah, prostration is only to Allah, and prostration to anyone or anything else, whether with the intention of worship, reverence or as a method of greeting is totally forbidden. Prostration to other than Allah as worship is manifest polytheism and unbelief which expels an individual from the Millah. In previous times prostration as a form of reverence or greeting was done, as in the examples of the Angels prostrating to Adam, or Jacob and his sons prostrating to Joseph. But in the Shari’ah of Muhammad, peace be upon him, that has been abolished and now prostration of any kind has been forbidden except to Allah.

مَا یُقَالُ لَکَ اِلَّا مَا قَدۡ قِیۡلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکَ

Nothing is said to you (My beloved Prophet Muhammad) except what was said to the Apostles prior to you

(Surah 41, Ayah 43)

The essential message of our Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is identical to the message of all the Apostles who preceded him; worship Allah alone and prepare for the Resurrection when you will have to stand before the One God for judgment. Elsewhere in the Quran, the Prophet, peace be upon him, is instructed to say:

قُلۡ مَا کُنۡتُ بِدۡعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ

Say (My beloved Prophet Muhammad), “I am not a novelty among the Apostles”

(Surah 46, Ayah 9)

Allah says about Himself:

اِلَیۡہِ یُرَدُّ عِلۡمُ السَّاعَۃِ

To Him is referred the knowledge of the Hour

(Surah 41, Ayah 47)

Only Allah, Most High, knows exactly when the Hour, meaning Judgment Day, shall occur. Even Jesus, whom Christians worship as “God the Son” confessed: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36, NIV). Likewise, the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said when he was asked by Angel Gabriel when the Hour shall occur:

مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ

The one who is asked does not know more than the one who is asking

So while our Prophet and the Apostles before him, peace be upon them all, relayed portents and signs of the approach of the Hour, none of them knows when precisely it shall occur as that knowledge is with Allah alone.

سَنُرِیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتِنَا فِی الۡاٰفَاقِ وَفِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ حَتّٰی یَتَبَیَّنَ لَہُمۡ اَنَّہُ الۡحَقُّ

We will soon show them Our Signs in the horizons and in their souls until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth

(Surah 41, Ayah 53)

The classification of Divine Signs into external and internal are in relation to each individual. Everything you witness outside of you that points to the Truth falls into the first category, but there are also Signs within you which are far more compelling for recognition of the Truth. If one opens his eyes, his ears and his heart he will surely perceive the apocalyptic reality. That is because Allah created each soul and endowed it with a sixth sense through which it is able to perceive His Presence.