The Moon
Al-Qamar
القَمَر
LEARNING POINTS
Judgment Day is coming fast.
The moon was split in two at the time of the Prophet, as the people of Makkah requested. They still said that this miracle was just magic.
Those who rejected the signs of Allah and abused His prophets were punished.
The idol-worshippers should expect to be punished because Allah always supports His prophets.
The believers are promised a great reward.
BACKGROUND STORY
The Makkan idol-worshippers challenged the Prophet to split the moon if he ever wanted them to believe in his message. When the moon was actually split in two and they saw it with their own eyes, they rejected this miracle, saying, “Same old magic.” {Recorded by Imam At-Tabari} Earlier deniers did the same thing with the prophets of their time. When Nuh (A.S.) built the Ark, his people said, “Only a crazy man would build a boat in the desert!” When Musa turned his staff into a snake, the people of Pharaoh said, “He is a magician for sure.” When 'Isa walked on water, his enemies said, “He just doesn't know how to swim!”
WORDS OF WISDOM
Someone may ask, If the prophets mentioned in this surah were good, caring human beings, how come their own people hated and mocked them? The Quran (11:62 and 11:87) tells us that the disbelievers loved and respected their prophets before they became prophets. They loved their honesty, kindness, and goodness. But once those prophets came with messages from Allah, telling people about what is right and what is wrong, their people rejected them and made fun of them. The deniers cared more about making money and living a good life, even if it meant abusing and cheating others. When a prophet came to speak against corruption, abuse, and cheating, the corrupt abusers and cheaters would be the first to challenge and mock him. This is one of the reasons why Islam is attacked in the news. Islam is not just a religion, but a complete way of life—which includes speaking out against evil in society!</highlight>
WARNING TO MAKKAN IDOL-WORSHIPPERS
1The Hour has come very close, and the moon has been split in two. 2Yet, whenever they see a miracle, they turn away, saying, “Same old magic!” 3They rejected ‘the truth’ and followed their own desires—and everyone will get what they deserve— 4even though the stories ‘of destroyed people’ they already received ‘in the Quran’ are enough of a warning. 5‘This Quran is’ deep ‘in’ wisdom, but warnings do not benefit ‘them’. 6So turn away from them ‘O Prophet’. ‘And wait for’ the Day ‘when’ the announcing-angel will call ‘them’ for something shocking. 7With eyes looking down, they will come out of the graves as if they were locusts spreading all over. 8Running towards the caller, the disbelievers will cry, “This is a difficult Day!”
ٱقۡتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلۡقَمَرُ 1وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ ءَايَةٗ يُعۡرِضُواْ وَيَقُولُواْ سِحۡرٞ مُّسۡتَمِرّٞ 2وَكَذَّبُواْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡۚ وَكُلُّ أَمۡرٖ مُّسۡتَقِرّٞ 3وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَنۢبَآءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزۡدَجَرٌ 4حِكۡمَةُۢ بَٰلِغَةٞۖ فَمَا تُغۡنِ ٱلنُّذُرُ 5فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡۘ يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُ ٱلدَّاعِ إِلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ نُّكُرٍ 6خُشَّعًا أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمۡ جَرَادٞ مُّنتَشِرٞ 7مُّهۡطِعِينَ إِلَى ٱلدَّاعِۖ يَقُولُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا يَوۡمٌ عَسِرٞ8
Verse 7: The angel Israfil, who will call them back to life for judgment.
Verse 8: Locust
THE PEOPLE OF NUH
9Before them, the people of Nuh, denied ‘the truth’ and rejected Our servant, calling ‘him’ crazy. And he was abused. 10So he prayed to his Lord, “I am helpless, so help me!” 11So We opened the gates of the sky with pouring rain, 12and caused the earth to burst with springs, so the waters met for a punishment already set. 13And We carried him on that ‘Ark made’ of planks and nails, 14sailing under our ‘caring Eyes’, ‘a fair’ punishment to them for that messenger they rejected. 15We definitely left this as a sign. So is there anyone who will learn the lesson? 16Then how ‘powerful’ were My warnings and punishment! 17And We have definitely made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will keep it in mind?
۞ كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ فَكَذَّبُواْ عَبۡدَنَا وَقَالُواْ مَجۡنُونٞ وَٱزۡدُجِرَ 9فَدَعَا رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَغۡلُوبٞ فَٱنتَصِرۡ 10فَفَتَحۡنَآ أَبۡوَٰبَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَآءٖ مُّنۡهَمِرٖ 11وَفَجَّرۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ عُيُونٗا فَٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡمَآءُ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرٖ قَدۡ قُدِرَ 12وَحَمَلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِ أَلۡوَٰحٖ وَدُسُرٖ 13تَجۡرِي بِأَعۡيُنِنَا جَزَآءٗ لِّمَن كَانَ كُفِرَ 14وَلَقَد تَّرَكۡنَٰهَآ ءَايَةٗ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 15فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 16وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ17
THE PEOPLE OF HUD
18‘ʿĀd also’ rejected ‘the truth’. Then how ‘powerful’ were My warnings and punishment! 19Surely We sent against them a roaring wind, on a day of continuous misery, 20that snatched people up, leaving them like trunks of fallen palm trees. 21Then how ‘powerful’ were My warnings and punishment! 22And We have definitely made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will keep it in mind?
كَذَّبَتۡ عَادٞ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 18إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحٗا صَرۡصَرٗا فِي يَوۡمِ نَحۡسٖ مُّسۡتَمِرّٖ 19تَنزِعُ ٱلنَّاسَ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٖ مُّنقَعِرٖ 20فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 21وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ22
THE PEOPLE OF SALIH
23Thamud rejected the warnings ‘as well’, 24arguing, “How can we follow one ‘average’ human being from among us? We would then truly be misguided and crazy. 25Has the revelation been sent down ‘only’ to him out of ‘all of us’? In fact, he is a lying show-off.” 26‘It was revealed to Ṣāliḥ, “They will soon know who the lying show-off is. 27We are sending the she-camel as a test for them. So watch them ‘carefully’, and have patience. 28And tell them that the ‘drinking’ water must be divided between them ‘and her’, each taking a turn to drink ‘every other day’”, 29But they called one of their friends ‘to take action’, so he dared to kill ‘her’. 30Then how ‘powerful’ were My warnings and punishment! 31Surely We sent against them ‘only’ one ‘mighty’ blast, leaving them like dry sticks that builders use to make fences. 32And We have definitely made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will keep it in mind?
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 23فَقَالُوٓاْ أَبَشَرٗا مِّنَّا وَٰحِدٗا نَّتَّبِعُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّفِي ضَلَٰلٖ وَسُعُرٍ 24أَءُلۡقِيَ ٱلذِّكۡرُ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا بَلۡ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٞ 25سَيَعۡلَمُونَ غَدٗا مَّنِ ٱلۡكَذَّابُ ٱلۡأَشِرُ 26إِنَّا مُرۡسِلُواْ ٱلنَّاقَةِ فِتۡنَةٗ لَّهُمۡ فَٱرۡتَقِبۡهُمۡ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ 27وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡ أَنَّ ٱلۡمَآءَ قِسۡمَةُۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ كُلُّ شِرۡبٖ مُّحۡتَضَرٞ 28فَنَادَوۡاْ صَاحِبَهُمۡ فَتَعَاطَىٰ فَعَقَرَ 29فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 30إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَيۡحَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَكَانُواْ كَهَشِيمِ ٱلۡمُحۡتَظِرِ 31وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ32
THE PEOPLE OF LUT
33The people of Lūṭ ‘also’ rejected the warnings. 34We sent against them a storm of stones. 35As for the believers of Lūṭ’s family, We saved them in the last hours of the night, as a blessing from Us. This is how We reward whoever gives thanks. 36He had already warned them of Our ‘crushing’ grip but they questioned the warnings. 37And they even demanded his angel-guests from him, so We blinded their eyes. And they were told, “Taste then My warnings and punishment.” 38And surely by the early morning they were hit by a continuous punishment. 39‘Again’ they were told, “Taste now My warnings and punishment.” 40And We have definitely made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will keep it in mind?
كَذَّبَتۡ قَوۡمُ لُوطِۢ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 33إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَاصِبًا إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٖۖ نَّجَّيۡنَٰهُم بِسَحَرٖ 34نِّعۡمَةٗ مِّنۡ عِندِنَاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي مَن شَكَرَ 35وَلَقَدۡ أَنذَرَهُم بَطۡشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوۡاْ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 36وَلَقَدۡ رَٰوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيۡفِهِۦ فَطَمَسۡنَآ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 37وَلَقَدۡ صَبَّحَهُم بُكۡرَةً عَذَابٞ مُّسۡتَقِرّٞ 38فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ 39وَلَقَدۡ يَسَّرۡنَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ لِلذِّكۡرِ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ40
THE PEOPLE OF PHARAOH
41And surely the warnings ‘also’ came to the people of Pharaoh. 42But they rejected all of Our signs, so We took them with the ‘crushing’ grip of the Almighty, Most Powerful.
وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ ٱلنُّذُرُ 41كَذَّبُواْ بَِٔايَٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُمۡ أَخۡذَ عَزِيزٖ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ42
SIDE STORY
Someone may ask, if Allah has written what evil people are going to do—even before He created them—why does He punish them on Judgment Day? To answer this question, let's think about the following. We read the story of Zayan and Sarhan in Surah Qaf (50). They are twin brothers who go to the same school and share the same desk. Zayan is a very good student, who always studies, does his homework, and respects his teachers. His brother Sarhan doesn't study or do his homework, and always disrespects his teachers. Zayan chooses to be a good student, and Sarhan chooses to be a bad student. Of course, their teachers didn't force any of them to behave this way. Now, it's not hard to figure out who is going to get an A and who is going to get an F even before they take the test at the end of the year.
WORDS OF WISDOM
According to verse 49 below, Allah has created everything with a perfect plan. This is called qadar—everything that Allah has written and allows to happen. If He has written everything, it doesn't mean that He is forcing anyone to do anything. Human beings have free choice—some choose to do good, others choose to do evil. If the teachers have an idea of who will do well or bad in the final exam, and if I know what my kids will choose if I offer them chocolate and broccoli, Allah has perfect knowledge of everything people are going to do and the choices they are going to make. Therefore, everyone will be rewarded or punished on Judgment Day based on their actions and choices in this life.
Allama Muhammad Iqbal (Pakistan's great thinker and poet) once said, 'Losers blame their failure on qadar, but smart people see themselves as tools for qadar.' In other words, losers are lazy and don't take responsibility for their failures. When they fail, they say that they have failed because that is what Allah has written for them. But smart people know that Allah has written success for those who work hard, and they do their best to achieve success even if they have to try several times before they can succeed. A loser will say, 'If someone can do it, let them do it. And if no one can do it, then there is no way I can do it.' But a smart person will say, 'If someone can do it, I can do it too. And if no one can do it, then I should try to do it in-sha-Allah.'
THE PEOPLE OF PHARAOH
43Now do you think you ‘Makkan’ disbelievers are stronger than those ‘destroyed people’? Or have you ‘been given’ protection ‘from punishment’ in Holy Books? 44Or do they say, “We are a united group, sure to win.”? 45‘Soon’ their united group will be defeated and ‘forced to’ run. 46Better yet, the Hour ‘of Judgment’ is their appointment—and that Hour will be their biggest disaster and worst nightmare. 47Surely the wicked are ‘lost’ in misguidance, and ‘are heading to’ burning flames. 48On the Day they will be pulled into the Fire on their faces, ‘they will be told,’ “Taste the touch of Hell!” 49Surely We have created everything, perfectly pre-planned. 50All it takes is just a single word, done in the blink of an eye. 51We have already destroyed the likes of you. So will any ‘of you’ learn the lesson? 52Everything they have done is ‘listed’ in their ‘books of deeds.’ 53Everything, small and big, is written ‘ precisely’.
أَكُفَّارُكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡ أُوْلَٰٓئِكُمۡ أَمۡ لَكُم بَرَآءَةٞ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ 43أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعٞ مُّنتَصِرٞ 44سَيُهۡزَمُ ٱلۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ ٱلدُّبُرَ 45بَلِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَىٰ وَأَمَرُّ 46إِنَّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ وَسُعُرٖ 47يَوۡمَ يُسۡحَبُونَ فِي ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمۡ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ 48إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ بِقَدَرٖ 49وَمَآ أَمۡرُنَآ إِلَّا وَٰحِدَةٞ كَلَمۡحِۢ بِٱلۡبَصَرِ 50وَلَقَدۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَآ أَشۡيَاعَكُمۡ فَهَلۡ مِن مُّدَّكِرٖ 51وَكُلُّ شَيۡءٖ فَعَلُوهُ فِي ٱلزُّبُرِ 52وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٖ وَكَبِيرٖ مُّسۡتَطَرٌ53
Verse 53: If Allah wants something to happen, He just says, Be! and it happens.
THE PEOPLE OF PHARAOH
54Surely the faithful will be in the middle of Gardens and rivers,. 55at the Seat of Honour in the presence of the Most Powerful King.
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَنَهَرٖ 54فِي مَقۡعَدِ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٖ مُّقۡتَدِرِۢ55