SURAH (18) AL-KHAF (AYA 101 to 110)

الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطَاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَكَانُوا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعًا {18:101}

[Q18:101] Allazeena kaanat a'yunuhum fee ghitaaa'in 'an zikree wa kaanoo la yastatee'oona sam'aa. 
[Q18:101] They whose eyes were under a cover from My reminder and they could not even hear.

[Q18:101] (Iaitu) orang-orang yang matanya telah tertutup daripada melihat tanda-tanda yang membawa kepada mengingatiKu dan mereka pula tidak dapat mendengar sama sekali. 

Those who were not convinced of the several manifest signs of ALLAH (SWT)’s might and glory and who in spite of the open and repeated declaration of the truth through ALLAH (SWT)’s Own Words, would not even listen to what was said, THEN will realise the result of their disbelief and consequence in such a manifest way that they would be filled with the realisation of it.

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(18:101) who had become blind to My admonition and turned a deaf ear to it.

SECTION 12

Words of God inexhaustible

Hell the recompense for associating anybody with God and for mocking at the signs and the Apostle of God – The words (of the wisdom) of God are inexhaustible – The Apostle Muhammad is only a Man butin communication with God.

أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِنْ دُونِي أَوْلِيَاءَ ۚ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا {18:102}

[Q18:102] Afahasibal lazeena kafarooo any yattakhizoo 'ibaadee min dooneee awliyaaa'; innaaa a'tadnaa jahannama lilkaafi reena nuzulaa. 
[Q18:102] What! Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants to be guardians besides Me? Surely We have prepared hell for the entertainment of the unbelievers.

[Q18:102] Maka adakah orang-orang kafir menyangka bahawa mereka mengambil hamba-hambaKu sebagai makhluk-makhluk yang disembah, selain daripadaKu, dapat menolong mereka? Sesungguhnya Kami telah sediakan Neraka Jahannam bagi orang-orang kafir itu sebagai tempat tetamu.  

Some commentators say that "Do the disbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me?" refer to the Christians who worship Prophet Isa as ALLAH (SWT) or son of ALLAH (SWT).

»    In verse 19:30 of Maryam Isa says: "I am indeed a servant of ALLAH (SWT)." But there are wrong in the assumption because of this verse.

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(18:102) What *74 do these people, who have disbelieved, presume that they would make My servants their helpers beside Me *75? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of such people.

*74 This is the conclusion of the whole Surah and is not connected with the story of Zul-Qarnain only but with the subject-matter of this Surah as a whole. That theme was enunciated at the beginning of the Surah (1-8): The Holy Prophet invited his people (1) to give up shirk and adopt the doctrine of Tauhid instead, (2) to give up the worship of the world and to believe in the life of the Hereafter. But the chiefs of his people, who were puffed up with their wealth and grandeur, not only rejected his invitation but also persecuted and insulted those righteous people who had accepted his invitation. The discourse deals with the same themes and utilizes in an excellent manner the three stories which were related in answer to the questions put by the opponents of Islam as a test of his Prophethood.
*75 That is, "Do they still stick to their presumption even after hearing all this, and believe that their attitude will be profitable for them?" 

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا {18:103}

[Q18:103] Qul hal nunabbi'ukum bilakhsareena a'maalaa. 
[Q18:103] Say: Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in (their) deeds?

[Q18:103] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Mahukah Kami khabarkan kepada kamu akan orang-orang yang paling rugi amal-amal perbuatannya?

APPLICABLE FOR VERSES 103 TO 106. Here is a clear warning to the disbelievers who are infatuated with some deeds they had done.

It has been made quite obvious here that the good deeds also will lose their weight:

[1] If they have been done without the due faith in ALLAH (SWT) and

[2] Without the essential modesty and humility towards the Almighty Lord.

MERE EXERTION AND TOIL, EVEN IN APPARENTLY GOOD WORKS, WILL BE OF NO AVAIL, IF THERE IS NO BELIEF IN ALLAH (SWT).

ä  Verse 106 of this surah refers to those who ridicule the signs of ALLAH (SWT).

Among the signs of ALLAH (SWT),

1. The Qur’an,

2. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and

3. His Ahlul Bayt …… are the most important.

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(18:103) (O Muhammad), say to them, "Should We tell you who are the most unsuccessful people and miserable failures in regard to their deeds?

الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا {18:104}

[Q18:104] Allazeena dalla sa'yuhum fil hayaatid dunyaa wa hum yahsaboona annahum yuhsinoona sun'aa. 
[Q18:104] (These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well versed in skill of the work of hands.

[Q18:104] (Iaitu) orang-orang yang telah sia-sia amal usahanya dalam kehidupan dunia ini, sedang mereka menyangka bahawa mereka sentiasa betul dan baik pada apa sahaja yang mereka lakukan. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(18:104) They are those, whose endeavours, in the worldly life, had all gone astray from the Right Way *76 but all along they were under the delusion that everything they were doing, was rightly directed:

*76 This verse has two meanings. The one is the same that we have adopted in the translation. The other meaning is this: "...those who confined all their endeavours to the worldly life". That is, whatever they did, they did for this world without paying any regard to God and the Hereafter. As they considered the worldly life to be the real life, they made the success and prosperity in this world their sole aim and object. Even if they professed the existence of Allah, they never paid any heed to the two implications of this profession: to lead their lives in a way to please Allah and to come out successful on the Day they shall have to render an account of what they did in this world. This was because they considered themselves to be mere rational animals who were absolutely independent and free from every kind of responsibility and had nothing else to do but to enjoy the good things of the world like animals in a meadow. 

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا {18:105}

[Q18:105] Ulaaa'ikal lazeena kafaroo bi aayaati Rabbihim wa liqaaa'ihee fahabitat a'maaluhum falaa nuqeemu lahum Yawmal Qiyaamati waznaa. 
[Q18:105] These are they who disbelieve in the communications of their Lord and His meeting, so their deeds become null, and therefore We will not set up a balance for them on the day of resurrection.

[Q18:105] Merekalah orang-orang yang kufur ingkar akan ayat-ayat Tuhan mereka dan akan pertemuan denganNya; oleh itu gugurlah amal-amal mereka; maka akibatya Kami tidak akan memberi sebarang timbangan untuk menilai amal mereka, pada hari kiamat kelak. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(18:105) those are the people who rejected the Signs of their Lord and did not believe that they would ever go before Him. Therefore all their deeds were lost, for We will assign no weight to them on the Day of Resurrection. *77

*77 "All their deeds were lost" in the sense that they will be of no avail to them in the life-after-death, even though they might have considered them as their great achievements but the fact is that they will lose all their value as soon as the world shall come to an end. When they will go before their Lord, and all their deeds shall be placed in the Scales, they will have no weight at all whether they had built great palaces, established great universities and libraries, set up great factories and laboratories, constructed highways and railways, in short, all their inventions, industries, sciences and arts and other things of which they were very proud in this world, will lose their weights in the Scales. THE ONLY THING WHICH WILL HAVE WEIGHT THERE WILL BE THAT WHICH HAD BEEN DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS AND WITH THE INTENTION TO PLEASE ALLAH. It is, therefore, obvious that if all of one's endeavours were confined to the worldly things and the achievement of worldly desires whose results one would see in this world, one should not reasonably expect to see their results in the Hereafter, for they would have gone waste with the end of this world. It is equally obvious, that only the deeds of the one, who performed them strictly in accordance with His instructions to win His approval with a view to avail of their results in the Hereafter, will find that his deeds had weight in the Scales. On the contrary, such a one will find that all his endeavours in the world had gone waste.

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا {18:106}

[Q18:106] Zaalika jazaaa'uhum jahannamu bimaa kafaroo wattakhazooo Aayaatee wa Rusulee huzuwaa. 
[Q18:106] Thus it is that their recompense is hell, because they disbelieved and held My communications and My messengers in mockery.

[Q18:106] (Mereka yang bersifat) demikian, balasannya Neraka Jahannam, disebabkan mereka kufur ingkar dan mereka pula menjadikan ayat-ayatKu dan Rasul-rasulKu sebagai ejek-ejekan. 

(see commentary for verse 103)

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(18:106) Their recompense is Hell for the disbelief they showed and for the mockery they adopted in regard to My Signs and My Messengers.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا {18:107}

[Q18:107] Innal lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati kaanat lahum Jannaatul Firdawsi nuzulaa,
[Q18:107] Surely (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, their place of entertainment shall be the gardens of paradise,

[Q18:107] Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh, disediakan bagi mereka Syurga-syurga Firdaus, sebagai tempat tetamu (yang serba mewah). 

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(18:107) However, for the hospitality of those people who did righteous deeds, there will be gardens of Paradise.

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا {18:108}

[Q18:108] Khaalideena feeha la yabghoona 'anhaa hiwalaa. 
[Q18:108] Abiding therein; they shall not desire removal from them.

[Q18:108] Mereka kekal di dalamnya, (dan) tidak ingin berpindah daripadanya. 

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(18:108) wherein they will abide for ever and they will never desire to go anywhere out of them *78.

*78 "...they will never desire to go anywhere (else)," because they will find no place and no condition better than those in Paradise.

قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا {18:109}

[Q18:109] Qul law kaanal bahru midaadal lik Kalimaati Rabbee lanafidal bahru qabla an tanfada Kalimaatu Rabbee wa law ji'naa bimislihee madadaa. 
[Q18:109] Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are exhausted, though We were to bring the like of that (sea) to add.

[Q18:109] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Kalaulah semua jenis lautan menjadi tinta untuk menulis Kalimah-kalimah Tuhanku, sudah tentu akan habis kering lautan itu sebelum habis Kalimah-kalimah Tuhanku, walaupun Kami tambahi lagi dengan lautan yang sebanding dengannya, sebagai bantuan.

THE WORDS AND SIGNS AND MERCIES OF ALLAH (SWT) ARE IN ALL CREATION, and can never be fully set out in human language, HOWEVER extended our means may imagine to be.

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(18:109) (O Muhammad), say to them, "If the waters of the ocean were to become ink to write the Words *79 of my Lord, it would exhaust but the Words of my Lord will not exhaust: nay, even if We brought as much ink again, it will not suffice for that".

*79 By "Words" are meant "the marvellous works, the excellences and the wonders of His Power and Wisdom". 

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا {18:110}

[Q18:110] Qul innamaaa ana basharum mislukum yoohaaa ilaiya annamaa ilaahukum Ilaahunw Waahid; faman kaana yarjoo liqaaa'a Rabbihee falya'mal 'amalan saalihanw wa laa yushrik bi'ibaadati Rabbiheee ahadaa. 
[Q18:110] Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your god is one ALLAH (SWT), therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the service of his Lord.

[Q18:110] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Sesungguhnya aku hanyalah seorang manusia seperti kamu, diwahyukan kepadaku bahawa Tuhan kamu hanyalah Tuhan Yang Satu; Oleh itu, sesiapa yang percaya dan berharap akan pertemuan dengan Tuhannya, hendaklah dia mengerjakan amal yang soleh dan janganlah dia mempersekutukan sesiapapun dalam ibadatnya kepada Tuhannya.

The people, who only see the surface and do not care to know what is below it, immediately quote the opening words of this verse to consider the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as one of the ordinary mortals like the common man.

**They do not like to consider at all the qualification and greatest distinguishing factor placed in the next clause ‘Youhaa ‘ilaiya’, i.e., revelation is given to me.

Ä  It is very like a radio-set which looks like only a box and which in fact is only a box like any other wooden box BUT when the quality of its content, i.e., values to receive the sound waves and convert them into a speech, is taken into consideration, the radio-set, though seemingly only a box gets totally distinguished from the other boxes.

A MAN IS AN ANIMAL BUT WHEN IT IS SAID A CONSCIENTIOUS ANIMAL; MAN GETS TOTALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE OTHER ANIMALS AND BECOMES A SEPARATE ENTITY BY HIMSELF.

HENCE THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IS AN ORDINARY MAN LIKE THE OTHER MAN BUT WITH THE UNIQUE PURITY OF THE EXCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE OF RECEIVING THE REVELATION FROM ALLAH (SWT) HE IS TOTALLY A SEPARATE ENTITY AWAY FROM THE REST OF MANKIND.

The theoretical and practical fundamentals of faith have been summed up in this verse:

(i)       The messengers of ALLAH (SWT) were human beings BUT they were sent to convey the message of ALLAH (SWT) to other human beings. The revelations revealed to them had exalted them above all the created beings. Refer to the commentary of Bani Israil 17:1. It would be an evil thought if the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) who reached the highest stage of qaba qawsayni aw adna (two bows or yet nearer) nearness to ALLAH (SWT) (Najm 53:9), is brought to the level of ordinary human beings by the misguided votaries of his companions.

(ii)     Tawhid - Oneness of ALLAH (SWT).

(iii)    Every one shall meet the Lord, so man should do good, and in the obedience of the Lord should not associate any one as His partner.

The concluding words indicate that the hope to meet the Lord CAN ONLY BE REALISED NOT BY MERE VERBAL DECLARATION OF FAITH IN HIM BUT THE FAITH MUST BE TRANSLATED INTO GOOD DEEDS IN THE PRACTICAL LIFE.

·         The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said he who offers prayer or fasts, or perform Haj, or does any act of goodness to show to the public his righteousness, or to earn a good name and the publicity of his goodness, is a polytheist---- for he has associated others with ALLAH (SWT) in the matter of assessing his deeds.

·         A man asked the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) the goodness of one, when seen by the others, the people get happy and also copy. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said “There is no harm in it.”

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(18:110) (O Muhammad) say to them, "I am a human being like you: it has been revealed to me that your Deity is only One Allah. Therefore the one who expects to meet his Lord, should not associate with Him any other deity in His worship."

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