SURAH (34) SABA' (AYA 41 to 54)

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِنْ دُونِهِمْ ۖ بَلْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ ۖ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِهِمْ مُؤْمِنُونَ {34:41}

[Q34:41] Qaaloo Subhaanaka Anta waliyyunaa min doonihim bal kaanoo ya'budoonal jinna aksaruhum bihim Mu’minoon. 
[Q34:41] They shall say: Glory be to Thee! Thou art our Guardian, not they; nay! They worshipped the jinn; most of them were believers in them.

[Q34:41] Malaikat menjawab: Maha Suci Engkau (dari adanya sebarang sekutu denganMu). Engkaulah (yang kami hubungi sebagai Pemimpin dan) Pelindung kami bukan mereka. (Tidak ada hubungan dari pihak kami dengan mereka mengenai penyembahan mereka kepada kami), bahkan mereka adalah menyembah Jin Syaitan; kebanyakan mereka pula percaya kepada Jin Syaitan itu (sebagai sekutu Tuhan yang dipuja dan dipatuhi). 

This is a refutation of the claims of the pagans and all others who consider themselves as following a course of angelical practices and enchantments. In reality these people follow the satanic forces of the lower spheres.

ù  This includes the modern ways of attempting to recall dead spirits.

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(34:41) They will reply: “Glory to You! You are our Protector, not they. *62 Nay, they rather used to worship the jinn. Most of them believe in them.”

*62 That is, °They will answer: You are Pure and Exalted far above that another should be made a partner in Godhead with you. We have no connection with these people: we are not responsible for them, nor for what they did. We are Your servants only." 

فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ {34:42}

[Q34:42] Fal Yawma laa yamliku ba'dukum liba'din naf'anw wa laa darraa; wa naqoolu lilzeena zalamoo zooqoo 'azaaban Naaril latee kuntum bihaa tukazziboon. 
[Q34:42] So on that day one of you shall not control profit or harm for another, and We will say to those who were unjust: Taste the chastisement of the fire which you called a lie.

[Q34:42] Maka pada hari ini, masing-masing di antara kamu tidak berkuasa memberi sebarang manfaat kepada kawannya dan tidak pula dapat menolak sesuatu bahaya daripadanya; dan Kami katakan kepada orang-orang yang zalim (yang berlaku syirik) itu: Rasalah azab Neraka yang kamu dahulu mendustakannya.  

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(34:42) Today none of you has the power to benefit or harm another; *63 and We shall say to the evil-doers: “Taste now the chastisement of the Fire which you used to deny, calling it a lie.”

*63 In this sentence, jinn implies the satans among the jinns. The answer means: "Apparently these people worshipped us, by mentioning our names and by making our images according to their imaginations. But, in fact, they did not worship us but worshipped the satans, for the satans only had shown them the way that they should regard others than Allah as fulfillers of their needs, and should make offerings before them."
This verse clearly brings out the error of the view of those people who take the word "jinn" to mean the dwellers of the mountains and deserts and rural areas. Can a sensible person imagine, on the basis of this verse, that the people used to worship the dwellers of the mountains and the deserts and the villages and believed in them? This verse also throws light on another meaning of 'ibadat. It shows that 'ibadat is not mere worship and service, but it also implies carrying out somebody's orders and obeying him without question. Even if one curses another (as one curses Satan) but at the time follows his way, one would be performing his 'ibadat. For other examples, see An-Nisa': 117-119; Al-Ma'idah: 60; At-Taubah: 31; Maryam: 42; AI-Qasas: 63.

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا إِفْكٌ مُفْتَرًى ۚ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ {34:43}

[Q34:43] Wa izaa tutlaa 'alaihim Aayaatunaa baiyinaatin qaaloo maa haazaa illaa rajuluny yureedu ai-yasuddakum 'ammaa kaana ya'budu aabaaa'ukum wa qaaloo maa haazaaa illaaa ifkum muftaraa; wa qaalal lazeena kafaroo lilhaqqi lammaa jaaa'ahum in haazaaa illaa sihrum mubeen 
[Q34:43] And when Our clear communications are recited to them, they say: This is naught but a man who desires to turn you away from that which your fathers worshipped. And they say: This is naught but a lie that is forged. And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it comes to them: This is only clear enchantment.

[Q34:43] Dan apabila dibacakan kepada mereka ayat-ayat keterangan Kami yang jelas nyata, berkatalah mereka (sesama sendiri): Orang ini (Muhammad) tidak lain hanyalah seorang lelaki yang hendak menghalang kamu daripada menyembah apa yang telah disembah oleh datuk nenek kamu dan mereka berkata lagi: (Al-Quran) ini tidak lain hanyalah kata-kata dusta yang direka-reka dan berkatalah orang-orang yang kafir terhadap kebenaran ketika datangnya kepada mereka: Ini tidak lain hanyalah sihir yang terang nyata. 

This verse refers to those who, feeling the fascinating force of the Qur’an, termed it as sorcery.

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(34:43) When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them they say: “This is a person who wants to turn you away from the deities whom your ancestors worshipped.” They say: “This is nothing but an invented falsehood.” And when the Truth came to the unbelievers they declared: “This is nothing but plain sorcery,”

وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا ۖ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ {34:44}

[Q34:44] Wa maaa aatainaahum min Kutubiny yadrusoonahaa wa maaa arsalnaaa ilaihim qablaka min Nazeer 

[Q34:44] And We have not given them any books which they read, nor did We send to them before you a warner.
[Q34:44] Dan (tidak ada sebarang alasan bagi dakwaan mereka, kerana) Kami tidak pernah memberi kepada mereka Kitab-kitab untuk mereka membaca dan mengkajinya dan Kami juga tidak pernah mengutus kepada mereka sebelummu (wahai Muhammad) seseorang Rasul pemberi amaran (melarang mereka menerima ajaranmu).

NO BOOK WAS EVER REVEALED, NOR ANY PROPHET EVER SENT, TO ANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, THAT PREACHED POLYTHEISM.

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(34:44) whereas We gave them no Books that they could study nor sent to them any warner before you. *64

*64 That is, "Neither a book from God has come to them before this nor a messenger, who might have taught them to worship and serve others than God. Therefore, they arc denying the invitation to Tauhid being given by the Qur'an and Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) due to sheer ignorance, and not on the basis of any knowledge. They have in fact no authority for this." 

وَكَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَمَا بَلَغُوا مِعْشَارَ مَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوا رُسُلِي ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ {34:45}

[Q34:45] Wa kazzabal lazeena min qablihim wa maa balaghoo mi'shaara maaa aatainaahum fakazzaboo Rusulee; fakaifa kaana nakeer.
[Q34:45] And those before them rejected (the truth), and these have not yet attained a tenth of what We gave them, but they gave the lie to My messengers, then how was the manifestation of My disapproval?

[Q34:45] Dan (ketahuilah bahawa) umat-umat yang terdahulu sebelum mereka telah juga mendustakan (Rasul-rasulnya), sedang mereka (yang mendustakanmu) itu tidak: Mencapai satu persepuluh (dari kekayaan, kepandaian dan kekuatan) yang Kami beri kepada umat-umat yang terdahulu itu; setelah umat-umat itu mendustakan Rasul-rasulKu (mereka pun dibinasakan). Dengan yang demikian perhatikanlah bagaimana buruknya akibat kemurkaanKu (menimpa mereka). 

ALLAH (SWT) says in this verse that the material wealth and worldly power that made the Quraysh so arrogant and proud, was not even one tenth of what was bestowed on earlier peoples. EVEN SO, the earlier peoples were destroyed when they defied ALLAH (SWT)'s authority and lived wicked lives.

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(34:45) Those who went before them also denounced (Allah’s Messengers) as liars. They have not attained even a tenth of what We had given them. But when they rejected My Messengers, calling them liars, how terrible was My chastisement! *65

*65 That is, "The people of Makkah have not attained even one-tenth of the power and grandeur and prosperity that was possessed by those people. But just see how they went to their doom ultimately and their power and wealth could not avail them anything, when they refused to believe in the realities presented before them by the Prophets, and founded their system of life on falsehood."

SECTION 6

The triumph of Truth

The Truth shall always triumph

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ۖ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَادَىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ {46}

[Q34:46] Qul innamaaa a'izukum biwaahidatin an taqoomoo liLLaahi masnaa wa furaadaa summa tatafakkaroo; maa bisaahibikum min jinnah; in huwa illaa nazeerul lakum baina yadai 'azaabin shaded. 
[Q34:46] Say: I exhort you only to one thing, that rise up for ALLAH (SWT)'s sake in twos and singly, then ponder: there is no madness in your fellow-citizen; he is only a warner to you before a severe chastisement.

[Q34:46] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Aku hanyalah mengajar dan menasihati kamu dengan satu perkara sahaja, iaitu: Hendaklah kamu bersungguh-sungguh berusaha mencari kebenaran kerana ALLAH (SwT) semata-mata, samada dengan cara berdua (dengan orang lain) atau seorang diri; kemudian hendaklah kamu berfikir sematang-matangnya (untuk mengetahui salah benarnya ajaranKu). Sebenarnya tidak ada pada (Muhammad) yang menjadi sahabat kamu sebarang penyakit gila (sebagaimana yang dituduh); dia hanyalah seorang Rasul pemberi amaran kepada kamu, sebelum kamu ditimpa azab yang berat (di akhirat). 

IT IS AN EXHORTATION WHICH ONLY AN INTELLIGENT PERSON WOULD GRASP. THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IS COMMANDED BY ALLAH (SWT) TO INVITE THE PEOPLE TO INDEPENDENT THINKING ABOUT ALLAH (SWT), AND HIS PROPHETHOOD. THE SUGGESTION IS TO USE INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION over the matter, BECAUSE crowd mentality would not serve the purpose of perceiving or realising the finer and higher spiritual truths.

Ü  EACH PERSON SHOULD EARNESTLY AND SINCERELY COMMUNICATE TO HIMSELF. DURING TIMES OF NEED, THE PROMISE OF THE LORD TO GUIDE THE SINCERE ONES IS THERE. (Ankabut 29:69; Nahl 16:43; Anbiya 21:7).

Ü  THE ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR SUCH REALISATION IS A HEARTFELT REFLECTION FREE FROM ANY PRECONCEIVED NOTION OR PREJUDICE.

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(34:46) Say to them, (O Prophet): “I give you but one counsel: stand up (for heaven’s sake), singly and in pairs, and then think: what is it in your companion(to wit, Muhammad) that could be deemed as madness?” *66 He is nothing but a warner, warning you before the coming of a grevious chastisement. *67

*66 That is, "Free yourselves of selfish interests and whims and prejudices and consider this sincerely for the sake of Allah: consider this singly as well as jointly in two's and three's and four's in an objective manner and consider it well and deeply: What after all can be the reason that the person whom you call a madman today was, until yesterday, being looked upon as a very wise man among you? The incident that happened a little before his appointment to Prophethood is well known among you. When after the re-construction of the Ka'bah the different clans of the Quraish were going to clash among themselves on the question as to who should place the Black Stone in the wall, you yourselves had unanimously agreed to accept Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) as the arbitrator, and he had settled the question amicably to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. Now, how is it that you have started calling the same person mad, whose wisdom and sagacity has been thus tested and experienced by your whole nation? What is it if not stubbornness? Do you really mean the same that you say with your tongues?" 
*67 That is, "Do you call him mad only for this reason? Do you regard as wist him who finds you following the path of ruin, and applauds you, and mad him who warns you beforehand of the coming of a disaster and shows you the way to safety and well-being?"

قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ {34:47}

[Q34:47] Qul maa sa-altukum min ajrin fahuwa lakum in ajriya illaa 'alaL Laahi wa Huwa 'alaa kullin shai-in Shaheed. 
[Q34:47] Say: Whatever reward I have asked of you, that is only for yourselves; my reward is only with ALLAH (SWT), and He is a witness of all things.

[Q34:47] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Apa jua yang aku harap kamu berikan kepadaku sebagai upah maka faedahnya tetap terpulang kepada kamu; balasan yang menjadi upahku yang sebenar hanyalah dari ALLAH (SwT) dan Dia sentiasa Memerhati serta Menyaksikan tiap-tiap sesuatu.  

Refer to the commentary of Anam 6:91 and Yunus 10:72.

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAD NO OTHER MOTIVE EXCEPT TO GUIDE MANKIND ON THE RIGHT PATH. In Shura 42:23 ALLAH (SWT) commanded the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to say: "I demand not of you any recompense for it (the toils of prophethood) save the love of (my) relatives." This verse makes it clear that the purpose and meaning of the prophet's demand, as a return for the completion of the duties of prophethood, was for the people's own benefit.

µ  If they love his nearest of kin, who are the ones thoroughly purified by ALLAH (SWT) (Ahzab 33:33), they would always be on the right path to salvation by following the example of the Ahlul Bayt (see commentary of Shura 42:23).

THIS VERSE ASSERTS THAT THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAD ASKED FOR A RECOMPENSE, AS AN EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL COURSE FOLLOWED BY THE PRECEDING PROPHETS, but the recompense requested was only in the people's interest, as explained in the commentary of Sad 38:86 and 87.

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(34:47) Say to them: “Whatever recompense I might ask of you, it shall be yours. *68 My recompense is with Allah, and He is witness over everything.” *69

*68 Another meaning of this can be: "I do not sock anything but your well-being: My only recompense is that you should be refomed." This thing has been expressed at another place thus; "O Prophet, say to them: I do not ask of you any recompense for this: I only ask of the one, who will, to adopt the way of his Lord." (Al-Furqan 57) 
*69 That is, "The accusers may say whatever they like but Allah knows everything. He is a witness that I am a selfless person, I am not perforating this mission for any selfish motive "

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ {34:48}

[Q34:48] Qul inna Rabbee yaqzifu bilhaqq 'Allaamul ghuyoub 
[Q34:48] Say: Surely my Lord utters the truth, the great Knower of the unseen.

[Q34:48] Katakanlah lagi: Sesungguhnya TuhanKu, menurunkan wahyu (kepada Nabi-nabi pilihanNya) dengan perkara yang benar; Dia sentiasa Mengetahui akan segala perkara yang ghaib.

WHAT ALLAH (SWT) REVEALS IS ISLAM, THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND.

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(34:48) Say to them: “My Lord hurls down the Truth (upon me). *70 He knows fully all that lies beyond the range of perception.”

*70 The words yaqdhifu bil-haqq give two meanings: (1) "He inspires me with the knowledge of the truth by Revelation; " and (2) "He is making the truth to prevail: He is crushing falsehood by means of the truth. " 

قُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَمَا يُبْدِئُ الْبَاطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ {34:49}

[Q34:49] Qul jaaa'al haqqu wa maa yubdi'ul baatilu wa maa yu'eed.
[Q34:49] Say: The truth has come, and the falsehood shall vanish and shall not come back.

[Q34:49] Katakanlah lagi: Telah datang kebenaran (Al-Quran yang memberi segala kebaikan), dan perkara yang salah tidak memberi sebarang kebaikan di dunia, usahkan hendak mengulanginya di akhirat. 

Refer to the commentary of Bani Israil 17:81.

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(34:49) Say: “The Truth has come and falsehood can neither originate nor recreate anything.”

قُلْ إِنْ ضَلَلْتُ فَإِنَّمَا أَضِلُّ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي ۖ وَإِنِ اهْتَدَيْتُ فَبِمَا يُوحِي إِلَيَّ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ {34:50}

[Q34:50] Qul in dalaltu fainnamaaa adillu 'alaa nafsee wa inih-tadaitu fabimaa yoohee ilaiya Rabbee; innahoo Samee'un Qareeb. 
[Q34:50] Say: If I err, I err only against my own soul, and if I follow a right direction, it’s because of what my Lord reveals to me; surely He is Hearing, Nigh.

[Q34:50] Katakanlah lagi: Sekiranya aku sesat maka bahaya kesesatanku akan menimpa diriku sendiri dan jika aku beroleh hidayat petunjuk maka yang demikian disebabkan apa yang telah diwahyukan oleh Tuhanku kepadaku; sesungguhnya Dia Maha Mendengar, lagi Maha Dekat.

ALLAH (SWT) KNOWS THE TRUTH BECAUSE HE IS NEARER TO MAN THAN HIS OWN SELF, AND HE HEARS EVERYTHING UTTERED, WHETHER LOUDLY, IN WHISPER OR IN MIND. ALLAH (SWT) IS THE KNOWER OF EVERYTHING.

This is in reply to verse 43.

v  It does not mean that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) ever erred, BECAUSE Qur’an expressively says in Najm 53:2 to 4: "Errs not your companion, nor is he led astray, nor he speaks of (his own) desire. It is naught but a revelation revealed (unto him)." IT MEANS THE PROPHET WAS INFALLIBLE.

In several other places the Qur’an asserts that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) only followed the divine revelation under every circumstance. For further clarification see Duha 93:7. The statement in this verse is used to SIGNIFY THAT WITHOUT THE DIVINE GUIDANCE, THE PROPHET WOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ERROR.

ì  On this subject Imam Ali says:

"Since his birth, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was under divine guidance through the greatest angelical entity."

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(34:50) Say: “If I go astray then the hurt of straying will come only upon me. But if I am rightly-guided, that is only because of the revelation that my Lord makes to me. He is All-Hearing, Ever Nigh.” *71

*71 From this verse some people of the modern age have argued thus: According to it the Holy Prophet also could go astray: rather used to go astray. That is why Allah has made the Holy Prophet himself say: `If I have gone astray, I am myself responsible for this. And I am on right guidance only when my Lord sends down Revelation (i.e., verses of the Qur'an) to me." By this wrong interpretation these unjust people in fact want to prove that the Holy Prophet's life was, God forbid, a combination of guidance and error, and Allah had made him confess this before the disbelievers Lest one should adopt his obedience completely, taking him to be wholly on right guidance. The fact however is that whoever considers the theme in its correct context will know that here the words, 'If I have gone astray', are not meant to give the meaning that the Holy Prophet actually used to go astray, but it means: `If I have gone astray, as you accuse I have, and my claim to Prophethood and my this invitation to Tauhid are the result of the same deviation, as you seem to imagine, then the burden of my going astray, will be on me alone; you will not be held responsible for it. But if I am on right guidance, as in fact I am, it is because I receive Revelation from my Lord, by virtue of which I have obtained the knowledge of the guidance. My Lord is near at hand and is hearing everything. He knows whether I have gone astray or am on right guidance from Him. " 

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ {34:51}

[Q34:51] Wa law taraaa iz fazi'oo falaa fawta wa ukhizoo mim makaanin qareeb
[Q34:51] And could you see when they shall become terrified, but (then) there shall be no escape and they shall be seized upon from a near place.

[Q34:51] Dan (sungguh ngeri) jika engkau melihat (keadaan orang-orang yang bersalah itu) ketika mereka gelisah takut (menyaksikan azabnya) serta mereka tidak mendapat jalan mengelaknya dan mereka pun diambil dari tempat mereka berada (untuk dibawa ke tempat azab).

'From a nearby place' refers to the battle of Badr, OR it may refer to the time of death.

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(34:51) If you could only see when the unbelievers will go about in a state of terror. They will have no escape and will be seized from a place near at hand. *72

*72 That is, "On the Day of Resurrection, every culprit will be seized in a way as though he lay in hiding closeby. As he will try to flee, he will be seized immediately."

وَقَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ {34:52}

[Q34:52] Wa qaloo aamannaa bihee wa annaa lahumut tanaawushu mim makaanim ba'eed.
[Q34:52] And they shall say: We believe in it. And how shall the attaining (of faith) be possible to them from a distant place?

[Q34:52] Dan (pada ketika itu) mereka berkata: Kami sekarang beriman kepada kebenaran yang di bawa oleh Nabi Muhammad (s.a.w); (apa jalannya) dan bagaimana caranya mereka dapat mencapai iman dari tempat yang jauh?

"From a place so far away"- death removes every man far away from this world. THE OPPORTUNE PLACE AND TIME TO BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH, IS IN THIS WORLD, AT THIS TIME. On the Day of Judgement repentant believing would be of no avail whatsoever, to anyone.

§  When the guilty are sentenced, and their punishment comes nearest to them, they will be far away from their earthly life, where faith held no importance for them.

§  WHILE they were in the state of worldly existence, and had opportunity to believe, they disbelieved, and considered the unseen world as something far beyond imagination.

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(34:52) They will then say: “We believe in it”; *73 but whence can they attain it from so far-off a place? *74

*73 "We believe in it": "We believe in the message presented by the Messenger in the world."
*74 That is, "They should have believed when they lived in the world; they have come a long way away from it. After having arrived in the Next World how can they get a chance to repent and believe?"

وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ {34:53}

[Q34:53] Wa qad kafaroo bihee min qablu wa yaqzifoona bilghaibi mim makaanim ba’eed
[Q34:53] And they disbelieved in it before, and they utter conjectures with regard to the unseen from a distant place.

[Q34:53] Pada hal mereka telah mengingkarinya sebelum itu dan mereka pula selalu melemparkan tuduhan-tuduhan buta terhadap kebenaran itu dari tempat yang jauh? (sudah tentu salah).

The people disbelieved in the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and rejected his message, IMAGINING themselves to be as safe in the hereafter as they were in this world, BUT they were conjecturing about something unseen and distant.

£  The Quran asserts that they could never understand the reality of the unseen BECAUSE of its immense distance from them.

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(34:53) They disbelieved in it before and indulged in conjectures from far away. *75

*75 That is, "They used to charge the Messenger and the believers with false accusations and used to taunt and mock his message. Some times they said he was a sorcerer or a madman; sometimes they ridiculed Tauhid and the concept of the Hereafter; sometimes they invented the story that another one taught him everything; and sometimes they said that the believers had started following him only on account of folly and ignorance" 

وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشْيَاعِهِمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا فِي شَكٍّ مُرِيبٍ {34:54}

[Q34:54] Wa heela bainahum wa baina maa yashtahoona kamaa fu'ila bi-ashyaa'ihim min qabl; innahum kaanoo fee shakkim mureeb.  
[Q34:54] And a barrier shall be placed between them and that which they desire, as was done with the likes of them before: surely they are in a disquieting doubt.

[Q34:54] Dan disekatlah di antara mereka dengan (iman) yang mereka ingini, sebagaimana yang telah dilakukan kepada orang-orang yang sama keadaannya dengan mereka pada masa yang lalu; sesungguhnya mereka dahulu berada dalam keadaan syak yang meragukan.

The disbelievers will meet disappointment, FOR they would never achieve their desires, NOR realise their conjectures. 

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(34:54) A barrier will be placed between them and what they desire, as was done with the likes of them before. Surely they were in a disquieting doubt. *76

*76 As a matter of fact, no one adopts shirk and atheism and denial of the Hereafter by conviction, nor can he, for conviction comes from knowledge. And no one has the knowledge that there is no God, or that many others have a share in Divine authority, or that there should be no Hereafter. Thus, whoever has adopted these beliefs in the world, has raised a structure on mere conjecture, which has no basis except doubt and suspicion, and this suspicion has led him to sheer error. Consequently, they doubted God's existence, they doubted the truth of Tauhid, they doubted the coming of the Hereafter; so much so that they made this doubt their faith and did not listen to the Prophets and expended and wasted their whole lifetime indulging in a wrong creed and way of life.