Al-Hadid | The Iron
[57:1] All that is in the heavens and the earth proclaims Allah‘s purity, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
[57:2] To Him belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and brings death, and He is Powerful to do anything.
[57:3] He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-Knowing about everything.
[57:4] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He positioned Himself on the Throne. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out from it, and whatever descends from the sky, and whatever ascends thereto. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah is watchful of whatever you do.
[57:5] To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah, all matters are returned.
[57:6] He makes the night enter into the day, and makes the day enter into the night, and He is All-Knowing about whatever
lies in the hearts.
[57:7] Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend out of that (wealth) in which He has appointed you as deputies. So, for those of you who have believed and spent (in Allah‘s way), there is a big reward.
[57:8] What is wrong with you that you do not believe in Allah, while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord, and He has taken your covenant if you are to believe?
[57:9] He is the One who reveals clear verses to His servant so that He brings you out from layers of darkness into the light. And to you, Allah is Very-Kind indeed, Very-Merciful.
[57:10] And what is wrong with you that you should not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent before the Conquest (of Makkah) and fought are not at par (with others). Those are much greater in rank than those who spent later and fought, though Allah has promised the good (reward) for each. Allah is well aware of what you do.
[57:11] Who is there to advance a loan, a good loan, to Allah so that He multiplies it for him, and he may have a noble reward?
[57:12] On the Day when you will see the believing men and the believing women, their light proceeding in front of them and to their right hands, (it will be said to them,). Good news for you today! Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever! That is the great achievement,
[57:13] the Day when the hypocritical men and hypocritical women will say to those who believe, ‘Wait for us, so that we may have a share from your light’. It will be said (to them), ‘Go back to your rear, and search for light. Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. On its inner side, there will be the divine mercy, while towards its outer side, there will be the divine punishment.
[57:14] They (the hypocrites) will call out to them (the believers), ‘Were we not with you?’. They will say, ‘Yes, (you were,) but you led your souls to a wrong way, and kept waiting (for an evil end to the Muslims), and remained in doubt, and were deluded by fancies, until Allah‘s command came to pass, and you were deceived about Allah by the Big Deceiver (Iblis).
[57:15] So, no ransom will be accepted from you today, nor from those who disbelieved (openly). Your abode is the Fire, and it is an evil end’.
[57:16] Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended (through revelation)? They must not be like those to whom the Book was given before, but a long period passed on them (in which they did not repent), therefore their hearts became hard, and (thus) many of them are sinners.
[57:17] Know well that Allah revives the land after its death. We have made the signs clear for you, so that you may understand.
[57:18] Surely those men who give Sadaqah (alms) and those women who give Sadaqah and have advanced a good loan to Allah, for them it will be multiplied, and for them, there is a noble reward.
[57:19] And those who believed in Allah and His messengers, those are the Siddiq’s (the most righteous after prophets) and the Shuhada‘ (martyrs) in the sight of your Lord. For them shall be their reward and their light. As for those who disbelieved and rejected Our verses, they are the inmates of Hell.
[57:20] Know well that the worldly life is but a play and an amusement, and a show of beauty, and exchange of boastful claims between you, and competition of increase in riches and children. (All this is) like rain, the growth of which attracts the farmers, then it withers, and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. And in the Hereafter, there is a severe punishment (for the disbelievers), forgiveness from Allah, and (Allah‘s) pleasure (for the believers and the righteous). The worldly life is nothing but a material of delusion.
[57:21] Compete each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord and to Paradise the width of which is like the width of the sky and the earth. It has been prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He Wills and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty.
[57:22] No calamity befalls the earth or your own selves, but it is (pre-destined) in a Book before We bring it into being, Indeed it is easy for Allah.
[57:23] so that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given to you. And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud,
[57:24] those who are miserly and bid others to be miserly. And whoever turns away, then Allah is the All-Independent, the Ever-Praised.
[57:25] We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, so that people may uphold equity. And We sent down iron in which there is a strong power, and benefits for the people; and (We did it) so that Allah knows the one who helps Him and His messengers without seeing (Him). Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.
[57:26] Indeed We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and kept the Book and prophethood (continuing) in their progeny. So, some of those (to whom they were sent) were on the right path, and many of them were sinners.
[57:27] Then We made Our messengers follow them one after the other, then We sent after them Isa, the son of Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary), and gave him the Injil, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of his followers. As for monasticism, it was invented by them; We did not ordain it for them, but (they adopted it) to seek Allah‘s pleasure, then could not observe it as was due. So We gave the believers from among them their reward. And many of them are sinners.
[57:28] O you who believe, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you two shares (of reward) out of His mercy, and will make for you a light whereby you will walk, and will forgive you, And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
[57:29] So that the People of the Book may know that they have no control over anything from Allah‘s bounty, and that bounty is in Allah‘s hand; He gives it to whom He wills, and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty.
[57:1] All that is in the heavens and the earth proclaims Allah‘s purity, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
[57:2] To Him belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and brings death, and He is Powerful to do anything.
[57:3] He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-Knowing about everything.
[57:4] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He positioned Himself on the Throne. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out from it, and whatever descends from the sky, and whatever ascends thereto. He is with you wherever you are, and Allah is watchful of whatever you do.
[57:5] To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah, all matters are returned.
[57:6] He makes the night enter into the day, and makes the day enter into the night, and He is All-Knowing about whatever
lies in the hearts.
[57:7] Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend out of that (wealth) in which He has appointed you as deputies. So, for those of you who have believed and spent (in Allah‘s way), there is a big reward.
[57:8] What is wrong with you that you do not believe in Allah, while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord, and He has taken your covenant if you are to believe?
[57:9] He is the One who reveals clear verses to His servant so that He brings you out from layers of darkness into the light. And to you, Allah is Very-Kind indeed, Very-Merciful.
[57:10] And what is wrong with you that you should not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent before the Conquest (of Makkah) and fought are not at par (with others). Those are much greater in rank than those who spent later and fought, though Allah has promised the good (reward) for each. Allah is well aware of what you do.
[57:11] Who is there to advance a loan, a good loan, to Allah so that He multiplies it for him, and he may have a noble reward?
[57:12] On the Day when you will see the believing men and the believing women, their light proceeding in front of them and to their right hands, (it will be said to them,). Good news for you today! Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever! That is the great achievement,
[57:13] the Day when the hypocritical men and hypocritical women will say to those who believe, ‘Wait for us, so that we may have a share from your light’. It will be said (to them), ‘Go back to your rear, and search for light. Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. On its inner side, there will be the divine mercy, while towards its outer side, there will be the divine punishment.
[57:14] They (the hypocrites) will call out to them (the believers), ‘Were we not with you?’. They will say, ‘Yes, (you were,) but you led your souls to a wrong way, and kept waiting (for an evil end to the Muslims), and remained in doubt, and were deluded by fancies, until Allah‘s command came to pass, and you were deceived about Allah by the Big Deceiver (Iblis).
[57:15] So, no ransom will be accepted from you today, nor from those who disbelieved (openly). Your abode is the Fire, and it is an evil end’.
[57:16] Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended (through revelation)? They must not be like those to whom the Book was given before, but a long period passed on them (in which they did not repent), therefore their hearts became hard, and (thus) many of them are sinners.
[57:17] Know well that Allah revives the land after its death. We have made the signs clear for you, so that you may understand.
[57:18] Surely those men who give Sadaqah (alms) and those women who give Sadaqah and have advanced a good loan to Allah, for them it will be multiplied, and for them, there is a noble reward.
[57:19] And those who believed in Allah and His messengers, those are the Siddiq’s (the most righteous after prophets) and the Shuhada‘ (martyrs) in the sight of your Lord. For them shall be their reward and their light. As for those who disbelieved and rejected Our verses, they are the inmates of Hell.
[57:20] Know well that the worldly life is but a play and an amusement, and a show of beauty, and exchange of boastful claims between you, and competition of increase in riches and children. (All this is) like rain, the growth of which attracts the farmers, then it withers, and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. And in the Hereafter, there is a severe punishment (for the disbelievers), forgiveness from Allah, and (Allah‘s) pleasure (for the believers and the righteous). The worldly life is nothing but a material of delusion.
[57:21] Compete each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord and to Paradise the width of which is like the width of the sky and the earth. It has been prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He Wills and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty.
[57:22] No calamity befalls the earth or your own selves, but it is (pre-destined) in a Book before We bring it into being, Indeed it is easy for Allah.
[57:23] so that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given to you. And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud,
[57:24] those who are miserly and bid others to be miserly. And whoever turns away, then Allah is the All-Independent, the Ever-Praised.
[57:25] We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, so that people may uphold equity. And We sent down iron in which there is a strong power, and benefits for the people; and (We did it) so that Allah knows the one who helps Him and His messengers without seeing (Him). Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.
[57:26] Indeed We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and kept the Book and prophethood (continuing) in their progeny. So, some of those (to whom they were sent) were on the right path, and many of them were sinners.
[57:27] Then We made Our messengers follow them one after the other, then We sent after them Isa, the son of Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary), and gave him the Injil, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of his followers. As for monasticism, it was invented by them; We did not ordain it for them, but (they adopted it) to seek Allah‘s pleasure, then could not observe it as was due. So We gave the believers from among them their reward. And many of them are sinners.
[57:28] O you who believe, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you two shares (of reward) out of His mercy, and will make for you a light whereby you will walk, and will forgive you, And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
[57:29] So that the People of the Book may know that they have no control over anything from Allah‘s bounty, and that bounty is in Allah‘s hand; He gives it to whom He wills, and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty.
Tafsir
Overview of Surah Al-Hadid
- Title and Position: Surah Al-Hadid is the 57th chapter of the Quran. The title “Al-Hadid” translates to “The Iron,” referencing the verse that speaks about iron, a material sent down by God, containing both the potential for great constructive and destructive power.
- Verses and Structure: This surah contains 29 verses. It is known for its emphasis on the omnipotence of God, the transient nature of life on Earth, and the call for Muslims to be charitable and to strive in the cause of God.
- Themes and Messages: Major themes include the unity and all-encompassing knowledge of God, the encouragement for believers to spend in the way of God, the importance of faith accompanied by action, and reflections on the creation and the Day of Judgment.
- Significance in Islamic Thought: Surah Al-Hadid is significant for its comprehensive presentation of Islamic monotheism, its discussion on the nature of faith and good deeds, and its unique mention of iron as a metaphor for strength and utility in the human experience.
Detailed Explanation
- Divine Omnipotence and Unity: The surah opens with the affirmation of God’s sovereignty, omnipotence, and unique knowledge of all that is seen and unseen, emphasizing His dominion over the heavens and the earth.
- The Transience of Worldly Life: It contrasts the fleeting pleasures of this world with the enduring nature of the hereafter, urging believers to prioritize their spiritual obligations and the life to come.
- Charity and Striving in God’s Cause: Surah Al-Hadid calls on Muslims to spend their wealth in the way of God and to actively participate in righteous endeavors, highlighting the virtues of charity and sacrifice.
- Faith and Action: The surah stresses the importance of faith being accompanied by action, reminding believers that true faith manifests through deeds that benefit the community and please God.
- The Iron Metaphor: The mention of iron symbolizes its dual role in human society—as a tool for development and as a weapon for conflict—pointing to the responsibility that comes with power and technology.
FAQs
- Why is Surah Al-Hadid named “The Iron”?
- The surah is named “Al-Hadid” because of the specific reference to iron within its verses, highlighting its importance as a material that has both beneficial and harmful uses, depending on human choice and intent.
- How does Surah Al-Hadid describe the nature of worldly life?
- It describes worldly life as a fleeting distraction and illusion, urging believers to focus on the eternal life of the hereafter and to use their time and resources in the pursuit of righteousness.
- What does the surah say about spending in the way of God?
- It emphasizes the importance of charitable giving and investing in the cause of God as a means of securing eternal reward, portraying charity as both a duty and an opportunity for spiritual growth.
- How does Surah Al-Hadid link faith to action?
- The surah underscores that genuine faith is demonstrated through righteous deeds and active engagement in fulfilling God’s commands, challenging believers to live their faith through concrete actions.
- The surah is named “Al-Hadid” because of the specific reference to iron within its verses, highlighting its importance as a material that has both beneficial and harmful uses, depending on human choice and intent.
- It describes worldly life as a fleeting distraction and illusion, urging believers to focus on the eternal life of the hereafter and to use their time and resources in the pursuit of righteousness.
- It emphasizes the importance of charitable giving and investing in the cause of God as a means of securing eternal reward, portraying charity as both a duty and an opportunity for spiritual growth.
- The surah underscores that genuine faith is demonstrated through righteous deeds and active engagement in fulfilling God’s commands, challenging believers to live their faith through concrete actions.
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