Exegesis of Surat al-Adiyat.
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The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows:
This is the third session of the Open Door series for the year 1416, which takes place every Thursday, and this is the sixteenth day of the month of Muharram in the year 1416. We begin this session with what Allah the Exalted has facilitated in the way of exegesis of Surat al-Adiyat:
Allah Blessed and Exalted is He says:[Al-'Adiyat 100:1-5] to the end of the surah. It is not hidden from everyone that this is an oath and that al-Adiyat is a description of a described entity that is omitted. So what is this described entity? Is the intended meaning horses, meaning "and the horses that run"? Or is the intended meaning camels, meaning "and the camels that run"?
There are two opinions among the exegetes on this. Some said that the described entity is camels, and the implied meaning is "the camels that run," referring to the camels that run from 'Arafah to Muzdalifah, and then to Mina, in the rituals of Hajj. They cited as evidence for this that the surah is Meccan, and that there was no jihad on horseback in Mecca to warrant an oath by them.
As for the second opinion, which is the view of the majority of exegetes and is the correct one: the omitted word is horses, and the implied meaning is: "and the horses that run."
The running horses were known to the Arabs even before the prescription of jihad. There were horses that ran against their enemies, whether rightfully or wrongfully, before Islam. As for after Islam, the horses run against their enemies rightfully.
Allah the Exalted says: Al-'Adi is the active participle from the verb "to run," which means speed of walking and launching.
And His saying: Al-Dhabh is the sound heard from the bellies of the horses when they run fast; they produce a sound that comes from their chests, and this indicates the strength and intensity of their galloping.
Al-Muriyat: from the verb "to spark" or "to flash," meaning the sparking of fire when stones strike each other, as is well known to us with the stones of Marwah. If you strike one with another, a spark is produced.
These camels, due to the strength and intensity of their galloping and their striking of the ground, when they strike a stone, they strike the second stone, then they ignite a fire, and this is due to their strength and the strength of their galloping and striking of the ground.[Al-'Adiyat 100:2-3]: So the ones that charge in the morning: meaning those that charge the enemy in the morning, and this is the best time to charge the enemy, that it be in the morning, because they are in heedlessness and sleep, and even if they wake up from the raid, they will be sluggish and exhausted.
So Allah Mighty and Majestic chose for the oath by these horses the best time for raiding, which is the morning. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not raid a people at night, but he would wait, and when it became morning, if he heard the call to prayer, he would desist, otherwise he would raid.
[Al-'Adiyat 100:4] Meaning: they stirred up this enemy, and this raiding stirred up dust, which is the dust that rises from the intensity of the galloping. For when the horses gallop and their running intensifies on the ground, they produce dust from the charge and the retreat.
[Al-'Adiyat 100:5] Meaning: they penetrated into the midst of this dust, gathering, meaning groups of enemies. That is, they have no limit and their goal does not end except in the midst of the enemies. And this is the utmost of the benefits of horses, even though all horses are good, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3574Sahih (Darussalam).
Allah the Exalted swore by these running horses, by these horses that reached the limit, which is raiding the enemy and penetrating into the midst of the enemy, without fear, fatigue, or boredom.
As for what is sworn upon, it is man, so He said:[Al-'Adiyat 100:6] And the intended meaning of "man" here is the species, meaning that the species of man, if not granted success for guidance, is ungrateful for the favor of Allah Mighty and Majestic, as Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Al-Ahzab 33:72] And it was said that the intended meaning of "man" is the disbeliever. On this view, it is a general statement intended to be specific. And the most apparent is that the intended meaning is generality, meaning that the species of man, were it not for the guidance of Allah, would be ungrateful to his Lord Mighty and Majestic.
And al-Kanud is the ungrateful one, meaning: one who is ungrateful for the favor of Allah Mighty and Majestic. Allah Mighty and Majestic provides for him, and with this provision he becomes more arrogant and defiant. For among people are those who may transgress when they see that they have become self-sufficient from Allah. And how much wealth has corrupted the sons of Adam! So he is ungrateful for the favor of Allah Mighty and Majestic, he denies the favor of Allah, and he does not perform gratitude for it, nor does he perform obedience to Allah, because he is ungrateful for the favor of Allah.
And the correct view is that the verse encompasses both. So Allah is a witness to what is in the heart of the son of Adam, and a witness to his deed. And the man is also a witness against himself. But he may acknowledge this testimony in this world, or he may not acknowledge it, and then he will bear witness against himself on the Day of Resurrection, as He the Exalted said:[An-Nur 24:24].
Meaning man [Al-'Adiyat 100:8]:
The good is wealth, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:180] Meaning: if he leaves behind much wealth. So the good is wealth, and the love of man for wealth is an apparent matter. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Fajr 89:20] As for love in general, this is established for everyone. There is no person who does not love wealth, but the intensity is not for everyone. Some people love the wealth that suffices them and makes them independent from the worship of Allah, and some people want more, and some people want wider and wider. The important thing is that man loves the good, meaning wealth, but the intensity differs, or people differ in it from person to person.
Then Allah the Exalted reminded man of a state that is necessary for him, so He said:[Al-'Adiyat 100:9] So he works for that, and let his concern not be wealth.
Meaning: he is certain.
[Al-'Adiyat 100:9] Meaning: they are spread out and displayed. For the people will come out of their graves to the Lord of the worlds as if they are scattered locusts. They will all come out with a single shout [Ya-Sin 36:53].
[Al-'Adiyat 100:10] Meaning: what are the hearts of intentions, and the deeds of the heart: such as reliance, desire, fear, hope, and the like.
And here Allah Mighty and Majestic made the criterion what is in the breasts, as He the Exalted said:[At-Tariq 86:9-10] Because in this world, people are dealt with based on the outward appearance, even the hypocrite is dealt with as the true Muslim is dealt with. But in the Hereafter, the deed is based on what is in the heart. For this reason, it is obligatory for us to take care of our hearts before everything, before the deeds, because the heart is the criterion and it is upon it that the recompense will be on the Day of Resurrection. For this reason, He said: [Al-'Adiyat 100:10].
And the connection between the two verses is that the scattering of what is in the graves is the extraction of the bodies from the depths of the earth, and the obtaining of what is in the breasts is the extraction of what is in the breasts from what the breasts conceal. So the scattering is the scattering of what is in the graves from what the earth conceals, and here it is from what the breast conceals, and the correspondence between them is apparent.
[Al-'Adiyat 100:11] Meaning: that Allah Mighty and Majestic is fully aware of them: meaning of the servants. And He said "of them" and did not say "of him," even though man is singular in terms of meaning. That is, he returned the pronoun to man in terms of meaning, because the meaning of "man" is: every man.
And He linked the knowledge to that day:[Al-'Adiyat 100:11] Because it is the day of recompense and reckoning. Otherwise, Allah the Exalted is All-Knowing and Fully-Aware on that day and before it. So He, Exalted and Majestic is He, is aware of what was, and what will be, if it were, how it would be.
This is the brief exegesis of this great surah. And whoever wants elaboration, let him refer to the books of exegesis that elaborate on this. And we only point out briefly. And we clarified at the beginning of our exegesis of this blessed part that we chose this because people often hear it in the loud prayers, in Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr.
We ask Allah for us and for you guidance and success, and that He make us among those who recite the Book of Allah with true recitation. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
As for now, to the questions, and as usual, each person has one question. Yes.
As for what follows:
This is the third session of the Open Door series for the year 1416, which takes place every Thursday, and this is the sixteenth day of the month of Muharram in the year 1416. We begin this session with what Allah the Exalted has facilitated in the way of exegesis of Surat al-Adiyat:
Allah Blessed and Exalted is He says:
(1) By the racers, panting, (2) And the producers of sparks [when] striking (3) And the chargers at dawn, (4) Stirring up thereby [clouds of] dust, (5) Arriving thereby in the center collectively,
والعاديات ضبحاً * فالموريات قدحاً * فالمغيرات صبحاً * فأثرن به نقعاً * فوسطن به جمعاًAnd the coursers, striking sparks
والعاديات ضبحاًThere are two opinions among the exegetes on this. Some said that the described entity is camels, and the implied meaning is "the camels that run," referring to the camels that run from 'Arafah to Muzdalifah, and then to Mina, in the rituals of Hajj. They cited as evidence for this that the surah is Meccan, and that there was no jihad on horseback in Mecca to warrant an oath by them.
As for the second opinion, which is the view of the majority of exegetes and is the correct one: the omitted word is horses, and the implied meaning is: "and the horses that run."
The running horses were known to the Arabs even before the prescription of jihad. There were horses that ran against their enemies, whether rightfully or wrongfully, before Islam. As for after Islam, the horses run against their enemies rightfully.
Allah the Exalted says:
And the coursers
والعادياتAnd His saying:
striking sparks
ضبحاًAnd the chargers, raising dust
فالموريات قدحاًThese camels, due to the strength and intensity of their galloping and their striking of the ground, when they strike a stone, they strike the second stone, then they ignite a fire, and this is due to their strength and the strength of their galloping and striking of the ground.
(2) And the producers of sparks [when] striking (3) And the chargers at dawn,
فالموريات قدحاً * فالمغيرات صبحًاSo Allah Mighty and Majestic chose for the oath by these horses the best time for raiding, which is the morning. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not raid a people at night, but he would wait, and when it became morning, if he heard the call to prayer, he would desist, otherwise he would raid.
Stirring up thereby [clouds of] dust,
فأثرنَ به نقعاًArriving thereby in the center collectively,
فوسطن به جمعاًGoodness is tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.
الخيل معقود في نواصيها الخير إلى يوم القيامةAllah the Exalted swore by these running horses, by these horses that reached the limit, which is raiding the enemy and penetrating into the midst of the enemy, without fear, fatigue, or boredom.
As for what is sworn upon, it is man, so He said:
Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.
إنّ الإنسان لربّه لكنودbut man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.
وحملها الإنسان إنّه كان ظلوماً جهولاًAnd al-Kanud is the ungrateful one, meaning: one who is ungrateful for the favor of Allah Mighty and Majestic. Allah Mighty and Majestic provides for him, and with this provision he becomes more arrogant and defiant. For among people are those who may transgress when they see that they have become self-sufficient from Allah. And how much wealth has corrupted the sons of Adam! So he is ungrateful for the favor of Allah Mighty and Majestic, he denies the favor of Allah, and he does not perform gratitude for it, nor does he perform obedience to Allah, because he is ungrateful for the favor of Allah.
And indeed, he is a witness against that
وإنّه على ذلك لشهيدAnd the correct view is that the verse encompasses both. So Allah is a witness to what is in the heart of the son of Adam, and a witness to his deed. And the man is also a witness against himself. But he may acknowledge this testimony in this world, or he may not acknowledge it, and then he will bear witness against himself on the Day of Resurrection, as He the Exalted said:
On a Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.
يوم تشهد عليهم ألسنتهم وأيديهم وأرجلهم بما كانوا يعملونAnd indeed, he
وإنّهin love of wealth, intense.
لحبّ الخير لشديدThe good is wealth, as Allah the Exalted said:
Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest
كتب عليكم إذا حضر أحدكم الموت إن ترك خيرا الوصيّةAnd you love wealth with immense love.
وتحبّون المال حبّاً جمّاًThen Allah the Exalted reminded man of a state that is necessary for him, so He said:
But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered
أفلا يعلم إذا بعثر ما في القبورDoes he not know
أفلا يعلمwhen the contents of the graves are scattered
إذا بعثر ما في القبورIt will not be but one blast, and at once they are all brought present before Us.
إن كانت إلاّ صيحة واحدة فإذا هم جميع لدينا محضرونAnd that within the breasts is obtained,
وحصّل ما في الصّدورAnd here Allah Mighty and Majestic made the criterion what is in the breasts, as He the Exalted said:
(9) The Day when secrets will be put on trial, (10) Then man will have no power or any helper.
يوم تبلى السّرائر فما له من قوّة ولا ناصرAnd that within the breasts is obtained,
وحصّل ما في الصّدورAnd the connection between the two verses is that the scattering of what is in the graves is the extraction of the bodies from the depths of the earth, and the obtaining of what is in the breasts is the extraction of what is in the breasts from what the breasts conceal. So the scattering is the scattering of what is in the graves from what the earth conceals, and here it is from what the breast conceals, and the correspondence between them is apparent.
Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is [fully] Acquainted.
إنّ ربّهم بهم يومئذ لخبيرAnd He linked the knowledge to that day:
Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day
إنّ ربّهم بهم يومئذThis is the brief exegesis of this great surah. And whoever wants elaboration, let him refer to the books of exegesis that elaborate on this. And we only point out briefly. And we clarified at the beginning of our exegesis of this blessed part that we chose this because people often hear it in the loud prayers, in Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr.
We ask Allah for us and for you guidance and success, and that He make us among those who recite the Book of Allah with true recitation. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
As for now, to the questions, and as usual, each person has one question. Yes.