Surah Al-Adiyat - The Chargers
(Revealed at Mecca)
11 Verses in 1 Section
Sections of Surah Al-Adiyat
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Man’s ingratitude to God.
Al-Adiyat - Man’s Ingratitude To God
Against the innumerable bounties, favours and blessings of God, man is ungrateful to his Lord, He shall be raised once again to requite for what he has wrought in this life, God is well aware of what all men do.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
“In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful”
وَالْعَادِيَاتِ ضَبْحًا
“By the snorting chargers!” (100:1)
فَالْمُورِيَاتِ قَدْحًا
“And those that dash off (their hoofs) striking fire” (100:2)
فَالْمُغِيرَاتِ صُبْحًا
“And those that scour to the attack at morn!” (100:3)
فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعًا
“And stir thereby the dust aloft” (100:4)
فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعًا
“And penetrate through (the foe) all of them” (100:5)
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ
“Verily, man unto his Lord is ungrateful” (100:6)
وَإِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ
“And verily, He1is a witness unto that” (100:7)
وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ
“And verily, in the love of wealth, he is violent2“ (100:8)
أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِي الْقُبُورِ
“What! Knoweth he not when, what is in the graves is raised (to life)” (100:9)
وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ
“And shall be made manifest whatever is in the breasts (hearts)?” (100:10)
إِنَّ رَبَّهُمْ بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَخَبِيرٌ
“Verily, their Lord, that day concerning them, will be fully aware!” (100:11)
Commentary
Verse 1
Verses 1-5 are the mystic symbols of some event of special importance. Commentators have given some imaginary interpretation to the symbolic use of the words. The truth is that the Surah as a whole was revealed on a particular occasion of special importance. The Sixth Holy Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad As-Sadiq says that the tribes of Bani Saleem collected a huge force to make a sudden and a very heavy attack on Madina, to kill the Muslims and to arrest the Holy Prophet and then to torture him. On receiving the news of this gathering of the hostile forces the Holy Prophet sent an army under one of his companions who ran away from the field and returned utterly defeated suffering a heavy loss and owing to his running away from the field, many of the Muslims were killed. The Holy Prophet gave the Banner of Islam to another companion and sent him, and he also ran away from the field, with a disastrous defeat and the heavy loss suffered by the Muslim army.
Umar al-As offered himself to go, to fight the enemy boasting that he would see the enemy is duly punished and he was sent, and he also returned with the same result as on the previous two occasions. At last the Holy Prophet called Ali and handed over the Banner of Islam to him and placing the defeated companions under him, despatched him to meet the enemy, himself accompanying Ali up to the Mosque of Ahzab outside Madina, the army marched at night and kept it self-concealed at day and thus he reached the place and made a sudden attack on the enemy’s forces at the early hours of the dawn and won an easy victory, most of the enemy’s men were killed, and those remaining, Ali put them in chains and brought them to the Holy Prophet in Madina.
When the news of the victorious Ali approaching Madina reached the Holy Prophet, he went out of the city to receive Ali and the victorious soldiers of Islam. Kissing Ali on his forehead, the Holy Prophet said: ‘‘O’ Ali, if there had not been the risk of the people misled to raise thee to the position, as the Christians have done in the case of Jesus, I would have disclosed certain things about thee, after which, people would have sought the dust under thy feet to get the cure for their ailments” The Holy Prophet and the Muslim army had not even entered Madina that the Messenger Angel Gabriel conveyed this Surah to the Holy Prophet. (MS.) The first five verses of this Surah describe the event praising the activity of the move of the army to defend the Truth and its believers under its ever-victorious Commander who saved the faith and the faithful by defeating the enemy and not running away, leaving the Muslim soldiers to their fate in the hands of the triumphant foe to suffer death and destruction. As regards the companions who ran away from the field and returned defeated on the first two occasions - refer to History.
Reference is to the glorious march of the chargers of the brave defenders of the faith, running fast panting.
Besides the reference to the particular expedition known as ‘Zatus-Salasal’ - the first five verses may refer to the (camel, or horse) cavalries which were used by the Muslims against the disbelievers - or for pilgrimage. (A.P.)
Verse 2
The march being in the night, creating bright sparks of fire by the striking of the hoofs of the chargers on the rocky soil on which they marched.
The reference is to the expedition of the believers led by ‘Ali, surrounding the enemy by surprise in the early hours of dawn - for this justification of the action explains the ungrateful attitude of the enemy who treacherously violated the Treaty of Peace with the Holy Prophet and killed in cold blood several Muslims (Ghazwa al-Zatus-Salasal). (A.P.).
Verse 3
The chargers of those who attacked the enemy at dawn, for Ali had made the attack on the enemy in the early hours of dawn and had taken the enemy by surprise.
Verse 4
The dust raised by the rush of the chargers, on the enemy, all of a sudden.
Verse 5
The actual fall of the believers on the enemy’s forces, with the consolidated heaviest pressure on them.
Verse 6
The Holy Prophet said the ‘Kanud’ is the one who eats alone and obstructs others receiving anything from anybody, i.e., grossly selfish - He who receives gifts and wages, war against the benefactor himself - reference to the enemies of Islam - who though under the obligation of the grace of God, reject the belief in Him and wage war on the believers.
Verse 7
The selfish and the ungrateful disbeliever proves his selfishness and ingratitude by his own deeds without the necessity of evidence from anybody else.
Verse 9
The interrogation is for an emphatic assertion that man will surely be raised from the grave and let man know and remember that everything will be resurrected.
Grave stands for the place which covers the corpse from the sight of mankind. And the verse shows that whatever may be the nature of the grave, it retains something of the deceased one - whether it is soul or body - is subject to the resurrection. (A.P.).
Verse 10
Whatever is hidden, be that the motives and the thoughts concealed in the minds, will be made manifest.
‘Sodoor’ used by Qur’an is the seat of the feelings and emotion. The passage shows that our feelings and emotions develop into concrete form in the life form. (A.P.).
Verse 11
On the Day of Judgment everything will be open and known to the Lord Who is ever Vigilant and Knowing everything, manifest and concealed.
