Surah Fussilat Verse 1

حـم - تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ - غَافِرِ الذَّنبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ الْعِقَابِ ذِى الطَّوْلِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ - مَا يُجَـدِلُ فِى ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلاَ يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِى الْبِلاَدِ - كَـذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَالاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ وَهَمَّتْ كُـلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ وَجَـدَلُوا بِالْبَـطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُواْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

(1. Ha Mim.)

(2. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.)

(3. A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail -- a Qur'an in Arabic for people who know.)

(4. Giving glad tidings and warning, but most of them turn away, so they hear not.)

(5. And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen, so work you (on your way); verily, we are working (on our way).'')

Description of the Qur'an, and what Those Who turn away from it say.

حـم - تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(Ha Mim. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) means, the Qur'an is revealed from the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is like the Ayat:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ

(Say Ruh Al-Qudus (Jibril) has brought it down from your Lord with truth) (16:102).

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ

(And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of all that exists, Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down upon your heart that you may be (one) of the warners.) (26:192-194).

كِتَـبٌ فُصِّلَتْ ءَايَـتُهُ

(A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail) means, its meanings are clear and its rulings are sound and wise.

قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً

(a Qur'an in Arabic) means, because it is a clear Arabic Qur'an, its meanings are precise and detailed and its words are clear and not confusing. This is like the Ayah:

كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءايَـتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

((This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are completed, and then explained in detail from One (Allah), Who is All-Wise Well-Acquainted) (11:1). meaning, it is miraculous in its wording and in its meanings.

لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42).

لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(for people who know.) means, this clear style will be readily understood by scholars who are thoroughly versed in knowledge.

بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً

(Giving glad tidings and warning,) means, sometimes it brings glad tidings to the believers, and sometimes it brings a warning to the disbelievers.

فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ

(but most of them turn away, so they hear not.) means, most of the Quraysh did not understand anything of it at all, despite the fact that it was so clear.

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ

(And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings...'') meaning, they are wrapped and screened,

مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِى ءَاذانِنَا وَقْرٌ

(from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness,) means, `we are deaf to the message you bring to us.'

وَمِن بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ

(and between us and you is a screen,) `so nothing of what you say reaches us.'

فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَـمِلُونَ

(so work you (on your way); verily, we are working) means, go your way, and we will go our way, and we will not follow you.