40.51. Lo! We verily do help Our messengers, and those who believe, in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses arise, (Pickthall)
40.51. Bestimmt helfen Wir ja Unseren Gesandten und denjenigen, die glauben, im Leben dieser Welt und an dem Tag, wenn die Zeugen aufstehen, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.51. Wahrlich, Wir helfen Unseren Gesandten und denjenigen, die glauben, im diesseitigen Leben und am Tag, da die Zeugen auftreten, (Bubenheim)
40.51. Zum Sieg verhelfen Wir Unseren Gesandten und den Gläubigen im irdischen Leben und am Jüngsten Tag, wenn die Zeugen erscheinen, (Azhar)
40.51. Gewiß, WIR stehen doch bei Unseren Gesandten und denjenigen, die den Iman verinnerlichten sowohl in diesem dießeitigen Leben als auch am Tag, wenn die Zeugen auferstehen. (Zaidan)
40.51. Wir helfen unseren Gesandten und denen, die (mit ihnen) glauben, im diesseitigen Leben und (dereinst) am Tag, da die Zeugen auftreten, (Paret)
40.51. Wahrlich, helfen werden Wir Unseren Gesandten und denen, die gläubig sind, im diesseitigen Leben und an dem Tage, wo die Zeugen vortreten werden , (Rasul)
40.52. Yawma la yanfaAAu aldhdhalimiinamaAAdhiratuhum walahumu allaAAnatu walahum suu-o alddari
40.52. The day when their excuse availeth not the evil doers, and theirs is the curse, and theirs the ill abode. (Pickthall)
40.52. An dem Tag nützt den Unrechthandelnden ihre Entschuldigung nichts, und für sie ist der Fluch, und für sie das Böse der Heimstätte. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.52. am Tag, da den Ungerechten ihre Entschuldigung nicht nützt und es für sie den Fluch geben und es für sie die böse Wohnstätte geben wird. (Bubenheim)
40.52. an jenem Tag, an dem den Ungerechten ihre Ausrede nichts nützt. Ihnen gebührt der Fluch, und ihnen gebührt die schlimmste Wohnstätte. (Azhar)
40.52. An dem Tag, wenn den Unrecht-Begehenden ihre Entschuldigung nicht nützt. Und für sie ist der Fluch bestimmt, und für sie ist das Schlimme der Wohnstätte bestimmt. (Zaidan)
40.52. am Tag, da es den Frevlern nichts nützt, wenn sie sich entschuldigen. Diese haben (vielmehr) den Fluch (Allahs) und die schlimme Behausung (der Hölle) zu erwarten. (Paret)
40.52. am Tage, an dem den Frevlern ihre Ausrede nichts nützen wird; und sie werden zu Fluch und schlimmem Aufenthalt (verdammt) sein. (Rasul)
40.55. Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin, and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours. (Pickthall)
40.55. Also harre geduldig aus, das Versprechen Allahs ist ja wahr, und bitte um Verzeihung für deine Sünde, und preise mit dem Lob deines Herrn am Abend und morgens früh. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.55. So sei standhaft. Gewiß, Allahs Versprechen ist wahr. Und bitte um Vergebung für deine Sünde und lobpreise deinen Herrn am Abend und am frühen Morgen. (Bubenheim)
40.55. Harre geduldig aus! Gottes Verheißung ist wahr. Bitte darum, deine Schuld möge dir verziehen werden! Lobpreise deinen Herrn abends und morgens! (Azhar)
40.55. Also übe dich in Geduld! Gewiß, ALLAHs Versprechen ist wahr. Und bitte um Vergebung für deine Verfehlung, und lobpreise mit dem Lob deines HERRN während der Abend- und der Morgenzeit! (Zaidan)
40.55. Darum sei geduldig! Das Versprechen Allahs ist wahr (und wird in Erfüllung gehen). Und bitte (Allah) um Vergebung für deine Schuld! Und lobpreise deinen Herrn abends und morgens! (Paret)
40.55. So sei denn geduldig. Wahrlich, die Verheißung Allahs ist wahr. Und suche Vergebung für deine Missetaten und lobpreise deinen Herrn am Abend und am Morgen. (Rasul)
40.56. Inna alladhiina yudschadiluunafiiayati Allahi bighayri sultanin atahumin fiisuduurihim illa kibrun ma hum bibalighiihifaistaAAidh biAllahi innahu huwa alssamiiAAualbasiiru
40.56. Lo! those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without a warrant having come unto them, there is naught else in their breasts save pride which they will never attain. So take thou refuge in Allah. Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer. (Pickthall)
40.56. Diejenigen, die über die Zeichen Allahs streiten, ohne Ermächtigung, die zu ihnen kam, nichts ist in ihren Gemütern außer Stolz, den sie nicht erreichen, also nimm Zuflucht bei Allah, Er ist ja, Er, der Hörende, der im Blick hat. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.56. Gewiß, diejenigen, die über Allahs Zeichen streiten, ohne daß sie eine Ermächtigung erhalten hätten, haben in ihren Brüsten nur Neid (auf das), was sie nicht erreichen werden können. So suche Zuflucht bei Allah, denn Er ist der Allhörende und Allsehende. (Bubenheim)
40.56. Diejenigen, die Gottes Zeichen ohne bereits erhaltene Beweise bestreiten, hegen im Herzen nur Hochmut. Sie erreichen damit nichts. Bitte Gott um Seinen Beistand! Er ist es, Der alles genau hört und sieht. (Azhar)
40.56. Gewiß, diejenigen, die über ALLAHs Ayat disputieren ohne Beweis, der ihnen zuteil wurde, in ihren Brüsten gibt es nichts außer Stolz, den sie nicht erlangen werden. So richte Isti'adha an ALLAH! Gewiß, ER ist Der Allhörende, Der Allsehende. (Zaidan)
40.56. Diejenigen, die über die Zeichen Allahs streiten, ohne daß sie Vollmacht (dazu) erhalten hätten - nichts ist in ihren Herzen als Großmannssucht -, sie werden es nicht erreichen. Such (vor ihnen) Zuflucht bei Allah! Er ist der, der (alles) hört und durchschaut. (Paret)
40.56. Wahrlich, diejenigen, die über die Zeichen Allahs streiten, ohne daß irgendeine Ermächtigung (dazu) zu ihnen (gekommen wäre) - nichts ist in ihren Herzen als Großmannssucht -, sie werden diese (Größe) nicht erreichen. So nimm Zuflucht bei Allah. Wahrlich, Er ist der Allhörende, der Allsehende. (Rasul)
Tafsir von Maududi für die Ayaat 51 bis 56
Believe it that We do help Our Messengers and the Believers in the life of this world, ( 67 ) and so shall We help them on that Day also when the witnesses shall stand up, ( 68 ) and the excuses of the wrongdoers shall not avail them anything. They shall have the curse on them and the worst abode. Just consider this: We showed Moses guidance ( 69 ) and trade the children of Israel to inherit the Book, which was guidance and admonition for the men of understanding. ( 70 ) So, be patient, ( 71 ) O Prophet: Allah's promise is true. ( 72 ) Ask forgiveness of your errors, ( 73 ) and glorify your Lord morning and evening with His praise. ( 74 ) The fact is that the hearts of those who are disputing concerning the Revelations of Allah without any authority having come to them, are filled with pride, ( 75 ) but they shall never attain to their ambitions. ( 76 ) So, seek Allah's refuge. ( 77 ) He hears everything and sees everything.
Desc No: 67 For explanation, see E.N. 93 of As-Saaffat.
Desc No: 68 That is, when Allah's Court will be established and the witnesses will be produced before Him.
Desc No: 69 That is, "We did not just leave Moses alone when We sent him against Pharaoh, but We gave him guidance at every step till success." This contains a subtle allusion to the effect: "O Muhammad, We shall help you too in the same manner. We have neither left you alone after raising you as a Prophet in the city of Makkah and the tribe of Quraish so that these wicked people may treat you as they like, but We Ourselves are at your back and are giving you guidance at every step."
Desc No: 70 That is "Just as those who disbelieved Moses were deprived of this blessing and the Israelites who believed in bite were made heirs to the Book, so will also those who deny you be deprived and only those who blieve in you will have the good fortune to inherit the Qur'an and rise in the world as the standardbearers of guidance."
Desc No: 71 "Be patient"; "Bear up with a cool mind against these hardships through which you are passing."
Desc No: 72 The allusion is to the promise made above in the sentence: "We do help Our Messengers and the Believers in the life of this world."
Desc No: 73 A study of the context shows that here "error" implies the state of impatience that was being caused to the Holy Prophet on account of the severe antagonism, especially the persecution of his followers. He earnestly desired that either some miracle should be shown, which should convince the disbelievers, or something else should soon come down from Allah, which should quell the storm of opposition. Though this desire in itself was not a sin, which should have called for repentance, the high rank with which Allah had blessed the Holy Prophet demanded great grit and will power; so the little impatience shown by him was regarded as inconsistent with his high rank. Therefore, he was required to ask Allah's forgiveness for showing the weakness and was told to stand his ground like a rock as a man of a high rank like him should.
Desc No: 74 That is, `Glorification of Allah with His praises is the only means by which those who work for the sake of Allah can get the strength to resist and overcome the hardships faced in the way of Allah. ¦ Glorifying the Lord morning and evening can have two meanings: (1) `Remembering Allah constantly and perpetually:" and 12) `performing the Prayers at the specific times." And in this second case, the allusion is to the five times of the Prayers, which were enjoined on all the believers as a duty some time after the revelation of this Surah. For the word 'ashiyy in Arabic is used for the time from the declining of the sun till the early part of nigh, which covers the times of the four Prayers from Zuhr to 'Isha': and ibkar is the time from dawn to the rising of the sun, which is the time of the Fajar Prayer. (For further details, see AI-Baqarah: 3, 43, 45, 238; Hud: 114; AI-Hijr: 98-99; Introduction to Bani Isra'il and vv. 78-79; Ta Ha: 130; AnNur: 56-58; AI-'Ankabut: 45; Ar-Rum: 17-18, 31 and the E.N.'s thereof).
Desc No: 75 That is, `The real cause for their opposition without any argument and Their irrational, crooked argumentation is not that they do not understand the myths and the themes of goodness and reform being presented before there in the form of the Revelations of Allah; therefore, they dispute about them in good faith in order to understand them; but the actual reason for their wrong attitude is that Their self-conceit dces not permit them tolerate that while they are living in Arabia the guidance and leadership of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) be accepted and acknowledged and ultimately one day they themselves should have to accept the leadership of the person as against whom they think they have a greater right to be the chiefs and leaders. That is why they are straining every nerve not to let Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) have his way, and they do not hesitate to use any mean device whatever for the purpose.
Desc No: 76 In other words it means: `He whom Allah has made great, will remain great, and the efforts of the small people who are trying to establish their superiority, will ultimately end in failure."
Desc No: 77 That is, `Just as Moses had become free from fear and anxiety after invoking Allah Almighty's help and refuge against Pharaoh's threats, so should you also seek His help and refuge against the threats and conspiracies of the chiefs of the Quraish, and then should busy yourself in raising His word being free from every anxiety."
40.57. Lakhalqu alssamawati waal-ardiakbaru min khalqi alnnasi walakinna aktharaalnnasi la yaAAlamuuna
40.57. Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind; but most of mankind know not. (Pickthall)
40.57. Bestimmt ist die Schöpfung der Himmel und der Erde größer als die Schöpfung der Menschen, aber die meisten Menschen wissen es nicht. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.57. Wahrlich die Erschaffung der Himmel und der Erde ist größer als die Erschaffung der Menschen. Aber die meisten Menschen wissen nicht. (Bubenheim)
40.57. Die Himmel und die Erde zu erschaffen, ist weit größer als die Menschen zu erschaffen. Doch die meisten Menschen wissen es nicht. (Azhar)
40.57. Gewiß, die Erschaffung der Himmel und der Erde ist noch größer als die Erschaffung der Menschen! Doch die meisten Menschen wissen es nicht. (Zaidan)
40.57. Die Erschaffung von Himmel und Erde ist (ein noch) größer (es Wunder) als die Erschaffung der Menschen. Aber die meisten Menschen wissen (es) nicht. (Paret)
40.57. Wahrlich, die Schöpfung der Himmel und der Erde ist größer als die Schöpfung der Menschen; allein die meisten Menschen wissen es nicht. (Rasul)
40.58. And the blind man and the seer are not equal, neither are those who believe and do good works (equal with) the evil doer. Little do ye reflect! (Pickthall)
40.58. Und es sind nicht gleich - der Blinde und der Sehende, - und diejenigen, die glauben und rechtschaffen handeln und nicht die Böses tun, wenig ist es, woran sie sich erinnern. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.58. Nicht gleich sind der Blinde und der Sehende und auch nicht diejenigen, die glauben und rechtschaffene Werke tun, und der Missetäter. Wie wenig ihr bedenkt! (Bubenheim)
40.58. Ist derjenige, der sich der Wahrheit gegenüber blind stellt, wie der, der sie sieht? Gleichen die Gläubigen, die gute Werke verrichten, denen, die üble Taten begehen? Wie wenig denken die Menschen nach! (Azhar)
40.58. Nicht gleich sind der Blinde und der Sehende, Auch nicht diejenigen, die den Iman verinnerlicht und gottgefällig Gutes getan haben, und der des Schlechten Tuende. Doch ihr erinnert euch nur ein wenig. (Zaidan)
40.58. Und der Blinde ist nicht dem Sehenden gleich (zusetzen), und diejenigen, die glauben und tun, was recht ist, (sind) nicht demjenigen (gleichzusetzen), der Böses tut. Wie wenig laßt ihr euch mahnen! (Paret)
40.58. Doch der Blinde und der Sehende sind gleich; noch sind jene, die glauben und gute Werke tun, denen (gleich), die Böses tun. Wenig ist es, was ihr zu bedenken pflegt! (Rasul)
40.59. Lo! the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt thereof; yet most of mankind believe not. (Pickthall)
40.59. Die Stunde kommt ja bestimmt, kein Zweifel daran, aber die meisten Menschen glauben nicht. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.59. Gewiß, die Stunde kommt bestimmt, an ihr gibt es keinen Zweifel. Aber die meisten Menschen glauben nicht. (Bubenheim)
40.59. Die Stunde des Gerichts wird kommen, daran ist nicht zu zweifeln. Doch die meisten Menschen glauben nicht. (Azhar)
40.59. Gewiß, die Stunde wird bestimmt kommen, darüber gibt es keinerlei Zweifel. Doch die meisten Menschen verinnerlichen den Iman nicht. 3 (Zaidan)
40.59. Die Stunde (des Gerichts) wird bestimmt kommen. An ihr ist nicht zu zweifeln. Aber die meisten Menschen glauben nicht. (Paret)
40.59. Die Stunde kommt gewiß, darüber herscht kein Zweifel; doch die meisten Menschen glauben es nicht. (Rasul)
Tafsir von Maududi für die Ayaat 57 bis 59
Surely ( 78 ) the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater thing than the creation of man, but most people do not know. ( 79 ) And the blind and the seeing cannot be equal, nor are the believing and righteous men equal to the wicked, but you people understand only a little. ( 80 ) The Hour of Resurrection is sure to come; there is no doubt about it, but most people do not believe. ( 81 )
Desc No: 78 After reviewing the conspiracies and plots of the chiefs of the Quraish in vv. 21-56, the address is now being directed towards the common people, and they are being made to understand that the truths to which Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) is inviting them, are absolutely rational, as if to say: "Your own good and well-being lies in accepting them and rejecting them is ruinous for your own selves." In this connection, first of all arguments have been given for the doctrine of the Hereafter, for the disbelievers regarded this very doctrine as most bewildering and incomprehensible.
Desc No: 79 This is an argument for the possibility of the Hereafter. The disbelievers thought it was impossible for man to be resurrected after death. In answer to this, it is being said: "Those who talk like this are, in fact, ignorant. If they use their common sense, they will easily understand that for that God Who has created this wonderful Universe it cannot at all be difficult to create men once again."
Desc No: 80 This is an argument for the necessity of 'the Hereafter. In the preceding sentence it was said that the Hereafter can take place, and its .occurrence is not impossible; in this it is being said that the Hereafter should take place; it is the demand of both reason and justice that it should occur, and its nonoccurrence is against reason and justice, not its occurrence. After all, how can a reasonable man believe it to be right that those who live like the blind in the world and fill God's earth with mischief by their immoral and wicked deeds, should not see the evil end of their misdeeds and wrong conduct; likewise, those people who pass their lives in the world with open eyes, and believe and do good works, should be deprived of seeing a good result of their righteousness? If this is expressly against reason and justice, then the belief of denying the Hereafter also should be against reason and justice, for the non-occurrence of the Hereafter means that the good and the bad should both become dust after death and meet with one and the same end. For in this case, not only are reason and justice destroyed but morality also is proved to be meaningless and absurd. For if good and evil have one and the same end and destiny, then the evildoer would be highly wise, because he gratified all his desires before his death, and the good tnan highly foolish because he kept himself subjected to every sort of moral restoration without any reason.
Desc No: 81 This is the absolute assertion about the occurrence of the Hereafter, which can be made only on the basis of knowledge and not on the basis of reasoning, and in no other discourse than of Revelation this assertion can be made with. such absoluteness. That which can be said without Revelation only on the basis of intellecual reasoning is that Resurrection can take place and it should take place. Beyond this, to assert that Resurrection will certainly take place, can be said only by that Being Who knows that Resurrection will occur, and that Being is none but Allah. It is here that it becomes explicit and evident that if Religion can be based on pure knowledge, instead of speculation and reasoning, it can only be on the knowledge obtained through Divine Revelation.
40.60. And your Lord hath said: Pray unto me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced. (Pickthall)
40.60. Und euer Herr spricht: Ruft zu Mir, Ich antworte euch, diejenigen, die sich zu groß wähnen gegenüber Meinem Gottesdienst, sie werden in die Hölle hineingehen, geduckt. (Ahmad v. Denffer)
40.60. Euer Herr sagt: "Ruft Mich an, so erhöre Ich euch. Gewiß, diejenigen, die sich aus Hochmut weigern, Mir zu dienen, werden in die Hölle gedemütigt eingehen." (Bubenheim)
40.60. Euer Herr sagt: "Bittet ihr Mich, so erhöre ich eure Bitte. Die Hochmütigen, die sich zu groß vorkommen, um Mir zu dienen, werden entwürdigt und entehrt in die Hölle gehen." (Azhar)
40.60. Und euer HERR sagte: „Richtet an Mich Bittgebete, erhöre ICH euch! Gewiß, diejenigen, die sich in Arroganz über Mein Dienen erheben, werden doch noch in Dschahannam in Erniedrigung eintreten.“ (Zaidan)
40.60. Und euer Herr hat gesagt: "Betet zu mir, dann werde ich euch erhören! Diejenigen, die zu hochmütig dazu sind, mir zu dienen, werden (dereinst) demütig (und unterwürfig) in die Hölle eingehen." (Paret)
40.60. Und euer Herr sprach: "Bittet Mich; Ich will eure Bitte erhören. Die aber, die zu überheblich sind, um Mir zu dienen, werden unterwürfig in Dschahannam eintreten." (Rasul)
Tafsir von Maududi für die Ayaat 60 bis 60
Your ( 82 ) Lord says: "Call upon Me. I will answer your prayers. ( 83 ) Those who disdain My worship on account of pride, shall certainly enter Hell, disgraced. " ( 84 )
Desc No: 82 After the Hereafter the discourse now turns to Tauhid which was the second point of dispute between the Holy Prophet and the disbelievers.
Desc No: 83 That is, "all the powers to answer our prayers vest in Me only; so you should not pray to others but pray to Me." To understand the spirit of this verse well, three points should be comprehended properly: First, man prays only to that being whom he regards as all-Hearing and all-Seeing and Possessor of supernatural powers. And the real motive of prayer for man is the internal feeling that the natural means and resources of the material world are not enough to remove any of his troubles and to fulfil any of his needs, or are not proving to be enough, Therefore, it is inevitable that he should turn to a being who is possessor of supernatural powers and authority. Man invokes that Being even without having seen Him; he invokes Him at all tithes, at all places, and under all circumstances; he invokes Him in solitude, aloud as well as in a low voice, and even in the depths of his heart. He does so inevitably on the basis of the belief that that Being is watching him everywhere, is also hearing whatever he has in his heart, and possesses such absolute powers that, it can come to the help of the supplicant wherever he is, and can help him out of every trouble and difficulty. After having known this truth about the prayer, it remains no longer difficult for man to understand that the one who invokes another than Allah for help, commits shirk absolutely and purely and clearly, for he believes those attributes to be belonging to the other being, which only belong to Allah. Had he not believed the other being to be an associate of Allah in the Divine attributes, he would never have even thought of invoking it for help. Second, one should. fully understand that man's merely thinking about a being that it is the possessor of powers and authority, does not necessitate that it should actually become possessor of the powers and authority. Being possessor of powers and authority is a factual matter, which is not dependent on somebody's understanding or not understanding it. The one who is actually the Possessor of the powers will in any case remain the Possessor whether man regards Him so or not. And the one who is not in reality the possessor, will not be able to have any share whatever in the powers only because man has believed it to be possessing the powers Now, the fact of the matter is that the Being Who is all-Powerful, all-Hearing, All-Seeing, and Who is actually controlling the whole Universe is only Allah, and He alone is Possessor of all powers and authority. There is none else in this Universe, who may have any power to hear the prayers and to answer them or reject them. As against this factual matter if some people of themselves start entertaining the belief that some prophets, saints, angels, jinns, planets or imaginary gods also are share-holders in the powers, the reality will not change in any way whatever. The Owner will remain the Owner and the helpless servants the servants. Thirdly, the one who invokes others than Allah behaves like the supplicant who takes his petition to a government office, but leaving aside the real officer who has authority, presents it before one of the other supplicants who may be present there with his petition, and then starts imploring him humbly, saying Sir, you possess all the powers, and yours is the only authority here; so, you alone can fulfil my needs. " Such a conduct, in the first place, is in itself highly foolish, but in a case like this it also amounts to high insolence, because the real officer who has the authority, is present and before his very eyes applications and petitions are being made before another, apart from him. Then this ignorance and folly reaches its height when the person before whom the petition is being presented makes the petitioner understand over and over again that he himself is a petitioner like him and possesses no power at all, and that the real officer who has the powers is present, and he should make his petition before him. But in spite of this counsel and warning, , the foolish person goes on saying: `Sir, you are my lord: you alone can fulfil my need." Keeping these three things in view, one should try to understand what Allah has said here:`Call upon Me: I shall answer your prayers: it is for Me to accept them. "
Desc No: 84 Two things deserve special attention in this verse: (1) Du'a (prayer) and 'ibadat (worship) have been used as synonyms here. The "prayer" of the first sentence has been called `worship" in the second. This makes it explicit that prayer itself is worship, rather the essence of worship; and (2) the words they disdain My worship on account of pride" have been used for those who do not pray to Allah. This shows that praying to Allah is the very requirement of one's servitude to Him, and turning away from Him amounts to being vain and arrogant. According to Hadrat Nu'man bin Bashir, the Holy Prophet said: The prayer is the very essence of worship. Then he recited this verse." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Jarir). According to Hadrat Anas, the Holy Prophet said. "Prayer is the marrow of worship." (Trimidhi) Hadrat Abu Hurairah says that the HolyProphet said: 'Allah becomes angry with him who does not ask Him for anything." (Tirmidhi) In the light of the above, the enigma that often causes confusion in the minds is also resolved. In connection with prayer, people say that when the evil or the good destiny is in the control of Allah, and whatever He has already decreed in accordance with His dominant wisdom and expedience has to take place inevitably. what is then the use of the prayer? This is a serious misunderstanding which destroys the importance of prayer from the heart of man, and with this false notion even if man prays, his prayer would be soulless. The above verse of the Qur'an removes this misunderstanding in two ways: In the first place, Allah says in clear words: ¦Call upon Me: I will answer your prayers." This proves that fate or destiny is not something which. God forbid, might have tied the hands of Allah Himself also, and the powers to answer the prayer might have been withdrawn froth Him. The creatures have no doubt no bower to avert or change the decrees of Allah: but Allah Himself certainly has the power to change His decrees and decisions on hearing a servant's prayer and petition. The other thing that has been stated in this verse is that whether a prayer is accepted or not, it is never without an advantage. The servant by presenting his petition before his Lord and by praying to Him acknowledges His Lordship and Supremacy and admits his own servitude and helplessness before Him. This expression of servitude is in itself "worship", rather the essence of worship of whose reward the servant will in no cast be deprived, irrespective of whether he is grained the particular thing for which he had prayed or not. We get a full explanation of these two themes in the Sayings of the Holy Prophet. The following Traditions throw light on the first theme: Hadrat Salman Farsi (relates that the Holy Prophet said: 'Nothing can avert destiny but the prayer." (Tirmidhi) that is, no one has the power to change the decisions of Allah but Allah Himself can change His decisions, and this happens when the servant prays to Him. Hadrat Jabir bin 'Abdullah says that the Holy Prophet said: "Whenever man prays to Allah, Allah either gives him the same which he prayed for, or prevents a calamity of the same degree from befalling him provided that he does not pray for a sin or for severing relations with the kindred." (Tirmidhi) Another Hadith on the same subject has been reported by Hadrat Abu Said Khudri in which the Holy Prophet said: "Whenever a Muslim prays, unless it be a prayer far .r sin or for severing relations with a kindred, Allah grants it in one of the three ways: Either his prayer is granted in this very world, or it is preserved for rewarding him in the Hereafter, or a disaster of the same degree is prevented from befalling him." (Musnad Ahmad) Hadrat Abu Hurairah says that the Holy Prophet said: "When-ever one of you prays,, he should not say: O God, forgive me if You so please, show me mercy if You so please, grant me provisions if You so please, but he should say definitely: O God, fulfil my such and such need." (Bukhari). According to another Tradition from Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet said: `Pray to Allah with the certainty that He will answer it." (Tirmidhi). In still another Tradition Hadrat Abu Hurairah has reported that the Holy Prophet said: "The servant's prayer is granted provided that he does not pray for a sin or for severing connections with the kindred, and is not hasty. It was asked: What is being hasty, 0 Messenger of Allah? He replied: Being hasty is that man should say: I have prayed much, too much, but I see that my prayer is nor being answered. Then he should be tired of it and give up praying." (Muslim). The other theme is explained by the following Traditions: Hadrat Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: "Nothing is as praiseworthy in the sight of Allah as the prayer." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah). Hadrat Ibn Mas'ud says that the Holy Prophet said: "Ask of Allah His bounty, because Allah likes that He should be asked." (Tirmidhi) Hadrat Ibn 'Umar and Hadrat Mu'adh bin Jabal state that the Holy Prophet said: "The prayer is in any case beneficial, both with respect to those calamities which have descended and with respect to those which have not yet descended. So, O servants of Allah, you must always pray." (Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad). Hadrat Anas says that the Holy Prophet said: `Each one of you should ask his every need of Allah; so much so that even if his shoe-lace breaks, he should pray for it to Allah." (Tirmidhi). That is, even in matters which man feels are in his own power, he should invoke Allah's help for it before planning his own devices for it, for in no matter can man succeed only on the basis of his own devices without the help and succour of Allah, and praying before devising plans means that the servant is at all times acknowledging the supremacy of Allah and admitting his own helplessness.
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