Commentary on the Koran: Surah 89 (No. Q089)

Pickthall’s Translation with Bible quotes from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Introduction

The Hadithic commentators did not understand the early text and its application to the Church and the last Ten Days of the wait until receipt of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost on the morning of the Fiftieth Day, in the Third Month Sivan, at the end of the Omer Count.

Pickthall identifies it as the Month of Pilgrimage but makes no further comment. At the time of the Prophet it was part of the Omer Count and Ramadan ended that count at Pentecost. All that has been lost in Hadithic Islam after the death of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs and the murder of Ali and Hussein.

The commentaries regarding verse 7 are usually based on the reading of iram as ‘irad and meaning “columns” or pillars. Pickthall notes Ibn Kaldun’s diatribe against that rendering. The word meant “tent poles” in the days of the Prophet according to Ibn Kaldun but Pickthall relies on discoveries in his days in the Yemen and stays with the traditional rendering.

The proper understanding is derived from the context in which they are given and they are used by the A’ad who were condemned by God through the prophet Hud. Verse 8 says the like of which were not used in the land. That means they were specific and idolatrous poles and these are found in the Sun and Mystery cults as the Asherah of the Goddess Ashtoreth or Easter consort of Baal and which were condemned by God.

Verse 9 continues on to link the Thamud with the cleaving of the rocks in the valleys for which they were also destroyed under the warning by Salih. The sins were of idolatry and the creation of the Asherah and the idols of the groves as the symbols of the mother goddess.

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89.1. By the Dawn

89.2. And ten nights,

89.3. And the Even and the Odd,

89.4. And the night when it departeth,

89.5. There surely is an oath for thinking man.

Acts 1:3-5 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. ⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:8-9 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Christ ordered the disciples to stay in Jerusalem for the last 10 days of the Omer Count which time the disciples spent in prayer and supplication before they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. So these last 10 nights before the receipt of the Holy Spirit were really meaningful. It is said that revelation was given to the Prophet during this period of time. It is specifically linked to the period up to Ramadan by Pickthall and the other scholars.

During the Seventh month beginning with the New Moon or the Feast of Trumpets there are 10 days that end with the Day of Atonement. During this period we are preparing for the fast on that day looking forward to humanity being reconciled to its maker.

Refer to Romans 1:19-20 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 16 (No. Q016) at ayat 3.

In whatever God has made there is adequate evidence for man to examine and reflect upon.

Refer to:

1Peter 2:9 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 24 (No. Q024) at ayat 36; Acts 26:18 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 35 (No. Q035) at ayat 22 and 2Peter 1:19 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 53 (No. Q053) at ayat 1.

Romans 13:12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

John 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

2Peter 3:12-13 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

We eagerly wait for the darkness that prevails upon the earth to end and a new day to dawn when all humanity will be reconciled to God, to which the Day of Atonement looks forward, and when all humanity will be rightly guided by the Spirit under the Messiah in the millennial system.

89.6. Dost thou not consider how thy Lord dealt with (the tribe of) A'ad,

89.7. With many-columned Iram,

89.8. The like of which was not created in the lands;

See the comments in the introduction above.

Their might and their fine lofty structures provided them no protection against the Almighty God in their idolatry.

In Surah 41.15 it states:

As for A'ad, they were arrogant in the land without right, and they said: Who is mightier than us in power? Could they not see that Allah Who created them, He was mightier than them in power? And they denied Our revelations.

And in Surah 69.6-7:

And as for A'ad, they were destroyed by a fierce roaring wind, ⁷Which He imposed on them for seven long nights and eight long days so that thou mightest have seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees.

89.9. And with (the tribe of) Thamud, who clove the rocks in the valley;

It is believed that the folk of Thamud died by a loud thunder strike from the sky which was followed by a massive catastrophic earthquake which buried them in their houses and their buildings.

89.10. And with Pharaoh, firm of might,

Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.

89.11. Who (all) were rebellious (to Allah) in these lands,

89.12. And multiplied iniquity therein?

89.13. Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment.

89.14. Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful.

They all ruined their physical lives when the promised punishment was meted out by God and they were sent to the Second Resurrection because they refused to repent and forsake their evil ways and return to the worship of the One True God and live in compliance with His laws and testimonies. He saw all that they did and there was no escape from the consequences of their wicked deeds.

89.15. As for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honouring him, and is gracious unto him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me.

89.16. But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me.

89.17. Nay, but ye (for your part) honour not the orphan

89.18. And urge not on the feeding of the poor.

89.19. And ye devour heritages with devouring greed.

89.20. And love wealth with abounding love.

89.21. Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding,

89.22. And thy Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank,

89.23. And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance (then avail him)?

89.24. He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life!

89.25. None punisheth as He will punish on that day!

89.26. None bindeth as He then will bind.

Refer to 1Timothy 6:9-10 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 64 (No. Q064) at ayat 15; Revelation 20:11-15 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 17 (No. Q017) at ayat 15; Hebrews 9:27 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 17 (No. Q017) at ayat 18; Romans 9:15 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 30 (No. Q030) at ayat 37 and Isaiah 13:11 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 54 (No. Q054) at ayat 53.

Matthew 25:41-46 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Isaiah 66:4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.

As long as all is going well man enjoys the good things and thinks he is deserving of those blessings. When adversity strikes he complains why life is so difficult for him. Never does he express his thanks to his maker during the good times and in the days of adversity reflect and examine why such things happened to him. There is hope as long as the promised calamity has not happened but once it happens the evildoers will face the consequences of their deeds.

89.27. But ah! thou soul at peace!

89.28. Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!

89.29. Enter thou among My bondmen!

89.30. Enter thou My Garden!

Refer to Revelation 20:6 in Commentary on the Koran: Surah 11 (No. Q011) at ayat 108.

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ¹¹More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Hebrews 13:21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1John 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

By peace and contentment in the Will of God and in thanksgiving we enter the Body of the elect and the First Resurrection.

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