hasgreatpower,15andhashighrankswiththeOwneroftheThrone:thereheisobeyed16and

heldastrustworthy.17And(OpeopleofMakkah),yourCompanion18isnotmad.Hehasseen
thatMessengerontheclearhorizon.19Andheisnotstingyinthematterofconveyingthe
(knowledgeofthe)unseen(tothepeople).20Andthisisnotthewordofanaccursedsatan.21
Whitherthenareyougoing?ThisisanAdmonitiontoallthepeopleoftheworld,toeachoneof
you,whowishestofollowtheStraightPath.22ButyourwillingisofnoavailunlessAllah,Lordof
theworlds,willsso.23
1Thisisamatchlessmetaphorforcausingthesuntoloseitslight.Takwirmeanstofoldup
hencetakwiral`amamahforfoldinguptheturbanonthehead.Here,thelightwhich
radiatesfromthesunandspreadsthroughoutthesolarsystemhasbeenlikenedtothe
turbanandithasbeensaidthatontheResurrectionDaytheturbanwillbefoldedupabout
thesunanditsradiationwillfade.
2Thatis,whentheforcewhichiskeepingthemintheirorbitsandpositionsisloosenedandall
thestarsandplanetswillscatterintheuniverse.Thewordinkidaralsoindicatesthattheywill
notonlyscatterawaybutwillalsogrowdark.
3Inotherwords,theearthalsowillloseitsforceofgravitybecauseofwhichthemountains
haveweightandarefirmlysetintheearth.Thus,whenthereisnomoregravitythe
mountainswillbeuprootedfromtheirplacesandbecomingweightlesswillstartmovingand
flyingasthecloudsmoveintheatmosphere.
4ThiswasbyfarthebestwayofgivinganideaoftheseveritiesandhorrorsofResurrectionto
theArabs.Beforethebusesandtrucksofthepresentdaytherewasnothingmoreprecious
fortheArabsthantheshecameljustabouttogivebirthtoheryoung.Inthisstateshewas
mostsedulouslylookedafterandcaredfor,sothatsheisnotlost,stolen,orharmedinany
way.Thepeople'sbecomingheedlessofsuchshecamels,infact,meantthatatthattime
theywouldbesostunnedastobecomeunmindfuloftheirmostpreciouspossessions.
5Whenageneralcalamitybefallstheworld,allkindsofbeastsandanimalsgathertogetherin
oneplace.Thenneitherthesnakebites,northetigerkillsanddevours.
6Thewordsujjiratasusedintheoriginalinpassivevoicefromtasjirinthepasttense.Tasjir
meanstokindlefireintheoven.ApparentlyitseemsstrangethatontheResurrectionDay
firewouldblazeupintheoceans.Butifthetruthaboutwateriskeptinview,nothingwould
seemstrange.ItisamiracleofGodthatHecombinedoxygenandhydrogen,oneofwhich
helpskindlethefireandtheothergetskindledofitselfandbythecombinationofbothHe
createdasubstancelikewaterwhichisusedtoputoutfire.AsimplemanifestationofAllah's
powerisenoughtochangethiscompositionofwatersothatthetwogasesareseparated
andbegintoburnandhelpcauseablaze,whichistheirbasiccharacteristic.
7FromherebeginsmentionofthesecondstageofResurrection.
8Thatis,menwillberesurrectedpreciselyinthestateastheylivedintheworldbeforedeath
withbodyandsoultogether.
9Thestyleofthisversereflectsanintensityofrageandfuryinconceivableincommonlife.The
parentswhoburiedtheirdaughtersalive,wouldbesocontemptibleinthesightofAllahthat
theywouldnotbeasked:"Whydidyoukilltheinnocentinfant?"Butdisregardingthemthe
innocentgirlwillbeasked:"Forwhatcrimewereyouslain?"Andshewilltellherstoryhow

cruellyshehadbeentreatedbyherbarbarousparentsandburiedalive.Besides,twovast
themeshavebeencompressedintothisbriefverse,whichthoughnotexpressedinwords,
arereflectedbyitsstyleandtenor.FirstthatinittheArabshavebeenmadetorealizewhat
depthsofmoraldepravitytheyhavetouchedbecauseoftheirignoranceinthattheyburied
theirownchildrenaliveyettheyinsistthattheywouldpersistinthesameignoranceand
wouldnotacceptthereformthatMuhammad(uponwhombeAllah'speace)wastryingto
bringaboutintheircorruptedsociety.Second,thatanexpressargumenthasbeengiveninit
ofthenecessityandinevitabilityoftheHereafter.Thecaseoftheinfantgirlwhowasburied
alive,shouldbedecidedandsettledjustlyatsometune,andthereshouldnecessarilybea
timewhenthecruelpeoplewhocommittedthisheinouscrime,shouldbecalledtoaccount
forit,fortherewasnoneintheworldtohearthecriesofcomplaintraisedbythepoorsoul.
Thisactwaslookeduponwithapprovalbythedepravedsocietyneithertheparentsfeltany
remorseforit,noranybodyinthefamilycensuredthem,northesocietytookanynoticeofit.
Then,shouldthismonstrosityremainwhollyunpunishedintheKingdomofGod?
Thisbarbariccustomofburyingthefemaleinfantsalivehadbecomewidespreadinancient
Arabiafordifferentreasons.Onereasonwaseconomichardshipbecauseofwhichthe
peoplewantedtohavefewerdependentssothattheyshouldnothavetobeartheburdenof
bringingupmanychildren.Maleoffspringwerebroughtupinthehopethattheywouldlater
helpinearningaliving,butthefemaleoffspringwerekilledforthefearthattheywouldhave
toberearedtilltheymaturedandthengivenawayinmarriage.Second,thewidespread
chaosbecauseofwhichthemalechildrenwerebroughtupinordertohavemoreandmore
helpersandsupportersbutdaughterswerekilledbecauseintribalwarstheyhadtobe
protectedinsteadofbeingusefulinanywayfordefense.Third,anotheraspectofthe
commonchaosalsowasthatwhenthehostiletribesraidedeachotherandcapturedgirls
theywouldeitherkeepthemasslavegirlsorsellthemtoothers.Forthesereasonsthe
practicethathadbecomecommoninArabiawasthatatchildbirthapitwaskeptdugout
readyforusebythewomansothatifagirlwasborn,shewasimmediatelycastintoitand
buriedalive.Andifsometimesthemotherwasnotinclinedtoactthus,orthepeopleofthe
familydisapprovedofit,thefatherwouldrearherforsometimehalfheartedly,andthen
findingtimewouldtakehertothedeserttobeburiedalive.Thistyrannyandhard
heartednesswasoncedescribedbyapersonbeforetheHolyProphet(uponwhombe
peace)himself.AccordingtoaHadithrelatedinthefirstchapterofSunanDarimi,aman
cametotheHolyProphetandrelatedthisincidentofhispreIslamicdaysofignorance:"I
hadadaughterwhowasmuchattachedtome.WhenIcalledher,shewouldcomerunning
tome.OnedayIcalledherandtookheroutwithme.Onthewaywecameacrossawell.
HoldingherbythehandIpushedherintothewell.HerlastwordsthatIheardwere:Oh
father,ohfather!!"HearingthistheHolyProphet(uponwhombepeace)weptandtears
startedfallingfromhiseyesOneofthosepresentontheoccasionsaid:Oman,youhave
grievedtheHolyProphet.TheHolyProphetsaid:Donotstophim,lethimquestionabout
whathefeelssostronglynow.ThentheHolyProphetaskedhimtonarratehisstoryonce
again.WhenhenarrateditagaintheHolyProphetweptsobitterlythathisbeardbecamewe
withtears.Thenhesaidtotheman:"Allahhasforgiventhatyoudidinthedaysofignorance:
nowturntoHiminrepentance.'
ItisnotcorrecttothinkthatthepeopleofArabiahadnofeelingofthebasenessofthishideous,
inhumanact.Obviously,nosociety,howevercorrupteditmaybe,canbeutterlydevoidof
thefeelingthatsuchtyrannicalactsareevil.ThatiswhytheHolyQur'anhasnotdweltupon
thevilenessofthisact,buthasonlyreferredtoitinaweinspiringwordstotheeffect:"Atime
willcomewhenthegirlwhowasburiedalive,willbeaskedforwhatcrimeshewasslain?"
ThehistoryofArabiaalsoshowsthatmanypeopleinthepreIslamicdaysofignorancehad

afeelingthatthepracticewasvileandwicked.AccordingtoTabarani,Sa`sa'ahbinNajiyah
alMujashi`i,grandfatherofthepoet,Farazdaq,saidtotheHolyProphet:"OMessengerof
Allah,duringthedaysofignoranceIhavedonesomegoodworksalsoamongwhichoneis
thatIsaved360girlsfrombeingburiedalive:Igavetwocamelseachasransomtosave
theirlives.ShallIgetanyrewardforthis?"TheHolyProphetreplied"Yes,thereisareward
foryou,anditisthisthatAllahhasblessedyouwithIslam."
Asamatteroffact,agreatblessingoftheblessingsofIslamisthatitnotonlydidputanendto
thisinhumanpracticeinArabiabutevenwipedouttheconceptthatthebirthofadaughter
wasinanywayacalamity,whichshouldbeenduredunwillingly.Onthecontrary,Islam
taughtthatbringingupdaughters,givingthemgoodeducationandenablingthemtobecome
goodhousewives,isanactofgreatmeritandvirtue.ThewaytheHolyProphet(uponwhom
bepeace)changedthecommonconceptofthepeopleinrespectofgirlscanbejudgedfrom
hismanysayingswhichhavebeenreportedintheHadith.Asforexample,wereproduce
someofthesebelow:
"Thepersonwhoisputtoatestbecauseofthebirthofthedaughtersandthenhetreatsthem
generously,theywillbecomeameansofrescueforhimfromHell."(Bukhari,Muslim).
"Theonewhobroughtuptwogirlstilltheyattainedtheirmaturity,willappearalongwithmeon
theResurrectionDay...SayingthistheHolyProphetjointedandraisedhisfingers.(Muslim).
"Theonewhobroughtupthreedaughters,orsisters,taughtthengoodmannersandtreated
themwithkindnessuntiltheybecameselfsufficient.AllahwillmakeParadiseobligatoryfor
him.Amanasked:whatabouttwo,OMessengerofAllah?TheHolyProphetreplied:the
samefortwo."Ibn`Abbas,thereporteroftheHadith,says:"Hadthepeopleatthattime
askedinrespectofonedaughter,theHolyProphetwouldhavealsogiventhesamereply
abouther."(SharhasSunnh).
"Theonewhohasadaughterborntohimandhedoesnotburyheralive,norkeepsherin
disgrace,norprefershissontoher,AllahwilladmithimtoParadise."(AbuDa'ud).
"Theonewhohasthreedaughtersborntohim,andheispatientoverthem,andclothesthem
wellaccordingtohismeans,theywillbecomeameansofrescueforhimfromHell."
(Bukhari,AlAdabalMufrad,IbnMajah).
"TheMuslimwhohastwodaughtersandhelooksafterthemwell,theywillleadhimto
Paradise."(Bukhari:AlAdabalMufrad).
Thisistheteachingwhichcompletelychangedtheviewpointofthepeopleaboutgirlsnotonly
inArabiabutamongallthenationsoftheworld,whichlaterbecomeblessedwithIslam.
10Thatis,everythingwhichishiddenfromviewnowwillbecomevisible.Nowonecanonlysee
emptyspace,ortheclouds,hangingdust,themoon,thesunorstars,butatthattimethe
KingdomofGodwillappearinfullviewbeforethepeople,withoutanyveilinbetween,inits
truereality.
11Thatis,inthePlainofResurrection,whenthehearingofthecasesofthepeoplewillbein
progress,theblazingfireofHellalsowillbeinfullview,andParadisealsowithallits
blessingswillbevisibletoall,sothatthewickedshouldknowwhattheyarebeingdeprived
ofandwheretheyaregoingtobecast,andtherighteousaswellshouldknowwhattheyare
beingsavedfromandwithwhatbeingblessedandhonored.