بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلْعَٰدِيَٰتِ ضَبْحًۭا
“By the racers, panting,”
Surah 100
Al-Adiyat العاديات
The Courser · all 11 verses with commentary
فَٱلْمُورِيَٰتِ قَدْحًۭا
“And the producers of sparks [when] striking”
Who then ignite fire by striking firestones
This is a metaphorical analogy for their furious speed. When their hooves strike stones, they ignite sparks of fire because of the sheer speed and force.
فَٱلْمُغِيرَٰتِ صُبْحًۭا
“And the chargers at dawn,”
Raiding at dawn
Commentary covering verses 3–4
This goes back to their furious speed. They are charging at such speeds that dust clouds form because of it. It could also refer to the horse-riders who raise these dust clouds by commanding their steeds to charge so furiously.
Raids are normally carried out during the night but this one is happening in plain sight - in the morning. These horses are doing things that are very attention catching
and give off clear signs to the enemy that they are about to be raided. Firstly by charging furiously and at such a speed that sparks of fire are flying out. Secondly, by raiding in broad daylight and thirdly, by creating huge and visible clouds of dust. All these things are enough for the enemy to know beforehand that they are about to be raided. This is important to note in the context of this surah.
فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِۦ نَقْعًۭا
“Stirring up thereby [clouds of] dust,”
Stirred up, with it, dust clouds
Commentary covering verses 3–4
This goes back to their furious speed. They are charging at such speeds that dust clouds form because of it. It could also refer to the horse-riders who raise these dust clouds by commanding their steeds to charge so furiously.
Raids are normally carried out during the night but this one is happening in plain sight - in the morning. These horses are doing things that are very attention catching
and give off clear signs to the enemy that they are about to be raided. Firstly by charging furiously and at such a speed that sparks of fire are flying out. Secondly, by raiding in broad daylight and thirdly, by creating huge and visible clouds of dust. All these things are enough for the enemy to know beforehand that they are about to be raided. This is important to note in the context of this surah.
فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِۦ جَمْعًا
“Arriving thereby in the center collectively,”
Then reached due to it, the center of the army
Because of their furious and relentless charge, they were able to penetrate the enemy lines and reach its center.
Commentary covering verses 5–6
An abrupt change of subject. Just now it was talking about a raid carried out successfully by furiously charging horses and all of a sudden, it says that man holds back from his Lord? Let’s unpack the language first.
The word kanūd is translated as’ holds back immensely.’ It comes from the root kāf nūn dāl which was literally used for a land that produced no herbs and plants. The root meaning is to withhold what is inside so that nothing emerges.103 There is emphasis here by use of the word kanūd instead of its base form kānid. Kanūd contains more emphasis and hence why I added the word “immensely” in the translation.
We
have
already
covered
what
Rabb
means.
Kanūd is normally translated as being ungrateful. Holding back implies not giving someone his rightful due and this is a form of ingratitude but this includes other things as well not just ingratitude. Not giving Allah the respect, the gratitude, the recognition, the love, the trust, the reverence that he deserves among other things. How is this Related to the Galloping Horses?
Those galloping horses were led by their riders who act as their masters. The horse responds to the one riding it. Where the rider directs it, it goes. What the rider commands it, it does. The master - the Rabb - of the horse is its rider. This raid occurred in plain daylight not at night and that too with very attention seeking things accompanying them which give a clear and early signal to the enemy that a raid is coming. Naturally, the enemy will be prepared to meet these raiders head on.
The horses being led by their riders see it for what it is. There are armed men with swords and spears ready to meet them head on and they are first in the line to be struck with them. The horses enter the enemy lines even before their riders. The enemy will naturally be looking to kill these horses so that the riders fall off and hence with them, the momentum dies. They are being led to certain death by their Rabbthe riders - yet they do not hesitate to go forward and enter enemy lines. They gallop and charge at the enemy going at such speed that their hooves give off sparks of fire when they strike the flints. They are panting and exerting their full force. All because their masters commanded them to do so. When one is hesitant, he does not exert full force. Somewhere, sometime doubt and hesitation creeps in. Yet these horses do not display any doubt and show no hesitation and fully submit to their riders. They gallop at the enemy with full force, not caring about death even. They happily lay out their lives just because their masters ordered them to do so.
These horses do not hold back when it comes to their masters, but man does. Man should learn from his horse.
This is what Allah is saying.
If he does so and fully submits to his Rabb, just as the horses were able to penetrate into the enemy’s heart, so will Man be victorious in his life and struggles. The horses showed no hesitation and surrendered themselves to their masters. If man does the same, victory is his.
103 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 4, p. 1930
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لِرَبِّهِۦ لَكَنُودٌۭ
“Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.”
Indeed, Man, from his Rabb, holds back immensely.
Commentary covering verses 5–6
An abrupt change of subject. Just now it was talking about a raid carried out successfully by furiously charging horses and all of a sudden, it says that man holds back from his Lord? Let’s unpack the language first.
The word kanūd is translated as’ holds back immensely.’ It comes from the root kāf nūn dāl which was literally used for a land that produced no herbs and plants. The root meaning is to withhold what is inside so that nothing emerges.103 There is emphasis here by use of the word kanūd instead of its base form kānid. Kanūd contains more emphasis and hence why I added the word “immensely” in the translation.
We
have
already
covered
what
Rabb
means.
Kanūd is normally translated as being ungrateful. Holding back implies not giving someone his rightful due and this is a form of ingratitude but this includes other things as well not just ingratitude. Not giving Allah the respect, the gratitude, the recognition, the love, the trust, the reverence that he deserves among other things. How is this Related to the Galloping Horses?
Those galloping horses were led by their riders who act as their masters. The horse responds to the one riding it. Where the rider directs it, it goes. What the rider commands it, it does. The master - the Rabb - of the horse is its rider. This raid occurred in plain daylight not at night and that too with very attention seeking things accompanying them which give a clear and early signal to the enemy that a raid is coming. Naturally, the enemy will be prepared to meet these raiders head on.
The horses being led by their riders see it for what it is. There are armed men with swords and spears ready to meet them head on and they are first in the line to be struck with them. The horses enter the enemy lines even before their riders. The enemy will naturally be looking to kill these horses so that the riders fall off and hence with them, the momentum dies. They are being led to certain death by their Rabbthe riders - yet they do not hesitate to go forward and enter enemy lines. They gallop and charge at the enemy going at such speed that their hooves give off sparks of fire when they strike the flints. They are panting and exerting their full force. All because their masters commanded them to do so. When one is hesitant, he does not exert full force. Somewhere, sometime doubt and hesitation creeps in. Yet these horses do not display any doubt and show no hesitation and fully submit to their riders. They gallop at the enemy with full force, not caring about death even. They happily lay out their lives just because their masters ordered them to do so.
These horses do not hold back when it comes to their masters, but man does. Man should learn from his horse.
This is what Allah is saying.
If he does so and fully submits to his Rabb, just as the horses were able to penetrate into the enemy’s heart, so will Man be victorious in his life and struggles. The horses showed no hesitation and surrendered themselves to their masters. If man does the same, victory is his.
103 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 4, p. 1930
وَإِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌۭ
“And indeed, he is to that a witness.”
While He truly bears witness to that
The pronoun ‘He’ can be referring to human beings but it can also refer to Allah. The human being himself bears witness that he is a kanūd with regards to Allah or it can refer back to Allah Himself that Allah bears witness to the ingratitude of the human being. It is a form of warning to people. Allah sees this and is a witness to you
withholding from Allah what is His. This is the position of Al-Hasan, Muhammad ibn ka’b, Ibn ʿAbbās, and Qatādah as well.
Man withholds the rights of Allah from Him while He is watching it happen. People do not disobey a king when they are in his presence for fear of obvious punishment, but when it comes to the ultimate king - Allah - man disobeys him and holds back from giving Him what He deserves even though this king is all seeing and bears witness to what man does. This is the reason why the word rabb was advanced in the last verse for emphasis. Human beings are especially kanūd to Allah, more than anyone else.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لِحُبِّ ٱلْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ
“And indeed he is, in love of wealth, intense.”
Because he, in the love of Khayr, is a miser
Or Because he, in pursuit of weakness only, is strong These are the two meanings of this verse: ● Man is a kanūd to Allah as he is a miser because of his love of khayr ● Man is a kanūd to Allah because he is strong for the sake of khayr only, but otherwise weak The particle Inna is commonly translated as “undoubtedly” but this is inna for Taʿlīl or reason and hence it is translated as ‘because.” Why is Man a kanūd to Allah? The letter lām (for) in “li hubb” (in love of) can be a lām al taʿlīl and it can also be a lām al milk. Lām al taʿlīl would be translated as “because” whereas lām al milk is used for possession. Man is a miser because he loves khayr or because he wants to be in possession of it. Both convey the same meaning The word Khayr comes from the root khāʾ yāʾ rāʾ which at its very root actually means weakness and abundance both.
It was used for ● a camel with weak and brittle bones ● A palm tree with a lot of fruits ● A land which was soft ● Milk that was in great quantity
● A
spear
that
was
on
the
verge
of
breaking
The core meaning is weakness and abundance. Something that is in great quantity, but weak. It is like a balancing act. A thing is abundant, so to balance the scale, it is made weak.104 Though not the root meaning, this root was used to mean “good” or something beneficial. Anything that is good or beneficial is a source of comfort and happiness. When it is used in this context, it refers to something beneficial that is weak, unsustainable or temporary, even though it may be in great quantity. Khayr has come in the Qurʾān to mean money. Money is a good that goes away - if not during one’s life, then after his death. There comes a time when money provides no benefit.
In this context, it can mean that man is a miser because he loves temporary comfort and happiness over happiness that is long lasting and sustainable. By not holding back from Allah His rights, man will gain long lasting and sustainable happiness but instead he prefers the temporary and fleeting happiness that goes away. The word shadīd is translated as “miser.” In Arabic poetry - though not the root meaning - it was used to mean a miser, as seen in the poetry of Tarafah.105 So the first meaning of this ayah is: Man is a kanūd to Allah because he loves the temporary wealth and luxury of this life over the long lasting and sustained goodness that comes from obeying his Lord. Man is a miser and holds back from Allah what is His in its proper due because of his intense love for the wealth of this life. Unlike the horses that were willing to throw it all away at the command of their masters, man is unwilling to fully obey his Lord. The horses did not back down from running into plain death. It is a difficult thing to obey your master at such times but the horses did so, and it was precisely because of it that they penetrated the enemy center and achieved victory. True victory is achieved by fully submitting to Allah and battling through pain and suffering that may come with it. But the very thought of pain drives man away from his Lord. If man were in the place of those galloping horses, he would stop and run away at the sight of the enemy prepared to receive him with spears and shields. My master is leading me to certain death! He told me to charge in broad daylight and at such speeds that formed dust clouds, which let the enemy know I was about to attack them. This is stupid! Why not attack during the night? Why not raid them stealthily and surprise them? Why do it like this? This is stupid!
He fails to fully trust his Lord like the horses. He fails to give Him the due trust that the horses gave to their riders. Trust Allah and obey him. Set aside your personal feelings and fears while doing so, and victory is yours.
Secondly, the linguistic meaning of the word shadīd is strength and intensity. If we take this meaning, then the verse would be rendered as: Man is a kanūd to Allah because he is strong for the sake of khayr only. The words li hubbil khayr (in love of khayr) are advanced and this creates exclusivity. Man is strong only when he is pursuing khayr, otherwise he becomes weak and fragile.
This creates an interesting play of words. I mentioned that the word khayr at its root means weakness and this ties in perfectly with the word shadīd. (strength) Man is strong in pursuit and love of weakness but weak in pursuit of strength. The horses remained strong in pursuit of real victory. They did not waver, they did not hesitate. They displayed immense willpower and strength to charge head on into the enemy rows waiting to kill them. They displayed actual strength for a good that is truly deserving of all this effort, whereas man, in such a situation, would cower away. He would display weakness in such a situation.
Man displays weakness and miserliness when obeying Allah. He does not give Him His due right, but in other matters related to worldly wealth and luxury, he displays immense strength. He grinds, works hard, even endures pain and suffering just to attain it. But when he is asked to do the same when it comes to his Lord, he holds back. The word rabb in this regard ties in very well. He holds back from Allah, even though He takes care of him.
104 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 540
105 al-Ālūsī, Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, vol. 29, p. 279
۞ أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ
“But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered”
Does he not know when that in the graves is taken out?
The object of the verb “know” is omitted. Does he not know what? It is left for the reader to come to terms with himself based on what he has read in this surah. I will cover it later on.
وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ
“And that within the breasts is obtained,”
When that in the chests is taken out besides everything
The root ḥāʾ ṣād lām was used for silver that was extracted from mountains and separated while everything else was wasted away. The ḥāṣil (from the same root) of something referred to what remained behind of it while everything else went away.106 This is an imagery. Think of a purse containing a lot of stuff but you are looking for one small pearl. You would put your hand inside it, and then throw all other things out until you find the treasure. Just so, will the graves be opened up, and the toppler throw everything out in search of what lies hidden inside the chests. People will be resurrected physically but their hearts, the intentions, the feelings, that are the seed of every action that they do, will be taken out. The very first cause of cowardice is that feeling of fear inside the chest. If someone is charging at an enemy and midway cowers and runs away, that cowardice starts from that feeling of fear and “what if” inside his chest. His body then simply follows along and obeys it. What Allah is saying is that I will go to the very depths of your being, and extract your feelings themselves. I will not simply judge you as being a kanūd to Me, but I will lay down before you, your very feelings that caused you to become one.
How is this connected to what has come before?
The horses raided and penetrated the enemy, reaching their very center - their heart. Their goal was to reach the centre of the enemy and they were successful. On the last day, Allah too will carry out a raid and penetrate our graves, and reach the very centre and essence of our being- our hearts.
Just as the horses openly announced their incoming charge to their enemy by forming dust clouds, Allah is also announcing beforehand of the raid that He will carry out. He will conquer you and examine you to your very breasts - to the very core of your beings. His raid will be fierce and relentless, like that of the horses. This is the omitted object of the verb “know” in the previous verse. Does he not know that Allah too will carry out a raid like those horses but this time man himself will be the object of this raid?
Inside the chests, lie the hearts. And so;
106 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 446
إِنَّ رَبَّهُم بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّخَبِيرٌۢ
“Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is [fully] Acquainted.”
Truly, their Master, of them, on that day, has deep and intimate knowledge
The word khabīr is translated as “deep and intimate knowledge.” It comes from the root khāʾ bāʾ rāʾ which was used for a ground so soft that feet would sink in it, as well as for a round depression in which water gathered. The core meaning is to soften or weaken something to the extent that its very depth can be reached.107 This root was often used in the meaning of knowledge but this is not just any knowledge. This is knowledge with which one knows the true essence and reality of something - as if penetrating it to its very core.
The whole theme of the Surah involved penetration. The horses penetrated the enemy and reached their center. Allah will topple our graves and penetrate our chests. In this verse, the knowledge of Allah penetrates our hearts. First Allah penetrates our chests to take out our hearts and now, after having gathered our hearts, he penetrates them too with his knowledge and reaches the very depth of our being. Nothing is as intimate to a person than his feelings. Nobody truly knows the feelings of another person, only he himself knows. Allah will conquer us such that our most intimate secrets and feelings are laid bare before him.
One of the meanings of verse 8 is that man displays strength only when he is pursuing weakness and not otherwise. An army needs to be strong to defend against a raid. A weak army will be defeated. The raid of Allah is coming and man needs to be strong to be able to defend himself against it. If he fulfills the rights of Allah truly, he will become strong and when his heart is examined by Allah in this state, he will be saved. Man displays weakness when striving for the strength that will make him pass this test of Allah, and displays strength when striving for things that make him weak in the face of this raid and examination by Allah.
When an army is conquered by its enemy, it is held hostage by them and is at their mercy and they can do whatever they want with them. Punish them, torture them, execute them or let them go. On the last day, Allah will carry out a raid and conquer us. We will be held hostage before Him with our hearts, feelings and intimate secrets laid out before Him. If people want Allah to show them mercy when they are in this state, they must stop being a kanūd to Allah and stop holding back from Him His rights. Otherwise, they will be subject to His punishment.
All of this is just a detailed and graphic description of a raid. It would be enough for Allah to just have said that on the last day He will examine your hearts to their depths but instead, He mentions every little detail. First I will topple your graves. Then I will penetrate your chests and take out your hearts. Then I will penetrate your hearts and take out your secrets. Just saying that Allah will take out the secrets of hearts would have conveyed the intended meaning but this style of speech is to warn. It is similar to how we speak when giving warnings to someone. First I will do this, then this and then that to you etc. The style of speech employed in this Surah is itself a warning.
Connection
to
the
Surahs
Next
to
it
The Surah before it is al - Zilzāl that mentions the earthquake of judgment day which makes the earth take out the things it contains. This Surah specifies exactly what the earth takes out. Secondly, it also mentions the Earth as actually telling and reporting; and this surah mentions the hearts as being exposed and their contents taken out and their secrets being reported openly.
The surah next to it is al - Qāriʿah which mentions people and mountains becoming weightless on judgment day. What is meant by people are deeds or actions done for the sake of people; to appease them, to be accepted by them, to be looked up to by them etc; and the mountains symbolize the strongest desires pertaining to this world of an individual which differ from person to person. The name of the surah - al - Qāriʿah- means something that exposes another thing. It will expose people and mountains as worthless and weightless and as we saw in this surah, the hearts also got exposed and penetrated. The true reality and character of a person will get exposed. How many feelings do people hide inside their breasts that they would rather die than have them exposed publicly?
107 Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 1, p. 523
By the leaping horses, panting and exerting full force
Allah swears by the horses that are panting furiously and exerting their full force in running at such a fierce speed that they are covering distances in leaps or because they appear as if they are leaping from one place to another.