The Majestic Quran

24 Literally Umm ul Qura refers to “mother of towns”, a name for the city of Makkah. 25 Two ways in which God blesses people: He selects some; the prophets, truthful, and martyrs; secondly anyone who earnestly turns to God. 26 Literally, “a result of what your hands have done”. 27 Mu’jizeen literally, to debilitate and to weaken something; escape and frustrate. 28 An alternative meaning is “who question”. 29 Azmi-l-‘umuur literally means determination and resolution; to show resolve. 30 Or with a furtive glance. 31 Literally this is an instruction to answer or respond, but the implication is “come back”; that is how it has been translated here. 32 Nakeer also means helper and supporter, or someone who might change the punishment. 33 ‘A laa is a participle meaning: is it not? Are they not? It implies “the fact” is and “but”. 34 Dharabtu anho safhan, an Arabic idiom used when someone turns away from something, ignoring it (Al-Qurtubi). 35 Mahdan literally means flat and small. However, commentators say this is not contradicting the fact that the Earth is a sphere, because it is so big and vast that the roundness is not felt as far as the eye can see. 36 These are the attitudes of the Arab idolaters about women, and not the Divine Teaching. 37 Mutraf means “one who enjoys a life of plenty” and “indulges in pleasures”. 38 Kalimatan here means “declaration of the unity of God”. 39 This refers to the two towns of Makkah and Taif. 40 "There was between me and you the distance of the two Easts". 41 Fastakhaff qaumahu can also mean: “he incited his people”. It could also mean, “make a fool of someone.” 42 The Makkans would argue our worship of Angels is like the Christian worshipping Jesus as ‘the son of God’, so why do you object? Since you call them the People of the Book. Their line of reasoning is rejected. 43 Fee shakkin yal‘abun literally means “toying with doubt”. 44 Tarjumun literally means to stone, abuse and expel. 45 Rahwan according to Al-Qurtubi means cleft or parted. 46 Tubba is the historic title of the Kings of Yemen of southern Arabia. 47 This is irony and an example of covert contempt for them. 48 Shariah literally means “the path to a watering hole”, and technically refers to the system of Islamic law, moral values, social manners, and spiritual principles. 49 Basaa’ir literally means insights, understanding underlying truths and meanings; seeing beyond the visible and being able to understand the character and the context. 50 Yusta‘thabun literally means “to demand repentance from a sinner”. Here it means, on Judgement Day, when the reality dawns on them and they see Hell, they will want to repent, but that won’t happen. 51 Asaratam min ilm is an idiom for “knowledge that has been handed down by scholars and the sages” (Ibn Hayyan Undlasi). 52 This refers to Moses forecasting the coming of Prophet Muhammad r in Deuteronomy 18 : 18 : “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put My words in the mouth of the Prophet, he shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in My name I Myself will hold accountable.”