The Majestic Quran

2 Wajhu rabika literally means “your Lord’s face”, obviously a metonym for God; the face refers to “the self”, the whole being of a person. 3 He is engaged in the running of the affairs of the world e.g. creating new life, causing death, honouring or humiliating, giving and responding to the seekers (Jalalain). 4 So you can carry out your work. 5 Sultanin is also translated as “my power”; perhaps referring to the power of a space rocket? 6 This seems like the description of a space rocket hurtling through the stratosphere into space. 7 Khayrat , interpreted as strong character; and Hisan, as pretty face (Zia-ul-Quran). 8 Al-Waqi‘ah , the inevitable event, refers to Judgement Day 9 The fact that “the foremost people” of Paradise will mostly be from the earlier generations of the faithful and only a few from the later generations hints to the progressive decline in human moral and spiritual intelligence. 10 Hinsil azeem refers to idolatry; this is the biggest sin of all major sins. 11 Zaqqum refers to one of the trees of Hell, resembling a thorny cactus. 12 An order to be in pure state i.e. to wash oneself before touching the Quran. 13 Shuhada means witnesses. Here I’ve used the technical meaning, “martyrs”, those killed in the path of God. 14 Rahbaniyat, asceticism, monkhood, retreat from worldly activities. An innovation by the fathers of early Christianity, the Quran doesn’t disapprove of it, an evidence for permissibility of good innovations in Muslim culture and society.