Centre for Islamic Studies at SOAS

How to Read the Qur'an: Sūrat al-Ḥadīd (Q. 57) / ‫ ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺔﻓﻴﺴﻮﺭﺓﺍﻟﺤﺪﻳﺪ‬:‫ﮐﻴﻔﺘﻘﺮﺃﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ‬

Author(s): M.A.S. Abdel Haleem and ‫ﺍﻟﺤﻠﻴﻢﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻋﺒﺪ‬
Source: Journal of Qur'anic Studies, Vol. 10, No. 2 (2008), pp. 124-130
Published by: Edinburgh University Press on behalf of the Centre for Islamic Studies at SOAS
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 How toRead theQur'an:
Surat al-Hadld (Q. 57)

Richard Bell introduces his translation of Surat al-Hadld, a Medinan sura consisting
of 29 ayas, with the statement that 'a series of passages of fairly earlyMedinan date
forms the basis of this sura'.1 He follows thiswith a short paragraph giving detailed

analysis of presumed dates for the different passages/ayas, full (as usual) of such
conjectural words as 'probably', 'not too long after' and 'fairly closely'. Alan Jones
introduces his translationof this sura by asserting, again after a statementon the dates
of differentparts of the sura, that 'much of the sura stands as a creed, though there is
some exhortation and some polemical material'.2 In both translations, concern for

dating ayas is obviously seen as of great importance. This, however, is not what is
normally expected in a translation: no translatorof The Bible or any of Shakespeare's
works, for example, would present the reader with such speculation. Furthermore,
Bell's and Jones' approaches to dating (as briefly illustrated above) are marked by

conjecture and vagueness, and it is difficult to see how they contribute to an

understanding of the sura.3 Their references to the structureof theQur'an follow a
tradition that assumes that suras comprise a conglomeration of essentially disparate
material, and jump from one theme to another in a disjointed, haphazard manner.
Accordingly, in describing the structureof the suras, Jones breaks them down into
passages described in such terms as 'signs', 'stories', and
'polemics' 'perorations'.

However, such labelling and listingmay cloud the picture and distract the translator
and the reader from seeing what the sura is actually about. This shortessay, part 1 of a
series, will present an analysis of Surat al-Hadld intended to show its organic
structuraland thematic unity, as an example of how to read theQur'an.

Surat al-Hadld is the first in a group of five suras (Q. 57, Q. 59, Q. 61, Q. 62 and

Q. 64) referred to as al-musabbihat: that is, suras beginning with glorification of God
using the verb sabbaha/yusabbihu.4 In discussing this aspect of the beginning of
Q. 57, Bell simply states that 'thepassage extols Allah' and Jones that 'the sura stands
as a creed', without any reference to its role in the scheme of discourse in the sura.
What is clearly lacking inBell's and Jones' analyses is a realisation of the signification
of such a beginning, and of the function of every section or aya in any given sura, and
how each leads towhat follows to build up an overall effect. In the discussion below,
we shall see thatrealising this function is crucial in a holistic understanding of the sura.

The firstpassage or group of ayas that forms a discrete unit within Surat al-Hadld

comprises Q. 57:1-6, In the name of God, the Lord ofMercy, theGiver ofMercy.
- He is the
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God Almighty, theWise.

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 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 125

Control of the heavens and earth belongs toHim; He gives life and death; He has
power over all things.He is theFirst and theLast; theOuter and the Inner; He has
knowledge of all things. Itwas He who created theheavens and earth in sixDays and
then established Himself on the throne.He knows what enters the earth and what
comes out of it;what descends from the sky and what ascends to it.He is with you
wherever you are; He sees all thatyou do; control of theheavens and earth belongs to
Him. Everything is brought back toGod. He makes nightmerge intoday and day into

night.He knows what is in every heart. By reminding the believers that all on earth
and in heaven glorify God, these initial ayas urge them to join the chorus of His

worshippers and tells them that if they do not, theywill be in discord with the rest of
creation. The passage highlights crucial attributesof God thatmake Him trulyworthy
of glorification and obedience, particularly the fact thatHe controls everything,He
knows everything;His knowledge is emphasised in this passage about five times in
differentways, so thatanyone who tries to deceive himself or others into thinking that
he has nothing to give (as requested in the following aya, Q. 57:7) knows that he
cannot deceive God. Another importantelement of thispassage is the fact thatall will
return toGod to give account. As a piece of targhib ('persuasion') to heed the orders
of such a great Lord, and tarhlb ('instilling awe') to break down resistance, this
functions as an introduction to the instruction that is to follow.

This firstpassage leads on to an aya which is of fundamental importance to the sura as

a whole in termsof its function:Q. 57:7, Believe inGod and His Messenger, and give
out of what He has made pass down to you: those of you who believe and give will
have a great reward. The very core of thiswhole sura lies in the imperative anfiqii

('give') in this aya. This exhortation to thebelievers to give is characteristic of theway

that theQur'an does not simply throw out orders, but always aims to accompany the
orders it gives with rational reasons and justifications in order to persuade - a

technique termed al-amr or al-amr wal-tarhib. Such can

wal-targhib justifications
come before or after the imperative order or both. In line with this, everything that
comes before the imperative anfiqii inSurat al-Hadid, and everything thatcomes after
it, to the very end of the sura, works to furtherthis aim.

What is worthy of note here is that before the sura asks the believers to give, it
instructs them to believe inGod and His Messenger, thereby implying that anyone
who doesnot give does not truly believe. Furthermore, when delivering this
exhortation itdoes not say 'give some of yourmoney' but rathergive out of what He
has made pass down to you, reminding them that everything in life came fromHim
and that theywill not have it forever, an element of persuasion perhaps designed to
make the recipients of themessage more inclined to give, in recompense forwhich the
believers are promised a great reward. Immediately after this, the emphasis shiftsand,
inQ. 57:8-11, theQur'an asks its audience: why should you not believe inGod when
theMessenger calls you to believe in your Lord, and He has already made a pledge

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 126 Journal of Qur'anic Studies

with you, ifyou have faith? It is He who has sent down clear revelations toHis
servant, so thatHe may bring you from thedepths of darkness into light;God is truly
kind and merciful to you. Why should you not give for God's cause when God alone
will inheritwhat is in the heavens and earth? Those who gave and fought before the

victory are not like others: theyare greater in rank than those who gave and fought
afterwards. But God has promised a good reward to all of them:God isfully aware of
all that you do. Who will make God a good loan ? He will double itfor him and
reward him generously.

As can be seen clearly here, theQur'an does not give abstract, detached injunctions
but speaks directly to its audience; 'Believe ...', and then asks 'why should you not
believe ...?', involving them in a dialogue. This is followed, in aya 9, by reminders of
God's kindness and mercy in sending themessage to bring thosewho believe into the

light,again tomake them realise that those who do not heed are in darkness. Q. 57:10
reiterates why should you not give for God's cause? when God alone will inherit
what is in the heavens and earth, and affirms that those who hasten to give are better
than those who hesitate, while still aiming to persuade even the hesitant by promising

'everyone' a good reward. This idea of the giver being rewarded is then built on in
Q. 57:11, with the question Who will make God a good loan?, a powerful image in
which God asks the faithful to render toHim a loan from thewealth He has given
them, in returnforwhich He promises double rewards and more on a Day when itwill
really count; on theDay when you [Prophet] see the believers, both men and women,
with their light streaming out ahead of them and to their right, [they will be told],
'The good news for you today is that there are Gardens graced with flowing streams
where you will stay: that is truly the supreme triumph!' (Q. 57:12).

This promise of the great reward and supreme triumph awaiting the believers is
then, notably, contrasted with the fate, not of the disbelievers (al-kafirun), but the
hypocrites (al-munafiqun), thosewho pretend to be believers yet are not ready to give,
On the same Day, the hypocrites, both men and women, will say to the believers,
'Waitfor us! Let us have some of your light!' They will be told, 'Go back and lookfor
a light.'A wall with a door will be erected between them: inside it liesmercy, outside
liespunishment. The hypocrites will call out to the believers, 'Werewe not with you?'

They will reply, 'Yes. But you allowed yourselves to be tempted,you were hesitant,
- theDeceiver tricked
doubtful, deceived byfalse hopes untilGod's command came
-
you about God today no ransom will be accepted from you orfrom thedisbelievers.
- a miserable destination!'
Your home is the Fire - that is where you belong
(Q. 57:13-15).

All the ayas up to this point are marshalled to soften the hearts of any true,or even
hesitant, believer. This is why the hypocrites are warned here: no ransom will be
accepted from them on that day, theywill be like the disbelievers. Then comes the

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 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 127

question is itnot timefor believers to humble theirhearts to the remembrance ofGod

and the Truth that has been revealed, and not to be like those who received the

Scripture before them,whose timewas extended but whose hearts hardened and many
of whom were lawbreakers? (Q. 57:16), and the hesitant are reminded, using the
spectre of some who were given the scripture long ago, and yet whose hearts did not
soften, indeed hardened: Remember thatGod revives the earth after itdies; We have
made Our revelation clear to you so thatyou may use your reason (Q. 57:17). Justas

they see the dead land coming alive,5 theirhearts may still be revived in this life, if
they use their reason. They are likewise reminded of the resurrection, judgement and
fate theywill all face: Charitable men and women who make a good loan toGod will
have it doubled and have a generous reward. Those who believe in God and His
messengers are the truthfulones who will bear witness before theirLord: theywill
have their reward and their light.But those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations
are the inhabitants ofHell (Q. 57:17-19).

Here, for the firsttime, the great honour and rewards of thosewho believe and give is
contrasted explicitly with the fate of those who disbelieve and deny the revelation,

suggesting that those who do not listen and obey put themselves in the second
category, the inhabitants of hell.

So farwe have seen how theQur'an marshals arguments to persuade the believers to

give. From Q. 57:20-4, this sura tackles the subject from a differentangle, aiming to
break down two pretexts thatmight prevent believers from giving. The first is their

perception that that the life they enjoy now and thewealth they accumulate and covet
are so importantand long lasting that they are thebe-all and end-all: Bear inmind that
thepresent life isjust a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among
you, of rivalry in wealth and children. It is likeplants that spring up after the rain:
their growth at first delights the sowers, but then you see themwither away, turn

yellow, and become stubble. There is terriblepunishment in the next life as well as
forgiveness and approval from God; the lifeof thisworld is only an illusorypleasure
(Q. 57:20). Whatever the faithfulmay have in this life is fleeting, thereforethey should
race one another for [their] Lord's forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens
and earth, prepared for those who believe inGod and His messengers: that isGod's

bounty,which he bestows on whoever He pleases. God's bounty is infinite(Q. 57:21).

The second pretext is thatarticulated inQ. 57:22-3, No misfortune can happen, either
in the earth or in yourselves, thatwas not set down inwriting before We brought it
into being - that is easy for God - so you need not grieve for what you miss or be

overjoyed bywhat you gain, an explicit statement thateveryone's termof life, fortune,
or misfortune is ordained in theknowledge of God and there is no escape from them,
so fear of death, poverty or misfortune should not be used as a pretext for
disobeying
God. Quite clearly therewere some in the community who tried to dissuade others

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 128 Journal of Qur'anic Studies

from giving:6 God does not love the conceded, the boastful, those who are miserly,
and who tell other people to be miserly. If anyone turnsaway, remember thatGod is

self-sufficientand worthy of praise (Q. 57:24). This was particularly objectionable

because giving, here, was for the benefit of the struggle to defend theMuslim cause,
as is clear fromQ. 57:10 above (... those who gave and fought before the victory
are not like others: they are greater in rank than those who gave and fought

afterwards ...), which clearly refers to the act of giving (of both material wealth and
the self) in support of theMuslimcommunity in battle, and from the general principle
thatjihad in theQur'an is normally presented in the formof 'struggle [first]with your

possessions and [then] yourselves' (bi-amwalikum wa-anfusikum).7 At the time of the

revelation, therewas no standing armyper se, and itwas expected that the believers
would respond to the call to arms voluntarily, or if they could not fight themselves,

provide the financial means for those who were physically able but financially
embarassed - hence theProphetic hadith 'anyone able to equip someone going on the

campaign will himself be considered as a campaigner'.8

Persuasion to give and contribute has, thus, inQ. 57, so far been conducted to appeal
to thosewho believe in themessage sent toMuhammad
and the teachings within that

message. This having been completed in theway we have seen, the suramoves on to
widen the basis of itspersuasion, this time by referringto themessage of all previous

prophets: We sent Our messengers with clear signs, the Scripture and theBalance,
so thatpeople could uphold justice: We also sent iron,with itsmighty strength and

many uses for mankind, so thatGod could mark out those who would secretly help
Him and His messengers. Truly God ispowerful, almighty (Q. 57:25).9

Thus, what the believers inMuhammad's message are required to do is brought into
the realm of history. It is made clear that the preceding scriptures had the same

objective, the achievement of justice, and that ironwith itsmighty strengthwas sent
down, like the Scripture and the Scale of Justice, so thatGod could mark out those
who would secretly help Him and His messengers}0 Those who do not give and obey
the teachings in the sura are shown to have abandoned the cause of God and His

Messenger. Citing obligations brought by earlier messages is another technique by

which theQur'an presents and justifies its teachings,11 and in this light the believers
are now told that themessage thatwas sent down to them throughMuhammad is a
continuation to a long line of priormessages:

We sentNoah and Abraham, and gave prophethood and scripture to

theiroffspring: among them therewere some who were rightlyguided,
but many were lawbreakers. We sent other messengers to follow in

theirfootsteps. After thoseWe sent Jesus, son ofMary: We gave him

the Gospel and put compassion and mercy into the hearts of his
-
followers. But monasticism was something they invented We did not

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 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 129

ordain itfor them, only that they should seek God's pleasure - and
even so, theydid not observe itproperly. So We gave a reward to those

of themwho believed, but many of thembroke the rules (Q. 57:26-7).

All this reinforces the admonition addressed to thebelievers inMuhammad's message

to listen and obey the request to give. If, as it says in aya 27, some Christians have

opted for excessive spirituality, this is not the example to be followed because God
has not ordained it:what He has ordained for all themessengers and theirfollowers is
made clear in ayas 25 and 27 - that they should uphold justice and seek God's

pleasure. References to those who are 'rightlyguided' and themany 'who broke the
law of earliermessages' urge the believers inMuhammad's message to obey in order
to be of the firstcategory.

As the sura approaches its end we find aya 28 summarising: Believers, be mindful of
God and have faith inHis Messenger: He will give you a double share ofHis mercy;
He will provide a light to help you walk; He will forgive you - God ismost forgiving,
most merciful. The believers are requested once again to believe truly inGod and His

Messenger and are again promised double rewards (as in aya 11), light (as in ayas 12
and 19) and forgiveness. The final aya of the sura,Q. 57:29, The People of theBook
should know that theyhave no power over any of God's bounty and that bounty is in
the hand of God alone: He gives it towhoever He will. God's grace is truly immense,

emphasises to the believers thatHe has given them the grace of a prophet and a
message, even if some People of theBook have claimed thatprophethood and grace
was confined to them: theydo not control or limitGod's bounty, ratherHe gives it to
whoever He will and He has given itnow to the believers inMuhammad's message.12
Therefore they should listen,obey, give and contribute as theyare instructedto do. By

giving, they could hope to receive some of God's immense bounty:

From the brief reading undertaken in these pages, ithas hopefully been demonstrated
that,from thefirstword, which glorifiesGod, to the last,which extols His bounty, the
various ayas which make up Surat al-Hadid move logically from beginning to end in
an organic flow: there is nothing alien or fragmented, irrelevantor forced.None of the
constituent elements; glorification, argumentation, reference to the hereafter, rewards

and punishments, or prophetic history, stand in isolation. Rather, all are connected
in an appeal to heart and mind expressed through a Scripture that is consistent and
draws comparisons; that causes the skins of those in awe of theirLord to quiver
[so that] their skins and hearts soften at themention of God (Q. 20:23). It is such an
appeal, with all its interconnected elements, that is the soul of theQur'an and which
moves believers into action.

As has hopefully become clear, discussions on dating and labelling risk distracting
readers from seeing the crucial point in the sura. As we have seen, it is the central

appeal to the believers to 'give', as embodied in the imperative anfiqii in Q. 57:7,

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 130 Journal of Qur'anic Studies

that determines the structure, the position, nature and function of each element

subordinating all to the spiritof thewhole. Conjectural claims about the composition
of theQur'an, mere dating and labelling, do not show readers how to read theQur'an.

M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

NOTES
1 Richard Bell, The Qur'an: Translated with a Critical Rearrangement of the Suras

(Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1937-9), p. 558.

2 Alan Jones, The Qur'an: Translated into English (Cambridge: Gibb Memorial Trust, 2007),
p. 501.

3 It is true thatNoldeke too dates ayas in his Geschichte des Qorans, but he was writing a
history of the Qur'an rather than a translation.

4 We shall be dealing with the restof these serially in a wider studyof 'How toRead the
Qur'an'.

5 The 'dead land' image is frequently used in the Qur'an for the Resurrection e.g. Q. 22:5 and

Q. 41:39.

6 Like those who disbelieve and try to persuade others to disbelieve.

7 See Q. 9:41, Q. 61:11, cf.Q. 3:186. InQ. 2:195, afterthediscussion of fightingthosewho

attack you (Q. 2:191) it says give in God's cause and do not contribute to your destruction with

your own hands. On another occasion the Qur'an castigates the laggards who blamed their
friends who died in battle: Even ifyou had resolved to stay at home [and not go out to battle]
those of you who were destined to be killed would still have gone out to meet their deaths

(Q. 3:54).
8 al-Bukhari, al-Sahlh, Kitab jihad, ? 28.

9 This is a common strategy in the Qur'an. It declares, for instance, that ifGod did not repel
some people by means of others, many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where
God's name is much invoked, would have been destroyed (Q. 22:40). In Q. 2:251, after David
kills Goliath the Qur'an says, ifGod did not drive some back by means of others the earth
would be completely corrupt.

10 The importanceof 'iron'here is highlightedby thefact it is the titleof thewhole sura.Note

also how the word 'secretly' in this aya recalls the emphasis on God's infinite knowledge which
is repeatedly highlighted at the beginning of the sura.

11 Thus, for example, the obligation to fast in Ramadan was introduced in the Qur'an with you
who believe,fasting isprescribedfor you, as itwas prescribedfor thosebeforeyou (Q. 2:183),
12 In anotherof themusabbihdt suras,Q. 62, some of thePeople of theBook claim thatthey,
... are the
out of all people friends of God (aya 6). The sura starts: Everything in the heavens

and earth glorifies God, the Controller, the Holy One, the Almighty, the Wise. It is He who

raised a messenger, among the who had no Scripture, to recite His revelations to them,
people
- were
to make them grow spiritually and teach them the Scripture and wisdom before that they
- to to join them. He is the theWise: such is God's
clearly astray them and others yet Almighty,
bounty that He grants it to whoever He will; God's bounty is immense (Q. 62.T-4).

DOI: 10.3366/E1465359109000485

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