An-Naml 27:63 · The Ant · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Who is it that guides you through the darkness on land and sea? Who sends the winds as heralds of good news before His mercy? Is it another god beside God? God is far above the partners they put beside him!"

Pickthall (classic)+

"Is not He (best) Who guideth you in the darkness of the land and the sea, He Who sendeth the winds as heralds of His mercy? Is there any Allah beside Allah? High Exalted be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!"

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Or, Who guides you through the depths of darkness on land and sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy? (Can there be another) god besides Allah?- High is Allah above what they associate with Him!"

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

أَمَّن يَهْدِيكُمْ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ

(Is not He Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea,) meaning, by means of what He has created of heavenly and earthly signposts. This is like the Ayah,

وَعَلامَـتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ

(And landmarks and by the stars, they guide themselves.) (16:16)

وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُواْ بِهَا فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ

(It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea...) (6:97)

وَمَن يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًاَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ

(and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy) meaning, ahead of the clouds which bring rain, by means of which Allah shows His mercy to His servants who are suffering drought and despair.

أَءِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

(Is there any god with Allah Exalted be Allah above all that they associate as partners!)

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Кто указывает вам правильный путь во тьме суши и моря? Если вы лишитесь проводника или не сможете разглядеть знаки и ориентиры, то не сможете выбраться из создавшегося положения без помощи Всевышнего Аллаха. Он облегчает вам путь и учит вас пользоваться сподручными средствами для того, чтобы вы не сбивались с нужного курса. Он посылает ветры с доброй вестью о своем милосердии. Эти ветры предвозвещают дожди, которые и являются проявлениями Божьей милости. Аллах нагоняет ветры, а они гонят тучи. Он разрывает их в клочья, а затем собирает в кучи. Потом из их расщелин льется дождь, о котором рабы Аллаха заблаговременно узнают по дуновениям ветров. Неужели есть божество, которое вершит эти дела наряду с Аллахом? А может быть, Он - Единственный Бог, правящий Вселенной? И если так, то зачем вы приобщаете к Нему сотоварищей и поклоняетесь ложным божествам? Он не нуждается в сотоварищах и превыше любых вымышленных божеств.

Commentary

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ‌ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ

(Or the One who responds to a helpless when he prays to Him and removes distress - 27:62)

Word الْمُضْطَرَّ‌ (Mudtar) is derived from اِضطِرَار (Idtirar), which means to be helpless and restless under some necessity, and that happens when someone does not have any support and friends. Hence, مُضْطَرَّ‌Mudtar is that person who has lost all hopes from everyone and has turned to Allah as the sole redresser of his woes. This explanation of Mudtar is adopted by Suddi, Dhun-nun Al-Misri, Sahl ibn ` Abdullah etc. (Qurtubi). The Holy Prophet ﷺ has advised that such a person should supplicate in the following manner.

اللَّھُمَّ رحمَتَکَ اَرجُوا، فلا تَکِلنِی اِلٰی نَفسِی طَرفَۃَ عَین، وَاَصلِح لِی شَأنِی کُلَّہُ ، لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اَنتَ

` O Allah, I am an aspirant of your grace. So, please do not leave me at the mercy of myself for a moment, and set right all my matters on Your own. There is no god except You'. (Qurtubi)

Supplication of a Mudtar is surely accepted because of its sincerity

Imam Qurtubi (رح) has said that Allah Ta` ala has taken upon Himself to accept the supplication of a Mudtar. He has made declaration to this effect in this verse. The main reason for it is that by divorcing all mundane supports and connections, beseeching from Allah, while regarding Him as the sole redresser is the sincerity at its best. Sincerity has a special position before Allah Taala. Whoever evinces sincerity, no matter if he is a believer or an infidel, a pious or a sinner, because of the auspiciousness of sincerity the divine favour gets attentive towards him. Allah Ta` ala Himself elaborates this point while describing the traits of the infidels. He has said that when they are in water and the boat is caught in storm, and they are sure of their death, they call out to Allah with all sincerity, saying that they would be thankful to Him forever if He would save their lives. But when Allah Ta` ala rescues them and brings them to land by accepting their supplication, they again indulge in associating Him with gods دَعَوُا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ‌ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِ‌كُونَ.

A Sahih hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ says that ` Three supplications are surely accepted, in which there is no room for doubt. One, from an oppressed person, two, by a traveler, and three, from a father against his children'. After citing this hadith, Qurtubi has commented that in all these three cases the situation is the same as the supplication of a Mudtar, because when an oppressed person calls Allah after having been frustrated from mundane support and help, his condition is no different than that of a MOW. Similarly, a traveler is away from his dear ones, hence helpless, while in journey. Likewise, a father cannot plead for something against his children because of his paternal love and affection for them, unless he is totally dejected and heart-broken, and calls Allah to save himself from the misery of sufferings. ` Ajurri, a scholar of hadith, has quoted on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Dharr4 that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said ` Allah Ta` ala has pronounced that He shall never reject an appeal from an oppressed person, even if it is made by an infidel'. (Qurtubi) If a Mudtar or an oppressed person or a traveler has a feeling that his appeal to Allah has not been accepted, he should not be dejected and be skeptical, because sometimes the request is accepted but its manifestation is delayed due to some expediency and divine wisdom. As an alternative, such a person should search his soul to find out if there was any deficiency in his sincerity or concentration while praying to Allah Ta` ala. (Only Allah knows best) Surah An-Naml : 27:65 – 75