Surah An Naml Notes (65-75)

Source: Ibn Kathir

The One Who knows the Unseen is Allah

(65) Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected."

Allah commands His Messenger to inform all of creation that no one among the dwellers of heaven and earth knows the Unseen, except Allah.

(except Allah) This is an absolute exception, meaning that no one knows this besides Allah, He is alone in that regard, having no partner in that knowledge. This is like the Ayat:

(And with Him are the keys of the Unseen, none knows them but He) (6:59).

(nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.) That is, the created beings who dwell in the heavens and on earth do not know when the Hour will occur,

(66) Nay, they have no knowledge of the Hereafter. Nay, they are in doubt about it. Nay, they are blind about it.

(Nay, their knowledge will perceive that in the Hereafter. Nay, they are in doubt about it.) means their knowledge and amazement stops short of knowing its time. Other scholars read this with the meaning "their knowledge is all the same with regard to that,'' which reflects the meaning of the Hadith in Sahih Muslim which states that the Messenger of Allah said to Jibril, when the latter asked him when the Hour would come: (The one who is being asked about it does not know any more than the one who is asking.) In other words, they were both equal in the fact that their knowledge did not extend that far.

(Nay, they are in doubt about it.) This refers to the disbelievers

(Nay, they are in doubt about it.) meaning, they doubt that it will come to pass.

(Nay, they are in complete blindness about it.) They are blind and completely ignorant about it.

Scepticism about the Resurrection and Its Refutation

(67) And those who disbelieve say: "When we have become dust, we and our fathers, shall we really be brought forth (again)?

Allah tells us about the idolators who deny the Resurrection, considering it extremely unlikely that bodies will be re-created after they have become bones and dust.

(68) "Indeed we were promised this, we and our forefathers before, Verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients."

(Indeed we were promised this -- we and our forefathers before,) meaning, `we and our forefathers have been hearing this for a long time, but in reality, we have never seen it happen.'

(verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients.) the promises that bodies will be restored are

(nothing but tales of ancients.) meaning that they were taken by the people who came before us from books which were handed down from one to the other, but they have no basis in reality. Responding to their thoughts of disbelief and their belief that there would be no Resurrection,

(69) Say to them (O Muhammad SAW) "Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals (those who denied Allah's Messengers and disobeyed Allah)."

(Say) `O Muhammad, to these people,'

(Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals. ) meaning, those who denied the Messengers and their message of the Resurrection and other matters. See how the punishment and vengeance of Allah struck them and how Allah saved from among them the noble Messengers and the believers who followed them. This will be an indication of the truth of the Message brought by the Messengers. Then, to comfort the Prophet , 

Allah says:

(70) And grieve you not for them, nor be straitened (in distress) because of what they plot.

(And grieve you not over them,) meaning, `but do not feel sorry for them or kill yourself with regret for them,'

(nor be straitened because of what they plot.) means, `because they plot against you and reject what you have brought, for Allah will help and support you, and cause your religion to prevail over those who oppose you and stubbornly resist you in the east and in the west.'

(71) And they (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) say: "When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if you are truthful?"

(72) Say: "Perhaps that which you wish to hasten on, may be close behind you.

(And they say: "When (will) this promise (be fulfilled), if you are truthful'') Allah said, responding to them:

(Say) `O Muhammad,'

(Perhaps that which you wish to hasten on, may be close behind you.) Ibn `Abbas said, "That which you wish to hasten on has come close to you, or some of it has come close.'' This was also the view of Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata Al-Khurasani, Qatadah and As-Suddi. This is also what is meant in the Ayat:

(And they say: "When will that be'' Say: "Perhaps it is near!'') (17:51)

(may be close behind you.) means, it is being hastened for you.

(73) "Verily, your Lord is full of Grace for mankind, yet most of them do not give thanks."

(Verily, your Lord is full of grace for mankind,) meaning, He abundantly bestows His blessings on them even though they wrong themselves, yet despite that they do not give thanks for those blessings, except for a few of them.

(74) And verily, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal.

(And verily, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they reveal.) means, He knows what is hidden in their hearts just as He knows what is easily visible.

(It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly) (13:10),

(75) And there is nothing hidden in the heaven and the earth, but is in a Clear Book (i.e. Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz).

(and there is nothing hidden) Ibn `Abbas said, "This means, there is nothing

(in the heaven and the earth but it is in a Clear Book.) This is like the Ayah,

(Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth Verily, it is (all) in the Book. Verily, that is easy for Allah.) (22:70)