Note 1


This is the 55th Surah of the Qur’an. It has 78 brief, flowing and beautiful verses. Sublime Arabic eloquence!



Very diverse concepts in this Surah are repeatedly punctuated by a verse that has often been mistranslated. “Fabi ayyi aalaai Rabbikumaa tukazzibaan?”



The addressees of that verse are ‘you both’. So, many commentators, always fond of degrading women, render it as, “O Jinns and men!” But, keeping in mind the Big Picture of the Qur’an, the correct rendition is, "O Men and women!" Another frequent error is translating ‘Aala’ as blessing, bounty or favor. That meaning falls completely and repeatedly out of line in the Surah. How can the Hell be a bounty? Another meaning of ‘Aala’ is authority, power and control, and that goes consistent throughout the Surah.



So, the correct rendition of the verse will be: Then, O Men and women! Which authority of your Lord will you deny? [Instead of: Then, O Jinn and men! Which bounty of your Lord will you deny? The point will become very clear as we proceed]



With the Glorious Name of God, the Instant and Sustaining Source of all Mercy and Kindness

Note 2
Bayaan = Statement = Intelligent speech = Utterance = Clear expression of feelings and thoughts by signs, speech or writing. 2:256, 3:137, 16:89, 75:19. Bayaan is more versatile than Nutq = Expression in human speech or signs 21:63, 27:16, 41:21, 45:29. Saut = Voice or sound: human, animal or inanimate. 17:64, 31:19, 49:2

Note 3
Such are the changeless Divine laws

Note 4
Anaam = All living beings

Note 5
The three Arabic terms used in this verse include all the meanings rendered

Note 6
Human evolution: 2:30, 6:2, 7:189, 15:26, 22:5, 23:12, 25:54, 32:7, 35:11, 37:11, 71:17

Note 7
Jinns:2:102,6:76, 6:100, 6:112, 6:128 -130, 7:12, 7:38, 8:27, 11:119, 15:17, 15:27, 21:82, 32:13, 34:12, 37:158, 38:76, 46:29, 72:1, 75:2, 114:6. Jinn pertains to something hidden, rarely seen, therefore, after using Tasreef, Al-Jinn = The nomads. Jannah from the same root word means a garden hidden in foliage. When the Jinns or the nomads move to dwell in towns and become civilized, they are referred to as Ins = Urbanites. Among the verses referred to above, Jinn, at times, denotes the hidden evil prompting that goes on in the human mind. In the sense of flashes of evil prompting, Jinncan be understood as Satan in minor forms. Satan = Selfish or rebellious desires works in concert with destructive emotions which have been described as being fiery in the Jahiliyah poetry. 'Emotions being fiery' stands up to reason. Verse 21:37 convincingly shows what the ‘creation of Jinn out of fire’ actually means. Using exactly the same terms khuliq and min it states Khuliq-al-insaanu min ‘ajal. Literally that would translate as: He created man out of haste. Whereas the clear understanding is: Man has been created with a tendency to be hasty and looking for instant gains or results. Such is the case in 21:37 with Khulaq-al-jaanna mim-maarij-im-min naar - Breaking the sentence for clarity: Khulaq-al-jaanna min marijin min naar. He has given a fiery, emotional disposition to uncivilized human beings. 55:15

Note 8
The East and West of the summer, and the East and West of the winter. The science of Astronomy will almost certainly learn more about the two Easts and Wests. 37:5, 70:40

Note 9
The great bodies of salt water and fresh water meet but do not mix. Otherwise, we would not have the only 5 per cent drinkable of all water present on earth

Note 10
‘His ships’ needs a comment. All creativity of human beings issues forth from the gifts of mind and body bestowed by God. So, God rightfully declares His Ownership of all things in the Universe, including those manufactured by people. In fact, I could only discern one Right that God assigns to Himself: Ownership of all things. But, unfortunately, the Muslim clergy has confused the masses into thinking that people owe two kinds of rights on themselves: Huqooqullah God’s rights such as worshiping Him, praying five times a day and other rituals. And Huqooqul ‘Ibaad People’s rights such as treating them nicely, helping them in need, honoring elders etc. But this dichotomy, the so-called HuqooqullahandHuqooqul ‘Ibaadare nowhere found in the Qur’an. The Book is replete with human rights all through. This huge blunder is not without consequence. A ‘practicing Muslim’ is thought to be the one who wears a particular style of garment, holds a rosary bead in hands, grows a beard, uses miswaak for cleaning the teeth, prays five times a day and so on. If it happens to be a female, a ‘practicing Muslimah’, in addition, uses veil, niqaab and, for perfection, dons a burka! All this happens while these ‘practicing Muslims’ keep violating human rights

Note 11
Faani = Ever-changing = Mortal

Note 12
Baaqi = Remaining = Eternal = Survivor = Changeless. Baqa = To stay, remain. Wajh = Face = Countenance = Self = Whole being = Whole person. 28:88

Note 13
Thaql = Aghlal = Load, weight, burden = Shackles. Through His messages revealed to His Messenger, God will break all shackles men and women are carrying 7:157

Note 14
Sultan = Evidence = Proof = Authority = Power 4:153, 14:11, 15:42, 17:80, 37:156, 69:29. ‘Illa’ here means never. Using Tasreef the simple understanding is this: You can only continue your evolution beyond the temporal and spatial bounds you now see, if you have primed your own ‘self’ for immortality, instead of mere survival of the unfit.

Note 15
If you think that you can escape Divine laws, you will never find your way in the thick smoke of conjecture

Note 16
Samaa allegorically rendered as the high elite

Note 17
Mujrim = Guilty = One who steals the fruit of others’ labor = Violator of human rights

Note 18
Afnan = Creative works, art and science

Note 19
37:48, 38:52, 44:54, 52:20, 55:15, 55:72, 56:22 … Jinn, Jann, Jaann, evil prompting… Ins = Human, is often incorrectly translated in this verse as 'man'. The mistranslation then goes on to state that there are women whom no Jinn or man has ever touched. Women and men who qualify for Paradise have had all their faults remitted and absolved, therefore, untouched by vice

Note 20
The human ‘self’ and the new Universe will keep evolving 69:17

Note 21
Personal delight and shared joy 52:25

Note 22
Fruit within the fruit of reward

Note 23
Khair = Good thing = Beneficial = Excellent. Hisaan = Nicely balanced = Beautifully symmetrical = Symmetrically beautiful

Note 24
Hoor = Houri = Modest, intelligent companions, male or female. Unfortunately, this word has been almost invariably translated as ‘gorgeous women with big eyes’. Hoor applies to men and women both. The male gender is Ahwar and the female is Hawra. Again, Hoor = Men and women of vision who are modest and delightful companions. Khiyaam = Blessed shady environment, instead of the literal 'tents or pavilions'