INTRODUCTION:
This Surah consists of 19 verses, 72 sentences, 291 letters and 1 Ruku'.
It takes its name from the word al-A'la in the very first verse.
The subject matter shows that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed, and the words: "We shall enable you to recite, then you shall never forget" of verse 6 also indicate that it was sent down in the period when the Holy Messenger (upon whom he Allah's peace) was not yet fully accustomed to receive Revelation and at the time Revelation came down he feared lest he should forget its words. If this verse is read along with verse 114 of Surah Ta Ha and verses 16-19 of Al-Qiyamah and the three verses are also considered with regard to their styles and contexts, the sequence of events seems to be that first in this Surah the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was reassured to the effect: "Do not at all worry: We shall enable you to recite this Word, then you shall not forget it." Then after a lapse of time, on another occasion, when the Surah Al-Qiyamah was being revealed, the Holy Prophet involuntarily began to rehearse the words of the Revelation. So it was said: "O Prophet! Do not move your tongue to remember this Revelation hastily. It is for Us to have it remembered and read. Therefore when We are reciting it, listen to its recital carefully. Again, it is for Us to explain its meaning." Last of all, on the occasion of the revelation of Surah Ta Ha, the Holy Prophet on account of human weakness, again became afraid lest his memory should fail to preserve some portion of the 113 verses which were continuously revealed at that time, and therefore, he began to memorise them. Thereupon, it was said: "And see that you do not hasten to recite the Quran before its revelation is completed to you." After this, it never so happened that he felt any such danger, for apart form these three places, there is no other place in the Quran where there might be a reference to this matter.
This short surah contains three themes.Tauhid, instructions to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) and the Hereafter.
In the first verse, the doctrine of Tauhid has been compressed into a single sentence, saying that Allah's name should be glorified and exalted, i.e. He should not be remembered by any name which mighty reflect a deficiency, fault, weakness, or an aspect of likeness, with created beings, for the root of all false creeds in the world are wrong concepts about Allah, which assumed the form of an erroneous name for His glorious and exalted Being. Therefore, for the correction of the creed, the primary thing is that Allah Almighty should be remembered only by the beautiful names which suit and befit Him.
In the next three verses, it has been said: "Your Lord, glorification of Whose name is being enjoined, is He Who created everything in the Universe, proportioned it, set it a destiny, taught it to perform the function for which it is created, and you witness this manifestation of His power day and night that He creates vegetation on the earth as well as reduces it to mere rubbish. No other being has the power to bring about spring nor the power to prevent autumn."
Then, in the following two verses, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) his been consoled, as if to say: "Do not worry as to how you will remember word for word the Quran that is being revealed to you. It is for Us to preserve it in your memory, and its preservation is not in any way the result of any excellence in you but the result of Our bounty and favour, otherwise if We so will, We can cause you to forget it."
Then, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been told: "You have not been made responsible to bring everyone on to the right path; your only duty is to convey the truth, and the simplest way of conveying the truth is that admonition be given to him who is inclined to listen to the admonition and accept it, and the one who is not inclined to it, should not be pursued. The one who fears the evil consequences of deviation and falsehood, will listen to the truth and accept it, and the wretched one who avoids listening to and accepting it, will himself see his evil end."
The discourse has been summed up, saying: "Success is only for those who adopt purity of belief, morals and deed, and remember the name of their Lord and perform the Prayer. But, on the contrary, the people are wholly lost in seeking the ease, benefits and pleasures of the world, whereas they should actually endeavour for their well being in the Hereafter, for the world is transitory and the Hereafter everlasting and the blessings of the Hereafter are far better than the blessings of the world. This truth has not been expressed only in the Quran but in the books of the Prophets Abraham and Moses too, it had been brought to the notice of man.
Maududi
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
87 : 1
1. Sabbihi isma rabbika al-aAAla
Glorify the name of your Lord who is the Highest; -
87 : 2
2. Allathee khalaqa fasawwa
Who creates and then perfects; -
87 : 3
3. Waallathee qaddara fahada
Who ordains and then guides; -
87 : 4
4. Waallathee akhraja almarAAa
Who brings forth the green shoots; -
87 : 5
5. FajaAAalahu ghuthaan ahwa
And then turns them into sallow hay!
87 : 6
6. Sanuqri-oka fala tansa
We shall make you recite (Our revelation) so that you forget not -
87 : 7
7. Illa ma shaa Allahu innahu yaAAlamu aljahra wama yakhfa
Except what Allah wills! Verily He is aware of that which is concealed and of that which is revealed.
87 : 8
8. Wanuyassiruka lilyusra
And We shall make your task easy for you!
87 : 9
9. Fathakkir in nafaAAati alththikra
So admonish men so that perchance they heed the Reminder!
87 : 10
10. Sayaththakkaru man yakhsha
He that fears will heed it!
87 : 11
11. Wayatajannabuha al-ashqa
But the most depraved will spurn it -
87 : 12
12. Allathee yasla alnnara alkubra
He who will be thrown into the fierce flames -
87 : 13
13. Thumma la yamootu feeha wala yahya
In which he will neither die nor live!
87 : 14
14. Qad aflaha man tazakka
Verily redemption is his who keeps himself cleansed -
87 : 15
15. Wathakara isma rabbihi fasalla
And remembers the name of his Lord through worship!
87 : 16
16. Bal tu/thiroona alhayata alddunya
Nay, but most of you give precedence to the life of this world -
87 : 17
17. Waal-akhiratu khayrun waabqa
Even though the Hereafter is better for you and it lasts forever.
87 : 18
18. Inna hatha lafee alssuhufi al-oola
Verily thus has been laid down in all the preceding Scriptures -
87 : 19
19. Suhufi ibraheema wamoosa
In the Scriptures of Abraham and of Moses! (R)
1. Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,
2. Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it;
3. And Who has measured (preordainments for each and everything even to be blessed or wretched); then guided (i.e. showed mankind the right as well as wrong paths, and guided the animals to pasture);
4. And Who brings out the pasturage,
5. And then makes it dark stubble.
6. We shall make you to recite (the Qur'ān), so you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) shall not forget (it),
7. Except what Allāh, may will, He knows what is apparent and what is hidden.
8. And We shall make easy for you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) the easy way (i.e. the doing of righteous deeds).
9. Therefore remind (men) in case the reminder profits (them).
10. The reminder will be received by him who fears (Allāh),
11. But it will be avoided by the wretched,
12. Who will enter the great Fire and made to taste its burning,
13. Wherein he will neither die (to be in rest) nor live (a good living).
14. Indeed whosoever purifies himself (by avoiding polytheism and accepting Islāmic Monotheism) shall achieve success,
15. And remembers (glorifies) the Name of his Lord (worships none but Allāh), and prays (five compulsory prayers and Nawāfil additional prayers).
16. Nay, you prefer the life of this world;
17. Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
18. Verily! This is in the former Scriptures,
19. The Scriptures of Ibrāhim (Abraham) and Mūsa (Moses).
087.001
YUSUFALI: Glorify the
name of thy Guardian-Lord Most High,
PICKTHAL: Praise the
name of thy Lord the Most High,
SHAKIR: Glorify the
name of your Lord, the Most High,
087.002
YUSUFALI: Who hath
created, and further, given order and proportion;
PICKTHAL: Who createth,
then disposeth;
SHAKIR: Who creates,
then makes complete,
087.003
YUSUFALI: Who hath
ordained laws. And granted guidance;
PICKTHAL: Who
measureth, then guideth;
SHAKIR: And Who makes
(things) according to a measure, then guides (them to their goal),
087.004
YUSUFALI: And Who
bringeth out the (green and luscious) pasture,
PICKTHAL: Who bringeth
forth the pasturage,
SHAKIR: And Who brings
forth herbage,
087.005
YUSUFALI: And then
doth make it (but) swarthy stubble.
PICKTHAL: Then turneth
it to russet stubble.
SHAKIR: Then makes it
dried up, dust-colored.
087.006
YUSUFALI: By degrees
shall We teach thee to declare (the Message), so thou shalt not forget,
PICKTHAL: We shall
make thee read (O Muhammad) so that thou shalt not forget
SHAKIR: We will make
you recite so you shall not forget,
087.007
YUSUFALI: Except as
Allah wills: For He knoweth what is manifest and what is hidden.
PICKTHAL: Save that
which Allah willeth. Lo! He knoweth the disclosed and that which still is
hidden;
SHAKIR: Except what
Allah pleases, surely He knows the manifest, and what is hidden.
087.008
YUSUFALI: And We will
make it easy for thee (to follow) the simple (Path).
PICKTHAL: And We shall
ease thy way unto the state of ease.
SHAKIR: And We will
make your way smooth to a state of ease.
087.009
YUSUFALI: Therefore
give admonition in case the admonition profits (the hearer).
PICKTHAL: Therefor
remind (men), for of use is the reminder.
SHAKIR: Therefore do
remind, surely reminding does profit.
087.010
YUSUFALI: The
admonition will be received by those who fear (Allah):
PICKTHAL: He will heed
who feareth,
SHAKIR: He who fears
will mind,
087.011
YUSUFALI: But it will
be avoided by those most unfortunate ones,
PICKTHAL: But the most
hapless will flout it,
SHAKIR: And the most
unfortunate one will avoid it,
087.012
YUSUFALI: Who will
enter the Great Fire,
PICKTHAL: He who will
be flung to the great Fire
SHAKIR: Who shall
enter the great fire;
087.013
YUSUFALI: In which
they will then neither die nor live.
PICKTHAL: Wherein he
will neither die nor live.
SHAKIR: Then therein
he shall neither live nor die.
087.014
YUSUFALI: But those
will prosper who purify themselves,
PICKTHAL: He is
successful who groweth,
SHAKIR: He indeed
shall be successful who purifies himself,
087.015
YUSUFALI: And glorify
the name of their Guardian-Lord, and (lift their hearts) in prayer.
PICKTHAL: And
remembereth the name of his Lord, so prayeth,
SHAKIR: And magnifies
the name of his Lord and prays.
087.016
YUSUFALI: Day
(behold), ye prefer the life of this world;
PICKTHAL: But ye
prefer the life of the world
SHAKIR: Nay! you
prefer the life of this world,
087.017
YUSUFALI: But the
Hereafter is better and more enduring.
PICKTHAL: Although the
Hereafter is better and more lasting.
SHAKIR: While the
hereafter is better and more lasting.
087.018
YUSUFALI: And this is
in the Books of the earliest (Revelation),-
PICKTHAL: Lo! This is
in the former scrolls.
SHAKIR: Most surely
this is in the earlier scriptures,
087.019
YUSUFALI: The Books of
Abraham and Moses.
PICKTHAL: The Books of
Abraham and Moses.
SHAKIR: The scriptures
of Ibrahim and Musa.