This is a late Meccan Sura, of which we can be tolerably certain of the date. It was two years before the Hijrat, when the Prophet, despised and rejected in his native city of Mecca, went to evangelize the lordly men of Taif. They maltreated him and nearly killed him; what caused him even greater pain was the maltreatment of the humble and lowly men who went with him. Tabari has handed down that memorable Prayer of faith and humility which he offered in the midst of his suffering. On his return journey to Mecca, a glorious vision was revealed to him, -- hidden spiritual forces working for him, -- people not known to him accepting his mission while his own people were still rejecting him. Within two months some strangers from Medina had privately met him and laid the foundation of that Hijrat which was to change the fate of Arabia and the course of world history.
C.252-(Verses 1 to 28)-Spiritual Truth finds its lodgment in all sorts of unexpected places, and in all sorts of unexpected ways. The man of Allah, when most depressed by the buffets of a world steeped in selfishness, sees a glorious vision: Hidden spiritual forces work for him, make known the truth in marvellous ways, and proclaim the Goodness and Judgment of Allah. They reject all Error and lead others to purify their wills and come to Allah. Behold! Every place and time, every gift is meet for the service of Allah, the One, the True, Whose Word the righteous one proclaims and must proclaim at all cost. Man's Duty is plain, but in the Kingdom of Allah, through Allah's chosen ones, we rise to higher and higher Mysteries, as may be expedient for us. Yet when or how our End may be, is not given to man to know: Let him but take the Treasures well-guarded, that come to him, and praise the Lord of all Knowledge and Wisdom!
72:1 SURA 72. Jinn, or the Spirits. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened (to the Koran). They said, "We have really heard a wonderful Recital!
72:2 "It gives guidance to the Right, and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any (gods) with our Lord.
72:3 "And exalted is the Majesty of our Lord: He has taken neither a wife nor a son.
72:4 "There were some foolish ones among us, who used to utter extravagant lies against Allah;
72:5 "But we do think that no man or spirit should say aught that is untrue against Allah.
72:6 "True, there were persons among mankind who took shelter with persons among the Jinns, but they increased them in folly.
72:7 "And they (came to) think as ye thought, that Allah would not raise up anyone (to Judgment).
72:8 "And we pried into the secrets of heaven; but we found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires.
72:9 "We used, indeed, to sit there in (hidden) stations, to (steal) a hearing; but any who listen now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.
72:10 "And we understand not whether ill is intended to those on earth, or whether their Lord (really) intends to guide them to right conduct.
72:11 "There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary: We follow divergent paths.
72:12 "But we think that we can by no means frustrate Allah throughout the earth, nor can we frustrate Him by flight.
72:13 "And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have accepted
it: And any who believes in his Lord has no fear, either of a short (account) or of any injustice.
72:14 "Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah), and some that swerve from justice. Now those who submit their wills -- they have sought out (the path) of right conduct:
72:15 "But those who swerve, -- they are (but) fuel for Hellfire" --
72:16 (And Allah's Message is): "If they (the Pagans) had (only) remained on the (right) Way, We should certainly have bestowed on them Rain in abundance.
72:17 "That We might try them by that (means). But if any turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will cause him to undergo a severe Penalty.
72:18 "And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not anyone along with Allah;
72:19 "Yet when the Devotee of Allah stands forth to invoke Him, they just make round him a dense crowd. "
72:20 Section 2. Say: "I do no more than invoke my Lord, and I join not with Him any (false god). "
72:21 Say: "It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to right conduct."
72:22 Say: "No one can deliver me from Allah (if I were to disobey Him), nor should I find refuge except in Him,
72:23 Unless I proclaim what I receive from Allah and His Messages: For any that disobey Allah and His Apostle, -- for them is Hell: They shall dwell therein forever. "
72:24 At length, when they see (with their own eyes) that which they are promised, -- then will they know who it is that is weakest in (his) helper and least important in point of numbers.
72:25 Say: "I know not whether the (Punishment) which ye are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.
72:26 "He (alone) knows the Unseen, nor does He make anyone acquainted with His Mysteries, --
72:27 "Except an apostle whom He has chosen: And then He makes a band of watchers march before him and behind him,
72:28 "That he may know that they have (truly) brought and delivered the Messages of their Lord: And He surrounds (all the mysteries) that are with them, and takes account of every single thing."
