CHAP. LXX.
Intitled, The Steps; revealed at Mecca.
In the name of the most merciful God.
[a] One called for the punishment to be inflicted on the unbelievers;] The person here meant is generally supposed to have been al Nodar Ebn al Hareth, who said, O God, if what Mohammed preaches be the truth from thee, rain down upon us a shower of stones, or send some dreadful judgment to punish us [1] . Others, however, think it was Abu Jahl, who challenged Mohammed to cause a fragment of heaven to fall on them [2] .
[1] Al Zamakh. Al Beidawi.
[2] Al Beidawi.
[a] The steps;] By which prayers and righteous actions ascend to heaven; or by which the angels ascend to receive the divine commands, or the believers will ascend to paradise. Some understand thereby the different orders of angels; or the heavens, which rise gradually one above another.
[b]
A day whose space is fifty thousand years;]
This is supposed to be the space which would be required for their
ascent from the lowest part of creation to the throne of God, if it were to be
measured; or the time which it would take a man up to perform that journey;
and this is not contradictory to what is said elsewhere
[1]
(if it be to be
interpreted of the ascent of the angels,) that the length of the day whereon
they ascend is one thousand years; because that is meant only of their ascent
from earth to the lower heaven, including also the time of their descent.
But the commentators generally taking the day spoken of in both these
passages to be the day of judgment, have recourse to several expedients to
reconcile them, some of which we have mentioned in another place
[2]
;
and as both
passages seem to contradict what the Mohammedan doctors teach, that God will
judge all creatures in the space of half a day
[3]
,
they suppose those large
number of years are designed to express the time of the previous attendance of
those who are to be judged
[4]
;
or else to the space wherein God will judge the
unbelieving nations, of which they say there will be fifty, the trial of each
nation taking up 1000 years, tho’ that of the true believers will be
over in the short space above mentioned
[5]
.
[1] Chap. 32. p. 338.
[2] Prelim. Disc. §. IV. p. 84.
[3] See ib. p. 88, 89.
[4] See ib. p. 86.
[5] Al Zamakh.
[c] See chap. 17. p. 228.
[a] Verily we have created them of that which they know;] Viz. Of filthy seed, which bears no relation or resemblance to holy beings; wherefore it is necessary for him who would hope to be an inhabitant of paradise, to perfect himself in faith and spiritual virtues, to fit himself for that place [1] .
[1] Al Beidawi.
[b] I swear;] Or, I will not swear, &c. See chap. 56. p. 436. not. f.
[c] Of the east and of the west;] The original words are in the plural number, and signify the different points of the horizon at which the sun rises and sets in the course of the year. See chap. 37. p. 366. not. c.