In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath), (1) And strike sparks of fire, (2)
And push home the charge in the morning, (3) And raise the dust in clouds the while, (4) And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse― (5) Truly Man is, to his Lord, ungrateful; (6) And to that (fact) he bears witness (by his deeds); (7) And violent is he in his love of wealth. (8) Does he not know― when that which is in the graves is Scattered abroad (9) And that which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest― (10) That their Lord had been well-acquainted with them, (even to) that Day? (11)
3 main topics which are all linked.
First 5 verses:
Allah speaks of horses in a battle.
Next 3 verses: love of wealth Indeed man is very ungrateful to his lord. Man’s love of wealth and his transgression and sin due to the love of the wealth.
Next 3 verses: day of reckoning and hereafter. Allah speaks of day of judgement.
This is the time when people will emerge from the grave. When the secrets of earth will be revealed and the inner most secrets of the heart will be revealed.
On this occasion Allah will produce man’s deeds before himself and others.
At the beginning of the surah Allah mentions the word Aadiyaat. Aadiyaat means
horses which charge (at the time of battle). The intensity at which they charge
sparks fire. By charging they cleave this army into two.
Allah swears by these horses in battle when they charge at their energy.
What is the connection between the oath of these charging horses and this imagery and that the next few verses; fact that man is ungrateful to Allah.
A horse is an intelligent, beautiful, graceful, strong and mighty animal. Allah
has made then so subservient that man use them as transport. It is only Allah
that has made these horses compliant to man. But what does man actually do for
a horse. The most he does is feed it grass, pats it and cleans it. These few
favour’s cost man nothing and are not time consuming. But for these few favours
this horse becomes compliant, subservient and submits to this person. The horse
is willing to be beaten and whipped by his master. Even when man Laden’s this
horse with armour and the animal knows he is staring a possible death, but
still the horse accepts. He is willing to charge into battle and die just for
his master.
Allah has given man greater intelligence and favours than this animal. Allah has
elevated man over and above all beasts. Allah has made these beasts subservient
to man. He has made man the most honoured of all creation. Allah wishes that man
returns to their original man. Even though Allah has given man so much more than
any beast but man is still the most ungrateful. That's why Allah says "Indeed
man is very ungrateful to his lord."
Man’s relationship with Allah is such that man uses Allah. Allah says that when we give him some mercy and we then take it away from it then man is so ungrateful. Man has been created with a temperament of haste. Man lacks self-control. When we put a trial on man then he spends
Man has a very fickle relationship with his lord. When misfortune falls upon him man will frantically turn and pray towards Allah. These prayers are very selfish. They are not doing it to get the love Allah. They just want this calamity to be removed. Then Allah is dispensed and discarded. And then when good fortune meets man then he becomes strong and arrogant.
When bad fortune meets man then man will forget all the blessings of Allah. Then when good fortune meets him then he becomes boastful and arrogant. Man doesn't have any balance its one extreme to another.
The word "kanood" is the one who is forever complaining of misfortune, frustrating, a pessimist.
Verse 7: "Indeed over this he is a sure witness."
How is man a witness against himself? There're two ways:
1) externally:
he may say he is grateful by tongue but his deeds prove the contrary that
he is ungrateful. If man was truly grateful to Allah then he would be complaint
and subservient to Allah. So man’s deeds are proof of his ingratitude. The
misuse of the gifts of Allah shows an act of ungrateful. Every one of the favours bestowed upon man from Allah is for a purpose. Every time man abuses the gift for the wrong use, this clearly shows the ingratitude to Allah.
Man will be questioned on hearing, sight and heart. Each morning when man wakes up the limbs plead with the tongue of man. If you are straight we are straight if you
are bent we are bent.
2) Internally:
Every person has a voice with tells us deep down you are wrong and
ungrateful. Deep down we know we are ungrateful.
Why are we ungrateful?
Main reason is the love of wealth. Man always thinks he doesn't have enough
wealth. You always think you need more.
If man was given a valley of gold, he would desire a second. Nothing can fill the inner vacuum of man except the dust of the earth. I.e. when u visits the grave then this vacuum will be filled.
He doesn't need it but wants it because shaytaan threatens you with poverty. Man
always desires you with wealth for the future. We always hoard, plan and look
ahead.
Shaytaan threatens us with loss of wealth and poverty in the future. Wealth corrupts the mind of charter.
3rd part of the surah:
Why doesn't man plan ahead. Doesn't man realise that the corpses of the
earth will be thrown out of the graves. The earth will reveal all its treasures,
good and bad. Everyone will stand before Allah for reckoning.
Whatever is in the hearts of man will be extracted even though man will
be reluctant of this. Man will want to conceal his deeds but every limb will
testify against him and even the earth where he committed the sin will speak.
Man will be silenced for a short while. Indeed Allah is all aware.
Man should remind himself constantly of the day of reckoning. When man feels they will be no accountability this leads to violence and degradability. Ponder and reflect on our destination
Man can sink lower than the beasts of earth of man have a love of wealth and are ungrateful. In this surah who comes out worse the man or the horse?
Notes taken from tafsir of surah Aadiyaat by sheikh Riyadh Ul Haq
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