Whoever reaches old age, We reverse in natural disposition. Do they not have sense (to see)?
And whomever We bring to an old age, We reverse him in creation; so do they not understand?
And to whomsoever We give long life, We bend him over in His constitution; what, do they not understand?
But [let them always remember that] if We lengthen a human being’s days, We also cause him to decline in his powers [when he grows old]: will they not, then, use their reason?
And whomsoever We grant long life, We reverse him in creation. Reflect then they not?
And he whom We grant long life, We reverse him in creation (weakness after strength). Will they not then understand?
Whomever We grant old age, We reverse his development. Do they not understand?
Whomsoever We grant a long life, We reverse him in his constitution. Do they still not understand?
And he whom We grant long life -- We reverse him in creation. Will they not then understand
He whom we bring unto old age, We reverse him in creation (making him go back to weakness after strength). Have ye then no sense?
And whomever We give a long life, We cause him to regress in creation. Then, will they not exercise their reason?
To whoever We give a long life We make him stoop. Do they not understand?
And he to whom We grant long life We reverse in creation; so will they not understand?
The physical growth of those whom We grant a long life will be reversed. Will you then not understand?
And whomsoever We cause to live long, We reduce (him) to an abject state in constitution; do they not then understand?
Waman nuAAammirhu nunakkishu fee alkhalqi afal<u>a</u> yaAAqiloon<b>a</b>
If We extend anyone's life, We reverse his development. Can they not use their reason?
If We grant long life to any, We cause him to be reversed in nature: Will they not then understand?
وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْهُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Whoever’s life I extend by lengthening his lifespan, I return him to the stage of weakness. Do they not think with their intellect and understand that this abode is not one of permanence and immortality and that the everlasting abode is that of the Hereafter!
Whoever’s life I extend by lengthening his lifespan, I return him to the stage of weakness. Do they not think with their intellect and understand that this abode is not one of permanence and immortality and that the everlasting abode is that of the Hereafter!
<p>In the last of the verses cited above, it was said: وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْ‌هُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ (And whomsoever We give long life, we reverse him in creation. Do they then not have sense?). The word: نُّعَمِّر (nu'ammir: We give a long life) in this verse has been derived from: تَمِیر (ta` mir) which means to prolong years of life. And the word: نُنَكِّسْهُ (nunakkishu) is a derivation from: تَنکِیس (tankis) which means to reverse, invert or turn upside down. In this verse, Allah Ta’ ala has described yet another manifestation of His perfect power and eloquent wisdom in that every living being lies under the free will of Allah Ta’ ala all the time. The process of nature is going on. The thing started from a lifeless drop. Wrapped with three layers of darkness in the womb of the mother, that which came to be was this essence of the universe, and a small world in its own right. Countless was the number of most delicate mechanisms that were embedded into its life form. Then it was made to come alive with the infusion of the spirit. After having been nourished and grown for nine months inside the womb of the mother, a perfect human being came into this world. Of course, perfect it was, but the body it had was weak. Nature took care of that by placing in the breast of the mother food that would suit an infant's physical requirement. This gave it the gradual supply of needed energy. From that time to the time of youth, passed many stages and then came a strong body at its total bloom. Then came claims of the power thus acquired and rose the desire to defeat every conceivable adversary.</p><p>But, that was not the end. When the creator and master of this new aspirant into the world decided otherwise, all these strengths started waning. Even the decline was not sudden. It took time. There were countless stages. Finally, came the fag end of the years of life. Once there, just imagine, has this person not reached back into the stage of one's childhood. Habits started changing. Reflexes became different. Things that used to be the dearest started appearing hateful. What was comfort once turned into suffering. This is what the Qur'an calls "tankis," that is, being turned upside down. One trusts what one sees with one's own eyes and what one hears with one's own ears in the life of this world. This too does not remain trustworthy during the later years of old age. Clearly understanding what is being said becomes difficult because one becomes hard of hearing. The same thing happens to the sense of sight that becomes weak. One cannot see well enough. The classical Arab poet, al-Mutanabbi has said:</p><p>و من صحب الدّنیا طویلا تقلَّبّت ---- علی عینہٖ حَتّٰی یری صدقھا کذبا</p><p>And for one who lives long in the world, it will turn upside down right before his eyes to the extent that what he saw as truth will start appearing to be a lie.</p><p>Not only that this major change in man's frame of existence is a standing manifestation of the unique power of Allah Ta’ ala, it is also a great favor to him. Is it not that all strengths the supreme Creator has placed in the living presence of man are, in reality, the God-given functional devices issued to him with the clarification that they were neither his property nor were they everlasting and that, finally, they will be taken back from him. This obviously required that, once came the time of such take over, all such strengths should have been taken back simultaneously. But, the most merciful and sublime Lord has not elected to do that. Instead, He has allowed that these strengths be taken back in installments that too are prominently long and spaced apart. Thus, these are taken back gradually, bit by bit, so that one gets alerted and starts getting ready to embark on the ultimate journey of the Hereafter. And Allah knows best.</p>
In the last of the verses cited above, it was said: وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْ‌هُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ (And whomsoever We give long life, we reverse him in creation. Do they then not have sense?). The word: نُّعَمِّر (nu'ammir: We give a long life) in this verse has been derived from: تَمِیر (ta` mir) which means to prolong years of life. And the word: نُنَكِّسْهُ (nunakkishu) is a derivation from: تَنکِیس (tankis) which means to reverse, invert or turn upside down. In this verse, Allah Ta’ ala has described yet another manifestation of His perfect power and eloquent wisdom in that every living being lies under the free will of Allah Ta’ ala all the time. The process of nature is going on. The thing started from a lifeless drop. Wrapped with three layers of darkness in the womb of the mother, that which came to be was this essence of the universe, and a small world in its own right. Countless was the number of most delicate mechanisms that were embedded into its life form. Then it was made to come alive with the infusion of the spirit. After having been nourished and grown for nine months inside the womb of the mother, a perfect human being came into this world. Of course, perfect it was, but the body it had was weak. Nature took care of that by placing in the breast of the mother food that would suit an infant's physical requirement. This gave it the gradual supply of needed energy. From that time to the time of youth, passed many stages and then came a strong body at its total bloom. Then came claims of the power thus acquired and rose the desire to defeat every conceivable adversary.But, that was not the end. When the creator and master of this new aspirant into the world decided otherwise, all these strengths started waning. Even the decline was not sudden. It took time. There were countless stages. Finally, came the fag end of the years of life. Once there, just imagine, has this person not reached back into the stage of one's childhood. Habits started changing. Reflexes became different. Things that used to be the dearest started appearing hateful. What was comfort once turned into suffering. This is what the Qur'an calls "tankis," that is, being turned upside down. One trusts what one sees with one's own eyes and what one hears with one's own ears in the life of this world. This too does not remain trustworthy during the later years of old age. Clearly understanding what is being said becomes difficult because one becomes hard of hearing. The same thing happens to the sense of sight that becomes weak. One cannot see well enough. The classical Arab poet, al-Mutanabbi has said:و من صحب الدّنیا طویلا تقلَّبّت ---- علی عینہٖ حَتّٰی یری صدقھا کذباAnd for one who lives long in the world, it will turn upside down right before his eyes to the extent that what he saw as truth will start appearing to be a lie.Not only that this major change in man's frame of existence is a standing manifestation of the unique power of Allah Ta’ ala, it is also a great favor to him. Is it not that all strengths the supreme Creator has placed in the living presence of man are, in reality, the God-given functional devices issued to him with the clarification that they were neither his property nor were they everlasting and that, finally, they will be taken back from him. This obviously required that, once came the time of such take over, all such strengths should have been taken back simultaneously. But, the most merciful and sublime Lord has not elected to do that. Instead, He has allowed that these strengths be taken back in installments that too are prominently long and spaced apart. Thus, these are taken back gradually, bit by bit, so that one gets alerted and starts getting ready to embark on the ultimate journey of the Hereafter. And Allah knows best.
<h2 class="title">Allah tells us that the longer the son of Adam lives, the more he becomes weak after being strong, and incapable after being able and active</h2><p>This is like the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ </div><p>(Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave weakness and gray hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.) (30:54). And Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِنكُمْ مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلاَ يَعْلَمَ مِن بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئاً</div><p>(And among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having known) (22:5). The meaning here -- and Allah knows best -- is that Allah is telling us that this world is transient and will come to an end, it is not eternal and lasting. Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَلاَ يَعْقِلُونَ</div><p>(Will they not then understand) meaning, will they not think about how they were created, then they become gray-haired, then they become old and senile, so that they may know that they were created for another world that is not transient and will not pass away, and from which there is no way out, which is the Hereafter.</p><h2 class="title">Allah does not teach His Messenger Poetry</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ</div><p>(And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it suitable for him.) Allah tells us that He has not taught His Prophet Muhammad poetry.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ</div><p>(nor is it suitable for him.) means, he did not know how to compose it, he did not like it and he had no natural inclination towards it. It was narrated that he never memorized a stanza of poetry with the correct meter or rhyme -- he would transpose words or memorize it incompletely. In Ad-Dala'il, Al-Bayhaqi recorded that the Messenger of Allah said to Al-`Abbas bin Mirdas As-Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَنْتَ الْقَائِلُ: أَتَجْعَلُ نَهْبِي وَنَهْبَ الْعُبَيدِ بَيْنَ الْأَقْرَعِ وَعُيَيْنَة»</div><p>(You are the one who said: "Do you distribute my booty and the booty of the servants between Al-Aqra` and `Uyainah.") He said, "It is `Uyainah and Al-Aqra`." He said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْكُلُّ سَوَاء»</div><p>(It is all the same.) i.e., it means the same thing. And Allah knows best. This is because Allah taught him the Qur'an, which</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ </div><p>(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it; sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42). This is not poetry, as some of the ignorant disbelievers of the Quraysh claimed; neither is it sorcery, a fabrication or a magic spell, as the misguided and ignorant people variously suggested. The Prophet was naturally disinclined to compose verse, and was forbidden to do so by Divine Law.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ</div><p>(This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an.) means, it is clear and self-explanatory to the one who ponders and comprehends its meanings, Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً</div><p>(That he or it may give warning to him who is living,) meaning, so that this plain Qur'an might warn every living person on the face of the earth. This is like the Ayat:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ</div><p>(that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach) (6:19).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ</div><p>(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) (11:17). Those who will benefit from his warning will be those whose hearts are alive and who have enlightened insight, as Qatadah said, "Alive of heart and alive of insight." Ad-Dahhak said, "This means wise."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ</div><p>(and that Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) means, it is a mercy to the believers and evidence against the disbelievers.</p>
Allah tells us that the longer the son of Adam lives, the more he becomes weak after being strong, and incapable after being able and activeThis is like the Ayah:اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ (Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave weakness and gray hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.) (30:54). And Allah says:وَمِنكُمْ مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلاَ يَعْلَمَ مِن بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئاً(And among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having known) (22:5). The meaning here -- and Allah knows best -- is that Allah is telling us that this world is transient and will come to an end, it is not eternal and lasting. Allah says:أَفَلاَ يَعْقِلُونَ(Will they not then understand) meaning, will they not think about how they were created, then they become gray-haired, then they become old and senile, so that they may know that they were created for another world that is not transient and will not pass away, and from which there is no way out, which is the Hereafter.Allah does not teach His Messenger Poetryوَمَا عَلَّمْنَـهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ(And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it suitable for him.) Allah tells us that He has not taught His Prophet Muhammad poetry.وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ(nor is it suitable for him.) means, he did not know how to compose it, he did not like it and he had no natural inclination towards it. It was narrated that he never memorized a stanza of poetry with the correct meter or rhyme -- he would transpose words or memorize it incompletely. In Ad-Dala'il, Al-Bayhaqi recorded that the Messenger of Allah said to Al-`Abbas bin Mirdas As-Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him:«أَنْتَ الْقَائِلُ: أَتَجْعَلُ نَهْبِي وَنَهْبَ الْعُبَيدِ بَيْنَ الْأَقْرَعِ وَعُيَيْنَة»(You are the one who said: "Do you distribute my booty and the booty of the servants between Al-Aqra` and `Uyainah.") He said, "It is `Uyainah and Al-Aqra`." He said:«الْكُلُّ سَوَاء»(It is all the same.) i.e., it means the same thing. And Allah knows best. This is because Allah taught him the Qur'an, whichلاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ (Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it; sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42). This is not poetry, as some of the ignorant disbelievers of the Quraysh claimed; neither is it sorcery, a fabrication or a magic spell, as the misguided and ignorant people variously suggested. The Prophet was naturally disinclined to compose verse, and was forbidden to do so by Divine Law.إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ(This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an.) means, it is clear and self-explanatory to the one who ponders and comprehends its meanings, Allah says:لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً(That he or it may give warning to him who is living,) meaning, so that this plain Qur'an might warn every living person on the face of the earth. This is like the Ayat:لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ(that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach) (6:19).وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) (11:17). Those who will benefit from his warning will be those whose hearts are alive and who have enlightened insight, as Qatadah said, "Alive of heart and alive of insight." Ad-Dahhak said, "This means wise."وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ(and that Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) means, it is a mercy to the believers and evidence against the disbelievers.