This brief section is mostly a description, in conversational form, of Judgment Day. The identity of the group being depicted changes abruptly from a group of Muslims in the preceding verse to a non-Muslim group. The Judgment-Day is depicted as a day in which jinn as well as humans will be judged. The jinn are chastened for misleading people, and their followers acknowledge their error, too late.
Verse 128 has an interesting phrase: the text says that evildoers will dwell in the Fire forever "except as Allah may will." Possibly this was added to give hope to Muslims who had close family-members among the Meccan unbelievers. There is not unanimous agreement among Islamic interpreters about what it means; some think that it means that some Muslims who were lukewarm will be assigned to the fire, in order to provoke repentance, at which point they will be forgiven. Others think that it refers to a temporary transfer of location within hell, from the fire to the drink of boiling water or to some ultra-frigid region. Or, inasmuch as the Quran presents Solomon as one who did not disbelieve and yet also as one who employed jinn, this phrase may have been added in anticipation that someone might ask about him.
Verse 129 mentions that Allah makes the the Zalimun (heathen) be one anothers Auliya (i.e., Allah causes them to help each other sin). The term "Auliya" usually means "helpers" or "guardians" but here it may have a nuance suggestive of the idea that some unbelieving humans worshiped unbelieving jinn. (This nuance is suggested in parallel passages such as 42:8-9.) For more about Islamic expectations regarding ones human Auliya from an Islamic site based in Florida, USA see the article at muttaqun.com/auliya.html .
The jinn and men are told in v. 130 that they are without excuse, inasmuch as Messengers from Allah were sent to them, and they did not listen. Verse 131 states that Allah does not impose retribution until He has sent Messengers to the target-people. The idea here is that without the trumpet-call of a prophet to sound the alarm, the people would plead that they were ignorant of Allahs commands.
Punishment, according to v. 132, will be custom-fit to each according to deeds. Then the depiction of Judgment Day abruptly stops and the text re-addressed the Meccans in v. 133, warning them that they can be replaced (as previously intimated in 6:89).
The tone of v. 135 is finely balanced between resignation and determination. The Meccans -- or, the Qureish ("My people") - are told to do their best (or, one could say, their worst), and Muhammad resolves to do his best to continue his work, and let things be sorted out on Judgment Day.
Almost all of the teachings in this section are conveyed elsewhere in the Quran, bit by bit. Here are some citations for comparison:
v. 128 ~ 45:10
v. 129 ~ 42:8-9
v. 130 ~ 7:37-38, 39:71
v. 131 ~ 17:15, 26:208
v. 132 ~ 46:19
v. 133 ~ 6:89
v. 134 ~ 46:32, 72:12
v. 135 ~ 35:39-40.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
Verse 128 has an interesting phrase: the text says that evildoers will dwell in the Fire forever "except as Allah may will." Possibly this was added to give hope to Muslims who had close family-members among the Meccan unbelievers. There is not unanimous agreement among Islamic interpreters about what it means; some think that it means that some Muslims who were lukewarm will be assigned to the fire, in order to provoke repentance, at which point they will be forgiven. Others think that it refers to a temporary transfer of location within hell, from the fire to the drink of boiling water or to some ultra-frigid region. Or, inasmuch as the Quran presents Solomon as one who did not disbelieve and yet also as one who employed jinn, this phrase may have been added in anticipation that someone might ask about him.
Verse 129 mentions that Allah makes the the Zalimun (heathen) be one anothers Auliya (i.e., Allah causes them to help each other sin). The term "Auliya" usually means "helpers" or "guardians" but here it may have a nuance suggestive of the idea that some unbelieving humans worshiped unbelieving jinn. (This nuance is suggested in parallel passages such as 42:8-9.) For more about Islamic expectations regarding ones human Auliya from an Islamic site based in Florida, USA see the article at muttaqun.com/auliya.html .
The jinn and men are told in v. 130 that they are without excuse, inasmuch as Messengers from Allah were sent to them, and they did not listen. Verse 131 states that Allah does not impose retribution until He has sent Messengers to the target-people. The idea here is that without the trumpet-call of a prophet to sound the alarm, the people would plead that they were ignorant of Allahs commands.
Punishment, according to v. 132, will be custom-fit to each according to deeds. Then the depiction of Judgment Day abruptly stops and the text re-addressed the Meccans in v. 133, warning them that they can be replaced (as previously intimated in 6:89).
The tone of v. 135 is finely balanced between resignation and determination. The Meccans -- or, the Qureish ("My people") - are told to do their best (or, one could say, their worst), and Muhammad resolves to do his best to continue his work, and let things be sorted out on Judgment Day.
Almost all of the teachings in this section are conveyed elsewhere in the Quran, bit by bit. Here are some citations for comparison:
v. 128 ~ 45:10
v. 129 ~ 42:8-9
v. 130 ~ 7:37-38, 39:71
v. 131 ~ 17:15, 26:208
v. 132 ~ 46:19
v. 133 ~ 6:89
v. 134 ~ 46:32, 72:12
v. 135 ~ 35:39-40.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
