Surah Al-Qalam
Chapter 68 · Verse 32 · Revealed in Makkah
“Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
A Parable of the Removal of the Earnings of the Disbelievers
This is a parable that Allah made of the behavior of the Quraysh disbelievers with the great mercy, and tremendous favors He granted them. The mercy and favor of sending of Muhammad ﷺ to them. But they met him with denial, rejection and opposition. Therefore Allah says,
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـهُمْ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ ( [ and at last ] they said, "Woe to us! In fact, we [ all ] were outrageous....68:31). At the beginning, they accused one another of the sin. Then when they considered the matter carefully, they admitted that they were all on the wrong. As a result, they lamented and admitted their guilt that amounted to repentance. On the basis of this repentance they hoped that Allah will give them in exchange a garden better than the one destroyed.
Imam Baghawi reports from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ that, according to his information, when these brothers repented truly, Allah blessed them with a better vineyard that bore such large bunches of grapes that a single bunch could be loaded on a mule. [ Mazhari ].
What does this verse bring up for you today?