The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 760
CHAPTER 37 AŞ-ŞAFFĀT (Revealed before Hijrah) Title and Place of Revelation Baihaqi and Ibn Mardawaih report Ibn 'Abbās as saying that the Surah was revealed at Mecca. According to Qurtubi the consensus of scholarly opinion regards the Surah as of Meccan origin, having been revealed very early in the Holy Prophet's ministry. Its style and subject matter also support this view. The Surah takes its title from the opening words of the second verse. Connection with the Preceding Sūrah In the preceding Surah, the Holy Prophet was called "the Perfect Leader" who was given the Quran as an infallible guide for the whole of humanity till the end of time. In the beginning of the present Surah, we are told that this "Perfect Leader" will, with the help of the Quran and his own noble example, succeed in bringing into being a community of righteous men, who by their words and deeds will bear witness to the Unity of God and, by their indefatigable endeavours and noble conduct, will preach and establish that doctrine in Arabia and will carry the light of Islam to the ends of the earth. They will count no sacrifice too great to establish God's glory and praises in the world. Subject Matter The Surah opens with a firm Divine declaration that under the fostering care of the Holy Prophet "the Perfect Leader"—a community of noble and righteous men will be born who will not only glorify God and sing His praises themselves—so much so that the sandy wilderness of Arabia will reverberate with them—but by precept and example prevent others also from idol worship and evil practices, till the Unity of God will become firmly established in Arabia and from there the light of Islam will spread to the ends of the earth. The Surah then proceeds to say that whenever there comes a Prophet of God in the world the forces of darkness seek to obstruct the spread of the message of truth by misrepresenting and misinterpreting it or by misquoting the Prophet and tearing a passage out of his revelation and mixing much falsehood with it. But they completely fail in their evil designs, and truth continues to make progress. The Surah further says that when disbelievers are told that the teachings of the Quran will bring about a great change in Arabia and the spiritually dead Arabs will not only receive a new life but having 2674