The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 300
CH. 68 PT. 29 (AL-QALAM) 1. "In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. ٥٣ ركوعاتها ٢ سُورة الْقَلَمِ مَكِّيَّةُ ٦٨ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ نَ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ مَا أَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ 8 وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ 2. By the inkstand and by the pen and by that which they write,4308 3. Thou art not, by the grace of thy Lord, a madman. b4309 4. And for thee, most surely, there is an unending reward. 4310 4308. Important Words: as "See 1:1. 34:47; 52:30. (by), means, I swear; I cite witness or evidence. For the philosophy and significance of Quranic oaths, see 37:2; 51:2 & 91:2. Commentary: In this verse the inkstand, the pen and all the written material is cited as evidence to support and substantiate the statement made in the next three verses. 4309. Commentary: The verse means that by whatever test of knowledge and learning the claim of the Holy Prophet is examined, he will be found to be not a maniac, as the disbelievers say, but the sanest and the wisest of men. It further says that all other Divine Messengers were also stigmatised as lunatics because, in view of very heavy odds against them and of their own helpless weak position, their claim that despite the great power, prestige and resources of their opponents they would succeed and their enemies would fail, appeared to the latter to be nothing better than the ravings of a madman. The next verse gives the reason why this charge is not only unfounded but also foolish and fantastic. 4310. Commentary: This verse, along with the next, exposes the absurdity of the charge of madness. It purports to say that the actions of a madman produce no useful result, but that the Holy Prophet will eminently succeed in fulfilling the object of his Divine mission and in bringing about a wonderful revolution in the lives of his degenerate people. And this revolution will not end with his death. On the contrary, whenever in future his followers will deviate from the path of rectitude, God will raise among them Reformers who will regenerate them and will infuse in them a new life. And this process will continue till the end of time. This is 3196