15. Al-Hijr

those who have reduced the Recitation, namely, those scriptures revealed to them, to parts, believing in some and disbelieving in others. It is [alternatively] said that the individuals meant here were those who ‘divided up’ among themselves the roads to Mecca, barring people from Islam. Some of them said that the Qur’ān was sorcery, some that it was soothsaying, and others that it was poetry.

By your Lord, We shall question them all — a questioning involving rebuke —

about what they used to do.

So proclaim, O Muhammad (s), what you have been commanded, to [proclaim], in other words, declare it openly and carry it out, and turn away from the idolaters — this was [revealed] before the command to struggle [against the idolaters].

Indeed We have sufficed you against the mockers, [who mocked] you, by Our having destroyed each one of them through some harm, and these were: al-Walīd b. al-Mughīra, al-‘Āsī b. Wā’il, ‘Udayy b. Qays, al-Aswad b. al-Muttalib and al-Aswad b. ‘Abd Yaghūth,

those [mockers] who set up besides God another god: (this [entire clause] is an adjectival qualification; but it is also said to be the subject, and because there is an implicit conditional meaning [in the above-mentioned clause], the [particle] fā’ has been inserted into the predicate, which is [the following]) soon they will know, the sequel of their affair.

And verily (wa-laqad is for confirmation) We know that your breast is [at times] oppressed by what they say, in the way of mockery and denial.

So glorify, intimately [repeating], the praise of your Lord, in other words, say subhāna’Llāhi wa-bi-hamdihi — and be of those who prostrate themselves, those who pray;

and worship your Lord until Certainty — Death — comes to you.