What does “Islam” mean? The word الإسلام [Islam] is an infinitive word derived from س ل م [silm] root in if‘al pattern and used as noun and infinitive. The word silm means “release/keeping away; and to be distant from fear, doubt, trouble, lack of peace, unhappiness, fight, war, pain, suffering, material and spiritual inconveniences, weakness and decaying, and all the negativities.” This word is also the root of salim, selam, teslim, Islam etc. The word’s “Islam” form means “strengthening” [removal from problems, worries, fear, unhappiness, fights, wars, and similar negative things]. Hence, the religion Islam means the “the religion that strengthens humans [entire range of principles that protects and secures people by putting a distance between them and problems, worries, war, weakness, spiritual illness, unhappiness, and similar things].”

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SURAH AL-AHQAF (THE SAND DUNES)
MECCAN PERIOD
Division: 275
1Ha/8, Mim/40.276
2Revelation of this Scripture is from Allah, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the
Most Honorable, the Invincible/the Subduer, the Best Law-Maker and the One Who
precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible.
3We created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between only with the
“Truth” and for a “predetermined term”. Those infidels; those who consciously deny
the Divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer,
the Sustainer] are those who turn away from what they are warned about/from being
warned.
4Say: “Have you ever seen/thought about those subordinates of Allah which
upon whom you called? Show me what they have created on the Earth. Or do they
have partnership in the Heavens? If you are righteous, bring me the trace of a
scripture or a knowledge before the Qur’an”.
5And who else can be more in perversion than those who invoke the
subordinates of Allah which will never answer their prayers until the Day of Qiyamat
[Resurrection]? And those whom they invoke are even not aware of their calls.
6When all people are gathered, those whom they used to invoke will become
their enemies. And they shall refuse their worship.
7And when Our Ayat were recited to them, the infidels; those who consciously
deny the Divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the
Nurturer, the Sustainer] said: “This is clearly sorcery”.
8Or they say: “Muhammad has fabricated the Qur’an”. Say: “If I have
fabricated it, you will not be able to protect me from Allah; you cannot punish me as
Allah can. He knows better into what you will be thrown. His testimony is sufficient
between you and me. And He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful”.
9Say: “I am not the first of the messengers. And I do not know what will be
done to me and you. I only follow what I have been revealed. And I clearly am a
warner”.
10Say: “Have you ever thought? If the Qur’an was from Allah and you
consciously denied it, and a witness from among Israelites testified for and believed

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in something similar and you acted arrogantly … Surely, Allah does not guide a
people who do wrong by associating others with Allah; who act against their own
good”.
11And the infidels; those who consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the
fact that He is Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] said for those
who believe: “If it had been good, a benefit, they would not have preceded us; first
we would have been Muslims and got the benefit”. And when they do not follow the
righteous path that they are guided, they shall say: “This is an invention of the
ancients”.
12As a guide and mercy, there was the Scripture of Moses before the Qur’an.
This is the Scripture in Arabic/with the most perfect narration style that has been
revealed to warn those who do wrong by associating others with Allah; who act
against their own good and to give good tidings to those who do good deeds.
(66/46; Al-Ahqaf/1-12)
Division: 276
13Surely, there will be no fear for those who say, “Our Rabb [Lord, the
Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] is Allah” and who are righteous, and they
shall not be sad.
14For they are the Companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]. They shall stay
there eternally for the good deeds they do.
15And We have enjoined upon man as a liability, good treatment to his mother
and father. His mother carried him with hardship and delivered/gave birth to him
with hardship. And thirty months was his gestation and weaning. And when man
reaches maturity and turns forty, he said: “O my Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the
Nurturer, the Sustainer]! Make me repay my gratitude for what Your blessings You
have bestowed upon me and my parents and make me do good deeds that would
satisfy You. Correct my lineage/bestow upon me righteous successors. Surely, I have
turned to you. And surely, I am among the Muslims”.
16Those who have become wise and aware are the ones deeds of whom We will
accept for full recompense of their deeds by Allah as they have been promised
without being treated unjustly and whom We will protect as the Companions of
Jannah [Heavens/Paradise].
17And the one who says his parents: “Fie upon you! Are you threatening me to
be resurrected/arising from dead while many generations before me have passed
away? … And his parents call upon Allah, saying: “O woe to you! Do believe for the

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promise of Allah is the Truth”. Then he says: “This Qur’an is nothing but invention
of the ancients”.
18And the children, who conflict with their parents in terms of faith and do not
believe in Akhirat [Afterlife] are the ones among all people with a leader from all
communities, known or unknown277, who have passed, against whom the Word278
has become the Truth. Surely, they were the ones who lost/suffered.
19And there are various ranks for everyone for the deeds they have done. –And
these are for the full recompense of their deeds by Allah without being treated
unjustly.-
20And the infidels; those who consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the
fact that He is Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer]; on the day
when they shall be exposed to the Fire, it will be said: “You quenched your desires in
your transitory worldly lives, enjoyed them, yet today you will be recompensed with
a humiliating punishment for your arrogance on the Earth and for you have been
straying from the righteous path!”.
(66/46; Al-Ahwaf/13-20)
Division: 277
21And remember Hud, brother of Ad! When he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf.
–Surely there passed other warned before him and after him who said: “Never
worship anyone but Allah. Surely, I fear for you the punishment of a great day”.-
22They said: “Have you come to us to avert us from our idols? If you are
righteous, bring the punishment with which you have been threatening us right now”.
23Hud, brother of Ad, said: “Indeed, the knowledge about when the punishment
will come is only with Allah. I only convey what I have been revealed. But I see you
as an ignorant people”.
24,25And when they saw it as a wide cloud setting upon their valley, they said:
“Aha! This is a cloud that will bring us rain!”. Nay, quite contrary, it is that for
which you have been impatient; the wind that devastates upon will of your Rabb
[Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer], that bring a painful punishment
within it… And eventually they became so devastated that nothing could be seen but
their homes. Thus We punish such people of sinners.
26And surely, We exalted them in that which We have not exalted you; We
bestowed them such opportunities that We have not granted you. And We have given
them hearing, sight and feelings as well. But their hearing, sight and feelings did not

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avail them/could not avert them from nothing. Because they consciously denied the
Ayat of Allah. Then that which they were ridiculing surrounded them.
27,28Surely, We manipulated/destroyed many nations that were your neighbors.
We expounded them Our Ayat over and over again so they might return. Then,
should those subordinates of Allah whom they worshipped for their alleged closeness
to Allah have helped them to subdue their suffering? Quite contrary, those fake gods
abandoned them and perished. That was their lies/inventions.
(66/46; Al-Ahqaf/21-28)
Division: 278
29Remember when We led to you a group of people who wished to heed to the
Qur’an. When they were ready for the Qur’an, they said: Be quiet!”. And when they
were recited the Qur’an, they returned to their people as warners.
30-32They said: “O our people! We surely have been recited a Scripture that was
revealed after Moses and only confirms its contents, guides to the Truth and a
straight path. O our people! Respond to the Inviter of Allah and believe in Him so
Allah may forgive your sins and spare you from a painful punishment. Whoever fails
to respond to the Inviter of Allah should know that he is not capable of defeating
Allah on the Earth. And there are no helpers, guides, guardians for him from among
those subordinates of Allah. They are in a blatant perversion”.
(66/46; Al-Ahqaf/29-32)
Division: 279
33Have they not seen/thought that Allah, the One Who created the Heavens and
the Earth and did not weary when creating them, is capable of resurrecting the dead?
Yes, He surely is Omnipotent.
34The infidels; those who consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the fact
that He is Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] will be asked on
the day when they shall be thrown into the Fire: “Is it not real?”. And they shall
answer: “Yes; it is real. We swear by our Rabb [Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer,
the Sustainer]!”. And Allah will say: “Then taste the punishment for you have been
consciously denying/disbelieving!”.
(66/46; Al-Ahqaf/33-34)
Division: 280

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35Then have patience as did those messengers before you who had strong will!
Do not haste for them. When they see what they are promised, they shall feel like
they have been in the world for such a short time as an hour of a day. This is a
declaration. No one but those who go astray from the righteous path will be
manipulated/destroyed!
(66/46; Al-Ahqaf/35)
276 See Footnote No. 8
277 See Footnote No. 49
278 See Footnote No. 77