English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The reason for these verses was that a blind believing man came to the Prophet ﷺ asking and seeking to learn from him, while a rich man also came. The Prophet ﷺ was eager to guide people, so he turned toward the rich man and away from the poor blind man, hoping for the rich man’s guidance; Allah gently reproached him.

He frowned in his face and turned away with his body.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

This happened because the blind man came to him.

The blind believer came seeking knowledge and guidance.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah said: what would make you know? Perhaps the blind man would purify himself from bad manners and adorn himself with good manners.

He may purify himself from blameworthy traits.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Or perhaps he would remember what benefits him, so the reminder would benefit him by acting upon it.

The reminder benefits the one who accepts and acts upon it.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

As for the one who felt no need and was not eager for good, you gave him attention.

The one who considered himself self-sufficient and was not seeking guidance.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

You turned toward him and gave him attention, hoping he would be guided.

To face and attend to someone.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Yet you are not responsible if he does not purify himself; you are only required to convey clearly.

The Prophet ﷺ was not accountable for that person’s refusal to purify himself.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

But the one who came to you striving and seeking good should have been met with attention.

He came eagerly, seeking what would benefit him.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He came while fearing Allah.

Fear of Allah made him seek guidance.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Yet you were distracted from him by another.

He was overlooked while another was being addressed.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Truly, this admonition is a reminder from Allah. He reminds His servants by it and clarifies in His Book what they need, distinguishing guidance from misguidance.

This Qur’anic admonition is a reminder from Allah.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Whoever wills may remember it, take guidance from it, and follow its instruction.

Whoever seeks benefit may take this reminder.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

This reminder is in honored scriptures.

The scriptures containing this reminder are honored.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They are elevated in rank and purified from defects and from the touch of devils.

Elevated and purified scriptures.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They are in the hands of angelic scribes who are messengers between Allah and His servants.

Scribes entrusted with Allah’s revelation.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Those scribes are noble in character and righteous in deeds.

Noble and obedient angels.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Man is rebuked for his disbelief in Allah’s blessing and his severe opposition to the truth after it has become clear to him.

How great his ingratitude is to Allah’s blessing.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah reminds man of his origin: from what thing did He create him?

A reminder of man’s humble beginning.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah created him from a humble fluid, then proportioned his creation, formed him as a complete human, and perfected his outward and inward faculties.

His beginning was from a lowly drop.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then Allah made the path easy for him: He clarified the path of religion, tested him with commands and prohibitions, and made worldly means easy for him.

Allah made the path clear and accessible.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then Allah caused him to die and honored him with burial, not leaving him like the carcasses of animals upon the earth.

Burial is an honor Allah gave to the human being.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then, when Allah wills, He will resurrect him after death for recompense. Allah alone manages the human being through all these stages.

He will raise him again after death.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Yet, despite this, man has not fulfilled what Allah commanded him; he remains deficient in carrying out Allah’s command.

What Allah commanded him to do.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then Allah directed man to look and reflect upon his food, how it reached him after many stages, and how Allah made it easy for him.

Let him reflect upon how his food is brought to him.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah poured down water from the clouds in abundance.

Allah sent down the rain in great measure.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then Allah split the earth open for vegetation.

The earth is opened so plants may emerge.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah caused grain of all kinds to grow in the earth.

This includes the different kinds of grain.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah caused grapes and qaḍb to grow; Al-Sa‘di explains qaḍb as fodder.

Al-Sa‘di explains it as fodder.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah caused olives and date-palms to grow, mentioning them because of their many benefits and uses.

They are singled out for their abundant benefits.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah caused gardens with many thick, intertwined trees to grow.

Gardens filled with dense trees.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah caused fruits that people enjoy, and abb, which is herbage for grazing animals, to grow.

Fruit for people and herbage for animals.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

All these are provisions and benefit for people and for their livestock. Reflecting on them should lead to gratitude, repentance, obedience, and belief in Allah’s reports.

Allah made these blessings useful for people and animals.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

When the cry of the Resurrection comes, it will deafen the ears because of its terror and unsettle hearts because of the horrors people see and their severe need for past deeds.

The tremendous cry of the Day of Resurrection.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

On that Day, a person will flee from the dearest and most compassionate people toward him, including his brother.

The terror of that Day makes each person flee from others.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He will flee even from his mother and father, though they are among the closest people to him.

Even the closest family ties will not occupy him then.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He will flee from his wife and children, because every person will be occupied with his own affair.

Even spouse and children will not distract him from his own state.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Every person that Day will have a matter that occupies him and diverts him from others; he will only be concerned with saving himself.

Each person’s own affair will be enough to occupy him.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

As for the blessed, their faces on that Day will be bright, showing joy and delight because they know of their salvation and success in bliss.

Faces bright with the joy of salvation.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

They will be laughing and rejoicing because of the glad tidings they have received.

Their gladness appears openly on their faces.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

As for the wretched, their faces on that Day will have dust upon them.

Dust will cover the faces of the wretched.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Dark gloom will cover them; they will be darkened because they have despaired of every good and know their misery and destruction.

A dark gloom covering them.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Those are the disbelieving wicked ones: they disbelieved in Allah’s blessing, denied Allah’s signs, and dared to violate His prohibitions.

They combined disbelief with sinful rebellion.

Summary of the Meanings:

Allah gently reproached His Prophet ﷺ for turning from the blind believer who came seeking guidance, while attention was given to one who felt no need.

This Qur’an is a reminder from Allah, in honored, elevated, purified scriptures carried by noble righteous angels.

Man is reminded of his origin, his death and resurrection, and is directed to reflect on food and the blessings Allah brings from the earth.

When the great cry of Resurrection comes, each person will be occupied with himself; the blessed will have bright joyful faces, while the disbelieving wicked will have darkened faces.