Surah Al-Qalam — Verse 28

Word Meanings:

• أَوْسَطُهُمْ (Awsaṭuhum): The most just, the best among them, or the one with the most balanced judgment.
• لَوْلَا (Lawlā): Here it means "why not" or "if only" — a gentle prompting or admonition.
• تُسَبِّحُونَ (Tusabbiḥūn): Literally "glorify" — but in this context, it means to obey Allah, to remember Him, to seek His forgiveness, and to acknowledge His greatness by submitting to His commands.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this noble verse, Allah tells us about the reaction of the people of the garden — a group of wealthy farmers who had decided, out of greed, to harvest their fruits at dawn secretly, so that no poor or needy person could share in their bounty. But Allah’s decree overtook them: a fire from their Lord consumed their garden overnight, leaving it like a dark, barren plain.

When they arrived at dawn and saw their garden destroyed, they were shocked and confused. At first, they thought they had taken the wrong path. But when they realized it was indeed their garden, they cried out, "We are deprived!" — meaning, we have lost everything because of our evil intention.

Then, the most just and wisest among them — the one who had previously advised them to remember Allah and to say "If Allah wills" (In shaa’ Allah) — reminded them, saying: "Did I not say to you: why do you not glorify Allah?" In other words: Did I not tell you to submit to Allah, to obey Him, to remember Him, and to seek His forgiveness? Did I not urge you to acknowledge Allah’s greatness and to include Him in your plans by saying "If Allah wills"? Had you done so, you would have been saved from this calamity, and your hearts would have been purified from the greed that led to your ruin.

This gentle rebuke was not meant to mock them, but to awaken their hearts. And indeed, it worked — for they immediately turned back to Allah in repentance, acknowledging their wrongdoing and seeking His mercy.

A Call to Reflection and Action:

Dear reader, this verse carries a profound lesson for every one of us. How often do we plan our lives, our businesses, our studies, and our daily affairs without remembering Allah? How often do we rely solely on our own strength and forget that all blessings come from Him?

The word "tusabbiḥūn" (glorify) here is not just about saying "SubhanAllah" — it is about a complete state of awareness: to live in constant remembrance of Allah, to submit to His will, to be grateful for His blessings, and to share them with others as He commands.

When we glorify Allah, we acknowledge that He is the Owner of everything, and we are merely trustees. This humility protects us from arrogance, greed, and selfishness. It opens our hearts to compassion, generosity, and contentment.

Imagine if those farmers had glorified Allah — they would have said "In shaa’ Allah" when planning, they would have remembered the poor, and they would have been blessed. Instead, their greed led to their loss in this world, and had they not repented, the loss of the Hereafter would have been far greater.

So, let this verse be a beautiful reminder for you: In every matter, big or small, begin with the name of Allah, include Him in your plans, and let your heart be filled with His remembrance. For when you glorify Allah, He elevates you, protects you, and blesses you beyond what you can imagine.

And know that the door of repentance is always open. No matter how far you have strayed, Allah’s mercy is greater than your sins. Turn to Him now, and let your tongue and heart be busy with His praise — for that is the key to peace in this life and success in the next.