Tafseer of Sheba · Saba · 34:18
And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey, [saying], "Travel between them by night or day in safety."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The exegesis of the word of the Exalted: وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ (18) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed [other] visible towns, and We measured out the journey between them: travel through them by night and day in safety (18)
He, exalted is His mention, says, while informing of His favor which He had bestowed upon this people who had wronged themselves: and We placed between their land and the towns which We had blessed — and that is Syria (al-Shām) — visible towns.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word ( الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ) the towns which We had blessed, he said: Syria.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: ( وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed, that is to say: Syria.
ʿAlī ibn Sahl related to me, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ) the towns which We had blessed, he said: Syria.
And it was said: by the towns which were blessed, Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) is meant.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: ( وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً ) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed visible towns, he said: the land which We have blessed is the Holy Land.
And His word (قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً) visible towns, that is to say: contiguous towns, and they are Arab towns.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Yaʿqūb related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Abī Rajāʾ, saying: I heard al-Ḥasan concerning His word ( وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً ) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed visible towns, he said: contiguous towns. He said: one of them would set out in the morning and take his midday rest in a town, and return in the late afternoon and lodge in another town. He said: and the woman would place her basket upon her head, and then busy herself with her distaff, and she would not reach her house until it was already filled with all kinds of fruits.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً) visible towns, that is to say: contiguous.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word (قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً) visible towns, that is to say: Arab towns between Medina and Syria.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to me, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word (قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً) visible towns, he said: the mountain ranges (al-Sarawāt).
It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, saying: I heard Abā Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His word (قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً) visible towns, that is to say: Arab towns, and they lie between Medina and Syria.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word ( وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً ) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed visible towns, he said: between their town and the towns of Syria lay visible towns. He said: the woman would indeed set out with her distaff in her hand and her basket upon her head; she would return from one town and set out again, and lodge overnight in a town, without carrying provisions or water, because of what lay between her and Syria (of towns).
And His word (وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ) and We measured out the journey between them — He, exalted is His mention, says: and We placed between their towns and the towns which We had blessed a measured journey, from halting-place to halting-place and from town to town; they would lodge only in a town and set out only from a town.
And His word (سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ) travel through them by night and day in safety — He says: and We said to them: travel in these towns, which lie between your towns and the towns which We had blessed, by night and day in safety, without your having to fear hunger or thirst, nor injustice from anyone.
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: ( سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ ) travel through them by night and day in safety, without fearing injustice or hunger. They would set out only in the morning and take their midday rest, and return in the late afternoon and lodge overnight in a town possessing a garden and a river, until it was even related to us that the woman would place her basket upon her head and busy herself with her hand, and her basket would be filled with fruits before she returned to her family, without her plucking anything; and the man would travel without carrying provisions or a waterskin, because of what was spread out for the people.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word (وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ) and days in safety, he said: therein was no fear.
