Al-Kahf (51-60) Tafsir

51

۞ مَّآ أَشۡہَدتُّہُمۡ خَلۡقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا خَلۡقَ أَنفُسِہِمۡ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدً۬ا

I did not make them witness to the creation of the heavens and the earth or to the creation of themselves, and I would not have taken the misguides as assistants.

Tafsir

The Story of Adam and Iblis

Allah points out to the Children of Adam the enmity of Iblis towards them and their father before them, and rebukes those who follow him and go against their Creator and Master. It is He who created them from nothing and sustains and nourishes them by His kindness, yet they still took Iblis as their friend and declared their enmity towards Allah. So Allah says:

﴿ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ﴾

(And (remember) when We said to the angels), meaning all the angels, as was mentioned in the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah.

﴿ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ ﴾

(Prostrate yourselves unto Adam) a prostration of respect and honour, as Allah says:

﴿ وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقُۢ بَشَرً۬ا مِّن صَلۡصَـٰلٍ۬ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬ • فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُ ۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُواْ لَهُ ۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ ﴾

(And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going to create a human (Adam) from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. So, when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him the soul which I created for him, then fall (you) down prostrating yourselves unto him.) (15:28-29)

﴿ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ ﴾

(So they prostrated themselves except Iblis. He was one of the Jinn;) meaning, his original nature betrayed him. He had been created from smokeless fire, whereas the angels had been created from light, as is stated in Sahih Muslim where it is reported that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

« خُلِقَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ نُورٍ، وَخُلِقَ إِبْلِيسُ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَخُلِقَ آدَمُ مِمَّا وُصِفَ لَكُم »

(The angels were created from light, Iblis was created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.) When matters are crucial, every vessel leaks that which it contains and is betrayed by its true nature. Iblis used to do what the angels did and resembled them in their devotion and worship, so he was included when they were addressed, but he disobeyed and went against what he was told to do. So Allah points out here that he was one of the Jinn, i.e., he was created from fire, as He says elsewhere:

﴿ أَنَا۟ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡهُ‌ۖ خَلَقۡتَنِى مِن نَّارٍ۬ وَخَلَقۡتَهُ ۥ مِن طِينٍ۬ ﴾

(I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.) (38:76) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Iblis was not one of the angels, not even for a second. He was the origin of the Jinn just as Adam, upon him be peace, was the origin of mankind.'' This was narrated by Ibn Jarir with a Sahih chain.

﴿ فَفَسَقَ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِۦۤ‌ۗ ﴾

(he disobeyed the command of his Lord. ) meaning by stepping beyond the bounds of obedience to Allah. Fisq (disobeying) implies going out or stepping beyond. When the date emerges from its flower, the verb used in Arabic is Fasaqat; the same verb is used to describe a mouse coming out of its hole when it comes out to do damage. Then Allah says, rebuking those who follow and obey Iblis:

﴿ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ ۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ ۥۤ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى ﴾

(Will you then take him and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me) meaning, instead of Me. This is why Allah says:

﴿ بِئۡسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلاً۬ ﴾

(What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers.) This is like the Ayah in Surah Ya Sin where, after mentioning the Resurrection and its terrors, and the ultimate end of the blessed and the doomed, Allah then says:

﴿ وَٱمۡتَـٰزُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَيُّہَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ﴾

((It will be said): "And O you the criminals! Get you apart this Day (from the believers).) until;

﴿ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُونُواْ تَعۡقِلُونَ ﴾

(Did you not then understand))36:59-62(

﴿ مَّآ أَشۡہَدتُّہُمۡ خَلۡقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا خَلۡقَ أَنفُسِہِمۡ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدً۬ا ﴾

(51. They did not witness the creation of the heavens and the earth nor their own creation, nor did I take those who mislead as `Adudan.)

52

وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ نَادُواْ شُرَڪَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُم مَّوۡبِقً۬ا

And [warn of] the Day when He will say, "Call 'My partners' whom you claimed," and they will invoke them, but they will not respond to them. And We will put between them [a valley of] destruction.

Tafsir

The gods of the Idolators did not witness the Creation of anything, not even Themselves

Allah says: `These whom you take as helpers instead of Me are creatures just like you. They do not possess anything and did not witness the creation of heaven and earth, because they did not exist at that time.' Allah says, `I am the One Who independently and exclusively creates and controls all things, and I have no partner, associate or advisor in that.' As Allah says:

﴿ قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ لَا يَمۡلِڪُونَ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا لَهُمۡ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرۡكٍ۬ وَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِنۡہُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ۬ • وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ عِندَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۚ ۥ ﴾

(Say: "Call upon those you claim besides Allah, they possess not even a speck of dust in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any assistant among them. Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) )34:22-23) Similarly Allah says here:

﴿ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدً۬ا ﴾

(nor did I take those who mislead as `Adudan.) Malik said: "Assistants.''

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ نَادُواْ شُرَڪَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُم مَّوۡبِقً۬ا • وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّہُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا ﴾

(52. And (remember) the Day He will say: "Call those (so-called) partners of Mine whom you claimed.'' Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them, and We shall put Mawbiq between them.) (53. And the criminals shall see the Fire and apprehend that they are to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from it.)

53

وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّہُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا

And the criminals will see the Fire and will be certain that they are to fall therein. And they will not find from it a way elsewhere.

Tafsir

The gods of the Idolators did not witness the Creation of anything, not even Themselves

Allah says: `These whom you take as helpers instead of Me are creatures just like you. They do not possess anything and did not witness the creation of heaven and earth, because they did not exist at that time.' Allah says, `I am the One Who independently and exclusively creates and controls all things, and I have no partner, associate or advisor in that.' As Allah says:

﴿ قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ لَا يَمۡلِڪُونَ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا لَهُمۡ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرۡكٍ۬ وَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِنۡہُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ۬ • وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ عِندَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۚ ۥ ﴾

(Say: "Call upon those you claim besides Allah, they possess not even a speck of dust in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any assistant among them. Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) )34:22-23) Similarly Allah says here:

﴿ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدً۬ا ﴾

(nor did I take those who mislead as `Adudan.) Malik said: "Assistants.''

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ نَادُواْ شُرَڪَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُم مَّوۡبِقً۬ا • وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّہُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا ﴾

(52. And (remember) the Day He will say: "Call those (so-called) partners of Mine whom you claimed.'' Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them, and We shall put Mawbiq between them.) (53. And the criminals shall see the Fire and apprehend that they are to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from it.)

54

وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن ڪُلِّ مَثَلٍ۬‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ أَڪۡثَرَ شَىۡءٍ۬ جَدَلاً۬

And We have certainly diversified in this Qur’an for the people from every [kind of] example; but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute.

Tafsir

Their Partners are not able to respond and the Criminals are brought to the Fire

Allah tells us how He will address the idolaters on the Day of Resurrection before all of creation, rebuking and scolding them,

﴿ نَادُواْ شُرَڪَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ ﴾

(Call those (so-called) partners of Mine whom you claimed.) meaning, in the world. Call them today to save you from the situation you are in! Allah says:

﴿ وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُونَا فُرَٲدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ۬ وَتَرَكۡتُم مَّا خَوَّلۡنَـٰكُمۡ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِڪُمۡ‌ۖ وَمَا نَرَىٰ مَعَكُمۡ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ أَنَّہُمۡ فِيكُمۡ شُرَكَـٰٓؤُاْ‌ۚ لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنڪُم مَّا كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ ﴾

(And truly, you have come unto Us alone as We created you the first time. You have left what you were given behind your backs and We do see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed were your partners. Now all relations between you and them have been cut off, and all that you used to claim has vanished from you.) (6:94)

﴿ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ ﴾

(Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them.) As Allah says:

﴿ وَقِيلَ ٱدۡعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ ﴾

(And it will be said (to them): "Call upon those partners of yours,'' then they will call upon them, but they will not answer them.)(28: 64) And the Ayah:

﴿ وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدۡعُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَهُ ۥۤ ﴾

(And who is more astray than one who calls others besides Allah, such as will not answer him) )46:5( Until the end of the two Ayat;

﴿ وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً۬ لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمۡ عِزًّ۬ا ﴾

﴿ كَلَّا‌ۚ سَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِعِبَادَتِہِمۡ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ضِدًّا ﴾

(And they have taken gods besides Allah, that they may grant them honor. Nay, but they will deny their worship of them, and become opponents to them.) (19:81-82)

﴿ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُم مَّوۡبِقً۬ا ﴾

(and We shall put Mawbiq between them.) Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and others said: "Destruction.'' The meaning is that Allah is stating that these idolaters will have no way of reaching the gods they claimed in this world. He will separate them in the Hereafter and neither party will have any means of reaching the other. There will be devastation, great horrors and other terrible things in between them. `Abdullah bin `Amr understood the pronoun in the phrase "between them" to refer to the believers and the disbelievers, meaning that the people of guidance and the people of misguidance will be separated. This then is like the Ayat:

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ ﴾

(And on the Day when the Hour will be established -- that Day shall (all men) be separated.) )30:14(

﴿ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَصَّدَّعُونَ ﴾

(On that Day men shall be divided.) (30:43),

﴿ وَٱمۡتَـٰزُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَيُّہَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ﴾

((It will be said), "And O you the criminals! Get you apart this Day (from the believers).) (36:59)

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ نَحۡشُرُهُمۡ جَمِيعً۬ا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْ مَكَانَكُمۡ أَنتُمۡ وَشُرَكَآؤُكُمۡ‌ۚ فَزَيَّلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾

(And on the Day when We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who joined partners, "Stop in your place! You and your partners.'' Then We shall separate between them...) until,

﴿ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ ﴾

(And what they invented will vanish from them.) (10:28-30)

﴿ وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّہُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا ﴾

(And the criminals shall see the Fire and apprehend that they are to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from it.) meaning when they see Hell with their own eyes, since it is being dragged forth by seventy thousand reins, each pulled by seventy thousand angels. When,

﴿ وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ ﴾

(the criminals shall see the Fire), they will realize that they cannot escape being thrown into it, and that will only intensify their anxiety and distress, because the anticipation and fear of punishment is in itself a real punishment.

﴿ وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا ﴾

(And they will find no way of escape from it.) means, they will have no way of fleeing, it will be inevitable.

﴿ وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن ڪُلِّ مَثَلٍ۬‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ أَڪۡثَرَ شَىۡءٍ۬ جَدَلاً۬ ﴾

(54. And indeed We have given every kind of example in this Qur'an for mankind. But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.)

55

وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَہُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلاً۬

And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there [must] befall them the [accustomed] precedent of the former peoples or that the punishment should come [directly] before them.

Tafsir

Examples put forth in the Qur'an

Allah says, `In this Qur'an, We have explained to mankind and given clear details of matters so that they will not stray from the truth or be misled from the path of guidance. Despite this explanation, man is very quarrelsome and opposes truth with falsehood,' except for those whom Allah guides to the path of salvation. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said that the Messenger of Allah came to visit him and Fatimah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger at night, and said,

« أَلَا تُصَلِّيَانِ؟ »

(Are you not going to pray) I said, "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the Hand of Allah. If He wills to wake us, He will wake us.'' When I said that, he went away without returning. Then I heard him as he was walking away, slapping his thigh and saying,

﴿ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ أَڪۡثَرَ شَىۡءٍ۬ جَدَلاً۬ ﴾

(But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.)'' It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.

﴿ وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَہُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلاً۬ • وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ‌ۚ وَيُجَـٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ‌ۖ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُواْ هُزُوً۬ا ﴾

(55. And nothing prevents men from believing, while the guidance has come to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them, or the torment be brought to them face to face.) (56. And We send not the Messengers except as bearers of good news and warners. But those who disbelieve, argue with falsehood, in order to refute the truth thereby. And they take My Ayat and that which they are warned for jest!)

56

وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ‌ۚ وَيُجَـٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ‌ۖ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُواْ هُزُوً۬ا

And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve dispute by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth and have taken My verses, and that of which they are warned, in ridicule.

Tafsir

Examples put forth in the Qur'an

Allah says, `In this Qur'an, We have explained to mankind and given clear details of matters so that they will not stray from the truth or be misled from the path of guidance. Despite this explanation, man is very quarrelsome and opposes truth with falsehood,' except for those whom Allah guides to the path of salvation. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said that the Messenger of Allah came to visit him and Fatimah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger at night, and said,

« أَلَا تُصَلِّيَانِ؟ »

(Are you not going to pray) I said, "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the Hand of Allah. If He wills to wake us, He will wake us.'' When I said that, he went away without returning. Then I heard him as he was walking away, slapping his thigh and saying,

﴿ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ أَڪۡثَرَ شَىۡءٍ۬ جَدَلاً۬ ﴾

(But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.)'' It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.

﴿ وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَہُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلاً۬ • وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ‌ۚ وَيُجَـٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ‌ۖ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُواْ هُزُوً۬ا ﴾

(55. And nothing prevents men from believing, while the guidance has come to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them, or the torment be brought to them face to face.) (56. And We send not the Messengers except as bearers of good news and warners. But those who disbelieve, argue with falsehood, in order to refute the truth thereby. And they take My Ayat and that which they are warned for jest!)

57

وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۡہَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ‌ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ أَڪِنَّةً أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرً۬ا‌ۖ وَإِن تَدۡعُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَہۡتَدُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدً۬ا

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance – they will never be guided, then – ever.

Tafsir

The Rebellion of the Disbelievers

Allah tells us about the rebellion of the disbelievers in ancient times and in more recent times, and how they rejected the obvious truth even when they witnessed clear signs and proofs. Nothing stopped them from following the truth except their demand to witness with their own eyes the punishment which they were being warned about. As some of them said to their Prophet:

﴿ فَأَسۡقِطۡ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ ﴾

(So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!) )26:187(, Others said:

﴿ ٱئۡتِنَا بِعَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ إِن ڪُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ ﴾

(Bring Allah's torment upon us if you are one of the truthful.) (29:29) The Quraysh said:

﴿ ٱللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـٰذَا هُوَ ٱلۡحَقَّ مِنۡ عِندِكَ فَأَمۡطِرۡ عَلَيۡنَا حِجَارَةً۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَوِ ٱئۡتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ۬ ﴾

(O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring upon us a painful torment.) (8:32)

﴿ وَقَالُواْ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِى نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجۡنُونٌ۬ • لَّوۡ مَا تَأۡتِينَا بِٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ ﴾

(And they say: "O you to whom the Reminder has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad man! Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful'') (15:6-7). There are other Ayat referring to the same thing. Then Allah says:

﴿ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَہُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ﴾

(except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them,) meaning, their overwhelming punishment, destroying every last one of them.

﴿ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَہُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلاً۬ ﴾

(or the torment be brought to them face to face.) they see it with their own eyes, being directly confronted with it. Then Allah says:

﴿ وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ‌ۚ ﴾

(And We send not the Messengers except as bearers of good news and warners.) before the punishment they give good news to those who believe in them and follow them, and warnings to those who reject them and oppose them. Then Allah tells us about the disbelievers who argue:

﴿ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ‌ۖ ﴾

(with falsehood, in order to refute the truth thereby.) they try to weaken the truth that the Messengers brought, but they cannot achieve that.

﴿ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُواْ هُزُوً۬ا ﴾

(And they take My Ayat and that which they are warned for jest!) they take the proof, evidence and miracles sent with the Messengers to warn them, and make them fear the punishment;

﴿ هُزُوً۬ا ﴾

(as a jest and mockery) and they make fun of them, which is the worst type of disbelief.

﴿ وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۡہَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ‌ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ أَڪِنَّةً أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرً۬ا‌ۖ وَإِن تَدۡعُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَہۡتَدُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدً۬ا • وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ‌ۖ لَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا ڪَسَبُواْ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ‌ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوۡعِدٌ۬ لَّن يَجِدُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوۡٮِٕلاً۬ ﴾

﴿ وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهُمۡ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ وَجَعَلۡنَا لِمَهۡلِكِهِم مَّوۡعِدً۬ا ﴾

(57. And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (signs) of his Lord, but turns away from them, forgetting what his hands have sent forth. Truly, We have set over their hearts Akinnah, lest they should understand this (the Qur'an), and in their ears, deafness. And if you call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.) (58. And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.) (59. And these towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong. And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.)

58

وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ‌ۖ لَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا ڪَسَبُواْ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ‌ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوۡعِدٌ۬ لَّن يَجِدُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوۡٮِٕلاً۬

And your Lord is the Forgiving, full of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.