Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary (in progress)
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْ لَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا عَبَدۡنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَيۡءٖ نَّحۡنُ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمۡنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَيۡءٖۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ فَهَلۡ عَلَى ٱلرُّسُلِ إِلَّا ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ
[3278] This goes on to show how they used to endlessly argue with the Messenger of God (ﷺ) in order not to get at the Truth but rather to thwart his sincere arguments against their preposterously heathen ways (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr); yet making his mission all the more arduous.
[3279] They argue by citing predestination (al-qaḍā’ wa al-qadar), yet they were given the ability to choose the path to follow in life whilst being sent Messengers to show them the right path: “And pointed out to him ˹man˺ the two clear ways ˹of good and evil˺?” (90: 10); “We showed him the way, be he thankful or be he ardently Denying” (76: 3); “And by the soul and how He formed it; *And inspired it ˹with discernment of˺ its wickedness and its righteousness” (91: 7-8). Thus endowed, blaming their evil doings on God’s Will is nothing more than scapegoating, a weak ploy meant merely for the sake of arguing back. Al-Saʿdī explains: “With their saying this, they only intended to throw back the Truth that the Messenger came to them with, fully realizing the fallacy of their argument. Allah bade them and forbade them, made them able to carry out their duties, and gave them the ability and the will that drives their actions. Their citing of predestination stands for nothing for everyone knows through experience that a person has the ability over what he wants, without anyone holding him back!” “Those who Associate will say: “Had Allah wished, we would not have Associated, neither we nor our fathers; neither would we have prohibited anything!” Likewise the ones before them denied until they tasted Our affliction. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Do you have knowledge that you may produce for us? Indeed you only follow ˹mere˺ fancies, indeed they are only guessing”. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “The conclusive argument belongs to Allah; had He wished, He would have guided you all”. *Say: “Bring forth your witnesses who bear out that Allah prohibited this”. If they bear witness, then do not bear witness with them and do not follow the vain desires of those who rejected our Signs and those who do not Believe in the Hereafter while they set up ˹false˺ equals to their Lord” (6: 148-150).
[3280] The Messenger is not to bog himself down with such distracting arguments, which are laden with emotions, but to clearly deliver God’s Message (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ حَقَّتۡ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةُۚ فَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ
[3281] “Indeed, those who revert ˹to Denying˺ after guidance has become clear to them; Satan has tempted them, luring them with false hope!” (47: 25); “Say: “Shall I inform you who are the greatest losers in respect to their deeds? *Those whose efforts go astray in the worldly life, while they reckon that they are virtuous in their works. *It is they who Denied the Signs of their Lord and their meeting with Him, their deeds became void, so We will not give their deeds any weight on the Day of Judgement”” (18: 103-105); “A party ˹of you˺ He guides, and another party misguidedness is their rightful lot; they betook the devils as allies besides Allah and they think that they are guided!” (7: 30)
إِن تَحۡرِصۡ عَلَىٰ هُدَىٰهُمۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي مَن يُضِلُّۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ
[3282] This is to ascertain to the Messenger (ﷺ) the scope of his mission, “the clear delivery of the Message”, and that he should not be hard on himself in this regard (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān).
وَأَقۡسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ جَهۡدَ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ لَا يَبۡعَثُ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَمُوتُۚ بَلَىٰ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡهِ حَقّٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
[3283] The list of their fallacious arrogance-spurred arguments goes on (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3284] Thus marking their impassioned opposition to the Message (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3285] That He brings the dead back to life (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Allah said: ‘The son of Adam has accused Me of lying, while he has no right to do so, and he insulted Me, while he has no right to do so. His accusing Me of lying is his saying: “He shall not recreate me as He created me at first!” The first creation is by no means easier for Me than recreation!’ His insulting Me is his saying: “Allah has taken a son ˹to Himself˺”, when I am the One, the Oft-Beseeched, I begot none, nor was I begotten. *None is equal to Me!”” (al-Bukhārī: 4974).
لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي يَخۡتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ كَٰذِبِينَ
[3286] After resurrection on the Day of Judgement God Almighty will explain to people what they used to differ on in this worldly life, including the issue of resurrection, pass judgement among them, and whereby every doer will get the reward or punishment for their deeds (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samʿānī, al-Bayḍāwī).
إِنَّمَا قَوۡلُنَا لِشَيۡءٍ إِذَآ أَرَدۡنَٰهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
[3287] God’s Absolute Power is highlighted here. The realization of His Will and His Ability to create are carried out by this two-lettered command, (Be!) (cf. 3: 47 and 59, 19: 34-35, 36: 81-82). People’s lack of knowledge of the extent of His Power fooled them into believing in the impossibility of resurrection (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ فِي ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا ظُلِمُواْ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمۡ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗۖ وَلَأَجۡرُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ
[3288] This could be understood as a Divine permission to the Believers to migrate from Makkah, given the entrenched opposition the Call of Faith faced, as has just been highlighted, and that the Deniers would stop at nothing to quash it and persecute its supporters. Thus doing, they would be better off both in this worldly life and, better still, in the Hereafter (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3289] This signifies their devotion to God (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).
[3290] Given that this is a Makkan sura, which came down before the Prophet’s migration to Madinah, the ones intended here could be either the Companions who fled persecution to Abyssinia (cf. Ibn Kathīr and Ibn ʿĀshūr) or the very early migrants to Madinah, who did so before everyone else (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3291] They will be rewarded with a better town to settle in, provided for generously, lead a pleasant life and be rewarded handsomely (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3292] “Verily those who have Believed, migrated and striven in the path of Allah with their money and their lives are greater in rank before Allah—these are the ˹true˺ winners. *Allah gives them the glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, Pleasure and Gardens in which theirs is everlasting bliss. *They last therein forever—verily with Allah lies a great reward!” (9: 20-22)
ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
[3293] They trust that their Benefactor and Protector is none but God (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr). Putting one’s trust in God (al-tawakkul ʿalā Allāh) is the catalyst for all good deeds; no sincere deed exists nor can it be perfected without it. Saʿīd Ibn Jubayr said: “Putting one’s trust in Allah is the culmination of sincere Faith” (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
