แปลความหมายอัลกุรอาน - คำแปลภาษาอังกฤษ - ดร.วะลีด เบลเฮช อัลอุมะรีย์ (กำลังดำเนินการ)
۞ قُلۡ كُونُواْ حِجَارَةً أَوۡ حَدِيدًا
أَوۡ خَلۡقٗا مِّمَّا يَكۡبُرُ فِي صُدُورِكُمۡۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَاۖ قُلِ ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖۚ فَسَيُنۡغِضُونَ إِلَيۡكَ رُءُوسَهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَۖ قُلۡ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبٗا
[3602] Whatever creation they think of as great and impregnable to resurrection (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3603] This is a rhetorical question posed mockingly so that they would build on the notion that if the returner is nowhere to be found, the returning is then not going to happen (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Pursuing their erroneous judgement, they conveniently overlooked the fact of their own first creation; Whoever is able over that is able over creating them anew.
[3604] That is the Almighty God Who originated (faṭara) them out of nothing without a pre-set model (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3605] Wallowing in their misguidedness, even this conclusive response is not enough for these ardent Deniers (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn, 1: 111). So they pose their next equally fallacious question showing their utter derision of the Truth through a thus confirming gesture of their heads (yunghiḍūna) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “But the Deniers ˹mockingly˺ say: “Shall we show you a man who claims that, when you have been utterly torn to pieces, you will be raised in a new creation!”” (34: 7)
[3606] The answer, which is shocking in nature, is meant to put an end to their attitude (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “People ask you about the Hour. Say: “Allah Alone has knowledge of it.” How could you ˹Muhammad˺ know? The Hour may well be near!” (33: 63).
يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا
[3607] Their ‘gratitude’ goes on to show how willing they are to respond to the call of their Creator (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Rasʿanī). Their insolence deserts them and they thank Him in submission having experienced for true the extent of His Ability (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[3608] Given the horrors they will encounter in the Hereafter (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar), they think little of their worldly life for which they gave up the ever-lasting one: “He will say: “How many years did you remain on Earth?” *They will say: “We remained ˹only˺ a day or part of a day. But ask those who kept count.” *He will say: “You only remained for a little while, if only you knew!” *Did you then think that We had created you without purpose, and that you would never be returned to Us!”” (23: 112-115)
وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُواْ ٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ يَنزَغُ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ كَانَ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ عَدُوّٗا مُّبِينٗا
[3609] Given the inherently flawed arguments of the Deniers and the decisive rebuttal that the Qur’an meets these with, the Believers, so armed, could be tempted to engage in debate with them and may incite acrimony in the process, being carried away in impassioned speech, so they are cautioned against overstepping the limits of courteous discourse (cf. al-Marāghī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar): “Call to the Path of your Lord with wisdom and gentle admonition, and argue with them in the best manner; verily your Lord Knows best whoever has strayed away from His Path and He Knows best the guided” (16: 125).
[3610] al-Latī hiya aḥsan (lit. the one which is best), i.e. the best manner of argument: being considerate and kind, well-spoken, tolerant and adhering to conduct which is sure to win hearts (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3611] Not conducting debates in this manner is half doing Satan’s job for him (cf. Abū al-Suʿūd).
رَّبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِكُمۡۖ إِن يَشَأۡ يَرۡحَمۡكُمۡ أَوۡ إِن يَشَأۡ يُعَذِّبۡكُمۡۚ وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَكِيلٗا
[3612] This marks the starting point of departure for those who engage in debate with the Deniers; their final fate is in the Hand of God Alone. The odds are that they would embrace the call if talked to gently and be averted to it if talked to harshly, so Believers are to abide by the command of their Sustainer (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “A kind word is charity” (al-Bukhārī: 2891; Muslim: 1009).
[3613] The limits of the mission of the Messenger (ﷺ) stand at the clear delivery of the Message; their finding guidance and holding to account is up to God Almighty (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīt, al-Qurṭubī): “It is not ˹incumbent˺ for you ˹Prophet˺ to guide them, but Allah guides whoever He wills” (2: 272); “˹No matter˺ Should We show you ˹Muhammad˺ some of what We promise them or bring your life to termination ˹afore˺, you are only tasked with delivering ˹the Message˺ and on Us is the reckoning!” (13: 40)
وَرَبُّكَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَلَقَدۡ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورٗا
[3614] In His Infinite Wisdom, God Almighty knows about His creation in the Heavens and Earth; the purity or otherwise of their intentions, conditions, their deeds, life terms, what is best for them, those who deserve guidance and thus mercy, and those who deserve misguidance and thus punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samʿānī, Ibn Kathīr).
Some also deserve to be favoured over others in both moral and physical traits. This is a known fact, so why would the Deniers disrespect the fact that Muhammad (ﷺ) was given Prophethood and the Book (cf. al-Saʿdī): “And they said: “Why was this Qur’ān not sent down to a distinguished man, from either of the two towns ˹Makkah and Taif ˺?”” (43: 31) God Almighty knows best who deserves to be honoured with Messengership (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Allah knows best where He places His Message!” (6: 124)
[3615] Given the fact that not all the Noble Messengers were of the same calibre and people acknowledge the most notable of them, to wit, Abraham and Moses, the question is why was David cited here as a revealing example. It is said that this is so because David made a good case of God’s favouring of whomever He wishes with the great honour of Messengership. He was a mere shepherd who tended the sheep of the Children of Israel, thus coming from a very humble background, but when he killed Goliath, with God’s will, he was given this great honour: “They defeated them with Allah’s permission; Dāwūd ˹David˺ killed Jālūt and Allah gave him kingship and Wisdom and taught him of whatever He willed” (2: 251). Hence there is no point in the Makkans’ wonder at the Messengership of Muhammad (ﷺ) whom they only saw as a poor orphan who used to tend their sheep (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Another deep reasoning as to why David and His Psalms are taken as a case in hand, is that it hints at the Believers inheriting the land from their enemies as such a fact finds mention in the Psalms (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Psalms 37:29): “Indeed We wrote in the Psalms, as We did in the ˹earlier˺ Scripture: “My righteous servants shall inherit the land”” (21: 105).
[3616] al-Zabūr is the Book revealed to Prophet David (عليه السلام) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Originally al-zabūr is every book that contains wisdom (zubur for plural, 3: 184), a Sacred Writ.
قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَلَا يَمۡلِكُونَ كَشۡفَ ٱلضُّرِّ عَنكُمۡ وَلَا تَحۡوِيلًا
[3617] This goes on to further debunk the myths on which the Deniers base their stand. The so-called gods they pray to are not able to remove, change the state of, or divert harm away from them, so it begs credulity as to why they worship such helpless beings and pray not to God Almighty (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr): “If you ask them ˹O Muhammad˺ who created the Heavens and the Earth, they will certainly say: “Allah!” Say: “Consider then whatever ˹idols˺ you pray to besides Allah: if it was Allah’s Will to harm me, could they undo that harm? Or if He willed ˹some˺ mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy?” Say: “Allah is sufficient for me. In Him ˹Alone˺ the trusting put their trust”” (39: 38).
[3618] The angels, the pious people and jinn they worship besides God Almighty, themselves are devoted in their worship of Him (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar).
It is reported that the great Qur’anic exegete, ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما), was asked about the reason for the revelation of this aya and he replied: “A group of jinn, whom were worshipped, became Muslim, but those who worshipped them kept on worshipping them!” (al-Bukhārī: 4715; Muslim 3030).
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ يَبۡتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلۡوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمۡ أَقۡرَبُ وَيَرۡجُونَ رَحۡمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحۡذُورٗا
[3619] “Those who are in dread of the Punishment of their Lord; *truly there is no security from the punishment of their Lord!” (70: 27-28)
وَإِن مِّن قَرۡيَةٍ إِلَّا نَحۡنُ مُهۡلِكُوهَا قَبۡلَ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُوهَا عَذَابٗا شَدِيدٗاۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مَسۡطُورٗا
[3620] Now argument is alternated with a direct threat (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). But even this is not enough for their Denial-smitten hearts.
[3621] Many exegetes Believe that this promise applies to only the towns that rebel against the ordainments of God Almighty (cf. al-Qaṣṣāb, al-Khāzin, Ibn Kathīr, Abū al-Suʿūd, al-Shawkānī, al-Qāsimī, al-Saʿdī). Others believe that is of a general purport and that it applies to all towns. The good town perishes through death and the evil one through Punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Zajjāj, al-Samʿānī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Rāzī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū Ḥayyān, al-Alūsī).
Nothing lasts forever; history bears enough witness to this: “How many a town engaged in wrongdoing have We shattered, and then brought into being another people after them! * And when they felt Our Might, behold, they ran away from it! * “Do not run away! But return to the luxury you have been given and to your dwellings, that haply you may be questioned!” * They said, “Oh, woe to us! Truly we have been wrongdoers!” * And that did not cease to be their cry, till We made them a mown field, stilled!” (21: 11-15)
[3622] That is, all is written in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) and will inevitably come to pass (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī).
