Al-Ahqaf: 11

Ayah

Word by Word

وَقَالَ

And say

ٱلَّذِينَ

those who

كَفَرُواْ

disbelieve

لِلَّذِينَ

of those who

ءَامَنُواْ

believe

لَوۡ

كَانَ

it had been

خَيۡرٗا

good

مَّا

not

سَبَقُونَآ

they (would) have preceded us

إِلَيۡهِۚ

to it

وَإِذۡ

And when

لَمۡ

not

يَهۡتَدُواْ

they (are) guided

بِهِۦ

by it

فَسَيَقُولُونَ

they say

هَٰذَآ

This

إِفۡكٞ

(is) a lie

قَدِيمٞ

ancient

Translation

The Unbelievers say of those who believe: "If (this Message) were a good thing, (such men) would not have gone to it first, before us!" And seeing that they guide not themselves thereby, they will say, "this is an (old,) falsehood!"

Tafsir

Refuting Claims of the Idolators about the Qur'an and the Messenger

Allah says,

وَإِذَا تُتۡلَى عَلَيۡهِمۡ ايَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءهُمۡ

And when Our Clear Ayat are recited to them, the disbelievers say of the truth when it reaches them:

Concerning the disbelief and rebellion of the idolators, Allah says that when the clear Ayat of Allah are recited to them they say;

هَذَا سِحۡرٌ مُّبِينٌ

This is plain magic!

meaning, simple magic.

In this statement of theirs, they have lied, invented a falsehood, went astray and disbelieved

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ افۡتَرَاهُ

Or they say:He has fabricated it.

They are referring to Muhammad.

Allah responds saying,

قُلۡ إِنِ افۡتَرَيۡتُهُ فَلَ تَمۡلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيۡيًا

هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ

وَهُوَ الۡغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say:If I have fabricated it, you have no power to support me against Allah...

which means, `if I lie against Allah and falsely claim that He sent me when He actually had not, then He would punish me with a severe punishment. No one on the earth -- you or anyone else -- would then be able to protect me from Him.'

It is similar to Allah's saying,

قُلۡ إِنِّى لَن يُجِيرَنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلۡتَحَداً إِلاَّ بَلَغاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَـلَـتِهِ

Say:None can protect me from Allah, nor would I find a refuge except in Him. (My duty) is only to convey from Allah and (deliver) His Messages. (72:22-23)

Allah says,

وَلَوۡ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيۡنَا بَعۡضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ

لاأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُ بِالۡيَمِينِ

ثُمَّ لَقَطَعۡنَا مِنۡهُ الۡوَتِينَ

فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ عَنۡهُ حَـجِزِينَ

And if he made up a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by the right hand. Then we would have cut off his life artery. And none of you could withhold Us from (punishing) him. (69:44-47)

Thus, Allah says here,

قُلۡ إِنِ افۡتَرَيۡتُهُ فَلَ تَمۡلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيۡيًا

هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ

Say:If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah. He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e. this Qur'an)! Sufficient is He as a witness between me and you!...

This is a severe threat, intimidation and warning for them.

Allah then says,

وَهُوَ الۡغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

This is an encouragement for them to repent and turn to Allah. It means, `despite all of this, if you turn back and repent, Allah will accept your repentance, pardon you, forgive you, and have mercy upon on.'

This is similar to Allah's saying in Surah Al-Furqan,

وَقَالُواۡ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكۡتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمۡلَى عَلَيۡهِ بُكۡرَةً وَأَصِيلً

قُلۡ أَنزَلَهُ الَّذِى يَعۡلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

And they say:(This Book is) legends of the ancients that he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.

Say:It has been sent down by the One Who knows every secret within the heavens and the earth. Truly, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful. (25:5-6)

Allah then says

قُلۡ مَا كُنتُ بِدۡعًا مِّنۡ الرُّسُلِ

Say:I am not a new thing among the Messengers...

which means, `I am not the first Messenger who ever came to the world. Rather, Messengers came before me. Therefore, I am not an unprecedented incident that should cause you all to reject me and doubt my being sent to you. Indeed, Allah has sent before me all of the Prophets to various nations.'

Allah then says,

وَمَا أَدۡرِي مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمۡ

nor do I know what will be done with me or with you.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas that he said,

It (this Ayah) was followed in revelation by,

لِيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ

(That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future). (48:2)

Similarly, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said that

this Ayah was abrogated by the Ayah;

لِيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ

(That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future). (48:2)

They said that when the latter Ayah was revealed, one of the Muslims said to Allah's Messenger, Allah has declared what He will do for you. But what will He do for us?' Then Allah revealed;

لِيُدۡخِلَ الۡمُوۡمِنِينَ وَالۡمُوۡمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا الاَۡنۡهَارُ

(That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow). (48:5) This is what they said. That which has been confirmed in the Sahih is that the believers said, May you enjoy that, O Allah's Messenger! But what do we get So Allah revealed this Ayah.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Kharijah bin Zayd bin Thabit, reported that Umm Al-`Ala' -- a woman from the Ansar who had given her pledge of loyalty to Allah's Messenger -- said,

When the Ansar drew lots regarding taking in the Muhajirun to dwell with them, our lot was to have `Uthman bin Maz`un. Later, `Uthman fell sick in our house, so we nursed him until he died, and we wrapped him in his garments (for burial). Allah's Messenger then came in, and I said, `O Abu As-Sa'ib! May Allah have mercy on you. I bear witness that Allah has indeed honored you.'

Allah's Messenger asked,

وَمَا يُدۡرِيكِ أَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى أَكۡرَمَه

How do you know that Allah has honored him?

I said, `I do not know -- may my father and mother both be ransoms for you!'

Allah's Messenger then said,

أَمَّا هُوَ فَقَدۡ جَاءَهُ الۡيَقِينُ مِنۡ رَبِّهِ وَإِنِّي لَاَرۡجُو لَهُ الۡخَيۡرَ وَاللهِ مَا أَدۡرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِي

As for him, certainty (death) has reached him from his Lord, and I surely wish well for him. But by Allah, even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to me (after death).

I then said,

`Never will I claim a person to be pious after this.'

This incident caused me some distress, and I went to sleep thereafter. I ﷺ in my dream that `Uthman owned a running water spring. I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about that. Allah's Messenger said,

ذَاكِ عَمَلُه

That was his (good) deeds.

Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith but Muslim did not.

In one of the narrations, Allah's Messenger said,

مَا أَدۡرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِه

Even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to him.

This and similar texts indicate that it is not allowed to declare that a specific person will enter Jannah except for those who were distinctly indicated by Allah or his Messenger. Examples of those are the Ten,

Ibn Sallam,

Al-Ghumaysa',

Bilal,

Suraqah,

Abdullah bin `Amr bin Haram (Jabir's father),

the Seventy Recitors (of Qur'an) who were assassinated near the Well of Ma`unah,

Zayd bin Harithah,

Ja`far,

Ibn Rawahah,

and other similar individuals,

may Allah be pleased with them.

Allah then says,

إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ

I only follow that which is revealed to me,

which means, `I only follow what Allah has revealed to me of the revelation.'

وَمَا أَنَا إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

and I am but a plain warner.

meaning, `my warnings are obvious to every person with sound intellect and reason.' And Allah knows best.

The Qur'an is Allah's True Speech and the Position of the Disbelievers and the Muslims towards it

Allah says,

قُلۡ

Say,

meaning, `O Muhammad to these idolators who disbelieve in the Qur'an.'

أَرَأَيۡتُمۡ إِن كَانَ

Tell me! If it was, (meaning, this Qur'an).

مِنۡ عِندِ اللَّهِ وَكَفَرۡتُم بِهِ

from Allah, and you disbelieved in it,

meaning, `what do you think that Allah will do to you if this Book that I have come to you with is actually revealed to me from Him in order that I convey it to you, and yet you disbelieve in it and deny it

وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّن بَنِي إِسۡرَايِيلَ

عَلَى مِثۡلِهِ

(at the same time), a witness from among the Children of Israel has testified to something similar,

meaning, `the previous Scriptures that were revealed to the Prophets before me all testify to its truthfulness and authenticity. They have prophecied, well in advance, about things similar to that which this Qur'an informs of.'

Concerning Allah's statement,

فَأمَنَ

and believed,

`this person who testified to its truthfulness from the Children of Israel, due to his realization that it was the truth.'

وَاسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ

while you rejected (the truth)!

`whereas you have arrogantly refused to follow it.'

Masruq said:

That witness believed in his Prophet and Book, while you disbelieved in your Prophet and Book.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي الۡقَوۡمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Verily, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

The witness here refers to any witness in general. It includes Abdullah bin Salam and other from them as well. For indeed, this Ayah was revealed in Makkah before Abdullah bin Salam had accepted Islam.

This is similar to the statement of Allah,

وَإِذَا يُتۡلَى عَلَيۡهِمۡ قَالُواۡ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَأ إنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبۡلِهِ مُسۡلِمِينَ

And when it is recited to them, they say:We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, even before it we have been Muslims. (28:53)

It is also similar to Allah's saying,

قُلۡ ءَامِنُواۡ بِهِ أَوۡ لَا تُوۡمِنُواۡ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواۡ الۡعِلۡمَ مِن قَبۡلِهِ إِذَا يُتۡلَى عَلَيۡهِمۡ يَخِرُّونَ لِلٌّذۡقَانِ سُجَّدًا

وَيَقُولُونَ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّنَأ إِن كَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفۡعُولاً

Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it -- when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration,

and they say:Exalted is our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled. (17:107-108)

It has been narrated from Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said,

I have not heard Allah's Messenger say about anyone walking on the surface of the earth that he is of the people of Jannah -- except for Abdullah bin Salam. Concerning him the following Ayah was revealed,

وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّن بَنِي إِسۡرَايِيلَ

عَلَى مِثۡلِهِ

((at the same time), a witness from among the Children of Israel has testified to something similar)

This has been recorded in the Two Sahihs and An-Nasa'i.

Similarly, Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Ikrimah, Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam, Hilal bin Yasaf, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri, Malik bin Anas and Ibn Zayd all said that this refers to Abdullah bin Salam.

Allah then says

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَوۡ كَانَ خَيۡرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيۡهِ

And those who disbelieve say of those who believe:Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!

which means that those who disbelieve say of those who believe in the Qur'an:Had it (the Qur'an) been any good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!

By that, they meant Bilal, `Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with them, and others like them of the weak, the male servants, and female servants.

The pagans said this only because they thought that they held a high status with Allah, and that He took special care of them. By that, they made a great and obvious error, as Allah says:

وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعۡضَهُمۡ بِبَعۡضٍ لِّيَقُولواۡ أَهَـوُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن بَيۡنِنَأ

Thus have We tried some of them with others, that they might say:Is it these whom Allah has favored from among us? (6:53)

meaning, they wonder how could those weaklings be the ones who were guided from among them.

Thus, Allah says,

لَوۡ كَانَ خَيۡرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيۡهِ

(Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!)

Contrary to this is the position of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah:They say about any act or saying that has not been reported from the Companions:

It is an innovation. If there was any good in it, they would have preceded us in doing it, because they have not left off any of the good characteristics except that they hurried to perform them.

Allah continues,

وَإِذۡ لَمۡ يَهۡتَدُوا بِهِ

And when they have not been guided by it, (meaning, the Qur'an).

فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَذَا إِفۡكٌ قَدِيمٌ

they say:This is an ancient falsehood!

meaning, an old lie. They mean by this that the Qur'an has been quoted and taken from the ancient people, thereby belittling the Qur'an and its followers. This is clear arrogance, as Allah's Messenger said:

بَطَرُ الۡحَقِّ وَغَمۡطُ النَّاس

(Arrogance is) rejecting the truth and belittling the people.

Allah then says

وَمِن قَبۡلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى

And before this was the Scripture of Musa, (and it was the Tawrah).

إِمَامًا وَرَحۡمَةً

وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ

as a guide and mercy. And this is a Book, (meaning, the Qur'an).

مُّصَدِّقٌ

confirming,

meaning, that which came before it of the previous Books.

لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا

in the Arabic tongue,

means that it is eloquent and clear.

لِّيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَبُشۡرَى لِلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

to warn those who do wrong, and as glad tidings for the doers of good.

meaning, it contains a warning to the disbelievers and glad tidings for the believers.

Allah then says

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسۡتَقَامُوا

Verily, those who say:Our Lord is (only) Allah, and thereafter stand firm,

The explanation of this has been discussed earlier in Surah As-Sajdah. (41:30)

Allah then says,

فَلَ خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ

on them shall be no fear,

meaning, concerning their future.

وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

nor shall they grieve.

meaning, over what they have left behind.

Allah continues,

أُوۡلَيِكَ أَصۡحَابُ الۡجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا جَزَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَعۡمَلُونَ

Such shall be the dwellers of Paradise, abiding therein (forever) -- a reward for what they used to do.

meaning, the deeds are a cause for their attaining the mercy and their being engulfed by it -- and Allah knows best.

Al-Ahqaf: 11

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