Tafsir Surah Al-Isra ayah 50 | Learn Quran Tafsir

"The Veil over the Hearts of the Idolators

Allah says to His Messenger Muhammad:

وَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ الۡقُرانَ جَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَكَ وَبَيۡنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ بِالاخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسۡتُورًا

And when you recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil.

Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said,

""It is coverings over their hearts,""

as Allah says:

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَا إِلَيۡهِ

وَفِي اذَانِنَا وَقۡرٌ وَمِن بَيۡنِنَا وَبَيۡنِكَ حِجَابٌ

And they say:""Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen. (41:5)

meaning, there is something that is stopping and preventing your words from reaching us.

حِجَابًا مَّسۡتُورًا

an invisible veil.

meaning something which covers, or that cannot be seen, so there is a barrier between them and guidance.

This is the interpretation that Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) thought was correct.

Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la Al-Mawusili recorded that Asma' bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) said,

""When the Ayah,

تَبَّتۡ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!), (111:1) was revealed, the one-eyed woman Umm Jamil (the wife of Abu Lahab) came with a stone pestle in her hand, screaming, `What was sent to us is somebody blameworthy, or, we reject somebody blameworthy

(Abu Musa - one of the narrators - said, it is I who am not sure what was said);

we shun his religion and disobey whatever he commands!'

The Messenger of Allah was sitting with Abu Bakr by his side. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, `This woman has come and I am afraid she will see you.'

The Prophet said,

إِنَّهَا لَنۡ تَرَانِي

(Certainly she will not see me), and he recited Qur'an through which he was protected from her:

And when you recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil.

She came and found Abu Bakr, but she did not see the Prophet.

She said, `O Abu Bakr, I have heard that your companion is lampooning me.'

Abu Bakr said, `No, by the Lord of this House (the Ka`bah), he is not lampooning you.'

Then she went away, saying, `The Quraysh know that I am the daughter of their master.""

وَجَعَلۡنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمۡ أَكِنَّةً

And We have put coverings over their hearts,

Akinnah (coverings) is the plural of Kinan, which covers the heart.

أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ

lest they should understand it,

means, lest they should understand the Qur'an.

وَفِي اذَانِهِمۡ وَقۡرًا

and in their ears deafness,

something that will stop them from hearing the Qur'an in such a way that they will understand it and be guided by it.

وَإِذَا ذَكَرۡتَ رَبَّكَ فِي الۡقُرۡانِ وَحۡدَهُ

And when you make mention of your Lord Alone in the Qur'an,

means, when you declare Allah to be One in your recitation, and say La Ilaha Illallah,

وَلَّوۡاۡ

they turn,

means they turn away ,

عَلَى أَدۡبَارِهِمۡ نُفُورًا

on their backs, fleeing in extreme dislike.

As Allah says:

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحۡدَهُ اشۡمَأَزَّتۡ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ

And when Allah Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust (from the Oneness of Allah).(39:45)

وَإِذَا ذَكَرۡتَ رَبَّكَ فِي الۡقُرۡانِ وَحۡدَهُ

And when you make mention of your Lord Alone in the Qur'an,

Commenting on this Ayah, Qatadah said that;

when the Muslims said La Ilaha Illallah, the idolators disliked this and found it intolerable.

Iblis and his troops hated it, but Allah insisted on supporting it so that it would prevail over those who opposed it. Whoever uses it against his opponent will prevail, and whoever fights for it will be victorious. Only the Muslims of the Arabian Peninsula, which can be traversed by a rider in a few nights, knew it and accepted it, out of all mankind

The Secret Counsel of Quraysh after hearing the Qur'an

Allah says;

نَّحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَسۡتَمِعُونَ بِهِ إِذۡ يَسۡتَمِعُونَ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِذۡ هُمۡ نَجۡوَى إِذۡ يَقُولُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلً مَّسۡحُورًا

We know best of what they listen to, when they listen to you. And when they take secret counsel, then the wrongdoers say:""You follow none but a bewitched man.""

Allah tells His Prophet about what the leaders of Quraysh discussed when they came and listened to him reciting Qur'an in secret, without their people knowing about it.

They said that he was Mashur which according to the better-known view means someone affected by magic (Sihr);

it may also mean a man who has a lung, i.e., a mere human being, as if they were saying that if you follow Muhammad, you will only be following a human being.

This second suggestion does not sound correct, because what they meant here was that he was under the influence of Sihr (magic) which made him see dreams in which he learned these words that he recited.

Some of them said he was a poet, or a soothsayer, or crazy, or a sorcerer.

Allah says:

انظُرۡ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبُواۡ لَكَ الَامۡثَالَ فَضَلُّواۡ فَلَ يَسۡتَطِيعۡونَ سَبِيلً

See what examples they have put forward for you. So they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.

meaning, they will never be guided to the truth and will never find a way to reach it.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said in As-Sirah:""Muhammad bin Muslim bin Shihab Az-Zuhri told me that;

it happened that Abu Sufyan bin Harb, Abu Jahl bin Hisham and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq bin Amr bin Wahb Ath-Thaqafi, the ally of Bani Zahrah, went out one night to listen to the Messenger of Allah when he was praying at night in his house.

Each one of them took up a position for listening, and none of them knew that the others were also there. They stayed listening to him all night until dawn came. When they left, they met up on the road, each of them blaming the others, saying to one another; `Do not come back again, lest you give the wrong impression (i.e., that you like what you hear).'

Then they went away until the second night came, when each of them came back to his place and spent the night listening. When dawn came they left, then when they met up on the road, each of them blamed the others, saying the same as they had said the previous night.

Then they went away until the third night came, when each of them came back to his place and spent the night listening. When dawn came they left, then when they met up on the road, they said to one another, `Let us not leave until we promise not to come back,' so they made a promise to that effect, and went their separate ways.

In the morning, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his stick and went to the house of Abu Sufyan bin Harb, where he said, `Tell me, O Abu Hanzalah (i.e., Abu Sufyan), what do you think of what you have heard from Muhammad!'

Abu Sufyan said, `O Abu Tha`labah (i.e., Al-Akhnas), by Allah, I have heard something I understand and I know what is meant by it, and I have heard things I do not understand and do not know what is meant by it.'

Al-Akhnas said:`Me too, by the One by Whom you swore.'

Then he left and went to Abu Jahl, and entered his house. He said, `O Abu Al-Hakam (i.e., Abu Jahl), what do you think of what you have heard from Muhammad!'

He said, `What did you hear?'

He said, `We and Banu `Abd Manaf competed for honor and position:they fed people so we fed people, they engaged in battle so we engaged in battle, they gave so we gave, until we were neck and neck, like race horses. Then they said, we have a Prophet among us who receives revelation from heaven. How could we compete with that By Allah we will never believe in him.'

Then Al-Akhnas got up and left him.

Refutation of Those Who do not believe in Life after Death

Allah tells us about the disbelievers who think it very unlikely that the Resurrection will happen;

وَقَالُواۡ أَيِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا وَرُفَاتًا

And they say:When we are bones and fragments.

meaning earth.

This was the view of Mujahid.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas:

it means dust.

أَإِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ خَلۡقًا جَدِيدًا

should we really be resurrected (to be) a new creation!

meaning, on the Day of Resurrection after we have disintegrated and become nothing, and have been forgotten.

Allah tells us about them elsewhere:

يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرۡدُودُونَ فِى الۡحَـفِرَةِ

أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـماً نَّخِرَةً

قَالُواۡ تِلۡكَ إِذاً كَرَّةٌ خَـسِرَةٌ

They say:""Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life even after we are crumbled bones!"" They say:""It would in that case, be a return with loss!"" (79:10-12)

And,

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلً وَنَسِىَ خَلۡقَهُ

And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. until the end of two Ayat. (36:78-79)

Allah commands His Messenger to respond to them, so He says:

قُل كُونُواۡ حِجَارَةً أَوۡ حَدِيدًا

Say (O Muhammad):""Be you stones or iron,""

- which are more difficult to restore than bones and fragments

أَوۡ خَلۡقًا مِّمَّا يَكۡبُرُ فِي صُدُورِكُمۡ

Or some created thing that is yet greater (or harder) in your breasts.

Ibn Ishaq narrated from Ibn Abi Najih from Mujahid:

""I asked Ibn Abbas about that, and he said:`This is death.""'

Atiyah reported that Ibn Umar explained of this Ayah:

""If you were dead I would still resurrect you.""

This was also the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Salih, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others.

This means that if you were to assume that you would become dead, which is the opposite of living, Allah will resurrect you when He wills, for nothing can stop Him when He wills a thing.

Mujahid said:

""This means the heavens, earth and mountains.""

According to another report,

""Whatever you want to be, go ahead, Allah will still resurrect you after you die.""

فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا

Then, they will say:""Who shall bring us back (to life)!""

meaning, who will resurrect us if we are stones or iron or some other strong created thing!

قُلِ الَّذِي فَطَرَكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

Say:""He Who created you first!""

meaning, He Who created you when you were nothing, then you became human beings, walking about. He is able to create you anew, no matter what you have become.

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبۡدَأُ الۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهۡوَنُ عَلَيۡهِ

And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it; and this is easier for Him. (30:27)

فَسَيُنۡغِضُونَ إِلَيۡكَ رُوُوسَهُمۡ

Then, they will shake their heads at you,

Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said,

""They will move their heads in a gesture of mockery.""

This view expressed by Ibn Abbas and Qatadah is;

what the Arabs understand from the language, because the word used Fasayunghidun indicates an up-and-down movement Nughad. A word derived from the same root, Naghd, is used to refer to the young of the ostrich, because when it walks, it walks quickly and moves its head. The same word is used to describe a tooth when it becomes loose and is detached from its place.

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هُوَ

and say:""When will that be!""

This shows that they thought it very unlikely that it would happen, as Allah says:

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـدِقِينَ

And they say:""When will this promise (i.e. Resurrection) be fulfilled, if you are truthful!"" (36:48)

يَسۡتَعۡجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ بِهَا

Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it (the Hour). (42:18)

قُلۡ عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا

Say:""Perhaps it is near!""

meaning, beware of it, for it is at hand and will no doubt come to you, and what will be will be

يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ

On the Day when He will call you,

meaning the Lord, may He be blessed and exalted:

إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ دَعۡوَةً مِّنَ الاٌّرۡضِ إِذَا أَنتُمۡ تَخۡرُجُونَ

When He will call you by a single call, behold, you will come out from the earth. (30:25),

meaning, when He commands you to come out from the earth, for nothing can oppose Him or prevent His command from being fulfilled. Rather, it is as He says:

وَمَأ أَمۡرُنَأ إِلاَّ وَحِدَةٌ كَلَمۡحٍ بِالۡبَصَرِ

And Our commandment is but one as the twinkling of an eye. (54:50)

إِنَّمَا قَوۡلُنَا لِشَىۡءٍ إِذَا أَرَدۡنَاهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُ كُنۡ فَيَكُونُ

Verily, Our Word unto a thing when We intend it, is only that We say unto it:""Be!"" - and it is. (16:40)

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجۡرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ

But it will be only a single Zajrah. When behold, they find themselves (on the surface of the earth) alive (after their death). (79:13-14),

meaning, it will be just one definitive command, then the people will have come out from the inside of the earth to its surface, as Allah says:

يَوۡمَ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ

فَتَسۡتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِ

On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer with (words of) His praise.

meaning, you will all rise up in response to His command and in obedience to His will.

وَتَظُنُّونَ

and you will think,

means, on the Day when you rise up from your graves,

إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ

that you have stayed (in this earthly abode),

إِلاَّ قَلِيلً

but a little while.

This is like the Ayah:

كَأَنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَرَوۡنَهَا لَمۡ يَلۡبَثُواۡ إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوۡ ضُحَـهَا

The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning. (79:46)

Allah says:

يَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّورِ وَنَحۡشُرُ الۡمُجۡرِمِينَ يَوۡمِيِذٍ زُرۡقاً

يَتَخَـفَتُونَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلاَّ عَشۡراً

نَّحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذۡ يَقُولُ أَمۡثَلُهُمۡ طَرِيقَةً إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلاَّ يَوۡماً

The Day when the Trumpet will be blown:that Day, We shall gather the blue or blind-eyed with thirst. They will speak in a very low voice to each other (saying):""You stayed not longer than ten (days)."" We know very well what they will say, when the best among them in knowledge and wisdom will say:""You stayed no longer than a day!"" (20:102-104)

وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يُقۡسِمُ الۡمُجۡرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُواۡ غَيۡرَ سَاعَةٍ كَذَلِكَ كَانُواۡ يُوۡفَكُونَ

And on the Day that the Hour will be established, they will swear that they stayed not but an hour - thus were they ever deluded. (30:55)

قَـلَ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ فِى الاٌّرۡضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ

قَالُواۡ لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡماً أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ فَاسۡأَلِ الۡعَأدِّينَ

قَالَ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً لَّوۡ أَنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ

He will say:""What number of years did you stay on earth!""

They will say:""We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.""

He will say:""You stayed not but a little, if you had only known!"" (23:112-114)"

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