ٱلْإِسْرَاء ٩٤
- وَمَا And what
- مَنَعَ prevented
- ٱلنَّاسَ the people
- أَن that
- يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ they believe
- إِذۡ when
- جَآءَهُمُ came to them
- ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ the guidance
- إِلَّآ except
- أَن that
- قَالُوٓاْ they said
- أَبَعَثَ Has Allah sent
- ٱللَّهُ Has Allah sent
- بَشَرٗا a human
- رَّسُولٗا Messenger
And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allāh sent a human messenger?"
And nothing prevented mankind from believing when guidance came to them, but that they said, that is, [except] their saying in denial: 'Has God sent a human as a messenger [from Him]?', instead of sending an angel.
"The Demand of Quraysh for a specific Sign, and the Rejection of that
Allah tells:
وَقَالُواْ لَن نُّوْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الَارْضِ يَنبُوعًا
أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الَانْهَارَ خِللَهَا تَفْجِيرًا
And they say:""We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us; Or you have a garden of date palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly;""
Ibn Jarir recorded from Muhammad bin Ishaq, ""An old man from among the people of Egypt who came to us forty-odd years ago told me, from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, that;
- Utbah and Shaybah -- the two sons of Rabi'ah,
- Abu Sufyan bin Harb,
- a man from Bani Abd Ad-Dar,
- Abu Al-Bakhtari -- the brother of Bani Asad,
- Al-Aswad bin Al-Muttalib bin Asad,
- Zam`ah bin Al-Aswad,
- Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah,
- Abu Jahl bin Hisham,
- Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah,
- Umayyah bin Khalaf,
- Al-`As bin Wa'il, and
- Nabih and Munabbih - the two sons of Al-Hajjaj As-Sahmin,
gathered all of them or some of them behind the Ka`bah after sunset.
Some of them said to others, `Send for Muhammad and talk with him and argue with him, so that nobody will think we are to blame.'
So they sent for him saying, `The nobles of your people have gathered for you to speak to them.'
So the Messenger of Allah came quickly, thinking that maybe they were going to change their minds, for he was very keen that they should be guided, and it upset him to see their stubbornness. So he came and sat with them, and they said,
`O Muhammad, we have sent for you so that nobody will think we are to blame. By Allah we do not know any man among the Arabs who has brought to his people what you have brought to your people. You have slandered our forefathers, criticized our religion, insulted our reason, slandered our gods and caused division. There is no objectionable thing that you have not brought between us. If you are preaching these things because you want wealth, we will collect some of our wealth together for you and make you the wealthiest man among us. If you are looking for position, we will make you our leader. If you are looking for kingship, we will make you our king. If what has come to you is a type of Jinn that has possessed you, then we can spend our money looking for the medicine that will rid you of it so that no one will think we are to blame.'
The Messenger of Allah said:
مَا بِي مَا تَقُولُونَ مَا جِيْتُكُمْ بِمَا جِيْتُكُمْ بِهِ أَطْلُبُ أَمْوَالَكُمْ وَلَاا الشَّرَفَ فِيكُمْ وَلَاا الْمُلْكَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَنِي إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولاًا وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيَّ كِتَابًا وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ لَكُمْ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَبَلَّغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَااتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مِنِّي مَا جِيْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالاْاخِرَةِ وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لاِاَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُم
My case is not as you say. I have not brought what I have brought to you because I want your wealth or to be your leader or king. But Allah has sent me to you as a Messenger and has revealed to me a Book and has commanded me to bring you good news and a warning.
So, I have conveyed to you the Messages of my Lord and have advised you accordingly. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you. or words to that effect.
They said,
`O Muhammad, if you do not accept what we have offered you, then you know that there is no other people whose country is smaller, whose wealth is less and whose life is harder than ours, so ask your Lord Who has sent you with what He has sent you, to move away these mountains for us that are constricting us, to make our land wider and cause rivers to gush forth in it like the rivers of Syria and Iraq, and to resurrect for us those of our forefathers who have passed away.
Let there be among those whom He resurrects Qusayy bin Kilab, for he was a truthful old man, and we will ask them whether what you are saying is true or false. If you do what we are asking, and they (the people who are resurrected) say that you are telling the truth, then we will believe you and acknowledge your status with Allah and believe that He has sent you as a Messenger as you say.'
The Messenger of Allah said to them:
مَا بِهَذَا بُعِثتُ إِنَّمَا جِيْتُكُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي بِهِ فَقَدْ بَلَّغْتُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوهُ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالاْاخِرَةِ وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لاِاَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُم
I was not sent for this purpose. I have brought to you from Allah that with which He has sent me, and I have conveyed to you the Message with which I was sent to you. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you.
They said,
`If you will not do this for us, then at least do something for yourself. Ask your Lord to send an angel to confirm that what you are saying is the truth and to speak up on your behalf. Ask Him to give you gardens and treasures and palaces of gold and silver, and to make you independent so that you will not have to do what we see you doing, for you stand in the marketplaces seeking provision just as we do. Then we will know the virtue of your position with your Lord and whether you are a Messenger as you claim.'
The Messenger of Allah said to them:
مَا أَنَا بِفَاعِلٍ مَا أَنَا بِالَّذِي يَسْأَلُ رَبَّهُ هَذَا وَمَا بُعِثْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِهَذَا وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَنِي بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَإِنْ تَقْبَلُوا مَا جِيْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَهُوَ حَظُّكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالاْاخِرَةِ وَإِنْ تَرُدُّوهُ عَلَيَّ أَصْبِرْ لاِاَمْرِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَك
I will not do that, and I will not ask my Lord for this. I was not sent to you for this reason. But Allah has sent me to you to bring you good news and a warning. If you accept what I have brought to you, then this is your good fortune in this world and the Hereafter, but if you reject it, I shall wait patiently for the command of Allah until Allah judges between me and you.
They said,
`Then cause the sky to fall upon us, as you claim that if your Lord wills, He can do that. We will not believe in you until you do this.'
The Messenger of Allah said to them:
ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللهِ إِنْ شَاءَ فَعَلَ بِكُمْ ذَلِك
That is for Allah to decide. If He wills, He will do that to you.
They said,
`O Muhammad, did your Lord not know that we would sit with you and ask you what we have asked and make the requests that we have made He should have told you beforehand and taught you how to reply to us, and informed you what He would do to us if we do not accept what you have brought to us.
We have heard that the one who is teaching you this, is a man in Al-Yamamah called Ar-Rahman. By Allah, we will never believe in Ar-Rahman. We are warning you, O Muhammad, that we will not let you do what you want to do until you or we are destroyed.'
One of them said,
`We worship the angels who are the daughters of Allah.'
Another said,
`We will never believe in you until you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.'
When they said this, the Messenger of Allah got up and left them.
Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah bin Al-Mughirah bin Abdullah bin Umar bin Makhzum, the son of his paternal aunt Atikah, the daughter of Abdul-Muttalib, also got up and followed him. He said to him,
`O Muhammad, your people have offered you what they have offered you, and you did not accept it. Then they asked for things for themselves so that they would know your position with Allah, and you did not do that for them. Then they asked you to hasten on the punishments with which you are scaring them. By Allah, I will never believe in you unless you take a ladder to heaven and ascend it while I am watching, then you bring with you an open book and four angels to testify that you are as you say. By Allah, even if you did that, I think that I would not believe you.'
Then he turned away from the Messenger of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah went home to his family, grieving over having missed out on what he had hoped for when his people had called him, because he ﷺ that they were resisting him even more.""
The Reason why the Idolators' Demands were refused
In the case of this gathering where the Quraysh came together to speak with the Messenger of Allah, if Allah knew that they were making these requests in order to be guided, they would have been granted, but He knew that they were making these demands out of disbelief and stubbornness.
It was said to the Messenger of Allah,
""If you wish, We will give them what they are asking, but if they then disbelieve, I will punish them with a punishment that I have never imposed upon anyone else in the universe; or if you wish, I will open for them the gate of repentance and mercy.""
He said:
بَلْ تَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بَابَ التَّوْبَةِ وَالرَّحْمَة
Rather, You open for them the gate of repentance and mercy.
This is like the Ayah:
وَمَا مَنَعَنَأ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا
And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction). (Ayah 59)
And Allah says:
وَقَالُواْ مَا لِهَـذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ لَوْلا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيراً
أَوْ يُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كَنْزٌ أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلً مَّسْحُوراً
انظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَـلَ فَضَلُّواْ فَلَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلً
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَأءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُوراً
بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً
And they say:""Why does this Messenger eat food, and walk about in the markets (as we). Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him, or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat'!'
And the wrongdoers say:""You follow none but a man bewitched.""
See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a path. Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than that - Gardens under which rivers flow and will assign you palaces.
Nay, they deny the Hour, and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire. (25:7-11)
Allah's saying,
حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الَارْضِ يَنبُوعًا
until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us,
refers to a spring of flowing water. They asked him to bring forth springs of fresh water in the land of Al-Hijaz, here and there. This is easy for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted; if He willed, He could do that. He could have responded to all their demands, but He knew that they would not be guided by that, as He says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ
وَلَوْ جَأءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ
Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment. (10:96-97)
And Allah says:
وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَأ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـيِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ قُبُلً مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُوْمِنُواْ
And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed. (6:111)
His saying
أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَاء كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا
Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended,
means, `you promised us that on the Day of Resurrection the heavens will be split asunder, being broken and torn up, with parts of it falling down, so do that in this world and make it fall in pieces.'
This is like when they said:
اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ
O Allah! If this (the Qur'an) is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky. (8:32)
Similarly, the people of Shu`ayb asked him:
فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ
So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful! (26:187)
So Allah punished them with the punishment of the day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud), which was the torment of a Great Day. (26:189)
أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللّهِ وَالْمَليِكَةِ قَبِيلً
or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face;""
As for the Prophet of Repentance and Mercy, who was sent as a mercy to the worlds, he asked Allah to delay their punishment, in the hope that Allah would bring forth from their offspring people who would worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate.
This is what indeed did happen, for among those who are mentioned above were some who later embraced Islam and became good and sincere Muslims, even Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah, who followed the Prophet (out of that meeting) and spoke to him as he did. He became a sincere Muslim and turned to Allah in repentance
أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ
Or you have a house of Zukhruf.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said,
""This is gold.""
This was also what was said in the recitation of Ibn Mas`ud,
""Or you have a house of gold.""
أَوْ تَرْقَى فِي السَّمَاء
or you ascend up into the sky,
meaning, you climb up on a ladder while we are watching you.
وَلَن نُّوْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَوُهُ
and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read.
Mujahid said,
""This means a book in which there would be one page for each person, on which would be the words:`This is a book from Allah to so-and-so the son of so-and-so, which he would find by his head when he woke up in the morning.""
قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنتُ إَلاَّ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً
Say:""Glorified be my Lord! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger.""
meaning, `Glorified, exalted and sanctified be He above the notion that anyone would come before Him concerning any matter pertaining to His authority and sovereignty. He is the One Who does what He wills. If He willed, he could have given you what you asked for, or if He willed, he could have refrained. I am only a Messenger to you, sent to convey the Messages of my Lord and advise you. I have done that, and the response to what you have asked is to be decided by Allah, may He be glorified.
The refusal of the Idolators to believe because the Messenger was a Human -- and its refutation
Allah says,
وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ
And nothing prevented men,
means, most of them,
أَن يُوْمِنُواْ
from believing,
and following the Messengers, except the fact that they found it strange that human beings would be sent as Messengers, as Allah says:
أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَأ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ
Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our revelation to a man from among themselves (saying):""Warn mankind, and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds."" (10:2)
إِذْ جَاءهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً
when the guidance came to them, except that they said:""Has Allah sent a man as (His) Messenger!""
Allah says:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ فَقَالُواْ أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا
That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they said:""Shall mere men guide us!"" (64:6)
Fira`wn and his people said:
أَنُوْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَـبِدُونَ
They said:""Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility!"" (23:47)
Similarly, the nations said to their Messengers:
إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَأوُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـنٍ مُّبِينٍ
""You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority."" (14:10)
And there are many other similar Ayat.
Then Allah says, pointing out His kindness and mercy towards His servants, that He sends to them Messengers of their own kind so that they will understand what he says and will be able to speak to him directly. If He sent to mankind a Messenger from among the angels, they would not be able to deal with him face to face and learn from him, as Allah says:
لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُومِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ
Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves. (3:164)
لَقَدْ جَأءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ
Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves. (10:128)
كَمَأ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْكُمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ ايَـتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ
فَاذْكُرُونِى أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our verses (the Qur'an) and purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah, and teaching you that which you used not to know. Therefore remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. (2:151-152)
Allah says here
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِي الَارْضِ مَليِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَيِنِّينَ
Say:""If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security,
meaning, just as you do,
لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَاء مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً
We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.
meaning, `one of their own kind. But as you are human, We have sent to you Messengers from yourselves, as a kindness and a mercy.
Allah tells His Prophet:
قُلْ كَفَى بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ
Say:""Sufficient is Allah for a witness between me and you.
Allah tells His Prophet how to prove that what he has brought is true, saying to him to tell them:""He (Allah) is a witness over me and over you. He knows what I have brought to you. If I were lying to you, He would take revenge on me in the severest manner,"" as Allah says:
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ
لاأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ
ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ
And if he had forged a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by his right hand, And then We certainly would have cut off his life artery. (69:44-46)
Allah said;
إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا
Verily, He is Ever the All-Knower, the All-Seer of His servants.
meaning, He knows best who among them deserves blessings, good treatment and guidance, and who deserves to be doomed and led astray."
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Only a human being can be a messenger of Allah: Angels cannot be sent as messengers to human beings
Common disbelievers and polytheists thought that 'bashar,' that is, a man, could not be the messenger of Allah because he is someone accustomed to all human compulsions like them. When so, what edge did he have over them to make them call him the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and take him as their leader claiming that they follow him? This assumption of theirs has been answered in the Holy Qur'an, at several places in various ways. The outcome of the answer given here in this verse: مَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ (And nothing prevented people - 94) is that a messenger of Allah sent to a set of people has to be from their genus or race. If these people are human, the messenger should be human because mutual congruity does not exist between one genus and the other - and without congruity, guidance and grooming bring no benefit. Had some angel been sent to men as their messenger, he would have known no hunger, or thirst, or sexual de-sires, nor would he have felt the effect of chill and heat, nor fatigue after hard work. He would have, then, expected human beings to act like him without having ever realized their weaknesses and limitations. Similarly, when human beings knew that he was an angel, after all, they would have come to the conclusion that they just did not have the ability to do what he did. Who would have, then, followed him? Following is the fruit of correction, reform and right guidance. This benefit can be hoped for only when the messenger of Allah is from the genus of men. He should be an embodiment of human emotions and physical desires while, at the same time, he should also have an angelic majesty that could serve as a liaison - intermediary communicator - between human beings and angels, receiving revelation from angels bringing it and communicating it to his fellow human beings.
This submission also removes the doubt that arises by thinking: when human beings cannot derive benefit from the angel, how would a messenger - despite being human - derive the benefit of revelation from them?
As for the doubt - when the compatibility of genus is a condition between a messenger and his people, how was the Holy Prophet ﷺ made a messenger of the jinns for they are not from the same genus as men? - it can be answered by saying that the messenger is not simply a human being, instead, he also has an angelic majesty about him because of which jinns too could also be congruous to him.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Tafsir Surat Al-Isra: 94-95
Dan tidak ada sesuatu yang menghalangi manusia untuk beriman tatkala datang petunjuk kepadanya, kecuali perkataan mereka, "Adakah Allah mengutus seorang manusia menjadi rasul?
Katakanlah, "Kalau seandainya ada malaikat-malaikat yang berjalan-jalan sebagai penghuni di bumi, niscaya Kami turunkan dari langit kepada mereka seorang malaikat menjadi rasul."
Ayat 94
Firman Allah ﷻ: “Dan tidak ada sesuatu yang menghalangi manusia.” (Al-Isra: 94)
Yakni sebagian besar dari mereka.
“Untuk beriman.” (Al-Isra: 94) dan mengikuti rasul-rasul Allah, melainkan karena mereka merasa aneh bila Allah menjadikan rasul utusan-Nya dari kalangan manusia.
Ayat ini sama dengan apa yang disebutkan di dalam ayat lain melalui firman-Nya: Patutkah manusia heran bahwa Kami mewahyukan kepada seorang laki-laki di antara mereka, "Berilah peringatan kepada manusia dan gembirakanlah orang-orang yang beriman, bahwa mereka mempunyai kedudukan yang tinggi di sisi Tuhannya.” (Yunus: 2)
Itu adalah karena sesungguhnya telah datang kepada mereka rasul-rasul mereka membawa keterangan-keterangan, lalu mereka berkata, "Apakah manusia yang akan memberi petunjuk kepada kami?" (At-Taghabun: 6), hingga akhir ayat.
Juga firman Allah ﷻ yang menceritakan perkataan Fir'aun kepada pembesar-pembesar kaumnya: “Apakah (patut) kita percaya kepada dua orang manusia seperti kita (juga) padahal kaum mereka (Bani Israil) adalah orang-orang yang menghambakan diri kepada kita?” (Al-Muminun: 47)
Demikian pula umat-umat lainnya mengatakan hal yang sama terhadap rasul-rasul mereka, seperti yang disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: “Kalian tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami juga. Kalian menghendaki untuk menghalang-halangi (membelokkan) kami dari apa yang selalu disembah nenek moyang kami. Karena itu, datangkanlah kepada kami bukti yang nyata.” (Ibrahim: 10)
Ayat-ayat yang menceritakan hal ini cukup banyak jumlahnya, apa yang kami ketengahkan ini hanya sebagian saja. Selanjutnya Allah ﷻ mengingatkan kepada manusia tentang belas kasihan dan rahmat-Nya kepada hamba-hamba-Nya, bahwa Dia mengutus rasul-Nya kepada mereka dari bangsa dan jenis mereka sendiri agar mereka dapat memahami dan mengerti apa yang disampaikan oleh Rasul-Nya.
Dengan demikian, dialog dan pembicaraan antara mereka dengan utusan Allah akan berlangsung dengan baik. Seandainya Allah mengutus rasul-Nya dari kalangan malaikat, tentulah mereka tidak akan dapat bertatap muka dengannya, tidak pula dapat memahaminya. Hal ini semakna dengan yang disebutkan Allah ﷻ dalam ayat lain melalui firman-Nya:
“Sesungguhnya Allah telah memberi karunia kepada orang-orang yang beriman ketika Allah mengutus di antara mereka seorang rasul dari golongan mereka sendiri.” (Ali Imran: 164)
“Sesungguhnya telah datang kepada kalian seorang rasul dari kaum kalian sendiri” (At-Taubah: 128) “sebagaimana Kami telah mengutus kepada kalian rasul di antara kalian yang membacakan ayat-ayat Kami kepada kalian dan menyucikan kalian dan mengajarkan kepada kalian AlKitab dan Hikmah, serta mengajarkan kepada kalian apa yang belum kalian ketahui. Karena itu, ingatlah kalian kepada-Ku, niscaya Aku ingat (pula) kepada kalian, dan bersyukurlah kepada-Ku, dan janganlah kalian mengingkari (nikmat)-Ku.” (Al-Baqarah: 151-152)
Karena itulah dalam ayat berikut ini disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: “Katakanlah, ‘Kalau sekiranya ada malaikat-malaikat yang berjalan-jalan sebagai penghuni di bumi’.” (Al-Isra: 95)
Yakni sebagaimana kalian berjalan-jalan di bumi.
“Niscaya Kami turunkan dari langit kepada mereka seorang malaikat menjadi rasul.” (Al-Isra: 95)
Yaitu dari jenis malaikat. Mengingat kalian adalah jenis manusia, maka Kami utuskan rasul Kami kepada kalian dari kalangan kalian sendiri sebagai kasih sayang dan rahmat dari Allah buat kalian.
Dan tidak ada sesuatu yang menghalangi manusia untuk beriman ketika petunjuk, yakni wahyu Allah yang dibawa oleh para rasul datang kepadanya, baik pada zaman dahulu maupun sekarang, selain perkataan mereka, Mengapa Allah mengutus seorang manusia menjadi rasul' Mereka
menolak siapa pun manusia sebagai utusan Allah, karena menurut pendapatnya yang pantas menjadi rasul Allah adalah para malaikat. Katakanlah wahai Nabi Muhammad, Sekiranya di bumi ada para
malaikat, yang berjalan-jalan dengan tenang, dan melakukan aneka kegiatan di muka bumi ini, niscaya Kami turunkan kepada mereka malaikat
dari langit untuk menjadi rasul bagi mereka. Itulah ketetapan Allah yang
berlaku baik dahulu mapun sekarang, yaitu mengutus para rasul dari
jenis makhluk yang sama dengan jenis makhluk kepada siapa ia diutus
menyampaikan wahyu kepadanya.
Ayat ini menerangkan bahwa tidak ada yang menghalangi orang-orang musyrik Mekah beriman kepada Nabi Muhammad ketika wahyu diturunkan Allah kepadanya disertai dengan bermacam-macam mukjizat, kecuali keinginan mereka bahwa jika Allah ﷻ mengutus seorang rasul-Nya kepada manusia, maka rasul itu haruslah seorang malaikat, bukan seorang manusia biasa.
Orang-orang kafir Mekah khususnya dan orang-orang kafir pada umumnya heran mengapa wahyu itu diturunkan kepada seorang manusia biasa seperti Muhammad, bahkan seorang anak yatim. Kenapa tidak diturunkan kepada yang terpandai atau terkaya di antara mereka atau manusia yang mempunyai kekuatan gaib, malaikat, dan sebagainya. Sikap orang musyrik Mekah seperti itu sama dengan sikap orang-orang yang terdahulu terhadap para rasul yang diutus kepada mereka.
Firman Allah ﷻ:
Dan herankah kamu bahwa ada peringatan yang datang dari Tuhanmu melalui seorang laki-laki dari kalanganmu sendiri, untuk memberi peringatan kepadamu dan agar kamu bertakwa, sehingga kamu mendapat rahmat? (al-A'raf/7: 63).
MANUSIA DIRASULKAN KEPADA MANUSIA
“Dan tidak ada yang menghalangi manusia buat beriman, tatkala datang kepada mereka petunjuk, melainkan perkataan mereka, “Apakah Allah telah mengutus seorang manusia menjadi rasul."
(ayat 94)
Inilah lanjutan corak kekafiran mereka. Mereka tidak mau memerhatikan isi petunjuk yang dibawa rasul; benarkah petunjuk Allah itu atau salah. Berfaedahkah bagi diri mereka atau berbahaya. Tidak itu yang mereka perhatikan. Tetapi yang jadi keberatan mereka ialah: Mengapa yang dijadikan rasul itu manusia? Mengapa tidak malaikat?
Hanya manusia seperti mereka juga, bahkan tidak ada kelebihannya dari mereka. Tidak sanggup menciptakan mata air di padang pasir, tidak sanggup menciptakan kebun dengan airnya yang mengalir deras, tidak sanggup menciptakan rumah tempat tinggalnya sendiri dari emas, dan tidak pula sanggup menghadirkan Allah dan malaikat-malaikat di hadapan mereka untuk mereka lihat bermuka-muka. Sebab itu mereka tidak mau beriman. Hati sanubari mereka tidak terbuka buat menerima kebenaran. Rasul itu bukan malaikat, mereka tidak mau percaya. Lalu, Rasulullah ﷺ disuruh lagi memberi keterangan,
“Katakanlah, “Jikalau adalah di bumi ini malaikat berjalan-jalan dengan keadaan tenteram."
(pangkal ayat 95)
sebab mereka telah menggantikan tempat manusia di muka bumi dan setelah bumi ini yang menjadi tempat tinggal tetapnya,
“Niscaya Kami tmunkan kepada meieka seoiang malaikat dari langit sebagai rasul."
(ujung ayat 95)
Tetapi karena penghuni bumi ini masih manusia, niscaya manusia pulalah Rasul Allah kepada mereka. Dan sebagai orang yang pada dasarnya tidak mau percaya, tentu jika misalnya dikabulkan kehendak mereka, dikirim rasul dari malaikat, akan mereka sanggah juga. Sebab kehidupan malaikat yang tidak laki-laki dan tidak perempuan. Tentu mereka akan menyanggah pula, “Mengapa diutus makhluk yang tak dapat kami teladari?" Lantaran itu disuruhlah Nabi ﷺ menjelaskan.
Katakanlah,
“Cukuplah Allah menjadi saksi di antaraku dan di antara kamu, sesungguhnya adalah Dia terhadap hamba-Nya Maha Mengetahui, Maha Melihat."
(ayat 96)
Tegasnya kamu suka percaya atau tidak, namun aku tetap Rasul Allah. Risalah yang aku bawa adalah jelas dan pendirian kamu terhadap apa yang aku bawa itu sudah jelas pula. Di antara seruanku dengan sikap kamu sudah tidak dapat dipertemukan. Sekarang biarlah aku serahkan kepada Allah jadi saksi atas pertentangan aku dan kamu. Di dalam ayat ini Nabi ﷺ tidak memakai “di antara kita kedua belah pihak", melainkan di antara aku dengan kamu! Allah Maha Mengetahui dan Maha Melihat, siapa di antara aku dan kamu yang benar. Supaya lebih tegas bahwa memang pendirian berbeda. Kemudian itu diteruskan dengan ayat selanjutnya.
“Dan barangsiapa yang diberi petunjuk oleh Allah, dialah orang yang terpimpin. Dan barangsiapayang disesatkan-Nya, maka tidaklah ada bagi mereka pelindung-pelindung selain Dia."
(pangkal ayat 97)
Orang yang terpimpin ialah dipimpin oleh Allah. Diberi petunjuk menurut garis jalan yang telah teratur; ada rasul dan Al-Qur'an, jelas yang makruf, jelas pula yang mungkar. Tetapi orang-orang yang sesat karena salah memilih jalan, mereka akan bertemu jalan buntu; jalan tak ada ujung. Yang akan melindungi mereka pun tak ada. Pelindung satu-satunya hanya Allah, padahal Allah mereka belakangi. Lantas bagaimana akhirnya mereka? Allah lanjutkan, “Dan akan Kami kumpulkan mereka di hari Kiamat, diseret atas muka mereka." Artinya bukan kaki mereka yang berjejak di tanah, melainkan muka merekalah yang disulingkan lagi ke bawah, ditunggangbalikkan. Sebab selama hidup di dunia mereka pun menunggangbalikkan kebenaran jua. Seperti ditafsirkan oleh al-Qasyani, “Muka mereka yang ditekan ke tanah karena selama hidup dahulu perhatian mereka pun hanya kepada yang rendah dan hina." “Dalam keadaan buta, bisu, dan tuli." Mereka dijadikan buta karena di dunia mereka pun tidak mau mempergunakan mata untuk melihat kebenaran. Mereka jadi bisu, mulut terkunci, karena mulut itu selama di dunia tertutup tidak mau mengakui kebenaran, dan mereka menjadi tuli karena di dunia mereka tulikan telinga mereka, tidak mau mendengar seruan rasul."Tempat tinggal mereka ialah jahannam." Ke sanalah akibat kesudahan yang akan mereka tempuh. Karena ke jalan sana mereka menuju sejak hidup, sebab ingkar tidak mau diajak menuju jalan yang benar buat sampai ke surga.
“Tiap-tiap dia hendak padam, Kami tambah nyatanya."
(ujung ayat 97)
Ikhwal api neraka yang hampir padam ditambah nyalanya kembali ialah agar orang-orang yang tidak percaya itu mengerti bahwa bila api neraka itu telah hampir padam sesudah membakar kulit mereka, api itu dinyalakan kembali dan kulit mereka yang telah hangus diganti lagi dengan kulit yang baru, agar terus-menerus diadzab. Demikianlah menurut yang ditafsirkan oleh az-Zamakhsyari. Itulah sebabnya maka datang ayat 98 menjelaskan lagi sebab-sebab adzab siksaan begitu ngeri. Demikian itulah ganjaian meieka, lantaian meieka tidak peicaya kepada ayat-ayat Kami. Dan meieka beikata, Apakah setelah kita jadi tulang dan napuh kita akan dibangkitkan pula sebagai kejadian yang baru?
(ayat 98)
Kita akan dihidupkan kembali? Kita akan bernyawa pula sekali lagi? Padahal daging telah habis kembali jadi tanah, dan yang tinggal hanya tulang yang telah rapuh dan mumuk? Itulah yang akan dihidupkan? Tidak mungkin!
“Tidakkah mereka peihatikan bahwa Allah yang telah menjadikan semua langit dan bumi itu, beikuasa pula menciptakanyang sepeiti mereka?"
(pangkal ayat 99)
Di pangkal ayat 99 ini diajaklah mereka berpikir dan merenungkan serta membanding-banding. Sebab mereka adalah manusia yang diberi Allah akal buat berpikir. Tengoklah langit yang begitu luas dan besar, berlapis-lapis dengan bintang-bintangnya, dan tengok pula bumi tempat mereka hidup ini; alangkah besar luasnya semuanya itu! Kalau ditanyai, mereka mengaku bahwa semuanya itu Allah yang menciptakannya. Bandingkanlah semuanya Alam Malakut dengan manusia ini, yang disebut Alam Nasut, yang sangat kecil tak ada artinya. (Lihat surah al-Insaan ayat 1)."Dan menjadikan bagi mereka ajal yang tidak ada keraguan padanya." Dalam Allah menciptakan seluruh langit dan bumi itu ada peraturannya sendiri sehingga ada bintangyang mengelilingi matahari sehari semalam, yaitu bumi. Dan ada yang lima tahun sekali baru muncul dan ada pula yang beratus tahun, dan ada yang hanya tinggal bayangannya saja yang baru sampai ke bumi sedang bintangnya sudah berjuta tahun meninggalkan tempat itu. Semuanya itu adalah ajal, atau janji, atau aturan yang telah tentu. Kalau demikian dengan alam luas, apalah sukarnya bagi Yang Mahakuasa itu menjadikan manusia, lalu hidup dan kemudian dia pun mati dan kemudian dihidupkan lagi dalam alam lain, yang bernama alam akhirat? Kalau kamu pikirkan itu, niscaya kamu akan insaf dan sadar akan kecilnya insan dibanding dengan kekuasaan Ilahi.
“Tetapi enggan jualah orang-orang yang Zalim itu tidak mau percaya melainkan kufur."
(ujung ayat 99)
Tetapi apalah hendak dikata. Disuruh mempergunakan pikiran mereka tidak mau. Mereka lebih suka yang gelap daripada yang terang. Sebab itu kita kembali kepada ancaman Allah di ayat 97 bahwa yang mereka terima itu adalah akibat dari kesalahan mereka sendiri.
Malta tersebutlah dalam ayat yang selanjutnya,
“Katakanlah, ‘jikalau kamu memiliki peibendahaiaan lahmat Tuhanku."
(pangkal ayat 100)
Jikalau kamu misalnya diberi kekayaan oleh Allah, penuh perbendaharaan dan simpanan dan penaruhan kamu dengan emas perak sebagai rahmat dari Ilahi."Seketika itu niscaya kamu akan menahannya karena takut akan habis dibelanjakan." Ini adalah salah satu penyakit yang timbul dari kekufuran jua. Diterima rahmat Allah, tetapi ditelan sendiri, takut akan membagikan pula kepada orang lain.
Sebab itu penutup ayat benbunyi,
“Dan adalah manusia itu bakhil?
(ujung ayat 100)
Ini adalah naluri (insting) manusia. Untuk mengobatinya hanyalah satu, yaitu iman kepada Allah dan cinta kepada sesama manusia. Dan orang yang bakhil dengan tidak sadar telah tumbuh dalam dadanya sendiri satu berih dari syirik; mempersekutukan Allah. Oleh karena cintanya kepada harta yang dirahmatkan Allah, dia pun lalai dan lengah dan lupa kepada Allah yang memberikan rahmat.
(Dan tidak ada sesuatu yang menghalang-halangi manusia untuk beriman tatkala datang petunjuk kepadanya kecuali perkataan mereka) perkataan mereka dengan nada ingkar ("Adakah Allah mengutus seorang manusia menjadi rasul?") dan Dia tidak mengutus seorang malaikat?.
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