Frightening the Idolators of Quraysh Allah tells: وَلَقَدْ اتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا مَعَهُ أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ وَزِيرًا فَقُلْنَا اذْهَبَا إِلَى الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِأيَاتِنَا فَدَمَّرْنَاهُمْ تَدْمِيرًا And indeed We gave Musa the Scripture, and placed his brother Harun with him as a helper; And We said:Go you both to the people who have denied Our Ayat. Then We destroyed them with utter destruction. Allah threatens the idolators who denied and opposed His Messenger Muhammad and He warns them of the punishment and painful torment He sent upon the previous nations who rejected their Messengers. Allah begins by mentioning Musa, upon him be peace, whom He sent along with his brother Harun as a helper -- i.e., as another Prophet who helped and supported him -- but Fir`awn and his chiefs denied them both: دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِلْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْثَـلُهَا Allah destroyed them completely, and similar (awaits) the disbelievers. (47:10) And when the people of Nuh denied him, Allah destroyed them likewise, for whoever denies one Messenger denies all the Messengers, because there is no difference between one Messenger and another. If it had so happened that Allah had sent all His Messengers to them, they would have denied them all. Allah says وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ And Nuh's people, when they denied the Messengers, although Allah sent only Nuh to them, and he stayed among them for 950 years, calling them to Allah and warning them of His punishment, وَمَا امَنَ مَعَهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ (And none believed with him, except a few. (11:40) For this reason Allah أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ drowned them all and left no one among the sons of Adam alive on earth apart from those who boarded the boat, وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ ايَةً and We made them a sign for mankind. meaning a lesson to be learned. This is like the Ayah, إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَأءُ حَمَلْنَـكُمْ فِى الْجَارِيَةِ لِنَجْعَلَهَا لَكُمْ تَذْكِرَةً وَتَعِيَهَأ أُذُنٌ وَعِيَةٌ Verily, when the water rose beyond its limits, We carried you in the boat. That We might make it a remembrance for you, and the keen ear may understand it. (69:11-12) which means:`We left for you ships that you ride upon to travel across the depths of the seas, so that you may remember the blessing of Allah towards you when He saved you from drowning, and made you the descendants of those who believed in Allah and followed His commandments.' .. وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا And We have prepared a painful torment for the wrongdoers. Allah further tells وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَأَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ And (also) `Ad and Thamud, and the Dwellers of Ar-Rass, We have already discussed their story, which is referred to in more than one Surah, such as Surah Al-A`raf, and there is no need to repeat it here. As for the Dwellers of Ar-Rass, Ibn Jurayj narrated from Ibn Abbas about the Dwellers of Ar-Rass that: they were the people of one of the villages of Thamud. Ath-Thawri narrated from Abu Bukayr from Ikrimah that: Ar-Rass was a well where they buried (Rassu) their Prophet. وَقُرُونًا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا and many generations in between. means nations, many more than have been mentioned here, whom We destroyed. Allah said وَكُلًّ ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ الاَْمْثَالَ And for each We put forward examples, meaning, `We showed them the proof and gave them clear evidence,' as Qatadah said, They had no excuse. وَكُلًّ تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيرًا and each (of them) We brought to utter ruin. means, `We destroyed them completely.' This is like the Ayah, وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ And how many generations (Qurun) have We destroyed after Nuh! (17:17) Generations (Qurun) here refers to nations among mankind. This is like the Ayah, ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قُرُوناً ءَاخَرِينَ Then, after them, We created other generations (Qurun). (23:42) Some defined a generation as being 120 years, or it was said that a generation was one hundred years, or eighty, or forty, etc. The most correct view is that a generation refers to nations who are one another's contemporaries, living at the same time. When they go and others succeed them, this is another generation, as it was recorded in the Two Sahihs: خَيْرُ الْقُرُونِ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُم The best of generations is my generation, then the one that follows it, then the one that follows that وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا عَلَى الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ السَّوْءِ And indeed they have passed by the town on which was rained the evil rain. refers to the town of the people of Lut, which was called Sodom, and the way in which Allah dealt with it, when He destroyed it by turning it upside down and by sending upon it the rain of stones of baked clay, as Allah says: وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَراً فَسَأءَ مَطَرُ الْمُنذَرِينَ And We rained on them a rain. And how evil was the rain of those who had been warned! (26:176) وَإِنَّكُمْ لَّتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُّصْبِحِينَ وَبِالَّيْلِ أَفَلَ تَعْقِلُونَ Verily, you pass by them in the morning. And at night; will you not then reflect! (37:137-138) وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُّقِيمٍ And verily, they were right on the highroad. (15:76) وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ They are both on an open highway, plain to see. (15:79) Allah says: أَفَلَمْ يَكُونُوا يَرَوْنَهَا Did they not then see it! meaning, so that they might learn a lesson from what happened to its inhabitants of punishment for denying the Messenger and going against the commands of Allah. بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ نُشُورًا Nay! But they used not to expect any resurrection. means, the disbelievers who passed by it did not learn any lesson, because they did not expect any resurrection, i.e., on the Day of Judgement How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger Allah tells: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُوًا أَهَذَا الَّذِي بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاًإ And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying):Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger! Allah tells us how the disbelievers mocked the Messenger when they ﷺ him. This is like the Ayah, وَإِذَا رَاكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery, (21:36) which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. Here Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُوًا أَهَذَا الَّذِي بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاًإ And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger! i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said: وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at. (6:10 إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ الِهَتِنَا He would have nearly misled us from our gods, They meant:`he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' لَوْلَا أَن صَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship! So Allah said, warning and threatening them: وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ And they will know, when they see the torment... مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلً who it is that is most astray from the path! They took Their Desires as their gods and were more astray than Cattle Then Allah tells His Prophet that if Allah decrees that someone will be misguided and wretched, then no one can guide him except Allah, glory be to Him أَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire! meaning, whatever he admires and sees as good in his own desires becomes his religion and his way. As Allah says: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءَ عَمَلِهِ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَناً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَأءُ Is he then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming. So that he consider it as good. Verily, Allah sends astray whom he wills. (35:8) أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلً Would you then be a guardian over him! Ibn Abbas said: During the Jahiliyyah, a man would worship a white rock for a while, then if he ﷺ another that looked better, he would worship that and leave the first. Then Allah said أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ Or do you think that most of them hear or understand! إِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ كَالاَْنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلً They are only like cattle -- nay, they are even farther astray from the path. meaning, they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them. Evidence of the existence of the Creator and the extent of His Power Here Allah begins explaining the evidence for His existence and His perfect power to create various things and pairs of opposites. Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Abu Al-Aliyah, Abu Malik, Masruq, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said, This refers to the period from the beginning of the dawn until the sun rises. وَلَوْ شَاء لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا If He willed, He could have made it still, meaning, immobile, never changing. This is like the Ayat: قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الَّيْلَ سَرْمَداً Say:Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you... (28:71) ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلً but We have made the sun its guide. means, were it not for the sun rising, it would not be there, for a thing can only be known in contrast to its opposite. Qatadah and As-Suddi said, The sun is a guide which follows the shade until the shade disappears. ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا Then We withdraw it towards Ourselves -- a gradual withdrawal. This refers to the shade. يَسِيرًا (gradual) meaning slowly. As-Suddi said: A gentle, concealed, withdrawal until there is no shade left on earth except under a roof or a tree, and the sun is shining on whatever is above it. قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا (a gradual withdrawal). Ayub bin Musa said: Little by little. وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you, It covers and conceals all things. This is like the Ayah: وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى By the night as it envelops. (92:1) وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًا and the sleep a repose, means, a halt to movement so that bodies may rest. For the faculties and limbs get tired from their constant movement during the day when one goes out to earn a living. When night comes, and it becomes quiet, they stop moving, and rest; so sleep provides a rejuvenation for both the body and the soul. وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُورًا and makes the day Nushur. meaning, people get up and go out to earn a living and attend to their business. This is like the Ayah: وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty... (28:73 This is also part of His complete power and supreme authority Allah says: وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy; Allah sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, i.e., they bring the clouds behind them. The winds are of many different types, depending on the purpose for which they are sent. Some of them form the clouds, others carry the clouds or drive them, and others come ahead of the clouds as heralds announcing their coming. Some of them come before that to stir up the earth, and some of them fertilize or seed the clouds to make it rain. Allah says: وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء طَهُورًا and We send down pure water from the sky, meaning, as a means of purifying it. Abu Sa`id said, It was said:O Messenger of Allah, can we perform Wudu' with the water of the well of Buda`ah, for it is a well in which rubbish and the flesh of dogs are thrown. He said: إِنَّ الْمَاءَ طَهُورٌ لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ شَيْء Water is pure and nothing makes it impure. This was recorded by Ash-Shafi`i and Ahmad, who graded it Sahih, and also by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Hasan, and by An-Nasa'i. His saying لِنُحْيِيَ بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا That We may give life thereby to a dead land, means, a land that waited a long time for rain. It is devoid of vegetation or anything at all. When the rain comes to it, it becomes alive and its hills are covered with all kinds of colorful flowers, as Allah says: فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَأءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ but when We send down water to it, it is stirred to life and growth... (41:39) His saying: وَنُسْقِيَهُ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَا أَنْعَامًا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرًا and We give to drink thereof many of the cattle and men that We had created. means, so that animals such as cattle can drink from it, and people who are in desperate need of water can drink from it and water their crops and fruits. This is like the Ayah: وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُواْ And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, (42:28) فَانظُرْ إِلَى ءَاثَـرِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَأ Look then at the effects of Allah's mercy, how He revives the earth after its death. (30:50) His saying وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَاهُ بَيْنَهُمْ لِيَذَّكَّرُوا And indeed We have distributed it among them in order that they may remember, means, `We cause rain to fall on this land and not on that, and We cause the clouds to pass over one land and go to another, where We cause sufficient rain to fall so that its people have plenty, but not one drop falls on the first land.' There is a reason and great wisdom behind this. Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with them said: One year does not have more rain than another, but Allah distributes the rain as He wills. Then he recited this Ayah: وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَاهُ بَيْنَهُمْ لِيَذَّكَّرُوا فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ كُفُورًا And indeed We have distributed it (rain or water) amongst them in order that they may remember the grace of Allah, but most men refuse (out of) ingratitude. meaning, so that they may be reminded, when Allah brings the dead earth back to life, that He is able to bring the dead and dry bones back to life, or that those from whom rain is withheld are suffering this because of some sin they have committed, so that they may give it up. فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ كُفُورًا but most men refuse (out of) ingratitude. Ikrimah said, This refers to those who say that rain comes because of such and such a star. This view of Ikrimah is similar to the authentic Hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim; one day after a night's rain, the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions: أَتَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ Do you know what your Lord says? They said:Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: قَالَ أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِي مُوْمِنٌ بِي وَكَافِرٌ فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَاكَ مُوْمِنٌ بِي كَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَاكَ كَافِرٌ بِي مُوْمِنٌ بِالْكَوْكَب He says: This morning some of My servants became believers in Me, and some became disbelievers. As for the one who said, `We have been given rain by the mercy and grace of Allah,' he is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars. As for the one who said, `We have been given rain by such and such a star,' he is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the stars. The universality of the Prophet's Message, how He was supported in His Mission and Allah's Blessings to Mankind Allah says: وَلَوْ شِيْنَا لَبَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ نَذِيرًا And had We willed, We would have raised a warner in every town. `Calling them to Allah, but We have singled you out, O Muhammad, to be sent to all the people of earth, and We have commanded you to convey the Qur'an,' لااٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. (6:19) وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place. (11:17) لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا that you may warn the Mother of the Towns and all around it. (42:7) قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا Say:O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah... (7:158) In the Two Sahihs it is reported that the Prophet said: بُعِثْتُ إِلَى الاَْحْمَرِ وَالاَْسْوَد I have been sent to the red and the black. And: وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة A Prophet would be sent to his own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind. Allah says فَلَ تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَجَاهِدْهُم بِهِ So obey not the disbelievers, but strive hard against them with it. meaning, with the Qur'an. This was the view of Ibn Abbas. جِهَادًا كَبِيرًا with the utmost endeavour. This is like the Ayah, يَأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ جَـهِدِ الْكُفَّـرَ وَالْمُنَـفِقِينَ O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, (9:73) Allah says وَهُوَ الَّذِي مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هَذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ And it is He Who has let free the two seas, this is palatable and sweet, and that is salty and bitter; means, He has created the two kinds of water, sweet and salty. The sweet water is like that in rivers, springs and wells, which is fresh, sweet, palatable water. This was the view of Ibn Jurayj and of Ibn Jarir, and this is the meaning without a doubt, for nowhere in creation is there a sea which is fresh and sweet. Allah has told us about reality so that His servants may realize His blessings to them and give thanks to Him. The sweet water is that which flows amidst people. Allah has portioned it out among His creatures according to their needs; rivers and springs in every land, according to what they need for themselves and their lands. وَهَذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ and that is salty and bitter; meaning that it is salty, bitter and not easy to swallow. This is like the seas that are known in the east and the west, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits that lead to it, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and so on, all the seas that are stable and do not flow, but they swell and surge in the winter and when the winds are strong, and they have tides that ebb and flow. At the beginning of each month the tides ebb and flood, and when the month starts to wane they retreat until they go back to where they started. When the crescent of the following month appears, the tide begins to ebb again until the fourteenth of the month, then it decreases. Allah, may He be glorified, the One Whose power is absolute, has set these laws in motion, so all of these seas are stationary, and He has made their water salty lest the air turn putrid because of them and the whole earth turn rotten as a result, and lest the earth spoil because of the animals dying on it. Because its water is salty, its air is healthy and its dead are good (to eat), hence when the Messenger of Allah was asked whether sea water can be used for Wudu', he said: هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاوُهُ الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُه Its water is pure and its dead are lawful. This was recorded by Malik, Ash-Shafi`i and Ahmad, and by the scholars of Sunan with a good (Jayyid) chain of narration. وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًا وَحِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them. meaning, between the sweet water and the saltwater. بَرْزَخًا (a barrier), means a partition, which is dry land. وَحِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا (and a complete partition), means, a barrier, to prevent one of them from reaching the other. This is like the Ayat: مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لاَّ يَبْغِيَانِ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ He has let loose the two seas meeting together. Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress. Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny! (55:19-21) أَمَّن جَعَلَ الاٌّرْضَ قَرَاراً وَجَعَلَ خِلَلَهَأ أَنْهَاراً وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِىَ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزاً أَءِلـهٌ مَّعَ اللهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and placed firm mountains therein, and set a barrier between the two seas! Is there any god with Allah! Nay, but most of them know not! (27:61) And Allah says وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاء بَشَرًا And it is He Who has created man from water, means, He created man from a weak Nutfah, then gave him shape and formed him, and completed his form, male and female, as He willed. فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَبًا وَصِهْرًا and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage. in the beginning, he is someone's child, then he gets married and becomes a son-in-law, then he himself has sons-in-law and other relatives through marriage. All of this comes from a despised liquid, Allah says: وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيرًا And your Lord is Ever All-Powerful to do what He wills.