يس ١٦
- قَالُواْ They said
- رَبُّنَا Our Lord
- يَعۡلَمُ knows
- إِنَّآ that we
- إِلَيۡكُمۡ to you
- لَمُرۡسَلُونَ (are) surely Messengers
They said, "Our Lord knows that we are messengers to you,
They said, 'Our Lord knows (qaaloo rabbunaa ya'lamu functions like an oath. Emphasis is intensified by this [oath] and also by the [addition of the] laam to what was before [simply, mursaloona, 'we have been sent'] to counter their intensified denial) that we have indeed been sent to you [by Him]!
The Story of the Dwellers of the Town and Their Messengers, a Lesson that Those Who belied Their Messengers were destroyed
Allah says,
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم
And put forward to them,
Allah says, `O Muhammad, tell your people who disbelieve in you,'
مَّثَلً أَصْحَابَ الْقَرْيَةِ إِذْ جَاءهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ
a similitude; the Dwellers of the Town, when there came Messengers to them.
In the reports that he transmitted from Ibn Abbas, Ka`b Al-Ahbar and Wahb bin Munabbih - Ibn Ishaq reported that it was the city of Antioch, in which there was a king called Antiochus the son of Antiochus the son of Antiochus, who used to worship idols. Allah sent to him three Messengers, whose names were Sadiq, Saduq and Shalum, and he disbelieved in them.
It was also narrated from Buraydah bin Al-Husayb, Ikrimah, Qatadah and Az-Zuhri that it was Antioch.
Some of the Imams were not sure that it was Antioch, as we shall see below after telling the rest of the story, if Allah wills
إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا
When We sent to them two Messengers, they denied them both;
means, they hastened to disbelieve in them.
فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ
so We reinforced them with a third,
means, `We supported and strengthened them with a third Messenger.'
Ibn Jurayj narrated from Wahb bin Sulayman, from Shu`ayb Al-Jaba'i,
The names of the first two Messengers were Sham`un and Yuhanna, and the name of the third was Bulus, and the city was Antioch (Antakiyah).
فَقَالُوا
and they said,
means, to the people of that city,
إِنَّا إِلَيْكُم مُّرْسَلُونَ
Verily, we have been sent to you as Messengers.
meaning, `from your Lord Who created you and Who commands you to worship Him Alone with no partners or associates.'
This was the view of Abu Al-Aliyah.
Qatadah bin Di`amah claimed that;
they were messengers of the Messiah, peace be upon him, sent to the people of Antioch
قَالُوا مَا أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا
They said:You are only human beings like ourselves...
means, `so how could you receive revelation when you are human beings and we are human beings, so why do we not receive revelation like you If you are Messengers, you should be angels.'
This is like what many of the nations said who disbelieved, as Allah has told us in the Ayah:
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)
meaning that they were amazed by that and they denied it.
And Allah says:
قَالُواْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَأوُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـنٍ مُّبِينٍ
They said: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 Allah tells us that they said:
وَلَيِنْ أَطَعْتُمْ بَشَراً مِّثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَّخَـسِرُونَ
If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, then verily, you indeed would be losers. (23:34)
And Allah says:
وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُوْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَأءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً
And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said:Has Allah sent a man as (His) Messenger! (17:94)
These people said:
قَالُوا مَا أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَمَا أَنزَلَ الرَّحْمن مِن شَيْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ تَكْذِبُونَ
قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ
You are only human beings like ourselves, and the Most Gracious has revealed nothing. You are only telling lies.
The Messengers said:Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you.
This means that the three Messengers answered them saying:
Allah knows that we are His Messengers to you. If we were lying, He would have taken the utmost vengeance against us, but He will cause us to prevail and will make us victorious against you, and you will come to know whose will be the happy end in the Hereafter.
This is like the Ayah:
قُلْ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ شَهِيداً يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَالَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَكَفَرُواْ بِاللَّهِ أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ
Say:
Sufficient is Allah for a witness between me and you. He knows what is in the heavens and on earth.
And those who believe in falsehood, and disbelieve in Allah, it is they who are the losers. (29:52)
وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلاَّ الْبَلَغُ الْمُبِينُ
And our duty is only to convey plainly.
means, `all we have to do is to convey to you the Message with which we have been sent; if you obey, then happiness will be yours in this world and the Hereafter, and if you do not respond, you will soon know the consequences of that.'
And Allah knows best
Allah tells,
قَالُوا
They (people) said:
i.e. the people of the city said to them,
إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ
For us, we see an evil omen from you;
meaning, `we do not see in your faces any sign of good for our lives.'
Qatadah said,
They were saying, `if something bad befalls us, it will be because of you.'
Mujahid said,
They were saying:People like you never enter a town, but its people are punished.
لَيِن لَّمْ تَنتَهُوا لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ
if you cease not, we will surely stone you,
Qatadah said,
By throwing stones at you.
وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
and a painful torment will touch you from us.
means, a severe punishment
قَالُوا
Their Messengers said to them:
طَايِرُكُمْ مَعَكُمْ
Your evil omens be with you!
meaning, `they are thrown back at you.'
This is like the Ayah where Allah describes the people of Fir`awn:
فَإِذَا جَأءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُواْ لَنَا هَـذِهِ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّيَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُواْ بِمُوسَى وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَايِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ
But whenever good came to them, they said:Ours is this. And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Musa and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah. (7:131)
And the people of Salih said:
اطَّيَّرْنَا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَّعَكَ قَالَ طَايِرُكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ
We augur ill omen from you and those with you. He said:Your ill omen is with Allah. (27:47)
And Allah said:
وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّيَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِكَ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ فَمَا لِهَـوُلاءِ الْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثاً
And if some good reaches them, they say, This is from Allah, but if some evil befalls them, they say, This is from you.
Say:All things are from Allah, so what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word. (4:78)
أَيِن ذُكِّرْتُم بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ
(Do you call it evil omen) because you are admonished! Nay, but you are a people mischievous.
means, `because of us, because we admonished you and told you to worship Allah Alone and with all sincerity, and in return you said what you said and threatened us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people.'
Qatadah said,
This means, `Because we reminded you about Allah, you ﷺ an evil omen in us. Nay, but you are a mischievous people'.
Allah tells,
وَجَاء مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى
And there came a man running from the farthest part of the town.
Quoting what reached him from Ibn Abbas, Ka`b Al-Ahbar and Wahb bin Munabbih -- Ibn Ishaq reported that,
The people of the city resolved to kill their Messengers, then a man came running to them from the farthest part of the town, i.e., to help them against his people. They said, his name was Habib, and he used to work with ropes. He was a sickly man who suffered from leprosy, and he was very charitable, giving half of his earnings in charity, and his Fitrah (natural inclination) was sound.
Shabib bin Bishr said, narrating from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that,
the name of the man mentioned in Ya Sin was Habib An-Najjar, and he was killed by his people.
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
He said:O my people! Obey the Messengers.
-- he urged his people to follow the Messengers who had come to them
اتَّبِعُوا مَن لاَّ يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا
Obey those who ask no wages of you,
means, `for the Message which they convey to you,
وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
and who are rightly guided.
and they are rightly-guided in what they are calling you to, the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate.
وَمَا لِي لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي
And why should I not worship Him Who has created me!
means, `and what is there to stop me from sincerely worshipping the One Who has created me, and worshipping Him Alone, with no partner or associate.'
وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
and to Whom you shall be returned.
means, `on the Day of Resurrection, when He will requite you for your deeds:if they are good then you will be rewarded and if they are evil then you will be punished.
أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ الِهَةً
Shall I take besides Him gods!
This is a rhetorical question intended to rebuke and chastise.
إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَن بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْيًا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ
If the Most Gracious intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me.
means, `these gods whom you worship instead of Him possess no power whatsoever, if Allah wills me some harm,'
فَلَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ
none can remove it but He. (6:17)
`These idols can neither cause any harm nor bring any benefit, and they cannot save me from the predicament I am in.'
إِنِّي إِذًا لَّفِي ضَلَلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Then verily, I should be in plain error.
means, `if I were to take them as gods instead of Allah.'
إِنِّي امَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ
Verily, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!
Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ka`b and Wahb,
He said to his people:
إِنِّي امَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ
(`Verily, I have believed in your Lord) in Whom you have disbelieved,
فَاسْمَعُونِ
(so listen to me!)' means, listen to what I say.
Or
it may be that he was addressing the Messengers when he said:
إِنِّي امَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ
(`Verily, I have believed in your Lord,) meaning, `Who has sent you,' (so listen to me!) meaning, `bear witness to that before Him.'
This was narrated by Ibn Jarir, who said,
And others said that this was addressed to the Messengers, and he said to them:`Listen to what I say and bear witness to what I say before my Lord, that I have believed in your Lord and have followed you.'
This interpretation is more apparent, and Allah knows best.
Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him,
Ka`b and Wahb, `When he said that, they turned on him as one, and killed him at once, and he had no one to protect him from that.'
Qatadah said,
They started to stone him while he was saying,
`O Allah, guide my people for they do not know, and they kept stoning him until he died a violent death, and he was still praying for them.'
May Allah have mercy on him.
Allah tells:
قِيلَ
It was said:
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from some of his companions from Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, that they stamped on him until his intestines came out of his back passage.
Allah said to him:
ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ
Enter Paradise.
so he entered it with all its bountiful provision, when Allah had taken away from him all the sickness, grief and exhaustion of this world.
Mujahid said,
It was said to Habib An-Najjar, `Enter Paradise.'
This was his right, for he had been killed. When he ﷺ the reward,
قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ
He said:Would that my people knew....
Qatadah said,
You will never find a believer but he is sincere and is never insincere. When he ﷺ with his own eyes how Allah had honored him, he said:
قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
He said:Would that my people knew that my Lord has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!
He wished that his people could know about what he was seeing with his own eyes of the honor of Allah.
Ibn Abbas said,
He was sincere towards his people during his lifetime by saying,
يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(O my people! Obey the Messengers), and after his death by saying:
قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
(Would that my people knew that my Lord (Allah) has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!)
This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim.
Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from `Asim Al-Ahwal from Abu Mijlaz:
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
(That my Lord has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!)
Because of my faith in my Lord and my belief in the Messengers.
He meant that if they could see the great reward and everlasting blessings that he had attained, this would lead them to follow the Messengers.
May Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him, for he was so keen that his people should be guided.
Then Allah tells:
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ
And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven, nor was it needful for Us to send.
Allah tells us that He took revenge on his people after they had killed him because He, may He be blessed and exalted, was angry with them, for they had disbelieved in His Messengers and killed His close friend.
Allah tells us that He did not send an army of angels, nor did He need to send them, to destroy these people; the matter was simpler than that.
This was the view of Ibn Mas`ud.
According to the reports of Ibn Ishaq from some of his companions concerning the Ayah,
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ
(And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven, nor was it needful for Us to send). He said:
`We did not seek to outnumber them, for the matter was simpler than that.
إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ
It was but one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still.
He said,
So Allah destroyed that tyrant king, and destroyed the people of Antioch, and they disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving no trace behind.
It was said that the words
وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ
(nor was it needful for Us to send (such a thing)), mean,
`We did not send the angels against the nations when We destroyed them; all We did was to send the punishment to destroy them.'
It was said that the words:
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء
(And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven),
mean, another Message to them.
This was the view of Mujahid and Qatadah.
Qatadah said,
Allah did not rebuke his people after they killed him,
إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ
It was but one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still.
Ibn Jarir said,
The former view is more correct, because the Message does not need to be brought by an army.
The scholars of Tafsir said,
Allah sent Jibril, peace be upon him, to them, and he seized the pillars at the gate of their city, then he hurled one Sayhah upon them and lo! they (all) were still, to the last man among them, and no soul was left in any body.
We have already referred to the reports from many of the Salaf that this city was Antioch, and that these three Messengers were messengers sent from the Messiah `Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him, as Qatadah and others stated.
This is not mentioned by any of the later scholars of Tafsir besides him, and this issue must be examined from a number of angles.
- The first is that if we take this story at face value, it indicates that these men were Messengers from Allah, may He be glorified, not from the Messiah, peace be upon him, as Allah says:
إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَيْكُم مُّرْسَلُونَ
قَالُوا مَا أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَمَا أَنزَلَ الرَّحْمن مِن شَيْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ تَكْذِبُونَ
قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ
وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلاَّ الْبَلَغُ الْمُبِينُ
When We sent to them two Messengers, they denied them both; so We reinforced them with a third, and they said:Verily, we have been sent to you as Messengers.
They said:You are only human beings like ourselves, and the Most Gracious has revealed nothing. You are only telling lies.
The Messengers said:Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you, And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message).
If they had been from among the Disciples, they would have said something to indicate that they had come from the Messiah, peace be upon him. And Allah knows best. Moreover, if they had been messengers sent by the Messiah, why would the people have said to them,
إِن
أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَ
(You are only human beings like ourselves)
- The second is that the people of Antioch did believe in the messengers sent by the Messiah to them. Antioch was the first city to believe in the Messiah, and it is one of the four cities in which there are Christian patriarchs. These cities are:
Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Messiah;
Antioch, because it was the first city where all of the people believed in the Messiah;
Alexandria, because it was in that city that they agreed to reform the hierarchy of patriarchs, metropolitans (archbishops), bishops, priests, deacons and monks; and
Rome, because it is the city of the Emperor Constantine who supported and helped to establish their religion.
When he adopted Constantinople as his city, the Patriarch of Rome moved there, as has been mentioned by several historian, such as Sa`id bin Batriq and others, both People of the Book and Muslims.
If we accept that, then the people of Antioch were the first to believe, but Allah tells us that the people of this town rejected His Messengers and that He destroyed them with one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still. And Allah knows best.
- The third is that the story of Antioch and the Disciples of the Messiah happened after the Tawrah had been revealed. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, and others among the Salaf stated that after revealing the Tawrah, Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, did not destroy an entire nation by sending a punishment upon them. Rather, He commanded the believers to fight the idolators. They mentioned this when discussing the Ayah:
وَلَقَدْ اتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاُْولَى
(And indeed We gave Musa -- after We had destroyed the generations of old -- the Scripture) (28:43). This implies that the city mentioned in the Qur'an is a city other than Antioch, as also stated by more than one of the Salaf. Or, if we wish to keep the same name, it is possible that it is another Antioch, not the one which is well-known, for it is not known that it (the famous Antioch) was destroyed, either during Christian times or before. And Allah knows best
Woe to the Disbelievers!
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah:
يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ
Alas for mankind!,
this means, woe to mankind!
Qatadah said:
يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ
(Alas for mankind!) means,
Alas for mankind, who have neglected the command of Allah.
The meaning is that they will feel regret and sorrow on the Day of Resurrection. When they see the punishment with their own eyes; they will regret how they disbelieved the Messengers of Allah and went against the commands of Allah, for they used to disbelieve in them in this world.
...
مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِوُون
There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him.
means, they disbelieved him and made fun of him, and rejected the message of truth with which he had been sent.
The Refutation of the Belief in the Transmigration of Souls
Then Allah says:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنْ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُون
Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them? Verily, they will not return to them.
meaning, `do you not learn a lesson from those whom Allah destroyed before you of those who disbelieved in the Messengers? They came to this world only once, and will not return to it.'
It is not as many of those ignorant and immoral people claim that
إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا
(There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live!) (23:37). This was the belief in the cycle of reincarnation; in their ignorance they believed that they would come back to this world as they had been before. But Allah refuted their false belief and said:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنْ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
(Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them Verily, they will not return to them).
Allah's saying:
وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ
And surely, all -- everyone of them will be brought before Us.
means, all of the past nations and those that are yet to come, will be gathered and brought to account before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, on the Day of Judgement, and they will be requited according to their good and evil deeds.
This is like the Ayah:
وَإِنَّ كُـلًّ لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
And verily, to each of them your Lord will repay their works in full. (11:111)
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Tafsir Surat Yasin: 13-17
Dan buatlah bagi mereka suatu perumpamaan, yaitu penduduk suatu negeri ketika utusan-utusan datang kepada mereka; (yaitu) ketika Kami mengutus kepada mereka dua orang utusan, lalu mereka mendustakan keduanya; kemudian Kami kuatkan dengan (utusan) yang ketiga, maka ketiga utusan itu berkata, "Sesungguhnya kami adalah orang-orang yang diutus kepadamu. Mereka menjawab, "Kamu tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami dan Allah Yang Maha Pemurah tidak menurunkan sesuatu pun, kamu tidak lain hanyalah pendusta belaka.
Mereka berkata, "Tuhan kami mengetahui bahwa sesungguhnya kami adalah orang yang diutus kepada kamu. Dan kewajiban kami tidak lain hanyalah menyampaikan (perintah Allah) dengan jelas. Allah ﷻ berfirman, memerintahkan kepada Nabi-Nya agar membuat suatu perumpaman terhadap kaumnya yang telah mendustakannya. suatu perumpamaan yaitu penduduk suatu negeri ketika utusan-utusan datang kepada mereka. (Yasin: 13) Ibnu Ishaq telah mengatakan berdasarkan berita yang sampai kepadanya dari Ibnu Abbas r.a., Ka'bul Ahbar, dan Wahb ibnu Munabbih, bahwa negeri yang dimaksud adalah Intakiyah, yang diperintah oleh seorang raja yang bernama Antikhas.
Ia adalah seorang penyembah berhala, maka Allah mengutus kepadanya tiga orang rasul. Ketiga orang rasul itu bernama Sadiq, Saduq, dan Syalum; tetapi raja itu mendustakan mereka. Hal yang sama telah diriwayatkan dari Buraidah ibnul Khasib, Ikrimah, Qatadah, dan Az-Zuhri, bahwa negeri tersebut adalah Intakiyah. Akan tetapi, ada sebagian para imam yang merasa ragu bahwa negeri tersebut adalah Intakiyah karena alasan yang akan kami sebutkan kemudian sesudah kisah ini selesai, insya Allah.
Firman Allah ﷻ: (yaitu) ketika Kami mengutus kepada mereka dua orang utusan, lalu mereka mendustakannya. (Yasin: 14) Maksudnya, dengan spontan mereka mendustakan kedua rasul itu. kemudian Kami kuatkan dengan (utusan) yang ketiga. (Yasin: 14) Yakni Kami perkuat keduanya dengan rasul yang ketiga. Ibnu Juraij telah meriwayatkan dari Wahb ibnu Sulaiman, dari Syu'aib Al-Jiba'i yang mengatakan bahwa nama kedua rasul yang pertama itu adalah Syam'un dan Yuhana, sedangkan nama rasul yang ketiga ialah Baulus, dan nama negerinya adalah Intakiyah.
maka ketiga utusan itu berkata. (Yasin: 14) Yaitu kepada penduduk negeri tersebut. Sesungguhnya kami adalah orang-orang yang diutus kepadamu (Yasin: 14) Yakni dari Tuhan kalian yang telah menciptakan kalian. Dia memerintahkan kepada kalian agar menyembah Dia semata, tiada sekutu bagi-Nya. Demikianlah menurut Abul Aliyah. Tetapi Qatadah ibnu Di'amah menduga bahwa ketiganya adalah utusan-utusan Al-Masih a.s. kepada penduduk negeri Intakiyah. Mereka menjawab, "Kamu tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami. (Yasin: 15) Maksudnya, mana mungkin kalian diberi wahyu, sedangkan kalian adalah manusia seperti kami juga, dan kami tidak mendapat wahyu seperti kalian.
Seandainya kalian benar-benar utusan, tentulah kalian adalah jenis malaikat. Dan memang inilah keraguan yang berada di benak kebanyakan umat yang mendustakan para rasul, sebagaimana yang disebutkan oleh Allah ﷻ dalam firman-Nya yang menceritakan ucapan mereka: Yang demikian 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-Tagabun: 6) Yakni mereka merasa heran dan tidak percaya bila rasul berasal dari jenis manusia. Disebutkan pula oleh firman-Nya: Mereka berkata, "Kamu tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami juga.
Kamu menghendaki untuk menghalang-halangi (membelokkan) kami dari apa yang selalu disembah nenek moyang kami, Karena itu, datangkanlah kepada kami bukti yang nyata. (Ibrahim: 10) Dan firman Allah ﷻ lainnya yang menceritakan perkataan mereka: Dan sesungguhnya jika kamu sekalian menaati manusia yang seperti kamu, niscaya bila demikian kamu benar-benar (menjadi) orang-orang yang merugi. (Al-Mu-minun: 34) Dan tidak ada sesuatu yang menghalangi manusia untuk beriman tatkala datang petunjuk kepadanya, kecuali perkataan mereka, "Adakah Allah mengutus seorang manusia menjadi rasul?" (Al-Isra: 94) Karena itulah dalam surat ini disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: "Kamu tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami dan Allah Yang Maha Pemurah tidak menurunkan sesuatu pun, kamu tidak lain hanyalah pendusta belaka.
Mereka berkata, "Tuhan kami mengetahui bahwa sesungguhnya kami adalah orang yang diutus kepada kamu." (Yasin: 15-16) Yakni ketiga orang rasul mereka menjawab, "Namun Allah mengetahui bahwa kami adalah rasuI-rasul-Nya yang diutus kepada kalian. Dan seandainya kami dusta terhadap-Nya, tentulah Dia akan menghukum kami dengan siksaan yang keras. Akan tetapi, Dia pasti akan memenangkan kami dan menolong kami dalam menghadapi kalian, dan kalian akan mengetahui bagi siapakah kesudahan yang baik itu." Ayat ini semakna dengan apa yang disebutkan oleh firman-Nya: Katakanlah, "Cukuplah Allah menjadi saksi antaraku dan antaramu.
Dia mengetahui apa yang di langit dan di bumi. Dan orang-orang yang percaya kepada yang batil dan ingkar kepada Allah, mereka itulah orang-orang yang merugi. (Al-'Ankabut: 52) Adapun firman Allah ﷻ: Dan kewajiban kami tidak lain hanyalah menyampaikan (perintah Allah) dengan jelas. (Yasin: 17) Mereka (para utusan itu) mengatakan, "Sesungguhnya tugas kami hanyalah menyampaikan risalah yang diamanatkan kepada kami untuk kalian. Apabila kalian menaatinya, maka bagi kalian kebahagiaan di dunia dan di akhirat. Dan jika kalian tidak memperkenankannya, maka kelak kalian akan mengetahui akibat dari penolakan kalian itu; hanya Allah-lah Yang Maha Mengetahui."".
16-17. Mendapat bantahan dari penduduk negeri tersebut, mereka berkata, 'Tuhan kami mengetahui sesungguhnya kami adalah utusan-utusan-Nya kepada kamu. Dan kewajiban kami hanyalah menyampaikan perintah-Nya dengan jelas tanpa sedikit pun keraguan. '16-17. Mendapat bantahan dari penduduk negeri tersebut, mereka berkata, 'Tuhan kami mengetahui sesungguhnya kami adalah utusan-utusan-Nya kepada kamu. Dan kewajiban kami hanyalah menyampaikan perintah-Nya dengan jelas tanpa sedikit pun keraguan. '.
Pandangan demikian dibantah oleh utusan-utusan itu dengan mengatakan hanya Allah yang mengetahui bahwa mereka benar-benar orang yang diutus kepada penduduk tersebut. Apabila mereka bohong, maka azab yang pedih akan menimpa mereka. Tugas mereka ini akan diridai Allah, dan pasti akan diketahui kelak siapa yang bersalah dan harus menanggung risiko atas kesalahan itu. Dalam ayat lain, jawaban seperti itu memang bisa diucapkan oleh seorang rasul, misalnya:
Dan mereka meminta kepadamu agar segera diturunkan azab. Kalau bukan karena waktunya yang telah ditetapkan, niscaya datang azab kepada mereka, dan (azab itu) pasti akan datang kepada mereka dengan tiba-tiba, sedang mereka tidak menyadarinya. (al-'Ankabut/29: 53).
TIGA ORANG UTUSAN ALLAH
Lalu Rasulullah ﷺ disuruhkan oleh Allah ﷻ mengemukakan suatu perumpamaan tentang tiga orang rasul yang diutus Allah kepada suatu negeri. Gunanya ialah akan menjadi perumpamaan dan perbandingan dengan sikap mereka sendiri, kaum musyrikin Quraisy itu, sebab mereka pun didatangi pula oleh utusan Allah ﷻ, yaitu Nabi Muhammad ﷺ sendiri.
“Dan buatlah untuk mereka suatu perumpamaan."
(pangkal ayat 13)
Perumpamaan ini ialah untuk jadi perbandingan. Meskipun sejarah tidak berulang, namun perangai manusia yang hendak ingkar menolak kebenaran itu sama saja di segala masa. Maka akibatnya kelak pun akan sama pula.
“Penduduk suatu negeri tatkala datang kepada mereka utusan-utusan."
(ujung ayat 13)
Ada ahli tafsir mengatakan, bahwa negeri itu ialah Inthakiyah (Antiochie), zaman sekarang dalam wilayah negeri Turki, tetapi setelah perang dunia pertama termasuk wilayah Syria. Terjadi di zaman pemerintahan seorang raja bernama Anticus bin Anticus bin Anticus, pemeluk agama menyembah berhala. Nama rasul yang diutus itu ialah Shaiq dan Shaduq dan pembantu yang didatangkan kemudian itu bernama Syalom.
Tetapi ada pula riwayat lain mengatakan, bahwa Rasul itu ialah Syam'un dan Yohana dan pembantu yang dikirim kemudian itu bernama Paulus. Di dalam bahasa Arab disebut Syam'un, Juhana, dan Baulusb. Tetapi cerita ini berdekatan dengan kisah-kisah Kristen, mirip dengan sebuah di antara kitab Perjanjian Baru yang bernama Kisah Segala Rasul.
Kedua cerita ini tidak ada yang dapat kita kuatkan, terutama cerita kedua. Karena kalau kita lihat di dalam kitab Perjanjian Baru itu ternyata bahwa apa yang diajarkan oleh Paulus sudah jauh berbeda dengan ajaran Nabi Isa al-Masih sendiri. Dan di dalam ayat ini disebutkan, bahwa mereka adalah Rasul dari Allah bukan Rasul dari Yesus Kristus (Isa al-Masih) sebagaimana yang dikuatkan oleh penganut agama Nasrani.
Oleh sebab itu, kita berpegang saja kepada apa yang disebutkan di dalam Al-Qur'an tentang Allah ﷻ mengutus rasul-rasul ke sebuah negeri.
“Seketika Kami utus kepada mereka dua orang, lalu mereka dustakan yang berdua itu."
(pangkal ayat 14)
Mereka tolak dan tidak mereka percayai seruan mereka. "Lalu Kami perkuat dengan yang ketiga." Diperkuat yang kedua itu dengan ditambah seorang lagi, sehingga jadi bertiga.
“Lalu berkatalah mereka, “Kami ini adalah orang-orang yang diutus kepada kamu."
(ujung ayat 14)
Bahwa Tuhan kamu ialah Allah, yang berdiri sendiri, yang tidak beranak dan tidak diperanakkan, sebagaimana yang diajarkan oleh sekalian nabi-nabi dan rasul-rasul sejak dunia kedatangan nabi dan rasul.
“Mereka jawab, “Kamu ini tidak lain hanyalah manusia seperti kami."
(pangkal ayat 15)
Kami tidak mempercayai bahwa kalian ini rasul. Karena kalian hanya manusia seperti kami saja, tidak ada kelebihan kalian dari kami."Tuhan Yang Maha Pengasih tidaklah menurunkan apa-apa." Kami tidak percaya bahwa kalian ini mendapat wahyu. Mereka mungkiri dan mereka pandang hina, tidak mendapat, atau bukan semacam mereka itu yang pantas mendapat wahyu.
“Tidak lain kamu ini hanyalah bercakap bohong."
(ujung ayat 15)
Kamu mendakwakan diri sebagai Rasulullah, berdua ditambah lagi satu. Kami tidak percaya. Kami anggap kamu ini semuanya hanyalah orang-orang yang bercakap bohong, karena tidak mungkin Allah Yang Maha Pengasih memilih kalian jadi rasul, diutus kepada kami, padahal kalian hanya manusia sebagaimana kami juga.
Dengan penuh kepercayaan kepada diri sendiri dan kebenaran bahwa mereka memang Rasulullah, mereka berkata,
“Tuhan kami lebih tahu bahwa kami ini benar-benar diutus kepada kamu."
(ayat 16)
Meskipun kalian mungkiri, namun Allah Yang Mahakuasa itu lebih tahu bahwa kami memang Dia yang mengutus.
“Tidak ada kewajiban kami, kecuali menyampaikan."
(ayat 17)
Allah ﷻ tahu, itulah yang lebih penting. Kalian menerima atau menolak, kami tidak peduli. Kewajiban kami ialah menyampaikan perintah Allah ﷻ itu kepada kalian. Setelah perintah itu kami sampaikan, sikap apa pun yang akan kalian ambil, bukanlah lagi urusan dengan kami, melainkan dengan Allah ﷻ
“Mereka menjawab, ‘Sesungguhnya kami menganggap kemalangan nasib kami adalah lantaran kamu.' “
(pangkal ayat 18)
Lantaran kamu, kami jadi kacau. Lantaran kamu hai orang-orang yang mengaku dirinya jadi Rasulullah — kebiasaan yang telah kami terima dari nenek moyang kami, sekarang telah diganggu. Sebab itu maka kalianlah yang jadi biang keladi dari kekacauan kami. Lalu mereka mengancam kepada rasul-rasul itu, “,Sungguh jika tidak kamu hentikan ini, akan kami rajam kamu “ Akan kami lempari dengan batu sampai mati.
“Dan pastilah kamu akan mendapat siksaan pedih dari kami."
(ujung ayat 18)
Dengan segala kesombongannya mereka telah mengancam utusan-utusan Allah ﷻ, akan dirajam, ditimpuki batu, akan dianiaya sampai mati.
“Mereka berkata, “ — yaitu utusan-utusan Allah yang bertiga itu “Kemalangan kamu adalah bersama kamu sendiri."
(pangkal ayat 19)
Dalam penyembahan kepada berhala itulah kamu menjadi malang, sebab pikiran kalian tertutup kepada kebenaran, menjadi gelap gulita karena jahil, mengerjakan perbuatan yang hanya turut-turutan, tidak berpikir. Bahkan ancaman-ancaman kamu yang tidak semena-mena itulah yang menunjukkan dangkalnya jiwa kalian dan yang akan mencelakakan bagi diri kalian sendiri."Adakah karena jika kamu diberi peringatan, “ kamu membalas memaki dan menghina dan mengancam kami. Tidak kamu terima dan tidak kamu pertimbangkan dengan pikiran tenang.
“Bahkan kamu adalah kaum yang melampaui “
(ujung ayat 19)
Artinya bahwa sambutan kalian terhadap kami sudah melebihi dari yang patut. Tidak lagi menurut kesopanan.
“Dan datanglah dari ujung negeri itu seorang laki-laki bergegas."
(pangkal ayat 20)
Dalam ayat-ayat yang lalu telah jelas, bahwa dialog atau pertukaran pikiran di antara ketiga rasul itu dengan kaum yang mereka datangi telah memuncak. Sudah sampai kaum itu mengatakan, bahwa kemalangan yang menimpa diri mereka ialah tersebab kedatangan ketiga orang itu. Kalau mereka bertiga tidak datang, mereka aman tenteram. Sekarang sejak ketiga rasul itu membawa-bawa soal baru yang belum pernah didengar, masyarakat mereka telah kacau. Rasul-rasul menjawab bahwa kemalangan atau kekacauan bukan mereka bertiga yang membawa, melainkan telah sedia dalam sebab-sebabnya dalam masyarakat kaum itu sendiri, karena kebodohan mereka. Serupa dengan keadaan orang sakit merana menolak obat yang akan diminumkan, karena mereka rasakan obat itu terlalu pahit.
Sampai ketiga rasul itu mengatakan bahwa kaum itulah yang telah bersikap melampaui. Ibarat orang bermain, mereka tidak sportif lagi. Mereka telah bermain curang.
Karena pertengkaran telah memuncak, sudah ada niat dari kaum itu hendak mem-bunuh ketiga rasul. Telah mereka ancam akan dirajam, yaitu akan dilempari dengan batu. Dalam keadaan yang demikianlah datang seseorang dari ujung jauh negeri itu berjalan tergesa-gesa, terburu-buru. Karena dilihatnya kaum itu sudah berniat hendak membunuh ketiga utusan itu.
“Dia berkata, ‘Wahai kaumku! Ikutilah olehmu orang-orang yang diutus.' “
(ujung ayat 20)
Dengan seruan orang ini, agar kaumnya mengikuti seruan ketiga rasul itu ternyatalah bahwa dia sendiri mengakui bahwa orang bertiga itu memang rasul.
Disampaikannya seruan itu dengan mengemukakan alasan yang kuat,
“Ikutilah olehmu orang-orang yang tidak meminta upah kepada kamu."
(pangkal ayat 21)
Ini adalah alasan utama bagi si penyeru yang datang tergesa-gesa itu untuk mem-buktikan kebenaran dan kejujuran ketiga rasul itu. Yaitu dia melakukan dakwah dan seruan, tidaklah meminta upah.
“Dan mereka adalah orang-orang yang mendapat petunjuk."
(ujung ayat 21)
Mereka mendapat petunjuk dari Allah ﷻ Buktinya ialah karena seruan yang dibawanya itu terang dan jelas, tidak berbelit-belit. Menyeru umat kepada penyembahan Allah Yang Esa tidak bersekutu dengan yang lain.
Dia menarik perhatian kaumnya, karena ketiga rasul ini tidak meminta upah, tidak meminta persen atas seruan yang mereka bawa. Ini pun patut jadi perhatian kita. Karena bukan di zaman sekarang saja, di zaman dahulu pun tidak kurang kejadian ada penipu-penipu dan pembohong masuk ke suatu negeri. Katanya membawa ajaran yang baru untuk keselamatan penduduk negeri itu. Tetapi penduduk itu hendaklah membayar sekian dan sekian. Kemudian setelah mereka pergi baru ternyata bahwa mereka adalah penipu. Maka orang yang datang dengan tergesa dari ujung negeri ini memberi ingat kaumnya bahwa rasul yang bertiga ini tidaklah begitu halnya. Sebab itu patutlah dia ditaati dan ajakannya diterima.
Tentang maksud penduduk negeri itu hendak membunuh ketiga rasul itu, lalu lekas dengan tergesa-gesa pemberi ingat itu datang dari ujung negeri memang diterangkan oleh Ibnu Abbas dalam tafsirnya. Tentang siapa nama orang yang datang tergesa-gesa itu, ada pula disebutkan panjang lebar oleh ahli tafsir yang lain.
Wahab bin Munabbih dan Ka'bul Ahbar menerangkan bahwa nama orang itu Habib. Pekerjaannya ialah menenun sutra, tetapi dia ditimpa penyakit yang berbahaya, yang kian lama kian mendalam penyakit itu. Yaitu penyakit canggu (kusta). Dia suka bersedekah, suka berderma kepada fakir miskin. Sayangnya dia ditimpa sakit yang menakutkan itu.
Riwayat dari Ikrimah mengatakan, bahwa namanya memang si Habib, tetapi bukanlah dia tukang sutra, melainkan tukang kayu (on-Najjaar). As-Suddi mengatakan, bahwa tubuh orang itu pendek. Qatadah mengatakan, bahwa dia adalah seorang ‘Abici atau Begawan yang mengerjakan ibadah dan tafakurnya dalam sebuah gua.
Kita salinkan cerita yang tidak perlu ini bukan karena pentingnya. Karena Al-Qur'an sendiri tidaklah menyebut nama orang itu. Cukup dengan menyebutnya Rajulun, yang berarti seorang laki-laki. Kita salinkan hanya sekadar untuk membuktikan, bahwa ke-banyakan ahli tafsir mementingkan hal yang tidak penting, sehingga kadang-kadang ter-perosok kepada cerita dongeng Israilliyatyang tidak ada faedahnya.
(Mereka berkata, "Rabb kami mengetahui) kalimat ayat ini mengandung makna qasam, kemudian pengukuhannya ditambah dengan adanya huruf Lam pada lafal Lamursaluuna, sebagai sanggahan terhadap perkataan mereka (bahwa sesungguhnya kami adalah orang-orang yang diutus kepada kalian.).
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
