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Ayah
Word by Word
كَمۡ
How many
أَهۡلَكۡنَا
We destroyed
مِن
before them
قَبۡلِهِم
before them
مِّن
of
قَرۡنٖ
a generation
فَنَادَواْ
then they called out
وَّلَاتَ
when there (was) no longer
حِينَ
time
مَنَاصٖ
(for) escape
كَمۡ
How many
أَهۡلَكۡنَا
We destroyed
مِن
before them
قَبۡلِهِم
before them
مِّن
of
قَرۡنٖ
a generation
فَنَادَواْ
then they called out
وَّلَاتَ
when there (was) no longer
حِينَ
time
مَنَاصٖ
(for) escape
Translation
How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end they cried (for mercy)- when there was no longer time for being saved!
Tafsir
How many - in other words, many - a generation, a community of past communities, We have destroyed before them, and they cried out, when the chastisement was sent down on them, when it was no longer the time for escape, that is to say, the time was not one for fleeing (the [suffixed] taa' [of wa-laata] is extra; the sentence is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of [the verb] naadaw, 'they cried out') in other words, they called for help but the situation was such that there could be no escape or deliverance; but still the Meccan disbelievers have not taken heed from their example.
Tafsir of Surah Saad
Allah exalted says,
ص
Saad,
We have already discussed the separate letters in the beginning of the Tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah, and there is no need to repeat it here.
وَالۡقُرۡانِ ذِي الذِّكۡرِ
By the Qur'an full of reminding.
means, by the Qur'an which includes all that is in it as a reminder and a benefit to people in this life and the Hereafter.
Ad-Dahhak said that the Ayah,
ذِي الذِّكۡرِ
(full of reminding) is like the Ayah,
لَقَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَأ إِلَيۡكُمۡ كِتَـباً فِيهِ ذِكۡرُكُمۡ
Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book in which there is Dhikrukum. (21:10)
i.e., your reminder.
This was also the view of Qatadah and of Ibn Jarir.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Isma`il bin Abi Khalid, Ibn Uyaynah, Abu Husayn, Abu Salih and As-Suddi said:
ذِي الذِّكۡرِ
(full of reminding).
Full of honor, i.e., of high standing.
There is no contradiction between the two views, because it is a noble Book which includes reminders and leaves no excuse and brings warnings. The reason for this oath is to be found in the Ayah:
إِن كُلٌّ إِلاَّ كَذَّبَ الرٌّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ
Not one of them but denied the Messengers; therefore My torment was justified. (38:14)
Qatadah said,
The reason for it is to be found in the Ayah:
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.
This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir.
Allah exalted says,
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.
means, in this Qur'an there is a reminder for those who will be reminded and a lesson for those who will learn a lesson, but the disbelievers will not benefit from it because they
فِي عِزَّةٍ
(are in false pride) meaning, arrogance and tribalism,
وَشِقَاقٍ
(and opposition), means, they are stubbornly opposed to it and go against it.
Then Allah scares them with news of how the nations who came before them were destroyed because of their opposition to the Messengers and their disbelief in the Scriptures that were revealed from heaven.
Allah says
كَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن قَرۡنٍ
How many a generation have We destroyed before them!
meaning, disbelieving nations.
فَنَادَوۡا
And they cried out,
means, when the punishment came to them, they called for help and cried out to Allah, but that did not save them at all.
This is like the Ayat:
فَلَمَّأ أَحَسُّواۡ بَأۡسَنَأ إِذَا هُمۡ مِّنۡهَا يَرۡكُضُونَ
لَا تَرۡكُضُواۡ وَارۡجِعُواۡ إِلَى مَأ أُتۡرِفۡتُمۡ فِيهِ وَمَسَـكِنِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُسۡأَلُونَ
Then, when they perceived (saw) Our torment, behold, they (tried to) flee from it. Flee not, but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life, and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned. (21:12-13)
Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that At-Tamimi said,
I asked Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, about the Ayah:
فَنَادَوۡا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape),
He said that it was not the time for them to call or flee or escape.
Muhammad bin Ka`b said, concerning the Ayah:
فَنَادَوۡا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape).
They called for Tawhid when their lives were over, and they resorted to repentance when their lives were over.
Qatadah said,
When they ﷺ the punishment, they wanted to repent when there was no longer time to call out.
Mujahid said:
فَنَادَوۡا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape).
It was not the time to flee or escape.
Allah says:
وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
when there was no longer time for escape.
meaning, there was no time to escape or run away; and Allah knows best
The Idolators were amazed at the Message, Tawhid and the Qur'an
Allah tells us that the idolators wondered at the sending of the Messenger of Allah as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner.
This is like the Ayah:
أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَأ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَنۡ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواۡ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ قَدَمَ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ قَالَ الۡكَـفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسَـحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ
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.
(But) the disbelievers say:This is indeed an evident sorcerer! (10:2)
And Allah says here:
وَعَجِبُوا أَن جَاءهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ
And they wonder that a warner has come to them from among themselves.
meaning, a human being like themselves.
وَقَالَ الۡكَافِرُونَ هَذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ
أَجَعَلَ الاۡلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا
And the disbelievers said:This is a sorcerer, a liar. Has he made the gods into One God!
meaning, does he claim that the One Who is to worshipped is One and there is no god besides Him?
The idolators -- may Allah curse them -- denounced that and were amazed at the idea of giving up Shirk, because they had learned from their forefathers to worship idols and their hearts were filled with love for that. When the Messenger called them to rid their hearts of that and to worship Allah Alone, this was too much for them and they were astounded by it.
They said:
أَجَعَلَ الاۡلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عُجَابٌ
وَانطَلَقَ الۡمَلَاُ مِنۡهُمۡ
Has he made the gods into One God Verily, this is a curious thing!
And the leaders among them went about,
meaning the chiefs and masters and nobles,
أَنِ امۡشُوا
(saying):Go on...
meaning, `persist in your religion,'
وَاصۡبِرُوا عَلَى الِهَتِكُمۡ
and remain constant to your gods!
meaning, `do not respond to Muhammad's call to Tawhid.'
إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيۡءٌ يُرَادُ
Verily, this is a thing designed!
Ibn Jarir said,
The Tawhid to which Muhammad is calling you is something by which he wishes to gain power over you, and exalt his own position, so that he will have followers among you, but we will not respond to him.
The Reason for the Revelation of These Ayat
Abu Jafar bin Jarir recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
When Abu Talib fell sick, some of the people of the Quraysh, including Abu Jahl, entered upon him and said,
`Your brother's son is insulting our gods; he does such and such and says such and such. Why don't you send for him and tell him not to do that?'
So he sent for the Prophet and he entered the house. There was space enough for one man to sit between them and Abu Talib, and Abu Jahl, may Allah curse him, was afraid that if (the Prophet) were to sit beside Abu Talib he would be more lenient with him, so he jumped up and sat in that spot, and the Messenger of Allah could find nowhere to sit near his uncle, so he sat by the door. Abu Talib said to him,
`O son of my brother, why are your people complaining about you and claiming that you insult their gods and say such and such?'
They made so many complaints against him. Thereupon, he said,
يَا عَمِّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُهُمۡ عَلَى كَلِمَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ يَقُولُونَهَا تَدِينُ لَهُمۡ بِهَا الۡعَرَبُ وَتُوَدِّي إِلَيۡهِمۡ بِهَا الۡعَجَمُ الۡجِزۡيَة
O uncle, all I want from them is one word which, if they say it, the Arabs will become their followers and the non-Arabs will pay Jizyah to them.
They were worried about what he said, so they said,
`One word Yes, by your father, (we will say) ten words! What is it?'
Abu Talib said, `What word is it?, O son of my brother'
He said,
لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله
La ilaha illallah.
They stood up in agitation, brushing down their clothes, saying,
أَجَعَلَ الاۡلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عُجَابٌ
Has he made the gods into One God. Verily, this is a curious thing! Then this passage was revealed, from this Ayah to the Ayah:...
بَلۡ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ
(...Nay, but they have not tasted (My) torment!)
This is the wording of Abu Kurayb.
Something similar was also recorded by Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i, and At-Tirmidhi said, Hasan.
مَا سَمِعۡنَا بِهَذَا فِي الۡمِلَّةِ الاۡاخِرَةِ
We have not heard (the like) of this in the religion of these later days.
means, `we have not heard anything like this Tawhid to which Muhammad calls us in the religion of these later days.'
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
We have not heard of this from the religion of these later days (meaning Christianity); if this Qur'an were true, the Christians would have told us about it.
إِنۡ هَذَا إِلاَّ اخۡتِلَقٌ
This is nothing but an invention!
Mujahid and Qatadah said,
A lie.
Ibn Abbas said,
A fabrication.
أَأُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ الذِّكۡرُ مِن بَيۡنِنَا
Has the Reminder been sent down to him (alone) from among us?
They thought it unlikely that he would be singled out from among them to receive the Qur'an.
This is like the Ayat:
لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الۡقُرۡءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الۡقَرۡيَتَيۡنِ عَظِيمٍ
And they say:Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns. (43:31)
Allah said:
أَهُمۡ يَقۡسِمُونَ رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّكَ نَحۡنُ قَسَمۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمۡ مَّعِيشَتَهُمۡ فِى الۡحَيَوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَرَفَعۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍ دَرَجَـتٍ
Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks. (43:32)
When they said this, it indicated their ignorance and lack of understanding since they thought it was unlikely that the Qur'an would be revealed to the Messenger and not to somebody else.
بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي شَكٍّ مِّن ذِكۡرِي
Nay, but they are in doubt about My Reminder!
بَلۡ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ
Nay, but they have not tasted (My) torment!
means, they say this because they have not yet tasted the punishment and vengeance of Allah. But they will come to know the consequences of what they say and what they rejected on the Day when they are herded into the fire of Hell.
Then Allah points out that He is the One Who is in control of His Creation and Who does whatever He wills, Who gives whatever He wants to whomever He wants, and honors whomever He wants and humiliates whomever He wants, and guides whomever He wants and misguides whomever He wants, and sends the Ruh (Jibril) by His command upon whomsoever He wants among His servants, and seals the hearts of whomever He wants, so no one can guide him apart from Allah. His servants do not possess any power and have no control over His dominion, not even a speck of dust's weight; they do not possess even a thin membrane over a date stone.
Allah says, denouncing them:
أَمۡ عِندَهُمۡ خَزَايِنُ رَحۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ الۡعَزِيزِ الۡوَهَّابِ
Or have they the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, the Almighty, the Real Bestower?
meaning, the Almighty Whose might cannot be overcome, the Bestower Who gives whatever He wills to whomsoever He wills.
This Ayah is like the Ayah:
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الۡمُلۡكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُوۡتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً
أَمۡ يَحۡسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَأ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِ فَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَأ ءَالَ إِبۡرَهِيمَ الۡكِتَـبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ وَءَاتَيۡنَـهُمۡ مُّلۡكاً عَظِيماً
فَمِنۡهُمۡ مَّنۡ ءَامَنَ بِهِ وَمِنۡهُمۡ مَّن صَدَّ عَنۡهُ وَكَفَى بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيراً
Or have they a share in the dominion? Then in that case they would not give mankind even a speck on the back of a date stone. Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty? Then, We had already given the family of Ibrahim the Book and Al-Hikmah, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Of them were (some) who believed in him, and of them were (some) who averted their faces from him; and enough is Hell for burning (them). (4:53-55)
قُل لَّوۡ أَنتُمۡ تَمۡلِكُونَ خَزَايِنَ رَحۡمَةِ رَبِّى إِذًا لامۡسَكۡتُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ الاِنفَاقِ وَكَانَ الانۡسَـنُ قَتُورًا
Say:If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord (wealth), then you would surely hold back for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly! (17:100)
This is after Allah tells us the story of how the disbeliever denied the sending of a human Messenger, as He tells us that the people of Salih, peace be upon him, said:
أَءُلۡقِىَ الذِّكۡرُ عَلَيۡهِ مِن بَيۡنِنَا بَلۡ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ
سَيَعۡلَمُونَ غَداً مَّنِ الۡكَذَّابُ الاٌّشِرُ
Is it that the Reminder is sent to him alone from among us? Nay, he is an insolent liar!
Tomorrow they will come to know who is the liar, the insolent one! (54:25-26)
أَمۡ لَهُم مُّلۡكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَلۡيَرۡتَقُوا فِي الاَۡسۡبَابِ
Or is it that the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them is theirs? If so, let them ascend up with means.
means, if they have that, then let them ascend up with means.
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and others said,
The ways to the heaven.
Ad-Dahhak, said,
Then let them ascend into the seventh heaven.
Then Allah says,
جُندٌ مَّا هُنَالِكَ مَهۡزُومٌ مِّنَ الاَۡحۡزَابِ
they will be a defeated host like the Confederates of the old times.
meaning, these hosts of disbelievers who are in false pride and opposition will be defeated and overwhelmed and disgraced, just as the Confederates of the old times were disgraced before them.
This Ayah is like the Ayah:
أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَحۡنُ جَمِيعٌ مُّنتَصِرٌ
سَيُهۡزَمُ الۡجَمۡعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ
Or say they:We are a great multitude, victorious.
Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs. (54:44-45)
-- which is what happened on the day of Badr --
بَلِ السَّاعَةُ مَوۡعِدُهُمۡ وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدۡهَى وَأَمَرُّ
Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter. (54:46)
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