Ayah
Word by Word
أَفَغَيۡرَ
Then is (it) other than
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
أَبۡتَغِي
I seek
حَكَمٗا
(as) judge
وَهُوَ
while He
ٱلَّذِيٓ
(is) the One Who
أَنزَلَ
has revealed
إِلَيۡكُمُ
to you
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
the Book
مُفَصَّلٗاۚ
explained in detail
وَٱلَّذِينَ
And those (to) whom
ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُ
We gave them
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
the Book
يَعۡلَمُونَ
they know
أَنَّهُۥ
that it
مُنَزَّلٞ
(is) sent down
مِّن
from
رَّبِّكَ
your Lord
بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ
in truth
فَلَا
so (do) not
تَكُونَنَّ
be
مِنَ
among
ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
the ones who doubt
أَفَغَيۡرَ
Then is (it) other than
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
أَبۡتَغِي
I seek
حَكَمٗا
(as) judge
وَهُوَ
while He
ٱلَّذِيٓ
(is) the One Who
أَنزَلَ
has revealed
إِلَيۡكُمُ
to you
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
the Book
مُفَصَّلٗاۚ
explained in detail
وَٱلَّذِينَ
And those (to) whom
ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُ
We gave them
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
the Book
يَعۡلَمُونَ
they know
أَنَّهُۥ
that it
مُنَزَّلٞ
(is) sent down
مِّن
from
رَّبِّكَ
your Lord
بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ
in truth
فَلَا
so (do) not
تَكُونَنَّ
be
مِنَ
among
ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
the ones who doubt
Translation
Say: "Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? - when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail." They know full well, to whom We have given the Book, that it hath been sent down from thy Lord in truth. Never be then of those who doubt.
Tafsir
The following was revealed when they asked the Prophet may peace and salutation be upon him to appoint an arbiter between him and themselves. Say: Shall I seek, demand, other than God as a judge, an arbiter between you and me, when it is He Who revealed to you the Book, Al-Qur'an, clearly explained?, wherein truth is distinguished from falsehood. Those to whom We have given the Scripture, the Torah, the likes of 'Abd Allaah ibn Salaam and his companions, know that it is revealed (read munzal or munazzal) from your Lord in truth; so do not be of the waverers, the doubters, regarding it: this is intended to affirm to the disbelievers that it is the truth.
Every Prophet Has Enemies
Allah says,
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلۡنَا لِكُلِّ نِبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الاِنسِ وَالۡجِنِّ
And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies -- Shayatin among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.
Allah says, just as We made enemies for you, O Muhammad, who will oppose and rebel against you and become your adversaries, We also made enemies for every Prophet who came before you. Therefore, do not be saddened by this fact.
Allah said in other Ayat:
وَلَقَدۡ كُذِّبَتۡ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَصَبَرُواۡ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواۡ وَأُوذُواۡ
Verily, Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt... (6:34)
and,
مَّا يُقَالُ لَكَ إِلاَّ مَا قَدۡ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِن قَبۡلِكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغۡفِرَةَ وَذُو عِقَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
Nothing is said to you except what was said to the Messengers before you. Verily, your Lord is the Possessor of forgiveness, and (also) the Possessor of painful punishment. (41:43)
and,
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلۡنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوّاً مِّنَ الۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the criminals. (25:31)
Waraqah bin Nawfal said to Allah's Messenger,
None came with what you came with but he was the subject of enmity.
Allah's statement,
شَيَاطِينَ الاِنس
(Shayatin among mankind...,
refers to,
عَدُوًّا
(enemies...), meaning,
the Prophets have enemies among the devils of mankind and the devils of the Jinns.
The word, Shaytan, describes one who is dissimilar to his kind due to his or her wickedness. Indeed, only the Shayatin, may Allah humiliate and curse them, from among mankind and the Jinns oppose the Messengers.
Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar narrated that Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,
شَيَاطِينَ الاِنسِ وَالۡجِنِّ
(Shayatin (devils) among mankind and Jinn...),
There are devils among the Jinns and devils among mankind who inspire each other.
Allah's statement,
يُوحِي بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَى بَعۡضٍ زُخۡرُفَ الۡقَوۡلِ غُرُورًا
inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.
means, they inspire each other with beautified, adorned speech that deceives the ignorant who hear it.
وَلَوۡ شَاء رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ
If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it;
for all this occurs by Allah's decree, will and decision, that every Prophet had enemies from these devils.
فَذَرۡهُمۡ وَمَا يَفۡتَرُونَ
so leave them alone with their fabrications, (and lies).
This Ayah orders patience in the face of the harm of the wicked and to trust in Allah against their enmity, for, Allah shall suffice for you (O Muhammad) and aid you against them.
Allah's statement
وَلِتَصۡغَى إِلَيۡهِ
And Tasgha to it.
According to Ibn Abbas,
means, incline to it.
أَفۡيِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ بِالاخِرَةِ
the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter...
their hearts, mind and hearing.
As-Suddi said that;
this Ayah refers to the hearts of the disbelievers.
وَلِيَرۡضَوۡهُ
And that they may remain pleased with it.
they like and adore it. Only those who disbelieve in the Hereafter accept this evil speech, being enemies of the Prophets, etc., just as Allah said in other Ayat,
فَإِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ
مَأ أَنتُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ بِفَـتِنِينَ
إِلاَّ مَنۡ هُوَ صَالِ الۡجَحِيمِ
So, verily, you (pagans) and those whom you worship (idols). Cannot lead astray. Except those who are predestined to burn in Hell! (37:161-163)
and,
إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِى قَوۡلٍ مُّخۡتَلِفٍ
يُوۡفَكُ عَنۡهُ مَنۡ أُفِكَ
Certainly, you have different ideas. Turned aside therefrom is he who is turned aside. (51:8-9)
Allah said;
وَلِيَقۡتَرِفُواۡ مَا هُم مُّقۡتَرِفُونَ
And that they may commit what they are committing.
According to Ali bin Abi Talhah who reported from Ibn Abbas that;
meaning, let them earn whatever they will earn,
As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd also commented,
Let them do whatever they will do.
Allah tells His Prophet to say to these polytheists who worship others besides Allah,
أَفَغَيۡرَ اللّهِ أَبۡتَغِي حَكَمًا
Shall I seek a judge other than Allah...
between you and I,
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنَزَلَ إِلَيۡكُمُ الۡكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلً
while it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book, explained... (in detail),
وَالَّذِينَ اتَيۡنَاهُمُ الۡكِتَابَ
and those unto whom We gave the Scripture,
the Jews and the Christians,
يَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالۡحَقِّ
know that it is revealed from your Lord in truth.
because the previous Prophets have conveyed the good news of you coming to them.
Allah's statement,
فَلَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
So be not you of those who doubt.
is similar to His other statement,
فَإِن كُنتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّأ أَنزَلۡنَأ إِلَيۡكَ فَاسۡأَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقۡرَءُونَ الۡكِتَـبَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ لَقَدۡ جَأءَكَ الۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
So if you are in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto you, then ask those who are reading the Book before you. Verily, the truth has come to you from your Lord. So be not of those who doubt (it). (10:94)
The conditional `if' in this Ayah does not mean that `doubt' will ever occur to the Prophet.
Allah said
وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدۡقًا وَعَدۡلاً
And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice.
Qatadah commented,
In truth concerning what He stated and in justice concerning what He decided.
Surely, whatever Allah says is the truth and He is Most Just in what He commands. All of Allah's statements are true, there is no doubt or cause for speculation about this fact, and all His commandments are pure justice, besides which there is no justice. All that He forbade is evil, for He only forbids what brings about evil consequences.
Allah said in another Ayah,
يَأۡمُرُهُم بِالۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَـهُمۡ عَنِ الۡمُنۡكَرِ
He commands them with good; and forbids them from evil... (7:157) until the end of the Ayah.
لااَّ مُبَدِّلِ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ
None can change His Words.
meaning, none can avert Allah's judgment whether in this life or the Hereafter.
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ
And He is the All-Hearer,
Hearing, His servants' statements,
الۡعَلِيمُ
The All-Knower.
of their activities and lack of activity, Who awards each according to their deeds.
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