ٱلْأَنْعَام ٤٢
- وَلَقَدۡ dan sesungguhnya
- أَرۡسَلۡنَآ Kami telah mngutus
- إِلَىٰٓ kepada
- أُمَمٖ ummat-ummat
- مِّن dari
- قَبۡلِكَ sebelum kamu
- فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم maka Kami siksa mereka
- بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ dengan kesengsaraan
- وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ dan kemelaratan
- لَعَلَّهُمۡ agar mereka
- يَتَضَرَّعُونَ mereka tunduk
Dan sungguh, Kami telah mengutus (Rasul-rasul) kepada umat-umat sebelum engkau, kemudian Kami siksa mereka dengan (menimpakan) kemelaratan dan kesengsaraan, agar mereka memohon (kepada Allah) dengan kerendahan hati.
(Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus kepada umat-umat) min sebagai tambahan yang tidak mempunyai arti (sebelum kamu) rasul-rasul, akan tetapi mereka mendustakannya (kemudian Kami siksa mereka dengan kesengsaraan) kemelaratan yang sangat (dan penderitaan) penyakit (supaya mereka tunduk merendahkan diri) merasa rendah diri lalu mereka mau beriman.
Tafsir Surat Al-An'am: 40-45
Katakanlah (Muhammad), "Terangkanlah kepadaku jika datang azab Allah kepadamu atau datang hari kiamat kepadamu, apakah kalian menyeru (tuhan) selain Allah jika kalian orang-orang yang benar."
(Tidak), tetapi hanya kepada-Nya kalian meminta pertolongan. Jika Dia menghendaki, maka Dia menghilangkan bahaya yang kalian mohonkan kepada-Nya (supaya dihilangkan), dan kalian tinggalkan sembahan-sembahan yang kalian sekutukan (dengan Allah).
Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus (rasul-rasul) kepada umat-umat sebelum kamu, (tetapi mereka membangkang), kemudian Kami azab mereka dengan (menimpakan) kesengsaraan dan kemelaratan, supaya mereka bermohon (kepada Allah) dengan tunduk merendahkan diri.
Akan tetapi, mengapa mereka tidak memohon (kepada Allah) dengan tunduk merendahkan diri ketika datang azab Kami kepada mereka? Bahkan hati mereka telah menjadi keras dan setan pun menjadikan terasa indah bagi mereka apa yang selalu mereka kerjakan.
Maka ketika mereka melupakan peringatan yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami pun membukakan semua pintu kesenangan untuk mereka. Sehingga ketika mereka bergembira dengan apa yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami azab mereka secara tiba-tiba, maka seketika itu juga mereka terdiam berputus asa.
Maka orang-orang yang zalim itu dimusnahkan sampai ke akar-akarnya. Segala puji bagi Allah, Tuhan semesta alam.
Ayat 40
Allah ﷻ menceritakan bahwa Dialah Yang Maha Melaksanakan apa yang Dia kehendaki terhadap makhluk-Nya menurut apa yang Dia sukai. Tidak ada yang bisa mengubah hukum Allah terhadap makhluk-Nya, dan tidak ada yang mampu mengubah ketentuan-Nya. Allah adalah satu-satunya Tuhan yang tidak memiliki sekutu. Jika Dia menghendaki, Dia akan mengabulkan permohonan. Karena itulah disebutkan oleh firman-Nya:
“Katakanlah, ‘Terangkanlah kepadaku jika datang azab Allah kepadamu atau datang hari kiamat kepadamu’.”(Al-An'am: 40)
Yakni datang kepada kalian yang ini atau yang itu.
“Apakah kalian menyeru (tuhan) selain Allah?” (Al-An'am: 40)
Artinya janganlah kalian menyeru selain kepada Allah, karena kalian mengetahui bahwa tidak ada seorang pun yang mampu menghilangkan hal itu selain Dia sendiri. Karena itulah dalam akhir ayat disebutkan:
“Jika memang kalian orang-orang yang benar.” (Al-An'am: 40) Yaitu kalian termasuk golongan orang-orang yang benar jika kalian menyeru Allah sebagai Tuhan.
Ayat 41
“(Tidak), tetapi hanya kepada-Nya kalian meminta pertolongan. Jika Dia menghendaki, maka Dia menghilangkan bahaya yang kalian mohonkan kepada-Nya (supaya dihilangkan), dan kalian tinggalkan sembahan-sembahan yang kalian sekutukan (dengan Allah).” (Al-An'am: 41)
Maksudnya, saat berada dalam keadaan bahaya kalian hanya memohon pertolongan Allah, dan lenyaplah dari pikiran kalian berhala-berhala dan sembahan-sembahan kalian. Ayat ini semakna dengan firman Allah ﷻ:
“Dan apabila kalian ditimpa bahaya di lautan, niscaya hilanglah siapa yang kalian seru, kecuali Dia.” (Al-Isra: 67), hingga akhir ayat.
Ayat 42
Adapun firman Allah ﷻ: “Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus (rasul-rasul) kepada umat-umat sebelum kamu, kemudian Kami azab mereka dengan (menimpakan) kesengsaraan dan kemelaratan” (Al-An'am: 42)
Yakni kemiskinan, kesempitan dalam hidup, penyakit dan hal-hal yang menyakitkan.
“Supaya mereka bermohon (kepada Allah) dengan tunduk merendahkan diri.” (Al-An'am: 42)
Maknanya adalah mintalah kepada Allah dan merendahkan diri kepada-Nya dengan penuh rasa khusyuk.
Ayat 43
Allah ﷻ berfirman: “Maka mengapa mereka tidak memohon (kepada Allah) dengan tunduk merendahkan diri ketika datang azab Kami kepada mereka.” (Al-An'am: 43)
Artinya, mengapa manakala Kami uji mereka dengan hal tersebut, mereka tidak memohon kepada Kami dengan tunduk merendahkan diri dan mendekatkan diri kepada Kami?
“Bahkan hati mereka telah menjadi keras.” (Al-An'am: 43)
Yakni hatinya keras membangkang dan tidak dapat khusyuk.
“Dan setan pun menampakkan kepada mereka (seolah-olah) baik apa yang selalu mereka kerjakan.” (Al-An'am: 43)
Yaitu kemusyrikan, keingkaran, dan perbuatan-perbuatan maksiat.
Ayat 44
“Maka ketika mereka melupakan peringatan yang telah diberikan kepada mereka.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Maksudnya mereka berpaling dari peringatan itu dan melupakannya serta mengabaikannya, sehingga peringatan itu menjadi terlupakan oleh mereka.
“Kami pun membukakan semua pintu kesenangan untuk mereka.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Yakni Kami bukakan bagi mereka semua pintu rezeki dari segala jenis yang mereka pilih. Hal itu merupakan istidraj dari Allah buat mereka dan sebagai pemenuhan terhadap apa yang mereka inginkan. Kami berlindung kepada Allah dari tipu muslihat-Nya. Karena itulah dalam firman selanjutnya disebutkan:
“Sehingga apabila mereka bergembira dengan apa yang telah diberikan kepada mereka.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Yakni berupa harta benda yang berlimpah, anak yang banyak, dan rezeki melimpah ruah.
“Kami azab mereka secara tiba-tiba.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Yaitu di saat mereka sedang lalai.
“Maka ketika itu mereka terdiam putus asa.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Artinya putus harapan dari semua kebaikan Allah.
Al-Walibi telah meriwayatkan dari Ibnu Abbas, bahwa “al-mublis” artinya orang yang putus asa. Al-Hasan Al-Basri mengatakan, "Barang siapa yang diberi keluasan oleh Allah. lalu ia tidak memandang bahwa hal itu merupakan ujian baginya, maka dia adalah orang yang tidak mempunyai pandangan. Dan barang siapa yang disempitkan oleh Allah, lalu ia tidak memandang bahwa dirinya sedang diperhatikan oleh Allah, maka dia adalah orang yang tidak mempunyai pandangan." Kemudian Al-Hasan Al-Basri membacakan firman-Nya:
“Maka ketika mereka melupakan peringatan yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami pun membukakan semua pintu kesenangan untuk mereka. Sehingga ketika mereka bergembira dengan apa yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami azab mereka secara tiba-tiba, maka seketika itu juga mereka terdiam berputus asa.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Al-Hasan Al-Basri mengatakan, "Kaum itu telah tertipu. Demi Tuhan Ka'bah, mereka diberi kemakmuran, kemudian diazab.” Demikianlah menurut riwayat Ibnu Abu Hatim.
Qatadah mengatakan: “Azab yang menimpa suatu kaum secara tiba-tiba merupakan urusan Allah. Dan Allah tidak akan menyiksa suatu kaum melainkan di saat mereka tidak menyadarinya dan dalam keadaan lalai serta sedang tenggelam di dalam kesenangannya. Karena itu, janganlah kalian terpedaya oleh ujian yang diberikan Allah, karena sesungguhnya hanya orang fasik (durhaka)lah yang terperangkap dalam tipu daya Allah.” Demikianlah menurut riwayat Ibnu Abu Hatim.
Malik telah meriwayatkan dari Az-Zuhri sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya:
“Kami pun membukakan semua pintu kesenangan untuk mereka.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Bahwa makna yang dimaksud ialah kemakmuran dan kesenangan duniawi.
Imam Ahmad mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Yahya ibnu Gailan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Rasyidin (Ibnu Sa'd alias Abul Hajjaj Al-Muhri), dari Harmalah ibnu Imran At-Tajibi, dari Uqbah ibnu Muslim, dari Uqbah ibnu Amir, dari Nabi ﷺ yang telah bersabda: “Apabila kamu lihat Allah memberikan kesenangan dunia kepada seorang hamba yang suka berbuat maksiat terhadap-Nya sesuka hatinya, maka sesungguhnya hal itu adalah istidraj (membinasakannya secara perlahan-lahan). Kemudian Rasulullah ﷺ membacakan firman-Nya:
“Maka ketika mereka melupakan peringatan yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami pun membukakan semua pintu kesenangan untuk mereka. Sehingga ketika mereka bergembira dengan apa yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami azab mereka secara tiba-tiba, maka seketika itu mereka terdiam berputus asa.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Ibnu Jarir dan Ibnu Abu Hatim meriwayatkannya melalui hadits Harmalah dan Ibnu Luhai'ah, dari Uqbah ibnu Muslim, dari Uqbah ibnu Amir dengan lafal yang sama.
Ibnu Abu Hatim mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami ayahku, telah menceritakan kepada kami Hisyam ibnu Ammar, telah menceritakan kepada kami Irak ibnu Khalid ibnu Yazid, telah menceritakan kepadaku ayahku, dari Ibrahim ibnu Abu Ablah, dari Ubadah ibnu Samit, bahwa Rasulullah ﷺ pernah bersabda: “Apabila Allah menghendaki keberlangsungan atau kemakmuran pada suatu kaum, maka Dia memberi mereka rezeki (kekayaan) dan memelihara martabat (kehormatan) mereka. Tetapi, apabila Dia menghendaki perpecahan suatu kaum, maka Dia membukakan untuk mereka pintu khianat.
“Sehingga ketika mereka bergembira dengan apa yang telah diberikan kepada mereka, Kami azab mereka secara tiba-tiba, maka seketika itu mereka terdiam berputus asa.” (Al-An'am: 44)
Ayat 45
Kemudian Allah ﷻ melanjutkan dalam firman: “Maka orang-orang yang zalim itu dimusnahkan sampai ke akar-akarnya. Segala puji bagi Allah, Tuhan semesta alam.” (Al-An'am: 45)
Hadits ini diriwayatkan pula oleh Imam Ahmad dan lain-lainnya.
Ayat ini mengabarkan bahwa ketentuan tersebut berlaku juga atas umat sebelumnya. Dan sungguh, Kami telah mengutus para rasul kepada umat-umat sebelum engkau, wahai Nabi Muhammad, tetapi mereka durhaka, maka kemudian Kami siksa mereka dengan menimpakan kemelaratan dan kesengsaraan, agar mereka memohon kepada Allah sambil mengakui kesalahan dan dengan sikap kerendahan hati, semoga kiranya Allah menerima tobat mereka sehingga dapat terhindar dari siksa Allah. Setelah ditawarkan kesempatan untuk terhindar dari siksa dengan syarat mereka harus bertobat, para pendurhaka itu enggan melakukannya, maka muncul keheranan yaitu mengapa mereka tidak memohon kepada Allah dengan kerendahan hati ketika siksaan Kami (Allah) datang menimpa mereka' Jawabannya adalah memang mereka tidak bermohon, karena kedurhakaan mereka sudah sedemikian parah. Bahkan hati mereka telah menjadi keras sehingga sulit untuk menerima petunjuk dan setan pun merayu dan mengelabui mereka dengan menjadikan terasa indah bagi mereka apa, yakni dosa-dosa dan kedurhakaan, yang selalu mereka kerjakan.
Ayat ini menegaskan bahwa sebenarnya Allah telah mengutus para rasul kepada umat-umat yang terdahulu, yang menyeru manusia memeluk agama tauhid yang hanya menyembah Allah semata. Para rasul telah menyampaikan kabar gembira dan peringatan Allah, tetapi orang-oang kafir mengingkarinya. Oleh karena itu, Allah menimpakan kepada mereka kesengsaraan, malapetaka dan permusuhan di antara mereka, agar cobaan-cobaan itu menjadi pelajaran bagi mereka, sehingga mereka bertobat dan mengikuti seruan para rasul.
Telah menjadi tabiat kebanyakan manusia, jika mereka ditimpa bahaya dan kesengsaraan, mereka ingat kepada Allah dan memohon pertolongan kepada-Nya. Karena dengan cobaan-cobaan itu perasaan mereka bertambah halus, budi pekertinya bertambah baik, jiwanya terlatih sehingga dapat merasakan apa yang dirasakan oleh orang lain, timbul rasa cinta dan kasih sayang sesama manusia, ingat kepada Yang Mahakuasa dan Maha Penolong yang sebenarnya. Tetapi banyak pula di antara manusia yang tidak mempan lagi baginya segala macam cobaan penderitaan yang diberikan kepadanya, bahkan cobaan itu menambah keingkarannya termasuk diantara mereka umat-umat yang pernah hidup dimasa Nabi.
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.
“Dan sesungguhnya telah Kami utus kepada umat-umat yang sebelum engkau."
(pangkal ayat 42)
Pada pangkal ayat ini Allah memberi peringatan kepada Nabi Muhammad bahwa apa yang terjadi kepada dirinya sekarang ini telah terjadi pula kepada nabi-nabi yang telah diutus Allah sebelum dia. Allah mengirimkan utusan, nabi-nabi-Nya, dan rasul-rasul-Nya kepada umat-umat terdahulu. Namun, kedatangan rasul-rasul kepada umat-umat yang telah dahulu itu sama juga dengan penderitaan Nabi Muhammad ﷺ sekarang. Pada umumnya dan mulanya tidak lekas diterima bahkan didustakan dan ditolak."Maka telah Kami timpakan kepada mereka dengan ke-sengsaraan dan kemelaratan." Mereka dur-hakai utusan-utusan Allah itu, lalu Allah menimpakan sengsara kepada mereka. Ahli tafsir mengatakan kesengsaraan itu ialah karena bumi tidak memberikan hasil tani yang dapat memberi makan mereka. Seumpama pada musim hujan banjir yang datang sehingga tanaman rusak sebelum diambil hasilnya. Atau pada musim panas, datang kemarau yang panjang sehingga tanah tidak dapat ditanami. Kemelaratan ialah datangnya berbagai penyakit menimpa diri sehingga banyak yang mati dan harta benda pun bertambah habis, punah.
Menurut tafsiran dari tabi'in Said bin Ju-bair, “Kesengsaraan ialah karena hati tidak merasa tenteram dan aman karena tidak bebas menyatakan pikiran karena takut akan kezaliman pemerintah yang berkuasa (sultan). Kemelaratan ialah timbulnya kemiskinan dan kekurangan sandang dan pangan, harga keperluan sehari-hari tidak terbeli lagi, bertambah lama bertambah naik harganya sehingga ada orang yang mati kelaparan." Pada ujung ayat diterangkan hikmah bencana yang ditimpakan Allah itu, yaitu,
“Supaya mereka merendahkan diri."
(ujung ayat 42)
Dari sebab percobaan yangdemikian, sengsara dan melarat sudah sepatutnyalah mereka merendahkan diri, menundukkan kepala, taat dan kembali kepada Allah, dan mau menerima petunjuk yang diberikan oleh utusan-utusan Allah. Sebab, segala sengsara dan melarat itu hanya bisa diatasi dan diselesaikan apabila orang kembali kepada Allah. Artinya kembali pada hukum dan peraturan-Nya. Sebab, jika
Kami timpakan kepada mereka dengan kesengsaraan dan kemelaratan, supaya mereka merendahkan diri.
(43) Mengapalah, tatkala telah datang kepada mereka bencana dan Kami, tidak mereka merendahkan diri. Akan tetapi, keraslah hati mereka dan disanjung-sanjungkan oleh setan kepada mereka segala yang telah mereka kerjakan itu.
(44) Maka tatkala mereka telah lupa apa yang telah diperingatkan kepada mereka, Kami bu-kakanlah untuk mereka pintu-pintu dari tiap-tiap sesuatu. Sehingga apabila mereka telah bergembira dengan apa yang diberikan kepada mereka itu, kami siksalah mereka dengan seko-nyong-konyong. Tiba-tiba, mereka pun merasa kecewa.
(45) Lalu dipotong habislah bibit-bibit kaum yang zalim. Dan sekalian puji-pujian adalah untuk Allah, Tuhan sarwa sekalian alam.
MABUK KARENA NIKMAT
“Dan sesungguhnya telah Kami utus kepada umat-umat yang sebelum engkau."
(pangkal ayat 42)
Pada pangkal ayat ini Allah memberi peringatan kepada Nabi Muhammad bahwa apa yang terjadi kepada dirinya sekarang ini telah terjadi pula kepada nabi-nabi yang telah diutus Allah sebelum dia. Allah mengirimkan utusan, nabi-nabi-Nya, dan rasul-rasul-Nya kepada umat-umat terdahulu. Namun, kedatangan rasul-rasul kepada umat-umat yang telah dahulu itu sama juga dengan penderitaan Nabi Muhammad ﷺ sekarang. Pada umumnya dan mulanya tidak lekas diterima bahkan didustakan dan ditolak."Maka telah Kami timpakan kepada mereka dengan ke-sengsaraan dan kemelaratan." Mereka dur-hakai utusan-utusan Allah itu, lalu Allah menimpakan sengsara kepada mereka. Ahli tafsir mengatakan kesengsaraan itu ialah karena bumi tidak memberikan hasil tani yang dapat memberi makan mereka. Seumpama pada musim hujan banjir yang datang sehingga tanaman rusak sebelum diambil hasilnya. Atau pada musim panas, datang kemarau yang panjang sehingga tanah tidak dapat ditanami. Kemelaratan ialah datangnya berbagai penyakit menimpa diri sehingga banyak yang mati dan harta benda pun bertambah habis, punah.
Menurut tafsiran dari tabi'in Said bin Ju-bair, “Kesengsaraan ialah karena hati tidak merasa tenteram dan aman karena tidak bebas menyatakan pikiran karena takut akan kezaliman pemerintah yang berkuasa (sultan). Kemelaratan ialah timbulnya kemiskinan dan kekurangan sandang dan pangan, harga keperluan sehari-hari tidak terbeli lagi, bertambah lama bertambah naik harganya sehingga ada orang yang mati kelaparan." Pada ujung ayat diterangkan hikmah bencana yang ditimpakan Allah itu, yaitu,
“Supaya mereka merendahkan diri."
(ujung ayat 42)
Dari sebab percobaan yangdemikian, sengsara dan melarat sudah sepatutnyalah mereka merendahkan diri, menundukkan kepala, taat dan kembali kepada Allah, dan mau menerima petunjuk yang diberikan oleh utusan-utusan Allah. Sebab, segala sengsara dan melarat itu hanya bisa diatasi dan diselesaikan apabila orang kembali kepada Allah. Artinya kembali pada hukum dan peraturan-Nya. Sebab, jika sengsara datang menimpa dan kemelaratan telah merata, tidak ada yang akan sanggup menghindarkannya melainkan Allah sendiri (lihat kembali ayat 17 di atas).
Maka berfirmanlah Allah pada ayat selanjutnya:
“Mengapalah, tatkala telah datang kepada mereka bencana dari Kami itu, tidak mereka menendahkan diri."
(pangkal ayat 43)
“Falaula", mengapa mereka sampai hati demikian. Atau, sayang sekali mereka tidak segera insaf akan diri setelah bencana datang, kesengsaraan, dan kemelaratan menimpa. Bukan mereka tunduk dan insaf melainkan bertambah kafir, bertambah mendustakan rasul-rasul Allah. Tidak mereka bertambah tunduk dan sadar akan kesalahan karena menolak kebenaran dan membelakangi Allah, malah bertambah keras kepala.
“Akan tetapi, keraslah hati mereka dan disanjung -sanjungkan oleh setan kepada mereka segala yang telah mereka kerjakan itu."
(ujung ayat 43)
Mereka berkeras hati, mereka tidak mau percaya bahwasanya berbagai macam, aneka-warna malapetaka yang menimpa mereka itu bukanlah karena takdir Allah. Kemudian, datangsetan memperdayakan, baiksetan halus maupun setan kasar yang terdiri dari manusia sendiri yang membisikkan dan menyanjung mengatakan bahwa langkah yang ditempuh ini bukanlah salah, melainkan langkah yang benar. Kalau kita merendahkan diri dan tunduk pada setah merupakan tanda bahwa kita mengaku lemah. Kalau kita mengaku lemah, niscaya wibawa kita hilang dan orang tidak takut lagi kepada kita. Oleh karena itu, demikian sanjungan setan, hendaklah ini diteruskan, pantang mundur. Onward no retreat, maju terus pantang mundur!
Dan mereka pun jalan terus! jalan terus sebab setan sebagai adfisu selalu membisikkan supaya jalan terus.
“Maka tatkala mereka telah lupa apa yang telah diperingatkan kepada mereka."
(pangkal ayat 44)
Mereka jalan terus dan keadaan pun berjalan terus, gelombang demi gelombang. Peringatan-peringatan yang datang beruntun dari Allah, baik yang bersifat kesengsaraan maupun yang bersifat kemelaratan, kian lama kian mereka lupakan. Kalau ada yang mati lantaran sengsara maka yang mati itu hanya orang kecil. Kalau ada yang melarat hanyalah orang kampung. Adapun pihak penguasa tidak pernah merasakan kesengsaraan dan kemelaratan itu. Karena rayuan setan yang demikian, mereka bertambah maju terus pantang mundur. Dalam saat mereka telah lupa segala-galanya itu."Kami bukakanlah untuk mereka pintu-pintu dari tiap-tiap sesuatu." Artinya, Kami buka kesempatan sebab apa yang kamu kehendaki akan dapat. Rezeki datang laksana tercurahnya air hujan, bumi terhampar di hadapan kakimu, tidak ada makhluk yang akan dapat menghalangi. Sampai lantaran pintu dibuka Allah lebar-lebar, setengah dari manusia tadi timbul sombong dan merasa diri telah serupa dengan Tuhan atau dewa. Dipuja, disanjung, dipuji setinggi langit, lupa segala-galanya."Aku sekarang ini Aku! Siapa yang akan dapat menghalangi jalanku!" Bahkan ada yang berkata, “Allah itu sendiri berpihak kepadaku!" Berkali-kali orang mencoba hendak menganiayaku, tetapi selalu gagal sebab Allah ada bersama aku!"
Perjalanan seperti demikian, pasti berujung. Sebab demikianlah sunatullah! Cuma soal waktu belaka. Karena manusia gelisah menunggu terasa lambat temponya akan jatuh itu. Namun, setelah ketentuan Allah berlaku kelak, kejadian itu hanya bagai satu goresan kecil saja dalam sejarah. Maka berkata Allah selanjutnya, “Sehingga apabila mereka telah bergembira dengan apa yang diberikan kepada mereka itu, Kami siksalah mereka dengan sekonyong-konyong."
Sedang mereka bergembira dengan kesempatan-kesempatan yang teiah dibukakan Allah pintunya dengan seluas-luasnya, tampak mereka lupa daratan, datanglah siksaan Allah dengan sekonyong-konyong. Arti sekonyong-konyong ialah tiba-tiba. Tidak mereka ketahui dari mana akan datangnya. Benteng apa pun yang mereka bina untuk mempertahankan diri, tidaklah dapat menahan adzab Allah yang datang dengan tiba-tiba dan sekonyong-konyong itu.
“Tiba-tiba mereka pun merasa kecewa."
(ujung ayat 44)
Mublisun boleh diartikan kecewa, putus harapan, tidak mendapat jalan keluar lagi. Ber-tambah diatur siasat hendak membebaskan diri dari siksaan yang sekonyong-konyong itu, bertambah terikatlah leher oleh adzab yang baru, bertambah bergerak, bertambah terkejut sehingga putus asalah sama sekali dari kelepasan.
Menurut riwayat dari Ibnu Katsir di dalam tafsirnya Ruhul Bayaan bahwa Imam Hasan al-Bishri ketika menafsirkan ayat 43 dan 44 ini:
“Sayang! Allah membukakan pintu kepadanya lebar-lebar, tetapi dia tidak mau tahu bahwa dengan demikian Allah sedang memerhatikan sikapnya. Dan sekali waktu Allah telah menimpakan kesengsaraan dan kemelaratan kepadanya, tetapi dia tidak juga mengerti bahwa sikapnya sedang ditilik oleh Allah!" Kemudian, setelah membaca ayat 44 sampai selesai, Hasan al-Bishri menafsirkannya kembali dengan keluhan, “Demi Allah! Allah telah memercayakan mereka, tetapi mereka tidak juga mau insaf. Apa saja yang mereka minta telah diberikan, tetapi kemudian diambil dengan sekonyong-konyong!"
Qatadah telah menafsirkan pula, “Kaum itu telah menentang kehendak Allah dan Allah tidaklah segera*mencabut nikmat-Nya, tetapi
pada waktu mereka telah sangat mabuk oleh nikmat itu. Bahkan nikmat itu telah menipu mereka. Wahai saudara, janganlah kamu tertipu pula. Karena, tidak ada yang tertipu kecuali orang yang fasik jua."
Dirawikan oleh Imam Ahmad dari sahabat Rasulullah ﷺ, ‘Uqbah bin Amir, Rasulullah ﷺ pernah membaca ayat 44 ini lalu bersabda:
“Apabila engkau lihat Allah memberikan sebagian keduniaan kepada hamba-Nya, apa saja yang diingininya dengan serba-serbi kemaksiatannya maka pemberian yang demikian adalah istidraj." (HR Imam Ahmad)
Istidral artinya dikeluarkan dari garis lurus kebenaran tanpa disadari. Diperlakukan apa yang dia kehendaki, dibukakan segala pintu, dan yang bersangkutan sampai lupa diri, tidak ingat lagi bahwa sesudah panas pasti hujan, sesudah lautan tenang, gelombang mesti datang, lalu diperturutkan berbuat berbagai maksiat dengan hawa nafsu yang tidak terkekang. Akhirnya, diri sesat jauh sekali dan siksaan datang sekonyong-konyong.
“Lalu dipotong habislah bibit-bibit kaum yang zalim."
(pangkal ayat 45)
Artinya, habis binasalah kaum yang durhaka itu karena menganiaya diri mereka sendiri karena tidak mau menuruti petunjuk utusan-utusan Allah karena memperturutkan hawa nafsu. Bukan saja mereka yang habis, bahkan dipotong sampai pada bibit-bibitnya, sampai pada urat dan akarnya.
“Dan sekalian puji-pujian adalah untuk Allah, Tuhan sarwa sekalian alam."
(ujung ayat 45)
Wishes and Hopes Do Not Help One When He Sees the Torment
Allah tells;
وَلَوْ تَرَىَ إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ
If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire!
Allah mentions the condition of the disbelievers when they are made to stand before the Fire on the Day of Resurrection and witness its chains and restraints, along with seeing the horrible, momentous conditions in the Fire with their own eyes. This is when,
فَقَالُواْ يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِأيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ
They will say:Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!
They wish that they would be sent back to the life of the world so that they could perform righteous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in the Ayat of their Lord and be among the believers.
Allah said
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ
Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them.
meaning, the disbelief, denial and rebellion that they used to hide in their hearts will then be uncovered, even though they will try to hide this fact in this life and the Hereafter.
Earlier, Allah said,
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ
إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ
There will then be (left) no trial for them but to say:By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah. Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them. (6:23-24)
It is also possible that the meaning here is that the disbelievers will realize the truth that they knew all along in their hearts, that is, that what the Messengers brought them in this life is true, although they used to deny his Message before their followers.
Allah said that Musa said to Fir`awn,
لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَأ أَنزَلَ هَـوُلاءِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ بَصَأيِرَ
Verily, you know that these signs have clearly been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence. (17:102)
Allah said about Fir`awn and his people,
وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَأ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً
And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though they were themselves convinced thereof. (27:14)
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ
Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before.
When this occurs, and the disbelievers ask to be returned to this life, they will not do so because they truly wish to embrace the faith. Rather, they ask to be returned to this life for fear of the torment that they are witnessing before them, as punishment for the disbelief they committed, and to try and avoid the Fire that they see before their eyes.
وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَادُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.
meaning, they lie when they say they wish to go back to this life so that they can embrace the faith.
Allah states that even if they were sent back to the life of this world, they will again commit the disbelief and defiance that they were prohibited.
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
(And indeed they are liars), in their statement that,
فَقَالُواْ يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِأيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ
وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَادُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!
Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them. But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.
Therefore, they will revert to their old behavior
وَقَالُواْ إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا
And they said:There is no life but our life of this world,
and there is no Hereafter,
وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
and never shall we be resurrected.
Allah said
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ
If you could but see when they will stand before their Lord!
in front of Him,
قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَذَا بِالْحَقِّ
He will say:Is not this the truth
meaning, is not Resurrection true, contrary to what you thought,
قَالُواْ بَلَى وَرَبِّنَا
They will say:Yes, by our Lord!
قَالَ فَذُوقُواْ العَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
He will then say:So taste you the torment because you used not to believe.
and because you today denied Resurrection. Therefore, taste the torment,
أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ
Is this magic, or do you not see! (52:15
Allah says;
قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِلِقَاء اللّهِ
They indeed are losers who denied their meeting with Allah,
Allah describes the regret of the disbelievers when facing Him, and their disappointment at the commencement, along with their sorrow for not performing good deeds and for their evil deeds.
This is why Allah said,
حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءتْهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُواْ يَا حَسْرَتَنَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا
until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is upon them, and they say:Alas for us that we gave no thought to it.
`It' here refers to either the life of this world, or the affairs of the Hereafter.
Allah's statement,
وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلَا سَاء مَا يَزِرُونَ
while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!
Asbat said that As-Suddi said,
Upon entering his grave, every unjust person will meet a man with an ugly face, dark skin, awful odor, wearing dirty clothes, who will enter his grave with him. When the unjust person sees him, he will say, `How ugly is your face!'
He will reply, `So was your work, it was ugly.'
The unjust person will say, `How foul is the odor coming from you!'
He will reply, `Such was the case with your work, it stunk.'
The unjust person will say, `How dirty are your clothes!'
He will reply, `And your work too was dirty.'
The unjust person will ask, `Who are you?'
He will reply, `I am your deeds.'
So he will remain with the unjust person in his grave, and when he is resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, his companion will say to him, `In the life of the world, I used to carry you because you followed desire and lust. Today, you carry me.'
So he will ride on the unjust person's back and lead him until he enters the Fire.
So Allah said,
وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلَا سَاء مَا يَزِرُونَ
(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!
Allah's statement
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ
And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement.
means, most of it is play and amusement,
وَلَلدَّارُ الاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَ تَعْقِلُونَ
But far better is the abode of the Hereafter for those who have Taqwa. Will you not then understand!
Comforting the Prophet
Allah comforts the Prophet in his grief over his people's denial and defiance of him,
قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ
We know indeed the grief which their words cause you;
meaning, We know about their denial of you and your sadness and sorrow for them.
Allah said in other Ayat,
فَلَ تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَتٍ
So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them. (35:8)
and,
لَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلاَّ يَكُونُواْ مُوْمِنِينَ
It may be that you are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers. (26:3)
and,
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُوْمِنُواْ بِهَـذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفاً
Perhaps, you, would kill yourself in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you), because they believe not in this narration. (18:6)
Allah's statement,
فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ
it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny.
means, they do not accuse you of being a liar,
وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ
(but it is the Verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny). It is only the truth that they reject and refuse.
Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Az-Zuhri said that;
Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq once came to listen to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an at night, but these three men were not aware of the presence of each other. So they listened to the Prophet's recitation until the morning, and then left.
They met each other on their way back and each one of them asked the others, What brought you!
So they mentioned to each other the reason why they came. They vowed not to repeat this incident so that the young men of Quraysh would not hear of what they did and imitate them.
On the second night, each one of the three came back thinking that the other two would not come because of the vows they made to each other. In the morning, they again met each other on their way back and criticized each other, vowing not to repeat what they did.
On the third night, they again went to listen to the Prophet and in the morning they again vowed not to repeat this incident.
During that day, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his staff and went to Abu Sufyan bin Harb in his house saying, O Abu Hanzalah! What is your opinion concerning what you heard from Muhammad.
Abu Sufyan said, O Abu Thalabah! By Allah, I have heard some things that I recognize and know their implications. I also heard some things whose meaning and implications were unknown to me.
Al-Akhnas said, And I the same, by He Whom you swore by!
Al-Akhnas left Abu Sufyan and went to Abu Jahl and asked him, O Abu Al-Hakam! What is your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad.
Abu Jahl said, We competed with Bani Abd Manaf (the Prophet's sub tribe) and so we fed as they fed and gave away as they gave away. So, when we were neck and neck with them, just as two horses in a race, they said, `There is a Prophet from among us, to whom revelation from the heaven comes.' So how can we ever beat them at that! By Allah we will never believe in him or accept what he says.'
This is when Al-Akhnas left Abu Jahl and went away.
Allah's statement
وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا
Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our help reached them,
This comforts the Prophet's concern for those who denied and rejected him.
Allah also commands the Prophet to be patient, just as the mighty Messengers before him were. He also promised him victory, just as the previous Messengers were victorious and the good end was theirs, after the denial and harm their people placed on them. Then, victory came to them in this life, just as victory is theirs in the Hereafter.
Allah said,
وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ
and none can alter the Words of Allah.
This refers to His decision that victory in this life and the Hereafter is for His believing servants.
Allah said in other Ayat,
وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ
وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ
And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers. That they verily would be made triumphant. And that Our hosts, they verily would be the victors. (37:171-173)
and,
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ
Allah has decreed:Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious. Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty. (58:21)
Allah said;
وَلَقدْ جَاءكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
Surely, there has reached you the information about the Messengers (before you).
who were given victory and prevailed over the people who rejected them. And you (O Muhammad), have a good example in them.
Allah said next
وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ
If their aversion is hard on you,
and you cannot be patient because of their aversion,
فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِيَ نَفَقًا فِي الَارْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِي السَّمَاء
then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky...
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented,
If you were able to seek a tunnel and bring them an Ayah, or go up a ladder in the sky and bring a better Ayah than the one I (Allah) gave them, then do that.
Similar was reported from Qatadah, As-Suddi and others.
فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِأيَةٍ
so that you may bring them a sign.
Allah's statement,
وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.
is similar to His statement,
وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ
لاامَنَ مَن فِي الَارْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. (10:99)
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said about Allah's statement,
وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى
(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance),
The Messenger of Allah was eager that all people believe and be guided to follow him. Allah told him that only those whose happiness Allah has written in the first Dhikr will believe.
Allah's statement
إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ
It is only those who listen, that will respond,
means, only those who hear the speech, comprehend and understand it, will accept your call, O Muhammad!
In another Ayah, Allah said;
لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ
That it may give warning to him who is living, and that the Word may be justified against the disbelievers. (36:70)
Allah's statement,
وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.
refers to the disbelievers because their hearts are dead. Therefore, Allah resembled them to dead corpses as a way of mocking and belittling them, saying,
وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
(but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned (for their recompense)
The Idolators Ask for a Miracle
Allah says;
وَقَالُواْ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ
And they said:Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord!
Allah states that the idolators used to proclaim, Why does not (Muhammad) bring an Ayah from his Lord, meaning, a miracle of their choice!
They would sometimes say,
لَن نُّوْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا
We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the ground for us. (17:90)
قُلْ إِنَّ اللّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَن يُنَزِّلٍ ايَةً وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Say:Allah is certainly able to send down a sign, but most of them know not.
Certainly, Allah is able to send an Ayah (sign). But, He decided out of His wisdom to delay that, because if He sends an Ayah of their liking and they still do not believe, this will hasten their punishment as with the previous nations.
Allah said in other Ayat,
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). (17:59)
and,
إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَـقُهُمْ لَهَا خَـضِعِينَ
If We will, We could send down to them from the heaven a sign, to which they would bend their necks in humility. (26:4)
The Meaning of Umam
Allah said
وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الَارْضِ وَلَا طَايِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم
There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are Umam like you.
Mujahid commented,
Meaning, various species that have distinct names.
Qatadah said,
Birds are an Ummah, humans are an Ummah and the Jinns are an Ummah.
As-Suddi said that,
إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم
(but are Umam like you) means,
creations (or species).
Allah's statement,
مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ
We have neglected nothing in the Book,
means, the knowledge about all things is with Allah, and He never forgets any of His creatures, nor their sustenance, nor their affairs, whether these creatures live in the sea or on land.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterus, grave, etc.). All is in a Clear Book. (11:6)
there is a record of their names, numbers, movements, and lack of movement.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَابَّةٍ لاَّ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
And so many a moving creature there is, that carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. (29:60)
ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.
Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah,
Death gathers them.
It was also said that the Day of Resurrection gathers them, for in another Ayah, Allah said;
وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ
And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together. (81:5)
Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said about Allah's statement,
إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم
مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
(but are Umam like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered),
All creatures will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, the beasts, birds and all others. Allah's justice will be so perfect, that the un-horned sheep will receive retribution from the horned sheep. Allah will then command them, `Be dust!' This is when the disbeliever will say,
يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَابًا
(Woe to me! Would that I were dust!) (78:40)
And this was reported from the Prophet in the Hadith about the Trumpet.
The Disbelievers will be Deaf and Mute in Darkness
Allah said
وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ
Those who reject Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness.
due to their ignorance, little knowledge and minute comprehension. Their example is that of the deaf-mute who cannot hear nor speak, as well as being blinded by darkness. Therefore, how can such a person find guidance to the path or change the condition he is in
Allah said in other Ayat,
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً فَلَمَّأ أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَـتٍ لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ
صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
Their parable is that of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path). (2:17-18)
and,
أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ يَغْشَـهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَـتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُوراً فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُورٍ
Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light. (24:40)
This is why Allah said here,
مَن يَشَإِ اللّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the straight path whom He wills.
for He does what He wills with His creatures
The Idolators Call On Allah Alone During Torment and Distress
Allah states that He does what He wills with His creatures and none can resist His decision or avert what He decrees for them. He is the One Who has no partners, Who accepts the supplication from whomever He wills.
Allah said,
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُكُم إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُ اللّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ السَّاعَةُ
أَغَيْرَ اللّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
Say:Tell me if Allah's torment comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, would you then call upon any one other than Allah! (Reply) if you are truthful!
This means, you -- disbelievers -- will not call other than Allah in this case, because you know that none except He is able to remove the affliction.
إِن
كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
(if you are truthful) by taking gods besides Him.
Allah said,
بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ شَاء
وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ
Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove that (distress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at that time whatever partners you joined with Him (in worship)!
for in times of necessity, you only call on Allah and forget your idols and false deities.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَا إِيَّاهُ
And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah). (17:67)
Allah said
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلنَأ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ
فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَاء
Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you. And We seized them with extreme poverty...
That is, loss of wealth and diminished provisions,
وَالضَّرَّاء
and loss of health,
various illnesses, diseases and pain,
لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
so that they might believe with humility.
and call Allah and supplicate to Him with humbleness and humility.
Allah said
فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَاءهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ
When Our torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility,
Meaning:Why do they not believe and humble themselves before Us when We test them with disaster!'
وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
But their hearts became hardened,
for their hearts are not soft or humble,
وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
and Shaytan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do.
That is, Shirk, defiance and rebellion
فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ
So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded,
by ignoring and turning away from it,
.
فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
We opened to them the gates of everything,
Meaning:`We opened the gates of provisions for them from wherever they wished, so that We deceive them.'
We seek refuge with Allah from such an end.
This is why Allah said,
حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَا أُوتُواْ
until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given,
such as wealth, children and provisions,
أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ
all of a sudden, We took them to punishment and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.
They have no hope for any type of good thing.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,
Whomever Allah gives provision and he thinks that Allah is not testing him, has no wisdom. Whomever has little provision and thinks that Allah will not look at (provide for) him, has no wisdom.
He then recited the Ayah,
فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَا أُوتُواْ أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ
So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.
He added,
By the Lord of the Ka`bah! Allah deceived these people, when He gave them what they wished, and then they were punished.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement.
Allah's statement,
فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ
وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
So the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off. And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the all that exists
Allah said to His Messenger,
قُلْ
say,
O Muhammad, to those rebellious liars,
أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَارَكُمْ
Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight.
just as He gave these senses to you.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
هُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَـرَ
It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing, seeing. (67:23)
The Ayah above might also mean that Allah will not allow the disbelievers to benefit from these senses in religious terms. This is why He said next,
وَخَتَمَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُم
and sealed up your hearts,.
He also said in other Ayat,
أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والاٌّبْصَـرَ
Or who owns hearing and sight! (10:31)
and,
وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ
And know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.
Allah said;
مَّنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ
Is there a god other than Allah who could restore them to you!
Meaning, is there anyone except Allah who is able to give you back these senses if Allah took them from you! Only Allah is able to do so, and this is why He said here,
انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الايَاتِ
See how variously We explain the Ayat,
and make them plain and clear, testifying to Allah's Oneness in lordship and that those worshipped besides Him are all false and unworthy.
ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ
yet they turn aside.
After this explanation, they still turn away from the truth and hinder people from following it.
Allah's statement
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُ اللّهِ بَغْتَةً
Say:Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly...
means, while you are unaware -- or during the night -- striking you all of a sudden,
أَوْ جَهْرَةً
or openly
during the day, or publicly,
هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
will any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people.
This torment only strikes those who commit injustice against themselves by associating others with Allah, while those who worship Allah alone without partners will be saved from it, and they will have no fear or sorrow.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ
It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, (wrong or Shirk). (6:82)
Allah's statement
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ
And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners.
means, the Messengers bring good news to Allah's servants, as well as, command all that is good and righteous. They also warn those who disbelieve in Allah of His anger and of all types of torment.
Allah said,
فَمَنْ امَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ
So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds,
meaning, whoever believes in his heart with what the Messengers were sent with and makes his works righteous by imitating them;
فَلَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
upon such shall come no fear,
concerning the future,
وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
nor shall they grieve.
about what they missed in the past and left behind them in this world. Certainly, Allah will be the Wali and Protector over what they left behind.
Allah said next,
وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ
But those who reject Our Ayat, the torment will strike them for their rebelling.
The torment will strike them because of disbelieving in the Message of the Messengers, defying Allah's commands, committing what He prohibited and transgressing His set limits.
Indeed We sent to communities before you (min qablika: min is extra), messengers, but they denied them, and We seized them with misery, abject poverty, and hardship, illness, so that they might be humble, abased, that they might believe.
Commentary
The verses cited above, if seen in the context of verses appearing immediately previous to them, will show the particular mode in which Shirk and Kufr have been refuted and Tauhid, affirmed. First, the disbelievers of Makkah have been asked: If you are hit by a calamity now, for example, the punishment of Allah descends on you right here in this world or comes death or the very Day of Doom breaks loose, then think and answer who it will be you would call for help to keep this calamity away from you or who it would be you will hope to deliver you from this terrible punishment? Do you think these self-sculpted idols in stone or any others from among the creation of Allah you have given His status would come out to help you in your hour of trial? And then, would you still address your cry of distress to them, or would you rather appeal to none but Allah, the One, the All-Powerful?
There can be no better answer from any sensible human being which was given by Allah Ta` ala Himself on behalf of them - that, at a time of such mass calamity, even the greatest Mushrik will forget all about his idols and self-appointed objects of worship and would call none but Allah. If so, the outcome is obvious. These idols of yours, and the objects of worship whom you have given the status of Allah Ta` ala and whom alone you regard as your problem solvers and granters of wishes, in fact, did not come to help you in your distress, nor could you muster the courage to call them up to help you out. Now then, when would it be that your devotion to them as objects of worship and their role of problems solvers assigned to them by you will start working for you?
What has been said here is a gist of immediately previous verses. Stated here as a matter of supposition is that punishment could befall them within the life of this world as an outcome of their disbelief and disobedience. And, again as a matter of supposition, if the punishment does not visit them in the present life, then, the coming of the Qiyamah is certain after all when account will be taken from all human beings of their deeds and put in effect shall be the law of reward and punishment against these.
` Qiyamah' here could mean the commonly acknowledged Qiyamah or the Day of Doom. It is also possible that, by the particular use of the word, ` As-Sa` ah' (The Hour) -[ 41], the sense could be that of ` The Smaller Doom' (al-Qiyamatus-Sughra) which stands activated for every human being immediately after his or her death - as the saying is: مَن مَّاتَ فَقد قَامَت قِیَامَتُہ (For one who dies, his or her ` Qiyamah' (Doom) stands established right then) because a preliminary sampling of the ultimate reckoning of the Qiyamah will come before the deceased in his or her ` Qabr' (burial place) and in the state of Barzakh (the post-death - pre-Qiyamah state) and the sampling of the ultimate reward and punishment due ` there' would start showing up right from ` here.' (Not too difficult to visualize for those familiar with ` testers' and ` samples' provided on perfume counters in alcoves of major mega stores which are meant to tell the visitor: ` WYSIWYG!' That is, ` what you see is what you get.' - Tr.)
But, despite warnings given in these verses to disobedient people against their attitude of complacency - lest there comes upon them some sudden Divine punishment as has come on past communities, or death, or ultimately the very reckoning after Qiyamah about which there is no doubt - such people have a mind of their own. They tend to take the whole world on the analogy of their limited experience in the already limited time of their life which makes them compulsive excuse seekers in such matters. Present before them the warnings and intimations given by blessed prophets and they will bypass them as ambiguous thinking, specially at times, and which reappear in all ages, when there are people around who, in spite of their open disobedience to Allah and His Prophet ﷺ ، keep prospering in wealth, property, influence, recognition and power, almost everything. So, on the one hand, here is what they witness with their own eyes, while, on the other hand, is the word of the blessed messenger of Allah who tells them that punishments do come upon the disobedient as it is the customary practice of the One they disobey. Now, as they look at the two sides of the argument simultaneously, then, their own excuse seeking disposition and, of course, the Satan hoodwinks them into believing that the word of the prophet is a deception or delusion.
Now, for an answer, we can turn to the present verses where Al-mighty Allah has pointed out to the law which applies to what happened to past communities. It was said: وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ﴿42﴾. It means that Allah did send, before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، His prophets to other communities which were tested in two ways. Firstly, they were tested with hardships and sufferings to see if these would become the cause of their turning to Allah. But, when they failed in this test and, rather than turn to Allah and abandon disobedience, became all the more engrossed in it, then, they were subjected to a different kind of test. The doors of worldly comforts were opened to them. They had everything they could wish for in the material world so that through these blessings they could recognize their Benefactor and remember Him. But they, rather than be grateful to Him, were so lost in the labyrinth of luxury that they forgot all about the messages and teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Thus, having traded their souls for the glitter of fleeting comforts, they failed in both tests, and their case before Allah became conclusively established against them. So, they were seized by the punishment of Allah suddenly which destroyed them to the last man. This punishment had come upon earlier communities too, down from the heavens and up from beneath the earth, and such mass punishments have come in other ways too which had reduced whole peoples and nations to ashes. The people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) were deluged in the great flood which did not spare even mountain peaks. The people of عَاد ` Ad were hit by an eight-day long wind storm which left not one survivor. The people of Thamud were destroyed through a terrifying sound. The entire habitation of the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) was overturned, the remnants of which still exist in the west of Jordan in the form of a low lying water level which is not conducive. to the survival of any sea life. Therefore, it is called The Dead Sea, and also the Sea of Lut.
In short, these were some forms in which Divine punishment befell past communities as a result of their disobedience destroying whole nations and peoples in one stroke. However, it has also happened that such people died away naturally leaving no one behind to remember them.
Also clarified in these verses is that Almighty Allah does not send down His punishment upon any people all of a sudden. Instead, punishments come at the level of admonitions the purpose of which is to make it possible for people to shed their heedlessness and take to the correct path. We also know from here that the hardship or distress which is sent to people on the earth as punishment for them, though outwardly looks like punishment but, in reality, it is not. Instead of that, it serves the purpose of a wake-up call designed to shake people out of their heedlessness. As such, it is nothing but mercy. Says another verse of the Qur'an وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿21﴾, that is, We will make them taste a lesser punishment, leaving the greatest punishment aside, so that they may return - 32:21.
Removed from these very verses is the doubt about this world which is no place for rewards (Darul-Jaza' ), but a place where one must do what one should (Darul-` Amal). What then is the sense of being punished in this world where good and bad seem to be weighed on the same scale and where, in fact, the evil ones fare better than the good? The answer is clear. The real reward and punishment will come on that one day of Qiyamah, which is known as the very Day of Judgement (Yowmud-DIn) or the Day of Retribution (Yowm al-Jaza' ).. But, some hardships are sent in this world as a sample of punishment (Adhab) and some comforts as a sample of reward (Thawab) which are a token of mercy from Allah. Some spiritual masters have even said that all comforts of the world are indicators of the comforts of Paradise so that one learns to long for them. As for all those hardships and sorrows that afflict man in this world, they too are indicators of the punishment of the Hereafter so that man prepares to stay safe against them. Unless there is a sample or model-in sight, no one can be pursuaded towards anything, nor can anyone be detracted from any impending danger or evil.
So, the comforts and discomforts of this mortal life are not rewards and punishments as such. They are, rather, samples or tokens of re-wards and punishments. We may say that this whole world is a show room of Akhirah (the Hereafter) where the trader displays the demonstration pieces of his merchandise in front of his store or shop so that they could attract the buyer. Thus, we can see that worldly prosperity or poverty, happiness or sorrow are not reward and punishment in the real sense. Actually, they are a method of bringing the creation of Allah alienated from its Creator back to His fold.
At the end of verse 42 itself, this element of wisdom finds expression through the words: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ (so that they may supplicate in humility). It means that the hardship inflicted on them during their life in the present world was really not aimed at punishing them. Since everyone turns to Allah naturally when in distress, the purpose was to make people turn to Allah through a little hardship. This tells us that the hardship or pain which visits a person or group as punishment is, in a sense, the working of Divine mercy.
