Surah Al-Furqan, Ayah 7

What the Disbelievers said about the Messenger , refutation of Their Words, and Their ultimate Destiny

Allah tells us about the disbelievers' stubborn resistance to and rejection of the truth, with no proof or evidence for doing so. Their excuse was, as they said:

مَا لِهَـذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ

(Why does this Messenger eat food,) meaning, `as we eat, and why does he need food as we need it'

وَيَمْشِى فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ

(and walk about in the markets.) means, he walks around and goes there often seeking to trade and earn a living.

لَوْلا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيراً

(Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him) They were saying: why doesn't an angel come down to him from Allah, to be a witness that what he is claiming is true This is like when Fira`wn said:

فَلَوْلاَ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ

("Why then are not golden bracelets bestowed on him, or angels sent along with him") (43:53). These people had a similar mentality and said the same kind of thing. They said:

أَوْ يُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كَنْزٌ

(Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him) meaning, treasure that he could spend on his needs and wants.

أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا

(or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat) meaning, a garden that would go with him wherever he went. All of this is easy for Allah, but He had a reason for not doing any of these things, and with Him is the perfect proof and argument.

وَقَالَ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلاً مَّسْحُوراً

(And the wrongdoers say: "You follow none but a man bewitched.") Allah said:

انْظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَالَ فَضَلُّواْ

(See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray,) meaning, they accused you and belied you when they said that you were a sorcerer or bewitched or crazy or a liar or a poet, but all of these are false ideas. Everyone who has the slightest understanding will recognize that they are lying. Allah says:

فُضِّلُواْ

(so they have gone astray) from the path of guidance.

فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلاً

(and they cannot find a path.) Everyone who steps outside of the way of truth and guidance has gone astray, no matter what direction he takes, because the truth is one and its methodology is unified, parts of it confirming other parts. Then Allah tells His Prophet that if He willed, He could bestow on him in this world something far better than what they were saying. He said:

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ

(Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than (all) that...) Mujahid said, "This means in this world." And he said: "The Quraysh used to call every house that was made of stone a `palace', whether it was large or small."

بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ

(Nay, they deny the Hour,) means, they say this in stubborn disbelief, not because they are seeking insight and guidance, but because their disbelief in the Day of Resurrection makes them say what they say.

وَأَعْتَدْنَا

(And We have prepared) means, `We have made ready,'

لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً

(for those who deny the Hour, a flaming Fire.) means, an unbearably hot and painful torment in the fire of Hell.

إِذَا رَأَتْهُمْ

(When it sees them) means, when Hell sees them,

مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ

(from a far place,) means from the place of gathering (on the Day of Resurrection),

سَمِعُواْ لَهَا تَغَيُّظاً وَزَفِيراً

(they will hear its raging and its roaring.) means, (it will make those sounds) out of hatred towards them. This is like the Ayah,

إِذَآ أُلْقُواْ فِيهَا سَمِعُواْ لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الغَيْظِ

(When they are cast therein, they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes forth. It almost bursts up with fury) (67:7-8), which means that parts of it almost separate from other parts because of its intense hatred towards those who disbelieved in Allah. Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: "A man will be dragged towards Hell, which will be expanding and contracting, and Ar-Rahman will say to it: `What is the matter with you' It will say: `He is seeking refuge from me.' So Allah will say, `Let My servant go.' Another man will be dragged towards Hell and he will say, `O Lord, I never expected this from You.' Allah will say, `What did you expect' The man will say, `I expected that Your mercy would be great enough to include me.' So Allah will say, `Let My servant go.' Another man will be dragged towards Hell, and Hell will bray at him like a donkey braying at barley. Then it will give a moan that will instill fear in everyone." Its chain of narrators is Sahih.

سَمِعُواْ لَهَا تَغَيُّظاً وَزَفِيراً

(they will hear its raging and its roaring. ) `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that `Ubayd bin `Umayr said: "Hell will utter a moan such that there will be no angel who is close to Allah and no Prophet sent to mankind, but he will fall on his face, shaking all over. Even Ibrahim, peace be upon him, will fall to his knees and say: `O Lord, I do not ask You for salvation this Day except for myself."'

وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ

(And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together,) Qatadah narrated from Abu Ayyub that `Abdullah bin `Amr said: "Like the point of a spear, i.e., in its narrowness."

مُقْرِنِينَ

(chained together,) Abu Salih said, "This means, tied from their shoulders."

دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً

(they will exclaim therein for destruction.) means, they will utter cries of woe, regret and sorrow.

لاَّ تَدْعُواْ الْيَوْمَ ثُبُوراً وَحِداً

(Exclaim not today for one destruction...)

Commentary

From this point onward the objections raised by infidels and polytheists against the Holy Qur'an and the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ are related together with the answers to those objections.

The first objection was that the Qur'an was not a revealed book from Allah Ta’ ala, but has been compiled from the old stories and narrations by the Jews and Christians which have been reduced into writing by the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، since he himself was illiterate and could not write. And because he could not read or write, he would get them read out to him day and night, so that he could remember them by heart, then he would repeat them before people and claim that he had received that revelation from Allah Ta’ ala.

Those who denied the truth used to denigrate the Quran as a false testament, but in fact the target of their allegation was the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet appeared to them as an ordinary man. They were unable to understand how an ordinary man could be the possessor of an extraordinary Book. The Quran touches upon various topics of a historical, psychological and social nature, etc., but no factual error has ever been pointed out in it. This proves that the Quran was authored by a Being who is aware of the secrets of the universe to the fullest extent. Had it not been so, the Quran also would have been full of mistakes—as are found in other man-made books. This fact in itself is the greatest argument in favour of the Quran being a Book of God. Those who make baseless statements against the Quran, are indulging in undue bravado. Such people will definitely be seized upon by God. However, if they come back to the right path, it is not God’s way to take revenge after their repentance. God looks at the individual’s present and not his past.