Surah Al-Qasas, Ayah 74

Rebuking the Idolators

This is another call by way of rebuke for those who worshipped other gods besides Allah. The Lord, may He be exalted, will call to them before all the witnesses, and will say:

أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

(Where are My (so-called) partners, whom you used to assert) meaning, in this world.

وَنَزَعْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيداً

(And We shall take out from every nation a witness,) Mujahid said, "This means a Messenger."

فَقُلْنَا هَاتُواْ بُرْهَـنَكُمْ

(and We shall say: "Bring your proof.") meaning, `of the truth of your claim that Allah had any partners.'

فَعَلِمُواْ أَنَّ الْحَقَّ لِلَّهِ

(Then they shall know that the truth is with Allah,) meaning, that there is no god besides Him. Then they will not speak and they will not be able to find any answer.

وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ

(and the lies which they invented will disappear from them.) they will vanish and will be of no benefit to them.

Commentary

A question that will be asked from the infidels on the Day of Judgment to repeat what they had replied to the prophets on their invitation to truth was mentioned in an earlier verse. Now in this verse it is stated that the prophets would testify about the reply that was given by the infidels.

The earth, which is inhabited by human beings, has innumerable wonderful aspects. One of these is that it is constantly revolving around the Sun. Its axial rotation as it passes around the sun is such that it completes one full circle in twenty four hours. This is what produces the phenomenon of the repeated alternation of day and night. Had it not been for this axial rotation of the earth, there would have been perpetual night in half portion of the earth and perpetual day in the other half. The result of this would have been that the comfortable earth we know would have become a punishment chamber horrible beyond expression. The constant rotation of the earth in space with perfect precision is so great a phenomenon that even the combined efforts of all men and all jinn could never have sufficed to bring it into existence. Nobody except the All Powerful God is capable of setting in motion such a great event. In view of this, it would be most misguided of man, to experience feelings of fear and love for anybody other than the One and Only God.