Surah Ar-Ra'd, Ayah 30

Our Prophet was sent to recite and call to Allah's Revelation

Allah says, `Just as We sent you, O Muhammad, to your Ummah,

لِّتَتْلُوَ عَلَيْهِمُ الَّذِى أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ

(..in order that you might recite unto them what We have revealed to you,) so that you deliver to them Allah's Message. Likewise, We sent others to earlier nations that disbelieved in Allah. The Messengers whom We sent before you, were also denied and rejected, so you have an example in what they faced. And since We sent Our torment and revenge on those people, then let these people fear what will strike them, for their denial of you is harsher than the denial that the previous Messengers faced,'

تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ

(By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you.)16-63 Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَـهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(Verily, many Messengers were denied before you, with patience they bore the denial and suffering until; till Our help reached them, and none can alter the Words (decree) of Allah. Surely, there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before you).)6-34, meaning, `How We gave them victory and granted the best end for them and their followers in this life and the Hereafter. ' Allah said next,

وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِالرَّحْمَـنِ

(while they disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah).) Allah says, `These people, that We sent you to, disbelieve in the Most Gracious and deny Him, because they dislike describing Allah by Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim the Most Gracious, Most Merciful.' This is why on the day of Al-Hudaybiyyah, as Al-Bukhari narrated, they refused to write, "In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim," saying, "We do not know Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim!" Qatadah narrated this words. Allah the Exalted said,

قُلِ ادْعُواْ اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُواْ الرَّحْمَـنَ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُواْ فَلَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءَ الْحُسْنَى

(Say: "Invoke Allah or invoke the Most Gracious (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him, for to Him belong the Best Names.) 17:110 In his Sahih, Imam Muslim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَن»

(The most beloved names to Allah the Exalted are: `Abdullah and `Abdur-Rahman.)Allah said next,

قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّى لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(Say: "He is my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but He!") meaning: for I believe in Allah in Whom you disbelieve and affirm His Divinity and Lordship. He is my Lord, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him,

عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ

(In Him is my trust,) in all of my affairs,

وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ

(and to Him I turn.) meaning: to Him I return and repent, for He alone is worthy of all this and none else besides Him.

وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الاٌّرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَى بَل للَّهِ الاٌّمْرُ جَمِيعًا أَفَلَمْ يَاْيْـَسِ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ اللَّهُ لَهَدَى النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ تُصِيبُهُم بِمَا صَنَعُواْ قَارِعَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًا مِّن دَارِهِمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِىَ وَعْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ

Commentary

At the beginning of the section, human beings were divided into two kinds - those who are obedient to Allah Ta’ ala and those who are disobedient to Him. Then, enumerated there were some attributes and signs of the obedient servants of Allah and mention was made of the best of rewards for them in the Hereafter.

Now, in the present verses, stated there are the attributes and signs, and punishments, of the other kind of people. One trait of character these disobedient and contumacious people have been reported to have الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّـهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ (And those who break [ their ] pledge with Allah after it has been made binding). Included here is the pledge out of the pledges given to Allah concerning His unshared Lordship and Oneness by all spirits created by Him. The disbelievers and polytheists broke this pledge when they came into this world and consequently took to hundreds and thousands of lords and objects of worship all joined up with the pristine divinity of Allah Ta` ala.

Signs having been shown to those who asked for them, a final verdict should be pronounced upon them. Now, if at the instance of human beings, God did show any tangible signs and if, even after that, they did not accept Him, they would deserve immediate destruction. But God, ignoring human demands for tangible signs, goes on, in His special Grace and Mercy, conveying the Truth through His messengers in the language of advice and reasoning. In this way people have a longer period in which to reform themselves and become entitled to God’s Grace. In view of this, it is necessary for the missionary not to be disturbed by the foolish demands of his addressees. He himself should be agreeable to God’s plan and should continue to call upon them to accept it likewise.