Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayah 89

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

حـم - تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(Ha-Mim. By the manifest Book.) means, plain and clear in both wording and meaning, because it was revealed in the language of the Arabs, which is the most eloquent language for communication among people. Allah says:

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـهُ

(Verily, We have made it) meaning, revealed it,

قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً

(a Qur'an in Arabic) meaning, in the language of the Arabs, eloquent and clear;

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

(that you may be able to understand.) means, that you may understand it and ponder its meanings. This is like the Ayah:

وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ (and say, Salam [ good-bye ]. Then soon they will come to know---43:89). At the end of the Surah, the same advice has been given to the Holy Prophet t that is always given to every preacher of truth. The gist of the advice is that one may reply to the arguments and doubts of the opponents, but when they start talking ignorantly, foolishly or are involved in hurling abuses, then instead of replying in their language, one should keep quiet. And the instruction to say Salam does not mean that 'Assalamu ` alaikum" is to be said to them, because this salutation is not permissible for any non-Muslim; rather it is an idiomatic expression for parting of ways. As such, the view of those who deduce from this verse that saying "Assalamu 'alaikum" to non-Muslims is permissible does not carry much weight. (Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani).

Alhamdulillah

The Commentary on

SUrah Az-Zukhruf (The Gold)

Ends here

In the Hereafter, on the Day of Judgement, human beings will stand in the divine court to be judged. Some will have accepted and supported the divine message conveyed to them, while others, having rejected it, will have stood in opposition to it. Whatever their condition, and knowing full well that God is omniscient, they will ask their erstwhile contemporaries to bear witness in their favour. All to no avail. The prophets and the preachers, on the other hand will be there—just as if in a court of law—to bear witness to matters of which they have first-hand knowledge, having personally observed and experienced them. It will not be their role to intercede for or condemn their fellow men. They will simply be required to present the facts. On the Day of Judgement, nobody will have any power to recommend or intervene on behalf of any guilty person in order to change the Divine Judgement which had to be made on the basis of the facts. God is too High and Great for anybody to venture to do this before Him. The task relating to the call for the Truth consists purely of giving advice and guidance. Even at the last stage, when the preacher is convinced that his hearers are going to reject his words outright, he prays to God for the people. Tolerating their torture, he remains their well-wisher.