Ornaments of Gold, Luxury, The Embellishment — Verse 41

The Shaytan is the Companion of the One Who turns away from Ar-Rahman وَمَن يَعْشُ (And whosoever Ya`shu (turns away blindly)) means, whoever willfully ignores and turns away عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ (from the remembrance of the Most Gracious,) Al-`Asha (the root of Ya`sh) refers to weakness of vision; what is meant here is weakness of insight. نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَاناً فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ (We appoint for him Shaytan to be a Qarin (a companion) to him.) This is like the Ayat: وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى (And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been shown clearly to him) (4:115), فَلَمَّا زَاغُواْ أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ (So when they turned away, Allah turned their hearts away) (61:5), and وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَآءَ فَزَيَّنُواْ لَهُم مَّا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ (And We have assigned for them intimate companions, who have made fair seeming to them, what was before them and what was behind them) (41:25). Allah says here: وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَنَا (And verily, they hinder them from the path, but they think that they are guided aright! Until, when he comes to Us,) meaning, for this person who willfully neglects true guidance, We send to him a Shaytan to lead him astray and show him the path to Hell. When he comes before Allah on the Day of Resurrection, he will complain about the Shaytan who was appointed to accompany him. قَالَ يلَيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ بُعْدَ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ فَبِئْسَ الْقَرِينُ (he says, "Would that between me and you were the distance of the two easts -- a worst companion (indeed)!") Some of them recited it; (حَتْى إِذَا جَاءَانَا) (Till, when they both come to Us.) referring to the companion Shaytan and the one whom he accompanies. Then Allah says: وَلَن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ إِذ ظَّلَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ فِى الْعَذَابِ مُشْتَرِكُونَ (It will profit you not this Day as you did wrong, (and) that you will be sharers in the punishment.) means, `your being together in the Fire will not help you in the slightest, and you will both partake of the painful punishment.' Allah says: أَفَأَنتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِى الْعُمْىَ وَمَن كَانَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ Can you make the deaf to hear, or can you guide the blind or him who is in manifest error؟ means, `that is not up to you. All you have to do is convey the Message, but you do not have to guide them. Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills, and He is Wise and Just in doing so.' Allah's Vengeance upon the Enemies of His Messenger will surely come to pass Allah further says: فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُم مُّنتَقِمُونَ (And even if We take you away, We shall indeed take vengeance on them.) means, `We will inevitably wreak vengeance upon them and punish them, even if you pass away.' أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ الَّذِى وَعَدْنَـهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِمْ مُّقْتَدِرُونَ (Or (if) We show you that wherewith We threaten them, then verily, We have perfect command over them.) means, `We are able to do both,' but Allah will not take His Messenger (in death) until He gives him the joy of seeing his enemies brought low and gives him power and authority over them and their wealth. This was the view of As-Suddi and was the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir. Encouragement to adhere to the Qur'an Allah then says; فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِى أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (So hold you fast to that which is revealed to you. Verily, you are on the straight path.) means, hold fast to the Qur'an which has been sent down to your heart, for it is truth and what it leads to is truth that shows the way to the straight path that leads to Gardens of Delight and eternal, everlasting goodness. وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ (And verily, this is a Dhikr for you and your people,) It was said that this means, `it is an honor for you and your people;' this was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. This means that it is an honor for them in that it was revealed in their language, so they are the people who have the best understanding of it among mankind and hence are obliged to be the most steadfast in adhering to its commandments. This is how the best of them were, the first immigrants and those who emulated them and followed them. It was also said that the meaning of the phrase; وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ (And verily, this is indeed a Dhikr for you and your people,) was that `it was sent to remind you and your people.' The fact that they are singled out does not exclude others. This is like the Ayat: لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَـباً فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ (Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book in which there is Dhikrukum (your Reminder). Will you not then understand) (21:10) وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ (And warn your tribe of near kindred) (26:214) وَسَوْفَ تُسْـَلُونَ (and you will be questioned.) means, `about this Qur'an, and how you acted upon it and what your response to it was.' وَاسْئلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَـنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ (And ask whom We sent before you of Our Messengers: "Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious") means, `all the Messengers called their people to the same as that to which you are calling mankind, namely the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and they forbade the worship of idols and false gods.' This is like the Ayah: وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ (And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid all false deities.") (16:36) Mujahid said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud recited it: (وَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ (مِنْ) رُسُلِنَا) (And ask those whom We sent before you of Our Messengers.) This was narrated by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi from Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him. Yet this appears to be an explanation rather than an alternate version of recitation. And Allah knows best.

So if fa-immā the conditional particle in has been assimilated herein with an extra mā We take you away by making you die before chastising them then We will take vengeance on them in the Hereafter;

فإن توفيناك -أيها الرسول- قبل نصرك على المكذبين من قومك، فإنَّا منهم منتقمون في الآخرة، أو نرينك الذي وعدناهم من العذاب النازل بهم كيوم "بدر"، فإنا عليهم مقتدرون نُظهِرك عليهم، ونخزيهم بيدك وأيدي المؤمنين بك.

أى لابد أن ننتقم منهم ونعاقبهم ولو ذهبت أنت.

وقوله - سبحانه - : ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُم مُّنتَقِمُونَ أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ الذي وَعَدْنَاهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِمْ مُّقْتَدِرُونَ ) زيادة فى تسلية وتثبيته - صلى الله عليه وسلم - .أى : أن أمرك - أيها الرسول الكريم - مع هؤلاء الظالمين لا يخلو عن حالين : إما أن نتوفينك قبل أن ترى نقمتنا منهم . . . وفى هذه الحالة فسنتولى نحن عذابهم والانتقام منهم ، حسب إرادتنا ومشيئتنا ، وإما أن نبقى حياتك حتى ترى بعينيك العذاب الذى توعدناهم به ، فإنا عليهم وعلى غيرهم متقدرون على تنفيذ ما نتوعد به من دون أن يستطيع أحد الإِفلات من قبضتنا وقدرتنا .قال ابن كثير : أى : نحن قادرون على هذا وعلى هذا . ولم يقبض الله - تعالى - رسوله ، حتى أقر عينه من أعدائه ، وحكمه فى نواصيهم ، وملكه ما تضمنته صياصيهم .وشبيه بهذه الآية قوله - تعالى - : ( وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الذي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ البلاغ وَعَلَيْنَا الحساب ) والفاء فى قوله - تعالى - : ( فاستمسك بالذي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ . . . ) واقعة جوابا لشرط مقدر .

وقوله: ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ ) اختلف أهل التأويل في المعنيين بهذا الوعيد, فقال بعضهم: عني به أهل الإسلام من أمة نبينا عليه الصلاة والسلام .* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا سوار بن عبد الله العنبري, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبي الأشهب, عن الحسن, في قوله: ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ ) قال: لقد كانت بعد نبي الله نقمة شديدة, فأكرم الله جلّ ثناؤه نبيه صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم أن يريه في أمته ما كان من النقمة بعده.حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن قتادة, قوله: ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ ) فذهب الله بنبيه صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, ولم ير في أمته إلا الذي تقرّ به عينه, وأبقى الله النقمة بعده, وليس من نبيّ إلا وقد رأى في أمته العقوبة, أو قال ما لا يشتهي. ذُكر لنا أن النبيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم أُري الذي لقيت أمته بعده, فما زال منقبضا ما انبسط ضاحكا حتى لقي الله تبارك وتعالى.حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى, قال: ثنا ابن ثور, عن معمر, قال: تلا قتادة ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ ) فقال: ذهب النبيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم وبقيت النقمة, ولم ير الله نبيه صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم في أمته شيئا يكرهه حتى مضى, ولم يكن نبيّ قطّ إلا رأى العقوبة في أمته, إلا نبيكم صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. قال: وذُكر لنا أن النبي صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم أري ما يصيب أمته بعده, فما رئي ضاحكا منبسطا حتى قبضه الله.وقال آخرون: بل عنى به أهل الشرك من قريش, وقالوا: قد أري الله نبيه عليه الصلاة والسلام فيهم.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا محمد, قال: ثنا أحمد, قال: ثنا أسباط, عن السديّ, في قوله: ( فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ ) كما انتقمنا من الأمم الماضية.

( فإما نذهبن بك ) بأن نميتك قبل أن نعذبهم ( فإنا منهم منتقمون ) بالقتل بعدك .

فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ (41) تفريع على جملة { أفأنت تسمع الصم } [ الزخرف : 40 ] إلى آخرها المتضمنة إيماء إلى التأييس من اهتدائهم ، والصريحة في تسلية النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من شدة الحرص في دعوتهم ، فجاء هنا تحقيق وَعد بالانتقام منهم ، ومعناه : الوعد بإظهار الدِين إن كان في حياة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أو بعد وفاته ، ووعيدهم بالعقاب في الدّنيا قبل عقاب الآخرة ، فلأجل الوفاء بهذين الغرضين ذُكر في هذه الجملة أمران : الانتقام منهم لا محالة ، وكونُ ذلك واقعاً في حياة الرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أو بعد وفاته . والمفرّع هو { فإنا منهم منتقمون } وما ذكر معه ، فمراد منه تحقق ذلك على كل تقدير .و ( إما ) كلمتان متصلتان أصلهما ( إنْ ) الشرطية و ( مَا ) زائدة بعد ( إنْ ) ، وأدغمت نون ( إنْ ) في الميم من حرف ( مَا ) ، وزيادةُ ( ما ) للتأكيد ، ويكثر اتصال فعل الشرط بعد ( إن ) المزيدة بعدها ( ما ) بنون التوكيد زيادة في التأكيد ، ويكتبونها بهمزة وميم وألف تبعاً لحالة النطق بها .

{ فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ } أي: فإن ذهبنا بك قبل أن نريك ما نعدهم من العذاب، فاعلم بخبرنا الصادق أنا منهم منتقمون.

قوله تعالى : فإما نذهبن بك فإنا منهم منتقمونقوله تعالى فإما نذهبن بك يريد أخرجنك من مكة من أذى قريش . ( فإنا منهم منتقمون )

Let a man close his eyes and he will see nothing. Let him close his ears and he will hear nothing. Let him close his mind and he will understand nothing. It is futile to offer guidance or advice to such a person, especially if the reason he has suspended his thinking processes is that he wants to tread the path of his desires, for desire draws a veil over the mind which the truth cannot penetrate. Nevertheless, the preacher of the Truth has to continue the work of his mission at all events, irrespective of the attitude of his audience, until the last stage of the completion of arguments is reached. Though the preacher of Truth is a human being, Truth per se is the concern of God. After denying the preacher of Truth, a man thinks that he has saved himself from being affected by the Truth, but at that very moment he comes within God’s striking distance. If a man came to know of this secret, he would tremble before ignoring the preacher of Truth, because he would realise that ignoring him amounted to ignoring the Truth itself and ignoring the Truth amounted to ignoring God Himself.

وَلَن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ ('Since you were wrongdoers, it will never benefit you today that you are sharing the punishment with each other.'...43:39) There can be two explanations of this verse. One is that since your 'kufr' and 'shirk' (disbelief and ascribing partners to Allah) has been proved, your longing in the Hereafter in the words, "Will that this devil had been away from me," will be of no avail, because all of you will be sharing the same punishment. The other explanation could be that after getting in Hell, your sharing the punishment with the devil will not benefit you. In this world, indeed it happens that when a few people share the same misfortune, everyone's burden of misery becomes somewhat lighter, but there in Hell, everybody will be so terrorized that nobody will be able to lighten another's misery and hence sharing of the punishment will be of no benefit. (The translation given above is based on this interpretation.)

(And if We take thee away) if We make you die, (We surely shall take vengeance on them) by punishing them,