The Heights, The Elevated Places — Verse 96

Blessings come with Faith, while Kufr brings Torment Allah mentions here the little faith of the people of the towns to whom He sent Messengers. In another instance, Allah said, فَلَوْلاَ كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَانُهَا إِلاَّ قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الخِزْىِ فِى الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ (Was there any town (community) that believed (after seeing the punishment), and its faith (at that moment) saved it (from the punishment) -- Except the people of Yunus; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the (present) world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.) 10:98 This Ayah indicates that no city believed in its entirety, except the city of Prophet Yunus, for they all believed after they were stricken by punishment. Allah said (about Prophet Yunus), وَأَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى مِاْئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ - فَـَامَنُواْ فَمَتَّعْنَـهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ (And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. And they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while.) 37:147-148 Allah said in another Ayah, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ (And We did not send a warner to a township....) 34:34 Allah said here, وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى ءَامَنُواْ وَاتَّقَوْاْ (And if the people of the towns had believed and had Taqwa. ..) meaning their hearts had faith in what the Messenger brought them, believed and obeyed him, and had Taqwa by performing the acts of obedience and abstaining from the prohibitions, لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth,) in reference to the rain that falls from the sky and the vegetation of the earth. Allah said, وَلَـكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ (but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn.) They denied their Messengers, so that We punished them and sent destruction on them as a result of the sins and wickedness that they earned. Allah then said, while warning and threatening against defying His orders and daring to commit His prohibitions, أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى (Did the people of the towns then feel secure),meaning the disbelievers among them, أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا (that should come to them our punishment), Our torment and punishing example, بَيَـتًا (Bayatan) during the night, أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتاً وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ - أَوَ أَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ (while they were asleep Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing) while they are busy in their affairs and unaware. أَفَأَمِنُواْ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ (Did they then feel secure against Allah's plan) His torment, vengeance, and His power to destroy them while they are inattentive and heedless, فَلاَ يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ (None feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who are the losers.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "The believer performs the acts of worship, all the while feeling fear, in fright and anxiety. The Fajir (wicked sinner, or disbeliever) commits the acts of disobedience while feeling safe (from Allah's torment)!"

Yet had the people of the towns the deniers believed in God and the messengers sent to them and been fearful of unbelief and acts of disobedience We would have indeed opened upon them read la-fatahnā or la-fattahnā blessings from the heaven by way of rain and earth by way of vegetation; but they denied the messengers and so We seized them We punished them on account of what they used to earn.

Had the folk of the towns had faith and been godwary, We would have opened up for them blessings from heaven and earth. Had the folk of the towns had faith; had they assented to the truth of My promise, and been god- wary, wary of opposing Me, I would have illuminated their hearts with the contemplation of Me, which is the blessing of heaven, and I would have adorned their bodily parts with serving Me, which is the blessing of earth. He called the heart's contemplation the “blessing of heaven” because the heart pertains to the celestial world, whose root is from light. He called the service of the bodily parts the “blessing of earth” because the bodily members pertain to the terrestrial world, whose root is from dust. We would have opened up for them blessings. By way of allusion He is saying, “What is taken into account is not manyness-what is taken into account is blessing.” He did not say, “We will multiply their blessings.” He said, “We will put blessing into the favors that they receive.” On the Day of the Moat, one thousand of the Messenger's companions were working. They all became hungry but there was no food. Jābir ibn ʿAbdallāh said, “O Messenger of God! We have a half-bushel of oats and one sheep. What do you command?” He said, “Make the oats into flour, prepare a dough, kill and clean the sheep, and place a pot on the fire.” MuṣṬafā went and placed his blessed hands on that dough. He moistened his finger with his mouth and put it on the top of the pot. Then they called the companions group by group and cooked bread with the dough. They ate from the pot until one thousand men had eaten, and there was still some left over. This was so that you would know that blessing gets the work done, not manyness.

Had the folk of the towns had faith and been godwary, We would have opened up for them blessings from heaven and earth. Had the folk of the towns had faith; had they assented to the truth of My promise, and been god- wary, wary of opposing Me, I would have illuminated their hearts with the contemplation of Me, which is the blessing of heaven, and I would have adorned their bodily parts with serving Me, which is the blessing of earth. He called the heart's contemplation the “blessing of heaven” because the heart pertains to the celestial world, whose root is from light. He called the service of the bodily parts the “blessing of earth” because the bodily members pertain to the terrestrial world, whose root is from dust. We would have opened up for them blessings. By way of allusion He is saying, “What is taken into account is not manyness-what is taken into account is blessing.” He did not say, “We will multiply their blessings.” He said, “We will put blessing into the favors that they receive.” On the Day of the Moat, one thousand of the Messenger's companions were working. They all became hungry but there was no food. Jābir ibn ʿAbdallāh said, “O Messenger of God! We have a half-bushel of oats and one sheep. What do you command?” He said, “Make the oats into flour, prepare a dough, kill and clean the sheep, and place a pot on the fire.” MuṣṬafā went and placed his blessed hands on that dough. He moistened his finger with his mouth and put it on the top of the pot. Then they called the companions group by group and cooked bread with the dough. They ate from the pot until one thousand men had eaten, and there was still some left over. This was so that you would know that blessing gets the work done, not manyness.

Had the folk of the towns had faith and been godwary, We would have opened up for them blessings from heaven and earth. Had the folk of the towns had faith; had they assented to the truth of My promise, and been god- wary, wary of opposing Me, I would have illuminated their hearts with the contemplation of Me, which is the blessing of heaven, and I would have adorned their bodily parts with serving Me, which is the blessing of earth. He called the heart's contemplation the “blessing of heaven” because the heart pertains to the celestial world, whose root is from light. He called the service of the bodily parts the “blessing of earth” because the bodily members pertain to the terrestrial world, whose root is from dust. We would have opened up for them blessings. By way of allusion He is saying, “What is taken into account is not manyness-what is taken into account is blessing.” He did not say, “We will multiply their blessings.” He said, “We will put blessing into the favors that they receive.” On the Day of the Moat, one thousand of the Messenger's companions were working. They all became hungry but there was no food. Jābir ibn ʿAbdallāh said, “O Messenger of God! We have a half-bushel of oats and one sheep. What do you command?” He said, “Make the oats into flour, prepare a dough, kill and clean the sheep, and place a pot on the fire.” MuṣṬafā went and placed his blessed hands on that dough. He moistened his finger with his mouth and put it on the top of the pot. Then they called the companions group by group and cooked bread with the dough. They ate from the pot until one thousand men had eaten, and there was still some left over. This was so that you would know that blessing gets the work done, not manyness.

Had the folk of the towns had faith and been godwary, We would have opened up for them blessings from heaven and earth. Had the folk of the towns had faith; had they assented to the truth of My promise, and been god- wary, wary of opposing Me, I would have illuminated their hearts with the contemplation of Me, which is the blessing of heaven, and I would have adorned their bodily parts with serving Me, which is the blessing of earth. He called the heart's contemplation the “blessing of heaven” because the heart pertains to the celestial world, whose root is from light. He called the service of the bodily parts the “blessing of earth” because the bodily members pertain to the terrestrial world, whose root is from dust. We would have opened up for them blessings. By way of allusion He is saying, “What is taken into account is not manyness-what is taken into account is blessing.” He did not say, “We will multiply their blessings.” He said, “We will put blessing into the favors that they receive.” On the Day of the Moat, one thousand of the Messenger's companions were working. They all became hungry but there was no food. Jābir ibn ʿAbdallāh said, “O Messenger of God! We have a half-bushel of oats and one sheep. What do you command?” He said, “Make the oats into flour, prepare a dough, kill and clean the sheep, and place a pot on the fire.” MuṣṬafā went and placed his blessed hands on that dough. He moistened his finger with his mouth and put it on the top of the pot. Then they called the companions group by group and cooked bread with the dough. They ate from the pot until one thousand men had eaten, and there was still some left over. This was so that you would know that blessing gets the work done, not manyness.

Had the folk of the towns had faith and been godwary, We would have opened up for them blessings from heaven and earth.Had the folk of the towns had faith; had they assented to the truth of My promise, and been god- wary, wary of opposing Me, I would have illuminated their hearts with the contemplation of Me, which is the blessing of heaven, and I would have adorned their bodily parts with serving Me, which is the blessing of earth.He called the heart's contemplation the �blessing of heaven� because the heart pertains to the celestial world, whose root is from light. He called the service of the bodily parts the �blessing of earth� because the bodily members pertain to the terrestrial world, whose root is from dust.We would have opened up for them blessings. By way of allusion He is saying, �What is takeninto account is not manyness-what is taken into account is blessing.� He did not say, �We will multiply their blessings.� He said, �We will put blessing into the favors that they receive.�On the Day of the Moat, one thousand of the Messenger's companions were working. They all became hungry but there was no food. Jābir ibn ʿAbdallāh said, �O Messenger of God! We have a half-bushel of oats and one sheep. What do you command?�He said, �Make the oats into flour, prepare a dough, kill and clean the sheep, and place a pot on the fire.� MuṣṬafā went and placed his blessed hands on that dough. He moistened his finger with his mouth and put it on the top of the pot. Then they called the companions group by group and cooked bread with the dough. They ate from the pot until one thousand men had eaten, and there was still some left over. This was so that you would know that blessing gets the work done, not manyness.

ولو أنَّ أهل القرى صدَّقوا رسلهم واتبعوهم واجتنبوا ما نهاهم الله عنه، لفتح الله لهم أبواب الخير من كلِّ وجه، ولكنهم كذَّبوا، فعاقبهم الله بالعذاب المهلك بسبب كفرهم ومعاصيهم.

يخبر تعالى عن قلة إيمان أهل القرى الذين أرسل فيهم الرسل كقوله تعالى "فلولا كانت قرية آمنت فنفعها إيمانها إلا قوم يونس لما آمنوا كشفنا عنهم عذاب الخزي في الحياة الدنيا ومتعناهم إلى حين" أي ما آمنت قرية بتمامها إلا قوم يونس فإنهم آمنوا وذلك بعد ما عاينوا العذاب كما قال تعالى "وأرسلناه إلى مائة ألف أو يزيدون فآمنوا فمتعناهم إلى حين" وقال تعالى "ما أرسلنا في قرية من نذير" الآية وقوله تعالى "ولو أن أهل القرى آمنوا واتقوا" أي آمنت قلوبهم بما جاء به الرسل وصدقت به واتبعوه واتقوا بفعل الطاعات وترك المحرمات "لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض" أي قطر السماء ونبات الأرض قال تعالى "ولكن كذبوا فأخذناهم بما كانوا يكسبون" أي ولكن كذبوا رسلهم فعاقبناهم بالهلاك على ما كسبوا من المآثم والمحارم.

ثم بين - سبحانه - أن سنته قد جرت بفتح أبواب خيراته للمحسنين ، وبإنزال نقمه على المكذبين الضالين فقال : ( وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ القرى آمَنُواْ واتقوا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السمآء والأرض ) .البركات : جمع بركة : وهى ثبوت الخير الإلهى فى الشىء ، وسمى بذلك لثبوت الخير فيه كما يثبت الماء فى البركة .قال الراغب : ولما كان الخير الإلهى يصدر من حيث لا يحس ، وعلى وجه لا يحصى ولا يحصر ، قيل لكل ما يشاهد منه زيادة غير محسوسة هو مبارك وفيه بركة " .والمعنى : ولو أن أهل تلك القرى المهلكة آمنوا بما جاء به الرسل . واتقوا ما حرمه الله عليهم ، لآتيناهم بالخير من كل وجه . ولوسعنا عليه الرزق سعة عظيمة ، ولعاشوا حياتهم عيشة رغدة لا يشوبها كدر ، ولا يخالطها خوف .وفى قوله : ( فَتَحْنَا ) استعارة تبعيه ، لأنه شبه تيسير البركات وتوسعتها عليهم بفتح الأبواب فى سهولة التناول .وقيل : المراد بالبركات السماوية المطر ، وبالبركات الأرضية النبات والثمار وجميع ما فيها من خيرات .وقوله : ( ولكن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ ) بيان لموقفهم الجحودى .أى : ولكنهم لم يؤمنوا ولم يتقوا بل كذبوا الرسل الذين جاءوا لهدايتهم فكانت نتيجة تكذيبهم وتماديهم فى الضلال أن عاقبناهم بالعقوبة التى تناسب جرمهم واكتاسبهم للمعاصى ، فتلك هى سنتنا التى لا تتخلف ، نفتح للمؤمنين المتقين أبواب الخيرات ، وننقتم من المكذبين الضالين بفنون العقوبات .وقد يقال : إننا ننظر فنرى كثيرا من الكافرين والعصاة مفتوحا عليهم فى الرزق والقوة والنفوذ وألوان الخير ، وترى كثيرا من المؤمنين مضيقاً عليهم فى الرزق وفى غيره من وجوه النعم ، فأين هذا من سنة الله التى حكتها الآية الكريمة؟والجواب على ذلك أن الكافرين والعصاة قد يبسط لهم فى الأرزاق وفى ألوان الخيرات بسطا كبيراً ، ولكن هذا على سبيل الاستدراج كما فى قوله - تعالى - : ( فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حتى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أوتوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ ) ومما لا شك فيه أن الابتلاء بالنعمة الذى مر ذكره فى الآية السابقة ( ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السيئة الحسنة حتى عَفَوْاْ ) لا يقل خطراً عن الابتلاء بالشدة . فقد ابتلى الله كثيراً من الناس بألوان النعم فأشروا وبطروا ولم يشكروه عليها فأخذهم الله أخذ عزيز مقتدر .وشتان بين نعم تساق لإنسان على سبيل الاستدراج فى الشرور والآثام فتكون نقمة على صاحبها لأنه يعاقب عقابا شديداً بسبب سوء استعمالها ، وبين النعم التى وعد بها من يؤمنون ويتقون . إنها نعم مصونة عن المحق والسلب والخوف ، لأن أصحابها شكروا الله عليها .واستعملوها فيما خلقت له ، فكانت النتيجة أن زادهم الله غنى على غناهم ، وأن منحهم الأمان والاطمئنان وذلك فضل الله يؤتيه من يشاء .

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (96)

( ولو أن أهل القرى آمنوا واتقوا لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض ) يعني : المطر من السماء والنبات من الأرض . وأصل البركة : المواظبة على الشيء ، أي : تابعنا عليهم المطر والنبات ورفعنا عنهم القحط والجدب ، ( ولكن كذبوا فأخذناهم بما كانوا يكسبون ) من الأعمال الخبيثة .

عُطفت جملة { ولو أن أهل القرى } على جملة : { وما أرسلنا في قرية من نبيء إلاّ أخذنا أهلها بالبأساء والضراء } [ الأعراف : 94 ] أي : ما أرسلنا في قرية نبيئاً فكذبه أهلها إلاّ نبهناهم واستدرجناهم ثم عاقبناهم ، ولو أن أهل تلك القرى المُهْلَكَةِ آمنوا بما جاءهم به رسولهم واتقوا ربهم لما أصبناهم بالبأساء ولأحييناهم حياة البركة ، أي : ما ظلمهم الله ولكنهم ظلموا أنفسهم .وشرط ( لو ) الامتناعية يحصل في الزمن الماضي ، ولما جاءت جملة شرطها مقترنة بحرف ( أنّ ) المفيد للتأكيد والمصدرية ، وكان خبر ( أنّ ) فعلاً ماضياً توفر معنى المضي في جملة الشرط . والمعنى : لو حصل إيمانهم فيما مضى لفتحنا عليهم بركات .والتقْوى : هي تقوى الله بالوقوف عند حدوده وذلك بعد الإيمان .والتعريف في { القرى } تعريف العهد ، فإضافة { أهل } إليه تفيد عمومه بقدر ما أضيف هو إليه ، وهذا تصريح بما أفهمه الإيجاز في قوله : { وما أرسلنا في قرية من نبيء إلاّ أخذنا أهلها بالبأساء والضراء } [ الأعراف : 94 ] الآية كما تقدم ، وتعريض بإنذار الذين كذبوا محمداً صلى الله عليه وسلم من أهل مكة ، وتعريض ببشارة أهل القُرى الذين يؤمنون كأهل المدينة ، وقد مضى في صدر تفسير هذه السورة ما يقرّب أنها من آخر ما نزل بمكة ، وقيل ، إن آيات منها نزلت بالمدينة كما تقدم وبذلك يظهر موقع التعريض بالنذارة والبشارة للفريقين من أهل القرى ، وقد أخذ الله أهل مكة بعد خروج المؤمنين منها فأصابهم بسبع سنين من القحط ، وبارك لأهل المدينة وأغناهم وصرف عنهم الحمى إلى الجُحفة ، والجُحفة يومئذٍ بلاد شرك .والفتح : إزالة حَجْز شيء حاجز عن الدخول إلى مكان ، يقال : فتح الباب وفتح البيت ، وتعديته إلى البيت على طريقة التوسع ، وأصله فتح للبيت ، وكذلك قوله هنا : { لفتحنا عليهم بركات } وقولُه : { ما يفتح الله للناس من رحمة فلا ممسك لها } [ فاطر : 2 ] ، ويقال : فتح كوة ، أي : جعلها فتحة ، والفتح هنا استعارة للتمكين ، كما تقدم في قوله تعالى : { فلما نسوا ما ذكروا به فتحنا عليهم أبواب كل شيء } في سورة الأنعام ( 44 ).وتعدية فعل الفتح إلى البركات هنا استعارة مكنية بتشبيه البركات بالبيوت في الانتفاع بما تحتويه ، فهنا استعارتان مكنية وتبعية ، وقرأ ابن عامر : لفتّحنا } بتشديد التاءِ وهو يفيد المبالغة .والبركات : جمع بركة ، والمقصود من الجمع تعددها ، باعتبار تعدد أصناف الأشياء المباركة . وتقدم تفسير البركة عند قوله تعالى : { وهذا كتاب أنزلناه مبارك } في سورة الأنعام ( 92 ). وتقدم أيضاً في قوله تعالى : { إن أول بيت وضع للناس للّذي بمكّة مباركاً } في سورة آل عمران ( 96 ). وتقدم أيضاً في قوله تعالى : { تَبارك الله رب العالمين } في هذه السورة ( 54 ) ، وجُماع معناها هو الخير الصالح الذي لا تبعة عليه في الآخرة فهو أحسن أحوال النعمة ، ولذلك عبر في جانب المغضوب عليهم المستدرَجين بلفظ الحسنة } بصيغة الإفراد في قوله :{ مكان السيئة الحسنة } وفي ج [ الأعراف : 95 ] انب المؤمنين بالبركات مجموعة .وقوله : { من السماء والأرض } مراد به حقيقته ، لأن ما يناله الناس من الخيرات الدنيوية لا يعدو أن يكون ناشئاً من الأرض ، وذلك معظم المنافع ، أو من السماء مثل ماء المطر وشعاع الشمس وضوء القمر والنجوم والهواء والرياح الصالحة .وقوله : { ولكن كذبوا } استثناء لنقيض شرط ( لو ) فإن التكذيب هو عدم الإيمان فهو قياس استثنائي .وجملة : { فأخذناهم } متسببة على جملة : { ولكن كذبوا } وهو مثل نتيجة القياس ، لأنه مساوي نقيضضِ التالي ، لأن أخذهم بما كسبوا فيه عدم فتح البركات عليهم .وتقدم معنى الأخذ آنفاً في قوله تعالى : { فأخذناهم بغتة } [ الأعراف : 95 ] ، والمراد به أخذ الاستئصال .والباء للسببية أي بسبب ما كسبوه من الكفر والعصيان .

لما ذكر تعالى أن المكذبين للرسل يبتلون بالضراء موعظة وإنذارا، وبالسراء استدراجا ومكرا، ذكر أن أهل القرى، لو آمنوا بقلوبهم إيمانا صادقا صدقته الأعمال، واستعملوا تقوى اللّه تعالى ظاهرا وباطنا بترك جميع ما حرم اللّه، لفتح عليهم بركات السماء والأرض، فأرسل السماء عليهم مدرارا، وأنبت لهم من الأرض ما به يعيشون وتعيش بهائمهم، في أخصب عيش وأغزر رزق، من غير عناء ولا تعب، ولا كد ولا نصب، ولكنهم لم يؤمنوا ويتقوا { فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ْ} بالعقوبات والبلايا ونزع البركات، وكثرة الآفات، وهي بعض جزاء أعمالهم، وإلا فلو آخذهم بجميع ما كسبوا، ما ترك عليها من دابة. { ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ْ}

قوله تعالى ولو أن أهل القرى آمنوا واتقوا لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض ولكن كذبوا فأخذناهم بما كانوا يكسبونقوله تعالى ولو أن أهل القرى يقال للمدينة قرية لاجتماع الناس فيها . من قريت [ ص: 228 ] الماء إذا جمعته . وقد مضى في " البقرة " مستوفى .آمنوا أي صدقوا واتقوا أي الشرك لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض يعني المطر والنبات . وهذا في أقوام على الخصوص جرى ذكرهم . إذ قد يمتحن المؤمنون بضيق العيش ويكون تكفيرا لذنوبهم . ألا ترى أنه أخبر عن نوح إذ قال لقومه استغفروا ربكم إنه كان غفارا يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا وعن هود ثم توبوا إليه يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا فوعدهم المطر والخصب على التخصيص .يدل عليه ولكن كذبوا فأخذناهم بما كانوا يكسبون أي كذبوا الرسل . والمؤمنون صدقوا ولم يكذبوا .

It happens again and again that a community reaches a high level of honour and prosperity and thereafter faces decline. It is removed from the scene and in its place another community occupies the same position of honour and prosperity that the former community enjoyed. This event is a sign of God, which should remind man of His supremacy. It shows that all the strings controlling gains and losses are in the hands of a supreme being. He may award good fortune to one or take it away from another. Making use of the powers of observation and thinking bestowed on him by God, man can easily understand these facts. He will realise that had the real source of power not been in other hands, the group which once managed to attain ascendancy would never have allowed others to replace it. If man can learn such lessons, he will find divine nourishment in the rise and fall of nations. But whenever a community falls from grace and another community rises in its place, the members of the rising community entertain the misunderstanding that whatever happened to the previous community was the fate particular to that community, and that it was never going to happen to them.

The Arabic word بَرَکَہ :'barakah' used in this verse and translated as blessing signifies increase or growth. The expression 'blessing of the heaven and the earth' refers to all means of prosperity, like proper and timely rain from heavens (clouds), abundant and healthy produce of the earth and, above all, carefree enjoyment from their possessions with no anxiety to spoil the pleasure of things. That is, everything would have been blessed with 'barakah'. The barakah manifests itself in two different ways. Sometimes, the thing itself increases in quantity, as is reported happening with the Holy Prophet ﷺ that a large number of people drank from a small pot of water and were satiated or the whole army was fed to their satisfaction from a small quantity of food. Sometimes, the quantity of thing does not increase but its usefulness or efficacy is increased manifold. It is usually observed that a certain thing in our household lasts as long or benefits as many people as would have done three or four things of the same kind. That is to say, certain things yield lasting benefit to people while certain other things do not, or hardly serve people either due to being damaged by accident or not being accessible in times of need. For example, sometime a single morsel of food becomes a source of great strength and health, while in some other times a large amount of food produces no results. Sometimes, we are able to do a considerable amount of work in one hour's short time, while on other occasions this amount of work can hardly be done in four or five hour's time. In these instances the thing itself did not increase. That is, the morsel of food and period of time remained as they were, their effect and benefit was, however, enhanced many times. This verse has implicitly expressed that 'Barakah' in all the heavenly and earthly things can be achieved through the faith in Allah and by acquiring: تَقویٰ 'taqwa' (abstinence) while, in the absence of these two, one is deprived of the: بَرَکَہ barakah'. When we take in view the circumstances prevailing in today's world we notice the fact that the net produce of the earth is comparably far more than ever before. The recent inventions are at our service to ease our life in a way that could not be imagined of by past generations. But in spite of this abundance of means and resources today's man is proportionally worried, depressed, dissatisfied and as much deprived of peace and comfort as was never before. What has deprived today's man of peace and comfort? No explanation can be given to this question except that the: بَرَکَہ barakah is missing from these things. Another point which demands our attention here is that prosperity, good health and worldly possessions are not necessarily a sign of favour and blessing from Allah. Sometimes, these things are given to man out of anger as has been made clear in verse 44 of Surah Al-An` am 'which has said: فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُ‌وا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ Then they forgot the advice they had received, we opened to them the doors of all good things. (6:44) Thereafter, they were suddenly caught by the punishment of Allah. This makes us understand that prosperity and affluence of wealth are not sure signs of Allah's favour. They can sometimes, be a sign of Allah's wrath and punishment. On the contrary, the present verse leads us to conclude that: بَرَکَہ barakah in earthly and heavenly things is a sign of Allah's favour. In order to differentiate between the two situations one must understand that prosperity and good health are sometimes, given to people against their sins and transgression. They are usually short-lived and are a sign of Allah's displeasure while on other occasions people are favoured with them with lasting benefits as a reward of 'Iman' and 'taqwa'. To determine as to which is a sign of favour and which a sign of displeasure is difficult as both are alike. The men of Allah, however, have suggested some distinct signs to differentiate between the two. When prosperity and good health make man more grateful to Allah and he tends to worship His Lord more than before, it is an indication of Allah's favour. On the contrary, when one tends to be more involved in sinful deeds, it must be a sign of Allah's wrath. We seek shelter against such state of affairs. The verses 97 to 99 have warned the people of the world saying: "So, do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment coming upon them at night while they are asleep?" The verse implies that the residents of these towns (the people living in the time of the holy Prophet seem to be unmindful of the fact that they can be caught by the punishment of Allah any time when sleeping at night. They should not feel themselves secure from the punishment of Allah which may come to them suddenly any day when they are busy in their worldly pursuits. What has made them so fearless of Allah's plan? The fate of the early people referred to in the foregoing verses should be a lesson for these people. Man should be wise enough to take lesson from the events of other people and avoid things to do which had led them to death and disaster.

(And if the people of the township) whose people We destroyed (had believed) in the Scripture and messengers (and kept from evil) disbelief, idolatry, indecencies and had further repented, (surely We should have opened for them, blessings from the sky) through rain (and from the earth) through vegetation and fruits. (But they gave the lie) to My messengers and Scriptures, (and so We seized them) by inflicting upon them drought, lack of fruits and punishment (on account of what they used to earn) i.e. because of giving the lie to the prophets and Scriptures.