Verses 34–41
13. Ar-Ra'd · The Thunder
Madinan43 verses
لَّهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَشَقُّ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍۢ
13:34There is a punishment for them in the life of this world, and the punishment of the Hereafter will surely be harder, and they have no defender against Allah.
۞ مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۖ أُكُلُهَا دَآئِمٌۭ وَظِلُّهَا ۚ تِلْكَ عُقْبَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ ۖ وَّعُقْبَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٱلنَّارُ
13:35A description of the paradise promised to the Godwary: streams run in it, its fruits and shade are everlasting. Such is the requital of those who are Godwary; and the requital of the faithless is the Fire.1
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ مَن يُنكِرُ بَعْضَهُۥ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَلَآ أُشْرِكَ بِهِۦٓ ۚ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُوا۟ وَإِلَيْهِ مَـَٔابِ
13:36Those whom We have given the Book rejoice in what has been sent down to you. Some of the factions deny a part of it. Say, ‘Indeed I have been commanded to worship Allah and not to ascribe any partner to Him. To Him do I summon [all mankind] and to Him will be my return.’2
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّۭا ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَمَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا وَاقٍۢ
13:37Thus We have sent it down as a dispensation in Arabic; and should you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have against Allah neither any guardian nor defender.
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًۭا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَذُرِّيَّةًۭ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِىَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍۢ كِتَابٌۭ
13:38Certainly We have sent apostles before you, and We appointed for them wives and descendants; and an apostle may not bring a sign except by Allah’s leave. There is a written [ordinance] for every term:3
يَمْحُوا۟ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثْبِتُ ۖ وَعِندَهُۥٓ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ
13:39Allah effaces and confirms whatever He wishes and with Him is the Mother Book.
وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْبَلَٰغُ وَعَلَيْنَا ٱلْحِسَابُ
13:40Whether We show you a part of what We promise them, or take you away [before that], your duty is only to communicate, and it is for Us to do the reckoning.
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّا نَأْتِى ٱلْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِۦ ۚ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
13:41Have they not seen how We visit the land diminishing it at its edges? Allah judges, and there is none who may repeal His judgement, and He is swift at reckoning.4
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 36
1.Opinion of majority of Sunni commentators is that it denotes the new Muslims were Christians and Jews and Allamah Tabarsi has stated that they were the companions of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). It is clear that Shias are not against the companions of the Prophet (s.a.) otherwise they would turn away their faces and apply it to the converts and would not tolerate the praise of companions.
Verse 38
2.Even the infidels of the time of Prophet (s.a.) knew the importance of the fear of God and the limits of sanctity and renouncement of worldly life as people think today and thought that family and children are contrary to Prophethood. Allah has refuted this theory and said many Apostles have passed away before this and most of them had matrimonial alliances so what can be the reason to refuse it.
Verse 39
3.Allah is not helpless and not unjust. He keeps complete control about His decree and according to His justice Allah keeps another decree aside and cancels the rest. Original of all these is safe with Him. He never makes changes according to an experiment. On the contrary He changes His commands after the completion of their time and period.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
it should be clear that Quran compares those who accept the truth to the believers and the People of the Book and those who deny are compared to the Ahzaab (allies). This indicates that believers are one community which is under the influence of belief, while the deniers are divided into numerous groups. They do not have a unified group that they could have unity of desire.
- 1
Okal - Eatable.
- 2
The people of other faiths who were busy in opposing Islam.
- 3
It means that everything has a fixed tenure and limit, whether a miracle or a divine punishment. Nothing occurs before its time.
- 4
The reduction of earth occurs in one sense when it becomes a territory of Islam and the territory of infidels is reduced. Sometimes it also happens that divine retribution descends and the size of the earth is decreased. Both these are possible by the Almighty. No one can challenge His decision.
Benefit
The Almighty Allah is having the knowledge of causes and conditions of everything and He is also aware of the things that do not require these. There can be a change in the second type. And the first type is the subject of Bada through which many good deeds are emphasized and many evil deeds are discouraged. Otherwise there is no scope of change in the final cause.