• People turn away from the truth in spite of the abundant signs of God in the heavens and the earth

• People warned of the wrath of God

• The Histories of the ancient people serve as a lesson for those who can understand

Yusuf (Joseph) Verses 105 - 104

وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ

And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth which they pass by {day and night), (and) yet they turn away from them. (12:105)

وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ

And believe not most of them, in God, except as polytheists. (12:106)1

أَفَأَمِنُوا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

What! then feel they secure that there may come unto them an overwhelming chastisement from God or (that) cometh unto them the hour suddenly while they are unaware? (12:107)2

قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say thou (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!): “This is my way, I invite (ye all) unto God; with clear 3sight, (which) I and he who followeth me (possesses); And glory be to God, and I am not of the polytheists.” (12:108)4

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

And We sent not (apostles) before thee but men unto whom We revealed, from (among) the people of the towns; What! travel they not in the land that they might see what hath been the end of those before them? And certainly the abode of the hereafter is the best for those who guard them selves (against evil); What! Do ye not then understand? (12:109)

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا جَاءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّيَ مَنْ نَشَاءُ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ

“Till, when the apostles despaired5and deemed they were indeed belied, came unto them Our help; and delivered We whomsoever We willed; and Our wrath is not warded off from the people (who are) guilty.” (12:110)

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

“Indeed (there) in the histories of theirs, is a lesson for men of understanding; it is not a tale which hath been forged, but a confirmation of what went before it, A detailed exposition of all things and a guide and a mercy unto people who believe.” (12:111)

Commentary

Verse 108

I call you to God with clear sight which I and those who follow me possess. Those who follow the Holy Prophet cannot be other than mentioned in verse 33:33 and those who follow the Holy Prophet are of him in all respects.6

The Verse means that the right of calling people unto God is with the Holy Prophet and those who follow him and who possess the clear sight of the truth. On this basis the Holy Prophet said: ‘None shall preach anything of me save myself or he who is of me.’ 7

This does not indicate that he was a polytheist but he does not come from a polytheistic parentage, which means, all his forefathers were monotheists and the same is the one who follows him. (A.P.).

Verse 111

This verse gives the actual significance of the historic events related in the Holy Qur’an. The past being a lesson for the present events and the present reflects on the conditions of the events of the past, one confirming and explaining the other. (A.P.).

• 1. Refer to verse 39:45. Here again majority opinion is condemned.
• 2. Refer to verses 88:1, 43:66 & 47:18.
• 3. Based on Knowledge - proof.
• 4. Refer to verse 2:214.
• 5. Despaired of the conversion of the people of the belief - and knew that even these who had expressed faith were not sincere.
• 6. See verse 14:36.
• 7. Refer to note on verse 2:214.