Tafsir Of Surah Yaseen (36) - 4/8

A'uzubillahi min al-shaytan al-rajim. Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim. Al-hamdulillah rabb al-'alameen wasallahu 'ala syedina wa habibina habibi ilahal 'alameen Muhammad wa 'ala alihi tayyibeen at-tahireen.

Welcome to another episode of Wisdoms from the Noble Qur'an. In the previous episode, we discussed the verse "Litundhira qawman maaa undhira aabaaa'uhum fahum ghaafiloon"(36:6) - this Qur'an is revealed to you from al-Aziz al-Rahim so that you warn a people whose fathers are not warned and therefore they are in dark. They do not know what is happening.

So we discussed about the different possibilities of the meaning, why their fathers were not warned. We said there were some people before the Prophet who were actually calling these people towards tawheed. You know, the Arabs, especially in Mecca, they were of the religion of their forefather Isma'eel for a long time until the Khuza'i king, 'Amr ibn Luhay, went to Syria and he saw that they were worshipping idols and he asked them, what is the use of this? And they said, these help us in war, in peace, in matters of health, wealth. And then he brought Hubal to Mecca and placed him in the Kaaba.

But there are many traditions from the time of Ibrahim and many people came and warned them like Quss ibn Sa'idah, like Khalid ibn Sinan. However, they didn't have books. They didn't have mission.

Now the Arabs in Mecca were humiliated by the Jews, that you have no book, you have no culture, you are "ummi". Ummi means someone who has no scripture, not someone who cannot read and write. And we can actually establish this from the Qur'an: ummi means someone who has no scripture, no book. And this is why In Sura Jum'a, Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala mentioned this with a very strong sort of pitch that "Huwal ladhee ba'atha fil ummiyyeena rasoolan min hum" (62:2) - Allah appointed from among those who didn't have any scripture before, a messenger from among themselves.

Now they were saying, in Sura Fatir 'Wa aqsamoo billaahi jahda aymaanihim" (35:42) - they were swearing the strongest of their pledges and swears, "la'in jaaa'ahum nadheerun"- if a nadheer comes to them, if a warner, if a prophet comes to them, "layakoonunna ahdaa min ihdal umam" - they will be better than one of these two nations, Christians and Jews. This verse shows that before Qur'an was revealed and before the Prophet came, the Jews and Christians were humiliating these people that you have no prophet, no one has come to warn you all, although you were, of course, children of Isma'il. But everything has come to children of Ishaq. We have all these prophets coming from the line of Ishaq, and then Allah has given us Torah and has given us Injeel, for example. So they were actually saying that, "Wa aqsamoo billaahi jahda aymaanihim la'in jaaa'ahum nadheerun layakoonunna ahdaa min ihdal umam. Falamaa jaaa'ahum nadheerun" (35:42) - when that nadheer, warner came to them from among themselves, "maa zaadahum illaa nufooraa", they just added to their running away and turning away. So this "Litundhira qawman maaa undhira aabaaa'uhum", specifically alludes to the fact that Arabs who were the children of Isma'eel did not have a book for themselves.

All the books had come to the children of Ishaq and they didn't have anything; although they had a prophet, but they didn't have a book, they didn't have this warning. And then suddenly Allah sent this huge blessing of Qur'an for them. And then they turned away. So, "Litundhira qawman maaa undhira aabaaa'uhum", you are warning a people whose forefathers were not warned. "Fahum ghaafiloon" - ghaafil means someone who is in dark, who doesn't know what's going on behind the scene, who just sees an appearance of things, or who doesn't know about certain facts.

And therefore these people were ghaafil about the position of the Lord. They were ignorant about what is going to happen to human beings. They were ignorant about life after death. We know that the polytheists in Mecca, they did not believe in life after death. And this has been actually brought up again and again in the Qur'an, that when you tell them that you have to fear God and the Day of Judgment will come, their only argument is that, "OK, bring our forefathers back, if you are truthful", so they are not believing in that - they were ghaafil. Ghaafil is someone who is negligent, ignorant of something which is happening.

And many of us actually are in that state. We are ignorant of what is happening behind the scenes in this world. We only see a sort of veneer. "Ya'lamoona dhaahiran minal hayaatid dunya wa hum 'anil aakhirati hum ghaafiloon" (30:7) - they only see an appearance of the life of this world. They only see the tip of the iceberg of this creation. And then, you know how we are. We make huge judgments, huge deductions of just little things that we see with one very simple evidence which is one piece of this huge, one million pieces of jigsaw puzzle. We take one piece and then we want to make a judgment about the whole creation and about God. Anyhow, let us come back to the verses. "Litundhira qawman maaa undhira aabaaa'uhum fahum ghaafiloon".

Now, verse number seven, "Laqad haqqal qawlu 'alaa aktharihim fahum laa yu'minoon" - the word has certainly become due against most of them, or the word is fulfilled about most of them, so they will not have faith. Now, one question is, of course, the Prophet was warning these people, these people were actually telling to their Jewish and Christian friends that if a warner comes from us, we will believe; you will see how pious we will be, you will see how knowledgeable we will be if a warner comes from us.

But when the Prophet came, of course, "maa zaadahum illaa nufooraa"(35:42)- it just added to their hatred and their turning away. Now, why did they not believe? If a messenger now has come with their own language, a book in their own language, from their own culture, from their own people, a pedigree which is so noble among the Arabs, so why did they not believe? The reason is this: "Laqad haqqal qawlu 'alaaa aktharihim," the word is fullfilled about most of them.

Now, here of course we have a theological discussion, that what is the word which has become fulfilled about them? And some scholars, especially those scholars who believe in predestination, believe that Allah has actually decreed about some people that they should never believe, and therefore that decree, that statement of God, that such and such people should never believe, this has been fulfilled about them and they do not believe. How irrational - we cannot accept this. We cannot believe in a God who actually behaves in that way. This is not the God that we know. This is not the God that the Qur'an describes for us. So what is the meaning of the word has become true about many of them? What is that word?

Again, let us go to the Qur'an: the best explanation of verses of the Qur'an, we can find in other verses of the Qur'an. Now, you know the story of Iblis and Adam and the hatred that Iblis has about human beings. Now Iblis says, at the beginning, says that if You give me respite, qaala "Qaala andhirneee ilaa yawmi yub'athoon" (7:14) - give me respite, after of course he disobeyed God and he was humiliated, he was sent down from his place. He said, give me respite until the day You resurrect, until the Day of Judgment.

So it means that right from the beginning, even before Adam was placed in his Jannah, Iblis knew that these people are going to die, these people are going to be resurrected and such things. That was a sort of angelic knowledge that Iblis had, although he was from Jinn, but it was a sort of angelic knowledge that he had. Time is very different there, the knowledge of things which happen in future is very different there. So he knew that "Qaala andhirneee ilaa yawmi yub'athoon" (7:14) "Qaala innaka minal mundhareen" (7:15) until "Yawmi yub'athoon" - OK, I give you respite until a set day."Qaala fa bi 'izzatika la ughwiyannahum ajma'een" (38:82) - I will of course guide all of them astray. Now what Allah says, "Qaala falhaqqu"(38:84) - it's good, it's haq, it doesn't matter, you want to take them with you, you take them with you. "walhaqqa aqool" (38:84)- now you say something which I accept. Now I say something which is haq too: "La amla'anna jahannama minka wa mimman tabi'aka minhum ajma'een"(38:85) - I will fill the hell with you and whoever from them who follows you. This is "qawlAllah", "walhaqqa aqool" - this is My statement now. You made your statement. Now listen to My statement: anyone who follows you would go to hell with you.

Now this qawl, this statement of Allah, has been fulfilled about most of them. They follow Shaytan and that is why they don't believe. Not because Allah has decreed that they should not believe. No, because Allah has decreed right from the beginning that whoever follows the Shaytan would go to hell. And of course, whoever follows the Shaytan cannot believe because they would go astray. We have this verse in a very clear statement saying: "Innal ladheena haqqat 'alaihim kalimatu rabbika laa yu'minoon" (10:96)- those upon whom the statement of Your lord has become true. That means they followed the Shaytan and they go to hell, they do not believe. Anyone who follows the Shaytan cannot believe.

Now, what is the meaning of following Shaytan? It is disobeying God. The only thing that Shaytan does is whispering to us (so) that we disobey God - it is the same thing he did to our father, Adam 'aleyhi asalam. He said "hal adulluka 'alaa shajaratil khuldi" (20:120)- do you want me to guide you to a tree in this garden, which is the tree of Eternity? And then he said, I swear by God this is something that is good for you. And Adam followed him. Now of course, that was in a different level, it was before takleef, it was before guidance and everything. So it is a different realm.

However, anyone who disobeys God would be one of those who follows the Shaytan: "Inna 'ibaadee laisa laka 'alaihim sultaanun illaa manittaba'aka minal ghaaween" (15:42)- My servants, you have no power over them unless those who choose to follow you. And then they go astray. "Wa inna jahannama lamaw'iduhum ajma'een" (15:43)- and of course, anyone who chooses to do that, then of course their appointed place would be hell and they would go to that.

And here in Sura Saaffaat we have a very clear discussion between those who go to hell. Those who go to hell, of course they have those who misguided them, those who whisper to them and those who are followers, those who were followed, '"Qaaloo innakum kuntum taatoonanaa 'anil yameen" (37:28)- you came from a sort of well intentioned attitude to us - " 'anil yameen" means well-intentioned. You came to us said, Yes, the life is not the way these prophets describing life, we have to enjoy. We have to prosper. We have to progress things that people may say - "innakum kuntum taatoonanaa 'anil yameen" - you used to come pretending good intention.

"Qaaloo bal lam takoonoo mu'mineen" (37:29) - you were not believers. "bal kuntum qawman taagheen" (37:30) - of course after some other conversation, you were disobeyers, you were rebellious. You rebelled against your Lord. "Fahaqqa". Now, "Laqad haqqal qawlu 'alaaa aktharihim fahum laa yu'minoon" (36:7) - Allah here says the word of Allah has been fulfilled about most of them. And that is why they do not believe. OK, now here they say, "Fahaqqa 'alainaa qawlu Rabbinaaa" (37:31)- what Allah said is now fulfilled about us. What did Allah say? "La amla'anna Jahannama minka walhaqqa aqool" (38:84)- I say something which is Haqq: "La amla'anna Jahannama minka wa mimman tabi'aka minhum ajma'een"(38:85) I will fill the jahannum with you and whoever will follow you. It means I do not discriminate. Don't think that because you are Iblis and they are human beings, I honor them and dishonor you - no. You dishonor yourself because of your behavior. You dishonor yourself because of your ungratefulness.

Now if they want to dishonor themselves because of their ungratefulness, let them go with you - "walhaqqa aqool" (38:84) "La amla'anna Jahannama minka wa mimman tabi'aka minhum ajma'een" (38:85). And here in Sura Saaffaat they say, "Fahaqqa 'alainaa qawlu Rabbinaaa" (37:31) - now that word of God has been fulfilled with regards to us, "innaa ladh'iqoon" (37:31) - we have to taste the punishment of hell, about which inshallah, we may discuss later on.

Now, "Laqad haqqal qawlu 'alaaa aktharihim fahum laa yu'minoon" (36:7)- they do not believe because that statement which I mentioned, decree that I made before I created them, decree I have made has been fulfilled about most of them. Now, what is their situation now? How are they living now? "Innaa ja'alnaa feee a'naaqihim aghlaalan fahiya ilal adhqaani fahum muqmahoon, Wa ja'alnaa mim baini aydeehim saddanw-wa min khalfihim saddan fa aghshai naahum fahum laa yubsiroon," (36:8&9) - indeed We have put iron collars, shackles, iron collars around their necks and this is so high that it comes up to the chin and keep head up.

"fahiya ilal adhqaani fahum muqmahoon" - muqmah is from iqmah. Iqmah means their heads are raised. What is the situation of someone like this? He cannot see the surrounding, cannot see things, of course, if you take your head high like this and especially if something is under your chin, which keeps your head up, you cannot see anything. "Innaa ja'alnaa feee a'naaqihim aghlaalan fahiya ilal adhqaani fahum muqmahoon"(36:8&9).

Now, is this a metaphor? Certainly, it is not a reality. We don't see aghlaal around the neck of the people who do not believe in God. We don't see these sort of iron collars going around their necks. It is a metaphor but is it only a metaphor? No, it is not only a metaphor.

Allama Tabatabaei, rahmatullah 'aleyh, has a long discussion about the life of a human being in this world. And he says that we have two types of life. One is the physical life that we see. The other is a spiritual life, which most of us are in dark about. We don't know about it. Now that the spiritual life can be a life of knowledge, a life of understanding, a light of humility towards God.

It maybe a life of ignorance. It may be a life of negligence, absolute ignorance and darkness. Now in that case, in our spiritual life, we have these iron collars and shackles around our necks - we cannot see. Now Fakhruddin Razi, to give credit to him, Fakhruddin Razi is of course, a very great commentator of the Qur'an, he mentioned something very good that Allama Tabatabaei also actually quotes from him.

And he says that a human being, if they want to reflect, they have to reflect in two things, and that's very true: first of all, in ourselves, "Sanureehim Aayaatinaa fil aafaaqi wa feee anfusihim" (41:53) - We show them Our signs in afaaq, in the world, and in their own selves. When we ponder in our own creation the way we talk, the way we walk, the way we think, the way we sleep, the way we wake up - of course there are lots of ayaat here. And when we look at the world, of course, around us, there are lots of ayaat there.

Now, he says that this verse says that, these people are absolutely in dark about their own selves, their own souls and about the surrounding world. And this is why Allah says their situation is like this and actually in the spiritual life that they have, which, as I said, most of us are ignorant of, that they have this situation. First of all, they cannot look at themselves because the iron collar are around their neck, their heads raised up. They cannot see themselves spiritually of course, not physically.

And then "Wa ja'alnaa mim baini aydeehim saddanw-wa min khalfihim sadda" (36:9) - there is a barier in front is a barrier at the back, "fa aghshai naahum"- and We have covered their heads, "fahum laa yubsiroon"- so they don't see anything in the surrounding. This is their spiritual state.

Now, why have We done this? It is not because initially I wanted to do it. Anyone who goes away from God, who turns away from God, ends up in such a situation. This Aghlaal will come. Look at Sura Ra'ad, this is very beautiful because this issue of aghlaal, these iron collars or shackles around the neck, are mentioned in many other verses of the Qur'an, something which would actually transpire to be like a real shackle in hell, as it is mentioned in many other verses. "Wa in ta'jab fa'ajabun qawluhum" (13:5), you are surprised the way they are so adamant that there is no life after death.

Of course, because the Prophet was seeing it like the broad daylight. It was so clear for him that yes, we are not of course, created for nothing without any purpose. And also with his spiritual knowledge that he had, he could see what is going to happen. And he was so surprised that people actually denied that, that even we with our little faith, we are surprised how people can live like that? How can they deny the Day of Judgment? Denial of life after death is accusing God of acting without wisdom, accusing God of atrocities because creating people like this and then putting them to death for nothing, just coming to this world with pain and agony: actually, we are accusing God of atrocities, accusing Him of idiocy na'uzubillah and all these things.

So the Prophet was amazed - "Wa in ta'jab fa'ajabun qawluhum" (13:5). Yes, you are surprised, and it is very surprising that they say, " 'a-idha kunna turaaban 'a-inna lafee khalqin jadeed" (13:5) - when they say when we become dust, are we going to be recreated again? "ulaaa 'ikal ladheena kafaroo bi Rabbihim" (13:5) these are the people who are, as I said, kafaroo bi Rabbihim means that they accuse their Lord, they accuse Him of idiocy, they accuse Him of atrocities, they accuse Him of idle behavior, doing things in vain, without purpose, "ulaaa 'ikal ladheena kafaroo bi Rabbihim," (13:5) "wa ulaaa'ikal aghlaalu feee a'naaqihim," - now, these are those who have these iron collars right around the neck, these shackles, "wa ulaaa'ika Ashaabun Naari," - they will end up in fire and inshallah, maybe in future we talk about what is this fire, why this punishment is there - "hum feehaa khaalidoon" - they are going to be there forever. Someone who is muqmah and has this iron collar, as long as it is there, they are in fire because as long as they are in dark and ignorance, they are in fire. Inshallah, we may discuss this later on.

Now, in Sura Mu'min: "Alam tara ilal ladheena yujaadiloona feee Aayaatil laahi annaa yusrafoon," (40:69) - do you not consider those who argue about the signs of God - where are they ending up? Where are they being turned? "Alladheena kadhaboo bil Kitaabi wa bimaa arsalnaa bihee Rusulanaa fasawfa ya'lamoon," (40:70) - those who deny the Book and whatever We have sent Our messengers with, they soon shall know what "Idhil aghlaalu feee a'naaqi-him" (40:71) when these are closed around their necks, they see this soon. Now they don't see it. Of course, this spiritual life we do not see it now. But soon they see when they go to the spiritual world, they will see these iron collars, so to speak, around their necks.

"Wa ja'alnaa min baini aydeehim saddanw-wa min khalfihim saddan fa aghshai naahum fahum laa yubsiroon"(36:9) - now "min baini aydeehim wa min khalfihim' is actually alluding to all directions - this is common in Arabic language. So they are in dark about themselves and they are in dark about the world created by Allah subhana wa Ta'ala.

"Wa sawaaa'un 'alaihim 'a-andhartahum am lam tundhirhum laa yu'minoon" (36:10). This is something that we would need some discussion. InshaAllah we would leave it for our next episode. Wa salallahu 'ala Muhammad wa alihi at-tahireen.