Tafsir Of Surah Yaseen (36) - 8/8

A'udhubillahi min al-shaytan al-rajim. Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim. Al-hamdulillah rabb al-'alameen wa sallahu 'ala sayyidina wa habibina habibi ilahal 'alameen Muhammad wa 'ala alihi tayyibeen at-tahireen. salam 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Welcome to another episode of Quranic Wisdoms. We continue with discussing verses from Sura Yasin, the blessed Sura Yasin. The last session we completed verse number 17, Wa maa 'alainaaa illal balaaghul mubeen.

Now we continue with verse number 18: after the messengers mentioned to the people of that town, ashaab al-qarya, that we are sent to you by God, they said 'Qaaloo innaa tataiyarnaa bikum la'il-lam tantahoo lanar jumannakum wa la-yamassan nakum minnaa 'azaabun aleem', (36:18)- they said, indeed, we take you for a bad omen; if you do not relinquish, we will stone you and surely a painful punishment will visit you from us. Now, what happens here is that apparently after these messages come to this town, several calamities fell on this town. And these messengers were prominent people - they were known by people of the town. So they didn't want to to confront them with violence because that would have caused more violence later on. However, now, after these calamities fell on the city, they said, you are bringing us bad omen. Since you are communicating this so-called message of God as you claim to us, you see how different calamities have stricken us. And this is true - when Allah sends messengers, if people do not respond and if people reject the message of God, Allah uses different methods to shock them so that they think and ponder, as we have in Sura A'raaf 'Wa maaa arsalnaa fee qaryatim min Nabiyyin illaaa akhadhnaaa ahlahaa bil ba'saaa'i waddarraaa'i la'allahum yaddarra'oon' (7:94) - We did not send any prophets before you to any city unless We took the inhabitants by tribulation, by difficulties, poverty, famine, things like that, so that they come back to Us; they plead to us, they establish that connection that they have lost with Me. And in that way their hearts would soften.

And they listen to the messengers. This has been a stable method, stable trend that we have been told in the Quran has happened in the past. As we have in Sura Muminoon, 'Wa laqad akhaznaahum bil'azaabi famastakaanoo li Rabbihim wa maa yatadarra'oon' (23:76) - when We send messengers, We punish them for certain of their acts, but they did not humble themselves before God. They did not beseech, did not come with soft hearts to Us. 'Wa akhaznaahum bil'azaabi la'allahum yarji'oon,' (43:48) - in another place in the Quran, We took them by some punishment so that they may return to Us. Now here apparently of course it's not mentioned very explicitly, but what we understand from what they say - 'innaa tataiyarnaa bikum' - we take you as a bad omen, because since you have come, things have not been going the way it was before.

Things are happening, which are not quite pleasant. And instead of taking those things as a reminder, taking those things as something which they have to ponder upon their lives, where their sustenance come from, how they are actually taking many things for granted, and that is a reinforcement for the message of the prophet bringing people to some meditation, to some reflection. That's a reinforcement for the message of the prophet, but if people do not want to listen, of course, that wouldn't work. So what they say, instead of reflecting on those things that they usually take for granted and now is taken away from them, innaa tataiyarnaa bikum, they say, indeed, we take you for a bad omen. It's just like miracles - when miracles come, when messengers show miracles, they demand miracles from messengers. And when a miracle is given by the permission of God, then they say, this is magic.

You see, if someone doesn't want to turn towards God, if someone doesn't want to go to God, then there are all these excuses. Anything which is used to remind them and to bring them back is used to go away further and further, like these tribulations which have come with the prophets, for example, or like the miracles which are given by the prophets. They are used as a means to go further and further away from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

innaa tataiyarnaa bikum - we have taken you as a bad omen. la'il-lam tantahoo lanar jumannakum (36:18) - if you do not stop calling us, inviting us and by calling us actually invoking the rage of our idols, because now our idols, our gods are angry with you because you are calling towards God, the Creator. You are actually rejecting them. So if you do not stop and we know that they presume that all those calamities were because their idols, their gods were angry, if you do not stop, we are going to stone you so that we please our gods, we please our idols - la'il-lam tantahoo lanar jumannakum.

'Wa la-yamassan nakum minnaa 'azaabun aleem' (36:18) - and it's not only stoning, a very painful punishment - we will treat you in a way which would please our gods. That is apparently what they said to these people, to these messangers, Qaaloo innaa tataiyarnaa bikum la'il-lam tantahoo lanar jumannakum wa la-yamassan nakum minnaa 'azaabun aleem.

Now the messenger said and of course, when this sort of conversation is quoted in the Quran, we shouldn't think that this was just a conversation in one place, that they were talking, for example, in the main place of gathering in the city around the well or in a square or somewhere they were talking to people. No - this was a prolonged argument between them and mainly between them and the king's authorities, people of prominence - the elites. Usually the Quran says that the problem of the prophets were the Mala' 'Qaalal mala ul lazeena kafaroo min qawmiheee' (7:66) - now this is about Nuh, about Saleh, about all - its the mala', its the prominent people, because usually prophets, when they come to preach, very quickly it turns into a political thing.

People who think religion is separate from politics should read the Quran and see how the prophets were very quickly dragged into politics and into the court of the king or the prominent people. So this conversation usually was between the mala', the people of prominence. Mala' literally means something which fills the eyes. So those people who filled the eyes and hearts of people because of their prominence. So this was a prolonged conversation which was going on between them.

And what they said in response to this innaa tataiyarnaa bikum - we take you as a bad omen, 'Qaaloo taaa'irukum ma'akum; a'in zukkirtum; bal antum qawmum musrifoon' (36:19) - If you reflect, if you reflect carefully, if you are reminded by what you have been doing all these years of your life and now things which are happening, you would see that your bad omen is with you, is caused by you, its not because of us, the messangers only bring the blessings of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, they don't bring bad omen to anyone.

It's only the acts of people that makes them to go through those tribulations; because they reject the prophets, they go through those tribulations. Qaaloo taaa'irukum ma'akum; a'in zukkirtum; bal antum qawmum musrifoon - this 'bal' is actually giving the cause - you are profligate people, you are people who go into excess of what the limits are, transgress. Musrif is someone who transgresses the limits set by God for them. Its not only Israaf in terms of for example, eating much or spending much or wasting much.

No, that is one instance of Israaf. Israaf is to go beyond the limits that God has actually set for us. 'kuloo washraboo wa laa tusrifoo,' (7:31) - eat and drink, but don't go beyond the limits. Don't eat and drink things which do not belong to you; don't eat and drink things which are not allowed for you to eat and drink. This is the meaning of Israaf - 'kuloo washraboo wa laa tusrifoo; innahoo laa yuhibbul musrifeen'(7:31).

You are people who go beyond the limits - antum qawmum musrifoon. This is why the reason for your bad omen, the reason for all this bad luck, which is coming to you, all these tribulations is because you are qawmum musrifoon and this is, of course a general rule. If a people are musrif, that means going beyond the limits set by God, set by human nature, then, of course, the tribulation will come. Now, you may say that we see many nations who are going beyond these limits, but nothing happens.

Of course, these may not be seen in terms of one or two or three generations. It happens over time. These rules work. It may come late, but it may not be ignored and canceled. 'Qaaloo taaa'irukum ma'akum; a'in zukkirtum; bal antum qawmum musrifoon' (36:19). Now, this conversation is left here. So the conversation is continuing. They said we will, of course, stone you because you have brought us bad omen, because we want to please our gods and on the verge of fulfilling that decision came someone, a fourth person who apparently was someone very much respected by everyone in the city.

'Wa jaaa'a min aqsal madeenati rajuluny yas'aa' (36:20) - there came a man from the city outskirts, hurrying. Now, what we understand from this coming from city outskirts, this is not, of course, something which is explicitly mentioned in the Quran, so this is an understanding. It's not an affirmative, explicit thing which is mentioned in the Quran or in traditions, in narrations. What we understand is that probably this man was respected because of his ascetic life, because he was a man of worship, using his time in reflection, in meditation.

And because of that, probably he would have some karamaat, some noble acts that God had graced him with. And because of that, he was very much respected by everyone in the town. He was a trusted person, someone whom people usually listened to, even the authorities, the mala', the people of prominence listened to. And in this juncture, he didn't have any risala, any mission before to come and sort of warn these people about idolatry and such things.

And we have many of these instances in history. For example, the people of Mecca were worshipping idols. We know that Abdul Muttalib, we know that Abu Taleb, we know that Hashim, all these people were monotheist. They were hunafa, but they didn't have any mission to come and warn the people and it wouldn't have worked. Even for our Messenger when he came with the mission, with the ta'eed and support of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala it didn't work for the people of Mecca and the Prophet migrated to Madina.

So there are people around the world that they knew that idolatry was wrong. Many wrong things were happening, but they didn't have any mission to come and warn. They just preached softly. They used to guide people individually. Now that this incident happened, now that these messengers came from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and they were actually on the verge of being executed and stoned by the people, this man felt the responsibility to come and support them.

Wa jaaa'a min aqsal madeenati rajuluny yas'aa qaala yaa qawmit tabi'ul mursaleen - there came a man from the city outskirts, hurrying. 'Yas'aa' that means that the execution was very close. That means that the news reached him that these messangers are going to be killed by the people. So he hurried coming apparently 'aqsal al-madeena' had some distance from the city, so he hurried coming after hearing the news of the decision about the execution of these messengers.

Rajuluny yas'aa qaala yaa qawmit tabi'ul mursaleen - 'O my people!' So here this man, as I said, this man was one of the prominent, respected personalities of the city. He is now talking with a different language, with a very intimate language to his people: yaa qawmit tabi'ul mursaleen - O my people follow the apostles, so I now bear witness to their truthfulness. You have been respecting me all these years for my ascetic life, for my spiritual stance, for my trustfulness, for my honor or whatever.

Now I tell you that you should follow these apostles - ittabi'ul mursaleen. Now he gives his own reasons here. He tries to convince his people that why you should follow these messangers: 'Ittabi'oo mal-laa yas'alukum ajranw-wa hum muhtadoon' (36:21) - follow them who do not ask you any rewards and they are rightly guided. Now, the argument is like this: what is the reason for these people coming to this town, calling you to God and they not ask you any reward?

They don't have any interest in this. They put themselves in danger and all these things. So what is the motivation behind what they do? And of course, this is not enough, because we know sometimes there are many people who are doing things because of their commitment to certain beliefs, but they are not guided and they may not ask rewards or whatever, but this man says, wa hum muhtadoon - they are rightly guided. I bear witness that these messangers are rightly guided.

Up till now, he was just living in a sort of concealment of his faith because everyone were idolaters. He was doing you taqiyya probably. 'Wa maa liya laaa a'budul lazee fataranee wa ilaihi turja'oon' (36:22)- Yes, I worship what they are calling us to. I worship the God, the Lord that they are calling us to, inviting us. Why should I? Because that God they are inviting us to go to, is the One who has created me, originated me.

Wa maa liya laaa a'budul lazee fataranee - why should I not worship Him who has originated me. Fatara is different from khalaqa. Of course Allah is the Khaliq and He is the Faatir. But faatir has a deeper meaning. It means to bring something from nothingness. Khalq is to create something from things which are already existing in life. For example, creating Adam, alayhi assalam from from clay. Clay was there and Allah khalaqahu min Teen - created him from clay.

But fatara means even before the clay, bringing out of nothingness. Now why should I not worship Him who has originated me - fatarani? And this shows that there is a clear connection between creation and worship. If someone has created us, we have to worship Him and the meaning of worship, the very palpable meaning of worship is obedience. (36:60) 'Alam a'had ilaikum yaa Baneee Aadama al-laa ta'budush Shaitaana,'- did I not make a covenant with you, O children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan, means you should not obey Shaytan.

And here there's a connection and its a very rational connection. Someone who has made us, created us, has the right to be obeyed because He knows what is in our best interest. That is a very rational, very clear link between worship and creation. The one who created you has to be worshipped and that means, has to be obeyed. And of course, there are rituals for worship and all these things. I know that. But the main core of worship is obedience.

Wa maa liya laaa a'budul lazee fataranee wa ilaihi turja'oon - why should I not worship the One who created me? This is one reason. The other reason why should I worship Him is that you are going to go back to Him. If you do not obey Him, how are you going to look in His eyes, metaphorically I mean? He created you, He gave you life, everything He puts in this world with all the amenities He has put at your disposal.

And then one day you are going to go back to Him and look in His eyes, what are you going to tell Him, that I disobeyed You, I disobeyed You despite all that? So you are going to go back to Him. And therefore, of course, the One who created you, knows everything about you. How are you going to go back to Him if you do not worship Him? So this very short sentence, very concise sentence actually gives us two very important reasons why we have to worship God. Wa maa liya laaa a'budul lazee fataranee wa ilaihi turja'oon - Why should I not worship the One who originally me and to whom you shall all be brought back?

Now another reason - you see this man was very knowledgeable and could argue very nicely. And as I said, you may say those messangers of God would have said the same thing. But this man had a command on his people more than the messengers who had been sent by God, probably from another place. 'A-attakhizu min dooniheee aalihatan iny-yuridnir Rahmaanu bidurril-laa tughni 'annee shafaa 'atuhum shai 'anw-wa laa yunqizoon' (36:23)- shall I take gods beside Him? If the All-Beneficent desires to cause me any distress, their intercession will not avail me in any way, nor will they rescue me. Now, this is another very clear argument made against idolatry. Now, the idolaters thought that they are worshipping gods, idols that they believed in, because they protected them from evil and they blessed them with amenities, with the blessings of life, whatever they needed.

Now, here it says that these idols that you worship, a-attakhizu min dooniheee aalihatan iny-yuridnir Rahmaanu bidurril-laa tughni 'annee shafaa 'atuhum shai 'anw', (36:23) - you say that we believe in Allah, we believe in God, as all idolaters did, actually. But we take these idols to intercede for us with God. Now, he says that if these idols were to intercede for you with God to intercede, what if God decides something and these idols want something else, would their shafa'a avail at all or not?

And this is a clear argument in many places of the Quran that why don't you worship God directly? Why you need an intercession? Intercessor is someone someone who goes between you and Him. And a very clear statement of this is in Sura Zumar 'qul afara'aitum maa tad'oona min doonil laahi in araadaniyal laahu bidurrin hal hunna kaashi faatu durriheee aw araadanee birahmatin hal hunna mumsikaatu rahmatih; qul hasbiyal laahu ,' (39:38) - you say that we worship them because they intercede for us and we ask them things and then things will happen.

Now, if things that you are worshipping, if Allah the Creator decides something, decides to harm you, can they protect you? They cannot because Allah has decided it. Then there's no intersession or vice versa. If He wants to bless you, can they stop the blessing? No, of course. So qul hasbiyal laahu - why I should worship these mediators? I worship Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala directly.

Now, ''A-attakhizu min dooniheee aalihatan iny-yuridnir Rahmaanu bidurril-laa tughni 'annee shafaa 'atuhum shai 'anw-wa laa yunqizoon' (36:23) - their intercession will not avail me in any way. Now, this issue of intercession is a very complicated issue mentioned in the Quran. We have acceptable intercession, unacceptable intercession. Here, of course, it talks about unacceptable intercession. In other verses of the Quran, for example in Sura Zukhruf 'Wa laa yamlikul lazeena yad'oona min doonihish shafaa'ata'(43:86) - those whom they call beside Allah do not possess intercession, 'illaa - this is ofcourse 'istisna al-munqata' - 'illaa man shahida bilhaqqi wa hum ya'lamoon', - there are certain beings who witness the truth and are knowledgeable. Their shafa'a is accepted. These shafa'a that you are calling are not acceptable.

So this needs a more elaborate discussion and we leave this for some other time. Wa assalamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.