Allah says, just as We mentioned the clear signs that testify and direct to the
path of guidance, all the while chastising useless arguments and defiance,
﴿كَذلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ﴾
(And thus do We explain the Ayat in detail,) that is, whatever responsible adults
need explained to them, in the affairs of life and religion,
﴿وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ﴾
(That the way of the criminals may become manifest.) so that the path of the criminals
who defy the Prophets is apparent and clear. This Ayah was also said to mean, so
that you, O Muhammad , are aware of the path of the criminals. Allah's statement,
﴿قُلْ إِنِّى عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن
رَّبِّى﴾
(Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord...'') means: I have a clear understanding
of the Law of Allah that He has revealed to me,
﴿وَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِ﴾
(but you deny it.) meaning, but you disbelieve in the truth that came to me from
Allah.
﴿مَا عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ﴾
(I do not have what you are hastily seeking) meaning, the torment,
﴿إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للَّهِ﴾
(The decision is only for Allah,) for the ruling of this is with Allah. If He wills,
He will punish you soon in response to your wish! If He wills, He will give you
respite, out of His great wisdom. This is why Allah said,
﴿يَقُصُّ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْفَـصِلِينَ﴾
(He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.) and the best in reckoning
between His servants. Allah's statement,
﴿قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ﴾
(Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter
would have been settled at once between you and I,'') means, if I have what you
ask for, I will surely send down what you deserve of it,
﴿وَاللهُ أَعْلَمْ بِالظَّالِمِيَن﴾
(but Allah knows best the wrongdoers) Someone might ask about the meaning of this
Ayah compared to the Hadith in the Two Sahihs, from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased
with her, that she said to the Messenger, "O Allah's Messenger ! Have you encountered
a day harder than the day (of the battle) of Uhud'' The Prophet replied,
«لَقَدْ لَقِيتُ مِنْ قَوْمِكِ، وَكَانَ
أَشَدَّ مَا لَقِيتُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْعَقَبَةِ،إِذْ عَرَضْتُ نَفْسِي عَلَى ابْنِ
عَبْدِيَالِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدِكُلَالٍ، فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي إِلَى مَا أَرَدْتُ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ
وَأَنَا مَهْمُومٌ عَلَى وَجْهِي، فَلَمْ أَسْتَفِقْ إِلَّا بِقَرْنِ الثَّعَالِبِ،
فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِسَحَاَبَةٍ قَدْ ظَلَّلَتْنِي، فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا
فِيهَا جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَنَادَانِي فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الله قَدْ سَمِعَ
قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَمَا رَدُّوا عَلَيْكَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْكَ مَلَكَ الْجِبَالِ،
لِتَأْمُرَهُ بِمَا شِئْتَ فِيهِمْ، قَالَ: فَنَادَانِي مَلَكُ الْجِبَالِ وَسَلَّمَ
عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ،
وَقَدْ بَعَثَنِي رَبُّكَ إِلَيْكَ، لِتَأْمُرَنِي بِأَمْرِكَ فِيمَا شِئْتَ، إِنْ
شِئْتَ أَطْبَقْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَخْشَبَيْن»
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِصلى الله عليه وسلّم:
«بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللهُ
مِنْ أَصْلَابِهِمْ، مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا»
(Your people have troubled me alot and the worst trouble was on the day of `Aqabah
when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil bin `Abd Kulal, who did not respond to
my call. So I departed, overwhelmed with severe sorrow, proceeded on and could not
relax until I found myself at Qarn Ath-Tha`alib where I raised my head towards the
sky to see a cloud unexpectedly shading me. I looked up and saw Jibril in it and
he called me saying, `Indeed Allah has heard what you said to the people and what
they have responded to you. Therefore, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains
to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel
of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, `O Muhammad! verily, Allah
has heard how your people responded to you and He has sent me to you so that you
could order me to do what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabayn (two mountains
to the north and south of Makkah) fall on them.' The Prophet said, No, but I hope
that Allah will let them generate offspring who will worship Allah Alone, and will
worship none besides Him.) This is the wording of Muslim. Tormenting the disbelievers
of Quraysh was offered to the Prophet , but he chose patience and asked Allah for
respite for them, so that Allah might let them generate offspring who will not associate
anything with Him in worship. Therefore, how can we combine the meaning of this
Hadith and the honorable Ayah,
﴿قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالظَّـلِمِينَ
﴾
(Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter
would have been settled at once between you and I, but Allah knows best the wrongdoers.'')
The answer to this question is, Allah knows the best, that the Ayah states that
if the punishment that they asked for was in the Prophet's hand at the time, he
would have sent it on them as they asked. As for the Hadith, the disbelievers did
not ask the Prophet to send the torment down on them. Rather, the angel responsible
for the mountains offered him the choice to let the two mountains to the north and
south of Makkah close in on the disbelievers and crush them. The Prophet did not
wish that and asked for respite out of compassion for them.
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