Allah then tells us that Shirk was new among mankind. It was not in existence
in the beginning. He tells us that people were believers in one religion and
that religion was Islam. Ibn `Abbas said: "There were ten centuries between Adam
and Nuh. They were all on Islam. Then differences among people took place. They
worshipped idols and rivals. So Allah sent extensive evidence and irrefutable
proof with His Messengers.''
[لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ
هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَىَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ]
(So that those who were to be destroyed (for rejecting the faith) might be
destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live might live after a
clear evidence.)[8:42] Allah's statement:
[وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ
سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ]
(And had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord...)
means that if Allah had not decreed He would not punish anyone until the
evidence is established against them. And also that if He had not given
creatures a respite until a defined term had passed, He would have judged among
them in what they disputed. Then He would have caused the believers to be happy
and delighted and the disbelievers to be miserable and wretched.
[وَيَقُولُونَ
لَوْلاَ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ للَّهِ
فَانْتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ ]
(20. And they say: "How is it that not a sign is sent down on him from his
Lord'' Say: "The Unseen belongs only to Allah, so wait you, verily, I am with
you among those who wait.'')
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