How Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and Children
Allah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the
Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to
a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in
him, and the weaker people of the town followed him. The people of Nuh, peace
be upon him, said to him:
[أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ
وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ]
(Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you) (26:110)
[وَمَا نَرَاكَ
اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى]
(nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed
you without thinking) (11:27). The leaders among the people of Salih said:
[قَالَ الْمَلأ
الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ
مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا
بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا
بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ ]
(to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed: "Know you that
Salih is one sent from his Lord.'' They said: "We indeed believe in that with
which he has been sent.'' Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve
in that which you believe in.'') (7:75-76). And Allah said:
[وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا
بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن
بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ ]
(Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these
(poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us'' Does not Allah know
best those who are grateful) (6:53),
[وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا
فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا]
(And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot
therein) (6:123), and
[وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن
نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا
الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا ]
(And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite
order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress
therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We
destroy it with complete destruction) (17:16). And Allah says here:
[وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى
قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ]
And We did not send a warner to a township meaning a Prophet or a Messenger,
[إِلاَّ قَالَ
مُتْرَفُوهَآ]
(but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them) means,
those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership.
Qatadah said, "They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil.''
[إِنَّا بِمَآ
أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ]
(We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.) means, `we do
not believe in it and we will not follow it.' Allah tells us that those who
enjoyed a life of luxury and who disbelieved the Messengers said:
[وَقَالُواْ نَحْنُ
أَكْثَـرُ أَمْوَلاً وَأَوْلَـداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ ]
(And they say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to
be punished.'') meaning, they were proud of their great wealth and great
numbers of children, and they believed that this was a sign that Allah loved
them and cared for them, and that if He gave them this in this world, He would
not punish them in the Hereafter. This was too far-fetched. Allah says:
[أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا
نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل
لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ ]
(Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten
unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.) (23:55-56)
[فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ
أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ بِهَا
فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ ]
(So, let not their wealth nor their children amaze you; in reality Allah's plan
is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their
souls shall depart while they are disbelievers.) (9:55), and
[ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ
خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً - وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً - وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً -
وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً - ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان
لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً - سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً ]
(Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely. And then granted him
resources in abundance. And children to be by his side. And made life smooth
and comfortable for him. After all that he desires that I should give more.
Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat. I shall oblige him to face a severe
torment!) (74:11-17) And Allah has told us about the story of the owner of
those two gardens, that he had wealth and crops and children, but that could
not help him at all when all of that was taken from him in this world, before
he reached the Hereafter. Allah says here:
[قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى
يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ]
(Say: "Verily, my Lord expands the provision to whom He wills and
restricts...'') meaning, He gives wealth to those whom He loves and those whom
He does not love, and He makes poor whom He wills and makes rich whom He wills.
He has complete wisdom and clear proof,
[وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ
النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ]
(but most men know not.) Then Allah says:
[وَمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ
وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى]
(And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us,)
meaning, `these things are not a sign that We love you or care for you.' Imam
Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be
pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى
لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى
قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»
(Allah does not look at your outward appearance or your wealth, rather He looks
at your hearts and your deeds.) Muslim and Ibn Majah also recorded this. Allah
says:
[إِلاَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ
وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً]
(but only he who believes, and does righteous deeds;) meaning, `only faith and
righteous deeds will bring you closer to Us.'
[فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ
جَزَآءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ]
(as for such, there will be multiple rewards for what they did,) means, the
reward will be multiplied for them between ten and seven hundred times.
[وَهُمْ فِى
الْغُرُفَـتِ ءَامِنُونَ]
(and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security.) means, in
the lofty dwellings of Paradise, safe from all misery, fear and harm, and from
any evil they could fear. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ali, may Allah be
pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ
لَغُرَفًا تُرَى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا، وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا»
(In Paradise there are lofty rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside
and whose inside can be seen from the outside.) A bedouin asked, "Who are they
for'' He said:
«لِمَنْ طَيَّبَ
الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ، وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ
وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام»
(For those who speak well, feed the hungry, persist in fasting and pray at
night while people are asleep.)
[وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ
فِى ءَايَـتِنَا مُعَـجِزِينَ]
(And those who strive against Our Ayat, to frustrate them,) means, those who
try to block people from the path of Allah and from following His Messengers
and believing in His signs,
[فَأُوْلَـئِكَ فِى
الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ]
they will be brought to the torment. means, they will all be punished for their
deeds, each one accordingly.
[قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى
يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ]
(Say: "Truly, my Lord expands the provision for whom He wills of His servants,
and (also) restricts (it) for him...'') means, according to His wisdom, He
gives a lot of provision to one, and gives very little to another. He has great
wisdom in doing so, which cannot be comprehended by anyone but Him. This is
like the Ayah:
[انظُرْ كَيْفَ
فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلاٌّخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَـتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ
تَفْضِيلاً ]
(See how We favor one above another, and verily, the Hereafter will be greater
in degrees and greater in favor.) (17:21). This means that just as there are
differences between them in this world -- where one may be poor and in
straitened circumstances while another is rich and enjoys a life of plenty --
so they will be in the Hereafter. There one will reside in apartments in the
highest levels of Paradise, whilst another will be in the lowest levels of
Hell. As the Prophet said, describing the best of people in this world:
«قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ
أَسْلَمَ وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا وَقَنَّعَهُ اللهُ بِمَا آتَاه»
(He truly succeeds who becomes Muslim and is given just enough provision and
Allah makes him content with what He has given.)'' It was recorded by Muslim.
[وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ مِّن
شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ]
(and whatsoever you spend of anything, He will replace it.) means, `whatever
you spend in the ways that He has commanded you and permitted you, He will
compensate you for it in this world by giving you something else instead, and
in the Hereafter by giving you reward.' It was reported that the Prophet said:
«يَقُولُ اللهُ
تَعَالَى: أَنْفِقْ، أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك»
(Allah says: "Spend, I will spend on you.'') In another Hadith it is reported
that every morning, two angels come, and one says, "O Allah, bring destruction
upon the one who withholds (does not spend).'' The other one says, "O Allah,
give compensation to the one who spends.'' And the Messenger of Allah said:
«أَنْفِقْ بِلَالُ،
وَلَا تَخْشَ مِنْ ذِي الْعَرْشِ إِقْلَالًا»
(Spend, O Bilal, and do not fear that the One Who is on the Throne will
withhold from you. )
[وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ
جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ أَهَـؤُلاَءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُواْ
يَعْبُدُونَ - قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ بَلْ كَانُواْ
يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ - فَالْيَوْمَ لاَ يَمْلِكُ
بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَّفْعاً وَلاَ ضَرّاً وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ
ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ ]
(40. And (remember) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will
say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship'') (41. They
(the angels) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Protector instead of
them. Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in
them.'') (42. So Today, none of you can profit or harm one another. And We
shall say to those who did wrong: "Taste the torment of the Fire which you used
to deny.'')
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