Allah then says;
[فَاسْتَمْسِكْ
بِالَّذِى أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ]
(So hold you fast to that which is revealed to you. Verily, you are on the
straight path.) means, hold fast to the Qur'an which has been sent down to your
heart, for it is truth and what it leads to is truth that shows the way to the
straight path that leads to Gardens of Delight and eternal, everlasting
goodness.
[وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ
لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ]
(And verily, this is a Dhikr for you and your people,) It was said that this
means, `it is an honor for you and your people;' this was the view of Ibn
`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd.
This means that it is an honor for them in that it was revealed in their
language, so they are the people who have the best understanding of it among
mankind and hence are obliged to be the most steadfast in adhering to its
commandments. This is how the best of them were, the first immigrants and those
who emulated them and followed them. It was also said that the meaning of the
phrase;
[وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ
لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ]
(And verily, this is indeed a Dhikr for you and your people,) was that `it
was sent to remind you and your people.' The fact that they are singled out does
not exclude others. This is like the Ayat:
[لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ
إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَـباً فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ]
(Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book in which there is
Dhikrukum (your Reminder). Will you not then understand) (21:10)
[وَأَنذِرْ
عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ]
(And warn your tribe of near kindred) (26:214)
[وَسَوْفَ
تُسْـَلُونَ]
(and you will be questioned.) means, `about this Qur'an, and how you acted
upon it and what your response to it was.'
[وَاسْئلْ مَنْ
أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَـنِ
ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ ]
(And ask whom We sent before you of Our Messengers: "Did We ever appoint gods
to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious'') means, `all the Messengers called
their people to the same as that to which you are calling mankind, namely the
worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and they forbade the
worship of idols and false gods.' This is like the Ayah:
[وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا
فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ
الْطَّـغُوتَ]
(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (nation) a Messenger
(proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid all false deities.'') (16:36) Mujahid
said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud recited it: (وَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْنَا
إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ (مِنْ) رُسُلِنَا) (And ask those whom We sent before you of
Our Messengers.) This was narrated by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi from Ibn
Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him. Yet this appears to be an explanation
rather than an alternate version of recitation. And Allah knows best.
[وَلَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى بِـَايَـتِنَآ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلاًّيْهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّى
رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِـَايَـتِنَآ إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا
يَضْحَكُونَ - وَمَا نُرِيِهِم مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ إِلاَّ هِىَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا
وَأَخَذْنَـهُم بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ - وَقَالُواْ يأَيُّهَ
السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ -
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ ]
(46. And indeed We did send Musa with Our Ayat to Fir`awn and his chiefs. He
said: "Verily, I am a Messenger of the Lord of all that exists.'') (47. But when
he came to them with Our Ayat, behold, they laughed at them). (48. And not an
Ayah We showed them but it was greater than its fellow preceding it, and We
seized them with torment, in order that they might turn.) (49. And they said (to
Musa): "O you sorcerer! Invoke your Lord for us according to what He has made a
pact with you. Verily, We shall guide ourselves.'') (50. But when We removed the
torment from them, behold, they broke their covenant.)
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