The Light of the Holy Qur'an Interpretation of Sura Yusuf
Section 2 : Ingratitude of Men Commentary : Verse 11
Reason for the respite given Man prays for help when in difficulty but forgets Allah immediately as he is relieved Men were one single people but later they disagreed and got separated in tribes, and communities and nations
(11) وَ لَوْ يُعَجِّلُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ الشَّرَّ اسْتِعْجالَهُمْ بِالْخَيْرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَجَلُهُمْ فَنَذَرُ الَّذينَ لا يَرْجُونَ لِقاءَنا في طُغْيانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
- " And if Allah were to hasten on for men the ill(they have earned)as they would hasten on the good, surely their term would already be decreed unto them. But We leave those who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their contumacy, wandering blindly. "
Commentary :
This verse also deals with the subject of punishment and reward meted out to the evildoers. First, the Qur'an implies if Allah punished the evil- doers swiftly in this world and hastened on their punishment at the same speed in which they are after the good things of this world and their own interests, that would be the end of the world and no traces of them would remain. The verse says:
" And if Allah were to hasten on for men the ill(they have earned)as they would hasten on the good, Surely their term would already be decreed unto them. ..."
However, as Allah's grace encompasses all His servants, even the evildoers, idol worshippers, and non- believers, He does not hasten on their punishment lest they wake- up and repent and be lead straight.
At the end of the verse, He says that punishment is for those who do not believe in the Resurrection and the Meeting with Him; they are left alone so that they may stray and remain in confusion, not knowing the truth from "untruth" and the right path from the wrong. The verse says:
"... But We leave those who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their contumacy, wandering blindly. "
Commentary : Verse 12
(12) وَ إِذا مَسَّ الْإِنْسانَ الضُّرُّ دَعانا لِجَنْبِهِ أَوْ قاعِداً أَوْ قائِماً فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَدْعُنا إِلى ضُرٍّ مَسَّهُ كَذلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفينَ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
- " And when an affliction touches a man, he calls Us(while reclining)on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We remove from him his affliction, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that touched him. Thus is made fair seeming to the extravagant that which they have been doing. "
Commentary :
Then the Qur'an refers to the existence of the light of monotheism in man, which emanates from the depth of his soul. It indicates that when man suffers from the loss of something, and he is helpless on all sides, he seeks Allah's help by stretching his hands towards Him, calling Him in whatever state he is whether lying on his side, sitting or standing. The verse says:
" And when an affliction touches a man, he calls Us(while reclining)on his side, or sitting, or standing. ..."
Yes, the positive aspect of the difficulties and painful incidents is that they unveil the true character of human beings and, though it may last merely for a while, the light of monotheism eventually shines forth.
Then the Qur'an implies that these people, however, are so in capacious and unwise that as soon as their troubles are removed they once more become so immersed in oblivion that it is as if they had made no supplications at all, and He had not given them any assistance. The verse says:
"... But when We remove from him his affliction, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that touched him. Thus is made fair seeming to the extravagant that which they have been doing. "
It is this very ingratitude and negligence that has made the indecent acts of the mischief makers seemingly beautiful for them.
Commentary : Verse 13
(13) وَ لَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَ جاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّناتِ وَ ما كانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمينَ
- " And certainly We destroyed the generations before you when they were unjust, and their messengers came to them with clear arguments and they would not believe. Thus do We recompense the guilty people. "
Commentary :
In this holy verse, Allah informs us of the calamities which were inflicted upon previous nations and warns the present nations against the descent of those calamities which may fall upon them.
The Qur'an announces that Allah exterminated former nations by means of kinds of punishment when they inflicted injustice upon themselves by revolting, becoming disobedient, and after sending prophets to them with obvious miracles and clear proofs. The verse says:
" And certainly We destroyed the generations before you when they were unjust, and their messengers came to them with clear arguments and they would not believe. ..."
This verse carries this message that the secret of their eradication was that if they had been to remain existent, they definitely would not have believed in their prophets and the Books. Which were sent to them.
In the future, too, Allah will inflict calamities upon those unbelieving people who do not reform themselves in spite of offering them proofs for completing arguments, and with the full understanding that they are well- informed as to the consequences and that they will not believe. The verse continues saying:
"... Thus do We recompense the guilty people. "
Commentary : Verse 14
(14) ثُمَّ جَعَلْناكُمْ خَلائِفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لِنَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ
- " Then We made you successors in the earth after them to see how you behave. "
Commentary :
Allah expresses more explicitly the matter in this verse, implying that, after destroying them, He substituted you on the earth in their place so that He may observe the way you behave. The verse says:
" Then We made you successors in the earth after them to see how you behave. "
From the sentence "and they would not believe: ", mentioned in the previous verse, it is understood that Allah exterminates only those whose situation leaves no hope that they will even be probable believers in the future, for those who may become believers in the future are not involved in this category for such punishments.
Commentary : Verse 15
(15) وَ إِذا تُتْلى عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُنا بَيِّناتٍ قالَ الَّذينَ لا يَرْجُونَ لِقاءَنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هذا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ قُلْ ما يَكُونُ لي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِنْ تِلْقاءِ نَفْسي إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ ما يُوحى إِلَيَّ إِنِّي أَخافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذابَ يَوْمٍ عَظيمٍ
- " And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: 'Bring us a Qur'an other than this, or alter it. ' Say: 'It is not for me to alter it of my own accord, I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day(to come). '"
The Occasion of the Revelation:
This holy verse and the next two verses had been revealed concerning several idol- worshippers when they came to the Prophet(p. b. u. h)and said: "Whatever this Qur'an says about abandoning the worship of our great idols namely Lat, Uzza, Manat, Hubal and its disrespect of them is not acceptable and bearable to us. If you want us to follow you, get us another Qur'an which is free of this criticism, or, at least change such ideas in this present Qur'an. "
Commentary :
These holy verses, following the previous verses, are all concerned with 'Origin and End'.
First, The Qur'an alludes to one of the great mistakes of the idol- worshippers. It says:
" And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: 'Bring us a Qur'an other than this, or alter it. ' ..."
These ignorant people did not want the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) to guide them as a leader; they rather invited him to follow in the footsteps of their own superstitious conjectures.
The Qur'an explicitly enlightens them regarding their grave mistake, ordering the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) to tell them that it is impossible for him to alter the Divine revelation by himself. The verse says:
"... Say: 'It is not for me to alter it of my own accord, ..."
Then, to articulate further, he should add that he would only follow what was revealed to him, and that not only he could not make any alterations in that heavenly Revelation, but, also he feared the punishment of that Great Day(Resurrection)if he would disobey the Command of the Lord. The holy verse says:
"... I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day(to come). '"