The Light of the Holy Qur'an Interpretation of Sura Yusuf

Section 4 : the Divine Gifts Commentary : Verse 31

A few of the Divine gifts given in the physical body of man are referred to The idolaters asked to make their own made gods effect a creation The Qur'an a Book from Allah.

(31) قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ أَمَّنْ يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَ الْأَبْصارَ وَ مَنْ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَ يُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَ مَنْ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ فَقُلْ أَ فَلا تَتَّقُونَ

  1. " Say: "Who provides you(sustenance)from the sky and from the earth Or who possesses hearing and sight And who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living And, who administrates(every)affair They will soon say: 'Allah'. Then, say: 'Will you not then keep from evil ? "

Commentary :

There have been said same examples of Allah's bringing forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living, among which one might cite the case of the human sperm leading to human beings and human seed from human beings, the chicken from the egg and egg from the chicken, plants from seeds, and seeds from plants; socially- righteous children from corrupt parents and corrupt children from worthy parents.

In this verse there are hints regarding the existence of the Lord and His right of being worshipped.

At first, the holy Qur'an addresses the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) implying to tell those polytheists and idol- worshippers, that who are going astray, who is it that provides nourishment for you in the sky and on the earth.

The verse says:

" Say: "Who provides you(sustenance)from the sky and from the earth? ..."

Definitely, the earth provides nourishment for the roots of plants by means of its nutritious substances. It is probably for this reason that the above verse refers to the nourishing substances coming from the sky and later from the earth.

Later, the verse refers to two of man's most important senses, namely seeing and hearing, without which man's acquisition of knowledge would have been impossible. It tells him to ask them who is He Who is the Creator of their eyes and ears and reinforces these two senses of theirs. The verse says:

"... Or who possesses hearing and sight? ..."

Then it brings up the two phenomena of death and life which are the most peculiar ones in the realm of creation. It says:

"... And who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the deed from the living ? ..."

This is the very issue confronted by scientists and the learned men of the natural sciences as well as biologists, amazing them that how living creatures spring from inanimate objects.

The meaning of the above verse includes material as well as spiritual death and life, for one can see intelligent, honest and faithful men sometimes born to parents who are corrupt and faithless, and vice versa.

Then it adds implying that Who is He who rules and regulates all worldly affairs The verse says:

"... And, who administrates(every)affair? ..."

In fact, the verse at first talks about the creation of the blessings and then it speaks about the guardian and administrator of these blessings.

After putting forth these three questions, the holy Qur'an immediately declares that they will soon answer in reply that it is Allah. The verse says:

"... They will soon say: 'Allah'. ..."

One may infer from the above sentence that even the polytheists, infidels and idol- worshippers during the "Age of Ignorance" considered Allah as the sole Creator, Sustainer, Giver of Life as well as the Administrator and Maintainer of the world of existence.

And at the end of the verse the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) has been commanded to ask them: why they did not take the path of virtue. It says:

"... Then, say: 'Will you not then keep from evil ?' "

Commentary : Verse 32

(32)فَذلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمُ الْحَقُّ فَما ذا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلاَّ الضَّلالُ فَأَنَّى تُصْرَفُونَ

  1. " Such then is Allah, your true Lord; and what is apart from the Truth but error How then are you turned away "

Commentary :

After explaining some of the symbols of the signs of the magnitude and the prudence of Allah(s. w. t.)in the heavens and the earth, and through this, appealing to the conscience and intellect of the opponents by which they confessed to it, He decisively declares in this verse that this is Allah, your true Creator, not the idols or other beings you have considered as partners with Allah for the sake of worship in front of which you bow down. The verse says:

" Such then is Allah, your true Lord; and what is apart from the Truth but error? ..."

Concluding these remarks, the Qur'an implies: now that you have come to clearly know the truth, do you not realize that you are certain of being misled if you take any path other than the truth ?

How can you turn away from worshipping Allah despite your knowledge that there is no one else worthy to be worshipped ? The verse says:

"... How then are you turned away ?"

This verse in fact, offers us a clear logical way for knowing the wrong and abandoning it. This way is that: one must first try to know the truth by way of his own conscience and reasoning. After the cognition of the truth, one must abandon whatever is contrary to the truth or other than the truth, because they are those things that mislead.

Commentary: Verse 33

(33) كَذلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذينَ فَسَقُوا أَنَّهُمْ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ

  1. " Thus is the Word of your Lord proved true against those who did wrong, that they will not believe. "

Commentary :

Breaking the laws of Allah and committing sins provide the grounds for infidelity and in this way man makes Allah's wrath upon himself inevitable. The verse says:

" Thus is the Word of your Lord proved true against those who did wrong, ..."

This is the direct result of their continuous indecency which may darken their hearts and pollute their spirits to the extent that they cannot see the enlightening state of the truth, and thus they go astray. The verse continues saying:

"... that they will not believe. "

Commentary : Verse 34

(34) قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكائِكُمْ مَنْ يَبْدَؤُا الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعيدُهُ قُلِ اللَّهُ يَبْدَؤُا الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعيدُهُ فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ

  1. " Say: 'Is there any of your partners(whom you ascribe unto Allah)one( that)can originate creation, then bring it back again ' Say: '(Only)Allah originates creation, then brings it back again; then how are you turned away( from the Truth)'"

Commentary :

The Qur'an asks whether those whom you consider as Allah's partners are able to create and then annihilate that creation and recreate it again in the same way that Allah is able to do. The polytheists know that creation is solely in Allah's Power. Then, why is it that they again weave false stories and lie The verse declares:

" Say: 'Is there any of your partners(whom you ascribe unto Allah)one(that)can originate creation, then bring it back again ' Say: '(Only)Allah originates creation, then brings it back again; then how are you turned away(from the Truth)?"

Commentary : Verse 35

(35) قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكائِكُمْ مَنْ يَهْدي إِلَى الْحَقِّ قُلِ اللَّهُ يَهْدي لِلْحَقِّ أَ فَمَنْ يَهْدي إِلَى الْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّنْ لا يَهِدِّي إِلاَّ أَنْ يُهْدى‏ فَما لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

  1. " Say: 'Is there any of your partners(whom you ascribe unto Allah)one that leads towards the Truth Say: '(Only)Allah leads unto the Truth. Is then He Who leads unto the Truth more worthy to be followed, or he who does not go aright(himself)unless he is guided What then is the matter with you How do you judge ' "

Commentary :

The Qur'an asks once again implying that who provides the living with life and leads them while managing their material and spiritual lives, it self Is He your sole Allah, or are the idols The verse says:

" Say: 'Is there any of your partners(whom you ascribe unto Allah)one that leads towards The Truth ? ..."

Then, the Qur'an, answers that it is the Creator Who guides us and has bestowed on us intellect, ears and eyes, providing the living with instincts which help them manage their affairs in their own interests. Thus, despite all this: Is it appropriate for us to submit ourselves to idols which cannot lead us How is it that the worshippers of idols submit and surrender to such things which are neither able to guide anyone nor have they the potentiality of being led The verse continues saying:

"... Say: '(Only)Allah leads unto The Truth. Is then He Who leads unto the Truth more worthy to be followed, or he who does not go aright(himself)unless he is guided What then is the matter with you How do you judge ?"