Surah 43:36
Show Full Scripture Context (43:36-45) — 10 Verses
وَمَن يَعۡشُ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضۡ لَهُۥ شَيۡطَٰنٗا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٞ
Whoever turns away from the Reminder of the Merciful – We allot to him a satan, and he becomes his comrade.
وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ
Surely they indeed keep them from the way, even though they think that they are (rightly) guided,
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَنَا قَالَ يَٰلَيۡتَ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكَ بُعۡدَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقَيۡنِ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡقَرِينُ
until, when he comes to Us, he says, ‘Would that (there were) between me and you the distance of the two Easts!’ And: ‘Evil is the comrade!
وَلَن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ إِذ ظَّلَمۡتُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ مُشۡتَرِكُونَ
It will not benefit you today – since you have done evil – that you are partners in the punishment.’
أَفَأَنتَ تُسۡمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ أَوۡ تَهۡدِي ٱلۡعُمۡيَ وَمَن كَانَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ
Can you make the deaf to hear, or can you guide the blind and the one who is clearly astray?
فَإِمَّا نَذۡهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنۡهُم مُّنتَقِمُونَ
Whether We take you away – surely We are going to take vengeance on them –
أَوۡ نُرِيَنَّكَ ٱلَّذِي وَعَدۡنَٰهُمۡ فَإِنَّا عَلَيۡهِم مُّقۡتَدِرُونَ
or show you what We have promised them – surely We are powerful over them.
فَٱسۡتَمۡسِكۡ بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ
So hold fast to what you are inspired (with). Surely you are on a straight path.
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذِكۡرٞ لَّكَ وَلِقَوۡمِكَۖ وَسَوۡفَ تُسۡـَٔلُونَ
Surely it is a reminder indeed to you and to your people. Soon you will (all) be questioned.
وَسۡـَٔلۡ مَنۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلۡنَا مِن دُونِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ءَالِهَةٗ يُعۡبَدُونَ
Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We appoint any other gods than the Merciful to be served?
{And whosoever Ya'shu (turns away blindly)} means, whoever willfully ignores and turns away
{from the remembrance of the Most Gracious,} Al-'Asha (the root of Ya'sh) refers to weakness of vision; what is meant here is weakness of insight.
This is like the Ayat.
{And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been shown clearly to him} (4:115),
{So when they turned away, Allah turned their hearts away} (61:5), and
Allah's Vengeance upon the Enemies of His Messenger will surely come to pass
Allah further says:
means, 'We will inevitably wreak vengeance upon them and punish them, even if you pass away.'
means, 'We are able to do both,' but Allah will not take His Messenger (in death) until He gives him the joy of seeing his enemies brought low and gives him power and authority over them and their wealth. This was the view of As-Suddi and was the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir.
Encouragement to adhere to the Qur'an
Allah then says;
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.
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 and therefore they, more than anyone else, are obliged to follow its commands and heed its prohibitions. And indeed, the elite among them, the first believers and those who followed them, were like this. It was also said that the meaning of the phrase:
{And verily, this is a Dhikr for you and your people,} is that 'it is a reminder for you and your people,' i.e., it is a reminder to them and a warning. And the fact that it is a reminder for them does not mean that it is not a reminder for others, as in the Ayah:
{Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book (the Qur'an) in which there is Dhikrukum (your Reminder).} (21:10)
{and you will be questioned.} means, 'about this Qur'an, and how you acted upon it and what your response to it was.'
means, 'all the Messengers who came before you called their people to the same as that to which you are calling people, 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:
{And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid all false deities."} (16:36).
Mujahid, As-Suddi and Qatadah said, "This means, ask those who follow the Messengers." Ibn Zayd said, "This means, ask the Messengers on the night of the Isra'."
This is the preferred view of Ibn Jarir. And Allah knows best.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 8, Page 637-641)