Hud 11:110
Hud · Juz 12 · Page 234
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ فَٱخۡتُلِفَ فِيهِۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي شَكّٖ مِّنۡهُ مُرِيبٖ ١١٠
And We had certainly given Moses the Scripture, but it came under disagreement. And if not for a word1 that preceded from your Lord, it would have been judged between them. And indeed they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur’ān], in disquieting doubt.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 10:19. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
Change
Commentary on 11:109–111
Associating Partners with Allah is no doubt Misguidance
Allah, the Exalted, says,
فَلاَ تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّمَّا يَعْبُدُ هَؤُلاءِ
(So be not in doubt as to what these people worship.) This refers to the polytheists. Verily, what they are doing is falsehood, ignorance and misguidance. Verily, they are only worshipping what their fathers worshipped before. This means that they have no support for their Shirk. They are only mimicking their fathers in ignorance. Therefore, Allah will give them due recompense for that and He will punish them with a punishment the likes of which none can give besides Him. If they did any good deeds, then Allah will reward them for those good works in this life, before the life of the Hereafter. Concerning Allah's statement,
وَإِنَّا لَمُوَفُّوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ غَيْرَ مَنقُوصٍ
(And verily, We shall repay them in full their portion without diminution.) `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "We will pay them in full their portion of punishment without diminution." Then, Allah mentions that He gave Musa the Book, but the people differed concerning it. Some believed in it and some disbelieved in it. Therefore, you, Muhammad, have an example in the Prophets who came before you. So do not grieve or be upset by their denial of you.
وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ
(and had it not been for a Word Kalimah that had gone forth before from your Lord, the case would have been judged between them,) Ibn Jarir said, "If it were not that the punishment had already been delayed until an appointed time, then Allah would have decided the matter between you now. The word Kalimah carries the meaning that Allah will not punish anyone until the proof has been established against him and a Messenger has been sent to him." This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً
(And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).) 17:15 For verily, Allah says in another verse,
وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَاماً وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ
(And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, and a term determined, (their punishment) must necessarily have come (in this world). So bear patiently what they say.)20:129-130 Then, Allah informs that He will gather the early generations and the later generations from all of the nations. He will then reward them based upon their deeds. If they did good deeds, their reward will be good, and if they did evil deeds, their reward will be bad. Allah says,
وَإِنَّ كُلاًّ لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ إِنَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
(And verily, to each of them your Lord will repay their works in full. Surely, He is All-Aware of what they do.) This means that He is All-Knower of all of their deeds. This includes their honorable deeds and their despicable deeds, their small deeds and their great deeds. There are many different modes of recitation for this verse, yet all of their meanings agree with what we have mentioned. This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ
(And surely, all - everyone of them will be brought before Us.)36:32
Page 234
11:109
فَلَا تَكُ فِي مِرۡيَةٖ مِّمَّا يَعۡبُدُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِۚ مَا يَعۡبُدُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُهُم مِّن قَبۡلُۚ وَإِنَّا لَمُوَفُّوهُمۡ نَصِيبَهُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَنقُوصٖ ١٠٩
So do not be in doubt, [O Muḥammad], as to what these [polytheists] are worshipping. They worship not except as their fathers worshipped before. And indeed, We will give them their share undiminished.
11:110
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ فَٱخۡتُلِفَ فِيهِۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي شَكّٖ مِّنۡهُ مُرِيبٖ ١١٠
And We had certainly given Moses the Scripture, but it came under disagreement. And if not for a word1 that preceded from your Lord, it would have been judged between them. And indeed they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur’ān], in disquieting doubt.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 10:19. ↩
11:111
وَإِنَّ كُلّٗا لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمۡ رَبُّكَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١١١
And indeed, each [of the believers and disbelievers] - your Lord will fully compensate them for their deeds. Indeed, He is Aware of what they do.
11:112
فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ ١١٢
So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allāh], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
11:113
وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ ١١٣
And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allāh any protectors; then you would not be helped.
11:114
وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَيِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفٗا مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِۚ إِنَّ ٱلۡحَسَنَٰتِ يُذۡهِبۡنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ ١١٤
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.
11:115
وَٱصۡبِرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١١٥
And be patient, for indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.
11:116
فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٖ يَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡفَسَادِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّمَّنۡ أَنجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ ١١٦
So why were there not1 among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals.
1 translator’s note
- Meaning "If only there had been..." ↩
11:117
وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ بِظُلۡمٖ وَأَهۡلُهَا مُصۡلِحُونَ ١١٧
And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy