Ar-Ra'd 13:37
The Thunder · Juz 13 · Page 254
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ حُكۡمًا عَرَبِيّٗاۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَ أَهۡوَآءَهُم بَعۡدَ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا وَاقٖ ٣٧
And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic legislation.1 And if you should follow their inclinations after what has come to you of knowledge, you would not have against Allāh any ally or any protector.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., revealed in the Arabic language. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 13:36–37
When the Quran was revealed, the Jews and the Christians were divided into two groups. Among these people, those who were God-fearing and who followed the true teachings of Moses and Jesus, treated the Quran as their inner voice and accepted it happily. But those who thought communal prejudice and groupism to be the real religion, could not recognize the truth appearing outside their familiar sphere and became its opponent. Their being without fear of God made them fearless of opposing the call of truth. One who becomes the opponent of truth solely on grounds of communal prejudice and groupism is, in fact, a follower of the desires of the self instead of God. As such he has turned away from the path of God. Making changes in the call of truth in consideration of such people is not permissible for one who preaches the word of God. It is necessary for him to be firm on pure truth in thought, word and deed. In the case of deniers, he has to be firm and persevering and not adopt the way of compromise. If a man continues to follow the dictates of his self in spite of the knowledge of truth being brought to him in his own understandable language, he incurs the risk of being completely deprived of God’s help.
Page 254
13:35
۞ مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ أُكُلُهَا دَآئِمٞ وَظِلُّهَاۚ تِلۡكَ عُقۡبَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْۚ وَّعُقۡبَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٱلنَّارُ ٣٥
The example [i.e., description] of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous, and the consequence for the disbelievers is the Fire.
13:36
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ يَفۡرَحُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابِ مَن يُنكِرُ بَعۡضَهُۥۚ قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَعۡبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَلَآ أُشۡرِكَ بِهِۦٓۚ إِلَيۡهِ أَدۡعُواْ وَإِلَيۡهِ مَـَٔابِ ٣٦
And [the believers among] those to whom We have given the [previous] Scripture rejoice at what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], but among the [opposing] factions are those who deny part of it [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Say, "I have only been commanded to worship Allāh and not associate [anything] with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return."
13:37
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ حُكۡمًا عَرَبِيّٗاۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَ أَهۡوَآءَهُم بَعۡدَ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا وَاقٖ ٣٧
And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic legislation.1 And if you should follow their inclinations after what has come to you of knowledge, you would not have against Allāh any ally or any protector.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., revealed in the Arabic language. ↩
13:38
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلٗا مِّن قَبۡلِكَ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا وَذُرِّيَّةٗۚ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأۡتِيَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ لِكُلِّ أَجَلٖ كِتَابٞ ٣٨
And We have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendants. And it was not for a messenger to come with a sign except by permission of Allāh. For every term is a decree.
13:39
يَمۡحُواْ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثۡبِتُۖ وَعِندَهُۥٓ أُمُّ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ٣٩
Allāh eliminates what He wills or confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.1
1 translator’s note
- The Preserved Slate (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ), in which is inscribed the original of every scripture revealed by Allāh. ↩
13:40
وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي نَعِدُهُمۡ أَوۡ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ وَعَلَيۡنَا ٱلۡحِسَابُ ٤٠
And whether We show you part of what We promise them or take you in death, upon you is only the [duty of] notification, and upon Us is the account.
13:41
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا نَأۡتِي ٱلۡأَرۡضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنۡ أَطۡرَافِهَاۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَحۡكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكۡمِهِۦۚ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ٤١
Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?1 And Allāh decides; there is no adjuster of His decision. And He is swift in account.
1 translator’s note
- Referring to the spread of Islām through Allāh's Prophet (ﷺ) and the diminishing of those areas controlled by the polytheists. ↩
13:42
وَقَدۡ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ جَمِيعٗاۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَكۡسِبُ كُلُّ نَفۡسٖۗ وَسَيَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡكُفَّٰرُ لِمَنۡ عُقۡبَى ٱلدَّارِ ٤٢
And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.