Maryam 19:73
Mary · Juz 16 · Page 310
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَيُّ ٱلۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ خَيۡرٞ مَّقَامٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ نَدِيّٗا ٧٣
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"1
1 translator’s note
- In regard to worldly interests. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 19:73–75
Commentary
خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا
"Superior in respect of its place and better in respect of its assembly" - 19:73.
The infidels never relaxed their efforts to confuse and perplex the believers. They were very rich and possessed material wealth in great abundance. They had their retinues, their followers, friends and supporters. In contrast, the believers were poor and lacking in worldly assets. However, it is a common experience that material wealth turns people's heads and makes them unduly proud and arrogant, so that even the sensible and wise among them are led to believe that their prosperity and affluence is the reward of their personal merit and effort, and will last forever. History is replete with instances where prosperous communities and rich nations crumbled to dust and vanished without leaving a trace. But these instances of Divine wrath hold no lesson for them and fail to turn them from their erroneous ways.
On the other hand there are good people who, following the teachings of Qur'an, do not regard wealth and worldly honors as the result of their own effort and merit, but as Allah Ta` ala's bounty to be held as a trust from Him and to be expended according to His command. They are well aware that these gifts from Allah Ta` ala will not last forever, and the prospect of their abatement or even their total loss does not cause them any concern. These are the people who are safe from the mischief resulting from wealth and material abundance to which the infidels are exposed. Prophets like Sayyidna Sulayman and Dawud (علیہما السلام) ، many a followers of The Holy Prophet ﷺ and multitude among the pious believers fall in this category.
Allah Ta` ala has dispelled the mistaken notions of the infidels by saying that the transient material prosperity cannot be regarded as a token of His goodwill nor as a symbol of their own merit, because it often happens that foolish and undeserving people are loaded with wealth while wise and learned persons spend their lives in poverty.
Page 310
19:65
رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَٱعۡبُدۡهُ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ لِعِبَٰدَتِهِۦۚ هَلۡ تَعۡلَمُ لَهُۥ سَمِيّٗا ٦٥
Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them - so worship Him and have patience for His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him?"
19:66
وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَءِذَا مَا مِتُّ لَسَوۡفَ أُخۡرَجُ حَيًّا ٦٦
And man [i.e., the disbeliever] says, "When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?"
19:67
أَوَلَا يَذۡكُرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَلَمۡ يَكُ شَيۡـٔٗا ٦٧
Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?
19:68
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَحۡشُرَنَّهُمۡ وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ ثُمَّ لَنُحۡضِرَنَّهُمۡ حَوۡلَ جَهَنَّمَ جِثِيّٗا ٦٨
So by your Lord, We will surely gather them and the devils; then We will bring them to be present around Hell upon their knees.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., fallen on their knees from terror or dragged there unwillingly on their knees. ↩
19:69
ثُمَّ لَنَنزِعَنَّ مِن كُلِّ شِيعَةٍ أَيُّهُمۡ أَشَدُّ عَلَى ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ عِتِيّٗا ٦٩
Then We will surely extract from every sect those of them who were worst against the Most Merciful in insolence.
19:70
ثُمَّ لَنَحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ أَوۡلَىٰ بِهَا صِلِيّٗا ٧٠
Then, surely it is We who are most knowing of those most worthy of burning therein.
19:71
وَإِن مِّنكُمۡ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَاۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتۡمٗا مَّقۡضِيّٗا ٧١
And there is none of you except he will come to it.1 This is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., be exposed to it. However, the people of Paradise will not be harmed thereby. ↩
19:72
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّنَذَرُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيّٗا ٧٢
Then We will save those who feared Allāh and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees.
19:73
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَيُّ ٱلۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ خَيۡرٞ مَّقَامٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ نَدِيّٗا ٧٣
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"1
1 translator’s note
- In regard to worldly interests. ↩
19:74
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ أَثَٰثٗا وَرِءۡيٗا ٧٤
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them who were better in possessions and [outward] appearance?
19:75
قُلۡ مَن كَانَ فِي ٱلضَّلَٰلَةِ فَلۡيَمۡدُدۡ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ مَدًّاۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗا وَأَضۡعَفُ جُندٗا ٧٥
Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension [in wealth and time] until, when they see that which they were promised - either punishment [in this world] or the Hour [of resurrection] - they will come to know who is worst in position and weaker in soldiers."
19:76
وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ هُدٗىۗ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٞ مَّرَدًّا ٧٦
And Allāh increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord1 for reward and better for recourse.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in the sight or evaluation of Allāh. ↩