Ar-Rum 30:49
The Romans · Juz 21 · Page 409
وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمُبۡلِسِينَ ٤٩
Although they were, before it was sent down upon them - before that, in despair.
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 30:47–51
Commentary
فَانتَقَمْنَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Then We took vengeance upon those who were guilty. And it was due on Us to help the believers. -30:47). This verse tells us that Allah Ta’ ala has taken it upon Himself to help the believers. On the face of this statement, one would have expected that Muslims would never be defeated against the infidels. But on many occasions, results have been exactly opposite. Answer to this confusion is at hand in this very verse, that by the word 'believers' those believers are intended who fight with infidels purely for the sake of Allah. Allah Ta’ ala takes revenge of only such believers from the criminals and helps them overpower their adversaries. Wherever the position is different, it is due to some sort of slip on the part of the believers, as Qur'an itself has quoted about the battle of Uhud: إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا (Shaitan had but made them slip for some of their deeds - 3:155). Even in such a situation, Allah Ta’ ala graces them with victory and upper hand, once they realize their fault, as it happened in the battle of Uhud. As for such people who are Muslims only by name and are habitual defiant and negligent of the teachings of Islam, and are not penitent even when the infidels gain upper hand, they are for sure not included in this promise of Allah Ta’ ala, and do not qualify for His help. Nonetheless, Allah Ta’ ala provides help by His grace on many occasions without any one deserving it. Therefore, it is always beneficial to beg for His mercy and hope for His help.
Page 409
30:42
قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلُۚ كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّشۡرِكِينَ ٤٢
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Travel through the land and observe how was the end of those before. Most of them were associators [of others with Allāh].
30:43
فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ ٱلۡقَيِّمِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ يَوۡمٞ لَّا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَصَّدَّعُونَ ٤٣
So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the correct religion before a Day comes from Allāh of which there is no repelling. That Day, they will be divided.1
1 translator’s note
- Into those destined for Paradise and those destined for Hell. ↩
30:44
مَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيۡهِ كُفۡرُهُۥۖ وَمَنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلِأَنفُسِهِمۡ يَمۡهَدُونَ ٤٤
Whoever disbelieves - upon him is [the consequence of] his disbelief. And whoever does righteousness - they are for themselves preparing,
30:45
لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٤٥
That He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds out of His bounty. Indeed, He does not like the disbelievers.
30:46
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن يُرۡسِلَ ٱلرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَٰتٖ وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَلِتَجۡرِيَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ٤٦
And of His signs is that He sends the winds as bringers of good tidings and to let you taste His mercy [i.e., rain] and so the ships may sail at His command and so you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful.
30:47
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِمۡ فَجَآءُوهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجۡرَمُواْۖ وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيۡنَا نَصۡرُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٤٧
And We have already sent messengers before you to their peoples, and they came to them with clear evidences; then We took retribution from those who committed crimes, and incumbent upon Us was support1 of the believers.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., aid or the bestowal of victory. ↩
30:48
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابٗا فَيَبۡسُطُهُۥ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجۡعَلُهُۥ كِسَفٗا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَٰلِهِۦۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ ٤٨
It is Allāh who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice
30:49
وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمُبۡلِسِينَ ٤٩
Although they were, before it was sent down upon them - before that, in despair.
30:50
فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِ رَحۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَيۡفَ يُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٥٠
So observe the effects of the mercy of Allāh - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed, that [same one] will give life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.