Saba 34:28
Sheba · Juz 22 · Page 431
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٢٨
And We have not sent you except comprehensively1 to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "inclusively, without exception." ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
Change
Commentary on 34:28–30
The Prophet was sent to all of Mankind Allah says to His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَكَ إِلاَّ كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً
(And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind,) i.e., to all of creation among those who are accountable for their deeds. This is like the Ayah:
قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.") (7:158)
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَلَمِينَ نَذِيراً
(Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the all creatures.) (25:1)
بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً
a giver of glad tidings and a warner means, to bring the glad tidings of Paradise to those who obey you and to warn of the fire of Hell to those who disobey you. This is like the A0ya0t:
وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
(and most of men know not.)
وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly. ) (12:103)
وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
(And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path) (6:116). Muhammad bin Ka`b said concerning the Ayah:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَكَ إِلاَّ كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ
(And We have not sent you except to all mankind) meaning, to all the people. Qatadah said concerning this Ayah, "Allah, may He be exalted, sent Muhammad ﷺ to both the Arabs and the non-Arabs, so the most honored of them with Allah is the one who is most obedient to Allah." In the Two Sahihs it was reported that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي: نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، فَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلَاةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَلَمْ تَحِلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»
(I have been given five things which were not given to any of the Prophets before me. I have been aided by fear (the distance of ) a month's journey. The entire earth has been made a Masjid and a means of purification for me, so that when the time for prayer comes, any man of my Ummah should pray. The spoils of war have been made permissible for me, whereas they were not permitted for any before me. I have been given the power of intercession; and the Prophets before me were sent to their own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind.)" It was also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«بُعِثْتُ إِلَى الْأَسْوَدِ وَالْأَحْمَر»
(I have been sent to the black and the red.) Mujahid said, "This means to the Jinn and to mankind." Others said that it meant the Arabs and the non-Arabs. Both meanings are correct.
How the Disbelievers asked about when the Resurrection wouldhappen, and the Response to Them Allah tells us how thedisbelievers believed it unlikely that the Hour would ever come to pass:
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَدِقِينَ
(And they say: "When is this promise if you are truthful") This is like the Ayah:
يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ
(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth...) (42:18) Then Allah says:
قُل لَّكُم مِّيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لاَّ تَسْتََخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلاَ تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
(Say: "The appointment to you is for a Day, which you cannot for an hour move back nor forward.") meaning, `you have an appointed time which is fixed and cannot be changed or altered. When it comes, you will not be able to put it back or bring it forward,' as Allah says:
إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لاَ يُؤَخَّرُ
(Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed) (71:4).
وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ - يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ
(And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed. On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave. Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) (11:104-105).
Page 431
34:23
وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۥۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمۡ قَالُواْ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ ٢٣
And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts,1 they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the hearts of the angels who will be permitted to intercede. ↩
34:24
۞ قُلۡ مَن يَرۡزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُۖ وَإِنَّآ أَوۡ إِيَّاكُمۡ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوۡ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٢٤
Say, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "Allāh. And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error."
34:25
قُل لَّا تُسۡـَٔلُونَ عَمَّآ أَجۡرَمۡنَا وَلَا نُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ ٢٥
Say, "You will not be asked about what we committed, and we will not be asked about what you do."
34:26
قُلۡ يَجۡمَعُ بَيۡنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ يَفۡتَحُ بَيۡنَنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَهُوَ ٱلۡفَتَّاحُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٢٦
Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us in truth. And He is the Knowing Judge."1
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "Opener," i.e., He who decides and lays open all matters in truth and justice and who opens the way to victory, success, relief, knowledge and understanding. ↩
34:27
قُلۡ أَرُونِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَلۡحَقۡتُم بِهِۦ شُرَكَآءَۖ كـَلَّاۚ بَلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٢٧
Say, "Show me those whom you have attached to Him as partners. No! Rather, He [alone] is Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
34:28
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٢٨
And We have not sent you except comprehensively1 to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "inclusively, without exception." ↩
34:29
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلۡوَعۡدُ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٢٩
And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
34:30
قُل لَّكُم مِّيعَادُ يَوۡمٖ لَّا تَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ عَنۡهُ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا تَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ ٣٠
Say, "For you is the appointment of a Day [when] you will not remain thereafter an hour, nor will you precede [it]."
34:31
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ وَلَا بِٱلَّذِي بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِۗ وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ مَوۡقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡجِعُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ ٱلۡقَوۡلَ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتُضۡعِفُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ لَوۡلَآ أَنتُمۡ لَكُنَّا مُؤۡمِنِينَ ٣١
And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur’ān nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each others' words...1 Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers."
1 translator’s note
- Having been left to the imagination, the conclusion of this sentence is estimated to be "...you would see a dreadful sight." ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy