As-Saffat 37:141
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 451
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُدۡحَضِينَ ١٤١
And he drew lots1 and was among the losers.
1 translator’s note
- To determine who would be cast overboard in order to save the other passengers. Having been overloaded, the ship was on the verge of sinking. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 37:141–142
Verse 141 opens with the statement: فَسَاهَمَ (fasahama: Then he participated in drawing lots...). These lots were drawn at a time when the boat was caught by a storm while in the middle of the waters. It was apprehended that its excessive weight might cause it to drown. It was decided that one person from the boat should be cast off into the waters. Lots were drawn to determine who would it be.
The Injunction of drawing lots
At this point, it should be borne in mind that the drawing of lots is a method of selecting somebody to do something through which one can neither prove someone's right, nor indict someone as a criminal. For example, no one can be proved to be a thief by drawing lots. Similarly, should two persons differ about the ownership of some property, it cannot be decided by drawing lots as to who owns it. However drawing of lots is permissible - rather, better - on an occasion where a person is totally entitled, Shari'ah-wise, to opt for any course out of the few permissible courses of action available. Now, it is up to him. He can, rather than go by his will and choice and select a course of action, arrive at a decisive line of action by drawing lots. For example, someone who has more than one wife and is going on a journey, then, he has the right to take the wife he elects to take with him. Now, rather than do this following his will and choice, if he were to draw lots, it would be better - so that no one is disheartened. The Holy Prophet t used to do that.
The purpose behind the drawing of lots in this event relating to Sayyidna Yunus (علیہ السلام) was not to label anyone as some culprit. In fact, to save a whole boat-full of passengers, anyone could have been cast away into the waters. So, the name of the person to be cast was determined by drawing lots.
Immediately next in the verse, it was said: فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ and was the one who was defeated." The word: اِدحَاضُ (idhad) literally means to defeat someone or to make him fail, lose. The sense is that it was his name that came up in the draw - and he threw himself into the waters. No one should raise the objection that it was some sort of a suicide plunge, for it is possible that the shore was near and he intended to swim ashore.
Page 451
37:127
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَإِنَّهُمۡ لَمُحۡضَرُونَ ١٢٧
And they denied him, so indeed, they will be brought [for punishment],
37:128
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ١٢٨
Except the chosen servants of Allāh.
37:129
وَتَرَكۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ ١٢٩
And We left for him [favorable mention] among later generations:
37:130
سَلَٰمٌ عَلَىٰٓ إِلۡ يَاسِينَ ١٣٠
"Peace upon Elias."1
1 translator’s note
- Ilyāseen is said by some commentators to be a plural form, meaning "Elias and those who followed him." ↩
37:131
إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٣١
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
37:132
إِنَّهُۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٣٢
Indeed, he was of Our believing servants.
37:133
وَإِنَّ لُوطٗا لَّمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٣٣
And indeed, Lot was among the messengers.
37:134
إِذۡ نَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَأَهۡلَهُۥٓ أَجۡمَعِينَ ١٣٤
[So mention] when We saved him and his family, all,
37:135
إِلَّا عَجُوزٗا فِي ٱلۡغَٰبِرِينَ ١٣٥
Except an old woman [i.e., his wife] among those who remained [with the evildoers].
37:136
ثُمَّ دَمَّرۡنَا ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ ١٣٦
Then We destroyed the others.
37:137
وَإِنَّكُمۡ لَتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيۡهِم مُّصۡبِحِينَ ١٣٧
And indeed, you pass by them in the morning
37:138
وَبِٱلَّيۡلِۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ ١٣٨
And at night. Then will you not use reason?
37:139
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ١٣٩
And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers.
37:140
إِذۡ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلۡمَشۡحُونِ ١٤٠
[Mention] when he ran away to the laden ship.
37:141
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُدۡحَضِينَ ١٤١
And he drew lots1 and was among the losers.
1 translator’s note
- To determine who would be cast overboard in order to save the other passengers. Having been overloaded, the ship was on the verge of sinking. ↩
37:142
فَٱلۡتَقَمَهُ ٱلۡحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ ١٤٢
Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.1
1 translator’s note
- For having given up hope on his people prematurely and having left them without permission from Allāh. ↩
37:143
فَلَوۡلَآ أَنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَبِّحِينَ ١٤٣
And had he not been of those who exalt Allāh,
37:144
لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطۡنِهِۦٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ ١٤٤
He would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.1
1 translator’s note
- Meaning that the belly of the fish would have become his grave. ↩
37:145
۞ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٞ ١٤٥
But We threw him onto the open shore while he was ill.
37:146
وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ شَجَرَةٗ مِّن يَقۡطِينٖ ١٤٦
And We caused to grow over him a gourd vine.1
1 translator’s note
- Which is known to give cooling shade and to be a repellent of flies. ↩
37:147
وَأَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِاْئَةِ أَلۡفٍ أَوۡ يَزِيدُونَ ١٤٧
And We sent him1 to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., returned him thereafter. ↩
37:148
فَـَٔامَنُواْ فَمَتَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ ١٤٨
And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.
37:149
فَٱسۡتَفۡتِهِمۡ أَلِرَبِّكَ ٱلۡبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمُ ٱلۡبَنُونَ ١٤٩
So inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], "Does your Lord have daughters while they have sons?1
1 translator’s note
- The people of Makkah claimed that the angels were daughters of Allāh, yet they preferred sons for themselves. ↩
37:150
أَمۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ إِنَٰثٗا وَهُمۡ شَٰهِدُونَ ١٥٠
Or did We create the angels as females while they were witnesses?"
37:151
أَلَآ إِنَّهُم مِّنۡ إِفۡكِهِمۡ لَيَقُولُونَ ١٥١
Unquestionably, it is out of their [invented] falsehood that they say,
37:152
وَلَدَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ ١٥٢
"Allāh has begotten," and indeed, they are liars.
37:153
أَصۡطَفَى ٱلۡبَنَاتِ عَلَى ٱلۡبَنِينَ ١٥٣
Has He chosen daughters over sons?