Al-Ahqaf 46:6
The Wind-Curved Sandhills · Juz 26 · Page 503
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَآءٗ وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَ ٦
And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 46:4–8
Commentary
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ (Say, "Tell me about those whom you invoke instead of Allah,...46:4) In these verses, the claim of the polytheists about the existence of some other gods has been refuted by demanding a proof to substantiate this claim, because no claim can be accepted, neither rationally nor according to the religious principles, unless it is proved by concrete evidences to support it. Then dealing with all possible types of arguments, it has been proved that they do not have any evidence or proof in their favor, and that their insisting on such a baseless claim is nothing but deviation from the truth. The arguments have been classified by these verses in three types. One is a rational argument. Verse 4 negates any argument of this type in their favor by saying, أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُوا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ "Show me what they have created of the earth; Or have they a share in (the creation of the heavens?" (46:4)
The second type of argument is that which refers to and relies on the statement of an authority. It is obvious that, in any matter concerning Allah, no one can be an authority except Allah Himself, and His statements can be proved either by the divine books, like Torah, Injil or Qur'an, or by the sayings of the prophets sent by Him. Negation of the first type of authority in their case is established by saying, ائْتُونِي بِكِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ هَٰذَا "Bring to me a book (revealed) before this one, (46:4) " meaning that if you have any proof of this type, then bring the book revealed before the Qur'an which allows idol-worship. And the second type of argument (that may be based on the saying of a prophet) has been negated by saying, أَوْ أَثَارَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ "or a trace of knowledge," (46:4) meaning thereby that if you cannot bring any revealed book to prove the validity of idol-worship, then at least put forward any authentic saying of any prophet which proves your contention. And if you can do neither, then your words and deeds are totally misguided.
The original word used in the text is 'atharah' which is an infinitive in the sense of 'reporting' and has been explained by ` Ikrimah and Muqatil to mean a dictum of a prophet.
The explanation given above is taken from the Tafsir of Qurtubi, and this is the explanation accepted by most exegetes. There are some other views in the interpretation of this verse, but they are neither well-established, nor in full harmony with the textual structure. Therefore, they are not adopted by the majority of the exegetes. (Allah knows best)
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46:6
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَآءٗ وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَ ٦
And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.
46:7
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ هَٰذَا سِحۡرٞ مُّبِينٌ ٧
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is obvious magic."
46:8
أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُۖ قُلۡ إِنِ ٱفۡتَرَيۡتُهُۥ فَلَا تَمۡلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔاۖ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِۚ كَفَىٰ بِهِۦ شَهِيدَۢا بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٨
Or do they say, "He has invented it"? Say, "If I have invented it, you will not possess for me [the power of protection] from Allāh at all. He is most knowing of that in which you are involved.1 Sufficient is He as Witness between me and you, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
1 translator’s note
- Of false implications and suggestions. ↩
46:9
قُلۡ مَا كُنتُ بِدۡعٗا مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَمَآ أَدۡرِي مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمۡۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ ٩
Say, "I am not something new among the messengers,1 nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner."
1 translator’s note
- i.e., I am neither the first messenger to be sent, nor do I bring something different from the other messengers. ↩
46:10
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٞ مِّنۢ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ مِثۡلِهِۦ فَـَٔامَنَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٠
Say, "Have you considered: if it [i.e., the Qur’ān] was from Allāh, and you disbelieved in it while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to something similar1 and believed while you were arrogant...?"2 Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
46:11
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوۡ كَانَ خَيۡرٗا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيۡهِۚ وَإِذۡ لَمۡ يَهۡتَدُواْ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَٰذَآ إِفۡكٞ قَدِيمٞ ١١
And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, "If it had [truly] been good, they would not have preceded us to it." And when they are not guided by it, they will say, "This is an ancient falsehood."
46:12
وَمِن قَبۡلِهِۦ كِتَٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامٗا وَرَحۡمَةٗۚ وَهَٰذَا كِتَٰبٞ مُّصَدِّقٞ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيّٗا لِّيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٢
And before it was the scripture of Moses to lead and as a mercy. And this is a confirming Book in an Arabic tongue to warn those who have wronged and as good tidings to the doers of good.
46:13
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ١٣
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allāh," and then remained on a right course - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
46:14
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٤
Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding eternally therein as reward for what they used to do.