Al-An'am 6:47
The Cattle · Juz 7 · Page 133
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتَكُمۡ إِنۡ أَتَىٰكُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ بَغۡتَةً أَوۡ جَهۡرَةً هَلۡ يُهۡلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٤٧
Say, "Have you considered: if the punishment of Allāh should come to you unexpectedly or manifestly,1 will any be destroyed but the wrongdoing people?"
1 translator’s note
- i.e., before your eyes. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 6:46–49
أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَرَكُمْ
(Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight.) just as He gave these senses to you. In another Ayah, Allah said;
هُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَرَ
(It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing, seeing.) 67:23. The Ayah above might also mean that Allah will not allow the disbelievers to benefit from these senses in religious terms. This is why He said next,
وَخَتَمَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ
(and sealed up your hearts,.) He also said in other Ayat,
أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والاٌّبْصَرَ
(Or who owns hearing and sight) 10:31, and,
وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ
(And know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.) Allah said;
مَّنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ
(Is there a god other than Allah who could restore them to you) Meaning, is there anyone except Allah who is able to give you back these senses if Allah took them from you Only Allah is able to do so, and this is why He said here,
انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَتِ
(See how variously We explain the Ayat,) and make them plain and clear, testifying to Allah's Oneness in lordship and that those worshipped besides Him are all false and unworthy.
ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ
(yet they turn aside.) After this explanation, they still turn away from the truth and hinder people from following it. Allah's statement,
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ بَغْتَةً
(Say: "Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly...") means, while you are unaware -- or during the night -- striking you all of a sudden,
أَوْ جَهْرَةً
(or openly) during the day, or publicly,
هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الظَّلِمُونَ
(will any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people) This torment only strikes those who commit injustice against themselves by associating others with Allah, while those who worship Allah alone without partners will be saved from it, and they will have no fear or sorrow. In another Ayah, Allah said;
الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ
(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, (wrong or Shirk).) 6:82 Allah's statement,
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ
(And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners.) means, the Messengers ﷺ bring good news to Allah's servants, as well as, command all that is good and righteous. They also warn those who disbelieve in Allah of His anger and of all types of torment. Allah said,
فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ
(So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds.) meaning, whoever believes in his heart with what the Messengers were sent with and makes his works righteous by imitating them;
فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
(upon such shall come no fear,) concerning the future,
وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
(nor shall they grieve.) about what they missed in the past and left behind them in this world. Certainly, Allah will be the Wali and Protector over what they left behind. Allah said next,
وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بَِايَتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ
(But those who reject Our Ayat, the torment will strike them for their rebelling.) The torment will strike them because of disbelieving in the Message of the Messengers, defying Allah's commands, committing what He prohibited and transgressing His set limits.
Page 133
6:45
فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْۚ وَٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٤٥
So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
6:46
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِنۡ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ سَمۡعَكُمۡ وَأَبۡصَٰرَكُمۡ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُم مَّنۡ إِلَٰهٌ غَيۡرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأۡتِيكُم بِهِۗ ٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ ثُمَّ هُمۡ يَصۡدِفُونَ ٤٦
Say, "Have you considered:1 if Allāh should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allāh could bring them [back] to you?" Look how We diversify2 the verses; then they [still] turn away.
6:47
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتَكُمۡ إِنۡ أَتَىٰكُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ بَغۡتَةً أَوۡ جَهۡرَةً هَلۡ يُهۡلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٤٧
Say, "Have you considered: if the punishment of Allāh should come to you unexpectedly or manifestly,1 will any be destroyed but the wrongdoing people?"
1 translator’s note
- i.e., before your eyes. ↩
6:48
وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَۖ فَمَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَأَصۡلَحَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ٤٨
And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. So whoever believes and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
6:49
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ ٤٩
But those who deny Our verses - the punishment will touch1 them for their defiant disobedience.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., reach and afflict. ↩
6:50
قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمۡ عِندِي خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمۡ إِنِّي مَلَكٌۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّۚ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡبَصِيرُۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٥٠
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allāh or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?"
6:51
وَأَنذِرۡ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحۡشَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ لَيۡسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ وَلِيّٞ وَلَا شَفِيعٞ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ ٥١
And warn by it [i.e., the Qur’ān] those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord - for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.
6:52
وَلَا تَطۡرُدِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ مَا عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيۡءٖ وَمَا مِنۡ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَتَطۡرُدَهُمۡ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٢
And do not send away those who call upon their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His face [i.e., favor]. Not upon you is anything of their account and not upon them is anything of your account.1 So were you to send them away, you would [then] be of the wrongdoers.
1 translator’s note
- No one is held accountable for the deeds or intentions of another. That is left to Allāh's judgement. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy