Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
Al-Ahqaf 46:33–35
46:33–34Page 506
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَلَمۡ يَعۡيَ بِخَلۡقِهِنَّ بِقَٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحۡـِۧيَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۚ بَلَىٰٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٣٣
Do they not see that Allāh, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail in their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
وَيَوۡمَ يُعۡرَضُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ أَلَيۡسَ هَٰذَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَاۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ ٣٤
And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire [it will be said], "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will say, "Then taste the punishment for what you used to deny."1
The coming into existence of the gigantic universe consisting of the heavens and the earth and then its functioning for millions of years in perfect harmony and with total precision proves that the Creator of this universe is the possessor of immense powers. Moreover, bringing the universe into existence did not exhaust His resources. Had the work of creation been fatiguing for Him, the universe after creation would not have been found running with such great exactitude. The immense power of God being demonstrated throughout the universe suffices for us to be certain that the resurrection of human beings and the taking stock of their deeds is not at all difficult for Him. In the present world reality comes before a man, but he does not accept it. This is because the result of the denial of reality is not immediately obvious. In the Hereafter, the terrible consequences will be there before every man; he will then become extremely serious and will readily accept the reality which he was not prepared to accept in the present world. However, acceptance of truth at that time will be of no avail.
46:35Page 506
فَٱصۡبِرۡ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعَزۡمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسۡتَعۡجِل لَّهُمۡۚ كَأَنَّهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَرَوۡنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمۡ يَلۡبَثُوٓاْ إِلَّا سَاعَةٗ مِّن نَّهَارِۭۚ بَلَٰغٞۚ فَهَلۡ يُهۡلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلۡفَٰسِقُونَ ٣٥
So be patient, [O Muḥammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them.1 It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?
A preacher who calls for the acceptance of Truth has always to stand on the firm ground of patience. Patience in fact consists of unilaterally ignoring the tortures inflicted by his addressees. He should continuously exhort his addressees to enter his fold, in spite of their obduracy and their adamant rejection of his plea. He should always and in all cases be their well-wisher, regardless of the unpleasant experiences he has had on their account. This unilateral patience is necessary because, without this, God’s plan for the addressees would remain unfulfilled. All God’s messengers and prophets of every period have performed the task of giving the call of Truth in a similar manner, with patience and perseverance. In future also those who perform this task as deputies of the prophets shall have to do it on the same pattern. In the eyes of God only those will be adjudged true preachers (da‘is), who can unilaterally show the capacity for tolerance.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences