Tafsir of Surah Yunus - Verse 2

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

تِلْكَ ءاَيَـتُ الْكِتَـبِ الْحَكِيمِ

(These are the verses of the Book (the Qur'an) Al-Hakim.) This indicates that these are verses of the Qur'an, in which the wisdom of judgment is clear.

The Messenger cannot be but a Human Being

Allah rebukes the attitude of the disbelievers with the words

أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا

(Is it a wonder for mankind...) They have always found it strange that Allah would send Messengers to them from among mankind. Allah also tells us about other people from previous nations who said,

أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا

(Shall mere men guide us) (64:6) Hud and Salih said to their people:

أَوَ عَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْكُمْ

(Do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you.) (7:63) Allah also told us what the disbelievers from Quraysh said:

أَجَعَلَ الاٌّلِهَةَ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عُجَابٌ

(Has he made the gods into one God Verily, this is a curious thing!) (38:5) Ad-Dahhak reported Ibn `Abbas that he said: "When Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ as a Messenger, most of the Arabs denied him and his message and said: Allah is greater than sending a human Messenger like Muhammad ﷺ. " Ibn `Abbas said, "So Allah revealed:

أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا

(Is it a wonder for mankind...)" Allah's statement;

أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

(that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds) Scholars have differed over the meaning of the reward for the good deeds in this Ayah:

وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ

(and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah, "Eternal happiness has been written for them." Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "It is the good reward for what they have done." Mujahid said: "It is their good deeds -- their prayers, fasting, charity, and glorification." He then said, "And Muhammad will intercede for them." Allah said:

قَالَ الْكَـفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسَـحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ

((But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer!") This means that the disbelievers said this although Allah has sent a Messenger from among themselves to them, a man of their own race as a bearer of good news and as a warner. But they are the liars in saying that.

The second verse refers to a doubt expressed by the Mushriks, and provides its answer. In a nutshell, these people had, out of their ignorance, somehow decided that a Messenger or Prophet who comes from Allah Ta ala should not be a human being (al-bashar), instead, he should be an angel. The Qur'an has refuted this absurd idea of theirs on several occasions from different angles. In one such verse, it was قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مَلَائِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَكًا رَّ‌سُولًا ﴿95﴾ said: (Say, Had there been angels walking in peace on the Earth, We would have certainly sent to them from the heavens an angel-messenger!" - 17:95). In sum, the mission of a messenger cannot be accomplished unless there is a mutual homogeneity between this messenger and those to whom he is sent. Angels are homogenous to angels and human beings to human beings. If the purpose is to send a messenger for human beings, only a human being has to be made a messenger.

The same subject has been taken up in this verse in a different manner. The text sees no reason why would people wonder that a human being was made a messenger? Why was a human being entrusted with the mission of warning the disobedient ones against the punishment of Allah? Why was the task of heralding the good news of His re-wards to the obedient ones assigned again to a human being? This kind of wondering deserves a counter-wonder, for sending a human messenger to the human race is perfect commonsense.

Good news to believers has been given in this verse by saying: قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَ‌بِّهِمْ (that they will have a perfect place with their Lord). The initial meaning of the word: قَدَم (qadam) used here is ` step' as in English. Since 'qadam' is the medium of a person's effort, and advancement in its wake, therefore, a higher rank is called a 'qadam' in a figurative sense. Then, by attributing 'qadam' (high rank, place of honor) to صِدق ` sidq' (perfect as being true, certain, abiding, everlasting), it was emphasized that the high rank they were to get was real, certain, established, abiding and everlasting. This was not something like the ranks and offices of the mortal world. To begin with, it is never certain that one would get these at all. If, as a result of some extra effort, one does get one of these, their continuity cannot be certain. In fact, what is certain is that these will vanish in time. Sometimes, this could happen within one's lifetime. But, when comes the time to die, one goes empty-handed. All ranks, offices, blessings remain behind. So, the word: (sidq) includes the sense of certainty, and also that of being perfect and everlasting in it. Therefore, the sentence means: 0 Proph-et, give believers the good news that they will have a perfect place with their Lord, an asset that is certain and lasting.

Some commentators have said: Through the introduction of the word sidq at this place, an indication has been given that these high ranks can be achieved only through truth and absolute sincerity. Mere verbal claims of having faith and a formal recital of the Kalimah of 'Iman is not enough, until one embraces the faith, truly and duly, verbally and emotionally and intellectually. It will invariably result in adherence to good deeds and avoidance of the evil ones.

A prophet’s call is always based on sound and strong reasoning. Thanks to his extraordinary manner of expression, he is himself proof of his speaking on behalf of God. In spite of this, people of every period have rejected the prophets. The reason for this is man’s passion for external appearances. In the eyes of his contemporaries, a prophet is an ordinary man like other ordinary men. The glories of history, which later on become attached to his name, have not yet gathered around him. So, his contemporaries overlook him, considering him to be an ordinary man. They are unable either to look at the prophet as one deputed by God or to appreciate him in view of the history that is going to take shape in future. Yet the fact remains that everyone will be compelled to realise his prophetic greatness in due course. A prophet’s call is entirely miraculous and leaves its hearers bereft of any argument. It is quite spell-binding. Finding themselves helpless in the field of arguments, the prophet’s hearers start maligning his message. In this way they cast doubts upon the veracity of his words. Thinking like simpletons, they scorn the call as nothing but makebelieve. They call it verbal witchcraft and as such of no consequence. The real mission of a prophet is warning others (inzar) and giving good news (tabshir). That is, warning people of God’s retribution and giving good news of Paradise to those who are ready to live in the world in fear of God. The prophet appears in the world in order to make people aware of the fact that man is not free and all-powerful in this world and that the story of his life is not going to end with his death. Indeed, there is eternal life after death and man should take the utmost care to prepare for this. One who is unmindful of this or adopts an attitude of insolence, will reach the world after death in such a condition that nothing will await him there except agony and misery. One for whom outward appearance is all-important thinks that honour and glory attach to those who are in possession of worldly power, who are the possessors of worldly wealth. The Prophet says that this is deceptive; that such honour and glory exist only amongst fellow-human beings in this ephemeral worldly life. Real honour and glory are to be achieved in the eternal life in the presence of God; only such honour and glory are both real and eternal.