Tafsir of Surah Al-Mu'minun - Verse 116

Allah tells them how much they wasted in their short lives in this world by failing to obey Allah and worship Him Alone.

If they had been patient during their short stay in this world, they would have attained victory just like His pious close friends.

قَـلَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ

(He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth") means, how long did you stay in this world

قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْماً أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَآدِّينَ

(They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.") meaning, those who keep the records.

قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

(He will say: "You stayed not but a little...") meaning, it was only a short time, no matter how you look at it.

لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

(if you had only known!) means, you would not have preferred the transient to the eternal, and treated yourself in this bad way, and earned the wrath of Allah in this short period. If you had patiently obeyed Allah and worshipped Him as the believers did, you would have attained victory just as they did.

Allah did not create His Servants in vain

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً

(Did you think that We had created you in play,) means, `did you think that you were created in vain, with no purpose, with nothing required of you and no wisdom on Our part' Or it was said that "in play" meant to play and amuse yourselves, like the animals were created, who have no reward or punishment. But you were created to worship Allah and carry out His commands.

وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ

(and that you would not be brought back to Us) means, that you would not be brought back to the Hereafter. This is like the Ayah:

أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى

(Does man think that he will be left neglected) 75:36

فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ

(So Exalted be Allah, the True King.) means, sanctified be He above the idea that he should create anything in vain, for He is the True King Who is far above doing such a thing.

لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

(None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of Al-`Arsh Al-Karim!) The Throne is mentioned because it is the highest point of all creation, and it is described as Karim, meaning beautiful in appearance and splendid in form, as Allah says elsewhere:

أَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ

(every good kind We cause to grow therein) 26:7.

Commentary

The last few verses of this Surah Al-Mu'minun from verse 115 to verse 118 have special merit. Baghawi and Thalabi have related from Sayyidna Ibn Masud ؓ that he came across a person who was very ill. He recited the above verses into the sick man's ears and he was cured immediately. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him what he had whispered in the sick man's ears to which Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ replied that he had recited these verses (115 to 118) in his ears. Thereupon the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "I swear by Him Who has power over my life that if a person with genuine faith were to recite these verses on a mountain, the mountain itself may move from its place". (Qurtubi and Mazhari)

There are two types of human beings: one leads a principled life, while another leads an unprincipled one. While one sacrifices himself for the sake of an unseen Truth, the other remains preoccupied with visible things. While one accepts the call for Truth—in spite of all its unfamiliarity—the other ignores it or even ridicules it. While one abstains from indulging in cruelty—solely because God has prohibited it, another becomes a tyrant at the very first opportunity, because his self-interest bids him do so. The meaningfulness of the universe contradicts the theory that there is no purpose behind the creation of this world. The perfect system of the universe shows its Creator to be a highly intelligent Being. The vast and perfect system of the universe introduces us to a Creator Who is perfect to the ultimate degree. It is inconceivable that such a Creator would countenance or tolerate the aforesaid two types of individuals meeting the same end. This is totally impossible. The Lord of this universe will certainly scorn those who scoffed at the Truth and will show His appreciation for those who valued it.