Tafsir of Surah Al-Ahqaf - Verse 35

Commanding the Prophet to persevere

Allah then commands His Messenger to observe patience with those who rejected him among his people. He says,

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُواْ الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ

(Therefore be patient as did those of determination among the Messengers.) meaning, as they were patient with their people's rejection of them. "Those of determination" among the Messengers are Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, `Isa and the last of all of the Prophets, Muhammad ﷺ. Allah has specifically mentioned their names in two Ayat: Surat Al-Ahzab (33:7) and Surat Ash-Shura (42:13).

وَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ

(and be in no hurry for them.) which means, `do not rush the punishment for them.' This is similar to Allah's saying:

وَذَرْنِى وَالْمُكَذِّبِينَ أُوْلِى النَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِيلاً

(And leave Me alone to deal with the rejectors, those who are in possession of good things of life. And give them respite for a little while.) (73:11)

فَمَهِّلِ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْداً

(So allow time for the disbelievers, and leave them for a while.) (86:17) Then Allah says:

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ

(On the Day when they will see that which they are promised, it will be as though they had not remained (in the world) except an hour in a day.) Which is similar to Allah's saying,

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَـهَا

(On the Day they see it (the Hour), it will be as though they had not remained (in the world) except for a day's afternoon or its morning.) (79:46) and as He says,

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ كَأَن لَّمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ سَاعَةً مِّنَ النَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ

(And on the Day when He shall gather them together, (it will be) as if they had not stayed but an hour of a day. They will recognize each other.)(10:45) Then Allah says,

بَلاَغٌ

(A clear message.) meaning, this Qur'an provides a clear concept.

فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ

(But will any be destroyed except the defiantly rebellious people) Which means that Allah does not destroy anyone except those who choose the way of destruction. It is part of Allah's justice that He does not punish anyone except those who deserve the punishment -- and Allah knows best. This concludes the explanation of Surat Al-Ahqaf. And all praise and blessings are due to Allah. Both success and protection from faults are by His help.

Commentary

أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّ‌سُلِ (...as the resolute messengers observed patience - 46:35). The word 'resolute' has been used here as a qualification for all the messengers, and not only for some of them, because the word 'min' used with 'rusul' is not, according to the authentic exegetes, in the sense of 'some'. It is rather for 'Bayan' (description), to use the grammatical term. The sense is that all messengers are resolute people. Of course, variation in the grades of qualities between messengers is proved from the Holy Qur'an itself:

تِلْكَ الرُّ‌سُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ

Those are the messengers some of whom We have given excellence over some others (2:253)

Therefore those prophets who excel other prophets in the quality of being resolute and courageous have been given this title in a special way, although there are differences of opinion as to who they are. Majority opinion is that this special title is given to those prophets who have been mentioned in the following verse of Sarah Al-Ahzab verse 7:

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍ وَإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْ‌يَمَ

And (recall) when We took from the prophets their covenant, and from you and from Nuh and Ibrahim and Musa and 'Isa, the son of Maryam. And We did take from them a firm covenant, (33:7)

Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ states that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said "The delights, luxuries and pleasures of this world do not befit Muhammad ﷺ and his family, because Allah Ta’ ala does not accept anything less than patience from those who are 'resolute', and I have received this divine order: '"So, 0 prophet, observe patience, as the resolute messengers observed patience. (46:35) "

Al-hamdu1i11ah

The Commentary on

Surah Al-Alikaf (The Sand-dunes)

Ends here

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.