Tafsir of Surah Al-An'am - Verse 124

Evil Plots of the Leaders of the Criminals and their Subsequent Demise

Allah says: Just as We appointed chiefs and leaders for the criminals who call to disbelief, hinder from the path of Allah, and oppose and defy you in your town, O Muhammad. Such was also the case with the Messengers before you, who were tested with the same. But the good end was always theirs.' Allah said in other Ayat,

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوّاً مِّنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ

(Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the criminals.) 25:31 Allah said,

وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا

(And when We decide to destroy a town, We send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury, and they transgress therein.) 17:16 meaning, We command them to obey Us, but they defy the command and as a consequence, We destroy them. It was also said that, "We send a definite order", in the last Ayah means, "We decree for them," as Allah stated here

لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا

(to plot therein.) Ibn Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas explained the Ayah

أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا

(. ..great ones of its wicked people to plot therein.) "We give the leadership to these wicked ones and they commit evil in it. When they do this, We destroy them with Our torment." Mujahid and Qatadah said that in the Ayah,

أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا

(great ones) refers to leaders. I say that this is also the meaning of Allah's statements,

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ - وَقَالُواْ نَحْنُ أَكْثَـرُ أَمْوَلاً وَأَوْلَـداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

(And We did not send a warner to a township, but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them, said: "We believe not in what you have been sent with." And they say: "We have too much wealth and too many children and we are not going to suffer punishment.") 34:34-35 And,

وَكَذَلِكَ مَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ

(And similarly, We sent not a warner before you to any town but the luxurious ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps.") 43:23 `Plot' in the Ayah 6:123 refers to beautified speech and various actions with which the evil ones call to misguidance. Allah said about the people of Prophet Nuh, peace be upon him,

وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً

(And they have plotted a mighty plot. ) 71:22 Allah said,

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ بِهَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ وَلاَ بِالَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ لَوْلاَ أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ أَنَحْنُ صَدَدنَـكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَكُمْ بَلْ كُنتُمْ مُّجْرِمِينَ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَاداً

(But if you could see when the wrongdoers will be made to stand before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers." And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you Nay, but you were criminals." Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals for Him!") 34:31-33. Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn Abi `Umar said that Sufyan said, "Every `plot' mentioned in the Qur'an refers to actions." Allah's statement,

وَمَا يَمْكُرُونَ إِلاَّ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ

(But they plot not except against themselves, and they perceive (it) not.) means, the harm of their wicked plots, as well as misguiding those whom they lead astray, will only strike them. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالاً مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ

(And verily, they shall bear their own loads, and other loads besides their own.) 29:13 and,

وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ

(And also of the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge. Evil indeed is that which they shall bear!) 16:25. Allah said;

وَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌ قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّى نُؤْتَى مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ اللَّهِ

(And when there comes to them a sign they say: "We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah received.") When there comes to them a sign they say,

لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّى نُؤْتَى مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ اللَّهِ

("We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah received.") until the angels bring us the Message from Allah, just as they brought it to the Messengers. In another Ayah, Allah said,

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوْلاَ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْمَلَـئِكَةُ أَوْ نَرَى رَبَّنَا

(And those who expect not a meeting with Us said: "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord") 25:21. Allah's statement,

اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ

(Allah knows best with whom to entrust His Message.) means, He knows best with whom His Message should be given and which of His creatures are suitable for it. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَقَالُواْ لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ

(And they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns" Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord) 43:31-32. They said, why was not this Qur'an revealed to a mighty, respectable leader, honored by us,

مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ

(...from one of the two towns) Of Makkah and At-Ta'if. This is because they, may Allah curse them, belittled the Messenger out of envy, transgression, rebellion and defiance. Allah described them,

وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً

(And when they see you, they only mock: "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") 25:41 and

وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى يَذْكُرُ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَهُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ هُمْ كَـفِرُونَ

(And when those who disbelieved see you, they only mock at you: "Is this the one who talks about your gods" While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious (Allah).) 21:36, and,

وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

(Indeed Messengers were mocked before, but the scoffers were surrounded by that, whereat they used to mock.) 21:41

The Disbelievers Admit to the Prophet's Nobility of Lineage

The disbelievers did all of this although they admitted to the Prophet's virtue, honorable lineage, respectable ancestry and purity of household and upbringing, may Allah, His angels, and the believers send blessings upon him. The disbelievers used to call the Prophet , before he received revelation, `Al-Amin' -- the Truthful. The leader of the Quraysh disbelievers, Abu Sufyan, had to admit to this fact when Heraclius, emperor of Rome, asked him, "How honorable is his (the Prophet's) ancestral lineage among you" Abu Sufyan answered, "His ancestry is highly regarded among us." Heraclius asked, "Do you find that he lied, before he started his mission" Abu Sufyan replied, "No." The emperor of Rome relied on the honor and purity of the Prophet to recognize the truth of his prophethood and what he came with. Imam Ahmad recorded that Wathilah bin Al-Asqa` said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ اصْطَفَى مِنْ وَلَدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَاصْطَفَى مِنْ بَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ بَنِي كِنَانَةَ وَاصْطَفَى مِنْ بَنِي كِنَانَةَ قُرَيْشًا وَاصْطَفَى مِنْنُقرَيْشٍ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَاصْطَفَانِي مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِم»

(Verily, Allah has chosen Isma`il from the offspring of Ibrahim, Bani Kinanah from the offspring of Isma`il, Quraysh from Bani Kinanah, Bani Hashim from Quraysh and, He has chosen me from Bani Hashim.) Muslim recorded this Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«بُعِثْتُ مِنْ خَيْرِ قُرُونِ بَنِي آدَمَ قَرْنًا فَقَرْنًا، حَتَّى بُعِثْتُ مِنَ الْقَرْنِ الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيه»

(I was chosen from a succession of the best generations of the Children of Adam, until the generation I was sent in.) Allah's said,

سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ صَغَارٌ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ

(Humiliation and disgrace from Allah and a severe torment will overtake the criminals...) This is a stern threat and sure promise from Allah for those who arrogantly refrain from obeying His Messengers and adhering to what they came with. On the Day of Resurrection, they will suffer humiliation and eternal disgrace before Allah, because they were arrogant in the worldly life. This is why it is befitting that they earn disgrace on the Day of Resurrection. Allah said in another Ayah,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ

(Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) 40:60 disgrace and dishonor. Allah said next,

وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَمْكُرُونَ

(and a severe torment for that which they used to plot.) Since plotting usually takes place in secret and involves treachery and deceit, the disbelievers were recompensed with severe torment from Allah on the Day of Resurrection, as a just reckoning,

وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

(And your Lord treats no one with injustice) 18:49 Allah said in another Ayah,

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَآئِرُ

(The Day when all the secrets will be examined. ) 86:9 Meaning, the secrets, hidden thoughts and intentions will be exposed. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«يُنْصَبُ لِكُلِّ غَادِرٍ لِوَاءٌ عِنْدَ اسْتِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَيُقَالُ: هَذِهِ غَدْرَةُ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَان»

(A banner will be raised for every deceitful person from his anus on the Day of Resurrection, and it will say; `This is the treacherous plot of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, son of so-and-so.,) The wisdom in this is that since a plot occurs in secret, and people are usually unaware of it, then on the Day of Resurrection the plot itself will become public news testifying to the actions of those who committed it.

In the second verse (124), mentioned there is a conversation relating to the same chiefs of the Quraysh. What they said was a combination of verbal belligerence, sarcasm and mockery. It was answered.

Imam al-Baghawi reports from Sayyidna Qatadah that Abu Jahl, the big chief of the tribe of Quraysh once said: We have confronted Banu ` Abd Munaf (that is, the family of the Holy Prophet ﷺ) on every front and we have never been behind them. But, now they say: ` you cannot match us in nobility and spiritual greatness because we have a prophet in our family who receives revelation from Allah Ta` ala.' Then he said: I swear by Allah that we will never follow them unless we too start receiving the kind of revelation he receives. The statement: وَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ رُ‌سُلُ اللَّـهِ (And when a sign comes to them, they say, "We shall never come to believe unless we are given the like of what was given to the messengers of Allah) at the end of the verse means exactly this.

Prophets and Messengers are appointed by Allah:

This Office cannot be acquired or appropriated:

After having reported the statement quoted above, the Qur'an answers it by saying: للَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِ‌سَالَتَهُ (Alah knows best where to place his message). It means that the person making this remark thinks in His ignorance that the station of a prophet and messenger can be ac-quired on the basis of family nobility, tribal authority and wealth while prophethood is the office of the Vice Regency (Khilafah) of Allah the acquisition of which is in no one's control. No matter how many excellences and perfections one has acquired for himself, still no one can through his discretion or control or power of achievement - succeed in acquiring the office and station of prophethood and messenger-ship. That is purely a blessing of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. He bestows it on whomsoever He wills.

This proves that prophethood and messenger-ship are not controlled by human beings. They are not what can be acquired by intellectual perfection or pragmatic excellence or utmost striving or consuming devotion. Even a waliyy or saint, no matter how high he may soar in his spiritual station, cannot acquire it. That is nothing but Divine grace as it is given only to particular servants of Allah as dictated by Divine knowledge and wisdom. However, it is necessary that whoever is chosen to occupy this station and office, in the ultimate knowledge of Allah Ta` ala, is identified right from the beginning when he is created with appropriate inherent ability and then he is specially groomed in his morals and deeds.

Towards the end of the verse, it was said: سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَ‌مُوا صَغَارٌ‌ عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمْكُرُ‌ونَ ﴿124﴾ (Those who committed sin shall soon suffer from disgrace before Allah and face severe punishment for the mischief they have been making). Here, the word: صَغَار (saghar) is a verbal noun which means disgrace. The sentence means that these antagonists of truth who are known to be the big chiefs of their people will see their pride and prestige rolling in dust. Disgrace is coming; so is punishment - and both are grim. That can be within the life of the present world, and in the 'Akhirah as well - as has been the fate of the oppressors of the prophets in the past who were put to disgrace in the present world as well. The topmost antagonists of our own Prophet ﷺ ، may the blessing of Allah and peace be upon him, who boasted about their prestige, either entered the fold of Islam or, as was the case with those who did not, were destroyed in disgrace. at happened to the legendary chiefs of Quraysh, Abu Jahl and Abu Lahb, became a lesson when the Conquest of Makkah broke their backs.

Those who have captured public attention by claiming self-made things to be God’s religion, become inimical toward every voice which calls upon people to adhere to true religion. Every such voice appears to them to be a no-confidence motion directed against themselves. The luminaries of the time then ferret out trivial points by which to defame the call of Truth, so as to prevent the general public from being influenced by it. They give wrong direction to the reasoning of Truth and cause the public to become doubtful. They even try to denigrate the personality of the preacher by casting baseless aspersions on him. But such efforts only increase their guilt; they are unable to harm the preacher and his call in any way. The righteous person is one who sees the Truth, even when worldly glories have not graced it. Accepting the Truth when it is surrounded by worldly glories, amounts to accepting the worldly glories and not the Truth.