In the period before this surah was delivered, the pagan Meccans' disposition toward Muhammad had grown from apathy to mild resentment to open hostility. By considering this surah's descriptions of those who reject the Signs of Allah, readers may observe a shift in perspective - the proclamation here is not so much an invitation as it is an expression of resignation.
Verse 25 states that those who reject Allah's Signs tell Muhammad that he is just repeating ancient tales. This may refer specifically to a Meccan named Nudhar, who was unimpressed with Muhammad and said that he (Muhammad) was just telling the same sort of tales that he (Nudhar) used to tell. Many Meccans were probably familiar with Jewish traditions, and recognized the many overlaps between their contents and the contents of Muhammads "revelations."
The first part of v. 26 has somehow been interpreted by some as if it refers to Abu Talib, Muhammads uncle, who protected Muhammad from the hostile Meccans but who never became a Muslim himself. However the context strongly favors the view that this is an allusion to Meccans who avoided Muhammad and took steps to make sure their impressionable children also stayed away from him.
Muhammads response to the refusal of the Meccans to believe is summed up in one sentence: they will be damned to hell, and then they will regret their rejection of Muhammads message. That is the basic gist of verses 27-31. Notice the similarity between v. 30 and part of chapter 7 of the Apocalypse of Peter, in which some inhabitants of hell say, "We did not know that we would come into everlasting punishment" as they are tormented. (See the English translation of the Ethiopic text of the Apocalypse of Peter at www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/apocalypsepeter-mrjames.html .)
Verse 32 offers a brief word of comfort to the Meccan Muslims who had lost property and inheritances because of their acceptance of Islam; its sentiment is similar to Romans 8:18.
Verses 33-35 are addressed to Muhammad. Verse 33 may address a scenario in which Abu Jahl, one of the most strident early opponents of Islam, told Muhammad that he (Abu Jahl) did not doubt that Muhammad was sincere, in light of his usual honesty (implying that he doubted the honesty of Muhammads source of revelation). The text instructs Muhammad to be patient and to bear in mind that previous prophets were maligned. Then verse 34 states plainly, "None can alter the words of Allah."
This statement, reminiscent of Proverbs 30:5-6, elicits a couple of questions:
1. The Quran perspiciously states in 2:106 that some words sent down to Muhammad were replaced by other words similar to the previous words /or better than the previous words. Surah 16:101 also stated that Allah changes one verse for another. Here we are not addressing the sort of contractual shift that occurs from one covenant to another; we are looking at changes made in the applicability of texts given in a single book. How are such alterations possible if the words of Allah cannot be altered?
2. The Quran describes the Torah and the Injil as revelations from Allah, and it appeals to Christians to make discernments according to what Allah has revealed in the Injil (in 5:47). Yet many modern Muslims claim that the text of the Old Testament and New Testament have been altered in a colossal way. But if the Torah and the Injil cannot be altered, then those who propose the opposite - that the Torah and the Injil have been extensively corrupted - must be incorrect.
Verse 35, which is hard to grasp in some translations, might be paraphrased like this: "You might wish, when oppressed, that you could dig a hole and find a sign, or climb a ladder to heaven and be given a sign. If Allah had wanted people to believe because of such signs, it would have happened." (Part of this verse might allude to a Meccan named Wacih ben Salamah, one of the keepers of the Kaaba, who kept a ladder in a tower and claimed that, when he ascended it, he received messages from the gods.) This is explained in the next two verses: Allah could send down a sign if he wanted to, but he only wants to send the recitations to benefit those who pay attention to them.
In verse 38, the text returns, as in verses 27-31, to describe the punishment of those who reject Allahs Signs. This verse is interesting because it seems to teach a couple of things: (a) all creatures on earth that move, and all birds that fly, are peoples (Hilali-Khan: communities) like you. (b) the animals will be gathered to their Lord. The question, Is this passage saying that land-animals and birds possess moral intelligence and an awareness of God? is debatable, but the conclusion that the Quran teaches that land-animals and birds are going to have their own Judgment Day seems unavoidable.
Verse 39 castigates those who reject Muhammads recitations, and reiterates the doctrine of the sovereignty of Allah: "Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills." (Notice both the similarities and differences between this statement and Romans 9:15-18.)
It seems mighty strange to me that right after stating that Allah misleads the unbelievers, the next verse states that the unbelievers are bound to call for Allah to help them when they are in torment. The "torment" here, though it seems to be described the same way hell is described, is probably not a reference to hell, but to earthly crises in general, inasmuch as verse 41 seems to allow the possibility that Allah will relieve the ex-doubters when they call upon him.
Then the text returns briefly to the point mentioned in v. 6 previous nations have rejected Allahs Messengers, and were punished. And some nations punishment was preceded by blessings blessings which were only given so that the fall of those nations would be that much greater. (Thus, it seems, all the bases are covered: if those who reject Islam are poor, their poverty is a sign of Allahs displeasure, and if they are rich, then thats a sign of Allahs displeasure too.) The text says that Satan made their course of action attractive. The implication that Satan is thus helping achieve Allahs will by assisting these souls toward perdition does not seem to have been a theological problem to Muhammad.
Verses 46 implicitly asserts the superiority of Allah to the false gods of Mecca. Verse 47 likewise points out that Allahs enemies are the Zalimun (heathen), not the righteous. While this might have made perfect sense to Muhammads followers, it was probably less than convincing to those who denied the premise that Muhammads deity was superior to the Meccan deities.
The first part of v. 48 says (as is said elsewhere in the Quran) that a Messenger of Allah is only a giver of glad tidings and a warner. This is definitely something to consider when observing Muhammads later actions after he had left Mecca.
The word of blessing which, in surah 2:62 and 5:69, is pronounced upon Jews, Christians, and Sabians, is bestowed in v. 48 more generally upon Whosoever believes and does righteous deeds. This is followed by a word of denunciation against those who reject Allahs Signs.
Verse 50 seems to downplay the status of Muhammad, sort of: Muhammad is instructed to say that he does not have the treasures of Allah, and that he does not know the Unseen, and that he is not an angel. But then he says, "I follow only what is revealed to me." The idea here seems to be that Muhammad cannot be expected to explain every detail of the contents of the revelations he is only a messenger. Yet, he is a messenger who claims to see Gabriel. The doubters have not seen Gabriel. And this, it seems, is a large part of the basis of his confidence that he is better qualified than others to say what is the truth regarding whether or not he is a true prophet.
Verse 51 points out that some Meccans believe in a coming Judgment Day. Muhammad is told to warn them that on that day, "There will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him [Allah]." Despite this, many Muslims believe that Muhammad will act as an intercessor on Judgment Day! Why? Partly because of a Hadith in which Muhammad is said to have said that he has been given the right of intercession (in Sahih-Bukhari, Vol. 1, #331), but also because the Quran (20:109) states, "On that day no intercession shall avail, except the one for whom the Most Gracious has given permission and whose word is acceptable to Him." (At www.thepureislam.com/intercession_in_the_hereafter.htm one can read more about intercession. Clearly the predominant Muslim belief is that there /will/ be intercessors on Judgment Day.) Some verses state without qualification that there will be no intercessors on Judgment Day. Other verses seem to assume that intercession will be possible.
A tradition says that verses 52-53 addressed a scenario in which some of the influential pagans of Mecca came to Muhammad when he was accompanied by some poor men, and the rich pagans said that they would not listen to him unless he first dismissed the poor people. Muhammads companion Umar (who later became the second caliph) advised Muhammad that he could avoid the poor people for a few days, to see if the rich Meccans were serious. Muhammads "reception" of this verse, though, resulted in his refusal to abandon the poor. (Elsewhere in the Quran, 18:28 resembles this verse and may reflect the same occasion.) James 2:1-5 conveys a similar lesson.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
Verse 25 states that those who reject Allah's Signs tell Muhammad that he is just repeating ancient tales. This may refer specifically to a Meccan named Nudhar, who was unimpressed with Muhammad and said that he (Muhammad) was just telling the same sort of tales that he (Nudhar) used to tell. Many Meccans were probably familiar with Jewish traditions, and recognized the many overlaps between their contents and the contents of Muhammads "revelations."
The first part of v. 26 has somehow been interpreted by some as if it refers to Abu Talib, Muhammads uncle, who protected Muhammad from the hostile Meccans but who never became a Muslim himself. However the context strongly favors the view that this is an allusion to Meccans who avoided Muhammad and took steps to make sure their impressionable children also stayed away from him.
Muhammads response to the refusal of the Meccans to believe is summed up in one sentence: they will be damned to hell, and then they will regret their rejection of Muhammads message. That is the basic gist of verses 27-31. Notice the similarity between v. 30 and part of chapter 7 of the Apocalypse of Peter, in which some inhabitants of hell say, "We did not know that we would come into everlasting punishment" as they are tormented. (See the English translation of the Ethiopic text of the Apocalypse of Peter at www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/apocalypsepeter-mrjames.html .)
Verse 32 offers a brief word of comfort to the Meccan Muslims who had lost property and inheritances because of their acceptance of Islam; its sentiment is similar to Romans 8:18.
Verses 33-35 are addressed to Muhammad. Verse 33 may address a scenario in which Abu Jahl, one of the most strident early opponents of Islam, told Muhammad that he (Abu Jahl) did not doubt that Muhammad was sincere, in light of his usual honesty (implying that he doubted the honesty of Muhammads source of revelation). The text instructs Muhammad to be patient and to bear in mind that previous prophets were maligned. Then verse 34 states plainly, "None can alter the words of Allah."
This statement, reminiscent of Proverbs 30:5-6, elicits a couple of questions:
1. The Quran perspiciously states in 2:106 that some words sent down to Muhammad were replaced by other words similar to the previous words /or better than the previous words. Surah 16:101 also stated that Allah changes one verse for another. Here we are not addressing the sort of contractual shift that occurs from one covenant to another; we are looking at changes made in the applicability of texts given in a single book. How are such alterations possible if the words of Allah cannot be altered?
2. The Quran describes the Torah and the Injil as revelations from Allah, and it appeals to Christians to make discernments according to what Allah has revealed in the Injil (in 5:47). Yet many modern Muslims claim that the text of the Old Testament and New Testament have been altered in a colossal way. But if the Torah and the Injil cannot be altered, then those who propose the opposite - that the Torah and the Injil have been extensively corrupted - must be incorrect.
Verse 35, which is hard to grasp in some translations, might be paraphrased like this: "You might wish, when oppressed, that you could dig a hole and find a sign, or climb a ladder to heaven and be given a sign. If Allah had wanted people to believe because of such signs, it would have happened." (Part of this verse might allude to a Meccan named Wacih ben Salamah, one of the keepers of the Kaaba, who kept a ladder in a tower and claimed that, when he ascended it, he received messages from the gods.) This is explained in the next two verses: Allah could send down a sign if he wanted to, but he only wants to send the recitations to benefit those who pay attention to them.
In verse 38, the text returns, as in verses 27-31, to describe the punishment of those who reject Allahs Signs. This verse is interesting because it seems to teach a couple of things: (a) all creatures on earth that move, and all birds that fly, are peoples (Hilali-Khan: communities) like you. (b) the animals will be gathered to their Lord. The question, Is this passage saying that land-animals and birds possess moral intelligence and an awareness of God? is debatable, but the conclusion that the Quran teaches that land-animals and birds are going to have their own Judgment Day seems unavoidable.
Verse 39 castigates those who reject Muhammads recitations, and reiterates the doctrine of the sovereignty of Allah: "Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills." (Notice both the similarities and differences between this statement and Romans 9:15-18.)
It seems mighty strange to me that right after stating that Allah misleads the unbelievers, the next verse states that the unbelievers are bound to call for Allah to help them when they are in torment. The "torment" here, though it seems to be described the same way hell is described, is probably not a reference to hell, but to earthly crises in general, inasmuch as verse 41 seems to allow the possibility that Allah will relieve the ex-doubters when they call upon him.
Then the text returns briefly to the point mentioned in v. 6 previous nations have rejected Allahs Messengers, and were punished. And some nations punishment was preceded by blessings blessings which were only given so that the fall of those nations would be that much greater. (Thus, it seems, all the bases are covered: if those who reject Islam are poor, their poverty is a sign of Allahs displeasure, and if they are rich, then thats a sign of Allahs displeasure too.) The text says that Satan made their course of action attractive. The implication that Satan is thus helping achieve Allahs will by assisting these souls toward perdition does not seem to have been a theological problem to Muhammad.
Verses 46 implicitly asserts the superiority of Allah to the false gods of Mecca. Verse 47 likewise points out that Allahs enemies are the Zalimun (heathen), not the righteous. While this might have made perfect sense to Muhammads followers, it was probably less than convincing to those who denied the premise that Muhammads deity was superior to the Meccan deities.
The first part of v. 48 says (as is said elsewhere in the Quran) that a Messenger of Allah is only a giver of glad tidings and a warner. This is definitely something to consider when observing Muhammads later actions after he had left Mecca.
The word of blessing which, in surah 2:62 and 5:69, is pronounced upon Jews, Christians, and Sabians, is bestowed in v. 48 more generally upon Whosoever believes and does righteous deeds. This is followed by a word of denunciation against those who reject Allahs Signs.
Verse 50 seems to downplay the status of Muhammad, sort of: Muhammad is instructed to say that he does not have the treasures of Allah, and that he does not know the Unseen, and that he is not an angel. But then he says, "I follow only what is revealed to me." The idea here seems to be that Muhammad cannot be expected to explain every detail of the contents of the revelations he is only a messenger. Yet, he is a messenger who claims to see Gabriel. The doubters have not seen Gabriel. And this, it seems, is a large part of the basis of his confidence that he is better qualified than others to say what is the truth regarding whether or not he is a true prophet.
Verse 51 points out that some Meccans believe in a coming Judgment Day. Muhammad is told to warn them that on that day, "There will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him [Allah]." Despite this, many Muslims believe that Muhammad will act as an intercessor on Judgment Day! Why? Partly because of a Hadith in which Muhammad is said to have said that he has been given the right of intercession (in Sahih-Bukhari, Vol. 1, #331), but also because the Quran (20:109) states, "On that day no intercession shall avail, except the one for whom the Most Gracious has given permission and whose word is acceptable to Him." (At www.thepureislam.com/intercession_in_the_hereafter.htm one can read more about intercession. Clearly the predominant Muslim belief is that there /will/ be intercessors on Judgment Day.) Some verses state without qualification that there will be no intercessors on Judgment Day. Other verses seem to assume that intercession will be possible.
A tradition says that verses 52-53 addressed a scenario in which some of the influential pagans of Mecca came to Muhammad when he was accompanied by some poor men, and the rich pagans said that they would not listen to him unless he first dismissed the poor people. Muhammads companion Umar (who later became the second caliph) advised Muhammad that he could avoid the poor people for a few days, to see if the rich Meccans were serious. Muhammads "reception" of this verse, though, resulted in his refusal to abandon the poor. (Elsewhere in the Quran, 18:28 resembles this verse and may reflect the same occasion.) James 2:1-5 conveys a similar lesson.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
