Surah Yusuf ayat 109 Tafsir Quran 12:109

﴿وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۗ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
[ يوسف: 109]

12:109 And We sent not before you [as messengers] except men to whom We revealed from among the people of cities. So have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah; then will you not reason?

And We did not send before you any messengers save men inspired by revelation yūhā ilayhim a variant reading has nūhī ilayhim ‘to whom We revealed’ — and not angels — from among the people of the towns the principal towns since they are more knowledgeable and wiser than the people of the desert who are crude and ignorant. Have they the people of Mecca not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? that is how they ended up when they were destroyed for denying their messengers? And verily the abode of the Hereafter that is Paradise is better for those who are wary of God. Will they not understand? read a-fa-lā ya‘qilūn or a-fa-lā ta‘qilūn. ‘Will you not understand?’ this O people of Mecca and so have faith?

We never sent Messengers before you O Muhammad whom We inspired, but were men chosen from among the town dwellers whose deeds were natural to man. Have these people not journeyed through the land and looked with their minds eyes to see what was the end of those who preceded them! Indeed the abode in Paradise is infinitely better for those who had entertained the profound reverence dutiful to Allah in life below; can you people not reflect

All of the Prophets are Humans and Men Allah states that He only sent Prophets and Messengers from among men and not from among women, as this Ayah clearly states.
Allah did not reveal religious and legislative laws to any woman from among the daughters of Adam.
This is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah.
Shaykh Abu Al-Hasan, `Ali bin Isma`il Al-Ash`ari mentioned that it is the view of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah, that there were no female Prophets, but there were truthful believers from among women.
Allah mentions the most honorable of the truthful female believers, Maryam, the daughter of `Imran, when He said, مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ ( The Messiah 'Isa, son of Maryam (Mary ), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him.
His mother was a Siddiqah truthful believer.
They both used to eat food.) 5:75 Therefore, the best description Allah gave her is Siddiqah.
Had she been a Prophet, Allah would have mentioned this fact when He was praising her qualities and honor.
Therefore, Mary was a truthful believer according to the words of the Qur'an. All Prophets were Humans not Angels Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً ( And We sent not before you (as Messengers ) any but men) "They were not from among the residents of the heaven ( angels ), as you claimed." This statement of Ibn `Abbas is supported by Allah's statements, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ ( And We never sent before you any of the Messengers, but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets ), 25:20 وَمَا جَعَلْنَاهمْ جَسَداً لاَّ يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُواْ خَـلِدِينَ - ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَاهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا الْمُسْرفِينَ ( And We did not create them with bodies that ate not food, nor were they immortals.
Then We fulfilled to them the promise.
So We saved them and those whom We willed, but We destroyed extravagants ), 21:8-9 and, قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say: "I am not a new thing among the Messengers." ) 46:9 Allah said next, مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى ( from among the people of townships ), meaning, from among the people of cities, not that they were sent among the bedouins who are some of the harshest and roughest of all people. Drawing Lessons from the Incidents of the Past Allah said next, أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( Have they not traveled in the land ), meaning, `Have not these people who rejected you, O Muhammad, traveled in the land,' فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ( and seen what was the end of those who were before them ) that is, the earlier nations that rejected the Messengers, and how Allah destroyed them.
A similar end is awaiting all disbelievers.
Allah said in another Ayah, أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَآ ( Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand ) 22:46 When they hear this statement, they should realize that Allah destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers, and this is His way with His creation.
This is why Allah said, وَلَدَارُ الاٌّخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ ( And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who have Taqwa. ) Allah says, `Just as We saved the faithful in this life, We also wrote safety for them in the Hereafter, which is far better for them than the life of the present world.' Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ - يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ( Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth (i.e.
Day of Resurrection ).
The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers.
Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode ( in Hellfire ).) 40:51-52)

(12:109) (O Muhammad !) all the Messengers, whom We sent before you, were also human beings, and lived in the same habitations, and to them We sent Our Revelations. Have these people, then, not travelled in the land and seen what has been the end of those who have passed away before them ? Surely, the abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who (believed in the Messengers and) adopted the attitude of piety. What! will you not understand it even now ? *79

And We sent not before you [as meaning

*79) A very comprehensive subject has been condensed here into a couple of sentences, which may be expanded like this: " O Muhammad !these people do not listen to you because it is not an easy thing for them to believe you to be a Messenger of Allah just because you arc a mere human being who was born in their own city among themselves and brought up like other people.
But there is nothing strange in this, for this is not the first instance of its kind.
All the Prophets, whom We sent before you, were also human beings and lived in the same habitations to which they were sent.
It never happened that a stranger came to a town and declared, "I have been sent as a Messenger to you.
On the other hand, all the Prophets-Jesus, Moses, Abraham and Noah ( Allah's peace be upon them all )-who were raised for the reform of the people, were human beings who wen born and brought up in their own habitations" .
Then it addresses the disbelievers directly, as if to say, "Now it is for you to judge and decide whether you should accept the Messenger or reject him on such ftimcy grounds as these.
You have travelled abroad and seen the end of those people who rejected the Message of their Prophets and followed their own lusts.
You have seen, on your journeys, the ruined habitations of the people of 'Ad, Thamud, Midian, Lot, and others.
Have you not observed these as object lessons, for these warn you that they would meet with far worse consequences in the Hereafter, and that conversely, those who are pious and God-fearing will have a very happy life?"
 

All of the Prophets are Humans and Men Allah states that He only sent Prophets and Messengers from among men and not from among women, as this Ayah clearly states.
Allah did not reveal religious and legislative laws to any woman from among the daughters of Adam.
This is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah.
Shaykh Abu Al-Hasan, `Ali bin Isma`il Al-Ash`ari mentioned that it is the view of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah, that there were no female Prophets, but there were truthful believers from among women.
Allah mentions the most honorable of the truthful female believers, Maryam, the daughter of `Imran, when He said, مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ ( The Messiah 'Isa, son of Maryam (Mary ), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him.
His mother was a Siddiqah truthful believer.
They both used to eat food.) 5:75 Therefore, the best description Allah gave her is Siddiqah.
Had she been a Prophet, Allah would have mentioned this fact when He was praising her qualities and honor.
Therefore, Mary was a truthful believer according to the words of the Qur'an. All Prophets were Humans not Angels Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً ( And We sent not before you (as Messengers ) any but men) "They were not from among the residents of the heaven ( angels ), as you claimed." This statement of Ibn `Abbas is supported by Allah's statements, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ ( And We never sent before you any of the Messengers, but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets ), 25:20 وَمَا جَعَلْنَاهمْ جَسَداً لاَّ يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُواْ خَـلِدِينَ - ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَاهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا الْمُسْرفِينَ ( And We did not create them with bodies that ate not food, nor were they immortals.
Then We fulfilled to them the promise.
So We saved them and those whom We willed, but We destroyed extravagants ), 21:8-9 and, قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say: "I am not a new thing among the Messengers." ) 46:9 Allah said next, مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى ( from among the people of townships ), meaning, from among the people of cities, not that they were sent among the bedouins who are some of the harshest and roughest of all people. Drawing Lessons from the Incidents of the Past Allah said next, أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( Have they not traveled in the land ), meaning, `Have not these people who rejected you, O Muhammad, traveled in the land,' فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ( and seen what was the end of those who were before them ) that is, the earlier nations that rejected the Messengers, and how Allah destroyed them.
A similar end is awaiting all disbelievers.
Allah said in another Ayah, أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَآ ( Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand ) 22:46 When they hear this statement, they should realize that Allah destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers, and this is His way with His creation.
This is why Allah said, وَلَدَارُ الاٌّخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ ( And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who have Taqwa. ) Allah says, `Just as We saved the faithful in this life, We also wrote safety for them in the Hereafter, which is far better for them than the life of the present world.' Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ - يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ( Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth (i.e.
Day of Resurrection ).
The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers.
Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode ( in Hellfire ).) 40:51-52)

( We sent not before thee ) O Muhammad, any messengers ( save men whom We inspired ) We send Gabriel to them as We sent him to you ( from among the folk of the townships ) they were related to townships like you. ( Have they ) the people of Mecca ( not travelled in the land and seen ) and reflect on ( the nature of the consequence for ) how was the end result of ( those who were before them ) among the disbelievers? ( And verily the abode of the Hereafter ) Paradise, ( for those who ward off (evil )) ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies and instead believe in Allah, Muhammad ( pbuh ) and the Qur’an, ( is best. Have ye then no sense? ) do you not have the common sense to realise that the Hereafter is better than the life of this world; it is also said that this means: have you then no sense to realise that the life of this world is evanescent while the Hereafter is everlasting; it is also said that this means: do you not believe in that which befell the people of old as a result of their disbelief in the messengers?

And We sent not before you (as Messengers) any but men, whom We inspired from among the people of townships. Have they not travelled through the earth and seen what was the end of those who were before them? And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who fear Allah and obey Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds). Do you not then understand?

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