Surah Yunus ayat 20 Tafsir Quran 10:20

﴿وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ ۖ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَانتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ﴾
[ يونس: 20]

10:20 And they say, "Why is a sign not sent down to him from his Lord?" So say, "The unseen is only for Allah [to administer], so wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait."

And they the people of Mecca say ‘Why has a sign not been sent down on him on Muhammad (s) from his Lord?’ as was the case with previous prophets in the way of a she-camel a staff or a glowing hand. Then say to them ‘The Unseen that which is concealed from servants in other words its affair belongs only to God and it is from this Unseen that signs come forth; therefore He alone can bring them forth mine is only to covey the Message. So wait for the chastisement if you do not believe. I am waiting with you’.

They -the idolaters- insolently say: If only a sign other than the Quran be revealed to evince both his wisdom and the truth of his mission! Say to them O Muhammad: Divination of things to come rests in the hands of Allah Who knows the hidden, the unknown and all that is destined to come, therefore, you just wait O people, I will also await with you future events

The Idolators requested a Miracle These stubborn, lying disbelievers said, "Why would not a sign be revealed to Muhammad ﷺ from his Lord." They meant a sign such as given to Salih.
Allah sent the she-camel to Thamud.
They wanted Allah to change the mount of As-Safa into gold or remove the mountains of Makkah and replace them with gardens and rivers.
Allah is capable of doing all of that, but He is All-Wise in His actions and statements.
Allah said: تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُوراً - بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً ( Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than (all ) that -- Gardens under which rivers flow ( Paradise ) and will assign you palaces ( in Paradise ).
Nay, they deny the Hour, and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire.)25:10-11 He also said: وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ ( And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. ) 17:59 Allah's way of dealing with His creatures is that He would give to them if they asked things from Him.
But if they then didn't believe He would expedite punishment for them.
When Allah's Messenger ﷺ was given the choice of Allah giving the people what they requested but if they didn't believe they would be punished, or that their request would not be answered immediately, Allah's Messenger ﷺ chose the latter.
Allah guided His Prophet to answer their question by saying: فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ للَّهِ ( Say: "The Unseen belongs only to Allah..." ) This Ayah means that the matter in its entirety is for Allah.
He is well aware of the outcome of all matters. فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ ( "...so wait you, verily, I am with you among those who wait." ) If you would not believe unless you witness that which you asked for, then wait for Allah's judgement for me, as well as for yourselves.
Nonetheless, they had witnessed some of the signs and miracles of the Prophet , which were even greater than what they had asked for.
In their presence, the Prophet pointed to the moon when it was full and it split into two parts, one part behind the mountain and the other before them.
If they were seeking the guidance and firm knowledge by asking for signs, Allah would have known that and would have granted them what had been requested.
But Allah knew that it was their obstinacy that was behind their request.
Therefore Allah left them to suffer in their suspicion and doubt.
Allah knew that none of them would believe.
This is similar to Allah's statements: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ ( Truly, those, against whom the Word (Wrath ) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe.
Even if every sign should come to them.)10:96-97 and; وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ قُبُلاً مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ ( And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed. )6:111 This was in addition to their arrogance.
As Allah said in another Ayah: وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَاباً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ ( And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven. ) 15:14 And He said: وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كِسْفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ سَـقِطاً ( And if they were to see a piece of the heaven falling down. )52:44 He also said: وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَـباً فِى قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( And even if We had sent down unto you (O Muhammad ) a Message written on paper so that they could touch it with their hands, the disbelievers would have said: `This is nothing but obvious magic!')6:7 Such people don't deserve to have their requests answered, for there is no benefit in answering them.
These people are obstinate and stubborn as a result of their corruption and immorality.
Therefore Allah told His Messenger to say: فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ ( So wait you, verily, I am with you among those who wait. )

(10:20) They say: 'Why was a sign not sent down upon the prophet from His Lord? *27 Tell (such people): 'The realm of the Unseen belongs to Allah. Wait, then; I shall wait along with you. *28

And they say, "Why is a sign meaning

*27).
The word 'sign' in the verse refers to the proof which supports a person's claim that he is a true Prophet and that his teaching is truly from God.
In this connection it ought to be remembered that the demand of the unbelievers that the Prophet ( peace be on him ) should bring forth some sign to support his claim to be a Prophet was not made with sincerity, Their position was not that of a group of sincere people who were otherwise keen to accept the truth as soon as it became apparent to them, and who were ready to mould their own conduct, habits and social life according to its requirements, and all that they were waiting for was some sign, some proof, that would create in them a genuine conviction.
The fact, on the contrary, was that the unbelievers' demand for miraculous signs was merely a pretext which they proffered in order to rationalize their disbelief.
For they were sure to reject every sign, regardless of what that sign was, as unconvincing.
Since they were hardened unbelievers, they were not prepared at all to accept such unseen truths as the unity of God and the Hereafter which would have led them to give up their
*28).
The Prophet's statement conveys the idea that he had faithfully presented to them whatever God had revealed to him.
As for the things which had not been revealed to the Prophet ( peace be on him ) they constitute ghayb ( the realm of the unseen ).
Now, it is only God and none else who can decide whether to reveal any part of the ghayb ( 'the unseen' ) or not.
Hence, if some people's believing was contingent upon their observing the signs which God had not revealed, then they might as well keep waiting indefinitely for those signs.
The Prophet ( peace be on him ) would also wait and see whether God would yield to their adamant demands for miraculous signs or not.

 

The Idolators requested a Miracle These stubborn, lying disbelievers said, "Why would not a sign be revealed to Muhammad ﷺ from his Lord." They meant a sign such as given to Salih.
Allah sent the she-camel to Thamud.
They wanted Allah to change the mount of As-Safa into gold or remove the mountains of Makkah and replace them with gardens and rivers.
Allah is capable of doing all of that, but He is All-Wise in His actions and statements.
Allah said: تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُوراً - بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً ( Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than (all ) that -- Gardens under which rivers flow ( Paradise ) and will assign you palaces ( in Paradise ).
Nay, they deny the Hour, and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire.)25:10-11 He also said: وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ ( And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. ) 17:59 Allah's way of dealing with His creatures is that He would give to them if they asked things from Him.
But if they then didn't believe He would expedite punishment for them.
When Allah's Messenger ﷺ was given the choice of Allah giving the people what they requested but if they didn't believe they would be punished, or that their request would not be answered immediately, Allah's Messenger ﷺ chose the latter.
Allah guided His Prophet to answer their question by saying: فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ للَّهِ ( Say: "The Unseen belongs only to Allah..." ) This Ayah means that the matter in its entirety is for Allah.
He is well aware of the outcome of all matters. فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ ( "...so wait you, verily, I am with you among those who wait." ) If you would not believe unless you witness that which you asked for, then wait for Allah's judgement for me, as well as for yourselves.
Nonetheless, they had witnessed some of the signs and miracles of the Prophet , which were even greater than what they had asked for.
In their presence, the Prophet pointed to the moon when it was full and it split into two parts, one part behind the mountain and the other before them.
If they were seeking the guidance and firm knowledge by asking for signs, Allah would have known that and would have granted them what had been requested.
But Allah knew that it was their obstinacy that was behind their request.
Therefore Allah left them to suffer in their suspicion and doubt.
Allah knew that none of them would believe.
This is similar to Allah's statements: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ ( Truly, those, against whom the Word (Wrath ) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe.
Even if every sign should come to them.)10:96-97 and; وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ قُبُلاً مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ ( And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed. )6:111 This was in addition to their arrogance.
As Allah said in another Ayah: وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَاباً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ ( And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven. ) 15:14 And He said: وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كِسْفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ سَـقِطاً ( And if they were to see a piece of the heaven falling down. )52:44 He also said: وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَـباً فِى قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( And even if We had sent down unto you (O Muhammad ) a Message written on paper so that they could touch it with their hands, the disbelievers would have said: `This is nothing but obvious magic!')6:7 Such people don't deserve to have their requests answered, for there is no benefit in answering them.
These people are obstinate and stubborn as a result of their corruption and immorality.
Therefore Allah told His Messenger to say: فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ ( So wait you, verily, I am with you among those who wait. )

( And they will say ) i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca: ( If only a portent ) a sign ( were sent down upon him ) i.e. to Muhammad ( pbuh ) ( from his Lord! ) to vouchsafe his claim. ( Then say ) O Muhammad: ( The Unseen ) regarding the sending of such a sign ( belongeth to Allah. So wait ) for my destruction! ( Lo, I am waiting with you ) for your destruction.

And they say: "How is it that not a sign is sent down on him from his Lord?" Say: "The unseen belongs to Allah Alone, so wait you, verily I am with you among those who wait (for Allah's Judgement)."

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