Surah Yunus ayat 21 Tafsir Quran 10:21

﴿وَإِذَا أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً مِّن بَعْدِ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُمْ إِذَا لَهُم مَّكْرٌ فِي آيَاتِنَا ۚ قُلِ اللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا ۚ إِنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ﴾
[ يونس: 21]

10:21 And when We give the people a taste of mercy after adversity has touched them, at once they conspire against Our verses. Say, "Allah is swifter in strategy." Indeed, Our messengers record that which you conspire

And when We made people that is the disbelievers of Mecca taste of mercy of rain and fertility after adversity misery and drought that had afflicted them behold! they have some plot concerning Our signs in the way of mockery and denial. Say to them ‘God is swifter at plotting at requiting; surely Our guardian messengers are writing down that which you are plotting’ tamkurūn is also read yamkurūn ‘they are plotting’.

Should We make people taste Our mercy and benediction following a touch of a misfortune that has befallen them, their cunning borders upon knavery and they direct their roguery against Our signs and revelations. Say to them: Allah is prompt in having recourse to stratagem and indeed Our watchful guardian angels commit to writing every cunning act that your minds and souls impel you to do

Man changes when He receives Mercy after Times of Distress Allah tells us that when He makes men feel His mercy after being afflicted with distress, إِذَا لَهُمْ مَّكْرٌ فِى ءايَـتِنَا ( They take to plotting against Our Ayat. ) The coming of mercy after distress is like the coming of ease after hardship, fertility after aridity, and rain after drought.
Mujahid said that man's attitude indicates a mockery and belying of blessings.
The meaning here is similar to Allah's statement: وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا ( And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. )( 10:12 ) Al-Bukhari recorded that Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the Subh ( Dawn ) prayer after it had rained during the night, then he said:
«هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ؟»
( Do you know what your Lord has said last night ) They replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said:
«قَالَ: أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِي مُؤْمِنٌ بِي وَكَافِرٌ، فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَاكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِي كَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَاكَ كَافِرٌ بِي مُؤْمِنٌ بِالْكَوْكَب»
( Allah said; "This morning, some of My servants have become believers and some disbelievers in Me.
He who said: `We have had this rainfall due to the grace and mercy of Allah' is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars.
And he who said `we have had this rainfall due to the rising of such and such star' is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the stars. ) The Ayah: قُلِ اللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا ( Say: "Allah is more swift in planning!" ) means that Allah is more capable of gradually seizing them with punishment, while granting them concession of a delay until the criminals think that they would not be punished.
But in reality they are in periods of respite, then they will be taken suddenly.
The noble writers ( meaning the angels who write the deeds ) will write everything that they do and keep count of their deeds.
Then they will present it before the All-Knowing of the seen and unseen worlds.
The Lord will then reward them for the significant deeds and even the seemingly insignificant that may be as tiny as a spot on a date pit.
Allah further states: هُوَ الَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ( He it is Who enables you to travel through land and sea... ) which means that He preserves you and maintains you with His care and watching. حَتَّى إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا ( Till when you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they are glad therein... ) meaning smoothly and calmly; جَآءَتْهَا ( then comes (these ships )) رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ ( a stormy wind ) وَجَآءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ o( and the waves come to them from all sides, ) وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ( and they think that they are encircled therein ) meaning that are going to be destroyed. دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ ( Then they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him (alone )) meaning that in this situation they would not invoke an idol or statue besides Allah.
They would single Him out alone for their supplications and prayers.
This is similar to Allah's statement: وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا ( And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah alone ).
But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away ( from Him ).
And man is ever ungrateful.) 17:67 And in this Surah, He says: دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنْجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ ( They invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him (saying ): "If You ( Allah ) deliver us from this ( situation ).") لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ ( "We shall truly, be of the grateful." ) This means that we will not ascribe others as partners with You.
We will later worship You alone as we are praying to You here and now.
Allah states; فَلَمَّآ أَنجَاهُمْ ( But when He delivers them ) from that distress, إِذَا هُمْ يَبْغُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ( behold! They rebel (disobey Allah ) in the earth wrongfully...) meaning: they returned as if they had never experienced any difficulties and had never promised Him anything.
So Allah said: كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ ( He passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! )10:12 Allah then said: يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ ( O mankind! Your rebellion (disobedience to Allah ) is only against yourselves,) it is you yourselves that will taste the evil consequence of this transgression.
You will not harm anyone else with it, as comes in the Hadith,
«مَا مِنْ ذَنْبٍ أَجْدَرَ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ اللهُ عُقُوبَتَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعَ مَا يَدَّخِرُ اللهُ لِصَاحِبِهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْبَغْيِ وَقَطِيعَةِ الرَّحِم»
( There is no sin that is more worthy that Allah hasten punishment for in this world -- on top of the punishment that Allah has in store for it in the Hereafter -- than oppression and cutting the ties of the womb. ) Allah's statement: مَّتَاعَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( a brief enjoyment of this worldly life... ) means that you only have a short enjoyment in this low and abased worldly life. ثُمَّ إِلَينَا مَرْجِعُكُمْ ( then (in the end ) unto Us is your return...) meaning your goal and final destination. فَنُنَبِّئُكُمْ ( and We shall inform you ) of all your deeds.
Then we shall recompense you for them.
So let him who finds good ( in his record ) praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.

(10:21) No sooner than We bestow mercy on a people after hardship has hit them than they begin to scheme against Our signs. *29 Tell them: 'Allah is swifter in scheming. Our angels are recording all your intriguing. *30

And when We give the people a meaning

*29).
This again alludes to the famine which was referred to earlier in verses 11-12 of the present surah.
The unbelievers are virtually being told that it did not behove them to ask for any miraculous sign.
For, not long ago they had suffered from a famine during which they had abjured faith in those very deities whom they had earlier considered their intercessors with God.
They had seen with their own eyes how their cherished deities had failed them.
They had clearly seen the extent of the supernatural powers of those very deities at whose altars they made offerings and sacrifices in the firm belief that their prayers would be answered and their wishes realized.
They had seen - and that too in the recent past-that, one of those deities had any power; that all power in fact lay with God alone.

It was because of this experience that they had begun to address all their prayers to God alone.
Was all this not enough of a sign to convince the unbelievers about the truth of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ( peace be on him )? And yet, despite clear signs, the unbelievers waxed arrogant.
No sooner was the famine over and they were blessed with outpourings of rain which put an end to their misery than they reverted to their unbelief.
They also sought to offer a wide variety of fanciful explanations about why the famine had hit them and why they were subsequently delivered from it.
They resorted to all this in order that they might rationalize their adherence to polytheistic beliefs and practices and evade believing in the One True God.
Quite obviously what good can any miraculous sign be to those who had corrupted their conscience so thoroughly?
*30).
It needs to he clearly understood as to what is meant by attributing 'scheming' to God in the present verse.
It simply means that if the unbelievers refuse to accept the truth and to alter their conduct accordingly.
God will still grant them the respite to go about their rebellious ways.
God will also lavish upon them the means of subsistence and other bounties as long as they live.
All this will keep them in a state of intoxication.
However, whatever thev do during their state of intoxication will be imperceptibly recorded by the angels of God.
All this will go on till the very last moments of their lives and then they will be seized by death and will be asked to render an account of their deeds.

 

Man changes when He receives Mercy after Times of Distress Allah tells us that when He makes men feel His mercy after being afflicted with distress, إِذَا لَهُمْ مَّكْرٌ فِى ءايَـتِنَا ( They take to plotting against Our Ayat. ) The coming of mercy after distress is like the coming of ease after hardship, fertility after aridity, and rain after drought.
Mujahid said that man's attitude indicates a mockery and belying of blessings.
The meaning here is similar to Allah's statement: وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا ( And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. )( 10:12 ) Al-Bukhari recorded that Allah's Messenger ﷺ led the Subh ( Dawn ) prayer after it had rained during the night, then he said: «هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ؟» ( Do you know what your Lord has said last night ) They replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said: «قَالَ: أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِي مُؤْمِنٌ بِي وَكَافِرٌ، فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَاكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِي كَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَاكَ كَافِرٌ بِي مُؤْمِنٌ بِالْكَوْكَب» ( Allah said; "This morning, some of My servants have become believers and some disbelievers in Me.
He who said: `We have had this rainfall due to the grace and mercy of Allah' is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars.
And he who said `we have had this rainfall due to the rising of such and such star' is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the stars. ) The Ayah: قُلِ اللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا ( Say: "Allah is more swift in planning!" ) means that Allah is more capable of gradually seizing them with punishment, while granting them concession of a delay until the criminals think that they would not be punished.
But in reality they are in periods of respite, then they will be taken suddenly.
The noble writers ( meaning the angels who write the deeds ) will write everything that they do and keep count of their deeds.
Then they will present it before the All-Knowing of the seen and unseen worlds.
The Lord will then reward them for the significant deeds and even the seemingly insignificant that may be as tiny as a spot on a date pit.
Allah further states: هُوَ الَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ( He it is Who enables you to travel through land and sea... ) which means that He preserves you and maintains you with His care and watching. حَتَّى إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا ( Till when you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they are glad therein... ) meaning smoothly and calmly; جَآءَتْهَا ( then comes (these ships )) رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ ( a stormy wind ) وَجَآءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ o( and the waves come to them from all sides, ) وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ( and they think that they are encircled therein ) meaning that are going to be destroyed. دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ ( Then they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him (alone )) meaning that in this situation they would not invoke an idol or statue besides Allah.
They would single Him out alone for their supplications and prayers.
This is similar to Allah's statement: وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا ( And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah alone ).
But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away ( from Him ).
And man is ever ungrateful.) 17:67 And in this Surah, He says: دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنْجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ ( They invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him (saying ): "If You ( Allah ) deliver us from this ( situation ).") لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ ( "We shall truly, be of the grateful." ) This means that we will not ascribe others as partners with You.
We will later worship You alone as we are praying to You here and now.
Allah states; فَلَمَّآ أَنجَاهُمْ ( But when He delivers them ) from that distress, إِذَا هُمْ يَبْغُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ( behold! They rebel (disobey Allah ) in the earth wrongfully...) meaning: they returned as if they had never experienced any difficulties and had never promised Him anything.
So Allah said: كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ ( He passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! )10:12 Allah then said: يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ ( O mankind! Your rebellion (disobedience to Allah ) is only against yourselves,) it is you yourselves that will taste the evil consequence of this transgression.
You will not harm anyone else with it, as comes in the Hadith, «مَا مِنْ ذَنْبٍ أَجْدَرَ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ اللهُ عُقُوبَتَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعَ مَا يَدَّخِرُ اللهُ لِصَاحِبِهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْبَغْيِ وَقَطِيعَةِ الرَّحِم» ( There is no sin that is more worthy that Allah hasten punishment for in this world -- on top of the punishment that Allah has in store for it in the Hereafter -- than oppression and cutting the ties of the womb. ) Allah's statement: مَّتَاعَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( a brief enjoyment of this worldly life... ) means that you only have a short enjoyment in this low and abased worldly life. ثُمَّ إِلَينَا مَرْجِعُكُمْ ( then (in the end ) unto Us is your return...) meaning your goal and final destination. فَنُنَبِّئُكُمْ ( and We shall inform you ) of all your deeds.
Then we shall recompense you for them.
So let him who finds good ( in his record ) praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.

( And when We cause mankind ) when We enable the idolaters ( to taste of mercy ) blessings ( after some adversity ) hardship ( which had afflicted them, behold! they have some plot against ) they give the lie to ( Our revelations ) Muhammad ( pbuh ) and the Qur’an. ( Say: Allah is more swift in plotting ) Allah’s punishment is more severe. Allah destroyed them on the Day of Badr. ( Lo! Our messengers ) who record the deeds of mankind ( write down that which you plot ) the lies you utter and the transgressions you commit.

And when We let mankind taste of mercy after some adversity has afflicted them, behold! They take to plotting against Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)! Say: "Allah is more Swift in planning!" Certainly, Our Messengers (angels) record all of that which you plot.

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