Surah shura ayat 8 Tafsir Quran 42:8

﴿وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُم مِّن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ﴾
[ الشورى: 8]

42:8 And if Allah willed, He could have made them [of] one religion, but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have not any protector or helper.

And had God willed He would have made them one community in other words following one religion and that is Islam; but He admits whomever He will into His mercy and the evildoers the disbelievers have neither guardian nor helper to ward off the chastisement from them.

Had Allah willed, He would have made them one conjoint body united in feeling and in thought, but He extends His mercy to whom He will, whereas the wrongful of actions have no tutelary friend or guardian nor can any one afford them help

The Qur'an was revealed to serve as a Warning Allah says, `just as We sent revelation to the Prophets before you,' أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً ( thus We have revealed to you a Qur'an in Arabic ) meaning, plain, clear, and manifest لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى ( that you may warn the Mother of the Towns ), i.e., Makkah, وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ( and all around it, ) means, all the lands, east and west.
Makkah is called Umm Al-Qura ( the Mother of the Towns ) because it is nobler than all other lands, as indicated by much evidence that has been discussed elsewhere.
Among the most concise and clear proofs of that is the report recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Adi bin Al-Hamra' Az-Zuhri, who heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, as he was standing in the market place of Makkah;
«وَاللهِ إِنَّكِ لَخَيْرُ أَرْضِ اللهِ وَأَحَبُّ أَرْضِ اللهِ إِلَى اللهِ، وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْكِ مَا خَرَجْت»
( By Allah, you are the best land of Allah, the most beloved land to Allah; were it not for the fact that I was driven out from you, I would never have left you. ) This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah; At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.
" وَتُنذِرَ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ ( and warn (them ) of the Day of Assembling) i.e., the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will assemble the first and the last in one plain. لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ ( of which there is no doubt, ) means, there is no doubt that it will happen and will most certainly come to pass. فَرِيقٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِى السَّعِيرِ ( a party will be in Paradise and a party in the blazing Fire. ) This is like the Ayah: يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ التَّغَابُنِ ( (And remember ) the Day when He will gather you ( all ) on the Day of Gathering, --- that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain) ( 64:9 ).
which means that the people of Paradise and the people of Hell will gain and lose, respectively.
And it is like the Ayah: إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَةً لِّمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ الاٌّخِرَةِ ذلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ - وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ - يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ( Indeed in that (there ) is a sure lesson for those who fear the torment of the Hereafter.
That is a Day whereon will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all ( the dwellers of the heavens and the earth ) will be present.
And We delay it only for a term fixed.
On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave.
Some among them will be wretched and ( others ) blessed.) ( 11:103-105 ) Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  came out to us, holding two books in his hand.
He said,
«أَتَدْرُونَ مَا هذَانِ الْكِتَابَانِ؟»
( Do you know what these two books are ) We said, "We do not know unless you tell us, O Messenger of Allah." Concerning the book in his right hand, He said:
«هَذَا كِتَابٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ بِأَسْمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ وَقَبَائِلِهِمْ، ثُمَّ أُجْمِلَ عَلى آخِرِهِمْ، لَا يُزَادُ فِيهِمْ وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهُمْ أبدًا»
( This is a book from the Lord of the worlds, containing the names of the people of Paradise and of their fathers and tribes; all of them are detailed, down to the last one of them, and nothing will be added or taken away from it. ) Then concerning the book in his left hand, he said:
«هَذَا كِتَابُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ وَقَبَائِلِهِمْ، ثُمَّ أُجْمِلَ عَلى آخِرِهِمْ، لَا يُزَادُ فِيهِمْ وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهُمْ أَبَدًا»
( This is the book of the people of Hell, containing their names and the names of their fathers and tribes, all of them are detailed down to the last one of them, and nothing will be added or taken away from it. ) The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said, "Why should we strive if it is something that is already cut and dried" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said:
«سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا فَإِنَّ صَاحِبَ الْجَنَّةِ يُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنْ عَمِلَ أَيَّ عَمَلٍ،وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَ النَّارِ يُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ، وَإِنْ عَمِلَ أَيَّ عَمَل»
( Strive with your deeds as hard as you can for middle course or close to it, for the person who is destined for Paradise will die doing the deeds of the people of Paradise, regardless of what he did before, and the person who is destined for Hell will die doing the deeds of the people of Hell, regardless of what he did before. ) Then he made a gesture with his fist and said,
«فَرَغَ رَبُّكُمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنَ الْعِبَاد»
( Your Lord has settled the matter of His servants ) and he opened his right hand as if throwing something;
«فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّة»
( A party in Paradise. ) and he made a similar gesture with his left hand;
«فَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِير»
( And a party in the blazing Fire. )" This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i; At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih Gharib." Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Nadrah said, "One of the Companions of the Prophet , whose name was Abu Abdullah, was visited by some of his friends, and they found him weeping.
They asked him, `What has caused you to weep Didn't the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  say to you,
«خُذْ مِنْ شَارِبِكَ ثُمَّ أَقِرَّهُ حَتَّى تَلْقَانِي»
( Trim your moustache and adhere to that practice until you meet me )' He said, `Yes, but I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say;
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى قَبَضَ بِيَمِينِهِ قَبْضَةً وَأُخْرَى بِالْيَدِ الْأُخْرَى، قَالَ: هذِهِ لِهذِهِ، وَهذِهِ لِهذِهِ، وَلَا أُبَالِي»
( Allah picked up a handful in His Right Hand and another in His other Hand, and said, "This is for this and this is for this, and I do not care." ) `And I do not know in which of the two handfuls I am."' There are several Hadiths about Al-Qadr ( the Divine Decree ) in the books of Sahih, Sunan and Musnad.
Including those narrated by `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, `A'ishah and a large number of Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً ( And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one nation, ) means, either all following guidance or all following misguidance, but He made them all different, and He guides whomsoever He wills to the truth and He sends astray whomsoever He wills, and He has complete wisdom and perfect proof.
Allah says: وَلَـكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِ وَالظَّـلِمُونَ مَا لَهُمْ مِّن وَلِىٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ ( but He admits whom He wills to His mercy.
And the wrongdoers will have neither a protector nor a helper. )

(42:8) If Allah had so willed, He could have made them all a single community. But He admits whomsoever He pleases into His Mercy. As to those given to wrong-doing, they shall have none as protector or helper. *11

And if Allah willed, He could have meaning

*11) This theme has three objects in this context:
First, it is meant to instruct and console the Holy Prophet, as if to say: " Do not grieve so much at the ignorance and deviation of the disbelievers of Makkah and their stubbornness and obduracy.
It is Allah's will that man should be granted the freedom of choice and action: then whoever desires to have guidance should be given guidance, and whoever wants to remain.
astray should be allowed to go astray.
Had this not been Allah's will, there was no need whatever of sending the Prophets and the Book; for this only a creative hint of Allah Almighty's was enough: all human beings would have become as obedient as the rivers, mountains, trees, stones, and alI other creatures.
" ( In this connection, please also see AI-An'am: 35-36, 107 ).

Secondly, its addressees arc all those people who were involved in the confusion, and even now are, that if Allah really had wanted to show guidance to human beings and He did not like the differences of creed and practice that were prevalent among the people, and wanted to have the people adopt the way of the Faith and Islam, there was no need of the Revelation and the Book and the Prophethood.
He could have easily achieved this object by creating everyone a believer and Muslim by birth.
Another result of this confusion was also this reasoning: " When Allah has not done so, the different ways that we are following, are approved by Him, and whatever we are doing, is according to His wilt.
Therefore, nobody has any right to object to it.
" ( To remove this misunderstanding also this theme has been mentioned at several places in the Qur'an.
Please see Al-An'am: 112, 137, 148-149; Yunus : 99; Hud: 118-119; An-Nahl: 9, 35 and the relevant E.N.'s ).

Thirdly, its object is to make the believers realize the truth about the difficulties that one generally faces in the way of preaching religion and reforming the people.
Those people who do not understand the reality of the God, given freedom of choice and will and of the resulting differences of temperament and methods, sometimes become despondent at the slow progress of the reformatory work and wish that some supernatural things should appear from Allah, which should change the hearts of the people, and are sometimes inclined to adopt unsound methods of bringing about reformation, owing to excessive enthusiasm.
( For this object also this theme has occurred at some places in the Qur'an, for which see Ar-Ra'd: 31, An-Nahl: 91-93 ).

To highlight these objects a very important theme has been expressed in these brief sentences.
Allah's real vicegerency in the world and His Paradise in the Hereafter is not an ordinary blessing, which may be distributed over creatures of the rank of the earth and stones and donkeys and horses as a common blessing.
This is indeed a special blessing and a blessing of a very high order for which even the angels were not considered fit.
That in why Allah created man as a creature endowed with power and authority and placed vast means of His earth under his control and blessed him with these special powers so that he may pass through the test, success in which alone can entitle a servant to His blessings.
This blessing, is Allah's own; no one has a monopoly over it, nor can anyone claim to have it on the basis of a personal right, nor has anyone the power to take it by force.
He who presents service before Allah, who takes Him as his Guardian and comes under His protection, alone can have it.
Then Allah blesses him with help, guidance and grace to pass this test, so that he may enter His Mercy.
As for the unjust Tnan who turns away from Allah Himself and instead takes others as his patrons, Allah-Has no need that he should become his guardian by force.
And the others whom He takes as his guardians do not possess any knowledge and power and authority that they may enable him to achieve success by dint of their guardianship of him.

 

The Qur'an was revealed to serve as a Warning Allah says, `just as We sent revelation to the Prophets before you,' أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً ( thus We have revealed to you a Qur'an in Arabic ) meaning, plain, clear, and manifest لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى ( that you may warn the Mother of the Towns ), i.e., Makkah, وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ( and all around it, ) means, all the lands, east and west.
Makkah is called Umm Al-Qura ( the Mother of the Towns ) because it is nobler than all other lands, as indicated by much evidence that has been discussed elsewhere.
Among the most concise and clear proofs of that is the report recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Adi bin Al-Hamra' Az-Zuhri, who heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, as he was standing in the market place of Makkah; «وَاللهِ إِنَّكِ لَخَيْرُ أَرْضِ اللهِ وَأَحَبُّ أَرْضِ اللهِ إِلَى اللهِ، وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْكِ مَا خَرَجْت» ( By Allah, you are the best land of Allah, the most beloved land to Allah; were it not for the fact that I was driven out from you, I would never have left you. ) This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah; At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.
" وَتُنذِرَ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ ( and warn (them ) of the Day of Assembling) i.e., the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will assemble the first and the last in one plain. لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ ( of which there is no doubt, ) means, there is no doubt that it will happen and will most certainly come to pass. فَرِيقٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِى السَّعِيرِ ( a party will be in Paradise and a party in the blazing Fire. ) This is like the Ayah: يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ التَّغَابُنِ ( (And remember ) the Day when He will gather you ( all ) on the Day of Gathering, --- that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain) ( 64:9 ).
which means that the people of Paradise and the people of Hell will gain and lose, respectively.
And it is like the Ayah: إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَةً لِّمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ الاٌّخِرَةِ ذلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ - وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ - يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ( Indeed in that (there ) is a sure lesson for those who fear the torment of the Hereafter.
That is a Day whereon will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all ( the dwellers of the heavens and the earth ) will be present.
And We delay it only for a term fixed.
On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave.
Some among them will be wretched and ( others ) blessed.) ( 11:103-105 ) Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  came out to us, holding two books in his hand.
He said, «أَتَدْرُونَ مَا هذَانِ الْكِتَابَانِ؟» ( Do you know what these two books are ) We said, "We do not know unless you tell us, O Messenger of Allah." Concerning the book in his right hand, He said: «هَذَا كِتَابٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ بِأَسْمَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ وَقَبَائِلِهِمْ، ثُمَّ أُجْمِلَ عَلى آخِرِهِمْ، لَا يُزَادُ فِيهِمْ وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهُمْ أبدًا» ( This is a book from the Lord of the worlds, containing the names of the people of Paradise and of their fathers and tribes; all of them are detailed, down to the last one of them, and nothing will be added or taken away from it. ) Then concerning the book in his left hand, he said: «هَذَا كِتَابُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ وَقَبَائِلِهِمْ، ثُمَّ أُجْمِلَ عَلى آخِرِهِمْ، لَا يُزَادُ فِيهِمْ وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهُمْ أَبَدًا» ( This is the book of the people of Hell, containing their names and the names of their fathers and tribes, all of them are detailed down to the last one of them, and nothing will be added or taken away from it. ) The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said, "Why should we strive if it is something that is already cut and dried" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said: «سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا فَإِنَّ صَاحِبَ الْجَنَّةِ يُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنْ عَمِلَ أَيَّ عَمَلٍ،وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَ النَّارِ يُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ، وَإِنْ عَمِلَ أَيَّ عَمَل» ( Strive with your deeds as hard as you can for middle course or close to it, for the person who is destined for Paradise will die doing the deeds of the people of Paradise, regardless of what he did before, and the person who is destined for Hell will die doing the deeds of the people of Hell, regardless of what he did before. ) Then he made a gesture with his fist and said, «فَرَغَ رَبُّكُمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنَ الْعِبَاد» ( Your Lord has settled the matter of His servants ) and he opened his right hand as if throwing something; «فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّة» ( A party in Paradise. ) and he made a similar gesture with his left hand; «فَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِير» ( And a party in the blazing Fire. )" This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i; At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih Gharib." Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Nadrah said, "One of the Companions of the Prophet , whose name was Abu Abdullah, was visited by some of his friends, and they found him weeping.
They asked him, `What has caused you to weep Didn't the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  say to you, «خُذْ مِنْ شَارِبِكَ ثُمَّ أَقِرَّهُ حَتَّى تَلْقَانِي» ( Trim your moustache and adhere to that practice until you meet me )' He said, `Yes, but I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say; «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى قَبَضَ بِيَمِينِهِ قَبْضَةً وَأُخْرَى بِالْيَدِ الْأُخْرَى، قَالَ: هذِهِ لِهذِهِ، وَهذِهِ لِهذِهِ، وَلَا أُبَالِي» ( Allah picked up a handful in His Right Hand and another in His other Hand, and said, "This is for this and this is for this, and I do not care." ) `And I do not know in which of the two handfuls I am."' There are several Hadiths about Al-Qadr ( the Divine Decree ) in the books of Sahih, Sunan and Musnad.
Including those narrated by `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, `A'ishah and a large number of Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً ( And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one nation, ) means, either all following guidance or all following misguidance, but He made them all different, and He guides whomsoever He wills to the truth and He sends astray whomsoever He wills, and He has complete wisdom and perfect proof.
Allah says: وَلَـكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِ وَالظَّـلِمُونَ مَا لَهُمْ مِّن وَلِىٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ ( but He admits whom He wills to His mercy.
And the wrongdoers will have neither a protector nor a helper. )

( Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community ) had Allah willed He would have gathered the Jews, Christians and the idolaters in one religion, the religion of Islam, ( but Allah bringeth whom He will into His mercy ) to His religion: Islam. ( And the wrong-doers ) the Jews, Christians and idolaters ( have no friend ) have no relative to assist them ( nor helper ) to save them from Allah’s punishment.

And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one nation, but He admits whom He wills to His Mercy. And the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) will have neither a Wali (protector) nor a helper.

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