Verses 49–56
فَما لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ ٤٩ كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُسْتَنْفِرَةٌ ٥٠ فَرَّتْ مِنْ قَسْوَرَةٍ ٥١ بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْتى صُحُفاً مُنَشَّرَةً ٥٢ كَلاَّ بَلْ لا يَخافُونَ الْآخِرَةَ ٥٣ كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ ٥٤ فَمَنْ شاءَ ذَكَرَهُ ٥٥ وَ ما يَذْكُرُونَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّهُ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوى وَ أَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ٥٦
- So what is the matter with them that they are averse to the Reminder
- as if they were terrified asses
- fleeing from a lion?
- Rather, every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]!
- Nay! Rather they fear not the hereafter.
- Nay! It is indeed a reminder.
- So let anyone who wills remember it.
- And they do not remember unless Allah wills. He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness.
Introduction & Commentary
These verses sum up the previous warnings in the chapter by expressing astonishment about their aversion to the Qur’anic admonitions and their evasion of such patent truth. It is as though the verses are saying: “Given the above, they must respond to the call of the truth and take heed through this reminder. It is thus surprising that they turn away from it. Rather, they do not believe in the message, but each of them desires to be given a scripture from God. By no means! Rather, it is because they do not believe in the hearafter; that is why they are not perturbed by these threats.”
The verses then present them with the reminder, and give them the choice to either accept it or reject it. They may accept or reject it if they wish. Nevertheless, they must know that they are not independent in their wish. Their choice by no means limits God in His power. They would only take heed by God’s will. They are inevitably subject to God’s rule of qadar (measurement, ordainment, predestination).
فَما لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ ٤٩
(74:49) So what (fa-mā) is the matter with them (lahum) that they are averse (muʾriḍīn) to the Reminder
The question in this verse is a rhetorical one which indicates surprise and astonishment. The word lahum (lit. for them) refers to an omitted verb kāna (to be, to occur). The implied meaning is: “What has transpired for them?”
The meaning is: “Given what We said, what is the matter with the polytheists who deny the Qur’an’s reminder while they evade it?” In other words: “It was incumbent on them to confirm the message and believe in it, but they turned away from it. That is strange.”
كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُسْتَنْفِرَةٌ ٥٠ فَرَّتْ مِنْ قَسْوَرَةٍ ٥١
(74:50-51) as if they were terrified (mustanfirah, from istinfār) asses (ḥumur) fleeing from a lion (qaswarah)?
These two verses illustrate the disbelievers’ aversion to the reminder through an analogy. Ḥumur is the plural of ḥimār, which means a wild ass in this verse. Istinfār means “to stampede, to flee.” Qaswarah has been defined as both lion and hunter. The meaning is: “They are averse to the reminder as though they are wild asses escaping from a lion or a hunter.”
بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْتى صُحُفاً مُنَشَّرَةً ٥٢
(74:52) Rather (bal), every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]!
Unrolled scriptures means divinely revealed books that contain the message of truth. The word bal (rather, nay) indicates a substitution and correction to the previously mentioned aversion. The meaning is: “Their aversion to the reminder is not merely due to fear and panic, but every one of them wishes to be given a book from God that consists of the Qur’anic message.”
This shows their arrogance and defiance toward God. It means that they would accept God’s message and not turn away from it only if He calls them to it directly, and sends a separate scripture to each of them individually. Otherwise, if He were to call them to His message through a human messenger, then they would not accept it, despite being true and supported by manifest signs and miracles. In this sense, the verse can be compared with what is narrated from them elsewhere in the Qur’an: We will not believe unless we are given the like of what was given to Allah’s messengers (). Similarly, the previous nations told their messengers: You are nothing but mortals like us (), which implies that no human being can be a divine messenger.
Some exegetes have suggested that the verse is comparable to another verse, where they addressed the Prophet: And we will not believe your ascension until you bring down for us a book that we may read (). However, there is a difference between the two verses. The current verse implies that every single individual among them should receive an unrolled scripture directly, and separate from what is revealed to others. However, verse implies that there should be a single book that is revealed to the Prophet, which all of them can read.
Other suggested interpretations are:
- They demanded some scriptures to be sent to them from the heaven, which would name them in person and would tell them to believe in Muḥammad.
- They demanded some scriptures to be sent to them from the heaven, which would guarantee them abundant bounties and acquittal from punishment. That is the only way they would believe; otherwise, they would remain disbelievers.
Comment: There is more to the list, but all of them are incongruent with the context of the verses, and unsupported by the previous verses.
كَلاَّ بَلْ لا يَخافُونَ الْآخِرَةَ ٥٣
(74:53) Nay! Rather (bal) they fear not the hereafter.
This verse rejects their expectation that every one of them must be given a separate divine book. The prophetic message is already established by clear signs and decisive proofs which leave no doubt for anyone. This makes God’s argument equally complete against the messenger and the rest of the people. Therefore, there is no need for everyone who is called to the message to be given unrolled scriptures individually. Furthermore, being a medium for God’s message requires an inherent purity and a spiritual preparation which the rest of the people lack. This can be inferred from a verse in Sūrah al-Anʿām: in response to their demand, We will not believe unless we are given the like of what was given to Allah’s messengers, God says: Allah knows best where to place His messengership ().
The word bal (rather, nay) indicates a substitution and correction to their demand in the last verse: every one of them desires… (). It shows that their demand that each of them should receive an individual scripture is only an empty excuse to refrain from accepting the divine call. The real cause behind their disbelief and rejection of the message is indicated by: they fear not the hereafter. If they did, they would have believed, and would not have demanded any miracle once God’s proof was made complete through clear signs and miracles.
كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ ٥٤
(74:54) Nay! It is indeed a reminder.
This verse is a further rejection of their demand for each to be given a divine scripture. The meaning is: “No, We shall not send down such scriptures! The Qur’an is indeed such a sufficient reminder and admonition that meets the warning that We want to convey. And the consequence of this reminder is the compensation mentioned for those who obey and those who disobey, which is preserved with Us.”
فَمَنْ شاءَ ذَكَرَهُ ٥٥
(74:55) So let anyone who wills remember it.
Whoever wishes may take heed by its admonitions. That is because the call is made in the domain of free choice, without any coercion.
وَ ما يَذْكُرُونَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّهُ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوى وَ أَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ٥٦
(74:56) And they do not remember unless Allah wills. He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness.
This verse clarifies and rejects a potential illusion that may occur in some people by hearing the last verse: So let anyone who wills remember it (). They may imagine that the matter is left to them, and that they are independent in their choice and the consequences of their deeds. Hence, if they do not wish to take heed, they would not do so, and would thereby defeat God’s will, for He has willed that they should take heed.
The gist of the answer to this illusion is that the divine rule of qadar (measurement, ordainment, predestination) runs through their actions just as it pervades any event in the universe. It is true that their remembrance—in case they remember—is a voluntary act that they would commit through their free will and without any coercion, but that itself is subject to God’s will, who has ordained that they should act on their own volition. It is God’s creational and causal will (irādah takwīniyyah) that one would perform a certain act through their choice and free will. Hence, while a voluntary act is contingent with respect to the person, it is also subject to the God’s decree. If the divine will is removed, that act would not take place.
… He is worthy of Godwariness…: God is worthy of being feared because He has absolute sovereignty over all things. One’s happiness or wretchedness is exclusively in His hands.
… and worthy of forgiveness: It is befitting for God to forgive those who fear Him, because He is Ever-Forgiving and Ever-Merciful.
… He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness: These two attributes of God can provide a justifying reason for the divine call, mentioned above: It is indeed a reminder. So let anyone who wills remember it (). The connection should be clear. They can also provide a justifying reason for: And they do not remember unless Allah wills (). Being worthy of Godwariness and worthy of forgiveness entails that He has a prevailing decree which encompasses the deeds of everyone. This means that people are not independent agents on their own, who can act as they wish. No one can defeat or subdue God through their defiance and disobedience.
Examining Narrations
- Concerning Rather, every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]! () Imam al-Bāqir said: The verse was revealed when they [the polytheists] said, “O Muḥammad! We have been told that when someone from the Children of Israel sinned, they would find their sin and its atonement written next to their head [in a scroll] when they wake up the next morning.” So Gabriel descended upon the Messenger of God and said, “Your people are demanding Our treatment of the Children of Israel with respect to sins. If that is what they want, We shall treat them as such by seizing them [with punishment] as We seized the Children of Israel.” Then the people felt that the Messenger of God did not want this kind of treatment for his people.
Author’s comment: This narration is not compatible with the theme and tone of the verse. There are also signs of weakness in its content.
- They [the polytheists] said, “If Muḥammad is truthful, then let each of us find a piece of writing under our head [that is, under our pillow] when we wake up the next morning, granting us acquittal and security from hell.” Thus it was revealed: Rather, every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]! ().
Author’s comment: This account is not in harmony with the context of the verses and the rejection of their claims [in verses ].
- Concerning Rather, every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]! () Mujāhid said: So that every one of them would wake up with a scroll placed by them, which they could read, saying: “To so-and-so, from the Lord of the worlds.”
Author’s comment: This account can be matched with both the last one, and our interpretation of the verse.
- Concerning Rather, every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]! () Qatādah said: Some people told Muḥammad, “If it pleases you that we follow you, then produce a book to us that orders us to follow you.”
Author’s comment: This narration corresponds to a view that we discussed and refuted in our exposition, where verse is matched with the verse: And we will not believe your ascension… ().
- Concerning He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: He is worthy of being feared, and worthy of forgiving.
- Concerning He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness () Imam al-Ṣādiq narrated [a sacred tradition (ḥadīth qudsī)] from God: “I am worthy of being feared. I am befitting of My servant not associating anything with Me. And if My servant does not associate anything with Me, I am worthy of admitting them to paradise.” The Imam also said: “The Almighty God has taken a vow by His might and majesty not to punish with the fire those who adhere to His oneness (tawḥīd).”
- Once the Messenger of God was asked about the verse: He is worthy of Godwariness, and worthy of forgiveness (). He explained: God says, “I am worthy of being feared, so one should not associate a partner with Me. And if I am feared and no partner is associated with Me, then I am worthy of forgiving everything else.”
Author’s comment: There are many Prophetic narrations that convey the same meaning.
The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of the verse indicates that this statement is drawn as a conclusion to the previous discussion about reminder and admonition []. The word muʿriḍīn (averse) functions as a ḥāl (circumstantial qualifier, participial phrase) for the pronoun “them” (the ending hum in lahum). The clause, To the Reminder indicates their object of aversion. (Auth.) ↩︎
In verse they explicitly demand the Prophet to ascend to the heaven, and then require him to bring back a book as a written verification. (Trans.) ↩︎
See verses and below. Also see volume 1, pp. 143 and 162ff of the English translation, under verses and ; volume 2, pp. 209ff and 271-272, under verses and ; volume 13, pp. 25ff and 81ff, under verses and ; volume 15, p. 65, under verses . (Trans.) ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of Abū al-Jārūd. ↩︎
The word zaʿm (feeling, imagination, impression) at the end of the narration suggests that what is mentioned is uncertain. Further, the different parts of the story do not seem coherent. (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd, Ibn Jarīr and Ibn al-Mundhir, on the authority of al-Suddī, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd and Ibn al-Mundhir. ↩︎
Since it does not specify the content of the scroll, it can be either a message of immunity from punishment, or a religious call. The former would match the previous narration; the latter would match the author’s interpretation of the verse. (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd and Ibn al-Mundhir. ↩︎
Al-Tawḥīd, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Abū Baṣīr. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh, on the authority of ʿAbd-Allāh b. Dīnār, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn ʿAbbās. ↩︎