363 Page Notes

25 Surah Al-Furqan (continued)

Page 363 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 363 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Furqan (The Criterion), verses 33 through 41, continues the discourse on the rejection of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by the Meccan polytheists and provides divine perspective on their arguments.

Overview of Verses 33–41

• Verses 33–34: The Quran addresses the arguments of the disbelievers, stating that for every argument they bring, Allah provides the truth and the "best explanation." It further warns that those who are gathered to Hell on their faces will be in the worst position and furthest astray from the path.

• Verses 35–39: Allah draws parallels to the histories of previous nations. He mentions Moses (Musa) and Aaron (Harun), who were given the Scripture and faced opposition, as well as the people of Noah (Nuh), the people of ‘Ad, Thamud, and the companions of the Rass. All these nations were destroyed because they rejected the messengers and hardened their hearts against the truth.

• Verses 40–41: The Quran describes how these disbelievers have passed by the ruined settlements of those who were punished (such as the city of Lut). The verse notes that they see these ruins, yet they lack the insight to understand the warning. It then describes their mockery when they see the Prophet, asking, "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger?"

Scholarly Commentary and Insights

Classical scholars, such as Ibn Kathir, provide extensive context for these passages:

• The "Best Explanation" (Verse 33): Scholars explain that this is a divine promise to the Prophet ﷺ that every time the polytheists bring a shubha (doubt or false argument), Allah provides a hujjah (clear, superior proof) to refute it. It serves as a source of strength for the believer to know that the truth is always intellectually superior to falsehood.

• The Lesson of History (Verses 37–39): Commentators emphasize that the mention of nations like ‘Ad, Thamud, and the companions of the Rass serves as a psychological and spiritual warning. The "companions of the Rass" are often identified in classical Tafsir as a community that rejected their prophet, illustrating that even if a nation is powerful or affluent, rejection of divine truth leads to ruin.

• The Failure of Reflection (Verse 40): Ibn Kathir notes that the disbelievers would pass by the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah (the city of the people of Lut) during their trade journeys to the Levant. The verse highlights the "deafness" of the human heart: they saw the physical evidence of divine wrath but refused to draw the logical conclusion that their own similar actions could lead to a similar end.

• Mockery of the Prophet (Verse 41): Scholars highlight that the polytheists’ dismissal of the Prophet—viewing him as an ordinary man—was a recurring tactic of those who prioritized their own status over the acceptance of truth. By mocking the person of the messenger, they attempted to deflect from the message he was bringing.

Themes in Sunnah

While specific Hadiths for every verse are not always categorized by "page number," the themes within this passage are central to the Sunnah:

• Patience in the Face of Mockery: The Prophet ﷺ faced significant mockery (as described in verse 41) throughout his Meccan period. The Sunnah records his conduct as being one of Sabr (patience) and perseverance, mirroring the struggles of the prophets mentioned in verses 35–36.

• Contemplating Past Nations: The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions to contemplate the ruins of past civilizations not merely as tourism, but as a lesson in ‘Ibrah (taking a lesson). When passing by the valley of Al-Hijr (the dwelling place of Thamud), he instructed his companions to move quickly and pass by with a sense of fear and solemnity, lest the punishment that befell those people befall them as well (Sahih al-Bukhari 3380; Sahih Muslim 2980).

Surah Al-Furqan, verses 42 and 43, deals with the persistent mockery of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by the Meccan polytheists and the spiritual psychological state of those who abandon objective truth in favor of their own personal whims.

Overview of Verses 42–43

• Verse 42: The disbelievers mock the Prophet by belittling his mission, questioning, "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger?" They claim that had they not been "patient" (persistent) in adhering to their ancestral idols, he would have successfully led them away from their gods.

• Verse 43: Allah addresses the Prophet, asking: "Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire?" This verse serves as a profound critique of those who reject the truth not because of a lack of evidence, but because their desires dictate their belief system.

Context in Hadith and Sunnah

The themes in these verses, particularly regarding the dangers of following one's desires (hawa), are central to the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ:

• Lust/Desire as the Worst Idol: In a Hadith recorded by Al-Tabarani and referenced in major Tafsir works (such as those of Ibn Kathir), the Prophet ﷺ highlighted the severity of the spiritual condition described in verse 43. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
  "Of all the false gods being worshipped and served instead of Allah, the worst in the sight of Allah is one's own lust (desire/passion)."

  • Source: Cited in Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani.

• Mockery of the Prophet: The mockery described in verse 42—where the disbelievers treat the Prophet with disdain—is consistent with the historical record of the Meccan period. The Sunnah emphasizes the Prophet's patience in the face of such ridicule. The Quranic response to this, as noted in commentaries, is that mockery of the messenger is a historical pattern of those who reject the truth (cf. Quran 6:10).

Scholarly Commentary

Scholars emphasize that verse 43 serves as a psychological diagnosis of the disbelievers' resistance:

• The Worship of Self-Interest: Commentators like Ibn Kathir and Abul Ala Maududi explain that "taking one's desire as a god" means that such individuals have surrendered their reason and conscience to their impulses. Whatever their desires favor, they follow; whatever they dislike, they reject—regardless of whether it is true or false.

• Worse than Cattle: In the subsequent verse (44), Allah compares such people to cattle. Scholars explain that cattle are at least guided by their natural instincts to fulfill their intended purpose. A human who abandons their intellect—the very tool given to them to recognize truth—and becomes a slave to fleeting desires is viewed as having degraded themselves below the level of animals.

• Consolation for the Prophet: Scholars note that verse 43 is a form of divine comfort to the Prophet ﷺ. Allah asks, "Would you then be a guardian over him?" This implies that the Prophet is not responsible for the guidance of those who have consciously chosen to make their own whims their master. It reminds the believer that one cannot force truth upon someone who has already made their desire their "deity."

Note: For further study, Tafsir Ibn Kathir provides the most direct link between the Prophetic traditions and the linguistic analysis of these verses, while Tafsir-e-Namuna offers extensive modern analysis on the psychological implications of "desire as a god."