SURAH (43) AL-ZUKHRUF (AYA 41 to 60)

فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ {43:41}

[Q43:41] Fa immaa nazhabanna bika fa innaa minhum muntaqimoon, 
[Q43:41] But if We should take you away, still We shall inflict retribution on them;

[Q43:41] Oleh itu (bertenanglah engkau, kerana) kalaulah Kami wafatkan engkau (sebelum Kami perlihatkan kepadamu azab yang akan menimpa mereka), maka sesungguhnya Kami tetap menyeksakan mereka. 

Ibn Marduwayh reports from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) said that this verse referred to Imam Ali WHO WOULD, AFTER THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), FIGHT AND PUNISH THE HYPOCRITES BECAUSE THEY WOULD BREAK THE COVENANT MADE WITH ALLAH (SWT) AND THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD). This is also mentioned in Tafsir Durr al Manthur and Tafsir Nayshapuri.

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(43:41) We shall inflict retribution on them, whether We take you away from the world (before We do that),

أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ الَّذِي وَعَدْنَاهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِمْ مُقْتَدِرُونَ {43:42}

[Q43:42] Aw nuriyannakal lazee wa'adnaahum fa innaa 'alaihim muqtadiroon. 
[Q43:42] Rather We will certainly show you that which We have promised them; for surely We are the possessors of full power over them.

[Q43:42] Atau sekiranya Kami (hendak) memperlihatkan kepadamu apa yang Kami janjikan kepada mereka (dari azab seksa itu), maka Kami tetap berkuasa terhadap mereka.  

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(43:42) or make you see the end that We had promised them, for We have full power over them. *37

*37 This thing can be understood fully only by keeping in view the background in whicjit was said. The disbelievers of Makkah thought that the person of the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's Peace) had become a source of trouble for them. If they could somehow get rid of him, matters would become normal. On the basis of this evil thought they were holding consultations day and night and planning to kill him. At this, Allah addresses His Prophet so as to tell them indirectly: "It doesn't make any difference whether you remain among them or not: if you live, you will see them meet their doom with your own eyes; if you are recalled from the world, they will be sent to their doom in your absence, because they cannot in any case escape the consequences of their misdeeds."

فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ {43:43}

[Q43:43] Fastamsik billazeee oohi ya ilaika innaka 'alaa Siraatim Mustaqeem. 
[Q43:43] Therefore hold fast to that which has been revealed to you; surely you are on the right path.

[Q43:43] Dengan yang demikian, berpegang teguhlah engkau kepada Al-Quran yang telah diwahyukan kepadamu; kerana sesungguhnya engkau berada di atas jalan yang lurus.

Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari reports that after returning from hajjatul wida (the last pilgrimage) the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) used to admonish and warn the people to remember and adhere to the command of ALLAH (SWT) he conveyed to them at Ghadir Khum ‘Of whomsoever I am the Lord, this Ali is his Lord.’(see commentary of Ma-idah 5:67), on the declaration of which, depended the completion of the mission of the apostleship of the HOLY PROPHET(ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND the perfection of the faith as a duly regulated religion for mankind (Verse Ma-idah 5:3) This tradition is also mentioned in Manaqib ibn Maghazali and Fiqh al Shafi-i.

THE LAST PORTION OF VERSE 43 INDICATES THAT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALI AS THE SUCCESSOR OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IS THE ONLY RIGHT COURSE.

v  According to Minhajul Sadiqin Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir and Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said:

"Dhikr is the Qur’an and we are those about whom the people will be questioned, regarding their duties and obligations unto us." Verse 37:24 of Saffat also refers to "questioning".

v  Ibn Hajar, in his Sawa-iq al Muhriqah Chapter II, has enumerated this verse among the verses that refer to the Ahlul Bayt and has commented upon it at great length and recorded several traditions in support of his comments.

v  Besides, Al Dayami relates from Abu Sa-id Khudri that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) said that in this verse the expression "they must be questioned" means that they shall be questioned concerning the love of Ali,

v  Wahidi interprets this verse to mean that they shall be questioned concerning the love of Ali and the Ahlul Bayt, SINCE ALLAH (SWT) commanded His messenger to declare to the people that he did not ask any reward for his preaching except the love of his Ahlul Bayt vis., verse 42:23.

v  According to Thalabi the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) said:

"At the time of mi-raj when I was among the prophets and the angels, I asked the prophets as to what purpose they were sent into the world. They all replied in one voice: 'For your love and the love of Ali ibne Abi Talib'."

THIS IS A PROPHETIC STATEMENT WHICH HISTORY HAS PROVED. The Arabic language and the Arabs owe their survival and flourishing to the Holy Qur’an. The nomadic language deprived of all literature except some poetries due to this Holy Qur’an developed into one of the most popular languages of civilisation, full of scientific and literary treasures to which this modern civilisation owes a lot and the language has developed as one of the most eloquent languages of the world, influencing even the people of the non-Arabic languages who have embraced Islam.

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(43:43) So hold fast to what has been revealed to you. Surely you are on the Straight Way. *38

*38 That is, "You should not worry as to what punishment do those who are resisting and opposing the truth with injustice and dishonesty receive and when, nor should you worry whether Islam flourishes during your lifetime or not. For you this satisfaction is qute enough that you are on the Right Path. Therefore, you should go on fulfilling your mission unconcerned about the results, and leave it to Allah whether He defeats falsehood in front of you or after you. "

وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ {43:44}

[Q43:44] Wa innahoo lazikrul laka wa liqawmika wa sawfa tus'aloon. 
[Q43:44] And most surely it is a reminder for you and your people, and you shall soon be questioned.

[Q43:44] Dan sesungguhnya Al-Quran itu memberikan kemuliaan dan peringatan kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) dan kepada kaummu dan kamu akan ditanya kelak (tentang isi kandungannya yang kamu telah amalkan). 

(see commentary for verse 43)

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(43:44) Verily it is a great source of eminence for you and your people, and soon you will be called to account concerning that. *39

*39 That is, "There can be no greater good fortune for a person than that Allah should choose him from among all men to become the recipient of His Book, and there can be no greater good fortune also for a nation than that Allah should raise His Prophet in it, apart from all other nations of the world, and should send down His Book in its tongue, and give it the opportunity to rise as the standard-bearer of Divine Message in the world. If the Quraish and the people of Arabia have no sense of this great honour, and spurn it, a time will come when they will be called upon to account for it."

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ {43:45}

[Q43:45] Was'al man arsalnaa min qablika mir Rusulinaaa aja'alnaa min doonir Rahmaani aalihatany yu badoon. 
[Q43:45] And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Beneficent ALLAH (SWT)?

[Q43:45] Dan bertanyalah kepada umat mana-mana Rasul yang Kami telah utuskan sebelummu; pernahkah Kami memberi hukum menetapkan sebarang tuhan untuk disembah, selain dari ALLAH (SwT) Yang Maha Pemurah. 

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(43:45) Ask all Our Messengers whom We sent before you whether We had appointed any deities beside the Merciful One to be worshipped. *40

*40 "Ask the Messengers": Find out from the Books brought by them. Just as the meaning of: "If there arises any dispute among you about anything, refer it to Allah and His Prophet," is not that the dispute should be taken before Allah and His Messenger, but that one should turn to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for a decision, so "asking the .Messengers" also does not mean that one should approach all the Messengers who have left the world and ask them, but the right meaning is: "Discover what teachings the Messengers of Allah have left in the world as to which of them taught that another than Allah also is worthy of worship and service."

SECTION 5

Moses sent towards Pharaoh

Moses sent to Pharaoh with the signs---The people took Moses as a sorcerer---The people of Pharaoh punished, and made for example for the latter generations.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {43:46}

[Q43:46] Wa laqad arsalnaa Moosaa bi aayaatinaaa ilaa Fir'awna wa mala'ihee faqaala innee Rasoolu Rabbil Aalameen. 
[Q43:46] And certainly We sent Musa with Our communications to Firon and his chiefs, so he said: Surely I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds.

[Q43:46] Dan demi sesungguhnya! Kami telah mengutus Nabi Musa dengan membawa mukjizat-mukjizat Kami, kepada Firaun dan kaumnya, lalu dia berkata: Sesungguhnya aku ini ialah Rasul dari Tuhan sekalian alam.  

Refer to Araf 7:103 to 137 and Ta Ha 20:9 to 98 and **all the references mentioned therein for the account of Musa, Harun and Firawn in detail. For **the mockery of Musa and his signs see Bani Israil 17:101 to 103.

VERSE 56 says that the fate of the people of Firawn is an instructive warning and example to future generations. Like the people of Firawn THE MAKKA PAGANS also gave great importance to temporal power and worldly possessions and ignored the life of the hereafter.

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(43:46) Indeed We *41 sent Moses with Our Signs *42 to Pharaoh and his nobles. He told them: “I am a Messenger of the Lord of the Universe.”

*41 This story has been narrated here for three objects: (1) That when Allah sends His Prophet to a country and nation and affords it the opportunity which He has now given to the Arabs by appointing the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) to Prophet hood, and it, instead of taking advantage of it, commits the folly of Pharaoh and his people, it meets the same. fate which has become an object lesson in history. (2) That just as Pharaoh also on account of his arrogance and pride of kingdom and grandeur and wealth and possessions had belittled the Prophet Moses as mean and contemptible, so the unbelieving Quraish now are regarding Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) as insignificant as against their chiefs. But God's judgment was different which ultimately proved who was really great. (3) That to mock Allah's Revelations and show stubbornness against His warnings is not a mere joke, but a very serious sin. If you do not learn a lesson from the fate of those who have been doomed on account of this, you also would go to your doom on account of the same." 
*42 This implies the signs with which the Prophet Moses had gone to the court of Pharaoh, i.e. the Signs of the staff and the shining hand. (For explanation, see AI-A'raf: 107-108, Ta Ha: 20-22, Ash-Shu'ara: 32-33, AnNaml: 10-12, Al-Qasas: 31-32).

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا إِذَا هُمْ مِنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ {43:47}

[Q43:47] Falammma jaaa'ahum bi aayaatinaaa izaa hum minhaa yadhakoon. 
[Q43:47] But when he came to them with Our signs, lo! They laughed at them.

[Q43:47] Maka apabila dia datang kepada mereka dengan membawa tanda-tanda kekuasaan Kami, mereka dengan serta-merta mencemuh dan menggelakkan (apa yang dibawanya) itu.  

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:47) Yet when he brought forth Clear Signs from Us, then lo, they burst into laughter.

وَمَا نُرِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا ۖ وَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ {43:48}

[Q43:48] Wa maa nureehim min aayatin illaa hiya akbaru min ukhtihaa wa akhaznaahum bil'azaabi la'allahum yarji‘oon. 
[Q43:48] And We did not show them a sign but it was greater than its like, and We overtook them with chastisement that they may turn.

[Q43:48] Dan tidaklah Kami memperlihatkan kepada mereka sesuatu tanda kebenaran Nabi Musa melainkan tanda itu adalah lebih terang dari yang terdahulu daripadanya; Dan Kami timpakan mereka dengan berbagai azab (bala bencana), supaya mereka kembali (bertaubat).  

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:48) Every Sign that We showed them was greater than its predecessor; and then We seized them with Our chastisement so that they may return (to the Right Way). *43

*43 This implies the Signs which Allah showed them through the Prophet Moses afterwards, and these were the following: 
(1) A public encounter of Allah's Prophet with the magicians, who believed after their defeat. For details, see Al-A'raf: 112-126, Ta Ha: 68-73. AshShu'ara: 37-51. 
(2) A severe famine which hit the land of Egypt according to the Prophet Moses' announcement and which left the country only on his prayer.
(3) Dreadful rain and hail-storms accompanied by lightning and thunder struck the country even as the Prophet had announced, which destroyed the crops and dwellings and which also was removed only on his prayer.
(4) The sudden appearance of locusts in the land. This calamity also was not removed till the Prophet prayed to Allah. 
(5) Lice and weavils spread throughout the country according to the announcement made by Moses, which afflicted men and animals on the one hand, and destroyed granaries on the other. This torment also was averted when the Prophet Moses was requested to pray for its removal.
(6) Frogs appeared everywhere in the country according to the warning given by Moses, which put the whole population to great distress; this calamity also did not retreat till the Prophet prayed for it.
(7) The torment of blood appeared precisely as foretold by Moses, which turned the water of all canals, wells, springs, pools and cisterns into blood. The fish died and the water smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink from it for a full week. This evil also was averted when the Prophet Moses was asked to pray for its removal. For details, see AIA'raf: 130-136. An-Naml: 12 and E.N. 37 of Al-Mu'min.
Chapters 7 to 10 of Exodus also contain the details of these calamities, but it is a combination of gossip and truth. It says that when the calamity of blood appeared, the magicians also worked a similar miracle, but when the calamity of the lice came, the magicians could not produce lice in response, and they said that it was God's work. Even more (strange) than this is that when the storm of the frogs came, the magicians also brought about frogs, but in spite of that Pharaoh requested only the Prophet Moses to pray to God to take away the frogs. The question is when the magicians could produce frogs, why didn't Pharaoh get the frogs taken away through them? And how did it become known which of the frogs were Allah's work and which of the magicians'? The same question arises about the blood. When according to the warning of Moses water became blood everywhere, which water did the magicians turn into blood? And how was it known that the water of a particular place had turned blood by the power of the magicians? Such are the things which show that the Bible does not consist of purely Divine revelation, but the people who wrote it mixed up many things in it from their own imagination. The pity, however, is that the authors also were people of ordinary intelligence, who did not even know how to invent a story

وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَ السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ {43:49}

[Q43:49] Wa qaaloo yaaa ayyuhas saahirud'u lanaa Rabbaka bimaa 'ahida 'indaka innanaa lamuhtadoon. 
[Q43:49] And they said: O magician! Call on your Lord for our sake, as He has made the covenant with you; we shall surely be the followers of the right way.

[Q43:49] Dan (apabila bala bencana itu menimpa mereka), mereka merayu kepada Nabi Musa dengan berkata: Wahai orang yang bijak pandai, pohonkanlah kepada Tuhanmu keselamatan untuk kami dengan (kemuliaan) pangkat Nabi yang diberikan kepadamu; sesungguhnya kami (sesudah itu) akan patuh beriman. 

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:49) (Whenever they faced an affliction) they would say: “O magician, pray for us to your Lord according to your station with Him. We shall certainly be guided to the Right Way.”

فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنْكُثُونَ {43:50}

[Q43:50] Falammaa kashafnaa 'anhumul 'azaaba izaa hum yankusoon. 
[Q43:50] But when We removed from them the chastisement, lo! They broke the pledge.

[Q43:50] Setelah Kami hapuskan azab itu daripada mereka, mereka terus mencabuli janjinya.  

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:50) But lo, each time We removed Our affliction from them, they would go back on their word. *44

*44 The stubbornness of Pharaoh and the chiefs of his people can be judged from the fact that when distressed by the torment they wanted the Prophet Moses to pray for its removal, even then they did not recognize him as a Prophet but addressed him as a magician, whereas they were not unaware of the truth about magic, and they also knew that those miraculous things could not be brought about by the power of magic. The most that a magician can do is that in a limited area he can so influence the people present in front of him as to make them feel that water has become blood, or frogs are coming out in large numbers or swarms of locusts are advancing. And within this limited place also no water will actually become blood, but water will remain water as soon as it comes outside it; no frog will be produced in actual fact, but will prove to be an imaginary thing as soon as brought outside the circle; locusts also would be imaginary: they would not be able to destroy any crop. As for this that a famine appears throughout a country, or that the canals and springs and wells of the country are filled with blood, or that swarms of locusts spread over thousands of square miles and eat up crops growing over lakhs of acres, this has neither been accomplished by a magician so far, nor can it ever happen by the power of magic. Should such magicians be there in the service of a king, he need not keep forces and fight wars; he could conquer the whole world by the power of magic. Even if the magicians possessed such power, they would not seek service under the kings, but would assume kingship themselves.
The commentators in general have been perplexed as to why Pharaoh and his courtiers addressed the Prophet Moses as "O sorcerer," when they requested him to pray for the removal of the calamity, for the one who seeks another's help in a hard time flatters him and does not condemn him. They have given the interpretation that sorcery in the Egypt of those days was held as a very respectable art, and when they addressed Moses as "O sorcerer" they did not condemn him, but honored him because it amounted w calling him as "O Learned man" But this interpretation is absolutely wrong on the ground that wherever at other places in the Qur'an Pharaoh's sayings have been cited in which he had called the Prophet Moses a sorcerer and the miracles presented by him sorcery, the sense of condemnation and contempt becomes apparent, and it becomes manifestly clear that sorcery was false in his sight, which he imputed to the Prophet Moses so as to prove his claim to the Prophet hood to be false !Therefore, it cannot be acceptable that suddenly at this time "sorcerer" became the title of an honorable and Learned man in his sight. As for the question: Why did the Prophet Moses accede to his request at all when even while requesting him for the prayer, Pharaoh insulted him publicly, the answer is that the object before the Prophet Moses was to strengthen the case against those people by Allah's command. Their request to him to pray for the removal of the torment by itself proved that in their heart of hearts they had come to know why the torments were occurring, who was sending them and who could avert them. In spite of that, when they called him a "sorcerer" stubbornly, and went back on their word of following the right way as soon as the torment was averted, they in fact, did not do any harm to Allah's Prophet, but only caused the case and argument to be strengthened against themselves, which Allah at last decided against them with their total destruction. When they called him a sorcerer, this did not mean that they believed in their hearts as well that the torments against them were coming by the power of sorcery, but they realized it fully well that those were Allah's Signs and yet they denied them deliberately. The same thing has been said in Surah An-Naml: 14: "They rejected those Signs out of sheer injustice and vanity, whereas in their heart of hearts they were convinced." 

وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِي ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ {43:51}

[Q43:51] Wa naadaa Fir'awnu fee qawmihee qaala yaa qawmi alaisa lee mulku Misra wa haazihil anhaaru tajree min tahtee afalaa tubsiroon 
[Q43:51] And Firon proclaimed amongst his people: O my people! Is not the kingdom of Egypt mine? And these rivers flow beneath me; do you not then see?

[Q43:51] Dan Firaun pula menyeru (dengan mengisytiharkan) kepada kaumnya, katanya: Wahai kaumku! Bukankah kerajaan negeri Mesir ini akulah yang menguasainya, dan sungai-sungai ini mengalir di bawah (istanaku)? Tidakkah kamu melihatnya?  

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:51) And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people: *45 “My people, do I not have dominion over Egypt, and are these streams not flowing beneath me? Can’t you see? *46

*45 Pharaoh probably sent heralds to the cities and towns throughout the country to proclaim what he said in his address to his ministers and courtiers in the capital. Pharaoh could not have availed of the services of a sycophantic press, controlled news agencies and official radio. 
*46 The words of the proclamation clearly show that ground was slipping from under the Pharaoh's feet. The miracles performed one after the other by the Prophet Moses had caused the common people's beliefs in their gods to waver and the Pharaoh's spell under which their dynasty was ruling over Egypt as representatives of the gods, was shattered. Thereupon, Pharaoh cried out: "O wretched people, can't you see who is ruling over this land and under whose control are the canals which have been dug out from the Nile, upon which depends your whole economy? All these developments in this country have been brought about by me and my predecessors, but you arc being devoted, charmed and fascinated 6y this pauper! " 

أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ {43:52}

[Q43:52] Am ana khairum min haazal lazee huwa maheenunw wa laa yuakaadu yubeen 
[Q43:52] Nay! I am better than this fellow, who is contemptible, and who can hardly speak distinctly:

[Q43:52] Bahkan bukankah aku lebih baik daripada orang yang hina keadaannya ini dan yang hampir-hampir tidak dapat menjelaskan perkataannya? 

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:52) Am I better or this contemptible man *47 who is scarcely able to express himself? *48

*47 "Wretched person": the person who has neither wealth, power nor authority. This same objection had been raised by the disbelieving Quraish against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace).
*48 Some commentators have expressed the opinion that Pharaoh referred to the impediment of speech from which the Prophet Moses suffered since childhood. But this is not a correct opinion. As has been mentioned in Surah Ta Ha above, when the Prophet Moses was being appointed to Prophet hood, he had implored Allah Almighty to remove the defect from his tongue so that the people might understand his speech, and at that very time his request had also been granted along with his other requests (vv. 27-36). Moreover, orations of the Prophet Moses that have been cited at different places in the Qur'an, point to his perfect eloquence and fluency. Therefore, the basis of Pharaoh's objection was not any impediment of speech from which Moses might be suffering but what he meant was: "This person talks confusedly at least I have never been able to understand what he says." 

فَلَوْلَا أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ {43:53}

[Q43:53] Falaw laa ulqiya 'alaihi aswiratum min zahabin awjaaa'a ma'ahul malaaa'ikatu muqtarineen 
[Q43:53] But why have not bracelets of gold been put upon him, or why have there not come with him angels as companions?

[Q43:53] (Kalau betul dia seorang Rasul) maka sepatutnya dia dipakaikan (oleh Tuhannya) gelang-gelang emas (yang menandakan dia seorang pemimpin) atau datang malaikat bersama-sama dengannya (sebagai saksi tentang kebenarannya)?  

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:53) Why were bracelets of gold not bestowed upon him? Why did a retinue of angels not accompany him as attendants?” *49

*49 In the ancient times when a person was appointed to be governor of a land or sent as an ambassador to a foreign country, a robe of honor was conferred on him by the king, which also included bracelets of gold, and he was also accompanied by a contingent of soldiers and servants for over-awing the people and for showing the glory and grandeur of the king who had appointed him. What Pharaoh meant to say was: "If the King of the heavens had really sent Moses (peace be upon him) as His ambassador to His counterpart on the earth, he should have been dressed in a robe of honor and come with several contingents of angels in attendance. How strange that a poor man should appear with a staff in his hand and say that he was the messenger of the Lord of the worlds!" 

فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ {43:54}

[Q43:54] Fastakhaffa qawmahoo fa ataa'ooh; innahum kaanoo qawman faasiqeen. 
[Q43:54] So he incited his people to levity and they obeyed him: surely they were a transgressing people.

[Q43:54] (Dengan yang demikian), maka Firaun memperbodohkan kaumnya, lalu mereka mematuhinya; sesungguhnya mereka itu adalah kaum yang fasik (derhaka). 

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:54) He incited his people to levity and they obeyed him. Surely they were an iniquitous people. *50

*50 A tremendous reality has been expressed in this brief sentence. When a person wishes to become autocratic in a country, and contrives every plan openly to achieve his object-practices every deception and trick, buys and sells consciences, and persecutes and crushes ruthlessly those who cannot be purchased-he, in fact, shows by his actions, whatever he may say to the contrary, that he takes the people of the country to be light as regards their intellect, morals and manliness, and has formed the impression that he can drive the foolish, unscrupulous and cowardly people wherever he likes. Then, when he has succeeded in his designs and the people have become his obedient servants, they prove by their conduct and behavior that they are actually what the wicked man had taken them to be, and the main cause of their depravity is that they arc basically a "sinful people." They are not in the least concerned as to what is the truth and what is falsehood, what is justice and what is injustice, whether the noble traits of character are truthfulness and honesty or falsehood and dishonesty and meanness. Instead of this, only their personal interests are of real importance to them, for the sake of which they remain ever ready to cooperate with every wicked person, to yield to every tyrant, to accept every falsehood and to suppress every protest that is voiced in favor of the truth. 

فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ {43:55}

[Q43:55] Falammaaa aasafoonan taqamnaa minhum fa aghraqnaahum ajma‘een. 
[Q43:55] Then when they displeased Us, We inflicted a retribution on them, so We drowned them all together.

[Q43:55] Setelah mereka menyebabkan kemurkaan Kami (dengan perbuatan derhaka itu), Kami menyeksa mereka, iaitu menenggelamkan mereka semuanya di laut (sehingga binasa). 

(see commentary for verse 46)

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(43:55) So when they incurred Our wrath, We exacted retribution from them, and drowned them all,

فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِلْآخِرِينَ {43:56}

[Q43:56] Faja'alnaahum salafanw wa masalal lil aakhireen. 
[Q43:56] And We made them a precedent and example to the later generations.

[Q43:56] Maka kami jadikan mereka contoh dan pengajaran bagi orang-orang yang datang kemudian. 

This is just to compare the similarity between the people of Pharaoh and the people of Makka --- ATTACHING IMPORTANCE TO TEMPORAL POWER AND POSSESSION AND IGNORING THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF THE LIFE AND THE LIFE HEREAFTER. Refer verses 7:132-135.

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(43:56) and made them a thing of the past and an example for those who would come after them. *51

*51 That is, "They are a precedent for those who do not learn any lesson from their example, and an object lesson for those who are keen to learn a lesson. "

SECTION 6

Jesus, a sign of ALLAH (SWT)

People disbelieve Jesus who was sent only as ALLAH (SWT)’s sign to the children of Israel---Jesus’ exhortation towards service only to the Only True ALLAH (SWT)---No friend shall be of any avail on the Day of Judgment, except the Pious ones.

وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ {43:57}

[Q43:57] Wa lammaa duribab nu Maryama masalan izaa qawmu ka minhu yasidoon. 
[Q43:57] And when a description of the son of Marium is given, lo! Your people raise a clamor thereat.

[Q43:57] Dan ketika (Nabi Isa) anak Mariam dikemukakan sebagai satu misal perbandingan, (untuk membantahmu wahai Muhammad), tiba-tiba kaummu bersorak-sorak kesukaan terhadapnya (kerana menyangka bahawa mereka telah menang).

ISA WAS A MAN AND A PROPHET. Some of the churches, founded after him, worshipped him as God and as the son of God. The pagans of Makka who worshipped their own false gods did not like the idea of referring to Isa who was introduced to them by the Christians as god, an alien god to them. So they ridiculed him; but they did not know that ISA WAS NEITHER GOD NOR THE SON OF GOD, HE WAS ONE OF THE GREAT PROPHETS, AND HAD A LIMITED MISSION TO REFORM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAIL.

r  Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:140; Ali Imran 3:45 to 59, 114 to 118; Nisa 4:157 to 159, 171; Ma-idah 5:5, 20, 44, 45, 67, 85, 113, 114, 117, 119, 121; Bara-at 9:30, 31;Maryam 19:16 to 37 FOR PROPHET ISA.

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said:

"0 Ali, you are like Isa. Many have gone astray in his love or in his hostility." The hypocrites among those present there said: "Is there no better example than this?" THEREUPON THESE VERSES WERE REVEALED.

·         Ahmed bin Hambal in his Musnad and Ibn Hajar in his Sawa-iq al Muhriqah have confirmed this tradition.

"He" in VERSE 61 refers to Isa.

·         According to Sahih Muslim the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said: "When Isa will descend from the heaven among you, the leader (of mankind) will be a man from among you."

Refer to the commentary of Bara-at 9:32, 33 for the reappearance of Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al Qa-im along with whom Isa will also come. See Maryam 19:36 for verse 64. See Maryam 19:36 for verse 64.

Ø  "Jesus said: 'Begone, Satan! Scripture says: you shall worship the Lord your ALLAH (SWT) and worship Him alone'." (Matthew 4: 10)

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(43:57) No sooner the example of the son of Mary was mentioned than, lo and behold, your people raised a clamour

وَقَالُوا أَآلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ {43:58}

[Q43:58] Wa qaalooo 'a-aalihatunaa khairun am hoo; maa daraboohu laka illaa jadalaa; balhum qawmun khasimoon. 
[Q43:58] And they say: Are our gods better, or is he? They do not set it forth to you save by way of disputation; nay, they are a contentious people.

[Q43:58] Dan mereka berkata lagi: Manakah yang lebih baik, benda-benda yang kami sembah atau Isa? Dan (sebenarnya) mereka tidak mengemukakan perbandingan itu kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) melainkan kerana membantah semata-mata (bukan kerana mencari kebenaran); bahkan mereka itu adalah kaum yang suka sekali mengemukakan bantahan. 

(see commentary for verse 57)

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(43:58) and said: “Who is better, our deities or he?” *52 They said so only out of contentiousness. They are a disputatious people.

*52 In verse 45 above, it was said: "You may ask all other Messengers whom We sent before you whether We had appointed any other gods to be worshipped beside the Merciful God." When this discourse was being presented before the people of Makkah, a person called `Abdullah ibn az-Ziba'ra in the traditions, put forward the objection: "Well, is it not a fact that the Christians regard the son of Mary as the son of God and worship him? What is then wrong with our gods?" This caused much laughter among the crowd of the disbelievers and they started clamoring for an answer to this objection. But at this foolish behavior, the continuity of the revelation was not broken, but was first completed and then the objection of the questioner was taken up. (It should be borne in mind that this incident has been reported in the books of commentaries in different ways which contain great variations, but after a study of the context and the traditions the real incident in our view is the same as we have mentioned above). 

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ مَثَلًا لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ {43:59}

[Q43:59] In huwa illaa 'abdun an'amnaa 'alaihi wa ja'alnaahu masalal li Baneee Israaa-‘eel. 
[Q43:59] He was naught but a servant on whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the children of Israel.

[Q43:59] Nabi Isa itu tidak lain hanyalah seorang hamba yang telah Kami kurniakan nikmat kepadanya (dengan pangkat Nabi) dan Kami jadikan dia satu contoh (kekuasaan kami yang menakjubkan) bagi kaum Bani Israil.  

(see commentary for verse 57)

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(43:59) He was no more than a servant (of Ours), one upon whom We bestowed Our favours and whom We made an example (of Our infinite power) for the Children of Israel. *53

*53 "Making an example of Our power" implies causing the Prophet Jesus to be born without a father, and then granting him such miracles as had not been granted to anyone before him nor to anyone after him. He would make a bird of clay and then breathe into it and it would become a living bird; he would give sight to those born blind; he would cure the lepers; so much so that he would raise the dead back to life. What Allah means to say is: "It is wrong to worship him as son of God and regard him as above servitude only because of his extraordinary birth and the great miracles granted to him. He was no more than a mere servant, whom We had blessed and made an example of Our power." (For details, see Al`Imran: 42-49, 59; An-Nisa: 156; Al-Ma`idah: 17, 110; Maryam: 17-35; AIAnbiya`: 91, Al-Mu'minun: SO). 

وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ مَلَائِكَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ {43:60}

[Q43:60] Wa law nashaaa'u laja'alnaa minkum malaaa'ikatan fil ardi yakhlufoon. 
[Q43:60] And if We please, We could make among you angels to be successors in the land.

[Q43:60] Dan kalaulah kami kehendaki, kami berkuasa melahirkan daripada kamu (wahai kaum lelaki): Malaikat mengganti kamu (menjalankan urusan) di muka bumi. 

(see commentary for verse 57)

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(43:60) If We had so willed We could have made some of you into angels *54 to become your successors on earth.

*54 Another translation can be: ".............make some of you angels.