Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger Allah tells us how the disbelievers mocked the Messenger when they saw him. This is like the Ayah, وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery) (21:36), which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. Here Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said: وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ (And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at) (6:10) إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (He would have nearly misled us from our gods,) They meant: `he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' So Allah said, warning and threatening them: وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ (And they will know, when they see the torment...) They took Their Desires as their gods and were more astray than Cattle Then Allah tells His Prophet that if Allah decrees that someone will be misguided and wretched, then no one can guide him except Allah, glory be to Him: أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـهَهُ هَوَاهُ (Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire) meaning, whatever he admires and sees as good in his own desires becomes his religion and his way. As Allah says: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءَ عَمَلِهِ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَناً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ (Is he then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming. So that he consider it as good. Verily, Allah sends astray whom he wills.) 35:8 أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلاً (Would you then be a guardian over him) Ibn `Abbas said: "During the Jahiliyyah, a man would worship a white rock for a while, then if he saw another that looked better, he would worship that and leave the first." Then Allah said: أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ (Or do you think that most of them hear or understand) meaning, they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger Allah tells us how the disbelievers mocked the Messenger when they saw him. This is like the Ayah, وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery) (21:36), which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. Here Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said: وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ (And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at) (6:10) إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (He would have nearly misled us from our gods,) They meant: `he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' So Allah said, warning and threatening them: وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ (And they will know, when they see the torment...) They took Their Desires as their gods and were more astray than Cattle Then Allah tells His Prophet that if Allah decrees that someone will be misguided and wretched, then no one can guide him except Allah, glory be to Him: أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـهَهُ هَوَاهُ (Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire) meaning, whatever he admires and sees as good in his own desires becomes his religion and his way. As Allah says: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءَ عَمَلِهِ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَناً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ (Is he then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming. So that he consider it as good. Verily, Allah sends astray whom he wills.) 35:8 أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلاً (Would you then be a guardian over him) Ibn `Abbas said: "During the Jahiliyyah, a man would worship a white rock for a while, then if he saw another that looked better, he would worship that and leave the first." Then Allah said: أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ (Or do you think that most of them hear or understand) meaning, they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger Allah tells us how the disbelievers mocked the Messenger when they saw him. This is like the Ayah, وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery) (21:36), which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. Here Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said: وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ (And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at) (6:10) إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (He would have nearly misled us from our gods,) They meant: `he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' So Allah said, warning and threatening them: وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ (And they will know, when they see the torment...) They took Their Desires as their gods and were more astray than Cattle Then Allah tells His Prophet that if Allah decrees that someone will be misguided and wretched, then no one can guide him except Allah, glory be to Him: أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـهَهُ هَوَاهُ (Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire) meaning, whatever he admires and sees as good in his own desires becomes his religion and his way. As Allah says: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءَ عَمَلِهِ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَناً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ (Is he then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming. So that he consider it as good. Verily, Allah sends astray whom he wills.) 35:8 أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلاً (Would you then be a guardian over him) Ibn `Abbas said: "During the Jahiliyyah, a man would worship a white rock for a while, then if he saw another that looked better, he would worship that and leave the first." Then Allah said: أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ (Or do you think that most of them hear or understand) meaning, they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger Allah tells us how the disbelievers mocked the Messenger when they saw him. This is like the Ayah, وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery) (21:36), which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. Here Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said: وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ (And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at) (6:10) إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا (He would have nearly misled us from our gods,) They meant: `he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' So Allah said, warning and threatening them: وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ (And they will know, when they see the torment...) They took Their Desires as their gods and were more astray than Cattle Then Allah tells His Prophet that if Allah decrees that someone will be misguided and wretched, then no one can guide him except Allah, glory be to Him: أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـهَهُ هَوَاهُ (Have you seen him who has taken as his god his own vain desire) meaning, whatever he admires and sees as good in his own desires becomes his religion and his way. As Allah says: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءَ عَمَلِهِ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَناً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ (Is he then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming. So that he consider it as good. Verily, Allah sends astray whom he wills.) 35:8 أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلاً (Would you then be a guardian over him) Ibn `Abbas said: "During the Jahiliyyah, a man would worship a white rock for a while, then if he saw another that looked better, he would worship that and leave the first." Then Allah said: أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ (Or do you think that most of them hear or understand) meaning, they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Evidence of the existence of the Creator and the extent of His Power Here Allah begins explaining the evidence for His existence and His perfect power to create various things and pairs of opposites. Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ (Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow.) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Malik, Masruq, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said, "This refers to the period from the beginning of the dawn until the sun rises." وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِناً (If He willed, He could have made it still) meaning, immobile, never changing. This is like the Ayat: قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الَّيْلَ سَرْمَداً (Say : "Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you...") (28:71) ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلاً (but We have made the sun its guide.) means, were it not for the sun rising, it would not be there, for a thing can only be known in contrast to its opposite. Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "The sun is a guide which follows the shade until the shade disappears. " ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَـهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضاً يَسِيراً (Then We withdraw it towards Ourselves -- a gradual withdrawal.) This refers to the shade. يَسِيراً (gradual) meaning slowly. As-Suddi said: "A gentle, concealed, withdrawal until there is no shade left on earth except under a roof or a tree, and the sun is shining on whatever is above it." قَبْضاً يَسِيراً (a gradual withdrawal.) Ayyub bin Musa said: "Little by little. وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ لِبَاساً (And it is He Who makes the night a covering for you,) It covers and conceals all things. This is like the Ayah: وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى (By the night as it envelops) (92:1). وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتاً (and the sleep a repose,) means, a halt to movement so that bodies may rest. For the faculties and limbs get tired from their constant movement during the day when one goes out to earn a living. When night comes, and it becomes quiet, they stop moving, and rest; so sleep provides a rejuvenation for both the body and the soul. وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُوراً (and makes the day Nushur) meaning, people get up and go out to earn a living and attend to their business. This is like the Ayah: وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ (It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty...) (28:73) وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَـحَ بُشْرَى بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً طَهُوراً