Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:2

(We have not sent down the Qur’an to you so that you might suffer) – This is a commencement initiated to console him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) regarding the fatigue he experienced due to the strenuous opposition of the polytheists. Suffering (shaqā’) is expansive in this meaning; from it comes the proverb, "More miserable than one who trains an unbroken colt," and the poet’s saying: The intelligent one suffers in comfort due to his intellect, While the ignorant one finds bliss in misery.

Meaning: We have not sent it down to you so that you may tire yourself through excessive exertion in facing adversities, in arguing with the arrogant, in debating with the tyrants, or through excessive grief over their disbelief and anxiety that they might believe—much like the Almighty’s saying: (Perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them). Rather, it was sent down so that you may deliver the message and remind; you have done so, so do not grieve if they do not believe thereafter.

Or, it is to restrain him (peace be upon him) from the excess he was practicing in striving through worship, as you heard in what Ibn Marduyah narrated from Ali (may Allah honor his face). Meaning: We have not sent it down for you to weary yourself by exhausting your soul and burdening it with arduous disciplines and heavy burdens; for you were only sent with the tolerant, upright religion.

Muqatil said: Abu Jahl, al-Nadr ibn al-Harith, and al-Mut‘im said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when they saw the intensity of his worship: "You are only miserable because you have abandoned our religion, and the Qur’an was sent down to you only to make you miserable." Allah the Almighty refuted them, stating that We did not send it down to him for what they claimed.

In their speech, "misery" (shaqā’) could be understood in its literal sense as the opposite of happiness; its use in the Almighty’s speech is then by way of assimilation (mushākalat).

If the "Qur’an" is intended as a designation for this Surah by interpreting it as identical in genus to these letters [of the alphabet], then:

• Its grammatical position could be Nominative (raf‘) as an inception (mubtada’), and the sentence following it is its predicate (khabar). The apparent noun—meaning the Qur’an—has been placed in the position of the pronoun that would have linked it, for a subtle reason: the Qur’an is a mercy that brings relief, so how could it be sent down for misery?
• It is said the predicate is omitted.
• It is said it is the predicate for an omitted subject, and in both cases, the sentence is a commencement (musta’nafa).
• It is permitted that its position is Accusative (naṣb) by implying a hidden verb, "Read" (utlu).
• It is said it is in the accusative because it is an object of an oath where the particle of the oath is omitted, similar to the saying: "By Allah, you both shall trade."
• It is permitted that its position is Genitive (jarr) by implying the particle of an oath, similar to the saying: "By the tips of his fingers..."
• The sentence following it, on the premise of an oath, is the response to the oath.

These possibilities are permitted if the "Surah" is intended. As for the matter of linking the sentence [in the case of it being an inception and predicate], if the Qur’an is specific to this Surah—considering its definition as referential and present—it is apparent. If it is general, then the link is through its inclusion of the subject, as is said in constructions like "Zayd, what a fine man he is."

Some prohibited the interpretation of it as "the Surah" absolutely, because the codices agree on mentioning "Surah" in the titles added to Ṭā-Hā; in that case, the construction would be like "Zayd is a man," which they have judged to be weak. Yet, there is a discussion there that is barely hidden even from the grazing livestock.

Others allowed it on the condition that the sentence following it acts as the information; they said: because negating that the descent of the Qur’an is for misery necessitates that misery occurs as a result of its descent—either in reality, if "fatigue" is intended, or according to the claim of the disbelievers, if "the opposite of happiness" is intended. There is no doubt that this is only conceivable regarding the descent of what was sent down before. As for the descent of this noble Surah, it is not something upon which the prior misery could be consequent, such that it would be addressed by negating it. Regarding the identity of the Qur’an and the Surah, it is clear; and regarding inclusion, it is because it may be said: "This Surah—we did not send down the Qur’an which contains it so that you might suffer." It is not hidden that making it the subject, while the descent of this specific Surah has no role in the prior misery at all, is not befitting the station of revelation.

According to what is narrated from Abu Ja‘far, that it is one of the names of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), it is a vocative, and its ruling is well-known, and the sentence is the response to the call.

According to what is narrated from the Leader (may Allah honor his face) and al-Rabi‘, it is a verbal sentence, and you have already heard the details of that. The sentence following it is a commencement, either syntactically or explanatorily, as if it were said: "Why did He not reveal it?" then it was answered: (We have not sent down the Qur’an to you so that you might suffer).

Talhah read: Mā nuzzila ‘alayka al-Qur’ānu (We have not sent down...), with the doubling of the letter [in nuzzila] to indicate the passive voice and attributing it to the Qur’an.