Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:72-74

70

This was yet another proof of the Holy Prophet's Prophethood: he was conveying the Message without demanding any recompense for it, and he had no self-interest in it. Nay, he had staked his business, reputation, peaceful home life, relationships with the unbelieving kindred for the success of his Mission and was being ruthlessly persecuted for its sake. A selfish person could not have risked his all for the sake of only worldly motives. He would rather have exploited the racial and tribal prejudices of his people to become their ruler and leader. On the contrary, his Message not only cut at the root of those prejudices but tended to destroy the very bases which helped his tribe to wield influence and authority over the polytheists of Arabia. This is an argument which the Qur'an has advanced again and again as a proof of the truth of the Mission of the other Prophets as well. See Al-An'am (VI): 90, Yunus (X): 72, Hud (XI): 29, 51, Yusuf (XII): 104, Ya Sin (XXXVI): 21 along with the relevant E.N.'s.

71

This was the real reason why they were deviating from the Right Path. As they did not believe in the Hereafter, they thought that no account would be taken from them of what they did in this world. Therefore it did not matter whether they followed the 'Truth or falsehood. Their only aim in life was to gratify the lusts of the flesh and gratify them in the best way possible.