Tafsir of Maryam 19:75-76

Surah Maryam (19): Verses 75–76

Verse 75:

{ قُلْ مَن كَانَ فِي الضَّلَالَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا} Say: "Whoever is in error, let the Most Merciful extend him a long extension."

Tafsir: This is the second response addressing the doubt raised by the disbelievers (who boasted of their status).

The argument is structured as follows: Suppose this misguided, comfortable person in the world is granted a long respite by God, accumulating great blessings over a long period. This respite must inevitably end, either with punishment in this world or punishment in the Hereafter. They will then realize that the blessings of this world cannot save them from that punishment.

Therefore, His statement: {فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا} (Then they will know who is worse in station) is set against their claim: {خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا} (better in station) (Maryam: 73).

And {وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا} (weaker in forces) is set against their claim: {أَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا} (better in company/gathering) (Maryam: 73).

Thus, God Almighty clarifies that although they currently believe their station is superior due to the status and company God seemingly favored them with, they will later know that the reality is the opposite: they are worse in station, as no station is worse than the Fire and the reckoning. As for being {وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا}, they thought their gathering would benefit them in the world, but when they see they have no helper in the Hereafter, they will realize their claims in the world were false.

Linguistic Analysis:

1. {فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا}: Yamdud (extend) means to grant a long life and respite. The use of the imperative form (فَلْيَمْدُدْ) signifies that this extension is necessary and will inevitably occur, just as if it were commanded. This is done to cut off excuses for the misguided. It is similar to the verse: {أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُم مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ} (Did We not grant you life long enough for one to remember, if he would remember?) (Fatir: 37), and their saying: {إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا} (We only grant them respite so that they may increase in sin).

2. The phrase {إِمَّا الْعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا السَّاعَةَ} (either the punishment or the Hour) indicates that the punishment mentioned here occurs before the Hour (Day of Judgment), as the Hour itself is mentioned separately. This pre-Hour punishment could be the torment of the grave, or the punishment upon immediate realization (when they see what they deserve), or a change in their worldly conditions—from honor to disgrace, wealth to poverty, health to sickness, and security to fear. It could also refer to the believers being empowered over them, or specifically the defeat they suffered at Badr. All these interpretations are mentioned.

Verse 76:

{وَيَزِيدُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا هُدًى ۗ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا} And God increases those who are guided, in guidance. And enduring good deeds are better with your Lord for reward and better for return.

Tafsir: God Almighty clarifies that just as He deals with the disbelievers as mentioned, He also increases the guidance of the guided believers.

We can rationally explain this increase: It is not impossible that some types of guidance are conditional upon others. The essence of guidance returns to knowledge, and there is no impediment to some knowledge being conditional upon other knowledge. Whoever is guided by the initial guidance (the condition) becomes receptive to receiving the subsequent guidance (the conditioned result). Thus, {وَيَزِيدُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا هُدًى} is correct. For example, faith (Iman) is guidance, and sincerity (Ikhlas) in faith is an increase in guidance. Sincerity cannot be achieved except after achieving faith. So, whoever is guided by faith, God increases his guidance with sincerity. This is if we take the word Huda (guidance) literally.

Some commentators interpret the increase in guidance as an increase in reward for that guidance. Others interpret this increase as the acts of worship that follow faith.

Al-Kashshaf states that Yazidu (increases) is coordinated with the implied verb in Falyamdud (let him extend), as it takes the place of a predicate. The meaning is: Whoever is in error, the Most Merciful extends his respite, and He increases the misguided in their misguidance through that extension, and He increases the guided in guidance through His success.

Furthermore, God clarifies that what the guided are upon is what benefits them in the end: {وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا} (And the enduring good deeds are better with your Lord for reward). This is because what the guided are engaged in is a small, finite harm (effort/struggle) followed by immense, infinite benefit. What the misguided are engaged in is a small, finite benefit followed by immense, infinite harm. Everyone intuitively knows the former is preferable. This line of reasoning invalidates the doubt upon which they relied.

Meaning of Al-Baqiyat Al-Salihat (Enduring Good Deeds): The soundest view among scholars is that it refers to faith and righteous deeds, as their reward endures and does not cease. Some said it refers to specific acts of worship, perhaps those with the greatest reward, such as prayers or glorification (Tasbih).

It is narrated from Abu Ad-Darda’ that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sat one day, took a dry twig, removed its leaves, and said: "Saying La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, and Subhan Allah removes sins like the leaves of this tree are removed by the wind. Take these, O Abu Ad-Darda’, before you are prevented from them. They are the enduring good deeds and they are from the treasures of Paradise." Abu Ad-Darda’ used to say: "I will certainly know this and increase in them until a foolish person seeing me thinks I am mad."

The first view (faith and all righteous deeds) is preferable because God described them as Baqiyat (enduring) based on the perpetuity of their reward. Even if some acts of worship have lesser rewards than others, they all share in perpetuity. Thus, they are all enduring and righteous in view of their resulting rewards.

Finally, God informs that they are {خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا} (better with your Lord for reward and better for return). This statement of preference implies comparison. Therefore, it means they are better than what the disbelievers presumed when they said: {خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا} (better in station and better in company) (Maryam: 73).

Continuation of Verses (77–80)

Verse 77:

{أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَقَالَ لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا} Have you seen the one who disbelieved in Our verses and said, "I will surely be given wealth and children?"

Verse 78:

{أَاطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَهْدًا} Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken a covenant with the Most Merciful?

Verse 79:

{كَلَّا ۚ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا يَقُولُ وَنَمُدُّ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ مَدًّا} No! We will record what he says, and We will extend for him a long extension of punishment.

Verse 80:

{وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًا} And We will inherit from him what he mentions, and he will come to Us alone.