The Prophets (Al-Anbiyā'): (42 - 44) Say, "Who will guard you..."

Allāh, the Exalted, having established that the disbelievers will not be shielded from the Fire in the Hereafter by all the descriptions previously mentioned, follows this by stating that even in this world, if Allāh did not guard and protect them, they would not remain safe.

He commands His Messenger to say to these disbelievers who mock and are deluded by their current state:

{Say, "Who will guard you by night and by day from the Most Merciful?"}

This is like a person asking someone who is completely within their grasp and from whom there is no escape: "Where is your refuge from me? Do you have any escape?" The word kāli’ means guardian/protector.

Regarding His saying: {from the Most Merciful} (min ar-Raḥmān), there are several issues:

1. Meaning One: {Who will guard you from the Most Merciful} means: Who will guard you from the punishment you deserve that He is capable of inflicting upon you.
2. Meaning Two: From the might of Allāh in the Hereafter.
3. Meaning Three: From killing, captivity, and all other things Allāh has permitted due to their disbelief. Thus, Allāh clarifies that there is no guardian or defender for them against these matters if He were to inflict them. Were it not for His favor in protecting them, they would not live or enjoy this world.

The name Ar-Raḥmān (The Most Merciful) is singled out here to prompt the answer. The intelligent person should reply: "You are the Guardian, O our God, of all creation by Your Mercy," just as in the verse: {What has deluded you concerning your Lord, the Generous?} (Al-Infiṭār: 6). The name Al-Karīm (The Generous) was singled out to prompt the answer.

Night and day are mentioned because each time period has afflictions specific to it. The meaning is: Who protects you at night when you are sleeping, and during the day when you are engaged in your livelihoods?

As for His saying: {But they are turning away from the remembrance of their Lord}, the meaning is that even though Allāh bestows His favors upon them day and night with protection and guarding, they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord—which includes the rational and transmitted proofs, and the subtleties of the Qur'an. They do not contemplate any of it to know that no guardian exists for them other than Him, and they abandon the worship of idols which have no share in protecting them or bestowing favors upon them.

As for His saying: {Or do they have gods who protect them from Us? They cannot help themselves, nor are they protected from Us}, know that the mīm (in am) is an auxiliary particle, meaning: Do they have gods who guard them apart from Us? The intended meaning is: Do they have gods who prevent [punishment]? The statement then concludes.

He then describes the weakness of their gods by saying: {They cannot help themselves}. This is a predicate for an omitted subject; meaning, these gods cannot protect themselves from afflictions, and self-protection is more primary than protecting others. If they cannot protect themselves, how can they protect others?

Regarding His saying: {nor are they protected from Us}, there are two opinions:

1. The First Opinion (Al-Māzinī): When you prevent someone from something, you say ṣaḥabtu ar-rajul (I prevented the man). Thus, {nor are they protected from Us} means they are not prevented [from Our decree], not in the sense of companionship (ṣuḥbah).
2. The Second Opinion: Aṣ-ṣuḥbah here means support and aid, and all meanings converge. It is said, "May Allāh accompany you" (ṣaḥabaka Allāh) and "May Allāh support you" (naṣaraka Allāh). It is said to the traveler, "In the company of Allāh" (fī ṣuḥbat Allāh) or "In the protection of Allāh" (fī ḥifẓ Allāh). Therefore, the meaning is: Nor are they given support or aid from Us.

The conclusion is: If something is incapable of warding off afflictions and is not accompanied by Allāh's aid, how can it be capable of anything?

Then Allāh clarifies His favor upon them despite all this by saying: {Rather, We gave enjoyment to these people and their fathers until life became long for them}. Meaning, what drove them to turn away was only the delusion of prolonged respite. Their lives were extended in heedlessness, so they forgot Our covenant and were ignorant of the significance of Our blessings, becoming deluded by that.

As for His saying: {Do they not see that We are approaching the land, diminishing it from its surroundings?}

This means: Do these polytheists who hasten the punishment not see the signs of Our power as We approach the land from its sides, taking one [region] after another, opening up cities and villages surrounding Mecca, and increasing the dominion of Muhammad (peace be upon him), diminishing the leaders of the polytheists who enjoyed worldly life, and decreasing polytheism by destroying its adherents? Was there not a lesson in that for them to believe in the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) and know that they cannot prevent Allāh's will concerning them, nor can they overcome Him?

Then He says: {Are they then the victors?} Meaning, are they the victors, or are We? This is an interrogative statement meant for affirmation and reproach, meaning: Rather, We are the victors, and they are the vanquished. The discussion of this verse has already passed in Sūrat Ar-Ra‘d.

There are several interpretations for the word nuqassiha (diminishing it):

1. The First Opinion (Ibn ‘Abbās, Muqātil, and Al-Kallabī): We diminish it by conquering the lands [of the disbelievers].
2. The Second Opinion (Another narration from Ibn ‘Abbās): It means the diminishing of its people and its blessings.
3. The Third Opinion (‘Ikrimah): The ruin of villages upon the death of their inhabitants.
4. The Fourth Opinion: By the death of the scholars. If this narration is authentic from the Prophet (peace be upon him), it should not be deviated from. Otherwise, the most apparent interpretations are those related to conquest, which is why He said: {Are they then the victors?}. What aligns with this is that He diminishes the land from them and increases it in the lands of Islam. Al-Qaffāl said: This verse was revealed concerning the disbelievers of Mecca, so how can scholars and jurists be included? Allāh clarifies that all these events are lessons that, if they used their intellects, they would abandon their ignorance.

**{Say, "I only warn you by the revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned. And if a mere whiff of the punishment of your Lord were to touch them, they would surely say, "Woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers." * And We will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be wronged at all. And if there was [the weight of] a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountants.}*