Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:7-10

Al-Anbiyā’ (The Prophets): Verses 7–10

Verse 7: {And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed. So ask the people of the message if you do not know.}

It is known that the Almighty responded to their first question, which was their saying: {This is not but a human like you} (Al-Mu’minūn: 33), with His saying: {And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed.}

This clarifies that this was God’s established practice concerning the Messengers before Muhammad (peace be upon him). Their being human did not prevent the signs (miracles) that appeared through them. If this was true for them, then similar signs appeared through Muhammad, so they have no grounds to object to him being human.

As for His saying: {So ask the people of the message}, the meaning is that God commanded them to ask the People of the Scripture so that they might inform them that the Messengers to whom revelation was sent were human beings, not angels. He referred them to these people because they were joining the polytheists in opposing the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). God Almighty said: {And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associated others with God much abuse} (Āl ‘Imrān: 186).

If it is argued: If the Jews and Christians are not trustworthy, how can it be permissible to command them to ask about the Messengers? We reply: When their report becomes widespread and reaches the level of necessity (certainty), it is permissible, just as the reports of disbelievers are acted upon when they become widespread, similar to how the reports of believers are acted upon.

Some people said that the meaning of "the people of the message" is the people of the Qur’an, but this is remote, because they were criticizing the Qur’an and the Messenger (peace be upon him).

As for the reliance of many jurists on this verse to establish that a layperson must refer to the rulings (fatwas) of scholars, and that a Mujtahid (independent jurist) may follow the opinion of another Mujtahid, this is remote, because this verse is a direct address delivered on a specific occasion, specifically concerning the Jews and Christians.

Then the Almighty clarified that He did not send Messengers before him as bodies that did not eat food. There are several points regarding this:

First Point: His saying: {they did not eat food} is a description of the body. The meaning is: We did not make the Prophets possess bodies that did not eat.

Second Point: The singular form of "body" (جسدًا) is used to indicate the genus, as if He meant: possessors of a type of body.

Third Point: They were saying: {What is this Messenger that eats food and walks in the marketplaces? Why was an angel not sent down to him to be with him as a warner?} (Al-Furqān: 7). God answered by saying: {And We made them not bodies that did not eat food}. The Almighty clarified that this was God’s practice with the Messengers before, and that He did not make them bodies that did not eat, but rather bodies that did eat food, and they did not remain eternally in this world but died like others. He indicated by this that what made them Messengers was something else: the appearance of miracles through their hands and their purity from characteristics that detract from conveying the message.

As for His saying: {Then We made good to them the promise}, the author of Al-Kashshāf said this is like His saying: {And Moses chose from his people seventy men} (Al-A‘rāf: 155). The basis for the promise is from his people, and from them is the fulfillment of their speech. {And We saved whom We willed} refers to the believers.

The commentators said the meaning is that God had previously promised that He would only destroy by complete annihilation those who denied the Messengers, not the Messengers themselves, nor those who believed in them. Making good on what was promised is considered truthful because it reveals the truth.

The meaning of: {And We destroyed the transgressors} is destruction by annihilation, not the punishment of the Hereafter, because this is a report about what has already passed and preceded.

Then the Almighty clarified by His saying: {Indeed, We have sent down to you a Book containing your remembrance}, highlighting His great favor upon them through the Qur’an in both religion and worldly affairs. That is why He said it contains: {your remembrance} (dhikrukum). There are three interpretations for this:

1. Your Remembrance (Dhikrukum) means your honor and reputation, just as He said: {And indeed, it is a reminder for you and your people} (Az-Zukhruf: 44).
2. It means an admonition for you so that you may avoid what is forbidden and desire what is obligatory. In this case, Dhikr refers to the promise and the warning, as in: {And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers} (Adh-Dhāriyāt: 55).
3. It means the remembrance of your religion, what is required and what is not required, so that you may attain Paradise if you adhere to it. All of these are plausible.

His saying: {Will you not then use reason?} is an encouragement to ponder the Qur’an, because they were rational beings. Engaging in idle talk stems from heedlessness, and pondering repels that talk. Repelling harm from oneself is a necessary consequence of action. Therefore, whoever does not ponder, it is as if he has abandoned reason.

Verse 8: {And how many a town We destroyed that was unjust, and We succeeded it with another people.}

Verse 9: {And when they sensed Our might, behold, they were fleeing from it.}

Verse 10: {Flee not, but return to what you were given of luxury and to your dwellings that you might be questioned.}

Verse 11: {They said, "Oh, woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."}

Verse 12: {And that cry of theirs ceased not until We made them like harvested crops, extinguished.}