Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:66-72

Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers): Verses 66–72

[66] Indeed, My verses were recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels,

[67] Arrogantly turning away from it, engaging in idle talk by night.

[68] Have they not pondered the Saying? Or has something come to them that did not come to their forefathers?

[69] Or have they not recognized their Messenger, so they deny him?

[70] Or do they say, "He is possessed"? Rather, he has brought them the Truth, but most of them are averse to the Truth.

[71] And if the Truth had followed their inclinations, the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them would have been ruined.

[72] Rather, We have brought them their reminder, but they are turning away from their reminder.

When the Almighty previously stated that He would not grant victory to those disbelievers, He followed that by explaining the reason: whenever God's verses are recited to them, they commit three actions:

1. Turning Back on Their Heels (ينكصون): This is a metaphor for extreme deviation from the truth. It means they recoil from the verses and the reciter, like one who retreats backward onto their heels.

2. Arrogantly (مستكبرين به): Regarding the pronoun bihi (by it), there are several interpretations:
   • It refers to the Ancient House (the Ka'bah) or the Sanctuary. They would say, "No one can overcome us because we are the people of the Sanctuary." This interpretation is supported by their known arrogance regarding the Ka'bah, as they were its custodians, even if they had no other glory.
   • It refers to their rejection and turning away mentioned previously.
   • It relates to the verb yasmurūn (engaging in idle talk), meaning they would converse/gossip about the Quran by night, calling it magic or poetry, and reviling the Messenger (peace be upon him). They used to gather around the Ka'bah at night for their samar (evening talk), and their main topic was denigrating the Quran. The term yasmahūrūn (or yasmahūrūn in some readings) means they engaged in foul speech (ifḥāsh) or rambling (hadhayān).

3. Engaging in Idle Talk by Night (يسمرون به): This is the third action they commit when the Quran is recited.

Then, after describing their state, God refutes their actions by showing that their behavior must stem from one of four possibilities:

1. Failure to Reflect on the Proof: This is implied by "Have they not pondered the Saying?" The Quran was already familiar to them, clear in its eloquence compared to ordinary Arabic speech, and free from contradiction. It also calls them to recognize the Creator and His Oneness. Why do they not reflect on it to abandon falsehood and return to the truth?

2. Belief that Messengers are Contrary to Custom: This is implied by "Or has something come to them that did not come to their forefathers?" They knew through continuous reports (tawātur) that messengers had always been sent to previous nations, accompanied by miracles, resulting in the believers being saved and the deniers being destroyed by annihilation. Why did this not lead them to believe the Messenger?

3. Ignorance of His Character Before Prophethood: This is implied by "Or have they not recognized their Messenger, so they deny him?" God points out that they knew him before his claim to prophethood as the epitome of trustworthiness (Amānah) and truthfulness (Sidq), completely devoid of blameworthy characteristics. How could they deny him after they universally called him Al-Amīn (The Trustworthy)?

4. Belief that He is Possessed: This is implied by "Or do they say, 'He is possessed'?" This is clearly false, as they knew by necessity that he was the most sane of people. How could a madman produce such decisive proofs and complete legal codes? Some of his enemies did attribute madness to him for two reasons:
   • Because he hoped for their submission, which seemed impossible to them, they attributed his ambition to madness.
   • To deceive the common folk and prevent them from following him, they used this term to belittle him.

After listing and refuting these excuses, God states: "Rather, he has brought them the Truth, but most of them are averse to the Truth." They cling to tradition (taqlīd) and know that accepting Muhammad (PBUH) would mean the loss of their status and leadership.

If one asks: Does the phrase "most of them" imply that a minority did not hate the truth? The answer is yes. Some among them refrained from belief out of shame from their people's reproach—saying they abandoned their fathers' religion—rather than out of genuine hatred for the truth itself, as exemplified by Abu Talib.

Then, God clarifies that truth does not follow desires; rather, the obligated person must cast aside desires and follow the truth. He shows that following desires leads to immense corruption: "And if the Truth had followed their inclinations, the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them would have been ruined."

There are several interpretations of this verse:

1. The people believed the truth lay in taking gods besides God. If that were true, corruption would have afflicted the heavens and earth, as established in the proof of mutual prevention (in Surah Al-Anbiya, 22).
2. Their desires involved idol worship and denying Muhammad (PBUH), which are the sources of corruption, while the Truth is Islam. If Islam followed their sayings, God would have known that corruption would occur if the world remained, necessitating its destruction.
3. Their opinions were contradictory. If the Truth followed their desires, contradiction would ensue, and the world's order would collapse (as stated by Al-Qaffal).

"Rather, We have brought them their reminder..." Some say this reminder (dhikr) is the Quran and the proofs. Others say it is their honor and pride through the Messenger. Both views are close, as the coming of the Messenger explains the proofs, and the proofs explain the Messenger; one is coupled with the other. Others say dhikr means admonition and warning. Still others say it is what they wished for, as stated in Surah As-Saffat (168-169): "If we had but a reminder from the former ones, we would have been the devoted servants of Allah." (A variant reading is bi-dhikrāhum—with their reminder).

Then, God clarifies that the Prophet (PBUH) does not seek payment from them, lest this become a reason for their aversion: "Or do you ask them for a fee? The reward of your Lord is better." (A variant reading is kharājan). Abu 'Amr ibn al-'Ala' explained that kharj is what you give voluntarily, while kharāj is what is obligatory. The preferred view is that kharj is more specific than kharāj (like saying kharāj al-qaryah and kharj al-kardah—an addition of wording for an addition of meaning). Thus, the reading "a fee (kharjan), for the fee (kharāj) of your Lord is better" is excellent, meaning: Do you ask them for a small portion of the creation's bounty for guiding them? Then the greater bounty from the creation is better (i.e., you ask for nothing). God thus indicates that this accusation is far from him, and they have no excuse to turn away from accepting his word because of it.

Through these verses, God demonstrates that they are utterly without excuse and refuted from every angle. Al-Jubba'i inferred from "And He is the best of providers" that no created being can match God's blessings and provision, nor equal Him in benevolence toward His servants. It also implies that servants can provide for one another, otherwise, the phrase "He is the best of providers" would not be appropriate.

[73] And indeed, you are calling them to a straight path.

[74] And indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter deviate from the path.

[75] And if We had mercy on them and removed the distress they are in, they would persist in their transgression, wandering blindly.