Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:34-35

Surah Ar-Rum (The Romans): Verses 34–36

Verse 34-35: Liyakfurū bimā ātaynāhum... fa-tamattaʿū fa-sawfa taʿlamūn. (That they should disbelieve in what We have given them. So enjoy yourselves; soon you will know.)

The interpretation of this has already been covered in Surah Al-Ankabut. What remains to be explained here is the significance of the direct address in the command: "So enjoy yourselves" (fa-tamattaʿū) here, compared to its absence there, where it was stated: "And let them enjoy themselves, soon they will know" (wa-liyatamaṭṭaʿū fa-sawfa yaʿlamūn).

We say: Since the harm mentioned in Surah Al-Ankabut was a singular type of harm, it was possible that none of the sincere believers (al-mukhliṣīn) would be afflicted by that specific harm in that context, so the direct address was omitted. However, the harm mentioned here is general harm (muṭlaq al-ḍurr). Since no place of the sincere believers is free from harm, the present audience can correctly be addressed as being among them, hence the direct address (fa-khāṭaba).

Verse 36: Am anzalnā ʿalayhim sulṭānan fa-huwa yataḥaddathu bimā kānū bihi yushrikūn? (Or have We sent down to them an authority, so that it speaks concerning what they associate with Him [as partners]?)

When Allah Almighty previously stated: "Rather, those who do wrong follow their own desires" (Ar-Rum: 29), meaning the polytheists say things about which they have no knowledge, even though they know the contrary—as evidenced by the fact that when harm befalls them, they turn back to Allah—He confirms this by using an interrogative particle (al-istifhām) meaning denial (inkār). That is, We did not send down an authority (sulṭān) for what they say. In this verse, there are several issues:

The particle Am here is for inquiry (li-l-istifhām) and only occurs in the middle of a statement, as their saying goes:

So, what is the inquiry preceding it? We say the meaning is: Once these proofs (ḥujaj) have been made clear regarding their obstinacy, what shall We say? Do they follow their desires without knowledge? Or do they have proof for what they say? Since the latter is not true, the former is necessitated.

The phrase "so that it speaks" (fa-huwa yataḥaddathu) is metaphorical (majāz), just as it is said, "His book speaks of such and such." There is a subtle meaning here: one who speaks without evidence (dalīl) is as if they have no speech, because speech (al-kalām) is what is heard. What is not accepted (mā lā yuqbal) is as if it was not heard, so it is as if the speaker did not speak it. Since what is without proof is not accepted, and denying speech to the speaker in the absence of proof is sound, then affirming speech for the proof (al-dalīl) is also sound.

Verse 37: Wa-idhā aḏaqnā an-nāsa raḥmatan fariḥū bihā wa-in tuṣibhum sayyi’atun bimā qaddamat aydīhim idhā hum yaqnaṭūn. (And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein. But if a misfortune befalls them because of what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.)

Verse 38: Awa lam yaraw anna Allāha yabsutu ar-rizqa liman yashā’u wa-yuqaddir? Inna fī dhālika la-āyātin li-qawmin yu’minūn. (Have they not seen that Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it? Indeed, in that are signs for a people who believe.)