Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:40

Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments): Verse 40

{أَفَأَنتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ...} (Can you then make the deaf hear...)

It is noted that after describing them in the preceding verse as being heedless (عشي - ‘ushiyy), the Almighty here describes them as deaf (صم - summ) and blind (عمي - ‘umiyy). This sequence is excellent because a person, in the initial stages of pursuing worldly matters, is like one afflicted with a slight eye ailment (رمد - ramad). The more engrossed they become in those activities, the stronger their inclination towards the corporeal becomes, and the more complete their turning away from the spiritual.

This aligns with established principles in rational sciences: the abundance of actions leads to the formation of deeply rooted habits (malakāt). Thus, the person moves from having a slight eye ailment to becoming partially blind (a‘shā). If they persist in that state for more days, they progress from being partially blind to completely blind. This is a sound progression consistent with certain proofs.

It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) exerted himself in supplicating for his people, yet they only increased in obstinacy regarding disbelief and persistence in error. Then the Almighty revealed: {أَفَأَنتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ} (Can you then make the deaf hear, or guide the blind). This means they reached such a level of aversion to you and your religion that if you made them hear the Qur'an, they were like the deaf, and if you showed them miracles, they were like the blind. The Almighty then clarified that their deafness and blindness were due to their being in manifest error.

{...وَمَن كَانَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ} (...or one who is in clear error?)

When the Almighty clarified that his call had no effect on their hearts, He said: {فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ} (So, if We take you away [in death]...), meaning the arrival of punishment upon them before his death. {فَإِنَّا مِنْهُم مُّنْتَقِمُونَ} (then surely We shall take vengeance upon them), either after you, or We will show you in your lifetime the humiliation and killing We promised them, for We are capable of that.

Know that this statement provides complete solace to the Messenger (peace be upon him), because the Almighty clarified that his call does not affect them—and despair is one of two reliefs (al-ya’s ihtida al-rāḥatayn). Then He clarified that He will inevitably take vengeance on their behalf, either during his lifetime or after his death, which also brings solace.

After this, He commanded him to hold fast to what the Almighty had revealed to him: {فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ} (So hold fast to that which has been revealed to you), meaning believe that it is the truth and act according to it, for it is the Straight Path from which only the misguided in religion deviate.

When the Almighty explained the effect of adhering to this religion concerning the benefits of the Hereafter, He also explained its effect concerning the benefits of this world: {وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ} (And indeed, it is a reminder for you and for your people). This means it brings great honor to you and your people, as it will be said: "This great Book was revealed by God to a man from among these very people."

Know that this verse indicates that a person must have a great desire for good praise and beautiful remembrance. If beautiful remembrance were not something desirable, God would not have bestowed it upon Muhammad (peace be upon him) by saying: {وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ}, nor would Abraham (peace be upon him) have requested it when he said: {وَاجْعَل لِّي لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ فِي الْآخِرِينَ} (The Poets: 84) (And grant me a legacy of truth among later generations). Beautiful remembrance stands in place of a noble life; indeed, remembrance is superior to life, because the effect of life is confined only to the dwelling place of that living being, whereas the effect of beautiful remembrance occurs in every place and at every time.

Then the Almighty said: {وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ} (And you will be questioned). There are several interpretations of this:

1. Al-Kalbī said: You will be questioned whether you fulfilled the gratitude for Our favor upon you with this beautiful remembrance.
2. Muqātil said: What is meant is that those who denied it will be questioned about why they denied it, which will be a questioning of reprimand.
3. You will be questioned whether you acted upon the obligations indicated by it.

The strongest reason for the disbelievers' denial of Muhammad's prophethood and their hatred for him was that he rejected the worship of idols. The Almighty clarified that rejecting the worship of idols is not exclusive to Muhammad's religion; rather, all the Prophets and Messengers were unanimous in rejecting it. He said: {وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ} (And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers: Did We appoint, besides the Most Merciful, any deities to be worshipped?).

There are different views regarding this:

1. The First View: It means: Ask the believers among the People of the Book, i.e., the people of the Torah and the Gospel, for they will inform you that the worship of idols was never intended in the religion of any Prophet. Since this matter was agreed upon by all Prophets and Messengers, they should not have made it a reason to hate Muhammad (peace be upon him).
2. The Second View: ‘Aṭā’ narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken on the Night Journey to Al-Masjid Al-Aqṣā, God sent Adam and all the Messengers from his progeny to him. Gabriel established the call to prayer, then the iqāmah, saying: "O Muhammad, step forward and lead them in prayer." When the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) finished the prayer, Gabriel said to him: "Ask, O Muhammad, those We sent before you of Our messengers..." (the verse). The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "I will not ask, for I am not doubtful about it."
3. The Third View: Mentioning the question in a context where asking is impossible implies looking and drawing inference, like the saying: "Ask the earth who split your rivers, planted your trees, and yielded your fruits." If it does not answer you verbally, it answers you through contemplation. Here, the Prophet's (peace be upon him) questioning of the Prophets before him is impossible, so the meaning is: Look into this matter with your intellect and ponder it with your understanding. And God knows best.

Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments): Verses 46–54

{وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولٌ رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُم بِآيَاتِنَا إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ * وَمَا نُرِيهِم مِّنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِن أُخْتِهَا وَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ * وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ * فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ * وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِي أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ * أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ * فَلَوْلَا أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ * فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ * فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ * فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِّلْآخِرِينَ}

(And We certainly sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said, "Indeed, I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds." But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them. And We showed them not a sign except that it was greater than its sister, and We seized them with punishment that perhaps they would return. And they said, "O sorcerer, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you; indeed, we will be guided." But when We removed the punishment from them, at once they broke their pledge. And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, "O my people, is not the sovereignty of Egypt mine, and [are not] these rivers flowing beneath me? Do you not then see? Or am I better than this one who is contemptible and can scarcely make himself clear? Then why have not bracelets of gold been cast upon him, or why have not angels come along with him as companions?" So he belittled his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a sinful people. So when they angered Us, We took vengeance upon them and drowned them all. And We made them a precedent and a lesson for the later generations.)