Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:34

Surah Al-An'am (The Cattle): Verse 34

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَىٰ مَا كُذِّبُوا وَأُوذُوا حَتَّىٰ أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(And indeed were messengers rejected before you, but they were patient over what they were rejected with and harmed, until Our help came to them. And none can alter the words of Allah. And there has already come to you some of the news of the messengers.)

In the preceding verse, the Almighty removed sorrow from the heart of the Prophet (PBUH) by indicating that the rejection of him is akin to the rejection of Allah Himself. In this verse, Allah provides another means of removing his grief: by showing him that previous nations treated their messengers in the same manner.

1. The Example of Previous Messengers: Those earlier messengers patiently endured the rejection and harm inflicted upon them until victory, success, and triumph reached them.
2. The Command to the Prophet (PBUH): Therefore, you (O Muhammad) are more deserving of adhering to this path. Since you are sent to all mankind, be patient as they were patient, and you will triumph as they triumphed.
3. Confirmation of the Promise: Allah then reinforced and strengthened this promise by saying: "And none can alter the words of Allah." This means Allah's promise of victory to you is true and certain, and it is impossible for falsehood or alteration to touch it.
   • This is similar to His saying: "And certainly was Our word established before for Our messengers, [as] the inheritors [of the earth]." (As-Saffat: 171)
   • And: "Allah has decreed: 'I will surely overcome, I and My messengers.'" (Al-Mujadila: 21)
   • In summary, alteration in Allah's decree is impossible.
4. News of the Messengers: "And there has already come to you some of the news of the messengers." This refers to their stories in the Qur'an, detailing how We saved them and destroyed their people.
   • Linguistic Note (on min): Al-Akhfash stated that the particle min (some/of) here is superfluous (a zā'idah), similar to saying "rain struck us" instead of "some rain struck us."
   • Others argue that this is impermissible because min is not added in affirmative statements (it is usually added with negation, like mā atānī min aḥad - "no one came to me").
   • Therefore, the correct view here is that min denotes partiality (tab'īḍ). The news reaching the Prophet (PBUH) is the account of some messengers, not all of them, as Allah says: "Of them are those We have related to you, and of them are those We have not related to you." (Ghafir: 78).
   • The subject (the doer) of jā’a (came) is implied, indicated by what is mentioned: meaning, "The news of some of the messengers has come to you."

The statement "And none can alter the words of Allah" serves as proof for our position concerning the creation of actions (in the context of predestination/free will).

1. The Immutability of Divine Information: Everything Allah informs us will occur, that information itself is immutable.
2. Immutability of the Event: If alteration is impossible regarding the report (the divine decree), then alteration is also impossible regarding the thing reported (the event itself).
3. The Consequence: If Allah has informed concerning some individuals that they will die upon disbelief, then their abandoning disbelief becomes impossible (muḥāl). Consequently, commanding them to believe in such a state would be commanding them to do what is impossible (taklīf bi-mā lā yuṭāq). (And Allah knows best.)

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِيَ نَفَقًا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِي السَّمَاءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِآيَةٍ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ

(And if their turning away is great upon you [in distress], then if you are able to seek a tunnel in the earth or a ladder into the sky and bring them a sign—[do so]. But if Allah willed, He could have guided them all. So never be among the ignorant.)