Surah Al-Qalam 68:49
ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ
If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.
Tafsir of Al-Qalam 68:49
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 68:49
Al-Qalam (The Pen): (49) Were it not that a Mercy from his Lord had overtaken him...
There is also a recitation (of the verse) as: (Were it not that a Mercy from his Lord). Herein lie several questions:
First Question: Why was it not said: "Were it not that a favor from his Lord had overtaken him"?
Answer: The verb form تداركه (tadaraka-hu) is made sound (حسن) because of the separation of the pronoun (ـه) from the verb.
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud recited it as تداركته (tadaraka-tuhu).
Al-Hasan recited it as تداركه (tadaraka-hu), meaning it was overtaking him, as a narration of a past state, equivalent to saying: "Were it not that it was happening." It is said: "In this matter, tattadaraka-hu (it was overtaking him)," just as one says: "Zayd was going to stand up, but so-and-so prevented him," meaning it was said of him: "He was going to stand up," implying that standing up was expected of him.
Second Question: What is meant by His saying: {A Mercy from his Lord}?
Answer: What is meant by that Mercy is that the Almighty bestowed upon him success (tawfiq) in repentance. This indicates that nothing of the righteous deeds and acts of obedience is accomplished except through His success and guidance.
Third Question: Where is the response (jawab) to *Lawla* (Were it not for)?
Answer: There are two perspectives:
- The first: The implied meaning of the verse is: "Were it not for this Mercy, he would have been cast out onto a barren place, described with blame." Since this Mercy occurred, the casting out onto a barren place with that description did not happen, because when that description was absent, the entire consequence was absent.
- The second: "Were it not for this Mercy, he would have remained in the belly of the whale until the Day of Resurrection, and then he would have been cast out onto the barren place of the Resurrection, blameworthy." This is supported by His saying: {And had it not been that he was of those who glorified Allah, He would have remained in its belly until the Day they are resurrected} (As-Saffat: 143-144). This is similar to saying "the arena of the Resurrection" or "the barren ground of the Resurrection."
Fourth Question: Does His saying {while he was blameworthy} indicate that he was the doer of the sin?
Answer: There are three points:
- The particle لولا (Lawla - Were it not for) indicates that this blameworthiness did not actually occur.
- Perhaps what is meant by the blameworthiness is the abandonment of the better course of action, for the good deeds of the righteous are considered shortcomings for the near ones (to God).
- Perhaps this incident occurred before prophethood, due to His saying: {Then His Lord chose him} (Al-Qalam: 50), and the Fā’ (then) indicates immediate succession.
Fifth Question: What is the reason for the revelation of these verses?
Answer: It is narrated that they were revealed concerning what afflicted the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Ta'if, when he intended to supplicate against those who fled (from him). It is also said that it was when he intended to supplicate against the people of Thaqif.