Tafsir of Al-`Alaq 96:13

Surah Al-'Alaq (96): Verse 13

{أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى} (Have you seen [what will happen to] him who denies and turns away?)

There are two interpretations regarding this address:

The First Opinion: It is an address to the Messenger (peace be upon him).

This is because the proofs mentioned at the beginning of this Surah are clear and evident. Everyone knows by the necessity of their intellect that preventing a servant from serving his Master is an apparent falsehood and folly. Therefore, whoever denies these proofs and turns away from serving his Creator, or prevents others from serving Him, knows by his sound intellect that he is upon falsehood and does this only out of obstinacy.

For this reason, the Almighty said to His Messenger: "Have you seen, O Muhammad, if this disbeliever denies these clear proofs and turns away from serving his Creator, does he not know by his intellect that Allah sees these ugly deeds from him? Will this not deter him from these ugly deeds?"

The Second Opinion: It is an address to the disbeliever himself.

The meaning is: If, O disbeliever, Muhammad is a liar or turns away, does he not know that Allah sees [him], so that he might stop? Rather, he needs your admonition.

{أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى} (Does he not know that Allah sees?)