Verse 47
Jonah • makkah
View Aspects
وَاِمَّا نُرِیَنَّکَ بَعۡضَ الَّذِیۡ نَعِدُہُمۡ اَوۡ نَتَوَفَّیَنَّکَ فَاِلَیۡنَا مَرۡجِعُہُمۡ ثُمَّ اللّٰہُ شَہِیۡدٌ عَلٰی مَا یَفۡعَلُوۡنَ
13:41; 40:78.
The verse lays down an important principle that the prophecies comprising threats and warnings about an impending punishment are liable to be cancelled, while those containing promises of a general character, not applying to a particular Prophet but embodying a general rule that applies to all the Prophets, are not cancelled or revoked. The verse further implies that it is not necessary that all prophecies should have a time limit for their fulfilment.
13:41; 40:78.
Important Words:
اما was originally ان ما, the particle ما having been added to ان which means "If." The added particle ما is technically known as زائدة (redundant). But these so-called redundant words are not without purpose. They are used to emphasize or intensify the meaning of the word to which they are added. The change effected in the sense of the particle ان by the addition of the particle ما is that whereas ان alone expresses a mere contingency or possibility which is not necessarily accompanied by hope, the addition of the particle ما makes the contingency not only more emphatic but also expressive of hope.
Commentary:
This verse lays down the important principle that prophecies containing warnings and threats of coming punishment are subject to revocation. The verse shows that prophecies are of two kinds: (1) those that are conditional, as appear from the words اما (if) and او (or) used in the verse; (2) those that are revocable or subject to cancellation, as hinted at in the words بعض (some) and نرینك (We show thee in thy lifetime). The word بعض (some) definitely shows that the present verse speaks of only those prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for the prophecies which related to the time subsequent to his death, were obviously not meant to be fulfilled during his lifetime and therefore did not need to be mentioned in the present context. Incidentally, the verse also points to the possibility that no prophecy of punishment might be fulfilled in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for it was possible that all those to whom he preached his Message might believe in him and thus there might be no occasion for punishment. The verse is so worded as to show the absolute power of God; otherwise, ordinarily, all men do not believe.
The verse also shows that it is not necessary that prophecies should have a time-limit, for the time given for the fulfilment of the prophecies referred to here is unrestricted, extending even to the period subsequent to the death of the Holy Prophet. Nay, even if an apparent time-limit is prescribed, which in the present case is the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, the time-limit is only of secondary importance, for the verse definitely admits the possibility of some of these prophecies remaining unfulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet.
It further emerges from this verse that only such prophecies are liable to be revoked or cancelled as relate to matters of detail, for the prophecies which concern fundamental principles and are general in character are never revoked. An instance of the prophecies of this class is to be had in the well-known verse, Allah has decreed: of a certainty I will prevail, I and My Messengers (58:22); while the prophecies which are liable to be cancelled, are those to which the verse under comment relates, for here the words are, the things with which We have threatened them. This shows that the prophecies comprising threats and warnings about impending punishment are liable to be cancelled, while those containing promises of a general character not applying to a particular Prophet but embodying a general rule that applies to all the Prophets of God can never be cancelled and must be fulfilled.
i
13:41; 40:78.
594
这节经文规定了一项重要原则: 含有关于即将来临的惩罚的威胁和警告等性质的那些预言, 很可能被取消; 而那些含有一般性质的许约, 不适用于一个特指的先知而是体现适用于所有先知的一般法则的, 是不会被取消或撤回的。经文进一步意示, 所有预言不必要有实现的时限。
c
13:41; 40:78.
1322
Important Words:
اما was originally ان ما, the particle ما having been added to ان which means "If." The added particle ما is technically known as زائدة (redundant). But these so-called redundant words are not without purpose. They are used to emphasize or intensify the meaning of the word to which they are added. The change effected in the sense of the particle ان by the addition of the particle ما is that whereas ان alone expresses a mere contingency or possibility which is not necessarily accompanied by hope, the addition of the particle ما makes the contingency not only more emphatic but also expressive of hope.
Commentary:
This verse lays down the important principle that prophecies containing warnings and threats of coming punishment are subject to revocation. The verse shows that prophecies are of two kinds: (1) those that are conditional, as appear from the words اما (if) and او (or) used in the verse; (2) those that are revocable or subject to cancellation, as hinted at in the words بعض (some) and نرینك (We show thee in thy lifetime). The word بعض (some) definitely shows that the present verse speaks of only those prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for the prophecies which related to the time subsequent to his death, were obviously not meant to be fulfilled during his lifetime and therefore did not need to be mentioned in the present context. Incidentally, the verse also points to the possibility that no prophecy of punishment might be fulfilled in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for it was possible that all those to whom he preached his Message might believe in him and thus there might be no occasion for punishment. The verse is so worded as to show the absolute power of God; otherwise, ordinarily, all men do not believe.
The verse also shows that it is not necessary that prophecies should have a time-limit, for the time given for the fulfilment of the prophecies referred to here is unrestricted, extending even to the period subsequent to the death of the Holy Prophet. Nay, even if an apparent time-limit is prescribed, which in the present case is the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, the time-limit is only of secondary importance, for the verse definitely admits the possibility of some of these prophecies remaining unfulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet.
It further emerges from this verse that only such prophecies are liable to be revoked or cancelled as relate to matters of detail, for the prophecies which concern fundamental principles and are general in character are never revoked. An instance of the prophecies of this class is to be had in the well-known verse, Allah has decreed: of a certainty I will prevail, I and My Messengers (58:22); while the prophecies which are liable to be cancelled, are those to which the verse under comment relates, for here the words are, the things with which We have threatened them. This shows that the prophecies comprising threats and warnings about impending punishment are liable to be cancelled, while those containing promises of a general character not applying to a particular Prophet but embodying a general rule that applies to all the Prophets of God can never be cancelled and must be fulfilled.
d
13:41; 40:78.
1265
The verse lays down an important principle that the prophecies comprising threats and warnings about an impending punishment are liable to be cancelled, while those containing promises of a general character, not applying to a particular Prophet but embodying a general rule that applies to all the Prophets, are not cancelled or revoked. The verse further implies that it is not necessary that all prophecies should have a time limit for their fulfilment.