تُسْـَٔلُ

5:20; 6:49; 17:106; 33:46.

Commentary:

As to the disbelievers’ demand for a Sign of punishment, the Quran says that punishment is bound to visit those who refuse to believe in the Holy Prophet, because, like all other Prophets, he was the bearer of glad tidings for believers, and a warner for his opponents. Every student of history knows how clearly this prophecy was fulfilled. The world witnessed the ruin of the Holy Prophet’s adversaries in a manner which has no parallel in history, although worldly conditions and circumstances were all in favour of the disbelievers and against the Holy Prophet.

The last-mentioned words of the verse, i.e. thou wilt not be questioned about the inmates of Hell, are a sort of consolation for the Holy Prophet who, owing to his great solicitude for the people who disbelieved in him, was ever anxious about their fate. Elsewhere the Quran says, It may be thou wilt grieve thyself to death, because they believe not (26:4).

2:142.

Commentary:

The People of the Book are here warned that the fact that they are the descendants of God’s Prophets would not avail them in any way. Their forefathers reaped the rewards of their good deeds and won God’s favours; and if they also wish to become His favourites, they must perform similar deeds and show implicit obedience to God and complete submission to His will. The fact that they are descended from holy persons makes them all the more responsible.

See 2:135.

Commentary:

Jews and Christians are once more warned against relying upon those of their forefathers who won the pleasure of God by their good deeds. It is their own deeds and not those of others that will save them. Their own good actions alone can bring them salvation and not the fact that they are the descendants or followers of Abraham, Jacob, Moses or Jesus. No bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another, says the Quran (6:165).

6:137.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that idolaters allege that their gods or idols have bestowed upon them such and such things while the gods themselves have no knowledge of any such bestowal of their favours upon them. The words لما لا یعلمون (of which they know nothing) signify that idolaters who imagine they have received gifts from their gods and goddesses do not know who their gods are.

The verse constitutes one more powerful argument in refutation of polytheism. Very often polytheists and idolaters are found to indulge in abstruse philosophical and metaphysical arguments in support of polytheism which confuse men’s minds. In this verse they are told that the possibility that a certain thing can exist and the fact that it actually exists are two vastly different things. Even admitting for the sake of argument that there can be more than one God, does this hypothetical possibility actually prove that a particular person who is believed by idolaters to be a god is really so? These abstruse philosophical discussions do not prove anything. The godhead of the pseudo-gods has to be proved by strong and cogent proofs. This is a line of argument which at once takes the ground from under the feet of idolaters. They cannot prove the godhead of any one of their many gods. A polytheist will always indulge in abstruse metaphysical discussion about polytheism, but will never be able to adduce one single solid argument to prove the godhead of any of his many gods. It is in pursuance of God’s own plan that the lives of the pseudo-gods of the polytheists show that they were so weak and helpless that in view of their weakness and helplessness not even the most confirmed polytheist could dare say that they were gods.

5:49; 11:119.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that the authors of such treaties as are concluded with the intent to deceive other peoples have in view no object other than that of establishing their own dominion in the world. But, says the Quran, if it had been the will of God that there should be only one dominant power in the earth, He Himself would have made one. There is therefore no justification in having recourse to dishonest means for the purpose of subduing other nations. A nation which seeks to impose its will and foist its domination upon other peoples against their consent will itself someday fall victim to the evil designs of another nation and lose its freedom.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that disbelievers generally are big men and hold very important positions in society. They are looked upon as leaders of men and people resort to them for consultation and seek advice and guidance from them in their private affairs. This eminence of their position makes them arrogant and they disdainfully turn away from the exhortations of Divine Messengers. But when they are overtaken by heavenly punishment, they seek to flee from the town in which they hold such high position and enjoy great influence. The verse gives a graphic description of the condition of these so-called big people when punishment overtakes them. The words of the verse seem to have been used ironically.

The expression لعلکم تسئلون besides the meaning given in the text may also mean, "that you may be called to account for what you did."

21:11; 38:2.

Commentary:

The word ذکر meaning eminence (Lane), the verse purports to say that through the Quran the Holy Prophet and his followers will acquire great eminence and honour, and the time will soon come when people will enquire about their doings and will seek and get guidance from their precepts and example.

Commentary:

When disbelievers will be brought face to face to Hell, they will be told that God had bestowed upon them all kinds of favours, especially His greatest favour—the Holy Prophet—but they rejected and opposed him.