Surah 34. Saba

Ayah 28 - 30

Ibn Kathir

Maududi

٢٨. وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

٢٩. وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

٣٠. قُل لَّكُم مِّيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لَّا تَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلَا تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

28. And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, and most of men know not. 29. And they say: "When is this promise if you are truthful'' 30. Say: "The appointment to you is for a Day, which you cannot put back for an hour nor put forward.''

The Prophet was sent to all of Mankind Allah says to His servant and Messenger Muhammad :

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـكَ إِلاَّ كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً﴾

(And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind,) i.e., to all of creation among those who are accountable for their deeds. This is like the Ayah:

﴿قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا﴾

(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.'') (7:158)

﴿تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَـلَمِينَ نَذِيراً ﴾

(Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the all creatures.) (25:1)

﴿بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً﴾

a giver of glad tidings and a warner means, to bring the glad tidings of Paradise to those who obey you and to warn of the fire of Hell to those who disobey you. This is like the A0ya0t:

﴿وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

(and most of men know not.)

﴿وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴾

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly. ) (12:103)

﴿وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ﴾

(And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path) (6:116). Muhammad bin Ka`b said concerning the Ayah:

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـكَ إِلاَّ كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ﴾

(And We have not sent you except to all mankind) meaning, to all the people. Qatadah said concerning this Ayah, "Allah, may He be exalted, sent Muhammad to both the Arabs and the non-Arabs, so the most honored of them with Allah is the one who is most obedient to Allah.'' In the Two Sahihs it was reported that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

«أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي: نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، فَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلَاةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَلَمْ تَحِلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»

(I have been given five things which were not given to any of the Prophets before me. I have been aided by fear (the distance of ) a month's journey. The entire earth has been made a Masjid and a means of purification for me, so that when the time for prayer comes, any man of my Ummah should pray. The spoils of war have been made permissible for me, whereas they were not permitted for any before me. I have been given the power of intercession; and the Prophets before me were sent to their own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind.)'' It was also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said:

«بُعِثْتُ إِلَى الْأَسْوَدِ وَالْأَحْمَر»

(I have been sent to the black and the red.) Mujahid said, "This means to the Jinn and to mankind.'' Others said that it meant the Arabs and the non-Arabs. Both meanings are correct.

How the Disbelievers asked about when the Resurrection would happen, and the Response to Them Allah tells us how the disbelievers believed it unlikely that the Hour would ever come to pass:

﴿وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ﴾

(And they say: "When is this promise if you are truthful'') This is like the Ayah:

﴿يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ﴾

(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth...) (42:18) Then Allah says:

﴿قُل لَّكُم مِّيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لاَّ تَسْتَـَخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلاَ تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴾

(Say: "The appointment to you is for a Day, which you cannot for an hour move back nor forward.'') meaning, `you have an appointed time which is fixed and cannot be changed or altered. When it comes, you will not be able to put it back or bring it forward,' as Allah says:

﴿إِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لاَ يُؤَخَّرُ﴾

(Verily, the term of Allah when it comes, cannot be delayed) (71:4).

﴿وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ إِلاَّ لاًّجَلٍ مَّعْدُودٍ - يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لاَ تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ﴾

(And We delay it only for a term (already) fixed. On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His leave. Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.) (11:104-105).

Surah 34. Saba

Ayah 28 - 30

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