Verse:61 Commentary Commentary

The very first question infidels and disbelievers will be asked at the Tumultuous Place (mahshar) will be about shirk (associating someone else with Allah), that is, ` where are those Shaitans today whom you used to associate with Us? Can they provide you any help today?' In response to these queries the disbelievers would say that it was not a fault of theirs, as they did not associate them with Allah on their own. It was the Shaitan who deluded them. Then Allah Ta' ala would ask the Shaitans to say if they had anything in their defense; who, while accepting their role of deceit, would plead that they had only misled them but did not force them to act upon the same. Thus, the Shaitans would confess that they did commit the crime, but the infidels too were not free from its commission. Because just as they led them astray, similarly at the same time, the prophets and their deputies also guided them towards the Right Path with sound arguments; making the Truth crystal clear to them . They rejected the Truth presented by the prophets and instead listened to us using their free will and discretion. So, how could they be free from the blame? It proves that if someone chooses to follow those who wish to put him on the wrong path on his own good will, despite the fact that he has before him clear cut arguments against them and the righteous way to follow, then he has no excuse-to offer. Verse:62 Commentary - - - Verse:63 Commentary - - - Verse:64 Commentary - - - Verse:65 Commentary - - - Verse:66 Commentary - - - Verse:67 Commentary - - - Verse:68 Commentary Commentary

وَرَ‌بُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ‌ (And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses - 28:68). According to one interpretation of this verse, the choice referred to here is Allah's choice with regard to the divine commands, and the sense is that as Allah Ta` ala is unique in the creation of universe and no one is His partner, so is He in the issuance of His commands. He can give out any command to His creatures. But Imam Baghawi, in his commentary, and ` Allamah Ibn Al-Qayyim (رح) in the preface of Zad al-Ma` ad have adopted another interpretation according to which the choice of Allah Ta' ala, as envisaged in this verse, relates to the prerogative of Allah Ta` ala by which He selects any one from His creatures for His favours. According to Baghawi, this was the reply given to the infidels of Makkah on their observation لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا الْقُرْ‌آنُ عَلَىٰ رَ‌جُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْ‌يَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ (Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon some man of moment in the two cities? - 43:31) that is, ` If Allah had wished to reveal this Qur'an He should have revealed it on some dignitary of Makkah or Ta'if, so that he should have had respect and reverence. What was the wisdom in revealing it on a poor orphan?' In answer to this suggestion it is said in the present verse that it is the prerogative of the Lord of universe, who has created all the creatures without any help or partner, to select any one from His creatures for the special favours He wishes to confer. It is not for you to suggest whom He should or should not select, nor is He bound to listen to your suggestions.

Giving preference to one thing over the other or to one person over the other, and determination of correct standard of preference, are all Divine prerogatives

Haafiz Ibn Al-Qayyim has drawn an outstanding rule from this verse that the preference given to places and things in this world are not achieved by them with their own efforts or deeds, but it is the result of direct selection and prerogative of the Creator of the universe. He has created seven skies, out of which He has given preference to highest sky over others, although the material of all is the same. Similarly, He has given preference to Jannat al- Firdaus over all other parts of the Jannah. Then, He preferred Jibra'il, Mika'il, Isra'fil, etc. over all other angels, and has placed prophets on highest pedestal among the humans. And among the prophets has given preference to more resolute ones over all other prophets. Then among the resolute, He has given preference to His Khalil Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and Habib Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم over all other resolute prophets. Then preference is given to progeny of Ismail (علیہ السلام) over all other people of the world, then to Quraish among the progeny of Ismail (علیہ السلام) and to Bani Hashim over all the Quraish, and finally to Sayyidna Muhammad Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم over entire Bani Hashim. Similarly, the preference given to companions of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and other elders of the Ummah, is all under the control and prerogative of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta` ala, and the result of His selection.

In the same way, many places of the world are preferred over other places, and many days and nights have preference over the normal days and nights. In short, the original standard of preference in the entire universe is His prerogative and selection. However, at times , human acts may also become a cause of preference in the sense that those performing righteous acts are preferred over the others, and the places where such people live or perform virtuous acts may also acquire preference over other places. This preference can be gained by sincerity of effort and righteous deeds. The gist of this discussion is that the basis of preference in the world is dependent on two things. One is beyond one's control and rests entirely on the selection of Allah Ta' ala, and the other is within the ability of human beings and may be achieved by righteous deeds and superior morals. Allamah Ibn al-Qayyim (رح) has deliberated in great detail on this subject and has concluded that the four Rightly Guided Caliphs have precedence over all other companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . Then Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ has preference over other three Caliphs. After that Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn al-Khattab ؓ has preference over the other two, and Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ over Sayyidna 'Ali ؓ . He has proved this sequence with the help of two standards discussed above. Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi (رح) has also written a booklet on this subject in Persian language, which I have translated in Urdu and Arabic. Urdu translation has been published under the title (بَعض التفسصِیل لمَسٔلۃ التفضیل) and Arabic translation is included in my book Ahkam al-Qur'an, under Surah Al-Qasas. This is a research work that would be of interest to scholars. Verse:69 Commentary - - - Verse:70 Commentary - - - Verse:71 Commentary قُلْ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْ‌مَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَاءٍ ۖ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ ﴿71﴾ قُلْ أَرَ‌أَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ‌ سَرْ‌مَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ ﴿72﴾

Say, "Tell me, if Allah makes night continuing upon you forever upto the Day of Judgment, which god, other than Allah, would bring to you light? Then do you not listen?" Say, "Tell me, if Allah makes the day continuing upon you forever upto the Day of Judgment, which god, other than Allah, would bring to you night in which you may have comfort. Then, do you not see?" 28:71-72.

Allah Ta' ala has mentioned a benefit of the night in this verse, that it provides rest بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ (28:72). As against this no mention is made about the benefits of day while referring to its light. The reason for this omission is but obvious. It is a well-known fact that the daylight is superior in its entity to darkness. The benefits of daylight are so numerous and well known that their repetition was not prudent. On the contrary the darkness of the night does not have any other benefit except that it provides rest to everything. As a matter of fact, its utility is based on the rest of people, hence that has been mentioned. It is to be noted that after describing daylight it is concluded with أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ (Do you not listen? - 28:71), and after describing the night the concluding expression is أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ (Do you not see? - 28:72). It may have the allusion that the benefits of the day are so numerous that they cannot be seen, but can only be heard; hence the expression أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ is used. The knowledge and understanding humans have acquired has mainly come through hearing and listening, and very little by way of seeing. The benefits of night are much less as compared to benefits of the day, and they can be seen; hence the expression أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُ‌ونَ (Mazhari) Verse:72 Commentary - - - Verse:73 Commentary - - - Verse:74 Commentary Commentary

A question that will be asked from the infidels on the Day of Judgment to repeat what they had replied to the prophets on their invitation to truth was mentioned in an earlier verse. Now in this verse it is stated that the prophets would testify about the reply that was given by the infidels. Verse:75 Commentary - - -