Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 34 Saba, Ayat 34-36

وَمَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَا فِىۡ قَرۡيَةٍ مِّنۡ نَّذِيۡرٍ اِلَّا قَالَ مُتۡـرَفُوۡهَاۤ ۙاِنَّا بِمَاۤ اُرۡسِلۡـتُمۡ بِهٖ كٰفِرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿34:34﴾ وَ قَالُوۡا نَحۡنُ اَكۡثَرُ اَمۡوَالًا وَّاَوۡلَادًا ۙ وَّمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِيۡنَ‏  ﴿34:35﴾ قُلۡ اِنَّ رَبِّىۡ يَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿34:36﴾

(34:34) We never sent a warner to any town but its wealthy ones said: “We disbelieve in the Message you have brought.”54 (34:35) They always said: “We have more wealth and children than you have, and we shall not be chastised.”55 (34:36) (O Prophet), say to them: “My Lord grants provision abundantly to whomsoever He pleases and straitens it for whomsoever He pleases. But most people do not know this.56

Notes

54. That the message of the Prophets was first of all opposed and resisted by the well-to-do people who possessed wealth and influence and authority. This has been stated at many places in the Quran. For instance, see (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 123); (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats 60, 66, 75, 88, 90); (Surah Hud, Ayat 27); (Surah Bani-Israil, Ayat 16); (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayats 24, 33 to 38, 46, 47); (Surah Az- Zukhruf, Ayat 23).

55. Their reasoning was: “We are greater favorites of Allah than you. That is why He has favored us with the blessings of which you are deprived, or have received them in lesser measure. Why should Allah have given us all these provisions and wealth and power, had He not been pleased with us? Now, how can we believe that Allah Who is showering us with all kinds of His blessings here will punish us in the Hereafter? He will punish only those who are deprived of His favors here,”

This misunderstanding of the world-worshippers has also been mentioned at several places in the Quran and refuted. For instance, see (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayats 126, 212); (Surah At-Taubah, Ayats 55, 69); (Surah Hud, Ayats 3, 27); (Surah Ar-Raad, Ayats 26); (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayats 34 to 43); (Surah Maryam, Ayats 73 to 77); (Surah TaHa, Ayat 131); (Surah Al- Muminun, Ayats 55 to 61); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayat 111); (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayats 76 to 83); (Surah Ar-Rum, Ayat 9); (Surah Al-Muddaththir, Ayats 11-26): (Surah Al-Fajr, Ayats 15 to 20).

56. They do not understand the wisdom on which the system of the distribution of provisions is based in the world, and are thus involved in the misunderstanding that whoever is being given abundantly is a beloved of Allah and whoever is being given sparingly is under His wrath. The fact, however, is that if a person looks around with open eyes he will see that in most cases the people with filthy and repulsive character are prosperous, and many good and noble people, who are known and recognized as morally pure, are found living in poverty. Now, how can a sensible person say that Allah dislikes the people of pure character and favors the wicked wrongdoers?