77. After narrating individually the stories of how various nations responded
to the Message of their Prophets, the Qur'an now spells out the general rule
which has been operative throughout the ages. First, before the appearance of
a Prophet in any nation, conditions that would conduce to the acceptance of
his Message were created. This was usually done by subjecting the nations concerned
to a variety of afflictions and punishments. They were made to suffer miseries
such as famine, epidemics, colossal losses in trade and business, defeat in
war. Such events usually have a healthy impact on people. They lead to a softening
in their hearts. They generate humility and modesty. They enable people to shake
off their pride and shatter their reliance on wealth and power and induce thern
to trust the One Who is all-powerful and fully controls their destiny. Above
all, such events incline people to heed the words of warning and to turn to
God in humility.
But if the people continue to refrain from embracing the truth they are subjected
to another kind of test - that of affluence. This last test signals the beginning
of their destruction. Rolling in abundant wealth and luxury, people are inclined
to forget the hard times they have experienced. Their foolish leaders also inculcate
in their minds an altogether preposterous concept of history. They explain the
rise and fall of nations and the alternation of prosperity and adversity among
human beings by reference to blind natural forces, and in total disregard of
moral values. Hence if a nation is seized by an affliction or scourge, such
people see no reason why it should be explained in terms of moral failure. They
are rather inclined to consider that a person's readiness to heed moral admonition
or to turn humbly towards God, is a sign of psychological infirmity.
This foolish mentality has been portrayed all too well by the Prophet (peace
be on him): 'A believer continually faces adversity until he comes out of it
purified of his sins. As for the hypocrite, his likeness in adversity is that
of a donkey who does not know why his master had tied him and why he later released
him.' (Cited by Ibn Kathir in his comments on the verse - Ed.) Hence, when a
people become so hard of heart that they neither turn to God in suffering, nor
thank Him for His bounties in prosperity, they are liable to be destroyed at
any moment.
It should be noted that the above rule which was applied to the nations of the
previous Prophets, was also applied in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace
be on him). When this surah was revealed the Quraysh displayed exactly the same
characteristics and attitudes as those nations which had earlier been destroyed.
According to a tradition narrated by both 'Abd Allah b. Mas'ud and Abd Allah
b. 'Abbas, as the Quraysh grew in defiance to the Prophet's call, he prayed
to God that he might be assisted by inflicting famine on the Quraysh, as in
the days of the Prophet Joseph. Accordingly, God subjected the Quraysh to such
a severe famine that they took to subsisting on carcasses, the skins of animals,
bones, and wool. Unnerved by this the Quraysh, led by Abu Sufyan, implored the
Prophet (peace be on him) to pray to God on their behalf. But when the Prophets
prayer helped to improve the situation somewhat, the Quraysh reverted to their
arrogant and ignorant way's. (Bukhari, Kitab al-Taharah, Bab idha istashfa'a
al-Mushrikun bi al-Muslim' - Ed.) The wicked ones among them tried to dissuade
from God those who had derived some lesson from the famine. They argued that
famines take place in course of operation of natural laws, that they are merely
a recurrent physical phenomenon. They emphasized that the occurrence of famine
should not mislead people into believing in Muhammad (peace be on him). It was
during this time that the surah under discussion was revealed. The above verses
were thus quite relevant and it is against this backdrop that one appreciates
their full significance. (For details see
(Yunus 10: 21),
(al-Nahl 16: 112),
(al-Muminun 23: 75-6); and
(al-Dukhan 44: 9-16.)