Juz 14: Al-Ḥijr and An-Naḥl
Section 3 of 20 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
3. Disbelievers' Denial and Allah's Response
In Surah Al-Hijr, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala addresses the rejection and mockery faced by His Messenger from the disbelievers. These verses reveal the psychology of denial and Allah's decisive response to those who belittle divine revelation.
Allah explains that those who disbelieve will one day wish they had been Muslims when they witness the reality of divine punishment and the afterlife:
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ كَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ
“Those who disbelieve would sometimes wish that they were Muslims. (15:2)”
This profound statement reveals the eventual regret of the disbelievers when they face the consequences of their disbelief. However, such regret comes too late, as indicated in the subsequent verses where Allah commands His Prophet to let them indulge in their worldly distractions.
ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا وَيُلْهِهِمُ الْأَمَلُ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Let them eat and enjoy, and let (their) fancy make them neglectful, for they shall soon know (their fate). (15:3)”
Allah emphasizes that every nation and individual has a prescribed term, an appointed time that cannot be altered:
وَمَا أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا وَلَهَا كِتَابٌ مَّعْلُومٌ مَّا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ
“We did not destroy any town without it having a prescribed time. No people can precede their appointed time, nor can they exceed it. (15:4-5)”
This establishes the divine decree that governs the fate of nations. Just as individuals have an appointed time of death, communities and civilizations have their prescribed terms. Allah's wisdom dictates these timings perfectly, and no power can hasten or delay what Allah has decreed.
The disbelievers' mockery of the Prophet is then addressed:
وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ
“They say, "O you to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'ān) has been revealed, you are surely insane." (15:6)”
They challenged the Prophet, demanding to see angels as proof:
لَّوْ مَا تَأْتِينَا بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
“Why do you not bring the angels to us, if you are one of the truthful?" (15:7)”
Allah responds with a firm statement about the reality of angelic descent:
مَا نُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُوا إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ
“We do not send down the angels except with the truth. And in that case, they shall be given no respite. (15:8)”
This verse explains that angels descend by Allah's command only when there is a specific divine purpose. If angels were to descend as the disbelievers demanded, it would signify the final judgment, after which no respite would be granted. Their request, though seemingly simple, would actually herald their immediate destruction if fulfilled.
The passage concludes with one of the most powerful guarantees in the Quran – Allah's promise to protect His revelation:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“It is, surely, We who have revealed the Dhikr (the Qur'ān), and We are its guardian indeed. (15:9)”
Unlike previous divine scriptures that underwent changes over time, Allah has taken direct responsibility for preserving the Quran. This divine guarantee has manifested through various means: the remarkable ease with which even young children memorize the entire Quran, the consistent practice of recitation in prayers, annual complete recitations during Ramadan, and the careful preservation of its text from the earliest compilation under Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Not a single word has changed over fourteen centuries, confirming this divine promise.