Juz 26: Al-Aḥqāf to Adh-Dhāriyāt 30
Section 3 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Prophet's Role and Status in Revelation
The noble Quran consistently clarifies the nature of prophethood and the role of Allah's messengers, particularly that of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In Surah Al-Ahqaf, Allah (swt) addresses several misconceptions held by the disbelievers regarding the Prophet's mission and status, providing powerful responses that illuminate the true nature of divine revelation.
When the disbelievers attempted to discredit the Quranic message by claiming it was fabricated, Allah (swt) instructed the Prophet to respond with clarity:
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ۖ قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلَا تَمْلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۖ كَفَىٰ بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“Or do they say that he (the Prophet) has fabricated it? Say, 'If I have fabricated it, then you do not have power to help me against Allah in any way. He knows well what you are engaged in. Enough is He as witness between me and you. And He is the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful." (46:8)”
This powerful verse establishes that falsely attributing words to Allah would constitute a grave transgression that no one could defend against. The Prophet (peace be upon him) affirms that Allah is fully aware of their accusations and conspiracies, and His witnessing is sufficient between the Prophet and those who oppose him.
Further addressing their skepticism, Allah (swt) instructs the Prophet (peace be upon him) to clarify that he is not presenting some unprecedented innovation but rather continuing in the tradition of previous messengers:
قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ
“Say, 'I am not something unprecedented among the messengers, and I do not know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow what is revealed to me, and I am only a clear warner." (46:9)”
This verse contains several profound principles regarding prophethood. First, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not the first messenger to come with divine guidance; rather, he belongs to a noble lineage of prophets who all conveyed Allah's message. Second, despite his elevated status, the Prophet acknowledges his human limitations in knowledge of the unseen future, including details of his own fate and that of his opponents. Third, he affirms his complete adherence to divine revelation without addition or subtraction, following only what Allah reveals. Fourth, he defines his primary role as that of a "clear warner," alerting humanity to the consequences of rejecting divine guidance.
The disbelievers often relied on flawed reasoning to reject the message, as exemplified in verse 11:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَا سَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ
“And the disbelievers said about the believers, 'Had it been something good, they would not have preceded us (in accepting) it.'" (46:11)”
This verse reveals the arrogance of the wealthy and influential Makkans who believed that if Islam were truly valuable, they—rather than the poor and less privileged—would have been the first to recognize and embrace it. This flawed logic exemplifies how worldly status can blind people to spiritual truths.
Allah (swt) then reminds the Prophet about previous revelation and its continuity with the Quran:
وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَىٰ إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً
“And before this, there was the Book of Musa, a guide and mercy." (46:12)”
This establishes that the Quranic message is consistent with previous revelations, particularly the Torah given to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), which served as a guide and mercy for the Children of Israel. The continuity of divine revelation underscores the authenticity of the Quran and refutes claims that it represents a novel invention.
In this section of the surah, Allah (swt) beautifully establishes the genuine nature of the Prophet's mission, providing Muslims with essential understanding of the Prophet's role and the consistent nature of divine revelation throughout human history.