Soft Tactics, and Harsher Ways

The discussion then continues, of their persisting — of their urging and rallying the people against Mūsā and against Shuʿayb (peace be upon him). And Allah (swt) sets out how We bring on… Consider verses 94 and 95 and what follows:

Wa-mā arsalnā fī qaryatin min nabiyyin illā akhadhnā ahlahā bi-l-baʾsāʾi wa-l-ḍarrāʾ. This treats of all the other prophets and their accounts, returning to the whole discussion and rounding off the five or six prophets treated in the recent verses. Allah (swt) says: We have sought to explain this to people and to give them clarity. We seek to give them clarity in various ways. We explain to them; We seek to persuade them. And if that does not answer, We give them also some difficulty, some constraint, some pain. For perhaps by that — when a man becomes vulnerable and is in pain, he feels less secure, and looks about for some comfort; such is human nature. When a man is confident, when he has all he needs and is in health, he is as one on top of the world, needing no one. But when he becomes vulnerable — when he is ill, when he has troubles of health, when he has fear, when perhaps he lacks money where he needs it — then he begins to look for a way. It is simply a human matter. So Allah (swt) says: We do that too; perhaps then they will return to Us. We use soft measures and soft explanations; We are at times strict; We use harsher means. But some, unfortunately, do not understand. And when they do not understand, We must send a punishment upon them. Hence Allah (swt) says:

Wa-law anna ahla al-qurā āmanū wa-ttaqaw la-fataḥnā ʿalayhim barakātin mina al-samāʾi wa-l-arḍ: if these people would but believe and fear God, We should release upon them — should open, should release — the blessings of the heavens and the earth. But they deny. And then We must seize them for what they used to earn.

Allah (swt) then gives a number of verses for reflection:

A-fa-amina ahlu al-qurā an yaʾtiyahum baʾsunā bayātan wa-hum nāʾimūn: do these people feel safe from Our punishment coming upon them by night, while they sleep? And then: a-wa-amina ahlu al-qurā an yaʾtiyahum baʾsunā ḍuḥan wa-hum yalʿabūn — or do they feel wholly secure, and assured that no punishment will come upon them in the morning, while they are at their play? A-fa-aminū makra Allāh: or do they feel safe from the planning of Allah — we have the iron dome; we are secure; nothing can penetrate it? Fa-lā yaʾmanu makra Allāhi illā al-qawmu al-khāsirūn. Allah says that the only people who can feel secure so are those who will be the losers. For there is no safety from Allah save with Him.

Allah then says, to round it off, in verse 101:

Tilka al-qurā naquṣṣu ʿalayka min anbāʾihā: these are the various places and their peoples, whose tidings We relate to you. Wa-laqad jāʾathum rusuluhum bi-l-bayyināt: with very clear signs; their messengers came to them with clear signs. Fa-mā kānū li-yuʾminū — and here is the important thing. Many disbelieve; but why did they not believe even with a prophet among them, showing them miracles? Why not? This is of great importance, and teaches us a great lesson. Fa-mā kānū li-yuʾminū bimā kadhdhabū min qabl: they did not believe because they had denied before. Kadhālika yaṭbaʿu Allāhu ʿalā qulūbi al-kāfirīn: and thus does Allah (swt) seal the hearts of the disbelievers. This is not to say that disbelievers will never believe and can never change. The point is that there are certain acts which, when a man commits them, cause Allah to seal the heart — even the heart of a believer. They do not get far. And these are gravely detrimental acts. We must be careful, and of mockery especially. That is of real importance. Unless Allah (swt) — for Allah (swt) may of course make an exception for anyone.