Sūrat al-Isrāʾ
Section 14 of 16 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Majesty of Allah
And another, subḥānAllāh: in these verses one may see the jalāl of Allah, the majesty of Allah. These are verses 72, 73, 74 and 75. It begins at 72:
وَمَن كَانَ فِى هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَعْمَىٰ فَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَعْمَىٰ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
“But whoever is (too) blind in this (world to see the right path) will be (too) blind in the Hereafter (to reach the salvation), and much more astray from the path.” (17:72)
Wa man kāna fī hādhihi aʿmā fa-huwa fī al-ākhirati aʿmā wa aḍallu sabīlā: those who are blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter. That plainly does not mean physically blind; it means blind to the truth. They will then be blind in the Hereafter; they will not have the good, and will not be able to see the good.
وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِىَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُۥ ۖ وَإِذًا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا وَلَوْلَآ أَن ثَبَّتْنَـٰكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْـًٔا قَلِيلًا إِذًا لَّأَذَقْنَـٰكَ ضِعْفَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ وَضِعْفَ ٱلْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًا
“(O Prophet,) Surely, they were about to lure you away from what We have revealed to you, so that you forge something else against Us, and in that case they would have certainly made you a bosom friend. Had We not made you firm, it was likely that you would have inclined towards them a little bit. In that case, We would have surely made you taste a double (punishment) in life and a double (punishment) after death, then you would not have found anyone to help you against Us.” (17:73–75)
But then Allah (swt) says, in a truly awesome manner, that had We not protected you — had We not protected you in the various ways — it is possible that la-tarkanu ilayhim shayʾan qalīlā: you might have inclined towards them a little. For they used to make him many offers if he would make concessions. And if Allah says so, that is plainly a great struggle and a great tension, a great pressure upon the Prophet (peace be upon him).
But then Allah sounds a warning. He says that had you then inclined to them, idhan la-adhaqnāka ḍiʿfa al-ḥayāti wa ḍiʿfa al-mamāti thumma lā tajidu laka ʿalaynā naṣīrā: then We should have given you to taste double in life and double in death, and then you would not have found anyone to help you against Us. And subḥānAllāh, that is said to the Prophet (peace be upon him). So when Allah comes with the jalāl, then who are we, and where are we in this? May Allah (swt) allow us to fulfil our responsibilities.