تختتم السورة بختام قوي للغاية:
The surah concludes on a very powerful note:
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ
Have they not travelled through the land and seen what was the end of those who lived before them? They were more numerous than them, and greater in power and in the impact they left on earth.
فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ ﴿٨٢﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾ فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَانُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا ۖ سُنَّتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي قَدْ خَلَتْ فِي عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴿٨٥﴾
Yet what they achieved was of no avail to them. When God's messengers came to them with all evidence of the truth, they revelled in what knowledge they had; and so they were overwhelmed by the very thing which they mocked. And then when they saw Our might, they said: 'We believe in God alone, and we renounce those we used to associate as partners with Him. But accepting the faith after they had seen Our might was not going to benefit them at all. This has always been God's way of dealing with His creatures. There and then the unbelievers will be lost. (Verses 82-85)
لقد هلكت مجتمعات كثيرة عبر التاريخ البشري؛ فبعضها ما زال آثاره باقية في أطلالها، وبعضها الآخر مسجَّل في التاريخ، مكتوبًا كان أو منقولًا بالرواية الشفهية. وكثيرًا ما يلفت القرآن الكريم أنظارنا إلى هذه القصص، لأنها تكشف عن طبيعة الحياة الإنسانية ومسار التاريخ. ولها أيضًا تأثير قوي في عقولنا وقلوبنا. والقرآن يخاطب الطبيعة الإنسانية بما يعلمه الله تعالى، الذي أنزل القرآن، عنها: ما يؤثر فيها، وما يفتح مستقبِلاتها. فبعض هذه المستقبِلات يحتاج إلى لمسة خفيفة، وبعضها يحتاج إلى طرقٍ شديد، لأن الحجب الكثيفة التي غطّتها على مر الزمن كثيفة.
Many communities were destroyed during human history. What happened to some of these communities can be seen in their ruins; others are recorded in history, written or transmitted by word of mouth. The Qur’an often directs our attention to these histories because they are indicative of human life and its course of history. They also have a powerful effect on our minds and hearts. The Qur’an addresses human nature by what God, who revealed the Qur’an, knows of human nature: what influences it and what opens its receptors. Some of these receptors need only a light tap, while others require strong hammering because of the thick veils that have covered them over time.
في هذا الموضع تسألهم السورة، وتحثّهم على أن يسيروا في الأرض بعيونٍ مفتوحة، وقلوبٍ يقظة، ومنهجٍ موضوعي.
At this point the surah questions them, encouraging them to travel across the land with open eyes, alert feelings and an objective approach.
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ؟ — يَنْبَغِي لَهُمْ أَنْ يَنْظُرُوا فِيمَا جَرَى عَلَى الْأَرْضِ قَبْلَ زَمَانِهِمْ، وَأَنْ يَتَأَمَّلُوا هَلْ قَدْ يُصِيبُهُمْ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ: ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ﴾ [الآية 82]. وَقَبْلَ أَنْ تُبَيِّنَ السُّورَةُ الْمَصِيرَ الَّذِي لَقُوهُ، تَصِفُ أَحْوَالَ تِلْكَ الْأُمَمِ الْمَاضِيَةِ، لِيَتَأَمَّلَ الْمُخَاطَبُونَ كَيْفَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُؤَثِّرَ ذَلِكَ فِيهِمْ، وَلِيَتَمَكَّنُوا كَذَلِكَ مِنْ أَخْذِ الْعِبَرِ الصَّحِيحَةِ: ﴿كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾؟ [الآية 82]. فَقَدْ تَمَتَّعُوا بِالْقُوَّةِ وَالْحَضَارَةِ، وَكَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ أُمَمٍ سَبَقَتِ الْعَرَبَ، وَأُخْبِرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِتَارِيخِ بَعْضِهِمْ، وَعَرَفَ الْعَرَبُ بَعْضَهُمُ الْآخَرَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمُرُّونَ عَلَى أَطْلَالِهِمْ: ﴿فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ﴾ [الآية 82].
They should look at what took place on earth before their time, and consider whether they too might be exposed to the same: "Have they not travelled through the land and seen what was the end of those who lived before them? (Verse 82) Before specifying what end they met, the surah describes the conditions of those past communities so that the addressees can consider how it could affect them and also enable them to draw the right lessons: “ They were more numerous than them, and greater in power and in the impact they left on earth? 82) Thus, they enjoyed power and civilization. Some of these belonged to generations that preceded the Arabs, the history of some is given to the Prophet, while others were known to the Arabs who passed by their ruins: "Yet what they achieved was of no avail to them? (Verse 82)
لم تُغْنِ عنهم القوةُ المادية ولا الكثرةُ العددية شيئًا. بل كان تقدّمُهم سببَ هلاكهم: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ﴾ (الآية 83). فبغير الإيمان يصبح العلمُ امتحانًا قد يُورث العمى والطغيان. ومثلُ هذا العلم السطحي قد يقود إلى الغرور والكبر. فحين يملك الإنسانُ مثل هذا العلم، قد يظن أنه قادرٌ على التحكم في قوى هائلة وموارد لا تُحصى، فيفضي به ذلك إلى تجاوز حدوده. وهو يميل إلى نسيان الكثير من الأشياء التي لا يعلمها. فهي موجودة في الكون، لكنه لا يملك عليها سلطانًا، بل هو لا يدرك كنهها إدراكًا تامًّا؛ لا يعرف منها إلا غاياتها القريبة منه. ومع ذلك يتفاخر زورًا، فيُضخّم علمه ويغفل عن جهله. ولو أنه قارن ما يعلمه بما لا يعلمه، وما يستطيع فعله بما لا يكاد يُدرك فهمه، لَخفّف بالتأكيد من حماسه لعلمه.
Neither material power nor numerical strength was of any avail to them. Indeed their advancement was the cause of their tragedy: “ When God's messengers came to them with all evidence of the truth, they revelled in what knowledge they had? (Verse 83) Without faith, knowledge becomes a test that may cause blindness and excess. Such superficial knowledge can lead to conceit and arrogance. Given such knowledge, a person may think that he can control immense powers and immeasurable resources and this leads him to transgress beyond his limits. He tends to forget the great many things he does not know. These are present in the universe, but he has no power over them. Indeed, he is not fully aware of them. He only knows their ends that are close to him. Yet he boasts falsely, emphasizing his knowledge and overlooking his ignorance. If he would only compare what he knows to what he does not, and what he is able to do to with what he cannot even begin to understand, he would certainly moderate his excitement about his knowledge.
فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ، ... وَلَكِنَّ أُولَٰئِكَ الْقَوْمَ قَدِ اسْتَغْنَوْا بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَهَزِئُوا بِمَنْ يُذَكِّرُهُم بِمَا وَرَاءَ عِلْمِهِم. قَالَ تَعَالَىٰ: {فَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ} (الآية 83)، فَلَمَّا يَرَوْنَ بَأْسَ اللَّهِ يَبْدَؤُونَ بِإِدْرَاكِ حَقِيقَةِ اسْتِكْبَارِهِم، وَيُقِرُّونَ بِمَا كَانُوا يُنْكِرُونَهُ. يُعْلِنُونَ إِيمَانَهُم بِوَحْدَانِيَّةِ اللَّهِ، وَيَتَبَرَّؤُونَ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْآلِهَةِ الَّتِي زَعَمُوا أَنَّهَا شُرَكَاءُ اللَّهِ. غَيْرَ أَنَّ هَذَا كُلَّهُ يَأْتِي بَعْدَ فَوَاتِ الْأَوَانِ: قَالَ تَعَالَىٰ: {فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ * فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَانُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا} (الآيتان 84-85). وَمِنَ السُّنَّةِ الَّتِي أَرْسَاهَا اللَّهُ أَنَّ التَّوْبَةَ بَعْدَ مُشَاهَدَةِ بَأْسِ اللَّهِ غَيْرُ مَقْبُولَةٍ، لِأَنَّهَا تَكُونُ عَنْ خَوْفٍ لَا عَنْ إِيمَانٍ. قَالَ تَعَالَىٰ: {سُنَّتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي قَدْ خَلَتْ فِي عِبَادِهِ} (الآية 85).
Those people, however, revelled in what little knowledge they had and ridiculed whoever reminded them of what is beyond their knowledge: “And so they were overwhelmed by the very thing which they mocked” (Verse 83) Therefore, when they see Gods might, they begin to realize the truth of their arrogance and acknowledge what they used to deny. They declare their belief in God’s oneness and disown those deities which they alleged to be Gods partners. All this, however, comes when it is too late: “And then when they saw Our might, they said: 'We believe in God alone, and we renounce those we used to associate as partners with Him. But accepting the faith after they had seen Our might was not going to benefit them at all.” (Verses 84-85) It is a rule God has established that repentance after demonstrating Gods might is not acceptable, because it is motivated by fear, not by faith. “This has always been God's way of dealing with His creatures.” (Verse 85)
سُنَّةُ اللهِ جَارِيَةٌ فِي كُلِّ زَمَانٍ، لَا تَتَغَيَّرُ وَلَا تَنْحَرِفُ وَلَا تَتَخَلَّفُ: ﴿هُنَالِكَ خَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾ (الآية 85)
Gods way remains operative at all times. It never changes, deviates or fails: “There and then the unbelievers will be lost” (Verse 85)
هذه خاتمةٌ قويّةٌ جدًّا للسورة، إذ تطغى عظمةُ الله على المكذِّبين حين يرفعون أصواتهم بدعواتٍ يحرّكها الخوف. وبذلك تتّسق الخاتمةُ تمامًا مع الجوّ العامّ للسورة ومحورها الرئيسي.
This is a very powerful conclusion to the surah, with Gods might overwhelming the rejecters when they are raising their voices with appeals motivated by fear. Thus, the end fits well with overall ambience and main subject matter of the surah.
تتناول السورة تلك القضايا العقدية التي تبرز بشكل واضح في الوحي المكي، مثل توحيد الله، والبعث، والوحي.
The surah tackles those issues of faith that feature prominently in Makkan revelations, such as Gods oneness, resurrection and revelation.
لیکن یہ سورت کے بنیادی موضوعات نہیں ہیں۔ اس کا اصل موضوع حق و باطل، ایمان و کفر، اور ظلم و عدل کے درمیان جنگ ہے۔ درحقیقت اسی جنگ کے ارتقاء سے اس سورت کی منفرد خصوصیات نمایاں ہوتی ہیں۔
These, however, are not the main themes of the surah. Its main theme is the battle between truth and falsehood, faith and unfaith, tyranny and justice. Indeed, the development of this battle gives the surah its distinctive features.