Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (499)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(73–74) “When Our clear verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, ‘Which of the two groups has the better position and the finer assembly?’ * How many generations before them have We destroyed who surpassed them in possessions and outward splendor!”

That is, when Our clear verses are recited to these disbelievers—verses that plainly demonstrate Allah’s oneness and the truthfulness of His messengers, and which should instill sincere faith and firm certainty in those who hear them—they respond in precisely the opposite manner to what those verses require. They ridicule them and those who believe in them, citing their own comfortable worldly circumstances as evidence that they are better than the believers. Thus, opposing the truth, they say: “Which of the two groups”—us or the believers—“has the better position,” that is, in this world, in terms of abundant wealth and children and ample gratification of desires, “and the finer assembly,” that is, the finer gathering place?

From this corrupt premise, they concluded that because they possessed more wealth and children, had obtained most of what they desired in this world, and had lavishly adorned and embellished gathering places and clubs—while the believers were in the opposite condition—they were therefore better than the believers.

This argument is utterly corrupt and turns reality on its head. Abundant wealth and children and an attractive outward appearance are, in fact, often causes of their possessor’s ruin, misery, and evil. Hence Allah Most High says: “How many generations before them have We destroyed who surpassed them in possessions,” that is, in goods such as vessels, furnishings, houses, and adornments, “and outward splendor,” that is, who were finer in appearance and outward condition because of their luxurious lives, enjoyment of pleasures, and handsome forms.

If those who were destroyed surpassed them in possessions and outward splendor, yet this did not prevent punishment from descending upon them, how could these people—who are inferior and more abject—be protected from punishment? “Are your disbelievers better than those, or do you have immunity in the Scriptures?”

It is therefore evident that inferring one’s well-being in the Hereafter from one’s worldly prosperity is among the most corrupt forms of reasoning and is one of the ways of the disbelievers.

﴿٧٣ - ٧٤﴾ ﴿وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌ مَقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا * وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثًا وَرِئْيًا﴾ . أي: وإذا تتلى على هؤلاء الكفار آياتنا بينات، أي: واضحات الدلالة على وحدانية الله وصدق رسله، توجب لمن سمعها صدق الإيمان وشدة الإيقان، قابلوها بضد ما يجب لها، واستهزءوا بها وبمن آمن بها، واستدلوا بحسن حالهم في الدنيا، على أنهم خير من المؤمنين، فقالوا معارضين للحق: ﴿أَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ﴾ أي: نحن والمؤمنون ﴿خَيْرٌ مَقَامًا﴾ أي: في الدنيا، من كثرة الأموال والأولاد، وتوفر الشهوات ﴿وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا﴾ أي مجلسا. أي: فاستنتجوا من هذه المقدمة الفاسدة، أنهم أكثر مالا وأولادا، وقد حصلت لهم أكثر مطالبهم من الدنيا، ومجالسهم وأنديتهم مزخرفة مزوقة. والمؤمنون بخلاف هذه الحال، فهم خير من المؤمنين، وهذا دليل في غاية الفساد، وهو من باب قلب الحقائق، وإلا فكثرة الأموال والأولاد، وحسن المنظر، كثيرا ما يكون سببا لهلاك صاحبه، وشقائه، وشره، ولهذا قال تعالى: ﴿وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثًا﴾ أي: متاعا، من أوان وفرش، وبيوت، وزخارف، وأحسن رئيا، أي: أحسن مرأى ومنظرا، من غضارة العيش، وسرور اللذات، وحسن الصور، فإذا كان هؤلاء المهلكون أحسن منهم أثاثا ورئيا، ولم يمنعهم ذلك من حلول العقاب بهم، فكيف يكون هؤلاء، وهم أقل منهم وأذل، معتصمين من العذاب ﴿أَكُفَّارُكُمْ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أُولَئِكُمْ أَمْ لَكُمْ بَرَاءَةٌ فِي الزُّبُرِ﴾ ؟ وعلم من هذا، أن الاستدلال على خير الآخرة بخير الدنيا من أفسد الأدلة، وأنه من طرق الكفار.