Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (256)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

⦗42–45⦘ “We certainly sent messengers to nations before you, then afflicted them with poverty and adversity so that they might humble themselves. Why, then, did they not humble themselves when Our punishment came upon them? Instead, their hearts hardened, and Satan made what they had been doing seem attractive to them. Then, when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We opened to them the doors of everything. But just as they were rejoicing in what they had been given, We seized them suddenly, and they were left utterly despondent.”

Allah Most High says: “We certainly sent messengers to nations before you,” among the nations and generations of old, but they denied Our messengers and rejected Our signs. “Then afflicted them with poverty and adversity”—that is, with poverty, illness, afflictions, and misfortunes, out of mercy toward them—“so that they might humble themselves” before Us and seek refuge with Us in times of hardship.

“Why, then, did they not humble themselves when Our punishment came upon them? Instead, their hearts hardened”—that is, their hearts became like stone and would not soften to the truth. “And Satan made what they had been doing seem attractive to them.” They therefore imagined that the religion they followed was the true religion. Thus, they enjoyed their falsehood for a time, while Satan toyed with their minds.

“Then, when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We opened to them the doors of everything”—of worldly life, its pleasures, and its distractions. “But just as they were rejoicing in what they had been given, We seized them suddenly, and they were left utterly despondent”—that is, despairing of every good. This is punishment at its severest: that they should be seized unawares while heedless and secure, making their punishment more severe and their calamity greater.

﴿٤٢ - ٤٥﴾ ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ * فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ﴾ . يقول تعالى: ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ﴾ من الأمم السالفين، والقرون المتقدمين، فكذبوا رسلنا، وجحدوا بآياتنا. ﴿فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ﴾ أي: بالفقر والمرض والآفات، والمصائب، رحمة منا بهم. ﴿لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ﴾ إلينا، ويلجأون عند الشدة إلينا. ﴿فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ﴾ أي: استحجرت فلا تلين للحق. ﴿وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ فظنوا أن ما هم عليه دين الحق، فتمتعوا في باطلهم برهة من الزمان، ولعب بعقولهم الشيطان. ﴿فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ﴾ من الدنيا ولذاتها وغفلاتها. ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ﴾ أي: آيسون من كل خير، وهذا أشد ما يكون من العذاب، أن يؤخذوا على غرة، وغفلة وطمأنينة، ليكون أشد لعقوبتهم، وأعظم لمصيبتهم.