Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (360)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(19–20) “Mankind was but one community; then they differed. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, judgment would have been passed between them concerning that over which they differed. * They say, ‘Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘The unseen belongs to Allah alone. So wait; I too am waiting with you.’”

That is, “Mankind was but one community,” united upon the true religion, but then they differed. So Allah sent messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and sent down the Book with them to judge between people concerning that over which they differed.

“Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord”—granting the disobedient respite and not hastening to punish them for their sins—“judgment would have been passed between them” by saving the believers and destroying the disbelievers who denied the truth. This would have decisively separated them “concerning that over which they differed.” But He willed to test them and to try some of them by means of others, so that the truthful might be distinguished from the liar.

⦗361⦘

“They say”—that is, the obstinate deniers—“Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?” They mean demanded signs of their own choosing, which they themselves specify, as when they say, “Why has an angel not been sent down to him to serve as a warner alongside him?”—and so on through the verses.

Likewise, they say, “We will never believe in you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth”—and so on through the verses.

“Say” to them when they demand a sign from you, “The unseen belongs to Allah alone.” That is, His knowledge fully encompasses the circumstances of His servants, and He directs their affairs as required by His knowledge of them and His consummate wisdom. No one else has any say—whether concerning judgment or proof, purpose or rationale.

“So wait; I too am waiting with you.” That is, each party awaits what the other deserves. So wait and see to whom the final outcome will belong.

﴿١٩ - ٢٠﴾ ﴿وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا وَلَوْلا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ * وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ﴾ . أي: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً﴾ متفقين على الدين الصحيح، ولكنهم اختلفوا، فبعث الله الرسل مبشرين ومنذرين، وأنزل معهم الكتاب ليحكم بين الناس فيما اختلفوا فيه. ﴿وَلَوْلا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ﴾ بإمهال العاصين وعدم معاجلتهم بذنوبهم، ﴿لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾ بأن ننجي المؤمنين، ونهلك الكافرين المكذبين، وصار هذا فارقا بينهم ﴿فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ﴾ ولكنه أراد امتحانهم وابتلاء بعضهم ببعض، ليتبين الصادق من الكاذب. ⦗٣٦١⦘ ﴿وَيَقُولُونَ﴾ أي: المكذبون المتعنتون، ﴿لَوْلا أُنزلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ﴾ يعنون: آيات الاقتراح التي يعينونها كقولهم: ﴿لَوْلا أُنزلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيرًا﴾ الآيات. وكقولهم: ﴿وَقَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الأرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا﴾ الآيات. ﴿فَقُلْ﴾ لهم إذا طلبوا منك آية ﴿إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ﴾ أي: هو المحيط علما بأحوال العباد، فيدبرهم بما يقتضيه علمه فيهم وحكمته البديعة، وليس لأحد تدبير في حكم ولا دليل، ولا غاية ولا تعليل. ﴿فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ﴾ أي: كل ينتظر بصاحبه ما هو أهل له، فانظروا لمن تكون العاقبة.