Surah Al An'aam Notes (50-53)

(50) Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor (that) I know the unseen; nor I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me by inspiration." Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal? will you not then take thought?"

(51)And warn therewith (the Quran) those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him, so that they may fear Allah and keep their duty to Him (by abstaining from committing sins and by doing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained).

(52)And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon seeking His Face. You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing, that you may turn them away, and thus become of the Zalimun (unjust).

(53)Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favoured from amongst us?" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful?

(6:50) The Messenger neither has the key to Allah's treasures, nor knows the unseen.

Allah commands the Messenger to say:

• I do not own Allah's treasures or have any power over them.( Even Prophet did not have anything to eat sometimes, he also needs provision just like others)
• I do not now know the unseen, because it's knowledge is with Allah and I only know what Allah conveys to me. [Those who are lesser than him( soothsayers ) how can they say that they can see the unseen].
• I do not claim that I am an angel. I am only a human to whom Allah sends revelation, and He honored me with this duty and favored me with it. I never disobey the revelation in the least.

[...Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal"...] The one who is guided is not same as the one who is mislead. The person who follows truth can not be like the one who denys the truth.

(6:51) [...wa andhir bihi...] meaning, warn by it.

Warn : By what?            - By Quran

             Who?                 - Those who fear the day of Judgment.

             About what?      - That on the day of Judgement there will be no protector or                                                    intercessor other than Allah. 

What do we learn from this ayah?

• People should be warned only by way of Quran and not by any other means. This is the best form of warning.
• Warning should be given to everyone, but only those who fear accountability will benefit from it.
• None can protect us on the Day of Judgment accept Allah.
• Warning by way of Quran helps us develop taqwa.

What is Taqwa?

(6:52) Prohibiting the Messenger from turning the weak away and the order to honor them.

This is an important concept in the Quran mentioned multiple times.  In the time of the Prophet (saw) they were different classes of people in Makkah.  Makkah was in fact a class society.  There was the financial elite, the political elite, the slave class, the foreigner class under the protection of a particular tribe like a visa system.  The first class of people attracted to the message of Islam were the weak and oppressed in society; the slaves and the youth who don’t have influence in society and saw the oppression for what it is.  The elite of society don’t usually respond to a message like this because it means that they have to take a loss.  So it goes against their own agenda so they don’t really get attracted to that message.  

So, initially there were a lot of people attracted to the message who were not socially influential at that time.  The Prophet (saw) made dua to Allah to give him one of two converts who were influential because he knows the power of one or two influential people, if they came to Islam; it empowers the movement and strengthens the morale of the weak within that cause as well.  But the Prophet (Saw) also made strategic efforts to reach out to the elite also.  He meets with the elite and discusses Islam with them but at the same time Allah is saying that although this is an important strategy; your real assets are those who you making dua to Allah morning and night irrespective of their status. Don’t ignore them.  They should be your priority.  They are the ones who have made the sacrifice.  They do no have much status in society but Allah gives them status because they call on Him night and day.  

             

(6:53) Most of those who followed the Messenger of Allah were the weak among the people, men, women, slaves and only a few chiefs or noted men followed him. For example:

1. People came to Nuh (As) and said ‘We want to listen to you but it is this scum of society that hangs out with you.  We can’t be seen with them.  Can’t you just get them away from you so that we can talk because I don’t want to be seen with the homeless guy.’   They wanted him to separate from the poor in society. 
2. Heraclius, emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan, "Do the noblemen or the weak among people follow him (Muhammad )'' Abu Sufyan replied, "Rather the weak among them.'' Heraclius commented, "Such is the case with followers of the Messengers.'' The idolaters of Quraysh used to mock the weak among them who believed in the Prophet and they even tortured some of them. They used to say, "Are these the ones whom Allah favored above us,'' meaning, Allah would not guide these people, instead of us, to all that is good, if indeed what they embraced is good.