Surah Al Furqan Notes (35-42)

Source: Ibn Kathir

Frightening the Idolators of Quraysh

 (35) And indeed We gave Musa (Moses) the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)], and placed his brother Harun (Aaron) with him as a helper.

Allah threatens the idolators who denied and opposed His Messenger Muhammad and He warns them of the punishment and painful torment He sent upon the previous nations who rejected their Messengers. Allah begins by mentioning Musa, upon him be peace, whom He sent along with his brother Harun as a helper -- i.e., as another Prophet who helped and supported him -- but Fir`awn and his chiefs denied them both.

(36) And We said: "Go you both to the people who have denied Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)." Then We destroyed them with utter destruction.

(37) And Nuh's (Noah) people, when they denied the Messengers We drowned them, and We made them as a sign for mankind. And We have prepared a painful torment for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc).

(And Nuh's people, when they denied the Messengers,) although Allah sent only Nuh to them, and he stayed among them for 950 years, calling them to Allah and warning them of His punishment.

(And none believed with him, except a few) (11:40). 

For this reason Allah drowned them all and left no one among the sons of Adam alive on earth apart from those who boarded the boat,

(and We made them a sign for mankind.) meaning a lesson to be learned.

(38) And (also) 'Ad and Thamud, and the dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations in between.

(And (also) `Ad and Thamud, and the Dwellers of Ar-Rass,) We have already discussed their story, which is referred to in more than one Surah, such as Surat Al-A`raf, and there is no need to repeat it here. As for the Dwellers of Ar-Rass, Ibn Jurayj narrated from Ibn `Abbas about the Dwellers of Ar-Rass that they were the people of one of the villages of Thamud. Ath-Thawri narrated from Abu Bukayr from `Ikrimah that Ar-Rass was a well where they buried (Rassu) their Prophet.

(and many generations in between. ) means nations, many more than have been mentioned here, whom We destroyed. 

(39) And for each of them We put forward examples (as proofs and lessons, etc.), and each (of them) We brought to utter ruin (because of their disbelief and evil deeds).

(And for each We put forward examples,) meaning, `We showed them the proof and gave them clear evidence,' as Qatadah said, "They had no excuse.''

(and each (of them) We brought to utter ruin.) means, `We destroyed them completely.'

(40) And indeed they have passed by the town [of Prophet Lout (Lot)] on which was rained the evil rain. Did they (disbelievers) not then see it (with their own eyes)? Nay ! But they used not to expect for any resurrection.

(And indeed they have passed by the town on which was rained the evil rain.) refers to the town of the people of Lut, which was called Sodom, and the way in which Allah dealt with it, when He destroyed it by turning it upside down and by sending upon it the rain of stones of baked clay,

(And We rained on them a rain. And how evil was the rain of those who had been warned!) (26:176),

(Verily, you pass by them in the morning. And at night; will you not then reflect) (37:137-138),

(And verily, they were right on the highroad.) (15:76),

(They are both on an open highway, plain to see) (15:79).

(Did they not then see it) meaning, so that they might learn a lesson from what happened to its inhabitants of punishment for denying the Messenger and going against the commands of Allah.

(Nay! But they used not to expect any resurrection.) means, the disbelievers who passed by it did not learn any lesson, because they did not expect any resurrection, i.e., on the Day of Judgement.

How the Disbelievers mocked the Messenger

(41) And when they see you (O Muhammad SAW), they treat you only as a mockery (saying):"Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger?

(And when the disbelievers see you, they take you not except for mockery) (21:36), which means that they tried to find faults and shortcomings in him. 

(And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger'') i.e., they said this by way of belittling and trying to undermine him, so Allah put them in their place, and said:

(And indeed Messengers before you were mocked at) (6:10)

(42) "He would have nearly misled us from our aliha (gods), had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!" And they will know when they see the torment, who it is that is most astray from the (Right) Path!

(He would have nearly misled us from our gods,) They meant: `he nearly turned us away from worshipping idols, and he would have done so, had we not been patient and persevered in our ways.' So Allah said, warning and threatening them:

(And they will know, when they see the torment...)