Tafsir

The Command to Follow the Revelation

Allah commands His Messenger and those who followed his path, اتَّبِعْ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ(Follow what has been inspired to you from your Lord,) meaning, follow it, obey it and act according to it. What has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, no doubt, and there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ(and turn aside from the idolators) meaning, forgive them, be forbearing and endure their harm until Allah brings relief to you, supports you and makes you triumphant over them. Know -- O Muhammad -- that there is a wisdom behind misleading the idolators, and that had Allah willed, He would have directed all people to guidance, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكُواْ(Had Allah willed, they would not have taken others besides Him in worship.) Allah's is the perfect will and wisdom in all decrees and decisions, and He is never questioned about what He does, while they all will be questioned.

Allah's statement, وَمَا جَعَلْنَـكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظاً(And We have not made you Hafiz over them.) means, a watcher who observes their statements and deeds, وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ(Nor are you set over them to dispose of their affairs. ) or to control their provision. Rather, your only job is to convey, just as Allah said, فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ - لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُسَيْطِرٍ (So remind them, you are only one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them.) 88:21-22 and, فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ(Your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning.) 13:40

The reason for this has been given in the fifth verse (107). There it has been said: If Allah Ta` ala had willed - in consideration of His own creational imperative - that the whole human race should become Muslim in faith, then, it would have become impossible for them to associate partners in the Divinity of Allah (Shirk). But, it was because of their misdeeds that Allah willed that they be punished. So, He created the necessary conditions for that end. Now, how could he make them Muslims under these circumstances? In fact, why should he worry about what they choose to do with their lives? Allah has not made him to stand guard over what they do, nor has he been authorized by Allah to bring punishment on them for their misdeeds. Therefore, he should not have any anxiety on account of what they do to themselves or for themselves.

ولو شاء الله تعالى أن لا يشرك هؤلاء المشركون لما أشركوا، لكنه تعالى عليم بما سيكون من سوء اختيارهم واتباعهم أهواءهم المنحرفة. وما جعلناك -أيها الرسول- عليهم رقيبًا تحفظ عليهم أعمالهم، وما أنت بقَيِّمٍ عليهم تدبر مصالحهم.

( ولو شاء الله ما أشركوا ) أي : بل له المشيئة والحكمة فيما يشاؤه ويختاره ، لا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون .وقوله : ( وما جعلناك عليهم حفيظا ) أي : حافظا تحفظ أعمالهم وأقوالهم ( وما أنت عليهم بوكيل ) أي : موكل على أرزاقهم وأمورهم ( إن عليك إلا البلاغ ) كما قال تعالى : ( فذكر إنما أنت مذكر لست عليهم بمسيطر ) [ الغاشية : 21 ، 22 ] ، وقال ( فإنما عليك البلاغ وعلينا الحساب ) [ الرعد : 40 ] .