Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (94) Surah: Yūnus
فَإِن كُنتَ فِي شَكّٖ مِّمَّآ أَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ فَسۡـَٔلِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقۡرَءُونَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكَۚ لَقَدۡ جَآءَكَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
(94) [2458]Should you ˹Muhammad˺ hence be in doubt about what We sent down to you, ask then those who have been reading the Book before you; verily the Truth has come to you from your Lord, so be not one of the hesitant.
[2458] This aya has caused dispute among some people (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Aḥkām Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1: 99). A great many exegetes hold this ‘doubt’ to be about the Messenger’s mention and description in the Scriptures of the People of the Book, on the grounds that the disputation that occurred between the Israelites, which is mentioned in the previous aya, was with regards to the Messenger (ﷺ) and his Truthfulness (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr and also: al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar). Others hold that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) neither doubted nor questioned and that such language, making use of the Arab linguistic figurative repertoire, is used to imply the Denying Arabs who held the People of the Book in great esteem and who thus sought their testimony on the issue of the Prophet’s Messengership (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Given the context, this passage, which follows that of Moses (ﷺ) and the exodus of the Israelites (Ibn ʿĀshūr), could be read as bearing a message to the Prophet (ﷺ) to follow the example of earlier Messengers of God using such shocking, direct language (in doubt, hesitant, and even reject the Signs of Allah and do not be among the losers) to psychologically brace him to be prepared to do the same and declare his stand detaching himself and the Believers from the Deniers once and for all; since, like those who came before them, their hearts were sealed and they would not Believe. This is a theme which has been touched upon in the earlier ayas of this sura but is very clearly and unequivocally stated in the following two passages. The stand to take is clearly dictated to the Prophet in Aya 104 below, which, itself, is also couched in a language that echoes the one found here. But to fully realize the meaning of this, one has to bear in mind the Noble Messenger’s (ﷺ) tight situation. Being the Messenger of mercy who was very eager to save the Makkans and knowing that his departure from them meant imminent Divine Punishment, he wanted them to have another chance: “Should you ˹in your compassion, Muhammad˺ grieve yourself to death if they are not willing to Believe in this Discourse!” (18: 6); “So let not your soul ˹Muhammad˺ go to waste in regrets over them” (35: 8).
Given the context, this passage, which follows that of Moses (ﷺ) and the exodus of the Israelites (Ibn ʿĀshūr), could be read as bearing a message to the Prophet (ﷺ) to follow the example of earlier Messengers of God using such shocking, direct language (in doubt, hesitant, and even reject the Signs of Allah and do not be among the losers) to psychologically brace him to be prepared to do the same and declare his stand detaching himself and the Believers from the Deniers once and for all; since, like those who came before them, their hearts were sealed and they would not Believe. This is a theme which has been touched upon in the earlier ayas of this sura but is very clearly and unequivocally stated in the following two passages. The stand to take is clearly dictated to the Prophet in Aya 104 below, which, itself, is also couched in a language that echoes the one found here. But to fully realize the meaning of this, one has to bear in mind the Noble Messenger’s (ﷺ) tight situation. Being the Messenger of mercy who was very eager to save the Makkans and knowing that his departure from them meant imminent Divine Punishment, he wanted them to have another chance: “Should you ˹in your compassion, Muhammad˺ grieve yourself to death if they are not willing to Believe in this Discourse!” (18: 6); “So let not your soul ˹Muhammad˺ go to waste in regrets over them” (35: 8).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (94) Surah: Yūnus
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.