Al-Furqaan (The Criterion)

42. “‘He would have led us astray from our gods if we had not been staunch to them!’ And soon they will know, when they see the chastisement, who it is that is most misled in path.”

Patience and resistance is not always a value and merit.

Sometimes it is stubbornness and obstinacy such as resistance and patience in being misled and deviation.

So the Qur’an mentions the rest of pagans’ words in this way:

“‘He would have led us astray from our gods if we had not been staunch to them!’...”

But the Holy Qur’an answers them in some ways.

It first answers this group of people, who were not logical, with, a striking sentence:

“...And soon they will know, when they see the chastisement, who it is that is most misled in path.”

This doom may refer to the punishment of the Hereafter, as some commentators, such as Tabarsi in Majma‘ul-Bayan, say. Or it is the punishment of this world, such as the defeat in Badr war and such like, as Qurtabi in his famous commentary says. It also may refer to both of them.

It is interesting that this group of misled people presented contradictory words. On one hand, they ridiculed the Prophet (S) and his call. They wanted to say that the claim of the Prophet (S) was so baseless that it did not deserve strict handling.

On the other hand, they believed that if they did not stick to the traditions and religion of their ancestors, it would be possible that the words of the holy Prophet (S) deviated them from it. This shows that they counted the Prophet’s words very effective, calculated, and serious. It is not impossible that those bewildered and obstinate people spoke so disturbingly.

Moreover, it has been seen many times that when deniers of the Truth confront divine leaders’ logic, they use mockery as a technique for belittling them while innerly they do not have such a belief. And sometimes they count it serious and struggle with it by their soul and body.

Therefore Allah, the Mighty, says in this noble verse:

“...therefore let those who go against His order beware lest a trial afflicts them or a painful punishment befalls them.”1

In another verse He says:

“This is guidance. And those who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord, for them there is a painful doom of wrath.”2

Somewhere else He says:

“...and visited those who did wrong with dreadful punishment because they used to make mischief.”3

The Prophet (S) says:

“One who oppresses people more in this world, will be punished before Allah (s.w.t.) more severely and harshly than any other person on the day of Resurrection.”4