As-Saaffaat (Those drawn up in Ranks)

71. “And indeed most of the ancient went astray before them.”

72. “And certainly We sent among them warners.”

73. “Then see how was the end of those warned,”

74. “Except the servants of Allah, the purified ones.”

In the atmosphere of deviation, the most important dusty is ‘warning’. Allah has sent some warners for the deviated nations.

Through these verses, the Qur’an prepares the ground for the life story of many former nations, the information of whose states is an expressive proof for the former discussions. These are nations such as: the peoples of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Aaron, Lot, Yunus, and the like.

At first, it says:

“And indeed most of the ancient went astray before them.”

It is not only the polytheists of Mecca who, imitating their ancestors, are involved in a deep corruption, but before them, the majority of the ancient nations were involved in the same fate, too, and the number of their believers comparing those who went astray were very small.

This is a solace for the Prophet (S) and the believers of Mecca whose number was small and were surrounded by the enemy from every side.

Then, in the second verse, the Holy Qur’an adds that their aberration was because of having no leader or guide.

So, He says:

“And certainly We sent among them warners.”

These warners were the Divine prophets who used to warn them from polytheism, disbelief, injustice, tyranny, and blindly imitation from others, and made them acquainted with their responsibilities.

It is true that the Divine prophets had the letter of warning in one hand and the letter of glad tiding in the other hand, but since the great pillar of their teaching, specially for such a corrupt and rebellious nation, was ‘warning’, it has been emphasized on here.

And, in the third verse, through a short and meaningful sentence, it says:

“Then see how was the end of those warned,”

The addressee in the Qur’anic sentence /fanzur/ (then see) may be the Prophet (S) himself, or any other wise and aware person.

This sentence, in fact, is a hint to the end of the nations whose explanation will be expressed in the coming verses.

Through the fourth verse, as an exception, it says:

“Except the servants of Allah, the purified ones.”

In fact, this sentence points to this fact that you may see the end of these nations that how Allah caused them to be involved in a painful punishment and destroyed them, except the purified faithful servants who were saved from this destruction.

It is noteworthy that in this Surah ‘the purified servants of Allah’ are emphasized on five times in different verses, and this is a sign upon the greatness of their rank.

And, as we pointed out before, they are those who have been so victorious in the path of Knowledge, faith, and struggle against carnal soul that Allah has elected them and purified them, and that is why they have become secured from deviations and faults.

Satan cannot influence in them and, from the first day, hopelessly he expressed his inability before them.

The uproar of the environment, the temptations of the seductive factors, the imitation from ancestors, and the wrong and oppressive cultures can never mislead them from their way.

And this, in fact, is a message for the persisting believers of that day in Mecca, and for us, the Muslims of the world of today that we should not be afraid of the abundance of the enemies and try to stand in the row of the purified servants of Allah, because it is only the purified servants of Allah who take the warnings of the prophets earnest.

“Then see how was the end of those warned,” “Except the servants of Allah, the purified ones.”