Ghafir (The Forgiver)

78. And verily We have sent Messengers before you of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story and it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign except by the permission of Allah. But, when comes the Commandment of Allah [the Day of Resurrection], the matter will be decided with truth and the followers of falsehood will then be at loss.

One of the means of education and guidance, made use of many a time in the Holy Qur’an, is to narrate the history of the ancients and good models. The Day of Resurrection is the Day of Divine Judgment and the disgrace of the followers of falsehood.

To further console the Noble Prophet (S), the blessed Verse in question makes a reference to the Prophets of ancient peoples who were entangled with such difficulties but pursued the propagation of their teachings despite the impediments; as a consequence of which they became victorious:

“And verily We have sent Messengers before you of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story”

each of whom faced such intolerable vicissitudes and many a vain and obdurate disbeliever; nevertheless, finally Truth prevailed and wrong doers and sinners were vanquished.

Since obdurate and querulous polytheists and disbelievers asked Messengers to show unto them their miracles at all times and the polytheists contemporaneous with the Prophet of Islam (S) requested the same, the blessed Verse in question further adds:

“And it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign except by the permission of Allah.”

All miracles are wrought by Divine Will rather than by disbelievers’ requests who consider them to be playthings.

Thus, the Noble Prophet (S) may not accept their requested miracles; rather God Almighty made evident unto people what was required for public guidance at the hands of Prophets.

The blessed Verse addresses with a serious and warning tone the disbelievers who said unto the Noble Prophet (S) that had he been right, how come that Divine torment would not have been sent unto them.

Thus the blessed Verse warns them:

“But, when comes the Commandment of Allah [the Day of Resurrection], the matter will be decided with truth and the followers of falsehood will then be at loss.”

On that Day, no repentance shall be accepted and all the ways of returning to Allah shall be obstructed. Moans and cries shall be of no avail.

It is on that Day that the followers of falsehood shall clearly perceive that they have missed their opportunities without accruing any righteous good deeds, rather they have been entangled with Divine Wrath and excruciating torments.

Why then do they ask for the coming of that irreversible Day? As per this interpretation, the blessed Verse in question makes a reference to the torment of desperateness.

However, some Qur’anic exegets maintain that the blessed Verse refers to the Divine Command of inflicting torments upon wrong doers on the Day of Resurrection. It shall be on that Day that the deeds of all men shall be judged with truth and the followers of falsehood shall be apprised of their total loss.

The interpretation is substantiated by another Qur’anic Verse¹ :

“And on the Day that the Hour will be established, on that Day the followers of falsehood shall lose [everything].”

Phrases like:

“Divine Decree”

are applied to the torment in this world in numerous Qur’anic Verses² . The Verse may be of a broader semantic range to encompass the torments in this world and the Hereafter. It is worthy of note that the total loss of the followers of falsehood become evident in both.

It is also noteworthy that according to a number of narrations there was a clown in Medina who make people laugh and at times said that Imam Sajjad ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (as) had irritated him since he had not been successful in making him laugh.

Thus, one day the Imam (as) was passing by and the clown took away his aba (‘aba’), but the Noble Imam (as) did not take any heed of him. The Imam’s companions followed the clown and restored the cloak. Imam (as) inquired them about his identity.

They replied:

“He is a clown who makes Medinans laugh.”

The Noble Imam (as) asked them to say unto him:

“There shall be a Day on which followers of falsehood shall be at loss.”