Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 33

(Ayah 33) ➊ { وَ قَالَ الْمَلَاُ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا … :} In this verse, two major reasons are mentioned for their leaders rejecting their Messenger by calling him a human being: one is that they denied the meeting of the Hereafter, and the second is that they enjoyed vast prosperity in the world. The meaning of {’’تَرَفٌ‘‘} is vast prosperity. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also described the same condition for the denier of hadith among the Muslim Ummah, that his denial would be due to his prosperity and leisure. Miqdam bin Ma’dikarib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَلَا إِنِّيْ أُوْتِيْتُ الْكِتَابَ وَ مِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ، أَلَا يُوْشِكُ رَجُلٌ شَبْعَانُ عَلٰی أَرِيْكَتِهِ يَقُوْلُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِهٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ فَمَا وَجَدْتُمْ فِيْهِ مِنْ حَلَالٍ فَأَحِلُّوْهُ وَمَا وَجَدْتُمْ فِيْهِ مِنْ حَرَامٍ فَحَرِّمُوْهُ، أَلَا، لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمُ الْحِمَارُ الْأَهْلِيُّ وَلَا كُلُّ ذِيْ نَابٍ مِنَ السَّبُعِ ] [ أَبوداوٗد، السنۃ، باب في لزوم السنۃ… : ۴۶۰۴ ] “Listen! I have been given the Book and something like it along with it (i.e., hadith). Listen! Soon there will be a well-fed (i.e., prosperous) man reclining on his couch who will say: ‘Hold fast to this Qur’an; whatever you find in it as lawful, consider it lawful, and whatever you find in it as unlawful, consider it unlawful.’ Listen! The domestic donkey is not lawful for you, nor is any predatory animal with fangs lawful for you (even though this is not in the Qur’an but in the hadith of the Messenger).”

➋ { يَاْكُلُ مِمَّا تَاْكُلُوْنَ … :} “A human cannot be a Messenger”—all those who denied the Prophets said the same. There is comfort in this for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that you are not alone in this rejection, because the disbelievers also said about you: « مَالِ هٰذَا الرَّسُوْلِ يَاْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَ يَمْشِيْ فِي الْاَسْوَاقِ» [ الفرقان: ۷ ] “What is with this Messenger that he eats food and walks in the markets?”

➌ In Surah Al-A’raf and Surah Hud, after the Prophets’ admonition, the words of the leaders of the people begin with {’’ قَالَ الْمَلَاُ ‘‘}, whereas in this Surah, after the admonition of Noah (peace be upon him), it is {’’ فَقَالَ الْمَلَؤُا ‘‘}, and in the verse under commentary, it is {’’ وَ قَالَ الْمَلَاُ‘‘}. Ibn Ashur (may Allah have mercy on him) has explained this difference by stating that in both these Surahs, i.e., Al-A’raf and Hud, after the Prophets’ admonition, the leaders of the people address the Prophets directly, so there is no need for “fa” or “waaw,” whereas here, after the Prophets’ admonition, the response of the leaders of the people to the Prophets is not mentioned, rather, after that, it is mentioned that they went to their people and misled them so that they would not be influenced by the words of the Prophet; therefore, “fa” and “waaw” are used.

33-1. It is the leaders of the nation who, in every era, deny the prophets and messengers and the people of truth, due to which the majority of the nation is deprived of faith. Because these are very influential people, the nation tends to follow them.

33-2. That is, lack of faith in the Hereafter and abundance of worldly comforts—these were the two fundamental reasons for not believing in their messenger. Even today, the false ones oppose the people of truth and avoid the call to truth on the basis of these same reasons.

33-3. Thus, they rejected by saying that he eats and drinks just like us. How can he be the messenger of Allah? Just as even today, for many claimants of Islam, accepting the humanity of the Messenger is very burdensome.

33. And the chiefs of his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting of the Hereafter [38], and whom We had given luxury in the life of this world, said, "This is only a human being like yourselves. He eats what you eat [39] and drinks what you drink.

[38] Since the call of the Prophets directly affects the chieftain-type people, and they see their leaderships as being endangered, therefore, these are the very people who become the first opponents of the Prophets. And since they have influence and authority among the common people, they have to strive among the masses in opposition to the Prophets’ call, so that the people do not accept the Prophets’ message and thus move out of their sphere of influence. Like the polytheists of Makkah, the people of ‘Ad also denied the life of the Hereafter. And the abundance of wealth and a life of ease had made these chieftains completely forgetful of God. Their ultimate goal was only the wealth of this world and its acquisition.
[39] In opposition to the Prophet’s call, the only thing they could invite the common people to was this: What is so special about this Prophet that you should obey him? He is also a human being like you and is in need of food and drink.