Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 35

(Ayah 35) ➊ { فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ اُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ:} After proving monotheism, prophethood, and the Hereafter with arguments and responding to the testimony of the disbelievers, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was advised to be patient and steadfast, because he used to feel great distress and severe pain due to the abusive language, mockery, and torment from the disbelievers in response to his call to Allah. Therefore, it was said: O Prophet! Just as the messengers of firm resolve and strong determination were patient, you too should be patient. As for who are meant by these messengers of firm resolve, generally five messengers are called "Ulul Azm": Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa (peace be upon them), and the fifth is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself, because their collective mention has come in two places in the Qur'an. One is in Surah Al-Ahzab, where it is said: « وَ اِذْ اَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيّٖنَ مِيْثَاقَهُمْ وَ مِنْكَ وَ مِنْ نُّوْحٍ وَّ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ وَ مُوْسٰى وَ عِيْسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَ اَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِّيْثَاقًا غَلِيْظًا» [ الأحزاب : ۷ ] "And when We took from the prophets their firm covenant, and from you, and from Nuh, and Ibrahim, and Musa, and Isa son of Maryam, and We took from them a firm covenant." And the second verse is in Surah Ash-Shura, where it is said: «شَرَعَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الدِّيْنِ مَا وَصّٰى بِهٖ نُوْحًا وَّ الَّذِيْۤ اَوْحَيْنَاۤ اِلَيْكَ وَ مَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهٖۤ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ وَ مُوْسٰى وَ عِيْسٰۤى اَنْ اَقِيْمُوا الدِّيْنَ وَ لَا تَتَفَرَّقُوْا فِيْهِ » [ الشورٰی : ۱۳ ] "He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Nuh and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa, that you establish the religion and do not be divided therein." However, in these verses, neither is there mention of these prophets being "Ulul Azm" nor of other prophets not being "Ulul Azm," so it is better to keep it general and consider {’’ مِنْ ‘‘} as explanatory. The meaning would be: Be patient as those of firm resolve were patient, who were messengers, as He said: « فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْاَوْثَانِ » [ الحج : ۳۰ ] "So avoid the filth, which are idols." The meaning is that just as the previous prophets faced the indifference, opposition, and torment of their people with determination, courage, patience, and steadfastness, you should do the same.

Some commentators have said that it is not correct to take "Ulul Azm" as referring to all messengers, because regarding some messengers, resolve has been negated, as in the case of Adam (peace be upon him), where it is said: «فَنَسِيَ وَ لَمْ نَجِدْ لَهٗ عَزْمًا » [ طٰہٰ : ۱۱۵ ] "Then he forgot, and We did not find in him firm resolve." And regarding Yunus (peace be upon him), it is said: « وَ لَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوْتِ » [ القلم : ۴۸ ] "And do not be like the companion of the fish." Therefore, by "Ulul Azm" are meant those messengers of higher rank and resolve, even though their identification is difficult. But the statement of these commentators is not correct, because although this act occurred from Adam (peace be upon him), later his rank became even higher than before, as it is said: «ثُمَّ اجْتَبٰهُ رَبُّهٗ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ وَ هَدٰى » [ طٰہٰ : ۱۲۲ ] "Then his Lord chose him, so He turned to him and guided him." And regarding Yunus (peace be upon him), it is said: « فَاجْتَبٰىهُ رَبُّهٗ فَجَعَلَهٗ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ» [ القلم : ۵۰ ] "Then his Lord chose him and made him among the righteous." Therefore, after repentance, there is no doubt that these two prophets are also among the "Ulul Azm."

➋ { وَ لَا تَسْتَعْجِلْ لَّهُمْ:} Along with the command of patience, haste was forbidden, meaning do not demand haste for them, that why do these people not believe quickly, or why does punishment not come upon them quickly due to their disbelief.

➌ { كَاَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوْعَدُوْنَ … :} That is, when they see the punishment of Allah which they are promised, it will seem to them as if they did not remain in the world for more than an hour, because the severity of the punishment will make them forget the years and months they spent in the world, as He said: « قٰلَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الْاَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِيْنَ (112) قَالُوْا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا اَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَسْـَٔلِ الْعَآدِّيْنَ (113) قٰلَ اِنْ لَّبِثْتُمْ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا لَّوْ اَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ » [ المؤمنون : ۱۱۲ تا ۱۱۴ ] "He will say: How many years did you remain on earth in number of years? They will say: We remained a day or part of a day, so ask those who enumerate. He will say: You did not remain but a little, if only you had known." Sometimes that period will seem to them as a watch of the day (see An-Nazi'at: 46), and sometimes they will swear that they remained in the world only for an hour. See Surah Ar-Rum (55).

➍ { بَلٰغٌ :} This is the predicate of {’’هٰذَا‘‘}, meaning this Qur'an is only to convey the message, as He said: « هٰذَا بَلٰغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَ لِيُنْذَرُوْا بِهٖ » [ إبراھیم : ۵۲ ] "This is a message for the people and so that they may be warned by it."

➎ { فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ اِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ:} That is, after the Qur'an has been conveyed, the proof is complete; even now, if someone persists in sin and disobedience, he is inviting his own doom. No one is seized by Allah the Exalted without fault; only those are destroyed there who are sinful and disobedient.

35. 1. In contrast to the attitude of the disbelievers of Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ is being comforted and instructed to be patient.
35. 2. After witnessing the terrifying punishment of the Day of Judgment, the life of this world will seem to them as if they had spent only one hour of the day here.
35. 3. This is the predicate of an omitted subject, i.e., i.e., "This (with which you have been admonished) is a message." This is the advice or message whose delivery is your responsibility.
35. 4. In this verse as well, there is good news and encouragement for the believers that the destruction of the Hereafter is only for those who are disobedient to Allah and violate His limits.

So be patient, as those of determination [48] among the messengers were patient, and do not seek to hasten for them (the punishment). On the Day they see what they are promised, it will be as if they had not remained (in the world) except for an hour [49] of a day. The message has been delivered. So will anyone be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people [50]?

[48]
Who are the Ulul-Azm Prophets:

Although all prophets are, in fact, resolute (Ulul-Azm), in common parlance there are five: Sayyiduna Nuh, Sayyiduna Ibrahim, Sayyiduna Musa, Sayyiduna Isa (peace be upon them), and Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ. You wished that either the disbelievers of Makkah would embrace faith or that Allah would send down punishment upon them, which they kept demanding all the time. In response, Allah said: Look at how long the Ulul-Azm prophets endured the harm from their opponents with patience. Therefore, you ﷺ should also not be hasty in this matter and should act with patience and forbearance.

[49] That is, today they are impatiently clamoring for punishment, asking why it does not come; but when they see the punishment with their own eyes on the Day of Resurrection, they will say: Why has the punishment come so quickly? We had only stayed in the world for a moment before the punishment arrived. In fact, it is human nature that moments of hardship feel very long, but years spent in comfort and ease seem like just a few moments. The severity of the Day of Resurrection can also be gauged somewhat from their response.

[50] That is, there is no doubt whatsoever that only the disobedient are destroyed by Allah’s punishment—those who mock the warnings of Allah’s punishment.