Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 57

(Ayah 57) {يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ … :} From here, all people are addressed and the blessings and virtues of the Noble Qur’an are described. Thus, its fundamental characteristic is that this book has come to you from Allah; now, no other book in the world can attain this status. Then, its four attributes are mentioned. The first is that it is {’’ مَوْعِظَةٌ ‘‘ }, due to the tanween of magnification, it has been translated as “a great admonition.” Khalil said that its meaning is an admonition towards goodness by which the heart becomes soft. (Mufradat) Raghib himself defined it as forbidding from an action, which also includes warning; thus, this book admonishes and reforms a person in every way, with both gentleness and severity. The second attribute is {’’ وَ شِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُوْرِ ‘‘}, meaning this book is a complete cure for the diseases found in hearts such as disbelief and hypocrisy, envy and ostentation, and bad morals. Some people have deduced from these verses that the Noble Qur’an is also a cure for physical illnesses, as in the incident where Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Surah Al-Fatihah as Ruqyah for a person bitten by a snake, and he was cured, and they were given thirty sheep. [ بخاری، الإجارۃ، باب ما یعطي في الرقیۃ علی أحیاء العرب … : ۲۲۷۶ ] And when the uncle of Kharijah bin Salat (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Surah Al-Fatihah as Ruqyah for a madman bound in chains, he was cured, and those people gave them one hundred sheep. [ أبوداوٗد، الطب، باب کیف الرقی : ۳۸۹۶ و صححہ الألبانی ] There is no doubt that by reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and other verses as Ruqyah, if Allah wills, there is healing, and not only for Muslims but even if performed on disbelievers, they too are cured. However, this is not the meaning of these verses; rather, what is meant are spiritual diseases such as disbelief, polytheism, hypocrisy, envy, and malice, etc. Allah the Exalted said: «{ وَ نُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْاٰنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَّ رَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ لَا يَزِيْدُ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ اِلَّا خَسَارًا }» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۸۲ ] “And We reveal from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.” And He said: “And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it has increased them in filth to their filth, and they died while they were disbelievers.” [ التوبۃ : ۱۲۵ ] And He said: “Say, it is for those who believe a guidance and a healing, but those who do not believe—in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness.” [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۴۴ ] That is, the disbelievers do not receive healing from the diseases of the chest through it. The third attribute is {’’ هُدًى ‘‘ }, showing the way with gentleness and kindness. (Mufradat) The fourth attribute is {’’ رَحْمَةٌ ‘‘}, whose meaning everyone understands. Here, all four attributes {’’ مَوْعِظَةٌ ، شِفَآءٌ ، هُدًى ، رَحْمَةٌ ‘‘} have come in the form of verbal nouns for emphasis; what is meant is the meaning of the active participle, as it is said {’’زَيْدٌ عَدْلٌ‘‘} “Zaid is justice.” What is meant is that he is so just that it is as if he is pure justice. It is said that such-and-such a person is the embodiment of beauty, meaning he is very beautiful. That is, this book is so full of admonition, healing, guidance, and mercy that it is as if it is pure admonition, healing, guidance, and mercy for the believers.