Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 74

(Ayah 74) ➊ {ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ رُسُلًا اِلٰى قَوْمِهِمْ: } Here, among the prophets who were sent after Noah (peace be upon him), Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, and Shu'ayb (peace be upon them) are especially noteworthy. Their mention is coming in the next Surah Hud and is also recorded at other places in the Quran, and with the words {’’ اِلٰى قَوْمِهِمْ ‘‘}, it has been indicated that among Noah (peace be upon him) and all the prophets after him, none of their prophethoods was universal for all mankind, rather, they were sent to specific nations. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding the prophethood of Noah (peace be upon him); the correct view is that he too was sent specifically to his own people. (According to the research of our teacher, Maulana Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, the correct view is that not all people on the face of the earth were drowned in the flood, rather, only a specific region was destroyed and ruined.) This status is unique to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, that his prophethood is universal for all nations of the world and will remain so until the Day of Judgment. See Surah Saba (28).

➋ { فَجَآءُوْهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنٰتِ:} That is, they came with such proofs and miracles which indicated that they were truly messengers of Allah. The greatest and most effective miracle of our Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was the Quran, due to which his Ummah became the largest. For details, see the benefits of Surah Ankabut (50, 51).

➌ { فَمَا كَانُوْا لِيُؤْمِنُوْا بِمَا كَذَّبُوْا بِهٖ مِنْ قَبْلُ :} But these nations did not believe in the call of the messengers. The reason for this was that when Allah’s messengers first came to them, they refused to believe due to their rebellion and arrogance, and this refusal became a permanent barrier for them, and they kept thinking, “How can we now believe in what we have already denied?” As a result, they were deprived of the blessing of faith. Imam Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him, has made the subject of {’’ كَذَّبُوْا ‘‘} the people of Noah. In this case, the meaning would be that the nations of these messengers were also not such that they would believe in what the people of Noah and those before them had already denied; rather, their hearts were sealed just like the people of Noah. The first meaning is more appropriate, although this is also correct.

➍ { كَذٰلِكَ نَطْبَعُ عَلٰى قُلُوْبِ الْمُعْتَدِيْنَ :} That is, Allah Almighty ultimately gives such people this punishment that they are never granted the divine enablement (Tawfiq) to find the path of guidance, and this is the meaning of Allah Almighty sealing their hearts. Whoever adopts this attitude in the future will receive the same punishment. See Surah Baqarah (7), An’am (109, 110), and Anfal (24).