Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 110

(Ayah110) ➊ There is exaggeration in {حَتّٰۤى اِذَا اسْتَيْـَٔسَ الرُّسُلُ …:’’ اسْتَيْـَٔسَ ‘‘ ’’ يَئِسَ‘‘}, meaning they became completely hopeless. The question arises, to what does this {’’ حَتّٰۤى ‘‘} (until) relate in the previous context? The answer is that it relates to the previous verse: «{ وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ اِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوْحِيْۤ اِلَيْهِمْ }», meaning We did not send before you angels or jinn, but men, who called towards Allah for long periods, but their nations did not believe in them, until when the messengers became completely hopeless of their people’s belief. The meanings of {’’ ظَنُّوْۤا ‘‘ ’’ظَنَّ‘‘} include whisper, assumption, and certainty, meaning they assumed that they had been lied to. There are three opinions regarding the subject of {’’ظَنُّوْۤا ‘‘}. One is that it refers to the disbelievers, meaning the disbelievers of their nation became certain that what the messengers had said to them—that if you do not believe, punishment will come upon you—was a lie told to them, and no punishment would come. At that time, Our help came to those messengers, and Our punishment is not averted from the criminals. This meaning is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with them). The second is that the subject of {’’ ظَنُّوْۤا ‘‘} is the believers, meaning the messengers became hopeless of the disbelievers’ belief, and the believers also began to have whispers that perhaps the promise of punishment was a lie told to them. This meaning is also correct, because having whispers is not contrary to faith; it is the work of Satan to cast whispers into people’s hearts, but there is no accountability for this. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِيْ عَنْ أُمَّتِيْ مَا وَسْوَسَتْ بِهٖ صُدُوْرُهَا مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَكَلَّمْ ] [ بخاري، العتق، باب الخطأ والنسیان في العتاقۃ… : ۲۵۲۸۔ مسلم : ۱۲۷ ] “Allah has, for my sake, forgiven my ummah for what their souls whisper to them, as long as they do not act upon it or speak it.”
The third is what Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “That is, the promise of punishment was delayed until the messengers began to lose hope that perhaps it would not come in their lifetime but would come later, and their companions began to think that perhaps the promise was broken. Such a thought does not make a person a disbeliever, but he knows that this is a bad thought.” (Mawduh) If {’’ظَنَّ‘‘} means whisper, then it is not far-fetched that {’’ ظَنُّوْۤا ‘‘} refers to the messengers as well, {كَذَا قَالَ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَةَ} (Ruh al-Ma’ani), because in long trials and hardships, such thoughts do come, as Allah has said: «{ اَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ اَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَ لَمَّا يَاْتِكُمْ مَّثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَاْسَآءُ وَ الضَّرَّآءُ وَ زُلْزِلُوْا حَتّٰى يَقُوْلَ الرَّسُوْلُ وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَعَهٗ مَتٰى نَصْرُ اللّٰهِ اَلَاۤ اِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۱۴ ] “Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of what came to those who passed on before you? They were afflicted by poverty and hardship and were shaken until the messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help of Allah?’ Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” In light of this verse, this meaning is also reasonable. The intent of this verse is the length of the trials that came upon the messengers and the nearing of the limits of their patience, at which point Allah’s help arrived, as happened with Yusuf (peace be upon him).
➋ { جَآءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا :} means Our help reached the prophets.
➌ { وَ لَا يُرَدُّ بَاْسُنَا عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ:} Therefore, if there is a delay in the coming of punishment, do not be deceived that this is merely a threat.