Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 31

(Ayah31) ➊ {وَ لَوْ اَنَّ قُرْاٰنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ … : ’’ قُرْاٰنًا ‘‘} is an indefinite noun, any Quran, meaning any book to be recited. {’’لَوْ ‘‘} is conditional, its answer is omitted, which is automatically understood from the context of the verse and is also present in other places in the Noble Quran. Two answers are mentioned in the exegeses and both are correct. One is that if there were indeed such a Quran by which mountains could be moved, or by which the earth could be cut, or by which the dead could be spoken to, even then these people would not believe, because they are denying out of stubbornness and hostility. These three things are specifically mentioned because, after the miracle of the Noble Quran, in response to whose challenge everyone had been rendered speechless, now those people were specifically demanding to see these three things. Allah Almighty said that when, despite being rendered speechless, these people did not believe in this Quran, then even if such a Quran were to come by which their demands would be fulfilled, they still would not believe, because all matters are in Allah’s hands, and when these people, due to their hostility, did not believe in this Quran—which is the greatest of all miracles—and have become the target of Allah’s wrath,then how and from where would they be granted the ability to believe after seeing their desired miracles, due to Allah’s wrath? When someone deliberately closes their eyes, how can anyone show them anything, as He said: «{ وَ لَوْ اَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَاۤ اِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةَ وَ كَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتٰى وَ حَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوْا لِيُؤْمِنُوْۤا اِلَّاۤ اَنْ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُوْنَ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۱۱ ] “And even if We had sent down the angels to them, and the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered everything before them, they would not have believed unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly.” From this verse, the answer to {’’ لَوْ ‘‘ } is clearly understood.
The second answer to this {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} is that if there were any Quran possessing these qualities, it would be this very Quran, as He said: «{ لَوْ اَنْزَلْنَا هٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنَ عَلٰى جَبَلٍ لَّرَاَيْتَهٗ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّٰهِ }» [ الحشر : ۲۱ ] “If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbled and splitting asunder from the fear of Allah.” In this is the statement of the greatness of this Quran, that the demands you are making for the Quran, none of them are difficult to fulfill, but the entire matter is in Allah’s hands, and to do so would be against His wisdom, because if after that you did not believe, you would be annihilated by punishment, as happened with previous nations.

➋ The commentators have written two meanings for {اَفَلَمْ يَايْـَٔسِ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا:} and {’’ اَفَلَمْ يَايْـَٔسِ ‘‘}, one meaning is that {’’ أَفَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ ‘‘}—that have those who have believed not realized that the signs these people are demanding, Allah Almighty is capable of showing them, because He has power over everything, but to show such signs with the expectation that they will believe is useless, because He knows that these people are so rebellious and stubborn that even after seeing these signs, they will not believe. And the second meaning of {’’ اَفَلَمْ يَايْـَٔسِ ‘‘} is that have the Muslims not yet despaired of their believing, even though they know…

➌ {اَنْ لَّوْ يَشَآءُ اللّٰهُ لَهَدَى النَّاسَ جَمِيْعًا :}—that guidance depends on Allah Almighty’s will, which can occur even without showing these signs. (Shawkani)

➍ {وَ لَا يَزَالُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا … :}—that these disbelievers of Makkah are not ones to believe after seeing signs. They will believe only in such a way that, as a punishment for their deeds, some calamity will continue to descend upon them day after day, such as killing, imprisonment, famine, or disease, etc. Thus, Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “But the disbelievers will become Muslims in such a way that calamity will continue to befall them, whether upon them or upon their neighbors, until all of Arabia comes to faith. That calamity was jihad at the hands of the Muslims.” (Mawdhih)

➎ { اَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيْبًا مِّنْ دَارِهِمْ:}—that the calamity will descend upon those around them, and they will take heed by seeing their condition.

➏ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيْعَادَ:}—thus, Allah Almighty’s promise was fulfilled; some of the Quraysh were killed and some were imprisoned, until Allah’s promise was fulfilled, that is, Makkah was conquered.