Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 107

(Ayah 107){ وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ اِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعٰلَمِيْنَ:} In almost all the books written on the subject of I‘rab al-Qur’an (the grammatical analysis of the Qur’an), {’’ رَحْمَةً ‘‘ } has been described as the maf‘ul lahu (object of reason) of {’’ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ ‘‘}. In some books, other grammatical constructions have also been mentioned, which will be discussed ahead. The established rule of grammar is that the maf‘ul lahu, which states the reason for a verb, must have the same subject as the verb itself and the maf‘ul lahu. For example, {’’ضَرَبْتُ زَيْدًا تَأْدِيْبًا‘‘} (I hit Zaid to teach him manners); in this, the one who hits and the one who teaches manners is the same. Similarly, here, the sender is Allah Almighty and the one who shows mercy is also Allah Almighty. Thus, the meaning will be: We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds. That is, the reason for Allah Almighty sending the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is Allah’s mercy upon the worlds. Accordingly, Shah Waliullah (may Allah have mercy on him) has translated it as: “And We did not send you except out of kindness to the worlds.” And Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) has translated it as: “And you whom We have sent, so (it is) by showing mercy to the people of the world.” The exegete Abu al-Su‘ud said: {’’ أَيْ مَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِمَا ذُكِرَ لِعِلَّةٍ مِنَ الْعِلَلِ إِلاَّ لِرَحْمَتِنَا الْوَاسِعَةِ لِلْعَالَمِيْنَ قَاطِبَةً‘‘} “And We have not sent you with the mentioned revelation for any reason except due to Our vast mercy upon all the worlds.” The Imam of the exegetes, Tabari, said: {’’ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ! إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً لِمَنْ أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ خَلْقِيْ‘‘} “And We have not sent you, O Muhammad, except to show mercy to those among Our creation to whom We have sent you.” Then Imam Tabari, in the commentary of {’’ لِّلْعٰلَمِيْنَ ‘‘}, has preferred the opinion that the reason for sending you (peace and blessings be upon him) is mercy for both believers and disbelievers: whoever believes in you, for him mercy will be written in both this world and the Hereafter, and whoever does not believe in you will be protected in this world from those punishments that used to descend upon previous nations for denying their prophet, such as being swallowed by the earth, transformation of faces, etc.

One grammatical construction is that {’’ رَحْمَةً ‘‘} is a hal (circumstantial noun) meaning an active participle for emphasis. Just as it is said {’’زَيدٌ عَدْلٌ‘‘} that Zaid is justice, meaning he is so just as if he is the embodiment of justice. Then this {’’ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ ‘‘} can be the hal of the subject pronoun “We” and in {’’ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ ‘‘} of the pronoun “you.” In the first case, the meaning will be: We have not sent you except in the state that We are entirely mercy for the worlds. In the second case, the meaning will be: We have not sent you except in the state that you are entirely mercy for the worlds. The first meaning is close to the meaning of maf‘ul lahu. Allah Almighty sending the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) due to mercy for the worlds, and Allah Almighty sending the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the state that His (Allah's) pure being is entirely mercy for all the worlds—both have the same meaning, which is made clear by the combined mention of {’’ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ‘‘} in Surah al-Fatiha. The second meaning, that Allah Almighty sent the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the state that you are entirely mercy for the worlds, is also correct: you are entirely mercy for the believers in both this world and the Hereafter, he said: «{ بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ رَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ }» [التوبۃ : ۱۲۸ ] “Most compassionate and merciful to the believers.” And He said: «{ وَ رَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مِنْكُمْ }» [التوبۃ : ۶۱ ] “And a mercy for those among you who believe.” And for the disbelievers as well, you are entirely mercy in this world, for because of you they have been protected from the punishments like those that befell previous nations, and in your Shari‘ah, even in both peace and war, they are not subjected to the oppression and injustice that all other nations inflict upon their opponents. And your grief over the disbelievers not believing and becoming fuel for Hell was so great that Allah Almighty consoled you, saying: «{ لَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ اَلَّا يَكُوْنُوْا مُؤْمِنِيْنَ }» [الشعراء : ۳ ] “Perhaps you would destroy yourself with grief because they do not become believers.” You (peace and blessings be upon him) showed mercy to animals, commanded it, and forbade oppression against them, he said: [ فِيْ كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ ] [ بخاري، المظالم، باب الآبار علی الطرق إذا لم یُتأذّبہا : ۲۴۶۶ ] “There is a reward in (showing mercy to) every living being.” Even to the extent that you (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the glad tidings of forgiveness to a sinful woman for giving water to a thirsty dog. This mercy of the Shari‘ah of Islam and of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is also the mercy of the Lord of the worlds, for He placed this attribute in His beloved Messenger. Thus, Ibn Juzayy in “al-Tashil,” after mentioning all three grammatical possibilities, says: {’’وَالْمَعْنٰي عَلٰي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ رَحِمَ الْعَالَمِيْنَ بِإِرْسَالِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ‘‘} “In all these cases, the meaning is the same: that Allah Almighty, by sending our master Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), has shown mercy to the worlds.”