Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 46

(Ayah 46) ➊ The meaning of { قُلْ اِنَّمَاۤ اَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ … : ’’ جِنَّةٍ ‘‘} is madness, insanity, and lunacy. After refuting the false statements of the polytheists, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was instructed to convey the truth with very strong arguments, effective styles, and in various ways. They used to call the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not only a liar and a magician but also mad, that is, insane. So Allah Almighty said, tell them that I only advise you one thing: in large gatherings, due to noise, crowd, and social pressure, a person cannot think properly. Remove stubbornness and prejudice and think alone or in pairs that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is after all your companion; he spent forty years with you before prophethood, whom you called truthful and trustworthy, whose wisdom and sound judgment you yourselves testified to. Now, when he conveyed Allah’s message to you, you started calling him mad. Therefore, reflect thoroughly on every statement he has brought and tell, after thinking, which of these statements can you call madness? Is believing in the Oneness of Allah insanity? Is forbidding adultery, theft, murder, and slander insanity? Is commanding truthfulness, chastity, trustworthiness, hospitality, and compassion insanity? Point out even one thing and show that this is the statement of a madman. This explanation is based on considering {’’ مَا ‘‘} as interrogative; if {’’ مَا ‘‘} is negative, then the meaning will be that there is no kind of madness in your companion. This meaning is also correct.

➋ {اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا نَذِيْرٌ لَّكُمْ … :} means that the Prophet is only a warner to you before a very severe punishment comes, so you should think carefully and decide whether the one who warns his people before a severe punishment comes and tries to save them from it is mad or is their well-wisher and sympathizer. Bukhari has narrated this hadith in the explanation of this verse: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) states that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once climbed Mount Safa and said: {’’يَا صَبَاحَاهُ‘‘} (which was said to alert people to an important danger), so the Quraysh gathered around him and said, “What has happened to you?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ يُصَبِّحُكُمْ أَوْ يُمَسِّيْكُمْ أَمَا كُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُوْنِيْ؟ ] “Tell me, if I inform you that an enemy will attack you in the morning or in the evening, will you believe me?” They said: [ بَلٰی ] “Why not!” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ فَإِنِّيْ نَذِيْرٌ لَّكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيْدٍ ] “Then I am a warner to you before a very severe punishment.” So Abu Lahab said: [ تَبًّا لَكَ أَلِهٰذَا جَمَعْتَنَا؟ ] “May you perish! Did you gather us for this?” So Allah Almighty revealed this (Surah): « تَبَّتْ يَدَاۤ اَبِيْ لَهَبٍ وَّ تَبَّ » [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «إن ھو إلا نذیر لکم… » : ۴۸۰۱ ]