Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 24

(Ayah 24) ➊ Before the word { اَمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ افْتَرٰى عَلَى اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا: ’’ اَمْ‘‘}, there is an explicit or implied sentence that begins with the interrogative hamzah. Here, after making it clear that inviting you to the religion is entirely for your benefit and your salvation, and that I have no personal interest in it, nor do I ask you for any reward for it. However, I do say that at least, due to kinship, fulfill my right of friendship. Beyond this, the implied phrase would be whether they accept this invitation and believe in you {’’ اَمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ افْتَرٰى ‘‘} or, persisting in stubbornness and hostility, keep saying that he has fabricated a lie against Allah.

➋ { فَاِنْ يَّشَاِ اللّٰهُ يَخْتِمْ عَلٰى قَلْبِكَ:} The commentators have interpreted this in several ways; two clearer interpretations are presented here. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If you had fabricated a lie against Allah, as these ignorant people are saying, then if He willed, {’’ يَخْتِمْ عَلٰى قَلْبِكَ ‘‘} He could seal your heart and take away from you whatever Qur'an He has granted you, as He said: « وَ لَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الْاَقَاوِيْل (44) لَاَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِيْنِ (45) ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِيْنَ (46) فَمَا مِنْكُمْ مِّنْ اَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حٰجِزِيْنَ » [ الحاقۃ : ۴۴ تا ۴۷ ] 'And if he had made up some statements against Us, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut from him the aorta, and none of you could have prevented Us from him.' That is, We would have taken the severest revenge from him, and no one could have saved him. (Ibn Kathir) For further details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Haqqah. Commentator Qasimi said: "This is the interpretation of Qur'anic verses with other Qur'anic verses, and wherever possible, this is the best interpretation, because Qur'anic verses explain each other. According to this meaning, as Abu Saud clarified, the outcome of the verse is a refutation of the disbelievers' claim, that if you (peace be upon him) had fabricated a lie against Allah, Allah would have prevented you from it in every way, and would have sealed your heart so that neither would any word of revelation come to your tongue nor any meaning of it enter your heart. Since this did not happen, but rather revelation continued uninterrupted, it is proven that it is indeed from Allah."

The second interpretation, in the words of commentator Shihab, is: "It means that if Allah wills, He can seal your heart, just as He has sealed the hearts of those (disbelievers who make accusations). In this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is comforted and reminded of Allah's favor and honor (that He did not seal your heart), so that you may be grateful for it and feel pity for those whose hearts Allah has sealed and who have become deserving of their Lord's wrath. If this had not happened, they would never have dared to make such an accusation against you, that you have fabricated a lie against Allah. In summary, if the seal of misguidance had not been set upon them, they would not have dared to say such an impossible thing." (Quoted from Qasimi)

➌ {وَ يَمْحُ اللّٰهُ الْبَاطِلَ … : ’’ يَمْحُ ‘‘} In the original, it is {’’ يَمْحُوْ ‘‘}. Its conjunction is not with {’’ يَخْتِمْ ‘‘}, nor has its "waw" been dropped due to being in the jussive case, rather, this is a new sentence and, being in the nominative case, the "waw" remains in its place. In the script of the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the "waw" was not written here, because in some places, the letters that were not pronounced in recitation were also omitted in writing, as in Surah Bani Isra'il, Ayah (11): « وَ يَدْعُ الْاِنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهٗ بِالْخَيْرِ » and Surah Al-'Alaq, Ayah (18): «سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ », the "waw" is not written. Later, Muslims preserved this script for the Qur'an. Some scholars have pointed out that the omission of the "waw" in {’’ يَمْحُ ‘‘} is to express exaggeration in the erasure and obliteration of falsehood, so the "waw" of {’’ يَمْحُوْ ‘‘} was also erased.

➍ That is, it is Allah's way that He obliterates falsehood and establishes the truth with His words, so how could it be that you fabricate a lie against Allah and Allah does not erase it, but rather continues to grant you victory and help at every step? This is proof that you have come with the truth, and the worst slanderer is the one who says that you have fabricated a lie against Allah.

➎ { اِنَّهٗ عَلِيْمٌۢ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُوْرِ:} That is, He has full knowledge of the intentions and purposes hidden in the hearts; He never bestows His messengership upon those who are evil-natured and fabricators, as He said: « اَللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهٗ » [ الأنعام : ۱۲۴ ] "Allah knows best where He places His messengership." It is on the basis of His perfect knowledge that He has chosen you for this position.