The Lesson to be learned from what happened to Those Who Came before
Allah tells us about the nations who rejected their Messengers in ancient times. He mentioned the severe punishment they suffered despite their great strength, He mentioned the traces which they left behind in the earth and the great wealth they amassed. None of that availed them anything and could not prevent the punishment of Allah at all. That is because when the Messengers came to them with clear signs and decisive evidence, they did not pay any attention to them. Instead, they were content with the knowledge with them, or so they claimed, and they said that they did not need what the Messengers brought them. Mujahid said, "They said, we know better than them, we will not be resurrected and we will not be punished.'' As-Suddi said, "In their ignorance, they rejoiced in what they had of (worldly) knowledge. So Allah sent upon them a punishment which they could not escape or resist.''
[وَØÂَاقَ بÙÂهÙÂم]
(and surrounded them.) means, encompassed them.
[مَا كَانÙÂواْ بÙÂه٠يَسْتَهْزÙÂØ¡ÙÂونَ]
(that at which they used to mock,) means, that which they used to disbelieve in and said would never happen,
[ÙÂَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا]
(So when they saw Our punishment,) means, when they saw with their own eyes the punishment which came upon them, they said,
[قَالÙÂواْ ءَامَنَّا بÙÂاللَّه٠وَØÂْدَه٠وَكَـÙÂَرْنَا بÙÂمَا كÙÂنَّا بÙÂه٠مÙÂشْرÙÂكÙÂينَ]
(We believe in Allah Alone and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners. ) means, they affirmed that Allah is One and denied the false gods, but this was at the time when excuses were to no avail. This is like what Fir`awn said as he was drowning:
[ءَامَنت٠أَنَّه٠لا Ø¥ÙÂلÙÂـهَ Ø¥ÙÂلاَّ الَّذÙÂى ءَامَنَتْ بÙÂه٠بَنواْ Ø¥ÙÂسْرَءÙÂيلَ وَأَنَاْ مÙÂنَ الْمÙÂسْلÙÂمÙÂينَ]
(I believe that none has the right to be worshipped but He in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims.) (10:90) But Allah said:
[ءَالَنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْل٠وَكÙÂنتَ مÙÂنَ الْمÙÂÙÂْسÙÂدÙÂينَ ]
(Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the the corrupters.) (10:91) meaning, Allah did not accept this from him, because He had answered the prayer of His Prophet Musa, when he said,
[وَاشْدÙÂدْ عَلَى قÙÂلÙÂوبÙÂهÙÂمْ ÙÂَلاَ يÙÂؤْمÙÂنÙÂواْ ØÂَتَّى يَرَوÙÂاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلÙÂيمَ]
(And harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment) (10:88). Allah says here:
[ÙÂَلَمْ يَك٠يَنÙÂَعÙÂهÙÂمْ Ø¥ÙÂيمَـنÙÂهÙÂمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا سÙÂنَّةَ اللَّه٠الَّتÙÂى قَدْ خَلَتْ ÙÂÙÂى عÙÂبَادÙÂهÙÂ]
(Then their Faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) this has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants.) means, this is the ruling of Allah concerning all those who repent only when they actually see the punishment: He does not accept that from them. It says in the Hadith:
«إÙÂنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقْبَل٠تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْد٠مَالَمْ يÙÂغَرْغÙÂر»
(Allah will accept the repentance of His servant so long as the death rattle is not sounding in his throat.) Once the death rattle is sounding and the soul has reached the throat, and the dying person actually sees the angel (of death), then he can no longer repent. Allah says:
[وَخَسÙÂرَ هÙÂنَالÙÂكَ الْكَـÙÂÙÂرÙÂونَ]
(And there the disbelievers lost utterly.) This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Ghafir. Praise and thanks be to Allah.
