In the first 12 verses, Allah is building up the idea of those who accept and who cannot accept Hidayah (‘guidance’).
وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ إِذْ جَآءَهَا ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ ١٣
“Give them an example O Prophet of the residents of a town, when the messengers came to them.” (36:13)
Allah says that if one looks at what happened in the past, we will understand that we are not unique; we are part of many, many years of humanity. There were people guidance was brought to, and in this journey, we are not unique.
Because of this, there are times when as believers, we get caught up believing we have to live in the moment. But the reality is that when we leave this world, there will be many more that continue life and living.
For this particular example, Allah does not specify the name of the town. Yet it does not matter that we know it; the purpose is to understand our link to Allah. To prepare ourselves and learn from it. Allah tells these stories as a tool to build the believer’s faith.
إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍۢ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّآ إِلَيْكُم مُّرْسَلُونَ ١٤
“We sent them two messengers, but they rejected both. So We reinforced the two with a third, and they declared, “We have indeed been sent to you as messengers.”” (36:14)
قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُنَا وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَكْذِبُونَ ١٥
“The people replied, “You are only humans like us, and the Most Compassionate has not revealed anything. You are simply lying!”” (36:15)
While Allah does not mention the name of the city, the number of prophets that were sent to it are mentioned. And yet even with the three prophets who were sent to them, the people did not want to accept the guidance of Allah.
This is the greatest struggle for humanity; that looking at a “regular” human, we think we cannot benefit from them. But Allah makes it so that we benefit from different people in different ways. We have to be willing to see and accept this guidance from Allah.
قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّآ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ ١٦
“The messengers responded, “Our Lord knows that we have truly been sent to you.” (36:16)
وَمَا عَلَيْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ ١٧
“And our duty is only to deliver the message clearly.”” (36:17)
When we try to call others to Deen, especially loved ones, their response at times is ugly. We may not be messengers, but calling others to Allah is the same as the efforts of these messengers.
Our responsibility is not to force or to break people, but to deliver the message clearly.
And so one of the greatest reasons that we read Surah Yaseen every day is to remind us that while we call people to Allah, it is not us who gives guidance to others. It is only to deliver the message. Guidance is in the hands of Allah alone.
It is not the perfection of our teaching or parenting, but the understanding that the impact of these lessons is only possible through Allah’s ability.
وَجَآءَ مِنْ أَقْصَا ٱلْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌۭ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ٢٠
“Then from the farthest end of the city a man came, rushing. He advised, “O my people! Follow the messengers.” (36:20)
While the entire village did not agree or accept this message, only one man did.
The beauty of this is that in the Qur’an, there are four ordinary callers to Allah mentioned. They were not prophets, yet Allah loved these actions so much that He placed them in the Qur’an.
When this single ordinary caller came rushing to the people after they had killed these messengers, he displayed immense worry for the Ummah. He had a genuine worry in his heart that the people were not changing and accepting guidance.
Here is a lesson for us: when calling people to Allah, speak to them in a kind way. The people had committed murder of prophets. They had killed the messengers, and yet with respect and love, this ordinary man tells them to come to the Deen of Allah.
إِنِّىٓ ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَٱسْمَعُونِ ٢٥
“I do believe in your Lord, so listen to me.”” (36:25)
قِيلَ ٱدْخُلِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ ٢٦
“But they killed him, then he was told by the angels, “Enter Paradise!” He said, “If only my people knew” (36:26)
He did not make these grave actions a judgement of them. He shows them that Allah is not only the Rabb of those who do good, but of everyone.
Even as they killed him, he made Du’a for them. This is the extent of which he cared for them. And in death, he was given glad tidings, and was entered into Jannah.
At times, we feel as if when we call people to Allah, they must heed it. But calling and teaching others is not the result; that result is between them and Allah.
Consider the following questions: Am I living my life as an individual? Or am I understanding the responsibility I have for the Ummah?
بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُكْرَمِينَ ٢٧
“of how my Lord has forgiven me, and made me one of the honourable.”” (36:27)
Allah speaks of this ordinary caller; a mere carpenter; who becomes extraordinary because of the great worry he had for the people.
Worry is the greatest focus. Every person in our lives is in need of worry for their connection to Allah. And Allah gives us examples of worry in the Qur’an; the worry of normal, ordinary men.
۞ وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ مِن جُندٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ ٢٨
“We did not send any soldiers from the heavens against his people after his death, nor did We need to.” (36:28)
إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ فَإِذَا هُمْ خَـٰمِدُونَ ٢٩
“All it took was one mighty blast, and they were extinguished at once.” (36:29)
When the people did not accept guidance, Allah punished them.
Here, Allah is making us understand that we do not follow guidance because Allah needs us, but because we are at His mercy. He can destroy humanity in seconds.
يَـٰحَسْرَةً عَلَى ٱلْعِبَادِ ۚ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ٣٠
“Oh pity, such beings! No messenger ever came to them without being mocked.” (36:30)
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ ٣١
“Have the deniers not considered how many peoples We destroyed before them who never came back to life again?” (36:31)
وَإِن كُلٌّۭ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌۭ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ ٣٢
“Yet they will all be brought before Us.” (36:32)
One day, we will all return to Allah. With this in mind, ponder the following questions:
