When we think of the people Allah gives us as examples of those with ‘Iman in this Surah, they are the people who made tremendous sacrifices for Allah. Our Du’a must always be to be a part of the Muhsineen.
Allah gives us strength of the people whose stories we know, as well as those who were unknown. Elias (AS) and Harun (AS) are examples of this; of those who sacrificed for Allah, but did not become as famously known as others.
We often come to Deen thinking we have to be perfect, or that we have to always be worshipping Allah in a perfect way. However, Allah is showing us stories of Tawhid and sacrifice, as well as all of the Prophets (AS) having different abilities and strengths.
Similarly, regardless if we are known, unknown, famous or have renowned titles, this must be our primary understanding. Allah looks at every single person for their own strengths, regardless of our situations, backgrounds, or accolades. Allah regards our actions and sacrifices, which is why our focus should be on achieving purity of ourselves.
وَإِنَّ لُوطًۭا لَّمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ١٣٣
“And Lot was indeed one of the messengers.” (37:133)
إِذْ نَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ أَجْمَعِينَ ١٣٤
“Remember when We delivered him and all of his family,” (37:134)
إِلَّا عَجُوزًۭا فِى ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ ١٣٥
“except an old woman, who was one of the doomed.” (37:135)
ثُمَّ دَمَّرْنَا ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ ١٣٦
“Then We utterly destroyed the rest.” (37:136)
وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِم مُّصْبِحِينَ ١٣٧
“You Meccans certainly pass by their ruins day” (37:137)
وَبِٱلَّيْلِ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ١٣٨
“and night. Will you not then understand?” (37:138)
Here, there is a different intent behind Lut (AS)’s story. Before Allah speaks about the destruction, He mentions that He saved Lut (AS).
With the destruction, it was almost impossible that anyone would have come out of it alive. But in a world of wrong, because of Lut (AS)’s steadfastness, he was saved.
The lesson to take from this is that if everyone is doing wrong, and it is an accepted wrong, it does not mean we have to be doing it as well. Lut (AS) in this situation held firm.
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ١٣٩
“And Jonah was indeed one of the messengers.” (37:139)
إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلْمَشْحُونِ ١٤٠
“Remember when he fled to the overloaded ship.” (37:140)
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُدْحَضِينَ ١٤١
“Then to save it from sinking, he drew straws with other passengers. He lost and was thrown overboard.” (37:141)
فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌۭ ١٤٢
“Then the whale engulfed him while he was blameworthy.” (37:142)
Why are these different points narrated here? It is not for us to know the story of Yunus (AS), but the lessons and qualities from it that we need to draw from.
The lesson was not to give up on the people, but to return to them.
فَلَوْلَآ أَنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُسَبِّحِينَ ١٤٣
“Had he not constantly glorified Allah,” (37:143)
لَلَبِثَ فِى بَطْنِهِۦٓ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ١٤٤
“he would have certainly remained in its belly until the Day of Resurrection.” (37:144)
۞ فَنَبَذْنَـٰهُ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌۭ ١٤٥
“But We cast him onto the open shore, totally worn out,” (37:145)
وَأَنۢبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةًۭ مِّن يَقْطِينٍۢ ١٤٦
“and caused a squash plant to grow over him.” (37:146)
Allah showed us that irrespective of their inabilities, all of the Prophets (AS) did good acts and deeds. Even though Yunus (AS) slipped, and committed such a mistake of fleeing, his saving grace was that he was in a constant state of Dhikr.
We, too, must constantly be in the state of Dhikr and Tasbih, which is a great means of righting and fixing the problems we face in our lives.
We will always face weakness in life. There will be many moments where we will not be able to perfectly obey Allah; when we want to flee from our spouses and homes. Yet the saving grace is to be of the people that are the Musabiheen.
By the Barakah of this Tasbih, Allah saved Yunus (AS). A Musabbih is not counting how much they are reading, but are in reading constantly, keeping the tongue wet and in motion with remembrance of Allah.
Muhammad (SAW) said:
“The supplication of Jonah, Dhun Nun, when he called upon Allah inside the belly of the whale was this, ‘There is no God but You, glory be to You for I have certainly been among the wrongdoers,’ (21:87). Verily, a Muslim never supplicates for anything with it but that Allah will answer him.”
وَأَرْسَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِا۟ئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ ١٤٧
“We later sent him back to his city of at least one hundred thousand people,” (37:147)
فَـَٔامَنُوا۟ فَمَتَّعْنَـٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ ١٤٨
“who then believed in him, so We allowed them enjoyment for a while.” (37:148)
Now Allah shows us what opens up for Yunus (AS). He was sent back to the people, and they believed in him. What brings change is being of the Musabiheen.
فَٱسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَلِرَبِّكَ ٱلْبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمُ ٱلْبَنُونَ
“Ask them O Prophet if your Lord has daughters, while the pagans prefer to have sons.” (37:149)
أَمْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ إِنَـٰثًۭا وَهُمْ شَـٰهِدُونَ ١٥٠
“Or ask them if We created the angels as females right before their eyes.” (37:150)
أَلَآ إِنَّهُم مِّنْ إِفْكِهِمْ لَيَقُولُونَ ١٥١
“Indeed, it is one of their outrageous fabrications to say,” (37:151)
وَلَدَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ ١٥٢
““Allah has children.” They are simply liars.” (37:152)
أَصْطَفَى ٱلْبَنَاتِ عَلَى ٱلْبَنِينَ ١٥٣
“Has He chosen daughters over sons?” (37:153)
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ ١٥٤
“What is the matter with you? How do you judge?” (37:154)
أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ١٥٥
“Will you not then be mindful?” (37:155)
أَمْ لَكُمْ سُلْطَـٰنٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ١٥٦
“Or do you have any compelling proof?” (37:156)
فَأْتُوا۟ بِكِتَـٰبِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ١٥٧
“Then bring us your scripture, if what you say is true!” (37:157)
Now, Allah returns to breaking the Shirk of the pagans. This is the affirmation of Tawhid.
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ١٥٩
“Glorified is Allah far above what they claim!” (37:159)
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ ١٦٠
“But not the chosen servants of Allah.” (37:160)
فَإِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ ١٦١
“Surely you pagans and whatever idols you worship” (37:161)
مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِفَـٰتِنِينَ ١٦٢
“can never lure anyone away from Him” (37:162)
إِلَّا مَنْ هُوَ صَالِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ ١٦٣
“except those destined to burn in Hell.” (37:163)
وَمَا مِنَّآ إِلَّا لَهُۥ مَقَامٌۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ ١٦٤
“The angels respond, “There is not one of us without an assigned station of worship.” (37:164)
وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ ٱلصَّآفُّونَ ١٦٥
“We are indeed the ones lined up in ranks for Allah.” (37:165)
وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ ٱلْمُسَبِّحُونَ ١٦٦
“And we are indeed the ones constantly glorifying His praise.”” (37:166)
Allah is perfect in the best possible way; He is free of imperfection. Allah is free of the needs people attribute to Him and the claims that the pagans make.
سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ١٨٠
“Glorified is your Lord–the Lord of Honour and Power–above what they claim!” (37:180)
وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَى ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ١٨١
“Peace be upon the messengers.” (37:181)
وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ١٨٢
“And praise be to Allah–Lord of all worlds.” (37:182)
Irrespective of how little we think, take, or realise how great Allah is, He is free of these inabilities. Allah is free from these weaknesses.
When we believe our actions have more power than Allah, Allah is free of these inabilities to see Who He is. We must never put our weaknesses on Allah, and never put the weaknesses of others on Him.
The pagans claimed He had daughters and was in need of people, but Allah is above all they claim. He is far and free of it.
Allah showed us the Kufr, the special servants of Allah, and that He is the best of creators in this Surah.
Surah Saffat breaks the claims of Allah being unable. That without a doubt, He is One. Irrespective of the faults and inabilities the pagans and disbelievers think of Allah, He is free of them. Allah’s grandeur is so great that He has complete freedom from these beliefs.
