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178. " and let not those who disbelieve think that our giving them respite
is good for their selves; we give respite to them
only that they may increase in sin;
and that they will have an abasing torment."
commentary:
the qur'an has repeatedly applied the phrase / la yahsabanna/ (they
do not think) about infidels, hypocrites, and the persons whose faith is
weak. this is because these persons are deprived from insight, proper
analysis, good intellect, and necessary clear mind. they think that creation
is vain, martyrdom is annihilation, the world is permanent, honour is a
supreme good. the qur'an has rejected all these inaginations in different
occurrences.
sometimes, the disbelievers consider having possibilities, victories
and welfare as a sign of their own eligibility, while allah respites them
upon their stubbornness towards his essence and upon their being
polluted by infidelity and corruption in order that they dive deep in their
destruction.
the history details that when yazid, the kalif of the time, had imam
hussayn (a.s.) slain, the house-hold members of the imam, including
hadĪrat zaynab kubra (a.s.), were taken to syria as captures. in his
meeting, yazid proudly addressed hadĪrat zaynab (a.s.) and said:
" did you
see that allah is with us ? " in answer to him, zaynab (a.s.) recited this very
verse, and added:
" i know your rank low and little and it is deserving for any
despising. do whatever you wish, but by allah, beware that you cannot quench
the light of allah', (our remembrance)."
yes, for such luxurious people, the abasing torment has been
prepared in order that their imaginary worldly honour be accompanied with
abasement and degradation in the hereafter.
however, criminals are divided into two groups: one group are
those who are improveable, and allah warns and awakens them by
admonition, and by pleasant and unpleasant events. the second group are
those who are not guidable. allah leaves them alone to themselves so
that all their eligibilities of corruption appear. that is why imam bagir
(a.s.) in explanation of this verse said:
" death is a bounty for the infidels, because the longer they live, the more sin
they commit."
1
explanations:
1. respites are not counted as a sign of being loved.
2. bounties are useful when they are used alongside the path of
right, rectitude, and goodness.
3. the length of life is not important, gaining good advantages of life
is important.
" and let not those who disbelieve think that our giving them respite is good
for their selves; ..."
in the supplication makarim-ul-akhlagh `the moral characteristics '
imam sajjad (a.s.) invokes: " o' lord! if my life will be the pasture of satan,
shorten it ! " 2
4. do not hasten in judgement; consider the conclusion and the
coming world, too.
"... we give respite to them only that they may increase in sin, and that
they will have an abasing torment."
5. the welfare and authority of the tyrants is not the sign of their
rightfulness and the pleasure of allah upon them. however, it is not a
reason for us to be silent before them, either.
1
nur-uth-thaqalayn, vol. 1, p. 413
2
bihar-ul-anwar, vol. 72, p. 61
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