TAFSEER OF SURAH YASEEN (Part 5)
الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِالْكِتَابِ وَبِمَا أَرْسَلْنَا بِهِ رُسُلَنَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
‘Those who deny the Book (this Qur’an), and that with which We sent Our Messengers, they will come to know (when they will be cast into the Fire of Hell).
إِذِ الْأَغْلَالُ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ وَالسَّلَاسِلُ يُسْحَبُونَ
When iron collars will be rounded over their necks, and the chains, they shall be dragged along.’ (Sura Ghafir, Verses 70, 71 / Tafseer Al Qurtubi, Vol.15, Pg.130, Maktab Rasheedya / Tafseer Al Bahr Al Muheet Vol.9, Pg.49, Darul Fikr)
Sura Yaseen states in verse 10:
وَسَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
- It is the same to them whether you warn them or you warn them not, they will not believe.
Here, Allah informs the Prophet ﷺ that it is equal to the unbelievers if he warns them or he does not warn them. In both cases, his teaching, preaching, exhortations and reminders will not benefit them. They have covered their intellect and minds with the darkness of misguidance, and have absorbed into their hearts the desires for sins and transgressions, hence, rebukes and warnings will not benefit them.
On account of their actions, Allah has sealed their hearts with misguidance, hence, warnings shall not benefit them, nor would these have an effect on them. They would therefore continue to disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers.
As for those who will benefit from the warnings, Allah highlights this in verse 11 and says:
إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ
- You can only warn him who follows the Reminder (the Qur’an), and fears the Most Beneficent (Allah) unseen. Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness, and a generous reward (i.e. Paradise).
The verse explains that the warnings given by the Prophet ﷺ will be beneficial to those who believe in the Quran and follow its teachings, and fear Allah even though they have not seen Him. These are such servants who will pay heed to the message of the Prophet ﷺ and will benefit from the warnings he has given. They are those who believe in Allah, hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. They fear Him both in public and in private. Seeing that these servants have benefitted from the warnings and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ was ordered by Allah to announce glad tidings to them of His forgiveness and His generous reward. They have been informed that Allah will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting gardens in Paradise.