Al Mu’minūn

قُل رَبّ‌ِ إِمَّا تُرِيَنّـِي مَا يُوعَدُونَ

رَبّ‌ِ فَلاَ تَجْعَلْنِي فِي الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

وإِنَّا عَلَي أَن نُرِيَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمْ لَقَادِرُونَ

93. “Say: ‘My Lord! If You show me what (chastisement) they are promised, ’”
94.“My Lord! Then set me, not among the unjust people.”
95. “And verily We are able to show you that which We promise them.”

These verses are addressed to the Prophet (S), but they have the same objective as the previous verses; that is, they threaten the unbelievers and polytheists with Divine punishment. In the beginning, Allah commands His Prophet (S):

“Say: ‘My Lord! If You show me what (chastisement) they are promised, ’”

(Meaning their punishment in the War of Badr), then put me not among the wrongdoing folk. This means that when Allah decides to send down the punishment upon the unbelievers, He would separate the Prophet away from them so that by Allah’s grace and mercy he would not be involved with the affliction of the oppressors at that time. There is no doubt that the conduct and program of the Prophet (S) could not make him subject to Divine punishment. It is also a fact that the Divine law is not indiscriminate and would not suffer the good to be punished with the guilty. Even if there were one dutiful worshipper of Allah in a whole society of evildoers, Allah would save that individual.

The verse says:

“My Lord! Then set me not among the unjust people.”

By this prayer of the Prophet (S) Allah intends to warn the unbelievers that the issue is so serious that by Divine command the great Prophet of Islam himself sought the protection of Allah from the consequences of their beliefs and actions, and secondly it is a lesson for the followers of this Prophet that they are not safe from Allah’s punishment and must always seek His protection regardless of whatever state they might be in.

But what kind of punishment is it? Most interpreters believe that it refers to the worldly punishments that Allah had inflicted upon the polytheists, including the disastrous severe defeat they had suffered in the Battle of Badr.¹ There are other interpreters, however, that think that the verse probably includes the punishment both in this world and in the Hereafter.² Bearing in mind that this Sura was revealed in Mecca when the believers were forced to undergo many hardships, these verses gave them much solace and comfort.

The next verse emphasizes the fact that Allah is Almighty, and removes any doubt and uncertainty about the victory of the believers over their enemies and gives them solace. The verse says:

“And verily We are able to show you that which We promise them.”

As history has ever shown, this power of Allah has been demonstrated over and over in different places and on different occasions after the Battle of Badr where a much smaller military force inflicted a major defeat upon a much larger and well equipped enemy by Allah’s command. Allah gave His Prophet solace by saying that He had the power to punish the unbelievers but He often postpones their punishment for various reasons some of which have been listed below:

1. They are given time and opportunity to repent.

2. They are given a final argument.

3. In their future generations some believers are going to be born.

4. For the sake of the Prophet (S) who is the cause of blessings and grace.

Footnotes

1. 1. Majma‘ ul-Bayan, The Commentary, Al-Mizan, The Commentary, Abul ul-Futuh, the Commentary, and ruh ul-Ma‘ani
2. 2. The great commentary of Fakhr Razi