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wa-law-lā ʾan tuṣībahum muṣībatun bi-mā qaddamat ʾaydīhim fa-yaqūlū rabbanā law-lā ʾarsalta ʾilaynā rasūlan fa-nattabiʿa ʾāyātika wa-nakūna mina l-muʾminīna
And lest—if an affliction were to befall them because of what their hands have sent ahead —they should say, ‘Our Lord! Why did You not send us an apostle so that we might have followed Your signs and been among the faithful?’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Qasas - Verse 47
47. “And were it not that there should befall them a calamity for what their hands have sent before, they would say: ‘Our Lord! Why did You not send to us a messenger so that we might follow Your signs and so be of the believers?’”
The previous verse denoted that the purpose of coming prophets was warning and admonition. This verse states another aim of the mission of the Prophet (S) which is to complete the argument and to shut the way of seeking pretext. Thus, in the verse under discussion, the Qur’an, pointing to the grace given unto the Prophet (S), says:
In fact, the verse refers to this point that: the path of Truth is clear, and any intellect judges the falseness of paganism and idolatry. The ugliness of a great deal of their vain deeds, like tyrannies and cruelties, belongs to the judgment of intellect, and even without sending prophets in this regard they can be punished. But, even in this field, upon which the judgment of intellect is clear, Allah sent prophets with heavenly Books and miracles in order to complete the argument and negate any kind of pretexts, so that no one can say their misfortune was because of lacking any leader and if they had divine leader(s) they would not be misguided.
However, this verse is among the verses that have indication to the necessity of Grace through sending prophets. It shows that Allah’s way of treatment is based on this fact that he should not punish any nation for their sins before sending a prophet for them; as Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 165 says: