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wa-ʾaqsamū bi-llāhi jahda ʾaymānihim la-ʾin jāʾahum nadhīrun la-yakūnunna ʾahdā min ʾiḥdā l-ʾumami fa-lammā jāʾahum nadhīrun mā zādahum ʾillā nufūran-i
They had sworn by Allah with solemn oaths that if a warner were to come to them, they would be better guided than any of the nations. But when a warner came to them, it only increased their distance [from the truth],
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Fatir - Verse 42
42. “And they swore by Allah with the strongest oaths that if a Warner came to them, they would be more rightly guided than any one of the nations; but when a Warner came to them, it increased them naught but aversion (unto the truth).”
The polytheists believed in Allah and sanctified Him and used to swear by Him, but upon the occasion of revelation of -ul-Ma‘ali, Mafatih-ul-Qaybthis holy verse it is cited in Durr-ul-Manthur, Rauh and other commentary books that: whenever the Arab polytheists heard that some of the former nations, such as the Jews, had rejected the Divine prophets and killed them, they said that they were not like them. If the messenger of Allah came to them, they would be the best rightly guided of the nations. But when the world illuminating sun of Islam appeared in the horizon of their land and the Prophet of Islam (S) with the greatest heavenly Book came to them, not only they did not accept it, but also tried to reject it and to play kinds of tricks against it.
The abovementioned holy verse was sent down and blamed them for these empty baseless claims. (Most of the commentary books, has been mentioned under this verse.) The verse says:
The Arabic term /’ayman/ is the plural form of /yamin/ which means ‘oath’. Originally it means ‘right hand’, but since at the time of taking oath and promising people they shake hands with their right hands and take an oath, this word has gradually been used in the sense of oath. The Arabic word /jahd/ is derived from /jihad/ in the sense of ‘struggle and effort’. Therefore, the application of the Arabic phrase /jahd-a-’aymanihim/ refers to the strong oath.
Yes, when they were observing the former events recorded in the pages of the history, saying about disloyalties, ingratitude actions, hindrances and crimes of the former nations, specially the Jews unto their prophets, they wondered very much, while they had every kind of claim and boast about themselves. But when their own trial practically came forth and they wanted to practise it, they showed that they were of the same kind, as the Qur’an in this verse declares:
We must be also attentive to this matter. God forbids those who are waiting for the advent of Hadrat Mahdi (May Allah hasten his glad advent) and say that if he (as) comes they will do so and so, but when he (as) comes they stand against him.