Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:12

The Qur'an is Allah's True Speech and the Position of the Disbelievers and the Muslims towards it

Allah says,

(Say) meaning, `O Muhammad to these idolators who disbelieve in the Qur'an.'

(Tell me! If it was) meaning, this Qur'an.

(from Allah, and you disbelieved in it) meaning, `what do you think that Allah will do to you if this Book that I have come to you with is actually revealed to me from Him in order that I convey it to you, and yet you disbelieve in it and deny it

((at the same time), a witness from among the Children of Israel has testified to something similar) meaning, `the previous Scriptures that were revealed to the Prophets before me all testify to its truthfulness and authenticity. They have prophecied, well in advance, about things similar to that which this Qur'an informs of.' Concerning Allah's statement,

(and believed) `this person who testified to its truthfulness from the Children of Israel, due to his realization that it was the truth.'

(while you rejected (the truth)!) `whereas you have arrogantly refused to follow it.' Masruq said: "That witness believed in his Prophet and Book, while you disbelieved in your Prophet and Book."

(Verily, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.) The witness here refers to any witness in general. It includes `Abdullah bin Salam and other from them as well. For indeed, this Ayah was revealed in Makkah before `Abdullah bin Salam had accepted Islam. This is similar to the statement of Allah,

(And when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, even before it we have been Muslims.") (28:53) It is also similar to Allah's saying,

(Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it -- when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration, and they say: "Exalted is our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.") (17:107-108) It has been narrated from Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, "I have not heard Allah's Messenger say about anyone walking on the surface of the earth that he is of the people of Jannah -- except for `Abdullah bin Salam. Concerning him the following Ayah was revealed,

((at the same time), a witness from among the Children of Israel has testified to something similar)" This has been recorded in the Two Sahihs and An-Nasa'i. Similarly, Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Yusuf bin `Abdullah bin Salam, Hilal bin Yasaf, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri, Malik bin Anas and Ibn Zayd all said that this refers to `Abdullah bin Salam. Allah then says,

(And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: "Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!") which means that those who disbelieve say of those who believe in the Qur'an: "Had it (the Qur'an) been any good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!" By that, they meant Bilal, `Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with them, and others like them of the weak, the male servants, and female servants. The pagans said this only because they thought that they held a high status with Allah, and that He took special care of them. By that, they made a great and obvious error, as Allah says:

(Thus have We tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these whom Allah has favored from among us") (6:53) meaning, they wonder how could those weaklings be the ones who were guided from among them. Thus, Allah says,

(Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!) Contrary to this is the position of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah: They say about any act or saying that has not been reported from the Companions: "It is an innovation. If there was any good in it, they would have preceded us in doing it, because they have not left off any of the good characteristics except that they hurried to perform them." Allah continues,

(And when they have not been guided by it,) meaning, the Qur'an.

(they say: "This is an ancient falsehood!") meaning, an old lie. They mean by this that the Qur'an has been quoted and taken from the ancient people, thereby belittling the Qur'an and its followers. This is clear arrogance, as Allah's Messenger said:

((Arrogance is) rejecting the truth and belittling the people.) Allah then says,

(And before this was the Scripture of Musa) and it was the Tawrah.

(as a guide and mercy. And this is a Book) meaning, the Qur'an.

(confirming) meaning, that which came before it of the previous Books.

(in the Arabic tongue,) means that it is eloquent and clear.

(to warn those who do wrong, and as glad tidings for the doers of good.) meaning, it contains a warning to the dis- believers and glad tidings for the belie- vers. Allah then says:

(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is (only) Allah," and thereafter stand firm,) The explanation of this has been dis- cussed earlier in Surat As-Sajdah. See 41:30 Allah then says,

(on them shall be no fear,) meaning, con- cening their future.

(nor shall they grieve.) meaning, over what they have left behind. Allah continues,

(Such shall be the dwellers of Paradise, abiding therein (forever) -- a reward for what they used to do.) meaning, the deeds are a cause for their attaining the mercy and their being engulfed by it -- and Allah knows best.

Ayat ini menolak tuduhan orang-orang musyrik terhadap Al-Qur'an dan membuktikan kebenarannya dengan mengatakan, "Hai orang-orang kafir, kamu semua telah menyaksikan bahwa Allah telah menurunkan Taurat yang mengandung pokok-pokok agama yang dibawa oleh Nabi Musa dan sebagai rahmat bagi Bani Israil. Taurat yang diturunkan kepada Nabi Musa mengisyaratkan kedatangan Muhammad sebagai nabi dan rasul terakhir yang membawa Al-Qur'an yang berbahasa Arab, membenarkan kitab-kitab terdahulu yang diturunkan Allah agar dengan kitab itu ia memperingatkan semua manusia, memberi kabar gembira kepada orang-orang yang mengamalkan isinya, dan memperingatkan bahwa azab serta ancaman Allah akan menimpa orang-orang yang ingkar kepadanya."

Sekalipun kitab Taurat yang ada sekarang telah banyak dinodai oleh tangan manusia, masih banyak terdapat ayat-ayat yang mengisyaratkan kedatangan Nabi Muhammad saw sebagai nabi dan rasul terakhir yang paling sempurna. Hal ini dapat dibaca dalam kitab Kejadian 13: 2, 3 ; 15; 16: 10, 12 dan masih banyak lagi. Dalam kitab Kejadian 21: 13, diterangkan kedatangan nabi yang paling besar dari keturunan Nabi Ismail, "Maka anak sahayamu itu pun akan aku jadikan suatu bangsa karena ia pun dari benihmu."

Demikian juga dalam Kejadian 21: 13, "Bangunlah engkau, angkatlah budak itu, sokonglah dia karena aku hendak menjadikan dia suatu bangsa yang besar."

Juga dalam kitab Kejadian 17: 20, "Maka akan hal Ismail itupun telah kululuskan permintaanmu: bahwa sesungguhnya Aku telah memberkati akan dia dan membiarkan dia dan memperbanyak dia amat sangat dan dua belas orang raja akan berpencar daripadanya dan Aku akan menjadikan dia satu bangsa yang besar."

Sudah tentu yang dimaksud ayat-ayat Taurat di atas adalah Nabi Muhammad. Nabi Musa dalam kitab Ulangan 18: 17-22 juga telah menyatakan kedatangan Nabi Muhammad saw:

Maka pada masa itu berfirmanlah Tuhan kepadaku (Musa). Benarlah kata mereka itu (Bani Israil). Bahwa Aku (Allah) akan menjadikan bagi mereka itu seorang Nabi dari antara segala saudaranya (yaitu dari Bani Ismail) yang seperti engkau (hai Musa), dan aku akan memberi segala firman-Ku dalam mulutnya dan dia akan mengatakan kepadanya segala yang Kusuruh akan dia.

Bahwa sesungguhnya barang siapa yang tiada mau mendengar akan segala firman-Ku yang akan dikatakan olehnya dengan nama-Ku, niscaya Aku menurut orang itu kelak.

Tetapi yang melakukan dirinya dengan sombong dan mengatakan firman dengan nama-Ku, yang tiada Kusuruh katakan, atau yang berkata dengan nama dewa-dewa. Nabi itu akan mati dibunuh hukumnya.

Maka jikalau kamu kira berkata dalam hatimu demikian: Dengan apakah boleh kami ketahui akan perkataan itu bukannya firman Tuhan adanya.

Bahwa jikalau Nabi itu berkata demi nama Tuhan lalu orang dikatakannya tiada jadi atau tiada datang, yaitulah perkataan yang bukan firman Tuhan adanya, maka Nabi itu pun telah berkata dengan sombongnya, janganlah kamu takut akan dia.

Dalam ayat-ayat Taurat yang enam di atas terdapat beberapa isyarat yang dapat dijadikan dalil untuk menyatakan nubuat tentang Nabi Muhammad. Dari perkataan "seorang nabi dari antara segala saudaranya" menunjukkan bahwa orang yang dinubuatkan oleh Tuhan itu akan datang dari saudara-saudara Bani Israil, bukan dari Bani Israil sendiri. Adapun saudara-saudara Bani Israil itu ialah Bani Ismail (bangsa Arab) sebab Ismail adalah saudara tua dari Ishak, bapak dari Israil (Yakub). Dan Nabi Muhammad saw jelas berasal dari keturunan Ismail.

Kemudian kalimat "Yang seperti engkau" memberi pengertian bahwa nabi yang akan datang itu haruslah yang seperti Nabi Musa, maksudnya, nabi yang membawa agama baru seperti Musa. Seperti diketahui, Nabi Muhammad itulah yang membawa syariat baru (agama Islam) yang juga berlaku untuk Bani Israil.

Lalu diterangkan lagi bahwa Nabi itu tidak sombong dan tidak akan mati dibunuh. Muhammad saw, seperti dimaklumi, bukanlah orang yang sombong, baik sebelum menjadi nabi maupun setelah menjadi nabi. Sebelum menjadi nabi beliau sudah disenangi masyarakatnya terbukti dengan gelar al-Amin artinya "orang terpercaya". Kalau beliau sombong, tentulah beliau tidak akan diberi gelar yang amat terpuji itu. Sesudah menjadi nabi, beliau justru lebih ramah.

Umat Nasrani mengakui nubuat itu kepada Nabi Isa di samping mereka mengakui pula bahwa Isa mati terbunuh. Hal ini jelas bertentangan dengan ayat nubuat itu sendiri, sebab nabi yang dimaksud itu haruslah tidak mati terbunuh (tersalib atau sebab lain).

Itulah penegasan-penegasan yang diberikan para nabi sebelum kedatangan Nabi Muhammad saw. Semuanya diketahui oleh orang-orang kafir Mekah yang mengingkari kenabian Muhammad saw.