Surah Al-An'am 6:34

Comforting the Prophet

Allah comforts the Prophet in his grief over his people's denial and defiance of him,

قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِى يَقُولُونَ

(We know indeed the grief which their words cause you;) meaning, We know about their denial of you and your sadness and sorrow for them. Allah said in other Ayat,

فَلاَ تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَتٍ

(So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them.) 35:8, and

لَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلاَّ يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

(It may be that you are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers.) 26:3, and,

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَـذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفاً

(Perhaps, you, would kill yourself in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you), because they believe not in this narration.) 18:6 Allah's statement,

فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

(it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny.) means, they do not accuse you of being a liar,

وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

(but it is the Verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny. ) It is only the truth that they reject and refuse. Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Az-Zuhri said that Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq once came to listen to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an at night, but these three men were not aware of the presence of each other. So they listened to the Prophet's recitation until the morning, and then left. They met each other on their way back and each one of them asked the others, "What brought you" So they mentioned to each other the reason why they came. They vowed not to repeat this incident so that the young men of Quraysh would not hear of what they did and imitate them. On the second night, each one of the three came back thinking that the other two would not come because of the vows they made to each other. In the morning, they again met each other on their way back and criticized each other, vowing not to repeat what they did. On the third night, they again went to listen to the Prophet and in the morning they again vowed not to repeat this incident. During that day, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his staff and went to Abu Sufyan bin Harb in his house saying, "O Abu Hanzalah! What is your opinion concerning what you heard from Muhammad ﷺ." Abu Sufyan said, "O Abu Tha`labah! By Allah, I have heard some things that I recognize and know their implications. I also heard some things whose meaning and implications were unknown to me." Al-Akhnas said, "And I the same, by He Whom you swore by!" Al-Akhnas left Abu Sufyan and went to Abu Jahl and asked him, "O Abu Al-Hakam! What is your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad ﷺ. " Abu Jahl said, "We competed with Bani `Abd Manaf (the Prophet's subtribe) and so we fed as they fed and gave away as they gave away. So, when we were neck and neck with them, just as two horses in a race, they said, `There is a Prophet from among us, to whom revelation from the heaven comes.' So how can we ever beat them at that By Allah we will never believe in him or accept what he says.' This is when Al-Akhnas left Abu Jahl and went away." Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَـهُمْ نَصْرُنَا

(Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our help reached them,) This comforts the Prophet's concern for those who denied and rejected him. Allah also commands the Prophet to be patient, just as the mighty Messengers before him were. He also promised him victory, just as the previous Messengers were victorious and the good end was theirs, after the denial and harm their people placed on them. Then, victory came to them in this life, just as victory is theirs in the Hereafter. Allah said,

وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـتِ اللَّهِ

(and none can alter the Words of Allah.) This refers to His decision that victory in this life and the Hereafter is for His believing servants. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ - وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ

(And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers. That they verily would be made triumphant. And that Our hosts, they verily would be the victors.) 37:171-173, and,

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ

(Allah has decreed: "Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) 58:21 Allah said;

وَلَقدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(Surely, there has reached you the information about the Messengers (before you).) who were given victory and prevailed over the people who rejected them. And you (O Muhammad ), have a good example in them. Allah said next,

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ

(If their aversion is hard on you,) and you cannot be patient because of their aversion,

فَإِن اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقاً فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّماً فِى السَّمَآءِ

(then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky...) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "If you were able to seek a tunnel and bring them an Ayah, or go up a ladder in the sky and bring a better Ayah than the one I (Allah) gave them, then do that." Similar was reported from Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Allah's statement,

وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَـهِلِينَ

(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.) is similar to His statement,

وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا

(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,

وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى

(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance,) "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was eager that all people believe and be guided to follow him. Allah told him that only those whose happiness Allah has written in the first Dhikr will believe." Allah's statement,

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ

(It is only those who listen, that will respond,) means, only those who hear the speech, comprehend and understand it, will accept your call, O Muhammad ! In another Ayah, Allah said;

لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ

(That it may give warning to him who is living, and that the Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) 36:70. Allah's statement,

وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

(but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.) refers to the disbelievers because their hearts are dead. Therefore, Allah resembled them to dead corpses as a way of mocking and belittling them, saying,

وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

(but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned (for their recompense).)

Allah mengingatkan kepada Nabi Muhammad agar jangan bersedih hati dan berduka cita atas tindakan-tindakan orang-orang kafir itu, karena yang demikian itu adalah suatu yang biasa terjadi; para nabi dan rasul yang telah diutus Allah sebelumnya didustakan dan diingkari pula, bahkan disakiti dan pengikut-pengikut mereka dianiaya. Tetapi mereka tetap tabah dan sabar menghadapi yang demikian itu.

Allah swt berfirman:

Dan jika mereka (orang-orang musyrik) mendustakan engkau (Muhammad), begitu pulalah kaum-kaum yang sebelum mereka, kaum Nuh, 'ad, dan samud (juga telah mendustakan rasul-rasul-Nya) (al-hajj/22: 42)

Firman Allah swt:

Dan jika mereka mendustakan engkau (setelah engkau beri peringatan), maka sungguh, rasul-rasul sebelum engkau telah didustakan pula. Dan hanya kepada Allah segala urusan dikembalikan. (Fathir/35: 4)

Dari ayat yang berarti (sampai datang pertolongan Kami kepada mereka) dipahami bahwa para nabi dan rasul terdahulu sangat tabah dan sabar menghadapi segala macam tindakan kaumnya walau apapun yang terjadi. Karena tindakan-tindakan yang demikian itu Allah menimpakan kepada mereka malapetaka yang besar, seperti sambaran petir, goncangan gempa yang dahsyat, serangan badai dan sebagainya, Allah menyelamatkan para nabi dan rasul beserta kaumnya yang beriman dari azab yang besar dan menyelamatkan mereka dari tindakan kaumnya yang ingkar itu.

Ayat ini merupakan hiburan bagi Nabi Muhammad dalam menghadapi perlakuan dan tindakan orang-orang musyrik Mekah, karena sebagaimana nabi-nabi dan rasul-rasul terdahulu diselamatkan Allah pasti Dia menyelamatkan Nabi Muhammad dan kaum Muslimin, serta memenangkan agama Islam.

Hiburan ini dijelaskan lagi dengan tegas dalam firman Allah swt yang lain :

Maka bersabarlah engkau (Muhammad) sebagaimana kesabaran rasul-rasul yang memiliki keteguhan hati dan janganlah engkau meminta agar azab disegerakan untuk mereka. Pada hari mereka melihat azab yang dijanjikan, mereka merasa seolah-olah mereka tinggal (di dunia) hanya sesaat saja pada siang hari. Tugasmu hanya menyampaikan. Maka tidak ada yang dibinasakan kecuali kaum yang fasik (tidak taat kepada Allah). (al-Ahqaf/46: 35)

Firman Allah swt:

Dan bersabarlah (Muhammad) terhadap apa yang mereka katakan dan tinggalkanlah mereka dengan cara yang baik. (al-Muzzammil/73: 10)

Allah juga menegaskan bahwa pertolongan dan janji Allah yang telah ditetapkan tidak akan berubah sedikitpun, baik ucapan janji itu sendiri maupun maksud dan isi dari janji itu.

Ayat ini juga mengisyaratkan kepada Nabi Muhammad bahwa kisah yang berhubungan dengan sikap dan tindakan orang-orang dahulu terhadap nabi-nabi dan rasul-rasul mereka serta ketabahan, kesabaran dan pertolongan Allah kepada para nabi dan rasul beserta pengikut-pengikut mereka telah disampaikan Allah dalam Surah al-An'am/6 ini.

Dengan ayat ini Allah menjanjikan pula pertolongan dan kemenangan kepada Rasulullah dan orang-orang yang beriman. Ini ditegaskan pula oleh firman Allah swt:

Sesungguhnya Kami akan menolong rasul-rasul Kami dan orang-orang yang beriman dalam kehidupan dunia dan pada hari tampilnya para saksi (hari Kiamat) (al-Mu'min/40: 51)

Firman Allah swt:

Agar Allah memberi balasan (pahala) kepada orang-orang yang beriman dan mengerjakan kebajikan dari karunia-Nya. Sungguh, Dia tidak menyukai orang-orang yang ingkar (kafir). (ar-Rum/30: 45)

Ayat-ayat di atas dan ayat-ayat yang sebelumnya menerangkan syarat-syarat datangnya pertolongan Allah kepada orang-orang yang beriman, yaitu:

1.Beriman dengan sungguh-sungguh dan sepenuh hati.

2.Selalu menegakkan yang hak dan berlaku adil.

3.Selalu tabah dan sabar dalam keadaan bagaimanapun dalam menghadapi cobaan-cobaan Allah.