Surah Fatir

The discourse warns the people of Makkah and their chiefs for their antagonistic attitude that they had then adopted towards the Prophet’s ﷺmessage of Monotheism (Tawhid) like a well-wisher and also to admonish them like a teacher as if to say: “O foolish people, the way to which this Prophet ﷺis calling you, is to your own advantage. Your anger, your tricks, plotting against him and your conspiracies and designs to frustrate him are not directed against him, but against your own selves. If you do not listen to him you will be harming your own selves not him. Just consider and ponder over what he says: there is nothing wrong in it. He rejects polytheism (Shirk). If you look around carefully you will yourself realise that there is no basis for polytheism (Shirk) in the world. He presents the doctrine of Monotheism (Tawhid). If you use your common sense you will come to the conclusion that there is no being beside Allah, the Creator of the Universe who possess divine attributes, powers and authority.

He tells you that you have not been created to be irresponsible in this world but you have to render an account of your deeds before your God and that there is life after the life of this world, when everyone will meet the consequences of what he has done here. If you think a little you will see that your doubts and your astonishment about him are absolutely baseless. Don’t you see the phenomenon of the creation of day and night. How can then your own recreation be impossible for that Allah who created you from an insignificant sperm-drop? Doesn’t your own intellect testify that the good and the evil cannot be alike? Then think and judge for yourselves as to what is reasonable. Should the good and the evil meet with the same fate and end up in the dust or should the good be requited with good and the evil with evil? Now, if you do not admit and acknowledge these rational and reasonable things and do not abandon your false gods and wish to continue living only as irresponsible people in the world, the Prophet ﷺwill not lose anything. It is you yourselves only who will suffer the consequences. The Prophet’s ﷺonly responsibility was to make the truth plain to you which he has done.

In this connection, the Prophet ﷺhas been consoled again and again as if to say: “When you are doing full justice to the preaching of your mission, you do not incur any responsibility for those who persist in their error and do not accept and follow the right way.” Furthermore, he has also been consoled to the effect, “You should neither grieve on account of those who do not want to believe, nor consume yourself with the thought of how to bring them to the right path. Instead of this, you should pay your full attention to those who are inclined to listen to you.” The Believers, also in this connection, have been given the good news so that they may feel strengthened, encouraged and remain steadfast on the path of the truth with full faith in the promises made by Allah.57 Connection between the beginning and the ending of the Surah If they deny you (O Prophet )ﷺ- In the beginning we have the Ayat, “And if they deny you, (O Muhammad )ﷺ- already were messengers denied before you. And to Allah are returned (all) matters.” (35:4).

Then we have the Ayat, 57 Tafheem al-Qur’an, Mawdudi.

“And if they deny you - then already have those before them denied. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs and written ordinances and with the enlightening Scripture.” (35:25)