The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 272
CHAPTER 13 AR-RA'D (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context The preponderance of scholarly opinion is in favour of this Surah having been revealed at Mecca. Its subject matter also confirms this view. There are, however, some verses which, according to some authorities, were revealed at Medina. These verses are 44th (according to ‘Aṭā) 32nd (according to Qatada), and 13-15th (according to certain other authorities). In chapter 10 (Surah Yūnus) we were told that whenever a Prophet appears in the world, God makes use of two kinds of means to lead men to the right path, viz. (1) by punishing them and (2) by showing mercy to them. Stress was laid in chapter 11 (Surah Hūd) on Divine punishment and in chapter 12 (Surah Yusuf) on God's mercy. The present Surah, however, explains how the promises and prophecies about the rise and prosperity of the Holy Prophet made in the three preceding chapters will be fulfilled and how Islam eventually will be made to prevail over other religions. Subject Matter The Surah opens with the theme that God works in inscrutable ways. The means by which His Messengers and Prophets rise to power remain hidden from human eyes till the results, towards the accomplishment of which they work, become apparent. It proceeds to draw our attention to a well- known law of nature that different kinds of fruit and vegetation grow from the same soil which is watered by the same water. Similarly, the Holy Prophet, being born and brought up in the same environment with the pagan Meccans, rose to be God's great Messenger. The disbelievers are further told that they should not judge the Prophet by his present weakness and the paucity of his means and resources nor should they wonder at the promises of his ultimate success. It is not his promised success that is to be wondered at; rather, it would have been a wonder if he had not come at this time of humanity's crying need. The Prophet is bound to succeed and his enemies must fail. The cause of Islam will triumph by the children of the leaders of disbelief themselves joining its fold. God will withdraw His help from them and their power and glory will depart. All the laws and elements of nature being under God's control, He will make them subservient to the Holy Prophet's cause. The false gods of the idolaters will be quite powerless to impede or arrest the progress of the new Faith. The Surah goes on to develop the theme that so great are the spiritual powers of the Holy Prophet that he can overcome his enemies single-handedly 1480