The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 397
PT. 14 AL-HIJR 38. "God said, 'Thou art of those that are granted respite, 39. Till the day of b. appointed time. '1742 the 40. He answered, 'My Lord, since Thou hast adjudged me as lost, I will surely make evil appear beautiful to them on the earth, and I will surely lead them all astray, 1743 CH. 15 قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ ) إلى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُوم قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِ يَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ a7:16; 17:64; 38:81. 38:82. 07:17, 18; 38:83. when they shall be raised, i. e. till the time when truth finally triumphs and the enemies of the Prophets are vanquished and many of them join the ranks of the Faithful. This time of the final victory of truth over falsehood or, in other words, of the Prophets over their adversaries, is here called the day of resurrection. See also v. 19. 1742. Commentary: The words, Till the day of the appointed time, mean, as explained in v. 37 till the day when the Prophets and their followers will have achieved final victory over their adversaries and falsehood and its votaries will have been finally crushed. This "day of the appointed time" comes to different Prophets at different times. To the Holy Prophet it came in his life-time, when he saw the complete triumph of his cause with his own eyes, and to Jesus it came centuries after his death. 1743. Commentary: OSJE word-picture of the condition of those disbelievers who, having failed to join the ranks of the Faithful in the beginning of the ministry of a Prophet, feel bitterly disappointed when they see him triumphing. The leaders of disbelief feel disgraced and humiliated at finding that others less important than themselves have outstripped them in believing and so, instead of accepting the Prophet, even at a later stage, they begin to oppose him. It is this state of mind of disbelievers that v. 3 depicts where it is mentioned that seeing the cause of Islam triumphing they wish they had accepted Islam in the beginning and thus had retained their former status and respect and had shared the blessings with which Muslims were favoured but having lost all their respect by rejecting the Prophet, they refrain from believing in spite of their desire and even increase in disbelief and opposition. This phenomenon has been repeated in the time of every Prophet of God, as is clear from This verse too, gives a figurative 2:218, 4:45, 7:89 and 14:4. 1605