The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 581
PT. 15 BANI ISRĀ'ĪL CH. 17 رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِن يَّشَأْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ أَو Your Lord knows you best. 55 "If He please, He will have إِنْ يَشَأْ يُعَذِّبُكُمْ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ mercy on you, or if He please وَكِيلًا He will punish you. b And We have not sent thee to be a keeper over them. 1984 وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ فِي السَّمَوتِ And thy Lord knows best. 56 those that are in the heavens وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّنَ and the earth. And We exalted عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَ أَتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ زَبُوْرًا some of the Prophets over the others, and to David We gave a Book. 1985 "2:285; 3:129; 5:41; 29:22. 6:108; 39:42; 42:7. º2:254; 27:16. Unity of God makes a natural appeal to the sentiments of man. The third principle mentioned in 16:126 was, reason with them in a way that is best. This corresponds to the third injunction, beginning with the verse under comment, viz. say to My servants that they should speak that which is best. The verse also contains the hint that if Muslims desire to hasten the day of the spiritual resurrection referred to in the previous verse when the whole of Arabia would become Muslim, they should adopt a manner of discourse best calculated to help disbelievers accept Islam. 1984. Commentary: God alone knows the innermost secrets of man's heart and therefore He has reserved for Himself the right to punish or reward man. This work has not been entrusted even to the Holy Prophet. God Himself will deal with men according to the state of their minds. 1789 1985. Commentary: The verse means to say that not only does God know all those peoples to whom Messengers were sent at different times and how they received the Divine Message but He knows also all the Prophets whether dead (in the heavens) or living (in the earth). He is aware of their stations and grades as well. He knows also what kind of a Prophet is needed at a particular time. In this connection special mention has been made of the Prophet David in order to warn Muslims that, like the Israelites who were punished after him for their iniquities and transgressions, they will be punished if they behave like them. Muslims, however, did not profit by this timely warning. The power of the Israelites was broken by Nebuchadnezzar and all their glory departed. Similarly, the great and glorious Muslim Empire of Baghdad was destroyed by Hulagu Khan and