The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 52
CH. 10 YŪNUS PT. 11 know it, or if We cause thee to die before that, then to Us is their return, and thou wilt see the fulfilment in the next world; and Allah is witness to all that they do. 1322 1322. Important Words: which means particle 6 is (redundant). was originally, the particle having been added to "If. " The added technically known as But these so-called redundant words are not without purpose. They are used to emphasize or intensify the meaning of the word to which they are added. The change effected in the sense of the particle by the addition of the particle is that whereas alone expresses a mere contingency or possibility which is not necessarily accompanied by hope, the addition of the particle makes the contingency not only more emphatic but also expressive of hope. Commentary: This verse lays down the important principle that prophecies containing warnings and threats of coming punishment are subject to revocation. The verse shows that prophecies are of two kinds: (1) those that are conditional, as appear from the words (if) and (or) used in the verse; (2) those that are revocable or subject to cancellation, as hinted at in the words We show thee in نرينك some) and) بعض thy lifetime). The word (some) definitely shows that the present verse speaks of only those prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled during عَلَى مَا يَفْعَلُوْنَ the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for the prophecies which related to the time subsequent to his death, were obviously not meant to be fulfilled during his lifetime and therefore did not need to be mentioned in the present context. Incidentally, the verse also points to the possibility that no prophecy of punishment might be fulfilled in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, for it was possible that all those to whom he preached his Message might believe in him and thus there might be no occasion for punishment. The verse is so worded as to show the absolute power of God; otherwise, ordinarily, all men do not believe. to even to the The verse also shows that it is not necessary that prophecies should have a time-limit, for the time given for the fulfilment of the prophecies referred here is unrestricted, extending period subsequent to the death of the Holy Prophet. Nay, even if an apparent time-limit is prescribed, which in the present case is the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, the time-limit is only of secondary importance, for the verse definitely admits the possibility of some of these prophecies remaining unfulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet. 1260 It further emerges from this verse