The Rebellious Person is given Respite but He is not forgotten
Allah, the Exalted, says,
قُلْ
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Say:
This means, "O Muhammad, say to these people who are associating partners with their Lord, while claiming to follow the truth, that they are really following falsehood."
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مَن كَانَ فِي الضَّلَلَةِ
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whoever is in error,
This means, `be they from us or from you.'
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فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ مَدًّا
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the Most Gracious will extend (circumstances) for him.
This means that the Most Beneficent will give him respite in that which he is in, until he meets his Lord and his appointed time will have arrived.
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حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَوْا مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا الْعَذَابَ
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until, when they see that which they were promised, either the torment, (that will strike him),
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وَإِمَّا السَّاعَةَ
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or the Hour, (that will come suddenly),
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فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ
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they will come to know, (at that time),
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مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا
who is worst in position, and who is weaker in forces.
This is in refutation of their argument about their nice dwellings and splendid places of gathering. This is a challenge against the idolators who claim that they were following guidance in what they were doing.
This is similar to the challenge that Allah mentions about the Jews when He says,
يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ إِن زَعمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَأءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُاْ الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
O you Jews! If you pretend that you are friends of Allah, to the exclusion of (all) other people, then long for death if you are truthful. (62:6)
Meaning, `Supplicate for death to come to those who are following falsehood among us if you truly claim to be upon the truth. If you are true, then this supplication will not harm you.' But they refused to do so. An extensive discussion of this has already preceded in Surah Al-Baqarah, and to Allah is the praise.
Likewise, Allah mentioned the challenge that was given to the Christians in Surah Al Imran, when they were persistent in their disbelief and continued in their transgression. They refused to give up their exaggerating claim that `Isa was the son of Allah. Therefore, Allah mentioned His arguments and proofs against the worship of `Isa, and that he was merely a creature like Adam.
After this, Allah said,
فَمَنْ حَأجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَأءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ نَدْعُ أَبْنَأءَنَا وَأَبْنَأءَكُمْ وَنِسَأءَنَا وَنِسَأءَكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَتُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَـذِبِينَ
Then whoever disputes with you about him after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, say: "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves - then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the curse of Allah upon those who lie." (3:61)
However, they (the Christians) also retreated from this challenge.
مشرکوں سے مباہلہ ۔
ان کافروں کو جو تمہیں ناحق پر اور اپنے آپ کو حق پر سمجھ رہے ہیں اور اپنی خوش حالی اور فارغ البالی پر اطیمنان کئے بیٹھے ہوئے ہیں ان سے کہہ دیجئے کہ گمراہوں کی رسی دراز ہوتی ہے انہیں اللہ کی طرف سے ڈھیل دی جاتی ہے جب تک کہ قیامت نہ آجائے یا ان کی موت نہ آجائے ۔ اس وقت انہیں پورا پتہ چل جائے گا کہ فی الواقع برا شخص کون تھا اور کس کے ساتھی کمزور تھے دنیا تو ڈھلتی چڑھتی چھاؤں ہے نہ خود اس کا عتبار نہ اس کے سامان اسباب کا ۔ یہ تو اپنی سرکشی میں بڑھتے ہی رہیں گے ۔ گویا اس آیت میں مشرکوں سے مباہلہ ہے جیسے یہودیوں سے سورہ جمعہ میں مباہلہ کی آیت ہے کہ آؤ ہمارے مقابلہ میں موت کی تمنا کرو ۔ اسی طرح سورہ آل عمران میں مباہلے کا ذکر ہے کہ جب تم اپنے خلاف دلیلیں سن کر بھی عیسیٰ علیہ السلام کے ابن اللہ ہونے کے مدعی ہو تو آؤ بال بچوں سمیت میدان میں جاکر جھوٹے پر اللہ کی لعنت پڑنے کی دعا کریں ۔ پس نہ تو مشرکین مقابلے پر آئے نہ یہود کی ہمت پڑتی نہ نصرانی مرد میدان بنے ۔
