6-130 O community of jinn and men, did there not come to you messengers from among you, relating to you My messages and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours? They will say: We bear witness against ourselves. And this world’s life deceived them, and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.a
يَـٰمَعۡشَرَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ أَلَمۡ يَأۡتِكُمۡ رُسُلٌ۬ مِّنكُمۡ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِى وَيُنذِرُونَكُمۡ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِكُمۡ هَـٰذَاۚ قَالُواْ شَہِدۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِنَاۖ وَغَرَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَشَہِدُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ أَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ ڪَـٰفِرِينَ (١٣٠)
6-130a: The main focus of this section is on certain polytheistic customs, but before starting this topic, the subject of the last verse is completed. It is stated that what is being denied now will finally be accepted. The meaning of bearing witness against themselves is that they will admit their sins.
Did prophets come from the jinn: By not accepting that the jinn of this verse are human jinn, the commentators are faced with the dilemma of explaining whether messengers came separately among the jinn. It is obvious that by مِّنكُمۡ the meaning cannot be that the messengers that came to the jinn were jinn and the messenger that came to the humans were human. It is also obvious that the messengers Allah sends are of the same kind as the kind to whom they are sent. Thus, when people demand why an angel is not sent to them as a messenger, the reply given to that is: لَّوۡ كَانَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةٌ۬ يَمۡشُونَ مُطۡمَٮِٕنِّينَ لَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَلَڪً۬ا رَّسُولاً۬ (Had there been in the earth angels walking about secure, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel as messenger) (17:95). This citation is proof positive that one kind cannot be a messenger to another kind. The rationale for this is simple. A messenger is not only charged to deliver the Divine message, but also to practically demonstrate how the message is to be followed. It is obvious that an angel cannot be a role model for a human, and similarly a human cannot be a role model for jinn. Just as an angel cannot be a messenger for humans, humans cannot be a messenger for jinn. So, by classing jinn and men as one assembly and then by mentioning messengers sent to them from among them shows clearly that there is only one kind that is mentioned here and that the mention is not of the second kind, the invisible beings.
6-131 This is because thy Lord would not destroy towns unjustly while their people are negligent.a
ذَٲلِكَ أَن لَّمۡ يَكُن رَّبُّكَ مُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ بِظُلۡمٍ۬ وَأَهۡلُهَا غَـٰفِلُونَ (١٣١)
6-131a: Warning precedes destruction: The purpose of sending the messengers is that people may not get destroyed in a state of ignorance. Their duties must be conveyed to them first. There is no mention in the Quran anywhere that a habitation of jinn was ever destroyed. If human messengers had been sent to jinn, then there should have been some mention of such a destruction somewhere. بِظُلۡمٍ۬ can be translated in two ways: First ascribes the unjust destruction to Allah, that is Allah is not such that He would unjustly destroy a town without warning and without sending a messenger, and the second is that a town will not be destroyed merely because the people are unjust, that is are steeped in unbelief or associate partners with Allah, or have wrong beliefs until a messenger has been sent to them and they have been warned. The meaning of the verse is that society at that time was very unjust, and its condition was very bad. Disbelief and polytheism had reached an extreme, but Allah’s mercy and generosity is so great that until He sends a Messenger and concludes the argumentation, He does not consider punishing the transgressing people. This is indicated by the use of the word ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِۚ (Lord of Mercy) in verse 6:133.
6-132 And for all are degrees according to their doings. And thy Lord is not heedless of what they do.
وَلِڪُلٍّ۬ دَرَجَـٰتٌ۬ مِّمَّا عَمِلُواْۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُونَ (١٣٢)
6-133 And thy Lord is the Self-sufficient One, the Lord of mercy. If He please, He may remove you, and make whom He pleases successors after you, even as He raised you up from the seed of other people.a
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡغَنِىُّ ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِۚ إِن يَشَأۡ يُذۡهِبۡڪُمۡ وَيَسۡتَخۡلِفۡ مِنۢ بَعۡدِڪُم مَّا يَشَآءُ كَمَآ أَنشَأَڪُم مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوۡمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ (١٣٣)
6-133a: There is a clear prophecy in this verse that another nation will take the place of this nation of disbelievers, and that will be the Muslim nation.
6-134 Surely that which you are promised will come to pass, and you cannot escape (it).a
إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لَأَتٍ۬ۖ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ (١٣٤)
6-134a: مُعۡجِزِينَ – عجَزُ is the back side of a person. For this reason عَجۡز is used for getting left behind from something and the purport is being deficient in doing work, which is the opposite of قدرۃ (capable). By مُعۡجِزِينَ is meant here that they cannot render God helpless, that is they cannot escape from His clutches (R).
6-135 Say: O my people, act according to your ability, I too am acting; so you will soon come to know for whom is the (good) end of the abode. Surely the wrongdoers will not succeed.a
قُلۡ يَـٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡمَلُواْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِڪُمۡ إِنِّى عَامِلٌ۬ۖ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُ ۥ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلدَّارِۗ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ (١٣٥)
6-135a: مَكَانَة – By virtue of being an adverb of time and place, it can mean place or condition and by virtue of being a verbal noun, it can also mean ability.
عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلدَّار – By ٱلدَّار is meant earthly abode and by عَـٰقِبَةُ is meant العاقبة الحسنٰی or a good end. What is meant then is that the result of the deeds will be manifested in this life.
The degree of certainty and confidence that the Holy Prophet had in his heart that the end result of goodness is good and of badness is bad is unmatched in the annals of history. On the one hand, the tormenting at the hands of his opponents was unceasing and the objective condition of the Holy Prophet was one of helplessness but his belief in the ultimate success was so strong that perhaps a mountain could be moved but not so his belief in the success of his mission.
6-136 And they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say: This is for Allah — so they assert — and this for our associate-gods. Then that which is for their associate-gods reaches not Allah, and that which is for Allah reaches their associate-gods. Evil is what they judge.a
وَجَعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ مِمَّا ذَرَأَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَرۡثِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ نَصِيبً۬ا فَقَالُواْ هَـٰذَا لِلَّهِ بِزَعۡمِهِمۡ وَهَـٰذَا لِشُرَكَآٮِٕنَاۖ فَمَا ڪَانَ لِشُرَڪَآٮِٕهِمۡ فَلَا يَصِلُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَا ڪَانَ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ يَصِلُ إِلَىٰ شُرَڪَآٮِٕهِمۡۗ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡڪُمُونَ (١٣٦)
6-136a: Holy Prophet eradicated polytheistic customs: Polytheistic customs were part of the daily actions of the Arab nation and had permeated the fabric of their being. It was not within the ability of any person to eradicate these customs and change the centuries old national habits. However, this amazing achievement was made possible by the pious power of the Holy Prophet so that within a period of few years these customs were eradicated so completely that not even their vestige could be found anywhere.
The amount that was set aside for charity was divided into two parts. One part which was meant for Allah was spent on taking care of guests, indigents etcetera and the other part which was set apart for idols was given to soothsayers and caretakers of the idols. The charity givers would then try and come up with ways by which the part that was set aside for Allah was also spent on the care of idols. For example, if they saw that the part set aside for Allah was in a better condition, they would give that also as an offering to the idols, or if some adverse event took place, then the entire amount was given as an offering to the idols. Today, the charitable donations of Muslims often follow a similar pattern. They pledge an amount but if some unforeseen need occurs, they use the amount pledged to fulfill their own need. The reverse of this that they cut their own needs and fulfill their pledges rarely occurs.
6-137 And thus their associate-gods have made fair-seeming to many polytheists the killing of their children, that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion. And if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, so leave them alone with that which they forge.
وَڪَذَٲلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِڪَثِيرٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِڪِينَ قَتۡلَ أَوۡلَـٰدِهِمۡ شُرَڪَآؤُهُمۡ لِيُرۡدُوهُمۡ وَلِيَلۡبِسُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ دِينَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُۖ فَذَرۡهُمۡ وَمَا يَفۡتَرُونَ (١٣٧)
6-137a: یردوا – The meaning of رَدَی is ruin, destruction, or death, as in: وَمَا يُغۡنِى عَنۡهُ مَالُهُ ۥۤ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ (And his wealth will not avail him when he perished) (92:11), and تَٱللَّهِ إِن كِدتَّ لَتُرۡدِينِ (By Allah! Thou hadst almost caused me to perish) (37:56).
The custom of infanticide: قَتۡلَ أَوۡلَـٰدِ – There was a custom of burying baby girls alive. In that case شُرَڪَآؤُهُمۡ would be their chiefs and elders who did not let their daughters live out of a false sense of shame. The common folks who were their followers began to emulate them as well. Apart from this, there was also a custom among them that if the number of a person’s sons reached ten, then one of them would be sacrificed to the idols, as was done by Abdul Mutalib who offered the Holy Prophet’s father as sacrifice to the idols but then reprieved him by giving one hundred camels in his place. This is why the Holy Prophet said: انا ابن الذبیحین (I am the son of two sacrifices) meaning Ishmael and his father Abdullah.
Keeping children illiterate is also killing them: The purport of the term killing their children may also be bringing them up in the darkness of polytheism and ignorance, as Imam Raghib has written in لا تقتلو اولادکم من املاق (Do not kill your children out of poverty) that قیل ان ذٰلك نھیٌ عن شغل الاولاد بما یصُدُّ ھم عن العم which means that parents should not keep their children engaged in activities that will detract them from the objective of acquiring knowledge.
لبس – The meaning of obscure for them their religion is that they did not let them adhere to the true unitarian faith of Abraham and Ishmael.
لَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُۖ – (And if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it) There is a prophecy in this again that all these customs will be eliminated from among them.
6-138 And they say: Such and such cattle and crops are prohibited — none shall eat them except such as we please — so they assert — and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah’s name — forging a lie against Him. He will requite them for what they forge.
وَقَالُواْ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ أَنۡعَـٰمٌ۬ وَحَرۡثٌ حِجۡرٌ۬ لَّا يَطۡعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعۡمِهِمۡ وَأَنۡعَـٰمٌ حُرِّمَتۡ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنۡعَـٰمٌ۬ لَّا يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهَا ٱفۡتِرَآءً عَلَيۡهِۚ سَيَجۡزِيهِم بِمَا ڪَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ (١٣٨)
6-139 And they say: That which is in the wombs of such and such cattle is reserved for our males, and forbidden to our wives, and if it be stillborn, they are partners in it. He will reward them for their (false) attribution. Surely He is Wise, Knowing.a
وَقَالُواْ مَا فِى بُطُونِ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ خَالِصَةٌ۬ لِّذُڪُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَزۡوَٲجِنَاۖ وَإِن يَكُن مَّيۡتَةً۬ فَهُمۡ فِيهِ شُرَڪَآءُۚ سَيَجۡزِيهِمۡ وَصۡفَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ حَڪِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (١٣٩)
6-139a: حِجۡرٌ۬ – It is derived from the root حَجۡر which means a stone and as a stone because of its hardness can stop a thing, the word incorporates the sense of stopping. Further, because of reverence, the word also has a derived meaning of prohibition, as is the case in this verse. Intelligence is also called حجر because it stops one from the excess of one’s desires, as in قَسَمٌ۬ لِّذِى حِجۡرٍ (oath for men of understanding) (89:5).
وَصۡفَ – It is to describe a thing with its features and characteristics, and وَصۡفَ can be true or false, as in لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلۡسِنَتُڪُمُ (what your tongue describe, the lie) (16:116) and سُبۡحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلۡعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (Glory be to thy Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they describe) (37:180).
All these polytheistic customs prevailed in Arabia, but Islam cleansed the country of these customs so thoroughly that not a trace is left behind. So, Islam did not just spread Unity as a belief but also eliminated all vestiges of polytheistic customs from their practical life as well.
6-140 They are losers indeed who kill their children foolishly without knowledge, and forbid that which Allah has provided for them, forging a lie against Allah. They indeed go astray, and are not guided.
قَدۡ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَتَلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَهُمۡ سَفَهَۢا بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍ۬ وَحَرَّمُواْ مَا رَزَقَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱفۡتِرَآءً عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ وَمَا ڪَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ (١٤٠)
6-140a: It appears from this verse that what is meant by killing their children is rearing them up in ignorance and polytheistic customs.
Bayan-ul-Quran 