Surah Yunus, Verse 1/2

﷽

 *Surah Yunus, Verse 1:*

الر تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ

Alif-Lam-Ra. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran) Al-Hakim [showing lawful and unlawful things, explaining Allah's (Divine) Laws for mankind, leading them to eternal happiness by ordering them to follow the true Islamic Monotheism, - worshipping none but Allah Alone - that will guide them to Paradise and save them from Hell].

#COMMENTARY

Āyat = Signs, or Verses of the Qur-ān. Here both meanings are to be understood. Each verse is a nugget of wisdom. And in the verses immediately following, e.g, Qur-ān chapter 10, verses 3-6, examples are given of the wonders of ALLĀH's material Creation. If the starry heavens impress us with their sublimity as signs of ALLĀH's wisdom and power, how much more wonderful is it that He should speak to lowly man through His Messengers, in man's language, so that he can understand?

﷽

*Surah Yunus, Verse 2:*

أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ قَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَاحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ

Is it wonder for mankind that We have sent Our Inspiration to a man from among themselves (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW) (saying): "Warn mankind (of the coming torment in Hell), and give good news to those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and in His Prophet Muhammad SAW) that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds?" (But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW and the Quran)!

#COMMENTARY

Is it not still more wonderful that the inspired man should be one of ourselves? The Arabs had known Muhammad ﷺ in other relations and conditions, and when the mighty Message came through his mouth - the Message of Wisdom and Power, such as no man could speak as from himself, least of all a man not instructed in human learning, they could only in their wonder attribute it to magic and sorcery. They failed to understand that magic and sorcery were projections of their own mind, while here was solid, enduring Truth from ALLĀH!

ALLĀH's Message was and is not all smooth and agreeable. The first thing is to convince us of our wrong-doing, and warn us of our danger. If we have Faith, we then learn what a high rank we obtain in the sight of Almighty ALLĀH (Sub-haanahu wata'aala). According to another view the word "qadama" here refers to the fact that the acts of a person precede him to his Lord. The word sidq qualifies these acts with sincerity and genuineness.