Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And We did not give them any books to study, nor did We send to them before you any warner.”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Then Allah the Exalted said: [Saba 34:44] So from where did they deny you? Regarding His saying: [Saba 34:44] The exegetes differed on its meaning. Some of them said: [Saba 34:44] It contradicts what I said. So if they have no knowledge from books they study, and no knowledge from a warner who came to them that contradicts what you are upon, how can they deny you? Accordingly, the intended meaning of this verse is that their denial of you stems from what? From ignorance. Because He says: [Saba 34:44] He says: “We gave them,” pay attention, Ya Iyas. [Saba 34:44] It indicates that what they said in describing you is true. [Saba 34:44] It contradicts what you brought, so that they say you are what? A liar and a sorcerer. So the intended meaning of the verse is that these who denied did not base their denial of you on what? On knowledge, neither from books nor from revelation. That is, from books they study and understand what is in them, and know that what you brought contradicts them. Nor from a warner who warned them and cautioned them against what you brought, and said that a liar and fabricator would come, so do not obey him. If a prophet were to come to us now and claim to be a prophet from Allah, we would deny him. Why? Because we have been warned about these people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us. But when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came, were these deniers warned about him and cautioned against him? No. Were there any books that these people studied that showed that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was upon falsehood? No. This is the perspective, and this is the path the author followed. Therefore, he said: “So from where did they deny him” . The second opinion is that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to a people who were unlettered and did not read, and He did not send... as Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: [Al-Jumu'ah 62:2] And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Surat al-Qasas: 46]. That is, it was most fitting for these people to rejoice in your message and accept what you brought. Why? Because they did not have books to study like the Jews and Christians, and no prophet was sent to them before you. So they were in the greatest need of you. And whoever is in need of something is more joyful about it and more ready to believe in its news. So the intended meaning of this phrase is to rebuke these people for denying the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and that it was most fitting for them to do what? To rejoice in it and believe in it, because they did not have books to study, so they had no trace of knowledge, and no prophet was sent to them before you. So they were in the greatest need of what? Of what thing? Of believing in you and accepting what you brought. So this verse includes a rebuke of these people for denying the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Now, which is more appropriate? Yes. [Saba 34:44] Which is more appropriate?
The student : ......
The Shaykh : Ghanim says the second opinion. Can it be understood to have two meanings? We look at the condition of these people. If it applies to the condition of these people in both ways, we adopt it and say that these people did not study books that indicate the falsehood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
And We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.
وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍAnd We had not given them any scriptures which they could study
وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَاAnd We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.
وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍWe had not given them any scriptures
مَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍAnd We had not given them any scriptures which they could study
وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَاand We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍIt is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His
هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهto warn a people to whom no warner had come before you
لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَا أَتَاهُمْ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَAnd We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.
وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍThe student : ......
The Shaykh : Ghanim says the second opinion. Can it be understood to have two meanings? We look at the condition of these people. If it applies to the condition of these people in both ways, we adopt it and say that these people did not study books that indicate the falsehood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).