Commentary on Tafsir al-Jalalayn: “And if Allah had willed, He would have made them one community” meaning on one religion
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“ [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] meaning on one religion, which is Islam ” Yes, if Allah had willed to make the people one community, He would have made them one community in misguidance or in guidance, meaning if He had willed this or that, because the matter is entirely in His hand, Mighty and Majestic. And His saying: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] means one group on one religion. And His saying: “ which is Islam ” may be disputed, because the verse is absolute and contains nothing indicating that it is Islam or other than Islam, because His saying: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] mentions both matters. So we say: the verse allows for both meanings, if Allah had willed, He would have made them one community, meaning on Islam or on disbelief, but He, Mighty and Majestic, by His wisdom, made them divided: [At-Taghabun 64:2] He said: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] His saying: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] [At-Takwir 81:28-29] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Insan 76:30] So then: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] from those in whom Allah knows good, so that his admission into mercy is in accordance with wisdom. And His saying: the intended meaning here is the mercy that is His attribute, or is the intended mercy that is His creation? The latter, because the mercy that is His attribute is not entered by people, rather they enter into the mercy that is His creation, which is Paradise, and this is indicated by His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He, in the Holy Hadith to Paradise: Sahih Muslim 2846a So He said to it: You are My mercy,
“ the disbelievers ” The wrongdoers: is a subject and is not conjoined to "whom" due to the corruption of the meaning and the wording. The wrongdoers are the disbelievers, so the author explained "the wrongdoers" here with "the disbelievers," because Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, described the disbelievers with oppression, saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:254] And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: [Al-An'am 6:82] So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained it as shirk (associating partners with Allah) and said:
the disbelievers [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] "ma" is a negation, "lahum" is a predicate placed before, and "wali" is a subject placed after, upon which the extra preposition entered for emphasis “ [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] to avert the punishment from them ” meaning a protector who protects them and bears it for them, and no helper who averts it from them, so they have no one to comfort them in the state of calamity, nor anyone to avert it from them when it occurs.
And if Allah willed, He could have made them [of] one religion
ولو شاء الله لجعلهم أمة واحدةHe could have made them [of] one religion
لجعلهم أمة واحدةbut He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have not any protector or helper.
ولكن يدخل من يشاء في رحمته والظالمون ما لهم من ولي ولا نصيرIt is He who created you, and among you is the disbeliever, and among you is the believer
هو الذي خلقكم فمنكم كافر ومنكم مؤمنbut He admits whom He wills into His mercy
ولكن يدخل من يشاء في رحمتهHe admits whom He wills
يدخل من يشاء(28) For whoever wills among you to take a right course. (29) And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.
لمن شاء منكم أن يستقيم وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله رب العالمينAnd you do not will except that Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله إن الله كان عليما حكيماHe admits whom He wills into His mercy
يدخل من يشاء في رحمتهinto His mercy
في رحمتهYou are only My Mercy by means of which 1 shall show mercy to those whom I wish
أنت رحمتي أرحم بك من أشاء“