Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MU'MIN [30]

30. And he who believed said: ”O my people! Verily, I fear for you an end like that day (of disaster) of the groups (of old)!'' 31. ”Like the end of the people of Nuh, and `Ad, and Thamud and those who came after them. And Allah wills no injustice for (His) servants.'' 32. ”And, O my people! Verily, I fear for you the Day when there will be mutual calling.'' 33. A Day when you will turn your backs and flee having no protector from Allah. And whomsoever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide. 34. And indeed Yusuf did come to you, in times gone by, with clear signs, but you ceased not to doubt in that which he did bring to you, till when he died, you said: ”No Messenger will Allah send after him.'' Thus Allah leaves astray him who is a transgressor and a skeptic. 35. Those who dispute about the Ayat of Allah, without any authority that has come to them, it is greatly hateful and disgusting to Allah and to those who believe. Thus does Allah seal up the heart of every arrogant, tyrant.) Here Allah tells us that this righteous man, the believer from among the family of Fir`awn, warned his people of the punishment of Allah in this world and the Hereafter, saying,

(O my people! Verily, I fear for you an end like that day (of disaster) of the groups (of old)!) meaning, those of the earlier nations who disbelieved the Messengers of Allah, such as the people of Nuh, `Ad, Thamud and the disbelieving nations who came after them, how the punishment of Allah came upon them and they had no one to protect them or ward off that punishment.

(And Allah wills no injustice for (His) servants.) means, Allah destroyed them for their sins and for their disbelief in and rejection of His Messengers; this was His command and His decree concerning them that was fulfilled. Then he said:

(And, O my people! Verily, I fear for you the Day when there will be mutual calling.) meaning, the Day of Resurrection.

(A Day when you will turn your backs and flee) means, running away.

(No! There is no refuge! Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.) (75:11-12) Allah says:

(having no protector from Allah.) meaning, `you will have no one to protect you from the punishment and torment of Allah.'

(And whomsoever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.) means, whomever Allah sends astray will have no other guide except Him. Allah's saying:

(And indeed Yusuf came to you, in times gone by, with clear signs,) refers to the people of Egypt. Allah sent a Messenger to them before the time of Musa, peace be upon him, in the person of Yusuf, peace be upon him, who attained a high position in the government of the people of Egypt. He was a Messenger who called his people to Allah with justice, but they did not obey him in matters of worshipping Allah, they only obeyed him in worldly matters that pertained to his position in the government. Allah says:

(but you ceased not to doubt in that which he brought to you, till when he died, you said: ”No Messenger will Allah send after him.'') means, `you despaired, and said by way of wishful thinking,'

(No Messenger will Allah send after him.) This was because of their disbelief and rejection (of the Messengers).

(Thus Allah leaves astray him who is a transgressor and a skeptic. ) means, this is the state of the one whom Allah sends astray because of his sinful actions and the doubts in his heart.

(Those who dispute about the Ayat of Allah, without any authority that has come to them,) means, those who attempt to refute truth with falsehood and who dispute the proof without evidence or proof from Allah, Allah will hate them with the utmost loathing. Allah says:

(it is greatly hateful and disgusting to Allah and to those who believe.) meaning, the believers too will despise those who are like this, and whoever is like this, Allah will put a seal on his heart so that after that he will not acknowledge anything good or denounce anything evil. Allah says:

(Thus does Allah seal up the heart of every arrogant.) meaning, so that they cannot follow the truth.

(tyrant.)