Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AZ ZUKHRUF [36]

36. And whosoever Ya`shu (turns away blindly) from the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint for him Shaytan to be a Qarin (a companion) to him. 37. And verily, they hinder them from the path, but they think that they are guided aright! 38. Till, when (such a one) comes to Us, he says, ”Would that between me and you were the distance of the two easts (or the east and west) a worst companion (indeed)!'' 39. It will profit you not this Day as you did wrong, (and) that you will be sharers in the punishment. 40. Can you make the deaf to hear, or can you guide the blind or him who is in manifest error 41. And even if We take you away, We shall indeed take vengeance on them. 42. Or (if) We show you that wherewith We threaten them, then verily, We have perfect command over them. 43. So hold you fast to that which is revealed to you. Verily, you are on the straight path. 44. And verily, this is indeed a Dhikr for you and your people, and you will be questioned. 45. And ask whom We sent before you of Our Messengers: ”Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious''  

(And whosoever Ya`shu (turns away blindly)) means, whoever willfully ignores and turns away

(from the remembrance of the Most Gracious,) Al-`Asha (the root of Ya`sh) refers to weakness of vision; what is meant here is weakness of insight.

(We appoint for him Shaytan to be a Qarin (a companion) to him.) This is like the Ayat:

(And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been shown clearly to him) (4:115),

(So when they turned away, Allah turned their hearts away) (61:5), and

(And We have assigned for them intimate companions, who have made fair seeming to them, what was before them and what was behind them) (41:25). Allah says here:

(And verily, they hinder them from the path, but they think that they are guided aright! Until, when he comes to Us,) meaning, for this person who willfully neglects true guidance, We send to him a Shaytan to lead him astray and show him the path to Hell. When he comes before Allah on the Day of Resurrection, he will complain about the Shaytan who was appointed to accompany him.

(he says, ”Would that between me and you were the distance of the two easts -- a worst companion (indeed)!'') Some of them recited it; (حَتْى إِذَا جَاءَانَا) (Till, when they both come to Us.) referring to the companion Shaytan and the one whom he accompanies. Then Allah says:

(It will profit you not this Day as you did wrong, (and) that you will be sharers in the punishment.) means, `your being together in the Fire will not help you in the slightest, and you will both partake of the painful punishment.' Allah says:

Can you make the deaf to hear, or can you guide the blind or him who is in manifest errorØŸ means, `that is not up to you. All you have to do is convey the Message, but you do not have to guide them. Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills, and He is Wise and Just in doing so.' Allah further says:

(And even if We take you away, We shall indeed take vengeance on them.) means, `We will inevitably wreak vengeance upon them and punish them, even if you pass away.'

(Or (if) We show you that wherewith We threaten them, then verily, We have perfect command over them.) means, `We are able to do both,' but Allah will not take His Messenger (in death) until He gives him the joy of seeing his enemies brought low and gives him power and authority over them and their wealth. This was the view of As-Suddi and was the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir.   Allah then says;

(So hold you fast to that which is revealed to you. Verily, you are on the straight path.) means, hold fast to the Qur'an which has been sent down to your heart, for it is truth and what it leads to is truth that shows the way to the straight path that leads to Gardens of Delight and eternal, everlasting goodness.

(And verily, this is a Dhikr for you and your people,) It was said that this means, `it is an honor for you and your people;' this was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. This means that it is an honor for them in that it was revealed in their language, so they are the people who have the best understanding of it among mankind and hence are obliged to be the most steadfast in adhering to its commandments. This is how the best of them were, the first immigrants and those who emulated them and followed them. It was also said that the meaning of the phrase;

(And verily, this is indeed a Dhikr for you and your people,) was that `it was sent to remind you and your people.' The fact that they are singled out does not exclude others. This is like the Ayat:

(Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book in which there is Dhikrukum (your Reminder). Will you not then understand) (21:10)

(And warn your tribe of near kindred) (26:214)

(and you will be questioned.) means, `about this Qur'an, and how you acted upon it and what your response to it was.'

(And ask whom We sent before you of Our Messengers: ”Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious'') means, `all the Messengers called their people to the same as that to which you are calling mankind, namely the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and they forbade the worship of idols and false gods.' This is like the Ayah:

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ”Worship Allah, and avoid all false deities.'') (16:36) Mujahid said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud recited it: (وَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ (مِنْ) رُسُلِنَا) (And ask those whom We sent before you of Our Messengers.) This was narrated by Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi from Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him. Yet this appears to be an explanation rather than an alternate version of recitation. And Allah knows best.