ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنْتُمْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

"Then even after that, you did turn away. So, had it not been for the grace of Allah upon you, and His mercy, you surely would have been among the losers." (2:64)

The Israelites went against the Covenant they had made with Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). The sin was so grave that one could have expected utter destruction and ruin to descend on them as a punishment. But Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), in His mercy, spared them in so far as physical life is concerned, although they will have to pay for their treason in the other world. Allah's mercy is of two kinds. One is general and extends to believers and disbelievers alike -- its action is to be seen in the shape of worldly well-being and prosperity. The other is special, and pertains to believers alone -- it will manifest itself particularly in the other world in the shape of salvation and closeness to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى‎).

It appears that the last phrase of the present verse has been addressed to the Jews who were the contemporaries of the Holy Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم). Since having faith in him is also a part of the Covenant, these Jews too have been included among those who had been guilty of infringement. In this verse, Allah asks them to realize that it is in His mercy alone that he has not, in spite of their treason, sent down on them the kind of catastrophic punishment in this world as used to descend on the other infidels and traitors who have gone before. Since a number of authentic ahadeeth declare that it is the barakah (blessing) of the Holy Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) that catastrophic punishments no longer descend on any people, some commentators have identified this particular mercy and grace of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى‎) with the sending down of Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم) as a Prophet and Messenger of Allah.

In order to emphasize what the present verse has said, the next verse tells the story of another group of earlier transgressors and of the dreadful punishment which overtook them all of a sudden. (Ma'ariful Qur'an)

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 4th February 2011

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