Episode 22 - Clarifying a Mistake in Understanding the Verse About the Messengers: (And they thought they were denied)

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

We mentioned in the previous episode that a Muslim must strive to understand the verses that may be misunderstood at first glance in a way that does not align with having good thoughts about the messengers of Allah, peace be upon them. We mentioned the story of the Prophet of Allah Lut, peace be upon him, with his people as an example of this.

Today, we will mention another example.

Clarifying a Misunderstanding of the Verse "They Thought They Had Been Lied To"

You, my brother, when you read Allah's words: {Until when the messengers despaired and thought they had been lied to, there came to them Our victory, and We saved whom We willed, and there will be no repelling of Our punishment from the criminal people} [Yusuf: 110]. What did you understand from this verse?

I fear that some may understand from it that the messengers despaired of Allah's help and had bad thoughts about His promise, glory be to Him. Far be it from the messengers of Allah to think such a thing about their Lord. Rather, they are the role models of the worlds in their certainty of Allah's truth and that He fulfills His promise.

The Correct Meaning of the Verse (Tafsir of Tabari from Said bin Jubayr)

So, what is the meaning of the verse? Tabari narrated in his interpretation that Muslim bin Yasar asked Said bin Jubayr, may Allah have mercy on him, about this verse, and Said explained it as follows:

{Until when the messengers despaired} meaning: from their people that they would believe them. {And thought they had been lied to} meaning: the people to whom they were sent thought that the messengers had lied to them.

The key to understanding this is knowing that the word "كُذبوا" (kudhibu) refers to the people of the messengers, not the messengers themselves. Those who disbelieved among their people thought that their messengers had lied to them by saying that punishment would befall the disbelievers, because the years passed and it had not yet come.

When Muslim bin Yasar heard this explanation from Said, he stood up to him, embraced him, and said, "May Allah relieve you as you have relieved me." Imagine his joy at understanding a verse whose misinterpretation had caused him distress.

The Importance of Seeking Knowledge and the Correct Interpretation

Al-Dhahak, one of the commentators, commented on this explanation from Said bin Jubayr: "If I were to travel to Yemen for this" – and it was a short distance – "if I were to travel to Yemen for this" – meaning to know the interpretation of this verse – "it would be little." Indeed, such a clear explanation that relieves the chest from the difficulty towards a verse revealed by Allah, this explanation is worth traveling distances and spending time for.

These days, we do not need to travel distances, but we can obtain the interpretation of a verse in seconds through a reliable website or contacting one of the scholars. The important thing is to have an interest in understanding the speech of our Lord and the purity of our hearts towards His Book, glory be to Him.

Another Interpretation of the Verse (Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her)

And our mother Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, interpreted the verse as the messengers thought that their followers had lied to them, because they delayed the victory that their messengers had promised them. And this is also a possible meaning.

The important thing is that the verse is interpreted in a way that the language allows and is consistent with the preservation of the prophets, peace be upon them.

We ask Allah to guide us in our religion and make us among those who learn the Quran and teach it. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.