17:74 Al-Israa (The Night Journey)

ولولا أن ثبَّتناك على الحق، وعصمناك عن موافقتهم، لَقاربْتَ أن تميل إليهم ميلا قليلا من كثرة المعالجة ورغبتك في هدايتهم.

{ وَ } مع هذا فـ { لَوْلَا أَنْ ثَبَّتْنَاكَ } على الحق، وامتننا عليك بعدم الإجابة لداعيهم، { لَقَدْ كِدْتَ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا } من كثرة المعالجة، ومحبتك لهدايتهم.

يخبر تعالى عن تأييده رسوله صلوات الله عليه وسلامه وتثبيته وعصمته وسلامته من شر الأشرار وكيد الفجار وأنه تعالى هو المتولي أمره ونصره وأنه لا يكله إلى أحد من خلقه بل هو وليه وحافظه وناصره ومؤيده ومظفره ومظهر دينه على من عاداه وخالفه وناوأه في مشارق الأرض ومغاربها صلى الله عليه وسلم تسليما كثيرا إلى يوم الدين.

And if We had not made you stand firm upon the Truth by way of divine protection ‘isma certainly you might have you nearly inclined to them a little because of the extent of their deception and their persistence. This statement is explicit about the fact that the Prophet s neither inclined nor came close to doing so.

Commentary

Out of the verses appearing above, the first three relate to a particular event. To determine it precisely, Tafsir Mazhari carries some relevant reports. The event which is closer and more supportive in terms of the indicators set in the Qur'an is what has been reported by Ibn Abi Hatim as based on a narrative of Sayyidna Jubayr ibn Nufayr. According to this report, some chiefs of the Quraysh of Makkah came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and said: 'If you have been really sent to us, you should remove these poor and broken down people from around you, for sitting with such people is a matter of insult for us. If you do that, we too will become your companions and friends.' When they said this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ somewhat leaned towards the idea that he might do someth-ing like that as suggested by them in the hope that they may, perhaps, become Muslims. Thereupon, this verse was revealed.

Through this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sounded that their suggestion was a fitnah and the friendship they were talking about was also a fitnah (a trial or test or a ruse to tempt him into creating discord in his ranks). Therefore, he should not accept it. After that, the text says: Had your Lord not been particular about your grooming and fortitude, it was not too far out that you could have come somewhat closer to tilting towards their proposal.

From this verse, says Tafsir Mazhari, it is clearly understood that there was just no probability of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ever tilting towards such absurd demands from the Quraysh disbelievers. Yes, coming close to tilting, and that too within a very insignificant limit, was probable. But, by making him ma` sum (protected, infallible), Allah Ta’ ala saved him from drifting even to that limit. If we were to think about it, this verse provides a great proof of the highest moral disposition with which all prophets (علیہم السلام) were blessed. So, had there been even no shield of prophetic infallibility, still such was the natural disposition of the Prophet of Islam that tilting towards the absurd proposal of disbelievers would have never been possible for him. However, there did exist the probability of his coming somewhat closer, in an insignificant measure, towards the act of tilting - something terminated by the prophetic infallibility.