Surah 26
(The Poets)
(Makkan Period)
Title
The title of this surah is derived from verse 224: "As for poets, only the wayward follow them."
Period of Revelation
The contents and style of the surah indicate that it was revealed during the middle Makkan period. This is also corroborated by several traditions. According to 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas, the order of revelation of the surahs of this period was as follows: Surah Tā Hā, and then Surah al-Waqi'ah, followed by Surah al-Shu'arā'. (See Alūsi, Rūḥ al-Ma'ānī, Vol. 19, p. 64.) As for Surah Tā Hā, it is well known that it was revealed before 'Umar's conversion to Islam.
Subject Matter and Main Themes
The Makkan unbelievers obstinately rejected the Prophet's Message and launched a campaign of fierce opposition using one pretext or another. Sometimes they would say that he had not produced for them any clear, that is, miraculous, sign to support his claim to be a Prophet, so how could they believe that he indeed was a Prophet? Sometimes they would call the Prophet (peace be on him) a poet or a soothsayer and mock his teachings. Sometimes they would ridicule his mission by saying that his followers were either a few immature youth or people from the lower strata of the society. If the Prophet's Message had been of any significant value, they contended, then the nobles and the elders of the community would have accepted it. The Prophet (peace be on him) tried his very best to impress upon them the falsity of their beliefs. He also attempted to reinforce, by logical arguments, the doctrines of tawhid and the After- life but they never tired of countering him.with stubborn defiance in ever new forms. This tormented the Prophet (peace be on him) greatly.
This is the background against which this surah was revealed. It opens with words meant to console the Prophet (peace be on him). It virtually says to him: "Why do you grieve over such opponents and why are you consuming yourself on their account? The true reason for their not embracing the true Faith is not that you have failed to produce any signs for them, it is rather their obduracy which prevents them from believing. It is precisely for the same reason that they do not want to pay heed to anything that would otherwise suffice to convince other open-minded people. They are asking for a sign that would simply compel them to accept the Truth. Such a sign will certainly come in due time and then they will realise how very true was the Message that was given to them."
After this prefatory remark, the first 191 verses of the surah focus on one theme: for those who seek the Truth, the whole earth is replete with signs which clearly point to it. But those who adamantly hold on to their errors and who are not inclined to accept anything as tokens of the Truth nothing can be of any avail, neither any signs in the heavens and on earth, nor any of the Prophets' miracles. Such people will cling to their errors until God's punishment seizes them. To illustrate this point, the history of seven ancient nations is narrated. These nations had persisted in their unbelief just like the Makkan unbelievers. In this regard the following points are emphasised:
(1) Signs are of two types. First, there are those self-evident signs which are spread all over the earth. These are sufficient to enable a rational and intelligent person to draw right conclusions about the truth or falsehood of the Prophet's teaching. Second, there are the signs that were witnessed in the past by those who were totally annihilated: the peoples of Pharaoh, Noah and Lot and the peoples of 'Ad, Thamūd, Midian, and Aykah. It was up to the unbelievers to decide which of the two kinds of signs they preferred to witness those spread across the world pointing to the Truth or those that led to the extermination of several unbelieving and iniquitous nations of the past.
(2) The mentality of the unbelievers has been the same throughout all ages. Their objections to the Message that came to them, their arguments, and the pretexts they put forth for not believing have all been similar and, so too their fate. On the other hand, the Prophets have also brought one and the same Message in different ages and have exhibited the same qualities of character and conduct. They also came forth with more or less the same kind of arguments when encountering their opponents. Moreover, all of them were treated by God alike insofar as all of them were shown mercy. Significantly, both of these models are found in history. The unbelievers could examine their behaviour and decide for themselves as to with which of these two models they had affinity. In like manner, they could also form some opinion about the character and conduct of the Prophet (peace be on him) as to which of the two models it conforms with.
(3) The third theme which is repeatedly stressed in these verses is that on the one hand, God is All-Mighty and All-Powerful, and on the other, Most Merciful and Most Compassionate. History records instances of His Wrath as well as of His Mercy. It is now for people to decide whether they would like to qualify for God's Mercy or for His Wrath.
The last part of the surah (verses 192-227) summarises these themes and poses the following questions to people: "If you really want to see God's signs, then why do you insist on seeing those terrible signs which were witnessed by the nations that were utterly destroyed? Why do you not want to see God's signs in the Qur'an which is being revealed in your own language? Why do you not earnestly look at Muḥammad (peace be on him) and his Companions, and then ask yourselves whether the Qur'an could really be, as you believe, the work of a satan or a jinn? Is there any justification for you to consider the recipient of the Qur'an to be a soothsayer? Does Muḥammad (peace be on him) really look like a poet and his followers look like the boon companions of a poet? Examine your hearts and see what answer you receive. If you find your hearts telling you that the Qur'anic Revelation has nothing in common with poetry and soothsaying, then you are doing a severe injustice to yourselves by not believing, for that will lead you to meet the same grievous fate that overtook the wrong-doers of yore."