Tafseer of Jonas · Yunus · 10:21
And when We give the people a taste of mercy after adversity has touched them, at once they conspire against Our verses. Say, "Allah is swifter in strategy." Indeed, Our messengers record that which you conspire
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah, the Exalted: وَإِذَا أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُمْ إِذَا لَهُمْ مَكْرٌ فِي آيَاتِنَا قُلِ اللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا إِنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ (verse 21) (And when We let people taste a mercy after an adversity that had touched them, at once they devise a scheme against Our signs. Say: Allah is swifter in scheming. Indeed, Our messengers write down what you devise.)
Abū Jaʿfar says: Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says by this: And when We grant relief to the polytheists (mushrikīn) who associate partners with Allah after distress, and prosperity after the trial that had touched them.
It has also been said that what is meant by this is rain after drought; "al-ḍarrāʾ" (الضراء) is the trial, and "al-raḥma" (الرحمة) is the relief. He says: إِذَا لَهُمْ مَكْرٌ فِي آيَاتِنَا — that is to say: mockery and denial, as in:
17592 — Al-Muthanná related to us, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibil related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning إِذَا لَهُمْ مَكْرٌ فِي آيَاتِنَا : he said: "Mockery and denial."
17593 — [...] he said: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbdullāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the same.
17594 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, the same.
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As for His word: قُلِ اللَّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا — Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: Say, O Muḥammad, to these polytheists (mushrikīn) who mock Our proofs and evidences: "Allah is swifter in scheming" — that is to say: swifter in devising plans against you (miḥāl, with kasra on the mīm: scheming and deceit), in leading them step by step toward destruction, and in punishment, than you are in devising schemes against the signs of Allah.
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The Arabs may suffice with "idhā" (إذا) without explicitly mentioning the verb "fa'altum" or "fa'alū"; for this reason the verb has been omitted with it. The actual meaning of the sentence is: وَإِذَا أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُمْ — they devised a scheme against Our signs. In place of "mākarū" (they devised a scheme) one then suffices with "idhā lahum makr" (at once there is for them a scheme).
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إِنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ — He says: Indeed, Our guardians whom We send to you, O people, write down what you devise of scheming against Our signs.
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Footnotes:
See the explanation of "al-dhawq" (the tasting) in what preceded, volume 14: 230, note 1, and the sources cited there.
See the explanation of "al-ḍarrāʾ" in what preceded, volume 12: 573, note 2, and the sources cited there.
See the explanation of "al-mass" (the touching) in what preceded, p. 36, note 1, and the sources cited there.
See the explanation of "al-makr" (the scheming) in what preceded, volume 13: 502, note 2, and the sources cited there.
"Al-miḥāl" (المحال, with kasra on the mīm): scheming and deceit.
See Maʿānī al-Qurʾān of al-Farrāʾ, volume 1: 459–460.
