Surah Al Ma'arij Tafseer

The Rebuke of the Disbelievers and the Threat against Them

Allah rebukes the disbelievers who, in the time of the Prophet, saw him and the guidance Allah sent him with. They witnessed the magnificent miracles Allah aided him with. Then, after all of this they fled from him and separated themselves from him. They fled right and left, group by group and party by party. This is as Allah says,

فَمَا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ

كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُّسْتَنفِرَةٌ

فَرَّتْ مِن قَسْوَرَةٍ

Then what is wrong with them that they run away from admonition As if they were (frightened) wild donkeys. Fleeing from a beast of prey. (74:49-51)

This is the example of disbeliever.

And this Ayah is similar. As Allah says,

فَمَالِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

So what is the matter with those disbelievers, before you Muhti`in?

meaning, `what is wrong with these disbelievers who are with you, O Muhammad. Why are they Muhti`in,

meaning hastily running away from you'

This is as Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Muhti`in means departing."

عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ عِزِينَ