Tafseer of Surah Ar Ra'ad Verse 11

[Osman]

Salaam alaikum,

I came across a very interesting tafseer of Surah Ar Ra'ad Verse 11, the verse which says that Allah doesn't change the conditions of people unless they change what's in themselves.

Here's the tafseer: http://islamicsystem.blogspot.com/2006/10/tafseer-of-surah-ar-raad-ayah-11.html

Essentially what the author of this tafseer does is, he dives into the grammatical aspects of the words which appear in this verse, then interprets it in such a way so as to mean that the change which is demanded from people in this verse is a political change for example restoring Khilafat. Groups such as Hizb ut Tahrir take this interpretation as a Quranic evidence for the support of their activities.

One thing which I believe this tafseer failed to pay attention to was the context of this verse.

I'd like to know your opinion of this particular interpretation of this verse.

Regards

[ahmad]

Salam Osman,

I think the following verses may serve as a tasfir for the verse: [13:11]
For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.



[8:50]
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved... They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.
[8:51]
That is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allah is not ever unjust to His servants."
[8:52]
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allah, so Allah seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and severe in penalty.
[8:53]
That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
[8:54]
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh. And all [of them] were wrongdoers.

[Ismail]

qaum in Arabic primarily means a group of men. The word is also used to denote communities consisting of both men and women. Of course the communities may be big or small.

Now study the same word used in 49: 11 which says: "...let not any group (of men) laugh at another group in contempt or ridicule..."

Naturally, this gesture of contempt need not be a coordinated collective act of a group.

Of course this does not mean that all the individuals in a group need not reform themselves.

In fact political stability and political sway was a promise from God for those among the sahaba who believed and did righteous deeds really earnestly, according to (24: 55).