Tafsir for verse: 23:71
وَلَوِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ لَفَسَدَتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّۚ بَلۡ أَتَيۡنَٰهُم بِذِكۡرِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِهِم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٧١ ﴿71
71Had the truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and all those therein would have fallen in total disorder. However, We have brought to them their advice, but it is their advice that they are averse to.
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Commentary

And when it was said: What is it to him that was according to their desires? They would follow him and find ease, and they would find relief from these oppositions, which led to enmities, thus necessitating the greatest of boycotts. He said, clarifying the corruption of that, and perhaps it is a state of a doer who dislikes it. For indeed, his recompense is a report that justifies its being a state, as mentioned by Sheikh Sa'd al-Din in the research of the Musnad. Or it is conjoined with what you can interpret: If they had left the dislike, they would have loved it, and if they had loved it, they would have followed it, and if they had followed it, they would have been reformed and reformed others. And if the truth had followed their desires, meaning in the fundamentals, branches, states, and sayings, their desires, meaning their lusts that lead them to ruin because they are desires - as indicated by the form of causation - the heavens would have certainly been corrupted, despite their height and perfection, and the earth would have been corrupted, despite its density and organization, and those in it, despite their multitude and spread and strength, because of their claim of multiple deities. And if that were true, it would have led, by the proof of contradiction, to corruption, and because of the differences in their desires and their turmoil leading to disputes, as you see from the corruption when following some interests in some times until the truth rectifies them with His wisdom and suppresses them with His majesty and might. However, we did not follow the truth according to their desires. Rather, we brought them with our greatness, with their mention, which is the Book that is in the utmost of wisdom. In it is the rectification of knowledge and the completeness of its organization. So if the ignorant reflects upon it, it will turn him away from his ignorance, and he will succeed in his sayings and actions, and good will become clear to him in all his states. And if the scholar contemplates it, it will elevate him to the pinnacle of his perfection. At that time, the question will arise about who sent it down, and the necks will submit, and about who it was sent down upon, and he will be revered in the hearts, and about his people, and their souls will honor him, and their heads will bow in awe of them. Thus, they will have the greatest mention and the highest honor.

And when they made what necessitates turning towards it a reason for turning away, he said, marveling at them: They are indeed averse from their mention, which is their honor. Their aversion does not cause us any desire, nor does it bring us any harm. Indeed, the harm returns to them and is reflected upon them in every situation.

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