Al-Hijr 15:86

The World has been created for some Purpose, then the Hour will come

Allah says,

(And We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with the truth, and the Hour is surely coming), i.e., with justice to -

(requite those who do evil with that which they have done) 53:31 Allah says,

(And We did not create the heaven and the earth, and all that is between them without purpose! That is what those who disbelieve think! Then let those who disbelieve be warned of the Fire!)(38:27)

("Did you think that We created you in play, and that you would not be brought back to Us" So exalted be Allah, the Truth, the King, none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of the Honored Throne!)(23:115-116). Then Allah informed His Prophet about the Hour, and that it will be the faults of the idolators when they insult him and reject the Message that he brings to them. This is like the Ayah,

(So turn away from them, and say: "Salam (Peace!)." But they will come to know) (43:89). Mujahid, Qatadah and others said: "This was before fighting was prescribed". It is as they said, because this Surah was revealed in Makkah and fighting was prescribed after the Hijrah.

(Verily, your Lord is the Knowing Creator)(15:86). This is a confirmation of the Day of Resurrection and that Allah, may He be exalted, is able to bring the Hour to pass. He is the Creator and nothing is beyond Him. He is the Knowing, Who knows what has been dispersed from people's bodies and scattered throughout the regions of the earth, as He says:

(Is not He, Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! He is the Knowing, Creator. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" - and it is! So glorified and exalted is He above all that they associate with Him, and in whose Hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall return.)(36:81-83).

Commentary

Aikah means a dense forest. There are other views too. Some commentators say that there was a dense forest near Madyan, therefore, Aikah is actually the title of the people of Madyan. Others have said that the people of Aikah and the people of Madyan were two different people. It was after the destruction of one of them that Sayyidna Shu'ayb (علیہ السلام) was sent to the other.

In Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ ani, the following marfu` hadith appears with reference to Ibn ` Asakir:

اِنَّ مَدیَنَ و اَصحَابَ الاَیکَۃِ اُمَّتَان بَعَثَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی اِلَیھِمَا شُعَیباً

Madyan and the people of Aikah are two peoples. Allah Ta` ala sent Shu'ayb to them.

And Al-Hijr is a valley situated in between Hijaz and Syria. It was inhabited by the people of Thamud.

A Brief Explanation

Described at the beginning of the Surah was the hostility of the disbelievers of Makkah against the Holy Prophet ﷺ which also carried words of comfort for him briefly. Now, at the end of the Surah, more words of comfort appear to mollify his concern about their grudge and hostility.

Here, he is being asked not to grieve over their hostile opposition because there is a day when all scores will be settled, and that is the day of Judgment, and it is bound to come as he has been told. Then, there is the fact that Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is there in between them but with truth and wisdom. The wise consid-eration behind this creation is that people should believe in the existence of the maker of the universe, attest to His Oneness and supremacy and obey His injunctions. Also present there is the consequence of not doing so, after the argument of Allah stands established, that the defaulter be punished. Since this promised punishment does not seem to come in full right here in this mortal world, it has to be somewhere else. For that, the time is fixed, the time of the Qiyamah, the Day of Judgment. And this Hour is sure to come. Everyone will be taken care of there.

This being the wise arrangement of things, let him not grieve. The better course for him is to overlook their wicked behaviour in a gracious manner, that is, neither pay attention to their behavior nor complain about it. The reason is that his Lord is great as Creator and great as the Master Knower as well. He knows his patience and fortitude and He knows the evil mechanizations of his enemies too. Therefore, He is to exact the full return from them of what they have been doing.