Ayah 67:
ولو نشاء لمسخناهم على مكانتهم فما استطاعوا مضيّا ولا يرجعون
And if We willed, We could have deformed them, [paralyzing them] in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.
Similarly, Allaah says that He could have disfigured them Himselves. They would have been completely mutilated, destroyed where they stood. They wouldn't be able to go forward. They wouldn't have the ability to move on, nor could they ever go back.
All their faculties were completely taken away to leave raw pieces of meat. That is very powerful. It's a graphic and disturbing image. That's the point – at the end of the day, it's not fun and games. They played with their own situations. They put themselves in harm's way.
The mercy in this, however, is that it is being told to us now. This is no surprise. It's right here, right now. Read it and fix it. Change things for yourselves.
The scholars point out that Allaah says law nashaa – if We wished. These people actually get opportunity and chance after chance. They have the opportunity to turn back and realize their purpose in life. If they, however, continue to ignore the signs around and even within them and the message relayed to them, they are digging their own pits in the Hellfire. If this came to pass, this would happen. Yet, on that Day they will be taken to recompense for their choices.
Ayah 68:
This is somewhat a conclusion for this passage. It also serves as a transition to the following passage.
ومن نعمره ننكسه في الخلق أفلا يعقلون
And he to whom We grant long life We reverse in creation; so will they not understand?
{And whomsoever We grant extended life to, We cause him to regress in his overall condition; so don't they process this?}
These are very sophisticated words.
Wa man| Word Analysis
This presents a hypothetical situation.
Nu'ammirhu| Word Analysis
'Umar means age and the verb category means to grant extended age. The verb pattern here has the implication of something happening little-by-little, step-by-step, stage-by-stage. This is like anzal (all at once) or tanzil (little-by-little).
Nunakkishu| Word Analysis
This comes from naks literally means to flip something over from head to tail. It is used metaphorically to speak of something regressing backwards. This person is turned backwards, his faculties are flipped, in creation.
As the people begin to age, their bodies begin to slow down; their minds slow down; emotionally, they slow down. This is also pointed out in (30, 54)
الله الذي خلقكم من ضعف ثم جعل من بعد ضعف قوة ثم جعل من بعد قوة ضعفا وشيبة يخلق ما يشاء وهو العليم القدير
Allaah is the one Who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the Knowing , the Competent.
Da'af (weakness) refers to infancy. Then from it comes strength – you get older and become competent until you are independent. Then from it comes weakness and eventually old age. As a person ages, he regresses. To the point where it becomes so detrimental (22, 5)
