[36].Surah Yaseen [Yaseen]: Ayat 13-14

১৩. আপনি তাদের কাছে সে জনপদের অধিবাসীদের দৃষ্টান্ত বর্ণনা করুন, যখন সেখানে রসূল আগমন করেছিলেন।

১৪. আমি তাদের নিকট দুজন রসূল প্রেরণ করেছিলাম, অতঃপর ওরা তাদেরকে মিথ্যা প্রতিপন্ন করল। তখন আমি তাদেরকে শক্তিশালী করলাম তৃতীয় একজনের মাধ্যমে। তারা সবাই বলল, আমরা তোমাদের প্রতি প্রেরিত হয়েছি।

Ayat 13. And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town, [It is said that the town was Antioch (Antakya)], when there came Messengers to them.

Ayat 14. When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, and they said: "Verily! We have been sent to you as Messengers."

Tafseer of Surah Yaseen, Ayat 13 and 14. Set forth to them, by way of a parable, the (story of) the Companions of the City. Behold! there came messengers to it. Many of the classical Commentators have supposed that the City referred to was Antioch. Now Antioch was one of the most important cities in North Syria in the first century of the Christian era. It was a Greek city founded by Selecus Nicator, one of the successors of Alexander, about 300 B.C. in memory of his father Antiochus. It was close to the sea, and had its seaport at Seleucia. Soon after Christ his disciples successfully preached there, and they "were called Christians first in Antioch ", Acts,11:26. It afterwards became the seat of a most important Bishopric of the Christian Church. In the story told here "by way of a parable", the City rejected the Message, and the City was destroyed: 36:29. Following Ibn Kathir, I reject the identification with Antioch decisively. No name, or period, or place is mentioned in the text. The significance of the story is in the lessons to be derived from it as a parable, for which see the next note. That is independent of name, time, or place. Ayat 14.When We (first) sent to them two messengers, they rejected them: But We strengthened them with a third: they said, "Truly, we have been sent on a mission to you." Allah sends His messengers or teachers of Truth by ones and twos, and where the opposition is great and He considers it necessary, he supports them with others. Their mission is divine, but they do not claim to be more than men. This is used by the unjust and the ungodly as if it were a reproach, whereas it should commend them to men, for mankind is glorified by such commission and by Allah's Self-revelation. The Message is clearly expressed in human language, but because it exposes all evil, men think it unlucky, as it checks their selfishness. It is often the poorest and most despised of mankind, from the outskirts or "farthest parts of the City", those accept the Message and are willing to work and die for it. The stiff-necked resist and accomplish their own destruction.

Hazrat Sufyan bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said, "O Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH), tell me something of Islam which I will not ask anyone else about it.'' He  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Say, `I believe in Allah' and then be steadfast".

[Muslim, Book 01, Chapter 14, Hadith # 062].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Yaseen Ayat 14. When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both" Steadfastness means adhering firmly to the injunctions of Islam, to act upon what is ordained and avoid what is prohibited, to perform dutifully orders in respect of obligations and what is regarded desirable and avoid what is unlawful. Faith is not a mere expression of Shahadah. The real Faith is one which is coupled with its actual practice because practice of religion is in fact the fruit of Faith. A tree which does not bear any fruit, has no value, similarly; faith becomes meaningless without practice. Steadfastness is the mark of perfect Faith.