contradiction in the Qur’an regarding the restriction and release of the ticket

 Content of the doubt:

Some ill-intentioned people imagine that there is a contradiction between some verses of the Holy Quran; as some of them understand that reminding people is not required except when it is suspected to be beneficial, as stated in the Almighty’s saying: “So remind, if the reminder should benefit (9)” (Al-A’la), while other verses indicate the obligation of reminding absolutely, whether it benefits or not, such as the Almighty’s saying: “So remind, for you are only a reminder (21)” (Al-Ghashiyah). They ask: How does the Quran restrict reminding to the condition of benefit in one place, then in another place it is general without conditions?! Their aim behind this is to challenge the infallibility of the Holy Quran.

Way to refute the doubt:
Scholars have opinions on reconciling the two verses:
The verse in Surat Al-Ghashiyah is general, restricted by the verse in Surat Al-A’la, and the general[1]is interpreted as the restricted[2].
· The obligation to remind absolutely in the case of benefit or lack thereof. In the verse of “Al-A’la” there is an omission, and the meaning is: If the reminder benefits and if it does not benefit.
· Interpretation of “if” with “ma” the verbal noun of time, and the meaning is: So mention what the reminder benefits.
Reminding has stages, so it is necessary from the beginning, but continuing in it - after - is dependent on the assumption of benefit and use from it.
· Interpretation of “if” with “idh”, and the meaning is: And mention when the reminder benefits, based on the reason.
· “if it benefits” is a conditional formula intended to condemn the infidels.

Detail:
The scholars’ statements on reconciling the two verses:
1. Reminding is restricted to the possibility of benefit, as is restricted by the verse of Al-A’la, and the verses that command reminding in general - such as the verse of Al-Ghashiyah - are interpreted as restricted, and this is what Ibn Kathir said: Remind where reminding is beneficial, and from here the etiquette in spreading knowledge is taken, so it is not placed with those who are not worthy of it, as Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: You will not tell people a hadith that their minds cannot comprehend except that it will be a trial for some of them[3].
2. Reminding is obligatory, whether it benefits or not, and there is an omission in the speech, meaning: if the reminder benefits, and if it does not benefit, as Allah, the Almighty, says: “Garments to protect you from the heat” (An-Nahl: 81)[4], meaning: and the cold[5].
This is the statement of Al-Farra’ and An-Nahhas, and Al-Wahidi agreed with them, who said: if it benefits or does not benefit[6]; because the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, was sent as a messenger to warn and excuse; He must remind in every case, whether it benefits or not.
Al-Jurjani said: Reminding is obligatory even if it does not benefit; the meaning is: whether the reminder benefits or not. Al-Shawkani strengthened it and said that it is more appropriate.
3. “If” means “what”, i.e., mention what the reminder benefits; because the reminder is beneficial in every case.
4. There are those who believe that reminder has two stages:
The first stage: Repeating the reminder - even if it does not benefit - repeatedly so that the one reminding fulfills his duty of reminding, as God Almighty said: “You are only responsible for conveying the message” (Ash-Shura: 48), and through it God’s argument[7]for His creation, as God Almighty said: “Messengers as bearers of good tidings and warners, so that mankind will have no argument against God after the messengers” (An-Nisa’: 165).
The second stage: Continuing the reminder when there is a belief in its benefit, and hoping for benefit for the one to whom the reminder is directed, which is what the noble verse speaks about: “So remind, if the reminder should benefit (9)” (Al-A’la).
However, if he knows that there is no benefit in reminding him, then there is no need to continue doing it, because continuing with something that is of no benefit is futile.
Are there any indications that indicate that the reminder is not useful[8]?

It is known that the reminder is not beneficial in matters including:
· God Almighty informing about that, as happened in the case of Abu Lahab, He - the Most High - said about him: "He will burn in a Fire of blazing flame (3) and his wife, the carrier of firewood (4)" (Al-Masad). The reminder will not benefit Abu Lahab and his wife, because the Qur’an revealed that they are among the people of the Fire, after the reminder was repeated to them repeatedly, which established the proof against them. So the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - is not required, after knowing that, to remind them of anything, as God Almighty said: "Then remind, if the reminder should benefit (9)" (Al-A’la).
· The context [9] of the situation, such as: rejecting faith and turning away from following the Messenger out of stubbornness and obstinacy [10] after knowing the truth of Islam and the truthfulness of its Messenger. Here, the reminder is not required to be repeated to someone who persists in disbelief and stubbornness, after it was repeated to him repeatedly, which established the proof against him.
"In" in the sense of "when" is the doctrine of the Kufians and they made from it the saying of the Almighty: "O you who have believed, do not take as allies those who take your religion in ridicule and amusement among those who were given the Scripture before you or the disbelievers. And fear Allah, if you are believers (57)" (Al-Ma'idah), and the saying of the Almighty: "And do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are believers (139)" (Al-Imran).
5. The sentence: "So remind, if the reminder should benefit (9)" (Al-A'la) is a conditional sentence, intended to condemn the disbelievers and exclude reminding them as the poet said:

You would have made me hear if you called out to someone alive, but there is no life for those you call out to [11]

Conclusion:
Scholars have had different interpretations of the meaning of reminder in the Almighty’s saying: “Then remind, if the reminder should benefit (9)” (Al-A’la) and His saying: “Then remind, for you are only a reminder (21)” (Al-Ghashiyah). Some of them said: The meaning of reminder is general, whether it benefits or not, and some of them said: It is restricted to benefit... etc. It is known that notification is an excuse for people; to establish proof against them, and it appears that it is obligatory in every case - even at the beginning - so if there are indications from which it is known that the reminder is not beneficial - such as the information of the Qur’an, or the indication of the situation, or the refusal to believe and the denial of the Messenger - may God bless him and grant him peace - then the obligation of reminder is negated in their case, and among these are: Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, and Al-Walid bin Al-Mughira.

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[1] The absolute: is what indicates an individual not restricted verbally by any restriction; such as: Egyptian.
[2] The restricted: is what indicates an individual restricted verbally by any restriction; such as: Egyptian Muslim.
[3] Tafsir al-Quran al-Azeem, Ibn Kathir, Dar al-Ma’rifah, Beirut, 1400 AH/1980 AD, Vol. 4, p. 500.
[4] Sarabil: what is worn from clothes or armor.
[5] If it is said: Why was the heat mentioned and not the cold? The answer is from several aspects:
First: Those addressed by this statement are the Arabs, and their country is hot, so their need for what keeps the heat away was greater than their need for what keeps the cold away.
Second: Mentioning one of the two opposites is an indication of the other, because when the heat comes to mind, the cold also comes to mind.
Third: What protects from the heat protects from the cold, so mentioning one of them makes mentioning the other unnecessary.
And this is the answer to the Almighty’s saying: “Then remind, if the reminder should benefit” (9) ((Al-A’la).
[6] Al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Quran, Al-Qurtubi, Dar Ihya’ al-Turath, Beirut, 1405 AH/1985 AD, vol. 20, p. 20.
[7] Argument: proof and evidence, and it comes in the sense of a claim.
[8] Al-Bayan fi dhf al-ta’arud al-muthut bayn verses of the Qur’an, Dr. Muhammad Abu al-Nur al-Hadidi, Maktabat al-Amanah, Cairo, 1401 AH/1981 AD, pp. 50: 53.
[9] Al-Qarina: a matter that indicates what is required; such as the evidence of the lie of Joseph’s brothers regarding the blood on his shirt.
[10] Al-Lajja: dispute and conflict, and he insisted on the matter: he refused to turn away from it.
[11] Refuting the illusion of confusion about the verses of the Book, Sheikh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, Arab History Foundation, Beirut, 2nd ed., 1420 AH/2000 AD, pp. 263-266, with some modifications.