Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Ya-Sin -> The Messenger was sent as a Warner

We have already discussed the individual letters at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah.

﴿وَالْقُرْءَانِ الْحَكِيمِ ﴾

(By the Qur'an, full of wisdom) means, Al-Muhkam (perfect) which falsehood cannot come to from before it or behind it.

﴿إِنَّكَ﴾

(Truly, you) means, O Muhammad,

﴿لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَعَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴾

(are one of the Messengers, on the straight path.) means, following a straight methodology and religion, and an upright Law.

﴿تَنزِيلَ الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾

(Sent down by the Almighty, the Most Merciful.) means, this path which you have brought is a revelation from the Lord of might Who is Most Merciful to His believing servants. This is like the Ayah:

﴿وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِى مَا الْكِتَـبُ وَلاَ الإِيمَـنُ وَلَـكِن جَعَلْنَـهُ نُوراً نَّهْدِى بِهِ مَن نَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِى إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ - صِرَطِ اللَّهِ الَّذِى لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَلاَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَصِيرُ الاٍّمُورُ ﴾

(And verily, you are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight path. The path of Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Verily, to Allah all matters return.) (42:52-53).

﴿لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَـفِلُونَ ﴾

(In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless.) This refers to the Arabs, for no warner had come to them before him. The fact that they alone are mentioned does not mean that others are excluded, just as mentioning some individuals does not mean that all others are excluded. We have already mentioned the Ayat and Mutawatir Hadiths which state that the mission of the Prophet is universal, when we discussed the meaning of the Ayah:

﴿قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا﴾

(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.'') (7:158).

﴿لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِمْ﴾

(Indeed the Word has proved true against most of them,) Ibn Jarir said, "The punishment has become inevitable for most of them, because Allah has decreed in the Mother of the Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz) that they will not believe.

﴿فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(so they will not believe. ) in Allah, or in His Messengers.

﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِى أَعْنـقِهِمْ أَغْلَـلاً فَهِىَ إِلَى الاٌّذْقَـنِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ - وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدّاً ومِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدّاً فَأغْشَيْنَـهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ - وَسَوَآءُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَءَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤمِنُونَ - إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخشِىَ الرَّحْمـنَ بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ - إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ وَءَاثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ فِى إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴾

(8. Verily, We have put on their necks iron collars reaching to the chins, so that their heads are raised up.) (9. And We have put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and We have covered them up, so that they cannot see.) (10. It is the same to them whether you warn them or you warn them not, they will not believe.) (11. You can only warn him who follows the Reminder, and fears the Most Gracious unseen. Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness, and a generous reward.) (12. Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces and all things We have recorded with numbers in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book).)