37. Commenting on “it is men of understanding who receive admonition” Thanwi writes that Allah’s usage of the term “ulu al-albab” (which can also be rendered as, “men of intelligence”) leads us to believe that whosoever is endowed with qualities as stated here and in the verses that follow, is an “intelligent” man (in Allah’s sight), even if he does not happen to be very clever in worldly affairs. In contrast, those who lack these qualities are not intelligent, even if they are clever in worldly affairs. @@

38. Allah’s covenant! What is it? Imam Razi deals with it in some detail. He writes: Several explanations can be offered in connection with Allah’s words, “Those who fulfill Allah’s covenant.” First, as Ibn `Abbas has said, the allusion is to the covenant taken by Allah from the human souls before their creation while they were yet in Adam’s loins, asking them, “Am I not your Lord?” Second, the term “Allah’s covenant” includes every right thing (that the humans ought to be doing) following the demands of reason and good sense. Of this second kind, there are two types: 1) Those things that are so proved through intellectual reasoning. These do not accept abrogation or alteration. And 2) Those things that are so proved by Revelation. Allah’s covenant covers everything that has an unequivocal evidence in its favor: either rational or revelational. In fact, the word covenant is synonymous with evidence. And there is no covenant stronger than evidential proofs (that the humans are shown as Allah’s signs). In short, anything that an irrefutable evidence indicates as the right thing to do, is something the human beings are bound to do. This is the covenant of Allah in its fullest sense.

Asad adds: “A covenant is, in this context, a general term embracing the spiritual obligations arising from one’s faith in God and the moral and social obligations, resulting from that faith, towards one’s fellow-men (Zamakhshari).

Qurtubi takes up another issue, viz., avoiding violation of the covenant once entered into. `Awf b. Malik reports,

كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- تِسْعَةً أَوْ ثَمَانِيَةً أَوْ سَبْعَةً فَقَالَ « أَلاَ تُبَايِعُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ » وَكُنَّا حَدِيثَ عَهْدٍ بِبَيْعَةٍ فَقُلْنَا قَدْ بَايَعْنَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ « أَلاَ تُبَايِعُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ». فَقُلْنَا قَدْ بَايَعْنَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ « أَلاَ تُبَايِعُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ». قَالَ فَبَسَطْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا وَقُلْنَا قَدْ بَايَعْنَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَعَلاَمَ نُبَايِعُكَ قَالَ « عَلَى أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَالصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ وَتُطِيعُوا - وَأَسَرَّ كَلِمَةً خَفِيَّةً - وَلاَ تَسْأَلُوا النَّاسَ شَيْئًا »

“Once some eight, or nine, or seven of us were sitting with the Prophet when he suggested, ‘Will you not enter into a compact with the Messenger of Allah?’ Since we had recently given our allegiance to him we said, ‘We have already entered into a compact with you.’ ِAfter a while he said, ‘Will you not enter into a compact with the Messenger of Allah?’ We said, ‘But we have already entered into allegiance with you. But again he said, ‘Will you not enter into a compact with the Messenger of Allah?’ So we stretched our hands and said, ‘We have already given our allegiance to you, so what is this new compact about?’ He said, ‘That you will worship Allah alone without associating aught with Him. That you shall pray five times, listen and obey - and, lowering his voice - you will not ask the people for anything.’”

So, `Awf the narrator added, some of those who were there at that time, would not in their life ask anyone for anything to the extent that if he was riding a beast and his whip fell down, he would not ask anyone to pick it up for him. He would rather dismount to pick it up himself.

When Abu Hamza the Khurasani - who was a man of great devotion - heard of this report he said, “O Allah. Those people saw the Prophet and entered into a compact with him. I give my word to You that I shall not ask anyone for anything.” Now, once he went for pilgrimage and as he had separated out from the rest near Syria, he fell into a well that had not been hedged. He was reminded of his promise and said to himself that he would not ask anyone for help. It should so happen that as some people were passing by, they saw the hole in the ground and said to each other that someone could fall into it. So they covered it with wooden planks. As they were working, Abu Hamza thought he should seek help but was reminded of his own resolve. They sealed the opening and went away. He blamed himself for not asking their help but decided firmly on faith in Allah. As he sat in there with no hopes, someone lowered a hand and said, ‘Here. Let me pull you out.’ However, when he came out he found no one there. Then he heard a voice saying, ‘How was the reward for placing trust in Allah?’”

But when Ibn Jawzi heard the story he disagreed with Abu Hamza and remarked, “After all, the Prophet himself had sought help of the people in connection with his various affairs.” To abandon the means is not tawakkul. In fact, Sufyan Thawri has said that if someone was hungry, but did not ask until he died, he committed suicide. Ibn Jawzi also said that although the help (that came to Abu Hamza) cannot be denied, it can be explained as Allah’s rescue of an ignorant man. Following the rules, he was required to seek help when he was in the well. Not doing that, he was playing with his life which is a gift of Allah in man’s trust.

Quotation from Qurtubi ends here.

39. We have a hadith in this connection:

لَا إِيمَانَ لِمَنْ لَا أَمَانَةَ لَهُ وَلَا دِينَ لِمَنْ لَا عَهْدَ لَهُ

“He has no faith who is not trustworthy and he has no religion who does not keep promises.”

The version above is from Ahmad, treated as trustworthy by Aran’aut (Au.).

Imam Razi comments: To keep one’s promise has the backing of both reason as well as revelation. The Prophet has said, “Whoever gave a promise, and then betrayed, bears one of the traits of hypocrisy.” In another report brought to us by Abu Hurayrah (and preserved by Bukhari: Au.), he said,

قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ : ثَلاثَةٌ أَنَا خَصْمُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ، وَمَنْ كُنْتُ خَصْمُهُ خَصَمْتُهُ : رَجُلٌ أَعْطَى بِي ثُمَّ غَدَرَ ، وَرَجُلٌ بَاعَ حُرًّا فَأَكَلَ ثَمَنَهُ ، وَرَجُلٌ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَجِيرًا فَاسْتَوْفَى مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُوفِهِ

Allah Most Hight said, “There are three against whom I shall be disputing on the Judgment Day. And when I dispute against someone, he will be destroyed: A man who gave his word in My Name and then betrayed; a man who purchased a free man, then sold him as a slave and devoured the price; and a man who hired another, took his labor and then did not pay him in full.”

It is reported that once Mu`awiyyah wished to break the implication of a treaty he had entered into with the Romans. But he was prevented by a Companion.

See Surah Al-Anfal note 103 of this work (Au.).

40. Ibn Jurayj reported,

إذا لم تمش إلى ذي رحمك برجلك ولم تعطه من مالك فقد قطعته

“We have been told that the Prophet said, ‘If you did not walk with your feet to your kinsfolk, and did not share your wealth with them, then, you snapped ties with them’” (Ibn Jarir).

Ibn Jurayj was not a Companion, and his report could not be traced in any Hadith collection (Au.)

Zamakhshari expands on the issue of ties and bonds. In the words of Asad: “This refers to all ties arising from human relationships - e.g., the bonds of the family, responsibility for the orphans and the poor, the mutual rights and duties of neighbors - as well as the spiritual and practical bonds which ought to exist between all who belong to the brotherhood of Islam. In its widest sense, the phrase ‘what God has bidden to be joined’ applies to the spiritual obligation, on the part of man, to remain conscious of the unity of purpose underlying God’s creation, and hence - according to Razi - man’s moral duty to treat all living beings with love and compassion.”

Razi wrote, “It includes the duty to those related by blood as well as those related by spiritual bonds: Allah said, ‘Believers are brothers unto each other.’ In practical term it would imply helping the needy, preventing harms that threaten to strike them - such as those that are within one’s means - visiting the sick, attending funerals, spreading Salam among the Muslims, smiling in their faces, and being good to animals. It is said that,

وعن / الفضيل بن عياض رحمه الله أن جماعة دخلوا عليه بمكة فقال: من أين أنتم ؟ قالوا: من خراسان. فقال: اتقوا الله وكونوا من حيث شئتم، واعلموا أن العبد لو أحسن كل الإحسان وكان له دجاجة فأساء إليها لم يكن من المحسنين

Some people entered upon Fudayl b. `Iyad in Makkah. He asked them, “Where are you from?” They said, “We are from Khurasan.” He said, “Fear Allah, and then you can live where you will. Remember, if a man was good towards everyone to the extreme limits, but did not treat well the chickens that he owns, he will not be counted among those who ‘do good.’”

41. What is the difference between “khashyah” and “khawf” both of which are translated as “fear”? “Khashyah” has an element of love, respect and admiration concealed in the primary meaning of fear that the word lends, but which the word “khawf” lacks (Shafi`).

Khawf sounds more brutal than khashyah which, in contrast, carries some subtlety (Au.).

42. Imam Razi writes: It is reported that Shaqiq b. Ibrahim the Balthami visited `Abdullah ibn Mubarak without revealing his identity. He inquired, “Where are you from?” He replied, “From Balkh.” Ibn Mubarak asked, “Do you happen to know Shaqiq?” He said, “Yes.” He asked, “How do you find his disciples?” Shaqiq replied, “Well, when they are denied, they observe patience, and when they are bestowed, they give thanks.” Ibn Mubarak remarked, “This is the quality of our dogs. Perfect are those who, when denied, give thanks, and when bestowed, give preference (and pass on) to others.”

43. Yusuf Ali has a nice comment on this passage: “In this section the contrast between Faith and Righteousness on the one hand and Infidelity and Evil on the other is set out. The righteous man is known as one who

(1) receives admonition;

(2) is true to his covenants;

(3) follows the universal Religion of Faith and Practice joined together;

(4) is patient and persevering in seeking Allah; and in practical matters he is known to be;

(5) regular in prayer;

(6) generous in true charity, whether open or secret; and

(7) not revengeful, but anxious to turn off evil with good, thus breaking the chain of evil which tends to perpetuate itself.”

44. This can have two explanations. One, these are a people who, when they commit an evil, immediately follow up with a virtuous act. The Prophet (saws) told Mua`adh,

أَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ تَمْحُهَا

“And follow up an evil deed with a virtuous one, it will erase it.”

Second, they do not retaliate evil with evil, rather, respond to evil with what is good (Razi and others).

Mawdudi expands on the theme, “The conduct of the believers has been aptly portrayed in the following saying of the Prophet (peace be on him): ‘Do not follow the ways of the others, saying, “If they do good, we will also do good to them; but if others wrong us, we will also wrong them.” Discipline yourself to a principle. If people do good to you, do good to them; and if they mistreat you, [still] refrain from being unjust’ (Tirmidhi).

“Of similar import,” continues Mawdudi, “is the tradition in which the Prophet (peace be on him) mentions that his Lord had enjoined nine commands. Four of those commands are as follows: ‘That I should speak with justice in anger and happiness; that I should render the right of him who deprives me; that I should give him who denies me; that I should forgive him who wrongs me.’ Another tradition expresses the same idea in another saying of the Prophet (peace be on him): ‘Do not betray him who betrays you’ (Tirmidhi).”

Shabbir points out that forgiving the evil-doer should only be practiced when it is not feared that forgiving will lead to further wrongdoing.

45. Dahhak has said that ‘Adn is a city in Paradise wherein Messengers, Prophets, martyrs and those who guided to righteousness will dwell. There would be paradises around them in which other people would dwell (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). There have been other interpretations too. See Al-Tawbah, note 154 of this work.

46. That is, parents, spouses and the offspring, although righteous, might not deserve the same rank and level of Paradise, but in honor of this exemplary soul, would be allowed into the same rank and level. In fact, Ibn `Abbas has said that they could be very ordinary believers. Wahidi has pointed out that if they happen to be believers of the same quality as he, then their entry would be on their own merits and cannot be considered a favor shown to him. Therefore, they would have to be of lower status granted a Paradise of higher rank, for the pleasure of the higher rank of the person in discussion. Further, as Razi has pointed out, the rule is both for man and woman, husband and wife: whoever is of higher rank will have the other with him or her in Paradise in honor of his or her true faith and righteous deeds (Alusi and others).

The opinion of Ibn `Abbas can be corroborated with another Qur’anic verse. It says (52: 21),

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ [الطور : 21]

“As for those who believed, and their progeny followed them in faith, We shall join them with their progeny.”

However, (putting together the two verses) the meaning that can be derived is that faith and righteous deeds are essential requirements for entry into Paradise. Then, by Allah’s grace, they might go up to higher levels (Shabbir).

47. The allusion is to both types of “sabr”: what are known as “sabr ‘ala al-ta`at” (patience in the observation of the obligations) and “sabr ‘an al-ma`asi” (patience against sins) - Shafi`.

48. The textual words for Ultimate Abode are “‘uqbat-dar”. Imam Ahmad has a hadith in explanation, reported by ‘Abdullah ibn `Amr. The Prophet said,

هَلْ تَدْرُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ الْفُقَرَاءُ وَالْمُهَاجِرُونَ الَّذِينَ تُسَدُّ بِهِمْ الثُّغُورُ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِمْ الْمَكَارِهُ وَيَمُوتُ أَحَدُهُمْ وَحَاجَتُهُ فِي صَدْرِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ لَهَا قَضَاءً فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِهِ ائْتُوهُمْ فَحَيُّوهُمْ فَتَقُولُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ نَحْنُ سُكَّانُ سَمَائِكَ وَخِيرَتُكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَفَتَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَأْتِيَ هَؤُلَاءِ فَنُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عِبَادًا يَعْبُدُونِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَتُسَدُّ بِهِمْ الثُّغُورُ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِمْ الْمَكَارِهُ وَيَمُوتُ أَحَدُهُمْ وَحَاجَتُهُ فِي صَدْرِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ لَهَا قَضَاءً قَالَ فَتَأْتِيهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَيَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ بَابٍ {سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ}

(The Prophet asked), “Do you know who of Allah’s creation will enter Paradise first?” They answered, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “The first of Allah’s creation to enter Paradise will be the poor Immigrants: those by whom the borders are secured, and calamities are warded off. One of them dies while a need is still in his breast, unable to fulfill it. Allah will say to whom He will of the angels, ‘Go up to them and greet them.’ They will ask, ‘We are the dwellers of Your heaven and Your choicest creation. Do You ask us to go to these people and greet them?’ He will say, ‘They were such of My slaves who worshiped Me alone, associating none with Me. By them the outposts were secured and calamities warded off. One of them would die with a need in his heart, unable to fulfill it.” So the angels will go to them, entering upon them from every portal saying, ‘Peace on you for that you patiently endured. How excellent then, the Ultimate Abode?!’” (Ibn Kathir).

Qurtubi deduces from the above hadith that angels are superior to mankind.

The report is, according to Arna’ut, quite trustworthy (Au.).

49. “This may refer to,” Majid writes, “the religious instinct innate in every human being.”

50. For the lack of suitable alternative, the term “la`nah” has been rendered as “curse.” But, as Asad has written, “The Qur’anic term la`nah - usually but inexactly translated as “curse” (and popularly used in this sense in post-classical Arabic parlance) - denotes “banishment” or “alienation” (ib-`ad), i.e., from all that is good (Lisan al-`Arab). Whenever it is attributed in the Qur’an to God with reference to a sinner, it signifies the latter’s “exclusion from God’s grace” or his “rejection by God.”

51. Since in common observance unbelievers are better off in terms of wealth and worldly possessions when compared to the believers, it is normally asked, “If they are not approved by Allah, why are they so well off?” Or, alternatively, “Isn’t their wealth and prosperity, a sign of their right behavior in life?” This verse answers the question. Allah bestows material bounties on whomsoever He will, whether qualified or not. It is after all of little worth, no matter how enormous. In contrast, guidance is a thing of great worth. It is not granted to someone who is not worthy of it, or did not strive for it (Thanwi and others).

52. (The Prophet has expanded on this theme). In a report in Muslim he said,

وَاللَّهِ مَا الدُّنْيَا فِى الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ مِثْلُ مَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ - وَأَشَارَ يَحْيَى بِالسَّبَّابَةِ - فِى الْيَمِّ فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ

“By Allah, the world is no more in comparison to the Hereafter than that one of you should dip his finger in a sea – he pointed to his index finger. So, let him see what it returns with.” In another report, also in Muslim, he passed by the carcass of a sheep and remarked,

فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمِّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ هَذِهِ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا

“By Him in whose hands is my life, the world is less worthy in the sight of Allah than this one was to its owners” (Ibn Kathir, Alusi).