12. The term “edge” has been used to indicate that the man stands at the end, and not in the middle of the religion. He is like someone in an army right in the last row. If the army is victorious, he is with it in loot and booty. But if it experiences defeat, he is at the right spot to bolt away (Zamakhshari).

13. Reports from Ibn `Abbas, Dahhak and others (one is in Bukhari: Ibn Kathir) say that this verse alludes to some of the outlying Arabs who emigrated to Madinah. Now, if the weather and water suited to one of them, his mare brought a foal, his woman gave birth to a son, he felt comfortable with Islam and said to himself, “I have not experienced anything but good since I embraced this religion.” But, if the weather and water did not suit him, or his wife gave birth to a girl, or he did not receive anything by way of charity, Satan went up and whispered to him, ‘By God! Since the day you embraced Islam, you have not encountered anything good.’”

There is yet another report on this topic, (in Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Marduwayh with trustworthy chain of narrators: Shawkani) which says, “Bedouins from the outlying areas would come to the Prophet and embrace Islam. As they returned to their dwellings, if they found it a rainy year of plenty and birth of good number of children, they would say, ‘This is a good religion. Hold on to it.’ But if they found it a dry year, unproductive, and births of their disapproval (i.e., girls), they would remark, ‘There is no good in this new religion.’ So Allah revealed, “And, among the people is such a one who serves Allah on an edge..”

Others have said that the verse refers to hypocrites. They interpret the term “harf” as meaning, “(in) doubt.”

14. That is, he abandons Islam.

15. “They are men whose minds are not firm: they will have faith, if all goes well with them. But as soon as they are tried, they are found wanting. They are a different kind from hypocrites. It is not fraud or double meaning that is their sin: it is a weak mind, petty standards of judging right by success, a selfishness that gives nothing but asks for all.. (Yusuf Ali).

Sayyid comments: “In the life of a true believer, faith is well grounded in his heart. The world around him shakes and convulses, but he remains unshaken, tenaciously holding on to the rock of faith. This then is the reward of faith. He should, accordingly, seek its support, fall back on it and hold on to it in times of difficulties, and not seek rewards for it, for, such a faith is a reward by itself. A believer realizes its worth when he sees puzzled men and women around him, those who are unsure of what’s happening, why it’s happening, and so on. They are blown about by every wind of change resulting in worries and tension, while the believer goes about undisturbed, contented of heart, firm of feet, of unruffled carriage, aware of the Presence of Allah, and satisfied with the connection. He does not experiment with his Lord. But rather, he is ready to face all that comes his way, submitted from the beginning to what the life will unfold of its events for him, good or bad. His faith is in a Being who owns the Command, Who is the origin of all that is and will be.

“In contrast, the other one, the one on the edge, makes his faith a commodity in the market of commodities. He is, in his devotion, on the edge. A mild push results in his fall. He is the grand loser. Apart from the loss of a dear one, or of wealth or health, he also loses peace of heart, quiet submission to his fate, in addition to his loss of the rewards in the Hereafter. And, what happens to him after the fall? Where does he go next? Whom does he apply for help? He ‘calls to one - apart from Allah - who can neither harm him nor benefit him.’ He calls upon deities, idols, devils, or imaginary gods of the pagans. Or he might apply to humans like himself, or appeal to authorities: in the manner of the jahiliyyah of all times whose harm is closer than the benefit. The harm consists in the split of loyalties causing a split in the heart leading to a split personality. His response results in further uncertainties and, above all, a degradation, loss of respect for one’s own self, in one’s own eyes: ‘That indeed is the extreme error.’”

16. Experience with the pagans tells us that Yusuf Ali’s commentary is quite appropriate. He writes: “Such false worship is not always neutral, bringing neither harm nor good. Perhaps the harm comes first, and there is no help from Allah. Such minds are themselves demoralized, and render themselves unfit for help.

17. Another interpretation of the term “fal-yaqta`” could be, “let him traverse” (the distance: with the root “qata`a”: meaning to traverse) – Razi, Asad. “Cut off” (the help) is another possibility (Razi).

18. Great many of the classical commentators are of opinion that the pronoun in “yansurahu” refers to the Prophet. Accordingly, Ibn `Abbas has said in explanation of this verse, “Whoever thinks that Allah will not help Muhammad in this world and the Next, might extend a rope to the roof (of his house, which is his “samaa’”), and strangle himself thereby to see if his rage is cured.” This was also the opinion of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata, Abu al-`Aliyyah and others (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). In short, he might commit suicide to cool his rage. There is little else he can do about it (Au.).

Another and parallel interpretation of the Salaf has been paraphrased by Yusuf Ali in the following manner: “If the enemies of Allah are enraged at the help he (Muhammad) gets from heavens, let them stretch a rope to heavens, and see if they can intercept Allah’s help by their petty devices.”

Some others have conjectured that the personal pronoun “hu” in “yansurahu” alludes to the one who thinks that he (himself) will not be helped in this world and the Hereafter (may commit suicide). But, unless there is a hidden meaning to it, it doesn’t seem to be easy to accept since no believer in Allah thinks that he will be neither helped in this world nor in the Hereafter (Au.).

And, although Qatadah also figures in the above opinion, he viewed the verse slightly differently. According to him, whoever thought that Allah was not going to help the Prophet, His Book and His religion, might stretch a rope to the heaven and try and get the connection severed (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Razi).

19. Qatadah’s opinion, as in `Abdul Razzaq, `Abd b. Humayd, and Ibn Abi Hatim is that Sabians were a people who oriented themselves to the Qiblah, worshipped angels, and recited the Zabur (Shawkani).

The Qamus says that they claimed to be on the religion of Nuh and faced North in their Prayers (Alusi). Perhaps they were many sects and hence the definition has varied (Au.).

Mawdudi adds, although without quoting his sources: “In the olden days, two communities were known as Sabians – the followers of the Prophet John (peace be upon him) who inhabited, in large numbers, the upper region of Iraq called al-Jazirah. They practiced baptism according to the way of the Prophet John. The other community bearing this name consisted of star-worshippers who claimed to follow the religion of the Prophet Shith and Idris (peace be upon them). They believed that the planets held ascendancy over the elements, and that the angels had ascendancy over the planets. Based in Harran, they were scattered over different parts of Iraq. This second group is also known for its mastery of philosophy, science and medicine.” Also see n. 158 & 159 of Al-Baqarah and n. 192 of Al-Nahl of this work.

20. A hadith of Muslim says

إِذَا قَرَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ السَّجْدَةَ فَسَجَدَ اعْتَزَلَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَبْكِى يَقُولُ يَا وَيْلَهُ - وَفِى رِوَايَةِ أَبِى كُرَيْبٍ يَا وَيْلِى - أُمِرَ ابْنُ آدَمَ بِالسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ وَأُمِرْتُ بِالسُّجُودِ فَأَبَيْتُ فَلِىَ النَّارُ

“When a son of Adam prostrates himself (to Allah), Shaytan departs weeping. He says,

‘Woe. Adam’s son was ordered to prostrate himself. He did and will enter Paradise. I too was asked to prostrate myself. I refused and will enter the Fire (Ibn Kathir).

21. Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban (in his Sahih) have recorded Ibn `Abbas as saying that once a man came to the Prophet and said, “I saw in a dream that I am praying behind a tree. I prostrated and the tree fell in prostration with me and I heard it saying:

اللَّهُمَّ اكتُبْ لي بِهَا عِندَكَ أَجراً، وضَعْ عنِّي بِهَا وِزراً واجعَلهَا لي عِندَكَ ذُخْراً، وتَقَبَّلهَا منِّي كَمَا تَقَبَّلتَهَا من عَبدِكَ داودَ

‘O Allah, write it down for me thereby a reward with You, remove from me a sin thereby, store it for me as a treasure with you, and accept it from me as you accepted from Your slave Da’ud.’ After some time the Prophet happened to recite a prostration verse. He prostrated himself and I heard him repeat the same words in his prostration” (Ibn Kathir).

22. Accordingly, we have a report from the Prophet preserved by Ahmad. It says,

ارْكَبُوهَا سَالِمَةً وَدَعُوهَا سَالِمَةً وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوهَا كَرَاسِيَّ لِأَحَادِيثِكُمْ فِي الطُّرُقِ وَالْأَسْوَاقِ فَرُبَّ مَرْكُوبَةٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ رَاكِبِهَا هِيَ أَكْثَرُ ذِكْرًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْهُ

“(The Prophet said), Ride them safely and leave them safe and sound. Do not use them as chairs for chat sessions on the road or in the markets. Sometimes the one ridden is better than the rider. It is more remembering of Allah the Exalted than him” (Ibn Kathir).

The above report was declared weak by Shu`ayb Arna’ut (Au.).

Alusi writes that various Arab tribes worshipped various objects. The Himyar tribe worshipped the Sun, the Kinanah the moon, the Tamim the Hyades (a constellation of five stars: Au.), Lakhm and Quraysh Sirius, Tayy the Pleiades, Asad the Mercury, Rabi`a one of the Orion stars, Ghatafan the `Uzza (which was a dry samurrah tree, while a few others worshipped the cow. Over and above these, most of the Arabs also worshipped stones and idols that they carved from the mountains. The Qur’an told them that those you worship are themselves devoted to Allah.

23. Mujahid’s opinion was that there are many who believe in Allah and prostrate themselves to Him, while there are many who prostrate themselves but do not believe in Him and hence deserve to be punished. Ibn Jarir however disagrees with this meaning, and opts for the apparent meaning, viz., some have believed and so prostrate themselves, while there are others who do not believe and do not prostrate themselves, and so deserve to be punished.

24. Ibn Kathir comments on Allah’s will. It is said that someone told `Ali, “This man disputes over predestination and Divine decree.” `Ali asked him, “O Allah’s slave. Did Allah create you in form and shape following His own will or yours?” He answered, “Rather, as He wished.” He asked, “He makes you fall sick when He wills or when you will?” He answered, “Rather, when He wills.” He asked, “He restores your health when He wills or when you will?” He answered, “Rather, when He wills.” He asked, “Will He then admit you (into Paradise by the gate of) His choice or yours?” He answered, “Rather, by His wish.” At that `Ali said, “By Allah, had you answered differently, I would have struck you with a sword in the area that carries your two eyes.”

25. Apparently, the allusion is to the two groups mentioned in verse 17 above: the believers of all times on one side and the unbelievers of all times on another (Au.). However, Abu Dharr’s sworn opinion is that the immediate reference was to the six of the Quraysh: Hamza b. `Abd al-Muttallib, `Ali b. Abi Talib and `Ubaydah b. al-Harith on the one side, and `Utbah b. Rabi`ah, Shaybah b. Rabi`ah and Walid b. `Utbah, on the other side. They met in duels at Badr.

Another opinion, and the prevalent one, says Ibn Jarir, is that the allusion is to the monotheists and pagans of all time. This of course does not deny the credibility of Abu Dharr’s explanation (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Abu Dharr’s report is in Bukhari (Ibn Kathir), and his opinion seems to be the correct one (Qurtubi).

26. Abu Hurayrah has reported the Prophet as having said:

إنَّ الحَمِيمَ لَيُصَبُّ على رُءوسِهمْ، فَيَنْفُذُ الجُمْجمَةَ حتى يَخْلُص إلى جَوْفِهِ، فَيَسْلُت ما في جَوْفِهِ حتى يَبْلُغَ قَدَمَيْهِ، وَهِيَ الصَّهْرُ، ثُمَّ يُعادُ كَما كان

“Boiling water will be poured over their heads. It will penetrate their skulls to reach its inner end. It will eat off all that is therein and leak down to reach his feet. That is the melting. Thereafter the man will be restored to the former state once again” (Ibn Jarir).

The report is also in Tirmidhi who rated it Hasan Sahih (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Abi Hatim has another report. It records `Abdullah b. Sirri as having said,

يأتيه الملك يحمل الإناء بِكَلْبتين من حرارته، فإذا أدناه من وجهه تكرهه، قال: فيرفع مِقْمَعَة معه فيضرب بها رأسه، فَيُفرغ دماغه، ثم يُفرغ الإناء من دماغه، فيصل إلى جوفه من دماغه

“An angel will come to him with a vessel held by means of two hooks because of its heat. When he brings it close to the man’s face he will try to avert it. The angel will hit him with a hooked rod that will open his head. He will empty the vessel in his brain. The liquid will go down from there to reach his stomach. It is in reference to this that Allah said, ‘(Boiling water will be poured over their heads) by which will be melted that within their stomachs, as also the skins’ (Ibn Kathir).

27. A hadith in Ahmad reports the Prophet,

لو أن مِقْمَعا مِن حَديد وُضِع في الأرض، فاجتمع له الثقلان ما أقَلُّوه من الأرض

“Were the hooked rod brought to the earth and mankind and jinn asked to lift it, they wouldn’t be able to.”

According to another hadith, also in Ahmad,

لو ضُرب الجبلُ بمِقْمَع من حديد، لتفتت ثم عاد كما كان، ولو أن دلوا من غَسَّاق يُهَرَاق في الدنيا لأنتن أهل الدنيا

“If the hooked rod was used to strike a mountain, it would render it to dust. And, if a bucket of pus was poured on earth, the whole world would stink (Ibn Kathir, shortened).

However, Albani’s opinion is that the report is weak (S. Ibrahim).

28. That is, whenever they find the door opened for some purpose, they will try to escape through it; but the Keepers of Hell will drag them back with the help of hooked iron rods (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi and others).