Surah As-Sajdah 32:12-22 - Quran Translation Commentary

(32:12) And, if you could but see when the criminals will be in the presence of their Lord,¹⁸ their heads lowered, (saying), ‘O our Lord! We have seen and we have heard. So, send us back that we may do righteousness. We are now indeed convinced.’

(32:13) And, had We so willed, We could give every soul its guidance.¹⁹ But the Word from Me came true (that) I shall surely fill Jahannum with the Jinn and mankind, all together.²⁰

(32:14) Taste then, for that you forgot the encounter of this your day.²¹ We have indeed forgotten you; ²² and taste the chastisement of eternity for that you were doing.

(32:15) They alone believe in Our signs who, when they are reminded thereof, fall prostrate,²³ celebrate the glory of their Lord (with) praise,²⁴ and they do not wax proud.²⁵

(32:16) Removed are their sides from the beds, as they invoke their Lord in fear and hope,²⁶ and out of what We have bestowed, they expend.²⁷

(32:17) No soul knows what comfort of the eyes has been kept concealed for them as a reward for what they were doing.²⁸

(32:18) Is he then, who has been a believer, like unto him who has been wicked? They are not equal.²⁹

(32:19) As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them are gardens of (eternal) Abode, ³⁰ as hospitality for that they were doing.

(32:20) But as for those who acted wickedly, their abode will be the Fire. Every time they wish to get out of it, they will be returned to it.³¹ They will be told, ‘Taste the chastisement of the Fire that you used to cry lies to.’

(32:21) And, (in the meanwhile), We shall give them the taste of lesser chastisement before the greater chastisement,³² haply that they will return.

(32:22) And who can do greater wrong than he who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, but turns away from them. Surely, We shall take vengeance upon the criminals.³³

Commentary

18. Out of shame and regret (Ibn Zaid: Ibn Jarir).

19. What is the connection between these words: “Had We so willed, We could give every soul its guidance,” and the previous verse which said, “And, if you could but see when the criminals will be (in the state of) heads lowered before their Lord, (saying), ‘O our Lord! We have seen and we have heard. So, send us back that we may work righteousness. We are now indeed convinced?’” Imam Razi answers that were Allah to send the criminals back to the world for a retrial, they would still remain unbelievers, such stubborn unbelievers they are. The only way they could be led to guidance would be for Allah to lend guidance to every soul whether it desired it or not, sort of force belief on everyone: “Had We so willed, We could give every soul its guidance.” (But that has not been Allah’s scheme. He willed that they be given the free will to choose: Au.).

Nonetheless, Imam Razi further elaborates that the unbelief of the unbelievers is the choice of their Lord who desired that they remain unbelievers. This choice was following His decision that He should create a world filled with good, but adulterated with a little evil. His will - to the effect that some people should remain unbelievers – is following this general design, viz., a few disbelieving, by Allah’s decree, among the rest believing by Allah’s decree.

This however, is a complicated issue, and a controversial one too. A short work of this sort does not afford space for a wholesome discussion (Au.).

Qurtubi offers us reconciliation. The Jabriyyah (those who denied free will) slipped to one extreme when they claimed that people’s guidance is bound with Allah’s will. They depended on the ayah (76: 30),

وَمَا تَشَاؤُونَ إِلا أَن يَشَاء اللَّهُ (الإنسان - 30)

“They do not will except that Allah should will.”

They concluded that both guidance and error are Allah’s own creation in the people’s hearts. On the other hand, the Qadariyyah (who granted free will to man) claimed that man chooses guidance or error freely, following his own will. They substantiated their claim with the verse (81: 28),

لِمَن شَاء مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ (التكوير - 28)

“(The Qur’an is a reminder) for whoever of you that wishes to go straight.”

But the truth lies in between, and they were misled (in their understanding of the issue) because they failed to consider that man is both free as well as bound (by destiny), one and at the same time. His hand – when it vibrates - vibrates without his will. But he also enjoys the power - and free will - to vibrate his hand, as and when he will. Those who did not distinguish between an involuntary vibration of the hand, and the deliberate, fell into error.

We distinguish between what the humans enjoy as free will, and what they are forced to do against or despite their will. Our contention, writes Qurtubi, and perhaps over which we all agree is that we are not absolutely bound (robots in modern terms: Au.); so that, if we choose guidance, it is because we are forced to it, and are acting against our will. But rather, we deliberately choose guidance, following our free will. Allah (swt) has said,

لِمَن شَاء مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ (التكوير - 28)

“(The Qur’an is a reminder) for whoever of you that wishes to go straight.”

Subsequent to our choice, we are helped on by Allah, an act which He rightly attributes to Himself. He said,

وَمَا تَشَاؤُونَ إِلا أَن يَشَاء اللَّهُ (الإنسان - 30)

“They do not will except that Allah should will,” and the implication is that the belief which is obtained by the believers is following their free will’s choice, although they could not have willed without Allah’s will agreeing with theirs. This explains why Allah said (2: 286),

لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ (البقرة - 286)

“Unto it (the soul) what it earned, and upon it what it earned.”

20. That is, ‘My rule will prevail that I shall fill Jahannum with those who disobeyed Me’ (Qurtubi).

21. Imam Razi argues that one can only forget what he knows. How is this applicable to the general lot of the unbelievers (who do not seem to know)? He answers that when the unbelievers were told of the resurrection, reckoning, and retribution, or reward, their minds agreed that the system and the process was reasonable. Thus, they became like those who know. But they chose to forget.

22. The translation follows the general understanding. However, Qurtubi points out, substantiating with examples from Arabic usage, that the “nasi’” of the text can also be understood in the sense of abandonment. That is, “Verily We have indeed abandoned you (in the torment).”

23. Ibn `Abbas was of the opinion that the textual “sujjadan” is for “ruku’” (deep bow). He argued with the verse (38: 24),

خَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ (ص - 24)

“He went into a deep bow, and turned (to Allah)” - Qurtubi, Alusi.

Accordingly, the rule with the Hanafiyyah is that if an Imam recites a Sajdah-invoking ayah in a Prayer, and feels that the followers might get confused over whether he went into ruku` or sujud, he might as well go into ruku` at that point, since ruku` and sujud are homogenous acts (Au.).

It is noteworthy that those who receive the reminder go straightaway into prostration, as they stay away from the beds, in devotion to Allah: not in fear and hope, which come later, and whose effects follow afterwards (Razi).

24. That is, they say these words in prostration, ( سُبحان الله وبحَمدِه ) or words of similar nature (Qurtubi).

25. “And they do not wax proud”: this gives us the reason why these people believed while those who chose to forget the realities disbelieved: they were arrogant (Au.).

26. Anas thought that the time-allusion by (yad`una rabbahum) is to the `Isha Prayer, while Dahhak thought that it is the time between `Isha and Fajr Prayers (Ibn Jarir). The report about Anas has a good chain attached to it (Ibn Kathir). Tirmidhi in fact declared it Sahih (Shawkani).

But the preferred opinion, writes Ibn Jarir, is that of Hasan, Ibn Zayd and Mujahid who thought that the allusion by the invocation (yad`una rabbahum) is to voluntary Prayers, offered deep in the night, at which time their sides are removed from the beds. That is, they are in Prayers while rest of the mankind is in sleep. This is supported by a report coming through Mu`adh ibn Jabal and others that the Prophet said,

أَلا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ وَصَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى { تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنْ الْمَضَاجِعِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ {يعملون} – (أحمد)

“Shall I not lead you to the doors of all good? - fasts are a shield, charitable expending atones for sins, and a slave’s standing in the depth of the night.” Then he recited this verse.

Another report, found in Tha`labi (as also in Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Marduwayh, as noted in Kanz: Au.) comes to us on the authority of Asma’ bint Yezid to the effect that the Prophet said,

يجمع الله الناس يوم القيامة في صعيد واحد يسمعهم الداعي وينفذهم البصر، فيقوم مناد فينادي: أين الذين كانوا يحمدون الله في السراء والضراء؟ فيقومون وهم قليل فيدخلون الجنة بغير حساب، ثم يعود فينادي: أين الذين كانت {تتجافى جنوبهم عن المضاجع يدعون ربهم خوفا وطمعا ومما رزقناهم ينفقون}؟ فيقومون وهم قليل فيدخلون الجنة بغير حساب، ثم يعود فينادي: ليقم الذين كانوا {لا تلهيهم تجارة ولا بيع عن ذكر الله}! فيقومون وهم قليل فيدخلون الجنة بغير حساب، ثم يقوم سائر الناس فيحاسبون. – (كنز)

“Allah will gather together the people in one field in a state that a caller will make them hear and the eyes will be able to see all. A caller will rise up and say, ‘Where are those who used to chant Allah’s glory in good and bad times?’ They will rise up – but few they will be – and will enter Paradise without reckoning. The caller will then return (to say), ‘Where are those to whom is applicable: Removed are their sides from the beds, as they invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they expend out of We bestowed them?’ They will rise up – but few they will be - and will enter Paradise without reckoning. The caller will then return (to say), ‘Let those rise up whom neither commerce nor sale distracted from the remembrance of Allah.’ They will rise up – but few they will be – and entr Paradise without reckoning. It is after this that the rest will rise and taken up for reckoning.”

Qurtubi has a slightly different version to offer. We have presented the version as in Kanz. Shawkani presented this report while discussing the status of those who were not distracted by commerce or sale at verse 37 of Surah Nur. See ch. 24, note no. 88 of this work (Au.).

A report in Ahmad comes through Ibn Mas`ud who narrates the Prophet (saws) as having said:

عَجِبَ رَبُّنَا مِنْ رَجُلَيْنِ رَجُلٍ ثَارَ عَنْ وِطَائِهِ وَلِحَافِهِ مِنْ بَيْنَ حِبِّهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَى صَلاَتِهِ رَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدِى وَشَفَقَةً مِمَّا عِنْدِى وَرَجُلٍ غَزَا فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَانْهَزَمَ فَعَلِمَ مَا عَلَيْهِ فِى الاِنْهِزَامِ وَمَا لَهُ فِى الرُّجُوعِ فَرَجَعَ حَتَّى أُهَرِيقَ دَمُهُ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِمَلاَئِكَتِهِ انْظُرُوا إِلَى عَبْدِى رَجَعَ رَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدِى وَشَفَقَةً مِمَّا عِنْدِى حَتَّى أُهَرِيقَ دَمُهُ (أحمد)

“Our Lord is pleased with two men: a man who jumped out of his bed to pray, leaving behind a warm blanket and a wife. Allah says to His angels, ‘Look at My slave, he jumped out of his bed to pray, leaving behind a warm blanket and a wife, in search of what is with Me.’ And a man who fought in the way of Allah, but they were defeated. He knew what displeasure awaited him if he fled, so he returned seeking what is with Me and lost his life. Allah says to the angels, ‘Look at My slave. He has returned in hope and fear of Me until his blood was shed.’”

Abu Da’ud has a shorter version of this in his Sunan whose chain of narrators was not a happy one for Haythamiyy (Au.).

Imam Ahmad has a report on the authority of Mu`adh ibn Jabal. He said,

عَنْ مُعَاذِ بن جَبَلٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ، فَأَصْبَحْتُ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، أَلا تُخْبِرُنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ، وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ؟ قَالَ: "لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ عَظِيمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ، لا تُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاةَ، وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومُ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ"

ثُمَّ قَالَ: "أَلا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ، وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ، وَصَلاةُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ"ثُمَّ قَرَأَ:"تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ"[السجدة آية 16] حَتَّى قَرَأَ:"جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ" [السجدة آية 17] ، ثُمَّ قَالَ:"أَلا أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ أَمْرِ الإِسْلامِ، وَعَمُودِهِ، وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟ الْجِهَادِ"

ثُمَّ قَالَ: "أَلا أُخْبِرُكَ بِمِلاكِ ذَلِكَ؟"، قُلْتُ: بَلَى، يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ، فَقَالَ:"اكْفُفْ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا"، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ قَالَ:"ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ، وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ أَوْ قَالَ: مَنَاخِرِهِمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟"

“I was with the Prophet in one of those journeys. On one occasion I came close to him while we were riding. I asked, “Prophet of Allah. Will you not tell me about a deed that will lead me to Paradise, and put me away from the Fire?” He answered, “You have asked about something great. But it is easy for him unto whom Allah renders it easy: Worship Allah without associating anyone with Him; establish the Prayers, offer the zakah, fast the Ramadan and perform the pilgrimage.”

Then he added, “Should I not lead you to the doors of all good? Fasts are a shield, charity extinguishes the sins, and a man’s Prayers in the midst of the night.” Then he recited this verse, “Removed are their sides from the beds, as they invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and out of what We have bestowed, they expend. No soul knows what comfort of the eyes has been kept concealed for them as a reward for what they were doing.”

Then he added, “May I not tell you about the apex of the affair, its pillars and its zenith? It is Jihad.”

He further added, “Should I not tell you about something which overarches all these?” I said, “Yes, do it O Messenger of Allah.” (According to other reports, “At that point a rider or a group of them came up. I feared that they will distract him from the topic. So I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah (you said), Should I not tell you about something which overarches all these?’”).

In reply he held his tongue and said, “Keep this under your control.” I asked, “Are we going to be held responsible for what we say?” He replied, “Your mother may lose you. Are the people going to be thrust into the Fire by their faces – or he said by their nostrils – but because of what their tongues reap?” This report is also in Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi, who declared it Hasan Sahih (Ibn Kathir).

27. One might note how the rights of Allah’s creations always follow the mention of His own rights (Au.).

28. The pronoun expressed in “them” is for the believers endowed with qualities mentioned earlier, and not the “soul” itself about which Allah said that it does not know what has been concealed for it as rewards for spending the nights away from the beds (Au.).

A report in this context comes through several chains on the authority of Abu Hurayrah:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَلا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَلا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ فَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ فَلا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ (البخاري)

“Allah has prepared what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no close angel has heard and no mind has imagined, for those whose sides stay away from the beds. Read if you wish, 'No soul knows what comfort of the eyes has been kept concealed for them as a reward for what they were doing '” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud remarked that it is also written in the Tawrah,

لقد أعدّ الله للذين تتجافى جنوبهم عن المضاجع ما لم تر عين، ولم يخطر على قلب بشر، ولم تسمع أذن، وما لم يسمعه ملك مقرّب.

“Allah has prepared for those whose sides stay away from the beds, what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no close angel has heard and no mind has imagined" (Ibn Jarir).

Hasan al-Busri has said, as recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, that rewards match deeds. Since these people concealed their deeds, they will be rewarded with rewards whose qualities have been concealed (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

We might add that since every rising from the bed late at night causes burning of the eyes, Allah will reward them with what will cool their eyes (Au.).

(But it seems rewards as promised here will be extended to those too who will remain faithful and on righteous deeds): Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi have on the authority of Abu Hurayrah and others that, Allah said,

قَالَ اللّهُ عَزّ وَجَلّ: أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِيَ الصّالِحِينَ مَا لاَ عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ، وَلاَ أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ، وَلاَ خَطَرَ عَلَىَ قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ. (المسلم)

“I have prepared for My righteous slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no man’s mind has imagined.”

Another report of Bukhari adds, “.. reserved, quite apart from all that you have known (of the pleasures of Paradise).”

And Muslim has on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,

عنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: "مَنْ يَدْخُلِ الْجَنّةَ يَنْعَمُ لاَ يَبْأَسُ لاَ تَبْلَىَ ثِيَابُهُ وَلاَ يَفْنَىَ شَبَابُهُ". (المسلم)

“He who entered Paradise will be in luxuries, will never be deprived, his clothes will not wear out and never will his youth fade."

It is reported on the authority of al-Mughira b. Shu’ba that the Messenger of Allah said:

سأَلَ مُوسَىَ رَبّهُ: مَا أَدْنَى أَهْلِ الْجَنّةِ مَنْزلَةً؟ قَالَ: هُوَ رَجُلٌ يَجِئُ بَعْدَ مَا أُدْخِلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنّةِ الجَنّةَ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: ادْخُلِ الْجَنّةَ. فَيَقُولُ: أَيْ رَبّ كَيْفَ؟ وَقَدْ نَزَلَ النّاسُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَأَخَذُوا أَخَذَاتِهِمِ؟ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: أَتَرْضَىَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ مِثْلُ مُلْكِ مَلِكٍ مِنْ مُلُوكِ الدّنْيَا؟ فَيَقُولُ: رَضِيتُ، رَبّ فَيُقُولَ: لَكَ ذَلَكَ وَمِثْلُهُ وَمِثْلُهُ وَمِثْلُهُ وَمِثْلُهُ. فَقَالَ فِي الْخَامِسَةِ: رَضِيتُ، رَبّ فَيَقُولُ: هَذَا لَكَ وَعَشَرَةُ أَمْثَالِهِ. وَلَكَ مَا اشْتَهَتْ نَفْسُكَ وَلَذّتْ عَيْنُكَ. فَيَقُولُ: رَضِيتُ، رَبّ قَالَ: رَبّ فَأَعْلاَهُمْ مَنْزِلَةً؟ قَالَ: أُولَئِكَ الّذِينَ أَرَدْتُ غَرَسْتُ كَرَامَتَهُمْ بِيَدِي. وَخَتَمْتُ عَلَيْهَا فَلَمْ تَرَ عَيْنٌ وَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ أُذُنٌ وَلَمْ يَخْطُرْ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ" قَالَ: وَمِصْدَاقُهُ فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزّ وَجَلّ: {فَلاَ تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرّةِ أَعْيُنٍ} (السجدة الاَية:) - (المسلم)

“Musa asked his Lord: ‘Who amongst the inhabitants of Paradise will be the lowest in rank?’ Allah said: ‘Of those deserving Paradise, it is he who will be the last admitted into it. It will be said to him: ‘Enter Paradise.’ He will say: ‘O my Lord! How (can I enter) when the people have settled in their places and have taken their shares?”’ It will be said to him: ‘Would it please you, if there is for you a kingdom similar to the kingdom of a king of the world?' He will say: ‘I am pleased my Lord.' He will say: ‘For you is that, and like that, and like that, and like that, and like that.’ At the fifth (time) he will say: ‘I am well pleased my Lord.' He (Allah) will say: ‘It is for you and, ten times like it, and for you is what your heart desires and your eyes are pleased with.' He will say: ‘I am well pleased, my Lord.' (Thereupon) Musa asked: ‘(Which then is) the highest of their ranks?’ Allah said: ‘They are the chosen ones. I shall establish their honor with My own hand and then set a seal over it. (They will be blessed with bounties) that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined.’ This is substantiated by the Book of Allah (which says): ‘No soul knows what comfort of the eyes has been kept concealed for them as a reward for what they were doing’” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Majid succeeds in searching out similar verses from the Old and New Testaments. He quotes: “For, since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.’ (Is. 64: 4).” And, “But, as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath propounded for them that love him.’ (##1. co. 2: 9).”

29. (Although the application is general, the immediate cause of revelation was, in the opinion of: Au.), `Ata b. Yasar, Suddi and others (who) said that the verse was revealed concerning `Ali ibn Abi Talib and Walid b. `Uqbah b. Abi Mu`ayt (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Reports in Abu al-Faraj’s al-Aghani, Ibn `Adiyy, Ibn Marduwayh, Khatib and Ibn `Asakir tell us that when Walid b. `Uqbah b. Abi Mu`ayt boasted his superiority over `Ali (on the day of Badr: Zamakhshari), he retorted by saying, “Shut up. I am a believer, while you are a libertine” (Shawkani).

It is reported of Hasan b. `Ali that he told Walid b. `Uqbah, “How can you speak ill of `Ali when Allah named him a ‘mu’min’ in ten places in the Qur’an, while He named you ‘fasiq?‘” (Zamakhshari).

The report however is unconfirmed. And perhaps by ten places he meant ten such places where Allah mentioned the qualities of a believer (Au).

It might be recalled that this is the same Walid, writes Qurtubi, who was alluded to as “fasiq” (libertine) in the Qur’nic verse of Al-Hujurat (49: 6) which said,

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَأٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ (الحجرات -6)

“Believers, if there comes to you a fasiq with news, investigate, lest you harm a people in ignorance and then turn up regretful over what you did.” And, this is the same Walid who was found drunk while leading in Fajr Prayers, during the caliphate of `Uthman.

Ibn Kathir, however, does not report the row between `Ali and Walid, and is of the opinion that by the word “fasiq” as appearing in this verse, the allusion is to (any) “kafir”.

That said, some doubt remains about the row between `Ali and Walid because, firstly, this chapter is Makkan, and, secondly, it is reported that at the time of Badr, when the row is reported to have taken place, Waleed was too young, perhaps a boy; although some reports recorded by Ibn Hajr and biographers of the Prophet’s life suggest that he was an adult at the time of Badr (Alusi).

30. Ma’wa of the text is one of the several kinds of Paradise. Allah (swt) said (53: 12-15),

أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى. وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى. عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى. عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى (النجم – 12-15)

“Do you dispute him over what he saw? Indeed he saw him at the time of another descent: at the Utmost Lote Tree. By it is the Garden of Ma’wa.”

And, it is said that this Paradise is so named because souls of the martyrs take refuge in this retreat (ma’wa). It is also said that it is by the right side of the `Arsh (Zamakhshari).

31. Fudayl b. `Iyad said, “By Allah, their hands will be tied, their feet shackled, flames raising them upwards, and the angels thrusting iron forks into them” and they will be told, ‘taste the torment of the Fire that you were denying’” (Ibn Kathir).

32. To what is the allusion by “the lesser chastisement?” According to Ibn `Abbas, Ubayy b. Ka`b, Abu al-`Aliyyah, Dahhak, Hasan and others, the allusion is to the sufferings, diseases, and ordeals of life, such as, the defeat at Badr: so that they might repent. As for “the greater chastisement,” the allusion is to that of the Hereafter.

That was the opinion of Ibn Mas`ud, Mujahid and Hasan also (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

33. Ibn Jarir mentions a hadith which reports one of the several ways of defining a “criminal.” It is declared weak by Haythamiyy but differently worded versions are found in other collections also: Mu`adh ibn Jabal reports the Prophet as having said,

ثَلاثٌ مَنْ فَعَلَهُنَّ فَقَدْ أَجْرَمَ: مَنْ عَقَدَ لِوَاءً فِي غَيْرِ حَقٍّ، أَوْ عَقَّ وَالِدَيْهِ، أَوْ مَشَى مَعَ ظَالِمٍ، فَقَدْ أَجْرَمَ، يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: "إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنْتَقِمُونَ (رواه الطبراني وفيه عبد العزيز بن عبيد الله بن حمزة وهو ضعيف – الهيثمي)

“There are three things that whoever did, committed a crime: He who pitched his flag on what is untruth, or mistreated his parents, or, accompanied a wrongdoer helping him; he committed a crime. Allah says, ‘We shall take vengeance upon the criminals.’”

Qatadah has said, “Beware of turning away from the remembrance of Allah. Whosoever turns away from remembering Him will be the most misguided, the most in need, and the most guilty of sin. Allah said about such of those who do that, ‘Surely, We shall take vengeance upon the criminals’ (Ibn Kathir).