Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz Amma - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (128)

Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz AmmaIbn al-'Uthaymin

you give due thanks for it or not. If adversity befalls you, be patient, for that too is a trial and test from Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—through which He tests whether you will be patient or not. If you remain patient and seek your reward from Allah, Allah says: ﴿Indeed, those who are patient will be given their reward without measure﴾ [Al-Zumar: 10].

It is also possible that His name “the Praiseworthy” means that He is the One who praises. For He—Glorious is He—praises those who deserve praise. He commends those of His servants who are messengers, prophets, and righteous, and commending them is praise of them. Thus, He—Glorious and Exalted is He—praises and is Himself praised. It is authentically reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—that Allah is pleased with a servant who eats a meal and praises Him for it, or drinks a drink and praises Him for it (1), for had Allah not made that meal and drink readily available to you, you would not have obtained them.

Allah Most High says: ﴿Have you considered what you cultivate? Is it you who make it grow, or are We the Ones who make it grow?﴾ [Al-Wāqiah: 63–64]. Allah asks us: Is it you who make it grow, or are We the Ones who make it grow? The answer is: It is You, our Lord. ﴿If We willed, We could reduce it to chaff.﴾ After it sprouts and people’s hearts grow attached to it, Allah would reduce it to chaff. The wording used is not, “If We willed, We would not make it grow,” because its sprouting and people’s becoming attached to it, only for it then to become chaff, strikes the soul more severely than if it had never sprouted at all. ﴿If We willed, We could reduce it to chaff, leaving you marveling in dismay: “We have indeed been burdened with loss! Rather, we have been deprived!”﴾ ﴿Al-Wāqiah: 65–67﴾

He then mentioned drinking, saying: ﴿Have you considered the water you drink? Is it you who send it down from the rain clouds, or are We the Ones who send it down?﴾ ﴿Al-Wāqiah: 68–69﴾ The answer is: It is You, our Lord. ﴿If We willed, We could make it salty﴾—that is, salty rather than fresh, so that no one could drink it. ﴿Will you not then give thanks?﴾ This means: Why do you not thank Allah for that? Here, too, the wording used is not, “If We willed, We would not send it down from the rain clouds,” because its coming down

(1) Recorded by Muslim in the Book of Remembrance and Supplication, chapter “The Recommendation to Praise Allah Most High after Eating and Drinking” (2734 [89]).

تؤدي شكرها أو لا تؤدي، إن أصابتك ضراء فاصبر فإن ذلك أيضاً ابتلاء وامتحان من الله ﷿ ليبلوك هل تصبر أو لا تصبر، وإذا صبرت واحتسبت الأجر من الله فإن الله يقول: ﴿إنما يوفى الصابرون أجرهم بغير حساب﴾ [الزمر: ١٠] . ويجوز أن يكون معنى قوله: ﴿الحميد﴾ أنه هو الحامد، فإنه ﷾ يحمد من يستحق الحمد، يثني على عباده من المرسلين والأنبياء والصالحين، والثناء عليهم حمدٌ لهم، فهو جل وعلا حامد، وهو كذلك محمود، وقد ثبت عن النبي ﵊ أن الله يرضى عن العبد يأكل الأكلة فيحمده عليها ويشرب الشربة فيحمده عليها (١) ، لأنه لولا أن الله يسر لك هذه الأكلة والشربة ما حصلت عليها، قال الله ﵎: ﴿أفرأيتم ما تحرثون أأنتم تزرعونه أم نحن الزارعون﴾ [الواقعة: ٦٣-٦٤] . الله يسألنا، أنتم تزرعونه أم نحن الزارعون؟ الجواب: بل أنت يا ربنا ﴿لو نشاء لجعلناه حطاماً﴾ بعد أن يخرج وتتعلق به النفوس يجعله الله حطاماً، ولم يأت التعبير «لو نشاء لم ننبته» لأن كونه ينبت وتتعلق به النفس ثم يكون حطاماً أشد وقعاً على النفس من كونه لا ينبت أصلاً ﴿لو نشاء لجعلناه حطاماً فظلتم تفكهون إنا لمغرمون بل نحن محرومون﴾ ﴿الواقعة: ٦٥- ٦٧﴾ ثم ذكر الشرب فقال: ﴿أفرأيتم الماء الذي تشربون. أأنتم أنزلتموه من المزن أم نحن المنزلون﴾ ﴿الواقعة ٦٨- ٦٩﴾ الجواب: بل أنت يا ربنا ﴿لو نشاء جعلناه أجاجاً﴾ أي مالحاً غير عذب لا يستطيع الإنسان أن يشربه ﴿فلولا تشكرون﴾ يعني فهلا تشكرون الله على ذلك، وهنا لم يأت التعبير «لو نشاء لم ننزله من المزن» ، لأن كونه ينزل

(١) أخرجه مسلم كتاب الذكر والدعاء باب استحباب حمد الله تعالى بعد الأكل زالشرب (٢٧٣٤) (٨٩) .