Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz Amma - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (195)

Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz AmmaIbn al-'Uthaymin

among its own people, with some destroying others. Thus, the Muslims’ fighting and destroying one another has occurred only because of acts of disobedience and sins. Allah sets some of them against others, and this is a punishment from Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He.

“So your Lord poured down upon them”: pouring is known to come from above, and the punishment that befell these people came from above, from Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He.

“A scourge of punishment”: a scourge is a rod used for striking, and it is well known that being struck with a rod is a form of punishment. But was the scourge that Allah Most High poured down upon Ad, Thamūd, and Pharaoh the familiar rod that we know, or was it a rod of punishment that destroyed them? The answer is the latter: it was a rod of punishment that destroyed and annihilated them.

We ask Allah Most High to make the fate of the earlier nations a lesson from which we take heed and benefit, and to make us obedient to Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—rather than transgressors. He is indeed capable of all things.

“Indeed, your Lord is ever watchful.” The address here is directed to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace—or to everyone whom the address reaches. Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—makes clear that He lies in wait for everyone who transgresses, commits aggression, and acts arrogantly. He lies in wait for such a person and will punish him and call him to account. This meaning has parallels in the Noble Quran, including His saying—Most High is He:

“Have they not traveled through the land and seen what was the fate of those before them? Allah utterly destroyed them, and the disbelievers will meet a similar fate.” [Muhammad: 10]

Similarly, Shuayb said to his people:

“O my people, do not let your opposition to me cause you to suffer what befell the people of Noah, the people of Hūd, or the people of Sālih; and the people of Lot are not far from you.” [Hūd: 89]

Allah’s way is one and the same regarding those who deny His messengers and arrogantly refuse to worship Him: He lies in wait for them. This verse therefore conveys a threat and warning to anyone who is too arrogant to worship Allah or who denies the truth of what He has stated.

بينهم، يدمر بعضهم بعضاً، وعلى هذا فما حصل من المسلمين من اقتتال بعضهم بعضاً، ومن تدمير بعضهم بعضاً إنما هو بسبب المعاصي والذنوب، يسلط الله بعضهم على بعض ويكون هذا عقوبة من الله ﷾، ﴿فصب عليهم ربك﴾ الصب معروف أنه يكون من فوق، والعذاب الذي أتى هؤلاء من فوق من عند الله ﷿ ﴿سوط عذاب﴾ السوط هو العصا الذي يضرب به، ومعلوم أن الضرب بالعصا نوع عذاب، لكن هل هذاالسوط الذي صبه الله تعالى على عاد، وثمود، وفرعون، هل هو العصا المعروف الذي نعرف، أو أنه عصا عذاب أهلكهم؟ الجواب: الثاني عصا عذاب أهلكهم وأبادهم. نسأل الله تعالى أن يجعل لنا فيما سبق من الأمم عبرة نتعظ بها وننتفع بها، ونكون طائعين لله ﷿ غير طاغين، إنه على كل شيء قدير. ﴿إن ربك لبالمرصاد﴾ الخطاب هنا للنبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم، أو لكل من يتوجه إليه الخطاب، يبين الله ﷿ أنه بالمرصاد لكل من طغى واعتدى وتكبر، فإنه له بالمرصاد سوف يعاقبه ويؤاخذه، وهذا المعنى له نظائر في القرآن الكريم منها قوله ﵎: ﴿أفلم يسيروا في الأرض فينظروا كيف كان عاقبة الذين من قبلهم دمر الله عليهم وللكافرين أمثالها﴾ [محمد: ١٠] . وكقول شعيب لقومه: ﴿ويا قوم لا يجرمنكم شقاقي أن يصيبكم مثل ما أصاب قوم نوح أو قوم هود أو قوم صالح وما قوم لوط منكم ببعيد﴾ [هود: ٨٩] . فسنة الله ﷾ واحدة في المكذبين لرسله، المستكبرين عن عبادته هو لهم بالمرصاد، وهذه الآية تفيد التهديد والوعيد لمن استكبر عن عبادة الله، أو كذب خبره.