Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz Amma - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (75)

Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz AmmaIbn al-'Uthaymin

a distant object as a silhouette and identify it in your mind as something that it is not in reality. You may also hear a sound and imagine it to be something specific, though it is not so in reality. Misperception can therefore affect the senses. But once the meaning of Allah’s report—Mighty and Majestic is He—is known, no misperception can ever affect it, for it is a truthful report. The events Allah has mentioned in these verses are realities in which you must believe as though you were seeing them with your own eyes. Having believed in them, you must then act upon what they entail: taking heed, refraining from sin, fulfilling your obligations, and abandoning what has been forbidden, so that you may be among the people of the Quran who recite it as it ought to be recited.

﴾So indeed, I swear by the retreating stars, which run their courses and disappear; by the night as it advances; and by the dawn as it breathes. This is indeed the word conveyed by a noble messenger, endowed with power and held in honor by the Lord of the Throne, obeyed there and trustworthy. Your companion is not mad. He certainly saw him on the clear horizon. Nor does he withhold what has been revealed to him from the unseen. Nor is this the word of an accursed devil. So where are you going? It is only a reminder to all creation—for whoever among you wishes to follow the straight path. But you cannot will unless Allah, Lord of all creation, wills.﴿

Regarding His words, ﴾So indeed, I swear by the retreating stars﴿: Some people may think that the word “indeed” here is a negation, but that is not the case. Rather, it affirms the oath and is used in this construction for emphasis. The meaning is therefore: ﴾I swear by the retreating stars.﴿ “The retreating stars” are those that withdraw—that is, they return. While you see them at the uppermost part of the horizon, they then appear to return toward its other end. Allah knows best, but this is because of their great height and distance, such that the stars beneath them appear to travel faster, according to how the eye perceives them,

الشيء البعيد شبحاً تعينه في تصورك وهو خلاف الواقع، وقد تسمع الصوت فتظنه شيئاً معيناً في ذهنك وهو خلاف الواقع، فالوهم يرد على الحواس، لكن خبر الله ﷿ إذا علم مدلوله لا يمكن أبداً أن يرد عليه شيء من الوهم؛ لنه خبر صدق، فهذه الأمور التي ذكر الله في هذ الآيات أمور حقيقية يجب أت تؤمن بها كأنك تراها رأي العين ثم بعد الإيمان بها يجب أن تعمل بمقتضي ما تدل عليه من الاتعاظ والانزجار، والقيام بالواجب، وترك المنهيات حتى تكون من أهل القرآن الذين يتلونه حق تلاوته. ﴿فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ * الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ * وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ * وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ * إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ * ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ * مُّطَعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ * وَمَا صَحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ * وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِالاُْفُقِ الْمُبِينِ * وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ * وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَنٍ رَّجِيمٍ * فَأيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَاّ ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَلَمِينَ * لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ * وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَاّ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَلَمِينَ﴾ . ﴿فلا أقسم بالخنس﴾ قوله تعالى: ﴿فلا أقسم﴾ قد يظن بعض الناس أن ﴿لا﴾ نافية وليس كذلك، بل هي مثبتة للقسم ويؤتى بها بمثل هذا التركيب للتأكيد. فالمعنى ﴿أقسم بالخنس﴾ والخنس جمع خانسة، وهي النجوم التي تخنس، أي ترجع فبينما تراها في أعلى الأفق إذا بها راجعة إلى آخر الأفق، وذلك والله أعلم لارتفاعها وبُعدها فيكون ما تحتها من النجوم أسرع منها في الجري بحسب رؤية العين،