Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (155)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

is like the dust on that stone. The hardness and solidity beneath it prevent anything from growing in it and keep it from remaining in place when the downpour comes. It has no connection to soil that absorbs water and produces vegetation. Likewise, the person who shows off has no firmness beneath the downpour of commands and prohibitions, divine decree and predestination. When the downpour of revelation falls upon him, the scant dust covering him is stripped away, revealing bare, solid rock beneath, with nothing growing upon it. This is a parable Allah, glorified be He, has set forth for the deeds and spending of one who shows off: on the Day of Resurrection, he will obtain no reward for any of it, precisely when he needs it most. And Allah grants success.

The words of Allah, exalted be His mention:

2: 282 “If one of them forgets, the other may remind her.”

This indicates that if a witness forgets his testimony and someone else reminds him of it, he may not rely on that person’s statement until he himself remembers it. He may not simply follow the other person’s word, for Allah, glorified be He, said, “The other may remind her,” not, “inform her.”

There are two readings here: one with the consonant doubled and one without. The correct view is that both convey the same meaning, derived from dhikr (remembrance). Far-fetched is the claim that it means making her a dhakar (male), both in wording and meaning. For He, glorified be He, made this a cause of forgetfulness, which is the opposite of remembrance. Thus, if she loses track or forgets, the other reminds her, and she remembers.

The Kufan grammarians understand the words “If one of them forgets” to mean “lest one of them forget.” They apply this interpretation consistently to every similar expression, such as His words:

4: 175 “Allah makes things clear to you, lest you go astray,” and similar passages.

An objection to their interpretation is the subjunctive form of “the other may remind her,” since the implied wording would then be: “lest you go astray, and lest she remind her.”

The Basran grammarians explain it by supplying an omitted verbal noun: willing, aversion, or caution.

بمنزلة التراب الذي على ذلك الحجر. فقسوة ما تحته وصلابته تمنعه من النبات والثبات عند نزول الوابل. فليس له مادة متصلة بالذي يقبل الماء وينبت الكلاء. وكذلك المرائي ليس له ثبات عند وابل الأمر والنهي والقضاء والقدر. فإذا نزل عليه وابل الوحي تكشف عنه ذلك التراب اليسير الذي كان عليه. فبرز ما تحته حجرا صلدا، لا نبات فيه. وهذا مثل ضربه الله سبحانه لعمل المرائي ونفقته، لا يقدر يوم القيامة على ثواب شيء منه، أحوج ما كان إليه. وبالله التوفيق. قول الله تعالى ذكره: ٢: ٢٨٢ أَنْ تَضِلَّ إِحْداهُما فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْداهُمَا الْأُخْرى فيه دليل على أن الشاهد إذا نسي شهادته فذكّره بها غيره لم يرجع إلى قوله، حتى يذكرها. وليس له أن يقلده. فإنه سبحانه قال: فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْداهُمَا الْأُخْرى ولم يقل: فتخبرها. وفيها قراءتان: التثقيل والتخفيف. والصحيح: أنهما بمعنى واحد من «الذكر» وأبعد من قال: فيجعلها «ذكرا» لفظا ومعنى. فإنه سبحانه جعل ذلك علة للضلال، الذي هو ضد الذكر. فإذا ضلت أو نسيت ذكرتها الأخرى فذكرت. وقوله: أَنْ تَضِلَّ تقديره عند الكوفيين: لئلا تضل إحداهما. ويطردون ذلك في كل ما جاء من هذا. كقوله تعالى: ٤: ١٧٥ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا ونحوه. ويرد عليهم نصب قوله: فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْداهُمَا الْأُخْرى إذ يكون تقديره: لئلا تضلوا. ولئلا تذكر. وقدره البصريون بمصدر محذوف. وهو الإرادة والكراهة والحذر.