Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (201)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

love and fear—that it is from Allah, who truly spoke it, and that His messenger Gabriel conveyed it from Him to His Messenger Muhammad.

This testimony within the heart is among the greatest testimonies. Heraclius invoked it in his discussion with Abū Sufyān when he asked him, “Does any of them renounce his religion out of displeasure with it after embracing it?”

He replied, “No.” Heraclius said, “Such is faith: once its joy permeates hearts, no one becomes displeased with it.”

Allah Most High pointed to this meaning in His saying:

29:49 “Rather, it is clear signs within the hearts of those who have been given knowledge.”

And His saying:

34:6 “Those who have been given knowledge see that what has been sent down to you from your Lord is the truth.”

And His saying:

22:54 “And so that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord and believe in it.”

And His saying:

13:19 “Is someone who knows that what has been sent down to you from your Lord is the truth like someone who is blind?”

And His saying:

13:27 “Those who disbelieve say, ‘Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘Allah leaves astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.’”

This means that the sign they demand does not necessarily bring about guidance; rather, Allah is the One who guides and leaves astray. He then drew their attention to the greatest and most exalted sign: the reassurance believers’ hearts find in the Reminder Allah has sent down. He said:

13:28 “Those who believe and whose hearts find reassurance in the remembrance of Allah. Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find reassurance.”

The reassurance and repose that sound hearts and uncorrupted innate dispositions find in it are among the greatest signs. For it is contrary to the established course of things for hearts to find reassurance and repose in lies, fabrication, and falsehood.

If it is asked: “Why, then, did He, glorified be He, not mention the testimony of His messengers alongside that of the angels, so as to say, ‘Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, as do the angels and the messengers,’ even though their testimony is weightier than that of those endowed with knowledge?”

The answer is that there are several benefits in this:

First, ‘those endowed with knowledge’ is more inclusive than ‘messengers and prophets’: it encompasses both them and their followers.

والحب والخوف- أنه من عند الله تكلم به حقا، وبلغه رسوله جبريل عنه إلى رسوله محمد. فهذا الشاهد في القلب من أعظم الشواهد. وبه احتج هرقل على أبي سفيان حيث قال له «فهل يرتد أحد منهم سخطة لدينه بعد أن يدخل فيه؟ فقال: لا. فقال له: وكذلك الايمان، إذا خالطت بشاشته القلوب لا يسخطه أحد» . وقد أشار الله تعالى إلى هذا المعنى في قوله ٢٩: ٤٩ بَلْ هُوَ آياتٌ بَيِّناتٌ فِي صُدُورِ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وقوله ٣٤: ٦ وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ هُوَ الْحَقَّ وقوله ٢٢: ٥٤ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَيُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ وقوله ١٣: ١٩ أَفَمَنْ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمى؟ وقوله ١٣: ٢٧ وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا: لَوْلا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشاءُ، وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَنابَ. يعني أن الآية التي يقترحونها لا توجب هداية، بل الله هو الذي يهدي ويضل ثم نبههم على أعظم آية وأجابها: وهي طمأنينة قلوب المؤمنين بذكر الله الذي أنزله. فقال ١٣: ٢٨ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا، وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ فطمأنينة القلوب الصحيحة، والفطر السليمة به. وسكونها إليها: من أعظم الآيات، إذ يستحيل في العادة: أن تطمئن القلوب وتسكن إلى الكذب والافتراء والباطل. فإن قيل: فلم لم يذكر سبحانه شهادة رسله مع الملائكة. فقال: شهد الله أنه لا إله إلا هو والملائكة والرسل، وهم أعظم شهادة من أولي العلم؟. قيل: في ذلك عدة فوائد: أحدها: أن أولي العلم أعم من الرسل والأنبياء. فيدخلون هم وأتباعهم.