Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (248)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

Another example is His statement, exalted is He:

“Do not go near unlawful sexual intercourse. It is indeed an indecency and an evil way.” [17:33]

In both passages, He explains the prohibition by the indecency of the act prohibited. If its indecency consisted merely in its being prohibited, this would explain something by itself. It would amount to saying, “Do not go near unlawful sexual intercourse, for He tells you not to go near it,” or, “because it is prohibited.” This is untenable for two reasons:

First, it would deprive the statement of any meaningful content.

Second, it would explain the prohibition by the prohibition itself!

[Surah al-A‘rāf (7): Verses 55–56]

“Call upon your Lord humbly and privately. Indeed, He does not love transgressors. (55) And do not spread corruption on earth after it has been set right. Call upon Him with fear and hope. Surely Allah’s mercy is near to those who do good.” (56)

These two verses encompass the proper manners of both kinds of supplication: supplication as worship and supplication as petition.

In the Quran, supplication sometimes means the former, sometimes the latter, and sometimes both together. The two are inseparably linked.

Petitionary supplication means asking for what benefits the supplicant and asking that whatever harms him be removed or averted. Whoever possesses the power to harm and benefit is the one truly worthy of worship. The one worshipped must possess the power to benefit and harm. This is why Allah, exalted is He, condemns those who worship besides Him that which has no power to harm or benefit. This occurs frequently in the Quran, as in His statement:

“They worship besides Allah that which neither harms nor benefits them.” [10:18]

And His statement:

“Do not call upon, besides Allah, that which neither benefits nor harms you.” [10:106]

And His statement:

“Say, ‘Do you worship besides Allah that which has no power to harm or benefit you, while Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing?’” [5:76]

And His statement:

“He said, ‘Do you then worship besides Allah that which cannot benefit you at all, nor [21:66, 67]

ومن هذا قوله تعالى: ١٧: ٣٣ وَلا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنى إِنَّهُ كانَ فاحِشَةً وَساءَ سَبِيلًا فعلل النهي في الموضعين بكون المنهي عنه فاحشة. ولو كان جهة كونه فاحشة هو النهي لكان تعليلا للشيء بنفسه، ولكان بمنزلة أن يقال: لا تقربوا الزنا فإنه يقول لكم لا تقربوه، أو فإنه منهي عنه. وهذا محال من وجهين. أحدهما: أنه يتضمن إخلاء الكلام من الفائدة. والثاني: أنه تعليل للنهي بالنهي! [سورة الأعراف (٧) : الآيات ٥٥ الى ٥٦] ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعاً وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ (٥٥) وَلا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاحِها وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (٥٦) هاتان الآيتان مشتملتان على آداب نوعي الدعاء: دعاء العبادة، ودعاء المسألة. فإن الدعاء في القرآن يراد به هذا تارة، وهذا تارة. ويراد به مجموعهما. وهما متلازمان. فإن دعاء المسألة هو طلب ما ينفع الداعي، وطلب كشف ما يضره، أو دفعه. ومن يملك الضر والنفع فإنه هو المعبود حقا. والمعبود لا بد أن يكون مالكا للنفع والضر. ولهذا أنكر الله تعالى على عبد من دونه ما لا يملك ضرا ولا نفعا، وذلك كثير في القرآن. كقوله تعالى: ١٠: ١٨ وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ما لا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وقوله تعالى: ١٠: ١٠٦ وَلا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ما لا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلا يَضُرُّكَ وقوله تعالى: ٥: ٧٦ قُلْ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ما لا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلا نَفْعاً وَاللَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ وقوله تعالى: ٢١: ٦٦، ٦٧ قالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ما لا يَنْفَعُكُمْ شَيْئاً وَلا