Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (251)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

“And those they used to invoke before will vanish from them.”

Wherever the polytheists’ supplication to their idols and gods is mentioned, what is meant is supplication as worship, which includes supplication as petition. Its meaning as worship is more apparent for three reasons:

First, they said:

“We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” [39:3]

They thus acknowledged that their supplication to them was their worship of them.

Second, Allah, exalted is He, explained this supplication elsewhere as worship, as in His statement:

“And it will be said to them, ‘Where are those you used to worship besides Allah? Can they help you, or even help themselves?’” [26:92–93]

And His statement:

“Indeed, you and what you worship besides Allah are fuel for Hell.” [21:98]

And His statement:

“Say, ‘O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship.’”

This occurs frequently in the Quran. Such was their supplication to their gods and their worship of them.

Third, they worshipped them only to draw nearer to Allah through them. When needs, distress, and hardships befell them, they called upon Allah alone and abandoned those gods. Nevertheless, they would ask them to fulfil some of their needs and make requests of them. Their supplication to them was therefore both supplication as worship and supplication as petition.

His statement, exalted is He:

“So call upon Allah, making your religion sincerely His alone.” [40:14]

refers to supplication as worship. It means: worship Him alone and devote your worship sincerely to Him; do not worship anyone else alongside Him.

As for the statement of Abraham, Allah’s close friend, peace be upon him:

“Indeed, my Lord hears supplication.” [14:39]

Hearing here means hearing in its particular sense: hearing that entails answering and acceptance, not hearing in its general sense, for He hears everything that can be heard.

Accordingly, supplication here includes both supplication as praise and supplication as petition. The Lord’s hearing it—glorified and exalted is He—means His rewarding the praise and answering the petition. He hears both.

As for the statement of Zechariah, peace be upon him:

“I have never been disappointed in calling upon You, my Lord.” [19:4]

وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ ما كانُوا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وكل موضع ذكر فيه دعاء المشركين لأصنامهم وآلهتهم فالمراد به دعاء العبادة، المتضمن دعاء المسألة. فهو في دعاء العبادة أظهر لوجوه ثلاثة: أحدها: أنهم قالوا ٣٩: ٣ ما نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفى فاعترفوا بأن دعاءهم إياهم هو عبادتهم لهم. والثاني: أن الله تعالى فسّر هذا الدعاء في موضع آخر بأنه العبادة. كقوله ٢٦: ٩٢- ٩٣ وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ: أَيْنَ ما كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ هَلْ يَنْصُرُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَنْتَصِرُونَ وقوله: ٢١: ٩٨ إِنَّكُمْ وَما تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ وقوله: قُلْ يا أَيُّهَا الْكافِرُونَ لا أَعْبُدُ ما تَعْبُدُونَ وهو كثير في القرآن. فدعاؤهم لآلهتهم وعبادتهم لها. الثالث: أنهم إنما كانوا يعبدونها يتقربون بها إلى الله. فإذا جاءتهم الحاجات والكربات والشدائد دعوا الله وحده وتركوها. ومع هذا فكانوا يسألونها بعض حوائجهم ويطلبون منها، وكان دعاؤهم لها دعاء عبادة ودعاء مسألة. وقوله تعالى: ٤٠: ١٤ فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ هو دعاء العبادة. والمعنى: اعبدوه وحده وأخلصوا عبادته، لا تعبدوا معه غيره. وأما قول إبراهيم الخليل ﵇: ١٤: ٣٩ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعاءِ فالمراد بالسمع هنا: السمع الخاص، وهو سمع الإجابة والقبول، لا السمع العام. لأنه سميع لكل مسموع. وإذا كان كذلك فالدعاء هنا يتناول دعاء الثناء ودعاء الطلب. وسمع الرب ﵎ له إثابته على الثناء، وإجابته للطلب. فهو سميع لهذا ولهذا. وأما قول زكريا ﵇: ١٩: ٤ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ بِدُعائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا