Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (298)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

A parallel to this is His statement in the same verse: “It was not you who killed them, but Allah who killed them,” followed by: “And it was not you who threw when you threw, but Allah who threw.” He thus declared that He alone had brought about their deaths, and that this had not been accomplished by you yourselves, just as He alone caused the pebbles to reach their eyes, which was not accomplished by His Messenger. The point conveyed by the verse, however, is that Allah, glorified is He, established outward means to repel the polytheists, while He Himself repelled and destroyed them through hidden means other than those apparent to people. Thus, the resulting defeat, killing, and victory were attributable to Him and accomplished through Him. He is the best of helpers.

[Surah al-Anfāl (8): Verse 24]

“O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a person and his heart, and that to Him you will be gathered.” (24)

This verse encompasses several matters.

First: A life of true benefit is attained only by responding to Allah and His Messenger. Whoever fails to respond has no life, even if he has an animal existence that he shares with the lowliest creatures. True, wholesome life is the life of one who responds to Allah and His Messenger, outwardly and inwardly. Such people are truly alive, even if they have died, while others are dead, even though their bodies are alive. Thus, those whose lives are most complete are those who respond most fully to the Messenger’s call, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Everything he called people to contains life. Whoever misses out on any part of it misses out on a portion of life. A person’s share of life is proportionate to his response to the Messenger. Mujāhid said that “that which gives you life” means the truth. Qatādah said: “It is this Quran: in it are life, assurance, salvation, and protection in this world and the Hereafter.” Al-Suddī said: “It is Islam, through which He brought them to life after they had been dead in disbelief.”

Ibn Ishāq and ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr said—the wording is the latter’s—that “that which gives you life” means warfare, through which Allah granted you honour after humiliation, strengthened you after weakness, and protected you from your enemy after they had subjugated you.

ونظير هذا قوله في الآية نفسها: فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ، وَلكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ثم قال: وَما رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمى فأخبر أنه وحده هو الذي تفرد بقتلهم، ولم يكن ذلك بكم أنتم، كما تفرد بإيصال الحصباء إلى أعينهم، ولم يكن ذلك من رسوله. ولكن وجه الإشارة بالآية: أنه سبحانه أقام أسبابا ظاهرة لدفع المشركين، وتولى دفعهم وإهلاكهم بأسباب باطنة غير الأسباب التي تظهر للناس. فكان ما حصل من الهزيمة والقتل والنصرة مضافا إليه، وبه، وهو خير الناصرين. [سورة الأنفال (٨) : آية ٢٤] يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذا دَعاكُمْ لِما يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ (٢٤) فتضمنت هذه الآية أمورا. أحدها: أن الحياة النافعة إنما تحصل باستجابة لله ولرسوله، فمن لم تحصل له هذه الاستجابة فلا حياة له، وإن كانت له حياة بهيمية، مشتركة بينه وبين أرذل الحيوانات. فالحياة الحقيقية الطيبة هي حياة من استجاب لله ولرسوله ظاهرا وباطنا. فهؤلاء هم الأحياء، وإن ماتوا وغيرهم أموات وأن كانوا أحياء الأبدان. ولهذا كان أكمل الناس حياة أكملهم استجابة لدعوة الرسول ﷺ. فإن كل ما دعا إليه ففيه الحياة. فمن فاته جزء منه فاته جزء من الحياة. وفيه من الحياة بحسب ما استجاب للرسول. قال مجاهد لِما يُحْيِيكُمْ يعني: للحق. وقال قتادة: هو هذا القرآن، فيه الحياة والثقة والنجاة والعصمة في الدنيا والآخرة. وقال السدي: هو الإسلام، أحياهم به بعد موتهم بالكفر. قال بن إسحاق وعروة بن الزبير- واللفظ له- لما يحييكم: يعني للحرب التي أعزكم الله بها بعد الذل، وقواكم بها بعد الضعف، ومنعكم بها من عدوكم بعد القهر منهم لكم.