Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (301)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

by which he walks along the path, seeing both the path and the dangers he must avoid.

Second, he walks by his light, and they draw light from it because they need illumination.

Third, he will walk by his light across the Bridge on the Day of Resurrection, while the people of polytheism and hypocrisy remain in the darkness of their polytheism and hypocrisy.

As for His words:

“And know that Allah intervenes between a person and his heart.” (8:4)

The well-known interpretation of this verse is that He intervenes between the believer and disbelief, and between the disbeliever and faith; between those who obey Him and disobedience to Him, and between those who disobey Him and obedience to Him. This is the view of Ibn ‘Abbās and the majority of Quran commentators. There is another interpretation: that He, glorified be He, is close to a person’s heart, and nothing is hidden from Him. Thus, He is between the person and his heart. Al-Wāhidī relates this from Qatādah.

This interpretation is more in keeping with the context, because responding begins in the heart. A bodily response without the heart’s response is of no benefit. Allah, glorified be He, is between the servant and his heart, so He knows whether his heart has responded to Him, and whether he inwardly intends that response or its opposite.

According to the first interpretation, the connection with the context is this: if you are reluctant to respond and slow to do so, do not feel secure against Allah intervening between you and your hearts, leaving you unable to respond thereafter as punishment for failing to respond once the truth had become clear and manifest. This would be like His words:

“We turn their hearts and eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time.” (6:110)

And His words:

“When they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.” (61:5)

And His words:

“They would not believe in what they had denied before.” (7:101)

Thus, the verse warns against failing to respond with the heart, even if one responds with one’s limbs.

The verse contains another subtle meaning: it brings together for them the revealed law and the command to follow it—namely, to respond—alongside divine decree and belief in it. It is thus like His words:

“For whoever among you wills to follow the straight path. But you cannot will unless Allah, Lord of all worlds, wills.” (81:28, 29)

And His words:

يمشي به في الطريق ويراها، ويرى ما يحذره فيها. وثانيها: أنه يمشي بنوره فهم يقتبسون فيه لحاجتهم إلى النور. وثالثها: أنه يمشي بنوره يوم القيامة على الصراط إذا بقي أهل الشرك والنفاق في ظلمات شركهم ونفاقهم. وقوله، ٨: ٤ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ المشهور في الآية: أنه يحول بين المؤمن وبين الكفر، وبين الكافر وبين الإيمان. ويحول بين أهل طاعته وبين معصيته وبين أهل معصيته وبين طاعته. وهذا قول ابن عباس وجمهور المفسرين: وفي الآية قول آخر: أن المعنى: أنه سبحانه قريب من قلبه لا تخفى عليه خافية. فهو بينه وبين قلبه. ذكره الواحدي عن قتادة. وكان هذا أنسب بالسياق. لأن الاستجابة أصلها بالقلب فلا تنفع الاستجابة بالبدن. دون القلب. فإن الله سبحانه بين العبد وبين قلبه. فيعلم هل استجاب له قلبه، وهل أضمر ذلك أو أضمر خلافه. وعلى القول الأول: فوجه المناسبة: إنكم إن تثاقلتم عن الاستجابة وأبطأتم عنها فلا تأمنوا أن الله يحول بينكم وبين قلوبكم. فلا يمكنكم بعد ذلك من الاستجابة، وعقوبة لكم على تركها بعد وضوح الحق واستبانته، فيكون كقوله: ٦: ١١٠ وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصارَهُمْ كَما لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وقوله: ٦١: ٥ فَلَمَّا زاغُوا أَزاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وقوله: ٧: ١٠١ فَما كانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا بِما كَذَّبُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ. ففي الآية تحذير عن ترك الاستجابة بالقلب، وإن استجاب بالجوارح. وفي الآية سر آخر وهو أنه جمع لهم بين الشرع والأمر به وهو الاستجابة، وبين القدر والإيمان به. فهي كقوله: ٨١: ٢٨، ٢٩ لِمَنْ شاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ. وَما تَشاؤُنَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعالَمِينَ قوله: