Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (320)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

first, the bounty itself; and second, the recipient’s readiness to receive it. It is like rain falling upon land with little vegetation: the intended benefit is realized through both the bounty and the land’s receptiveness to it. And Allah knows best.

Joy appears in the Quran in two forms: unqualified and qualified. Unqualified joy is mentioned with blame, as in His words, 28:76: “Do not exult, for Allah does not love the exultant,” and His words, 11:10: “Indeed, he is exultant and boastful.”

Qualified joy is also of two kinds. The first is joy in worldly things that causes a person to forget Allah’s bounty and favor. This is blameworthy, as in His words, 6:44: “Until, when they rejoiced in what they had been given, We seized them suddenly, and they were plunged into despair.” The second is joy in Allah’s bounty and mercy. This, too, is of two kinds: bounty and mercy in the means, and bounty and mercy in the outcome.

The first is exemplified by His words: “Say, ‘In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy—in that let them rejoice. It is better than what they accumulate.’”

The second is exemplified by His words, 3:17: “Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty.” Joy in Allah, His Messenger, faith, the Sunnah, knowledge, and the Quran is among the signs of those who know Allah. Allah Most High says, 9:134:

“Whenever a surah is sent down, some of them say, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who believe, it increases them in faith, and they rejoice.”

He also says, 13:36: “Those to whom We have given the Scripture rejoice in what has been sent down to you.”

Joy in knowledge, faith, and the Sunnah shows how greatly a person esteems and loves them, and prefers them to other things. A servant’s joy upon obtaining something is proportionate to his love and desire for it. Whoever has no desire for something neither rejoices at obtaining it nor grieves at missing it. Joy thus follows love and desire.

The distinction between joy and glad anticipation is that joy in something beloved comes after obtaining it, whereas glad anticipation comes before obtaining it, when one is confident of doing so. Hence Allah Most High says, 3:170:

“Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and rejoicing in the good news of those they left behind who have not yet joined them.”

أحدهما: الفضل في نفسه. والثاني: استعداد المحل لقبوله، كالغيث يقع على الأرض القليلة النبات فيتم المقصود بالفضل وقبول المحل له. والله أعلم. وقد جاء الفرح في القرآن على نوعين: مطلق، ومقيد. فالمطلق: جاء في الذم كقوله: ٢٨: ٧٦ لا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ وقوله ١١: ١٠ إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ والمقيد نوعان أيضا: مقيد بالدنيا، ينسى صاحبه فضل الله ومنته، فهو مذموم. كقوله ٦: ٤٤ حَتَّى إِذا فَرِحُوا بِما أُوتُوا أَخَذْناهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ والثاني: مقيد بفضل الله وبرحمته، وهو نوعان أيضا: فضل ورحمة بالسبب وفضل ورحمة بالمسبب. فالأول: كقوله: قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ. والثاني: كقوله ٣: ١٧ فَرِحِينَ بِما آتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فالفرح بالله ورسوله وبالإيمان والسنة وبالعلم والقرآن من علامات العارفين. قال الله تعالى: ٩: ١٣٤ وَإِذا ما أُنْزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ: أَيُّكُمْ زادَتْهُ هذِهِ إِيماناً؟ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَزادَتْهُمْ إِيماناً، وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ وقال ١٣: ٣٦ وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فالفرح بالعلم والإيمان والسنة دليل على تعظيمه عند صاحبه ومحبته له. وإيثاره له على غيره. فإن فرح العبد بالشيء عند حصوله على قدر محبته له ورغبته فيه. فمن ليس له رغبة في الشيء لا يفرحه حصوله، ولا يحزنه فواته. فالفرح تابع للمحبة والرغبة. فالفرق بينه وبين الاستبشار: أن الفرح بالمحبوب بعد حصوله، والاستبشار يكون به قبل حصوله إذا كان على ثقة من حصوله ولهذا قال تعالى: ٣: ١٧٠ فَرِحِينَ بِما آتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ، وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ.