Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (367)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

This making him heedless led him to follow his desires and neglect his affairs.

Mujāhid said: “‘His affairs were neglected’ means that they went to waste.”
Qatādah said: “They went utterly to waste.”
Al-Suddī said: “To ruin.”
Abū al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham said: “A neglected affair is one treated lightly and allowed to go to waste. Negligence means giving precedence to inaction.”
“A neglected affair is one treated lightly and allowed to go to waste. Negligence means giving precedence to inaction.”
Abū Ishāq said: “Whoever gives precedence to inaction in an affair lets it go to waste and brings it to ruin.”
Al-Layth said: “Farat denotes an affair that is neglected. It is said: ‘All so-and-so’s affairs are neglected.’”
Al-Farrā’ said: “‘Neglected’ means abandoned: he neglected what should not be neglected, followed what should not be followed, and was heedless of what one should not be heedless of.”

[Surah al-Kahf (18): verse 57]

“And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of his Lord’s signs, then turns away from them and forgets what his own hands have sent forth? Indeed, We have placed coverings over their hearts so that they cannot understand it, and deafness in their ears. Even if you call them to guidance, they will never then be guided.” (57)

Akinnah (coverings) is the plural of kinān, just as a‘innah is the plural of inān (rein). Its root meaning is concealment and covering.

It is said that kannahu, akannahu, and kinān share the same meaning. Yet there is a distinction between the two. Akannahu means to cover and conceal something, as in His words, “Or conceal within yourselves” (2:177). Kannahu means to protect and preserve something, as in His words, “As though they were carefully preserved eggs” (37:49). Both convey concealment. A kinān is something that conceals and covers a thing; it is like a casing.

They themselves acknowledged this, saying:

“Our hearts are covered against what you call us to; there is deafness in our ears, and between us and you is a barrier.” (41:5)

They thus mentioned the covering of the heart—the coverings; the covering of the ears—deafness; and the covering of the eyes—the barrier.

The meaning is: We do not understand your words, nor hear them, nor see you.

وهذا الإغفال ترتب عليه اتباع هواه، وتفريطه في أمره. قال مجاهد: كان أمره فرطا: أي ضياعا. وقال قتادة: ضاع أكبر الضيعة. وقال السدي: هلاكا. وقال أبو الحسن بن الهيثم: أمر فرط: متهاون به مضيّع. والتفريط تقديم العجز. : أمر فرط: متهاون به مضيّع. والتفريط تقديم العجز. وقال أبو إسحاق: من قدم العجز في أمر أضاعه وأهلكه. وقال الليث: الفرط الأمر الذي يفرط فيه. يقال: كل أمر فلان فرط. وقال الفراء: فرطا متروكا، فرط فيما لا ينبغي التفريط فيه، واتبع ما لا ينبغي اتباعه. وغفل عما لا يحسن الغفلة عنه. [سورة الكهف (١٨) : آية ٥٧] وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآياتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْها وَنَسِيَ ما قَدَّمَتْ يَداهُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنا عَلى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذانِهِمْ وَقْراً وَإِنْ تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدى فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذاً أَبَداً (٥٧) وهي جمع كنان، كعنان وأعنة. وأصله: من الستر والتغطية. ويقال: كنه، وأكنه، وكنان، بمعنى واحد، بل بينهما فرق. فأكنه، إذا ستره وأخفاه. كقوله تعالى: ٢: ١٧٧ أَوْ أَكْنَنْتُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وكنه: إذا صانه وحفظه، كقوله: ٣٧: ٤٩ كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيْضٌ مَكْنُونٌ ويشتركان في الستر، والكنان: ما أكنّ الشيء وستره. وهو كالغلاف. وقد أقروا على أنفسهم بذلك فقالوا: ٤١: ٥ قُلُوبُنا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونا إِلَيْهِ، وَفِي آذانِنا وَقْرٌ، وَمِنْ بَيْنِنا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجابٌ فذكروا غطاء القلب: وهو الأكنة، وغطاء الأذن، وهو الوقر، وغطاء العين وهو الحجاب. والمعنى: لا نفقه كلامك، ولا نسمعه، ولا نراك.