Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (399)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

A “mirage” is the sunlight seen at midday over a flat expanse of desert, appearing to flow across the ground like running water. The words qī‘ah and qā‘ denote level ground with neither mountains nor valleys.

Thus, the knowledge and deeds of those who do not derive their knowledge from revelation are likened to a mirage that a traveller sees in intense heat and makes for, only to have his hopes dashed and find it a blazing fire.

Such will be the knowledge and deeds of the followers of falsehood when people are gathered for judgment and their thirst becomes severe. These will appear to them like a mirage, which they will mistake for water. When they reach it, they will find Allah there. The angels of punishment will seize them and take them to the blazing Fire:

47:15 “And they will be given boiling water to drink, which will tear their bowels apart.”

That water they are given to drink is the very knowledge that brings no benefit and the deeds that were done for other than Allah Most High. Allah Most High turns these into boiling water and gives it to them to drink. Likewise, their food is:

88:6, 7 “Of thorny plants, which neither nourish nor satisfy hunger.”

This is that same false knowledge and those same futile deeds, which likewise neither nourished nor satisfied hunger in this world.

These are the people of whom Allah says:

18:103, 104 “Say, ‘Shall We tell you who are the greatest losers in their deeds? Those whose efforts in this worldly life have gone astray, while they think they are doing good.’”

They are those whom Allah means when He says:

25:22 “And We will turn to whatever deeds they have done and make them scattered dust.”

They are also those whom He means in His words, Most High:

2:167 “Thus Allah will show them their deeds as bitter regrets for them, and they will never leave the Fire.”

The second group within this category consists of the people of darkness.

They are immersed in ignorance, enveloped by it on every side. They are therefore like livestock—indeed, they are even further astray.

As for these people, the deeds they perform without insight, but merely in blind imitation,

و «السراب» ما يرى في الفلاة المنبسطة من ضوء الشمس وقت الظهيرة، يسرب على وجه الأرض، كأنه ماء يجرى. و «القيعة» والقاع: هو المنبسط من الأرض الذي لا جبل فيه ولا واد. فشبه علوم من لم يأخذ علومه من الوحي وأعماله: بسراب يراه المسافر في شدة الحر فيؤمه، فيخيب ظنه، ويجده نارا تتلظى. فهكذا علوم أهل الباطل وأعمالهم إذا حشر الناس، واشتد بهم العطش بدت لهم كالسراب فيحسبونه ماء، وإذا أتوه وجدوا الله عنده، فأخذتهم زبانية العذاب فنقلوهم إلى نار الجحيم: ٤٧: ١٥ وَسُقُوا ماءً حَمِيماً فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعاءَهُمْ وذلك الماء الذي سقوه هو تلك العلوم التي لا تنفع والأعمال التي كانت لغير الله تعالى صيرها الله تعالى حميما، وسقاهم إياه، كما أن طعامهم ٨٨: ٦، ٧نْ ضَرِيعٍ لا يُسْمِنُ وَلا يُغْنِي مِنْ جُوعٍ وهو تلك العلوم والأعمال الباطلة، التي كانت في الدنيا كذلك لا تسمن ولا تغنى من جوع. وهؤلاء هم الذين قال الله عنهم ١٨: ١٠٣، ١٠٤ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمالًا؟ الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا، وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً وهم الذين عنى الله بقوله: ٢٥: ٢٢ وَقَدِمْنا إِلى ما عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْناهُ هَباءً مَنْثُوراً. وهم الذين عنى بقوله تعالى: ٢: ١٦٧ كَذلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمالَهُمْ حَسَراتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَما هُمْ بِخارِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ. القسم الثاني من هذا الصنف: أصحاب الظلمات. وهم المنغمسون في الجهل، بحيث قد أحاطت بهم جاهليتهم من كل وجه، وهم لذلك بمنزلة الأنعام، بل هم أضل سبيلا. فهؤلاء أعمالهم التي يعملونها على غير بصيرة، بل بمجرد التقليد،