Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (407)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

and both are opposed to guidance and the religion of truth. Thus, He likens the condition of the second group—the surging waves of doubts, specious arguments, and corrupt knowledge within their hearts—to the surging waves of the sea: waves piled upon one another, with dark clouds above them. So too are the waves of doubts and specious arguments within their darkened hearts, over which clouds of error, desire, and falsehood have gathered.

Let the discerning person reflect on the condition of these two groups and consider how each corresponds to its likeness. He will then recognize the greatness and majesty of the Quran, and that it is a revelation from One who is All-Wise, Praiseworthy.

Allah, glorified be He, explains that the reason for this is that He has not granted them light. Rather, He has left them in the darkness in which He created them, without bringing them out of it into the light. For He, glorified be He, is the Protector of those who believe, bringing them out of darkness into the light.

In the Musnad, it is reported from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allah created His creation in darkness and cast upon them some of His light. Whoever was reached by that light was guided, and whoever it missed went astray. That is why I say: the Pen has dried in accordance with Allah’s knowledge.”

Allah, glorified be He, created His creation in darkness. Whoever He wills to guide, He grants an actual light with which He gives life to his heart and spirit, just as He gives life to his body through the spirit He breathes into it.

There are thus two kinds of life: the life of the body through the spirit, and the life of the spirit and heart through light. This is why He, glorified be He, calls revelation a spirit, for true life depends upon it. As He, Most High, says:

16: 2 “He sends down the angels with the spirit, by His command, upon whomever He wills of His servants.”

And He says:

40: 15 “He casts the spirit, by His command, upon whomever He wills of His servants.”

And He, Most High, says:

42: 52 “And thus We have revealed to you a spirit by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor faith, but We made it a light by which We guide whomever We will of Our servants.”

Thus, He made His revelation both a spirit and a light. Whoever He does not bring to life through this spirit is dead, and whoever He does not grant light from it remains in darkness and has no light.

وكلاهما مضاد للهدى ودين الحق، ولهذا مثل حال الفريق الثاني في تلاطم أمواج الشكوك والشبهات والعلوم الفاسدة في قلوبهم: بتلاطم أمواج البحر فيه، وأنها أمواج متراكمة، من فوقها سحاب مظلم، وهكذا أمواج الشكوك والشبهات في قلوبهم المظلمة التي قد تراكمت عليها سحب الغي والهوى والباطل. فليتدبر اللبيب أحوال الفريقين وليطابق بينهما وبين المثلين: يعرف عظمة القرآن وجلالته، وأنه تنزيل من حكيم حميد. وأخبر سبحانه، أن الموجب لذلك: أنه لم يجعل لهم نورا، بل تركهم على الظلمة التي خلقوا فيها، فلم يخرجهم منها إلى النور، فإنه سبحانه ولى الذين آمنوا يخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور. وفي المسند من حديث عبد الله بن عمر ﵁: أن النبي ﷺ قال «إن الله خلق خلقه في ظلمة، وألقى عليهم من نوره، فمن أصابه من ذلك النور اهتدى، ومن أخطأه ضل، فلذلك أقول: جف القلم على علم الله» . فالله سبحانه خلق الخلق في ظلمة، فمن أراد هدايته جعل له نورا وجوديا يحيي به قلبه وروحه، كما يحيي بدنه بالروح التي ينفخها فيه. فهما حياتان: حياة البدن بالروح، وحياة الروح والقلب بالنور، ولهذا سمى سبحانه الوحي روحا، لتوقف الحياة الحقيقية عليه، كما قال تعالى: ١٦: ٢ يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلائِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلى مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وقال ٤٠: ١٥ يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلى مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وقال تعالى: ٤٢: ٥٢ وَكَذلِكَ أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا ما كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتابُ وَلَا الْإِيمانُ، وَلكِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً نَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا. فجعل وحيه روحا ونورا، فمن لم يحيه بهذا الروح فهو ميت، ومن لم يجعل له نورا منه فهو في الظلمات وما له من نور.