‘Umar asked him and those present, including veterans of Badr and others, about the surah “When Allah’s help comes and the conquest.” Ibn ‘Abbās was uniquely granted the understanding that, through it, Allah was announcing to His Prophet his approaching death and informing him that his appointed time had come. ‘Umar agreed with him, while this meaning had escaped the other Companions, even though Ibn ‘Abbās was then the youngest among them. Without this special understanding, where would you find in this surah an announcement of his approaching death? This understanding becomes increasingly subtle, reaching levels beyond most people’s comprehension. They therefore need something besides the text; for them, the texts do not suffice. Those endowed with understanding, however, need nothing besides the texts.
Section
The Sixth Rank: General Clarification
This means making the truth clear and distinguishing it from falsehood through its proofs, supporting evidence, and signs, until the heart perceives it as distinctly as the eye perceives visible things. This rank constitutes Allah’s proof against His creation: He neither punishes anyone nor leads him astray until he has received this clarification. Allah Most High says (9:115):
“Allah would not lead a people astray after having guided them until He makes clear to them what they must guard against.”
His leading them astray is thus a punishment: He made matters clear to them, but they neither accepted what He had clarified nor acted upon it. He therefore punished them by leading them away from guidance. Allah, glorified is He, has never led anyone astray except after this clarification.
Once you understand this, you will understand the secret of divine decree. Many doubts and misgivings concerning this subject will disappear, and you will recognize Allah’s wisdom in leading astray those of His servants whom He leads astray. The Quran states this explicitly in several places, as in His words (61:5):
“When they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.”
And (4:155):
“And for their saying, ‘Our hearts are veiled.’ Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their disbelief.”
The first is obstinate disbelief; the second is disbelief resulting from the sealing of the heart. And He says (6:110):
“We turn their hearts and eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time, and We leave them wandering blindly in their transgression.”
Thus, He punished them for refusing to believe in it after they had become certain of it and recognized its truth, by turning