Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (46)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

their hearts and eyes away, so that they were not guided by it.

Reflect deeply on this point, for it is of great importance. Allah Most High says (41:17):

“As for Thamūd, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance.”

This is guidance following clarification and direction. It is a necessary condition, but does not in itself ensure guidance. Unless it is accompanied by a further kind of guidance—the guidance of divine enabling and inspiration—complete guidance will not be attained through it. This clarification is of two kinds: clarification through signs that are heard and recited, and clarification through signs that are witnessed and seen. Both provide proofs and signs of Allah’s oneness, His names and attributes, His perfection, and the truth of what they convey about Him. Thus, through His recited signs, He calls His servants to reflect upon His signs visible to them, urging them to ponder both.

This clarification is what the messengers were sent with, and it was entrusted to them and, after them, to the scholars. Thereafter, Allah leads astray whomever He wills. Allah Most High says (14:4):

“We never sent a messenger except in the language of his people, so that he might make things clear to them. Then Allah leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

The messengers make things clear, while Allah is the One who leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, by His might and wisdom.

Section

The Seventh Rank: Special Clarification

This is the clarification that necessarily brings about special guidance. It is accompanied by divine care, enabling grace, and election, together with the removal from the heart of all causes and sources of divine abandonment. Guidance therefore never fails to follow it. Concerning this rank, Allah Most High says (16:37):

“However eager you are for their guidance, Allah does not guide those He leads astray.”

And He says (28:56):

“You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”

The first clarification is a necessary condition for guidance; this one ensures it.

Section

The Eighth Rank: Being Made to Hear

Allah Most High says (8:23):

“Had Allah known

أفئدتهم وأبصارهم فلم يهتدوا به. فتأمل هذا الموضع حق التأمل فإنه موضع عظيم. قال تعالى: ٤١: ١٧ وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْناهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمى عَلَى الْهُدى فهذا هدى بعد البيان والدلالة وهو شرط لا موجب. فإنه إن لم يقترن به هدى آخر بعده، لم يحصل به كمال الاهتداء وهو هدى التوفيق والإلهام وهذا البيان نوعان: بيان بالآيات المسموعة المتلوة، وبيان بالآيات المشهودة المرئية. وكلاهما أدلة وآيات على توحيد الله وأسمائه وصفاته وكماله، وصدق ما أخبرت به عنه، ولهذا يدعو عباده بآياته المتلوة إلى التفكر في آياته المشهودة عليهم، ويحضهم على التفكر في هذه وهذه. وهذا البيان هو الذي بعثت به الرسل وجعل إليهم وإلى العلماء بعدهم، وبعد ذلك يضل الله من يشاء. قال الله تعالى: ١٤: ٤ وَما أَرْسَلْنا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ فالرسل تبين والله هو الذي يضل من يشاء ويهدي من يشاء بعزته وحكمته. فصل المرتبة السابعة: البيان الخاص، وهو البيان المستلزم للهداية الخاصة، وهو بيان تقارنه العناية والتوفيق والاجتباء، وقطع أسباب الخذلان وموادها عن القلب فلا تتخلف عنه الهداية البتة. قال تعالى في هذه المرتبة: ١٦: ٣٧ إِنْ تَحْرِصْ عَلى هُداهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي مَنْ يُضِلُّ وقال: ٢٨: ٥٦ إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ فالبيان الأول شرط. وهذا موجب. فصل المرتبة الثامنة: مرتبة الإسماع. قال الله تعالى: ٨: ٢٣ وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ