Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (428)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

These, then, are four passages in the Quran showing that whoever takes a protector besides Allah, seeking strength, greatness, and security through him, gains only the opposite of what he intended.

There are further examples in the Quran. This is among the finest parables and among the clearest demonstrations of the falsehood of associating partners with Allah, the loss suffered by its practitioner, and his attainment of his aim.

If it is asked, “They know that the frailest of homes is the spider’s home, so how does He deny them knowledge of this by saying, ‘If only they knew’?”

The answer is that He, glorified be He, did not deny their knowledge of the frailty of the spider’s home. Rather, He denied their knowledge that taking the dead as protectors besides Him is like the spider making a home. Had they known this, they would not have done it. But they imagined that taking protectors besides Him would bring them strength and power, whereas the reality is the opposite of what they imagined.

[Surah al-‘Ankabūt (29): verse 45]

“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer restrains one from indecency and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows what you do.” (45)

It has been said that the meaning is: in prayer you remember Allah, and He remembers you; Allah Most High’s remembrance of you is greater than your remembrance of Him. This is reported from Ibn ‘Abbās, Salmān, Abū al-Dardā’, and Ibn Mas‘ūd—may Allah be pleased with them.

Ibn Abī al-Dunyā related, through Fudayl ibn Marzūq, that ‘Atiyyah said concerning “And the remembrance of Allah is greater”: “This refers to His saying, Most High, 2: 152 ‘So remember Me; I will remember you.’ Allah Most High’s remembrance of you is greater than your remembrance of Him.”

Ibn Zayd and Qatādah said: “It means that the remembrance of Allah is greater than everything.”

Salmān was asked, “Which deeds are best?” He replied, “Do you not read the Quran: ‘And the remembrance of Allah is greater’?”

This is supported by the hadith of Abū al-Dardā’: “Shall I not tell you what is best among your deeds, purest in the sight of your Sovereign, and better for you than spending gold and silver?”—and the rest of the hadith.

فهذه أربعة مواضع في القرآن تدل على أن من اتخذ من دون الله وليا يتعزز به، ويتكبر به، ويستقر به لم يحصل له به إلّا ضد مقصوده. وفي القرآن أكثر من ذلك، وهو من أحسن الأمثال وأدلها على بطلان الشرك، وعلى خسران صاحبه وحصوله على مقصوده. فإن قيل: فهم يعلمون أن أوهن البيوت بيت العنكبوت، فكيف نفى عنهم علم ذلك بقوله: لَوْ كانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ. فالجواب: أنه سبحانه لم ينف عنهم علمهم بوهن بيت العنكبوت، وإنما نفى عنهم علمهم بأن اتخاذهم الموتى أولياء من دونه كالعنكبوت اتخذت بيتا، فلو علموا ذلك ما فعلوه، ولكن ظنوا أن اتخاذهم الأولياء من دونه يفيدهم عزا وقدرة. والأمر في الواقع بخلاف ما ظنوه. [سورة العنكبوت (٢٩) : آية ٤٥] اتْلُ ما أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ تَنْهى عَنِ الْفَحْشاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ ما تَصْنَعُونَ (٤٥) وقيل: المعنى: أنكم في الصلاة تذكرون الله، وهو ذاكركم ولذكر الله تعالى إياكم أكبر من ذكركم إياه. وهذا يروى عن ابن عباس وسلمان وأبي الدرداء وابن مسعود ﵃. وذكر ابن أبي الدنيا عن فضيل بن مرزوق عن عطية «وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ» قال: هو قوله تعالى: ٢: ١٥٢ فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ فذكر الله تعالى لكم أكبر من ذكركم إياه. وقال ابن زيد وقتادة: معناه، ولذكر الله أكبر من كل شيء. وقيل لسلمان: أي الأعمال أفضل؟ فقال: أما تقرأ القرآن وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ. ويشهد لهذا حديث أبي الدرداء «ألا أنبئكم بخير أعمالكم وأزكاها عند مليككم وخير لكم من إنفاق الذهب والورق- الحديث» .