“And We have certainly known those of you who came before, and We have certainly known those who came after” (24).
Regarding His saying, “And We have certainly known those of you who came before, and We have certainly known those who came after”: Ibn ‘Abbas said: By “those who came before” He meant the dead, and by “those who came after” the living.
Al-Sha‘bi said: the former and the latter.
‘Ikrimah said: “Those who came before” are those whom Allah has created, while “those who came after” are those whom Allah has not yet created.
Mujahid said: “Those who came before” are the earlier generations, and “those who came after” are the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Al-Hasan said: “Those who came before” are those who take the lead in obedience and goodness, while “those who came after” are those who are slow in doing so. (3)
It was also said that “those who came before” are those in the front rows of prayer, and “those who came after” are those in the rear rows. This was because women used to come out for the congregational prayer and stand behind the men. At times, a man whose heart harbored improper desire would move back to the last of the men’s rows; and a woman whose heart harbored improper desire would move forward to the first of the women’s rows, so as to be nearer to the men. Thus this verse was revealed. (4)
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best rows for men are the first ones, and the worst are the last; while the best rows for women are the last ones, and the worst are the first.” (5)
Al-Awza‘i said: He meant those who pray at the beginning of the prescribed time and those who delay it until its end.
Muqatil said: He meant those who advance and those who fall behind in the battle line.
Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: He meant those who pronounce the greeting of peace and those who do not pronounce it. (6)
(1) In manuscript B: “those who came before” and “those who lagged behind.” Elsewhere: “in the interpretation of the verse.”
(2) In manuscript B: “those who came before” and “those who lagged behind.” Elsewhere: “in the interpretation of the verse.”
(3) For these views and their attribution to their respective proponents, see: al-Tabari, Tafsir, 14:23-26; al-Bahr al-Muhit, 5:451; Zad al-Masir, 4:396-397; and al-Durr al-Manthur, 5:73-76.
(4) Al-Suyuti cited a number of reports concerning this, including one narrated by al-Tayalisi, Sa'id ibn Mansur, Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan, through Abu al-Jawza' from Ibn Abbas. He said: “A woman used to pray behind the Messenger of Allah. Some people would move forward until they were in the first row so as not to see her, while others would move back until they were in the last row; then, when bowing, they would look from beneath their armpits. So Allah revealed: ‘We have surely known those of you who came before and those who lagged behind.’” Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said of this report: “It is a very strange hadith ...” He also said: “This hadith contains serious objectionable material ... Apparently, it is merely the statement of Abu al-Jawza'; Ibn Abbas is not mentioned in it.” Al-Tirmidhi said: “This is more likely to be sound.” Ibn Atiyyah said: “What precedes and follows in the verse weakens these interpretations, because they divert its intended meaning.” See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2:550-551; al-Durr al-Manthur, 5:73; al-Muharrar al-Wajiz, 8:303; and al-Kafi al-Shaf by Ibn Hajar, p. 93.
(5) Narrated by Muslim in the Book of Prayer, chapter on straightening and forming the rows, no. 4400, 1:326; and by the author of Sharh al-Sunnah, 3:371.
(6) Al-Tabari said, 14:26: “In my view, the soundest opinion is that it means: ‘We have surely known, O children of Adam, those of you who have died, whose deaths came earlier; and We have known those whose deaths have been delayed: those who are alive, as well as those of you yet to come into existence.’ The preceding and following context indicates this meaning. It is possible that the verse was revealed concerning those who moved forward in the rows because of women and those who moved back for that reason; yet Allah then made its intended meaning general, encompassing all creation. Thus He said: We have known the creatures who have passed and counted them, as well as their deeds; We have known those of you who are alive and those who will come into existence after you, O people, together with all your deeds, good and evil. We have counted all of this, and We shall gather them all and recompense each according to his deeds: good for good, and evil for evil. Thus, it is a warning and threat to those who lag behind in the rows because of women, and to everyone who transgresses Allah’s limits and acts without His permission; and it is a promise to those who move forward in the rows because of women and hasten toward Allah’s love and pleasure in all their actions.”