Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (759)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(32-35) “Among His signs are the ships that sail upon the sea like mountains. If He wills, He stills the wind, leaving them motionless upon its surface. Surely in that are signs for everyone who is steadfast and grateful. Or He may destroy them because of what they have earned, though He pardons much, so that those who dispute Our signs may know that they have no escape.”

That is, among the proofs of His mercy and care for His servants are “the ships that sail upon the sea,” namely ships, whether steam-powered or sailing vessels, which, owing to their immense size, are “like mountains”—that is, great mountains. He has made the raging sea subservient to them, protected them from the battering waves, enabled them to carry you and your many possessions to distant lands and regions, and placed at their disposal the means that assist them in doing so.

He then drew attention to these means, saying: “If He wills, He stills the wind,” which Allah has made a cause of their movement, “leaving them”—that is, the ships—“motionless” upon the surface of the sea, neither moving forward nor backward. Steam-powered vessels do not contradict this, for the presence of wind is a condition of their movement.

If Allah Most High wills, He may destroy the ships because of what their occupants have earned—that is, He may sink them in the sea and destroy them. Yet He is forbearing and pardons much.

“Surely in that are signs for everyone who is steadfast and grateful.” That is, one who is very patient with what his soul dislikes and finds burdensome, and thus compels it to endure—whether this entails the hardship of obedience, restraining an impulse toward sin, or holding his soul back from discontent when calamities strike—and who is “grateful” in times of ease and amid blessings, acknowledging his Lord’s blessing, humbling himself before Him, and using it in ways that please Him. Such is the person who benefits from Allah’s signs.

By contrast, one who has no patience and gives no thanks for Allah’s blessings either turns away or obstinately opposes, and does not benefit from the signs.

The Exalted then said: “So that those who dispute Our signs may know”—seeking to invalidate them with their falsehood—“that they have no escape.” That is, no rescuer can save them from the punishment that has befallen them.

﴿٣٢-٣٥﴾ ﴿وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ الْجَوَارِ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالأعْلامِ * إِنْ يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ * أَوْ يُوبِقْهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُوا وَيَعْفُ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ * وَيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ﴾ . أي: ومن أدلة رحمته وعنايته بعباده ﴿الْجَوَار فِي الْبَحْرِ﴾ من السفن، والمراكب النارية والشراعية، التي من عظمها ﴿كَالأعْلامِ﴾ وهي الجبال الكبار، التي سخر لها البحر العجاج، وحفظها من التطام الأمواج، وجعلها تحملكم وتحمل أمتعتكم الكثيرة إلى البلدان والأقطار البعيدة، وسخر لها من الأسباب ما كان معونة على ذلك. ثم نبه على هذه الأسباب بقوله: ﴿إِنْ يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ﴾ التي جعلها الله سببا لمشيها، ﴿فَيَظْلَلْنَ﴾ أي: الجوار ﴿رَوَاكِدَ﴾ على ظهر البحر، لا تتقدم ولا تتأخر، ولا ينتقض هذا بالمراكب النارية، فإن من شرط مشيها وجود الريح. وإن شاء الله تعالى أوبق الجوار بما كسب أهلها، أي: أغرقها في البحر وأتلفها، ولكنه يحلم ويعفو عن كثير. ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ﴾ أي: كثير الصبر على ما تكرهه نفسه ويشق عليها، فيكرهها عليه، من مشقة طاعة، أو ردع داع إلى معصية، أو ردع نفسه عند المصائب عن التسخط، ﴿شَكُورٍ﴾ في الرخاء وعند النعم، يعترف بنعمة ربه ويخضع له، ويصرفها في مرضاته، فهذا الذي ينتفع بآيات الله. وأما الذي لا صبر عنده، ولا شكر له على نعم الله، فإنه معرض أو معاند لا ينتفع بالآيات. ثم قال تعالى: ﴿وَيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا﴾ ليبطلوها بباطلهم. ﴿مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ﴾ أي: لا ينقذهم منقذ مما حل بهم من العقوبة.