Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (776)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(12–13) “Allah is the One Who has subjected the sea for you so that ships may sail upon it by His command, and so that you may seek His bounty and give thanks. He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth—all from Him. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.”

The Most High tells of His bounty toward His servants and His kindness to them in subjecting the sea so that boats and ships may sail upon it by His command and facilitation, “so that you may seek His bounty” through various forms of trade and livelihood, “and give thanks” to Allah Most High. For if you thank Him, He will increase His blessings upon you and reward you generously for your gratitude.

“He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth—all from Him”—that is, from His bounty and kindness. This encompasses the celestial and terrestrial bodies and all that Allah has placed within them: the sun, the moon, the heavenly bodies—both fixed stars and planets—the various kinds of animals, the different types of trees and fruits, the many kinds of minerals, and all else prepared to serve humanity’s interests and the welfare of everything essential to human life.

This requires people to exert their utmost effort in giving thanks for His blessings and to apply their minds deeply to contemplating His signs and wisdom. Hence He says: “Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.”

In sum, their creation, governance, and subjection demonstrate that Allah’s will unfailingly takes effect and that His power is perfect. Their precision, mastery, wondrous craftsmanship, and beautiful form demonstrate His perfect wisdom and knowledge. Their vastness, grandeur, and abundance demonstrate the immensity of His dominion and sovereignty. Their particular distinctions and contrasting qualities prove that He does whatever He wills. The religious and worldly benefits and advantages they contain demonstrate the vastness of His mercy, the all-encompassing nature of His bounty and kindness, and the wondrous subtlety of His grace and beneficence.

All of this demonstrates that He alone is the God worthy of worship, and that worship, humble submission, and love are due to none but Him. It also demonstrates that His messengers spoke the truth concerning all that they brought. These are clear rational proofs that admit neither doubt nor uncertainty.

﴿١٢-١٣﴾ ﴿اللَّهُ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِيَ الْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ * وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِنْهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾ . يخبر تعالى بفضله على عباده وإحسانه إليهم بتسخير البحر لسير المراكب والسفن بأمره وتيسيره، ﴿لِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾ بأنواع التجارات والمكاسب، ﴿وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾ الله تعالى فإنكم إذا شكرتموه زادكم من نعمه وأثابكم على شكركم أجرا جزيلا. ﴿وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِنْهُ﴾ أي: من فضله وإحسانه، وهذا شامل لأجرام السماوات والأرض ولما أودع الله فيهما من الشمس والقمر والكواكب والثوابت والسيارات وأنواع الحيوانات وأصناف الأشجار والثمرات وأجناس المعادن وغير ذلك مما هو معد لمصالح بني آدم ومصالح ما هو من ضروراته، فهذا يوجب عليهم أن يبذلوا غاية جهدهم في شكر نعمته وأن تتغلغل أفكارهم في تدبر آياته وحكمه ولهذا قال: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾ وجملة ذلك أن خلقها وتدبيرها وتسخيرها دال على نفوذ مشيئة الله وكمال قدرته، وما فيها من الإحكام والإتقان وبديع الصنعة وحسن الخلقة دال على كمال حكمته وعلمه، وما فيها من السعة والعظمة والكثرة دال على سعة ملكه وسلطانه، وما فيها من التخصيصات والأشياء المتضادات دليل على أنه الفعال لما يريد، وما فيها من المنافع والمصالح الدينية والدنيوية دليل على سعة رحمته، وشمول فضله وإحسانه وبديع لطفه وبره، وكل ذلك دال على أنه وحده المألوه المعبود الذي لا تنبغي العبادة والذل والمحبة إلا له وأن رسله صادقون فيما جاءوا به، فهذه أدلة عقلية واضحة لا تقبل ريبا ولا شكا.