Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (813)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(56–58) “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me. I seek no provision from them, nor do I seek that they should feed Me. Indeed, it is Allah who is the Provider, the firm Possessor of strength.”

This is the purpose for which Allah created jinn and humankind and to which He sent all the messengers to call: to worship Him. This worship encompasses knowing and loving Him, turning to Him in repentance, devoting oneself to Him, and turning away from all besides Him. This entails (1) knowledge of Allah Most High, for the completeness of worship depends upon knowing Allah. Indeed, the more a servant’s knowledge of his Lord increases, the more complete his worship becomes. This is why Allah created morally accountable beings; He did not create them because He had any need of them.

He seeks no provision from them, nor does He wish them to feed Him. Exalted is Allah—the Self-Sufficient, who enriches others—far above needing anyone in any respect. Rather, all creatures are in need of Him for all their needs and pursuits, whether essential or otherwise. Thus He says, “Indeed, it is Allah who is the Provider”—that is, the One who provides abundantly. There is no creature on earth or in heaven whose provision does not come from Allah, and He knows its resting place and its repository.

“The firm Possessor of strength”—that is, He possesses all strength and power. By it He brought into existence the immense bodies of the lower and upper realms; by it He governs all that is outward and inward; and His will takes effect throughout all creation. Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass. No fugitive can escape Him, and no one lies beyond His dominion.

Among the manifestations of His strength is that He delivers His provision to the entire world. Another manifestation of His power and strength is that He will resurrect the dead after decay has torn them apart, the winds have scattered their dust (2), birds and beasts have devoured them, and their remains have been dispersed and torn apart throughout trackless deserts and the depths of the seas. Not one of them will escape Him, and He knows what the earth consumes of them. Glory be to the All-Strong, the Firm.

(1) In B: “and that is contingent.” (2) In B: “it swept them away.”

﴿٥٦-٥٨﴾ ﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ * مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يُطْعِمُونِ * إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ﴾ . هذه الغاية، التي خلق الله الجن والإنس لها، وبعث جميع الرسل يدعون إليها، وهي عبادته، المتضمنة لمعرفته ومحبته، والإنابة إليه والإقبال عليه، والإعراض عما سواه، وذلك يتضمن (١) معرفة الله تعالى، فإن تمام العبادة، متوقف على المعرفة بالله، بل كلما ازداد العبد معرفة لربه، كانت عبادته أكمل، فهذا الذي خلق الله المكلفين لأجله، فما خلقهم لحاجة منه إليهم. فما يريد منهم من رزق وما يريد أن يطمعوه، تعالى الله الغني المغني عن الحاجة إلى أحد بوجه من الوجوه، وإنما جميع الخلق، فقراء إليه، في جميع حوائجهم ومطالبهم، الضرورية وغيرها، ولهذا قال: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ﴾ أي: كثير الرزق، الذي ما من دابة في الأرض ولا في السماء إلا على الله رزقها، ويعلم مستقرها ومستودعها، ﴿ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ﴾ أي: الذي له القوة والقدرة كلها، الذي أوجد بها الأجرام العظيمة، السفلية والعلوية، وبها تصرف في الظواهر والبواطن، ونفذت مشيئته في جميع البريات، فما شاء الله كان، وما لم يشأ لم يكن، ولا يعجزه هارب، ولا يخرج عن سلطانه أحد، ومن قوته، أنه أوصل رزقه إلى جميع العالم، ومن قدرته وقوته، أنه يبعث الأموات بعد ما مزقهم البلى، وعصفت بترابهم (٢) الرياح، وابتلعتهم الطيور والسباع، وتفرقوا وتمزقوا في مهامه القفار، ولجج البحار، فلا يفوته منهم أحد، ويعلم ما تنقص الأرض منهم، فسبحان القوي المتين.

(١) في ب: وذلك متوقف. (٢) في ب: عصفت بهم.