Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (836)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

﴿88-96﴾ “If the deceased is one of those brought near, then rest, fragrant bounty, and a Garden of Bliss await him. But if he is one of the people of the right, then peace to you from the people of the right. But if he is one of the deniers who went astray, then his welcome will be scalding water and burning in Hellfire. This is indeed the truth of absolute certainty. So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.”

At the beginning of the surah, Allah Most High described the states of the three groups—the ones brought near, the people of the right, and the deniers who went astray—in the Abode of Permanence.

Then, at the end of the surah, He described their states at the approach of death and when they die. He said: “If the deceased is one of those brought near”—those who fulfilled the obligatory and recommended deeds and refrained from ⦗837⦘ forbidden and disliked matters (1), as well as unnecessary lawful indulgences—

“then” they shall have “rest,” meaning comfort, tranquility, joy, delight, and bliss of heart and soul; “and fragrant bounty,” a comprehensive term for every physical pleasure, including all kinds of food, drink, and other delights. It has also been said that this refers to the familiar fragrant plant, in which case a particular kind is mentioned to signify the general category to which it belongs (2).

“And a Garden of Bliss,” which combines both kinds of delight. It contains what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever imagined. Thus, when death approaches, the ones brought near are given these glad tidings, at which their souls nearly take flight in joy and delight.

As Allah Most High says: “Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remain steadfast—the angels descend upon them, saying, ‘Do not fear or grieve, but rejoice in the Paradise you were promised. We are your allies in the life of this world and in the Hereafter. There you shall have whatever your souls desire, and there you shall have whatever you ask for, as hospitality from One All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’”

His words (3)—Blessed and Exalted is He—“For them are glad tidings in the life of this world and in the Hereafter” have been interpreted to mean that the glad tidings just mentioned are the glad tidings given in the life of this world.

[And His words:] “But if he is one of the people of the right”—those who fulfilled the obligatory deeds and refrained from forbidden matters, though [if] they fell short in fulfilling some rights and duties in a way that did not undermine their monotheism and faith—“then” one of them will be told: “Peace to you from the people of the right.” That is, peace comes to you from your brethren among the people of the right: they greet and welcome him when he reaches them and they meet him. Alternatively, he is told: “May you be safe from afflictions, calamities, and punishment, for you are one of the people of the right, who were spared the ruinous sins.”

“But if he is one of the deniers who went astray”—that is, those who denied the truth and strayed from guidance—

“then his welcome will be scalding water and burning in Hellfire.” That is, their hospitality on the day they come before their Lord will be the burning of Hellfire, which will engulf them and reach their hearts. When they cry out for relief from their intense thirst, “they will be given water like molten metal that will scald their faces. What a dreadful drink and an evil resting place!”

“This”—the recompense that Allah Most High has mentioned for His servants’ deeds, both good and evil, together with its details—“is indeed the truth of absolute certainty.” That is, there can be no doubt or uncertainty about it. Rather, it is an established truth that must inevitably come to pass. Allah has shown His servants conclusive proofs of it, until, to people of understanding, it is as though they were tasting and beholding it (4). They therefore praised Allah Most High for favoring them with this tremendous blessing and magnificent gift.

For this reason, Allah Most High said: “So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.” Glory be to our Magnificent Lord! He is supremely exalted and free from what the wrongdoers and deniers say.

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds—abundant, wholesome, and blessed praise.

[The commentary on Surah al-Wāqiah is complete.]

Commentary on Surah al-Hadīd

[It is] Medinan.

(1) In B: “But if he is one of those brought near,” meaning: if the deceased is among those brought near to Allah, who draw near to Him by performing obligatory and recommended deeds and refraining from forbidden and disliked matters. (2) In B: “In that case, a particular kind is mentioned to signify its general category.” (3) In B: “explained.” (4) In B: “beholding its true reality.”

﴿٨٨-٩٦﴾ ﴿فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ * فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّةُ نَعِيمٍ * وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ * فَسَلامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ * وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ * فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ * وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ * إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ * فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ﴾ . ذكر الله تعالى أحوال الطوائف الثلاث: المقربين، وأصحاب اليمين، والمكذبين الضالين، في أول السورة في دار القرار. ثم ذكر أحوالهم في آخرها عند الاحتضار والموت، فقال: ﴿فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ﴾ الميت ﴿مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ﴾ وهم الذين أدوا الواجبات والمستحبات، وتركوا ⦗٨٣٧⦘ المحرمات والمكروهات (١) وفضول المباحات. ﴿فـ﴾ لهم ﴿رَوْحٌ﴾ أي: راحة وطمأنينة، وسرور وبهجة، ونعيم القلب والروح، ﴿وَرَيْحَانٌ﴾ وهو اسم جامع لكل لذة بدنية، من أنواع المآكل والمشارب وغيرهما، وقيل: الريحان هو الطيب المعروف، فيكون تعبيرا بنوع الشيء عن جنسه العام (٢) . ﴿وَجَنَّةُ نَعِيمٍ﴾ جامعة للأمرين كليهما، فيها ما لا عين رأت، ولا أذن سمعت، ولا خطر على قلب بشر، فيبشر المقربون عند الاحتضار بهذه البشارة، التي تكاد تطير منها الأرواح من الفرح والسرور. كما قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنزلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أن لا تَخَافُوا وَلا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ نزلا مِنْ غَفُورٍ رَحِيمٍ﴾ وقد أول قوله (٣) تبارك تعالى: ﴿لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ﴾ أن هذه البشارة المذكورة، هي البشرى في الحياة الدنيا. [وقوله:] ﴿وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ﴾ وهم الذين أدوا الواجبات وتركوا المحرمات، و [إن] حصل منهم التقصير في بعض الحقوق التي لا تخل بتوحيدهم وإيمانهم، ﴿فـ﴾ يقال لأحدهم: ﴿سَلامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ﴾ أي: سلام حاصل لك من إخوانك أصحاب اليمين أي: يسلمون عليه ويحيونه عند وصوله إليهم ولقائهم له، أو يقال له: سلام لك من الآفات والبليات والعذاب، لأنك من أصحاب اليمين، الذين سلموا من الذنوب الموبقات. ﴿وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ﴾ أي: الذين كذبوا بالحق وضلوا عن الهدى. ﴿فَنزلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ﴾ أي: ضيافتهم يوم قدومهم على ربهم تصلية الجحيم التي تحيط بهم، وتصل إلى أفئدتهم، وإذا استغاثوا من شدة العطش والظمأ ﴿يُغَاثُوا بِمَاءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا﴾ ﴿إِنَّ هَذَا﴾ الذي ذكره الله تعالى، من جزاء العباد بأعمالهم، خيرها وشرها، وتفاصيل ذلك ﴿لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ﴾ أي: الذي لا شك فيه ولا مرية، بل هو الحق الثابت الذي لا بد من وقوعه، وقد أشهد الله عباده الأدلة القواطع على ذلك، حتى صار عند أولي الألباب كأنهم ذائقون له مشاهدون له (٤) فحمدوا الله تعالى على ما خصهم به من هذه النعمة العظيمة، والمنحة الجسيمة. ولهذا قال تعالى: ﴿فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ﴾ فسبحان ربنا العظيم، وتعالى وتنزه عما يقول الظالمون والجاحدون علوا كبيرا. والحمد لله رب العالمين حمدا كثيرا طيبا مباركا فيه. [تم تفسير سورة الواقعة] . تفسير سورة الحديد [وهي] مدنية

(١) في ب: "فأما إن كان من المقربين" أي: إن كان الميت من المقربين إلى الله المتقربين إليه بأداء الواجبات والمستحبات، وترك المحرمات والمكروهات. (٢) في ب: فيكون من باب التعبير بنوع الشيء عن جنسه. (٣) في ب: فسر. (٤) في ب: مشاهدون لحقيقته.