Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (867)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(11–13) “No calamity befalls except by Allah’s permission. Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart. Allah has full knowledge of all things. * Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, Our Messenger’s duty is only to convey the message clearly. * Allah—there is no god worthy of worship except Him. So let the believers place their trust in Allah.”

The Most High says: “No calamity befalls except by Allah’s permission.” This applies generally to every calamity affecting oneself, one’s wealth, children, loved ones, and the like. Everything that befalls people occurs by Allah’s decree and predestination. Allah’s [Most High] knowledge of it preceded its occurrence, His Pen recorded it, His will brought it to pass, and His wisdom required it. The crucial question is whether the servant fulfills the duty incumbent upon him in such circumstances. If he does, he will receive an abundant and excellent reward in this world and the Hereafter. If he believes that the calamity is from Allah, is content with it, and submits to His command, Allah guides his heart. He thus becomes tranquil and is not distressed when calamities strike, as happens to one (1) whose heart Allah has not guided. Rather, Allah grants him steadfastness when they occur (2) and enables him to exercise the patience required. He thereby receives an immediate reward, in addition to the reward (3) Allah stores up for him on the Day of Recompense. The Most High says: “Indeed, those who patiently endure will be given their reward without measure.”

This also shows that when calamities strike, anyone who does not believe in Allah—by failing to recognize Allah’s decree and predestination and focusing solely upon their immediate causes—will be forsaken and left by Allah to himself. When the servant is left to himself, his soul has nothing but anguish and panic. This is an immediate punishment for the servant, preceding the punishment of the Hereafter, because he neglected the obligatory duty of patience.

This is the meaning of His words, “Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart,” as specifically applied to calamities. As for the general import of the wording, Allah informs us that whoever possesses the faith he has been commanded to possess—namely, (4) belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and predestination, both its good and its evil—and proves his faith true by fulfilling its necessary duties and obligations, then this faith is the greatest means by which Allah guides him in his circumstances, words, and deeds, (5) as well as in his knowledge and actions.

This is the finest reward that Allah grants the people of faith. As the Most High informs us, Allah makes the believers steadfast (6) in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.

Steadfastness begins with the heart remaining firm, patient, and certain whenever any trial arises. He therefore says: “Allah keeps those who believe firm with the firm word in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.” Thus, the people of faith are those whose hearts are most rightly guided and who remain firmest when faced with disturbing and troubling events, all because of the faith they possess.

[And His words:] “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger” ⦗868⦘ mean: comply with their commands and refrain from what they prohibit. Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is the foundation of happiness and the hallmark of success. “But if you turn away”—[that is,] from obedience to Allah and His Messenger—“Our Messenger’s duty is only to convey the message clearly.” That is, he conveys to you the message with which he was sent, in a manner that makes it clear and evident to you and thereby establishes (7) the proof against you. He has no power to guide you or call you to account. Rather, the Knower of the unseen and the seen will call you to account for whether or not you obeyed Allah and His Messenger.

“Allah—there is no god worthy of worship except Him.” That is, He alone is worthy of worship and of being taken as God; every object of worship besides Him is false. “So let the believers place their trust in Allah.” That is, let them rely (8) upon Him in every matter that confronts them and in everything they intend to undertake. No affair can be made easy except through Allah, and there is no way to accomplish it (9) except by relying upon Him. Reliance upon Allah is not complete until the servant thinks well of his Lord and trusts that He will suffice him in the matter for which he relies upon Him. A servant’s reliance is commensurate with his faith: the stronger his faith, the stronger his reliance. (10)

(1) In B: “one whom.” (2) Thus in B; in A: “when they occur.” (3) In B: “of the immense reward.” (4) In B: “which is.” (5) In B: “in his words, deeds, and all his circumstances.” (6) In B: “As the Most High said, informing us that He makes the believers steadfast.” (7) In B: “a clear and explicit conveyance, so that [the proof] is established.” (8) Thus in B; in A: “let them rely.” (9) Thus in B; in A: “for that.” (10) In B: “his reliance will vary in strength and weakness.”

﴿١١-١٣﴾ ﴿مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ * وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَى رَسُولِنَا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ * اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ . يقول تعالى: ﴿مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ﴾ هذا عام لجميع المصائب، في النفس، والمال، والولد، والأحباب، ونحوهم، فجميع ما أصاب العباد، فبقضاء الله وقدره، قد سبق بذلك علم الله [تعالى] ، وجرى به قلمه، ونفذت به مشيئته، واقتضته حكمته، والشأن كل الشأن، هل يقوم العبد بالوظيفة التي عليه في هذا المقام، أم لا يقوم بها؟ فإن قام بها، فله الثواب الجزيل، والأجر الجميل، في الدنيا والآخرة، فإذا آمن أنها من عند الله، فرضي بذلك، وسلم لأمره، هدى الله قلبه، فاطمأن ولم ينزعج عند المصائب، كما يجري لمن (١) لم يهد الله قلبه، بل يرزقه الثبات عند ورودها (٢) والقيام بموجب الصبر، فيحصل له بذلك ثواب عاجل، مع ما يدخر الله له يوم الجزاء من الثواب (٣) كما قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ﴾ وعلم من هذا أن من لم يؤمن بالله عند ورود المصائب، بأن لم يلحظ قضاء الله وقدره، بل وقف مع مجرد الأسباب، أنه يخذل، ويكله الله إلى نفسه، وإذا وكل العبد إلى نفسه، فالنفس ليس عندها إلا الجزع والهلع الذي هو عقوبة عاجلة على العبد، قبل عقوبة الآخرة، على ما فرط في واجب الصبر. هذا ما يتعلق بقوله: ﴿وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ﴾ في مقام المصائب الخاص، وأما ما يتعلق بها من حيث العموم اللفظي، فإن الله أخبر أن كل من آمن أي: الإيمان المأمور به، من (٤) الإيمان بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر والقدر خيره وشره، وصدق إيمانه بما يقتضيه الإيمان من القيام بلوازمه وواجباته، أن هذا السبب الذي قام به العبد أكبر سبب لهداية الله له في أحواله وأقواله، وأفعاله (٥) وفي علمه وعمله. وهذا أفضل جزاء يعطيه الله لأهل الإيمان، كما قال تعالى في الأخبار: أن المؤمنين يثبتهم الله (٦) في الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة. وأصل الثبات: ثبات القلب وصبره، ويقينه عند ورود كل فتنة، فقال: ﴿يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ﴾ فأهل الإيمان أهدى الناس قلوبًا، وأثبتهم عند المزعجات والمقلقات، وذلك لما معهم من الإيمان. [وقوله:] ﴿وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ﴾ ⦗٨٦٨⦘ أي: في امتثال أمرهما، واجتناب نهيهما، فإن طاعة الله وطاعة رسوله، مدار السعادة، وعنوان الفلاح، ﴿فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ﴾ [أي] عن طاعة الله وطاعة رسوله، ﴿فَإِنَّمَا عَلَى رَسُولِنَا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ﴾ أي: يبلغكم ما أرسل به إليكم، بلاغًا يبين لكم ويتضح وتقوم (٧) عليكم به الحجة، وليس بيده من هدايتكم، ولا من حسابكم من شيء، وإنما يحاسبكم على القيام بطاعة الله وطاعة رسوله، أو عدم ذلك، عالم الغيب والشهادة. ﴿اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ﴾ أي: هو المستحق للعبادة والألوهية، فكل معبود سواه فباطل، ﴿وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ أي: فيلعتمدوا (٨) عليه في كل أمر نابهم، وفيما يريدون القيام به، فإنه لا يتيسر أمر من الأمور إلا بالله، ولا سبيل إلى ذلك (٩) إلا بالاعتماد على الله، ولا يتم الاعتماد على الله، حتى يحسن العبد ظنه بربه، ويثق به في كفايته الأمر الذي اعتمد عليه به، وبحسب إيمان العبد يكون توكله، فكلما قوي الإيمان قوي التوكل (١٠)

(١) في ب: ممن. (٢) كذا في ب، وفي أ: عندها. (٣) في ب: من الأجر العظيم. (٤) في ب: وهو. (٥) في ب: في أقواله وأفعاله وجميع أحواله. (٦) في ب: كما قال تعالى مخبرًا أنه يثبت المؤمنين. (٧) في ب: بلاغًا بينًا واضحًا فتقوم. (٨) كذا في ب، وفي أ: يعتمدوا. (٩) كذا في ب، وفي أ: لذلك. (١٠) في ب: يكون توكله قوة وضعفًا.