Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (872)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(8–11) “Many a town defied the command of its Lord and His messengers, so We called it to a severe account and subjected it to a dreadful punishment. * Thus it tasted the evil consequences of its conduct, and the ultimate outcome of its conduct was loss. * Allah has prepared a severe punishment for them. So fear Allah, O people of understanding who believe! Allah has indeed sent down to you a Reminder: * a Messenger who recites to you Allah’s clear verses, so that He may bring those who believe and do righteous deeds out of darkness into light. Whoever believes in Allah and does righteous deeds, He will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. Allah has granted them an excellent provision.”

The Most High tells us of His destruction of the defiant nations and the generations that denied the messengers: their great numbers and strength did not benefit them (1) at all when severe reckoning and painful punishment came upon them. Allah made them taste the punishment warranted by their evil deeds.

In addition to their punishment in this world, Allah has prepared a severe punishment for them in the Hereafter. “So fear Allah, O people of understanding”—that is, people endowed with minds that comprehend Allah’s verses and the lessons they contain. They understand that those who came after the earlier generations whom He destroyed for their denial are just like them; there is no difference between the two groups.

He then reminded His believing servants of what He had sent down to them of His Book, which He revealed to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, to bring creation out of the darkness of disbelief, ignorance, and disobedience into the light of knowledge, faith, and obedience. Some people believe in it, while others do not [believe in it]. “Whoever believes in Allah and does righteous deeds”—both obligatory and recommended—“He will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow.” They contain everlasting bliss such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived. “They will abide therein forever. Allah has granted them an excellent provision.” [That is:] Those who do not believe in Allah and His Messenger are the inhabitants of the Fire, where they will abide forever.

(1) B reads: “avail them.”

﴿٨-١١﴾ ﴿وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِ فَحَاسَبْنَاهَا حِسَابًا شَدِيدًا وَعَذَّبْنَاهَا عَذَابًا نُكْرًا * فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَاقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْرًا * أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الألْبَابِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا * رَسُولا يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ لِيُخْرِجَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا قَدْ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ رِزْقًا﴾ . يخبر تعالى عن إهلاكه الأمم العاتية، والقرون المكذبة للرسل أن كثرتهم وقوتهم، لم تنفعهم (١) شيئًا، حين جاءهم الحساب الشديد، والعذاب الأليم، وأن الله أذاقهم من العذاب ما هو موجب أعمالهم السيئة. ومع عذاب الدنيا، فإن الله أعد لهم في الآخرة عذابا شديدًا، ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الألْبَابِ﴾ أي: يا ذوي العقول، التي تفهم عن الله آياته وعبره، وأن الذي أهلك القرون الماضية بتكذيبهم، أن من بعدهم مثلهم، لا فرق بين الطائفتين. ثم ذكر عباده المؤمنين بما أنزل عليهم من كتابه، الذي أنزله على رسوله محمد ﷺ، ليخرج الخلق من ظلمات الكفر والجهل والمعصية، إلى نور العلم والإيمان والطاعة، فمن الناس، من آمن به، ومنهم من لم يؤمن [به] ، ﴿وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا﴾ من الواجبات والمستحبات. ﴿يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ﴾ فيها من النعيم المقيم، ما لا عين رأت، ولا أذن سمعت، ولا خطر على قلب بشر، ﴿خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا قَدْ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ رِزْقًا﴾ [أي:] ومن لم يؤمن بالله ورسوله، فأولئك أصحاب النار، هم فيها خالدون.

(١) في ب: تغن عنهم.