a continuation of the words of those firmly grounded in knowledge. It includes affirmation of the resurrection and recompense, complete certainty that Allah will inevitably fulfill what He has promised, and the deeds and preparation for that Day which such certainty necessarily requires. Faith in the resurrection and recompense is the foundation of sound hearts and of both the desire for good and the fear of evil—the two foundations of every good.
(10–11) “Indeed, neither the wealth nor the children of those who disbelieve will avail them at all against Allah. They are the fuel of the Fire. * Their fate will be like that of Pharaoh’s people and those before them. They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. Allah is severe in punishment.”
After mentioning the Day of Resurrection, Allah states that all who disbelieve in Him and deny His Messenger will inevitably enter the Fire and suffer its flames. Neither their wealth nor their children will avail them in the least against Allah’s punishment. In this world, seizures and punishments will befall them just as they befell Pharaoh and all the other nations that denied Allah’s signs: “So Allah seized them for their sins.” He hastened their worldly punishments, which are linked to the punishments of the Hereafter.
“Allah is severe in punishment.” Beware of taking His punishment lightly, lest persisting in disbelief and denial become easy for you.
(12–13) “Say to those who disbelieve, ‘You will be defeated and gathered into Hell—what a wretched resting place!’ * There was indeed a sign for you in the two armies that met: one fighting in the way of Allah and the other disbelieving. They saw them with their own eyes as twice their number. Allah supports with His victory whomever He wills. Surely in this is a lesson for people of insight.”
This is both glad tidings for the believers and a warning to the disbelievers that the latter would inevitably be defeated in this world. It happened just as Allah had foretold: they suffered an unparalleled defeat.
Allah Most High made what took place at Badr one of His signs demonstrating the truthfulness of His Messenger, that he was upon the truth and his enemies upon falsehood. Two armies met: the believers numbered only three hundred and a little over ten men, despite their small numbers, while the disbelievers numbered nearly a thousand and were fully equipped with weapons and other provisions. Allah supported the believers with His victory, and they defeated them by His permission. In this is a lesson for people of insight.
Were this not the truth—which, when it confronts falsehood, destroys it and causes it to vanish—the outcome, according to material causes, would have been the reverse.
(14–15) “The love of desirable things has been made appealing to people: women, sons, heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, fine horses, livestock, and cultivated land. Such is the enjoyment of worldly life, but with Allah is the finest destination. * Say, ‘Shall I inform you of something better than all of that? For those mindful of Allah, with their Lord, are Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will remain forever, purified spouses, and approval from Allah. Allah sees His servants.’”
In these two verses, the Most High describes how people prefer this world to the Hereafter and explains the tremendous disparity and vast difference between the two abodes. He states that these things have been made appealing to people, so they fix their eyes longingly upon them, delight in them within their hearts, and devote themselves to their pleasures. Each group inclines toward one of these types of pleasure and makes it its greatest concern and the utmost extent of its knowledge. Yet, despite all this, it is meager enjoyment that expires after a brief time.
Such is “the enjoyment of worldly life, but with Allah is the finest destination.”
(15) He then explains that those who are mindful of Allah and faithfully worship Him will have what is better than these pleasures. They will enjoy every kind of good and lasting bliss—such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived. They will also have Allah’s approval, which is greater than everything else.
They will have purified spouses, free from every defect and deficiency, beautiful in character and perfect in form. This is because negating a quality entails affirming its opposite: their purification from defects necessarily means that they possess every perfection.
“Allah sees His servants,” and He makes easy for each of them that for which he was created. As for the people of felicity, He makes it easy for them to work for this everlasting abode, and they take from this worldly life whatever assists them in worshipping and obeying Allah. As for the people of wretchedness and aversion, He facilitates for them the deeds of the wretched. They are content with worldly life, feel secure in it, and make it their permanent home.
(16–17) “Those who say, ‘Our Lord, we have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire’; * those who are steadfast, truthful, devoutly obedient, charitable, and who seek forgiveness before dawn.”
That is, these firmly grounded in knowledge—the people of knowledge and faith—appeal to their Lord by means of their faith, asking Him to forgive their sins and protect them from the punishment of the Fire. This is among the means Allah loves: that a servant appeal to his Lord by the faith and righteous deeds He has graciously bestowed upon him, asking Him to complete His blessings by granting him the fullest reward and protecting him from punishment.
(17) He then describes them with the finest qualities. They possess steadfastness, which means restraining themselves upon what Allah loves in pursuit of His approval: they remain steadfast in obeying Allah, refrain steadfastly from disobeying Him, and patiently endure His painful decrees.
They are truthful in their words and their states, so their outward and inward conditions agree, and they are sincerely resolved to follow the straight path. They are devoutly obedient, remaining constant in obedience while maintaining humility and submission. They spend in avenues of goodness and upon the poor and needy. They also seek forgiveness, especially before dawn, for they prolong their prayers until that time and then sit seeking Allah Most High’s forgiveness.
(18) “Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, as do the angels and those endowed with knowledge, upholding justice. There is no deity except Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”
This is the noblest testimony, issued by the Supreme Sovereign, the angels, and the people of knowledge concerning the greatest truth ever attested: the oneness of Allah and His upholding of justice. This includes testimony to the entirety of divine law and to all rulings concerning recompense.
The foundation and basis of divine law and religion is the oneness of Allah, worshipping Him alone, and acknowledging that He alone possesses the attributes of greatness, grandeur, glory, might, power, and majesty, as well as the qualities of generosity, beneficence, mercy, kindness, and beauty. He possesses absolute perfection, of which no creature can encompass even the least part, attain its like, or adequately praise Him. All prescribed acts of worship, dealings and their attendant matters, commands, and prohibitions are entirely just and equitable, containing no injustice or wrongdoing whatsoever. Rather, they possess the utmost wisdom and perfection. Likewise, recompense for both righteous and evil deeds is entirely equitable and just.
“Say, ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’ Say, ‘Allah.’” Thus, the oneness of Allah, His religion, and His recompense have been established