Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (212)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(150–152) “Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and seek to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers, saying, ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in others,’ and seek to adopt a path in between * those are the true disbelievers. We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment * But those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them—He will give them their rewards. Allah is ever All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Here are two categories that are clear to everyone: one who believes in Allah, all His messengers, and His Books; and one who disbelieves in all of that.

There remains a third category: those who claim to believe in some messengers but not in others and suppose that this path will save them from Allah’s punishment. This is nothing but wishful thinking, for they seek to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers.

Whoever is truly devoted to Allah is devoted to all His messengers, for this is part of complete devotion to Him. Whoever is hostile to any one of His messengers is hostile to Allah and to all His messengers, as Allah Most High says: “Whoever is an enemy to Allah…” and the verses that follow.

Likewise, whoever disbelieves in one messenger has disbelieved in all the messengers; indeed, he has even disbelieved in the messenger in whom he claims to believe. Hence He says: “Those are the true disbelievers,” lest anyone imagine that their status lies somewhere between faith and disbelief. ⦗213⦘

The reason they are disbelievers—even in what they claim to believe—is that every proof which led them to believe in the messenger they accepted exists in the case of the prophet they rejected, either in the same form, in an equivalent form, or in an even stronger form. Likewise, every specious argument by which they claim to discredit the prophet they rejected applies equally, or more strongly, to the one in whom they believe.

Nothing therefore remains except whim, personal desire, and bare assertion, which anyone could counter with an equivalent claim. After stating that these are the true disbelievers, Allah mentions a punishment encompassing them and every disbeliever: “We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.” Just as they were too arrogant to believe in Allah, He humiliates them with a painful and disgraceful punishment.

“But those who believe in Allah and His messengers.” This includes believing everything Allah has related concerning Himself and all the reports and rulings brought by the messengers. “And make no distinction between any” of His messengers; rather, they believe in them all. This is true faith and certainty founded upon proof.

“He will give them their rewards”—that is, the recompense for their faith and for the righteous deeds, good words, and noble character that result from it, each according to his own condition. Perhaps this explains why the rewards are ascribed to them. “Allah is ever All-Forgiving, Most Merciful”: He forgives evil deeds and accepts good deeds.

﴿١٥٠ - ١٥٢﴾ ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلا * أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا * وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ أُولَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا﴾ . هنا قسمان قد وضحا لكل أحد: مؤمنٌ بالله وبرسله كلِّهم وكتبه، وكافرٌ بذلك كله. وبقي قسم ثالث: وهو الذي يزعم أنه يؤمن ببعض الرسل دون بعض، وأن هذا سبيل ينجيه من عذاب الله، إنْ هذا إلا مجرد أماني. فإن هؤلاء يريدون التفريق بين الله وبين رسله. فإن من تولى الله حقيقة تولى جميع رسله لأن ذلك من تمام توليه، ومن عادى أحدا من رسله فقد عادى الله وعادى جميع رسله، كما قال تعالى: ﴿مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ﴾ الآيات. وكذلك مَنْ كفر برسول فقد كفر بجميع الرسل، بل بالرسول الذي يزعم أنه به مؤمن، ولهذا قال: ﴿أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا﴾ وذلك لئلا يتوهم أن مرتبتهم متوسطة بين الإيمان والكفر. ⦗٢١٣⦘ ووجه كونهم كافرين - حتى بما زعموا الإيمان به- أن كل دليل دلهم على الإيمان بمن آمنوا به موجود هو أو مثله أو ما فوقه للنبي الذي كفروا به، وكل شبهة يزعمون أنهم يقدحون بها في النبي الذي كفروا به موجود مثلها أو أعظم منها فيمن آمنوا به. فلم يبق بعد ذلك إلا التشهي والهوى ومجرد الدعوى التي يمكن كل أحد أن يقابلها بمثلها، ولما ذكر أن هؤلاء هم الكافرون حقا ذكر عقابا شاملا لهم ولكل كافر فقال: ﴿وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا﴾ كما تكبروا عن الإيمان بالله، أهانهم بالعذاب الأليم المخزي. ﴿وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ﴾ وهذا يتضمن الإيمان بكل ما أخبر الله به عن نفسه وبكل ما جاءت به الرسل من الأخبار والأحكام. ﴿وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ﴾ من رسله، بل آمنوا بهم كلهم، فهذا هو الإيمان الحقيقي، واليقين المبني على البرهان. ﴿أُولَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ﴾ أي: جزاء إيمانهم وما ترتب عليه من عمل صالح، وقول حسن، وخلق جميل، كُلٌّ على حسب حاله. ولعل هذا هو السر في إضافة الأجور إليهم، ﴿وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا﴾ يغفر السيئات ويتقبل الحسنات.