Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (50)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(38–39) “We said, ‘Descend from it, all of you. Then, whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will have no fear, nor will they grieve. But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs are the inhabitants of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.’”

The command to descend is repeated so that the following consequence may be stated—namely, His words: “Then, whenever guidance comes to you from Me.” That is, at whatever time or period guidance comes to you from Me—O assembly of jinn and humankind—in the form of a messenger and a Scripture, to guide you to what brings you close to Me, draws you near to Me, and draws you near to My pleasure, then “whoever among you follows My guidance” by believing in My messengers and My Scriptures and being guided through them—which entails affirming all that the messengers and Scriptures convey, complying with what is commanded, and avoiding what is prohibited—“will have no fear, nor will they grieve.”

In another verse, Allah says: “Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer misery.”

He thus makes four things follow from adherence to His guidance: the absence of fear and grief. The difference between them is that when something unpleasant has already occurred, it causes grief; when it is anticipated, it causes fear. He negates both for those who follow His guidance, and when both are absent, their opposite is attained: complete security. Likewise, He negates misguidance and misery for those who follow His guidance; when both are absent, their opposites—guidance and happiness—are established.

Thus, whoever follows His guidance attains security and guidance, as well as happiness in this world and the Hereafter. Every evil—fear, grief, misguidance, and misery—is removed from him. He thereby attains everything desirable, while everything dreaded is warded off. This is the opposite of the state of one who does not follow His guidance, but rejects it and denies His signs.

Such people “are the inhabitants of the Fire”; that is, they remain inseparably attached to it, as a companion remains with his companion and a creditor pursues his debtor. “They will abide therein forever”: they will never leave it, their punishment will never be eased, and they will not be helped.

These verses and others like them show that creation—jinn and humankind—is divided into the people of felicity and the people of misery. They also describe both groups and the deeds that bring about their respective outcomes. They show that the jinn, like humans, are subject to reward and punishment, just as they are subject to commands and prohibitions.

Allah then began reminding the Children of Israel of His favors and kindness toward them, saying:

﴿٣٨ - ٣٩﴾ ﴿قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ﴾ . كرر الإهباط، ليرتب عليه ما ذكر وهو قوله: ﴿فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى﴾ أي: أيَّ وقت وزمان جاءكم مني -يا معشر الثقلين- هدى، أي: رسول وكتاب يهديكم لما يقربكم مني، ويدنيكم مني; ويدنيكم من رضائي، ﴿فمن تبع هداي﴾ منكم، بأن آمن برسلي وكتبي، واهتدى بهم، وذلك بتصديق جميع أخبار الرسل والكتب، والامتثال للأمر والاجتناب للنهي، ﴿فَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾ . وفي الآية الأخرى: ﴿فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلا يَضِلُّ وَلا يَشْقَى﴾ . فرتب على اتباع هداه أربعة أشياء: نفي الخوف والحزن والفرق بينهما، أن المكروه إن كان قد مضى، أحدث الحزن، وإن كان منتظرا، أحدث الخوف، فنفاهما عمن اتبع هداه وإذا انتفيا، حصل ضدهما، وهو الأمن التام، وكذلك نفي الضلال والشقاء عمن اتبع هداه وإذا انتفيا ثبت ضدهما، وهو الهدى والسعادة، فمن اتبع هداه، حصل له الأمن والسعادة الدنيوية والأخروية والهدى، وانتفى عنه كل مكروه، من الخوف، والحزن، والضلال، والشقاء، فحصل له المرغوب، واندفع عنه المرهوب، وهذا عكس من لم يتبع هداه، فكفر به، وكذب بآياته. فـ ﴿أولئك أصحاب النار﴾ أي: الملازمون لها، ملازمة الصاحب لصاحبه، والغريم لغريمه، ﴿هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ﴾ لا يخرجون منها، ولا يفتر عنهم العذاب ولا هم ينصرون. وفي هذه الآيات وما أشبهها، انقسام الخلق من الجن والإنس، إلى أهل السعادة، وأهل الشقاوة، وفيها صفات الفريقين والأعمال الموجبة لذلك، وأن الجن كالإنس في الثواب والعقاب، كما أنهم مثلهم، في الأمر والنهي. ثم شرع تعالى يذكِّر بني إسرائيل نعمه عليهم وإحسانه فقال: