Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (285)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(25, 26) “He said, ‘Therein you will live, therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth. * O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you garments to cover your nakedness and serve as adornment. Yet the garment of righteousness is best. That is among Allah’s signs, so that they may take heed.’”

That is, when Allah sent Adam, his wife, and their descendants down to earth, He informed them of the nature of their stay there: He had ordained for them a life followed by death, filled with trials and tests. They would remain there as He sent them His messengers and revealed to them His Books, until death came to them and they were buried in the earth. Then, once they had all completed their appointed terms, Allah would resurrect them and bring them forth from it to the abode that is truly the Abode—the abode of permanent residence.

He then reminded them of His favor in facilitating for them both the essential clothing they needed and the clothing ⦗286⦘ intended for adornment. The same applies to all other things, such as food, drink, mounts, marriage, and the like: Allah has made available to His servants both what is essential of these things and what completes them. He [made it clear to them] (1) that these things are not ends in themselves; rather, Allah bestowed them to assist His servants in worshipping and obeying Him. He therefore said, “Yet the garment of righteousness is best”—better than physical clothing. The garment of righteousness remains with the servant and neither wears out nor perishes; it is the adornment of the heart and soul.

As for outward clothing, the utmost it can do is cover one’s outward nakedness for a time or serve as an adornment. Beyond that, it provides no benefit.

Moreover, if this clothing is absent, one’s outward nakedness is exposed, though its exposure does no harm when compelled by necessity. But if the garment of righteousness is absent, one’s inward nakedness is exposed, and one suffers disgrace and humiliation.

His words, “That is among Allah’s signs, so that they may take heed,” mean that the clothing mentioned to you is among the things by which you are reminded of what benefits you and what harms you, and through which you compare (2) the inward garment to outward clothing.

(1) An addition from the margin of B. (2) Thus in A; B reads: “and you seek help.”

﴿٢٥، ٢٦﴾ ﴿قَالَ فِيهَا تَحْيَوْنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنْهَا تُخْرَجُونَ * يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ﴾ . أي: لما أهبط الله آدم وزوجته وذريتهما إلى الأرض، أخبرهما بحال إقامتهم فيها، وأنه جعل لهم فيها حياة يتلوها الموت، مشحونة بالامتحان والابتلاء، وأنهم لا يزالون فيها، يرسل إليهم رسله، وينزل عليهم كتبه، حتى يأتيهم الموت، فيدفنون فيها، ثم إذا استكملوا بعثهم الله وأخرجهم منها إلى الدار التي هي الدار حقيقة، التي هي دار المقامة. ثم امتن عليهم بما يسر لهم من اللباس الضروري، واللباس الذي ⦗٢٨٦⦘ المقصود منه الجمال، وهكذا سائر الأشياء، كالطعام والشراب والمراكب، والمناكح ونحوها، قد يسر الله للعباد ضروريها، ومكمل ذلك، و [بين لهم] (١) أن هذا ليس مقصودا بالذات، وإنما أنزله الله ليكون معونة لهم على عبادته وطاعته، ولهذا قال: ﴿وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ﴾ من اللباس الحسي، فإن لباس التقوى يستمر مع العبد، ولا يبلى ولا يبيد، وهو جمال القلب والروح. وأما اللباس الظاهري، فغايته أن يستر العورة الظاهرة، في وقت من الأوقات، أو يكون جمالا للإنسان، وليس وراء ذلك منه نفع. وأيضا، فبتقدير عدم هذا اللباس، تنكشف عورته الظاهرة، التي لا يضره كشفها، مع الضرورة، وأما بتقدير عدم لباس التقوى، فإنها تنكشف عورته الباطنة، وينال الخزي والفضيحة. وقوله: ﴿ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ﴾ أي: ذلك المذكور لكم من اللباس، مما تذكرون به ما ينفعكم ويضركم وتشبهون (٢) باللباس الظاهر على الباطن.

(١) زيادة من هامش ب. (٢) هكذا في أ، وفي ب: وتستعينون.