Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (318)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(24–25) “O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know that Allah comes between a person and his heart, and that to Him you will be gathered. * Beware of a tribulation that will not afflict only those among you who have done wrong, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.”

Allah Most High commands His believing servants to fulfill what faith requires of them: responding to Allah and the Messenger. This means submitting to what they have commanded, hastening to carry it out and calling others to it, while avoiding what they have forbidden, refraining from it and forbidding it.

His words, “when he calls you to that which gives you life,” invariably describe everything to which Allah and His Messenger call and explain its benefit and wisdom. The heart and soul attain life through worshipping Allah Most High and constantly adhering to obedience to Him and His Messenger.

He then warned against failing to respond to Allah and the Messenger, saying: “Know that Allah comes between a person and his heart.” Beware, therefore, of rejecting Allah’s command when it first comes to you, lest you be prevented from accepting it when you later desire to do so and your hearts be changed. Allah comes between a person and his heart: He turns hearts as He wills and directs them wherever He wills.

The servant should therefore frequently say: “O Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion. O Director of hearts, direct my heart to obey You.”

“And that to Him you will be gathered”—that is, you will be assembled for a Day about which there is no doubt, when He will reward the doer of good for his goodness and repay the wrongdoer for his disobedience.

“Beware of a tribulation that will not afflict only those among you who have done wrong.” Rather, it will afflict both the perpetrator of wrongdoing and others. This occurs when wrongdoing becomes manifest but is not changed, for its punishment then encompasses both its perpetrator and others. This tribulation is warded off (1) by forbidding what is wrong, restraining the people of evil and corruption, and preventing them, as far as possible, from committing sins and injustice.

“And know that Allah is severe in punishment” toward those who expose themselves to His displeasure and turn away from what pleases Him.

(1) This is the reading in both manuscripts. The intended meaning is clear: this tribulation is warded off by forbidding what is wrong.

﴿٢٤ - ٢٥﴾ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ * وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾ . يأمر تعالى عباده المؤمنين بما يقتضيه الإيمان منهم وهو الاستجابة لله وللرسول، أي: الانقياد لما أمرا به والمبادرة إلى ذلك والدعوة إليه، والاجتناب لما نهيا عنه، والانكفاف عنه والنهي عنه. وقوله: ﴿إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ﴾ وصف ملازم لكل ما دعا الله ورسوله إليه، وبيان لفائدته وحكمته، فإن حياة القلب والروح بعبودية الله تعالى ولزوم طاعته وطاعة رسوله على الدوام. ثم حذر عن عدم الاستجابة لله وللرسول فقال: ﴿وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ﴾ فإياكم أن تردوا أمر الله أول ما يأتيكم، فيحال بينكم وبينه إذا أردتموه بعد ذلك، وتختلف قلوبكم، فإن الله يحول بين المرء وقلبه، يقلب القلوب حيث شاء ويصرفها أنى شاء. فليكثر العبد من قول: يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك، يا مصرف القلوب، اصرف قلبي إلى طاعتك. ﴿وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ﴾ أي: تجمعون ليوم لا ريب فيه، فيجازي المحسن بإحسانه، والمسيء بعصيانه. ﴿وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً﴾ بل تصيب فاعل الظلم وغيره، وذلك إذا ظهر الظلم فلم يغير، فإن عقوبته تعم الفاعل وغيره، وتقوى (١) هذه الفتنة بالنهي عن المنكر، وقمع أهل الشر والفساد، وأن لا يمكنوا من المعاصي والظلم مهما أمكن. ﴿وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾ لمن تعرض لمساخطه، وجانب رضاه.

(١) هكذا في النسختين والمراد ظاهر وهو: أن اتقاء هذه الفتنة يكون بالنهي عن المنكر.