Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (379)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(17) “Can one who stands upon clear proof from his Lord, followed by a witness from Him, and preceded by the Book of Moses as a guide and mercy, be compared to others? Those are the ones who believe in it. As for anyone among the factions who disbelieves in it, the Fire is his appointed destination. So have no doubt about it. It is indeed the truth from your Lord, but most people do not believe.”

Allah Most High describes the state of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who take his place among his heirs—those who uphold His religion and its proofs with certainty. He explains that no one else possesses their qualities or is their equal. He says: “Can one who stands upon clear proof from his Lord”—through the revelation in which Allah set forth (1) the important matters and their manifest proofs, and thus became certain of that clear proof—

“followed by”—that is, this clear proof and evidence is followed by another proof—“a witness from Him.” This is the testimony of an upright natural disposition and sound reason, which attest to the truth of what Allah has revealed and prescribed and recognize its goodness through reason. This increases such a person in faith upon faith.

“And”—then there is a third witness, namely “the Book of Moses”: the Torah, which Allah made “a guide” for people “and a mercy” to them. It attests to the truthfulness of this Quran and agrees with the truth it contains.

In other words, can one who possesses these qualities—before whom the testimonies of faith have converged and for whom the proofs yielding certainty have been established—be compared to one who remains in layers of darkness and ignorance, unable to escape them?!

They are not equal before Allah or before the servants of Allah. “Those”—namely, those whom Allah has enabled to recognize the established proofs—truly “believe” in the Quran, and their faith bears every good fruit for them in this world and the Hereafter.

“As for anyone who disbelieves in it”—that is, in the Quran—“among the factions,” meaning all the various groups of people on earth that have banded together to reject the truth, “the Fire is his appointed destination”; he will inevitably enter it. “So have no doubt about it,” not even the slightest doubt. “It is indeed the truth from your Lord, but most people do not believe,” either because of their ignorance and misguidance or because of their wrongdoing, obstinacy, and transgression. Otherwise, anyone whose intention is sound and whose understanding is upright must believe in it, for he will see from every perspective all that calls him to faith.

(1) Thus in B; A reads: *anzalahu* (“He sent it down”).

﴿١٧﴾ ﴿أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِنْهُ وَمِنْ قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً أُولَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الأحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ فَلا تَكُ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ . يذكر تعالى، حال رسوله محمد ﷺ ومن قام مقامه من ورثته القائمين بدينه، وحججه الموقنين بذلك، وأنهم لا يوصف بهم غيرهم ولا يكون أحد مثلهم، فقال: ﴿أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ﴾ بالوحي الذي أنزل (١) الله فيه المسائل المهمة، ودلائلها الظاهرة، فتيقن تلك البينة. ﴿وَيَتْلُوهُ﴾ أي: يتلو هذه البينة والبرهان برهان آخر ﴿شَاهِدٌ مِنْهُ﴾ وهو شاهد الفطرة المستقيمة، والعقل الصحيح، حين شهد حقيقة ما أوحاه الله وشرعه، وعلم بعقله حسنه، فازداد بذلك إيمانا إلى إيمانه. ﴿وَ﴾ ثم شاهد ثالث وهو ﴿كِتَابُ مُوسَى﴾ التوراة التي جعلها الله ﴿إِمَامًا﴾ للناس ﴿وَرَحْمَةً﴾ لهم، يشهد لهذا القرآن بالصدق، ويوافقه فيما جاء به من الحق. أي: أفمن كان بهذا الوصف قد تواردت عليه شواهد الإيمان، وقامت لديه أدلة اليقين، كمن هو في الظلمات والجهالات، ليس بخارج منها؟! لا يستوون عند الله، ولا عند عباد الله، ﴿أُولَئِكَ﴾ أي: الذين وفقوا لقيام الأدلة عندهم، ﴿يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ بالقرآن حقيقة، فيثمر لهم إيمانهم كل خير في الدنيا والآخرة. ﴿وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِهِ﴾ أي: القرآن ﴿مِنَ الأحْزَابِ﴾ أي: سائر طوائف أهل الأرض، المتحزبة على رد الحق، ﴿فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ﴾ لا بد من وروده إليها ﴿فَلا تَكُ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْهُ﴾ أي: في أدنى شك ﴿إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾ إما جهلا منهم وضلالا وإما ظلما وعنادا وبغيا، وإلا فمن كان قصده حسنا وفهمه مستقيما، فلا بد أن يؤمن به، لأنه يرى ما يدعوه إلى الإيمان من كل وجه.

(١) كذا في ب، وفي أ: أنزله.