Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (435)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

“Those who made the Quran into portions. By your Lord, We will surely question them all about what they used to do.”

“Those who made the Quran into portions” means that they divided it into categories, sections, and parts, dealing with it as their whims dictated. Some of them called it magic, others soothsaying, and still others a fabrication, along with the other claims made by the disbelievers who denied it. Their purpose in maligning it was to turn people away from guidance.

“By your Lord, We will surely question them all”—that is, everyone who disparaged it, maligned it, distorted it, or altered it—“about what they used to do.” This contains the most severe warning and deterrent against persisting in their former ways (1).

Allah then commanded His Messenger to pay no heed to them or anyone else, but to proclaim openly what Allah had commanded and declare it to everyone. No obstacle was to hinder him from his task, nor were the words of the reckless to deter him. “Turn away from the polytheists”; that is, pay no heed to them and do not trade insults or abuse with them, but attend to your own task. “Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers” who mock you and what you have brought. This is Allah’s promise to His Messenger that the mockers would not harm him and that Allah would protect him from them through whatever form of punishment He willed. He Most High indeed did so: no one ever openly mocked the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or what he brought without Allah destroying him and putting him to a most terrible death.

He then described them: just as they offend you, O Messenger of Allah, they also offend Allah by setting up “another god” alongside Him, even though He is their Lord, Creator, and Governor of their affairs. “They will soon know” the outcome of their deeds when they arrive on the Day of Resurrection. “We certainly know that your breast is constricted by what they say” to you by way of denial and mockery. We are able to eradicate them through punishment and hasten upon them what they deserve, but Allah grants them respite and does not neglect them.

Therefore, O Muhammad, “glorify your Lord with praise and be among those who prostrate themselves.” That is, abound in the remembrance of Allah, in glorifying and praising Him, and in prayer, for this expands and relieves the breast and helps you in your affairs.

(1) In B: “they do.”

﴿الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ * فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ * عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ . ﴿الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ﴾ أي: أصنافا وأعضاء وأجزاء، يصرفونه بحسب ما يهوونه، فمنهم من يقول: سحر ومنهم من يقول: كهانة ومنهم من يقول: مفترى إلى غير ذلك من أقوال الكفرة المكذبين به، الذين جعلوا قدحهم فيه ليصدوا الناس عن الهدى. ﴿فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾ أي: جميع من قدح فيه وعابه وحرفه وبدله ﴿عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ وفي هذا أعظم ترهيب وزجر لهم عن الإقامة على ما كانوا عليه (١) . ثم أمر الله رسوله أن لا يبالي بهم ولا بغيرهم وأن يصدع بما أمر الله ويعلن بذلك لكل أحد ولا يعوقنه عن أمره عائق ولا تصده أقوال المتهوكين، ﴿وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ أي: لا تبال بهم واترك مشاتمتهم ومسابتهم مقبلا على شأنك، ﴿إِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ﴾ بك وبما جئت به وهذا وعد من الله لرسوله، أن لا يضره المستهزئون، وأن يكفيه الله إياهم بما شاء من أنواع العقوبة. وقد فعل تعالى فإنه ما تظاهر أحد بالاستهزاء برسول الله ﷺ وبما جاء به إلا أهلكه الله وقتله شر قتلة. ثم ذكر وصفهم وأنهم كما يؤذونك يا رسول الله، فإنهم أيضا يؤذون الله ويجعلون معه ﴿إِلهًا آخَرَ﴾ وهو ربهم وخالقهم ومدبرهم ﴿فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ غب أفعالهم إذا وردوا القيامة، ﴿وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ﴾ لك من التكذيب والاستهزاء، فنحن قادرون على استئصالهم بالعذاب، والتعجيل لهم بما يستحقون، ولكن الله يمهلهم ولا يهملهم. فأنت يا محمد ﴿فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ﴾ أي: أكثر من ذكر الله وتسبيحه وتحميده والصلاة فإن ذلك يوسع الصدر ويشرحه ويعينك على أمورك.

(١) في ب: يعملون.