Al-Qawaid al-Hisan li-Tafsir al-Quran - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (15)

Al-Qawaid al-Hisan li-Tafsir al-QuranAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

—“Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge” (Ghāfir 40:7)—and He is al-Quddūs (the Most Holy), al-Salām (the Source of Peace), exalted and sanctified far above every flaw, defect, or deficiency, above all resemblance to His creation, and above having any rival among them.

The same applies to the rest of the Most Beautiful Names: consider them in light of this noble principle and a vast gateway to knowing Allah will open before you. Indeed, the very foundation of knowing Him is to understand—as much as each servant is able—the magnificent meanings contained in His Names and what they entail. Yet no created being can fully grasp that knowledge, nor can anyone enumerate His praise; He is as He has praised Himself, and far beyond what His servants can say in His praise.

An example of this rule is His statement: “Cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression” (al-Māʾidah 5:2). “Righteousness” covers every form of virtue and goodness, and “piety” embraces everything that must be avoided—every danger, sin, and prohibition.

“Sin” is an inclusive term for anything that incurs blame and leads to disobedience, while “aggression” is likewise comprehensive, spanning every transgression against people—whether against their lives, their property, or their honour—as well as wrongdoing against the community at large, against governing authorities, and against the very limits set by Allah.

In the Qur’an the word maʿrūf (that which is universally recognised as good) is an all-embracing term for everything whose goodness is affirmed by revelation and sound reason; its opposites are munkar (reprehensible), evil, and obscenity.

The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—drew his nation’s attention to this principle and urged them to observe it when he taught them, in the tashahhud of prayer, to say: “Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah.” He explained, “When you say that, the greeting reaches every righteous servant in the heavens and on earth.” (Reported by al-Bukhārī.)

Examples of this principle in the Qur’an are exceedingly numerous.

﴿رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْماً﴾ [غافر: ٧] وأنه القدوس السلام، المعظم المنزه عن كل عيب وآفة ونقص، وعن مماثلة أحد، وعن أن يكون له ند من خلقه. وهكذا بقية الأسماء الحسنى، اعتبرْها بهذه القاعدة الجليلة ينفتح لك باب عظيم من أبواب معرفة الله، بل أصل معرفة الله تعالى معرفة ما تحتوي عليه أسماؤه الحسنى، وتقتضيه من المعاني العظيمة، بحسب ما يقدر عليه العبد، وإلا فلن يبلغ علم أحد من الخلق بذلك، ولن يحصي أحد ثناء عليه، بل هو كما أثنى على نفسه، وفوق ما يثني عليه عباده. ومن ذلك قوله تعالى: ﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْأِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ﴾ [المائدة: ٢] ، يشمل جميع أنواع البر والخير، وتشمل التقوى جميع ما يجب اتقاؤه من أنواع المَخُوفات والمعاصي والمحرمات. والإثم: اسم جامع لكل ما يؤثم، ويوقع في المعصية. كما أن العدوان: اسم جامع يدخل فيه جميع أنواع التعدي على الناس في الدماء والأموال والأعراض، والتعدي على مجموع الأمة، وعلى الحكومات والتعدي على حدود الله. و" المعروف " في القرآن: اسم جامع لكل ما عرف حسنه شرعاً وعقلاً، وعكسه: المنكر والسوء والفاحشة. وقد نبه النبي ﷺ أمته إلى هذه القاعدة، وأرشدهم إلى اعتبارها إذ علمهم أن يقولوا في التشهد في الصلاة: (السلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحين) فقال: (فإنكم إذا قلتم ذلك سلمتم على كل عبد صالح من أهل السماء والأرض) [رواه البخاري] وأمثلتها في القرآن كثيرة جداً.