Surah Al-Anaam

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The Cattle

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Anaam, and the reason for this name is because Anaam means ‘grazing livestock’ and this chapter talks about them at length. Even though the Quran has talked about livestock on a number of occasions in other passages, Surah Al-Anaam has talked about them extensively. 15 verses of this chapter (from verse 136 to the end of verse 150) are specifically about grazing livestock.

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Anaam is the 6th chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

This chapter has 165 verses. [1] [2] [3]

Place of Revelation

There is a difference of opinion amongst the commentators regarding whether this chapter is a Makki or Madani one. [4] [5] Some of the exegetes believe that verses 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 141, 151, 152, and 153 of this chapter were revealed in Medina. [6]

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verse 6-11

An explanation of the polytheists’ and disbelievers’ stubbornness in the face of the truth. These verses refer to their insistence on denying the truth, and their ridiculing of the Divine verses. These verses also give advice, a warning, and a response to some of the [polytheists] baseless words in which they reject the clear truth. [7]

Verses 12-20, 56-73, 40, 46-47

Contention with the disbelievers in regards to monotheism, the Hereafter, and Prophethood. These verses present the proofs of the Oneness of Allah. [8] They also contend with the polytheists in the matters of monotheism and the Hereafter by establishing logical theorems and also through revelation. [9] These verses then reproach [their] stubbornness and contention in the face of the truth. [10]

Verses 21-32

An explanation of the deviance of the polytheists’ beliefs and their end. These verses explain how the polytheists’ deny the belief in monotheism, Prophethood and the Hereafter. This rejection is considered as oppression upon themselves, and is the source of their destruction on the Day of Judgement to the extent that they desire to return to the world and express regret because of their shortcoming with regards to Allah’s rights. [11] [12]

Verses 35-49

A reminder that the acceptance to the invitation of a religion is optional. These verses talk about how the invitation to a religion must take place in a free environment, and should protect the free will of an individual such that anyone who wants can bring forth faith or disbelief. Therefore, since the basis of the invitation to the religion is optional, Divine power and His total will does not interfere in this, and an individual is not compelled to accept, otherwise Allah would have guide all people by force. [13]

Verses 74-83

An explanation of the narrative of Prophet Ibrahim. In these verses Allah reminds us about the proof that He provided to Prophet Ibrahim so that it can be used against the polytheists and invite them to the religion that Allah wants to guide mankind towards, namely the monotheistic religion. Thereafter, the verses explain the Prophets’ guidance as a whole and their pureness of heart from polytheism, and Prophet Nuh who came before Ibrahim, as well as sixteen other Prophets who were from the offspring of Ibrahim are also mentioned. [14] [15]

Verses 114-117

Obedience is limited to the law of Allah. These verses remind us that no one must be considered as a ruler except for Allah, and His order must be listened to, and He has explained in detail the laws in His book. The prohibition of following and obeying most people is also included in this because obeying most people is following supposition and estimation which has the potential to misguide. [16] [17]

Verses 136-146, 151-152

An explanation of some of the laws regarding Islam and certain general laws of other religions. These verses state the laws of Allah in regards to the Halal (permissible) and Haram (impermissible) laws of the polytheists regarding foods which they would partake in. [18] The impermissibility of other actions such as: taking partners for Allah, not showing kindness to one’s parents, being complicit in abomination, killing a person without a just reason which includes the killing of one’s offspring for fear of sustenance, coming close to the orphans’ wealth except if it is in a good way, selling short, oppression in words, not fulfilling a promise to Allah, following a path other than that of Allah and as a result creating differences in Allah’s religion – are all discussed in these verses also. [19]

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

عن رسول‌الله صلی الله علیه و سلم أنزلت علی سورة الأنعام جملة واحدة یشیعها سبعون ألف ملک لهم زجل بالتسبیح و التحمید فمن قرأ الأنعام صلی الله علیه و سلم و استغفر له أولئک السبعون ألف ملک بعدد کل آیة من سورة الأنعام یوما و لیلة

The Prophet of Allah has said: “All of Surah al-Anaam was revealed at once, escorted by 70 000 angels who were reading glorification and praise. So whoever recites al-Anaam, Allah’s peace and blessings will be upon that person, and those 70 000 angels will seek forgiveness for one in the amount of all of the verses of Surah al-Anaam day and night. [20]


Verse 44: “So when they forgot what they had been admonished of, We opened for them the gates of all [good] things. When they became proud of what they were given, We seized them suddenly, whereat, behold, they were despondent.”

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلْ لَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ بَلَاغٌ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ٣٥ قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا یحیی بن غیلان، حدثنا رشدین- یعنی ابن سعد أبا الحجاج المهری- عن حرملة بن عمران التجیبی، عن عقبة بن مسلم، عن عقبة بن عامر، عن النبی صلّی الله علیه و سلم قال: «إذا رأیت الله یعطی العبد من الدنیا علی معاصیه ما یحب فإنما هو استدراج»

Imam Ahmad said that it is narrated from Yahya ibn Ghilan, who narrated it from Rashdeen, that is, Ibn Sad Abu al-Hajjaj al-Mahri, from Hurmalah ibn Imran al-Tajibi, from Uqbah ibn Muslim, from Uqbah ibn Amir, from the Prophet who said: “When you see that Allah gives to His servant from this world despite his insubordinations, He does not like it but it is only a means of persuasion.” [21]


Verse 60: “It is He who takes your souls by night, and He knows what you do by day, then He reanimates you therein so that a specified term may be completed. Then to Him will be your return, whereat He will inform you concerning what you used to do.”

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُمْ بِالنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ٦٠ قال ابن جریج: عن عبد الله بن کثیر، أی فی المنام و الأول أظهر و قد روی ابن مردویه بسنده عن الضحاک، عن ابن عباس، عن النبی صلّی الله علیه و سلّم قال: «مع کل إنسان ملک إذا نام أخذ نفسه و یرده إلیه، فإن أذن الله فی قبض روحه قبضه و إلا رد إلیه»

Ibn Jareej narrates from Abdullah ibn Kathir, from Manam, and it is narrated from Ibn Mardiway from the chain of Dahhak, from Ibn Abbas, from the Prophet who said: “With every person is an angel who takes his soul when he sleeps and he returns it. Surely Allah permits the seizure of his soul and the angel takes it and only returns it if it is told to do so.” [22]


Verse 65: “Say, ‘He is able to send upon you a punishment from above you or from under your feet, or confound you as [hostile] factions, and make you taste one another’s violence.’ Look, how We paraphrase the signs variously so that they may understand!”

قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ٦٥ قال محمد بن إسحاق: عن حکیم بن حکیم بن عباد، عن خصیف، عن عبادة بن حنیف، عن علی بن عبد الرحمن، أخبرنی حذیفة بن الیمان، قال: خرجت مع رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلّم إلی حرة بنی معاویة، قال: فصلی ثمانی رکعات فأطال فیهن، ثم التفت إلی فقال «حبستک یا حذیفة» قلت الله و رسوله أعلم، قال «إنی سألت الله ثلاثا فأعطانی اثنتین و منعنی واحدة: سألته أن لا یسلط علی أمتی عدوا من غیرهم فأعطانی و سألته أن لا یهلکهم بغرق فأعطانی و سألته أن لا یجعل بأسهم بینهم فمنعنی»

Muhammad ibn Ishaaq quotes from Hakeem ibn Hakeem ibn Ibaad, from Khasif, from Ibadah ibn Haneef, from Ali ibn Abd al-Rahman, that Hudayfah ibn al-Yaman informed me, “We were accompanying the Messenger of Allah and passed by the Masjid of Bani Muawiyah. The Prophet went in and offered a two unit prayer, and we prayed behind him. He supplicated to his Lord for a long time and then said, ‘I asked my Lord for three (things): I asked Him not to destroy my nation (Muslims) by drowning and He gave that to me. I asked Him not to destroy my nation by famine and He granted that to me. Finally I asked Him not to make them taste the violence of one another, but He did not provide that to me.’” [23]


Verse 103: “The sights do not apprehend Him, yet He apprehends the sights, and He is the All-Attentive, the All-Aware.”

لَّا تُدۡرِكُهُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدۡرِكُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرَۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ ١٠٣ ثبت فی الصحیحین، من حدیث أبی موسی الأشعری رضی الله عنه مرفوعا «إن الله لا ینام و لا ینبغی له أن ینام، یخفض القسط و یرفعه، یرفع إلیه عمل النهار قبل اللیل و عمل اللیل قبل النهار، حجابه النور- أو النار- لو کشفه، لأحرقت سبحات وجهه ما انتهی إلیه بصره من خلقه»

It is confirmed in the Sahihayn and it is recorded that Abu Musa al-Ashari narrated from the Prophet that: “Verily, Allah does not sleep and it does not befit His Majesty that He should sleep. He lowers the scale (of everything) and raises it. The deeds of the day are ascended to Him before the night, and the deeds of the night before the day. His veil is the Light - or the Fire - and if He removes it (the veil), then the Light of His Face will burn every created thing that His sight reaches.’” [24]


Verse 125: “Whomever Allah desires to guide, He opens his chest to Islam, and whomever He desires to lead astray, He makes his chest narrow and straitened as if he were climbing to a height. Thus does Allah lay [spiritual] defilement on those who do not have faith.”

فَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَهۡدِيَهُۥ يَشۡرَحۡ صَدۡرَهُۥ لِلۡإِسۡلَٰمِۖ وَمَن يُرِدۡ أَن يُضِلَّهُۥ يَجۡعَلۡ صَدۡرَهُۥ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجٗا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَجۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ١٢٥ قال ابن أبی حاتم: حدثنا أبو سعید الأشج، حدثنا ابن إدریس، عن الحسن بن الفرات القزاز، عن عمرو بن مرة، عن أبی جعفر، قال: قال رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلم فَمَنْ یرِدِ الله أَنْ یهْدِیهُ یشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلامِ قال رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلم «إذا دخل الإیمان القلب انفسح له القلب و انشرح» قالوا: یا رسول‌الله هل لذلک من أمارة؟ قال «نعم الإنابة إلی دار الخلود و التجافی عن دار الغرور و الاستعداد للموت قبل الموت»

Ibn Abu Haatim narrates from Abu Saeed al-Ashj, who narrated from Ibn Idris, from al-Hasan al-Furaat al-Qazzaz, from Amr ibn Marrah, from Abu Jafar who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said, “Whoever Allah wants to guide He opens up his heart to Islam. When faith enters the heart, his heart becomes open for him.” They asked: “O Prophet of Allah, is there a sign by which it is known?” He replied: “Yes, it is the turning away from the abode of pride and delegation to the abode of immortality, and the preparation for death before death is sent.” [25]


Verse 134: “Indeed what you are promised will surely come, and you will not be able to thwart it.”

إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لَآتٍ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ١٣٤ قال ابن أبی حاتم فی تفسیرها: حدثنی أبی، حدثنا محمد بن المصفی، حدثنا محمد بن حمیر عن أبی بکر بن أبی مریم عن عطاء بن أبی رباح عن أبی سعید الخدری رضی الله عنه عن النبی صلّی الله علیه و سلّم أنه قال: «یا بنی آدم إن کنتم تعقلون فعدوا أنفسکم من الموتی و الذی نفسی بیده إنما توعدون لآت و ما أنتم بمعجزین»

Ibn Abu Haatim says in his commentary: “It is narrated from my father, who narrated it from Muhammad ibn al-Musaffi, who narrated from Muhammad ibn Hamir, from Abu Bakr ibn Abu Maryam from Ata ibn Abi Ribah, from Abu Saeed al-Khudri, from the Prophet who said: ‘O children of Adam, if you are rational, then they promised themselves in my death, and someone whose life is in His hands then only it will come and you cannot escape. [26]


Verse 151: “Say, ‘Come, I will recount what your Lord has forbidden you. That you shall not ascribe any partners to Him, and you shall be good to the parents, you shall not kill your children due to penury—We will provide for you and for them—you shall not approach indecencies, the outward among them and the inward ones, and you shall not kill a soul [whose life] Allah has made inviolable, except with due cause. This is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may exercise your reason.”

قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلَاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ١٥١ فی بعض المسانید و السنن عن أبی ذر قال: قال رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلّم یقول تعالی: «یا ابن آدم إنک ما دعوتنی و رجوتنی فإنی أغفر لک علی ما کان منک و لا أبالی و لو أتیتنی بقراب الأرض خطیئة أتیتک بقرابها مغفرة ما لم تشرک بی شیئا و إن أخطأت حتی تبلغ خطایاک عنان السماء ثم استغفرتنی غفرت لک»

From some chains and traditions that Abu Dharr said: “The Prophet of Allah said that [Allah], the Almighty said, ‘O People of Adam, surely you call Me and you request from Me, surely I forgive for you that which is from you and you are careless of, and if you come to Me with affinity to this world in error, I come to you in affinity to it with forgiveness for those who do not associate partners to Me; and if you make a mistake even if your mistakes are reported to the clouds of the skies then if you ask for forgiveness from Me, then I will forgive you.’” [27]


Verse 153: “‘This indeed is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way. This is what He enjoins upon you so that you may be Allah-conscious.’”

وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ١٥٣ قال الإمام أحمد: حدثنی الحسن بن سوار أبو العلاء، حدثنا لیث یعنی ابن سعد عن معاویة بن صالح، أن عبد الرحمن بن جبیر بن نفیر حدثه عن أبیه عن النواس بن سمعان عن رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلّم قال «ضرب الله مثلاً صراطا مستقیماً و عن جنبی الصراط سوران فیهما أبواب مفتحة و علی الأبواب ستور مرخاة و علی باب الصراط داع یدعو: یا أیها الناس هلموا ادخلوا الصراط المستقیم جمیعاً و لا تفرقوا وداع یدعو من فوق الصراط فإذا أراد الإنسان أن یفتح شیئا من تلک الأبواب قال ویحک لا تفتحه فإنک إن فتحته تلجه فالصراط الإسلام و السوران حدود الله و الأبواب المفتحة محارم الله و ذلک الداعی علی رأس الصراط کتاب الله و الداعی من فوق الصراط واعظ الله فی قلب کل مسلم»

Imam Ahmad says that it has been narrated from Hasan ibn Sawar Abu al-Ala, who narrated from Layth, that is, Ibn Sad, from Muawiyah ibn Saman from the Prophet of Allah who said: “Allah has given a parable of the straight path, and on the two sides of this path, there are two walls containing doorways. On these doorways, there are curtains that are lowered down, and on the gate of this path there is a caller heralding, ‘O people! come and enter the straight path all together and do not divide.’ There is also another caller that heralds from above the path, who says that when a person wants to remove the curtain on any of these doors, it says: ‘Woe to you! Do not open this door, for if you open it, you will enter it.’ The (straight) path is Islam, the two walls are Allah’s set limits, the open doors lead to Allah’s prohibitions, the caller on the gate of the path is Allah’s Book (the Quran), while the caller from above the path is Allah’s admonition in the heart of every Muslim.” [27]

روی أبو وائل عن ابن مسعود عن النبی صلی الله علیه و سلم: أنه خط خطا ثم قال: هذا سبیل الرشد، ثم خط عن یمینه و عن شماله خطوطا ثم قال: هذه سبل، علی کل سبیل منها شیطان یدعو إلیه، ثم تلا هذه الآیة

It has been narrated from Abu Wail, from Ibn Masood, from the Prophet: “I was walking with him and he drew a line and then he said: ‘This is the path of righteousness, thereafter he drew a path on its right side and on its left side.” Then he said, “On all of these paths there is Satan who invites a person towards them.’ Thereafter he recited this verse.” [28]


Verse 160: “Whoever brings virtue shall receive [a reward] ten times its like; but whoever brings vice shall not be requited except with its like, and they will not be wronged.”

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ١٦٠ قال الحافظ أبو یعلی الموصلی: حدثنا شیبان حدثنا حماد، حدثنا ثابت عن أنس بن مالک رضی الله عنه أن رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلّم قال: «من هم بحسنة فلم یعملها کتبت له حسنة فإن عمل‌ها کتبت له عشرا و من هم بسیئة فلم یعملها لم یکتب علیه شی‌ء فإن عمل‌ها کتبت علیه سیئة واحدة»

Al-Haafiz Abu Yali al-Musali says: “It has been narrated from Shayban, who narrates from Hamad, who narrates from Thabit from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet of Allah said: ‘Whoever intends good but does not perform it, good will be written for him, and if he does it then ten times [the reward] will be written for him. Whoever intends evil but does not commit it nothing will be written for him, and if he carries out that action then a single bad deed will be written for him.’” [29]

قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدی، حدثنا شیبان بن عبد الرحمن، عن الرکین بن الربیع عن أبیه عن عمه فلان بن عمیلة، عن خریم بن فاتک الأسدی، أن النبی صلّی الله علیه و سلم قال «إن الناس أربعة و الأعمال ستة، فالناس موسع له فی الدنیا و الآخرة و موسع له فی الدنیا مقتور علیه فی الآخرة و مقتور علیه فی الدنیا موسع له فی الآخرة و شقی فی الدنیا و الآخرة و الأعمال موجبتان و مثل بمثل و عشرة أضعاف و سبعمائة ضعف، فالموجبتان من مات مسلماً مؤمنا لا یشرک باللّه شیئا وجبت له الجنة و من مات کافرا وجبت له النار و من هم بحسنة فلم یعملها فعلم الله أنه قد أشعرها قلبه و حرص علیها کتبت له حسنة و من هم بسیئة لم تکتب علیه و من عمل‌ها کتبت واحدة و لم تضاعف علیه و من عمل حسنة کانت علیه بعشر أمثالها و من أنفق نفقة فی سبیل الله عز و جل کانت بسبعمائة ضعف»

Imam Ahmad says that it has been narrated from Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi, who narrates from Shayban ibn Abd al-Rahman, from al-Rakin ibn al-Rabi, from his father, from his uncle Fulan ibn Amilah, from Kharim ibn Fatik al-Asadi that the Prophet said: “Surely people are of four [types] and their actions are [of] six [types]. For some there is wealth in this world and in the next, for some they will have wealth in this world, but lack of such in the hereafter, for some there is lack of wealth in this world but are wealthy in the next world, and some are misers in this world and (will be the same in) the hereafter. There are two obligatory actions which are similar to one another and in multiples of ten and seven hundred. So the obligatory actions that whoever dies a Muslim and does not associate anything as a partner with Allah, for him Paradise will be obligatory upon him; and whoever dies as a disbeliever, for him will be the Hellfire. Whoever intends good but is not able to perform it, Allah knows the intention in his heart and that he desired to perform it, so He writes for him a good [action]. Whoever intends to do bedevil, nothing is written for him, but if he commits it, then only a single bad [action] will be written for him and it is not multiplied; but if he enacts a good action, then ten others like it will be [written] for him. Whoever gives something in the way of Allah, then for him it will be multiplied 700 times. [30]


Verse 165: “It is He who has made you successors on the earth, and raised some of you in rank above others so that He may test you in respect to what He has given you. Indeed your Lord is swift in retribution, and indeed, He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.”

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَكُمۡ خَلَٰٓئِفَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَكُمۡ فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٖ دَرَجَٰتٖ لِّيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ فِي مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٞ رَّحِيمُۢ ١٦٥ قد قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرحمن، حدثنا زهیر عن العلاء عن أبیه عن أبی هریرة مرفوعا، أن رسول‌الله صلّی الله علیه و سلّم قال «لو یعلم المؤمن ما عند الله من العقوبة ما طمع بجنته أحد و لو یعلم الکافر ما عند الله من الرحمة ما قنط أحد من الجنة، خلق الله مائة رحمة فوضع واحدة بین خلقه یتراحمون بها و عند الله تسعة و تسعون»

Imam Ahmad says that it has been narrated from Abd al-Rahman, who narrates from Zuhayr, from al-Ala, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet of Allah said: “If a believer knew Allah’s punishment, then no one would have any hope to enter His Paradise. Likewise if a disbeliever knew Allah’s mercy, then no one would feel hopeless of acquiring Paradise. Allah created a hundred kinds of mercy. He sent down one of them to His creations, and they are merciful to one another on that account. But with Allah, there still remains ninety-nine kinds of mercy.” [31]

According to the Shia Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

جَابِرُ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْأَنْصَارِی عَنِ النَّبِی ص قَالَ مَنْ قَرَأَ ثَلَاثَ آیاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْأَنْعَامُ إِلَی قَوْلِهِ «وَ یعْلَمُ ما تَکسِبُونَ» وَکلَ الله بِهِ أَرْبَعِینَ أَلْفَ مَلَک یکتُبُونَ لَهُ مِثْلَ عِبَادَتِهِمْ إِلَی یوْمِ الْقِیامَةِ وَ ینَزِّلُ مَلَک مِنَ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ وَ مَعَهُ مرزبة مِنْ حَدِیدٍ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الشَّیطَانُ أَنْ یوَسْوِسُ أَوْ یرْمِی فِی قَلْبِهِ شَیئاً ضَرَبَهُ بِها إِلَی آخِرِ الْخَبَرِ

Jabir ibn Abdillah al-Ansari narrates from the Prophet who said: “Whoever recites the first three verses of Surah al-Anaam, Allah will entrust to him 40 000 angels who will write for him their worship until the Day of Judgement. He will send the angels from the seven skies with a rod of iron and if Satan tries to incite or fling anything into his heart, they will hit him (Satan) with the rod until the end of his whispering.” [32]


Verse 1: “All praise belongs to Allah who created the heavens and the earth and made the darknesses and the light. Yet the faithless equate [others] with their Lord.”

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ١ ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ الْأَحْوَلِ عَنْ سَلَّامِ بْنِ الْمُسْتَنِیرِ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَلَقَ الْجَنَّةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ یخْلُقَ النَّارَ وَ خَلَقَ وَ خَلَقَ الشَّمْسَ قَبْلَ الْقَمَرِ وَ خَلَقَ النُّورَ قَبْلَ الظُّلْمَةِ

It has been narrated from Ibn Mahbub, from Abu Jafar Ahwal, from Salam ibn Mustanir, from (Imam) Abu Jafar that he said: “Before Allah created Hell He created Paradise, before He created sin He created obedience, before He created anger He created mercy, before He created evil He created good, before He created the sky He created the land, before He created death He created life, before He created the moon He created the sun, and before He created darkness He created light.” [33]

Verse 16: “Whoever is spared of it on that day, He has certainly been merciful to him, and that is manifest success.”

مَنْ يُصْرَفْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمَهُ وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ١٦ روی ‌ اَنَّ النَّبِی ص قَالَ: وَ الَّذِی نَفْسِی بِیدِهِ مَا مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ یدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ بِعَمَلِهِ قَالُوا وَ لَا أَنْتَ یا رسول‌الله قَالَ وَ لَا أَنَا إِلَّا أَنْ یتَغَمَّدَنِی الله بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَ فَضْلٍ وَ وَضَعَ یدَهُ عَلَی فَوْقِ رَأْسِهِ وَ طَوَّلَ بِهَا صَوْتَهُ

It has been narrated from the Prophet that he said: “By Allah, no one will enter Paradise through one’s actions.” They asked, “O Prophet of Allah, not even you?” He put his hand on his head and with a loud voice said, ‘Not even me except that I will be taken in the rivers of mercy and graciousness of Allah.’” [34]


Verse 19: “Say, ‘What thing is greatest as witness?’ Say, ‘Allah! [He is] witness between me and you, and this Quran has been revealed to me that I may warn thereby you and whomever it may reach.’ ‘Do you indeed bear witness that there are other gods besides Allah?’ Say, ‘I do not bear witness [to any such thing].’ Say, ‘Indeed He is the One Allah, and I indeed disown what you associate [with Him].’”

قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً قُلِ اللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَى قُلْ لَا أَشْهَدُ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ١٩ فِی تَفْسِیرِ الْعَیاشِی قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ وَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله مَنْ بَلَغَ مَعْنَاهُ مَنْ بَلَغَ أَنْ یکونَ إِمَاماً مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَهُوَ ینْذِر بِالْقُرْآنِ کمَا أَنْذِر بِهِ رسول‌الله ص

In the commentary of Al-Ayaashi in which it quotes Abu Jafar and Abu Abdillah as having said: “The meaning of ‘those who propagate (whomever it may reach)’ is that whoever sees an Imam from the progeny of Muhammad who uses the Quran to incite fear [of Allah], it is as if he has seen the Prophet himself.” [35]


Verse 23: “Then their only excuse will be to say, ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.’”

ثُمَّ لَمۡ تَكُن فِتۡنَتُهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُواْ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشۡرِكِينَ ٢٣ ثُمَّ لَم تَكُن فِتنَتُهُم إِلّا أَن قالوا وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنا ما كُنّا مُشرِكينَوَ فِی تَفْسِیرِ الْعَیاشِی، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله قَالَ: إِنَّ الله یعْفُو یوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ عَفَوْا لَا یخْطُرُ عَلَی بَالٍ أَحَد - حَتَّی یقُولُ أَهْل الشِّرْک: «وَ الله رَبّنا ما کنَّا مُشْرِکینَ»

In the commentary of Al-Ayaashi from Hisham ibn Saalim it has been narrated from Abu Abdillah that: “Allah will forgive so much on the Day of Judgement that one will not be able to imagine it. Even the polytheists who have given up hope will say: ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.’” [36]


Verse 33: “We certainly know that what they say grieves you. Yet it is not you that they deny, but it is Allah’s signs that the wrongdoers impugn.”

قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ٣٣ رَوَی سَلَّامِ بْنِ مِسْکینٍ عَنْ أَبِی یزِیدَ الْمَدَنِی أَنَّ رسول‌الله ص لَقِی أَبَا جَهْلٍ فَصَافَحَهُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَقِیلَ لَهُ فِی ذَلِک فَقَالَ وَ الله إِنِّی لَأَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ صَادِقُ وَ لَکنَّا مَتَی کنَّا تَبَعاً لِعَبْدِ مَنَافٍ فَأَنْزَلَ الله هَذِهِ الْآیةِ

It has been narrated from Salaam ibn Miskeen, from Abu Yazeed Madani that the Prophet met with Abu Jahl and shook hands with him. They asked the reason from Abu Jahl and he said, “By Allah, I know that he tells the truth, but since when are we followers of Abd Manaf?” Then this verse was revealed on this occasion.


Verse 43: “Why did they not entreat when Our punishment overtook them! But their hearts had hardened, and Satan had made what they had been doing seem decorous to them.”

فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ٤٣ رُوِی عَنْ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ یا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِذَا رَأَیتَ رَبَّک یتَابِعُ عَلَیک نِعَمَهُ فَاحْذَرْه

It has been narrated from Amir al-Momineen that he said, “O children of Adam, whenever you see that Allah is giving His blessings to you successively, then be fearful!” [37]


Verse 44: “So when they forgot what they had been admonished of, We opened for them the gates of all [good] things. When they became proud of what they were given, We seized them suddenly, whereat, behold, they were despondent.”

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ٤٤ أَخْرَجَ ابْنُ أَبِی حَاتِمٍ وَ أَبُو الشَّیخِ وَ ابْن مَرْدَوَیهِ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ: أَنَّ رسول‌الله ص قَالَ: إِنَّ الله تَبَارَک وَ تَعَالَی إِذَا أَرَادَ بِقَوْمٍ بَقَاءَ أَوْ نَمَاء - رزقهُمْ الْقَصْد وَ الْعَفَاف - وَ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِقَوْمٍ اقتطاعا - فَتَحَ لَهُمْ أَوْ فَتَحَ عَلَیهِمْ بَاب خِیانَة - حَتَّی إِذا فَرِحُوا بِما أُوتُوا أَخَذْناهُمْ بَغْتَةً - فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ فَقُطِعَ دابِرُ الْقَوْمِ - الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ

It has been narrated from Ibn Abu Haatim, Abu Shaykh Ibn Mardawayh, from Ubadah ibn Saamit that the Prophet of Allah said, “When Allah allows people to remain (behind) or He progresses them, He gives sustenance of a financial, contentment and a modest nature; and when He wants to overthrow a group of people, He opens the door of treachery, and takes their business up, and all of their wealth that is obtained from treachery makes them happy - then at that time He sends His punishment upon them, and they realize that there is no path for them, and the progeny of those who oppressed will be cut off, and praise is for Allah who is the Lord of the worlds.” [38]


Verse 51: “And warn by its means those who fear being mustered towards their Lord, besides whom they shall have neither any guardian nor any intercessor, so that they may be Allah-conscious.”

وَأَنْذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يُحْشَرُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ٥١ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ أَنْذِرِ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ یرْجُونَ الْوُصُولَ إِلَی رَبِّهِمْ ترغبهم فَمَا عِنْدَهُ فَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ شَافِعُ مُشَفَّعُ لَهُمْ

Al-Sadiq has said, “Warn those with the Quran who are hopeful of Allah, and persuade them regarding the promises in the Quran, because the Quran will intercede for them and its intercession will be accepted.” [39]


Verse 53: “Thus do We test them by means of one another so that they should say, ‘Are these the ones whom Allah has favoured from among us?!’ Does Allah not know best the grateful?!”

وَكَذَلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِيَقُولُوا أَهَؤُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِينَ٥٣ قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلِی مَنْ أَتَی غَنِیاً فَتَوَاضَعَ لغنائه ذَهَبَ ثُلْثَا دِینِهِ

Amir al-Momineen Ali said, “Whoever reveres someone wealthy due to their wealth, he destroys two-thirds of his religion.” [40]


Verse 62: “Then they are returned to Allah, their real master. Look! All judgement belongs to Him, and He is the swiftest of reckoners.”

ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ٦٢ رُوِی عَنْ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلِی أَنَّهُ سأَلَ کیفَ یحَاسِبُ الله الْخَلْقَ وَ لَا یرَوْنَهُ قَالَ کمَا یرْزُقُهُمْ وَ لَا یرَوْنَهُ

It has been narrated that Amir al-Momineen Ali was asked, “Allah cannot be seen, so how will He reckon man?” He replied, “The same way that He gives them sustenance but they do not see Him.” [41]


Verse 63: “Say, ‘Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea, [when] You invoke Him suppliantly and secretly: ‘If He delivers us from this, we will surely be among the grateful?’’”

قُلْ مَنْ يُنَجِّيكُمْ مِنْ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً لَئِنْ أَنْجَانَا مِنْ هَذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ٦٣ رُوِی عَنِ النَّبِی ص أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَیرُ الدُّعَاءِ الْخَفِی وَ خَیرُ الرِّزْقِ مَا یکفِی

It has been narrated from the Prophet that he said, “The best supplication is one that is done in private, and the best sustenance is one that is enough for man.” [42]


Verse 74: “When Ibrahim said to Azar, his father, ‘Do you take idols for gods? Indeed I see you and your people in manifest error.’”

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ٧٤ رَوَوْا عَنِ النَّبِی ص أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَمْ یزَلْ ینْقُلُنِی الله مِنْ أَصْلَابِ الطَّاهِرِینَ إِلَی أَرْحَامِ الْمُطَهَّرَاتِ حَتَّی أَخْرَجَنِی فِی عَالَمِکمْ هَذَا لَمْ یدَنِّسْنِی بِدَنَسِ الْجَاهِلِیة

It has been narrated that the Prophet said, “Allah always made me from pure loins by His mercy until He brought me into your world and never made me dirty with the dirt of ignorance.” [43]


Verse 82: “Those who have faith and do not taint their faith with wrongdoing - for such there shall be safety, and they are the [rightly] guided.”

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡأَمۡنُ وَهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ ٨٢ رُوِی عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآیةُ شَقَّ عَلَی النَّاسِ وَ قَالُوا یا رسول‌الله وَ أَینَا لَمْ یظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ فَقَالَ ع إِنَّهُ لَیسَ الَّذِی تَعْنُونَ أَ لَمْ تَسْمَعُوا إِلَی مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ یا بُنَی لا تُشْرِک بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْک لَظُلْمٌ عَظِیم

It has been narrated from Ibn Masood that the revelation of this verse was difficult for the people. They said, “O Prophet of Allah! Which one of us regarding that we must not commit oppression upon ourselves?” He said, “The intended meaning is not that which you see. Have you not heard that a righteous servant said, ‘My son, do not associate partners to Allah, for associating partners is a great oppression?’” [44]


Verse 108: “Do not abuse those whom they invoke besides Allah, lest they should abuse Allah out of hostility, without any knowledge. That is how to every people We have made their conduct seem decorous. Then their return will be to their Lord and He will inform them concerning what they used to do.”

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَذَلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ١٠٨ سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله عَنْ قَوْلِ النَّبِی ص إِنَّ الشِّرْک أَخْفَی مِنْ دَبِیبِ النَّمْلِ عَلَی صَفْوَانَةٍ سَوْدَاءَ فِی لَیلَةٍ ظَلْمَاءَ فَقَالَ کانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ یسُبُّونَ مَا یعْبُدُ الْمُشْرِکونَ مِنْ دُونِ الله وَ کانَ الْمُشْرِکونَ یسُبُّونَ مَا یعْبُدُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فَنَهَی الله الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَنْ سَبِّ آلِهَتِهِمْ لِکیلَا یسُبُّوا الْکفَّارُ إِلَهَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ فَیکونَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ قَدْ أَشْرَکوا مِنْ حَیثُ لَا یعْلَمُون ‌

Abu Abdillah was asked regarding the Prophet’s words in which he said, “Associating partners [for Allah] is a more well-hidden oppression than the sound of an ant on a black rock at night.” He said, “The believers would reproach the idols. The polytheists would show a reaction; and they would reproach the thing which the believers worshipped. Allah stopped them from doing this, so that the disbelievers would not reproach the believers’ about Allah. Therefore, the believers became involved in associating partners in an unconscious manner.” [45]


Verse 110: “We transform their hearts and their visions as they did not believe in it the first time, and We leave them bewildered in their rebellion.”

وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ١١٠ فِی رِوَایةِ أَبِی الْجَارُودِ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ ع فِی قَوْلِهِ «وَ نُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَ أَبْصارَهُمْ» یقُولُ نُنَکسُ قُلُوبَهُمْ فَیکونُ أَسْفَلُ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَعْلَاهَا- وَ نُعْمِی أَبْصَارَهُمْ فَلَا یبْصِرُونَ بِالْهُدَی و َ قَالَ عَلِی بْنُ أَبِی طَالِبٍ ‌ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا یغْلَبُونَ [یقْلَبُونَ] عَلَیهِ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ- الْجِهَادُ بِأَیدِیکمْ ثُمَّ الْجِهَادُ بِأَلْسِنَتِکمْ- ثُمَّ الْجِهَادُ بِقُلُوبِکمْ- فَمَنْ لَمْ یعْرِفْ قَلْبُهُ مَعْرُوفاً- وَ لَمْ ینْکرْ مُنْکراً نُکسَ قَلْبُهُ- فَجُعِلَ أَسْفَلُهُ أَعْلَاهُ فَلَا یقْبَلُ خَیراً أَبَدا

In a narration from Abu Jarood it has been narrated that Abu Jafar said, “The meaning of this sentence is that We invert their hearts in such a way that the bottom of it becomes the top and the top of it becomes the bottom, and we make their eyes blind so that they may not see the path of guidance.” Ali ibn Abi Talib said, “Those fighters who become inverted is because jihad is in the hands and in the hearts. So somebody whose heart does not know good from good and evil from evil, his heart has become inverted upside down, and as a result he will not accept anything.” [46]


Verse 125: “Whomever Allah desires to guide, He opens his chest to Islam, and whomever He desires to lead astray, He makes his chest narrow and straitened as if he were climbing to a height. Thus does Allah lay [spiritual] defilement on those who do not have faith.”

فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ١٢٥ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبِی الْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ خُثَیمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُعْفِی قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ یقُولُ إِنَّ الْقَلْبَ ینْقَلِبُ مِنْ لَدُنْ مَوْضِعِهِ إِلَی حَنْجَرَتِهِ مَا لَمْ یصِبِ الْحَقَّ فَإِذَا أَصَابَ الْحَقَّ قَرَّ ثُمَّ ضَمَّ أَصَابِعَهُ وَ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآیة

From him, from his father, from Fadalah, from Abu al-Maghra, from Abu Baseer, from Huthaymah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Jufi who says that he heard from Abu Jafar that: “Whenever the heart does not reach the truth, it has moved from its place, and reaches the throat. But if it reaches the truth, then it is settled.” Then he recited this verse. [47]

عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ خُثَیمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُعْفِی قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ یقُولُ إِنَّ الْقَلْبَ ینْقَلِبُ مِنْ لَدُنْ مَوْضِعِهِ إِلَی حَنْجَرَتِهِ مَا لَمْ یصِبِ الْحَقَّ فَإِذَا أَصَابَ الْحَقَّ قَرَّ ثُمَّ ضَمَّ أَصَابِعَهُ وَ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآیة «فَمَنْ یرِدِ الله أَنْ یهْدِیهُ یشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلامِ- وَ مَنْ یرِدْ أَنْ یضِلَّهُ یجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَیقاً حَرَجاً». قال: و قال أبو عبد الله ع لموسی بن أشیم: أ تدری ما الحرج؟ قال: قلت: لا- فقال بیده و ضم أصابعه؟ کالشی‌ء المصمت- لا یدخل فیه شی‌ء و لا یخرج منه شی‌ء.

Abu Baseer narrates from Huthaymah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Jufi who said that he heard Abu Jafar say: “Whenever the heart does not reach the truth, it has moved from its place, and reaches the throat. But if it reaches the truth, then it is settled.” Then he recited this verse. Abu Abdillah said to Musa ibn Asheem, “Do you know the meaning of al-Haraj?” He replied: “No.” Abu Abdillah clasped his hands together tightly and said, “This is what they call al-Haraj, it is something that nothing goes into it, and nothing comes out of it.” [48]


Verse 129: “That is how We make the wrongdoers one another’s friends because of what they used to earn.”

وَكَذَلِكَ نُوَلِّي بَعْضَ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضًا بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ١٢٩ رَوَاهُ الْکلْبِی عَنْ مَالِک بْنِ دِینَارٍ قَالَ قَرَأْتُ فِی بَعْضِ کتُبِ الْحِکمَةِ أَنَّ الله تَعَالَی یقُولُ إِنِّی أَنَا الله مَالِک الْمُلُوک، قُلُوبَ الْمُلُوک بِیدِی فَمَنْ أَطَاعَنِی جَعَلْتَهُمْ عَلَیهِ رَحْمَةً وَ مَنْ عَصانِی جَعَلْتَهُمْ عَلَیهِ نَقِمَةُ فَلَا تَشْغَلُوا أَنْفُسَکمْ بِسَبِّ الْمُلُوک وَ لَکنْ تُوبُوا إِلَی أَعْطَفُهُمْ عَلَیکمْ

Kalbi has narrated from Maalik ibn Dinar that in some books of wisdom I have read that Allah says: “I am Allah and the owner of the choice of the rulers. Their hearts are in My hands. If the people obey Me, then the rulers will show mercy to them; and if they disobey Me, then I will make them [the rulers] a means of worry and affliction. They should not busy themselves in blaming the rulers, rather you should repent so that they show affection and fairness through Me.” [49]


Verse 149: “Say, ‘To Allah belongs the conclusive argument. Had He wished, He would have surely guided you all.’”

قُلْ فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ فَلَوْ شَاءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ١٤٩ فِی أَمَالِی الشَّیخُ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ زِیادٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ قَدْ سُئِلَ عَنِ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَی: «فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبالِغَةُ» فقال: قَالَ إِنَّ الله یقُولُ لِلْعَبْدِ یوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ عَبْدِی کنْتَ عَالِماً؟ فَإِنْ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ لَهُ: أَ فَلَا تَعَلَّمْتَ حَتَّی تَعْمَلَ فَیخْصِمُهُ فَتِلْک الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَة

In Amaali al-Shaykh, from the chain of Masadah ibn Ziyaad who said, “I heard Jafar ibn Muhammad reply to someone who asked about the meaning of this verse, he said: ‘On the Day of Judgement, Allah will say to each of the servants, ‘O My servant! Were you knowledgeable or ignorant in the [material] world?’ If he says he was knowledgeable He will ask, ‘Then why did you not act on your knowledge?’ If he says that he was ignorant then He will ask, ‘Why did you not gain knowledge so that you could act upon it?’’ With this proof He will reduce them to silence, and this is ‘the conclusive argument.’” [50]


Verse 153: “‘This indeed is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way. This is what He enjoins upon you so that you may be God conscious.’”

وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ١٥٣ حَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِی عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنِ الْحُسَینِ بْنِ سَعِیدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِی خَالِدٍ الْقَمَّاطِ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ ‌ فِی قَوْلِهِ «وَ أَنَّ هذا صِراطِی مُسْتَقِیماً فَاتَّبِعُوهُ- وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِکمْ عَنْ سَبِیلِهِ» قَالَ نَحْنُ السَّبِیلُ فَمَنْ أَبَی فَهَذِهِ السُّبُلُ فَقَدْ کفَر

Hasan ibn Ali from his father, from Husayn ibn Saeed, from Muhammad ibn Sinaan, from Abu Khalid al-Qammat, from Abu Baseer, from Abu Jafar who said regarding this verse, ‘This indeed is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way’ that: “We are this straight path that Allah has mentioned, and whoever does not follow it and goes on another path, will become a disbeliever.” [51]


Verse 158: “Do they not consider that the angels may come to them, or your Lord may come, or some of your Lord’s signs may come? The day when some of your Lord’s signs do come, faith shall not benefit any soul that had not believed beforehand and had not earned some goodness in its faith. Say, ‘Wait! We too are waiting!’”

هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا قُلِ انْتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنْتَظِرُونَ١٥٨ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا ‌ فِی قَوْلِهِ أَوْ کسَبَتْ فِی إِیمانِها خَیراً قَالَ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْعَاصِی حَالَتْ بَینَهُ وَ بَینَ إِیمَانِهِ کثْرَةُ ذُنُوبِهِ وَ قِلَّةُ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَلَمْ یکسِبْ فِی إِیمَانِهِ خَیرا

Abu Baseer narrates from one of two regarding this verse ‘and had not earned some goodness in its faith’ that: “The great number of sins and little good stands between a sinning believer and his belief, and as a result it happens that he does not gain good from his belief.” [52]


Verse 159: “Indeed those who split up their religion and became sects, you will not have anything to do with them. Their matter rests only with Allah; then He will inform them concerning what they used to do.”

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ١٥٩ عَنِ الْبَرْقِی بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سُلَیمَانَ الْعَامِرِی عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله قَالَ: مَا زَالَتِ الْأَرْضُ إِلَّا وَ لِلَّهِ فی‌ها حُجَّةُ - یعْرِفُ فی‌ها الْحَلَال وَ الْحَرَام، وَ یدْعُو إِلَی سَبِیلِ الله، وَ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ الْحُجَّةُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ - إِلاَّ أَرْبَعِینَ یوْماً قَبْلَ یوْمِ الْقِیامَةِ - فَإِذَا رُفِعَتِ الْحُجَّةُ وَ أُغْلِقَ بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ - لَمْ ینْفَعُ نَفْساً إِیمانُها - لَمْ تَکنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ الْحجَّة، وَ أُولئِک مِنَ شِرَار خَلْقِ الله، وَ هُمُ الَّذِینَ تَقُومُ عَلَیهِمُ الْقِیامَةُ

Al-Barqi narrates from the chain of Abdillah ibn Sulayman al-Amiri, from Abu Abdillah who said, “There has always been and always will be a proof for Allah on the Earth that recognizes the halaal and haraam and invites to the path of Allah. This connection between Allah and His creations will never be cut except when forty days remain until the Day of Judgement when Allah will remove His proof from the Earth. In those days, repentance will be closed to the sinners, and the bringing forth of faith in those days will be useless. The sinners and disbelievers who did not repent until that day and did not bring forth faith will be from the worst of creation, and are those that the rising of the Day of Judgement will be upon them.” [53]


Verse 160: “Whoever brings virtue shall receive [a reward] ten times its like; but whoever brings vice shall not be requited except with its like, and they will not be wronged.”

مَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ عَشۡرُ أَمۡثَالِهَاۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجۡزَىٰٓ إِلَّا مِثۡلَهَا وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ ١٦٠ قَدْ وَرَدَتِ الرِّوَایةُ عَنِ المعرور بْنِ سُوَیدٍ عَنْ أَبِی ذَرٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِی الصَّادِقُ الْمُصَدَّقُ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَی قَالَ الْحَسَنَةُ عَشَرَ أَوْ أَزْیدَ وَ السَّیئَةُ وَاحِدَةُ أَوِ أَغْفِرُ فَالْوَیلُ لِمَنْ غَلَبَتْ آحَادُهُ أَعْشَارَهُ

A narration has come from Maroor ibn Suwayd, from Abu Dharr who quotes the Prophet as having said, “Good [actions are accounted for] ten times, and sins [are accounted for] one time or they are forgiven. Woe unto that person whose sins are greater than one’s good deeds.” [54]

References

  1. Mahmud Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Volume 2, Page 3
  2. Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Volume 7, Page 5
  3. Fadhl ibn Hasan Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Volume 4, Page 5
  4. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1971), Volume 7, Page 5
  5. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1988), Volume 4, Page 5
  6. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil, (1986), Volume 2, Page 3
  7. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1971), Volume 7, Page 17
  8. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil, (1986), Volume 2, Page 8
  9. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1971), Volume 7, Page 26
  10. Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, (1998), Volume 3, Page 235
  11. Ibid., Page 220
  12. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1971), Page 45
  13. Ibid., Page 62
  14. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Page 39
  15. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 160
  16. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Page 60
  17. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 322
  18. Ibid., Page 371
  19. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 191
  20. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Page 85
  21. Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Page 229
  22. Ibid., Page 238
  23. Ibid., Page 242
  24. Ibid., Page 279
  25. Ibid., Page 300
  26. Ibid., Page 307
  27. 27.0 27.1 Ibid., Page 330
  28. Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq Ghawamid al-Tanzil (1986), Page 100
  29. Ibn Kathir Damishqi, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim (1998), Page 340
  30. Ibid., Page 341
  31. Ibid., Page 346
  32. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Pages 4 and 6
  33. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, (1971), Page 13
  34. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 20
  35. Ibid., Page 42
  36. Ibid., Page 58
  37. Ibid., Page 55
  38. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 110
  39. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 60
  40. Ibid., Page 64
  41. Ibid., Page 75
  42. Ibid., Page 77
  43. Ibid., Page 90
  44. Ibid., Page 99
  45. Ibid., Page 132
  46. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 336
  47. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 158
  48. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 361
  49. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 163
  50. Tabatabai, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1971), Page 383
  51. Ibid., Page 398
  52. Ibid., Page 404
  53. Ibid., Page 405
  54. Tabrisi, Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (1988), Page 205