🕋 تفسير سورة الأعراف
(Al-Araf) • المصدر: EN-TAFSIR-AL-TUSTARI
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ المص
📘 Alif Lām Mīm Ṣād[Sahl said]:This means, �I am God, I divide up (afṣilu) my servants with truth.� From these letters is produced the name of God, Exalted is He: al-Ṣamad (the Self-Sufficing, the One who is Eternally-Besought-of-All). His words, Exalted is He:
قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا ۖ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
📘 Moses said to his people, �Seek help from God and be patient.�He [Sahl] said:He ordered them to seek help from God in keeping God�s commandments, so that they might enforce what is contained within them, take a firm hold on them and a firm stand against any breach of them, and show fortitude in this out of propriety.His words:
سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِنْ يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ
📘 I shall turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly in the earth without right�He [Sahl] said:It means that He will deprive them of understanding the Qurʾān, and following the Messenger . It has been related from the Prophet that he said, �Whoever has been given understanding of the Qurʾān has been given abundant good. However, whoever has been denied understanding of the Qurʾān has been denied access to a great science (ʿilm ʿaẓīm).� Also, the Prophet said: �A part of magnifying (taʿẓīm) God is honouring (ikrām) the elderly in Islam, honouring the just leader, and honouring the person who has memorised the Qurʾān, whilst not exceeding the proper bounds in this.� His words:�[those who] if they see the way of error, adopt it as a way�He [Sahl] said:He returned them to what He knew concerning them in His prior knowledge, which was thatthey would do that [which is mentioned in the verse]. His forsaking (khidhlān) them is because of what they were directed to by their natural selves (anfusuhum al-ṭabīʿiyya), namely, being active regarding His prohibitions, and passive regarding His commandments, and [falsely] claiming to have the power and strength [to do] that which their souls had a propensity for, and their conceit (ightirār) in that.His words, Exalted is He:
وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوَارٌ ۚ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا ۘ اتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ
📘 In his absence, Moses� people made of their ornament a calf; a body, which lowed�He [Sahl] said:The calf of each person is anything to which he devotes himself which diverts him away from God, be it a spouse or children. Furthermore, he will not rid himself of that until he has annihilated all the interests (ḥuẓūẓ) he has, that are its [his calf�s] means [of existence], just as the worshippers of the calf are not freed from its adoration except after slaying themselves. His words, Mighty and Majestic is He:
وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
📘 And when they became at a loss... He [Sahl] said:That is, they regretted [what they had done]. You say that �it falls into a person�s hands� when he regrets something.His words, Exalted is He:
۞ وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
📘 �We have turned to You�That is, We have repented to You.His words, Exalted is He:
قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
📘 Verily I shall sit in ambush for them on Your straight path.[Your straight path] meaning the sacred laws (sharāʾiʿ) of Islam, after God, Exalted is He, has clearly expounded [those laws] to them, as is stated in His words, Is it not an indication for them? [32:26], meaning, �Did We not clearly [distinguish] for them the path of goodness, which is what He has commanded, from the path of evil, which is what He has prohibited? Yet they inclined towards the desire of their lower selves, just as when They [the messengers] said: �The evil omen is within yourselves [36:19].��His words:
وَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ ۙ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبْلُوهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
📘 �How they would transgress the Sabbath�He [Sahl] said:They transgressed because they followed their desire (hawā) on the Sabbath.His words, Exalted is He:
فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا الْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِنْ يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ ۚ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ لَا يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ ۗ وَالدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
📘 �And they have studied what is in it�That is they gave up acting upon it.His words:
۞ وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
📘 When we wrenched (nataqnā) the mountain [and held it above them]�That is, �We rent it (fataqnā) and shook [it] violently, just as al-ʿAjjāj said: [rajaz metre]They nurtured our great dreams,And tore apart (fataqnā) our nightmares. His words, Exalted is He:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ
📘 And remember when your Lord took from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seeds, and made them testify about themselves�He [Sahl] said:God, Exalted is He, took the prophets  from the loins of Adam, and then He extracted from the back of each prophet his progeny in a molecular form [lit. in the shape of specks] possessingintellects (ʿuqūl). Then he took from the prophets their pledge (mīthāq), as is stated in His words, We took from the prophets their pledge: as (We did) from you and from Noah [33:7]. The Covenant that they were bound to was that they would convey from God, Exalted is He, His commandments and prohibitions. Then He called them all to affirm His lordship, with His words, Exalted is He: �Am I not your Lord?� Then He manifested His omnipotence [to them], so They said: �Yes, we testify� [7:172]. Thus did God gather what He wanted (murād) from His creatures, and the beginning and end that was in store for them in their saying �Yes�, since this was in the manner of a trial (ibtilāʾ). Indeed, God, Exalted is He, said: And His Throne was upon the water, that He might try you [11:7]. He also made the prophets testify for themselves as a proof (ḥujjatan), as God, Exalted is He, has said, and made them testify concerning themselves. Then He returned them to the loins of Adam , and subsequently He sent the prophets to remind them of His Pact and Covenant. Furthermore, within His knowledge on the day when they affirmed what they affirmed, were those who would deny it and those who would verify it, and the last hour will not arrive until every person who made the Covenant has appeared.He was asked, �What are the signs of happiness (saʿāda) and wretchedness (shaqāwa)?� He said:Truly, among the signs of wretchedness is the denial of His omnipotence, and truly among the signs of happiness is the expansiveness of your heart in faith, your being provided with riches in your heart, protection in obedience, and success in renouncing [the world] (zuhd). Whoever is inspired with propriety (adab) in that which is between him and God, Exalted is He, will be purified of heart, and bestowed with happiness.
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
📘 Had We willed, We would have raised him up [with Our signs]�This refers to Balʿam b. Bāʿūrāʾ. But he was disposed to the earth and followed his [lower] desires. He turned away [from God�s signs] due to his following his [base] desire (hawā). God, Exalted is He, distributed desire among the bodily members such that each bodily member has a portionof it. If one of the bodily members inclines towards that desire, its harm will return to the heart. Know that the self has a secret which did not manifest itself except with Pharaoh when he said: �I am your Lord most High� [79:24].Then [Sahl] was asked, �How can we be preserved from [base] desire (hawā)?� He replied:Whoever keeps himself in propriety (adab) will be preserved from it, for whoever subdues his lower self through propriety serves God, Mighty and Majestic is He, with true sincerity (ikhlāṣ).He also said:The self (nafs) has seven heavenly veils and seven earthly veils. The more the servant buries his [lower] self in the earth the higher will his heart soar heavenwards. Furthermore, if he [completely] buries his lower self beneath the earth his heart will reach the Throne. He also said about Kahmas that he used to pray a thousand rakʿas (cycles of prayer) during the course of the day and night. He would make the closing greetings of peace (salāms) between each pair of rakʿas then say to his lower self, �Get up O refuge of evil, I am not satisfied with you.�His words, Exalted is He:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
📘 And to God belong the Most Beautiful Names, so invoke Him by them.He [Sahl]said:Truly behind the names and attributes are attributes which no comprehension can penetrate, for God is a blazing fire and is inaccessible. Yet we have no option but to plunge in [and try to reach Him]. And leave those who blaspheme His names [7:180], that is, those who are blasphemouswith His names and deny [the truth].�His words:
وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
📘 We shall draw on those who deny Our Signs, by degrees, in such a way that they will not perceive it.He [Sahl] said:This means, �We shall abundantly increase their bounties, and make them forget to show gratitude for them. Then when they are contented while veiled from the Bestower [of thosebounties] (al-Munʿim), they will be seized.�His words:
أَوَلَمْ يَنْظُرُوا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
📘 Have they not contemplated the dominion of the heavens and the earth�He [Sahl] said:[This is] God�s reminder of His omnipotence (qudra) [manifested] in His creation, and a portrayal of their need for Him, Exalted is He. With regard to whatever He created that they have heard about but not seen, and those things that they have been deluded by, [He says], �If only they had perceived them with their hearts, they would have believed in the unseen, and their faith would have led them to witness the unseen which was hidden from them. Then they would have inherited the ranks of the righteous (abrār) and become beacons of guidance.�His words:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً ۗ يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
📘 He alone will reveal it at its proper time� That is, no one can reform the natural self (nafs al-ṭabʿ) from being ruled by passion (hawā) to obeying God, save He. This is the inner meaning of the verse. His words:�They will question you as if you were eager to find it out� that is, as if you knew the time it would occur. His words:
قُلْ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
📘 I have no power to benefit or harm myself except as God wills�So how can anyone benefit another when he does not have the power to benefit himself? That is for God alone, Exalted is He.His words:
وَإِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ لَا يَسْمَعُوا ۖ وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
📘 �You see them staring at you, but they do not perceive.He [Sahl] said:It [refers to] those hearts that God, Exalted is He, has not adorned with His lights and with proximity, so that they are blind to the apprehension of realities (ḥaqāʾiq) and the recognition of great people (akābir).His words:
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِنْ سَوْآتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ
📘 Then Satan whispered to them�He said:The whispering [of Satan] is [his] mentioning [something] (dhikr) [firstly] in the natural [predisposition](tabʿ), then in the lower self (nafs). [This suggestion] then [becomes] the desire (hamm), and finally the devising (tadbīr). The whispering of the Enemy [i.e. Satan] has three possible situations (maqāmāt): the first is when he calls a person and whispers to him, the second is when he feels secure knowing that the person has accepted [the suggestion], but the third is when his lot is only to wait and hope, and this is [his situation] with the veracious (ṣiddīqūn).His words, Exalted is He:
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ
📘 And remember your Lord inwardly, humbly and fearfully�[Sahl was asked], �What is the true reality of remembrance (ḥaqīqat al-dhikr)?� He answered:It is the realisation (taḥqīq) of the knowledge that God, Exalted is He, witnesses you, and it is that you see Him close to you with your heart. Thus, you feel shame before Him and give Him priority over yourself in all your affairs.Then he said:The one who claims to keep remembrance (dhikr) is not necessarily one who [truly] remembers [God] (dhākir).He was asked, �What is the meaning of the saying of the Prophet : �The world is accursed and what it contains is accursed save the remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh), most High?�� [He replied]:His saying �the remembrance of God� here means renouncing what is unlawful (zuhd ʿan al-ḥarām), that is, when something unlawful comes a person�s way he remembers God, Exalted is He, and he knows that God is watching him, so he avoids that unlawful thing. His words:�and do not be one of the heedless�Sahl said:In truth I say to you without any falsehood, in certainty without a doubt, that any person who spends a breath in other than God�s remembrance does so while being heedless of God, Mighty and Majestic is He.He also said:Heedlessness (ghafla) among the elite (khāṣṣ) is acquiescing (sukūn) in anything [other than Him]. Heedlessness among the generality (ʿāmm) is taking pride (iftikhār) in anything [other than Him], that is to say, it is [also] acquiescing (sukūn) [in other than Him]. His words, Exalted is He:
قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَقِيمُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ ۚ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ
📘 �And call on Him, devoting your religion to Him...He [Sahl] said:Seek sincerity (ikhlāṣ) secretly with an [inner] intention, for it is only the sincere who can recognise ostentation. However, seek action openly through emulation, for truly whoever does not emulate the Prophet in all his affairs is misguided. All other than these two [ways] are erroneous.His words, Exalted is He:
۞ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
📘 �And eat and drink, but do not be excessive; He truly does not love those who are excessive.Eating is of five kinds: that which is a necessity [for subsistence] (ḍarūra); that which is a source of sustenance (qiwām); that which is a source of nourishment (qūt); that which should be of a determined [amount] (maʿlūm); and that which one does without. [Beyond this], there is a sixth in which there is no good, and that is [wrongly] mixed (takhlīṭ). Furthermore, God, Exalted is He, created the world and placed knowledge and wisdom within hunger (jūʿ), and placed ignorance and transgression within satiety (shabʿ). So, when you are hungry ask for satiety from the One who has afflicted you with hunger, and if you are satiated, ask for hunger from the One who has afflicted you with satiety, otherwise you will commit excesses and transgress.Then he recited: But man is wont to transgress! when he thinks himself self-sufficient [96:6, 7]. He also said:Truly, hunger is a secret among the secrets of God, Exalted is He, on earth, which He does not entrust to anyone who will disseminate it.His words, Exalted is He:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
📘 Say: My Lord only forbids indecent acts, such of them as are apparent and such as are hidden�He [Sahl] said:This refers to the envy (ḥasad) of a person�s heart and the actions of his bodily members. If he were to give up the management (tadbīr) of both he would be one of the �mainstays� (awtād) of the earth. However, the servant is between two states: either he is managing with his heart that which is not his concern, or he is acting through his bodily members upon that which is not his concern. No one is saved from either of these two except through the protection (ʿiṣma) of God, Exalted is He. The source of life for hearts is certainty, and their darkness is brought on through [their own] devising and management (tadbīr).He [Abū Bakr] said, �We were with Sahl at sunset, and he said to Aḥmad b. Sālim, leave off managingthings, so that we may pray the ʿĪshāʾ prayer in Mecca. His words, Exalted is He:�And [forbids] that you say concerning God that which you do not know.Whoever speaks about God without permission, in a way which lacks reverence (ḥurma) or without maintaining the due propriety (adab), has rent the veil (satr). Indeed, God, Exalted is He, has forbidden anyone to say anything about Him of which he has no knowledge.His words, Exalted is He:
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِمْ مِنْ غِلٍّ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهِمُ الْأَنْهَارُ ۖ وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ ۖ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ ۖ وَنُودُوا أَنْ تِلْكُمُ الْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
📘 We shall strip away all rancour that is in their breasts�He said:This refers to whims (ahwāʾ) and innovations (bidaʿ).His words, Exalted is He:
أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ
📘 �I am your [sincere] truthful advisor. Whoever is not sincere towards God within his own soul, and sincere towards Him with regard to His creatures, will be ruined. To act with sincerity (naṣīḥa) towards God�s creatures is more difficult than being sincere within one�s own soul. The lowest level of sincerity [towards God] within the soul is gratitude (shukr), which is not to disobey God by [abusing] the blessings He has bestowed [on you] (bi-niʿamihi).On another occasion I heard him say:Sincerity is not to involve yourself in anything which you do not have the power to put right.His words, Exalted is He:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا أَخَذْنَا أَهْلَهَا بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ
📘 And We did not send a prophet to any city but that We seized its people with misery and hardship�He [Sahl] said:This means they lost their hearts through their lack of knowledge, and because of severe hardshipin their lives, such that they became preoccupied with their world[ly concerns] to the exclusion of their [concern for the] Hereafter.
ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوْا وَقَالُوا قَدْ مَسَّ آبَاءَنَا الضَّرَّاءُ وَالسَّرَّاءُ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
📘 Then We gave them in place of evil, good, until they multiplied�[He said]:[The fact that] they multiplied does not signify a pardon (ʿafw) in the essential [meaning of that word]. God, Exalted is He, has said: Indulge [people] with forgiveness (ʿafw) [7:199], which[actually] means, �[Take] the surplus (faḍl) of their wealth which is a deposit from God in their keeping, because God most High has purchased it from them.� And ⸢the believer⸣ possesses neither his soul nor his wealth.He was asked, �Where is [the believer�s] soul?� He replied:It has been placed under contract with God, Exalted is He. He said: Indeed God has purchased from the believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise in return. [9:111]His words, Exalted is He:
أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
📘 Do they feel secure from God�s plotting?...He [Sahl] said:The plotting (makr) belongs to His design (tadbīr) within His prior knowledge, and it pertains to His omnipotence, hence no one should feel secure against His plotting, for feeling secure against it does not repel anything that has been preordained (qadar). No one can exit the [sphere of] His omnipotence, Exalted is He. No one should feel free of fear, even if they [think] they have experienced all [possible] fear. However, once someone recognises his station (manzila) with God, Exalted is He, his knowledge will increase and his desire (raghba) will be fulfilled. But as for the one who does not know his station, that will be a source of shame (ʿār) for him.ʿUmar Wāṣil said that he then asked [Sahl], �How does a person�s station rise in accordance with his knowledge?� He answered:There are two [kinds of] men: there is the man who rises [in his spiritual station] and asks for [further] elevation, being avid for this; and then there is the man who is weaker than the other, whose [request] derives from gratitude, lest God should take back what He has given him.His words, Exalted is He:
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