📘 I swear by this city,He said:That is, Mecca.

📘 and given him guidance [concerning] the two paths? He said:�We have clearly shown him the path of goodness that he may follow it, and the path of evil that he may avoid it�, just as He said, Verily We have guided him to the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful [76:3]. It has also been said [that it refers to] management and devising (tadbīr). His words, Exalted is He:

📘 Yet why does he not attempt the obstacle?He said:That is, �Will he not cross the Traverse (ṣirāṭ) and the obstacle (ʿaqaba) which is before it?� In its inner meaning there are two obstacles. One of them is the sins that he has committed, which stand before him like a mountain and which he can only traverse by setting a slave free, or feeding someone who is either destitute (miskīn), or totally abject from exertion (jahd) and deprivation (fāqa), or an orphan who is related to him, on a day of hunger (majāʿa) and hardship (shidda). The other obstacle is gnosis (maʿrifa), which the mystic is incapable of attaining, unless it be that, with [the assistance of] the power (ḥawl) and strength (quwwa) of God, he emancipates the slave of his soul from desire.

📘 or to give food on a day of hunger,in order to uphold what is demanded by your faith, not by way of any oppression (ẓulm) or transgression (ṭughyān) that is for the pleasure of your natural self (nafs al-ṭabʿ).

📘 or [give food] to an orphan of kin (dhā maqraba)The orphan here refers to the heart (qalb), and its food is fidelity (wafāʾ). The destitute person (miskīn) refers to the mystic who is bewildered (mutaḥayyir) ⸢and grieving (ḥazīn)⸣. His food consists of [divine] graces (alṭāf). [Such a one] is in a state of proximity in �the eyes of� God (dhā maqraba ʿinda�Llāh), but in a state of need and misery (dhā �l-matraba) in the eyes of people [90:16]. His words, Exalted is He:

📘 (while being one of those who believe and who) enjoin one another to steadfastness and enjoin one another to compassion.He said:That is, steadfastness (ṣabr) in keeping God�s commandments, and in being compassionate with people.The Messenger of God was once asked, �What is Islam?� He replied, �It is patience (ṣabr) and magnanimity (samāḥ).� Then he was asked, �What is faith?� He replied, �Goodness in speech (ṭayyib al-kalām), and offering [others] food.�Sahl said:The best speech (aṭyab al-kalām) is the remembrance (dhikr) of God, Exalted is He.

📘 Those are the people of the Right Hand. That is, those who have kept themselves safe from the horrors (ahwāl) of that Day. They have no [sensory] perception other than of Him (lā yuḥissūna dūnahu), just as they were in this world; [thus they attain] life with Life itself (ḥayāt bi-ḥayāt), eternity with Eternity itself (azaliyya bi-azaliyya), and a mystery with Mystery itself (sirr bi-sirr). But God, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.His words, Exalted is He:

📘 and you have free disposal of this city;This means: �On the day of the conquest of Mecca, We made it legitimate for you, so that you could kill whomever you wished among the disbelievers�, just as the Prophet said: �It was never made legitimate for anyone before, nor will it be made legitimate to anyone after me. However, it was made legitimate for me just for one hour in a day.� God, Exalted is He, swore by Mecca due to the fact that His Prophet resided there, as a way of honouring him and humiliating his enemies.

📘 and [by] the parent and offspring,He said:Parent refers to Adam and offspring refers to Muḥammad .

📘 We certainly created man in travail (kabad).That is, in [a state of] difficulty (mashaqqa) and hardship (shidda).He [also] said:Kabad also means erectness (intiṣāb) � that is, �We have created him in the belly [of his mother] keeping him erect�. This resembles Mujāhid�s saying: �The child sits in the belly of its mother in a upright position corresponding to the uprightness of the mother, and an angel is delegated, when the mother lies on her side, to raise up the child�s head and if it was not for that it would drown in blood.�His words, Exalted is He: