Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Then We gave the inheritance of the Book to the ones We chose from among Our ser- vants. Among them are wrongdoers to themselves, among them are moderate, and among them are preceders in good deeds by God's leave. That is the great bounty. In this verse the Lord of the world, the lovingly kind enactor, the caresser of the servants, gives eminence to the community of AḤmad with seven generosities-a complete eminence, a great honor, and an infinite caress. None of the children of Adam received these seven generosities to- gether except this community. Three of the seven are at the beginning of the verse: First We gave the inheritance, second, We chose, and third Our servants. We gave the inheritance: He called them inheritors. We chose: He called them the chosen. Our servants: He called them servants. “They are My inheritors, My chosen, and My accepted servants.” Since He called them inheritors, in reality He will not take back the inheritance. Since He called them chosen and His knowledge makes no mistakes, He will not reject them. Since He called them accepted, He will not put them together with faults. “We gave the inheritance: The light of guidance, the good fortune of the religion, the exalted- ness of knowledge, the adornment of recognition, the splendor of faith, the blessing of the Sunnah, the fruit of wisdom-to whom did We give all these? To the ones We chose: We gave these to those whom We chose. Since We chose them, We saw the faults. In Our unneediness We chose the servants as they are. “O MuḤammad! On the day We chose your community, We saw those long-lived angels with all that obedience. On the day We placed honey in that frail bee, We saw those mighty falcons. On the day We gave silk to that frail little worm, We saw those awesome serpents. On the day We gave musk to the musk-deer, We saw those mighty lions. On the day We gave ambergris to the whale, We saw those tremendous elephants. On the day We placed pearls in the oyster, We saw those fierce crocodiles. On the day We gave sweet songs to the nightingale, We saw those decorated peacocks. On the day We praised and lauded MuḤammad's community and wrote out the inscription of chosenness, We saw those long-lived angels and obedient proximate ones at the threshold of service.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Gardens of Eden that they will enter. When He mentioned their sorts, He arranged them in levels. Now that He mentions the Garden, He mentions them together. He says, “Gardens of Eden that they will enter,” pointing out that their entrance into the Garden is not because of worthiness, but because of bounty, and in bounty there is no differentiation.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

And they shall say, “Praise belongs to God, who has put away sorrow from us.” O chevalier! The worth of the antidote is known by the snake-bitten, the worth of burning fire is known by the moth, the worth of Joseph's shirt is known by grieving Jacob. When someone is de- luded by his own safety and is given the antidote, how will he know its worth? If you want some- one to know the worth and gravity of the antidote, you need him whose spirit has reached his lips. A poor man is needed, broken-hearted, suffering pain, and burdened with grief to know the worth of this caress and the exaltedness of this address: “Praise belongs to God, who has put away sorrow from us.” Wait until tomorrow when that wounded-hearted poor man is placed on the throne of joy in the palisade of holiness while the serving boys and servants act like his slaves to spread the carpet before the seat of his good fortune. The night of tribulation will have come to an end, the sun of felicity will have risen from the horizon of generous giving, and the Exalted Pres- ence will set forth for him the gentle favors of generosity. With the tongue of joy and coquetry he will say, “Praise belongs to God, who has put away sorrow from us.” O indigent man! This world is the world of metaphor. It is clear what realities can be unveiled in the world of metaphor. It is obvious what can be painted on a gnat's wing. This world is a pris- on. What marks of prisoners can be given but sorrow, grief, and longing? For these grief-stricken ones the day of the bazaar and the time of access will be tomorrow, when the concealed gentle- nesses and treasuries stored in the Unseen will come out from the covering of jealousy unscathed by hands and untouched by minds. A vast capacity will be given to the poor ones so that they may drink the wine of vision cup by cup, or rather, ocean by ocean. They will be shouting out, “Is there any more?” [50:30]. And praise belongs to God alone.