Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

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

When the two receivers receive, sitting on the right and on the left. It is reported that the two angels entrusted with the servant sit like the servant. The one on the right writes his beautiful deeds, and the one on the left writes his ugly deeds. When the servant sleeps, one stands above his pillow, while the other watches over him from his feet. When the servant walks, one goes before him and ones goes behind, both of them protecting him from blights. It has also been said that the angel of beautiful deeds is changed every day and night, another angel being sent. The wisdom in this is that tomorrow he will have many witnesses for his acts of obedience and beautiful deeds. But the angel of ugly deeds is not changed, so only that angel will know his defects. The equivalent of this in the Qur'an is found in the verse, “O My servants who have been immoderate against yourselves” [39:53]. In saying “who have been immoderate” God sums ev- erything up, keeping the lid on and without going into detail. He says: O Gabriel, you deliver the revelation, for they have been immoderate, but know not in detail what they have done. O MuḤammad, you recite the revelation, for they have been immoderate, but know not what they have done. Generous Lord, merciful King! He did not want Gabriel to know the sins of the ser-vants and the Messenger to recite their acts of disobedience. How could He then allow Satan to drive the servant away from His threshold?

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

Not a word he utters, but by him is an observer ready. The angel on the right is the angel of bounty, the angel on the left the angel of justice. Just as bounty rules over justice, so also the right-hand angel rules over the left-hand angel. O angel on the right! You be the commander. Write down ten beautiful deeds for every beautiful deed he performs. O angel on the left! You be the follower. Write down nothing except what the angel on the right tells you to write. When the servant commits an act of disobedience, the angel on the right says, “Wait seven days before you write it down. Perhaps he will offer an excuse and repent.” What is all this? It is the result of one decree that God issued in the Beginningless: “My mercy precedes My wrath.” Listen to something even more wonderful: When the servant is disobedient, the command comes, “Pull down the curtain of his faith so that his faith may conceal and overpower his offense and sin.” So many offenses and acts of disobedience come together that they say, “O God, there is much offense, and the curtain of faith does not conceal it.” He says, “If the curtain of his faith does not conceal it, then pull down the curtain of My gen- erosity so that it will be concealed.”

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

And the agony of death comes with the rightful due. Know, O chevalier, that from the era of Adam until the annihilation of the world, no one is released from death. You also will not escape. “Death is a cup, and everyone will drink it.” How will the passing days that were not loyal to Adam be loyal to you? How will the lifespan that ended for Noah keep you in subsistence? How will the moment of death that attacked Abra- ham let you get away? How will the death that ambushed Solomon be lenient toward you? How will the entrusted angel who demanded MuḤammad's spirit treat you kindly? If you bring to hand the lifespan of Noah, the wealth of Korah, the kingdom of Solomon, and the wisdom of Luqmān, they will be useless at the door of death and will show you no favor. A little less than 7000 years have passed since the Adamites began this journey. They come from the loins to the wombs, and they go from the wombs to the face of the earth, and from the face of the earth to its stomach. The whole world is a graveyard. Beneath it is all remorse, above it all remorse. Lift up your head and ask heaven: “How many dear ones do you have in your stomach?” Ask the lofty palace about its inhabitant whom it saved from the hard and soft of life. He established his kingdom and enslaved the people, then death's messenger threw him on his face. O fooled by wishes! O heedless of the moment of death! O prisoner of greed! O servant of need! How long will you grieve for summer in winter and grieve for winter in summer? You do not think about the work that will come about inescapably and you do not gather the supplies for the road that in verified truth will be walked. You arrange the work of this world and do not provide for death. You poor wretch, your death is right behind you. Remember it! Your home is the grave. Make it flourish! Today you are asleep-wait till you wake up. Today you are drunk-wait till you are sober. You gather the chaff of this world and keep back from what deserves to be done.