Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful تِلْكَ ءاَيَـتُ الْكِتَـبِ الْحَكِيمِ (These are the verses of the Book (the Qur'an) Al-Hakim.) This indicates that these are verses of the Qur'an, in which the wisdom of judgment is clear. The Messenger cannot be but a Human Being Allah rebukes the attitude of the disbelievers with the words أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا (Is it a wonder for mankind...) They have always found it strange that Allah would send Messengers to them from among mankind. Allah also tells us about other people from previous nations who said, أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا (Shall mere men guide us) (64:6) Hud and Salih said to their people: أَوَ عَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْكُمْ (Do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you.) (7:63) Allah also told us what the disbelievers from Quraysh said: أَجَعَلَ الاٌّلِهَةَ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عُجَابٌ (Has he made the gods into one God Verily, this is a curious thing!) (38:5) Ad-Dahhak reported Ibn `Abbas that he said: "When Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ as a Messenger, most of the Arabs denied him and his message and said: Allah is greater than sending a human Messenger like Muhammad ﷺ. " Ibn `Abbas said, "So Allah revealed: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا (Is it a wonder for mankind...)" Allah's statement; أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ (that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds) Scholars have differed over the meaning of the reward for the good deeds in this Ayah: وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ (and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah, "Eternal happiness has been written for them." Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "It is the good reward for what they have done." Mujahid said: "It is their good deeds -- their prayers, fasting, charity, and glorification." He then said, "And Muhammad will intercede for them." Allah said: قَالَ الْكَـفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسَـحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ ((But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer!") This means that the disbelievers said this although Allah has sent a Messenger from among themselves to them, a man of their own race as a bearer of good news and as a warner. But they are the liars in saying that.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful تِلْكَ ءاَيَـتُ الْكِتَـبِ الْحَكِيمِ (These are the verses of the Book (the Qur'an) Al-Hakim.) This indicates that these are verses of the Qur'an, in which the wisdom of judgment is clear. The Messenger cannot be but a Human Being Allah rebukes the attitude of the disbelievers with the words أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا (Is it a wonder for mankind...) They have always found it strange that Allah would send Messengers to them from among mankind. Allah also tells us about other people from previous nations who said, أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا (Shall mere men guide us) (64:6) Hud and Salih said to their people: أَوَ عَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْكُمْ (Do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you.) (7:63) Allah also told us what the disbelievers from Quraysh said: أَجَعَلَ الاٌّلِهَةَ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عُجَابٌ (Has he made the gods into one God Verily, this is a curious thing!) (38:5) Ad-Dahhak reported Ibn `Abbas that he said: "When Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ as a Messenger, most of the Arabs denied him and his message and said: Allah is greater than sending a human Messenger like Muhammad ﷺ. " Ibn `Abbas said, "So Allah revealed: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا (Is it a wonder for mankind...)" Allah's statement; أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ (that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds) Scholars have differed over the meaning of the reward for the good deeds in this Ayah: وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ (and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah, "Eternal happiness has been written for them." Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "It is the good reward for what they have done." Mujahid said: "It is their good deeds -- their prayers, fasting, charity, and glorification." He then said, "And Muhammad will intercede for them." Allah said: قَالَ الْكَـفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَسَـحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ ((But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer!") This means that the disbelievers said this although Allah has sent a Messenger from among themselves to them, a man of their own race as a bearer of good news and as a warner. But they are the liars in saying that.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah is the Creator Who arranges the Affairs of the Universe Allah tells us that He is the Lord of the entire existence. He tells us that He created the heavens and the earth in six days. It was said: "Like these days (meaning our worldly days)." It was also said: "Every day is like a thousand years of what we reckon." Later, this will be discussed further. ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ (and then rose over (Istawa) the Throne.)" The Throne is the greatest of the creatures and is like a ceiling for them. Allah's statement: يُدَبِّرُ الاٌّمْرَ (arranging the affair of all things.) means that He controls the affairs of the creatures. لاَ يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَلاَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Not even the weight of a speck of dust escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth.) (34:3) No affair distract' Him from other affairs. No matter troubles Him. The persistent requests of His creatures do not annoy Him. He governs big things as He governs small things everywhere, on the mountains, in the oceans, in populated areas, or in wastelands. وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا (And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah.) (11:6) وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ (Not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) (6:59) Ad-Darawardi narrated from Sa`d bin Ishaq bin Ka`b bin `Ujrah that he said: "When this Ayah was revealed, إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ (Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth) they met a great caravan whom they thought should be Arabs. They said to them: `Who are you' They replied: `We are Jinns. We left Al-Madinah because of this Ayah."' This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Allah said: مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ (No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after He permits.) This is similar to what is in the following Ayat: مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ (Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission) (2:255) and, وَكَمْ مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ لاَ تُغْنِى شَفَـعَتُهُمْ شَيْئاً إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَى (And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.)(53:26), and; وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ (Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits. )(34:23). Allah then said: ذلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ (That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him (alone). Then, will you not remember) meaning worship Him alone with no partners. أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ (Then will you not remember) meaning "O idolators, you worship gods with Allah while you know that He alone is the Creator," as He said: وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ (And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah.")(43:87), قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ ("Say: "Who is (the) Lord of the seven heavens, and (the) Lord of the Great Throne They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then have Taqwa") (23:86-87), Similar is mentioned in the Ayah before this Ayah and after it.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Return of Everything is to Allah Allah tells us that the return of the creatures on the Day of Resurrection is to Him. He will not leave anyone of them without bringing everyone into being as He brought them in the beginning. Then Allah states that He is going to bring all the creatures into being. وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ (And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished); and this is easier for Him.) (30:27), لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ بِالْقِسْطِ (that He may reward with justice those who believed and did deeds of righteousness.) meaning, the reward will be with justice and complete recompense. وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ (But those who disbelieved will have a drink of boiling fluids and painful torment because they used to disbelieve.) meaning, because of their disbelief they will be punished on the Day of Resurrection by different forms of torment, such as fierce hot winds, boiling water, and the shadow of black smoke. هَـذَا فَلْيَذُوقُوهُ حَمِيمٌ وَغَسَّاقٌ - وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكْلِهِ أَزْوَجٌ (This is so! Then let them taste it; a boiling fluid and dirty wound discharges. And other (torments) of similar kind all together!) (38: 57-58) هَـذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ - يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍ (This is the Hell which the criminals denied. They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water!) (55:43-44)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Everything is a Witness to the Power of Allah Allah tells us about the signs He created that are indicative of His complete power and great might. He made the rays that come forth from the bright sun as the source of light, and made the beams that come forth from the moon as light. He made them of two different natures so they would not be confused with one another. Allah made the dominion of the sun in the daytime and the moon in the night. He ordained phases for the moon, where it starts small then its light increases until it completes a full moon. Then it begins to decrease until it returns to its first phase at the conclusion of the month. Allah said: وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالعُرجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ - لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ وَلاَ الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ (And the moon, We have measured for it mansions (to traverse) till it returns like the old dried curved date stalk. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.) (36:39-40) And He said: وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً (And the sun and the moon for counting) And in this Ayah He said: وَقَدَّرَهُ (and measured) that is the moon, Allah said: مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ (And measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. ") The days are revealed by the action of the sun, and the months and the years by the moon. Allah then stated مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ (Allah did not create this but in truth.) He didn't create that for amusement but with great wisdom and perfect reasoning. With a similar meaning, Allah said: وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَآءَ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـطِلاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ (And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire!) (38:27) He also said: أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ - فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ ("Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us" So Exalted be Allah, the True King: None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) 23:115-116 Allah said: يُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (He explains the Ayat in detail for people who have knowledge.) In other words, He explained the signs and proofs for people who know. Allah further stated: إِنَّ فِى اخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ (Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day) The day and the night alternate, when one arrives, the other goes, and so on, with no errors. This is similar to the meaning indicated in the following Ayat: يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا (He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly...). لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ (It is not for the sun to overtake the moon.) 36:40, and فَالِقُ الإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً ((He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting). 6:96 Allah continued: وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth) meaning the signs that indicate His greatness. This is similar to Allah's statements: وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth...) 12:105, قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا تُغْنِى الآيَـتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُونَ ("Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth," but neither Ayat nor warners benefit those who believe not.)10:101 أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth.) 34:9. إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ (Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.) 3:190 means intelligent men. Allah said here, لآيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ (Ayat for those who have Taqwa.) meaning fear Allah's punishment, wrath and torment.