Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Mentioning Idris Allah complimented Idris for being a truthful Prophet and He mentioned that he raised him to a high station. It has previously been mentioned that in the Sahih it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Idris on the night of the Isra (Night Journey) and he (Idris) was in the fourth heaven. Sufyan reported from Mansur that Mujahid said, وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً (And We raised him to a high station.) "This means the fourth heaven." Al-Hasan and others said concer- ning Allah's statement, وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً (And We raised him to a high station.) "This means Paradise."

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Mentioning Idris Allah complimented Idris for being a truthful Prophet and He mentioned that he raised him to a high station. It has previously been mentioned that in the Sahih it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Idris on the night of the Isra (Night Journey) and he (Idris) was in the fourth heaven. Sufyan reported from Mansur that Mujahid said, وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً (And We raised him to a high station.) "This means the fourth heaven." Al-Hasan and others said concer- ning Allah's statement, وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً (And We raised him to a high station.) "This means Paradise."

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

These Prophets are the Chosen Ones Allah, the Exalted, says that these Prophets (were favored), but this does not mean only these Prophets who were mentioned in this Surah. Rather, it is referring to all of those who were Prophets. Allah merely changes the implication of the discussion from specific individuals to the entire group of Prophets. الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءادَمَ (they unto whom Allah bestowed His grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam.) As-Suddi and Ibn Jarir both said, "That which is meant by the offspring of Adam is Idris, and what is meant by the offspring of those `whom We carried with Nuh' is Ibrahim, and what is meant by the offspring of Ibrahim is Ishaq, Ya`qub and Isma`il, and what is meant by the offspring of Isra`il is Musa, Harun, Zakariyya, Yayha and `Isa bin Maryam." Ibn Jarir said, "And that is the distinction of their genealogies, even though Adam gathers all of them (as their original father). This is because among them is he who was not a descendant of those who were on the ship with Nuh, and he that is Idris. For verily, he was the grandfather of Nuh." I say that this is the most apparent meaning, which concludes that Idris is amongst the pillars of Nuh's ancestral lineage. The view that this Ayah refers to the ancestral lineage of the Prophets, is the fact that it is similar to Allah's statement in Surah Al-An`am, وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ - وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحاً هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَـنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى وَهَـرُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ - وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ - وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطاً وَكُلاًّ فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَمِنْ ءابَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَنِهِمْ وَاجْتَبَيْنَـهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (And that was our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub, each of them We guided; and before him We guided Nuh, and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa and Harun. Thus do We reward the doers of good. And Zakariyya, and Yahya, and `Isa and Ilyas, each one of them was of the righteous. And Isma`il and Al-Yasa` and Yunus and Lut and each one of them We preferred above the `Alamin. And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethern, We chose them, and We guided them to the straight path.)6:83-87 Until Allah's statement, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ (They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance.) 6: 90 Allah, the Exalted, says, مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ (Of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story.) 40:78 In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is reported from Mujahid that he asked Ibn `Abbas, "Is there a prostration in Surah Sad" Ibn `Abbas replied, "Yes." Then he recited, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ (They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance.) 6:90 Ibn `Abbas then said, "So your Prophet is one of those who have been commanded to follow them. And he is of those who should be followed." -- referring to Dawud. Allah, the Exalted, said in this noble Ayah, إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءايَـتُ الرَّحْمَـنِ خَرُّواْ سُجَّداً وَبُكِيّاً (When the Ayah of the Most Gracious were recited unto them, they fell down prostrate and weeping.) This means that when they heard the Words of Allah, mentioning His proofs and evidences, they prostrated to their Lord in humility, humbleness, praise and thanks for the great favors they were blessed with. The word Bukiyan at the end of the Ayah means those who are crying, and it is the plural of Baki. Due to this the scholars agree that it is legislated to prostrate upon reading this Ayah, in following them and adhering to their manner of worship.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

They were succeeded by Wicked People and Good People After Allah mentioned the party of blessed ones -- the Prophets and those who followed them by maintainig the limits set by Allah and His commandments, fulfilling what Allah ordered and avoiding His prohibitions -- then He mentions, (خَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ) (there has succeeded them a posterity.) This means later generations. أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ (who have lost Salah) Losing their prayers is when they do not consider the prayers obligatory. Therefore they lose, because the prayer is the pillar and foundation of the religion. It is the best of the servants' deeds. Thus, these people will occupy themselves with worldly desires and delights, and they will be pleased with the life of this world. They will be tranquil and at ease in the worldly appetites. Therefore, these people will meet with Ghaiy, which means loss on the Day of Resurrection. Al-Awza`i reported from Musa bin Sulayman, who reported from Al-Qasim bin Mukhaymirah that he said concerning Allah's statement, فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ (Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah) "This means that they will not keep up with the proper times of the prayer, because if it meant complete abandonment of the prayer, this would be disbelief." It is also reported that it was said to Ibn Mas`ud, "Allah often mentions the prayer in the Qur'an. He says, الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ (Those who neglect their Salah.) 107:5 And He says, عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ (Those who remain constant in their Salah.) 70:23 And He says, عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (Who guard their Salah.)" 23:9 Then, Ibn Mas`ud said, "This means at its designated times." The people said, "We thought that this was referring to the abandonment of the prayer." He replied, "That would be disbelief." Masruq said, "No one who guards the five daily prayers will be written among the heedless. In their neglect is destruction. Their neglect is delaying them past their fixed times." Al-Awza`i reported from Ibrahim bin Zayd that Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz recited the Ayah, فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ وَاتَّبَعُواْ الشَّهَوَتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah and have followed lusts. So they will meet Ghayy.) Then, he said, "Their loss was not their abandonment of the prayers, but it was by not offering them during their proper and prescribed times." Allah said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) "This means loss." Qatadah said, "This means evil." Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Muhammad bin Ishaq all reported from Abu Ishaq As-Sabi`i, who reported from Abu `Ubaydah, who reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) "This is a valley in the Hellfire which is very deep and its food is filthy." Al-A`mash reported from Ziyad, who reported from Abu `Iyad, who commented Allah's statement, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) He said, "This is a valley in Hell made of puss and blood." Allah said, إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً (Except those who repent and believe and work righteousness.) This means, "Except those who recant from giving up the prayers and following the desires, for verily, Allah will accept their repentance, give them a good end and make them of those who inherit the Garden of Delight (Paradise). " For this reason Allah says, فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئاً (Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught.) This is because repentance wipes away that which was before it. In another Hadith, the Prophet said, «التَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ كَمَنْ لَاذَنْبَ لَه» (The one who repents from sin is like he who has no sin.) Because of this, those who repent will not lose anything from the (good) deeds that they did. They will not be held accountable for what they did before their repentance, thus causing a decrease in their reward for deeds that they do after their repentance. That is because whatever they did before repenting is lost, forgotten and not taken to account. This is an honor from the Most Generous and a kindness from the Most Gentle. This is an exception that is made for these people, similar to Allah's statement in Surah Al-Furqan, وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ (And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause...) until Allah's statement, وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً (and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 25:68-70

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

They were succeeded by Wicked People and Good People After Allah mentioned the party of blessed ones -- the Prophets and those who followed them by maintainig the limits set by Allah and His commandments, fulfilling what Allah ordered and avoiding His prohibitions -- then He mentions, (خَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ) (there has succeeded them a posterity.) This means later generations. أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ (who have lost Salah) Losing their prayers is when they do not consider the prayers obligatory. Therefore they lose, because the prayer is the pillar and foundation of the religion. It is the best of the servants' deeds. Thus, these people will occupy themselves with worldly desires and delights, and they will be pleased with the life of this world. They will be tranquil and at ease in the worldly appetites. Therefore, these people will meet with Ghaiy, which means loss on the Day of Resurrection. Al-Awza`i reported from Musa bin Sulayman, who reported from Al-Qasim bin Mukhaymirah that he said concerning Allah's statement, فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ (Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah) "This means that they will not keep up with the proper times of the prayer, because if it meant complete abandonment of the prayer, this would be disbelief." It is also reported that it was said to Ibn Mas`ud, "Allah often mentions the prayer in the Qur'an. He says, الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ (Those who neglect their Salah.) 107:5 And He says, عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ (Those who remain constant in their Salah.) 70:23 And He says, عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (Who guard their Salah.)" 23:9 Then, Ibn Mas`ud said, "This means at its designated times." The people said, "We thought that this was referring to the abandonment of the prayer." He replied, "That would be disbelief." Masruq said, "No one who guards the five daily prayers will be written among the heedless. In their neglect is destruction. Their neglect is delaying them past their fixed times." Al-Awza`i reported from Ibrahim bin Zayd that Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz recited the Ayah, فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ وَاتَّبَعُواْ الشَّهَوَتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah and have followed lusts. So they will meet Ghayy.) Then, he said, "Their loss was not their abandonment of the prayers, but it was by not offering them during their proper and prescribed times." Allah said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) "This means loss." Qatadah said, "This means evil." Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Muhammad bin Ishaq all reported from Abu Ishaq As-Sabi`i, who reported from Abu `Ubaydah, who reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he said, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) "This is a valley in the Hellfire which is very deep and its food is filthy." Al-A`mash reported from Ziyad, who reported from Abu `Iyad, who commented Allah's statement, فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً (So they will meet Ghayy.) He said, "This is a valley in Hell made of puss and blood." Allah said, إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً (Except those who repent and believe and work righteousness.) This means, "Except those who recant from giving up the prayers and following the desires, for verily, Allah will accept their repentance, give them a good end and make them of those who inherit the Garden of Delight (Paradise). " For this reason Allah says, فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئاً (Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught.) This is because repentance wipes away that which was before it. In another Hadith, the Prophet said, «التَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ كَمَنْ لَاذَنْبَ لَه» (The one who repents from sin is like he who has no sin.) Because of this, those who repent will not lose anything from the (good) deeds that they did. They will not be held accountable for what they did before their repentance, thus causing a decrease in their reward for deeds that they do after their repentance. That is because whatever they did before repenting is lost, forgotten and not taken to account. This is an honor from the Most Generous and a kindness from the Most Gentle. This is an exception that is made for these people, similar to Allah's statement in Surah Al-Furqan, وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ (And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause...) until Allah's statement, وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً (and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 25:68-70