Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

A Reminder of the Grace of Allah and a Warning against following the Footsteps of Shaytan Allah says: وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ (And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, and that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful.) meaning, if it were not for this, it would have been another matter altogether, but He, may He be exalted, is full of kindness towards His servants and Merciful towards them. He accepts the repentance of those who repent to Him from this sin, and purifies those among them who are purified by the prescribed punishment carried out on them. Then Allah says: يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَتِ الشَّيْطَـنِ (O you who believe! Follow not the Khutuwat of Shaytan.) hmeaning, his ways and paths and what he commands, وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَتِ الشَّيْطَـنِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَآءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ (And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan, then, verily, he commands immorality and the evil deeds.) This is a warning given in the most concise and eloquent manner. `Ali bin Abi Talhah recorded from Ibn `Abbas that خُطُوَتِ الشَّيْطَـنِ (the Khutuwat of Shaytan) means his deeds. `Ikrimah said that it means his evil whispers. Qatadah said: "Every sin is one of the footsteps of Shaytan." Abu Mijlaz said: "Vowing to commit sin is one of the footsteps of Shaytan." Then Allah says: وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَى مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَداً (And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins.) meaning, if He did not help whomever He wills to repent and come back to Him and be purified from Shirk, evil and sin, and whatever bad characteristics each person has according to his nature, no one would ever attain purity and goodness. وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ (But Allah purifies whom He wills) means, among His creation, and He sends astray whomever He wills, leaving him to be doomed in his misguidance and sin. وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ (and Allah is All-Hearer,) means, He hears what His servants say, عَلِيمٌ (All-Knower.) of who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be misguided.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Urging Those Who have been blessed with Wealth to give and to be tolerant Allah says, وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ (And let not swear) meaning, make an oath, أُوْلُواْ الْفَضْلِ مِنكُمْ (those among you who are blessed with graces ) means, those who have the means to give charity and do good, وَالسَّعَةِ (and wealth) means, good fortune, أَن يُؤْتُواْ أُوْلِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَـكِينَ وَالْمُهَـجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (to give to their kinsmen, the poor, and those who left their homes for Allah's cause.) means, do not swear that you will not uphold the ties of kinship with your relatives who are needy or who migrated for the sake of Allah, which is the ultimate act of kindness in the area of upholding kinship ties. Allah says, وَلْيَعْفُواْ وَلْيَصْفَحُواْ (Let them pardon and forgive.) past insults and bad treatment. This is part of the patience, generosity and kindness of Allah towards His creation, despite the fact that they wrong themselves. This Ayah was revealed concerning As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, when he swore that he would not help Mistah bin Uthathah after he said what he said about `A'ishah, as we have already seen in the Hadith. When Allah revealed the innocence of the Mother of the believers, `A'ishah, and the believers were happy and content with the outcome of this incident, and those believers who had talked about the matter repented, and the prescribed punishment had been carried out upon those on whom it was carried out, then Allah started to soften the heart of As-Siddiq towards his relative Mistah bin Uthathah. Mistah was the cousin of As-Siddiq, the son of his maternal aunt, and he was a poor man with no wealth except whatever Abu Bakr spent on him. He was one of those who had migrated for the sake of Allah. He had invented the lies and the slander, but then Allah accepted his repentance from that and the prescribed punishment was carried out on him. As-Siddiq was known for his generosity and he did favors to his relatives and strangers alike. When this Ayah was revealed: أَلاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ (Do you not love that Allah should forgive you), which shows that the reward fits the action, and that `if you forgive others, you will be forgiven,' then As-Siddiq said, "Of course, by Allah, we love -- O our Lord -- that You should forgive us." Then he resumed his spending on Mistah and said, "By Allah I will never stop spending on him." This was to counteract what he had said previously, "By Allah I will never spend on him." This proves that he deserved to be called As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him and his daughter.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

A Threat to Those who accuse Chaste Women, Who never even think of anything touching their Chastity and are Good Believers This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. The Mothers of the believers are more entitled to be included in this category than any other chaste woman, especially the one who was the reason for this Ayah being revealed: `A'ishah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both. All of the scholars agree that whoever slanders her or makes accusations against after what has been said in this Ayah, is a disbeliever, because of his being obstinate with the Qur'an. The same ruling applies to all of the Mothers of the believers. لُعِنُواْ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ (are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter,) This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger,) 33:57 `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "This is about `A'ishah, and whoever does anything similar nowadays to Muslim women, the same applies to him, but `A'ishah is the one who is primarily referred to here." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ» (Shun the seven destructive sins. ) He was asked, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah" He said: «الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ» (Associating partners with Allah; magic; killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with just cause; consuming Riba; consuming the property of orphans; desertion at the time of war; and accusing chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs. يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "This refers to the idolators when they realize that no one will enter Paradise except the people who used to perform Salah. They will say, `Come, let us deny (everything).' So they will deny (everything), then their mouths will be sealed and their hands and feet will testify against them, and they will not be able to hide anything from Allah." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his back teeth could be seen, then he said: «أَتَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ؟» (Do you know why I am smiling) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, «مِنْ مُجَادَلَةِ الْعَبْدِ لِرَبِّهِ يَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى، فَيَقُولُ: لَا أُجِيزُ عَلَيَّ شَاهِدًا إِلَّااِمنْ نَفْسِي، فَيَقُولُ: كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ شَهِيدًا وَبِالْكِرَامِ عَلَيْكَ شُهُودًا، فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ وَيُقَالُ لِأَرْكَانِهِ: انْطِقِي فَتَنْطِقَ بِعَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخَلَّى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ فَيَقُولُ: بُعْدًا لَكُنَّ وَسُحْقًا فَعَنْكُنَّ كُنْتُ أُنَاضِلُ» (Because of the way a person will dispute with his Lord. He will say, "O Lord, did you not protect me from doing wrong" Allah will say, "Of course," The person will say, "I will not accept for anyone to give testimony concerning me except myself." Allah will say, "You are sufficient as a witness against yourself." Then a seal will be put upon his mouth and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak." So they will speak about his deeds. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "Away with you! I was only speaking in your defence!") This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ (On that Day Allah will pay Dinahum,) Ibn `Abbas said, دِينَهُمُ (Dinahum) "Meaning `their account.' Every time Dinahum appears in the Qur'an it means `their account."' This was also the view of other scholars. وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ (and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth.) means, His promise, His threat and His reckoning are all just and there is no unfairness in them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

A Threat to Those who accuse Chaste Women, Who never even think of anything touching their Chastity and are Good Believers This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. The Mothers of the believers are more entitled to be included in this category than any other chaste woman, especially the one who was the reason for this Ayah being revealed: `A'ishah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both. All of the scholars agree that whoever slanders her or makes accusations against after what has been said in this Ayah, is a disbeliever, because of his being obstinate with the Qur'an. The same ruling applies to all of the Mothers of the believers. لُعِنُواْ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ (are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter,) This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger,) 33:57 `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "This is about `A'ishah, and whoever does anything similar nowadays to Muslim women, the same applies to him, but `A'ishah is the one who is primarily referred to here." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ» (Shun the seven destructive sins. ) He was asked, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah" He said: «الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ» (Associating partners with Allah; magic; killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with just cause; consuming Riba; consuming the property of orphans; desertion at the time of war; and accusing chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs. يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "This refers to the idolators when they realize that no one will enter Paradise except the people who used to perform Salah. They will say, `Come, let us deny (everything).' So they will deny (everything), then their mouths will be sealed and their hands and feet will testify against them, and they will not be able to hide anything from Allah." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his back teeth could be seen, then he said: «أَتَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ؟» (Do you know why I am smiling) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, «مِنْ مُجَادَلَةِ الْعَبْدِ لِرَبِّهِ يَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى، فَيَقُولُ: لَا أُجِيزُ عَلَيَّ شَاهِدًا إِلَّااِمنْ نَفْسِي، فَيَقُولُ: كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ شَهِيدًا وَبِالْكِرَامِ عَلَيْكَ شُهُودًا، فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ وَيُقَالُ لِأَرْكَانِهِ: انْطِقِي فَتَنْطِقَ بِعَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخَلَّى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ فَيَقُولُ: بُعْدًا لَكُنَّ وَسُحْقًا فَعَنْكُنَّ كُنْتُ أُنَاضِلُ» (Because of the way a person will dispute with his Lord. He will say, "O Lord, did you not protect me from doing wrong" Allah will say, "Of course," The person will say, "I will not accept for anyone to give testimony concerning me except myself." Allah will say, "You are sufficient as a witness against yourself." Then a seal will be put upon his mouth and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak." So they will speak about his deeds. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "Away with you! I was only speaking in your defence!") This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ (On that Day Allah will pay Dinahum,) Ibn `Abbas said, دِينَهُمُ (Dinahum) "Meaning `their account.' Every time Dinahum appears in the Qur'an it means `their account."' This was also the view of other scholars. وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ (and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth.) means, His promise, His threat and His reckoning are all just and there is no unfairness in them.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

A Threat to Those who accuse Chaste Women, Who never even think of anything touching their Chastity and are Good Believers This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. The Mothers of the believers are more entitled to be included in this category than any other chaste woman, especially the one who was the reason for this Ayah being revealed: `A'ishah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both. All of the scholars agree that whoever slanders her or makes accusations against after what has been said in this Ayah, is a disbeliever, because of his being obstinate with the Qur'an. The same ruling applies to all of the Mothers of the believers. لُعِنُواْ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ (are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter,) This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger,) 33:57 `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "This is about `A'ishah, and whoever does anything similar nowadays to Muslim women, the same applies to him, but `A'ishah is the one who is primarily referred to here." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ» (Shun the seven destructive sins. ) He was asked, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah" He said: «الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ» (Associating partners with Allah; magic; killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with just cause; consuming Riba; consuming the property of orphans; desertion at the time of war; and accusing chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs. يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "This refers to the idolators when they realize that no one will enter Paradise except the people who used to perform Salah. They will say, `Come, let us deny (everything).' So they will deny (everything), then their mouths will be sealed and their hands and feet will testify against them, and they will not be able to hide anything from Allah." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his back teeth could be seen, then he said: «أَتَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ؟» (Do you know why I am smiling) We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, «مِنْ مُجَادَلَةِ الْعَبْدِ لِرَبِّهِ يَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى، فَيَقُولُ: لَا أُجِيزُ عَلَيَّ شَاهِدًا إِلَّااِمنْ نَفْسِي، فَيَقُولُ: كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ شَهِيدًا وَبِالْكِرَامِ عَلَيْكَ شُهُودًا، فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ وَيُقَالُ لِأَرْكَانِهِ: انْطِقِي فَتَنْطِقَ بِعَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخَلَّى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ فَيَقُولُ: بُعْدًا لَكُنَّ وَسُحْقًا فَعَنْكُنَّ كُنْتُ أُنَاضِلُ» (Because of the way a person will dispute with his Lord. He will say, "O Lord, did you not protect me from doing wrong" Allah will say, "Of course," The person will say, "I will not accept for anyone to give testimony concerning me except myself." Allah will say, "You are sufficient as a witness against yourself." Then a seal will be put upon his mouth and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak." So they will speak about his deeds. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "Away with you! I was only speaking in your defence!") This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ (On that Day Allah will pay Dinahum,) Ibn `Abbas said, دِينَهُمُ (Dinahum) "Meaning `their account.' Every time Dinahum appears in the Qur'an it means `their account."' This was also the view of other scholars. وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ (and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth.) means, His promise, His threat and His reckoning are all just and there is no unfairness in them.