Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Evidence of the Power and Oneness of Allah Allah tells us that He is the Creator of what is in the heavens and on earth, and what is between them. He is the Sovereign and Controller alternating the night and day. يُكَوِّرُ الَّيْـلَ عَلَى النَّهَـارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّـهَارَ عَلَى الَّيْلِ (He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night.) means, He has subjugated them and He causes them to alternate without ceasing, each seeking the other rapidly, as He says: يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا (He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly) (7:54). This is the meaning of that which was narrated from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّـى (And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running for an appointed term.) means, for a period of time that is known to Allah, then it will come to an end on the Day of Resurrection. أَلا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ (Verily, He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving.) means, beside His might, greatness and pride, He is Oft-Forgiving to those who disobey Him but then turn to Him in repentance. خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ (He created you (all) from a single person;) means, He created you, with all your varied races, types, languages and colors, from a single soul, who was Adam, peace be upon him. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا (then made from him his wife.) who was Hawwa', peace be upon her. This is like the Ayah: يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَآءً (O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women) (4:1). وَأَنزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّنْعَـمِ ثَمَـنِيَةَ أَزْوَجٍ (And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs.) means, He has created for you from among the cattles, eight pairs. These are the ones that are mentioned in Surat Al-An`am, eight kinds -- a pair of sheep, a pair of goats, a pair of camels and a pair of oxen. يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـتِكُـمْ (He creates you in the wombs of your mothers,) means, He forms you in your mothers' wombs. خَلْقاً مِّن بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ (creation after creation). Everyone of you is originally a Nutfah, then he becomes an `Alaqah, then he becomes a Mudghah, then he is created and becomes flesh and bones and nerves and veins, and the Ruh (soul) is breathed into him, and he becomes another type of creation. فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَـلِقِينَ (So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators) (23:14). فِى ظُلُمَـتٍ ثَلَـثٍ (in three veils of darkness) means, in the darkness of the womb, the darkness of the placenta which blankets and protects the child, and the darkness of the belly. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. ذَلِكُـمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّـكُمْ (Such is Allah your Lord.) means, the One Who created the heavens and the earth and everything in between, and created you and your forefathers, is the Lord. To Him belong sovereignty and control over all of that. لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ (La ilaha illa Huwa.) means, no one else should be worshipped except Him alone with no partner or associate. فَأَنَّى تُصْرَفُونَ (How then are you turned away) means, how can you worship anything besides Him What has happened to your minds

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah hates Disbelief and is pleased with Gratitude Allah tells us that He is Independent and has no need of anything in creation. This is like the Ayah in which Musa, peace be upon him, says: إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ("If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich, Owner of all praise.") (14:8). In Sahih Muslim, it says: «يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا» ("O My servants, if the first and the last of you, men and Jinn alike, were all to be as evil as the most evil man among you, that would not diminish from My sovereignty in the least.") وَلاَ يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ (He likes not disbelief for His servants.) means, He does not like it and He does not enjoin it. وَإِن تَشْكُرُواْ يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ (And if you are grateful, He is pleased therewith for you.) means: He likes this for you and He will increase His favor upon you. وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى (No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. ) means, no person can bear anything for another; each person will be asked about his own affairs. ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ مَّرْجِعُكُـمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُـمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ (Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you what you used to do. Verily, He is the All-Knower of that which is in breasts.) means, nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him. It is an aspect of Man's Disbelief that He remembers Allah at times of difficulty then associates .. وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَا رَبَّهُ مُنِيباً إِلَيْهِ (And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord, turning to Him in repentance.) means, at times of need, he prays to Allah and seeks His help alone, not associating anything with Him. This is like the Ayah: وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا (And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him. But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away. And man is ever ungrateful.) (17:67). Allah says: ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلَهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنْهُ نَسِىَ مَا كَانَ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مِن قَبْلُ (But when He bestows a favor upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before,) means, at the time of ease, he forgets that supplication and prayer. This is like the Ayah: وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ (And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (10:12). وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندَاداً لِّيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ (and he sets up rivals to Allah, in order to mislead others from His path.) means, at times of ease, he associates others in worship with Allah and sets up rivals to Him. قُلْ تَمَتَّعْ بِكُفْرِكَ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكَ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ النَّارِ (Say: "Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while, surely, you are (one) of the dwellers of the Fire!") means, say to those whose way this is, `enjoy your disbelief for a while!' This is a stern threat and solemn warning, as in the Ayat: قُلْ تَمَتَّعُواْ فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ (Say: "Enjoy! But certainly, your destination is the Fire!") (14:30). نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ (We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.) (31:24)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah hates Disbelief and is pleased with Gratitude Allah tells us that He is Independent and has no need of anything in creation. This is like the Ayah in which Musa, peace be upon him, says: إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ("If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich, Owner of all praise.") (14:8). In Sahih Muslim, it says: «يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا» ("O My servants, if the first and the last of you, men and Jinn alike, were all to be as evil as the most evil man among you, that would not diminish from My sovereignty in the least.") وَلاَ يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ (He likes not disbelief for His servants.) means, He does not like it and He does not enjoin it. وَإِن تَشْكُرُواْ يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ (And if you are grateful, He is pleased therewith for you.) means: He likes this for you and He will increase His favor upon you. وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى (No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. ) means, no person can bear anything for another; each person will be asked about his own affairs. ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ مَّرْجِعُكُـمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُـمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ (Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you what you used to do. Verily, He is the All-Knower of that which is in breasts.) means, nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him. It is an aspect of Man's Disbelief that He remembers Allah at times of difficulty then associates .. وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَا رَبَّهُ مُنِيباً إِلَيْهِ (And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord, turning to Him in repentance.) means, at times of need, he prays to Allah and seeks His help alone, not associating anything with Him. This is like the Ayah: وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا (And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him. But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away. And man is ever ungrateful.) (17:67). Allah says: ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلَهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنْهُ نَسِىَ مَا كَانَ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مِن قَبْلُ (But when He bestows a favor upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before,) means, at the time of ease, he forgets that supplication and prayer. This is like the Ayah: وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ (And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (10:12). وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندَاداً لِّيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ (and he sets up rivals to Allah, in order to mislead others from His path.) means, at times of ease, he associates others in worship with Allah and sets up rivals to Him. قُلْ تَمَتَّعْ بِكُفْرِكَ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكَ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ النَّارِ (Say: "Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while, surely, you are (one) of the dwellers of the Fire!") means, say to those whose way this is, `enjoy your disbelief for a while!' This is a stern threat and solemn warning, as in the Ayat: قُلْ تَمَتَّعُواْ فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ (Say: "Enjoy! But certainly, your destination is the Fire!") (14:30). نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ (We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.) (31:24)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Obedient and the Sinner are not equal Allah says, `is the one who is like this equal to one who associates others in worship with Allah and sets up rivals to Him' They are not equal before Allah, as He says: لَيْسُواْ سَوَآءً مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ (Not all of them are alike; a party of the People of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Ayat of Allah Ana'a Al-Layl, prostrating themselves (in prayer).) (3:113). And Allah says here: أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ سَـجِداً وَقَآئِماً (Is one who is obedient to Allah, Ana'a Al-Layl prostrating and standing) meaning, one who is humble and fears Allah when he prostrates and stands (in prayer). It was reported that Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The obedient one is one who obeys Allah and His Messenger ." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, Ana'a Al-Layl means in the depths of the night. يَحْذَرُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ (fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord.) means, in his worship he feels both fear and hope. Both are essential in worship, and fear should be stronger during one's lifetime. Allah says: يَحْذَرُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ (fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord. ) At the time of death, hope is uppermost, as Imam `Abd bin Humayd recorded in his Musnad from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon a man who was dying, and said to him, «كَيْفَ تَجِدُكَ؟» (How do you feel) He said, `I am both afraid and hopeful.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَا يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْطِنِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِي يَرْجُو، وَأَمَّنَهُ الَّذِي يَخَافُه» (These do not co-exist in a person's heart at times such as this, but Allah will give him what he hopes for and protect him from that which he fears.)" This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn Majah from the Hadith of Yasar bin Hatim from Ja`far bin Sulayman. At-Tirmidhi said, "Gharib." Imam Ahmad recorded that Tamim Ad-Dari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَنْ قَرَأَ بِمِائَةِ آيَةٍ فِي لَيْلَةٍ كُتِبَ لَهُ قُنُوتُ لَيْلَة» (Whoever recites one hundred Ayat in one night, it will be recorded as if he prayed all night.) This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah. قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not") means, is this one equal with the one who sets up rivals to Allah to mislead (men) from His path إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ (It is only men of understanding who will remember. ) means, the only one who will understand the difference between them is the one who has understanding. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Command for Taqwa, Emigration and to worship Him alone with all Sincerity Allah commands His believing servants to remain steadfast in their obedience and have Taqwa of Him. قُلْ يعِبَادِ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ فِى هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ (Say: "O My servants who believe, have Taqwa of your Lord. Good is for those who do good in this world...") means, the one who does good deeds in this world, will have a good (reward) in this world and in the Hereafter. وَأَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةٌ (and Allah's earth is spacious!) Mujahid said, "So emigrate through it and strive hard and keep away from idols." إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّـبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ (Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.) Al-`Awza`i said, "Their reward will not be weighed or measured; they will be given an immense reward." As-Suddi said: إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّـبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ (Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.) means, "In Paradise." قُلْ إِنِّى أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَّهُ الدِّينَ (Say: "Verily, I am commanded to worship Allah, making religion sincerely for Him...") means, `I am commanded to worship Allah alone in all sincerity, with no partner or associate.' وَأُمِرْتُ لاًّنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (And I am commanded (this) in order that I may be the first of the Muslims.)