Tafsīr

Everyone gets happy and gets sad, but you should turn your happiness into gratitude (to Allāh) and your sadness into patience (ṣabr).

Ibn Kathīr, Tafsir of Al-Ḥadīd: 23.

I once travelled to Shām for trade. When I reached lower Shām a man from the People of the Book met me and asked me, “Is there amongst you a man who is a Prophet?” I replied, “Yes.” He then asked, Would you recognise his image if you saw it?” I replied, “Yes.” He then admitted me into a house in which there were images, but I did not see an image of the Prophet ﷺ. While I was there, another man from them entered upon us and asked us “What are you doing?” So we informed him. He then took us to his home, and as soon as I entered I saw the image of the Prophet ﷺ and it showed a man holding on to the heel of the Prophet ﷺ. I asked, “Who is this man holding his heel?” He replied, “There was no prophet except that after him came another prophet, except this prophet, for there is no prophet after him. And this is the khalīfah after him.” And I saw that it looked like Abū Bakr – Allāh be pleased with him.

Ibn Kathīr, Al-Tafsīr, in the commentary of 7:157

Leave this and give us something from the Book of Allāh. ‘Imrān said, “You are a dunce (stupid). Do you find in the Book of Allāh details of prayer. Do you find in the Book of Allāh details of fasting!? This Qur`ān prescribes those matters, and the Sunnah explains them.” Al-Harawī, Dham Al-Kalām article 244, et al with various wordings.

Al-Harawī, Dham Al-Kalām article 244, et al with various wordings.

مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ

Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Al-Tafsīr article 6144.

يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ ٱلْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ

Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd article 1428.

When a man amongst us learned ten verses [of the Quran], he would not move on [to the next verses] until he had understood their meanings and how to act by them. Al-Ṭabarī, Al-Tafsīr 1:80. Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ. Abū ‘Abd Al-Raḥmān Al-Sulamī said: Those who used to teach us the Quran (the Companions) told us that they used to learn the Quran from the Prophet – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him; when they had learnt ten verses they would not move on until they put into practice what was in them. So we learnt knowledge and deeds (implementation) together. Ibid. Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ also.

Ibid. Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ also.

Wasted Devotion

It is reported that a group of heretics (People of Bid’ah) and their devout worship was mentioned to ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān b. Mahdī. He said, “Allāh only accepts what conforms to what has been commanded and what is in the Sunnah.” Then he recited, And a monasticism which they (Christians) innovated, We did not ordain it upon them [Al-Ḥadīd: 27]. He went on to say, “So Allāh did not accept this from them and reprimanded them for it.” He then said, “Stick to the way and the Sunnah.”

Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol.4 p44.

And remember (O members of the Prophet’s family) that which is recited in your houses of the Verses of Allāh and Al-Ḥikmah. [Al-Ahzab 33:34] It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allāh have mercy on him said, “Al-Kitāb is the Qur`ān, and Al-Ḥikmah is the Sunnah.” It is also reported that Qatādah – Allāh have mercy on him said, “And [he will] teach them The Book and Al-Ḥikmah, i.e. the Sunnah.” Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharḥ Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā’ah Vol.1 p86, 87; Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol.1 p98; and Al-Ṭabarī in his Tafsīr. Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah said (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā Vol.3 p366), “A number of the Salaf said that Al-Ḥikmah refers to the Sunnah, because that which was recited in the houses of [the Prophet’s] wives – Allāh be pleased with them – apart from the Qur`ān was his Sunnah – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him.”

Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah said (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā Vol.3 p366), “A number of the Salaf said that Al-Ḥikmah refers to the Sunnah, because that which was recited in the houses of [the Prophet’s] wives – Allāh be pleased with them – apart from the Qur`ān was his Sunnah – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him.”

In explanation of this verse, Al-Ṭabarī reports the following narrations in his Tafsīr: He reports that ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb – Allāh be pleased with him – was asked about true repentance. He replied, “It is that a man repents from an evil deed, and never does it again.” He also reports that ʿUmar said, “It is that you repent from the sin and never do it again, or never intend to do it again.” Similarly, he reports from ʿAbdullāh (Ibn ‘Abbās) – Allāh be pleased with him – that he said, “A person repents, and then never goes back to the sin.”, and “It means that a person never returns to the sin from which he repented.” Mujāhid is quoted as saying, “They seek Allāh’s forgiveness and then never go back to sin.” Qatādah is quoted as saying, “It is the true and sincere repentance.” Al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī, in the commentary on Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.

Al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī, in the commentary on Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.

It is reported from Qatâdah – Allâh have mercy on him – that he said, commenting on this verse, “Meaning: do not innovate in religion and do not sit with a religious innovator (mubtadi’).” Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ Vol.1 p394.

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ Vol.1 p394.

O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels, stern and severe, and who disobey not the commands they receive from Allāh, but do that which they are commanded. [66:6] · ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib – Allah be pleased with him: Discipline them, teach them. · Ibn ‘Abbās – Allah be pleased with them: Stay obedient to Allāh, stay away from disobeying Allāh and command your families to remember Allāh, and He will save you from the Fire. · Mujāhid – Allāh have mercy on him: Fear Allāh and obey him (practice taqwā) and tell your families to practice taqwā. · Qatādah – Allāh have mercy on him: A person protects his family by telling them to obey Allāh and forbidding them from disobeying Him. He upholds Allāh’s commandments and helps his family to uphold them. So if you see some disobedience of Allāh you stop them from doing it, and you reprimand them. Al-Ṭabarī, Al-Tafsīr, Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.

Al-Ṭabarī, Al-Tafsīr, Sūrah Al-Taḥrīm.

Faith (īmān) is not by embellishment or wishful thinking, but it is what settles in the heart and is verified through your works. Whoever says good but does not do good will have his words compared to his deeds by Allah. Whoever says good and does good will have his words raised by his deeds. This is because Allah ‘azza wa jalla said: To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it. [Sūrah Fāṭir: 10] Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol. 3 p120, and Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī in Iqtiḍā’ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal no.56.

Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol. 3 p120, and Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī in Iqtiḍā’ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal no.56.

Whenever Mālik b. Anas – Allah have mercy on him – would sit to narrate ḥadīth he would bath and perfume himself. If anyone raised his voice in the gathering [Imām Mālik] would reprimand him and say, “Lower your voice, for Allah tabāraka wa ta’ālā said: O Believers! Do not raise your voices over that of the Prophet [Sūrah Al-Ḥujarāt: 2] Whoever raises his voice over the sound of the ḥadīth of Allah’s Messenger – peace and blessing be upon him, then it is as if he is raising his voice over that of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.” Nasr b. Ibrāhīm Al-Maqdisī in Mukhtasar Al-Hujjah ‘alā Tārik Al-Mahajjah Vol.1 p121.

Nasr b. Ibrāhīm Al-Maqdisī in Mukhtasar Al-Hujjah ‘alā Tārik Al-Mahajjah Vol.1 p121.

Our Lord! Give us the good of this world and the good of the hereafter… Al-Hasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said: The good of this world is knowledge and worship, and the good of the hereafter is Paradise. Al-Ājurrī in Akhlāq Al-‘Ulamā’ no. 30 and Ibn Jarīr in his Tafsīr of this verse. Scholars of tafsīr like Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Kathīr point out that ‘the good of this world’ is general and includes all those things which have been allowed for us to enjoy and which are considered useful by people for day-to-day living. And they point out that above this; the good of this world includes those things which will lead to success in the hereafter. This narration reminds us of these loftier things we should ask Allah for, and that the good of this life embraces what is required or recommended for a worshipper of Allah to acquire on this Earth, like knowledge of his religion and good deeds.

Scholars of tafsīr like Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Kathīr point out that ‘the good of this world’ is general and includes all those things which have been allowed for us to enjoy and which are considered useful by people for day-to-day living. And they point out that above this; the good of this world includes those things which will lead to success in the hereafter. This narration reminds us of these loftier things we should ask Allah for, and that the good of this life embraces what is required or recommended for a worshipper of Allah to acquire on this Earth, like knowledge of his religion and good deeds.

Sayings filed under this topic.