Joseph — Verse 107

People neglect to ponder the Signs before Them Allah states that most people do not think about His signs and proofs of His Oneness that He created in the heavens and earth. Allah created brilliant stars and rotating heavenly objects and planets, all made subservient. There are many plots of fertile land next to each other on earth, and gardens, solid mountains, lively oceans, with their waves smashing against each other, and spacious deserts. There are many live creatures and others that have died; and animals, plants and fruits that are similar in shape, but different in taste, scent, color and attributes. All praise is due to Allah the One and Only, Who created all types of creations, Who Alone will remain and last forever. It is He Who is unique in His Names and Attributes. Allah said next, وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ (And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) Ibn `Abbas commented, "They have a part of faith, for when they are asked, `Who created the heavens Who created the earth Who created the mountains' They say, `Allah did.' Yet, they associate others with Him in worship." Similar is said by Mujahid, `Ata, `Ikrimah, Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. In the Sahih, it is recorded that during the Hajj season, the idolators used to say in their Talbiyah: "Here we rush to Your service. You have no partners with You, except a partner with You whom You own but he owns not!" Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ (Verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) 31:13 This indeed is the greatest type of Shirk, associating others with Allah in worship. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "I said, `O Allah's Messenger! What is the greatest sin' He said, «أَنْ تَجْعَلَ للهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَك» (That you call a rival to Allah while He alone created you.)" Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented on Allah's statement, وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ (And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) "This is the hypocrite; if he performs good deeds, he does so to show off with the people, and he is an idolator while doing this." Al-Hasan was referring to Allah's statement, إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ يُخَـدِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلَوةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً (Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salah, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.) 4:142 There is another type of hidden Shirk that most people are unaware of. Hammad bin Salamah narrated that `Asim bin Abi An-Najud said that `Urwah said, "Hudhayfah visited an ill man and saw a rope tied around his arm, so he ripped it off while reciting, وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ (And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) In a Hadith, from Ibn `Umar collected by At-Tirmidhi who said it was Hasan, the Prophet said, «مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللهِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَك» (He who swears by other than Allah, commits Shirk.) Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and other scholars of Hadith narrated that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ الرُّقَى وَالتَّمَائِمَ وَالتِّوَلَةَ شِرْك» (Verily, Ar-Ruqa, At-Tama'im and At-Tiwalah are all acts of Shirk.) In another narration collected by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, the Prophet said, «الطِّيَرَةُ شِرْكٌ وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يُذْهِبُهُ بِالتَّوَكُّل» (Verily, At-Tiyarah omen is Shirk; everyone might feel a glimpse of it, but Allah dissipates it with Tawakkul.)" Allah said next, أَفَأَمِنُواْ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِّنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ (Do they then feel secure from the coming against them of the covering veil of the torment of Allah) Allah asks, `Do these idolators who associate others with Allah in the worship, feel secure from the coming of an encompassing torment from where they perceive not' Allah said in other `Ayat, أَفَأَمِنَ الَّذِينَ مَكَرُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَخْسِفَ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِى تَقَلُّبِهِمْ فَمَا هُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ - أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَى تَخَوُّفٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ (Do then those who devise evil plots feel secure that Allah will not sink them into the earth, or that the torment will not seize them from directions they perceive not Or that He may catch them in the midst of their going to and from, so that there be no escape for them (from Allah's punishment) Or that He may catch them with gradual wasting (of their wealth and health) Truly, Your Lord is indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.) 16:45-47 and, أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـتاً وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ - أَوَ أَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ أَفَأَمِنُواْ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ فَلاَ يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ (Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing Did they then feel secure against the plan of Allah None feels secure from the plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.) 7:97-99)

Do they deem themselves secure from the coming upon them of a pall a calamity enveloping them of God’s chastisement or the coming of the Hour upon them suddenly while they are unaware? of the time of its arrival beforehand?

a pall of God's chastisement, a veil, issuing from a deeply-rooted dark configuration, that obstructs their preparedness from receiving perfection; or the coming, of the minor resurrection, upon them suddenly, while they are unaware, of the light of unveiling and the affirmation of Oneness and so their veil is not lifted and they remain forever veiled.

a pall of God's chastisement, a veil, issuing from a deeply-rooted dark configuration, that obstructs their preparedness from receiving perfection; or the coming, of the minor resurrection, upon them suddenly, while they are unaware, of the light of unveiling and the affirmation of Oneness and so their veil is not lifted and they remain forever veiled.

فهل عندهم ما يجعلهم آمنين أن ينزل بهم عذاب من الله يعُمُّهم، أو أن تأتيهم القيامة فجأة، وهم لا يشعرون ولا يُحِسُّون بذلك.

وقوله " أفأمنوا أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله " الآية: أي أفأمن هؤلاء المشركون بالله أن يأتيهم أمر يغشاهم من حيث لا يشعرون كقوله تعالى " أفأمن الذين مكروا أن يخسف الله بهم الأرض أو يأتيهم العذاب من حيث لا يشعرون أو يأخذهم في تقلبهم فما هم بمعجزين أو يأخذهم على تخوف فإن ربكم لرءوف رحيم " وقوله أفأمن أهل القرى أن يأتيهم بأسنا بياتا وهم نائمون أو أمن أهل القرى أن يأتيهم بأسنا ضحى وهم يلعبون" أفأمنوا مكر الله فلا يأمن مكر الله إلا القوم الخاسرون ".

ثم هددهم - سبحانه - بحلول قارعة تدمرهم تدميراً فقال - تعالى - : ( أفأمنوا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِّنْ عَذَابِ الله أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الساعة بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ ) .والغاشية؛ كل ما يغطى الشئ ويستره ، والمراد بها : ما يغشاهم ويغمرهم من العذاب . والاستفهام للتوبيخ والتقريع .والمعنى : أفأمن هؤلاء الضالون ، أن يأتيهم عذاب من الله - تعالى - يغشاهم ويغمرهم ويشمل كل أجزائهم ، وأمنوا أن تأتيهم الساعة فجأة دون أن يسبقها ما يدل عليها ، بحيث لا يشعرون بإتيانها إلا عند قيامها .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : أَفَأَمِنُوا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ (107)قال أبو جعفر: يقول جل ثناؤه: أفأمن هؤلاء الذين لا يقرُّون بأن الله ربَّهم إلا وهم مشركون في عبادتهم إياه غيرَه ، ( أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله ) ، تغشاهم من عقوبة الله وعذابه , على شركهم بالله (6) ، أو تأتيهم القيامة فجأةً وهم مقيمون على شركهم وكفرهم بربِّهم (7) فيخلدهم الله عز وجل في ناره، وهم لا يدرون بمجيئها وقيامها.* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل .* ذكر من قال ذلك:19974 - حدثني محمد بن عمرو , قال: حدثنا أبو عاصم , قال: حدثنا عيسى , عن ابن أبي نجيح , عن مجاهد: ( أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله ) ، قال: تغشاهم.19975 - حدثنا الحسن بن محمد , قال: حدثنا شبابة , قال: حدثنا ورقاء , عن ابن أبي نجيح , عن مجاهد , قوله: ( غاشية من عذاب الله ) ، قال: تغشاهم.19976 - حدثني المثنى , قال: حدثنا أبو حذيفة , قال: حدثنا شبل , عن ابن أبي نجيح , عن مجاهد , مثله .19977 - .... قال: حدثنا إسحاق , قال: حدثنا عبد الله , عن ورقاء , عن ابن أبي نجيح , عن مجاهد , مثله .19978 - حدثنا القاسم , قال: حدثنا الحسين , قال: حدثني حجاج , عن ابن جريج , عن مجاهد , مثله .19979 - حدثنا بشر , قال: حدثنا يزيد , قال: حدثنا سعيد , عن قتادة , قوله: ( أفأمنوا أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله )، أي: عقوبة من عذاب الله.19980 - حدثنا محمد بن عبد الأعلى , قال: حدثنا محمد بن ثور , عن معمر , عن قتادة: (غاشية من عذاب الله ) ، قال: " غاشية "، وقيعة تغشاهم من عذاب الله. (8)* * *----------------------الهوامش:(6) انظر تفسير" الغاشية" فيما سلف 12 : 435 ، 436 .(7) انظر تفسير" الساعة" فيما سلف 11 : 324 .، وتفسير" البغتة" فيما سلف 11 : 325، 360 ، 368 / 12 : 576 / 13 : 297 .(8) في المطبوعة :" واقعة" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة ، وهو صواب محض .

( أفأمنوا أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله ) أي : عقوبة مجللة . قال مجاهد : عذاب يغشاهم ، نظيره قوله تعالى : " يوم يغشاهم العذاب من فوقهم " الآية ( العنكبوت - 55 ) . قال قتادة : وقيعة . وقال الضحاك : يعني الصواعق والقوارع . ( أو تأتيهم الساعة بغتة ) فجأة ( وهم لا يشعرون ) بقيامها . قال ابن عباس : تهيج الصيحة بالناس وهم في أسواقهم .

اعتراض بالتفريع على ما دلت عليه الجملتان قبله من تفظيع حالهم وجرأتهم على خالقهم والاستمرار على ذلك دون إقلاع ، فكأنهم في إعراضهم عن توقع حصول غضب الله بهم آمنون أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذابه في الدنيا أو تأتيهم الساعة بغتة فتحول بينهم وبين التوبة ويصيرون إلى العذاب الخالد .والاستفهام مستعمل في التوبيخ .والغشْي والغشيان : الإحاطة من كل جانب { وإذا غشيهم موج كالظلل } [ سورة لقمان : 32 ]. وتقدم في قوله تعالى يغشي الليل النهار في [ سورة الأعراف : 54 ].والغاشية الحادثة التي تحيط بالناس . والعرب يؤنثون هذه الحوادث مثل الطّامة والصاخة والداهية والمصيبة والكارثة والحادثة والواقعة والحاقة . والبغتة : الفجأة . وتقدمت عند قوله تعالى : { حتى إذا جاءتهم الساعة بغتة } في آخر سورة الأنعام ( 31 ).

{ أَفَأَمِنُوا } أي: الفاعلون لتلك الأفعال، المعرضون عن آيات الله { أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ } أي: عذاب يغشاهم ويعمهم ويستأصلهم، { أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً } أي: فجأة { وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ } أي: فإنهم قد استوجبوا لذلك، فليتوبوا إلى الله، ويتركوا ما يكون سببا في عقابهم.

قوله تعالى : أفأمنوا أن تأتيهم غاشية من عذاب الله قال ابن عباس : مجللة . [ ص: 239 ] وقال مجاهد : عذاب يغشاهم ; نظيره : يوم يغشاهم العذاب من فوقهم ومن تحت أرجلهم . وقال قتادة : وقيعة تقع لهم . وقال الضحاك : يعني الصواعق والقوارع .أو تأتيهم الساعة يعني القيامة ." بغتة " نصب على الحال ; وأصله المصدر . وقال المبرد : جاء عن العرب حال بعد نكرة ; وهو قولهم : وقع أمر بغتة وفجأة ; قال النحاس : ومعنى " بغتة " إصابة من حيث لم يتوقع . وهم لا يشعرون وهو توكيد .وقوله : " بغتة " قال ابن عباس : تصيح الصيحة بالناس وهم في أسواقهم ومواضعهم ، كما قال : تأخذهم وهم يخصمون على ما يأتي .

After the Truth, has been made plain, those who do not accept it, say that the requisite sound arguments in its favour were not forthcoming and had such reasoning been put forward, they would have accepted it. In other words, according to them, the reason for their denial lay outside them and not within them. That is to say, that they had failed to accept the truth, not because of any lack of receptivity on their part, but because of a lack of arguments in support of the truth. But just the opposite is true. The Truth is so clear that when it appears, all the signs of the earth and the heavens corroborate it. It becomes the most established and proven fact in the universe. But, in order to find the Truth, an observant eye and a receptive mind are vital and these are the very virtues which are non-existent in those who deny the truth. When a man shows arrogance with regard to the Truth, the reason for it is mostly polytheism (shirk). The position taken by most people is that while accepting God, they also love some living or dead beings in whom they have placed their trust and to whom they give a position of greatness. In this way, everyone has appointed for himself some ‘great ones’ other than God. They lead their lives relying on these ‘great ones’, though before God all of them are small. Ultimately, the only things which will save one, will be one’s personal deeds and not the exaltedness of the ‘great ones’. A prophet’s mission is to exhort his hearers to turn to the one and only God. He sets out on this mission because of his realization of the truth. In other words, the prophetic call is that which links a man with the one and only God. The veracity of this call is so abundantly evident to him that it bespeaks a deep realization of godhood and acts as an inspiration to him. Man takes his temporary satisfaction to be permanent in nature, though nobody has any guarantee of how long he will live. Nobody knows when death will come and prove all his claims false; and when the upheaval of Doomsday will upset his well-made world. Man thinks that a sure and certain fate is in store for him, though in fact at every moment of his life, he is standing on the shore of an uncertain future.

but also associate other things as partners in His Divinity. It was said: وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُ‌هُم بِاللَّـهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِ‌كُونَ And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating partners with Him - 106. It means that those of them who profess a belief in Allah would do so by lacing it with Shirk. They would suggest others as partners in the attributes of knowledge and power which are exclusive for Allah Ta` ala - which is rank injustice, and ignorance. Ibn Kathir has said that included under the sense of this verse are Muslims who, despite having 'Iman, are involved with different kinds of Shirk. According to the Musnad of Ahmad, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The most dangerous of things I apprehend for you is the small Shirk. When the Sahabah asked as to what could that be, he said: Hypocrisy is the small Shirk. Similarly, swearing by someone or something other than Allah has been called Shirk in another Hadith. (Ibn Kathir from Tirmidhi) Vows and offerings (Mannat and Niyaz) in the name of anyone other than Allah is also included under it, on which there is a consensus of Muslim jurists. After that, in verse 107, questioned and deplored is their heedlessness and ignorance as to how could these people, despite their denial and rebellion, become so carefree of the possibility that there may come on them some punishment from Allah which overtakes them from all sides, or that the fateful Hour of the Day of Doom itself descends upon them all of a sudden while they are not ready for it?

(Deem they) i.e. the people of Mecca (themselves secure from the coming on them of a pall of Allah's punishment) such as the punishment they were exposed to on the Day of Badr, (or the coming of the Hour) or that the punishment of the Hour seizes them (suddenly while they are unaware) of the descent of punishment?