The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City — Verse 97

The Command to proclaim the Truth openly Allah commanded His Messenger to convey what He sent him with, to proclaim and spread the Message, which means confronting the idolators with it. Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ (Therefore openly proclaim that what you have been commanded,) means, "Go ahead with it." According to another report it means, (افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ) "Therefore proclaim that which you commanded." Mujahid said, "It is reciting the Qur'an aloud during prayer." Abu `Ubaydah reported that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The Prophet was still practicing and preaching Islam secretly until this Ayah was revealed: فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ (Therefore openly proclaim that which you are commanded) then he and his Companions came out into the open." The Command to turn away from the Idolators, and the Guarantee of Protection against the Mockers Allah's statement, وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَإِنَّا كَفَيْنَـكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَ (and turn away from idolators. Truly, We will suffice you against the mockers.) meaning - convey that which has been revealed to you by your Lord, and do not pay attention to the idolators who want to turn you away from the signs of Allah. وَدُّواْ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ (They wish that you should compromise for them, so that they would compromise for you) (68:9). Do not fear them because Allah will suffice you against them, and He will protect you from them. This is like the Ayah: يَـأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (O Messenger! Proclaim that which has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not do it, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind.) 5:67 Muhammad bin Ishaq said: "The great ones of the mockers were five people, who were elders and noblemen among their people. From Bani Asad bin `Abd Al-`Uzza bin Qusayy there was Al-Aswad bin Al-Muttalib Abu Zam`ah. According to what I heard, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had supplicated against him because of the pain and mockery he had suffered at his hands. He had said, «اللَّهُمَّ أَعِمْ بَصَرَهُ، وَأَثْكِلْهُ وَلَدَه» (O Allah, make him blind and take (the life of) his son.) From Bani Zahrah there was Al-Aswad bin `Abd Yaghuth bin Wahb bin `Abd Manaf bin Zahrah. From Bani Makhzum there was Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah bin `Abdullah bin `Umar bin Makhzum. From Bani Sahm bin `Amr bin Husays bin Ka`b bin Lu'ayy there was Al-`As bin Wa'il bin Hisham bin Sa`id bin Sa`d. From Khuza`ah there was Al-Harith bin At-Talatilah bin `Amr bin Al-Harith bin `Abd `Amr bin Malkan. When their evil went to extremes and their mockery of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went too far, Allah revealed: فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ - إِنَّا كَفَيْنَـكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَ - الَّذِينَ يَجْعَلُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلـهًا ءَاخَرَ فَسَوْفَ يَعْمَلُونَ (Therefore openly proclaim that which you are commanded, and turn away from the idolators. Truly, We will suffice you against the mockers, who make another god along with Allah; but they will come to know.) Ibn Ishaq said: Yazid bin Ruman told me that `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr or one of the other scholars said that Jibril came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he was performing Tawaf around the House (the Ka`bah). He stood and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood next to him. Al-Aswad Ibn Al-Mutalib passed by, and he threw a green leaf in his face, and he became blind. Al-Aswad bin `Abd Yaghuth passed by, and he pointed to his stomach, which swelled up and he died (of dropsy). Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah passed by, and he pointed at a wound on lower of his ankle, which he got two years earlier when He once was trailing his garment and he passed by a man who was feathering his arrows. One of the arrows got caught in his garment and scratched his foot. It was an insignificant wound, but now it opened again and he died of it. Al-`As bin Wa'il passed by, and he pointed to the instep of his foot. He (Al-`As) set off on his donkey, heading for At-Ta'if. He rested by a thorny tree, a thorn pierced his foot and he died from it. Al-Harith bin At-Talatilah passed by and he pointed at his head. It filled with pus and killed him." الَّذِينَ يَجْعَلُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلـهًا ءَاخَرَ فَسَوْفَ يَعْمَلُونَ (Who make another god along with Allah; but they will come to know.) This is a strong warning and grave threat against those who have other deities along with Allah. Encouragement to bear Difficulties, and the Command to glorify and worship Allah until Death Allah said, وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ - فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِّنَ السَّـجِدِينَ (Indeed, We know that your breast becomes tight because of what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him).) meaning `We know, O Muhammad, that you are distressed by their insults towards you, but do not let that weaken your resolve or cause you to give up conveying the Message of Allah. Put your trust in Him, for He will suffice you and will support you against them. Keep yourself busy with remembering Allah, praising Him, glorifying Him, and worshipping Him (which means Salah, or prayer)' Hence Allah says: فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِّنَ السَّـجِدِينَ (So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him)) Imam Ahmad reported from Nu`aym bin Hammar that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَا تَعْجَزْ عَنْ أَرْبَعِ رَكَعَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ أَكْفِكَ آخِرَه» (Allah said, "O son of Adam! It is not too difficult for you to perform four Rak'at at the beginning of the day, (and if you do them,) I will take care of you until the end of it.") وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ (And worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you) (15: 99). Al-Bukhari said: "Salim said, `(This means) death."' This Salim is Salim bin `Abdullah bin `Umar. Ibn Jarir also recorded from Salim bin `Abdullah, وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ (And worship your Lord until the Yaqin comes to you.) He said, "Death." It is reported in the Sahih from Umm Al-`Ala'- one of the women of the Ansar - that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon `Uthman bin Maz`un after he had died, Umm Al-`Ala' said, "May the mercy of Allah be upon you, Abu As-Sa`ib. My testimony over you is that Allah has honored you." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنَّ اللهَ أَكْرَمَهُ؟» (How do you know that Allah has honored him) I said, "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! If not him, then who else" He said, «أَمَّا هُوَ فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ، وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو لَهُ الْخَيْر» (As far as he is concerned, the death has come to him, and I hope for good for him.) This is evidence that the meaning of this Ayah, وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ (And worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you.) is that acts of worship, such as prayer and the like, are obligatory on man so long as his mind is sound, so he should pray according to his best ability. It was reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari from `Imran bin Husayn that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «صَلِّ قَائِمًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْب» (Pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting, and if you cannot, then on your side.) From this we may understand that it is a mistake to interpret Yaqin (the certainty) as Ma`rifah ("spiritual knowing") as some of the Sufis do. According to them, when one of them attains the level of Ma`rifah, they consider him to be free of these obligations. This is disbelief, misguidance and ignorance. The Prophets - peace be upon them - and their companions, were the most knowledgeable of people about Allah, about His rights, His attributes, and the glorification that He deserves. But at the same time, they were the people who worshipped Him the most, continuing in good deeds until the time they died. Therefore, what is meant by Yaqin here is death, as we have stated above. To Allah be praise and thanks. Praise be to Allah for His guidance. It is to Him that we turn for help and it is in Him that we put our trust. He is the One Whom we ask to help us to reach the best of circumstances, for He is the Most Generous and Kind. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Hijr. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.

And verily wa-laqad is for confirmation We know that your breast is at times oppressed by what they say in the way of mockery and denial.

ولقد نعلم بانقباض صدرك -أيها الرسول-؛ بسبب ما يقوله المشركون فيك وفي دعوتك.

وقوله " ولقد نعلم أنك يضيق صدرك بما يقولون فسبح بحمد ربك وكن من الساجدين " أي وإنا لنعلم يا محمد أنك يحصل لك من أذاهم لك ضيق صدر وانقباض فلا يهيدنك ذلك ولا يثنينك عن إبلاغك رسالة الله وتوكل عليه فإنه كافيك وناصرك عليهم فاشتغل بذكر الله وتحميده وتسبيحه وعبادته التي هي الصلاة ولهذا قال " فسبح بحمد ربك وكن من الساجدين " كما جاء في الحديث الذي رواه الإمام أحمد: حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدي حدثنا معاوية بن صالح عن أبي الزاهرية عن كثير بن مرة عن نعيم بن عمار أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول " قال الله تعالى يا ابن آدم لا تعجز عن أربع ركعات من أول النهار أكفك آخره " ورواه أبو داود والنسائي من حديث مكحول عن كثير بن مرة بنحوه ولهذا كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا حزبه أمر صلى.

ثم ختم - سبحانه - السورة الكريمة بتسلية أخرى له صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وبإرشاده إلى ما يزيل همه . ويشرح صدره ، فقال - تعالى - : ( وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِّنَ الساجدين واعبد رَبَّكَ حتى يَأْتِيَكَ اليقين ) .وضيق الصدر : كناية عن كدر النفس ، وتعرضها للهموم والأحزان .أى : ولقد نعلم - أيها الرسول الكريم - أن أقوال المشركين الباطلة فيك وفيما جئت به من عندنا ، تحزن نفسك ، وتكدر خاطرك .وقال - سبحانه - ( ولقد نعلم . . ) بلام القسم وحرف التحقيق ، لتأكيد الخبر ، وإظهار مزيد من الاهتمام والعناية بالمخبر عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الحال والاستقبال .

يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم: ولقد نعلم يا محمد أنك يضيق صدرك بما يقول هؤلاء المشركون من قومك من تكذيبهم إياك واستهزائهم بك وبما جئتهم به، وأن ذلك يُحْرِجك .

وقيل : [ استهزاؤهم ] واقتسامهم : هو أن الله عز وجل لما أنزل في القرآن سورة البقرة وسورة النحل ، وسورة النمل ، وسورة العنكبوت ، كانوا يجتمعون ويقولون استهزاء : هذا في سورة البقرة ، ويقول هذا في سورة النحل ، ويقول هذا في سورة العنكبوت فأنزل الله تعالى : ( ولقد نعلم أنك يضيق صدرك بما يقولون

لما كان الوعيد مؤذناً بإمهالهم قليلاً كما قال تعالى : { ومهّلهم قليلا } [ سورة المزمل : 11 ] كما دلّ عليه حرف التنفيس في قوله تعالى : { فسوف يعلمون } [ سورة الحجر : 96 ] طمأن الله نبيه بأنه مطّلع على تحرّجه من أذاهم وبهتانهم من أقوال الشرك وأقوال الاستهزاء فأمره بالثبات والتفويض إلى ربّه لأن الحكمة في إمهالهم ، ولذلك افتتحت الجملة بلام القسم وحرف التحقيق .وليس المخاطب ممن يداخله الشكّ في خبر الله تعالى ولكن التحقيق كناية عن الاهتمام بالمخبر وأنه بمحل العناية من الله؛ فالجملة معطوفة على جملة { إنا كفيناك المستهزئين } [ سورة الحجر : 95 ] أو حال .وضيق الصدر : مجاز عن كدر النفس . وقد تقدّم في قوله تعالى : { وضائق به صدرك } في سورة هود ( 12 ).

{ ولقد نعلم أنك يضيق صدرك بما يقولون } لك من التكذيب والاستهزاء، فنحن قادرون على استئصالهم بالعذاب، والتعجيل لهم بما يستحقون، ولكن الله يمهلهم ولا يهملهم.

وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ أي قلبك ; لأن الصدر محل القلب . بِمَا يَقُولُونَ أي بما تسمعه من تكذيبك ورد قولك , وتناله .ويناله أصحابك من أعدائك .

In the present world, every man has been given the liberty to say or do as he likes. So, when the preacher starts urging his hearers to bow to God, many meaningless points are raised. People bring up different types of irrelevant issues to confuse the preacher (da‘i). On such occasions, it is necessary, for the preacher to turn away without taking any notice. If, on such occasions, he starts picking quarrels with people, he will not be able in any positive way to perform the tasks relating to his divine call of Truth. There is only one positive way for the preacher of Truth to follow and that is not to become involved with the mischief makers, but to announce in full detail the Truth as revealed to him. He should entrust to God every matter for which he himself has not enough strength to tackle. When the unfavourable conditions of the world trouble him, he should divert his attention towards the Hereafter. When the heedlessness of human beings annoys him, he should occupy himself with the remembrance of God. The way of a true preacher of God’s word, when he is overcome by woeful conditions, is to devote himself body and soul to God. Whatever he cannot get from human beings, he tries to obtain from God. He derives satisfaction or consolation from standing before God in prayer (salat). The burden on his heart is lightened by the shedding of tears. By engaging himself in whispers with God, he feels that he has gained whatever he wanted to gain.

The Spiritual Defence Against Enemy Hostility From verses 97 and 98, we learn that should one face heart-rending sayings and doings of enemies the anxiety from which bothers him, then, there is a spiritual cure for that condition: Let him or her get busy with Tasbih and ` Ibadah, praising Allah Ta’ ala and praying before Him. Allah Taala will Himself remove this pain and anxiety.

(Well know We that thy bosom) O Muhammad (is at times oppressed by what they say) in their denial of you, and that you are a poet, a magician, a liar and a diviner,

And verily We know that your heart is [at times] oppressed by what they say,! But celebrate the glory of your Lord�That is, �Pray to God, Exalted is He, and remember Him�, for it is as if God, Exalted is He, had said to him: �If your heart is weighed down because of your proximity to the disbelievers and the calumny of that which they are ascribing to Us in the way of adversaries, rivals and partners through their ignorance and envy, then return to the state of witnessing Us (mushāhada) and proximity to Us (qurb) through remembering Us, truly it is with Us that you have proximity, and it is in remembering and witnessing Us that your happiness [lies]. Furthermore, have forbearance with this [suffering], for in it [that forbearance] is My good pleasure (riḍā). It was related that Moses said: �O my Lord! Guide me to an action by which I will gain Your good pleasure.�He continued:Then God sent the revelation to him: �O son of ʿImrān, truly My good pleasure is in [subjecting you to] what you detest, [but] you will not be able to bear that.�He then said:Then Moses fell down in prostration, weeping and said: �O Lord! You privileged me with [hearing] Your speech, for You did not speak to any human being before me, yet You have not guided me to an action by which I can gain Your good pleasure.� Then God, Exalted is He, revealed to him saying: �Verily My good pleasure is in your contentment with My decree (riḍāʾī fī riḍāka bi-qaḍāʾī).�He was asked about His words, Exalted is He: