The Prophets — Verse 23
21:23 · al-Anbiya`
Verse display
لَا یُسۡءَلُ عَمَّا یَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ یُسۡءَلُونَ ٢٣
lā yus'alu ʿammā yafʿalu wahum yus'alūn
The Prophets / al-Anbiya` (21:23)
Connections 1 multi-source 4 single-source 4 commentators
Multi-source connections cited by 2+ commentators
Single-source mentions (4) cited by only one commentator
By commentator who cites how many verses on this ayah
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 4 verses
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Al-Qushairi Tafsir 1 verse 2 mentions total
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Kashani Tafsir 1 verse 2 mentions total
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Kashf Al-Asrar Tafsir 1 verse
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
He cannot be called to account for anything He does, whereas they will be called to account
lā yus'alu ʿammā yafʿalu wahum yus'alūn
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Tafsir Commentary
Refutation of false gods
Allah denounces those who take other gods instead of Him:
أَمِ اتَّخَذُواْ آلِهَةً مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ هُمْ يُنشِرُونَ
(Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise the dead) meaning, can they bring the dead back to life and bring them forth from the earth They cannot do any of that, so how can they make them rivals to Allah and worship them alongside Him Then Allah tells us that if there were another god besides Him, the heavens and the earth would be ruined:
لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ آلِهَةٌ
(Had there been therein gods) means, in the heavens and the earth,
لَفَسَدَتَا
(then verily, both would have been ruined.) This is like the Ayah:
مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِذاً لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ سُبْحَـنَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
(No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him. Then each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others! Glorified be Allah above all that they attribute to Him!) 23:91. And Allah says here:
فَسُبْحَـنَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
(Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, above all that they associate with Him!) meaning, glorified be He above what they say about Him having offspring or partners; glorified and exalted and sanctified be He far above all the lies that they fabricate.
لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْـَلُونَ
(He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.) He is the Ruler Whose rule cannot be overturned and none can object to it, because of His might, majesty, pride, knowledge, wisdom, justice and subtlety.
وَهُمْ يُسْـَلُونَ
(while they will be questioned.) means, He is the One Who will ask His creation about what they did. This is like the Ayah:
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ - عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
(So, by your Lord, We shall certainly call all of them to account. For all that they used to do.) 15:92-93
وَهُوَ يُجْيِرُ وَلاَ يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ
(And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector) 23:88
He shall not be questioned about what He does but they shall be questioned about their actions.
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned. This is a rejection of the free-willers and a right guidance for the Sunnis. The free-willers say, “If we turn over all the newly arrived things to God, He would be defective.” They say, “Evil is from us and good from Him.” In the same way, the Zoroastrians say that good is from Yazdān and evil from Ahrīman. “The free-willers are the Magi of this community.” A free-willer said to a Zoroastrian, “Become a Muslim.” He said, “As long as He does not want it, how can I become a Muslim?” The free-willer said, “He wants it, but Iblis does not.” The Zoroastrian said, “Then I will stay with the stronger antagonist. What will I do with the weak one?” As for the right guidance of the Sunnis, it is that the Real is the absolute owner and is able to act upon His possession as He wants. MuṣṬafā said, “Were He to chastise me and the son of Mary, He would chastise us without wronging us.” Fear a God who does whatever He wants while no one has the gall to protest! “Have shame before God because of His proximity to you, and fear God because of His power over you.” Know also that this a work that is over and done with. He has taken each to his own domicile and made his place apparent, and then He has brought him back to the beginning of the road of interaction. When the prophets came, they did not bring any new work into this world, nor did they place any new report in your breast. Rather, they put into motion what was in your breast and they called you to what had been deposited for you. We would not have been guided had God not guided us [7:43]. ʿAlī was asked about the measuring out. He said, “It is God's secret, so do not disclose it; it is a tremendous ocean, so do not importune it.” Human knowledge does not have the capacity to carry it. Man's understanding and imagination will never reach it. He does not know that the more he goes forward, the more he becomes bewildered. The more he exercises self-determination, the more he falls. What is the spirit next to Your face other than a meddler? What is intellect next to Your lips other than a fool? [DS 902]
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned. This is a rejection of the free-willers and a right guidance for the Sunnis. The free-willers say, “If we turn over all the newly arrived things to God, He would be defective.” They say, “Evil is from us and good from Him.” In the same way, the Zoroastrians say that good is from Yazdān and evil from Ahrīman. “The free-willers are the Magi of this community.” A free-willer said to a Zoroastrian, “Become a Muslim.” He said, “As long as He does not want it, how can I become a Muslim?” The free-willer said, “He wants it, but Iblis does not.” The Zoroastrian said, “Then I will stay with the stronger antagonist. What will I do with the weak one?” As for the right guidance of the Sunnis, it is that the Real is the absolute owner and is able to act upon His possession as He wants. MuṣṬafā said, “Were He to chastise me and the son of Mary, He would chastise us without wronging us.” Fear a God who does whatever He wants while no one has the gall to protest! “Have shame before God because of His proximity to you, and fear God because of His power over you.” Know also that this a work that is over and done with. He has taken each to his own domicile and made his place apparent, and then He has brought him back to the beginning of the road of interaction. When the prophets came, they did not bring any new work into this world, nor did they place any new report in your breast. Rather, they put into motion what was in your breast and they called you to what had been deposited for you. We would not have been guided had God not guided us [7:43]. ʿAlī was asked about the measuring out. He said, “It is God's secret, so do not disclose it; it is a tremendous ocean, so do not importune it.” Human knowledge does not have the capacity to carry it. Man's understanding and imagination will never reach it. He does not know that the more he goes forward, the more he becomes bewildered. The more he exercises self-determination, the more he falls. What is the spirit next to Your face other than a meddler? What is intellect next to Your lips other than a fool? [DS 902]
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned. This is a rejection of the free-willers and a right guidance for the Sunnis. The free-willers say, “If we turn over all the newly arrived things to God, He would be defective.” They say, “Evil is from us and good from Him.” In the same way, the Zoroastrians say that good is from Yazdān and evil from Ahrīman. “The free-willers are the Magi of this community.” A free-willer said to a Zoroastrian, “Become a Muslim.” He said, “As long as He does not want it, how can I become a Muslim?” The free-willer said, “He wants it, but Iblis does not.” The Zoroastrian said, “Then I will stay with the stronger antagonist. What will I do with the weak one?” As for the right guidance of the Sunnis, it is that the Real is the absolute owner and is able to act upon His possession as He wants. MuṣṬafā said, “Were He to chastise me and the son of Mary, He would chastise us without wronging us.” Fear a God who does whatever He wants while no one has the gall to protest! “Have shame before God because of His proximity to you, and fear God because of His power over you.” Know also that this a work that is over and done with. He has taken each to his own domicile and made his place apparent, and then He has brought him back to the beginning of the road of interaction. When the prophets came, they did not bring any new work into this world, nor did they place any new report in your breast. Rather, they put into motion what was in your breast and they called you to what had been deposited for you. We would not have been guided had God not guided us [7:43]. ʿAlī was asked about the measuring out. He said, “It is God's secret, so do not disclose it; it is a tremendous ocean, so do not importune it.” Human knowledge does not have the capacity to carry it. Man's understanding and imagination will never reach it. He does not know that the more he goes forward, the more he becomes bewildered. The more he exercises self-determination, the more he falls. What is the spirit next to Your face other than a meddler? What is intellect next to Your lips other than a fool? [DS 902]
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned. This is a rejection of the free-willers and a right guidance for the Sunnis. The free-willers say, “If we turn over all the newly arrived things to God, He would be defective.” They say, “Evil is from us and good from Him.” In the same way, the Zoroastrians say that good is from Yazdān and evil from Ahrīman. “The free-willers are the Magi of this community.” A free-willer said to a Zoroastrian, “Become a Muslim.” He said, “As long as He does not want it, how can I become a Muslim?” The free-willer said, “He wants it, but Iblis does not.” The Zoroastrian said, “Then I will stay with the stronger antagonist. What will I do with the weak one?” As for the right guidance of the Sunnis, it is that the Real is the absolute owner and is able to act upon His possession as He wants. MuṣṬafā said, “Were He to chastise me and the son of Mary, He would chastise us without wronging us.” Fear a God who does whatever He wants while no one has the gall to protest! “Have shame before God because of His proximity to you, and fear God because of His power over you.” Know also that this a work that is over and done with. He has taken each to his own domicile and made his place apparent, and then He has brought him back to the beginning of the road of interaction. When the prophets came, they did not bring any new work into this world, nor did they place any new report in your breast. Rather, they put into motion what was in your breast and they called you to what had been deposited for you. We would not have been guided had God not guided us [7:43]. ʿAlī was asked about the measuring out. He said, “It is God's secret, so do not disclose it; it is a tremendous ocean, so do not importune it.” Human knowledge does not have the capacity to carry it. Man's understanding and imagination will never reach it. He does not know that the more he goes forward, the more he becomes bewildered. The more he exercises self-determination, the more he falls. What is the spirit next to Your face other than a meddler? What is intellect next to Your lips other than a fool? [DS 902]
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.This is a rejection of the free-willers and a right guidance for the Sunnis. The free-willers say, �If we turn over all the newly arrived things to God, He would be defective.� They say, �Evil is from us and good from Him.� In the same way, the Zoroastrians say that good is from Yazdān and evil from Ahrīman. �The free-willers are the Magi of this community.�A free-willer said to a Zoroastrian, �Become a Muslim.�He said, �As long as He does not want it, how can I become a Muslim?� The free-willer said, �He wants it, but Iblis does not.�The Zoroastrian said, �Then I will stay with the stronger antagonist. What will I do with the weak one?�As for the right guidance of the Sunnis, it is that the Real is the absolute owner and is able to act upon His possession as He wants. MuṣṬafā said, �Were He to chastise me and the son of Mary, He would chastise us without wronging us.� Fear a God who does whatever He wants while no one has the gall to protest! �Have shame before God because of His proximity to you, and fear God because of His power over you.�Know also that this a work that is over and done with. He has taken each to his own domicile and made his place apparent, and then He has brought him back to the beginning of the road of interaction. When the prophets came, they did not bring any new work into this world, nor did they place any new report in your breast. Rather, they put into motion what was in your breast and they called you to what had been deposited for you. We would not have been guided had God not guided us [7:43].ʿAlī was asked about the measuring out. He said, �It is God's secret, so do not disclose it; it is a tremendous ocean, so do not importune it.� Human knowledge does not have the capacity to carry it. Man's understanding and imagination will never reach it. He does not know that the more he goes forward, the more he becomes bewildered. The more he exercises self-determination, the more he falls.What is the spirit next to Your face other than a meddler?What is intellect next to Your lips other than a fool? [DS 902]
إن من دلائل تفرُّده سبحانه بالخلق والعبادة أنه لا يُسأل عن قضائه في خلقه، وجميع خلقه يُسألون عن أفعالهم.
وقوله " لا يسئل عما يفعل وهم يسئلون " أي هو الحاكم الذي لا معقب لحكمه ولا يعترض عليه أحد لعظمته وجلاله وكبريائه وعلمه وحكمته وعدله ولطفه " وهم يسئلون " أي وهو سائل خلقه عما يعملون كقوله " فوربك لنسألنهم أجمعين عما كانوا يعملون " وهذا كقوله تعالى " وهو يجير ولا يجار عليه ".
وقوله - تعالى : ( لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ) تأكيد لوحدانيته وقدرته - سبحانه - أى : لا يسأله سائل - سبحانه - عما يفعله بعباده من إعزاز وإذلال . وهداية وإضلال ، وغنى وفقر ، وصحة ومرض ، وإسعاد وإشقاء . . . لأنه هو الرب المالك المتصرف فى شئون خلقه ، وهم يسألون يوم القيامة عن أعمالهم وأقوالهم لأنهم عبيده ، وقد أرسل إليهم الرسل مبشرين ومنذرين ، فمنهم من اتبع الرسل فسعد وفاز ، ومنهم من استحب العمى قال الهدى فشقى وهلك .
يقول تعالى ذكره: لا سائل يسأل رب العرش عن الذي يفعل بخلقه من تصريفهم فيما شاء من حياة وموت وإعزاز وإذلال، وغير ذلك من حكمه فيهم؛ لأنهم خلقه وعبيده، وجميعهم في ملكه وسلطانه، والحكم حكمه، والقضاء قضاؤه، لا شيء فوقه يسأله عما يفعل فيقول له: لم فعلت؟ ولمَ لم تفعل؟( وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ) يقول جلّ ثناؤه: وجميع من في السماوات والأرض من عباده مسئولون عن أفعالهم، ومحاسبون على أعمالهم، وهو الذي يسألهم عن ذلك ويحاسبهم عليه، لأنه فوقهم ومالكهم، وهم في سلطانه.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله ( لا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ) يقول: لا يسأل عما يفعل بعباده، وهم يسألون عن أعمالهم.حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، قال: قوله ( لا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ) قال: لا يسأل الخالق عن قضائه في خلقه، وهو يسأل الخلق عن عملهم.حدثت عن الحسين، قال: سمعت أبا معاذ يقول: أخبرنا عبيد، قال: سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله ( لا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ) قال: لا يسأل الخالق عما يقضي في خلقه، والخلق مسئولون عن أعمالهم.
( لا يسأل عما يفعل ) ويحكم على خلقه لأنه الرب ( وهم يسألون ) أي : الخلق يسألون عن أفعالهم وأعمالهم لأنهم عبيد
لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ (23)الأظهر أن هذه الجملة حال مكملة لمدلول قوله تعالى : { لا يستكبرون عن عبادته ولا يستحسرون يسبحون الليل والنهار لا يفترون } [ الأنبياء : 1920 ] كما تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { أم اتخذوا آلهة من الأرض } [ الأنبياء : 21 ] الخ . . فالمعنى أن مَنْ عنده وهم المقربون من المخلوقات هم مع قربهم يُسألون عما يفعلون ولا يسألونه عما يفعل ، أي لم يبلغ بهم قربهم إلى حدّ الإدلال عليه وانتصابهم لتعقب أفعاله . فلما كان الضمير المرفوع بالنيابة عن الفاعل مشعراً بفاعل حُذف لقصد التعميم ، أي لا يَسأل سائلٌ الله تعالى عما يفعل . وكان ممن يشملهم الفاعل المحذوف هم مَن عنده من المقربين ، صَحّ كون هذه الجملة حالاً من { مَن عنده } [ الأنبياء : 19 ] ، على أن جملة { لا يسأل عما يفعل } تمهيد لجملة { وهم يسألون }.على أن تقديمه على جملة { وهم يسألون } اقتضته مناسبة الحديث عن تنزيهه تعالى عن الشركاء فكان انتقالاً بديعاً بالرجوع إلى بقية أحوال المقربين .فالمقصود أن مَن عنده مع قربهم ورفعة شأنهم يحاسبهم الله على أعمالهم فهم يخافون التقصير فيما كلفوا به من الأعمال ولذلك كانوا لا يستحسرون ولا يفترون .وبهذا تعلم أن ليس ضمير { وهم يسألون } براجع إلى ما رجع إليه ضمير { يَصفون } [ الأنبياء : 22 ] لأن أولئك لا جَدوى للإخبار بأنهم يُسألون إذ لا يتردد في العلم بذلك أحدٌ ، ولا براجع إلى { آلهة من الأرض } [ الأنبياء : 21 ] لعدم صحة سؤالهم ، وذلك هو ما دعانا إلى اعتبار جملة { لا يسأل عما يفعل } حالاً مِن { مَن عنده } [ الأنبياء : 19 ].والسؤال هنا بمعنى المحاسبة ، وطلب بيان سبب الفعل ، وإبداء المعذرة عن فعل بعض ما يُفعل ، وتخلّص من ملام أو عتاب على ما يفعل . وهو مثل السؤال في الحديث « كلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيته » . فكونهم يسألون كناية عن العبودية لأن العبد بمظنة المؤاخذة على ما يَفعل وما لا يفعل وبمظنة التعرض للخطأ في بعض ما يفعل .وليس المقصود هنا نفي سؤال الاستشارة أو تطلب العلم كما في قوله تعالى { قالوا أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها } [ البقرة : 30 ] ، ولا سؤالَ الدعاء ، ولا سؤال الاستفادة والاستنباط مثل أسئلة المتفقهين أو المتكلمين عن الحِكَم المبثوثة في الأحكام الشرعية أو في النظم الكونية لأن ذلك استنباط وتتبع وليس مباشرةً بسؤال الله تعالى ، ولا لتطلب مخلص من ملام . وفي هذا إبطال لإلهية المقربين التي زعمها المشركون الذين عبدوا الملائكة وزعموهم بنات الله تعالى ، بطريقة انتفاء خاصية الإله الحق عنهم إذ هم يُسألون عما يفعلون وشأن الإله أن لا يُسأل . وتُستخرج من جملة { لا يسأل عما يفعل } كنايةٌ عن جريان أفعال الله تعالى على مقتضى الحكمة بحيث إنها لا مجال فيها لانتقاد منتقد إذا أتقن الناظر التدبّر فيها أو كُشف له عما خفي منها .
{ لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ ْ} لعظمته وعزته، وكمال قدرته، لا يقدر أحد أن يمانعه أو يعارضه، لا بقول، ولا بفعل، ولكمال حكمته ووضعه الأشياء مواضعها، وإتقانها، أحسن كل شيء يقدره العقل، فلا يتوجه إليه سؤال، لأن خلقه ليس فيه خلل ولا إخلال. { وَهُمْ ْ} أي: المخلوقين كلهم { يُسْأَلُونَ ْ} عن أفعالهم وأقوالهم، لعجزهم وفقرهم، ولكونهم عبيدا، قد استحقت أفعالهم وحركاتهم فليس لهم من التصرف والتدبير في أنفسهم، ولا في غيرهم، مثقال ذرة.
قوله تعالى : لا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون قاصمة للقدرية وغيرهم . قال ابن جريج : المعنى لا يسأل الخلق عن قضائه في خلقه وهو يسأل الخلق عن عملهم ؛ لأنهم عبيد . بين بهذا أن من يسأل غدا عن أعماله كالمسيح والملائكة لا يصلح للإلهية . وقيل : لا يؤاخذ على أفعاله وهم يؤاخذون . وروي عن علي رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال له يا أمير المؤمنين : أيحب ربنا أن يعصى ؟ قال : أفيعصى ربنا قهرا ؟ قال : أرأيت إن منعني الهدى ومنحني الردى أأحسن إلي أم أساء ؟ قال : إن منعك حقك فقد أساء ، وإن منعك فضله فهو فضله يؤتيه من [ ص: 189 ] يشاء . ثم تلا الآية : لا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون . وعن ابن عباس قال : لما بعث الله - عز وجل - موسى وكلمه ، وأنزل عليه التوراة ، قال : اللهم إنك رب عظيم ، لو شئت أن تطاع لأطعت ، ولو شئت ألا تعصى ما عصيت ، وأنت تحب أن تطاع وأنت في ذلك تعصى فكيف هذا يا رب ؟ فأوحى الله إليه : إني لا أسأل عما أفعل وهم يسألون .
The earth is not isolated from the rest of creation; it is inseparably bound with the cosmos. The existence of life on the earth and its flourishing and growth are possible only when it maintains total harmony with the rest of the universe. This balanced and harmonious interaction between the earth and the sky proves that the control of the earth and the sky rests in the hands of one single Being. Had it been with two beings, there would certainly have been frequent clashes between them and consequently the preservation of the existing life on earth would not have been possible. The universe with all its immense majesty and meaningfulness projects the image of its Creator as a God who is absolutely above all shortcomings. To assume the Creator of all things to be a Being subject to shortcomings and weaknesses would be to grossly undervalue the existing universe.
The next verse viz: لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ (He is not questioned of what He does, and they are questioned) probably reinforces the argument that anyone who is answerable for his actions to someone else cannot be God.
(He will not be questioned as to that which He doeth) Allah will not be questioned about what He says, commands or does, (but they will be questioned) and the servants will be asked about what they say and do.