The Light — Verse 57

The Command to pray, give the Zakah and obey the Messenger ﷺ; the inability of the Disbelievers to escape, and the ultimate Destiny Allah commands His believing servants to establish prayer, which means worshipping Allah Alone with no partner or associate; to pay the Zakah, which is an act of kindness towards His poor and weak creatures; and by doing so to obey the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, i.e., to do as he commands them and to avoid what he forbids them, so that Allah will have mercy on them for that. No doubt, whoever does that, Allah will have mercy on him, as Allah says in another Ayah: أُوْلَـئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ (Allah will have His mercy on them) 9:71 لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ (Consider not) means, `do not think, O Muhammad,' that: الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (the disbelievers) meaning, those who opposed and denied you, مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (can escape in the land.) means, that they can flee from Allah. No, Allah is able to deal with them and He will punish them most severely for that. Allah says: وَمَأْوَاهُمُ (Their abode) meaning, in the Hereafter, النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (shall be the Fire -- and worst indeed is that destination.) means, how terrible the consequences will be for the disbelievers, how evil a place to stay in and how awful a place to rest!

And do not suppose read tahsabanna or yahsabanna the subject of the verb being the Messenger that those who disbelieve can escape Us in the land by eluding us. For their abode will be their return will be to the Fire and it is surely an evil destination it is an evil place of return.

لا تظننَّ الذين كفروا معجزين الله في الأرض، بل هو قادر على إهلاكهم، ومرجعهم في الآخرة إلى النار، وقبُح هذا المرجع والمصير. وهو توجيه عام للأمّة، وإن كان الخطاب فيه للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم.

"لا تحسبن" أي: لا تظن يا محمد أن "الذين كفروا" أي خالفوك وكذبوك "معجزين في الأرض" أي لا يعجزون الله بل الله قادر عليها وسيعذبهم على ذلك أشد العذاب ولهذا قال تعالى: "ومأواهم" أي في الدار الآخرة "النار ولبئس المصير" أي بئس المآل مآل الكافرين وبئس القرار وبئس المهاد.

ثم ثبت الله - تعالى - المؤمنين ، وهون من شأن أعدائهم لكى لا يرهبهم قوتهم فقال : ( لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الذين كَفَرُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الأرض وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النار وَلَبِئْسَ المصير ) .أى : لا تظنن - أيها الرسول الكريم أنت ومن معك من المؤمنين - أن الذين كفروا مهما أوتوا من قوة وبسطة من المال ، فى إماكنهم أن يعجزونا عن إهلاكهم واستئصالهم وقطع دابرهم ، فإن قوتنا لا يعجزها شىء وهم فى قبضتنا سواء أكانوا فى الأرض التى يعيشون عليها أم فى غيرها ، واعلم أن " مأواهم " فى الآخرة " النار ولبئس المصير " هذه النار التى هى مستقرهم ومسكنهم .فالآية الكريمة بيان لمآل الكفرة فى الدنيا والآخرة ، بعد بيان ما أعده الله - تعالى - فى الدنيا والآخرة من استخلاف وتمكين وأمان ورحمة للمؤمنين .وقوله : ( الذين كَفَرُواْ ) هو المفعول الأول ، لتحسبن ، وقوله ( مُعْجِزِينَ ) هو المفعول الثانى .قال القرطبى : " وقرأ ابن عامر وحمزة " يحسبن " بالياء ، بمعنى لا يحسبن الذين كفروا أنفسهم معجزين الله فى الأرض ، لأن الحسبان يتعدى إلى مفعولين . . " .أى : أن " الذين كفروا " فى محل رفع فاعل يحسبن ، والمفعول الأول محذوف تقديره : أنفسهم . وقوله ( مُعْجِزِينَ ) هو المفعول الثانى .وقوله - سبحانه - : ( وَلَبِئْسَ المصير ) جواب لقسم مقدر . والمخصوص بالذم محذوف ، أى : وبالله " لبئس المصير " هى . أى : النار التى يستقرون فيها .وبعد هذه التوجيهات الحكيمة التى تتعلق ببيان أعمال المؤمنين ، وأعمال الكافرين ، وببيان جانب من مظاهر قدرة الله - تعالى - فى خلقه ، وببيان أقوال المنافقين التى تخالف أفعالهم ، وببيان ما وعد الله - تعالى - به المؤمنين من خيرات . . . .

وقوله: ( لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الأرْضِ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: لا تحسبن يا محمد، الذين كفروا بالله معجزيه في الأرض إذا أراد إهلاكهم ( ومأواهم ) بعد هلاكهم ( النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ ) الذي يصيرون إليه ذلك المأوى. وقد كان بعضهم يقول: " لا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا " بالياء، وهو مذهب ضعيف عند أهل العربية; وذلك أنّ " تَحْسَبَ" محتاج إلى منصوبين. وإذا قرئ " يَحْسَبَنَّ" لم يكن واقعا إلا على منصوب واحد، غير أني أحسب أن قائله بالياء ظنّ أنه قد عمل في " مُعْجِزِينَ" وأن منصوبه الثاني " في الأرض "، وذلك لا معنى له، إن كان ذلك قصد.

( لا تحسبن الذين كفروا ) قرأ عامر وحمزة " لا يحسبن " بالياء ، أي : لا يحسبن الذين كفروا أنفسهم ( معجزين في الأرض ) وقرأ الآخرون بالتاء ، يقول : لا تحسبن يا محمد الذين كفروا معجزين فائتين عنا ، ( ومأواهم النار ولبئس المصير )

لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (57)استئناف ابتدائي لتحقيق ما اقتضاه قوله : { وليبدلنهم من بعد خوفهم أمناً } [ النور : 55 ] ، فقد كان المشركون يومئذٍ لم يزالوا في قوة وكثرة ، وكان المسلمون لم يزالوا يخافون بأسهم فربما كان الوعد بالأمن من بأسهم متلقىً بالتعجب والاستبطاء الشبيه بالتردد فجاء قوله : { لا تحسبن الذين كفروا معجزين في الأرض } تطميناً وتسلية .والخطاب لمن قد يخامره التعجب والاستبطاء دون تعيين .والمقصود من النهي عن هذا الحسبان التنبيه على تحقيق الخبر .وقراءة الجمهور : { تحسبن } بتاء الخطاب . وقرأ ابن عامر وحمزة وحده بياء الغيبة فصار { الذين كفروا } فاعلّ { يحسبن } فيبقى ل { يحسبن } مفعول واحد هو { معجزين } . فقال أبو حاتم والنحاس والفراء : هي خطأ أو ضعيفة لأن فعل الحسبان يقتضي مفعولين . وهذا القول جرأة على قراءة متواترة . وقال الزجاج : المفعول الأول محذوف تقديره : أنفسهم ، وقد وفق لأن الحذف ليس بعزيز في الكلام . وفي «الكشاف» أن { في الأرض } هو المفعول الثاني ، أي لا يحسبوا ناساً معجزين في الأرض ( يعني ما من كائن في الأرض إلا وهو في متناول قدرة الله إن شاء أخذه ، أي فلا ملجأ لهم في الأرض كلها) قال : «وهذا معنى قوي جيّد» .والمعجز : الذي يُعجز غيره ، أي يجعله عاجزاً عن غلبه . وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { إن ما توعدون لآتتٍ وما أنتم بمعجزين } في سورة الأنعام ( 134) . وكذلك المعاجز بمعنى المحاول عجز ضده تقدم في قوله تعالى : { والذين سعوا في آياتنا معاجزين } في سورة الحج ( 51) .والأرض : هي أرض الدنيا ، أي هم غير غالبين في الدنيا كما حسبوا أنه ليس ثمة عالم آخر . وفي الأرض } متعلق ب { بمعجزين } على قراءة الجمهور وعلى بعض التوجيهات من قراءة حمزة وابن عامر ، أو هو مفعول ثان على بعض التوجيهات كما علمت .وقوله : { ومأواهم النار } أي هم في الآخرة معلوم أن مأواهم النار فقد خسروا الدارين .

{ لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ } فلا يغررك ما متعوا به في الحياة الدنيا، فإن الله، وإن أمهلهم فإنه لا يهملهم { نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ } ولهذا قال هنا: { وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ } أي: بئس المآل، مآل الكافرين، مآل الشر والحسرة والعقوبة الأبدية.

قوله تعالى : لا تحسبن الذين كفروا معجزين في الأرض ومأواهم النار ولبئس المصيرلا تحسبن الذين كفروا هذا تسلية للنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ووعد بالنصرة . وقراءة العامة تحسبن بالتاء خطابا . وقرأ ابن عامر ، وحمزة ، وأبو حيوة ( يحسبن ) بالياء ، بمعنى لا يحسبن الذين كفروا أنفسهم معجزين الله في الأرض ، لأن الحسبان يتعدى إلى مفعولين . وهذا قول الزجاج . وقال الفراء ، وأبو علي : يجوز أن يكون الفعل للنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ؛ أي لا يحسبن محمد الذين كفروا معجزين في الأرض . ف ( الذين ) مفعول أول ، و معجزين مفعول ثان . وعلى القول الأول الذين كفروا فاعل ( أنفسهم ) مفعول أول ، وهو محذوف مراد ( معجزين ) مفعول ثان . قال النحاس : وما علمت أحدا من أهل العربية بصريا ولا كوفيا إلا وهو يخطئ قراءة حمزة ؛ فمنهم من يقول : هي لحن ؛ لأنه لم يأت إلا بمفعول واحد ليحسبن . وممن قال هذا أبو حاتم . وقال الفراء : هو ضعيف ؛ وأجازه على ضعفه ، على أنه يحذف المفعول الأول ، وقد بيناه . قال النحاس : وسمعت علي بن سليمان يقول في هذه القراءة : يكون ( الذين كفروا ) في موضع نصب . قال : ويكون المعنى ولا يحسبن الكافر الذين كفروا معجزين في الأرض .قلت : وهذا موافق لما قاله الفراء ، وأبو علي ؛ لأن الفاعل هناك النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - . وفي هذا [ ص: 280 ] القول الكافر . ( معجزين ) معناه فائتين . وقد تقدم . ومأواهم النار ولبئس المصير أي المرجع .

The blessings of God refer to the position of dominance in the present world and Paradise in the Hereafter. Those who want to make themselves worthy of this blessing should foster three virtues in themselves: piety, charity and the willingness to follow the example of the Prophet. The first quality is evinced in the regular saying of prayers. Observance of prayers regularly acts as a strong incentive to lead a life of sincerity, modesty and humility, rather than one of false pride and arrogance. The second quality takes its practical form in zakat, the prescribed alms-giving, which means the setting aside of some amount at the prescribed rate from one’s wealth and handing it over to bayt al-mal or the ‘Public Fund’. Zakat, conveys the message that people should not be selfish but should be the well-wishers of others. Their well-wishing should go to the extent of fostering a feeling that others have a certain right over them. The third quality is obedience to the Prophet Muhammad. During his lifetime, this meant obeying him personally, while beyond his lifetime, it means obeying his sunnah or tradition. In other words, in all matters of life, the ideal example for the people should be the life of the Prophet of God. People should accept only him as their guide and when confronted with his pronouncements, they should forego their personal opinions. The Prophet should be in the lead and all others should be behind him.

Commentary Background of Revelation Qurtubi has reported on authority of Abul ` Aliyah that the Holy Prophet ﷺ stayed in Makkah for ten years after commencement of revelation and declaration of prophethood, during which time there was a constant fear of the infidels and disbelievers. Then after the Hijrah to Madina also there was a ceaseless danger of attacks from the disbelievers. So, someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ "Would a time come to us when we will be able to live in peace without wearing our weaponry?' The Holy Prophet ﷺ replied ` Yes, the time is coming very soon'. On that occasion these verses were revealed. (Qurtubi and Bahr). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ ، has said that these verses relate the promise of Allah Ta’ ala, which He had made with the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ before their creation in the Torah and the Injil. (Bahr Muhit) Allah Ta’ ala had made three promises to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، that his Ummah will be made His vicegerent on earth and will rule over it, and His favourite religion Islam will be made victorious, and Muslims will be given so much power and grandeur that they will have no fear of any one. Allah Ta’ ala fulfilled His promise by conferring conquest over Makkah, Khaibar, Bahrain, and the whole of Yemen and the entire peninsula of Arabia even during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Also he received jizyah, (capitation tax) from the Zoroastrians of Hajar and some Syrian territories. The kings and rulers of Rome, Egypt, Iskandria, Oman and Ethiopia sent gifts to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and gave him honour and respect. Then during his caliphate Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ crushed all the menacing uprisings. He also sent out Islamic armies to Persia, Syria and Egypt. Busra and Damascus also fell to Islamic State during this time. When the time of death of Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ approached nearer, Allah Ta’ ala put an inspiration in his heart to nominate Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ as his successor. When Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ took charge of the caliphate, it was so wonderful that the heavens had not witnessed such grand governance after the governance of the messengers. During his caliphate the entire land of Syria and Egypt and major part of Persia were overpowered. It was during his time that the grandeur of Caesar and Chosroes were vanished. After that period, during the caliphate of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ the Islamic victories extended from the East to the West. In the west up to Cyprus and Andalucia, and in the east up to China. Besides, ` Iraq, Khorasan and Ahwaz all fell to Islamic State during the time of third Caliph. What the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said according to a Sahih Hadith that he was shown the entire east and west of the earth by bringing them together, and that the rule of his Ummah will extend up to all those places which have been shown to him; this promise was fulfilled by Allah Ta’ ala even during the time of caliphate Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . (Ibn Kathir) According to another hadith the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that caliphate will last for thirty years after him. Here, the word caliphate means the Rightly Guided Caliphate (Al-Khilafah-ar-Rashidah), which was run exactly on the footsteps of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It lasted up to the time of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، because this period of thirty years was finished after him. At this point Ibn Kathir has also reported a hadith from Sahih Muslim, that Sayyidna Jabir Ibn Samurah ؓ has said that he had heard the Holy Prophet ﷺ saying that his Ummah will continue ruling until the twelve caliphs last. After narrating this Ibn Kathir has commented that this hadith is pointing that there will be twelve upright caliphs in the Muslim Ummah, which is bound to happen. However, it is not necessary that all twelve come one after the other and there is no gap in between, rather it is more likely that they turn up with an interval of time. Out of this lot, four Rightly Guided Khulafa' had appeared one after the other immediately after the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The next was Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn ` Abdul ` Aziz (رح) who came after a gap of some time. A few others also appeared in different times after him and will continue to come until the last caliph Sayyidna Mahdiyy comes. There is no mention in the hadith of those twelve caliphs which the Shiites have determined. Rather some of them are those who have no connection with the caliphate at all. It is also not necessary that all of them would be of the same status, and during their time there would be complete peace and tranquility. This promise is related to rectitude and firmness of faith, the righteous deeds and total obedience, and any difference in their degree will naturally make difference in the power and control of authority. Islamic history spread over a period of 1400 years is a witness that in different times and different , countries whenever and wherever there was a just and righteous ruler, he has received his share from this promise of Allah based on the extent of righteous deeds he has performed. At another place, the Qur'an says إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّـهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ that is ` The people of Allah are the ones to prevail.' This verse is a proof of approval and esteem in the sight of Allah of the four rightly guided Khulafa' This verse is also a proof of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because the forecast he had made came true exactly in the manner he had predicted. The same way it is also a proof of acceptance and approval of the caliphate of AI-Khulafa' ar-Rashidin in the sight of Allah. It is for the simple reason that the promise Allah Ta’ ala had made with His Messenger and his Ummah was completely fulfilled during the lifetime of the four Sahabah. If the caliphate of the earlier caliphs is not regarded legitimate and true, as claimed by some Rawafd, then the Qur'anic promise has not been fulfilled as yet. Then the argument put forward by Rawafid that the Qur'anic promise will be fulfilled during the life of Sayyidna Mahdiyy is but ridiculous, as it will amount to saying that for full 1400 years the ` Ummah will live in disgrace and misery, and nearing the Dooms Day when he will get the rule, only that period is referred by this promise. The fact of the matter is that the conditions of faith and righteous deeds, on which this promise was made by Allah Ta’ ala, were present in these Sahabah to the perfection and in totality. In reality Allah's promise was fulfilled in totality in their lifetime only. After that neither the degree of faith and deeds was maintained at that level, nor the dignity of caliphate and governance could be retained. وَمَن كَفَرَ‌ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ And whoever turns infidel after that, then such people are the transgressors - 24:55. The literal meaning of the word Kufr is thanklessness and in conventional sense it is the antonym of faith. In this verse there is room for taking either of the two meanings. Thus the meaning of the verse is that when Allah Ta’ ala fulfills His promise and bestows power, authority, peace and satisfaction to the Muslims, and stability to Islam, and after that someone turns apostate or avoids obeying the rules of the Islamic State, then such a person is a transgressor. In the first place he has lost the faith, and secondly, stopped obeying the rules and regulations of the Islamic State. Kufr and ingratitude are great sins in any situation, but after the establishment of Islamic rule, authority and grandeur the intensity of these sins is doubled. That is why it is emphasized by the words بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ (after that). Imam Baghawi (رح) has said that the scholars of Tafsir have explained that this Qur'anic sentence came true for the first time on those who assassinated the ruling caliph Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . When they committed this great sin, the referred graces of Allah Ta’ ala were reduced, and they were afflicted with fear and fright because of mutual killings and massacre. Despite the fact that they were like brothers to each other, they got involved in mutual killing. Baghawi has related on his own authority an address by Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ ، which he delivered at the time of commotion against Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . The wordings of the address are as follows: "The angels of Allah had cordoned your city for security ever since the Holy Prophet ﷺ had come to Madinah, and this measure was continuing until today. By God, if you assassinate ` Uthman, these angels will go back, and will never return again. By god, whoever from you will kill him will present himself before Allah with his hands cut. He will be without his hands. And know that Allah's sword was in its sheath so far. By God, if this sword comes out of its sheath, it shall never go back in sheath again, because whenever a messenger is assassinated, seventy thousand people are killed in return and when a caliph is assassinated, then thirty five thousand persons are killed" (Mazhari). Hence, the sequence of mutual killing which had commenced with the Shahadah (martyrdom) of Sayyidna ` Uthman' ؓ has continued in the Ummah throughout. Similarly, the way assassins of ` Uthman ؓ acted against the blessings of Allah Ta’ ala and solidarity of Islam and were ungrateful to Him, the Rawafid and Khawarij did the same after that by grouping against the Guided Khulafa'. The incident of great sacrifice of Sayyidna Husain Ibn Ali ؓ also happened under the same sequence نسال اللہ الھدایہ و شکر نعمتۃ

(Think not) O Muhammad (that the disbelievers) of Mecca (can escape) from Allah's punishment (in the land. Fire) in the Hereafter (will be their home) their abode, (a hapless journey's end) to which they will return with the satans! This verse was revealed about Abu Jahl and his host.