The Poets — Verse 219

The Command to warn His Tribe of near Kindred Here Allah commands (His Prophet ) to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate, and tells him that whoever associates others in worship with Him, He will punish them. Then Allah commands His Messenger to warn his tribe of near kindred, i.e., those who were most closely related to him, and to tell them that nothing could save any of them except for faith in Allah. Allah also commanded him to be kind and gentle with the believing servants of Allah who followed him, and to disown those who disobeyed him, no matter who they were. Allah said: فَإِنْ عَصَوْكَ فَقُلْ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (Then if they disobey you, say: "I am innocent of what you do.") This specific warning does not contradict the general warning; indeed it is a part of it, as Allah says elsewhere: لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَـفِلُونَ (In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless.) (36:6), لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (that you may warn the Mother of the Towns and all around it) (42:7), وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ (And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord) (6:51), لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً (that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa, and warn with it the most quarrelsome people.) (19:97), لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ (that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach) (6:19), and وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ (but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) (11:17). According to Sahih Muslim, the Prophet said: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ، ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار» (By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no one from these nations -- Jewish or Christian -- hears of me then does not believe in me, but he will enter Hell.) Many Hadiths have been narrated concerning the revelation of this Ayah, some of which we will quote below: Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When Allah revealed the Ayah, وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ (And warn your tribe of near kindred.), the Prophet went to As-Safa', climbed up and called out, «يَا صَبَاحَاه» (O people!) The people gathered around him, some coming of their own accord and others sending people on their behalf to find out what was happening. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي فِهْرٍ، يَااَبنِي لُؤَيَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلًا بِسَفْحِ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ تُريدُ أَنْ تُغِيرَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَدَّقْتُمُونِي؟» (O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani Fihr, O Bani Lu'ayy! What do you think, if I told you that there was a cavalry at the foot of this mountain coming to attack you -- would you believe me) They said, "Yes." He said: «فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَي عَذَابٍ شَدِيد» (Then I warn you of a great punishment that is close at hand.) Abu Lahab said, "May you perish for the rest of the day! You only called us to tell us this" Then Allah revealed: تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ (Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!) 111:1 This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ (And warn your tribe of near kindred) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and said: «يَا فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ، يَا صَفِيَّةُ ابْنَةُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، لَا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ شَيْئًا سَلُونِي مِنْ مَالِي مَا شِئْتُم» (O Fatimah daughter of Muhammad, O Safiyyah daughter of `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, I cannot help you before Allah. Ask me for whatever you want of my wealth.) This was recorded by Muslim. Imam Ahmad recorded that Qabisah bin Mukhariq and Zuhayr bin `Amr said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ (And warn your tribe of near kindred.) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ climbed on top of a rock on the side of a mountain and started to call out: «يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، إِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَرَجُلٍ رَأَى الْعَدُوَّ فَذَهَبَ يَرْبَأُ أَهْلَهُ يَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْبِقُوهُ، فَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي وَيَهْتِفُ: يَا صَبَاحَاه» (O Bani `Abd Manaf, I am indeed a warner, and the parable of me and you is that of a man who sees the enemy so he goes to save his family, fearing that the enemy may reach them before he does.) And he started to call out, (O people!) It was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. Allah's saying: وَتَوكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ (And put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful,) means, `in all your affairs, for He is your Helper, Protector and Supporter, and He is the One Who will cause you to prevail and will make your word supreme.' الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ (Who sees you when you stand up. ) means, He is taking care of you. This is like the Ayah, وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا (So wait patiently for the decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes) (52:48) Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ (Who sees you when you stand up.) means, "To pray." `Ikrimah said: "He sees him when he stands and bows and prostrates." Al-Hasan said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ (Who sees you when you stand up.) "When you pray alone." Ad-Dahhak said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ (Who sees you when you stand up.) "When you are lying in bed and when you are sitting." Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ (Who sees you) "When you are standing, when you are sitting, and in all other situations." وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ (And your movements among those who fall prostrate.) Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ- (Who sees you when you stand up. And your movements among those who fall prostrate.) "When you pray, He sees you when you pray alone and when you pray in congregation." This was also the view of `Ikrimah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (Verily, He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) He hears all that His servants say and He knows all their movements, as He says: وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُواْ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ (Neither you do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur'an, nor you do any deed, but We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it) (10:61).

and your movements — in performing the various parts of prayer standing sitting bowing and prostrating — among those who prostrate those who perform the prayers.

Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate themselves. “I see My friends constantly, and nothing of them is veiled from Me. Were something to be veiled, they would not stay alive.” O chevaliers! Know that the body lives by serving Him, the heart lives by gazing on Him, and the spirit lives by loving Him. The body that does not live by serving Him is idle, the heart that does not live by gazing on Him is carrion, the spirit that does not live by loving Him is captive to death. My joy from time is encountering You, my abode of peace is Your house. You are the object of my hope as long as I live; my life would not be happy without You. * Who is the heart that it should scatter pearls without You? What is the body that it should run a kingdom without You? By God, intelligence does not know the way without You, the spirit has not the gall to stay without You Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate them- selves. With this verse, He severed him from the witnessing of creation, for when someone knows that he is witnessed by the Real, he looks to the details of his own states and his hidden affairs with the Real. The toil of the compact of the acts of worship becomes easy for him because He has re- ported that He sees him. There is no hardship for him who knows he is seen by his Patron. In the report has come, “Worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.”

Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate themselves. “I see My friends constantly, and nothing of them is veiled from Me. Were something to be veiled, they would not stay alive.” O chevaliers! Know that the body lives by serving Him, the heart lives by gazing on Him, and the spirit lives by loving Him. The body that does not live by serving Him is idle, the heart that does not live by gazing on Him is carrion, the spirit that does not live by loving Him is captive to death. My joy from time is encountering You, my abode of peace is Your house. You are the object of my hope as long as I live; my life would not be happy without You. * Who is the heart that it should scatter pearls without You? What is the body that it should run a kingdom without You? By God, intelligence does not know the way without You, the spirit has not the gall to stay without You Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate them- selves. With this verse, He severed him from the witnessing of creation, for when someone knows that he is witnessed by the Real, he looks to the details of his own states and his hidden affairs with the Real. The toil of the compact of the acts of worship becomes easy for him because He has re- ported that He sees him. There is no hardship for him who knows he is seen by his Patron. In the report has come, “Worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.”

Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate themselves. “I see My friends constantly, and nothing of them is veiled from Me. Were something to be veiled, they would not stay alive.” O chevaliers! Know that the body lives by serving Him, the heart lives by gazing on Him, and the spirit lives by loving Him. The body that does not live by serving Him is idle, the heart that does not live by gazing on Him is carrion, the spirit that does not live by loving Him is captive to death. My joy from time is encountering You, my abode of peace is Your house. You are the object of my hope as long as I live; my life would not be happy without You. * Who is the heart that it should scatter pearls without You? What is the body that it should run a kingdom without You? By God, intelligence does not know the way without You, the spirit has not the gall to stay without You Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate them- selves. With this verse, He severed him from the witnessing of creation, for when someone knows that he is witnessed by the Real, he looks to the details of his own states and his hidden affairs with the Real. The toil of the compact of the acts of worship becomes easy for him because He has re- ported that He sees him. There is no hardship for him who knows he is seen by his Patron. In the report has come, “Worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.”

Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate themselves. “I see My friends constantly, and nothing of them is veiled from Me. Were something to be veiled, they would not stay alive.” O chevaliers! Know that the body lives by serving Him, the heart lives by gazing on Him, and the spirit lives by loving Him. The body that does not live by serving Him is idle, the heart that does not live by gazing on Him is carrion, the spirit that does not live by loving Him is captive to death. My joy from time is encountering You, my abode of peace is Your house. You are the object of my hope as long as I live; my life would not be happy without You. * Who is the heart that it should scatter pearls without You? What is the body that it should run a kingdom without You? By God, intelligence does not know the way without You, the spirit has not the gall to stay without You Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate them- selves. With this verse, He severed him from the witnessing of creation, for when someone knows that he is witnessed by the Real, he looks to the details of his own states and his hidden affairs with the Real. The toil of the compact of the acts of worship becomes easy for him because He has re- ported that He sees him. There is no hardship for him who knows he is seen by his Patron. In the report has come, “Worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.”

Who sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate themselves.�I see My friends constantly, and nothing of them is veiled from Me. Were something to be veiled, they would not stay alive.�O chevaliers! Know that the body lives by serving Him, the heart lives by gazing on Him, and the spirit lives by loving Him. The body that does not live by serving Him is idle, the heart that does not live by gazing on Him is carrion, the spirit that does not live by loving Him is captive to death.My joy from time is encountering You, my abode of peace is Your house.You are the object of my hope as long as I live; my life would not be happy without You.*Who is the heart that it should scatter pearls without You?What is the body that it should run a kingdom without You?By God, intelligence does not know the way without You, the spirit has not the gall to stay without YouWho sees thee when thou standest and when thou movest about among those who prostrate them- selves. With this verse, He severed him from the witnessing of creation, for when someone knows that he is witnessed by the Real, he looks to the details of his own states and his hidden affairs with the Real. The toil of the compact of the acts of worship becomes easy for him because He has re- ported that He sees him. There is no hardship for him who knows he is seen by his Patron. In the report has come, �Worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.�

وفَوِّضْ أمرك إلى الله العزيز الذي لا يغالَب ولا يُقْهَر، الرحيم الذي لا يخذل أولياءه، وهو الذي يراك حين تقوم للصلاة وحدك في جوف الليل، ويرى تقلُّبك مع الساجدين في صلاتهم معك قائمًا وراكعًا وساجدًا وجالسًا، إنه- سبحانه- هو السميع لتلاوتك وذكرك، العليم بنيتك وعملك.

وقوله تعالى "وتقلبك في الساجدين" قال قتادة "الذي يراك حين تقوم وتقلبك في الساجدين" قال في الصلاة يراك وحدك ويراك في الجمع وهذا قول عكرمة وعطاء الخراساني والحسن البصري وقال مجاهد كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يرى من خلفه كما يرى من أمامه ويشهد لهذا ما صح في الحديث "سووا صفوفكم فإني أراكم من وراء ظهري" وروى البزار وابن أبي حاتم من طريقين عن ابن عباس أنه قال في هذه الآية يعني تقلبه من صلب نبي إلى صلب نبي حتى أخرجه نبيا.

وهو - سبحانه - الذى يرى ( وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي الساجدين ) أى : يراك وأنت تصلى مع المصلين ، فتؤمهم وتنتقل بهم من ركن إلى ركن ، ومن سنة إلى سنة حال صلاتك ، والتعبير بقوله ( تَقَلُّبَكَ ) يشعر بحرصه صلى الله عليه وسلم على تعهد أصحابه ، وعلى تنظيم صفوفهم فى الصلاة ، وعلى غير ذلك مما هم فى حاجة إليه من إرشاد وتعليم .وعبر عن المصلين بالساجدين ، لأن العبد أقرب ما يكون من ربه وهو ساجد ، فهذا التعبير من باب التشريف والتكريم لهم

حدثني محمد بن سعد, قال: ثني أبي, قال: ثني عمي, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) يقول: قيامك وركوعك وسجودك.حدثنا ابن بشار, قال: ثنا عبد الرحمن, قال: ثنا سفيان, قال: سمعت أبي وعليّ بن بذيمة يحدّثان عن عكرمة في قوله: (يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ * وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: قيامه وركوعه وسجوده.حدثنا الحسن, قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق, قال: أخبرنا معمر, قال: قال عكرمة, في قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: قائما وساجدا وراكعا وجالسا.وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: ويرى تقلبك في المصلين, وإبصارك منهم من هو خلفك, كما تبصر من هو بين يديك منهم.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا ابن بشار, قال: ثنا عبد الرحمن, قال: ثنا سفيان, عن ليث, عن مجاهد : (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) كان يرى من خلفه, كما يرى من قدّامه.حدثني محمد بن عمرو, قال: ثنا أبو عاصم, قال: ثنا عيسى; وحدثني الحارث, قال : ثنا الحسن, قال: ثنا ورقاء جميعا, عن ابن أبي نجيح, عن مجاهد, في قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: المصلين كان يرى من خلفه في الصلاة.حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, عن ابن جُرَيج, عن مجاهد, قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: المصلين, قال: كان يرى في الصلاة من خلفه.وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: وتقلبك مع الساجدين: أي تصرفك معهم في الجلوس والقيام والقعود.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا القاسم, قال: ثنا الحسين, قال: ثني حجاج, قال: قال ابن جُرَيج: أخبرني عطاء الخراساني عن ابن عباس, قال: ( وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ ) قال: يراك وأنت مع الساجدين تقلب وتقوم وتقعد معهم.حدثنا الحسن, قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق, قال: أخبرنا معمر, عن قتادة, في قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: في المصلين.حدثني يونس, قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب, قال: قال ابن زيد, في قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ ) قال: في الساجدين: المصلين.وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: ويرى تصرّفك في الناس.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا ابن بشار, قال: ثنا يحيى, قال: ثنا ربيعة بن كلثوم, قال: سألت الحسن عن قوله: (وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ) قال: في الناس.وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: وتصرفك في أحوالك كما كانت الأنبياء من قبلك تفعله, والساجدون في قول قائل هذا القول: الأنبياء.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا أبو كُرَيب, قال: ثنا ابن يمان, عن أشعث, عن جعفر, عن سعيد, في قوله: (الَّذِي يَرَاكَ)... الآية, قال: كما كانت الأنبياء من قبلك.قال أبو جعفر: وأولى الأقوال في ذلك بتأويله قول من قال تأويله: ويرى تقلبك مع الساجدين في صلاتهم معك, حين تقوم معهم وتركع وتسجد, لأن ذلك هو الظاهر من معناه. فأما قول من وجهه إلى أن معناه: وتقلبك في الناس, فإنه قول بعيد من المفهوم بظاهر التلاوة, وإن كان له وجه, لأنه وإن كان لا شيء إلا وظله يسجد لله, فإنه ليس المفهوم من قول القائل: فلان مع الساجدين, أو في الساجدين, أنه مع الناس أو فيهم, بل المفهوم بذلك أنه مع قوم سجود, السجود المعروف, وتوجيه معاني كلام الله إلى الأغلب أولى من توجيهه إلى الأنكر.وكذلك أيضا في قول من قال: معناه: تتقلب في أبصار الساجدين, وإن كان له وجه, فليس ذلك الظاهر من معانيه.فتأويل الكلام إذن: وتوكل على العزيز الرحيم, الذي يراك حين تقوم إلى صلاتك, ويرى تقلبك في المؤتمين بك فيها بين قيام وركوع وسجود وجلوس.

( وتقلبك في الساجدين ) أي : يرى تقلبك في صلاتك في حال قيامك وركوعك وسجودك وقعودك . قال عكرمة وعطية عن ابن عباس : في الساجدين أي : في المصلين . وقال مقاتل والكلبي : أي مع المصلين في الجماعة ، يقول : يراك حين تقوم وحدك للصلاة ويراك إذا صليت مع المصلين في الجماعة . وقال مجاهد : يرى تقلب بصرك في المصلين ، فإنه كان يبصر من خلفه كما يبصر من أمامه . أخبرنا أبو الحسن السرخسي ، أخبرنا زاهر بن أحمد ، أخبرنا أبو إسحاق الهاشمي ، أخبرنا أبو مصعب ، عن مالك ، عن أبي الزناد ، عن الأعرج ، عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال : " هل ترون قبلتي هاهنا ، فوالله ما يخفى علي خشوعكم ولا ركوعكم ، إني لأراكم من وراء ظهري " وقال الحسن : " وتقلبك في الساجدين " أي : تصرفك وذهابك ومجيئك في أصحابك المؤمنين . وقال سعيد بن جبير : يعني وتصرفك في أحوالك ، كما كانت الأنبياء من قبلك . والساجدون : هم الأنبياء . وقال عطاء عن ابن عباس : أراد تقلبك في أصلاب الأنبياء من نبي إلى نبي حتى أخرجك في هذه الأمة . ( إنه هو السميع العليم ) .

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ (219) فالمراد من قوله : { يَراك } رؤيةٌ خاصة وهي رؤية الإقبال والتقبل كقوله : { فإنك بأعيننا } [ الطور : 48 ] .والقيام : الصلاة في جوف الليل ، غلب هذا الاسم عليه في اصطلاح القرآن ، والتقلب في الساجدين هو صلاته في جماعات المسلمين في مسجده . وهذا يجمع معنى العناية بالمسلمين تبعاً للعناية برسولهم ، فهذا من بركته صلى الله عليه وسلم وقد جمعها هذا التركيب العجيب الإيجاز .وفي هذه الآية ذكر صلاة الجماعة . قال مقاتل لأبي حنيفة : هل تجد الصلاة في الجماعة في القرآن؟ فقال أبو حنيفة : لا يحضرني فتلاَ مقاتل هذه الآية .

( وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ ) أي: يراك في هذه العبادة العظيمة, التي هي الصلاة, وقت قيامك, وتقلبك راكعا وساجدا خصها بالذكر, لفضلها وشرفها, ولأن من استحضر فيها قرب ربه, خشع وذل, وأكملها, وبتكميلها, يكمل سائر عمله, ويستعين بها على جميع أموره.

وتقلبك في الساجدين قال مجاهد وقتادة : في المصلين . وقال ابن عباس : أي في أصلاب الآباء ، آدم ونوح وإبراهيم حتى أخرجه نبيا . وقال عكرمة : يراك قائما وراكعا وساجدا ; وقاله ابن عباس أيضا . وقيل : المعنى ; إنك ترى بقلبك في صلاتك من خلفك كما ترى بعينك من قدامك . وروي عن مجاهد ، ذكره الماوردي والثعلبي . وكان عليه السلام يرى من خلفه كما يرى من بين يديه ، وذلك ثابت في الصحيح وفي تأويل الآية بعيد

To take anybody other than God to be worthy of worship is the greatest crime in the eyes of God. No one guilty of this crime can escape punishment. It is the duty of the preacher to save himself from polytheism and to call the people to the Truth, primarily those who are near to him. In order to support the Truth, one has to kill one’s ego. That is why there are very few among the highly placed who are prepared to side with the Truth. It often happens that only those who occupy a lower position in society come forward to do so. This poses a serious trial for the preacher of God’s word. He has to guard himself against holding these persons inferior as others do. They must be given equal status in an Islamic society. The true emissary of the Almighty is one whose relation with his Maker is so strong that he passes his lonely nights in restlessness and is often forced to spring out of his bed. He holds his companions who are kneeling to pray to God in the stillness of the night in such high esteem that they become the centre of his attention.

وَأَنذِرْ‌ عَشِيرَ‌تَكَ الْأَقْرَ‌بِينَ ﴿214﴾ And warn the nearest people of your clan, -26:214. ` Ashirah'o, عَشِيرَ‌ۃ means clan and by limiting it with 'aqrabin (the nearest people) it is used for close relatives. It is worth noting here that the mission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as a messenger is universal to the whole Ummah, then what is the wisdom in making it special for the members of the clan? But if we look at it rather closely, we will notice in it an easy and effective way for preaching, which would have far-reaching effect. One's own family members having the privilege of closeness are also entitled to have precedence over others on initiating any act of virtue. By virtue of close mutual relations they know each other well and anyone with false claims would get exposed in no time. Conversely, the one having good reputation among the family members would be readily accepted and listened to. Once the close relatives throw their weight to support a good cause, it brings in unity and mutual help between them. This way they develop a group of the family members on the basis of trust and sincerity and it becomes very easy to spend the daily life in an atmosphere of peace to follow the religious code. Then this homogeneous and sincere group works like a small power in preaching and spreading the precepts and code of religion to others. In another verse of the Holy Qur'an it is said قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارً‌ا (66:6) that is ` Save yourself and your family members from the fire of Jahannam'. Responsibility of saving one's dependent from the fire of Jahannam is placed on every member of the clan. This is an easy and simple way of reforming the conduct and morals. It is an everyday experience that in order to follow good conduct and morals and then to stick to them is only possible when the environment is favourable for that. If only one person in the entire household wishes to perform his prayers regularly, even that devotee will find it difficult to carry it out. In the present environment it has become difficult to abstain from the unlawful things not because it is not possible to keep away from them, but the reason is that when the whole fraternity is involved in a sin, it becomes very difficult for just one person to keep himself aloof. When this verse was revealed to Holy Prophet ﷺ ، he called out all the members of the family and conveyed to them the message of truth. Although they did not accept the truth at that time but gradually the family members started converting to Islam. When the uncle of Holy Prophet ﷺ Sayyidna Hamzah ؓ ، converted to Islam it provided great strength to the mission.

(And (seeth) thine abasement among those who fall prostrate (in worship)) among those who pray in their bowing, prostration and standing up; it is also said that this means: in the loins of your forefathers.