The Ant, The Ants — Verse 3

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Qur'an is Guidance and Glad Tidings for the Believers, a Warning to the Disbelievers, and it is from Allah In (the comments on) Surat Al-Baqarah, we discussed the letters which appear at the beginning of some Surahs. تِلْكَ ءَايَـتُ الْقُرْءَانِ وَكِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ (These are the Ayat of the Qur'an, and (it is) a Book (that is) clear.) It is plain and evident. هُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (A guide and glad tidings for the believers.) meaning, guidance and good news may be attained from the Qur'an for those who believe in it, follow it and put it into practice. They establish obligatory prayers, pay Zakah and believe with certain faith in the Hereafter, the resurrection after death, reward and punishment for all deeds, good and bad, and Paradise and Hell. This is like the Ayat: قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ (Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears...") (41:44). لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً (that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa, and warn with it the Ludd (most quarrelsome) people) (19: 97). Allah says here: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ (Verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter,) meaning, those who deny it and think that it will never happen, زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَ (We have made their deeds fair seeming to them, so that they wander about blindly.) means, `We have made what they are doing seem good to them, and We have left them to continue in their misguidance, so they are lost and confused.' This is their recompense for their disbelief in the Hereafter, as Allah says: وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ (And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away, as they refused to believe therein for the first time) (6:110). أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ (They are those for whom there will be an evil torment.) in this world and the Hereafter. وَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ هُمُ الاٌّخْسَرُونَ (And in the Hereafter they will be the greatest losers.) means, no one but they, among all the people who will be gathered, will lose their souls and their wealth. وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى الْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ (And verily, you are being taught the Qur'an from One, All-Wise, All-Knowing.) وَأَنَّكَ (And verily, you) O Muhammad. Qatadah said: لَتُلَقَّى (are being taught) "Are receiving." الْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ (the Qur'an from One, All-Wise, All-Knowing.) from One Who is Wise in His commands and prohibitions, and Who knows all things, major and minor. Whatever He says is absolute Truth, and His rulings are entirely fair and just, as Allah says: وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً (And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice) (6:115).

those who observe prayer performing it in the way that it should be performed and give alms and who are certain of the Hereafter knowing it to be true through the many proofs thereof hum ‘they’ is repeated because a separation has taken place between it the first hum and the predicate yūqinūna.

وهي آيات ترشد إلى طريق الفوز في الدنيا والآخرة، وتبشر بحسن الثواب للمؤمنين الذين صَدَّقوا بها، واهتدَوْا بهديها، الذين يقيمون الصلوات الخمس كاملة الأركان، مستوفية الشروط، ويؤدون الزكاة المفروضة لمستحقيها، وهم يوقنون بالحياة الآخرة، وما فيها مِن ثواب وعقاب.

أى إنما تحصل الهداية والبشارة من القرآن لمن آمن به واتبعه وصدقه وعمل بما فيه وأقام الصلاة المكتوبة وآتى الزكاة المفروضة وأيقن بالدار الآخرة والبعث بعد الموت والجزاء على الأعمال خيرها وشرها والجنة والنار كما قال تعالى "قل هو للذين آمنوا هدى وشفاء والذين لا يؤمنون في آذانهم وقر" الآية وقال تعالى: "لتبشر به المتقين وتنذر به قوما لدا".

ثم وصف - سبحانه - هؤلاء المؤمنين بثلاث صفات جامعة بين خيرى الدنيا والآخرة فقال : ( الذين يُقِيمُونَ الصلاة ) أى : يؤدونهما فى أوقاتها المقدرة لها ، مستوفية لواجباتها وسننها وآدابها وخشوعها .( وَيُؤْتُونَ الزكاة ) التى كلفهم الله - تعالى - بإيتائها ، بإخلاص وطيب نفس .( وَهُم بالآخرة هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ) والآخرة تأنيث الآخر . والمراد بها الدار الآخرة ، وسميت بذلك لأنها تأتى بعد الدنيا التى هى الدار الأولى .وقوله : ( يُوقِنُونَ ) من الإيقان . وهو الاعتقاد الجازم المطابق للواقع ، بحيث لا يطرأ عليه شك ، أو تحون حوله شبهة . يقال : يقن الماء ، إذا سكن وظهر ما تحته .ويقال : يَقِنْت من هذا الشىء يقَناً ، وأيقنت ، وتيقنت ، واستيقنت ، اعتقدت اعتقاداً جازماً من وجوده أو صحته .أى : وهم بالدار الآخرة وما فيها من حساب وعقاب ، يوقنون إيقاناً قطعيًّا ، لا أثر فيه للادعاءات الكاذبة ، والأوهام الباطلة .قال الجمل : ولما كان إقامة الصلاة وإيتاء الزكاة ، مما يتكرر ويتجدد فى أوقاتهما ، أتى بهما فعلين ، ولما كان الإيقان بالآخرة أمراً ثابتاً مطلوباً دوامه ، أتى به جملة اسمية .وجعل خبرها مضارعاً ، للدلالة على أن إيقانهم يستمر على سبيل التجدد " .

وقوله: (الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ ) يقول: هو هدى وبشرى لمن آمن بها, وأقام الصلاة المفروضة بحدودها. وقوله : (وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ ) يقول: ويؤدّون الزكاة المفروضة. وقيل: معناه: ويطهرون أجسادهم من دنس المعاصي.وقد بيَّنا ذلك فيما مضى بما أغنى عن إعادته في هذا الموضع.(وَهُمْ بِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ )يقول: وهم مع إقامتهم الصلاة, وإيتائهم الزكاة الواجبة, بالمعاد إلى الله بعد الممات يوقنون, فيذلون في طاعة الله, رجاء جزيل ثوابه, وخوف عظيم عقابه, وليسوا كالذين يكذّبون بالبعث, ولا يبالون, أحسنوا أم أساءوا, وأطاعوا أم عصوا, لأنهم إن أحسنوا لم يرجوا ثوابا, وإن أساءوا لم يخافوا عقابا.

"الذين يقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وهم بالآخرة هم يوقنون".

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ بِالْآَخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ (3){و { الزكاة } : الصدقة لأنها تزكي النفس أو تزكي المال ، أي تزيده بركة . والمراد بالزكاة هنا الصدقة مطلقاً أو صدقة واجبة كانت على المسلمين ، وهي مواساة بعضهم بعضاً كما دل عليه قوله في صفة المشركين { بل لا تكرمون اليتيمَ ولا تحضّون على طعام المسكين } [ الفجر : 17 ، 18 ] . وأما الزكاة المقدرة بالنُّصُب والمقادير الواجبة على أموال الأغنياء فإنها فرضت بعد الهجرة فليست مراداً هنا لأن هذه السورة مكية .وجملة : { وهم بالأخرة هم يوقنون } عطف على الصلة وليست من الصلة ، ولذلك خولف بين أسلوبها وأسلوب الصلة فأتي له بجملة اسمية اهتماماً بمضمونها لأنه باعث على فعل الخيرات ، على أن ضمير { هم } الثاني يجوز أن يعتبر ضمير فصل دالاً على القصر ، أي ما يوقن بالآخرة إلا هؤلاء .والقصْر إضافي بالنسبة إلى مجاوريهم من المشركين ، وإلا فإن أهل الكتاب يوقنون بالآخرة ، إلا أنهم غير مقصود حالهم للمخاطبين من الفريقين . وتقديم { بالأخرة } للرعاية على الفاصلة وللاهتمام بها .

ربما قيل: لعله يكثر مدعو الإيمان فهل يقبل من كل أحد ادعى أنه مؤمن ذلك؟ أم لا بد لذلك من دليل؟ وهو الحق فلذلك بين تعالى صفة المؤمنين فقال: ( الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ ) فرضها ونفلها فيأتون بأفعالها الظاهرة، من أركانها وشروطها وواجباتها بل ومستحباتها، وأفعالها الباطنة وهو الخشوع الذي روحها ولبها باستحضار قرب الله وتدبر ما يقول المصلي ويفعله. ( وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ ) المفروضة لمستحقيها. ( وَهُمْ بِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ) أي: قد بلغ معهم الإيمان إلى أن وصل إلى درجة اليقين وهو العلم التام الواصل إلى القلب الداعي إلى العمل. ويقينهم بالآخرة يقتضي كمال سعيهم لها، وحذرهم من أسباب العذاب وموجبات العقاب وهذا أصل كل خير.

ثم وصفهم فقال :الذين يقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وهم بالآخرة هم يوقنون وقد مضى في أول ( البقرة ) بيان هذا .

When Truth appears before a man and he accepts it without any reservation, he immediately finds himself on the right path. His life becomes righteous in every respect. But, one who is not prepared to mould himself in accordance with the Truth, is forced to twist reality to suit himself. From this develops an attitude of perverseness which is expressed here as ‘their actions appear beautiful to them’ (zayyanna lahum a‘malahum). One with such an attitude seeks self-made arguments to justify his behaviour. These so-called arguments gradually take hold of his mind in such a way that he believes them to be perfectly correct. In the light of his false reasoning, his misdeeds appear virtuous to him. Those to whom God has made their misdeeds appear beautiful are those who are not serious about the call to accept the Truth. As a result of this thinking, they become completely unmindful of self-reformation. They have to pay a heavy price for this tendency of theirs to consider their wrong as right: the path they tread leads straight to hell.

وَالشُّعَرَ‌اءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ ﴿224﴾ As for the poets, they are followed by the straying people. - 26:224. شِعر (Shi'r) which is the origin of Shu` ara' and is translated as poetry; is an Arabic word which lexically means any statement based on imagination and ideas not confirmed by serious proofs. It is not necessary for being a شِعر 'Shi'r' in original Arabic to have a particular rhythm or qafiyah or radif. Since the technical شِعر shi` r (poetry) which is always based on particular rhythms is generally composed of imaginary thoughts, the technical definition of شِعر shi` r (poetry) is "a composition of words having a particular rhythm and a similar sound at the end of each line (Qafiyah) ". The pagans of Makkah used to call the Holy Prophet ﷺ a sha` ir (a poet) and the Holy Qur'an, a shi` r (poetry). Some commentators of the Holy Qur'an are of the view that the pagans of Makkah used to call the Qur'an a shi` r in its technical sense. But others are of the opinion that it was not so, because the infidels of Makkah were fully conversant with the code and principles of poetry, and it is obvious that Qur'an is not a book of poetry. Even a non-Arab would not accept that, not to say anything of the eloquent Arabs. On the contrary, the Arabs used to call him a poet in the literal sense of the word, that is they regarded his thoughts as imaginary. Their objective was to call him a liar, because the word Sha` ir is also used in the sense of lie, and Shi` r for a liar. وَالشُّعَرَ‌اءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ ﴿224﴾ As for the poets, they are followed by the straying people. - 26:224 The word شَاعِر (Sha` ir) is used in this verse in its technical and commonly known meaning, that is the rhythmic composer. This interpretation is endorsed by a narration in Fatahul Bari that when this verse was revealed, the respected companions, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Rawahah, Hassan ibn Thabit and Ka` b ibn Malik ؓ عنہم who were well known poets, went crying to Holy Prophet ﷺ and submitted that this verse was revealed by Allah Ta’ ala and they too were poets. Then Holy Prophet ﷺ said ` You go through the last part of the verse'. What he conveyed was that their poetry was not frivolous having bad intent, hence they were included in that exception which is mentioned in the last part of the verse. The commentators have therefore, elaborated that in the beginning of the verse the disbeliever poets are purported, because depraved people, defiant Shaitan and disobedient Jinn followed and narrated their poetry. (Fatahul Bari) The place of poetry in Islamic Shari` ah (jurisprudence) In the beginning of these verses the poetry is disapproved strongly and appears an object of God's wrath. But towards the end of Surah the exception allowed proves that poetry is not condemned completely. Only that poetry is condemned and abominable which encourages Allah's disobedience or puts hindrance in His remembrance, or disgraces and condemns someone falsely, or be obscene or leads to obscenity. But that poetry which is free from these sins and unbecoming things is exonerated by Allah Ta’ ala through this verse إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ (227). On the other hand the poetry which deals with the subjects of wisdom based on sermons and teachings is part of the virtues carrying reward in the Hereafter as reported by Sayyidna ` Ubayy Ibn Ka` b ؓ انّ من شعر حکمہ that is ` There is a poetry which contains wisdom'. (Bukhari) Hafiz ibn Hajar has said that here wisdom stands for rightful things based on truth. Ibn Battal has explained that the poetry dealing with Oneness of Allah, His remembrance and love for Islam is desirable and praiseworthy, and in the hadith under reference that type of poetry is in view. However, the poetry dealing with falsehood and obscenity is contemptible. This explanation is also confirmed by the following narrations: 1-` Amr ibn Sharid has reported through his father that Holy Prophet ﷺ had listened 100 couplets of Umayyah ibn as-salt from him. 2-Mutarrif has reported that he traveled with Sayyidna ` Imran ibn Husain ؓ from Kufa to Basrah and he used to recite couplets on every stage of the journey. 3-Tabari (رح) has reported about the distinguished companions and tabi'in that they used to compose, listen and recite poetry. 4-Imam Bukhari رحمۃ اللہ علیہ has reported that Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ used to compose poetry. 5-Abu Ya` la has reported from Ibn ` Umar ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said, "Poetry is a composition". If its subject matter is good and useful, it is good, and if its subject is bad or sinful, it is bad. (Fatahul Bari) Tafsir al-Qurtubi has remarked that from among the ten jurists of Madinah, who are well known for their learning and graciousness, 'Ubaidullah ibn ` Utbah ibn Masud ؓ was an eloquently articulate poet, and the poetry of Qadi Zubair ibn Bakkar was compiled in a book. Qurtubi has reproduced an observation of Abu ` Amr that no intelligent and knowledgeable person would take the poetry comprising of nice subjects as bad. It is also worth noting that among the noble companions who were the religious leaders, there is none who had either not composed the poetry himself or had not recited or listened to the composition of others with fondness. Where poetry is condemned in certain narrations, it is with the purpose that one should not get engrossed so much in it that he neglects his worships and the Qur'an. Imam Bukhari (رح) has elaborated this subject in a separate chapter in which he has quoted from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ : لاَن یَمتَلِیَٔ جَوفُ رَجُلِ قَیحاً یَرِیہِ خَیرُ اَن یَمتَلیَٔ شِعراً It is better to fill up one's belly with pus than to fill it up with poetry'. Imam Bukhari (رح) has explained that according to his understanding this statement portrays the situation when the poetry becomes dominant over remembrance of Allah Ta'ala, or in one's involvement with the Qur'an or with acquiring knowledge. But if the poetry is kept under check, it is not bad. Similarly, there is consensus of Ummah that the poetry which is obscene or contains defaming subjects is unlawful and is not permitted. This ruling is not exclusive to poetry only, but applies to any writing - prose or poetry. (Qurtubi) Sayyidna 'Umar ibn Khattab رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ had dismissed his governor, 'Adiyy ibn Nadlah from his position because he used to compose obscene poetry. Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abdul 'Aziz (رح) had directed to exile ` Amr ibn Rabiah and 'Abul Ahwas on the same charge, but when ` Amr ibn Rabi'ah repented on his deeds, his repentance was accepted. (Qurtubi). Every art or learning, which makes one oblivious of Allah and Hereafter, is contemptible Ibn Abi Jamrah has ruled that excessive involvement in poetry and all such learning or art which makes one oblivious of the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala and causes doubts in the mind about beliefs of Islam or helps in promoting spiritual ills, fall under the same ruling as is given for contemptible poetry. The depravity of the followers is often an indicator of the depravity of the leader وَالشُّعَرَ‌اءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ ﴿224﴾ As for the poets, they are followed by the straying people. - 26:224 The poets are blamed in this verse that their followers are misled. Here the question arises that if it is the followers who are misled, how could the poets be blamed for the acts which their followers adopt? It is because the wrong deeds adopted by the followers are normally the signs of misdeeds of the one who is followed. But Maulana Ashraf ` Ali Thanavi (رح) has clarified that this rule will apply when the one who is followed has a hand in the misdeeds of the followers. For instance if there is no check on telling lies and backbiting in the meetings of the leader, and because of that his followers, who sit in his company, also adopt this habit, then this sin committed by the followers will be regarded as a manifestation of the sin of the one who is followed. But if the misdeeds are different from the deeds of the leader, then he cannot be made responsible for the misdeeds of his followers. For example, if a person follows a scholar for his beliefs diligently and sincerely, but does not follow the scholar in his righteous deeds and morals, then the scholar cannot be blamed for the former's lack of righteousness and morality. (Allah is pure and knows best). Al-hamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Ash-Shu` ara' Ends here.

Allah then showed the attributes of these true believers, saying: (Who establish worship) those who complete the five daily prayers along with their necessary ritual ablution, bowing, prostrating and all that which is obligated in their due times (and pay the poor-due) from their wealth (and are sure of) they believe in (the Hereafter) resurrection after death, Paradise and hell.