Saba, Sheba — Verse 36

How Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and Children Allah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in him, and the weaker people of the town followed him. The people of Nuh, peace be upon him, said to him: أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ (Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you) (26:110) وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى (nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking) (11:27). The leaders among the people of Salih said: قَالَ الْمَلأ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ (to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed: "Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord." They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent." Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in.") (7:75-76). And Allah said: وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ (Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) (6:53), وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا (And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein) (6:123), and وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا (And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction) (17:16). And Allah says here: وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ And We did not send a warner to a township meaning a Prophet or a Messenger, إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ (but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them) means, those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership. Qatadah said, "They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil." إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ (We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.) means, `we do not believe in it and we will not follow it.' Allah tells us that those who enjoyed a life of luxury and who disbelieved the Messengers said: وَقَالُواْ نَحْنُ أَكْثَـرُ أَمْوَلاً وَأَوْلَـداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (And they say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished.") meaning, they were proud of their great wealth and great numbers of children, and they believed that this was a sign that Allah loved them and cared for them, and that if He gave them this in this world, He would not punish them in the Hereafter. This was too far-fetched. Allah says: أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ (Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.) (23:55-56) فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ بِهَا فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ (So, let not their wealth nor their children amaze you; in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their souls shall depart while they are disbelievers.) (9:55), and ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً - وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً - وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً - وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً - ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً - سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً (Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely. And then granted him resources in abundance. And children to be by his side. And made life smooth and comfortable for him. After all that he desires that I should give more. Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat. I shall oblige him to face a severe torment!) (74:11-17) And Allah has told us about the story of the owner of those two gardens, that he had wealth and crops and children, but that could not help him at all when all of that was taken from him in this world, before he reached the Hereafter. Allah says here: قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ (Say: "Verily, my Lord expands the provision to whom He wills and restricts...") meaning, He gives wealth to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love, and He makes poor whom He wills and makes rich whom He wills. He has complete wisdom and clear proof, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most men know not.) Then Allah says: وَمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى (And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us,) meaning, `these things are not a sign that We love you or care for you.' Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم» (Allah does not look at your outward appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds.) Muslim and Ibn Majah also recorded this. Allah says: إِلاَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً (but only he who believes, and does righteous deeds;) meaning, `only faith and righteous deeds will bring you closer to Us.' فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ (as for such, there will be multiple rewards for what they did,) means, the reward will be multiplied for them between ten and seven hundred times. وَهُمْ فِى الْغُرُفَـتِ ءَامِنُونَ (and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security.) means, in the lofty dwellings of Paradise, safe from all misery, fear and harm, and from any evil they could fear. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا تُرَى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا، وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا» (In Paradise there are lofty rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside.) A bedouin asked, "Who are they for" He said: «لِمَنْ طَيَّبَ الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ، وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام» (For those who speak well, feed the hungry, persist in fasting and pray at night while people are asleep.) وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا مُعَـجِزِينَ (And those who strive against Our Ayat, to frustrate them,) means, those who try to block people from the path of Allah and from following His Messengers and believing in His signs, فَأُوْلَـئِكَ فِى الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ they will be brought to the torment. means, they will all be punished for their deeds, each one accordingly.

Say ‘Truly my Lord extends provision He makes it abundant for whomever He will as a test and restricts it for whomever He will to try them but most people such as the disbelievers of Mecca do not know’ this truth.

قل لهم -أيها الرسول-: إن ربي يوسِّع الرزق في الدنيا لمن يشاء مِن عباده، ويضيِّق على مَن يشاء، لا لمحبة ولا لبغض، ولكن يفعل ذلك اختبارًا، ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون أن ذلك اختبار لعباده؛ لأنهم لا يتأملون.

"قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدر" أي يعطي المال لمن يحب ومن لا يحب فيفقر من يشاء ويغني من يشاء وله الحكمة التامة البالغة والحجة القاطعة الدامغة "ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون " ثم.

ثم أمر الله - تعالى - رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأن يصحح لهؤلاء المترفين خطأهم ، وأن يكشف عن جهلهم ، وأن يبين لهم أن مسألة الغنى والفقر بيد الله - تعالى - وحده ، وأن الثواب والعقاب لا يخضعان للغنى أو للفقر ، وإنما يتبعان الإِيمان أو الكفر ، فقال - تعالى - ( قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرزق لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ولكن أَكْثَرَ الناس لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ) .وبسط الرزق : سعته وكثرته . وتقديره : تقليله وتضييقه .أى : قل - أيها الرسول الكريم - لهؤلاء الجاهلين ( إِنَّ رَبِّي ) وحده هو الذى ( يَبْسُطُ الرزق لِمَن يَشَآءُ ) أن يبسطه له ( وَيَقْدِرُ ) أى : ويقتر الرزق ويضيقه على من يشاء أن يضيقه عليه . والأمر فى كلتا مرده إلى الله - تعالى - وحده ، على حسب ما تقتضيه حكمته فى خلقه .وربما يوسع رزق العاصى ويضيق رزق المطيع . أو العكس ، وربما يوسع على شخص وقت وضيق عليه فى وقت آخر ، ولا ينقاس على ذلك أمر الثواب والعقاب ، لأن مناطهما الطاعة وعدمها .( ولكن أَكْثَرَ الناس لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ) هذه الحقيقة التى اقتضتها حكمة الله - تعالى - وإرادته ، فزعموا أن بسط الرزق دليل الشرف والكرامة ، وأن ضيق الرزق دليل الهوان والذل ، ولم يدركوا - لجهلهم وانطماس بصائرهم - أن بسط الرزق قد يكون للاستدارج ، وأن تضييقه قد يكون للابتلاء والاختبار ، ليتميز قوى الإِيمان من ضعيفه .

يقول الله لنبيه محمد صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: قل لهم يا محمد (إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ) من المعاش والرياش في الدنيا(لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ) من خلقه (وَيَقْدِرُ) فيضيق على من يشاء لا لمحبة فيمن يبسط له ذلك ولا خير فيه ولا زلفة له استحق بها منه، ولا لبغض منه لمن قدر عليه ذلك ولا مقت، ولكنه يفعل ذلك محنة لعباده وابتلاء، وأكثر الناس لا يعلمون أن الله يفعل ذلك اختبارًا لعباده ولكنهم يظنون أن ذلك منه محبة لمن بسط له ومقت لمن قدر عليه.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلا أَوْلادُكُمْ بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَى ... الآية، قال: قالوا: نحن أكثر أموالا وأولادًا، فأخبرهم الله أنه ليست أموالكم ولا أولادكم بالتي تقربكم عندنا زلفى إِلا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ، قال: وهذا قول المشركين لرسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم وأصحابه، قالوا: لو لم يكن الله عنا راضيًا لم يعطنا هذا، كما قال قارون: لولا أن الله رضِيَ بي وبحالي ما أعطاني هذا، قال: أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ ... إلى آخر الآية.

( قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدر ) يعني : أن الله يبسط الرزق ويقدر ابتلاء وامتحانا لا يدل البسط على رضا الله عنه ولا التضييق على سخطه ( ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون ) أنها كذلك .

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (36)وبه يكون موقع الجواب ب { قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدر } أشدّ اتصالاً بالمعنى ، أي قل لهم : إن بسط الرزق وتقتيره شأن آخر من تصرفات الله المنوطة بما قدره في نظام هذا العالم ، أي فلا ملازمة بينه وبين الرشد والغي ، والهدى والضلال ، ولو تأملتم أسباب الرزق لرأيتموها لا تلاقي أسباب الغي والاهتداء ، فربما وسع الله الرزق على العاصي وضيّقه على المطيع وربما عكس فلا يغرنهم هذا وذاك فإنكم لا تعلمون .وهذا ما جعل قوله : { ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون } مصيباً المحزّ ، فأكثر الناس تلتبس عليهم الأمور فيخلطون بينها ولا يضعون في مواضعها زيْنها وشَيْنها .وقد أفاد هذا أن حالهم غير دالّ على رضَى الله عنهم ولا على عدمه ، وهذا الإِبطال هو ما يسمى في علم المناظرة نقضاً إجمالياً .وبسط الرزق : تيسيره وتكثيره ، استعير له البسط وهو نشر الثوب ونحوِه لأن المبسوط تكثر مساحة انتشاره .وقَدْر الرزق : عُسر التحصيل عليه وقلة حاصله؛ استعير له القَدْر ، أي التقدير وهو التحديد لأن الشيء القليل يسهل عدّه وحسابه ولذلك قيل في ضده { يرزق من يشاء بغير حساب } [ البقرة : 212 ] ، ومفعول { يقدر } محذوف دل عليه مفعول { يبسط } . وتقدم نظيره في سورة الرعد .ومفعول { يعلمون } محذوف دل عليه الكلام ، أي لا يعلمون أن الله يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدر باعتبار عموم من يشاء من كونه صالحاً أو طالحاً ، ومن انتفاء علمهم بذلك أنهم توهموا بسط الرزق علامة على القرب عند الله ، وضده علامة على ضد ذلك . وبهذا أخطأ قول أحمد بن الرواندي :كم عَاقِللٍ عَاقل أعيتْ مذاهبُه ... وجَاهل جَاهل تلقاه مَرزوقاهذا الذي ترك الأوهام حائرة ... وصيَّر العالم النحرير زنديقافلو كان عالماً نحريراً لما تحيّر فهمه ، وما تزندق من ضيق عطن فكره .

فأجابهم اللّه تعالى, بأن بسط الرزق وتضييقه, ليس دليلا على ما زعمتم، فإن الرزق تحت مشيئة اللّه, إن شاء بسطه لعبده, وإن شاء ضيقه.

قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق أي يوسعه لمن يشاء ويقدر أي يقتر أي أن الله هو الذي يفاضل بين عباده في الأرزاق امتحانا لهم ، فلا يدل شيء من ذلك على ما في العواقب ، فسعة الرزق في الدنيا لا تدل على سعادة الآخرة فلا تظنوا أموالكم وأولادكم تغني عنكم غدا شيئا . ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون هذا ; لأنهم لا يتأملون . ثم قال تأكيدا :

Those who acquire wealth and power, rise to places of prominence in this world. This creates a sort of false confidence in them. Such people do not give due importance to the Hereafter, even when they are warned of it. They cannot believe that God, Who has given them honour in this world, will dishonour them in the Hereafter. This false confidence in every age has been the greatest cause of the rejection of the call for Truth by the influential members of a society; and when they look down upon something, men of lesser stature also hold it in contempt. In this way the common people as well as the elite are prevented from accepting the Truth. The wealth and other material things of this world are for the purpose of putting human beings to the test and are not meant as rewards. A surfeit of worldly effects is not a sign of nearness to God; nor does their shortage indicate being at a distance from Him. Only those who always remembered God and kept themselves within the limits laid down by Him, while availing of His divine bounty, are really close to God. These are the people who will be treated as deserving of God’s eternal blessings and rewards in the Hereafter.

This very subject has been taken up in several other verses of the noble Qur'an. In Surah al-Mu'minun, it was said: أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ نُسَارِ‌عُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَ‌اتِ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُ‌ونَ Do they think that by consistently providing them with wealth and children, We are accelerating the (real) good things to them? The fact, however, is that they do not understand (the reality) - 23:55, 56. And the reality is that wealth and children that make man negligent of Allah become a curse for him. Then, in a verse of Surah At-Taubah, it was said: وَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَأَوْلَادُهُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِ‌يدُ اللَّـهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُ‌ونَ And their wealth and children should not attract you. Allah only wants to punish them with these in this world and that their souls depart while they are disbelievers - 9:85. In that case, it will end up into the everlasting punishment of the Hereafter. As for punishing through wealth and children right here in this world, it means that they become so involved in and infatuated with wealth and property that they never find the time to think about their ultimate fate or turn towards Allah and 'Akhirah - the end of which is punishment that will last forever. Then there are many who have wealth and children both. It is within this world that, for the sake of wealth and children, rather, through the wealth and children, they have to suffer from thousands of distresses and pains. As such, their punishment starts taking effect right from this very world. According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Allah Ta’ ala does not see you or your wealth. He sees your hearts and your deeds – (reported by Ahmad, Ibn Kathir)

(Say) O Muhammad: (Lo! my Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will) as a lure to perdition (and narroweth it (for whom He will) out of care for him. (But most of mankind) the people of Mecca (know not) this nor believe it.