Ya Sin, Ya-Seen — Verse 11

The State of Those Who are decreed to be among the Doomed Allah says: `In the case of those who are decreed to be among the doomed, when it comes to the matter of being guided, We have made them like a person who has a chain around his neck and whose hands are tied together beneath his chin so that his head is lifted up.' As Allah says: فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ (so that their heads are raised up.) Mentioning the chains around the neck is sufficient and there is no need to mention the hands, although they are referred to by implication. Al-`Awfi said, narrating from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, concerning the Ayah: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِى أَعْنـقِهِمْ أَغْلَـلاً فَهِىَ إِلَى الاٌّذْقَـنِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ (Verily, We have put on their necks iron collars reaching to the chins, so that their heads are raised up.) This is like the Ayah: وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ (And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck)(17:29). meaning that their hands are tied to their necks and they cannot stretch them forth in order to do any good deeds. فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ (so that their heads are raised up.) according to Mujahid it means their heads are raised, and their hands are placed over their mouths, so they are restrained from doing anything good. وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدّاً (And We have put a barrier before them,) Mujahid said, "Between them and the truth." ومِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدّاً (and a barrier behind them,) Mujahid said, "Between them and the truth, so they are confused." Qatadah said, "They move from one form of misguidance to another." فَأغْشَيْنَـهُمْ (and We have covered them up,) means, `We have blinded their eyes to the truth.' فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ (so that they cannot see.) means, they cannot benefit from goodness or be guided to it. Ibn Jarir said, "It was narrated from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he used to recite "Fa a`shaynahum" instead of Fa'aghshaynahum, from Al-`Asha (weakness of the sight, blindness), which is a complaint of the eye." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "Allah placed this barrier between them and Islam and Iman, so that they will never reach it," and he recited: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe, Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) (10:96-97). Then he said, "Whoever has been prevented by Allah, will never be able." `Ikrimah said, "Abu Jahl said, `If I see Muhammad, I will do such and such.' Then Allah revealed: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِى أَعْنـقِهِمْ أَغْلَـلاً (Verily, We have put on their necks iron collars...) up to: فَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ (so that they cannot see.)" He said, "They used to say, `Here is Muhammad,' and he would say, `Where is he Where is he' And he would not be able to see him." Ibn Jarir also recorded this. وَسَوَآءُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَءَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤمِنُونَ (It is the same to them whether you warn them or you warn them not, they will not believe.) means, Allah has decreed that they will be misguided, so warning them will not help them and will not have any effect on them. Something similar has already been seen at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and Allah also says: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe, Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.)(10:96-97). إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ (You can only warn him who follows the Reminder,) means, `only the believers will benefit from your warning, those who follow the Reminder,' which is the Qur'an. وَخشِىَ الرَّحْمـنَ بِالْغَيْبِ (and fears the Most Gracious unseen.) means, even when no one sees him except Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, he knows that Allah is watching him and sees what he does. فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ (Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness,) i.e., of his sins, وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ (and a generous reward.) means, one that is vast and great and beautiful. This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ (Verily, those who fear their Lord unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.) (67:12). إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى (Verily, We give life to the dead,) means, on the Day of Resurrection. This also indicates that Allah gives life to the heart of whomever He wills among the disbelievers, those whose hearts have died in misguidance, by guiding them after that to the truth. As Allah says after mentioning hardness of the heart: اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْىِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, that you may understand.) (57:17) وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ (and We record that which they send before (them),) means, their deeds. وَءَاثَارَهُمْ (and their traces) means, `We write down the deeds which they used to do themselves, and the legacy they left behind, so We will requite them for that: if it is good, then We will reward them, and if it is evil, then We will punish them.' This is like the Hadith: «مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرُهَا، وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّـــئَـةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا» (Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something good in Islam, will have a reward for it, and a reward equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. Whoever starts (or sets an example of) something evil in Islam, will bear the burden for that, and a burden equal to that of everyone who does it after him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.) This was recorded by Muslim from Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali, may Allah be pleased with him in which is detailed a story of the people from the Mudar tribe, who were wearing woollen rags. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith in full from Jarir bin `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him. In it the Prophet then recited: وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ وَءَاثَارَهُمْ (and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces) Muslim also recorded it with a different chain of narration. There is also another Hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِذَا مَاتَ ابْنُ آدَمَ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: مِنْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ، أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ مِنْ بَعْدِه» (When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: knowledge which is beneficial to others, a righteous child who prays for him, or ongoing charity which he leaves behind. )" Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported that Abu Sa`id said, "I heard Mujahid say concerning the Ayah: إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ وَءَاثَارَهُمْ (Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces) `What they left behind of misguidance."' Ibn Abi Najih and others said, narrating from Mujahid: مَاَ قَدَّمُواْ (that which they send before (them),) "Their deeds." وَءَاثَارَهُمْ (and their traces). He said, "Their footsteps." This was also the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah. وَءَاثَارَهُمْ (and their traces) means their footsteps. Qatadah said, "If Allah were to have neglected anything with regard to you, O son of Adam, He would have neglected what the wind could remove of these footsteps." But He takes into account the footsteps of the son of Adam and all his deeds; He even takes into account these footsteps and whether they are for the purpose of obeying Allah or disobeying Him. So, whoever can have his footsteps recorded for the purpose of obeying Allah, let him do that. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "There was an empty area around the Masjid, and Banu Salamah wanted to move to be closer to the Masjid. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about that, he said to them: «إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَنْتَقِلُوا قُرْبَ الْمَسْجِدِ؟» (I have heard that you want to move close to the Masjid.) They said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah, that is what we want.' He said: «يَا بَنِي سَلِمَةَ دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ، دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُم» (O Banu Salamah, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded, stay where you are, and your footsteps will be recorded.)" This was also recorded by Muslim from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "A man died in Al-Madinah and the Prophet prayed over him, and said, «يَا لَيْتَهُ مَاتَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِه» (Would that he had died somewhere other than in his place of birth!) A man among the people said, `Why, O Messenger of Allah' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْلِدِهِ، قِيسَ لَهُ مِنْ مَوْلِدِهِ إِلَى مُنْقَطِعِ أَثَرِهِ فِي الْجَنَّة» (When a man dies somewhere other than in his place of birth, it will be measured for him from where he was born to where his footsteps no longer appear, (and this is the space that will be allocated for him) in Paradise.)" It was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. Ibn Jarir narrated that Thabit said, "I was walking with Anas and I began to walk quickly. He took my hand and we walked slowly, and when we had finished praying, Anas said, `I walked with Zayd bin Thabit and I was walking quickly, and he said: O Anas! Do you not feel that your footsteps are being written down"' There is no contradiction between this and the first report, on the contrary, this indicates the same thing somewhat more forcefully. Because these footsteps are being recorded, then those which are setting an example, whether good or bad, are more likely to be recorded. And Allah knows best. وَكُلَّ شىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـهُ فِى إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ (and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in Imam Mubin (a Clear Book).) means, everything that exists is precisely dictated in a record in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz. Al-Imam Al-Mubin here refers to the source of all records. This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Similarly, Allah also says: يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَـمِهِمْ ((And remember) the Day when We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam (record of good and bad deeds)) (17:71). meaning the Book of their deeds which will testify as to their deeds, whether they were good or bad. This is like the Ayat: وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَآءِ (and the Book will be placed (open), and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward) (39:69), and وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يوَيْلَتَنَا مَا لِهَـذَا الْكِتَـبِ لاَ يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلاَ كَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرًا وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا (And the Book (one's Record) will be placed, and you will see the criminals, fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.) (18:49).

You can only warn in other words your warning will only benefit him who follows the Remembrance the Qur’ān and fears the Compassionate One in secret who fears Him despite not having seen Him; so give him the good tidings of forgiveness and a noble reward namely Paradise.

إنما ينفع تحذيرك مَن آمن بالقرآن، واتبع ما فيه من أحكام الله، وخاف الرحمن، حيث لا يراه أحد إلا الله، فبشِّره بمغفرة من الله لذنوبه، وثواب منه في الآخرة على أعماله الصالحة، وهو دخوله الجنة.

"إنما تنذر من اتبع الذكر" أي إنما ينتفع بإنذارك المؤمنون الذين يتبعون الذكر وهو القرآن العظيم "وخشي الرحمن بالغيب" أى حيث لا يراه أحد إلا الله تبارك وتعالى يعلم أن الله مطلع عليه وعالم بما يفعل "فبشره بمغفرة" أي لذنوبه "وأجر كريم" أي كثير واسع حسن جميل كما قال تبارك وتعالى "إن الذين يخشون ربهم بالغيب لهم مغفرة وأجر كبير".

ثم بين - سبحانه - من هم أهل للتذكير فقال : ( إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتبع الذكر ) .أى : إنما تنذر - أيها الرسول الكريم - إنذارا نافعا ، أولئك الذين اتبعوا إرشادات القرآن الكريم وأوامره ونواهيه . . .وينفع إنذارك - أيضا - مع من ( وَخشِيَ الرحمن بالغيب ) أى : مع من خاف عقاب الرحمن دون أن يرى هذا العقاب ، ودون أن يرى الله - تعالى - الذى له الخلق والأمر .هؤلاء هم الذين ينفع معهم الإِنذار والتذكير والإِرشاد ، لأنهم فتحو قلوبهم للحق ، واستجابوا له .والفاء فى قوله : ( فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ ) لترتيب البشارة أو الأمر بها ، على ما قبلها من اتباع الذكر والخشية .أى : فبشر - أيها الرسول الكريم - هذا النوع من الناس ، بمغفرة عظيمة منا لذنوبهم ، وبأجر كريم لا يعلم مقداره أحد سوانا .

وقوله ( إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: إنما ينفع إنذارك يا محمد من آمن بالقرآن، واتبع ما فيه من أحكام الله ( وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ ) يقول: وخاف الله حين يغيب عن أبصار الناظرين، لا المنافق الذي يستخف بدين الله إذا خلا ويظهر الإيمان في الملأ ولا المشرك الذي قد طبع الله على قلبه. وقوله ( فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ ) يقول: فبشر يا محمد هذا الذي اتبع الذكر وخشي الرحمن بالغيب بمغفرة من الله لذنوبه ( وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ ) يقول: وثواب منه له في الآخرة كريم، وذلك أن يعطيه على عمله ذلك الجنة.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ ) واتباع الذكر: اتباع القرآن .

( إنما تنذر من اتبع الذكر ) : يعني : إنما ينفع إنذارك من اتبع الذكر ، يعني القرآن ، فعمل بما فيه ، ( وخشي الرحمن بالغيب فبشره بمغفرة وأجر كريم ) حسن ، وهو الجنة .

إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ (11)لما تضمن قوله : { وسواء عليهم أأنذرتهم أم لم تنذرهم } [ يس : 10 ] أن الإِنذار في جانب الذين حق عليهم القول أنهم لا يؤمنون هو وعدمه سواء وكان ذلك قد يُوهم انتفاء الجدوى من الغير وبعض من فضل أهل الإِيمان أعقب ببيان جدوى الإِنذار بالنسبة لمن اتبع الذكر وخشي الرحمان بالغيب .و { الذكر } القرآن .والاتّباع : حقيقته الاقتفاء والسَّيْر وراء سائر ، وهو هنا مستعار للإِقبال على الشيء والعناية به لأن المتبع شيئاً يعتني باقتفائه ، فاتباع الذكر تصديقُه والإِيمانُ بما فيه لأن التدبر فيه يفضي إلى العمل به ، كما ورد في قصة إيمان عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه فإنه وجد لَوْحاً فيه سورة طه عند أخته فأخذ يقرأُ ويتدّبر فآمن .وكان المشركون يُعرضون عن سماع القرآن ويصُدُّون الناس عن سماعه ، ويبين ذلك ما في قصة عبد الله بن أُبيّ ابن سَلول في مبدأ حلول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالمدينة " أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مرّ بمجلس عبد الله بن أُبَيّ فنزل فسلم وتلا عليهم القرآن حتى إذا فرغ قال عبدُ الله بن أُبَيّ : يا هذا إنه لا أحسن من حديثك إن كان حقاً ، فاجلس في بيتك فمن جاءك فحدّثْه ومن لم يأتك فلا تَغُتَّه به " . ولما كان الإِقبال على سماع القرآن مُفضياً إلى الإِيمان بما فيه لأنه يداخل القلب كما قال الوليد بن المغيرة «إن له لَحَلاوة ، وإن عليه لَطَلاوة ، وإن أسفله لمُغْدِق ، وإن أعلاه لمُثمر» . أُتبعت صلة { اتبع الذكر } بجملة { وخشي الرحمان بالغيب } ، فكان المراد من اتّباع الذكر أكمل أنواعه الذي لا يعقبه إعراض فهو مؤدَ إلى امتثال المتبِعين ما يدعوهم إليه .وخشية الرحمان : تقواه في خويصة أنفسهم ، وهؤلاء هم المؤمنون تنويهاً بشأنهم وبشأن الإِنذار ، فهذا قسيم قوله : { لقد حق القول على أكثرهم } [ يس : 7 ] وهو بقية تفصِيل قوله : { لتنذر قوماً } [ يس : 6 ] . والغرض تقوية داعية الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم في الإِنذار ، والثناءُ على الذين قَبِلوا نذارته فآمنوا .فمعنى فعل { تنذر } هو الإِنذار المترتب عليه أثره من الخشية والامتثال ، كأنه قيل : إنما تنذر فينتذر مَن اتبع الذكر ، أي مَن ذلك شأنهم لأنهم آمنوا ويتقون .والتعبير بفعل المضيّ للدلالة على تحقيق الاتّباع والخشية . والمراد : ابتداءً الاتّباع .ثم فرع على هذا التنويه الأمر بتبشير هؤلاء بمغفرة ما كان منهم في زمن الجاهلية وما يقترفون من اللمم .والجمع بين { تنذر } و «بشر» فيه محسن الطِباق ، مع بيان أن أول أمرهم الإِنذار وعاقبته التبشير .والأجر : الثواب على الإِيمان والطاعات ، ووصفه بالكريم لأنه الأفضل في نوعه كما تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { إني ألقي إلي كتاب كريم } في سورة النمل ( 29 ) .والتعبير بوصف الرحمان } دون اسم الجلالة لوجهين : أحدهما : أن المشركين كانوا ينكرون اسم الرحمان ، كما قال تعالى : { قالوا وما الرحمان } [ الفرقان : 60 ] . والثاني : الإِشارة إلى أن رحمته لا تقتضي عدم خشيته فالمؤمن يخشى الله مع علمه برحمته فهو يرجو الرحمة .فالقصر المستفاد من قوله : { إنما تنذر من اتبع الذكر } وهو قصر الإِنذار على التعلّق ب { من اتبع الذكر } وخشِي الله هو بالتأويل الذي تُؤُوّل به معنى فعل { تنذر } ، أي حصول فائدة الإِنذار يكون قصراً حقيقياً ، وإن أبيت إلا إبقاء فعل { تنذر } على ظاهر استعمال الأفعال وهو الدلالة على وقوع مصادرها فالقصر ادعائي بتنزيل إنذار الذين لم يتبعوا الذكر ولم يخشوا منزلة عدم الإِنذار في انتفاء فائدته .

والقسم الثاني: الذين قبلوا النذارة، وقد ذكرهم بقوله: { إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ } أي: إنما تنفع نذارتك، ويتعظ بنصحك { مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ } [أي:] من قصده اتباع الحق وما ذكر به، { وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ } أي: من اتصف بهذين الأمرين، القصد الحسن في طلب الحق، وخشية اللّه تعالى، فهم الذين ينتفعون برسالتك، ويزكون بتعليمك، وهذا الذي وفق لهذين الأمرين { فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ } لذنوبه، { وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ } لأعماله الصالحة، ونيته الحسنة.

قوله تعالى : إنما تنذر من اتبع الذكر يعني القرآن ، وعمل به . وخشي الرحمن بالغيب [ ص: 13 ] أي : ما غاب من عذابه وناره ، قاله قتادة . وقيل : أي : يخشاه في مغيبه عن أبصار الناس وانفراده بنفسه . فبشره بمغفرة : أي لذنبه ، وأجر كريم : أي الجنة .

If a man’s neck is encircled by chains, his head will stay raised and he will not be able to see anything below. This is the picture of those proud individuals who are so engrossed in self-aggrandisement that they are unable to see any reality beyond themselves. Such people never admit the Truth. It is very important for a man to be inclined to admit the Truth in order to avail of guidance; he should always be conscious and fearful of having to appear before God; he should never settle for anything less than the whole and absolute Truth. People who are so inclined towards the Truth as soon as it appears, consequently receive the greatest reward from God.

Verses 7 and 8 لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَىٰ أَكْثَرِ‌هِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ أَغْلَالًا (The word has indeed come true about most of them, so they will not believe. Surely We have placed iron collars on their necks, so they are reaching up to their chins, and their heads are forced to remain upraised.) mean that Allah Ta’ ala has already placed before human beings two alternate ways of life - the way of kufr (disbelief) and 'Iman (faith) and the way of Jannah (Paradise) and Jahannam (the Hell) - and to give direction and substance to this call of faith, He also sent prophets and Books. In fact, He went further ahead by giving human beings the choice to first identify what is good or bad for one and then take to either of the two ways. Now if there is that unfortunate person who does neither think, nor ponders over proofs spread throughout nature, nor listens to the call of the prophets, nor deliberates in the Book of Allah, then, once this person has made a choice and has taken to a way thus chosen, Allah Ta’ ala assembles for him everything he needs to achieve that end. One who embraces the wont of disbelief, for him the supply of things and circumstances that would increase his disbelief never run short. This is what has been expressed as: لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَىٰ أَكْثَرِ‌هِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (7) which means that against most of these people, because of their choice of the evil, the decisive verdict of Allah - that they are not going to believe - already stands pronounced. Given next is a similitude of their condition by saying that they look like people whose necks have been shackled in a manner that causes their faces and eyes stay upraised rendering them totally unable to see their way on the ground. If so, it is obvious that one cannot remain safe against the likelihood of falling down into some ditch or abyss. Then comes another similitude. It was said that it is like a wall having been placed as a barrier all around someone. Thus surrounded, this person becomes unaware of what is going on outside. Similarly, these infidels are surrounded by their ignorance and, on top of it, by their hostility and doggedness. Under these conditions, it is as if the truth present elsewhere simply does not reach them. Imam Razi (رح) has said that there are two kinds of barriers against perception. One barrier is of the kind that prevents one from seeing even himself. The second barrier is the inability to see one's surrounding. For the disbelievers, both kinds of barriers against seeing the truth were present. Therefore, the first example is that of the first barrier, that is, one who cannot bend his neck to lower his eyes cannot see even his own self or the state in which he exists. Then the second example is that of the second barrier that stops one from seeing his surroundings. (Ruh-ul- Ma’ ani) The majority of commentators have declared the present verse to be a similitude of their disbelief and hostility only. And some commentators, on the basis of some narrations, have taken it to be the description of an event, that is, Abu Jahl and some others, bent on killing or hurting the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، lunged towards him but Allah Ta’ ala cast curtain over their eyes. Thus, rendered helpless, they went back. Many similar events have been reported in books of Tafsir, such as, Ibn Kathir, Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani, al-Qurtubi, Mazhari and others. But, most of these are weak narrations. The Tafsir of the verse cannot be based on such sources.

(Thou warnest only) your warning by means of the Qur'an benefits only (him who followeth the Reminder) i.e. the Qur'an and acts upon its teachings, like Abu Bakr and his fellow believers (and feareth the Beneficent in secret) and works for the Beneficent even though he does not see him. (To him bear tidings of forgiveness) of his sins in the life of this world (and a rich reward) and a fair reward in Paradise.

You can only warn him who follows the Remembrance, and fears the Compassionate One in secret�He said:The one who worships God in his innermost secret (sirr), will be endowed with certainty (yaqīn) by God. The one who worships God with a truthful tongue, will find his heart ascends to the very Throne. The one who worships God with equity (inṣāf), will have the heavens and the earth weigh [in his favour]. He was asked, �What is equity (inṣāf) [in worship]?� He replied:It is that none of your bodily members moves unless it be for God. Furthermore, when you ask Him for the next day�s provision (rizq), your equity has left you, for the heart cannot bear two concerns (hammān). Equity between you and other people is when you take from them with the attitude that you are receiving a favour. However, if you demand to be treated justly, that means you are not being equitable. It was related of John the Baptist and Jesus that they went out walking, and John bumped into a woman, upon which Jesus said to him, �O son of my maternal aunt! Today you have committed a grave sin for which I do not think God will forgive you.� He responded, �And what is that?� He said, �You bumped into a woman.� He said, �By God, I did not notice her.� Jesus said �Glory be to God! Your body is with me but where is your heart?� He said, �It is attached to the Throne, and if my heart were to find rest with the angel Gabriel for just a blinking of the eye, I would consider myself as not having known God, Mighty and Majestic is He.�His words: