Ya Sin, Ya-Seen — Verse 22
36:22 · Ya Sin
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وَمَا لِیَ لَاۤ أَعۡبُدُ ٱلَّذِی فَطَرَنِی وَإِلَیۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٢٢
wamā liya lā aʿbudu alladhī faṭaranī wa-ilayhi tur'jaʿūn
Ya Sin, Ya-Seen / Ya Sin (36:22)
Connections 3 single-source 3 commentators
Multi-source connections
No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mentions (3) cited by only one commentator
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Q 6:17 (al-An`am)
cited by
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Q 62:9 (al-Jumu`ah)
cited by
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Q 98:5 (al-Baiyinah)
cited by
By commentator who cites how many verses on this ayah
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Ma'arif-ul-Quran 1 verse
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Tafsir al-Tustari 1 verse
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 1 verse
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
Why should I not worship the One who created me? It is to Him that you will be returned
wamā liya lā aʿbudu alladhī faṭaranī wa-ilayhi tur'jaʿūn
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Tafsir Commentary
قَالَ يقَوْمِ اتَّبِعُواْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
(He said: "O my people! Obey the Messengers.") -- he urged his people to follow the Messengers who had come to them.
اتَّبِعُواْ مَن لاَّ يَسْـَلُكُمْ أَجْراً
(Obey those who ask no wages of you,) means, `for the Message which they convey to you, and they are rightly-guided in what they are calling you to, the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate.'
وَمَا لِىَ لاَ أَعْبُدُ الَّذِى فَطَرَنِى
(And why should I not worship Him Who has created me) means, `and what is there to stop me from sincerely worshipping the One Who has created me, and worshipping Him Alone, with no partner or associate'
وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
(and to Whom you shall be returned.) means, `on the Day of Resurrection, when He will requite you for your deeds: if they are good then you will be rewarded and if they are evil then you will be punished.'
أَءَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ ءَالِهَةً
(Shall I take besides Him gods) This is a rhetorical question intended to rebuke and chastise.
إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَـنُ بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّى شَفَـعَتُهُمْ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يُنقِذُونَ
(If the Most Gracious intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me.) means, `these gods whom you worship instead of Him possess no power whatsoever, if Allah wills me some harm,'
فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ
(none can remove it but He) (6:17). `These idols can neither cause any harm nor bring any benefit, and they cannot save me from the predicament I am in.'
إِنِّى إِذاً لَّفِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ
(Then verily, I should be in plain error.) means, `if I were to take them as gods instead of Allah.'
إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ
(Verily, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!) Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ka`b and Wahb, "He said to his people:
إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ
(`Verily, I have believed in your Lord) in Whom you have disbelieved,
فَاسْمَعُونِ
(so listen to me!)' means, listen to what I say." Or it may be that he was addressing the Messengers when he said:
إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ
(Verily, I have believed in your Lord,) meaning, `Who has sent you,'
فَاسْمَعُونِ
(so listen to me!) meaning, `bear witness to that before Him.' This was narrated by Ibn Jarir, who said, "And others said that this was addressed to the Messengers, and he said to them: `Listen to what I say and bear witness to what I say before my Lord, that I have believed in your Lord and have followed you.' This interpretation is more apparent, and Allah knows best. Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ka`b and Wahb, `When he said that, they turned on him as one, and killed him at once, and he had no one to protect him from that."' Qatadah said, "They started to stone him while he was saying, `O Allah, guide my people for they do not know, and they kept stoning him until he died a violent death, and he was still praying for them.' May Allah have mercy on him."
And why should I not worship Him Who originated me Him Who created me — in other words there is nothing to prevent me from worshipping Him when the necessitating factors for this exist and the same applies to you — and to Whom you shall be returned? after death whereupon He will requite you for your disbelief.
وأيُّ شيء يمنعني مِن أن أعبد الله الذي خلقني، وإليه تصيرون جميعًا؟
"وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني" أي وما يمنعني من إخلاص العبادة للذي خلقني وحده لا شريك له "وإليه ترجعون" أي يوم المعاد فيجازيكم على أعمالكم إن خيرا فخير وإن شرا فشر.
ثم أخذ بعد ذلك فى حض قومه على اتباع الحق ، عن طريق بيان الأسباب التى حملته على الإِيمان ، حتى يستثير قلوبهم نحو الهدى ، فقال - كما حكى القرآن عنه - : ( وَمَا لِيَ لاَ أَعْبُدُ الذي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ . أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ الرحمن بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يُنقِذُونَ . إني إِذاً لَّفِي ضَلاَلٍ مُّبِينٍ . إني آمَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فاسمعون ) .أى : قال الرجل الصالح لقومه : وأى مانع يمنعنى من أن أعبد الله - تعالى - وحده ، لأنه هو الذى خلقنى ولم أكن قبل ذلك شيئا مذكورا ، وهو الذى إليه يكون مرجعكم بعد مماتكم ، فيحاسبكم على أعمالكم فى الدنيا ، ويجازيكم عليها بما تستحقون من ثواب أو عقاب .
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَمَا لِيَ لا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (22)يقول تعالى ذكره مخبرًا عن قيل هذا الرجل المؤمن ( وَمَا لِيَ لا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي ) أي: وأي شيء لي لا أعبد الرب الذي خلقني ( وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ) يقول: وإليه تصيرون أنتم أيها القوم وتردون جميعًا، وهذا حين أبدى لقومه إيمانه بالله وتوحيده.كما حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق فيما بلغه، عن ابن عباس، وعن كعب الأحبار، وعن وهب بن منبه قال: ناداهم -يعني نادى قومه- بخلاف ما هم عليه من عبادة الأصنام، وأظهر لهم دينه وعبادة ربه، وأخبرهم أنه لا يملك نفعه ولا ضره غيره، فقال ( وَمَا لِيَ لا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ &; 20-507 &; تُرْجَعُونَ أَأَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً) ثم عابها، فقال ( إِنْ يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَنُ بِضُرٍّ ) وشدة ( لا تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلا يُنْقِذُونِ ).
( وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني وإليه ترجعون ) قرأ حمزة ويعقوب : " ما لي " بإسكان الياء ، والآخرون بفتحها . قيل : أضاف الفطرة إلى نفسه والرجوع إليهم ؛ لأن الفطرة أثر النعمة ، وكانت عليه أظهر ، وفي الرجوع معنى الزجر وكان بهم أليق .وقيل : إنه لما قال : اتبعوا المرسلين ، أخذوه فرفعوه إلى الملك ، فقال له الملك : أفأنت تتبعهم ؟ فقال : " وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني " وأي شيء لي إذا لم أعبد الخالق ) ( وإليه ترجعون ) تردون عند البعث فيجزيكم بأعمالكم .
وَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (22) وقوله : { وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني وإليه ترجعون } عطف على جملة { اتبعوا المرسلين } قَصد إشعارهم بأنه اتَّبع المرسلين وخلع عبادة الأوثان ، وأبرز الكلام في صورة استفهام إنكاري وبصيغة : ما لي لاَ أفعل ، التي شأنها أن يوردها المتكلم في ردَ على من أنكر عليه فعلاً ، أو ملكه العجب من فعله أو يوردها من يقدر ذلك في قلبه ، ففيه إشعار بأنهم كانوا منكرين عليه الدعوة إلى تصديق الرسل الذين جاؤوا بتوحيد الله فإن ذلك يقتضي أنه سبقهم بما أمرهم به .و { ما } استفهامية في موضع رفع بالابتداء ، والمجرور من قوله : { لي } خبر عن { ما } الاستفهامية .وجملة { لا أعبد } حال من الضمير . والمعنى : وما يكون لي في حال لا أعبد الذي فطرني ، أي لا شيء يمنعني من عبادة الذي خلقني ، وهذا الخبر مستعمل في التعريض بهم كأنه يقول : وما لي لا أعبد وما لكم لا تعبدون الذي فطركم بقرينة قوله : { وإليه ترجعون } ، إذ جعل الإِسناد إلى ضميرهم تقوية لمعنى التعرض ، وإنما ابتدأه بإِسناد الخبر إلى نفسه لإِبرازه في معرض المناصحة لنفسه وهو مريد مناصحتهم ليتلَطَّف بهم ويدارئهم فيسمعهم الحق على وجه لا يثير غضبهم ويكون أعون على قبولهم إياه حين يرون أنه لا يريد لهم إلا ما يريد لنفسه .
فكأن قومه لم يقبلوا نصحه، بل عادوا لائمين له على اتباع الرسل، وإخلاص الدين للّه وحده، فقال: { وَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ } أي: وما المانع لي من عبادة من هو المستحق للعبادة، لأنه الذي فطرني، وخلقني، ورزقني، وإليه مآل جميع الخلق، فيجازيهم بأعمالهم، فالذي بيده الخلق والرزق، والحكم بين العباد، في الدنيا والآخرة، هو الذي يستحق أن يعبد، ويثنى عليه ويمجد، دون من لا يملك نفعا ولا ضرا، ولا عطاء ولا منعا، ولا حياة ولا موتا ولا نشورا،
وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني وإليه ترجعون قال قتادة : قال له قومه : أنت على دينهم ؟ ! فقال : وما لي لا أعبد الذي فطرني أي : خلقني . وهذا احتجاج منه عليهم . وأضاف الفطرة إلى نفسه ; لأن ذلك نعمة عليه توجب الشكر ، والبعث إليهم ; لأن ذلك وعيد يقتضي الزجر ، فكان إضافة النعمة إلى نفسه أظهر شكرا ، وإضافة البعث إلى الكافر أبلغ أثرا .
The believer had risked his own life to support the call of the prophets before him. This action of his was of such great worth that he was sent to Paradise. After entering Paradise he did not speak ill of his people, although they were transgressors. On the contrary, he felt that, had they seen his reward, they would not have opposed the truth. This is the picture of a true believer. He is the well-wisher of others under all circumstances, even if he is oppressed by them.
In verse 20, it was said: وَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ (And there came a man rushing from the farthest part of the city.) In the first verse (13), the place where this incident transpired was expressed as: اَلقَریَۃ (al-qaryah: town) which, according to the Arabic lexical usage, does not signify a small village, instead, it means a habitation in the absolute sense. It may be a small habitation or a big city. Now, in this verse, this place has been identified as: اَمَدِینۃ (al-madinah), a name used only for a big city. From here, we learn that the habitation where this event took place was some big city. Hence, this too supports the saying where it has been identified as Antakiyah. The expression: أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ (aqsal-madinah: farthest part of the city) means outskirts of the city. The word: يَسْعَىٰ as a rushing) in the phrase: رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ has been derived from: سَعٰی يَسْعَىٰ (run) which means to walk in a running gait. Therefore, the expression would mean that a man came running from the farthest part of the city. Then, there are occasions when this word is also used in the sense of walking with concern, poise and sense of purpose to be accomplished - which may not include running- as in Surah Al-Jumu` ah: فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ (fas` aw ila dhikril-lah: hasten for the remembrance of Allah (Khutbah and Salah of Jumu'ah) - 62:9). Here, this very sense is intended.
The event relating to the person coming from the farthest part of the city
The noble Qur'an has left this too as ambiguous. It does not mention his name, nor does it say who he was. As part of historical narrations, Ibn Ishaq has reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Ka` b al-Ahbar And Wahb Ibn Munabbih that the name of this person was Habib. There are different sayings about his profession. The most famous is the one that says that he was a carpenter. (Ibn Kathir).
Other historical narrations reported by commentators at this stage tell us that this person too was initially an idolater. He happened to meet the two messengers who came to this town the first time. It was either as a result of their teachings or, as it appears in some narrations, by seeing extraordinary working of wonders at their hands, his heart was lit with faith. He repented from past idolatry, embraced Islam and retired to a cave devoting to worship. When he got the news that the people of the city have rejected the teachings of these messengers, have become hostile to them and were threatening to kill them, he came to his people prompted by the mixed objectives of his concern for their good as well as the safety of the messengers. He advised them to follow these messengers and declared that he himself had become a believer: (I have believed in your Lord; so listen to me.- 25)
And he said to them in reply: (For what cause should I not serve Him Who hath created me, and unto Whom ye will be brought back) after you die?
�And why should I not worship the One who created Me�� He [Sahl] was asked about the best form of worship and replied:It is sincerity (ikhlāṣ), in accordance with His words, And they were only commanded to worship God alone, devoting religion purely to Him (mukhliṣīna lahu al-dīn) [98:5]. No one�s actions become truly sincere, nor his worship whole, as long as he tries to evade four things: hunger (jūʿ), nakedness (ʿury), poverty (faqr) and abasement (dhilla). Indeed, God, Exalted is He, made his servants worship Him through the following three: the intellect (ʿaql), the spirit (rūḥ) and [physical] strength (quwwa). If he is afraid of [losing] two of these, the loss of intellect and theloss of the spirit, then he should take pains to perform well [the acts of worship]. As for [the loss of] physical strength, then there is no taking pains to perform them or learn them well, even if he prays seated. His words, Exalted is He: