The Forgiver, The Forgiving One — Verse 42

The Conclusion of the Believer's Words, and the ultimate Destiny of both Parties That believer said: `Why do I call you to salvation, which is the worship of Allah alone with no partner or associate, and belief in His Messenger, whom He has sent,' وَتَدْعُونَنِى إِلَى النَّارِتَدْعُونَنِى لاّكْـفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِ عِلْمٌ (while you call me to the Fire! You invite me to disbelieve in Allah, and to join partners in worship with Him of which I have no knowledge;) means, on the basis of ignorance, with no proof or evidence. وَأَنَاْ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ (and I invite you to the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving!) means, with all His might and pride, He still forgives the sin of the one who repents to Him. لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدْعُونَنِى إِلَيْهِ (La Jarama, you call me to one) They say it means, "Truly." As-Suddi and Ibn Jarir said that the meaning of His saying: لاَ جَرَمَ (La jarama) means "Truly." Ad-Dahhak said: لاَ جَرَمَ (La Jarama) means, "No lie." `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Ibn `Abbas said: لاَ جَرَمَ (La Jarama) means, "Indeed, the one that you call me to of idols and false gods لَيْسَ لَهُ دَعْوَةٌ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ (that does not have a claim in this world or in the Hereafter)." Mujahid said, "The idols that do not have anything." Qatadah said, "This means that idols possess no power either to benefit or to harm." As-Suddi said, "They do not respond to those who call upon them, either in this world or in the Hereafter." This is like the Ayah: وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لاَّ يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَآئِهِمْ غَـفِلُونَ - وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـفِرِينَ (And who is more astray than one who calls on besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are unaware of their calls to them And when the people are gathered, they will become their enemies and deny their worship.) (46:5-6) إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُواْ دُعَآءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُواْ مَا اسْتَجَابُواْ لَكُمْ (If you invoke them, they hear not your call; and if they were to hear, they could not grant it to you) (35:14). وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ (And our return will be to Allah,) means, in the Hereafter, where He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. He says: وَأَنَّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ (and the transgressors, they shall be the dwellers of the Fire!) meaning, they will dwell therein forever, because of their great sin, which is associating others in worship with Allah. فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ مَآ أَقُولُ لَكُـمْ (And you will remember what I am telling you,) means, `you will come to know the truth of what I enjoined upon `you and forbade you to do, the advice I gave you and what I explained to you. You will come to know, and you will feel regret at the time when regret will be of no avail.' وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِى إِلَى اللَّهِ (and my affair I leave it to Allah.) means, `I put my trust in Allah and seek His help, and I renounce you utterly.' إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ (Verily, Allah is the All-Seer of (His) servants.) means, He knows all about them, may He be exalted and sanctified, and He guides those who deserve to be guided and sends astray those who deserve to be sent astray; His is the perfect proof, utmost wisdom and mighty power. فَوقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَـرُواْ (So Allah saved him from the evils that they plotted,) means, in this world and in the Hereafter; in this world, Allah saved him along with Musa, peace be upon him, and in the Hereafter (He will admit him) to Paradise. Proof of the Torment of the Grave وَحَاقَ بِـَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ (while an evil torment encompassed Fir`awn's people.) this refers to drowning in the sea, then being transferred from there to Hell, for their souls are exposed to the Fire morning and evening until the Hour begins. When the Day of Resurrection comes, their souls and bodies will be reunited in Hell. Allah says: وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُواْ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ (And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Admit Fir`awn's people to the severest torment!") meaning, more intense pain and greater agony. This Ayah contains one of the major proofs used by the Ahlus-Sunnah to prove that there will be torment in the grave during the period of Al-Barzakh; it is the phrase: النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً (The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon). But the question arises: this Ayah was undoubtedly revealed in Makkah, but they use it as evidence to prove that there will be torment in the grave during the period of Al-Barzakh. Imam Ahmad recorded from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that a Jewish woman used to serve her, and whenever `A'ishah did her a favor, the Jewish woman would say, "May Allah save you from the torment of the grave. " `A'ishah said, "Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came in, and I said, `O Messenger of Allah, will there be any torment in the grave before the Day of Resurrection' He said, «لَا، مَنْ زَعَمَ ذَلِكَ؟» (No, who said that) I said, `This Jewish woman, whenever I do her a favor, she says: May Allah save you from the torment of the grave."' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «كَذَبَتْ يَهُودُ وَهُمْ عَلَى اللهِ أَكْذَبُ، لَا عَذَابَ دُونَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة» (The Jews are lying, and they tell more lies about Allah. There is no torment except on the Day of Resurrection.) Then as much time passed as Allah willed should pass, then one day he came out at midday, wrapped in his robe with his eyes reddening, calling at the top of his voice: «الْقَبْرُ كَقِطَع اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أَعْلَمُ لَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا وَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلًا، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، اسْتَعِـــــــــيذُوا بِاللهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، فَإِنَّ عَذَابَ الْقَبْرِ حَق» (The grave is like patches of dark night! O people, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little. O people, seek refuge with Allah from the torment of the grave, for the torment of the grave is real.)" This chain of narration is Sahih according to the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, although they did not record it. It was said, `how can this report be reconciled with the fact that the Ayah was revealed in Makkah and the Ayah indicates that there will be torment during the period of Al-Barzakh' The answer is that the Ayah refers to the souls (of Fir`awn and his people) being exposed to the Fire morning and evening; it does not say that the pain will affect their bodies in the grave. So it may be that this has to do specifically with their souls. With regard to there being any effect on their bodies in Al-Barzakh, and their feeling pain as a result, this is indicated in the Sunnah, in some Hadiths which we will mention below. It was said that this Ayah refers to the punishment of the disbelievers in Al-Barzakh, and that it does not by itself imply that the believer will be punished in the grave for his sins. This is indicated by the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, according to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon `A'ishah when a Jewish woman was with her, and she (the Jewish woman) was saying, "I was told that you will be tried in the grave." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was worried and said: «إِنَّمَا يُفْتَنُ يَهُود» (Only the Jews will be tested.) `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Several nights passed, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «أَلَا إِنَّكُمْ تُفْتَنُونَ فِي الْقُبُور» (Verily you will be tested in the graves.)" `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "After that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek refuge with Allah from the torment of the grave." This was also recorded by Muslim. It could be said that this Ayah indicates that the souls will be punished in Al-Barzakh, but this does not necessarily imply that the bodies in their graves will be affected by that. When Allah revealed something about the torment of the grave to His Prophet , he sought refuge with Allah from that. And Allah knows best. The Hadiths which speak of the torment of the grave are very many. Qatadah said, concerning the Ayah, غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً (morning and afternoon.): "(This means) every morning and every evening, for as long as this world remains, it will be said to them by way of rebuke and humiliation, O people of Fir`awn, this is your position." Ibn Zayd said, "They are there today, being exposed to it morning and evening, until the Hour begins. وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُواْ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ (And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir`awn's people to enter the severest torment!") The people of Fir`awn are like foolish camels, stumbling into rocks and trees without thinking." Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا مَاتَ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ مَقْعَدُهُ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَمِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ، فَيُقَالُ: هذَا مَقْعَدُكَ حَتْى يَبْعَثَكَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة» (When one of you dies, he is shown his place in Paradise or Hell morning and evening; if he is one of the people of Paradise, then he is one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell, then he is one of the people of Hell. It will be said to him, this is your place until Allah resurrects you to go to it on the Day of Resurrection.)" It was also reported in the Two Sahihs.

You call me to disbelieve in God and to associate with Him that whereof I have no knowledge whereas I call you to the Mighty Whose way always prevails the Forgiver to those who repent.

تدعونني لأكفر بالله، وأشرك به ما ليس لي به علم أنه يستحق العبادة من دونه- وهذا من أكبر الذنوب وأقبحها- وأنا أدعوكم إلى الطريق الموصل إلى الله العزيز في انتقامه، الغفار لمن تاب إليه بعد معصيته.

"تدعونني لأكفر بالله وأشرك به ما ليس لي به علم" أي على جهل بلا دليل "وأنا أدعوكم إلى العزيز الغفار" أي هو في عزته وكبريائه يغفر ذنب من تاب إليه.

وقوله : ( تَدْعُونَنِي لأَكْفُرَ بالله وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ . . ) بدل من قوله : ( وتدعونني إِلَى النار ) وتفسير وبيان له .أى : أنا أدعوكم إلى النجاة من النار ، وأنتم تدعوننى إلى الإِشراك بالله - تعالى - وإلى الكفر به ، مع أنى أعلم علم اليقين أنه - سبحانه - لا شريك له ، لا فى ذاته ولا فى صفاته .وقوله : ( وَأَنَاْ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى العزيز الغفار ) بيان للفرق الشاسع بين دعوته لهم ودعوتهم له .فهم يدعونه إلى الشرك والكفر ، وإلى عبادة آلهة قد قام الدليل القاطع على بطلانها ، وهو يدعوهم إلى عبادة الله - تعالى - وحده ، الغالب لكل ما سواه ، الواسع المغفرة لمن تاب إليه بعد أن عصاه . .

وقوله: ( تَدْعُونَنِي لأكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ ) يقول: وأشرك بالله في عبادته أوثانا, لست أعلم أنه يصلح لي عبادتها وإشراكها فى عبادة الله, لأن الله لم يأذن لي في ذلك بخبر ولا عقل.وقوله: ( وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ ) يقول: وأنا أدعوكم إلى عبادة العزيز في انتقامه ممن كفر به, الذي لا يمنعه إذا انتقم من عدوّ له شيء, الغفار لمن تاب إليه بعد معصيته إياه, لعفوه عنه, فلا يضرّه شيء مع عفوه عنه, يقول: فهذا الذي هذه الصفة صفته فاعبدوا, لا ما لا ضرّ عنده ولا نفع.

( تدعونني لأكفر بالله وأشرك به ما ليس لي به علم وأنا أدعوكم إلى العزيز الغفار ) في انتقامه ممن كفر ، الغفار لذنوب أهل التوحيد .

تَدْعُونَنِي لِأَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ (42) وهي { وتَدْعُونَنِي إلَى النَّارِ } فجملة { وتَدْعُونَنِي إلَى النَّارِ } في موضع الحال بتقدير مبتدأ ، أي وأنتم تدعونني إلى النار وليست بعطف لأن أصل استعمال : ما لي أفعل ، وما لي لا أفعل ونحوه ، أن يكون استفهاماً عن فعل أو حاللٍ ثبت للمجرور باللام ( وهي لام الاختصاص ) ، ومعنى لام الاختصاص يَكسب مدخولها حالةً خَفيًّا سببُها الذي عُلق بمدخول اللام نحو قوله تعالى : { ما لكم إذا قيل لكم انفروا في سبيل اللَّه اثّاقلتم إلى الأرض } [ التوبة : 38 ] { ما لي لا أرى الهدهد } [ النمل : 20 ] وقولك لمن يستوقفك : ما لك؟ فتكون الجملة التي بعد اسم الاستفهام وخبره جملة فعلية .وتركيب : ما لي ونحوه ، هو كتركيب : هل لك ونحوه في قوله تعالى : { فقل هل لك إلى أن تزكى } [ النازعات : 18 ] وقول كعب بن زهير: ... ألا بلغا عني بُجيرا رسالةفهل لك فيما قلتَ ويحْك هلْ لَكَ ... فإذا قامت القرينة على انتفاء إرادة الاستفهام الحقيقي انصرف ذلك إلى التعجب من الحالة ، أو إلى الإِنكار أو نحو ذلك . فالمعنى هنا على التعجب يعني أنه يعجب من دعوتهم إياه لدينهم مع ما رأوا من حرصه على نصحهم ودعوتهم إلى النجاة وما أتاهم به من الدلائل على صحة دعوته وبطلان دعوتهم .وجملة { تَدْعُونَنِي لأكْفُرَ بالله } بيان لجملة { وتدعونني إلى النار } لأن الدعوة إلى النار أمر مجمل مستغرب فبينه ببيان أنهم يدعونه إلى التلبس بالأسباب الموجبة عذاب النار . والمعنى : تدعونني للكفر بالله وإشراك ما لا أعلم مع الله في الإِلهية .ومعنى { مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ } ما ليس لي بصحته أو بوجوده علم ، والكلام كناية عن كونه يعلم أنها ليست آلهة بطريق الكناية بنفي اللازم عن نفي الملزوم .وعطف عليه { وأنا أدعوكم إلى العزيز الغفَّار } فكان بياناً لمجمل جملة { أدْعُوكُمْ إلَى النجاة } . وإبراز ضمير المتكلم في قوله : { وأنا أدعوكم } لإِفادة تقوِّي الخبر بتقديم المسند إليه على خبره الفعلي .وفعل الدعوة إذا ربط بمتعلق غير مفعوله يعدّى تارة باللام وهو الأكثر في الكلام ، ويعدى بحرف ( إلى ) وهو الأكثر في القرآن لما يشتمل عليه من الاعتبارات ولذلك علق به معموله في هذه الآية أربع مرات ب ( إلى ) ومرة باللام مع ما في ربط فعل الدعوة بمتعلقه الذي هو من المعنويات من مناسبة لام التعليل مثل { تدعونني لأكْفُرَ بالله وأُشْرِكَ بِهِ } ، وربطِه بما هو ذات بحرف ( إلى ) في قوله : { أدْعُوكم إلى النجاة } فإن النجاة هي نجاة من النار فهي نجاة من أمر محسوس ، وقوله : { وتدعونني إلى النَّار } وقوله : { وأنا أدعوكم إلى العزيز الغفار لا جرم أنما تدعونني إليه ليس له دعوة في الدنيا } الخ ، لأن حرف ( إلى ) دالّ على الانتهاء لأن الذي يدعو أحداً إلى شيء إنما يدعوه إلى أن ينتهي إليه ، فالدعاء إلى الله الدعاء إلى توحيده بالربوبية فشبه بشيء محسوس تشبيه المعقول بالمحسوس ، وشبه اعتقادُه صحتَه بالوصول إلى الشيء المسعي إليه ، وشبهت الدعوة إليه بالدلالة على الشيء المرغوب الوصول إليه فكانت في حرف ( إلى ) استعارة مكنية وتخييلية وتبعية ، وفي { العَزِيزِ الغفار } استعارة مكنية ، وفي { أدعوكم } استعارة تبعية وتخييلية .

ثم فسر ذلك فقال: { تَدْعُونَنِي لِأَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ } أنه يستحق أن يعبد من دون الله، والقول على الله بلا علم من أكبر الذنوب وأقبحها، { وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ } الذي له القوة كلها، وغيره ليس بيده من الأمر شيء. { الْغَفَّارُ } الذي يسرف العباد على أنفسهم ويتجرؤون على مساخطه ثم إذا تابوا وأنابوا إليه، كفر عنهم السيئات والذنوب، ودفع موجباتها من العقوبات الدنيوية والأخروية.

تدعونني لأكفر بالله وأشرك به ما ليس لي به علم وهو فرعون وأنا أدعوكم إلى العزيز الغفار

The true believer of Pharaoh’s court was not a prophet. But, in spite of his being alone, God saved him from the tyrannical plans of Pharaoh. This shows that even non-prophets—when they support the mission of truth—receive the same divine succour as was always promised by God to the prophets. Though the final decision about the fate of human beings will be taken on the Day of Judgement, when a man enters the other world after death, it is immediately clear to him as to what he had done in the previous world and what fate he is ordained to face. In this way, at a conscious level, he becomes involved in his final fate immediately after death and, while at a physical level, he will face it on the Day of Judgement, when God’s court is established.

The word: صرح (sarh) in verse 36: وَقَالَ فِرْ‌عَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْ‌حًا (And the Pharaoh said, "0 Haman, make a tower for me,) means a structure that rises high. An outward look at this statement suggests that the Pharaoh ordered his minister, Haman to build a structure that rises high into the sky close enough for him to go up, peek in and have a glimpse of God. If this wild thought, not imaginable even in the case of a man of very ordinary commonsense, really comes from Pharaoh, the sole master of the kingdom of Egypt, then, it is an evidence of his unbelievable folly - and if the minister carried out his orders, then, the apple did not fall far from the tree, as the king, so the courtier! Since no one expects any head of the state to go that wild in his imagination, therefore, some commentators have said that this much he too knew that, no matter how high a structure is made for him, he still cannot reach the skies (by that mode of ascent). But, he did that only to impress or confuse his people. Then, we have no sound and strong report to prove whether or not such a palatial high structure was ever raised. However, al-Qurtubi reports that this building was constructed, but once it reached its higher levels, it collapsed. My respected father, Maulana Muhammad Yasin, a dear disciple of Maulana Muhammad Ya` qub, the first principal of the famous Darul-` Uloom of Deoband in India has reported his learned teacher saying, 'For this lofty palace to collapse, it is not necessary that it be hit by some Divine punishment. The fact is that the height of every building depends on the capability of its foundation to bear weight. No matter how deep the foundation is laid, it cannot go deeper than a certain limit. Now, when levels after levels were added to this building, it was inevitable that, once it exceeded the capability of its foundation to bear additional weight, it must collapse.' This provides another proof of the folly of Pharaoh and Haman. Allah knows best.

(Ye call me to disbelieve in Allah and ascribe unto Him as partners that whereof I have no knowledge) they are His partners because I know for certain that He has no partner, (while I call you unto the Mighty) while I call you unto the divine Oneness of the Mighty in retribution against those who disbelieve in Him, (the Forgiver) of those who believe in Him.