Muhammad — Verse 17

But those who are rightly guided namely the believers He God enhances their guidance and invests them with fear of Him He inspires them to do that by which they can be wary of ending up in the Fire.

The Description of the Situation of the Hypocrites and the Command to maintain Tawhid and seek Forgiveness Allah describes the hypocrites' stupidity and limited understanding. They used to sit before Allah's Messenger ﷺ and listen to his words without understanding anything. Then when they left from his presence, قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ (they say to those who have received knowledge) from the Companions مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفاً ("What is it that he has said just now") meaning, at this moment. They did not understand what he said, nor did they care about it. Allah says, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ (Such are the men whose hearts Allah has sealed because they followed their lusts.) which means that they had neither sound understanding nor correct intentions. Allah then says, وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى (And as for those who accept guidance, He increases them in guidance) which means that those who seek guidance, Allah facilitates it for them; He guides them to it, makes them firm on it, and gives them more of it. وَءَاتَـهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ (and bestows on them their Taqwa. ) meaning, He inspires them to their righteous guidance. Allah then says, فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً (Do they then await except that the Hour should come upon them suddenly) meaning, while they are unaware of it. فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا (But already there have come (some of) its portents;) meaning, the signs of its approach. This is similar to Allah's saying, هَـذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الاٍّوْلَى - أَزِفَتِ الاٌّزِفَةُ (This is a warner of the warners of old. The approaching Day has drawn near.) (53:56-57) And His saying, اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ (The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split.) (54:1) And His saying, أَتَى أَمْرُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ (The command of Allah is coming, so do not be impatient for it.) (16:1) And His saying, اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَـبُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ (The people's Day of Reckoning has approached while they turn away in heedlessness.) (21:1) Thus, the Messenger's ﷺ advent is one of the signs of the Hour, because he is the Finality of the Messengers. With him, Allah has completed the religion and established the evidence against all people in a way that was never done by a previous Prophet. Allah's Messenger ﷺ has most clearly informed about the signs and indications of the Hour, as we have discussed elsewhere. Al-Bukhari recorded from Sahl bin Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, that he saw Allah's Messenger ﷺ bring his index and middle fingers together while he said, «بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْن» (I have been sent before the Hour as these two (fingers).) Allah continues, فَأَنَّى لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ (and when it (actually) is on them, how can they benefit then by their reminder) meaning, how would remembering benefit the disbelievers when the Hour comes upon them This is similar to Allah's saying, يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنسَـنُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى (On that Day will the human being remember, but what would that remembrance avail him then) (89:23) And His saying, وَقَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ (They will say (in the Hereafter): "Now we believe in it!" But how could they claim belief from such a far place) (34:52) Allah then says, فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلأاللَّهِ (So know that La ilaha illallah) This is a declaration that there is no true God except Allah. It is not something that is easy for him to command the people to have knowledge of. That is why Allah connected it with, وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ (and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women.) In the Sahih, it is recorded that Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to say, «اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي هَزْلِي وَجِدِّي، وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي، وَكُلُّ ذلِكَ عِنْدِي» (O Allah, forgive my sin, my ignorance, my immoderation in my affairs, and all that You know better about my (faults) than myself. O Allah, forgive for me my joking, my seriousness, my unintended error, and my deliberate (mistakes) -- and I have done of all that.) It is also reported in the Sahih that he used to say at the end of the prayer, «اللْهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، أَنْتَ إِلهِي لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْت» (O Allah, forgive for me what I have previously done, what I may commit in future, what I have committed secretly, what I have committed openly, what I have done excessively, and all sins that You know better than me. You are my God. There is no (true) God except You.) It is also recorded in the Sahih that he used to say, «يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ، فَإِنِّي أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّة» (O people! Repent to your Lord! Verily, I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times every day.) Allah then says, وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ (And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest.) means, He knows how you behave during the day, and where you settle at night. This is similar to His saying, وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ (It is He Who takes your souls by night and knows all that you do by day.)(6:60) And He says, وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (And there is no moving creature on earth but its provision is up to Allah, and He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (before birth and after death) -- all is in a clear register.) (11:6)

والذين اهتدوا لاتِّباع الحق زادهم الله هدى، فقوي بذلك هداهم، ووفقهم للتقوى، ويسَّرها لهم.

أي والذين قصدوا الهداية وفقهم الله تعالى لها فهداهم إليها وثبتهم عليها وزادهم منها "وآتاهم تقواهم" أي ألهمهم رشدهم.

ثم يعقب - سبحانه - على ذلك ببيان حال المؤمنين الصادقين فيقول : ( والذين اهتدوا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقُوَاهُمْ ) أى : هذا هو حال المنافقين ، وهذا هو الحكم الذى يناسبهم ، أما الذين اهتدوا إلى الحق ، واستجابوا له ، وخالطت بشاشته قلوبهم ، فهم الذين زادهم الله - تعالى - هداية على هدايتهم .وزادهم علما وبصيرة وفقها فى الدين ، ومنحهم بفضله وإحسانه خلق التقوى والخشية منه ، والطاعة لأمره ، وكافأهم على ذلك بما يستحقون من ثواب جزيل .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ (17)يقول تعالى ذكره: وأما الذين وفَّقهم الله لاتباع الحقّ, وشرح صدورهم للإيمان به وبرسوله من الذين استمعوا إليك يا محمد, فإن ما تلوته عليهم, وسمعوه منك ( زَادَهُمْ هُدًى ) يقول: زادهم الله بذلك إيمانا إلى إيمانهم, وبيانا لحقيقة ما جئتهم به من عند الله إلى البيان الذي كان عندهم. وقد ذُكر أن الذي تلا عليهم رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم من القرآن, فقال أهل النفاق منهم لأهل الإيمان, ماذا قال آنفا, وزاد الله أهل الهدى منهم هدى, كان بعض ما أنـزل الله من القرآن ينسخ بعض ما قد كان الحكم مضى به قبل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن سعد, قال: ثنى أبي, قال: ثني عمي, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس, قوله ( وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ ) قال: لما أنـزل الله القرآن آمنوا به, فكان هدى, فلما تبين الناسخ والمنسوخ زادهم هدى.وقوله ( وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: وأعطى الله هؤلاء المهتدين تقواهم, وذلك استعماله إياهم تقواهم إياه.

( والذين اهتدوا ) يعني المؤمنين ( زادهم ) ما قال الرسول - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ( هدى وآتاهم تقواهم ) وفقهم للعمل بما أمرهم به ، وهو التقوى ، قال سعيد بن جبير : وآتاهم ثواب تقواهم .

وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآَتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ (17(جملة معترضة بين جملة { ومنهم من يستمع إليك } [ الأنعام : 25 ] وما فيهم عنها من قوله : { فهل ينظرون إلا الساعة } [ الزخرف : 66 ] والواو اعتراضية . والمقصود من هذا الاعتراض : مقابلة فريق الضلالة بفريق الهداية على الأسلوب الذي أقيمت عليه هذه السورة كما تقدم في أولها . فهذا أسلوب مستمر وإن اختلفت مواقع جمله .والمعنى : والذين شرح الله صدرهم للإيمان فاهتدوا لطَفَ الله بهم فزادهم هدى وأرسخ الإيمان في قلوبهم ووفقهم للتقوى ، فاتقوا وغالبوا أهواءهم . وإيتاء التقوى مستعار لتيسير أسبابها إذ التقوى معنى نفساني ، والإيتاء يتعدى حقيقة للذوات . وإضافة التقوَى إلى ضمير { الذين اهتدوا } إيماء إلى أنهم عرفوا بها واختصت بهم .

ثم بين حال المهتدين، فقال: { وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا } بالإيمان والانقياد، واتباع ما يرضي الله { زَادَهُمْ هُدًى } شكرا منه تعالى لهم على ذلك، { وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ } أي: وفقهم للخير، وحفظهم من الشر، فذكر للمهتدين جزاءين: العلم النافع، والعمل الصالح.

والذين اهتدوا أي للإيمان زادهم الله هدى . وقيل : زادهم النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - هدى . وقيل : ما يستمعونه من القرآن هدى ، أي : يتضاعف يقينهم . وقال الفراء : زادهم إعراض المنافقين واستهزاؤهم هدى . وقيل : زادهم نزول الناسخ هدى . وفي الهدى الذي زادهم أربعة أقاويل : أحدها : زادهم علما ، قاله الربيع بن أنس . الثاني : أنهم علموا ما سمعوا وعملوا بما علموا ، قاله الضحاك . الثالث : زادهم بصيرة في دينهم وتصديقا لنبيهم ، قاله الكلبي . الرابع : شرح صدورهم بما هم عليه من الإيمان . وآتاهم تقواهم أي ألهمهم إياها . وقيل : فيه خمسة أوجه : أحدها : آتاهم الخشية ، قاله الربيع . الثاني : ثواب تقواهم في الآخرة ، قاله السدي . الثالث : وفقهم للعمل الذي فرض عليهم ، قاله مقاتل . الرابع : بين لهم ما يتقون ، قاله ابن زياد والسدي أيضا . الخامس : أنه ترك المنسوخ والعمل بالناسخ ، قاله عطية . الماوردي : ويحتمل . سادسا : أنه ترك الرخص والأخذ بالعزائم . وقرئ ( وأعطاهم ) بدل وآتاهم وقال عكرمة : هذه نزلت فيمن آمن من أهل الكتاب .

It is characteristic of a hypocrite when he is in a serious-minded gathering, to seem to be outwardly very serious while his mind is busy with other things. He does not pay any attention to the words spoken by the preacher. When he comes out of the gathering, he asks other knowledgeable persons, ‘What did the venerable gentleman say?’ This is the price they have to pay on account of their desire-worship. They mire themselves in desire-worship and then are overwhelmed by it. Instead of allowing reason to prevail, they follow their own desires. The result is that their sensitivities become blunted and their minds do not remain capable of grasping the finer shades of reality. Unlike them, those who give importance to reality, and who bow down before true arguments, activate their intellect in the process. The inner knowledge and intense realisation of such individuals increase day-by-day. Their faith is never vitiated by their falling into a state of inertia.

Commentary The lexical item اشراط "ashrat" occurring in this passage means "signs". The portents of the last Hour starts with the very advent of Khatam-un-Nabiyyin ﷺ [ the Last of the Holy Prophets ] as the end of the Holy Prophethood is the sign of the approach of the last Hour. The miracle of the splitting of the moon by the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been described thus in the Holy Qur'an [ 54:1]: اقْتَرَ‌بَتِ السَّاعَةُ "The hour has drawn near and the moon has split." - indicating that this miracle is also one of the signs of the last Hour. These are initial portents of the Hour which appeared at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an. Besides, there are many other portents that have been predicted in authentic Ahadith, one of which is reported by Anas in which he says that I have heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Among the signs of the last hour is the removal of knowledge, abundance of ignorance, the prevalence of fornication, the prevalence of wine-drinking, the small number of men and the large number of women so that fifty women will have one man to look after them". (Bukhari and Muslim) A version has "knowledge will dwindle and ignorance will be widespread." Abu Hurayrah ؓ reports Allah's Messenger ﷺ as saying: "When the spoils of war are taken as personal wealth, property given in trust is treated as spoil, zakah is treated as a fine, learning is acquired for other than religious purpose, a man obeys his wife and is undutiful towards his mother, brings his friend near and drives his father far off, voices are raised in the mosques, the most wicked member of a tribe becomes its ruler, the most worthless member of a people becomes its leader, a man is honored through fear of the evil he may do, singing-girls and stringed-instruments make their appearance, wines are drunk, and the last members of this community curse the earlier ones, look at that time for a violent wind, an earthquake, being swallowed up by the earth, metamorphosis, pelting rain, and signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut. (Tirmidhi)

(While as for those who walk aright) through faith, (He addeth) by means of your sermon (to their guidance) an insight into the matters of religion and sincerity in their intention, (and giveth them their protection) and inspire them their fearingness by shunning transgression and avoiding unlawful matters; it is also said that this means: and those who are guided by the abrogating revelations, Allah increases their guidance in the abrogated revelations and Allah, glorified and Exalted is He, honours them with the use of both the abrogating and the abrogated.