The Table, The Table Spread — Verse 36

Commanding Taqwa, Wasilah, and Jihad Allah commands His faithful servants to fear Him in Taqwa, which if mentioned along with acts of obedience, it means to refrain from the prohibitions and the prohibited matters. Allah said next, وَابْتَغُواْ إِلَيهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ (seek the Wasilah to Him.) Sufyan Ath-Thawri said that Talhah said that `Ata' said that Ibn `Abbas said that Wasilah means `the means of approach'. Mujahid, Abu Wa'il, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others gave the same meaning for Wasilah. Qatadah said that the Ayah means, "Seek the means of approach to Him by obeying Him and performing the acts that please Him." أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ (Those whom they call upon seek a means of access to their Lord (Allah).) 17:57 Wasilah is a means of approach to achieve something, and it is also used to refer to the highest grade in Paradise, and it is the grade of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his residence and the nearest grade in Paradise to Allah's Throne. Al-Bukhari recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ،إِلَّا حَلَّتْ لَهُ الشَّفَاعَةُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة» (Whoever, after hearing to the Adhan says, "O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Grant Muhammad the Wasilah and superiority and send him on the Day of Judgment to the praiseworthy station which You have promised him," then intercession from me will be permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection.) Muslim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that he heard the Prophet saying, «إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ، ثُمَّ صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَاةً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا، ثُمَّ سَلُوا لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ، فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَا تَنْبَغِي إِلَّا لِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ، وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُوَ، فَمَنْ سَأَلَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ حَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّفَاعَة» (When you hear the Mu'adhdhin, repeat what he says, and then ask for Salah (blessing, mercy from Allah) for me. Verily, whoever asks for Salah for me, then Allah will grant ten Salah to him. Then, ask for the Wasilah for me, for it is a grade in Paradise that only one servant of Allah deserves, and I hope that I am that servant. Verily, whoever asks (Allah) for Wasilah for me, he will earn the right of my intercession.) Allah said, وَجَـهِدُواْ فِى سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (and strive hard in His cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.) After Allah commanded Muslims to avoid the prohibitions and to work towards obedience, He commanded them to fight against their enemies, the disbelievers and idolators who have deviated from the straight path and abandoned the correct religion. Allah encouraged the believers by reminding them of the unending success and great happiness that He prepared for them for the Day of Resurrection, which will never change or decrease for those who join Jihad in His cause. They will remain in the lofty rooms of Paradise that are safe and beautiful. Those who live in these dwellings will always be comfortable and will never be miserable, living, never dying, and their clothes will never grow thin, nor will their youth ever end. No Amount of Ransom Shall Be Accepted from the Disbelievers onthe Day of the Judgment and They Will Remain in the Fire Allah then describes the painful torment and punishment that He has prepared for His disbelieving enemies for the Day of Resurrection. Allah said, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them. And theirs would be a painful torment.) So if a disbeliever brought the earth's fill of gold, and twice as much as that amount on the Day of Judgment to ransom himself from Allah's torment that has surrounded him, and he is certain that he will suffer from it, it will not be accepted of him. Rather, there is no escaping the torment, and he will not be able to evade or save himself from it. Hence Allah's statement, وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (And theirs would be a painful torment.) meaning, hurtful, يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَخْرُجُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا هُم بِخَـرِجِينَ مِنْهَا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ (They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom, and theirs will be a lasting torment.) In another Ayah, Allah said, كُلَّمَآ أَرَادُواْ أَن يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا مِنْ غَمٍّ أُعِيدُواْ فِيهَا (Every time they seek to get away therefrom, in anguish, they will be driven back therein.) Therefore, they will still long to leave the torment because of the severity and the pain it causes. They will have no way of escaping it. The more the flames lift them to the upper part of Hell, the more the angels of punishment will strike them with iron bars and they will fall down to its depths, وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ (And theirs will be a lasting torment.) meaning, eternal and everlasting, and they will never be able to depart from it or avoid it. Anas bin Malik said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يُؤْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ:يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَ مَضْجَعَكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: شَرَّ مَضْجَعٍ، فَيُقَالُ: هَلْ تَفْتَدِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ ذَهَبًا؟ قَالَ: فَيَقُولُ: نَعَمْ يَارَبِّ فَيَقُولُ اللهُ: كَذَبْتَ، قَدْ سَأَلْتُكَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذلِكَ فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ، فَيُؤْمَرُ بِهِ إِلَى النَّار» (A man from the people of the Fire will be brought forth and will be asked, `O son of Adam! How did you find your dwelling' He will say, `The worst dwelling.' He will be told, `Would you ransom yourself with the earth's fill of gold' He will say, `Yes, O Lord!' Allah will say to him, `You have lied. I asked you for what is less than that and you did not do it,' and he will be ordered to the Fire.) Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded it.

Truly as for the disbelievers if they possessed definitely all that is in the earth and the like of it with it by which to ransom themselves from the chastisement of the Day of Resurrection it would not be accepted from them; theirs shall be a painful chastisement.

Truly as for the disbelievers if they possessed definitely all that is in the earth and the like of it with it by which to ransom themselves from the chastisement of the Day of Resurrection it would not be accepted from them; theirs shall be a painful chastisement.

[Truly, as for the disbelievers, if they possessed] all that is in the earth, that is, what is contained in the lower aspect, as these are the causes for the increase of the veil and [of] distance, and the only success can be found in the upper aspect in the way of gnoses and luminous realities.

[Truly, as for the disbelievers, if they possessed] all that is in the earth, that is, what is contained in the lower aspect, as these are the causes for the increase of the veil and [of] distance, and the only success can be found in the upper aspect in the way of gnoses and luminous realities.

إن الذين جحدوا وحدانية الله، وشريعته، لو أنهم ملكوا جميع ما في الأرض، وملكوا مثله معه، وأرادوا أن يفتدوا أنفسهم يوم القيامة من عذاب الله بما ملكوا، ما تَقبَّل الله ذلك منهم، ولهم عذاب مُوجع.

ثم أخبر تعالى بما أعد لأعدائه الكفار من العذاب والنكال يوم القيامة فقال "إن الذين كفروا لو أن لهم ما في الأرض جميعا ومثله معه ليفتدوا به من عذاب يوم القيامة ما تقبل منهم ولهم عذاب أليم " أي لو أن أحدهم جاء يوم القيامة بملء الأرض ذهبا وبمثله ليفتدي بذلك من عذاب الله الذي قد أحاط به وتيقن وصوله إليه ما تقبل ذلك منه بل لا مندوحة عنه ولا محيص له ولا مناص ولهذا قال " ولهم عذاب أليم " أي موجع.

وبعد أن حض - سبحانه - عباده المؤمنين على تقواه والتقرب إليه بصالح الأعمال لكي ينالوا الفلاح والنجاح ، عقب ذلك ببيان ما أعده للكافرين من عذاب أليم فقال - تعالى - :( إِنَّ الذين كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ . . . )المعنى : ( إِنَّ الذين كَفَرُواْ ) بآياتنا وجحدوا الحق الذي جاءتهم به رسلنا ( لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِي الأرض جَمِيعاً ) أي : لو أن لم جميع ما في الأرض من أموال وخيرات ومنافع ( وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ ) أي : وضعفه معه ، وقدموا كل ذلك ( لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ ) أي : ليخلصوا به أنفسهم ( مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ القيامة مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ ) أي : ما قبله الله منهم ، لأن سنته قد اقتضت أن تكون نجاة الإِنسان من العذاب يوم القيامة متوقفة على الإِيمان والعمل الصالح ، لا على الأموال وما يشبهها من حطام الدنيا مهما عظم شأنها وكثر عددها . ( وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ) أي : شديد في آلامه وأوجاعه .فالآية الكريمة تبين ما أعده الله - تعالى - يوم القيامة للكافرين بآياته من عذاب أليم ، لن يصرفه عنهم صارف مهما قدموا من ثمن ، أو بذلوا من أموال .وقوله ( لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ ) إلخ ، جملة شرطية جوابها قوله تعالى ( مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ ) وهذه الجملة الشرطية وجوابها خبر إن في قوله : ( إِنَّ الذين كَفَرُواْ ) .وصدرت الآية الكريمة بأداة التوكيد " إن " للرد على ما ينكره الكافرون من وقوع عذاب عليهم يوم القيامة فقد حكى القرآن عنهم أنهم قالوا : ( نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلاَداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ ) .والمراد بقوله : ( لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ ) أي : لو أن لكل واحد من هم منفرداً ، ما في الأرض جميعا ومثله معه ، وقدمه يوم القيامة ليخلص نفسع من العذاب ، سما قبل منه ذلك الذي قدمه . وفي ذلك ما فيه من ثبوت العذاب عليهم ووقوعه بهم لا محالة . وقوله : ( جميعا ) توكيد للموصول وهو ( ما ) في قوله : ( مَّا فِي الأرض ) أو حال منه : وقوله : ( ومثله ) معطوف على اسم أن وهو ( ما ) الموصولة .وقوله : ( معه ) ظرف واقع موقع الحال من المعطوف والضمير يعود إلى الموصول . وجاء الضمير المجرور في قوله ( لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ ) بصيغة الإِفراد ، مع أن الذي تقدمه شيئان وهما : ما في الأرض جميعا ومثله . للإِشارة إلى أنهما لتلازمهما قد صارا بمنزلة شيء واحد . أو لإِجراء الضمير مجرى اسم الإِشارة بأن يؤول المرجع المتعدد بالمذكور أي ليفتدوا بذلك المذكور من عذاب يوم القيامة ما تقيل منهم .ونفي - سبحانه - قبول الفدية منهم بقوله : ( مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُم ) لإِفادة تأكيد هذا النفي واستبعاده ، إذ أن صيغة " التقبل " تدل على تكلف القبول أي : أنه لا يمكن قبول الفداء منهم مهما قدموا من أموال ومهما بذلوا من محاولات في سبيل الوصول لغرضهم .قال الفخر الرازي : والمقصود من هذا الكلام التمثيل للزوم العذاب لهم ، فإنه لا سبيل لهم إلى الخلاص منه .روى البخاري عن أنس بن مالك قال : قال رسول الله صلى عليه وسلم :" يؤتي بالرجل من أهل النار فيقال له : يا بن آدم كيف وجدت مضجعك؟ فيقول : شر مضجع . فيقال له . أرأيت لو كان لك ملء الأرض ذهبا أكنت تفتدي به؟ فيقول : نعم ، فيقال له : قد كنت سئلت ما هو أيسر من ذلك : أن لا تشرك بالله شيئاً فيؤمر به إلى النار " .

القول في تأويل قوله عز ذكره : إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُوا بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (36)قال أبو جعفر: يقول عز ذكره: إن الذين جحدوا ربوبية ربّهم وعبدوا غيرَه، من بني إسرائيل الذين عبدوا العجل، ومن غيرهم الذين عبدوا الأوثان والأصنام، وهلكوا على ذلك قبل التوبة= لو أن لهم مِلك ما في الأرض كلِّها وضعفَه معه، ليفتدوا به من عقاب الله إياهم على تركهم أمرَه، وعبادتهم غيره يوم القيامة، فافتدوا بذلك كله، ما تقبَّل الله منهم ذلك فداءً وعِوضًا من عذابهم وعقابهم، بل هو معذّبهم في حَمِيم يوم القيامة عذابًا موجعًا لهم.&; 10-293 &;وإنما هذا إعلامٌ من الله جل ثناؤه لليهود الذين كانوا بين ظهرانَيْ مُهاجَرِ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أنَّهم وغيرهم من سائر المشركين به، سواءٌ عنده فيما لهم من العذاب الأليم والعقاب العظيم. وذلك أنهم كانوا يقولون: لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلا أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَةً ، اغترارًا بالله جل وعزّ وكذبًا عليه. فكذبهم تعالى ذكره بهذه الآية وبالتي بعدها، وحَسَم طمعهم، فقال لهم ولجميع الكفرة به وبرسوله: " إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُوا بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ * يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا هُمْ بِخَارِجِينَ مِنْهَا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ ، يقول لهم جل ثناؤه: فلا تطمعوا أيُّها الكفرة في قَبُول الفدية منكم، ولا في خروجكم من النار بوسَائل آبائكم عندي بعد دخولكموها، إن أنتم مُتّم على كفركم الذي أنتم عليه، ولكن توبوا إلى الله توبةً نَصُوحًا. (138)* * *---------------الهوامش:(138) انظر تفسير ألفاظ هذه الآية فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة.

إن الذين كفروا لو أن لهم ما في الأرض جميعا ومثله معه ليفتدوا به من عذاب يوم القيامة ما تقبل منهم ) أخبر أن الكافر لو ملك الدنيا كلها ومثلها معها ثم فدى بذلك نفسه من العذاب لم يقبل منه ذلك الفداء ، ( ولهم عذاب أليم )

الأظهر أنّ هذه الجملة متّصلة بجملة { ولهم في الآخرة عذاب عظيم } [ المائدة : 33 ] اتّصال البيان؛ فهي مبيّنة للجملة السابقة تهويلاً للعذاب الّذي توعّدهم الله به في قوله : { ذلك لهم خزي في الدّنيا ولهم في الآخرة عذاب عظيم } [ المائدة : 33 ] فإنّ أولئك المحاربين الّذين نزلت تلك الآية في جزائهم كانوا قد كفروا بعد إسلامهم وحاربوا الله ورسوله ، فلمّا ذكر جزاؤهم عقّب بذكر جزاء يَشملهم ويشمل أمثالهم من الّذين كفروا وذلك لا يناكد كون الآية للسابقة مراداً بها ما يشتمل أهل الحرابة من المسلمين .والشرط في قوله : { لَوْ أنّ لَهُمْ مَا في الأرض } مقدّر بفعل دلّت عليه ( أنّ ) ، إذ التّقدير : لو ثبت ما في الأرض مِلكاً لهم؛ فإنّ ( لَوْ ) لاختصاصها بالفعل صحّ الاستغناء عن ذكره بعدها إذا وردت ( أنّ ) بعدها . وقوله { ومثلَه معه } معطوف على { ما في الأرض } ، ولا حاجة إلى جعله مفعولاً معه للاستغناء عن ذلك بقوله { معه } . واللام في { ليفتدوا به } لتعليل الفعل المقدّر ، أي لو ثبت لهم ما في الأرض لأجل الافتداء به لا لأجل أن يكنزوه أو يهبوه .وأفرد الضمير في قوله : { به } مع أنّ المذكور شيئان هما : { ما في الأرض } { ومثلَه } : إمّا على اعتبار الضّمير راجعاً إلى { ما في الأرض } فقط ، ويكون قوله { ومثلَه معه } معطوفاً مقدّماً من تأخير . وأصل الكلام لو أنّ لهم ما في الأرض ليفتدوا به ومثلَه معه . ودلّ على اعتباره مقدّماً من تأخير إفراد الضّمير المجرور بالباء . ونكتة التّقديم تعجيل اليأس من الافتداء إليهم ولو بمضاعفة ما في الأرض . وإمَّا ، وهو الظاهر عندي ، أن يكون الضّمير عائداً إلى { مثله معه } ، لأنّ ذلك المثل شمل ما في الأرض وزيادة فلم تبق جدوى لفرض الافتداء بما في الأرض لأنّه قد اندرج في مثله الذي معه .ويجوز أن يُجرى الضّمير مجرى اسم الإشارة في صحّة استعماله مفرداً مع كونه عائداً إلى متعدّد على تأويله بالمذكور؛ وهذا شائع في اسم الإشارة كقوله تعالى : { عوان بين ذلك } [ البقرة : 68 ] أي بين الفارض والبكر ، وقوله : { ومن يفعل ذلك يَلْق أثاماً } [ الفرقان : 68 ] إشارة ما ذكر من قوله : { والّذين لا يدعون مع الله إلهاً آخر ولا يقتلون النّفس الّتي حرّم الله إلاّ بالحقّ ولا يزنون } [ الفرقان : 68 ] ، لأنّ الإشارة صالحة للشيء وللأشياء ، وهو قليل في الضّمير ، لأنّ صيغ الضّمائر كثيرة مناسبة لِما تعود إليه فخروجها عن ذلك عدول عن أصل الوضع ، وهو قليل ولكنّه فصيح ، ومنه قوله تعالى : { قُلْ أرأيتم إن أخذ الله سمعكم وأبصاركم وختم على قلوبكم مَن إله غير الله يأتيكم به } [ الأنعام : 46 ] أي بالمذكور . وقد جعله في «الكشاف» محمولاً على اسم الإشارة ، وكذلك تأوّله رؤبة لمّا أنشد قولَه :فيها خُطوط من سوادِ وبَلَق ... كأنّه في الجلد توليعُ البَهَقفقال أبو عبيدة : قلت : لرؤبة إن أردت الخطوط فقُل : كأنَّها ، وإن أردتَ السوادَ فقل : كأنّهما ، فقال : أردتُ كأنّ ذلكَ وَيْلَكَ . ومنه في الضّمير قوله تعالى : { وآتوا النّساء صدقاتهنّ نحلة فإن طبن لكم عن شيء منه نفساً } [ النساء : 4 ] . وقد تقدّم عند قوله تعالى : { عوان بين ذلك } في سورة البقرة ( 68 ) .

تفسير الآيتين 36 و37 : يخبر تعالى عن شناعة حال الكافرين بالله يوم القيامة ومآلهم الفظيع، وأنهم لو افتدوا من عذاب الله بملء الأرض ذهبا ومثله معه ما تقبل منهم، ولا أفاد، لأن محل الافتداء قد فات، ولم يبق إلا العذاب الأليم، الموجع الدائم الذي لا يخرجون منه أبدا، بل هم ماكثون فيه سرمدا.

لا يوجد تفسير لهذه الأية

The principle on which God has created the system of this world is that everybody should discharge his duty, and nobody should unnecessarily interfere in the sphere of others. All inanimate objects and animals follow this natural law. Human beings also have been given clear instructions to this effect through the prophets. But human beings who, unlike other creatures, have been given freedom for the time being, rebel, and in that way create a disturbance in the system of Nature. Such people are the worst criminals in the eyes of God. And those who declare war against God and His prophet are still worse criminals. Such people frequently indulge in acts of terrorism. This runs counter to God’s call to His subjects to refrain from creating disturbances. It also negates His invitation to them to lead their lives according to divine Nature. For such people there is a terrible punishment in this world and an all-consuming fire in the Hereafter.

Commentary In verses previous to those cited above, the Islamic Prescribed Punishment of robbery and rebellion, as well as the details of injunctions relating to them, were mentioned while the Prescribed Punishment for theft is coming up after three verses later. The three verses which appear in between talk about Taqwa (the fear of Allah), obedience to and the worship of Allah, inducement to Jihad (fighting or struggling in the way of Allah ) as well as the ruinous effects of disbelief, rejection, obstinacy and disobedience. A deeper look into this particular style of the Qur'an would reveal that its oft-recurring approach is not simply to state the letter of the law of penalty and punishment as some cold and coercive command from the law giver and just leave it at that, instead, by taking the approach of an affectionate nourisher and nurturer, it also smooths out the edges of the human mind to prepare it for its ultimate abstention from crimes. And when it awakens the human minds to the awaiting realities of the fear of Allah and the Akhirah (Hereafter) and when it makes the everlasting blessing and bliss of Paradise appear almost in sight, it goes on to change hearts replacing their chronic taste for crime with instant distaste. This is the reason why words similar to: اِتَّقُوا اللہِ (fear Allah) are repeated after stated laws of crime and punishment. Here too, three things have been commanded: 1. The first one is : اِتَّقُوا اللہِ , that is, ` fear Allah', for it is the fear of Allah alone which can really stop human beings from committing crimes openly and secretly. 2. The second one is that is, ` seek the nearness of Allah.' The word, وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ : wasilah, left untranslated, is a derivation from the verbal noun, ` waslun', which means to make effort to become close to someone. This word, whether spelt with the letter, sin سین : وسیلہ) or sad (وصیلہ : صاد), is used almost in the same sense. The only difference is that waslun spelt with the letter, Sad (صاد) refers to becoming close in the absolute sense, while, waslun spelt with the letter, sin, is used to denote seeking to gain nearness with longing and love. Related details appear in the Sihah of Jauhari and in the Mufradat of Raghib al-Isfahani. So, wuslah (وصلہ) or wasilah (وصیلہ) spelt with the letter, Sad, refer to something which brings about nearness or conjunction between two things, whether that nearness comes to be through longing and love, or in some other form. As for the word, wasilah (وسیلہ) spelt with the letter, sin, it means that which brings someone closer to some-one else through liking and love. (Lisan al-` Arab, Mufradat al-Qur'an) The act of seeking to gain access to Allah - that is,` wasilah' to Allah, to be precise - is anything which brings a servant of Allah nearer to his or her sole object of worship with all longing and love. Therefore, the righteous elders, the Sahabah and Tabi` in have explained the word, ` wasilah', to mean obedience, nearness, faith and righteous conduct. Sayyidna 1Iudhayfah, as reported by Hakim, said : ` Wasilah' means nearness and obedience, and Ibn Jarir has reported the same on the authority of ` Ata', Mujahid and Hasan al-Basri, may the mercy of Allah be upon them all. Also, Ibn Jarir and others have reported from Qatadah a Tafsir of this verse which is : تَقَرَّبُوا الیہِ بطاعتہِ والعَمَل ھِما یُرضیِیہ . It means: Seek nearness to Him by obedience to Him and by doing deeds which please Him. Therefore, the gist of the explanation of this verse is that one should seek the nearness of Allah through 'lman (faith) and Amal (good deeds). Appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad, there is a sound (Sahih) hadith in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: ` Wasilah' is a high rank of Paradise, above which there is no rank. You pray to Almighty Allah that He gives me that rank. Again, in a narration from Sahih Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: When the Mu'adhdhin مؤذَّن): Muezzin) calls the Adhan, you keep saying what he says. Then, recite Durud on me and pray that I be blessed with ` Wasilah.' These ahadith tell us that ` Wasilah' is a special rank of Jannah (Paradise) which is identified particularly with the Holy Prophet . As for the command to seek and find ` Wasilah' given to every believer, it seems to be, on the surface, contrary to this particularity. But, the answer is fairly clear that the way the highest station of guidance is special to the Holy Prophet ﷺ who always prayed for it, but, its elementary and intermediary ranks of guidance are common and open to all Muslims - similarly, the high rank of ` Wasilah' is particular to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and all ranks after it are open and common to all believers through the linkage of their love for him. In his Letters, the famous renovator of the second millennium of Islam in India, Mujaddid Alf-Thani, and Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat, in his Tafsir Mazhari, have both warned that the sense of longing and love embedded in the word, ` Wasilah', clearly shows that advancement in the ranks of ` Wasilah' depends on the love for Almighty Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - and love comes through the following of Sunnah, the words and deeds of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This is because Al mighty Allah says: فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ (Say [ 0 Prophet ], "If you do love Allah, follow me; Allah shall love you ..."- 3:31). Therefore, the more particular one is in following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in acts of worship, transactions, dealings, morals, social living, practically in all departments of life, the more beloved of Allah one shall be, and the more widening becomes the gyre of this love, the closer and nearer to Allah one shall be. Now, after this lexical explanation of the word, ` Wasilah,' and the exegetical notes from the Sahabah and Tabi` in, we do know how every-thing which becomes the means of achieving the pleasure and nearness of Allah is, for a human being, the ` Wasilah' of becoming close to Allah. As included in it are faith ('Iman) and good deeds (al-a` mal alsalih الاعمال اصالح), so included therein are the company and the love of prophets and righteous people as well, for that too is one of the causes of the pleasure of Allah - and so, praying to Allah Almighty by making them a Wasllah' should be correct, as was done by Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، when he, at the time of a famine, making Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ ` Wasilah,' made a prayer for rains before Almighty Allah. The prayer was answered. It is reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had himself taught a blind Sahabi to pray with the words which are as follows : اَللَّھُمَّ اِنِّی اَسأَلُک وَ اَتَوَجَّہُ اِلَیکَ بِنَبِیِّکَ مُحَمَّدِ نَبِیِّ الرَّحمَۃِ ; ( O Allah, I seek from You, and I ask for Your attention with (the Wasilah of) Your Prophet, Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. (Manar) 3. Before taking up the third command, that of Jihad, in this verse (35), it will be useful to recollect the first command, that of Taqwa, then the command to seek nearness to Allah through faith and good deeds, and now in the end it was said: وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ (and carry out Jihad in His way). Though Jihad was included under ` good deeds' yet it was to spell out the higher status of Jihad among ` good deeds' that Jihad was mentioned separately and distinctly - as confirmed by a saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which is: وَ ذِروَۃُ سَنَامِہِ الجِھَادُ that is, Jihad is the highest peak of Islam. Moreover, there is yet another element of wisdom why Jihad has been mentioned distinctly at this place. It will be recalled that the unlawfulness of spreading disorder on the earth, alongwith its worldly and other-worldly punishment, was mentioned in previous verses (32, 33). Since Jihad too, given a surface view of it (or, as those allergic to it would love to believe), appears to be some form of disorder on the earth (al-fasad fi al-ard), therefore, it was possible that someone ignorant could just fail to understand the difference between Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah) and Fasad (spreading disorder). To offset this possibility, the spreading of disorder on the earth was for-bidden first and it was after that that the command of Jihad was mentioned distinctly and the difference between the two was pointed out by the addition of the words : فِي سَبِيلِهِ (in His way). This is because the killing and plundering of the property of people in robberies and rebel-lions is for the sole purpose of personal aggrandizement and other nefarious objectives while, should it ever come to happen in a Jihad, it will still be for the initial purpose of upraising the Word of Allah and eliminating oppression and tyranny. There is a world of difference between the two. Moving on to the second (36) and the third (37) verses, one notices the manner in which the grave curse of Kufr (disbelief), Shirk (the associating of partners in the Divinity of Allah) and sin has been pointed out. It is so poignant that even a little reflection on it could bring an instant revolution in the lives of men and women of such persuasion compelling them to abandon all Kufr and Shirk and sin. To explain the curse of sinful living a little further, it can be said that sins in which one gets involved usually is because of personal desires and needs or for the desires and needs of family and children. Since their Fulfillment comes through an increase in wealth and property, one goes after amassing wealth and property without making any distinc-tion between what is Halal (lawful) and what is Haram (unlawful) in it. In these verses, Almighty Allah has censured the acquisition mania of such people which will prove to be futile in the ultimate analysis because its cure lies in realizing that things of comfort collected to satisfy a short lived span of life by working hard day and night still remain unattained. More and more stays to be the order of every other day in life. What begins must end and this race of gold and greed will also end when the punishment of the Doomsday will appear in sight and, at that time, if these people were to offer all they had collected in the mortal world, wealth and property, things and things of comfort, taste and value, offer all of it in return for their release from the punishment, then, this would not be possible anymore. Even if the wager is increased higher, suppose everything of value were to be owned by one person, nay, let us say twice as much, and if he were to offer all of it to have his release from the punishment, still then, nothing would be accepted from him and he will not have his deliverance from the punishment of the Hereafter.

(As for those who disbelieve) in Muhammad and the Qur'an, (lo! if all) the wealth (that is in the were theirs, and as much again therewith) and double of it with it, (to ransom them from the doom on the day of Resurrection, it) the ransom (would not be accepted from them. Theirs will be a painful doom).