Cattle, Livestock — Verse 3

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtue of Surat Al-An`am and When it Was Revealed Al-`Awfi, `Ikrimah and `Ata' said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Surat Al-An`am was revealed in Makkah" At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "All of Surat Al-An`am was revealed in Makkah at night, accompanied by seventy thousand angels, raising their voices in glorification of Allah" As-Suddi said that Murrah said that `Abdullah said, "Surat Al-An`am was revealed in the company of seventy thousand angels." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All Praise is Due to Allah for His Glorious Ability and Great Power Allah praises and glorifies His Most Honorable Self for creating the heavens and earth, as a dwelling for His servants, and for making the darkness and the light to benefit them in the night and the day. In this Ayah, Allah describes darkness in the plural, Zulumat where Zulmah is singular for darkness, while describing the light in the singular, An-Nur, because An-Nur is more honored. In other Ayat, Allah said, ظِلَـلُهُ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ (To the right and to the lefts.) 16:48 Near the end of this Surah (chapter 6), Allah also said; وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ (And verily, this is my straight path, so follow it, and follow no (other) ways, for they will separate you away from His way.) 6:153 Allah said next, ثْمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ (Yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord.) meaning, in spite of all this, some of Allah's servants disbelieve in Him and hold others as partners and rivals with Him. Some of Allah's servants claimed a wife and a son for Allah, hallowed be He far above what they attribute to Him. Allah's statement, هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن طِينٍ (He it is Who has created you from clay,) refers to the father of mankind, Adam, from whom mankind originated, multiplied in numbers and spread about, east and west. Allah said, ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً وَأَجَلٌ مُّسمًّى عِندَهُ (Then has decreed a stated term. And there is with Him another determined term...) His saying; ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً (Then has decreed a stated term,) refers to death, while, وَأَجَلٌ مُّسمًّى عِندَهُ (And there is with Him another determined term...) refers to the Hereafter, according to Sa`id bin Jubayr who reported this from Ibn `Abbas. Similar statements were narrated from Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam, `Atiyyah, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan and others. Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said that, ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً (And then has decreed a stated term,) is the term of this earthly life, while, وَأَجَلٌ مُّسمًّى عِندَهُ (And there is with Him another determined term) refers to man's extent of life until he dies as mentioned in Allah's statement; وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ (It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then He raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed (life) be fulfilled.) 6:60 The meaning of Allah's statement, عِندَهُ (With Him) is that none but Him knows when it will occur. Allah said in other Ayat, إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ (The knowledge thereof is with my Lord. None can reveal its time but He.) 7:187, and, يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَـهَا - فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَاهَا - إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَـهَآ (They ask you about the Hour -- when will be its appointed time You have no knowledge to say anything about it. To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof.) 79:42-44 Allah said, ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تَمْتَرُونَ (Yet you doubt.) the coming of the (last) Hour, according to As-Suddi. Allah said next, وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ (And He is Allah in the heavens and the earth, He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn.) Meaning, it is He Who is called Allah, throughout the heavens and the earth, that is, it is He who is worshipped, singled out, whose divinity is believed in by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. They call Him Allah, and they supplicate to Him in fear and hope, except those who disbelieve among the Jinns and mankind. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَهُوَ الَّذِى فِى السَّمآءِ إِلَـهٌ وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ إِلَـهٌ (It is He Who is God in the heavens and the earth.)43:84 meaning, He is the God of those in heaven and those on earth, and He knows all affairs, public and secret. وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ (And He knows what you earn) all the good and bad deeds that you perform.

He is God the One worthy of being worshipped in the heavens and in the earth. He knows your secrets and your utterance what you keep secret and what you utter openly among yourselves and He knows what you earn what you do of good and evil.

And He is God in the heavens and in the earth. One can say that He is in heaven through Essence, everywhere through knowledge, in the spirit through companionship, and in the soul through proximity. The soul comes to nothing in Him, and He takes the place of the spirit that comes to nothing in Him. He is in finding where found, and in recognition where recognized. Reports do not spoil the Haqiqah, nor does the Haqiqah nullify the reports. Say “He sat” [7:54], for He is upon the Throne through sitting. Recite “He is with you” [57:4], for He is with you wherever you are. He does not take up place through need, but rather displays places through mercy. He built the Throne for the God-seekers, not for the God-recognizers. If the God-recognizer should take one breath without Him, he would have bound the sash of unbelief. O boast of my tongue in the two worlds and delight of my spirit in tomorrow's vision! O my occupation in the two worlds, remake my situation's occupation with Yourself! I have no spirit to scatter before the finding of You, no tongue to acknowledge Your favors. He who sees You is concealed in vision, and he who seeks You is neither on earth nor in heaven.

And He is God in the heavens and in the earth. One can say that He is in heaven through Essence, everywhere through knowledge, in the spirit through companionship, and in the soul through proximity. The soul comes to nothing in Him, and He takes the place of the spirit that comes to nothing in Him. He is in finding where found, and in recognition where recognized. Reports do not spoil the Haqiqah, nor does the Haqiqah nullify the reports. Say “He sat” [7:54], for He is upon the Throne through sitting. Recite “He is with you” [57:4], for He is with you wherever you are. He does not take up place through need, but rather displays places through mercy. He built the Throne for the God-seekers, not for the God-recognizers. If the God-recognizer should take one breath without Him, he would have bound the sash of unbelief. O boast of my tongue in the two worlds and delight of my spirit in tomorrow's vision! O my occupation in the two worlds, remake my situation's occupation with Yourself! I have no spirit to scatter before the finding of You, no tongue to acknowledge Your favors. He who sees You is concealed in vision, and he who seeks You is neither on earth nor in heaven.

And He is God in the heavens and in the earth. One can say that He is in heaven through Essence, everywhere through knowledge, in the spirit through companionship, and in the soul through proximity. The soul comes to nothing in Him, and He takes the place of the spirit that comes to nothing in Him. He is in finding where found, and in recognition where recognized. Reports do not spoil the Haqiqah, nor does the Haqiqah nullify the reports. Say “He sat” [7:54], for He is upon the Throne through sitting. Recite “He is with you” [57:4], for He is with you wherever you are. He does not take up place through need, but rather displays places through mercy. He built the Throne for the God-seekers, not for the God-recognizers. If the God-recognizer should take one breath without Him, he would have bound the sash of unbelief. O boast of my tongue in the two worlds and delight of my spirit in tomorrow's vision! O my occupation in the two worlds, remake my situation's occupation with Yourself! I have no spirit to scatter before the finding of You, no tongue to acknowledge Your favors. He who sees You is concealed in vision, and he who seeks You is neither on earth nor in heaven.

And He is God in the heavens and in the earth. One can say that He is in heaven through Essence, everywhere through knowledge, in the spirit through companionship, and in the soul through proximity. The soul comes to nothing in Him, and He takes the place of the spirit that comes to nothing in Him. He is in finding where found, and in recognition where recognized. Reports do not spoil the Haqiqah, nor does the Haqiqah nullify the reports. Say “He sat” [7:54], for He is upon the Throne through sitting. Recite “He is with you” [57:4], for He is with you wherever you are. He does not take up place through need, but rather displays places through mercy. He built the Throne for the God-seekers, not for the God-recognizers. If the God-recognizer should take one breath without Him, he would have bound the sash of unbelief. O boast of my tongue in the two worlds and delight of my spirit in tomorrow's vision! O my occupation in the two worlds, remake my situation's occupation with Yourself! I have no spirit to scatter before the finding of You, no tongue to acknowledge Your favors. He who sees You is concealed in vision, and he who seeks You is neither on earth nor in heaven.

And He is God in the heavens and in the earth.One can say that He is in heaven through Essence, everywhere through knowledge, in the spirit through companionship, and in the soul through proximity. The soul comes to nothing in Him, and He takes the place of the spirit that comes to nothing in Him. He is in finding where found, and in recognition where recognized. Reports do not spoil the Haqiqah, nor does the Haqiqah nullify the reports. Say �He sat� [7:54], for He is upon the Throne through sitting. Recite �He is with you� [57:4], for He is with you wherever you are. He does not take up place through need, but rather displays places through mercy. He built the Throne for the God-seekers, not for the God-recognizers. If the God-recognizer should take one breath without Him, he would have bound the sash of unbelief.O boast of my tongue in the two worlds and delight of my spirit in tomorrow's vision! O my occupation in the two worlds, remake my situation's occupation with Yourself! I have no spirit to scatter before the finding of You, no tongue to acknowledge Your favors. He who sees You is concealed in vision, and he who seeks You is neither on earth nor in heaven.

والله سبحانه هو الإله المعبود في السموات والأرض. ومن دلائل ألوهيته أنه يعلم جميع ما تخفونه -أيها الناس- وما تعلنونه، ويعلم جميع أعمالكم من خير أو شر؛ ولهذا فإنه -جلَّ وعلا- وحده هو الإله المستحق للعبادة.

وقوله تعالى "وهو الله في السموات وفي الأرض يعلم سركم وجهركم" اختلف مفسرو هذه الآية على أقوال بعد اتفاقهم على إنكار قول الجهمية الأول القائلين تعالى عن قولهم علوا كبيرا بأنه في كل مكان حيث حملوا الآية على ذلك فالأصح من الأقوال أنه المدعو الله في السموات وفى الأرض أي يعبده ويوحده ويقر له بالإلهية من في السموات ومن في الأرض ويسمونه الله ويدعونه رغبا ورهبا إلا من كفر من الجن والإنس وهذه الآية على هذا القول كقوله تعالى "وهو الذي في السماء إله وفي الأرض إله" أي هو إله من في السماء وإله من في الأرض وعلى هذا فيكون قوله "يعلم سركم وجهركم" خبرا أو حالا. "والقول الثاني" أن المراد أنه الله الذي يعلم ما في السموات وما في الأرض من سر وجهر فيكون قوله يعلم متعلقا بقوله "في السموات وفي الأرض" تقديره وهو الله يعلم سركم وجهركم في السموات وفي الأرض ويعلم ما تكسبون والقول الثالث أن قوله "وهو الله في السموات" وقف تام ثم استأنف الخبر فقال "وفي الأرض يعلم سركم وجهركم" وهذا اختيار ابن جرير وقوله "ويعلم ما تكسبون" أي جميع أعمالكم خيرها وشرها.

وقوله - تعالى - : { وَهُوَ الله } جملة من متبدأ وخبر ، معطوفة على ما قبلها ، سيقت لبيان شموال ألوهيته لجميع المخلوقات .قال أبو السعود : وقوله { فِي السماوات وَفِي الأرض } متعلق بالمعنى الوصفى الذى ينبىء عنه الاسم الجليل إما باعتبار اصل اشتقاقه وكونه علما للمعبود بالحق ، كأنه قيل : وهو المعبود فيهما . وإما باعتبار أنه اسم اشتهر به الذات من صفات الكمال ، فلوحظ معه منها ما يقتضيه المقام من المالكية حسبما تقتضيه المشيئة المبنية على الحكم البالغة ، فعلق به الظرف من تلك الحيثية فصار كأنه قيل : هو المالك أو المتصرف المدبر فيهما ، كما فى قوله - تعالى - : { وَهُوَ الذي فِي السمآء إله وَفِي الأرض إله } وجملة { يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ } تقرير لمعنى الجملة الأولى لأن الذى استوى فى علمه السر والعلن هو الله وحده . ويجوز أن تكون كلاما مبتدأ بمعنى : هو يعلم سركم وجهركم ، أو خبراً ثانيا .

القول في تأويل قوله : وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الأَرْضِ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ (3)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره: إن الذي له الألوهةُ التي لا تنبغي لغيره، المستحقَّ عليكم إخلاصَ الحمد له بآلائه عندكم، أيها الناس، الذي يعدل به كفاركم مَن سواه, هو الله الذي هو في السماوات وفي الأرض يعلم سِرَّكم وجَهْركم، فلا يخفى عليه شيء. يقول: فربكم الذي يستحقُّ عليكم الحمدَ، ويجب عليكم إخلاصُ العبادة له, هو هذا الذي صفته = لا من لا يقدر لكم على ضرّ ولا نفع، ولا يعمل شيئًا، ولا يدفع عن نفسه سُوءًا أريد بها .* * *وأما قوله: " ويعلم ما تكسبون " ، يقول: ويعلم ما تَعمَلون وتجرَحُون, فيحصي ذلك عليكم ليجازيكم به عند معادكم إليه. (15)----------------------الهوامش :(15) انظر تفسير"كسب" فيما سلف 10 : 297 ، تعليق : 2 ، والمراجع هناك.

قوله عز وجل : ( وهو الله في السموات وفي الأرض ) يعني : وهو إله السموات والأرض ، كقوله : ( وهو الذي في السماء إله وفي الأرض إله ) ، وقيل : هو المعبود في السموات والأرض ، وقال محمد بن جرير : معناه هو في السموات يعلم سركم وجهركم في الأرض ، [ وقال الزجاج : فيه تقديم وتأخير تقديره : وهو الله ، ( يعلم سركم وجهركم ) في السموات والأرض ] ( ويعلم ما تكسبون ) تعملون من الخير والشر .

وقوله : { في السموات وفي الأرض } متعلّق بالكون المستفاد من جملة القصر ، أو بما في { الحمد لله } [ الأنعام : 1 ] من معنى الإنفراد بالإلهية ، كما يقول من يذكر جواداً ثم يقول : هو حاتم في العرب ، وهذا لقصد التنصيص على أنّه لا يشاركه أحد في صفاته في الكائنات كلّها .وقوله : { يعلم سرّكم وجهركم } جملة مقرّرة لمعنى جملة { وهو الله } ولذلك فصلت ، لأنّها تتنزّل منا منزلة التوكي لأنّ انفراده بالإلهية في السماوات وفي الأرض ممّا يقتضي علمه بأحوال بعض الموجودات الأرضية .ولا يجوز تعليق { في السماوات وفي الأرض } بالفعل في قوله : { يعلم سرّكم } لأنّ سرّ النّاس وجهرهم وكسبهم حاصل في الأرض خاصّة دون السماوات ، فمن قدّر ذلك فقد أخطأ خطأ خفيّاً .وذكر السرّ لأنّ علم السرّ دليل عموم العلم ، وذكر الجهر لاستيعاب نوعي الأقوال . والمراد ب { تكسبون } جميع الاعتقادات والأعمال من خير وشر فهو تعريض بالوعد والوعيد .والخطاب لجميع السامعين؛ فدخل فيه الكافِرون ، وهم المقصود الأول من هذا الخطاب ، لأنّه تعليم وإيقاظ بالنسبة إليهم وتذكير بالنسبة إلى المؤمنين .

أي: وهو المألوه المعبود في السماوات وفي الأرض، فأهل السماء والأرض، متعبدون لربهم، خاضعون لعظمته، مستكينون لعزه وجلاله، الملائكة المقربون، والأنبياء والمرسلون، والصديقون، والشهداء والصالحون. وهو تعالى يعلم سركم وجهركم ويعلم ما تكسبون، فاحذروا معاصيه وارغبوا في الأعمال التي تقربكم منه، وتدنيكم من رحمته، واحذروا من كل عمل يبعدكم منه ومن رحمته.

قوله تعالى : وهو الله في السماوات وفي الأرض يعلم سركم وجهركم ويعلم ما تكسبون وما تأتيهم من آية من آيات ربهم إلا كانوا عنها معرضين فقد كذبوا بالحق لما جاءهم فسوف يأتيهم أنباء ما كانوا به يستهزئونقوله تعالى : وهو الله في السماوات وفي الأرض يقال ما عامل الإعراب في الظرف [ ص: 302 ] من في السماوات وفي الأرض ؟ ففيه أجوبة : أحدها : أي : وهو الله المعظم أو المعبود في السماوات وفي الأرض ; كما تقول : زيد الخليفة في الشرق والغرب أي : حكمه ، ويجوز أن يكون المعنى وهو الله المنفرد بالتدبير في السماوات وفي الأرض ; كما تقول : هو في حاجات الناس وفي الصلاة ، ويجوز أن يكون خبرا بعد خبر ويكون المعنى : وهو الله في السماوات وهو الله في الأرض . وقيل : المعنى وهو الله يعلم سركم وجهركم في السماوات وفي الأرض فلا يخفى عليه شيء ; قالالنحاس : وهذا من أحسن ما قيل فيه ، وقال محمد بن جرير : وهو الله في السماوات ويعلم سركم وجهركم في الأرض ، ( فيعلم ) مقدم في الوجهين ، والأول أسلم وأبعد من الإشكال ، وقيل غير هذا ، والقاعدة تنزيهه جل وعز عن الحركة والانتقال وشغل الأمكنة . ويعلم ما تكسبون أي : من خير وشر ، والكسب الفعل لاجتلاب نفع أو دفع ضرر ، ولهذا لا يقال لفعل الله كسب .

The age of the present world is limited. Here life cannot be devoid of grief. Here unpleasantness goes along with pleasantness. Evil cannot be separated from goodness nor goodness from evil. In such circumstances, man is unable to understand how the eternal world of the Hereafter, which will be free from grief ( 35:34 ) can come into existence. If the world of the Hereafter is to be created with some matter other than that of this world, that is something beyond man’s ken; but if the other world of the Hereafter is to be created from the matter of this world, it has to be conceded that this world in itself lacks the capacity to bring into existence a world of total perfection. The very existence of the raiser of this issue is in itself an answer to this question. The body of a human being is wholly made of earth elements but it has unique properties, none of which is found in the earth. Man hears; he speaks; and he thinks; he performs wonderful acts, though the earth with which he is made is not capable of performing these acts. From earthen elements a non-earthly creature has wondrously emerged. This is a matter confirmed by everyday experience. In view of this, how strange it is that man should harbour doubts about the advent of the Hereafter. If a living and active man comes into existence from earth; if fragrant flowers and luscious fruits emerge from earth, then why cannot a more perfect world emerge from our present world? The message of God and the Hereafter, issued directly by God Himself, is accompanied by clear signs which establish it as a true call from the Almighty. Its being on the lines of nature on which the system of God’s eternal world is established; its being supported by arguments that cannot be countered by anybody; its being backed by a preacher of God’s word whose seriousness and sincerity are above doubt; its repeated survival of the destructive plans of its opponents, despite their superior power—all these are clear indications of its being based on truth. Inspite of all this, man does not believe in it and is not willing to support it. The reason for this is that all these proofs, in spite of all their clarity, always appear through a veil of cause and effect. When these signs come to a man’s attention, he attributes them to certain causes and pays no heed to them. He does not become inclined to accept their validity. Instead of accepting the call he would say that had this call been on behalf of God, then God and His angels would have been visible to the naked eye. But this idea is absolutely meaningless, because when God and His angels appear in all their glory, it will be the time for the final rendering of accounts and not for giving a call of Truth or for preaching about the greatness of God.

The third verse contains the consequential outcome of what was said in the first two verses. It declares that Allah is the only Being who is worthy of worship and obedience in all the heavens and the earth, and He is the One who knows everything human beings conceal or reveal and, particularly, everything they say or do.

(He is Allah in the heavens) He is the God of the dwellers of heaven (and in the earth) and the God of all the dwellers of the earth. (He knoweth both your secret and your utterance) He says: He knows what you keep hidden in your breasts just as He knows what you make public, (and He knoweth what you earn) of good or evil.