The Ranks, Battle Array — Verse 1

All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifies God that is to say everything proclaims His transcendence the lām of li’Llāhi is extra and mā has been used instead of min in order to indicate the predominance of non-rational creatures and He is the Mighty in His kingdom the Wise in His actions.

Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the Exalted, the Wise. He who desires to make his glorification of Him limpid should make his heart limpid without the traces of his soul, and he who desires his life in the Garden to be limpid should make his religion limpid without the filth of caprice. The world's folk are two groups: The life of one group is with the Real's gentleness and bounty, and their ease is the glorification and remembrance of the Real. The life of the other group is a mark of the Real's justice, and their ease is found in the shares of the soul. Those who are the folk of gentleness and bounty have a heart that is limpid, an aspiration that is high, and a breast that is empty for the divine remembrance. Their tongue is given over to bearing witness, their heart turned over to recognition, their spirit mixed with love, their secret core fled to God, and their own attributes disowned. It has been said that every attribute of selfhood is an attachment, every attach- ment a color, and every color a disgrace in the road of men. He who painted a thousand worlds with color- why would He buy my color and yours, O bankrupt man! The glorification and remembrance of this group come from the pure quarry and reach the pure Lord, accepted and approved by God, as He says: “To Him ascend the goodly words, and He uplifts the wholesome deed” [35:10]. As for those who are the mark of the Real's justice and who live through the shares of the soul, their breast is tainted with appetite, their heart is the quarry of trouble, and their inwardness is dif- ferent from their outwardness. Their names are written in the register of the hypocrites. Their acts are different from their words, just as the Lord of the Worlds says:

Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the Exalted, the Wise. He who desires to make his glorification of Him limpid should make his heart limpid without the traces of his soul, and he who desires his life in the Garden to be limpid should make his religion limpid without the filth of caprice. The world's folk are two groups: The life of one group is with the Real's gentleness and bounty, and their ease is the glorification and remembrance of the Real. The life of the other group is a mark of the Real's justice, and their ease is found in the shares of the soul. Those who are the folk of gentleness and bounty have a heart that is limpid, an aspiration that is high, and a breast that is empty for the divine remembrance. Their tongue is given over to bearing witness, their heart turned over to recognition, their spirit mixed with love, their secret core fled to God, and their own attributes disowned. It has been said that every attribute of selfhood is an attachment, every attach- ment a color, and every color a disgrace in the road of men. He who painted a thousand worlds with color- why would He buy my color and yours, O bankrupt man! The glorification and remembrance of this group come from the pure quarry and reach the pure Lord, accepted and approved by God, as He says: “To Him ascend the goodly words, and He uplifts the wholesome deed” [35:10]. As for those who are the mark of the Real's justice and who live through the shares of the soul, their breast is tainted with appetite, their heart is the quarry of trouble, and their inwardness is dif- ferent from their outwardness. Their names are written in the register of the hypocrites. Their acts are different from their words, just as the Lord of the Worlds says:

Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the Exalted, the Wise. He who desires to make his glorification of Him limpid should make his heart limpid without the traces of his soul, and he who desires his life in the Garden to be limpid should make his religion limpid without the filth of caprice. The world's folk are two groups: The life of one group is with the Real's gentleness and bounty, and their ease is the glorification and remembrance of the Real. The life of the other group is a mark of the Real's justice, and their ease is found in the shares of the soul. Those who are the folk of gentleness and bounty have a heart that is limpid, an aspiration that is high, and a breast that is empty for the divine remembrance. Their tongue is given over to bearing witness, their heart turned over to recognition, their spirit mixed with love, their secret core fled to God, and their own attributes disowned. It has been said that every attribute of selfhood is an attachment, every attach- ment a color, and every color a disgrace in the road of men. He who painted a thousand worlds with color- why would He buy my color and yours, O bankrupt man! The glorification and remembrance of this group come from the pure quarry and reach the pure Lord, accepted and approved by God, as He says: “To Him ascend the goodly words, and He uplifts the wholesome deed” [35:10]. As for those who are the mark of the Real's justice and who live through the shares of the soul, their breast is tainted with appetite, their heart is the quarry of trouble, and their inwardness is dif- ferent from their outwardness. Their names are written in the register of the hypocrites. Their acts are different from their words, just as the Lord of the Worlds says:

Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the Exalted, the Wise. He who desires to make his glorification of Him limpid should make his heart limpid without the traces of his soul, and he who desires his life in the Garden to be limpid should make his religion limpid without the filth of caprice. The world's folk are two groups: The life of one group is with the Real's gentleness and bounty, and their ease is the glorification and remembrance of the Real. The life of the other group is a mark of the Real's justice, and their ease is found in the shares of the soul. Those who are the folk of gentleness and bounty have a heart that is limpid, an aspiration that is high, and a breast that is empty for the divine remembrance. Their tongue is given over to bearing witness, their heart turned over to recognition, their spirit mixed with love, their secret core fled to God, and their own attributes disowned. It has been said that every attribute of selfhood is an attachment, every attach- ment a color, and every color a disgrace in the road of men. He who painted a thousand worlds with color- why would He buy my color and yours, O bankrupt man! The glorification and remembrance of this group come from the pure quarry and reach the pure Lord, accepted and approved by God, as He says: “To Him ascend the goodly words, and He uplifts the wholesome deed” [35:10]. As for those who are the mark of the Real's justice and who live through the shares of the soul, their breast is tainted with appetite, their heart is the quarry of trouble, and their inwardness is dif- ferent from their outwardness. Their names are written in the register of the hypocrites. Their acts are different from their words, just as the Lord of the Worlds says:

Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the Exalted, the Wise.He who desires to make his glorification of Him limpid should make his heart limpid without the traces of his soul, and he who desires his life in the Garden to be limpid should make his religion limpid without the filth of caprice.The world's folk are two groups: The life of one group is with the Real's gentleness and bounty, and their ease is the glorification and remembrance of the Real. The life of the other group is a mark of the Real's justice, and their ease is found in the shares of the soul. Those who are the folk of gentleness and bounty have a heart that is limpid, an aspiration that is high, and a breast that is empty for the divine remembrance. Their tongue is given over to bearing witness, their heart turned over to recognition, their spirit mixed with love, their secret core fled to God, and their own attributes disowned. It has been said that every attribute of selfhood is an attachment, every attach- ment a color, and every color a disgrace in the road of men.He who painted a thousand worlds with color-why would He buy my color and yours, O bankrupt man!The glorification and remembrance of this group come from the pure quarry and reach the pure Lord, accepted and approved by God, as He says: �To Him ascend the goodly words, and He uplifts the wholesome deed� [35:10].As for those who are the mark of the Real's justice and who live through the shares of the soul, their breast is tainted with appetite, their heart is the quarry of trouble, and their inwardness is dif- ferent from their outwardness. Their names are written in the register of the hypocrites. Their acts are different from their words, just as the Lord of the Worlds says:

نزَّه الله عن كل ما لا يليق به كلُّ ما في السموات وما في الأرض، وهو العزيز الذي لا يغالَب، الحكيم في أقواله وأفعاله.

سورة الصف: قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا يحيى بن آدم حدثنا ابن المبارك عن الأوزاعي عن يحيى بن أبي كثير عن أبي سلمة وعن عطاء بن يسار عن أبي سلمة عن عبدالله بن سلام قال تذاكرنا أيكم يأتي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيسأله أي الأعمال أحب إلى الله فلم يقم أحد منا فأرسل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلينا رجلا رجلا فجمعنا فقرأ علينا هذه السورة يعني سورة الصف كلها هكذا رواه الإمام أحمد وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا العباس بن الوليد بن مرثد البيروتي قراءة قال أخبرنى أبي سمعت الأوزاعي حدثني يحيى بن أبي كثير حدثني أبو سلمة بن عبدالرحمن حدثني عبدالله بن سلام أن أناسا من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قالوا لو أرسلنا إلى رسول الله نسأله عن أحب الأعمال إلى الله عز وجل فلم يذهب إليه أحد منا وهبنا أن نسأله عن ذلك قال فدعا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أولئك النفر رجلا رجلا حتى جمعهم ونزلت فيهم هذه السورة سبح لله" الصف "قال عبدالله بن سلام فقرأها علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كلها قال أبو سلمة وقرأها علينا عبدالله بن سلام كلها قال يحيى بن أبي كثير وقرأها علينا أبو سلمة كلها قال الأوزاعي وقرأها علينا يحيى بن أبي كثير كلها قال أبي وقرأها علينا الأوزاعي كلها وقد رواه الترمذي عن عبدالله بن عبدالرحمن الدارمي حدثنا محمد بن كثير عن الأوزاعي عن يحيى بن أبي كثير عن أبي سلمة عن عبد الله بن سلام قال: قعدنا نفرا من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فتذاكرنا فقلنا لو نعلم أي الأعمال أحب إلى الله عز وجل لعملناه فأنزل الله تعالى" سبح لله ما في السموات وما في الأرض وهو العزيز الحيكم يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون مالا تفعلون "قال عبدالله بن سلام فقرأها علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال أبو سلمة فقرأها علينا ابن سلام قال يحيى فقرأها علينا أبو سلمة قال ابن كثير فقرأها علينا الأوزاعي قال عبدالله فقرأها علينا ابن كثير ثم قال الترمذي وقد خولف محمد بن كثير في إسناد هذا الحديث عن الأوزاعي فروى ابن المبارك عن الأوزاعي عن يحيى بن أبي كثير عن هلال بن أبي ميمونه عن عطاء بن يسار عن عبدالله بن سلام أو عن أبي سلمة عن عبدالله بن سلام قلت وهكذا رواه الإمام أحمد عن معمر عن ابن المبارك به قال الترمذي وروى الوليد بن مسلم هذا الحديث عن الأوزاعي نحو رواية محمد بن كثير قلت وكذا رواه الوليد بن يزيد عن الأوزاعي كما رواه ابن كثير قلت وقد أخبرني بهذا الحديث الشيخ المسند أبو العباس أحمد بن أبي طالب الحجار قراءة عليه وأنا أسمع أخبرنا أبو المنجا عبدالله بن عمر بن اللتي أخبرنا أبو الوقت عبد الأول بن عيسى بن شعيب السجزي قال أخبرنا أبو الحسن بن عبدالرحمن بن المظفر بن محمد بن داود الداودي أخبرنا أبو محمد عبدالله بن أحمد بن حمويه السرخسي أخبرنا عيسى بن عمر بن عمران السمرقندى. أخبرنا الإمام الحافظ أبو محمد عبدالله بن عبدالرحمن الدارمي بجميع مسنده أخبرنا محمد بن كثير عن الأوزاعي فذكر بإسناده مثله وتسلسل لنا قراءتها إلى شيخنا أبي العباس الحجار ولم يقرأها لأنه كان أميا وضاق الوقت عن تلقينها إياه ولكن أخبرنى الحافظ الكبير أبو عبدالله محمد بن أحمد بن عثمان رحمه الله الذهبي أخبرنا القاضي تقي الدين بن سليمان بن الشيخ أبي عمرو أخبرنا أبو المنجا بن اللتي فذكره بإسناده وتسلسل لي من طريقه وقرأها علي بكمالها ولله الحمد والمنة. يخبر تعالى أن جميع ما في السموات وما في الأرض من شيء يسبح له ويمجده ويقدسه ويصلي له ويوحده كقوله تعالى "تسبح له السموات السبع والأرض ومن فيهن وإن من شيء إلا يسبح بحمده ولكن لا تفقهون تسبيحهم" وقوله تعالى "وهو العزيز" أي منيع الجناب "الحكيم" في قدره وشرعه.

افتتحت سورة " الصف " - كما افتتحت قبلها سورة الحديد والحشر بتنزيه الله - تعالى - عن كل مالا يليق به .أى : نزه الله - تعالى - وقدسه ، جميع ما فى السموات وجميع ما فى الأرض من مخلوقات ، وهو - عز وجل - ( العزيز ) الذى لا يغلبه غالب ( الحكيم ) فى كل أقواله وأفعاله .

يقول جلّ ثناؤه: ( سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ ) السبع ( وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ ) من الخلق، مُذعنين له بالألوهة والربوبية ( وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ ) في نقمته ممن عصاه منهم، فكفر به، وخالف أمره ( الْحَكِيمُ ) في تدبيره إياهم.

مدنية"سبح لله ما في السموات وما في الأرض وهو العزيز الحكيم".

سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (1)مناسبة هذه الفاتحة لما بعدها من السورة بيان أن الكافرين محقوقون بأن تقاتلوهم لأنهم شذوا عن جميع المخلوقات فلم يسبحوا الله ولم يصفوه بصفات الكمال إذ جعلوا له شركاء في الإلهية . وفيه تعريض بالذين أخلفوا ما وعدوا بأنهم لم يؤدُّوا حق تسبيح الله ، لأن الله مستحق لأن يوفّى بعهده في الحياة الدنيا وأن الله ناصر الذين آمنوا على عدوّهم .وتقدم الكلام على نظير قوله : { سبح لله } إلى { الحكيم } في أول سورة الحشر وسورة الحديد .وفي إجراء وصف { العزيز } عليه تعالى هنا إيماء إلى أنه الغالب لعدوّه فما كان لكم أن تَرهَبُوا أعداءه فتفرّوا منهم عند اللقاء .وإجراء صفة { الحكيم } إن حملت على معنى المتصف بالحكمة أن الموصوف بالحكمة لا يأمركم بجهاد العدوّ عبثاً ولا يخليهم يغلبونكم . وإن حملت على معنى المُحكِم للأمور فكذلك .

وهذا بيان لعظمته تعالى وقهره، وذل جميع الخلق له تبارك وتعالى، وأن جميع من في السماوات والأرض يسبحون بحمد الله ويعبدونه ويسألونه حوائجهم، { وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ } الذي قهر الأشياء بعزته وسلطانه، { الْحَكِيمُ } في خلقه وأمره.

سورة الصف وهي أربع عشرة آية .مدنية في قول الجميع ، فيما ذكر الماوردي . وقيل : إنها مكية ، ذكره النحاس عن ابن عباس .بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمسبح لله ما في السماوات وما في الأرض وهو العزيز الحكيمتقدم .

In the universe, with the exception of the conduct of human beings, there is no inconsistency anywhere. In this world wood is always wood and anything which has the appearance of being iron or stone will be iron or stone in actual experience. Man should also be like this. There should be consistency in a man’s sayings and doings, even if he is required to pay the price of facing all sorts of difficulties and has to become exceptionally patient.

Commentary Background of the revelation Tirmidhi has recorded, on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ ، that a group of Companions discussed among themselves that if we come to know which is the dearest of actions in the sight of Allah, we shall act upon it. Hakim reported this Tradition and graded its chain as sahib'. Baghawi in his citation added the following words: "If we come to know which is the dearest of actions in the sight of Allah, we shall dedicate our lives and wealth to it." [ Mazhari ]. Ibn Kathir, with reference to Musnad of Ahmad, reports that some of the Companions gathered and wanted someone to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and ask him about the action that is dearest to Allah, but no one dared to do so. Whilst this discussion was going on, the Holy Messenger ﷺ sent a man to call each one of them by name. When they all arrived, the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited the entire Surah As-Saff which had been revealed just then. This Surah shows that the 'dearest action' they were looking for was jihad in the cause of Allah' and their statement that 'if we come to know about it, we shall dedicate our lives in acting upon it' was a sort of claim of having ability to do it. At this, they are admonished that it is not proper for any believer to make such a claim, because no one can for sure know whether he will be able to implement his intentions when the time arrives. It is not in his power that all the causes of action are made effective and all impediments are removed. Nor are the abilities and strengths of his hands or arms or limbs or organs altogether in his power. Nor is his determination or intention completely in his control. Therefore, even the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed in the Qur'an, thus: وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ "And never say about anything, 'I am going to do this tomorrow, unless [ you say - 'if ] Allah wills.) [ 18: 23-24] Although the intention of the blessed Companions was not to make a boastful claim, it did seem apparently as a claim, which Allah dislikes. If a person makes a commitment to do something in the future, he needs to surrender it to the Divine will and affirm it by saying 'If Allah wills'. The following verses are revealed to admonish the believers.

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah): '(All that is in the heavens) of created beings (and all that is in the earth) of creatures and living beings (glorifieth Allah) prays to Allah; and it is also said this means: remembers Allah, (and He is the Mighty) in retribution against those who disbelieve in Him, (the Wise) in His command and decree, and He has decreed that none should be worshipped beside Him.

Which was revealed in Madina The Virtues of Surat As-Saff Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Salam said, "We asked, `Who among us should go to the Messenger ﷺ and ask him about the dearest actions to Allah' None among us volunteered. The Messenger ﷺ sent a man to us and that man gathered us and recited this Surah, Surat As-Saff, in its entirety."' بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Chastising Those Who say what They do not do We mentioned in many a places before the meaning of Allah's statement, سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.) Therefore, we do not need to repeat its meaning here. Allah's statement, يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ (O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do) This refutes those who neglect to fulfill their promises. This honorable Ayah supports the view that several scholars of the Salaf held, that it is necessary to fulfill the promise, regardless of whether the promise includes some type of wealth for the person receiving the promise or otherwise. They also argue from the Sunnah, with the Hadith recorded in the Two Sahihs in which Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, «آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَان» (There are three signs for a hypocrite: when he promises, he breaks his promise; when speaks, he lies; and when he is entrusted, he betrays.) And in another Hadith in the Sahih, «أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا،وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْ نِفَاقٍ حَتْى يَدَعَهَا» (There are four characteristics which if one has all of them, he is the pure hypocrite, and if anyone has any of them, he has a characteristic of hypocrisy, until he abandons it.) So he mentioned breaking the promise among these four characteristics. We mentioned the meaning of these two Hadiths in the beginning of the explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari, and to Allah is the praise and the thanks. Therefore Allah implied this meaning, when He continued His admonishment by saying, كَبُرَ مَقْتاً عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ (Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do.) Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amir bin Rabi`ah said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ came to us while I was a young boy, and I went out to play. My mother said, `O `Abdullah! Come, I want to give you something.' Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to her, «وَمَا أَرَدْتِ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُ؟» (What did you want to give him) She said, `Dates.' He said, «أَمَا إِنَّكِ لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلِي كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْكِ كَذْبَة» (If you had not given them to him, it would have been written as a lie in your record.)" Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "The faithful believers said, `If we only knew the dearest good actions to Allah, we would perform them.' Thus, Allah told them about the dearest actions to Him,saying, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَـتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِ صَفّاً (Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in rows) Allah stated what He likes, and they were tested on the day of Uhud. However, they retreated and fled, leaving the Prophet behind. It was about their case that Allah revealed this Ayah: يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ (O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do) Allah says here, `The dearest of you to Me, is he who fights in My cause."' Some said that it was revealed about the gravity of fighting in battle, when one says that he fought and endured the battle, even though he did not do so. Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said that this Ayah was sent down to admonish some people who used to say that they killed, fought, stabbed, and did such and such during battle, even though they did not do any of it. Sa`id bin Jubayr said about Allah's statement, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَـتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِ صَفّاً (Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in rows (ranks)) "Before Allah's Messenger ﷺ began the battle against the enemy, he liked to line up his forces in rows; in this Surah, Allah teaches the believers to do the same." He also said that Allah's statement, كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَـنٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ (as if they were a solid structure.) means, its parts are firmly connected to each other; in rows for battle. Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "Firmly connected to each other." Ibn `Abbas commented on the meaning of the Ayah, كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَـنٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ (as if they were a solid structure.) by saying, "They are like a firm structure that does not move, because its parts are cemented to each other."