Noah — Verse 7

And indeed whenever I summoned them so that You might forgive them they put their fingers in their ears in order not to hear what I say and draw their cloaks over themselves they cover their heads with them in order not to catch sight of me and they persist in their disbelief and act in great arrogance disdaining faith.

قال نوح: رب إني دعوت قومي إلى الإيمان بك وطاعتك في الليل والنهار، فلم يزدهم دعائي لهم إلى الإيمان إلا هربًا وإعراضًا عنه، وإني كلما دعوتهم إلى الإيمان بك؛ ليكون سببًا في غفرانك ذنوبهم، وضعوا أصابعهم في آذانهم؛ كي لا يسمعوا دعوة الحق، وتغطَّوا بثيابهم؛ كي لا يروني، وأقاموا على كفرهم، واستكبروا عن قَبول الإيمان استكبارًا شديدًا، ثم إني دعوتهم إلى الإيمان ظاهرًا علنًا في غير خفاء، ثم إني أعلنت لهم الدعوة بصوت مرتفع في حال، وأسررت بها بصوت خفيٍّ في حال أخرى، فقلت لقومي: سلوا ربكم غفران ذنوبكم، وتوبوا إليه من كفركم، إنه تعالى كان غفارًا لمن تاب من عباده ورجع إليه.

أي إلى سبب المغفرة, وهي الإيمان بك والطاعة لك. لئلا يسمعوا دعائي أي غطوا بها وجوههم لئلا يروه. وقال ابن عباس: جعلوا ثيابهم على رءوسهم لئلا يسمعوا كلامه. فاستغشاء الثياب إذا زيادة في سد الآذان حتى لا يسمعوا, أو لتنكيرهم أنفسهم حتى يسكت أو ليعرفوه إعراضهم عنه. وقيل: هو كناية عن العداوة. يقال: لبس لي فلان ثياب العداوة. أي على الكفر فلم يتوبوا. عن قبول الحق; لأنهم قالوا: "أنؤمن لك واتبعك الأرذلون" [الشعراء: 111]. تفخيم.

ثم أضاف إلى فرارهم منه ، حالة أخرى . تدل على إعراضهم عنه ، وعلى كراهيتهم له ، فقال : ( وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جعلوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ في آذَانِهِمْ واستغشوا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّواْ واستكبروا استكبارا ) .وقوله : ( كُلَّمَا ) معمول لجملة : ( جعلوا ) التى هى خبر إن ، واللام فى قوله ( لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ ) للتعليل .والمراد بأصابعهم : جزء منها . واستغشاء الثياب معناه : جعلها غشاء ، أى : غطاء لرءوسهم ولأعينهم حتى لا ينظروا إليه ، ومتعلق الفعل " دعوتهم " محذوف لدلالة ما تقدم عليه ، وهو أمرهم بعبادة الله وتقواه .والمعنى : وإنى - يا مولاى - كلما دعوتهم إلى عبادتك وتقواك وطاعتى فيما أمرتهم به ، لكى تغفر لهم ذنوبهم . . ما كان منهم إلا أن جعلوا أصابعهم فى آذانهم حتى لا يسمعوا قولى ، وإلا أن وضعوا ثيابهم على رءوسهم . وأبصارهم حتى لا يرونى ، وإلا أن ( وَأَصَرُّواْ ) إصرارا تاما على كفرهم ( واستكبروا استكبارا ) عظيما عن قبول الحق .فأنت ترى أن هذه الآية الكريمة ، قد صورت عناد قوم نوح ، وجحودهم للحق ، تصويرا بلغ الغاية فى استحبابهم العمى على الهدى .فهى - أولا - جاءت بصيغة " كلما " الدالة على شمول كل دعوة وجهها إليهم نبيهم نوح - عليه السلام - أى : فى كل وقت أدعوهم إلى الهدى يكون منهم الإعراض .وهى - ثانيا - عبرت عن عدم استماعهم إليه بقوله - تعالى - : ( جعلوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ في آذَانِهِمْ ) . وعبر عن الأنامل بالأصابع على سبيل المبالغة فى إرادة سد المسامع ، فكأنهم لو أمكنهم إدخال أصابعهم جميعها فى آذانهم لفعلوا . حتى لا يسمعوا شيئا مما يقوله نبيهم لهم .فإطلاق اسم الأصابع على الأنامل من باب المجاز المرسل ، لعلاقة البعضية ، حيث أطلق - سبحانه - الكل وأراد البعض ، مبالغة فى كراهيتهم لسماع كلمة الحق .وهى - ثالثا - عبرت عن كراهيتهم لنبيهم ومرشدهم بقوله - تعالى - : ( واستغشوا ثِيَابَهُمْ ) أى : بالغوا فى التَّغطِّى بها ، حتى لكأنهم قد طلبوا منها أن تلفهم بداخلها حتى لا يتسنى لهم رؤيته إطلاقا .وهذا كناية عن العداوة الشديدة ، ومنه قول القائل : لبس لى فلان ثياب العداوة .وهى - رابعا - قد بينت بأنهم لم يكتفوا بكل ذلك ، بل أضافوا إليه الإصرار على الكفر - وهو التشدد فيه ، والامتناع من الإِقلاع عنه مأخوذ من الصَّرة بمعنى الشدة - والاستكبار العظيم عن الاستجابة للحق .فقد أفادت هذه الآية ، أنهم عصوا نوحا وخالفوه مخالفة ليس هناك ما هو أقبح منها ظاهرا ، حيث عطلوا أسماعهم وأبصارهم ، وليس هناك ما هو أقبح منها باطنا ، حيث أصروا على كفرهم ، واستكبروا على اتباع الحق .

وقوله: (وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ ) يقول جلّ وعزّ: وإني كلما دعوتهم إلى الإقرار بوحدانيتك، والعمل بطاعتك، والبراءة من عبادة كلّ ما سواك، لتغفر لهم إذا هم فعلوا ذلك جعلوا أصابعهم في آذانهم لئلا يسمعوا دعائي إياهم إلى ذلك (وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ ) يقول: وتغشوا في ثيابهم، وتغطوا بها لئلا يسمعوا دعائي.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: (جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ ) لئلا يسمعوا كلام نوح عليه السلام.وقوله: (وَأَصَرُّوا ) يقول: وثبتوا على ما هم عليه من الكفر وأقاموا عليه.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال، قال ابن زيد، في قوله: (وَأَصَرُّوا ) قال: الإصرار إقامتهم على الشرّ والكفر.وقوله: (وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا ) يقول: وتكبروا فتعاظموا عن الإذعان للحقّ، وقبول ما دعوتهم إليه من النصيحة.

( وإني كلما دعوتهم ) إلى الإيمان بك ( لتغفر لهم جعلوا أصابعهم في آذانهم ) لئلا يسمعوا دعوتي ( واستغشوا ثيابهم ) غطوا بها وجوههم لئلا يروني ( وأصروا ) على كفرهم ( واستكبروا ) عن الإيمان بك ( استكبارا )

وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آَذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا (7){ كلما } مركبة من كلمتين كلمةِ ( كل ) وهي اسم يدل على استغراق أفراد ما تضاف هي إليه ، وكلمة ( ما ) المصدرية وهي حرف يفيد أن الجملة بعده في تأويل مصدر . وقد يراد بذلك المصدر زمَانُ حصوله فيقولون ( مَا ) ظرفية مصدرية لأنها نائبة عن اسم الزمان .والمعنى : أنهم لم يظهروا مخِيلةً من الإِصغاء إلى دعوته ولم يتخلفوا عن الإِعراض والصدود عن دعوته طَرفة عَيْن ، فلذلك جاء بكلمة { كلما } الدالة على شمول كلّ دعوة من دعواته مقترنةً بدلائل الصد عنها ، وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { كلما أضاء لهم مشوا فيه } [ البقرة : 20 ] .وحُذف متعلق { دَعَوْتُهم } لدلالة ما تقدم عليه من قوله : { أن اعبدوا الله } [ نوح : 3 ] .والتقدير : كلما دعوتهم إلى عبادتك وتقواك وطاعتي فيما أمرتهم به .واللام في قوله : { لتغفر } لام التعليل ، أي دعوتهم بدعوة التوحيد فهو سبب المغفرة ، فالدعوة إليه معللة بالغفران .ويتعلق قوله : { كلما دعوتهم } بفعل { جعلوا أصابعهم } على أنه ظرف زمان .وجملة { جعلوا أصابعهم } خبر ( إن ) والرابط ضمير { دعوتهم } .وجَعْل الأصابع في الآذَان يمنع بلوغ أصوات الكلام إلى المسامع .وأطلق اسم الأصابع على الأنامل على وجه المجاز المرسل بعلاقة البعضية فإن الذي يُجعل في الأذن الأنملة لا الأصبع كلّه فعُبر عن الأنامل بالأصابع للمبالغة في إرادة سد المسامع بحيث لو أمكن لأدخلوا الأصابع كلها ، وتقدم في قوله تعالى : { يجعلون أصابعهم في آذانهم من الصواعق } في سورة البقرة ( 19 ) .واستغشاء الثياب : جَعْلُها غِشاء ، أي غِطاء على أعينهم ، تعْضيداً لسد آذانهم بالأصابع لئلا يسمعوا كلامه ولا ينظروا إشاراته . وأكثر ما يطلق الغشاء على غطاء العينين ، قال تعالى : { وعلى أبصارهم غشاوة } [ البقرة : 7 ] . والسين والتاء في { استغشوا } للمبالغة .فيجوز أن يكون جعل الأصابع في الآذان واستغشاءُ الثياب هنا حقيقة بأن يكون ذلك من عادات قوم نوح إذا أراد أحد أن يظهر كراهية لكلام من يتكلم معه أن يجعل أصبعيه في أذنيه ويجعل من ثوبه ساتراً لعينيه .ويجوز أن يكون تمثيلاً لحالهم في الإِعراض عن قبول كلامه ورؤية مقامه بحال من يَسُكُّ سمعه بأنملتيْه ويحجب عينيه بطرف ثوبه .وجعلت الدعوة معللة بمغفرة الله لهم لأنها دعوة إلى سبب المغفرة وهو الإِيمان بالله وحده وطاعةُ أمره على لسان رسوله .وفي ذلك تعريض بتحميقهم وتعجب من خُلُقهم إذ يعرضون عن الدعوة لما فيه نفعهم فكان مقتضى الرشاد أن يسمعوها ويتدبروها .والإِصرار : تحقيق العزم على فعللٍ ، وهو مشتق من الصَّر وهو الشد على شيء والعقدُ عليه ، وتقدم عند قوله تعالى : { ولم يصرّوا على ما فعلوا } في سورة آل عمران ( 135 ) .وحذف متعلق أصَروا } لظهوره ، أي أصروا على ما هم عليه من الشرك .{ واستكبروا } مبالغة في تكبروا ، أي جعلوا أنفسهم أكبر من أن يأتمروا لواحد منهم { ما نراك إلاّ بشراً مثلنا وما نراك اتبعك إلاّ الذين هم أراذلِنُا بادىء الرأي وما نرى لكم علينا من فضل } [ هود : 27 ] .وتأكيد { استكبروا } بمفعوله المطلق للدلالة على تمكن الاستكبار . وتنوين { استكباراً } للتعظيم ، أي استكباراً شديداً لا يَفله حدُّ الدعوة .

{ وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ } أي: لأجل أن يستجيبوا فإذا استجابوا غفرت لهم فكان هذا محض مصلحتهم، ولكنهم أبوا إلا تماديا على باطلهم، ونفورا عن الحق، { جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ } حذر سماع ما يقول لهم نبيهم نوح عليه السلام، { وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ } أي تغطوا بها غطاء يغشاهم بعدا عن الحق وبغضا له، { وَأَصَرُّوا } على كفرهم وشرهم { وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا } على الحق { اسْتِكْبَارًا } فشرهم ازداد، وخيرهم بعد.

قوله تعالى : وإني كلما دعوتهم أي إلى سبب المغفرة ، وهي الإيمان بك والطاعة لك .جعلوا أصابعهم في آذانهم لئلا يسمعوا دعائيواستغشوا ثيابهم أي غطوا بها وجوههم لئلا يروه . وقال ابن عباس : جعلوا ثيابهم على رءوسهم لئلا يسمعوا كلامه . فاستغشاء الثياب إذا زيادة في سد الآذان حتى لا يسمعوا ، أو لتنكيرهم أنفسهم حتى يسكت أو ليعرفوه إعراضهم عنه . وقيل : هو كناية عن العداوة . يقال : لبس لي فلان ثياب العداوة ." وأصروا " أي على الكفر فلم يتوبوا ." واستكبروا " عن قبول الحق ; لأنهم قالوا : أنؤمن لك واتبعك الأرذلون ." استكبارا " تفخيم .

Literally ‘Why do you deny the greatness of God?’ This has been explained by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas thus, ‘You do not accept the Majesty of God as it should be accepted.’ This shows that Noah’s people did accept God, but the consciousness of the Majesty of God had not become ingrained as it should have done. The fact is that this acceptance of God’s greatness is the real standard of God-worship. One who is living in the knowledge of the Majesty of God is a real God-worshipper, while one whose heart is not immersed in God’s greatness is not a true believer.

Commentary يَغْفِرْ‌ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ and Allah will forgive you your sins, 71:4). The particle min is often used to indicate division into parts, that is, to refer to only a part of an amount, group or number. If it is taken in that sense here, it would signify that by embracing the faith only those sins would be forgiven which pertains to the Divine rights because violation of human rights would be forgiven only when the believer fulfills the human rights which he has violated [ such as pecuniary obligations ] and if they cannot be fulfilled [ such as hurting somebody physically or verbally ], then the person who has been so hurt must first be requested to forgive. The hadith which reports that by embracing the faith all sins are forgiven must be understood in the light of the foregoing explanation. In other words, the hadith has the same conditions attached to it as the verse under comment, that is, violation of the rights of the human beings is not forgiven except upon fulfillment of those rights or seeking forgiveness from the victims of that violation. Other scholars of Tafsir interpret the particle min as za'idah, (having no meaning, and added only because of usage). In this way, it signifies that all their sins would be forgiven. However, on the basis of other texts, this general expression is subject to the conditions mentioned above.

(And lo! Whenever I call unto them) to repentance and belief in Allah's divine Oneness (that Thou mayst pardon them) through their repentance and faith in Allah's divine Oneness (they thrust their fingers in their ears) so as not to hear my words and invitation (and cover themselves with their garments) and cover their heads with their garments so that they do not hear my voice or see me (and persist (in their refusal)) and they remain firm in their disbelief and worship of idols; it is also said that they all shouted in unison: �O Noah! We will not believe in you�, (and magnify themselves in pride) and feel too proud to accept faith or repent, because of their arrogance.

�And they persist [in their rejection], and act in great arrogance. He said:Persistence in sin (dhanb) gives rise to ignorance, and ignorance gives rise to a transgression into falsehood (bāṭil). The transgression into falsehood gives rise to hypocrisy (nifāq) and hypocrisy in turn gives rise to disbelief (kufr).[He] was asked, �What is the sign of the hypocrite?� He replied:It is that he perceives something when he is reminded of it, but when he gets up to go, it is as if that thing never entered his heart. God, Exalted is He, has said: Whenever it gives them light, they walk therein, and when darkness falls around them, they stand still [2:20].His words, Exalted is He:

Nuh complains about his Encounter with His People Allah tells about His servant and Messenger, Nuh, and that he complained to his Lord about the response he received from his people, and how he was patient with them for this long period of time -- which was nine hundred and fifty years. He complained due to his explaining and clarifying matters for them and his calling them to guidance and the straightest path. So he (Nuh) said, رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلاً وَنَهَاراً (O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day,) meaning, `I did not abandon calling them night and day, carrying out Your command and in obediance to You.' فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآئِى إِلاَّ فِرَاراً (But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight.) meaning, `the more I called them to come to the truth, the more they fled from it and avoided it.' وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُواْ أَصَـبِعَهُمْ فِى ءَاذَنِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْاْ ثِيَابَهُمْ (And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments,) meaning, `they closed up their ears so that they could not hear what I was calling them to.' This is similar to what Allah said about the disbelievers of the Quraysh. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لاَ تَسْمَعُواْ لِهَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ وَالْغَوْاْ فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ (And those who disbelieve say: "Listen not to this Qur'an, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome.") (41:26) وَاسْتَغْشَوْاْ ثِيَابَهُمْ (covered themselves up with their garments,) Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "They concealed themselves under false pretences from him so that he would not recognize them." Sa`id bin Jubayr and As-Suddi both said, "They covered their heads so that they could not hear what he was saying." وَأَصَرُّواْ (and persisted,) meaning, they continued in what they were upon of associating partners with Allah and great disbelief. وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ اسْتِكْبَاراً (and magnified themselves in pride.) meaning, they were turned away from following the truth and submitting to it. ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَـراً (Then verily, I called to them openly.) meaning, openly among the people. ثُمَّ إِنِّى أَعْلَنْتُ لَهُمْ (Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public,) meaning, with open speech and a raised voice. وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَاراً (and I have appealed to them in private.) meaning, in discussions with them. So he tried various types of propagation to be more effective with them. What Nuh said when He called His People to Allah فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;) meaning, `return to Him and turn away from what you are involved in. Repent to Him soon, for verily, He is Most Accepting of the repentance of those who turn to Him in repentance. He will accept repentance no matter what the sin is, even if it is disbelief and polytheism.' Thus, he said, فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً - يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مُدْرَاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you Midrar,) meaning, continuous rain. Thus, it is recommended to recite this Surah in the prayer for rain due to this Ayah. This has been reported from the Commander of the faithful, `Umar bin Al-Khattab. He ascended the Minbar to perform the prayer for rain, and he did not do more than seeking Allah's forgiveness and reciting the Ayat that mention seeking Allah's forgiveness. Among these Ayat: فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً - يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مُدْرَاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you Midrar, disbelievers of the Quraysh. Qu ? s? ? ? ? A ? Nuh complains about his Encounter with His People Allah tells about His servant and Messenger, Nuh, and that he complained to his Lord about the response he received from his people, and how he was patient with them for this long period of time -- which was nine hundred and fifty years. He complained due to his explaining and clarifying matters for them and his calling them to guidance and the straightest path. So he (Nuh) said, رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلاً وَنَهَاراً (O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day,) meaning, `I did not abandon calling them night and day, carrying out Your command and in obediance to You.' فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآئِى إِلاَّ فِرَاراً (But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight.) meaning, `the more I called them to come to the truth, the more they fled from it and avoided it.' وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُواْ أَصَـبِعَهُمْ فِى ءَاذَنِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْاْ ثِيَابَهُمْ (And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments,) meaning, `they closed up their ears so that they could not hear what I was calling them to.' This is similar to what Allah said about the disbelievers of the Quraysh. n?A h complains about his Encounter with His People Allah tells about His servant and Messenger, Nuh, and that he complained to his Lord about the response he received from his people, and how he was patient with them for this long period of time -- which was nine hundred and fifty years. He complained due to his explaining and clarifying matters for them and his calling them to guidance and the straightest path. So he (Nuh) said, NnA ? What Nuh said when He called His People to Allah فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;) meaning, `return to Him and turn away from what you are involved in. Repent to Him soon, for verily, He is Most Accepting of the repentance of those who turn to Him in repentance. He will accept repentance no matter what the sin is, even if it is disbelief and polytheism.' Thus, he said, فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً - يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مُدْرَاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you Midrar,) meaning, continuous rain. Thus, it is recommended to recite this Surah in the prayer for rain due to this Ayah. This has been reported from the Commander of the faithful, `Umar bin Al-Khattab. He ascended the Minbar to perform the prayer for rain, and he did not do more than seeking Allah's forgiveness and reciting the Ayat that mention seeking Allah's forgiveness. Among these Ayat: فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّاراً - يُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مُدْرَاراً (I said: Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you Midrar,) Then he (`Umar) said, "Verily, I have sought rain with the keys of the sky which cause the rain to descend." Ibn `Abbas and others have said, "It (Midrar) means some of it (rain) following others." Concerning Allah's statement, وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَاراً (And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.) meaning, `if you repent to Allah, seek His forgiveness and obey Him, He will increase your provisions for you and provide you with water from the blessings of the sky. He will cause the blessings of the earth and crops to grow for you. He will increase your live stock animals for you and give you more wealth and children. This means that He will give you more wealth, more children and gardens with various types of fruits. He will cause rivers to flow among these gardens.' This is the position of the invitation with encouragement. Then He made it balanced for them by using intimidation. He said, مَّا لَكُمْ لاَ تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَاراً (What is the matter with you, that you do not hope for any Waqar from Allah) meaning, great majesty. This has been said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak. Ibn `Abbas said, "That you all do not magnify Allah in the proper manner that He deserves to be magnified. Meaning, you do not fear His punishment and His vengeance." وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَاراً (While He has created you (in) Atwar (stages).) It has been said that this means from a drop of sperm, then from a hanging clot, then from a lump of flesh. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, Yahya bin Rafi`, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd, all said this. Concerning Allah's statement, أَلَمْ تَرَوْاْ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقاً (See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens in tiers) meaning, one above another. Can this be comprehended simply by hearing it only or is it of the matters that actually can be perceived with the senses which are known about the movements (of the heavenly bodies) and the eclipses. It is known that they (the scholars) have many different opinions about these matters that we will not discuss here. The only intent here is that Allah أَلَمْ تَرَوْاْ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقاً - وَجَعَلَ الْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُوراً وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجاً (Allah has created the seven heavens in tiers and has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp) meaning, He made a distinction between them (the sun and moon) in reference to their lighting. He made each one of them in a set manner with a distinct quality so that the night and day may be known. They (the night and day) are known by the rising and setting of the sun. He also determined fixed stations and positions for the moon, and He made its light vary so that sometimes it increases until it reaches a maximum, then it begins to decrease until it is completely veiled. This shows the passing of months and years. This is as Allah said, هُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَآءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُوراً وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for its stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayat in detail for people who have knowledge.) (10:5) Concerning Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ أَنبَتَكُمْ مِّنَ الاٌّرْضِ نَبَاتاً (And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth) This (Nabat) is a verbal noun (for emphasis) and its usage here is most excellent. ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا (Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth),) (71:18) meaning, when you die. وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجاً (And bring you forth.) meaning, on the Day of Judgement He will repeat your creation just as He first originated you. وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ بِسَاطاً (And Allah has made for you the earth a wide expanse.) meaning, He spread it out, leveled it, settled it, and stabilized it with firm and lofty mountains. لِّتَسْلُكُواْ مِنْهَا سُبُلاً فِجَاجاً (That you may go about therein in broad roads.) meaning, He created it so that you may settle in it and travel in it wherever you wish, from its different sides, areas and regions. All of this is from what Nuh informed them of concerning Allah's power and His greatness in creating the heavens and the earth. It demostrates the favor that He did for them by making both heavenly benefits and earthly benefits. For He is the Creator and the Sustainer Who made the heaven as a building and the earth as a bed, and He enlarged His provisions for His creatures. Therefore, He is the One Who it is obligatory to worship, and accept as One God. No one should be associated with Him as a partner, because He has no equal, peer, rival, coequal, mate, son, minister or advisor, rather He is the Most High, the Most Great. قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلاَّ خَسَاراً - وَمَكَرُواْ مَكْراً كُبَّاراً - وَقَالُواْ لاَ تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَذَرُنَّ وَدّاً وَلاَ سُوَاعاً وَلاَ يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْراً - وَقَدْ أَضَلُّواْ كَثِيراً وَلاَ تَزِدِ الظَّـلِمِينَ إِلاَّ ضَلاَلاً