Those Who Drag Forth, Soul-snatchers, Those Who Pulled Out — Verse 40

But as for him who feared the stance before his Lord his standing before Him and forbade the evil-bidding soul from pursuing desire that leads to perdition as a result of that person’s lusting after carnal desires

وأمَّا مَنْ خاف القيام بين يدي الله للحساب، ونهى النفس عن الأهواء الفاسدة، فإن الجنة هي مسكنه.

أي خاف القيام بين يدي الله عز وجل وخاف حكم الله فيه ونهى نفسه عن هواها وردها إلى طاعة مولاها.

( وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ ) أى : خاف عظمته وجلاله ، وسلح نفسه بالإِيمان والعمل الصالح استعدادا لهذا اليوم الذى يجازى فيه كل إنسان بما يستحقه .( وَنَهَى النفس عَنِ الهوى ) أى : وزجر نفسه وكفها عن السيئات والمعاصى والميول نحو الأهوال الضالة المضلة .

وقوله: ( وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى ) يقول: وأما من خاف مسألة الله إياه عند وقوفه يوم القيامة بين يديه، فاتقاه بأداء فرائضه، واجتناب معاصيه، ( وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى ) يقول: ونهى نفسه عن هواها فيما يكرهه الله، ولا يرضاه منها، فزجرها عن ذلك، وخالف هواها إلى ما أمره به ربه .

"وأما من خاف مقام ربه ونهى النفس عن الهوى"، عن المحارم التي تشتهيها، قال مقاتل: هو الرجل يهم بالمعصية فيذكر مقامه للحساب فيتركها.

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى (40) وقد زاد هذا المفادَ بياناً قوله بعده : { وأما من خاف مقام ربه } الآية .وبه يظهر أن مناط الذم في إيثار الحياة الدنيا هو إيثارها على الآخرة ، فأما الأخذ بحظوظ الحياة الدنيا التي لا يفيت الأخذُ بها حظوظ الآخرة فذلك غير مذموم ، وهو مقام كثير من عِباد الله الصالحين حكاه الله تعالى عن صالحي بني إسرائيل من قولهم لقارون : { وابْتَعِ فيما آتاك اللَّه الدار الآخرة ولا تنس نصيبك من الدنيا } [ القصص : 77 ] .وقولُه : { من خاف مقام ربه } مقابل قوله : { من طغى } لأن الخوف ضد الطغيان وقوله : { نهى النفس عن الهوى } مقابل قوله : { وآثر الحياة الدنيا } .ونهى الخائف نفسه مستعار للانكفاف عن تناول ما تحبه النفس من المعاصي والهوى ، فجعلت نفس الإِنسان بمنزلة شخص آخر يدعوه إلى السيئات وهو ينهاه عن هذه الدعوة ، وهذا يشبه ما يسمى بالتجريد ، يقولون : قالت له نفسه كذا فعصاها ، ويقال : نهى قَلْبَه ، ومن أحسن ما قيل في ذلك قول عروة بن أذيْنة: ... وإذا وجَدْت لها وسَاوس سَلْوةشفَع الفُؤاد إلى الضمير فسلها ... والمراد ب { الهوى } ما تهواه النفس فهو مصدر بمعنى المفعول مثل الخلق بمعنى المخلوق ، فهو ما ترغب فيه قوى النفس الشهوية والغضبية مما يخالف الحق والنفعَ الكامل . وشاع الهوى في المرغوب الذميم ولذلك قيل في قوله تعالى : { ومن أضل ممن اتبع هواه بغير هدى من اللَّه } [ القصص : 50 ] أن { بغير هدى } حال فمؤكدة ليست تقييداً إذ لا يكون الهوى إلا بغير هدى .وتعريف { الهوى } تعريف الجنس .

{ وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ } أي: خاف القيام عليه ومجازاته بالعدل، فأثر هذا الخوف في قلبه فنهى نفسه عن هواها الذي يقيدها عن طاعة الله، وصار هواه تبعا لما جاء به الرسول، وجاهد الهوى والشهوة الصادين عن الخير،

وأما من خاف مقام ربه أي حذر مقامه بين يدي ربه . وقال الربيع : مقامه يوم الحساب . وكان قتادة يقول : إن لله - عز وجل - مقاما قد خافه المؤمنون . وقال مجاهد : هو خوفه في الدنيا من الله - عز وجل - عند مواقعة الذنب فيقلع . نظيره : ولمن خاف مقام ربه جنتان ، ونهى النفس عن الهوى أي زجرها عن المعاصي والمحارم . وقال سهل : ترك الهوى مفتاح الجنة ; لقوله - عز وجل - : وأما من خاف مقام ربه ونهى النفس عن الهوى قال عبد الله بن مسعود : أنتم في زمان يقود الحق الهوى ، وسيأتي [ ص: 179 ] زمان يقود الهوى الحق فنعوذ بالله من ذلك الزمان .فإن الجنة هي المأوى أي المنزل . والآيتان نزلتا في مصعب بن عمير وأخيه عامر بن عمير ; فروى الضحاك عن ابن عباس قال : أما من طغى فهو أخ لمصعب بن عمير أسر يوم بدر ، فأخذته الأنصار فقالوا : من أنت ؟ قال : أنا أخو مصعب بن عمير ، فلم يشدوه في الوثاق ، وأكرموه وبيتوه عندهم ، فلما أصبحوا حدثوا مصعب بن عمير حديثه ; فقال : ما هو لي بأخ ، شدوا أسيركم ، فإن أمه أكثر أهل البطحاء حليا ومالا . فأوثقوه حتى بعثت أمه في فدائه .وأما من خاف مقام ربه فمصعب بن عمير ، وقى رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بنفسه يوم أحد حين تفرق الناس عنه ، حتى نفذت المشاقص في جوفه . وهي السهام ، فلما رآه رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - متشحطا في دمه قال : " عند الله أحتسبك " وقال لأصحابه : " لقد رأيته وعليه بردان ما تعرف قيمتهما وإن شراك نعليه من ذهب " . وقيل : إن مصعب بن عمير قتل أخاه عامرا يوم بدر .وعن ابن عباس أيضا قال : نزلت هذه الآية في رجلين : أبي جهل بن هشام المخزومي ومصعب بن عمير العبدري . وقال السدي : نزلت هذه الآية وأما من خاف مقام ربه في أبي بكر الصديق - رضي الله عنه - . وذلك أن أبا بكر كان له غلام يأتيه بطعام ، وكان يسأله من أين أتيت بهذا ، فأتاه يوما بطعام فلم يسأل وأكله ، فقال له غلامه : لم لا تسألني اليوم ؟ فقال : نسيت ، فمن أين لك هذا الطعام . فقال : تكهنت لقوم في الجاهلية فأعطونيه . فتقايأه من ساعته وقال : يا رب ما بقي في العروق فأنت حبسته فنزلت : وأما من خاف مقام ربه . وقال الكلبي : نزلت في من هم بمعصية وقدر عليها في خلوة ثم تركها من خوف الله . ونحوه عن ابن عباس . يعني من خاف عند المعصية مقامه بين يدي الله ، فانتهى عنها . والله أعلم .

Man is between two domains. One is the present world, which is before him, and the second is the world of the Hereafter, which is hidden from view. The real test of man is that he should prefer the Hereafter to the present world. But this can be done only by one who has the courage to exercise control over the base desires of the self and not behave arrogantly.

Thereafter, the special marks of the inmates of Paradise are described. They too have two characteristics: وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَ‌بِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ (whereas for the one who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained his self from the [ evil ] desire, 79:40). In other words, [ 1] the first characteristic of a God-fearing person is that, in this life, he shudders at the thought of appearing before Allah to account for his deeds on the Day of Reckoning; and [ 2] forbids the baser self from its evil desires. Those who are characterised by these two qualities have the good news that the Paradise will be their abode, thus: فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ (the Paradise will be the abode....79:41) Three Levels of Suppressing [ the Base ] Self The verse under comment lays down two conditions of attaining the abode in Paradise, but carefully considered, the two conditions, in terms of consequence, are one. The first condition is the fear of accountability in the presence of Allah. The second condition is to restrain oneself from the evil desires. As a matter of fact, fear of Allah causes one to restrain oneself from evil desires. Qadi Thana'ullah Panipati has written in his Tafsir Mazhari that there are three levels of suppressing evil desires, as follows: The first level is that one avoids false beliefs which are in conflict or incompatible with express texts [ of the Holy Qur'an and established Sunnah ] and consensus of [ the righteous ] predecessors. In this level, a person deserves to be called 'Sunni Muslim'. The second level is the middle one. A person, in this stage, may think of committing sin. Then he may remember that he has to account for his deeds before Allah [ on the Day of Reckoning ]. As a result, he abandons the thought of committing sin. The complement to this level is that one abstains from doubtful things and those acts that are permissible in themselves, but there is apprehension that if committed, they may lead one to slip into impermissible acts. Sayyidna Nu` man Ibn Bashir ؓ narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: "He who abstained from doubtful things has protected his honour and religion. He who indulged in doubtful things will eventually indulge in forbidden things." The expression 'doubtful things' signifies those acts about which one is not certain whether they are permissible or not, both possibilities being equal. Let us consider a few examples: if a person is ill and can take [ wet ] ablution, but he is not sure whether taking [ wet ] ablution in this state would be harmful. Thus the permissibility of dry ablution (tayammum) becomes doubtful. Likewise a person is able to perform prayers in a standing position, but feels great difficulty. He is now in doubt whether or not it is permissible for him to perform prayers in a sitting position. On such occasions, one should abandon the doubtful thing or act, and prefer what is definitely certain. This is taqwa and the middle course of suppressing the selfish desires. Tricks of the Base Self There are acts whose sinful nature is obvious to everyone. The selfish desires prompting to such sinful acts may be suppressed by one's deliberate efforts and firm resolution. However, there are evils prompted by one's base self even during his acts of worship and other good deeds, such as self-conceit, (` Ujb) vanity, (Kibr), and show off (Riya' ). These are such sins whose sinful nature is often not discoverable to a common person, still they are very severe and firmly ingrained evil desires of one's base self. One is at times deceived by them, because he continues to think that his actions are right. It is extremely necessary that first and foremost this lower self must be suppressed. But this cannot be achieved by one on his own. It is necessary for one to search for a perfect spiritual master (Ash-shaikhul-kamil), and hand himself over to him for guidance. He acts as the authentic guide and the only one to whom a seeker of Truth should turn in his quest and follow his advice. In turning to the spiritual master, the seeker is turning to Allah Almighty. The shaikh engages him in the spiritual struggle and endeavour [ mujahadah ] against the passions and tendencies of the lower self [` uyub-un-nafs ]. Shaikh Imam Ya` qub Karkhi (رح) says that in his young age he was a carpenter. He found laziness, and felt darkness in his inner self. So, he intended to keep fasts for a few days so that he may get rid of the laziness and darkness. Co-incidentally, one day, while he was fasting, he went up to Shaikh Imam Baha'uddin Naqshbandi. The Shaikh called for meals for his guests. He was also invited to partake of the meal, and the Shaikh said: "He is a very bad slave who is the slave of his base self that misleads him. It is better to partake of meal than to keep fast with evil desires of the base self." Shaikh Karkhi says that at that moment he realised that (by fasting) he was falling prey to self-complacence, self-conceit and pride, which the Shaikh Naqshbandi perceived. On that occasion, Shaikh Karkhi realised that a spiritual master's permission and guidance is needed to take up an optional act of worship, because the spiritual master is aware of the hidden tricks of the evil desires of the base self. If an optional act of worship will be accompanied by such motives, the will put a stop to it [ for remedial purposes ]. He asked Shaikh Naqshbandi: "If I cannot find a Shaikh who is called in Sufi terms as fani fillah and baqi billah, (the explanation is coming in the next paragraph.) what must I do?" He replied: "Recite istighfar abundantly and recite istighfar [ seek Allah's pardon ] twenty times regularly after every prayer, so that it works out to a hundred times reciting it five times a day." The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: "Sometimes I feel my heart disturbed, and I recite istighfar [ seek Allah's pardon ] a hundred times a day." The third and the highest level of suppression of the base self is that by abundant dhikrullah [ remembrance of Allah ] and constant mujahadah [ spiritual struggle and endeavour against the evil passions ] and riyadah [ ascetic discipline ], one's self (nafs) is so much cleansed and purified that the desires that tempts him to evil are totally eliminated. This is the special stage of wilayah [ Divine friendship ], which in Sufi Terminology is called rani fillah and baqi billah. The Qur'an says regarding such people [ addressing the Shaitan ]: إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ 'My servants are such that you have no power over them [ 15:42] ' The following Tradition applies to the same category of wali : لَا یُؤمِن احَدُکُم حَتّٰی یَکُونَ ھَوَاہُ تَبعاً لِمَا جِٔتُ بِہٖ 'None of you can be a [ perfect ] believer unless his [ base ] desires of self follow my teachings.' Towards the end of the Surah, the Holy Qur'an responds to the mala fide demand of the infidels that the Holy Prophet ﷺ should let them know the exact date and time of the Day of Judgment. They are told that knowledge of the time and date is within Allah's own special prerogative. Allah's consummate wisdom did not pass the information to any angel or Prophet ﷺ . Therefore, the demand is futile. Al-hamdulillah The Commentary on Surah An-Naziat Ends here

(But as for him who feared) upon committing a sin (to stand before his Lord) his standing before his Lord and abstains from engaging in sin (and restrained his soul from lust) from that which is unlawful, even though he desires it, this refers to Mus'ab Ibn 'Umayr.

But as for him who feared the standing before his Lord, and restrained his soul from [pursuingits] desire,He said:No one is safe from his desire except a prophet and some of the veracious (ṣiddīqūn), though not all of them. The only one who is safe from his desire (hawā) is the one who imposes propriety (adab) upon himself. The only ones who are purified in their propriety are the prophets  and some of the veracious; and it is the same case regarding character (akhlāq).One day Ibn al-Sammāk went out to meet his companions, who had gathered to see him, and said, �I have already given you so many admonitions. Would you like my remedy for you?� They said, �Yes�. He said, �Oppose your desires (ahwāʾ)!�But God, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.His words:

The Day of Judgement, its Pleasures and Hell, and that its Time is not known Allah says, فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ الطَّآمَّةُ الْكُبْرَى (But when there comes the Great Catastrophe) This refers to the Day of Judgement. This has been said by Ibn `Abbas. It has been called this because it will overcome every matter. It will be frightful and horrifying. As Allah says, وَالسَّاعَةُ أَدْهَى وَأَمَرُّ (And the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.) (54:46) Then Allah says, يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنسَـنُ مَا سَعَى (The Day when man shall remember what he strove for.) meaning, at that time the Son of Adam will reflect upon all of his deeds, both the good and the evil. This is as Allah says, يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنسَـنُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى (On the Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance avail him) (89:23) Then Allah says, وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَى (And Hell shall be made apparent for whoever sees.) meaning, it will become apparent for the onlookers, so the people will see it with their own eyes. فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَى (Then for him who transgressed) meaning, who rebels and behaves arrogantly. وَءاثَرَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا (And preferred the life of this world,) meaning, he gives it precedence over the matters of his religion and his Hereafter. فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِىَ الْمَأْوَى (Verily his abode will be the Hell;) meaning, his final destination will be Hell, his food will be from the tree of Zaqqum, and his drink will be from Hamim. وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى (But as for him who feared standing before his Lord and forbade himself from desire.) meaning, he fears the standing before Allah, he fears Allah's judgement of him, he prevents his soul from following its desires, and he compels it to obey its Master. فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِىَ الْمَأْوَى (Verily Paradise will be his abode.) meaning, his final abode, his destination, and his place of return will be the spacious Paradise. Then Allah says, يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَـهَا - فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَاهَا - إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَـهَآ (They ask you about the Hour -- when will be its appointed time What do you have to mention of it. To your Lord it is limited.) meaning, its knowledge is not with you, nor with any creature. Rather the knowledge of it is with Allah. He is the One Who knows the exact time of its occurrence. ثَقُلَتْ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً يَسْـَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ (Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden. They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah.") (7:187) Allah says here, إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَـهَآ (To your Lord it is limited.) Thus, when Jibril asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the time of the last Hour he said, «مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِل» (The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.) Allah said, إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَـهَا (You are only a warner for those who fear it,) meaning, `I sent you to warn mankind and caution them to beware of the torment and punishment of Allah. So whoever fears Allah, fears standing before Him, and His threat, then he will follow you, and thus be successful and victorious. However, whoever denies you and opposes you, then he will only suffer loss and failure.' Allah then says, كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَـهَا (The Day they see it (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an (`Ashiyyah) afternoon or its (Duha) morning.) meaning, when they stand up from their graves to go to the place of Gathering, they will feel that the period of the worldy life was short, it will seem to them that it was only the afternoon of one day. Juwaybir reported from Ad-Dahhak from Ibn `Abbas: كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَـهَا (The Day they see it (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an (`Ashiyyah) afternoon or its (Duha) morning.) "As for `Ashiyyah, it is the time between noon until the setting of the sun. أَوْ ضُحَـهَا (Or its (Duha) morning) what is between sunrise and midday (noon)." Qatadah said, "This refers to the time period of the worldly life in the eyes of the people when they see the Hereafter." This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat An-Nazi`at. And to Allah belongs all praise and thanks.