The Most High, Glory to your Lord in the Highest — Verse 9

So remind admonish by the Qur’ān in case the reminder should be of benefit to the one whom you might remind the one mentioned in the following verse ‘he who fears will be reminded’ in other words even if it might not be of benefit for it is of benefit to some but of no benefit to others.

فعظ قومك -أيها الرسول- حسبما يسرناه لك بما يوحى إليك، واهدهم إلى ما فيه خيرهم. وخُصَّ بالتذكير من يرجى منه التذكُّر، ولا تتعب نفسك في تذكير من لا يورثه التذكر إلا عتوًّا ونفورًا.

أي ذكر حيث تنفع التذكرة ومن ههنا يؤخذ الأدب في نشر العلم فلا يضعه عند غير أهله كما قال أمير المؤمنين علي ما أنت بمحدث قوما حديثا لا تبلغه عقولهم إلا كان فتنة لبعضهم وقال حدث الناس بما يعرفون أتحبون أن يكذب الله ورسوله؟.

ثم أمره - تعالى - بدوام التذكير بدعوة الحق بدون إبطاء أو يأس فقال : ( فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذكرى سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يخشى . وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الأشقى . الذى يَصْلَى النار الكبرى . ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا ) .والفاء فى قوله ( فذكر ) للتفريع على ما تقدم ، والأمر مستعمل هنا فى طلب المداومة على التذكير بدعوة الحق التى أرسله - سبحانه - بها ، والذكرى : بمعنى التذكير .والمعنى : إذا كان الأمر كما أخبرناك - أيها الرسول الكريم - فداوم على تذكير الناس بالهدى ودين الحق ، واتبع فى ذلك الحكمة والموعظة الحسنة والمجادلة بالتى هى أحسن اهتم فى تذكيرك بمن تتوقع منهم قبول دعوتك ، وأعرض عن الجاحدين والمعاندين والجاهلين .قال صاحب الكشاف : فإن قلت : كان الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم مأمورا بالذكرى نفعت أو لم تنفع . . فما معنى اشتراط النفع؟ . .قلت : هو على وجهين : أحدهما . أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد استفرغ مجهوده فى تذكيرهم ، وما كانوا يزيدون على زيادة الذكرى إلا عتوا وطغيانا ، وكان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يتلظى حسرة وتلهفا ، ويزداد جدا فى تذكيرهم ، وحرصا عليه ، فقيل له : ( وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِجَبَّارٍ فَذَكِّرْ بالقرآن مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ ) وذلك بعد إلزام الحجة بتكرير التذكير .والثانى : أن يكون ظاهره شرطا ، ومعناه ذَمّاً للمذكِّرين - بتشديد الكاف المفتوحة - وإخبارا عن حالهم ، واستبعادا لتأثير الذكرى فيهم ، وتسجيلا عليهم بالطبع على قلوبهم ، كما تقول للواعظ : عظ المكاسين إن سمعوا منك ، قاصدا بهذا الشرط ، استبعاد ذلك ، وأنه لن يكون . .وقال الإِمام الرازى ما ملخصه : جاء التعليق بالشرط فى قوله - تعالى - : ( فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذكرى ) مع أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم مطلوب منه أن يذكر الناس جميعا ، نفعتهم الذكرى أم لم تنفعهم - للتنبيه على أشرف الحالين ، وهو وجود النفع الذى من أجله شرعت الذكرى ، كقوله - تعالى - :( سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الحر ) وللإِشعار بأن المراد من الشرط : البعث على الانتفاع بالذكرى ، كما يقول الإِنسان لغيره بعد أن بين له الحق ، قد أوضحت لك الأمر إن كنت تعقل ، فيكون مراده الحض على القبول . .ويبدو لنا أن المقصود بالآية الكريمة ، تحريض النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم على المداومة على دعوة الناس إلى قبول الحق الذى جاء به ، فإن هذا التذكير إن لم ينفع الناس جميعا ، فسينفع بعضهم ، فقد اقتضت سنة الله - تعالى - أن لا تخلو الأرض ممن يستمع إلى الحق ، ويستجيب له .

وقوله: ( فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فذكِّر عباد الله يا محمد عظمته، وعِظْهم، وحذّرهم عقوبته ( إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى ) يقول: إن نفعت الذكرى الذين قد آيستُك من إيمانهم، فلا تنفعهم الذكرى. وقوله: ( فَذَكِّرْ ) أمر من الله لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم بتذكير جميع الناس، ثم قال: إن نفعت الذكرى هؤلاء الذين قد آيستك من إيمانهم.

"فذكر"، عظ بالقرآن، " إن نفعت الذكرى"، الموعظة والتذكير. والمعنى: نفعت أو لم تنفع، وإنما لم يذكر الحالة الثانية، كقوله: "سرابيل تقيكم الحر"، وأراد: الحر والبرد جميعاً.

فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى (9) بعد أن ثبَّت الله رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم تكفل له ما أزال فَرَقه من أعباء الرسالة وما اطمأنت به نفسه من دفع ما خافه من ضُعف عن أدائه الرسالةَ على وجهها وتكفل له دفع نسيان ما يوحى إليه إلا ما كان إنساؤه مراداً لله تعالى . ووعده بأنه وفقه وهيأه لذلك ويسره عليه ، إذ كان الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو في مبدأ عهده بالرسالة ( إذ كانت هذه السورة ثامنة السور ) لا يعلم ما سيتعهد الله به فيخشى أن يقصر عن مراد الله فيلحقه غضب منه أو ملام . أعقب ذلك بأنْ أمَرَه بالتذكير ، أي التبليغ ، أي بالاستمرار عليه ، إرهافاً لعزمه ، وشحذاً لنشاطه ليكون إقباله على التذكير بشراشره فإن امتثال الأمر إذا عاضده إقبال النفس على فعل المأمور به كان فيه مسرة للمأمور ، فجَمع بين أداء الواجب وإرضاء الخاطر .فالفاء للتفريع على ما تقدم تفريعَ النتيجة على المقدمات .والأمر : مستعمل في طلب الدوام .والتذكير : تبليغ الذكر وهو القرآن .والذكرى : اسم مصدر التذكير وقد تقدم في سورة عبس .ومفعول { فذكر } محذوف لقصد التعميم

{ فَذَكِّرْ } بشرع الله وآياته { إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى } أي: ما دامت الذكرى مقبولة، والموعظة مسموعة، سواء حصل من الذكرى جميع المقصود أو بعضه.ومفهوم الآية أنه إن لم تنفع الذكرى، بأن كان التذكير يزيد في الشر، أو ينقص من الخير، لم تكن الذكرى مأمورًا بها، بل منهيًا عنها، فالذكرى ينقسم الناس فيها قسمين: منتفعون وغير منتفعين.

قوله تعالى : فذكر أي فعظ قومك يا محمد بالقرآن . إن نفعت الذكرى أي الموعظة . وروى يونس عن الحسن قال : تذكرة للمؤمن ، وحجة على الكافر . وكان ابن عباس يقول : تنفع أوليائي ، ولا تنفع أعدائي . وقال الجرجاني : التذكير واجب وإن لم ينفع . والمعنى : فذكر إن نفعت الذكرى أو لم تنفع ، فحذف كما قال : سرابيل تقيكم الحر . وقيل : إنه مخصوص بأقوام بأعيانهم . وقيل : إن إن بمعنى ما أي فذكر ما نفعت الذكرى ، [ ص: 19 ] فتكون إن بمعنى ما ، لا بمعنى الشرط ; لأن الذكرى نافعة بكل حال قال ابن شجرة . وذكر بعض أهل العربية أن إن بمعنى إذ أي إذ نفعت كقوله تعالى : وأنتم الأعلون إن كنتم مؤمنين أي إذ كنتم فلم يخبر بعلوهم إلا بعد إيمانهم . وقيل : بمعنى قد .

Man observes that a serviceable animal like the camel is obedient to him. The sky in all its majesty is well disposed towards him. The earth, without any effort on our part, is subservient to our interests. All these phenomena remind a thoughtful man of God and the Hereafter. Those who derive the nourishment of remembrance from these arrangements of the world have established their entitlement to God’s eternal bounties, while those who have remained lost in forgetfulness and neglect, have proved that they deserve to be deprived of every kind of bounty—forever.

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ (So, extend advice [ to people ] if advice is useful....87:9) The preceding verses described the facilities created by Allah for the Holy Prophet in performing his Prophetic obligation. This verse commands him to perform his obligation. The verse contains the conditional particle 'in' (if) that apparently makes the sentence a conditional statement. But, in fact, the command is not intended to be made conditional. It is rather an emphatic statement. This is similar to the grammatical phenomenon in many languages. The particle 'if' is sometimes used when something is always true. It is used for introducing a situation that always has the same meaning, result or effect. For example: "If you are a 'man' [ obviously he is a man ], then you will have to do this work;" In neither of such sentences, the particle 'if is conditional, but rather emphatic. Likewise, the verse purports to say that preaching truth and righteousness is certainly useful. Therefore, the beneficial thing should never be abandoned at anytime.

(Therefore remind (men)) admonish by means of the Qur'an and through Allah, (for of use is the reminder) He says: admonition by means of the Qur'an and through Allah does not benefit except he who fears Allah, i.e. the believer.

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtues of Surat Al-A`la This Surah was revealed in Makkah before the migration to Al-Madinah. The proof of this is what Al-Bukhari recorded from Al-Bara' bin `Azib, that he said, "The first people to come to us (in Al-Madinah) from the Companions of the Prophet were Mus`ab bin `Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum, who taught us the Qur'an; then `Ammar, Bilal and Sa`d came. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab came with a group of twenty people, after which the Prophet came. I have not seen the people of Al-Madinah happier with anything more than their happiness with his coming (to Al-Madinah). This was reached to such an extent that I saw the children and little ones saying, `This is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who has come.' Thus, he came, but he did not come until after I had already recited (i.e., learned how to recite) سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) (87:1) as well as other Surahs similar to it." It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Mu`adh, «هَلَّا صَلَّيْتَ بِــ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَـهَا وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى » (Why didn't you recite "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,"; "By the sun and its brightness," and "By the night when it envelopes.") Imam Ahmad recorded from An-Nu`man bin Bashir that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) in the two `Id prayers. If the `Id prayer fell on Friday, he would recite them in both prayers (`Id and Salat Al-Jumu`ah). Muslim also recorded this in his Sahih, as well as Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. The wording of Muslim and the Sunan compilers says, "He used to recite سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَـشِيَةِ Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) for the two `Ids and Jumu`ah. If they occurred on the same day, he would recite them in both of them." In his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded on the authority of Ubayy bin Ka`b, Abdullah bin `Abbas, `Abdur-Rahman bin Abza, and the Mother of the believers, `A'ishah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) and (Say: `O you who disbelieve.') and (Say: `He is Allah, the One.') `A'ishah added in her version that he would also recite the Mu`awwidhatayn (Al-Falaq and An-Nas). بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيم In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Command to pronounce Tasbih and its Response Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Abbas that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would recite سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say, «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى» (Glory to my Lord, the Most High.) Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn Ishaq Al-Hamdani that whenever Ibn `Abbas would recite سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) he would say, "Glory to my Lord, the Most High," and whenever he would recite لاَ أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ (I swear by the Day of Resurrection.) (75:1) and then reach the end of it أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْيِىَ الْمَوْتَى (Is not He able to give life to the dead) (75:40) he would say, "Glory to You, of course." Qatadah said, سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) "It has been mentioned to us that whenever the Prophet of Allah used to recite it he would say, «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى» (Glory to my Lord, the Most High.)" The Creation, the Decree, and the bringing forth of Vegetation Allah says, الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى (Who has created, and then proportioned it.) meaning, He created that which has been created, and He fashioned every creation in the best of forms. Then Allah says, وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى (And Who has measured; and then guided.) Mujahid said, "He guided man to distress and happiness, and he guided the cattle to their pastures." This Ayah is similar to what Allah has said about Musa's statement to Fir`awn, رَبُّنَا الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى (Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.) (20:50) meaning, He decreed a set measure and guided the creation to it. This is just as is confirmed in Sahih Muslim on the authority of `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلَائِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَواتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء» (Verily, Allah ordained the measure of all creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water.) Concerning Allah's statement, وَالَّذِى أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَى (And Who brings out the pasturage,) meaning, all types of vegetation and crops. فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَآءً أَحْوَى (And then makes it dark stubble.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Dried up and altered." It has been narrated that Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, all made similar statements. The Prophet does not forget the Revelation Allah says, سَنُقْرِئُكَ (We shall make you to recite,) meaning, `O Muhammad.' فَلاَ تَنسَى (so you shall not forget (it),) This is Allah informing and promising him (the Prophet ) that He will teach him a recitation that he will not forget. إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ (Except what Allah may will.) Qatadah said, "The Prophet did not forget anything except what Allah willed." It has been said that the meaning of Allah's statement, فَلاَ تَنسَى (so you shall not forget,) is, "do not forget" and that which would be abrogated, is merely an exception to this. Meaning, `do not forget what We teach you to recite, except what Allah wills, which He removes and there is no sin on your leaving it off (not retaining it).' Concerning Allah's statement, إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَى (He knows what is apparent and what is hidden.) meaning, He knows what the creatures do openly and what they hide, whether it be statements or deeds. None of that is hidden from Him. Then Allah says, وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَى (And We shall make easy for you the easy.) meaning, `We will make good deeds and statements easy for you, and We will legislate such Law for you that is easy, tolerant, straight and just, with no crookedness, difficulty or hardship in it.' The Command to remind Allah then says, فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى (Therefore remind in case the reminder profits.) meaning, remind where reminding is beneficial. From here we get the etiquette of spreading knowledge, that it should not be wasted upon those who are not suitable or worthy of it. The Commander of the believers, `Ali said, "You do not tell people any statement that their intellects do not grasp except that it will be a Fitnah (trial) for some of them." He also said, "Tell people that which they know. Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be rejected" Allah said: سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَى (The reminder will be received by him who fears,) meaning, `he whose heart fears Allah and who knows that he is going to meet Him, will receive admonition from what you convey to him, O Muhammad.' وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الاٌّشْقَى - الَّذِى يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَى - ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا (But it will be avoided by the wretched, who will enter the great Fire. There he will neither die nor live.) meaning, he will not die and thus be allowed to rest, nor will he live a life that is beneficial to him. Instead, his life will be harmful to him, because it will be the cause of his feeling of the pain of torment and various types of punishments what he is being punished with. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَمَّا أَهْلُ النَّارِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهَا لَا يَمُوتُونَ وَلَا يَحْيَوْنَ، وَأَمَّا أُنَاسٌ يُرِيدُ اللهُ بِهِمُ الرَّحْمَةَ فَيُمِيتُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّفَعَاءُ فَيَأْخُذُ الرَّجُلُ الضِّبَارَةَ فَيُنْبِتُهُمْ أو قال: يَنْبُتُونَ فِي نَهْرِ الْحَيَا، أو قال: الْحَيَاةِ، أو قال: الْحَيَوَانِ أو قال: نَهْرِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَنْبُتُونَ نَبَاتَ الْحِبَّةِ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْل» (Concerning the people of the Fire who are deserving of it, they will not die nor will they live. Regarding the people that Allah wants mercy for, He will cause them to die in the Fire. Then He will allow the intercessors to come to them, and a man will take his groups of supporters and plant them (or he said (they will be planted) in the River of Al-Haya (or he said (Al-Hayah, or Al-Hayawan, or Nahr Al-Jannah). Then they will sprout up like the sprouting of the seed on the moist bank of a flowing stream.) Then the Prophet said, «أَمَا تَرَوْنَ الشَّجَرَةَ تَكُونُ خَضْرَاءَ، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ صَفْرَاءَ، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خَضْرَاءَ؟» (Haven't you all seen the tree that is green, then it turns yellow, then it turns green (again)) Abu Sa`id then said that some of those present said, "It is as if the Prophet used to live in the desert wilderness (i.e., due to his parables of nature)." Ahmad also recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَمَّا أَهْلُ النَّارِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَهْلُهَا فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَمُوتُونَ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَوْنَ، وَلَــكِنْ أُنَاسٌ أو كما قال تُصِيبُهُمُ النَّارُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ أو قال: بِخَطَايَاهُمْ فَيُمِيتُهُمْ إِمَاتَةً حَتْى إِذَا صَارُوا فَحْمًا أُذِنَ فِي الشَّفَاعَةِ، فَجِيءَ بِهِمْ ضَبَائِرَ ضَبَائِرَ فَبُثُّوا عَلى أَنْهَارِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُقَالُ:يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَيَنْبُتُونَ نَبَاتَ الْحِبَّةِ تَكُونُ فِي حَمِيلِ السَّيْل» (Concerning the people of the Fire who will be dwellers of it, they will not die in it nor will they live. However, there will be a group of people - or as he said -( whom the Fire will burn due to their sins - or he said - (their wrongdoings. So, He will cause them to die until they become burnt coal. Then the intercession will be allowed and they will be brought group after group, and they will be scattered over the rivers of Paradise. Then it will be said: "O people of Paradise! Pour down upon them." Then they will sprout like the growing of the seed that is upon the moist bank of the flowing stream." Then, a man from among the people present said, "It is as if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to live in the desert wilderness." Muslim also recorded this Hadith.