Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said concerning 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 creatures (and all that is in the earth) of creatures and living things (glorifieth Allah) pray to Allah; and it is also said this means: remember Allah; (unto Him belongeth sovereignty) perpetual sovereignty which never vanishes (and unto Him belongeth praise) thanks and gratitude are due to Him from the dwellers of the heavens and the earth; and it is also said this means: thanks and gratitude are due to Him from the people of the life of the world as well as from the people of the Hereafter, (and He is Able to do all things) relating to the matters of the life of the world and the matters of the Hereafter, and to the adornment of the dwellers of the heavens and the dwellers of the earth.

(He it is Who created you) from Adam and Adam is from dust, (but one of you is a disbeliever) openly (and one of you is a believer) openly; it is also said that this means: one of you is a disbeliever who becomes a believer-this is said as an encouragement to accept faith-and one of you is a believer who becomes a disbeliever-this is a warning against disbelief-; it is also said that this means: one of you is a disbeliever both inwardly and outwardly-this is the real disbeliever-and one of you is a believer inwardly and outwardly and this is the real believer, and one of you is a disbeliever inwardly and a believer outwardly, and this is the hypocrite, (and Allah is Seer of what ye do) of good and evil.

(He created the heavens and the earth with truth) in order to explain the Truth and falsehood; and it is also said this means: He created the heavens and the earth and they are both destined to vanish and be annihilated, (and He shaped you) in the wombs (and made good your shapes) better than the shapes of beasts; and it is also said this means: He made your shapes seemly by giving you two hands, two feet, two eyes, two ears and all the other members, (and unto Him is the journeying) and unto Him is the return after death.

(He knoweth all that is in the heavens) of creation (and all that is in the earth) of created beings, (and He knoweth what ye conceal) of deeds (and what ye publish) of works (and Allah is Aware of what is in the breasts (of men)) He is Aware of what is in the hearts of good and evil.

(Hath not the story) the event (reached you) O people of Mecca (of those who disbelieved of old) of the nations who were before, how We dealt with them (and so did taste the ill effects of their conduct) and so did taste the punishment they deserved in the life of the world by being chastised and destroyed, (and theirs will be a painful doom) in the Hereafter.

(That) torment (was because their messengers (from Allah) kept coming unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty)) detailing commands, prohibitions and signs, (but they said: Shall mere mortals) human beings like us (guide us) call us to believe in Allah's divine Oneness? (So they disbelieved) in the Scriptures, messengers and signs (and turned away) from accepting faith in the Scriptures, messengers and signs, (and Allah was independent (of them)) of their faith. (Allah is Absolute) Allah is free of need for their faith, (Owner of Praise) He is praiseworthy in His acts; it is also said that this means: He is the Owner of Praise as far as those who believe in His divine Oneness are concerned.

(Those who disbelieve) the disbelievers of Mecca (assert that they will not be raised again) after they die. (Say) to them, O Muhammad: (Yea, verily, by my Lord! ye will be raised again) after you die (and then ye will be informed of what ye did) in the life of the world of good and evil; (and that) resurrection after death (is easy for Allah.

So believe) O people of Mecca (in Allah and His messenger) Muhammad (pbuh) and in resurrection after death (and the light) the Scripture (which We have revealed) with which We sent Gabriel to Muhammad (pbuh). (And Allah is Aware of what ye do) of good and evil.

(The day) which is the day of Judgement (when He shall gather you unto the Day of Assembling) when the earlier and later generations will be assembled, (that will be a day of mutual disillusion) the disbeliever will be duped regarding his own person, family, servants and properties in Paradise and the believer will inherit him; it is also said that this means: the believer will dupe the disbeliever regarding his family and properties, and the disbeliever will be duped about his own person in the Garden and the believer will inherit him, and the wronged will dupe the one who wronged him by taking his good deeds and giving him his own evil deeds. (And whoso believeth in Allah) and in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an (and does right) sincerely between himself and his Lord, (He will remit from him his evil deeds) He will forgive his sins because of his belief in Allah's divine Oneness (and will bring him into Gardens beneath which) beneath its trees and habitations (rivers flow) rivers of wine, water, honey and milk flow, (therein to abide for ever) dwelling in Paradise never to die or leave it. (That is the Supreme Triumph) that is the supreme gain: they gained the Garden and are saved from the Fire.

(But those who disbelieve) in Allah: the disbelievers of Mecca (and deny Our revelations) Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an, (such are owners of the Fire) they are inhabitants of the Fire; (they will abide therein) they will abide in the Fire, never to die or leave it (a hapless journey's end) in the Hereafter in which they have ended up!

(No calamity befalleth) you in your bodies, families or wealth (save by Allah's leave) and decree. (And whosoever believeth in Allah) seeing that the calamity is from Allah, (He guideth his heart) to have contentment and patience; it is also said: when Allah gives him, he is thankful and when Allah tries him, he is patient and when he wrongs someone, he asks for forgiveness, and when a calamity befalls him, he says: �verily we are unto Allah, and unto Him we shall return�. (And Allah is Knower of all things) that befall you, whether it is a calamity or something else.

(Obey Allah) with regard to His obligations (and obey His messenger) with regard to his practices; it is also said this means: obey Allah regarding Allah's divine Oneness and obey His Messenger by accepting his message; (but if ye turn away) from their obedience, (then the duty of Our messenger) Muhammad (pbuh) (is only to convey (the message)) on behalf of Allah (plainly) i.e. in a language that you understand.

(Allah! There is no God save Him) He has no son or partner. (In Allah, therefore, let believers put their trust) the believers should rely on Allah and not on anyone else.

(O ye who believe) in Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an! (Lo! Among your wives and your children) who are in Mecca (there are enemies for you) in that they barred you from migration and jihad, (therefore beware of them) lest you fail to migrate or engage in jihad. (And if ye efface) if you pardon them for barring you (and overlook) and turn away from them, and not punish them (and forgive) their sins after they have migrated from Mecca to Medina, (then lo! Allah is Forgiving) He forgives he who repents, (Merciful) towards he who die repentant.

(Your wealth and your children) who are in Mecca (are only a temptation) they are a calamity for you if they prevent you from migrating and taking part in jihad, (whereas Allah! with Him is an immense reward) for he who migrates and takes part in jihad in the way of Allah and is, further, not distracted by his wealth and children from migrating and taking part in jihad.

(So keep your duty to Allah) so obey Allah (as best ye can) to the best of your ability, (and listen) to what you are commanded with, (and obey) the commands of Allah and His Messenger, (and spend) and give alms in the way of Allah; (that is better for your souls) He says: giving alms is better than withholding wealth. (And whoso is saved from his own greed) whoever drives away from himself his own greed; and it is also said this means: whoever gives the poor-due entitled in his wealth, (such are the successful) who escape Allah's wrath and torment.

(If ye lend unto Allah) by giving alms (a goodly loan) sincerely from your hearts and intending with it no one but Allah, (He will double it for you) He will accept it and multiply it from seven to 70 and up two millions folds, and up to whatever He wills (and will forgive you) through your alms, (for Allah is Responsive) in that He accepts your alms and multiplies it manifold; it is also said that this means: He is thankful: He accepts very little from His salves and rewards for it abundantly, (Clement) He does not hasten His punishment upon those who boast about their almsgiving and those who refuse to give alms,

(Knower of the invisible) i.e. that which is in the hearts of those who give alms of the feelings of boasting and fear (and the visible) He is Aware of their alms, (the Mighty) in retribution against those who boast about their alms or refuse to give alms, (the Wise) in His command and decree; it is also said that this means: the Wise in accepting alms and multiplying the reward of almsgiving; and it is also said this means: the Wise in that He enjoined His Messenger (pbuh) and his nation to divorce in accordance with the prophetic practice'.