Sunday, May 24, 2015

Tafseer: Two similar Aayaat that end in two different ways

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]


Allaah تعالى also says: 

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would count the graces of Allaah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 18]


The first ended with man’s dealing with Allaah, while the second ended with Allaah’s dealing with man. How great is Allaah and how ignorant is man!


What follows is the Tafseer (exegesis) of the above two Aayaat from the following books of Tafseer:
1. Tafseer Ibn Katheer – Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-`Adheem
2. Tafseer al-Sa`dee – Tayseer Kareem al-Rahmaan fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan
3. Tafseer al-Muyassar – by a group of scholars (King Fahad Printing)
4. Tafseer al-Qurtobee – al-Jaami` li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan
5. Tafseer al-Baghawee – Ma`aalim al-Tanzeel
 ۩۞۩

Ibn Katheer mentions in his Tafseer of Surah Ibraaheem:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies Allaah’s Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allaah, and by disobeying Allaah and His Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]

(In the earlier Aayaat) Allaah تعالى mentions some of the favors He تعالى has done for His creatures, such as creating the heavens as a protective ceiling and the earth as a bed. He تعالى also sends down rain from the sky and, in its aftermath brings forth a variety of vegetation, fruits and plants of different colors, shapes, tastes, scents and uses. Allaah تعالى also made the ships sail on the surface of the water by His command and He تعالى made the sea able to carry these ships in order that travelers can transfer from one area to another to transport goods. Allaah تعالى also created the rivers that flow through the earth from one area to another as provision for the servants which they use to drink and irrigate, and for other benefits.

Then Allaah تعالى mentions about the Sun and the Moon, the Day and Night and how they benefit the man.

Then Allaah تعالى mentions:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for}, He تعالى has prepared for you all that you need in all conditions, and what you ask Him to provide for you,

Some of the Salaf said: “(He تعالى gave you) all that you asked and that which you did not ask.”

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا﴾

{And if you try to count the blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them} Allaah تعالى informs about the inability of the servants to count His blessings, let alone thank Him duly for them.

Talq bin Habeeb رحمه الله said: “The rights of Allaah are too heavy for the servants to fulfill them (the way they should be fulfilled); but His blessings upon them is more than they can ever count, except that they reach the morning repenting and they reach the evening repenting (i.e. they seek Allaah’s forgiveness throughout the day for their shortcomings).”

In Saheeh al-Bukhaaree it is recorded that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to supplicate:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيَ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا

“O Allaah! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank You, nor ever wish to be cutoff from You, nor ever feeling rich from relying on You; our Lord!” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5458, 5459)]

It was reported that Prophet Dawood عليه السلام used to say in his supplication: “O Lord! How can I ever duly thank You, when my thanking You is in itself also a favor from You to me?” Allaah تعالى answered him: “Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawood”, meaning: ‘when you admitted that you will never be able to duly thank Me.’


Ibn Katheer mentions in his Tafseer of Surah al-Nahl:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would count the graces of Allaah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 18]

Then He تعالى shows His servants some of the many blessings He granted for them, and the many kinds of things that He has done for them. He says:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَآ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would try to count the favors of Allaah, you would never be able to count them. Truly, Allaah is Forgiving, Most Merciful.}, meaning: that He تعالى pardons and forgives them. If He تعالى were to ask you to thank Him for all of His blessings, you would not be able to do so, and if He تعالى were to command you to do so, you would be incapable of it. If He تعالى punishes you, He is never unjust in His punishment, but He تعالى is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful, He forgives much and rewards for little.

Ibn Jareer said: “It means that Allaah تعالى is Forgiving when you fail to thank Him properly, if you repent and turn to Him in obedience, and strive to do that which pleases Him. He is Merciful to you and does not punish you if you turn to Him and repent.”

 ۩۞۩

Shaikh `Abdul-Rahaan al-Sa`dee mentions in his Tafseer of Surah Ibraaheem:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever.} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]

{And He gave you of all that you asked for}, meaning: He تعالى gave you all that which you desired and needed – that which you asked Him either through the situation (you were in) or by your beseeching Him using your speech – from the many blessings which He تعالى has provided.

{And if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them}, let alone thank Him duly for them.

{Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever}, meaning: this is the nature of man; an oppressor, ever ready to sin, negligent in fulfilling the rights of his Lord, denying the blessings of Allaah, neither thanking Him for them nor acknowledging them; except those whom Allaah تعالى had guided, so they thank Him for His favors and acknowledge the rights of their Lord upon them and (try to) fulfill them.

In these Aayaat, Allaah تعالى mentioned some of the major favors which He تعالى has bestowed upon his servants. He تعالى mentioned some of these favors in brief and others in details, through which He تعالى invites His servants to thank Him for them and to remind them and to encourage them towards it; and for encouraging them towards asking Him and beseeching Him (for more and more), throughout the day, morning and evening, the way He تعالى repeatedly bestows His favors upon them all the time.


Shaikh al-Sa`dee mentions in his Tafseer of Surah al-Nahl:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would count the graces of Allaah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 18]

The way He تعالى had no partner (who was involved) in your creation and the creation of those other than you, then similarly, do not set up rivals unto Allaah in His worship; rather worship Him alone.

{And if you were to count the Blessings of Allaah}, just counting only without thanking, {you will never be able to count them}, let alone thanking Him for them. These apparent and hidden blessings of Allaah upon the servants are numerous, and are of different types, some which he knows and others which he does not know – like the numerous harms which have been removed from them (which they might never come to know about).

{Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}, He تعالى is pleased with even little thanks from us for His numerous blessings.

 ۩۞۩

Tafseer Muyassar, by a group of scholars:

Surah Ibraaheem:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever.} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]

And He تعالى gave you everything which you had asked Him for, and were you to count His favors upon you, you will never be able to count them nor will you be able to thank Him for them because of their innumerability and diversity. Man oppresses himself a lot and denies the numerous favors Allaah bestowed upon him.


Surah al-Nahl

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would count the graces of Allaah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 18]

If you try to count the blessings of Allaah upon you, never will you be able to do so because of their innumerability and diversity. Allaah تعالى is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful towards you. He تعالى pardons your shortcomings in thanking Him for His blessings, and He تعالى does not withhold from you His blessings for your negligence, nor does He hasten His punishment.

۩۞۩

Al-Qurtobee mentions in his Tafseer of Surah Ibraaheem:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever.} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]

{And He gave you of all that you asked for}, meaning: He تعالى gave you everything that you had asked Him. And it is said that the meaning is: He تعالى gave you everything which you asked for and which you don’t ask Him for; you don’t ask Him for the sun, the moon or the many different blessings (which are mentioned in the previous Aayaat) and like (some of the other blessings) which Allaah تعالى has mentioned:

﴿سَرابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ﴾

{and (Allaah) has made for you garments to protect you from the heat (and cold)} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 81]

And it is said that the word “min” (مِـن) is extra wording, so the meaning would be: “He تعالى gave you whenever you asked Him.”

And in the recitation of Ibn `Abbaas, al-Hasan, al-Dhahhaak and Qataadah, it is:

(وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلٍّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ)
i.e., there is Tanween on (كُلٍّ) which is a negation, meaning: “He gave you from the things which you did not ask Him for”, like the sun, the moon etc.

{And if you count the blessings of Allaah, you will never be able to do so}, because of their innumerability, you will never be able to count them, like the hearing, the sight, and other features, and also the other blessings like good health and sustenance. And these are the blessings of Allaah, so why do you want to change the blessings which Allaah bestowed upon you by disbelieving in Him?! And did you utilize these blessings in His obedience?!

 ۩۞۩

Al-Baghawee mentions in his Tafseer of Surah Ibraaheem:

﴿وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾

{And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever.} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 34]

{And He gave you of all that you asked for}, He تعالى gave you everything which you asked him for. And in the recitation of al-Hasan there is Tanween on (كُلٍّ) and the (مَا) into negation, meaning: “He gave you that which you don’t ask Him for.” He gave things which you asked Him for and that which you did not ask him for.

{And if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them}, and you would neither be able to count the blessings of Allaah nor would you be able to thank Him for them.

{Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever.}, meaning: Man oppresses himself by disobeying Allaah, and disbelieves in Him by denying His favors. And it is said that it also means that man oppresses by thanking someone else for the blessings which Allaah had bestowed upon him and is a disbeliever by denying Allaah’s favors upon him.


Al-Baghawee mentions in his Tafseer of Surah al-Nahl:

﴿وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾

{And if you would count the graces of Allaah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 18]

If you were to count the blessings of Allaah, you would never be able to do so. Allaah تعالى is Oft-Forgiving for the servants’ shortcomings in thanking Him for His blessings. And He is Merciful towards them by expanding His blessings upon them and He تعالى does not withhold it from them because of their shortcomings and disobedience.

No comments:

Post a Comment