Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah An-Nisa -> The Necessity of Taqwa of Allah |
Allah states that He is the Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is the Supreme Authority over them. Hence Allah's statement, ﴿ظˆظژظ„ظژظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ظˆظژطµظ‘ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط£ظڈظˆطھظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظژ ظ…ظگظ† ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط¥ظگظٹظ‘ظژظ€ظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾ (And verily, We have recommended to the People of the Scripture before you, and to you) meaning, We have recommended to you what We recommended to the People of Scriptures; Taqwa of Allah, by worshipping Him Alone without partners. Allah then said, ﴿ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژظƒظ’ظپظڈط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظژظ…ظژظ€ظˆظژطھظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط¶ظگ﴾ (But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth). In another Ayah, Allah said that Musa said to his people, ﴿ط¥ظگظ† طھظژظƒظ’ظپظڈط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط£ظژظ†طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ† ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط¶ظگ ط¬ظژظ…ظگظٹط¹ظ‹ط§ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ„ظژط؛ظژظ†ظگظ‰ظ‘ظŒ طظژظ…ظگظٹط¯ظŒ﴾ ("If you disbelieve, you and all on the earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (free of any need), Owner of all praise.''). Allah said, ﴿ظپظژظƒظژظپظژط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظ‘ظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژط؛ظ’ظ†ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط؛ظژظ†ظگظ‰ظ‘ظŒ طظژظ…ظگظٹط¯ظŒ﴾ (So they disbelieved and turned away. But Allah was not in need (of them). And Allah is Rich (free of any need), Worthy of all praise) meaning, He is far too Rich than to need His servants, and worthy of all praise in all His decisions and commandments. The meaning of Allah's statement, ﴿ظˆظژظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظژظ…ظژظ€ظˆظژطھظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط±ظ’ط¶ظگ ظˆظژظƒظژظپظژظ‰ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظƒظگظٹظ„ط§ظ‹ ﴾ (And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.) He has perfect watch over every soul, knowing what it deserves, He is the Watcher, and Witness of all things. Allah's statement, ﴿ط¥ظگظ† ظٹظژط´ظژط£ظ’ ظٹظڈط°ظ’ظ‡ظگط¨ظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظڈ ظˆظژظٹظژط£ظ’طھظگ ط¨ظگظ€ط§ط®ظژط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظˆظژظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط°ظ„ظگظƒظژ ظ‚ظژط¯ظگظٹط±ط§ظ‹ ﴾ (If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is Ever All-Potent over that.) means, He is able to take you away and replace you with other people if you disobey Him. In a similar Ayah, Allah said, ﴿ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظڈظ‚ظژط±ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط¨ظ’ط¯ظگظ„ظ’ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ط§ظ‹ ط؛ظژظٹظ’ط±ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژظƒظڈظˆظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾ (And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes) Allah's statement, ﴿ظ…ظ‘ظژظ† ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط±ظگظٹط¯ظڈ ط«ظژظˆظژط§ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ط¯ظ‘ظڈظ†ظ’ظٹظژط§ ظپظژط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط«ظژظˆظژط§ط¨ظڈ ط§ظ„ط¯ظ‘ظڈظ†ظ’ظٹظژط§ ظˆظژط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ﴾ (Whoever desires the rewards of this life, then with Allah is the reward of this worldly life and of the Hereafter.) means, O those whose ultimate desire is this life, know that Allah owns the rewards of this life and the Hereafter. Therefore, if you ask Allah for both, He will enrich you, award you and suffice for you. As Allah said, ﴿ظپظژط¥ظگط°ظژط§ ظ‚ظژط¶ظژظٹظ’طھظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظژظ†ظژظ€ط³ظگظƒظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظژط§ط°ظ’ظƒظڈط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظƒظژط°ظگظƒظ’ط±ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط،ظژط§ط¨ظژط¢ط،ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط£ظژط´ظژط¯ظ‘ظژ ط°ظگظƒظ’ط±ظ‹ط§ ظپظژظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظگ ظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژظ†ظژط¢ ط،ظژط§طھظگظ†ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط¯ظ‘ظڈظ†ظ’ظٹظژط§ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط®ظژظ„ظژظ€ظ‚ظچ - ظˆظگظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظژظ† ظٹظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژظ†ظژط¢ ط،ظژط§طھظگظ†ظژط§ ظپظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ط¯ظ‘ظڈظ†ظ’ظٹظژط§ طظژط³ظژظ†ظژط©ظ‹ ظˆظژظپظگظٹ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ طظژط³ظژظ†ظژط©ظ‹ ظˆظژظ‚ظگظ†ظژط§ ط¹ظژط°ظژط§ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط±ظگ ط£ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ€ط¦ظگظƒظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ†ظژطµظگظٹط¨ظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظژط³ظژط¨ظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾ (But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world!'' and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter. And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!'' For them there will be alloted a share for what they have earned), ﴿ظ…ظژظ† ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط±ظگظٹط¯ظڈ طظژط±ظ’ط«ظژ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ ظ†ظژط²ظگط¯ظ’ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظگظ‰ طظژط±ظ’ط«ظگظ‡ظگ﴾ (Whosoever desires (by his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward), and ﴿ظ…ظ‘ظژظ† ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط±ظگظٹط¯ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژظ€ط¬ظگظ„ظژط©ظژ ط¹ظژط¬ظ‘ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظژط§ ظ…ظژط§ ظ†ظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظ„ظگظ…ظژظ† ظ†ظ‘ظڈط±ظگظٹط¯ظڈ﴾ (Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like) until, ﴿ط§ظ†ط¸ظڈط±ظ’ ظƒظژظٹظ’ظپظژ ظپظژط¶ظ‘ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظچ﴾ (See how We prefer one above another (in this world)). So Allah said here, ﴿ظˆظژظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط³ظژظ…ظگظٹط¹ط§ظ‹ ط¨ظژطµظگظٹط±ط§ظ‹﴾ (And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.) ﴿ظٹظژظ€ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظƒظڈظˆظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ‚ظژظˆظ‘ظژط§ظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظگط³ظ’ط·ظگ ط´ظڈظ‡ظژط¯ظژط¢ط،ظگ ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ„ظژظˆظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط£ظژظ†ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ظˆظژظ„ظگط¯ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒظ‚ظ’ط±ظژط¨ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¥ظگظ† ظٹظژظƒظڈظ†ظ’ ط؛ظژظ†ظگظٹظ‘ط§ظ‹ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ظپظژظ‚ظژظٹط±ط§ظ‹ ظپظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژظˆظ’ظ„ظژظ‰ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظژط§ ظپظژظ„ط§ظژ طھظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظگط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‡ظژظˆظژظ‰ ط£ظژظ† طھظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژظ„ظ’ظˆظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ طھظڈط¹ظ’ط±ظگط¶ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ طھظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط®ظژط¨ظگظٹط±ط§ظ‹ ﴾ (135. O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a better Protector to both. So follow not the lusts, lest you may avoid justice; and if you Talwu or Tu`ridu, it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.)
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