Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-An'am -> Ten Commandments

Dawud Al-Awdy narrated that, Ash-Sha`bi said that, `Alqamah said that Ibn Mas`ud said, "Whoever wishes to read the will and testament of the Messenger of Allah on which he placed his seal, let him read these Ayat,

﴿قُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْئاً﴾

(Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him...'') until,

﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ﴾

(...so that you may have Taqwa) ﴿6:153﴾.'' In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "In Surah Al-An`am ﴿6﴾, there are clear Ayat, and they are the Mother of the Book (the Qur'an).'' He then recited,

﴿قُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾

(Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from...") Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih, and they did not record it.'' In his Mustadrak Al-Hakim also recorded that `Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "The Messenger of Allah said,

«أَيُّكُمْ يُبَايِعُنِي عَلَى ثَلَاث»

(Who among you will give me his pledge to do three things) He then recited the Ayah,

﴿قُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾

(Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from...") until the end of the Ayat. He then said,

«فَمَنْ وَفَى فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللهِ وَمَنِ انْتَقَصَ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْئًا فَأَدْرَكَهُ اللهُ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَانَتْ عُقُوبَتهُ، وَمَنْ أَخَّرَ إِلَى الْآخِرَةِ فَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللهِ إِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ عَفَا عَنْه»

(Whoever fulfills (this pledge), then his reward will be with Allah, but whoever fell into shortcomings and Allah punishes him for it in this life, then that will be his recompense. Whoever Allah delays (his reckoning) until the Hereafter, then his matter is with Allah. If He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.)'' Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it.'' As for the explanation of this Ayah, Allah said to His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad : Say, O Muhammad, to those idolators who worshipped other than Allah, forbade what Allah provided them with and killed their children, following their opinions and the lures of the devils,'

﴿قُلْ﴾

(Say) to them

﴿تَعَالَوْاْ﴾

(Come) come here, come close

﴿أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾

(I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from. ) meaning, I will inform you about what your Lord has forbidden for you in truth, not guessing or wishful thinking. Rather, it is revelation and an order from Him.