Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah As-Saff -> The Virtues of Surat As-Saff

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Salam said, "We asked, `Who among us should go to the Messenger and ask him about the dearest actions to Allah' None among us volunteered. The Messenger sent a man to us and that man gathered us and recited this Surah, Surat As-Saff, in its entirety.'''

﴿بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

﴿سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ - هُوَ الَّذِى أَخْرَجَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ لاًّوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ مَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن يَخْرُجُواْ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ مَّانِعَتُهُمْ حُصُونُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ فَأَتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُواْ وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ يُخْرِبُونَ بُيُوتَهُمْ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَيْدِى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَاعْتَبِرُواْ يأُوْلِى الاٌّبْصَـرِ - وَلَوْلاَ أَن كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْجَلاَءَ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ عَذَابُ النَّارِ - ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَآقُّواْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَمَن يُشَآقِّ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ﴾

(1. Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.) (2. O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do) (3. Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do.) (4. Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in rows as if they were a solid structure.)