CHAPTER 42: ASH-SHURA (THE CONSULTATION)

 

It was revealed during the Meccan period. It consists of 53 verses. It takes its name from the phrase ‘their affairs are by consultation among themselves’ (shura) mentioned in the 38th verse. Verses 23, 24, 25, and 27 were revealed during the Medina period. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/482)

 

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

 

42/1-9 THE HEAVENS ARE ALMOST BURSTING!

 

Translation

 

1- Hâ, Mîm.

 

2- ‘Ayn, Sîn, Qâf.

 

3- (My Messenger!) Thus has He revealed to you and to those before you—Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

 

4- To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

 

5- The heavens almost break asunder from above them (due to the disbelievers' claims that Allah has taken a son)! And the angels exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth (who believe). (O mankind!) Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [cf. 40/7-9]

 

6- And those who take as allies / protectors (certain idols) besides Him—Allah is a Guardian over them (their states). (My Messenger!) You are not a manager / disposer of affairs over them (you are only a warner).

 

7- (My Messenger!) And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an that you may warn the Mother of Cities (the residents of the city of Mecca, which is the center) and those around it (the people of the world) and warn of the Day of Assembly (against the horror of that day), about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.

 

8- And if Allah had willed, He could have made them (all mankind) one nation (belonging to the same religion). But He admits whom He wills / whoever wills (according to intention and deeds) into His mercy. And the wrongdoers have not any protector or helper (to save them from punishment).

 

9- Or have they (the pagans) taken protectors (and helpers) besides Him? But Allah is the [true] Protector / Ally. And He gives life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.

 

Commentary

 

(1, 2, 3). ‘Hâ, Mîm.’ ‘‘Ayn, Sîn, Qâf.’ ‘(My Messenger!) Thus has He revealed to you and to those before you—Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’That is, the revelation sent down to you and to the prophets before you takes place in this way, within this order and through this path. This book consists of words and terms formed from letters that people know, understand, and grasp the meanings of. However, people cannot produce a book similar to this using these letters they know. From another perspective, the unity of the revelation and the source that sends the revelation is expressed. For it is Almighty Allah, who has superior will and does everything according to a wisdom, who sends down the revelation. It is Almighty Allah who has sent down revelation to all the prophets who have come and gone throughout history. Even if the prophets and the times change, the essence of the revelation is one. (S. KUTUB, 9/52)

 

(4). ‘To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.’Real ownership belongs to Allah. He is the One who brings into existence, destroys, gives life, and causes death. He can give what He wills to people and can deprive them of what He wills. He can take away the things they possess and put something else in their place. Real property belongs to Allah, who rules over the essence of beings and directs them according to the system of laws He has chosen. Objects and beings respond positively to Allah's command, submit, and fulfill their duties in line with the law determined by Almighty Allah. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Allah. So much so that no one is a partner in His property. (S. KUTUB, 9/52, 53)

 

‘He is the Most High, the Most Great.’He is not just the owner of the property. He alone possesses a peerless loftiness and greatness. In the face of this loftiness He possesses, everything remains far below. Beside His greatness, everything remains very small! (S. KUTUB, 9/53)

 

(5). ‘The heavens almost break asunder from above them! And the angels exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those (believers) on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’The cracking and splitting of the heavens is because of the ugly claims made by the deniers toward Allah the Almighty. For, as mentioned in Surah Maryam, the pagans attributed a son to Allah; and Allah the Almighty expressed with the relevant sentence that He will severely punish those who make such attributions to Him. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/72, from Ibn Atiyyah)

 

‘Some people said: 'The Most Merciful has taken a son.' Indeed, you have put forth an atrocious thing. Because of it, the heavens almost burst, the earth splits asunder, and the mountains collapse in ruins. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful to take a son, for everything in the heavens and the earth will come to the Most Merciful as a submissive servant.’As expressed in the verses (Maryam 19/88-93), the cracking of the heavens is a result of the ugly claims and slanders put forward by the idolater Meccan society against Allah. The fact that Almighty Allah uses similar expressions in the form of ‘tekadu's-semavatu yetefattarne’ both in Maryam 19/89 and Shura 42/5 is because the society in question both wallows in shirk and makes very heavy accusations against Allah. That is, the pagans' attribution of a son to Allah angered that Supreme Being to such an extent that Allah the Almighty expressed His said wrathful state with an impressive style in the form of the heavens splitting and cracking. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/72, 73)

 

Allah created the heavens, the earth, and whatever is in them, such as angels, jinn, humans, etc. Can Allah, who created everything, have a child? For a child to exist, there must be a spouse. Reproduction is a phenomenon specific to created beings. Therefore, Allah has no mother, father, spouse, or child. Almighty Allah is exalted above these. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/702)

 

‘And the angels exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord.’Nasafi says: ‘Either they declare the Oneness of Allah or they declare Him free from qualities that are not permissible for Him. They praise Him for the favors He has bestowed upon them. They are amazed at the pagans being exposed to the wrath of Almighty Allah, and they ask for forgiveness for the believers on earth who have stayed away from these words requiring shirk; or they ask their Lord to treat the people of the earth with His forbearance and not to punish them quickly for their faults.’(S. HAWWA, 13/115)

 

Hadith: ‘There is not even a four-finger space in the sky where an angel has not placed its forehead in prostration to Allah. These angels praise and exalt Allah and seek forgiveness for those on earth.’ (From Tirmidhi Zuhd 2312, Ibn Majah Zuhd 4190; I. H. BURSEVI, 18/176)

 

(6). ‘And those who take as protectors (certain idols) besides Him—Allah is a Guardian over them (their states).’Allah is watching over their states and deeds. He is aware of their situation, is never heedless, and will punish them. And it is only Allah who does this watching. ‘(My Messenger!) You are not a manager / disposer of affairs over them.’Their affairs have not been referred to you such that you should be held responsible and punished because of them. Your duty is to warn and announce the rulings. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/177)

 

In the Holy Qur'an, the word ‘wali / protector / friend’is used in meanings such as patron, guardian, ruler, deity, friend, and helper. Accordingly: (a) If a person obeys the laws and rulings set by another, he is considered to have taken that person as a wali / protector (see Nisa, 4/119). (b) If a person believes in the guidance of someone and thinks other ways are wrong, he has taken that person as a friend (see Baqara 2/257; Isra 17/97). (c) If a person ignores the sins he has committed and believes that someone else will save him in the hereafter, he has taken that person as a friend (see An'am 6/51; 'Ankabut 29/22). (d) If a person believes that someone will give him wealth and children and satisfy his other needs, he has taken that person as a friend. (see Hud 11/20; Ra'd 13/16). Here, the expression ‘walis / protectors’ is used to include all these four meanings, and it is pointed out that people who act this way have fallen into shirk. (O. CELIK, 4/424)

 

(7). ‘(My Messenger!) Thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an that you may warn the Mother of Cities (its residents) and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly (against the horror of that day) about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.’Ummü'l-Qurâ’is Mecca. Mecca has been made honorable for reasons such as human life starting and spreading from here, the Kaaba—the first sanctuary of the earth—being located within it, and the presence of divine signs such as the Maqam-i Ibrahim and the Hajar al-Aswad there; therefore, the rank of ‘Mother of Cities’ was given to it. What is meant by its ‘surroundings’ is the entire world. The Qur'an is a universal book revealed in Arabic to warn first the people of Mecca and then, as time, ground, and opportunities permit, the people of the whole world in waves. Those who know Arabic will read and understand it in its original language and act accordingly. To those who do not know Arabic, its meanings and messages will be conveyed in the language they understand. (O. CELIK, 4/425)

 

‘...there is no doubt about it.’It means there is no doubt that the Resurrection will occur, that people will be resurrected and gathered at the place of assembly (mahshar), that they will be questioned, and that ultimately the believers will go to Paradise and the disbelievers to Hell. Accepting the existence of the afterlife is one of the principles of faith (4/136). Anyone who does not believe in the afterlife or doubts it becomes a disbeliever. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/706)

 

Hadith: Imam Ahmad's narration from Abdullah b. Adiyy b. Al-Hamra az-Zuhri: ‘He heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying while standing at a place called al-Hazwara in the market of Mecca: 'By Allah, you are the best region of the land Allah has created. You are the city most beloved to us of the land Allah has created, and if I had not been driven out from you, I would not have left of my own accord.'‘ (From Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah; S. HAWWA, 13/155, 156)

 

(8). ‘If Allah had willed, He would have made them (all people) a single community (believing in Islam).’He would have made them all either upon guidance or upon deviation. But Almighty Allah decreed a difference between them. He guided whom He willed to the truth and led astray whom He willed by distancing them from the truth. Wisdom belongs to Him alone, and the evidence that has no side to be debated also belongs to Him (Ibn Kathir). This is why Almighty Allah later says: ‘But He admits whom He wills into His mercy’—He honors whom He wills by making them honored with Islam. ‘The wrongdoers’(the disbelievers) ‘have no protector’(meaning intercessor) ‘or helper’(defenders who will repel the punishment from them). (S. HAWWA, 13/119)

 

Almighty Allah guides whom He wills and enables them to be believers, but He does not force anyone into disbelief, nor does He want them to be disbelievers (39/7). If Allah had wanted, He would have made people a single nation. However, He did not intend this: the sentence ‘If Allah had willed, He would have certainly made all people a single community belonging to the same religion’carries this meaning. If Allah had made people disbelievers or believers without their will, the afterlife and the test would have no meaning. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/708)

 

(9). ‘Or did the pagans take protectors besides Allah?’That is, on the contrary, they associated others as partners while leaving Allah. The question here is an ‘inkari’ (denying) question (meaning to reject this action being done). ‘But the Protector is only Allah.’The real Protector is He; He is the one who should be taken as a wali, as a protector. There can be no protector besides Him. Nasafi says: ‘After the protection of all protectors other than Him has been rejected, it is as if it is being said: If they really want to take a protector, it is Allah who is the right and true protector to whom no one else besides Him should be worshipped. (He must be taken as a protector).’He gives life to the dead and He is over all things Competent.’Not those who are not capable of anything, but only He should be taken as a protector. (S. HAWWA, 13/119, 120)

 

42/10-14 UPHOLD THE RELIGION! DO NOT FALL INTO DIVISION!

 

Translation

 

10- (O believers!) And in anything over which you differ—its ruling / solution is [to be referred] to Allah. (O My Prophet, say;) That is Allah, my Lord; upon Him I have relied, and to Him I turn back.

 

11- (Allah is) Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves mates, and among the cattle (He created) mates (of their own kind). This is how He multiplies you. There is nothing like unto Him. And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

 

12- To Him belong the keys (of the treasures) of the heavens and the earth. (Allah) extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it [for whom He wills]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing.

 

13- (O My Prophet! Allah) has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus: to uphold the religion and not be divided therein. But that to which you invite them (namely, Tawhid) is difficult for the pagans. Allah (according to intention and deeds) chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him] (in obedience).

 

14- And they (the People of the Book and others) did not become divided until after knowledge (the books of Allah) had come to them—out of stubborn tyranny / jealousy among themselves. And if not for a word that had preceded from your Lord [postponing their punishment] until a specified term, it would have been concluded between them (their matter would have been finished). And indeed, those who were made to inherit the Scripture (the Torah and the Gospel) after them are in disquieting doubt concerning it. [cf. 41/45]

 

Commentary

 

(10). ‘In whatever thing you differ’Ibn Kathir says: No matter what it is, if you differ in anything in general, ‘the ruling on it belongs to Allah’It is Allah who gives the ruling on it through His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Let us state here: This command is proof that there is a true ruling from Allah regarding every matter. ‘That’who gives rulings on everything ‘is Allah, my Lord. In Him alone I put my trust’I refer all my affairs to Him ‘and to Him alone I turn.’I return to Him. (S. HAWWA, 13/120)

 

Just as the final judgment between servants will be given in the Hereafter, the authority to determine what is haram and what is halal, what is good and what is bad, and who is right and who is wrong in every field of life—especially in creed, morality, and transactions—belongs solely to Allah in this world. It is stated in the Verse: ‘...If you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day, refer any matter about which you differ to Allah and the Messenger. Doing so is both better for you and more beautiful in terms of result.’(Nisa 4/59; see also Araf 7/3; Ahzab 33/36). (O. CELIK, 4/427)

 

Zamakhshari conveys the following interpretations (also), which agree on the point that there is a command for believers in this verse: (a) When a disagreement arises among you, apply to the arbitration of the Messenger of Allah as stated in the 59th verse of Surah Nisa, and do not prioritize the ruling of others over his. (b) If there is ambiguity in the interpretation of a verse and you fall into dispute, refer to the muhkam (clear) verses in Allah's book and the explicit expressions in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. (c) If you fall into a difference of opinion on issues that do not bring you responsibility and whose essence you cannot grasp, such as the nature of the soul, say: ‘Allah knows this best.’ (QUR’AN WAY, 4/732)

 

(11). ‘(Allah) is the Creator of the heavens and the earth from nothing. He created for you mates from yourselves, and for the cattle, He created mates.’Ibn Kathir says: As a grace to you, He created from your own kind and form, consisting of male and female. (S. HAWWA, 13/120)

 

‘He multiplies you in this (order).’He increases your number with this measure. He created humans and livestock in pairs so that reproduction and multiplication occur from their males and females. (S. HAWWA, 13/120)

 

‘There is nothing like unto Him.’Ibn Kathir says: That is, there is nothing like the Creator of all pairs. Because He is one and unique. He is the Samad (the Eternal Refuge) who has no peer. (S. HAWWA, 13/120)

 

The sentence ‘There is nothing like unto Him’states that Almighty Allah is transcendent, above all kinds of imagination and conception, and does not resemble created beings. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/713)

 

The expression ‘There is nothing like His likeness’in the 11th verse informs us that there is no being like Allah in terms of His essence, names, attributes, and actions, and beyond being ‘like Him,’ there is no being even ‘like His likeness.’ Therefore, Allah is infinitely exalted and far from resembling creatures. (O. CELIK, 4/427)

 

(12). ‘To Him belong the locks of all the heavens and the earth.’The treasures and secret wealth that no one can reach or touch. ‘He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it’—He gives abundantly to some and narrows it for others; sometimes He gives abundantly and sometimes narrowly to the same person. ‘For He is Knowing of all things’He knows all of them very well in every aspect, He does everything He does with full knowledge, and there is a good and a wisdom in every instance of His willing or restricting. (ELMALILI, 7/14, 15)

 

The sentence ‘The keys to the treasures of the heavens and the earth’means that all blessings and opportunities are in the hands of Almighty Allah. In this respect, one must recognize blessings, abundance, and plenty as coming from Allah and ask for them from Him. ‘The keys to the treasures of the heavens and the earth’also expresses Almighty Allah's absolute sovereignty in the universe, His management, supervision, and control, and His limitless knowledge and authority. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/713)

 

It is Almighty Allah who created all beings, keeps them alive, and provides their sustenance. Allah gives much sustenance to some and little to others according to His peerless and supreme wisdom. There is definitely a wisdom in every work of Allah. To obtain much sustenance and be wealthy, working alone is not enough; Allah must also will it and bestow His grace. This is the meaning of the sentence ‘Allah gives much sustenance to whom He wills and restricts / gives little sustenance to whom He wills.’(I. KARAGOZ, 6/713)

 

(13). ‘(Allah) has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah. What We revealed to you and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: to uphold the religion and not be divided therein.’Implement Allah's religion in all its aspects, fulfill its obligations, do not deviate from it, and do not distort its principles. Stand in a single rank under the rising flag. This is a single and unchanging flag. This flag was carried respectively by Prophet Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus—peace be upon them—until it came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the final period. (S. KUTUB, 9/65)

 

‘...uphold the religion’That is, implement its commands and prohibitions, principles, and rulings. It is connected with the previous sentence ‘shara'a lakum / He determined rules for you’and means: it was determined so that you may implement the religious rules. The command ‘...implement the religious rules’expresses that the commands and prohibitions, principles, and rulings of the religion are binding. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/716)

 

The sentence ‘Do not fall into division regarding religion’expresses that believers must be in unity and togetherness. Almighty Allah says in the 103rd verse of Surah Al-i Imran: ‘(O believers!) Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah (the Qur'an), and do not be divided.’ (..) Almighty Allah has given a Sharia to every prophet He assigned to societies since Prophet Adam and perfected them with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), uniting them with the only true religion, Islam (5/3). Now people must unite in the religion of Islam and not fall into division. (42/13; I. KARAGOZ, 6/716)

 

‘and do not be divided therein’Do not follow various whims or various deities and cause conflict or scatter while trying to uphold the original religion. This command and this prohibition are a religion, a ‘Constitutional Law’ (constitution), and a Sharia commanded and recommended to all the prophets possessing Sharia who came from Noah (as) to Muhammad (pbuh); all were sent to implement this; all came with the true religion to correct the religious corruptions of their time, and they invited to Tawhid (Oneness) to remove division. Although there are various rulings in the details of their Sharia that abrogated one another according to the time of each, they are all one in this foundation made Sharia for the Ummah of Muhammad, in this foundation of Islam. (ELMALILI, 7/15, 16)

 

The ‘fundamental principles’we call ‘usulu'd-din’of the religion revealed to these prophets are the same. Tawhid, faith, morality, and—though there are differences in details—the principles of worship are of this kind; as for the ‘transactional principles’we call ‘furu'u'd-din’, a portion of principles were determined according to the time the prophet was sent and the conditions of the society; some changes could occur from one prophet to another. For example, in the time of Prophet Adam (as), due to the special conditions of that period, it was permissible for a man to marry his sister provided they were not from the same birth. In the time of Prophet Noah, this practice was ended. Due to their oppression and injustice, some permissible things were made haram for the Jews (see Nisa 4/160, 161). Prophet Jesus made some of these halal again (see Al-i Imran 3/50). The Sharia that came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also removed some difficult rulings existing in previous periods and established new rulings according to the conditions of the time and the interests of the people (see Araf 7/157). However, when viewed from the point of the fundamental principles of the religion that are requested to be implemented, such differences neither constitute a large total nor express a great meaning. (O. CELIK, 4/429)

 

‘But this principle to which you call them was heavy for those who associate partners with Allah.’The coming of revelation to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) among them was heavy for them. Because they wanted the revelation to come to ‘one of the great men of the two cities’(Zukhruf 43/31). They were expecting it to come to one of the influential leaders among them. According to them, neither the personal qualities of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)—who was truthful and reliable by their own admission—nor his lineage—which was an average Quraysh family—was sufficient for him to be an authoritarian tribal leader. (S. KUTUB, 9/65)

 

It was heavy for them that with the end of the legends upon which the authorities of the era of idolatry and idol-worship were based, their authority would also end. Because their economic and personal interests were based on these idolatrous legends. This is why they clung to shirk. It was heavy to accept the clear and pure idea of Tawhid to which our Prophet (pbuh) called them, namely the Islamic idea based on the unique and unpartnered sovereignty of Allah. (S. KUTUB, 9/65, 66)

 

‘Allah chooses for this whom He wills.’According to Nasafi's expression: He turns whom He wills toward it by granting success, favor, and directing him. ‘He guides to the right path whoever turns to Him.’Ibn Kathir says: That is, He is the one who decrees guidance for the one who is worthy and decrees and prescribes deviation for those who prefer deviation over the right path. (S. HAWWA, 13/122)

 

(14). ‘The People of the Book (and others) fell into division only after knowledge (the books of Allah) had come to them, because of the jealousy among them.’In these verses of this content—which reject the claim that fragmentation in religion results from sufficient divine notification not being made—attention is drawn to the fact that the real cause of division is not ignorance, but devotion to personal interests and feelings of jealousy. (see Bakara 2/213; Al-i Imran 3/19; QUR’AN WAY, 4/738)

 

By saying ‘And if not for a word that had preceded from your Lord [postponing their punishment] until a specified term, it would have been concluded between them (their matter would have been finished),’a question that constantly comes to mind as to why there is no divine intervention in the course of criminal, sinful, and unjust people is being answered. It is reported that this is so because Almighty Allah willed to leave the work of holding all people accountable and giving rewards or punishments accordingly to the Hereafter. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/738)

 

What is meant by ‘the word preceding from your Lord’is that Almighty Allah, in pre-eternity, determined a specific lifespan in the world for every person (6/2) and every society (7/34) (29/53). No human dies before the lifespan decreed for them is completed. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/719)

 

‘And indeed, those who were made to inherit the Scripture after them are in disquieting doubt concerning it.’That is, they are not upon certainty regarding their own situation and faith. They imitate their ancestors and those of the past without any evidence or document in this matter. They are in a state of confusion regarding their own situation. They are in doubt and hesitation; they are in an ultimate distance from the truth. (S. HAWWA, 13/123)

 

42/15-19 DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR DESIRES

 

Translation

 

15- (My Messenger!) So to that (religion of Tawhid) invite, and be steadfast as you are commanded. Do not follow their desires and say: ‘I have believed in whatever Book Allah has sent down, and I have been commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. There is no [need for] argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together (on the Day of Resurrection). And to Him is the [final] destination.’ [see 5/49; 10/41; 23/71; 38/26]

 

16- And those who argue about Allah (and His final religion) after it has been accepted (by the people)—their argument is invalid with their Lord. Upon them is wrath, and for them is a severe punishment.

 

17- It is Allah who has sent down the Book (the Qur'an) in truth and the balance (commanding justice and measure). (O My Prophet!) And what will make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour (of Resurrection) is near.

 

18- Those who do not believe in it (mockingly) wish to hasten it. But those who believe are apprehensive of it and know that it is the truth. Unquestionably, those who dispute (and doubt) concerning the Hour are in extreme error (far from the truth).

 

19- Allah is Most Subtle / Gracious to His servants; He gives provision to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might. [see 11/6]

 

Commentary

 

(15). ‘So to that (invite)’Nasafi says: ‘Because of this contradiction and because of the division of disbelief into groups and branches...’Ibn Kathir also says: ‘That is, invite to the religion which We have revealed to you and which We recommended to all the prophets before you, who were owners of great Sharia and followed by others, such as the prophets of firm resolve (Ulul 'Azm).’(S. HAWWA, 13/123)

 

‘Invite and be steadfast as you are commanded’That is, you call to the religion of Allah, to gather around it. Be upright upon His Sharia as Allah commanded you and continue to invite to it. (S. HAWWA, 13/123)

 

The command ‘be steadfast / upright’is directed at all believers in the person of the Prophet. Being upright as Allah commanded means (1) believing in accordance with its conditions, (2) observing Allah's commands and prohibitions, (3) performing righteous deeds in the best way as if seeing Allah, (4) avoiding the forbidden (harams), and (5) possessing the morality of the Qur'an. (..) For a person to be upright in his faith, he must be sincere; there should be no hypocrisy (riya), shirk, or hypocrisy (nifaq). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/721)

 

Hadith: When someone asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Give me such a task, duty, or information regarding the religion of Islam that I will not have to ask anyone after you,’ he replied, ‘Say, 'I have believed in Allah,' and then be upright.’ (Tirmidhi Zuhd 60; I. KARAGOZ, 6/721)

 

‘Do not follow their desires!’Do not follow their false whims such as turning away from Allah's religion, distancing from it and falling into division, or gathering around other beliefs and systems! Or, they fell into disagreement and differed because of their whims. Because of their whims, they even went as far as inventing false words and lies. So you, do not follow their whims that led them into this situation. (S. HAWWA, 13/124)

 

‘and say: I have believed in whatever Book Allah has sent down’I have confirmed all the books sent down from heaven to the prophets. We do not distinguish between any of them. (S. HAWWA, 13/124)

 

The sentence ‘I have been commanded to be just among you’is a command directed at all believers in the person of the Prophet. The Prophet (pbuh) was just throughout his life. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/722)

 

‘I was commanded to do justice among you’Let me convey and execute the rulings and Sharia of Allah with justice. Throwing away those rulings of shirk and transgression that are the source of oppression and made according to the whims of this or that person, let me do justice among everyone for the sake of Allah with the ruling of Truth. From this, it is understood that one of the most important manifestations of straightening the religion is removing the rulings of oppression and practicing justice. (ELMALILI, 7/18)

 

Ruling with justice means complying with equity, such as applying the laws equally to everyone, treating everyone fairly, not committing injustice or oppression, giving everyone their full right, not punishing the innocent, not giving the guilty more punishment than they deserve, giving equal punishment to those who commit the same crime, and giving equal wages to those who do the same work. (I. KARAGOZ, 6/723)

 

‘Allah is our Lord and your Lord.’He is the creator, judge, and master of all of us. ‘For us are our deeds’—you are not responsible for the good or evil of them; the reward or punishment for them belongs to us. ‘And for you are your deeds’—its responsibility is also yours; its profit, loss, and punishment belong to you. ‘There is no argument left to be debated between us and you’—there is no need to argue or bring evidence against each other, O people of the book! Because with this explanation and proof, the Truth has emerged, and there is no need for further dispute. ‘Allah will bring us together’—He will gather us all on the Day of Resurrection, which is the day of assembly, and give His judgment ‘and to Him is the final journey.’No matter what is worshipped or what deed is served, ultimately the authority to which everyone will arrive and give account is Allah alone. (ELMALILI, 7/18)

 

(16). ‘And those who argue about Allah after it (the religion) has been accepted (by people)—their evidence is void/rotten with their Lord.’They have no hold, neither theoretical nor practical, neither traditional nor rational. Evidence is only directed against deviation and the deviant. The dispute made against the ‘truth’ and ‘uprightness’ that are evident in terms of knowledge and practice remains merely a declaration of transgression and injustice. Therefore, besides their evidence being rotten in the sight of Allah, ‘there is both a wrath against them and a severe punishment for them.’(ELMALILI, 7/18)

 

Once it is accepted that everyone's Lord is one, the arguments to be made regarding the nature of the essence and attributes of Allah the Almighty will remain meaningless. Because it is clear that this subject exceeds human perception. The sentence in the 11th verse, ‘There is nothing like unto Him,’ is a concise warning that puts the final point on this subject. Therefore, those who, through such arguments, both deprive themselves of serving Allah as He deserves and try to bruise the minds of others, have no excuse to put forward against Allah on the day of account; the reasons they considered as proof while in the world, but which actually distracted them, will carry no value in His presence. (QUR’AN WAY, 4/740)

 

The sentence ‘There is wrath for those who try to turn Muslims away from their faith and for arguments about the true religion of Islam’expresses that Allah does not want Islam to be argued about. Allah being angry at something is proof that that thing is haram. Trying to make believers disbelievers is kufr (disbelief). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/724)

 

(17). ‘Allah has sent down the Qur'an in truth and the balance (commanded justice and being measured).’He has sent down the genre of books, especially the Qur'an, through the true prophethood in order to manifest the truth and the ruling of the truth. ‘and also the balance’—the law of equilibrium, justice, so that just as objects are weighed by this means, deeds are also weighed, the ruling of the truth emerges in reason and tradition, and punishment is given accordingly. (ELMALILI, 7/18)

 

‘What will make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘With this expression, both a positive desire for the Resurrection is aroused and a fear of it is instilled, and the inclination toward the world is reduced.’(S. HAWWA, 13/128, 129)

 

Nasafi also says: The relationship between the approach of the Resurrection and the sending down of the Book and the balance is this: With the Resurrection, the establishment of the balances that will weigh with account and justice will take place. It is as if it is being said: Allah has commanded you to practice justice, equality, and to act in accordance with the Sharia rulings. Therefore, before you suddenly face the day of account and the weighing of your deeds, do whatever the book and justice require. (S. HAWWA, 13/129)

 

(18). ‘Those who do not believe in the occurrence of the Resurrection wish for it to come in haste.’They are rushing so that it happens quickly. This rushing is in two ways: state (attitude and behavior) and word (with the tongue). One is that since they do not believe it will happen, they hasten with their tongues by mocking, ‘If it is true, when is that promise? If you are truthful, when is this threat?’ (Yasin 36/48). Also, because they have no faith, they actually hasten by causing the balance and justice to be disrupted through disbelief and injustice, and by violating the order of the universe. ‘Those who believe, however, avoid it’—they fear their scales will be light, and they protect themselves to increase their goodness and good deeds and to obtain more rewards. (ELMALILI, 7/19)

 

‘Know well that those who dispute about the Day of Resurrection are in deep deviation.’Nasafi says: ‘Because the occurrence of the Resurrection cannot be seen as a remote possibility in terms of the power of Almighty Allah. The Book and the Sunnah serve as evidence that this will take place. Intellects also testify that there must inevitably be an abode where the rewards of deeds will be seen.’(S. HAWWA, 13/129)

 

Hadith: It is narrated that a man asked our Prophet (pbuh), ‘When will the Resurrection occur?’ Our Prophet responded with a question: ‘What have you prepared for the Resurrection?’ The man said, ‘I haven't prepared much’ or ‘I haven't prepared anything. However, I love Allah and His Messenger.’ Our Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘In that case, you are with the one you love.’ (From Bukhari Fadailu’s Sahaba 6, Darimi Rikak 71, Ahmed b. Hanbel 5/156, 166; I. H. BURSEVI, 18/219)

 

(19). ‘Allah is possessor of grace toward His servants.’He is very gracious to His servants who know their servanthood and do their duty correctly. He makes them so happy with various graces that intellects are incapable of grasping it. ‘He provides for whomever He wills in a way’—He makes each of His servants distinguished with a kind of grace according to His ‘willing’ which contains great wisdom. ‘and He is so strong, so mighty’that He is capable of executing His will as He pleases against everything and everyone, and fulfilling His promise; He cannot be defeated in any cause or way, He is victorious in every aspect. Therefore, He does not let His servants who uphold His religion be ruined when that terrible hour comes; He makes them benefit from His various graces with His strength and might. (ELMALILI, 7/19)

 

‘Allah is very gracious to His servants.’Nasafi says: ‘According to what is said, its meaning is this: His knowledge penetrates into the deepest secrets. His forbearance (hilm) is greater than the sins committed. He reveals beautiful things and hides mistakes. Or He forgives the one who errs or gives the servant more than enough and holds him responsible for obeying with less than his power/strength.’(S. HAWWA, 13/161)

 

42/20-29 HE SENDS DOWN PROVISION IN MEASURE

 

Translation

 

20- Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter—We increase for him in his harvest. And whoever desires the harvest of this world—We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share (of reward). [see 2/114; 3/85; 5/41; 11/15-16; 17/18-19; 29/36; 87/11; 92/15]

 

21- Or have they partners (they have taken against Allah) who have ordained for them of religion what Allah has not permitted? And if not for the decisive word (of postponement until the Day of Resurrection), it would have been concluded between them (in this world). And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.

 

22- (O My Prophet!) You will see the wrongdoers (pagans) apprehensive of what they earned (their evils in the world) as it (its punishment) falls upon them. And those who believe and do righteous (rewardable) deeds will be in the flowering meadows of the gardens, having whatever they wish in the presence of their Lord. That is what the great bounty is.

 

23- It is that (Paradise and its blessings) of which Allah gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. (My Messenger!) Say, ‘I do not ask you for this (announcement) any reward except love among kindred (nearness to Allah).’ And whoever commits a good deed—We will increase for him good therein (the reward he will receive). Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative (of good deeds).

 

24- (O My Prophet!) Or do they (the pagans) say, ‘He has invented about Allah a lie (regarding the Qur'an)’? If Allah willed, He could seal your heart eternally. (But since this is not the case) Allah eliminates the falsehood (they have said) and establishes the truth by His words (which He revealed to His Prophet). Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts (secrets). [cf. 69/40-47]

 

25, 26- And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds (through repentance) and knows what you do. And He answers (the supplication of) those who have believed and done righteous deeds and increases [for] them from His bounty. But the disbelievers will have a severe punishment.

 

27- And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for (all) His servants, they would have surely committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends it down in [precise] amount as He wills. Indeed, He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.

 

28- And it is He (Allah) who sends down the rain after they (mankind) have despaired and spreads His mercy (and blessing everywhere). And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.

 

29- And of His signs (of infinite power) is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what He has dispersed throughout them of creatures. And He, for gathering them (again at the place of assembly) when He wills, is competent. [cf. 2/164]

 

Commentary

 

(20). ‘Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter—We increase for him in his harvest.’This verse shows us that religious work is a ‘hars’ (culture/harvest), that is, a planting work done with the aim of obtaining produce and winning at the end. This is also compatible with the desired aim and purpose, i.e., the intention. In this respect, ‘hars’ is of two types. One is the goal of the Hereafter, the reward of the Hereafter; the other is the desire for the benefit and interest of this world. Whoever performs the deed he does in the name of religion with the sole intention of the reward of the Hereafter, ‘We give him an increase in his gain.’ We increase his planting and produce; that is, just as We will give it manifold in the Hereafter, We also give from his world; that grace and provision increase in that way. ‘And whoever desires the harvest of this world’—whoever works for worldly profit, that is, for a benefit and goal to be reached in worldly life before dying—’We give him from it, from that temporary world.’ As mentioned in Suras 'Hud' and 'Isra', he is given from the world not as much as he wants, but as much as Allah wills, provided it is not less than the value of his deed itself. (ELMALILI, 7/22)

 

‘And whoever is desiring the profit (harvest) of the world’What is meant by this profit is worldly sustenance and worldly pleasures. The one intended by this desire is either the disbeliever or the hypocrite. Because hypocrites used to be with the believers in wars solely for the purpose of taking booty. Furthermore, all those with corrupt intentions are included in this ruling. ‘We give him something from the world’We give him something not in the way he wants and desires, but in the proportion that We have apportioned to him. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/230)

 

‘But there is not for him in the Hereafter any share’The hadith on intention, which is also narrated at the beginning of Sahih al-Bukhari, is like an interpretation of this verse. Namely: Hadith: ‘Actions are but by intentions. And every person shall have what he intended. For example, whosever migration was for Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger. Whosever migration was for a worldly matter he might attain or a woman he might marry, his migration was for that which he migrated for’ (Bukhari Iman 41, Muslim Imaret 155, Abu Dawud Talaq 11, Tirmidhi Fadailu'l-Jihad 16). From this, it is also understood that the point is not a comparison of various actions, but to show the ruling and reward of the same action according to various intentions. Therefore, a person who performs an action, whatever it may be, with the sole intention of attaining worldly aims and goals, has no right at all to expect a share, a wage, or a reward for it in the Hereafter. (ELMALILI, 7/22, 23)

 

‘But there is for him in the Hereafter no share (of reward).’That is, he is completely deprived of the blessings of the Hereafter; on the contrary, he will be punished in the Hereafter. (S. HAWWA, 13/130)

 

(21). ‘Or do they have partners who have ordained for them of religion what Allah has not permitted?’This means that not liking the rulings established by Allah and considering oneself legitimate/authorized to establish rulings contrary to them is associating partners with Allah. The 31st verse of Surah Tawbah reports the state of those who accept these with desire. [see 1/4; 2/256; 4/60; 16/36; 33/36; 43/18] (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/484)

 

What is meant by ‘partners’ are the devils of humans and jinn. The pronoun ‘hum’ (they) refers to the pagans of the Quraysh. The meaning is: Or do they have friends from among the devils? That is, do they have partners who share in their disbelief and rebellion, who beautify and incite this state, and who help them in this matter? For the pagans know nothing other than these. However, Allah the Almighty is exalted and far above permitting such a thing or commanding such a thing. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/233, 234)

 

For instance, they legitimize certain things that Allah has not permitted or made lawful—such as polytheism, following various rulings, denying the hereafter, oppression, breaking promises, and demanding the impossible—and they make religion as they please, is that so? But there is no power that can make lawful what Allah has not made lawful. People's efforts in law-making should not exceed the limit permitted by Allah. (ELMALILI, 7/23)

 

‘And if not for the decisive word (of postponement until the Day of Resurrection), it would have been concluded between them (in this world).’That is, if there had not been a previously given word regarding the granting of respite until the resurrection after death, they would have been punished in the world. (S. HAWWA, 13/131, from Ibn Kathir)

 

‘Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment.’Even if this punishment is postponed in worldly life, they will not be able to escape it in the Hereafter. This is evidence that the pagans who follow systems and laws outside of Allah's Sharia are wrongdoers. (S. HAWWA, 13/131, 132)

 

(22). ‘You will see the wrongdoers (pagans in the Hereafter) trembling with fear as the things they have done (that is, the punishment for their disbelief in the plain of Resurrection) fall upon them.’Now, whether they fear or not, it does not change; this punishment will surely find them. (S. HAWWA, 13/132)

 

‘Those who believe and do righteous deeds are in the gardens of Paradise. They have whatever they wish in the presence of their Lord’Ibn Kathir says: ‘How great is the difference between this one and the other! How great is the difference between the one who will remain in humiliation, lowliness/degradation, and certain fear because of his oppression in the plain of Resurrection, and the one who finds food, drink, clothing, dwellings, landscapes, spouses, and pleasurable things as he wishes in the gardens of Paradise in a way that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human has imagined!’(S. HAWWA, 13/132)

 

‘That is exactly what the great bounty is’That is, the great reward given for a small amount of deed, the great success, the general inclusive, all-encompassing complete blessing is exactly this! (S. HAWWA, 13/132)

 

(23). ‘It is that (Paradise and its blessings) of which Allah gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. (My Messenger!) Say: ‘I do not ask you for this any reward except love in nearness (to Allah).’‘That is: O Muhammad, say to these pagans from the Quraysh disbelievers: In return for this message and advice I give you, I do not want any wealth that you would give me. What I want from you is only for you to stop doing evil to me and to leave me alone to convey the message of my Lord. Even if you do not help me, do not torment me. Because there is a kinship between me and you. (S. HAWWA, 13/156, 157, from Ibn Kathir)

 

The word ‘kurba’ / nearness in the verse was taken as ‘nearness to Allah’ according to the matter stated in verse 25/57, and was made the first choice. According to Hasan al-Basri, it means ‘in kinship.’ In this case, the expression becomes: ‘I do not ask you for any reward in kinship other than love and respect.’ The reason behind this request is that the Prophet (pbuh) wanted them to love him and therefore not to torment him or block his message because of the strong kinship bond existing within the Quraysh tribe, even among its every branch. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/485)

 

(24). ‘Or do they say, ‘He has invented a lie and slander against Allah?’‘That is, do these wrongdoers speak thus? Such a question is meant to rebuke them. (S. HAWWA, 13/133)

 

‘If Allah wills, He will seal your heart’That is, those who call the Qur'an an invention or a lie, and who attribute lies to you, are people whose hearts are sealed and who have no capacity left to hear the truth. If Almighty Allah wills, He could also seal your heart and cut off His revelation and grace. Therefore, do not grieve over what they say, but be grateful for Allah's grace. (ELMALILI, 7/25)

 

Abdulkarim al-Qushayri's approach is as follows: With the words ‘If Allah wills, He will seal your heart,’the Prophet (pbuh) is the addressee, but the ones intended by it are the disbelievers. Because it is not possible for anyone other than them to throw such a slander against Allah. It is for this reason that Allah the Almighty states with these words that He will seal the hearts of the disbelievers and hasten their punishment. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/77, from Qurtubi)

 

This verse, which speaks of sealing the heart of the Prophet, is a word spoken in the manner of ‘I'm telling you, my daughter, listen, my daughter-in-law.’ Accordingly, the message it essentially wants to give is this: Or do they say (for you), ‘Has he invented a lie about Allah?’ This accusation is not true. You would never do such a thing. However, do not forget that if you had done such a thing, Allah would undoubtedly have sealed your heart too. But the sealing event here is not related to you, but to the pagans who made this slander. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/78)

 

‘Allah eliminates the falsehood (shirk).’This is an absolute promise given by Almighty Allah. ‘He establishes the truth by His words.’With the Book He sent down upon His Prophet, and with the words of this Book, He makes Islam superior and strengthens its place. Indeed, Almighty Allah has fulfilled this word of His and continues to fulfill it. Ibn Kathir says: That is, He makes the truth prevail with His own words, i.e., with His evidences and proofs, He strengthens, manifests, and explains it. (S. HAWWA, 13/133, 134)

 

‘Certainly, He is Knowing of the essence of the chests.’He knows very well what hearts hide and what kind of secrets are kept within them. (S. HAWWA, 13/134)

 

(25, 26). ‘He is the one who accepts repentance from His servants’In order to reach Allah's forgiveness and mercy, one must repent for sins immediately. Repentance has three conditions: (a) Completely giving up the sin, (b) Regretting what was done, (c) Not returning to it again. If the person has violated a human right, he must pay the right of the right-owner and get his consent. (O. CELIK, 4/437)

 

‘He pardons misdeeds’Allah the Almighty, even if the servants do not repent, pardons all the major and minor sins of those servants He wills (except shirk) purely through His mercy or through the intercession of an intercessor. This is the view of the Ahl al-Sunnah. (I. H. BURSEVI, 18/251)

 

‘...Allah forgives.’What is meant by ‘sayyiat / misdeeds,’ which is the plural of the word ‘sayyiah,’ are all kinds of denial such as shirk and hypocrisy; and beliefs, words, actions, and behaviors that are rebellion against Allah's commands and prohibitions, such as drinking alcohol and not performing prayers. Almighty Allah forgives the sins of those who believe from before their faith, and He also pardons believers if they repent for the sins they committed by following the devil and their souls. Almighty Allah may forgive some sins of the believers that do not involve human rights, because of their good deeds, charity, and patience in the face of disasters and misfortunes, or He may forgive them of His own accord. In order to get rid of sins involving human rights, it is absolutely necessary to obtain legal release (halallik). (I. KARAGOZ, 6/739)

 

‘and He knows what you do.’Whether it be repentance or sin, He knows what you do. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, He knows everything you do, everything you perform, and everything you say. Along with this, He accepts the repentance of the one who turns back to Him and repents.’(S. HAWWA, 13/134, 135)

 

Hadith: It is established in Muslim's Sahih from Anas b. Malik that he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he repents to Him than one of you who was on his mount in a desert, and it escaped from him while his food and drink were on it, and he despaired of finding it and came to a tree and lay down in its shade, having despaired of his mount, and while he was in that state, he suddenly found it standing before him, so he took hold of its halter and said out of extreme joy, 'O Allah, You are my servant and I am Your Lord,' making a mistake out of the intensity of his joy.’ This hadith is established in a similar way from Abdullah b. Masud (r) in Bukhari's Sahih as well. (S. HAWWA, 13/162, from Ibn Kathir)

 

‘And He answers (the supplication of) those who have believed and done righteous deeds and increases [for] them from His bounty.’There are two views in understanding this verse: According to the first, it is as follows: Allah the Exalted accepts the supplications of the believing servants who act. He grants their requests and even more. According to the second, the meaning is: Those who possess faith and righteous deeds together are those who fully follow the address of the Lawgiver (Shari') and accept His call without deficiency. Allah the Almighty and Majestic also honors them by giving them more from His bounty, and they are in a state of continuous progress. (S. HAWWA, 13/135) (Ibn Kathir prefers the first view. However—Allah knows best—the second view seems more worthy of preference to me. Because the flow of the surah brings us explanations regarding following Allah's Sharia completely and implementing Allah's religion without deficiency. S. HAWWA, 13/135)

 

‘As for the disbelievers: for them is a severe punishment.’A painful and agonizing punishment... What punishment can be harsher than the punishment of Hell? We take refuge in Allah from that punishment. (S. HAWWA, 13/135)

 

(27). ‘If Allah had given provision abundantly to His servants, they would have committed tyranny on earth.’They would have attempted oppression on earth. Because wealth is inciting and spoiling. Or they would have begun to show arrogance on earth. ‘But He sends down what He wills in a measure. Indeed, He is Acquainted and Seeing of His servants.’Nasafi says: ‘That is, He knows their states. Therefore, He decrees for them what His wisdom requires. Due to this wisdom, He makes them poor or makes them rich. He restricts or extends. If He were to make them all rich together, they would commit tyranny. If He were to make them all poor together, they would perish. The tyranny we see being done by those given abundant provision, and the tyranny we see without abundant provision, is little. No doubt, tyranny is less with poverty, but it is more and greater with wealth.’(S. HAWWA, 13/136)

 

The following explanation can also be made: If Allah had made everyone equal in terms of reason, intelligence, ability, property, and wealth, no one would submit to another, no one could make another listen to them, thus the natural requirements of life could not be fulfilled, and arts and professions would become inoperative. (see Zukhruf 43/32; O. CELIK, 4/439)

 

(28). ‘It is He who sends down the rain after they (people) have despaired, and spreads His mercy.’That is, He is the one who spreads the blessings and benefits of rain and the abundances that occur by its means. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, He spreads these blessings to all the people of that region and area.’(S. HAWWA, 13/136)

 

‘And He is the true Protector and helper worthy of praise.’Because of this, He is praised (hamd), and those who obey Him praise Him. Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, He is the one who acts for His creatures with things that will provide them benefit both in their world and in their hereafter; He must be praised in all His decrees and actions.’(S. HAWWA, 13/136)

 

(29). ‘Of His signs (of infinite power) is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the dispersal of creatures throughout them. He is competent to gather them (again) whenever He wills.’Ibn Kathir says: ‘That is, on the Day of Resurrection, He will gather the former and the latter and all other creatures in a single area. The caller will make them hear his voice and they will be before the eye. Almighty Allah will judge between them with His judgment which is true and just.’(S. HAWWA, 13/137, 138)

 

The term ‘creatures’ mentioned in the verse includes angels, humans, jinn, and all animals despite the differences in their shapes and colors, languages, characters, species, and genres. Allah the Exalted has scattered these in various corners and spots of the heavens and the earth. Thus, along with all these, ‘He is truly capable (Qadir) of gathering them as He wills.’(S. HAWWA, 13/164)

 

42/30-35 ALLAH AND MAN, ALLAH AND NATURE, ALLAH AND DISBELIEVERS

 

Translation

 

30- (O believers!) And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned (of sins). And He pardons much.

 

31- (O pagans!) And you are not causing failure [to Allah] (by preventing calamities) upon the earth. And you have not besides Allah any protector or any helper.

 

32- And among His signs (of power) are the ships in the sea, like mountains.

 

33, 34- If He wills, He keeps the wind still, and they remain motionless on its surface. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. Or He could perish them (those on board, with storms) for what they earned (of sins). And He pardons much (does not punish).

 

35- And [He intends] that those who dispute concerning Our signs may know that for them there is no place of escape.

 

Commentary

 

(30). ‘Whatever misfortune (grief, pain, something you do not like, famine, poverty, distress, imprisonment and other similar things) befalls you is because of what your hands have earned (sins). He pardons much.’Right at this point, it is necessary to state that Allah's law regarding pure believers is different. Because the misfortunes and distresses that come to believers are the expiation for their sins, mistakes, and troubles. Indeed, it is stated in a hadith: ‘If a Muslim suffers from distress, disease, grief, sorrow, and trouble, even if a thorn pricks his foot, Allah accepts this as expiation for a sin he has committed.’ (Ibn Kathir states it is a sahih hadith). The distresses encountered by someone who strives for Allah's religion not only serve as expiation for his sins but also raise his degree in the sight of Allah. Therefore, it is very wrong to accept the fact that a person on the right path encounters difficulties as the punishment for that person's sins. (S. HAWWA, 13/164; MAWDUDI, 5/229)

 

(..) It is possible to handle this verse according to the conditions of the period it was revealed, and also on a universal dimension. (a) When we read it periodically, we can say that this verse does not put forward a ruling concerning all people, but speaks of some misfortunes regarding the disbelievers in Mecca. That is, the fact that the Meccans were generally defeated in wars, and on this occasion many of them were killed and lost their property and possessions, was due to their opposition to Islam. This is undoubtedly a result of the choices of the pagans. But still, many of the things they do and perform do not return to them as misfortune. If it were so, not a single human would remain on earth. (Nahl 16/61). (M. DEMIRCI, 3/79)

 

When we take the verse in question (b) universally, we can say the following: The expression ‘wa ma asabekum min musibetin fe bima kesebet eydikum’established general principles concerning both believers and den