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Al-Baqarah - 2:26
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Allah says;
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلً مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا
Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it.
In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, and some Companions said;
"When Allah gave these two examples of the hypocrites" meaning Allah's statements,
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً
(Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire), (2:17) and,
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء
(Or like a rainstorm from the sky), (2:19)
"The hypocrites said, 'Allah's far more exalted than for Him to make such examples.' So Allah revealed these Ayat (2:26-27) up to:
هُمُ الْخَاسِرُون
(Who are the losers)".
Sa'id said that Qatadah said, "Allah does not shy away from the truth when He mentions a matter as a parable, whether this matter is significant or not. When Allah mentioned the flies and the spider in His Book, the people of misguidance said, 'Why did Allah mention these things.' So Allah revealed;
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلً مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا
(Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it)."
A Parable about the Life of This World
Abu Jafar Ar-Razi reported that Ar-Rabi bin Anas commented on this Ayah (2:26); "This is an example that Allah has given for the life of this world. The mosquito lives as long as it needs food, but when it gets fat, it dies. This is also the example of people whom Allah mentioned in the Qur'an:when they acquire (and collect the delights of) the life of this world, Allah then takes them away."
Afterwards, he recited,
فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing. (6:44)
In this Ayah (2:26) Allah stated that He does not shy away or hesitate in making an example or parable of anything, whether the example involves a significant or an insignificant matter. Allah's statement,
فَمَا فَوْقَهَا
(Or so much more when it is bigger than it)
Fama fawqaha means, something bigger than the mosquito, which is one of the most insignificant and tiniest of creatures.
Muslim narrated that Aishah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُشَاكُ شَوكَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا إِلاَّ كُتِبَتْ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَمُحِيَتْ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِييَة
No Muslim is harmed by a thorn, Fama fawqaha (or something larger), but a good deed will be written for him and an evil deed will be erased from his record.
So Allah has informed us that there is no matter that is too small that is exempt from being used as an example, even if it was as insignificant as a mosquito or a spider.
Allah said,
يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُواْ ذُبَاباً وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُواْ لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْياً لاأَّ يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ
O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully):Verily, those on whom you call besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought. (22:73)
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَأءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتاً وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ
The likeness of those who take (false deities as) Awliya (protectors, helpers) other than Allah is the likeness of a spider who builds (for itself) a house; but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider's house ـ if they but knew. (29:41) and,
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى السَّمَأءِ
تُوْتِى أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الَامْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الاٌّرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّـلِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَأءُ
See you not how Allah sets forth a parable!
A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high). Giving its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord, and Allah sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may remember.
And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability.
Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in life of this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allah alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allah will cause the Zalimin (polytheists and wrongdoers) to go astray those and Allah does what He wills. (14:24-27)
Allah said,
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ
Allah puts forward the example of (two men ـ a believer and a disbeliever); a servant under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort. (16:75)
He then said,
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَأ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَى مَوْلاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ
And Allah puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything, and he is a burden on his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one who commands justice! (16:76)
Also, Allah said,
ضَرَبَ لَكُمْ مَّثَلً مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ هَلْ لَّكُمْ مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ مِّن شُرَكَأءَ فِى مَا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ
He sets forth for you a parable from your own selves:Do you have partners among those whom your right hands possess (i.e. your servants) to share as equals in the wealth we have bestowed on you! (30:28)
Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلً مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا
(Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger than it),
"The believers believe in these parables, whether they involve large matters or small, because they know that they are the truth from their Lord, and Allah guides the believers by these parables."
Allah's statement;
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَـذَا مَثَلً
And as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say:"What did Allah intend by this parable?"
يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيراً
By it He misleads many,
In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud and other people among the Companions said, "Meaning the hypocrites. Allah guides the believers with these parables, and the straying of the hypocrites increases when they reject the parables that Allah mentioned for them which they know are true. This is how Allah misleads them."
وَيَهْدِي بِهِ
And He guides thereby, meaning, with the parables,
كَثِيراً
many, from among the people of faith and conviction. Allah adds guidance to their guidance, and faith to their faith, because they firmly believe in what they know to be true, that is, the parables that Allah has mentioned. This is guidance that Allah grants them;
وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلاَّ الْفَاسِقِين
And He misleads thereby only the Fasiqin (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah), meaning, the hypocrites.
The Arabs say that the date has Fasaqat, when it comes out of its skin, and they call the mouse a Fuwaysiqah, because it leaves its den to cause mischief.
The Two Sahihs recorded Aishah saying that the Messenger of Allah said,
خَمْسٌ فَوَاسِقُ يُقْتَلْنَ فِي الْحِلِّ وَالْحَرَمِ الغُرَابُ وَالْحِدَأَةُ وَالْعَقْرَبُ وَالْفَأْرَةُ وَالْكَلْبُ الْعَقُور
Five animals are Fawasiq, and they must be killed during Ihram and otherwise: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the mouse and the rabid dog.
Al-Baqarah - 2:27
Fasiq, includes the disbeliever and the disobedient. However, the Fisq of the disbeliever is worse, and this is the type of Fasiq that the Ayah is describing here, because Allah described them as,
الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الَارْضِ أُولَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُون
Those who break Allah's covenant after ratifying it, and sever what Allah has ordered to be joined and do mischief on earth, it is they who are the losers.
These are the characteristics of the disbelievers and they contradict the qualities of the believers.
Similarly, Allah said in Surah Ar-Ra'd,
أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الَالْبَـبِ
الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يِنقُضُونَ الْمِيثَـقَ
وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَأ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ
Shall he then, who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad) from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind! But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed.
Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and break not the Mithaq (bond, treaty, covenant).
And those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship), and fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning. (13:19-21)) until,
وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَـقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَأ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ
And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives), and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse (i.e. they will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell). (13:25)
The covenant that these deviant people broke is Allah's covenant with His creation, that is, to obey Him and avoid the sins that He prohibited. This covenant was reiterated in Allah's Books and by the words of His Messengers. Ignoring this covenant constitutes breaking it.
It was said that the Ayah (2:27) is about the disbelievers and the hypocrites among the People of the Book. In this case, the covenant that they broke is the pledge that Allah took from them in the Tawrah to follow Muhammad when he is sent as a Prophet, and to believe in him, and in what he was sent with. Breaking Allah's covenant in this case occurred when the People of the Book rejected the Prophet after they knew the truth about him, and they hid this truth from people, even though they swore to Allah that they would do otherwise. Allah informed us that they threw the covenant behind their backs and sold it for a miserable price.
It was also reported that the Ayah (2:27) refers to all disbelievers, idol worshippers and hypocrites. Allah took their pledge to believe in His Oneness, showing them the signs that testify to His Lordship. He also took a covenant from them to obey His commands and refrain from His prohibitions, knowing that His Messengers would bring proofs and miracles that none among the creation could ever produce. These miracles testified to the truth of Allah's Messengers. The covenant was broken when the disbelievers denied what was proven to them to be authentic and rejected Allah's Prophets and Books, although they knew that they were the truth.
This Tafsir was reported from Muqatil bin Hayyan, and it is very good. It is also the view that Az-Zamakhshari held.
Allah's statement next,
وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ
And sever what Allah has ordered to be joined, is in reference to keeping the relations with the relatives, as Qatadah asserted.
This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,
فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَن تُفْسِدُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَتُقَطِّعُواْ أَرْحَامَكُمْ
Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship. (47:22)
Ibn Jarir At-Tabari preferred this opinion.
However, it has been said that the meaning of the Ayah (2:27) here is more general. Hence, everything that Allah has commanded to nurture, and the people severed, is included in its meaning.
The Meaning of Loss
Muqatil bin Hayyan commented on Allah's statement,
أُولَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُون
(It is they who are the losers), "In the Hereafter."
Similarly, Allah said,
أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ
On them is the curse (i.e. they will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell). (13:25)
Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said, "Every characteristic that Allah describes those other than the people of Islam - such as being losers - then it refers to disbelief. However, when they are attributed to the people of Islam, then these terms refer to sin."
Ibn Jarir commented on Allah's statement,
أُولَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُون
(It is they who are the losers),
"Losers is plural for loser, this word refers to whoever decreased his own share of Allah's mercy by disobeying Him, just as the merchant loses in his trade by sustaining capital loss. Such is the case with the hypocrite and the disbeliever who lose their share of the mercy that Allah has in store for His servants on the Day of Resurrection. And that is when the disbeliever and the hypocrite most desperately need Allah's mercy.
Al-Baqarah - 2:28
Allah testifies to the fact that He exists and that He is the Creator and the Sustainer Who has full authority over His servants,
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتاً فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
How can you disbelieve in Allah seeing that you were dead and He gave you life! Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return.
How can anyone deny Allah's existence or worship others with Him while;
وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتاً فَأَحْيَاكُمْ
(You were dead and He gave you life), meaning, He brought them from the state of non-existence to life.
Similarly, Allah said,
أَمْ خُلِقُواْ مِنْ غَيْرِ شَىْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَـلِقُونَ
أَمْ خَلَقُواْ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بَل لاَّ يُوقِنُونَ
Were they created by nothing! Or were they themselves the creators! Or did they create the heavens and the earth! Nay, but they have no firm belief. (52:35-36) and,
هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الاِنسَـنِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْياً مَّذْكُوراً
Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was not a thing worth mentioning. (76:1)
There are many other Ayat on this subject.
Ibn Jarir reported from Ata that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتاً فَأَحْيَاكُمْ
(Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life) means, "You did not exist beforehand. You were nothing until Allah created you; He will bring death to you and then bring you back to life during Resurrection."
Ibn Abbas then said, "This is similar to Allah's statement;
قَالُواْ رَبَّنَأ أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْن
They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us to die twice and You have given us life twice." (40:11)
Al-Baqarah - 2:29
Evidence of Allah's Ability
After Allah mentioned the proofs of His creating them, and what they can witness in themselves as proof of that, He mentioned another proof that they can witness, that is, the creation of the heavens and earth.
Allah said,
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الَارْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاء فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ
He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa ila the heaven and made them seven heavens. Meaning, He turned towards the heaven,
فَسَوَّاهُنَّ
(And made them) meaning, that He made the heaven, seven heavens.
Allah said,
فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
And made them seven heavens and He is the Knower of everything. Meaning, His knowledge encompasses all His creation, just as He said in another Ayah,
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ
Should not He Who has created know! (67:14)
The Beginning of the Creation
This Ayah (2:29) is explained in detail in Surah As-Sajdah where Allah said;
قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ
وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَأ أَقْوَتَهَا فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِّلسَّأيِلِينَ
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَأءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلٌّرْضِ ايْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً قَالَتَأ أَتَيْنَا طَأيِعِينَ
فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَى فِى كُلِّ سَمَأءٍ أَمْرَهَا وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَأءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ وَحِفْظاً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
Say (O Muhammad): "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals (in worship) with Him! That is the Lord of all that exists.
He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four `days' were equal in the length of time) for all those who ask (about its creation). Then He Istawa ila the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth:"Come both of you willingly or unwillingly."
They both said: "We come willingly."
Then He finished them (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils).
Such is the decree of the Almighty, the Knower. (41:9-12).
These Ayat indicate that Allah started creation by creating earth, then He made heaven into seven heavens. This is how building usually starts, with the lower floors first and then the top floors, as the scholars of Tafsir reiterated, as we will come to know, Allah willing.
Allah also said,
أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَأءُ بَنَـهَا
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا
وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا
وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا
أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَأءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا
وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا
مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ
Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it. Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light). And the earth, after that, He spread it out. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly. (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle. (79:27-33)
It is said that "Then" in the Ayah (2:29) relates only to the order of reciting the information being given, it does not relate to the order that the events being mentioned took place, this was reported from Ibn Abbas by Ali bin Abi Talhah.
The Earth was created before Heaven
Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الَارْضِ جَمِيعاً
(He it is Who created for you all that is on earth),
"Allah created the earth before heaven, and when He created the earth, smoke burst out of it. This is why Allah said,
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاء وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ
(Then He Istawa ila (turned towards) the heaven when it was smoke. (41:11),
فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ
(And made them seven heavens) means, one above the other, while the 'seven earths' means, one below the other."
This Ayah testifies to the fact that the earth was created before heaven, as Allah has indicated in the Ayat in Surah As-Sajdah.
Spreading the Earth out after the Heavens were created.
Sahih Al-Bukhari records that; when Ibn Abbas was questioned about this matter, he said that the earth was created before heaven, and the earth was spread out only after the creation of the heaven.
Several Tafsir scholars of old and recent times also said similarly, as we have elaborated on in the Tafsir of Surah An-Nazi'at.
The result of that discussion is that the word Daha (translated above as "spread") is mentioned and explained in Allah's statement,
وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا
أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَأءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا
وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا
And the earth, after that, He spread it out. And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly. (79:30-32)
Therefore, Daha means that the earth's treasures were brought to its surface after finishing the job of creating whatever will reside on earth and heaven. When the earth became Daha, the water burst out to its surface and the various types, colors, shapes and kinds of plants grew. The stars started rotating along with the planets that rotate around them. And Allah knows best.
Al-Baqarah - 2:30
Adam and His Children inhabited the Earth, Generation after Generation
Allah reiterated His favor on the Children of Adam when He stated that He mentioned them in the highest of heights before He created them. Allah said,
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَيِكَةِ
And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels,
This Ayah means, "O Muhammad! Mention to your people what Allah said to the angels.
إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الَارْضِ خَلِيفَةً
Verily, I am going to place a Khalifah on earth.
Meaning people reproducing generation after generation, century after century, just as Allah said,
وَهُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـيِفَ الاٌّرْضِ
And it is He Who has made you (Khala'if) generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. (6:165)
وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ حُلَفَأءَ الاٌّرْضِ
And makes you (Khulafa) inheritors of the earth. (27:62)
وَلَوْ نَشَأءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ مَّلَـيِكَةً فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ
And if it were Our will, We would have (destroyed you (mankind all, and) made angels to replace you (Yakhlufun) on the earth. (43:60) and,
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ
Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation (Khalf)) (7:169).
It appears that Allah was not referring to Adam specifically as Khalifah, otherwise he would not have allowed the angels' statement,
قَالُواْ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء
They said: "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood!"
The angels meant that this type of creature usually commits the atrocities they mentioned. The angels knew of this fact, according to their understanding of human nature, for Allah stated that He would create man from clay. Or, the angels understood this fact from the word Khalifah, which also means the person who judges disputes that occur between people, forbidding them from injustice and sin, as Al-Qurtubi said.
The statement the angels uttered was not a form of disputing with Allah's, nor out of envy for the Children of Adam, as some mistakenly thought. Allah has described them as those who do not precede Him in speaking, meaning that they do not ask Allah anything without His permission.
When Allah informed them that He was going to create a creation on the earth, and they had knowledge that this creation would commit mischief on it, as Qatadah mentioned, they said,
أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء
(Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood).
This is only a question for the sake of learning about the wisdom of that, as if they said, Our Lord! What is the wisdom of creating such creatures since they will cause trouble in the earth and spill blood.
"If the wisdom behind this action is that You be worshipped, we praise and glorify You (meaning we pray to You) we never indulge in mischief, so why create other creatures"
وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ
while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You."
Allah said to the angels in answer to their inquiry,
قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
He (Allah) said: (I know that which you do not know).
Meaning, "I know that the benefit of creating this type of creature outweighs the harm that you mentioned, that which you have no knowledge of. I will create among them Prophets and send Messengers. I will also create among them truthful, martyrs, righteous believers, worshippers, the modest, the pious, the scholars who implement their knowledge, humble people and those who love Allah and follow His Messengers."
The Sahih recorded that; when the angels ascend to Allah with the records of the servant's deeds, Allah asks them, while having better knowledge, "How did you leave My servants?"
They will say, "We came to them while they were praying and left them while they were praying."
This is because the angels work in shifts with mankind, and they change shifts during the Fajr and 'Asr prayers.
The angels who descended will remain with us, while the angels who have remained with us ascend with our deeds. The Messenger of Allah said,
يُرْفَعُ إِلَيْهِ عَمَلُ اللَّيْلِ قَبْلَ النَّهَارِ وَعَمَلُ النَّهَارِ قَبْلَ اللَّيْل
The deeds of the night are elevated to Allah before the morning, and the deeds of the morning before the night falls.
Hence, the angels' statement, "We came to them while they were praying and left them while they were praying,"
explains Allah's statement,
إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(I know that which you do not know).
It was said that the meaning of Allah's statement,
إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(I know that which you do not know) is,
"I have a specific wisdom in creating them, which you do not have knowledge of."
It was also said that it is in answer to,
وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ
(While we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You) after which Allah said,
إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(I know that which you do not know).
Meaning, "I know that Iblis is not as you are, although he is among you."
Others said,
أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ
"(Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, ـ while we glorify you with praises and thanks and sanctify You.) is their request that they should be allowed to inhabit the earth, instead of the Children of Adam. So Allah said to them,
إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(I know that which you do not know) if your inhabiting the heavens is better, or worse for you."
Ar-Razi as well as others said this.
Allah knows best.
The Obligation of appointing a Khalifah and some related Issues
Al-Qurtubi, as well as other scholars, said that; this Ayah (2:30) proves the obligation of appointing a Khalifah to pass judgments on matters of dispute between people, to aid the oppressed against the oppressor, to implement the Islamic penal code and to forbid evil. There are many other tasks that can only be fulfilled by appointing the Imam, and what is necessary in performing an obligation, is an obligation itself.
We should state here that Imamah occurs by; either naming a successor, as a group among Ahl As-Sunnah scholars said occurred - by the Prophet - in the case of Abu Bakr, or hinting to a successor.
Or, the current Khalifah names a certain person as Khalifah after him, as Abu Bakr did with Umar.
Or, the Khalifah might leave the matter in the hands of the Muslim consultative council, or a group of righteous men, just as Umar did.
Or, the people of authority could gather around a certain person to whom they give the pledge of allegiance, or they could select one among them to choose the candidate, according to the majority of the scholars.
The Khalifah must be a responsible adult Muslim male, able to perform Ijtihad (independent legal judgments), bodily able, righteous, with knowledge of warfare, politics.
He also must be from the tribe of Quraysh, according to the correct view, but it is not necessary that he be from the tribe of Bani Hashim, or that he be immune from error, as the Rafidah (Shiites) falsely claim.
When the Khalifah becomes an immoral person (Fasiq), should he be impeached. There is disagreement over this matter, but the correct view is that he is not to be removed, because the Messenger of Allah said,
إِلاَّ أَنْ تَرَوْا كُفْرًا بَوَاحًا عِنْدَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ فِيهِ بُرْهَان
Unless you witness a clear Kufr regarding which you have clear proof from Allah.
Does the Khalifah have the right to resign from his post?
There is a difference on this issue.
It is a fact that Al-Hasan bin Ali removed himself from the position of Khalifah and surrendered it to Muawiyah. However, this occurred because of a necessity, and Al-Hasan was praised for this action.
It is not permissible to appoint two Imams for the world or more at the same time. This is not allowed because the Messenger of Allah said,
مَنْ جَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْرُكُمْ جَمِيعٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُ كَايِنًا مَنْ كَان
Whoever came to you while you are united and tried to divide you, then execute him, no matter who he is.
This is the view of the majority of scholars.
Imam Al-Haramayn stated that; Abu Ishaq allowed the appointment of two or more Imams when the various provinces are far away from each other.
However, Imam Al-Haramayn himself was indecisive about this view.
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