Qur'anic Exegesis

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his uncle Abu Tālib when he was in his death throes and said to him: O Uncle, say: "La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah)," a statement with which I can testify in your favor before Allah. Thereupon, Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ’Umayyah said: O Abu Tālib, would you abandon the religion of your father ‘Abdul-Muttalib, i.e. worshipping idols?! They both kept talking to him until the last thing he said to them was about the religion of Abdul-Muttalib, i.e., the religion of Shirk (polytheism) and idolatry. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, said: I will ask forgiveness for you as long as my Lord does not forbid me from doing so. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed: {It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists[83], even if they are close relatives, after becoming clear to them that they are the people of the Blazing Fire.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 113] And the following verse was revealed concerning Abu Tālib: {You cannot guide whoever you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best who will be guided.} [Surat al-Qasas: 56] You cannot guide whoever you like to guide; your duty is only to convey the message, and Allah guides whom He wills.

This Hadīth explains the type of power that Muslims are commanded to adopt in combating the enemies and disbelievers: shooting, because it is more effective. When the verse was revealed, archery was prevalent. However, the miraculous indications of the verse suggest that this power is not time-bound. It involves all types and tools of shooting in any time and place, and with any weapon.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that among the major portents of the Hour is that the sun will rise from the west instead of the east, and when people see it, they will all believe. At that point, the belief of a disbeliever will not benefit him, nor will the righteous deeds or repentance be of any avail. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Hour will come so abruptly that people will be busy with their life affairs. So, the Hour will come when a buyer and a seller have spread out a garment between them, but they cannot finish their transaction or fold up the garment. And the Hour will come when a man has taken milk from his she-camel but will not be able to drink it. And the Hour will come when a man is repairing his tank, but he will not be able to water his livestock therefrom. And the Hour will come when a man has lifted a morsel to his mouth but will not be able to eat it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that death will be brought on the Day of Judgment in the shape of a sheep that is black and white in color. Then, it will be called out: O people of Paradise! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say to them: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen and known it. Then, the caller will call out: O people of Hellfire! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen it. Then, it will be slaughtered, and the caller will say: O people of Paradise, eternity, and no death; O people of Hellfire, eternity, and no death. This will add to the bliss of the believers and the punishment of the disbelievers. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Warn them of the Day of Remorse when all matters will be decided, but they are heedless.} On the Day of Judgment, the people of Paradise will be separated from the people of Hellfire, and each will enter the place where they will stay forever. So, the wrongdoer will feel sorrowful and regretful that he did not do good, and the one who fell short in doing good will regret that he did not do better.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned his Ummah not to get deceived by what the People of the Book report in their books. The Jews, during the Prophet's lifetime, used to read the Torah in Hebrew, the language of the Jews, and expound on it in Arabic. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Neither believe nor disbelieve the People of the Book. This applies to things that are not known to be true or false. In fact, Allah Almighty commanded us to believe in the Qur’an revealed to us and the Book revealed to them. But there is no way in which we can know whether what they relate to us from these books is true or false, unless our Shariah clarifies whether it is true or false. Hence, we should stop, neither believing them, lest we may become their partners in what they distorted, nor disbelieving them, lest their statement may be right, and thus we will be denying what we were commanded to believe in. And Allah Almighty commanded the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that we should say: {We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136]

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the Jews are people who incurred Allah's wrath because they knew the truth but did not apply it. The Christians are people who went astray because they acted without knowledge.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are definite verses, which are the foundation of the Book, while others are ambiguous. Those with deviant hearts follow the ambiguous verses, seeking discord and seeking their [false] interpretation. But no one knows their [true] interpretation except Allah. And those who are well-grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it. It is all from our Lord." None will take heed except people of understanding.} Allah Almighty says in this verse that it is He Who sent down the Qur’an to His Prophet and that it contains clear verses that give specific unambiguous rulings; these serve as the foundation and points of reference of the Book, and they are to be referred to when differences arise. And it contains other verses that may give a number of potential meanings, over which people may get confused or they may think there is a contradiction between one of those verses and another verse. Then, Allah points out how people deal with those verses. Those whose hearts are deviated from the truth abandon the definite verses and turn to the ambiguous ones, thereby seeking to create misconceptions and mislead people. On the other hand, those well-grounded in knowledge know these ambiguous verses and refer them to the definite ones, believing in them and that they are from Allah Almighty and that they cannot be confusing or contradictory. But no one remembers this or takes heed from it except the people of sound minds. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that, if she saw those who follow the ambiguous verses, then indeed they are the ones named by Allah in the verse that reads: {Those with deviant hearts}; so, beware of them and do not listen to them.

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and complained about the bad behaviors of his slaves, mentioning that they lie to him, deceive him, and disobey his orders; whereas he curses them and disciplines them by beating. So, he asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) about his condition on the Day of Judgment in relation to them. In response, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: The extent to which they betrayed you, disobeyed you, and lied to you will be measured against how much you punished them. If their sins and your punishment are equal in amount, nothing is due to you or upon you. But if your punishment is greater than their sins, you will be held accountable, and the excess amount will be taken from your good deeds and will be given to them. The man went aside and started to weep and cry. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Do you not read this in the Book of Allah: {We will place the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in the least.} No one will be wronged whatsoever on the Day of Judgment, and the scales will weigh people's deeds justly. So, the man said: By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I find nothing better for me and them than leaving and parting with them. Bear witness that they are all free for the sake of Allah. This is because it would be truly hard to strike this balance and be constantly careful about such accountability. Responding to oppression falls under different categories: If retaliation is equal to the oppression, or less than that, it is valid. However, if it goes too far and exceeds the amount of oppression, it is prohibited and punishable.

Some men from the polytheists came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as they had gone to extremes in killing and committing adultery, and said: Indeed, what you call to (Islam) and its teachings are something good. But, as for our condition and the polytheism and major sins we have committed, is there an expiation for them? Thereupon, the two verses were revealed, as Allah accepted the repentance of those people despite their numerous and severe sins. Had it not been for that, they would have persisted in their disbelief and transgression and would not have embraced this religion.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a speech on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, saying: O people, indeed Allah removed from you the arrogance and fanaticism of jāhiliyyah and the boastfulness about one's ancestors. People are of two types: Either a believer who is pious, righteous, and obedient to Allah Almighty - and this is honorable in the sight of Allah, even if he does not occupy high status among the people. Or a disbeliever who is wicked and wretched - and this is insignificant and worthless in the sight of Allah, even if he occupies a high status, strong position and authority. People are the children of Adam, and Allah created Adam from dust. Allah says: {O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing and all-aware.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 13]"

When the following verse was revealed: {Then on that Day, you will indeed be asked about your worldly pleasures} i.e., You will be asked about the gratitude you showed for the pleasures Allah has bestowed upon you - Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, which pleasures will we be asked about?! Only two blessings are not among the things that deserve to be asked about, namely dates and water! Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, you will be asked about the worldly pleasures despite the state you are in, for these two are great blessings from among the blessings of Allah Almighty.

This noble Hadīth indicates that it is permissible to recite the Basmalah at the beginning of Sūrat al-Fātihah in prayer, because it is part of the Sūrah. However, he means that it should be recited in a low voice and not loudly, since this is what has been transmitted in more authentic Hadīths. At-Tahāwi said: "Abandoning reciting the Basmalah aloud in prayer has been collectively and contiguously reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his successors."

This tradition is reported by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who says about himself that he will be the first person to kneel before the Lord of the worlds on the Day of Resurrection for the dispute and that Verse 19 of Sūrat al-Hajj was revealed concerning himself, Hamzah, and Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them) when they dueled with the heads of disbelief during the battle of Badr: Shaybah ibn Rabī‘ah, ‘Utbah ibn Rabī‘ah, and Al-Walīd ibn ‘Utbah. This indicates that it is permissible to duel with the swords before the battle starts.

When Allah Almighty revealed to His Prophet (ﷺ) His saying: {To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth} in creation, ownership, control, and management. {Whether you reveal} show and declare {what is within yourselves} and in your hearts {or conceal it} and hide it in your hearts, {Allah will call you to account for it} on the Day of Judgment. {He forgives whom He wills} out of His grace and mercy {and punishes whom He wills} out of His justice, {for Allah is Most Capable of all things} and nothing is beyond His power. When the Companions heard this verse, it was hard on them, for it implied being held accountable even for the thoughts that pass through the heart. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and knelt down on their knees, saying: O Messenger of Allah, we have been commanded with bodily acts of worship that we are able to perform—such as prayer, fasting, Jihad, and charity—but this verse has been revealed to you and we cannot bear it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to them: Do you wish to say as the Jews and Christians said: {We hear and disobey}? Rather say: {We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.} The Companions obeyed the command of Allah and His Messenger and said: We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination. When the Muslims spoke those words with their tongues and their hearts submitted to them, Allah revealed—as a commendation for the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Ummah—His saying: {The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers} and their tongues and hearts submitted to Allah's command. {All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”} Rather, we believe in all of them. {And they say, “We hear} your words {and obey} Your command, and we seek {Your forgiveness, our Lord} and Your pardon, {and to You is the [final] destination”} and the return on the Day when the reckoning will take place. When they did that and said what they were commanded to say—openly declaring their willingness to hear and obey Allah's commands—Allah eased the burden upon this Ummah and abrogated that verse with His saying: {Allah does not burden any soul greater than it can bear} beyond its ability, strength, and effort. {For it is} the reward of {what it has earned} and performed of goodness, {and against it is} the punishment of {what it has incurred} of evil and sins. Thus, Allah does not hold anyone accountable for another's sin, nor for the whispers and passing thoughts within one's own self. {Our Lord, do not hold us accountable} and punish us {if we forget} and do not remember {or fall into error} and unintentionally deviate from what is right. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so. {Our Lord, do not place on us such a burden} hardship and load {as You have placed on those before us} from among the Children of Israel and others. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so. {Our Lord, do not burden us with that which we cannot bear} of duties, trials, or hardships beyond our strength. Allah said: Yes, I have done so. {Pardon us} and erase our sins, {forgive us} conceal them and overlook them, {and have mercy on us} through Your vast mercy. {You are our Protector} and Master, {so give us victory} by granting us steadfastness and triumph in battle and argument {over the disbelieving people} in fighting and striving against them. So Allah responded to their supplication and said: Yes, I have done so.

The unseen belongs to Allah alone; none knows it except Him. The Prophet (ﷺ) informed us that the keys and treasures of the unseen are five: First: None knows when the Hour will occur except Allah—this refers to the knowledge of the Hereafter, for the Day of Judgment is its beginning. And if the knowledge of its beginning is unknown, then all that follows it is even more hidden. Second: None knows when rain will come except Allah—this refers to matters of the higher world. Rain is mentioned specifically, even though there are apparent causes that may indicate its coming by custom and observation, yet these causes do not provide certainty or exact knowledge. Third: What is in the wombs—whether male or female, black or white, complete or defective, wretched or blessed, and the like. The womb was mentioned specifically because people often make assumptions about it based on customary signs, yet Allah denied that anyone truly knows its reality; and if this is the case for what is most observable, then what is beyond it is even more hidden and unknowable. Fourth: No one knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah—this refers to the events that occur within time and its unfolding happenings. The word “tomorrow” is mentioned specifically because it is the nearest of future times; so if no one truly knows what will occur in such a near time—despite possible signs or indications—then knowledge of what lies further ahead is even more beyond reach. Fifth: No soul knows in what land it will die—this refers to matters of the lower world. Although people generally die in their homelands, this is not always the case. Even if one dies in their own land, they do not know the exact spot where they will be buried, even if there is a graveyard of their ancestors. {Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware}—He encompasses all things, outward and inward, the hidden and the unseen, the secrets and the mysteries. Thus, this verse includes all types of the unseen and refutes every false claim to the knowledge of it.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when the following verses were revealed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): {Indeed, We have given you [O Prophet] a clear conquest, so that Allah may forgive you your previous and future sins, complete His favor upon you, and guide you to a straight path, and so that Allah may help you with a mighty victory. It is He Who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers so that they may increase in faith along with their faith. To Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and earth. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. So that He may admit the believing men and women to gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, and absolve them of their sins; that is a supreme triumph before Allah.} [Surat al-Fat'h: 1-5], as he was returning from Hudaybiyyah, and the Companions were overcome by sadness and depression as they were prevented from performing ‘Umrah due to the terms of the treaty, which they thought was not in favor of the Muslims, and they had slaughtered their sacrificial animals at Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, a verse has been revealed to me that is more beloved to me than the entire world, then he recited it.

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to consult people of wisdom and good reasoning about problematic issues. He used to let Ibn ‘Abbās, despite his young age, attend the gatherings along with the senior Companions and participants of the Battle of Badr. They were angry, however, that ‘Umar allowed Ibn ‘Abbās in and disregarded their own children. So, ‘Umar wanted to show them the status of Ibn ‘Abbās in knowledge, intelligence, and wits. He gathered them and invited him to the gathering. He recited Sūrat An-Nasr to them, which reads: {When there comes the help of Allah and the conquest, and you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, then proclaim the praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance} [Sūrat An-Nasr: 1-3]. When he asked them about its interpretation, some of them kept silent, while others said: “Allah, the Almighty, commands us to seek His forgiveness and to praise and exalt Him when He grants us victory and conquest.” However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asking about the implicit significance of these verses, not their literal meaning. So, he put the question to Ibn ‘Abbās, and he said that the Sūrah was a sign of the Prophet’s imminent death, and Allah gave it to him as notice. {When there comes the help of Allah and the conquest}, meaning: the Conquest of Makkah; this is a sign of your impending death. {Then proclaim the praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.} Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I know nothing about it save what you have said.” Thus, Ibn ‘Abbās’s merit became manifest.

This report means that if a man says to his wife: "You are unlawful for me," or: "You are forbidden," or something similar, this saying does not constitute divorce. It will be treated like a normal oath for which an expiation is required. In this respect, Allah, the Almighty, says: {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise} [Sūrat At-Tahrīm: 1-2]. The last verse means that Allah ordained for the Muslims the dissolution of their oath by making the expiation that is stipulated in Sūrat al-Mā’idah.