We have already discussed the separated letters at the beginning of Surah
Al-Baqarah, so there is no need to repeat its discussion here. Allah says,
[مَآ أَنَزَلْنَا
عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لِتَشْقَى ]
(We have not sent down the Qur'an unto you to cause you distress,) Juwaybir
reported that Ad-Dahhak said, "When Allah sent the Qur'an down to His Messenger
, he and his Companions adh- ered to it. Thus, the idolators of the Quraysh
said, `This Qur'an was only reve- aled to Muhammad to cause him distress.'
Therefore, Allah revealed,
[طه - مَآ
أَنَزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لِتَشْقَى - إِلاَّ تَذْكِرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى
]
(Ta Ha. We have not sent down the Qur'an unto you to cause you distress, but
only as a Reminder to those who fear (Allah).) The matter is not like the people
of falsehood claim. Rather, whomever Allah gives knowledge to, it is because
Allah wants him to have an abundance of good. This like what is confirmed in the
Two Sahihs on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud, who said that the Messenger of Allah
said,
«مَنْ يُرِدِ اللهُ
بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّين»
(Whomever Allah wants good for, then He gives him the understanding of the
religion. ) Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,
[مَآ أَنَزَلْنَا
عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لِتَشْقَى ]
(We have not sent down the Qur'an unto you to cause you distress,) "This is
like His statement,
[مَا تَيَسَّرَ
مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُواْ]
(So recite as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you).) [73:20] For, the
people used to hang ropes at their chests (to hang on to when tired) in the
prayer.'' Qatadah said,
[مَآ أَنَزَلْنَا
عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لِتَشْقَى ]
(We have not sent down the Qur'an unto you to cause you distress,) "No, by
Allah, He did not make it a thing of distress. Rather, He made it a mercy, a
light and a guide to Paradise.'' Allah said,
[إِلاَّ تَذْكِرَةً
لِّمَن يَخْشَى ]
(But only as a Reminder to those who fear (Allah).) Allah revealed His Book
and sent His Messenger as a mercy for His servants, so that the person who
reflects may be reminded. Thus, a man will benefit from what he hears of the
Book of Allah, it is a remembrance in which Allah revealed what He permits and
prohibits. His saying,
[تَنزِيلاً مِّمَّنْ
خَلَق الاٌّرْضَ وَالسَّمَـوَتِ الْعُلَى ]
(A Revelation from Him (Allah) Who has created the earth and high heavens. )
means, `This Qur'an, which has come to you, O Muhammad, is a revelation from
your Lord. He is the Lord of everything and its King. He is Most Able to do
whatever He wills. He created the earth with its low depths and dense regions.
He created the lofty heavens with their high altitudes and subtleties.' It has
been reported in a Hadith, which At-Tirmidhi and others graded as authentic,
that the density of each sky of the heavens is the distance of five hundred
years travel and the distance between it and the next heaven is also five
hundred years. Concerning Allah's statement,
[الرَّحْمَـنُ عَلَى
الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى ]
(The Most Gracious Istawa the Throne.) A discussion concerning this has
already preceded in Surat Al-A`raf, so there is no need to repeat it here. The
safest path to take in understanding this, is the way of the Salaf
(predecessors). Their way was to accept that which has been reported concerning
this from the Book and the Sunnah without describing it, reinterpreting it,
resembling it to creation, rejecting it, or comparing it to attributes of the
creatures. Concerning Allah's statement,
[لَهُ مَا فِي
السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِي الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمَا تَحْتَ الثَّرَى
]
(To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and
all that is between them, and all that is under the soil.) This means all of
this is owned by Him and in His grasp. It is all under His control, will, intent
and judgement. He created all of this, He owns it and He is the God of all of
it. There is no true God other than He and no Lord other than He. Concerning
Allah's statement,
[وَمَا تَحْتَ
الثَّرَى]
(and all that is under the soil.) Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "This means that
which is beneath the seventh earth.'' Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَإِن تَجْهَرْ
بِالْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى ]
(And if you speak aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is
yet more hidden.) This means that He Who revealed this Qur'an, has also created
the high heavens and the earth and He knows that which is secret and what is
even more hidden. As Allah says,
[قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ
الَّذِى يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً
رَّحِيماً ]
(Say: "It has been sent down by Him Who knows the secret of the heavens and
the earth. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'') [25:6] `Ali bin Abi
Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said,
[يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ
وَأَخْفَى]
(He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden.) "The secret is what
the son of Adam hides within himself, and
[وَأَخْفَى]
(that which is yet more hidden. ) is the deeds of the son of Adam, which are
hidden before he does them. Allah knows all of that. His knowledge encompasses
that which has passed and that which is in the future and it is one, complete
knowledge. In this regard, all of the creatures are as one soul to Him. That is
the meaning of His statement,
[مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ
وَلاَ بَعْثُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَنَفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ]
(The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all are only as a single
person.) [31:28] Concerning Allah's statement,
[اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ
إِلاَّ هُوَ لَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءُ الْحُسْنَى ]
(Allah! There is no God but Him! To Him belongs the Best Names.) This means,
`He Who revealed this Qur'an to you (O Muhammad), He is Allah, there is no God
except Him. He is the Owner of the Best Names and the most lofty attributes.'
[وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ
حَدِيثُ مُوسَى - إِذْ رَأَى نَاراً فَقَالَ لاًّهْلِهِ امْكُثُواْ إِنِّى
ءَانَسْتُ نَاراً لَّعَلِّى آتِيكُمْ مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ
هُدًى ]
(9. And has there come to you the story of Musa) (10. When he saw a fire, he
said to his family: "Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire; perhaps I can bring you
some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire.'')
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