Whoever is guided or errs, it is only for or against himself: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote in one portion of his book of tafsir:

قوله تعالى من اهتدى فإنما يهتدي لنفسه ومن ضل فإنما يضل عليها ، ذكر جل وعلا في هذه الآية الكريمة : أن من اهتدى فعمل بما يرضي الله جل وعلا ، أن اهتداءه ذلك إنما هو لنفسه ، لأنه هو الذي ترجع إليه فائدة ذلك الاهتداء ، وثمرته في الدنيا والآخرة ، وأن من ضل عن طريق الصواب فعمل بما يسخط ربه جل وعلا ، أن ضلاله ذلك إنما هو على نفسه ، لأنه هو الذي يجني ثمرة عواقبه السيئة الوخيمة ، فيخلد به في النار . ـ

Allah’s statement:

مَّنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا

Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever errs only errs against it. [17:15]

Allah mentioned in this noble ayah that whoever is guided and therefore acts according to that with which Allah is pleased, then his guidance to that is only for the sake of his own self, because it is to him that the benefits and fruits of that return both in this worldly life and in the hereafter. And that whoever errs from the correct path and therefore acts according that with which Allah is displeased, that his misguidance is only against his own self, because it is to him that the outcomes of the punishment of grave misdeeds is accrued, so he will dwell eternally in the Hell-fire.

وبين هذا المعنى في مواضع كثيرة ، كقوله : من عمل صالحا فلنفسه ومن أساء فعليها الآية [ 41 \ 46 ] ، وقوله : من كفر فعليه كفره ومن عمل صالحا فلأنفسهم يمهدون [ 30 \ 44 ] ، وقوله : قد جاءكم بصائر من ربكم فمن أبصر فلنفسه ومن عمي فعليها وما أنا عليكم بحفيظ [ 6 \ 104 ] ، وقوله : فمن اهتدى فإنما يهتدي لنفسه ومن ضل فإنما يضل عليها وما أنا عليكم بوكيل [ 10 \ 108 ] ، [ ص: 64 ] والآيات بمثل هذا كثيرة جدا ، وقد قدمنا طرفا منها في سورة ” النحل ” . ـ

And He explained this meaning in many places, such as His statement:

The Fundamentals of the Prohibited Deeds – Khutbah of Imam al-Sa’di

From a collection of more than 400 sermons of Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di:

خطبة في قوله تعالى : < قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ …> ـ

Khutbah on Allah’s statement, “Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed…'”

الحمد لله الذي أمر عباده بكل ما فيه خير لهم وصلاح ، ونهاهم عن جميع المضار والأعمال القباح . ـ

All praise belongs to Allah who commanded His slaves with everything in which there is good and rectitude for them, and prohibited them from all harms and despicable actions.

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له الكريم الفتّاح . ـ

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no partners, the Noble, the Giver of victory.

أشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله الذي نهى عن كل خبيث وأذن في كل طيب وأباح . ـ

And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger who prohibited every abhorrent thing and permitted every good and allowable thing.

اللهم صلّ وسلّم على محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أولي الرشد والتقى والنجاح . ـ

O Allah! Bestow Your peace and blessings upon Muhammad and upon his family and his companions, the preeminent ones in terms of guidance, reverence of Allah and ultimate salvation.

أمّا بعد : أيها الناس ؛ اتّقوا الله بترك مساخطه ومناهيه ، والقيام بفرائضه ومراضية ، فقد جمع لكم أصول ما حرّم عليكم في آية واحدة ، وهي قولة تعالى : < قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ‌ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِ‌كُوا بِاللَّـهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ> [الأعراف 33] . ـ

To proceed: O Mankind! Have taqwa of Allah by abandoning what angers Him and his prohibitions, and by enacting what He has obligated and what pleases Him. And He has gathered the fundamentals of what He has made forbidden for you in a single ayah, which is His statement,

“Those of determination among the messengers”: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote the following in his tafsir:

قوله – تعالى – : فاصبر كما صبر أولوا العزم من الرسل . اختلف العلماء في المراد بأولي العزم من الرسل في هذه الآية الكريمة اختلافا كثيرا . ـ

Allah said:

فَاصْبِرْ‌ كَمَا صَبَرَ‌ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّ‌سُلِ

So exercise sabr, (O Muhammad), as did those of determination among the messengers [46:35]

The scholars have differed greatly concerning the intended meaning of ‘those of determination’ [uloo al-‘azm] among the messengers in this noble ayah.

وأشهر الأقوال في ذلك أنهم خمسة ، وهم الذين قدمنا ذكرهم في ” الأحزاب ” و ” الشورى ” ، وهم نوح وإبراهيم وموسى وعيسى ومحمد – عليهم الصلاة والسلام – . ـ

And the most well-known position in this matter is that they are five, and they are those who were previously mentioned in surah al-Ahzab [33:7] and surah al-Shooraa [42:13], who are Nuh, Ibrahim, Moosaa, ‘Eesaa and Muhammad (‘alaihim al-salaatu wa’l-salaam).

وعلى هذا القول فالرسل الذين أمر رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أن يصبر كما صبروا – أربعة ، فصار هو – صلى الله عليه وسلم – خامسهم . ـ

So according to this position, then the messengers which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was commanded to exercise sabr as they has exercised sabr were four, so he (ﷺ) became their fifth.

Performing the Prayers in their Proper Times: Tafsir al-Sa’di

Allah says in surah al-Baqarah:

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّـهِ قَانِتِينَ * فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِ‌جَالًا أَوْ رُ‌كْبَانًا ۖ فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَاذْكُرُ‌وا اللَّـهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ

Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient. * And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding. But when you are secure, then remember Allah, as He has taught you that which you did not [previously] know. [2:238-239]

Commenting on this in his book of tafsir, Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di wrote:

يأمر بالمحافظة على الصلوات عمومًا وعلى الصلاة الوسطى، وهي العصر خصوصًا، والمحافظة عليها أداؤها بوقتها وشروطها وأركانها وخشوعها وجميع ما لها من واجب ومستحب، وبالمحافظة على الصلوات تحصل المحافظة على سائر العبادات، وتفيد النهي عن الفحشاء والمنكر خصوصًا إذا أكملها كما أمر بقوله { وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ } أي: ذليلين خاشعين، ففيه الأمر بالقيام والقنوت والنهي عن الكلام، والأمر بالخشوع، هذا مع الأمن والطمأنينة. ـ

Allah commanded the careful maintaining of the prayers in general, and of the middle prayer – which is ‘Asr – specifically. And carefully maintaining them is performing them in their proper times and with their conditions and pillars, and with khushoo’, and with all that which is obligatory and recommended for them. And carefully maintaining the prayers carried the meaning of carefully maintaining all the rest of the acts of worship. And it benefits one by preventing against indecency and immorality, especially when the prayers are done in a complete way as Allah commanded with His statement, “and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient” – meaning, humble and submitting. So in that there is the command to stand and to be devoutly obedient and the prohibition of speaking, and the command to have khushoo’, and this is in the condition of safety and tranquility.

Banu Israa’eel’s abuse of Moosaa: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote the following in his tafsir of surah al-Saff:

قوله تعالى : وإذ قال موسى لقومه ياقوم لم تؤذونني وقد تعلمون أني رسول الله إليكم فلما زاغوا أزاغ الله قلوبهم والله لا يهدي القوم الفاسقين . ـ

Allah’s statement [in surah al-Saff]:

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِي وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي رَ‌سُولُ اللَّـهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّـهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

And (remember) when Moosaa said to his people, “O my people, why do you abuse me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?” And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people. [61:5]

قول موسى عليه السلام : لم تؤذونني ؟ لم يبين نوع هذا الإيذاء وقد جاء مثل هذا الإجمال في قوله تعالى : ياأيها الذين آمنوا لا تكونوا كالذين آذوا موسى فبرأه الله مما قالوا [ 33 \ 69 ] . ـ

Regarding the statement of Moosaa (‘alaihi al-salaam), “why do you abuse me?” Allah does not explain what type of harm this is, and the likes of this general language have also come in His statement [in surah al-Ahzaab]:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَىٰ فَبَرَّ‌أَهُ اللَّـهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا

O you who have believed, do not be like those who abused Moosaa; then Allah cleared him of what they said [33:69]

وأحال عليه ابن كثير في تفسيره ، وساق حديث البخاري أنه – صلى الله عليه وسلم – قال : ” إن موسى – عليه السلام – كان حييا ستيرا لا يرى من جلده شيئا استحياء منه فآذاه من آذاه من بني إسرائيل ، فقالوا : ما يتستر هذا التستر إلا من عيب في جلده ، إما برص وإما أدرة وإما آفة ، وأن الله – عز وجل – أراد أن يبرئه مما قالوا فخلا يوما وحده فخلع ثيابه على حجر ، ثم اغتسل فلما فرغ أقبل على ثيابه ؛ ليأخذها ، وأن الحجر عدا بثوبه ، فأخذ موسى عصاه وطلب الحجر ، فجعل يقول : ثوبي حجر حتى انتهى إلى ملأ من بني إسرائيل فرأوه عريانا أحسن ما خلق الله – عز وجل – وبرأه مما يقولون ” . . . . إلى آخر القصة . ـ

And regarding this, Ibn Kathir presented the following in his tafsir, transmitting the hadeeth of al-Bukhari that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

Questions and Answers on Tawbah from Ibn Taymiyah

As it comes in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa of Ibn Taymiyah:

وسئل رحمه الله عن قوله : { ما أصر من استغفر وإن عاد في اليوم والليلة سبعين مرة } . ـ

And he – may Allah have mercy on him – was asked about the statement of the Prophet, “Nothing persists for the one who makes istighfaar (seeking Allah’s forgiveness) even if he returns (to the sin) seventy times in a day and a night.”

هل المراد ذكر الاستغفار باللفظ ؟ أو أنه إذا استغفر ينوي بالقلب أن لا يعود إلى الذنب ؟ وهل إذا تاب من الذنب وعزم بالقلب أن لا يعود إليه وأقام مدة ثم وقع فيه أفيكون ذلك الذنب القديم يضاف إلى الثاني ؟ أو يكون مغفورا بالتوبة المتقدمة ؟ وهل التائب من شرب الخمر ولبس الحرير يشربه في الآخرة ؟ ويلبس الحرير في الآخرة ؟ والتوبة النصوح ما شرطها ؟ . ـ

Is the intended meaning of al-istighfaar mentioning its wording? Or is that when one seeks forgiveness while intending in his heart not to return to that sin?

And if one repents from a sin and resolves in his heart not to return to it and is established on this for a period of them but then it does occur, then is that previous sin added to that later one, or is it forgiven by way of the previous tawbah?

And will the one who repented from drinking alcohol and wearing silk drink it in the hereafter and wear silk in the hereafter?

And sincere tawbah – what are its conditions?

So he responded:

“Beautified for people is the love of what they desire”: Tafsir al-Sa’di

In the early part of surah Aaali ‘Imran, Allah says:

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ‌ الْمُقَنطَرَ‌ةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْ‌ثِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَاللَّـهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ * قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَيْرٍ‌ مِّن ذَٰلِكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَ‌بِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِ‌ي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ‌ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَ‌ةٌ وَرِ‌ضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بَصِيرٌ‌ بِالْعِبَادِ * الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَ‌بَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ‌ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‌ * الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِ‌ينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ

Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return. * Say, “Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allah will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants – * Those who say, “Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire,”  *  The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.  [3:‌14-17]

Commenting on this group of ayaat, Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di wrote:

يخبر تعالى أنه زين للناس حب الشهوات الدنيوية، وخص هذه الأمور المذكورة لأنها أعظم شهوات الدنيا وغيرها تبع لها، قال تعالى { إنا جعلنا ما على الأرض زينة لها } فلما زينت لهم هذه المذكورات بما فيها من الدواعي المثيرات، تعلقت بها نفوسهم ومالت إليها قلوبهم، ـ

Allah informs us that He has beautified the love of worldly desires for mankind, and He specified these aforementioned items because they are the greatest of worldly desires and because other things follow from them. Allah said:

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْ‌ضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا

Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it [18:7]

So when theses aforementioned things were beautified for them due to what they contain of arousing appeal to which their souls are attached and to which their very hearts incline.

Studying the Qur’an and the Softening of Hearts: ibn Kathir

In the introduction to his celebrated book of tafsir, Imam Abu’l-Fidaa’ Ismaa’eel ibn Kathir mentioned the following point of benefit:

 قال تعالى ( أفلا يتدبرون القرآن ولو كان من عند غير الله لوجدوا فيه اختلافا كثيرا ) [ النساء 82 ] ، وقال تعالى ( كتاب أنزلناه إليك مبارك ليدبروا آياته وليتذكر أولو الألباب ) [ ص : 29 ] ، وقال تعالى ( أفلا يتدبرون القرآن أم على قلوب أقفالها ) [ محمد : 24 ] . ـ

Allah said:

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُ‌ونَ الْقُرْ‌آنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرً‌ا

Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. [4:82]

And He said:

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَ‌كٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُ‌وا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ‌ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. [38:29]

And He said:

Two of the Wisdoms for Revealing the Qur’an to the Prophet: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote in his tafsir of surah al-Nahl:

قوله تعالى : وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهم ولعلهم يتفكرون ، المراد بالذكر في هذه الآية : القرآن ; كقوله : إنا نحن نزلنا الذكر وإنا له لحافظون [ 15 \ 9 ] . ـ

Allah’s statement:

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ‌ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُ‌ونَ

And We revealed to you (O Muhammad) the dhikr that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought. [16:44]

The intended meaning of al-dhikr in this ayah is the Qur’an, just as in His statement:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ‌ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian. [9:15]

وقد ذكر – جل وعلا – في هذه الآية حكمتين من حكم إنزال القرآن على النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – : ـ

And in this ayah Allah mentioned two wisdoms from among the wisdoms of revealing the Qur’an to His prophet (ﷺ):