“O Messenger, Convey what has been Revealed to you”: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

In his tafsir of surah al-Maa’idah, sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee mentioned the following brief point:

قوله تعالى : يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك الآية . أمر تعالى في هذه الآية نبيه – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بتبليغ ما أنزل إليه ، وشهد له بالامتثال في آيات متعددة ، كقوله : اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم [ 5 \ 3 ] ، وقوله : وما على الرسول إلا البلاغ [ 24 \ 54 ] ، وقوله : فتول عنهم فما أنت بملوم [ 51 \ 54 ] ،  ـ

Allah’s statement:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّ‌سُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّ‌بِّكَ ۖ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِ‌سَالَتَهُ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ

O Messenger, convey that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. [5:67]

In this noble ayah Allah commanded His prophet (ﷺ) to convey what was revealed to him. And He affirmed his compliance concerning this matter in numerous ayaat, such as His statement:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ

This day I have perfected for you your religion [5:3]

And His statement:

The Consequences of Not Forbidding Wrongdoing: Tafsir al-Sa’di

Allah describes those among the Jews who disbelieved and received Allah’s curse in surah al-Maa’idah by saying:

كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَن مُّنكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

They used not to forbid one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing. [5:79]

Sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di mentioned the following points of benefit related to this ayah in the midst of his tafsir of the surrounding passage:

ـ { كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ } أي: كانوا يفعلون المنكر، ولا ينهى بعضهم بعضا، فيشترك بذلك المباشر، وغيره الذي سكت عن النهي عن المنكر مع قدرته على ذلك. ـ

كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ

They used not to forbid one another from wrongdoing that they did

meaning: They used to commit wrongdoing but they did not forbid one another from doing that, and thus they were partnered in doing that – both the one who actually did the wrongdoing and the others who remained silent and withheld from forbidding the wrongdoing despite having the ability to do so.

وذلك يدل على تهاونهم بأمر الله، وأن معصيته خفيفة عليهم، فلو كان لديهم تعظيم لربهم لغاروا لمحارمه، ولغضبوا لغضبه، وإنما كان السكوت عن المنكر -مع القدرة- موجبا للعقوبة، لما فيه من المفاسد العظيمة: ـ

This indicates their indifference towards Allah’s commandments and that disobeying Allah was something that they took lightly. For if they had a sense of the greatness of their Lord, they would have been protective of His forbidden limits and they would have been angered by what angers Him. But remaining silent about wrongdoing – despite having the ability – necessitates punishment due to what it entails of serious negative consequences:

We Revealed the Qur’an as a Muhaymin over the previous scriptures: Tafsir ibn Kathir

Allah says in surah al-Maa’idah:

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a muhaymin over it… [5:48]

Commenting on this ayah in his famous book of tafsir, Imam ibn Kathir wrote:

وقوله : ( ومهيمنا عليه ) قال سفيان الثوري وغيره ، عن أبي إسحاق عن التميمي عن ابن عباس أي : مؤتمنا عليه . وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس : المهيمن : الأمين ، قال : القرآن أمين على كل كتاب قبله . [ ص: 128 ] ـ

His statement:

وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ

and as a muhaymin over it

Sufyan al-Thawri and others said, on the authority of Abu Ishaaq, on the authority of al-Tameemi on the authority of ibn ‘Abbaas, “it means, entrusted over it.” And ‘Ali ibn Abu Talhah said, on the authority of ibn ‘Abbaas, “al-Muhaymin – the trustworthy.” He said, “The Qur’an is trustworthy over every book prior to it.”

وروي عن عكرمة وسعيد بن جبير ومجاهد ومحمد بن كعب وعطية والحسن وقتادة وعطاء الخراساني والسدي وابن زيد نحو ذلك . ـ

And that is [also] narrated from ‘Ikrimah, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr, Mujaahid, Muhammad ibn Ka’b, ‘Atiyyah, al-Hassan, Qataadah, ‘Ataa’ al-Khuraasaani, al-Suddi, ibn Zayd and others.

وقال ابن جريج : القرآن أمين على الكتب المتقدمة ، فما وافقه منها فهو حق ، وما خالفه منها فهو باطل . ـ

And ibn Jurayj said, “The Qur’an is trustworthy over the previous scriptures, so whatever agrees with it from them, then that is true, and whatever opposes it from them, then that is false.”

Why Allah began listing the prophets with Nuh: Tafsir al-Baghawi

Allah said in surah al-Nisaa’:

إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُ‌ونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ ۚ وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورً‌ا

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Ibrahim, Ismaa’eel, Ishaaq, Ya’qub, al-Asbaat, ‘Eesaa, Ayyub, Yunus, Haaroon, and Sulaiman, and to Dawud We gave the Zabur. [4:163]

In part of his commentary on this ayah, Imam al-Baghawi made the following point:

وأنزل : ( إنا أوحينا إليك كما أوحينا إلى نوح والنبيين من بعده ) فذكر عدة من الرسل الذين أوحى إليهم ، وبدأ بذكر نوح عليه السلام لأنه كان أبا البشر مثل آدم عليه السلام ، قال الله تعالى : ” وجعلنا ذريته هم الباقين ” ( الصافات – 77 ) ولأنه أول نبي من أنبياء الشريعة ، وأول نذير على الشرك ، وأول من عذبت أمته لردهم دعوته ، وأهلك أهل الأرض بدعائه وكان أطول الأنبياء [ ص: 311 ] عمرا وجعلت معجزته في نفسه ، لأنه عمر ألف سنة فلم تسقط له سن ولم تشب له شعرة ولم تنتقص له قوة ، ولم يصبر نبي على أذى قومه ما صبر هو على طول عمره . ـ

Allah revealed:

إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him… [4:163]

So He mentioned a number of the messenger to whom He gave divine revelation and He began by mentioning Nuh (‘alaih al-salaam) because he was a father to mankind, similar to Adam (‘alaih al-salaam). Allah said [regarding Nuh]:

A Clarification on the Annulment of One’s Deeds: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee mentions in the beginning of his tafsir of surah al-Maa’idah:

قوله تعالى : ومن يكفر بالإيمان فقد حبط عمله وهو في الآخرة من الخاسرين ، ظاهر هذه الآية الكريمة أن المرتد يحبط جميع عمله بردته من غير شرط زائد ، ولكنه أشار في موضع آخر إلى أن ذلك فيما إذا مات على الكفر ، وهو قوله : ومن يرتدد منكم عن دينه فيمت وهو كافر [ 2 \ 217 ] . ـ

Allah’s statement:

وَمَن يَكْفُرْ‌ بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِ‌ينَ

And whoever denies al-eemaan – his work has become worthless, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. [5:5]

What is apparent from this noble ayah is that the apostate will have all of his deeds made null and void by his apostasy, without there being any additional condition in play. However, Allah indicates elsewhere that this is in regards to if he dies in a state of disbelief, and that is His statement:

Four things for you and Three things against you

Imam al-Qurtubi mentioned the following statement of the taabi’ and scholar of al-Shaam Makḥool^[1] (d. 112 or 133AH) in his tafsir of surah al-Nisaa’ (4:147):

وقال مكحول: أربع من كن فيه كن له، وثلاث من كن فيه كن عليه، فالأربع اللاتي له: فالشكر والايمان والدعاء والاستغفار، قال الله تعالى: {ما يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنْتُمْ} وقال الله تعالى: {وَما كانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَما كانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ} وقال تعالى: {قُلْ ما يَعْبَؤُا بِكُمْ رَبِّي لَوْلا دُعاؤُكُمْ}. .ـ

There are four things that whoever has them has them in his favor, and there are three things that whoever has them has them against him.

The four things which are in his favor are: 1) gratitude, 2) eemaan, 3) supplication and 4) seeking forgiveness.

Allah said (1 & 2):

 مَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنْتُمْ

Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him? [4:147].

And Allah said (4):

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness [8:33].

And He said (3):

The Rewards of Obedience, and the Different Categories of People in Respects to that: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Allah says in surah al-Maa’idah:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَ‌اةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِم مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْ‌جُلِهِم ۚ مِّنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ‌ مِّنْهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ

And if only they upheld [the law of] the Tawrah, the Injeel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them are a moderate community, but many of them – evil is that which they do. [5:66]

Commenting on this ayah in his book of tafsir, Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote:

قوله تعالى : ولو أنهم أقاموا التوراة والإنجيل وما أنزل إليهم من ربهم لأكلوا من فوقهم ومن تحت أرجلهم ، ذكر تعالى في هذه الآية الكريمة أن أهل الكتاب لو أطاعوا الله ، وأقاموا كتابهم باتباعه ، والعمل بما فيه ، ليسر الله لهم الأرزاق ، وأرسل عليهم المطر ، وأخرج لهم ثمرات الأرض . ـ

Allah’s statement:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَ‌اةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِم مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْ‌جُلِهِم

And if only they upheld [the law of] the Tawrah, the Injeel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet.

In this noble ayah He mentioned that if only the Ahl al-Kitaab were to obey Allah and uphold their scripture by following it and acting according to what is in it, then Allah would facilitate provision for them, send rain upon them, and bring forth the produce of the earth for them.

وبين في مواضع أخر أن ذلك ليس خاصا بهم ، كقوله عن نوح وقومه فقلت استغفروا ربكم إنه كان غفارا يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا ويمددكم بأموال وبنين ويجعل لكم جنات ويجعل لكم أنهارا [ 71 \ 11 ] ، وقوله عن هود وقومه : ويا قوم استغفروا ربكم ثم توبوا إليه يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا ويزدكم قوة إلى قوتكم الآية [ 11 \ 52 ] ، وقوله عن نبينا – عليه الصلاة والسلام – وقومه وأن استغفروا ربكم ثم توبوا إليه يمتعكم متاعا حسنا إلى أجل مسمى [ 11 \ 3 ] ، وقوله تعالى : من عمل صالحا من ذكر أو أنثى وهو مؤمن فلنحيينه حياة طيبة الآية [ 16 \ 97 ] . على أحد الأقوال وقوله : ولو أن أهل القرى آمنوا واتقوا لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض الآية [ 7 \ 96 ] ، وقوله : ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب [ 65 \ 2 ، 3 ] ، وقوله : وأمر أهلك بالصلاة واصطبر عليها لا نسألك رزقا نحن نرزقك والعاقبة للتقوى [ 20 \ 132 ] ،  ـ

And elsewhere He clarified that that is not exclusive to them, such as His statement concerning Nooh and his people:

The Ruling on Fighting during the Sacred Months: Ibn Rajab

In his chapter concerning the sacred month of Rajab, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali brought forth the following discussion on the ruling of fighting during the sacred months (al-Ashhoor al-Hurum):

وقد اختلف العلماء في حكم القتال في الأشهر الحرم هل تحريمه باق أو نسخ ؟ فالجمهور على أنه نسخ تحريمه ونص على نسخه الإمام أحمد وغيره من الأئمة . وذهبت طائفة من السلف ، منهم عطاء ، إلى بقاء تحريمه ورجحه بعض المتأخرين واستدلوا بآية المائدة والمائدة من آخر ما نزل من القرآن وقد روي: “أحلوا حلالها وحرموا حرامها” ـ

The scholars have differed concerning the ruling of fighting during the Sacred Months – does its prohibition remain or was it abrogated? The majority are of the opinion that its prohibition was abrogated, and Imam Ahmad and others from the scholars specifically stated that. And a group of the salaf held the position – and among them was ‘Ataa’ – that its prohibition remained, and some of the latter-day scholars held that to be correct and they used the ayah of surah al-Maa’idah* as evidence since al-Maa’idah was one of the last parts of the Qur’an to be revealed. And it is narrated [concerning surah al-Maa’idah], “Consider halaal its halaal, and consider haraam its haraam.”

Allah invites the disbelievers to repent: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Allah says in surah al-Maa’idah:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ‌ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّـهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّا إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ * أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ‌ونَهُ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ

They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the third of three.” And there is no deity worthy of worship except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. * So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [5:73-74]

Commenting briefly on the latter ayah, Imam Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee wrote:

The Prophet clarified much of what the Ahl al-Kitaab used to conceal: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

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

قوله تعالى : يا أهل الكتاب قد جاءكم رسولنا يبين لكم كثيرا مما كنتم تخفون من الكتاب [ الآية [ 5 \ 15 ] ، لم يبين هنا شيئا من ذلك الكثير الذي يبينه لهم الرسول – صلى الله عليه وسلم – مما كانوا يخفون من الكتاب ، يعني التوراة والإنجيل ، وبين كثيرا منه في مواضع أخر . ـ

Allah’s statement:

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَ‌سُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرً‌ا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ‌ ۚ قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ نُورٌ‌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. [5:15]

Nothing was explained here of the many things things which were clarified to them by the Messenger (ﷺ) of what they used to conceal of their scripture, meaning the Tawrah and the Injeel, but He clarified much of it elsewhere.

فمما كانوا يخفون من أحكام التوراة رجم الزاني المحصن ، وبينه القرآن في قوله تعالى : ألم تر إلى الذين أوتوا نصيبا من الكتاب يدعون إلى كتاب الله ليحكم بينهم ثم يتولى فريق منهم وهم معرضون [ 3 \ 23 ] . ـ

So from the things which they used to conceal of the legislative rulings of the Tawrah was the stoning of the virgin fornicator, and the Qur’an clarified this in His statement: