Tafsir of Yunus 10:63

(Those who believed)—meaning, in everything that came from Allah the Exalted—(and used to fear)—meaning, guarding themselves against what must be guarded against, both in terms of actions and omissions, in a continuous manner, as indicated by the combination of the past and future tense forms. The relative pronoun [Al-ladhina] is in the nominative case as the predicate of an omitted subject, and the sentence is a discursive resumption, as if it were said: "Who are those people, and what is the reason for their success in what the preceding speech alluded to?" It was answered: They are those who combined faith and piety, which lead to every good and keep one away from every evil.

One may restrict the inquiry to "Who are they?" in which case this serves as an explanation and clarification of what is meant by the Awliya (allies/saints) specifically, and this, along with an indication of how they attained what they attained. It has been said that its position is the accusative or nominative as a form of praise, or that it is an adjective for the Awliya. This was countered by the fact that separating an adjective from the noun it describes with the predicate is rejected by grammarians. However, the grandson [of the author] permitted it, as well as considering it an appositive (badal).

The intended meaning of piety (taqwa) for this group is its third rank, which is the piety commanded in His saying: "Fear Allah as He ought to be feared" (3:102). It has been interpreted as the purification of a person from everything that distracts their innermost heart from the Truth, and their complete devotion to Him. Thereby, the witnessing, presence, and nearness—upon which the application of the name [of Wali] revolves—are attained. Such was the state of those who entered with him—peace be upon him—under the address of His saying, may He be exalted: "And whatever deed you do..." (10:61), except that they have varying degrees in the matter of devotion and purification according to the differences in their preparations. The highest of these degrees is that which the aspirations of the prophets—peace and blessings be upon them—attained, until they combined the leadership of prophecy and sainthood. Their attachment to the world of physical forms did not hinder them from immersion in the world of spirits, nor did their engagement with the interests of creation prevent them from devotion to the Presence of the Truth, may He be glorified and exalted, due to the perfection of the preparation of their pure souls, supported by sacred power. This is how it has been stated.

There is a dispute regarding whether the state of everyone who entered with him—peace be upon him—under the address includes all the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—in the sense of the true piety commanded in the verse, through which witnessing, presence, and nearness are achieved. The upshot of what has been established after a long dispute—which we mentioned in our answer to the question of the people of Lahore—is that the Companions are all just ('udul), whether they were involved in the fitna (strife) or not. The claim that this justice necessitates wilayah (sainthood) in the previously mentioned sense, if proven, fulfills the intended purpose; otherwise, it does not.

The verse is manifest that the Awliya are the believing, pious ones. The minimum required for the application of the term Wali is drawing near to Him, the Exalted, through obligatory acts, by fulfilling commands and avoiding prohibitions. The more perfect [way] is drawing near to Him, the Majestic, through every possible act of devotion. In Al-Mubin al-Mu'ayyan, a Wali is one whose affairs are taken over by Allah the Exalted personally, so he has no agency at all, for he has no existence, essence, action, or attribute [independent of Him]. The construction [of the word Wali] indicates nearness; it is as if he is near to Him, the Exalted, due to the permanence of his acts of worship and the uprightness of his obedience, or due to his immersion in the ocean of His knowledge and the witnessing of the radiance of His greatness. End quote.

It is said that Wali is a fa'il form in the sense of maf'ul (passive), though it is permissible that it is in the sense of fa'il (active). It is interpreted as one who undertakes the worship and obedience of Allah the Exalted continuously, without the intervention of an act of disobedience. From Al-Qushayri, it is narrated that both descriptions [apply]: Allah takes charge of the Wali's affairs, and the Wali takes charge of the worship and obedience of Allah. This is a condition for wilayah, though the first description is dominant for the majdhub (attracted one) and the second for the salik (wayfarer seeker).

It is not hidden that this statement, as well as the one preceding it, indicates that the intervention of disobedience is incompatible with wilayah. This is what many of the learned point to. There is no claim here to infallibility ('isma), which the consensus has not established for any except the prophets—peace and blessings be upon them—rather, the most that is said is that there is protection (hifz). It has been said: "The Awliya are protected," interpreted as the non-occurrence of a sin despite its possibility (this restriction excludes infallibility). Yes, the term 'isma has been used in the sense of protection explained as mentioned above. Upon this is interpreted the statement of the author of Hizb al-Bahr: "O Allah, protect (i'simni) me in my movements and stillness," because invoking what is a specific property of the prophets—peace be upon them—is not permitted, just as invoking other impossibilities is not permitted, as has been established in its proper place.

Some have expressed the view that the intervention of such [a sin] is not incompatible [with wilayah], arguing based on what is recounted of Al-Junayd—may his soul be sanctified—who, when asked if a knower ('arif) could commit adultery, replied: "Yes, 'And the command of Allah is a decree determined'" (33:38). This was countered by the fact that the question and answer are based on possibility, and there is no debate regarding that; the debate is whether its occurrence is incompatible or not.

Some said: There is no doubt that the description of wilayah does not remain during the commission of an act of disobedience, as there is no piety then by consensus, and the orbit of this description is upon it, as well as upon faith—which is not perfect at that time according to the People of Truth, or not realized at all; rather, what is realized is fisq (iniquity) through mediation, or disbelief according to others. Likewise, there is no doubt that the occurrence of a sin does not prevent being described with wilayah afterward, by returning to the power of Allah the Exalted and becoming described by that upon which wilayah depends. This is like someone becoming described with faith or justice after not being described by them.

The remaining discussion concerns whether the occurrence [of sin] is incompatible with being described [as a Wali] before it. If it is said that it is incompatible in the sense that, because of it, he was not described before with what is faith and piety in the eyes of people, then there is no doubt in the non-incompatibility in this sense, and this is apparent. If it is said that it is incompatible in the sense that, because of it, he was not described by what was mentioned in the eyes of Allah the Exalted—based on the understanding that the piety which is a condition for the Wali is the perfect piety upon which the love of Allah is predicated, which in turn results in protection—as indicated in what Al-Bukhari narrated from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah the Exalted said: 'Whoever shows enmity to a Wali of Mine, I have declared war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory acts until I love him. So when I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks'..." (the rest of the hadith).

Many have said regarding the meaning of the condition: "When I love him, I become a protector for his senses and limbs, so he does not hear, see, take, or walk except in what I am pleased with and love; he uproots himself from desires and is immersed in acts of obedience." Close to this is the statement of Al-Khattabi: "The meaning of that is granting him success in the actions he carries out with these limbs; meaning, facilitating the path of what He loves and protecting him from agreeing to what He hates, such as listening to idle talk, looking at what He has forbidden, striking with his hand in what is unlawful, or walking toward falsehood with his foot." Likewise is the statement of some: "The meaning is: I make the authority of My love dominant over him, until I strip from him concern for anything other than what brings him near to Me, so he becomes detached from pleasures, avoiding desires. Whenever he moves and wherever he turns, he meets Allah the Exalted while being watched and heard by Him. The love of Allah the Exalted takes hold of his heart, so he does not hear, see, or act except in what He loves, and He becomes for him in that a helper, supporter, and guardian who protects his limbs and senses."

This carries weight, because when an act of disobedience occurs, it is known that he was not protected, and by that, it is known that he was not beloved, and by that, it is known that he was not drawing near to Him, the Exalted, nor fearing Him as He ought to be feared; even if people think otherwise, he is not one of His Awliya in reality. Yes, whoever is characterized by the qualities of the Awliya outwardly must be honored, respected, treated with decorum, and one must refrain from harming him in any of the ways of harm for which there is no legal justification—such as denying him out of obstinacy or envy—as opposed to disputing in a trial or litigation aimed at extracting a right or uncovering an ambiguity and the like. This is due to what the previous hadith indicated, which includes the ultimate warning for the one who harms [a Wali].

Judging one to be a Wali when there is no text from an infallible source indicating its reality in the eyes of Allah is based on the outward appearance, not on what is with Allah the Exalted; for among sins are those that none can know except the Knower of the Unseen, including sins of the heart, which are deadly diseases and lethal poisons. Furthermore, "actions are by their endings," and these are unknown except to the Beginner, the Restorer, may His majesty be exalted.

This is an investigation upon which the signs of acceptance shine. Some people have divided wilayah into a "lesser" [category], in which a sin may occur rarely, but [the person] hastens to renounce it immediately. The scholar Ibn Hajar—may Allah have mercy on him—considered the one from whom a sin occurs in such a way, but who hastens to renounce it, to be protected. Therefore, the occurrence in his view, if rare and accompanied by haste to renounce, does not negate protection; rather, what negates it is repetition and frequency, or its rarity without haste to renounce. And a "greater" [category], in which a sin does not occur at all despite the possibility of its occurrence—or even if it is said that it is impossible, as in the wilayah of the prophets—peace be upon them. He claimed that this is among the specificities of their wilayah, and thus "protection" is more general than "infallibility." This is not far-fetched. You know that their statement "The prophets are infallible" is apparent in that infallibility is a consequence of prophecy and caused by it, which contradicts that claim, as is not hidden. The division mentioned is sound, and it is known from it that many of those who claim wilayah in our time, or for whom it is claimed, have nothing of it but the claim, due to their persistence—Allah forbid—in major sins that occur repeatedly in a single day. May Allah the Exalted save us and the Muslims from that.

The Prophet—peace be upon him—came with interpretations of the Awliya that one might think are contrary to what the verse indicated. Ibn al-Mubarak, Al-Tirmidhi in Nawadir al-Usul, Abu al-Shaykh, Ibn Mardawayh, and others narrated from Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—that it was said: "O Messenger of Allah, who are the Awliya of Allah?" He said: "Those who, when seen, Allah the Exalted is remembered," meaning due to their good conduct and humility.

Ahmad, Ibn Abi Hatim, Al-Bayhaqi, and a group narrated from Abu Malik al-Ash'ari, saying: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah the Exalted has servants who are neither prophets nor martyrs, whom the prophets and martyrs envy for their stations and their nearness to Allah the Exalted." A Bedouin said: "O Messenger of Allah, describe them for us." He said: "They are people from the outskirts of the people and the scattered clans, there being no close blood relations between them; they loved one another for the sake of Allah, and became pure with one another for the sake of Allah the Exalted. On the Day of Resurrection, they will have pulpits of light, upon which they will sit. People will be afraid, but they will not be afraid; they are the Awliya of Allah, no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve."

There is no actual contradiction, for what was pointed out regarding good conduct, humility, and loving for the sake of Allah are requirements of faith and piety, and are effects specific to them—worthy of being singled out for mention due to their clarity and proximity to people's understanding. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned each of these as the context of guidance and reminding required, encouraging the questioner or those present toward what he singled out for mention of their rulings. The description that "the prophets envy them for their stations and nearness" is meant to point to their relief from the occupation with their nations that besets the prophets—peace be upon them. The meaning is that they envy them for the combination of both matters. Al-Kawashi said that this is a form of hyperbole, and the meaning is: if a people were assumed to be of this quality, they would be these [people]. Some verifiers said that this is a depiction of their good state through the method of representation. Regardless, there is no evidence in it that wilayah is superior to prophecy, and whoever believes that is an unbeliever. It might be interpreted by carrying this to mean that the wilayah of a prophet is superior to his prophecy, just as the statement of Izz ibn Abd al-Salam—which contradicts the correct opinion—that prophecy is superior to the apostleship, was interpreted in a similar way.

Likewise, for the reason we mentioned, the interpretation of Jesus—peace be upon him—regarding that does not contradict what the verse indicated. Ahmad in Al-Zuhd, Ibn Abi Hatim, and Abu al-Shaykh narrated from Wahb who said: The disciples said: "O Jesus, who are the Awliya of Allah the Exalted, upon whom there is no fear, nor do they grieve?" He—peace be upon him—said: "Those who looked at the interior of the world when people looked at its exterior; and those who looked at the afterlife of the world when people looked at its immediate present. They caused to die of it what they feared would cause them to die, and they abandoned what they knew would be abandoned. Thus, their abundance of it became scarcity, their mention of it became loss, and their joy at what they attained of it became grief. They rejected what faced them of its gains, and they lowered what faced them of its loftiness without right. The world was created in their sight, so they do not renew it; it was ruined among them, so they do not build it up; it died in their hearts, so they do not bring it to life. They tear it down and build with it their afterlife, and they sell it and buy with it what remains for them. They rejected it, so they were the joyful ones by rejecting it; they sold it, so they were the winners by selling it. They looked at its people as fallen, while exemplary punishments had already passed among them; so they revived the remembrance of death and caused to die the remembrance of life. They love Allah—may He be glorified and exalted—and are illuminated by His light, and they illuminate through Him. They possess the wondrous news, and with them is the wondrous news. By them the Book was established and they were established; by them the Book spoke and they spoke; by them the Book was known and they were known. They see no attainment along with what they have attained, no desires short of what they hope for, and no fear short of what they are cautious of."