Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:110

(Say)—after I have explained the status of His words, Majestic is His glory—(I am only a human being like you)—I do not claim to possess absolute knowledge of His words, Majestic is He—(to whom it is revealed)—from those words—(that your God is one God). I am distinguished from you only by this.

The an (that) is in the nominative state, even if it is considered restricted by what is implied as the source (masdar) acting as the agent for "is revealed." This brief mention is sufficient because it is the cornerstone of the matter.

The restriction (qasr) in both places—based on the view that innama (when the alif is recited with a kasra or fatha) signifies exclusive limitation—is a restriction of the qualified to the attribute, a restriction of inversion (qasr qalb). The restricted entity in the first instance is "I," and the restricted-to entity is "a human being like the addressees." This is based on the view that their challenging the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to perform things impossible for a human like them placed them in the position of one who believes the opposite, or that they were placed in the position of those mentioned because of their claim that the Prophethood he (peace and blessings be upon him) claims—despite being proven by brilliant evidences—contradicts his humanity.

It is also said that the intent of the limitation here is the revelation itself: that he (peace and blessings be upon him) is restricted to receiving this revelation, and it does not extend to a lack of revelation, as they claim.

The second restricted entity is "your God," i.e., your True Object of Worship. The entity to which it is restricted is "Oneness," expressed as "one God." Your True Object of Worship does not exceed that quality of Oneness—that is, unity in divinity—to another quality, such as the multiplicity you believe in, O polytheists.

Some claimed that the second restriction is a restriction of the attribute to the qualified, a restriction of specification (qasr ifrad), where the "divinity" (the source of "your God") is the restricted entity, and "God Almighty," expressed as "one God," is the restricted-to entity. The artificiality of this and its deviation from what is more appropriate is not hidden.

What clarifies our position is that if one were to say, "Your God is only One," it would be nothing other than a restriction of the qualified to the attribute; thus, the addition of "God" serves as a preamble to the attribute "One," and the indication that the intended meaning is unity in divinity does not change this. As for classifying it as a restriction of the attribute to the qualified (a restriction of specification) by making God Almighty the restricted-to entity and Oneness the restricted entity, it is absolutely false; for a restriction of the attribute to the qualified in this manner is only addressed to one who believes in the sharing of an attribute between two qualified subjects, as established in its proper place. This belief is inconceivable here for any rational person, due to the self-evident impossibility of two subjects sharing Oneness—i.e., unity in divinity. Whatever in the speech of Al-Zamakhshari regarding a similar verse suggests otherwise is interpreted figuratively, as is not hidden from the discerning. It was also permitted to be a "restriction of determination," but that is not the case—so contemplate all of this, and God Almighty will guide you.

(So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord)—"Hope" (raja') is the desire for the attainment of something pleasant in the future; it is sometimes used to mean fear, as they recited: "When the bees sting him, he does not 'hope' for their sting, and he has sworn an alliance with them in the hive of the swarm."

Meeting the Lord, Exalted is He, here is said to be a metaphor for reaching the end—from encountering the Angel of Death, the Resurrection, the Reckoning, and the Requital. This state is compared to a slave coming before his master after a long period, during which the master has become aware of what the slave did and left undone; either he meets him with cheer and welcome because he is pleased with his deeds, or with the opposite because he is displeased. The meaning, then—retaining the first definition of hope—is: whoever hopes for that state, and that he will encounter nobility and glad tidings from his Lord Almighty therein, (let him work a righteous deed) to attain that and win it.

It is also said to be a metonymy for the Resurrection and what follows, with the speech implying an omitted genitive: "whoever hopes for a good Resurrection, let him work..." It is also said there is no omission, and the intent is "whoever expects the Resurrection, let him work righteously"—meaning such work is required of one who expects the Resurrection, so how much more for one who is certain of it? It is also said the "meeting" is literal, with an omitted genitive: "whoever hopes to meet the reward of his Lord, let him work..." It is also said it means seeing Him, Exalted is He, on the Day of Resurrection while He is pleased with him.

It is possible that "hope" here means "fear," in the sense of: whoever fears an evil meeting with his Lord, or fears meeting His punishment, let him work righteously. But interpreting "hope" as desire is more appropriate, as is the interpretation that the object of hope is nobility and glad tidings. Thus, the use of the past tense in the context of the future serves to indicate that what befits the slave's condition is persistence and continuity in hoping for the nobility of his Lord. It is as if it were said: "Whoever persists in hoping for His nobility, let him work a righteous deed that is itself worthy of that hoped-for object," as those who believed and did righteous deeds have done.

(And let him not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord)—with a manifest association, as those who disbelieved in the verses of their Lord and His meeting did; nor with a hidden association, as is done by those who show off (riya') and those who seek the worldly life through their deeds. Ibn Jubayr limited the interpretation of "shirk" here to show (riya'), and a similar report is narrated from Al-Hasan. It is soundly established in the Hadith to name this "minor shirk." The fact that the command for righteous deeds precedes this prohibition supports this intended meaning, as the point of the discourse becomes clear: it is effectively as if you said, "Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him perform a righteous deed and not show off his deed to anyone, lest he corrupt it."

Likewise, the report that Jundub ibn Zuhayr said to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), "I perform a deed for God, but when it is seen, it pleases me," and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, "God does not accept that which has been shared with Him," and the verse was revealed in confirmation of him (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, this does not deny the generality of the prohibition, as is not hidden. Reports have multiplied that every deed performed for a worldly purpose is not accepted. Ahmad, Muslim, and others recorded from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who narrated from his Lord, Exalted is He, that He said: "I am the best of partners; so whoever performs a deed in which he associates another with Me, I am free of it, and it belongs to the one he associated."

Al-Bazzar and Al-Bayhaqi narrated from Anas that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The deeds of the sons of Adam will be presented before God Almighty on the Day of Resurrection in sealed scrolls. God Almighty will say: 'Discard this, and accept this.' The angels will say: 'O Lord, by God, we have seen nothing from him but good!' He will say, Exalted is He: 'His deed was for other than My Face, and today I accept no deed except that which was intended for My Face.'"

Ahmad, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban, Al-Tabarani, and Al-Hakim (who authenticated it) recorded from Yahya ibn al-Walid ibn 'Ubadah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever goes on an expedition without intending anything from his expedition but a hobble ('iqal), he shall have what he intended."

Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i, and Al-Tabarani recorded with a good chain from Abu Umamah that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "What do you think of a man who goes on an expedition seeking both reward and fame; what is for him?" The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Nothing is for him." He repeated it three times, and the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) kept saying, "Nothing is for him," then said: "God Almighty does not accept of a deed except that which was pure and for which His Face was sought," along with other such reports.

The state of being pleased with one's deed—as being an association that ruins it—is considered problematic, given that the initiation of the deed was with a sincere intention, as indicated by the statement, "I perform the deed for God Almighty." The response is what was pointed out in Al-Ihya': a deed, when performed, cannot be free of the following:

1. It is performed from beginning to end with sincerity, without a trace of show; this is pure gold.
2. It is performed from beginning to end with show; this is a nullified deed of no benefit.
3. It is performed from the beginning with sincerity, then show occurs. This occurrence either happens after its completion or before it. The first is not nullified, especially if one did not strive to make it known; however, if a complete desire and joy appear upon its revelation, there is fear for him, though it is apparent he is rewarded for it. The second is the intent here; if it was his motive for the deed and influenced it, it corrupted what accompanied it and nullified it, then spread to what preceded it.

Ibn Mandah and Abu Nu'aym recorded in Al-Sahabah and others, via Al-Suddi the Younger from Al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas, that he said: "Whenever Jundub ibn Zuhayr prayed, fasted, or gave charity and was mentioned favorably, he would be delighted by it and increase his efforts due to the people’s praise. Concerning this, the verse was revealed: 'So whoever hopes for the meeting...'" There is no doubt that a deed accompanied by this is nullified.

Some have mentioned that a man might be rewarded for admiration if he becomes aware of his deed. Al-Tirmidhi and others narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may God be pleased with him) that a man said: "O Messenger of God, I perform a deed, then it is seen, and it pleases me." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have two rewards: the reward of secrecy and the reward of openness." This is construed as applying when the manifestation of his deed to someone becomes a motive for them to do a similar one and follow his example in it, and his admiration was not for his deed nor for the appearance resulting from the good, and similarly for warding off evil suspicion. Hence it is said that it is appropriate for one who is followed to make his good deeds visible. It is apparent that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew the condition of each of this man and Jundub ibn Zuhayr and answered each according to their condition. How subtle his answer (peace and blessings be upon him) was to Jundub is not hidden to the intelligent.

Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, and Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman narrated from Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with them) that he said: "The verse was revealed concerning the polytheists who worshipped an god other than God Almighty, and it is not about the believers." This is clear in that he interpreted the shirk as the manifest kind. You know that the face of placing the command for a righteous deed before the prohibition of the mentioned shirk does not appear then, except with artificiality. Perhaps the general interpretation is better, even if shirk is more commonly used for manifest polytheism.

Included in this generality is the reading of the Quran for the deceased for a fee; there is no reward in it for the deceased nor for the reader at all. This has become a widespread affliction, and people are heedless of it. When warned, they do not heed. "To God we belong, and to Him we shall return." Those who made seeking help in acts of obedience, such as wudu', into a forbidden form of shirk have exaggerated in their generality. Al-Raghib said in Al-Muhadarat: Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (may God be pleased with them both) was with Al-Ma'mun; when the time for prayer arrived, he saw the servants bringing him water and a basin. Al-Rida (may God be pleased with him) said: "If you took care of this yourself, for God Almighty says: 'So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work a righteous deed and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.'" Perhaps the intent of the prohibition here is the absolute request for abstention, so it covers the forbidden and the disliked.

It is apparent that the fa' (so/then) is for branching off from the restriction of Oneness to Him, Exalted is He. The logic is that the fact that the True God is One necessitates that He be in the utmost state of greatness and perfection; the requirement of this, for one who hopes for His nobility, is to perform a righteous deed and not associate anyone in His worship—there is no doubt in this. That is what was said. Others said the command for righteous deeds branches off from His being God, and the prohibition of shirk branches off from the God being One, making this the reason for the precedence of the command over the prohibition, as narrated from Ibn Abbas—and it is as you see. It is also said that it branches off from the totality of what preceded, so let this be understood.

Placing the noun in place of the pronoun in both places, while highlighting the title of "Lordship," is for further confirmation and to intimate that the title is the cause for the command and prohibition and for the obligation of obedience, both in action and abstention.

Abu 'Amr read, in the narration of Al-Ja'fi, "nor shall you associate" (la tushrik) with the ta' (second person), as a shift from the third person to the second person address. Thus, His saying, "with his Lord" (bi-rabbihi), would also be a shift from address back to the third person. Regarding Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, it is said that this verse, "So whoever hopes...", is the last verse to have been revealed, but there is discussion regarding this, and the truth is the opposite. And God Almighty knows best.