Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:59

"And those villages"—meaning the villages of 'Ad, Thamud, the people of Lot, and their likes. The discourse is based on an elliptical addition, meaning: "the inhabitants of the villages," due to His, the Exalted's, saying: "We destroyed them." The indication (by the demonstrative "those") is to treat them—due to the listener's knowledge of them—as if they were something perceived by the senses. In al-Bahr, the added word is estimated before "those" [i.e., ahl tilka al-qura]; both approaches are permissible. "Those" (tilka) is used to point to the feminine gender, whether rational beings or otherwise. It is also permitted that "the villages" be a metaphorical reference to their inhabitants. In any case, the demonstrative pronoun is the subject (mubtada') and "the villages" is its adjective (sifah); describing with a noun (a rigid/non-derivative word) in the category of demonstratives is well-known. The predicate is the sentence "We destroyed them." Abu Hayyan chose the position that "the villages" is the subject, and the sentence is a state (hal), similar to His, the Exalted's, saying: "And those are their houses, desolate." It is also permitted that "those" be in the accusative case due to an implied verb explained by what follows, meaning: "And We destroyed those villages; We destroyed them."

"When they did wrong"—meaning at the time of their wrongdoing, just as the polytheists of Mecca did the abominable things narrated of them. Omitting the object is either to generalize the wrongdoing or to treat the verb as an intransitive one, meaning: "when they committed wrongdoing." According to the majority, "when" (lamma) is a temporal adverb (zarf), as has been indicated. It does not refer to a specific moment in which they committed the wrong, but rather an extended time from the inception of the wrongdoing until its end.

Abu al-Hasan ibn 'Usfur stated that it is a particle (harf). Among the evidences he used for its status as a particle is this verse, where he said: "It indicates that the cause of destruction is wrongdoing, and a temporal adverb has no indication of causality." This was countered by the argument that your saying, "I destroyed him at the time of wrongdoing," implies the causality of the wrongdoing even if the adverb itself does not denote causality. It has also been said that there is no prevention against it being an adverb used to denote causality.

"And We appointed for their destruction"—for their ruin—"a fixed time"—a specific time from which they cannot delay an hour, nor can they advance. Maf'il—the first one is a verbal noun (masdar) and the second is a noun of time (ism zaman). Determination comes from the fact that a "fixed time" (maw'id) cannot be anything but determined; otherwise, a noun of time is indefinite, and the reverse is awkward. Some have claimed that mahlik in this reading—which is the reading of Hafs in the famous transmission from him, meaning the reading with a fatha on the mim and a kasra on the lam—is among the irregular verbal nouns, like marji' and mahid. They justified this by noting that the imperfect verb is yahliku (with a kasra on the lam), and they have stated explicitly that the coming of the mim-prefixed verbal noun with a kasra in a case where the middle radical of the imperfect is kasra is irregular. This was rebutted by the fact that it is explicitly stated in the Qamus that halaka comes from the category of daraba (with a fatha), mana'a (with a fatha), and alima (with a kasra). How then is the irregularity realized? The truth is that it is a regular verbal noun, and it is genitively linked to the subject (fa'il), hence it is interpreted as you heard. It is also said that halaka can be both intransitive and transitive; it is reported from the Tamim tribe: "So-and-so halakani (destroyed me)." Based on its transitivity, it would be genitively linked to the object. Abu 'Ali cited as evidence for this: And a wasteland destroyed by one who veered off.

Meaning: it destroyed him. Abu Hayyan countered that this is not definitive in the verse; rather, some grammarians have argued that halik (destroyer/destroyed) there is intransitive and belongs to the category of the assimilative adjective (sifah mushabbahah), and the origin is "a destroyer from one who veered," by making "from" the subject of halik, then implying a pronoun in halik referring to "wasteland," and "from" is in the accusative as a resemblance to an object, then "from" is annexed to the accusative. The correct view is the permissibility of using a relative pronoun in the category of the assimilative adjective, which has been established in the poetry of the Arabs.

Hafs, Harun, Hammad, and Yahya from Abu Bakr read it with a fatha on both the mim and the lam. The reading of the majority is with a damma on the mim and a fatha on the lam, and it is also a verbal noun. Some considered it a passive participle (ism maf'ul), meaning: "And We appointed for those whom We destroyed among them in the world a fixed time in which We will take the severest retribution from them," which is the Day of Resurrection or Hell. The implication of this is not hidden. It is apparent that the verse is a testimony regarding what was done to the Quraish by appointing a fixed time, so that they may take heed and not be deceived by the delay of the punishment for them. It supports interpreting "the fixed time" mentioned previously as the Day of Badr. Reflect on this; and Allah, the Exalted, is All-Knowing and Informative.

"And restrain yourself with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening"—a command for companionship with the poor (fuqara') who have cut themselves off for the service of their Master. The benefit of this—for him, peace and blessings be upon him—returns to them, because they are lovers of the Divine Presence, while he, peace and blessings be upon him, is its mirror, the throne of its manifestation, the source of its secrets, and the rising place of its lights. Whenever they saw him, peace and blessings be upon him, they lived; whenever he was absent from them, they became distressed and bewildered. As for the companionship of the poor for others besides him, the benefit returns to the one who accompanies them; they are the people whose companion does not suffer. 'Amr al-Makki said: "The companionship of the righteous and the truthful poor is the life of the people of Paradise; their companion shifts with them from contentment to certainty, and from certainty to contentment."

These masters, the Sufis, are intended here. It is common to call them "the poor" (fuqara') because poverty in the known sense is prevalent among them, and their poverty is accompanied by righteousness—and that is when poverty is praised. But when it is accompanied by corruption, then we seek refuge in Allah, the Exalted, from it. Whenever you hear an exhortation to sit with the poor, know that it means the righteous poor. The traditions are overwhelming in encouraging this. From Ibn 'Umar—in a mawquf narration—"Be humble and sit with the poor, that you may become among the great servants of Allah, the Exalted, and rid yourselves of pride." In the Jami': "Sitting with the poor is of humility, and it is among the best of jihads." In another narration: "Love the poor and sit with them." Among the benefits of sitting with them is that the servant sees the blessing of Allah, the Exalted, upon him, becomes content with a little of this world, and is safe in their company from hypocrisy, flattery, bearing obligations, and other such things. Yes, sitting with them is contrary to what the self is instinctively inclined towards, which is why its merit is great. It has been said that in His, the Exalted's, saying: "And restrain yourself with those," etc.—rather than "remain with those," etc.—is an allusion to that, but that applies to others besides him, for his noble self was created with the best nature and fashioned with the best temperament.

Some of the people of secrets said: "It was said 'restrain yourself' rather than 'restrain your heart' because his noble heart, peace and blessings be upon him, was with the Truth. So he was commanded to accompany the poor openly, while He, the Exalted, specifically reserved his heart for Himself, secretly with a secret."

"Desiring the adornment of the life of the world"—meaning you seek the companionship of the elite, the wealthy, and the people of the world. This is blameworthy along with inclining towards them and humbling oneself for their wealth. It has been said in a hadith: "Whoever humbles himself to a wealthy man for the sake of his wealth, two-thirds of his religion depart." So let him fear Allah, the Exalted, regarding the remaining third. The harms of sitting with them are many and are not hidden to those who know the benefits of sitting with the poor. The least harmful among them is bearing their condescension, for a wealthy man rarely escapes from being obliging to his poor companion—even if just by the mere act of sitting with him—and that is a burden that cannot be borne.

"And do not obey the one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire, and whose affair has become excessive"—a prohibition against obeying the veiled and the heedless. They were, in the story, wanting to drive away the poor and for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, not to sit with them. But the consideration is for the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the cause. Therefore, according to the people of allusion, the heedless and the veiled should not be obeyed in anything involving the desires of the self. They counted humbling oneself to them as part of obeying them, for it is a demand for it in reality, even if it is not articulated in speech.

"And say, 'The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills—let him believe; and whoever wills—let him disbelieve'"—they said there is an allusion in this to not concealing the Truth, even if it leads to the denial of the veiled and the turning away of the ignorant. They counted among that, in the secrets of the Quran, the unveiling of divine mysteries. They said that the truthful lover does not mind the exposing of secrets before strangers, nor does he fear the blame of any critic, nor is he bound by the faith or denial of the creation, for the pleasure of love is more complete in that.

It is not hidden that this is contrary to what is held by the Sufis—may Allah, the Exalted, sanctify their secrets—for they guarded the concealing of secrets from strangers and advised it. A sufficient argument in this matter is what is attributed to Zayn al-'Abidin—may Allah be pleased with him—regarding the concealing of the jewels of knowledge lest the ignorant see the Truth and be seduced.

Yes, the one who is overcome, and likewise the one who is commanded, is excused, and in cases of necessity, the prohibited is permitted.

What was mentioned first serves as a defense for the Great Sheikh—may his secrets be sanctified—and his likes, for they did not mind, in uncovering the realities they claim, that it might be a cause for the misguidance of many people or a reason for denying them. Some have used the verse to refute them, based on the argument that the "Truth" is what comes from His, the Exalted's, side, and what they brought is not from His side, because no verse testifies to it, no hadith confirms it, and no tradition supports it. The response is that that is only from the verses and hadiths, but nothing can be inferred from them except with a sanctified strength and divine lights. It does not follow from the deniers' lack of understanding of them that they are not true, due to their deprivation of that strength and their inability to reach those lights. How much truth has there been that their understandings have not reached? It was objected that if the matter were so, such realities would have appeared in the first generation, for the possessors of sanctified strength and divine lights were many then, and the keenness to manifest the Truth was greater. The answer given is that it is possible there was an obstacle or a lack of requirement to manifest what was manifested of these realities. This contains a type of uncertainty, and perhaps there will come to you, God willing, what might benefit you here. In sum, the matter of the Great Sheikh and his likes—may Allah sanctify their secrets—concerning what they said and recorded is, in my view, difficult, especially the matter of the Sheikh, for he brought a formidable disaster despite his greatness of status which cannot be denied. Hence, you see many people deny him and criticize him.

"Wearing therein bracelets of gold"—it is said this is an allusion to the fact that they wear the realities of Essential Oneness and the meanings of the specific Divine manifestations.

"And wearing green garments"—an allusion to them being characterized by beautiful, good, and fresh qualities that cause joy.

"Of fine silk"—the states and divine gifts, expressed as sundus because they are more subtle.

"And heavy brocade"—the morals and acquisitions, expressed as istabraq because they are denser.

"Reclining therein on elevated couches"—it is said: the couches of the Divine Names.

"And present to them an example of two men"—etc. It contains what it contains of comforting the poor who rely on Allah, the Exalted, and warning the deceived wealthy. Al-Naysaburi said the two men are the disbelieving self and the believing heart.

"And We granted to one of them"—the self—"two gardens"—the desires and the world.

"Of grapevines"—the appetites.

"And We enclosed them with palm trees"—the love of leadership.

"And We placed between them crops"—from bestial enjoyments.

"And We caused both to gush forth a river"—from human powers and senses.

"And he had fruit"—from various desires.

"And he said to him while he was conversing with him"—meaning struggling with the self—"I am greater than you in wealth"—meaning inclination—"and mightier in number"—of blameworthy attributes.

"And he was unjust to his soul"—in enjoying the garden of the world in accordance with guidance.

"I think I shall find a better than it"—he said that out of arrogance against Allah, the Exalted, and His generosity.

"So he began to turn over his hands for what he had spent in it"—of his life and good preparation.

He followed this style in most of the verses, and there is no wonder in that, for this is the habit of many interpreters.

"There, the protection is for Allah, the Truth. He is the best for reward"—Ibn 'Ata said: for those who seek Him, the Exalted, not for Paradise.

"And the best for consequence"—for the seekers.

"And the enduring good deeds"—it is said: they are permanent love, perfect knowledge, intimacy with Allah, the Exalted, sincerity in His Oneness—glorified and exalted be He—and isolation with Him alone, away from others. They are enduring for the one characterized by them, and righteous—having no crookedness in them—and they are the best of abodes. It may also be interpreted in a way that includes them and others among pure deeds and truthful intentions.

"And the day We set the mountains in motion, and you see the earth prominent"—Ibn 'Ata said: He, the Exalted, indicated by this the manifestation of His majesty, the perfection of His power, and the greatness of His honor, so that the servant may prepare for that station and rectify his inner and outer self for the address and response of that scene.

"And they will be presented to your Lord in rows"—a report about all the children of Adam, even if the one addressed in His, the Exalted's, saying: "Nay, you claimed," etc., is some of them. It is mentioned that every class will be presented in a row. It is said: the Prophets, peace be upon them, are one row; the saints are one row; the rest of the believers are one row; and the hypocrites and disbelievers are one row, and they are the last of the rows. It will be said to them: "You have come to Us as We created you the first time"—in the description of the initial primordial nature, unable and cut off, turning to Him, the Exalted.

"And the record will be laid"—meaning the books. The book of acts of obedience will be placed for the ascetics and worshippers; the book of acts of obedience and disobedience for the commoners; and the book of love, yearning, and passion for the elite.

"And they will find what they did present"—Abu Hafs said: "This is the most severe verse in the Quran for my heart."

"I did not make them witness the creation of the heavens and the earth or the creation of themselves"—it is said: meaning I did not make them witness the secrets of that and the subtleties deposited within it; rather, He, the Exalted, made His lovers and His saints witness that.

"And man has ever been, of all things, most prone to dispute"—because he is the manifestation of the various Names and the microcosm in which the macrocosm is contained.

This, and Allah, the Exalted, knows best the secrets of His Book.