Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:28

This is an inaugural statement functioning as a causal explanation for what precedes it, and a preparation for what follows it. It is as if it were said: They do not venture into any speech or action without His command, Exalted be He, because no hidden matter—whether they have preceded it or left it behind—is concealed from Him. Thus, they are in a constant state of vigilance regarding their own conditions, as they know this to be true. Furthermore, they do not intercede except for those whom Allah, Exalted be He, is pleased for them to intercede for.

As Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Bayhaqi in al-Ba'th, and Ibn Abi Hatim have reported from Ibn Abbas, this refers to the one who says, "There is no god but Allah," and their intercession is the act of seeking forgiveness. As stated in the Sahih traditions, this occurs both in this world and in the Hereafter. There is no basis for the Mu'tazila in this verse to argue that intercession does not apply to the perpetrators of major sins; the verse indicates nothing more than that they do not intercede for those whose intercession is not approved. It should be noted that the non-intercession of the angels does not imply the non-intercession of others.

That is, they are in a state of expectation, like a faint sign of fear, remaining cautious and vigilant, never feeling secure from the plan of Allah, Exalted be He. The min (from/because of) is causal, and the discourse implies an elided genitive (i.e., min khashyati 'adhabihi - because of fear of His punishment). Sometimes, it is intended to mean "out of fear of Him," in which case the elision is unnecessary.

It is also said that the meaning may be that they fear Allah, Exalted be He, and yet remain wary of any deficiency in their fear. In this view, min is connected to mushfiqun (apprehensive). There is a distinction between khashya (fear/reverence) and ishfaq (apprehension): the former is fear mixed with veneration and awe, which is why it is uniquely attributed to the scholars in the words of the Almighty: "Only those among His servants who have knowledge fear Allah." The latter is fear accompanied by concern; it is transitive with min just as khawf (fear) is, though it may be transitive with ala (on/for) when implying compassion and tenderness.

Some claim that khashya here is a metaphor for its cause, and that ishfaq implies intensity of fear—meaning that because of His awe, they are in intense fear. The truth is that there is no necessity to resort to metaphor. It is also permissible that the meaning is that they are afraid of the fear of His punishment, where min is connected to what follows it, and the genitive attribution of khashya to an elided term is an attribution of a quality to its described object (i.e., afraid of the fearful punishment). The artificiality of this is evident and unnecessary.

This apprehension is their attribute in this world and the next, as indicated by the nominal sentence structure. Numerous reports attest to the intensity of their fear. Among these is what Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "On the night of the Ascension, I passed by Gabriel (peace be upon him) in the highest assembly, lying like a worn-out rag out of the fear of Allah, Exalted be He."