Tafsir of An-Naml 27:89

"Whoever comes with a good deed, then for him is better than it." This is an explanation for what was alluded to regarding the encompassment of His—Exalted is He—knowledge of their actions, by establishing their superiority [of reward] upon them.

Al-Allamah al-Tayyibi said: His saying, "Indeed Allah...", is a new start (istinaf) that occurs as an answer to the one who asks: "What will happen after these warnings?" So it was said: Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what the workers do, so He will recompense them for their deeds. He detailed this by His saying—Glory be to Him—"Whoever comes...", and the address in "you do" (taf'alun) is to all those who are accountable. The two Arabians [al-Kisa'i and Hamzah] and Ibn Kathir read it as "they do" (yaf'alun) in the third person.

The meaning of "the good deed" (al-hasanah), according to what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, Mujahid, al-Hasan, al-Nakha'i, Abu Salih, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, 'Ata, and Qatadah, is the testimony that there is no god but Allah. 'Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn Mardawayh narrated from Abu Hurayrah, and Abu al-Shaykh, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Daylami narrated from Ka'b ibn 'Ujrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained it as such. The meaning of this testimony is accepted monotheism (tawhid). Others said the meaning of "the good deed" is what is realized through what was mentioned and other good deeds, which is the apparent meaning in view of the fact that the [definite article] al- (in al-hasanah) is truthfully [denoting] the genus. Some said: The first [interpretation] is more apparent because the default is to carry the absolute [unqualified noun] to the perfect [form], and the most perfect genus of good deeds is monotheism. If generalization were intended, the apparent form would be to bring it in the indefinite form. It suffices to prefer the first [view] that the majority of the predecessors held it, and if a hadith is proven regarding it, one would hardly turn away from it. Al-Nakha'i used to swear to that without making any exception.

The apparent meaning is that "better" (khayran) is for comparative superiority (tafdil), and the favor of the reward over the good deed—whatever it may be—is said to be in terms of multiplication or in terms of permanence. Some claimed the speech is based on the estimation of an added noun (mudaf), meaning: better than its equivalent, but this is as you see [it to be weak]. Others said: The reward of theoretical knowledge and monotheism achieved in this world is necessary knowledge in the most perfect ways in the Hereafter, and looking at His Noble Face—Majestic is His Majesty—and that is the most honorable of happiness. It was also said: "Better" is not for comparative superiority, and "min" (from) indicates the beginning of the result; i.e., he has a good from the goods whose beginning and origin is from it—meaning, from the side of the good deed. This was narrated from Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan, Qatadah, Mujahid, Ibn Jurayj, and 'Ikrimah.

"And they"—that is, those who came with the good deed—"shall be safe from the terror" (faza')—that is, a great, horrifying terror whose extent cannot be estimated—"on that Day." [The word] "on that Day" (yawma'idhin) is a circumstantial qualifier governed by His saying "safe" (aminun). It is also to "terror" (faza') that [the circumstantial qualifier] relates. Safety is used with the preposition (jar) and without it, as in His saying: "Do they feel secure from the plan of Allah?" It is permitted that the circumstantial qualifier be governed by "terror," or that it be governed by an omitted [word] that occurred as an adjective for it; i.e., from a terror that exists at that time.

The two Arabians and Ibn Kathir, and Isma'il ibn Ja'far from Nafi', read "faza'i yawma'idhin" by genitive construction (idafah) of faza' to yawm (day), with a kasrah on the mim of yawm. Nafi', in other than the narration of Isma'il, read it likewise, except that he vocalized the mim with a fatha—a fatha of indeclinability due to the idafah of yawm to an indeclinable [noun]. The tanwin on idh is a substitution for a sentence. The most correct [position], according to what is in al-Bahr, is that the omitted sentence for which it is a substitute is what is close to the circumstantial qualifier; i.e., "the day [when] he came with the good deed." It is also permitted that the estimation be: "the day [when] the Trumpet is blown," especially if the second blowing is intended by that, and Shaykh al-Islam limited it to this.

He interpreted the "terror" as the terror resulting from witnessing the punishment after the completion of the reckoning and the manifestation of the good and evil deeds. This is what is in His saying: "The greatest terror will not grieve them." It was narrated from al-Hasan that that is when the servant is ordered to the Fire. From Ibn Jurayj, it is when death is slaughtered and it is called: "O people of Paradise, eternity and no death; and O people of the Fire, eternity and no death." It is likewise in both the reading with tanwin and the reading of idafah. In the second reading, it is not intended to mean all the terrors that occur on that day; rather, the basis of the idafah is that it is the greatest and grandest of terrors, as if everything other than it is not a terror in comparison to it.

He said, following others: The terror signified by His saying "faza'" is nothing but the apprehension and dread that occurs at the beginning of sensing a terrifying thing, and hardly anyone is free of it by the law of nature, even if it is a moment before the infliction of harm upon him. Abu 'Ali said: It is permitted that "terror" in both readings refers to one terror, and it is permitted that it refers to plurality because it is a verbal noun (masdar). If plurality is intended, it encompasses every terror that exists on the Day of Resurrection. If the singular is intended, it is that which was alluded to by His saying "the greatest terror." The discussion on the verse will come soon, God willing.