Tafsir of Al Imran 3:112

(Striken upon them is abasement)—meaning the abasement of the waste of self, wealth, and family. It is also said: the abasement of holding fast to falsehood and the paying of jizya. Al-Hasan said: "Allah the Exalted has humiliated them, so they have no defense, and He has placed them beneath the feet of the Muslims." This is like the 'striking' of tents and domes, as Abu Muslim stated. It is said that there is a metaphorical, imaginal simile (isti'arah makniyya takhyiliyya) here, and sometimes the encompassing and enveloping of abasement upon them is likened to this by way of dependent metaphor (isti'arah taba'iyya). Others say it comes from the saying: "So-and-so struck the dariba (tax) upon his slave," meaning he obligated it upon him. Thus, the meaning is: they have been obligated with abasement and it is fixed upon them, so they have no escape from it.

(Wherever they are found)—meaning: wherever they are discovered. It is also said: seized and triumphed over. (Aynama) is a conditional particle, (ma) is an addition, and (thuqifu) is in the position of a jussive; the response to the condition is elided, indicated by what precedes it, or, according to some, the phrase itself stands as the response.

(Except by a rope from Allah and a rope from the people)—this is an istithna mufarragh (hollow exception) from the most general of states. The meaning is based on negation; that is, they are not secure from abasement in any state, except in the state of being under the protection (dhimma) of Allah the Exalted or His Book that came to them, or the protection of the Muslims. Through that, they are safe from killing, captivity, the enslavement of their offspring, and the eradication of their wealth. It is also said: it means except when they are clothed in Islam and following the path of the believers; for then, the abasement of clinging [to falsehood] and [paying] tribute is lifted from them.

(And they have returned with wrath from Allah)—meaning: they have returned [with the weight of it]. This is a metonymy for their worthiness of it and their deserving it, from the saying: "So-and-so returned with so-and-so," if he becomes deserving to be killed for him. Thus, the meaning is: they became deserving of His wrath, Glorified be He. The tanwin is for magnification, and the description confirms this.

(And striken upon them is poverty/misery)—thus, they are mostly destitute; rarely does one find a Jew who displays wealth.

(That is)—that is, the aforementioned [punishments]—(because they used to disbelieve in the signs of Allah)—which indicate the prophethood of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)—(and kill the prophets without right.) Attributing the killing to them, even though it was the act of their ancestors, is in the manner previously mentioned more than once.

(That is for what they disobeyed and used to transgress)—a reference to their disbelief and killing of the prophets, as proximity dictates; thus, there is no repetition. It is said: its meaning is that the striking of abasement and what follows it is caused by their disobedience and transgression, just as it is caused by their disbelief and killing of the prophets. The expression in the past and present tenses is for the reason already mentioned.

Furthermore, the sentence (Among them are believers), as well as the sentence (They will not harm you) and what is coordinated with it, are introduced by way of istitrad (digression/interjection). This is why they were not coordinated with the conditional sentence before them. The reason the second istitrad was not coordinated with the first is their distance from one another and the fact that each is a different type of discourse.

Some investigators have said: these two sentences, along with what follows them, are linked to His saying—Exalted be He—(And if they had believed), as an explanation for it. His saying—Exalted be He—(Among them are believers and most of them are the defiantly disobedient) explains that in consideration that it was supposed that everyone believed; otherwise, some of them are believers, [added] to lift evil suspicion from the [righteous] among them. And His saying—Mighty and Majestic is He—(They will not harm you) is an explanation of what is better for them: that due to their lack of belief, they are afflicted with the hardship of scheming to harm you, the sadness of failure, the scheming to gain victory over you through confrontation, the desire for status by opposing you—and Allah struck them with abasement for that opposition—and in the pursuit of wealth by taking bribes through the corruption of their book—and Allah struck them with poverty. Had they believed, they would have been saved from all of that. End quote.

It is not hidden that this, assuming its acceptance and the burden of its reach, does not prevent the statement of istitrad, for istitrad is to mention in the middle of speech what is relevant to it, even if the context is not for it. It only prevents [classification as] an objection (i'tirad), and we do not say that; so reflect.

(You will never attain righteousness)—which is proximity to Allah—(until you spend from that which you love)—meaning some of it. The indication in this is to the nafs (self), for when it is spent in the path of Allah, the greatest veil is removed, and the spending of everything after that becomes easy. (And whatever you spend of anything, indeed Allah is Knowing of it.) Therefore, it is necessary to seek what pleases Him. It is narrated from some of them that he said: "The spenders are of various types: among them are those who spend observing the reward and compensation; among them are those who spend watching over the removal of affliction and trials; and among them are those who spend as an act of sufficiency in His knowledge." And how excellent is he who said: "He shivers for the sake of kindness, seeking loftiness / To be remembered one day in the presence of Salma for his noble traits."

(All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had forbidden to himself.) It is said: the benefit of reporting this is to teach the people of love to abandon what is made beloved to them of delicious foods and worldly delights, desiring what is with Allah the Exalted.

(Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah)—this is the Kaaba, which is one of the greatest manifestations of Him, the Exalted, to the point that they said: "It is for the Muhammadans like the Tree [of Sinai] was for Moses—peace be upon him—(blessed) through what He clothed it with of the lights of His Essence, (and a guidance) through what He clothed it with of the lights of His Attributes, (for the worlds) according to their capacity. (In it are clear signs; the Station of Abraham)—which contains contentment, submission, openness, certainty, unveiling, witnessing, intimate friendship, chivalry, or knowledge, monotheism, annihilation, subsistence, intoxication, and sobriety, or all of that. (And whoever enters it shall be safe) from the calamities of his own self, because it is the station of establishment (tamkin).

Applying this to what is within the selves: the House is an indication of the true heart. The report that "the House was the first thing to appear on the face of the water when the heavens and earth were created, and it was created two thousand years before the earth" is interpreted such that it was a white foam on the face of the water, then the earth was spread out beneath it. Its appearance on the water at that time is its connection to the seminal drop at the creation of the heaven of the animal spirit and the earth of the body. Its creation before the earth is an indication of its precedence and the temporality of the body. Limiting that to two thousand years is an indication of its precedence over the body in two stages: the stage of the nafs and the stage of the heart, a precedence of rank, for the thousand is a complete rank. Its being a white foam is an indication of the purity of its essence, and the spreading of the earth beneath it is an indication of the formation of the body from its influence, and that the shapes and forms of its limbs are followers of its states.

It is not hidden that the place of the spirit's connection to the body and the true heart's attachment to it first is the pine-shaped heart, which is the first organ to be formed, the first to move, and the last to become still. Thus, (the first House established for mankind was that at Bakkah) is the chest in form, or the first place of worship established for the true heart, which is at the Bakkah of the spiritual chest, which is the most noble station in the self and the place where the [spiritual] powers crowd toward it. The meaning of its being (blessed) is that it possesses divine blessing due to the outpouring of goodness upon it, and its being (guidance) is that one is guided by it to Allah the Exalted. The signs that are in it are the sciences, knowledges, wisdoms, and realities. (And the Station of Abraham) is an indication of the intellect, which is the station of the foot of the spirit of Abraham—meaning the place of the connection of its light from the heart. There is no doubt that whoever enters that (is safe) from the enemies of the 'fantasies of the imagination,' the demons of the self's narratives, the kidnapping of the devils of conjecture, the jinni of illusions, and the assassination of the predatory powers of the self and its attributes.

(And to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House—whoever is able to find a way.) These are the people of knowledge of Him—Mighty is His Majesty. As for the ignorant of Him, they neither stood nor sat. It is narrated that someone said: "I said to al-Shibli: 'I have performed Hajj.' He said: 'How did you do it?' I said: 'I bathed, entered into ihram, prayed two rak'ahs, and recited the talbiyah.' He said: 'Did you make a contract for Hajj with it?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you dissolve with your contract every contract you had made since you were created that contradicts this contract?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not contract.' Then he said: 'Did you take off your clothes?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you strip yourself of every action you have done?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not take them off.' He said: 'Did you purify yourself?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you remove from yourself every defect?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not purify yourself.' He said: 'Did you recite the talbiyah?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you find an answer to the talbiyah matching it?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not recite the talbiyah.' He said: 'Did you enter the Sanctuary?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you resolve upon entering it to abandon every forbidden thing?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not enter.' He said: 'Did you look out over Mecca?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did a state from Allah the Exalted look over you?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not look out.' He said: 'Did you enter the Sacred Mosque?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you enter the Presence?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not enter the Sacred Mosque.' He said: 'Did you see the Kaaba?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you see what you intended for it?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not see the Kaaba.' He said: 'Did you walk quickly and run?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you flee from the world and find security from what you fled?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you have done nothing.' He said: 'Did you shake hands with the Stone?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Whoever shakes hands with the Stone has shaken hands with the Truth, and whoever shakes hands with the Truth, the sign of security appears upon him—did that appear upon you?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not shake hands.' He said: 'Did you pray two rak'ahs afterwards?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you find yourself in the presence of Allah the Exalted?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not pray.' He said: 'Did you go out to Safa?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you pronounce the greatness of Allah (takbir)?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Was your inner self purified, and did the worlds become small in your eyes?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not go out nor did you pronounce the takbir.' He said: 'Did you hurry in your walking?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you flee from [the world] to Him?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not hurry.' He said: 'Did you stand on Marwa?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you see the descent of tranquility upon you while you were upon it?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not stand on Marwa.' He said: 'Did you go out to Mina?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you give what you wished?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not go out.' He said: 'Did you enter the Mosque of al-Khayf?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did a fear renew itself within you?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not enter.' He said: 'Did you go to Arafat?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you know the state for which you were created and the state to which you will return? And have you known of your Lord what you were previously denying? And do you recognize the Truth in you by anything?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not go.' He said: 'Did you rush to al-Mash'ar al-Haram?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you remember Allah the Exalted in it with a remembrance that made you forget the remembrance of all else?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not rush.' He said: 'Did you slaughter [the sacrifice]?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you annihilate your desires and wills for the sake of the pleasure of the Truth?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not slaughter.' He said: 'Did you throw the pebbles?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you throw away your ignorance from you with an increase of knowledge that appeared upon you?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not throw.' He said: 'Did you visit [the House]?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Were the realities unveiled to you?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not visit.' He said: 'Did you exit the state of ihram?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you resolve to eat of the lawful only as much as sustains your self?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you did not exit ihram.' He said: 'Did you bid farewell?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did you exit from your self and your spirit completely?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Then you neither bid farewell nor did you perform Hajj; you must return if you wish. And when you perform Hajj, strive to be as I have described to you.' End quote.

So this which al-Shibli mentioned is the Hajj that deserves to be called Hajj. Allah the Exalted has servants whom He makes worthy of that and empowers them to walk those paths; their Hajj is, in reality, from Him to Him, and for Him in Him. Their circumambulation is around the enclosures of proximity on the carpet of reverence, and their standing is at the Arafat of Gnosis upon the foot of service. They have no goal in walls and stones—far, far removed! What is the goal of the madman regarding the dwellings but the Dweller? And whoever disbelieves and turns away from the Master through the desire of the self, surely Allah is free from need of the worlds; He is, Exalted be He, free from need of him, and He does not turn toward him.

(Say: O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the signs of Allah)—which indicate His Oneness—(and Allah is Witness over what you do)—as He is closer than the jugular vein. (Say: O People of the Scripture, why do you obstruct [people] from the path of Allah)—by denying those who believe—(those who believe, seeking to make it crooked)—by bringing forward false doubts—(while you are witnesses)—knowing that it is the truth and there is no crookedness in it. (And Allah is not unaware of what you do)—and He will recompense you for it.

(O you who have believed)—with true faith—(if you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture)—out of fear of their denial of the truth and the path leading to Him, Exalted be He—(they will turn you back, after your belief)—which is firmly rooted in you—(to being disbelievers)—because denying the Truth is disbelief just as denying the Law is. (And whoever holds fast to Allah, he has been guided to a straight path)—meaning whoever holds fast to Him, from Him, has been guided to Him by Him. Al-Wasiti said: "Whoever claims that he holds fast to Him against other than Him has been ignorant of the greatness of Lordship." The reality of holding fast, according to some, is the turning of the heart away from causes, which are the figurative idols, and the disavowal to Allah the Exalted of [one's own] power and strength. It is said: holding fast for the lovers is taking refuge by casting away everything else, and for the people of realities, it is the lifting of 'holding fast' because they witness that they are [always] in the Grasp.

(O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared)—by guarding covenants, preserving limits, and vanishing under the flow of Divine Decree with the trait of contentment. It is said: the right of piety is not to witness the piety. (And do not die except while you are Muslims)—meaning: do not die except in a state of the submission of your existence to Him; that is, let your death be annihilation in Monotheism.

(And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all together)—and it is His covenant which He took from the servants on the day of [His saying], "Am I not your Lord?" (and do not separate)—by the divergence of desires. (And remember the favor of Allah upon you)—through guidance to the landmarks of Monotheism which brings love into the hearts—(when you were enemies)—due to your being veiled by the veils of the self and the natural coverings—(then He brought your hearts together)—through mutual love in Allah the Exalted, for they were illuminated by His light—(and you became, by His favor)—upon you—(brothers)—in the religion—(and you were on the edge of a pit of fire)—which is the abyss of the corrupt nature and the Hell of deprivation—(and He saved you from it)—through the true connection between you to the Lote Tree of the station of the spirit and the Garden of the Essence.

(And let there be [arising] from you a nation)—like the knowing scholars, the masters of steadfastness in religion—(inviting to all that is good)—meaning: guiding people to the absolute perfection of knowing the Truth, Exalted be He, and arriving at Him—(and enjoining what is right)—which brings one closer to Allah the Exalted—(and forbidding what is wrong)—which distances one from Him, Exalted be He. (And those are the successful)—those for whom no veil remains, and they are the deputies of Allah on His earth.

(And do not be like those who became divided)—and followed desires and innovations—(and differed after the clear proofs had come to them)—the rational and legal arguments necessitating unity and agreement of word—(and those will have a great punishment)—and it is the punishment of deprivation from the Presence.

(On the day when [some] faces will turn white and [some] faces will turn black.) They said: the whitening of the face is an expression for the illumination of the face of the heart with the light of the Truth that is directed toward it, and the turning away from the lower, natural, dark side; this does not happen except through Monotheism. The blackening of it is the darkness of the face of the heart through turning toward the self, which seeks its own shares, and turning away from the upper, luminous side.

(As for those whose faces will turn black)—it will be said to them: (Did you disbelieve)—meaning: did you argue against the Truth with the attributes of the self—(after your belief?)—meaning: your illumination with the light of readiness, the purity of innate nature, and the guidance of the intellect. (Then taste the punishment)—and it is the punishment of being veiled from the Truth—(for what you used to disbelieve)—in it. (And as for those whose faces will turn white, [they will be] within the mercy of Allah)—the special mercy, which is the witnessing of Beauty—(they will abide therein eternally)—remaining after annihilation.

(You are the best nation produced)—from the place of pre-eternity—(for mankind)—meaning: for their benefit—(you enjoin what is right)—which leads to the station of Monotheism—(and you forbid what is wrong)—and it is the saying of the realization of multiplicity in reality.

(And if the People of the Scripture had believed)—like your belief—(it would have been better for them)—than what they are upon. (Among them are believers)—like your belief—(and most of them are the defiantly disobedient)—those who have exited the sanctuary of the Truth. (They will not harm you except for annoyance)—and it is the denial of you with words—(and if they fight you)—and they are not satisfied with that annoyance—(they will show you their backs; then they will not be aided)—no one will aid them at all; rather, they will remain abandoned due to the lack of the manifestation of the lights of the Truth upon them. And Allah the Exalted is the Granter of Success.