Tafsir of As-Sajdah 32:21

“And We will surely let them taste the nearer punishment” (i.e., the closer one; it is also said: the lesser one). This is the punishment of this world, for it is closer than the punishment of the Hereafter and lesser than it. There is a difference of opinion regarding what is intended by it. Al-Nasa’i, a group of scholars, and Al-Hakim (who authenticated it) narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that it refers to the years of drought that afflicted them. This is also narrated from Al-Nakha’i and Muqatil. Al-Tabarani and others (also authenticated by Al-Hakim) narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that it is what afflicted them on the day of Badr. Similar accounts are narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, with the phrasing: “It is the killing by the sword on the day of Badr.” From Mujahid, it is [described as] killing and hunger.

Muslim, Abdullah ibn Ahmad in Zawa’id al-Musnad, Abu Awana in his Sahih, and others narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka’b that he said: “It is the calamities of the world, the Romans, the Batsha (the violent assault), and the smoke (al-dukhan),” and in one of Muslim’s narrations: “...or the smoke.”

Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: “It is the calamities, illnesses, and afflictions of the world.” In another narration from him, and from Al-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd, it is phrased as: “The calamities of the world in person and property.” In the same vein is what Ibn Marduyah narrated from Abu Idris al-Khawlani, who said: “I asked Ubada ibn al-Samit about the verse: ‘And We will surely let them taste...’ and he said: ‘I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) about it, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is the calamities, illnesses, and hardships—a punishment for the extravagant in the world, distinct from the punishment of the Hereafter.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is it for us?’ He replied: ‘An expiation and purification.’” In a narration from Ibn Abbas, it is the Hudud (legal punishments). It is also narrated here from Abu Ubaydah that he interpreted it as the punishment of the grave. It is also related from Mujahid regarding “...less than the greater punishment,” that it is the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, as is narrated from Ibn Mas’ud and others. Ibn Atiyyah said: “There is no dispute that this is what is meant.” In Al-Tahrir, it states that the majority hold that the “greater punishment” is the punishment of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection. It is also said that it is being killed, enslaved, and captured. From Ja’far ibn Muhammad (may Allah be pleased with both), it is the emergence of the Mahdi with the sword. End quote. Based on these two, the “nearer punishment” is interpreted as the years of drought, illnesses, or similar things that are nearer than what was mentioned. Some of the Ahl al-Bayt interpreted it as the Beast (Dabbat al-Ard) and the Dajjal, but the relied-upon view is that of the majority.

The reason it was not said “the smaller” in contrast to “the greater,” or “the farther” in contrast to “the nearer,” is that the objective is to strike fear and threaten, and this is achieved through proximity—not by smallness—and through greatness, not by distance. This was stated by Al-Naysaburi, summarizing the words of the Imam. Abu Hayyan said the same, except that he added: “The ‘nearer’ (adna) encompasses the ‘smaller’ (asghar) because it ends with the death of the one being punished, and the ‘greater’ (akbar) encompasses the ‘farther’ (ab’ad) because it occurs in the Hereafter; thus, the contrast is achieved by way of implication.” He then clarified what is more potent in instilling fear: “...that perhaps they will return” (i.e., perhaps those remaining among them will repent), as stated by Ibn Mas’ud. Al-Zamakhshari said: “Or perhaps they desire to return and seek it, like His saying: ‘So return us [to the world] that we might do righteousness.’ The desire to return is called ‘returning,’ just as the intent to stand is called ‘standing’ in His saying: ‘When you rise (stand) to prayer, wash your faces.’ The recitation of those who read yurja’un (in the passive voice) points to this.” End quote.

Regarding what is narrated from Mujahid and Abu Ubaydah, “perhaps” relates to His saying: “And We will surely let them taste the nearer punishment,” just as in the first instance—except that the “return” there is repentance, while here it is a return to the world. This would be of the category of: “So the family of Pharaoh picked him up [out of the river] that he would become to them an enemy and a cause of grief,” or the hope refers back to the people themselves. The indication of the aforementioned recitation is that interpreting it as repentance is not valid in that reading. The manifest meaning is the one transmitted [by tradition], and the recitation does not forbid it, as it is possible the meaning is: “Perhaps that punishment will cause them to return from disbelief to faith.” La’alla (perhaps) is for the hope of the addressees, as Sibawayh interpreted it. From Ibn Abbas, there is an interpretation of it here as ki (so that), as if the intent is: “So that we may expose them thereby to repentance.” Al-Zamakhshari made it for His (Exalted is He) hope, and since the reality of that is impossible for Him (Mighty and Majestic is He), he interpreted it as His (Exalted is He) command. He raised a question about this and answered it according to his Mu’tazilite doctrine, so do not pay attention to it.

The verses from His saying: “Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient?” up to here, were revealed concerning Ali (may Allah honor his face) and Al-Walid ibn Uqbah ibn Abi Mu’ayt, the brother of Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) through his mother, Arwa bint Kurayz ibn Rabi’ah ibn Habib ibn Abd Shams. Abu al-Faraj al-Isbahani in Kitab al-Aghani, Al-Wahidi, Ibn Adi, Ibn Marduyah, Al-Khatib, and Ibn Asakir narrated through several chains from Ibn Abbas that he said: Al-Walid ibn Uqbah said to Ali (may Allah honor his face): “I am sharper than you in the spear, more eloquent than you in speech, and I fill the battalion more than you.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Be silent, for you are only a fasiq (defiantly disobedient).” So it was revealed: “Then is one who was a believer...” etc.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Al-Suddi something similar, and it is also narrated from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla that it was revealed concerning Ali (may Allah honor his face) and Al-Walid ibn Uqbah, without mentioning what transpired. In another narration from him, it was revealed concerning Ali (may Allah honor his face) and a man of the Quraysh, without naming him. In Al-Kashshaf, it is narrated that the cause of its revelation was an argument that occurred between Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Al-Walid ibn Uqbah on the day of Badr. Al-Walid said to him: “Be silent, for you are a boy. I am younger than you in youth, more resilient in body, more practiced in speech, sharper in the spear, braver in heart, and I fill the battalion more than you.” Ali (may Allah honor his face) said: “Be silent, for you are a fasiq.” Then it was revealed. We have not seen this wording with a chain of transmission. Al-Khafaji said: “Ibn Hajar said it is a gross error, for Al-Walid was not a man on the day of Badr; rather, he was a child, and it is inconceivable that he could have been present at Badr or that what was mentioned could have issued from him.”

Jalal al-Suyuti quoted Shaykh Wali al-Din that it is not sound, as Al-Walid was too young for that. And I say: Some reports imply he was not yet born on the day of Badr, or was very young. Abu Dawud narrated in his Sunan via Thabit ibn al-Hajjaj from Abu Musa Abdullah al-Hamdani that he said: “When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) conquered Mecca, the people of Mecca began bringing their children to him, and he would wipe their heads. I was brought to him (peace and blessings be upon him) while I was scented, so he did not wipe me because of the scent.” However, Ibn Abd al-Barr said: “Abu Musa is unknown.” Furthermore, Al-Zubayr and other scholars of biography mentioned that when Umm Kulthum bint Uqbah went out as a migrant to the Prophet (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) during the truce in the year seven, her brothers Al-Walid and Umarah went out to bring her back. This is manifest that he was not a child on the day of the Conquest [of Mecca], for how could one who is a child be among those who went out to bring back his sister before the Conquest? Yet some reports imply he was a man on the day of Badr, for the Hafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned in his book Al-Isabah: “He paid the ransom for his father’s cousin, Al-Harith ibn Abi Wajrah... who was captured at Badr, and he ransomed him for four thousand.” He said: “The historians narrated this,” and he did not comment on it, and the flow of his speech implies his acceptance of it. The way it implies that is that the actions he undertook are those of men, not children. What we have mentioned from Ibn Hajar contradicts what Al-Khafaji (upon him be mercy) mentioned from him as stated earlier. It should not be said: “Perhaps he was a child that day, but of an age where presence was possible, and so he attended and the incident occurred,” for describing him as a fasiq in the sense of disbelief and the threat made against him in the verses—despite him being below the age of puberty—is something that would hardly be adopted except by one who holds that obligation to faith at that time was conditional upon discernment. Nor should it be said: “Perhaps this story was after his Islam,” and he was called a fasiq while he was a Muslim in His saying: “O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one (fasiq) with information, investigate.” Ibn Abd al-Barr said: “There is no dispute among the scholars of Quranic exegesis that it was revealed concerning him, as the Prophet (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) sent him as a collector of zakat to the Banu al-Mustaliq, and he returned and reported that they had apostatized and withheld the charity, but the matter was not so.” This is because the fisq here means disbelief, while there it does not. Know then that the statement that it was revealed concerning Ali (may Allah honor his face) and Al-Walid due to words exchanged on the day of Badr implies that it is Medinan, while the chosen view for some is the opposite.