Tafsir of Fatir 35:28

In Irshad al-'Aql al-Salim, it is stated that the presentation of these two sentences as nominal clauses—while they share with the preceding verbal clause the evidence provided by their content regarding the disparity of people in their inner conditions—is because the variation of mountains, people, moving creatures, and cattle in the aforementioned colors is a continuous affair; thus, it was expressed using that which denotes continuity. As for the bringing forth of varying fruits, since it is an incidental occurrence, it was expressed using that which denotes occurrence. Furthermore, since there was a type of hidden nature in it, vision was appended to it by way of an interrogative of confirmation, which implies urging toward it and encouraging it—unlike the conditions of mountains, people, and others, for they are observable and need no reflection; therefore, they were stripped of being linked to vision. Reflect on this.

What is mentioned regarding the matter of linking vision is contrary to what is in al-Bahr, where he said: "This is a confirmation question, and it only occurs regarding things that are very apparent." So contemplate this.

Al-Zuhri read "al-dawwab" (the moving creatures) with a light ba (as dawwa) to exaggerate in avoiding the meeting of two quiescent consonants, just as some of them did with the glottal stop in "wala al-dallin" (and not those who are astray) for the same reason.

Ibn al-Samiqa read "alwanuha" (its colors). His saying, "Likewise," is in the position of an accusative as a modifier to the implied cognate accusative of "mukhtalif" (varying) for emphasis. The estimation is: "Varying with a variation that is likewise," meaning: like the variation of fruits and mountains. Thus, it is a completion of the speech before it, and pausing at it is good by the consensus of the scholars of recitation.

His saying, Exalted is He, "It is only those among His servants who have knowledge who fear Allah," is a completion of His saying: "You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen," by specifying who among the people fears Him—Mighty and Majestic is He—after hinting at the nobility of fear and the baseness of its opposite, threatening those characterized by the latter, and establishing the power of Him—Mighty and Majestic—which necessitates fear regarding what we say. Or, it comes after clarifying the different classes of people and the disparity of their ranks; for in the moral descriptions, it is by way of similitude, and in the physical descriptions, it is by way of explicit statement, fulfilling for each of them its appropriate right of explanation.

It is said that "likewise" is in the position of a nominative as the predicate of an omitted subject, meaning: "The matter is likewise," i.e., as has been clarified and summarized. Then it is said: "It is only those who have knowledge who fear Allah," etc. It follows the path of metonymy, from the category of "The Arabs do not violate sacred trusts," with no indication that knowledge necessitates fear, although it is suitable for it. It is a transition to mentioning the allies of Allah—Exalted is He—while conveying that they are the ones upon whom the warning falls, and that you have no need of these persistent rejecters. The author of al-Kashf said: "The nominative is more apparent so that it may be from the definitive discourse."

Ibn 'Atiyya said: It is possible that "likewise" is connected to what follows it, taken in the sense of a cause; meaning: likewise, consideration and reflection upon the creatures of Allah—Exalted is He—and the variation of their colors, causes the learned to fear Allah. Al-Samin refuted this by stating that "innama" does not allow what follows it to act upon what precedes it, and because the pause on "likewise" is held by all scholars of recitation. Al-Khafaji approved of this and said: "By this, the weakness of what was said becomes apparent—that the meaning is 'the matter is likewise'—as it is a transition to mentioning the allies of Allah." Yet, there is in this meaning no acting of what follows innama upon what precedes it, and the consensus of the scholars of recitation to pause on "likewise," if conceded, does not manifest the weakness of that. In some of the exegeses transmitted from the predecessors, there is that which suggests the connection of "likewise" to what follows it.

Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Ibn Jurayj that he said regarding the verse: "Just as these cattle differ, people differ in their fear of Allah as well." This, in my view, is weak; the most apparent is what the majority holds, and what was said is more subtle and refined. The "learned" (ulama) refers to those who have knowledge of Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—and of what is appropriate for Him of His majestic attributes, praiseworthy actions, and all His beautiful affairs, not those who know grammar and morphology, for example. The axis of fear is that knowledge, not this learning. Thus, everyone who is more knowledgeable of Him—Exalted is He—is more fearful. Al-Darimi narrated from 'Ata' who said: Moses (peace be upon him) said: "O Lord, which of Your servants is most wise?" He said: "The one who judges for people as he judges for himself." He said: "O Lord, which of Your servants is richest?" He said: "The one most content with what I have apportioned for him." He said: "O Lord, which of Your servants is most fearful?" He said: "The one who is most knowledgeable of Me." It is confirmed from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "I am the most fearful of you to Allah and the most pious among you toward Him." Because this is the axis, fear was mentioned after what indicates the perfection of power. For this correlation, Ibn 'Abbas interpreted—as recorded by Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Jarir—the "learned" in the verse as: "Those who know that Allah—Exalted is He—is capable of all things." The object was brought forward because the intent is to specify the fearful ones and to report that they are the learned specifically, rather than others. If it were delayed, the intent would have been to specify the One feared and to report that it is Allah—Exalted is He—rather than anyone else, as in His saying: "And they do not fear anyone except Allah." But the context does not require this; rather, it requires the former, so that it may be a veiled allusion to those who are warned and are persistent in disbelief and obstinacy—that they are ignorant of Allah and His attributes, and therefore they do not fear Allah nor fear His punishment.

Some denied that innama here implies restriction, but there is nothing to that. It is narrated from 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz and Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with them) that they read "innama yakhsha Allahu" (with the nominative for Allah) and "al-'ulama'u" (with the accusative for the learned). The author of al-Nashr criticized this reading, and Abu Hayyan said: "Perhaps it is not soundly attributed to them. We have seen books on the anomalous readings and they did not mention this one. It was only mentioned by al-Zamakhshari, and Abu al-Qasim Yusuf ibn 'Ali ibn Junada mentioned it from Abu Haywa in his book al-Kamil." It was explained that fear here is a metaphor for glorification due to the relationship of necessary implication, for the one who glorifies is also awe-stricken. It is also said that fear comes in the sense of choosing, as in the saying: "I feared (i.e., chose) my cousins, and I did not see the likes of them."

"Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might, Forgiving" is a justification for the obligation of fear, because "Exalted in Might" indicates the perfection of power to exact retribution, and one is not described as "Forgiving" and merciful except the one who has the power to punish. It is said that mentioning "Forgiving" is by way of completion, similar to the verse of the al-Ghanawi poet mentioned previously.

The verse, according to some reports, was revealed regarding Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and fear was so manifest in him that it became recognized in him.