Tafsir of Fatir 35:45

**(And if Allah were to impose blame upon the people) altogether, (for what they have earned) of the evil deeds they committed, just as He seized those others, (He would not leave upon its back) that is, the back of the earth—its mention having preceded in His saying, Exalted is He, "in the heavens and in the earth," so it is not a case of pronoun reference before the mention as Al-Radi claimed. "The back of the earth" is a figurative expression for its surface, as Al-Raghib and others have stated. It is also said that the speech contains a metaphorical, imaginary construct. The intended meaning is: He would not leave upon it (any moving creature) that is, any animal that moves upon the earth, due to the misfortune of sins. The Sublime One has indeed said: "And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively." This is what is narrated from Ibn Mas’ud. It is said that the "moving creature" refers to humans alone, supported by His saying, Exalted is He: (But He delays them for a specified term), which is the Day of Resurrection; for the pronoun refers to the people, as it is a pronoun for rational beings, and the Day of Resurrection is the term set for the duration of their species. It is also said that it refers to all those mentioned, by way of generalization, and the Day of Resurrection is the term set for the duration of the species of created beings. (So when their time comes, indeed Allah has ever been, of His servants, Seeing) and He will recompense those among them who are accountable at that time according to their deeds—if evil, then evil; and if good, then good. The clause "indeed Allah has ever been..." is placed in the position of the recompense, and in reality, the Recompenser is the One who recompenses, as we have indicated. This is so, and Allah the Exalted is the Granter of success for all good, and there is no reliance except upon Him.

(All praise is to Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth) an allusion to the creation of the worlds of subtlety and density, and to the fact that the creation of the world of subtlety precedes the creation of the world of density. This is indicated by the common saying: "Allah created the souls four thousand years before the bodies." (Making the angels messengers) in conveying His commands to whomsoever He wills among His servants, or as intermediaries through whose hands His will—glorified be He—operates upon His creations. (Having wings two or three or four) an allusion to their differing capacities. (He increases in creation what He wills) is general, encompassing kingship and otherwise. The "increase" has been interpreted as the gift of the capacity to behold Him—Exalted is He—for those who do good is the best [reward] and extra. (Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy)—the increase alluded to and others—(none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds, none can release it thereafter). In this is an allusion that His mercy—glorified be He—preceded His wrath—Exalted is He. (And if they deny you, then already were denied messengers before you) is a consolation to His beloved, peace and blessings be upon him, and a guidance to his inheritors to be patient regarding the harm their enemies inflict upon them, their denial of them, and their rejection of them. (And it is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land and give life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness). His custom—Exalted be He—in reviving the earth in this manner is the same when He wills to revive the land of the heart: He sends first the winds of intention, which stir the clouds of love; then the rain of grace and solicitude arrives, causing the heart to sprout the basils of the spirit, the flowers of expansion, the blossoms of lights, and making life pleasant.

(Whoever desires honor, then to Allah belongs all honor) is an allusion that true honor is not attained without annihilation (fana). Do not be heedless of the Hadith: "My servant continues to draw near to Me through supererogatory acts..." etc. (And Allah created you from dust) which is the furthest of creatures from the Presence, the lowest, and the densest, (then from a sperm-drop), in which there is some degree of subtlety, (then He made you mates) an allusion to what they attained of the union between the subtle, celestial soul and the dense, terrestrial form. This is the origin of the capacity to witness the worlds of the Unseen and the manifest. (And not equal are the two seas): it is said this means the sea of Wahbi (divinely gifted) knowledge and the sea of Kasbi (acquired) knowledge. (This one)—that is, the sea of Wahbi knowledge—(is fresh, sweet, and pleasant to drink) because it is free from the hindrances of doubts and illusions. (And this one)—the sea of Kasbi knowledge—(is salt and bitter) because of the hardship of thought, the bitterness of acquisition, and the occurrence of doubts, hesitation, and instability. (And from each you eat tender meat)—subtle allusions by which you are nourished and strengthened for actions—(and extract ornaments which you wear); these are the excellent morals, beautiful etiquettes, and commendable states that grant their possessor adornment. (And you see the ships)—the vessels of the Shari'ah and the Tariqah—(plowing through it), running, (that you may seek of His bounty) by reaching His Presence—Exalted be He—He did that. (O mankind, you are the poor in need of Allah) in all your affairs, and the levels of poverty are disparate. Whenever a human increases in nearness to Him—Exalted be He—his poverty toward Him increases due to the increase of love at that moment; and whenever the passion (ishq) increases, the poverty of the lover toward the Beloved increases until he is annihilated. (And Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy); in this is glad tidings of what it contains. (Only those fear Allah, among His servants, who have knowledge); that is, those who have knowledge of Him—Exalted be He—and His affairs. The more their knowledge increases, the more their fear increases, due to what becomes manifest to them of His Majesty—Exalted be He—and that they, in relation to Him—Exalted be His state—are nothing. (Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is the wrongdoer to himself, and among them is the moderate, and among them is the predecessor in good deeds by permission of Allah). It is said: the wrongdoer to himself is the seeker (salik), the moderate is the seeker who is drawn (majdhub), and the predecessor is the drawn seeker. The seeker is the one who draws near; the drawn is the one brought near; and the drawn seeker is the one consumed in the perfections of nearness, annihilated from himself, remaining through his Lord—Exalted be He. (And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow")—the sorrow of imagining separation. For there is no sorrow for the lover greater than the sorrow of imagining the separation of his Beloved from him and His aversion toward him. (Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative). It is no wonder then if He has removed that from us and secured us from cutting off and separation. (He who has settled us in the home of duration out of His bounty, in which no toil touches us)—this is the toil of bodies and their fatigue from the deeds of obedience to draw near to Him, the Sublime. (Nor does there touch us in it fatigue)—this is the fatigue of hearts and their agitation from imagining cutting off, rejection, and the abandonment of the Beloved. It is also said: "No toil touches us in it" regarding the effort to attain any affair we desired, and "nor does fatigue touch us" regarding the imagination of losing any objective we have attained. They have indicated that all of this is from the bounty of Allah—Exalted be He—and Allah the Exalted is Possessor of great bounty. This is it, and we ask Allah the Exalted for His sweet bounty, from which the bitterness of the envious is shattered, by which the heart of every enemy is broken, and the soul of every loving friend is revived.