Tafsir of Sad 38:88

(And you will surely know its information) means what it informs of, such as the promise, the threat, and other matters, or the news about it which is spoken of in reality, which is that it is the truth and the certainty. (After a time).

Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, and Ibn Zayd said: It means the Day of Resurrection. Qatadah, al-Farra’, and al-Zajjaj said: After death. Al-Hasan used to say: O son of Adam, at the moment of death, the certain news comes to you. It has been interpreted that "its information" refers to the promise and the threat that occur in this world, and the intent is that you will surely know that by its verification when the swords of the Muslims seize you, which was the Day of Badr; al-Suddi pointed to this. Regardless, the verse contains a threat that is not hidden.

Among what some of the Sufi masters have said regarding certain verses: Concerning the saying of the Almighty: (Indeed, We subjected the mountains to exalt [Us] with him in the evening and at sunrise, and the birds, assembled; all to Him are oft-returning), they said that it is manifest that inanimate objects and animals—which, according to those who are veiled, are speechless—are alive and possess knowledge of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). Al-Sha’rani narrated from his sheikh, Ali al-Khawwas (may his secret be sanctified), the view that animals are under religious obligation in a way that the veiled do not perceive. He permitted the possibility that their warner is from among themselves or from outside, from their own kind. He said: "They were only named baha’im (animals/dumb creatures) because their speech and conditions are obscure (mubham) to the majority of creation, not because the matter is obscure to them themselves." It was reported from him that he used to treat every inanimate object in existence like a living being, saying: "It understands speech and suffers just as an animal suffers."

It is also said regarding the Almighty’s saying: (And indeed, many of the associates oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous deeds): It is an indication that souls are fashioned with injustice and all other blameworthy traits, and that those whose souls have been purified are very few in comparison to others.

(O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth): Al-Sha’rani narrated that his caliphate (peace be upon him)—as well as the caliphate of Adam—was in the world of forms and the world of souls that govern them, not in the Luminous World, for every person among its people has a known station determined for him by his Lord (Glorified is He). The Greatest Sheikh (may his secret be sanctified) has a lengthy discussion on the caliphate. It was narrated from some heretics that the caliph is not assigned any sin, nor is he bound by the yoke of religious obligation because his rank is the rank of the One who appointed him; this is manifest disbelief. Scholars have distinguished between the caliph and the king. Al-Tha’labi extracted from the path of al-Awam ibn Hawshab, who said: A man from my people told me that he witnessed Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ask Talhah, al-Zubayr, Ka’b, and Salman (may Allah be pleased with them): "What is the difference between a caliph and a king?" Talhah and al-Zubayr said: "We do not know." Salman said: "The caliph is one who deals justly with the subjects, divides among them equally, shows them compassion like the compassion of a man for his own family, and judges by the Book of Allah." Ka’b said: "I did not think anyone knew the difference between a caliph and a king except me." Thus, the saying of the Almighty: (So judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire) is like an interpretation of this caliphate, and it contains an indication of the condemnation of desire (hawa). In some reports: "No god worshipped on earth is more hateful to Allah than desire," for it is the greatest of idols.

His saying: (And he began to pass his hand over their legs and necks): It contains an indication—based on the famous account of the story—that every beloved object other than Allah, if it veils you from Allah for a moment, it is necessary for you to treat it with the sword of the negation "There is no god but Allah." You have heard the evidence of al-Shibli in that regard for the tearing of his clothes.

As for what is said concerning: (My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me): He did not intend by that request anything except that which necessitates greater nearness to Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), and there is nothing in it that detracts from his perfection (peace be upon him); otherwise, he would have been reproached for it, and the discussion on that has already passed. From that, one knows the falsehood of what is in al-Jawahir wa al-Durar, narrating from al-Khawwas: "It reached us that the ant that spoke to Solomon (peace be upon him) said: 'O Prophet of Allah, grant me safety, and I will advise you of something I do not think you know.' So he granted her safety. She whispered into his ear and said: 'I smell from your saying "Grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me" the scent of envy.' Solomon changed and his color paled. Then she said to him: 'You have abandoned courtesy with Allah in several respects: among them, your failure to emerge from the miserliness of the self—which Allah forbade you from—into the station of generosity which Allah commanded you; among them, your exaggeration in the request that this gift not be given to any of the servants of your Master after you, thereby restricting the Truth (Exalted is He) from giving anyone after your death what He has given; all of that is due to your exaggeration in extreme greed; and among them, your request that the kingdom of your Master be for you alone, saying "Grant me," while it was hidden from you that you are a servant to Him, and it is not valid for you to own anything alongside Him, especially since your joy in the gift cannot be but with the witnessing of your ownership of it. That is sufficient ignorance.' Then she said to him: 'O Solomon, what is this kingdom of yours that you asked Him to give you?' He said: 'My ring.' She said: 'Woe to you! Everything contained by a ring.'"

This is finished. What reached him is false for reasons that are not hidden to the Khawwas (the elite), and it is strange that they were hidden from [al-Khawwas].

His saying: (O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands?): This indicates the virtue of Adam (peace be upon him) and that he is the most perfect of manifestations. The "two hands," according to them, are an indication of the attributes of Gentleness and Majesty; all attributes return to these two. There is no doubt for us that he is superior to the angels (peace be upon them). Al-Sha’rani mentioned that he asked al-Khawwas about the question of superiority to which we alluded. He said: "The view held by a group of Sufis is that comparison only holds between shared species, as one says 'The best of gems is the ruby' and 'The best of garments is the hullah.' But when species differ, there is no comparison; it is not said 'Which is better, the ruby or the hullah?' Then he said: 'And what we hold is that for all spirits, comparison is not valid except by way of reporting from Allah (Exalted is He). So whoever the Truth (Exalted is He) has informed of that, he is the one who has attained complete knowledge. Spirits have been categorized into three types: spirits governing luminous bodies, which are the Highest Assembly; spirits governing fiery bodies, which are the Jinn; and spirits governing earthy bodies, which are humans. Thus, all spirits are angels, a single reality and a single species. So whoever favors one over another without divine knowledge has no verification. For if we look at superiority in terms of creation absolutely, the intellect says the angels are superior. If we look at the perfection of the creation and its comprehensiveness, we judge that humans are superior. And where would we find a basis to favor one side over the other, when the angel is a part of the human in terms of his spirit, for spirits are angels? So the whole is from the part, and the part is from the whole, and it is not said 'Which is better, the human's part or the whole?' So understand."

This is finished. The discussion on the matter of superiority is lengthy, and its proper place is the books of theology. Furthermore, the share of the Gnostic from the stories mentioned in this glorious chapter is not hidden except to those whose sight is dim. We ask Allah (Exalted is He) to grant us success in understanding His Book, by the sanctity of the master of His prophets and His beloved, may Allah bless him, grant him peace, honor him, exalt him, and bestow bounty upon him.