Tafsir of Ash-Shura 42:23

(That), which is the great bounty or the reward understood from the context, (is that) which God gives glad tidings of to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. That is to say, "He gives glad tidings of it [the bounty]," where the preposition and the pronoun returning to the relative noun [al-mawsul] are omitted, as is their habit in the gradual process of omission. There is no obstacle—as Al-Shihab stated—to omitting both simultaneously. It is also permissible that "That" refers to the "glad tidings" [al-tabshir] understood from [the word] "gives glad tidings" [yubashshiru] which follows. The reference may be to something understood afterward, as they have established regarding His saying: And thus We have made you a just community [2:143], and similar instances. The pronoun returning to the relative noun is an object in the accusative case [mansub] by "gives glad tidings" [yubashshiru], functioning as an absolute object [maf'ul mutlaq] because it is the pronoun of the verbal noun [masdar]. That is: "That act of giving glad tidings, God gives as glad tidings to His servants." Abu Hayyan claimed that it is not apparent to make the reference to "giving glad tidings" because the word "glad tidings" [bushra] is not present, nor is there anything indicating it. This arises from negligence of what you have heard, so there is no need to answer it; for the fact that what preceded is a giving of glad tidings to the believers is sufficient for the validity of that.

Then he said: Among the grammarians are those who treat the relative "that which" [alladhi] as a verbal noun [masdariyyah]; Ibn Malik narrated this from Yunus and interpreted this verse accordingly, [meaning]: "God’s giving of glad tidings to His servants." This is baseless, because it is an assertion of equivalence between two different categories [of speech] without evidence. The nominal nature [ism] of "that which" [alladhi] has been established, so one should not deviate from that [to something] for which there is neither evidence nor plausible doubt.

Abdullah ibn Ya'mur, Ibn Abi Ishaq, Al-Jahdari, Al-A'mash, Talhah (in one narration), Al-Kisa'i, and Hamzah recited [it as] yubashshiru (triliteral form), while Mujahid and Humayd ibn Qays [recited it] with a damma on the ya and a light shin from abshara (transitive via hamzah from the intransitive bashara, which has a kasra on the shin). As for bashara (with an open shin), it is transitive; and bashara (with a doubled shin) is for intensity [takthir], not for transitivization, because the [verb] made transitive to one [object]—which is the light form—is not made transitive to it by doubling; thus, the doubling in it is for intensity, not for transitivization.

(Say: I ask of you for it)—that is, for what I undertake for your sake, such as conveying the message, giving glad tidings, and other [duties]—(no reward)—that is, no benefit whatsoever (it is specifically used in convention for money)—(except affection in the kindred)—that is, except for your affection toward me (in the kindred)—that is, because of my kinship to you. Thus, "in" [fi] is for causality, like its use in [the hadith]: "A woman entered the Fire because of a cat." It is [equivalent] to the preposition "for" [lam] due to the closeness of cause and effect. Mujahid, Qatadah, and a group [of scholars] adhered to this meaning.

The address is directed to the Quraysh, according to what is said: that they gathered wealth for him and wanted to bribe him so that he would cease [attacking] the status of their gods, but he did not do so, and [this verse] was revealed. Regarding his kinship with all of them, Ahmad, the two Shaykhs [Bukhari and Muslim], Al-Tirmidhi, and others narrated from Ibn Abbas that he was asked about the Almighty’s saying: Except affection in the kindred. Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: "The kin of the family of Muhammad, peace be upon him." Ibn Abbas said: "You are hasty. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was such that there was no clan among the Quraysh but he had kinship with them." [This was] regarding the Ansar, based on what is said: that they came to him with wealth to assist him in what befell him, so it was revealed and he rejected it. He, peace be upon him, had kinship with them because they were his maternal uncles, for the mother of Abd al-Muttalib, Salma bint Zayd the Najjarite, was from among them. Likewise, the maternal uncles of Aminah, his mother, peace be upon him, were—according to some histories—also from the Ansar; or [it is] to all the Arabs, because of his, peace be upon him, kinship to them all in general. How could it be otherwise, when they are either Adnanite (and Quraysh are from them) or Qahtanite (and the Ansar are from them), and his, peace be upon him, kinship to each of them is known. This entails his kinship to all the Arabs, and Quda'ah [is] from Qahtan, not a separate division according to the majority of genealogists. The meaning is: If you do not recognize my right for my Prophethood and my being a general mercy and a complete blessing, then at the very least [show] affection for me due to the right of kinship and the maintaining of family ties, which you take great care to preserve and uphold.

In summary: I do not ask of you except my affection and the observance of my rights due to my kinship, and that is a matter incumbent upon you. Something like this is narrated in the two Sahihs from Ibn Abbas. Indeed, it has come from him, may God be pleased with him, in many narrations. Their outward meaning is that the address is to the Quraysh. Among them is what Sa'id ibn Mansur, Ibn Sa'd, Abd ibn Humayd, Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), Ibn Marduyah, and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Dala'il narrated from Al-Sha'bi, who said: "People questioned us frequently about this verse Say: I ask of you..., so we wrote to Ibn Abbas asking him, and he wrote, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God was in the center of the lineage in the Quraysh; there was no clan among their clans but they had begotten him. God Almighty said: Say: I ask of you for it no reward—for what I invite you to—except affection in the kindred, that you love me for my kinship to you and protect me through it."

Among them also is what Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, and Al-Tabarani narrated from him, saying: "The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, had kinship with all of the Quraysh. When they called him a liar and refused to follow him, he said: 'O my people, if you refuse to follow me, then protect my kinship among you, and let not others among the Arabs be more entitled to protect and support me than you.'" The apparent [meaning] of these reports is that the verse is Meccan, and the saying that it is concerning the Ansar requires it to be Medinan. The exception is connected [muttasil] based on what you have heard regarding the generalization of the reward.

It is said: There is no need for generalization, and the fact that the aforementioned affection is one of the types of reward is a sufficient claim for the connection of the exception. It is also said: It is disconnected [munqati'], either based on the fact that affection for him, peace be upon him, is not a reward at all regarding him, peace be upon him, because it is incumbent upon them [anyway] so that they may be praised for maintaining family ties, so its benefit returns to them. The disconnection [of the exception] cuts off any suspicion of contradiction between this verse and the verses containing the negation of asking for any reward at all. A group went [to the view] that the meaning is: I do not ask of you any reward except your love for my household [Ahl al-Bayt] and my kin. In Al-Bahr, it is [stated] that this is the view of Ibn Jubayr, Al-Suddi, and Amr ibn Shu'ayb. The "in" [fi] here is for metaphorical containment [zarfiyyah], and "the kindred" [al-qurba] is in the sense of "relatives" [aqriba'], and the prepositional phrase is in the position of a state [hal], i.e., "except affection established in my relatives, settled in them." Because of the status of this meaning, it is [read]: Except the affection of the kindred. It is mentioned that, according to the first [view], it is the same, and the matter of the connection or disconnection of the exception is as previously stated.

The intended meaning of his, peace be upon him, relatives in this view is said to be the children of Abd al-Muttalib, and it is said to be Ali, Fatimah, and their children, may God be pleased with them. This has been narrated as a مرفوع [marfu'] tradition; Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Al-Tabarani, and Ibn Marduyah narrated via Ibn Jubayr from Ibn Abbas that he said: "When this verse was revealed Say: I ask of you..., they said: 'O Messenger of God, who are your relatives whose affection has become incumbent?' He said: 'Ali, Fatimah, and their children,' peace be upon the Prophet and upon them." The chain of this report, according to what Al-Suyuti said in Al-Durr al-Manthur, is weak, and Ibn Hajar specified its weakness in Takhrij Ahadith al-Kashshaf. Furthermore, if it were authentic, Ibn Abbas would not have said what was narrated from him in the two Sahihs and elsewhere, as previously mentioned. However, it has been narrated from a group of the Ahl al-Bayt what supports that. Ibn Jarir narrated from Abu al-Daylam that he said: "When Ali ibn al-Husayn, may God be pleased with them, was brought as a prisoner and stood on the steps of Damascus, a man from the people of Syria stood and said: 'Praise be to God who killed you and eradicated you.' Ali, may God be pleased with him, said to him: 'Have you read the Quran?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Have you read Ha Mim?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Have you read Say: I ask of you for it no reward except affection in the kindred?' He said: 'Are you indeed them?' He said: 'Yes.'"

Zadhan narrated from Ali, may God be pleased with him, saying: "In us, in Ha Mim, there is a verse, the affection for us is not preserved except by a believer." Then he recited this verse. To this, Al-Kumayt pointed in his saying: "We found for you in Ha Mim a verse, whose interpretation is [held by] the pious and knowledgeable among us." May God have mercy on Sayyid Umar al-Hayti, one of the contemporary relatives, who says: "With what verse will Yazid come tomorrow when the scrolls of deeds are recited? And the Messenger of the Lord of the Throne stands reciting, while all creation is silent: 'Say: I ask of you...'" The address according to this view is to the entire Ummah, not just the Ansar, even if there is that which suggests it, for they are all obligated to love the Ahl al-Bayt. Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, and Al-Nasa'i narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam that the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: "I remind you of God regarding my Ahl al-Bayt." Al-Tirmidhi (who graded it hasan), Al-Tabari, Al-Hakim, and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Shu'ab narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: "The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: 'Love God for the blessings He feeds you with, love me for the love of God, and love my Ahl al-Bayt for my love.'" Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim narrated from Abu Sa'id that the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, no one hates us, the Ahl al-Bayt, but God will admit him to the Fire." [This is] in addition to others that are innumerable in abundance among the reports. Some of them indicate the generality of the "kindred" and their inclusion of the Bani Abd al-Muttalib. Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi (who authenticated it), and Al-Nasa'i narrated from Abd al-Muttalib ibn Rabi'ah that he said: "Al-Abbas entered upon the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, and said: 'We go out and see the Quraysh talking, but when they see us, they fall silent.' The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, became angry, and a vein appeared between his eyes. Then he said: 'By God, faith will not enter the heart of a Muslim man until he loves you for the sake of God and for my kinship.'" This is apparent if it is restricted to the believers among them. Otherwise, it is said that the ruling is abrogated, and there is doubt in that. The truth is the obligation to love his, peace be upon him, relatives by virtue of them being his relatives, peace be upon him, whoever they are. How excellent is what was said: "I have treated your folk kindly for your sake, though they were enemies; and for the sake of the eye, a thousand eyes are honored."

The stronger the bond of kinship, the more intense the demand for affection; thus, the affection for the Fatimid Alawis is more binding than the love for the Abbasids according to the view of the generality of "the kindred," and according to the view of the specificity, it may also vary according to the variation of aspects and considerations. The effects of that affection are glorification, respect, and the fulfillment of rights in the most complete manner. Many people have been negligent of this, to the point that they have considered adopting those paths as part of the obligatory. I say the saying of Al-Shafi'i, the [one] that cures the ailment: "O rider, pause at Al-Muhassab in Mina, and shout to those dwelling in its pass; and [to] the one rising at dawn when the pilgrims flow to Mina in a flow like the turbulent, overflowing Euphrates. If the love of the family of Muhammad is heresy, then let the jinn and mankind bear witness that I am a Rafidi." Nevertheless, I do not consider departing from what the major [scholars] of the Ahl al-Sunnah believe regarding the Companions, may God be pleased with them, as religion, and I see their love as a binding obligation, for the Lawgiver has made it so, and clear proofs have arisen for that.

Among the anecdotes is what the Imam narrated from some preachers, he said: "He, peace be upon him, said: 'The likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is like the Ark of Noah; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever stays behind it perishes.' And the Messenger of God said: 'My companions are like the stars; whichever of them you follow, you will be guided.' We are now in the sea of obligation, and the waves of doubts and desires strike us; and the passenger of the sea needs two things: the first is the ship free of defects, and the second is the brilliant rising stars. When he boards that ship and sets his sight on those stars, the hope of safety is likely. Therefore, our companions boarded the ship of love for the family of Muhammad and set their sights on the stars of the Companions, hoping to win safety and happiness in this world and the hereafter." This is the end [of the quote]. Many people, regarding the right of both the family [Ahl] and the Companions, are at the two extremes of deficiency and excess, and what is between them is the Straight Path. May God Almighty keep us steadfast on that path.

Abdullah ibn al-Qasim said: The meaning is: I do not ask of you for it a reward except that some of you love others and maintain your family ties. The matter of "in" [fi] in the exception is not hidden. Abd ibn Humayd narrated from Al-Hasan that the meaning is: I do not ask of you for it a reward except drawing near to God Almighty through righteous deeds, and "the kindred" [al-qurba] is in the sense of kinship [qarabah], and the intended meaning is not blood kinship. It is said: The connection and disconnection also apply to the exception. Al-Khafaji considered it more likely that it is disconnected and that it follows the pattern of his [the poet's] saying: "There is no fault in them, except that their swords..." and the intention [of the verse] according to the view before it is the same. Zayd ibn Ali, may God be pleased with them, recited: Except the affection in the kindred.

Furthermore, among the Shi'ah are those who used the verse in the position of argumentation for the Imamate of Ali, may God be pleased with him. He said: "Ali, may God be pleased with him, is the object of obligatory love; and everyone who is the object of obligatory love is the object of obligatory obedience; and everyone who is the object of obligatory obedience is the possessor of the Imamate." The conclusion: "Ali, may God be pleased with him, is the possessor of the Imamate." They made the verse proof of the minor premise. What is in their speech from investigation is not hidden. Firstly, because the argumentation by the verse for the minor premise is not complete except on the view that its meaning is: "I do not ask of you for it a reward except that you love my kin and love my Ahl al-Bayt." The majority have adhered to the first meaning. It is said regarding this meaning that it does not befit the station of Prophethood because of the suspicion it carries, for most seekers of the world do something and ask for a reward in which there is benefit for their children and their kin. Moreover, it contradicts His saying: And you do not ask them for any reward for it [12:104]. Secondly, because we do not concede that every object of obligatory love is an object of obligatory obedience. Ibn Babawayh mentioned in his book Al-I'tiqadat that the Imamiyyah are in consensus on the obligation of loving the Alawis, even though the obedience of every one of them is not obligatory. Thirdly, because we do not concede that every object of obligatory obedience is the possessor of the Imamate—that is, the great leadership—otherwise every prophet in his time would be the possessor of that. And the text God has sent Saul to you as a king [2:247] forbids that. Fourthly, because the verse requires that the minor premise be the Ahl al-Bayt and the obligation of obedience; and whenever this is the minor premise of their syllogism, it does not yield the conclusion they mentioned. Even if all its premises were conceded, it would not yield "the Ahl al-Bayt are the possessor of the Imamate," and they do not claim its generality to other than that. And [there are] other investigations, so ponder and do not be heedless.

(And whoever earns a good deed)—that is, acquires any good deed whatsoever; the speech is a trailing clause [tadhyil]. It is said that the intended meaning of "the good deed" is the affection in the kin of the Messenger, peace be upon him. This is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Al-Suddi, and that the verse was revealed concerning Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, due to the intensity of his love for the Ahl al-Bayt, and the story of Fadak and the Al-'Awali does not forbid that, according to someone who has a sound heart. The speech concerning it is a completion [of the meaning]. Perhaps it is better [to say]: The love of the family of the Messenger, peace be upon him, is one of the greatest good deeds, and it enters into "the good deed" here as a primary inclusion. (We shall increase for him in it)—that is, in the good deed—(good)—by multiplying the reward for it, for it is intended to mean the "goodness of the good deed." Thus, "in" [fi] is for containment, and "good" [husnan] is an object [maf'ul] or a specification [tamyiz]. Zayd ibn Ali, 'Abd al-Warith from Abu 'Amr, and Ahmad ibn Jubayr from Al-Kisa'i recited: yazid (with a ya), meaning "God Almighty will increase." 'Abd al-Warith from Abu 'Amr recited: husna without tanwin, and it is a verbal noun like bushra or an adjective for a suppressed noun, meaning: "a good quality or a good characteristic." Indeed, God is Forgiving—covering the sins of His servants—Appreciative—a metaphor for He who rewards those who obey among them by fulfilling the reward and bestowing upon them through increase. Al-Suddi said: "Forgiving to the sins of the family of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and appreciative of their good deeds."