Ash-Shura: (30) "And whatever of misfortune befalls you..."

(And whatever of misfortune befalls you)—meaning any misfortune whatsoever among the calamities of the world, such as illness and all other afflictions—(is because of what your hands have earned)—meaning the sins you have acquired.

"Ma" (whatever) is a relative noun acting as the subject (mubtada'). When a subject is a relative noun and its connecting phrase (silah) is a verbal sentence, the particle "fa" often enters upon its predicate (khabar) because the particle contains a conditional meaning, indicating that the predicate is predicated upon the subject; hence, the "fa" is brought here.

Nafi', Ibn 'Amir, Abu Ja'far in one transmission, and Shaybah read "bima" (because of what) without the "fa," as it is not obligatory. Making the subject a relative noun is sufficient to provide the aforementioned implication. It is reported from Ibn Malik that he said: The difference between the two recitations indicates that "ma" is a relative noun, so at times the "fa" is brought in its predicate, and at other times it is omitted, placing the resembled on the same footing as that which it resembles. It is permitted that "ma" be conditional, and Abu Hayyan considered this more probable in the recitation with the "fa," while considering it a relative noun in the other recitation, based on the principle that the omission of the "fa" from the answer of a conditional sentence is peculiar to poetry according to Sibawayh—such as in "Whoever does good deeds, Allah rewards him"—whereas al-Akhfash and some Baghdad grammarians permitted this absolutely, among which is the saying of the Almighty: "And if you obey them, you are surely polytheists." Abu al-Baqa' said: The omission of the "fa" from the answer is elegant if the condition is in the past tense; one may infer from this an increased elegance in its omission here, assuming "ma" is a relative noun.

(And He pardons much)—meaning of sins, so He does not punish for them with a misfortune in this world, and it is said, nor in the Hereafter. It is permitted that "the much" refers to people, but the manifest interpretation is the first, which is attested to by the traditions. Al-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "No misfortune befalls a servant, whether small or great, except for a sin, and what Allah pardons is even more."

It was also read as "And whatever of misfortune befalls you [without 'min']." Ibn al-Mundhir and a group reported from al-Hasan, who said: When this verse "And whatever of misfortune..." was revealed, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, there is no scratching of a stick, nor a twitching of a vein, nor a stumbling over a stone, nor a slipping of a foot except because of a sin, and what Allah, the Almighty, pardons is even more." Ibn Sa'd reported from Ibn Mulaykah that Asma' bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with both, used to suffer from headaches, so she would place her hand on her head and say: "It is for my sins, and what Allah pardons is even more." A sore was seen on the palm of Shurayh, and it was said: "What is this from?" He replied: "From what my hands have earned." 'Imran ibn Husayn was asked about his illness, and he said: "It is the most beloved thing to Allah, the Almighty, and this is from what my hands have earned."

The verse is specific to those among the Muslims and others who have sins; for those who have no sins, such as the Prophets, peace be upon them, misfortunes may still befall them. In the hadith: "The most severely tested people are the Prophets, then those next to them in rank, and then those next." This is to raise their ranks or for other wisdoms hidden from us. As for children and the insane, it is said they are not included in the address, because it is for those who are accountable (mukallaf). And if we assume they are included, the specification of "those with sins" excludes them; for whatever misfortune befalls them, it is for hidden wisdoms. It is also said that the misfortunes of a child serve to raise his rank and the rank of his parents or those who suffer on his behalf through patient endurance.

Furthermore, misfortunes may be a punishment for a sin and a recompense, such that one is not punished for it on the Day of Resurrection. This is indicated by what Ahmad reported in his Musnad, as well as al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi and a group from 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "Shall I tell you of the best verse in the Book of Allah, which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, related to us? 'And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned, and He pardons much.' I shall explain it to you, O 'Ali: Whatever illness, punishment, or trial befalls you in this world, it is because of what your hands have earned, and Allah, the Almighty, is too noble to punish you twice in the Hereafter. And whatever Allah has pardoned in this world, Allah, the Almighty, is too noble to return to punish after His pardon."

Some claim that they cannot be a recompense, because the world is a place of accountability, so if recompense were to occur in it, it would be a place of both recompense and accountability, which is impossible; therefore, they are only trials. However, the report from 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, refutes this, as does the authentic tradition that legal penalties (hudud)—other than the penalty for highway robbery—are expiations. What is the impossibility in the world being a place of accountability wherein there occurs for some individuals that which serves as a recompense for their sin—that is, an expiation for it?

From al-Hasan, there is an interpretation of "misfortune" as "legal penalty" (hadd). He said: The meaning is, whatever legal penalty of the limits of Allah befalls you, it is only because of what your hands have earned and your committing of that which necessitates it; and Allah, the Almighty, pardons much, shielding it from the servant so that he is not penalized for it. This is rejected by the traditions, and furthermore, it is baseless and likely not correctly attributed to al-Hasan.

In al-Intisaf, it is stated that this verse confounds the Qadariyyah, and they cannot devise a trick to divert it from the purport of its explicit text. For they interpreted the saying of the Almighty: "And He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills" as referring to the repentant, which is not possible for them here; for the verse has established a partial nature (tab'id) in pardon, and it is impossible according to them for pardon here to be restricted to repentance, as that would also necessitate a partial nature for it, and repentance—according to them, as the Imam related from Abu Hashim, the head of the Mu'tazilah who carried the burden of this doctrine—is not partial. Thus, there is no place for them except the truth, which is beyond doubt: that the pardon is referred to the will of Allah and is not contingent upon repentance. They were answered by the claim that they could say: The meaning is "He pardons much," so He does not punish for it in this world, but rather delays its punishment to the Hereafter for those who did not repent. You know what the report of 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, indicates regarding this.