Tafsir of Al-Jathiyah 45:23

(Have you then considered him who takes his desire as his god?) This is an expression of wonder at the state of the one who abandons the following of guidance for the sake of obeying his desire, as if he were worshipping it. Thus, the speech is a form of eloquent metaphor (tashbih baligh) or figurative expression (isti'ara). The fa (in afara'ayta) acts as a connective to an implied phrase upon which the interrogative hamza has entered; that is: "Have you looked at the one whose state is this, and then seen him?" For this is something that evokes wonder.

Abu Hayyan considered ara'ayta to mean "inform me," and he said: "The first object of ittakhadha is present, while the second is omitted and estimated after the relative clause (silah); meaning: 'Will he be guided by proof, so who can guide him?'"

The verse was revealed, according to what is narrated from Muqatil, regarding Al-Harith bin Qays as-Sahmi, who would pursue whatever he desired without restraint. However, its ruling is general, and it contains all that it contains regarding the condemnation of following the desires of the soul (hawa al-nafs). It is narrated from Ibn Abbas: "Allah Almighty has never mentioned 'desire' (hawa) except to condemn it."

Wahb said: "If you are in doubt regarding the goodness of two matters, look at which of the two is furthest from your desire, then follow it." Sahl al-Tustari said: "Your desire is your ailment; if you oppose it, then it is your remedy." In the Hadith: "The incapable person is the one who lets his soul follow its desires and harbors [vain] wishes regarding Allah Almighty."

Abu Imran Musa bin Imran al-Ishbili, the ascetic, said: "Oppose the soul and disobey it; for he who obeys his soul's desire, it draws him into the most evil of traps. And he who obeys the insistent soul, it casts him down and throws him into a place of destruction, any place of destruction."

This was also condemned during the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), and among such sayings is that of Antarah: "I am a man of generous character and nobility; I do not follow the insistent soul in its desires." Perhaps the matter is in no need of multiplying citations.

Al-A'raj and Abu Ja'far read ilahata with a feminine ta instead of the possessive pronoun suffix. From Al-A'raj, it is also narrated that he read alihatan in the plural form. Ibn Khalawayh said: "One of them would consider a stone beautiful and worship it; then, when he saw one more beautiful, he would reject the first, leaning toward the other." Thus, the apparent meaning is that alihatan is used in its literal sense, without metaphorical interpretation or simile. Al-hawa (desire) is in the sense of the mahwi (the desired object), similar to the saying: "It is—with the Yemeni riders—ascending."

(And Allah has led him astray) meaning: He created him astray, or created straying within him, or abandoned him and turned him away from divine grace, according to what has been said. (upon knowledge) is a state (hal) from the subject; meaning: Allah Almighty led him astray while He—Exalted is He—knew that he was worthy of that due to the corruption of the essence of his soul. It is also permissible for it to be a state from the object; meaning: He led him astray while He [Allah] had knowledge of the path of guidance, and this is similar to the verse: And they did not differ until knowledge had come to them.

(And has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart) to the extent that he is not influenced by admonitions and does not contemplate the signs. (And has placed over his vision a veil) that prevents insight and taking heed. The speech is a representation (tamthil).

Abdullah and Al-A'mash read ghashawatun with a fatha on the ghayn, which is the dialect of Rabi'ah. Al-Hasan, Ikrimah, and also Abdullah read it with a damma on the ghayn, which is the dialect of 'Akilah. Abu Hanifah, Hamzah, Al-Kisa'i, Talhah, Mas'ud bin Salih, and also Al-A'mash read ghashwatun with a fatha on the ghayn and a sukun on the shin. Ibn Musayyib and also Al-A'mash read it likewise, except that they both kasra the ghayn.

(So who will guide him after Allah) meaning: after Allah Almighty has led him astray? It is also said: the meaning is "Who will guide him other than Allah, the Exalted?" (Will you not then remember?) meaning: "Do you not observe, so that you may remember?" Al-Jahdari read tadhakkaru with light articulation (takhfif), and Al-A'mash read tatadhakkarun with two tas, according to the original root.