Tafsir of Al-Hadeed 57:22

"No disaster strikes" — meaning any calamity. Its origin is in [the context of] a shot, being from the verb asaba (to strike/hit) used when an arrow reaches its target accurately (sawab). Later, it was restricted to this meaning. Some have claimed it is a general term in language for both good and evil, but in common usage, it is specifically for evil. The min (in min musibatin) is an augmentative particle for emphasis. The verb asaba is used in contexts of evil, as it is here, and in contexts of good, as in His saying: "And if a bounty from Allah strikes (reaches) you." Some have mentioned that it is used for good, considering the concept of sawab (correctness/rain), and for evil, considering the concept of the arrow hitting its target; both return to the original meaning of generality. Making the verb masculine in such a case is permissible, just as making it feminine, and upon this is His saying: "No nation precedes its term." The speech is based on the generality of all evils; meaning no disaster strikes on earth—such as drought, blight in crops and fruits, earthquakes, or otherwise—"nor in yourselves," such as sickness and affliction like injury and broken bones, "but that it is in a Book," meaning, unless it is written and established in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz). It is also said: in the knowledge of Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He.

"Before We bring them into being" — meaning before We create them. The pronoun, according to what has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, al-Hasan, and a group [of scholars], refers to the "selves" (anfus). Others said it refers to the "earth." Abu Hayyan considered it more likely to refer to the "disaster" because it is the subject being discussed, and mentioning the earth and the selves is only for the sake of mentioning its locations. Al-Mahdawi mentioned the permissibility of it referring to everything mentioned. A group said it refers to all created beings, even if no explicit mention of them preceded. It is also said: what is meant by "disaster" here are occurrences, both good and evil, though this is contrary to the apparent usage of the word "disaster," except that what follows provides some support for it. Regardless, "on earth" is attached to a deleted element that is either in the nominative or genitive case, acting as an adjective for "disaster," whether based on its position or its literal case. It is also allowed that it be an adverb for "strikes" or for "disaster."

It is said: The disaster was restricted to being on earth and in the selves because absolute occurrences are not all written in the Tablet, as they are infinite, while the Tablet is finite; it cannot be a container for the infinite. Hence, it came [in the Hadith]: "The Pen has dried with what is to be until the Day of Resurrection." In the verse, there is another specification, which is that He—subhanahu—did not mention the conditions of the inhabitants of the heavens due to the lack of relevance of the purpose to that, along with the scarcity of disasters among them; in fact, hardly anything reaches them except the disaster of death. What he mentioned regarding the first point of specification does not hold if by "the Book" one intends His knowledge—subhanahu. It is also said that the portrayal of occurrences within it is similar to the way they are written in the Great Qur'an, based on what they say: that there is no thing except that it is possible to extract it from it, even the names of kings, their periods, and what occurs from them. If it were said in justification that the most consistent interpretation with the preceding explanation of the life of this world is merely the mention of worldly disasters, and therefore they were singled out for mention, it would be complete and absolute.

"That"—meaning the writing of it in a Book—"is for Allah," and no one else, "easy," due to His being—the Exalted—independent of the need for tools and time. If, by this, the realization of it in His knowledge—Mighty and Majestic is He—is intended, then it is easy because it is among the requirements of His Essence—Mighty and Majestic is He.

In the verse is a refutation of Hisham ibn al-Hakam, who claimed that He—subhanahu—does not know occurrences before they take place. In al-Iklil, it is stated that it contains a refutation of the Qadariyyah. This came in a marfu' (elevated) report; al-Daylami narrated from Sulaym ibn Jabir al-Juhaymi, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "A door of destiny will be opened upon my Ummah at the end of time; nothing will close it. It is sufficient for you against it that you meet it with this verse: 'No disaster strikes...' [to the end of the verse]."

Al-Imam Ahmad and al-Hakim, who authenticated it, narrated from Abu Hassan that two men entered upon Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say: 'Ill omens are only in the woman, the beast, and the house.'" She said: "By the One who revealed the Qur'an to Abu al-Qasim (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), he did not say it this way! Rather, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say: 'The people of Jahiliyyah used to say: Ill omens are only in the woman, the beast, and the house.' Then she recited: 'No disaster strikes...' [to the end of the verse]."