Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:206

"Indeed, those who are with your Lord" — they are the angels of the Highest Assembly. The meaning of "being with" (al-‘indiya) here is proximity to Allah the Exalted through closeness and pleasure, not through physical location, for Allah is transcendent beyond that. It is also said: the meaning is "at the Throne of your Lord." "They do not disdain His worship" — rather, they perform it exactly as they were commanded. "And they exalt Him" — that is, they declare Him free from anything that does not befit the presence of His Majesty in the most perfect manner. "And to Him they prostrate" — that is, they single Him out with the utmost worship and humility, not associating anyone else with Him, glorious is His majesty.

This contains an allusion to those among the morally responsible beings (mukallafin) other than the angels, as is indicated by placing "to Him" (lahu) before the verb. It is permissible to derive this from the speech in its entirety, as the scholar al-Tayyibi preferred, because it is an explanation for what preceded it, in the sense of: "Bring forth worship with sincerity as you were commanded; if you do not bring it forth in that manner, then We are free of need of you and your worship, for We have honorable servants whose state is such and such." In this view, the placing of "to Him" at the beginning is for the sake of the verse-ending (fasilah). Because of the allusion contained in this verse, the prostration was ordained upon its recitation to humble those who refused, from among those alluded to.

It is said that the command for prostration in a verse where prostration is mentioned came about either as an implementation of the command, or because the disbelief of the disbelievers was recounted therein (prostrating in opposition to their rejection), or because the prostration of the likes of the Prophets, peace be upon them, was recounted (as an act of emulation). This [instance] belongs to the second category, considering the allusion, or the last category, considering the explicit statement.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say in his prostration for this [verse], as Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Ibn Umar: "O Allah, to You has my outer self prostrated, and in You has my heart believed. O Allah, grant me knowledge that benefits me and deeds that elevate me." Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Tirmidhi (who authenticated it) narrated from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say during the prostration of the Quran at night repeatedly: "My face has prostrated to the One who created it and fashioned its hearing and sight by His might and power. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators." It is also narrated from her that there is no Muslim who performs a prostration to Allah, the Exalted, except that Allah raises him a degree by it, or removes a sin from him, or does both for him. Muslim, Ibn Majah, and al-Bayhaqi narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "When the son of Adam reads the [verse of] prostration and prostrates, Satan withdraws weeping, saying: 'Woe to him! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he did so, so for him is Paradise; I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so for me is the Fire.'"

The verse is used as evidence that keeping the remembrance (dhikr) hidden is superior. This is in agreement with what Ahmad narrated from his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "The best of remembrance is the hidden one." This stands as a condemnation of the ignorant ones of our time among the Sufis, for what they do that is disapproved of by the Sharia, reason, and custom. Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.

From the perspective of symbolic interpretation (al-ishara):

"It is He who created you from one soul" — which is the Spirit (Ruh). "And created from it its mate" — which is the Heart (Qalb). "That he might dwell in her" — that is, to incline toward it and find tranquility. Thus, the Spirit would smell the breezes of the breaths of grace from the Heart. "And when he covered her" — that is, he had intercourse with her. This is an allusion to the spiritual marriage. The Sufis say: It is pervasive in all existents; "You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency." "She carried a light burden" — at the beginning, by the appearance of the slightest trace of the human attributes in the spiritual Heart. "And when she became heavy" — that is, the traces of the attributes grew and multiplied. "They both called upon Allah, their Lord" — because they feared the transformation of the luminous spiritual attributes into the dark egoistic attributes. "If You should give us a righteous [child]" — fit for worship, "we will surely be among the grateful." "But when He gave them a righteous [child]..." — according to the nature of the faculties, "...they attributed partners to Him in what He had given them." That is, they made their children partners to Allah in what He gave their children. Among them is the servant of the belly, among them is the servant of fine clothing, and among them is the servant of the dirham and the dinar.

"Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah"—whoever it may be—"are servants like yourselves" in their inability and lack of effect. "So call upon them" for any matter whatsoever, "let them respond to you if you are truthful" in attributing effect to them. "Do they have feet to walk with?"—an interrogative by way of denial, meaning they have no feet to walk with; rather, it is Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, who makes them walk. The same is said for what follows.

"Say, 'Call upon your partners, then plot against me'"—if you are able. "Indeed, my protector is Allah, who sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous"—that is, the one who establishes it while in a state of uprightness. "And you see them looking at you, while they do not see"—the Truth, nor your reality, because they are blind in their hearts in reality, and the pronoun refers to the disbelievers.

"Take what is easy"—that is, what is simple and attainable for them, and do not burden them with what is difficult for them. "And enjoin the good"—that is, the beautiful way. "And turn away from the ignorant"—so do not retaliate against them with their ignorance. From Ja'far al-Sadiq, may Allah be pleased with him: There is no verse in the Quran more comprehensive of noble character than this verse. It is said this is because of the strength of its indication of Monotheism (Tawhid). For he who witnesses the Possessor of the forelocks, and His disposal of His servants, and that they are in whatever they do or leave, by Him, the Glorified and Exalted, and not by themselves—he does not contend with them nor act harshly regarding their duties, nor does he become angry in matters of command and prohibition, nor does he act with severity, but is forbearing toward them.

"And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah"—through witnessing and presence. For at that moment you see that there is no action for any other than Him, the Exalted. This is an allusion to what occasionally befalls a person of anger, and a gesture toward its cure through seeking refuge. Some have said: Anger only flares up in a person if he deems an action by the person he is angry with to be ugly, then believes himself to be powerful and the person he is angry with to be incapable. When a light from the world of intellect is unveiled to him, he knows that the person he is angry with only proceeded to that action because Allah, the Exalted, created the impulse for it in him, and the eternal word has already passed concerning him, so he has no way to avoid it. At that moment, his anger changes. It has been said: "He who knows the secret of Allah in destiny, misfortunes become easy for him." Thus, seeking refuge in Allah, the Exalted, in meaning, is a request to resort to Him through the unveiling of that light.

"Indeed, those who fear [Allah]"—from associating partners—"when an impulse from Satan touches them"—a touch from him by attributing an action to other than Him, the Exalted—"they remember" the station of Monotheism and witnessing the actions [coming] from Allah, the Exalted. "And at once they have insight"—into the effectiveness of Allah; there is no Satan nor any other actor besides Him, the Exalted, in their sight. "But their brothers"—that is, the brothers of the devils from among those who are veiled—"they increase them in error"—the devils do—in wandering, which is attributing action to others. "And they do not fall short" in stubbornness, contention, and argument. And "they say, 'Why have you not contrived it?'" That is, gathered it on your own accord. "Say, 'I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord,'" for I am established by Him, not by myself.

"So when the Quran is recited, listen to it"—that is, the Quran, with your outer ears—"and pay attention"—with your inner senses. It is permitted that the pronoun in "to it" refers to the Lord, the Exalted; meaning, when the Quran is recited, listen to the Lord, the Glorified and Exalted, for He is the Speaker and the One addressing you through it. "That you may receive mercy"—through the true listening, or through the mercy of the Speaker revealing Himself in His speech through His attributes and actions.

"And remember your Lord within yourself"—by adorning yourself with what is possible to be adorned with of the attributes of Allah, the Exalted. It is said: This is along the lines of "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern," "in humility and fear"—according to the variation of the station—"and without speaking aloud"—that is, without it appearing from you, but rather you are remembering Him in it, "in the morning"—that is, at the time of the emergence of the light of the Spirit—"and the evening"—that is, at the time of the dominance of the attributes of the ego. "And do not be" at any time "among the heedless" of witnessing the Unity of the Essence.

Some of the elders have said: His saying, the Exalted—"And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and fear"—is an allusion to the highest ranks, which is the portion of the attained ones who witness. His saying, the Exalted—"and without speaking aloud"—is an allusion to the middle rank, which is the share of those traveling to the station of witnessing. And His saying, the Glorified and Exalted—"And do not be among the heedless"—is a gesture toward the rank of those descending among the travelers.

In mentioning "fear" there is an indication of sensing the awe of Majesty, as he said: "I yearn for Him, and when He appears, I lower my head out of His majesty—not out of fear, but out of awe and a guarding of His beauty." They mentioned that the state of the beginner and the traveler is tied to the opinion of the Sheikh, for he is the physician for the diseases of the heart and is more knowledgeable of the cure. He may see that raising the voice in remembrance is a cure for him, where the cessation of wandering thoughts and internal dialogue depends upon it.

In Awarif al-Ma'arif by al-Suhrawardi, may his secret be sanctified: "The servant does not cease repeating this word on his tongue, with the agreement of the heart, until it becomes rooted in him, removing the internal dialogue, and its meaning replaces it in the heart. When the word takes hold and becomes easy for the tongue, the heart absorbs it, and the remembrance then becomes the remembrance of the Essence. This remembrance is the witnessing, the unveiling, and the vision, and that is the ultimate purpose of seclusion." This may also be attained through the recitation of the Quran if one recites frequently and strives for the agreement of the heart with the tongue until the recitation flows upon the tongue and takes the place of internal dialogue. Thus, ease enters upon the servant in recitation and prayer. (End quote)

It is also reported from him, the summary of which is: The structure of the servant resembles a comprehensive city, and his limbs and faculties are like the inhabitants of the city. The servant, in his turning to remembrance, is like a muezzin who has climbed a minaret at the gate of the city, intending to make the people of the city hear the Adhan. So the realized rememberer intends to awaken his heart and inform his parts and components through the remembrance of his tongue. He speaks with a part of him and listens with his whole being until the word transfers from the tongue to the heart; then it becomes illuminated by it and attains the benefit of the states. Then the light of the heart reflects upon the outer form, and it is adorned with the beauties of deeds. (End quote)

"Indeed, those who are with your Lord"—they are those who have perished [in themselves] and remained [in Him], the Exalted—the masters of uprightness—"do not disdain His worship"—because of their lack of assertion of ego—"and they exalt Him"—by negating it—"and to Him they prostrate"—through total annihilation and the erasure of all that remains. And Allah, the Exalted, is the One who remains; there is nothing in existence besides Him.