Tafsir of Hud 11:112-113

Surah Hud (11:112–113)

{فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ} (So be steadfast as you have been commanded.)

Issue 1: The Comprehensive Nature of the Command to be Steadfast

After extensively detailing promises and warnings, God commanded His Messenger: {So be steadfast as you have been commanded}.

This statement is comprehensive, encompassing everything related to beliefs (aqā’id) and actions (a‘māl), whether specific to the Prophet (PBUH) or related to conveying revelation and clarifying religious laws.

True steadfastness is extremely difficult. To illustrate this difficulty:

Imagine a straight line separating shadow from light. This line is a single, indivisible entity in width. However, this very line is imperceptible to the senses, as it blends into its surroundings. If the edge of the shadow nears the edge of the light, the senses confuse one with the other, failing to perceive that precise line distinctly from everything else.

Apply this analogy to all aspects of servitude (‘ubūdiyyah):

1. Knowledge of God: Achieving the knowledge of God in a way that preserves the servant from equating Him with creation (in affirmation) and from denying Him (in negation) is extremely difficult. Consider this in all stages of gnosis (ma‘rifah).
2. Controlling Passions: Both the aggressive faculty (al-quwwah al-ghaḍabiyyah) and the appetitive faculty (al-quwwah al-shahwāniyyah) have extremes of excess and deficiency, both of which are blameworthy. The middle path—the mean that avoids leaning toward either extreme—is the correct path. Standing upon this mean is difficult, and acting upon it is even harder.

Thus, knowing the Straight Path is extremely difficult, and remaining upon it and acting accordingly is even more so.

Because this station is so arduous, Ibn Abbas said: "No verse in the entire Qur'an was revealed to the Messenger of God (PBUH) that was more severe or harder upon him than this verse."

This is why the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Surah Hud and its sisters have made me old." Some narrations mention that the Prophet (PBUH) confirmed this, stating that the verse that aged him was {So be steadfast as you have been commanded}.

Issue 2: The Command for Steadfastness as a Foundation in Sharia

This verse is a great foundation in Islamic Law (Sharī‘ah).

1. When the Qur'an commands actions like wuḍū’ (ablution) in a specific sequence in the text, that sequence must be observed due to the command: {So be steadfast as you have been commanded}.
2. Similarly, when the command for zakāh specifies paying camels from camels and cattle from cattle, this specificity must be honored. The same applies to everything God has commanded.

In my view, it is not permissible to restrict the explicit text (naṣṣ) by analogy (qiyās). When the generality of the text indicates a ruling, that ruling must be followed because of {So be steadfast as you have been commanded}. Acting upon analogy is a deviation from this command.

{وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ} (And [so must] those who repent with you.)

Issue 1: Grammatical Analysis of "And those who repent"

Al-Wahidi mentioned several possibilities for the grammatical status of man (who/those who) in the nominative case:

1. It is coordinated with the implied pronoun in {فَاسْتَقِمْ} (Be steadfast), meaning "You be steadfast, and those who repent with you [be steadfast]." The connection via the prepositional phrase suffices without needing an explicit attached pronoun for confirmation.
2. It is coordinated with the pronoun in {أُمِرْتَ} (you were commanded).
3. It is the beginning of a new clause, implying: "And those who repent with you, let them be steadfast."

Issue 2: The Obligation of Repentance and Steadfastness

An unbeliever (kāfir) and a sinner (fāsiq) must first return from their disbelief or sin. In that state, engaging in steadfastness is not valid for them. However, the one who repents from disbelief or sin is then validly engaged in striving for steadfastness upon the paths of God's religion and remaining on the path of servitude to God.

{وَلَا تَطْغَوْا} (And do not transgress.)

The meaning of transgression (ṭughyān) is exceeding the limit.

• Ibn Abbas interpreted this as: "Be humble before God and do not be arrogant toward anyone."
• It is also said: "Do not transgress in the Qur'an by making lawful what is unlawful, or unlawful what is lawful."
• Another view: "Do not exceed what you have been commanded, which is your limit."
• Another view: "Do not deviate from the path of thanking Him and humbling yourselves before Him when great blessings come upon you."

The most comprehensive view is that all these meanings are included.

{وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا} (And do not incline toward those who have wronged.)

Rukūn (inclining/leaning) means settling toward something or inclining toward it with affection. Its opposite is aversion.

The majority of reciters read the verb with a fatḥah on the tā’ and kāf (رَكَنْتُمْ - rakantum), which is the past tense of rakana (like ‘alima). Another linguistic variant is rakuna (رَكُنَ), which Al-Azhari said is not eloquent.

Scholars state that the forbidden rukūn is being pleased with the injustice committed by the wrongdoers, beautifying that path for them and for others, and participating with them in any aspect of their wrongdoing. However, interacting with them to repel harm or gain immediate benefit is not included in this forbidden leaning.

{فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ} (lest you be touched by the Fire.)

This means if you incline toward them, this is the consequence of that leaning.

{وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ} (And you will have no protector besides Allah.)

Meaning, you will have no guardian who can save you from God's punishment.

{ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ} (Then you will not be helped.)

Meaning, you will find no one to support you against that impending event.

God has decreed that whoever leans toward the wrongdoers will inevitably be touched by the Fire. If this is the case for one who merely leans, consider the state of the wrongdoer himself!

{وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ * وَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ}

*(And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and [during] the early parts of the night. Indeed, good deeds drive away bad deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember. And be patient, indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.)