Al-Hijr: (49-50) "Inform My servants that I..."

In this verse, there are two issues:

The First Issue: The hamza (glottal stop) in the imperative form nabbī’ (نُبِّئْ - inform) is written with a sukun (vowel sign) in its script form, whereas it is omitted in the word dif’ (دِفْء - warmth). This is because the letter preceding the hamza in dif’ is a sakin (consonant with a sukun), causing the hamza to often be dropped and its vowel transferred to the preceding consonant. In the word nabbī’, there is no sakin preceding the hamza, so it is maintained according to the original rule.

The Second Issue: Know that the servants of Allah are of two types: some are pious, and some are not. After mentioning the states of the pious in the preceding verse, Allah mentions the states of those who are not pious in this verse, saying: "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful."

It is established in the principles of jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) that establishing a ruling based on a suitable description implies that this description is the effective cause ('illah) for that ruling. Here, Allah describes them as His servants, and immediately after mentioning this description, He affirms the ruling that He is "The Forgiving, The Merciful." This indicates that for everyone who acknowledges servitude ('ubudiyyah), the attribute of Allah being Forgiving and Merciful manifests for them. Conversely, whoever denies this deserves painful punishment.

There are subtleties (lata'if) in the verse:

1. The Honor of Attribution: He attributes the servants to Himself by saying: "My servants" ('ibādī). This is a great honor. Do you not see that when He wished to honor the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on the Night of the Ascension, He only said: "Exalted is He Who took His Servant by night" (Surah Al-Isra, 1)?

2. Emphasis on Mercy: When mentioning forgiveness and mercy, He used three layers of strong emphasis:
   • First: The word "Indeed" (innī).
   • Second: The word "I" (anā).
   • Third: The addition of the definite article al- (the) to "The Forgiving, The Merciful" (al-Ghafūr, ar-Rahīm). However, when mentioning punishment, He did not say, "Indeed, I am the Punisher," nor did He describe Himself that way, but rather said: "And that My punishment is indeed the painful punishment."

3. Witnessing the Messenger: He commanded His Messenger to convey this meaning to them, as if He made His Messenger a witness to Himself regarding the commitment to forgiveness and mercy.

4. Inclusivity of Mercy: When He said, "Inform My servants," the meaning includes everyone who acknowledges My servitude. This includes the obedient believer as well as the disobedient believer. All of this indicates the predominance of Allah's aspect of Mercy.

It is narrated from Qatadah that he said: "It reached us that the Prophet (PBUH) said: 'If the servant knew the extent of Allah's pardon, he would not refrain from anything forbidden, and if he knew the extent of His punishment, he would kill himself (out of despair/fear).'”

It is also narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) passed by a group of his Companions who were laughing, and he said: "Are you laughing while the Fire is before you?" Then the verse "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" was revealed. And Allah knows best.

7 < "And inform them of the guests of Abraham. * When they entered upon him and said, 'Peace,' he said, 'Indeed, we are of you fearful.' * They said, 'Fear not. Indeed, we give you tidings of a learned boy.' * He said, 'Do you give me tidings while old age has touched me? Then what is this good news you bring?' * They said, 'We give you tidings in truth. So be not of the despairing.' * He said, 'And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?'" > 7

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