Surah An-Nahl: Verses 30–32

Contextual Introduction

After Allah (Exalted is He) described the state of those who, when asked, "What has your Lord revealed?" replied, "Myths of the ancients," and mentioned that they bear their own burdens along with the burdens of their followers, and that the angels take their souls while they are wronging themselves, and that in the Hereafter they will be presented with humiliation, and that Allah will tell them, "Enter the gates of Hell," He follows this by mentioning the description of the believers.

When these believers are asked, "What has your Lord revealed?" they reply, "Goodness" (خيرا). Allah then mentions the rewards prepared for them in this world and the Hereafter—the stations of good and the degrees of felicity—so that the promise to these people is mentioned alongside the warning to those others.

There are several issues concerning these verses:

Al-Qadi (Al-Baqillani) said that Taqwa (God-fearing/piety) encompasses abstaining from all prohibitions and performing all obligations. Whoever combines these two is a believer with complete faith.

Our Companions (Ashabuna) said it refers to those who feared Shirk (polytheism) and were certain that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

My View: This latter view is preferable to Al-Qadi's. We have previously established that for the statement "So-and-so is a killer or a striker" to be true, it is sufficient for him to have committed one act of killing or striking; the truth of the statement does not depend on him committing all types of killing or striking.

Following this principle, the phrase "And it will be said to those who were God-fearing" (وقيل للذين اتقوا) should encompass everyone who performs one type of piety. However, we are agreed that piety must include abstaining from disbelief and polytheism. Therefore, the meaning should not extend beyond this restriction, because restricting the unrestricted is contrary to the general rule, and restricting the already restricted is even more contrary. Furthermore, since Allah mentions these people in contrast to those who disbelieved and associated partners with Him, the intended meaning of Taqwa must be abstention from that disbelief and polytheism. And Allah knows best.

Someone might ask: In the first passage, they said, "Myths of the ancients" (أساطير الأولين), but in this verse, they say, "Goodness" (خيرا). Why is the first response in the nominative case (as a predicate to an implied subject, i.e., it is myths) while the second is in the accusative case (as a direct object/complement)?

The author of Al-Kashshaf answered that the purpose is to distinguish between the response of the denier and the response of the confessor. When these people (the deniers) were asked, they did not hesitate but diverted their answer from the question, saying it was "Myths of the ancients," which has nothing to do with revelation. However, when the believers were asked, they responded directly to the question about the revelation, saying, "Goodness was revealed" (أنزل خيرا), hence the accusative form (خيرا).

The commentators suggest this occurred during the season (Hajj). A man would come to Mecca and ask the polytheists about Muhammad and his message, and they would reply that he is a sorcerer, a soothsayer, or a liar. Then, he would come to the believers and ask them about Muhammad and what Allah revealed, and they would reply, "Goodness" (خيرا), meaning, "Goodness was revealed."

Alternatively, the intended meaning might be that what they said was described as good. Their statement, "Goodness," encompasses both the truth and correctness of the message, and their acknowledgment of its validity and necessity. This stands in direct opposition to the statement of those who deny the Hereafter, who called it "Myths of the ancients" as a form of outright denial.

The phrase "For those who did good" (للذين أحسنوا) and what follows is either a substitute for (خيرا)—meaning they said this statement—or it is a report from Allah: When the pious were asked, they said "Goodness," and then Allah confirmed their statement by saying, "For those who did good in this world is a good thing" (للذين أحسنوا فى هاذه الدنيا حسنة).

There are two views regarding "those who did good" (للذين أحسنوا):

1. Those who believe that those who profess Lā ilāha illā Allāh will eventually exit the Fire base their view on this, interpreting it as those who held the true belief along with the declaration of faith.
2. The Mu'tazila, who believe that sinful Muslims will not exit the Fire, interpret "did good" as one who performed faith and all obligations while abstaining from all prohibitions.

Regarding "in this world" (فى هاذه الدنيا), there are two views:

View 1: It is related to "did good" (أحسنوا). Meaning: For those who performed good deeds in this world, there is a good thing (حسنة) for them in the Hereafter. This good thing is the immense reward, or perhaps that their reward is multiplied tenfold, seven hundredfold, or infinitely more.

View 2: It is related to "a good thing" (حسنة). Meaning: For those who did good, they attain a good thing in this world. This view is preferable because it is followed by, "And the Home of the Hereafter is better" (ولدار الاخرة خير).

Under this second interpretation, there are several ways to explain the good thing attained in this world:

1. It refers to the praise, honor, commendation, and high status they deserve, all as a recompense for their actions.
2. It refers to their triumph over the enemies of the faith, both through argument and physical victory, acquiring their wealth, and conquering their lands, as happened at Badr and the conquest of Mecca. (This contrasts with the enemies who were expelled from their homes and separated from family and children, which was a great hardship for them).
3. It refers to the fact that when they performed acts of obedience, Allah opened the doors of spiritual unveiling (المكاشفات), witnessing (المشاهدات), and divine graces (الألطاف) for them, similar to His saying: {And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance} (47:17).

Regarding "And the Home of the Hereafter is better" (ولدار الاخرة خير), we have already established the certainty of this good through conclusive rational proofs in Surah Al-An'am regarding the verse {And the Home of the Hereafter is better for those who are God-fearing} (6:32).

Then Allah says, "And how excellent is the Home of the God-fearing!" (ولنعم دار المتقين). This means the Home of the Hereafter is the excellent home for the God-fearing. The word Home (دار) is omitted because it was previously mentioned. This is if we do not connect this verse to the next. If we connect it, then the meaning is: "And how excellent is the Home of the God-fearing: the Gardens of Eden." In this case, "Gardens" (جنات) is raised (nominative) as the Ism al-Tamyeed (the noun specifying the excellence), similar to saying: "How excellent a home is the home where Zayd resides."

There are several issues concerning this phrase:

Issue 1: Grammatical Status

If it is connected to the preceding phrase, we have already mentioned the reason for its nominative case. If it is disconnected (a new sentence):

• Al-Zajjaj said: Jannat (Gardens) is raised by implying "They are" (هي), as if after saying, "How excellent is the Home of the God-fearing," one asks, "What home is this praised one?" and the answer is, "They are the Gardens of Eden."
• Alternatively, Jannat can be the subject (nominative) with the predicate being the implied verb/noun phrase (نعم دار المتقين).
• Or, N'am Dar al-Muttaqin is the predicate, and the subject is Jannat 'Adn. The structure would be: "The Gardens of Eden are the excellent home of the God-fearing."

Issue 2: Meaning and Scope

1. "Gardens" (جنات) indicates groves and orchards.
2. "Eden" (عدن) indicates permanence/abiding.
3. "Rivers flow beneath them" (تجرى من تحتها الانهار) indicates that there will be structures upon which they reside, with rivers flowing beneath them.

Then Allah says, "For them therein is whatever they desire" (لهم فيها ما يشآءون). This involves two points:

1. This phrase indicates the attainment of all types of good and felicity. This is more comprehensive than the verse {For them therein is whatever the souls desire and what the eyes find pleasing} (43:71), because those two categories are included within "whatever they desire" (ما يشآءون), along with other categories.
2. The phrase "For them therein is whatever they desire" implies exclusivity to the Hereafter. This exclusivity indicates that a person cannot find everything they wish for in this world.

Then Allah says, "Thus does Allah reward the God-fearing" (كذلك يجزى الله المتقين). Meaning, this is the recompense for piety.

Allah then returns to describing the God-fearing: "Those whom the angels take in purity" (الذين تتوفاهم الملائكة طيبين). This is mentioned in contrast to the verse: "Those whom the angels take while they are wronging themselves" (16:28).

The word "purely/in purity" (طيبين) is a concise term encompassing many meanings:

1. It includes their performance of everything commanded and their avoidance of everything forbidden.
2. It includes their possession of praiseworthy characteristics and their freedom from blameworthy ones.
3. It includes their freedom from bodily attachments, being oriented toward the Divine Presence, holiness, and purity.
4. It includes that the taking of their souls was pleasant to them, and that it was not taken except after being given the glad tidings of Paradise, such that they became as if they were already witnessing it. One in this state does not feel pain at death.

Most commentators agree that this taking (توفي) refers to the taking of the soul (death in this world). However, Al-Hasan said it refers to the death of resurrection (وفاة الحشر). He used this verse as proof: Allah says, "Enter Paradise" (ادخلوا الجنة). Al-Hasan argued that one is not told "Enter Paradise" upon the taking of the soul in this world.

Those who hold the first view (the majority) argue that when the angels give them the glad tidings of Paradise, Paradise becomes as if it were their dwelling, and they are as if they are already in it. Thus, the command "Enter Paradise" means, "It is reserved for you, as if you are already there."

(Note: The original text ends abruptly here, transitioning to the next section.)