Al-Baqarah: (166-167) When those who were followed disavow...

Know that when the Almighty revealed the state of those who take partners besides Allah by His saying: {And if only those who wronged could see, when they see the punishment} (Al-Baqarah: 165), as a form of threat, He intensified this warning with His saying: {When those who were followed disavow those who followed them}.

He clarified that those who spent their lives worshipping others and believed them to be the strongest means of their salvation, will disavow them when they are in need of them. This is analogous to His saying: {Some of you will disbelieve in others, and some of you will curse others} (Al-Ankabut: 25). He also said: {Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to one another, except for the righteous} (Az-Zukhruf: 67). And: {Every time a nation enters [Hell], it will curse its sister [nation]} (Al-A'raf: 38). He recounted that Iblis will say: {Indeed, I reject association with you that you used to practice before} (Ibrahim: 22).

Herein are several issues:

There are two opinions:

1. It is an apposition (badal) to {when they see the punishment} (Al-Baqarah: 165).
2. The grammatical operative for idh (when) carries a strong meaning, as if He meant: The punishment is severe idh tabarra’u (when they disavow), meaning, at the time of disavowal.

The meaning is that the followed ones will disavow the followers on that Day. The Almighty explained the reason for their disavowal: their inability to save them from the punishment they witnessed. This is because His saying: {and the means of connection were severed for them} is included in its meaning—they found no means to save themselves or their followers. One who despairs of every means of salvation from the affliction that has befallen him and his allies is described as having the means of connection severed.

They differed regarding who these "followed ones" refer to:

1. They are the leaders and chiefs among the human polytheists, according to Qatadah, Ar-Rabi', and 'Ata'.
2. They are the devils of the Jinn who became followed by the disbelievers through whispering, according to As-Suddi.
3. They are the devils of the Jinn and humankind.
4. They are the idols which they used to call gods.

The first opinion is the most probable because those who are "followed" must be capable of commanding and forbidding so that they can be followed, which is not fitting for idols. They must also be interpreted as human leaders because it is fitting to describe them, due to their greatness, as being loved like Allah is loved, which is not fitting for devils. This is supported by His saying: {Our masters and our chiefs led us astray from the way} (Al-Ahzab: 67).

Mujahid recited the first part (the followers) in the active voice (meaning the followers disavow the leaders), and the second part (the followed) in the passive voice (meaning the followers are disavowed by the leaders).

They mentioned several interpretations for the meaning of tabarru' (disavowal):

1. It occurs through speech.
2. It is the descent of punishment upon them, and their inability to repel it from themselves, let alone from others, so they disavow.
3. It is the manifestation of remorse for their disbelief in Allah and their turning away from His Prophets and Messengers; this remorse is termed tabarru'.

The first opinion is the closest, as it is the literal meaning of the word.

As for His saying: {and they see the punishment}, the waw (and) is circumstantial (li-l-haal), meaning they disavow while they are seeing the punishment. This is preferable to other opinions because the terror and fear increase in that state.

As for His saying: {and the means of connection were severed for them}, there are several issues:

It is coordinated with tabarra’a (disavowed). Seven opinions were mentioned regarding the interpretation of al-asbab (the means):

1. They are the connections (relationships) they maintained with each other, according to Mujahid, Qatadah, and Ar-Rabi'.
2. They are the kinship ties through which they showed affection, according to Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Jurayj.
3. They are the deeds they adhered to, according to Ibn Zayd and As-Suddi.
4. They are the covenants and oaths by which they maintained affection, according to Ibn 'Abbas.
5. What they used to connect with through disbelief, which caused their separation from Allah, according to Al-Asamm.
6. The stations/positions they held in the world, according to Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi' ibn Anas.
7. The means of salvation were cut off from them.

The most apparent interpretation is that all of these are included, as this is a comprehensive negation (nafy). It is as if He said: Every means upon which they could rely is removed from them, and they will not benefit from any means—whether position, cause, lineage, covenant, or oath. This represents the ultimate despair, thus providing great emphasis in deterrence.

The ba' here means 'an (from/about), as in His saying: {then ask about Him an expert} (Al-Furqan: 59), meaning, ask about him. Alqamah ibn 'Abdah said:

If you ask me about women, indeed I am Insightful of women's ailments, a physician. Meaning: about women.

Linguistically, sabab originates from the rope. They say a rope is not called a sabab until one ascends or descends by it. Hence His saying: {then let him extend a rope to the sky} (Al-Hajj: 15). Then, everything by which you reach a destination or a desired need is called a sabab. They say: "There is no sabab between me and you," meaning kinship or affection. The road is also called a sabab because by traversing it, you reach the desired place. He said: {So he followed a way} (Al-Kahf: 85), meaning a path. The asbab as-samawat (ways to the heavens) are their gates because reaching the heavens is by entering them. Allah says, describing Pharaoh: {The ways to the heavens, so that I may look at the God of Moses} (Ghafir: 36-37). Zuhayr said:

Whoever fears the means of death will be reached by it, Even if he sought the means to the heavens with a ladder.

Affection between people is also called a sabab because they connect through it.

As for His saying: {And those who followed will say, "If only we had a return, so we could disavow them just as they have disavowed us from us"}—this is a wish on their part for a return to the world and to the state of accountability, so that choice would be theirs, allowing them to disavow them in the world just as they disavowed them on the Day of Resurrection.

The implication of the statement is that they wished for them in the world something akin to punishment, so they would disavow them without being saved or helped, just as they were treated on the Day of Resurrection. The structure is: If only we had a return so we could disavow them when such a calamity befalls them, just as they disavowed us in this state, because if they wished to disavow them while safe, there would be no benefit in it.

As for His saying: {Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regrets upon them}—there are several issues:

There are two aspects:

1. Just as some disavow others, Allah shows them their deeds as regrets, due to the cutting off of hope from everyone.
2. Just as He showed them the punishment, Allah shows them their deeds as regrets, because they have become certain of destruction.

1. Acts of obedience, which they regret having wasted, according to As-Suddi.
2. Sins and their evil deeds, which they regret having done, according to Ar-Rabi' and Ibn Zayd.
3. The reward for their acts of obedience which they nullified through disbelief, according to Al-Asamm.
4. Their deeds by which they sought closeness to their leaders through glorifying them and submitting to their commands.

The apparent meaning is the deeds in which they followed the leaders—their disbelief and sins. These become regrets when they see them in their record and become certain of the recompense for them, realizing they could have abandoned them and turned to obedience. In this view, the attribution (idafa) is literal because they performed them. In the second view, it is metaphorical, meaning what was incumbent upon them but they failed to fulfill.

Hasarat is the third object of the verb yurihim (show them).

Al-Zajjaj said: Regret is intense remorse until the remorseful one becomes like a worn-out beast (hasir), which is useless. They say: Hasara fulan yahsuru hasratan wa hasran when his remorse for a missed matter intensifies. The origin of hasr is uncovering/stripping. They say: Hasara 'an dhira'ayhi (He uncovered his forearms). Regret (al-hasra) is the uncovering of the state of remorse. Al-husur (exhaustion) is fatigue because it is the uncovering of the state that necessitates a long journey. He said: {And those who are near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they become weary} (Al-Anbiya': 19). Al-mihsera (the dustpan/broom) is called so because it sweeps/uncovers the ground. Birds become tanhassir (shed feathers) because they become uncovered by the loss of feathers.

As for His saying: {And they will not come forth from the Fire}—the scholars used this as evidence that sinners among the people of the Qiblah will exit the Fire. They argue that His saying {And they will not} is a specification of non-exit limited to them, so non-exit must be specific to them. This verse clarifies the meaning of His saying: {Indeed, the wicked will be in a blazing Fire. They will enter it on the Day of Recompense. And they will not be absent from it} (Al-Infitar: 14-16). Thus, it is established that the intended meaning of the wicked here is the disbelievers, as indicated by this verse.

7 < { O mankind, eat from whatever is on the earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you an evident enemy. * He only commands you to do evil and immorality and that you say about Allah that which you do not know. } > 7

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