Al-Baqarah: (201 - 202) And among them are those who say...

In this verse, there are several issues:

Issue 1: The Order of Worship and Supplication

Know that Allah, the Exalted, first detailed the rites of Hajj, then commanded remembrance, saying: {But when you depart from 'Arafat, remember Allah at al-Mash'ar al-Haram, and remember Him as He has guided you} (Al-Baqarah: 198). Then He clarified that it is best to leave the remembrance of others and confine oneself to His remembrance: {And remember Allah as you remember your fathers, or with greater remembrance}.

After this remembrance, He explained the manner of supplication: {And among the people are those who say, "Our Lord, give us in this world..."}

What an excellent arrangement this is! Worship must precede supplication to break the ego and remove its darkness. After worship, one must engage in the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, to illuminate the heart and reveal the light of His Majesty. Only then should a person engage in supplication, as supplication is perfected only when preceded by remembrance. This is exemplified by Abraham, peace be upon him, who preceded his supplication with remembrance: {He Who created me, and He guides me} (Ash-Shu'ara: 78), then said: {My Lord, grant me wisdom and join me with the righteous}. Thus, he prioritized remembrance over supplication.

Having understood this, we say: Allah, the Exalted, clarified that those who supplicate to God are of two types:

1. Those whose supplication is confined to seeking worldly things.
2. Those who combine seeking worldly things and seeking the Hereafter in their supplication.

There could have been a third category: those whose supplication is confined solely to seeking the Hereafter. Scholars differed on whether this third category is legislated or not. The majority hold that it is not legislated. This is because man was created needy and weak, incapable of enduring the pains of this world or the hardships of the Hereafter. Therefore, it is better for him to seek refuge in his Lord from all evils of this world and the Hereafter.

Al-Qaffal narrated in his Tafsir from Anas that the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited a man severely afflicted by illness. He asked him, "What did you use to supplicate to Allah with before this?" The man replied, "I used to say: O Allah, hasten upon me in this world whatever You would have punished me with in the Hereafter." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Glory be to Allah! You cannot bear that. Why did you not say: {Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire}?" The Prophet then supplicated for him, and he was cured.

Know that if the Exalted One afflicted pain upon a single vein in the body, or upon a single hair follicle, it would disrupt the person's affairs and prevent him from obeying Allah or engaging in His remembrance. Who, then, can dispense with the aid of Allah's mercy in both his present life and his hereafter? Thus, it is established that limiting supplication only to seeking the Hereafter is impermissible. The verse hints at this by mentioning the two categories and omitting the third.

Issue 2: Identifying Those Who Only Seek the World

Scholars differed regarding who those people are whom Allah described as confining their supplication to seeking the world.

A group said: They are the disbelievers. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that the polytheists, when standing [for Hajj/prayer], would say: "O Allah, grant us camels, cows, sheep, slaves, and maidservants," but they would not ask for repentance or forgiveness because they denied the Resurrection and the Hereafter. Anas narrated that they would say: "Give us rain, and grant us victory over our enemies." Allah informed them that whoever belongs to this group has "no share in the Hereafter" (i.e., no portion of honor, bliss, or reward).

It is narrated from Sheikh Abu Ali al-Daqqaq (may Allah have mercy on him) that the people of the Fire will cry out for help and then say: "Pour upon us water, or whatever Allah has provided you with in the world," seeking food and drink. When their desires overcame them, they were disgraced in this world and the Hereafter.

Others said: These people might be believers, but they ask Allah only for their worldly needs, not for their Hereafter. This type of request is considered among their sins because they asked Allah in the most solemn and noble moments for the fleeting adornments of this world, neglecting to ask for the eternal bliss of the Hereafter. It may be said of one who does this that he has "no share in the Hereafter," even if the doer is a Muslim, similar to the narration regarding the verse: {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their oaths for a small price - those [for them] will have no share in the Hereafter} (Al 'Imran: 77), which was revealed concerning those who took money through a false oath.

It is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that "Allah supports this religion with people who have no share [in the Hereafter]." The meaning of this is understood in several ways:

1. He has no share in the Hereafter unless he repents.
2. He has no share in the Hereafter unless Allah forgives him.
3. He has no share in the Hereafter like the share of one who asked for his Hereafter, just as one who takes money through a false oath has no share like one who abstains from that. And Allah knows best.

Issue 3: The Meaning of "Goodness" in This World and the Hereafter

Regarding the Almighty's saying: {Our Lord, give us in this world...}, the object of ‘ātina (give us) is omitted because it is understood.

Know that the ranks of happiness are three: spiritual, physical, and external.

• Spiritual happiness consists of two things: perfecting the theoretical faculty through knowledge, and perfecting the practical faculty through virtuous character traits.
• Physical happiness consists of two things: health and beauty.
• External happiness consists of two things: wealth and status.

The phrase {in this world, a good thing} encompasses all these categories. If knowledge is sought merely for adornment in this world or to elevate oneself above peers, it belongs to the world. If virtuous character traits are sought for worldly leadership and managing worldly affairs, they belong to the world. Anyone who does not believe in the Resurrection seeks no spiritual or physical virtue except for worldly gain.

Then the Exalted said concerning this group: {for them in the Hereafter is no share}, meaning they have no portion in the bliss, reward, or honor of the Hereafter. This verse is analogous to His saying: {Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase for him in his harvest. And whoever desires the harvest of this world - We give him thereof, but for him in the Hereafter there is no share} (Ash-Shura: 20).

Furthermore, in this verse, the Exalted did not mention whether the request for worldly things was answered or not. Some scholars said that such a person is not worthy of an answer, because being one whose supplication is answered is a description of praise, which is only established for one who is a friend of Allah, deserving of honor. However, even if his supplication is not answered, as long as he is alive and accountable, Allah provides his sustenance, as He says: {And there is no creature on the earth except that upon Allah is its provision} (Hud: 6). Others said that such a person might have his supplication answered, but that answer might be a form of deception and gradual leading astray (istidraj).

As for His saying: {And among them are those who say, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire"}, the commentators mentioned several interpretations:

1. The good in this world refers to health, security, sufficiency, a righteous spouse, a righteous offspring, and victory over enemies. Allah, the Exalted, referred to abundance and prosperity in provision as a "good thing" when He said: {If a good thing befalls you, it grieves them} (At-Tawbah: 50). It is also said regarding {Say, "Is there anything we should await for you except one of the two best things?"} (At-Tawbah: 52) that they are victory and martyrdom. As for the good in the Hereafter, it is achieving reward and being saved from punishment. In summary, {Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good} is a comprehensive phrase covering all demands of this world and the Hereafter. Hammad ibn Salamah narrated from Thabit that they asked Anas to supplicate for them, so he said: "O Allah, give us in this world good, and in the Hereafter good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." They asked him to add more, so he repeated it. When they insisted, he asked, "What else do you want? I have asked for the best of this world and the Hereafter for you." Anas spoke truthfully, for the servant has no abode other than this world and the Hereafter. If he asks for the good of both, nothing remains outside his request.

2. The good in this world means beneficial deeds, which are faith and obedience. The good in the Hereafter is eternal pleasure, glorification, delight in the remembrance of Allah, intimacy with Him, His love, and seeing Him. Al-Dahhak narrated from Ibn Abbas that a man supplicated, saying: {Our Lord, give us in this world good, and in the Hereafter good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire}. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I do not know that this man asked Allah for anything related to this world." Some Companions said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, he said: {Our Lord, give us in this world good}." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: "He means: grant us in this world righteous deeds." This is supported by His saying: {And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and descendants the coolness of our eyes"} (Al-Furqan: 74), and that coolness is seeing their spouses and children obedient, believing, and steadfast in servitude.

3. Qatadah said: The good in this world and the Hereafter is seeking well-being ('afiyah) in both realms. Al-Hasan said: The good in this world is understanding the Book of Allah, and in the Hereafter is Paradise.

Know that the origin of the discussion in the verse is that if He had said: "Give us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter," it would have encompassed all types of good. But He said: {in this world a good thing and in the Hereafter a good thing, and protect us...}. The indefinite noun (hasanah) in an affirmative context does not encompass everything; thus, the early commentators differed, each interpreting the word to mean the best type of good.

If it is asked: Would not saying, "Give us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter," encompass all categories? Why did He use the indefinite form?

The answer: What I believe in this context (and knowledge belongs to Allah) is what we previously explained: the supplicant should not say, "O Allah, give me such and such," but must say, "O Allah, if such and such contains benefit for me and aligns with Your decree, Your predestination, then grant it to me." If he had said, "O Allah, give me the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter," it would have been an absolute assertion, which we established is impermissible. However, by using the indefinite form, saying, "Give me a good thing in this world," it means one good thing—the good that aligns with His decree, satisfaction, judgment, and wisdom. This is closer to observing proper etiquette and maintaining the principles of certainty.

As for His saying: {Those will have a share of what they have earned}, there are issues concerning it:

Issue 1: Who are "Those"?

Regarding His saying: {Those}, there are two opinions:

1. It refers only to the second group—those who asked for both the world and the Hereafter. The evidence is that Allah mentioned the ruling for the first group when He said: {but for him in the Hereafter there is no share}.
2. It refers back to both groups: each of these has a share of their deeds according to their intention. If someone denies the Resurrection and seeks worldly reward, that is disbelief and polytheism for which Allah will recompense him. Or, it means that whoever works for the world will be given a corresponding share in his worldly life, as stated: {Whoever desires the harvest of this world - We give him thereof, but for him in the Hereafter there is no share} (Ash-Shura: 20).

Questions on His Saying: {They will have a share of what they have earned}

First Question: Does the phrase {They will have a share of what they have earned} imply belittlement or minimization? What is meant by it?

Answer: It means: they have a share in the world and the Hereafter because of their earning and deeds. The preposition min (of/from) in {of what they have earned} indicates the starting point (originating from) rather than partiality (a fraction of the whole).

Second Question: Does this verse indicate that recompense is based on deeds?

Answer: Yes, but according to the promise, not based on inherent desert.

Third Question: What is Kasb (earning/acquisition)?

Answer: Kasb is used for what a person obtains through his action, so it is what he earns and acquires, provided it brings benefit or averts harm. Based on this, profits are called "the kasb of so-and-so," and one is described as having much kasb or little kasb, referring only to the profit. As for what our colleagues say—that kasb is an intermediary between compulsion (jabr) and creation (khalq)—that is mentioned in older theological texts.

As for His saying: {And Allah is swift in account}, there are issues concerning it.

Issue 1: The Meaning of Sari' (Swift) and Hisab (Account)

*Swift (Sari')* is the active participle derived from speed. Ibn al-Sikkit said: sara'a yusri'u sar'an wa sur'atan, so he is sari'. Account (al-Hisab) is a verbal noun like al-muhasabah. The meaning of Hisab in language is counting. It is said: hasaba yahsibu hisaban, hasbatan, wa hasban if he counted. Al-Layth and Ibn al-Sikkit mentioned this. Al-Hisb is what is counted, hence hisb al-rajul (a man's hisb) is what is counted of his merits and boasts. Ihtisab means taking something into account. Al-Zajjaj said: Hisab in language is derived from saying hasbuka kadha (this is enough for you), so accounting in transactions is called hisab because it determines what is sufficient, with no excess or deficiency beyond the measure.

Issue 2: The Meaning of Allah Being Swift in Account

People differed on the meaning of Allah being the one who calls His creation to account in several ways:

1. The meaning of the account is that He informs them of what is due to them and against them. This means that Allah creates necessary knowledge in their hearts regarding the measure, quantity, and quality of their deeds, and the measure of reward and punishment due to them. They argue that the metaphor here is that the account is the cause for the person gaining knowledge of what is due to him, so attributing the name of the cause to the effect is a common metaphor. Ibn Abbas is reported to have said that there is no reckoning for creation; rather, they stand before Allah, and their books are given into their right hands, showing their sins, and they are told: "These are your sins; We have overlooked them." Then they are given their good deeds and told: "These are your good deeds; We have multiplied them for you."

2. The reckoning (muhasabah) is equivalent to recompense (mujāzāh). Allah says: {And how many a town that transgressed the command of its Lord and His messengers, so We took them to a severe reckoning} (At-Talaq: 8). The metaphor here is that the account is the cause for taking and giving, and attributing the name of the cause to the effect is permissible, so attributing the term hisab to recompense is fine.

3. Allah speaks to the servants regarding the state of their deeds and what results from them in terms of reward and punishment. Those who say His speech is without letters or sound say that Allah creates in the ear of the accountable a hearing by which he hears His eternal speech, just as He creates in his eye a sight by which he sees His eternal essence. Those who say it is a sound say that Allah creates a speech that every accountable person hears, either by creating that speech in the ear of each individual or in a body near his ear, such that the power of that sound does not prevent others from understanding what they are commanded with. This is what is meant by Allah being the one who calls His creation to account.

Issue 3: The Meaning of Allah Being Swift in Account

Scholars mentioned several interpretations for the meaning of Allah being Swift in Account:

1. His accounting reverts to one of four possibilities: creating necessary knowledge in the heart of every accountable person about the measure of his deeds and the measure of his reward/punishment; or conveying to every accountable person his due reward; or creating a hearing in every accountable person's ear to hear the eternal speech; or creating a sound in every accountable person's ear indicating the measure of reward and punishment. Based on these four possibilities, the essence of Allah being the one who calls to account is that Allah creates something. Since Allah's power is related to all possibilities, and His creation and origination are not dependent on prior matter, time, or instrument, and no matter distracts Him from another matter, He is capable of creating all creation in less than the blink of an eye. This is evident, which is why a narration states that Allah holds the creation to account in the time it takes to milk a she-camel.

2. The meaning of {swift in account} is that He is swift in accepting the supplications of His servants and answering them. This is because, at one moment, supplicants ask Him for different things concerning this world and the Hereafter, and He grants each one what he seeks without anything becoming confused among them. If this were the case with one of the created beings, the counting would be prolonged and continuous. Thus, Allah informed us that He is {swift in account}, meaning He knows the totality of the supplicants' requests, as He does not need to count on fingers or engage in thought and deliberation. This is the meaning of the supplication: "O You Whom no matter distracts from another matter." The essence of this view is that being {swift in account} means Allah knows all the states, deeds, and affairs of creation. The metaphor here is that the accountant only accounts to gain knowledge of the matter; thus, the account is the cause for knowledge, so the name of the cause is attributed to the effect.

3. Allah's accounting is swift in the sense that it is inevitably coming.

7 < {And remember Allah during the specified days. Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays - there is no sin upon him, for whoever is righteous. And fear Allah and know that to Him you will be gathered.} > 7 !