Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:21-22

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:21-22)

[2:21] O people, worship your Lord, Who created you and those who were before you, that you may become righteous.

[2:22] Who has made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a canopy, and has sent down water from the sky and brought forth with it fruits as provision for you. So do not set up rivals unto Allah when you know [that He is the only one deserving of worship].

The First Issue: Addressing the People (يا أيها الناس)

When Allah (SWT) finished discussing the rulings concerning the three groups (believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites), He turned to address them directly. This shift from the third person (absence/Ghayb) to the second person (presence/Hudur) is a rhetorical device (iltifāt) found elsewhere (e.g., Iyyāka na‘budu wa iyyāka nasta‘īn).

Benefits of this shift:

1. Greater Impact: It serves to strongly move and awaken the listener, similar to how shifting from recounting a story about someone to addressing that person directly increases their engagement.
2. Increased Honor: It signifies a special honor and closeness, as if Allah is saying: "First, I made the Messenger an intermediary, but now, to increase your honor and proximity, I address you directly, without an intermediary, granting you the nobility of direct discourse alongside the guidance of evidence."
3. Indication of Ascent: It suggests that the servant, while engaged in servitude, is continually ascending, evidenced by the shift from absence to presence.
4. Relief from Burden: The preceding verses involved recounting their states, which carried a certain weight. This verse, however, introduces commands and obligations (taklīf). The direct address serves as a comfort and relief against this burden, making the difficult command sweet because it comes directly from the King of Kings.

The Second Issue: The Context of the Address ("O People")

It is narrated from Alqamah and Al-Hasan that every instance of "O people" (Yā ayyuhā an-nās) in the Qur'an is Meccan, and every instance of "O you who have believed" (Yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū) is Medinan.

The scholar Al-Qadi notes that if this is based on transmission (naql), it is accepted. However, if the reason is the greater presence of believers in Medina, this is weak. It is permissible to address believers by their specific title or by their general human designation. Furthermore, those who are not yet believers can still be commanded to worship, just as believers are commanded to persevere and increase in worship. Thus, addressing everyone is possible.

The Third Issue: The Meaning of the Call (يا)

The word (يا - Yā) is a particle placed primarily for calling the distant. Although it can be used for the near, it is used here for a very important reason. The call to the near is typically done with the Hamza (e.g., A-Zayd).

The particle Yā is used here to call someone who is heedless or negligent, treating them as if they are distant.

Objection: If Allah is closer than the jugular vein (Q 50:16), why use Yā (for distance)? Answer: The caller distances himself from the stations of closeness and proximity to Allah, humbling himself and acknowledging his own deficiency, so that the answer may be realized according to the saying: "I am near to the broken-hearted for My sake." Alternatively, it is because answering the supplication is the most important matter for the supplicant.

The Fourth Issue: The Particle (أي - Ayyu)

(Ayyu) is a connector used for calling that which has the definite article (al-), similar to how dhū and alladhī are connectors for describing common nouns or definite nouns with clauses.

Ayyu is an ambiguous noun requiring specification by a common noun or something similar to it to clarify the intent of the call. The calling particle (Yā) acts upon Ayyu and the noun following it, which is described (e.g., Yā ayyuhā an-nās). Ayyu cannot stand alone like Zayd; it must be accompanied by its described noun.

The interjected word (أي - Ayyu) between the descriptor and the described noun serves two purposes:

1. Reinforcement: It supports the meaning of the calling particle (Yā) with emphasis.
2. Compensation: It acts as a substitute for the iḍāfah (genitive construction) that Ayyu would normally require.

This method of calling is frequent in the Qur'an due to its strong emphasis. Allah calls His servants with this method when issuing commands, prohibitions, promises, threats, or recounting great matters that require the listener's utmost attention, especially since they are often heedless.

The Fifth Issue: The Scope of the Command "Worship"

The statement "O people, worship your Lord" implies that Allah has commanded all people to worship. If some were excluded, it would be a specification of a general term.

Sub-issues:

1. Generality of the Plural Definite Noun: A definite plural noun with al- generally implies universality. (This is debated with the Ash'arites, Al-Qadi Abu Bakr, and Abu Hashim, but the author affirms it based on its permissibility of being confirmed by words like kulluhum (all of them), which would be clarification, not confirmation, if the term wasn't inherently general.)
2. Inclusion of Future Generations: Does this address include those who will come after that era? The closer view is no, because direct address (mushāfaha) cannot be directed to the non-existent. Furthermore, those who come later were not present at that time, and what is non-existent is not a human being, thus not covered by Yā ayyuhā an-nās.
   • Rebuttal: If this were strictly true, none of these commands would apply to later generations, which is clearly false. However, we know through continuous transmission (tawātur) from the religion of Muhammad (PBUH) that these commands apply to all until the Hour. This external evidence confirms the generality.
3. Scope of the Command (Every Act of Worship?): Does commanding "worship" mean commanding every act of worship? No. The command ‘ibudū (worship) means bringing that category (the essence of worship) into existence. If they perform one instance of that category, they have brought the category into existence, as an instance contains the category.
   • Alternative View for Generality: If we wish to affirm generality, the command to worship is based on the reason that it is worship (i.e., glorifying Allah and showing submission, which are intrinsically good). Since the cause (being worship) is present, the effect (the command) must follow for every type of worship.
4. Inclusion of Disbelievers and Believers:
   • Disbelievers: Can disbelievers be commanded to believe/worship? They cannot be commanded to believe, as commanding knowledge is impossible (either commanding the ignorant to know, which requires prior knowledge of the command—impossible—or commanding the already knowledgeable, which is commanding the existent—also impossible). Since commanding belief is impossible, commanding worship (which requires belief) is also impossible.
   • Believers: Can believers be commanded to worship? This would imply commanding the performance of an already existing act (commanding the existent), which is impossible.
   • Answer: Some say the command to worship is conditional upon knowledge, like Zakat is conditional upon possessing the niṣāb. Others use this verse to argue that knowledge is not necessary beforehand. They argue that commanding an act implies commanding its prerequisites. Since knowledge is a prerequisite for worship, commanding worship implies commanding knowledge first.
   • Regarding believers, the command can be interpreted as an order to persist in worship or to increase in it, and increasing worship is itself an act of worship.

The Sixth Issue: Deniers of Obligation (Mukallifūn)

Those who deny divine obligations present several arguments:

1. The State of Choice: Obligation cannot be imposed when the inclination to act and refrain are equal (as this makes the command impossible to fulfill). If one inclination is stronger, that action is already necessary, making the command redundant or impossible.
2. Divine Foreknowledge: If Allah knew the act would occur, the command is pointless. If He knew it wouldn't occur, the command is impossible. If He didn't know, it implies ignorance on Allah's part (impossible).
3. Lack of Benefit: Commands must have a benefit, either for the Worshipped (impossible, as He is perfect) or for the worshipper (unnecessary, as Allah can grant pleasure/remove pain directly without these hardships).
4. Lack of Agency: Man does not create his own actions; thus, commanding him to do what he doesn't create is either commanding the existent or commanding the impossible.
5. Purity of Heart: If the goal is purifying the heart, and outward acts hinder deeper spiritual absorption, those acts should be dropped.

Rejoinder:

1. The objectors' arguments themselves constitute an obligation (to deny obligation), leading to self-contradiction.
2. Whatever Allah does is appropriate, whether it involves commanding the impossible or not, as He is the Owner and Master.

The Seventh Issue: Exclusions from the Command

The command is general but specific exclusions apply to the insane, children, the forgetful, and those unable to perform it (as per 2:233, "Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear"). Some also exclude slaves, arguing that obedience to masters takes precedence.

The Eighth Issue: The Basis for Worship

Al-Qadi states that this verse indicates the reason for worship is Allah's creation of us and His bestowal of favors upon us. Our companions (the Ash'arites) use this to argue that man does not deserve reward for his actions, because worship becomes the fulfillment of a duty necessitated by His favor, and fulfilling a duty does not merit reward.

The First Issue: The Word Alladhī (Who)

The relative pronoun Alladhī (Who) can be in the accusative case (naṣb) as an adjective describing Rabbukum (your Lord), or in the nominative case (raf‘) as a new beginning (mubtada’) used for praise and glorification.

The Second Issue: The Function of Alladhī

Alladhī is used to point to a singular entity when attempting to define it through a known proposition (e.g., "The man whom his father is standing"). It is used to describe definite nouns with clauses. Therefore, stating "Who made the earth a resting place..." implies that they already knew of the existence of something that made the earth a resting place, confirming the verse: "If you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they will surely say, 'Allah'" (31:25).

The Third Issue: The Order of the Evidence

Allah mentions five types of evidence here: two related to the self (Anfus) and three related to the horizons (Afaq):

1. Creation of the Addressees: Khalaqakum (He created you).
2. Creation of Predecessors: Wa alladhīna min qablikum (and those who were before you).
3. Earth as a Resting Place: Ja‘ala al-arḍa firāshan.
4. Heaven as a Canopy: Wa as-samā’a binā’an.
5. Water and Fruits: Wa anzaala min as-samā’i mā’an fa-akhraja bihi min ath-thamarāti rizqan lakum.

Reasons for this Order:

1. Proximity: The closest thing to a person is the self. Knowledge of one's own state is clearer than knowledge of others. Thus, the self is mentioned first, followed by parents/ancestors, then the Earth (closer than the sky), and finally the sky and its effects (as effects follow causes).
2. Foundation: The creation of living, capable beings (the addressees) is the foundation for all other blessings. The Earth, sky, water, and fruits are only beneficial after life, capability, and desire exist.
3. Completeness of Evidence: The human being contains evidence of the Creator that is not fully present in the sky or earth (e.g., life, power, intellect).

The Fourth Issue: The Earth as a Resting Place (Firāsh)

The Earth being a resting place requires several conditions:

1. Stillness: If the Earth moved straight down, nothing falling would reach it (as the heavier object moves faster). If it moved circularly, our full benefit would be lost due to its speed relative to our desired direction. Thus, it must be stationary.
   • Various philosophical explanations for this stillness are discussed and refuted, concluding that the Earth's stillness is maintained only by Allah's power.
2. Appropriate Hardness/Softness: Not too hard (like stone, causing pain) and not too soft (like water, causing sinking).
3. Opacity: It must not be too transparent, as transparent surfaces do not retain heat from the sun, leading to extreme cold. Allah made it dusty/opaque so it retains heat, making it suitable for life.
4. Emergence from Water: Earth's nature is to sink in water. Allah reversed this nature for parts of it (like islands) so they rise above the water, making them habitable.

The Fifth Issue: Benefits of the Earth

The Earth offers numerous benefits, including minerals, plants, animals, the fermentation of moist things, varied terrains, colors, its ability to store water, rivers, metals, hidden treasures, its generosity (producing 700-fold from one seed), its revival after death, the diverse creatures upon it, and the varied plants (food, clothing, medicine).

The Sixth Issue: Heaven vs. Earth (Which is Superior?)

Arguments for Heaven's Superiority:

1. It is the place of worship for angels, where no sin occurs.
2. Adam was commanded to descend from it upon disobedience.
3. It is described with protective terms like "guarded canopy" (saqfan maḥfūẓan), which are not used for the Earth.
4. It is often mentioned before the Earth in the Qur'an.

Arguments for Earth's Superiority:

1. Specific locations on Earth are described as blessed (Mecca, the blessed spot of the tree, Jerusalem, the land of Sham).
2. The entire Earth is described as blessed (Q 41:9).
3. Prophets (like Adam) were created from the Earth, and we return to it.
4. The Prophet (PBUH) was honored by having the entire Earth made a place of prayer (masjid) and its dust purified (ṭahūr).

The Seventh Issue: The Heaven as a Canopy (Binā’)

The frequent mention of the heavens and earth indicates their great status and the profound wisdom contained within them.

Virtues of the Heavens:

1. Adorned with seven things: Lamps (stars), the Moon, the Sun, the Throne (‘Arsh), the Footstool (Kursī), the Preserved Tablet (Lawḥ Maḥfūẓ), and the Pen (Qalam).
2. Named with great titles: Heaven, guarded canopy, seven layers, seven strong ones. Their beginning (smoke) and end (folding up, scattering) are detailed, indicating creation for a profound purpose.
3. It is the direction of supplication; faces are turned toward it.
4. Heavens are active/influencing, while the Earths are passive/receptive; the active is superior.
5. The blue color of the sky is optimal for vision and healing the eyes.

The Eighth Issue: Virtues of Celestial Bodies (Sun, Moon, Stars)

• The Sun: Its rising allows for worldly striving (ma‘āsh), and its setting allows for rest, digestion, and recuperation. Without its setting, life would burn up. Its movement causes the four seasons, each with specific benefits for growth, maturation, and bodily balance. Its movement across the sky ensures that all parts of the Earth receive light and benefit.
• The Moon: Its rising and setting are beneficial. Its darkness conceals those fleeing enemies, and its light reveals lost items.
• The Stars: They serve as guides for travelers on land and sea, and they are missiles against the devils.

The Ninth Issue: The Earth and Water (Provision)

Allah sent down water from the sky to bring forth fruits as provision. This is likened to the marriage contract: water descends (male principle) onto the earth (female principle) to produce offspring (fruits/progeny).

Questions regarding this process:

1. Direct Creation vs. Causal Chain: Does Allah create the fruit directly, or through created effective powers in the water and earth? Answer: Allah is capable of direct creation (as He will do in Paradise), but using means (causes) serves wisdom: it teaches diligence, as those who endure hardship for worldly gain should endure lesser hardship for eternal gain. It also requires deeper thought, thus earning reward.
2. Why use means over a long time? This is part of His wisdom, training the obligated, and perhaps contains lessons for angels and insightful people.
3. "Sent down from the sky": Does this contradict the scientific understanding that water evaporates from Earth? Answer: "Sky" (samā’) means anything high. The water descends from the high clouds, which are part of the sky. Or, the mover that stirs the vapors from the deep earth is sent down from the sky. Or, simply, Allah’s word is true: it descends from the sky, perhaps via the clouds.
4. "From the fruits": The particle min (from) implies partiality, meaning some water yields some provision, indicating the scarcity of worldly blessings compared to the hereafter.

The Tenth Issue: "So do not set up rivals unto Allah when you know" (2:22)

Connection of the Prohibition: It relates to the command to worship (Tawhid is the basis of worship), or to the hope of attaining righteousness (since Shirk is the greatest cause of punishment), or to the evidence provided by the Earth/Sky (since He provided these clear signs, do not set up partners).

Meaning of Nidd (Rival/Partner): A challenger or one who contends. They are accused of this because by worshipping idols, they treat them as if they could contend with Allah's power.

Meaning of Wa antum ta‘lamūn (When you know): You know with your intellect that these things are not fit to be rivals to Allah. Speaking falsehood when one knows the truth is more reprehensible.

Issue 1: Who are the Rivals? No one claims a rival equal to Allah in existence, power, or knowledge. However:

• Dualists (Magi): Affirm two gods, one good and one evil.
• Worshippers of Celestial Bodies (Sābi’ūn): Believe stars govern the world and must be worshipped.
• Christians: Worship Christ (PBUH).
• Idolaters: The oldest form of deviation, dating back before Noah (PBUH).

Reasons for Idol Worship (as cited by scholars):

1. Belief in Resemblance: Believing Allah and angels have physical forms and making statues resembling them to seek closeness to the real entities.
2. Astrology: Believing celestial bodies govern fortune and misfortune, leading to their veneration as creators or intermediaries.
3. Talismans: Believing specific times grant power through talismans, which eventually leads to worshipping the talisman itself.
4. Veneration of the Pious Dead: Making statues of righteous deceased individuals, believing they act as intercessors (as mentioned in Q 10:18).
5. Direction of Prayer (Qibla): Using statues as a direction for prayer, which ignorant people later mistook for objects of worship.
6. Anthropomorphism (Tajsīm): Believing Allah can inhabit these forms.

Issue 2: Refuting Idol Worship based on the Signs: The evidence for Allah’s existence (that He is not a body, as He is the necessary being who created the contingent bodies of the Earth and Sky) refutes all these claims. If Allah is not a body, the claims based on resemblance, incarnation, or the stars being independent governors are all invalidated.

Issue 3: The Greeks and Idols: The Greeks built structures named after spiritual powers and celestial bodies (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon) and worshipped them. The Arabs later adopted idol worship, exemplified by Hubal brought to Mecca by Amr ibn Luhayy.

(The text then transitions into detailed discussions on Prophethood, which begins with verses 2:23-24.)