Tā-Hā: (Verses 15-16) Indeed, the Hour is coming...

Know that when the Almighty addressed Moses (peace be upon him) with His saying: {Indeed, I am Allah, there is no god but Me} (Tā-Hā: 14), He followed it up with His saying: {Indeed, the Hour is coming; I almost conceal it}. This is very fitting for the interpretation that takes {for a reminder} (Tā-Hā: 14) to mean: "to remind you of the trust (Amānah) and the honor." He immediately followed this by saying: {Indeed, the Hour is coming}, because it is the time for reward and the time for recompense. Then He said: {I almost conceal it}, and regarding this, there are two questions:

First Question:

The word kāda (كاد - almost/nearly) implies negation when negated, and affirmation when affirmed. This is evidenced by His saying: {and they almost did not do it} (Al-Baqarah: 71), meaning they did do it. Thus, the saying {I almost conceal it} implies that He did not conceal it, which is false for two reasons:

1. His saying: {Indeed, Allah has knowledge of the Hour} (Luqmān: 34).
2. His saying: {so that every soul may be recompensed according to what it strives for} is more fitting for concealment than for revelation.

The Answer: There are several responses:

1. Kāda is fundamentally for mere proximity, without specifying negation or affirmation. Thus, {I almost conceal it} means the matter is close to concealment. Whether that concealment actually occurred or not is not derived from the word itself, but from the context of {so that every soul may be recompensed according to what it strives for}, as this recompense is fitting for concealment, not revelation.
2. When kāda comes from God, it is obligatory. Therefore, {I almost conceal it} means: "I conceal it from the creation," similar to His saying: {Perhaps it will be soon} (Al-Isrā’: 51), which Al-Hasan interpreted as: "It is soon."
3. Abū Muslim said that kāda means urīdu (I intend), as in His saying: {Thus did We plan for Joseph} (Yūsuf: 76). It is also among common proverbs: "I will not do that, nor do I kāda (intend) to do it."
4. It means: {I almost conceal it} from Myself. It is narrated that this phrase appears in the manuscript of Abī [ibn Ka‘b] and in the reading of Ibn Mas‘ūd as: "I almost conceal it from Myself." So, if I were to conceal it from Myself, how could I reveal it to you? Al-Qāḍī [‘Abd al-Jabbār] said this interpretation is remote because concealment is only valid for one who can reveal something, which is impossible for God, as everything known is known to Him; revelation and secrecy are impossible for Him. This can be answered by saying that this is based on assumption: meaning, if concealment from Myself were possible, I would have concealed it from Myself. Although concealment is inherently impossible, mentioning it on this assumption serves to exaggerate the non-disclosure to others. Quṭrub said: This follows the custom of the Arabs when they wish to emphasize the secrecy of something; they say, "I conceal it even from myself." Thus, God is exaggerating the concealment of the Hour by using the most emphatic expression known to the Arabs for such a matter.
5. Kāda is an emphatic particle (ṣilah) in speech, and the meaning is: "The Hour is coming; I conceal it." Zayd al-Khayl said:

   Swift to the fray, his weapon drawn, His rival hardly draws a breath. The meaning is: "His rival does not breathe."

6. Abū al-Fatḥ al-Mawṣilī interpreted {I almost conceal it} as: "I almost reveal it." The essence of this phrase is: "I almost remove its concealment," because the form af‘ala (أفعل) can sometimes carry the meaning of removal or negation, as in your saying a‘jamtu al-kitāb (I removed the obscurity of the book) or ashkaltuhu (I removed its ambiguity), or ashkaytuhu (I removed his complaint).
7. It was recited with a fatḥah on the initial alif (أُخْفِيهَا - ukhfīhā), meaning: "I almost reveal it," derived from khafā (خَفِيَ) when it means to reveal. This means its revelation is near, like {The Hour has drawn near} (Al-Qamar: 1). Imru’ al-Qays said:

   If you bury the ailment, we will not reveal it, And if you prevent the war, we will not sit back. The meaning here is: "We will not reveal it." Al-Zajjāj said this recitation is clearer because the meaning "I almost reveal it" implies that it was already concealed.

8. It means: "The Hour is coming; I almost..." and the speech stops. Then He says: "I conceal it." Then the first part reverts to concealment: {so that every soul may be recompensed according to what it strives for}. This interpretation is remote, and God knows best.

Second Question:

What is the wisdom behind concealing the Hour and concealing the time of death?

The Answer: Because God Almighty promised the acceptance of repentance. If the time of death were known, a person would engage in sin until close to that time, then repent and escape the punishment for the sin. Therefore, specifying the time of death is akin to encouraging the commission of sin, which is impermissible.

As for His saying: {so that every soul may be recompensed according to what it strives for}, there are several issues:

When the Almighty decreed the coming of the Day of Resurrection, He mentioned the proof for it: that were it not for the Resurrection, the obedient would not be distinguished from the disobedient, and the doer of good from the doer of evil, which is unjust. This is what God meant by: {Shall We then treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption in the land? Or shall We treat the pious like the wicked?} (Ṣād: 28).

The Mu‘tazilah used this verse as proof that reward is deserved based on action, because the particle bā’ (بِـ) denotes attachment. Thus, {according to what it strives for} indicates that the cause of that recompense is that striving.

They also used it as proof that the servant's action is not created by God. This is because the verse explicitly affirms the servant's striving (sa‘y). If everything were created by God, the servant would have no striving whatsoever.

As for His saying: {So let not those who do not believe in it turn you away from it}, ṣadd (صد) means prevention. Here are several issues:

First Issue:

There are two interpretations regarding these two pronouns:

1. Abū Muslim said: {let it not turn you away} (la yaṣudannaka ‘anhā) means: "Let not those who do not believe in the Hour turn you away from the Prayer (Salāh) that I have commanded you with." The first pronoun refers to the Prayer, and the second refers to the Hour. This structure is permissible in Arabic; the Arabs mention two pieces of information and then deliver a response that applies to both, requiring the listener to assign the correct part of the response to each piece of information.
2. Ibn ‘Abbās said: {let it not turn you away from the Hour} means: "Let not those who do not believe in it turn you away from believing in its coming." Both pronouns refer to the Day of Resurrection. Al-Qāḍī said this is preferable because the pronoun should refer to the nearest mentioned antecedent, which here is the Hour. Abū Muslim’s view is only resorted to when necessary, and there is no necessity here.

Second Issue:

The address in {So let not...} could be directed to Moses (peace be upon him) or to Muhammad (peace be upon him). The former is more likely since the discourse is predominantly addressed to him. On either interpretation, Al-Zajjāj’s claim that it is not intended for the Prophet (PBUH) because it is impossible for a Prophet to be turned away from believing in the Hour is incorrect. If he is commanded not to accept disbelief in the Hour from anyone, and he is capable of fulfilling that, it is permissible for him to be addressed with it, and the meaning applies to him and others. It is also possible that {So let not... turn you away from it} means forbidding him from inclining toward them or associating with them.

Third Issue:

The intended meaning is to forbid Moses (peace be upon him) from denying the Resurrection. However, the literal wording implies forbidding the unbeliever from turning Moses away. There are two interpretations:

1. The prevention by the disbeliever from believing is a cause for denial; thus, the cause is mentioned to indicate the effect.
2. The prevention by the disbeliever stems from weakness in one's religion; thus, the effect is mentioned to indicate the cause, similar to saying: "I do not want to see you here," meaning: "I forbid you from seeing me or being present with me." Similarly here, it is as if He is saying: "Do not be weak in religion; rather, be firm and steadfast."

Fourth Issue:

The verse indicates that knowledge of the fundamentals (uṣūl) is obligatory. This is because the meaning of {So let not... turn you away} relates to firmness in religion. If this firmness meant mere imitation (taqlīd), the falsehood could not be distinguished from the truth. Therefore, this firmness must mean being strong in establishing proofs and removing doubts so that the opponent cannot shake one’s faith, but rather one is capable of refuting falsehood.

Fifth Issue:

Al-Qāḍī said that {So let not... turn you away} indicates that the servants are the ones who cause the turning away. If God were the Creator of their actions, He would be the one turning them away, not them. This proves the falsehood of the doctrine of compulsion (Jabr). The counter-argument involves the issue of God's Knowledge and the Call (Dā‘ī), and God knows best.

As for His saying: {and follow his desire}, the meaning is that the denier of the Resurrection denies it only by following desire, not by evidence. This is one of the greatest proofs for the corruption of imitation (taqlīd), as the imitator follows desire, not proof.

As for {and you perish} (fa-taradā), it means: "And let not those who do not believe turn you away, and if they turn you away and you accept, then there is nothing but destruction by the Fire."

Know that those deeply immersed in the secrets of gnosis (ma‘rifah) say that the station has two levels:

1. The station of annihilation (maḥw) and passing away from everything other than God.
2. The station of subsistence (baqā’) by God.

The first precedes the second because whoever wishes to write something on a tablet cannot do so without erasing the first writing; only then can the second writing be established. The Truth, exalted is He, observed this excellent sequence in this matter because He first commanded Moses (peace be upon him): {So remove your sandals}, which is a sign of purifying the secret from everything other than God. After that, He commanded him to acquire what must be acquired. The fundamentals of this chapter return to three: Knowledge of the Origin (Mabda’), Knowledge of the Middle (Wasaṭ), and Knowledge of the Return (Ma‘ād).

• Knowledge of the Origin is the knowledge of the True God, which is meant by {Indeed, I am Allah, there is no god but Me} (Tā-Hā: 14).
• Knowledge of the Middle is the knowledge of servitude (‘ubūdiyyah), meaning what a person must occupy himself with in this physical life, which is meant by {Indeed, I am Allah...} (Tā-Hā: 14). Furthermore, there is a subtlety here: {so worship Me} refers to physical acts, while {for a reminder} refers to spiritual acts. Servitude begins with physical acts and ends with spiritual acts.
• Knowledge of the Return is His saying: {Indeed, the Hour is coming; I almost conceal it}.

The Almighty began these commands with pure grace, which is His saying: {Indeed, I am your Lord} (Tā-Hā: 12), and concluded them with pure overwhelming power: {So let not those who do not believe in it and follow his desire turn you away, lest you perish}, indicating that His Mercy preceded His Wrath, and signifying that the servant, in servitude, must have both desire (raghbah) and fear (rahbah), hope (rajā’) and dread (khawf). Upon grasping this statement, you realize that this sequence is the ultimate in excellence and quality, and that this can only come from the Knower of all knowables.

Tā-Hā: (Verses 17-21)

{And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?}

{He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and with it I beat down leaves for my sheep, and I have other uses for it."}

{He said, "Throw it down, O Moses!"}

{So he threw it down, and behold, it was a serpent moving swiftly.}

{He said, "Take hold of it and fear not; We will return it to its former state.}