Tafsir of Saba' 34:13

Surah Saba' (34): Verse 13

Original Text Segment: يعملون له ما . . . . . المحاريب إشارة إلى الأبنية الرفيعة ولهذا قال تعالى : { إذ تسوروا المحراب } والتماثيل ما يكون فيها من النقوش ، ثم لما ذكر البناء الذي هو المسكن بين ما يكون في المسكن من ماعون الأكل فقال : { وجفان كالجواب } جمع جابية وهي الحوض الكبير الذي يجبي الماء أي يجمعه وقيل كان يجتمع على جفنة واحدة ألف نفس { وقدور رسيات } ثابتات لا تنقل لكبرها ، وإنما يغرف منها في تلك الجفان ، وفيه مسائل :

Translation: ... they used to work for him whatever he wished: palaces (maharib), which refers to lofty structures. This is why the Almighty said: {When they climbed over into the sanctuary (mihrab)}. And statues (tamathil), which refers to the carvings within them. Then, after mentioning the structure, which is the dwelling, He clarified what was in the dwelling concerning eating utensils, saying: {And great basins (jifan) like reservoirs (jawabi)}. Jawan is the plural of jabiyah, which is the large pool that collects (yajbi) water, meaning gathers it. It is said that a thousand people could gather around one jafnah (large dish). And {and stationary cauldrons (qudur rasiyat)}, fixed and unmovable due to their size. Food was served from them into those basins. In this [verse], there are several issues:

Original Text Segment: المسألة الأولى : قدم المحاريب على التماثيل لأن النقوش تكون في الأبنية وقدم { * الجفان } في الذكر على { * القدور } مع أن القدور آلة الطبخ والجفان آلة الأكل والطبخ قبل الأكل ، فنقول : لما بين الأبنية الملكية ms7359 أراد بيان عظمة السماط الذي يمد في تلك الدور ، وأشار إلى الجفان لأنها تكون فيه ، وأما القدور فلا تكون فيه ، ولا تحضر هناك ، ولهذا قال : { وقدور رسيات } أي غير منقولات ، ثم لما بين حال الجفان العظيمة ، كان يقع في النفس أن الطعام الذي يكون فيها في أي شيء يطبخ ، فأشار إلى القدور المناسبة للجفان .

Translation: The First Issue: The maharib (palaces) were mentioned before the tamathil (statues) because the carvings are in the buildings. And the jifan (basins) were mentioned before the qudur (cauldrons), even though cauldrons are the tools for cooking, and basins are for eating, and cooking precedes eating. We say: When He described the royal structures, He intended to clarify the magnificence of the dining spread laid out in those residences, and He pointed to the jifan because they are present there. As for the cauldrons, they are not present there, nor do they attend the dining area. This is why He said: {and stationary cauldrons}, meaning unmovable. Then, after clarifying the state of the great basins, it might occur to the mind: In what were the foods served in them cooked? So, He pointed to the cauldrons appropriate for those basins.

Original Text Segment: المسألة الثانية : ذكر في حق داود اشتغاله بآلة الحرب ، وفي حق سليمان بحالة السلم وهي المساكن والمآكل وذلك لأن سليمان كان ولد داود ، وداود قتل جالوت والملوك الجبابرة ، واستوى داود على الملك ، فكان سليمان كولد ملك يكون أبوه قد سوى على ابنه الملك وجمع له المال فهو يفرقه على جنوده ، ولأن سليمان لم يقدر أحد عليه في ظنه فتركوا الحرب معه وإن حاربه أحد كان زمان الحرب يسيرا لإدراكه إياه بالريح فكان في زمانه العظمة بالإطعام والإنعام .

Translation: The Second Issue: Regarding David, the text mentions his engagement with the tools of war, whereas regarding Solomon, it mentions the state of peace, which are the residences and the means of eating. This is because Solomon was David's son. David fought Goliath and the tyrannical kings and established himself upon the kingship. Thus, Solomon was like the son of a king whose father had already secured the kingdom and amassed wealth for his son, which he then distributed to his troops. Furthermore, in Solomon's estimation, no one could overcome him, so they ceased warfare against him. Even if someone fought him, the duration of the war would be brief because he could subdue the enemy with the wind. Therefore, in his era, magnificence was manifested through feeding and bestowing favors.

Original Text Segment: المسألة الثالثة : لما قال عقيب قوله تعالى : { أن اعمل سابغات } اعملوا صالحا ، قال عقيب ما يعمله الجن : { اعملوا ءال * داوود * شاكرا } إشارة إلى ما ذكرنا أن هذه الأشياء حالية لا ينبغي أن يجعل الإنسان نفسه مستغرقة فيها وإنما الواجب الذي ينبغي أن يكثر منه هو العمل الصالح الذي يكون شكرا ، وفيه إشارة إلى عدم الالتفات إلى هذه الأشياء ، وقلة الاشتغال بها كما في قوله : { وقدر فى السرد } أي اجعله بقدر الحاجة .

Translation: The Third Issue: When He said, following His statement {“Work, O family of David, in response to Our favors”} (implied context from the previous verse, referring to good deeds), He then said, following what the Jinn did: {“Work, O family of David, gratefully (shakiran)”}. This points to what we mentioned: these material things are transient states; a person should not become completely engrossed in them. Rather, the obligatory duty that one should frequently perform is righteous work that constitutes gratitude. In this, there is an indication to disregard these things and engage with them minimally, as in His saying: {And measure in your weaving}, meaning, make it according to necessity.

Original Text Segment: المسألة الرابعة : انتصاب شكرا يحتمل ثلاثة أوجه أحدها : أن يكون مفعولا له كقول القائل جئتك طمعا وعبدت الله رجاء غفرانه وثانيها : أن يكون مصدرا كقول القائل شكرت الله شكرا ويكون المصدر من غير لفظ الفعل كقول القائل جلست قعودا ، وذلك لأن العمل شكر فقوله : { اعملوا } يقوم مقام قوله : PageV25P215 { * اشكروا } وثالثها : أن يكون مفعولا به كقولك اضرب زيدا كما قال تعالى : { الطيبات واعملوا صالحا } ( المؤمنون : 51 ) لأن الشكر صالح .

Translation: The Fourth Issue: The accusative case of shakiran (gratefully/as thanks) admits three possibilities:

1. It is a maf'ul li-ajlihi (object of reason/purpose): Like when someone says, "I came to you out of hope (tama'an)," or "I worshipped God seeking His forgiveness (raja'a)."
2. It is a masdar (verbal noun): Like when someone says, "I thanked God a thank (shukran)." The verbal noun can be formed differently from the verb, like saying, "I sat down sitting (julusan)." This is because the work itself is thanks. Thus, His saying {Work} stands in place of saying {Be thankful}.
3. It is a maf'ul bihi (direct object): Like saying, "Strike Zayd." This is supported by the Almighty’s saying: {Good things, and work righteousness} (Al-Mu'minun: 51), because gratitude (shukr) is righteous work.

Original Text Segment: المسألة الخامسة : قوله : { وقليل من عبادى الشكور } إشارة إلى أن الله خفف الأمر على عباده ، وذلك لأنه لما قال : { اعملوا ءال * داوود * شاكرا } فهم منه أن الشكر واجب لكن شكر نعمه ms7360 كما ينبغي لا يمكن ، لأن الشكر بالتوفيق وهو نعمة تحتاج إلى شكر آخر وهو بتوفيق آخر ، فدائما تكون نعمة الله بعد الشكر خالية عن الشكر ، فقال تعالى : إن كنتم لا تقدرون على الشكر التام فليس عليكم في ذلك حرج ، فإن عبادي قليل منهم الشكور ويقوي قولنا أنه تعالى أدخل الكل في قوله : { عبادى } مع الإضافة إلى نفسه ، وعبادي بلفظ الإضافة إلى نفس المتكلم لم ترد في القرآن إلا في حق الناجين / كقوله تعالى : { قل ياعبادى الذين أسرفوا على أنفسهم لا تقنطوا من رحمة الله } ( الزمر : 53 ) وقوله : { إن عبادى ليس لك عليهم سلطان } ( الإسراء : 65 ) فإن قيل على ما ذكرتم شكر الله بتمامه لا يمكن وقوله : { قليل } يدل على أن في عباده من هو شاكر لأنعمه ، نقول الشكر بقدر الطاقة البشرية هو الواقع وقليل فاعله ، وأما الشكر الذي يناسب نعم الله فلا قدرة عليه ، ولا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها ، أو نقول الشاكر التام ليس إلا من رضي الله عنه ، وقال له : يا عبدي ما أتيت به من الشكر القليل قبلته منك وكتبت لك أنك شاكر لأنعمي بأسرها ، وهذا القبول نعمة عظيمة لا أكلفك شكرها .

Translation: The Fifth Issue: His saying: {And few of My servants are truly grateful (al-shakur)} indicates that God has eased the matter for His servants. This is because when He said: {“Work, O family of David, gratefully”}, it was understood that gratitude is obligatory. However, thanking God for His blessings as they truly deserve is impossible, because gratitude itself requires divine guidance (tawfiq), which is a blessing requiring another act of gratitude, which requires another guidance, and so on. Thus, God's blessing after gratitude is always devoid of complete thanks. Therefore, the Almighty said: If you are unable to render perfect thanks, there is no blame upon you, for few of My servants are truly grateful. What strengthens our view is that the Almighty included everyone in the term {My servants} (ibadi), adding the possessive pronoun to Himself. The term ibadi (My servants) with the first-person possessive pronoun is only used in the Qur'an for those who are saved, such as His saying: {Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah"} (Az-Zumar: 53), and His saying: {Indeed, over My servants you will have no authority} (Al-Isra: 65).

If one argues: Based on what you mentioned, complete thanks to God is impossible, and the word {few} indicates that some of His servants are thankful for His blessings. We reply: Gratitude to the extent of human capacity is what actually occurs, and few perform it. As for the gratitude that corresponds to God's blessings, humans have no power over it, and God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. Alternatively, we say: The perfectly grateful one is only he whom God is pleased with, and to whom He says: "O My servant, I have accepted the little gratitude you offered, and I have recorded for you that you are grateful for all My blessings. This acceptance itself is a great blessing for which I do not require you to be thankful."

Surah Saba' (34): Verse 14

Original Text Segment: ! 7 < { فلما قضينا عليه الموت ما دلهم على موته إلا دابة الا رض تأكل منسأته فلما خر تبينت الجن أن لو كانوا يعلمون الغيب ما لبثوا فى العذاب المهين } . > 7 ! <

Translation: {And when We decreed death for him, nothing informed them of his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. So when he fell down, it became clear to the Jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in the humiliating punishment.}