Tafsir of Az-Zumar 39:10

Surah Az-Zumar (The Crowds): Verse 10

After establishing the difference between those who know and those who do not know (in the preceding verses), the Almighty commands His Messenger to address the believers with several types of discourse.

{Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord.}

This means that Allah commanded the believers to join piety (Taqwa) with their faith. This indicates that faith remains even in the presence of sin.

Al-Qadi (the Judge) stated that the command for piety is so that their faith is not nullified, because avoiding major sins preserves the reward, while committing them nullifies it.

However, it is argued that this very command implies the opposite: since believers are commanded to be pious, it suggests that one remains a believer even without complete piety. This, in turn, indicates that sinfulness (Fisq) does not remove faith.

{For those who do good in this world is a good [reward].}

The phrase {in this world} (fi hadhihi al-dunya) can be related either to the verb {do good} (ahsanū) or to the noun {a good reward} (hasanah).

1. If related to ahsanū: The meaning is: "For those who do good in this world, there is a good reward in the Hereafter," which is entry into Paradise. The indefinite noun {a good reward} (hasanah) signifies magnificence, meaning a reward whose perfection the intellect cannot fully grasp.
2. If related to hasanah: The meaning is: "Those who do good have a good reward in this world." Those who hold this view say this good reward is health, well-being, and sufficiency.

My View: The first interpretation is preferable. Several points support this:

1. The indefiniteness of {a good reward} (hasanah) suggests ultimate majesty and loftiness, which is unsuitable for the lowly and transient affairs of this world. It is only fitting for the noble and eternal affairs of the Hereafter.
2. The reward for those who do good through monotheism and righteous deeds is realized in the Hereafter, as stated: {This Day every soul will be recompensed for what it earned.} Furthermore, worldly blessings like health, security, and sufficiency are also granted to disbelievers. In fact, they often receive them more completely than believers, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever." (Also citing the verse about disbelievers having silver roofs).
3. If we take the second interpretation, the phrase {For those who do good in this world is a good reward} implies exclusivity (restriction), meaning that the good of this world is only for those who do good. This is false, as disbelievers enjoy worldly good. This exclusivity is only valid if {a good reward} refers to the reward of the Hereafter.

{And the earth of Allah is vast.}

There are two interpretations:

1. No Excuse for Inaction: There is absolutely no excuse for those who fall short in doing good, even if they claim their homeland or country prevents them from fully dedicating themselves to good deeds. They should be told: "The earth of Allah is vast; move to lands where you can dedicate yourselves to obedience and worship, following the example of the Prophets and the righteous who migrated to increase their goodness and obedience." This is a call for migration (like the Hijra from Mecca to Medina) and patience in leaving one's homeland, similar to the verse: {They will say, "Were not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?"} (An-Nisa: 97).
2. The Vastness of Paradise: Abu Muslim suggested that "the earth" here refers to the Earth of Paradise. Since Allah commanded piety (fear of God), and promised the good reward (eternal life in Paradise) for the pious, then {the earth of Allah is vast} refers to His Paradise, as seen in verses like: {We will settle you in the land wherever We will} (Az-Zumar: 74) and {And the garden whose width is [that of] the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous} (Al 'Imran: 133).

My View: The first interpretation is stronger because the subsequent verse, {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without limit}, fits better with the context of migration and striving in the world.

Issue 1: Defining Patience We have previously discussed the nature of patience (Sabr) in Surah Al-Baqarah. Here, {the patient} refers to those who patiently endured leaving their homelands and clans, and who swallowed bitterness and bore trials in obedience to Allah.

Issue 2: The Term 'Reward' (Ajr) Calling the promised benefits {reward} (ajr) might suggest that the work merits the recompense, as ajr implies something deserved. However, overwhelming evidence proves that deeds do not inherently merit the reward. Therefore, the term ajr must be understood as a reward according to the promise, not according to strict desert.

Issue 3: The Reward is 'Without Limit' (Bighayri Hisab) This phrase has several interpretations:

1. Al-Jubba'i's View: They receive what they deserve, and then more is added out of grace. If they only received what they deserved, it would be hisab (accounted for). Al-Qadi rejects this, arguing that the description {without limit} applies to the entire reward, not just the excess grace.
2. Completeness and Eternity:
   • Eternity: {Without limit} means without end, because anything subject to calculation is finite; what is infinite is outside calculation.
   • Incomprehensibility: The benefits are perfect in themselves, and the intellect of the obedient person cannot reach the full extent of this reward. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "In Paradise is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has conceived." Whatever they witness of reward, they find it greater than they imagined or expected. What one does not expect, one might say, is not in their calculation. Thus, {without limit} refers to this meaning.
3. Exemption from Measurement: The reward of those afflicted by trials is not measured by scales or measures. The narrator of Al-Kashshaf reports a Hadith: On the Day of Judgment, Allah sets up scales. The people of prayer and charity receive their rewards by the scales. But for the people of affliction, no scale is set up, and no ledger is opened; the reward is poured out upon them. Allah says: {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without limit}. This is so great that the people of well-being in this world wish their bodies had been cut with shears, seeing the immense virtue of those afflicted.

{Say, "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making my religion sincerely for Him."}

This was revealed when the Quraysh disbelievers asked the Prophet (PBUH) what compelled him to adopt this religion, urging him to follow the path of his forefathers who worshipped Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza.

The command involves two aspects:

1. Command to avoid what is improper (prohibition).
2. Command to attain what is proper (obligation).

The first rank (avoiding the improper) precedes the second (attaining the proper). Therefore, Allah first commanded the avoidance of what is improper: {fear your Lord} (Taqwa). Then, He commanded the attainment of what is proper: {Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making my religion sincerely for Him}.

This includes two conditions:

1. The command to worship Allah.
2. That this worship be pure from the taint of overt polytheism and hidden hypocrisy.

Allah specifically commanded the Prophet (PBUH) with this to signal that others are even more deserving of it, serving as an encouragement to others.

{And I have been commanded to be the first of the Muslims.}

This means the Prophet (PBUH) was commanded to be the first to adhere to the acts of worship for which he was sent. This verse yields three benefits:

Benefit 1: Authenticity It is as if he is saying: "I am not like tyrannical kings who command people to do things they do not practice themselves. Rather, whatever I command you, I am the first person to undertake it and the most persistent in maintaining it."

Benefit 2: Order of Mention He said: {I have been commanded to worship Allah}. Worship has two pillars: the action of the heart and the action of the limbs. The action of the heart is nobler. Thus, the nobler part, {making my religion sincerely for Him} (the heart's intention), was mentioned first, followed by the lesser part, the action of the limbs, which is Islam (submission), as the Prophet (PBUH) defined Islam in the Hadith of Gabriel as outward actions. This is what is meant by {And I have been commanded to be the first of the Muslims}. This is not a repetition, as the first mention of "commanded" relates to the heart's sincerity, and the second relates to the limbs' submission.

Benefit 3: Proof of Prophethood The phrase {And I have been commanded to be the first of the Muslims} points to his obligation to be obeyed as a Messenger from Allah, because the first person to know and implement divine laws must be the Messenger who conveys them.

Since Allah commanded sincerity of heart and specific actions, and the command could imply obligation or recommendation, He clarified that it is obligatory by saying:

{Say, "Indeed, I fear if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a great Day."}

This yields three benefits:

Benefit 1: Exaggerated Warning Allah commanded Muhammad (PBUH) to utter these words about himself. The purpose is to maximize the warning against sins for others. If someone of his high status and prophetic honor must be fearful and cautious of sin, then others are even more so.

Benefit 2: Fear vs. Actual Punishment The verse indicates that what follows disobedience is the fear of punishment, not necessarily the actual infliction of punishment. This aligns with our view that Allah may forgive the sinner and the major sin; thus, the consequence of sin is the fear of punishment, not the punishment itself.

Benefit 3: Obligation Implied The verse implies that the command is obligatory. He first said: {I have been commanded to worship Allah}, and then: {Indeed, I fear if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a great Day}. Disobedience here means abandoning the preceding command. This implies that abandoning the command constitutes disobedience, and disobedience results in the fear of punishment. This is the very definition of obligation.

{Say, "It is Allah whom I worship, making my religion sincerely for Him."}

Question: Why the repetition? First: {Say, "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making my religion sincerely for Him"} and then: {Say, "It is Allah whom I worship, making my religion sincerely for Him"}?

Answer: This is not repetition.

1. The first statement is reporting that he is commanded by Allah to perform worship.
2. The second statement reports that he is commanded not to worship anyone other than Him. The first phrase, {I have been commanded to worship Allah}, does not imply exclusivity. The second phrase, {It is Allah whom I worship}, implies exclusivity: "I worship Allah, and no one else."

The proof is what follows: {So worship whatever you will besides Him.} This is not a command but a severe reprimand (deterrent). It means: "Since the evidence for the necessity of monotheism has reached its utmost clarity, you are now left to your own devices."

Allah then clarifies the severity of their loss:

{Say, "Indeed, the losers are those who lost themselves}

The greatest loss imaginable is the loss of one's self.

{and their families}

They lose their families because:

1. If they are destined for the Fire, they lose them as they lose themselves.
2. If they are destined for Paradise, they are separated from them permanently.

Ibn Abbas said: Every person has a dwelling and family in Paradise. If he obeys, he receives them. If he is of the people of the Fire, he is deprived of them, thus losing himself, his family, and his dwelling, which is inherited by other Muslims.

The loser is the one who suffers a disadvantage.

{Indeed, that is the manifest loss.}

Allah describes this loss with the utmost horror:

1. Repetition for Emphasis: The repetition serves to emphasize the gravity.
2. The Particle Alā: The particle Alā at the beginning serves as an alert, indicating immense magnitude that the intellect cannot fully grasp.
3. The Pronoun Huwa: The pronoun {that is} (huwa) in {that is the manifest loss} implies exclusivity—every loss, when compared to this, becomes insignificant.
4. The Description Mubīn (Manifest): This denotes terrifying clarity.

Explaining the Manifest Loss:

We must explain two things: first, that it is a loss, and second, that it is manifest.

1. Why it is a Loss: Allah gave life, intellect (innate knowledge), and capability (power). These are the capital assets.

• Life is meant to acquire the good life in the Hereafter.
• Intellect is the capital for theoretical knowledge and reflection, which leads to acquired knowledge.
• Capability is the capital for action. Using this power for good deeds is like a merchant's trade, and the resulting good deeds are the profit.

If someone is given life, intellect, and capability, yet gains neither knowledge of the Truth nor good deeds, they are completely deprived of profit. When they die, their capital is entirely wasted—this is a loss.

2. Why it is Manifest: If someone fails to gain profit but avoids harm, they have neither gained extra benefit nor suffered extra harm. However, these disbelievers used their intellect (capital) to derive specious arguments, strengthen ignorance, and promote error. They used their power for evil, falsehood, and corruption. They combined several terrible things:

1. They exhausted their bodies and minds seeking false beliefs and corrupt deeds.
2. At death, their capital is lost without any benefit.
3. The intense efforts they exerted in this world to support their errors become the cause of severe punishment and great affliction after death.

Upon realizing these facts, it becomes clear that no loss is greater than theirs, and no deprivation is more severe. We seek refuge in Allah from it.

After explaining their deprivation and loss, Allah clarifies that they did not stop there; they also earned severe punishment:

{For them above them will be layers of Fire, and beneath them will be layers of Fire.} (Ash-Shura: 40)

1. The layers above and below are both Fire.
2. The lower layer serves as a canopy for another layer beneath it, because the Fire has degrees (layers) just as Paradise does.
3. If the lower canopy is similar in heat and burning to the upper one, the name of one is applied to the other due to similarity. Al-Hasan said: "They are between two strata of Fire, not knowing which is worse, what is above them or what is beneath them." (Citing similar verses from Al-'Ankabut and Al-A'raf).

{That is what Allah uses to frighten His servants.}

{That} (dhalika) is the subject, and {Allah uses to frighten His servants} is the predicate. There are two views on {His servants} (ibād):

1. The Believers: The punishment prepared for the disbelievers is what Allah uses to frighten His servants (the believers). This is because the term ibād in the Qur'an is often reserved for the faithful. It frightens believers because when they hear the state of the disbelievers, they fear and become sincere in monotheism and obedience.
2. The Disbelievers (as an answer to a question): It is posed as an answer to the question: Why would Allah, who is free from desire for vengeance or causing harm, punish these poor souls to such an extent? The answer is that the purpose is to deter the disbelievers from disbelief and error. Since instruction is incomplete without deterrence, and deterrence is not fully effective unless the threatened thing exists, this type of punishment must exist to achieve the required goal of instruction.

My View: The first view is closer, supported by the subsequent verse: {So fear Me, O My servants}. The address {O My servants} strongly suggests believers. Thus, the explanation of the disbelievers' punishment is intended to frighten the believers, urging them to be extremely fearful, cautious, and pious.

{And those who avoid Taghut and do not worship it and turn to Allah [in repentance], for them is good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants}

{Who listen to the word and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are the people of understanding.}

{Then is one against whom the word of punishment has been decreed [like one who is not]? Can you then save those who are in the Fire?}

{But those who feared their Lord will have chambers above which are chambers, built [one above another], beneath which rivers flow. [This is] the promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in His promise.}