Tafsir of Fussilat 41:30

Tafsir of Surah Fussilat (41): Verses 30-36

Verse 30: Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remain steadfast...

When the Almighty concluded the severe warnings (of punishment), He followed them with this noble promise. This is a subtle arrangement upon which the entire Qur'an is based.

We have repeatedly mentioned that perfections are of three kinds:

1. Psychological (Nafsaniyyah): The noblest rank.
2. Physical (Badaniyyah): The middle rank.
3. External (Kharijiyyah): The lowest rank.

The psychological perfections are confined to two types:

1. Certain Knowledge (al-'Ilm al-Yaqīnī): The people of realization say that just as man seeks to know the Truth for its own sake, he seeks to know the Good for the sake of acting upon it. The head of certain knowledge is the knowledge of Allah, alluded to by the phrase: {Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah"}.
2. Righteous Action (al-'Amal al-Ṣāliḥ): The chief of righteous deeds is for a person to be upright in the middle path, not inclining toward the extremes of exaggeration (ifrāṭ) or negligence (tafrīṭ), as stated: {And thus We have made you a community justly balanced} (Al-Baqarah: 143), and {Guide us to the straight path}. This is alluded to in this verse by the phrase: {then remain steadfast}.

It is narrated that when a reciter recited this verse in the assembly of Al-'Abbādī, Al-'Abbādī commented: "The standing (reward) on the Day of Resurrection is according to the steadfastness."

Knowing this, we say that the Almighty's statement {Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remain steadfast} does not mean mere verbal utterance, as that is insufficient for steadfastness. Since steadfastness is mentioned immediately after the declaration, we know that this saying was accompanied by complete certainty and true gnosis.

Regarding steadfastness (istiqāmah), there are two views:

1. It refers to steadfastness in religion, monotheism, and true knowledge.
2. It refers to steadfastness in righteous actions.

Concerning the first view (steadfastness in knowledge):

• Abu Bakr Al-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: {then remain steadfast} means they did not turn their attention to any deity other than Him.
• Ibn 'Abbās, in some narrations, said this verse was revealed concerning Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). When Abu Bakr was afflicted with severe trials and tribulations, he never wavered from his religion. He was the one who said, {Our Lord is Allah} and remained steadfast upon it, unchanged by any cause.

I would add other dimensions to this: Whoever affirms that this universe has a God must maintain other balanced positions:

• He must not delve into affirmation (ithbāt) to the point of reaching anthropomorphism (tashbīh), but must remain on the straight line separating tashbīh and denial (ta'ṭīl).
• Similarly, he must remain on the straight line separating compulsion (Jabr) and free will (Qadar).
• Likewise, regarding hope (rajā') and despair (qunūṭ), he must be on the straight line. This is what is meant by {Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remain steadfast}.

As for the second view—that steadfastness refers to performing righteous deeds—this is the position of many Companions and Successors. They said this view is preferable so that the phrase {Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah"} encompasses speech and belief, while {then remain steadfast} encompasses righteous actions.

Verse 31: The angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear, nor grieve..."

It is said that the descent of angels occurs:

1. At the moment of death.
2. In three stages: at death, in the grave, and at the Resurrection until the standing (qiyāmah).

{Do not fear}: The particle an here means ay (i.e., "that you should not fear"), or it is the lightened form of the heavy inna (i.e., inna is understood as anna). Its origin is bi-an lā takhāfū (with the bā' implied), and the hā' refers to the situation/state (sha'n).

The ultimate goal in safeguarding interests is the repulsion of harms and the attraction of benefits. It is known that repelling harm takes precedence over attracting benefit. Harm is either expected in the future, present, or past.

There is an intellectual subtlety here: The future takes precedence over the present, and the present takes precedence over the past. Something that has not yet occurred but is expected to happen is future; once it exists, it becomes present; once it ceases to exist, it becomes past. Furthermore, the future hour by hour becomes closer to realization, while the past becomes further away in every state. Hence the poet said:

What you desire remains closer than tomorrow, And what you dread remains further than yesterday.

If this is established, then harms expected in the future are more deserving of repulsion than past harms. Moreover, fear (khawf) is defined as the heart's distress due to expecting future harm, while grief (ḥuzn) is the heart's distress due to the strong loss of a benefit that existed in the past. Given this, repelling fear is more important than repelling grief resulting from loss.

Knowing this, we say that the Almighty informed us that the angels, at the beginning, tell the believers: {Do not fear} regarding the events of the Hereafter that they will face. Then they tell them: {nor grieve} regarding the affairs of this world that they have missed. When these two matters are resolved, all harms and troubles are completely removed.

Then, after concluding this, they are given good tidings of the attainment of benefits: {but rejoice in the Paradise you were promised}.

If one asks: Good tidings (bushrā) is defined as the initial announcement of attaining benefits. If a man is first informed of a benefit, and then informed again of the same benefit, the second announcement is merely information (ikhbār) and not good tidings (bushrā). Since the believer has already heard promises of good things, when he hears this statement from the angels, it should be ikhbār and not bushrā. What is the reason for calling this statement bushrā?

We reply: The believer hears that whoever was a pious believer will have Paradise. However, the one who has never definitively heard that he is among the people of Paradise—when he hears this statement from the angels—it is an announcement of a tremendous benefit, and it is the first report of that benefit, thus it is bushrā.

Know that this statement indicates that the believer, at death, in the grave, and at the Resurrection, will not be terrified by horrors or intense fright, but will be secure in heart and calm in chest, because {Do not fear, nor grieve} implies the absolute negation of fear and grief.

Verse 32: We are your allies, in the worldly life and in the Hereafter...

The Almighty informed that the angels said to the believers: {We are your allies, in the worldly life and in the Hereafter}. This is in contrast to what was mentioned concerning the warning to the disbelievers, where He said: {And We appointed for them companions} (Fussilat: 25).

The meaning of the angels being allies (awliyā') to the believers is that the angels have influence over human souls through inspirations (ilhāmāt), certain unveilings (mukāshafāt yaqīniyyah), and true stations (maqāmāt ḥaqīqiyyah), just as the devils have influence over souls by casting whispers (waswās) and suggesting falsehoods to them. In summary, the angels being allies to the pure, good souls is established through many means known to the masters of unveiling and witnessing.

The angels are saying: Just as this alliance existed in this world, it will remain in the Hereafter, because those bonds are inherent and inseparable. In fact, they become stronger and more enduring after death. This is because the essence of the soul is of the same genus as the angels—it is like a flame compared to the wick, or a drop compared to the sea. The bodily attachments are what stand between the soul and the angels, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If the devils did not hover over the hearts of the children of Adam, they would see the dominion of the heavens." When the bodily attachments and physical management cease, the covering and the veil are removed, and the effect connects with the cause, the drop connects with the sea, and the flame connects with the sun. This is what is meant by {We are your allies, in the worldly life and in the Hereafter}.

Verse 33: For you therein is whatever your souls desire, and for you therein is whatever you ask for.

Ibn 'Abbās said: {and for you therein is whatever you ask for} means whatever you wish for, like the verse: {For them therein is fruit and for them therein is whatever they ask for} (Yā Sīn: 57).

If one asks: According to this interpretation, there remains no difference between {for you therein is whatever your souls desire} and {and for you therein is whatever you ask for}.

We reply: What is closer to me is that {for you therein is whatever your souls desire} refers to the physical Paradise, while {and for you therein is whatever you ask for} refers to the spiritual Paradise mentioned in the verse: {Their call therein will be, "Exalted are You, O Allah," and their greeting therein will be, "Peace." And the end of their call will be, "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds"} (Yūnus: 10).

Verse 34: As a reception from a Forgiving, Merciful [Lord].

Nuzul (reception/provision) is the sustenance provided to a guest (nazīl). Its grammatical case (accusative) indicates a ḥāl (state).

The knowers ('ārifūn) stated that this verse indicates that all these mentioned things serve as the nuzul. When a generous host provides the nuzul, He must subsequently send the spiritual robes (khila' al-nafsiyyah). These spiritual robes are nothing other than the felicities attained through the Vision, the Divine Manifestation (tajallī), and complete unveiling. We ask Allah Almighty to make us worthy of them by His grace and generosity; indeed, He is Near and Responsive.

**Verse 35-36: But none will be granted it except those who are patient, and none will be granted it except one of great fortune. And if there should come to you from Satan an incitement, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing. **

(The text transitions here to the next verses, which are translated as follows):

**Verse 35: But none will be granted it except those who are patient, and none will be granted it except one of great fortune. **

**Verse 36: And if there should come to you from Satan an incitement, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing. **