| Qāf: (33) ...who feared the Most Merciful

Regarding the word {مِنْ} (min, "who/he who"), there are several interpretations:

1. The most unusual view: It is a vocative (a call). It is as if the Almighty said: "O you who feared the Most Merciful, enter it in peace." Omitting the vocative particle (يا) is common.
2. Second view: {مِنْ} is a substitute (بدل) for {كُلّ} (kull, "every") in the Almighty's saying: {لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ} (li-kulli awwāb, "for every oft-returning one") (Qāf: 32), without repeating the preposition. The meaning would be: Paradise has been brought near for those who feared the Most Merciful in secret.
3. Third view: In the phrase {أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ} (awwābin hafīẓ, "oft-returning, guardian") (Qāf: 32), the noun being described (the mawṣūf) is implied but not explicitly mentioned (e.g., every person, every servant, or something else). Thus, {مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ} (man khashiya ar-raḥmāna bil-ghayb, "he who feared the Most Merciful in secret") is a substitute for that implied noun.

These three views were mentioned by Al-Zamakhsharī. He stated that {مِنْ} cannot be a substitute for {أَوَّابٍ} or {حَفِيظٍ} because, as explained, {أَوَّابٍ} and {حَفِيظٍ} already describe an implied noun. A substitute shares the grammatical status of the substituted noun. If {مِنْ} were a substitute for {أَوَّابٍ} or {حَفِيظٍ}, then {مِنْ} would be the described noun, but {مِنْ} cannot be described. One does not say: "The man who came to me sat with me" (as a substitute structure); rather, one says: "The man who came to me sat with me" (using a relative clause). This concludes Al-Zamakhsharī's argument.

If someone asks: Since {مِنْ} and {الَّذِي} (alladhī, "who/that") are both relative pronouns, why can one be used as a description (adjective) and the other cannot?

We reply: The matter is conceptually understandable, and we will clarify it concerning {مَا} (mā, "what/that which"), which will clarify the issue regarding {مِنْ}.

{مَا} is an ambiguous noun that refers to everything. Its concept is "thing," but "thing" is the most general of all concepts. Essence is a thing, accident is a thing, the necessary is a thing, and the possible is a thing. The general precedes the specific in understanding because if you see a shape from afar, you first say it is a thing. Then, if what distinguishes humans appears, you say it is a human. If it becomes clear that it is male, you say it is a man. If you find him strong, you say he is courageous, and so on. The general is more known and precedes the specific in understanding. Therefore, the concept of {مَا} precedes everything, so it cannot be an adjective because the adjective follows the described noun. This is from a conceptual standpoint.

From a grammatical perspective, realities (substances/essences) are not described. One does not say: "A body man came to me," as one says: "A speaking body came to me." This is because the description adheres to the described, whereas the essence adheres to itself, not to anything else. Everything that functions as a description of something else implies the meaning: "a thing that possesses such-and-such." Thus, saying "knowing" (ʿālim) means "a thing that possesses knowledge" or "knowability." The concept of an adjective includes "a thing" plus "something else that it possesses." However, {مَا} refers only to "thing," so it lacks the second component necessary for description (the "possessing something else"). Therefore, it cannot be an adjective.

Since this is clear, {مَنْ} (man, "who") applies to rational beings, just as it applies to others. {مَنْ} means "human," "angel," or other rational realities. Rational realities do not function as adjectives. As for what applies to both realities and descriptions, its concept includes more definition than what is included in the metaphorical description by something less than {مِنْ}.

Conceptual Subtleties in the Verse

There are several subtle meanings in the verse:

Linguistically, {الْخَشْيَة} (al-khashyah, awe/reverence) and {الْخَوْف} (al-khawf, fear) mean the same thing, but there is a difference:

• Khashyah stems from the greatness of the feared one. The root letters خ ش ي (Kh-Sh-Y) imply majesty. For example, shaykh (elder) refers to a master or an old man, both of whom are figures of awe.
• Khawf stems from the weakness of the fearful one. The root letters خ و ف (Kh-W-F) indicate weakness, as seen in khīfah (fear/apprehension) and khafiyyah (hidden/concealed).

If their meanings were identical, the Quran would not have mentioned them together, such as in: {تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً} (taḍarruʿan wa khufyatan, "humbly and secretly") (Al-An'ām: 63). Secrecy implies weakness, just as the fearful person is weak.

Knowing this, the subtlety becomes clear: Allah Almighty often uses the term {الْخَشْيَة} when the fear is due to the greatness of the feared one.

• He says: {إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ} ("Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who are learned") (Fāṭir: 28).
• He says: {لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ} ("If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and split apart out of fear of Allah") (Al-Ḥashr: 21). The mountain possesses no weakness that would cause fear based on its frailty; rather, Allah is so Great that every strong being fears Him.
• {هُم مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ} ("They are fearful from the awe of their Lord") (Al-Mu'minūn: 57), even though the angels are powerful.
• He says: {وَتَخْشَى النَّاسَ وَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَاهُ} ("You feared the people, while Allah is more worthy that you should fear Him") (Al-Aḥzāb: 33). This means you feared them out of reverence for them, as you had no weakness relative to them.
• He says: {لَا تَخَفْ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ} ("Do not fear and do not grieve") (Al-ʿAnkabūt: 33), meaning do not fear weakness, as they possess no greatness.
• He says: {يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا} ("They fear a Day") (Al-Insān: 7), where the greatness of the Day is insignificant compared to the greatness of Allah.
• He says: {أَلَا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا} ("Do not fear and do not grieve") (Fuṣṣilat: 30), meaning do not fear the harm that might befall you from the Hereafter, as all unpleasantness is averted from you.

Conversely, {الْخَوْف} is used when fear stems from the weakness of the fearful:

• {خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ} ("fearful, awaiting") (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 21).
• {إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ} ("Indeed, I fear they will kill me") (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 33), due to his solitude and weakness.
• Aaron said: {إِنِّي خَشِيتُ} ("Indeed, I feared") (Ṭā-Hā: 94), because of Moses's majesty in Aaron's eyes, not due to any weakness in Aaron himself.
• {فَخَشِينَا أَن يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا} ("So we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief") (Al-Kahf: 80), where there was no inherent weakness involved.

In summary, when you examine the usage, {الْخَشْيَة} is used for fear arising from the greatness of the feared one, and {الْخَوْف} is used for fear arising from the weakness of the fearful one. This is the general rule, though exceptions may occur, but the majority usage is sufficient evidence.

Allah Almighty says here: {مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ} (man khashiya ar-Raḥmān, "he who feared the Most Merciful"). This is contrasted with the verse in Al-Ḥashr: {لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِن خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ} ("If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and split apart out of fear of Allah").

The use of {اللَّهِ} (Allāh) in Al-Ḥashr points to condemnation of the disbeliever, as the term Allāh implies absolute Majesty, which should compel fear. Furthermore, Allah says: {إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ} ("Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who are learned") (Fāṭir: 28). The use of {إِنَّمَا} (innamā, "only/verily") implies restriction, indicating that the ignorant do not fear Him, even though the prerequisite (His Mercy) is present and there is no impediment (i.e., His Mercy is not withdrawn). We have discussed this in Sūrat Yā-Sīn, but we add something here:

The term {الرَّحْمَٰن} (Ar-Raḥmān, The Most Merciful) points to the cause (the giver of existence) rather than the impediment (the one who might withhold).

• Ar-Raḥmān means the Giver of existence through creation.
• Ar-Raḥīm means the Giver of permanence through provision.

In this world, He is Raḥmān because He created us by Mercy, and Raḥīm because He sustains us by provision. He is not called Raḥīm by others because sustaining provision might be attributed to someone who feeds the desperate (i.e., "So-and-so sustained so-and-so"). In the Hereafter, He is Raḥmān because He will create us again, and Raḥīm because He will provide for us. We explained this in the exegesis of Al-Fātiḥah, where we said: {بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ} indicates He is Raḥmān in this world (by creating us), Raḥīm in this world (by providing for us) through Mercy. Then, after {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ}, it means He is Raḥmān again in the Hereafter (by recreating us), and Raḥīm (by providing for us), and He is the Owner on that Day ({مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ}).

If you understand this, then for the one from whom existence originates, his fear should not be fear of anyone else. A person might say to another, "I fear you cutting off my provision or changing my life." Since Allah Almighty is Raḥmān (the source of existence), He must be feared, because the one who holds existence holds non-existence.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The fear of Allah is the head of all wisdom." This is because the wise person, when contemplating anything other than Allah, finds it subject to change and capable of ceasing to exist at any moment. Allah might decree its non-existence before it can inflict harm, because if another entity is not permitted by Allah to harm, it cannot harm. If it is permitted by Allah's decree, the harm will cease with the death of the afflicted or the afflictor. As for Allah Almighty, there is no repelling His decree, nor an end to His punishment.

The phrase {بِالْغَيْبِ} (bil-ghayb, "in secret/unseen") means their fear occurred before the manifestation of matters that are seen with the eye.

The phrase {وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ} ("and he came with a turning heart") points to another praiseworthy attribute. The fearful person might flee and avoid closeness to the one feared, thus gaining no benefit. However, when the fearful one knows he is under Allah's dominion, he realizes that fleeing is useless, so he comes while being not fleeing—he {جَاءَ} ("came") and did not depart like a runaway slave.

The preposition {بِـ} (bi, "with") in {بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ} has several possible meanings, which we discussed regarding {وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ} ("and the agony of death comes with the truth") (Qāf: 19):

1. Transitivity (Causation): Meaning he brought a sound heart, similar to saying dhahaba bihi (he took it away, meaning he caused it to go).
2. Accompaniment: Similar to saying, "So-and-so bought the horse with its saddle" (meaning along with its saddle), or "So-and-so came with his family" (meaning accompanied by his family).
3. The most recognized meaning: Causality (Reason/Cause): Similar to saying, "So-and-so only took it because of so-and-so's saying," or "He came because of hope for him." Thus, it is as if the Almighty said: He came, and he did not come except because of the repentance/turning (inābah) in his heart, knowing there is no refuge except to Allah. So he came because of his turning heart.

The turning heart (al-qalb al-munīb) is like the sound heart (al-qalb salīm) in the verse: {إِذَا جَاءَ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ} ("the Day when neither wealth nor sons will avail, except for one who comes to Allah with a sound heart") (Ash-Shuʿarā’: 88-89). A heart sound from polytheism abandons everything other than Allah and turns back to Him, thus being munīb (turning). Whoever turns to Allah is free from polytheism, thus being salīm (sound).

| Qāf: 7 < {ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ} > |

{ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ} ("Enter it in peace"), {ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ} ("That is the Day of Eternity").