Al-Hadid (The Iron): (27) Then We caused to follow...

His saying, the Exalted: {Then We caused to follow in their footsteps Our messengers, and We caused to follow in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, and We gave him the Gospel.}

There are two issues concerning this:

The First Issue: The meaning of qaffā (قَفَّى) is to follow someone after they have passed. The intent here is that the Almighty sent some messengers after others until the time of Jesus, peace be upon him, arrived, and God sent him and gave him the Gospel.

The Second Issue: Ibn Jinni said that Al-Hasan recited: {wa qaffaynā ‘alā} (وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَى) with a fatḥa (vowel sign) on the hamza (أ). He then said: "This is an example that has no parallel, because af‘īl (أَفْعِيل) is, in their view, derived from najaltu ash-shay’a (نَجَلْتُ الشَّيْءَ) when one extracts something, as rulings are extracted by it. And al-Injīl (الإنجيل) is fu‘wāl (فُعْوَل) from warā az-zand (وَرَى الزَّنْدَ) meaning 'to strike fire,' as fire is extracted by it. Similarly, al-Furqān (الفرقان) is fu‘lān (فُعْلان) from faraqtu bayna ash-shay’ayn (فَرَقْتُ بَيْنَ الشَّيْئَيْنِ) meaning 'to separate two things.' Based on this, opening the hamza with a fatḥa is not permissible because it has no parallel. My strong assumption is that he recited it only based on hearing, and it has two possible interpretations:

1. It is an anomalous reading, as some narrated regarding al-burtīl (البرطيل).
2. He presumed al-Injīl (The Gospel) to be a non-Arabic (foreign) word, so he altered its pattern to indicate its foreign origin.

His saying, the Exalted: {And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy, and monasticism which they invented.}

There are several issues concerning this:

The First Issue: Our companions (the Ash'arites) use this verse as evidence that the actions of a servant are created by the Almighty and acquired (earned) by the servant. They argue that the Almighty judged these things (compassion and mercy) to be divinely placed, yet He judged that they invented that monasticism. Al-Qadi (Al-Baqillani) said that the meaning is that the Almighty facilitated them so that their drives toward monasticism—which involves undertaking excessive burdens beyond what is required, such as seclusion, rough clothing—were strengthened. The response is that this interpretation abandons the apparent meaning without evidence. Furthermore, even if we concede this point, it still achieves our objective. This is because a state of equilibrium (where divine decree and human choice are perfectly balanced) cannot admit of a preference (رجحان) arising on its own; if preference arose at equilibrium, then equilibrium itself would have acquired preference, which is a contradiction. If attainment at equilibrium is impossible, then attainment at a state of being less preferred (المرجوحية) must be even more impossible. If the less preferred is impossible, then the more preferred (الراجح) is necessarily required, as there is no escape from the two contradictory extremes.

The Second Issue: Muqatil said that the meaning of compassion (ra’fah) and mercy (raḥmah) is that they were affectionate toward one another, just as God described the companions of Muhammad, peace be upon him, saying: {merciful among themselves} (Al-Fatḥ: 29).

The Third Issue: The author of Al-Kashshāf (Al-Zamakhshari) said that (رَأْفَة) was read with the pattern fa‘ālah (فَعَالَة).

The Fourth Issue: The meaning of al-rahbāniyyah (الرهبانية) is the action attributed to the ruhban (monks), which is fear (ruhb), following the pattern fa‘lān (فَعْلان) from rahaba (رَهَبَ), like khashyān (خَشْيَان) from khashiya (خَشِيَ). It was also read as (وَرُهْبَانِيَّة) with a ḍammah (vowel sign), as if it were an attribution to al-ruhban (the monks), which is the plural of rāhib (monk), like rā’ib and rukbān. The intent of al-rahbāniyyah is their asceticism in the mountains, fleeing religious strife, dedicating themselves to worship, and undertaking excessive burdens beyond the required acts of worship, such as seclusion, rough clothing, separation from women, and worshipping in caves and hollows.

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that during the period between Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), kings altered the Torah and the Gospel. So, a group wandered the earth and wore wool. Ibn Mas'ud narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "O Ibn Mas'ud, do you not know that the Children of Israel divided into seventy sects, all of them in the Fire except for three sects? One sect believed in Jesus (PBUH) and fought God's enemies in his support until they were killed. A second sect lacked the strength to fight, so they were commanded to enjoin good and forbid evil. And a third sect lacked the strength for either of the two actions, so they wore cloaks and went out to the deserts and barren lands. This is His saying: {And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy} until the end of the verse."

The Fifth Issue: God did not intend condemnation by saying (which they invented) (ibtad‘ūhā). Rather, the meaning is that they originated it by themselves and vowed it upon themselves. This is why He said immediately after: {We did not prescribe it for them} (mā katabnāhā ‘alayhim).

The Sixth Issue: {Monasticism} (rahbāniyyah) is in the accusative case (manṣūb) due to an implied verb that the explicit verb explains. The implied structure is: They invented monasticism, [and] they invented it (ibtada‘ū rahbāniyyatan ibtada‘ūhā). Abu Ali al-Fārisi said that al-rahbāniyyah cannot be governed by {And We did not make} (wa mā ja‘alnā), because what they invent cannot be something made by God. I say: This statement would only hold true if the impossibility of a possible thing existing between two capable agents were established. How fitting is it for Abu Ali to delve into such matters!

Then, the Exalted said: {We did not prescribe it for them} (mā katabnāhā ‘alayhim), meaning We did not make it obligatory upon them.

As for His saying: {except seeking the pleasure of God} (illā ibtighā’ riḍwān Allāh), there are two opinions:

1. It is a disconnected exception (istithnā’ munqaṭi‘). Meaning: But they invented it seeking the pleasure of God.
2. It is a connected exception (istithnā’ muttaṣil). The meaning is: We did not command them to perform it except in the manner of seeking God's pleasure. This implies that it was not obligatory. The purpose of performing an obligatory act is to avert punishment and attain God's pleasure. However, the purpose of performing a recommended act is not to avert punishment, but solely to attain God's pleasure.

As for His saying: {Yet they did not observe it with the observance it deserved, so We gave those who believed among them their reward, and many of them were defiantly disobedient (fāsiqūn).} There are several sayings concerning this:

1. Those who invented this monasticism did not observe it as it deserved; rather, they added to it the Trinity and Incarnation (Unionism). Some among them remained on the religion of Jesus until they reached the time of Muhammad (PBUH) and believed in him. This is supported by His saying: {Then We caused to follow in their footsteps Our messengers, and We caused to follow in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary...}
2. We did not prescribe that monasticism for them except so they might use it as a means to attain God's pleasure. Then, they performed those actions, but not for that reason, but for another reason: seeking worldly gain, showing off, and reputation.
3. When We did not prescribe it for them, they abandoned it. This constitutes a censure against them for abandoning what was obligatory (or what they vowed).
4. Those who did not observe it as it deserved are those who reached the time of Muhammad (PBUH) but did not believe in him. His saying: {Then We caused to follow in their footsteps Our messengers} refers to those who believed in Muhammad, and {many of them were defiantly disobedient} refers to those who did not believe in him. This is supported by what is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever believes in me, affirms me, and follows me has observed it with the observance it deserved. And whoever does not believe in me, those are the ones who are ruined."
5. The righteous among the people of Jesus (PBUH) invented monasticism and died upon it. Then, a people came after them who imitated them in speech but did not imitate them in action. These are the ones who did not observe it as it deserved. 'Ata said: They did not observe it as the Disciples observed it. Then he said: {and many of them were defiantly disobedient}, meaning some of them upheld the observance, while many of them openly displayed disobedience and abandoned that path outwardly and inwardly.

{7 < O you who have believed, fear God and believe in His Messenger. He will give you two portions of His mercy and will make for you a light by which you will walk, and He will forgive you. And God is Forgiving and Merciful. > 7}