The Night (17): And the most pious will be kept far from it.

Meaning of Sayujannabuhā (will be kept far from it): It means He will distance him and place him aside. It is said: Jannabtuhu al-shay’a (I kept the thing away from him), meaning I distanced him from it.

In this verse, there are two issues:

Issue 1: Identification of "The Most Pious" (Al-Attqā)

The commentators are unanimously agreed that the intended person here is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

However, the entire Shi'a sect denies this narration and asserts that this verse was revealed concerning Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). Their evidence is the verse: {And they give charity while they are bowing} (Al-Ma'idah: 55). They argue that the description here, {The most pious who gives his wealth for purification} (Alladhī yu’tī mālahu yatazakkā), points to the meaning in the verse {they give charity while they are bowing}.

When someone mentioned this to me [Al-Razi], I presented a rational proof that the intended person in this verse is Abu Bakr.

The Argument:

1. The intended meaning of Al-Attqā (The Most Pious) here is the best of creation.
2. If this premise is true, then the intended person must be Abu Bakr.

Proof for Premise 1 (That Al-Attqā means the best of creation): This is based on the verse: {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} (Al-Hujurat: 13). Al-Akram (the most noble) is the best. This indicates that whoever is more pious is necessarily better (more noble).

Objection: Someone might argue that the verse only indicates that whoever is more noble is more pious, but it does not necessitate that whoever is more pious is more noble.

Response: The state of being "most pious" (atqā) is known and observable, whereas the state of being "best" (akram) is not necessarily known or observable in the same way. Conveying information about the unknown using the known is the sound method. The verse is structured as if there was ambiguity about who is most noble to Allah, and the answer given was: "The most pious." Thus, the meaning is effectively: "The most pious among you is the most noble to Allah." This establishes that the Attqā mentioned here must be the best of creation in the sight of Allah.

Proof for Premise 2 (That the best of creation is Abu Bakr): The Ummah is agreed that the best of creation after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) is either Abu Bakr or Ali.

We must show that this verse cannot apply to Ali ibn Abi Talib. The verse states: {And no one has with him any favor to be repaid} (Wa mā li-aḥadin ‘indahu min ni‘matin tujzā). This description does not apply to Ali, because he was raised under the Prophet's (PBUH) care; the Prophet took him from his father, fed him, clothed him, and nurtured him. The Prophet (PBUH) bestowed upon Ali a favor that necessitates repayment.

In contrast, Abu Bakr did not owe the Prophet (PBUH) any worldly debt. Rather, Abu Bakr spent on the Prophet (PBUH). While the Prophet (PBUH) bestowed upon Abu Bakr the favor of guidance to the religion, this favor cannot be repaid, as Allah says: {I ask of you no reward for it} (Al-Furqan: 57). The verse here specifies a favor that can be repaid (tujzā). Therefore, this verse is unsuitable for Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Since it is established that the verse refers to the best of creation, and that this best person is either Abu Bakr or Ali, and since it is established that the verse is unsuitable for Ali, it must necessarily apply to Abu Bakr (RA). This also proves that Abu Bakr is the best of the Ummah.

The Narration (Regarding Abu Bakr): It is narrated that Bilal (who was a slave of 'Abdullah ibn Jud'an) prostrated before the idols. When the polytheists complained about his act of breaking the idols, they demanded compensation from his master. Bilal was handed over to them, and they tortured him on the scorching ground, while he kept saying: "One! One!" The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed by and said: "One! One! will save you."

The Prophet (PBUH) informed Abu Bakr that Bilal was being tortured for the sake of Allah. Abu Bakr took a measure of gold and bought Bilal's freedom. The polytheists remarked: "Abu Bakr only did this because Bilal owed him a favor that needed repayment." Then the verse was revealed: {And no one has with him any favor to be repaid, except seeking the Face of his Lord, the Most High} (Al-Layl: 20).

Ibn al-Zubayr, while on the pulpit, said: Abu Bakr used to buy weak slaves and free them. His father said to him: "Son, if only you would buy those who would support your back!" He replied: "I seek only that which supports my back [i.e., the reward from Allah]." Then this verse was revealed.

Issue 2: Grammatical Status of Yatazakkā

The author of Al-Kashshāf (Al-Zamakhshari) mentioned two possibilities regarding the grammatical status of Yatazakkā (for purification) in the phrase {who gives his wealth for purification}:

1. If it is considered a substitute (badal) for Yu’tī (gives), then it has no grammatical position (lā maḥalla lahu), because it is included within the ruling of the preceding clause (al-ṣilah), and clauses of connection have no grammatical position.
2. If it is considered a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl) describing the pronoun in Yu’tī (He gives), then its position is accusative (al-naṣb).

{Except seeking the Face of his Lord, the Most High, And soon your Lord will grant you satisfaction} (Al-Layl: 17-18).