32.The Hypocrites suffering for their Plots
Allah stated that He will punish the hypocrites for their
mockery, using the same terms to describe both the deed and its punishment,
although the meaning is different. Similarly, Allah said,
﴿وَجَزَآءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا فَمَنْ عَفَا
وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾
(The recompense for an offense is an offense equal to it;
but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah)
(42:40), and,
﴿فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ﴾
(Then whoever transgresses (the prohibition) against you,
transgress likewise against him) (2:194).
The first act is an act of injustice, while the second act
is an act of justice. So both actions carry the same name, while being
different in reality. This is how the scholars explain deceit, cunning and
mocking when attributed to Allah in the Qur'an. Surely, Allah exacts revenge
for certain evil acts with a punishment that is similar in nature to the act
itself. We should affirm here that Allah does not do these things out of joyful
play, according to the consensus of the scholars, but as a just form of
punishment for certain evil acts.
33.Meaning of `Leaves them increasing in their deviation to
wander blindly
Allah said,
﴿وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ﴾
(Allah mocks at them and leaves them increasing in their
deviation to wander blindly). As-Suddi reported that Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and
several other Companions of the Messenger of Allah said that,
﴿وَيَمُدُّهُمْ﴾
(and leaves them increasing) means, He gives them respite.
Also, Mujahid said, "He (causes their deviation) to increase.'' Allah
said;
﴿أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ
وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ ﴾
(Do they think that by the wealth and the children with
which We augment them. (That) We hasten to give them with good things. Nay, but
they perceive not.) (23:55-56).
Ibn Jarir commented, "The correct meaning of this Ayah
is `We give them increase from the view of giving them respite and leaving them
in their deviation and rebellion.' Similarly, Allah said,
﴿وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ
يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴾
(And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from
guidance), as they refused to believe in it the first time, and We shall leave
them in their trespass to wander blindly). '' (6:110).
Tughyan used in this Ayah means to transgress the limits,
just as Allah said in another Ayah,
﴿إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا الْمَآءُ حَمَلْنَـكُمْ فِى
الْجَارِيَةِ ﴾
(Verily, when the water Tagha (rose) beyond its limits, We
carried you in the ship) (69:11).
Also, Ibn Jarir said that the term `Amah, in the Ayah means,
`deviation'. He also said about Allah's statement,
﴿فِي طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ﴾
(in their deviation to wander), "In the misguidance and
disbelief that has encompassed them, causing them to be confused and unable to
find a way out of it. This is because Allah has stamped their hearts, sealed
them, and blinded their vision. Therefore, they do not recognize guidance or
find the way out of their deviation.''
﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الضَّلَـلَةَ
بِالْهُدَى فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـرَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهْتَدِينَ ﴾
(16. These are they who have purchased error with guidance,
so their commerce was profitless. And they were not guided.)
In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn `Abbas and Ibn
Mas`ud commented on;
﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الضَّلَـلَةَ
بِالْهُدَى﴾
(These are they who have purchased error with guidance)
saying it means, "They pursued misguidance and abandoned guidance. ''
Mujahid said, "They believed and then disbelieved,'' while Qatadah said,
"They preferred deviation to guidance.'' Qatadah's statement is similar in
meaning to Allah's statement about Thamud,
﴿وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّواْ
الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى﴾
(And as for Thamud, We granted them guidance, but they
preferred blindness to guidance) (41:17).
In summary, the statements that we have mentioned from the
scholars of Tafsir indicate that the hypocrites deviate from the true guidance
and prefer misguidance, substituting wickedness in place of righteousness. This
meaning explains Allah's statement,
﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الضَّلَـلَةَ
بِالْهُدَى﴾
(These are they who have purchased error with guidance),
meaning, they exchanged guidance to buy misguidance. This meaning includes
those who first believed, then later disbelieved, whom Allah described,
﴿ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُواّ ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ﴾
(That is because they believed, and then disbelieved;
therefore their hearts are sealed) (63:3).
The Ayah also includes those who preferred deviation over
guidance. The hypocrites fall into several categories. This is why Allah said,
﴿فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـرَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهْتَدِينَ﴾
(So their commerce was profitless. And they were not
guided), meaning their trade did not succeed nor were they righteous or rightly
guided throughout all this. In addition, Ibn Jarir narrated that Qatadah
commented on the Ayah,
﴿فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـرَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهْتَدِينَ﴾
(So their commerce was profitless. And they were not
guided), "By Allah! I have seen them leaving guidance for deviation,
leaving the Jama`ah (the community of the believers) for the sects, leaving
safety for fear, and the Sunnah for innovation.'' Ibn Abi Hatim also reported
other similar statements.
﴿مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً فَلَمَّآ
أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَـتٍ
لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ - صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴾
(17. Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a
fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah removed their light and
left them in darkness. (So) they could not see). (18. They are deaf, dumb, and
blind, so they return not (to the right path).)
34.The Example of the Hypocrites
Allah likened the hypocrites when they bought deviation with
guidance, thus acquiring utter blindness, to the example of a person who
started a fire. When the fire was lit, and illumnitated the surrounding area,
the person benefited from it and felt safe. Then the fire was suddenly
extinguished. Therefore, total darkness covered this person, and he became
unable to see anything or find his way out of it. Further, this person could
not hear or speak and became so blind that even if there were light, he would
not be able to see. This is why he cannot return to the state that he was in
before this happened to him. Such is the case with the hypocrites who preferred
misguidance over guidance, deviation over righteousness. This parable indicates
that the hypocrites first believed, then disbelieved, just as Allah stated in
other parts of the Qur'an.
Allah's statement,
﴿ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ﴾
(Allah removed their light) means, Allah removed what
benefits them, and this is the light, and He left them with what harms them,
that is, the darkness and smoke. Allah said,
﴿وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَـتٍ﴾
(And left them in darkness), that is their doubts, disbelief
and hypocrisy.
﴿لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ﴾
((So) they could not see) meaning, they are unable to find
the correct path or find its direction. In addition, they are,
﴿صُمٌّ﴾
(deaf) and thus cannot hear the guidance,
﴿بِكُمْ﴾
(dumb) and cannot utter the words that might benefit them,
﴿عَمًى﴾
(and blind) in total darkness and deviation. Similarly,
Allah said,
﴿فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَعْمَى الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَلَـكِن تَعْمَى
الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِى فِى الصُّدُورِ﴾
(Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the
hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind) (22:46) and this why they
cannot get back to the state of guidance that they were in, since they sold it
for misguidance.
﴿أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـتٌ وَرَعْدٌ
وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصْـبِعَهُمْ فِى ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ الصَّوَعِقِ حَذَرَ
الْمَوْتِ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكـفِرِينَ - يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ
أَبْصَـرَهُمْ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ
عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُواْ وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَـرِهِمْ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ
عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴾
(19. Or like a rainstorm in the sky, bringing darkness,
thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the
stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the
disbelievers.) (20. The lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it
flashes for them, they walk
therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand
still. And if Allah willed,
He could have taken away their hearing and their
sight. Certainly, Allah has
power over all things.)
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