Tafsir Surah Al-Mu'min ayah 2 | Learn Quran Tafsir

Tafsir of Surah Gafir

Allah says,

حم

Ha Mim,

We have already discussed the individual letters at the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, and there is no need to repeat the discussion here.

In a Hadith recorded by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi from one who heard it from the Messenger of Allah, it says:

إِنۡ بُيِّتُّمُ اللَّيۡلَةَ فَقُولُوا حم لَا يُنۡصَرُون

When you go to bed tonight, recite Ha Mim, La Yunsarun.

Its chain of narrators is Sahih.

Allah says,

تَنزِيلُ الۡكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الۡعَزِيزِ الۡعَلِيمِ

The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Knower.

means, this book -- the Qur'an -- is from Allah, the Owner of might and knowledge, Who cannot be overtaken and from Whom nothing is hidden, not even an ant concealed beneath many layers

غَافِرِ الذَّنبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوۡبِ

The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance,

means, He forgives sins that have been committed in the past, and He accepts repentance for sins that may be committed in the future, from the one who repents and submits to Him.

شَدِيدِ الۡعِقَابِ

the Severe in punishment,

means, to the one who persists in transgression and prefers the life of this world, who stubbornly turns away from the commands of Allah and commits sin.

This is like the Ayah:

نَبِّىءۡ عِبَادِى أَنِّى أَنَا الۡغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ الۡعَذَابُ الاٌّلِيمُ

Declare unto My servants that truly I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment. (15:49-50)

These two attributes (mercy and punishment) are often mentioned together in the Qur'an, so that people will remain in a state of both hope and fear.

ذِي الطَّوۡلِ

the Bestower.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

This means He is Generous and Rich (Independent of means).

The meaning is that He is Most Generous to His servants, granting ongoing blessings for which they can never sufficiently thank Him.

وَإِن تَعُدُّواۡ نِعۡمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحۡصُوهَا

And if you would count the favors of Allah, never could you be able to count them... (16:18)

لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

La ilaha illa Huwa,

means, there is none that is equal to Him in all His attributes; there is no God or Lord besides Him.

إِلَيۡهِ الۡمَصِيرُ

to Him is the final return.

means, all things will come back to Him and He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds.

وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الۡحِسَابِ

and He is Swift at reckoning. (13:41)

Allah says,

مَا يُجَادِلُ فِي ايَاتِ اللَّهِ

None disputes in the Ayat of Allah,

One of the Attributes of the Disbelievers is That they dispute the Ayat of Allah -- and The Consequences of that Allah tells us that no one rejects or disputes His signs after clear proof has come,

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

but those who disbelieve,

i.e., those who reject the signs of Allah and His proof and evidence.

فَلَ يَغۡرُرۡكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمۡ فِي الۡبِلَدِ

So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you!

means, their wealth and luxurious life.

This is like the Ayah:

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ فِى الۡبِلَـدِ

مَتَـعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأۡوَاهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِيۡسَ الۡمِهَادُ

Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest. (3:196-197)

نُمَتِّعُهُمۡ قَلِيلً ثُمَّ نَضۡطَرُّهُمۡ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment. (31:24)

Then Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad for the rejection of his people. He tells him that he has an example in the Prophets who came before him, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, for their nations disbelieved them and opposed them, and only a few believed in them

كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٍ

The people of Nuh denied before these;

Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.

وَالاۡاَحۡزَابُ مِن بَعۡدِهِمۡ

and the groups after them, (means, from every nation).

وَهَمَّتۡ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمۡ لِيَأۡخُذُوهُ

and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,

means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.

وَجَادَلُوا بِالۡبَاطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُوا بِهِ الۡحَقَّ

and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.

means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.

فَأَخَذۡتُهُمۡ

So I seized them,

means, `I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'

فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

and how was My punishment!

means, `how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.'

Qatadah said,

It was terrible, by Allah.

وَكَذَلِكَ حَقَّتۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمۡ أَصۡحَابُ النَّارِ

Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire.

means, `just as the Word of punishment was justified against those of the past nations who disbelieved, so too is it justified against these disbelievers who have rejected you and gone against you, O Muhammad, and it is even more justified against them, because if they have disbelieved in you, there is no certainty that they will believe in any other Prophet.'

And Allah knows best

The Bearers of the Throne praise Allah and pray for forgiveness for the Believers

Allah tells us that;

الَّذِينَ يَحۡمِلُونَ الۡعَرۡشَ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ

Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord,

Allah tells us that the angels who are close to Him, the bearers of the Throne, and the angels who are around Him -- all glorify the praises of their Lord. They combine glorification (Tasbih) which implies that He is free of any shortcomings, with praise (Tahmid) which is an affirmation of praise.

وَيُوۡمِنُونَ بِهِ

and believe in Him,

means, they humbly submit themselves before Him.

وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ امَنُوا

and ask forgiveness for those who believe,

means, for those among the people of earth who believe in the Unseen. Allah commanded that His angels who are close to Him should pray for the believers in their absence, so it is a part of the angels' nature that they say Amin when a believer prays for his brother in his absence.

In Sahih Muslim it says:

إِذَا دَعَا الۡمُسۡلِمُ لاَِخِيهِ بِظَهۡرِ الۡغَيۡبِ قَالَ الۡمَلَكُ امِينَ وَلَكَ بِمِثۡلِه

When a Muslim prays for his brother in his absence, the angel says, `Amin, and may you have something similar to it'.

Shahr bin Hawshab said,

The bearers of the Throne are eight; four of them say,

`Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forbearance after Your knowledge. '

Four of them say,

`Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forgiveness after Your power.'

When they pray for forgiveness for those who believe, they say:

رَبَّنَا وَسِعۡتَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ رَّحۡمَةً وَعِلۡمًا

Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,

meaning, `Your mercy encompasses their sins and Your knowledge encompasses all their deeds, words and action.'

فَاغۡفِرۡ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ

so forgive those who repent and follow Your way.

That is, `forgive the sinners when they repent to You and turn to You and give up their former ways, following Your commands to do good and abstain from evil.'

وَقِهِمۡ عَذَابَ الۡجَحِيمِ

and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!

means, `snatch them away from the punishment of Hell, which is a painful, agonizing punishment.

رَبَّنَا وَأَدۡخِلۡهُمۡ جَنَّاتِ عَدۡنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُم وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنۡ ابَايِهِمۡ وَأَزۡوَاجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمۡ

Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring!

meaning, `bring them together so that they may find delight in one another in neighboring dwellings.'

This is like the Ayah:

وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ وَاتَّبَعَتۡهُمۡ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَـنٍ أَلۡحَقۡنَا بِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ وَمَأ أَلَتۡنَـهُمۡ مِّنۡ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَىۡءٍ

And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in faith, -- to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. (52:21)

This means, `that all of them will be made equal in status. In this way they may delight in one another's company; the one who is in the higher status will not lose anything. On the contrary We will raise the one whose deeds are of a lower status so that they will become equal, as a favor and a blessing from Us.'

Sa`id bin Jubayr said that;

when the believer enters Paradise, he will ask where his father, son and brother are. It will be said to him, `they did not reach the same level of good deeds as you did'.

He will say, `but I did it for my sake and for theirs.'

Then they will be brought to join him in that higher degree.

Then Sa`id bin Jubayr recited this Ayah:

إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الۡعَزِيزُ الۡحَكِيمُ

Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.

Mutarrif bin Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir said,

The most sincere of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the angels.

Then he recited this Ayah:

رَبَّنَا وَأَدۡخِلۡهُمۡ جَنَّاتِ عَدۡنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُم

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Paradises which you have promised them...)

He then said,

The most treacherous of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the Shayatin.

إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الۡعَزِيزُ الۡحَكِيمُ

You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.

means, `the One Whom none can resist or overwhelm; what You will happens and what You do not will does not happen; You are Wise in all that You say and do, in all that You legislate and decree.

وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّيَاتِ

And save them from the sins,

means, the actions and the consequences.

وَمَن تَقِ السَّيِّيَاتِ يَوۡمَيِذٍ

and whomsoever You save from the sins that Day,

means, the Day of Resurrection,

فَقَدۡ رَحِمۡتَهُ

him verily, You have taken into mercy.

means, `You have protected him and saved him from punishment.'

وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيمُ

And that is the supreme success.

Al-Mu'min: 2

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Mu'min: 2