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Ayah
Word by Word
يَٰعِبَادِيَ
O My servants
ٱلَّذِينَ
who
ءَامَنُوٓاْ
believe!
إِنَّ
Indeed
أَرۡضِي
My earth
وَٰسِعَةٞ
(is) spacious
فَإِيَّـٰيَ
so only
فَٱعۡبُدُونِ
worship Me
يَٰعِبَادِيَ
O My servants
ٱلَّذِينَ
who
ءَامَنُوٓاْ
believe!
إِنَّ
Indeed
أَرۡضِي
My earth
وَٰسِعَةٞ
(is) spacious
فَإِيَّـٰيَ
so only
فَٱعۡبُدُونِ
worship Me
Translation
O My servants who have believed, indeed My earth is spacious, so worship only Me.
Tafsir
O My servants who believe! My earth is indeed vast. So worship [only] Me, in whichever land worship is possible, by emigrating to it from a land in which worship is not possible - this [verse] was revealed regarding the oppressed Muslims [living] in Mecca, who were constrained to manifest [their] Islam in it.
How the Idolators asked for the Torment to be hastened on
Allah says:
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَوْلَا أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَجَاءهُمُ الْعَذَابُ
And they ask you to hasten on the torment, and had it not been for a term appointed, the torment would certainly have come to them.
Allah tells us of the ignorance of the idolators and how they asked for the punishment of Allah to be hastened so that it would befall them quickly.
This is like the Ayah,
وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ أَوِ ايْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
And when they said:O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment. (8:32)
And Allah says here:
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَوْلَا أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى لَجَاءهُمُ الْعَذَابُ
(And they ask you to hasten on the torment, and had it not been for a term appointed, the torment would certainly have come to them).
Were it not for the fact that Allah has decreed that the punishment should be delayed until the Day of Resurrection, the torment would have come upon them quickly as they demanded.
Then Allah says:
وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ
And surely, it will come upon them suddenly while they perceive not! They ask you to hasten on the torment. And verily, Hell, of a surety, will encompass the disbelievers.
means, `they ask you to hasten on the punishment, but it will undoubtedly befall them.
يَوْمَ يَغْشَاهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ
On the Day when the torment (Hellfire) shall cover them from above them and from beneath their feet,
This is like the Ayah,
لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ
Theirs will be a bed of Hell, and over them coverings (of Hell-fire). (7:41)
لَهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ
They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire) beneath them. (39:16)
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ
If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs. (21:39)
The Fire will cover them from all sides, which is more effective as a physical punishment.
وَيَقُولُ ذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
and it will be said:Taste what you used to do.
This is a threat and a rebuke, which is a form of psychological punishment, as in the Ayah,
يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ
The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire (it will be said to them):Taste you the touch of Hell!
Verily, We have created all things with a measurement. (54:48-49)
يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا
هَـذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ
أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ
اصْلَوْهَا فَاصْبِرُواْ أَوْ لَا تَصْبِرُواْ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire which you used to deny. Is this magic or do you not see!
Enter you therein (taste you therein its heat) and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same. You are only being requited for what you used to do. (52:13-16
Advice to migrate and the Promise of Provision and a Goodly Reward
Allah commands His believing servants to migrate from a land in which they are not able to establish Islam, to the spacious earth of Allah where they can do so, by declaring Allah to be One and worshipping Him as He has commanded.
Allah says:
يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ امَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ
O My servants who believe! Certainly, spacious is My earth. Therefore worship Me.
When things became too difficult for the believers in Makkah who were in a weak position and were oppressed, they left and migrated to Ethiopia, where they were able to practice their religion. The Muslims found Ethiopia the best place for guest; where Ashamah, the Negus or king, may Allah have mercy on him, gave them refuge, helped them, supported them, and honored them in his land.
Later, the Messenger of Allah and his remaining Companions migrated to Al-Madinah, formerly known as Yathrib, may Allah protect it.
Then Allah says:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَايِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned.
meaning, `wherever you are, death with catch up with you, so always obey Allah and be where Allah commands you to be, for this is better for you. Death is inevitable and there is no escape from it, and then you will return to Allah, and whoever was obedient to Him will have the best reward.'
Allah says
وَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّيَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الاْاَنْهَارُ
And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, underneath which rivers flow,
meaning, `We shall cause them to dwell in lofty homes in Paradise under which various kinds of rivers flow -- water, wine, honey and milk -- which they can direct and cause to flow wherever they wish.'
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
to live therein forever.
means, they will remain there forever, never wanting to leave.
نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ
Excellent is the reward for the workers.
these rooms will be a blessed reward for the good deeds of the believers
الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا
Those who are patient,
in adhering to their religion, who migrated for the sake of Allah and fought the enemy, leaving behind their families and relatives to seek Allah's Face, and hoping for that which is with Him, believing His promise.
Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded from Abu Mu`aniq Al-Ash`ari that Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari told him that the Messenger of Allah told him:
إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى لِمَنْ أَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ وَأَطَابَ الْكَلَمَ وَتَابَعَ الصَّلَةَ وَالصِّيَامَ وَقَامَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام
In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside, and their inside can be seen from the outside; Allah has prepared them for those
who feed others,
who speak well,
who pray and fast continually,
and who stand in prayer at night while people are asleep.
وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
and put their trust in their Lord.
in all their affairs, spiritual and worldly alike.
Then Allah tells us that provision is not limited only to one place, but it is given to all His creatures no matter where they are. Indeed, when the Muhajirin migrated, their provision was greater and better than before, because after a short time they became rulers in the land, in all regions.
Allah says
وَكَأَيِّن مِن دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا
And so many a moving creature carries not its own provision!
meaning, it does not have the ability to gather its provision and save it for tomorrow.
اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ
Allah provides for it and for you.
means, Allah allots its provision to it even though it is weak, and makes it easy for it. He sends provision to every creature in the appropriate manner, even the ants in the depths of the earth, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea.
Allah says:
وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book. (11:6)
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.
means, He hears all that His servants say and He knows their every movements.
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