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Ayah
Word by Word
مَّا
Not
كَانَ
is
مُحَمَّدٌ
Muhammad
أَبَآ
(the) father
أَحَدٖ
(of) anyone
مِّن
of
رِّجَالِكُمۡ
your men
وَلَٰكِن
but
رَّسُولَ
(he is the) Messenger
ٱللَّهِ
(of) Allah
وَخَاتَمَ
and Seal
ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَۗ
(of) the Prophets
وَكَانَ
And Allah is
ٱللَّهُ
And Allah is
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٗا
All-Knower
مَّا
Not
كَانَ
is
مُحَمَّدٌ
Muhammad
أَبَآ
(the) father
أَحَدٖ
(of) anyone
مِّن
of
رِّجَالِكُمۡ
your men
وَلَٰكِن
but
رَّسُولَ
(he is the) Messenger
ٱللَّهِ
(of) Allah
وَخَاتَمَ
and Seal
ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَۗ
(of) the Prophets
وَكَانَ
And Allah is
ٱللَّهُ
And Allah is
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٗا
All-Knower
Translation
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.
Tafsir
Muhammad is not the father of any man among you: he is not Zayd's biological father and so it is not unlawful for him to marry his [former] wife Zaynab [after him]; but, he is, the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets, and so he will not have a son that is a [fully grown] man to be a prophet after him (a variant reading [for khaatim al-nabiyyeena] has khaatam al-nabiyyeen, as in the instrument [known as a] 'seal', in other words, their [prophethood] has been sealed by him). And God has knowledge of all things, among these is the fact that there will be no prophet after him, and even when the lord Jesus descends [at the end of days] he will rule according to his [Muhammad's] Law.
Allah's rebuke to His Messenger and the Story of Zayd and Zaynab
Allah tells;
وَإِذۡ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِي أَنۡعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ
And (remember) when you said to him on whom Allah has bestowed grace,
Allah tells what His Prophet said to his freed slave Zayd bin Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the one on whom Allah had bestowed grace, i.e., through Islam and following the Messenger .
وَأَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ
and you have done a favor (to him),
means, by freeing him from slavery.
And he was a great leader, held in high esteem and beloved by the Prophet. He was known as the beloved, and his son Usamah was known as the beloved son of the beloved.
A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
The Messenger of Allah never sent him on a campaign but he appointed him as its commander, and if he had lived after him he would have appointed him as his Khalifah.
This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.
The Messenger of Allah had given him in marriage to the daughter of his paternal aunt, Zaynab bint Jahsh Al-Asadiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, whose mother was Umaymah bint Abd Al-Muttalib. For her dowry he gave her ten Dinars, sixty Dirhams, a veil, a cloak and a shirt, fifty Mudds of food and ten Mudds of dates.
This was stated by Muqatil bin Hayyan.
She stayed with him for a year, more or less, then problems arose between them. Zayd complained about her to the Messenger of Allah, who told him,
أَمۡسِكۡ عَلَيۡكَ زَوۡجَكَ وَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ
Keep your wife to yourself, and have Taqwa of Allah.
Allah says:
وَتُخۡفِي فِي نَفۡسِكَ مَا اللَّهُ مُبۡدِيهِ وَتَخۡشَى النَّاسَ وَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخۡشَاهُ
But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him.
Ibn Jarir narrated that A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,
If Muhammad were to have concealed anything that was revealed to him of the Book of Allah, he would have concealed this Ayah:
وَتُخۡفِي فِي نَفۡسِكَ مَا اللَّهُ مُبۡدِيهِ وَتَخۡشَى النَّاسَ وَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخۡشَاهُ
But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him.
فَلَمَّا قَضَى زَيۡدٌ مِّنۡهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجۡنَاكَهَا
So, when Zayd had completed his aim with her, We gave her to you in marriage,
meaning, `when her marriage to Zayd was over and he had separated from her, We married her to you,' and the One Who was her Wali (guardian) in this marriage was Allah Himself, in the sense that He revealed to the Prophet that he should go in unto her without any Wali, contractual agreement, dowry or witnesses among mankind.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Thabit said that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
When Zaynab's `Iddah finished, may Allah be pleased with her, the Messenger of Allah said to Zayd bin Harithah,
اذۡهَبۡ فَاذۡكُرۡهَا عَلَي
Go to her and tell her about me (that I want to marry her).
So, he went to her and found her kneading dough. He (Zayd) said, `When I ﷺ her I felt such respect for her that I could not even look at her and tell her what the Messenger of Allah had said, so I turned my back to her and stepped aside, and said, `O Zaynab! Rejoice, for the Messenger of Allah has sent me to propose marriage to you on his behalf.'
She said, `I will not do anything until I pray to my Lord, may He be glorified.'
So she went to the place where she usually prayed.
Then Qur'an was revealed and the Messenger of Allah came and entered without permission. We were there when she entered upon the Messenger of Allah, and for the wedding feast we offered bread and meat. Then the people left, and some men stayed behind conversing in the house after they had eaten. The Messenger of Allah went out and I followed him. He started to go around all the apartments of his wives, greeting them, and they said, `O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your (new) wife!'
I do not know whether I or someone else told him that those people had left, so he went and entered the house, and I went to enter after him, but he drew the curtain between himself and I.
The ruling of Hijab was revealed and he exhorted the people as Allah had exhorted them:
لَا تَدۡخُلُواۡ بُيُوتَ النَّبِىِّ إِلااَّ أَن يُوۡذَنَ لَكُمۡ
Enter not the Prophet's houses, unless permission is given to you.
This was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i.
Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
Zaynab bint Jahsh, may Allah be pleased with her, used to boast to the other wives of the Prophet, saying, `Your families arranged your marriages, but Allah arranged my marriage from above the seven heavens.'
In (our Tafsir of) Surah An-Nur we mentioned that Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Jahsh said:
Zaynab and A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with them, were boasting to one another; Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, said, `I am the one whose marriage was revealed from above the heaven.'
A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, `I am the one whose innocence was revealed from heaven.'
So, Zaynab conceded that, may Allah be pleased with her.
Allah says;
لِكَيۡ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى الۡمُوۡمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِي أَزۡوَاجِ أَدۡعِيَايِهِمۡ إِذَا قَضَوۡا مِنۡهُنَّ وَطَرًا
so that there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them.
means, `We permitted you to marry her, and We did that so that there would no longer be any difficulty for the believers with regard to their marrying the ex-wives of their adopted sons.'
Before Prophethood, the Messenger of Allah had adopted Zayd bin Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him, and he was known as Zayd, the son of Muhammad. Allah put a stop to this when He said:
وَمَا جَعَلَ أَدۡعِيَأءَكُمۡ أَبۡنَأءَكُمۡ
(nor has He made your adopted sons your real sons) until:
ادۡعُوهُمۡ لاًّبَأيِهِمۡ هُوَ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ
(Call them after their fathers, that is more just with Allah. (33:4-5),
Then this was confirmed and made even clearer by the marriage of the Messenger of Allah to Zaynab bint Jahsh, may Allah be pleased with her, when Zayd bin Harithah divorced her.
Allah says in Ayat At-Tahrim:
وَحَلَـيِلُ أَبۡنَأيِكُمُ الَّذِينَ مِنۡ أَصۡلَـبِكُمۡ
the wives of your sons from your own loins, (4:23)
which specifically excludes adopted sons. This custom (of adopting sons) was widespread among them.
وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ اللَّهِ مَفۡعُولاً
And Allah's command must be fulfilled.
means, `this that has happened was decreed by Allah and was inevitable.'
Allah knew that Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, would become one of the wives of the Prophet
Allah says;
مَّا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِنۡ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ
There is no blame on the Prophet in that which Allah has made legal for him.
means, in that which has been permitted for him and which he has been commanded to do,
i.e. his marrying Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, who had been divorced by his adopted son Zayd bin Harithah,
سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوۡا مِن قَبۡلُ
That has been Allah's way with those who have passed away of old.
means this is the ruling of Allah for the Prophets who came before him. Allah would not command them to do anything for which they might be blamed.
This is a refutation of those hypocrites who imagined that there was anything wrong with his marrying the ex-wife of Zayd, his freed slave and adopted son.
وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَّقۡدُورًا
And the command of Allah is a decree determined.
means, His command which He has decreed must inevitably come to pass; nothing can prevent it or avert it, for whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not decree, does not happen
Praise for Those Who convey the Message
Allah says:
الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ
Those who convey the Message of Allah,
meaning, to His creation, and fulfill that with which they have been entrusted.
وَيَخۡشَوۡنَهُ
and fear Him,
means, they fear Him and they do not fear any besides Him, so no threats on the part of anyone can prevent them from conveying the Message of Allah.
وَلَا يَخۡشَوۡنَ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ
and fear none save Allah.
وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا
And sufficient is Allah as a Reckoner.
means, sufficient is Allah as a Helper and Supporter.
The leader of all people in this regard and in all regards is Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, for he undertook to convey the Message to the people of the east and of the west, to all kinds of the sons of Adam, so Allah caused his word, his religion and his law to prevail over all other religions and laws. The Prophets before him were sent only to their own peoples, but he was sent to all of mankind, Arabs and non-Arabs alike.
قُلۡ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُمۡ جَمِيعًا
Say:O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah. (7:158)
Then his Ummah inherited the task of conveying from him, and the greatest of those who undertook this task after him were his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who conveyed from him as he had commanded them, describing all his words, deeds and circumstances, night and day, when he was settled and when he was traveling, in private and in public, may Allah be pleased with them. Thereafter each generation inherited from their predecessors until our own time, so those who are guided, follow their example and their way. We ask Allah, the Most Generous Bestower, to make us among their heirs.
The Messenger is not the Father of any Man
Allah states
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men,
After this it was not permitted to say Zayd bin Muhammad, i.e., he was not his father even though he had adopted him.
No male child of the Prophet lived until puberty.
Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, bore him Al-Qasim, At-Tayyib and At-Tahir, but they died in childhood.
Mariyah Al-Qibtiyyah bore him Ibrahim, but he also died in infancy.
He also had four daughters from Khadijah:Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima, may Allah be pleased with them all. Three of them died during his lifetime, Fatima lived long enough to be bereaved of him, then she died six months later.
He is the Last of the Prophets
Allah says:
وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمًا
but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.
This is like the Ayah:
اللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ حَيۡثُ يَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ
Allah knows best with whom to place His Message. (6:124)
This Ayah clearly states that there will be no Prophet after him. If there will be no Prophet after him then there will surely be no Messenger after him either, because the status of a Messenger is higher than that of a Prophet, for every Messenger is a Prophet but the reverse is not the case.
This was reported in many Mutawatir Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah via a group of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
Imam Ahmad recorded a narration from Ubayy bin Ka`b, from his father that the Prophet said:
مَثَلِي فِي النَّبِيِّينَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَحۡسَنَهَا وَأَكۡمَلَهَا وَتَرَكَ فِيهَا مَوۡضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ لَمۡ يَضَعۡهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِالۡبُنۡيَانِ وَيَعۡجَبُونَ مِنۡهُ وَيَقُولُونَ لَوۡ تَمَّ مَوۡضِعُ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةِ فَأَنَا فِي النَّبِيِّينَ مَوۡضِعُ تِلۡكَ اللَّبِنَة
My parable among the Prophets is that of a man who built a house and did a good and complete job, apart from the space of one brick which he did not put in its place. The people started to walk around the building, admiring it and saying, If only that brick were put in its place.
Among the Prophets, I am like that brick.
It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said Hasan Sahih.
Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
إِنَّ الرِّسَالَةَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ قَدِ انۡقَطَعَتۡ فَلَ رَسُولَ بَعۡدِي وَلَا نَبِي
Messengership and Prophethood have come to an end, and there will be no more Messengers or Prophets.
This worried the people, then he said:
وَلَكِنِ الۡمُبَشِّرَات
But there will be Al-Mubashshirat.
They said, `O Messenger of Allah, what are Al-Mubashshirat?'
He said,
رُوۡيَا الرَّجُلِ الۡمُسۡلِمِ وَهِيَ جُزۡءٌ مِنۡ أَجۡزَاءِ النُّبُوَّة
The dreams of a Muslim man, and they are one of the parts of Prophethood.
This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said, Sahih Gharib.
Another Hadith
Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الاَۡنۡبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَكۡمَلَهَا وَأَحۡسَنَهَا إِلاَّ مَوۡضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ فَكَانَ مَنۡ دَخَلَهَا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيۡهَا قَالَ مَا أَحۡسَنَهَا إِلاَّ مَوۡضِعَ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةِ فَأَنَا مَوۡضِعُ اللَّبِنَةِ خُتِمَ بِي الاَۡنۡبِيَاءُ عَلَيۡهِمُ الصَّلَةُ وَالسَّلَم
The parable of myself and the Prophets is that of a man who built a house and did a complete and good job, except for the space of one brick. Whoever entered it would look at that space and say, how good it is, apart from the space of that brick. My position is like that of that brick, and the Prophets -- blessings and peace be upon them -- end with me.
It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and At-Tirmidhi, who said, It is Sahih Gharib with this chain of narrators.
Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّــبِيينَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَتَمَّهَا إِلاَّ لَبِنَةً وَاحِدَةً فَجِيۡتُ أَنَا فَأَتۡمَمۡتُ تِلۡكَ اللَّبِنَة
The parable of myself and the Prophets is that of a man who built a house and completed it apart from the space of one brick. I have come and completed that brick.
This was also recorded by Muslim.
Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
إِنَّ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلَ الاَۡنۡبِيَاءِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ ابۡتَنَى بُيُوتًا فَأَكۡمَلَهَا وَأَحۡسَنَهَا وَأَجۡمَلَهَا إِلاَّ مَوۡضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنۡ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنۡ زَوَايَاهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ وَيُعۡجِبُهُمُ الۡبُنۡيَانُ وَيَقُولُونَ أَلاَّ وَضَعۡتَ ههُنَا لَبِنَةً فَيَتِمُّ بُنۡيَانُك
The parable of myself and the Prophets who came before me is that of a man who built houses and made them complete and beautiful apart from the space of a brick in one of the corners. The people started to walk around, admiring the construction and saying, If only you put a brick here, your construction will be complete.
The Messenger of Allah said:
فَكُنۡتُ أَنَا اللَّبِنَة
And I am that brick.
It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
فُضِّلۡتُ عَلَى الاَۡنۡبِيَاءِ بِسِتَ
أُعۡطِيتُ جَوَامِعَ الۡكَلِمِ
وَنُصِرۡتُ بِالرُّعۡبِ
وَأُحِلَّتۡ لِيَ الۡغَنَايِمُ
وَجُعِلَتۡ لِيَ الاَۡرۡضُ مَسۡجِدًا وَطَهُورًا
وَأُرۡسِلۡتُ إِلَى الۡخَلۡقِ كَافَّةً
وَخُتِمَ بِي النَّبِيُّون
I have been given preference over the other Prophets in six ways:
I have been given the ability to speak concisely;
I have been aided by fear (cast into the hearts of my enemies);
the spoils of war have been made permissible for me;
the entire earth has been made a Masjid and a means of purification for me;
I have been sent to all of mankind; and
the Prophets end with me.
This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah; At-Tirmidhi said, It is Hasan Sahih.
Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:
مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الاَۡنۡبِيَاءِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَتَمَّهَا إِلاَّ مَوۡضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَجِيۡتُ أَنَا فَأَتۡمَمۡتُ تِلۡكَ اللَّبِنَة
The parable of myself and the Prophets who came before me is that of a man who built a house and completed it apart from the space of one brick. I have come and completed that brick.
It was also recorded by Muslim.
Another Hadith
Jubayr bin Mut`im, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say:
إِنَّ لِي أَسۡمَاءَ
أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ
وَأَنَا أَحۡمَدُ
وَأَنَا الۡمَاحِي الَّذِي يَمۡحُو اللهُ تَعَالَى بِيَ الۡكُفۡرَ
وَأَنَا الۡحَاشِرُ الَّذِي يُحۡشَرُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدَمَيَّ
وَأَنَا الۡعَاقِبُ الَّذِي لَيۡسَ بَعۡدَهُ نَبِي
I have several names:
I am Muhammad, and
I am Ahmad;
I am Al-Mahi (the eradicator) through whom Allah will erase disbelief;
I am Al-Hashir (the gatherer) at whose feet mankind will gather; and
I am Al-`Aqib (the final one) after whom there will be no Prophet.
It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.
And there are many other Hadiths on this topic.
Allah has told us in His Book, and His Messenger has told us in the Mutawatir Sunnah, that there will be no Prophet after him, so that it may be known that everyone who claims this status after him is a liar and fabricator who is misguided and is misguiding others. Even if he twists meanings, comes up with false claims and uses tricks and vagaries, all of this is false and is misguidance as will be clear to those who have understanding.
This is what Allah caused to happen in the case of Al-Aswad Al-`Ansi in the Yemen and Musaylimah the Liar in Al-Yamamah, whose false miracles and nonsensical words showed everyone who was possessed of understanding that they were liars who were leading people astray; may the curse of Allah be upon them both.
This is the case with every false prophet until the Day of Resurrection, until they end with Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal (the Antichrist). Each of these liars is given by Allah signs which show the people of knowledge and the believers that his message is false -- which is part of the perfect kindness of Allah towards His creation. These liars do not enjoin what is good, nor forbid what is evil, unless they do so by coincidence or because it serves an ulterior purpose. They are the utmost in falsehood and immorality, in all that they say and do, as Allah says:
هَلۡ أُنَبِّيُكُمۡ عَلَى مَن تَنَزَّلُ الشَّيَـطِينُ تَنَزَّلُ عَلَى كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ
Shall I inform you (O people!) upon whom the Shayatin descend! They descend on every lying, sinful person. (26:221-222)
This is in contrast to the Prophets -- may blessings and peace be upon them -- for they are the utmost in righteousness, truthfulness, wisdom, uprightness and justice in all that they say and do, command and forbid.
In addition to this they are supported with miracles and clear and obvious proof. May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them always, as long as heaven and earth remain
The Virtue of remembering Allah much
Allah commands:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا اذۡكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكۡرًا كَثِيرًا
O you who believe!
Remember Allah with much remembrance.
Allah commands His believing servants to remember their Lord much, Who has bestowed upon them all kinds of blessings and favors, because this will bring them a great reward and a wonderful destiny.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Busr said:
Two Bedouins came to the Messenger of Allah and one of them said:`O Messenger of Allah, which of the people is best'
He said:
مَنۡ طَالَ عُمۡرُهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُه
The one whose life is long and whose deeds are good.
The other one said:`O Messenger of Allah, the laws of Islam are too much for us. Teach me something that I can adhere to.'
He said,
لَاايَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطۡبًا بِذِكۡرِ اللهِ تَعَالَى
Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah, may He be exalted.
At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded the second part of this report.
At-Tirmidhi said, This Hadith is Hasan Gharib.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَا مِنۡ قَوۡمٍ جَلَسُوا مَجۡلِسًا لَمۡ يَذۡكُرُوا اللهَ تَعَالَى فِيهِ إِلاَّ رَأَوۡهُ حَسۡرَةً يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَة
No people sit together without mentioning Allah, but they will see that as regret on the Day of Resurrection.
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah:
اذۡكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكۡرًا كَثِيرًا
(Remember Allah with much remembrance),
Allah did not enjoin any duty upon His servants without setting known limits and accepting the excuses of those who have a valid excuse -- apart from Dhikr, for Allah has not set any limits for it, and no one has any excuse for not remembering Allah unless he is oppressed and forced to neglect it.
Allah says:
فَاذۡكُرُواۡ اللَّهَ قِيَـماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمۡ
Remember Allah standing, sitting down, and (lying down) on your sides. (4:103)
By night and by day, on land and on sea, when traveling and when staying home, in richness and in poverty, in sickness and in health, in secret and openly, in all situations and circumstances.
And Allah says:
وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكۡرَةً وَأَصِيلً
And glorify His praises morning and Asila.
If you do this, He and His angels will send blessings upon you.
There are very many Ayat, Hadiths and reports which encourage the remembrance of Allah, and this Ayah urges us to remember Him much. People such as An-Nasa'i and Al-Ma`mari and others have written books about the Adhkar to be recited at different times of the night and day.
وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكۡرَةً وَأَصِيلً
And glorify His praises morning and Asila.
in the morning and in the evening.
This is like the Ayah:
فَسُبۡحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ تُمۡسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصۡبِحُونَ
وَلَهُ الۡحَمۡدُ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ وَعَشِيّاً وَحِينَ تُظۡهِرُونَ
So glorify Allah, when you come up to the evening, and when you enter the morning. And His are all the praises and thanks in the heavens and the earth; and in the afternoon and when you come up to the time, when the day begins to decline. (30:17-18)
هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَلَيِكَتُهُ
He it is Who sends Salah on you, and His angels too,
This is encouragement to remember Allah, i.e., He will remember you, so remember Him.
This is like the Ayah:
كَمَأ أَرۡسَلۡنَا فِيكُمۡ رَسُولاً مِّنۡكُمۡ يَتۡلُواۡ عَلَيۡكُمۡ ايَـتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الۡكِتَـبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمۡ تَكُونُواۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
فَاذۡكُرُونِى أَذۡكُرۡكُمۡ وَاشۡكُرُواۡ لِي وَلَا تَكۡفُرُونِ
Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our Ayat and purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah, and teaching you that which you used not to know. Therefore remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. (2:151-152)
The Prophet said:
يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى مَنۡ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفۡسِهِ ذَكَرۡتُهُ فِييَنفۡسِي وَمَنۡ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلٍَ ذَكَرۡتُهُ فِي مَلٍَ خَيۡرٍ مِنۡه
Allah says:Whoever remembers Me to himself, I will remember him to Myself, and whoever remembers Me in a gathering, I will remember him in a better gathering.
The Meaning of Salah
Allah's Salah means that He praises His servant before the angels, as Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Al-Aliyah. This was recorded by Abu Jafar Ar-Razi from Ar-Rabi bin Anas from Anas.
Others said:Allah's Salah means mercy.
It may be said that there is no contradiction between these two views. And Allah knows best.
Salah from the angels means their supplication and seeking forgiveness for people, as Allah says:
الَّذِينَ يَحۡمِلُونَ الۡعَرۡشَ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَيُوۡمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ رَبَّنَا وَسِعۡتَ كُـلَّ شَىۡءٍ رَّحۡمَةً وَعِلۡماً فَاغۡفِرۡ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُواۡ وَاتَّبَعُواۡ سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمۡ عَذَابَ الۡجَحِيمِ
رَبَّنَا وَأَدۡخِلۡهُمۡ جَنَّـتِ عَدۡنٍ الَّتِى وَعَدۡتَّهُمۡ وَمَن صَـلَحَ مِنۡ ءَابَأيِهِمۡ وَأَزۡوَجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الۡعَزِيزُ الۡحَكِيمُ
وَقِهِمُ السَّيّيَـتِ
Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying):
Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!
Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn Garden which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
And save them from the sins. (40:7-9)
لِيُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ
that He may bring you out from darkness into light.
means, by means of His mercy towards you, His praise of you and the supplication of His angels for you, He brings you forth from the darkness of ignorance and misguidance into the light of guidance and certain faith.
وَكَانَ بِالۡمُوۡمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا
And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers.
means, in this world and in the Hereafter:
in this world He guides them to the truth of which others are ignorant, and He shows them the path from which others have gone astray, those who call for disbelief and innovation, and their followers among the wrongdoers. His mercy towards them in the Hereafter means that He will save them from the greater terror (of the Day of Resurrection) and will command His angels to greet them with the glad tidings of Paradise and salvation from the Fire, which will only be because of His love for them and His kindness towards them.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
The Messenger of Allah and a group of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, passed by a young child in the road. When his mother ﷺ the people, she feared that her child may be crushed by the crowd, so she rushed forward, crying, `My son, my son!' She ran and picked him up, and the people said, `O Messenger of Allah, she would never throw her child in the Fire.'
The Messenger of Allah convincingly said:
لَاا وَاللهِ لَاايُلۡقِي حَبِيبَهُ فِي النَّار
No, and Allah will not throw His beloved in the Fire.
Its chain of narrators meets the conditions of the Two Sahihs, although none of the authors of the Six Books recorded it.
But in Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded from the Commander of the faithful Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ a woman among the prisoners of war picking up her child, clasping the child to her breast and nursing him. The Messenger of Allah said:
أَتُرَوۡنَ هَذِهِ تُلۡقِي وَلَدَهَا فِي النَّارِ وَهِيَ تَقۡدِرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ
Do you think that this woman would throw her child into the Fire even though she is (physically) able to do so?
They said, No.
The Messenger of Allah said:
فَوَاللهِ للهُ أَرۡحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنۡ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا
By Allah, Allah is more merciful towards His servants than this woman is to her child.
تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَلۡقَوۡنَهُ سَلَمٌ
Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be Salam!
The apparent meaning -- and Allah knows best -- is that their greeting, from Allah on the Day that they meet Him, will be Salam, i.e., He will greet them with Salam, as He says elsewhere:
سَلَمٌ قَوۡلاً مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ
(It will be said to them):Salam -- a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful. (36:58)
Qatadah claimed that the meaning was that they would greet one another with Salam on the Day when they meet Allah in the Hereafter.
This is like the Ayah:
دَعۡوَهُمۡ فِيهَا سُبۡحَـنَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمۡ فِيهَا سَلَمٌ وَءَاخِرُ دَعۡوَاهُمۡ أَنِ الۡحَمۡدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الۡعَـلَمِينَ
Their way of request therein will be `Glory to You, O Allah,' and `Salam' will be their greetings therein! and the close of their request will be `All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all that exits.' (10:10)
وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرًا كَرِيمًا
And He has prepared for them a generous reward.
means Paradise and everything in it of food, drink, clothing, dwellings, physical pleasure, luxuries and delightful scenes, such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and has never entered the mind of man.
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