2:26 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

يقول تعالى { إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا } أي: أيَّ مثل كان { بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا } لاشتمال الأمثال على الحكمة, وإيضاح الحق, والله لا يستحيي من الحق، وكأن في هذا, جوابا لمن أنكر ضرب الأمثال في الأشياء الحقيرة، واعترض على الله في ذلك. فليس في ذلك محل اعتراض. بل هو من تعليم الله لعباده ورحمته بهم. فيجب أن تتلقى بالقبول والشكر. ولهذا قال: { فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ } فيتفهمونها، ويتفكرون فيها. فإن علموا ما اشتملت عليه على وجه التفصيل، ازداد بذلك علمهم وإيمانهم، وإلا علموا أنها حق، وما اشتملت عليه حق، وإن خفي عليهم وجه الحق فيها لعلمهم بأن الله لم يضربها عبثا، بل لحكمة بالغة، ونعمة سابغة. { وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا مَثَلًا } فيعترضون ويتحيرون، فيزدادون كفرا إلى كفرهم، كما ازداد المؤمنون إيمانا على إيمانهم، ولهذا قال: { يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا } فهذه حال المؤمنين والكافرين عند نزول الآيات القرآنية. قال تعالى: { وَإِذَا مَا أُنْزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَذِهِ إِيمَانًا فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَى رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ } فلا أعظم نعمة على العباد من نزول الآيات القرآنية، ومع هذا تكون لقوم محنة وحيرة [وضلالة] وزيادة شر إلى شرهم، ولقوم منحة [ورحمة] وزيادة خير إلى خيرهم، فسبحان من فاوت بين عباده، وانفرد بالهداية والإضلال. ثم ذكر حكمته في إضلال من يضلهم وأن ذلك عدل منه تعالى فقال: { وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ } أي: الخارجين عن طاعة الله; المعاندين لرسل الله; الذين صار الفسق وصفهم; فلا يبغون به بدلا، فاقتضت حكمته تعالى إضلالهم لعدم صلاحيتهم للهدى، كما اقتضت حكمته وفضله هداية من اتصف بالإيمان وتحلى بالأعمال الصالحة. والفسق نوعان: نوع مخرج من الدين، وهو الفسق المقتضي للخروج من الإيمان; كالمذكور في هذه الآية ونحوها، ونوع غير مخرج من الإيمان كما في قوله تعالى: { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا } [الآية].

قال السدي في تفسيره عن أبي مالك وعن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس وعن مرة عن ابن مسعود وعن ناس من الصحابة لما ضرب الله هذين المثلين للمنافقين يعني قوله تعالى "مثلهم كمثل الذي استوقد نارا" وقوله "أو كصيب من السماء" الآيات الثلاث قال المنافقون: الله أعلى وأجل من أن يضرب هذه الأمثال فأنزل الله هذه الآية إلى قوله تعالى "هم الخاسرون" وقال عبدالرزاق عن معمر عن قتادة لما ذكر الله تعالى العنكبوت والذباب قال المشركون: ما بال العنكبوت والذباب يذكران؟ فأنزل الله "إن الله لا يستحي أن يضرب مثلا ما بعوضة فما فوقها" وقال سعيد عن قتادة أي إن الله لا يستحي من الحق أن يذكر شيئا مما قل أو كثر وإن الله حين ذكر في كتابه الذباب والعنكبوت قال أهل الضلالة ما أراد الله من ذكر هذا؟ فأنزل الله "إن الله لا يستحي أن يضرب مثلا ما بعوضة فما فوقها" قلت: العبارة الأولى عن قتادة فيها إشعار أن هذه الآية مكية وليس كذلك وعبارة رواية سعيد عن قتادة أقرب والله أعلم. وروى ابن جريج عن مجاهد نحو هذا الثاني عن قتادة: وقال ابن أبي حاتم: رُوي عن الحسن وإسماعيل بن أبي خالد نحو قول السدي وقتادة. وقال أبو جعفر الرازي عن الربيع بن أنس في هذه الآية قال: هذا مثل ضربه الله للدنيا أن البعوضة تحيا ما جاعت فإذا سمنت ماتت وكذلك مثل هؤلاء القوم الذين ضرب لهم هذا المثل في القرآن إذا امتلئوا من الدنيا ريا أخذهم الله عند ذلك ثم تلا "فلما نسوا ما ذكروا به فتحنا عليهم أبواب كل شيء" هكذا رواه ابن جرير ورواه ابن أبي حاتم من حديث أبي جعفر عن الربيع بن أنس عن أبي العالية بنحوه فالله أعلم فهذا اختلافهم في سبب النزول. وقد اختار ابن جرير ما حكاه السدي لأنه أمس بالسورة وهو مناسب ومعني الآية أنه تعالى أخبر أنه لا يستحي أي لا يستنكف وقيل لا يخشي أن يضرب مثلا ما أي مثل كان بأي شيء كان صغيرا كان أو كبيرا وما هاهنا للتقليل وتكون بعوضة منصوبة على البدل كما تقول لأضربن ضربا ما فيصدق بأدنى شيء أو تكون ما نكرة موصوفة ببعوضة واختار ابن جرير أن ما موصولة وبعوضة معربة بإعرابها قال: وذلك سائغ في كلام العرب أنهم يعربون صلة ما ومن بإعرابهما لأنهما يكونان معرفة تارة ونكرة أخرى كما قال حسان بن ثابت: يكفي بنا فضلا على من غيرنا حب النبي محمد إيانا قال ويجوز أن تكون بعوضة منصوبة بحذف الجار وتقدير الكلام إن الله لا يستحي أن يضرب مثلا ما بين بعوضة إلي ما فوقها وهذا الذي اختاره الكسائي والفراء وقرأ الضحاك وإبراهيم بن عبلة بعوضة بالرفع قال ابن جني وتكون صلة لما وحذف العائد كما في قوله "تماما على الذي أحسن" أي على الذي هو أحسن. وحكى سيبويه: ما أنا بالذي قائل لك شيئا. أي بالذي هو قائل لك شيئا وقوله تعالى "فما فوقها" فيه قولان أحدهما فما دونها في الصغر والحقارة كما إذا وصف لك رجل باللؤم والشح فيقول السامع نعم وهو فوق ذلك - يعني فيما وصفت - وهذا قول الكسائي وأبي عبيد قاله الرازي وأكثر المحققين. وفي الحديث "لو أن الدنيا تزن عند الله جناح بعوضة لما سقى كافرا منها شربة ماء" والثاني فما فوقها لما هو أكبر منها لأنه ليس شيء أحقر ولا أصغر من البعوضة وهذا قول قتادة ابن دعامة واختيار ابن جرير فإنه يؤيده ما رواه مسلم عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "ما من مسلم يشاك شوكة فما فوقها إلا كتب له بها درجة ومحيت عنه بها خطيئة" فأخبر أنه لا يستصغر شيئا يضرب به مثلا ولو كان في الحقارة والصغر كالبعوضة كما لا يستنكف عن خلقها كذلك لا يستنكف من ضرب المثل بها كما ضرب المثل بالذباب والعنكبوت في قوله "يا أيها الناس ضرب مثل فاستمعوا له إن الذين تدعون من دون الله لن يخلقوا ذبابا ولو اجتمعوا له وإن يسلبهم الذباب شيئا لا يستنقذوه منه ضعف الطالب والمطلوب" وقال "مثل الذين اتخذوا من دون الله أولياء كمثل العنكبوت اتخذت بيتا وإن أوهن البيوت لبيت العنكبوت لو كانوا يعلمون" وقال تعالى "ألم تر كيف ضرب الله مثلا كلمة طيبة كشجرة طيبة أصلها ثابت وفرعها في السماء تؤتي أكلها كل حين بإذن ربها ويضرب الله الأمثال للناس لعلهم يتذكرون ومثل كلمة خبيثة كشجرة خبيثة اجتثت من فوق الأرض ما لها من قرار يثبت الله الذين آمنوا بالقول الثابت في الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة ويضل الله الظالمين ويفعل الله ما يشاء" وقال تعالى "ضرب الله مثلا عبدا مملوكا لا يقدر على شيء" الآية ثم قال "وضرب الله مثلا رجلين أحدهما أبكم لا يقدر على شيء وهو كل على مولاه أينما يوجهه لا يأت بخير هل يستوي هو ومن يأمر بالعدل" الآية كما قال "ضرب لكم مثلا من أنفسكم هل لكم مما ملكت أيمانكم من شركاء فيما رزقناكم" الآية. وقال "ضرب الله مثلا رجلا فيه شركاء متشاكسون" الآية. وقال "وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس وما يعقلها إلا العالمون" وفي القرآن أمثال كثيرة. قال بعض السلف إذا سمعت المثل في القرآن فلم أفهمه بكيت على نفسي لأن الله قال "وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس وما يعقلها إلا العالمون" وقال مجاهد في قوله تعالى "إن الله لا يستحي أن يضرب مثلا ما بعوضة فما فوقها" الأمثال صغيرها وكبيرها يؤمن بها المؤمنون ويعلمون أنها الحق من ربهم ويهديهم الله بها. وقال قتادة "فأما الذين آمنوا فيعلمون أنه الحق من ربهم" أي يعلمون أنه كلام الرحمن وأنه من عند الله ورُوي عن مجاهد والحسن والربيع بن أنس نحو ذلك وقال أبو العالية "فأما الذين آمنوا فيعلمون أنه الحق من ربهم" يعني هذا المثل "وأما الذين كفروا فيقولون ماذا أراد الله بهذا مثلا" كما قال في سورة المدثر "وما جعلنا أصحاب النار إلا ملائكة وما جعلنا عدتهم إلا فتنة للذين كفروا ليستيقن الذين أوتوا الكتاب ويزداد الذين آمنوا إيمانا ولا يرتاب الذين أوتوا الكتاب والمؤمنون وليقول الذين في قلوبهم مرض والكافرون ماذا أراد الله بهذا مثلا كذلك يضل الله من يشاء ويهدي من يشاء وما يعلم جنود ربك إلا هو" وكذلك قال هاهنا "يضل به كثيرا ويهدي به كثيرا وما يضل به إلا الفاسقين" قال السدي في تفسيره عن أبي مالك وعن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس وعن مرة عن ابن مسعود وعن ناس من الصحابة يضل به كثيرا يعني به المنافقين ويهدي به كثيرا يعني به المؤمنين فيزيد هؤلاء ضلالة إلى ضلالتهم لتكذيبهم بما قد علموه حقا يقينا من المثل الذي ضربه الله بما ضرب لهم وأنه لما ضرب له موافق فذلك إضلال الله إياهم به ويهدي به يعني المثل كثيرا من أهل الإيمان والتصديق فيزيدهم هدى إلى هداهم وإيمانا إلى إيمانهم لتصديقهم بما قد علموه حقا يقينا أنه موافق لما ضربه الله له مثلا وإقرارهم به وذلك هداية من الله لهم به "وما يضل به إلا الفاسقين" قال هم المنافقون وقال أبو العالية "وما يضل به إلا الفاسقين" قال هم أهل النفاق. وكذا قال ربيع بن أنس وقال ابن جريج عن مجاهد عن ابن عباس "وما يضل به إلا الفاسقين" قال يقول يعرفه الكافرون فيكفرون به. وقال قتادة "وما يضل به إلا الفاسقين" فسقوا فأضلهم الله على فسقهم. وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبي عن إسحاق بن سليمان عن أبي سنان عن عمرو بن مرة عن مصعب بن سعد عن سعد "يضل به كثيرا" يعني الخوارج.

In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud, and some Companions said; "When Allah gave these two examples of the hypocrites" meaning Allah's statements,

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً

(Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire), and,

أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ

(Or like a rainstorm from the sky), "The hypocrites said, `Allah's far more exalted than for Him to make such examples.' So Allah revealed these Ayat (2:26-27) up to:

هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ

(Who are the losers)". Sa`id said that Qatadah said, "Allah does not shy away from the truth when He mentions a matter as a parable, whether this matter is significant or not. When Allah mentioned the flies and the spider in His Book, the people of misguidance said, `Why did Allah mention these things.' So Allah revealed;

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَسْتَحْىِ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلاً مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا

(Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it)."

A Parable about the Life of This World

Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi reported that Ar-Rabi` bin Anas commented on this Ayah (2:26); "This is an example that Allah has given for the life of this world. The mosquito lives as long as it needs food, but when it gets fat, it dies. This is also the example of people whom Allah mentioned in the Qur'an: when they acquire (and collect the delights of) the life of this world, Allah then takes them away." Afterwards, he recited,

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ

(So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing) (6:44)

In this Ayah (2:26) Allah stated that He does not shy away or hesitate in making an example or parable of anything, whether the example involves a significant or an insignificant matter.

Allah's statement,

فَمَا فَوْقَهَا

(Or so much more when it is bigger than it) Fama fawqaha means, something bigger than the mosquito, which is one of the most insignificant and tiniest of creatures. Muslim narrated that Aishah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُشَاكُ شَوكَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا إِلَّا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ، وَمُحِيَتْ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَة»

(No Muslim is harmed by a thorn, Fama fawqaha (or something larger), but a good deed will be written for him and an evil deed will be erased from his record.)

So Allah has informed us that there is no matter that is too small that is exempt from being used as an example, even if it was as insignificant as a mosquito or a spider. Allah said,

يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُواْ ذُبَاباً وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُواْ لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئاً لاَّ يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ

(O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily, those on whom you call besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.) (22:73),

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتاً وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ

(The likeness of those who take (false deities as) Awliya' (protectors, helpers) other than Allah is the likeness of a spider who builds (for itself) a house; but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider's house ـ if they but knew.) (29:41), and,

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى السَّمَآءِ - تُؤْتِى أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ - وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الاٌّرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ - يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّـلِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ

(See you not how Allah sets forth a parable A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high). Giving its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord, and Allah sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may remember. And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability. Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in life of this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allah alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allah will cause the Zalimin (polytheists and wrongdoers) to go astray those and Allah does what He wills.) (14:24-27). Allah said,

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ

(Allah puts forward the example of (two men ـ a believer and a disbeliever); a servant under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort) (16:75). He then said,

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لاَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَى مَوْلاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لاَ يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ

(And Allah puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything, and he is a burden on his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one who commands justice) (16:76). Also, Allah said,

ضَرَبَ لَكُمْ مَّثَلاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ هَلْ لَّكُمْ مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ مِّن شُرَكَآءَ فِى مَا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ

(He sets forth for you a parable from your own selves: Do you have partners among those whom your right hands possess (i.e. your servants) to share as equals in the wealth we have bestowed on you) (30:28).

Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَسْتَحْىِ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلاً مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا

(Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger than it.) "The believers believe in these parables, whether they involve large matters or small, because they know that they are the truth from their Lord, and Allah guides the believers by these parables."

In his Tafsir, As-Suddi reported that Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and other people among the Companions said,

يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا

(By it He misleads many), "Meaning the hypocrites. Allah guides the believers with these parables, and the straying of the hypocrites increases when they reject the parables that Allah mentioned for them which they know are true. This is how Allah misleads them."

وَيَهْدِي بِهِ

(And He guides thereby) meaning, with the parables,

كَثِيراً

(many) from among the people of faith and conviction. Allah adds guidance to their guidance, and faith to their faith, because they firmly believe in what they know to be true, that is, the parables that Allah has mentioned. This is guidance that Allah grants them;

وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلاَّ الْفَـسِقِينَ

(And He misleads thereby only the Fasiqin (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah)), meaning, the hypocrites. The Arabs say that the date has Fasaqat, when it comes out of its skin, and they call the mouse a Fuwaysiqah, because it leaves its den to cause mischief. The Two Sahihs recorded `A'ishah saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«خَمْسٌ فَوَاسِقُ يُقْتَلْنَ فِي الْحِلِّ وَالْحَرَمِ: الغُرَابُ وَالْحِدَأَةُ وَالْعَقْرَبُ وَالْفَأْرَةُ وَالْكَلْبُ الْعَقُور»

(Five animals are Fawasiq, and they must be killed during Ihram and otherwise: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the mouse and the rabid dog.) eFasiq, includes the disbeliever and the disobedient. However, the Fisq of the disbeliever is worse, and this is the type of Fasiq that the Ayah is describing here, because Allah described them as,

الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَـقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الاٌّرْضِ أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ

(Those who break Allah's covenant after ratifying it, and sever what Allah has ordered to be joined and do mischief on earth, it is they who are the losers.)

These are the characteristics of the disbelievers and they contradict the qualities of the believers. Similarly, Allah said in Surat Ar-Ra`d,

أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ - الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يِنقُضُونَ الْمِيثَـقَ - وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ

(Shall he then, who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad ) from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed. Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and break not the Mithaq (bond, treaty, covenant). And those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship), and fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning.) (13:19-21)) until,

وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَـقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

(And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives), and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse (i.e. they will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell).) (13:25)

The covenant that these deviant people broke is Allah's covenant with His creation, that is, to obey Him and avoid the sins that He prohibited. This covenant was reiterated in Allah's Books and by the words of His Messengers. Ignoring this covenant constitutes breaking it. It was said that the Ayah (2:27) is about the disbelievers and the hypocrites among the People of the Book. In this case, the covenant that they broke is the pledge that Allah took from them in the Tawrah to follow Muhammad ﷺ when he is sent as a Prophet, and to believe in him, and in what he was sent with. Breaking Allah's covenant in this case occured when the People of the Book rejected the Prophet ﷺ after they knew the truth about him, and they hid this truth from people, even though they swore to Allah that they would do otherwise. Allah informed us that they threw the covenant behind their backs and sold it for a miserable price.

It was also reported that the Ayah (2:27) refers to all disbelievers, idol worshippers and hypocrites. Allah took their pledge to believe in His Oneness, showing them the signs that testify to His Lordship. He also took a covenant from them to obey His commands and refrain from His prohibitions, knowing that His Messengers would bring proofs and miracles that none among the creation could ever produce. These miracles testified to the truth of Allah's Messengers ﷺ. The covenant was broken when the disbelievers denied what was proven to them to be authentic and rejected Allah's Prophets and Books, although they knew that they were the truth. This Tafsir was reported from Muqatil bin Hayyan, and it is very good. It is also the view that Az-Zamakhshari held.

Allah's statement next,

وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ

(And sever what Allah has ordered to be joined) is in reference to keeping the relations with the relatives, as Qatadah asserted. This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَن تُفْسِدُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَتُقَطِّعُواْ أَرْحَامَكُمْ

(Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship) (47:22)

Ibn Jarir At-Tabari preferred this opinion. However, it has been said that the meaning of the Ayah (2:27) here is more general. Hence, everything that Allah has commanded to nurture, and the people severed, is included in its meaning.

The Meaning of `Loss

Muqatil bin Hayyan commented on Allah's statement,

أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ

(It is they who are the losers) "In the Hereafter." Similarly, Allah said,

أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

(On them is the curse (i.e. they will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell)) (13:25).

Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Every characteristic that Allah describes those other than the people of Islam - such as being losers - then it refers to disbelief. However, when they are attributed to the people of Islam, then these terms refer to sin." Ibn Jarir commented on Allah's statement,

أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ

(It is they who are the losers,) "`Losers is plural for loser, this word refers to whoever decreased his own share of Allah's mercy by disobeying Him, just as the merchant loses in his trade by sustaining capital loss. Such is the case with the hypocrite and the disbeliever who lose their share of the mercy that Allah has in store for His servants on the Day of Resurrection. And that is when the disbeliever and the hypocrite most desperately need Allah's mercy."

God is not ashamed to strike to make a similitude mathal is the first direct object; mā either represents an indefinite noun described by what comes after it and constitutes a second direct object meaning ‘whatever that similitude may be’; or it the mā is extra to emphasise the vileness involved so that what follows constitutes the second direct object; even of a gnat ba‘ūda is the singular of ba‘ūd that is small flies; or anything above it that is larger than it so that this explanation is not affected by the size of the creature with regard to the judgement God is making; as for the believers they know it the similitude is the truth established and given in this instance from their Lord; but as for disbelievers they say ‘What did God desire by this for a similitude?’ mathalan is a specification meaning ‘by this similitude’; mā is an interrogative of rejection and is the subject; dhā means alladhī whose relative clause contains its predicate in other words ‘what use is there in it?’. God then responds to them saying Thereby that is by this similitude He leads many astray from the truth on account of their disbelieving in it and thereby He guides many believers on account of their belief in it; and thereby He leads none astray except the wicked those that reject obedience to Him.

In the foregoing verses, it was affirmed that the Holy Qur'an does not admit of any kind of doubt, and that if someone should have a suspicion as to its being the Word of God, he should try to produce even a small Surah comparable to it. These two verses refer to an objection raised by the disbelievers with regard to the Holy Qur'an, and provide an answer to them. They had been saying that had the Qur'an been the Word of Allah, it would not have employed contemptible creatures like an ant or a gnat in its parables, for such a thing goes against the sublimity and majesty of Allah, when it would embarrass even a man with some sense of dignity. The Holy Qur'an points out that when one intends to speak of a detestable thing or person or situation, in a parable, the use of a gnat or something even more contemptible neither transgresses the principles of eloquence or logic, nor does it go against the sense of dignity or modesty, and hence Allah does not feel shy in using such imagery. The Holy Qur'an also shows that doubts of this kind arise only in the minds of those whom their disbelief has drained of all power to see things in a proper perspective, while such empty misgivings never touch the minds and hearts of true believers.

Qur'anic Parables: Test and guidance

The Holy Qur'an proceeds to suggest even a raison d'etre for the use of such parables: they serve as a test for men. In the case of those who are ready to think and to understand, they become a source of guidance; but for those who refuse to understand, out of indifference or out of a stubborn hostility and denial, they are a cause of greater confusion and misguidance. In elaborating this point, the Holy Qur'an specifies that these parables throw into confusion only those disobedient and rebellious people who disavow the covenant they have made with Allah, break all those relationships which Allah has commanded them to keep intact, and consequently produce an ever-widening disorder and anarchy in the world.

Who is فاسق fasiq?

The Arabic word used by the Holy Qur'an in speaking of the disobedient is Al-fasiqin, its root being fasaqa which means to go outside or to stray beyond a limit'. In the terminology of the Shari'ah, fisq فسق signifies 'going beyond the circle of obedience to Allah, or transgressing the commandments of Allah'. Now, transgression does not stop at being merely disobedient in one's actions, but can sometimes lead to outright denial and disbelief. So, the word fasiq فاسق is applied to a disbeliever (kafir کافر ) as well - such a use of the word is frequent in the Holy Qur'an. A Muslim who is a habitual sinner is also called a fasiq فاسق - this is how the jurists (Fuqaha' ) ordinarily use the word, making the fasiq فاسق a counterpart of the kafir کافر on the opposite side. That is to say, a man who commits a major sin and does not repent, or who insists on committing minor sins and makes it a habit, would be called a fasiq فاسق in the terminology of the Fuqaha'; on the other hand, a man who commits such sins publicly and openly without being ashamed of it is called a kafir کافر . (See Mazhari)

Living by the Covenant with Allah

The Covenant which the transgressors disavow refers to the one that all men made with Allah before any of them came down to the earth. The Holy Qur'an says that Allah brought together the spirits of all men, and asked them: اَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ :"Am I not your Lord?" And they replied with one voice: بَليٰ : "Yes" (7:172). This acceptance and affirmation of Allah as their only Lord and Master requires that men should in no way be disobedient to Him. Allah's books and His prophets come down to the world to remind them of this Covenant, to renew it, and to teach them in detail how to act upon it. Now, those who break this Covenant, how can they ever be expected to learn from the prophets and the books of Allah?

Injunctions and related considerations:

(1) Verse 26 shows if one intends to explain something useful or essential for the spiritual guidance of one's readers or listeners, it is neither sinful nor reprehensible to refer to something which is generally supposed to be contemptible or dirty, nor does it go against the dignity of the writer or the speaker. Examples of the use of such images or parables occur in the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith, and in the writings of the Sufis and other great Muslim scholars, all of whom have disregarded the habitual idea of modesty or seriousness in the interest of the real object to be attained.

(2) The reference to the disavowing of one's covenant with Allah indicates that the infringement of a contract or agreement made with one's fellow men is a grave sin, which may have the consequence of depriving a man of the ability to do good deeds.

(3) Verse 27 shows that it is essential for us to maintain the relationships which the Shari'ah has commanded us to keep intact, and that it is forbidden to break them. Indeed, religion itself signifies the divinely ordained laws which bind us to fulfil our obligations with regard to Allah (Huququllah) and with regard to His servants (Huquq al-‘Ibad). According to this verse, the fundamental cause of disorder in human society is the sundering of these relationships.

The Holy Qur'an says that real losers are those who go against divine commandments. There is a suggestion here that real loss pertains to the other world, the loss of this world being too small a thing to be worthy of serious consideration.

(Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude) [2:26]. Ibn 'Abbas said, according to the report of Abu Salih: �When Allah, exalted is He, coined these two similitudes for the hypocrites - he means Allah's sayings (Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire�) [2:17] and (Or like a rainstorm from the sky�.) [2:19] - they said: 'Allah is too exalted and sublime to coin similitudes'. Hence, Allah revealed this verse�. Al-Hasan and Qatadah said: �When Allah mentioned gnats and spiders in His Book and used them to coin similitudes for the disbelievers, the Jews laughed and said: 'this does not resemble Allah's speech', and so Allah revealed this verse�. Ahmad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Ishaq al-Hafiz in his epistle informed us> Sulayman ibn Ayyub al-Tabarani> Bakr ibn Sahl> 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Sa'id> Musa ibn 'Abd al-Rahman> Ibn Jurayj> 'Ata'> Ibn 'Abbas who said regarding Allah's saying (Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude): �This is because Allah mentioned the deities of the idolaters, saying: (And if the fly took something from them, they could not rescue it from him) [22:73]. He also mentioned the scheme of the deities and compared it to cobweb. Upon hearing this, they said: 'See how Allah mentions gnats and spiders in the Qur'an revealed to Muhammad; what is the use of this?' And so Allah revealed this�.