27:61 An-Naml (The Ant)

أي: هل الأصنام والأوثان الناقصة من كل وجه التي لا فعل منها ولا رزق ولا نفع خير؟ أم الله الذي { جَعَلَ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا ْ} يستقر عليها العباد ويتمكنون من السكنى والحرث والبناء والذهاب والإياب. { وَجَعَلَ خِلَالَهَا أَنْهَارًا } أي: جعل في خلال الأرض أنهارا ينتفع بها العباد في زروعهم وأشجارهم، وشربهم وشرب مواشيهم.{ وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِيَ } أي: جبالا ترسيها وتثبتها لئلا تميد وتكون أوتادا لها لئلا تضطرب. { وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ } البحر المالح والبحر العذب { حَاجِزًا } يمنع من اختلاطهما فتفوت المنفعة المقصودة من كل منهما بل جعل بينهما حاجزا من الأرض، جعل مجرى الأنهار في الأرض مبعدة عن البحار فيحصل منها مقاصدها ومصالحها، { أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ ْ} فعل ذلك حتى يعدل به الله ويشرك به معه. { بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ْ} فيشركون بالله تقليدا لرؤسائهم وإلا فلو علموا حق العلم لم يشركوا به شيئا.

"أمن جعل الأرض قرارا" أي قارة ساكنة ثابتة لا تميد ولا تتحرك بأهلها ولا ترجف بهم فإنها لو كانت كذلك لما طاب عليها العيش والحياة بل جعلها من فضله ورحمته مهادا بساطا ثابتة لا تتزلزل ولا تتحرك كما قال تعالى في الآية الأخرى "الله الذي جعل لكم الأرض قرارا والسماء بناء" "وجعل خلالها أنهارا" أى جعل فيها الأنهار العذبة الطيبة شقها في خلالها وصرفها فيها ما بين أنهار كبار وصغار وبين ذلك وسيرها شرقا وغربا وجنوبا وشمالا بحسب مصالح عباده في أقاليمهم وأقطارهم حيث ذرأهم في أرجاء الأرض وسير لهم أرزاقهم بحسب ما يحتاجون إليه "وجعل لها رواسي" أى جبالا شامخة ترسي الأرض وتثبتها لئلا تميد بكم "وجعل بين البحرين حاجزا" أي جعل بين المياه العذبة والمالحة حاجزا أي مانعا يمنعها من الإختلاط لئلا يفسد هذا بهذا وهذا بهذا فإن الحكمة الإلهية تقتضي بقاء كل منهما على صفته المقصودة منه فإن البحر الحلو هو هذه الأنهار السارحة الجارية بين الناس والمقصود منها أن تكون عذبة زلالا يسقي الحيوان والنبات والثمار منها والبحار المالحة هي المحيطة بالأرجاء والأقطار من كل جانب والمقصود منها أن يكون ماؤها ملحا أجاجا لئلا يفسد الهواء بريحها كما قال تعالى: "وهو الذي مرج البحرين هذا عذب فرات وهذا ملح أجاج وجعل بينهما برزخا وحجرا محجورا" ولهذا قال تعالى: "أإله مع الله"؟ أي فعل هذا أو يعبد على القول الأول والآخر؟ وكلاهما متلازم صحيح "بل أكثرهم لا يعلمون" أي في عبادتهم غيره.

أَمَّن جَعَلَ الاٌّرْضَ قَرَاراً

(Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,) meaning, stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse, because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved. This is like the Ayah,

اللَّهُ الَّذِى جَعَـلَ لَكُـمُ الاٌّرْضَ قَـرَاراً وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَـآءً

(Allah, Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy) (40:64).

وَجَعَلَ خِلاَلَهَآ أَنْهَاراً

(and has placed rivers in its midst,) means, He has placed rivers which are fresh and sweet, cutting through the earth, and He has made them of different types, large rivers, small rivers and some in between. He has caused them to flow in all directions, east, west, south, north, according to the needs of mankind in different areas and regions, as He has created them throughout the world and sends them their provision according to their needs.

وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِىَ

(and has placed firm mountains therein, ) means, high mountains which stabilize the earth and make it steadfast, so that it does not shake.

وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزاً

(and has set a barrier between the two seas) means, He has placed a barrier between the fresh water and the salt water, to prevent them from mixing lest they corrupt one another. Divine wisdom dictates that each of them should stay as it is meant to be. The sweet water is that which flows in rivers among mankind, and it is meant to be fresh and palatable so that it may be used to water animals and plants and fruits. The salt water is that which surrounds the continents on all sides, and its water is meant to be salty and undrinkable lest the air be corrupted by its smell, as Allah says:

وَهُوَ الَّذِى مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هَـذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَـذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخاً وَحِجْراً مَّحْجُوراً

(And it is He Who has let free the two seas, this is palatable and sweet, and that is salty and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.) (25:53) Allah says:

أَءِلـهٌ مَّعَ اللهِ

(Is there any god with Allah) meaning, any god who could do this, or who deserves to be worshipped Both meanings are indicated by the context.

بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(Nay, but most of them know not!) means, in that they worship others than Allah.

Or He Who made the earth an abode of stability that does not constantly shake beneath the feet of its inhabitants and made rivers to flow throughout it and set firm mountains for it with which He fixed the earth in place and set an isthmus between the two seas between the sweet one and the salty one the one not mixing with the other. Is there a god with God? Nay but most of them have no knowledge of His Oneness.

Commentary

This incident has been related at many places in the Qur'an, especially in Surah Al-A` raf, where its necessary details have been discussed and may be consulted if required.

قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ (Say,"Praise belongs to Allah - 27:59). After describing some events of the prophets and earlier people, and the episodes of torments they faced, this sentence is addressed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، that he should express his gratitude to Allah Ta’ ala, for his followers have been exempted from the punishment in this world. He is further asked to say salam to the earlier prophets and God-fearing persons. Majority of the commentators have adopted this explanation, but some feel that this sentence is also addressed to Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) .

It appears that the expression الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَىٰ (His slaves whom He has chosen - 27:59) is used in this verse for the prophets, like in another verse salam has been addressed to the prophets, وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ ﴿181﴾ (And salam is on the messengers - 37:181). But Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ is of the opinion that it refers to the companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This explanation is also adopted by Sufyan Ath-Thauri. (Ibn Jarir)

If the explanation of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما is adopted and the meaning of الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَىٰ - 27:59 is taken for the companions, then there will be a case for saying "Alaihis Salam" to non-prophets also. This subject will be discussed in detail Inshallah under Surah Al-Ahzab for the verse صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا (33:56).

Ruling

This verse also teaches the formalities of an address, a sermon or a lecture, that it should start with the praise of Allah and the salah (durood) and salam to the prophets. This had always been the practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in his addresses. His companions also adopted the same practice by commencing not only their addresses but also all the important jobs by praising Allah Ta’ ala and then salah and salam on the Holy Prophet ﷺ '. (Ruh).

Who is it that made the earth a settledness, made rivers in its midst, made for it firm mountains, and made a barrier between the two oceans? Is there a god along with God? No, but most of them know not. The souls of the worshipers are where their obedience settles, the hearts of the recognizers are where their recognition settles, the spirits of the finders are where their love settles, and the secret cores of the tawḤīd-voicers are where their contemplation settles. In their spirits are the rivers of union and the springs of proximity. Thereby the thirst of their yearning and the agitation of their burning are quenched. Made for it firm mountains, namely the Substitutes, the friends, and the Pegs. Through them He continually holds fast to the earth and through their blessings trials are repelled from the creatures. It has also been said that the firm mountains are the ones who guide those who ask for directions to the Lord of the Worlds. Who is it that made the earth a settledness: Who is it that brought the earth of the submission under the feet of the tawḤīd of the tawḤīd-voicers? Made rivers in its midst: Who is it that made the springs of wisdom appear in the hearts of the recognizers? Made for it firm mountains: Who is it that built the fortresses of recognition in the secret cores of the friends? Made a barrier between the two oceans: Who is it that set up the clouds of going straight between the oceans of fear and hope? Is there a god along with God? Do you know of another god who did this? Do you know of another object of worship who made all this? It has also been said that made a barrier between the two oceans means between the heart and the soul, so that neither will overpower its companion. In the human makeup, there are both the Kaabah of the heart and the tavern of the soul, two opposite substances joined in creation and separate in path, each open toward the other, but between the two God's power has placed a barrier. Whenever the commanding soul raids the heart's pavilion, the afflicted heart goes to the Exalted Threshold to complain, and from the gardens of Eternity the robe of the gaze reaches it.