34:46 Saba (Sheba)

أي { قُلْ } يا أيها الرسول, لهؤلاء المكذبين المعاندين, المتصدين لرد الحق وتكذيبه, والقدح بمن جاء به: { إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ } أي: بخصلة واحدة, أشير عليكم بها, وأنصح لكم في سلوكها، وهي طريق نصف, لست أدعوكم بها إلى اتباع قولي, ولا إلى ترك قولكم, من دون موجب لذلك, وهي: { أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى } أي: تنهضوا بهمة, ونشاط, وقصد لاتباع الصواب, وإخلاص للّه, مجتمعين, ومتباحثين في ذلك, ومتناظرين, وفرادى, كل واحد يخاطب نفسه بذلك.فإذا قمتم للّه, مثنى وفرادى, استعملتم فكركم, وأجلتموه, وتدبرتم أحوال رسولكم، هل هو مجنون, فيه صفات المجانين من كلامه, وهيئته, وصفته؟ أم هو نبي صادق, منذر لكم ما يضركم, مما أمامكم من العذاب الشديد؟فلو قبلوا هذه الموعظة, واستعملوها, لتبين لهم أكثر من غيرهم, أن رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وسلم, ليس بمجنون, لأن هيئاته ليست كهيئات المجانين, في خنقهم, واختلاجهم, ونظرهم، بل هيئته أحسن الهيئات, وحركاته أجل الحركات, وهو أكمل الخلق, أدبا, وسكينة, وتواضعا, ووقارا, لا يكون [إلا] لأرزن الرجال عقلا.ثم [إذا] تأملوا كلامه الفصيح, ولفظه المليح, وكلماته التي تملأ القلوب, أمنا, وإيمانا, وتزكى النفوس, وتطهر القلوب, وتبعث على مكارم الأخلاق, وتحث على محاسن الشيم, وترهب عن مساوئ الأخلاق ورذائلها، إذا تكلم رمقته العيون, هيبة وإجلالا وتعظيما.فهل هذا يشبه هذيان المجانين, وعربدتهم, وكلامهم الذي يشبه أحوالهم؟\"فكل من تدبر أحواله ومقصده استعلام هل هو رسول اللّه أم لا؟ سواء تفكر وحده, أو مع غيره, جزم بأنه رسول اللّه حقا, ونبيه صدقا, خصوصا المخاطبين, الذي هو صاحبهم يعرفون أول أمره وآخره.

يقول تبارك وتعالى قل يا محمد لهؤلاء الكافرين الزاعمين أنك مجنون " إنما أعظكم بواحدة " أي إنما آمركم بواحدة وهي " أن تقوموا لله مثنى وفرادى ثم تتفكروا ما بصاحبكم من جنة " أي تقوموا قياما خالصا لله عز وجل من غير هوى ولا عصبية فيسأل بعضكم بعضا هل بمحمد من جنون فينصح بعضـكم بعضا " ثم تتفكروا " أي ينظر الرجل لنفسه في أمر محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ويسأل غيره من الناس عن شأنه إنه أشكل عليه ويتفكر فى ذلك ولهذا قال تعالى: " أن تقوموا لله مثنى وفرادى ثم تتفكروا ما بصاحبكم من جنة " هذا معنى ما ذكره مجاهد ومحمد بن كعب والسدي وقتادة وغيرهم وهذا هو المراد من الآية فأما الحديث الذي رواه ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي هشام بن عمار حدثنا صدقة بن خالد حدثنا عثمان بن أبي العاتكة عن علي بن يزيد عن القاسم غن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه قال: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقول " أعطيت ثلاثا لم يعطهن أحد قبلي ولا فخر: أحلت لي الغنائم ولم تحل لمن قبلي كانوا قبلي يجمعون غنائمهم فيحرقونها وبعثت إلى كل أحمر وأسود وكان كل نبي يبعث إلى قومه خاصة وجعلت لي الأرض مسجدا وطهورا أتيمم بالصعيد وأصلي فيها حيث أدركتني الصلاة قال الله تعالى: " أن تقوموا لله مثنى وفرادى " وأعنت بالرعب مسيرة شهر بين يدي " فهو حديث ضعيف الإسناد وتفسير الآية بالقيام في الصلاة في جماعة وفرادى بعيد ولعله مقحم في الحديث من بعض الرواة فإن أصله ثابت في الصحاح وغيرها والله أعلم. وقوله تعالى: " إن هو إلا نذير لكم بين يدي عذاب شديد " قال البخاري عندها حدثنا علي بن عبد الله حدثنا محمد ابن حازم حدثنا الأعمش عن عمرو بن مرة عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أنه قال: صعد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الصفا ذات يوم فقال " يا صباحاه " فاجتمعت إليه قريش فقالوا مالك ؟ فقال " أرأيتم لو أخرتكم أن العدو يصبحكم أو يمسيكـم أما كنتم تصدقوني " قالوا بلى ! قال صلى الله عليه وسلم " فإنى نذير لكم بين يدي عذاب شديد " فقال أبو لهب تبا لك ألهذا جمعتنا " فأنزل الله عز وجل " تبت يدا أبي لهب وتب " وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى " وأنذر عشيرتك الأقربين ".وقال الإمام أحمد حدثني أبو نعيم حدثنا بشير بن المفاجر حدثني عبد الله بن بريدة عن أبيه رضي الله عنه قال: خرج إلينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوما فنادى ثلاث مرات فقال: " أيها الناس أتدرون ما مثلي ومثلكـم ؟ " قالوا الله ورسوله أعلم قال صلى الله عليه وسلم " إنما مثلي ومثلكم مثل قوم خافوا عدوا يأتيهم فبعثوا رجلا يتراءى لهم فبينما هو كذلك أبصر العدو فأقبل لينذرهم وخشي أن يدركه العدو قبل أن ينذر قومه فأهوى بثوبه أيها الناس أوتيتم أيها الناس أوتيتم " ثلاث مرات وبهذا الإسناد قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " بعثت أنا والساعة جميعا إن كادت لتسبقني " تفرد به الإمام أحمد في مسنده.

Refutation of Their Accusation that the Prophet was Insane

Allah says: `Say, O Muhammad, to these disbelievers who claim that you are crazy,'

إِنَّمَآ أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَحِدَةٍ

I exhort you to one (thing) only, meaning, I am only telling you to one thing, and that is:

أَن تَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُواْ مَا بِصَـحِبِكُمْ مِّن جِنَّةٍ

that you stand up for Allah s sake in pairs and singly, and reflect, there is no madness in your companion. meaning, `stand sincerely before Allah, without being influenced by your own desires or tribal feelings, and ask one another, is Muhammad crazy Advise one another,'

ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُواْ

and reflect means, let each person look within himself concerning the matter of Muhلammad , and ask other people about him if he is still confused, then let him think about the matter. Allah says:

أَن تَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُواْ مَا بِصَـحِبِكُمْ مِّن جِنَّةٍ

(that you stand up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect, there is no madness in your companion.) This meaning was stated by Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others. This is what is meant by the Ayah.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ لَّكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ

(He is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on this Ayah: "One day, the Prophet climbed up As-Safa' and shouted,

«يَا صَبَاحَاه»

(O people!) The Quraysh gathered around him, and said, `What is the matter with you' He said,

«أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ يُصَبِّحُكُمْ أَوْ يُمَسِّيكُمْ أَمَا كُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُونِّي»

(What do you think If I told you that the enemy were approaching and will reach us in the morning or in the evening, would you believe me) They said, `Of course.' He said:

«فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيد»

(I am a warner to you in the face of a severe punishment.) Abu Lahab said, `May you perish! You have called us together only to tell us this' Then Allah revealed:

تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!) (111:1) We have already discussed this in our Tafsir of the Ayah:

وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ

(And warn your tribe of near kindred) (26:214).

Say ‘I will give you just one piece of admonition namely that you rise up for God in other words for His sake in twos and individually and then reflect and realise that there is no madness in your companion Muhammad (s). He is just a warner to you before the befalling of a severe chastisement’ in the Hereafter if you disobey him.

Call to the disbelievers of Makkah

In verse 46: إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُم بِوَاحِدَةٍ (I advise you for one thing only), in order to negate any excuse for the people of Makkah, they have been shown a shortcut to ascertain truth. For this, they had to do just one thing: Stand for Allah, in pairs and singles. 'Standing for Allah' does not mean standing in the physical sense, something like standing up from the posture of sitting or lying. Instead of that, it means having the resolve to show full care and concern for the assignment in sight. Then, by adding: لِلہ (lil-lah: For Allah) with the word: قِیَام (qiyam: To stand), the purpose is to make it clear that one should start looking for' truth with a mind cleansed of previous thoughts and beliefs for the good pleasure of Allah alone, so that previous thoughts and deeds do not obstruct one's way to an acceptance of the truth. And then, the expression 'in pairs and singles' is not intended to point out a particular number. The sense is that there are two ways of pondering over something: (1) To think it out alone and in private. (2) To consult friends and elders, discuss it with them and then arrive at some conclusion. It is being said here that, 'out of these two methods, you can go by the one you like.'

The conjunction: ثُمَّ (thumma: then) in the next sentence in verse 46: ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُ‌وا (thumma tatafakkaru: then ponder) refers back to: أَن تَقُومُوا (an taqumu: That you stand) appearing earlier in the same verse where the purpose of standing has been spelt out - that is, 'cleanse your mind of all previous thoughts, get ready to act for the good pleasure of Allah, think about the call of the prophet of Islam, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ and decide for yourself whether or not it is true and it does not matter whether you do this thinking on your own and all alone, or you do it by consulting others and arriving at some conclusion following discussions with them.'

Onwards from here, another line of thinking has been suggested: Here is a solitary person, all by himself, with no power or group to back him and no wealth or property to strengthen him. Here he comes proclaiming an article of faith counter to that of his own people rather that of the whole world, something having taken firm roots over centuries and something they all agree to. Such a proclamation can come only in two forms: (1) Either the person making the proclamation is totally insane who has no idea of his gain or loss and is ready to invite the wrath of his people and all sorts of hardship for him. (2) Or, what he is saying might as well be true - that he is a rasul or messenger from Allah and fears none in conveying and implementing His command.

Now, think hard with an open mind as to which of the two things is the real thing. If you think in that manner, you would be left with no choice but to become certain that he cannot be insane. The entire city of Makkah and everyone in the large tribe of Quraish is aware of his wisdom and character. He has spent forty years of his life among his people. From childhood to his youth, everything about him has been before them. No one has ever found any word or deed issuing forth from him to be counter to reason, wisdom, sobriety and gentleness. And other than the kalimah of: لا إلہ إلا اللہ la ilaha il-lal-lah (there is no god but Allah) to which he invites people, no one can doubt any of his word and deed to be counter to reason and wisdom, even today. Given these conditions, it becomes quite obvious that he cannot be insane. This was established in the next sentence of the verse by saying: مَا بِصَاحِبِكُم مِّن جِنَّةٍ (there is no madness in your fellow (the Holy Prophet ﷺ). Here, the word: صَاحِبِكُم (sahibikum: your fellow) releases a hint in this direction. It is suggesting that should it be the case of a visitor coming in from outside whose antecedents are unknown and who is heard saying something counter to the belief of a whole people, then, it is possible to call him insane. But, this cannot be true in his case. He is one of you, he lives in your city, he belongs to your brotherhood and abides in your company be it day or night. Nothing he does is hidden from you. In fact, even you yourselves have never cast aspersions against him in that manner before this.

And when the absence of the first situation becomes clear, the second situation stands established that has been mentioned in the last sentence of this very verse (46) as: إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ‌ لَّكُم بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ (He is none but a warner to you in the face of a stern torment). It means that his presence among them signifies nothing but that he has been sent there to save people from the severe punishment of the Day of Judgment by warning them of it in advance.

Say: “I admonish you in but one thing: that you stand up for God.” It is said that standing up for God is the center point of the compass of the Tariqah and the pivot of the secrets of the Haqiqah. Whoever leaves self-governance behind and places his work with the Real will reap the fruit of the goodly life [16:97]. Do you not see that the chevaliers who were the Companions of the Cave left themselves behind, put aside self-governance, and turned their faces toward the threshold of lordhood, as the Exalted Lord says: “We placed a tie on their hearts when they stood up” [18:14]. Look how He gave them a place in the cave of jealousy with the shade of kind favor and the embrace of friendship. The sunlight of form and its shining had not the gall to circle around their cave of jealousy. The light of the sun was incapable in relation to the lights of their secret cores, for the light of the sun is for brightening creation, and the lights of their secret cores were for recognizing the Real. Let go of the moons, dimming or brightening- we have a full moon to which all full moons are abased. The light of the sun is the light of form, and the light of their hearts was the light of the secret core. When the radiance of the sunlight of form reached them, it pulled back its skirt from the shining radiance of their secret core's light. The Lord of the Worlds says, “Thou wouldst have thought them awake, but they were sleeping” [18:18]. This is the attribute of the Folk of the Tariqah. When you look at their outwardness, you see them busy in the playing fields of deeds. When you look at their secret cores, you see them detached in the gardens of the gentleness of the Possessor of Majesty. Outwardly active, inwardly they gaze on the gentleness of the Beginningless. With Thee alone we worship [1:5] they have bound the belt of struggle. With and Thee alone we ask for help [1:5] they have placed the crown of contemplation on their heads. On the inside they wear the undershirt of surrender, and on the outside they have covered themselves with the caftan of deeds.