40:65 Ghafir (The Forgiver)

{ هُوَ الْحَيُّ } الذي له الحياة الكاملة التامة، المستلزمة لما تستلزمه من صفاته الذاتية، التي لا تتم حياته إلا بها، كالسمع، والبصر، والقدرة، والعلم، والكلام، وغير ذلك، من صفات كماله، ونعوت جلاله.{ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ } أي: لا معبود بحق، إلا وجهه الكريم. { فَادْعُوهُ } وهذا شامل لدعاء العبادة، ودعاء المسألة { مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ } أي: اقصدوا بكل عبادة ودعاء وعمل، وجه الله تعالى، فإن الإخلاص، هو المأمور به كما قال تعالى: { وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ } { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } أي: جميع المحامد والمدائح والثناء، بالقول كنطق الخلق بذكره، والفعل، كعبادتهم له، كل ذلك للّه تعالى وحده لا شريك له، لكماله في أوصافه وأفعاله، وتمام نعمه.

قال تعالى "هو الحي لا إله إلا هو" أي هو الحي أزلا وأبدا لم يزل ولا يزال وهو الأول والآخر والظاهر والباطن "لا إله إلا هو" أي لا نظير له ولا عديل له "فادعوه مخلصين له الدين" أي موحدين له مقرين بأنه لا إله إلا هو الحمد لله رب العالمين. قال ابن جرير: كان جماعة من أهل العلم يأمرون من قال لا إله إلا الله أن يتبعها بالحمد لله رب العالمين عملا بهذه الآية. ثم روى عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن شقيق عن أبيه عن الحسين بن واقد عن الأعمش عن مجاهد عن ابن عباس قال: من قال لا إله إلا الله فليقل على أثرها الحمد لله رب العالمين وذلك قوله تعالى "فادعوه مخلصين له الدين الحمد لله رب العالمين". وقال أبو أسامة وغيره عن إسماعيل بن أبي خالد عن سعيد بن جبير قال إذا قرأت "فادعوا الله مخلصين له الدين" فقل لا إله إلا الله وقل على أثرها الحمد لله رب العالمين ثم قرأ هذه الآية "فادعوه مخلصين له الدين الحمد لله رب العالمين". قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا ابن نمير حدثنا هشام يعني ابن عروة بن الزبير عن أبي الزبير محمد بن مسلم بن تدرس المكي قال كان عبدالله بن الزبير يقول في دبر كل صلاة حين يسلم لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله لا إله إلا الله ولا نعبد إلا إياه له النعمة وله الفضل وله الثناء الحسن لا إله إلا الله مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون قال وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يهل بهن دبر كل صلاة ورواه مسلم وأبو داود والنسائي من طرق عن هشام بن عروة وحجاج بن أبي عثمان وموسى بن عقبة ثلاثتهم عن أبي الزبير عن عبدالله بن الزبير قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول في دبر كل صلاة "لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له" وذكر تمامه.

Signs of the Power and Oneness of Allah

Allah reminds us of His grace towards His creation in that He has given them the night in which they rest and relax from their activities so that they can go back to them for their livelihood during the day. He has given them the day with its light, so that they can undertake their journeys and engage in their business.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ

(Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind; yet, most of mankind give no thanks.) means, they do not express gratitude for the favors which Allah bestows upon them. Then Allah says:

ذَلِكُـمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّـكُمْ خَـلِقُ كُـلِّ شَىْءٍ لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things, La ilaha illa Huwa.) means, the One Who does all of these things is Allah, the One, the Unique, the Creator of all things, besides Whom there is no other god or lord.

فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ

(How then are you turning away) means, `how can you worship idols which cannot create anything but are themselves hand-made and carved'

كَذَلِكَ يُؤْفَكُ الَّذِينَ كَانُواْ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

(Thus were turned away those who used to deny the Ayat of Allah) means, just as these people Quraysh were led astray by their worship of gods other than Allah, those who came before them also disbelieved and worshipped others, with no proof or evidence, but on the basis of ignorance and desires. They denied the signs and proof of Allah.

اللَّهُ الَّذِى جَعَـلَ لَكُـمُ الاٌّرْضَ قَـرَاراً

(Allah, it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place) means, `He made it stable and spread it out for you, so that you might live on it and travel about in it; He strengthened it with the mountains so that it does not shake with you.'

وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً

(and the sky as a canopy,) means, `a roof covering and protecting the world.'

وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ

(and has given you shape and made your shapes good) means, `He created you in the best and most perfect form.'

وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ

(and has provided you with good and pure things.) means, of food and drink in this world. Allah states that that He is the Creator of the dwelling place and of the inhabitants and of the provision; He is the Creator and Provider, as He says in Surat Al-Baqarah:

يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ فِرَاشاً وَالسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَتِ رِزْقاً لَّكُمْ فَلاَ تَجْعَلُواْ للَّهِ أَندَاداً وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

(O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may have Taqwa. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah while you know.) (2:21-22) And here Allah says, after mentioning the creation of all these things:

ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُـمْ فَتَـبَـرَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(That is Allah, your Lord, so Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists.) meaning, exalted and sanctified and glorified be Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. Then He says:

هُوَ الْحَىُّ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(He is the Ever Living, La ilaha illa Huwa;) means, He is the Ever Living, from eternity to eternity, Who was, is and shall be, the First and the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden.

لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(La ilaha illa Huwa) means, there is none comparable or equal to Him.

فَـادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

(so invoke Him making the religion for Him Alone.) means, affirm His Oneness by testifying that there is no God but He. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Imam Ahmad recorded that after ending every prayer, `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr used to say:

«لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ،لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ، لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ، لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُون»

(There is no (true) God except Allah Alone with no partner or associate, to Him belongs the dominion and praise, for He is able to do all things; there is no strength and no power except with Allah; there is no (true) God except Allah and we worship none but Him; to Him belong blessings and virtue and goodly praise; there is no (true) God except Allah, we worship Him in all sincerity even though the disbelievers may hate that.) He said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say the Tahlil in this fashion after every prayer." Similar was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i.

He is the Living; there is no god except Him. So supplicate Him worship Him devoting your religion purely to Him free from any idolatry. Praise be to God the Lord of the Worlds.

In verse 64, it was said: وَصَوَّرَ‌كُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَ‌كُمْ (and shaped you, and made your shapes so good -). Allah Ta’ ala has blessed the human person with the most distinct, superior and better-balanced form and shape out of all animals. He was given reason. He was given such hands and feet that he could get together materials to make things for his needs and comfort. Then, his eating and drinking is different, rather far distinct from common animals. They eat or graze or drink directly with their mouth. He uses hands. Common animals eat singles. Some eat meat, others eat grass or leaves, that too in singles. Contrary to that, man eats by combining different things like meat, vegetables, spices, herbs and fruits. He eats by making his food taste good. His culinary creativity knows no bounds when he would take a single fruit from nature, and turn it into all sorts of delicious eatables like pies, fruit cakes, jams, preserves and chutneys. فَتَبَارَ‌كَ اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Blessed is Allah, the Best Creator).

He is the Living, there is no god but He. Who is the painter of the forms of the Adamites, the shower of powers in earth and heaven, the con- veyer of daily provisions to the servants? He is the Living: That living, lasting one who has always been, is, and will be. His being has no first, His existence no last, He subsists after the world and the world's folk. The creatures' work goes back to Him forever.