40:7 Ghafir (The Forgiver)

يخبر تعالى عن كمال لطفه تعالى بعباده المؤمنين، وما قيض لأسباب سعادتهم من الأسباب الخارجة عن قدرهم، من استغفار الملائكة المقربين لهم، ودعائهم لهم بما فيه صلاح دينهم وآخرتهم، وفي ضمن ذلك الإخبار عن شرف حملة العرش ومن حوله، وقربهم من ربهم، وكثرة عبادتهم ونصحهم لعباد الله، لعلمهم أن الله يحب ذلك منهم فقال: { الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ } أي: عرش الرحمن، الذي هو سقف المخلوقات وأعظمها وأوسعها وأحسنها، وأقربها من الله تعالى، الذي وسع الأرض والسماوات والكرسي، وهؤلاء الملائكة، قد وكلهم الله تعالى بحمل عرشه العظيم، فلا شك أنهم من أكبر الملائكة وأعظمهم وأقواهم، واختيار الله لهم لحمل عرشه، وتقديمهم في الذكر، وقربهم منه، يدل على أنهم أفضل أجناس الملائكة عليهم السلام، قال تعالى: { وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ } { وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ } من الملائكة المقربين في المنزلة والفضيلة { يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ } هذا مدح لهم بكثرة عبادتهم للّه تعالى، وخصوصًا التسبيح والتحميد، وسائر العبادات تدخل في تسبيح الله وتحميده، لأنها تنزيه له عن كون العبد يصرفها لغيره، وحمد له تعالى، بل الحمد هو العبادة للّه تعالى، وأما قول العبد: \"سبحان الله وبحمده\" فهو داخل في ذلك وهو من جملة العبادات.{ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا } وهذا من جملة فوائد الإيمان وفضائله الكثيرة جدًا، أن الملائكة الذين لا ذنوب عليهم يستغفرون لأهل الإيمان، فالمؤمن بإيمانه تسبب لهذا الفضل العظيم.ثم ولما كانت المغفرة لها لوازم لا تتم إلا بها -غير ما يتبادر إلى كثير من الأذهان، أن سؤالها وطلبها غايته مجرد مغفرة الذنوب- ذكر تعالى صفة دعائهم لهم بالمغفرة، بذكر ما لا تتم إلا به، فقال: { رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا } فعلمك قد أحاط بكل شيء، لا يخفى عليك خافية، ولا يعزب عن علمك مثقال ذرة في الأرض ولا في السماء، ولا أصغر من ذلك ولا أكبر، ورحمتك وسعت كل شيء، فالكون علويه وسفليه قد امتلأ برحمة الله تعالى ووسعتهم، ووصل إلى ما وصل إليه خلقه.{ فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا } من الشرك والمعاصي { وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ } باتباع رسلك، بتوحيدك وطاعتك. { وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ } أي: قهم العذاب نفسه، وقهم أسباب العذاب.

يخبر تعالى عن الملائكة المقربين من حملة العرش الأربعة ومن حوله من الملائكة الكروبيين بأنهم يسبحون بحمد ربهم أي يقرنون بين التسبيح الدال على نفي النقائص والتحميد المقتضي لإثبات صفات المدح "ويؤمنون به" أي خاشعون له أذلاء بين يديه وأنهم "يستغفرون للذين آمنوا" أي من أهل الأرض ممن آمن بالغيب فقيض الله تعالى ملائكته المقربين أن يدعوا للمؤمنين بظهر الغيب ولما كان هذا من سجايا الملائكة عليهم الصلاة والسلام كانوا يؤمنون على دعاء المؤمن لأخيه بظهر الغيب كما ثبت في صحيح مسلم "إذا دعا المسلم لأخيه بظهر الغيب قال الملك آمين ولك بمثله" وقد قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبدالله بن محمد - هو ابن شيبة - حدثنا عبيدة بن سليمان عن محمد بن إسحاق عن يعقوب بن عتبة عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "صدق أمية بن أبي الصلت في شيء من شعره" فقال: زحل وثور تحت رجل يمينه والنسر للأخرى وليث مرصد فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "صدق" فقال: والشمس تطلع كل آخر ليلة حمراء يصبح لونها يتورد تأبي فما تطلع لنا في رسلها إلا معذبة وإلا تجلد فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "صدق" وهذا إسناد جيد وهو يقتضي أن حملة العرش اليوم أربعة فإذا كان يوم القيامة كانوا ثمانية كما قال تعالى "ويحمل عرش ربك فوقهم يومئذ ثمانية" وهنا سؤال وهو أن يقال ما الجمع بين المفهوم من هذه الآية ودلالة هذا الحديث؟ وبين الحديث الذي رواه أبو داود ثنا محمد بن الصباح البزار ثنا الوليد بن أبي ثور عن سماك عن عبدالله بن عميرة عن الأحنف بن قيس عن العباس بن عبد المطلب رضي الله عنه قال: كنت بالبطحاء في عصابة فيهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فمرت بهم سحابة فنظر إليها فقال "ما تسمون هذه؟" قالوا السحاب قال "والمزن" قالوا والمزن قال "والعنان" قالوا والعنان - قال أبو داود ولم أتقن العنان جيدا - قال "هل تدرون بعد ما بين السماء والأرض؟" قالوا لا ندري قال "بعد ما بينهما إما واحدة أو اثنتان أو ثلاث وسبعون سنة ثم السماء فوقها كذلك حتى عد سبع سموات ثم فوق السماء السابعة بحر ما بين أسفله وأعلاه مثل ما بين سماء إلى سماء ثم فوق ذلك ثمانية أوعال بين أظلافهن وركبهن مثل ما بين سماء إلى سماء ثم على ظهورهن العرش بين أسفله وأعلاه مثل ما بين سماء إلى سماء ثم الله تبارك وتعالى فوق ذلك". ثم رواه أبو داود والترمذي وابن ماجة من حديث سماك بن حرب به وقال الترمذي حسن غريب وهذا يقتضي أن حملة العرش ثمانية كما قال شهر ابن حوشب رضي الله عنه حملة العرش ثمانية أربعة منهم يقولون سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك لك الحمد على حلمك بعد علمك وأربعة يقولون سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك لك الحمد على عفوك بعد قدرتك ولهذا يقولون إذا استغفروا للذين آمنوا "ربنا وسعت كل شيء رحمة وعلما" أي رحمتك تسع ذنوبهم وخطاياهم وعلمك محيط بجميع أعمالهم وأقوالهم وحركاتهم وسكناتهم "فاغفر للذين تابوا واتبعوا سبيلك" أي فاصفح عن المسيئين إذا تابوا وأنابوا وأقلعوا عما كانوا فيه واتبعوا ما أمرتهم به من فعل الخيرات وترك المنكرات "وقهم عذاب الجحيم" أي وزحزحهم عن عذاب الجحيم وهو العذاب الموجع الأليم.

The Bearers of the Throne praise Allah and pray for forgiveness for the Believers

Allah tells us that the angels who are close to Him, the bearers of the Throne, and the angels who are around Him -- all glorify the praises of their Lord. They combine glorification (Tasbih) which implies that He is free of any shortcomings, with praise (Tahmid) which is an affirmation of praise.

وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ

(and believe in Him,) means, they humbly submit themselves before Him.

وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(and ask forgiveness for those who believe) means, for those among the people of earth who believe in the Unseen. Allah commanded that His angels who are close to Him should pray for the believers in their absence, so it is a part of the angels' nature that they say Amin when a believer prays for his brother in his absence. In Sahih Muslim it says:

«إِذَا دَعَا الْمُسْلِمُ لِأَخِيهِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَيْبِ قَالَ الْمَلَكُ: آمِينَ وَلَكَ بِمِثْلِه»

(When a Muslim prays for his brother in his absence, the angel says, `Amin, and may you have something similar to it'.)" Shahr bin Hawshab said, "The bearers of the Throne are eight; four of them say, `Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forebearance after Your knowledge. ' Four of them say, `Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, to You be praise for Your forgiveness after Your power.' When they pray for forgiveness for those who believe, they say:

رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً

(Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,) meaning, `Your mercy encompasses their sins and Your knowledge encompasses all their deeds, words and action.'

فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ سَبِيلَكَ

(so forgive those who repent and follow Your way.)" That is, `forgive the sinners when they repent to You and turn to You and give up their former ways, following Your commands to do good and abstain from evil.'

وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ

(and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!) means, `snatch them away from the punishment of Hell, which is a painful, agonizing punishment.'

رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّـتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِى وَعَدْتَّهُمْ وَمَن صَـلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring!) meaning, `bring them together so that they may find delight in one another in neighboring dwellings. ' This is like the Ayah:

وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَـنٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَآ أَلَتْنَـهُمْ مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ

(And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in faith, -- to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything)(52:21). This means, `that all of them will be made equal in status. In this way they may delight in one another's company; the one who is in the higher status will not lose anything. On the contrary We will raise the one whose deeds are of a lower status so that they will become equal, as a favor and a blessing from Us.' Sa`id bin Jubayr said that when the believer enters Paradise, he will ask where his father, son and brother are. It will be said to him, `they did not reach the same level of good deeds as you did'. He will say, `but I did it for my sake and for theirs.' Then they will be brought to join him in that higher degree. Then Sa`id bin Jubayr recited this Ayah:

رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّـتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِى وَعَدْتَّهُمْ وَمَن صَـلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) Mutarrif bin `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir said, "The most sincere of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the angels." Then he recited this Ayah:

رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّـتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِى وَعَدْتَّهُمْ

(Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Paradises which you have promised them) He then said, "The most treacherous of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the Shayatin."

إِنَّكَ أَنتَ العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ

(You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) means, `the One Whom none can resist or overwhelm; what You will happens and what You do not will does not happen; You are Wise in all that You say and do, in all that You legislate and decree.'

وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّئَـتِ

(And save them from the sins,) means, the actions and the consequences.

وَمَن تَقِ السَّيِّئَـتِ يَوْمَئِذٍ

(and whomsoever You save from the sins that Day,) means, the Day of Resurrection,

فَقَدْ رَحِمْتَهُ

(him verily, You have taken into mercy.) means, `You have protected him and saved him from punishment.'

وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

(And that is the supreme success. )

Those who bear the Throne alladhīna yahmilūna’l-‘arsha is the subject and those around it wa-man hawlahu is a supplement to that subject glorify yusabbihūna is the predicate thereof with praise of their Lord continuously proclaiming praise in other words continuously saying subhāna’Llāhi wa-bi-hamdihi ‘Glory and praise be to God’; and they believe in Him exalted be He through their power of discernment in other words they affirm the truth of His Oneness and they ask forgiveness for those who believe saying ‘Our Lord You embrace all things in Your mercy and knowledge that is to say Your mercy embraces all things and Your knowledge also embraces all things. So forgive those who repent of idolatry and follow Your way — the religion of Islam — and shield them from the chastisement of Hell-fire that is the Fire.

In verse 7, it was said: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْ‌شَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ (Those who are bearing the Throne and those who are around it). The present count of angels who bear the Throne (arsh) is four and, on the day of Qiyamah (the Day of Judgment), they will be eight, and only Allah knows the number of angels around the ` arsh. Some Hadith narrations give the number of their rows that reaches several hundred thousand. They are called: کرّوبِی (karrubi, [ Heb. Kerubh or kerub ], plural: [ Eng. Cherubin, or Cherubim, Heb. Cherubim ]). They are angels close to Allah. In this verse, it has been said that all these angels close to Allah pray for all believers, particularly those who repent from their sins and follow the Shari'ah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Either Allah Ta’ ala has appointed them to perform this task, or their nature is such that they keep praying for the good servants of Allah. Therefore, Sayyidna Mutarrif Ibn ` Abdullah Ibn Shikhkhir said that out of all servants of Allah, the angels of Allah are the foremost among those who wish well for believers. Firstly, they pray for them. They implore Allah to forgive them, to save them from the punishment of Jahannam and to admit them to the everlasting gardens of Jannah. Along with it, they also pray for: وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّ‌يَّاتِهِمْ those as well who did good from among their fathers and wives and children. - 40:8), that is, also admit anyone from among their fathers and forefathers, and their wives, and their children - who meet the criterion of goodness that makes them deserving of forgiveness, a criterion that requires that they should have departed from the mortal world while adhering to their 'iman or faith - yes, admit them too with the same believers into the Jannah.

This tells us that one's 'iman or faith is the basic condition of salvation (najah). After 'iman come other good deeds. The relatives of Muslim believers - fathers, grandfathers or wives and children - even if they are ranked lower than them, such is the munificence of Allah Ta’ ala that He would, in deference to them, also let the relatives of a lesser rank be along with them in Jannah, so that their happiness becomes total and complete as it has been said in another verse of the Qur'an appearing elsewhere:... (We will join their children with them - At-Tur, 52:21).

Said Ibn Jubayr has said, 'When a believer goes to Jannah, he will ask about his father, son, brother and others, and would want to know where they are. He will be told that their deeds were not like yours (therefore, they will not be there). He will say, 'whatever good I did (was not for me alone), in fact, it was for me and them both.' Then, the command will come, 'admit them too into the Jannah.' (Ibn Kathir)

After having reported this Hadith narration in Tafsir Mazhari, the author said, 'this 'mawquf (a Hadith mawquf or restricted tradition from a Companion who does not connect it to the Holy Prophet ﷺ) has the same authority and force as 'marfu" (a Hadith marfu` is a tradition attributed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ) and is explicit on the point that 'doing good' that is held as a pre-condition for having this privilege means 'Iman' or adhering to the true faith.