6:19 Al-An'aam (The Cattle)

{ قُلْ } لهم -لما بينا لهم الهدى، وأوضحنا لهم المسالك-: { أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً } على هذا الأصل العظيم. { قُلِ اللَّهُ } أكبر شهادة، فهو { شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ } فلا أعظم منه شهادة، ولا أكبر، وهو يشهد لي بإقراره وفعله، فيقرني على ما قلت لكم، كما قال تعالى { وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الْأَقَاوِيلِ لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ } فالله حكيم قدير، فلا يليق بحكمته وقدرته أن يقر كاذبا عليه، زاعما أن الله أرسله ولم يرسله، وأن الله أمره بدعوة الخلق ولم يأمره، وأن الله أباح له دماء من خالفه، وأموالهم ونساءهم، وهو مع ذلك يصدقه بإقراره وبفعله، فيؤيده على ما قال بالمعجزات الباهرة، والآيات الظاهرة، وينصره، ويخذل من خالفه وعاداه، فأي: شهادة أكبر من هذه الشهادة؟\" وقوله: { وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ } أي وأوحى الله إليَّ هذا القرآن الكريم لمنفعتكم ومصلحتكم، لأنذركم به من العقاب الأليم. والنذارة إنما تكون بذكر ما ينذرهم به، من الترغيب، والترهيب، وببيان الأعمال، والأقوال، الظاهرة والباطنة، التي مَن قام بها، فقد قبل النذارة، فهذا القرآن، فيه النذارة لكم أيها المخاطبون، وكل من بلغه القرآن إلى يوم القيامة، فإن فيه بيان كل ما يحتاج إليه من المطالب الإلهية. لما بيّن تعالى شهادته التي هي أكبر الشهادات على توحيده، قال: قل لهؤلاء المعارضين لخبر الله، والمكذبين لرسله { أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَى قُلْ لَا أَشْهَدُ } أي: إن شهدوا، فلا تشهد معهم. فوازِنْ بين شهادة أصدق القائلين، ورب العالمين، وشهادة أزكى الخلق المؤيدة بالبراهين القاطعة والحجج الساطعة، على توحيد الله وحده لا شريك له، وشهادة أهل الشرك، الذين مرجت عقولهم وأديانهم، وفسدت آراؤهم وأخلاقهم، وأضحكوا على أنفسهم العقلاء. بل خالفوا بشهادة فطرهم، وتناقضت أقوالهم على إثبات أن مع الله آلهة أخرى، مع أنه لا يقوم على ما قالوه أدنى شبهة، فضلا عن الحجج، واختر لنفسك أي: الشهادتين، إن كنت تعقل، ونحن نختار لأنفسنا ما اختاره الله لنبيه، الذي أمرنا الله بالاقتداء به، فقال: { قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ } أي: منفرد، لا يستحق العبودية والإلهية سواه، كما أنه المنفرد بالخلق والتدبير. { وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ } به، من الأوثان، والأنداد، وكل ما أشرك به مع الله. فهذا حقيقة التوحيد، إثبات الإلهية لله ونفيها عما عداه.

ثم قال "قل أي شيء أكبر شهادة" أي من أعظم الأشياء شهادة "قل الله شهيد بيني وبينكم" أي هو العالم بما جئتكم به وما أنتم قائلون لي "وأوحي إلي هذا القرآن لأنذركم به ومن بلغ" أي هو نذير لكل من بلغه كقوله تعالى "ومن يكفر به من الأحزاب فالنار موعده" قال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبو سعيد الأشج حدثنا وكيع وأبو أسامة وأبو خالد عن موسى بن عبيدة عن محمد بن كعب في قوله "ومن بلغ" من بلغه القرآن فكأنما رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم زاد أبو خالد وكلمه. ورواه ابن جرير من طريق أبي معشر عن محمد بن كعب قال: من بلغه القرآن فقد أبلغه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال عبدالرزاق عن معمر عن قتادة في قوله تعالى "لأنذركم به ومن بلغ" أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "بلغوا عن الله فمن بلغته آية من كتاب الله فقد بلغه أمر الله" وقال الربيع بن أنس حق على من اتبع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يدعو كالذي دعا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأن ينذر بالذي أنذر وقوله "أئنكم لتشهدون" أيها المشركون أي "أن مع الله آلهة أخرى قل لا أشهد" كقوله "فإن شهدوا فلا تشهد معهم" "قل إنما هو إله واحد وإنني بريء مما تشركون".

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm

Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ

(And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said,

مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلاَ مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلاَ مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ

(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate,

«اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَد»

(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said,

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ

(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power,

وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ

(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions,

الْخَبِيرُ

(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next,

قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَـدةً

(Say: "What thing is the most great in witness") or what is the greatest witness,

قُلِ اللَّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ

(Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I") for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with,

وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ

(this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said,

وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ

(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called to and warn against what he warned against." Allah said next,

أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ

("Can you verily bear witness...") O idolators,

أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَى قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ

("that besides Allah there are other gods" Say, "I bear no (such) witness!") Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said;

فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ

(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next,

قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.")

People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children

Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad ﷺ, his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next,

الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم

(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss,

فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ

(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next,

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَايَـتِهِ

(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences,

إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ

(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat.

When they said to the Prophet s ‘Bring us someone to testify to the truth of your prophethood for the People of the Scripture have denied you’ the following was revealed Say to them ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’ shahādatan this is for specification and is derived from the implied subject of the sentence. Say ‘God — even if they do not say this there is no other response — He is Witness between me and you to my truthfulness; and this Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may warn you that I may make you fear O people of Mecca thereby and whomever it may reach wa-man balagha this is a supplement to the suffixed pronoun ‘you’ of undhira-kum ‘I may warn you’ that is to say whomever among men and jinn the Qur’ān may reach. Do you indeed bear witness that there are other gods with God?’ this interrogative is meant as a disavowal. Say to them ‘I do not bear witness’ to this. Say ‘He is only One God and I am innocent of what you associate’ with Him of idols.

A particular event which is the cause of the revelation of this verse has been generally reported by commentators. It is said that once a deputation of the people of Makkah came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . They said: ` You claim to be a Messenger of Allah. Who is your witness on this? We have yet to see a man who attests to its truth, although we have tried our best to confirm it from the Jews and Christians.'

Thereupon, the verse: قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ‌ شَهَادَةً which means: You tell them whose witness could be greater than that of Allah, within whose power lies the gain and loss of everyone in the world? Then, you tell them that Allah is the witness between me and you The witness of Allah refers to those miracles and signs which Allah Ta` ala made manifest to confirm the veracity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Therefore, addressing the people of Makkah, it was said: أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّـهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَ‌ىٰ. It means: Do you, even after the witness of Allah Ta` ala Himself, stand to witness against Him by saying that there are other gods too along with Allah? If that is so, you are responsible for your fate. As for me, I bear no such witness. Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، is asked to tell them: قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ that is, He is one God, the only one worthy of worship who has no partners, sharers or associates in His pristine Divinity.

This proves that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is the Last Prophet and the Qur’ an will keep reaching until the day of Qiyamah. It will continue to be recited and taugh right through the day of Qyiamah, and people will remain obliged to follow it.

Sayyidna Said ibn Jubayr ؓ said: To Whomever the Qur'an has reached, he has become like one who has visited Muhammad ﷺ . And it appears in another Hadith: To whomever the Qur'an has reached, I am his warner (` nadhir' ).

Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked his Companions emphatically : بَلِّغُوا عَنِّی وَ لَو آیَۃً 'that is, convey my instructions and teachings to people, even if it be one 'Ayah.

And Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: May Allah keep that person hale and hearty who heard a saying of mine, committed it to his memory and then conveyed it to my Ummah. This is important because it generally happens that a person may not himself appreciate the sense of what is said but which would be understood much better by a person of later times to whom the first person has conveyed it.

Say: “What thing is greater in bearing witness?” Say: “God.” There is no bearing witness more truthful than the Real's own bearing witness to what He wit- nessed at the first. That is His words, “God bears witness that there is no god but He” [3:18]. This is the Real's bearing witness that the Real is the Real. On the first day, at the beginningless covenant, with true words and pure speech, He reported of the unitary existence, the self-sufficient being, the endless majesty, the eternal beauty, the con- tinuous Essence, and the self-standing attributes. Abū ʿAbdallāh Qurashī said, “This is a teaching for the servants and a right guidance for the seekers. With His own gentleness He is teaching the servants to bear witness in their measure to His oneness and solitariness, just as He bears witness as is fitting for Him. Put aside the path of resistance, lest you fall into the pit like the abandoned Iblis.” One of them said, “God bears witness to His oneness, His unity, and His self-sufficiency. Oth- ers, like the angels and the possessors of knowledge, bear witness by assenting to the truth of that to which He bears witness concerning Himself.” He Himself bore witness to His lordhood, greatness, and oneness, for no one else was worthy of bearing witness. The creatures cannot reach the core of His majesty and tremendousness, and their bearing witness is nothing but assenting to the truth of the Real's bearing witness. Jaʿfar ibn MuḤammad said, “The bearing witness of people is built on four pillars: first fol- lowing the commands, second avoiding prohibitions, third contentment, and fourth approval.” It is said that people's bearing witness is of three sorts: the bearing witness of the common people, the bearing witness of the elect, and the bearing witness of the elect of the elect. The bear- ing witness of the common people is to emerge from associationism. The bearing witness of the elect is to enter into contemplation. The bearing witness of the elect of the elect is the breeze of companionship from the side of proximity for the sake of union. The self-purifier sees all from Him, the recognizer sees all in Him, the tawḤīd-voicer sees all as He. Every named being is a loan. True being is He-the rest are suspect. Say “God,” then leave them [6:91]. Oh, all is You, and that's it! How could anyone appear alongside You?