7:29 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

ثم ذكر ما يأمر به، فقال: { قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِالْقِسْطِ } أي: بالعدل في العبادات والمعاملات، لا بالظلم والجور. { وَأَقِيمُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ } أي: توجهوا للّه، واجتهدوا في تكميل العبادات، خصوصا { الصلاة } أقيموها، ظاهرا وباطنا، ونقوها من كل نقص ومفسد. { وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ } أي: قاصدين بذلك وجهه وحده لا شريك له. والدعاء يشمل دعاء المسألة، ودعاء العبادة، أي: لا تراءوا ولا تقصدوا من الأغراض في دعائكم سوى عبودية اللّه ورضاه. { كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ } أول مرة { تَعُودُونَ } للبعث، فالقادر على بدء خلقكم، قادر على إعادته، بل الإعادة، أهون من البداءة.

قوله تعالى "قل أمر ربي بالقسط" أي بالعدل والاستقامة "وأقيموا وجوهكم عند كل مسجد وادعوه مخلصين له الدين" أي أمركم بالاستقامة في عبادته في محالها وهي متابعة المرسلين المؤيدين بالمعجزات فيما أخبروا به عن الله وما جاءوا به من الشرائع وبالإخلاص له في عبادته فإنه تعالى لا يتقبل العمل حتى يجمع هذين الركنين أن يكون صوابا موافقا للشريعة وأن يكون خالصا من الشرك. وقوله تعالى "كما بدأكم تعودون" إلى قوله "الضلالة" اختلف في معنى قوله "كما بدأكم تعودون" فقال ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد "كما بدأكم تعودون" يحييكم بعد موتكم. وقال الحسن البصري كما بدأكم في الدنيا كذلك تعودون يوم القيامة أحياء وقال قتادة "كما بدأكم تعودون" قال بدأ فخلقهم ولم يكونوا شيئا ثم ذهبوا ثم يعيدهم وقال عبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم كما بدأكم أولا كذلك يعيدكم آخرا واختار هذا القول أبو جعفر بن جرير وأيده بما رواه من حديث سفيان الثوري وشعبة بن الحجاج كلاهما عن المغيرة بن النعمان عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال: قام فينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بموعظة فقال "يا أيها الناس إنكم تحشرون إلى الله حفاة عراة غرلا كما بدأنا أول خلق نعيده وعدا علينا إنا كنا فاعلين". وهذا الحديث مخرج في الصحيحين من حديث شعبة وفي حديث البخاري أيضا من حديث الثوري به. وقال ورقاء بن إياس أبو يزيد عن مجاهد "كما بدأكم تعودون" قال يبعث المسلم مسلما والكافر كافرا وقال أبو العالية "كما بدأكم تعودون" ردوا إلى علمه فيهم وقال سعيد بن جبير كما بدأكم تعودون كما كتب عليكم تكونون وفي رواية كما كنتم عليه تكونون وقال محمد بن كعب القرظي في قوله تعالى "كما بدأكم تعودون" من ابتدأ الله خلقه على الشقاوة صار إلى ما ابتدئ عليه خلقه وإن عمل بأعمال أهل السعادة ومن ابتدأ خلقه على السعادة صار إلى ما ابتدئ خلقه عليه وإن عمل بأعمال أهل الشقاء كما أن السحرة عملوا بأعمال أهل الشقاء ثم صاروا إلى ما ابتدءوا عليه وقال السدي "كما بدأكم تعودون فريقا هدى وفريقا حق عليهم الضلالة" يقول "كما بدأكم تعودون" كما خلقناكم فريق مهتدون وفريق ضلال كذلك تعودون وتخرجون من بطون أمهاتكم وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس قوله "كما بدأكم تعودون فريقا هدى وفريقا حق عليهم الضلالة" قال إن الله تعالى بدأ خلق ابن آدم مؤمنا وكافرا كما قال "هو الذي خلقكم فمنكم كافر ومنكم مؤمن" ثم يعيدهم يوم القيامة كما بدأ خلقهم مؤمنا وكافرا قلت ويتأيد هذا القول بحديث ابن مسعود في صحيح البخاري "فوالذي لا إله غيره إن أحدكم ليعمل بعمل أهل الجنة حتى ما يكون بينه وبينها إلا باع أو ذراع فيسبق عليه الكتاب فيعمل بعمل أهل النار فيدخلها وإن أحدكم ليعمل بعمل أهل النار حتى ما يكون بينه وبينها إلا باع أو ذراع فيسبق عليه الكتاب فيعمل بعمل أهل الجنة فيدخل الجنة "وقال أبو القاسم البغوي حدثنا علي بن الجعد حدثنا أبو غسان عن أبي حازم عن سهل بن سعد قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "إن العبد ليعمل فيما يرى الناس بعمل أهل الجنة وإنه من أهل النار وإنه ليعمل فيما يرى الناس بعمل أهل النار وإنه من أهل الجنة وإنما الأعمال بالخواتيم" هذا قطعة من حديث البخاري من حديث أبي غسان محمد بن مطرف المدني في قصة قزمان يوم أحد وقال ابن جرير حدثني ابن بشار حدثنا عبد الرحمن حدثنا سفيان عن الأعمش عن أبي سفيان عن جابر عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال "تبعث كل نفس على ما كانت عليه". وهذا الحديث رواه مسلم وابن ماجه من غير وجه عن الأعمش به ولفظه "يبعث كل عبد على ما مات عليه" وعن ابن عباس مثله قلت ويتأيد بحديث ابن مسعود قلت ولابد من الجمع بين هذا القول إن كان هو المراد من الآية وبين قوله تعالى "فأقم وجهك للدين حنيفا فطرت الله التي فطر الناس عليها" وما جاء في الصحيحين عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال "كل مولود يولد على الفطرة فأبواه يهودانه وينصرانه ويمجسانه" وفي صحيح مسلم عن عياض بن حمار قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "يقول الله تعالى: إني خلقت عبادي حنفاء فجاءتهم الشياطين فاجتالتهم عن دينهم" الحديث ووجه الجمع على هذا أنه تعالى خلقهم ليكون منهم مؤمن وكافر في ثاني الحال وإن كان قد فطر الخلق كلهم على معرفته وتوحيده والعلم بأنه لا إله غيره كما أخذ عليهم الميثاق بذلك وجعله في غرائزهم وفطرهم ومع هذا قدر أن منهم شقيا ومنهم سعيدا "هو الذي خلقكم فمنكم كافر ومنكم مؤمن" وفي الحديث "كل الناس يغدو فبائع نفسه فمعتقها أو موبقها". وقدر الله نافذ في بريته فإنه هو "الذي قدر فهدى" و "الذي أعطى كل شيء خلقه ثم هدى" وفي الصحيحين "فأما من كان منكم من أهل السعادة فسييسر لعمل أهل السعادة وأما من كان من أهل الشقاوة فسييسر لعمل أهل الشقاوة".

Disbelievers commit Sins and claim that Allah commanded Them to do so!

Mujahid said, "The idolators used to go around the House (Ka`bah) in Tawaf while naked, saying, `We perform Tawaf as our mothers gave birth to us.' The woman would cover her sexual organ with something saying, `Today, some or all of it will appear, but whatever appears from it, I do not allow it (it is not for adultery or for men to enjoy looking at!)."' Allah sent down the Ayah,

وَإِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَـحِشَةً قَالُواْ وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَآ ءَابَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا

(And when they commit a Fahishah (sin), they say: "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has commanded it for us.")7:28 I say, the Arabs, with the exception of the Quraysh, used to perform Tawaf naked. They claimed they would not make Tawaf while wearing the clothes that they disobeyed Allah in. As for the Quraysh, known as Al-Hums, they used to perform Tawaf in their regular clothes. Whoever among the Arabs borrowed a garment from one of Al-Hums, he would wear it while in Tawaf. And whoever wore a new garment, would discard it and none would wear it after him on completion of Tawaf. Those who did not have a new garment, or were not given one by Al-Hums, then they would perform Tawaf while naked. Even women would go around in Tawaf while naked, and one of them would cover her sexual organ with something and proclaim, "Today, a part or all of it will appear, but whatever appears from it I do not allow it." Women used to perform Tawaf while naked usually at night. This was a practice that the idolators invented on their own, following only their forefathers in this regard. They falsely claimed that what their forefathers did was in fact following the order and legislation of Allah. Allah then refuted them, Allah said,

وَإِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَـحِشَةً قَالُواْ وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَآ ءَابَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا

(And when they commit a Fahishah, they say: "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has commanded it for us.")

Allah does not order Fahsha', but orders Justice and Sincerity

Allah replied to this false claim,

قُلْ

(Say), O Muhammad, to those who claimed this,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَآءِ

("Nay, Allah never commands Fahsha'...") meaning, the practice you indulge in is a despicable sin, and Allah does not command such a thing.

أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

("Do you say about Allah what you know not") that is, do you attribute to Allah statements that you are not certain are true Allah said next,

قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِالْقِسْطِ

(Say: "My Lord has commanded justice, (fairness and honesty)"),

وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

("And that you should face Him only, in every Masjid, and invoke Him only making your religion sincere to Him...") This Ayah means, Allah commands you to be straightforward in worshipping Him, by following the Messengers who were supported with miracles and obeying what they conveyed from Allah and the Law that they brought. He also commands sincerity in worshipping Him, for He, Exalted He is, does not accept a good deed until it satisfies these two conditions: being correct and in conformity with His Law, and being free of Shirk.

The Meaning of being brought into Being in the Beginning and brought back again

Allah's saying

كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ

(As He brought you in the beginning, so shall you be brought into being again) 7:29. Until;

الضَّلَـلَةُ

(error.) There is some difference over the meaning of:

كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ

(As He brought you in the beginning, so shall you be brought into being again.) Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said that it means, "He will bring you back to life after you die." Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented, "As He made you begin in this life, He will bring you back to life on the Day of Resurrection." Qatadah commented on:

كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ

(As He brought you in the beginning, so shall you be brought into being again.) "He started their creation after they were nothing, and they perished later on, and He shall bring them back again." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "As He created you in the beginning, He will bring you back in the end." This last explanation was preferred by Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir and he supported it with what he reported from Ibn `Abbas, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and gave us a speech, saying,

«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّكُمْ تُحْشَرُونَ إِلَى اللهِ حُفَاةً عُرَاةً غُرْلًا

كَمَا بَدَأْنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُ وَعْداً عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ

(O people! You will be gathered to Allah while barefooted, naked and uncircumcised, (As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it)).21:104 This Hadith was collected in the Two Sahihs. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَفَرِيقًا هَدَى وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الضَّلَـلَةُ

(As He brought you in the beginning, so shall you be brought into being again. A group He has guided, and a group deserved to be in error;) "Allah, the Exalted, began the creation of the Sons of Adam, some believers and some disbelievers, just as He said,

هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُمْ مُّؤْمِنٌ

(He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers) 64:2. He will then return them on the Day of Resurrection as He started them, some believers and some disbelievers. I say, what supports this meaning, is the Hadith from Ibn Mas`ud that Al-Bukhari recorded, (that the Prophet said:)

«فَوَالَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيرُهُ إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا بَاعٌ أَوْ ذِرَاعٌ، فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا، وَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا بَاعٌ أَوْ ذِرَاعٌ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ، فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّة»

(By He, other than Whom there is no god, one of you might perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until only the length of an arm or a forearm would separate him from it. However, that which was written in the Book takes precedence, and he commits the work of the people of the Fire and thus enters it. And one of you might perform the deeds of the people of the Fire until only the length of an arm or a forearm separates between him and the Fire. However, that which was written in the Book takes precedence, and he performs the work of the people of Paradise and thus enters Paradise.) We should combine this meaning -- if it is held to be the correct meaning for the Ayah -- with Allah's statement:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا

(So set you your face towards the religion, Hanifan. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind) 30:30, and what is recorded in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ، فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ وَيُنَصِّرَانِهِ وَيُمَجِّسَانِه»

(Every child is born upon the Fitrah, it is only his parents who turn him into a Jew, a Christian or a Zoroastrian.) Muslim recorded that `Iyad bin Himar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالـى: إِنِّي خَلَقْتُ عِبَادِي حُنَفَاءَ، فَجَاءَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَاجْتَالَتْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِم»

(Allah said, `I created My servants Hunafa' (monotheists), but the devils came to them and deviated them from their religion.) The collective meaning here is, Allah created His creatures so that some of them later turn believers and some turn disbelievers. Allah has originally created all of His servants able to recognize Him, to single Him out in worship, and know that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. He also took their covenant to fulfill the implications of this knowledge, which He placed in their consciousness and souls. He has decided that some of them will be miserable and some will be happy,

هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُمْ مُّؤْمِنٌ

(He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers) 64:2. Also, a Hadith states,

«كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَغْدُو فَبَائِعٌ نَفْسَهُ فَمُعْتِقُهَا أَوْ مُوبِقُهَا»

(All people go out in the morning and sell themselves, and some of them free themselves while some others destroy themselves.) Allah's decree will certainly come to pass in His creation. Verily, He it is

وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى

(Who has measured (everything); and then guided) 87: 3, and,

الَّذِى أَعْطَى كُلَّ شَىءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَى

(He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright) 20:50. And in the Two Sahihs:

«فَأَمَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ فَسَيُيَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ فَسَيُيَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَة»

(As for those among you who are among the people of happiness, they will be facilitated to perform the deeds of the people of happiness. As for those who are among the miserable, they will be facilitated to commit the deeds of the miserable). This is why Allah said here,

فَرِيقًا هَدَى وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الضَّلَـلَةُ

(A group He has guided, and a group deserved to be in error;) Allah then explained why,

إِنَّهُمُ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَـطِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ

(because) surely, they took the Shayatin as supporters instead of Allah). Ibn Jarir said, "This is one of the clearest arguments proving the mistake of those who claim that Allah does not punish anyone for disobedient acts he commits of deviations he believes in until after knowledge of what is correct reaches him, then he were to obstinately avoid it anyway. If this were true, then there would be no difference between the deviations of the misguided group - their belief that they are guided - and the group that is in fact guided. Yet Allah has differentiated between the two in this noble Ayah, doing so in both name and judgement."

Say ‘My Lord enjoins justice fairness. And set wa-aqīmū is a supplement to the syntactical significance of bi’l-qist ‘justice’ that is to say it is as if He said ‘Be just and set your faces’ or read wa-aqīmū with an implied fa-aqbilū ‘so turn’ towards it your faces towards God in every place of worship performing your prostrations purely for Him and call upon Him worship Him devoting your religion to Him free of any idolatry. As He brought you into being as He created you when you were nothing so you will return that is so He will bring you back to life on the Day of Resurrection.

Said in the second verse was: قُلْ أَمَرَ‌ رَ‌بِّي بِالْقِسْطِ (Say, "My Lord has bid-den me to do justice). Here, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been asked to tell those ignorant people, who were falsely attributing the justification of their naked Tawaf towards Allah, that Allah always commands justice. The word used here is: اَقِسط (al-qist) which essentially means justice, balance and moderation. At this place, ` al-qist' refers to a conduct which is free of excess or deficiency, that is, which neither falls short, nor exceeds the appointed limits - as is the case with all injunctions of the Shari'ah. Therefore, under this sense of qist' included there are all acts of worship and obedience as well as all general injunctions of the Shari'ah. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

After having stated the command of justice and moderation, two injunctions of the Shari'ah relevant to their erroneous conduct have been particularly mentioned. These are: وَأَقِيمُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ (and yourself be aright at each occasion of prostration) and: وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ (and pray to Him with pure faith in Him). The first command relates to what one does physically and outwardly. The other belongs to the heart, the spiritual dimension. In the first injunction, the word: مسجِد (Masjid), according to most commentators, appears in the sense of prostration (sajdah, sujud or ‘Ibadah) and it means that one should be aright at the time of every Salah or any other act of worship. It could also mean that one should make an effort and be particular to keep one's orientation straight towards the Qiblah. And being aright or keeping the orientation straight could also mean that one should sub-ordinate everything one says or does to what Allah has commanded, maintaining an orientation and stance that never varies, never dwindles and moves elsewhere. Given this meaning, this injunction will not remain particular for Salah only - instead, it would comprehend all acts of worship, dealings and transactions.

The second injunction means that one should worship Allah, purely and exclusively, without associating in that act anyone else in any capacity, even to the limit that such worship should also be free from, and untainted with, what is known as al-Shirk al-Khafiyy (concealed Shirk of associating others with the Divinity of Allah), that is, hypocrisy and riya' (show off).

By mentioning both injunctions together, the indication being given could be that one must correct, align and synchronize both dimensions of one's person, the outward and the inward, the physical and the spiritual, with the injunctions of the Shari'ah. Not enough is obvious obedience (Ita` ah) without sincerity (Ikhlas), nor can simple sincerity of the heart become sufficient without following the Shari` ah as visible outwardly too. Instead of that, it is binding on everyone that one should correct and align one's outward bearings in accordance with the Shari` ah and never forget to keep his or her inward state of being too reserved for Allah Ta` ala alone. This helps us see the error (dichotomy) of those who take Shari` ah (the outward or physical adherence to faith) and Tariqah (the inward or spiritual adherence to faith) as two different ways to approach religion. Some of them would even presume that it was sufficient to correct one's inward dimension as shown by Tariqah - even if they go about doing what is contrary to the Shari` ah! This is a gaping error.

At the end of the verse (29), it was said: كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ (As He originated you, so you will return). It means that it was He who created you first and it will be He who will make you rise again on the day of Qiyamah. For His perfect power, this was not difficult at all. Perhaps to indicate this element of convenience what was said here is: تَعُودُونَ (ta` udun: you will return) and not: یُعِیدُکُم ' (We shall make you rise) since making to rise again requires not much action. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

There is an additional benefit of introducing this sentence here. It helps one in abiding by the injunctions of the Shari’ ah - because it is the realization that there is a life-to-come, and a Last Day, the Day of Qiyamah, and reward or punishment for deeds, good or bad, which makes what is difficult easy, and what is painful bearable. Experience bears out that man is a tough customer. Unless one is under such grip-ping apprehension, no word of advice can make him do what is right, nor can the restriction of any law stop him from going into crimes.

Say: “My Lord has commanded justice. Set your faces in every place of prostration and supplicate Him, purifying the religion for Him. Just as He began you, so you shall return.” In this verse the Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of the world and the world's folk, the bestower and forgiver, the lovingly kind toward the servants, brings together the foundations of service, the signposts of practice, and the realities of recognition. He makes the faithful aware of pleasing character traits and He instructs them in beautiful worship of Himself and beautiful living with the creatures. He honors them by letting them recognize the causes of His approval. This verse is one of the all-comprehensive words concerning which MuṣṬafā said, “I was sent out with the all-comprehensive words, and knowledge was made very concise for me.” In the Qur'an there is much of the same sort. Let me speak about one of them: “Surely God is with those who are godwary and those who are beautiful-doers” [16:128]. Consider how such a short verse has so many of the meanings. All of God's caresses, the generous giving and boun- teousness of the Real toward the servant, are included in Surely God is with. All service, such as the sorts of worship and the types of practice that the servant does for God, comes under godwary. All that is rightfully due to people from each other in the various sorts of practices comes under beautiful-doers. In the same way, all the pillars of the religion, the standpoints of the Shariah, and the gates of the Haqiqah are included in the words, “My Lord has commanded justice. Set your faces in every place of prostration and supplicate Him, purifying the religion for Him.” He is saying, “God has commanded me to justice, that is, in my practice with the Real, the creatures, and the soul: with the Real by putting commands and prohibitions to work and approving of His decree in every state; with the creatures by living with good character, observing equity toward them in the varieties of practice, and not asking equity for myself; and with the soul by opposing it, pulling it into the field of struggle and discipline, and shutting the door to appetites and ease.” The equal of this verse in the Qur'an is where He says, “God commands justice and beautiful do- ing” [16:90].