Translation of Tafsīr Qisār as-Suwar ( smaller chapters ) Exegesis of al-Hamd (Q. 1) In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Gracious… Says Imam al-Qāsim bin Ibrāhīm: {All Praise is due to Allah} It is gratitude to Allah for His blessings and beneficence. It is praise of Allah and the exultation of Him in this sense. From “praise” (al-hamd) is derived: praiseworthy and laudable, hamīd. Likewise, from “generosity” (al-jawd) is derived: generous and majīd. Allah has no partner, so He is the only One to Whom hearts direct, And the One in which help is sought from the many woes of distress. To Him doth all of creation supplicate ardently and wholly deify. The Glorified is worshipped by the pure, righteous, and realised. Outside of everything is a God, Lord, and of devotion, a Focus worthy. It is only He do they praise for all beneficence before everything praiseworthy. {Lord of the Worlds} means: Dominant Master Supreme; The One along with whom is no king and no partner being. The meaning of the {…the Worlds} is: all of creation: The lasting, the transient, the first of it, and its termination. {The Most Merciful} means: Possessor of forgiveness, blessings, and munificence; While {The Most Gracious} means: One Who pardons even the greatest of sins. He prohibits oppression and open disobedience of the depraved. In that, He manifests mercy towards one and all of His slaves; The strong ones amongst them, as well as the pathetic; The irreligious amongst them, as well as the ascetic. The meaning of the phrase {King of the Day of Recompense} Is that in the matters of the Day of Debt, He will exercise influence. On that day, His command would be fulfilled and no other. His decision would take place and not that of another. {King (Malik)} is from “dominion” and from “possessions,” {Possessor (Mālik)}; Both of which have the same meaning, and either can be recited whenever. It is a Day of requital, reward, and punishment, which will be met. It is named {Recompense (Dīn)} because it is the repayment of debt. {Day of Recompense} means: Day of Compensation for deeds done. On that Day, the guided will be separated from the deviant ones. {It is only Thou that we worship}: We declare Your Oneness, Unique. {It is only Thou that we seek help from}: Your assistance in our affairs, we seek. In attaining Your pleasure, we also seek successfulness in that we achieve. {Lead us to…} is: Bring us into conformity with and establish us upon guidance aright. {The straight path}. The {path} is: the way in which there is no deviancy or sleight. Jarīr said: “The Commander of the Believers is upon a path even if it bends, it is right.” The term {straight} refers to a clear path by which Allah‟s pleasure is attained. Uprightness is that in which there is no deviancy or crookedness upon it twain. So, it is not permissible for its people to intend from it deviation, diverting. As the Exalted says: {And do not sit on every path, hindering and averting…} (Q. 7:86). {The path of those upon whom is Thy favour} That is, the way of righteous slaves upon whom is goodwill; Those who are in accord with and guided to righteousness still. {…not of those upon whom is Thy anger}: those whom earn Your wrath. {…nor the astray} because of caprice as well as blindness from Your path. This is because the Majestic and Praised favours them in this world over others That stray from Him by not accepting His guidance, prohibitions, and orders, As well as those who earn His anger from amongst those who disbelieve. Regarding the path of those You are not angry with, to it we want You to lead. Regarding {…those upon whom is Thy anger}, the Jews are the ones intended. {…nor the astray}. Do not lead us to the path of the {astray}; which is the Christian.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 05:40:58 +0000