Al-Tafsir (Qur'anic Exegesis)

Overview

Level 1 · Al-Tafsir — Qur’anic Exegesis. Condensed revision notes:

• Unit 1 — Introduction to Ilm at-Tafsir (definition · foundations · development · books · methodologies)
• Unit 2 — Surat al-Fatihah
• Unit 3 — Ayat al-Kursi (al-Baqarah 2:255)
• Unit 4 — Final verses of al-Baqarah (2:284–286)

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Unit 1 — Introduction to Ilm at-Tafsir

Definition of ilm at-tafsir

Linguistically: tafsir means clarification and explanation, from the root fasr — making clear and uncovering. Al-Qamus: fasr is making clear and disclosing something that was covered. Related: asfara as-subh (“the dawn has become bright”) when the morning grows light. The word appears in the Qur’an — «and the best explanation (ahsana tafsira)» (al-Furqan 25:33).

Qur’an

﴿وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا﴾ — الفرقان ٣٣

In Islamic terminology: expounding the word of Allah — the branch of knowledge through which the Book of Allah is understood, its meanings are explained, rulings are derived, and lessons are learned.

Another name: ta’weel (interpretation), from the root awl — reviewing or revising. Al-Qamus: aala ilayhi = he returned; awwala al-kalama ta’weelan = he reflected upon the words and explained their meaning. The word appears in the Prophet’s ﷺ du’a for Ibn Abbas: «O Allah, enable him to understand issues of religion and teach him ta’weel (interpretation)» — meaning tafsir. Ibn Abbas became known as the scholar of the ummah (hibr al-ummah) and the interpreter of the Qur’an (tarjuman al-Qur’an).

Hadith

«اللهمَّ فقِّههُ في الدينِ وعلِّمهُ التأويلَ» (ابن عباس؛ أصله في الصحيحين بلفظ «اللهم فقِّهه في الدين»، وزيادة «وعلِّمه التأويل» عند أحمد بسند صحيح)

The foundations of ilm at-tafsir

Ilm at-tafsir is based on nine foundations:

1. The Qur’an;
2. The Sunnah ;
3. Reports from the Sahabah;
4. Arabic language, grammar (nahw) and morphology (sarf);
5. Rhetoric (ilm al-bayan);
6. Principles of Islamic jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh);
7. Modes of recitation of the Qur’an (qira’aat);
8. Reasons for revelation (asbab an-nuzul);
9. That which abrogates and that which is abrogated (an-nasikh wa’l-mansukh).

Development of ilm at-tafsir — five stages

1. Tafsir of the Qur’an by the Qur’an. The science emerged with the revelation itself: some of the Qur’an is clear, some requires clarification, and later words explain it. Examples: al-Qari’ah 101:1–4 (“What is the Striking Calamity?… It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed”); al-Ma’arij 70:19–21, where the word haloo’ (anxious) is explained by the verses that follow it (“when evil touches him, impatient; and when good touches him, withholding”). Explaining parts of the Qur’an by other parts is the first method of tafsir.

2. The tafsir of the Prophet ﷺ. He explained what was revealed briefly or ambiguously, and specified the general — e.g. “establish prayer and give zakah” (an-Nisa 4:77): the Prophet ﷺ taught the five prayers, how they are performed, and the number of rakahs, and said «Pray as you have seen me praying» (al-Bukhari).

Hadith

«صَلُّوا كما رأيتُموني أُصَلِّي» (مالك بن الحويرث؛ البخاري)

He also explained “extra (ziyadah)” in «For them who have done good is the best [reward] and extra» (Yunus 10:26) as gazing upon the noble Countenance of Allah (Muslim).

3. The tafsir of the Sahabah. One of the greatest methodologies. Their method: first the Qur’an by the Qur’an; then the Sunnah ; then connected matters (reasons for revelation etc.); then their own understanding or the linguistic meaning in Arabic. Examples:

• “or you have contacted [lit. touched] women” (an-Nisa 4:43) — Ibn Abbas (in Ibn Katheer): what is meant is intercourse.
• “He knows the secret and what is [even] more hidden” (Ta-Ha 20:7) — Ibn Abbas: the secret (as-sirr) is what you did; the more hidden (akhfa) is what Allah causes to cross your mind but you do not act on.
• “until, when terror is removed from their hearts” (Saba 34:23) — Ibn Mas’ud: when the Lord of the Throne decrees something, the angels close to Him hear a sound like a chain dragged over rock and they swoon; when terror is removed from their hearts they call out: “What has your Lord said?” And whoever Allah wills says: “The truth. And He is the Most High, the Grand.”

4. The tafsir of the Tabieen. They learned from the Companions and followed the same method. Example: “And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith — We will join with them their descendants” (at-Tur 52:21) — Saeed ibn Jubayr: Allah will cause the offspring to join their parents in the higher levels of Paradise even if they deserved a lower rank, as an honour to the parents; he learned it from Ibn Abbas, who said: Allah will raise the offspring of the believer to his level so as to bring joy to the parents.

5. The tafsir of the scholars. The same methodology — Qur’an, Sunnah , words of Sahabah and Tabieen; where none is found, interpretation on the basis of the Arabic language. Most surviving tafsir books are of this nature. Famous mufassireen: Muhammad ibn Jareer at-Tabari; al-Husayn ibn Mas’ud al-Baghawi; Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Qurtubi; Ibn Abi Hatim; Ismail ibn Umar ibn Katheer; Jalal ad-Deen as-Suyuti; Muhammad ibn Ali ash-Shawkani.

Books of tafsir

Jami’ al-Bayan fi Ta’weel al-Qur’an — Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Jareer at-Tabari (d. 310 AH). One of the greatest report-based tafsirs, among the best and most highly esteemed; quotes tafsir narrated from the Prophet ﷺ, the Sahabah, the Tabieen and their followers. Ibn Taymiyyah: the soundest of the tafsirs people have — he quotes the views of the salaf with proven isnads, there are no innovations in it, and he does not quote dubious figures. Downside: narrates many Israeeliyat (reports from Jewish sources) from Ka’b al-Ahbar, Wahb ibn Munabbih, Ibn Jurayj, as-Suddi and others.

Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azeem — Imad ad-Deen Ismail ibn Umar ibn Katheer (d. 774 AH). Among the most famous report-based tafsirs, second to at-Tabari; focuses on narrating from the mufassireen of the salaf. What makes it stand out: the author alerts the reader to odd Israeeliyat reports, highlights the flaws in their chains and texts, and warns against them in general and specific terms.

Ma’alim at-Tanzeel [Tafsir al-Baghawi]. Ibn Taymiyyah was asked which was closest to the Qur’an and Sunnah — az-Zamakhshari, al-Qurtubi, or al-Baghawi? He answered: the soundest and most free of innovations and weak hadiths is al-Baghawi; it is a summary of the Tafsir of ath-Tha’labi from which he omitted the fabricated hadiths and innovations.

al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Qur’an — Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Bakr al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH). Stands out for not showing fanatical commitment to any fiqhi madhhab, even the Maliki: he may quote Imam Malik’s view then support another view with stronger evidence. Method: quote a passage, raise the issues it may refer to, and mention the rulings derived from the verse for each issue — with differences of opinion, reasons for revelation, and strange interpretations noted.

Ad-Durr al-Manthur fi’t-Tafsir bi’l-Ma’thur — Jalal ad-Deen as-Suyuti (d. 911 AH). Usual method: quote reports from the salaf without commenting, and without verifying or alerting the reader to weakness except rarely. Most of what he relies on are the reports of al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, an-Nasai, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, ad-Darimi and others.

Fath al-Qadeer — Muhammad ibn Ali ash-Shawkani (d. 1250 AH). Method: the linguistic angle on sound Arabic; then grammatical analysis (i’raab) where it affects meaning; then the modes of recitation; then sometimes fiqhi differences with their evidence, suggesting the stronger view. He combines narration from the early generations with his own reasoning based on evidence.

Books of tafsir of which one should be cautious

Some tafsirs are unsuitable for everyone, especially beginners, who may become confused and drift, especially in aqeedah:

al-Kashf wa’l-Bayan an Tafsir al-Qur’an — Abu Ishaq Ahmad ath-Tha’labi (d. 427 AH). He often quotes Jewish-source reports without comment, including weird stories; he was misled by fabricated hadiths on the virtues of surahs (quoting one at the end of each surah, attributed to Ubay ibn Ka’b), and by many fabricated hadiths circulating among the Shia, without pointing out that they are fabricated. Ibn Taymiyyah (introduction to Usul at-Tafsir): ath-Tha’labi was in himself good and religiously committed, but he did not know what he was doing — he narrated whatever he found in the books of tafsir, sound, weak, or fabricated.

Ruh al-Ma’ani fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azeem wa’s-Sab’ al-Mathani — Shihab ad-Deen Mahmoud al-Alusi (d. 1270 AH). A huge encyclopaedia of tafsir compiling many views (Abu’s-Su’ud, al-Baydawi, al-Fakhr ar-Razi, Ibn Atiyah, Abu Hayyan, az-Zamakhshari, Ibn Katheer and others). The problem: his interest in tafsirs based on Sufi symbolism — after commenting on the apparent meaning he discusses a “hidden meaning,” quoting Sufis such as al-Junayd, Ibn Ataa and Abu’l-Abbas al-Mursi: odd interpretations that are farthest removed from the truth.

Methodologies of the mufassireen — two methods

1. Tafsir based on reports (ma’thur). The mufassir limits himself to what is narrated about the verse’s meaning from the Prophet ﷺ or from the Sahabah and Tabieen, adding only a few clarifying words or reconciling different reports, and avoiding his own conclusions as much as possible. Four categories: tafsir of the Qur’an by the Qur’an; by the Sunnah ; of the Sahabah; of the Tabieen. Most famous report-based books: Jami’ al-Bayan (at-Tabari); Ma’alim at-Tanzeel (al-Baghawi); Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azeem (Ibn Katheer); Ad-Durr al-Manthur (as-Suyuti).

2. Tafsir based on opinion (ra’i). The mufassir comments on the basis of his own understanding and conclusions founded on sharia principles and the Arabic language. Permissible for one who has knowledge of Arabic and its grammar, morphology and rhetoric; the nasikh and mansukh; the reasons for revelation; the Sunnah (sound and weak); and usul al-fiqh. Haram for one who does not meet these conditions. Two types:

• Blameworthy opinion: where the only motive is whims and desires, or the commentator has no knowledge — not permissible for anyone (al-Isra 17:36 — do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge; al-A’raf 7:33 — saying about Allah what you do not know).
• Praiseworthy opinion: based on academic foundations — knowledge of Arabic and Islamic teachings, within clear and precise guidelines. A good method: the prohibition of speaking without knowledge implies that speaking on the basis of knowledge is permissible .

Most famous opinion-based books: Mafateeh al-Ghayb (al-Fakhr ar-Razi); Irshad al-Aql as-Saleem (Abu’s-Su’ud); Ruh al-Ma’ani (al-Alusi).

Unit 2 — Surat al-Fatihah

Surat al-Fatihah is a Makki surah (revealed before the Hijrah).

Qur’an

﴿بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ۝ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ۝ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ۝ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ۝ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ۝ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ — الفاتحة ١–٧

Its names: al-Hamd (praise); as-sab’ al-mathani (the seven oft-repeated [verses]); umm al-kitab (the essence of the Book); umm al-Qur’an — because the meanings of the whole Qur’an are connected to it. The most famous name is al-Fatihah (the Opening) — because the Qur’an opens with it, or (it was said) because it was the first surah revealed. It was also said the first verse revealed was “O you who covers himself” (al-Muddaththir 74:1); and it was said the first was “Recite in the name of your Lord who created” (al-Alaq 96:1) — this is the correct view.

The virtues of the surah

• The two lights. Ibn Abbas: while Jibreel was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ he heard a creaking above him; an angel came down who had never come down before, and said: «Glad tidings of two lights given to you and never given to any prophet before you: the Opening of the Book and the closing verses of Surat al-Baqarah. You will never recite one letter of them but you will be given (reward)» (Muslim).

Hadith

«أبشِرْ بنورَينِ أوتيتَهما لم يُؤتَهما نبيٌّ قبلَك: فاتحةِ الكتابِ وخواتيمِ سورةِ البقرةِ، لن تقرأَ بحرفٍ منهما إلا أُعطيتَه» (ابن عباس؛ مسلم)

• The greatest surah. The Prophet ﷺ to Abu Saeed ibn al-Mu’alla: «I shall surely teach you a surah which is the greatest surah in the Qur’an: {al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-‘aalameen}. It is seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an which I have been given» (al-Bukhari).

Qur’an & Hadith

«لَأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ سورةً هي أعظمُ سورةٍ في القرآنِ… ﴿الحَمدُ للهِ ربِّ العالمينَ﴾ هي السبعُ المَثاني والقرآنُ العظيمُ الذي أُوتيتُه» (أبو سعيد بن المعلى؛ البخاري)

• Nothing like it revealed. Ubay recited the Essence of the Qur’an before the Prophet ﷺ, who said: «By the One in Whose hand is my soul, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah or the Gospel or az-Zabur or al-Furqan. Indeed it is seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an which I have been given» (Ahmad; sahih per Shuayb al-Arna’ut).
• The divided prayer (hadith qudsi). «Allah said: I have divided the prayer into two parts between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for…» — each verse answered: “My slave has praised Me… extolled Me… glorified Me… this is between Me and My slave…” (Muslim).

Qur’an & Hadith

«قَسَمتُ الصلاةَ بيني وبينَ عبدي نِصفَينِ، ولعبدي ما سألَ: فإذا قال العبدُ: ﴿الحمدُ للهِ ربِّ العالمين﴾ قال اللهُ: حَمِدَني عبدي، وإذا قال: ﴿الرحمنِ الرحيمِ﴾ قال: أثنى عليَّ عبدي، وإذا قال: ﴿مالكِ يومِ الدينِ﴾ قال: مجَّدَني عبدي، فإذا قال: ﴿إياكَ نعبدُ وإياكَ نستعينُ﴾ قال: هذا بيني وبينَ عبدي ولعبدي ما سألَ» (أبو هريرة؛ مسلم)

• Defective without it. «Whoever offers a prayer in which he does not recite the Essence of the Book, it is defective, it is defective, it is defective, not complete» (Muslim).

Hadith

«من صلَّى صلاةً لم يقرأْ فيها بأمِّ القرآنِ فهي خِداجٌ — ثلاثًا — غيرُ تمامٍ» (أبو هريرة؛ مسلم)

Tafsir of the surah

{[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds}

• Al-hamd: praising Allah for having all perfect attributes and for His actions reflecting His grace and justice. Describing the praised one as perfect must be accompanied by love and veneration — attributing perfection without love and veneration is only commendation (madh), not praise (hamd). The definite article al- indicates all types of praise are included.
• {is [due] to Allah}: the name Allah cannot be given to any except Him — al-Ma’luh, the One worshipped on the basis of love and veneration, Who Alone deserves worship because of His divine attributes. The preposition li (to) indicates it belongs only to Him.
• {Rabb al-‘aalameen}: the Rabb possesses three attributes — the power of creation, sovereignty and control: Creator of all things, Sovereign of all things, Controller of all affairs. Linguistically rabb can mean master (sayyid) and the one who disposes of affairs in the best interests — all true of Allah.
• As-Sa’di: Allah’s care for creation is of two types — general (creating all creatures, granting provision, guiding them to what enables survival) and specific (caring for His close friends: instilling faith, guiding to it, warding off distractions and obstacles). Perhaps this is why most supplications of the Prophets used the word Rabb.
• {al-‘aalameen}: plural of aalam — everything that exists besides Allah. Aalam is a plural with no singular form.

{The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful}

• ar-Rahmaan: Possessor of vast mercy — mercy reaching the utmost limit; an attribute of Allah. ar-Raheem: Possessor of mercy that reaches people — how He deals with His creation. This applies when the two names appear together; if only one is mentioned, it includes the other.
• Lessons: the two names show His Lordship is based on vast mercy — manifested by mercy, gentleness and kindness, not harshness. Saying {ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem} after {Rabb al-‘aalameen} is hope after warning — more effective in helping people persist in obedience.

{Sovereign of the Day of Recompense}

• Two sound recitations, both mutawatir among the seven modes: Maaliki (Owner) and Maliki (Sovereign/King).
• ad-deen here = requital and reckoning (cf. al-Waqi’ah 56:86 — madeeneen, “brought to account”).
• Benefit: deen may also mean law and religion — “Indeed, the religion (ad-deen) in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Aal Imran 3:19). The religion with which Allah sent all the Messengers is Islam, beginning with Adam, including the Messengers of strong will (Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa), and ending with Muhammad ﷺ. The phrase “the three heavenly religions” is not valid: the only valid religion before Allah is Islam. The religion is one, though the laws vary — “To each of you We prescribed a law and a method” (al-Ma’idah 5:48).

Qur’an

﴿إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ﴾ — آل عمران ١٩ ۝ ﴿لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا﴾ — المائدة ٤٨

• Mentioning His sovereignty of that Day specifically does not mean He is not sovereign of all times (He is Lord of the worlds); rather, on that Day no one will have any sovereignty whatsoever except Him — “To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing” (Ghafir 40:16).

{It is You we worship and You we ask for help}

• {It is You we worship}: we humble ourselves before You completely. Ibadah includes everything Allah loves and is pleased with, of outward and inward deeds. The slave (abd) is the one who complies with what the One worshipped wants from him.
• Benefit: worship is valid and accepted only if sincerely for Allah and in accordance with the teachings of the Messenger ﷺ. Whoever introduces innovation has not attained the true servitude Allah wants.
• Putting iyyaka {it is You} before na’budu {we worship} limits all worship and all seeking of help to Allah Alone. Since a person cannot worship without Allah’s guidance and help, seeking help is mentioned immediately after. Asking for help: seeking aid and relying on Allah to bring benefit and ward off harm, putting one’s trust in Him. The entire religion is summed up in two concepts: worship (ibadah) and trust in Allah (tawakkul).
• One of the salaf: al-Fatihah is the essence of the Qur’an, and the essence of al-Fatihah is {It is You we worship and You we ask for help} — the first phrase a disavowal of shirk , the second a disavowal of having any power or strength.
• The shift from third to second person: after praising Allah, it is as if the worshipper has drawn closer and now stands before Him, so he speaks in the second person.
• Lessons: (1) one cannot worship Allah unless He helps — a precaution against self-admiration; (2) it is not appropriate to rely on any except the One deserving worship (Hud 11:123); (3) “we worship” indicates voluntary action — a refutation of the Jabaris (who say man has no free will); (4) one cannot act except by Allah’s help and will — a refutation of the Qadaris (who say man creates his own actions independently); (5) help in matters over which no one has power except Allah is sought exclusively from Him; seeking help from people is permissible in what they are able to do.

{Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray}

• After praising Allah, supplication is appropriate — as in the hadith: «Half of it is for My slave, and My slave will have what he asks for» (Muslim).
• Guidance here includes both being enabled to know the straight path and being enabled to act and adhere to it — this is the point of omitting the preposition ila (“to”) in the Arabic: the verb connects directly to the object to include both types.
• Ibn Jareer: the ummah and all commentators are unanimously agreed that {the straight path} is the clear path in which there is no crookedness — as in the Arabic spoken by all the Arabs and classical poetry. The commentators’ different wordings (the Book of Allah, Islam, the Prophet ﷺ, the truth, the Qur’an) all boil down to one thing: adhering to the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Whoever follows the Prophet ﷺ has followed the truth, and whoever follows the truth has followed Islam.
• {those upon whom You have bestowed favor}: those mentioned in an-Nisa 4:69 — the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous.
• Ibn Jareer at-Tabari: {Guide us to the straight path} means: enable us to remain steadfast in adhering to that with which You are pleased. {not of those who have evoked [Your] anger}: the Jews and everyone who learns the truth and does not act upon it. {or of those who are astray}: the Christians before the sending of the Prophet ﷺ, and everyone who follows something other than the truth out of ignorance of it. Two corrupt paths: those who recognized the truth and turned away (corrupt desires), and those with no knowledge, wandering blindly.
• Both the Jews and the Christians have gone astray and are subject to divine wrath, but wrath is a main characteristic of the Jews (“those whom Allah has cursed and with whom He became angry” — al-Ma’idah 5:60) and straying is the main characteristic of the Christians (“a people who had gone astray before and misled many” — al-Ma’idah 5:77).
• Important notes: (1) what is required after worshipping and seeking help is to follow the laws and teachings of Islam; (2) a warning against innovation and crooked paths; (3) an affirmation of prophethood — the straight path can only be learned through revelation; (4) the aqeedah of the believers is one; drifting comes from ignorance and stubbornness; (5) the disbelief of the Jews is greater than that of the Christians — they knew the truth and fought it, while the Christians were unaware; (6) the path of the favoured combines knowledge of the truth with acting upon it; (7) a refutation of those who speak of uniting the religions — the people of truth cannot bridge the gap with those subject to divine wrath and curses.

Shaykh as-Sa’di’s summary. Though brief, the surah contains what no other surah contains:

• The three types of Tawhid: rububiyah in {Lord of the worlds}; uluhiyah (worshipping Allah Alone) in the name {Allah} and {It is You we worship}; asma wa’s-sifat — affirming the attributes of perfection Allah affirmed for Himself and His Messenger affirmed, without denying their meanings or likening Him to creation.
• It affirms Prophethood in {Guide us to the straight path} — guidance is not possible without sending messengers.
• It affirms recompense for deeds in {Sovereign of the Day of Recompense}, and that recompense is based on justice (the meaning of deen).
• It affirms the divine decree and that humans act on the basis of free will — contrary to the Qadaris and Jabaris.
• It refutes all followers of innovation in {Guide us to the straight path}: guidance to the straight path is knowing the truth and acting on it, and every innovator does the opposite.
• It teaches sincerity towards Allah in worship and seeking help: {It is You we worship and You we ask for help}.

Unit 3 — Ayat al-Kursi (al-Baqarah 2:255)

Qur’an

﴿اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ﴾ — البقرة ٢٥٥

Its virtues

• The greatest verse in the Book of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ asked Ubay ibn Ka’b which verse is the greatest; he repeated the question, then Ubay said: Ayat al-Kursi. He ﷺ said: «I congratulate you for the knowledge you have, O Abu’l-Mundhir» (Muslim).

Hadith

«لِيَهنِكَ العِلمُ أبا المُنذِرِ» (أبي بن كعب؛ مسلم)

• Protection at night. In the zakat-guarding story of Abu Hurayrah, [the Shaytan said]: “When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi to the end of the verse, for then you will continue to have a protector from Allah, and no devil will come near you until morning” — the Prophet ﷺ: “He told you the truth, though he is a liar” (al-Bukhari).

Hadith

«إذا أويتَ إلى فِراشِكَ فاقرأْ آيةَ الكرسيِّ… لن يزالَ عليكَ من اللهِ حافظٌ، ولا يقربُكَ شيطانٌ حتى تُصبِحَ» (أبو هريرة؛ البخاري)

• After every prayer. «Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi following every obligatory prayer, nothing will stand between him and entering Paradise except his death» (an-Nasai in Amal al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah; sahih per al-Albani).

Hadith

«من قرأَ آيةَ الكرسيِّ في دُبُرِ كلِّ صلاةٍ مكتوبةٍ لم يمنعْهُ من دخولِ الجنةِ إلا أن يموتَ» (أبو أمامة؛ النسائي؛ صححه الألباني)

Its most significant lessons: a refutation of the extreme Qadaris; a refutation of the Khawarij and Mutazila (it affirms intercession, which they denied for those who commit major sins); it affirms that Allah is exalted from eternity to eternity. Its most important topics: affirming that Allah Alone is God ({Allah — there is no deity except Him}); refuting the polytheists who claim other gods besides Him.

Tafsir — ten phrases, each of great significance

{Allah — there is no deity except Him}. Allah is al-Ma’luh: the One worshipped on the basis of love and veneration. None is rightfully worshipped except Him — all worship, obedience and devotion should be for Him Alone, because of His perfection, His perfect attributes and the greatness of His blessings. Ibn Uthaymeen: this great sentence emphatically negates true divinity for any except Allah Alone.

{the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence (al-Hayy al-Qayyum)}. The Ever-Living Who will never die, controlling and running the affairs of what He created: all created things need Him and He has no need of them (cf. ar-Rum 30:25 — heaven and earth remain by His command). As-Sa’di: these two names inherently imply all the other divine names — al-Hayy has perfect life, implying all attributes of His Essence (hearing, sight, knowledge, power); al-Qayyum is self-sustaining and all others are sustained by Him — implying all the actions of the Lord of the Worlds (rising above the Throne, descending, speaking, creating, granting provision, giving life and death, and all types of control). Hence some scholars said these two together form the greatest name of Allah (al-ism al-a’zam) — if Allah is called upon by it He responds, and if asked by it He gives.

{Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep}. No sleepiness can overtake Him, by the agreement of all scholars. Al-Qurtubi: drowsiness (sinah) is when a person cannot keep his eyes open; when it reaches the heart it becomes sleep. {nor sleep} is added because sleep is stronger than drowsiness. Abu Musa: the Messenger ﷺ stood before us with four/five words: «Indeed Allah does not sleep, and it is not appropriate that He should sleep…» (Muslim).

Hadith

«إنَّ اللهَ عزَّ وجلَّ لا يَنامُ، ولا يَنبغي له أن يَنامَ، يَخفِضُ القِسطَ ويَرفَعُه…» (أبو موسى الأشعري؛ مسلم)

{To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth}. A declaration that all people are His slaves, subject to His dominion — “There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant” (Maryam 19:93). It was said He did not say “earths” because the heavens were already mentioned in the plural, so the plural did not need repeating — similar to “and [He] made the darknesses and the light” (al-An’am 6:1), without saying “lights.”

{Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?}. Linguistically shafa’ah (intercession) is making the odd-numbered even; in Islamic terminology, mediating for someone to bring him benefit or ward off harm. Because of Allah’s perfect might, majesty and pride, no one would dare intercede except with His permission — even the highest of people in status: on the Day of Resurrection the Prophet ﷺ himself will not intercede until permitted (cf. an-Najm 53:26 — the angels’ intercession avails only after Allah permits). In the hadith it will be said to the Prophet ﷺ: «Raise your head and speak, you will be heard; intercede, your intercession will be accepted» (agreed upon — from the long intercession hadith).

Hadith

«ارفَعْ رأسَكَ، وقُلْ يُسمَعْ، وسَلْ تُعطَهْ، واشفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ» (من حديث الشفاعة الطويل؛ متفق عليه)

{He knows what is [presently] before them and what is behind them}. His knowledge encompasses all that exists: {before them} — the future and present; {behind them} — the past. Like what Allah says about the angels (Maryam 19:64): “We descend not except by the order of your Lord. To Him belongs that before us and that behind us and what is in between.”

{and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills}. No one learns anything of Allah’s knowledge except what He tells and teaches him. It was said: people encompass no knowledge of His Essence — His names, attributes and actions — except what He wills to tell them.

{His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth}. The Kursi is the place for the Feet. Ibn Abbas: “The Kursi is the place for the Feet, and no one could give the Throne its true estimate” (Abdullah ibn al-Imam Ahmad in as-Sunnah; sahih per al-Albani) — deemed marfu, since this cannot be said from personal opinion. Most of Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah hold this (stated by Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim and others). It indicates Allah’s perfect might and vast power: the Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth despite their vastness, and it is not the biggest of Allah’s creations — the Throne is greater, and what none knows except Allah.

{and their preservation tires Him not}. Preserving the heavens and the earth and everyone in and between them is not burdensome for Him; it is easy for Him, the maintainer of every soul, the Watcher over all things.

{And He is the Most High} — the Most High in His essence above His Throne; the Most High in that He subjugates and controls all creation; the Most High because of the perfect nature of His attributes. {the Most Great} — in comparison to Whose greatness the might of tyrants is as nothing, and in contrast to His majesty powerful kings are brought low.

As-Sa’di: the verse refers to the Oneness of divinity, of Lordship, and of the names and attributes; to His all-encompassing sovereignty and knowledge; to the greatness of His power, majesty, glory, might and pride, and His exaltedness above all creation. On its own it highlights belief in the names and attributes, and implies all the beautiful names.

What we learn from the verse

1. It affirms five divine names — Allah, al-Hayy, al-Qayyum, al-Aliy, al-Azeem — and what they imply of other attributes.
2. It affirms the divine attribute of life: perfect life, not preceded by non-existence, not followed by demise, not subject to imperfection (al-Hadeed 57:3 — “He is the First and the Last…”).
3. It mentions negated attributes ({Neither drowsiness… nor sleep}; {their preservation tires Him not}): what Allah has stated He does not possess — implying the perfection of their opposites (not sleeping implies perfect life and self-sustenance; not being unjust implies perfect justice).
4. It offers consolation at calamities: knowing all sovereignty belongs to Allah Alone, one is content with His decree, submitting and surrendering to it.
5. A refutation of the extreme Qadaris: {He knows what is before them and what is behind them} — they denied Allah’s prior knowledge of deeds.
6. A refutation of the Khawarij and Mutazila, who deny intercession for those who commit major sins (believing they abide forever in the Fire).
7. Benefit — Allah’s exaltedness (uluw) is affirmed from eternity to eternity; per Ahl as-Sunnah it is of two categories: (a) exalted in His Essence — He Himself is above all things, proven by the Qur’an, Sunnah , consensus of the salaf, reason and sound human nature. Two groups disagreed: the immanentists (hulul — the Jahamis and those who agreed, saying Allah Himself is everywhere) — false by Qur’an, Sunnah and consensus; and those who say He cannot be described as exalted at all — not above the universe or beneath it, not right or left, neither connected nor separate — which ends up describing Allah as entirely non-existent; these are the deniers of the divine attributes. (b) exalted in the metaphoric sense — His attributes are perfect in all respects, no one equal to Him — agreed upon by all groups of the ummah.
8. A warning against transgressing against others: {And He is the Most High, the Most Great} — cf. an-Nisa 4:34 (“seek no means against them; indeed Allah is ever Exalted and Grand”). If you think highly of yourself, remember how high and exalted Allah is; if you think yourself great, remember the greatness of Allah; if you feel proud, remember the pride of Allah.

Unit 4 — The final verses of Surat al-Baqarah (2:284–286)

Qur’an

﴿لِّلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَإِن تُبْدُوا مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ اللَّهُ ۖ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ — البقرة ٢٨٤

Qur’an

﴿آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ﴾ — البقرة ٢٨٥

Qur’an

﴿لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ﴾ — البقرة ٢٨٦

Their virtues

• The two lights hadith (above, Unit 2) — the Opening of the Book and the closing verses of al-Baqarah (Muslim).
• «I have been given the final verses of Surat al-Baqarah, part of the treasure beneath the Throne, which was not given to any prophet before me» (Abu Dharr; Ahmad; sahih per al-Albani).

Hadith

«أُعطيتُ خواتيمَ سورةِ البقرةِ من كنزٍ تحتَ العرشِ، لم يُعطَهُنَّ نبيٌّ قبلي» (أبو ذر؛ أحمد؛ صححه الألباني)

• «Whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him» (Abu Mas’ud; al-Bukhari & Muslim).

Hadith

«من قرأَ بالآيتينِ من آخرِ سورةِ البقرةِ في ليلةٍ كَفَتاهُ» (أبو مسعود؛ متفق عليه)

The reason for revelation

Muslim narrated (Abu Hurayrah): when v. 284 was revealed — {Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it} — the Companions were greatly distressed. They came to the Messenger ﷺ, knelt down and said: we were enjoined deeds we are able to do — prayer, fasting, jihad, charity — but this verse has come down and it is beyond our capacity. He ﷺ said: «Do you want to say as the people of the two Books before you said: we hear and we disobey? Rather say: We hear and we obey; [we seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.» When they recited it and their tongues submitted, Allah revealed v. 285 ({The Messenger has believed…}); when they did that, Allah abrogated v. 284 and revealed v. 286 — and to each supplication ({do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred}… {lay not upon us a burden}… {burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear}… {pardon us; forgive us; have mercy upon us}) Allah said: “Yes.”

Tafsir

{To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth}. Allah is the Sovereign of everything, great and small; He controls it all, disposes of its affairs, and nothing is hidden from Him.

{Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it}. A great scholarly dispute surrounds this verse. It distressed the Sahabah, who feared being brought to account even for what crossed their minds. But Allah followed it with {Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity…} — so He told them He will overlook the thoughts that cross their minds, and they will be held accountable for their deeds. Ibn Abbas: intrusive thoughts are something the Muslims cannot avoid; the matter was settled when Allah decreed that the soul has what it has gained and bears what it has earned in word and deed.

• «Allah has pardoned my ummah for whatever intrusive thoughts cross their minds, so long as they do not act upon them or speak of them» (al-Bukhari & Muslim).

Hadith

«إنَّ اللهَ تجاوزَ لأمَّتي عمَّا حدَّثَتْ به أنفسَها، ما لم تَعملْ أو تَتكلَّمْ به» (أبو هريرة؛ متفق عليه)

• In as-Sahihayn: «Allah said: If My slave thinks of doing a bad deed, do not record it against him…»

{Then He will forgive whom He wills} — forgiveness (ghafara) is concealment of sins accompanied by pardoning; from al-mighfar (helmet), which both covers the head and protects it. {and [He will] punish whom He wills} — for sins for which nothing occurred to expiate them. {and Allah is over all things competent} — nothing is beyond Him; all creation is under His control (cf. Fatir 35:44).

What we learn (v. 284):

1. It is obligatory to affirm that Allah is the only God and to worship Him Alone — affirming His Lordship dictates affirming His divinity (al-Baqarah 2:21; an-Naml 27:60: if He is the only One creating, controlling and providing, He is the only One deserving of worship).
2. The heavens are seven (al-Mu’minun 23:86), and the earths are also seven — mentioned in the singular in the Qur’an but in the plural in the Sunnah , and in accordance with the apparent meaning of “It is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them” (at-Talaq 65:12) — “like them” in number. In the Sunnah : «Whoever usurps a handspan of land unlawfully, Allah will encircle his neck with it on the Day of Resurrection to the depth of seven earths» (al-Bukhari & Muslim).

Hadith

«من ظَلَمَ قِيدَ شِبرٍ من الأرضِ طُوِّقَه من سبعِ أرَضينَ» (عائشة؛ متفق عليه)

{The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers}. Belief in the Book and wisdom — the Qur’an and Sunnah — in a way that leads to acceptance of and compliance with the rulings. Mere affirmation is of no benefit: Abu Talib affirmed and believed that Muhammad ﷺ was a Messenger, but because he did not accept and comply with the teachings of Islam, his affirmation did not benefit him, and he is one of the people of Hell. Belief, in Islamic teaching: affirmation in such a way that one accepts and complies.

{from his Lord} — Lordship here in the most specific sense. For Your Information: Allah’s rububiyah is general, specific, and most specific: general — Lord and Cherisher of all creation ({Lord of the worlds} — al-Fatihah 1:1); specific — of the believers (their du’a in al-Baqarah 2:201); most specific — of the Messengers (“The Lord of Musa and Harun” — al-A’raf 7:122). Similarly ubudiyah (servitude): general (“There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant” — Maryam 19:93); specific (“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily” — al-Furqan 25:63); most specific (“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant” — al-Furqan 25:1). Then it was Allah’s will that the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ should share this honour: {All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers}.

{All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers}. This includes:

• Belief in Allah — everything He and His messengers told us about Him, His perfect and majestic attributes in general and in detail; that He is far above resembling His creation and above any shortcoming; belief in His existence, His Lordship, His divinity, and His names and attributes.
• Belief in the angels of whom the texts speak, in general and in detail.
• Belief in the Books and their stories, commands, prohibitions. Known by name: the Qur’an, the Torah, the Gospel, the Zabur, and the scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa.
• Belief in the messengers, making no distinction between any of them — they were messengers between Allah and His slaves; disbelieving in one is disbelieving in all, and in fact disbelieving in Allah. Benefit: whoever believes in Muhammad ﷺ, follows him, and adheres to all the teachings of Islam, but disbelieves in Musa or Isa or any other Prophet, is a disbeliever in Muhammad ﷺ — disbelieving in one Prophet is disbelieving in the entire concept of Prophethood.

{We make no distinction between any of His messengers} — unlike the People of the Book, who believed in some and disbelieved in others. {And they say, “We hear and we obey”} — we hear what You have commanded and forbidden , and we obey You — not “we hear and we disobey.” This is how the Muslim should respond to the commands and prohibitions of Allah: hear and obey.

{[We seek] Your forgiveness} — people inevitably fall short in their duties towards Allah and need His forgiveness at all times. (Duties owed to other people must be fulfilled in this world, before the Hereafter.) {and to You is the [final] destination} — to You we return, and You will bring all to account.

What we learn (v. 285):

1. The knowledge of Allah encompasses all things (Aal Imran 3:29; Ta-Ha 20:7).
2. Affirmation that people will be brought to account — each person should take stock of himself before he is brought to account.
3. Affirmation of the divine will, characterized by wisdom (al-Insan 76:30).
4. A characteristic of the believers: they hear and obey (an-Nur 24:51–52; al-Ahzab 33:36 — no choice for a believer once Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter).

{Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity}. Allah will not burden any soul with what it has no capacity to bear — like requiring the paralyzed to walk or the blind to see, or enjoining worship a person hasn’t the strength for.

• In these verses, kasaba (gain) is used for good — good deeds may be attained with minimal effort, even by mere intention in the heart; iktasaba (earn) is used for bad deeds — they are not recorded against a person unless he does them.

{Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred}. Forgetting: what one was enjoined to do slips his mind, so he omits it out of forgetfulness. Making a mistake: intending to do something permissible , then finding oneself doing something impermissible . Hadith of Ibn Abbas: «Indeed Allah has forgiven my ummah for mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do» (Ibn Majah; sahih per al-Albani).

Hadith

«إنَّ اللهَ تجاوزَ عن أمَّتي الخطأَ والنسيانَ وما استُكرِهوا عليه» (ابن عباس؛ ابن ماجه والبيهقي؛ صححه الألباني)

{Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden (isr) like that which You laid upon those before us}. Isr: a heavy load that makes the bearer unable to move — i.e. do not enjoin on us what is hard and difficult (or: heavy labour), as You enjoined on the previous nations. In Sahih Muslim: Allah said «Yes» / «I have granted that.»

{Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear} — do not oblige us to do deeds we cannot do. {And pardon us} — for what You know of our shortcomings between us and You; {and forgive us} — in matters between us and Your slaves: do not let them find out about our misdeeds; {and have mercy upon us} — in the future, so that by Your help we do not fall into another sin. Hence it was said the sinner needs three things: Allah’s pardon for matters between him and Allah; Allah’s concealment of his sin from His slaves; and Allah’s protection so he does not fall into a similar sin. This du’a is part of Allah’s care for the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ — He inspired them to ask for pardon, forgiveness and mercy.

{You are our protector (Mawlana)} — our supporter and helper; in You we trust and Your help we seek. The wilayah of Allah is of two types: specific — for the believers (“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light” — al-Baqarah 2:257; “And Allah is the ally of the believers” — Aal Imran 3:68); and general — His care for everyone (“and they will be returned to Allah, their master, the Truth” — Yunus 10:30). {so give us victory over the disbelieving people} — those who reject Your religion, deny Your oneness and the message of Your Prophet, and worship other than You.

What we learn (v. 286):

1. The well-known principle: nothing is obligatory when one is incapable, and nothing is prohibited in the case of necessity. If there is an alternative to an obligation one cannot do, the alternative is done; if that too is impossible, it is waived (e.g. cannot purify with water → tayammum; cannot do either, e.g. detained and chained → pray without wudu or tayammum). Prohibitions are waived in necessity: one compelled to eat dead meat may eat — limited to what keeps him going if he hopes to find halal food soon; otherwise he may eat his fill and keep some.
2. Whatever a person does, he does by his own choice and free will ({Allah does not charge a soul except its capacity}) — a refutation of the Jabaris.
3. One should ask Allah for well-being and not to be burdened beyond capacity — a refutation of the Sufis who refuse to ask relief, claiming they will bear hardship patiently for reward.
4. There is no blame for forgetting or ignorance — Allah said: «I have granted that.»

Issues that arise (For Your Information):

• Firstly — things enjoined: whoever omits an obligatory duty out of forgetfulness or ignorance must make it up; the requirement is not waived. «Whoever forgets a prayer, let him offer it as soon as he remembers it» (agreed upon); and to the man who prayed hastily: «Go back and pray, for you have not prayed» (agreed upon) — he was not excused for not knowing.
• Secondly — things prohibited : whoever does them out of ignorance or forgetfulness — no sin and no expiation. «Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast» (agreed upon). Likewise eating while fasting because one does not know the time — Asma bint Abi Bakr: “We broke the fast on a cloudy day in the time of the Messenger ﷺ, then the sun broke through” (al-Bukhari) — they were not instructed to make up that fast, because they had not known the time.
• Thirdly — committing a prohibited act knowing it is prohibited but not knowing its consequences: the sin and the consequences are not waived. Example: one who has intercourse during the day in Ramadan knowing the prohibition but not knowing expiation is required — he is sinning and must offer the expiation (the hadith of the man who came saying “I am doomed!” — as-Sahihayn); he was aware of the ruling.

End of Level 1 — Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis).