Tafsir

Glad Tidings to Those Who believe in Allah Alone and stand firmإِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَـمُواْ(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah," and then they stand firm,) means, they do good deeds sincerely for the sake of Allah, and they obey Allah, doing what Allah has prescribed for them.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Sa`id bin `Imran said, "I read this Ayah to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him:إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَـمُواْ(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah," and then they stand firm,) He said, `Those are the ones who do not associate anything with Allah."' Then he reported a narration of Al-Aswad bin Hilal, who said, "Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said, `What do you say about this Ayah:إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَـمُواْ(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah," and then they stand firm,)' They said:رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَـمُواْ("Our Lord is Allah," and then they stand firm,) `They shun sin.' He said, `You have not interpreted it improperly.' They say: `Our Lord is Allah, then they stand firm and do not turn to any other god besides Him. "' This was also the view of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi and others.

Ahmad recorded that Sufyan bin `Abdullah Ath-Thaqafi said, "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, tell me something that I can adhere to.' He said:«قُلْ: رَبِّيَ اللهُ، ثُمَّ اسْتَقِم»(Say, my Lord is Allah, then stand firm.) I said, `O Messenger of Allah, what do you fear most for me' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of the edge of his tongue and said,«هذَا»(This is.)" This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah; At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih." Muslim also recorded it in his Sahih, and An-Nasa'i recorded that Sufyan bin `Abdullah Ath-Thaqafi said, "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam that I will not have to ask anyone about it after you.' He said:«قُلْ: آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِم»(Say: I believe in Allah, then stand firm.)" -- then he mentioned the rest of the Hadith.تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ(on them the angels will descend). Mujahid, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam and his Zayd's son said, "This means, at the time of death, and they will say,أَلاَّ تَخَافُواْ(Fear not).

" Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Zayd bin Aslam said, "This means not to fear "that which you will face in the Hereafter."وَلاَ تَحْزَنُواْ(nor grieve!) `for what you have left behind of worldly things, children, family, wealth and debt, for we will take care of it for you.'وَأَبْشِرُواْ بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ(But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!) So they give glad tidings of the end of bad things and the arrival of good things. This is like what is said in the Hadith narrated by Al-Bara', may Allah be pleased with him:«إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَقُولُ لِرُوحِ الْمُؤْمِنِ: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا الرُّوحُ الطَّيِّـبَةُ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ كُنْتِ تَعْمُرِينَهُ، اخْرُجِي إِلى رَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَان»(The angels say to the soul of the believer, "Come out, O good soul from the good body in which you used to dwell, come out to rest, and provision and a Lord Who is not angry.") It was said that the angels will come down to them on the Day when they are brought out of their graves.

Zayd bin Aslam said, "They will give him glad tidings when he dies, in his grave, and when he is resurrected." This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, and this view reconciles all the opinions; it is a good view and it is true.نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَآؤُكُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ(We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter.

) means, the angels will say to the believers when death approaches: "We have been your friends, i.e., your close companions, in this world, protecting you and helping you by the command of Allah, and we will be with you in the Hereafter, keeping you from feeling lonely in your graves and when the Trumpet is blown; we will reassure you on the Day of Resurrection and will take you across the Sirat and bring you to the Gardens of delight."وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِى أَنفُسُكُمْ(Therein you shall have (all) that your souls desire,) means, `in Paradise you will have all that you wish for and that will delight you.'وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ(and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask.) means, `whatever you ask for, it will appear before you as you wish it to be.'نُزُلاً مِّنْ غَفُورٍ رَّحِيمٍ(An entertainment from the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) means, `a welcoming gift and a blessing from the One Who has forgiven your sins and Who is Merciful and Kind towards you, Who has forgiven you, concealed your faults and been Kind and Merciful.'

Commentary

Those who rejected the Qur'an, the prophethood and the Oneness of Allah have been addressed from the beginning of the Surah. With reference to the signs of Allah's Omnipotence, they are invited to believe in Oneness of Allah. Mentioned thereafter is the evil fate of those who reject the life hereinafter with a detailed account of the punishment of hell in that life. Now the text takes up, henceforth, the conditions of the believing people and of those having perfect faith, their being honored and exalted in this world and in eternity along with some special directions for them. Believers and those having perfect faith are those people who not only stick to the straight path and abide by the revealed laws themselves in their deeds and morals, but also call others towards Allah and care about their reformation. It is in this connection that those who invite others towards Islam are directed to remain patient and to repay evil with goodness.

The sense of being upright

Itإِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَ‌بُّنَا اللَّـهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا (Surely, those who have declared: "Our Lord is Allah", then remained steadfast - 41:30) This verse has mentioned two qualities of these people. One is affirming Allah as their Lord. This refers to their "iman' (faith). The other quality is of their remaining steadfast which refers to their good deeds. In this way, the verse says that these people combine the true faith with good practice. The word used in the text for this second aspect is istiqamah (translated above as being steadfast) which has been taken by Maulana Thanawi to mean firmness in unshaken faith. This explanation is reported from Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ The explanation given by Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ is nearly the same, as according to him istiqamah means ikhlas (sincerity) in deeds. And Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ has explained istiqamah in the following words,الاستقامۃ ان تستقیم علٰی الامروا النھی ولا تروغ روغان الثعالب ۔

(المظھری)Istiqamah is that you hold on unwaveringly to all the injunctions of Allah - carry out the good deeds and stay away from prohibitions, and do not seek escape-routes like foxes. (Mazhari).

That is why scholars have said that Istiqamah is a small word, but it comprises all the revealed laws of Islam which includes carrying out all the orders of Allah and staying away from all prohibitions and odious things on a permanent basis. It is stated in Tafsir Kashshaf that a person's declaration that his Lord is Allah can only be true when he believes from the bottom of his heart that he is being brought up by Allah Almighty in all situations and at every step, that he cannot take even one breath without His mercy, and all this demands that one should be so devoted and steadfast in his ways of worship that neither his heart nor his body should deviate even to a hair's breadth from submission to Him like a slave.

That is the reason that once the Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked by Sayyidna Sufyan Ibn ` Abdullah Thaqafi ؓ to tell him something so comprehensive about Islam that he should not have to ask anybody else afterwards for anything. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said to him: قُل آمنتُ بِاللہإ ثُمَّ استقِم (رواہ مسلم) "Say, ` I have faith in Allah', and then remain steadfast to it."Remaining steadfast apparently means to hold on firmly to the faith and to the good deeds which the faith demands.

Sayyidna ` Ali and Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ have defined Istiqamah (Steadfastness) as discharge of obligatory duties, and Hasan Basri said that Istiqamah is to obey Allah in all deeds, and to avoid His disobedience. This tells us that the above quoted description of Istiqamah given by Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، is the most comprehensive. The descriptions of Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ and Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ also result in the above, because sincerity in deeds has been stressed upon by them along with good deeds. (Tafsir Mazhari). Jassas has also adopted the above explanation by quoting Abul ` Aliyah and so has Ibn Jarir.تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ (on them the angels will descend - 41:30). The descent of angels and their address as mentioned in this verse will take place at the time of one's death according to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، but according to Qatadah, it will take place on the Day of Resurrection at the time of rising from the graves.

And according to Waki' Ibn Jarrah, it would happen on three occasions, first at the time of death, secondly in the graves, and thirdly on the Day of Resurrection at the time of rising from graves. And Abu Hayyan has opined in Al-Bahr-ul-Muhit that, in fact, angels keep on descending upon Mu'mins (believers) all the time, even in this life, and their effects and blessings are found in the deeds of the believers; but they will be visible on these occasions only, and it is at that time that the voice of angels will be heard.

Abu Nu'aim has reported about Thabit Al-bunani (رح) that while reciting Surah Ha Meem Sajdah, when he reached the present verse (on them the angels descend), he said, "According to a Hadith that has reached us, the Mu'min at the time of rising in his grave on the Day of Resurrection, will be met by the two angels who used to be with him in the world, and they will console him not to worry or be afraid, rather be happy with the glad tidings of Paradise, which was being promised to him. These words of the angels will bring serenity to the Mu'min. (Mazhari)

قول تعالى : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) أي : أخلصوا العمل لله ، وعملوا بطاعة الله تعالى على ما شرع الله لهم .قال الحافظ أبو يعلى الموصلي : حدثنا الجراح ، حدثنا سلم بن قتيبة أبو قتيبة الشعيري ، حدثنا سهيل بن أبي حزم ، حدثنا ثابت عن أنس بن مالك قال : قرأ علينا رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - هذه الآية : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) قد قالها ناس ثم كفر أكثرهم ، فمن قالها حتى يموت فقد استقام عليها .وكذا رواه النسائي في تفسيره ، والبزار وابن جرير ، عن عمرو بن علي الفلاس ، عن سلم بن قتيبة ، به . وكذا رواه ابن أبي حاتم ، عن أبيه ، عن الفلاس ، به . ثم قال ابن جرير :حدثنا ابن بشار ، حدثنا عبد الرحمن ، حدثنا سفيان ، عن أبي إسحاق ، عن عامر بن سعد ، عن سعيد بن نمران قال : قرأت عند أبي بكر الصديق هذه الآية : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) قال : هم الذين لم يشركوا بالله شيئا .ثم روي من حديث الأسود بن هلال قال : قال أبو بكر ، رضي الله عنه : ما تقولون في هذه الآية : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) ؟ قال : فقالوا : ( ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) من ذنب .

فقال : لقد حملتموها على غير المحمل ، ( قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) فلم يلتفتوا إلى إله غيره .وكذا قال مجاهد ، وعكرمة ، والسدي ، وغير واحد .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا أبو عبد الله الظهراني ، أخبرنا حفص بن عمر العدني ، عن الحكم بن أبان ، عن عكرمة قال : سئل ابن عباس ، رضي الله عنهما : أي آية في كتاب الله أرخص ؟ قال قوله : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) على شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله .وقال الزهري : تلا عمر هذه الآية على المنبر ، ثم قال : استقاموا - والله - لله بطاعته ، ولم يروغوا روغان الثعالب .وقال علي بن أبي طلحة ، عن ابن عباس : ( قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا ) على أداء فرائضه . وكذا قال قتادة ، قال : وكان الحسن يقول : اللهم أنت ربنا ، فارزقنا الاستقامة .وقال أبو العالية : ( ثم استقاموا ) أخلصوا له العمل والدين .وقال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا هشيم ، حدثنا يعلى بن عطاء ، عن عبد الله بن سفيان الثقفي ، عن أبيه ; أن رجلا قال : يا رسول الله مرني بأمر في الإسلام لا أسأل عنه أحدا بعدك . قال : " قل آمنت بالله ، ثم استقم " قلت : فما أتقي ؟

فأومأ إلى لسانه .ورواه النسائي من حديث شعبة ، عن يعلى بن عطاء ، به .ثم قال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا يزيد بن هارون ، أخبرنا إبراهيم بن سعد ، حدثني ابن شهاب ، عن محمد بن عبد الرحمن بن ماعز الغامدي ، عن سفيان بن عبد الله الثقفي قال : قلت : يا رسول الله ، حدثني بأمر أعتصم به . قال : " قل ربي الله ، ثم استقم " قلت : يا رسول الله ما أكثر ما تخاف علي ؟ فأخذ رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بطرف لسان نفسه ، ثم قال : " هذا " .وهكذا رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه ، من حديث الزهري ، به . وقال الترمذي : حسن صحيح .وقد أخرجه مسلم في صحيحه والنسائي ، من حديث هشام بن عروة ، عن أبيه ، عن سفيان بن عبد الله الثقفي قال : قلت : يا رسول الله ، قل لي في الإسلام قولا لا أسأل عنه أحدا بعدك .

قال : " قل آمنت بالله ، ثم استقم " وذكر تمام الحديث .وقوله : ( تتنزل عليهم الملائكة ) قال مجاهد ، والسدي ، وزيد بن أسلم ، وابنه : يعني عند الموت قائلين : ( ألا تخافوا ) قال مجاهد ، وعكرمة ، وزيد بن أسلم : أي مما تقدمون عليه من أمر الآخرة ، ( ولا تحزنوا ) [ أي ] على ما خلفتموه من أمر الدنيا ، من ولد وأهل ، ومال أو دين ، فإنا نخلفكم فيه ، ( وأبشروا بالجنة التي كنتم توعدون ) فيبشرونهم بذهاب الشر وحصول الخير .وهذا كما في حديث البراء ، رضي الله عنه : " إن الملائكة تقول لروح المؤمن : اخرجي أيتها الروح الطيبة في الجسد الطيب كنت تعمرينه ، اخرجي إلى روح وريحان ، ورب غير غضبان " .وقيل : إن الملائكة تتنزل عليهم يوم خروجهم من قبورهم .

حكاه ابن جرير عن ابن عباس ، والسدي .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا أبو زرعة ، حدثنا عبد السلام بن مطهر ، حدثنا جعفر بن سليمان : سمعت ثابتا قرأ سورة " حم السجدة " حتى بلغ : ( إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا تتنزل عليهم الملائكة ) فوقف فقال : بلغنا أن العبد المؤمن حين يبعثه الله من قبره ، يتلقاه الملكان اللذان كانا معه في الدنيا ، فيقولان له : لا تخف ولا تحزن ، ( وأبشروا بالجنة التي كنتم توعدون ) قال : فيؤمن الله خوفه ، ويقر عينه فما عظيمة يخشى الناس يوم القيامة إلا هي للمؤمن قرة عين ؛ لما هداه الله ، ولما كان يعمل له في الدنيا .وقال زيد بن أسلم : يبشرونه عند موته ، وفي قبره ، وحين يبعث . رواه ابن أبي حاتم .وهذا القول يجمع الأقوال كلها ، وهو حسن جدا ، وهو الواقع .