Tafsir

Seventy Men from the Children of Israel go for the appointed

Meeting Place that Allah designated, Allah later on destroys Them`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented; "Allah commanded Musa to choose seventy men. So he chose them and proceeded with them in order that they supplicate to their Lord. Their supplication included asking Allah, `O Allah! Give us what you have never given anyone before us and will never give anyone after us!' Allah disliked this supplication and they were seized with a violent earthquake, Musa said:رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before.)"' As-Suddi said, "Allah commanded Musa to come with thirty men from the Children of Israel, apologizing for worshipping the calf; and He gave them an appointed time and place.وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً(And Musa chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men.) He chose these men and went along with them so that they could apologize.

When they reached the appointed place, they said,لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ(We shall never believe in you), 2:55 `O Musa,حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً(until we see Allah plainly, ) for you spoke to Him,' they said, `therefore, show Him to us,'فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّـعِقَةُ(but they were struck with a bolt of lightning) 4:153 and they died. Musa stood up crying, invoking Allah, `O Lord! What should I tell the Children of Israel, when I go back to them after You destroyed their best men'رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before")."' Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Musa chose seventy of the best men from the Children of Israel. He said to them, `Go to the meeting with Allah and repent for what you committed. Beg His forgiveness for those of your people whom you left behind. Fast, purify yourselves and clean your clothes.' So, he went with them to Mount Tur in Sinai for the meeting place and time designated by his Lord. He went there only with the leave and knowledge of Allah.

According to what has been mentioned to me, when the seventy did what he ordered them to do, and went with him to the meeting of Musa with his Lord, they said, `Request that we may also hear the words of our Lord.' So he replied, `I shall.' When Musa approached the mountain it became completely covered with columns of clouds, Musa approached it and entered in them. He said to the people, `Approach.' But when Allah spoke to Musa, his cloak was surrounded by a brilliant light which no human could bear to look at, so below him a barrier was placed and the people approached. When they entered the cloud they fell prostrate and they heard Him while he was speaking to Musa, commanding him and forbidding him, saying what to do and what not to do. When He completed commanding him, and removed the cloud from Musa, he faced the people and they said, `O Musa! We will not believe in you unless we see Allah directly.' So the thunder shook them, their souls were captured and they all died.

Musa stood up invoking, begging and supplicating to his Lord,رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـىَ("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have destroyed them and me before.")' meaning, `They were foolish. Would You destroy anyone who comes after me from the Children of Israel' Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, "They were seized by the tremor or lightning, because they neither shunned nor forbade their people who worshipped the calf." This is supported by Musa's statement,أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآ("would You destroy us for the deeds of the fools among us") He said next,إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ("It is only Your Fitnah") affliction, test and trial, according to Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several among the Salaf and latter scholars. This is the only plausible meaning, in which Musa says, "The decision is Yours (O Allah), and the judgment, and whatever You will occurs.

You misguide whom You will, guide whom You will, and none can guide whom You misguide or misguide whom You guide. There is none who can give what You deprive or avert what You give. The sovereignty is all Yours, and Yours is the judgment, the creation and the decision." The Ayah,أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَـفِرِينَ("You are our protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us: for You are the best of those who forgive."), pertains to (Allah's) covering the mistake and not punishing for the sin. Whenever mercy is mentioned along with forgiveness such as in Musa's supplication to Allah, it includes the hope that Allah does not permit one to fall into that act again.وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَـفِرِينَ("for You are the best of those who forgive,") for none except You can forgive the sin.وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ("And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter.") The first part of Musa's supplication was to fend off what should be avoided, while this part is a request for what is sought.

The meaning of,وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ("And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. ") is, `ordain for us and grant us all that is good in both lives. We mentioned the meaning of `good' before in Surat Al-Baqarah.إِنَّا هُدْنَـآ إِلَيْكَ("We have Hudna unto You") `we repent, go back and return unto You,' according to the meaning of, `Hudna', given by Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim At-Taymi, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others.. قالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لَلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ(He said: (As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa, and give Zakah; and those who believe in Our Ayat.) 7:156 j

Allah's Mercy is for Those Who have Taqwa and believe in Allah's Ayat and His Messenger

Allah answers the statement,إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ("It is only Your trial...") 7:155, by saying,عَذَابِى أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَآءُ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ((As to) My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My mercy embraces all things.) Allah says here, `I do what I will, decide what I will and I have wisdom and justice in all matters.' Certainly, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Allah's statement,وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ(and My mercy embraces all things) testifies to His encompassing mercy. Allah said that the angels who carry His Throne and those around the Throne supplicate,رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً("Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge.") 40:7 Imam Ahmad recorded that Jundub bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali said, "A bedouin man came, he made his camel kneel and he tied it. Then he prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished the prayer, that man untied his camel mounted it and supplicated aloud, `O Allah!

Grant Your mercy to me and to Muhammad, and do not give a share in it to anyone else.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented (to his Companions),«أَتَقُولُونَ هَذَا أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ؟»(Do you think that this man is more misguided or his camel Did you not hear what this man has said) They said, `Yes.' He said,«لَقَدْ حَظَّرْتَ رَحْمَةً وَاسِعَةً إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَأَنْزَلَ رَحْمَةً يَتَعَاطَفُ بِهَا الخَلْقُ جِنُّهَا وَإِنْسُهَا وَبَهَائِمُهَا وَأَخَّرَ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعًا وَتِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً أَتَقُولُونَ هُوَ أَضَلُّ أَمْ بَعِيرُهُ؟»(You (the bedouin man) have restricted a vast mercy! Allah, the Exalted, the most Honored has created a hundred mercies and sent down one of them by which the creation, men, Jinn and animals, show mercy to each other. He left with Him ninety-nine mercies, so do you say that this man is more misguided or his camel) Ahmad and Abu Dawud collected this Hadith.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman narrated that the Prophet said,«إِنَّ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ فَمِنْهَا رَحْمَةٌ يَتَرَاحَمُ بِهَا الْخَلْقُ وَبِهَا تَعْطِفُ الْوُحُوشُ عَلَى أَوْلَادِهَا وَأَخَّرَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة»(Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, has a hundred mercies. With one of them, the creations show mercy to each other, and even the beasts show kindness to their offspring. He has kept ninety-nine mercies with Him for the Day of Resurrection.) Muslim recorded it. Allah said next,فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ(That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who have Taqwa, ) meaning, I will ordain My mercy for them, as a favor and kindness from Me to them.

Allah said in a similar Ayah,كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ(He has prescribed mercy for Himself) 6:12 Allah's statement,لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ(for those who have Taqwa), means, `I will ordain My mercy for those who possess these qualities, and they are the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ,'لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ(for those who have Taqwa), who avoid Shirk and major sins,وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَـوةَ(and give the Zakah), purify themselves, according to one opinion. It was also said that, `the Zakah', here pertains to wealth. It is possible that both meanings are included here, for this Ayah was revealed in Makkah before Zakah in fixed shares was ordained,وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِـَايَـتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ(and those who believe in Our Ayat.), those who have faith in them.

The verse 156 contains the last portion of the prayer. It said: وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَـٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ “ And write for us good in this world and in this world and in the Hereafter. We turn to you in repentance." Allah Almighty answered in response to this request: عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ ۖ وَرَ‌حْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ"As for My punishment, I afflict with it whom I will. And My Mercy extends to everything. So I shall write it for those who fear, and pay Zakah and those who do believe in Our verses".

That is, though all the disobedient deserve the punishment of Allah but out of His mercy, which encircles everything, even the wrath of Allah, He afflicts with His punishment only a few whom He wills. His mercy is as great as includes everything, even those who rebel Allah and deny Him are shown some of His mercy, though it is limited to this world alone. When His mercy is so covering that it includes even the disobedient, He will surely write it for those who deserve it by fearing Allah, paying Zakah and by believing in His verses. Then the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was given the good news of its acceptance.

The Commentators have varied opinion about the above interpretation of this prayer. This verse has no indication of the acceptance of his prayer in clear words as in other cases the approval of his prayers has been clearly mentioned. For example, the approval of his prayer has been mentioned in these words at another occasion (20:36): قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ “ O Musa you are given what you asked for_" It is mentioned in another verse (10:89) أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا (0! Musa and Harun) your prayer has been accepted." At this occasion (7:156), no mention of such approval has been made. Some commentators have, therefore, suggested that this prayer of the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was not accepted in favour (علیہ السلام) of the Israelites, rather, it was accepted in favour of the Muslim Ummah. The author of Ruh al-Ma'ani has, however, said it to be a remote possibility.

The correct interpretation, therefore, is that the Prayer of the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was comprised of two requests. The first was of mercy and forgiveness for those who were punished, and second for writing the good for him and his people both in this world and in the Hereafter. The acceptance of the first request is mentioned in this verse while the answer to the second request has been mentioned in the next verse (157). In response to his first request he was told that Allah does not punish everyone who acts sinfully. He punishes only a few whom He will for their transgression. Therefore these people also shall not be punished. His Mercy is as great as covers every creation of Allah. Even those who are punished are not completely deprived of His mercy, since they could get harder punishment than they got. Allah has all the powers to do everything He wills.

The Satan claimed that according to this verse he was also the subject of His mercy because His mercy is said to be extending to everything and he was one of 'everything.'My teacher, the Sheikh Anwar Kashmiri has said that this verse has indicated that His mercy can encircle everything. It did not say that His mercy shall encircle everything. In another verse of the Holy Qur'an it has been said in more clear words:فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل رَّ‌بُّكُمْ ذُو رَ‌حْمَةٍ وَاسِعَةٍ وَلَا يُرَ‌دُّ بَأْسُهُ عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِ‌مِينَ ﴿147﴾"If they disbelieve in you say: 'Your Lord has all encompassing mercy; but His punishment cannot be warded off from the evil-doers-6:147."This has made it clear that vastness of His mercy does not preclude the sinners from being punished by Him.

In short, the first part of the invocation of the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) in favour of these people for mercy and forgiveness was instantly granted, but the second part asking for writing the perfect favour of Allah both in this world and in the Hereafter was stipulated with certain conditions. That is, as far as this world is concerned Allah canmake His mercy common to all without regard to their belief or disbelief, but the Hereafter is a distinct world where His Mercy shall be limited only to those who fulfill certain conditions. Firstly, those who fear Allah and take to piety that is, they fulfill all their religious obliga-tions and avoid things forbidden by Allah, and pay Zakah regularly out of their earnings, and thirdly, those who, firmly believe in His verses without offering any pretences or false interpretations to them. If these people too, fulfill the above conditions, the perfect favour shall be written for them both in this world and in the Hereafter.

The next verse, however, has indicated that people who shall perfectly fit the above description will be those coming after them in the last age, and follow the last Prophet ﷺ ، consequently deserving perfect Mercy or favour of Allah. According to the report of Qatadah cited above, the Satan claimed that he also deserves the Mercy of Allah, for His Mercy extends to everything but the condition of 'Iman (belief) etc. specified in the verse excluded him. Similarly, the Jews and the Christians claimed that they too believed in Allah and paid Zakah, therefore, they shall also get the perfect Mercy of in the worlds. The next verse, however, included the condition of belief in the last Prophet ﷺ and in the verses of the Qur'an. This has excluded the Jews and the Christians who did not believe in the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

( واكتب لنا في هذه الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة ) هناك الفصل الأول من الدعاء دفع المحذور ، وهذا لتحصيل المقصود ( واكتب لنا في هذه الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة ) أي : أوجب لنا وأثبت لنا فيهما حسنة ، وقد تقدم تفسير ذلك في سورة البقرة . [ الآية : 201 ]( إنا هدنا إليك ) أي : تبنا ورجعنا وأنبنا إليك . قاله ابن عباس ، وسعيد بن جبير ، ومجاهد ، وأبو العالية ، والضحاك ، وإبراهيم التيمي ، والسدي ، وقتادة ، وغير واحد .

وهو كذلك لغة .وقال ابن جرير : حدثنا ابن وكيع ، حدثنا أبي ، عن شريك ، عن جابر ، عن عبد الله بن نجي عن علي رضي الله عنه قال : إنما سميت اليهود لأنهم قالوا : ( إنا هدنا إليك )جابر - هو ابن يزيد الجعفي - ضعيف .قال تعالى مجيبا لموسى في قوله : ( إن هي إلا فتنتك [ تضل بها من تشاء وتهدي من تشاء ] ) الآية : ( عذابي أصيب به من أشاء ورحمتي وسعت كل شيء فسأكتبها للذين يتقون ) أي : أفعل ما أشاء ، وأحكم ما أريد ، ولي الحكمة والعدل في كل ذلك ، سبحانه لا إله إلا هو .وقوله تعالى : ( ورحمتي وسعت كل شيء ) آية عظيمة الشمول والعموم ، كقوله إخبارا عن حملة العرش ومن حوله أنهم يقولون : ( ربنا وسعت كل شيء رحمة وعلما ) [ غافر : 7 ]وقال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا عبد الصمد ، حدثنا أبي ، حدثنا الجريري ، عن أبي عبد الله الجشمي ، حدثنا جندب - هو ابن عبد الله البجلي ، رضي الله عنه - قال : جاء أعرابي فأناخ راحلته ثم عقلها ثم صلى خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . فلما صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أتى راحلته فأطلق عقالها ، ثم ركبها ، ثم نادى : اللهم ، ارحمني ومحمدا ، ولا تشرك في رحمتنا أحدا . فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " أتقولون هذا أضل أم بعيره ؟ ألم تسمعوا ما قال ؟ " قالوا : بلى .

قال : " لقد حظرت رحمة واسعة ; إن الله ، عز وجل ، خلق مائة رحمة ، فأنزل رحمة واحدة يتعاطف بها الخلق ; جنها وإنسها وبهائمها ، وأخر عنده تسعا وتسعين رحمة ، أتقولون هو أضل أم بعيره ؟ " .رواه أبو داود عن علي بن نصر ، عن عبد الصمد بن عبد الوارث ، بهوقال الإمام أحمد أيضا : حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد عن سليمان ، عن أبي عثمان ، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : " إن لله عز وجل ، مائة رحمة ، فمنها رحمة يتراحم بها الخلق ، وبها تعطف الوحوش على أولادها ، وأخر تسعا وتسعين إلى يوم القيامة " .تفرد بإخراجه مسلم ، فرواه من حديث سليمان - هو ابن طرخان - وداود بن أبي هند كلاهما ، عن أبي عثمان - واسمه عبد الرحمن بن مل - عن سلمان هو الفارسي ، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بهوقال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا عفان ، حدثنا حماد ، عن عاصم بن بهدلة ، عن أبي صالح ، عن أبي هريرة ; أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : " لله مائة رحمة ، عنده تسعة وتسعون ، وجعل عندكم واحدة تتراحمون بها بين الجن والإنس وبين الخلق ، فإذا كان يوم القيامة ضمها إليه " .

تفرد به أحمد من هذا الوجهوقال أحمد : حدثنا عفان ، حدثنا عبد الواحد ، حدثنا الأعمش ، عن أبي صالح ، عن أبي سعيد قال : قال : رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " لله مائة رحمة ، فقسم منها جزءا واحدا بين الخلق ، فيه يتراحم الناس والوحش والطير " .ورواه ابن ماجه من حديث أبي معاوية ، عن الأعمش ، بهوقال الحافظ أبو القاسم الطبراني : حدثنا محمد بن عثمان بن أبي شيبة ، حدثنا أحمد بن يونس ، حدثنا سعد أبو غيلان الشيباني ، عن حماد بن أبي سليمان ، عن إبراهيم ، عن صلة بن زفر ، عن حذيفة بن اليمان ، رضي الله عنه ، قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " والذي نفسي بيده ، ليدخلن الجنة الفاجر في دينه ، الأحمق في معيشته . والذي نفسي بيده ، ليدخلن الجنة الذي قد محشته النار بذنبه .

والذي نفسي بيده ، ليغفرن الله يوم القيامة مغفرة يتطاول لها إبليس رجاء أن تصيبه " .هذا حديث غريب جدا ، " وسعد " هذا لا أعرفهوقوله : ( فسأكتبها للذين يتقون ) الآية ، يعني : فسأوجب حصول رحمتي منة مني وإحسانا إليهم ، كما قال تعالى : ( كتب ربكم على نفسه الرحمة ) [ الأنعام : 54 ]وقوله : ( للذين يتقون ) أي : سأجعلها للمتصفين بهذه الصفات ، وهم أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم الذين يتقون ، أي : الشرك والعظائم من الذنوب .( ويؤتون الزكاة ) قيل : زكاة النفوس . وقيل : [ زكاة ] الأموال . ويحتمل أن تكون عامة لهما ; فإن الآية مكية ( والذين هم بآياتنا يؤمنون ) أي : يصدقون .