وَandوَصَفَتْهُdescribed himبِهwith itرُسُلَهُhis messengers(۱)(1)،,وَظَنَّand he thoughtبِجَهْلِهِby his ignoranceأَنْthatظَاهِرَthe apparentذَلكَthatضَلاَلٌmisguidanceوَكُفْرٌand disbelief؟?
And he described him with it, and he thought by his ignorance that the apparent of that is misguidance and disbelief?
وَكَيْفَAnd howيَحْسُنُcould be goodالظَّنُّthe assumptionبِهِof himمِنْfromيَظُنُّhe thinks(٢)(2)أَنَّهُthat heلَاdoes notيَتَكَلَّمُspeak،,وَلَاand notيَأْمُرُcommand،,وَلَاand notيَنْهَىforbid،,وَلَاand notيَرْضَىbe pleased،,وَلَاand notيَغْضَبُangry؟?
And how could there be a good assumption of him from one who thinks (2) that he does not speak, nor command, nor forbid, nor be pleased, nor be angry?
وَقَدْAnd indeedقَالَsaidتَعَالَىthe Most Highفِيinحَقِّthe rightمَنْof whomشَكَّdoubtedفِيinتَعَلُّقِthe attachmentسَمْعِهِhis hearingبِبَعْضِto someالْجُزْئِيَّاتِdetailsوَهُوَand it isالسَّرُّthe secretمِنْof theالْقَوْلِsaying::﴿[وَذَلِكُمْAnd that is youظَنُّكُمْyour assumptionالَّذِيwhichظَنَنْتُمْyou thoughtبِرَبِّكُمْabout your Lordأَرْدَكُمْhas brought you downفَأَصْبَحْتُمْso you becameمِنَamongالْخَاسِرِينَthe losers))[فَصْلَتْ/ ۲۳][Fussilat 23]
And indeed, He (the Most High) said regarding the one who doubted the attachment of His hearing to some details, and it is the secret of the saying: "And that is your assumption which you thought about your Lord has brought you down, so you became among the losers" [Fussilat 23].
فَهَٰؤُلَاءِSo theseلَمَّاwhenظَنُّواthey thoughtأَنْthatاللَّهَAllahسُبْحَانَهُGlorified be Heلَاdoes notيَعْلَمُknowكَيْفًَاmuchمِمَّاof whatيَعْمَلُونَthey do،,كَانَit wasهَذَاthisإِسَاءَةًan offenseلِظَنِّهِمto their assumptionبِرَبِّهِمabout their Lord،,فَأَرْدَاهُمْso it brought them downذَلكَthatالظَّنُّassumption
So when these thought that Allah Glorified be He does not know much of what they do, this was an offense to their assumption about their Lord, so it brought them down that assumption.
وَهَذَاAnd thisشَأْنٌis the matterكُلُّof everyمَنْone whoجَحَدَdeniedصِفَاتِthe attributesكَمَالِهِof His perfectionوَنُعُوتِand descriptionsجَلاَلِهِof His majestyوَوَصَفَهُand attributed himبِمَاwith whatلَاdoes notيَلِيقُbefitبِهِHimن.
And this is the matter of every one who denies the attributes of His perfection and the descriptions of His majesty and attributes him with what does not befit Him.
إِذَاIfظَنَّhe thoughtهَذَاthisأَنَّهُthat heيُدَخِلُهwould enter himالْجَنَّةَParadiseكَانَit wasهَذَاthisغُرُورًاdeceptionوَخِدَاعًاand trickeryمِنْfromنَفْسِهِhimself،,وَتَسْوِيلًاand justificationمِنْfromالشَّيْطَانِthe devil،,لَاnotإِحْسَانَgoodnessظَنُّthe assumptionبِرَبِّهِabout his Lord(۳)(3)۔.
If he thought that this would enter him into Paradise, this was deception and trickery from himself, and justification from the devil, not a good assumption about his Lord (3).
فَتَأَمَّلْSo contemplateهَذَاthisاَلْمَوْضِعَplace،,وَتَأَمَّلْand reflectشِدَّةَthe severityالْحَاجَةِof needإِلَيْهِto it!!
So contemplate this place, and reflect on the severity of need to it!
يَسْمَعُHe hearsوَكَيْفَAnd howيَجْتَمِعُcould gatherفِيinقَلْبِthe heartالْعَبْدِof the servantتَيَقُّنُهُhis certitudeبِأَنَّهُthatهُوَheمُلاقٍwill meetاللَّهَAllah،,وَأَنَّand thatاللَّهَAllahيَتَكَلَّمُspeaksوَيَرَىand sees،,مَكَانَهُhis placeوَيَعْلَمُand knowsسَرَّهُhis secret،,وَعَلَانِيَتَهُand his apparent deedsوَلَاand does notيَخْفَىhideعَلَيْهِfrom Himخَافِيَةٌany hiddenمِنْofأَمْرِهِhis matters؛;وَأَنَّهُand that heمَوْقُوفٌis heldبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيْهِhis handsوَمَسْؤُولٌand questionedعَنْaboutكُلِّeveryمَاwhatعَمِلَhe did،,وَهُوَand heمُقِيمٌis residingعَلَىuponمَسَاخِطِهِhis displeasure،,مُضَيِّعٌwastingلِأَوَامِرِهِhis commands،,مُعَطِّلٌneglectingلِحُقُوقِهِhis rights،,وَهُوَand heمَعَwithهَذَاthisمُحْسِنٌis goodالظَّنِّthe assumption(٦)(6)۔.
And how could there gather in the heart of the servant his certitude that he will meet Allah, and that Allah speaks and sees, his place and knows his secret and his apparent deeds, and nothing is hidden from Him of his matters; and that he is held between His hands and questioned about everything he did, and he is residing upon His displeasure, neglecting His commands, and he is with this making a good assumption (6).