وَقَالَAnd He saidتَعَالَىExaltedفُصِّلَتْ[Surah] FussilatوَقَالَAnd saidالَّذِينَthose whoكَفَرُواdisbelievedلَاdo notتَسْمَعُواlisten toلِهَذَاto thisالْقُرْآنَQur'anوَ ٱلْغَوْاand speak nonsenseفِيهِthereinلَعَلَّكُمْperhaps youتَغْلِبُونَmay prevail
And He said: 'And the disbelievers said, "Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak nonsense therein, perhaps you may prevail.'
وَقَالَAnd saidتَعَالَىExaltedالْمُدَّثِّرَ[Surah] Al-MuddaththirفَمَاSo whatلَهُمis with themعَنْaboutالتَّذْكِرَةِthe reminderمُعْرِضِينَturning awayكَأَنَّهُمْas if they wereحُمُرٌdonkeysمُسْتَنَفِرَةٌfleeingفَرَّتْfleeingمِنْfromقَسْوَرَةٍa lion
And He said: 'And what is with them that they turn away from the reminder, as if they were fleeing donkeys from a lion?'
وَمَثَلُAnd the exampleهَذَاof thisكَثِيرٌis manyفِيinالْقُرْآنِthe Qur'an.
And the example of this is many in the Qur'an.
وَهَذَاAnd thisكَانَwasسَمَاعَthe listeningسَلَفُthe predecessorsالأُمَّةِof the Ummahوَأَكَبَارُهَاand the greatمَشَايِخِهَاits scholarsوَأَئِمَّتِهَاand its imamsكَالصَّحَابَةِlike the Companionsوَالتَّابِعِينَand the Followersوَمَنْand those whoبَعْدَهُمْafter themمِنَofالْمَشَايِخِthe scholarsكَإِبْرَاهِيمَlike IbrahimابْنِbinأَدْهَمَAdhamوَالْفُضَيْلِand Al-FudaylابْنِbinعِيَاضٍIyyadوَأَبِيand AbuسُلَيْمَانَSulaymanالدَّرَارَانِيِّAd-Dararaniوَمَعْرُوفٍand Ma'rufالْكَرْخِيِّAl-Karkhiوَيُوسُفَand YusufابْنِbinأَسْبَاطٍAsbatوَحُذَيْفَةَand HudhayfahالْمَرْعَشِيِّAl-Marashiوَأَمْثَالَand similarهَؤُلَاءِthese.
And this was the listening of the predecessors of the Ummah and the great scholars and imams such as the Companions and the Followers, and those after them from the scholars like Ibrahim bin Adham, Al-Fudayl bin Iyyad, Abu Sulayman Ad-Dararani, Ma'ruf Al-Karkhi, Yusuf bin Asbat, Hudhayfah Al-Marashi, and others like them.
وَكَانَAnd it wasعُمَرُUmarابْنِbinالْخَطَّابِAl-Khattabيَقُولُused to sayلِأَبِيto AbuمُوسَىMusaالْأَشْعَرِيِّAl-Ash'ariيَاOأَبَاAbuمُوسَىMusaاذْكُرْنَاLet us mentionرَبَّنَاour Lordفَاقْرَأْso he readsوَهُمand theyيَسْمَعُونَlistenوَيَبْكُونَand cry.
And Umar bin Al-Khattab used to say to Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari: 'O Abu Musa, let us mention our Lord, so let him read while they listen and cry.'
وَكَانَAnd it wasأَصْحَابُthe companionsمُحَمَّدٍof Muhammadإِذَاwhenاجْتَمَعُواthey gatheredأَمَرُواthey would commandوَاحِدًاoneمِنْهُمْof themأَنْtoيَقْرَأَreadالْقُرْآنَthe Qur'anوَالْبَاقُونَand the restيَسْتَمِعُونَlisten.
And the companions of Muhammad, when they gathered, would command one of them to read the Qur'an while the others listened.
وَقَدْAnd it was establishedثَبَتَthat it is affirmedفِيinالصَّحِيحِthe authenticأَنَّthatالنَّبِيَّthe Prophet(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)(peace be upon him)
And it has been established in the authentic that the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari.
وَهُوَand heيَقْرَأُwas readingفَجَعَلَand he beganيَسْمَعُto listenلِقِرَاءَتِهِto his recitationوَقَالَand he saidلَقَدْindeedأُوتِيَhe was givenمِزْمَارًاa fluteمِنْfromمَزَامِيرَthe songsآلِof the familyدَاوُدَof Dawood.
And he was reading, and he made [the Prophet] listen to his recitation and said, 'Indeed, he has been given a flute from the songs of the family of Dawood.'
وَقَالَAnd he saidمَرَرْتُI passedبِكَby youالْبَارِحَةَlast nightوَأَنتَand youتَقْرَأُwere recitingفَجَعَلْتُand I startedأَسْمَعُto listenلِقِرَاءَتِكَto your recitationفَقَالَhe saidلَوْifعَلِمْتُI had knownأَنَّكَthat youتَسْمَعُwere listeningلَحَبَّرْتُهَاI would have embellished it for youلَكَfor youتَحْبِيرًاwith embellishment.
And he said: 'I passed by you last night while you were reciting, and I was listening to your recitation. He said, "If I had known that you were listening, I would have embellished it for you."
أَيْThat is to sayلِحُسْنَتِهِto its goodnessلَكَfor youتَحْسِينًاwith beauty.
That is to say, 'I would have adorned it for you with beauty.'
وَقَالَAnd he saidزَيِّنُواBeautifyالْقُرْآنَthe Qur'anبِأَصْوَاتِكُمْwith your voices.
And he said: 'Beautify the Qur'an with your voices.'
وَقَالَAnd He saidاللَّهُAllahأَشَدُّis moreأَذْنًاlisteningإِلَىtoالرَّجُلِthe manحَسَنِof goodالصَّوْتِvoiceبِالْقُرْآنِwith the Qur'anمِنْthanصَاحِبِthe ownerالْقَيْنَةِof a musical instrument.إِلَىtoقَيْنَتِهِhis music instrument.
And Allah said: 'He is more listening to a man of good voice with the Qur'an than the owner of a musical instrument to his musical instrument.'
أَذْنًاlisteningأَيْthat isاسْتِمَاعًاto listenكَقَوْلِهِas in His sayingالِانْشِقَاقِ[Surah] Al-InshiqaqوَأَذِنَتِAnd it listenedلِرَبِّهَاto its Lordوَحَقَّتْand it was right.
Listening, that is to listen, as in His saying: 'And it listened to its Lord and it was right.'
وَقَالَAnd he said(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)(peace be upon him)مَاnotأَذِنَhas given permissionاللَّهُAllahلِشَيْءٍto anythingمَاas muchأَذِنَas He has given permissionلِنَبِيٍّto a prophetحَسَنٍwho has a goodالصَّوْتِvoiceيَتَغَنَّىwho singsبِالْقُرْآنِwith the Qur'anيَجْهَرُto raise his voiceبِهِwith it.
And he said (peace be upon him): 'Allah has not given permission to anything as much as He has given permission to a prophet with a good voice who sings with the Qur'an and raises his voice with it.'
وَقَالَAnd he saidلَيْسَnotمِنَّاfrom usمَنْwhoلَمْdoes notيَتَغَنَّىsingبِالْقُرْآنِwith the Qur'an.
And he said: 'Whoever does not sing the Qur'an is not one of us.'
وَلِهَذَاAnd for this reasonالسَّمَاعَthe listeningمِنَto theالمَوَاجِيدِfeelingsالْعَظِيمَةِgreatوَالأَذْوَاقِand tastesالْكَرِيمَةِnobleوَمَزِيدٍand additionalالمَعَارِفِknowledge.
And for this reason, the listening to the great feelings and noble tastes and additional knowledge.
وَالْأَحْوَالِAnd the statesالْجَسِيمَةِheavyمَا لَاis notيَسْعُهُcontained by itخِطَابٌa speechوَلَاnorيَحْوِيَهُcomprehended by itكِتَابٌa book.
And the heavy states that cannot be contained by a speech nor comprehended by a book.
كَمَاJust asأَنَّthatفِيinتَدَبُّرِponderingالْقُرْآنِthe Qur'anوَتَفَهُّمِهِand understanding itمِنْofمَزِيدٍfurtherالْعِلْمِknowledgeوَالْإِيمَانِand faith.
Just as pondering the Qur'an and understanding it brings further knowledge and faith.
مَا لَاWhat cannotيُحِيطَcomprehendبِهِwith itبَيَانٌa statement.
What cannot be comprehended with a statement.
وَمِمَّاAnd of that whichيَنْبَغِيshouldالتَّفَطُّنَbe mindfulلَهُto itأَنَّthatاللَّهَAllahسُبْحَانَهُExalted be HeقَالَsaidفِيinكِتَابِهِHis Bookآلِof the familyعِمْرَانَImranقُلْSayإِنْifكُنتُمْyou areتُحِبُّونَloveاللَّهَAllahفَاتَّبِعُونِيthen follow meيُحِبِّبْكُمُHe will love youاللَّهُAllah.
And of that which should be mindful is that Allah, Exalted be He, said in His Book: 'Say, if you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.'
قَالَHe saidطَائِفَةٌA groupمِنَofالسَّلَفِthe predecessorsأَدَّعَىclaimedقَوْمٌa peopleعَلَىduringعَهْدِthe timeالنَّبِيِّthe Prophet(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)(peace be upon him)أَنَّهُمْthat theyيُحِبُّونَloveاللَّهَAllahفَأَنزَلَthen revealedاللَّهُAllahهَذِهِthisالْآيَةَverse.
A group of the predecessors claimed that a people during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that they love Allah, so Allah revealed this verse.
قُلْSayإِنْifكُنتُمْyou areتُحِبُّونَloveاللَّهَAllahفَاتَّبِعُونِيthen follow meيُحِبِّبْكُمُHe will love youاللَّهُAllah.الْآيَةَthe verse.
Say: 'If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.'
فَـبَيَّنَSo it clarifiesسُبْحَانَهُExalted be HeأَنَّthatمَحَبَّتَهُHis loveتُوجِبُnecessitatesاتِّبَاعَthe followingالرَّسُولِthe Messenger.وَأَنَّand thatاتِّبَاعَfollowingالرَّسُولِthe Messengerيُوجِبُnecessitatesمَحَبَّةَthe loveاللَّهِof Allahلِلْعَبْدِfor the servant.
So it clarifies, Exalted be He, that His love necessitates following the Messenger, and that following the Messenger necessitates the love of Allah for the servant.
وَهَذِهAnd thisمَحَبَّةٌloveامْتُحِنَتْwas testedاللَّهُAllahبِهَاwith itأَهْلُthe peopleدَعْوَىof the claimمَحَبَّةِloveاللَّهِof Allah.
And this love was tested by Allah for the people who claim love for Allah.
فَإِنَّIfهَذَاthisالْبَابُdoorيَكَثُرُis abundantفِيهِin itالدَّعَوَىthe claimsوَالْاشْتِبَاهُand ambiguity.
If this door is abundant in claims and ambiguity.
وَلِهَذَاAnd for this reasonيُرْوَىit is narratedعَنْfromذِيDhīالنُّونِAn-Nunالْمِصْرِيِّthe Egyptianأَنَّهُمْthat theyتَكَلَّمُواspokeفِيinمَسْأَلَةِthe questionالْمَحَبَّةِof loveعِندَهُwith himفَقَالَhe saidاسْكُتُواbe quietعَنْaboutهَذِهِthisالْمَحَبَّةِloveلَاdo notتَسْمَعُهَاlet the souls hear itالنُّفُوسُthe soulsفَتَدَّعِيَهَاto claim it.
And for this reason, it is narrated from Dhī An-Nun, the Egyptian, that they spoke about the question of love with him. He said, 'Be quiet about this love; do not let the souls hear it so they may claim it.'
وَقَالَAnd they saidبَعْضُهُمْsome of themمِنofعَبَادِthe servitude of Allahبِالْحُبِّby loveوَحْدَهُaloneفَهُوَtransgressorزِنْدِيقٌheretic.وَمَنْAnd whoeverعَبَدَworships Allahبِالْخَوْفِby fearوَحْدَهُaloneفَهُوَhe isحَرُورِيٌّKhwarij.وَمَنْAnd whoeverعَبَدَهُworships Himبِالرَّجَاءِby hopeوَحْدَهُaloneفَهُوَhe isمُرْجِئٌMurji'ah.وَمَنْAnd whoeverعَبَدَهُworships Himبِالْحُبِّby loveوَالْخَوْفِand fearوَالرَّجَاءِand hopeفَهُوَhe isمُؤْمِنٌbelieverمُوحِّدٌmonotheist.
And they said: 'Some of the servitude of Allah are by love alone, then he is a heretic. And whoever worships Allah by fear alone, then he is a Khwarij. And whoever worships Him by hope alone, then he is a Murji'ah. And whoever worships Him by love, fear, and hope, then he is a believer, a monotheist.'
وَذَلِكَAnd thisلِأَنَّis becauseالْحُبَّloveالْمُجَرَّدَpureيَتَّسِعُexpandsالنُّفُوسُthe soulsفِيهِin itحَتَّىuntilتَتَّسِعَit expandsفِي أَهْوَائِهَاin its desiresإِذَاifلَمْnotيُزِعْهَاrestrained by it.وَازِعٌa deterrentالْخَشْيَةِof fearلِلَّهِof Allahحَتَّىuntilقَالَتْit saidالْيَهُودُthe Jewsوَالنَّصَارَىand the Christians.
And this is because pure love expands the souls in it until it opens up to its desires if it is not restrained by a deterrent of fear of Allah until they said the Jews and the Christians.