وَحِكْمَةٌAnd wisdomتَضَعُputsبِهَاtherebyالأَشْيَاءَthe thingsمَوَاضِعَهَاin their places
And wisdom puts things in their places.
فَهَذَاThis isأَحْسَنُbetterمِنْthanذِكْرِmentioningالْغَفُورِthe Forgivingالرَّحِيمِthe Mercifulفِيinهَذَاthisالْمَوْضِعِplaceالدَّالِّindicativeذِكْرِهِof its mentionعَلَىofالتَّعْرِيضِalludingبِطَلَبِto the requestالمَغْفِرَةِforgivenessفِيatغَيْرِother thanحِينِهَاits timeوَقَدْandفَاتَتْhas passed.
This is better than mentioning "the Forgiving, the Merciful" in this place, indicative of an allusion to asking for forgiveness at an inappropriate time, which has passed.
فَإِنَّهُFor ifلَوْhe hadقَالَsaid:وَإِنْAnd ifتَغْفِرَYou forgiveلَهُمْthemفَإِنَّكَthen indeed You areأَنْتَYouالْغَفُورُthe Forgivingالرَّحِيمُthe Merciful.كَانَThere would beفِيinهَذَاthisمِنْofالِاسْتِعْطَافِthe entreatyوَالتَّعْرِيضِand alludingبِطَلَبِto the requestالمَغْفِرَةِforgivenessلِمَنْfor one whoلَاdoes notيَسْتَحِقُّهَاdeserve itمَا يُنَزِّهُthat distinguishes himعَنْهُfrom itمَنْصِبِthe positionالْمَسِيحِof the Christعَلَيْهِpeace be upon him,لَا سِيَّمَاespeciallyوَالمَوْقِفِand the stanceمَوْقِفٌis a position ofعَظَمَةٍgrandeurوَجَلاَلٍand majesty,وَمَوْقِفٌand a stance ofانتِقَامٍvengeanceمِمَّنْof one whoجَعَلَmadeاللَّهَGodوَلَدًاa son,وَاتَّخَذَهُand took himإِلَٰهًاa godمِنْbesidesدُونِهِHim.
For if he had said: "And if You forgive them, then indeed You are the Forgiving, the Merciful," there would be an entreaty and alluding to the request for forgiveness for one who does not deserve it, which would distinguish him from the position of the Christ, peace be upon him, especially when the stance is a position of grandeur and majesty, and a stance of vengeance against one who made God a son and took Him as a god besides Him.
فَذِكْرٌThus, mentioningالْعِزَّةَthe mightوَالحِكْمَةَand the wisdomفِيهِin itأَلَيْقٌis more suitableمِنْthanذِكْرِmentioningالرَّحْمَةِthe mercyوَالْمَغْفِرَةِand forgiveness.
Thus, mentioning the might and the wisdom in it is more suitable than mentioning the mercy and forgiveness.
وَهَذَاAnd thisبِخِلَافٍis unlikeقَوْلِthe statementالْخَلِيلِof the Friendعَلَيْهِpeace be upon him:وَاجْنُبْنِيAnd keep me awayوَبَنِيَّand my sonsأَنfromنَعْبُدَworshipالأَصْنَامَthe idols.
And this is unlike the statement of the Friend, peace be upon him: "And keep me and my sons from worshipping idols."
رَبِّO Lord,إِنَّهُنَّverily theyأَضَلَّنَّhave led astrayكَثِيرًاmanyمِنَofالنَّاسِthe people.
O Lord, verily they have led astray many of the people.
فَمَنSo whoeverتَبِعَنِيfollows me,مِنِّيis of me,وَمَنْand whoeverعَصَانِيdisobeys meفَإِنَّكَthen indeed Youغَفُورٌare Forgivingرَحِيمٌand Merciful.
So whoever follows me is of me, and whoever disobeys me, then indeed You are Forgiving and Merciful.
وَلَمْAnd he did notيَقُلْsay:فَإِنَّكَIndeed You areعَزِيزٌAlmightyحَكِيمٌand Wise..
And he did not say: "Indeed You are Almighty and Wise."
لِأَنَّBecauseالمَقَامَthe positionمَقَامٌis a position ofاسْتِعْطَافٍentreatyوَتَعْرِيضٍand alludingبِالدُّعَاءِin supplication,أَيthat is:إِنIfتَغْفِرَYou forgiveلَهُمْthemوَتَرْحَمْهُمْand have mercy on them,بِأَنْby guiding themتُوَفِّقَهُمْto returnلِلرُّجُوعِfromمِنَpolytheismالشِّرْكِto monotheism,وَمِنَand fromالمَعْصِيَةِdisobedienceإِلَىtoالطَّاعَةِobedience,كَمَاas inالْحَدِيثِthe narrationاللَّهُمَّO Allah,اغْفِرْforgiveلِقَوْمِيfor my peopleفَإِنَّهُمْfor verily theyلَاdo notيَعْلَمُونَknow."
Because the position is one of entreaty and alluding in supplication, that is: If You forgive them and have mercy on them, by guiding them to return from polytheism to monotheism, and from disobedience to obedience, as in the narration: "O Allah, forgive my people, for verily they do not know."
وَفِيAnd inهَذَاthisأَظْهَرَis clearlyالدَّلَالَةَan indicationعَلَىof thatأَنَّthatأَسْمَاءَthe namesالرَّبِّof the Lordتَعَالَىthe Exaltedمُشْتَقَّةٌare derivedمِنْfromأَوْصَافٍattributesوَمَعَانٍand meaningsقَامَتْthat are establishedبِهِby Him,وَأَنَّand thatكُلَّeveryاسْمٍnameيُنَاسِبُis suitableمَاwhatذُكِرَwas mentionedمَعَهُwith it,وَاقْتَرَنَتْand is associatedبِهِwith itمِنْfromفِعْلِهِHis actionوَأَمْرِهِand command.وَاللَّهُAnd Allahالْمُوَفِّقُis guidingلِلصَّوَابِto what is right.
And in this is clearly an indication that the names of the Lord, the Exalted, are derived from attributes and meanings that are established by Him, and that every name is suitable for what is mentioned with it, and is associated with it from His action and command. And Allah is guiding to what is right.
سُورَةُSurahإِبْرَاهِيمَAbraham,الْآيَاتُthe verses(٣٥-٣٦)(35-36).
Surah Abraham, the verses (35-36).