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Qur'an 35:8

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Qur'an 35:8
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Qur'an 35:8 poses a rhetorical question to emphasize that the misguided and the rightly guided are not equal, and identifies the embellishment of the disbelievers' evil deeds in their own eyes as the source of their misguidance. This verse presents a sequence of reasoning: first, in verse 7, disbelievers are promised Divine punishment and believers are promised forgiveness and reward. Then, in this verse, the cause of this reward and punishment is attributed to the inequality between believers and disbelievers, which is itself an effect of their view of sin, as they perceive it to be beautiful. Consequently, Prophet Muhammad (s) should not grieve over the misguidance and punishment of disbelievers, because God is aware of their deeds.

The phrase "He leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills", in this verse and similar verses has been cited as a basis for doubts about determinism. However, narrations state that if humans were compelled, reward and punishment would be meaningless. Another group of exegetes consider this form of "leading astray" (iḍlāl) to be "penal" (mujāzātī), rather than "initial" (ibtidāʾī). This means that when a person chooses misguidance, God leaves that person to their own devices.

Adorning sins (making them appear beautiful) is a tactic of Satan and paves the way for misguidance. Divine Will (Mashiyya) is accompanied by wisdom, and the term "ḥasarāt" (regrets) includes regret over guidance, discernment, and punishment.

The Misguided Are Not Equal to the Guided

Verse 8 of Qur'an 35 identifies the adornment of evil deeds in the eyes of disbelievers as a cause of their disbelief and the misery of those who go astray,[1] then attributes guidance and misguidance to God, and asks the Prophet (s) not to be grieved by the misguidance of disbelievers and their Divine punishment.[2]

The question at the beginning of the verse is rhetorical and expresses negation.[3] And is a subject whose predicate has been omitted.[4] Some have estimated it as "Is he like one whom God has guided?" (ka-man hadāhu Allāh)[5] or "Is he like one who is not so?" (ka-man laysa ka-dhālik).[6] Some also believe that the completion is left to the listener to allow room for reflection.[7]

Cause of the Difference in Fate

Exegetes have drawn several conclusions from Qur'an 35:8 regarding the differences in the fates of believers and disbelievers.:[8]

  • This verse explains the cause of the difference in the end of believers and disbelievers mentioned in Verse 7 of this Sura.[9]
  • This difference in fate results from the differences between believers and disbelievers, particularly the way disbelievers view sin and the way their evil deeds are made to appear attractive:[10] "Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided?]" (Arabic: أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ فَرَآهُ حَسَنًا).
  • This inequality is the effect of Divine Will in guidance and misguidance:[11] "For indeed, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills" (Arabic: فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ).

Based on this, the verse concludes that the Prophet (s) should not be upset because of the misguidance and punishment of the disbelievers:[12] because their misguidance was the result of their own actions: "So do not let yourself perish over them in regret" (Arabic: فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَاتٍ). Another reason mentioned for the Prophet (s) not to grieve is God's awareness of the disbelievers' actions; meaning, since God knows what they do, He gives them what they deserve:[13] "Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do" (Arabic: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ).

Meaning of God Leading Astray

According to a narration, the phrase "He leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills" (Arabic: يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ) which appears in Qur'an 35:8 and similar verses, has been used as a pretext to prove determinism (Jabr) in the theological view of Predestination and Free Will (Jabr wa Tafwiḍ). It is argued that since God misguides humans, the human is compelled and without free will. However, the narration states that if humans were compelled to guidance or misguidance, then Reward and punishment would be meaningless.[14]

Some exegetes say that the meaning of "leads astray whom He wills" is that God is capable of guiding and misguiding humans.[15] Other exegetes believe that attributing "leading astray" (iḍlāl) to God is in the sense of "penal leading astray" (iḍlāl mujāzātī),[16] which is also mentioned in Qur'an 41:17, not "initial leading astray" (iḍlāl ibtidāʾī). This means that since the person chose misguidance after God had guided him, God left him to himself.[17]

Adornment of Deeds

Qur'an 35:8 refers to the adornment of deeds in the eyes of humans. According to Qur'an 8:48, making ugly deeds appear beautiful is one of the tactics of Satan,[18] but since its effect exists within the Divine system, it is also attributed to God.[19] Justifying sins and making them appear beautiful paves the way for misguidance.[20]

Compassion of the Prophet (s)

According to narrations, Qur'an 35:8 was revealed to console Prophet Muhammad (s) so that his life would not be endangered due to the intensity of his grief over the people's fate.[21] This is because Divine Will is accompanied by wisdom, and therefore the Prophet should not be overly compassionate (to the point of self-destruction).[22] The expression "ḥasarāt" (regrets) includes regret over the loss of guidance, the loss of judgment, and falling into punishment.[23] The extraordinary compassion of the Prophet (s) for the umma as a Divine leader is also stated in other verses such as Qur'an 26:3, Qur'an 18:6, and Qur'an 9:128.[24]

Notes

  1. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 187.
  2. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 18.
  3. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19; Ḥusaynī Shāh-ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīmī, Tafsīr-i ithnā ʿasharī, vol. 11, p. 15.
  4. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19.
  5. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415.
  6. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19.
  7. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 188.
  8. ↑ Qummī Mashhadī, Tafsīr kanz al-daqāʾiq, vol. 10, p. 541.
  9. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 18.
  10. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 18.
  11. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, pp. 18-19; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 189.
  12. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19.
  13. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 190.
  14. ↑ Baḥrānī, Al-Burhān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān, vol. 4, p. 538.
  15. ↑ Burūjirdī, Tafsīr al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, vol. 4, pp. 561-562.
  16. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19.
  17. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, vol. 17, p. 19.
  18. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415.
  19. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 188.
  20. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Tafsīr-i nūr, vol. 7, p. 477.
  21. ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 90, pp. 111-112.
  22. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 189.
  23. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 190.
  24. ↑ Fakhr al-Rāzī, Mafātīḥ al-ghayb, vol. 26, p. 224; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, vol. 18, p. 189.

References

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