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Qur'an 35:8

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Qur'an 35:8
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Verse 8 of Sura Fatir (Arabic:آية 8 من سورة الفاطر) (Qur'an 35:8) refers to the inequality between the believer and the disbeliever and considers the disbeliever's perspective on his deeds as the cause of his 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" (Arabic: يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ) in this verse and similar verses has been used as a basis for the doubt of Determinism. However, narrations state that if humans were compelled, reward and punishment would be meaningless. Another group of exegetes considers this "leading astray" (iḍlāl) to be "penal" (mujāzātī), not "initial" (ibtidāʾī); meaning that after the human chooses misguidance, God leaves him to himself.

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 Sura Fatir identifies the origin of the Kufr of disbelievers and the key to the misery of misguided people as the "adornment of their ugly deeds" in their eyes,[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/denial[3] and is a subject (mubtadaʾ) whose predicate (khabar) 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

Several reasons have been derived from Verse 8 of Sura Fatir regarding the difference in the fate of disbelievers and believers:[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 the end is the effect of the inequality of the disbelievers and believers themselves, and their view of sin, and the adornment of their ugly deeds:[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 Verse 8 of Sura Fatir 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

Verse 8 of Sura Fatir 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, Verse 8 of Sura Fatir 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, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 187.
  2. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 18.
  3. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19; Ḥusaynī Shāh-ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīmī, Tafsīr-i ithnā ʿasharī, 1363 Sh, vol. 11, p. 15.
  4. ↑ Ṭūsī, Al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19.
  5. ↑ Ṭūsī, Al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415.
  6. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19.
  7. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 188.
  8. ↑ Qummī Mashhadī, Tafsīr kanz al-daqāʾiq, 1368 Sh, vol. 10, p. 541.
  9. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 18.
  10. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 18.
  11. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, pp. 18-19; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 189.
  12. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19.
  13. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 190.
  14. ↑ Baḥrānī, Al-Burhān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān, 1416 AH, vol. 4, p. 538.
  15. ↑ Burūjirdī, Tafsīr al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, 1416 AH, vol. 4, pp. 561-562.
  16. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19.
  17. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1417 AH, vol. 17, p. 19.
  18. ↑ Ṭūsī, Al-Tibyān, vol. 8, p. 415.
  19. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 188.
  20. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1383 Sh, vol. 7, p. 477.
  21. ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, 1403 AH, vol. 90, pp. 111-112.
  22. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 189.
  23. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 190.
  24. ↑ Fakhr al-Rāzī, Mafātīḥ al-ghayb, 1420 AH, vol. 26, p. 224; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 18, p. 189.

References

  • Baḥrānī, Hāshim b. Sulaymān al-. Al-Burhān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Tehran, Bunyād-i Biʿthat, 1416 AH.
  • Burūjirdī, Sayyid Ḥusayn. Tafsīr al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm. Qom, Muʾassasa-yi Anṣāriyān, 1416 AH.
  • Fakhr al-Rāzī, Muḥammad b. ʿUmar. Mafātīḥ al-ghayb. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 1420 AH.
  • Ḥusaynī Shāh-ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīmī, Ḥusayn. Tafsīr-i ithnā ʿasharī. Tehran, Mīqāt, 1363 Sh.
  • Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār al-jāmiʿa li-durar akhbār al-aʾimma al-aṭhār. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 2nd ed, 1403 AH.
  • Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1374 Sh.
  • Qarāʾatī, Muḥsin. Tafsīr-i nūr. Tehran, Markaz-i Farhangī-yi Dars-hāyī az Qurʾān, 1383 Sh.
  • Qummī Mashhadī, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad Riḍā. Tafsīr kanz al-daqāʾiq. Tehran, Sāzmān-i Chāp wa Intishārāt-i Wizārat-i Irshād-i Islāmī, 1368 Sh.
  • Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Qom, Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1417 AH.
  • Ṭabrisī, Faḍl b. al-Ḥasan al-. Majmaʿ al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Tehran, Nāṣir Khusraw, 1372 Sh.
  • Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-. Al-Tibyān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, n.d.
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