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Qur'an 41:30

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Qur'an 41:30
Verse's Information
NameThe Verse of Steadfastness in Faith
SuraSura Fussilat (Qur'an 41)
Verse30
Juz'24
Content Information
Place of
Revelation		Mecca
TopicTheological
AboutThe good future of believers who are firm in faith
OthersIndicators of steadfastness in Faith
Related VersesQur'an 46:13


Qur'an 41:30, also known as the Verse of Istiqama (Steadfastness), announces a promising future for firm believers. In this verse, angels reassure them with two specific glad tidings: the absence of fear and grief regarding the future, and the promise of entry into Paradise. This Verse was revealed in juxtaposition to the preceding verses, which depict the miserable state of the disbelievers in the Hereafter.

According to exegetes, the characteristics of believers firm in Faith include: aligning their behavior with their testimony to God's Lordship and Oneness; unwavering adherence to the Straight Path; fulfilling obligatory divine duties; worshipping the Lord; and abstaining from sensual desires. In contrast to these steadfast believers, the verse alludes to individuals with weak faith who abandon their convictions and verge on shirk when their personal interests are threatened.

In Shi'i narrative exegeses, the guardianship (wilaya) of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and persistence on their path are regarded as symbols of steadfastness in faith. Furthermore, citing Qur'an 41:30, these narrations mention the descent of angels upon the Imams of the Shia. Exegetes interpret the glad tidings of freedom from fear and grief for true believers as stemming either from the forgiveness of sins committed out of negligence or from the overlooking of good deeds missed due to oversight.

General Points

Qur'an 41:30 describes the descent of angels upon firm believers, bringing them two primary glad tidings: immunity from grief and fear regarding the punishment of the Hereafter, and the assurance of entry into the promised Paradise.[1] In his exegesis al-Furqan, Muhammad Sadiqi Tehrani identifies both Qur'an 41:30 and Qur'an 46:13 as the "Verse of Steadfastness" (Istiqama).[2]

Shi'i exegeses of this verse suggest that through Faith and steadfastness, a human being can attain a station where divine angels descend upon them,[3] conveying the news that God is pleased with their actions and has prepared an honorable place for them.[4] Both Tafsir al-Mizan and Tafsir Majma' al-bayan note that this angelic descent and the delivery of glad tidings do not occur during worldly life,[5] but rather at the moment of Death, upon rising from the Grave, or during the Resurrection.[6] However, Tafsir-i nimuna posits that while references in narrations and exegeses to angelic descent at the time of death represent one clear instance, other verses imply a broader concept: angels descend upon believers not only after worldly life but also continuously within this world. They provide peace and firmness, communicating tidings not through spoken language but through messages perceived by the "ear of the soul."[7]

In Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn, a narration recounts that Humran b. A'yan asked Imam al-Baqir (a) whether it was true that angels descend upon the Imams; the Imam confirmed this by reciting Qur'an 41:30.[8]

The Quranic Method in Explaining the Status of Believers and Disbelievers

According to 'Allama Tabataba'i, Qur'an 41:30, together with the subsequent verse, foretells the favorable future awaiting firm believers. He views these verses as a direct contrast to the preceding ones, which describe the dire condition of disbelievers in the Hereafter.[9] Nasir Makarim Shirazi, a Shi'i exegete, similarly argues that the Quran employs juxtaposition and comparison for clearer explication. Thus, before detailing the bright future of firm believers and the seven-fold blessings God has prepared for them in Qur'an 41:30-32, the text describes the plight of those who, due to their persistence in disbelief, will suffer various punishments.[10]

Steadfastness in Faith

You said: "Our Lord is Allah"; now stand firm by this word. Show steadfastness in performing the commands of His book, in the path He has commanded, and in the way of His worthy worship. Do not exit the circle of His command, do not initiate innovations in His religion, and never oppose it.

— Imam Ali (a), Nahj al-balagha, ed. Subhi Salih, Sermon 176, p. 253.

Exegetes emphasize that the most critical characteristic of the believers highlighted in Qur'an 41:30 is their commitment to their declaration of the Oneness and Lordship of "Allah."[11] They identify unwavering adherence to the straight path leading to the One God[12] and consistency between speech and action as essential requirements of firm faith.[13]

al-Tabrisi quotes Abd Allah b. 'Abbas and some of the Tabi'un as stating that steadfastness in faith entails the performance of obligatory divine duties and the worship of the Lord.[14] According to Muhammad Sadiqi Tehrani, steadfastness in faith signifies traversing the Straight Path with knowledge, faith, and righteous deeds.[15] Nasir Makarim Shirazi interprets the phrase "Indeed, those who say, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and then remain steadfast" as encompassing all virtues and noble qualities; it begins with attaching the heart to God, proceeds to firm faith in Him, and culminates in making faith the central axis of one's entire life.[16]

In contrast to firm believers, the verse implicitly references individuals of weak faith who profess love for God but abandon their faith and lapse into practical polytheism when confronted with sensual desires or threats to their interests.[17] A narration from the Prophet of Islam (s) supports this: after reciting this verse, he remarked, "A group said this word, but many of them became disbelievers."[18]

Wilaya of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) as a Symbol of Steadfastness in Faith

Shi'i exegeses cite several narrations under Qur'an 41:30 interpreting steadfastness in faith as firmness in the guardianship (wilaya) of the Ahl al-Bayt (a).[19] In his exegesis, Ali b. Ibrahim al-Qummi cites narrations interpreting steadfastness in faith specifically as steadfastness in the guardianship of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a).[20] The firmness of the Shi'a in the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) as a symbol of steadfastness is also the subject of two narrations: one quoted in Tafsir Majma' al-bayan from Muhammad b. Fudayl b. Ghazwan from Imam al-Rida (a),[21] and another in Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn from Abi Basir from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a).[22] In Mir'at al-'uqul, al-Majlisi explains a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (a) concerning this verse, interpreting the phrase "they remained steadfast upon the Imams, one after another"[23] as firm belief in the guardianship of all the Imams (a).[24]

Safety of Believers from Fear and Grief and Their Entry into Paradise

The first glad tiding the angels bring to firm believers is safety from fear and grief. Exegetes explain that believers may fear divine punishment or grieve over potential exclusion from Paradise due to sins committed out of negligence or righteous deeds omitted by oversight. The angels comfort them, assuring their safety from such fear and grief because their sins will be forgiven and punishment averted. The second divine blessing mentioned in this verse is the promise of entry into Paradise.[25]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, p. 389; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, p. 272.
  2. ↑ Ṣādiqī Ṭihrānī, al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 26, p. 72.
  3. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, p. 272.
  4. ↑ Mughniyya, al-Kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 6, p. 491.
  5. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, p. 390.
  6. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1415 AH, vol. 9, p. 21.
  7. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, pp. 273-274.
  8. ↑ Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, 1415 AH, vol. 4, p. 545.
  9. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, p. 389.
  10. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, pp. 269-270.
  11. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1415 AH, vol. 9, p. 20; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, p. 389.
  12. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, p. 380.
  13. ↑ Mughniyya, al-Kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 6, p. 490; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, p. 270.
  14. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1415 AH, vol. 9, p. 20.
  15. ↑ Ṣādiqī Ṭihrānī, al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 26, p. 73.
  16. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, p. 270.
  17. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 20, p. 270.
  18. ↑ Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, 1415 AH, vol. 4, p. 547.
  19. ↑ Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, 1415 AH, vol. 4, pp. 546-547.
  20. ↑ Qummī, Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1404 AH, vol. 2, p. 265.
  21. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1415 AH, vol. 9, p. 21.
  22. ↑ Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, 1415 AH, vol. 4, p. 547.
  23. ↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, 1407 AH, vol. 1, p. 420.
  24. ↑ Majlisī, Mirʾāt al-ʿuqūl, 1404 AH, vol. 5, p. 44.
  25. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1415 AH, vol. 9, p. 21; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 17, pp. 389-390.

References

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  • Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad b. Ḥusayn al-. Nahj al-balāgha. Edited by Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ. Qom, Hijrat, 1st ed., 1414 AH.
  • Ṣādiqī Ṭihrānī, Muḥammad. al-Furqān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Qom, Islamic Culture Publishing, 1406 AH.
  • Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn. al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Muʾassasat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1390 AH.
  • Ṭabrisī, Faḍl b. al-Ḥasan al-. Majmaʿ al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Muʾassasat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1415 AH.
  • Qummī, ʿAlī b. Ibrāhīm al-. Tafsīr al-Qummī. Edited by Ṭayyib Mūsawī Jazāʾirī. Qom, Dār al-Kitāb, 1404 AH.
  • Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. al-Kāfī. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1407 AH.
  • Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Mirʾāt al-ʿuqūl fī sharḥ akhbār Āl al-Rasūl. Edited by Sayyid Hāshim Rasūlī Maḥallātī. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1404 AH.
  • Mughniyya, Muḥammad Jawād. al-Kāshif fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Qom, Dār al-Kitāb al-Islāmī, 1424 AH.
  • Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1371 Sh.
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