Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7 : 44 - 49
Similarly, it is in the first of the cited verses that the people of Par-
adise will tell the people of Hell that they found the promise of bless-
ings and comforts made by their Lord absolutely true and then they
will ask them if the punishment against which they were warned actu-
ally came to them, or not. They will admit that they did see it.
In support of this question and answer between them, some angel
shall, with the will of Allah, proclaim that cursed be the unjust who
used to prevent people from the path of Allah and wished that their
way too became crooked like their own and denied the Hereafter.
Who are the People of A'raf?
As a corrollary of the dialogue between those in Paradise and Hell,
there is something else pointed to in this verse - that there will be
some people who had their deliverance from Hell but had not yet found
entry into Paradise, though they did hope that they would. These peo-
ple are called the people of A'raf.
What is A'raf? This is explained by the verses of Surah Al-Hadid
(58). They tell us that there will be three groups of people on the day of
Resurrection. (1) Declared disbelievers and polytheists who will never
make it to the Bridge of Sirat, to begin with, because they will be
thrown into the Hell through its doors before that stage comes; (2) be-
lievers who will have the light of Faith with them; and (3) hypocrites -
since they have been tailing Muslims in the physical world, they will
start behind them on the same trail. When they begin walking on the
Bridge of Sirat, a dense darkness will overtake all of them. The believ-
ers will still keep moving ahead with the help of their light of Faith
while the hypocrites will call and ask them to stop and wait for them
so that they could make use of the light they have. Thereupon, a caller
for the sake of Allah will call: Turn back. Find your light there. The
message given would be that the light they were seeking was the light
of Faith and Righteous Deeds which could only be acquired at a place
which they have left behind. Those who failed to acquire this light
there through Faith and Deed shall not enjoy the benefit of that light
here. In this state, a wall would be made to stand in between the hypo-
crites and the believers. The wall would have a gate. Beyond this gate,
there will be nothing but punishment all over. Inside the gate there
will be believers and the atmosphere will be filled with the mercy of

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Allah and the view of Paradise. This is the subject of the following
verse from Surah Al-Hadid:
يَوْمَ يَقُوْلُ الْمُفِقُوْنَ وَالُْفِقْتُ لِلَّذِيْنَ أَمَنُوا أَنْظُرُوْنَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِنْ تُؤْرِكُمْ، قِئْلَ
ارْجِعُوْا وَرَاءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورًّاء فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُمُ بِسُورٍ لَّهْ بَابٌ + بَاطِنُهُ فِيُهِ
الرَّحْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُهُ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ .
The Day the hypocrites, the men and the women, will say to
those who had believed: "Wait for us. Let us have a share from
your light," it will be said, "Return behind you, then seek
light." So, put between them will be a wall with a gate in it.
Inside it, there will be mercy all over; and outside it, the Pun-
ishment face to face - 57:13.
In the verse quoted above, the wall which will be placed to separ-
ate the people of Paradise from the people of Hell has been called: 22
(sur). This word is primarily used for a security wall built around a ma-
jor city, usually made wide and fortified and posted where are army
guards who stay in bunkers and remain vigilant against any enemies.
وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ وَعَلَى الْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَّعْرِ فُونَ كُلاَّ بِسِيُلُهُمْ : Verse 46 of Surah Al-Araf says
(And between the two groups there will be a partition). According to
Ibn Jarir and other Tafsir authorities, in this verse, the word:
(hijab) means the same wall which has been called: ,22 (sur) in Surah Al-
Hadid. The top portion of the wall is known as Al-A'raf because it is
the plural form of 'Urf and 'Urf refers to the top portion of everything
as it is distinct and recognizable from a distance. From this explana-
tion we know that the top portion of the partition wall between Para-
dise and Hell is the A'raf. Then, the verse of the Surah tells us that on
the day of Resurrection there will be some people at this place who
would be seeing the happenings in Paradise and Hell both and will be
talking to people on both sides.
As for who these people shall be and why would they be made to
stop here, it is something in which commentators differ and the narra-
tions of Hadith vary. But, what is sound, weighty and acceptable with
the majority of commentators is that these people will be the ones
whose good and bad deeds will come out equal in weight on the Scale
of Deeds. So, because of their good deeds, they will have their deliver-
ance from Hell, but - because of their sins - they would have not been

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admitted into the Paradise yet. Finally, they too will find entry into
Paradise because of the grace and mercy of Allah Ta'ala.
This is what Sayyidna Hudhayfah, Ibn Mas'ud and Ibn 'Abbas ,
ar Jul, from among the Şahabah, as well as other Şahabah and Tabi'in
say. Then, in it converge narrations of Hadith reported variously. Ibn
Jarir reports from Sayyidna Hudhayfah de Algo, that the Holy Proph-
et صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about the people of A raf. He said: These are
people whose good and bad deeds will be equal. Therefore, from Jahan-
nam they stand delivered. But, in Jannah they have not entered yet.
They were stopped at this place of the A'raf until the process of ac-
counting of deeds and the judgement is over. Their fate would be de-
cided after that and ultimately they will be forgiven and admitted into
Jannah. (Ibn Kathir)
There is a narration from Sayyidna Jabir ibn 'Abdullah reported by
صلى الله عليه وسلم Ibn Marduwayh in which it is said that the Holy Prophet
was asked as to who were the people of A'raf? He said: They are people
who took part in Jihad without the pleasure and permission of their
parents and laid down their lives in the way of Allah. So, the disobedi-
ence to parents stopped them from entering into the Paradise and
their shahadah in the way of Allah stopped them from entering into
the Hell.
The two Ahadith quoted above have no element of contradiction.
Instead of that, this Hadith is an example of those whose virtues and
vices are equal in the same degree as here - martyrdom in the way of
Allah on one side and disobedience to parents on the other. The scale
is equal. (Ibn Kathir)
Salam Greetings : Blessed Legacy of the Holy Prophet
After having gone through the description and definition of the
people of A'raf, we can now take up the subject of the verse itself which
says that the people of A'raf will call out the people of Paradise and
say: " ¿¿ e"." (Salamun 'Alaiykum). This word of greeting is also used
in our present world when we meet each other. This is offered as a gift,
a mark of respect and grace felt for the person so greeted. This is Mas-
nun, a way of Sunnah as practiced and recommended to his community
by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is also said to the dead while
visiting their graves. Then, it will also be the form of greeting on the

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plain of Resurrection, and in Paradise as well. But, a closer look at the
verses of the Qur'an and the narrations of Hadith tells us that saying:
"¿uje'sufrí" (As-Salamu 'Alaiykum) is Masnun as long as we live in this
world. Then, after having passed away from this mortal world, what is
Masnun is saying: "Který." (Salamun 'Alaiykum) - without the letters
Alif and Lam at the beginning of Salam. The words to be said at the
time of visiting graves as mentioned in the Qur'an also appear in this
form, that is:ِسَلُمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمُ فَنِعْمَ عُقُّبَى الدَّار :Peace on you [Sal am un
'Alaiykum] for that you observed patience. Then, fair is the ultimate
abode - 13:24). And when the angels will receive the people of Paradise,
: سَدْمٌ عَلَيْكُمُ طِبْتُمُ فَادْخُلُوُهَا خُلِدِينَ :this word appears in the same form there too
(Salamun 'Alaiykum [Peace on you], you have done well. So, enter in it
to live forever - 39:73). And here too, the people of A'raf will greet the
people of Paradise with the same words: ''s (Salamun 'Alaiykum).
Stated next is the status of the people of A'raf that they have yet to
وَإِذَا صُرِفَتُ اَبْصَارُهُمُ:enter Paradise, though they hope to. After that it is said
And when their eyes will be turned) تُلِقَاءَ أَصُحْبِ النَّارِ قَالُوا رَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الْظُلِمِيْنَ
towards the people of the Fire, they will say, "Our Lord, do not put us
in the company of the unjust people - 47).
The fifth verse (48) also mentions that the people of A'raf will ad-
dress the people of Hell and admonish them by saying that the wealth
and power that they depended on, and because of which they had be-
come proud and arrogant, went the way of waste for all those
strengths did not work for them at their hour of need.
أَخَؤُلاءِ الَّذِيْنَ أَقْسَيُّهُمْ لَا يَنَاْلُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ أُدُخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ لَاَ خَوْفٌ : Said in the sixth verse (49) is
3323, Se (Is it these for whom you swore that Allah would not
reach them with mercy?" - "Enter the Paradise; there is no fear on you,
nor shall you grieve).
Explaining this, Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas _ __ , says:
When the questions and anwers between the people of A'raf and the
people of Paradise and Hell both will be over, that will be the time
when the Lord of all the worlds will address the people of Hell and tell
them about the people of A'raf that they swore that the people of A'raf
will not be forgiven their sins and mercy will not be shown to them.
Then, there comes an immediate declaration of His mercy when the
people of A'raf will be told: Go and enter the Paradise. You should have

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no fear of what had happened in the past nor should you have any
anxiety about the future. (Ibn Kathir)
Verses 50 - 53
وَنَاذَى أَصْحُبُ النَّارِ أَصْحُبَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنَ افِيُضُوا عَلَيْنَا مِنَ
الْمَاءِ أَوْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللهُ- قَالُؤْاَ إِنَّ اللّهَ حَتَّمَهُمَا عَلَى
الْكُفِرِينَ ﴿﴿ اَلَّذِيْنَ اتَّخَذُوا دِيْنَهُمْ لَهُوَّا وَلَعِبًا وَغَّتُهُمُ
الْخَيْوةُ الدُّنْيَاء فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْسُهُمُ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يُؤْمِهِمْ هذَا"
وَمَا كَانُوا بِأَيْتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ ﴿٥١﴾ وَلَقَدُ جِئْتُهُمْ بِكِتْبٍ فَضَّلْتُهُ
عَلَى عِلْمِ هُدِّى قَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمِ ثُمِنُونَ ﴿٥٢) هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّ
تَأْوِيْلَةُ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُ يُقُوْلُ الَّذِينَ نَسُرُهُ مِنْ قَبُلُ قَدْ
جَاءَتُ وُلُ رَيِّنَا بِالْحَقِّْ فَهَلْ لَّنَا مِنْ شُفَعَاءَ فَيَشُفَعُوا لَنَّاً
أَوْتُرَدُّ فَتَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِى كُتَّا نَعُمَلُ، قَدُ خَسُِاْ أَنْفُسَهُمَ
وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿٥٣﴾
And the people of Fire will call out to the people of Par-
adise, "Pour on us some water or some of what Allah
has provided you." They will say, "Allah has prohibited
these for disbelievers, [50] who had taken their faith as
play and game, and the worldly life has deceived
them." So, today We shall forget them, as they forgot to
face this day of theirs, and as they used to deny Our
signs. [51]
And surely We have brought them the Book We have
elaborated, with knowledge, a guidance and mercy for
people who believe. [52]
They are waiting for nothing but its final result. The
day when its final result comes, those who had ignored
it earlier will say, "Surely, the messengers of our Lord
had come with truth. So, are there any intercessors for
us who could intercede in our favour? Or, could we be
sent back, so that we might do contrary to what we
used to do?" They have put their selves to loss, and lost

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 54
from them are those whom they used to coin. [53]
Verse 54
إِنَّ رَّكُمُ اللهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمُوْتِ وَالْآَرْضَ فِيُ سِتَّةٍ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ
اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ◌َّ يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهْ حَثِيْئًا وَ
الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُمَ مُسَخَّرْتٍ بِأَمْرٍِ، أَلَا لَهُ الْخُلُقُ وَ
الْآَمُوْء تَبُرَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعُلَمِيْنَ ﴿٥٤)
Surely, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and
the earth in six days, then He positioned himself on the
Throne. He covers the day with night which pursues it
swiftly. And (He created) the sun and the moon and the
stars, subjected to His command. Beware, for Him is
the creation and the command. Glorious is Allah, the
Lord of all the worlds. [54]
Commentary
Verse 54 begins with the statement that Allah has created the
heavens and the earth and the planets and the stars and that they
perform their functions under a firmly established system. The state-
ment releases an inevitable suggestion that the maker of this system
has the most perfect power conceivable. This, in turn, invites every
reasonable human being to think. Here is the most sacred Being who
is capable of bringing this great universe from non-being to the state of
being and who can keep it functioning through the wisest of systems.
Why would it be difficult for him to undo everything and recreate it
once again on the day of Qiyamah? For human beings, the best course
is to stop denying the Qiyamah and turn to the same Being as their
Rabb who is their Master and Nurturer. From Him they should seek
what they need and Him alone they should worship. Let them come
out of the quagmire of worshiping their own kind and recognize the
truth. Said herein was: 'Surely, your Lord is Allah - Who created the
heavens and the earth in six days.'
The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth: Why in Six Days?
A question arises here. We know that Allah Ta'ala has great power.
He is capable of creating the whole universe in a single moment. The
Holy Qur'an itself says so time and again. For instance, in Surah Al-

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 54
Qamar, it is said : ◌ِوَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلَّ وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمُحُ بِالْبَصَر (And Our Command is but a sin-
gle Word, - like the twinkling of an eye - 54:50). Again, in Surah Ya Sin,
it is said : ◌ُإِذَا أَرَادَشَيْنَا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنُ فَيَكُور (when [Allah] intends [to create] a thing
- for it He says: "Be" and it comes to be - 36:82). Why, then, would six
days be spent in creating the universe?
Commentator of the Qur'an, Sayyidna Said ibn Jubayr Le JI,
has given an answer by saying that Allah is certainly capable of creat-
ing everything there is in a single moment, but Divine wisdom so de-
manded that the creation of our universe take six days so that human
beings could be taught the lesson of graduation and perfection in run-
ning the universal system. This is supported by a Hadith in which the
Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Working with deliberation, dignity and
graduation is from Allah Ta'ala and hastening, from Shaytan. (Mazhari,
with reference to Shu'ab al-'Īman by Al-Baihaqi)
The implication is that the attitude of rushing into doing things is
not good for human beings. One cannot give due thought to and take
into consideration all aspects of an issue at hand if driven by haste. An
action taken in haste spoils what is done and brings remorse in the
end. So, whatever is done with proper advance thinking and functional
ease brings Barakah (blessing from Allah which enhances the effecien-
cy and outcome of the endeavour).
How were Days and Nights identified before the Creation of
Earth, Heavens and Planets?
The second question is: The presence of the day and night is recog-
nized through the movement of the sun. But, before the birth of the
earth and the heavens, when there was no sun and moon, on what ba-
sis comes the count of six days?
For this reason, some commentators have said that six days means
a time duration equal to six days and nights as in the existing world.
But, a much clearer approach is that the terminology of day and night,
that is, what occurs from sunrise to sunset is day and what appears
from sunset to the next sunrise is night, is a terminology used in this
world. May be, before the birth of the universe, Allah Ta'ala had other
signs determined for the day and night - as it would be in Paradise
where the day and night will not depend on the movement of the sun.

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 54
This also tells us that it is not necessary that the six days during
which the earth and the heavens were created, be equal to our six
days. Instead, it is possible that they may be longer than these - as the
Qur'an says about the day of'Akhirah which will be equal to one thou-
sand years.
Abu 'Abdullah Razi has said that the movement of the far firma-
ment is so fast as compared to the movements of our earth that the
raised step of a man running here has still to come down to touch the
ground when the far firmament moves a distance of three thousand
miles. (Al-Bahr Al-Muhit)
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Mujahid say that six days here mean
the six days of 'Akhirah. The same view appears in a narration of
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as Al ge, as reported by Dahhak.
And these six days during which the creation of the universe took
place began, according to authentic narrations, from Friday and ended
on Friday. On Yowm al-Sabt (the day of Sabbath), that is, Saturday,
there was no work done on the creation of the universe. Some 'Ulama
say that 'sabt' means to discontinue. The day was named as Yowm al-
Sabt because the work of creation was over by that day. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Mentioned in this verse is the creation of the universe in six days.
Its details appear in verses 9 and 10 of Surah Ha Mim As-Sajdah
(Fuşșilat - 41:9,10) saying that the earth was created in two days, then,
created on the earth were, mountains, rivers, tributeries, trees, vege-
tation and things, human beings and animals could eat, in another
two days. This comes to a total of four days. So, it was first said: 31
قَدَّرَ فِيهَا :created the earth in two days) and then it was said) اُلْأَرُضَ فِىٌ يَؤُمَيْنٍ
and determined in it the measure of its sustenance in) أَنْوَاتَهَا فِيَّ أَرْبَعَةِ آَيَّامٍ
four days).
The first two days during which the earth was created are Sunday
and Monday; and the other two days during which the mountains, riv-
ers and the life support systems of the earth were created are Tuesday
and Wednesday. Thereafter, it was said: فَقَضُهُنَ سَبُعَ سَمُوتٍ فِي يَوْمَيْن (that is,
then We completed the seven heavens in two days - 41:13). As obvious,
these two days will be Thursday and Friday. Thus, by Friday, this be-
comes a total of six days.

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 54
In the present verse (54), after mentioning the creation of the heav-
ثَمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى العَرُش :ens and the earth, it was said
(then He positioned Him-
self on the Throne). The word: ) (Istawa), as followed by 'ala (on)
here, literally means to take position on, or to settle, or be estab-
lished. The word: ' ('Arsh) means throne. Now, the question is what
is this throne, the throne of the great Rahman, and how is it shaped or
constituted, or is as it is - and what would the phenomena of
'positioning' on it mean?
Regarding this, the safest creed to hold, that which is clear and
correct, and fairly doubt-free too, is no other but that of the most right-
eous elders, the Șahabah and the Tabi'in - and later, that of many Sufi
thinkers as well. The creed is that human reason is incapable of com-
prehending the reality of the Being and Attributes of Allah Jalla
Sha'nuhu. Pursuing the knowledge of its exact reality is an exercise in
futility, even harmful. One should believe, as a matter of general prin-
ciple, that the meaning intended by Allah Ta'ala - whatever it may be -
is the one correct and true. And, in this process, one should not try to
determine or worry about fixing a meaning on one's own.
Someone asked the famous Imam Malik exactly the same question:
What is the meaning of :ِاسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرُش (Istawa 'ala al-arsh : positioned
Himself on the throne)? He paused for a while, then said: 'Everyone
knows the meaning of 'Istawa,' and its particular nature and reality is
such that human reason cannot comprehend it, and having faith in it
is obligatory (Wajib), and asking a question about its nature and reali-
ty is Bid'ah (innovation in established religion) - because, the noble Sa-
habah, may Allah be pleased with them all, never asked such ques-
tions of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم .Great elders (Salaf), Sufyan Al-
Thawriy, Imam Awza'i, Layth ibn Sa'd, Sufyan ibn 'Uyaiynah and
'Abdullah ibn Mubarak, may the mercy of Allah be upon them all, have
said that the verses which have appeared in the Qur'an as related to
the Being and Attributes of Allah Ta'ala should be believed in as they
have come and exactly as they are, without any explanation, explica-
tion and interpretation. (Mazhari)
Said after that in the verse was: مُغْشِى الْيُلَ النَّهَارَ يَطُلُبُهُ حَدِيثًا (He covers the
day with night which pursues it swifly). The sense is that this alterna-
tion of the night and day is a phenomenon of revolutionary proportions

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Surah Al-A'raf : 7: 54
in that it brings the whole world from light into the darkness, and
from darkness into the light. Then, this very phenomena lends itself so
swiftly and smoothly and obediently to the magnificent subduing pow-
er of Allah Ta'ala that the least delay is not caused (in this transfor-
mation on such an unimaginable scale).
After that, it was said: ◌ٍوَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالتَّجُوْمَ مُسَخَّرْتٍ بِأَمُرٍه that is, Allah creat-
ed the sun and the moon and the stars in a state that all of them are
moving in obedience to His will and command.
For a reasonable person, this is an invitation to think, to think
about things made by the made he observes around him all the time.
Experts make machines of all sorts. Some of them would have engi-
neering problems right from the start. Others may not have such prob-
lems, but machines are machines, no matter how strong the base ma-
terial and how impeccable the design. Parts have their normal wear
and tear, or need for adjustment, repairs, servicing. Machines become
idle until fixed. It might take weeks, or months, to put them back to
work. But, look at these God-made machines. The effeciency and the
perfection with which they started working from day one is still there.
They are working wonderfully non-stop. Their movement is as precise
as ever, not a second fast or slow. There is no wear and tear of parts
and no need to go to a workshop. The reason is that they are function-
ing 'subject to His command' ( Blog). In other words, they need no
source of energy to move them, no engine to make them function. They
are working only under Divine Command. They are subjected to that
alone. Therefore, the emergence of the slightest malfunction in them is
impossible. But, of course, when the Absolute Master Himself decides
to eliminate them at a time appointed by Him, this entire system
would disintegrate. That day will be the day of Qiyamah.
After having pointed out some examples, the description of the Ab-
solute Subduing Power of Allah Ta'ala was put in the form of a general
rule by saying: 1, ff (Beware, for Him alone is the creation and
the command). The word: i (khalq) means to create and: 21 (amr), to
command. The sense is that being the Creator and the Master is exclu-
sive to Him. Other than Him, no one else can create the most insignifi-
cant of things, nor does anyone have the right to subject anyone to his
command (except that Allah Ta'ala Himself delegates a particular area

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of activity to someone, in which case that too would be, in reality,
nothing but the command of Allah). So, the verse means that creating
all these things was the work of none but Him, and putting them into
service was also not something anyone else could handle, for that too
is an spectacle of the perfect power of Allah Ta'ala.
In Sufi thought, 'Khalq' and 'Amr' are two domains. 'Khalq' relates
to matter and 'Amr' to the refined abstract. The Qur'anic verse: B.
ES J& (Say, "The soul is a command from my Lord." - 17:58) points out
in this direction as "Ruh" (soul, spirit) has been identified as a com-
mand from the Lord. The sense of the creation and the command being
exclusive to Allah Ta'ala would, in this light, mean that everything be-
tween the heavens and the earth is from matter and its creation has
been called "Khalq." And what is beyond these, free from matter, its
creation has been called "Amr." (Mazhari)
At the end of the verse, it was said: ◌َتَبْرَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعُلَمِيْن (Glorious is Al-
lah, the Lord of the worlds). The word: 34 (tabarak) appearing here is
a derivation from barakah which means to increase, grow, become
more, remain, sustain, besides being employed in many other shades
of meaning. At this place, 'tabaraka' means to be high and supreme. It
can be taken in the sense of high and sustaining, for Allah Ta'ala is
both. The sense of high finds confirmation in a sentence of the Hadith
which says :تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيُتَ يَاذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالإِكْرَام (You are blessed and high, O Mas-
ter of Glory and Honour). Here, the word: 'tabarkta' has been ex-
plained by the word: ta'alaita which follows.
Verses 55 - 56
أُدُعُوا رَبَّكُمُ تَضَُّهًا وَخُفُيَةٌ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُتَدِينَ ﴿٥٥﴾ وَلَاَ
تُفْسِدُوْا فِى الْآَرْضِ بَعُدَ إِصْلاَ حِهَا وَادْعُهُ خَوْفًا وَ طَمَّعَاءُ
إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرْبٌ مِنَ المُحُسِنِينَ ﴿٥٦)
Supplicate to your Lord humbly and secretly. Surely,
He does not like those who cross the limits. [55]
And do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in
order. And supplicate to Him in fear and hope. Surely,
the mercy of Allah is close to the good in deeds. [56]

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Commentary
Mentioned in previous verses were particular manifestations of the
perfect power of Allah Ta'ala, and His major blessings. The present
verses lead us to consider: When He is the Master of perfect power, the
sender of all blessings, and the Lord of all the worlds, it naturally fol-
lows that He should be the One to be called upon and prayed to under
all circumstances, whether in distress or in need. The attitude of by-
passing Him and turning towards some other direction is ignorance
and failure.
Along with it, identified in these verses are some rules of etiquette
to be followed when making Du'a' (prayer, supplication). If due consid-
eration is given to these rules, the hope that a prayer will be answered
increases.
The Meaning and Etiquette of Du'a and Dhikr
The word: . 63 (Du'a'), in the Arabic language, means to call upon
someone to remove one's need. It is also used to remember in the abso-
lute sense. Both meanings can be taken here. The verse says: ze, vai
(Supplicate to your Lord) that is, call your Rabb for your needs, or re-
member your Rabb and worship Him.
In the first case, it would mean: Ask Allah alone for what you need.
In the second case, the sense would be: Do your Dhikr and 'Ibadah for
Him alone. Both these explanations have been reported from Tafsir
authorities among the early righteous elders.
After that, it was said: & Gas (humbly and secretly). The word:
su (tadarru') means realization of inability, humility, and submission
in a refined spirit of self-abasement (not found in the English language
and its modern, secular, cultural context). And the word: 22 (khufyah)
means secret, secluded, or private (as opposed to open and public - as
used in English too, but with no relevance to the dominant sense of se-
cret in English bearing on the mysterious, the occult, and the whole
field of espionage).
In the frame of these two words, described there are two important
rules of etiquette which govern Du'a' and Dhikr. First of all, in order
that Du'a' be answered, it is necessary that one appears before Allah
Ta'ala as weak, helpless and simply unable to hold on his own, modest

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and humble, and submits to Him with a total negation of what is sup-
posed to be pride, dignity, honour, ego, or self-view - and then makes
Du'a'. Du'a' is a thing of the soul which requires that its words match
the feebleness and humbleness of the maker of Du'a', that the manner
of saying it remains a mirror of modesty, and that this overall humili-
ty should ooze forth from the very physical approach to this making of
Du'a'. Given this anatomy and profile of Du'a', the common practice of
making Du'a' these days cannot really be called the making of Du'a'. It
would, rather, be the reading of it. What happens most of the time is
that we do not know what we are saying and it has become a routine
as we notice in common Masajid. Imams would usually say, rather
read, some words of Du'a' in the Arabic language which they have
memorized and do this at the end of Salah. Most of the time, in some
areas, the Imams themselves do not know the meaning and sense of
what they say - and even if they do know it, at least the less-knowing
participants of the congregation are virtually unaware of what is being
said. They would almost mechanically go on saying 'Amin, 'Amin' after
the words read by the Imam without having any clue as to what was
being said there. The outcome of all this stage demonstration is the vo-
calization of some words. Du'a'has a reality of its own which is just not
there. Then, this is an entirely different matter that Allah Ta'ala, in
His infinite mercy, may accept these very lifeless words and give them
the effect of answered prayers. But, it is necessary that everyone un-
derstands that Du'a' is not 'read.' It is 'asked.' Therefore, it is crucial
that one asks as one should, properly, as due.
Then, there is another aspect of Du'a'. If a person does know the
meanings of the words of his Du'a' - and even understands what he is
saying - still, if it is not accompanied by proper approach, manner and
physical bearing, the Du'a' stands reduced to a bland claim to which no
created servant of Allah is entitled.
So, given in the first word was the spirit of Du'a' which requires
that one shows his humility and prays to Allah for what he needs.
Then, in the second word, the instruction given is that the asking in
Du'a' for what one needs should be done secretly and in a lowered voice
which is superior in merit and more likely to be answered. The reason
is that making Du'a'in a raised voice is not free of three possible draw-

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backs. Firstly, it is difficult to maintain modesty and humility in doing
so. Secondly, there is the danger of hypocricy and desire for recogni-
tion creeping in through this mode. Thirdly, the manner in which this
Du'a is made only goes to show that the person making it almost does
not know that Allah Ta'ala is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. He knows
what we show on the outside and also that which we conceal inside.
He hears everything said quitely or loudly. Therefore, when the voice
of the Companions reached a loud pitch during Du'a' made on the occa-
sion of the Battle of Khaybar, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: You
are not calling someone deaf or absent that you say it in such a loud
voice. Instead, your addressee is someone Hearing, Near, that is, Allah
Ta'ala (so, to raise your voice is redundant). Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu has
Himself mentioned the Du'a' of a righteous person in these words: 36 3)
CHIL If (When he called his Rabb calling in a lowered voice - 19:3).'
This tells us that the state of Du'a' liked by Allah Ta'ala is that it be
asked of Him in a lowered and subdued voice.
Sayyidna Hasan al-Basri says: There is a difference of seventy de-
grees in making Du'a' openly and loudly when matched by the one
made in a lowered voice. It was the habit of early righteous elders that
they would exert to their maximum in Dhikr and Du'a which kept
them busy most of the time, but their voice was not heard by anyone.
In fact, their supplications would remain between them and their
Rabb. Many of them would memorize the whole Qur'an and keep en-
gaged in reciting it, but others would not know about it. Then, there
would be others engaged in their pursuit of advanced religious knowl-
edge, but they would never go about telling others that they were do-
ing so. There would be many others who would return from their
homes after having long sessions of Salah but no one would come to
know anything about that. He also said that he had seen such blessed
people who would never perform 'Ibadat, which they could do in pri-
vate, out in the open where people could see them - and their voices
during Du'a' would be very low. (Ibn Kathir, Mazhari)
Ibn Jurayj has said that raising voices in Du'a' and making it noisy
is Makruh (reprehensible). In his Ahkam al-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-
Jaşșaș has said: This verse tells us that making Du'a' in a lowered
voice is more merit-worthy than making it in a raised voice. It has

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been reported likewise from Hadrat Hasan Basri and Sayyidna Ibn
'Abbas ar Ml a,. This verse also tells us that the 'Amin' said at the end
of Surah al-Fatihah should also be said in a lowered voice, which is
more merit-worthy, because 'Amin' ( Amen : so be it) is also a Du'a'.
May Allah Ta'ala guide Imams of Masajid in our time who seem to
have forgotten this teaching of the Qur'an and Sunnah and the in-
structions of early righteous elders in this matter. After every Salah,
what follows as Du'a' has become an artificial procedure. Some words
are read out loudly which, besides being contrary to the etiquette and
rules of Du'a', become the source of disturbing the Salah of those who
joined the congregation after it had started and were busy completing
the missed part after the Imam had finished. The overwhelming influ-
ence of custom has made them incapable of noticing its drawbacks. On
a particular occasion where the purpose is to have a whole group make
a particular Du'a', one person may say the words of Du'a' in a reason-
ably audible voice and others say 'Amin' after it, then, it does not mat-
ter. However, the condition is that this activity does not become the
source of disturbance in the Salah and 'Ibadah of others - and that this
does not become a matter of habit and custom whereby common people
start believing in it as the standard method of making Du'a', as hap-
pening so commonly these days.
What has been said above concerned the making of Du'a' for one's
needs. If Du'a' is taken in the sense of Dhikr (remembrance) and
'Ibadah (worship) at his place, then, according to the established posi-
tion of early 'Ulama, low-voiced Dhikr is more merit-worthy than loud
Dhikr. As for the practice of Shaykhs in the Chistiah Order who rec-
ommend loud Dhikr for beginners, they do so in view of the spiritual
condition of the seeker, as a measure of treatment, so that by voicing it
any lack of alertness would go away and the heart would learn to be-
come attuned to the Dhikr of Allah - otherwise, raising the voice in
Dhikr, as such, is not desirable even with them, though it is permissi-
ble, and its justification stands proved from Hadith as well, of course,
subject to the condition that, in it, there be no hypocricy or the desire
to show off (riya').
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban, Al-Baihaqi and others have
reported from a narration by Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas as Algo,

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that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
خَيْرُ الذِّكْرِ الْخَفِىُّ وَخَيْرُ الرِّزْقِ مَا يَكْفِئْ
'The best Dhikr is hidden and the best sustenance is what be-
comes sufficient.'
However, under particular conditions and timings, a voiced Dhikr
is actually more desirable and merit-worthy. Details of these timings
صلى الله عليه وسلم and conditions have been explained by the Holy Prophet
through his word and deed, for example, calling Adhan and Iqamah
with a raised voice, reciting the Qur'an during the voiced prayers with
a raised voice, saying the Takbirs of Salah, the Takbirs of Tashriq, the
Talbiyah in Hajj etc., with a raised voice. Therefore, Muslim jurists,
may Allah have mercy on them all, have reached the decision that in
صلى الله عليه وسلم particular conditions and places where the Holy Prophet
has, by word or deed, taught us to raise the voice, voices must be
raised. Under conditions and situations other than these, voiceless
Dhikr is most preferable and beneficial.
At the end of the verse, it was said: 31E Js " (Surely, He does
not like those who cross the limits). The word: al (al-mu'tadin) is a
derivation from I'tida' which means to cross the limits. The sense is
that Allah Ta'ala does not like those who cross the limits, exactly as
given in the translation. This crossing of limits, whether in Du'a' or
some other activity, has the same outcome - that Allah Ta'ala does not
like that. In fact, if looked at closely, the religion of Islam is the very
name of observing limits and restrictions and electing to submit and
obey. Take the example of Salah, Şawm, Hajj, Zakah and all dealings
and transactions, when limits set by the Shari'ah of Islam are crossed
in them, they do not remain acts of worship anymore - instead, they
become sin.
Crossing the limits in Du'a' may take several forms. Firstly, that
literal formalities, such as rhyming and other stylistic devices, are em-
ployed in Du'a' which may spoil its essential ingredients of humility
and submission. Secondly, that unnecessary restrictions are intro-
duced in Du'a - as it appears in Hadith that Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn
Mughaffal &e Ji », saw that his son was making Du'a' in the following
words: 'O Allah, I seek from You the palace in Paradise which is white

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in colour and located on the right hand side.' He stopped him and said:
'Making such restrictions in Du'a is crossing the limit, which has been
prohibited in the Qur'an and Hadith.' (Mazhari from a narration of Ibn Majah
and others)
The third form of crossing the limits is that someone makes a Du'a'
wishing ill of Muslims in general, or asks from Allah something which
is harmful for them. Similarly, it is also a form of crossing the limits -
as mentioned here - that Du'a' be made in a raised voice without the
need to do so. (Tafsir Mazhari, Ahkam al-Qur'an)
In the second verse (56), it was said : وَلاَ تُفُسِدُوا فِى الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا (And do
no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order). Two antonyms
have appeared here: › (salah) and: L (fasad). 'Salah' means the
state of being good, correct, right, proper or set in order as in the
translation. Then, Fasad refers to the state of evil, corruption, mis-
chief, disorder. Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said in his Mufradat al-
Qur'an that Fasad refers to something going beyond the limits of mod-
eration, whether this crossing over is insignificant or enormous, and
the measure of an increase or decrease in every Fasad depends on this
crossing of the limits of moderation. The farther the limits are crossed,
Fasad will increase. Fasad means to make things bad and Islah means
to correct, reform or put into order. Therefore, the verse: ' 's,
4śli means: 'do not make things bad on the earth after that Allah
has made it good and proper.'
Imam Raghib has also said: There are several forms in which Allah
Ta'ala makes something right, correct and proper. Firstly, He began by
creating them right, correct and proper, as in: "unei; (He will improve
their condition - 47:2). Secondly, removed was the corruption that had
entered into something, as in: Kuzia! (That He may make your
deeds good and right - 33:71). Thirdly, that a command is given to put
things in order. This verse carries a command of abstention from mis-
chief on the earth after it has been set in order. Here, the ordering of
the earth may be taken in two senses. Firstly, the outward propriety
that it was made arable and capable of growing trees with rains made
to come from clouds resulting in flowers and fruits as gifts from plants
and trees - and that the earth was made the source of life support for
human beings and animals.

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The second sense is that Allah Ta'ala set things right on the earth
inwardly and spiritually - by sending His messengers and Books and
instructions and purifying it from Kufr and Shirk and error. It is quite
possible that the verse means both inward and outward order in a to-
tal way. Thus, the verse would now mean that Allah Ta'ala has put the
earth in proper order both physically and spiritually and now you
should not create disorder or engineer evil in there through your acts
of sin and disobedience.
What is Order or Disorder on the Earth and What have Sins of
People to do with it?
The way there are two aspects of order (Islah), the outward and the
inward, or the physical and the spiritual, in the same way, there are
two aspects of disorder (Fasad) also. As for the outward or physical or-
der of the earth is concerned, that it be right and proper, it will be re-
alized that Allah Ta'ala has made it to be a mass or body which is nei-
ther liquid as water making it difficult to settle down upon it, nor is it
hard as rock or iron which could not be dug up. It has been created to
be in a middle state so that human beings could make it soft and
smooth lending itself to being farmed and become capable of growing
plants and trees and flowers and fruits. Then, they could also dig it up
to sink wells and make moats and canals, lay strong foundations for
houses to live; and then, right in and out of the earth, He created
things and circumstances which would help habitate the earth, make
vegetation, trees, flowers and fruits grow in it; and then, from the out-
side, He created wind, light, heat and chill, and made water rain
through clouds over it so that trees could grow. And brought in service
were stars and planets from where warm and cold rays were cast on
them which filled flowers and fruits with colour and juice. Human be-
ings were endowed with intelligence through which they dug up raw
materials from the earth, like iron, copper, wood and so many other
metals and rocks which they harnessed into a new world full of indus-
tries and artifices. This is the outward ordering of the earth which was
brought into effect by the perfect power of Allah Ta'ala.
As for the inward and spiritual ordering of life is concerned, it de-
pends on the remembrance of Allah (Dhikr), relationship with Allah
(Ta'alluq ma' Allah) and on obedience to Him (Ita'ah). For this, to be-

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gin with, Allah Ta'ala has already placed in the heart of every human
being a basic substance and urge to remember and to obey Him: wal
4pt; " (Then, He inspired it [that is, inspired the soul or heart in-
stinctively] as to its wrong and as to its right -91:8). So, all around hu-
man beings not a particle remains in which Allah Ta'ala has not placed
wonders of His perfect power and His astounding creativity, seeing
which, even a person of average understanding would be moved to say:
So blessed be Allah, the Best to create! - 23:14). Other) فَتَبْرَكَ اللّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخُلِقِيْنَ
than these manifestations, He sent His messengers, revealed His
Books through which the essential linkage between the Creator and
the created was fully established.
Thus, the command given is that now that the earth has been
placed in proper order, outwardly and inwardly, let it not go bad
through human misdeeds.
As pointed out earlier, like Islah or order having two aspects, Fasad
or disorder also has two aspects, the outward and the inward. This
saying of Allah Ta'ala forbids both.
Though the recurring insistence of the Qur'an and the Holy Proph-
et صلى الله عليه وسلم is on spiritual order as a cardinal duty which, in effect,
aims to stop any emergence of spiritual disorder as a counter possibili-
ty. But, in the world we live in, the linkage between the order and dis-
order of the physical and spiritual is such that any disorder in one be-
comes the source of disorder in the other. Therefore, when the Shari'ah
of the Qur'an has blocked the doors of spiritual disorder, it has also
prohibited physical disorder. Theft, robbery, murder and all ways of
immodesty and indecency create all sorts of physical and spiritual dis-
order in the world. So, stern restrictions were placed and punishments
proposed particularly against such evil acts while common sins and
crimes were also prohibited - because, every sin becomes the source of
physical disorder at some time, and that of spiritual disorder at some
other. And, if looked at closely, every outward disorder becomes the
cause of inward disorder, and conversely, every inward disorder be-
comes the source of outward disorder.
That outward or physical disorder becomes the inevitable source of
inward or spiritual disorder is obvious, for it is the contravention of
the command to obey Divine injunctions - in fact, disobedience to Allah

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Ta'ala is another name for spiritual disorder. As for the chemistry of
spiritual disorder and how it transforms itself as the cause of physical
disorder, this can be discerned only through a little serious reflection.
The reason is that this whole world and everything big and small in it
was created by the Master of the domain of creation to wherever it ex-
tends, and it is but subservient to His command. So far as human be-
ings remain obedient to Allah, everything stands harnessed into their
service as due and proper. But, when human beings start disobeying
Allah Ta'ala, everything in the world starts disobeying human beings
from behind a curtain through which they cannot see with their mor-
tal eyes. But, it is by deliberation into the effects, properties, results
and outcomes of these things that one does find the relevant proof of
their becoming hostile very conclusively.
If taken with a surface view, human beings keep using all these
things normally. When water goes down the throat, it does not refuse
to quench thirst; food does not stop removing hunger and dress and
home do not disappoint them by refusing to provide defence against
heat and chill.
But, when looked at in terms of the ultimate outcome, it would ap-
pear that none of these things is fulfilling its assigned job - because,
the real function and use of all these things is that they should provide
peace and comfort, that anxieties are removed and sicknesses are
cured.
Now if you look at conditions prevailing in our world, you will real-
ize that, despite the proliferation of things of comfort and the means
and materials of curing diseases much beyond any expectations, the
majority of human beings is victimized by extreme distresses and dis-
eases. Never-known diseases and ever-new calamities seem to be the
order of the day. No one, not even the highest among human beings, is
contended and in peace in his or her station of life. In fact, the more
these functional facilities and fruits of skill keep increasing in their
output, the more increasing becomes the parallel manifestation of dis-
eases, anxieties, disasters and hardships - very much like the saying
in Urdu which means: "The more they treat you, the more sick they
make you.'
If modern man bewitched by the magic of energy and its material