His words, Exalted is He:

Nor is it your wealth or children that will bring you nearer to Us in proximity (zulfā)…^{1Verses 36–9 comprise things which the Prophet is commanded to say to the disbelievers, particularly those who have been corrupted by their wealth, and assume that their having wealth and children will protect them from punishment.}

He said:

Al-zulfā is proximity to God, Exalted is He.

His words, Exalted is He:

^{1The order of the verses in the commentary is thus in the MSS.} Say, ‘My Lord extends provision to whomever He wills of His servants, and restricts it for him…’

He said:

Provision (rizq) is of two kinds: a provision that is remembrance [providing nourishment] for the spiritual self (nafs al-rūḥ), the intellect (ʿaql) and the heart (qalb), which resembles the sustenance of the angels — their very life (ʿaysh) is in remembrance, and were this to be withheld from them they would perish. The other kind of provision is that which is eaten, drunk and so on for the benefit of one’s [physical] nature (ṭabʿ). It is this kind which falls under what is permitted (ḥalāl) or prohibited (ḥarām). The legitimate is that which God, Exalted is He, has provided for us, and commanded us to partake of. The prohibited, on the other hand, is what God, Exalted is He, has provided but forbidden, and this is the portion of the Fire. And I do not know anything more difficult than averting the harm [of others] (kaff al-adhā) and adhering to what is permitted.

His words, Exalted is He:

‘…and whatever thing you may expend [for good] He will replace it...’

He said:

There will be a replacement (khalaf) of what has been spent, along with the intimacy (uns) of living with God (ʿaysh maʿa’Llāh), Exalted is He, and delighting in that.

His words:

Say, ‘I will give you [one] admonition: that you stand before God, in twos and singly...’

He said:

The reckoning on the Day of Resurrection is [an appraisal of] four things: veracity (ṣidq) in speech, sincerity (ikhlāṣ) in actions, rectitude (istiqāma) with God in all affairs, and heedfulness (murāqaba) of God in every situation. But, God, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.