Introductionتعارف
Sahl said:
Muḥammad b. Sawwār related on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهم that the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Whoever wishes to behold the Resurrection as if he were seeing it with his own eyes should read: When the sun is folded away [81:1], When the heaven is split open [82:1] and When the heaven is rent asunder [84:1].’
⟦ Umar ⟧
Ayah 7آیت 7
His words, Exalted is He:
and when souls are coupled.
It has been said that the souls of the believers will be joined with the dark-eyed maidens of Paradise [houris], while the souls of the disbelievers will be joined with devils. The disbeliever (kāfir) and the devil (shayṭān) will be coupled together with a single chain. In this verse there is a cautioning against taking evil companions (quranāʾ al-sūʾ).
Sahl said:
The natural self and spiritual self will be joined together and will be mingled in [their partaking of] the bliss of Paradise inasmuch as they were allied in this world in keeping remembrance constantly (idāmat al-dhikr) and upholding a state of gratitude (iqāmat al-shukr).1See above, Tustarī’s commentary on 57:6, and IT, pp. xxxix–xl.
Notes
See above, Tustarī’s commentary on 57:6, and IT, pp. xxxix–xl.
⟦ quranā al-sū ⟧
Ayah 14آیت 14
His words, Exalted is He:
[then] a soul will know what it has presented.
Every soul will be certain of the fact that whatever it strived to do will not be fitting for that assembly. Whoever is blessed by disclaiming any credit for himself will be saved, but whoever is tied to the [expectation of] reward for his deeds will be disappointed.
Ayah 26آیت 26
His words, Exalted is He:
So where are you going?
⸢Where are you straying to (ayna taʿdilūna)⸣1Added on the basis of all the MSS: Z515, f. 129a, F638, f. 63a and F3488, f. 211a. away from His Book after [receiving] the explanation (bayān) that has come to you?
Notes
Added on the basis of all the MSS: Z515, f. 129a, F638, f. 63a and F3488, f. 211a.
⟦ tadilūna ⟧
Ayah 27آیت 27
It is only a reminder for all the worlds,
He said:
This Message [i.e. the Qurʾān] is especially for those among the worlds who are knowledgeable1Translating ʿāliman bi’l-ʿilm according to all three MSS: Z515, f. 129a, F638, f. 63a and F3488, f. 311a, instead of āliman bi’l-dhikr. and submit to the Sacred Law (sharīʿa). Do you not notice how God, Exalted is He, has said: for those of you ⸢O people of Mecca,⸣2The addition was made on the basis of all the MSS: Z515, f. 129a, F638, f. 63a and F3488, f. 311a. who wish to take the straight path [81:28], following the way (ṭarīq)3All MSS have ṭarīq singular rather than ṭuruq, plural. to Him through faith (īmān) in Him. However, your rectitude (istiqāma) will not be sound for you, either in its root or in its branches, save in accordance with My pre-existing will (mashīʾatī al-ṣābiqa) [which prevails] over you.
But God, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.
Notes
⟦ Qurān sharīa mashīatī āliman bi’l-ilm ⟧