Al-ʿAlaq^{1Two of the MSS, F638 and F3488, bear the title ‘Iqraʾ’, this being the first word of the sūra.}

His words, Exalted is He:

Nay, but man verily is wont to transgress the bounds ( when he sees himself as self-sufficient)

He said:

That is, the [mere] sight of one’s wealth (ruʾyat al-ghinā) brings about [a feeling] of independence (istighnāʾ), and the sense of independence gives rise to transgression (ṭughyān). Ḥasan [al-Baṣrī] رضي الله عنه said, ‘Short-sighted is the person who has had the world kept from him, yet does not realise that this is [a manifestation] of God’s regard for him. Moreover, short-sighted indeed is also the person who has had the world placed at his disposal, and does not fear that this may be a form of ruse (makr) that God is devising against him.’^{1Compare the commentary on 29:1, 2; 37:106; and 89:17 above.}

Then [Tustarī] said:

By God, the world has not been made available to a servant without him transgressing as a consequence, no matter who they happened to be. Then he recited His words, Exalted is He, Nay, but man verily is wont to transgress the bounds when he sees himself as self-sufficient.

His words, Exalted is He:

Is he not aware that God sees?

He said:

Nothing can be behind His back.^{1Lit. ‘There is no behind to Him’.} He is behind all that is behind.

His words, Exalted is He:

Let him, then, call upon his council.^{1This is a reference to Abū Jahl, who had tried to obstruct the Prophet when he was at prayer. When the Prophet responded harshly to this, Abū Jahl threatened him by pointing out to him that he could summon the largest council of men to support him.}

He said:

This means his tribe.

We shall call the Zabāniya.^{1The function of the Zabāniya, known as the Guardians of the Inferno or the Angels of Hell, is described in Ghazālī’s Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn, Kitāb Dhikr al-mawt, trans. Winter, pp. 196, 205, 206, 220 and 225.}

This means the keepers of Hell whose feet are on earth and heads in the heaven of this world. They are called Zabāniya from the word zabn, meaning the act of pushing away, for they push the people of Hell back on their tracks, using their arms and feet.

When Abū Jahl heard the mention of the Zabāniya he fled to his people, upon which they asked him, ‘Have you become afraid of him [the Prophet]?’ He replied, ‘No, but I fear the Zabāniya for I don’t know who they are.’