Part 23

Allah Most High also said,

{Those who conceal the clear signs we have sent down, and the Guidance, after we have made it clear for

the people in the Book, on them shall be Allah's curse and the curse of those entitled to curse.}

This verse was revealed as a condemnation to the Jewish scholars. The clear signs refer to the Divine

{The Guidance} means the prophecies of Muhammad (pbuh) and his features in their book. {After we

have made it clear for the people} refers to the children of Israel. {The Book} refers to the Torah. {On

them} means those who conceal the truth. {And the curse of those who are entitled to curse} refers to all of

creation except jinn and mankind as Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) stated. Ibn Mas'ud said,

"When two Muslims indulge in cursing, their curse would return to the Jews and the Christians who

conceal the prophecies of and features of Muhammad (pbuh) in their books."

Moreover, Allah Most High states,

{And remember Allah took a covenant from the people of the Book, to make it known and clear to mankind,

and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain!

And vile was the bargain they made.} (Al-Imran: 186)

Al-Wahdi stated, "These verses were revealed concerning the Jews of Medina whom Allah commanded to

publicize the prophecies, features and the mission of Muhammad (pbuh) as stated in their Book, the torah.

{To make it known and clear to mankind,} refers to Allah's Covenant with the Jewish scholars to make

clear to the people what was in their book, including the prophecies of Muhammad (pbuh) as AI-Hasan

stated {But they threw it away behind their backs} Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said,

"They broke their commitment" "And purchased with it some miserable gain!" They preferred valueless

and mean interests over explaining the truth. {And vile was the bargain they made.} Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah

be pleased with him) commented, "They made a miserable trade and gained nothing except loss and

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) declared,

"Will never smell the fragrance of Paradise, the one who seeks sacred knowledge for the sake of worldly-

The hadith reported by Abu Hurairh (may Allah be pleased with him),that was previously mentioned,

explained that one of the three men who would be dragged to Hell-fire is the person who sought knowledge

in order that people would call him a scholar.

Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Anyone who seeks sacred knowledge to vie with scholars, argue with fools, or win people's hearts will go

"Whoever is asked about an issue of knowledge, and conceals it, on the Day of Judgment he would be held

by a rein of fire."3

By the same token, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to supplicate to Allah saying,

"0 Allah! I seek refuge in you from knowledge which is of no use."4

"Whoever seeks knowledge other than for the sake of Allah, let him await his abode in Hell-fire."5

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) commented, "The more the scholar does not behave

according to his knowledge, the more arrogant this scholar will be."

On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of

"On the Day of Judgment, the immoral scholar will be thrown into Hell where he would be rounded with

a reed like a donkey which round with quern. People would wonder saying, "You are so and so, the scholar

who guided us to the straight way!" He would reply, "/ used to contradict what / taught you." 6

Hilal Ibn Al 'Ala' said, "Seeking sacred knowledge is arduous, learning it is harder than seeking it,

applying it is harder than learning it, and remaining safe from it is even harder than applying it."

Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

{O ye that believe! Betray not the trust of Allah and the Messenger, nor misappropriate knowingly things

entrusted to you.} (Al-anfal: 27)

AI-Wahidi (may Allah bestow mercy on him) said, "This verse is revealed concerning Abu Lubabah

who was sent by the Prophet (pbuh) to the Jews of Banu Quraizah during the siege of Muslims to their

land. The Jews said to Abu Lubabah, these families are living among the Jews, what do you say concerning

the submission to the judgment of sai'd. Abu Lubabah then pointed at his throat meaning that Sa'd would

sentence you to be slaughtered. Abu Lubabah said, "I have not moved from my place until I realized that I

betrayed Allah and His Messenger."

"Nor misappropriate knowingly things entrusted to you" means that Muslims are commanded to avoid

betraying their trusts as they are prohibited to betray Allah and His Messenger (pbuh). Ibn 'Abbas (may

Allah be pleased with him) said, "Trust" means what Alah has entrusted Man with, i.e, the religious. Thus

AI-Kalbi explained, "Disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) means betraying the trust.

However, man is entrusted with the other trusts like the religious duties even he can unlawfully betray them

"Knowingly" refers to the fact that man is commanded to avoid betraying the trusts as long as he

undoubtedly knows the sacredness of these trusts.

The Glorious Quran moreover explains, {Allah will never guide the snare of the false ones.} (Yusuf:

52) This glorious verse indicates that Allah will ever set the affairs of the treacherous ones in order. On the

Day of Judgment, He will publicize their faults before people.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Three are the signs of the hypocrite: When he talks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it

and when he is given a trust, he betrays."1

"Someone who cannot keep a trust is devoid of faith. Some one who cannot keep an agreement is devoid of

Some matters is worse than the others. A person who cheats one for a pittance is not like a person who

betrays one concerning one's wife and money, perpetrating outrages.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Fulfill your trust to the one who entrusted you and do not betray the one who betrayed you." 2

"A believer may be naturally disposed to any shortcoming except treachery and lying." 1

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) declared further,

"Allah Most High says, 'I bless the partners as long as no one betrays the other."2

"Trust is the first of characteristics to disappear among people, where as prayer is the last one and the

prayer of some persons may be of no avail."3

The Prophet (pbuh) cautioned the Ummah saying,

"Beware of treachery for it is the worst companion." 4

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) explained, "On the Day of Judgment, the persons who

betrayed their trust will be commanded to fulfill it. Consequently, they would wonder, 'How can we fulfill

what had been perished in the worldly life!" At this moment it would be pictured in the basest rank of Hell-

fire. Having commanded to bring it from this place of Hell, the treacherous one would carry it over his

shoulder and would find it heavier than the mountains of the world. As long as he reaches the top of the

Hell, the trust would fall to the basest rank of Hell and it will happen forever" Ibn Ma'ud added, "Prayer is a

trust, ablution is a trust, Body-worship is a trust, measuring is a trust and the' greatest form of trusts is the

Reported by Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami in Majma' Zawaid.

40) Reminding Recipients of one's charity to them

{O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury.}

AIW ahdi commented on this verse by saying, "It is the one who reminds the recipients of his

AI-Kalbi said, "It is the one who counts his charity as a favor upon Allah and injures the recipients of

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) declared,

"There is one people whom Allah will not speak to, look at, or exonerate on the Day of Judgment, and they

will have a painful torment. they are the one who wears the hem of his garment low (out of pride), he who

reminds recipients of his charity to them, and he who sells merchandise swearing that he paid more for it

than he actually did. "

"Three men will never enter Paradise. Those disobedient to their parents, the drunkards and the one who

used to remind the recipients of his charity with his grace." 1

Another narration to this Hadith states,

"Paradise is not the abode for the fraud, the niggard and the person who reminds the recipients of his

Furthermore, The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Beware of reminding others by your grace for it would nullify the recompense and reward: The Messenger

(pbuh) then recited. {O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by

Once Ibn Sireen heard a man reminding another man of his grace to him so he said, "It is better to keep

silent for there is no good in beneficence when it is counted.

Some wise men used to say, "Whoever reminds others with his beneficence, will have no

compensation for it. Moreover, who is admired by his deed will have no reward for it."

41) Disbelieving in Destiny (Qadar)

{Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.}

In his Tafsir, Ibn AI-Jawzi highlighted two views concerning the occasion of revelation of this verse.

The first view is reported by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)

that the disbelievers of Mecca came to dispute with the Messenger of Allah concerning the Destiny, then

the verse was revealed to refute their claims. Abu Umamah, however, is of the opinion that this verse was

revealed concerning the so-called fatalism. The second view is that the bishop of Najran came to the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and said, "O Muhammed! you claim that sins are predetermined by Allah, but

this is a wrong attitude."

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied, "You are the enemies of Allah." Then the following verses

were revealed {Truly those in sin are the ones in error and madness. The Day they will be dragged through

the Fire on their faces, (they will hear.) taste ye the touch of Hell!' Verily, all things have We created in