(p-262) Surah Ar-Ra'd

Its purpose is to describe the Book as being the truth in itself. Sometimes it has an effect, although it has a voice, a reputation, and a terrifying aspect that guides by action. At other times, it does not have an effect but becomes a cause for misguidance and blindness. The most relevant to this purpose is the thunder, for although it is the truth in itself, the blind and the seeing, the exposed and the hidden hear it. Sometimes the lightning and the rain are affected by it, and sometimes they are not. When the rain descends, it can be beneficial if it strikes good land and is free from blemish. At other times, it can be harmful if it falls on barren wastelands. Sometimes it can cause damage through flooding, lightning, or hail, and so on - and Allah knows best.

'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' is the truth, which everything besides it is falsehood. 'The Most Gracious' who encompasses with desire and fear by the universality of His mercy. 'The Most Merciful' who specifically grants to whom He wills what He is pleased with, the Great Revelation.

When He concluded what preceded it with evidence of the truth of the Qur'an and that it is guidance and mercy for a people who believe, after indicating the abundance of what they perceive of His signs in the heavens (p-263) and the earth with their turning away, He began this one with that in a manner of wrapping and spreading that is confusing, for it is more eloquent for the clarity in its dissemination from the nearest to the nearest. He said: 'Those' meaning the news that is recited and the stories that are clarified and detailed, the full of meanings and the wondrous of wisdom, and the established principles and the high structures. 'Verses' and the verse is the wondrous indication in leading to knowledge. 'The Book' that is revealed to you, 'and' all 'that.'

And when it was established that this Book is from the King, it is a matter that cannot be approached by the one who is misguided due to its miraculous nature. Likewise, what follows it from its explanation by the Sunnah due to its truth that is not hidden from any rational person. And what is established is that he who brings it must be nothing but great. It is built for the effect of his saying: 'It was revealed to you' being 'from your Lord.' Thus, it was firmly established that it is 'the truth,' meaning the placement of everything from it in its place according to what wisdom calls for, the clear that nothing from it fails to correspond with reality, whether it be resurrection or otherwise. It is farthest from their saying: 'Indeed, His promise of resurrection is magic.' Therefore, it is necessary for the establishment of its truth upon everyone who possesses reason to believe in it. 'But most of the people' (p-264) meaning those who are aware of themselves, are confused in their opinions.

﴿They do not believe﴾ means that no faith is renewed in them at all that it is the truth in itself and that it is from Allah. Rather, they say: It is from Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and that it is an illusion, not a reality - as we said ﴿And most of the people, even if you strive for it, will not be believers﴾ [Yusuf: 103]. So, it is not a complete guidance for them nor a complete mercy. This estimation is possible, but what is indicated by the apparent saying of Allah, the Most High: ﴿Is he who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 19] is that 'the one who' is the subject, and 'from your Lord' is the relative clause of 'was revealed,' and the predicate is 'the truth.' The intended meaning of this surah is this verse, which describes the revealed as being the truth and establishes the evidence for it. This is because when the description of the Book as being wise, well-structured, detailed, and clear was completed, the speech is directed to the detailing of the beginning [Surah Al-Baqarah], and it hints that the time for harvesting the fruit in this surah and the one after it has come, and it connects with that the description of the believers in that - as you will see.

And Imam Abu Ja'far ibn Al-Zubayr, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his proof: This surah is a detail of the general statement of Him, glorified and exalted is He, at the end of Surah Yusuf, peace be upon him: ﴿And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth do they pass over while they are, therefrom, turning away﴾ [Yusuf: 105] ﴿And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him﴾ [Yusuf: 106] ﴿Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them a covering of the punishment of Allah or that the Hour will not come to them suddenly while they perceive not?﴾ [Yusuf: 107] ﴿Say, 'This is my path; I invite to Allah with insight, I and whoever follows me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of the polytheists.'﴾ [Yusuf: 108]

So the explanation of the heavens in His saying: ﴿Allah is He who raised the heavens without pillars that you see﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 2] and the explanation of the earth in His saying: ﴿And He is the one who spread the earth and placed therein firm mountains and rivers, and of all fruits He made therein two pairs﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 3]. So these are the heavens and the earth, and they have been elaborated upon in various places. Then in His saying, the Exalted: ﴿He covers the night with the day﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 3], what there is of signs concerning them, for darkness is from the body of the earth, and light is from the light of the sun, and it is celestial. Then the Exalted added signs of the earth with explanation and detail in His saying: ﴿And in the earth are neighboring pieces﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 4] up to His saying: ﴿For a people who reflect﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 4]. And when the extraction of fruits with the descending water [from the heavens] is one of the greatest signs and a clear proof of the truth of resurrection, for this reason, He, the Exalted, said in another verse: ﴿Thus We bring forth the dead﴾ [Al-A'raf: 57]. And it has been mentioned here the greatest aspect in consideration of its extraction being different in tastes, colors, and scents (p-266) while the material is the same, "

,"is watered

﴿And if there were a Qur'an by which the mountains could be moved﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 31] it is similar to ﴿Indeed, in the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers﴾ [Al-Jathiya: 3] ﴿And in your creation﴾ [Al-Jathiya: 4] meaning if you reflect on the signs of the heavens and the earth, they would suffice you and be enough for you in clarifying the path to Him. And if you reflect on yourselves and what He, glorified and exalted is He, has placed in you of wonders, you would be content with “Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.” So, this type of reflection is what occurs in [Surah Ar-Ra'd] regarding the expanse of [the signs of] the heavens and the earth. Then He mentioned the Qur'an and what it contains. This is a reference to what this magnificent surah contains of the expanse of the signs embedded in the two earths and the heavens. As for His saying, ﴿And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him﴾ [Yusuf: 106], it has been indicated by His saying, ﴿But most of the people do not believe﴾ ﴿Only those who possess intellect will remember﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 19]. And His saying, ﴿Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 28]. So, those whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah are the people of intellect who remember and have complete faith. They are the few referred to in His saying, ﴿And few are they﴾ [Sad: 24]. And what is said about them is ﴿Indeed, they are the true believers﴾ [Al-Anfal: 4]. And below these are groups of believers who are not in their ranks and have not reached their certainty. To them is the reference in His saying: ﴿And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him﴾ [Yusuf: 106]. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said, “Shirk in my nation is more hidden than the crawling of an ant.” This clarifies what is summarized in His saying, ﴿And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him﴾ [Yusuf: 106]. As for His saying, ﴿Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them a covering of the punishment of Allah﴾ [Yusuf: 107], what He hastened for them of that is in His saying: ﴿And those who have disbelieved will continue to be struck by what they have done, a calamity or it will settle near their homes until the promise of Allah comes﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 31], which cuts off their end, [and] eradicates their affair. As for His saying, ﴿Say, this is my way; I invite to Allah with insight﴾ [Yusuf: 108], this verse has clarified the way of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and explained it with what it has borne of great admonition and the expanse of proofs regarding what is in the heavens and the earth and what is between them and what is in the world as a whole, and what the clear Book has borne - as has preceded. Then, [it] has addressed the clear description of those who tread that clear and saving path. He, glorified and exalted is He, said: ﴿Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 20] until the end of what He has granted them of taking and leaving. Then the speech returned to what is in it of admonition (p-268) and expounding and reproaching the disbelievers and admonishing them. And His, blessings and peace be upon him, statement in their matter, ﴿Indeed, you are only a warner﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 7] ﴿And We had certainly sent messengers before you and made for them wives and descendants﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 38] ﴿So, indeed, upon you is the duty of notification, and upon Us is the account﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 40] ﴿And those who disbelieve say, you are not a messenger﴾ [Ar-Ra'd: 43]. And the surah as a whole does not deviate from those general purposes in the four verses mentioned at the end of [Surah Yusuf], and most of the surah and the majority of its verses are in admonition and the expanse of proofs and reminders of the great signs it has embedded; and since this is its nature, it concluded with the opening of [Surah Ibrahim], blessings be upon him - it has ended.