(p-428) Surah Saba' The purpose of it is that the Hereafter - which was referred to at the end of it by punishment and forgiveness after it was made known that people ask about it - is a reality without doubt, due to the wisdom in that, and He has the power over it. In leaving it, there is a lack of wisdom and a portrayal in the form of injustice. The story of Saba', for which this Surah is named, is greatly relevant to this purpose, as will be explained. For this reason, it begins with 'In the name of Allah', whose encompassing power establishes the reckoning, 'the Most Gracious', whose general mercy arranges the reward and punishment, 'the Most Merciful', who bestows upon the people of His honor through their obedience, so that no punishment befalls them nor reproach. When Surah Al-Ahzab concluded with the fact that He, glorified and exalted is He, presented the performance of the trust and its bearing - which encompasses all that exists of benefits - to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, they feared it, and man, who is human and jinn, bore it. The result of the presentation, performance, and bearing is punishment and reward. It was known that all is His and in His dominion, fearful of His greatness, apprehensive of the overpowering of His might, and that He is the complete owner and the obeyed king, managing everything without resistance. He concluded that with the attributes of forgiveness and mercy, indicating all of that by beginning this with His saying 'All praise', meaning the encompassing of the attributes of perfection from creation and command in all respects, in this world and the next, and in anything that may exist and is encompassed by His knowledge, glorified is He, 'for Allah', the Lord of majesty and beauty. And since this is the intended meaning, He described Him with what conveys that, saying, alerting to the blessing of initiation and preservation first: 'To Him belongs', meaning solely His ownership and dominion, even if you attribute to others apparent ownership and dominion, 'what is in the heavens', meaning all of it, 'and what is in the earth', meaning as you see that no one has authority over anything of that as complete as His authority. It has been known in many places and established in every nature that He is the Lord of the mighty throne. This results in the fact that He has what His throne encompasses of the heavens and the earth and what is in them, for it is known that the throne surrounds everything, so everything is in it, and every heaven is in that which is above it, and likewise the earths. It has been established that He has what is in all, so this results in the fact that He has everything by this correct proof, which is more eloquent than if He had expressed that in a direct manner. And since He has all of that, there is no blessing upon anything except from Him, so everything praises Him for what He has upon it of His blessings with a tongue that speaks, and if not, then with the tongue of its state.

And when it became clear that He has the world and what is in it, and it has been known in the end of the parties that the result of existence is punishment and forgiveness, we see that most of the oppressors and hypocrites die without punishment, while most of the believers die without receiving what they were promised of reward. And we know for certain that it is not permissible for a Wise One to leave His servants without guidance, some of them oppressing others while He does not change them. This indicates that He has another abode in which He manifests justice and spreads generosity and virtue. Therefore, He said, adding to what the first statement causes, that: 'To Him belongs all praise in the first [life],' and He concealed it for the sake of its hidden nature from most of creation. He revealed what is in the Hereafter for its manifestation, as it is the abode of unveiling the veil. He said, alerting to the blessing of resurrection and preservation a second time: 'And to Him,' meaning solely, 'belongs all praise,' meaning the encompassing of perfection 'in the Hereafter,' manifest to all who are gathered in the resurrection. To Him belongs all that is in it; no one claims anything of it, neither outwardly nor inwardly. Everything in it is for the manifestation of praise, as at that time it is by His praise, as is fitting for His majesty, for what He has upon them of blessings, the least of which is the blessing of existence. Even the people of the Fire will praise Him for what He has made beloved to them in the world from the abundance of His blessings, both outwardly and inwardly. Among these is the sending down of books and the sending of messengers in a way that leaves for them a place for love in their supplications to Him and their turning to Him. He offered advice in various ways of kindness, as is well known among those who experienced it. They realized that they were the ones who fell short when they refused in the first [life] when faith would have benefited them, and they confessed in the Hereafter when the time had passed. 'And they said, We have believed in it. But how can they reach it?' [Saba: 52] The verses also indicate that they praise Him in the Hereafter for their knowledge that He does not punish anyone among them beyond what they deserve, while He is capable of that. Therefore, He made the Fire in levels, and its ranks are in degrees. They were in the first [life] praising Him in a way that was not appropriate, and their praise did not benefit them for building it on a foundation other than the truth. They praised Him in the Hereafter in the appropriate manner, but it did not avail them since it is not the abode of action due to the loss of its condition, which is faith in the unseen. The verse from the interweaving: He omitted first 'To Him belongs all praise in the first' for what was indicated by the second, and second 'And to Him belongs all that is in the Hereafter' for what was indicated by the first. It has been known by this and by what I have presented in the Nahl and Al-Fatiha that praise sometimes relates to the praiseworthy and sometimes to the one who praises. The latter is the attribute of the praiseworthy with beauty, and the former is the description of the one who praises Him with beauty. Thus, the praise of Allah, the Exalted, is His attribute with every beautiful description, and the praise of the one who praises Him is his description with that. All of creation speaks with the tongues of its states in His praise, whether the tongue of speech articulates it or not. He is praised before their coming into existence, and that is the meaning of my saying, 'the encompassing of attributes of perfection.' The praise of others for Him sometimes is based on the linguistic meaning, and sometimes based on the customary meaning. The realization of what the scholars have said in this regard in itself and in relation to the difference between it and gratitude is that praise in the language is the description with beautiful choice in the context of glorification. Its source is the tongue alone, so it is specific to the outward, and its relation is to the blessing and others. Its source is specific, and its relation is general. Gratitude, in contrast, is the opposite of that; its relation is specific, and its source is general, as it is an action that indicates the glorification of the benefactor due to His favor. Its source is both outward and inward, as it encompasses the tongue, the heart, and the limbs. Its relation is to the blessing that reaches the grateful one, and among its sources is the heart, which is the noblest of all sources, as it acts even if it is hidden, independent in being gratitude without the need for another action to accompany it. Unlike the other two sources, the action of either of them is not truly praise or gratitude unless the action of the heart is joined to it.

And when the contradiction of the two sources and the two related matters is evident in indicating the relationship between linguistic praise and gratitude, it is known that there is generally and specifically a twofold aspect between them. This is because praise may be based on abstract virtues, while gratitude may specifically pertain to specific favors. Thus, praise is distinct from this aspect, and gratitude is distinct in the apparent action and the inner belief regarding the favors without any words. They come together in the description of the heart and the tongue regarding the favors. The action of the heart is the belief in the attributes of the one who is thanked, which are the attributes of perfection from majesty and beauty. The action of the tongue is the mention of what indicates that, and the action of the limbs is to perform actions that indicate that.

And when this is the reality of praise and gratitude linguistically and not by custom, and the imaginations precede to think that praise includes the word حَمَدَ, Al-Qutub Al-Razi said in the explanation of Al-Matal'i: Praise is not merely the specific saying of the speaker ["Praise be to Allah"] even if this saying is an individual from the individuals of the essence. Likewise, the essence of gratitude is not merely the specific saying of the speaker ["Gratitude be to Allah"] nor the absolute saying indicating the glorification of Allah, even if the latter is a part of it and the former is an individual from this part. The reality of praise in custom is that which indicates the glorification of the benefactor due to his being a benefactor. The reality of customary gratitude is the turning of the servant with all that Allah has bestowed upon him from powers to what He has created for him, such as turning his gaze to contemplate His creations for consideration towards His exalted presence, and listening to receive what informs about His pleasure, and avoiding what He has prohibited. Thus, the mention of the description in linguistic terms understands the words whether they are internal or verbal, and it includes the praise of Allah, the Exalted, Himself and our praise for Him. The beautiful encompasses the benefaction and other than it from the virtues of morals and the good deeds. The lack of restricting the description to being in response to His blessings is a manifestation that praise may occur in relation to the blessing and may not occur. The condition of glorification indicates the conformity of the apparent and the hidden. If the saying of the tongue (p-434) is devoid of conformity with the belief or the actions of the limbs contradict it, then it is not true praise, but rather mockery and ridicule. The conformity of the heart and the limbs is a condition in praise, not a part. Thus, the two definitions do not overlap, and the eternal attributes of Allah do not exit by choice. For, in terms of His ability to relate them to things, they are included, and thus praise is upon the chosen description. Likewise, if the brave is praised for his bravery and the ability to relate the description to what is realized by it, then bravery is specific and there is no one praised for it. It has been understood from this that if there is choice in the effects, then praise is upon it, otherwise it is not. The description of the pearl with the purity of the gem and the beauty of the appearance is not called praise but rather commendation. The description with bravery for the choice in showing its effects is called praise. Thus, praise is specific to the chosen doer and not to commendation. It is also known that the specific saying, which is ["Praise be to Allah"], is not praise for its specificity, but rather because it indicates the attribute of perfection and manifests it. Therefore, everything that indicates that from the description shares in the naming. For this reason, some of the scholars from the Sufis said: The reality of praise is the manifestation of the attributes of perfection. This may be through words as is known, and it may be through actions, which is stronger, because the actions that are effects of the attributes indicate them with a definitive rational indication, in which no contradiction is conceivable, unlike the words, for their indication is situational, and their meaning may be absent. And Allah, the Exalted, praised Himself with what He definitively establishes from (p-435) words and actions. As for the action, it has spread the carpet of existence over countless possibilities and placed upon it tables of His generosity that are endless. Thus, this revealed His attributes of perfection and manifested them with definitive, detailed indications that are infinite, for every atom of existence indicates them, and such indications cannot be imagined in the expressions of the created. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said: "I cannot enumerate Your praise; You are as You have praised Yourself." And it is necessary to be attentive to what the master Abu Al-Hasan Al-Tajibi Al-Maghribi Al-Hirali said in his interpretation that the praise of Al-Fatiha includes, in terms of its apparent meaning, the complete and perfect praise from one who sees the praise flowing in all that Allah has created and perfected from the causes that encompass the entire universe. And it is known that both hands of His Lord are a blessed right, and this is the meaning of what is indicated by the encompassing knowledge of Allah's wisdom being manifested in a way that there is no ambiguity in it from Him, nor from one who is in His matter His vicegerent. And it is not from the meaning between the servant and his Lord from the perspective of bestowing blessings, which is a matter that the heart finds knowledge of, not a matter that agrees with the soul's desire. So whoever does not complete with knowledge of that, reciting upon the effect of his knowledge, finds the blessing of his recitation. The end.

As for the saying, truly, when He, glorified and exalted is He, knew that the tongue of the state only symbolizes a hidden indication that is understood only by individuals, even if it becomes clear after verification, He sent down to us a book that clarifies the intended meaning. In it, He praised Himself and explained the attributes of His perfection with a statement that the strong cannot produce. Then He made the miracle a definitive indication of His perfection and of all that He has of majesty and beauty. It has been understood from these definitions that there is a generality and specificity between praise and gratitude in language. This is because praise may be based on virtues, which are the beautiful attributes that do not extend beyond them to anything other than the praised, such as courage. Gratitude is specific to the bounties, which are the blessings and the attributes and advantages that result in benefit to others than the praised, such as kindness, gifts, and donations, as previously mentioned. Between praise and gratitude in customary terms, there is generally a generality and specificity. Praise is more general in that it encompasses all blessings that reach the praiser and others. Gratitude is specific to what reaches the grateful one. This is because the benefactor mentioned in the definition is absolute and is not restricted to being a benefactor to the praiser or to others. Therefore, it encompasses both, unlike gratitude, which has been considered to be a specific benefactor, which is Allah, the Most High, and blessings that reach the grateful one from Him. Due to the generality of this praise absolutely and the specificity of this gratitude absolutely, there is a second aspect. This is that the action of the heart and the tongue, for example, may be praise and not gratitude at all. This is because it has been considered to include all tools. A third aspect is that gratitude in this meaning does not relate to anyone other than Him, glorified and exalted is He, unlike praise. What is said about the general relationship between the two customary terms is only valid according to existence, without the burden that our speech is about. This is because praise, by the mere action of the heart, for example, in what was created for its sake, is a part of the action of all that is not burdened by it due to its distinction in existence from its other parts. As for in the burden, the burden does not distinguish the carried from the placed in external existence. Thus, it becomes thickened from the category of confusing something with what is true of it. For what is not burdened by that action is what is true of praise, meaning the mere action of the heart alone, not the mentioned concept, which is an action that indicates the glorification of the benefactor due to Him being a benefactor. This concept carries on the action of all. What is said that the action of all is multiple actions does not hold true for it being a single action. What is said that the action of all is multiple actions does not hold true for it being a single action. Its answer is that it is a single action with multiple relations, so it does not contradict its description of unity, just as it is said: a single action has emanated from Zayd in honoring all the people, for example. Its verification is that the compound may be described with true unity, like a single body, and with nominal unity, like a single army. The truth of all is of the latter kind, as no one doubts it who has a firm grasp. The relationship between the two linguistic praises and the customary ones is general and specific from one aspect. This is because the customary praise is the linguistic gratitude, and the explanation of that has already been mentioned in both. Between the customary gratitude and the linguistic gratitude, there is absolute generality because the linguistic gratitude encompasses the blessing to others, unlike the customary one, which is more general. The customary one is more specific absolutely, and likewise between the customary gratitude and the linguistic praise, because the former is specific to the blessing upon the grateful one, whether it is by the tongue or not. The latter, even if it is specific to the tongue, is conditioned by the correspondence of the limbs and the heart, to be in the manner of glorification. It may not be in response to a blessing, so it is more general absolutely. Every customary gratitude is a linguistic praise, and this does not reverse according to existence. Likewise, between the customary praise and the linguistic gratitude, there is absolute generality as well if the blessing in the linguistic one is conditioned by its reaching the grateful one, as has passed. As for if it is not conditioned, they are united. As for absolute gratitude, it is based on what has passed, glorifying the benefactor by directing His blessing to what pleases Him. It is not hidden that if the essence of praise and gratitude is from the blessings, it is impossible for anyone to bring them forth in completeness and perfection due to the necessity of the sequence of actions to what does not end. This verification is transmitted from the Imam of the Two Sanctuaries and Imam al-Razi - this is the result of what is in the explanation of the beginnings for the Qutb al-Razi and his commentary for the honorable Jurjani with additions. It has been confirmed the correctness of what I have mentioned in the explanation of praise by considering the praiser and by considering the praised. If you gather the aspects of what has preceded in Surah al-Nahl and al-Fatihah and others, that the material revolves around comprehensiveness, it is known that by considering the praiser and the attribute of the praised with the comprehensiveness of the attributes of perfection, and by considering the praised, his being characterized by comprehensiveness of the attributes of perfection, for the description must be in accordance; otherwise, it would be praise and not glorification, as established by the scholar Qadi Damascus Shams al-Din Ahmad ibn Khalil al-Khuwayi in his book Al-Aqalim of Teachings.

And when it was established that wisdom is not complete except by the existence of the Hereafter, He said: ﴿And He is the All-Wise﴾, meaning the One whose wisdom has reached the ultimate limit beyond which there is no more. Wisdom is the knowledge of matters in accordance with what is right, connected to action based on it.

And when wisdom cannot be attained except by precise knowledge and its purity and essence, which is experience, He said: ﴿The All-Aware﴾, meaning the one who is eloquent in knowledge, which is the knowledge of the outward and inward realities of matters, both in their states and their attributes. It is not reasonable to think that He - who possesses these two attributes, as is observed in the perfection of His actions and the precision of everything we have heard from His words - would create creation in vain without a return to the abode of recompense. It has been mentioned in Al-Fatiha and elsewhere by the scholar Sa'd al-Din al-Taftazani that he said: The beginning with praise is an indication of the four fundamental blessings, which are the first creation, the second creation, the first preservation, and the second preservation. And that Al-Fatiha, being the mother of the Book, indicates all of it. Then, it is indicated in every Surah that begins after it with praise to a blessing from it in order. It has been indicated in Al-An'am to the first creation, which is evident, and in Al-Kahf to the first preservation, because the arrangement of the first preservation and the benefit from the creation can only be through the Book and the Messenger. And it has been indicated in this Surah to the second creation, as the discourse leads to the affirmation of resurrection and the response to the deniers of the Hour, where He said, glorified and exalted is He: ﴿And those who disbelieved said, 'The Hour will not come to us.' Say, 'Yes, by my Lord.'﴾ [Saba: 3]. It has been understood from what I have established that it is from the very beginning indicating that through the path of proof.

Abu Ja'far ibn al-Zubayr said: It was opened with praise [to Allah] when it followed what the Surah of Al-Ahzab contained of great blessings and magnificent bounties, as was explained - previously - meaning in the last of his words on the Surah of Al-Ahzab. So it was a place of praise for what He granted His believing servants and gave them. Allah, the Most High, said, "All praise is due to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth," as ownership and creation. This indicates the humiliation of those who stopped, disconnected from understanding His actions, glorified and exalted is He, with what has preceded and His differentiation among them as He willed. It is as if it has been said: If they are His property and servants, then He does not stop in His actions towards them from what He has done of facilitating for the good or for other than that which He willed for them, based on understanding His reasoning and seeking the cause of it. Rather, He does with them what He wills and desires without restriction or prevention, "and He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware." The aspect of wisdom in that which is hidden from you is indicated by His saying, "And to Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter," meaning that He will inform His believing servants of the causes for His praise that He grants them or multiplies for them of reward or great recompense in the Hereafter, for what their minds did not reach in this world nor did their thoughts encompass. "So no soul knows what has been hidden for them of joy for the eyes" [As-Sajda: 17]. Then He followed what has preceded of His praise for what He is worthy of by elaborating on the evidences of His wisdom and knowledge. Allah, the Most High, said, "He knows what enters the earth and what comes out of it, and what descends from the heavens and what ascends therein" [Saba: 2], until His saying, "and He is the Most Merciful" [Saba: 2]. By His mercy and forgiveness, He granted His believing servants what He specifically gave them. So to Him is the praise that He is worthy of. Then He followed this by mentioning His delaying them from lying and disbelief, despite their great transgressions, so that the vastness of His mercy and forgiveness may become clear. Allah, the Most High, said, "And those who disbelieved said, 'The Hour will not come to us'" [Saba: 3], until His saying, "Indeed, in that is a sign for every servant who turns back" [Saba: 9]. That is, indeed, in His delaying, glorified is He, for these after their arrogance and mockery in their saying, "The Hour will not come to us" [Saba: 3], and His saying, "Should we inform you of a man who will inform you when you have been torn to pieces, that you will be in a new creation?" [Saba: 7]. Their ignoring to reflect on what is before them of the heavens and the earth and their security taken from any direction, and in His delaying them and the flow of their provisions despite their great sins, are signs for whoever turns back and reflects. Then He elaborated for His believing servants from the mention of the verse and His blessings and His management of His creatures that clarifies the overwhelming nature of His power and His dominion, and indicates the greatness of His kingdom, as He informed in His saying, glorified is He, "All praise is due to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth." Then He said, "And We certainly gave David from Us a favor. O mountains, respond with him, and the birds, and We softened iron for him" [Saba: 10]. Then He said, "And for Solomon, the wind" [Saba: 12], until His saying, "Work, O family of David, in gratitude" [Saba: 13]. Then He followed that by mentioning the state of those who did not give thanks, and he mentioned the story of Sheba until its end. Then Allah, the Most High, reproached those who worshiped others with Him after the matter had become clear and clarified. He said, "Say, 'Invoke those whom you claimed besides Allah'" [Saba: 22], until he described their state in the Hereafter and the review of their arrogant ones with their weak ones, and their weak ones with their arrogant ones, "and they concealed regret when they saw the punishment" [Saba: 33]. Then the verses continued flowing from the beginning of the opening of the Surah until its conclusion. The end.