Commentary
And when what he intended as evidence was completed, that what he mentioned to them is a great news; they are turning away from it; by what he informed them of the unseen; along with what he has of the miraculousness; thus it was established by that which necessitated that he is truthful in his attribution to Allah, glorified and exalted is He; and he concluded with a warning against following Iblis; he commanded him to disassociate himself from his path; and to deny from himself what may lead to falsehood; by his saying: "Say"; meaning: to your nation; "I do not ask you"; a question that is elevated; and he attached it; not with "reward"; his saying: "upon it"; meaning: upon the conveying; and the warning; from what you are exposed to of destruction by turning away; thus the tool of elevation is for the purpose of avoiding the question of affection in kinship; and the goodness of following; for they are both accountable; and they are the spirit of the religion; but his asking them is not elevated over the conveying; whereby if they were to deny, it would be denied; and he emphasized the denial with his saying: "for a reward"; meaning: there would be for you in the response a suspicion; "and I am not of the ones who overburden themselves"; meaning: the ones who adorn themselves with what they are not deserving of in words; or actions; those who burden themselves with fabricating speech; and pretending in it; and arranging it in a way of paths; with a composition; or prose of rhyme; or sermons; or otherwise; or placing themselves in inappropriate positions; as Iblis did; I am not of them in any way; nor am I counted among them; I do not perform their actions; nor do I love them; nor do I have partisanship for them; for he is more eloquent than "and I am not overburdening myself"; you have known me throughout my life like this; and it is known that if that were in my nature, I would not have refrained from it throughout the long times of growth from childhood; and youth; in which instincts exist; and do not exist after them; so if it is established that this was not for me at that time; it is established that it is impossible after it; due to what has been confirmed that there is no instinct after ceasing to grow; at the age of forty-three; so if it is known that I am not like that; it is known that I am commanded with what I am in of saying; and action; for I am among the ones who are charged; not the overburdened; so whoever says; or does what he was not commanded with; he is overburdened; and Al-Thalabi narrated; with his chain; from the hadith of Salamah ibn Nufail - may Allah be pleased with him - raised; and Al-Bayhaqi; in the branches; from the saying of Ali ibn Arta'ah; and Abu Na'im; in Al-Hilyah; from the saying of Wahb: "The signs of the overburdened are three: he disputes with one above him; he engages in what cannot be attained; and he says what he does not know."
Explore Other Scholars on This Verse
Compare different scholarly perspectives on Surah Sad verse 86