'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful'

Tafsir of Surah As-Saff

It is a Medinan surah according to the opinion of the majority. Al-Makki said about Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, and Al-Mahdawi from Ata and Mujahid: that it is a Makkan surah. The first opinion is more correct because the meanings of the surah support it, and it seems that there is a Makkan aspect in it.

His saying, exalted is He:

﴿All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, and He is the Almighty, the Wise﴾ ﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ ﴿It is greatly hated by Allah that you say what you do not do﴾ ﴿Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row, as if they were a solid structure﴾ ﴿And when Moses said to his people, O my people, why do you harm me while you know that I am the messenger of Allah to you? But when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate, and Allah does not guide the disobedient people﴾

The saying of glorification of the inanimate has been mentioned multiple times. " , "Al-Aziz" : "the Almighty" , "Al-Hakim" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" , "the people differed regarding the reason for the revelation of﴿O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴾ Ibn Abbas and Abu Salih said: It was revealed because a group said: We wish to know the most beloved deeds to our Lord so that we may engage in them. So Allah made jihad obligatory and informed them of its virtue with Him, and that He loves those who fight in His cause like a solid structure. When it was made obligatory, some of them disliked it, and those who fled on the day of Uhud fled. So Allah rebuked them with this verse. Qatadah and Al-Dahhak said: It was revealed because a group of young Muslims were talking about themselves in the battle regarding what they had not done, and they would say: We did this and that, and that is a lie. So the verse was revealed regarding that. Ibn Zayd said: It was revealed regarding the hypocrites because a group of them would say to the believers: We are with you and among you, then their actions would show otherwise, so the verse was revealed as a rebuke to them.

The ruling of this verse remains throughout time, and everyone who says what he does not do is despised in speech. The last saying regarding the hypocrites is directed at them in that they should not be adorned with hypocrisy. Therefore, they were addressed alongside the believers, meaning: in your claims and what you show. The first saying is favored by what will come later regarding the matter of jihad and fighting." : "the Almighty" , "the Wise" : "the Wise" ,

'And "al-maqt": is the hatred due to a sin, suspicion, or lowly act committed by the one who is hated. This is the definition of al-maqt, so reflect on it. And "maqtan" is in the accusative as a distinction, and the meaning is: your deed is great in al-maqt. What is intended is: the al-maqt of your deed is great. Thus, the noun has been omitted and the noun has been placed in the accusative as a distinction. This is similar to saying: the fat of your belly has burst, then you say: your belly has burst with fat. And "that you say" may be a substitute for what is estimated, and it may be a news of an implied beginning, and it may be on other than this estimation - that it is the subject of "kabara". And the saying of a person what he does not do necessitates the al-maqt of Allah, glorified and exalted is He. Therefore, many scholars have fled from preaching and reminders and preferred silence.

Then Allah, glorified and exalted is He, confirmed the news of His love for those who fight in rows. And the love of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, is what appears upon them from His victory and honor. And here it is a quality of action and not meaning will, because it is not correct for what contradicts it to occur. And we find many fighters who do not have this quality. Some people said: fighting foot soldiers is better than fighting cavalry because the formation in it is more secure.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is weak and obscure to its speaker regarding the intent of the verse. What is not meant is the denial of formation. Rather, the intent is seriousness in all places of fighting and its conditions. He intended by mentioning the most severe conditions, which is the condition that necessitates fighting in a closely formed row. And this mentioned condition replaces all conditions. And the verse has decreed that those whose seriousness reaches this condition are worthy of not falling short of any condition. And "al-marsus" is the lined up and united. And Abu Bahriah said: 'If you see me turning in the row, then cut off my heart.' And from it is the saying of the poet:

'And in the Levant between solid plates, they are lined up in the south.'

And Mundhir ibn Sa'id, Al-Farra, and others said: al-marsus is the bound by lead. And this may be the origin of the word.

Then Allah, glorified and exalted is He, mentioned the saying of Musa, peace be upon him. And this is a parable for the believers who say what they do not do. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, reminded them of a people who harmed their prophet while they knew of his prophethood. And they deviated, so Allah, glorified and exalted is He, caused their hearts to deviate. So beware, O believers, that disobedience and false words do not lead you to a condition like theirs. And Abu Umamah said: They are the Khawarij. And Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: They are the Haruriyyah.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The meaning is that they are similar to them in that when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Why do you harm me?" is an affirmation. And the meaning is: you harm me with your obstinacy, disobedience, and your proposals. And these were the actions of the Children of Israel.

And look, indeed He, the Most High, attributed deviation to them because they acted in a way that was a disgrace, as Allah, the Most High, said: "They forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves" [Al-Hashr: 19]. This is contrary to His saying, the Most High: "Then He turned to them so they might repent" [At-Tawbah: 118]. He attributed repentance to Himself because it is an act of elevation. Among this is His saying, the Most High, recounting about Ibrahim, blessings and peace be upon him: "And when I am ill, it is He who heals me" [Ash-Shu'ara: 80]. The meaning of "zagh" is to incline, and its common understanding is to deviate from the truth. And "Allah caused their hearts to deviate" means He sealed them and increased their inclination away from the truth. This is a punishment for sin by sin. And Ibn Abi Ishaq inclined towards: "They deviated."