Ан-Намль 27:62–75

Commentary

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ‌ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ

(Or the One who responds to a helpless when he prays to Him and removes distress - 27:62)

Word الْمُضْطَرَّ‌ (Mudtar) is derived from اِضطِرَار (Idtirar), which means to be helpless and restless under some necessity, and that happens when someone does not have any support and friends. Hence, مُضْطَرَّ‌Mudtar is that person who has lost all hopes from everyone and has turned to Allah as the sole redresser of his woes. This explanation of Mudtar is adopted by Suddi, Dhun-nun Al-Misri, Sahl ibn ` Abdullah etc. (Qurtubi). The Holy Prophet ﷺ has advised that such a person should supplicate in the following manner.

اللَّھُمَّ رحمَتَکَ اَرجُوا، فلا تَکِلنِی اِلٰی نَفسِی طَرفَۃَ عَین، وَاَصلِح لِی شَأنِی کُلَّہُ ، لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اَنتَ

` O Allah, I am an aspirant of your grace. So, please do not leave me at the mercy of myself for a moment, and set right all my matters on Your own. There is no god except You'. (Qurtubi)

Supplication of a Mudtar is surely accepted because of its sincerity

Imam Qurtubi (رح) has said that Allah Ta` ala has taken upon Himself to accept the supplication of a Mudtar. He has made declaration to this effect in this verse. The main reason for it is that by divorcing all mundane supports and connections, beseeching from Allah, while regarding Him as the sole redresser is the sincerity at its best. Sincerity has a special position before Allah Taala. Whoever evinces sincerity, no matter if he is a believer or an infidel, a pious or a sinner, because of the auspiciousness of sincerity the divine favour gets attentive towards him. Allah Ta` ala Himself elaborates this point while describing the traits of the infidels. He has said that when they are in water and the boat is caught in storm, and they are sure of their death, they call out to Allah with all sincerity, saying that they would be thankful to Him forever if He would save their lives. But when Allah Ta` ala rescues them and brings them to land by accepting their supplication, they again indulge in associating Him with gods دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ‌ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِ‌كُونَ.

A Sahih hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ says that ` Three supplications are surely accepted, in which there is no room for doubt. One, from an oppressed person, two, by a traveler, and three, from a father against his children'. After citing this hadith, Qurtubi has commented that in all these three cases the situation is the same as the supplication of a Mudtar, because when an oppressed person calls Allah after having been frustrated from mundane support and help, his condition is no different than that of a MOW. Similarly, a traveler is away from his dear ones, hence helpless, while in journey. Likewise, a father cannot plead for something against his children because of his paternal love and affection for them, unless he is totally dejected and heart-broken, and calls Allah to save himself from the misery of sufferings. ` Ajurri, a scholar of hadith, has quoted on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Dharr4 that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said ` Allah Ta` ala has pronounced that He shall never reject an appeal from an oppressed person, even if it is made by an infidel'. (Qurtubi) If a Mudtar or an oppressed person or a traveler has a feeling that his appeal to Allah has not been accepted, he should not be dejected and be skeptical, because sometimes the request is accepted but its manifestation is delayed due to some expediency and divine wisdom. As an alternative, such a person should search his soul to find out if there was any deficiency in his sincerity or concentration while praying to Allah Ta` ala. (Only Allah knows best) Surah An-Naml : 27:65 – 75

Commentary

قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

Say, "No one in the heavens and the earth has the knowledge of Unseen except Allah." - 27:65

The Holy Prophet ﷺ was instructed to tell people that all the creatures that live in the heavens, like angels, and all the creatures that live in this world, like humans and jinns, none of them have any knowledge of the unseen (ghayb) except Allah. In the above-referred verse it has been stated very clearly that it is an exclusive attribute of Allah Ta` ala, and no one else, not even an angel or a prophet, could share this attribute. This subject has been dealt with in detail under verse No. 59 of Surah al-'am on page No.360 in the 3rd volume. In addition to that, I have written a separate treatise on the subject under the title (کشف الریب عن علم الغیب) which has been published in my book Ahkam-ul Qur'an in arabic. Those who are interested in this subject can refer to that.

بَلِ ادَّارَ‌كَ عِلْمُهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهَا ۖ بَلْ هُم مِّنْهَا عَمُونَ ﴿66﴾

Rather, their knowledge failed in the matter of Hereafter. Rather, they are in doubt about it. Rather, they are blind to it. 27:66.

There are different recitations for the word اِدّٰرَکَ (iddaraka) and their meanings are also different. Those who are interested should refer to different commentaries for the details. It is enough to understand here that some commentators have taken it to mean "completion" and have explained the verse thus: "Their knowledge and understanding will be completed in the Hereafter", because then the truth about every thing shall be laid bare. But knowledge of truth at that time will be of no avail, because they had been contradicting the Hereafter in the world. But some other commentators have taken the word in the meaning of 'having failed' and 'hating been lost'. The sense in this case would be that their knowledge about the Hereafter was lost, and they could not understand what it was.