As-Sajdah 32:21–26

In verse 21:

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْ‌جِعُونَ

(And We will certainly make them taste the nearer punishment before the greater punishment, so that they may return),

the word: أَدْنَىٰ (adna) has been used in the sense of 'nearer' and الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ (al adhab-ul-adna) denotes diseases, sufferings and calamities of the world that are made to befall a lot of people by Allah Ta'ala in order to warn them against their sins. The purpose is to chasten and alert them enough so that they leave off their sins and thus earn their deliverance from the Great Punishment of the Hereafter.

Hence, this verse seems to tell us that all these sufferings, accidents, diseases and pains that inflict sinners in the world are nothing but a sort of mercy for them in as much as they help them get out of their heedlessness and save themselves from the punishment of the 'Akhirah. However, for people who take no lesson even from such unwelcome happenings and fail to turn to Allah, for them, this punishment becomes twofold - first, the cash punishment right here in this world and then, the other being the Great Punishment of the Hereafter. As for the hardships of many kinds that come upon prophets and men of Allah, that is a separate matter. These hardships are a trial for them and trials are the source through which their ranks are raised. At is the hallmark of this trial? How do you recognize the quality of their response? If one were to observe such people even under the stress of calamities and hardships, it will be noticed that they have a kind of peace and tranquility emanating from their trust in Allah Ta’ ala. And it is Allah who knows best.

There are some crimes the punishment of which comes even within the mortal world much before the Hereafter.

The last sentence of the set of verses cited above reads:إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِ‌مِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ (We have to take vengeance upon the sinners - 22). Obviously, the word: الْمُجْرِ‌مِينَ (al-mujrimin: the criminals) includes all kinds of criminals. Then, the word: اِنتِقَام (intiqam: revenge, retribution, return) is also general. It may be in the mortal world or in the Hereafter or in both. But, from some Hadith accounts it appears that there are three sins the punishment of which is experienced - before the Hereafter - right here in this world too. They are: (1) To strive against what is Right and True publicly with flags and slogans; (2) To disobey parents; (3) To help someone unjust or oppressive. (Reported by Ibn Jarir from Sayyidna Mu'dh Ibn Jabal ؓ .

Commentary

The word: لِقَاء (liqa' ) in the first verse (23) cited above: فَلَا تَكُن فِي مِرْ‌يَةٍ مِّن لِّقَائِهِ (so do not be in doubt about receiving it) means meeting. Whose meeting with whom? In determining it precisely in the verse, the sayings of commentators differ. According to one of these, the pronoun in: لِّقَائِهِ (liga'ihi) has been taken to be reverting to: اَلکِتَاب (al-hitab: the Book), that is, the Qur'an, which releases the sense that 'the way Allah Ta’ ala gave the Book to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، you too should entertain no doubt about receiving your Book.' This is supported by similar words used about the Qur'an in another verse: وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى الْقُرْ‌آنَ (And indeed you [ 0 Muhammad ] do receive the Qur'an - An-Naml, 27:6) (Bayan ul-Qur'an, Khulasah Tafsir)

On the other hand, its tafsir from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas and Qatadah ؓ has been reported as follows: The pronoun in: لِّقَائِهِ (liqa'ihi: read as 'meeting him' ) reverts to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and given in this verse is the news that the Holy Prophet ﷺ will be meeting Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and it has been said that he should have no doubt in the eventuality of his meeting with Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . Accordingly, a meeting in the night of al-Mi` raj (the ascent to the heavens) stands proved on the authority of Sahih Ahadith. Then, also proved is the meeting on the day of Qiyamah.

And Hasan al-Basri (رح) explains it by saying: The way Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was given a Book, then people belied and harassed him, the prophet of Islam too should anticipate that he will have to face similar treatment at the hands of his people. Therefore, he should not grieve over the pains inflicted by disbelievers. In fact, he should take that as the blessed practice of prophets, and endure.

Two conditions for the leader of any people

In the next verse (24), it was said:

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِ‌نَا لَمَّا صَبَرُ‌وا ۖ وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ

(And We appointed leaders from among them who guided (people) under Our command, when they observed patience, and kept firm belief in Our verses).

In this verse, two reasons have been given as to why religious leadership was bestowed on some of the sages of Bani Isra'il: (1) Observance of patience and (2) the certitude of Divine words. In terms of the Arabic usage, the sense of doing sabr or patience is very wide and general. Literally, it means to tie or to be firm. At this place, sabr means to stay firm on the implementation of Divine injunctions and to hold one's desiring self in check against the infringement of what Allah Ta'ala has declared to be Karam (unlawful) or makruh (reprehensible). This covers one's obedience to all injunctions of the Sharl'ah which is pragmatic perfection at its best. The second reason lies in their certitude - they are certain of the Divine words. This includes the initial understanding of the sense of the verses as well as the resulting certitude which emerges from such comprehension - both. This is intellectual perfection at its best.

In short, in the sight of Allah Ta’ ala, only those who are perfect both in 'ilm (knowledge) and 'amal (practice) are worthy of religious leadership. It is interesting here that perfection in practice has been made to precede perfection in knowledge while, usually 'ilm (knowledge) precedes ` amal (practice). This arrangement releases a strong hint, that is, a knowledge which has no corresponding practice with it is just not credible in the sight of Allah.

Ibn Kathir has reported the following saying of some ` Ulama' in his tafsir of this verse:

بِالصَّبرِ وَ الیَقِینِ تُنَالُ الِا مَا مَۃُ فِی الدِّینِ

One can arrive at the station of leadership in religion only through sabr (patience) and yagin (certitude).