What is the meaning of the verse: (We will show them Our signs in the horizons) and His saying
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The questioner : What is the meaning of the noble verse: [Fussilat 41:53] And the second verse says: [At-Tawbah 9:118]
The Shaykh : As for the first verse, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Fussilat 41:53], in this verse Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, promises that He will show these disbelievers in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) His signs, meaning the indicators of the truth of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the validity of his message. The letter "sin" here indicates facilitation and realization, meaning the occurrence of the thing in the near future.
And His saying:[Fussilat 41:53] and is the plural of "horizon," meaning the directions. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will show them the signs indicating the truth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the horizons, in his conquest of lands and the Islam of their people. Perhaps the horizons here are broader than the conquests, so that everything that appears of worldly matters becomes a witness to what came in the Qur'an, and it becomes evidence of the truth of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) message and the validity of his prophethood.
And His saying: means: in the souls of these disbelievers, where the state of dominance will be over them and they will be defeated, and dominance will be for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And His saying: [Fussilat 41:53]
Then Allah the Exalted said:[Fussilat 41:53] meaning: Is it not sufficient for you that the testimony of Allah the Exalted is upon everything, regarding every sign? For the testimony of Allah regarding a thing is greater than the testimony of anyone else .
And the testimony of Allah the Exalted for His Messenger with the truth is of two types: verbal testimony and practical testimony. As for the verbal testimony, Allah the Exalted said in the noble Qur'an:[An-Nisa 4:166] This is a verbal testimony regarding what Allah revealed to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for the practical testimony, it is Allah the Exalted enabling His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in the earth, supporting him, and granting him victory over his enemies. For if he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not been truthful in what he brought of the message and prophethood, Allah would not have enabled him, because Allah the Exalted does not enable an oppressor in His land, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Anbya 21:105] And He said: [An-Nur 24:55]. For this reason, everyone who claimed prophethood after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah the Exalted did not enable him nor support him; rather, He caused him to fail and made his lie evident until his affair became clear to the people. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets, and there is no prophet after him (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for the second verse, which is the sayingThe questioner : Who are these three who were left behind?
The three are: Ka'b ibn Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah, and Mararah ibn al-Rabi'. These three lagged behind the Battle of Tabuk, which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led. It took place in a hot season, the fruits were ripe, and shade was desirable to souls. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) specified in this expedition that he would go to such and such, indicating his intended direction to the people, even though it was his custom, when he intended an expedition, to disguise it with another direction (peace and blessings be upon him). But because this expedition was far in distance and those facing the Muslims were a large gathering of Romans, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified his intended direction so that the people would be clear about their affair.
These three (may Allah be pleased with them) lagged behind this expedition without an excuse, so Allah the Exalted revealed regarding them:[At-Tawbah 9:118]. Part of their story is that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned to Medina from Tabuk, the hypocrites came to him making excuses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted their outward appearances and left their inner secrets to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, seeking forgiveness for them when they said: "We have an excuse for such and such, and such and such." He would seek forgiveness for them. As for Ka'b ibn Malik and his two companions (may Allah be pleased with them), they told the truth to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of the correct news that they had lagged behind without an excuse. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) postponed their affair until Allah would judge in their case. He ordered the people to boycott them, not to shelter them, and not to speak with them. Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) even came to Abu Qatadah, who was his cousin, and climbed over his wall to greet him, but Abu Qatadah did not return the greeting because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had ordered them to be boycotted. Ka'b would come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to greet him, saying: "I did not know whether he moved his lips to return the greeting or not," despite the perfection of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) character. When they had remained in this state for forty nights, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to separate from their wives. All of this was an exaggeration in boycotting them and a disciplinary measure for their lagging behind, until Allah the Exalted would decree what He willed in their affair. In this story, which reached this great magnitude for them, the earth became narrow for them despite its vastness, and their souls became narrow for them. They believed, or were certain, that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The earth became strange to me, and it was not the earth I knew. The people became strange to him; they did not shelter him or return his greeting." But after fifty nights had passed, Allah the Exalted brought relief by accepting their repentance. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed, he informed the people that Allah had revealed their repentance. This removed the severe distress and great hardship that had befallen them in this trial. This trial was a great gift in its outcome, as they were patient with what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) decreed regarding their boycott, and they were patient with this great calamity. Although Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) received a letter from the King of Ghassan saying: "It has reached us that your companion has boycotted you, or has cursed you," meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "so join us and we will comfort you," meaning: come to us and we will comfort you and make you like us. But he (may Allah be pleased with him), due to the strength of his faith, when this letter came to him, took the oven and set it on fire with it, burning it, and he was patient. Otherwise, the opportunity was favorable for him if he had wanted the world, but he wanted Allah and the Messenger of Allah. So this was the great outcome, which is considered one of the greatest boasts. Allah revealed a Book regarding them that will be recited until the Day of Resurrection: [At-Tawbah 9:117-118]. The meaning of His saying: is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left them behind and postponed their affair, not deciding anything regarding them except ordering their boycott. It does not mean by that they lagged behind the expedition. If that had been the intended meaning, Allah the Exalted would have said: [At-Tawbah 9:118] But He said: meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left their affair behind and postponed it until Allah would decree in it what He willed.
And in His saying, Glorified and Exalted is He:[At-Tawbah 9:104], there is evidence of the abundance of the repentance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because "al-Tawwab" is a form of exaggeration that implies abundance, and that He, Mighty and Majestic, loves repentance for His servants. This is evident in the texts of the Book and the Sunnah, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:222] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2747b, c, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that this man lost his mount in a desert land, and his food and drink were on it. He sought it but did not find it, so he lay down in the shade of a tree waiting for death, because he had lost hope of life. Then he woke up and found the rein of his camel hanging from the tree. He took hold of the rein and said: Sahih Muslim 2747a If Allah, Mighty and Majestic, loves repentance from His servant, He also loves repentance for His servant. So the servant repents to Allah, and Allah, Mighty and Majestic, accepts the repentance of the servant. We ask Allah the Exalted to accept our repentance and the repentance of our Muslim brothers.
The questioner : May Allah thank you and magnify your reward.
We will show them Our signs in the horizons
سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الآفَاقِAnd [He also forgave] the three who were left behind
وَعَلَى الثَّلاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواThe Shaykh : As for the first verse, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth
سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّAnd His saying:
in the horizons and within themselves
فِي الآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْin the horizons
في الآفاقAnd His saying:
and within themselves
وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْuntil it becomes clear to them that it is the truth
حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّThen Allah the Exalted said:
But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?
أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌAnd sufficient is Allah as a Witness.
وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًاAnd the testimony of Allah the Exalted for His Messenger with the truth is of two types: verbal testimony and practical testimony. As for the verbal testimony, Allah the Exalted said in the noble Qur'an:
But Allah bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allah as Witness.
لَكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًاAs for the practical testimony, it is Allah the Exalted enabling His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in the earth, supporting him, and granting him victory over his enemies. For if he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not been truthful in what he brought of the message and prophethood, Allah would not have enabled him, because Allah the Exalted does not enable an oppressor in His land, as Allah the Exalted said:
And We have already written in the book [of Psalms] after the [previous] mention that the land [of Paradise] is inherited by My righteous servants.
وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَAllah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًاAs for the second verse, which is the sayingThe questioner : Who are these three who were left behind?
The three are: Ka'b ibn Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah, and Mararah ibn al-Rabi'. These three lagged behind the Battle of Tabuk, which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led. It took place in a hot season, the fruits were ripe, and shade was desirable to souls. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) specified in this expedition that he would go to such and such, indicating his intended direction to the people, even though it was his custom, when he intended an expedition, to disguise it with another direction (peace and blessings be upon him). But because this expedition was far in distance and those facing the Muslims were a large gathering of Romans, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified his intended direction so that the people would be clear about their affair.
These three (may Allah be pleased with them) lagged behind this expedition without an excuse, so Allah the Exalted revealed regarding them:
And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
وعَلَى الثَّلاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ(117) Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful. (118) And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
لَقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ * وَعَلَى الثَّلاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُwho were left behind
الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواthose who were left behind
الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواAnd [He also forgave] the three who were left behind
وعلى الثلاثة الذين تخلفواthose who were left behind
الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواAnd in His saying, Glorified and Exalted is He:
it is Allah who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful?
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُIndeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَAllah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than if one of you
لله أشد فرحاً بتوبة عبده من أحدكم براحلته0 Lord, Thou art my servant and I am Thine Lord. He commits this mistake out of extreme delight.
اللهم أنت عبدي وأنا ربك، أخطأ من شدة الفرحThe questioner : May Allah thank you and magnify your reward.