Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (Who broke your back)
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Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (Who broke your back)
Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Sharh: 3] If someone were to say: This verse and what we have cited as evidence for it indicates that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) may commit sins. Does the Prophet commit sins? The answer is yes, and it is not possible for us to reject the texts. It is not possible to reject them merely because we find it unlikely that he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would commit a sin.And we do not say: The point is not that a person does not commit sins, but rather that Allah forgives the person. This is the important thing: that he is forgiven. As for the fact that a person might not commit a sin, the Prophet (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) said: (Every son of Adam is prone to error, and the best of those who err are those who repent).
Error is inevitable. However, there are things that cannot possibly occur from the prophets, such as: lying and betrayal. This is absolutely impossible for them, because if it were to happen, it would be a refutation of their message, which is impossible. As for the vices of character, such as zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and the like, this is also impossible, because it contradicts the essence of the message, which was sent to perfect noble character. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (I was sent to perfect noble character).
In conclusion: That Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has removed the burden from Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family),And that this burden has broken his back, meaning: which exhausted and wearied him. And if this is the burden of the Messenger (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him); how much more so are the burdens of others.
Our burdens break our backs, crush them, and weary them, yet it is as if we had not carried anything. This is due to the weakness of our faith and insight, and our much heedlessness. We ask Allah to treat us with forgiveness.
It came in some athar (reports): (Indeed, when a believer commits a sin, it becomes like a mountain over his head. And when a hypocrite commits a sin, it becomes like a fly that lands on his nose, and he waves it away like this).
Meaning: He does not care. The believer is concerned about his sins, and worry befalls him until he is rid of them through repentance and seeking forgiveness, or through great good deeds that erase the effects of this evil. And if you see in your heart heedlessness regarding your sins; know that your heart is sick; because a living heart cannot be pleased with sickness, and the sickness of hearts is sins.As 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I have seen sins kill the hearts, and their habituation begets humiliation
And leaving sins is the life of the hearts, and the best for your soul is to disobey them
In any case, I say: It is obligatory upon us, and I direct this statement to myself before you, and we ask Allah for help for everyone.I say: It is obligatory upon us to care for ourselves and to account for them. If merchants do not sleep until they review their business ledgers—what they spent, what they paid out, and what they earned—then the merchants of the Hereafter should be even more concerned; because their trade is greater than the trade of the people of this world. The most it benefits them, if it benefits them at all, is merely the comfort of the body. Moreover, this trade is accompanied by worry and grief. If he loses in a commodity, he is concerned about it. And if there are fears of highway robbers or thieves in his land, he becomes even more anxious.
But the trade of the Hereafter is the opposite of this: [Al-Saff: 10-12] It saves you from the punishment, and Allah forgives sins through it, and enters you into the gardens through it.
(Gardens of 'Adn) meaning: gardens of permanent residence. [Al-Saff: 12] Pleasant dwellings in their structure and in the material of the building. Do you think that the building of Paradise is made of cement and gravel? No.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Two gardens of gold, their vessels and what is in them, and two gardens of silver, their vessels and what is in them).
By Allah, if a person remained in prostration from the time he reached puberty until he died, this would be a small price compared to this great gain. And even if it were only that a person is saved from the Fire, that would be sufficient.Sometimes a person thinks and says: I wish I had not been born, or it would be enough for me to be saved from the Fire.And here is 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: [I wish I were a tree that is cut down, I wish my mother had not borne me] Because a person fears. He may think he is safe now; because he prays, fasts, gives charity, performs Hajj, is dutiful to his parents, and the like. But there may be in his heart—may Allah grant us safety and well-being—a thorn that leads to a bad ending—may Allah protect us from that— As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (Indeed, one of you will do the deed of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit) meaning: a short period before his death. It is not a cubit in his work, because his work is all vanity. He is (doing the deed of the people of Paradise in the appearance of people, but he is from the people of the Fire) as it came in the authentic hadith.
But his saying: (Until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit) does not mean: that his work brought him close to Paradise,The meaning: until there remains for him but a short period in life (then he does the deed of the people of the Fire and enters it) But this is in the case where a person’s work is for people.As he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) said: (Indeed, a man will do the deed of the people of Paradise in the appearance of people, but he is from the people of the Fire) So when a person passes through such texts, he fears for himself, and he fears from riya' (showing off in worship), and he fears from pride, and he fears from ingratitude toward Allah regarding his deeds.
So we ask Allah the Exalted to protect us and you from the evil of our deeds. O Allah, we seek refuge in You from the evils of our souls and from the evil of our deeds, and we seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.
Allah the Exalted said:
Which had weighed upon your back
الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَError is inevitable. However, there are things that cannot possibly occur from the prophets, such as: lying and betrayal. This is absolutely impossible for them, because if it were to happen, it would be a refutation of their message, which is impossible. As for the vices of character, such as zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and the like, this is also impossible, because it contradicts the essence of the message, which was sent to perfect noble character. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (I was sent to perfect noble character).
In conclusion: That Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has removed the burden from Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family),And that this burden has broken his back, meaning: which exhausted and wearied him. And if this is the burden of the Messenger (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him); how much more so are the burdens of others.
Our burdens break our backs, crush them, and weary them, yet it is as if we had not carried anything. This is due to the weakness of our faith and insight, and our much heedlessness. We ask Allah to treat us with forgiveness.
It came in some athar (reports): (Indeed, when a believer commits a sin, it becomes like a mountain over his head. And when a hypocrite commits a sin, it becomes like a fly that lands on his nose, and he waves it away like this).
Meaning: He does not care. The believer is concerned about his sins, and worry befalls him until he is rid of them through repentance and seeking forgiveness, or through great good deeds that erase the effects of this evil. And if you see in your heart heedlessness regarding your sins; know that your heart is sick; because a living heart cannot be pleased with sickness, and the sickness of hearts is sins.As 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I have seen sins kill the hearts, and their habituation begets humiliation
And leaving sins is the life of the hearts, and the best for your soul is to disobey them
In any case, I say: It is obligatory upon us, and I direct this statement to myself before you, and we ask Allah for help for everyone.I say: It is obligatory upon us to care for ourselves and to account for them. If merchants do not sleep until they review their business ledgers—what they spent, what they paid out, and what they earned—then the merchants of the Hereafter should be even more concerned; because their trade is greater than the trade of the people of this world. The most it benefits them, if it benefits them at all, is merely the comfort of the body. Moreover, this trade is accompanied by worry and grief. If he loses in a commodity, he is concerned about it. And if there are fears of highway robbers or thieves in his land, he becomes even more anxious.
But the trade of the Hereafter is the opposite of this:
(10) O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? (11) [It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know. (12) He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ * تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ * يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ(Gardens of 'Adn) meaning: gardens of permanent residence.
and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence
وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Two gardens of gold, their vessels and what is in them, and two gardens of silver, their vessels and what is in them).
By Allah, if a person remained in prostration from the time he reached puberty until he died, this would be a small price compared to this great gain. And even if it were only that a person is saved from the Fire, that would be sufficient.Sometimes a person thinks and says: I wish I had not been born, or it would be enough for me to be saved from the Fire.And here is 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: [I wish I were a tree that is cut down, I wish my mother had not borne me] Because a person fears. He may think he is safe now; because he prays, fasts, gives charity, performs Hajj, is dutiful to his parents, and the like. But there may be in his heart—may Allah grant us safety and well-being—a thorn that leads to a bad ending—may Allah protect us from that— As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (Indeed, one of you will do the deed of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit) meaning: a short period before his death. It is not a cubit in his work, because his work is all vanity. He is (doing the deed of the people of Paradise in the appearance of people, but he is from the people of the Fire) as it came in the authentic hadith.
But his saying: (Until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit) does not mean: that his work brought him close to Paradise,The meaning: until there remains for him but a short period in life (then he does the deed of the people of the Fire and enters it) But this is in the case where a person’s work is for people.As he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) said: (Indeed, a man will do the deed of the people of Paradise in the appearance of people, but he is from the people of the Fire) So when a person passes through such texts, he fears for himself, and he fears from riya' (showing off in worship), and he fears from pride, and he fears from ingratitude toward Allah regarding his deeds.
So we ask Allah the Exalted to protect us and you from the evil of our deeds. O Allah, we seek refuge in You from the evils of our souls and from the evil of our deeds, and we seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.