The Meaning of the Statement of Allah the Exalted: “So remind, for the reminder benefits”
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Question:
Some of the exegetes, in their interpretation of the statement of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [Al-A'la:9], say that it means: remind where the reminder is beneficial. Is this the age of the obeyed stinginess, the followed desire, and the self-admiration of every person who has an opinion?
Answer:
This is not a condition, but rather a description of the majority, meaning that the obligation becomes greater and more binding when people benefit from the reminder. Otherwise, he is commanded to remind, in the hope that they may benefit. For this reason, in the other verses: [Al-Ghashiyah:21], and [Adh-Dhariyat:55].
A person reminds, and the benefit is in the hand of Allah. But if the reminder benefits, the obligation becomes stronger, and the benefit becomes greater. For those from whom benefit and profit are expected, the obligation upon them is multiplied, strengthened, and increased.
As for your statement: “Is this the age of the obeyed stinginess, the followed desire, and the self-admiration of every person who has an opinion?” No, that is not the case. But it does not mean that this is the age in which a person is left alone, not commanded and not forbidden, because there is obeyed stinginess, followed desire, and self-admiration in it. But it is not the age in which a person stops from calling to Allah and relies on himself. No, praise be to Allah: the call is heard, beneficial, and useful, and there are those who respond to it.
So he must call to Allah and warn against obeyed stinginess and followed desire, and warn against his influential worldly life. But he does not stop from calling to Allah, except when a time comes in which he is prevented from calling and punished for it, and he is not allowed to call any of his brothers, nor enjoin what is right nor forbid what is wrong. At that time, he relies on himself. And this is not their time, praise be to Allah. Rather, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and the callers to Allah—praise be to Allah—are permitted; they call to Allah. The fact that some people may make a mistake, or may be stopped because of a mistake of theirs in some matters, does not prevent the call. So a person must follow the path and remain upright on the straight path, and not be prevented.
And if someone is prevented or stopped because he deviated from the path in some matters, or made a mistake in some matters, until he becomes disciplined and until he adheres to the rules, this is the right of the rulers. They should look into these matters and stop those who do not adhere to the method that must be followed. And they should hold accountable those who deviated from the path until they become upright. This is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety. And the state should fear Allah in this, and seek the truth in this. And it should take the opinion of the scholars and consult the scholars. It must do what is required, and not leave the reins loose, allowing anyone who comes to speak. No, people may speak who call to the Fire, and people may speak who spread evil and fitnah, separating people without right.
So the state should consider matters in the Islamic way, in the Muhammadan way, by consulting the scholars, so that the cure is in its place and the medicine is in its place. And if a mistake or error occurs, it is not blameworthy for one who is free from the error! But the caller may make a mistake, and the one who enjoins and forbids may make a mistake, and the state may make a mistake, and the judge may make a mistake, and the ruler may make a mistake. Every son of Adam is prone to error, but the believer seeks the truth. The state seeks the truth, and the ruler seeks it, and the judge seeks it, and the caller to Allah seeks it, and the one who enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong seeks it. And he is not infallible. So if he makes a mistake, he is pointed out to his error and directed to the good. And if he is stubborn, it is for the state to do with him what prevents stubbornness, whether treatment or discipline, or imprisonment, if he is stubborn against the truth and stubborn against responding. And if he responds and accepts the truth, praise be to Allah.
Some of the exegetes, in their interpretation of the statement of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) :
So remind, if the reminder should benefit;
فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىAnswer:
This is not a condition, but rather a description of the majority, meaning that the obligation becomes greater and more binding when people benefit from the reminder. Otherwise, he is commanded to remind, in the hope that they may benefit. For this reason, in the other verses:
So remind, [O Muhammad]; you are only a reminder.
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌAnd remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَى تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَA person reminds, and the benefit is in the hand of Allah. But if the reminder benefits, the obligation becomes stronger, and the benefit becomes greater. For those from whom benefit and profit are expected, the obligation upon them is multiplied, strengthened, and increased.
As for your statement: “Is this the age of the obeyed stinginess, the followed desire, and the self-admiration of every person who has an opinion?” No, that is not the case. But it does not mean that this is the age in which a person is left alone, not commanded and not forbidden, because there is obeyed stinginess, followed desire, and self-admiration in it. But it is not the age in which a person stops from calling to Allah and relies on himself. No, praise be to Allah: the call is heard, beneficial, and useful, and there are those who respond to it.
So he must call to Allah and warn against obeyed stinginess and followed desire, and warn against his influential worldly life. But he does not stop from calling to Allah, except when a time comes in which he is prevented from calling and punished for it, and he is not allowed to call any of his brothers, nor enjoin what is right nor forbid what is wrong. At that time, he relies on himself. And this is not their time, praise be to Allah. Rather, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and the callers to Allah—praise be to Allah—are permitted; they call to Allah. The fact that some people may make a mistake, or may be stopped because of a mistake of theirs in some matters, does not prevent the call. So a person must follow the path and remain upright on the straight path, and not be prevented.
And if someone is prevented or stopped because he deviated from the path in some matters, or made a mistake in some matters, until he becomes disciplined and until he adheres to the rules, this is the right of the rulers. They should look into these matters and stop those who do not adhere to the method that must be followed. And they should hold accountable those who deviated from the path until they become upright. This is part of cooperating in righteousness and piety. And the state should fear Allah in this, and seek the truth in this. And it should take the opinion of the scholars and consult the scholars. It must do what is required, and not leave the reins loose, allowing anyone who comes to speak. No, people may speak who call to the Fire, and people may speak who spread evil and fitnah, separating people without right.
So the state should consider matters in the Islamic way, in the Muhammadan way, by consulting the scholars, so that the cure is in its place and the medicine is in its place. And if a mistake or error occurs, it is not blameworthy for one who is free from the error! But the caller may make a mistake, and the one who enjoins and forbids may make a mistake, and the state may make a mistake, and the judge may make a mistake, and the ruler may make a mistake. Every son of Adam is prone to error, but the believer seeks the truth. The state seeks the truth, and the ruler seeks it, and the judge seeks it, and the caller to Allah seeks it, and the one who enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong seeks it. And he is not infallible. So if he makes a mistake, he is pointed out to his error and directed to the good. And if he is stubborn, it is for the state to do with him what prevents stubbornness, whether treatment or discipline, or imprisonment, if he is stubborn against the truth and stubborn against responding. And if he responds and accepts the truth, praise be to Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.