Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (Say, if the Hereafter is yours alone with Allah, exclusive of other people) [Surat al-Baqarah: 94]
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Question:
I ask for an explanation of these verses from Surat al-Baqarah. Allah the Exalted says: (Say, if the Hereafter is yours alone with Allah, exclusive of other people, then wish for death, if you are truthful. But they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers. And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life, even more so than the polytheists. One of them would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years, but such a life would not avail him against the punishment. And Allah is Seeing of what they do) [Surat al-Baqarah: 94-96].
Answer:
Allah the Exalted says to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Say to these Jews who claim that no one will enter Paradise except a Jew or a Christian, and that entry into Paradise is restricted to them and no one else will enter it. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says to His Prophet: Say to these liars: If the Hereafter—which is Paradise—is yours alone with Allah, exclusive of other people, and no one enters it but you, then wish for death. There are two opinions among the scholars regarding this: The first opinion is that this is a matter of mubahalah (mutual imprecation), and that Allah commanded His Prophet to imprecate against them by saying: Come, let us call for death upon the liar among us or among you. They will not proceed to do this because they know that they are the liars. The second opinion is: Since you guarantee that Paradise is yours with Allah, why do you not wish for death so that you may transition to Paradise, as you claim? Because whoever guarantees that he has Paradise, that he has happiness with Allah, and that they are the sons of Allah and His beloved, the lover rejoices at meeting his beloved. So, wish for death so that you may exit the prison of this world to the bliss of the Hereafter and to meeting Allah, whom you claim to be His beloved. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir supported the first opinion in his tafsir (exegesis), stating that this is a matter of mubahalah and a challenge to them; because they know that they are liars, they do not wish for death. If they died, they would go to the Fire and to punishment, and they prefer to remain in this world. This world is the Paradise of the disbeliever and the prison of the believer. They hate death because they know the bad outcome awaiting them with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Therefore, He said: (But they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers) [Surat al-Baqarah: 95]. Then He, Mighty and Majestic, clarified that they love life and hate death, so He, the Exalted, said: (And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life, even more so than the polytheists) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that they love life more than the disbelievers who have no Book, the polytheists who have no Book and no heavenly religion. They love life more than these people because they know their outcome with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and the disgrace and shame that will befall them. They want to delay in this world from the punishment that will befall them in the Hereafter. He, the Exalted, said: (One of them would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that one of the Jews would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years; because he loves this worldly life and hates the Hereafter. And He, the Exalted, says: (But such a life would not avail him against the punishment) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that his life in this world, even if it is long, does not save him from the punishment of Allah in any way. They will fall into what they fled from, without fail, even if their lives are long and their lifespans extended. (And Allah is Seeing of what they do) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that salvation with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and success with Him, is not by length of life, but by righteous deeds and following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the one who is happy with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, who rejoices at meeting Allah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, loves his meeting and he finds honor with Allah.
I ask for an explanation of these verses from Surat al-Baqarah. Allah the Exalted says: (Say, if the Hereafter is yours alone with Allah, exclusive of other people, then wish for death, if you are truthful. But they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers. And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life, even more so than the polytheists. One of them would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years, but such a life would not avail him against the punishment. And Allah is Seeing of what they do) [Surat al-Baqarah: 94-96].
Answer:
Allah the Exalted says to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Say to these Jews who claim that no one will enter Paradise except a Jew or a Christian, and that entry into Paradise is restricted to them and no one else will enter it. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says to His Prophet: Say to these liars: If the Hereafter—which is Paradise—is yours alone with Allah, exclusive of other people, and no one enters it but you, then wish for death. There are two opinions among the scholars regarding this: The first opinion is that this is a matter of mubahalah (mutual imprecation), and that Allah commanded His Prophet to imprecate against them by saying: Come, let us call for death upon the liar among us or among you. They will not proceed to do this because they know that they are the liars. The second opinion is: Since you guarantee that Paradise is yours with Allah, why do you not wish for death so that you may transition to Paradise, as you claim? Because whoever guarantees that he has Paradise, that he has happiness with Allah, and that they are the sons of Allah and His beloved, the lover rejoices at meeting his beloved. So, wish for death so that you may exit the prison of this world to the bliss of the Hereafter and to meeting Allah, whom you claim to be His beloved. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir supported the first opinion in his tafsir (exegesis), stating that this is a matter of mubahalah and a challenge to them; because they know that they are liars, they do not wish for death. If they died, they would go to the Fire and to punishment, and they prefer to remain in this world. This world is the Paradise of the disbeliever and the prison of the believer. They hate death because they know the bad outcome awaiting them with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Therefore, He said: (But they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers) [Surat al-Baqarah: 95]. Then He, Mighty and Majestic, clarified that they love life and hate death, so He, the Exalted, said: (And you will surely find them the most eager of people for life, even more so than the polytheists) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that they love life more than the disbelievers who have no Book, the polytheists who have no Book and no heavenly religion. They love life more than these people because they know their outcome with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and the disgrace and shame that will befall them. They want to delay in this world from the punishment that will befall them in the Hereafter. He, the Exalted, said: (One of them would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that one of the Jews would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years; because he loves this worldly life and hates the Hereafter. And He, the Exalted, says: (But such a life would not avail him against the punishment) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that his life in this world, even if it is long, does not save him from the punishment of Allah in any way. They will fall into what they fled from, without fail, even if their lives are long and their lifespans extended. (And Allah is Seeing of what they do) [Surat al-Baqarah: 96]. This means that salvation with Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and success with Him, is not by length of life, but by righteous deeds and following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the one who is happy with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, who rejoices at meeting Allah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, loves his meeting and he finds honor with Allah.
Source
www.alfawzan.af.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.