TAFSIR IBN KATHIR : 5, Sura # 2 Al-Baqarah
SUB:
There is no doubt in the Qur’an
Guidence is granted to those who have Taqwa
There are two types of Hidaya
PC controller: Engg. Syed Ahmad Masood Ali
There is no Doubt in the Qur'an
The Book, is the Qur'an, and Rayb means doubt. As-Suddi said that Abu Malik and
Abu Salih narrated from Ibn `Abbas, and Murrah Al-Hamadani narrated from Ibn
Mas`ud and several other Companions of the Messenger of Allah that,
﴿لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ﴾
(In which there is no Rayb), means about which there is no doubt. Abu
Ad-Darda', Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Nafi` `Ata', Abu
Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi, Qatadah and
Isma`il bin Abi Khalid said similarly. In addition, Ibn Abi Hatim said, "I do
not know of any disagreement over this explanation.'' The meaning of this is
that the Book, the Qur'an, is without a doubt revealed from Allah. Similarly,
Allah said in Surat As- Sajdah,
﴿الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴾
(Alif Lam Mim). The revelation of the Book (this Qur'an) in which there is no
doubt, is from the Lord of all that exists) (32:1-2).
Some scholars stated that this Ayah - 2:2 - contains a prohibition meaning, "Do
not doubt the Qur'an.'' Furthermore, some of the reciters of the Qur'an pause
upon reading,
Guidance is granted to Those Who have Taqwa
Hidayah - correct guidance - is only granted to those who have Taqwa - fear of
Allah. Allah said,
﴿قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن
مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ﴾
(Say: It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who
disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur'an) is
blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so
they neither listen nor understand)) (41:44), and,
﴿وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا ﴾
(And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those
who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimin
(wrongdoers) in nothing but loss) (17:82).
This is a sample of the numerous Ayat indicating that the believers, in
particular, benefit from the Qur'an. That is because the Qur'an is itself a
form of guidance, but the guidance in it is only granted to the righteous, just
as Allah said,
﴿يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ مَّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌ
لِّمَا فِى الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴾
(O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i. e. the
Qur'an, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a
healing for that (disease of ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy and differences) which
is in your breasts, ـ a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful
things) for the believers) (10:57).
Ibn `Abbas and Ibn Mas`ud and other Companions of the Messenger of Allah said,
﴿هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾
(guidance for the Muttaqin (the pious and righteous persons), means, a light
for those who have Taqwa.
﴿لاَ رَيْبَ﴾
(there is no doubt) and they then continue;
﴿فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾
(in which there is guidance for the Muttaqin (the pious and righteous
persons)). However, it is better to pause at,
﴿لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ﴾
(in which there is no doubt) because in this case,
﴿هُدًى﴾
(guidance) becomes an attribute of the Qur'an and carries a better meaning than,
﴿فِيهِ هُدًى﴾
(in which there is guidance).
There are Two Types of Hidayah (Guidance)
Huda here means the faith that resides in the heart, and only Allah is able to
create it in the heart of the servants. Allah said,
﴿إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ﴾
(Verily, you (O Muhammad ) guide not whom you like) (28:56),
﴿لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ﴾
(Not upon you (Muhammad ) is their guidance) (2:272),
﴿مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ﴾
(Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him) (7:186), and,
﴿مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ
وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا﴾
(He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray,
for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right path))
(18:17).
Huda also means to explain the truth, give direction and lead to it. Allah, the
Exalted, said,
﴿وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِى إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ﴾
(And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight
path (i.e. Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism)) (42: 52),
﴿إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرٌ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ﴾
(You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide) (13:7), and,
﴿وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّواْ الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى﴾
(And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear to them the path of truth (Islamic
Monotheism) through Our Messenger (i.e. showed them the way of success), but
they preferred blindness to guidance) (41:17).
testifying to this meaning.
Also, Allah said,
﴿وَهَدَيْنَـهُ النَّجْدَينِ ﴾
(And shown him the two ways (good and evil).) (90:10)
This is the view of the scholars who said that the two ways refer to the paths
of righteousness and evil, which is also the correct explanation. And Allah
knows best.
