“قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّن دِينِي فَلَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنْ أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ” (الآية ١٠٤) هنا يُؤمَر النبيُّ ﷺ بأن يخاطب الناسَ جميعاً، مع أن الخطاب موجَّه في الأصل إلى عرب مكة الذين كانوا يعتقدون في آلهة متعددة. فهو يقول لهم: إن كنتم في شك من صحة الدين الذي أدعو إليه، فإن شكّكم لن يصرفه ﷺ عن الحق الذي يبلّغه، ولن يغيّر طريقه ليعبد آلهتهم الباطلة، بل: «أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ» (الآية ١٠٤)، فهو وحده الذي يحدد أعمار الناس وزمن وفاتهم جميعاً. وفي التأكيد على هذا المعنى هنا دلالة بالغة، إذ يذكّرهم بسلطان الله عليهم، فهو المعبود بحق، لا تلك الآلهة الباطلة التي لا تملك حياةً ولا موتاً. ويُؤمَر ﷺ أن يبيّن لهم ما أُمر به بوضوح: «وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ» (الآية ١٠٤)، فيمتثل ما أُوحي إليه دون تردد.
«وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ» (الآية ١٠٥). وهنا يتحول الأسلوب إلى أمر مباشر، يُلقى كأنما يُلقى الآن أمامهم جميعاً، وهذا أبلغ في التأثير. «أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً»، أي اتجه إلى الله وحده، واقبل ما أوحاه إليك باعتباره الحق الكامل. «وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ» (الآية ١٠٥)، وهذا يؤكد من جديد معنى الإخلاص والاستقامة على الدين الحق والكون من المؤمنين. وجاء التأكيد في صورة نهي صريح عن الشرك بالله، يعقب أمراً صريحاً بالإيمان. "لَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ، فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ" (الآية 106). لا تستغث بأولئك الذين يشركهم الكفار مع الله، فإنهم لا يستطيعون أن يجلبوا لك نفعًا ولا أن يلحقوا بك ضررًا. فإن استغثت بهم، فإنك تضع نفسك في عداد الظالمين، لأن الله عادل مع الجميع، ولا يُحابي أحدًا.
“Say: ‘Mankind, if you are still in doubt as to what my faith is, then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship beside God, but I worship God alone who will cause all of you to die. I have been commanded to be one of those who believe.’” (Verse 104) Here the Prophet is told to address all mankind, although the address is meant in the first instance to the Arabs in Makkah who believed in a multiplicity of deities. He tells them that if they are in doubt about the truth of the faith to which he is calling, then their doubts will never turn him away from the truth which he is preaching. He is not going to change his way so as to worship their false gods. Instead, “I worship God alone who will cause all of you to die.” (Verse 104) He is the One who determines everyone’s span of life and the time when everyone dies. Emphasizing this aspect here is significant because it reminds them of God’s power over them. He is the One to be worshipped, not those false deities which cannot give life or cause death. He is also told to make his own instructions plain to them: “I have been commanded to be one of those who believe.” (Verse 104) He fulfils his orders as they are given to him, without “And adhere exclusively and sincerely to the true faith, and do not be one of those who associate partners with God.” (Verse 105) Here the style changes into a direct order, which is given in such a way that it sounds as if it is being given now in front of them all. This is far more effective. “Adhere exclusively and sincerely to the true faith,” turning to God alone and accepting what He has revealed to you as the complete truth. “And do not be one of those who associate partners with God.” (Verse 105) This re-emphasizes the meaning of sincere and exclusive adherence to the true faith and being one of the believers. The emphasis takes the form of a direct prohibition of associating partners with God which follows a direct order to believe. “Do not invoke, instead of God, anything that can neither benefit nor harm you. For if you do, you will surely be among the wrongdoers.” (Verse 106) Do not appeal to any of those beings whom the unbelievers associate with God, for they cannot bring you any benefit or cause you any harm. If you do appeal to them, you will put yourself among the wrongdoers, because God is fair to all, and He does not show any favouritism to anyone.
“وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ” (الآية 107)۔ وقد أجرى اللهُ سننًا تقتضي أن يصيب الإنسانَ الضرُّ والنفعُ حتمًا متى تعرّض لأسبابهما. فإذا أصابك الضرر بجريان سنن الله، فلا يستطيع أحدٌ رفعَ ذلك الضرر إلا إذا سلكتَ السبيلَ الصحيح؛ وذلك بأن تكفّ عن التعرّض لأسباب الضرر إن كنت تعلمها، أو تدعو الله أن يعرّفك بها إن كنت لا تعلمها. وكذلك إذا اتبعتَ سننه التي تُحدث لك النفع، فلن يستطيع أحدٌ أن يمنعَ ذلك النفع، بل يمنحه الله دائمًا لمن اختار من عباده أن يسلك الأسباب المؤدية إليه. هذه مشيئته العامة وطريقته الجارية. ثم إنه “الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ” (الآية 107)، يغفر الذنوب السالفة لمن تاب توبةً نصوحًا، وهو رحيمٌ بعباده، يغفر لهم أخطاءهم، ويزيد في ثواب أعمالهم الصالحة إذا التزموا الطريق المستقيم.
“Should God afflict you with any hardship, none other than He can remove it; and if He wills any good for you, none can withhold His bounty. He bestows it on whomsoever He wills. He is truly Forgiving, truly Merciful.” (Verse 107) God has set certain laws in operation whereby harm and benefit inevitably affect human beings when they expose themselves to their causes. So if harm afflicts you through the operation of God’s laws, then no one can remove that harm unless you follow the right course of action. This means that you should cease to expose yourself to the causes of harm if you are aware of them or appeal to God to make them known to you if you do not know them. Similarly, if you follow His laws which generate benefit for you, no one will be able to stop that benefit. It will always be granted by God to those of His servants who decide to follow the means to achieve it. This is His general will and modus operandi. Furthermore, “He is truly Forgiving, truly Merciful.” (Verse 107) He forgives past sins when one sincerely repents. Furthermore, He is merciful to His servants, forgiving them their errors and increasing their reward for their good deeds when they adhere to the true path.
هذا هو خلاصة الإيمان كما تُصوّره هذه السورة. يُؤمر النبي ﷺ أن يُعلنه للناس، ويُعطى الأمر كأنه واقف أمامهم، والأمر موجَّه إلى كل فرد بعينه. وهذا منهج بالغ الإلهام والتأثير. يُعلن النبي ﷺ إعلانه، مواجهًا القوة المادية والكثرة العددية والمعتقدات الجاهلية وتاريخًا طويلًا من الإشراك بالله، يُعلنه كما أمره الله، بقوة ووضوح تام، وليس معه في مكة إلا عدد قليل من أتباعه، والقوة فيها بلا شك في يد الكفار. وبذلك يؤدي ﷺ واجبه تجاه الحق الذي يدعو إليه، ويُظهر يقينه الراسخ في الإيمان.
This is the sum of faith, as illustrated in this sūrah. The Prophet is ordered to declare it to mankind, and the order is given to him as though he is standing in front of them. The order is directed at each individual in person. It is a remarkably inspiring and effective method. The Prophet makes his declaration, facing up to material power, numerical strength, ignorant beliefs and a long history of associating partners with God. He makes his declaration, as commanded by God, with force and maximum clarity, when he has only a small number of followers in Makkah where the power is decidedly with the unbelievers. Thus he fulfils his duty towards the truth he is advocating, showing his unshakeable certainty in faith.
وهذا يقودنا إلى الإعلان الأخير لجميع الناس: ﴿قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۖ وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ﴾ (الآية 108). وهي الكلمة الأخيرة الحاسمة التي توضح أن كل إنسان، رجلاً كان أو امرأة، يختار طريقه كما يشاء بعد أن أعطاه ربه الحق جميعاً. ومن هنا ﴿فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا﴾ (الآية 108). ولا يُطالَب النبيﷺ بإكراه الناس على اتباع الهداية الإلهية، وإنما يبلّغهم رسالته ويتركهم يختارون بحرية، موضحاً أن كل واحد سيتحمل نتائج اختياره.
This brings us to the final declaration to all people: “Say: Mankind, the truth has come to you from your Lord. Whoever chooses to follow the true guidance, does so for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, does so at his own peril. I am not responsible for your conduct.” (Verse 108) It is the final, decisive word which makes it clear that everyone chooses his or her way as they please after the truth has been given to all by their Lord. Hence, “whoever chooses to follow the true guidance, does so for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, does so at his own peril.” (Verse 108) The Prophet is not required to force people to follow divine guidance. He only conveys to them his message and leaves them to choose freely, making it clear that everyone will bear the results of his or her choice.
وَيُخْتَمُ الْخِطَابُ الْأَخِيرُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِأَمْرِهِ أَنْ يَتَّبِعَ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَنْ يَصْبِرَ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ، قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَاصْبِرْ حَتَّىٰ يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ﴾ (الآية 109). وَهٰذِهِ الْخَاتِمَةُ مُتَنَاسِقَةٌ تَمَامَ التَّنَاسُقِ مَعَ مُفْتَتَحِ السُّورَةِ وَمَضَامِينِهَا، عَلَى الْمَنْهَجِ الْفَرِيدِ الَّذِي يَنْفَرِدُ بِهِ الْقُرْآنُ الْكَرِيمُ.
The final address to the Prophet tells him to follow what he has been instructed and to persevere until God has made His judgement: “Follow whatever is revealed to you, and be patient in adversity, until God shall give His judgement. He is the best of all judges.” (Verse 109) The conclusion is in perfect harmony with the opening of the sūrah and its contents, following the unique method of the Qur’ān.