Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 58

(Ayah 58) ➊ {قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِرَحْمَتِهٖ : } By Allah’s grace and His mercy is meant the Noble Qur’an, the true religion, the Seal of the Prophets, Paradise, and all the blessings of the Hereafter. The letter “ba” has come on both { ’’ بِفَضْلِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} and {’’ بِرَحْمَتِهٖ ‘‘ }, meaning that every single blessing of the Hereafter is, in its own right, worthy for the believers to rejoice over.
➋ { فَبِذٰلِكَ :} This “fa” points to an omitted condition, that if anything is truly worthy of happiness, and if you are to rejoice, then this is the thing over which you should rejoice. By bringing {’’ فَبِذٰلِكَ ‘‘} first, exclusivity is also established, that only this is the real thing to be happy about; all other things are perishable and pure deception.
➌ { فَلْيَفْرَحُوْا:} In Mufradat al-Qur’an it is stated that the meaning of {’’فَرَحٌ‘‘} is the heart opening up with joy from some quickly-attained pleasure. This word is mostly used for happiness derived from bodily pleasures, so it is said: «{ وَ لَا تَفْرَحُوْا بِمَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمْ }» [ الحدید : ۲۳ ] “And do not exult in what He has given you.” And it is said: «{وَ فَرِحُوْا بِالْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا } » [الرعد : ۲۶ ] “And they rejoiced in the life of this world.” And it is said: «{ حَتّٰۤى اِذَا فَرِحُوْا بِمَاۤ اُوْتُوْۤا اَخَذْنٰهُمْ بَغْتَةً }» [الأنعام : ۴۴ ] “Until, when they rejoiced in what they were given, We seized them suddenly.” And it is said: «{ اِذْ قَالَ لَهٗ قَوْمُهٗ لَا تَفْرَحْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِيْنَ }» [القصص : ۷۶ ] “When his (Qarun’s) people said to him, ‘Do not exult, surely Allah does not love those who exult.’” Permission for {’’فَرَحٌ‘‘} is given only in Allah’s statement: «{ فَبِذٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوْا } » that is, in the verse under commentary. [مفردات القرآن للراغب ] It is thus clear that “farah” is the name of happiness of the heart. Now, some people have taken this verse as evidence for holding gatherings, processions for the Prophet’s birthday, saying that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is Allah’s grace, so one should rejoice on his birthday, and thus this is a day of Eid, and the third and even the greatest Eid. If our brothers would keep just a couple of points in mind, they would never distort the meaning of the verse so much as to fabricate evidence for innovation. First, that the meaning of {’’فَرَحٌ‘‘} is not “to celebrate” in any dictionary; its meaning is “to be happy,” it is the state of happiness of the heart, not to hold gatherings, processions and celebrate Eid. Second, this happiness remains in the believer’s heart at all times, twenty-four hours a day, all year, and throughout life, and it keeps his heart cool. Who told you that it is only for one day in the year? A poet has expressed his happiness so beautifully:
Neither in the poetry of the best poet am I happy, nor in the prose of the peerless prose writer,
I am happy only in being the slave of the Majestic King and in loving the Prophet.
“Nor am I happy at the verses of any excellent poet, nor at the prose of any peerless prose writer, but I am only happy at being the slave of Allah, the Majestic King, and at loving the Prophet (peace be upon him).” May Allah always keep this happiness in our destiny. Ameen!
➍ { هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُوْنَ :} That is, it is far better than the goods and provisions of this world that they accumulate, because wealth, riches, and worldly honor sometimes benefit in this world, sometimes not. Even if they do benefit, it is only for a few days. Then, what happiness is there in something that is destined to be taken away? Beauty, strength, youth, wealth, honor—how attractive these things are, but what can be done, not a single one of them is lasting. It is said: «{ مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَ مَا عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ بَاقٍ }» [ النحل : ۹۶ ] “Whatever you have will end, and what is with Allah is everlasting.” What comparison is there between the perishable and the everlasting?