Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 6

(Ayah 6) ➊ {وَ مَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ فِي الْاَرْضِ …:’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘ ’’ دَبَّ يَدِبُّ دَبِيْبًا ‘‘} is an active participle, which means to walk slowly. The word {’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘ } is used for every living being, whether male or female, rational or irrational, as He said: «{ وَ اللّٰهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَآبَّةٍ مِّنْ مَّآءٍ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى بَطْنِهٖ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰى رِجْلَيْنِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّمْشِيْ عَلٰۤى اَرْبَعٍ }» [ النور:۴۵] “And Allah has created every moving creature from water; then among them are those that move on their bellies, and among them are those that walk on two legs, and among them are those that walk on four.” Allah Almighty has called all living beings that walk on their bellies, or on two or four legs, {’’ دَآبَّةٍ ‘‘}.

➋ In the previous verse, the vastness and comprehensiveness of Allah’s knowledge was mentioned, that not only the apparent and hidden states of man, but He is even aware of the thoughts in the hearts. In this verse, evidence is presented for this, that every living being receives its sustenance from Allah Almighty, so if Allah’s knowledge were not vast, how would this arrangement of sustenance be possible? But this verse does not mean that since sustenance is Allah’s responsibility, man should not strive and work to earn and seek it. Rather, although all the treasures of sustenance are in Allah’s hand, man is commanded to work and it is obligatory for him to adopt those means by which sustenance is obtained. However, reliance on this effort and these means is not permissible; even after arranging all the means, reliance and trust must be only on Allah, because if He does not will, then despite all the means, a servant remains deprived of sustenance, and if He wills, even if a servant cannot arrange any means, He can provide sustenance without means. But the command is to go out in search of sustenance. It is narrated from Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَوْ اَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَوَكَّلُوْنَ عَلَی اللّٰهِ حَقَّ تَوَكُّلِهٖ لَرُزِقْتُمْ كَمَا تُرْزَقُ الطَّيْرُ تَغْدُوْ خِمَاصًا وَتَرُوْحُ بِطَانًا ] [ ترمذی، الزہد، باب فی التوکل علی اللّٰہ : ۲۳۴۴ ] “If you trust in Allah as He deserves to be trusted, He will surely provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out in the morning hungry and return in the evening with full bellies.” In this hadith, going out in the morning is earning, and not worrying about what to eat tomorrow is trust. In any case, adopting means is not contrary to trust. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اِعْقِلْهَا وَ تَوَكَّلْ ] [ ترمذی، صفۃ القیامۃ، باب حدیث اعقلھا و توکل…: ۲۵۱۷، عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ ] “Tie your camel and trust (in Allah).” Abu Umamah Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ رُوْحَ الْقُدْسِ نَفَثَ فِيْ رَوْعِيْ أَنَّ نَفْسًا لَنْ تَمُوْتَ حَتَّى تَسْتَكْمِلَ أَجَلَهَا وَتَسْتَوْعِبَ رِزْقَهَا فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَأَجْمِلُوْا فِي الطَّلَبِ وَلَا يَحْمِلَنَّ أَحَدَكُمُ اسْتِبْطَاءُ الرِّزْقِ أَنْ يَّطْلُبَهُ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللّٰهِ فَإِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَعَالٰی لَا يُنَالُ مَا عِنْدَهٗ إِلاَّ بِطَاعَتِهٖ ] [ صحیح الجامع : ۲۰۸۵ ] “Indeed, the Holy Spirit (Jibril, peace be upon him) inspired in my heart that no soul will die until it completes its appointed term and receives its full sustenance. So fear Allah and seek (sustenance) in a good way, and the delay in sustenance should not lead any of you to seek it through disobedience to Allah, for what is with Allah (blessings and Paradise) cannot be obtained except through His obedience.” It is also incorrect to think that sustenance cannot be obtained without effort and striving, because there are many creatures of Allah who receive sustenance without adopting any means. See Surah Al-Ankabut (60).

(3) {وَ يَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَ مُسْتَوْدَعَهَا:} This is also a further explanation of Allah Almighty’s knowledge. Although the interpretations of {’’ مُسْتَقَرٌّ ‘‘} and {’’ مُسْتَوْدَعٌ ‘‘ } have been stated differently by people, in view of the words, the clear meaning seems to be that Allah Almighty knows all the places where a human has to stay for some time, whether it is the father’s loins or the mother’s womb, or any part of the earth where he has to stay during his life, and Allah Almighty also knows the places to which a human is assigned after death, whether it is a dug-out place in the earth, or the belly of an animal, or whatever place Allah has written for him to be assigned to until the Day of Resurrection, and all of this is his grave, because Allah Almighty has mentioned death and the grave for every human: « { ثُمَّ اَمَاتَهٗ فَاَقْبَرَهٗ }» [ عبس : ۲۱ ] “Then He caused him to die, then He made him to be buried in a grave.” Then on the Day of Resurrection, after being resurrected, he will be assigned to Hell or Paradise; all these are for him {’’مُسْتَوْدَعٌ ‘‘ } (places of assignment). In summary, Allah Almighty knows every state of every living being’s life and all the conditions after death as well. {’’ كِتٰبٍ مُّبِيْنٍ ‘‘} refers to the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz).