Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 63

(Ayah 63) ➊ {وَ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمٰنِ الَّذِيْنَ يَمْشُوْنَ …:} There are two aspects of being a servant (‘abd) of Allah: one is that Allah is the Lord and this is His servant; in this servitude, all creation is included, whether Muslim or disbeliever, righteous or wicked, all are servants (‘abd) of Allah, and He is the Lord of all. He said: «{ اِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ اِلَّاۤ اٰتِي الرَّحْمٰنِ عَبْدًا }» [ مریم : ۹۳ ] “Whoever is in the heavens and the earth will come to the Most Merciful as a servant.” The second aspect of being a servant is that Allah is the One to be worshipped and this is the one who worships and serves Him. In this sense, the ‘servants of the Most Merciful’ (ʿibād al-Raḥmān) are only the prophets, saints, and His righteous servants. In this regard, when someone is called ‘ʿAbdullah’ (servant of Allah), he is placed at the highest rank among the creation. See Surah Bani Isra’il (1) and Surah Jinn (19).

➋ Regarding the worship of the Most Merciful, a type of servant was mentioned in the previous verses: when it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Merciful,” they knowingly and deliberately, with arrogance and insolence, refuse to even acknowledge the Most Merciful and say, “What is the Most Merciful?” and become even more averse, even though they know well who the Most Merciful is. Now, the mention is of those servants of the Most Merciful who truly serve Him, who take admonition from the alternation of night and day and from everything in the universe, and express gratitude to the Master. He said: «{ لِمَنْ اَرَادَ اَنْ يَّذَّكَّرَ اَوْ اَرَادَ شُكُوْرًا }» [ الفرقان : ۶۲ ] “For whoever wills to take admonition or wills to be grateful.” And mention is made of those qualities that arise from servitude to the Most Merciful, from which those who express arrogance and aversion at the command to prostrate to the Most Merciful are completely deprived, and neither do they take admonition nor do they express gratitude.

➌ In the word {’’ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمٰنِ ‘‘} there is an indication that these qualities in them are the result of the mercy of the Most Merciful upon them.

➍ The foremost example of “ʿibād al-Raḥmān” are the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who were characterized by all the qualities mentioned in these verses. (See Fath: 29) After them, all pious believers until the Day of Judgment are included in this. Similarly, the foremost examples of “ʿibād al-shayṭān” are Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, and their companions, and after them, all disbelievers and wicked people until the Day of Judgment.

➎ The qualities of the servants of the Most Merciful mentioned here are of four types: the first type is their being adorned with religious virtues, which begins from {’’ الَّذِيْنَ يَمْشُوْنَ عَلَى الْاَرْضِ هَوْنًا ‘‘}. The second type is their being free from all kinds of vices and baseness, which starts from {’’ وَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَدْعُوْنَ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ ‘‘}. The third type is their adherence to the commands of Islam; these qualities are mentioned in Ayah (64): «{ وَ الَّذِيْنَ يَبِيْتُوْنَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَّ قِيَامًا }», and Ayah (67): «{ وَ الَّذِيْنَ اِذَاۤ اَنْفَقُوْا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوْا…}», and Ayah (68): «{ وَ لَا يَقْتُلُوْنَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِيْ حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ }» up to Ayah (72): « وَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَشْهَدُوْنَ الزُّوْرَ ». The fourth type is their continuous effort and supplication to Allah that their religious state in this worldly life keeps improving; this is mentioned in Ayah (74): «{ وَ اِذَا مَرُّوْا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوْا كِرَامًا }». (Ibn Ashur)

➏ { يَمْشُوْنَ عَلَى الْاَرْضِ هَوْنًا : ’’ هَوْنًا ‘‘} Gentleness, a verbal noun used as an intensive active participle: {’’أَيْ مَشْيًا ذَا هَوْنٍ‘‘} meaning, they walk with great gentleness. That is, the beloved servants of the Most Merciful are those who adopt humility and modesty, and when they walk on the earth, they walk gently, not strutting and swaggering like those who spread corruption and commit oppression and tyranny. Luqman the Wise advised his son: «{ وَ لَا تَمْشِ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَحًا اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُوْرٍ }» [ لقمان : ۱۸ ] “And do not walk upon the earth arrogantly; indeed, Allah does not like every arrogant boaster.” Walking gently means walking with calmness and dignity, not with affectation or feigning illness. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself walked with firm steps; Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to walk: {’’ كَأَنَّمَا يَنْحَطُّ عَنْ صَبَبٍ ‘‘} (as if descending from a slope.) [ مسند أحمد : 96/1، ح : ۷۴۹، قال المحقق سندہ قوي ] Abu Tufail (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates about the Prophet (peace be upon him): [ كَانَ أَبْيَضَ مَلِيْحًا، إِذَا مَشَی كَأَنَّمَا يَهْوِيْ فِيْ صَبُوْبٍ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب ، باب في ھدی الرجل : ۴۸۶۴، وقال الألبانی صحیح ] “He was fair-skinned and extremely handsome; when he walked, it was as if he was descending from a slope.” Walking gently on the earth also includes one’s general conduct in life, because a person’s walk is in accordance with his conduct. The walk and conduct of the servants of the Most Merciful both express humility and gentleness; there is neither arrogance nor harshness in them. However, in front of the disbelievers, they also walk with pride and show severity, as is evident from the command of raml (brisk walking) in tawaf, and Allah said: «{ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ وَ الَّذِيْنَ مَعَهٗۤ اَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ }» [ الفتح : ۲۹ ] “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.” And He said: «{اَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ اَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكٰفِرِيْنَ }» [ المائدۃ : ۵۴ ] “They are gentle with the believers, stern with the disbelievers.”

➐ The word { وَ اِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجٰهِلُوْنَ قَالُوْا سَلٰمًا : ’’جَهْل‘‘} here is not in contrast to “ʿilm” (knowledge) but to “ḥilm” (forbearance). From the word {’’ الْجٰهِلُوْنَ ‘‘} it is understood that the servants of the Most Merciful do not always avoid people and refrain from speaking, but only when faced with the ignorant and rude behavior of others, instead of responding in kind and arguing, they pass by saying “peace.” Elsewhere He said: «{ وَ اِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ اَعْرَضُوْا عَنْهُ وَ قَالُوْا لَنَاۤ اَعْمَالُنَا وَ لَكُمْ اَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجٰهِلِيْنَ }» [ القصص : ۵۵ ] “And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say, ‘For us are our deeds and for you are your deeds. Peace be upon you; we do not seek the company of the ignorant.’” Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَنَا زَعِيْمٌ بِبَيْتٍ فِيْ رَبَضِ الْجَنَّةِ لِمَنْ تَرَكَ الْمِرَاءَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مُحِقًّا، وَ بِبَيْتٍ فِيْ وَسَطِ الْجَنَّةِ لِمَنْ تَرَكَ الْكَذِبَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَازِحًا، وَ بِبَيْتٍ فِيْ أَعْلَی الْجَنَّةِ لِمَنْ حَسَّنَ خُلُقَهُ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب في حسن الخلق : ۴۸۰۰، و حسنہ الألباني ] “I guarantee a house on the outskirts of Paradise for the one who gives up arguing even if he is right, and a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who gives up lying even in jest, and a house in the highest part of Paradise for the one who makes his character good.”