ِ‫الرحِيم‬

َّ ِ‫الرحْمَـن‬
َّ ِ‫الله‬
َّ ِ‫ِبسْم‬
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Tafseer Surah Aal-Imran Ayaat 190 – 195

The Characteristics, Speech and Supplications of Those of Understanding
Throughout the Qur’an we come across ayaat where Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala encourages
us to reflect on His creation. The alternation of the night and the day, the changes in
season, heavy rain, thunderstorms and a dry spell all remind us of Allah subhanahu wa
ta’ala. Nothing was created in futility. However, only those who reflect understand the
meaning of these Signs.

By saying, “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth…” Allah subhanahu wa
ta’ala draws our attention to the height and spaciousness of the sky, the expense and
density of the earth, the tremendous features of planets, seas, mountains, deserts, trees,
plants, fruits, animals, colors, scents, tastes and elements.

“…and the alternation of the night and the day are signs…” as one follows and takes
from the length from the other. For instance, at times one of them becomes longer than the
other, shorter than the other at times and equal to the other at other times, and the same
is repeated again and again, and all this occurs by the decision of the Almighty, Most Wise.
This is why Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said,

ِ‫لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَاب‬

“…are signs for those of understanding,”

Who are the people of understanding? They are those who are intelligent and have sound
minds with which they reflect and contemplate about the reality of things.

There is another group of people who witness many signs of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala
around them but they do not take any lessons from them. About them, it appears in the
Qur’an,

ُ‫ َومَا يُ ْؤمِن‬- َ‫َوكَأَيِّن مِّنْ آَيةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَْأرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا ُم ْع ِرضُون‬
َ‫ش ِركُون‬
ْ ‫ِاللهِ إِلَّا وَهُم ُّم‬
َّ ‫َأكَْثرُهُم ب‬
“And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they,
therefrom, are turning away. And most of them believe not in Allah except while
they associate others with Him.” [Yusuf 12:105-106]

Because the People of Understanding are so valuable in the Sight of Allah subhanahu wa
ta’ala, He goes on to narrate some of their attributes.

ِ‫َكرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْض‬

َّ ‫اللهَ قِيَامًا وَُقعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِ ْم وَيََتف‬
َّ َ‫الَّذِينَ يَ ْذكُرُون‬
“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give
thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth…”

Al-Bukhari recorded that ‘Imran bin Husayn said that the Messenger of Allah salAllahu
‘alayhi wa sallam said,
 ‫ َفإِنْ لَمْ َتسْتَطِعْ َفعَلَى جَنْب‬،‫ َفإِنْ لَمْ َتسْتَطِعْ َفقَاعِدًا‬،‫صَلِّ قَائِمًا‬
“Pray while standing, and if you can't, pray while sitting, and if you cannot do
even that, then pray lying on your side.”

The ayah tells us that these people remember Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala in all situations
whether they are sick or well, whether they are tired or active. They remember in their
heart and speech. They contemplate about signs in the sky and earth that testify to the
Might, Ability, Knowledge, Wisdom, Will and Mercy of the Creator.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala criticizes those who do not contemplate about His creation which
testifies to His existence, Attributes, Shari’ah, His decree and Ayaat.

The People of Understanding acknowledge that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has not created
anything in jest and play. There is a purpose behind everything. They say,

َ‫رَبَّنَا مَا خََل ْقتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَك‬

“‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You…”

It means You are above creating something without a purpose. You have created these
things to test man; to recompense those who do evil deeds and rewards those who do
righteous deeds.

Because they know there is a recompense for deeds, therefore, they ask Allah subhanahu
wa ta’ala to protect them from the punishment of the Fire, to direct them to perform the
deeds that please Him, to guide them to righteous work so that He would allow them entry
into Jannah al-Firdaus and save them from His painful torment. (Allahumma ameen)

They know that the dwellers of the fire will be humiliated and disgraced before the entire
creation on the Day of Resurrection where they will neither find any helpers to save them
from the punishment nor will they be able to escape from whatever fate He decides for
them.

The People of Understanding ask Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to forgive their sins because of
their responding to the invitation of His Messenger and following him. They are righteous
themselves and desire the company of righteous people in this world and the next. They are
not complacent with their good deeds rather they fear the humiliation and disgrace of that
Day, therefore, they make heartfelt du’as in this world asking Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to
save them.

It was the Prophet’s tradition to recite the last ten ayaat of Surah Aal-`Imran when he woke
up at night for (voluntary) prayer.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn ‘Abbas radhiAllahu ‘anhu said, “I slept one night at the house
of my aunt, Maymunah. The Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam spoke with his
wife for a while and then went to sleep. When it was the third part of the night, he stood up,
looked at the sky and recited,
 ِ‫ض وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَاب‬
ِ ْ‫ت وَالَْأر‬
ِ ‫إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَا‬
‘Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the
night and the day are signs for those of understanding.’

The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then stood up, performed ablution, used Siwak (to
clean his teeth) and prayed eleven units of prayer. When Bilal radhiAllahu ‘anhu said the
Adhan, the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prayed two units of prayer, went out (to the
Masjid) and led the people in the Dawn prayer.” It was also collected by Muslim.

Ibn Marduwyah recorded that `Ata’ said, “I, Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr went to
‘A'ishah radhiAllahu ‘anha and entered her room, and there was a screen between us and
her. She said, ‘O `Ubayd! What prevents you from visiting us?’ He said, ‘What the poet
said: Visit every once in a while, and you will be loved more.’

Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘Tell us about the most unusual thing you witnessed from the Messenger of
Allah salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.’

She cried and said, ‘All his matters were amazing. One night, he came close to me until his
skin touched my skin and said: Let me worship my Lord.

I said: By Allah I love your being close to me. I also love that you worship your Lord.

He used the water-skin and performed ablution, but did not use too much water. He then
stood up in prayer and cried until his beard became wet. He prostrated and cried until he
made the ground wet. He then laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came to alert the
Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for the Dawn prayer, he said: O Messenger of Allah!
What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven you your previous and latter sins? He said,

‫ وَقَدْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِي ه ِذ ِه اللَّيْلَة‬،َ‫ َومَا يَمَْنعُنِي أَنْ أَْب ِكي‬،ُ‫وَيْحَكَ يَا بِلَال‬
‘O Bilal! What prevents me from crying, when this night, this ayah was revealed to
me:

ِ‫ض وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَاب‬

ِ ْ‫ت وَالَْأر‬
ِ ‫إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَا‬
‫َكرْ فِيهَا‬
َّ ‫وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ َقرَأَهَا وَلَمْ يَتَف‬
Woe to he who recites it but does not contemplate it.’”
Ayah 195- Allah Accepts the Supplication of People of Understanding

Sa’eed ibn Mansoor recorded that Salamah, a man from the family of Umm Salamah
radhiAllahu ‘anha said, “Umm Salamah said, ‘O Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam! Allah does not mention women in connection with the Hijrah [migration].” Allah
subhanahu wa ta’ala revealed this ayah.

The Ansar say that Umm Salamah was the first woman to migrate to them. Al-Hakim
collected this hadeeth in his Mustadrak, and said it is Saheeh according to the criteria of Al-
Bukhari but Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not collect it.

Allah’s statement, “Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among
you, whether male or female…” explains the type of the answer Allah subhanahu wa
ta’ala gave them stating that no deed of any person is ever lost with Him. Rather, He will
completely reward each person for his or her good deeds.

Ibn Katheer writes it means people are all equal in relation to gaining Allah’s reward,
therefore, “those who emigrated…” by leaving the land of Shirk and migrating to the
land of faith, leaving behind their loved ones, brethren, friends and neighbors “or were
evicted from their homes…” when the idolaters tormented them and forced them to
migrate and they endured all this because they believed in One Allah Alone, then their
reward is with Him.

For these people there will Gardens where there are rivers of various drinks such as milk
and honey. It is a place that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart has
ever imagined. The delights of Paradise are a reward from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, for
only He has the Might to reward and punish people.

Lessons:

 We learn that the number one quality of
reflect. They notice the world around them
did not create all this without a purpose.
serving a purpose then how is it that man
without a purpose?
those who possess intellect is that they
and know that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala
If day and night, trees and animals are
– the best of the creation – was created

 We learn that reflection on the creation is important for recognizing one’s Creator.
The One Who created the sun, moon, stars and the sky, how Great would He be?
When a person reflects on the Creator, remorse fills up his heart. How can he
disobey a God Who is so Great in might? When a person recognizes his Creator, he is
ashamed of his sins and his mediocre worship. He strives to improve himself. The
Salaf would say that reflection on the creation is the first step towards self-
improvement.

 We learn that the people of intellect are not those with high degrees but those who
recognize and remember their Lord 24/7, 365 days in whatever circumstances they
might be.

 After recognizing the Creator, their next focus is on their sins so they seek His
forgiveness for their wrongdoings.

 They are the people who longed for the company of the righteous in this world and
seek their company in the Hereafter.

 While people are anxious about what other people think of them, the People of the
Understanding are anxious about standing before their Lord on the Judgment Day.
Therefore, they live this life purposefully. They do good deeds and make du’as for
their Hereafter seeking Allah’s protection from the eternal torment and humiliation.

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala Owns everything. He is the Giver of punishment and

rewards. So do good deeds for His sake and seek reward only from Him.

‫رَبَّنَا َتقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ اْلعَلِيم‬

“Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” [Al-Baqarah 2: 127]
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