Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL INSAAN [23]

23. Verily, it is We Who have sent down the Qur'an to you by stages. 24. Therefore be patient with constancy to the command of your Lord, and obey neither a sinner nor a disbeliever among them. 25. And remember the Name of your Lord every morning and afternoon. 26. And during the night, prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him a long night through. 27. Verily, these love the present life of this world, and put behind them a heavy Day. 28. It is We Who created them, and We have made them of strong build. And when We will, We can replace them with others like them with a complete replacement. 29. Verily, this is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a path to his Lord. 30. But you cannot will, unless Allah wills. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. 31. He will admit to His mercy whom He wills and as for the wrongdoers -- He has prepared a painful torment. Allah reminds His Messenger of how He blessed him by revealing the Magnificent Qur'an to him.

(Therefore be patient with constancy to the command of your Lord.,) meaning, `just as you have been honored by what has been revealed to you, then be patient with His decree and decision and know that He will handle your affairs in a good manner.'

(And obey neither a sinner (Athim) nor a disbeliever (Kafur) among them.) meaning, `do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites if they wish to deter you from what has been revealed to you. Rather convey that which has been revealed to you from your Lord and put your trust in Allah, for verily, Allah will protect you from the people.' The Athim is the sinner in his deeds and the Kafur is the disbeliever in his heart.

(And remember the Name of your Lord every morning and afternoon.) meaning, at the beginning of the day and at its end.

(And during the night, prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him a long night through.) This is similar to Allah's statement,

(And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it (the Qur'an), as an additional prayer (Tajhajjud) for you. It may be that you Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.) (17:79) Similarly, Allah also says,

(O you wrapped! Stand all night, except a little. Half of it or a little less than that, or a little more. And recite the Qur'an Tartil.) (73:1-4) Allah reprimands the disbelievers and those similar to them who love the world and are devoted and dedicated to it, who put the abode of the Hereafter behind them in disregard. He says;

(Verily, these love the present life of this world, and put behind them a heavy Day.) meaning, the Day of Judgement. Then Allah says,

(It is We Who created them, and We have made them of strong build.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others have said, ”This means their creation.''

(And when We will, We can replace them with others like them with a complete replacement.) meaning, `when We wish, We will resurrect them on the Day of Judgement and change them, repeating their creation in a new form.' Here the beginning of their creation is a proof for the repetition of their creation. Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir both said,

(And when We will, We can replace them with others like them with a complete replacement.) ”This means, if We wish We can bring another group of people besides them (in their place).'' This is like Allah's statement,

(If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is capable over that.) (4:133) This is also like His statement,

(If He wills, He can remove you and bring a new creation! And for Allah that is not hard or difficult.) (14:19-20) Allah then says,

(Verily, this is an admonition,) meaning, this Surah is a reminder.

(so whosoever wills, let him take a path to his Lord.) meaning, a path and a way. This means, whoever wishes to be guided by the Qur'an. This is similar to Allah's statement,

(And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day.) (4:39) Then Allah says,

(But you cannot will, unless Allah wills.) meaning, no one is able to guide himself, enter into faith or bring about any benefit for himself,

(Unless Allah wills. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) meaning, He is Most Knowledgeable of who deserves to be guided. So, He makes guidance easy for him and He predestines for him that which will be a cause for it. However, whoever deserves misguidance, He averts guidance from him. Unto Him belongs the most excellent wisdom and the most irrefutable argument. Thus, He says,

(Verily, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Then He says,

(He will admit to His mercy whom He wills and as for the wrongdoers -- He has prepared a painful torment.) meaning, He guides whomever He wishes and He leads astray whomever He wishes. Whoever He guides, there is no one who can lead him astray; and whoever He leads astray, there is no one who can guide him. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Insan. And all praise and thanks are due to Allah.