WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.600 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:31.850 The commentary titled *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif* 00:00:33.570 --> 00:00:35.929 on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif* 00:00:35.929 --> 00:00:37.850 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif*, 00:00:38.409 --> 00:00:41.590 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif, 00:00:42.429 --> 00:00:43.429 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:47.219 Surah al-Saffat. 00:00:48.020 --> 00:00:50.840 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:53.939 We are still continuing with *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif* on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*. 00:00:53.939 --> 00:01:01.039 Next is Surah al-Saffat, and regarding it I have three remarks. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:04.540 The first remark concerns an error here: 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:09.459 The surah consists of one hundred and eighty-two verses, 00:01:09.459 --> 00:01:13.379 and it is neither among the seven long surahs (al-Tiwal) nor among the short, segmented ones (al-Mufassal); 00:01:13.379 --> 00:01:16.010 thus, according to this categorization, it belongs to al-Mi'in (surahs of roughly a hundred verses). 00:01:16.010 --> 00:01:19.329 This was indeed written at the top of the page, where he stated it is from al-Mi'in, 00:01:19.329 --> 00:01:23.170 yet in the section detailing the virtues of the surah, he stated it is from al-Mathani. 00:01:23.769 --> 00:01:25.650 The correct view is that it is from al-Mi'in, 00:01:25.650 --> 00:01:29.090 which the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was granted in place of the Psalms (Zabur). 00:01:29.090 --> 00:01:32.500 This is certainly an error in the structural diagram: 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:36.019 in its division, he classified it under al-Mathani. 00:01:36.019 --> 00:01:40.500 On the main page, he stated that Surah al-Saffat is among al-Mi'in, 00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:41.579 and that is correct, 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:44.099 but when returning to the diagram, he stated 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:46.780 its category was al-Mathani, which is an error; 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:47.980 it is indeed from al-Mi'in. 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:51.060 I apologize for the numerous errors in this edition; 00:01:51.060 --> 00:01:58.379 perfection belongs solely to the One who never errs, and I ask Allah to forgive me, you, and all who listen 00:01:58.379 --> 00:02:04.180 to these lessons, as well as everyone who contributed to publishing the book, and to accept our humble efforts 00:02:04.180 --> 00:02:11.060 and bless them. The second remark is that the name and opening of Surah al-Saffat 00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:16.939 harmonize beautifully with its conclusion. It is named Surah al-Saffat because it begins with "By those lined up in rows," and we observe 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:23.659 at the end of the surah: "And indeed, we are those who line up in rows, and indeed, we are those who glorify Allah." All of this refers 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:30.860 to the angels; all of this points to the angels, demonstrating that the end of the surah 00:02:30.860 --> 00:02:36.699 is tied to its beginning, and reading its conclusion in isolation from its opening diminishes one's grasp 00:02:36.699 --> 00:02:44.849 of its meanings. Furthermore, its name, opening, and conclusion all correspond to what is 00:02:44.849 --> 00:02:51.039 stated regarding its central theme. Although it addresses the affirmation of Tawhid—and this brings us to the third 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:56.210 remark—the second remark remains that the surah opens with the angels and concludes with the angels. 00:02:56.210 --> 00:03:00.930 This is an instance of concluding with what corresponds to the beginning (radd al-'ajuz 'ala al-sadr). As I mentioned, regarding the harmony between the surah's end 00:03:00.930 --> 00:03:06.210 and its beginning, I did not make a separate entry for it because it is already apparent across the sections. If you 00:03:06.210 --> 00:03:11.569 examine the sections, you will find in the very first section the mention of certain 00:03:12.530 --> 00:03:17.330 angels in the introduction, and at the end of the surah, in the final couplets, an elucidation of the status 00:03:17.330 --> 00:03:21.169 of the angels. Mentioning the angels at both the beginning and the end prompts the reader 00:03:21.169 --> 00:03:25.949 to notice this recurring focus here and there. When you read a surah across six 00:03:25.949 --> 00:03:30.169 or seven pages, you might not notice it—especially if we read the surah quickly—but when you 00:03:30.169 --> 00:03:34.150 read half a page and find the angels mentioned at the start and at the end, 00:03:34.150 --> 00:03:39.270 you take note, for this is deliberately highlighted to emphasize the relationship between 00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:44.030 the end and the beginning. As I said, this leads us to the third remark, 00:03:44.030 --> 00:03:48.710 which concerns the central theme of the surah. The surah deals with the affirmation of Tawhid alongside 00:03:48.710 --> 00:03:56.139 praising Allah's devoted, sincere servants. The Prophets are mentioned therein, highlighting profound moments 00:03:56.139 --> 00:04:01.120 from their lives that demonstrate utmost servitude to Allah, as pointed out 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:06.659 by al-Biqa'i in his Tafsir for whoever wishes to explore this further. The angels, without 00:04:06.659 --> 00:04:10.860 doubt, represent the pinnacle of servitude to Allah, Glorified and Exalted; thus, it was fitting 00:04:10.860 --> 00:04:16.740 to mention them first and last, followed by the accounts of the Prophets, who are the sincere 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:24.139 and devoted servants of Allah. We see this most clearly in the story of Ibrahim, 00:04:24.139 --> 00:04:28.860 peace be upon him: "And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called out to him, 'O Ibrahim, 00:04:28.860 --> 00:04:34.379 you have fulfilled the vision.'" Alongside this, you will notice—as indicated in the theme 00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:40.379 of the surah—that certain phrases and motifs are frequently repeated, such as "except the chosen servants of Allah," 00:04:40.379 --> 00:04:45.100 "indeed, We thus reward the doers of good," and "indeed, he was of Our believing 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:49.740 servants." Paying attention to such recurring phrases serves as a means to identify the central theme of the surah, 00:04:49.740 --> 00:04:55.579 showing that it revolves around affirming Tawhid and negating its opposite. This is 00:04:55.579 --> 00:04:58.819 what is recorded regarding the surah's theme, along with praising the sincere servants 00:04:58.819 --> 00:05:05.740 of Allah and promising them salvation and empowerment. We also notice that the emphasis 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:10.860 here was primarily on salvation rather than chastisement; punishment was only stated 00:05:10.860 --> 00:05:16.100 explicitly in the story of Lut: "Then We destroyed the others." However, 00:05:16.100 --> 00:05:20.819 in the story of Ilyas, for instance, their punishment was not mentioned; rather, it stated: "Peace 00:05:20.819 --> 00:05:27.160 be upon Ilyas." Thus, the surah contains far more praise for the righteous, devoted 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:31.959 awliya' among the Prophets and Messengers of Allah than it does mentions 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:37.350 of the deniers and their punishment and the like. I will suffice with this amount regarding 00:05:37.350 --> 00:05:39.430 this magnificent surah. May Allah send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, 00:05:39.430 --> 00:05:43.589 and upon his family and all his Companions, and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.