In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
The commentary entitled *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif*
on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*
*bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif*,
by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif,
may Allah preserve him.
Surah Sad.
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.
We continue with our commentary *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif*
on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*,
specifically with Surah Sad.
I have three observations concerning it.
The first observation pertains to an error
that occurred in the book.
If you look at the diagram
regarding the order of the surah,
specifically its chronological order of revelation,
and naturally it concerns the dating of Surah Sad,
it states that it is counted as the thirty-seventh,
revealed after Surah al-Qamar and before Surah al-A'raf.
This statement is correct.
However, in the main body of the book,
it says that it is widely considered the forty-second, revealed after Surah al-Furqan,
and so forth.
That is incorrect.
That applies to Surah Fatir;
this text was taken from the entry on Surah Fatir,
as you would see if you compared them, and erroneously placed here.
It is a sheer mistake.
The correct position is what was established in the diagram:
it is counted as the thirty-seventh, after al-Qamar and before al-A'raf.
To this should be added
that some of its verses suggest a later revelation,
namely the verses mentioned
in the contexts of revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul).
There is disagreement
regarding their authenticity, as it was narrated that they were revealed
upon the death of Abu Talib,
or during Abu Talib's illness,
which was explained as his terminal illness,
as mentioned by Ibn 'Atiyyah.
Thus, the first pause is to correct this error.
The second pause
concerns a methodology
outlined for us by this surah
when denial, turning away,
and obstinacy intensify
on the part of opponents.
What is required of a person?
We learn the answer from this surah.
For Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, after the first page filled
with the deniers' disbelief, said:
"Be patient."
Patience.
Some people might take this word lightly;
when someone says
to another that
people have turned away from obedience
and immersed themselves in sins,
and the response given is, "Be patient,"
he might think that this word
is out of place,
or that it is merely a sedative
for emotional comfort, as they say.
But this is entirely untrue.
Patience is indispensable
in the face of harm, denial, and rejection.
If it comes from a disbeliever
who has turned away completely,
then without a doubt patience is required.
And if it comes from a fellow Muslim
who has fallen into many violations
and indulged in sins, you equally require,
while calling him to righteousness, to exercise patience.
Patience, lest you be seduced and become
like him, and so that you can persevere in calling him.
Patience is therefore essential.
Moreover, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He,
has mentioned,
and explicitly cited in this surah what aids one in patience.
Clearly, He said: "Be patient over what they say,"
and then He mentioned—
and He began mentioning—
and began recounting the stories:
"and remember Our servant David," and then He said,
mentioning Solomon along with him, then He said,
"and remember Our servant Job," then He said,
"and remember Our servants,
Abraham and Isaac,"
and then He said, "and remember Ishmael."
Thus, among the things that foster patience
is remembering the Prophets
and the righteous—
here, specifically the Prophets.
Recalling the stories of the Prophets
aids in maintaining patience.
Then He said,
Glorified and Exalted be He: "This is
a reminder, and indeed, for the righteous
is a good place of return," and then He said,
"This—and indeed, for the transgressors
is an evil place of return."
So, mentioning Paradise and Hellfire
is also among the things that aid
in this momentous matter:
patience.
Proceeding from this point,
the third observation—
which is closely connected to it
and built upon it—
is that when examining the theme of the surah,
as known from its sections
and contents,
it speaks about the sheer intensity
of the disbelievers' turning away,
and the corresponding attitude
required toward them.
Then the author wrote: "to console the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
No, it is not quite phrased like that.
Regarding "the corresponding attitude required toward them,"
that phrase falls short;
the required attitude is patience itself,
not merely being consoled.
He should have said: "patience,
recalling the stories of the Prophets,
and the Hereafter."
For patience is what is demanded
in the face of the disbelievers' rejection,
and what aids in cultivating patience
are the stories of the Prophets and the Hereafter.
The accounts of these specific Prophets
especially foster patience.
Reflect upon them.
We also observe—
and this is an observation of
subtle insight (lata'if)—
that since the context
was one of patience,
when He described Paradise, He said:
"Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors
will be opened for them."
It is as though a person—
and the general principle is that the reward corresponds to the nature of the deed—
when obeying Allah,
shuts many of the doors
that might otherwise bring him
deceptive worldly
pleasures,
by which he would compromise his religion.
I do not claim that this is the formal Tafsir of the verse,
but rather I say:
the reward corresponds to the nature of the deed.
Whoever desires the doors to be wide open for him
on the Day of Resurrection
in Paradise,
must exercise patience
here in this life. For patience entails a sense of
constriction, whereas having doors opened
offers expansive spaciousness.
If a place is pleasant,
it might suffice you even if the door is closed;
yet opening the door adds further spaciousness
and freedom.
Thus, it was most fitting,
when urging towards patience,
to remind the believer of this
reward,
which stands in direct contrast
to the constriction of patience—just as He stated in Surah
al-Insan, where
He explicitly mentioned patience, saying:
“And hath awarded them for all that they endured, a Garden and silk attire;” (76:12)
"and silk garments." For Paradise
is vast, whereas this world
and patience entail hardship and constriction;
Paradise offers soft silk,
whereas patience involves
a degree of roughness,
a psychological hardship.
So, whenever a person keeps this reward in mind,
he will endure this
trial with patience.
All praise is due to Allah, first and last,
outwardly and inwardly.
May Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.
And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.