Tafsir of verse “and seek means of nearness to Him”

Posted on by

Allah Taala said in Surah al-Maeda (35):

O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful.

Shias of the present and the past used this Noble Verse to justify worse types of shirk which came to their mind. You would see them openly asking their Imams for child, wealth, health, in all corners of the earth. Just they keeping in their mind that their Imams, would hear this pray in all places, understand each language of each shia, and just transfer this duas to Allah. WalAuthubillah!

Just want to give two examples, how shia texts refutes this idea!

FIRST ONE. 

It is famous and known Hutba from one of the most authentic Shia books, which some of their scholars called “brother of Quran”.

In “Nahjul Balagha” (thk: Muhammad Abduh) (1/215-216):

إنّ أفضل ما توسل به المتوسلون إلى الله سبحانه وتعالى الإيمان به وبرسوله والجهاد في سبيله فإنه ذروة الإسلام، وكلمة الإخلاص إنها الفطرة، وإقامة الصلاة فإنها الملة، وإيتاء الزكاة فإنها فريضة واجبة، وصوم شهر رمضان فإنه جُنة من العقاب، وحج البيت واعتماره فإنهما ينفيان الفقر ويرحضان الذنب، وصلة الرحم فإنها مثراة في المال ومنساة في الأجل، وصدقة السر فإنها تكفر الخطيئة، وصدقة العلانية فإنها تدفع ميتة السوء، وصنائع المعروف فإنها تقي مصارع الهوان

Translation:

The best means by which seekers of nearness to Allah, the Glorified, the Exalted, seek nearness, is the belief in Him and His Prophet, fighting in His cause, for it is the high pinnacle of Islam, and (to believe) in the kalimatu’l-‘ikhlas (the expression of Divine purification) for it is just nature and the establishment of prayer for it is (the basis of) community, payment of zakat (Islamic tax) for it is a compulsory obligation, fasting for the month of Ramadan for it is the shield against chastisement, the performance of hajj of the House of Allah (i. e . Ka`bah) and its `umrah (other than annual visit) for these two acts banish poverty and wash away sins, regard for kinship for it increases wealth and length of life, to giving alms secretly for it covers shortcomings, giving alms openly for it protects against a bad death and extending benefits (to people) for it saves from positions of disgrace. (see in English)

SECOND ONE.

Imam Sajad, Ali ibn Zaynalabidin said in the dua, which is attributed to him, in the book “as-Saheefa al-Kamila as-Sajadiyah” (p 245):

 ولا وسيلة لنا إليك إلا أنت

Translation:

And there is NO waseela for us to you EXCEPT (BY) YOU.

THIRD ONE.

Ayatolla Sayyed Shubbar in his commentary to Quran, at page 184, said:

Translation:

“O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him” – Meaning the obedience that you take as a means to reach his reward.

FOURTH ONE.

Shaykh of shias at-Tabarsi in his commentary “Majmaul Bayan” said:

 وابتغوا إليه الوسيلة  أي أطلبوا إليه القربة بالطاعات

Translation:

“and seek means of nearness to Him” meaning seek nearness to Him by obedience.

4 thoughts on “Tafsir of verse “and seek means of nearness to Him””

  2. Assalaamu `Alaykum,

    Great post, one of the most used and abused verses of the Qur’an along with 18:21 (to promote shrine building). I think you should add al-Toosi’s tafseer to this ayah from his al-Tibyaan fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan, vol. 3, pg. 510-511:

    يقال منه سلت أسال أي طلبت و هما يتساولان أي يطلب كل واحد منهما من صاحبه. و الأصل الطلب و الوسيلة التي ينبغي أن يطلب مثلها فان قيل كيف قال تعالى «اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ» و هو غاية التحذير مع أنه تعالى رغب في الدعاء إليه و هما كالمتنافرين؟ قيل إنما قال ذلك لئلا يكون المكلف على غرور من أمره بكثرة نعم اللَّه عليه فيظن أنها موجبة للرضا عنه فحقيقة الدعاء اليه باتقائه من جهة اجتناب معاصيه و العمل بطاعته. فان قيل هل يجوز أن يتقى المعاقب من أجل عقابه كما يحمد المحسن من أجل إحسانه.

    قلنا: لا لأن أصل الاتقاء الحجز بين الشيئين لئلا يصل أحدهما الى الآخر من قولهم اتقاه بالترس. و منه اتقاه بحقه، فالطاعة له تعالى حاجزة بين العقاب و بين العبد أن يصل إليه. و أما حمد الإنسان، فمجاز لأن المحمود في الحقيقة يستحق الولاية و الكرامة.

    و قوله: «وَ جاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ» أمر منه تعالى بالجهاد في دين اللَّه، لأنه وصلة و طريق الى ثوابه. و يقال لكل شي‏ء وسيلة الى غيره هو طريق إليه فمن ذلك طاعة اللَّه فهي طريق الى ثوابه. و الدليل على الشي‏ء طريق الى العلم به و التعرض للشي‏ء طريق الى الوقوع فيه و اللطف طريق الى طاعة اللَّه و الجهاد
    في سبيل اللَّه قد يكون باللسان و اليد و القلب و السيف و القول و الكتاب.

    Also, I believe you should make a mention how against Shia Islam is against doing tafseer bi’l ra’y. I have made a post where I have posted an authentic hadeeth al-qudsi that says “no one believes in Me (Allaah), whoever does tafseer of My words by his opinions”. Click here: http://www.revivingalislam.com/2011/02/interpretation-and-opinions-in-islam.html

    Wa `Alaykum Assalaam

  3. As-Salam ‘Aliekum,

    A7sant…I think the contemporary shia have taken this from the Sufis who don’t rely on the ancient scholars but take from here and there to justify their actions…

Comments are closed.