Tulayhah Blog

In part of his Sahih in the chapter of "Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah," Imam al-Bukhari included the following report: [ وَقَالَ أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، سَمِعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ رَهْطًا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَذَكَرَ كَعْبَ الأَحْبَارِ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْدَقِ هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُحَدِّثِينَ الَّذِينَ يُحَدِّثُونَ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، وَإِنْ كُنَّا مَعَ ذَلِكَ لَنَبْلُو عَلَيْهِ الْكَذِبَ‏.‏] Humayd ibn 'Abd al-Rahman said: I heard Mu'awiyah speaking to a group of Quraysh in al-Madinah. He mentioned Ka'b al-Ahbar and then said, "He was one of the most truthful of those who transmit reports of the Ahl al-Kitab, however we used to detect falsehoods." [Sahih al-Bukhari 7361] Commenting on this, ibn Hajr wrote: [ قال ابن التين : والمراد بالمحدثين : أنداد كعب ممن كان من أهل الكتاب وأسلم فكان يحدث عنهم ، وكذا من نظر في كتبهم فحدث عما فيها ، قال : ولعلهم كانوا مثل كعب إلا أن كعبا كان أشد منهم بصيرة وأعرف بما يتوقاه ، وقال ابن حبان في " كتاب الثقات " أراد معاوية أنه يخطئ أحيانا فيما يخبر به ولم يرد أنه كان كذابا ، ... وقال ابن الجوزي المعنى أن بعض الذي يخبر به كعب عن أهل الكتاب يكون كذبا لا أنه يتعمد الكذب وإلا فقد كان كعب من أخيار الأحبار] Ibn al-Teen said: The meaning of "those who transmit reports" here is people similar to Ka'b who had been Ahl al-Kitab, embraced Islam, and then transmitted such reports. Likewise, it could include those who looked into their books and transmitted what they contained. He also said: Perhaps they were like Ka'b except that Ka'b had keener insight than they did and was more aware of what needed to be guarded against. In his book Kitab al-Thiqat, ibn Hibban said: What Mu'awiyah meant is that sometimes he was incorrect in what he transmitted, not that he was saying that Ka'b was a liar. Ibn al-Jawzi said: The meaning is that some of what Ka'b transmitted from the Ahl al-Kitab was false, not that he intentionally lied, for Ka'b was one of the most virtuous rabbis. [Fath al-Bari 13/346]

New Post Introduction to the Qira’at: Tafsir al-Baghawi In the introduction to his tafsir, Imam al-Baghawi includes a short discussion about the multiple recitations of the Qur'an and the famous reciters. We also supplemented this translation with a summary of key points from a phd dissertation on al-Baghawi's approach to the qira'at in his tafsir. Read here: https://tulayhah.wordpress.com/2026/08/17/introduction-to-the-qiraat-tafsir-al-baghawi/ This concludes our trilogy of al-Baghawi articles on the transmission of the Qur'an: -The Qur'an was Revealed in Seven Ahruf -The Compilation of the Qur'an -Introduction to the Qira'at You can find links to these other articles at the bottom of the link

After mentioning the prohibition of riba in surah Aal 'Imran, Allah then says: [وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ] And have taqwa of the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers. [131] Commenting on this, al-Shawkani wrote: [فيه الإرشاد إلى تجنب ما يفعله الكفار في معاملاتهم . قال كثير من المفسرين : وفيه أنه يكفر من استحل الربا ، وقيل معناه : اتقوا الربا الذي ينزع منكم الإيمان فتستوجبون النار . وإنما خص الربا في هذه الآية ; لأنه الذي توعد الله عليه بالحرب منه لفاعله ] This ayah indicates that one should avoid the practices of the disbelievers in their dealings. Most of the scholars of tafsir have said that this indicates that those who consider riba to be permissible have disbelieved. Some have said that the meaning of this ayah is: have taqwa of riba which would strip you of eman and make you deserving of the hellfire. And the reason why riba has been singled out in this ayah is because Allah has threatened war against those who practice it. [Fath al-Qadeer 1/244]

Allah says in surah al-A'raf: [إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ] Those who are near your Lord are not too proud to worship Him and they exalt him and make sujood to Him alone. [206] Commenting on this in his book of narration-based tafsir, al-Suyooti wrote: [ وأخرج مسلم ، وابن ماجه ، والبيهقي ، عن أبي هريرة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إذا قرأ ابن آدم السجدة فسجد ، اعتزل الشيطان يبكي يقول : يا ويله ! أمر ابن آدم بالسجود فسجد فله الجنة ، وأمرت بالسجود فأبيت فلي النار . ] Muslim, ibn Majah, and al-Bayhaqi all reported that Abu Hurayrah said: Allah's Messenger said: When a person recites an ayah of sajdah and then makes sujood, the shaytaan flees and weeps, saying, "O woe is me! This human was commanded to make sujood and he did so he will have Jannah, while I was commandd to make sujood and refused so I will have hellfire!" [al-Durr al-Manthoor 6/729-730]

Allah says in surah Aal 'Imran: [يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا أَضْعَافًا مُّضَاعَفَةً ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ] O you who have believed, do not consumer riba multiplied over and over again. And have taqwa of Allah so that you would be successful. [130] Commenting on this, al-Shawkani wrote: [وقوله : أضعافا مضاعفة ليس لتقييد النهي لما هو معلوم من تحريم الربا على كل حال ، ولكنه جيء به باعتبار ما كانوا عليه من العادة التي يعتادونها في الربا ، فإنهم كانوا يربون إلى أجل ، فإذا حل الأجل زادوا في المال مقدارا يتراضون عليه ، ثم يزيدون في أجل الدين ، فكانوا يفعلون ذلك مرة بعد مرة حتى يأخذ المربي أضعاف دينه الذي كان له في الابتداء] The phrase "multiplied over and over again" is not restricting the prohibition, for it is well-known that riba is prohibited without exception. Rather, it has been expressed this way to reflect the way that riba was typically practiced, for they used to lend money for a set period of time and then when that time period expired they would increase the repayment amount with a new sum that both parties agreed to and extend the repayment period. They would repeat this process over and over again until the lender would end up collecting many times the amount of the original loan. [Fath al-Qadeer 1/244]

Allah concludes surah al-A'raf by saying: [إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ] Those who are near your Lord are not too proud to worship Him and they exalt him and make sujood to Him alone. [206] Commenting on this, ibn Kathir wrote: [وهذه أول سجدة في القرآن ، مما يشرع لتاليها ومستمعها السجود بالإجماع] This is the first sajdah in in the Qur'an, i.e. one of those ayaat for which it is legislated for both the reciter and listener to make sujood, and this is a point of consensus. [Tafsir ibn Kathir 3/539]

Allah says in surah Aal 'Imran: [وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ لَكُمْ وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُم بِهِ ۗ وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ] And Allah has made that a good sign for you and something to calm your hearts by. And victory only comes from Allah, the Almighty, All-Wise. [126] Commenting on this, al-Shawkani wrote: [وما النصر إلا من عند الله لا من عند غيره ، فلا تنفع كثرة المقاتلة ووجود العدة . ] "And victory only comes from Allah" - not from anyone else, so you will not benefit from the number of fighters of the presence of provisions. [Fath al-Qadeer 1/241]

Allah says in surah al-A'raf: [وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ] And when the Qur'an is recited listen to it and be silent so that you might receive mercy. [204] Commenting on this, ibn Kathir wrote: [لما ذكر تعالى أن القرآن بصائر للناس وهدى ورحمة ، أمر تعالى بالإنصات عند تلاوته إعظاما له واحتراما ، لا كما كان يعتمده كفار قريش المشركون في قولهم : ( لا تسمعوا لهذا القرآن والغوا فيه [ لعلكم تغلبون ] ) [ فصلت : 26 ] ولكن يتأكد ذلك في الصلاة المكتوبة إذا جهر الإمام بالقراءة ] After mentioning that the Qur'an is clarity for mankind, guidance and mercy, Allah then commands us to be quiet when it is being recited out of reverence and respect for it. This is contrary to how the Mushrikoon of the Quraysh used to be, such as in their saying: [ لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ] "Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak noisily during it so that you might overpower it" [Fussilat ayah 26] This command is especially emphasized during the obligatory prayers when the imam is reciting aloud. [Tafsir ibn Kathir 3/536]

After mentioning some ayaat related to Uhud in surah Aal 'Imran, Allah then says: [وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ] And Allah had already granted you victory at Badr when you were weak. So have taqwa of Allah so that you will be grateful. [123] Commenting on this, al-Shawkani wrote: [جملة مستأنفة سيقت لتصبيرهم بتذكير ما يترتب على الصبر من النصر] This is an aside introduced to fortify them by reminding them of the victory that results from being steadfast and patient. [Fath al-Qadeer 1/241]

We are roughly six months out from Ramadan, may Allah enable us to reach it

New Post Allah’s Names of Creation: al-Sa’di We continue with our monthly series on Allah's names and essential creed, from sheikh 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di short work of thematic tafsir https://tulayhah.wordpress.com/2026/08/13/allahs-names-of-creation-al-sadi/ Rather than explaining each name individually, al-Sa'di grouped related names together, with this chapter covering the names al-Khaliq, al-Bari, and al-Musawwir - all names referring to Allah having created the creation.

In part of his tafsir of surah Aal 'Imran, al-Shawkani wrote: [ وقد أخرج ابن إسحاق والبيهقي في الدلائل عن ابن شهاب وعاصم بن عمر بن قتادة ومحمد بن يحيى بن حبان والحصين بن عبد الرحمن بن أسعد بن معاذ قالوا : كان يوم أحد يوم بلاء وتمحيص ، اختبر الله به المؤمنين ومحق به المنافقين ممن كان يظهر الإسلام بلسانه وهو مستخف بالكفر ، ويوم أكرم الله فيه من أراد كرامته بالشهادة من أهل ولايته . وكان مما نزل من القرآن في يوم أحد ستون آية من آل عمران فيها صفة ما كان في يومه ذلك ، ومعاتبة من عاتب منهم ، يقول الله لنبيه : وإذ غدوت من أهلك الآية . ] Both ibn Ishaq and al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il reported the following from ibn Shihab, 'Asim ibn 'Amr ibn Qatadah, Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban, and al-Husayn ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn As'ad ibn Mu'adh that: The Day of Uhud was a day of trial and purification. Through it, Allah tested the believers and exposed the Munafiqoon - those who outwardly expressed Islam with their tongues while concealing their disbelief. And it was a day that Allah honored those righteous ones whom He wished to honor with martyrdom. And among the parts of the Qur'an that were revealed about the Day of Uhud are sixty ayaat from surah Aal 'Imran which include descriptions of what happened on that day and admonishing some of them. This starts from Allah telling His Prophet [وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَقَاعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ] And when you left your family in the morning to post the believers at their fighting positions. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. [ayah 121] [Fath al-Qadeer 1/242]

Allah says in surah al-A'raf: [وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِم بِآيَةٍ قَالُوا لَوْلَا اجْتَبَيْتَهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّي] And when you do not bring them a sign, they say, "why has he not made one up?" Say, "I only follow what has been revealed to me from my Lord." [203] Commenting on this, al-Baghawi wrote: [قال الكلبي : كان أهل مكة يسألون النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - الآيات تعنتا فإذا تأخرت اتهموه وقالوا : لولا اجتبيتها؟ أي : هلا أحدثتها وأنشأتها من عندك؟ ( قل ) لهم يا محمد ( إنما أتبع ما يوحى إلي من ربي )] al-Kalbi said: The people of Makkah used to ask the Prophet for miraculous signs out of obstinancy. Then when the miracles were delayed, they would accuse him, saying, "Why hasn't he made one up?" - i.e. why didn't he create and fabricate one himself? "Say" - tell them, O Muhammad - "I only follow what has been revealed to me from my Lord." [Tafsir al-Baghawi 3/318]

After a number of ayaat about the People of the Book in surah Aal 'Imran, Allah then says: [وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَقَاعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ] And when you left your family in the morning to post the believers at their fighting positions. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. [121] Commenting on this, Dr. Sulayman al-Ashqar wrote: [انتقل إلى ذكر الحرب مع قريش في بدر وأحد ليعتبر اليهود ويعلموا كيف مصيرهم لو حاربهم المسلمون . والمعنى : تذكر وقت أن خرجت من المنزل الذي فيه أهلك ، ونزلت في شأن غزوة أحد] Allah transitioned to speaking about war with the Quraysh at Badr and Uhud here so that the Jews might take a lesson and learn what would happen to them if the Muslims were to fight them. And the meaning here is: remember the time when you left your house where your family was, and this was revealed about the Battle of Uhud. [Zubdah al-Tafsir pg 65]

In surah al-A'raf, Allah says: [ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ] When an impulse from the shaytaan touches those who exercise taqwa, they remember and then they see clearly. [201] Commenting on this, ibn Juzay wrote: [﴿تَذَكَّرُواْ﴾ حذف مفعوله ليعم كل ما يذكر من خوف عقاب الله، أو رجاء ثوابه أو مراقبته والحياء منه، أو عداوة الشيطان والاستعاذة منه والنظر والاعتبار وغير ذلك ] "They remember" - the object of this verb is omitted here so that it encompasses anything what might be remembered, such as fear of Allah's punishment or hope for His reward or reflecting on one's behavior and feeling ashamed of what he did or the shaytaan's enmity toward him or seeking refuge from him or reflection and realization or whatever else. [al-Tashil li'Uloom al-Tanzil 2/434]

The Prophet Shu'ayb describes Allah in surah Hud [11] by saying: [ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحِيمٌ وَدُودٌ] My Lord is certainly Merciful and Loving [90] Commenting on this, ibn al-Qayyim wrote: [وما ألطف اقتران اسم الودود بالرحيم وبالغفور فإن الرجل قد يغفر لمن أساء إليه ولا يحبه وكذلك قد يرحم من لا يحب والرب تعالى يغفر لعبده إذا تاب إليه ويرحمه ويحبه مع ذلك فإنه يحب التوابين وإذا تاب إليه عبده أحبه ولو كان منه ما كان] What a beautiful grouping it is to link the name al-Wadood - Loving - with al-Raheem - Merciful - and al-Ghafoor - Forgiving [in surah al-Burooj ayah14]! For a man might forgive a person who wronged him but still not love that person. Likewise, a person might show mercy to someone he does not love. But the Lord forgives His servants when they repent to Him, shows them mercy, and loves them despite that. He loves those who repent, so when a servant repents to Him, He loves him despite whatever he had previously done. [al-Tibyan pg 93]

New Post How the Qur’an Confirms the Day of Judgement: Imam al-Sa’di https://tulayhah.wordpress.com/2026/08/10/how-the-quran-confirms-the-day-of-judgement-imam-al-sadi/ We continue with our monthly series on the principles of tafsir from sheikh 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di (author of Tafsir al-Sa'di).

After a number of ayaat describing the People of the Book in surah Aal 'Imran, Allah says: [إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۚ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ] Those who disbelieve, their wealth and their children will never help them at all against Allah, and they are the people of the hellfire, in which they will remain forever. [116] Commenting on this, al-Shawkani wrote: [وقوله : إن الذين كفروا قيل : هم بنو قريظة والنضير . قال مقاتل : لما ذكر تعالى مؤمني أهل الكتاب ذكر كفارهم في هذه الآية . والظاهر أن المراد بذلك كل من كفر بما يجب الإيمان به . ومعنى لن تغني لن تدفع ، وخص الأولاد ; لأنهم أحب القرابة وأرجاهم لدفع ما ينوبه . ] "Those who disbelieve" Some have said that this is referring to Banu Quraydhah and Banu al-Nadhir. Muqatil said: After mentioning the believers of Ahl al-Kitab, Allah then mentioned the disbelievers of them in this ayah. However what is most apparent is that this is referring to anyone who disbelieves in what they ought to believe in. And the meaning of "never help them" is that they will never protect them. Allah specifically mentions "children" here is because they are the most beloved family members and the ones most likely to protect one from harm. [Fath al-Qadeer 1/239]