Surah Fatir Ayat 32 (35:32 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(35:32) Then We bequeathed the Book to those of Our servants that We chose.^[55]Now, some of them wrong themselves and some follow the medium course; and some, by Allah’s leave, vie with each other in acts of goodness. That is the great bounty.^[56]

55. This implies the Muslims, who have been sorted out from all mankind so that they may become heirs to the Book of Allah, and convey its message to others after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Though this Book has been presented before all human beings, those who accepted it in the first instance, were chosen for the honor to become heirs to a great Book like the Quran and the trustees of the teaching and guidance imparted by a great Messenger like the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

56. That is, All these Muslims are not alike but are divided into three classes:

(1) Those unjust to themselves: They are those who believe sincerely and honestly that the Quran is the Book of Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) the Messenger of Allah, but in practical life they do not fully follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. They are believers but sinful; culprits but not rebellious; weak of faith but not hypocritical and unbelieving at heart. Therefore, although they are unjust to themselves, they have been included among the chosen servants of God and among the heirs to the Book; otherwise, obviously the rebels and the hypocrites and the unbelieving people could not be so treated and honored. This class of the believers has been mentioned first of All because they are most numerous among the Muslims.

(2) Those following the middle course: They are the people who fulfill the obligations of this inheritance to some extent but not fully. They are obedient as well as erring. They have not left their self altogether free but try as best as they can to turn it to God’s obedience. However, at times they give it undue freedom and become involved in sin. Thus, their life becomes a combination of both the good and the evil actions. They are less numerous than the first group but more than the third; that is why they have been mentioned second.

(3) Those excelling in good deeds: They are the people of the first rank among the heirs to the Book, and they are the ones who are doing full justice to the inheritance. They are in the forefront in following and adhering to the Book and the Sunnah; in conveying the message of God to His servants, in offering the sacrifices for the sake of the true faith, and in every pious and good work. They are not the ones who would commit a sin deliberately, but if they happened to commit a sin inadvertently, they would be filled with remorse as soon as they became conscious of it. They are less numerous than the people of the first two groups, and therefore, have been mentioned last, although they merit the first place in the matter of doing justice to the heritage of the Book of Allah.

As for the sentence, “the great bounty”, if it is related with the last sentence, it would mean that to excel in good deeds is the great bounty, and the people who excel in good deeds are the best of the Muslim community. And if it is taken to be related with the first sentence, it would mean that to be a heir to the Book of Allah and to be chosen for this heritage is the great bounty, and the people who have been so chosen on account of their faith in the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are the best among the human beings created by Allah.

Ibn-Kathir

32. Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. Then of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allah’s leave, foremost in good deeds. That — that is indeed a great grace.

Allah says: `Then We made those who uphold the Book confirming what came before, the one whom We have chosen from among Our servants. They are this Ummah, who are divided into three types.’ Allah says:

(Then of them are some who wrong themselves,) these are the ones who are careless about doing some obligatory actions, and who commit some forbidden actions.

(and of them are some who follow a middle course,) these are the ones who fulfill their obligations and avoid things that are forbidden, but they may neglect some good deeds and do some things which are disliked.

(and of them are some who are, by Allah’s leave, foremost in good deeds.) these are the ones who do obligatory actions and things which are encouraged, and who avoid doing unlawful and disliked actions, and avoid some actions which are permissible. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah:

(Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. ) “This refers to the Ummah of Muhammad . Allah caused it to inherit every Book that He had revealed; those who wrong themselves will be forgiven, those who follow a middle course will have an easy accounting, and those who are foremost in good deeds will enter Paradise without being brought to account.” Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani reported from Ibn `Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said one day:

(My intercession will be for those among my Ummah who commit major sins.)” Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Those who are foremost in good deeds will enter Paradise without being brought to account; those who follow a middle course will enter Paradise by the mercy of Allah; and those who wrong themselves and Ashab Al-A`raf will enter Paradise by the intercession of Muhammad .” It was also reported from a number of the Salaf that those among this Ummah who wrong themselves are still among those whom Allah has chosen, even though they are imperfect and fell short ﴿by not adhering to the straight path﴾. Others said that those who wrong themselves are not part of this Ummah and are not among those whom Allah has chosen and who inherited the Book. The correct view is that they are also part of this Ummah.

The scholars are the most fortunate of people with regard to this blessing, and the most entitled to this mercy. Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Qays bin Kathir said, “One of the people of Al-Madinah came to Abu Ad-Darda’, may Allah be pleased with him, when he was in Damascus. ﴿Abu Ad-Darda’﴾ said, `What brought you here, my brother’ He said, `A Hadith which I heard that you narrate from the Messenger of Allah .’ He said, `Have you come for trade’ He said, `No.’ He said, `Have you come for any other reason’ He said, `No.’ He said, `Have you come only to seek this Hadith’ He said, `Yes.’ He, may Allah be pleased with him said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

(Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will show him the way to Paradise. The angels lower their wings being pleased with the one who seeks knowledge. Whoever is in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the sea, ask for forgiveness for the scholar. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinars and Dirhams, but they left behind knowledge; and whoever receives it, receives an abundance of good fortune.)”’ It was also reported by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.