Allah's Support for the Believers
Allaah says: "Allaah will keep firm those
who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e.
they will keep on worshipping Allaah Alone and none else), and
in the Hereafter. And Allaah will cause to go astray those who
are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), and Allaah does
what He wills." (14:47)
Ibn 'Abbaas said, concerning the aayah "Allaah will keep firm
those who believe…", this word is "Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah." Al-Nasaa'i
narrated that al-Baraa' said: "[The aayah] 'Allaah will keep
firm those who believe…' was revealed concerning the torment of
the grave, when it is said, 'My Lord is Allaah and my religion
is the religion of Muhammad.' That is what Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning), 'Allaah will keep firm those
who believe…'"
The general meaning of the aayah:
The general meaning of the aayah has to do with the support
which Allaah gives to His believing slaves and keeps them firm
in this world and in the Hereafter, helping them to adhere to
the Straight Path and to belief in Tawheed. The meaning also
has to do with the fact that this support is denied to the
wrongdoers and kaafirs, because of their wrongdoing and kufr,
and because they are far away from the truth and they follow
the desires of their own selves and the whispers of the
Shaytaan, they prevent others from following the straight path
and they express enmity towards those who do follow the
straight path.
How Allaah supports His believing slaves
and keeps them firm in this world:
His support in this world means two things:
1- He keeps them firm in the grave when they are questioned by
the angels. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated that al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib
said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: 'When the believer is made to sit up in his
grave, someone comes to him, then he bears witness that there
is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah. That is what Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): "Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the
word that stands firm in this world, and in the Hereafter".
Al-Qaffaal and his group said, "in this world" means in the
grave, because the dead are still in this world until they are
resurrected. Al-Maawardi also narrated this from al-Baraa', who
said, "What is meant by 'this world' is the questioning in the
grave,' and what is meant by 'the Hereafter' is the questioning
on the [Day of] Resurrection. (al-Jaami' li Ahkaam il-Qur'aan
by al-Qurtubi, 9/238)
2-This keeping firm also has to do with keeping them steadfast
in faith, Islam, taqwa, righteousness and doing good deeds. It
also has to do with the help and support of Allaah for His
righteous slaves, and his granting them victory and giving them
the strength to adhere to the word that stands firm in this
world, to strong faith, to certain belief and to absolute
submission to the rulings, commands and prohibitions of Allaah.
Al-Qurtubi said in his book al-Jaami' li Ahkaam il-Qur'aan that
the phrase "Allaah will keep firm" means that Allaah will cause
them to persist in saying the word that stands firm. [The poet]
'Abd-Allaah ibn Rawaahah said: "Allaah will cause you to stand
firm in doing good, as He supported Moosa and gave him victory"
This meaning is supported by other texts of the Qur'aan, for
example, Allaah says: "Truly, Allaah is
with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those
who are Muhsinoon (good doers)" (16:128)
"And (as for) the believers, it was incumbent upon Us to help
(them)." (30:47)
"Allaah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and
those who have been granted knowledge" (58:11)
"Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah - Islamic
Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of
Allaah verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find
rest."(13:28)
How Allaah will keep His believing slaves
firm in the Hereafter:
It was narrated that al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib said: "What is meant
by 'this world' is the questioning in the grave, and what is
meant by 'the Hereafter' is the questioning on the (Day of)
Resurrection."
As mentioned above, the keeping firm in this world is keeping
(the believer) firm when he is questioned by the two angels in
the grave, and keeping the believer firm in adhering to the
truth, taqwa and righteousness in this world. The keeping firm
in the Hereafter means keeping the believer firm on the Day of
Resurrection, when he is questioned about his deeds and
actions, his youth and his life, his wealth and possessions,
his duties towards himself, towards others and towards the
people around him, his different dealings and his affairs which
have to do with his Islamic duties, commands and prohibitions,
what he did and did not do.
So the believer remains firm and steadfast - by the help of
Allaah and by His will - on the Day of Resurrection and in the
grave, and throughout the life of al-Barzakh. Allaah will keep
him firm with contentment, security and steadfastness. That
will be because of the previous good deeds that he had done,
and his firm adherence to the correct belief, and his
fulfilling the duties of sharee'ah as proven in the Qur'aan and
Sunnah, and his following the example of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his attitude and his
saheeh Sunnah, without adding or innovating anything, without
taking away anything or deviating, but he followed the method
of the righteous salaf and acted in accordance with the way of
Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah.
The wrongdoers are not kept firm:
What is meant by wrongdoers here is the kuffaar, because they
have wronged themselves and disbelieved in the signs of Allaah.
They have replaced the word that stands firm and true faith
with whatever is dictated to them by their deviant minds and
corrupt desires.
The wrongdoers or kaafirs are not made to stand firm on the
right path, and they do not find contentment in this world or
in the Hereafter. They will be faced with a painful torment,
loss and regret in the Hereafter and in the grave, and they
will live a life of misery, confusion and difficulty in this
world. That is because of their sin, corruption and being far
removed from the path of guidance and righteousness.
Ibn Jareer, Ibn Abi Haatim and al-Bayhaqi narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: "When the kaafir
is dying, there come to him angels - peace be upon them - who
beat him on the face and the back. When he is placed in his
grave he is made to sit up and it is said to him, 'Who is your
Lord?' He does not reply to them, and Allaah causes him to
forget about that. When he is asked, 'Who is the Messenger who
was sent to you?' he is not guided in any way and he does not
reply to them. This is what Allaah says:
'And Allaah will cause to go astray those who are Zaalimoon
(polytheists and wrongdoers)' (14:27)."
All things are in the hands of Allaah, everything is in
the hands of Allaah: "and Allaah does what He wills". This
refers to whether He punishes people and misguides people.
Guidance and misguidance are in the hands of Allaah, good and
evil are in His hand, benefit and harm are in His hand,
according to His laws and signs, according to people's
potential to accept good or evil.
We ask Allaah to keep us firm in adhering to the Straight Path
and the true way, in this world and in the Hereafter, for He is
the One Who is Able to do that. And the end of our prayer is,
praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.