Surat al-Qalam (68)

His saying, the Almighty: "The Pen."

18936 - From Ibn 'Abbas, he said: The first thing Allah created was the Pen. He said to it: "Write." It replied: "O my Lord, what shall I write?" He said: "Write the Decree [al-Qadar]." From that day forth, it ran with what is to be until the Hour is established. Then He folded the book and raised the Pen. His Throne was upon the water, so the vapor of the water rose and from it the heavens were cleft. Then the light was created, and the earth was spread out upon it. The earth was [set] upon the back of the whale [al-nun], so the whale became agitated, and the earth wavered; thus it was steadied with the mountains. The mountains, indeed, boast over the earth until the Day of Resurrection. Then Ibn 'Abbas recited: "Nun. By the Pen and what they inscribe."(1)

His saying, the Almighty: "And what they inscribe."

18937 - From Ibn 'Abbas, regarding His saying: "And what they inscribe," he said: "And what they know."(2)

18938 - From Shahr ibn Hawshab, he said: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "No 'jawwaz' (greedy, miserly person), nor 'ja'thari' (crude, arrogant person), nor 'utul' (cruel, base person), nor 'zanim' (one of illegitimate birth or of known evil) shall enter Paradise." A man from among the Muslims asked him: "What are the 'jawwaz', the 'ja'thari', and the 'utul zanim?" The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "As for the 'jawwaz', it is he who gathers wealth and withholds it—'The flame of the Fire will call him, pulling away [the skin of] the scalp.' As for the 'ja'thari', it is the harsh and coarse person. Allah says: 'So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.' As for the 'utul zanim', he is one with a harsh temperament, a broad belly, healthy, a great drinker, voracious for food and drink, and oppressive to people."(3)

His saying, the Almighty: "A persistent oath-taker, the contemptible."

18939 - From al-Suddi, regarding His saying: "And do not obey every persistent oath-taker, the contemptible," he said: "It was revealed concerning al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq."(4)

18940 - From Mujahid, regarding His saying: "And do not obey every persistent oath-taker, the contemptible," he said: "He is al-Aswad ibn 'Abd Yaghuth."(5)