His saying, the Almighty: "And fear [Allah]."

[6593] And by the same chain from 'Ubadah, regarding "And if only the People of the Scripture had believed and feared [Allah]," [saying]: They feared what Allah forbade, then We would have removed from them their misdeeds.

His saying, the Almighty: "We would have removed from them their misdeeds and admitted them to Gardens of Pleasure."

[6594] My father narrated to us, Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Kathir al-Nukri al-Dawraqi narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd Allah al-'Abdi narrated to us, Rabah al-Qaysi narrated to us, he said: I heard Malik ibn Dinar saying: The Gardens of Pleasure are between the Gardens of Firdaws and the Gardens of 'Adn (Eden), and in them are maidens created from the roses of Paradise. It was said: Who shall dwell in them? He said: Those who committed sins, but when they remembered My greatness, they were watchful of Me; and those whose spines bent from fear of Me and My majesty. Indeed, I intend to punish the people of the earth, but when I look at the people of hunger and thirst out of fear of Me, I divert the punishment from them.

His saying, the Almighty: "And if only they had upheld the Torah and the Gospel."

[6595] It was mentioned from Safwan ibn 'Amr, from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "The knowledge is about to be lifted up." Ziyad ibn Labid said: O Messenger of Allah, how will knowledge be lifted while we have read the Quran and taught it to our children? He said: "May your mother be bereaved of you, O Ibn Labid! I used to consider you among the most learned of the people of Medina. Are the Torah and the Gospel not in the hands of the Jews and the Christians? What did it avail them when they abandoned the command of Allah?" Then he recited: "And if only they had upheld the Torah and the Gospel."

[6596] My father narrated to us, Abu Hudhayfah narrated to us, Shibl narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, regarding "And if only they had upheld the Torah and the Gospel and what was revealed to them from their Lord," as for their upholding the Torah and the Gospel, it is acting upon them.

His saying, the Almighty: "And what was revealed to them from their Lord."

[6597] My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding "And what was revealed to them from their Lord," meaning what was revealed to them: the Furqan (the Criterion).

[6598] Ahmad ibn 'Uthman ibn Hakim al-Awdi informed me in what he wrote to me, Ahmad ibn Mufaddal narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi, regarding "And what was revealed to them from their Lord," he says: If they had acted upon what was revealed to them from what Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, brought to them.