(What the Lord has said)
Allah the Most Exalted said:
“Until when fear is banished from their hearts they say: ‘What is it that your Lord has said?” They say: ‘The Truth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (34: 23)
And in Sahih (Al-Bukhari) it is reported that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said:
When Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings indicating complete surrender to His Saying, which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And when the (state of ) fear is banished from their hearts, they say, “What is that your Lord has said?” They say: “The truth. And He is the Most High, Most Great.” (34: 23) Then the stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other (Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers). A stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him, and the second will convey it to that who is below him, till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller. Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The people will then say, “Didn’t he (i.e., magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?” So that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the heavens.
An-Nauwas bin Sam‘an (R.A.) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:
“When Allah wishes to reveal something to man, He speaks out the words to be revealed. At this, the heavens shake strongly in fear of Him. When the Words of Allah fall upon the inhabitants of heaven, they are taken by shock and fall prostrate. The first of them to raise his head is the angel Jibrael whom Allah speaks out of the revelation what He wishes. Then Jibrael passes by the other angels in different heavens, and is asked at each station, ‘What did our Lord say, O Jibrael?’ He answers: ‘He said the Truth; He is the Most High, the Most Great’ and all repeat the same after him. Then Jibrael moves on to the destination with the revelation, to where commanded by Allah the Most High.”
Important issues of the Chapter
1) Explanation of the Verse 34:23
2) In this verse is a proof for the invalidation of Shirk. Especially regarding what is attached to those righteous people (i.e. of the supplications of the ignorant toward them). It is said that this verse cuts the roots of the tree of Shirk in the heart.
3) Explanation of Allah’s Words:
“They say: ‘The truth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
4) The reason for their question about that (verse).
5) That Jibrael (Gabriel) (A.S.) answered their question after that by his words “He said such and such”.
6) The description of the fact that Jibrael (Gabriel) (A.S.) was the first to raise his head (to attend to the revelation of Allah).
7) Jibrael (Gabriel) A.S. answers to all angels of the heavens for they all question him.
8) Unconsciousness occurs to all the dwellers of the heavens.
9) Trembling of the heavens due to the Words of Allah.
10) That Jibrael (Gabriel) A.S. is the one who conveys the revelation to wherever Allah commands.
11) Eavesdropping of heavenly discussions by devils.
12) State of standing of Jinns atop of one another.
13) Falling down of shooting stars.
14) The shooting star sometimes hits the devil before he conveys the stolen message and sometimes, he reaches the ear of his human friend before he is struck.
15) Sometimes the soothsayer may relay the truth.
16) The soothsayer mixes the truth with a hundred lies.
17) His lies are not believed except for the word (of truth) which was heard from heaven.
18) The acceptance of falsehood by the human nature. How they hang onto one truth and not consider the 100 lies.
19) How they pass the word to one another, memorize it and use it as evidence (for other lies).
20) Affirmation of the Divine Attributes of Allah, in opposition to denials of the Ash‘ariyah [1] and Mu‘attilah.
21) That the trembling and shaking of the heavens is due to the fear of Allah the Almighty.
22) Angels fall down in prostration for Allah.
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[1] One of their beliefs is to nullify Allah’s Attribute of having speech. Ahlus-Sunnah is firm upon the principle of affirming these names and attributes that are mentioned by Allah and His Prophet (SAW). However, without negating their evident meaning, saying exactly how, or making any similitude with the creation.