Revised on October 25, 2011
بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وبعد
The following is the Tafseer on “al-Hamd”
taken from the following three Tafaaseer:
* al-Baghawee
* al-Shinqeetee
* Ibn Katheer
Imaam al-Baghawee رحمه الله said in his Tafseer:
In
His تعالى saying:
﴿الْحَمْدُ للهِ﴾
{All the
praises and thanks be to Allaah} [Surah al-Faatihah (1):2]
The
word al-Hamd (الحمد) is a predicate. It informs us that Allaah alone is the one
worthy of all praises; and in it there is a teaching for the creation (as an
act of `Ibaadah) to say الحمد لله.
The
word الحمد is used in the meaning al-Shukr (الشكر):
“Thanking (someone) for a favor”; and it is also used in the meaning: “Praising
(someone) for their good qualities”.
It is said: I
praised so-and-so (حمدت فلانا)
for the favor he did for me, and I praised him (وحمدته)
for his knowledge and his courage. Whereas the word al-Shukr
(الشكر) cannot be used except to thank someone for a favor.
The
word الحمد is more general than the word الشكر.
That is why it is not said: I thanked so-and-so for his knowledge (rather we
say: I praised so-and-so for his knowledge). Every praising (automatically)
constitutes thanking, but every thanking does not constitute praising.
And it is said:
Praising is with the speech of the tongue whereas thanking is with the actions
of the limbs. As Allaah تعالى
said:
﴿وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
الَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا﴾
{All praise and thanks are Allaah’s, Who has not begotten
a son (or offspring} [Surah al-Israa’ (17):111]
﴿اعْمَلُواْ ءَالَ دَاوُودَ شُكْراً﴾
{Work you, O family of Daawood (David), with thanks!} [Surah Saba’
(34): 13]
--end of quote of al-Baghawee
From
the Tafseer of Shaikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqeetee رحمه
الله (Adhwaa’
al-Bayaan)
The
saying of Allaah تعالى:
﴿الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ﴾
{All the
praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of the `Aalameen (mankind, jinns and
all that exists).} [Surah al-Faatihah (1):2]
He تعالى in this aayah did not mention (did not confine) His “praise” to
spatial or temporal circumstances. Whereas in Surah al-Room, He تعالى mentioned a spatial condition: i.e. the heavens and the earth,
in His تعالى saying:
﴿وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى
السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ﴾
{And His are all praise and thanks in the
heavens and the earth}
[Surah al-Room (30):18]
And in Surah al-Qasas, He تعالى mentioned a temporal condition: i.e. this world and the
hereafter, in His تعالى saying:
﴿وَهُوَ
اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى الاٍّولَى وَالاٌّخِرَةِ﴾
{And He is Allaah; none has the right to be
worshipped but He, His are all praise and thanks (both) in the first (i.e. in
this world) and in the last (i.e. in the Hereafter)} [Surah al-Qasas (28: 70]
And He تعالى said in the beginning of Surah Saba’:
﴿وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى
الاٌّخِرَةِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ﴾
{His is all praise and thanks in the
Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, the Well-Acquainted (with all things).} [Surah Saba’ (34): 1]
The Alif (ا) and Laam (ل) in الحمد
encompasses all types of praises and thanks. And it the praise with which
Allaah تعالى praised Himself; and He تعالى commanded His slave to praise him with it.
--end of quote of al-Shinqetee
Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله, in the introduction to his Tafseer, said:
All praise is due to Allaah, Who started His Book
by saying:
﴿الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ -
الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ - مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ﴾
{All praise and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of all that
exists, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Owner of the Day of
Recompense.} [Surah
Al-Faatihah (1): 2-4]
And Who began his creation with al-Hamd
(His praise and appreciation), by saying:
﴿الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ
وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَـتِ وَالنُّورَ ثْمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ
يَعْدِلُونَ﴾
{All praise be to Allaah, Who created the
heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light, yet those who
disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord.} [Surah Al-An`aam (6):1]
And ended it with the al-Hamd,
by saying, after mentioning the destination of the people of Paradise and the
people of the Fire:
﴿وَتَرَى الْمَلَـئِكَةَ حَآفِّينَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْعَرْشِ
يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيلَ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ﴾
{And you will see the angels surrounding
the Throne from all around, glorifying the praises of their Lord. And they will
be judged with truth. And it will be said, "All the praises and thanks be
to Allaah, the Lord of all that exits.''} [Surah Az-Zumar
(39): 75]
And similarly:
﴿وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى
الاٍّولَى وَالاٌّخِرَةِ وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ﴾
{And He is Allaah; there is none worthy of
worship except Him, His is the praise in the first and in the last, and His is
the decision, and to Him shall you be returned.} [Surah Al-Qasas (28): 70]
The conclusion of the prayers of the
people of Paradise will be with His Hamd:
﴿دَعْوَهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَـنَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا
سَلاَمٌ وَءَاخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ﴾
{Their way of request therein will be:
"Glory to You, O Allaah!'' and "Salam'' (peace, safety from evil)
will be their greetings therein! And the close of their request will be:
"All praise is due to Allaah, the Lord of all that exists.''} [Surah Yunus (10): 10]
Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه
الله continues in Surah
al-Faatihah:
﴿الْحَمْدُ
للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ﴾
{Al-Hamd be to Allaah, the Lord of all that
exists.}
Abu Ja`far bin Jarir said, “The meaning of
﴿الْحَمْدُ للهِ﴾
{Al-Hamdu Lillaah} is: all thanks are due
purely to Allaah, alone, not any of the objects that are being worshipped
instead of Him, nor any of His creation. These thanks are due to Allaah’s
innumerable favors and bounties that only He knows the amount of. Allaah’s
bounties include creating the tools that help the creation to worship Him, the
physical bodies with which they are able to implement His commands, the
sustenance that He provides them in this life, and the comfortable life He has
granted them, without anything or anyone compelling Him to do so. Allaah also
warned His creation and alerted them about the means and methods with which
they can earn eternal dwelling in the residence of everlasting happiness. All
thanks and praise are due to Allaah for these favors from beginning to end.”
Further,
Ibn Jarir commented on the Ayah,
﴿الْحَمْدُ للهِ﴾
{Al-Hamdu Lillaah}, that it means, “A
praise that Allaah praised Himself with, indicating to His servants that they
too should praise Him, as if Allaah had said, `Say: All thanks and praise is
due to Allaah.’
It was said that the statement,
﴿الْحَمْدُ للهِ﴾
{All praise and thanks be
to Allaah}, entails praising Allaah by mentioning His most beautiful
Names and most honorable Attributes.
When one proclaims, `All thanks are due to Allaah,’ he will be
thanking Him for His favors and bounties.” Hamd is more general, in that
it is a statement of praise for one’s characteristics, or for what he has done.
Thanks are given for what was done, not merely for characteristics.
Hafs mentioned that `Umar said to `Alee, “We know La ilaha
illallaah, Subhan Allaah and Allaahu Akbar. What about Al-Hamdu
Lillaah?” `Alee said, “A statement that Allaah liked for Himself, was
pleased with for Himself and He likes that it be repeated.”
Also, Ibn `Abbaas said, “Al-Hamdu Lillaah is the statement
of appreciation. When the servant says Al-Hamdu Lillaah, Allaah says,
`My servant has praised Me.” Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadeeth.
Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that Al-Aswad bin Sari` said, “I
said, `O Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم ! Should I recite to you words of
praise for My Lord, the Exalted, that I have collected?’ He صلى
الله عليه وسلم
said:
«أَمَا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يُحِبُّ الْحَمْدَ»
“Verily, your Lord likes Al-Hamd.””
An-Nasa’i
also recorded this Hadeeth. [and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in
“Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad” (660)]
Furthermore,
Abu `Isa At-Tirmidhee (3383), An-Nasa’i and Ibn Maajah (3800) recorded that
Moosaa bin Ibraaheem bin Katheer related that Talhah bin Khirash said that Jaabir
bin `Abdullaah said that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه
وسلم said:
«أَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَفْضَلُ
الدُّعَاءِ الْحَمْدُ لله»
“The best Dhikr (remembering Allaah) is La ilaha
illallaah and the best supplication is Al-Hamdu Lillaah.”
At-Tirmidhee said that this Hadeeth is “Hasan
Gharib”. [and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
Also, Ibn Maajah (3805) recorded that Anas bin
Maalik said that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«مَا أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَلَى عَبْدٍ نِعْمَةً فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ
للهِ، إِلَّا كَانَ الَّذِي أَعْطَى أَفْضَلَ مِمَّا أَخَذَ»
“No servant is blessed by Allaah and says,`Al-Hamdu Lillaah’,
except that what he gives (the priase) is better than what he received (the blessing).”
[Graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh
al-Albaanee]
Further,
in his Sunan, Ibn Maajah (763) recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger
of Allaah صلى
الله عليه وسلم said:
«إِنَّ
عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلَالِ وَجْهِكَ
وَعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِكَ. فَعَضَلَتْ بِالْمَلَكَيْنِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِيَا كَيْفَ
يَكْتُبَانِهَا فَصَعِدَا إِلَى اللهِ فَقَالَا: يَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّ عَبْدًا قَدْ
قَالَ مَقَالَةً لَا نَدْرِي كَيْفَ نَكْتُبُهَا، قَالَ اللهُ، وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ
بِمَا قَالَ عَبْدُهُ: مَاذَا قَالَ عَبْدِي؟ قَالَا: يَا رَبِّ إِنَّهُ قَالَ:
لَكَ الْحَمْدُ يَا رَبِّ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلَالِ وَجْهِكَ وَعَظِيمِ
سُلْطَانِكَ. فَقَالَ اللهُ لَهُمَا: اكْتُبَاهَا كَمَا قَالَ عَبْدِي، حَتَّى
يَلْقَانِي فَأَجْزِيهِ بِهَا.»
“A servant of Allaah once said, `O Allaah! Yours is the Hamd
that is suitable for the grace of Your Face and the greatness of Your Supreme
Authority.’ The two angels were confused as to how to write these words. They
ascended to Allaah and said, `O our Lord! A servant has just uttered a
statement and we are unsure how to record it for him.’ Allaah said while having
more knowledge in what His servant has said, ‘What did My servant say?’ They
said, `He said, `O Allaah! Yours is the Hamd that is suitable for the
grace of Your Face and the greatness of Your Supreme Authority.’ Allaah said to
them, `Write it as My servant has said it, until he meets Me and then I shall
reward him for it.”
[Graded
as “Dha`eef” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
The
letters Alif (ا) and Laam (ل) before the word Hamd serve to encompass all types of
thanks and appreciation for Allaah, the Exalted.
A
Hadeeth states,
«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كُلُّهُ، وَلَكَ الْمُلْكُ كُلُّهُ،
وَبِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِلَيْكَ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ»
“O Allaah! All of Al-Hamd is due to You, You own
all the ownership, all types of good are in Your Hand and all affairs belong to
You.”
[It is fabricated. See “al-Dha`efah” of Shaikh
al-Albaanee (5138)]
--end of quote of Ibn Katheer
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