Extracted from Tafsīr-i Nūr written by Shaykh Muhsin Qara’ati
Translated by Saleem Bhimji
Surah al-Talaq (The Divorce)
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّشَىْءٍ قَدْراً
“And he who takes Allāh as (his) shield, He will always make a way out (of his ordeals) for him. And He will provide him sustenance from where he least expects. And he who puts his trust in Allāh, He is sufficient for him (to fulfill his needs). Allāh is sure to accomplish His purpose. Allāh has set a measure for everything.” (Qur’ān, Sūrah al-Ṭalāq (65), v. 2 & 3)
Points to Reflect Upon
1. Resolving difficulties in our lives through the performance of sins (to achieve a resolution) is to traverse a trackless path in life. Possessing taqwā and awe of Allah will allow a person to come out of the difficulties adversities of life. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً)
2. The way to become free from dead-ends in life (including disagreements between the husband and wife) is by observing and practicing taqwā. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً)
3. When it comes to managing and navigating through trials and tribulations, there are two things which will allow one to reach to salvation:
a. Taqwā (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً)
b. Holding firm to the Qur’ān (اذا التبست علیكم الفتن كقطع اللیل المظلم فعلیكم بالقرآن) – (When the tribulations cover over you just as the darkness of the light blankets you, then seek assistance in the Qur’ān. Al-Kāfī, v. 2, p. 598)
4. When a man and woman, inevitably fall into divorce and separate from one another, if they both observe the rights of taqwā, then they will find that they will be covered in the special grace of Allāh. (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ)
5. Those individuals who manage their life based on sinning, have themselves shut the path to their future and how they will secure their means of living. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ)
6. The will of Allah is not within the framework of how the human calculates as it is far beyond our limited scope of understanding. (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ)
7. Observing the spiritual issues in our lives plays a great role in the physical aspects of our lives as unseen assistance from Allah will definitely play a role in our day to day lives. (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ)
8. The person who has taqwā will ensure that all of his wishes are in line with the wishes of Allāh and since in the determination of Allah there is no such thing as a ‘dead-end’, thus for the person who has taqwā there is also no such concept in his or her life as a dead-end. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً)
9. Having ample sustenance (rizq) is not always tied to working more and in addition, it is also important to note that the amount of what one has is also not important as in this regards, al-Imām al-Ṣādiq has said that in regards to the portion of this verse which reads, ‘And He will provide him sustenance from where he least expects’ has said, ‘Whatever Allah has given to that person, He will also give barakah as well.’ [Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn] (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ)
10. The traits of taqwā and tawakkul are the two levers which a person must use to get themselves out of what seems to be a dead-end situation. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ …وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ)
11. In order to fulfill the needs of our daily life, we must have taqwā (وَيَرْزُقْهُ…وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ) for the needs of today and tawakkul (وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ) for the needs of tomorrow.
12. In our lives just as in this verse, taqwā must take precedence over tawakkul. (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ … وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ)
13. Without the Divine Grace of Allāh, nothing else can help us or suffice us. (فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ)
14. When it comes to the determination and resolve of all creations and all governments and authorities, there is always a possibility of them failing and not being effective in what they planned to carry out and to fall at a dead end, however the only power or force which knows no defeat is the determination and will of Allāh. (إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ)
15. The only proof which we have for our complete trust and reliance, our tawakkul, in Allāh is His unending power. (إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ… وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ)
16. The true meaning of our having full trust and reliance or tawakkul and the power of Allāh is not that a person will necessarily attain everything which they desire in this life as in all of the affairs of the world of existence are built on principles and are governed by rules and have checks and balances which have been put into place. (وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّشَىْءٍ قَدْراً)
