سورة السجدة

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibn Babuya has narrated in a mursal hadith from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said concerning the meaning of the word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: وَ لَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذابِ الْأَدْنی دُونَ الْعَذابِ الْأَکْبَرِ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement]: "This nearer chastisement is the separation from loved ones in this world, so that through it they may be led to [realise] the separation from their Master (Allah). For this reason, Ya'qub's (peace be upon him) grief [over the separation from] Yusuf (peace be upon him) was out of fear of separation from Allah, and for this reason he used to remember Yusuf (peace be upon him)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Mufaddal ibn Umar said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the word of Allah the Blessed and Exalted: وَلَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَی دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَکْبَرِ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement]. He said: "What is meant by al-'adhab al-adna (the nearer chastisement) is the rise in prices, and what is meant by al-'adhab al-akbar (the greater chastisement) is [the uprising of] Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance) with the sword (by which the oppressors will receive the punishment and chastisement of their deeds)."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): As for al-'adhab al-adna (the nearer chastisement) in this word of Allah: وَلَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَی [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement], [it means] being chastised at the time of the raj'a (return) by the sword; and the meaning of [this] word of Allah: لَعَلَّهُمْ یَرْجِعُونَ [that haply they may turn] is [that] they will return at the time of the raj'a so that they may be chastised.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): What is meant by al-'adhab al-adna (the nearer chastisement) is dabbat al-ard (the beast of the earth).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): The wise person considers himself as though he has died, and asks Allah to return him [to the world] so that he may repent, abandon sin, and do righteous deeds. And Allah the Exalted has agreed to his request [and returned him to the world]. So [as long as he is in this world, in performing righteous deeds and abandoning sin] he strives and exerts himself even more. وَ لَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذابِ الْأَدْنی دُونَ الْعَذابِ الْأَکْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَرْجِعُونَ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement that haply they may turn]. [What is meant by al-'adhab al-adna (the nearer chastisement) is] hardship and grief in [losing] wealth, family, children and life, which is before the greater chastisement, and [what is meant by] the greater chastisement is the chastisement of Hell.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Mufaddal ibn Umar said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "My master! Some of your Shia do not believe in your raj'a (return)!" He said: "Have they not heard the words of our grandfather the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and the words of us, the Imams (peace be upon them), that we say: وَ لَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذابِ الْأَدْنی دُونَ الْعَذابِ الْأَکْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَرْجِعُونَ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement that haply they may turn]; [what is meant by] the nearer chastisement is the chastisement [during the era] of the raj'a (return) of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and the greater chastisement is the chastisement of the Day of Resurrection about which [Allah says]: 'The day when the earth shall be changed into a different earth and the heavens as well, and they shall all come forth before Allah, the One, the Almighty' (Ibrahim/48)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): [What is meant by the nearer chastisement in the verse:] الْعَذَابُ الْأَدْنَی دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَکْبَرِ [the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement], is [the chastisement during the era of] the raj'a (return).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir ibn Yazid said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "There is no righteous or wicked person in this ummah but that he will be raised up. As for the believers, they will be raised up to the delight of their eyes, and as for the wicked, they will be raised up to their disgrace which is from Allah. Have you not heard that Allah the Exalted says: وَ لَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذابِ الْأَدْنی دُونَ الْعَذابِ الْأَکْبَرِ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement]; and [have you not heard] this saying of His: 'O you who lie wrapped in your garment, arise and warn!' (Muddaththir/1-2), by which He intends the rising of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his warning during the raj'a; and [have you not heard] this word of His: 'He is the One who sent His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists may detest it' (Tawbah/33), Allah will make him prevail during the raj'a. And [have you not heard] this word of His: 'Until, when We open upon them a gate of severe chastisement' (Mu'minun/77), [what is meant by the severe chastisement for those who do not believe in the Hereafter] is Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him); when he returns [to the world] during the era of the raj'a."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): أَوَ لَمْ یَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوقُ الْماءَ إِلَی الْأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ [Do they not see that We drive the water to a barren land]; [meaning,] the ruined land, and this is a parable that Allah has struck concerning the raj'ah (return) and al-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his noble relief). When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) informed those polytheists of the news of the raj'ah, they said: "If you are truthful, when will this victory be?" (Sajda/28). And this verse is connected to the verse: وَ لَنُذِیقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذابِ الْأَدْنی دُونَ الْعَذابِ الْأَکْبَرِ [And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement], and [when that verse was revealed, the polytheists said: "If you are truthful, when will this victory be?" and Allah [in reply to them] said: Say: "On the day of victory, the belief of the disbelievers shall not benefit them, nor shall they be given respite." (Sajda/29) O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! [Turn away from them] and wait, for they too are waiting. (Sajda/30)]