سورة الذاريات

Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon them): When the people denied the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), Allah the Blessed and Exalted resolved to destroy all the people of the earth except Ali (peace be upon him), and thus He says: فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said to His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame]. He intended to punish the people of the earth.

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has two kinds of knowledge: a hidden, concealed knowledge which none knows but Him — and from this bada' arises — and another knowledge which He has taught to His angels and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and the scholars of the household of your Prophet (peace be upon him) also know it. Sulayman said: "I would like you to bring a proof from the Book of Allah the Exalted." The Imam (peace be upon him) recited this verse: "For Allah says to His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame]; Allah willed to destroy them, then bada' occurred for Him, and He said: وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَى تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ [And remind, for indeed the reminder benefits the believers]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Then Allah does whatever He wills and changes whatever He wills — like the people of Yunus (peace be upon him), when bada' occurred for Allah and He had mercy on them; and the Imam cited this verse as an example: فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame]. And he said: Allah's mercy reached them.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): Allah, majestic is His remembrance, intended to destroy the people of the earth, so He sent down upon His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family): "O Muhammad, since it is so, turn away from them — فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [for you will never be blameworthy]." Then bada' occurred for Him regarding that.

Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon them): When the people denied the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, intended to destroy the inhabitants of the earth, and He excepted no one other than Ali (peace be upon him), where He says: فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَما أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame]. Then bada' occurred for Him in this decision, and He had mercy on the believers.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): As for those who deny bada' (divine alteration of decree), Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an: فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَا أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame]. This is because at that time Allah the Glorified had willed to destroy the earth, but His mercy encompassed the people and bada' occurred concerning their destruction.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Imam (peace be upon him) came out with a turban on his head and his shirt drawn over his head, and said: "When the verse فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَا أَنْتَ بِمَلُومٍ [Then turn your back upon them for you are not to blame] was revealed, every one of us was certain that we would be destroyed, at the moment the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was told فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ [Turn your back upon them]. But when the verse وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَى تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ [And continue to remind, for surely the reminder profits the believers] was revealed, our minds were set at ease."