Surah Fatir 35:32

The Inheritance of the Qur'an is of three kinds

Allah says: `Then We made those who uphold the Book confirming what came before, the one whom We have chosen from among Our servants. They are this Ummah, who are divided into three types.' Allah says:

فَمِنْهُمْ ظَـلِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ

(Then of them are some who wrong themselves,) these are the ones who are careless about doing some obligatory actions, and who commit some forbidden actions.

وَمِنْهُمْ مُّقْتَصِدٌ

(and of them are some who follow a middle course,) these are the ones who fulfill their obligations and avoid things that are forbidden, but they may neglect some good deeds and do some things which are disliked.

وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَتِ بِإِذُنِ اللَّهِ

(and of them are some who are, by Allah's leave, foremost in good deeds.) these are the ones who do obligatory actions and things which are encouraged, and who avoid doing unlawful and disliked actions, and avoid some actions which are permissible. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah:

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا

(Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. ) "This refers to the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. Allah caused it to inherit every Book that He had revealed; those who wrong themselves will be forgiven, those who follow a middle course will have an easy accounting, and those who are foremost in good deeds will enter Paradise without being brought to account." Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani reported from Ibn `Abbas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said one day:

«شَفَاعَتِي لِأَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي»

(My intercession will be for those among my Ummah who commit major sins.)" Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Those who are foremost in good deeds will enter Paradise without being brought to account; those who follow a middle course will enter Paradise by the mercy of Allah; and those who wrong themselves and Ashab Al-A`raf will enter Paradise by the intercession of Muhammad ﷺ ." It was also reported from a number of the Salaf that those among this Ummah who wrong themselves are still among those whom Allah has chosen, even though they are imperfect and fell short by not adhering to the straight path. Others said that those who wrong themselves are not part of this Ummah and are not among those whom Allah has chosen and who inherited the Book. The correct view is that they are also part of this Ummah.

The Virtues of the Scholars

The scholars are the most fortunate of people with regard to this blessing, and the most entitled to this mercy. Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Qays bin Kathir said, "One of the people of Al-Madinah came to Abu Ad-Darda', may Allah be pleased with him, when he was in Damascus. Abu Ad-Darda' said, `What brought you here, my brother' He said, `A Hadith which I heard that you narrate from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' He said, `Have you come for trade' He said, `No.' He said, `Have you come for any other reason' He said, `No.' He said, `Have you come only to seek this Hadith' He said, `Yes.' He, may Allah be pleased with him said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

«مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَطْلُبُ فِيهَا عِلْمًا، سَلَكَ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أَجْنِحَتَهَا رِضًا لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسْتَغْفِرُ لِلْعَالِمِ مَنْ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ حَتَّى الْحِيتَانُ فِي الْمَاءِ، وَفَضْلُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِ الْقَمَرِ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْكَوَاكِبِ، وَإِنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ هُمْ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا دِينَارًا وَلَا دِرْهَمًا، وَإِنَّمَا وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَ بِهِ أَخَذَ بِحَظَ وَافِر»

(Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will show him the way to Paradise. The angels lower their wings being pleased with the one who seeks knowledge. Whoever is in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the sea, ask for forgiveness for the scholar. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinars and Dirhams, but they left behind knowledge; and whoever receives it, receives an abundance of good fortune.)"' It was also reported by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

Allah mewahyukan Al-Qur'an kepada Nabi Muhammad. Kemudian ajaran-ajaran Al-Qur'an itu diwariskan-Nya kepada hamba-hamba-Nya yang terpilih. Mereka itu adalah umat Nabi Muhammad, sebab Allah telah memuliakan umat ini melebihi kemuliaan yang diperoleh umat sebelumnya. Kemuliaan itu tergantung kepada sejauh manakah ajaran Rasulullah itu mereka amalkan, dan sampai di mana mereka sanggup mengikuti petunjuk Allah. Berikut ini dijelaskan tingkatan-tingkatan orang mukmin yang mengamalkan Al-Qur'an:

1.Orang yang zalim kepada dirinya. Maksudnya orang yang mengerjakan perbuatan wajib dan juga tidak meninggalkan perbuatan yang haram.

2.Muqtashid, yakni orang-orang yang melaksanakan segala kewajiban dan meninggalkan larangan-larangannya, tetapi kadang-kadang ia tidak mengerjakan perbuatan yang dipandang sunah atau masih mengerjakan sebagian pekerjaan yang dipandang makruh.

3.Sabiqun bil khairat, yaitu orang yang selalu mengerjakan amalan yang wajib dan sunah, meninggalkan segala perbuatan yang haram dan makruh, serta sebagian hal-hal yang mubah (dibolehkan).

Menurut al-Maragi pembagian di atas dapat pula diungkapkan dengan kata-kata lain, yaitu:

1.Orang yang masih sedikit mengamalkan ajaran Kitabullah dan terlalu senang menuruti hawa nafsunya, atau orang yang masih banyak perbuatan kejahatannya dibanding dengan amal kebaikannya.

2.Orang yang seimbang antara amal kebaikan dan kejahatannya.

3.Orang yang terus-menerus mencari ganjaran Allah dengan melakukan amal kebaikan.

Para ulama tafsir telah menyebutkan beberapa hadis sehubungan dengan maksud di atas. Salah satunya adalah hadis riwayat Ahmad dari Abu Darda', di mana setelah membaca ayat 32 Surah Fathir di atas, Rasulullah bersabda:

Adapun orang yang berlomba dalam berbuat kebaikan mereka akan masuk surga tanpa hisab (perhitungan), sedang orang-orang pertengahan (muqtashid) mereka akan dihisab dengan hisab yang ringan, dan orang yang menganiaya dirinya sendiri mereka akan ditahan dulu di tempat (berhisabnya), sehingga ia mengalami penderitaan kemudian dimasukkan ke dalam surga. Kemudian beliau membaca "Alhamdulillah al-ladzi adhhaba 'anna al-hazana inna rabbana lagafurun syakur," (Segala puji bagi Allah yang telah menghilangkan duka cita dari kami, sesungguhnya Tuhan kami Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Mensyukuri). (Riwayat Ahmad)

Warisan mengamalkan kitab suci dan kemuliaan yang diberikan kepada umat Nabi Muhammad itu merupakan suatu karunia yang amat besar dari Allah, yang tidak seorang pun dapat menghalangi ketetapan itu.