وَالسّابِقونَ السّابِقونَ

And the foremost ones are the foremost ones.

EXEGESIS

A possible explanation for why the foremost ones are mentioned after the other two groups is that the previous verses were talking about the terrors of the hereafter; but the foremost ones are already on the straight path due to their love for God, and not so much because of fear. Therefore, the previous verses are more applicable to the other two groups; and among them, the people of the right hand take the best admonition and heed from such warnings. Then, when it comes to describing these groups, they are mentioned in the order of their felicity and proximity to God.^{‎[1]Razi, 29/388-390.}

EXPOSITION

This set of verses concerns the leading group that shall surpass everyone on the Day of Judgement. They are the close ones, or the ones who are brought near to God (muqarrabūn). The other two groups are discussed in the next two sets of verses. As one reads through these verses, one should keep in mind that the rewards and punishments in the hereafter are in accordance with one’s beliefs, actions, and moral traits. Hence, as a principle and general guideline, one should try to think of what beliefs, actions, and traits would result in these rewards and punishments. That would be a practical message and implication of these verses.

The foremost ones are those who won the race and competition towards God’s forgiveness and paradise: Take the lead towards forgiveness from your Lord and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who have faith in Allah and His apostles. That is Allah’s grace, which He grants to whomever He wishes, and Allah is dispenser of a great grace (57:21). They are the ones who hastened towards what God has prepared for His pious servants and to what He has urged them to strive: And hasten towards your Lord’s forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-wary (3:133).

The ones who take the lead and hasten towards God’s reward and paradise in the hereafter are those who used to take the lead and hasten towards good acts in this world (2:148, 5:48). Their attributes and actions have been described elsewhere in the Quran: Indeed those who are in awe for the fear of their Lord, and who believe in the signs of their Lord, and who do not associate partners with their Lord; and who give whatever they give while their hearts tremble that they are going to return to their Lord – it is they who hasten in [performing] good works, and take the lead in them (23:57-61). These are not simply the God-wary (muttaqīn), but they are the models and leaders of the God-wary: make us imams of the God-wary (25:74). Among the other qualities of such people who guide others by God’s command are: patience, conviction to God’s signs, being worshipful, and that God inspires in them (because of their purity and perseverance) the doing of good deeds, the performance of prayer, and almsgiving (32:24, 21:73).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

There are several narrations concerning who the foremost ones are. When all put together, these narrations provide adequate insight into what is really meant in this group of verses. A sample of these narrations is as follows:

1. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) recited these verses and said: ‘The foremost ones are God’s messengers and His special servants …’^{‎[2]Razi, 29/388-390.}
2. The Prophet was asked about And the foremost ones are the foremost ones: they are the close ones. He replied: ‘They are the prophets and their successors …’^{‎[3]Kamal, 1/276.}
3. Once, Ibn Abbas asked the Prophet about verses 10-12. The Prophet said: ‘Gabriel told me that they are Ali and his followers (shīʿah), who shall take the lead toward paradise, and who are brought near to God by His grace.’^{‎[4]Amali.M, p. 298, h. 7.}
4. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘The foremost ones are five: I am the foremost one among the Arabs; Salmān is the foremost one among the Persians; Ṣuhayb is the foremost one among the Romans; Bilāl is the foremost one among the Abyssinians; and Khabbāb is the foremost one among the people of Nabṭ [a mixed tribe in Iraq].’^{‎[5]Khisal, 1/312, h. 89.}
5. The Prophet said: ‘The foremost ones are those who, when they are given the [word of] truth they would accept it, and when they are asked for it they would give it away, and those who judge the people as they judge themselves.’^{‎[6]Qurtubi, 18/199.}
6. The Prophet recited And the foremost ones are the foremost ones: they are the close ones and interpreted them to: ‘Those who are the first to enter the mosque and the last to leave it.’^{‎[7]Suyuti, 6/154.}
7. Once, Salmān saw Lady Fatimah (a) wearing a veil that was stitched in twelve spots. He wept and said: ‘Alas! The princesses of Rome and Persia are pampered in silk and fine fabric, while the daughter of Muhammad (s) is in a ragged woollen veil with twelve stitches.’ When Fatimah (a) met the Prophet she said: ‘O Messenger of God, indeed Salmān was surprised by my clothes. By the one who sent you by truth, it is five years that I and Ali have only had a sheepskin on which we feed our camel during the day, and which we use as a bed at night. And indeed our pillow is only a leather skin filled with palm fibres.’ The Prophet then turned to Salmān and said: ‘O Salmān, indeed my daughter is among the group of the foremost ones.’^{‎[8]Bihar, 43/88.}

Note: These narrations provide several examples and instances of the foremost ones without confining them. That is why there is no contradiction between these narrations, as all of them can be true. These narrations confirm that the foremost ones are not limited to the prophets or those with specific religious appointment, though the prophets and their successors are certainly among the foremost ones and a clear example of them. The foremost ones have also been identified with some of the leading companions of the Imams such as Zurārah, Abū Baṣīr, Muhammad ibn Muslim, and others.^{‎[9]Mufīd, al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 66.} A common characteristic among all of these groups is that they took the lead toward embracing faith, submitting to God, and propagating the message of truth to others. That is what qualifies one to be of the foremost ones, and this criterion is not limited to any particular time, place, or community.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Several interpretations have been narrated for the meaning of the foremost ones from the companions, their followers, and the early exegetes, including Imam Ali (a). Some of these interpretations are: those who were foremost in embracing faith in every nation, those who prayed to two qiblas, those who rushed toward acts of good such as jihad, migration, repentance, charity, and the five daily prayers, those who surpassed others towards the Quran, and those who used to rush towards the mosques.^{‎[10]Qurtubi, 18/199; Alusi, 14/132, 135.} These could all be examples and instances of the actions of the foremost ones; the only point is that some of them do not comply with the fact that the chapter was revealed in Mecca.

It should be noted that the foremost ones do not fall under the golden mean theory of ethics. Some exegetes and scholars of ethics have argued that the straight path is a middle path between excess and deficiency. Though there is much evidence for this in the Quran and traditions, it is not a complete theory of morality and does not capture everyone on the right path. The people of the right hand follow balanced, ordinary lives based on general principles such as Do not keep your hand chained to your neck, nor open it altogether (17:29); Those who, when spending, are neither wasteful nor tight-fisted, and moderation lies between these [extremes] (25:67); Be neither loud in your prayer, nor murmur it, but follow a middle course between these (17:110); eat and drink, but do not waste … Say: ‘Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of [His] provision?’ Say: ‘These are for the faithful in the life of this world’ (7:31-32).

However, there are also those who are leaders in acts of good, worship, and benevolence. Such are those who do not stop at any limit of righteous acts, for they follow a higher level of guideline: So take the lead in all good works (2:148, 5:48); Be wary of Allah with the wariness due to Him (3:102); And wage jihad for the sake of Allah, a jihad which is worthy of Him (22:78); [those] who love those who migrate toward them, and do not find in their breasts any need for that which is given to them, but prefer [the Muhājirūn] to themselves, though poverty be their own lot. And those who are saved from their own greed – it is they who are the felicitous (59:9; also see 76:8, about those who donate their meal to the needy for three days in a row despite their utmost hunger and need). This is the station of lovers, and the station of love does not take any limits. This distinction and contrast is clearly seen in verse 35:32 (quoted earlier), which separates between those who are average (muqtaṣid) and those who take the lead in good works (sābiqūn bil-khayrāt). At any rate, it is important to realise that there are different degrees and levels of righteousness; keeping a balanced life and a steady pace is only desirable for those who cannot sustain running or flying. See Review of Tafsīr Literature of verse 45 for more on this difference.

For an act of good

There is no need for divination;

Go ahead if you are

In the lovers’ station.^{‎[11]Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 72.}

[1] Razi, 29/388-390.
[2] Razi, 29/388-390.
[3] Kamal, 1/276.
[4] Amali.M, p. 298, h. 7.
[5] Khisal, 1/312, h. 89.
[6] Qurtubi, 18/199.
[7] Suyuti, 6/154.
[8] Bihar, 43/88.
[9] Mufīd, al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 66.
[10] Qurtubi, 18/199; Alusi, 14/132, 135.
[11] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 72.