وَيُنَجِّي اللَّهُ الَّذينَ اتَّقَوا بِمَفازَتِهِم لا يَمَسُّهُمُ السّوءُ وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ

Allah will deliver those who were God-wary with their salvation. No ill shall touch them, nor will they grieve.

EXEGESIS

Fawz means success, happiness, and felicity. Mafāzah means either fawz (as maṣdar),^{‎[1]Mizan, 17/284.} or the place of fawz. Based on its Quranic usage here and elsewhere (3:188, 78:31) it can be better interpreted as a place or means of security, like a shelter. This matches another meaning of mafāzah given in the lexicons: desert. Deserts, especially in ancient times, were no place of security, but were places of danger and death. However, some Arabs used to refer to evil things by the name of their opposites as an expression of optimism and positive wish (tafaʿʿul).^{‎[2]Raghib; Lisan, under f-w-z.} It has also been said that fawz has two opposite meanings: deliverance and death. Therefore, desert would be a literal meaning of mafāzah. Yet, mafāzah here means a place of security.^{‎[3]Tibyan, 9/41-42, narrated from Ibn al-Aʿrābī.}

Bi-mafāzatihim (by or with their salvation) can relate to God’s deliverance, their God-wariness, or their security from any ill. The last possibility matches the above meanings the most, but it is not primarily inferred from the verse. The most apparent meaning is the first one, which would mean: God delivers them by means of their salvation, or because of their salvation. Their description as God-wary shows that their means or cause of salvation is nothing but their God-wariness. This is confirmed by two interpretations by Suddī and Ibn Zayd, who interpreted bi-mafāzatihim as ‘by their virtues’ and ‘by their deeds’, respectively.^{‎[4]Tabari, 24/15.} Another possibility is that Allah will deliver those who were God-wary to their salvation, and their salvation is that No ill shall touch them, nor will they grieve.^{‎[5]Zamakhshari, 4/140.} Mafāzah is in singular form either because it is a generic name (ism al-jins), or because all the God-wary will have the same salvation.

No ill shall touch them, nor will they grieve: the two verbs touch and grieve are mentioned in present tense (yamassuhum and yaḥzanūna). This shows that their security from every ill and grief will be persistent and eternal.

EXPOSITION

The contrast between this verse and the last one shows that the God-wary are those who are not arrogant, and who refrain from attributing lies to Allah.^{‎[6]Razi, 27/469.} The deliverance of the God-wary in this verse is attributed to God, while the punishment in the previous verse is not ascribed to Him. This could show a few points: 1. No one is needless of God’s mercy and deliverance on the Day of Resurrection. Even the most pious servants of God owe their accomplishments to God’s grace, bounties, and aid. There is none of you but will come to it [i.e. hell]: a [matter that is a] decided certainty with your Lord. Then We will deliver those who are God-wary, and leave the wrongdoers in it, fallen on their knees (19:71-72). 2. Good things and blessings are directly attributable to God, for He is sheer good and the only source of any existential perfection. However, evils and punishments are only due to being veiled from Him and deprived of His mercy due to one’s misdeeds.

Not only will the God-wary be safe from the blackening of faces, but also no ill whatsoever shall touch them, nor will they grieve at all. This is their salvation. They will be in total peace and security, and shall not be grieved by the great terror on that day (21:102-103). No ill shall touch them refers to their security from any pain or punishment, and nor will they grieve refers to their mental peace from any fear, worry, or anxiety.^{‎[7]Tibyan, 9/42.} It could also be that nor will they grieve means that they will not regret any pleasures that they did not enjoy in their worldly life because of the reward that they will receive for their God-wariness.^{‎[8]Tabrisi, 8/789.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. This is one of the verses that the Infallibles used to recite in their sermons as a means of urging and encouraging the audience to God-wariness.^{‎[9]Kafi, 3/422, h. 6; Tuhaf, p. 232.} It is also said that if one recites this verse when he is afraid of an unjust authority or any other oppressor, then he shall be secure from that fear.^{‎[10]Ibn Ṭāwūs, al-Mujtanā min al-Duʿāʾ al-Mujtabā, p. 3; Kafami, p. 233.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him.^{‎[11]Psalms 85:9.}
2. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them … The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness … The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.^{‎[12]Proverbs 11:3, 11:5-6, 11:8.}

[1] Mizan, 17/284.
[2] Raghib; Lisan, under f-w-z.
[3] Tibyan, 9/41-42, narrated from Ibn al-Aʿrābī.
[4] Tabari, 24/15.
[5] Zamakhshari, 4/140.
[6] Razi, 27/469.
[7] Tibyan, 9/42.
[8] Tabrisi, 8/789.
[9] Kafi, 3/422, h. 6; Tuhaf, p. 232.
[10] Ibn Ṭāwūs, al-Mujtanā min al-Duʿāʾ al-Mujtabā, p. 3; Kafami, p. 233.
[11] Psalms 85:9.
[12] Proverbs 11:3, 11:5-6, 11:8.