Irtibat Qawlihi Taala: Hafizu ala al-Salawat... bima qablahu wa ma badahu - ضمن Athar al-Muallimi
- Author died
- 1386 AH
- Editions
- Dar Alam al-Fawa'id li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi'
Irtibat Qawlihi Taala: Hafizu ala al-Salawat... bima qablahu wa ma badahu (The Connection of the Almighty's Saying: "Maintain the Prayers..." to What Precedes and Follows It) is a brief exegetical treatise by the Yemeni scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Muallimi al-Yamani (d. 1386 AH / 1966 CE) exploring the structural coherence (munasaba) and thematic links of verses 238–239 in Surat al-Baqarah .
Context and Purpose
The treatise was composed to resolve the exegetical puzzle (ishkal) surrounding the placement of verses 238 and 239 of Surat al-Baqarah—which command vigilance over the prayers and address the prayer of fear—between rulings on divorce and rulings regarding provisions for widows and divorcees, where no apparent connection immediately presents itself .
Thematic Links and Arguments
Relation to Jihad and Preceding Verses
Al-Muallimi notes that verse 239 addresses the prayer of fear (salat al-khawf), which occurs in the context of combat, thereby connecting it back to the verses on jihad earlier in the surah (such as verse 218), while verse 238 serves as an introduction to it .
He identifies two primary aspects linking these prayer verses to the preceding laws of marriage and divorce:
- Divine Pardon and Leniency: The marriage and divorce passages outline equity toward women and urge husbands toward pardon and forgiveness ( وَأَنْ تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى ). Correspondingly, verse 239 demonstrates God's own pardon and alleviation of hardship by exempting believers from the complete performance of prayer during danger, as if conveying: just as God has pardoned you and lightened your obligations, you should pardon your wives and alleviate their burdens .
- Gratitude for Divine Legislation: The regulations governing marriage and divorce are immense divine favors that necessitate gratitude, and maintaining the prayer is the foremost expression of gratitude, as indicated by the conclusion of verse 239: كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ ("as He taught you what you did not know") .
Relation to Subsequent Verses
Al-Muallimi links the prayer verses to the following rulings in verses 240–241 regarding bequests for widows and compensation for divorcees through several dimensions:
- Preparation for Mortality: Because the prayer verses relate to combat and fear, believers engaged in jihad are constantly exposed to the prospect of death ( وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ , interpreted here as those approaching death), making it incumbent upon them to leave bequests for their spouses .
- Benevolence: The preceding verses encourage forbearance, whereas the subsequent verses encourage active benevolence toward women through bequests and compensatory gifts (muta) .
- Gratitude toward Spouses: The command to thank God through prayer corresponds to showing gratitude toward wives for their companionship and service through bequests or financial provisions upon divorce, reflecting the prophetic tradition: من لم يشكر الناس لم يشكر الله ("Whoever does not thank people does not thank God") .
Rhetorical Significance
Al-Muallimi highlights a subtle rhetorical point (nukta) in the apparent interposition of the prayer verses amid domestic rulings . In standard discourse, a speaker does not interrupt an ongoing topic with external matter unless an urgent matter arises—analogous to a preacher pausing mid-sermon to admonish listeners who begin conversing . Thus, the insertion of prayer into the middle of family legislation emphasizes the paramount importance and gravity of prayer .
Manuscript and Publication
The text was preserved in an autograph manuscript consisting of a single leaf (bearing manuscript number 4920), which lacked an opening basmala and hamdala in the original paper . It was edited and published as the fifth treatise within the Quranic studies volume (Volume 7) of the collected works project Athar Abd al-Rahman ibn Yahya al-Muallimi al-Yamani .
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