Surah 25

Surah 25:63

"The servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth, and when the ignorant address them, say: ‘Peace!’"
Attributes of the Servants of the Most Gracious Verses 25:63-67
Show Full Scripture Context (25:63-67) — 5 Verses
Verse 63

وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمۡشُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هَوۡنٗا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلۡجَٰهِلُونَ قَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗا

The servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth, and when the ignorant address them, say: ‘Peace!’

Verse 64

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمۡ سُجَّدٗا وَقِيَٰمٗا

(They are) those who spend the night prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord,

Verse 65

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱصۡرِفۡ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا

and those who say, ‘Our Lord, turn away from us the punishment of Gehenna. Surely its punishment is torment!

Verse 66

إِنَّهَا سَآءَتۡ مُسۡتَقَرّٗا وَمُقَامٗا

Surely it is an evil dwelling and resting place!’

Verse 67

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُواْ لَمۡ يُسۡرِفُواْ وَلَمۡ يَقۡتُرُواْ وَكَانَ بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامٗا

And (they are) those who, when they contribute, are neither wanton nor stingy, but right between that,

These are the attributes of the believing servants of Allah,

Quoted Scripture
"those who walk on the earth Hawna,"

meaning that they walk with dignity and humility, not with arrogance and pride. This is like the Ayah :

{And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance... } (17:37).

So these people do not walk with conceit or arrogance or pride. This does not mean that they should walk like sick people, making a show of their humility, for the leader of the sons of Adam (the Prophet) used to walk as if he was coming downhill, and as if the earth were folded up beneath him. What is meant here by Hawn is serenity and dignity, as the Messenger of Allah said:

«When you come to the prayer, do not come rushing in haste. Come calmly and with tranquility, and whatever you catch up with, pray, and whatever you miss, make it up.»

Quoted Scripture
"and when the foolish address them they say: " Salama .""

If the ignorant people insult them with bad words, they do not respond in kind, but they forgive and overlook, and say nothing but good words. This is what the Messenger of Allah did: the more ignorant the people, the more patient he would be. This is as Allah says:

{And when they hear Al-Laghw (evil or vain talk), they withdraw from it} (28:55).

Then Allah says that their nights are the best of nights, as He says:

Quoted Scripture
"And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing."

meaning, worshipping and obeying Him. This is like the Ayat

{They used to sleep but little by night. And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness } (51:17-18).

{Their sides forsake their beds...} (32:16).

{Is one who is obedient to Allah, prostrating himself or standing during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord...} (39:9).

Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"And those who say: “Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable punishment.""

meaning, ever-present and never ending.

Al-Hasan said concerning the Ayah,

Quoted Scripture
"Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment."

Everything that strikes the son of Adam, then disappears, does not constitute an inseparable, permanent punishment. The inseparable, permanent punishment is that which lasts as long as heaven and earth. This was also the view of Sulayman At-Taymi.

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.