[3195] Iṣdaʿ is a command, a very robust one, to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to declare his call openly in full view of people. The root ṣ-d-ʿ denotes a crack and an opening in something (cf. cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah); that is to break apart Truth from falsehood so that everyone is in no doubt about where they stand (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3196] The Messenger (ﷺ) is to carry out this command in spite of all the opposition and derision of the Associators that he was up against (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3197] Since this command will inevitably be very tough for the Messenger (ﷺ), given the sustained opposition campaign he was witnessing, God Almighty gave him this assurance (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar): “O Messenger, convey what came down to you from your Lord ˹fully˺, but if you do not do ˹that˺, then you would have failed to deliver His Message; Allah will ˹certainly˺ shield you from people” (5: 67).
[3198] This is how very hard their words fell on the Prophet’s (ﷺ) ears and how heavy his compassionate heart became with their taunts; he suffered greatly at their hands (cf. Muslim: 1795): “We ˹surely˺ Know that what they say saddens you” (6: 33).
[3199] The following is a recipe providing the remedy (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī): “So bear patiently ˹Muhammad˺ that which they say and glorify your Lord in gratitude before the rising and setting of the sun, and during the night, and at the beginning and end of the day, so that you may find contentment!” (20: 130); “So bear patiently ˹Muhammad˺ – verily the promise of Allah is true - ask for forgiveness for your sin and glorify your Lord in gratitude late and early ˹in the day˺” (40: 55); “You who Believe, seek help in patience and Prayer—indeed Allah is with the patient!” (2: 153).
[3200] Prostrate in Prayer (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3201] Both glorification (tasbīḥ) and Prayer are of great merit but worship is not exclusive to them (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3202] It is unanimously agreed upon by well-respected exegetes that al-yaqīn (what is certain) here is death itself (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “We used to indulge with those who indulged ˹in falsehood˺ *and we used to deny the Day of Reckoning *until what is certain came to us!” (74: 45-47).
Umm al-ʿAlā’ al-Anṣāriyyah (i) narrated that when ʿUthmān Ibn Maẓʿūn (رضي الله عنه) died the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “As for ʿUthmān, by Allah, what is certain has come to him!” (al-Bukhārī: 2687; cf. also Muslim: 1889). The Messenger (ﷺ) is enjoined to worship God until death (cf. Abū Ḥayyān), and, by the same token, so are all devout servants of God.