﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ﴾

(To Him ascend the good words,) means, words of remembrance, recitation of Qur'an, and supplications. This was the view of more than one of the Salaf. Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Mukhariq bin Sulaym said that "`Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to them, "If we tell you a Hadith, we will bring you proof of it from the Book of Allah. When the Muslim servants says, `Glory and praise be to Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great and blessed be Allah,' an angel takes these words and puts them under his wing, then he ascends with them to the heaven. He does not take them past any group of angels but they seek forgiveness for the one who said them, until he brings them before Allah, may He be glorified.'' Then `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, recited:

﴿إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّـلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾

(To Him ascend the good words, and the righteous deeds exalt it).'' Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

«الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللهَ مِنْ جَلَالِ اللهِ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِهِ وَتَكْبِيرِهِ وَتَحْمِيدِهِ وَتَهْلِيلِهِ، يَتَعَاطَفْنَ حَوْلَ الْعَرْشِ لَهُنَّ دَوِيٌّ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحْلِ، يَذْكُرْنَ بِصَاحِبِهِنَّ، أَلَا يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَزَالَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ شَيْءٌ يُذَكِّرُ بِه»

(Those who remember Allah and glory Allah by saying, `Glory be to Allah, Allah is most Great, all praise is due to Allah and La ilaha illallah, these words go around the Throne buzzing like bees, mentioning those who said them. Would one of you not like to have something with Allah mentioning him)'' This was also recorded by Ibn Majah.

﴿وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّـلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ﴾

and the righteous deeds exalt it. Ali bin Abi Tلalhلah reported that Ibn Abba0s, may Alla0h be pleased with him, said, The good word is the remembrance of Alla0h, may He be exalted, which is taken up to Alla0h, and the righteous deed is the performance of obligatory duties. Whoever remembers Alla0h when doing an obligatory duty, his deed carries his remembrance of Alla0h and takes it up to Alla0h, may He be exalted. Whoever remembers Alla0h and does not perform the obligatory duties, his words will be rejected, as will his deed.

﴿وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ﴾

but those who plot evils, Muja0hid, Sa 0d bin Jubayr and Shahr bin Hلawshab said, This refers to those who show off by their actions, i.e., they deceive the people by giving the impression that they are obeying Alla0h, when in fact they are hated by Alla0h for showing off. Alla0h says:

﴿لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَكْرُ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ﴾

(theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish.) meaning, it will fail and vanish, for their reality is apparent from up close to those who have insight and wisdom. No one conceals a secret but Allah will cause it to become known, on his face or by a slip of the tongue, or He will cause the person to wear it like a cloak (so that everyone will see it). If it is good, then the consequences will be good, and if it is bad, then the consequences will be bad. The person who shows off cannot continue to deceive anyone but the fool, but the believers who have insight are not deceived by that; from up close, they soon discover it. And nothing at all can be hidden from the Knower of the Unseen (Allah).