Commentary of Suratul Jinn

Commentary of Suratul Jinn

Commentary of Verse 1

“Say (O' Muhammad to the people), 'It has been revealed to me (from Allah) that a group from amongst the Jinn has listened (to the recitation of the Qur'an) and (upon returning back to the other Jinn) told them (the other Jinn), 'Verily we heard an amazing recital.''”
 

***

 
We have heard an amazing recital!

In the first verse of this Surah, it is mentioned that: “Say (O' Muhammad): It has been revealed to me that a party of Jinn has listened (to the recitation) of the Qur'an and has told (their people), 'Verily we have heard an amazing recital.'”[^1]
 
The phrase 'it has been revealed to me' shows that the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) himself did not see the Jinn - rather, he was informed of them listening to the Qur'an through Divine Revelation.
 
This verse also clearly shows that the Jinn possess intelligence, discernment, understanding and comprehension.  We can also defer that they too have a responsibility and accountability towards their Creator. 

Not only do they understand and comprehend speech and various languages and are able to discern between discourse that is a miracle and that which is not, but they also realize their own responsibility in propagation and spreading the Truth and thus, are addressed in the Qur'an.
 
The hidden traits of these living creatures (the Jinn) are only discernable from this verse of the Qur'an.  These creations also have other characteristics, which by the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), we will explain at the end of the discussion of this Surah.
 
The Jinn had a right to regard the Qur'an as a miracle since the sound and style of the Qur'an - not to mention the effect and power that it has that attracts the listener - is something that is indescribable.  

The contents and power (of this heavenly word) of transformation is something that is also remarkable, and the fact that the one who brought it was one who had not formally studied during his entire life and was one who lived amongst the Illiterates is also something to ponder upon.
 
It is a speech that both in its apparent readings and its hidden meanings, is completely different than any other speech, and because of this, the Jinn held firm to the belief of the miraculous nature of the Qur'an.
 

Commentary of Verse 2

“(This Qur'an which we heard) guides (people) to the right path, so then we have believed in it and we shall never join in worship anyone or anything with our Lord (Allah).”
 

***

 
The first thing that the Jinn said was that this Qur'an was a book that guides to the right way, therefore, they believed in its contents and said they shall never join (in worship) with their Lord, any other gods.
 
The meaning of the word 'الرشد' or 'the right path' is one that has a vast, comprehensive meaning that conveys any path that one goes upon that is completely pure and clean (of spiritual impurities).  It is a path which is also free of all turns and bends; one that is obvious and manifest that would lead the wayfarer on the path to complete and absolute satisfaction.
 
After this phrase, the Jinn had other things to say to their community which the Qur'an mentions in the following 12 verses, each starting with the 'Arabic pronoun 'أَنَّ' which is used for emphasis.[^2]
 
 

Commentary of Verse 3

 
“And verily He (Our Lord - Allah) glory be to Him has not taken a consort or a son (for Himself).”
 

***

 
After expressing their complete belief in Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and negating all forms of polytheism, the Jinn continued their speech by declaring the characteristics of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). 

They said that He - exalted be the majesty of the Lord (from comparing Him and His creations and from all sorts of defects and faults) has never taken a companion/spouse, or a son.
 
The word 'جَدُّ' has many meanings including: greatness, force, unquestionability, share, portion or something that is new, among other meanings. 

However, its original root meaning, as Raghib in his book al-Mufradat mentions is that of being cut off, since any creation that has any sort of greatness or majesty is always independent of any other thing.  In this verse, this word has come in the meaning of greatness; however as for the other meanings of this word, we can also apply them to this verse.
 
In `Arabic, the grandfather is also referred to as 'جَدٌّ' because of the great station (amongst the family members) that he holds or due to his age.
 
Some of the commentators of the Qur'an have mentioned a much more finite and restricted meaning of this word and have taken it to be an attribute; others have taken it to mean power; while others understand it to mean mastership and sovereignty.  Still other commentators have said it refers to a blessing; while the last group feels that it is in the meaning of a name - although all these meanings are contained in the meaning of greatness. 
 
In any case, the meaning of this word is just as is commonly held and that is being the grand father.  In some of the ahadith it has been mentioned that without knowledge, a group of the Jinn used this inappropriate word, meaning that they were trying to express that no one should never use such a word to refer to Allah.[^3]
 
It is possible that this type of speech would be accurate where such an association of beliefs is taking place, however, the Qur'an concurs with the speech of the Jinn in this verse and agrees with its correctness.  Also, in some of the speeches contained in Nahjul Balagha, we see that this word is used as well.
 
In speech 191, Amir al-Mu’minin `Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) is quoted as saying:
 

“All praise belongs to Allah who has spread His praise throughout His creation and whose army is victorious and who is the Highest over His Greatness.”
 
In another hadith it has been mentioned that Anas ibn Malik said:
 

“Whenever a person would read Suratul Baqarah, he would be seen as great in our eyes.”[^4]
 
In any case, the use of this word in the meaning of greatness and majesty is something that is in line with what has been mentioned in the dictionaries and also in its practical application.
 
It is interesting to note that at this point, those speaking these words - the Jinn - have placed special emphasis on the issue that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has neither a spouse nor any child.  It is possible that this pertains to the corrupt beliefs that were prevalent amongst the `Arabs who believed that the Angles were the daughters of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and that He had taken a Jinn as His spouse!
 
This hypothesis is substantiated by the contents of Suratul Saffat (37), verse 158:

“They have said that there is a relationship between Him and the Jinn.”
  

Commentary of Verse 4

  “And verily he (the dimwitted one - the Devil/Shaytan) among us has been telling confused lies about Allah (in order to try and misguide us).”
 

***

 
The Jinn then continued their speech by saying that they complained that the dimwitted one (Shaytan) had been speaking unpleasantly and sayings things which were far from the truth about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
It is possible that the word 'سفيه' in this verse could refer to a species or group meaning that, 'the foolish from amongst us believed that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has a spouse and children and has chosen one similar to Himself as a partner (another god) and thus, they have gone astray from the straight path and have exaggerated their speech.'
 
Many commentators of the Qur'an have also expressed the probability that 'سفيه' is in the meaning of that single individual - referring to Iblis - who after disobeying Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) attributed many things unbefitting to Him.  Of course he had disobeyed Allah's (Glorified and Exalted is He) command to perform prostration to Adam (peace be upon him), an act which he thought to be something beyond anyone's intelligence (to bow down to another creation) and considered himself to be better than Adam (peace be upon him).
 
Since Iblis was a Jinn, thus the believers from amongst the Jinn disassociated themselves from him and called his speech exaggerating and confused lies even though apparently, Iblis was a very knowledgeable person (`Alim) and the foremost worshipper of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) (`Abid).  However, he was an `Alim who did not act according to his knowledge and was a worshipper who worshipped for himself, and became misguided and full of pride and vanity - these points are all clear from the word 'سفيه'.
 
The word 'شطط' refers to something leaving its state of balance and equity and falling far away (from this state).  Therefore any talk which is far from the truth is referred to in `Arabic as 'شطط'.  It is also because of this that in `Arabic, the banks of a large river which are very far away from the water are referred to as 'شطّ'.
 

Commentary of Verse 5

“And verily we thought that Man or Jinn could never tell lies about Allah (however, we are definitely wrong).”
 

***

 
Continuing their speech, the Jinn said that they thought that no man or Jinn could ever tell lies about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
It is possible that what they meant here was the blind following that some of them were pursuing in relation to the previous generations who believed that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) had partners, wives and children. 

Thus, these Jinn thought to themselves, 'If we accept these notions from those who came before us without having any proof because we want to have good thoughts about those who came before us (that they would not lie), we could never imagine that Mankind and Jinn would ever have the audacity to attribute such grand lies to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)!' 

They continued on with their thoughts and said to themselves, 'now that we have reached to a level of being able to conduct research and have arrived to the truth and accepted it, we see the error in following the previous generations and thus, we turn away from our own mistake and the misguidedness of the polytheists from among the Jinn.' 
  

Commentary of Verse 6

  “And verily men from among human beings would seek refuge with men from among the Jinn and this increased the rebelliousness of those Jinn.”
 

***

 
The Jinn said that another way that the Jinn and Mankind were misguided was that men from among the humans would seek refuge with men from among the Jinn, and this act lead to an increase in the misguidance, sins and insurgence of the Jinn.
 
The original meaning of the word 'رهق' is to cover something with anger, violence and victory and since evils such as misguidance, sins, rebellion, and fear take complete control over the heart and soul of a person, thus, this word is explained as such. 
A group of commentators of the Qur'an have said that this verse refers to other superstitions which existed during the period of Ignorance.  One such superstition was that whenever a group of `Arabs would enter into a valley in the evening, they would say:
 

“I seek refuge from the great one of this valley from the evil of the chief of his (Shaytan) tribe.”[^5]
 
And by saying this, they felt that the large or main Jinn would be protected from the evils of the smaller (in power) Jinn.
 
Since the various corrupt ideas would lead to a pollution of one's thoughts and the fear of being misguided, thus at the end of the verse it is mentioned that, “this increased the Jinn in their insurgence.”
 
From this verse, we can deduce that the Jinn too are also divided into male and female since the words used in this verse are “men from among the Jinn.”[^6]
 
In any case, the meaning of this verse is vast and includes people from among mankind seeking refuge of any type from people of the Jinn and the various corrupt ideas that have been mentioned above are just a sample of the adulterated thoughts.
 
We know that among the `Arabs, there were many soothsayers and oracles who truly believed that through the Jinn many problems could be solved and information on events that would occur in the future could be foretold.

Commentary of Verse 7

  “And verily they (those people) thought just as you all thought that Allah would never bring raise up a single person (as a Messenger).”
 

***

 
In the past, we used to steal a listening
from the heavens, however now…
 
The Jinn start out by saying that a group of humans thought, just as they thought, that after them (Prophets Musa and `Isa), Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) would not appoint another Prophet.
 
They disbelieved in the Qur'an and the raising of the final Prophet Muhammad (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family), however when the Jinn listened with attention to the heavenly verses of this book, the truth of these words was made clear to them.  However, the disbelievers from among the Jinn are just like the polytheists from among mankind, who have chosen the path of disbelief and are bound to meet the same fate as they will!
 
This speech is a warning to the polytheists that they should know that when the Jinn have such a belief and judgment, they should wake up and just like the Jinn, hold firm to  and have belief in the Qur'an and the Noble Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family).
 
Some commentators have suggested that the phrase:

or that 'Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) would never appoint anyone' refers to the denial of the Resurrection and not the denial of the sending of Prophets. 
 
Others have said that without doubt, this verse and the previous verse constitute the speech of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and not that of the believing Jinn and these verses have been placed within their speech as a form of interrogation and that the people being addressed in these two verses are actually the polytheists from among the `Arabs. 
 
According to this explanation, the verse under discussion could be translated as follows that ”O' polytheists from among the `Arabs!  You had the same belief just like the Jinn had that Allah would never appoint a Messenger, however, after hearing the Qur'an, we realize our mistake and the time has now come for you too to realize your mistake.”
 
However it is highly unlikely that this is the true explanation.  Thus apparently, this speech is a continuation of the believers among the Jinn and those whom they are speaking to are none other than the disbelievers from among the Jinn. 

Commentary of Verse 8

 “And verily we searched the heavens however we found in them, strong protecting missiles waiting for us.”
 

***

 
After this the believers from among the Jinn speak about one of the signs of truth in their speech that all other Jinn would be able to discern for themselves, by looking at the natural world.  They said that they had been searching through the heavens and found them full of strong protectors, guardians and missiles.[^7]
 

Commentary of Verse 9

“And verily we used to sit near by and try to listen (to the news coming from the heavens), but shooting missiles now await those who try to do that.”
 

***

 
Continuing with the conversation of the Jinn, they mentioned that until now, they used to sit in the heavens and steal a listen of the news that was occurring (in the universe) which they would then convey to their friends.  However, now whoever tries to go to the heavens and steal a listen are met with missiles which are aimed directly at them!
 
Does this new state of affairs not point to the fact that with the coming of the Holy Prophet and the revelation of a Heavenly Book, that a complete upheaval has take place in the world?  Why is it that in the past the Jinn were able to steal a listen from the heavens, however none of them possess this ability now? 
 
Does this verse not have a wider meaning that the previous age of evil works, old age and trickery have come to a close?  Has not the period of mental darkness and ignorance ended and in its place, the sun of knowledge, revelation and Prophethood has risen?
 
The original meaning of the word 'شِهَابٌ' is a flame that shoots out from the fire.  Also, the elongated flames of fire that are visible in the heavens that shoot out and are seen by us are also referred to in `Arabic as '**شهاب'. **
 
In accordance with the researchers of today, these 'flames' are actually small pieces of rock that have been moving  and when they come close to the Earth, they become under the influence of the gravitational pull of the planet and fall to the Earth at a high velocity. 

When they enter into the atmosphere, the pull of gravity of the Earth drags them faster which results in them becoming hotter and thus they resemble the flames of fire.  In the end, they come down to the ground and turn into ashes.
 
In these verses of the Noble Qur'an, it refers to the natural phenomena that these shooting flames are actually missiles which are aimed towards the Shaiatin who are trying to steal a listen from the heavens. 

Thus we must ask the question that: what does it mean to steal a listen from the heavens?  How is it possible for the Shaiatin (Devils) and the Jinn to run away from the heavens because of these Divine missiles that are being shot at them?
 
A complete, detailed description of this can be found in our discussion on Suratul Hijr, verse 18 (Volume 11, Page 40 of Tafsir Namuna in Farsi) and Surahtul Saffat, verse 10 (Volume 19, page 15 of Tafsir Namuna in Farsi). 

The word 'رَصَداً' is in the meaning of preparing for something while one is in the state of waiting.  This word also comes in the meaning of the verbal name meaning the person or thing that is waiting, and this is the meaning that is conveyed in this verse.
 

Commentary of Verse 10

  “And verily we do not know if He intends evil to those who are in the Earth or if their Lord intends guidance for them.”
 

***

 
Continuing in their talk, the Jinn mentioned that with the new state of affairs that had taken place, they did not know if the prohibition of stealing a listen from the heavens was a prelude to something bad that was going to be inflicted on the people of the Earth or if Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) had intended to guide the people. 
 
In other words, the Jinn did not know if this was a lead up to the sending down of punishment and trials from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) or if it was the prologue to guidance?
 
However, the believers from among the Jinn understand that them being prevented from stealing a listen from the heavens - which was around the same time as the raising up of the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) and the cutting off of their soothsaying or fortune telling and other things that occurred, was actually the shutting of the doors of the period of darkness and ignorance and the heralding in of the period of divine light (nur) and guidance for mankind.
 
However as we see that the Jinn had a special interest and love in stealing a listen from the heavens, and thus they could not believe that by them being prevented from this act, there could be a sign of goodness and blessings (for humanity).
 
It is interesting to note that in this verse, the issue of guidance of mankind is attributed to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), however the doer or 'guide' to evil and wickedness is kept unknown and is not attributed to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).  

This confirms the fact that whatever comes from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is good and its ultimate purpose is guidance, whereas evil and corruption all stem from mankind and the transgression of the blessings that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has graced them with.
 
Although it is known that the opposite of 'شَرٌّ' or evil in `Arabic is 'خَيرٌ' or good, however since in this verse the meaning of good is guidance, thus we have taken this meaning in our explanation.
  

Commentary of Verse 11

“And among us, certainly some of us are righteous and others are not. Verily, all of us are following different paths.”
 

***

 
We have heard the truth and have submitted (to it)
 
In this verse, which is the first verse that is the direct speech of the Jinn, they say that among themselves there are those that perform righteous acts and others who do not and that they too are divided into various groups and factions.
 
It is possible that the Jinn mentioned this in the beginning of their speech, since Iblis is one of the Jinn and this thought may have come into the minds of others - that the natural disposition of the Jinn is that they commit evil, wicked deeds.  People may have thought that it is not possible for the light of Divine Guidance (Nur) to ever enter into their hearts.
 
By the believers from among the Jinn saying this, they make it clear to others that they too have the freedom and choice to make their own decisions and that in their midst too are those who perform righteous deeds and those that are wicked. 
 
This speech lays down the groundwork for those Jinn who wish to be guided.  As it is known that one of the ways in which propagation of the faith or beliefs is bound to have an impact on others is when a person attributes personality or character to the other party and lets them know that they too have the potential to be guided and reach to a level of perfection in their lives. 
 
This possibility also exists that the believers from among the Jinn spoke this since at that point in time, they were prevented from stealing a listen from the heavens. 

Thus, they said what they meant that even though a group of the Jinn used to steal information from the heavens and then present it to those evil people on Earth in order to misguide them, however, not all of the Jinn were like this.
 
This verse also amends the incorrect notions that people may have in their minds concerning them, that the word Jinn is always associated with Shaytan, corruption, evil, and misguidedness.  This verse tells us that the Jinn too are broken up into various categories - righteous and non-righteous.
 
The word 'قِدَداً' is the plural of the word 'قِدَّ' and means anything that is cut off - and whenever a group or faction of people break apart from the rest of the group or majority, they are referred to with this word.
 

Commentary of Verse 12

“And verily we thought that we could never challenge Allah whether we stayed on the Earth if we fled elsewhere.”
 

***

 
The Jinn continue their speech by warning their comrades by saying that certainly, they could never be victorious over the intention and plan of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) on the Earth, nor could they have any authority over the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
Thus, if they thought that they could run away from the punishment of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) by hiding in the corners of the Earth or somewhere in the heavens, then they were in manifest error!

Thus, the first sentence of this verse refers to running away or hiding from the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) on the Earth, while the second sentence refers to running away from the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in general - whether it be on the Earth or in the Heavens.
 
There is also another possibility that can be extracted from this verse and that is that the first part refers to the fact that the Jinn would never be victorious over Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), while the second half of the verse refers to the fact that they would never be able to have authority over His justice (`Adalah).
 
Therefore, when one sees that it is not possible to run away from the power of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), nor is there anyway to have authority or power over His justice, then, there is no other option left for anyone except to submit to His commands and His justice completely.
  

Commentary of Verse 13

 “And verily we have surely listened to the guidance (of the Qur'an) and so we believe in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear loss or oppression.”
 

***

 
The believers from among the Jinn continued their talk by stating that they listened to the guidance that has come from the Holy Qur'an and have believed wholeheartedly in it. 

If they are inviting others to the truth of the Qur'an, then those who are being invited should rest assured that the Jinn who have already accepted it are also practicing it. 

Was this not the case, they would not be calling others to believe and act in the way they are until they themselves believe and act upon it.
 
The Jinn then summarize - in one short sentence - the benefit of believing in the Qur'an and its contents by stating that whosoever believes in their Lord will never fear any sort of loss or oppression.
 
The word 'بخس' refers to any kind of loss that would come about through despotism or persecution while the word 'رهق' just as was previously mentioned, refers to covering or concealing something by force.
 
Other scholars have mentioned the difference between these two words as being: the word 'بخس' means something that is good or upright which will never be taken away, whereas the word 'رهق' means something that is bad or evil which will never have anything added to it.
 
As well, other scholars have mentioned that 'بخس' refers to no reduction in the good deeds, whereas 'رهق' refers to a difficult responsibility.
 
In any case, the overall meaning of this verse is that no matter how large or small the act that a believer performs, he is guaranteed to receive his reward for the act with no reduction or decrease in its compensation. 
 
It must be mentioned that the Justice of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is not limited to only the believers, however, since non-believers do not have any righteous actions on their deed of records, thus, there is no mention for the reward of their acts.
 

Commentary of Verse 14

 
 “And verily among us are Muslims and among us are those who have deviated from the Truth. So then whosoever submits (to Allah) then verily it is they who have followed the right guidance.”
 

***

 
In this verse, as an added explanation, the discussion focuses on the eventual end of both the believers and disbelievers, by stating that by way of the guidance contained in the Qur'an, from among the Jinn, there are those who submit and others who are oppressors.[^8]
 
However, as for those who accept Islam (submission to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)), verily they have chosen the proper path and since they have taken steps towards guidance, the reward of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is for them.[^9]
 
 

Commentary of Verse 15

“And however, as for the deviators from the Truth, they shall be the fuel for hell.”
 

***

 
However, as for the oppressors, they will be the fuel for the hell fire!
 
It is important to note that in these verses, the word 'مسلم' or one who has submitted is used, as the opposite of 'ظالم' or an oppressor which points to the fact that the thing which takes a person out of being an oppressor is true faith.  Otherwise, an individual without faith will always remain spiritually polluted as an oppressor and tyrant. 
 
Also, this verse shows that the true believer is that person who has never been an oppressor or tyrant, just as the hadith from the Noble Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) states:

“The true believer is one with whom other people's lives and wealth are protected.”[^10]
 
In another hadith from the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) it is mentioned that:
 

“The Muslim is one whom other Muslims are protected from his tongue and his hand (verbal or physical assault).”[^11]
 
The phrase used in this verse 'تحروا رشداً' points to the fact that the believers, through paying attention, keeping a true intention and through research and investigation will come towards guidance.  True guidance can never be brought about through sealed eyes, blind following and acceptance, thus the greatest reward that they will receive is attaining or reaching to the truth, under which all the other bounties and pleasures of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will be granted. 
 
However, the worst of situations and predicaments for the oppressors is that they will be the fuel for the hell fire, meaning that the fire of hell will be stirred up with them!
 

Commentary of Verse 16

“And had they (the Jinn and Mankind) remained steadfast in their religion (of al-Islam), We would certainly have given them abundant water to drink.”
 

***

 
You will be Tested with Countless Blessings!
 
Apparently, the following four verses are a continuation of the speech of the believing Jinn among their own group (even though a group of Commentators of the Qur'an believe these verses to be the direct speech of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) inserted in between the speech of the Jinn). 
 
However, if we regard these verses as being the speech of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) inserted in between the speech of the Jinn, then this definitely goes against the apparent reading of the verses. 

Since the wording in these verses bears closer semblance to the speech of the previous verses which were the speech of the Jinn, thus, it is impossible for us to consider these as not being the words of the Jinn as well.[^12]
 
In any case, the previous verses were in reference to the rewards that the believers would receive in the next life, however in this section, the verses talk about the benefits and rewards that will be gained in this very world. 
 
The showering of Mercy would have been conferred upon these people and the fountainheads and springs of the life-giving water would have been placed at their disposal. 
 
It is known that in those places where water is in abundance, everything else is also in abundance, and thus, through their belief, the various blessings of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) would be placed at the disposal of the Jinn.
 
The word 'غدق' mentioned in this verse means a large supply of water.  This is not the first time in the Noble Qur'an that this issue has been emphasized, that not only are both faith and piety (taqwa) two traits that lead to spiritual benefits, but rather these are also the source of all material benefits in this world and the increase in blessings from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
This blessing can also be seen in various verses of the Qur'an such as Surah Nuh (71), verses 10 to 12:

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا {10}يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا {11}وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا {12}

“…And he (Prophet Nuh) told them, 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; He is All-Forgiving.  He will send you abundant rain from the sky, strengthen you by (providing) you with wealth and children, and make gardens and streams for you.'”
 
It is important to note that according to what is mentioned in this verse, that which leads to an increase in blessings and favours from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is having firm, continued belief and not just simply believing since faith that is temporary or transient has no value and does not guarantee the blessings from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).

What is important is to have firm, continued un-wavering belief - something that many people find difficult to hold on to. 

Commentary of Verse 17

“So that We may try them with respect to it; and whoever turns away from the reminder of his Lord, He will make him enter into an afflicting punishment.”
 

***

 
In this verse, we are guided to another reality when Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) tells us that the purpose of being blessed with bounties is a means to test us. 
 
Are blessings and bounties the reason for us to become negligent and forgetful of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), or are they a means for us to wakeup, thank and pay even more attention to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)?
 
From this verse it is clear that one of the most important tests that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) puts us through is by giving us blessings.  It is also interesting to note that when Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) tests us with bounties, this test is actually more difficult and harder to pass than if He tests us with punishments and hardships. 
 
It is a part of human nature that when one is given bounties, he immediately becomes engrossed and drowns himself in these blessings and allows his passions and inner desires get the best of him.  Without doubt, it is these things that actually drag us further away from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and allow the plots of Shaytan (the devil) to take effect. 
 
The only person that is able to keep away from the negative effects that the bounties and blessings of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) have is that person who is continuously in a state of remembrance of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and does not ever forget Him, and therefore through this act, the heart of such a person is protected from the influence of Shaytan.[^13]
 
Thus, after this, it is mentioned that whoever turns away from the remembrance of His Lord will be met with a painful punishment and extended hardships during his life.
 
The word mentioned in the end of this verse is صَعَداً which is in the meaning of elevating or being raised, and it sometimes comes in the meaning of rising smoke or dust. 
 
A great number of Commentators of the Qur'an have elucidate on this verse in this particular manner by stating that the meaning is a punishment which will be very difficult to bear.  The same theme can be found in Suratul Muddathir (74), verse 17 in which it will be said to a group of the polytheists:
 

”I will make a distressful punishment overtake him.”
 
However, it is possible that what has been mentioned above may actually be an explanation of the difficulties in bearing the punishment, and refer to the addition of punishments as well.
 
Therefore, in the above-mentioned verse, the traits of true belief and Allah-consciousness are attributed to as being blessings from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). 

On the other hand, the increase of blessings is attributed to being an increase in the tests that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) puts His servants through.  From a third point of view, those who do not remember Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) are threatened with a continued, perpetual, painful and grievous punishment.
 
This can also be seen in various verses of the Qur'an such as in Surah Taha (20), verse 124 where we read:
 

“And whoever forsakes the remembrance of Me (Allah) then without doubt such a person will have a cramped, confined life.”
 
In Suratul Naml (27), verse 40, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentions the following from the speech of Prophet Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him):
 

“This is from the grace of my Lord so that He may test me - am I grateful or I be ungrateful.”
 
Also, in Suratul Anfal (8), verse 28 it is mentioned:

“You (all) should know that without doubt your wealth and your children are all a test (for you.)”
 
 

Commentary of Verse 18

 
“And verily the Masajid (places of worship) are solely reserved for Allah, so then do not call upon anyone (anything) else with Allah.”
 

***

 
In this verse, we read what the Jinn themselves said with their own tongues while preaching to their communities and inviting them to the belief of the Oneness of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). 
 
They informed their followers that the Masajid all belong to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), therefore no one should call upon anyone with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) (in them).  What is the meaning of Masajid in this verse?  Various commentaries have been given in relation to this word. 
 
The first being that the meaning of Masajid is the actual physical building in which people prostrate to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) of which, the most perfect of places that this is performed is the Masjid al-Haram and then following this sacred place, all other Masajid in the world.  The wider scope would cover all places where a person performs his Salat and prostrates to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
According to the well-known hadith of the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family), it is stated:
 

”The whole Earth was made a place of prostration and purifier (tayammum) for me.”[^14]
 
Therefore, all the places on Earth are covered by this verse. 
 
Accordingly, this verse is also a reply to the `Arab polytheists and those like them who took the Ka`bah as a place to worship idols.  This would also apply to the Christians who have gone astray by worshipping the 'three' in their Church and have taken to worshipping their 'three gods' (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost). 
 
The Qur'an says that all the places of worship are reserved only for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and in these sacred places, it is not permitted to worship or prostrate to anyone other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
The second meaning of the word Masajid is the seven parts of the body that must be placed on the ground in the state of prostration.  These seven parts of the body must only be placed on the ground for the worship of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and it is not allowed to use them for the worship of anyone or anything other than Him.
 
In the famous hadith from the 9th Imam, Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Jawad (peace be upon him) it is narrated that in the gathering of a group of scholars from the Ahl as-Sunnah in which Mu`tasim `Abbas was also present, he (Mu`tasim) asked that from where should the hand of the thief be cut off? 

Some of the scholars said from the wrist and used the verse of Tayammum as their proof.  Others said from elbow and brought the verse of Wudhhu as their proof. 
 
The 'caliph' Mu`tasim then asked Imam Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Jawad (peace be upon him) what his answer was.  At first, the Imam excused himself and asked that he not answer the question.

However Mu`tasim was determined to get the answer from the Imam, and thus, the Imam replied, “All that these people have said is completely wrong.  The only thing that is permitted to be cut off is the four fingers (other than the thumb) - the palm of the hand and the thumb must remain.” 
 
When Mu`tasim asked for proof of this ruling, the Imam brought the ruling from the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) and said that at the time of prostration the seven parts of the body - the forehead, palms of both hands, both knees and the two large toes - must be placed on the ground. 

After saying this he added that if the hand were to be cut off at the wrist or the elbow, then there would remain no palm for the person to perform prostration with while Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has commanded that the Masajid (places of prostration) - meaning the seven parts that must be placed on the ground are reserved for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and that which is reserved for Allah must therefore not be cut off.
 
This speech of the Imam startled Mu`tasim and thus, he ordered his court to act upon the ruling of the Imam and ordered that only the four fingers of the thief be cut off.[^15]
 
There are also many other ahadith in relation to this ruling[^16], however, those that have been related are usually without a chain of narrators or through a weak chain of authorities or have other problems and thus, to use these ahadith to answer questions or concerns is difficult. 
 
For example, it is well known among the Islamic Scholars (Fuqaha) that if a thief steals something for a second time (after the punishment has been meted out to him the first time) then the foot must be cut off such that the top of the foot (leg) remains - however, the big toe which is on the foot is also one of the parts of prostration.
 
The same situation comes up concerning a person who starts a war in which his punishment is that his hand and foot must be cut off.
 
The third meaning of Masajid is the actual act of prostration, meaning that this act of worship must not be performed for any other one or thing than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); however this meaning goes against the apparent reading of the verses and has no proof to substantiate it.
 
Summarizing all that has been mentioned, we reach the conclusion that: that which is in accordance to the apparent reading of the verse is the first explanation given which is in complete unity with the verse that came before it and that which comes after it, in relation to Tawhid and how worship is completely reserved for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only.
 
It is possible that the third explanation may be accepted to add emphasis to the meaning of the verse however there is no proof to attribute the third meaning to it.
 

Tahrif (Alteration in the Meaning) of the  Commentary of this Verse

 
The issue regarding Tawassul by way of the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) and the intimate friends of Allah (blessings upon all of them) - meaning taking these people as an intermediary and intercessor in the presence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) - is an issue that does not negate the reality of Tawhid, nor does it go against the verses of the Noble Qur'an.  Rather, it acts as a confirmer and verifier of Tawhid, meaning that it shows us that all things come from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). 
 
In the various verses of the Qur'an, the topic of intercession has been repeatedly mentioned and so has the issue of the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) asking forgiveness for the believers.[^17]
 
There are some people who have no connection with the true teachings of Islam and the Qur'an and therefore are completely against any form of Tawassul or Intercession and to prove their point, find weak excuses and try to rely on verses of the Qur'an such as the above verse under discussion:
 

“And verily the Masajid (mosques) are only for Allah, so then do not call upon other than Allah in them.”[^18]
 
These people say that according to this verse of the Qur'an, we are commanded to not call upon anyone except for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); not to expect (anything) from other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and not to ask intercession from anyone!
 
However, to be fair to such people (in dealing with them), we state that this verse has no connection or relation with what they are claiming, rather, the meaning of this verse is that it negates all forms of polytheism - to place anything on the same level of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in worship or for asking one's needs.
 
In other words, if a person asks other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for something that only Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is able to fulfill and believes that the one who he is asking from is the one who is the ultimate authority and is completely free in performing what he is asked to do, then this person would be considered as a polytheist. 
 
Therefore, the word in this verse 'مع' or the sentence 'فلا تدعوا مع الله' is in the meaning that, 'we bear witness that we must not place anyone or anything along side with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) that we consider to be the initial (and independent) source of having an affect on our lives.'
 
However, if we ask intercession from the Prophets of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon all of them) or we ask for them to act as Intermediaries in the presence of the Almighty, then not only do we not negate this belief, rather, the Qur'an has itself invited the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) to this (Intercession) and sometimes, other people have even been commanded to seek Intercession from the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) as well.
 
In verse 103 of Suratul Tawbah (9) we read the following:

“(O' Prophet Muhammad!) Take from their (the believers) wealth some Sadaqah.  This act will purify them and make them clean and (at the time of taking a portion of their wealth, also) pray for them. Verily your prayers for them act as tranquility for them and Allah is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
 
Also, in verse 97 of Surah Yusuf (12), Yusuf's brothers speaking to their father Ya`qub, ask of him:

“O' our father (Ya`qub), please ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins.  Verily we are the ones who had committed an error.”
 
Not only did Prophet Ya`qub (peace be upon him) not refute or reject their request, rather, he cooperated with them and said in verse 98 of Surah Yusuf (12):

“Soon shall I seek forgiveness for you from My Lord.”
 
Thus, according to these proofs, the issue regarding Tawassul and seeking Intercession from others, has been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and is actually one of the clear commandments of Allah.
 

Commentary of Verse 19

“And then surely when the servant of Allah (Muhammad) stood up calling upon Him (and calling others towards himself and read the Qur'an to them), they almost crowded him (to death).”
 

***

 
In the continuation of the speech, in order to explain the amazing effect that the Glorious Qur'an and the worship of the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) had on others, it is mentioned that when the servant of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), Muhammad (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) would stand up to worship Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and call upon his Lord, a group of the Jinn would gather around him.[^19]
 
The word 'لبد' in this verse is in the meaning of placing various things on top of or above one another.  This term is used to refer to the astonishing surge of believing Jinn who had gathered around the Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an during their first encounter with these heavenly words.  This word is also used to refer to the incredible power of attraction that the Salat of the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) had upon the Jinn.
 
Two other commentaries also exist in relation to this verse.  The first one is that the believing Jinn were trying to communicate to the companions of the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) that in order to hear the Prophet's words, how it is possible that such a small number of Jinn who lived in Makkah would all gather around him and climb over top of one another.  The meaning of this is that the group of Jinn had taken an example from his conduct and had hastened towards faith.
 
The second interpretation is to state that when the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) was busy in his Salat and recitation of the Qur'an, the polytheists of Makkah would crowd around him so much and thus, they would make fun and annoy him.
 
However, the last commentary given is not appropriate to suit the purpose of the Jinn who wanted to convey to the others about the religion and to encourage them towards accepting the faith; thus, one of the other two commentaries is much more suitable to accept.
 
 

Commentary of Verse 20

“Say (O' Muhammad): Surely I only call upon my Lord, and I do not associate anyone or anything with Him.”
 

***

 
Say:  I am not the guardian of the good or bad that reaches you!
 
In these next five verses, in order to make the foundations of Tawhid (Oneness of Allah) even firmer and to negate all forms of polytheism which have been mentioned in the previous verses of this Surah, the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) is first commanded to say to the people that he calls only upon his Lord and that he worships only Him and does not perform even the smallest amount of polytheism!
 

Commentary of Verse 21

 ”Say (O' Muhammad): Surely I do not control for you evil and nor (do I control for you) any good.”
 

***

 
The Prophet is then commanded to say to the people that he himself does not control or hold any authority in the evil or good that will come upon a person.
 

Commentary of Verse 22

“Say (O' Muhammad): Surely I have no protection from Allah from anybody and nor can I find any place of refuge from other than Him.”
 

***

 
In this verse, the Prophet adds that even if he were to act against the Truth, then he too would have no protection from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and other than Him, he has no place of refuge or safety.[^20]
 
In this manner, no one can give Muhammad (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) shelter or security, nor can anything provide him with this protection (other than the Creator).
 
From one point of view, this speech covers the topic of Tawhid in `Ibadat which states that worship is reserved only for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); and from another point of view, it negates all forms of Ghuluw or extremism in relation to the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family). 
 
As for the people at that time, this verse showed them that not only do the false idols that they made with their own hands have absolutely no control or power over the lives of the people, but also the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) too with all his greatness and prestige could not directly be a place of refuge from the severe punishment of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). 
 
The final point of this verse is that it shows that there are things that the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) could not do by his own leave, and whatever powers or abilities he had, were all from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and this also confirms the fact that Intercession and Tawassul (seeking an intermediary for one's requests) are only permitted by the permission of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
The word 'ملتحد' mentioned in this verse is in the meaning of a place of certain security or safety and originally came from the root word 'لحد' which is in the meaning of a pit or hole, similar to the hole that is dug inside the grave of a person so that on one side of the grave, it resembles a niche and it is inside this niche that the body of the deceased is placed so that when the dirt is thrown on top of the grave to seal it, it does not fall on the body of the deceased.  This niche also serves to protect the body from wild animals who may try to attack the corpse.  Thus, any place that can be considered as a safe and secure place of safety has been referred to with this word.
 
Just as has been mentioned in the previous verses, the meaning of this phrase too is that in relation to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) even has no power or ability on his own.  However, he is able to request Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to remove the difficulties from a person or request Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to guide people worthy of receiving direction, and this is the essence of Tawhid and definitely is not polytheism!
 
It is worthy to note that in this verse, the word 'ضر' or loss is used as the opposite of 'رشد' or guidance.  This points to the fact that the true profit and benefit for a person is guidance, just as has been explained in the speech of the Jinn in the previous verses where 'شر' or evil had been used as the opposite of 'رشد' or guidance and thus, these two words go along with one another.
 

Commentary of Verse 23

 “(It is) only a delivering (of revelation) from Allah and (delivering of) His messages; and he who disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then surely for him is the fire of hell to abide therein for eternity.”
 

***

 
In this verse it is mentioned that the Prophet is also commanded to tell the people that the only responsibility that he has is to convey the messages that He has been given from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).[^21]
 
This verse is somewhat similar to what is found in Suratul Maidah (5), verse 92 in which it is mentioned:

“…know that only a clear deliverance of the message is (incumbent) on Our Apostle.”
 
In verse 188 of Suratul A`raf (7), it is mentioned:
 

“Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah pleases; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no evil would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.”
 
For this verse too, there are other commentaries from the elucidators of the Qur'an such as: 'I (Muhammad) have no place of protection for my own self except for the delivering of the message of Truth and the carrying out of the message.'[^22]
 
At this point, we need to ask the question that what is the difference between 'بلاغ' or to convey and 'رسالات' which also means to convey a message?  
 
Some commentators have said that 'بلاغ' is in reference to the conveyance of the Usul ad-Din, or the Roots of the Religion; whereas the word 'رسالات' is in reference to the propagation of the Furu` ad-Din, or the Principles of the Religion.
 
Others believe that the word 'بلاغ' refers to the conveyance of the rules of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) whereas 'رسالات' refers to the actual application and putting into effect these rules and regulations.
 
However, it is our opinion that both of these views return back to the first meaning and are actually emphasis for one another.  This is based on various other verses of the Qur'an in which these words have been used in the same meaning such as in verse 62 of Suratul A`raf (7) where it is stated:

“I convey to you the messages of my Lord.”
 
This is also mentioned in other verses of the Qur'an.
 
In conclusion, at the end of this verse (of Suratul Jinn), a warning is given that whosoever disobeys Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His Apostle will have the fire of hell to abide in forever. 
 
From this verse it is clear that not every sinner, but rather the polytheists and the unbelievers are the ones who will be in the fire for eternity.
 

Commentary of Verse 24

“Until when they all see that which they are threatened with, then shall they know who is weaker in helping and fewer in number.”
 

***

 
The theme of these verses continues with the mention of the condition of the disbelievers and polytheists who continue to annoy the Muslims and consider them as being weak and vulnerable.  This attitude of theirs will continue until the time when what they have been promised (by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)) comes upon them.  It is at that time that they will realize who was truly the weaker and vulnerable and who was truly smaller in number![^23]
 
In this verse, we must ask the question, what is the meaning of the phrase 'ما يوعدون' or that which they had been promised - does it refer to the punishment of this world or the next life or both??

There are various commentaries on this, however that which is the most appropriate is that its meaning is general and wide, because being small in number and weaker in ability and help is most often related to this world and thus, a group of Commentators have related this to the Battle of Badr as it was in this battle that the strength and power of the Muslims was weak. 
 
In various ahadith, this verse has also been used as commentary for the time of the return of al-Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him). 
 
Therefore, if we take the meaning of this verse to be a wide, all-encompassing one, then it will apply to all of these explanations.
 
In addition, in verse 75 of Surah Maryam (19), it is mentioned:

“Until they see what they were threatened with, either the punishment or the hour; then they shall know who is in more evil plight and weaker in forces.”
 
In any case, the tone of this verse clearly points to the fact that the enemies of Islam - although powerful and large in number - would eventually be defeated. 
 
The Holy Qur'an gives the believers heart-warming and good tidings that in the end, even though they are small in number and over powered, they will be victorious and their enemies will be the ones who will be destroyed.
 
 
 

A Few Points

Truthfulness of the Leaders Sent by Allah

 
One of the characteristics of the leaders sent by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), as opposed to the leaders sent by Shaytan, is that the leaders sent by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) are never pretentious, nor do not think themselves as greater than others, proud, or conceited.
 
However, with the likes of Fir`awn, we see him foolishly proclaim:

“I am your lord, the most high!”[^24]
 
We also see Fir`awn proclaim to the masses that:

“And these rivers that flow beneath me by my permission.”[^25]
 
The leaders sent by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) are humble and modest and always consider themselves as low, humble servants of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) who, in the presence of His power, have no ability or command.
 
In verse 110 of Suratul Kahf (18), we read the following:

“Say (O' Muhammad), verily I am only a human being just like you.  It has been revealed to me (by Allah)…”
 
In another place in the Qur'an, it is mentioned:

“And I do not know what will happen to me or to you and I follow nothing except that which has been revealed (by Allah) to me and I am not but a clear warner to you.”[^26]
 
In yet another verse of the Qur'an, we read the following:

”Say (O' Muhammad!) I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah nor do I have knowledge of the Unseen nor do I say (to you) that I am an angel.”[^27]
 
Even if some of these leaders of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) reached to a level of temporal power over the creations, they still did not change and people such as Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) said:

“..This is from the grace of my Lord.”[^28]
 
It is interesting to note that in various verses of the Glorious Qur'an, there are some very stern and harsh phrases that are used to address the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family).  In such verses, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) threatens and warns him that he too must be very careful of his responsibilities. 
 
The entire collection of these verses and the previous ones discussed, which are not a small number in the Qur'an, attest as a living proof of the truthfulness of this noble Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny). 

If this were not so, then what would be the use that amongst the people who were willing to grant him any rank or position in the community, the Prophet of Islam (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) would announce his noble rank to the people which was completely out of the thought and imagination of the people and which was something completely unquestionable.  This (claiming a high status or rank in the community) is something that a great number of leaders of Shaytan have done in the past, as history tells us.
 
Without doubt, the verses that are currently under discussion are a living proof of the truth of the message of the Prophet of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny).
 

A Large Number of Followers is not Important, the Faith of the Followers is Important!

 
In various verses of the Qur'an, this point has constantly been brought up that in every time period, the oppressors and tyrants pull large groups of people into their following and lead these people against the Prophets.
 
In order to ridicule and make fun of the companions of Musa (peace be upon him), Fir`awn said:

“Most surely, this is a small group of people.”[^29]
 
The polytheists of `Arabia are quoted as saying:

“We have more wealth and more children and we will not be punished.”[^30]
 
Sometimes, even one person who has riches but does not have any belief or faith will stand up in front of a believer and people around him and addressing him say:

“I have greater wealth than you and am mightier in followers.”[^31]
 
On the opposite side however, the believer who is trying to emulate the Prophets and leaders appointed by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will never rely on having a large group of people around him.  Their thought pattern and logic will be:

“How often has a small party of people defeated a large party of people by the permission of Allah.”[^32]
 
Amir al-Mu'minin `Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) has been quoted as saying:
 

“O' people! Do not be frightened while on the path of guidance due to the small number of people on it.”[^33]
 
The history of the lives of the Prophets, especially the life of the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) also shows us how a large group of people who had no faith, however possessed all forms of power and strength were defeated, by a small group of believers. 
 
The Holy Qur'an, narrating the story of the Bani Isra'il, Fir`awn, Talut, Jalut and the verses in reference to the Battles of Badr and Ahzab also display this fact to us.

Commentary of Verse 25

 ”Say (O' Muhammad): I do not know whether that with which you are threatened with is close or if my Lord will appoint for it (the Day of Judgement) the term.
 

***

 
The Knower of the Unseen is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)!
 
Since in the previous verses, there was a hint that sooner or later the punishment of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will overcome these evil people, this question comes to mind that when will this promise take place? 
 
Just as the Commentators of the Qur'an have mentioned in relation to the events surrounding this verse that some of the polytheists such as Nadhr ibn Harith, who after the previous verse was revealed asked this same question, the Qur'an in reply to his queries answered him thus: “Say: I do not know whether that with which you are threatened be nigh or whether my Lord will appoint for it a term.”
 
This knowledge (of the Time) is something that is specifically reserved to the Pure Essence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and is something that He has kept hidden from His servants, in order for Allah's (Glorified and Exalted is He) examination and trial of the people to be perfected. 
 
Why is this done?  In simple terms, if we knew that the time of the Day of Judgement was very close or in the distant future, then the tests and trials that we are put through would have no value.
 
The word in this verse 'أمد' is in the meaning of a period of time, with a difference that according to Raghib in his dictionary of Qur'anic terms, Al-Mufradat, he mentions that 'زمان' or a period of time refers to a time period that has both a beginning and an end, however, أمد as found in this verse is only used when referring to the end of a time period.
 
It has also been mentioned that 'أمد' and the word 'أبد' are the same from the point of view of their meaning with a slight difference that 'أبد' is in the meaning of a time period which is not fixed, whereas 'أمد' is for a fixed time period, even if it be an extended or prolonged time period.
 
In any case, in the verses of the Glorious Qur'an, we see that every time the Noble Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) would be asked about when the Day of Judgment would take place, he would express his lack of knowledge and reply that this knowledge is only with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 
It has been mentioned in a hadith that one day, the Angel Jibra'il (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet of Islam (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) in the form of a desert `Arab, and of the many questions that he asked the Prophet, one of them was:
 

*“Tell me, when will the Day of Judgement take place?” *
 
The Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) replied:
 

“The person whom you are asking this question to (regarding this issue) is no more knowledgeable that the one who is asking the question!”
 
Once again, the desert `Arab, this time in a loud voice asked:
 

*“O' Muhammad! When will the Day of Judgement be??” *
 
The Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) replied:
 

“Woe upon you! The Day of Judgement WILL COME!  Go ahead *and tell me what you have prepared for that day?” *
 
The `Arab replied, “I have not read many Salat nor have I fasted a lot, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” 
 
The Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) replied:
 

”Thus, you will be with those people who you love!”
 
Anas, one of the companions of the Prophet relates that:
 

“The Muslims were not delighted with any other speech, as they were with this one.”[^34]
 

Commentary of Verse 26

“The Knower of the Unseen! So then He does not reveal His secrets to anyone.”
 

***

 
Continuing in this discussion, one general rule is mentioned in relation to the Knowledge of the Unseen (`Ilm al-Ghaib) that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not reveal the hidden knowledge, except to those people whom He wants to give this knowledge to.[^35]
 

Commentary of Verse 27

“Except to him whom He is pleased with from among (His) Messengers so then surely He places before him and behind him a guard.”

***

 
Thereafter, one exception to this rule (of Knowledge of the Unseen) is expounded upon.  Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) tells us that the Knowledge of the Unseen is limited to all except Him and those whom He is pleased with from among His Messengers.  When Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) intends to grant Knowledge of the Unseen to His select servants, then He sends revelation (Wahi) to them.
 
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) also adds that He places in front of and behind such a Messenger a guardian.
 
The original meaning of the word in this verse 'رصد' is the root meaning which is to prepare to protect something and it also applies to the person doing this action and the thing he is protecting.  This word is used in both the singular and plural form - meaning that it can refer to a single person protecting something or a group of people protecting something.
 
The meaning of this word in this particular verse refers to the Angels that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) commands - after sending down the revelation - to protect the Prophet from any forms of evil, to keep all the evils of Shaytan from the Jinn and humanity away from him, and to keep all types of evil whisperings away from the Prophet of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) so that the message of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) can be conveyed to the people without any reduction or increase in its content.
 
This in itself is one of the proofs of the infallibility of the Prophets, that with the help of these hidden forces and the assistance of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and the watchful guidance of the Angels, they are safe from slips and errors.
 

Commentary of Verse 28

 ”So that He may know that they have truly delivered the messages of their Lord, and He encompasses what is with them and He records the number of everything.”
 

***

 
In this final verse of the Surah, the evidence of a protector and defender (of the Sacred word) is explained as one that “…may know that they have truly delivered the messages of their Lord…”[^36]
 
However the meaning of this verse is not that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not know anything about his Prophets, and then later comes to know of it - since the knowledge of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is Eternal meaning that His knowledge was always there, will always be there, and is never ending. 

Rather, the meaning of this verse is that the knowledge of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) takes shape externally in the physical world.  Thus, the Prophets are charged with propagating His message and teachings, and through this, they have fulfilled their responsibility to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
 

[^1]: The word نفر, according to a group of experts in `Arabic Language and Commentary refers to a group of 3 to 9 individuals.

[^2]: Among the scholars of Nahw (Arabic Grammar), it is commonly known that when انّ occurs at the beginning of speech, it must be pronounced with a Kasrah at the beginning (on the Fatha) (as in إِنَّ), and in this verse and the verses that follow we see that in the first instance, it is pronounced with a Kasrah, however the verses that follow, since they are connected with this first verse, they are pronounced with a Fatha.  Because of this, a great number of commentators were forced to say that there is something to be taken as a “taqdir” which means that there is an implication of a missing syntactical part (grammatically speaking) in the sentence or they had to come up with other reasons (to explain the difference between the laws of the Nahw and the way this word has been used in these verses).  However, what is the harm in saying that this law of Nahw has its exceptions and in this case we mean that if a phrase is connected with another verse, then it is permitted to recite it with a Fatha and the proof for this statement are these verses of Suratul Jinn.

[^3]: Tafsir Majma` Al-Bayan, Volume 10, Page 368; Tafsir Nur ath-Thaqalain, Volume 5, Page 435; the same point has been alluded to in the Tafsir of `Ali ibn Ibrahim.

[^4]: Tafsir Qurtubi, Volume 10, Page 6801.

[^5]: Tafsir Majma` Al-Bayan, Volume 10, Page 369; Tafsir Ruh Al-Ma`ani, Volume 28, Page 85.

[^6]: In the commentary of this verse, there is another interpretation which a group of the commentators of the Qur’an have related as a possibility of its meaning.  They mentioned that because a group of the humans sought refuge with the Jinn, this resulted in the Jinns increasing in their rebelliousness and thus, they thought themselves to be the beginning and completion of important acts (in the universe); however, in our opinion, the first commentary given is more correct (according to the first commentary given, the pronoun in the word زادوا returns back to the Jinn and the pronoun of هم returns back to the humans, however in the second commentary mentioned above, the opposite is mentioned).

[^7]: The word لـمسنا comes from the root of لـمس whose meaning is well-known; however in this verse, it alludes to looking and searching for something (according to Raghib in his book Al-Mufradat and Fakhr Al-Ra¤hi in his Tafsir Al-Kabir and also Tafsir Al-Qurtubi).   Also, the word حرس whose plural is حارس is in the meaning of a protector or guardian and some Scholars have mentioned that this word is actually a plural form of the verb.

[^8]: The word قاسط comes from the root of قسط which means dividing something equally or justly and when applied to pattern of the 'Arabic verb افعال, it is changed to اقساط whose meaning is to apply justice.  However, when it is used in its original pattern and form as in this verse, its meaning is of oppression and to stray away from the path of Truth.

[^9]: The word تحروا comes from the root word تحرى which means making an intention for something.

[^10]: Tafsir Ruh Al-Bayan, Volume 10, Page 195.

[^11]: Al-Usul min Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Section: “The Believer and his Traits and Characteristics”.

[^12]: It should be noted that perhaps the only thing that has led these commentators of the Qur’an to accept that these verses were the speech of Allah inserted between the words of the Jinn is the pronoun known in `Arabic as (متكلم مع الغير) or The First Person Plural which have been used in these verses.  In one place it is mentioned that, ”We would certainly have given them abundant water to drink.“  In another place, it is mentioned ”So that We might try them with respect to it…” However, anytime we take these types of speech as being sentences related or narrated to others, then there is no problem (in understanding the meaning of such sentences).  A good example of this is when a person relates a story to one of his friends and then says, “Such and such person is of the belief that I am a good person.”  (Obviously, the person whom he is speaking about would not have used the word “I”, rather, he would have used the word “he”, however the person who is listening would automatically understand what the person is saying.)

[^13]: Some Commentators of the Qur’an have given the possibility that the meaning of طريقة in this verse is that path of disbelief and the increase in blessings which one would be entitled to receive after staying firm on this path (of disbelief).  In reality, the preliminary stage (that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He tests His servants with) is that of punishment (for their sins) and this is done through being lured or enticed by blessings (from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He) however this commentary does not fit with the tone of the verse under discussion nor would it ever correspond with the verses that precede and follow this verse.

[^14]: Wasa’il ash-Shi`a, Volume 2, Page 970, hadith 3.

[^15]: Wasa’il ash-Shi`a, Volume 18, Page 490 (Section on the Islamic Penalty for Theft, Section 4, hadith 5)

[^16]: Tafsir Nur ath-Thaqalain, Volume 5, Page 439 and 440

[^17]: In regards to the issue of Intercession from the viewpoint of the Qur’an and ahadith, a complete discussion has been carried out in volume 1 of this Commentary (Tafsir-e-Namuna) under verse 48 of Suratul Baqarah.  In relation to the truthfulness of Tawassul, a discussion in volume 4 of the same Tafsir verse 45 of Suratul Ma'idah has also been carried out.

[^18]: Suratul Jinn, 72:18.

[^19]: According to this commentary and since this sentence is from the speech of the believing Jinn, the use of the pronoun of غائب or The Third Person in place of متلكم or The First Person has been done for drawing the attention, or due to the fact that a group of the Jinn had spoken these words in relation to another group of the Jinn to explain their actions (pay attention to this point).

[^20]: In reference to the event of revelation of this verse, some commentators have mentioned that the non-believers from among the Quraish had asked the Prophet to leave his religion so that they would give him protection and thus, the verse under discussion was revealed which was a reply to the Quraish. (See Tafsir Abul Futuh Al-Razi, Volume 11, Page 293)

[^21]: Seeing as how the word (بلاغ) can only be made transitive through the particle (عن), some commentators of the Qur'an have mentioned that the particle (من) used in this verse comes in the meaning of the particle (عن) while others have taken the word (کائن) as being in “taqdir” meaning that there is an implication of a missing syntactical part (grammatically speaking) in the sentence such that the verse would read (إلا بلاغا كائنا من الله).

[^22]: According to this, the explanation of this sentence is an exclusionary condition for the sentence that came before it that reads (و لن أجد من دونه ملتحداً) and according to the first explanation offered, it would be an exclusionary condition for the previous verse.

[^23]: The particle (حتی) is commonly used to convey or express the completion or conclusion of something and in this verse it takes on two different interpretations.  The first meaning is that that completion or outcome is actually a sentence which has been omitted such that in “taqdir” {meaning that there is an implication of a missing syntactical part (grammatically speaking) in the sentence} the verse would read: (و لا يزالون يستهزؤن و يستضعفون المؤمنين حتى إذا رأوا ما يوعدون…).  The second interpretation is that the completion or outcome would be the part of the verse that reads (يكونون عليه لبدا) which came a few verses before this verse however the first interpretation is much more appropriate.

[^24]: Suratul Nazi'at (79), verse 24.

[^25]: Surah az-Zukhruf (43), verse 51.

[^26]: Suratul Ahqaf (46), Verse 9

[^27]: Suratul An`am (6), Verse 50

[^28]: Surah an-Naml (27), Verse 40

[^29]: Surah ash-Shuara` (26), Verse 54

[^30]: Surah Saba (34), Verse 35

[^31]: Suratul Kahf (18), Verse 34

[^32]: Suratul Baqarah (2), Verse 249

[^33]: Nahj Al-Balagha, Speech 201

[^34]: Tafsir Al-Muraghi, Volume 29, Page 105

[^35]: The phrase عالم الغيب is the predicate for a nominal clause which has been eliminated and in actuality, it was هو عالم الغيب.  Some commentators have taken this phrase to be an attribute (of Allah) or an appositional substantive for another substantive for the word ربي in the previous verse.

[^36]: A group of commentators have said that the pronoun (he) in ليعلم refers to the Prophet of Islam (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) and have stated that this means that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has appointed protectors and overseers for the secrets of the revelation and the message so that the Prophet would know that definitely, what is coming to him is revelation from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and thus, he would have no doubt or uncertainty in the revelation.  However, this explanation, keeping in mind that the deliverance of the message is the job of the Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) and not the job of the Angels and seeing as how in the previous verse the word رسول has been used, and a few verses previously, the word رسالات was used in relation to the personage of the Prophet of Islam (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family), it is highly unlikely that this (second) explanation is correct - thus, the truth lies in the commentary given.