The difficulties in the surah relating to style, language
and interpretation shall inshallah be dealt with under the
relevant verses of the surah. However, there are two things
which I would like to clarify here. The first of these relates
to research on the word آلَاء and
the second of these relates to the nature of address in the
verse: فَبِأَيِّ آلَاء رَبِّكُمَا
تُكَذِّبَانِ.
The word آلَاء is the plural of
إِلْىٌ and ألىً
and إلىً. All the leading
lexicographers and exegetes regard it to mean “favours.”
However, my mentor, Hamīd al-Dīn al-Farahī in his Mufradat al-Qur’an
differs with this opinion. In his opinion, this word does not
merely denote the meaning referred to above; it has a wider
connotation. He begins his discussion on this issue with the
following words:
Even though there is a consensus that the word
آلَاء means “favours” the Qur’an and
classical Arabic literature do not support this claim. It is
evident through a comprehensive analysis of classical Arabic
poetry that its real meaning is feats, miracles, marvels of
nature and wisdom. However, a greater part of God’s miracles
and marvels is based on His signs of mercy. For this reason,
people concluded that the real meaning of
آلَاء is “favours”.
In this regard, al-Farahī has also presented his
interpretation of a narrative attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas (rta)
in which he mentions that this word means “favours.” He says
that our illustrious scholars of the past would answer a
question posed to them keeping in view the occasion and
background. They would specify that at a particular instance
the word had been used in a particular meaning
After these introductory sentences, he has presented
corroboratory evidence in support of his view from the works
of poets belonging to the age of jahiliyyah as well as from
certain Hamasī poets. The poets from the age of jahiliyyah
include: Tarfah, Mayyah bint Darar, Muhalhal, Rabi‘ah ibn
Maqrum, Ajda‘ al-Hamadanī, Fudalah ibn Zayd and Khansa’. It is
evident from this material that in the works of famous poets
of the age of jahiliyyah – poets whose poetry is regarded to
be a source of language and morphology, this word is not
merely used to mean “favours”; it has a much wider connotation
that includes favours, power, majesty, signs, miracles,
marvels, feats and other similar connotations.
It is a source of great pleasure for me that the
translators and exegetes of these times are referring to the
research of Imam Farahī (even though without properly citing
him). However, since the works of Imam Farahī are in Arabic,
people who do not have a strong grasp of it are misled. It is
evident from this discussion that he does not contest that the
meaning of this word is “favours”; however, he does contest
that this is its only meaning.
All the exegetes are unanimous that the verse
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاء رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
addresses both man and jinn. The Qur’an itself has explained
this in various styles in this surah. However, two questions
arise here. First, just as the message of the Qur’an is meant
for man, is it also for the jinn? If the answer to this
question is in the affirmative, then a further question
arises: Did the Prophet Muhammad (sws) conclusively convey the
truth from the Almighty to the jinn also just as he did to his
people?
The answer to this question, in my opinion, is that keeping
in view the principles set forth by the Almighty in the Qur’an
regarding sending His prophets and the nature of their
responsibility in disseminating their message, it is difficult
to say that the Prophet (sws) was also sent towards the jinn
and that just as he had conclusively communicated the truth to
his people, he had also done so to the jinn. It is mentioned
in the Qur’an in various styles that the prophet sent to a
nation is from among them; he speaks in their tongue and is
the best representative of their nature; by setting an
example, he encourages good in people and discourages evil in
them and for this reason his life becomes an example for every
person. It is obvious that none of these things was possible
for the Prophet (sws) viz a viz the jinn.
Moreover, it is also known that he did not inform us of any
efforts he made in calling the jinn to faith and in reforming
and instructing them just as he did in the case of his people.
What, at most, can be claimed is that he did meet a group of
jinn once or twice or that a group of jinn heard the Prophet (sws)
reciting the Qur’an and expressed their liking for it. It is
mentioned earlier in Surah Ahqaf and a mention is coming up in
Surah Jinn that a group of jinn heard a few verses of the
Qur’an from the blessed tongue of the Prophet (sws) and liked
them. At these places, it is specified that the Prophet (sws)
did not directly come to know of this liking; he was informed
of it by the Almighty. Such chance meetings are obviously not
enough for the dissemination of a message and its conclusive
communication which every prophet and messenger did for his
people and for which purpose a messenger is in fact sent to
his people. If the jinn are addressed in this way in some
places in the Qur’an, it is not because they are its direct
addressees; the actual reason, in my opinion, is that just as
when the clouds of mercy send down rain which waters both dry
and damp areas, in a similar manner, the mercy of the Qur’an
at times extends to the jinn – specially in those matters of
principle which are common between them and man. The concepts
of monotheism, the day of judgement, the reward and punishment
which will take place on it, truth, justice and other similar
things are absolutely the same in both these creatures. If
there is a difference, it relates to the areas which pertain
to peculiarities of genre of the two. The real objective of
this surah, as has been discussed earlier, is to remind
unmindful people of the signs of power, wisdom, mercy and
providence of God and to jolt and awaken them. For this
reason, besides addressing the unmindful among mankind, it
also addresses the unmindful jinn. This awe and dread of the
discourse, as a result, has spread to the whole world.
It is possible that in the light of this discussion a
question arise in someone’s mind: Just as prophets and
messengers have been sent to mankind from among them,
similarly prophets and messengers from among the jinn must
have been sent to them and would have taken up the
responsibility of reforming and instructing them in their
language and keeping in view the characteristics of their
genre. I accept the responsibility of this inference. It is in
complete accordance with sense and reason and also in absolute
harmony with the practice of God regarding His prophets and
messengers as enshrined in the Qur’an at many instances. If
the jinn, like mankind, are creatures who have been given the
freedom to exercise their will and who will be held
accountable by God for their deeds and will be accordingly
rewarded and punished, then it is essential, as per the
practice of God, that for their guidance, prophets and
messengers must have been sent to them and it is also
essential that they must have called them to the truth in
their own language. In my opinion, there is not a single verse
in the Qur’an which goes against this inference. On the
contrary, there are various verses which clearly go in its
favour.
In Surah Baqarah, where the incident of Adam and Satan is
mentioned, both of them are addressed at the end in the
following words:
قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا فَإِمَّا
يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا
خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (٢:
٣٧)
We ordered: “Go [out] from here; then if
ever comes to you any guidance from Me, whosoever follows My
guidance will have no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (2:37)
In the above mentioned verse, just as the Almighty has
promised Adam (sws) and his progeny that He will send guidance
to them, He has also made this very promise with Iblīs and His
progeny.
Similarly, it is clearly stated in Surah An‘am that
messengers were also sent to the jinn:
يَامَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ أَلَمْ
يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِنْكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِي
وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا قَالُوا شَهِدْنَا
عَلَى أَنفُسِنَا وَغَرَّتْهُمْ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا
وَشَهِدُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ (٢:
١٣٠)
“O Jinn and Men! Did there not come to you messengers of
your own who proclaimed to you My revelations and warned you
of this day of resurrection?” They will reply: “We bear
witness against our own souls.” And indeed, the life of this
world deceived them and they themselves testified against
their own selves that they had been disbelievers. (2:130)
The coherence in this surah is very evident. The surah
begins with the declaration that the Qur’an is a manifestation
of the graciousness of the Almighty. The Almighty created man
and specially blessed him with the power of speech and
comprehension. These grand favours and abilities entail that
man should be taught and educated by the most grand heavenly
work –the Qur’an – and not through torment and punishment. It
is an extreme misfortune that there are those who, instead of
seeking guidance from it, demand to see the promised doom.
After this, the various signs in the world around man and
those within him are pointed to and two of the Almighty’s
creations – men and jinn– are repeatedly warned and shaken to
reflect on them and asked how many such signs would they deny.
First and foremost are mentioned the signs and
manifestations which point to the fact that the Almighty
greatly cherishes justice and does not approve anything
remotely contrary to justice and equity in the world He has
created.
These are followed by the signs which indicate that the
tremendous and extremely vast system of sustenance which the
Almighty has established on the earth entails that man shall
one day be held accountable for the countless blessings he has
been given. Those who deserve to be rewarded shall be
rewarded, and those who deserve to be punished shall be
punished.
A reference is then made to the fact that it is the
Almighty who has created men and jinn from fire and clay and
He can easily create them a second time. There is no
difficulty for Him in this regard.
This whole Universe is under His control; He is the Lord of
the East and the West. Whatever rises, rises with His
permission and whatever sets, sets with His permission.
After this, it is asserted that the conflicting elements in
the universe are in harmony with one another to fulfil a
greater purpose which is over and above their creation. This
bears witness to the fact that a sovereign will is dominant
over these elements which creates harmony between them and
uses them for the collective welfare of the universe. If this
were not so, the universe would have been destroyed by a clash
between its conflicting elements. That it is surviving is
ample testimony to the fact that a single supreme and
omnipotent power controls it.
An indication is then made that Allah alone is immortal and
all the rest are mortal.
Next it is expressed that all except the Almighty are needy
and He is the only one who fulfils their needs. The foolish
who ask from others actually receive from Him alone.
An affirmation is then made of the fact that the day
wherein accountability of deeds shall take place is certain to
come and on that day no one –neither man nor jinn– will be
able to run away from the Almighty’s grasp. On that day, no
evidence will be needed to convict a criminal as his forehead
will bear witness to his sins. He will then be grabbed by his
forehead and feet and flung into Hell.
Next, the features and characteristics of the Paradise
which the muqarrabīn shall receive are delineated, followed by
the features and characteristics of the Paradise which the
ashab al-yamīn will be blessed with.
(Translated from Tadabbur-i Qur’an by Dr Shehzad Saleem)
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