Verses 78–89
These verses enumerate additional divine blessings and then lead to a conclusion that asserts the absolute truth of God’s oneness in lordship, the inevitability of resurrection on Judgment Day, and the validity of prophethood and divine laws. This conclusion is akin to the one drawn from the previous set of verses, which similarly discussed these themes.
Commentary
وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّن بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ٧٨
(16:78) Allah has brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers (ummahāt) while you did not know anything. He made for you hearing, eyesight, and hearts (afʾida) so that you may give thanks.
The word ummahāt is the plural form of umm, meaning “mother”, with an added ha sound, similar to the word ahrāqa, meaning ‘to pour a liquid’, originally arāqa. The plural of umm is ummahāt, but it can also appear as amāt. Some have said that ummahāt is used for humans, while amāt is used for animals. The word afʾida is the sparse plural form fuʾād, meaning “heart” or “understanding.” No plural form for afʾida indicating a larger quantity has been observed.
Regarding the verse, Allah has brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers while you did not know anything, it negates the presence of acquired knowledge in humans at birth. The phrase, Allah has brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers, refers to birth, and while you did not know anything, is a condition of the pronoun “your”, meaning you were born from your mothers’ wombs without the knowledge which you later acquired through senses, imagination, and intellect.
This verse supports the view of psychologists that the human psyche is initially like a blank slate, which gradually acquires imprints over time. However, this pertains to human knowledge about things other than themselves. Mystics do not consider self-awareness as “knowing something”, supported by the Qur’anic statement in previous verses about those reaching the nethermost age, so that he knows nothing after some knowledge (). It is evident that such individuals still possess self-awareness; aging does not lead to self-ignorance.
One commentator has argued using the generality of the verse to claim that presential knowledge, by which he means awareness of oneself in this instance, is like other forms of knowledge, not present in humans at birth but developing later. This challenges the philosophical argument that self-awareness is neither acquired nor imprinted.
In response to this commentator’s view, we say: The general meaning of the verse refers to knowledge in the usual sense, meaning acquired knowledge, supported by the verse we previously mentioned. And the phrase, He made for you hearing, eyesight, and hearts (afʾida) so that you may give thanks, points to the origins of this knowledge that God has bestowed upon humans. Since the primary sources of all perceptions are the external senses, predominantly the sense of sight and hearing. Other senses like touch, taste, and smell do not match the importance of these two. The origin of belief and thought is the heart.
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاء مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ٧٩
(16:79) Have they not regarded the birds disposed (musakhkharāt) in the air of the sky (jaww al-samāʾ): no one sustains them except Allah. There are indeed signs in that for a people who have faith.
In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, al-Ṭabrisī writes that jaww (“air”) refers to the air far from the Earth. Accordingly, the verse’s meaning is: “Do they not see the birds that are subservient in the distant space and atmosphere of the sky? Then, the result of observing and contemplating this is stated: no one sustains them except Allah.”
Here, God exclusively attributes the birds’ sustenance in the air to Himself, even though we observe natural causes affecting their flight. However, we also know that God in His majestic speech has affirmed the principle of cause and effect, accepting the causality of natural causes. So how is it that in the matter of birds’ flight, He denies it?
This is the question that appears to arise in the present verse, but it should be understood that the birds’ suspension in the air, by any means, and relying on any cause, are ultimately dependent on God and His creation. He is the one who has granted existence to the birds, to the cause of their flight, and to the relationship between that cause and the flight. Therefore, the real cause of this existence, even if it depends on an immediate natural cause, is exclusively God. Even when the existence of a phenomenon depends on immediate, natural causes, the real cause of this existence is God alone.
When we say that its existence relies on a cause, this does not mean that the cause, after receiving its existence from God, bestows existence upon the effect independently of God. Rather, it means that the effect, in receiving its existence from God, needs its cause to have already received its existence. We have elaborated on this point in previous pages.
This is the idea of monotheism that is espoused by the Qur’an, and its linguistic evidence includes verses like: Behold, to Him belong creation and command (), All power belongs to Allah entirely (), Allah is the creator of everything (30:62), and Indeed, Allah has power over all things ().
The evidence from the verse which demonstrates that the phrase no one sustains them except Allah contradicts the efficacy of natural causes, is the word musakhkharāt (“disposed”). Because disposal is realized when the one who disposes compels another cause to act in a manner it desires. Thus, this very word implies that the subject, in this case, embodies a form of natural causality.
The flight of birds in the sky is in reality no more extraordinary than a human standing on the Earth. Everything is equally attributable to God’s creative power. What happens is that humans become accustomed to certain phenomena, having observed them since opening their eyes, leading to a dampening of their curiosity and surprise. However, when encountering something contrary to what is familiar, it is perceived as exceptional and ignites an inquisitive spirit in the person.
Humans have always observed that heavy objects gravitate toward the Earth. This perception is then challenged when they see a heavy entity like a bird defying this principle and flying in the air, seemingly unaffected by Earth’s gravity. This curiosity leads to investigation and effort until the cause is understood. Such inquiry indeed yields some truth and reality, and this is why the Qur’an uses such phenomena as grounds for argumentation.
The phrase There are indeed signs in that for a people who have faith means that in the disposition of the birds in the sky, there are signs and evidences for people who have faith. Since birds in their air do not exhibit a single behavior to constitute one sign, they sometimes flutter, sometimes glide, sometimes move without using their wings at all, sometimes stop, sometimes hover, sometimes ascend, and sometimes descend. All these behaviors, as God says, are signs for people who believe.
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ الأَنْعَامِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَى حِينٍ ٨٠
(16:80) It is Allah who has made for you your homes as a place of rest (sakan) and He made for you homes out of the skins of the cattle which you find portable on the day of your shifting (ẓaʿn) and on the day of your halt, and out of their wool (aṣwāf), their furs (awbār) and hair (ashʿār) furniture (aḥthāth) and wares (matāʿ) for a while.
This means that God has made homes for you out of certain skins, specifically tanned leather, which are intended as tents or portable dwellings. These are homes that you find light and easy to move and which, therefore, you use for your travels on the day of your shifting (when you are on the move) and the day of your halt (when you are not).
In his Mufradāt, al-Rāghib mentions that bayt (“home”) refers to whatever shelters a person at night. The verb bāta is used when someone stays somewhere for a night. Similarly, the term bayt can also refer to a residence, and its plural can be abyāt or buyūt, though buyūt is more commonly used for houses and abyāt for verses of poetry. Additionally, al-Rāghib has stated that bayt applies to stone, clay, wool, and fur houses.
The term sakan means anything that provides a person with residence, while ẓʿan is the opposite, meaning to migrate or move. The term ṣūf (pl. awṣāf) refers to sheep’s wool, wabar (pl. awbār) to camel’s hair, shaʿr (pl. ashʿār) to human hair as well as goat’s hair, and aḥthāth refers to abundant household goods, not used for a single piece of household item. In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, it is said that aḥthāth has no singular form, much like matāʿ, which is more general and refers to all necessities of life, even if they are not related to the house. This indicates that God has provided various types of homes and materials for making them, demonstrating His providence and care in facilitating human life.
The phrase and out of their wool, their furs, and their hair is an extension of the mention of their skins, meaning “God has made for you from their wool’”—referring to sheep, “and their furs”—referring to camels, “and their hair”—referring to goats, “furnishings and wares” for use in your homes, which you benefit from “for a while.” Some have said that this limited duration hints at the transience of these blessings, reminding the wise not to lose the eternal joys of the hereafter for these perishable comforts.
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلالاً وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْجِبَالِ أَكْنَانًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُم بَأْسَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ ٨١
(16:81) It is Allah who has made for you shade from what He created, and made for you retreats in the mountains, and made for you garments that protect you from heat and garments that protect you from your violence. That is how He completes His blessing upon you so that you may submit.
The two adverbs, namely “for you” and “from what He created”, are related to the creation of shades. The reason for linking shades to “what He created” is because shade itself is an absence and cannot be created except as a secondary effect of something else. Despite being an absence, its consequential existence is a significant blessing from God for humans, animals, and even plants. Its benefit is no less than that of light, for without shade—be it the night’s, trees’, or plants’—no living creature could survive on Earth.
… and made for you retreats (aknān) in the mountains—The word kann means something that covers another thing, so even a garment is a kann for the person wearing it. The intended meaning here is the caves and hollows in the mountains.
… and made for you garments that protect you from heat—These garments are intended to shield you from heat. In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, al-Ṭabrisī states that if only protection from heat is mentioned and not from cold, it is because anything that protects a person from heat can also protect from cold. The specific mention of heat, despite garments being more effective against the cold, is because the primary audience in the hot climate of the Hijaz had a greater need for protection from heat than from cold, as narrated from ʿAtāʾ.
He adds that Arabs, when speaking of two inseparable things, often mention only one because the other is understood by implication. For instance, a poet has said: “I do not know when I set out for a land, seeking good, which of the two will meet me.” This refers to good and evil; since he has mentioned ‘good’, he felt no need to mention the other, as quoted from al-Farrāʾ.
Another possible reason for specifying protection from heat and not mentioning cold could be that humanity first lived in warmer regions of the earth, dealing more with intense heat than cold. Therefore, this group is reminded to adopt clothing, a precaution against the adverse climate they encounter, which in this case is extreme heat.
and garments (sarābīl) that protect you from your violence—Apparently, these sarābīl that protect from the harm of war are likely armors made from iron and similar materials.
That is how He completes His blessing upon you so that you may submit—In this phrase, He reminds them of the completion of His blessings, intending that in return for these bounties, they should submit to Him, recognizing that their benefactor has not fallen short in bestowing favors. Nothing less than submission to the will of the benefactor and refraining from arrogance is expected, knowing that the benefactor only intends their good.
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ ٨٢
(16:82) But if they turn their backs, your duty is only to communicate in clear terms (al-balāgh al-mubīn)
In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, it is stated that balāgh is a noun and tablīgh is the verbal noun, akin to kalām (“speech”) and taklīm (“speaking”).
After God Almighty finishes enumerating the blessings He intended to mention and concludes His argument with them, He ends the discussion with this phrase, delivering a reproach and a threat toward the disbelievers. It implies the doctrine of monotheism in lordship, as well as prophethood and resurrection. First, it clarifies the role and duty of prophethood and the Prophet’s responsibility in his mission, which is to deliver a clear message. It says: But if they turn their backs—if they deviate, implying that the call is only for their worldly and afterlife welfare, with no coercion involved. Hence, if they turn away and refuse to accept it, showing aversion and reluctance, your duty is only to communicate in clear terms—your only responsibility is to convey the message clearly, without ambiguity or hidden meanings, as you are a messenger of God and a messenger has no duty beyond this.
In addition to outlining the Prophet’s duty, this verse also provides consolation and solace to him.
يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ ٨٣
(16:83) They recognize (yaʿrifūn) the blessing of Allah and then deny it (yunkirūn), and most of them are the faithless
Maʿrifa (“recognition”) is the opposite of denial (inkār), similar to knowledge (ʿilm) being contrary to ignorance (jahl). This itself is evidence that the intended meaning of inkār (“denial”) is essentially a practical denial, meaning not believing in God, His Messenger, and the Day of Judgment, or verbally denying these doctrines while having prior knowledge of them. Both interpretations are plausible, but since the phrase (and most of them are disbelievers) restricts the denial to most of them, it should primarily mean the former interpretation.
In the phrase, and most of them are the faithless, the word “faithless” has the definite article, which indicates that the aforementioned disbelievers completely denied God’s blessings, or the truth of the Qur’an and the monotheism to which these blessings point, or disbelief in monotheism and more. This is because the phrase, and most of them are the faithless, implies that most of them are fully entrenched in their disbelief. In addition to their disbelief and denial, they were also obstinate and obstructive toward God’s path.
It means that they recognized God’s favor as being from Him, and this recognition should have led them to believe in Him, His Messenger, and the Day of Judgment, and to submit to Him in practice. Contrarily, when it comes to action, they behave in a way that suggests denial, not what their recognition should entail. Most of them did not just stop at practical denial but added disbelief, obstinacy against the truth, denial, and persistence in it.
The explanation we prefer for the phrase, and most of them are the faithless, is sufficient, and the lengthy and the explanations given by other commentators are excessive.
One commentator has said that if the verse refers to most of them as faithless, even though all of them were disbelievers, it is because a minority among them might not have had the argument fully established against them, or they were not of age or mentally sound, or they had not heard the Prophet’s call. Obviously, such individuals cannot be labeled as disbelievers.
However, those individuals are entirely outside the scope of the verse because it rebukes and warns that they deny God’s blessings after having recognized them. If they do deny these blessings, they are indeed disbelievers, but if they do not, they certainly do not fall under the general statement of the verse. Moreover, how can it be accurate to claim that the argument has not been established against them, when the only argument is the blessing itself, which God Almighty counts and they recognize?
Regarding the phrase “But most of them are disbelievers,” some argue that it was used because God knew that some among them would eventually believe. However, this interpretation lacks evidence.
Another view suggests that “most” actually means “all” and was used instead of “some” out of disdain for even mentioning the rest. This opinion is attributed to Ḥasan al-Baṣrī and is quite unusual.
Some have said that this verse invalidates the claim of Determinists that God bestows no favors on disbelievers and that everything He does for them is merely abandonment and punishment. God Himself contradicts this view in this verse.
The truth is that the concept of blessing has two aspects: one is the blessing as something pleasant and suitable for the recipient’s condition in the path of creation, concerning their physical well-being. The other aspect is related to the recipient’s condition in the path of legislation, concerning their spiritual and human happiness. This is where the blessing should lead to their recognition of God, His messenger, and the Hereafter, and its use in a manner pleasing to God. A believer enjoys both types of blessings, while a disbeliever in this world only enjoys the first type and is deprived of the second. This concept is supported by many references in God’s speech.
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لاَ يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَلاَ هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ ٨٤
(16:84) And on the day when We raise up a witness out of every nation, then permission shall not be granted to those who disbelieve, nor shall they be allowed to make amends (yustaʿtabūn).
In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, it is narrated from Zajjāj that ʿatab means anger and sorrow. When it is said, “So-and-so has ʿatab against someone,” it means they are grieved by them. If they reconcile and seek to please them, it is said aʿtaba, and the noun for this root is ʿatbiya, meaning the return of the wrongdoer to something that pleases the aggrieved party. The verb istiʿtāb means they are asked to make amends.
The phrase And on the day when We raise up a witness out of every nation implies, from its context, that it refers to the Day of Judgment. The witnesses whom God raises from each nation are witnesses to the deeds, who have recorded the realities of their nation’s actions. They will testify on that day. We have discussed the meaning of this testimony in the interpretation of the verse, So that you are witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger is a witness over you () previously.
There is nothing in the text of the verse to indicate that the witness of each nation refers to its prophet, nor does it suggest that the umma refers to the prophet’s community. It is also plausible that the witness might be someone other than the prophet, like an Imam, as suggested by the verse in Sūrah al-Baqarah and the verse And the prophets and witnesses are brought (). Therefore, of every nation, could refer to the community and the people of the time of each resurrected witness.
In the phrase, then permission shall not be granted to those who disbelieve, the mention of raising a witness from each nation suggests that these witnesses and testifiers will testify against their own communities regarding their actions in the world. It also implies that the disbelievers will not be allowed to speak or make excuses, so as to provide an opportunity for the witnesses to testify uninterrupted. Essentially, the community is silenced so that the witnesses can give their testimony, as indicated in other verses like Today We seal their mouths, and their hands speak to Us and their feet bear witness (), and This is a day when they will not speak, nor will it be permitted for them to make excuses ().
Furthermore, the context of the discussed phrase suggest that the intended meaning is that the disbelievers are not allowed to use words and tricks to ward off the evil of the Day of Judgment. It conveys that there is no way for them to rectify what has been missed and to correct what has been corrupted in their worldly deeds. This rectification and correction necessarily follow one of two paths: either through seeking forgiveness or being granted permission to return and start anew with righteous deeds. The second path is closed off by the phrase, nor shall they be allowed to make amends, and the first path, which is seeking forgiveness, is blocked by then permission shall not be granted to those who disbelieve.
From this, it is clear that the meaning of nor shall they be allowed to make amends is that they are not asked to come forth to please God and make Him content with them. This statement denotes the impossibility of rectifying the past. It indicates that it is impossible for them to return and obey again because the Day of Judgment is for recompense and punishment, not for action, and there is no path to return to earthly life to engage in righteous deeds.
God Almighty has clarified this in other places in His speech with different words. For instance, He says: On the Day when the shin will be uncovered and they will be called to bow in prostration, but they will not be able, their eyes humbled, covered in disgrace. And they had been called to prostrate while they were sound (), and His saying: And if only you could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord, “Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so return us; we will do righteous deeds. Indeed, we are now certain” ().
وَإِذَا رَأى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ الْعَذَابَ فَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ٨٥
(16:85) And when the wrongdoers sight the punishment, it shall not be lightened for them, nor will they be granted any respite.
The previous verse essentially differentiated between the Day of Recompense, that is, the Day of Judgment, and other situations of recompense in the world. It was stated that the recompense on the Day of Judgment does not change with apologies or atonement requests, as is the case with worldly recompenses. However, this verse highlights the difference between the punishment of that day and the worldly punishments that befall oppressors. Earthly punishments can be mitigated and postponed, but the punishment of the Day of Judgment is neither lessened nor delayed.
The statement, And when the wrongdoers sight the punishment, and not referring to those who disbelieved, aims to point out the reason and basis for the judgment. As inferred from the context, the mention of seeing the punishment after the reckoning indicates the awareness of the punishment by the wrongdoers and their approach to it after the accounting. The intended punishment here, as suggested by the context, is the torment of the Day of Judgment, which is essentially punishment by fire.
The verse means that once their accounting is completed, and the decree of punishment is issued, and they are brought close to the fire and witness it, there is no escape for them. There is neither any reduction in their punishment nor any delay granted.
وَإِذَا رَأى الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ شُرَكَاءَهُمْ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا هَؤُلاء شُرَكَاؤُنَا الَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُوْ مِن دُونِكَ فَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ ٨٦
(16:86) When the polytheists (alladhīna ashrakū) sight their partners, they will say, ‘Our Lord! These are our partners whom we used to invoke besides You.’ But they will retort to them, ‘You are indeed liars!’
This verse continues the narrative of the Day of Judgment. In the Qur’anic context, alladhīna ashrakū (lit. “those who associated”) typically refers to idolaters and polytheists. This itself is a clue that “their partners” refers to those entities they falsely attributed as partners to God. The subsequent verse also supports this interpretation.
The phrase “their partners” is used rather than “God’s partners” to indicate that these idols and false gods do not actually share any real association with God. They only possess the partnership that these polytheists have falsely attributed to them, which, in reality, holds no truth.
With this explanation, it becomes clear that interpreting “their partners” as idols or other false deities, or the notion that idols were financial partners with the idolaters since a portion of their wealth and livestock was dedicated to them, as well as the interpretation that these partners were devils sharing in their wealth, offspring, disbelief, or the consequences of their disbelief, are not accurate interpretations. Since we do not have the opportunity to debate each of these interpretations, we will move on.
… they will say, ‘Our Lord! These are our partners whom we used to invoke besides You.’—The meaning of this sentence is clear; it seeks to introduce the polytheists’ partners to their Lord. There is no need to discuss why polytheists would identify their gods on the Day of Judgment, as that day is one of misery and torment from every direction. In such a state, a person grasps at whatever comes to mind, making any effort they can to save themselves.
But they will retort to them (alqaw ilay-him al-qawl), ‘You are indeed liars!’—In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, al-Ṭabrisī says that when you say: “I threw something” (alqaytu al-shayʾ) it means to throw it far away, and al-laqī refers to something thrown far off. Alqaytu ilayhi al-qawl means I directed my speech toward him, and talaqqā-hā means to accept it. The meaning of the sentence is that their partners will reject their words and call them liars. God, in other places, has referred to this denial as disbelief, as in the verse And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disbelieve in your associating them () and similarly in Indeed, I have disbelieved in what you associated before (), which relates Satan’s words to the polytheists on the Day of Judgment.
وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ السَّلَمَ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ٨٧
(16:87) They will submit to Allah on that day (alqaw ilā Allāh yawma-idhin al-salam), and what they used to fabricate will forsake them.
The word salam means submission or surrender. It seems that the use of the term alqaw ilā Allāh yawma-idhin al-salam (“They will submit to God on that day”) is intended to suggest that, in addition to submission and humility, they will also be compelled to surrender to God’s power.
The pronoun “They” in They will submit refers to those who associated others with God, as indicated by the subsequent phrase, and what they used to fabricate will forsake them. It means that the polytheists will submit to God on the Day of Judgment, despite their arrogance toward the call to Islam in this world.
This submission on the Day of Judgment is not merely the revelation of truth and the manifestation of God’s oneness, as is implied in the description of the Day of Judgment: And they will know that Allah is the manifest truth (). Knowing that something exists is one thing, but submitting and believing in its existence is another, as evident from And they denied it, though their souls were certain of it ().
Merely knowing that God is the absolute truth is not sufficient for human happiness; it also requires submission and faith in Him, along with its consequences. There is a submission and faith that comes voluntarily and from choice, and there is that which comes from compulsion and distress. What benefits a person in achieving happiness is submission and faith by choice, and the place for choice is this world, the abode of action, unlike the hereafter, which is the abode of recompense.
They did not submit to the truth while in this world, even though they were certain of it. When they reached the hereafter and were presented at the place of reckoning, they witnessed that Allah is the manifest truth and that the torment of misery surrounded them from all sides. They then submitted to the truth out of compulsion, but it was of no benefit to them. This forced knowledge and submission are referred to in On that day, Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah is the manifest truth (). The beginning of the verse speaks of their submission because it is the true religion, as stated in Indeed, the religion with Allah is submission (), and the end of the verse speaks of the revelation of truth to them and the manifestation of reality.
The verse under discussion, They will submit to Allah on that day, and what they used to fabricate will forsake them, its first part hints at their submission and its end indicates that this submission is out of compulsion and will not benefit them. They used to believe in the divinity of God and their associates, preferring the submission and worship of their associates over submission to God. When the truth became apparent to them on the Day of Judgment and their associates denied them, what they claimed was invalidated and vanished, leaving only God Almighty, to whom they submitted reluctantly and under compulsion.
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَاهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يُفْسِدُونَ ٨٨
(16:88) Those who are faithless and bar from the way of Allah—We shall add punishment (al-adhāb) to their punishment because of the corruption they used to cause.
This verse again specifically addresses the situation of the leaders of disbelief, following the mention of the general state of all oppressors and polytheists in the previous verses.
When the listener hears what God has described about their state on the Day of Judgment in these verses, where they are all punished without any relief or postponement, and has heard that among them is a group who are more disbelieving and wretched than others, as indicated by “And most of them are disbelievers,” it naturally raises the question whether they will suffer the same punishment as others, given that their cause, disbelief, is more severe.
To answer this, the discourse is resumed: Those who disbelieved and obstructed the way of Allah through stubbornness and obstinacy, thereby completing their disbelief and leading others to follow them, will receive an additional punishment specifically for obstructing the path of God, in addition to the punishment common to all oppressors and disbelievers. The definite article in “punishment” (al-adhāb) refers back to what was mentioned in And when the wrongdoers sight the punishment, explaining the reason for the increased punishment.
Thus, the “corruption” referred to here is primarily the act of preventing others from following the way of God. According to another explanation, it is the corruption caused on Earth by their preventing the establishment of a righteous society that would have emerged had those diverted individuals embraced God’s religion and followed His path.
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَى هَؤُلاء وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ ٨٩
(16:89) The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a witness against these. We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit.
This is a repetition of a similar phrase a few verses earlier, but with different contexts. Earlier, it served as a prelude to the discussion about the disbeliever’s inability to speak on that Day, while here it provides a prelude to the mention of the Prophet’s testimony against them. In both contexts, the phrase serves a purpose beyond itself.
This verse indicates that a single individual will be resurrected in each nation to testify against others’ deeds. This resurrection for testimony is different from the resurrection for accountability. The witness is from among the people themselves, ensuring a more conclusive argument and leaving no room for excuses. Commentators, noting instances like Prophet Lot’s testimony against his people, despite not being related to them, explained it by his association and residence with them, counting him as one of them.
The phrase, We shall bring you as a witness against these, implies that the Prophet Muḥammad is a witness against his own people. Scholars have inferred that “these” refers to his nation and all of humanity to whom he was sent, from his era to the Day of Judgment. This includes his contemporaries and those who came after, both present and absent. Everyone falls within his nation, and he is a witness over them all. The verses about his testimony are among the most complex and challenging aspects of the Qur’anic verses related to the Day of Judgment. In fact, all verses pertaining to the Day of Judgment contain complexities and challenges, and the concept of testimony has been discussed in the context of the verse That you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger be a witness over you ().
Before delving into the topic of testimony and other matters described for the Day of Judgment, such as the gathering, standing, questioning, the scale, and the reckoning, it is essential to understand that these are presented in God’s discourse as evidences established against humanity on that Day. They serve to confirm each person’s deeds, whether good or evil, and to make a final judgment, leading to either happiness or misery, paradise or hell. This is a clear inference from the verses of the Qur’an that describe the events and scenarios of that Day.
This principle necessitates that there be a real and clear relationship between these evidences, their components, and their outcomes so that the intellect is compelled to acknowledge and accept them, leaving no room for any person with common sense to refute or doubt them.
Therefore, the testimony established by God must inherently contain undeniable truth. Even if God commanded the most wretched person to testify against everyone, from the earliest to the latest, whether through the witness’s own volition or God creating the testimony without the witness’s intent, or even if God made the witness testify without having directly experienced or observed these deeds but rather based on divine information or angelic instruction, it would not exceed His omnipotence or the scope of His will. No one could dispute His sovereignty, counter His judgment, or overpower His decree.
However, such a testimony, if based on compulsion or fabrication, would not be a perfect piece of evidence, as it would not conclusively refute excuses or dispel doubts. It would be akin to the arbitrary judgments found among human tyrants, far removed from truth and reality. How can such contrived piece of evidence have any validity on a Day when only truth and reality will prevail?
Thus, it is imperative that this witness on the Day of Judgement be divinely protected from falsehood and have no need to resort to guesswork, fully aware of the true nature of the actions to which they are testifying, not just in the sense of their outward physical forms but also their actual significance as conceived in the hearts. The witness should treat those present and absent equally, as previously mentioned in the interpretation of the verse from Sūrah Al-Baqarah.
It is also necessary that their testimony be based on direct observation, as the apparent meaning of the term “witness” suggests. This is also evident from the phrase “from among themselves” in the verse under discussion, indicating that the testimony should not rely on rational or transmitted evidence but on direct observation and sensory perception. This is supported by the account of Jesus in the Qur’an, which states: I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are Witness to all things (). This explanation harmonizes the content of the two verses, as one says: And the day We will raise in every nation a witness against them from themselves, and We bring you (Muḥammad) as a witness against these (), and the other states: Thus We have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you ().
The apparent meaning of the verse in al-Baqarah is that between Prophet Muḥammad and the people he was sent to—all humanity from his time until the Day of Judgment—there are witnesses who testify about their deeds, and Prophet Muḥammad is a witness over these witnesses, with his testimony about the deeds of other people being through these witnesses.
It cannot be assumed that the “just community” refers only to believers and “the people” to the rest of humanity, as the previous verse in the same Surah states: And the day We will raise from every nation a witness, then it will not be permitted to those who disbelieve... (), suggesting that even the disbelievers are part of the witnessed community.
This implies that the word “nation” in the verse under discussion refers to the community of a particular era, witnessed by one of their own. By this account, the “nation” to which Prophet Muḥammad was sent is divided into many communities.
Consequently, the “witness” must be someone endowed with divine infallibility and sent to observe his people, as previously mentioned. The phrase “from among themselves” supports this, as without direct observation, the phrase would lose its significance. There is no necessity for multiple witnesses, so each community should have their own witness, whether that witness is their prophet or someone else. There is no correlation between being a witness and being a prophet, as also indicated by the verse: And (He will bring forth) the prophets and the witnesses... ().
Therefore, based on this explanation, the term “these” in the verse We shall bring you as a witness against these, refers to the witnesses, not the general population. Thus, the witnesses are those who testify about the people, and the Prophet Muḥammad is a witness over these witnesses. The apparent nature of witnessing over a witness is to verify them, not to observe their deeds. Hence, the Prophet is a witness over the status of these witnesses, not their actions. This means it is not necessary for the Prophet to be contemporaneous with all these witnesses or to be united with them in time, so reflect.
Frankly, if this interpretation is not applied to the verse, the discrepancy and conflict among the verses regarding witnessing on the Day of Resurrection remain unresolved. For instance, the verse in Sūrah al-Baqarah and the verse, So that the Messenger will be a witness over you, and you will be witnesses over the people (), suggests that “nation” in the present verse refers to the believers, whereas other verses imply that the term “nation” includes all people of an era. The two verses cited from al-Baqarah indicate that Prophet Muḥammad is a witness over other witnesses, implying that other witnesses stand between him and the people. In contrast, other verses suggest that each people are assigned a single witness, their prophet, which renders the phrase “from among themselves” redundant, as the prophet of each people is not always contemporaneous with them, and the witnessing is not of the living. This leads to several other complications.
We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification (tibyān) of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit—This passage is considered an independent statement unrelated to its predecessor in the verse; it describes the Qur’an with its distinctive attributes. One general attribute is that it is a “clarification of all things.” Tibyān, as stated, means “clarification.” Since the Qur’an is a book of guidance for all people, serving no other purpose, “of all things” apparently refers to all matters related to guidance, such as true knowledge about the origin and end of the cosmos, virtuous ethics, divine laws, pious stories, and the moral admonitions necessary for people’s guidance. The Qur’an clarifies all of these (not implying it clarifies all fields of human knowledge). A specific attribute related to Muslims, who have agreed to submit to the truth, is that it is guidance leading them to the straight path, mercy from God guiding them to worldly and heavenly goodness, and leading to God’s reward and approval, and good news promising them forgiveness, divine satisfaction, and eternal bliss in God’s paradises.
This is what the commentators have said about this verse, and it holds true if the intended meaning of the word tibyān is the usual and customary expression, namely, conveying intentions through speech and lexical meanings. The Qur’an, through its lexical signification, does not go beyond what has been mentioned. However, in some traditions, it is stated that the Qur’an is the tibyān of everything, encompassing knowledge of what was, what is, and what will be until the Day of Judgment. If these traditions are correct, it implies that tibyān is broader than just the lexical meaning of its words. Of course, it is not far-fetched that the Qur’an contains indications and matters revealing secrets and hidden truths that ordinary and conventional understanding cannot grasp.
It appears, from the context of these verses that argue for the three fundamental principles of monotheism, prophethood, and resurrection, that the phrase We have sent down the Book is not a new statement. Rather, it is a circumstantial clause related to the pronoun in We shall bring you as a witness. However, We shall bring you as a witness begins with the perfect tense verb jiʾna, and there is a disagreement among grammarians about the circumstantial clause beginning with a perfect tense verb. Therefore, some say there is an implicit qad before jiʾna, which would render it past perfect (that is, “We will have brought you as a witness”).
Therefore, the meaning is: “And We have made you, Muḥammad, a witness over these people, while We had already revealed to you the Book in the world as an explanation for everything regarding guidance. It distinguishes truth from falsehood so that you bear the responsibility of witnessing their deeds and thus testify on the Day of Judgment against the oppressors for their oppression, and for the Muslims for their submission, because the Book was a guidance, a mercy, and good news for them, and you were by virtue of that a guide, a mercy, and a bearer of glad tidings for them.”
Thus, the beginning of the verse serves as a prelude to its end. Is is as if to say: “Witnesses will be brought to testify against people for their deeds, and you are among them. Therefore, We revealed to you a Book that clarifies truth and falsehood and distinguishes between them, so you may testify on the Day of Judgment against the oppressors for their oppression, as the Book has clarified, and for the Muslims for their submission, as the Book was guidance, mercy, and good news for them, and you were a guide, a mercy, and a bearer of glad tidings for them.”
A subtle point supporting this reading of the verb is the association of the Book with testimony in some of the verses about testimony, such as the verse: And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the Book will be set in place, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought (). It will be shown, God willing, that the reference here is to the Preserved Tablet, and it has been repeatedly mentioned in God’s discourse that the Qur’an is a part of the Preserved Tablet, as stated in: Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an in a hidden Book (), and But it is actually a glorious Qur’an in a Preserved Tablet ().
The testimony of the Preserved Tablet, although different from the testimony of the Prophet Muḥammad, both ultimately depend on the decree of the revealed Book.
Examining Narrations
- In al-Durr al-Manthūr, al-Suyūṭī relates that Ibn Abī Ḥātim narrated from Mujāhid that: “A Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked for something. The Prophet recited to him the verse: It is Allah who has made for you your homes as a place of rest (). The Bedouin said, ‘Yes.’ The Prophet continued to recite, and the Bedouin affirmed each time until they reached the verse: That is how He completes His blessing upon you so that you may submit (). Upon hearing this, the Bedouin turned his back and left. Consequently, the following verse was revealed: They recognize the blessing of Allah and then deny it, and most of them are faithless ().
- In Tafsīr al-Burhān, it is narrated from Ibn Shahr Āshūb from Imam al-Bāqir regarding the verse: They recognize the blessing of Allah and then deny it (). He said: “They were made aware of and commanded to follow ʿAlī’s guardianship (wilāyah), but after his passing, they denied it.”
Author’s comment: This narration is an example of applying a specific instance to a general principle, suggesting that Ali’s guardianship was one of God’s favors that was recognized and then denied.
- In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, it is narrated from Jaʿfar b. Aḥmad, from al-Tarkī al-Nīshābūrī, from ʿAlī b. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad, from his brother Musa b. Jaʿfar that when asked about this verse (), he said: “They recognized that favor and then denied it.”
- In Tafsīr Al-Qummī, concerning the verse, The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves (), it is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq: “For every era and nation there is a witness, and every nation will be resurrected with its Imam.”
Author’s comment: This aligns with the verse On the day when We will call every people with their Imam ().
- In al-Durr al-Manthūr, it is reported by ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn Mundhir, and Ibn Abī Ḥātim from Qatāda: “God stated: We shall bring you as a witness against these (), and it is narrated that whenever the Prophet Muḥammad recited this verse, his eyes would overflow with tears.”
There are many such narrations about the testimony on the Day of Resurrection. Some of them are mentioned, concerning the verse, And thus We have made you a just community... (), and others under, And We have brought you, as a witness over your nation... () and the verse, And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them ().
- In al-Durr al-Manthūr, it is reported that Ibn Mardawayh and al-Khaṭīb in the book Tālī al-Talkhīṣ, who narrate from al-Barrāʾ that someone asked the Prophet Muḥammad about the verse: We will increase them in punishment over punishment (). The Prophet replied: “These are scorpions resembling tall date palms that will sting them in Hell.”
The following narrations discuss the meaning of the Qur’an being a clarification of all things ():
- In al-Kāfī, it is narrated from ʿAbd al-Aʿlā b. Aʿyan that he heard Imam al-Ṣādiq say: “We are born from the Messenger of God, and at our birth, we know the Book of God. This Book contains the beginning of creation and all that will happen until the Day of Resurrection. It includes news of the heavens and the earth, news of Paradise and Hell, and information about everything that has occurred and will occur. I know all of this as well as I see the palm of my hand because God Almighty has said: ‘In this Book is the clarification of everything.’”
Author’s comment: The verse is cited here in its meaning in this narration.
- In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, it is narrated from Manṣūr from Ḥammād al-Laḥḥām that he said: Imam al-Ṣādiq stated: “We know what is in the heavens and what is on the earth, what is in Paradise and what is in Hell, and everything in between.” Ḥammād said: “I looked at the Imam in astonishment, and he said: ‘Oh Hammad, this is indeed in the Book of God Almighty.’ Then he recited this verse: The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a witness against these. We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit (). All that we have said is in a Book that is a clarification of everything.”
- In al-Kāfī, it is narrated from a group of our companions, the Shīʿa, including Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Sinān, Yūnus b. Yaʿqūb, Ḥārith b. Mughīrah, and others such as ʿAbd al-Aʿlā, Abū ʿUbaydah, and ʿAbdullah b. Bashīr al-Khathʿamī, who all said: “We heard from Imam al-Ṣādiq who stated: ‘I indeed know what is in the heavens and what is on the earth. I know what is in Paradise and what is in the Hellfire. I know what has happened until now and what will happen until the Day of Resurrection.’ Then he paused for a moment, realizing the listeners were amazed and found it hard to believe. He said, ‘I know all of these from the Book of God, the Almighty, because God Almighty says about His Book: It is a clarification of all things.’”
- In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, it is narrated from ʿAbdullah b. Walid who said: “Imam al-Ṣādiq stated: ‘God Almighty said about Moses: And We wrote for him on the tablets of all things (), and we understand that not everything was written for Moses, but rather a portion of all things. And about Jesus, it is said: That I may make clear to you some of that over which you differ (). And regarding Muḥammad, it is said: The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a witness against these ().”
Author’s comment: This narration has also been reported by al-ʿAyyāshī with his own chain of narrators from Imam al-Ṣādiq.