Verses 101–111
These verses compare the Qur’an as the Prophet’s miracle, the polytheist’s aversion to it, and their request for other unreasonable signs to the signs of prophethood that Moses brought, Pharaoh’s aversion to them, and his accusation of Moses as one who is bewitched. Then again the verses talk about the Qur’an, why it was revealed in pieces, and some other points with regard to the Book.
Commentary
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ ءَايَـٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَـٰتٍ ۖ فَسْـَٔلْ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُۥ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا ١٠١
(17:101) And certainly We gave Moses nine clear signs; so ask the children of Israel. When he came to them, Pharaoh said to him: Most surely I deem you, O Moses, to be a man bewitched.
The signs that Moses was given and are discussed in the Qur’an were more than nine, but nine of them that are mentioned in the Qur’an were part of his message to Pharaoh. They were: the cane, the hand, the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, the blood, the droughts, and diminution of fruits. Apparently these are the nine signs mentioned in this verse, especially given what Moses tells Pharaoh in the next verse: “Truly you know that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent down these as clear proof” (). The verse does not include the other signs and miracles such as the splitting of the sea, the splitting of the rock, bringing the murdered person back to life by means of a cow, bringing back to life those of his people who had been overtaken by the quake, and elevating the mountain above them.
This does not contradict the gradual appearance of these signs, because what is meant in this verse is an overview of the conflict between Moses and Pharaoh throughout his mission. Therefore one should disregard the view of some exegetes who have interpreted these signs differently, claiming that there is no evidence for the interpretation that we provided above.
In the Torah the nine signs are: the cane, the blood, the frogs, the lice, the death of animals, a cold that killed every plant and animal that it stroke like fire, the locusts, the darkness, and the death of all first-borns of mankind and the first-borns of all animals.
Perhaps it is because of this discrepancy between the Qur’an and the Torah that the verse has not identified these nine signs in detail, so that it would command the Prophet to “ask the children of Israel” (). Otherwise, the Jews would not have confirmed the Qur’an if it were to oppose their Book, but they would have denied and rejected God’s Book.
…Most surely I deem you, O Moses, to be a man bewitched (masḥūran): That is: You have been bewitched and thus you are out of your mind. This is similar to another statement narrated from him [Pharaoh] elsewhere in the Qur’an: Most surely your messenger who is sent to you is mad (). Some have said that masḥūr here (lit. “bewitched”) means sāḥir (sorcerer, wizard), like maymūn and mashʾūm that mean yāmin and shāʾim (auspicious and inauspicious, respectively), where what is originally meant by these terms is the root meaning in the form fāʿil (subject) [although it is mentioned in the form maf ʿūl: object]. The meaning of the verse is clear.
قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ وَإِنِّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يَـٰفِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا ١٠٢
(17:102) He said: Truly you know that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent down these as clear proof and most surely I believe you (la-aẓunnuka, from ẓann), O Pharaoh, to be given over to perdition (mathbūran).
Mathbūr means hālik (destroyed, lost). It is derived from thubūr, meaning halāk (death, loss). The implied meaning is: Moses told Pharaoh: You know, O Pharaoh, that these clear signs have not been sent by anyone except the Lord of the heavens and the earth. He has sent them as clear proof by which people can see and distinguish truth from falsehood. But I believe, O Pharaoh, that you will end up being destroyed due to your denial and defiance.
There are a few possible explanations for why he used the word ẓann (suppose, guess, think): 1. because it is up to God to decide about one’s predition; 2. in order to comply with and counter what Pharaoh said: “I deem you (la-aẓunnuka, from ẓanna), O Moses” (); 3. ẓann is sometimes used to mean certainty (yaqīn).
فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعًا ١٠٣
(17:103) So he desired to derive them (yastafizzahum, from istifzāz) out of the land, but We drowned him and those with him all together.
Istifzāz means to push and derive away by force. The meaning of the verse is clear.
وَقُلْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ لِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱسْكُنُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا ١٠٤
(17:104) And We said to the Israelites after him: Dwell in the land: and when (fa-idhā) the promise of the next life (waʿd al-ākhirah) shall come to pass, We will bring you all together (lafīfan) [in judgment].
“The land” in which they were ordered to dwell is the holy land that God wrote for them as per His words: Enter the holy land which Allah has prescribed for you (), and so on. “The earth” in the previous verse [] meant the earth in general, or the land of Egypt based on the context. Waʿd al-ākhirah means the promise of the second return or the second life, which means—according to the exegetes—the Day of Resurrection. Lafīfan means all gathered together and intertwined.
The implied meaning is: Once We drowned Pharaoh, We told the Children of Israel to settle in the holy land, whereas Pharaoh wanted to expel them from the earth. Then, when the Day of Resurrection comes, We will bring you all gathered in a place for judgment and settlement of disputes.
Although most exegetes have not talked about this possibility, it is quite likely that what is meant by waʿd al-ākhirah (lit. “the promise of the next”; that is, “the next promise”) is what God mentioned at the beginning of the chapter about what He decreed for the Israelites: So when the second promise (waʿd al-ākhirah) came that they may bring you to grief and that they may enter the mosque as they entered it the first time, and that they might destroy whatever they gained ascendancy over with utter destruction (). This is a way of wrapping up the discussion as it connects the end of the chapter to its beginning. Then the implied meaning would be: Once We drowned Pharaoh, We commanded them to settle in the holy land and stay there until the second promise comes to you, whereby you will be intertwined by killing, captivation and exile. That is when We will gather you and bring you as an intertwined group—referring to their captivity and exile to Babylonia.
The letter fāʾ (lit. “then” or “so”) in fa-idhā (“and when,” “so when,” “then when”) indicates that what is said next is a consequence of what was said before (tafrīʿ). The usage of this letter here makes sense based on the second meaning [where waʿd al-ākhirah refers to verse ] but not with the first [where waʿd al-ākhirah means the Day of Resurrection]. This is evident.
وَبِٱلْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ وَبِٱلْحَقِّ نَزَلَ ۗ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا ١٠٥
(17:105) And with truth have We revealed it, and with truth did it come; and We have not sent you but as the giver of good news and as a warner.
After finishing the above analogy [between the Prophets Muḥammad and Moses] this verse goes back to the previous discussion about the Qur’an and its attributes. It says here that He sent it down accompanied by the truth. Since it has come from Him accompanied by the truth, it is secure from all falsehood from the sender’s side. Thus, it is not vain and futile talk; there is nothing in it that can corrupt it some day; and it has no co-authors who may abrogate it some time later on. Furthermore, the Prophet is but a messenger from Him that gives good news and warning by the means of the Qur’an. It is not up to him to manipulate the Book by addition or omission, and he cannot drop part or all of it due to the request of the people or his own desire. It is not up to him to let go of this Book and ask God for another sign that he or his people desire. It is not up to him to make a compromise with them about the Qur’an or exempt them from some of its laws and teachings. All of these are because it is the word of truth that has emanated from a source of truth; “And what is there after the truth but error?” ().
Based on the above explanation, “We have not sent you…” is a continuation of the beginning of the verse. The verse is essentially saying that the Qur’an is a true sign and no one has the right to manipulate it in any way whatsoever, whether that is the Prophet or someone else
وَقُرْءَانًا فَرَقْنَـٰهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَـٰهُ تَنزِيلًا ١٠٦
(17:106) And it is a Qur’an which We have revealed in portions (faraqnāhu) so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees (mukthin), and We have revealed it, revealing in portions.
The “and” at the beginning of this verse connects it to the previous verse. That is: We have revealed it by the truth and We have revealed it as a Qur’an (lit. “recitation”) in portions.
Majmaʿ al-bayān says:
Faraqnāhu means faṣṣalnāhu (“We have differentiated it”). That is, We have revealed it verse by verse and chapter by chapter. This is confirmed by what is said next: “by slow degrees” (ʿalā mukthin). Mukth and makth have the same meaning (to pause, to tarry).
The verse by itself includes the idea that the original and transcendent form of Qur’anic teachings that are with God descend in the form of words and phrases that cannot be received by the people and imparted to them but gradually, slowly and piece-by-piece, so that they can easily understand and absorb it. This meaning would be similar to His words: Surely We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you may understand. And surely it is in the original of the Book with Us, truly elevated, full of wisdom ().
The verses of the Qur’an are separated in portions and revealed verse by verse and chapter by chapter so that the people may gradually develop the capacity to absorb the root beliefs that they should believe in, and the practical branches that they should perform. This gradual descent of the teachings and rulings serves the purpose of keeping knowledge hand-inhand with practice, and prevents the people’s natures from being overdosed by the entire Book at once. The Torah was revealed in one shot but the Jews did not readily accept it—except after the mountain was raised over them like a covering.
However, given the context of the previous verses—such as what was narrated from the polytheists: until you bring down to us a book which we may read ()—it is more appropriate to say that this verse relates to the polytheists’ request for the Qur’an to be sent down all at once. Therefore, what is meant by the differentiation of the Qur’an is the gradual and separated revelation of its verses and chapters according to the circumstances of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl). The people’s request for the Qur’an to be brought in one piece is seen in a few places; for example: And those who disbelieve say: Why has not the Qur’an been revealed to him all at once? (). Similarly, it is narrated from the People of the Book: The followers of the Book ask you to bring down to them a book from heaven ().
The subsequent part of the verse confirms this: and We have revealed it, revealing in portions (nazzalnāhu tanzīlan) (), because tanzīl means sending something down gradually. This complies more with the second aspect than the first.
Yet, the second aspect implicates the first. The idea that the Qur’an is differentiated and separated in terms of being revealed in portions as opposed to being revealed all at once (the second aspect) necessitates that its many teachings and rulings are differentiated and separated after their initial inclusion in a single concentrated essence and one encompassing reality (the first aspect).
That is why God has differentiated His Book into chapters and verses after He dressed it in Arabic language so that the people may understand it: that you may understand (). He ordered and sorted it into verses and chapters, and descended them one after another as they were needed, according to the people’s various capacities and their readiness to receive each of these portions. This was done over the full twenty-three years [of the Prophet’s mission] so that teaching may go hand-in-hand with training, and knowledge with practice.
We will return to a few other points concerning this verse and this chapter in a separate discussion later on, if God wills.
قُلْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا ١٠٧
(17:107) Say: Believe in it or believe not; surely those who are given the knowledge before it fall down on their faces, making obeisance when it is recited to them.
“Those who are given the knowledge before it” include anyone who had knowledge of God and His communications before the revelation of the Qur’an, whether they were Jews, Christians or others. Therefore there is no reason to limit the meaning to only one group, unless one says that the context of the verse implies that these people were subscribers to the truth, meaning a non-abrogated religion, which at the time was Christianity. Based on this aspect, it could be said that the verse is about Christian scholars who were followers of the truth without any deviation or distortion.
Either way, what is meant by them “having been given knowledge before it” is that they have been prepared for understanding and accepting the word of truth because they have been equipped by knowledge in the true sense of it, and because of the humility that their knowledge has brought about for them. That is why when the Qur’an is recited to them it adds to their humility.
…fall down (yakhirrūna, from khurūr) on their faces (lil-adhqān), making obeisance…: Adhqān is the plural of dhiqn, meaning chin. Khurūr on the chins means falling down on the ground in prostration, as it has been clarified by the addition of “making obeisance.” The verse has mentioned chins because the chin is the closest part to the ground when one falls in prostration. It has also been said that what is meant by “chin” here is the entire face, as sometimes a whole is referred to by the name of a part of it by metonymy.
وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا ١٠٨
(17:108) And they say: Glory be to our Lord! most surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled.
They glorify God of every imperfection, especially of breaking His promise. Based on the context of the previous verses, God’s “promise” here specifically concerns the resurrection, and what is said here is the opposite of the polytheists’ insistence in denying the resurrection and rejecting the hereafter, as it was repeatedly discussed in the previous verses.
وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ۩ ١٠٩
(17:109) And they fall down on their faces weeping, and it adds to their humility (khushūʿan).
Repeating “they fall down on their faces” and adding “weeping” show their khuḍūʿ, which is outward humility and submissiveness by the body. Likewise, the second sentence [that is, “and it adds to their humility”] shows their khushūʿ, which is inward humility and submissiveness of the heart. Overall, the verse is saying that they are humble both outwardly and inwardly.
This verse affirms one of the qualities of the believers for them which was mentioned before: And We reveal of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers (), and it negates one of the qualities of the polytheists about them which is the denial of resurrection.
These three verses [] serve to say that the Qur’an is needless of their [the polytheists’] belief. Not because the Qur’an has any need for someone to believe in it and that need is fulfilled by the belief of “those who are given the knowledge before it,” but rather their belief is evidence that the Qur’an is a true book that has been revealed by the truth. The Qur’an’s reality and perfection do not hinge upon the belief of any believer or the confirmation of any attestant. Thus, if they believe in it, it is to their own advantage; and if they reject it, it is to their own disadvantage—not the Qur’an’s.
In the previous verses He talked about their aversion to the Qur’an, their rejection of it, their negligence of it as a sign, and their request for other signs. Then He discussed its qualities of perfection, what makes it a miracle in terms of language and content, its immense impact on the souls, and how it has been sent down. These have made it more than clear that this is a true book that is not overcome by any falsehood or corruption whatsoever. Then in these verses He clarifies that this Book is needless of their faith; hence it is up to them to choose whether they want to believe or disbelieve.
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا۟ فَلَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَٱبْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا ١١٠
(17:110) Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent (al-Raḥmān); whichever you call upon, He has the best names; and do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice nor be silent with regard to it, and seek a way between these.
“Or” indicates the equality or the permissibility of the two sides. Allah and al-Raḥmān here are two names (sing. ism) that signify a meaning or “that which is named (musammā) but they are not [the reality and essence of] the musammā itself. The implied meaning is: Call by the name Allah or by the name al-Raḥmān, either way you are calling Him.
…whichever (ayyan mā) you call upon (tadʿū)…: This is a conditional clause (sharṭ) where particle mā is for emphasis, as in: Thus it is due to (fa-bimā) mercy from Allah that you deal with them gently (), and: In a little while (ʿammā qalīlin) they will most certainly be repenting (). Ayyan is a conditional conjunction and it is the object of tadʿū (“you call upon”).
…He has the best names…: This is the complement of the above conditional clause. It states the cause but intends its effect. The implied meaning is: Whichever of the two names that you call upon is a best name for Him because all best names belong to Him. Some of the names that signify named realities are good names that signify a good quality in their object of reference, and some of them are evil names that signify an evil quality. However, there is no evil in God. As with good names, they are sometimes “best” (aḥsan, ḥusnā) and sometimes “good” (ḥasan). The best names signifies good qualities that have no mix of deficiency or evil in them, such as richness without any need, life without any death, dominance without any defeat. The good names signify qualities that are dominantly good but not purely good. God has the best names, meaning any name that signifies the best, highest and purest level of its meaning. This is what is meant when the Imams say, “Indeed God is Rich but not like rich people, Living but not like the living beings, Mighty but not like mighty individuals, Omniscient but not like the scholars, and so on.” In other words, He possesses the pure and sheer reality of every perfection without any mix of its opposite.
The pronoun “He” in “He has the best names” () refers to God’s Essence which is above every name and description. It does not refer to either of the two names Allah and al-Raḥmān, because as we said above, what is meant by these two here is a name that signifies a superior meaning, not the superior meaning and essence that is signified by them. Therefore, the verse is not saying: “Whichever of the two names that you call, then that name has all of the best names; that is, the rest of the best names fall under it.” Instead, it is saying: “Whichever of His names that you call, it is permissible, because they are all His names. These are all the best names, and to Him belong all best names. These names are the way to call Him; calling upon these names is calling upon Him, because these are His names, and a name is a title and mirror that points to the intended meaning.” Contemplate this.
This is one of the cardinal verses of the Qur’an that elucidates how the Qur’an views of the unity of God’s Essence and monotheism in worship differs from what is found in idolatry, which is the unity of God’s Essence and polytheism in worship.
Idolatry—as we presented a discussion of it in vol. 10 [vol. 20 of the Eng. translation]—views God as an essence that is transcendental to every definition and quality, but is then determined into one name after another, a process that is called generation (tawallud). It views the angels and the jinn as outstanding representatives of His names. They are His “children” that influence the universe. Also, those who want to worship God and turn their attention to Him cannot go beyond the level of His names which are represented by His children. This is because what we worship is either the Worshipped One (al-Il āh), the Creator (al-Khāliq), the sustainer (al-Rāziq), the Life-Giver (al-Muḥyī), the Death-Giver (al-Mumīt), and so on. All of these are names, and these names are manifested in God’s children which are the angels and the jinn. As with His Transcendent Essence, it is far higher than the reach of any sense, imagination or intellect, and above being the object of anyone’s attention, aspiration, worship or offering.
Given the above, when the idolaters wanted to call upon any name [to appeal to its role in the universe and seek its blessings], they would worship that particular name, which would be the worship of the corresponding angel or jinn which reflects that name. That angel or jinn is the worshipped god through that act of worship. That is why they have multiple gods, for they have different calls for different needs. It is based on this mentality that when some of the polytheists heard the Prophet supplicate to God in his prayer by saying , “O Allah, O Raḥmān” they said, “Look at this Sabean! He forbids us from worshipping two gods but he is calling two gods himself.”
This noble verse rejects this view and identifies their mistake by saying that these names are the best names that all belong to Him. They are all possessed by Him alone without any independence or separation from Him, neither in their essence nor in any of their properties and attributes. These names are nothing but means [to His Essence]; calling them is calling Him; and turning one’s attention to them is turning one’s attention to Him. After all, how can a name block the intended meanings when the very role of a name is to show and signify the meaning and reflects it to the others? Therefore, calling multiple names does not contradict monotheism in worship. Likewise, it is impossible for worship to end with a name without going beyond it.
This shows the error in counting God’s names or their representative angels and jinn as His children. The problem is that calling something a son or child—whether that is a literal ascription or an honorific one— hinges on some similarity and commonality between the child and the parent, or the son and the father—either in their very reality and essence or in one of their qualities and perfections. However, God’s precinct is clear from the association of anything else in His Essence or in any of His perfections, because not only does He possess what belongs to Him, but He is also the real owner of anything that belongs to other than Him.
The same problem applies to their ascription of various influences and manipulations in the universe to these angels and the names that they represent. The problem is that these angels and names do not possess anything for themselves. They are not independent of Him in anything. Nay! they are honored servants. They do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to His commandment do they act (). The same is true about the jinn and what they do. Overall, God is the One Who has given power to all means and causes that work in the universe. He is the possessor of what He has bestowed on them and He has power over what He has given them power over it.
This is inferred from the next verse: And say: (All) praise is due to Allah, Who has not taken a son and Who has not a partner in the kingdom, and Who has not a guardian to save Him from disgrace (). We shall discuss it again below by God’s will.
This verse also shows that the name Allāh—which is one of the best names—was originally al-ilāh, which is an attribute (waṣf, ṣifah) that signifies the meaning of being worshipped. However, it has then become a proper noun due to its repeated usage as a name, such that now it is qualified by attributes [as a noun]. For instance we say, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful” but we do not say, “In the name of al-Raḥmān, Allah, the Merciful” (bism al-Raḥmān Allāh al-Raḥīm).
…and do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice (lā tajhar, from jahr) nor be silent (lā tukhāfit, from ikhfāt) with regard to it, and seek a way between these: Jahr (loud) and ikhfāt (soft) are two correlative qualities for voice. One can also assume a third quality in between them that would count as ikhfāt relative to jahr, and jahr relative to ikhfāt. Then jahr would be a very high-pitched voice, ikhfāt would be a very low-pitched one, and in between there will be a moderate pitch. The implied meaning is: When you pray, neither raise your voice too high nor keep it too low, but follow a balanced middle course between the two . The verse refers to this as a “way” (sabīl) because it is a custom that is followed by the Prophet and the believers in his nation who follow him.
The above is based on “your prayer” meaning all prayers; that is, each and every prayer. However, it could be that it means all prayers overall, and this meaning is perhaps more apparent. Then the meaning would be: Do not raise your voice in all of your prayers, nor keep it low in all of them, but follow a middle course, meaning raise your voice in some and keep it low in others. This is more compliant with what is recorded in the Prophet’s tradition: raising the voice in some of the obligatory daily prayers such as the Morning, the Sunset and the Evening Prayers, and keeping it low in the rest.
This second interpretation is arguably a better way of linking the two first and second halves of the verse. Praying with a high pitch suggest God’s attribute of being Supreme and Exalted, while praying with a low pitch suggests His attribute of being Close, Closer than the jugular vein. Therefore combining both attributes in the prayers is a way of doing justice to all of His names.
وَقُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًۢا ١١١
(17:111) And say: (All) praise is due to Allah, Who has not taken a son and Who has not a partner in the kingdom, and Who has not a guardian to save Him from disgrace; and proclaim His greatness magnifying (Him).
This adds to what was said in the previous verse: Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent (). The verse is essentially saying: Tell them that the names that they call upon and suppose to be gods besides Him are only His names and belong to Him. They do not themselves, let alone anything else. Thus, calling these names is calling Him; He is the only Worshipped Being in all circumstances.
Then praise and extol Him for the implications of His absolute sovereignty. There is nothing like Him in terms of essence or attribute, which entails that nothing can be held as His son that has spawned from His essence or attribute, contrary to the belief of the polytheists and the People of the Book—including the Christians, the Jews and the Magians—about the angels, the jinn, Christ, Ezra (ʿUzayr) or their scholars. Neither does He have any partner that has not emerged from Him but has a share in His kingdom, as it was held by the polytheists, the dualists and others such as devil-worshippers. Nor does He have a guardian that takes part in His kingdom and has superiority over Him such that he would fix what He is unable to fix in His kingdom.
In other words, there is nothing like Him, whether that is a child that would be under Him, a partner that would be equal to Him, or a guardian that would be above Him in His kingdom.
The verse effectively praises God for His absolute sovereignty, a result of which is the negation of sons, partners and guardians. It is for this reason that He has ordered the Prophet to do praise (taḥmīd) instead of glorification (tasbīḥ) even though the verse talks about the lack of sons, partners and guardians, which is a negative attribute and befits glorification more so than praise. Contemplate this.
God then finishes the verse by saying: and proclaim His greatness magnifying (Him) (). This unconditional command is made after describing His positive and negative attributes [by the praise and glorification in the previous part of the verse], which implies that God should be held greater than every description. That is why “God is greater” (Allāhu akbar) has been interpreted as “He is greater than being described,” as narrated from al-Ṣādiq. If it meant that “He is greater than everything” then that would have involved some element of associating others with Him in greatness. However, His precinct is far superior than anything associating with Him in any matter.
An elegant point in this chapter is that its first verse starts with glorification and its last verse starts with praise and ends with magnification.
Examining Narrations
(1) It is narrated that ʿAlī recited verse as: “Truly I know…” and said: By God the enemy of God [that is, Pharaoh] did not know, but Moses was the one who knew.
Author’s comment: The above is narrated as ʿAlī’s recitation.
(2) Imam al-Ṣādiq was asked about one who cannot prostrate by his forehead because of some illness. He said: He should place his chin on the earth. Indeed God says: They fall down on their faces, making obeisance ().
Author’s comment: There are also other narrations to this effect.
(3) Ibn ʿAbbās said: One day the Messenger of God prayed in Mecca and supplicated to God where he said, “O Allāh, O Raḥmān.” Then the polytheists said, “Look at this Sabean [that is, pagan]! He forbids us from worshipping two gods but he is calling two gods himself.” That is when God revealed: Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent God… ().
Author’s comment: There are also other narrations that state other causes and contexts for the revelation of this verse, however this narration matches the content of the verse the best.
(4) Hishām b. al-Ḥakam said: I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq about the names of God and their roots of derivation. I asked him, “What is Allāh derived from?” He said, “O Hishām, Allāh is derived from Ilāh, and [the name] Ilāh necessitates a worshipped being [in the external world], for the ism (name) is different from the musammā (the meaning and reality that the name signifies). If one worships only the name but not the meaning, then he has disbelieved and has not worshipped anything. If one worships both the name and the meaning, then he has disbelieved and has worshipped two gods. If one worships only the meaning but not the name, then that is monotheism. Did you get that O Hishām?” I said, “Tell me more!” He continued, “Indeed God has 99 names. If the name was the same as the meaning then each of these names would have been a god. However, Allah [that is, the reality and essence of God] is the meaning that is signified by all of these names, and they are all other than Him. O Hishām, ‘bread’ is [only] the name of that which is eaten [not the actual food]; ‘water’ is [only] the name of that which is drunk [not the actual drink]; ‘clothes’ is [only] the name of that which is worn [not the actual dress]; and ‘fire’ is [only]the name of that which burns [not the actual flames]…”
(5) Imam al-Ṣādiq said: If one worships God according to his imagination (tawahhum), then he has disbelieved. If one worships the name but not the meaning, then he has disbelieved. If one worships both the name and the meaning then he has associated partners [with God]. But the companions [that is, followers] of the Commander of the Faithful [that is, Imam ʿAlī] are those who worship the meaning by matching the names to it based on the attributes by which He has described Himself. They believe in it [the meaning] in their heart and speak of it by their tongue [by means of invoking His names] in private and public.
Author’s comment: In another narration they are described as “They are the true believers” [instead of “they are the companions of the Commander of the Faithful”].
(6) Imam al-Ṣādiq said: God has indeed created a name that is not characterized by letters, that is not uttered by words, that is not embodied in a person, that is not described by any analogy, and that is not colored by any color. Sides and locations do not apply to it; definitions are far from it; and the sense of all thinkers are veiled from it. It is covered without having a covering. Then He made it a complete word based on four concomitant parts that none precedes the others. He manifested three of them due to His creatures’ need to them, and veiled one of them which is the name that is concealed and reserved by the those three names that have appeared.
The manifest names are Allāh, Tabāraka and Subḥāna, each of which has four pillars, making twelve pillars [in total]. Then He created thirty names and actions that are related to each pillar: He is al-Raḥmān (the Beneficent), al-Raḥīm (the Merciful), al-Malik (the King), al-Quddūs (the Sacrosanct), al-Khāliq (the Creator), al-Bāriʾ (the Maker), al-Muṣawwir (the Fashioner), al-Ḥayy (the Living), al-Qayyūm (the Upright), Lā taʾkhudhuhu sinatun wa lā nawm (neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him), al-ʿAlīm (the Knower), al-Khabīr (the Aware), al-Samīʿ (the Hearer), al-Baṣīr (the Seer), al-Ḥakīm (the Wise), al-ʿAzīz (the Mighty), al-Jabbār (the Overpowering), al-Mutakabbir (the Grandiose), al-ʿAlī (the Exalted), al-ʿAẓīm (the Magnificent), al-Muqtadir (the Omnipotent), al-Qādir (the Powerful), al-Salām (the Peaceable), al-Muʾmin (the Securer), al-Muhaymin (the Predominant), al-Bāriʾ (the Maker), al-Munshiʾ (the Configurer), al-Badīʿ (the Originator), al-Rafīʿ (the Lofty), al-Jalīl (the Majestic), al-Karīm (the Noble), al-Rāziq (the Sustainer), al-Muḥyī (the Life-Giver), al-Mumīt (the Death-Giver), al-Bāʿith (the Resurrector) and al-Wārith (the Inheritor).
These names and the rest of the best names up to 360 names are related to those three names. The three names are the pillars and a veil for the one name that is concealed and reserved by them. This is [the meaning of] His words: Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent God; whichever you call upon, He has the best names ().
Author’s comment: This narration is also reported in al-Kāfī from the Imam.
It was also mentioned before in our discussion on the best names in vol. 8 [vol. 16 of the Eng. translation ] that these terms that we call “God’s names” are really the names of His names. His real name is an external instance and reality that indicates and points to Him, which would be His Essence in the sense of having a certain attribute. Based on this, some of His best names are identical with His Essence, and those are the names that comprise a positive attribute of perfection like the Living, the Knower and the Powerful. Some other names are extra to the Essence and outside it, and those are the names that comprise a negative attribute or an attribute of action such as the Creator, the Sustainer, and “no nap or sleep overtakes Him.” That is the case of His real names. As with the names of His names—that is, the terms that indicate His Essence in the sense of having a certain attribute—then there is no doubt that they are other than His Essence and they are originated terms that depend on one who utters them.
The only difference of opinion is over two issues:
i) Some early ignorant theologians mixed God’s real names with the names of His names. They supposed that the identicalness of His names with His Essence means the identicalness of the names of His names with His Essence. Then they said that the name is identical with the musammā (the meaning and reality that the name signifies), and therefore worshipping and calling upon the name is the same as worshipping the musammā. This view was prevalent early on during the rule of the Abbasids. The two narrations above from al-Tawḥīd refute this view.
ii) The polytheists believed that God cannot be an object of attention in worship, but one can only turn his attention in worship to His names. Hence, His names—or their manifestations in the form of angels, jinn and perfect human beings—are what should be worshipped and called upon, not God Himself. Our exposition above showed that verse (Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Beneficent God…) serves to refute this view.
The last narration above shows how His names have come to be from His Essence that is higher and superior to being encompassed by any form of knowledge, delimited by any quality or description, and defined by any name or definition. Both the beginning of the hadith and its subsequent elaboration explicitly show that what is meant by names in this narration is His real names, not the names of His names. We provided an exposition of this hadith in our discussion of the best names in vol. 8 [vol. 16 of the Eng. translation ]. Consult it if you wish.
(7) Concerning verse (and do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice nor be silent with regard to it, and seek a way between these) it is narrated from Imams al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq: In Mecca the Messenger of God used to raise his voice [when he prayed], which made the polytheists know where he is and thus come and bother him. That is when this verse was revealed.
Author’s comment: The same idea is narrated in al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās. It is also narrated from ʿĀʾishah that the verse was revealed about supplication (duʿāʾ). There is no problem with this as these narrations do not oppose one another. It is also narrated from her that it was revealed about tashahhud [in prayer].
(8) Samāʿah said: I asked him [Imam al-Ṣādiq] about the verse: And do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice nor be silent with regard to it (). He said: “Being silent with regard to it” is a pitch that you cannot hear yourself. “Raised voice” is that which is very loud.
Author’s comment: This confirms the first interpretation that we presented in the exposition of the verse.
(9) ʿAbd-Allāh b. Sinān said: I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq, “Is it incumbent on the leader of [congregational] prayer that those praying behind him should hear his voice even if they are many [and far]?” He replied, “He should have a balanced pitch in recitation. God says: And do not utter your prayer with a very raised voice nor be silent with regard to it ().”
(10) The Messenger of God said: The Verse of Might (āyat al-ʿizzah) is: And say: (All) praise is due to Allah, Who has not taken a son and Who has not a partner in the kingdom, and Who has not a guardian to save Him from disgrace; and proclaim His greatness magnifying (Him) ().
(11) Concerning verse (and Who has not a guardian to save Him from disgrace) it is narrated from one of the Infallibles: He has not been subdued so that He may need a guardian to assist Him.
Discourse
The discussion “Qur’anic and Narrative Discussion: The Gradual Revelation of Qur’an in Chapters” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.
The translation of the term as “believer” complies with this last meaning. Note that la-aẓunnuka involves a letter lām at the beginning and a stressed nūn at the end, both of which are used for emphasis. This also supports the view that ẓanna here means certainty and sure belief. (Trans.). ↩︎
The first aspect pertains to the separation of the Qur’an’s content based on subject and discussions, just as a book is separated into different chapters and sections. The second aspect pertains to the gradual revelation of the Qur’an over time. (Trans.) ↩︎
The particle mā is not translated as a separate particle in the English text of any of these verses. Reference to the original Arabic text or transliteration may be required to appreciate these points better. (Trans.) ↩︎
In other words, what is being said in this small segment of the verse is: “If you call upon whichever…” This clause is complemented by the next part of the verse. (Trans.) ↩︎
The cause is “He has the best names” and the effect is “If you call any of His names, you have called a best name.” The latter is what is intended but the former is what is stated. (Trans.) ↩︎
Negative attributes or qualities (al-ṣifāt al-salbiyyah) are attributes that should be negated about God as they involve some imperfection. (Trans.) ↩︎
Praise pertains to positive attributes, whereby God is praised for perfection. Glorification pertains to negative attributes, whereby God is declared to be clear from imperfection. (Trans.) ↩︎
In other words, God is greater than any description about Him. (Ed.) ↩︎
This is against the common recitation of “Truly you know.” The verse is Moses’ reply to Pharaoh about the signs that he had brought. The common recitation is: He said: Truly you know that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent down these as clear proof… (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Saʿīd b. Manṣūr, Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Abī Ḥātim. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, on the authority of ʿAlī b. Muḥammad, via his chain of narration. ↩︎
This is apparently regarding the following verse: And Allah has said: Take not two gods, He is only one God; so of Me alone should you be afraid (). (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Mardawayh. ↩︎
Al-Tawḥīd, via a connected chain of narration, and al-Iḥtijāj says via an incomplete chain of transmission (mursal). ↩︎
Al-Tawḥīd, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Ibn Riʾāb, through more than one individual narrating from the Imam. ↩︎
These are 36 names out of the total of 360. Note that the name al-Bāriʿ (the Maker) is mentioned twice, which is perhaps a mistake on the part of the scribes. The second one might have been al-Bādiʾ (the Beginner). (Trans.) ↩︎
Biḥār al-anwār, book of tawḥīd, chapter on “The Difference between the Name and the Meaning,” narrating from al-Tawḥīd, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Ibrāhīm b. ʿUmar. ↩︎
Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, on the authority of Zurārah, Ḥumran and Muḥammad b. Muslim. ↩︎
The reason why these narrations do not oppose one another is that they can all be particular instances of a general meaning. In other words, these narrations do not limit the verse to their proposed meaning, but each of them offers one meaning and application for the verse, and this does not contradict with there being other meanings and applications for it as well. (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Aḥmad and al-Ṭabarānī, on the authority of Muʿādh b. Anas. ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī. ↩︎