Verses 1–11
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate
The focus of this sūrah, as its opening, conclusion, and general tenor suggest, is summoning people to believe in divine unity (tawḥīd), to have certainty in the Resurrection, and to adhere to the general teachings of the religion.
From the beginning of the sūrah, it appears that it was revealed concerning some of the polytheists who would prevent other people from listening to the Qur’an by spreading fanciful tales, as is indicated in reports about the occasion of revelation for the verse: Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead astray from Allah’s way (). We will discuss this report in due course. In conclusion, the sūrah was revealed to expound some of the fundamental doctrines and teachings of the religion, and also to recount some details of the sage, Luqmān, and his wise sayings in response to the whimsical stories they were spreading.
Based on the tone of its verses, this sūrah was revealed in Mecca. One of its finest verses reads: That is because Allah is the Reality, and whatever they invoke besides Him is nullity… ().
Commentary
الم ١ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ ٢ هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ ٣ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ٤ أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ٥
(31:1–5) Alif, Lām, Mīm. These are the signs of the Wise Book, a guidance and mercy for the virtuous, who maintain the prayer, and pay the zakāt, and are certain of the Hereafter. Those follow their Lord’s guidance, and it is they who are the felicitous.
We have already discussed the vocabulary of these verses in the previous sūrahs.
The Book is described as “wise” (ḥakīm) to indicate that it does not contain any vain speech; there is no space in it for vanity or falsehood. It is also described as a guidance (hudā) and a mercy (raḥmah) for the virtuous (muḥsinīn) because this represents the fulfilment of its wisdom; it not only guides people towards the true reality but conveys them to it. This is nothing like vain speech (lahw al-kalām), which is speech that distracts the human being from those things that should concern him. So it is a mercy, not a curse that deprives people of blessings.
The virtuous are then described as being those who maintain their prayers and pay the zakāt, as these are the two most important deeds. The fact they have certainty about the Hereafter means they must also have certainty about divine unity and prophethood, and be generally god-fearing in their behaviour. All of this draws a sharp contrast between the Book and the diversionary talk which prevents some people from hearing it.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌمُهِينٌ ٦
(31:6) Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead astray from Allah’s way without any knowledge, and he takes it in derision. For them there is a humiliating punishment.
Diversion (lahw) refers to anything that distracts a person from those things that should concern him. Diversionary talk (lahw al-ḥadīth) refers to any talk whose nature is either to divert attention from the truth, such as mythical fables and vulgar tales, or to vie with it, such as poetry recitations, gatherings of vain amusement, or the playing of musical instruments. All of these could fall within the category of diversionary talk.
That he may lead astray from Allah’s way without any knowledge: The context suggests that God’s way (sabīl allāh) here signifies the Qur’an as it contains knowledge of the truth, and especially the accounts of the prophets and their peoples; diversionary talk and fanciful tales first and foremost clash with these accounts before undermining the other teachings of truth in people’s eyes.
This is supported by the phrase he takes it in derision, for diversionary talk, insofar as it is speech, first and foremost clashes with truthful speech and derides it.
Therefore, the meaning of Allah’s way is the Qur’an itself, as it is the Qur’an that contains the stories of the prophets and the divine teachings. It appears as though the goal of he who buys diversionary talk is specifically to divert people away from the Qur’an, and to deride the Qur’an by making it appear as if its speech is of the same nature as his and its stories are of the same kind as his.
Without any knowledge (bi-ghayr ʿilmin) is connected to the verb lead astray, and it describes those who go astray rather than those who are leading them astray, even if the latter are also without knowledge. Then the Qur’an warns those who lead astray: For such there is a humiliating punishment—in other words, just as they deride the Qur’an, they too shall be derided and humiliated for their pride in this world.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّىٰ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًاۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ٧
(31:7) And when Our signs are recited to him, he turns away disdainfully as if he had not heard them, as if there were a blockage in his ears. So inform him of a painful punishment.
This verse describes the one who buys diversionary talk to lead people away from the Qur’an and to deride it. A blockage (waqr) means a heavy load, as if he had filled is ears with something to prevent himself from hearing what is being said. Some have said this is an allusion to deafness.
Therefore, the meaning of the verse is that when God’s signs (that is, the Qur’an) are recited to the one who buys diversionary talk, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard anything at all or as if he was utterly deaf. So give him good news of a painful punishment.
Some have said that, in the Arabic text, the one who buys diversionary talk is first referred to with a singular pronoun based on the word (lafẓ), but then with a plural pronoun based on its meaning (maʿnā), before returning again to a singular pronoun. However, it is also possible that them (-hum) in for them there is a humiliating punishment actually refers to both the person misguiding others and the people who are misguided by him, as indicated by the context. In which case, the singular pronouns all refer to the one who buys diversionary talk.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ النَّعِيمِ ٨ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ٩
(31:8-9) As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens of bliss, to remain in them. A true promise of Allah, and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.
After warning the one who buys diversionary talk of a humiliating punishment and then of a painful punishment, the discourse returns to giving good tidings to the virtuous and reassuring them that they are promised paradise by God, and that His promise is true.
Insofar as the goal of the one who buys diversionary talk was to confuse those whom he led astray without knowledge, so that they would think the Qur’an was nothing more than a book of false legends like his own, and arrogantly refused to pay attention to the verses that were recited to him, out of disregard for God, the Qur’an first emphasizes that God’s promise is true and then describes him as All-mighty, so that the audience will know that He is never humiliated, and as All-wise, so that they will know that His speech is without falsehood, idleness, or superstition.
Thirdly, in the next verse, the Qur’an describes Him as being the one who governs the affairs of the heavens and the earth, the plants, the animals, and the humans, because He is their Creator. Therefore, He is able to make them promises of paradise or punishment: He created the heavens without any pillars that you may see, and cast firm mountains on the earth lest it should shake with you….
خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَاۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ١٠
(3:10) He created the heavens without any pillars that you see, and cast firm mountains on the earth lest it should shake with you, and He has scattered in it every kind of animal. And We sent down water from the sky and caused every splendid kind to grow in it.
As we have already discussed in our explanation of the verse, It is Allah who raised the heavens without any pillars that you see (), it is possible that the qualifier that you see (tarawnahā) could be a clarification (tawḍīḥ), meaning “the heavens have no pillars, as you can see”, or it could be a specification (iḥtirāz), meaning “they were not created with visible pillars”, the implication being that there are invisible pillars there.
And cast firm mountains on the earth lest it should shake with you—this implies that there is a direct connection between mountains and earthquakes.
And He has scattered in it every kind of animal—that is, all manner of animals that walk upon it.
And We sent down water from the sky and caused every splendid kind to grow in it—meaning We sent down water from above—meaning rain—and caused every kind of noble plant to grow (meaning plants which have some use or benefit associated with them). The word kind (zawj) also points to plants having genders, which we have discussed elsewhere.
Some say that the verse’s transition from the third-person (“He”) to the first-person (“We”) is to show God’s complete focus (ʿināyah) on this issue.
هَٰذَا خَلْقُ اللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِ ۚ بَلِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ١١
(30:11) This is the creation of Allah. Now show me what others besides Him have created. Rather the wrongdoers are in manifest error!
Having shown them His creation and governance of the heavens, the earth, and all they contain, and established His lordship and divinity, the Qur’an now challenges its audience to show what their gods have created if they are truly gods and lords. If they cannot find anything to show, then this proves God’s absolute oneness in divinity and lordship.
But why does the Qur’an challenge them to do this when they admit that God alone is the creator and do not claim that their gods are creators; they only attribute governance to them? This is because governance (tadbīr) is nothing other than creation (khalq); if their gods truly govern the world, then that means they create what they govern, and if they have not created anything, then they govern nothing. So, there is no god except Allāh and there is no lord except Him.
The tone of this verse suggests that it is something that the Prophet said, as this kind of address—Now show me what others besides Him have created—is only appropriate from him.
Examining Narrations
- In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, we read that the verse Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk… () was revealed about al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAlqamah ibn Kaladah ibn ʿAbd al-Dār ibn Quṣayy ibn Kilāb. He was a trader that would go to Persia and purchase the tales of the Persians, then relate them to the Quraysh, saying: “Muḥammad recounts to you the tale of ʿĀd and Thamūd, and I recount to you the tale of Rustam and Isfandiyār, and bring you the exploits of the Persian kings!” People would listen to his stories and ignore the Qur’an. This is narrated by al-Kalbī.
Author’s comments: A narration to the same effect can be found in al-Durr al-Manthūr from al-Bayhaqī, from Ibn ʿAbbās. It is not implausible that the whole sūrah could have been revealed for this reason, as we already discussed.
- In Maʿānī al-Akhbār, Yaḥyā ibn ʿUbādah narrates from Imām al-Ṣādiq about Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk… ():
This includes illicit singing (ghināʾ).
Author’s comments: The same meaning has been narrated in al-Kāfī from Mihrān from the Imām and also from al-Washshāʾ from Imām al-Riḍā and from al-Ḥasan ibn Hārūn from him also.
- In al-Kāfī, Muḥammad ibn Muslim narrates that he heard Imām al-Bāqir say:
Illicit singing (ghināʾ) is something God has promised hellfire for.
Then he recited the verse:
Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead astray from Allah’s way without any knowledge, and he takes it in derision. For them there is a humiliating punishment ().
- In the same book, Abū Baṣīr recounts:
I asked Imām al-Bāqir about the earnings of songstresses (mughanniyyāt) and he said: “[The earnings of] one whom men visit are illicit, but there is no problem with the one who is invited to [sing at] weddings. This is God’s saying: Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead astray from Allah’s way… ().”
- In Majmaʿ al-Bayān, Abū Umāmah narrates from the Prophet:
It is not permitted to teach songstresses nor to sell them. Their fees are illicit [earnings]. This has been confirmed in God’s book: Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk… ().
Author’s comments: This has also been narrated in al-Durr al-Manthūr from a large group of compilers of encyclopaedias of traditions, from Abū Umāmah, from the Prophet.
- In the same work, it is narrated that Imām al-Ṣādiq said:
It means to defame the truth and deride it. This is what Abū Jahl and his followers did when they said, “O assembly of the Quraysh! Shall I not feed you from the tree of zaqqūm with which your compatriot (that is, the Prophet) threatens you?” Then he sent for some butter and dates and said, “This is the fruit of zaqqūm that he threatens you with!”
The Imām added:
Illicit singing is also included in this.
- In al-Durr al-Manthūr, Ibn Abī al-Dunyā narrates from ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn:
A nation with lutes is not sanctified.
- In Tafsīr al-Qummī, Abū Jārūd narrates from Imām al-Ṣādiq about the verse Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead astray from Allah’s way without any knowledge ():
This refers to al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAlqamah ibn Kaladah, from the tribe of ʿAbd al-Dār ibn Quṣayy. Al-Naḍr would recount people’s stories and poetry. God says: And when Our signs are recited to him, he turns away disdainfully… ().
- In the same source, al-Qummī narrates from his father, from al-Ḥusayn ibn Khālid:
I asked Imām al-Riḍā about the verse: By the sky full of braids (dhāt al-ḥubuk) (). He told me: “It is braided (maḥbuka) to the earth.” And he knitted his fingers together.
Then I asked: “How can it be braided to the earth when God says: He raised the heavens without any pillars that you see ()?”
He said: “Glory to God! Does He not say: Without any pillars that you see ()?”
I said: “Of course!”
He said: “So there are pillars, but you see them not!”
See verse (English vol. 31) and which will come up in this volume. (Pub.) ↩︎