Verses 15–29
These verses discuss the following points: (1) The Prophet is free from insanity, which the people had charged him with. (2) The revelations of Qur’an—which he brought—is free from Satanic intervention. (3) The Qur’an is the word of the Almighty God. (4) The Qur’an is communicated to the Prophet through the angel of revelation, who is faithful in his mission. (5) The Qur’an is a reminder to all nations. (6) It guides anyone who seeks guidance, by God’s leave.
Commentary
فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ ١٥ الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ ١٦}
(81:15-16) So I swear by the stars that return (bil-khunnas), the planets (al-jawārī, al-jawār) that hide (al-kunnas)!
Khunnas is the plural of khānis, just as ṭullab is the plural form of ṭālib (seeker, demander, applicant). It is derived from khunūs, which means “contracting, retreating, delaying, camouflaging.” Jawārī is the plural of jāriyah, derived from jary, which means “moving rapidly.” It is a metaphorical usage that is taken from the flow (jary) of water. Kunnas is the plural of kānis, derived from kunūs, which is used when a wild animal—like a deer or a bird—enters and settles in its kinās (nest, home, lair).
The next two verses—And by the night as it draws! And by the dawn as it breathes ()—clarify that what is meant here—by khunnas, which is interpreted as jawārī kunnas—is heavenly bodies, either all of them or some of them. Nevertheless, the movements of some of them fit the descriptions in these verses better, and those are the five planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury. Their movements, as observed [from the earth], exhibit the three stages of prograde motion (istiqāmah), retrograde motion (rajʿah) and stagnation (iqāmah). There are times when a planet appears to move in the same direction as the earth [that is, west-to-east relative to the stars]. That is its prograde motion. Then for some time it appears to move backwards [that is, east-to-west relative to the stars]. That is its retrograde motion, which would be its khunūs (contraction, retreating). Finally, there are times when a planet seems to be stationary [relative to the earth’s motion], much like a wild animal that takes recourse to its den (kinās).
Here are two other suggested meanings:
- The verses are about all heavenly bodies. Their stage of khunūs (return) is when they disappear in daylight. Their stage of jary (flowing) is their visible motion during the night. Their stage of kunūs (hiding) is when they set, wherever they set.
- The verses are about buffaloes or deer.
Comment: In the last view, apparently what is meant is all wild animals, where two are mentioned specifically for illustration. Either way, the view we offered above is the most plausible. The first suggested view is slightly less convincing than our interpretation, and the second suggested view is even less apparent than the first.
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ ١٧}
(81:17) And by the night as it draws (ʿasʿasa)!
ʿAsʿasah is used for both the advance and the retreat of the night. Al-Rāghib says:
By the night as it ʿasʿasa means “as it draws in and draws back.” This corresponds to the beginning and the end of the night. Therefore, ʿasʿasah and ʿisās denote the dimness at dawn and twilight.
Given the next verse—By the dawn as it breathes ()—it is more plausible to interpret the current verse as referring to the end of night. Some have interpreted it as the beginning of the night, but this is unlikely given what we said.
وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ١٨}
(81:18) And by the dawn as it breathes!
The verse’s expression is metaphorical. The “breathing of the morning” refers to the spreading of light across the horizons, whereby the pervading darkness is removed. The night encompasses the horizons after a day of weariness from hard work. That creates some time to rest. Then upon the next morning, it is as though the day starts breathing again by shedding light on all horizons. This is what we infer from some exegetes.
Another view is that of al-Zamakhsharī, who says in al-Kashshāf:
One may ask: “What is the meaning of the dawn’s breathing?” The answer is: When the dawn appears, it comes with a refreshing wind and breeze, which is figuratively called the breath of morning.
Comment: The previous meaning springs to the mind first.
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ١٩ ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ ٢٠ مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ٢١}
(81:19-21) It is indeed the speech of a noble messenger, powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne, one who is heard there, and is trustworthy.
The pronoun it () refers to the entire Qur’an, or to the verses of this chapter specifically, in the sense that they are part of the Qur’an. This can be deduced from the subsequent description: the speech of a noble messenger… The messenger intended here is Gabriel, as identified in the verse: Say, “Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel [should know that] it is he who has brought it down on your heart with the will of Allah” ().
The verse ascribes the speech to Gabriel as a messenger. This shows that the speech’s relation to Gabriel is that of a message to the messenger. Otherwise, it is God’s speech. The verses praise Gabriel with six qualities:
- Messenger. He is an envoy of revelation, who communicates the Qur’an to the Prophet.
- Noble. God has honored him and blessed him with a high rank.
- Powerful. He is possessed of great strength and influence.
- Eminent (makīn, from makānah) with the Lord of the Throne. He has makānah in the view of God, where makānah means “proximity and rank.”
- One who is heard there. “There” means in the divine realm. This shows that Gabriel has authority over other angels. He has assistants among other angels who follow his orders.
- Trustworthy. He never betrays the commands given to him. He communicates the revelation and mission that is imparted to him without any distortion or manipulation.
Some have said that the messenger mentioned here is the Prophet. However, this view is discordant with the subsequent verses.
وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ ٢٢}
(81:22) And your companion is not insane.
This verse denies the people’s allegation of madness against the Prophet. It is said that referring to the Prophet as your companion serves to exonerate the Prophet of their allegation of insanity. Saying that he is your companion suggests that he has lived his life amongst you. Hence, you know him very well. You have certainly found his reason to be complete, his views to be reliable, and his speech to be truthful. Given these qualities, one cannot call him insane.
The previous verses praised Gabriel by qualities that are not mentioned for the Prophet. This does not imply that Gabriel is superior to the Prophet because the main theme of these verses is to demonstrate that the Qur’an is the word of God. The context of the verses is about the Prophet receiving the Qur’an through divine revelation, not through insane illusions that are the doings of the Devil. What is instrumental to proving this point is to assure the audience about the impeccability of the channel through which the message is delivered. That is why the verses must focus on the envoy of revelation, enumerate his noble traits, and announce him clear of any mistake or treachery. However, the qualities of the receiver of the message [that is, Prophet Muḥammad] are not directly related to this purpose. What is needed with regards to him is to clear his record from the allegation of insanity. As mentioned above, referring to him as your companion proves this point. This is what the exegetes have said.
Based on the Prophet’s noble qualities mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’an, there remains no doubt that he was superior to all angels. After all, God made all angels to prostrate before the human being, who is His vicegerent on earth.
وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ ٢٣}
(81:23) Certainly he saw him on the manifest horizon,
The pronoun “he” refers to companion (). The pronoun “him” refers to noble messenger (). Manifest horizon means “apparent region.” It is apparently the same as: While he was on the highest horizon (). The meaning is: “I swear that the Prophet saw Gabriel while Gabriel was on the manifest horizon, which is a horizon that is above the other horizons.” That would correspond to the angelic world.
Another suggested meaning is: “The Prophet saw Gabriel in his original form at the rising point of the sun, which is the highest horizon in the east.” The problem with this view is that there is no evidence for it in the text of the verse, especially for the idea of seeing him in his original form, or in any other form that he may have taken. Apparently this interpretation is deduced from some narrations which say that the Prophet saw Gabriel at the outset of his mission, seated on a throne between the heaven and the earth. This should be interpreted as tamaththul (appearance, resemblance, representation) [not as Gabriel’s original form].
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ ٢٤}
(81:24) and he is not miserly (ḍanīn) concerning the Unseen.
The antecedent of the pronoun “he” is the Prophet. The Unseen means the message that is revealed to him. Ḍanīn is a ṣifah mushabbahah derived from ḍann, which is synonymous with bukhl (stinginess, parsimony, niggardliness). The meaning is: “The Prophet is not stingy with regard to anything that is revealed to him. That is, he does not conceal, withhold or alter it; neither entirely nor partially. Rather, he teaches the people just as he is taught by God, and communicates to them what he has been ordered to convey.”
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ ٢٥}
(81:25) And it is not the speech of an outcast Satan (shayṭān).
This verse negates identifying the Qur’an’s with a Satanic communication. A Satanic influence [mentioned in this verse] is broader than insanity [mentioned in verse ]. The original meaning of the word shayṭān (Satan, devil) is sharīr (malicious being, evil creature). Thus the term has been used in the Qur’an not only for Iblīs and his progeny, but also for other mischievous jinns. Likewise, the adjective rajīm (outcast) is applied in other Qur’anic verses to others besides Iblīs. He said, “Begone hence, for you are indeed an outcast” (, ); and We have guarded them from every outcast Satan (). The meaning is: “The Qur’an is neither a result of temptations from Iblīs and his hosts, nor an inspiration of mischievous jinns who possess the lunatics.”
فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ ٢٦}
(81:26) So where are you going?
In the last seven verses [], despite their brevity, God stated the fact of the matter with respect to the Qur’an, and clarified any doubts that the audience may have had, such as the Prophet being accused of insanity. The verses clarified four points:
- The Qur’an is the word of God. This point hinges on verses which challenge the people to bring the like of it.
- The Qur’an has been communicated to the Prophet by a heavenly angel who has a high rank and a lofty position. That is Gabriel, who is trustworthy over divine revelations. There is no veil between him and God, nor between him and the Prophet. He has no internal or external impediments from receiving, preserving and conveying the message.
- The person receiving and communicating the Qur’an is your companion, whom you know very well. He is not insane as they accuse him. He saw the angel of revelation and received the message from him. He neither conceals nor alters what has been revealed to him.
- The Qur’an is not a temptation of Iblīs and his host. Nor is it a communication from some mischievous jinns.
The conclusion of the above points is that the Qur’an is a book of guidance for anyone who is determined to pursue the truth. This conclusion is mentioned in the following verses: It is but a reminder for all the nations… (ff). The current verse—So where are you going?—paves the ground for the upcoming conclusion to the previous discussion. The verse condemns how they view the Qur’an—as a fit of insanity or a false Satanic communication. The verse is a rhetorical question which implies censure and rebuke. The meaning is: “Given the above facts, where are you heading? Why are you turning your backs to the truth?”
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ ٢٧}
(81:27) It is but a reminder for all the nations,
It is a means of remembrance and admonition for all people, wherever they may be. It enables them to see the truth. We discussed this verse under other similar verses.
لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ ٢٨}
(81:28) for those of you who will to be steadfast;
This verse interprets, qualifies and substitutes for all the nations (). The meaning is: “Benefitting from this reminder will be actualized for those who have this condition: They must be willing to remain steadfastness in the truth, which means persisting with servitude and obedience [to God].”
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ٢٩}
(81:29) but you do not will unless it is willed by Allah
Given the context, this verse is a response to an implied misconception (called a prolepsis). One may interpret the last verse—for those of you who will to be steadfast ()—as implying that people are independent in their volition: they can be steadfast if they wish, and they can be not steadfast if they do not so desire. This would mean that God would depend on them in the steadfastness which He demands from them. This verse refutes that notion by clarifying that the people’s volition depends on God’s will. They would not will to be steadfast unless God wills that they should will so. This means that the voluntary acts of humans are themselves willed by God. Here is how God’s will works: God has willed that person so-and-so would act in such-and-such a way through their volition. We discussed the verse’s meaning under other similar verses.
Examining Narrations
- [Imam] ʿAlī said concerning So I swear by the stars that return (bil-khunnas) (): This verse describes the stars: they return (taknisu) at night, but disappear (takhnisu) during the day and cannot be seen.
- Tafsīr al-Qummī says concerning So I swear by the stars that return (bil-khunnas) (): It means I swear by the khunnas, which is a name for the stars. The planets that hide (al-kunnas) (): These are stars that disappear (taknisu) during the day and are not manifest.
- Imam ʿAlī said: Al-khunnas () are the stars which hide during the day and appear at night. Al-jawār () is an adjective for the stars, since they flow in their orbits. Al-kunnas () is another adjective for them, because they hide and disappear (taknisu) in their constellations, just as the deer hide in their dens (kinās). They are the five heavenly bodies: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury.
- Imam ʿAlī said concerning And by the night as it draws (): It means when it retreats with its darkness.
- Tafsīr al-Qummī says concerning And by the night as it draws (): It means as it [the night] falls. And by the dawn as it breathes (): It means as it [the morning] rises.
- The Messenger of God said to Gabriel, “So beautifully has your Lord praised you: powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne, one who is heard there, and is trustworthy (). So how was your power, and how was your trustworthiness?”
“As with my power,” Gabriel replied, “I was sent to the cities of Lot [to exterminate them]. They were four cities, each with 400,000 soldiers, besides the civilians. I hoisted them from the lowest earth to the point where the inhabitants of the heavens could hear the clucks of their chicken and the howls of their dogs. Then I thrust them, whereby I killed them. As with my trustworthiness, I have never transgressed anything that I have been commanded.”
Author’s comment: This account is not free from problem. The scholars have deemed Ibn ʿAsākir’s narrations to be weak, especially when he is the only transmitter.
- Imam al-Ṣādiq said: “Whoever says every day in [the month of] Shaʿbān, ‘I ask forgiveness from God—but Whom there is no God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful, the Ever-Living, the All-Upright—and repent to Him (astaghfir Allāh alladhī lā ilāh illā huwa al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm al-Ḥayy al-Qayyūm wa atūbu ilayhi),’ their name will be inscribed in the manifest horizon ().”
He was asked, “What is the manifest horizon?”
He explained: “It is a place in front of the Throne, where rivers flow, with as many goblets as there are stars.”
- Concerning And it is not the speech of an outcast Satan () Imam al-Ṣādiq said: This refers to the shamans and soothsayers among the Quraysh. Their speech is equated with the speech of the devils who were with them since the devils used to speak with their tongues. So it says: And it is not the speech of an outcast Satan (), which means similar to their speech.
The conjunction “And” at the beginning of the verse connects it to the previous vow: by the stars that return (). As it draws is a qualification for the night. (Auth.) ↩︎
The conjunction “And” at the beginning of the verse connect it to the previous vow: by the stars that return (). As it breathes is a qualification for the dawn. (Auth.) ↩︎
The conjunction “and” connects this verse to it is indeed the speech… (). (Auth.) ↩︎
See volume 27, pp. 45ff of the English translation. (Ed.) ↩︎
A ṣifah mushabbahah (also called ṣifah mushbihah) is an adjective that is similar to an active participle (ism al-fāʿil). It serves as an adjective, and indicates the establishment, subsistence, and strength of a quality in the subject. In this case it means “firmly rooted in miserliness.” (Ed.) ↩︎
See verses , , , , . (Ed.) ↩︎
See verses , , . Also see volume 14, p. 27 of the English translation, under verse . (Ed.) ↩︎
See verse above, verse below, and number 3 under Chapter 91’s examination of narrations. Also see volume 1, pp. 143 and 162ff of the English translation, under verses and ; volume 2, pp. 209ff and 271-272, under verses and ; volume 13, pp. 25ff and 81ff, under verses and ; volume 15, p. 65, under verses ; volume 39, p. 160, under verse ; p. 200, under verse ; pp. 233-234 under verse . (Ed.) ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Saʿīd b. Manṣūr, al-Fāryābī, ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn Abī Ḥātim and Ḥākim (who has authenticated it), through multiple chains of narration. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAsākir, on the authority of Muʿāwiyah b. Qurrah. ↩︎
Al-Khiṣāl. ↩︎
The pronoun “their” can refer to either the human shamans, or the devils which inspired them. (Ed.) ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī. ↩︎