Commentary-TafsirofSuratulJinnAyatullahNasirMakarimShirazi-XKP

Published:2014Tag(s):islamQuran"surahjinn""versesofsurajin"xkpshirazimakarimscholarsayatislamickorancommentarytafseer

1ChapterBiographyoftheAuthor

Theeminentscholar,Ayatullahal-`Uzmaal-Hajjash-ShaykhNasirMakarimShiraziwasborn in

theyear1345AH(1924CE)inthecityofShiraz,Irantoareligiousfamilywhowerewellknownfortheirgreatlevelofspiritualityandnobleethicaltraits.HisEminencefinishedhiselementaryschoolstudies inShirazandduetohiseagerness to learn,hispowerfulmemorizingcapabilitiesandothergreat talents, he was regarded as one of the extraordinary students from amongst his fellowclassmatesandbecauseofthis,wasabletocompletetwoyearsofstudiesinoneyear!Theconditions that existed in Iran in thosedaysobligated thisyoungman -whopossessed suchatalentandgreataptitudetochoosethepathofUniversitystudiestoincreasehisknowledgeandattainthehigher(material)levelsofsecularstudies.HoweverthroughthehandoffateandtheblessingsoftheMaintaineroftheUniverseandhisowninternaldesires,thisyoungmandevelopedanattractiontobecomingbetteracquaintedanddelvedeepintothegenuineteachingsofIslam,especiallysinceafterthespringof1348AH(1937CE)(justafterhefinishedhisprimaryschool),theIslamicSeminarieswentthruamajortransformationandhadtakenonacompletelynewform.

HisStudies

His Eminence started his formal Islamic studies at the age of 14 inMadressahAgha Babakhan

Shiraziandwithinashortperiodoftime,wasabletocompletetheintroductorystudiessuchasSarf,Nahw, Mantiq, Bayan, and Badi`, which were all needed to advance to the next level of Islamicstudies.Aftercompletingthesesciences,heturnedhisattentiontowardsthefieldsofFiqh(Jurisprudence)andUsul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence) and again, due to the exceptional capabilities that hepossessed,wasabletofinishstudyingthecompletelevelsofintroductoryandboththelevelsoftheintermediate Islamic studies in approximately four years (something that normally takes 12 to 15years)! During this time, a group of students from the Islamic Seminary in Shiraz were alsobenefitingfromtheclassesthathehimselfwasteaching.ThepositivecriticismsandpersonalopinionsofHisEminenceontheclassesbeingheldinQumandinrelationtotheneedforincludingextrainformationwithinthebooksthatwerebeingtaughtinthevariousTheologicalSeminaries,definitelyplayedaroleinthebrightfuturethatawaitedhim.Whilein religious gatherings in this city, his capabilities, genius, meticulous and deep thought werewitnessedbyothersandbecauseofthis,noonewasabletodenyhisGod-giventalents.Whereas this brilliant star was only a mere 18 years old, however through his deep penetratingknowledgeandtheflowingpen,hewasabletowriteacommentaryonthebookKifayatulUsul(oneofthemajorbooksof`IlmulUsulthatmustbestudiedintheTheologicalSeminary),inwhichhewasabletobringtolighttheambiguousissuesmentionedinthistraditionalbook. Attheageof18,heformallyenteredintotheTheologicalSeminaryofQumandforthenextfiveyears,waspresentinthereligiousgatheringsandclassesofsomeofthegreatestteachersofthosedays,suchasAyatullahal-`Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidMuhammadHusaynBurujerdiandothergreatpersonalities (mayAllahbepleasedwiththemall).In order for His Eminence to become better acquainted with the great scholars, their ideas andthoughtswhowerestudyingandteachinginoneofthegreatestTheologicalSeminariesoftheShi`a,intheyear1369AH(1950CE),hemadehiswaytotheHawza`IlmiyyahofNajafal-Ashrafin`Iraq.It was here that he was able to take part in the classes of some of the greatest teachers such as:Ayatullahal-`Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidMuhsinal-Hakim,Ayatullahal-`Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidAbulQasim al-Khu'i and Ayatullah al-`Uzma al-Hajj `Abdul Hadi ash-Shirazi and other great teachers(mayAllahsanctifytheirspirits).Attheageof24,HisEminencewasgrantedcompleteIjtihadfromtwoofthegreatscholarsofNajafal-Ashraf.Inaddition,Ayatullahal-`Uzmaal-Hajjas-SayyidMuhsinal-Hakimevenwroteashort,butcomprehensiveletterofcommendationforHisEminence'snotesonthelessonsofFiqh(TheBookofTaharah).His thirst foracquiringandgainingmoreknowledgecontinuedwith thegreat teachers inNajafal-Ashraf.However,sincehedidnothavethemeanstosurviveandcontinuehisstudiesinthisholycity,hewasforcedtoreturnbacktoIranintheyear1370AH(1951CE)andmakehiswaybacktotheholy

cityofQumwhichwasnow the centreofgathering religious scholars. Onceagain,he joined thecircleofscholarswholateron,hadaprofoundimpactonhislife.AfterreturningtoIran,AyatullahNasirMakarimShirazibeganteachingtheintermediateandhigherlevelofstudies(Kharij)inUsulal-FiqhandFiqh.Itisnowcloseto28yearsthathehasbeenteachingthese classes in theTheological Seminarywhich have beenwarmly accepted and appreciated by alargenumberofstudents.Inaddition,afterteachingalargenumberoftheimportantbooksofFiqh,hewenton towritesummariesandnotesof thesegreatworks. Atpresent theclassesofKharijofUsulofthisgreatpersonalityareoneofthemostpopularclassesintheHawza`IlmiyyahoftheShi`aand there are close to 2,000of themost dedicated anddynamic studentswho takepart andbenefitfromhislectures!From thebeginningofhis studies, hewashabituated inwritingbooks invarious fieldsof IslamicstudiessuchasTheology,IslamicAwarenessandthe issueofWilayah(of theAhlulBait). Movingahead,hestartedtowriteontheExegesisoftheQur'an,FiqhandUsulal-FiqhandiscurrentlyknownandrecognizedasoneofthegreatestwritersintheMuslimworld.

PoliticalActivities

HisEminencewasalsoveryactive in theearlydays thatculminatedin theIslamicRevolutionof

Iran and it is because of this fact that he was thrown in the despotic ruler's jail many times. Inaddition,hewasevenexiledonthreeseparateoccasionstothreedifferentcities-Chanharat,MahabadandAnarak.HoweveraftertheRevolution,hewasappointedtothefirstcouncilofRepresentativesandplayedapivotalroleinwritingthefirstconstitution.

2ChapterTheReligiousHelpandSupport

AyatullahNasirMakarimShirazihasbeenquiteactiveinvariousfieldsofteachingandguidingthe

up-and-comingscholarsintheTheologicalSeminaryofQum,andhasembarkedonvariousprojectsandendeavours,ofwhichwementionjustafew:

ReligiousPublicationsCentrefortheShi`a

Fromsometimeback,HisEminencefelttheneedfortheHawza`IlmiyyahofQumtohaveageneralpublication organizationwhichwould be able to defend the Shi`a from theworks thatwere beingpublished,bythosewishingtomisleadthepeople-unfortunatelywhosenumberisgreat.In addition, this is also something that theMuslims expected from such a great IslamicUniversitysuchastheHawza`Ilmiyyah,andthuspeoplefromdifferentstrataofthecommunitystartingfromthegreatMara`ja Taqlid of the Hawza and others also put forward this request that without doubt, amagazineshouldbepublishedthatwouldbeabletoanswerthereligiousenquiriesoftheyouthandgive themtheanswers that theywere lookingfor. Inaddition,suchapublicationwouldbeable tofightagainstthebooksandmagazinesthatwerecomingoutaimingtomisleadthepeople.Duetothefactthatatthattime,thereweresomeminds(withintheTheologicalSeminary)thatwerenot ready to accept suchapublication, thus,HisEminence soughtout serious andoriginal-writingscholarstoplacetheheavyresponsibilityontheirshouldersofproducingsuchapublication.Inthisregard,HisEminence,alongwithagroupofotherscholarsandtheassistanceoftheleadersoftheHawza`IlmiyyahofQumandthefinancialsupportofwellwishers,launchedthemagazine,“Maktab-e-Islam”.This magazine was definitely something which was unparalleled in the Shi`a world andmaybe

fromthepointofviewof itsrangeofcirculation-amongst thevariousreligiousmagazinesbeingpublishedatthattime-wasthenumberonemagazineacrosstheentireMuslimworld.ThismagazinebroughtafreshnewpathofdirectiontothegreatstudentsandthinkersoftheHawzah.Atpresent,thispublicationhasbeengoingonstrongforover39years-offeringitsvaluableservicestotheMuslimworldandtheShi`acommunitiesandhasfoundaspecialspotwithintheheartsoftheyouth,theuniversitystudents,teachersandothernoblepersonalitiesanditisthroughthispublicationthatthelightofIslamandTashayya`hasbeenspreadfromitsfocalpoint(Qum)totheentireworld.

OrganizingGatheringstoOfferLessonsinTheologyandotherReligiousTeachings

HisEminence felt that thebooks thathadbeenwritten in the fieldof IslamicTheologywerenot

sufficient, nor were they, with the passing of time, able to answer the questions that were beingraised. Inaddition, thesebookswerealsonotadequate inaddressing theneedsof thecurrentera.Thetraditionalbooksoftheologywerewrittencenturiesagowherethequestionsthatthematerialistsoftodaybringupwerenotmentioned.Also,thetraditionalbookswritteninthepastdidnotdiscussthevariousworldreligionswhowerehopingto impose theirvaluesontheworld. Inaddition, theolderbooksbroughtupissueslikethoseinrelationtotheAsha`risandMu`taziliandotherssuchasthesewhichtodaydiscussionsonbeliefssuchasthesearenolongerapplicableasdiscussionssincethesewere'seasonal'.ItisbecauseofthisfactthatHisEminence,relyinguponhisliterarytalentandexceptionalabilities,was able to present the Theological Islamic beliefs and the five Principles of Religion in anunparalleledway!Itisthroughorganizingthetheologicaldiscussionsthathundredsofpeoplewereattendingthatthesegatheringsweremadeawareoftheseissuesathandandthroughthesegatherings,acompactandconcisebookwascompiledandpublished.

IslamicCounciltoProtecttheYouth

HisEminencegaveunparalleledlessonsonTheologyandotherlessonsanddiscussionsinwhichhisstudentshavebeeneducatedineightdifferentsubjectsfromamongstthedifferentschoolsofthoughtthroughouttheworld.Itisthroughtheseclassesthatthosebeingtrainedwouldbeabletodiscussandhavedebateswithothers,whoarebusypropagatingotherbeliefsandschoolsofthoughtandwouldalso be able towrite books concerning their beliefs - theywould also be equipped to answer anyquestionsorissuesthattheyputforth.Withinashortperiodoftime,thesereligiousgatheringswereabletoproducestudents-eachoneofwhichwasfirmlygroundedandspecializedinaparticularfieldofstudyandeventoday,agroupofactiveyouthwho arewell knownauthorswithin theHawza `Ilmiyyah, are busy studyingwith. Aswell, in order to save our dear youth from the clutches of corruption, His Eminence formed anorganizationcalledtheEducationalAssemblyforProtectionoftheYoungerGeneration. Oneof theoutcomesofthisassemblyisthepublicationofmaterialthatwouldbeattractivetotheyouth,andhisofficemadethemavailabletotheyouthverypromptly.

StrugglesAgainstDeviantThoughts

On one of his trips to the city of Shiraz,His Eminence came face to facewith one of the Sufi

groupsinthiscity.AgroupofpeopleinShirazrequestedhimtowriteabookthatwouldoutlinetheprinciplesoftheseSufis-onethatwouldexplaintheirbeliefsinapoliteandrespectfulmanner.HisEminence,bymakinguseoftheresourcesavailabletohim,satdowntowritethisbookintheyear1953CEwhichoutlinedtheirbeliefsandthoughts,andhenamedit”TheManifestationofTruth”.ThemethodinwhichhewrotethisbookcaughttheattentionofthelateAyatullahal-`UzmaBurujerdi(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)andafterrequestingHisEminencetoseehim,hecongratulatedtheauthorforhisvaluableefforts.Inrelationtothisbook,Ayatullahal-`UzmaBurujerdi(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)wrote thefollowingcommendation,“Ihavegone through thisbook inmysparetimeanddidnotfindeventhesmallestofweakpointsinit.MayAllahrewardyouforyourtroubles.”

EstablishingOrganizationsandCentresofLearning

Intheseregards,HisEminencehadmadetheintentionofestablishingsuchorganizationsinthesamenumberofMa`sumin(peacebeuponallofthem)thatwehave(14)andwiththepraiseofAllahupuntilnow,hehasbeensuccessfulinestablishingfoursuchimportantschoolswithintheTheologicalSeminaryofQumandtworeligiousorganizationsforthewelfareofthestudentswhoarelivinginthecityofMashad.

Writings

ThenumberofpublicationsofHisEminencecurrentlyliesatapproximately130volumesofbooks

whichhaveallbeenprinted-someofwhichhavebeenreprintedmorethan30times!Someofthesehaveevenbeentranslatedintomorethan10livinglanguagesoftheworldandhavebeenpublishedinvariouspartsoftheworld.ThecommentaryoftheQur'anauthoredbyhim,Tafsir-e-Namuna(TheIdealCommentary)hasbeentranslatedintomanylanguages,including`Arabic(al-AmthalFiTafsiral-Qur'an),andcanbefoundinmanyhomes.Inadditiontothiscommentary,hehasalsoauthoredathematiccommentaryoftheQur'anentitledPayam-e-Qur'an(TheMessageoftheQur'an)whichhasopenedupanewchapterinthefieldofexegesisoftheNobleQur'an.Inaddition, thebookshehaswrittenon the theologicalbeliefshavebeenaplacewhereotherscanseekrefugefromtheassaultofbookswrittenwithfalsebeliefsinthem.Of the books of Fiqh that he has written, we mention a few: Anwar al-Fuqahah, al-Qawa`idulFiqhiyyah,Anwaral-Usulandthenotesandcommentariesonthecompletetextof`UrwatulWuthqawhichhasbeenprintedmanytimesover.HispracticalguideforMuslims(TawdhihulMasail)hasalsobeenprintedmanytimesandhasalso

beentranslatedinto`Arabic,Urdu,Turkish,AzariandEnglish.AcompletelistofotherpublicationsofthisgreatscholarwhichhavebeentranslatedintoEnglish

andareavailableisasfollows.Mostofthesecanbereadonhiswebsiteatwww.makaremshirazi.org1.EthicalDiscources[40LecturesonEthicsandMorality]-volume1,2&3translatedbySaleem

Bhimji-publishedbytheWorldFederationofKSIMC[www.world-federation.org]2.Khums:TheIslamicTaxtranslatedbySaleemBhimji-publishedbytheIslamicHumanitarian

Service[www.al-haqq.com]3. Lessons in Islamic Beliefs - Tawhid, 'Adalah, Nubuwwah, Imamah, andMa'ad translated by

LalehBakhtiyar-publishedbyAnsariyanPublications[www.ansariyan.org]4. Life Under the Grace of Ethics translated by Monir Shafiei - published by the Office of

AyatullahMakarimShirazi[www.makaremshirazi.org]5.MessageoftheQur'an-AThematicExegesisoftheNobleQur'anvolume1of10translatedby

SaleemBhimji-publishedbytheWorldFederationofKSIMC[www.world-federation.org]6. OneHundred andEightyQuestions - volumes 1, 2& 3 translated by ShahnawazMahdawi -

publishedbytheWorldFederationofKSIMC[www.world-federation.org]7.OneHundredandFiftyLessonsforLifetranslatedbytheofficeofAyatullahal-'UzmaShaykh

NasirMakarimShirazi-publishedbyAnsariyanPublications[www.ansariyan.org]8. OurBeliefs translated by the office ofAyatullah al-'UzmaShaykhNasirMakarimShirazi -

publishedbytheOfficeofAyatullahMakarimShirazi[www.makaremshirazi.org]9.PhilosophyofIslamicRulingswritteninco-operationwithAyatullahJa'farSubhaniTranslated

bySayyidAtharRizvi-publishedbyAnsariyanPublications[www.ansariyan.org]10.SummaryoftheIslamicRulingstranslatedby'AliAbdulRasheed-publishedbytheOfficeof

AyatullahMakarimShirazi[www.makaremshirazi.org]11.TafsiroftheNobleQur'an-SuratulJinntranslatedbySaleemBhimji-publishedbytheIslamic

Humanitarian Service and the World Federation of KSIMC [www.al-haqq.com] & [www.world-

federation.org]12.ThetraditionofGhadir-TheExpressiveEvidenceforImamatetranslatedbytheofficeofAyatullahal-'UzmaShaykhNasirMakarimShirazi -publishedby theOfficeofAyatullahMakarimShirazi[www.makaremshirazi.org]13.TheNobleQur'an-TranslationandCommentary-volume1-4translatedbyMansoorAmini-

publishedbytheOfficeofAyatullahMakarimShirazi[www.makaremshirazi.org]14.TheIslamicLawstranslatedbytheofficeofAyatullahal-'UzmaShaykhNasirMakarimShirazi

-publishedbytheOfficeofAyatullahMakarimShiraziwww.makaremshirazi.org]

3ChapterArabicTextofSuratulJinn

1 } ابجع انآرق انعمس انإ اولاقف نجلا نم رفن عمتسا هنأ يلإ يحوأ لق }

2 } ادحأ انبرب كرشن نلو هب انمآف دشرلا ىلإ يدهی }

3 } ادلو الو ةبحاص ذختا ام انبر دج ىلاعت هنأو }

4 } اططش هللا ىلع انهیفس لوقی ناك هنأو }

5 } ابذك هللا ىلع نجلاو سنإلا لوقت نل نأ اننظ انأو }

6 } اقهر مهودازف نجلا نم لاجرب نوذوعی سنإلا نم لاجر ناك هنأو }

7 } ادحأ هللا ثعبی نل نأ متننظ امك اونظ مهنأو }

8 } ابهشو ادیدش اسرح تئلم اهاندجوف ءامسلا انسمل انأو }

9 } ادصر اباهش هل دجی نآلا عمتسی نمف عمسلل دعاقم اهنم دعقن انك انأو }

10 } ادشر مهبر مهب دارأ مأ ضرألا يف نمب دیرأ رشأ يردن ال انأو }

11 } اددق قئارط انك كل ذ نود انمو نوحلاصلا انم انأو }

12 } ابره هزجعن نلو ضرألا يف هللا زجعن نل نأ اننظ انأو }

13 } اقهر الو اسخب فاخی الف هبرب نمؤی نمف هب انمآ ىدهلا انعمس امل انأو }

14 } ادشر اورحت كئ لوأف ملسأ نمف نوطساقلا انمو نوملسملا انم انأو }

15 } ابطح منهجل اوناكف نوطساقلا امأو }

16 } اقدغ ءام مهانیقسأل ةقیرطلا ىلع اوماقتسا ول نأو }

17 } ادعص اباذع هكلسی هبر ركذ نع ضرعی نمو هیف مهنتفنل }

18 } ادحأ هللا عم اوعدت الف هللا دجاسملا نأو }

19 } ادبل هیلع نونوكی اوداك هوعدی هللا دبع ماق امل هنأو }

20 } ادحأ هب كرشأ الو يبر وعدأ امنإ لق }

21 } ادشر الو ارض مكل كلمأ ال ينإ لق }

22 } ادحتلم هنود نم دجأ نلو دحأ هللا نم ينریجی نل ينإ لق }

23 } ادبأ اهیف نیدلاخ منهج ران هل نإف هلوسرو هللا صعی نمو هتالاسرو هللا نم اغالب الإ }

24 } اددع لقأو ارصان فعضأ نم نوملعیسف نودعوی ام اوأر اذإ ىتح }

25 } ادمأ يبر هل لعجی مأ نودعوت ام بیرقأ يردأ نإ لق }

26 } ادحأ هبیغ ىلع رهظی الف بیغلا ملاع }

27 } ادصر هفلخ نمو هیدی نیب نم كلسی هنإف لوسر نم ىضترا نم الإ }

28 } اددع ءيش لك ىصحأو مهیدل امب طاحأو مهبر تالاسر اوغلبأ دق نأ ملعیل }

4ChapterContentsofSuratulJinn

Suratul Jinn was revealed in the blessed city of Makkah al-Mukarramah and contains twenty

eightAyat(verses).Justasitsnameindicates,thisSurahcontainsadiscussionconcerningtheunseencreationofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)knownastheJinn.Thediscourse,amongstothertopics,coverstheJinns'beliefintheProphetofIslam(blessingsof

Allahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andtheirhumilityandhumblenessinrelationtotheHolyQur'an.Their belief and firmconvictionon theDayofResurrection, and that among them there canbe

foundbothbelieversanddisbelievers,isalsocoveredinthisSurah.ThesediscussionsarecoveredinnineteenofthetwentyeightversesoftheSurahandnotonlyrefuteandnegatemuchoftheuncertaintyandhearsaythathasbeendisseminatedabouttheJinn,butalsoamendsandrectifiesthem.The second section of this Surah contains a subtle allusion regarding the belief in theOneness ofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andtheResurrectionDay.In the final section of this Surah, there is a discussion concerning the Knowledge of theUnseen(`IlmulGhaib)ofwhichnotasinglesoulhasknowledgeabout-exceptAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andthoseindividualswhomHedecidestoinformaboutthesematters.

5ChapterMeritsofRecitingSuratulJinn

هللا ىلص ) دمحمب قدص ناطیش و ينج لك ددعب رجألا هل ناك ةروسلا هذه أرق نم (: ملسو هلآو هیلع هللا ىلص ) يبنلا نع يور

ةبقر قتع هب بذكو ( ملسو هلآو هیلعIthasbeennarratedfromtheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)that:“Hewho

recitesthisSurah(SuratulJinn)willbegiventherewardoffreeing(fromslavery)asmanyJinnandDevils that both believed in and belied Muhammad (blessings of Allah be upon him and hisprogeny).”1ىلإ ىحوأ لق { ةئارق رثكأ نم : لاق ( مالسلا هیلع ) هللا دبع يبأ نع ریدس نب نانح نع هدانسإب ( هیلع هللا ناوضر ) قودصلا نع يورهلآو هیلع هللا ىلص ) هللا لوسر عم ناك و مهدیك نم وال مهرحس وال مهثفن وال نجلا نیعا نم ءيش ای ـ ندلا ةایحلا يف هبصی مل }الوح هنع يغبا نأ دیرأ وال الدب هب دیرأ ال بر ای : لوقیف ( ملسو .Ithasbeenrelatedfrom(ash-Shaikh)as-Saduq(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)byhisownchain

ofnarratorsfromHannanibnSadirfromAbi`Abdillah(ImamJa`faribnMuhammadas-Sadiq(peacebeuponhim))thathe(theImam)said:“WhosoeverrecitesSuratulJinnwillneverbetouchedbytheevileye,magic,witchcraftortheevilplotsoftheJinnwhileinthisworld,andthatpersonwillbeinthecompanyofMuhammad(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andwillbeseechtheAlmightybysaying,'O'Allah!Idonotwant anyone besides him!' nor will this person ever be pleasedwith anyone else.”2However, thebenefitsthatcanbeattainedarenotlimitedtosimplytherecitationofthisSurah,ratherthereadingissimplytheintroductiontounderstandingitscontents,andthusactinguponitisalsonecessaryifwearetobenefitfromitsrecitation.

6ChapterOccasionofRevelationofSuratulJinn

SuratulJinnwasrevealedinMakkahafterSuratulA`rafandbeforetherevelationofSurahYasinandis the fortiethSurah to be revealed to ProphetMuhammad (prayers ofAllah be upon him and hisfamily).ThisSurahistheseventy-secondSurahinthepresentcompilationoftheQur'anandcontainstwenty-eightverses.Accordingtoscholars,a totalof1,024verseswererevealedbeforethisSurah,and 5447 verses appear before this Surah in the present compilation of the Qur'an. This Surahcontains285words,orassomescholarshavestated,235words.ThenumberoflettersintheSurahisalsodebatable.Somescholarssaythatthereare870,whileothersstatethatthereare759.IntheexplanationofAyat29to32ofSuratulAhqaf,variousincidentsofrevelationwhichwererelatedtothatSurahhavebeennarrated,whicharethesameasthatwhichhavebeenmentionedforthisSurah.ThisdenotesthatbothoftheseSurahsarerelatedtooneparticularevent.Wewilltakeabrieflookatthesethreeayat.TheversesofSuratulAhqaf(46)thatdiscusstheJinnarethefollowing:انإ انموق ای اولاق { 29 } نیرذنم مهموق ىلإ اولو يضق املف اوتصنأ اولاق هورضح املف نآرقلا نوعمتسی نجلا نم ارفن كیلإ انفرص ذإوهب اونمآو هللا يعاد اوبیجأ انموق ای { 30 } میقتسم قیرط ىلإو قحلا ىلإ يدهی هیدی نیب امل اقدصم ىسوم دعب نم لزنأ اباتك انعمسمیلأ باذع نم مكرجیو مكبونذ نم مكل رفغی

31}}“AndwhenWeturnedapartyoftheJinntowardsyou(Muhammad)tolistentotheQur'an,thenwhentheyattended(aQur'anicrecitation)theysaidtoeachother,“Besilent,”andwhenitwasover,theyturnedbacktotheirpeopleinwarningandsaid,“Ourpeople,indeedwehavelistenedtotherecitationofaBook revealed afterMusa.It confirms theBooks revealedbefore andguides to theTruth and theRightPath. O' our people!Respondfavourablytotheone(Muhammad)whoinvitespeopletoAllahandbelieveinHim.Hewillforgiveyoursinsandrescueyoufromthepainfultorment.”11.TheProphetMuhammad(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)wastravelingfromMakkahtothe`IkadhmarketinTaifsoastoinvitethethrongsofpeoplewhousedtoflockthereintothefoldofIslam.Howeveratthisgathering,noneof thosepresentacceptedhis invitation. Onhiswayback, theProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)reachedaplacewhichwasreferredtoastheValleyoftheJinn.Hestayedtherefor theeveningandwasabsorbedintherecitationof theHolyQur'an. AgroupofJinn,whowerepresentandlisteningtohim,immediatelyacceptedthefaithofIslam.Afterthis,theyreturnedtotheirowngrouptospreadandpropagatetheteachingswhichtheyhadaccepted.22.Ibn`Abbas(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)relatesthat,“TheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)wasbusyintherecitationofSalatal-Fajrinwhichhewasreading(aSurah)oftheHolyQur'an.Agroupof theJinnwhowere investigating intowhy their flowof informationwhich theyused toreceivefromtheHeavenshadbeenstopped,happenedtohearMuhammad(prayersofAllahbeuponhim and his family) reciting the Qur'an. They said to each other, 'The reason for the halt in thetransmissionofinformationfromtheHeavensisbecauseofthis.'Theyreturnedtotheirgroupandproceededto invite theminto thereligionofIslam.33.After thedeathofAbuTalib(mayAllahbe

pleasedwithhim),theresponsibilitiesthatrestedontheshouldersoftheProphetofAllah(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)becamemuchmoredifficultandthusheproceededtogotowardstheareaofthe`ArabianPeninsulaknownasTaifinhopesoffindingsomehelpers.ThenoblepeopleofTaif severelybeliedhimand threw somany rocks at theProphet (prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)thatbloodwasgushingforthfromhisentirebody-evenfromtheblessed feet of the Prophet! Tired and troubled, he stopped near a garden. At that place, he cameacrossaservantoftheownerofthegardenwhosenamewas`Adas.ThisslaveacceptedtheteachingsofIslamandafterthis, theProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)continuedonhisjourneybackhometoMakkah.Duringthatnight,hearrivednearaforestoftreesandwhilebusyinSalat,agroupofJinnfromtheareaofNasibainorYemenwhohappenedtobepassingbythatareaheardtherecitationoftheQur'anof theProphet (prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhis family) inhisSalat al-Fajr andaccepted theteachings of Islam right there.4 The same information has been narrated from a group ofCommentatorsoftheQur'aninregardstotherevelationofSuratulJinn,howevertherearealsootheroccasionsofrevelationinregardstothisSurahwhichdifferfromwhathasjustbeenmentioned.Onesuchnarrationisfrom`AbdullahibnMas`ud(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)whenheaskedagroupofcompanions,'WereanyofyoucompanionswiththeProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)ontheeveningwhentheeventwiththeJinntookplace?'Theyrepliedthatnoneofthemweretherewhenthisoccurrencehappened.Theycontinuedbysayingthat on that evening, they did not find the Prophet (prayers ofAllah be upon him and his family)anywhereinthecityofMakkahandhowevermuchtheysearched,theyfoundnotraceofhim.Uponnotbeingabletolocatehim,theywereextremelyworriedthatmaybetheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)hadbeenkilled.TheycontinuedsearchingalltheareasofMakkahwhenallofasuddentheysawhimcomingtowardsthemfromthedirectionoftheCaveofHira.TheyaddressedtheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)saying,“WherewereyouO'MessengerofAllah?Wehavebeenworriedaboutyou,andbecauseofthis,lastnightwasoneoftheworstnightsofourlives.”TheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)replied,“Lastnight,aninvitationfromtheJinncametomeandthus,IwenttowheretheylivesotobeabletorecitetheQur'antothem.”5

1.SuratulAhqaf(46),Verse39-41.2. Tafsir `Ali ibn Ibrahim according to the narration (summarized) from the Tafsir Nur ath-

Thaqalain,Volume5,Page19.3.3.Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Al-Muslim and the Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, according to the

(summarized)narrationfromIntheShadeoftheQur ’an,Volume7,Page429.4.TafsirMajma`Al-Bayan,Volume9,Page92;HistoryofIbnHisham,Volume2,Page62and63

(Summarized).5.TafsirMajma`Al-Bayan,Volume10,Page368.

Part1CommentaryofSuratulJinn

CommentaryofVerse1

ابجع انآرق انعمس انإ اولاقف نجلا نم رفن عمتسا هنأ يلإ يحوأ لق “Say (O'Muhammad to the people), 'It has been revealed tome (fromAllah) that a group from

amongsttheJinnhaslistened(totherecitationoftheQur'an)and(uponreturningbacktotheotherJinn)toldthem(theotherJinn),'Verilyweheardanamazingrecital.''”***Wehaveheardanamazingrecital!

InthefirstverseofthisSurah,itismentionedthat:“Say(O'Muhammad):IthasbeenrevealedtomethatapartyofJinnhaslistened(totherecitation)oftheQur'anandhastold(theirpeople),'Verilywehave heard an amazing recital.'”1 The phrase 'it has been revealed to me' shows that the Prophet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)himselfdidnotseetheJinn-rather,hewasinformedofthemlisteningtotheQur'anthroughDivineRevelation.ThisversealsoclearlyshowsthattheJinnpossessintelligence,discernment,understandingandcomprehension.WecanalsodeferthattheytoohavearesponsibilityandaccountabilitytowardstheirCreator.Notonlydotheyunderstandandcomprehendspeechandvariouslanguagesandareabletodiscernbetweendiscoursethatisamiracleandthatwhichisnot,buttheyalsorealizetheirownresponsibilityin propagation and spreading theTruth and thus, are addressed in theQur'an.Thehidden traits oftheselivingcreatures(theJinn)areonlydiscernablefromthisverseoftheQur'an.Thesecreationsalsohaveothercharacteristics,whichby thepowerofAllah(GlorifiedandExalted isHe),wewillexplain at the end of the discussion of this Surah. The Jinn had a right to regard theQur'an as amiraclesincethesoundandstyleoftheQur'an-nottomentiontheeffectandpowerthatithasthatattractsthelistener-issomethingthatisindescribable.The contents and power (of this heavenly word) of transformation is something that is alsoremarkable,andthefactthattheonewhobroughtitwasonewhohadnotformallystudiedduringhisentire life andwas onewho lived amongst the Illiterates is also something to ponder upon. It is aspeech that both in its apparent readings and its hiddenmeanings, is completely different than anyother speech, and because of this, the Jinn held firm to the belief of themiraculous nature of theQur'an.

CommentaryofVerse2

ادحأ انبرب كرشن نلو هب انمآف دشرلا ىلإ يدهی “

(ThisQur'anwhichweheard)guides(people)totherightpath,sothenwehavebelievedinitandweshallneverjoininworshipanyoneoranythingwithourLord(Allah).”***ThefirstthingthattheJinnsaidwasthatthisQur'anwasabookthatguidestotherightway,therefore,theybelievedinitscontentsandsaidtheyshallneverjoin(inworship)withtheirLord,anyothergods.Themeaningoftheword' دشرلا 'or'therightpath'isonethathasavast,comprehensivemeaningthatconveysanypaththatonegoesuponthatiscompletelypureandclean(ofspiritualimpurities).Itisapathwhichisalsofreeofallturnsandbends;onethatisobviousandmanifestthatwouldleadthewayfareronthepathtocompleteandabsolutesatisfaction.Afterthisphrase,theJinnhadotherthingstosaytotheircommunitywhichtheQur'anmentionsinthefollowing12verses,eachstartingwiththe'Arabicpronoun' نأ 'whichisusedforemphasis.2

CommentaryofVerse3

ادلو الو ةبحاص ذختا ام انبر دج ىلاعت هنأو

“And verily He (Our Lord - Allah) glory be to Him has not taken a consort or a son (for

Himself).”***

AfterexpressingtheircompletebeliefinAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andnegatingallformsofpolytheism,theJinncontinuedtheirspeechbydeclaringthecharacteristicsofAllah

(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).TheysaidthatHe-exaltedbethemajestyoftheLord(fromcomparingHimandHiscreationsandfromallsortsofdefectsandfaults)hasnevertakenacompanion/spouse,orason.Theword' دج 'hasmanymeaningsincluding:greatness,force,unquestionability,share,portionorsomethingthatis

new,amongothermeanings.However,itsoriginalrootmeaning,asRaghibinhisbookal-Mufradatmentionsisthatofbeingcutoff,sinceanycreationthathasanysortofgreatnessormajestyisalwaysindependentofanyotherthing.Inthisverse,thiswordhascomeinthemeaningofgreatness;howeverasfortheothermeaningsofthisword,wecanalsoapplythemtothisverse.In`Arabic,thegrandfatherisalso

referredtoas' دج 'becauseofthegreatstation(amongstthefamilymembers)thatheholdsorduetohisage.SomeofthecommentatorsoftheQur'anhavementionedamuchmorefiniteandrestrictedmeaningofthiswordandhavetakenittobeanattribute;othershavetakenittomeanpower;whileothersunderstandittomeanmastershipandsovereignty.Stillothercommentatorshavesaiditrefers

toablessing;whilethelastgroupfeelsthatitisinthemeaningofaname-althoughallthesemeaningsarecontainedinthemeaningofgreatness.Inanycase,themeaningofthiswordisjustasiscommonlyheldandthatisbeingthegrandfather.Insomeoftheahadithithasbeenmentionedthatwithoutknowledge,agroupoftheJinnusedthisinappropriateword,meaningthattheyweretryingtoexpressthatnooneshouldneverusesuchawordtorefertoAllah.3Itispossiblethatthistypeofspeechwouldbeaccuratewheresuchanassociationofbeliefsistakingplace,however,theQur'anconcurswiththespeechoftheJinninthisverseandagreeswithitscorrectness.Also,insomeofthespeechescontainedinNahjulBalagha,weseethatthiswordisusedaswell.Inspeech191,Amiral-

Mu’minin`AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim)isquotedassaying:هدج ىلاعتملا و هدنج بلاغلا و هدمح قلخلا يف يشافلا هللا دمحلا .

“AllpraisebelongstoAllahwhohasspreadHispraisethroughoutHiscreationandwhosearmyisvictoriousandwhoistheHighestoverHisGreatness.”Inanotherhadithithasbeenmentionedthat

AnasibnMaliksaid:اننیعا يف دج ةرقبلا ةروس أرق اذإ لجرلا ناك “

WheneverapersonwouldreadSuratulBaqarah,hewouldbeseenasgreatinoureyes.”4Inanycase,theuseofthiswordinthemeaningofgreatnessandmajestyissomethingthatisinlinewithwhathasbeenmentionedinthedictionariesandalsoinitspracticalapplication.Itisinterestingtonotethatatthispoint,thosespeakingthesewords-theJinn-haveplacedspecialemphasisontheissuethatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hasneitheraspousenoranychild.Itispossiblethatthispertainstothecorruptbeliefsthatwereprevalentamongstthe`Arabswhobelievedthatthe

AngleswerethedaughtersofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andthatHehadtakenaJinnasHisspouse!ThishypothesisissubstantiatedbythecontentsofSuratulSaffat(37),verse158:

نورضحمل مهنإ ةنجلا تملع دقلو ابسن ةنجلا نیبو هنیب اولعجو “

TheyhavesaidthatthereisarelationshipbetweenHimandtheJinn.”

CommentaryofVerse5

ابذك هللا ىلع نجلاو سنإلا لوقت نل نأ اننظ انأو “

And verily we thought that Man or Jinn could never tell lies about Allah (however, we aredefinitelywrong).”***Continuing their speech, the Jinn said that they thought that nomanor Jinn could ever tell lies

about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). It is possible that what they meant here was the blindfollowingthatsomeofthemwerepursuinginrelationtothepreviousgenerationswhobelievedthatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hadpartners,wivesandchildren.Thus,theseJinnthoughttothemselves,'Ifweacceptthesenotionsfromthosewhocamebeforeus

withouthavinganyproofbecausewewant tohavegood thoughtsabout thosewhocamebeforeus(thattheywouldnotlie),wecouldneverimaginethatMankindandJinnwouldeverhavetheaudacitytoattributesuchgrandliestoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)!'Theycontinuedonwiththeirthoughtsandsaidtothemselves,'nowthatwehavereachedtoalevel

ofbeingable toconduct researchandhavearrived to the truthandaccepted it,wesee theerror infollowing the previous generations and thus, we turn away from our own mistake and themisguidednessofthepolytheistsfromamongtheJinn.'

CommentaryofVerse6

اقهر مهودازف نجلا نم لاجرب نوذوعی سنإلا نم لاجر ناك هنأو “AndverilymenfromamonghumanbeingswouldseekrefugewithmenfromamongtheJinnand

thisincreasedtherebelliousnessofthoseJinn.”***TheJinnsaidthatanotherwaythattheJinnandMankindweremisguidedwasthatmenfromamongthehumanswouldseekrefugewithmenfromamongtheJinn,andthisactleadtoanincreaseinthemisguidance,sinsandinsurgenceoftheJinn.Theoriginalmeaningoftheword' قهر 'istocover

somethingwithanger,violenceandvictoryandsinceevilssuchasmisguidance,sins,rebellion,andfeartakecompletecontrolovertheheartandsoulofaperson,thus,thiswordisexplainedassuch.AgroupofcommentatorsoftheQur'anhavesaidthatthisversereferstoothersuperstitionswhichexistedduringtheperiodofIgnorance.Onesuchsuperstitionwasthatwheneveragroupof`Arabs

wouldenterintoavalleyintheevening,theywouldsay:هموق ءاهفس رش نم يداولا اذه زیزعب ذوعأ “

I seek refuge from the great one of this valley from the evil of the chief of his (Shaytan)tribe.”5Andbysayingthis,theyfeltthatthelargeormainJinnwouldbeprotectedfromtheevilsofthe smaller (in power) Jinn. Since the various corrupt ideas would lead to a pollution of one'sthoughts and the fear of being misguided, thus at the end of the verse it is mentioned that, “thisincreased the Jinn in their insurgence.” From this verse, we can deduce that the Jinn too are alsodividedintomaleandfemalesincethewordsusedinthisverseare“menfromamongtheJinn.”6Inanycase,themeaningofthisverseisvastandincludespeoplefromamongmankindseekingrefugeofanytypefrompeopleoftheJinnandthevariouscorruptideasthathavebeenmentionedabovearejust a sample of the adulterated thoughts. We know that among the `Arabs, there were manysoothsayersandoracleswhotrulybelievedthatthroughtheJinnmanyproblemscouldbesolvedandinformationoneventsthatwouldoccurinthefuturecouldbeforetold.

CommentaryofVerse7

ادحأ هللا ثعبی نل نأ متننظ امك اونظ مهنأو

“Andverilythey(thosepeople)thoughtjustasyouallthoughtthatAllahwouldneverbringraiseupasingleperson(asaMessenger).”***

Inthepast,weusedtostealalisteningfromtheheavens,howevernow… The Jinn start out by saying that a group of humans thought, just as they thought, that after them(ProphetsMusaand`Isa),Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)wouldnotappointanotherProphet.TheydisbelievedintheQur'anandtheraisingofthefinalProphetMuhammad(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily),howeverwhentheJinnlistenedwithattentiontotheheavenlyversesofthisbook,thetruthofthesewordswasmadecleartothem.However,thedisbelieversfromamongtheJinnarejustlikethepolytheistsfromamongmankind,

whohavechosenthepathofdisbeliefandareboundtomeetthesamefateastheywill!

ThisspeechisawarningtothepolytheiststhattheyshouldknowthatwhentheJinnhavesuchabeliefandjudgment,theyshouldwakeupandjustliketheJinn,holdfirmtoandhavebeliefintheQur'anandtheNobleProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily).Somecommentatorshavesuggestedthatthephrase:

' ادحأ هللا ثعبی نل نأ '

orthat'Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)wouldneverappointanyone'referstothedenialoftheResurrectionandnotthedenialofthesendingofProphets.Othershavesaidthatwithoutdoubt, thisverseandthepreviousverseconstitutethespeechofAllah(Glorified andExalted isHe) andnot that of the believing Jinn and these verses have been placedwithintheirspeechasaformofinterrogationandthatthepeoplebeingaddressedinthesetwoversesareactuallythepolytheistsfromamongthe`Arabs.According to this explanation, the verse under discussion could be translated as follows that ”O'polytheists fromamongthe`Arabs! Youhadthesamebelief just like theJinnhadthatAllahwouldneverappointaMessenger,however,afterhearingtheQur'an,werealizeourmistakeandthetimehasnowcomeforyoutootorealizeyourmistake.”However it is highly unlikely that this is the true explanation. Thus apparently, this speech is acontinuationofthebelieversamongtheJinnandthosewhomtheyarespeakingtoarenoneotherthan

thedisbelieversfromamongtheJinn.

CommentaryofVerse8

ابهشو ادیدش اسرح تئلم اهاندجوف ءامسلا انسمل انأو “Andverilywesearchedtheheavenshoweverwefoundinthem,strongprotectingmissileswaitingforus.”***AfterthisthebelieversfromamongtheJinnspeakaboutoneofthesignsoftruthintheirspeechthatallotherJinnwouldbeabletodiscernforthemselves,bylookingatthenaturalworld.Theysaidthattheyhadbeensearchingthroughtheheavensandfoundthemfullofstrongprotectors,guardiansandmissiles.7

CommentaryofVerse9

ادصر اباهش هل دجی نآلا عمتسی نمف عمسلل دعاقم اهنم دعقن انك انأو

“And verily we used to sit near by and try to listen (to the news coming from the heavens), butshootingmissilesnowawaitthosewhotrytodothat.”***

Continuingwith the conversationof the Jinn, theymentioned that until now, theyused to sit in theheavens and steal a listen of the news thatwas occurring (in the universe)which theywould thenconveytotheirfriends.However,nowwhoevertriestogototheheavensandstealalistenaremetwithmissileswhichareaimeddirectlyatthem!Doesthisnewstateofaffairsnotpoint tothefact thatwiththecomingoftheHolyProphetandtherevelationofaHeavenlyBook,thatacompleteupheavalhastakeplaceintheworld?Whyisitthatinthe past the Jinnwere able to steal a listen from the heavens, however none of them possess thisabilitynow?Doesthisversenothaveawidermeaningthatthepreviousageofevilworks,oldageandtrickeryhavecometoaclose?Hasnottheperiodofmentaldarknessandignoranceendedandinitsplace,thesunofknowledge,revelationandProphethoodhasrisen?Theoriginalmeaningoftheword' باهش 'isaflamethatshootsoutfromthefire.Also,theelongatedflamesoffirethatarevisibleintheheavensthatshootoutandareseenbyusarealsoreferredtoin`Arabicas' باهش '.Inaccordancewiththeresearchersoftoday,these'flames'areactuallysmallpiecesofrockthathavebeen moving and when they come close to the Earth, they become under the influence of thegravitationalpulloftheplanetandfalltotheEarthatahighvelocity.When they enter into the atmosphere, the pull of gravity of the Earth drags them faster which

resultsinthembecominghotterandthustheyresembletheflamesoffire.Intheend,theycomedowntothegroundandturnintoashes.IntheseversesoftheNobleQur'an,itreferstothenaturalphenomenathattheseshootingflamesareactually missiles which are aimed towards the Shaiatin who are trying to steal a listen from theheavens.Thuswemustaskthequestionthat:whatdoesitmeantostealalistenfromtheheavens?Howisit

possiblefortheShaiatin(Devils)andtheJinntorunawayfromtheheavensbecauseoftheseDivinemissilesthatarebeingshotatthem?A complete, detailed description of this can be found in our discussion on Suratul Hijr, verse 18(Volume11,Page40ofTafsirNamunainFarsi)andSurahtulSaffat,verse10(Volume19,page15ofTafsirNamunainFarsi).Theword' ادصر 'isinthemeaningofpreparingforsomethingwhileoneisinthestateofwaiting.

Thiswordalsocomesinthemeaningoftheverbalnamemeaningthepersonorthingthatiswaiting,andthisisthemeaningthatisconveyedinthisverse.

CommentaryofVerse10

ادشر مهبر مهب دارأ مأ ضرألا يف نمب دیرأ رشأ يردن ال انأو

“AndverilywedonotknowifHeintendseviltothosewhoareintheEarthoriftheirLordintendsguidanceforthem.”***

Continuingintheirtalk,theJinnmentionedthatwiththenewstateofaffairsthathadtakenplace,theydidnotknowiftheprohibitionofstealingalistenfromtheheavenswasapreludetosomethingbadthatwasgoingtobeinflictedonthepeopleoftheEarthorifAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hadintendedtoguidethepeople.Inotherwords, theJinndidnotknowif thiswasa leadup to thesendingdownofpunishmentandtrialsfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)orifitwastheprologuetoguidance?However, thebelievers fromamong the Jinnunderstand that thembeingprevented fromstealingalistenfromtheheavens-whichwasaroundthesametimeastheraisingupoftheProphetofIslam(prayers ofAllah be upon him and his family) and the cutting off of their soothsaying or fortunetellingandotherthingsthatoccurred,wasactuallytheshuttingofthedoorsoftheperiodofdarknessandignoranceandtheheraldinginoftheperiodofdivinelight(nur)andguidanceformankind.HoweverasweseethattheJinnhadaspecialinterestandloveinstealingalistenfromtheheavens,andthustheycouldnotbelievethatbythembeingpreventedfromthisact, therecouldbeasignofgoodnessandblessings(forhumanity).It is interesting to note that in this verse, the issue of guidance of mankind is attributed to Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),howeverthedoeror'guide'toevilandwickednessiskeptunknownandisnotattributedtoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).ThisconfirmsthefactthatwhatevercomesfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)isgoodand

its ultimate purpose is guidance, whereas evil and corruption all stem from mankind and thetransgressionoftheblessingsthatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hasgracedthemwith.Althoughitisknownthattheoppositeof' رش 'orevilin`Arabicis' ریخ 'orgood,howeversinceinthisversethemeaningofgoodisguidance,thuswehavetakenthismeaninginourexplanation.

CommentaryofVerse11

اددق قئارط انك كل ذ نود انمو نوحلاصلا انم انأو

“Andamongus,certainlysomeofusarerighteousandothersarenot.Verily,allofusarefollowingdifferentpaths.”***

Wehaveheardthetruthandhavesubmitted(toit)In this verse, which is the first verse that is the direct speech of the Jinn, they say that amongthemselves thereare those thatperformrighteousactsandotherswhodonotand that they tooaredividedintovariousgroupsandfactions.ItispossiblethattheJinnmentionedthisinthebeginningoftheirspeech,sinceIblisisoneoftheJinnandthisthoughtmayhavecomeintothemindsofothers-thatthenaturaldispositionoftheJinnisthattheycommitevil,wickeddeeds.PeoplemayhavethoughtthatitisnotpossibleforthelightofDivineGuidance(Nur)toeverenterintotheirhearts.BythebelieversfromamongtheJinnsayingthis,theymakeitcleartoothersthattheytoohavethefreedomandchoicetomaketheirowndecisionsandthat in theirmidst tooare thosewhoperformrighteousdeedsandthosethatarewicked.ThisspeechlaysdownthegroundworkforthoseJinnwhowishtobeguided.Asitisknownthatoneofthewaysinwhichpropagationofthefaithorbeliefsisboundtohaveanimpactonothersiswhenapersonattributespersonalityorcharactertotheotherpartyandletsthemknowthattheytoohavethepotentialtobeguidedandreachtoalevelofperfectionintheirlives.This possibility also exists that the believers fromamong the Jinn spoke this since at that point intime,theywerepreventedfromstealingalistenfromtheheavens.Thus,theysaidwhattheymeantthateventhoughagroupoftheJinnusedtostealinformationfrom

theheavensandthenpresentittothoseevilpeopleonEarthinordertomisguidethem,however,notalloftheJinnwerelikethis.Thisversealsoamendstheincorrectnotionsthatpeoplemayhaveintheirmindsconcerningthem,thatthewordJinnisalwaysassociatedwithShaytan,corruption,evil,andmisguidedness.ThisversetellsusthattheJinntooarebrokenupintovariouscategories-righteousandnon-righteous.Theword' اددق 'isthepluraloftheword' دق 'andmeansanythingthatiscutoff-andwheneveragrouporfactionofpeoplebreakapartfromtherestofthegroupormajority,theyarereferredtowiththisword.

CommentaryofVerse12

ابره هزجعن نلو ضرألا يف هللا زجعن نل نأ اننظ انأو

“AndverilywethoughtthatwecouldneverchallengeAllahwhetherwestayedontheEarthifwe

fledelsewhere.”***

TheJinncontinuetheirspeechbywarningtheircomradesbysayingthatcertainly,theycouldneverbe victorious over the intention and plan ofAllah (Glorified andExalted isHe) on theEarth, norcouldtheyhaveanyauthorityoverthepowerofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Thus,iftheythoughtthattheycouldrunawayfromthepunishmentofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)byhiding in thecornersof theEarthorsomewhere in theheavens, then theywere inmanifesterror!Thus, the first sentenceof this verse refers to running awayor hiding from thepowerofAllah

(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)ontheEarth,whilethesecondsentencereferstorunningawayfromthepowerofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)ingeneral-whetheritbeontheEarthorintheHeavens.There is also another possibility that canbe extracted from this verse and that is that the first partrefers to the fact that the JinnwouldneverbevictoriousoverAllah (GlorifiedandExalted isHe),while thesecondhalfof theverserefers to thefact that theywouldneverbeable tohaveauthorityoverHisjustice(`Adalah).Therefore,whenoneseesthatitisnotpossibletorunawayfromthepowerofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),noristhereanywaytohaveauthorityorpoweroverHisjustice,then,thereisnootheroptionleftforanyoneexcepttosubmittoHiscommandsandHisjusticecompletely.

CommentaryofVerse13

اقهر الو اسخب فاخی الف هبرب نمؤی نمف هب انمآ ىدهلا انعمس امل انأو

“Andverilywehavesurely listened to theguidance(of theQur'an)andsowebelieve in it.AndwhoeverbelievesinhisLordwillnotfearlossoroppression.”***

ThebelieversfromamongtheJinncontinuedtheir talkbystatingthat theylistenedto theguidancethathascomefromtheHolyQur'anandhavebelievedwholeheartedlyinit.If theyareinvitingotherstothetruthoftheQur'an, thenthosewhoarebeinginvitedshouldrest

assuredthattheJinnwhohavealreadyaccepteditarealsopracticingit.Wasthisnotthecase,theywouldnotbecallingotherstobelieveandactinthewaytheyareuntil

theythemselvesbelieveandactuponit.The Jinn then summarize - in one short sentence - the benefit of believing in the Qur'an and itscontents by stating that whosoever believes in their Lord will never fear any sort of loss oroppression.Theword' سخب 'referstoanykindoflossthatwouldcomeaboutthroughdespotismorpersecutionwhiletheword' قهر 'justaswaspreviouslymentioned,referstocoveringorconcealingsomethingbyforce.Other scholars have mentioned the difference between these two words as being: the word' سخب 'means something that is good or uprightwhichwill never be taken away,whereas theword' قهر 'meanssomethingthatisbadorevilwhichwillneverhaveanythingaddedtoit.Aswell,otherscholarshavementionedthat' سخب 'referstonoreductioninthegooddeeds,whereas' قهر 'referstoadifficultresponsibility.In any case, the overallmeaning of this verse is that nomatter how large or small the act that abelieverperforms,heisguaranteedtoreceivehisrewardfortheactwithnoreductionordecreaseinitscompensation.ItmustbementionedthattheJusticeofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)isnotlimitedtoonlythebelievers,however,sincenon-believersdonothaveanyrighteousactionsontheirdeedofrecords,thus,thereisnomentionfortherewardoftheiracts.

CommentaryofVerse14

ادشر اورحت كئ لوأف ملسأ نمف نوطساقلا انمو نوملسملا انم انأو

“AndverilyamongusareMuslimsandamongusarethosewhohavedeviatedfromtheTruth.Sothenwhosoeversubmits(toAllah)thenverilyitistheywhohavefollowedtherightguidance.”***

Inthisverse,asanaddedexplanation,thediscussionfocusesontheeventualendofboththebelieversanddisbelievers,bystatingthatbywayoftheguidancecontainedintheQur'an,fromamongtheJinn,therearethosewhosubmitandotherswhoareoppressors.8However,asforthosewhoacceptIslam(submissiontoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)),verilythey have chosen the proper path and since they have taken steps towards guidance, the reward ofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)isforthem.9

CommentaryofVerse15

ابطح منهجل اوناكف نوطساقلا امأو

“Andhowever,asforthedeviatorsfromtheTruth,theyshallbethefuelforhell.”***However,asfortheoppressors,theywillbethefuelforthehellfire!Itisimportanttonotethatintheseverses,theword' ملسم 'oronewhohassubmittedisused,astheoppositeof' ملاظ 'oranoppressorwhichpointstothefactthatthethingwhichtakesapersonoutofbeinganoppressoristruefaith.Otherwise,anindividualwithoutfaithwillalwaysremainspirituallypollutedasanoppressorandtyrant.Also,thisverseshowsthatthetruebelieveristhatpersonwhohasneverbeenanoppressorortyrant,justasthehadithfromtheNobleProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)states:

مهلاومأ و مهسفنأ ـى لع سانلا هنمآ نم نمؤملأ .

“Thetruebelieverisonewithwhomotherpeople'slivesandwealthareprotected.”10InanotherhadithfromtheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)itismentionedthat:

هدی و هناسل نم نوملسملا ملس نم ملسمل .

“TheMuslim is onewhom otherMuslims are protected from his tongue and his hand (verbal orphysicalassault).”11

Thephraseusedinthisverse' ادشر اورحت 'pointstothefactthatthebelievers,throughpayingattention,keepinga true intentionand through researchand investigationwillcome towardsguidance. Trueguidancecanneverbebroughtabout throughsealedeyes,blind followingandacceptance, thus thegreatestrewardthat theywillreceiveisattainingorreachingtothetruth,underwhichall theotherbountiesandpleasuresofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)willbegranted.However,theworstofsituationsandpredicamentsfortheoppressorsisthattheywillbethefuelforthehellfire,meaningthatthefireofhellwillbestirredupwiththem!

CommentaryofVerse16

اقدغ ءام مهانیقسأل ةقیرطلا ىلع اوماقتسا ول نأو

“Andhadthey(theJinnandMankind)remainedsteadfastintheirreligion(ofal-Islam),Wewouldcertainlyhavegiventhemabundantwatertodrink.”***

YouwillbeTestedwithCountlessBlessings!Apparently, thefollowingfourversesareacontinuationof thespeechof thebelievingJinnamongtheirowngroup(eventhoughagroupofCommentatorsoftheQur'anbelievetheseversestobethedirectspeechofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)insertedinbetweenthespeechoftheJinn).However, if we regard these verses as being the speech of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)insertedinbetweenthespeechoftheJinn,thenthisdefinitelygoesagainsttheapparentreadingoftheverses.Since the wording in these verses bears closer semblance to the speech of the previous verses

whichwere the speech of the Jinn, thus, it is impossible for us to consider these as not being thewordsoftheJinnaswell.12Inanycase,thepreviousverseswereinreferencetotherewardsthatthebelieverswouldreceiveinthenextlife,howeverinthissection,theversestalkaboutthebenefitsandrewardsthatwillbegainedinthisveryworld.The showeringofMercywouldhavebeen conferredupon thesepeople and the fountainheads andspringsofthelife-givingwaterwouldhavebeenplacedattheirdisposal.Itisknownthatinthoseplaceswherewaterisinabundance,everythingelseisalsoinabundance,andthus, through their belief, the various blessings of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) would beplacedatthedisposaloftheJinn.Theword' قدغ 'mentionedinthisversemeansalargesupplyofwater.ThisisnotthefirsttimeintheNobleQur'anthatthisissuehasbeenemphasized,thatnotonlyarebothfaithandpiety(taqwa)twotraitsthatleadtospiritualbenefits,butratherthesearealsothesourceofallmaterialbenefitsinthisworldandtheincreaseinblessingsfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).ThisblessingcanalsobeseeninvariousversesoftheQur'ansuchasSurahNuh(71),verses10to12:

مكل لعجیو تانج مكل لعجیو نینبو لاومأب مكددمیو {11 } اراردم مكیلع ءامسلا لسری {10 } ارافغ ناك هنإ مكبر اورفغتسا تلقف12 } اراهنأ }

“…Andhe(ProphetNuh)toldthem,'AskforgivenessfromyourLord;HeisAll-Forgiving.Hewill

sendyouabundantrainfromthesky,strengthenyouby(providing)youwithwealthandchildren,andmakegardensandstreamsforyou.'”Itisimportanttonotethataccordingtowhatismentionedinthisverse,thatwhichleadstoanincreaseinblessingsand favours fromAllah (GlorifiedandExalted isHe) ishaving firm,continuedbeliefand not just simply believing since faith that is temporary or transient has no value and does notguaranteetheblessingsfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Whatisimportantistohavefirm,continuedun-waveringbelief-somethingthatmanypeoplefind

difficulttoholdonto.

CommentaryofVerse17

ادعص اباذع هكلسی هبر ركذ نع ضرعی نمو هیف مهنتفنل

“SothatWemaytrythemwithrespecttoit;andwhoeverturnsawayfromthereminderofhisLord,

Hewillmakehimenterintoanafflictingpunishment.”***

Inthisverse,weareguidedtoanotherrealitywhenAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)tellsusthatthepurposeofbeingblessedwithbountiesisameanstotestus.AreblessingsandbountiesthereasonforustobecomenegligentandforgetfulofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),oraretheyameansforustowakeup,thankandpayevenmoreattentiontoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)?FromthisverseitisclearthatoneofthemostimportantteststhatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)putsusthroughisbygivingusblessings.ItisalsointerestingtonotethatwhenAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)testsuswithbounties,thistestisactuallymoredifficultandhardertopassthanifHetestsuswithpunishmentsandhardships.Itisapartofhumannaturethatwhenoneisgivenbounties,heimmediatelybecomesengrossedanddrowns himself in these blessings and allows his passions and inner desires get the best of him.Withoutdoubt,itisthesethingsthatactuallydragusfurtherawayfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andallowtheplotsofShaytan(thedevil)totakeeffect.TheonlypersonthatisabletokeepawayfromthenegativeeffectsthatthebountiesandblessingsofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)haveisthatpersonwhoiscontinuouslyinastateofremembranceofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)anddoesnoteverforgetHim,andthereforethroughthisact,theheartofsuchapersonisprotectedfromtheinfluenceofShaytan.13Thus,afterthis,itismentionedthatwhoeverturnsawayfromtheremembranceofHisLordwillbemetwithapainfulpunishmentandextendedhardshipsduringhislife.Thewordmentioned in theendof thisverse is ادعص which is in themeaningofelevatingorbeingraised,anditsometimescomesinthemeaningofrisingsmokeordust.AgreatnumberofCommentatorsoftheQur'anhaveelucidateonthisverseinthisparticularmannerbystatingthatthemeaningisapunishmentwhichwillbeverydifficulttobear.ThesamethemecanbefoundinSuratulMuddathir(74),verse17inwhichitwillbesaidtoagroupofthepolytheists:

ادوعص هقهرأس

”Iwillmakeadistressfulpunishmentovertakehim.”

However, it is possible thatwhat has beenmentioned abovemay actually be an explanation of thedifficultiesinbearingthepunishment,andrefertotheadditionofpunishmentsaswell.Therefore, in the above-mentioned verse, the traits of true belief and Allah-consciousness areattributedtoasbeingblessingsfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Ontheotherhand,theincreaseofblessingsisattributedtobeinganincreaseintheteststhatAllah

(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)putsHisservantsthrough.Fromathirdpointofview,thosewhodonotrememberAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)arethreatenedwithacontinued,perpetual,painfulandgrievouspunishment.ThiscanalsobeseeninvariousversesoftheQur'ansuchasinSurahTaha(20),verse124whereweread:

اكنض ةشیعم هل نإف يركذ نع ضرعأ نمو ..

“AndwhoeverforsakestheremembranceofMe(Allah)thenwithoutdoubtsuchapersonwillhaveacramped,confinedlife.”InSuratulNaml(27),verse40,Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)mentionsthefollowingfromthespeechofProphetSulaymanibnDawud(peacebeuponhim):

رفكأ مأ ركشأأ ينولبیل يبر لضف نم اذ ه

“ThisisfromthegraceofmyLordsothatHemaytestme-amIgratefulorIbeungrateful.”Also,inSuratulAnfal(8),verse28itismentioned:

ةنتف مكدالوأو مكلاومأ امنأ اوملعاو

“You(all)shouldknowthatwithoutdoubtyourwealthandyourchildrenareallatest(foryou.)”

CommentaryofVerse18

ادحأ هللا عم اوعدت الف هللا دجاسملا نأو

“And verily theMasajid (placesofworship)aresolelyreserved forAllah, so thendonotcalluponanyone(anything)elsewithAllah.”***

Inthisverse,wereadwhattheJinnthemselvessaidwiththeirowntongueswhilepreachingtotheircommunitiesandinvitingthemtothebeliefoftheOnenessofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).They informed their followers that theMasajid all belong toAllah (Glorified andExalted isHe),thereforenooneshouldcalluponanyonewithAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)(inthem).Whatisthemeaning ofMasajid in this verse? Various commentaries have been given in relation to thisword.ThefirstbeingthatthemeaningofMasajidistheactualphysicalbuildinginwhichpeopleprostratetoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)ofwhich,themostperfectofplacesthatthisisperformedistheMasjid al-Haram and then following this sacred place, all otherMasajid in theworld. ThewiderscopewouldcoverallplaceswhereapersonperformshisSalatandprostrates toAllah (GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Accordingtothewell-knownhadithoftheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily),itisstated:

اروهط و ادجسم ضرألا يل تلعجأ

”ThewholeEarthwasmadeaplaceofprostrationandpurifier(tayammum)forme.”14Therefore,alltheplacesonEartharecoveredbythisverse.Accordingly, this verse is also a reply to the `Arab polytheists and those like themwho took theKa`bahasaplacetoworshipidols.ThiswouldalsoapplytotheChristianswhohavegoneastraybyworshippingthe 'three' intheirChurchandhavetakentoworshippingtheir 'threegods'(theFather,theSonandtheHolyGhost).TheQur'ansaysthatalltheplacesofworshiparereservedonlyforAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andinthesesacredplaces,itisnotpermittedtoworshiporprostratetoanyoneotherthanAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Thesecondmeaningof thewordMasajid is thesevenpartsof thebody thatmustbeplacedon thegroundinthestateofprostration.Thesesevenpartsofthebodymustonlybeplacedonthegroundfor the worship of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and it is not allowed to use them for theworshipofanyoneoranythingotherthanHim.

In the famous hadith from the 9th Imam,Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Jawad (peace be upon him) it isnarrated that in the gathering of a group of scholars from the Ahl as-Sunnah in whichMu`tasim`Abbaswasalsopresent,he(Mu`tasim)askedthatfromwhereshouldthehandofthethiefbecutoff?SomeofthescholarssaidfromthewristandusedtheverseofTayammumastheirproof.Others

saidfromelbowandbroughttheverseofWudhhuastheirproof.The'caliph'Mu`tasimthenaskedImamMuhammadibn`Alial-Jawad(peacebeuponhim)whathisanswerwas.Atfirst,theImamexcusedhimselfandaskedthathenotanswerthequestion.HoweverMu`tasimwasdeterminedtogettheanswerfromtheImam,andthus,theImamreplied,

“Allthatthesepeoplehavesaidiscompletelywrong.Theonlythingthatispermittedtobecutoffisthefourfingers(otherthanthethumb)-thepalmofthehandandthethumbmustremain.”WhenMu`tasim asked for proof of this ruling, the Imam brought the ruling from the Prophet ofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andsaidthatatthetimeofprostrationthesevenpartsof thebody - the forehead,palmsofbothhands,bothkneesand the two large toes -mustbeplacedontheground.Aftersayingthisheaddedthat if thehandweretobecutoffat thewristor theelbow,thenthere

wouldremainnopalmforthepersontoperformprostrationwithwhileAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hascommandedthattheMasajid(placesofprostration)-meaningthesevenpartsthatmustbeplacedonthegroundarereservedforAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andthatwhichisreservedforAllahmustthereforenotbecutoff.ThisspeechoftheImamstartledMu`tasimandthus,heorderedhiscourttoactupontherulingoftheImamandorderedthatonlythefourfingersofthethiefbecutoff.15

Therearealsomanyotherahadithinrelationtothisruling16,however,thosethathavebeenrelatedare usually without a chain of narrators or through a weak chain of authorities or have otherproblemsandthus,tousetheseahadithtoanswerquestionsorconcernsisdifficult.Forexample,itiswellknownamongtheIslamicScholars(Fuqaha)thatifathiefstealssomethingforasecondtime(afterthepunishmenthasbeenmetedouttohimthefirsttime)thenthefootmustbecutoffsuchthatthetopofthefoot(leg)remains-however,thebigtoewhichisonthefootisalsooneofthepartsofprostration.Thesamesituationcomesupconcerningapersonwhostartsawarinwhichhispunishmentisthathishandandfootmustbecutoff.ThethirdmeaningofMasajidistheactualactofprostration,meaningthatthisactofworshipmustnotbeperformedforanyotheroneorthingthanAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe);howeverthismeaninggoesagainsttheapparentreadingoftheversesandhasnoprooftosubstantiateit.Summarizingallthathasbeenmentioned,wereachtheconclusionthat:thatwhichisinaccordancetothe apparent readingof theverse is the first explanationgivenwhich is in completeunitywith theverse that came before it and thatwhich comes after it, in relation toTawhid and howworship iscompletelyreservedforAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)only.

Itispossiblethatthethirdexplanationmaybeacceptedtoaddemphasistothemeaningoftheversehoweverthereisnoprooftoattributethethirdmeaningtoit.

Tahrif(AlterationintheMeaning)oftheCommentaryofthisVerse

TheissueregardingTawassulbywayoftheProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andtheintimatefriendsofAllah(blessingsuponallofthem)-meaningtakingthesepeopleasanintermediaryandintercessorinthepresenceofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)-isanissuethat does not negate the reality of Tawhid, nor does it go against the verses of theNobleQur'an.Rather,itactsasaconfirmerandverifierofTawhid,meaningthatitshowsusthatallthingscomefromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).InthevariousversesoftheQur'an,thetopicofintercessionhasbeenrepeatedlymentionedandsohastheissueoftheProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)askingforgivenessforthebelievers.17TherearesomepeoplewhohavenoconnectionwiththetrueteachingsofIslamandtheQur'anandthereforearecompletelyagainstanyformofTawassulorIntercessionandtoprovetheirpoint,findweakexcusesandtrytorelyonversesoftheQur'ansuchastheaboveverseunderdiscussion:

ادحأ هللا عم اوعدت الف هللا دجاسملا نأو

“AndverilytheMasajid(mosques)areonlyforAllah,sothendonotcalluponotherthanAllahinthem.”18These people say that according to this verse of theQur'an, we are commanded to not call uponanyoneexceptforAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe);nottoexpect(anything)fromotherthanAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andnottoaskintercessionfromanyone!However,tobefairtosuchpeople(indealingwiththem),westatethatthisversehasnoconnectionorrelationwithwhattheyareclaiming,rather,themeaningofthisverseisthatitnegatesallformsofpolytheism-toplaceanythingonthesamelevelofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)inworshiporforaskingone'sneeds.Inotherwords, if aperson asksother thanAllah (Glorified andExalted isHe) for something thatonlyAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)isabletofulfillandbelievesthattheonewhoheisaskingfromistheonewhoistheultimateauthorityandiscompletelyfreeinperformingwhatheisaskedtodo,thenthispersonwouldbeconsideredasapolytheist.Therefore,thewordinthisverse' عم 'orthesentence' هللا عم اوعدت الف ' is inthemeaningthat, 'webearwitnessthatwemustnotplaceanyoneoranythingalongsidewithAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)thatweconsidertobetheinitial(andindependent)sourceofhavinganaffectonourlives.'However,ifweaskintercessionfromtheProphetsofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeuponallofthem)orweaskforthemtoactasIntermediariesinthepresenceoftheAlmighty,thennotonlydowenotnegatethisbelief,rather,theQur'anhasitselfinvitedtheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhis family) to this (Intercession) and sometimes, other people have even been commanded to seek

IntercessionfromtheProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)aswell.Inverse103ofSuratulTawbah(9)wereadthefollowing:

میلع عیمس هللاو مهل نكس كتالص نإ مهیلع لصو اهب مهیكزتو مهرهطت ةقدص مهلاومأ نم ذخ

“(O' Prophet Muhammad!) Take from their (the believers) wealth some Sadaqah. This act willpurifythemandmakethemcleanand(atthetimeoftakingaportionoftheirwealth,also)prayforthem. Verily your prayers for them act as tranquility for them and Allah is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”Also,inverse97ofSurahYusuf(12),Yusuf'sbrothersspeakingtotheirfatherYa`qub,askofhim:

نیئطاخ انك انإ انبونذ انل رفغتسا انابأ ای اولاق

“O'our father (Ya`qub),pleaseask forgiveness (fromAllah) forour sins. Verilyweare theoneswhohadcommittedanerror.”Not only did Prophet Ya`qub (peace be upon him) not refute or reject their request, rather, hecooperatedwiththemandsaidinverse98ofSurahYusuf(12):

يبر مكل رفغتسأ فوس لاق

“SoonshallIseekforgivenessforyoufromMyLord.”Thus,accordingtotheseproofs,theissueregardingTawassulandseekingIntercessionfromothers,hasbeenmentionedintheHolyQur'anandisactuallyoneoftheclearcommandmentsofAllah.

CommentaryofVerse19

ادبل هیلع نونوكی اوداك هوعدی هللا دبع ماق امل هنأو

“And thensurelywhentheservantofAllah(Muhammad)stoodupcallinguponHim(andcallingotherstowardshimselfandreadtheQur'antothem),theyalmostcrowdedhim(todeath).”***

Inthecontinuationofthespeech,inordertoexplaintheamazingeffectthattheGloriousQur'anandthe worship of the Prophet (prayers of Allah be upon him and his family) had on others, it ismentioned thatwhen the servant ofAllah (Glorified andExalted isHe),Muhammad (blessings ofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)wouldstanduptoworshipAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),andcalluponhisLord,agroupoftheJinnwouldgatheraroundhim.19

The word ' دبل ' in this verse is in the meaning of placing various things on top of or above oneanother. This term is used to refer to the astonishing surge of believing Jinn who had gatheredaroundtheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)tolistentotherecitationoftheQur'anduringtheirfirstencounterwiththeseheavenlywords.Thiswordisalsousedtorefertotheincredible power of attraction that theSalat of theProphet (prayers ofAllah be upon him and hisfamily)hadupontheJinn.Twoothercommentariesalsoexist inrelationtothisverse. ThefirstoneisthatthebelievingJinnweretryingtocommunicatetothecompanionsoftheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)thatinordertoheartheProphet'swords,howitispossiblethatsuchasmallnumberofJinnwholivedinMakkahwouldallgatheraroundhimandclimbovertopofoneanother.ThemeaningofthisisthatthegroupofJinnhadtakenanexamplefromhisconductandhadhastenedtowardsfaith.The second interpretation is to state thatwhen the Prophet (prayers ofAllah be upon him and hisfamily)wasbusy inhisSalat and recitationof theQur'an, thepolytheistsofMakkahwouldcrowdaroundhimsomuchandthus,theywouldmakefunandannoyhim.However,thelastcommentarygivenisnotappropriatetosuitthepurposeoftheJinnwhowantedtoconveytotheothersaboutthereligionandtoencouragethemtowardsacceptingthefaith;thus,oneoftheothertwocommentariesismuchmoresuitabletoaccept.

CommentaryofVerse20

ادحأ هب كرشأ الو يبر وعدأ امنإ لق

“Say(O'Muhammad):SurelyIonlycalluponmyLord,andIdonotassociateanyoneoranything

withHim.”***

Say:Iamnottheguardianofthegoodorbadthatreachesyou!

Inthesenextfiveverses,inordertomakethefoundationsofTawhid(OnenessofAllah)evenfirmerand to negate all forms of polytheism which have been mentioned in the previous verses of thisSurah, theProphet (prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhis family) is firstcommanded tosay to thepeoplethathecallsonlyuponhisLordandthatheworshipsonlyHimanddoesnotperformeventhesmallestamountofpolytheism!

CommentaryofVerse21

ادشر الو ارض مكل كلمأ ال ينإ لق

”Say(O'Muhammad):SurelyIdonotcontrolforyouevilandnor(doIcontrolforyou)anygood.”

***TheProphetisthencommandedtosaytothepeoplethathehimselfdoesnotcontrolorholdany

authorityintheevilorgoodthatwillcomeuponaperson.

CommentaryofVerse22

ادحتلم هنود نم دجأ نلو دحأ هللا نم ينریجی نل ينإ لق

“Say(O'Muhammad):SurelyIhavenoprotectionfromAllahfromanybodyandnorcanIfindany

placeofrefugefromotherthanHim.”***

Inthisverse,theProphetaddsthatevenifheweretoactagainsttheTruth,thenhetoowouldhavenoprotectionfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andotherthanHim,hehasnoplaceofrefugeorsafety.20Inthismanner,noonecangiveMuhammad(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)shelterorsecurity,norcananythingprovidehimwiththisprotection(otherthantheCreator).Fromonepointofview,thisspeechcoversthetopicofTawhidin`IbadatwhichstatesthatworshipisreservedonlyforAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe);andfromanotherpointofview,itnegatesallformsofGhuluworextremisminrelationtotheProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily).Asforthepeopleatthattime,thisverseshowedthemthatnotonlydothefalseidolsthattheymadewiththeirownhandshaveabsolutelynocontrolorpoweroverthelivesofthepeople,butalsotheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)toowithallhisgreatnessandprestigecouldnotdirectlybeaplaceofrefugefromtheseverepunishmentofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).ThefinalpointofthisverseisthatitshowsthattherearethingsthattheProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhis family)couldnotdobyhisown leave,andwhateverpowersorabilitieshehad,wereallfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andthisalsoconfirmsthefactthatIntercessionandTawassul(seekinganintermediaryforone'srequests)areonlypermittedbythepermissionofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Theword' دحتلم 'mentionedinthisverseisinthemeaningofaplaceofcertainsecurityorsafetyandoriginallycamefromtherootword' دحل 'whichisinthemeaningofapitorhole,similartotheholethatisduginsidethegraveofapersonsothatononesideofthegrave,itresemblesanicheanditisinsidethisnichethatthebodyofthedeceasedisplacedsothatwhenthedirtisthrownontopofthegravetosealit,itdoesnotfallonthebodyofthedeceased.Thisnichealsoservestoprotectthebodyfromwildanimalswhomaytrytoattackthecorpse.Thus,anyplacethatcanbeconsideredasasafeandsecureplaceofsafetyhasbeenreferredtowiththisword.Justashasbeenmentionedinthepreviousverses,themeaningofthisphrasetooisthatinrelationtoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),theProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)evenhasnopowerorabilityonhisown.However,heisabletorequestAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)toremovethedifficultiesfromapersonorrequestAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)toguide

people worthy of receiving direction, and this is the essence of Tawhid and definitely is notpolytheism!It is worthy to note that in this verse, the word ' رض ' or loss is used as the opposite of ' دشر ' orguidance.Thispointstothefactthatthetrueprofitandbenefitforapersonisguidance,justashasbeenexplainedinthespeechoftheJinninthepreviousverseswhere' رش 'orevilhadbeenusedastheoppositeof' دشر 'orguidanceandthus,thesetwowordsgoalongwithoneanother.

CommentaryofVerse23

ادبأ اهیف نیدلاخ منهج ران هل نإف هلوسرو هللا صعی نمو هتالاسرو هللا نم اغالب الإ

“(Itis)onlyadelivering(ofrevelation)fromAllahand(deliveringof)Hismessages;andhewhodisobeysAllahandHisMessenger,thensurelyforhimisthefireofhelltoabidethereinforeternity.”***

In this verse it is mentioned that the Prophet is also commanded to tell the people that the onlyresponsibilitythathehasistoconveythemessagesthatHehasbeengivenfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).21This verse is somewhat similar to what is found in Suratul Maidah (5), verse 92 in which it ismentioned:

… نیبملا غالبلا انلوسر ىلع امنأ

“…knowthatonlyacleardeliveranceofthemessageis(incumbent)onOurApostle.”Inverse188ofSuratulA`raf(7),itismentioned:

ریذن الإ انأ نإ ءوسلا ينسم امو ریخلا نم ترثكتسال بیغلا ملعأ تنك ولو هللا ءاش ام الإ ارض الو اعفن يسفنل كلمأ ال لقنونمؤی موقل ریشبو

“Say:IdonotcontrolanybenefitorharmformyownsoulexceptasAllahpleases;andhadIknowntheunseen Iwouldhavehadmuchofgoodandnoevilwouldhave touchedme; Iamnothingbutawarnerandthegiverofgoodnewstoapeoplewhobelieve.”For this verse too, there are other commentaries from the elucidators of the Qur'an such as: 'I(Muhammad)havenoplaceofprotectionformyownselfexceptforthedeliveringofthemessageofTruthandthecarryingoutofthemessage.'22At this point, we need to ask the question that what is the difference between ' غالب ' or to conveyand' تالاسر 'whichalsomeanstoconveyamessage?Somecommentatorshavesaidthat' غالب 'isinreferencetotheconveyanceoftheUsulad-Din,ortheRootsoftheReligion;whereastheword' تالاسر 'isinreferencetothepropagationoftheFuru`ad-Din,orthePrinciplesoftheReligion.Others believe that the word ' غالب ' refers to the conveyance of the rules of Allah (Glorified andExaltedisHe)whereas' تالاسر 'referstotheactualapplicationandputtingintoeffecttheserulesandregulations.However,itisouropinionthatbothoftheseviewsreturnbacktothefirstmeaningandareactually

emphasisforoneanother.ThisisbasedonvariousotherversesoftheQur'aninwhichthesewordshavebeenusedinthesamemeaningsuchasinverse62ofSuratulA`raf(7)whereitisstated:

يبر تالاسر مكغلبأ

“IconveytoyouthemessagesofmyLord.”ThisisalsomentionedinotherversesoftheQur'an.Inconclusion,attheendofthisverse(ofSuratulJinn),awarningisgiventhatwhosoeverdisobeysAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andHisApostlewillhavethefireofhelltoabideinforever.Fromthisverseitisclearthatnoteverysinner,butratherthepolytheistsandtheunbelieversaretheoneswhowillbeinthefireforeternity.

CommentaryofVerse24

اددع لقأو ارصان فعضأ نم نوملعیسف نودعوی ام اوأر اذإ ىتح

“Untilwhentheyallseethatwhichtheyarethreatenedwith,thenshalltheyknowwhoisweakerin

helpingandfewerinnumber.”***

The theme of these verses continues with the mention of the condition of the disbelievers andpolytheistswhocontinuetoannoytheMuslimsandconsiderthemasbeingweakandvulnerable.Thisattitudeoftheirswillcontinueuntilthetimewhenwhattheyhavebeenpromised(byAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe))comesuponthem.Itisatthattimethattheywillrealizewhowastrulytheweakerandvulnerableandwhowastrulysmallerinnumber!23Inthisverse,wemustaskthequestion,whatisthemeaningofthephrase' نودعوی ام 'orthatwhichtheyhadbeenpromised-doesitrefertothepunishmentofthisworldorthenextlifeorboth??There are various commentaries on this, however that which is themost appropriate is that its

meaningisgeneralandwide,becausebeingsmallinnumberandweakerinabilityandhelpismostoftenrelatedtothisworldandthus,agroupofCommentatorshaverelatedthistotheBattleofBadrasitwasinthisbattlethatthestrengthandpoweroftheMuslimswasweak.Invariousahadith,thisversehasalsobeenusedascommentaryforthetimeofthereturnofal-Mahdi(mayoursoulsbesacrificedforhim).Therefore,ifwetakethemeaningofthisversetobeawide,all-encompassingone,thenitwillapplytoalloftheseexplanations.Inaddition,inverse75ofSurahMaryam(19),itismentioned:

… ادنج فعضأو اناكم رش وه نم نوملعیسف ةعاسلا امإو باذعلا امإ نودعوی ام اوأر اذإ ىتح

“Untiltheyseewhattheywerethreatenedwith,eitherthepunishmentorthehour;thentheyshallknowwhoisinmoreevilplightandweakerinforces.”In any case, the tone of this verse clearly points to the fact that the enemies of Islam - althoughpowerfulandlargeinnumber-wouldeventuallybedefeated.TheHolyQur'angivesthebelieversheart-warmingandgoodtidingsthatintheend,eventhoughtheyaresmallinnumberandoverpowered,theywillbevictoriousandtheirenemieswillbetheoneswhowillbedestroyed.

AFewPoints

TruthfulnessoftheLeadersSentbyAllah

OneofthecharacteristicsoftheleaderssentbyAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe),asopposedtotheleaders sent by Shaytan, is that the leaders sent by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) are neverpretentious,nordonotthinkthemselvesasgreaterthanothers,proud,orconceited.However,withthelikesofFir`awn,weseehimfoolishlyproclaim:

ىلعألا مكبر انأ

“Iamyourlord,themosthigh!”24

WealsoseeFir`awnproclaimtothemassesthat:

… يتحت نم يرجت راهنألا هذ هو …

“Andtheseriversthatflowbeneathmebymypermission.”25TheleaderssentbyAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)arehumbleandmodestandalwaysconsiderthemselvesaslow,humbleservantsofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)who,inthepresenceofHispower,havenoabilityorcommand.Inverse110ofSuratulKahf(18),wereadthefollowing:

يلإ ىحوی مكلثم رشب انأ امنإ لق …

“Say(O'Muhammad),verilyIamonlyahumanbeingjustlikeyou.Ithasbeenrevealedtome(byAllah)…”InanotherplaceintheQur'an,itismentioned:

.. نیبم ریذن الإ انأ امو يلإ ىحوی ام الإ عبتأ نإ مكب الو يب لعفی ام يردأ امو

“AndIdonotknowwhatwillhappen tomeor toyouandI follownothingexcept thatwhichhasbeenrevealed(byAllah)tomeandIamnotbutaclearwarnertoyou.”26InyetanotherverseoftheQur'an,wereadthefollowing:

كلم ينإ مكل لوقأ الو بیغلا ملعأ الو هللا نئازخ يدنع مكل لوقأ ال لق …

”Say (O'Muhammad!) I do not say to you thatwithmeare the treasures ofAllahnor do I have

knowledgeoftheUnseennordoIsay(toyou)thatIamanangel.”27EvenifsomeoftheseleadersofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)reachedtoaleveloftemporalpowerover thecreations, theystilldidnotchangeandpeoplesuchasProphetSulayman(peacebeuponhim)said:

.. يبر لضف نم اذ …ه

“..ThisisfromthegraceofmyLord.”28ItisinterestingtonotethatinvariousversesoftheGloriousQur'an,therearesomeverysternandharshphrases that areused toaddress theProphetof Islam (prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily).Insuchverses,Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)threatensandwarnshimthathetoomustbeverycarefulofhisresponsibilities.Theentirecollectionoftheseversesandthepreviousonesdiscussed,whicharenotasmallnumberintheQur'an,attestasalivingproofofthetruthfulnessofthisnobleProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny).Ifthiswerenotso,thenwhatwouldbetheusethatamongstthepeoplewhowerewillingtogrant

himanyrankorpositioninthecommunity,theProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)wouldannouncehisnobleranktothepeoplewhichwascompletelyoutofthethoughtandimaginationofthepeopleandwhichwassomethingcompletelyunquestionable.This(claimingahighstatusor rank in thecommunity) issomething thatagreatnumberof leadersofShaytanhavedoneinthepast,ashistorytellsus.Without doubt, the verses that are currently under discussion are a livingproof of the truth of themessageoftheProphetofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny).

ALargeNumberofFollowersisnotImportant,theFaithoftheFollowersisImportant!

InvariousversesoftheQur'an,thispointhasconstantlybeenbroughtupthatineverytimeperiod,the oppressors and tyrants pull large groups of people into their following and lead these peopleagainsttheProphets.InordertoridiculeandmakefunofthecompanionsofMusa(peacebeuponhim),Fir`awnsaid:

نولیلق ةمذرشل ءالؤ ه نإ

“Mostsurely,thisisasmallgroupofpeople.”29

Thepolytheistsof`Arabiaarequotedassaying:

نیبذعمب نحن امو ادالوأو الاومأ رثكأ نحن اولاقو

“Wehavemorewealthandmorechildrenandwewillnotbepunished.”30Sometimes, evenonepersonwhohas riches but doesnot have anybelief or faithwill standup infrontofabelieverandpeoplearoundhimandaddressinghimsay:

.. ارفن زعأو الام كنم رثكأ انأ

“Ihavegreaterwealththanyouandammightierinfollowers.”31On the opposite side however, the believer who is trying to emulate the Prophets and leadersappointedbyAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)willneverrelyonhavingalargegroupofpeoplearoundhim.Theirthoughtpatternandlogicwillbe:

.. هللا نذإب ةریثك ةئف تبلغ ةلیلق ةئف نم مك ..

“How often has a small party of people defeated a large party of people by the permission ofAllah.”32Amiral-Mu'minin`AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim)hasbeenquotedassaying:

هلهأ ةلقل ىدهلا قیرط يف اوشحوتست ال سانلا اهیأ .

“O'people!Donotbefrightenedwhileonthepathofguidanceduetothesmallnumberofpeopleonit.”33ThehistoryofthelivesoftheProphets,especiallythelifeoftheProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)alsoshowsushowalargegroupofpeoplewhohadnofaith,howeverpossessedallformsofpowerandstrengthweredefeated,byasmallgroupofbelievers.The Holy Qur'an, narrating the story of the Bani Isra'il, Fir`awn, Talut, Jalut and the verses inreferencetotheBattlesofBadrandAhzabalsodisplaythisfacttous.

CommentaryofVerse25

ادمأ يبر هل لعجی مأ نودعوت ام بیرقأ يردأ نإ لق

”Say(O'Muhammad):Idonotknowwhetherthatwithwhichyouarethreatenedwithiscloseorif

myLordwillappointforit(theDayofJudgement)theterm.***

TheKnoweroftheUnseenisAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)!Sinceinthepreviousverses,therewasahintthatsoonerorlaterthepunishmentofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)willovercometheseevilpeople,thisquestioncomestomindthatwhenwillthispromisetakeplace?Just as theCommentators of theQur'an havementioned in relation to the events surrounding thisversethatsomeofthepolytheistssuchasNadhribnHarith,whoafterthepreviousversewasrevealedaskedthissamequestion,theQur'aninreplytohisqueriesansweredhimthus:“Say:IdonotknowwhetherthatwithwhichyouarethreatenedbenighorwhethermyLordwillappointforitaterm.”Thisknowledge(oftheTime)issomethingthatisspecificallyreservedtothePureEssenceofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andissomethingthatHehaskepthiddenfromHisservants,inorderforAllah's(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)examinationandtrialofthepeopletobeperfected.Whyisthisdone?Insimpleterms,ifweknewthatthetimeoftheDayofJudgementwasverycloseorinthedistantfuture,thenthetestsandtrialsthatweareputthroughwouldhavenovalue.Theword in thisverse ' دمأ ' is in themeaningofaperiodof time,withadifference thataccordingtoRaghibinhisdictionaryofQur'anicterms,Al-Mufradat,hementionsthat' نامز 'oraperiodoftimereferstoatimeperiodthathasbothabeginningandanend,however, دمأ asfoundinthisverseisonlyusedwhenreferringtotheendofatimeperiod.Ithasalsobeenmentioned that ' دمأ ' and theword ' دبأ 'are the same from thepointofviewof theirmeaning with a slight difference that ' دبأ ' is in the meaning of a time period which is not fixed,whereas' دمأ 'isforafixedtimeperiod,evenifitbeanextendedorprolongedtimeperiod.Inanycase,intheversesoftheGloriousQur'an,weseethateverytimetheNobleProphet(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)wouldbeaskedaboutwhentheDayofJudgmentwouldtakeplace,hewouldexpresshislackofknowledgeandreplythatthisknowledgeisonlywithAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).It hasbeenmentioned in ahadith that oneday, theAngel Jibra'il (peacebeuponhim) came to theProphetofIslam(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)intheformofadesert`Arab,andofthemanyquestionsthatheaskedtheProphet,oneofthemwas:

ةعاسلا نع ينربخأ

“Tellme,whenwilltheDayofJudgementtakeplace?”TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)replied:

لئاسلا نم ملعأب اهنع لوئسملا ام

“Thepersonwhomyouareaskingthisquestionto(regardingthisissue)isnomoreknowledgeablethattheonewhoisaskingthequestion!”Onceagain,thedesert`Arab,thistimeinaloudvoiceasked:

؟؟ ةعاسلا ـى تم ! دمحم ای

“O'Muhammad!WhenwilltheDayofJudgementbe??”TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)replied:

؟ اهل تددعأ امف ةنئاك اهنأ كحیو

“Woe upon you! The Day of Judgement WILL COME! Go ahead and tell me what you havepreparedforthatday?”The `Arab replied, “I have not readmany Salat nor have I fasted a lot, but I love Allah and HisMessenger.”TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)replied:

تبب ـ حأ نم عم تنأف

”Thus,youwillbewiththosepeoplewhoyoulove!”Anas,oneofthecompanionsoftheProphetrelatesthat:

ثیدحلا اذهب مهحرف ءيشب نوملسملا حرف امف

“TheMuslimswerenotdelightedwithanyotherspeech,astheywerewiththisone.”34

CommentaryofVerse26

ادحأ هبیغ ىلع رهظی الف بیغلا ملاع

“TheKnoweroftheUnseen!SothenHedoesnotrevealHissecretstoanyone.”

***

Continuing in this discussion, one general rule is mentioned in relation to the Knowledge of theUnseen (`Ilm al-Ghaib) that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not reveal the hiddenknowledge,excepttothosepeoplewhomHewantstogivethisknowledgeto.35

CommentaryofVerse27

ادصر هفلخ نمو هیدی نیب نم كلسی هنإف لوسر نم ىضترا نم الإ

“Except tohimwhomHe is pleasedwith fromamong (His)Messengers so then surelyHeplaces

beforehimandbehindhimaguard.”***

Thereafter, one exception to this rule (of Knowledge of the Unseen) is expounded upon. Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)tellsusthattheKnowledgeoftheUnseenislimitedtoallexceptHimandthosewhomHeispleasedwithfromamongHisMessengers.WhenAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedis He) intends to grant Knowledge of the Unseen to His select servants, then He sends revelation(Wahi)tothem.Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)alsoaddsthatHeplacesinfrontofandbehindsuchaMessengeraguardian.The originalmeaning of the word in this verse ' دصر ' is the root meaning which is to prepare toprotectsomethinganditalsoapplies to thepersondoingthisactionandthe thinghe isprotecting.Thiswordisusedinboththesingularandpluralform-meaningthatitcanrefertoasinglepersonprotectingsomethingoragroupofpeopleprotectingsomething.The meaning of this word in this particular verse refers to the Angels that Allah (Glorified andExaltedisHe)commands-aftersendingdowntherevelation-toprotecttheProphetfromanyformsofevil,tokeepalltheevilsofShaytanfromtheJinnandhumanityawayfromhim,andtokeepalltypesofevilwhisperingsawayfromtheProphetofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)sothat themessageofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)canbeconveyedto thepeoplewithoutanyreductionorincreaseinitscontent.ThisinitselfisoneoftheproofsoftheinfallibilityoftheProphets,thatwiththehelpofthesehiddenforces and the assistance ofAllah (Glorified and Exalted isHe) and thewatchful guidance of theAngels,theyaresafefromslipsanderrors.

CommentaryofVerse28

اددع ءيش لك ىصحأو مهیدل امب طاحأو مهبر تالاسر اوغلبأ دق نأ ملعیل

”So that He may know that they have truly delivered the messages of their Lord, and HeencompasseswhatiswiththemandHerecordsthenumberofeverything.”***

In this final verse of the Surah, the evidence of a protector and defender (of the Sacredword) isexplainedasonethat“…mayknowthattheyhavetrulydeliveredthemessagesoftheirLord…”36However themeaning of this verse is not thatAllah (Glorified andExalted isHe) does not knowanything about his Prophets, and then later comes to know of it - since the knowledge of Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)isEternalmeaningthatHisknowledgewasalwaysthere,willalwaysbethere,andisneverending.Rather,themeaningofthisverseisthattheknowledgeofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)takes

shapeexternallyinthephysicalworld.Thus,theProphetsarechargedwithpropagatingHismessageandteachings,andthroughthis,theyhavefulfilledtheirresponsibilitytoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).

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7ChapterVariousPoints

1.Anin-depthinvestigationregarding`Ilmal-GhaibSection

BypayingcloseattentiontothevariousversesoftheQur'an,itisclearthatthereexiststwogroupsofverses in relation to `Ilm al-Ghaib - Knowledge of theUnseen. The first group are those verseswhichlimitthisknowledgestrictlytoAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andnegateitforallotherssuchasverse59ofSuratulAn`am:

وه الإ اهملعی ال بیغلا حتافم هد ـ نعو …

“AndwithHimarethekeysoftheunseentreasure-noneknowsthemexceptHe…”Also,wehaveintheQur'an,thatwhichhasbeenmentionedabouttheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)inSuratulAn`am,verse50:

بیغلا ـم لعأ الو هللا ـن ئآزخ يد ـ نع مكل لوقأ ال قـل

“Say(O'Muhammad):IdonotsaytoyouthatIhavewithmethetreasuresofAllah,nordoIknowtheunseen.”Inverse188ofSuratulA`raf,wereadthefollowing:

ریخلا نم ترثكتسال بیغلا ملعأ تنك ولو

“HadIknownabouttheunseen,Iwouldhavegainedmuchgood.'”ThelastverseinthisdiscussionisfoundinSurahYunus,verse20,weread:

هللا بیغلا امنإ لقف

“Say(O'Muhammad):Certainlythe(Knowledgeofthe)UnseenissolelyreservedforAllah.”TherearemanymoreversessuchastheseintheQur'an,however,wewillsufficewiththese.The secondgroupofverses are thosewhichclearly indicate that theProphets and intimate friends(Awliyah)ofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)haveageneralknowledgeoftheUnseenashasbeenmentionedinverse179ofSurahAle`Imranwhichstates:

هلسر نم يبتجی هللا نكلو بیغلا ىلع مكعلطیل هللا ناك امو

“And Allah does not inform you of the unseen. He chooses for such information anyone ofHisMessengersasHedesires.”Also, in relation to some of the miracles of Prophet `Isa al-Masih (peace be upon him), it ismentionedthat:

مكتویب يف نورخد تـ امو نولكأت امب مكئب ـ نأو

“I(Prophet'Isa)informyouofwhatyoueatandwhatyoustoreinyourhouse.”1Ifwelookattheexceptionmentionedintheverseunderdiscussion(verse27ofSuratulJinn),weseethatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hasallowedaportionoftheKnowledgeoftheUnseentobeknown to His chosen Messenger (since in `Arabic, if there is ever an exception (in a sentence)precededbyanegation,italwaysreferstoanaffirmation):

ادصر هفلخ نمو هیدی نیب نم كلسی هنإف لوسر نم ىضترا نم الإ

“Except tohimwhomHe ispleasedwith fromamong (His)Messengers so then surelyHeplacesbeforehimandbehindhimaguard.”2Fromanotherpointofview,thenumberofversesoftheQur'anthatgiveusinformationabouthiddenmattersarenotfew,suchasthesecondtofourthversesofSuratulRum:

حرفی ذئ ـ مویو ـد عب ـن مو ـل بق نم رمألا هللا نینس ـع ضب يف نوبل ـغـ يس مهبلغ دعب نم مهو ضرألا ىندأ فـي مورلا تبل غـنونمؤ ـ ملا

“The Romans are vanquished. In a near land, and they, after being vanquished, shall overcome(withinafewyears)andtheywillbevictorious.AllmattersofthepastandfutureareinthehandsofAllah.ThebelieverswillenjoythehelpofAllahonthatDay.”3Also,inverse85ofSuratulQasas,Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)tellsus:

داعم ىلإ كدارل نآرقلا كیلع ضرف يذلا نإ

“CertainlytheOnewhohadmadetheQur'anincumbentuponyouwillreturnyoutoyourstartingpoint(Makkah).”Also,inverse27ofSuratulFath,wereadthefollowing:

نینمآ هللا ءاش نإ مارحلا دجسملا نل ـ خدتل

“CertainlyyoushallenterintotheMasjidal-Haram,withthepermissionofAllah,insecurity.”TherearealsomanymoreversesoftheQur'ansuchasthese.In principle, the heavenly revelation (Wahi) that is sent down to the Prophets is also a form ofKnowledge of the Unseen which is placed at their disposal - thus, how can we claim that thesepersonalitiesdonothaveaccesstotheKnowledgeoftheUnseenwhenweknowthatrevelationhascomedowntothem?Besidesalloftheseproofs,wehavenumerousahadiththatshowthatProphetMuhammad(prayersofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andtheInfallibleA'immah(peacebeuponallofthem)hadaccesstotheKnowledgeoftheUnseen.Sometimes,theyweregiventheknowledgeofwhatwouldhappeninthefuturesuchasthevictoryof

Makkah, and the event surrounding Hatib ibn Abi Balta`ah, who wrote a letter to the people ofMakkahwhichhegavetoawomannamedSarahandshewastoconveythelettertothepolytheistsofMakkah.ShewasclosetobeingattackedbytheMuslimarmywhenshehidtheletterunderherlonghairandcontinuedontowardsMakkah.TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)ordered`Ali(peacebeuponhim)andacompanyoftroopstogoafterher.The Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) also informed the group of

MuslimsthatwhentheyreachtoanareaknownasRawdhaal-Khaktheywillmeetthiswoman,whohasaletterfromHatibinherpossessionwhichissupposedtobegiventothepolytheistsofMakkah.TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)alsocommandedthemtotakethe

letterfromher.WhentheMuslimarmyfoundher,sheinitiallydeniedhavingsuchaletter,howeverafterrepeatedrequeststoher,shefinallyhandedoverthewritingto`Ali(peacebeuponhim)andthegroupofMuslims.4TherearealsoeventssuchasthepredictionoftheBattleofMutah,andthemartyrdomofJa`faribnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim)andothersoldiersandwarriorsintheMuslimarmy,whichtheProphet(blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) told his followers while they were still inMadinah.5SuchexamplesinthelifeoftheHolyProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)arenotsmallinnumber.InNahjal-Balagha,therearemanyforecaststotheeventsthatwouldtakeplaceinthefuture,whichshowthat Imam`Ali ibnAbiTalib (peacebeuponhim)alsohadaccess to thishiddenknowledge.One such example of this can be seen in the 13th Khutbah in which the people of Basrah weredegraded,inwhichImam`AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim)said:

اهنمض يف نم قرغ و اهتحت نم و اهقوف نم باذعلا اهیلع هللا ثعب دق ةنیفس ؤجؤجك اهدجسم ىلإ رظنأ ينأك .

“SothenitisasthoughIseeitsMasjidliketheupperpartofaboatorasittingostrichwhichAllahhadsentdownpunishmenttofromaboveandbelowanddrownedallthatwerewithinherprotection.”InotherahadithwhichhavebeennarratedinboththebooksoftheAhlas-SunnahandShi`a,therearemanyotherforecastsfromImam`Ali(peacebeuponhim)concerningevents thatwouldhappeninthefuture;suchasonewherehetoldHajribnQaisthatafterhisdeath,Hajrwouldbeforcedtocurse`Ali(peacebeuponhim).6Another example concerns Marwan in which it was mentioned that he would hold the flag ofcorruptionanddespotisminhisoldage.7Amir al-Mu’minin `Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) told Kumail bin Ziyad (mayAllah bepleasedwithhim)thatthetyrantHajjajibnYusufwouldbehiskiller.8InregardstotheKhawarijofNahrawan,Imam`Ali(peacebeuponhim)mentionedthatinthisbattle,peoplewouldnotdiefromhissideandfromtheoppositeside,noteventenpeoplewillbesaved,andjusthowhepredicted,itcametrue.9

ConcerningtheburialplaceofImamHusayn(peacebeuponhim),whenImam`Ali(peacebeuponhim)waspassingbythelandofKarbala,hespokecertainwordsinregardstothistohiscompanion,AsbaghibnNabatah.10Inthebook,Fadhailal-Khamsah,therearecountlessahadithfromtheAhlas-SunnahinregardstothevastknowledgeofImam`Ali(peacebeuponhim)ofwhich,tonarratethemallhereisnotpossibleforus.11Aswell, in the ahadith from theAhl al-Bait (peacebe uponhim), there aremany traditionswhichpointtothefactthatthesinlessA'immahhadKnowledgeoftheUnseen.Forthosewhowouldliketoreadmoreaboutthis,onecanrefertoal-Kafi,Volume1,inthevarioussectionswhichmentiontheseahadith.Also,theLate`AllamahMajlisiinhiswork,Biharal-Anwarinvolume27,hasnarratedquitealargenumberofahadith,whichfillsome22chaptersonthistopic.TheseahadithwhichspeakabouttheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andtheA'immahhavingKnowledgeoftheUnseenhaveactuallyreachedtotheleveloftawatur(meaningthattheseahadithhavebeensoconsecutivelynarratedthatitisnotpossibletodenythetext)intermsof`Ilmal-Hadith.Nowthequestionremainsthat:HowcanoneexplainsomeoftheversesoftheHolyQur'anandtheahadithwhichdenythatanyoneotherthanAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hasKnowledgeoftheUnseen,whileotherversesstatesomecanhavethisknowledge?Differentanswersaregiventothisquestion-includingthefollowing:1.Themostpopularanswerwhichhelpsusreconcilethesetwoconflictingviewsisthatthemeaningthat“KnowledgeoftheUnseenisconfinedtoAllah”isthatitisHisOwnandPersonalknowledge.Therefore,nootherpersonhas theability toknow thisknowledgeexceptwithHispermissionandwhateverknowledgeothershaveisfromHimandthroughHisGraceuponthem.Theproofofthisistheversethatisunderdiscussionwhichstates:

ادحأ هبیغ ىلع رهظی الف بیغلا ملاع ادصر هفلخ نمو هیدی نیب نم كلسی هنإف لوسر نم ىضترا نم الإ .

“TheKnoweroftheUnseen!SothenHedoesnotrevealHissecretstoanyone.ExcepttohimwhomHeispleasedwithfromamongHisMessengerssothensurelyHeplacesbeforehimandbehindhimaguard.”InNahj al-Balagha, this same point has beenmentionedwhen `Ali (peace be upon him) informedothers of events thatwouldhappen in the future (for example, the invasionof theMoguls into theIslamic Empire). One of his companions said, 'O' Amir al-Mu’minin! Do you claim to haveKnowledgeoftheUnseen?'TheImamlaughedandreplied:

ملع يذ نم ـم لعت وه ام ـ نإ و بیغ ملعب هـو سیل

“ThisisnotKnowledgeoftheUnseen,rather,thisisthatknowledgewhichwastaughttomebythepossessorofknowledge(theProphet).”12Thisexplanationisonethatagreatnumberofscholarsandresearchershaveagreedupon.2.TheKnowledgeof theUnseenareof two types - the first is thatwhich is specifically limited toAllah (GlorifiedandExalted isHe)andnooneexcept forHimknows it, suchaswhen theDayofJudgementwilltakeplaceandothersuchissues.ThesecondtypeisthatknowledgewhichHeteachestoHisProphets(peacebeuponthem)andintimatefriends.Again,inNahjal-Balagha,underthesamespeech(asquotedabove),wereadthefollowing:

ام ،و ماحرألا يف ام ملعی ،و ثیغلا لز ـ نی ،و ةعاسلا ملع هدنع هللا نإ : هلوقب هناحبس هللا هددع ام و ةعاسلا ملع بیغلا ملع امنإ وتومت ضرأ يأب يردت ام و ادغ بسكت اذ ام سفن يردت .

“Verily knowledge of the Unseen is the knowledge of the Day of Judgment and what Allah hasmentionedinHisSaying:{Verily,AllahisHewithWhomistheknowledgeoftheHourandHesendsdowntherain,andHeknowswhatisinthewomb;andnosoulknowswhatheshallearntomorrow;nordoesanysoulknowinwhatlandheshalldiein.}”13Thentofurtherexplainthis,theImam(peacebeuponhim)added:

وأ ابطح رانلا يف نوكی نم و دیعس وأ يقش و لیخب وأ يخس و لیمج وأ حیبق و ىثنأ وأ ركذ نم ماحرألا يف ام هناحبس هللا ملعیف( ملس و هلآ و هیلع هللا ىلص ) هیبن هللا هملع ملعف كلذ ىوس ام و هللا الإ دحأ هملعی ال يذلا بیغلا ملع اذهف اقفارم نییبنلل نانجلا يف

يحناوج هیلع مطضت و يردص هیعی نأب يل اعد و هینملعف .

“Therefore,Allahalonehas knowledge in reference to thatwhich is in thewombof themother -whetheritisaboyoragirl;whetheritisbeautifulorugly;whetheritwillbegenerousormiserly;whetheritwillbesuccessfulormisfortunate;whetherthat(whichisinthewomb)wouldbethefuelforthehellfireorrelaxinginthegardensinthecompanyoftheProphets.ThisistheKnowledgeoftheUnseenwhichnooneknowsotherthanAllah.Otherthanthis,thereis

knowledgewhichAllahtaughtHisMessenger(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)whichhehastaughtmeandhe(theProphet)alsoprayedformethatmybosommayretainitandmyribsmayholdit.”14Itispossiblethatsomepeoplearegivengeneralknowledgeinrelationtothestateorsexofthefetus,orthefallingoftherain,orotherthingslikethis,however,completeandcomprehensiveknowledgeandtheabilitytoinformothersofthoseparticularcharacteristicsisonlyreservedtothepureEssenceofAllah.This canbe seen in theknowledgeofQiyamah thatwe toohave ageneralknowledgeof thisday;howeverwearenotgiveninformationoftheparticularcharacteristicsandallofthepeculiaritiesofit.Therefore,ifintheahadithweseethattheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)ortheA'immah(peacebeuponthem)gaveothersknowledgeofababythatwouldbeborn,orwhentheendof the lifeofapersonwouldcome, thenwemust say that thisknowledge is related to thatgeneralknowledgethattheyweregrantedbyAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).

3.AnotherwaytocombinetheinterpretationofthesetwotheoriesbyusingtheversesoftheQur'anand ahadith is to state that the secrets of the unseen are recorded in two separate areas:the ظوفحملا حول (LawhulMahfuz)or theGuardedTablet (this is thespecial,guardedknowledgeonlyavailabletoAllah)inwhichnochangesorvariationscantakeplaceandofwhichnotasinglesoulhasinformationof;andthesecondareaisthe تابثإ و وحم حول (LawhMahwwaIthbat)ortheTabletofChangeandConfirmation.The knowledge contained on this tablet is changeable and alterable depending on certain

conditions. It is theknowledgecontainedhere,which isalsoKnowledgeof theUnseen, that isnotlimited to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) alone, and thus, others can have access to thisknowledge.It is because of these two different areas where knowledge is stored that we have the followingnarrationfromImamJa`faras-Sadiq(peacebeuponhim):

هملعن نحنف هلسر و هئایبنأ و هتكئالم هملعأ امف ، هلسر و هتكئالم هملعأ املع ،و وه الإ هملعی مل املع هللا نإ .

“One type of knowledge is that which only Allah has and no one else knows. Another type ofknowledgeisthetypewhichHehasinformedAngels,ProphetsandApostles,andwe(theAhlal-Bait)alsoknowit.”15ThefollowinghasbeennarratedfromImam`Aliibnal-Husayn(peacebeuponhim):

و ءاش ــ ي ام هللا اوح ــ می : هللا لوق : لاقف ؟ ةیآ ةیأ هل تلقف ! ةمایقلا مو ـىيـ لإ نوكی ام و ناك امب مكتثدحل هللا بات كـ يف ةیآ ال ولباتكلا مأ هدنع و تبثی

”If one verse had not been in the Holy Qur'an, I also would have informed you of the pasthappeningsandwhatwillhappenuntiltheDayofJudgement.”TheNarratorsaysthatheaskedtheImam:“Whichverseisthat?”TheImamreplied:“Allahsays:

'AllahmakestopassawayandestablisheswhatHepleases,andwithHimisthebasisoftheBook.'”16In this argument, the knowledge has been divided into definite and indefinite. In the precedingargumentitwaspartorfull(howmuchoftheknowledge).(Ponderoverit).4.Anotherwaytoexplain thedifference is that inpractice,Allah(GlorifiedandExalted isHe)hascompleteknowledgeoverallthatwhichishidden(toothers)anditispossiblethattheProphetsandintimate friends of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), in practice or on their own, do not haveaccesstothisknowledge.However,whentheyintendorwishtoknowsuchthings,thenAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)

teachesittothem.OfcoursethisintentionorwishisonlywiththepermissionandpleasureofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).Therefore,tosummarizetheversesoftheQur'anandahadiththattellusthattheProphet(blessingsofAllah be upon him and his progeny), A'immah (peace be upon them) and others do not haveKnowledgeoftheUnseenmeansthatatthatexacttime,theydonotpossesstheknowledge;andthoseversesorahadithwhichsay that theydopossessKnowledgeof theUnseenmean that theyhave theabilitytogainsuchknowledge(fromAllah,(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)).

Thiscanbecomparedtoapersonwhoisgivena letter fromsomeoneandis requested topass thelettertoathirdperson.Inthisexamplewecansaythatthepersonwhowasgiventheletterdoesnotknowwhatitcontains.

Howeveratthesametime,heisabletoopentheletterandreaditcontents(aslongasthepersonwhogavehimthelettergavehimthepermissiontodoso).Inthisevent,hewouldhaveknowledgeofwhatiscontainedintheletter.Ifhedoesnotgivehimpermission,thenhewouldremainunawareof

itscontents.

ThebestexampleofKnowledgeoftheUnseen,aftercombiningallthemeaningsoftheahadiththathavebeenmentionedcanbefoundinAl-Kafiinthesectiontitled,'SurelytheA'immah,whentheywant

toknowsomething,theyaretaughtit!'

ThereisahadithfromImamJa`faras-Sadiq(peacebeuponhim)inwhichhestated:

كلذب هللا هملعأ ائیش ملعی نأ مامإلا دارأ اذا .

“WhentheImamintendstoknowsomething,Allahteachesthatthingtohim.”17This interpretation clears up a lot of the difficulties and misunderstandings in relation to theknowledgeoftheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andtheA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)suchas:howisitpossibleforthemtodrinkwateroreatfoodthatislacedwithpoisonwhereasweknowthatitisnotpermittedforapersontodoanactthatwillleadtodangeroflosinghislife.Thus, wemust say that in such examples, the Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his

family) or the A'immah (peace be upon them all) have not been given the permission by Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)tomakeuseoftheKnowledgeoftheUnseenthatisthereandusuallyavailabletothem.Also, sometimes the betterment requires that the Prophet (blessings ofAllah be upon him and hisfamily)andA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)arenotmadeawareofacertainthingorthattheyarenottoldofit,sothattheeventcanpassasatestforthemwhichwouldresultintheircompletenessasahumanbeing.Forexample, ithasbeenmentioned in theevent recorded inhistoryknownasLailatulMabit in

which`Ali(peacebeuponhim)sleptonthebedoftheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily),inwhichithasbeennarratedfrom`Ali(peacebeuponthemall)thathehimselfsaidthathedidnotknowwhetherthepolytheistsoftheQuraishwouldattackhimonthatnightandhewouldbecomeamartyrinthewayofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)orifhislifewouldbespared?Inthisinstance,thebettermentrequiresthattheImam(peacebeuponhim)isnotmadeawareoftheoutcomeofhisactionssothattheDivinetestofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)cantakeform.Thus, if the Imam(peacebeuponhim)knew thathewasgoing tobesleepingon thebedof the

Prophet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andthenthenextmorning,hewouldwakeupsafeandsound,thenthiswouldnotbeanactofhonororgloryfortheImam(peacebeuponhim);andthatwhichismentionedintheversesoftheQur'anandtheahadithinrelationtotheimportanceofthisactofself-sacrificewouldnothavehadanymeaning.Ofcourse,theissueofKnowledgeoftheUnseenbeingaccessibleiftheProphet(blessingsofAllah

beuponhimandhisfamily)orA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)wishclearsupthisandothertypesofconfusions.5. Another way to reconcile these differing views that are found in the ahadith in relation toKnowledgeoftheUnseen(however,pleasenotethatthiswayofreconciliationisinrelationtosomeofthenarrationsaswellandthatthepeoplewhowerebeingspokentointhesevariousahadithweredifferent people) is that some of the companions of the Prophet and A'immah had the ability tounderstand and accept the issue ofKnowledgeof theUnseen in relation to theA'immah (peace beuponthemall)suchthatitcouldbetoldtothesecompanionsinitsentirety.Howeverinrelationtovariousothercompanions,theywereeithertoweak(offaith)orunabletounderstandandacceptsuchconcepts.For example,we read a hadith that onceAbuBasir and a large group of companionswere in thehouseofImamJa`faras-Sadiq(peacebeuponhim)whenallofasuddentheImamenteredtheroomupset,satdownandsaidthefollowing:

تملع امف ينم تبرهف ةنالف يتیراج برضب تممه دقل ، لجو زع هللا الإ بیغلا ملعی ام ! بیغلا ملعن انأ نومعزی ماوقأل ابجع ایإ

يه رادلا تویب يأ يف .

“ItissurprisingthatsomepeoplethinkthatwehaveKnowledgeoftheUnseen(`Ilmal-Ghaib).Noone apart fromAllah has this knowledge. I wanted to reprimandmy female-slave however she hasdisappearedfrommypresenceandIdonotknowwhichroomofmyhousesheisin.”18Thenarratorofthehadiththensaid,“WhentheImamstoodupandlefttheassembly,meandagroupofthecompanionsgotupandwentintothehouseoftheImamandsaidtohim,'Maywebesacrificedforyou!InregardstowhatyousaidrelatingtooneofyourfemaleservantsthatyoudonothavetheKnowledgeoftheUnseen,howeverweknowthatyouhavevarioustypesofknowledge,thus,whydidyousaywhatyoudidconcerningyourfemaleslave?'”The Imam (peace be upon him) then elaborated on his statement which contained an explanationaboutKnowledgeoftheUnseen.Itwasclearthatinthegathering,therewerepeoplewhodidnothavetheabilityoraptitudenecessarytounderstandandcomprehendthemeaning,nordidtheyhaveadeepcognizanceoftheImam(andthisiswhyhesaidwhathedid).Itmustbepointedoutthatthesefivepointsmentioneddonotopposeorcontradictoneanotherandallofthesepointscanbetakenastruthful.(Ponderonthis)

2.AnotherWaytoProvethattheProphetsandA’immahhaveKnowledgeoftheUnseen

Atthispoint,wepresenttwootherproofsthatconfirmthetruththattheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeupon him and his progeny) and the Sinless A'immah (peace be upon them all) have a generalKnowledgeoftheUnseen.First: The jurisdiction of the Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) and theA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)wasuniversalandforalltime,thusitwasnotlimited.Rather,theApostleshipoftheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andtheleadershipoftheA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)wasworld-wideandeternal.Thus,howisitpossiblethatsomeonecanbegivensuchawidejurisdictionandauthority,butyetatthesametimeareonlygivenknowledgeofthatparticulartimeandplaceinwhichtheyarelivingin?Is it possible for a person who is for example, given the responsibility of being a governor oradministratorofalargecountrytonotbeawareofthatareaandatthesametimebeabletofulfillhisroleofauthorityorcontroloverthatarea?Inotherwords,theProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andA'immah(peacebeuponthemall)hadtogiveguidance, instructionsandlaydownlawswhichwouldhelppeoplewhowould come in the future and in all lands and not only be limited to those who were theircontemporaries.ThisisnotpossibleexceptbypossessingatleastasmallportionoftheKnowledgeoftheUnseen.Secondly: There are three verses of theHolyQur'anwhich ifwe place them next to one another,wouldfullyexplaintheKnowledgeoftheUnseenthathadbeengrantedtotheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)andA'immah(peacebeuponthemall).1.ThefirstisaboutapersonnamedAsifbinBarkhiya,whointhetwinklingofaneye,broughtthethroneofBilqistothecourtofProphetSulayman(peacebeuponhim):

يبر لضف نم اذه لاق هدنع ارقتسم هآر املف كفرط كیلإ دتری نأ لبق هب كیتآ انأ بات ـ كلا نم ملع هدنع يذلا لا قـ

“Onewhohadsomeknowledgeof thebooksaid: Iwillbring it toyou in the twinklingofaneye.Thenwhenhesawitsettledbesidehim,hesaid:ThisisbythegraceofmyLord.”192.Thesecondversestates:

باتكلا ملع هدنع نمو مكنیبو ينیب ادیهش هللااب ىفك لق

“Say:AllahissufficientasaWitnessbetweenmeandyouandwhoeverhasknowledgeofthebook.”20

InmanynarrationsbothinthebooksoftheAhlas-SunnahandShi`a,itisstatedthatwhentheProphet

(peacebeuponhimandhisfamily)wasaskedbyAbuSa`idKhudriabout“Onewhohadsome

knowledgeofthebook(minal-Kitab)?”21TheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)repliedthatitwasthesuccessorof

his brother Sulayman bin Dawud. Then he asked the Prophet that who was the one who “has(complete)knowledgeoftheBook?”22Hereplied:Itismybrother`AliibnAbiTalib.”23Payingattentiontothefirstversethatstates,'…someknowledgeofthebook'(whichhasbeenrelatedtobe in reference toAsif ibnBarkhiya) is a fractionor a share of the knowledge;whereas in thesecondverse,'knowledgeofthebook'(whichhasbeenrelatedtobeinreferenceto`AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim))iscompleteknowledge.Therefore,thedifferencebetweenthestationofknowledgethatwasgrantedtoAsifandthatwhich

wasgrantedto`Ali(peacebeuponhim)ismadeclear.3.Thethirdverseunderdiscussionis:

… ءيش لكل انایبت باتكلا كیلع انلزنو …

“…andWehaverevealedtheBooktoyouclearlyexplainingeverything…”24ItisclearthatonewhoknowsthesecretsofthisBook,mustalsohaveKnowledgeoftheUnseen,andthis is in itself clear proof that it is possible for men from among the intimate friends of Allah(Glorified and Exalted is He) to have Knowledge of the Unseen, by the permission of Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe).25

3.Anin-DepthStudyRegardingtheCreationoftheJinn

TheJinn, justas the literalmeaningof theworddenotes,arecreationswhichareunseenashavingmanycharacteristics.IthasbeenmentionedintheQur'anthat:1)Theyarebeings thathavebeencreated fromfire, asopposed tomanwhohasbeencreatedandfashionedfromdirt:

ران نم جرام نم ناجلا قلخو راخفلاك لاصلص نم ناسنإلا قلخ

“He created man from dry clay like Earthen vessels, and He created the Jinn from fire free ofsmoke.”262)TheJinnarecreaturesthathaveknowledgeandunderstandingandareabletodiscernbetween

truthandfalsehood.Theyalsohavethepoweroflogicanddeduction.(SeevariousAyatofSuratulJinn,ashavealreadybeenmentioned)3) The Jinn too have a responsibility towards their Creator. (Various Ayat of Suratul Jinn and

SuratulRahman)4)Agroupofthemarerighteousbelievers,andagroupofthemarenon-believers:

اددق قئارط انك كلذ نود انمو نوحلاصلا انم انأو

“As forus,certainlysomeofusarerighteousandothersarenot. Wehaveall followeddifferentpaths.”275)Theytoohaveadaywhentheywillbebroughttogetherandwillhavetoaccountfortheirdeeds:

ابطح منهجل اوناكف نوطساقلا امأو

"However,thedeviatorsfromtheTruthwillbethefuelforhell.”286)Theyused tohave theability togo to theheavensandeven receivedknowledge from thereandusedtostealinformation,butthiswaslateronwasforbiddenforthem:

ادصر اباهش هل دجی نآلا عمتسی نمف عمسلل دعاقم اهنم دعقن انك انأو

”Weusedtositnearbyandtrytolistentotheheavens,butshootingflamesnowawaitthosewhotrytodothat.”297)Someofthemareabletomeetandcommunicatewithhumanbeings,andareabletoincreasetheirlimitedknowledgeandinformation,relatingtosomeofthesecretsoftheworld:

اقهر مهودازف نجلا نم لاجرب نوذوعی سنإلا نم لاجر ناك هنأو

"Certain human beings sought refuge with certain Jinn and this increased the rebelliousness of

thoseJinn.”308) From among them, we find some that have great powers and strength, just as we find amonghumansbeingsaswell:

نیمأ يوقل هیلع ينإو كماقم نم موقت نأ لبق هب كیتآ انأ نجلا نم تیرفع لاق

"AmonstrousJinnsaid,“Icanbringit(theThroneofBilqis)beforeyouevenstandup.VerilyIampowerfulandtrustworthy.”319)Someofthemhavetheabilitytoperformtasksonbehalfofhumanbeings,ashasbeenmentionedintheQur'an:

باوجلاك نافجو لیثامتو بیراحم نم ءاشی ام هل نولمعی … هبر نذإب هیدی نیب لمعی نم نجلا نمو ..

“…andoftheJinntherewerethosewhoworkedbeforehim(Sulayman)bythecommandofhisLord…theymadeforhimwhathepleasedoffortressesandimages,andbowls(large)aswateringtroughsandcookingpots…”3210)TheircreationandplacingontheEarth,tookplacebeforethecreationofmankind:

مومسلا ران نم لبق نم هانقلخ نآجلاو

“…andWecreatedtheJinnbefore(thehumanbeing)ofsmokelessfire.”33Inadditiontothis,fromtheversesoftheQur'an,wecanclearlyseethatcontrarytothatwhichisinthemindsof thecommonpeople (who feel that theyarebetter than the Jinn), thereare truly somepeoplewhoarebetterthanthemandourproofisthatalloftheProphetsofAllaharehumanbeingsthatwerechosen(fortheroleofProphethood)anditwastheJinnwhowerecommandedtobelieveintheProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)whowasahumanbeingandwerecommandedtofollowedhim.Aboveall,Shaytanwho,accordingtotheQur'anwasoftheJinn(seeverse50ofSuratulKahf),wascommanded toperformSajdah toProphetAdam(peacebeuponhim)and thisshows thegreatnessandeminenceofmankindovertheJinn.Upuntilthispoint,ourdiscussionwascenteredonthefactsthatwerementionedintheHolyQur'an,whichisfreefromallsortsofcorruption,inrelationtothisunseencreation.However, as we know, the common people and those who are irrational have conjectured up

variousadulteratedideasinrelationtothiscreationofAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)whichboththeintelligenceandlogiccannotaccept.Duetothis,acorruptandunrealisticviewofthiscreationhasbeenmadesuchthatwheneverthewordJinnismentioned,awholegroupofcorruptthoughtsandbeliefspopupinthemindofthepeople.SomethingsthatpeoplementionarethattheJinnhavetheabilityofmetamorphosis,thus,theytakethe shape and form of various strange, wild and scary creatures. They are also thought to becreationsfullofangerandrageandthatiftheyweretothrowabowlofhotwaterintoanemptyareaofahousethenthewholehousewouldcatchonfire;andotherbeliefssuchasthese.

However, if the issue of the Jinn was to be studied without all of these strange and wrongmisconceptions,thentheprimarytopicathandwouldbecompletelyunderstoodandaccepted,sincewehavenoproofthatlivingcreaturesthatexistarelimitedtoonlythosethatcanbeseenbythenakedeye.Rather,thescholarsofReligion,andtheScientistsandResearchersofthenaturalscienceshavesaidthatanycreaturethatmankindisabletodiscernbyusinghissenses,cannotbecomparedtothosecreaturesthatcannotbeperceivedbythefivenaturalsenses.Until recentlywhen unseen creations the size of atoms had not been discovered, nobodywould

havebelievedthatinonedropofwateroronedropofblood,thereexiststhousandsandthousandsoflivingorganismswhichweashumansdidnothavethepowertosee.Also,thescientistshavementionedthatourowneyesarelimitedinwhatcoloursitcansee;also,ourearsarelimitedtothespectrumandfrequenciesofsoundswhichitcanhear.Thecolourswhichwecannotseeandthesoundswhichwecannotheararemuchmoreinnumberthanweareabletoseeorhear!When we see that the state of the world and our surroundings are such, then it is no place ofamazementthattherecanbevarioustypesoflivingcreaturesinthisuniversewhichwearenotabletoperceive. Thus,whenthetruelight- theProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisprogeny)-informsusaboutsuchcreations,whyisitnotpossibleforustoacceptthem?Inanycase,ononehand,wehavetheQur'an-thetruespokenword-whichhasinformedusoftheJinn alongwith their special characteristics asmentioned above; and on another side,we have nologicalproofthatcanbebroughtforthtodenytheirexistence.Thus,wemustaccepttheirexistenceand stay away fromallwrong and corrupt ideas. Wemust also keep away fromall contaminatedideasthatareinthemindsofthecommonpeoplewhilediscussingtheJinn.It is also important tomention this final point that theword Jinn sometimes carries amuchwidermeaningwhichincludesvariousunseencreations-boththosethatpossessintellectandthosewhodonot.Sometimes,evensomeanimalsthatcanbeseenbythenakedeye,butarehiddeninsidetheirnestordenarealsoincludedinthiswidermeaningofJinn.AnexampleofthiscanbeseeninthenarrationsfromtheProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahuponhimandhisfamily)inwhichhesaid:

فنص و ضرألا تارشح فنص و براقع فنص و تایح فنص و ءاوهلا يف حیرلاك فنص : فانصأ ةسمخ نجلا هللا قلخباقعلا و باسحلا مهیلع مدآ ينبك .

“Allah has created the Jinn in five different types:One group is like thewind (unseen); anothergroupisintheformofasnake;athirdgroupisintheformofascorpion;thenextgroupisthosewildanimalsoftheland;andthelastgroupisjustlikehumanswhichhaveaccountabilityfortheirgoodandbaddeeds.”34Bypayingcloseattentiontothishadithanditswidedefinition(oftheJinn),verymanydifficultiesandproblemswhicharementionedinvariousotherahadithandstoriesinrelationtotheJinnaresolved.Forexample,insomeoftheahadithfromAmiral-Mu’minin`AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeuponhim),

wereadthefollowing:

ةملثلاو ةورعلا ـى لع دعقی ناطیشلا نإف هتورع نم وال ءانألا ةملث نم ءا ــ ملا برشت .ال

“Donotdrinkwaterfromabrokenordefectiveglass,sinceverilyShaytansitsinthedefectiveandbroken(glasses).”35KeepinginmindthatShaytanisfromtheJinnandthatabrokendishandtheareawhereitiskeptisaplacewherealltypesofmicrobesandgermsgather,itisnotdifficulttoassumethatthewordsJinnandShaytan(asusedintheseahadith)carryageneralmeaningandwouldincludethesethings(germsand microbes) too even though this hadith (and others) have a specific meaning that the Jinn orShaytanisabeingwithunderstandingandintelligenceandhavearesponsibilitytotheirCreatorandtheahadithintheseregardsarealsoquitenumerous.36

[37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72]

1.Anin-depthinvestigationregarding`Ilmal-Ghaib2.AnotherWaytoProvethattheProphetsandA’immahhaveKnowledgeoftheUnseen3.Anin-DepthStudyRegardingtheCreationoftheJinn

FinalWordsbyAyatullahMakarimShirazi

O'Allah!OnthatdaywhentheJinnandMankindwillbebroughtforththeCourtofJusticeinYourpresenceandthosewhohadcommittedwickeddeedswillfeelremorsefortheiractions,coveruswiththeshadowofYourGrace.O'Allah!ThesphereofYourDominioniswideandspaciousandourownknowledgeandunderstandingislimited,therefore,pleaseprotectusfromtheslipsanderrorsandmistakesthatwefallpreyto.O'Allah!ThestationandrankofYourProphetissogreatthatinadditiontohisinvitation(tothereligionofIslam)beingextendedtohumanity,allothercreationstooansweredhiscall-thus,pleaseacceptandplaceusamongsttheranksofthetruebelievers.CompletionoftheCommentaryofSuratulJinn

Friday,21stoftheMonthofMuharramal-Haram,1408AHNasirMakarimShirazi

8ChapterSelectionofAhadithfromAl-UsulAl-KafiConcerningtheJinn

مهرومأ يف نوهجوتی و مهنید ملاعم نع مهنولأسیف مهیتأی نجلا نأ باب

TheJinncometothem(theA'immah)

forReligiousInstructionsandforSettlingtheirAffairs

Hadith1

هتیتأ ام ضعب يف ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج ابأ تیتأ : لاق فاكسإلا دعس نع رواسم نب ىیحی نع يلع نب دمحم نع انباحصأ ضعب

دق توتبلا مهیلع رفصلا دارجلا مهنأك موق يلع جرخ نأ ثبل امف . ءایفألا عبتتأ تلعج و يلع سمشلا تیمح ىتح لجعت ال : لوقی لعجفدقل هللا و لجأ : تلق . كیلع تققش دق ينارأ : يل لاق هیلع تلخد املف . موقلا ةئیه نسح نم هیف تنك ام يناسنأل هللا وف : لاق . ةدابعلا مهتكهتناای : لاقف . ةدابعلا مهتكهتنا دق رفصلا دارجلا مهناولأ نأك دحاو لجر يز يف مهنم ةئیه نسحأ اموق رأ مل يب اورم موق هیف تنك ام يناسنأ

مهمارح و مهلالح و مهنید ملاعم عـن انولأسی انو ـ تأی معن : لاق ؟ كنوتأی تلقف : لاق . نجلا نم كناوخإ كئلوأ : لاق . معن : تلق ؟ مهتیأر دعس .

Someofourcompanionsnarratedfromourpeople,whohavenarratedfromMuhammadibn`AlifromYahyaibnMusawirfromSa`dal-Askafwhosaidthefollowing:”OnoneofmymeetingwithAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)whenIwenttoseehim,heaskedmetowait.Iwaiteduntilthesunbecameveryhotonme,thusItriedtofollowtheshadowtostayawayfrom

thesun. Notvery longafter,agroupofpeople that looked like locustsdressed in largegownsandwereverypaleandslimduetoextensiveworshipping,cameoutfromwheretheImamwas.Theirbeautifulsightmademeforgetmytroubles.WhenIwentinthepresenceoftheImam(peace

beuponhim)hesaid,'IamafraidIcausedyouhardships.'I said, 'Yes, it was difficult but by Allah, I forgot everythingwhen I saw them. A group of peoplepassedbythelikeofwhosebeautyIhadnotseenbefore.Theylookedlikelocuststhatwerepaleandslimduetoworshippingagreatdeal.'TheImam(peacebeuponhim)said,'OSa`d,didyouseethem?'Isaid,'Yes,Isawthem.'TheImam(peacebeuponhim)said,'TheyareyourbrethrenfromamongtheJinn.'Thenarratorsaid,'IaskedtheImam(peacebeuponhim),'Dotheycometoyou?'Hesaid,'Yes,theycometousforreligiousinstructionsandtolearnthelawfulandunlawfulmattersfromus.'”

Hadith2

انك : لاق ( مالسلا هیلع ) هللا دبع يبأ نع لبج نبا نع لیعامسإ نب میهاربإ نع ناسح نب يلع نع دایز نب لهس نع دمحم نب يلعرزأ مهیلع طزلا هابشأ موق انیلع جرخف هبابب

نجلا نم مكناوخإ ءالؤه : لاقف مهنع ( مالسلا هیلع ) هللا دبع ابأ انلأسف ةیسكأ و`Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from `Ali ibn Hisan from Ibrahim ibn

Isma'ilfromIbnJabal,whohassaidthefollowing:“OnoneoccasionwewereinfrontofthedoorofthehouseofAbu`Abdillah(peacebeuponhim)

whenagroupofpeoplewho looked like Indiangypsiescameoutwearing loincloths tocover theirbodies.WeaskedAbu`Abdillah(peacebeuponhim)aboutthemandhesaid,'TheywereyourbrethrenfromamongtheJinn.'”

Hadith3

ابأ تیتأ : لاق فاكسإلا دعس نع انباحصأ ضعب نع لاضف نبا نع يفوكلا يلع نب نسحلا نع ىیحی نب دمحم و سیردإ نب دمحأ

لاحر اذإف هیلع نذإلا دیرأ ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعجهیلع ) رفعج يبأ ىلع تلخدف لاق . طزلا نوهبشی مئامعلاب نیمتعم موق جرخ مث تعفترا دق تاوصألا اذإ و ةفوفصم بابلا ىلع لبإ

؟ دعس ای كئلوأ نم يردتو أ : لاقف ؟ مهتركنأف مئامعلاب نیمتعم يلع اوجرخ اموق تیأر و مویلا يلع كنذإ أطبأ كادف تلعج : تلقف ( مالسلاملاعم و مهمارح و مهلالح نع انولأسیف انوتأی نجلا نم مكناوخإ كئلوأ : لاق ! ال تلق : لاق

مهنید .AhmadibnIdrisandMuhammadibnYahyahavenarratedfromal-Hasanibn`Alial-KufifromIbn

al-FaddalfromacertainpersonofourpeoplefromSa`dal-Askaf,whohassaidthefollowing:“OnetimeIwenttoaskforpermissiontomeetAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim).Ifoundsaddlesof

camelslinedupinfrontofthedoorandheardveryloudnoises.Atthistime,agroupofpeoplecameoutwhowerewearingturbansandlookedlikethoseoftheIndiangypsies.IaskedAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)aboutthemsaying,'MayAllahtakemysoulintheserviceof

yourcause.Todayittookmealongtimetoreceivepermissiontomeetyou.IsawagroupofpeoplecomingoutwithturbansonthatIdidnotrecognize.'

Hesaid, 'Doyouknow,OSa`d,whotheywere?'Ireplied, 'No,Idonotknow.'TheImam(peacebeupon him) said, 'They were your brethren in religion from among the Jinn. They come to us forreligiousinstructions,tolearnthelawfulandunlawfulmattersandtheprinciplesoftheirreligion.'”

Hadith4

جئاوحب ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج وبأ يناصوأ : لاق يفریصلا ریدس نع دالبلا يبأ نب میهاربإ نع نیسحلا نب دمحم نع ىیحی نب دمحم. ةوادإلا هتلوانف ناشطع هنأ تننظ و هیلإ تلمف : لاق . هبوث يولی ناسنإ اذإ يتلحار ىلع ءاحورلا جف نیب انأ انیبف تجرخف ةنیدملاب هل

كدهع ىتم : تلقف ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج يبأ متاخ اذإ متاخلا ىلإ ترظن املف : لاق . بطر هنیط اباتك ينلوان و اهب يل ةجاح ال : يل لاقف( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج وبأ مدق مث : لاق ؟ دحأ يدنع سیل اذإف تفتلا مث اهب ينرمأی ءایشأ باتكلا يف اذإ و ةعاسلا : لاق ؟ باتكلا بحاصبةیاور يف .و مهانثعب ةعرسلا اندرأ اذإف نجلا نم امدخ انل نإ ریدس ای : لاقف ؟ بطر هنیط و كباتكب يناتأ لجر كادف تلعج : تلقف هتیقلف

مهانثعب ارمأ اندرأ اذإف سنإلا نم اعابتأ انل نأ امك نجلا نم اعابتأ انل نإ : لاق ىرخأ .MuhammadibnYahyahasnarratedfromMuhammadibnal-HusaynfromIbrahimibnAbu'lBalad

fromSadiral-Sayrafi,whohassaidthefollowing:“AbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)askedmetohelphimwithafewthingsinMadina.Ileftandwhen

IreachedFajjal-Rawha`(nameofaplace)amanwavedtomewithhisclothes.The narrator said that I turned to himand I thought hewas thirsty. I offered hima cup but he

declinedsaying,'Idonotneedit.'Hegavemealetterwhoseinkwasnotdryyet.ThenarratorsaidthatwhenIlookedatit,ithadthesealofAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)onit.Iaskedhim'WhenwereyouinthepresenceofAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)?'Hesaid,'JustnowIwasinhispresence.'Intheletterwereafewthingsthathehadcommandedmetodo.WhenIlookedaroundtherewasnoonewithme.”Thenarratorthensaid,'Afterthis,IwenttomeetAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim)andsaid,'MayAllahtakemysoulintheserviceofyourcause.Amancametomewithyourletter,theinkofwhichhadnotyetdriedup.' He said, 'OSadir,wehave servants fromamong the Jinn. Whenweneeda thing tohappenquickly,wesendthemtodoit.'”

Hadith5

تیأر : تلاق ىسوم تنب ةمیكح ينتثدح لاق شرحج نب دمحم نع هركذ نمع دایز نب لهس نع نسحلا نب دمحم و دمحم نب يلعيئارهزلا رماع اذه : لاقف ؟ يجانت نمل يدیس ای : تلقف . ادحأ ىرأ تسل و يجانی وه و بطحلا تیب باب ىلع افقاو ( مالسلا هیلع ) اضرلا

. هعمسأ نأ بحأ يدیس ای : تلقف . ةنس تممح هب تعمس نإ كنإ يل : لاقف . همالك عمسأ نأ بحأ يدیس ای : تلقف . يلإ وكشی و ينلأسی يناتأةنس تممحف ىمحلا ينتبكر و ریفصلا هبش تعمسف تعمتساف يعمسا : يل لاقف .

'Ali ibnMuhammad andMuhammad ibn al-Hasan have narrated fromSahl ibn Ziyad, from the

personwhohementionedfromMuhammadibnJahrashwhohassaidthatHakima,daughterofMusahassaidthefollowing:“Once,Isawar-Rida(peacebeuponhim)standingatthedoorofthefirewoodroomwhispering,but

Icouldnotseeanyoneelsearoundhim. Iaskedhim, 'Mymaster,whoareyoutalkingto?'Hesaid,'Thisis'Amiral-Zahra`i.Hehascometoaskafewquestionsandhehascertaincomplaints.'Ithenasked, 'Mymaster,Iwouldliketohearhisvoice.' Hesaid, 'Ifyouhearhisvoice,thenyou

willhaveafeverforoneyear.'Isaid,'Mymaster,Iwould(still)liketohearhim.'Hesaid,'Allrightthenlisten.'IlistenedandIheardsomethinglikeawhistle.Ithenfeltfeverishforoneentireyear.”

Hadith6

ورمع نع بویأ نب میهاربإ نع نامثع نب ورمع نع مشاه نب میهاربإ نع نسحلا نب دمحم نع دمحم نب دمحأ و ىیحی نب دمحمنم باب ةیحان نم نابعث لبقأ ذإ ربنملا ىلع ( مالسلا هیلع ) نینمؤملا ریمأ انیب : لاق ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج يبأ نع رباج نع رمش نب

ربنملا ىلإ ىهتنا ىتح باسنی نابعثلا لبقأ و اوفكف اوفك نأ ( مالسلا هیلع ) نینمؤملا ریمأ لسرأف هولتقی نأ سانلا مهف دجسملا باوبأنم غرف امل .و هتبطخ نم غرفی ىتح فقی نأ هیلإ ( مالسلا هیلع ) نینمؤملا ریمأ راشأف ( مالسلا هیلع ) نینمؤملا ریمأ ىلع ملسف لواطتفكتیتأ دق و كیأر علطتسأف كیتآ نأ يناصوأ و تام يبأ نإ .و نجلا ىلع كتفیلخ نامثع نب ورمع : لاقف ؟ تنأ نم : لاقف هیلع لبقأ هتبطخيف كیبأ ماقم موقتف فرصنت نأ و هللا ىوقتب كیصوأ (: مالسلا هیلع ) نینمؤملا ریمأ هل لاقف ؟ ىرت ام و هب ينرمأت امف نینمؤملا ریمأ ایكاذ و ورمع كیتأیف كادف تلعج : هل تلقف . نجلا ىلع هتفیلخ وهف فرصنا و نینمؤملا ریمأ ورمع عدوف : لاق . مهیلع يتفیلخ كنإف نجلا

معن : لاق ؟ هیلع بجاولا .Muhammad ibnYahya andAhmad ibnMuhammadhavenarrated fromMuhammad ibn al-Hasan

fromIbrahim ibnHashimfrom`Amr ibn `UthmanfromIbrahim ibnAyyub from`Amr ibnShimrfromJabirfromAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim),whohadsaidthefollowing:“OncewhenAmiral-Mu'minin`Ali(peacebeuponhim)wasonthepulpit,aserpententeredfrom

one of the doors of theMasjid. The people wanted to kill the serpent however, Amir al-Mu'minin(peacebeuponhim)askedthemtoleavethesnakealoneandthustheylefthim.The serpent began to crawl towards the pulpit. He stretched out and saluted Amir al-Mu'minin

(peacebeuponhim).TheImam(peacebeuponhim)madeagesturetohimtowaituntilthesermonwascompleted.Whenthesermonwasfinished,Imam`Alicametothesnakeandsaid,'Whoareyou?'Hesaid,'Iam`Amribn`Uthman,yourdeputyamongtheJinns.Myfatherhasdiedandinhiswill,

hehasaskedmetocometoyouandfindoutyourinstructionsandthatiswhyIamhere.Whatdoyoucommandmeandinstructmetodo?'Amiral-Mu'minin(peacebeuponhim)said,'IaskyoutobepiousbeforeAllahandgobackandact

asthesuccessorofyourfatheramongtheJinn.Iappointyouasmydeputyoverthem.'Thenarratorsaidthat`AmrthenbidfarewelltoAmiral-Mu'minin`Ali(peacebeuponhim)andleftashisdeputyovertheJinn.IaskedtheImam(peacebeuponhim),'MayAllahtakemysoulintheserviceofyourcause,does`Amrfulfilltheobligationuponhim?'Hesaid,'Yes,hedoesso.'”

Hadith7

رباجل المازم تنك لاق ریشب نب نامعنلا نع رضنلا نب دمحأ نع ةمروأ نب دمحم نع دامح يبأ نب حلاص نع دمحم نب يلعاندرو ىتح رورسم وه و هدنع نم جرخ و هعدوف ( مالسلا هیلع ) رفعج يبأ ىلع لخد ةنیدملاب انك نأ املف يفعجلا دیزی نب

باتك هعم مدآ لاوط لجرب انأ اذإ ریعبلا انب ضهن املف لاوزلا انیلصف ةعمج موی ةنیدملا ىلإ دیف نم لدعن لزنم لوأ ةجریخألا: هل لاقف بطر دوسأ نیط هیلع و دیزی نب رباج ىلإ يلع نب دمحم نم وه اذإ و هینیع ىلع هعضو و هلبقف هلوانتف ارباج هلوانفههجو ضبقی و هؤرقی لبقأ و متاخلا كفف . ةالصلا دعب : لاقف ؟ ةالصلا دعب وأ ةالصلا لبق : هل لاقف . ةعاسلا : لاقف ؟ يدیسب كدهع ىتم

املف يتلیل تب الیل ةفوكلا انیفاو املف ةفوكلا ىفاو ىتح ارورسم وال اكحاض هتیأر امف باتكلا كسمأ مث هرخآ ىلع ىتأ ىتحروهمج نب روصنم دجأ لوقی وه و ةبصق بكر دق و اهقلع دق باعك هقنع يف و يلع جرخ دق هتدجوف هل اماظعإ هتیتأ تحبصأ

و هتیأر امل يكبأ تلبقأ و هل لقأ مل و ائیش يل لقی ملف ههجو يف ترظن و يهجو يف رظنف اذه وحن نم اتایبأ و رومأم ریغ اریمأنج دیزی نب رباج نج نولوقی سانلا و نایبصلا عم رودی لبقأ و ةبحرلا لخد ىتح ءاج و سانلا و نایبصلا هیلع و يلع عمتجاهقنع برضاف يفعجلا دیزی نب رباج هل لاقی الجر رظنا نأ هیلاو ىلإ كلملا دبع نب ماشه باتك درو ىتح مایألا تضم ام هللا وفثیدح و لضف و ملع هل الجر ناك هللا كحلصأ : اولاق ؟ يفعجلا دیزی نب رباج نم : مهل لاقف هئاسلج ىلإ تفتلاف هسأرب يلإ ثعبا و

. بصقلا ىلع بعلی نایبصلا عم وه اذإف هیلع فرشأف : لاق . مهعم بعلی بصقلا ىلع نایبصلا عم ةبحرلا يف اذ وه و نجف جح ورباج لوقی ناك ام عنص و ةفوكلا روهمج نب روصنم لخد ىتح مایألا ضمت مل و : لاق . هلتق نم ينافاع يذلا هللا دمحلا : لاقف .

`AliibnMuhammadhasnarratedfromSalihibnAbuHammadfromMuhammadibn`UrmafromAhmadibnal-Nadrfromal-Nu`manibnBashir,whosaidthefollowing:“Once, IwasaccompanyingJabir ibnYazidal-Ju`fiona journey.Wereached thecityofMadina

uponwhich,hewenttomeetAbuJa`far(peacebeuponhim).(Afterthemeeting)hesaidfarewelltotheImamandcameoutveryhappyuntilwearrivedtoal-`Ukhayraja,thefirst lengthofthejourneyfromFaydtoMadinah.ItwasaFridayandwesaidourprayersatnoonandwhenthecamelrose to leave,Isawatall,

brownishmanwithaletter.HegaveittoJabir,whokisseditandplaceditoverhiseyes.ItwasfromMuhammadibn`Alial-Baqir(peacebeuponthem)addressedtoJabiribnYazidwhoseblackinkwasstillwet.He asked the tallman, 'Whenwere you in the presence ofmymaster?' He said, 'Just now.' He

asked,'Wereyouinhispresencebeforeoraftertheprayer?'Hesaid,'Iwasthereaftertheprayer.'Hethenopenedthesealandbegantoreadtheletterandhisfacebegantolookstraineduntilhereadittotheend.HeheldtheletterandIdidnotseehimlaughingorhappyuntilwearrivedinKufah.IspentmynightinKufahandtheninthemorning,IwenttoseeJabiroutofrespectandIfoundhimcomingouttomeetmewithalargeringmadeofanklebonesaroundhisneckridingonatwigofreedssaying:'IseeMansuribnJumhur,aruler-butnooneobeyshim'andothersuchrhymes.HelookedatmeandIlookedathim,andhedidnotsayanythingtomeandIdidnotsayanything

tohim.IbegantoweepwhenIsawhim.Thechildrenandpeoplegatheredaroundus.Hecametoar-Rahbaandwouldgoincircleswiththechildren,andpeoplestartedtosay,'Jabirhasgonemad,Jabirhasgoneinsane.'ByAllah,onlyafewdayspassedthataletterfromHishamibn`Abdal-Malikcametothegovernor

tolookforamancalledJabiribnYazidal-Ju`fi.Itsaid,'Killhimandsendhisheadtome.'Thegovernorturnedtothepeopleinhiscourtandasked,'WhoisthisJabiribnYazidal-Ju`fi?'Theyreplied, 'May Allah grant well being to the governor. Jabir was a man of knowledge, excellence,

hadithandHajjbutnowhehasbecomeinsane.Heistherewiththechildrenridingonatwigofreeds.Heplayswiththem.'Hewenttoseehimand

found him playingwith the childrenwhile riding a twig of reeds.He said, 'Thanks be to Allah forsavingme from having to kill him.' The narrator said that within a few daysMansur ibn JumhurenteredKufahanddidtoJabirwhathehadorderedhiscommandertoperform(killJabir).”

[1]1.Theword رفن ,accordingtoagroupofexpertsin`ArabicLanguageandCommentaryreferstoagroupof3to9individuals.

[2]2.AmongthescholarsofNahw(ArabicGrammar),itiscommonlyknownthatwhen نا occursatthebeginningofspeech,itmustbepronouncedwithaKasrahatthebeginning(ontheFatha)(asinنإ ),andinthisverseandtheversesthatfollowweseethatinthefirstinstance,itispronouncedwithaKasrah,howevertheversesthatfollow,sincetheyareconnectedwiththisfirstverse,theyarepronouncedwithaFatha.

Becauseofthis,agreatnumberofcommentatorswereforcedtosaythatthereissomethingtobetakenasa“taqdir”whichmeansthatthereisanimplicationofamissingsyntacticalpart(grammaticallyspeaking)inthesentenceortheyhadtocomeupwithotherreasons(toexplainthedifferencebetweenthelawsoftheNahwandthewaythiswordhasbeenusedintheseverses).

However,whatistheharminsayingthatthislawofNahwhasitsexceptionsandinthiscasewemeanthatifaphraseisconnectedwithanotherverse,thenitispermittedtoreciteitwithaFathaandtheproofforthisstatementaretheseversesofSuratulJinn.

[3]3.TafsirMajma`Al-Bayan,Volume10,Page368;TafsirNurath-Thaqalain,Volume5,Page435;thesamepointhasbeenalludedtointheTafsirof`AliibnIbrahim.

[4]4.TafsirQurtubi,Volume10,Page6801.

[5]5.TafsirMajma`Al-Bayan,Volume10,Page369;TafsirRuhAl-Ma`ani,Volume28,Page85.

[6]6.Inthecommentaryofthisverse,thereisanotherinterpretationwhichagroupofthecommentatorsoftheQur ’anhaverelatedasapossibilityofitsmeaning.

TheymentionedthatbecauseagroupofthehumanssoughtrefugewiththeJinn,thisresultedintheJinnsincreasingintheirrebelliousnessandthus,theythoughtthemselvestobethebeginningandcompletionofimportantacts(intheuniverse);however,inouropinion,thefirstcommentarygivenismorecorrect(accordingtothefirstcommentarygiven,thepronounintheword اوداز returnsbacktotheJinnandthepronounof مه returnsbacktothehumans,howeverinthesecondcommentarymentionedabove,theoppositeismentioned).

[7]7.Theword انسم ofrootthefromcomesلـ سم thisinhoweverwell-known;ismeaningwhoseلـverse,italludestolookingandsearchingforsomething(accordingtoRaghibinhisbookAl-MufradatandFakhrAl-Ra¤hiinhisTafsirAl-KabirandalsoTafsirAl-Qurtubi).Also,theword سرح whosepluralis سراح isinthemeaningofaprotectororguardianandsomeScholarshavementionedthatthiswordisactuallyapluralformoftheverb.

[8]8.Theword طساق comesfromtherootof طسق whichmeansdividingsomethingequallyorjustlyandwhenappliedtopatternofthe'Arabicverb لاعفا ,itischangedto طاسقا whosemeaningistoapplyjustice.However,whenitisusedinitsoriginalpatternandformasinthisverse,itsmeaningisofoppressionandtostrayawayfromthepathofTruth.

[9]9.Theword اورحت comesfromtherootword ىرحت whichmeansmakinganintentionforsomething.

[10]10.TafsirRuhAl-Bayan,Volume10,Page195.

[11]11.Al-UsulminAl-Kafi,Volume2,Section:“TheBelieverandhisTraitsandCharacteristics”.

[12]12.ItshouldbenotedthatperhapstheonlythingthathasledthesecommentatorsoftheQur ’antoacceptthattheseverseswerethespeechofAllahinsertedbetweenthewordsoftheJinnisthepronounknownin`Arabicas( ریغلا عم ملكتم )orTheFirstPersonPluralwhichhavebeenusedintheseverses.

Inoneplaceitismentionedthat,”Wewouldcertainlyhavegiventhemabundantwatertodrink.“Inanotherplace,itismentioned”SothatWemighttrythemwithrespecttoit…”However,anytimewetakethesetypesofspeechasbeingsentencesrelatedornarratedtoothers,thenthereisnoproblem(inunderstandingthemeaningofsuchsentences).

Agoodexampleofthisiswhenapersonrelatesastorytooneofhisfriendsandthensays,“SuchandsuchpersonisofthebeliefthatIamagoodperson.”(Obviously,thepersonwhomheisspeakingaboutwouldnothaveusedtheword“I”,rather,hewouldhaveusedtheword“he”,howeverthepersonwhoislisteningwouldautomaticallyunderstandwhatthepersonissaying.)

[13]13.SomeCommentatorsoftheQur ’anhavegiventhepossibilitythatthemeaningof ةقیرط inthisverseisthatpathofdisbeliefandtheincreaseinblessingswhichonewouldbeentitledtoreceiveafterstayingfirmonthispath(ofdisbelief).

Inreality,thepreliminarystage(thatAllah,GlorifiedandExaltedisHetestsHisservantswith)isthatofpunishment(fortheirsins)andthisisdonethroughbeingluredorenticedbyblessings(fromAllah,GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)howeverthiscommentarydoesnotfitwiththetoneoftheverseunderdiscussionnorwoulditevercorrespondwiththeversesthatprecedeandfollowthisverse.

[14]14.Wasa’ilash-Shi`a,Volume2,Page970,hadith3.

[15]15.Wasa’ilash-Shi`a,Volume18,Page490(SectionontheIslamicPenaltyforTheft,Section4,hadith5)

[16]16.TafsirNurath-Thaqalain,Volume5,Page439and440

[17]17.InregardstotheissueofIntercessionfromtheviewpointoftheQur ’anandahadith,acompletediscussionhasbeencarriedoutinvolume1ofthisCommentary(Tafsir-e-Namuna)underverse48ofSuratulBaqarah.InrelationtothetruthfulnessofTawassul,adiscussioninvolume4ofthesameTafsirverse45ofSuratulMa'idahhasalsobeencarriedout.

[18]18.SuratulJinn,72:18.

[19]19.AccordingtothiscommentaryandsincethissentenceisfromthespeechofthebelievingJinn,theuseofthepronounof بئاغ orTheThirdPersoninplaceof مكلتم orTheFirstPersonhasbeendonefordrawingtheattention,orduetothefactthatagroupoftheJinnhadspokenthesewordsinrelationtoanothergroupoftheJinntoexplaintheiractions(payattentiontothispoint).

[20]20.Inreferencetotheeventofrevelationofthisverse,somecommentatorshavementionedthatthenon-believersfromamongtheQuraishhadaskedtheProphettoleavehisreligionsothattheywouldgivehimprotectionandthus,theverseunderdiscussionwasrevealedwhichwasareplytotheQuraish.(SeeTafsirAbulFutuhAl-Razi,Volume11,Page293)

[21]21.Seeingashowtheword( غالب )canonlybemadetransitivethroughtheparticle( نع ),somecommentatorsoftheQur'anhavementionedthattheparticle( نم )usedinthisversecomesinthe

meaningoftheparticle( نع )whileothershavetakentheword( نئاک )asbeingin“taqdir”meaningthatthereisanimplicationofamissingsyntacticalpart(grammaticallyspeaking)inthesentencesuchthattheversewouldread( هللا نم انئاك اغالب الإ ).

[22]22.Accordingtothis,theexplanationofthissentenceisanexclusionaryconditionforthesentencethatcamebeforeitthatreads( ادحتلم هنود نم دجأ نل accordingand(وtothefirstexplanationoffered,itwouldbeanexclusionaryconditionforthepreviousverse.

[23]23.Theparticle( یتح )iscommonlyusedtoconveyorexpressthecompletionorconclusionofsomethingandinthisverseittakesontwodifferentinterpretations.Thefirstmeaningisthatthatcompletionoroutcomeisactuallyasentencewhichhasbeenomittedsuchthatin“taqdir”{meaningthatthereisanimplicationofamissingsyntacticalpart(grammaticallyspeaking)inthesentence}theversewouldread:( نوفعضتسی و نؤزهتسی نولازی وال

نودعوی ام اوأر اذإ ىتح نینمؤملا …).Thesecondinterpretationisthatthecompletionoroutcomewouldbethepartoftheversethatreads( ادبل هیلع نونوكی )whichcameafewversesbeforethisversehoweverthefirstinterpretationismuchmoreappropriate.

[24]24.SuratulNazi'at(79),verse24.

[25]25.Surahaz-Zukhruf(43),verse51.

[26]26.SuratulAhqaf(46),Verse9

[27]27.SuratulAn`am(6),Verse50

[28]28.Surahan-Naml(27),Verse40

[29]29.Surahash-Shuara`(26),Verse54

[30]30.SurahSaba(34),Verse35

[31]31.SuratulKahf(18),Verse34

[32]32.SuratulBaqarah(2),Verse249

[33]33.NahjAl-Balagha,Speech201

[34]34.TafsirAl-Muraghi,Volume29,Page105

[35]35.Thephrase بیغلا ملاع isthepredicateforanominalclausewhichhasbeeneliminatedandinactuality,itwas بیغلا ملاع وه .Somecommentatorshavetakenthisphrasetobeanattribute(ofAllah)oranappositionalsubstantiveforanothersubstantivefortheword يبر inthepreviousverse.

[36]36.Agroupofcommentatorshavesaidthatthepronoun(he)in ملعیل referstotheProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andhavestatedthatthismeansthatAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)hasappointedprotectorsandoverseersforthesecretsoftherevelationandthemessagesothattheProphetwouldknowthatdefinitely,whatiscomingtohimisrevelationfromAllah(GlorifiedandExaltedisHe)andthus,hewouldhavenodoubtoruncertaintyintherevelation.

However,thisexplanation,keepinginmindthatthedeliveranceofthemessageisthejoboftheProphet(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily)andnotthejoboftheAngelsandseeingashowinthepreviousversetheword لوسر hasbeenused,andafewversespreviously,theword تالاسرwasusedinrelationtothepersonageoftheProphetofIslam(blessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamily),itishighlyunlikelythatthis(second)explanationiscorrect-thus,thetruthliesinthecommentarygiven.

[37]1.SurahAleImran(3),Verse49.

[38]2.SuratulJinn(72),Verse27.

[39]3.Surahar-Rum(30),Verse2–4.

[40]4.AcommentaryonthiseventanditscompletereferencescanbefoundinthecommentaryofSurahMumtahinah.

[41]5.KamilibnAthir,Volume2,Page237inthesectionontheBattleofMutah.

[42]6.MustadrakAl-Sahihain,Volume2,page358

[43]7.TabaqatofibnSa`d,Volume5,page30.

[44]8.Al-IsabatuofibnAl-Hajr,Volume5,Section3,Page325.

[45]9.HaythamiinthebookMajma`,Volume6,Page241.

[46]10.Al-RiyadhAl-Nadhirah,Volume2,Page222.

[47]11.FadhailAl-Khamsah,volume2,Pages231to253.

[48]12.NahjAl-Balagha,Speech128.

[49]13.SurahLuqman(31),Verse34.

[50]14.NahjAl-Balagha,Speech127.BiharAl-Anwar,Volume26,Page160,hadith5,therearemanyahadithonthistopicfromthesamesource.

[51]15.BiharAl-Anwar,Volume26,Page160,hadith5,therearemanyahadithonthistopicfromthesamesource.

[52]16.TafsirNurath-Thaqalain,Volume2,Page512,hadith160.

[53]17.Al-Kafi,Section:“SurelytheA'immah,whentheywanttoknowsomething,theyaretaughtit”,hadith3.Therearealsootherahadithinthissectiononthistopic.

[54]18.UsulAl-Kafi,Volume1,hadith3.

[55]19.Surahan-Naml(27),Verse40.

[56]20.Surahar-Ra`d(13),Verse43

[57]21.Surahan-Naml(27),Verse40

[58]22.Surahar-Ra`d(13),Verse43

[59]23.RefertoVolume3ofthebookAhqaqAl-Haqq,Pages280-281andtheTafsirNurath-Thaqalain,volume2,Page523.

[60]24.Surahan-Nahl(16),Verse89

[61]25.Inthecommentary(ofAyatullahNasirMakarimShirazi,Tafsir-e-Namunah)inSuratulAn'am,verses50,59(Volume5,Pages245and268)andSuratulA'raf,verse188(Volume7,Page46),thissubjecthasbeendiscussedindetail.

[62]26.SuratulRahman(55),Verse15.

[63]27.SuratulJinn(72),Verse11.

[64]28.SuratulJinn(72),Verse15.

[65]29.SuratulJinn(72),Verse9.

[66]30.SuratulJinn(72),Verse6.

[67]31.SuratulNahl(16),Verse39.

[68]32.SurahSaba(34),Verse13.

[69]33.SuratulHijr(15),Verse27

[70]34.SafinatAl-Bihar,Volume1,Page186(Under نج ).

[71]35.Al-Kafi,Volume6,Page385,Sectionon“BookofDrinking”sectionon“TypesofVessels”,hadith5.

[72]36.Inthefirstvolumeofthebook,TheFirstUniversityandtheLastProphet,thereareapproximately23Ahadithinrelationtothistopic.

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