Surah Yunus

Introduction

It is Meccan, according to the well-known view. Some, however, excepted three verses from it: "Would you then, perhaps, abandon..." (11:12), "Is he, then, who rests upon a clear evidence from his Lord..." (11:17), and "And establish prayer at the two ends of the day..." (11:114). They claimed these were revealed in Medina. Ibn al-Faras and al-Sakhawi related that from the beginning of the Surah up to the fortieth verse is Meccan, and the remainder is Medinan.

There are two narrations attributed to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Ibn Mardawayh extracted, through the chain of al-Awfi and through the chain of Ibn Jurayj from Ata, that it is Meccan; while he also extracted, through the chain of Uthman ibn Ata from his father, that it is Medinan. The view relied upon by the majority is the first narration. Its verses are one hundred and nine according to all, except for the Damascene count, which reckons it as one hundred and ten verses.

The manner of its connection to Surah Bara'ah (al-Tawbah): The previous Surah concluded with a mention of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and this one begins with him. Furthermore, the first contains a statement regarding what the hypocrites say when a Surah of the Quran is revealed, while this one contains a statement regarding what the disbelievers say about the Quran, as He, the Exalted, says: "Or do they say, 'He has fabricated it'? Say, 'Then bring a Surah like it...'" (10:38), and as the Almighty said: "And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, 'Bring us a Quran other than this or change it'" (10:15).

Also, the first contains a condemnation of the hypocrites for their lack of repentance and remembrance when affliction befalls them, in His saying, the Exalted: "Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice? Then they do not repent nor do they remember" (9:126)—according to one of the interpretations. This Surah contains a condemnation of those who are afflicted, show restraint, and then return to their ways; this is in His saying, the Exalted: "And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us for an affliction that touched him" (10:12). And also in His saying, the Exalted: "Until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from everywhere and they assume that they are surrounded, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion..." (10:22), up to His saying: "But when He saves them, at once they commit injustice upon the earth without right" (10:23).

Furthermore, the first contains the Messenger’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) dissociation from the polytheists, accompanied by the command to fight them in the most complete manner. This Surah contains his (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) dissociation from their deeds, yet without a command to fight. Rather, he was commanded in it to manifest this dissociation in a manner that implies turning away and leaving them to their own path—which, as it is said, is the opposite of what is in the first Surah. This is also a type of connection, found in His saying, the Exalted: "And if they deny you, say, 'My deeds are for me, and your deeds are for you. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do'" (10:41), and other instances.

It is strange how Jalal al-Suyuti—may mercy be upon him—could not perceive a reason for the connection between the two Surahs in Tanasuq al-Durar, while he mentioned a reason for the connection between this Surah and Surah al-A'raf. Sometimes, what is found in the discarded is not found in the preserved.

Alif Lam Ra. The Ra is pronounced with tafkheem (full-mouthed/thick) when it carries a fatha, which is the original state. Abu Amr and some of the reciters employed imala (inclination) for the alif of Ra, treating it like an alif derived from a ya, as they incline it to signal its origin. In this instance of imala, there is a warding off of the misconception that Ra is merely a letter, for they have explicitly stated that imala is forbidden in letters. Warsh read it between the two states (an intermediate imala). The intent behind Alif Lam Ra, according to a group narrating from Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with him—is: "I am Allah, I see." In another narration, it is part of "Al-Rahman," and its completion is Ha Mim Nun. According to Qatada, it is part of "Al-Rahim," and it is one of the names of the Quran. It is also said: These are names for the known letters of the alphabet, brought forth in a sequence as a method of enumeration to challenge [the disbelievers]. On this basis, it has no place in grammatical inflection (i'rab), and the discourse regarding it and its counterparts is well-known.

Most scholars hold that it is a name for the surah, and thus its position is in the nominative case (raf') as a predicate for an omitted subject—meaning: "This surah is named by such-and-such." This is more apparent than it being in the nominative as an initial subject (ibtida'), because the knowledge of its naming had not preceded it; therefore, it is fitting to provide information about it rather than establishing it as a title for a subject, for that would require the listener's knowledge of the attribution. [As for] the reference to it before it is mentioned, it is because it is in the position of something present, considering it to be on the verge of being mentioned, as is said in legal documents: "This is what so-and-so purchased." It is permissible to consider it in the accusative case (nasb) by implying a verb suitable to the context, such as "Remember" or "Read."

As for "Tila" (Those), it is a reference to them. Regarding the view that Alif Lam Ra is enumerated in a sequence, the presence of its substance has been placed in the position of its mention, so it is referred to as if it were said: "These words, composed of the genus of these expanded letters, etc." Regarding the view that it is a name for the surah, the reference has been made after highlighting it by assigning its name or ordering its mention or recitation. The distant demonstrative pronoun carries a sense of remoteness to alert [the reader] to its high status and grandeur. Its position is in the nominative as an initial subject, whose predicate is His saying, the Almighty: "verses of the Book." On the premise that Alif Lam Ra is an initial subject, it is either a second subject or a substitute for the first. The meaning is: "They are specific verses from it, titled with a distinct name." The intent of declaring their "part-ness" to the Book is to describe them with the noble attributes and perfect qualities to which reference was made.

"The Book" refers either to the entirety of the Great Quran—even if it had not yet been revealed, either by considering its determination and existence in [Divine] Knowledge or in the Preserved Tablet, or by considering its total revelation to the House of Might (Bayt al-Izzah) in the lowest heaven—or it refers to the totality of the Quran revealed at that time, which was understood among the people then; for just as it is applied to the individual totality, it is applied to the totality of what has been revealed thus far. This is what the Sheikh al-Islam said.

You know that the famous position of the predecessors is to delegate the meaning of Alif Lam Ra and its likes to Allah the Almighty; and since their intended meaning is unknown, there is no purpose in attempting their grammatical analysis. They have mentioned that regarding the reference, it is permissible that it pertains to the verses of this surah, and it is permissible that it pertains to the verses of the Quran. As for "the Book," it is permissible that the surah is intended, or the Quran is intended. Thus, there are four scenarios: First, the reference is to the verses of the Quran, and "the Book" means the surah—this is not valid except through specification of the verses or a far-fetched interpretation. Second, the reverse of this, in which there is no hindrance. Third, the reference is to the verses of the surah, and "the Book" means the surah. Fourth, the reference is to the verses of the Quran, and "the Book" means the Quran. The benefit of the discourse in the latter two applies to both, considering the attribute of the "Book" that follows.

It is permitted that the reference is to the verses because they are in the position of something present, even if not mentioned, as in the aforementioned example. In the Amali of Ibn al-Hajib, it is stated that the referenced object need not be physically present; it suffices that it exists in the mind. In the Kashshaf, in the interpretation of His saying: "This is the parting between me and you," there is support for this. The term tila was preferred for the reason the Sheikh pointed out, and because it is in the position of the absent from one perspective. What they have mentioned is not without some hesitation. As for interpreting "the Book" as the scriptures that preceded the Quran—such as the Torah, the Gospel, and others—as Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Qatada, it is extremely far-fetched, so reflect upon it.

His saying, the Almighty: "Al-Hakim" (The Wise) is an adjective for the Book. It is described as such because it contains wisdom, thus al-hakim means "possessor of wisdom," as in [the patterns of] laban and tamir. It may also be considered a metaphorical simile of the Book to a person speaking with wisdom, by way of metonymy, with the assertion of wisdom serving as the indicator. It is also allowed that it is described as such because it is a "wise speech" (kalam hakim), meaning its Speaker is wise, making it a metaphorical attribution like "his night is fasting and his day is standing [in prayer]." It is also said: because its verses are muhkam (decisive/perfected), such that nothing of them has been abrogated by another book—so fa'il here has the meaning of muf'al (made firm/decisive). What has been said for and against this has already preceded.