Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:2

(Qayyiman): Meaning straight, as Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from al-Dahhak. It is also related from Ibn Abbas. The intended meaning of what has been said is that there is no flaw in its wording nor in its meaning. The intent of this is that it is moderate, containing no excess in the obligations it prescribes—lest it become burdensome for the servants—nor neglect by omitting what is necessary—lest there be a need for another book, as the Almighty said: "We have not neglected anything in the Book" (6:38). Thus, it was the final of the Books revealed to the Seal of the Messengers, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him. It is said that the intent of this is the same as what preceded it, and that its mention here is for emphasis.

Al-Farra’ said: The intent is that it is a guardian (qayyiman) over all the heavenly Books, testifying to their veracity. Abu Muslim said: The intent is that it is one that manages the interests of the servants, ensuring them and explaining them, as it contains that by which the affairs of this life and the Hereafter are organized. According to these two opinions, this constitutes an establishment [of a new descriptive quality] rather than just emphasis; as if it were said: "A Book that is true in itself and confirms others," or "A Book free of defects and adorned with virtues." It is said that the final intent is that it is perfect in itself and perfects others. It is in the accusative case (nasb) due to an implied verb, meaning: "He made it straight," whether the sentence is taken as a new beginning (musta’nafa) or as a conjunction to what preceded it. However, it is said that omitting the conjunction together with the conjoined element is forced. Hafs used to pause slightly at (‘iwajan) and then say: (qayyiman).

Many have chosen that it is in the state of a circumstantial qualifier (hal) from the pronoun in (lahu [to it]). Meaning: He did not make any deviation for it, while it is straight and free of deviation, according to the meaning of "straight" you heard earlier—its core being that He, the Exalted, protected it from flaw in word and meaning, while it remains free of excess and neglect. This holds true for the latter two opinions as well. Indeed, it has been said: "To make it a circumstantial qualifier from the pronoun while interpreting 'straight' as 'free of deviation' is weak."

Some countered this by saying the weakness is dispelled by attributing it to the confirmed state, as in His saying: "Then you turned back as losers" (al-Hashr: 5). There is discussion here. It is permitted that it be a circumstantial qualifier of "the Book," though it was objected that this necessitates conjunction before the completion of the silah (relative clause), because the state is like a part of it. It was answered that it is permissible to make (wa lam yaj’al) part of the first silah, as an explanatory conjunction, where the Almighty says: "He sent down to His Servant the Book"—perfect in its category—followed by the Almighty’s saying: "And He did not make any deviation for it." In this case, the separation does not occur before the completion of the silah. This is similar to His saying: "And obstructed [people] from the way of Allah and disbelieved in Him and the Sacred Mosque" according to one opinion. Also, it is permissible for the waw in (wa lam yaj’al) to be for the state, and the sentence following it to be a state of "the Book," like qayyiman. Al-Asbahani chose this.

Abu Hayyan said: That is according to the school of those who permit the occurrence of two circumstantial qualifiers for a single state-bearer without a conjunction; many of our scholars forbid this. Another said: The analogy of al-Farisi’s statement regarding the predicate—that it does not multiply by being different in form (singular vs. sentence)—is that the state should be the same. This was answered as being invalid, as what al-Farisi mentioned is contrary to the school of the majority, and it is an analogy with a discrepancy, so it is not accepted. Similarly, what Abu Hayyan mentioned regarding the "majority" is contrary to what is relied upon by most. Indeed, to flee from the debate, some made the waw for interruption and the sentence an interjected one. There is a transposition (taqdim wa ta’khir) in the speech, and the origin is: "All praise is due to Allah who sent down to His Servant the Book, straight, and did not make any deviation for it." The opinion of transposition is related from Ibn Abbas and Mujahid. Al-Sameen mentioned that wherever an interjected sentence occurs in the arrangement, Ibn Abbas considers it to be transposed. He explained this by saying that since it occurs between two connected expressions, it is in the force of being external to them. Since qayyiman implies an essential or fixed straightness—being an intensive adjective—and there is nothing like that in which one might not imagine the slightest deviation, He mentioned His saying: "And He did not make any deviation for it" as a precaution, and placed it first for importance, as in the saying: "O house of Mayy, may you be safe despite the decay; and may rain never cease to fall upon your plains." From here it is known that the interpretation of qayyim as "straight" in the immediate sense is correct, and that al-Zamakhshari’s statement—that the benefit of combining it with the negation of deviation is emphasis—is sound; for how many a straight thing is witnessed as straight, but does not escape the slightest deviation upon close examination? [It is] "not having deviation upon close examination." Thus, the Imam’s statement does not hold, for he said: "His saying 'And He did not make for it any deviation' indicates it is perfect in its essence, and His saying 'Qayyiman' indicates it is perfect for others; thus it is proven by rational demonstration that the correct order is as Allah mentioned, and that the transposition they mentioned is forbidden by the intellect." End quote.

By my life, this speech is not becoming of the Imam if it is soundly held by him that the mentioned opinion is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Mujahid. For the former is the translator of the Quran, and that is sufficient for you in terms of majesty and knowledge of the subtleties of language. It has been said regarding the latter: "When the interpretation comes to you from Mujahid, it suffices you." The author of Hall al-‘Aqd said: "It is possible that qayyiman is a substitute (badal) for His saying: 'And He did not make for it any deviation'." Abu Hayyan said: "It would then be a substitution of a singular for a sentence," as they say in "I knew Zayd—who is his father," which is a substitution of a sentence for a singular. There is disagreement regarding the permissibility of this. Some claimed that the pronoun in (lahu) refers to "His Servant," and in that case, none of the previous grammatical derivations are feasible.

Aban ibn Tha’lab read qayyiman with a kasra on the qaf and a fatha on the light ba’. In some of the companions' codices, it is: "And He did not make for it any deviation, but it is straight," and this is interpreted as an explanation, not a reading.

(To warn): Relates to "sent down," and the lam is for causal reasoning (ta’lil). Those who reason that the actions of Allah have purposes, such as the Salaf and the Maturidis, use this as evidence. Those who reject this interpret it as the lam of consequence (aqibah). Al-Hufi claimed it relates to qayyiman, not qayyim, and the subject is the pronoun of Majesty, as well as in the two verbs conjoined to it. It is permitted that the subject in all is the pronoun of the Book, or the pronoun of [the Prophet] may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Andhara (to warn) takes two objects; the Almighty said: "We have warned you of a near punishment." The first object is omitted here, and it is limited to the second, which is His saying: "A severe punishment," signaling that the focus of the speech is the second object, and the first is obvious and needs no mention—they are "those who disbelieve," by the context of what follows. The intent is those who disbelieve in the Book. The apparent meaning of "a severe punishment" is the punishment of the Hereafter, and nothing else. It is said it is possible that the punishment of this world is included.

(From Him): Meaning emanating from His presence, Almighty, descending from His side in exchange for their disbelief. The prepositional phrase relates to an omitted element, acting as a second adjective for "punishment." Lada here means "at" (’inda), as narrated from Qatada. Al-Raghib mentioned that it is more specific than "at," as it indicates the beginning of an end, such as "I stayed at his place from the time of sunrise to sunset." It may be placed in the position of "at." Some said: Ladan is more emphatic and specific than 'inda. It has several dialects. Abu Bakr read from ‘Asim with ishmam (blending) of the dal, meaning softening the sound with the movement separating the two letters, so it becomes a concealment (ikhfa') of it; and with a kasra on the nun to avoid two quiescent letters meeting, and a kasra on the ha for assimilation. It is understood from the speech of some that he read with a quiescent sound with ishmam, meaning pointing to the movement by rounding the lips with a gap between them. This was questioned in al-Durr al-Masun and others, as this ishmam is only realized when stopping at the end, and its being in the middle, as is the case here, is not conceivable. Thus it was said: It is brought here after pausing at the ha. The objection was repelled that it does not then indicate the movement of the dal, which was reasoned as being determined, as there is nothing in the word that deserves to have its movement pointed to other than it. It is clear what this entails, and what we have presented is conclusive to the material of the problem. The majority read with a damma on the dal and the ha and a quiescence of the nun, except that Ibn Kathir joins the ha with a waw, while others do not.

(And to give good tidings): In the accusative case, conjoined to "to warn." It is read rarely with the nominative case. Hamza and al-Kisa'i read yubashir with a light pronunciation.

(The believers): Meaning those who affirm the Book, as is indicated by it and by what preceded it, mentioning this after the favor of sending down the Book.

(Who do righteous deeds): Meaning the righteous deeds that were explained in its folds. The preference for the future tense in the relative clause is to signal the renewal and continuity of the deed. The relative pronoun is applied to its described subject, which was mentioned, because the basis of the acceptance of the deed is faith.

(That they will have): Meaning that they will have, in exchange for their mentioned faith and deeds, a good reward. It is, as al-Suddi and others said, Paradise; and in it is the abiding bliss and great reward that is in it. That the intent is Paradise is supported by the apparent meaning of His saying...