Tafsir of Al Imran 3:184

{فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ} regarding what you have brought them, {فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ} who brought the like of what you have brought. The sentence is the answer to the conditional clause, though it is based on its necessary implication which the context points to; for it is intended to console him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, regarding the rejection of his people and the Jews. Mujahid restricted it to the latter, as if it were said: "If they reject you, then do not grieve, and take consolation." Some have posited that the answer is omitted and that this is a justification for it, and the like of this is frequent in speech.

'Isam al-Milla said: There is no need for interpretation or positing an omission, for the meaning is: "If they reject you, then your rejection is a rejection of the messengers before you, inasmuch as they informed of your mission." In this lies the perfection of their rebuke, a clarification of his truthfulness—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and a consolation for him beyond which there is no consolation. This was critiqued on the grounds that the consolation, according to the view of the majority, is more complete; for upon it, there is a sharing between him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and his brethren, the messengers—peace be upon them—in being rejected by the rejectors, verbally and explicitly. Whereas on the second view, there is no sharing except in the act of rejection, but for him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—it is verbal and explicit, while for the messengers, it is not so. There is no doubt to one of taste that the first is more eloquent in consolation. According to the first, it is permissible for {مِّن} to be connected to {كُذِّبَ} or to be connected to an omitted element acting as an adjective for {رُسُلٌ}, meaning: "existing before you."

According to the second, the latter is necessary. The description of the messengers by His saying, the Exalted, {جَاءُوا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ}—that is, the clear, astonishing miracles—{وَالزُّبُرِ} (the plural of Zabur, like Rasul and Rusul; it is the book confined to wisdom, from zabarta-hu in the sense of 'you perfected it,' as stated by al-Zajjaj. It is said: al-Zubur are the admonitions and deterrents, from zabarta-hu if you deterred him), {وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُنِيرِ} (that is, the clarifier, or the clear, illuminating one).

Ibn Abi Hatim extracted from al-Suddi that it is the Qur'an, and the meaning of the messengers bringing it is their bringing what it contained of the principles of religion, as indicated by His saying, the Almighty, regarding it: {وَإِنَّهُ لَفِي زُبُرِ الْأَوَّلِينَ} according to one view. From Qatadah, it is that what is meant is al-Zubur, and a thing is doubled by consideration while being one. It is said: The intent is the Torah, the Gospel, and the Psalms, and in the usage of the Qur'an, it is that which comprises laws and decrees; that is why it and "the Wisdom" come conjoined in most instances. The aspect of making "the Book" singular, based on the first view, is manifest. Perhaps the aspect of making it singular based on the second and third views—even if the genus that applies to both the singular and plural is intended—is a symbolic indication that although the heavenly books are numerous, they are, from certain perspectives, like a single thing.

Ibn 'Amir read {وَبِالزُّبُرِ} by repeating the preposition to indicate that they are essentially distinct from the Bayyinat (evidences), meaning by them miracles other than the books, because repeating the operator necessitates distinction. Were it not for that, it would have been possible for it to be a conjunction of the specific upon the general.

It is strange to claim that what is meant by al-Bayyinat are the letters regarding their names, like "Alif" and "Lam"; by al-Zubur, the letters regarding their denoted sounds and their script, like "Ab"; and by al-Kitab, the letters combined and uttered as a word and speech.

Those who hold this view claim that for each of these there are meanings and secrets not comprehended except by the learned. They search for the word considering its utterance, considering each of its written letters, and considering the name of each of its letters, which consists of three letters. It is not hidden that this is a terminology upon which the speech of Allah the Almighty should not be interpreted.

The apparent truth from tracing the authentic traditions is that nothing in this regard has been established from the Greatest Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and proving that is like red death.