Tafsir of Luqman 31:1-2

These are the verses of the Wise Book. That is, possessing wisdom. Describing the Book with this [attribute] is, according to some Moroccans, metaphorical, because such a description implies possession [of a faculty], whereas the Book does not possess wisdom, but rather contains and comprises it. Therefore, it is described as Hakim (Wise) in the sense of one possessing wisdom. Al-Tibi favored the view that this is an instance of implied metaphor (isti‘arah makniyyah). However, the truth is that it is of the same category as [the expression] ‘ishah radiyyah (a pleasing life), similar to the saying "a son and a date" (laban wa tamr).

Indeed, it is permissible that it be a metaphor by metonymy, meaning it is "the speaker of wisdom," like a living being. It is also possible that Al-Hakim is one of the attributes of the Almighty, and describing the Book with it is a form of metaphorical attribution, for it originated from Him, glory be to Him; and a thing may be described by the attribute of its originator, as in the saying of Al-A‘sha: "And a strange [poem] that comes to kings, wise, which I have composed so that it may be asked: Who said it?"

It is also possible that the original [meaning] was "the Wise [One] is its revealer or speaker," then the genitive construct (mudaf) linked to the pronominal suffix was omitted, and the noun in the genitive case (mudaf ilayhi) was raised to its position, thus becoming nominative, and then [the pronoun] became hidden within the assimilative adjective (sifah mushabbahah).

It is also possible that Al-Hakim is in the form of fa‘il in the sense of muf‘il (the causative), as they say: "I thickened the honey, so it is ‘aqid," meaning thickened (mu‘qad); though this is rare. It has also been said: it is in the sense of "a ruler" (hakim). The complete discussion regarding this verse has already preceded in the commentary on its counterpart.