Al-Ahqaf: (4) Say, "Have you seen..."

Say—as a means of reprimanding and silencing them—"Have you seen?"—meaning, inform me. It is also recited as ara'aytakum. "What you call upon"—meaning, what you worship—"besides Allah"—that is, from the idols or all false deities; and this is arguably more apparent. The relative pronoun (ma) is the first object of ara'aytum (have you seen). His saying, "Show me," is a reinforcement of it, as it also carries the meaning of "inform me."

Regarding His saying, "What did they create?", it is permitted that:

1. Ma is an interrogative noun functioning as a fronted object of khalaqu (created), and dha is superfluous.
2. Madha is a single noun serving as a fronted object, meaning "Which thing did they create?"
3. Ma is an interrogative noun in the position of a subject or a fronted predicate, and dha is a relative pronoun serving as the predicate or a delayed subject, with the clause khalaqu being the conjunction for the relative pronoun, meaning "What is the thing they created?"

According to the first two interpretations, the clause khalaqu is the second object of ara'aytum. According to the latter two, the clause madha khalaqu is the second object. It is also permissible that the speech follows the rule of al-i'mal (operation), where the second verb governs while the first object is omitted; Abu Hayyan favored this.

It has been said: It is possible that aruni (show me) is an appositive of inclusion (badal ishtimal) for ara'aytum. Ibn Atiyyah stated: ara'aytum may be understood in two ways: either as a transitive verb with ma being its object, or as an alerting particle that is intransitive, with ma being interrogative to convey reprimand. This second view was held by Al-Akhfash regarding the verse, "Have you seen when we took shelter in the rock?"

His saying, "of the earth," is an explanation of the ambiguous element in "what did they create?" It is said that what is meant are the parts and regions of the earth. It is also permissible that it refers to what is on its surface, such as living beings and other things, by estimating an omitted genitive that leads to that meaning. It is also permitted that "the earth" refers to the lower realms generally, and perhaps this is more appropriate.

"Or have they a partnership"—meaning a share with Allah—"in the heavens"—meaning in their creation. Perhaps it is also better to interpret this as referring to the upper realms. Regarding "or" (am), it is permissible that it is disjunctive or conjunctive. The goal is to negate the entitlement of their gods to be worshipped in the most complete manner. Firstly, their agency in creating any part of the lower world—in reality and independently—is negated; secondly, their agency as partners in the creation of any part of the upper world is negated. It is known that the negation of this necessitates the negation of the entitlement to worship.

The restriction of the partnership in this noble arrangement to His saying, "in the heavens"—despite there being no partnership there, nor in the first (the earth)—is because the intention is to hold them accountable by that which is conceded by them and apparent to everyone. Partnership in earthly occurrences is not like this, because they (the polytheists) are seen, according to outward appearances, to possess and originate some of them.

It is said: The most apparent view is to treat the verse as having an omitted equivalent for the conjunctive am because its indicator exists. The estimation is: "Do they have a partnership in the earth, or do they have a partnership in the heavens?" And it is as you see.

His saying, "Bring me a book"—to the end of the verse—is a silencing of them by demonstrating their inability to produce a revealed proof, following the demonstration of their inability to produce a rational proof. Thus, it is part of the command; meaning: bring me a divine book that existed "before this"—this book, the Quran, which speaks of monotheism and the invalidation of polytheism—that testifies to the truth of your religion.

"Or a remnant of knowledge"—that is, a residue of knowledge remaining with you from the sciences of the predecessors, testifying to their entitlement to worship. Atharah (remnant) is a verbal noun like dhalalah (misguidance), meaning a remainder, from their saying: "The she-camel fattened on a remnant (atharah) of meat," meaning a remainder of it.

Al-Qurtubi said: It means attribution and narration, and from this is the saying of Al-A'sha: "That about which you both argued has been made clear to the listener and the narrator (al-athir)." Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman and Qatadah said: The meaning is a specialty of knowledge; its derivation is from al-atharah (favoritism), as if Allah has favored those who possess it with it. It is also said: It is a sign.

Ahmad, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Al-Tabarani, and Ibn Marduyah recorded through the path of Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman from Ibn Abbas from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding "or a remnant of knowledge": He said, "The lines" (geomancy/sand-writing). This was also narrated as a statement stopped at Ibn Abbas. It was explained as the science of geomancy (ilm al-raml), as in the tradition of Abu Hurairah (raised to the Prophet): "There was a prophet among the prophets who used to draw lines; whoever happens to match his lines has knowledge." In a narration from the scholar (Ibn Abbas), he said: "Or a remnant of knowledge—lines that the Arabs used to draw on the earth." This is apparent in strengthening the matter of geomancy and that it is something that has a basis and guides to certain affairs, and there is discussion regarding this to be sought in its proper place.

In Al-Bahr, it is said: If the explanation of Ibn Abbas of atharah as lines in the soil is correct, it would be a form of mockery of them, their mouths, and their evidences. The tanwin (indefinite marking) is for disparagement. "Of knowledge" is an adjective; meaning, or bring me a small remnant that is of knowledge, "if you are truthful in your claim." For it is hardly valid unless a rational proof or a revealed evidence is established for it. Since neither of the two has been established for it—while both have been established against them—its invalidity becomes clear.

It is recited as itharah with a kasrah on the hamzah, and interpreted as "debate," as it stirs up meanings. It is also said: This is a metaphor, comparing what is brought forth and verified through debate to that which is stirred up from the dust raised by the movements of horsemen.

Ali and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them)—with a difference of opinion reported from them—as well as Zayd bin Ali, Ikrimah, Qatadah, Al-Hasan, Al-Sulami, Al-A'mash, and Amr bin Maymun, recited it as atharah without an alif; it is a singular noun whose plural is athar, like qatrah and qatar.

Ali (may Allah be honored), Al-Sulami, and Qatadah also recited it with a sukun on the tha', being a single act of what is attributed (chosen). Meaning: I have been satisfied with you with one report or one trace that testifies to the truth of your statement. From Al-Kisa'i, it is narrated that he read it with a dammah on the hamzah and a sukun on the tha'; it is a noun for a measure, like ghurfah (a handful) for what is scooped by the hand. Meaning: Bring me some small amount of remnant of knowledge. It is also narrated from him that he recited ithrah with a kasrah on the hamzah and a sukun on the tha', which has the same meaning as atharah.