Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:57

"Say: 'I am upon a clear proof (bayyinah)'": This is a clarification of the truth that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is upon, and a declaration of his adherence to it, following the invalidation of the falsehood held by the disbelievers. It also clarifies that he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not follow their falsehood at any time. The bayyinah, as stated by al-Raghib, is the manifest demonstration derived from bana-yubinu when something becomes apparent, or it is the decisive proof between truth and falsehood—based on the view that it originates from baynunah (separation). Regardless, the intended meaning is the Quran, as stated by al-Jubba'i. From Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) it is reported that the meaning is: "I am upon certainty." From al-Hasan, it is reported that the meaning is "Prophethood," but this is not as evident as interpreting it as rational arguments or that which encompasses them. The tanwin (indefinite marking) is for magnification, meaning: "I am upon a clear proof of high status."

"From my Lord": Meaning, originating from His side—exalted be He. It is described as such to emphasize what the tanwin has already conveyed. It is also permissible that "from" (min) is connecting, and that there is an elided noun in the speech, meaning: "A proof connected to the knowledge of my Lord." Others say: "It is an adverbial phrase related to that which the predicate is related to," and a noun is also implied, meaning: "I am existing upon a proof for the sake of the knowledge of my Lord." The first [interpretation] is more manifest. In the mention of the title of Lordship, along with its attribution to his pronoun (peace and blessings be upon him), there is an honor and elevation of rank that is hidden to none.

His saying—exalted is He—: "And you have denied it": As Abu al-Baqa’ says, this is an initiating sentence or a circumstantial one—with the implied "qad" (already) in the famous view. It is brought forward to express the repulsiveness of its content and to deem the occurrence of their denial unlikely, given that there is that which necessitates the opposite. Or, it is brought to distinguish between him (peace and blessings be upon him) and them. The pronoun refers to the bayyinah (proof), and the masculine gender is used in consideration of the meaning intended. Al-Zajjaj said: It is because it carries the meaning of bayan (explanation). It is also permitted that the pronoun refers to "my Lord," in the sense of: "I have believed in Him and declared His oneness, while you have denied Him and associated partners with Him."

His saying—the Exalted—: "I do not have that which you seek to hasten": This is an initiation clarifying their error regarding what they made the source of their denial of the Quran—namely, the non-arrival of the punishment promised therein, which they used to hasten by saying, by way of mockery or challenging based on their assumptions: "When will this promise be if you are truthful?" The Imam said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) used to warn them of the descent of punishment upon them due to this shirk, and the people, due to their persistence in disbelief, would hasten its descent. So, he said to them: "I do not have..." and it is as if the speech also clarifies their error regarding what they made a source for ignoring the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) prohibition and the report of the punishment's descent due to it. That is: I do not possess the promised punishment that they hasten, the delay of which you make a pretext for denying the Quran or ignoring the prohibition and the warning against it—it is not within my decree or my power until I bring it about. That is to say: its command is not delegated to me.

"The judgment (hukm)": Meaning, what the judgment is regarding the delay of that, "is only for Allah": Alone, without anyone else—exalted is He—having a share in it in any way whatsoever. Some have chosen to generalize what is related to the judgment, meaning: "There is no judgment regarding that—whether in delay or acceleration—or no judgment in all things," so what was mentioned enters into it primarily. The first view is considered stronger because the intent behind His saying—the Exalted—"The judgment is only for Allah" is regret over the occurrence of something contrary to what is desired, as attested to by the contexts of its usage, and it is applicable to the delay only.

"He narrates (yaqussu)": That is, He follows "the truth": And the wisdom in what He judges and decrees, whatever it may be. Or, He explains it with a satisfying explanation, from the qass (tracing) of tracks or reports. This is of the category of perfecting the specific, according to what we have chosen, by following it with a general command, like His saying—the Exalted—: "In His hand is the dominion, and He is over all things competent." Al-Kisa'i and others read yaqdi (He judges) from al-qada'. The ya was omitted in writing, following its omission in pronunciation due to the meeting of two consonantal sounds. Its root is that it should be transitive with the preposition ba', not by itself. Thus, al-haqq (the truth) is in the accusative case, either as an infinitive—because it is an adjective of an elided infinitive that took its place, meaning: "He judges the true judgment"—or as a direct object, with yaqdi containing the meaning of "executes." Or, it is transitive from qada al-dir'a (he fashioned the armor), meaning: "He fashions the truth and manages it," as the Hudhalite said: "Two coats of mail fashioned by David." In this case, there is a consequential metaphor in the speech. Mujahid argued for the first reading [yaqussu] by the absence of the ya which is needed in the second [reading], but you have learned of the invalidity of that. Abu 'Amr argued for the second by His saying—the Exalted—: "And He is the best of the judges (al-fasilin)."

Because judgment (fasl) only occurs in qada' (judging), not in qasas (narrating). If that were in the verse, it would have been said: "The best of the narrators (qassin)." Abu 'Ali al-Farisi answered that qasas here means speech, and judgment (fasl) has indeed been mentioned in relation to it. He said: "Indeed, it is a decisive word (qawl fasl)." "A Book whose verses have been perfected, then explained (fussilat)." "And we explain (nufassilu) the verses." You know, with the slightest reflection, that qass (narrating) here can be interpreted—without difficulty or remoteness—to mean qada' (judging). In Irshad al-'Aql al-Salim, it states that the origin of qada' is the conclusion of a matter, and the origin of hukm is prevention, as if it prevents falsehood from opposing the truth, or an opponent from transgressing against his counterpart. The sentence "And He is the best of the judges..." is a concluding remark affirming the content of what preceded it, pointing out that the narration of the truth here, by a specific method, is the separation between truth and falsehood. So understand.

Some of the Ahl al-Sunnah argued using His saying—the Exalted—"The judgment is only for Allah..." as it implies exclusivity, [arguing] that the servant is not capable of any thing unless Allah the Exalted has decreed it. Thus, the act of disbelief is impossible [for the servant] unless Allah the Exalted has decreed and judged it, and likewise for all actions. The Mu'tazila said: His saying—the Exalted—"He judges the truth" means that everything He judges is the truth, and this necessitates that disbelief from the disbeliever and disobedience from the sinner do not originate from Him, because that is not truth. The [implication] of what they say is not hidden.