Surat al-Bayyinah

It is also called Surat al-Qiyamah, Surat al-Balad, Surat al-Munfakkīn, Surat al-Bariyyah, and Surat Lam Yakun. It is stated in al-Bahr that it is Meccan, according to the majority. Ibn al-Zubayr and 'Ata' ibn Yasar said it is Medinan, and Ibn 'Atiyyah also stated this. In the book al-Tahrir, it is stated to be Medinan, which is the opinion of the majority. Abu Salih narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that it is Meccan, and Yahya ibn Salam preferred this view. Ibn al-Faras said that the most well-known opinion is that it is Meccan, and Ibn Mardawayh narrated this from 'A'ishah. Ibn Kathir asserted that it is Medinan, and he offered as proof what Imam Ahmad, Ibn Qani' in Mu'jam al-Sahabah, al-Tabarani, and Ibn Mardawayh narrated from Abu Khaythamah al-Badri, who said: When "Lam yakun alladhīna kafarū min ahl al-kitāb" up to its end was revealed, Gabriel (peace be upon him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, your Lord commands you to recite it to Ubayy." The Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) said to Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him): "Gabriel (peace be upon him) commanded me to recite this surah to you." Ubayy said: "Has my name been mentioned to you, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "Yes." Ubayy then wept. This is the most correct view.

Its verses are nine according to the Basran count, and eight according to others. Regarding its merit, it is narrated by Abu Musa al-Madini in al-Ma'rifah from Isma'il ibn Abi Hakim, from Matar al-Muzani (or al-Madani), from the Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) that he said: "Indeed, Allah the Exalted hears the recitation of 'Lam yakun alladhīna kafarū', and He says: 'Rejoice, My servant; by My might, I shall not question you regarding any state of this world or the Hereafter, and I shall surely establish you in Paradise until you are satisfied.'"

The aspect of its connection to the preceding surah is that the statement of the Exalted, "Lam yakun alladhīna kafarū..." is like a rationale for the sending down of the Quran. It is as if it were said: We have sent it down because those who disbelieved were not departing from their disbelief until there came to them a Messenger reciting purified scriptures, which is that which was sent down; so do not be heedless.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

"Those who disbelieved from among the People of the Scripture"—that is, the Jews and the Christians. Referring to them by this title—it is said—is to emphasize the enormity of their disbelief, and it is said it is to signal the cause of what is attributed to them regarding the promise to follow the truth, for the basis of that is their finding it in their Book. This is founded upon a perspective that will be mentioned, God willing, in the following verse.

The use of the verb form in the relative clause (the disbelief) signifies that their disbelief was an event occurring after their prophets (peace be upon them) regarding the attributes of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. The "from" (min) is for partiality (tab'id), as stated by the Beacon of Guidance, Sheikh Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, in al-Ta’wilat, and not for clarification (tabyin). This is because among them were those who did not disbelieve after their prophet and remained upon the true belief until Allah took their souls; such as the Malikaniyya sect of the Christians. It is said they were upon the truth before the mission of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Clarification (tabyin) would necessitate that all of them were disbelievers before the mission, while the evident truth is contrary to that. The intention of partiality is supported by what is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the intent by "People of the Scripture" is the Jews who were in the outskirts of Medina: the Banu Qurayza, the Banu al-Nadir, and the Banu Qaynuqa.

Some have said: We do not concede that clarification necessitates the disbelief of all of them before the mission, for it is possible that they were described as "those who disbelieved" in consideration of their state after the mission. It is as if it were said: "Those who disbelieved were not [such that they would cease], and they were identified as People of the Scripture and the Polytheists."

The "Polytheists" (al-Mushrikin) are those who believed in a partner for Allah, the Glorified, whether an idol or otherwise. Some restricted this to idol worshipers, as the Arab polytheists in Mecca, Medina, and their surroundings were as such, and they are the ones intended here according to what is narrated from the Sage (Ibn Abbas). In any case, the conjunction is to "People of the Scripture." It does not follow from the interpretation of partiality that some of them were not disbelievers, such that one would be forced to abandon it in favor of clarification, for they are a portion of the whole, as elucidated by some eminent scholars.

The possibility that the Polytheists refers to the People of the Scripture—due to their shirk in saying "The Messiah is the son of God" and "Ezra is the son of God," high is Allah far above that—and that the conjunction is merely for the difference in the titles, is not a significant argument.

It has been recited "and the Polytheists" (wa al-Mushrikun) in the nominative case, as a conjunction to the relative pronoun (alladhina). Interpreting the reading of the majority (al-Jumhur) based on that, and considering the genitive case (al-Mushrikin) as being due to proximity (jiwar), is a state whose status is evident [i.e., weak].

The prepositional phrase (in the genitive) is in the position of a circumstantial qualifier (hal) from the pronoun in "they disbelieved." His saying, "ceasing" (munfakkina), is the predicate of yakun. Infikak in its origin is the separation of things joined together by some type of detachment, and it is intended here as separating from that which they were upon, which you will know, God willing. Thus, the descriptor is an active participle from the complete verb infakka, not the incomplete one (kanat al-naqisa) that enters upon the subject and predicate. Some grammarians claimed it is a descriptor from the latter, and that the predicate is omitted—meaning "promising to follow the truth" or similar. This is refuted, despite being contrary to the evident meaning, because the predicate of kana and its sisters may not be omitted in standard usage, neither by restriction nor by abbreviation.

"When" (hina) is not an adverbial of time—that is, in this world—by necessity. His saying, "until there comes to them the clear evidence (al-bayyina)," is related to "ceasing." Al-bayyina is a descriptor of the active participle, meaning "that which makes the truth clear," or it is in its well-known meaning, which is the proof established for the claimant, and it is intended by it the miracle. Based on both aspects, his saying... [text continues].