Tafsir of Ar-Ra'd 13:36

Surah Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder): Verse 36

وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ... (And those to whom We gave the Book...)

There are two main opinions regarding the meaning of "The Book" here:

Opinion 1: It refers to the Qur'an. This means the people who received the Qur'an rejoice in what was revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) concerning the Oneness of God (Tawhid), Justice, Prophethood, Resurrection, Rulings, and Stories.

The "parties" (الأحزاب) mentioned are groups among the Jews, Christians, and other disbelievers who deny some parts of it. This is the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah.

• Objection Raised: Do not these parties deny the entire Qur'an?
• Response: No, the parties do not deny everything in the Qur'an. It affirms the existence of God Almighty, His Knowledge, Power, Wisdom, and the narratives of the Prophets. The parties did not deny all these established facts.

Opinion 2: "The Book" refers to the Torah and the Gospel. Under this interpretation, there are two further views:

1. View 2a (Ibn Abbas): Those given "The Book" are the People of the Book who believed in the Prophet (PBUH), such as 'Abdullah ibn Salam, Ka'b, and their companions, along with those Christians who embraced Islam (eighty men: forty from Najran, eight from Yemen, and thirty-two from Abyssinia). They rejoiced in the Qur'an because they believed in and confirmed it. The "parties" are the rest of the People of the Book and the polytheists.
   • Al-Qadi's Preference: This view is stronger than the first because there is no doubt that those given the Qur'an rejoice in it. If we adopt this interpretation, the benefit (of mentioning their joy) becomes clear. Furthermore, it can be argued that those given the Qur'an increase in joy because of the vast knowledge and great benefits they find within it, which is why God recounted their joy.

2. View 2b (Mujahid): Those given "The Book" are the Jews (given the Torah) and the Christians (given the Gospel). They rejoice in what was revealed in this Qur'an because it confirms what they already possess. The "parties" are the rest of the disbelievers who deny some of it.
   • Al-Qadi's Critique: This view is not sound because the phrase "what was revealed to you" (بما أنزل إليك) implies generality (all of it). It is known that they do not rejoice in everything revealed to the Prophet (PBUH).
   • Rebuttal/Defense: It can be argued that the word mā (ما) does not necessarily imply absolute generality, as evidenced by the permissibility of adding the words "all" (كل) or "some" (بعض) to it. If mā inherently meant totality, adding "all" would be redundant, and adding "some" would imply deficiency.

After explaining this, God Almighty summarized everything a person needs to know regarding the Originator (Mabda') and the Return (Ma'ad) in a few concise words:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلَا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ (Say: "I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not associate any partners with Him. To Him I call, and to Him is my return.")

This statement is comprehensive of all religious obligations, and it contains several benefits:

1. The word Innamā (إنما): This word signifies restriction (exclusivity). It means: "I have only been commanded to worship Allah." This indicates that there is no obligation, command, or prohibition except that which pertains to this worship.
2. Worship is the ultimate veneration: This shows that a person is obligated to perform this act of worship.
3. Prerequisite of Knowledge: Worshiping Allah is only possible after knowing Him, and there is no path to knowing Him except through evidence (proof/reasoning). This indicates that a person is obligated to engage in contemplation and deductive reasoning to know the Essence of the Creator, His Attributes, and what is necessary, permissible, or impossible for Him.
4. Obligation of Worship: The worship of Allah is obligatory, which refutes the position of those who deny divine obligation and also refutes the doctrine of absolute determinism (pure compulsion).
5. "And not associate partners with Him" (وَلَا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ): This indicates the complete negation of partners, equals, or adversaries. This includes refuting the claims of everyone who posits a deity other than Allah—whether they claim it is the sun, moon, stars, idols, spirits, or, as the Magians claim, Yazdan and Ahriman, or as the Dualists claim, Light and Darkness.
6. "To Him I call" (إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو): Just as it is obligatory for him to perform these acts of worship, it is also obligatory for him to call others to the servitude of Allah. This points to the Prophet's mission (Nubuwwah).
7. "And to Him is my return" (وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ): This points to the gathering, resurrection, and the Day of Judgment.

If a person contemplates these few words and grasps them, he will realize they contain all the essential objectives of religion.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَاهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُم بَعْدَ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا وَاقٍ

(And thus have We sent it down—an Arabic judgment. And if you were to follow their inclinations after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have no protector or defender against Allah.)