Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:103-105

Surah An-Nahl (16): Verses 103–105

{وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ}

We certainly know that they say, "A human being teaches him." The tongue of the one they allude to is foreign (A'jamī), whereas this (the Qur'an) is a clear Arabic tongue.

Exegesis:

This verse addresses another doubt raised by those who deny the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). They claimed that he learned these stories and words from another human being.

There were differing opinions among the polytheists regarding this alleged teacher:

1. It was said to be a slave from Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy named Yash, who used to read books.
2. It was said to be 'Addas, the slave of 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah.
3. It was said to be a slave of Banu al-Hadrami who possessed books, named Jabar. The Quraysh claimed that the slave of Banu al-Hadrami taught Khadijah, and Khadijah taught Muhammad.
4. It was said to be a non-Arab Christian in Mecca named Bal'am, also called Abu Maysarah, who spoke the Roman (Byzantine) language.
5. It was said to be Salman al-Farisi.

In summary, the people accused him of learning these words from someone else, then presenting them as his own, falsely claiming they were revealed to him by divine inspiration.

The Divine Response:

Allah responded by saying: {لِسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ} (The tongue of the one they allude to is foreign, whereas this is a clear Arabic tongue).

Linguistic Analysis:

• الإلحاد (Al-Ilhād): In language, it means deviation or inclining away from the straight path. One who deviates from the truth is called mulhid.
• Recitation: Hamzah and Al-Kisā'ī recited it as {يُلْحِدُونَ} (with a fatḥah on the yā' and ḥā'), while the rest recited it as {يُلْحِدُونَ} (with a ḍammah on the yā' and kasrah on the ḥā'). Al-Wāḥidī preferred the latter (with ḍammah), citing the Quranic verse: {وَمَنْ يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ} (Al-Hajj: 25).
• Ilhād can mean causing something to incline. It is said, "He dug a grave for him (lahdan)," meaning he dug it inclined to the side, not straight. The mulḥid (heretic) is so named because he inclined his doctrine away from all religions, not just from one religion to another.
• Meaning of Ilhād here: Al-Farrā' interpreted it as deviation (inclining away from the truth), while Al-Zajjāj interpreted it as causing deviation (inclining the speech towards someone). Thus, the meaning is: "The tongue of the person whose speech they incline towards [i.e., attribute the teaching to] is non-Arabic."
• أَعْجَمِيٌّ (A'jamī): Abu Al-Fath Al-Mawsili explained that the root ع ج م (A-J-M) is used in Arabic for obscurity and concealment, the opposite of clarity and explanation. Hence, a man or woman who cannot speak fluently is called a'jam or ajmā' (mute). The word 'ajam (unclear) is also used for the two afternoon prayers (Dhuhr and Asr) because recitation is done silently therein. To say a'jamtu al-kitāb means "I removed its obscurity." The form Af'ala can sometimes imply removal (negation), like saying ashkaytu fulānan (I removed his pain).
• Usage: Arabs call anyone whose language they do not know or speak an A'jam or A'jamī. Al-Farrā' and Ahmad ibn Yahya stated that Al-A'jam is one whose speech has an impediment ('ujmah), even if he is Arab. Al-A'jamī and Al-'Ajmī are those whose origin is non-Arab. Abu 'Ali Al-Fārisī said Al-A'jam is anyone who does not speak fluently, whether Arab or non-Arab, citing the example of Ziyād Al-A'jam, who had an impediment despite being Arab.
• عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ (Clear Arabic): The derivation and meaning of 'Arabī were discussed previously (Surah At-Tawbah: 97). Al-Farrā' and Al-Zajjāj noted that the language of the tongue is described as 'arabāh and 'urūbah.

The Argument's Structure:

The strength of the rebuttal lies in the premise that the Qur'an's miracle rests upon its eloquence (Faṣāḥah) inherent in its wording.

The argument implies: Even if we grant your claim that Muhammad learned the meanings from that non-Arab person, this does not negate the miracle, because the Qur'an's miracle is based on the eloquence of its words. Your claim does not undermine this essential point of eloquence.

Following this rebuttal, Allah follows up with a threat and warning: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَهْدِيهِمُ اللَّهُ} (Indeed, those whom Allah does not guide...).

Interpretation of Guidance:

Our scholars state the meaning is clear. Al-Qāḍī interpreted it as: Allah will not guide them to the path of Paradise. This is supported by the subsequent phrase: {وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} (And they will have a painful punishment). The implication is that since they abandoned faith in Allah, Allah will not guide them to Paradise but will drive them to the Fire.

Conclusion on Their Claim:

Then, Allah clarifies that their assertion is a lie: {إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ} (Only those who do not believe in the verses of Allah invent falsehood, and it is they who are the liars).

First Issue: Proving their Falsehood

Allah first established that their claim, even if true, would not invalidate the Qur'an's miracle (due to its linguistic eloquence). Now, Allah proves that their claim is factually false. The evidence for their lying is threefold:

1. Their State of Enmity: They do not believe in Allah's verses; they are disbelievers. The speech of an enemy is often mere rambling, and testimony from an accused party is unreliable.
2. Impossibility of Secrecy: Learning requires repeated, prolonged sessions between teacher and student. If Muhammad were learning from someone, this would have become widely known among the people.
3. Depth of Knowledge: The Qur'an contains vast and profound knowledge requiring a teacher of the highest intellectual caliber and mastery. If such a person existed, he would be renowned throughout the world for his depth. How could such high sciences be acquired from an obscure individual?

The fact that opponents resorted to such weak accusations demonstrates the overwhelming clarity of the Prophet's evidence, which they were incapable of refuting directly.

Second Issue: The Gravity of Lying

This verse strongly indicates that lying and fabrication are among the greatest sins and most heinous vices.

The particle {إِنَّمَا} (only/indeed) implies restriction (Ḥaṣr). The meaning is: Only those who do not believe in Allah's verses dare to commit falsehood; they are the ultimate liars. This is an extreme form of threat.

Addressing a Grammatical Query:

• Query: The preceding clause, {لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ} (they do not believe), is verbal, while the following clause, {وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ} (and they are the liars), is nominal. Is connecting a nominal sentence to a verbal sentence permissible here?

• Response: A verbal action can be temporary or continuous.
  • Example of temporary action: {لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ} (He will surely be imprisoned for a time) (Yusuf: 35) – stated verbally to indicate the imprisonment is not perpetual.
  • Example of permanent state: Pharaoh said to Moses: {لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ} (I will surely make you one of the prisoners) (Ash-Shu'arā': 29) – stated nominally to indicate permanence.
  • Our scholars also cite: {وَعَصَىٰ آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَىٰ} (And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred) (Ṭā-Hā: 121). It is not permissible to say Adam is a disobedient one ('āṣin) because the verbal form does not imply permanence, whereas the nominal form does.

• Application: When Allah said, {إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ}, He used the verbal form to indicate that whoever commits lying is effectively entering the state of disbelief. Then, by saying, {وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ}, He used the nominal form to indicate that the characteristic of lying is established, deeply rooted, and permanent in them. This is like saying, "You lied, and you are a liar," where the second phrase adds emphasis, meaning, "It is your habit to be a liar."

Third Issue: Lying and Disbelief

The verse implies that the fabricator who disbelieves in Allah's verses is the liar, and this is logical. Disbelief fundamentally means denying the divinity of Allah and the prophethood of the Messengers, which inherently involves lying and fabrication.

It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked, "Does a believer lie?" He replied, "No," and then recited this verse. (And Allah knows best.)

{مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَٰكِنْ مَنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ * ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ * أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ * لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ}

Whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed—except for one who is forced [to disbelieve] while his heart is secure in faith—but [otherwise] whoever explains his breast to disbelief, upon them is the wrath of Allah, and they will have a great punishment. That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter, and that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. Those are the ones upon whose hearts Allah has set a seal, and their hearing and their sight [are covered], and those are the heedless. Without a doubt, they in the Hereafter will be the losers.