Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:43-47

Surah An-Nahl (16): Verses 43–47

Issue 1: Refutation of the Objection to Human Prophethood

This verse addresses the fifth major objection raised by those who deny prophethood: that God, being the Most High and Sublime, would not send a messenger from among humankind; rather, they argued, He should send an angel. We have previously detailed this objection in Surah Al-An'am. Similar verses include:

• "And they say, 'Why was not an angel sent down to him?'" (Al-An'am: 8)
• "Shall we believe two men like ourselves?" (Al-Mu'minun: 47)
• "This is only a mortal like you who eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. And if you should obey a mortal like yourselves..." (Al-Mu'minun: 33-34)
• "Is it a wonder to mankind that We have revealed to a man from among them?" (Yunus: 2)
• "Why was not an angel sent down to him to be a warner along with him?" (Al-Furqan: 7)

Divine Response: God Almighty answered this objection by stating: {And We sent not before you, except men to whom We revealed}. This means that God's established practice since the beginning of creation and accountability has been to send messengers only from among humankind. This practice is continuous. Therefore, the ignorant objection based on this weak premise is an old one and should not be heeded.

Issue 1: Meaning of Ahl al-Dhikr (People of the Reminder)

There are several interpretations for Ahl al-Dhikr:

1. Ibn Abbas (RA): It refers to the People of the Torah (Jews). Adh-Dhikr (the Reminder) here means the Torah, supported by the verse: "And certainly did We write in the Psalms after the Message [to Moses]: 'My earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants'" (Al-Anbiya: 105), where Adh-Dhikr refers to the Torah.
2. Al-Zajjaj: It refers to the People of the Books who understand the meanings of God's Books. They know that all prophets were human beings.
3. People of Knowledge: It refers to those knowledgeable about past events, as one who knows something is one who remembers it (dhakir).
4. Al-Zajjaj (second opinion): It means: Ask anyone who speaks with knowledge and verification.

Author's Analysis: The objection that God is too sublime to send a human messenger was primarily held by the disbelievers of Mecca. Since they acknowledged that Jews and Christians possessed knowledge and scriptures, God commanded them to refer to the Jews and Christians on this matter to demonstrate the weakness and invalidity of their objection. A Jew or Christian would necessarily have to refute and invalidate this claim.

Issue 2: Permissibility of Taqlid (Imitation/Following) among Mujtahids

There is a difference of opinion on whether a Mujtahid (one qualified to derive legal rulings) is permitted to follow another Mujtahid.

• Argument for Permissibility: Those who permit it use this verse as evidence. Since one Mujtahid might not be knowledgeable about a specific issue, he must refer to another knowledgeable Mujtahid, based on God's command: {So ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know}. If it is obligatory, it is at least permissible.

Issue 3: Argument by Opponents of Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)

Opponents of Qiyas used this verse to argue: If a legally responsible person encounters a new issue:

1. If he knows the ruling, he should not use Qiyas.
2. If he does not know the ruling, he must ask someone who knows, based on the apparent meaning of this verse. If Qiyas were a valid proof, he would not be obligated to ask an expert, as he could derive the ruling himself via Qiyas. Therefore, allowing Qiyas necessitates abandoning the apparent meaning of this verse, so Qiyas must be impermissible.

Rebuttal: The permissibility of using Qiyas is established by the consensus (Ijma') of the Companions, and consensus is a stronger proof than this apparent meaning. (And God knows best.)

Issue 1: Grammatical Function of the Preposition Bā’ (with)

There are several views regarding the function of the Bā’ here:

1. The Bā’ relates to the verb Arsalnā (We sent): The implied structure is: "And We sent not before you, except men to whom We revealed, with clear proofs and scriptures." Al-Farrā' rejected this, arguing that the complement of Mā (negation) cannot be delayed until after Illā (except). The excluded element (Mustathnā minhu) is the entire phrase preceding Illā along with its complement; thus, the exclusion cannot be made until the whole phrase is complete.
2. The Bā’ relates to the excluded noun (Mustathnā): The implied structure is: "And We sent not before you, except men to whom We revealed, who were given clear proofs and scriptures." In this case, {with clear proofs and scriptures} is an attribute of the men being sent.
3. The Bā’ relates to a deleted verb: The implied structure is: "We sent them with clear proofs and scriptures." This is Al-Farrā's view, analogous to saying: "No one passed except your brother, [then adding] he passed with Zayd."
4. The Bā’ relates to the preceding command: The meaning is: "So ask the people of the Reminder with clear proofs and scriptures if you do not know." (Adh-Dhikr here meaning knowledge).
5. The Bā’ relates to the condition: The meaning is: "If you do not know by means of clear proofs and scriptures, then ask the people of the Reminder."

Issue 2: Meaning of Al-Bayyināt (Clear Proofs) and Az-Zubur (Scriptures)

This phrase is comprehensive, covering everything that perfects the message of prophethood:

• Al-Bayyināt: Refers to the miracles that demonstrate the truthfulness of the claimant to prophethood.
• Az-Zubur: Refers to the divine injunctions and obligations that the messenger conveys from God to the servants.

Issue 1: The Qur'an as Mujmal (General/Ambiguous)

The apparent meaning of this verse suggests that this Dhikr (Qur'an) requires clarification from the Messenger of God (PBUH). Anything requiring clarification is inherently Mujmal (general or requiring interpretation).

• Argument based on this: Some scholars argued that if there is a conflict between the Qur'an and a Hadith (report), the Hadith must be prioritized because the Qur'an is Mujmal (as implied here), and the Hadith is the clarifier, as indicated by this verse. The clarifier takes precedence over the Mujmal.

Rebuttal: The Qur'an contains both Muhkam (clear/unambiguous) and Mutashābih (ambiguous/requiring interpretation) verses. The Muhkam verses must be clear in themselves. Therefore, the entire Qur'an is not Mujmal. The statement {so that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them} applies only to the Mujmal parts.

Issue 2: The Messenger as the Sole Clarifier of Rulings

The apparent meaning suggests that the Messenger (PBUH) is the one who clarifies everything God revealed to the accountable people.

• Argument by Opponents of Qiyas: If Qiyas were a valid proof, the Messenger (PBUH) would not need to clarify every ruling revealed to the people, as the accountable person could derive that ruling through Qiyas. Since this verse indicates that the Messenger (PBUH) is the clarifier of all injunctions and rulings, it proves that Qiyas is not a valid proof.

Rebuttal: The Messenger (PBUH) clarified that Qiyas is a valid proof. Therefore, whoever resorts to Qiyas for clarifying rulings is, in reality, resorting to the clarification provided by the Messenger (PBUH).

• Makr (Plotting) linguistically means striving for corruption secretly.
• There is an implied object here: "the evil plots" (Al-Makrāt As-Sayyi’āt).
• This refers to the people of Mecca and those around Medina.
• Al-Kalbi interpreted this plotting as their preoccupation with worshipping other than God.
• The closest interpretation is their secret striving to harm the Messenger (PBUH) and his Companions.

God then mentioned four types of threats against them:

1. Earth Subsidence (Khusf): That God might cause the earth to swallow them up, as He did with Qarun.
2. Sudden Heavenly Punishment: That punishment might come to them from where they do not perceive it, meaning suddenly from the sky, destroying them unexpectedly, as He did with the people of Lot.
3. Seizure during Movement: That He might seize them while they are moving about, and they cannot escape. The interpretations of this "movement/turning about" (Taqallub) are:
   • In Travel: He might punish them during their journeys. God is capable of destroying them while traveling just as He is capable when they are settled, and their traveling to distant lands does not make them escape God's grasp. This meaning is supported by: "Let not the movement of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you" (Al 'Imran: 196).
   • Day and Night: He might seize them day and night, in their comings and goings, and in their general activities.
   • In Their Schemes: He might seize them while they are turning over their plans in their minds, preventing them from completing those schemes forcefully, as in: "And if We willed, We could have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to the path, but how could they see?" (Ya-Sin: 66). This interpretation is supported by: "And they plotted, and Allah plotted, but Allah is the best of plotters" (At-Tawbah: 30, implied context).

4. Seizure with Takhawwuf (Gradual Diminishment): That He might seize them through Takhawwuf. There are two opinions on Takhawwuf:
   • Fear/Intimidation: Takhawwuf is derived from Khawf (fear). It means God would not immediately punish them with the full torment, but would first frighten them. This fright might involve destroying one group, causing the next group to fear, thus being a seizure that comes after a long period of fear and apprehension.
   • Diminishment/Reduction: Ibn Al-A'rabi stated that Takhawwuf means reduction. Umar (RA) asked about this verse on the pulpit, and a man from Hudhayl explained that Takhawwuf means reduction in their language, citing a line of poetry as evidence. Umar then advised the people to rely on their poetry (of the Jahiliyyah) for interpreting the Book, as it contains the explanation of the Book.
     • This reduction could mean a reduction in the extent of their lands, as in: "Do they not see that We are approaching the land, reducing it from its peripheries?" (Al-Anbiya: 44). God would not hasten the punishment but would reduce their territory gradually toward the neighboring villages until the matter reached them, at which point He would destroy them.
     • Alternatively, it could mean a gradual reduction in their wealth and lives until total annihilation occurs.

Conclusion of Threats: In summary, God threatened them with: subsidence, heavenly punishment, sudden affliction during movement, or affliction that comes gradually until their end arrives.

The verse concludes: {Indeed, your Lord is full of grace and mercy}. This means He grants respite in most matters because He is full of grace and mercy, and thus does not hasten the punishment.