Al-Kahf: (50-53) And [mention] when We said to the angels...

Issues Discussed:

The purpose of mentioning the preceding verses is to refute those who boasted about their wealth and supporters against the poor Muslims. This verse serves the exact same purpose.

Iblis (Satan) became arrogant toward Adam because he boasted of his lineage and origin, saying: "You created me from fire, and him from clay; therefore, I am nobler in origin and lineage. How can I prostrate? How can I humble myself before him?"

These polytheists treated the poor Muslims with the very same treatment: "How can we sit with these poor people when we are of noble lineage, and they are of lowly lineage? We are rich, and they are poor."

Therefore, Allah mentions this story here to indicate that this manner of thinking is precisely the way of Iblis. Furthermore, Allah warns against imitating this way in His saying: {Do you then take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me?} This is the excellent and considered rationale for the connection of the verses.

Another View (by Al-Qadi): Allah mentioned the matters of the Resurrection, the gathering, and the placing of the Book previously. It is as if Allah intends to mention here that He will call out to the polytheists and say to them: "Where are My partners whom you claimed?" Allah knew that Iblis was the one who incited humans to affirm these partners, so He presented his story in this verse to complete that objective. Al-Qadi adds that although Allah has repeated this story in many Surahs, each instance carries a renewed benefit.

In this verse, Allah clarifies that Iblis was from the Jinn. People hold three opinions on this matter:

1. He was from the Angels: This does not contradict him being from the Jinn. They offer several justifications:
   • A tribe of angels is called by this name, based on the verse: {And they have attributed to Him offspring and Jinn, while He created them} (As-Saffat: 158) and {And they have set up partners for Allah—the Jinn} (Al-An'am: 100).
   • The Jinn are named so because they are hidden (mustatir), and angels are also hidden; thus, angels are included among the Jinn.
   • He was the guardian of Paradise and was attributed to it, like saying someone is "Kufi" or "Basri." Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrated that he was from the Jannanin (gardeners) who worked in the gardens—a type of angel who fashions the adornments of the people of Paradise since their creation. (Narrated by Al-Qadi in his Tafsir via Hisham from Sa'id ibn Jubayr).

2. He was from the Jinn who are the devils, who were created from fire, and he is their father.

3. He was an angel who was transformed (miskha).

We have settled this issue thoroughly in Surah Al-Baqarah. The fundamental proof that he was not an angel is that Allah attributed offspring and lineage to him in this verse: {Do you then take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me?} Angels do not have offspring or lineage, so Iblis must not be an angel.

One might object: If he was not an angel, why was the command to prostrate directed at him? And if he was not an angel, how is his exception from them valid? We have answered all these points exhaustively elsewhere.

There is a linguistic difficulty here, as a fasiq (sinner) does not sin from the command of his Lord. Scholars offered several interpretations:

1. Al-Farra': Fasaqa 'an amri Rabbih means he departed from his Lord's obedience. Arabs say fasqat ar-rutbah min qishriha (the ripe fruit came out of its peel), and the mouse is called fuwaysiqah (little evildoer) because it comes out of its hole. Ru'bah said:

   They rush into the high ground and into the deep valleys, Deviating from their intended path, going astray.

2. Al-Zajjaj narrated from Al-Khalil and Sibawayh: Since he was commanded and then disobeyed, that command was the cause of his transgression (fisq). Meaning, without that prior command, the transgression would not have occurred. For this reason, it is appropriate to say fasaqa 'an amri Rabbih.

3. Qutrub: Fasaqa 'an amri Rabbih means "he was turned away from it," similar to the verse {And ask the town} (referring to asking about the town's people).

Issue 1: The Context of Boasting

The purpose of this statement is that Iblis became arrogant toward Adam, claiming his origin was nobler than Adam's, thus implying he should be superior. Allah is essentially saying to the disbelievers who boasted about their lineage and status over the poor Muslims: "In this statement, you have followed the example of Iblis in his arrogance toward Adam. Since you know that Iblis is your enemy, why do you follow him in this blameworthy path?" This is the structure of the argument.

Addressing a Potential Objection: This argument requires proving four premises: (1) The existence of Iblis; (2) The existence of Iblis's offspring; (3) The existence of enmity between Iblis/his offspring and the children of Adam; and (4) That the statement of these disbelievers was indeed an imitation of Iblis. None of these premises can be proven except through the report of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Thus, someone ignorant of the Prophet's truthfulness would be ignorant of these premises.

The Response: Were those addressed aware that Muhammad (PBUH) was a truthful Prophet?

• If yes, they would accept everything he said, including his prohibitions, making the story of Iblis unnecessary.
• If no, they would be ignorant of all four premises, rendering the mention of the story useless for them.

The Answer: The polytheists had heard the story of Iblis and Adam from the People of the Book and believed it to be true. They knew Iblis became arrogant due to his lineage. Therefore, presenting this story to them serves as a deterrent against the arrogance and haughtiness they displayed toward the poor Muslims.

Issue 2: Divine Will and Creation of Evil

Al-Jubba'i argued that this verse proves Allah does not will disbelief, nor does He create it in the servant. If He willed and created the disbelief, and then punished the servant for it, the harm caused by Iblis would be less than the harm caused by Allah. How then could Allah rebuke them with {Evil indeed is the exchange for the wrongdoers!}? Rather, under this doctrine, Iblis causes no harm at all; all harm comes from Allah.

The Response: This is refuted by the concept of the Incentive (Da'i) and Knowledge (Ilm).

Issue 3: The Nature of the Incentive

Allah addresses the boastful disbelievers by saying: {Do you then take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me?} because the incentive leading them to abandon the religion of Muhammad (PBUH) was nakhwah (arrogance/tribal pride) and showing off. This indicates that anyone who undertakes an action or utters a statement based on this incentive is following Iblis. Even someone whose goal in displaying knowledge and debate is boasting, arrogance, and superiority is imitating Iblis—a difficult station in which most people are drowned. We ask Allah for salvation from it.

This means: Evil is the substitute for Allah—Iblis—for whomever chooses him as a substitute and obeys him instead of obeying Allah.

Issue 1: Reference of the Pronoun

There are several views on who the pronoun in {He did not witness them} refers to:

1. The Majority View: It refers to those whom they took as allies. The meaning is: "He did not witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor did He witness some of them creating others," similar to {Kill yourselves} (An-Nisa: 66), meaning, "He did not witness them so that He might rely on them as support." This is supported by {nor were you to take the misguiders as supporters} (i.e., He did not take them as supporters). The explicit mention of "supporters" clarifies the implied meaning of "witnessing" them for support.

2. My Preferred View: The pronoun refers back to the disbelievers who told the Messenger (PBUH): "If you do not expel these poor people from your gathering, we will not believe in you." Allah is saying: "These people who brought forth this corrupt proposal and baseless obstinacy were not partners with Me in managing the universe, as evidenced by {He did not witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves}, nor did I rely on them for the management of this world or the Hereafter. Rather, they are people like all other creatures. Why then did they dare to make such a corrupt proposal?" This is analogous to when someone makes grand demands of you; you might say, "You are neither the ruler of the city nor the heir to the kingdom, so why do you present these enormous demands?" This view is strengthened because the pronoun should refer to the nearest mentioned noun, which is the disbelievers referred to as {the wrongdoers} in the preceding verse.

3. The Ignorance of the Eternal Decree: The phrase means that these disbelievers are ignorant of what was decreed eternally regarding happiness and misery. It is as if Allah said: "You were not present when I decreed who would be happy and who would be miserable eternally. Since you are ignorant of this eternal state, how can you judge yourselves as elevated and perfect, and others as base and lowly? Perhaps the reality in this world and the Hereafter will be the opposite of what you judged."

Issue 2: Recitations and Meanings

The scholar of Al-Kashshaf mentioned that the reading {Nor were you} (wa mā kunta) with the fath (A-vowel) on the kunta addresses the Prophet (PBUH), meaning: "It was not appropriate for you to rely on them or take pride in them."

'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) recited {taking the misguiders} (muttakhidha) with tanwin (indefinite).

Al-Hasan recited 'aḍudan with a sukūn (vowel pause) on the ḍād, transferring the ḍammah to the ayn.

Other readings include: 'aḍadan (with fath on ḍād and sukūn on ḍād), 'uḍudan (with two ḍammats), and 'aḍadan (with two fathas), which is the plural of ʿāḍid (supporter), derived from ʿaḍadahu (he strengthened him).

After establishing that their boasting was an imitation of Iblis, Allah returns to terrifying them with the events of the Day of Judgment: {...and supporters. And [mention] the Day when He will call, "My partners whom you claimed!"}

First Point of Discussion: Hamzah recited {We say} (naqūlu) with the nūn (we), connecting it to {And when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"} and {allies instead of Me} and {nor were you to take the misguiders as supporters}. The others recited it with the yā' (He says).

Second Point of Discussion: Mentioning the Day He says this is connected to the initial command: {And when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"}.

Third Point of Discussion: The meaning is: "O Muhammad, remind them of their state and the state of their gods on the Day of Resurrection when Allah says to them: {Call upon My partners whom you claimed!} That is, call upon those you claimed were My partners whom you deemed worthy of worship. Call upon them to intercede for you and support you." The intended partners here are the Jinn (or idols representing them). Allah did not detail how they called their partners because He explained it elsewhere: {Indeed, we were your followers, so will you now avert from us any portion of the Fire?} (Ghafir: 47).

This means they did not answer their call, nor did they avert any harm or bring any benefit to them.

There are several interpretations:

1. Al-Kashshaf's View: Mawbiq means destruction (muhlik), derived from wabq (destruction). If this is the case, it functions as a verbal noun (like maw'id or mawrid). The explanation is that these polytheists who took gods other than Allah (like angels or Jesus) called them, but they did not respond. Then, a barrier was placed between them: Allah cast the polytheists into Hell, Jesus into Paradise, and the angels to their place of honor. This Mawbiq (abysm/barrier) is that valley in Hell separating the disbelievers from the righteous.

2. Al-Hasan's View: Mawbiq means enmity. The meaning is an enmity so severe it leads to destruction. This aligns with the saying: "Let not your love be obsessive, nor your hatred destructive."

3. Al-Farra's View: It means a distant connection. Their connection/association in this world became a cause of destruction for them on the Day of Resurrection.

4. Distant Barrier: Mawbiq means a far-off barrier. Allah placed a barrier between the disbelievers and the angels/Jesus that is so distant its traveler would perish due to the vastness—as the former are in the depths of Hell, and the latter are in the heights of Paradise.

There are two opinions regarding this certainty (ẓann):

1. That ẓann here means certain knowledge and conviction.
2. The Closer View: It means that the disbelievers see the Fire from a distance and are certain they will fall into it immediately, without delay, due to the intensity of the roaring and sighing they hear from it, as mentioned: {When they are thrown into a place thereof in chains, they will call out there for destruction} (Al-Furqan: 12). {Mawāqi'ūhā} means encountering or mixing with it. When the mixing with something is intense and complete, it is called muwāqa'ah.

This means they will find no diversion away from the Fire to another place, because the angels will drive them toward it.

< {And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for the people from every [kind of] example, but man has ever been, in most things, argumentative. * And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there should come to them the precedent of the former peoples or that the Hour should come upon them visibly? * And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve dispute by [using] falsehood in order to invalidate the truth thereby. And they have taken My verses and that by which they are warned in ridicule.} >