Surah Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets)

Verse 1

• Makki (revealed in Mecca), except for four verses, which are Madani (revealed in Medina): ${ \text{And the poets, only those follow them who go astray} } until the end of the Surah.
• It has 222, 226, or 227 verses.

Verses 1–3

Tā, Sīn, Mīm. These are the verses of the clear Book. Perhaps you (O Muhammad) will kill yourself with grief because they do not believe? If We willed, We could send down upon them a sign from the heaven, and their necks would submit to it in humility.$

Surah Ash-Shu'ara: (1-4) Tā, Sīn, Mīm

Issue 1: Recitations

Qatādah recited it as {بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ} (killing yourself) with the iḍāfah (genitive construction). It was also recited as {فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا} (and their necks remained for it).

Issue 2: Meaning of Bakhʿ (Killing/Destroying)

Al-Bakhʿ means reaching the point of slaughter at the Bukhāʿ, which is the piercing hole that goes through the vertebrae. This is the furthest extent of the slaughterer's action, perhaps indicating extreme distress or pity.

Issue 3: Interpretation of {Tā, Sīn, Mīm. These are the Verses of the Clear Book}

The meaning is: The verses of this Surah are the verses of the Clear Book. The full establishment of this point is as previously discussed concerning the Almighty's saying: {ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ} (That is the Book) [Al-Baqarah: 2]. There is no doubt that what is meant by the Book is the Qur'an.

Although the Qur'an is the speech of the Speaker (Allah), it is sometimes attributed to the speech itself because it becomes clear through contemplation of it.

If someone asks: Since the people were disbelievers, how can the verses of the Qur'an be clear regarding what is incumbent upon them? Clarity usually pertains to rulings.

We reply: The words of the Qur'an, in that it is impossible for them to produce anything like it, can be used as evidence for the existence of a Doer who opposes them, just as evidence is drawn from anything that human beings are incapable of producing. Thus, it is evidence for Tawḥīd (Oneness of God) from this perspective, and evidence for Prophethood due to its miraculous nature (Iʿjāz). Subsequently, it becomes known that if it is from Allah the Exalted, then it is a demonstration of all rulings, both fundamental and subsidiary.

Once this is established, the verses of the Qur'an become sufficient for all principles and branches.

When Allah the Exalted mentioned that He made matters clear, He immediately followed it with: {لَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ أَلَّا يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ} (Perhaps you will destroy yourself over their disbelief that they do not believe). This serves as a warning that even though the Book has reached the utmost degree of clarity, it will not compel them to faith because the decree of Allah has preceded that it should be otherwise. Therefore, do not exaggerate your grief and sorrow over this, lest you become like one who kills himself only to gain no benefit from it. Thus, He consoles him, comforts him, and informs him that his distress and sorrow are of no avail, just as the existence of the Book in its clarity and explicitness is of no benefit to them.

Then the Exalted explained that He is capable of sending down a sign before which they would be humbled and submissive.

If someone asks: How is it correct for {خَاضِعِينَ} (submissive) to come as a predicate for the necks (aʿnāq)?

We reply: The original statement is: Faẓallū lahā khāḍiʿīn (And they remained submissive to it). The necks were mentioned to specify the location of submission, and then the statement was left in its original form. Since the necks were described with submission, which is a quality of rational beings, the word {خَاضِعِينَ} was used, similar to His saying: {لِي سَاجِدِينَ} (prostrating to Me) [Yusuf: 4].

Another opinion is that the necks (aʿnāq) refer to the leaders and chiefs of the people, who are likened to necks, just as it is said they are the heads (ruʾūs) and chests (ṣudūr).

Another opinion is that they refer to the masses of people; it is said, "An ʿunuq (neck/group) of people came to us," referring to a contingent of them.

Issue 4: Parallels in the Qur'an

A parallel to this verse is found in Surah Al-Kahf: {فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ} (So perhaps you will destroy yourself [with grief]) and His saying: {فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَاتٍ} (So let not your soul destroy itself in sorrow over them) [Fāṭir: 8].