Tafsir of Sad 38:8

Translation of Mafatih al-Ghayb (Al-Razi) Excerpt

Verse Context: Regarding the objection: "Has the Reminder been sent down upon him among us...?" (Qur'an 38:8)

Know that this is the third doubt raised by those disbelievers, concerning the issue of Prophethood.

Their argument is: Since Muhammad (peace be upon him) is equal to others in his essential nature, attributes, outward creation, and inward character, how is it conceivable that he alone should be distinguished by this high rank and noble station?

This is what is meant by their statement: {Has the Reminder been sent down upon him among us?} (38:8). This is a question posed in the manner of denial and rejection.

Allah the Exalted recounts that the people of Salih said something similar: {Is the Reminder sent down upon him from among us? Nay, he is an insolent liar!} (Al-Qamar: 25).

Allah also recounts that the people of Muhammad (PBUH) said: {Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from the two towns?} (Az-Zukhruf: 31).

The full substance of this objection is:

1. Prophethood is the noblest of ranks.
2. Therefore, it must only be attained by the noblest of people.
3. Muhammad is not the noblest of people.
4. Therefore, Prophethood must not be attained by him.

The first two premises are true, but the third is false.

The reason this sophistry gained traction among them is that they assumed nobility (sharaf) is only achieved through wealth and supporters. This is false. The ranks of felicity (sa'adah) are three:

1. The highest is the spiritual/psychic (nafsaniyyah).
2. The middle is the physical (badaniyyah).
3. The lowest is the external (kharijiyyah), which is wealth and status.

The people reversed this logic, assuming the basest ranks were the noblest. When they saw that others possessed more wealth and status, they concluded those others were nobler than him, thus forming this flawed syllogism in their minds.

Allah the Exalted then answered this doubt through several means:

First Response: {Nay, they are in doubt concerning My Reminder; nay, they have not yet tasted My punishment.} (38:9)

This has two interpretations:

1. Regarding the Evidence: Their statement, {Nay, they are in doubt concerning My Reminder}, means they are doubtful about the proofs (dalā’il) that, if they reflected upon them, would remove this doubt. Everything they mentioned as a counter-argument consists of weak sophistries. However, the proofs demonstrating the truth of his Prophethood are decisive. If they had truly contemplated the discourse, they would have recognized the weakness of the objections they relied upon to invalidate the Prophethood and would have known the soundness of the proofs affirming it. Their failure to recognize this is because they abandoned reflection and inference. As for {nay, they have not yet tasted My punishment}, its relevance is that they abandoned reflection and inference only because We have not yet made them taste Our punishment. If they had tasted it, nothing would have proceeded from them except turning toward obedience and refraining from prohibitions.

2. Regarding the Delay of Punishment: It means that the Prophet (PBUH) warned them of Allah's punishment if they persisted in disbelief. Since they persisted and the punishment did not descend, this became a cause for their doubt in his truthfulness. They even said, "O Allah, if this is the truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from the sky" (referencing Al-Anfal: 32). Thus, {Nay, they are in doubt concerning My Reminder} means what we mentioned, and {nay, they have not yet tasted My punishment} means that this doubt arose precisely because the punishment had not yet descended.

Second Response: {Or do they possess the treasuries of the mercy of your Lord, the All-Mighty, the Bestower?} (38:10)

The structure of this answer is: The station of Prophethood is a magnificent station and a high degree. The One capable of bestowing it must be Al-'Aziz (All-Mighty, possessing perfect power) and Al-Wahhab (The Bestower, possessing immense generosity). This is Allah, the Glorified. Since He is perfectly powerful and perfectly generous, His bestowing this favor does not depend on whether the recipient is rich or poor, nor does it change based on whether His enemies love him or hate him.

Third Response: {Or do they have the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them? Then let them ascend by the means [of ascent]!} (38:11)

We must understand that the meaning here must be different from the meaning of {Or do they possess the treasuries of the mercy of your Lord}. We mentioned the treasuries generally first, and then followed it up by mentioning the {dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them}, meaning that these things are one type of Allah's treasuries. If they are incapable of controlling this specific category, they are certainly more incapable of controlling all of Allah's treasuries. This is the distinction between the two statements.

As for {Then let them ascend by the means [of ascent]!}, it means: If they claim dominion over the heavens and the earth, then they are told: Ascend through the means (al-asbāb), climb the ladders that lead to the Throne, so that they may ascend it, manage the affairs of the divine dominion (malakūt), and send down revelation to whomever they choose.

Know that the Islamic philosophers used the phrase {Then let them ascend by the means} as evidence that the celestial bodies (al-ajrām al-falakiyyah) and the powers and properties inherent in them are the means (asbāb) for the events occurring in the lower world, because Allah called the celestial bodies asbāb (means). This indicates what we have stated. And Allah knows best.

Regarding: {A contingent, defeated among the groups.} (38:12)

This verse has two points of discussion:

1. Explaining the meaning of these words.
2. How they relate to the preceding verses.

First Point (Linguistics):

• {A contingent (Jund)} is the subject (mubtada').
• {Mā} (in mā hunālik) is for emphasis, like saying "I came for some matter" (li-amrin mā) or "I have some food" (ta'āmun mā).
• {Among the groups (min al-aḥzāb)} is an adjective describing the contingent.
• {Defeated (mahzūm)} is the predicate (khabar).
• As for {hunālik} (there), it can be an adjective for Jund (a contingent established there), or it can be related to mahzūm, meaning: The contingent from the groups is defeated there—that is, in the very place where they uttered these words disparaging the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH).

Second Point (Connection): When they raised these doubts, claiming they were powerful enough to possess the heavens and the earth, Allah responded by showing their weakness. Qatadah said that {hunālik} refers to the Day of Badr. Allah informed them while they were in Mecca that the army of the polytheists would be defeated, and this was fulfilled on the Day of Badr. Others said it refers to the Day of the Trench (Khandaq).

However, the soundest view, in my opinion, is to apply it to the Day of the Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makkah). This is because the implication is that they will become a defeated contingent in the very place where they uttered these words. That place is Mecca. Therefore, it must mean they will be defeated in Mecca, which only occurred on the Day of the Conquest. And Allah knows best.

{Them denied before them the people of Noah, and 'Ad, and Pharaoh with his stakes, and Thamud, and the people of Lot, and the inhabitants of the Wood; those were the confederates (Al-Aḥzāb). Every one of them denied the Messengers, so My punishment was due. And these are not waiting for aught but a single blast, without any pause therein. And they say, "Our Lord, hasten to us our portion before the Day of Reckoning!" Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant David, the man of might; indeed, he was ever turning back (to Allah). Indeed, We subjected the mountains to sing praises with him in the evening and at sunrise, and the birds gathered; all of them repeatedly turning to Him. And We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and sound judgment in speech.} (38:13-20)