Al-Nisa (The Women): (162) But those firm in knowledge...

Issues in the Verse

Issue 1: Interpretation of "Those Firm in Knowledge" (الراسخون في العلم) and the grammatical status of subsequent phrases.

It is understood that "Those Firm in Knowledge" refers to 'Abdullah ibn Salam and his companions.

• Meaning of Firmness in Knowledge: They are those established and steadfast in knowledge. In reality, the one who relies on mere imitation (taqlid) doubts when faced with doubt, whereas the one who uses proof (istidlal) never doubts. Thus, the firm in knowledge are the people of proof and the believers—meaning the believers among them, or the believers among the Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the Helpers (Ansar).
• Grammatical Analysis:
  • "Those firm in knowledge" (الراسخون في العلم) is the subject (mubtada').
  • "They believe" (يؤمنون) is its predicate (khabar).
• Regarding the phrases "and those who establish the prayer" (والمقيمين الصلواة) and "and those who give the Zakat" (والمؤتون الزكواة), there are several opinions:

1. Opinion 1 (Reported from 'Uthman and 'A'ishah): They said that there is a grammatical error (lahn) in the Mushaf, which the Arabs will correct with their tongues. * Rebuttal: This is unlikely, as this Mushaf (Uthmanic codex) is transmitted through continuous, undisputed narration (tawatur) from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). How could an error be established in it?

2. Opinion 2 (The Basrans' View): The accusative case (nasb) for "those who establish the prayer" is for praise (madh) to highlight the virtue of prayer. They argue that if you say, "I passed by Zayd, the generous one" (مررت بزيد الكريم), you can use the genitive case (jarr) because it is an adjective for Zayd, or you can use the accusative case by assuming the implied phrase "I mean" (أعني). Alternatively, you could use the nominative case by assuming "He is the generous one" (هو الكريم). Following this logic, one might say, "My people came to me, those who feed in times of ease (المطعمين في المحل) and those who bring relief in distress (والمغيثون في الشدائد)." The implied meaning is: "My people came to me, meaning those who feed in ease, and they are those who bring relief in distress." Similarly here, the implied meaning is: "I mean those who establish the prayer (المقيمين الصلواة), and they are those who give the Zakat (والمؤتون الزكاة)." * Al-Kisa'i's Objection: Al-Kisa'i criticized this view, stating that praise in the accusative case only occurs after the completion of the sentence. Here, the sentence is not complete because "But those firm in knowledge" (لاكن الراسخون فى العلم) is awaiting its predicate, which is "Those—We will give them a great reward" (أولائك سنؤتيهم أجرا عظيما). * The Response: We do not accept that the sentence is incomplete until the phrase "Those" (أولائك). We have already established that the predicate is "They believe" (يؤمنون). Furthermore, why should it be impermissible to insert a phrase of praise between the subject and its predicate? What evidence prohibits this? Therefore, this view is the most relied upon for this verse.

3. Opinion 3 (Al-Kisa'i's Choice): The phrase "those who establish the prayer" (المقيمين) is in the genitive case (khafd) by being conjoined (atf) to the pronoun in "what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you" (بما أنزل إليك وما أنزل من قبلك). The meaning becomes: "The believers believe in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and in those who establish the prayer (وبالمقيمين الصلاة)." Then, the phrase "and those who give the Zakat" (والمؤتون الزكواة) is conjoined to "the believers" (والمؤمنون). * Interpretation: "Those who establish the prayer" (المقيمين الصلاة) refers to the Prophets, as no law of any Prophet was devoid of prayer. Allah says concerning the Prophets (peace be upon them) after mentioning several: "And We made them leaders guiding by Our command, and We inspired to them [the doing of] good deeds..." (Al-Anbiya: 73). * Alternative Interpretation: It is also said that "those who establish the prayer" refers to the Angels, whom Allah described as those who stand in rows (الصافون) and those who glorify (tasbih), who glorify night and day without tiring. Thus, "They believe in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you" means they believe in the Books, and "those who establish the prayer" means they believe in the Messengers.

4. Opinion 4 (Variant Reading): In the Mushaf of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, it appears as "to the prayer" (إلى الصلواة) with a waw (which implies conjunction/addition), which is a reading narrated from Malik ibn Dinar, Al-Jahdari, and 'Isa Al-Thaqafi.

Issue 2: Classification of Knowledge and the Firmness Therein.

Scholars are divided into three categories:

1. Those who know only the rulings (Ahkam) of Allah.
2. Those who know only the Essence (Dhat) and Attributes of Allah.
3. Those who know both the Rulings of Allah and His Essence and Attributes.

• The first group knows the rulings, their structure, and the religious laws.
• The second group knows the Essence of Allah and His necessary, permissible, and impossible attributes.
• The third group are those described as "those who act" (العاملون), and they are the greatest scholars. The Prophet (PBUH) alluded to these three categories when he said: "Sit with the scholars, associate with the wise, and accompany the great ones."

Elaboration on Firmness in Knowledge:

Having established this, We say that Allah described them as "firm in knowledge" (راسخين في العلم) and then explained this firmness:

1. Knowledge and Action regarding Divine Rulings:
   • Their knowledge of Allah's rulings is indicated by: "And the believers believe in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you" (والمؤمنون يؤمنون بما أنزل إليك وما أنزل من قبلك).
   • Their action based on those rulings is indicated by: "and those who establish the prayer and those who give the Zakat" (والمقيمين الصلواة والمؤتون الزكواة). These two acts are singled out because they are the noblest forms of worship: prayer is the noblest bodily act of worship, and Zakat is the noblest financial act of worship.

2. Knowledge regarding Allah (Theology):
   • After explaining their knowledge and action regarding the rulings, Allah then explained their knowledge of Him. The noblest forms of knowledge are the knowledge of the Originator (Al-Mabda') and the Return (Al-Ma'ad).
   • Knowledge of the Originator is indicated by: "and the believers in Allah" (والمؤمنون بالله).
   • Knowledge of the Return is indicated by: "and the Last Day" (واليوم الاخر).

When these categories of knowledge and realization are achieved—knowledge of the rulings and action upon them, and knowledge of Allah and the states of the Hereafter—it becomes clear that they are truly "firm in knowledge" (راسخين في العلم), because a person cannot surpass this station in perfection and high rank. Then, Allah informs about them: "Those—We will give them a great reward" (أولائك سنؤتيهم أجرا عظيما).

Verse 163: