Surah Ash-Shura (The Consultation)

53 Verses, Meccan

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

[Qur'an 42:1-7]

Ḥā, Mīm. ‘Ayn, Sīn, Qāf.

Thus does Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise, reveal to you and to those before you.

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth; and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

The heavens are almost to crack apart from above them, while the angels exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Unquestionably, Allah—He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And those who take protectors other than Him—Allah is a Watcher over them, and you are not over them a guardian [to compel them].

On the Letters (Ḥā, Mīm, ‘Ayn, Sīn, Qāf): These are the disconnected letters (al-Muqaṭṭa‘āt). Al-Razi, following the established methodology, notes that their precise meaning is known only to Allah. However, their presence serves several purposes:

1. Challenge: To demonstrate the miraculous nature of the Qur'an, as it is composed of the same letters used by the Arabs, yet they cannot produce anything like it.
2. Attention-Grabbing: To alert the listener that a profound revelation is about to follow.

On Revelation (كذلك يوحى إليك وإلى الذين من قبلك): This verse establishes the continuity of the prophetic message. The revelation given to Muhammad (PBUH) is not novel but follows the same pattern and source as the revelations given to previous prophets. This confirms the truthfulness of the Prophet's claim.

On Divine Sovereignty (له ما فى السماوات وما فى الا رض): This is a foundational statement of Tawhid (Oneness of God) concerning dominion. Everything that exists—visible or invisible, celestial or terrestrial—is His property and subject to His command. This necessitates that He must be:

• The Most High (العلى): Exalted above all creation in essence and station.
• The Most Great (العظيم): Possessing attributes of majesty and perfection that defy comprehension.

On the Cracking Heavens (تكاد السماوات يتفطرن): This powerful imagery emphasizes the overwhelming majesty and glory of Allah, which is being manifested through the revelation or perhaps through the sheer weight of the divine decree.

• Interpretation 1 (Majesty): The heavens are on the verge of splitting due to the intensity of the divine glory (Tanzīh).
• Interpretation 2 (The Angels' Role): The angels are constantly engaged in two primary acts of worship:
  1. Tasbīh (Exalting Allah beyond imperfection) in praise of their Lord.
  2. Istighfār (Seeking forgiveness) for the inhabitants of the earth. This highlights the mercy extended to humanity, even while they are being observed.

On Divine Watchfulness (والذين اتخذوا من دونه أوليآء): This addresses those who turn away from Allah and seek protection or authority from false deities or created beings.

• Allah is a Watcher (حفيظ عليهم): Allah records all their actions and intentions. There is no secret hidden from Him.
• You are not a Guardian (ومآ أنت عليهم بوكيل): The Prophet's role is only to convey the message, not to compel belief or take responsibility for their ultimate fate. This relieves the Prophet of the burden of forcing faith upon disbelievers, placing the ultimate accountability on Allah.

Surah Ash-Shura: (1) Ha Mim

Know that the discussion concerning the meanings of such initial letters is extensive, and opening the door to mere speculation is not the right path. Therefore, it is best to entrust the knowledge of these to Allah. Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas‘ud recited it as: {Ha Mim * ‘Ain Sin Qaf}.

As for the Almighty’s saying: {Thus We have revealed to you} (or Kadhālika yūḥā ilayka), the Kāf (in Kadhālika) means "like this," and Dhālika (that) is for pointing to something previously mentioned. Thus, the meaning becomes: Like {Ha Mim ‘Ain Sin Qaf}, thus is revelation sent to you and to those before you. Regarding this, there are two opinions:

1. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "There is no Prophet possessing a Book except that {Ha Mim ‘Ain Sin Qaf} was revealed to him." I find this view distant (from the correct interpretation).
2. The meaning is: Like the Book designated by {Ha Mim ‘Ain Sin Qaf}, Allah reveals to you and to those before you. The purpose of this likeness (mumāthalah) is similarity in calling to Tawhid (Oneness of God), Justice, Prophethood, the Hereafter, condemning the state of the worldly life, and encouraging orientation toward the Hereafter. What confirms this is what we explained in Surah {Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High} (Al-A‘la): its beginning establishes Tawhid, its middle establishes Prophethood, and its end establishes the Resurrection. When the discussion on establishing these three demands was completed, He said: {Indeed, this is in the former Scriptures * The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses} (Al-A‘la: 18-19). This means the objective of revealing all divine Books is none other than these three demands. Similarly here, it means: Like the Book designated by {Ha Mim ‘Ain Sin Qaf}, Allah reveals to you and to all Prophets before you. This likeness refers to the call to these lofty demands and sacred divine discussions.

The author of Al-Kashshāf said: He did not say waḥy (past tense), but rather {yūḥā} (present tense) to indicate that revealing such things is His custom.

Ibn Kathir recited {Kadhālika yūḥā} with a fatḥa on the Hā’ (as Kadhālika yūḥā), making it passive voice (the doer is not mentioned), which is one narration from Abu ‘Amr. Some narrated it with the Nūn (as Nūḥī). The rest recited {yūḥā ilayka wa ilā alladhīna min qablik} with a kasra on the Hā’ (as yūḥā).

If one asks: Based on the first recitation (passive voice), what is the subject (rāfi‘) for the Name of Allah? We reply: What is indicated by the revelation—as if someone asked, "Who is the revealer?" and it was answered, "Allah." A parallel example is the recitation of Al-Sulami: {And thus the polytheists have made fair to many of them the killing of their children * their partners} (Al-An‘am: 137), where the verb is passive and shurakā’uhum (their partners) is the subject.

If one asks: What is the subject (rāfi‘) for the one who recited it with the Nūn (as Nūḥī - "We reveal")? We reply: It is raised by Ibtidā’ (initial subject), and {Al-‘Azīz Al-Ḥakīm} are its predicates (akhbār), or {Al-‘Azīz Al-Ḥakīm} are two adjectives, and the adverbial phrase is its predicate.

Since this Book was established through revelation, it clarifies who the Revealer is: {He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise}. We have already explained in the beginning of Surah Ha Mim Al-Mu’min that being ‘Azīz (All-Mighty) indicates His infinite power, and being Ḥakīm (All-Wise) indicates His knowledge of all things and His self-sufficiency from all needs. Thus, from His being ‘Azīz Ḥakīm, we derive that He is capable of all possibilities, knowledgeable of all things known, and self-sufficient from all needs. Whoever possesses this, their actions and words are wisdom and correctness, free from defect and futility.

The author of the book said: I composed in a poem:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of bounties and graces, And favor, generosity, benevolence, and nobility. His action is pure from defect and from futility, His dominion is sanctified from removal and from non-existence.

The third attribute is His saying: {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth}. This indicates two matters of utmost majesty:

1. His description with complete, pervasive power over all parts of the heavens and the earth, in their vastness and magnitude, through creation, annihilation, formation, and nullification.
2. Since He clarified by {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth} that everything therein is His property and possession, it necessitates that He be pure from being contained within the heavens and the earth. Otherwise, it would imply He is the property of Himself. If it is established that He is not in anything in the heavens, it is impossible for Him to be on the Throne, because everything above the heavens is considered heaven. If the Throne exists above the heavens, it is, in reality, heaven. Therefore, everything existing on the Throne must be Allah’s property and possession, and it necessitates that He be pure from being contained on the Throne.

If they argue that Allah said: {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens}, and the word mā (whatever) does not include rational beings, we refute this in two ways:

1. The word mā is used concerning Allah Himself, as in: {By the heaven and He Who constructed it * And by the earth and He Who spread it} (Ash-Shams: 5-6), and {I do not worship what you worship * Nor are you worshippers of what I worship} (Al-Kafirun: 2-3).
2. The form man (whoever) is used in a similar Surah: {There is no one in the heavens and the earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant} (Maryam: 93). The word man undoubtedly refers to rational beings. This verse indicates that everyone in the heavens and the earth is a servant of Allah. If Allah existed in the heavens, the earth, and the Throne, He would be among those in the heavens, and thus He would have to be His own servant. Since this verse establishes that everyone existing in the heavens and the Throne is a servant of Allah, it necessitates that He, whose sublime majesty is sanctified from the taint of servitude, be pure from existing in a place, direction, Throne, or Footstool.

The fourth and fifth attributes are His saying: {And He is the Most High, the Most Great}. It is not permissible for His being ‘Aliyy (Most High) to mean elevation in direction or place, as the proof for its falsehood has been established. Nor is it permissible for ‘Aẓīm (Most Great) to mean greatness through physical form or large body size, because that would require Him to be composed of parts and limbs, which contradicts {Allah is One} (Al-Ikhlas: 1). Therefore, ‘Aliyy must mean transcendent above resembling created things and being analogous to the newly originated, and ‘Aẓīm must mean greatness through power, overwhelming dominance, and the perfection of divinity.

Then He said: {The heavens are about to burst apart from above them}. There are several issues concerning this:

Issue 1: Abu ‘Amr and ‘Asim (in the narration of Abu Bakr) recited {takādu} (with Tā’) and {yatafaṭṭarna} (with Yā’ and Nūn). Ibn Kathir, Ibn ‘Amir, Ḥafṣ from ‘Asim, and Hamzah recited {takādu} (with Tā’) and {yatafaṭṭarna} (with Yā’ and Tā’). Nafi‘ and Al-Kisā’ī recited {yakādu} (with Yā’) and {yatafaṭṭarna} (with Tā’). The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned a strange recitation narrated by Yunus from Abu ‘Amr: {tatafaṭṭarna} (with two *Tā’*s and Nūn), which is rare, similar to a rare word mentioned by Ibn Al-I‘rābī: Al-ibil tatašammasan (The camels are basking in the sun).

Issue 2: Regarding the benefit of His saying {burst apart from above them}, there are several interpretations:

1. ‘Ikrimah narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: {The heavens are about to burst apart from above them} means they are about to burst from the weight of Allah upon them.
   • Know that this saying is absurd, and we must affirm Ibn Abbas’s innocence from it. The refutation is threefold:
     • First: The phrase {from above them} does not imply "from the weight of them."
     • Second: Even if interpreted that way, why attribute this state to the weight of Allah? Why not attribute it to the weight of the angels, as the Hadith states that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The heaven has stretched, and it deserves to groan, for there is not a space of a span in it except that there is an angel standing, bowing, or prostrating."
     • Third: Why not interpret it as the heavens are about to split and burst from the awe of the One above them—an elevation of divinity, overwhelming power, and capability? These points prove the utter corruption and weakness of the first interpretation.

2. The interpretation mentioned by the author of Al-Kashshāf: The words of disbelief came from those under the heavens. Logically, it should have been said they burst from below them (the direction from which the words came). However, this is exaggerated, so the effect is reversed, making the bursting occur from above them, as if to say: they almost burst from the direction above them, leaving aside the direction below them. A parallel exaggeration is His saying: {Scalding water will be poured over their heads * Melting whatever is in their bellies and their skins} (Al-Hajj: 19-20), where the effect is made to reach their inner parts.

3. It can be interpreted that {from above them} means "from above the earths," because He mentioned before this verse: {To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth}, and then said: {The heavens are about to burst apart from above them}, meaning from above the earths.

4. It can be interpreted that {from above them} means "from the direction in which these heavens exist," and that direction is above. Thus, {from above them} means "from the upper direction where they are located."

Issue 3: They differed on the cause of this state. There are two opinions:

1. Since Allah established that the Revealer of this Book is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise, He then mentioned His majesty and glory by saying: {The heavens are about to burst apart from above them}, meaning from the awe of His majesty and glory.
2. The cause is their assertion that Allah has a son, based on the verse: {The heavens are about to burst apart from it} (Maryam: 90). Here, the cause is their assertion of partners for Allah, based on the verse following this one: {And those who have taken protectors besides Him}. The correct view is the first one.

Then He said: {And the angels exalt [Him] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on the earth}.

Know that Allah’s creations are of two types: the realm of bodies, the greatest of which are the heavens, and the realm of spirits, the greatest of which are the angels. Allah establishes the perfection of His greatness due to the penetration of His power and awe into the physical realm, then follows it up with the penetration of His power and the dominance of His awe over the spiritual realm. The evidence is that in Surah {The News} (An-Naba’), when He intended to establish majesty and glory, He began by mentioning the physical realm: {Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. None shall have the authority to speak with Him} (An-Naba’: 37). Then He moved to the spiritual realm, saying: {On the Day when the Spirit and the angels will stand in ranks; none will speak except the one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission, and who speaks correctly} (An-Naba’: 38). The same applies here: He demonstrated the perfection of His greatness by the dominance of His awe over the physical realm by saying: {The heavens are about to burst apart from above them}, then moved to mention the spiritual realm, saying: {And the angels exalt [Him] with praise of their Lord}. This is a noble arrangement and a brilliant exposition.

Know that existing things are divided into three categories:

1. The effective agent that is not affected: Allah, the Exalted, who is the noblest category.
2. The affected entity that does not act: the physical body, which is the lowest category.
3. The entity that accepts the effect from the first category and acts upon the second category: the sacred spiritual essences (angels), which is the intermediate rank.

Once you know this, we say that the spiritual essences have two connections: a connection to the realm of Majesty and Glory (the connection of acceptance), because the sacred lights and the eternal effulgences, when they shine upon the spiritual essences, their essences become illuminated and their realities shine forth. Then, when the spiritual essences gain these spiritual powers, they become strong enough to dominate the physical realms. Since this is the case, they have two faces: one facing the realm of Majesty and the presence of Glory, and one facing the realm of bodies. The first face is nobler than the second.

Knowing this, we say:

His saying: {exalt [Him] with praise of their Lord} points to the face they have toward the realm of Majesty and Glory. And His saying: {and ask forgiveness for those on the earth} points to the face they have toward the realm of bodies. How excellent are these subtleties, how noble, and how intensely effective they are in drawing souls from the nadir of creation to the zenith of knowing the Truth!

Knowing this, we say:

The first aspect, the sacred upper aspect, includes two matters:

1. Tasbīḥ (Exaltation/Glorification).
2. Taḥmīd (Praise). Because {exalt [Him] with praise of their Lord} conveys both these matters. Tasbīḥ precedes Taḥmīd because Tasbīḥ means declaring Allah free from what is unsuitable, while Taḥmīd means describing Him as the bestower of all good things and declaring Him pure in His essence from what is unsuitable. Declaring Him pure from what is unsuitable takes precedence in rank over describing Him as the bestower of good and happiness, because the existence of a thing precedes the creation of another, and its realization within itself precedes its effect on the realization of another. For this reason, Tasbīḥ precedes Taḥmīd, which is why He said: {exalt [Him] with praise of their Lord}.

As for the second aspect, the aspect those spirits have toward the realm of bodies, it is indicated by His saying: {and ask forgiveness for those on the earth}. This refers to their influence in ordering the affairs of this world and establishing the most upright and suitable path within it. These are glimpses of high divine discussions embedded in these sacred verses.

Let us return to what is appropriate for the science of Tafsir. If one asks: How can it be correct that they ask forgiveness for those on earth, among whom are the disbelievers, when Allah says: {Upon them will be the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people} (Al-Baqarah: 161)? How can they be both cursing and asking forgiveness for them?

We answer this in several ways:

1. His saying {for those on the earth} does not imply generality (‘umūm). It is valid to say they asked forgiveness for all those on earth, and it is valid to say they asked forgiveness for some of those on earth and not others. If the text {for those on the earth} explicitly implied generality, this division would not be valid.
2. Even if this text implies generality, Allah narrated about the angels in Surah Ha Mim Al-Mu’min: {And they ask forgiveness for those who have believed, "Our Lord, Your mercy and knowledge have encompassed all things, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way} (Ghafir: 7).
3. It is permissible that the meaning of asking forgiveness is that Allah does not hasten punishment upon them, as in His saying: {Indeed, Allah restrains the heavens and the earth from ceasing to exist... Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving} (Fatir: 41).
4. It is permissible to say they ask forgiveness for everyone on earth: for the disbelievers, by requesting faith for them; and for the believers, by overlooking their sins. We say: "O Allah, guide the disbelievers, adorn their hearts with the light of faith, and remove the desolation of disbelief from their thoughts." This, in reality, is a form of seeking forgiveness.

Know that His saying {and ask forgiveness for those on the earth} indicates that they do not ask forgiveness for themselves. If they were persistent in sin, their asking forgiveness for themselves would precede their asking forgiveness for those on earth. Since Allah did not mention their asking forgiveness for themselves, we know they are free from all sins. Prophets (peace be upon them) have sins, and the one who has absolutely no sin is superior to the one who has a sin. Furthermore, His saying {and ask forgiveness for those on the earth} indicates that they ask forgiveness for the Prophets, as the Prophets are included among those on earth. If they ask forgiveness for the Prophets (peace be upon them), the apparent conclusion is that they are superior to them.

When Allah narrated the Tasbīḥ, Taḥmīd, and Istighfār of the angels, He said: {Behold, Allah is the Forgiving, the Merciful}. The purpose is to indicate that even though the angels ask forgiveness for mankind, absolute forgiveness and absolute mercy belong only to Allah, the Exalted. This is evident in several ways:

1. The angels’ undertaking to request forgiveness for mankind from Allah occurred only because Allah created in their hearts an impulse to seek that forgiveness. If Allah had not created those impulses in their hearts, they would not have undertaken that request. Thus, the absolute Forgiver and the absolute Merciful is Allah, the Exalted.
2. The angels initially said: {Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt [You] with praise of You and sanctify You?} (Al-Baqarah: 30). Yet, in the end, they became those who ask forgiveness for those on earth. However, the mercy and bounty of the Truth were present in the beginning and the end. Thus, it is established that the absolute Forgiver and the absolute Merciful is Allah, the Exalted.
3. He narrated that they ask forgiveness for those on earth, but He did not narrate that they request mercy for those on earth. He then said: {Behold, Allah is the Forgiving, the Merciful}, meaning He grants the forgiveness they requested and adds to it complete and perfect mercy.

Then He said: {And those who have taken protectors besides Him}, meaning they have taken partners and equals for Him. {Allah is a Guardian over them}, meaning He is a Watcher over their conditions and deeds; nothing escapes Him, and He will hold them accountable. There is no guardian over them except Him alone. You, O Muhammad, are not entrusted with their affairs, nor can you compel them to believe; you are only a Warner.

(7) {And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an that you may warn the Mother of Cities [Mecca] and those around it, and that you may warn of the Day of Assembly, about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze. * And if Allah had willed, He could have made them one community; but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers will have no protector or helper. * Or have they taken protectors besides Him? But Allah—He is the [only] Protector, and He gives life to the dead, and He is over all things competent. * And whatever you differ over—its decision is with Allah. That is Allah, my Lord; upon Him I have relied, and to Him I turn back. * The Originator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves mates and from the grazing livestock mates. He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing. * To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it. Indeed, He is Knowing of all things.}