Tafsir of Al-Jathiyah 45:16

Surah Al-Jathiyah (The Crouching): Verse 16

Verse 16:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

Exegesis: It is established that the Almighty blessed the Children of Israel with numerous favors, even though discord arose among them out of transgression and envy. The purpose here is to show that the path of the Prophet's people [the Arabs] resembles the path of those who preceded them.

Favors are of two types: favors of religion and favors of this world. The favors of religion are superior to the favors of this world. Therefore, Allah began by mentioning the favors of religion: {And We certainly gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, and judgment, and prophethood}.

It is most likely that each of these three terms—Scripture, Judgment, and Prophethood—must be distinct from the others:

1. The Scripture (الكتاب): This is the Torah.
2. Judgment (الحكم): This has several interpretations:
   • It could mean knowledge and wisdom.
   • It could mean the knowledge required for settling legal disputes.
   • It could mean the knowledge of Allah's rulings (i.e., the science of Fiqh).
3. Prophethood (النبوة): This is self-evident.

As for the favors of this world, they are referred to in {and provided for them from the good things}. This is because Allah granted them abundance in this life, making them heirs to the wealth and dwellings of Pharaoh's people, and then sent down the Manna and the Quail for them.

After establishing that Allah gave them a generous share of both religious and worldly favors, He said: {and preferred them over the worlds}. This means they held a higher rank and greater distinction than anyone else in their time. Thus, commentators explain that it means: "We preferred them over the people of their age."

Verse 17:

وَآتَيْنَاهُم بَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

Exegesis: Then Allah said: {And We gave them clear proofs concerning the matter}. There are several interpretations for this:

1. It means He gave them clear proofs regarding worldly affairs.
2. Ibn Abbas said it means: Allah made clear to them concerning the Prophet (PBUH) that he would emigrate from Tihamah to Yathrib, and that the people of Yathrib would be his supporters.
3. It refers to {clear proofs} meaning overwhelming miracles confirming the truth of their prophets, specifically the miracles of Moses (peace be upon him).

Then Allah said: {And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them, out of mutual envy}. This has been explained in Surah Ash-Shura (42:13). The purpose of mentioning this is to express astonishment at this situation, because the attainment of knowledge should lead to the cessation of dispute. Here, the arrival of knowledge became the cause of disagreement. This is because their objective for seeking knowledge was not knowledge itself, but rather the pursuit of leadership and preeminence.

There are other possibilities here:

• It means they knew the truth but then acted stubbornly.
• The term al-'ilm (knowledge) could refer to the evidence that leads to knowledge. The meaning is that Allah established the proofs and clear signs, which, had they reflected upon them, would have led them to recognize the truth. However, out of envy and obstinacy, they disagreed and manifested contention.

Then Allah said: {Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ}. The implication is that the wrongdoer should not be deceived by the favors of this world. Even if these favors equal or exceed those of the truthful person, the wrongdoer will face what displeases him in the Hereafter. This serves as a warning to them.

When Allah explained that they turned away from the truth due to envy and transgression, He commanded His Messenger (PBUH) to turn away from that path, adhere to the truth, and have no goal other than establishing the truth and affirming what is right. He said: {Then We have set you upon a clear way of the matter}, meaning upon a path and a methodology of religious command. So, follow your established law, supported by evidence and clear proofs, and do not follow the whims of the ignorant and their religions built upon desires and ignorance. Al-Kalbi said that the leaders of Quraysh said to the Prophet (PBUH) while he was in Mecca: "Return to the religion of your forefathers, for they were better and older than you." Then Allah revealed this verse.

Verse 18:

فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا ۚ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

(Note: The provided excerpt jumps from verse 17 to verse 19, skipping verse 18. The translation proceeds based on the text provided.)

Verse 19:

وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ

Exegesis: Then Allah said: {And do not incline toward those who have wronged, lest the Fire touch you}. This means if you were to incline toward their false religions and thus become deserving of punishment, they would be unable to avert Allah's punishment from you.

Then Allah clarified that the wrongdoers support one another in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no protector who can benefit them by bringing reward or removing punishment. As for the pious ones, they are guided, and Allah is their guardian and supporter; they are His allies. How clear is the difference between these two types of allegiance!

When Allah clarified these lasting and beneficial proofs, He said: {Indeed, this is insight for mankind, and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain [in faith]}. We have already explained this at the end of Surah Al-A'raf. The meaning is that this Qur'an provides insight for mankind, making what is in it of clear explanations and sufficient proofs serve as insight for the hearts, just as He made other verses a spirit and life. It is guidance away from misguidance and mercy from punishment for those who believe and are certain.

After Allah clarified the difference between the wrongdoers and the pious in the manner mentioned, He clarified the difference between them from another angle, saying: {What they judge...} (The text seems to transition abruptly here, leading into the next section).

Verse 20-21 (Implied context from the following discussion):

وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ * أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Discussion Points on the following verses:

First Inquiry (البحث الأول): The word Am (أَم) is used for questioning something that is connected to another thing, whether that connection is explicitly mentioned or implied. The implication here is: Do the polytheists know this, or do they think that We will treat them as We treat the pious?

Second Inquiry (البحث الثاني): Al-Ijtirāḥ (الاجتراح) means acquisition or earning, from which comes al-jawāriḥ (the earning limbs). So-and-so is the jāriḥah (earner) for his family. Allah says: {And He knows what you earn by day} (Al-An'am: 60).

Third Inquiry (البحث الثالث): Al-Kalbi said this verse was revealed concerning 'Ali, Hamzah, and Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh (may Allah be pleased with them), and three polytheists: 'Utbah, Shaybah, and Al-Walid ibn 'Utbah. The polytheists said to the believers: "You are upon nothing. If what you say were true, our status would be better than yours in the Hereafter, just as we are better than you in this world." Allah rejected this statement, clarifying that the status of the obedient believer cannot be equal to that of the sinful disbeliever in the degrees of reward and stations of happiness.

Regarding the phrase {أَفَنَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا...} (Shall We make those who believe...):

The word Hasaba (حَسِبَ) requires two objects. One is the pronoun mentioned in {that We make them} (أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ), and the second is the kāf in {like those who believed} (كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا). The meaning is: Do these earners/sinners think that We will make them equal to those who believed? Similar verses include: {Is then he who is a believer like he who is a defiantly disobedient? They are not equal} (As-Sajdah: 18), and {Indeed, We will surely support Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand up} (Ghafir: 51), and {Shall We then make those who submit [to Allah] like the criminals?} (Al-Qalam: 35-36), and {Or shall We make those who have believed and done righteous deeds like the corrupters in the land? Or shall We make the righteous like the wicked?} (Sad: 28).

Verse 22:

سَوَاءٌ مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

Exegesis: First Issue (المسألة الأولى): Regarding the reading of {سَوَاءٌ} (Sawā'un):

• Hamzah, Al-Kisa'i, and Hafs (from 'Asim) read it with the nominative case (صَوَاءٌ). The rest read it with the nominative case (سَوَاءٌ). Abu 'Ubayd preferred the accusative reading.
• The nominative reading (سَوَاءٌ): Sawā'un is the subject (mubtada'), and the sentence is treated as a singular noun in the accusative case as a substitute (badal) for the second object of naj'al (which is the kāf in kal-ladhīna āmanū). An example is: Zanantu Zaydan abūhu munṭaliq (I thought Zayd's father was setting out).
• The accusative reading (سَوَاءً): The author of Al-Kashshāf suggests that sawā'an is treated like mustawiyan (equally), making maḥyāhum wa mamātuhum the subject (fā'il), and the word singular, not a sentence.
• If one reads {wa mamātuhum} in the accusative case, then maḥyāhum wa mamātuhum are treated as adverbs of time/place (like muqaddama al-ḥajj - the vanguard of the pilgrimage). This means: they are equal in their life and in their death.
• Abu 'Ali suggested that if sawā'an is accusative, al-maḥyā and al-mamāt are a substitute for the accusative pronoun in naj'aluhum, meaning: "that We make their life and their death equal." He also suggested it could be an adverbial state (ḥāl), with the second object being the kāf in kal-ladhīna.

Second Issue (المسألة الثانية): They differed on the meaning of {their life and their death}:

• Interpretation 1 (Mujahid from Ibn Abbas): Do they think their life and death are like the life and death of the believers? No. They live as disbelievers and die as disbelievers, while believers live as believers and die as believers. This is because the believer, as long as he is in the world, has Allah as his guardian, and the believers are his supporters, and Allah's proof is with him. The disbeliever is the opposite, as mentioned in {And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies to one another}. Near death, the believer's state is as mentioned in {Those whom the angels take in death, [while they are] pure, [saying], "Peace be upon you; enter Paradise"} (An-Naml: 32). The disbeliever's state is as mentioned in {Those whom the angels take while they are wronging themselves} (An-Nahl: 28). On the Day of Resurrection, the states are: {Some faces, that Day, will be bright, laughing, rejoicing. And some faces, that Day, will be covered with dust, darkness covering them} (Abasa: 38-41). This points to the difference between the two states.
• Interpretation 2: It is a denial that they are equal in death, even if they were equal in life. This is because the life of a disbeliever and a believer might appear equal in health, provision, or sufficiency—sometimes the disbeliever might even appear better off. The difference only becomes apparent at death.
• Interpretation 3: The phrase {their life and their death are equal} is a new statement meaning: Just as the wicked live and die, so too do the righteous live and die—each dies according to how he lived. Then Allah explicitly denies that equality, saying: {Evil is that which they judge}, which is clear.

(The text then presents verses 23-25, followed by commentary.)

Verse 23:

وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Verse 24:

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Verse 25:

وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ

Verse 26:

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا ائْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

Verse 27:

قُلِ اللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Exegesis (Continuing from the context of the previous verses):

Verse 23: {And Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth, and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.} (This verse establishes the principle of justice in creation and recompense.)

Verse 24: {Have you seen the one who takes his desire as his god, and Allah has let him stray due to knowledge, and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart, and has placed over his vision a covering? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not remember?} (This describes the state of one who follows mere desire, whose path is sealed off by Allah due to his prior knowledge and willful deviation.)

Verse 25: {And they say, "There is nothing but our worldly life; we die and we live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have no knowledge of that; they are only guessing.} (This addresses the denial of resurrection and the belief that only the passage of time causes annihilation.)

Verse 26: {And when Our clear verses are recited to them, their argument is nothing but that they say, "Bring back our forefathers, if you should be truthful."} (Their only counter-argument to the clear signs of resurrection is a demand to bring back their dead ancestors.)

Verse 27: {Say, "Allah gives you life, then causes you to die, then He will gather you for the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know."} (The Prophet is commanded to affirm the reality of life, death, and resurrection, despite the people's ignorance.)