Surah Al-Hadid (57): 16

Discussion on the Verse

There are Two Main Issues concerning this verse:

1. The Reading of Al-Hasan: Al-Hasan read it as (أَلَمَا يَأْنِ). Ibn Jinni stated that the origin is lam (لَمْ), to which mā (مَا) was added. Mā is added to negate the af'ala (perfect tense) form, whereas lam negates the qad yaf'alu (already doing) form. Since mā was added to the affirmative form (qad), it was added to the negative form as well. However, when lam and mā were combined, they acquired a distinct meaning and form.
   • Meaning: In some contexts, it became temporal (adverbial), e.g., "When you stood up, Zayd stood up" (لَمَّا قُمْتَ قَامَ زَيْدٌ), meaning at the time of your standing.
   • Form: It is permissible to pause on lammā without its corresponding jussive verb. One can say, "I came, and lammā" (جِئْتُ وَلَمَّا), meaning "and lammā [he came]." This is not permissible with lam alone; one cannot say, "I came, and lam" (جِئْتُ وَلَمْ).

2. The Famous Reading: The majority read it as (أَلَمْ يَأْنِ), derived from anā/ya'nī (أَنَى/يَأْنِي), meaning "the time for it has come" (ināhu atāhu).

3. Other Readings: It was also read as (أَلَمْ يَئِنْ), derived from anā/ya'īnu (أَنَى/يَئِنُّ), meaning the same as anā/ya'nī.

There is a difference of opinion regarding whom this addresses:

1. The Hypocrites (Munāfiqūn): Some said it was revealed concerning the hypocrites who outwardly professed faith but whose hearts lacked the humility (khushū') contrary to their claim. Those who hold this view argue that a true believer must possess heart-humility; therefore, the address could only be directed at someone who is not truly a believer.

2. The True Believers: Others maintain that the address is to true believers. However, a believer may sometimes possess deep humility and tenderness, and sometimes lack it. Under this interpretation, the verse can have several meanings:
   • First Meaning: Perhaps a group of believers lacked increased humility and tenderness, and this verse served as an exhortation to attain it.
   • Second Meaning: Perhaps a group once possessed great humility, but that intensity faded, and they were urged to return to it.
     • Al-A'mash reported that when the Companions arrived in Madinah, they experienced ease and prosperity in life, causing them to slacken somewhat in their previous state. They were admonished by this verse.
     • Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that this verse was recited before him while some people from Yamamah were present. They wept intensely. He looked at them and said, "This is how we were until our hearts hardened."

Regarding "For the remembrance of Allah" (لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ):

There are two interpretations:

1. The Remembrance is the Cause: The structure implies: "Has the time not come for the believers that their hearts soften for the remembrance of Allah," meaning the admonitions of Allah mentioned in the Qur'an. Here, dhikr (remembrance) is a verbal noun (maṣdar) attributed to the agent (Allah).
2. The Remembrance Causes Softening: The dhikr is attributed to the object (the believers). The meaning is: "Their remembrance of Allah." This implies that the remembrance must instill humility in them, and they should not be like those whose hearts remain hard despite hearing the remembrance.

Regarding "And what has been revealed of the Truth" (وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ):

Issue 1 (Grammar): The word mā (what) is in the genitive case, connected by conjunction to dhikr (remembrance), and it is a relative pronoun (mawṣūl). The returning pronoun is omitted, based on the implied meaning: "...for the remembrance of Allah and for what has been revealed of the Truth." Ibn Abbas interpreted { وما نزل من الحق } as meaning the Qur'an.

Issue 2 (Recitation):

• Nāfi', Ḥafṣ, and the preferred reading from 'Āṣim read { وَمَا نُزِّلَ } (with a shaddah on the zāy - passive tense, meaning "what Allah revealed").
• The rest, including Abu Bakr from 'Āṣim, read { وَمَا نَزَلَ } (with a light zāy - active tense, meaning "what descended").
• Abu 'Amr read { وَمَا نَزَلَ } with the nūn raised and the zāy with a kasrah (implying a different grammatical structure).
• The meaning in the first reading is: "...that their hearts soften for the remembrance of Allah and for what Allah revealed of the Truth."
• The meaning in the second reading is: "...for the remembrance of Allah and for what descended of the Truth."
• The meaning in the third reading is similar to the second.

Issue 3 (Meaning):

• It is possible that al-Ḥaqq (the Truth) refers specifically to the Qur'an, as it encompasses both the description of remembrance (dhikr) and admonition, and it is a truth revealed from heaven.
• Alternatively, al-Dhikr (remembrance) refers to the remembrance of Allah generally, and mā nuzila min al-Ḥaqq refers to the Qur'an specifically. Humility is mentioned first concerning the Dhikr because fear and reverence are primarily attained through the remembrance of Allah. The attainment of this state upon hearing the Qur'an is because the Qur'an itself contains the remembrance of Allah.

Regarding "And that they should not be like..." (وَلَا يَكُونُوا):

Al-Farrā' stated that this is in the accusative case, meaning: "Has the time not come for their hearts to soften... and for them not to be like..." He added that if it were in the jussive case, indicating prohibition, it would also be correct. The reading of some who used the second-person feminine singular verb (tattakhashsha'ūna) indicates a shift in address (iltifāt).

Regarding "Those who were given the Book before" (كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلُ):

This refers to the Jews and Christians.

Regarding "So the time grew long for them" (فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ):

Issue 1 (Meaning of Al-Amad - The Time Span): Several interpretations exist:

1. The period between them and their Prophets became long, causing their hearts to harden.
2. Ibn Abbas said: They inclined toward worldly matters and turned away from Allah's admonitions.
3. Their lives were prolonged in heedlessness, which caused the hardening of their hearts.
4. Ibn Jubān said: Al-Amad here means distant hope (al-amal al-ba'īd). The meaning is that their time span became long due to long hopes; thus, their hearts hardened.
5. Muqātil ibn Sulaymān said: The time span before the appearance of the Prophet (PBUH) became long for them.
6. Their period of hearing the Torah and the Gospel became long, causing the impact of those scriptures to leave their hearts, leading to hardness. Al-Qurẓī suggests that Allah forbids the believers from becoming like this.

Issue 2 (Recitation): The word (الْأَمَدُ) was also read with a shaddah (intensified), meaning the longest period of time.

Regarding "And many of them are defiantly disobedient" (وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ):

This means they have departed from their religion, rejecting what is in the two Books. It suggests that the initial lack of humility leads eventually to outright transgression (fisq).

Surah Al-Hadid (57): 17