Iron (Al-Hadid): (25) We have certainly sent Our messengers...

Then the Almighty said: {We have certainly sent Our messengers with clear proofs} (Al-Bayyināt).

There are two interpretations regarding Al-Bayyināt (clear proofs):

1. The first opinion, held by Muqātil ibn Sulaymān, is that they are the manifest miracles and overwhelming evidence.
2. The second opinion, held by Muqātil ibn Hayyān, is that He sent them with deeds that call people to obedience to God and turning away from everything other than God.

The first view is the correct one, because their prophethood was established precisely through those miracles.

Then the Almighty said: {and We sent down with them the Book and the Balance that people may establish justice, and We sent down iron, in which there is severe might and many uses for people}.

Know that this verse has parallels in other verses:

• His saying: {It is God Who sent down the Book in truth and the Balance} (Ash-Shūrā: 17).
• And His saying: {And He raised the heaven and set up the Balance} (Ar-Raḥmān: 7).

Herein lie several issues:

Issue 1: The connection between the Book, the Balance, and Iron

There are several ways to understand the connection between the Book, the Balance, and Iron:

First Way (My View): The basis of religious obligation (taklīf) rests on two matters:

1. Doing what ought to be done (the primary goal).
2. Leaving what ought to be left.

The first is the essential purpose, because if leaving things were the essential purpose, no one would have been created, as leaving things was already present eternally.

Doing what ought to be done relates either to the self (i.e., knowledge/cognition) or to the body (i.e., actions of the limbs).

• The Book is the means to achieve the necessary internal actions, distinguishing truth from falsehood, and clear evidence from doubt.
• The Balance is the means to achieve the necessary external/bodily actions, as most difficult obligations relate to dealings with creation. The Balance distinguishes justice from oppression, and the excess from the deficient.
• Iron contains severe might, serving as a deterrent against what ought not to be done.

In summary: The Book points to the theoretical faculty, the Balance to the practical faculty, and Iron to repelling what is impermissible. Since the noblest concern is safeguarding spiritual benefits, followed by safeguarding physical benefits, and finally deterring the impermissible, this order is observed in the verse.

Second Way: Dealing is either with the Creator (the way is the Book) or with creation. Dealings with creation are either with loved ones (requiring fairness, achieved by the Balance) or with enemies (requiring the sword/force, symbolized by Iron).

Third Way: People are of three types:

1. The foremost (Sābiqūn): They deal with creation according to the Book, giving justice without demanding it back, and avoiding doubtful matters.
2. The moderate (Muqtaṣidūn): They give and take justice, thus requiring the Balance.
3. The unjust (Ẓālimūn): They demand justice but do not give it; they require Iron and deterrence.

Fourth Way: The human soul is in one of three states:

1. The station of Reality (Ḥaqīqah): The tranquil soul (Nafs al-Muṭma’innah), the station of the Near Ones. Here, one finds rest only in God and acts only by God's Book, as in {Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest} (Ar-Raʿd: 28).
2. The station of the Path (Ṭarīqah): The blaming soul (Nafs al-Lawwāmah), the station of the Companions of the Right. Here, the Balance is necessary for moral discernment, avoiding extremes and remaining on the straight path.
3. The station of the Law (Sharīʿah): The commanding soul (Nafs al-Ammārah). Here, the Iron of struggle (mujāhadah) and rigorous discipline is necessary.

Fifth Way: A person is either:

1. Possessing direct unveiling/attainment (mukāshafah), finding solace only in the Book.
2. Possessing seeking/deduction (ṭalab and istidlāl), requiring the Balance of proof and argument.
3. Possessing obstinacy and contention, requiring removal from earth by Iron.

Sixth Way: Religion consists of either fundamentals or branches; or, knowledge (maʿārif) or actions (aʿmāl).

• The fundamentals are from the Book.
• The branches (actions involving justice and benefit) are achieved by the Balance, which signifies upholding justice.
• Iron is for disciplining those who abandon the first two paths.

Seventh Way:

• The Book refers to the rulings God mentioned in His Book, which necessitate justice and fairness.
• The Balance refers to compelling people to adhere to these rulings based on justice, which is the role of rulers.
• Iron refers to the necessity of compelling them by the sword if they rebel against these rulings. This indicates that the rank of scholars (masters of the Book) precedes the rank of rulers (masters of the sword).

There are many other connections; what we have mentioned serves as a guide to the rest.

Issue 2: The Descent of the Balance and Iron

There are two sayings regarding the descent of the Balance and Iron:

1. That God Almighty sent them down from heaven. It is narrated that Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended with the Balance and gave it to Noah, saying, "Command your people to weigh with it." It is also narrated from Ibn Abbas that Adam descended from Paradise with five iron items: the anvil, the tongs, the mace (miqmaʿah), the hammer, and the needle. (The miqmaʿah is used for sharpening/shaping). Evidence supporting this is the narration from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Indeed, God sent down four blessings from heaven to earth: Iron, Fire, Water, and Salt."
2. That the meaning of "descent" here is creation and preparation (inshā’ and tahyi’ah), similar to His saying: {And He has provided for you from the grazing animals eight kinds} (Az-Zumar: 6). Al-Qaṭrab said regarding {We sent it down} (An-Nūr: 1), meaning, "We prepared it from the nuzul (provisions)." It is said, "The prince anzala (bestowed) a good provision upon so-and-so." Some say this is like the saying, "I fed it hay and cold water, and I ate bread and milk."

Issue 3: The Benefits of the Balance and Iron

Regarding the Balance, its benefit is mentioned as enabling people to establish justice (al-qisṭ). Al-qisṭ and al-iqṣāṭ mean fairness—giving others their due share just as you take your own share. The just person is muqsiṭ (as in {Indeed, God loves the just} [Al-Ḥujurāt: 9]). Conversely, the unjust oppressor is qāsiṭ (as in {But as for the unjust, they will be fuel for Hell} [Al-Jinn: 15]).

As for Iron, it contains severe might, as weapons of war are made from it. It also has many other benefits, such as His saying: {And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you} (Al-Anbiyā’: 8).

Furthermore, the world's necessities are either fundamentals or branches. The four fundamentals are: Agriculture, Weaving, Building houses, and Governance (Salṭanah). This is because humans need food to eat, clothing to wear, and a structure to dwell in. Man is naturally social, and his welfare is not complete except when groups gather, each engaged in a specific task, leading to collective welfare. This organization inevitably leads to competition, requiring someone to ward off harm from some against others—this is the Sultan (ruler). Thus, the world's welfare is not organized without these four elements.

• Agriculture requires Iron for plowing and digging the land. When grains grow, they need to be baked and refined, which requires Iron. Grains must also be ground, which requires Iron. Baking requires fire, and the iron striker (miqdah) is needed. Fruits require Iron for peeling and cutting into edible pieces.
• Weaving clearly requires Iron in the weaving machinery, and also in cutting and sewing the cloth.
• Building requires Iron for its completion.
• The means of Governance are known to be incomplete without Iron.

From this, it appears that most worldly necessities depend on Iron. It also shows that Gold cannot substitute for Iron in any of these necessities. If gold did not exist, no worldly necessity would be disrupted. If iron did not exist, all worldly necessities would collapse.

Because the need for Iron is so great, God made it easy to find and abundant. Because the need for Gold is less, He made it rare. This reveals the effect of God's existence and His mercy upon His servants: the greater the need, the easier the provision.

Some wise men said that the greatest necessity is Air, for if its flow to the heart stops for a moment, the person dies instantly. Therefore, God made it the easiest thing to obtain, arranging the means and apparatus for breathing so that a person breathes constantly by nature without conscious effort.

After air comes Water. Since the need for water is less than for air, obtaining water is slightly harder than obtaining air.

After water comes Food. Since the need for food is less than for water, obtaining food is harder than obtaining water. Foods then vary in degrees of need and rarity: the more intense the need, the easier the finding; the harder the finding, the less the need.

Gems and jewels, since the need for them is very little, are consequently very rare.

We conclude that whatever the need for something is greater, its finding is easier. Since the need for God's Mercy is more intense than the need for anything else, we hope for His grace to make it the easiest thing to obtain. The poet said:

Conclusion of the Verse

Then the Almighty said: {And that God may know who supports Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, God is Powerful and Mighty}.

Issue 1: The Meaning of "Unseen" (bil-Ghayb)

The meaning is: that God may know who supports His religion and supports His messengers by using swords, spears, and all weaponry in struggling against the enemies of the religion unseen (i.e., in their absence). Ibn Abbas said: "They support Him without seeing Him." This is close to His saying: {If you support God, He will support you} (Muḥammad: 7).

Issue 2: The Argument for the Createdness of God's Knowledge

Those who argue for the createdness of God's knowledge use His saying: {And that God may know} as proof. The response is that God intended the known by the word knowledge. It is as if He said: "And so that the support of the Messenger (PBUH) may actually occur from those who support him."

Issue 3: The Will of God and Free Will

Al-Jubbā’ī argued that His saying {that people may establish justice} indicates that God sent down the Balance and Iron, intending for people to establish justice and support the Messenger. If this was His intention for everyone, then the view of the Mujbirah (fatalists) that He intended the opposite for some is invalidated. The response: How can it be that He intended this for everyone while knowing that the opposite exists, and that the combination of two opposites is impossible, and the impossible cannot be intended?

Issue 4: The Nature of True Support

Since support can be superficial (as from a hypocrite or one seeking worldly gain), the Almighty clarified that what He intends is support unseen (bil-Ghayb), meaning support stemming from sincerity of the heart. Then the Almighty clarified that He is Powerful over matters and Mighty, admitting no opposition.

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