Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:14-17

Al-A'raf (The Heights): Verses 14–17

Issues in the Verse:

Issue 1: The Meaning of Reprieve (Unẓirnī)

This indicates that Iblis requested a respite from God until the time of Resurrection (the second Trumpet blast), when people will stand before the Lord of the Worlds. His intention was not to taste death. God did not grant him this, but rather said, "You are among those reprieved."

There are two scholarly opinions regarding the duration of this reprieve:

1. Opinion 1: God reprieved him until the First Trumpet blast (the time of universal death). This is supported by the verse in Surah Al-Hijr: {Indeed, you are among those reprieved * Until the Day of the Appointed Time} (15:37–38). The "Appointed Time" here means the day when all living beings die.
2. Opinion 2: God did not set a specific deadline. The phrase {Until the Day of the Appointed Time} refers to the time known only to God. Proponents of this view argue that since Iblis was a responsible being (mukallaf), it is impermissible for God to inform him of his exact death date. If he knew the date, he would know that if he repented before that time, his repentance would be accepted. This knowledge would lead him to commit sins freely, knowing he could repent later. Therefore, revealing the exact time of death would constitute an incitement to evil (ighra' bi al-qabīḥ), which is impossible for God.

Rebuttal to Opinion 2 (by Proponents of Opinion 1):

Informing Iblis that he is reprieved until the Day of Judgment does not necessitate incitement to evil. God already knew that Iblis would die upon the ugliest form of disbelief and corruption, whether he informed him of the time of death or not.

• Analogy: God informed His prophets that they would die in purity and infallibility. This did not incite them to evil because God knew they would remain pure regardless of whether they were informed or not. Since the outcome was the same, the information was not incitement. The same logic applies to Iblis.

Issue 2: The Meaning of "Because You Misguided Me" (Bimā Aghwaytanī)

Iblis attributes his misguidance to God in this verse, yet in another verse, he attributes the misguidance of the servants to himself: {By Your might, I will surely mislead them all} (38:82).

• The first statement suggests adherence to Determinism (Jabr).
• The second suggests adherence to Free Will (Qadar).

This indicates Iblis was confused on this issue, or perhaps he believed that misguidance requires a misguider (mughwī). He claimed himself to be the misguider of others, and then claimed God was the ultimate misguider of him, to cut off the infinite regress (tasalsul).

Scholars have differed on the meaning of Ighwā' (misguidance) here:

• Our Companions (Ash'arites): Ighwā' means instilling falsehood (ghayy) in the heart. Falsehood is erroneous belief. This implies Iblis believed that truth and falsehood originate in the heart from God.
• Mu'tazilites: They offer two interpretations:
  1. They accept the definition above but offer defenses:
     • Defense 1: This is merely the speech of Iblis; even if he believed God creates disbelief, his statement is not proof.
     • Defense 2: When God commanded prostration to Adam, Iblis's disbelief became manifest. Thus, he attributes the disbelief to God in the sense that God commanded the action that revealed his disbelief (e.g., "Do not make me strike you," meaning, do not do what causes you harm).
     • Defense 3: {Because You have misguided me} means: Because You cursed me due to Adam, I will, out of this enmity, cast whispers into their hearts.
     • Defense 4: {Because You have misguided me} means: Because You disappointed me from Your Paradise as punishment for my action, I will now lie in wait for them.
  2. *Second Interpretation of Ighwā':* It means destruction/ruin. This is supported by {they will be cast into a raging fire} (19:59, ghayy meaning ruin/woe). Also, the phrase ghawiya al-fasīl means the young camel drank too much milk until its stomach spoiled and it neared destruction. Thus, {If God wills to misguide you} (11:34) means, if God wills to destroy you due to your obstinacy.

*Our Conclusion on Ighwā':*

We do not need to dwell on whether Ighwā' means misguidance or destruction, as the core issue is Iblis's claim, which is not evidence. However, we can prove definitively that God is the ultimate misguider of Iblis.

• A misguider (ghāwī) must have a misguider, just as a mover needs a mover, a stationary object needs a settler, and one guided needs a guide.
• The misguider of Iblis must be either:
  1. Himself (Impossible, as a rational being does not choose misguidance while knowing it is misguidance).
  2. Another creature (Impossible, as it leads to infinite regress or circularity).
  3. God (This is the intended conclusion).

Issue 3: The Meaning of the Preposition Bā' (in Fabi-mā Aghwaytanī)

There are several interpretations for the Bā' (in "By what You misguided me"):

1. The Bā' of Oath: Meaning, "By Your misguidance of me, I will surely sit..." i.e., by Your power and sovereignty over me, I will sit in wait for them on the straight path You have prescribed for them, by beautifying falsehood for them and actions that incur sins. Since the Bā' is an oath, the Lām in La-aq'udannu is the response to the oath.
2. The Bā' of Causality: Meaning, "Because You misguided me, I will sit in wait for them." That is, since You misguided me, I, in turn, will strive to misguide them.
3. The Mā' as Interrogative: Some suggest Mā' is interrogative: "By what did You misguide me?" Then the sentence continues: {I will surely sit in wait for them...}. This is weak because when the interrogative Mā' is preceded by a preposition, the Alif is usually omitted (i.e., Fimā instead of Fīmā).

Issue 4: The Phrase {لأقعدن لهم صراطك المستقيم} (I will surely sit for them on Your straight path)

Grammarians agree that the preposition 'Alā (on) is omitted, meaning: "I will surely sit upon Your straight path." This is analogous to saying, "Zayd struck the back and the belly," meaning on the back and on the belly. Omitting 'Alā is permissible because the path (ṣirāṭ) functions as a location/adverb of place (ẓarf), similar to saying "I will come to you tomorrow" (ghadan).

Discussions on this phrase:

1. Perseverance in Corruption: It signifies that Iblis will persist in corruption without ceasing. The term q'udūd (sitting) implies intense focus and dedication to completing a task without distraction. His sitting means his constant whispering until he never rests from it.
2. Knowledge of the Truth: This verse proves that Iblis was knowledgeable of the true religion and the correct methodology, as he explicitly mentions "Your straight path," which is God's true religion.
3. Knowledge of His Own Error: The verse proves Iblis knew that his own doctrine and belief were pure misguidance and error. Otherwise, he would not have said, {Because You misguided me}. Furthermore, since he knew the true religion, he would not have mentioned {Your straight path} unless he knew his own path was contrary to it.

The Paradox: If Iblis knew his path was error and contrary to the straight path, how could he willingly choose and believe in it? A person only adopts a false belief if they think it is true. It is impossible to choose and believe something while knowing it is false, error, and misguidance.

• View A (Kufur 'Inād - Stubborn Disbelief): Some say Iblis's disbelief was one of stubbornness ('inād). Since he knew his doctrine was error, he knew its opposite (the truth) was correct. Therefore, his denial was merely verbal rejection, making it stubborn disbelief.
• View B (Kufur Jahl - Ignorant Disbelief): Others say his disbelief was ignorance. His statement {Because You misguided me} and {I will surely sit for them on Your straight path} are based on his own flawed perception (za'm or i'tiqād).

Issue 5: Evidence for God Not Being Obligated to Ensure Human Welfare

Our scholars use this verse to prove that God is not obligated to look after the servant's welfare, either in religion or worldly affairs.

• Argument: Iblis sought a long respite, and God granted it. God explained that the purpose of the respite was for Iblis to mislead humanity and cast whispers into their hearts. God knew that most people would obey him and accept his whispers, as confirmed by {And Iblis had already confirmed his assumption about them, and they followed him, except for a group of the believers} (34:20).
• Since granting Iblis this long reprieve results in immense corruption and great disbelief, if God were obligated to look after human welfare, He would have refused to grant the respite or enable this corruption. Since He granted it, it proves that God has no obligation whatsoever to look after welfare.
• Supporting Evidence: God sent prophets as callers to humanity, yet He knew Iblis would only call to disbelief. Then, God caused the prophets (callers to truth) to die, while allowing Iblis and the devils (callers to falsehood) to remain. If God cared for human welfare, He would not have done this.

Mu'tazilite Responses and Refutations:

• Al-Jubba'i: Iblis's existence makes no difference; anyone who would be misguided by him would have been misguided even if Iblis did not exist. Proof: {You have no authority over My servants except over those who follow you of the astray} (37:162–163). If anyone were misguided by him, his existence would be a corruption that God must prevent.
• Abu Hashim: It is possible that some are misguided by him, and his creation is like creating an excess of desire (shahwa). This excess does not necessitate committing evil, but it makes abstaining from evil harder, thus increasing the reward for abstaining. Similarly, Iblis makes abstaining from evil harder, but not to the point of compulsion.

Refutation of Mu'tazilite Views:

• Refutation of Abu 'Ali (Al-Jubba'i): This is weak. The devil must beautify evil acts in the heart of the disbeliever and remind him of the pleasures within them. A person's state when receiving this reminder is not equal to their state without it. This is evident by custom: if people encourage you toward an act, making the path easy, your inclination to act will not be the same as if you received no encouragement.
• Refutation of Abu Hashim: This is also weak. If the reminder and beautification lead a person to commit the evil act, then this is actively leading them into corruption. Furthermore, his analogy regarding desire is actually evidence for our position that God does not prioritize welfare. If the increase in desire leads to eternal punishment (if one succumbs), while avoiding that desire only leads to more reward (due to increased difficulty), God, prioritizing welfare, would surely prevent the cause of eternal punishment rather than allow it for the sake of an unnecessary increase in reward. Thus, these doctrines are false, and God has no obligation whatsoever.

Issue 1: The Meaning of These Four Directions

Opinion 1: Each Direction Corresponds to a Specific Spiritual Affliction.

1. From before them (Min bayni aydīhim): Causing doubt regarding the truth of Resurrection and the Hereafter.
2. From behind them (Wa min khalfihim): Suggesting that the world is eternal and without beginning.
3. Alternative Interpretation (1 & 2):
   • From before them: Deterring them from seeking the happiness of the Hereafter.
   • From behind them: Strengthening their desire for worldly pleasures and making them seem beautiful. (In this view, "before them" refers to the Hereafter, which they approach, and the world is "behind them," which they leave behind.)
4. Alternative Interpretation (3):
   • From before them: Denying the present Prophets and Messengers.
   • From behind them: Denying the Prophets and Messengers who came before.
5. Regarding Right and Left Sides:
   • View 1: Right side (Yamin) for disbelief and heresy; Left side (Shamā'il) for various sins.
   • View 2: Right side for diverting them from the Truth; Left side for tempting them toward falsehood.
   • View 3: Right side for deterring them from good deeds (Hasanaat); Left side for strengthening their urges toward evil deeds (Sayyi'āt). Ibn al-Anbārī favored this, noting that Arabs use "right" (yamin) as a metaphor for good standing and "left" (shamāl) for low standing.

Islamic Philosophers' View (Strongest):

There are four primary powers in the body responsible for spiritual happiness, and the devils must utilize these powers to whisper:

1. The Faculty of Imagination (Al-Quwwa al-Khayāliyya): Receives images of sensory perceptions. It is located in the anterior part of the brain. Whispers targeting this faculty are indicated by {from before them}, as sensory input comes from the front.
2. The Faculty of Intuition/Apprehension (Al-Quwwa al-Wahmiyya): Judges non-sensory matters based on sensory analogies. It is located in the posterior part of the brain. This is indicated by {and from behind them}.
3. The Faculty of Desire (Al-Shahwa): Located in the liver, which is on the right side of the body ({and from their right sides}).
4. The Faculty of Anger (Al-Ghaḍab): Located in the left side of the heart ({and from their left sides}).

These four faculties generate states that lead to the loss of spiritual happiness. Devils cannot cast whispers without utilizing these powers.

Alternative Philosophical View (2):

• {From before them}: Suspicions based on Corporeal Analogy (Tashbīh), such as anthropomorphism regarding God's Essence or Attributes, or the Mu'tazilite views on justice and moral evaluation. This is "before them" because physical bodies and their states are immediately present/witnessed.
• {From behind them}: Suspicions arising from Negation/Atheism (Ta'ṭīl), as analogy (Tashbīh) is the essence of negation.
• {From their right sides}: Temptation to abandon commanded duties (Ma'mūrāt).
• {From their left sides}: Temptation to commit forbidden acts (Manhiyyāt).

View from Shaqīq (Pious Predecessor):

The devil approaches him from all four directions every morning:

• Before me: "Do not fear, God is Forgiving and Merciful," citing the verse on repentance.
• Behind me: Frightening him about his children facing poverty, citing the verse on God's provision.
• From my right: Praising him, citing the verse, "The outcome is for the pious."
• From my left: Tempting him with desires, citing the verse, "A barrier is placed between them and what they desire."

Opinion 2: Comprehensive Attack

God recounts these four directions to show that Iblis will exert maximum effort in whispering, leaving no possible avenue unexplored. The meaning is: "I will come to them from all possible directions and by all possible means."

The Prophet (PBUH) said the devil sat in wait for the son of Adam on the path of Islam, saying, "Will you abandon your fathers' religion?" When the man obeyed and became Muslim, the devil sat on the path of Emigration (Hijra), and so on for Jihad. This shows the devil leaves no avenue of whispering untried.

Why only four directions (and not above/below)?

1. Philosophical Answer: The four faculties responsible for spiritual ruin are located in these four bodily regions.
2. Narrative Answer: When the devils mentioned these four directions, the angels felt pity for humanity and asked God how humans could escape. God revealed that two directions remain: Above and Below. If a person raises their hands in supplication (submission) or places their forehead on the ground (humility), sins of seventy years will be forgiven.

Issue 2: The Difference Between Min and ʿAn

The verse uses Min (from) for "before them" and "behind them," but ʿAn (away from/aside from) for "right sides" and "left sides." This difference must have a meaning.

• When one says, "He sat ʿan his right side," it means he sat slightly separated, not touching. God says, {Two scribes sit to the right and the left} (50:17), indicating two angels are present, but the devil is separate from the angels.
• The devil is distanced from the angels, hence the use of ʿAn for the right and left sides, signifying separation/distance.

Furthermore, we established that "before/behind" relates to Imagination and Illusion, leading to False Beliefs (Disbelief). "Right/Left" relates to Desire and Anger, leading to Sinful Actions.

• The harm from disbelief (Kufur) is permanent (eternal punishment).
• The harm from sin is temporary (finite punishment).

The use of ʿAn for the right and left sides emphasizes that these two categories (sinful actions) involve a degree of separation/detachment (from the right path), while the first two categories (disbelief) are more direct and inherent.

Issue 3: Iblis's Knowledge of the Majority

Iblis stated: {And You will not find most of them grateful}.

Question: How did Iblis know this hidden matter (the future state of the majority)?

1. View 1: He saw it in the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) and stated it with certainty.
2. View 2: He stated it based on Strong Assumption (Ẓann). Since he was determined to beautify desires, and he knew people are naturally inclined toward them, he assumed that the majority would follow him. This is supported by God confirming this assumption: {And Iblis had already confirmed his assumption about them, and they followed him except for a group of the believers} (34:20).

It is remarkable that Iblis claimed this, and God confirmed it with: {And few of My servants are grateful} (34:13).

Alternative View (3):

The human soul possesses nineteen powers that call it toward physical pleasures: five external senses, five internal senses, desire, anger, and seven latent powers (attraction, retention, digestion, expulsion, nourishment, growth, generation). All nineteen call the soul toward the physical world. In contrast, Reason is only one power, calling the soul toward God and spiritual happiness. Since nineteen powers overpower one, and these nineteen are strong at creation while reason is weak, it is certain that the majority will seek physical pleasures and turn away from knowing and loving the Truth. Hence, {You will not find most of them grateful}.

(This verse is the response from God to Iblis, commanding his expulsion.)