Tafsir of Al-Jinn 72:23

Surah Al-Jinn (72): Verse 23

{إِلاَّ بَلاغًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاتِهِ} (Except for a communication from Allah and His messages.)

Regarding this exception, scholars have mentioned several interpretations:

1. First View (Al-Farra'): It is an exception from the preceding statement, {لا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلا رَشَدًا} (I possess no power to benefit or harm you). The meaning is: I possess no power for you except for conveying a message from Allah. The verse {قُلْ إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ} (Say, "Indeed, no one can ever protect me from Allah") is an inserted clause to emphasize his lack of ability and demonstrate his powerlessness, meaning if Allah wills evil for him, no one can protect him.

2. Second View (Al-Zajjaj): It is in apposition (badal) to {مُلْتَحَدًا} (refuge) in the previous verse. The meaning is: I will never find a refuge other than the communication (Balāgh) from Allah. That is, nothing will save me except delivering what I have been sent with from Allah. This scholar considers the exception to be munqati' (discontinuous) because the verse states, {وَلَن أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَدًا} (And I will never find a refuge other than Him). The communication from Allah is not "other than Him" (min dūnihi), but rather it is from Allah, with His aid and success.

3. Third View: Some interpret {إِلاَّ} (except) as meaning In lā (if not). The meaning becomes: If I do not deliver a message, I will find no refuge.
   • Objection: It is commonly said, "He delivered on behalf of [someone]" (balagha 'anhu). Why does the verse say {بَلاغًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ} (a communication from Allah)?
   • Answer: The preposition {مِنْ} (from) here is not descriptive of the act of conveying (tablīgh); rather, it is like {بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ} (a disavowal from Allah), meaning a communication that is from Allah.
   • As for {وَرِسَالاتِهِ} (and His messages), it is coordinated with {بَلاغًا}, as if saying: I possess nothing for you except conveying the message and the revelations. This means I only convey what Allah has commanded, without addition or subtraction.

{وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ} (And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then indeed, for him is the Fire of Hell.)

Al-Wāḥidī stated that the fā’ in {فَإِنَّ} is kasrah (with a kasrah on the alif) because what follows the fā’ of the consequence (fā’ al-jazā’) is in the position of a new sentence (a nominal sentence). Sībawayh interpreted similar constructions (like in Surah Al-Mā’idah: 95, and Al-Baqarah: 126, and the preceding verse in Al-Jinn: 13) as having an implied subject.

The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned a variant reading where {فَأَنَّ} (with fatḥah on the alif) is read, implying: "Then his recompense is that he has the Fire of Hell," similar to {فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ} (Then one-fifth is for Allah) in Al-Anfāl (8:41), meaning "Then the ruling is that one-fifth is for Allah."

{خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا} (Abiding therein forever.)

This phrase refers back to the plural meaning implied by {مَن} (whoever). There are two major issues concerning this verse:

The majority of the Mu'tazilah used this verse to argue that sinful Muslims (fussāq ahl al-ṣalāh) will remain eternally in Hellfire, asserting that this general threat includes them just as it includes the disbelievers. They argue that this threat is conditioned only by the absence of repentance or a greater good deed. They claim this generality is stronger than other general statements because other threats do not include the word {أَبَدًا} (forever), which opponents might interpret as merely a long duration. Here, the explicit mention of "forever" removes that possibility.

The Refutation (Adding to previous arguments from Al-Baqarah):

1. Contextual Specificity: It is a known principle that a general ruling is specified by the particular incident for which it was revealed. If a husband tells his wife, "If you leave the house for an hour, you are divorced," the ruling applies only to that specific hour. Here, the context is the Prophet's mission of conveying Allah's message. {وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ} (And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger) refers to disobeying Gabriel in conveying the divine message. If this interpretation holds, the threat is for disobeying the conveyance of the message, which is a grave sin. A punishment prescribed for the gravest sin should not be applied equally to all lesser sins, as sins vary in magnitude. If this punishment is established for this specific sin, it cannot extend to all other sins.

2. The Significance of 'Forever' (Abadan): Allah mentioned general threats in other verses without the restriction of "forever." Restricting it here to "forever" must have a reason, which is that this specific sin is the greatest of sins. If this restriction is due to the magnitude of this sin, then the threat is specific to this sin and does not extend to all sins. If this threat is specific to the doer of this sin, it implies that the state of all other sinners is different. The statement {فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا} means this state belongs to him and no one else, similar to {لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ} (To you is your religion). If this state belongs only to him, then for other sinners, Hellfire is not eternal. Thus, this verse becomes an argument against the Mu'tazilah.

3. Alternative Interpretation of 'Disobedience': The phrase {وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ} might only encompass someone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger in all types of disobedience—that is, the disbeliever (Kāfir). We argue that "disobedience to Allah" can be excepted regarding specific sins (e.g., except in disbelief, except in adultery, etc.). Those who hold that the threat applies generally argue that the exception excludes what would otherwise be included. Therefore, {وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ} must include someone who commits all sins, which is the disbeliever. In this case, the verse is specific to the disbeliever, invalidating the Mu'tazilah's argument.
   • Counter-Objection: It is impossible for one person to commit all types of sins (e.g., one cannot simultaneously hold the doctrine of corporeality and the doctrine of absolute negation/atheism).
   • Rebuttal: Restricting a general statement by rational impossibility is permissible. Our statement that {وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ} implies committing all sins is valid, but we suspend its application to the extent that reason deems impossible. It remains applicable to all combinations of sins that can be combined. Since combining disbelief with other sins is possible, the verse is specific to the disbeliever.

Those who affirm that commands imply obligation use this verse. They argue:

1. The one who abandons a commanded act is disobedient, based on verses like {أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي} (Did you disobey my command? - Tā Hā: 93).
2. The disobedient person deserves punishment, based on {وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا}.

Surah Al-Jinn (72): Verse 24

{حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَوْا مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَضْعَفُ نَاصِرًا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدًا} (Until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number.)