Tafsir of Al-Teen 95:8

Surah At-Tin (The Fig): Verse 8

أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ (Is not Allah the Most Just of judges?)

There are two main interpretations regarding the meaning of this verse:

First Interpretation: This serves as confirmation of what was previously mentioned: the creation of man, followed by his return to the lowest of old age (Ardhala al-'Umr). God Almighty is stating: Is not the One who accomplished this (creation and return) the Most Wise of all judges in action and management?

If His Power and Wisdom are established through this evidence, then the possibility and occurrence of the Resurrection (Hashr) become sound.

1. Possibility (Imkān): Established by looking at His Power.
2. Occurrence (Wuqū'): Established by looking at His Wisdom, because denying the Resurrection would impugn His Wisdom, just as He said: “And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve.” (Surah Sad, 38:27).

Second Interpretation: This is a divine notification to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that God will judge justly between him and his adversaries on the Day of Resurrection.

The Qadi (Judge, likely referring to Al-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar) stated that this verse is one of the strongest proofs that God Almighty does not perform ugly acts, nor does He create the actions of human beings, especially those actions involving foolishness and injustice.

The Argument: If God were the Creator of human actions, then every foolish act, every command toward foolishness, and every encouragement toward foolishness would originate from Him. If this were true, He would be the most foolish of the foolish (Asfah al-Sufahā').

Conversely, every act of wisdom, every command toward wisdom, and every encouragement toward wisdom originates from Him. If this is true, He is the Wisest of the wise (Aḥkam al-Ḥukamā').

Since both descriptions (being the most foolish and the wisest) cannot simultaneously apply to Him, and since describing Him as the most foolish is impossible, we must conclude that He is not the Creator of human actions.

The Response (to the Mu'tazilite position): The counter-argument is made by citing God's Knowledge and His Call (to good).

Furthermore, we say: The foolish person is defined by the foolishness that inheres in them, not by the one who created that foolishness. Just as the moving entity is defined by the motion that exists within it, and the static entity by the stillness within it—neither motion nor stillness are created by God in this context (i.e., the act itself is attributed to the agent, not the ultimate Creator of existence).

And Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, knows best what is correct. May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and his companions.