Tafsir of An-Nur 24:51

"The saying of the believers is only..."

Al-Hasan’s view: Regarding the phrase "the saying of the believers" (qawl al-mu'minin): both the nominative (raf') and accusative (nasb) cases are grammatically sound.

• The nominative case is stronger because it is the primary candidate to be the subject (ism) of kāna.
• The accusative case is also strong because it is more definite.
• Regarding the verb "to say" (an yaqūlū): It is more definitive because it cannot be interpreted as indefinite, unlike "the saying of the believers."

In this context, kāna functions similarly to its usage in:

• "It is not for Allah to take a son" (Maryam: 35).
• "It is not for us to speak of this" (An-Nur: 16).

"To judge between them" (li-yaḥkuma baynahum): It has been recited in the passive voice (li-yuḥkama).

Question: To what is the passive verb yuḥkama attributed, given that it requires a subject?

Answer: It is attributed to its verbal noun (maṣdar). The meaning is: "so that the act of judging may be performed between them."

Similar examples include:

• "He joined between them" (jam‘a baynahuma).
• "He reconciled between them" (allafa baynahuma).
• "The ties between you have been severed" (la-qad taqaṭṭa‘a baynakum)—for those who recite baynakum in the accusative—meaning: "the act of severing has occurred between you."

This reading corresponds to the preceding verse: "They are called..." (du‘ū).

"And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, and fears Allah and is conscious of Him—it is they who are the successful."