بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ
سورَةٌ أَنزَلناها وَفَرَضناها وَأَنزَلنا فيها آياتٍ بَيِّناتٍ لَعَلَّكُم تَذَكَّرونَ
[This is] a surah which We have sent down, and prescribed it, and We have sent down in it manifest signs so that you may take admonition.
EXEGESIS
Sūrah (chapter) originally means a tall structure. It was then used for the walls of a city which were high and which separated it from its surroundings. With time it then came to mean anything which encompasses something, so a detached portion or section.[1]
There is disagreement whether a chapter of the Quran is called sūrah due to its elevated position implied by the sense of height, or due to it being a separate entity as implied by the sense of encompassment.[2] The latter meaning is more appropriate and we may say that a chapter of the Quran is called a sūrah because it encompasses a collection of verses all revealed about a single theme.[3]
The parentheses in the translation, [This is], implies an elided beginning of the sentence, since in Arabic one cannot generally start a sentence with an indefinite word (sūratun here), therefore the implied meaning is: This is a surah.[4]
Faraḍnāhā (prescribed it) is a conjugate of the verb faraḍa, which literally means to cut. From that comes the meaning of taqdīr which means to measure and cut out something for someone as a share, like in the verse, half of what you have settled (fa niṣfu mā faraḍtum) (2:237);[5] or as destiny, like in the verse, Indeed He who has destined (faraḍa) the revelation of the Quran for you (28:85),[6] although some have said faraḍa here means anzala (sent down).[7] Or the meaning of obligation, in which sense faraḍa means awjaba (made obligatory), as in this verse.[8]
It is said the difference between wājib (obligatory) and farḍ is that farḍ is that which is made obligatory by the decree of someone, whereas wājib can be obligatory in and of itself, like the obligation of thanking someone who has done a favour to you.[9]
Āyāt (signs) is the plural of āyah, which either comes from the root ayyi, or from awī. Those who believes it comes from ayyi say it is because it separates between this and that (ayyan min ayy).[10] Whereas those who argue it comes from awī say because it relates to the meaning of looking towards or seeking something, in this case a means to seek God.[11] In the Quran it is used for the signs of God, And a sign (āyah) for them is the night (36:37), as well as His miracles, Certainly We sent Moses with Our signs (āyātinā) and a manifest authority (40:23). It is also commonly used in the Quran to refer to the verses of the Quran, which are signs of God’s communication: It is He who has sent down to you the book. Parts of it are definitive verses (āyāt) (3:7). Here the context of sūrah suggests that āyāt is similarly referring to a portion of the Quran (i.e. verses), although another meaning may also be intended as discussed further on.
Bayyināt (manifest) is the plural of bayyinah, meaning clear evidence.[12] It is from the root of bāna meaning to clarify something via separation and distinguishing.[13] From this comes bayān meaning to explain and clarify. Here it implies that the āyāt are clear and unequivocal.[14] Tadhakkarūn (you take admonition): tadhakkur is the fifth from of the verb dhakara, and has various meanings all revolving around the idea of reminding someone or remembering something after forgetfulness or heedlessness.[15] The word laʿalla (may) that precedes tadhakkarūn is for explanation of purpose (taʿlīl), meaning the surah was revealed for the purpose of imparting tadhakkur.[16]
EXPOSITION
The chapter begins by laying out its purpose; it is the divine command of God which He has sent down, instructing the believers therein how they must act, giving clear instructions which act as a reminder and admonition.
[This is] a surah: unlike perhaps other scriptures, the Quran is very much self-aware of its being a book of divine revelation. Compared to the Bible for example, which is a collection of various writings, the Quran constantly refers to itself as being a revelation, a book, and speaks of itself being divided into chapters and verses.
Which We have sent down: sending down is not referring to a physical direction, but rather the descent from a higher dimension of reality to the lower plane of the physical world. The knowledge of the Quran is with God in what is deemed as the protected tablet: Rather, it is a glorious Quran, in a protected tablet (lawḥ maḥfūẓ) (85:21-22). That knowledge of course is far more than what can be captured in the limited expression of human language. The descent from that reality into our world is what is called nuzūl, or being sent down.
The original form of the Quran is also sometimes described as the mother-book (umm al-kitāb). From that the Arabic aspect of the Quran is then manifested into our world: By the manifest book: We have made it an Arabic Quran so that you may apply reason, and indeed it is with Us in the mother-book, [and it is] surely sublime and wise (43:2-4).
We might also wonder why God has specified that this surah is revealed by Him, whilst every surah has been revealed by Him; it is to emphasise that its contents are all divine revelation, and should be followed by the believers, even if they find it difficult.[17] This is further emphasised in what follows.
And prescribed it: the surah has been prescribed because there are many commands and prohibitions in it.[18] As we mentioned in the Introduction, the surah’s main theme is the ‘clear command’. The command of God is of course something that the believers must obey. Obedience to God is an integral part of faith in Him and that we are accountable to Him for our actions. Obedience is not optional nor can it be shirked without exposing oneself to the great harm of sin. The surah repeatedly raises this point. For example, the next verse tells us that believers should not abandon the command to punish the fornicators, and let not pity for them overcome you in Allah’s law, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day (verse 2); the command to not marry idolaters and fornicators is concluded with the exhortation, and that is forbidden to the faithful (verse 3); the command to abandon slander is followed with the reminder, Allah advises you lest you should ever repeat the like of it, should you be faithful (verse 17); the ruling of hijab and abandoning the pre-Islamic ways is followed with the appeal, Rally to Allah in repentance, O faithful, so that you may be felicitous (verse 31), and many other verses. This is perhaps most clearly stated in the verse that declares faith without obedience is simply an empty and meaningless declaration, They say: ‘We have faith in Allah and His Apostle, and we obey.’ Then after that a part of them refuse to comply, and they do not have faith (verse 47). This obedience is owed even if one does not understand why they are asked to do such a thing, All the response of the faithful, when they are summoned to Allah and His Apostle that He may judge between them, is to say: ‘We hear and obey’ (verse 51). So when God begins the chapter by saying He has prescribed it, He is setting the scene for what is about to come, reminding the believers that they must obey His commands if they truly are believers.
And We have sent down in it manifest signs: the verses are manifest because they are clear and easily understood,[19] or because they explain the clear boundaries set by God (that which is permissible, and that which is prohibited).[20]
The expression in it (fīhā), suggests this statement is not referring to the whole surah, but a collection of its verses.
We may also note the double entendre here. On the one hand, signs (āyāt) can clearly be taken to refer to the verses of the surah itself, but also means those signposts of knowledge that guide one to the ‘clear command’ of God.
Noteworthily, the verb sent down is repeated in the verse. This is because, as we mentioned before, a surah is an organised collection of verses put together for a particular purpose and a unified theme. This is a special term coined by the Quran for its chapters, although it was used for other meanings before. In this verse, the first usage of sent down refers to the totality of the verses which make the surah, and the second usage refers to some of the clear verses (manifest signs) which are contained in the chapter. Although these clear verses are already included in the descent of the surah as a whole, their importance is emphasised by giving them special mention and describing the surah as a framework within which they have been sent down and contained.[21]
So that you may take admonition: this is very important and it highlights what was mentioned in the Introduction. The basic features of the commands of God outlined in this surah are all understood through man’s innate nature (fiṭrah) as being good; thus they are largely a reminder for him. Man innately knows for example that zināʾ (adultery or fornication) – something extensively discussed in this chapter – is wrong, however, there are many things related to zināʾ to which he may not have given proper consideration, and thus needs to be reminded. He is reminded that zināʾ should not be allowed to become acceptable in society, that people should not be slandered and gossip should not be passed around, that how Muslims conduct themselves and dress would greatly impact phenomena such as zināʾ, and so forth.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Abū Ḥayyān interprets manifest signs to mean that all the verses in it are easily understood and do not require delving into deeper meanings (taʾwīl) regarding them.[22] This is a problematic position. Certainly, even the verses dealing with practical issues require much interpretation and discussion as to what they fully entail, let alone verses such as the verse of light.
The exegetes have also mentioned many other opinions about the meaning of this verse, but because most of them seem overly arduous interpretations we have refrained from relating them.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.[23]
[1] Nemuneh, 14/357-358.
[2] Tabrisi, 7/196.
[3] Mizan, 15/78; Tantawi, 10/77.
[4] Tibyan, 7/403; Tabari, 18/51; Thalabi, 7/63.
[5] Baghawi, 3/379; Tahqiq, 9/59-60, f-r-ḍ.
[6] Tibyan, 7/403-404. The meaning of faraḍa in 28:85 is also debatable.
[7] Tibyan, 7/403-404. The meaning of faraḍa in 28:85 is also debatable.
[8] Thalabi, 7/63; Zamakhshari, 3/208; Baghawi, 3/379.
[9] Tibyan, 7/404; Tabrisi, 7/196.
[10] This is the opinion of Raghib, p. 101, a-y-y.
[11] This is the opinion of Tahqiq, 1/186, a-w-y.
[12] Raghib, p. 157.
[13] Tahqiq, 1/366, b-y-n.
[14] Tibyan, 7/404; Baghawi, 3/379.
[15] Tahqiq, 3/318, dh-k-r.
[16] Tantawi, 10/78.
[17] Munyah, 19/76.
[18] Tabari, 18/52; Razi, 23/302.
[19] Tabari, 18/52.
[20] Tabari, 18/52.
[21] Mizan, 15/78.
[22] Muhit, 8/6.
[23] James 2:17.