تِلكَ آياتُ الكِتابِ الحَكيمِ
Those are the signs of the wise book.
EXEGESIS
The feminine demonstrative pronoun tilka (those) in this verse refers either to the subsequent Quranic verses making up this surah, which are identified here as signs, and which form part of the Quran, or it refers to the verses of the Quran in general. This is akin to 2:2 where the Quran is identified as the book (al-kitāb) and referred to by the masculine demonstrative pronoun dhālika (that). The reason a demonstrative pronoun, which points to something at a distance, has been used here as well as in 2:2, is to convey the sense of exaltation and respect for what it points to and to express its lofty station. In the case of this verse, it points to the verses of this surah or of the Quran in general, and in the case of 2:2, it points to the Quran itself. However, in effect, the demonstrative pronoun in this verse means ‘these’, just as it means ‘this’ in 2:2.
EXPOSITION
The description of the book by the adjective al-ḥakīm (the wise), points to what this book contains of wisdom. From such wisdom is what is mentioned in this surah of the wise exhortations with which Luqmān counselled his son (verses 12-19). The book’s identification as wise also means it does not contain vain, frivolous, and false speech, thereby serving to contrast its contents from the diversionary talk in verse 6. And the book is wise because it manifests (or distinguishes between) truth and falsehood. Thus the wise book is a reference to the Quran. It is also described as wise in 10:1 and 36:2. Additional surahs which begin with references to the ‘signs of the book’ are 12:1, 13:1, 15:1, 26:1, 27:1, and 28:1.
[1] Kashif, 6/156; Munyah, 21/317.
[2] Kashif, 6/156.
[3] Tibyan, 8/269; Razi, 25/114.
[4] Munyah, 21/317; Amthal, 13/10.
[5] Razi, 25/114.
[6] Razi, 25/115; Safi, 4/139; Kashif, 6/156; Munyah, 21/318; Amthal, 13/11.
[7] Munyah, 21/318; Amthal, 13/11.
[8] Mizan, 16/209; Munyah, 21/318; Amthal, 13/11.
[9] Tibyan, 8/269.