وَلَئِن سَأَلتَهُم مَن خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضَ لَيَقولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۚ قُل أَفَرَأَيتُم ما تَدعونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ إِن أَرادَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَل هُنَّ كاشِفاتُ ضُرِّهِ أَو أَرادَني بِرَحمَةٍ هَل هُنَّ مُمسِكاتُ رَحمَتِهِ ۚ قُل حَسبِيَ اللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ المُتَوَكِّلونَ

If you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say: ‘Allah.’ Say: ‘Have you considered what you invoke besides Allah? Should Allah desire some distress for me, can they remove the distress visited by Him? Or should He desire some mercy for me, can they withhold His mercy?’ Say: ‘Allah is sufficient for me. In Him let all the trusting put their trust.’

EXEGESIS

Kāshifāt is the plural of kāshifah, meaning she who removes. Its original usage is in unveiling and removal of a cover such that the inside of something becomes visible.^{‎[1]Tahqiq, under k-sh-f.} The Quran has attributed the removal of distress and difficulties to God in several verses.

Mumsikāt is the plural of mumsikah, meaning she who withholds and restrains. It involves two elements of keeping and protecting.^{‎[2]Raghib; Tahqiq, under m-s-k.} In the Quran it has been used in both positive and negative contexts.

There are many other verses in the Quran that state that there is no kāshif of distress or mumsik of mercy other than God (6:17, 6:40-41, 27:62, 35:2, 36:23). Should Allah visit you with some distress, there is no one to remove it except Him; and should He desire any good for you, none can stand in the way of His grace: He grants it to whomever He wishes of His servants, and He is the all-forgiving, the all-merciful (10:107).

The first person pronouns used in this verse (distress for me … mercy for me … Allah is sufficient for me) correspond to the second person pronoun in verse 36: They would frighten you of others than Him.^{‎[3]Mizan, 17/267.}

It is noteworthy that others than Him in verse 36 were in masculine form, while the same objects of worship are in feminine form here (kāshifāt, mumsikāt, hunna). This difference could be based on the culture of the primary audience of the Quran at the time of revelation. Verse 36 talks about the idols being strong and frightening, which were commonly viewed as masculine qualities, while this verse talks about the idols being weak and passive, which were commonly viewed as feminine qualities. In fact, the polytheists themselves used to talk about their idols such as al-Lāt, al-ʿUzzā, and Manāt, as feminine beings (53:19-21).^{‎[4]Zamakhshari, 4/130.} Another possibility is that referring to the idols as both feminine and masculine indicates that they are neither male nor female, but are rather genderless. This is a way of expressing genderless qualities and beings in Arabic.

What you invoke besides Allah: the verse refers to the polytheists’ objects of worship by mā (what, that) instead of man (who, whom). This could be because mā is more general and includes both inanimate and animate beings (although it is more commonly used for the former).^{‎[5]Mizan, 17/266-267.} It could also be an implicit derogatory description of their objects of worship as inanimate and unintelligent beings. This is true about their physical idols. It can also be true about the angels, saints, and spirits that they used to worship.

The letter fāʾ at the beginning of the second question could mean ‘and’, ‘then’, or ‘so’ (it has been dropped in the translation). If it is interpreted as ‘and’, then the two questions in the verse would be two independent arguments that complement each other (the main interpretation suggested in Exposition). If it is interpreted as ‘so’, then the second question would be a consequence of the first and would build on it (the second interpretation suggested in Exposition). If it is interpreted as ‘then’, it could have either meaning.^{‎[6]Alusi, 12/261, with some elaboration.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is a proof for the last two verses, and shows why other-than-God cannot be a source of fear, hope, or sufficiency. These three verses together show the comprehensiveness of the Quran, as it satisfies both the heart (in verses 36-37) and the intellect (here). The verse shows this point in two steps:

1. The first step is to remind the audience and the readers that God alone is the creator of the heavens and the earth, not anyone or anything other than Him. This is something intuitive that the polytheists in Mecca, and people in general, would admit and concur, and are inherently aware of (29:61, 31:25, 43:9). Is there any doubt about Allah, the originator of the heavens and the earth?! (14:10). The only problem is that sometimes this innate understanding is blocked and covered by social norms, inherited beliefs, pride, lusts, desires, and subconscious fallacies and sophistries. As a result, people refer to other sources and direct their hope, fear, worship, and attention to them as intercessors with God (10:18) and means of seeking proximity with Him (verse 3).
2. The second part of the argument is: do your idols, lords, and sources have any share in the direction and management of the affairs in the universe so that I would refer to them and be frightened by their power? The answer is no, and the verse proves this by contradiction: suppose that they do have a say in the direction of affairs in the universe. If so, then they should be able to remove a distress that God wills for me, and they should be able to withhold a mercy that God desires for me. However, they cannot even harm or benefit themselves, let alone harming or benefiting others (5:76, 6:71, 10:18, 10:106, 21:42-43, 21:66, 22:12, 25:3, 25:55). Hence, the assumption is nullified.

These two points show that both the creation and the direction of the universe are in the hands of God: All creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds (7:54). Say: ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘Allah!’ Say: ‘Have you then taken others besides Him for guardians, who have no control over their own benefit or harm?’ Say: ‘Are the blind one and the seer equal? Or are the darkness and the light equal?’ Have they set up for Allah partners who have created like His creation, so that the creations seemed confusable to them? Say: ‘Allah is the creator of all things, and He is the one, the all-paramount’ (13:16).

Another way to look at the two parts of the argument in this verse is that the second part is a direct consequence of the first. That is: the removal of distress and the withholding of mercy are forms of creation and existentiation; however, God is the only creator in the universe; hence, no one can remove distress or withhold mercy other than God.^{‎[7]Mizan, 17/266.}

Say: ‘Allah is sufficient for me.’ This is the conclusion drawn from the above arguments. God told His Prophet to make this conclusion and not wait for their answer because the arguments were already decisive and sound; or, according to some accounts, because the audience remained silent in response to the first part of the verse as they were speechless and dumbfounded.^{‎[8]Zamakhshari, 4/129.} Allah is sufficient for me not only applies to the Prophet, but to anyone who is looking for a source of trust and reliance: In Him let all the trusting put their trust. Therefore, this verse affirms and emphasises the message of verse 36: Does not Allah suffice [to defend] His servant? They would frighten you of others than Him.

Avoiding loss and distress takes precedence over attracting a benefit and making a gain. This order is seen in this verse (we also saw the same order in verse 35).^{‎[9]Alusi, 12/261.}

It is notable that the verse identifies God as a trustee for all who want to trust (al-mutawakkilūn, as in 12:67 and 14:12), not only for the believers (as in 3:122, 3:160, 5:11, 9:51, 14:11, 58:10, 64:13). This is an implicit call to all non-believers: the gates of God’s mercy are wide open to any new applicant who applies for His sufficiency as a source of trust and reliance. ‘Thou suffice any of Thy servants that relies on Thee.’^{‎[10]Duʿāʾ al-Yastashīr, in Ibn Ṭāwūs, Muhaj al-Daʿawāt, p. 125; Kafami, p. 287.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam al-Bāqir (a) narrated that the Prophet said: ‘Every child is born on the original nature (fiṭrah), meaning the knowledge that the Almighty God is his creator. It is for this reason that the Almighty has said: If you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say: ‘Allah.’’^{‎[11]Kafi, 2/12-13, h. 4; Tawhid, pp. 330-331, h. 9.}

Note: See verse 30:30 for more on the human nature and creation (fiṭrah).

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? … Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be^{‎[12]Psalms 27:1, 3.}
2. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.^{‎[13]Psalms 57:1-2.}
3. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?^{‎[14]Isaiah 43:11-13.}

[1] Tahqiq, under k-sh-f.
[2] Raghib; Tahqiq, under m-s-k.
[3] Mizan, 17/267.
[4] Zamakhshari, 4/130.
[5] Mizan, 17/266-267.
[6] Alusi, 12/261, with some elaboration.
[7] Mizan, 17/266.
[8] Zamakhshari, 4/129.
[9] Alusi, 12/261.
[10] Duʿāʾ al-Yastashīr, in Ibn Ṭāwūs, Muhaj al-Daʿawāt, p. 125; Kafami, p. 287.
[11] Kafi, 2/12-13, h. 4; Tawhid, pp. 330-331, h. 9.
[12] Psalms 27:1, 3.
[13] Psalms 57:1-2.
[14] Isaiah 43:11-13.