وَإِذا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِما ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحمٰنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجهُهُ مُسوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظيمٌ

When one of them is brought the news of what he ascribes to the All-Beneficent, his face becomes darkened and he chokes with suppressed agony.

EXEGESIS

Mathal signifies a likeness or similitude of something. The expression Ḍarb al-shayʾ mathalan denotes the act of making something an example or comparing it to another thing. In this context, the term refers to the female offspring that the polytheists have ascribed to God,[1] a comparison that serves as a basis for critiquing their misguided beliefs. A more accurate translation that reflects the word mathal clearly is Nasr’s translation: ‘And when one of them receives glad tidings of that which he has set forth as a description of the Compassionate, his face blackens and he chokes with anguish.’

Ẓalla wajhuhu muswaddan (his face becomes darkened). The darkening of their faces could literally be referring to when blood rushes to their face in a state of anger, thus changing their complexion.[2] Alternatively, the darkening of their faces could be a metaphorical allusion to their grief and sorrow upon hearing the news of the birth of their daughter.[3] Qurṭubī supports the latter interpretation, saying that the word muswaddan (darkened) comes from sawād which is associated with the colour black, but in this verse it is clear that their faces would not literally turn black. Rather, this is a metonym that Arabs would frequently use to describe the state of a person who is faced with an affliction and state of sorrow.[4]

Kaẓīm (chokes with suppressed agony) derives from the root kaẓama, which originally refers to the act of securing the mouth of a water skin once it is filled. Over time, this concept has been metaphorically extended to represent the suppression of intense emotions such as anger, sorrow, or grief, when they overwhelm the heart.[5] The infinitive kaẓm signifies the internal containment of powerful feelings that one chooses not to express externally. It is often paired with an object that represents the specific emotion being suppressed, such as kaẓm al-ghayẓ for the containment of anger. Some exegetes have also linked kaẓm to the throat – the anatomical source of exhalation – further reinforcing the idea of restraint or control over one’s internal emotional state.

In this verse, the object of suppression is not explicitly stated. Some scholars propose that the implied object refers to a feeling of affliction and constriction, suggesting that kaẓm, in this context, signifies the act of containing and concealing the distress and discomfort experienced by the individual.[6] This can be seen in Arberry’s translation: ‘And when any of them is given the good tidings of that he has likened to the All merciful, his face is darkened, and he chokes inwardly.’

It is also suggested that it is referring to a suppressed feeling of anger.[7] This can be seen in Pickthall’s translation: ‘And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likened to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage.’

It may as well refer to suppressed sorrow and grief.[8] This can be seen in the translation of Yusuf Ali: ‘When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) what he sets up as a likeness to (Allah) Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!’

The verb kaẓama, when conjugated in the faʿīl pattern as kaẓīm, emphasises not only the occurrence of suppression but also its continuous and persistent nature. This is in contrast to the fāʿil pattern, such as kādhim seen in verses 3:134 and 40:18, which primarily indicates a single instance of suppression.

By employing kaẓīm in this context, the verse underscores the ongoing and enduring aspect of emotional containment and restraint.[9]

This verse again shifts pronouns from speaking to the polytheists in the second person in the previous verse to now addressing them in the third person, to indicate to the reader the despicability of their conduct in order that we may also be shocked at their stance.[10]

EXPOSITION

This verse unveils the contradictory beliefs of the polytheists, who considered females inferior to males yet claimed that Allah had adopted angels – whom they believed to be female – as His offspring. This apparent paradox is further emphasised by their reactions to the birth of daughters within their own families, which often led to feelings of anger and grief. Many exegetes argue that if someone’s countenance darkens upon hearing about the birth of their own daughter, it would be more fitting for their face to darken when they attribute the same thing to their Creator, thus highlighting the irony and inconsistency of their beliefs.[11]

The Quran describes their immense embarrassment and shame at begetting a daughter: When one of them is brought the news of a female [newborn], his face becomes darkened and he chokes with suppressed agony. He hides from the people out of distress at the news he has been brought: shall he retain it in humiliation, or bury it in the ground! Look! Evil is the judgement that they make (16:58-59).

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

According to Ibn Abī Ḥātim, kaẓīm means ‘to be silent’.[12]

[1] Mizan, 18/90.
[2] Ibn Ashur, 25/228.
[3] Tabrisi, 9/66.
[4] Qurtubi, 10/116.
[5] Amthal, 16/27.
[6] Tahqiq, 10/69.
[7] Munyah, 25/174.
[8] Amthal, 16/27; Ibn Ashur, 25/228; Tibyan, 9/189; Tabari, 25/34.
[9] Tahqiq, 10/70.
[10] Mizan, 18/90.
[11] Qurtubi, 16/71.
[12] Qurtubi, 16/71.