The Ocean of the Quran

A verse by verse explanation of The Ultimate Scripture

Al-Wāqiʿah – Verse 80

تَنزيلٌ مِن رَبِّ العالَمينَ

Gradually sent down from the Lord of all the worlds.

EXEGESIS

Tanzīl: to send something down. Tanzīl is often distinguished from inzāl by the former being gradual while the latter is either gradual or sudden. However, when the two are not contrasted or used together, tanzīl could simply mean to send down. The word inzāl which would contrast tanzīl is never used in the Holy Quran (though its conjugates have been used in several verses), and this makes the gradual element of tanzīl less vivid. Nevertheless, a gradual revelation of the Quran would comply with the description of God as rabb (Lord), because rabb is one who nurtures, fosters, and makes something grow, which is often a gradual process, especially for human beings.‎[1]

EXPOSITION

The ultimate reason for why This is indeed a noble Quran, which is In a covered book and only accessible to the pure ones is that it is sent down from the Lord of all the worlds. The nobility, purity, truth, and reliability of a speech are rooted in the nobility, purity, truth, and reliability of the speaker: and who is more truthful in speech than Allah? (4:87, 4:122). The mother-book which is the source of the Quran is unchanging because the Lord is unchanging. Likewise, one’s knowledge and access to the book is contingent on his level of purity just as one’s knowledge of God is contingent on his level of purity.‎[2]

Referring to God as Lord indicates that this book is God’s means of fostering, growing, and nourishing His servants. Likewise, the description of God as the Lord of all the worlds suggests that the Quran is for everyone, in any time and any place, as guidance for mankind (3:4); it is just a reminder for all the nations (68:52, 81:27).

There are many similar verses to this one in the Quran, with the difference that they mention other attributes for God, such as the all-mighty, the all-wise, the all-knowing, the all-beneficent, the all-merciful, the all-laudable, and the one who created the earth and the lofty heavens (36:5, 39:1, 40:2, 41:2, 41:42, 45:2, 46:2, 20:4). Each of these attributes represents an aspect of the Quran and its content.

This verse is precisely repeated in 69:43. Given the trend of the verses there, and given other similar verses and contexts in the Quran (such as 26:210-212, 80:11-16, and 81:19-25), we can deduce the overall message of this set of verses here (75-80): the verses state that the Quran is only sent from God and from a realm of purity, as opposed to having been brought down by devils or being a case of poetry, insanity, divination, or fabrication. Thus, the verses here are a summary of what is discussed in more detail elsewhere in the Quran:

  1. The oath by the position of stars is very similar to the oaths by the stars that return and the planets that hide (81:15-16), which are also followed by a discussion of the descent of the Quran.
  2. This is indeed a noble Quran refers to the nobility and other qualities of the angels that brought down the Quran (69:40, 80:15-16, 81:19-21). Also, it may be that qurʾān is mentioned here not as a particular name (of a specific book), but as an attribute and description meaning that which is recited (from the root qaraʾa). This meaning complies more with the fact that the word qurʾān here is in the indefinite (nakarah) form. Otherwise, if it were a reference to a specific known book, it should have said al-qurʾān. Thus, the verse is saying: this is a noble recitation (qurʾān) brought by a noble angel, as opposed to being an ignoble recitation of the devils (26:210) or by another human being (16:103, 25:5), or being the Prophet’s own fabrication (25:5).‎[3]
  3. In a covered book and No one touches it except the pure ones refer to the fact that It [the Quran] has not been brought down by the devils. Neither does it behove them, nor are they capable [of doing that]. Indeed, they are kept at bay [even] from hearing it (26:210-212; also discussed in 81:22-25). No alteration has been made to the Quran in its process of revelation because of the purity of its origin and the reliability of its carriers and envoys (80:13-16). Describing its mother-book as a covered book is to clarify that the Quran is not read to the Prophet from the books of the previous generations or other scholars (16:103, 25:5), but it has a transcendent source.‎[4]
  4. Gradually sent down from the Lord of all the worlds summarises and concludes all of the aforementioned points and leaves no room for any ambiguity or misinterpretation.
[1] Murtaza Alidina, series of lectures on the exegesis of Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah, available at <http://www.dartabligh.org >.
[2] Sadra, 7/110-111.
[3] Furqan, 28/106.
[4] Razi, 29/430.