وَأَنّا مِنَّا الصّالِحونَ وَمِنّا دونَ ذٰلِكَ ۖ كُنّا طَرائِقَ قِدَدًا

Among us some are righteous and some of us are otherwise: we are multifarious sects.

EXEGESIS

Ṣāliḥūn is the plural of the adjective ṣāliḥ. It derives from the root ṣalāḥ which is the opposite of the noun fasād,^{‎[1]Lisan, under ṣ-l-ḥ.} which denotes a state when a thing loses equilibrium.^{‎[2]Raghib, under f-s-d.} It can thus be inferred, by way of comparison, that ṣalāḥ implies a state where a given thing is within the limits of its natural state and conforms to standards as required by its existence. The term ṣalāḥ is used in most cases as an adjective for physical acts,^{‎[3]Raghib, under ṣ-l-ḥ.} though it can equally be used to signify the soundness of a personality or a thought.^{‎[4]Tahqiq, under ṣ-l-ḥ.}

In the Quran, the word ṣalāḥ has been used at times in contrast to corruption (fasād) like in 7:56, and at other times it has been used as opposed to an evil act (sayyiʾah), as in 9:102.^{‎[5]Raghib, under ṣ-l-ḥ.} When used as an attribute for the physical act (al-ʿamal al-ṣāliḥ), it denotes an act that conforms to the standards of justice and which would subsequently earn God’s pleasure. The term ṣāliḥ in 7:189-190 apparently implies that which is complete and faultless in creation, whereas ṣāliḥīn in 24:32 signifies personal competency to undertake a task.^{‎[6]Qamus, under ṣāliḥ.} Nonetheless, the term ṣāliḥūn has also occurred in the Quran to denote those who perform good deeds from the angels, the jinn, and the humans.^{‎[7]Qamus, under ṣāliḥūn.} The adjective ṣāliḥūn in the verse under discussion seems to imply those that are good, for ṣāliḥ basically means that which is good and without defect.^{‎[8]Qamus, under ṣāliḥ.} However, in the specific context of this verse, the term here refers to those members of the jinn who were upright by nature, in the sense that they had a decent character in their personal and social life.^{‎[9]Mizan, 20/44; Alusi, 15/98.}

Dūna is a noun that means ‘below’ as opposed to ‘above’. It signifies that a thing is yet to attain the position that it ought to achieve.^{‎[10] Lisan and Bahrayn, under d-w-n.} It could be on this basis that some lexicologists, like Jawharī, consider ‘proximity’ to be one of the lexical meanings of the noun dūna.^{‎[11] Qamus, under dūna.} However, dūna is also used interchangeably with such adverbial qualifications as ‘at’ (ʿinda) and ‘before’ (qabl), as well as with the noun ghayr (other than).^{‎[12] Bahrayn, under d-w-n. See also Qamus, under dūna.}

Exegetes differ on whether the noun dūna in the verse under discussion has been used to signify ‘below’ or ‘other than’. Some exegetes, such as Ṭūsī, seem to hold that the word dūna has appeared in the verse under discussion to signify ‘below’, and as such, the sentence and some of us are otherwise would mean: that amongst us are those who are lower than the righteous in rank.^{‎[13] Tibyan, 10/151.} Accordingly, the sentence shall include only those who are closer to the righteous in position. However, the noun dūna in this verse seems to have been more likely deployed in the place of the noun ghayr (other than^{‎[14] Mizan, 20/44.} ) because the purpose of this classification was to acknowledge the presence of two distinct groups amidst the community of jinn. As a result, the sentence and some of us are otherwise would include both those who are below in rank to the righteous as well as those who did not possess an upright personality at all.

Ṭarāʾiq derives from the root ṭarq which means to strike, to forge metal, and to knock at the door.^{‎[15] Qamus, under ṭarq.} A road or path is called ṭarīq (pl. ṭuruq) in Arabic since it is knocked by the feet of one who walks over it. The term thereafter came to be used figuratively for any direction or course of action pursued by man in life.^{‎[16] Raghib, under ṭ-r-q.} Ṭarīqah (pl. ṭarāʾiq) denotes a sect, a creed, or a particular state and condition.^{‎[17] Qamus, under ṭarīqah.}

The word ṭarāʾiq has occurred two times in the Quran, in 23:17 and in the verse under discussion. It has appeared here to imply sects and factions.^{‎[18] Qummi, 2/389; Qurtubi, 20/15; Tabari, 29/70; Shubbar, p. 535; Kashif, 7/437.} Muṣṭafawī, however, is of the belief that the word ṭarq, like the noun ṭabʿ, denotes to mould something in a particular shape, and as such, the noun ṭarīqah denotes that which has taken a specific form due to possessing some physical or spiritual characteristics, or as a result of belief in a certain ideology. He concludes, on this basis, that the term ṭarāʾiq in the verse signifies the natural dispositions (ṭabāʾiʿ). Consequently, the sentence we are multifarious sects would mean that the jinn were diversified in nature in terms of their essential (dhātī) characteristics and states. As a result, this verse points to the existential differences that present among members of the community of jinn.^{‎[19] Tahqiq, under q-d-d.} This exegetical interpretation appears to corroborate the explanation offered by the exegetes on the meaning of this verse as discussed under Exposition. 

Qidad (sing. qiddah) lexically comes from the root qadd meaning to split something vertically.^{‎[20] Raghib, under q-d-d; Tahqiq, under q-d-d. The opposite of qadd is qaṭṭ which denotes to split something laterally (Bahrayn, under q-d-d).} Qiddah is a noun that signifies the part that has been split from the whole.^{‎[21] Bahrayn, under q-d-d.} The term qidad has appeared in this verse as an adjective to the noun ṭarāʾiq (sects) to illustrate the reality that every group amongst them had been different to other groups, just as the parts that split from the whole are different to one another.^{‎[22] Qamus, under qidad. See also Tibyan, 10/152.} Said differently, every party amongst them would lead its adherents to a direction that is completely different to that of other parties.^{‎[23] Mizan, 20/44.}  

EXPOSITION

This again is part of the speech of the group of jinn who listened to the Quran^{‎[24] Tibyan, 10/151; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/382.} that was delivered in the course of their endeavour to persuade their fellow community members to profess belief in the Quran and the Prophet of Islam.^{‎[25] Nemuneh, 25/115; Qurtubi, 20/15; Shawkani, 5/367.}

This classification of the community of jinn into those who are righteous and those who are not seems not to be a value-laden classification that is based on the element of faith in Islam, otherwise it would have been proper to narrate this statement of the jinn after verse 13 of this surah where they speak of embracing Islam after listening to the Quran.^{‎[26] Mizan, 20/44.} This statement hence describes the community of jinn before the advent of Islam.^{‎[27] Kashif, 7/439.} As such, what is implied by the term righteous here is rather the quality of being naturally inclined towards that which is good.^{‎[28] Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/382.} Said differently, the term ṣāliḥūn here refers to that faction amongst the jinn who were upright in their personality and social interaction even before the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (s), and had retained their God-given natural tendency towards good.^{‎[29] Mizan, 20/44; Alusi, 15/98.} This interpretation can be supported by taking into account that this group of jinn have so far been describing the situation that existed in the community of jinn before they listened to the Quran,^{‎[30] Fadlallah, 23/156-157.} as the last part of this verse, we are multifarious sects, also attests to this.^{‎[31] Alusi, 15/98.} As such, the assertion of such a division may have come as a response to what some of the jinn may have misconceived of their own nature as beings that are evil by disposition due to the fact that the accursed Satan had been from them. The point that this group of believers were thus trying to get across by this assertion was that the jinn are voluntary agents who possess the element of free will and choice, and hence both virtuous and sinful people are to be found within their communities. Making them realise that they possess the ability to pursue the right path is part of personality recognition and an effective motivator in inviting people towards the truth and perfection.^{‎[32] Nemuneh, 25/115.}

It is also probable that these believers from the jinn may have made this statement for the purpose of absolving their fellow community members of the guilt of communicating heavenly news to the evil-minded amongst humans who then abused the information to mislead God’s creation. This statement thus came as a clarification that not all members of the jinn were involved in the phenomenon of eavesdropping on the heavenly news and sharing it with the wicked amongst the human beings.^{‎[33] Nemuneh, 25/115.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Ibn ʿĀshūr is of the view that by classifying their community into those who are righteous and those who are not, this group of jinn were referring to the division that occurred in the community after they embraced Islam. Thus, by righteous they meant themselves, i.e. those who professed belief in the Quran after listening to it, whilst they categorised the non-believers amongst them as those who are otherwise.^{‎[34] Ibn Ashur, 29/215. See also Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur՚ān, p. 243.} This view however does not seem to be acceptable, for beside the fact this statement entailed the description of their community before the advent of Islam,^{‎[35] Alusi, 15/98.} the division of the jinn into believers and non-believers after this group professed belief in the Quran was too obvious to emphasise.^{‎[36] Qurtubi, 20/15.}

Although Qurṭubī seems to agree that this categorisation of the jinn refers to the period before the advent of the Prophet of Islam, he interprets the sentence Among us some are righteous and some of us are otherwise as implying that the community of jinn were not all disbelievers, but that part of them were believers who used to act righteously, while there were also some believers among them who were not righteous. Therefore, according to him, this classification is based on the element of faith in the divine message, not Islam as such, but the message brought by the previous prophets; for he asserts that some members of the jinn were followers of Prophet Moses (a) and Prophet Jesus (a) as indicated in 46:30.^{‎[37] Qurtubi, 20/15.}

[1] Lisan, under ṣ-l-ḥ.
[2] Raghib, under f-s-d.
[3] Raghib, under ṣ-l-ḥ.
[4] Tahqiq, under ṣ-l-ḥ.
[5] Raghib, under ṣ-l-ḥ.
[6] Qamus, under ṣāliḥ.
[7] Qamus, under ṣāliḥūn.
[8] Qamus, under ṣāliḥ.
[9] Mizan, 20/44; Alusi, 15/98.
[10] Lisan and Bahrayn, under d-w-n.
[11] Qamus, under dūna.
[12] Bahrayn, under d-w-n. See also Qamus, under dūna.
[13] Tibyan, 10/151.
[14] Mizan, 20/44.      
[15] Qamus, under ṭarq.
[16] Raghib, under ṭ-r-q.
[17] Qamus, under ṭarīqah.
[18] Qummi, 2/389; Qurtubi, 20/15; Tabari, 29/70; Shubbar, p. 535; Kashif, 7/437.
[19] Tahqiq, under q-d-d.
[20] Raghib, under q-d-d; Tahqiq, under q-d-d. The opposite of qadd is qaṭṭ which denotes to split something laterally (Bahrayn, under q-d-d). 
[21] Bahrayn, under q-d-d.
[22] Qamus, under qidad. See also Tibyan, 10/152.
[23] Mizan, 20/44.
[24] Tibyan, 10/151; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/382.
[25] Nemuneh, 25/115; Qurtubi, 20/15; Shawkani, 5/367.
[26] Mizan, 20/44.
[27] Kashif, 7/439.
[28] Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/382.
[29] Mizan, 20/44; Alusi, 15/98.
[30] Fadlallah, 23/156-157.
[31] Alusi, 15/98.
[32] Nemuneh, 25/115.
[33] Nemuneh, 25/115.
[34] Ibn Ashur, 29/215. See also Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur՚ān, p. 243.
[35] Alusi, 15/98.
[36] Qurtubi, 20/15.
[37] Qurtubi, 20/15.