وَأَنّا مِنَّا المُسلِمونَ وَمِنَّا القاسِطونَ ۖ فَمَن أَسلَمَ فَأُولٰئِكَ تَحَرَّوا رَشَدًا

Among us some are muslims and some of us are perverse. Yet those who submit [to Allah] – it is they who pursue rectitude.

EXEGESIS

Muslimūn (sing. muslim) is an active participle of the verb aslama that has its origin in the root silm, meaning to be free and safe from visible and invisible affliction.^{‎[1]Raghib, under s-l-m.} The word salāmah implies to be safe from annoyance and defect. One of the beautiful names of God is al-salām due to His being free from all forms of defect and fault that apply to His creation. The term islām implies submission, since compliance protects one from rebellion and revolt.^{‎[2]Maqayis, cited in Tahqiq, under s-l-m.} However, some researchers maintain that silm is the opposite of dispute and disagreement that signifies strong compliance from within and without such that there remains no trace of disagreement between two given parties.^{‎[3]Tahqiq, under s-l-m.} In the verse under discussion, the term muslimūn implies to submit one’s affairs to God and to obey His will and command.^{‎[4]Mizan, 20/45.} By so doing, peace and harmony will feature in one’s relationship with his master and Lord.

Qāsiṭūn is an active participle of the verb qasaṭa that comes from the root qisṭ. The term qisṭ is used in the Arabic language to denote two antithetical meanings of justice and oppression.^{‎[5]Lisan and Raghib, under q-s-ṭ.} Some lexicographers like Fīrūzābādī and al-Shartūnī suggest that qisṭ signifies justice whilst qasṭ denotes injustice.^{‎[6]Qamus, under qisṭ.} However, the criterion that is generally used to distinguish between these two opposite meanings is that all derivatives derived from the verb of form 1, qasaṭa, imply injustice and transgression, while those that come from the verb of form 4 – aqsaṭa – signify justice.^{‎[7]Bahrayn, under q-s-ṭ.} Accordingly, as the term qāsiṭ means an oppressor, muqsiṭ denotes one who is just.^{‎[8]Tabrisi, 10/558.} Based on this, the term qisṭ lexically signifies both justice and oppression, whilst iqsāṭ is specifically used to denote justice and equity.

The term qāsiṭūn in this verse means transgressors and refers to those amongst the jinn who turned away from the path of truth^{‎[9]Tibyan, 10/152; Ibn Kathir, 8/255; Qurtubi, 20/17; Shawkani, 5/369; Zamakhshari, 4/628; Tabrisi, 10/559; Mizan, 20/45.} that represents faith in and obedience to God.^{‎[10] Alusi, 15/100.} In other words, they were unjust to themselves by choosing not to submit to God. 

Aslama is a verb which, like the term muslimūn, has its origin in the root silm. It signifies here to surrender to God’s command.^{‎[11] Tibyan, 10/152; Tabrisi, 10/559.} Nevertheless, Makārim Shīrāzī maintains that the verb implies here to accept Islam as a religion.^{‎[12] Nemuneh, 25/118.}

Taḥarraw is a perfect tense verb that comes from the root taḥarrī meaning to pursue and strive for something.^{‎[13] Bahrayn, under ḥ-r-a; Tabrisi, 10/558.} Based on this, the meaning of the last part of the verse would be: those who submit to God are indeed the ones who sought to reach the reality and attain the truth.^{‎[14] Mizan, 20/45.} However, Muṣṭafawī holds a somewhat different view about the lexical meaning of the root ḥary from which taḥarrī derives. According to him, the term denotes the state of equilibrium restored after crossing the given limits and having gone to the extreme. On this basis, the verb taḥarraw in this verse would signify that this group of jinn returned to the state of equilibrium after having transgressed it as a result of accepting the truth (rashad); not that they sought the truth as explained by many exegetes.^{‎[15] See, amongst others, Safi, 5/236; Ibn Kathir, 8/255; Shawkani, 5/369; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/384.} He argues that the appearance of the word qāsiṭūn – those who transgress and pass over a boundary – in the verse, supports this interpretation.^{‎[16] Tahqiq, under ḥ-r-y.}

Rashad – like the term rushd^{‎[17] For more explanation on this word, see rushd under the Exegesis of verse 2.} – signifies that which is in the interest of man.^{‎[18] Fayyumi, under al-rushd; Bahrayn, under r-sh-d.} In the context of this verse, the word has been interpreted as guidance,^{‎[19] Nemuneh, 25/118-119; Tibyan, 10/152.} salvation,^{‎[20] Ibn Kathir, 8/255.} the right path,^{‎[21] Ithna Ashari, 13/347.} the truth,^{‎[22] Mizan, 20/45.} and the path that leads to felicity.^{‎[23] Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/384.}

EXPOSITION

This statement of the jinn describes the new line-up within their community in terms of faith after the advent of Islam.^{‎[24] Kashif, 7/439; Qurtubi, 20/17.} After their encounter with the divine message, some of them believed in it and submitted to God, whilst others insisted on the path of infidelity and transgression.^{‎[25] Mizan, 20/45.} Hence, as is the case within the human community, there are Muslims and non-Muslims amongst the jinn.

The fragment it is they who pursue rectitude subtly suggests that a true believer does not blindly profess faith in the divine message, but that his belief is based on awareness and thorough investigation of it.^{‎[26] Nemuneh, 25/119.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Thaʿālabī considers the latter part of this verse to be God’s address to Prophet Muhammad (s), and not part of the speech of the jinn that believed in the Quran. He argues that this position is supported by the verses that follow.^{‎[27] Thaalabi, 5/496. See also Alusi, 15/100.}  

Mughniyyah is of the view that those referred to by the jinn in this verse as muslims are the same people as righteous in verse 11. The upright amongst them were thus named righteous (ṣāliḥūn) before Islam and muslims (muslimūn) after Islam.^{‎[28] Kashif, 7/439.}

[1] Raghib, under s-l-m.
[2] Maqayis, cited in Tahqiq, under s-l-m.
[3] Tahqiq, under s-l-m.
[4] Mizan, 20/45.
[5] Lisan and Raghib, under q-s-ṭ.
[6] Qamus, under qisṭ.
[7] Bahrayn, under q-s-ṭ.
[8] Tabrisi, 10/558.
[9] Tibyan, 10/152; Ibn Kathir, 8/255; Qurtubi, 20/17; Shawkani, 5/369; Zamakhshari, 4/628; Tabrisi, 10/559; Mizan, 20/45.
[10] Alusi, 15/100.
[11] Tibyan, 10/152; Tabrisi, 10/559.
[12] Nemuneh, 25/118.
[13] Bahrayn, under ḥ-r-a; Tabrisi, 10/558.
[14] Mizan, 20/45.
[15] See, amongst others, Safi, 5/236; Ibn Kathir, 8/255; Shawkani, 5/369; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/384.
[16] Tahqiq, under ḥ-r-y.
[17] For more explanation on this word, see rushd under the Exegesis of verse 2.
[18] Fayyumi, under al-rushd; Bahrayn, under r-sh-d.
[19] Nemuneh, 25/118-119; Tibyan, 10/152.
[20] Ibn Kathir, 8/255.
[21] Ithna Ashari, 13/347.
[22] Mizan, 20/45.
[23] Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/384.
[24] Kashif, 7/439; Qurtubi, 20/17.
[25] Mizan, 20/45.
[26] Nemuneh, 25/119.
[27] Thaalabi, 5/496. See also Alusi, 15/100.
[28] Kashif, 7/439.