وَهَدَيناهُ النَّجدَينِ
And shown him the two paths?
EXEGESIS
Najd (path) literally means an elevated place. Perhaps due to the literal signification of the word, some exegetes, including early commentators such as Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and al-Ḍaḥḥāk, interpreted it to mean the two breasts of the mother towards which a baby is naturally guided when seeking milk. In fact, it was very common for Arabs to swear by the breasts of a mother and would say, for example: ‘By her elevated places (najdayhā), I did not do it!’
However, the narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt categorically reject such an interpretation. It is noteworthy that in Sunni narrations this view has been attributed to Imam Ali (a), though in Shia reports Imam Ali (a) categorically rejects such an interpretation. Based on the context of the verse, most exegetes have taken the word najdayn in a metaphorical sense to mean the two paths of good and evil.
EXPOSITION
In the previous verse, it was mentioned that some exegetes opined that the mentioning of these blessings have been brought as a kind of proof that God is all-seeing, and thus are evidence for the claim in verse 7. However, other exegetes opine that this cannot be the case, for that claim is self-evident and needs no proof. Rather, these blessings are being mentioned in order that the speaker in verse 6 may come out of his arrogance and realise how much he is dependent on God.
The reason why the paths of good and evil are likened to elevated places is because of the effort and struggle required to traverse them. Another opinion as to why the paths of good and bad are likened to elevated places is due to the fact that these two paths can easily be seen and distinguished, similar to how elevated positions can easily be identified. Another reason is that paying attention to these paths elevates a person’s status – by practicing that which is good and abstaining from that which is evil. Another opinion is that in reality only the path of goodness is elevated, but the reason both paths are likened to elevated places is because this was a common rhetorical tool that the Arabs used whereby they would use the dual form for two things and classify them together if they were similar in a few areas, for example the sun and moon were called al-qamarayn (lit. the two moons).
How exactly is man given this guidance of being able to differentiate between the paths of good and evil? There are three methods: 1. Using intellectual proofs and logical demonstrations, man can differentiate between good and evil, at least in some cases. 2. Using intuition (fiṭrah) and without relying on any intellectual proofs. 3. Using revelation and the guidance from prophets and Imams. Everything that man needs to know on this path towards God has been made known to him through one of these methods, or in most cases through all three.
For Subḥānī, this verse is considered a proof that good and evil can be deduced rationally.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- It is reported from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘The two paths [are] of good and evil.’
- It has been reported that it was said to Imam Ali (a): ‘There are some people who say regarding And shown him the two paths? that it means the two breasts.’ He replied: ‘No, they are [the paths] of good and evil.’
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
One opinion states that the path of goodness is likened to an elevated place because elevated places tend to have much purer winds and a beautiful atmosphere. Likewise, traveling on the path of goodness is comforting for the soul and is what man is naturally inclined to. The path of evil is called an elevated place due to the commonness of pairing two things that commonly occur together, in Arabic rhetoric, as was mentioned previously.
[1] Muhit, 10/482.
[2] Tabrisi, 10/748.
[3] Alusi, 15/353.
[4] Alusi, 15/353.
[5] Fadlallah, 24/267.
[6] Mizan, 20/292; Amthal, 20/213.
[7] Tabrisi, 10/749; Tibyan, 10/352; Mudarrisi, 18/121.
[8] Tabrisi, 10/749.
[9] Amthal, 20/218.
[10] Munyah, 30/366.
[11] Kafi, 1/163, h. 4.
[12] Safi, 5/331.
[13] Amthal, 20/218.