كَلّا إِنَّ الإِنسانَ لَيَطغىٰ

Indeed man becomes rebellious.

EXEGESIS

The imperfect tense verb yaṭghā (he rebels) which occurs in this verse has ṭ-gh-y as its trilateral root letters, which mean to overflow and to be tumultuous as in the case of liquids.^{‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565; Tahqiq, 7/81.} Thus the sentence ṭaghā al-saylu (the flood waters broke the banks and inundated) would mean that the flood waters were excessively exuberant and overflowed, breaking the banks, exceeding the limits,^{‎[2]Tahqiq, 7/81.} and inundating;^{‎[3]Hans Wehr, p. 656.} a phenomenon aptly described in 69:11. It also means to transgress and to exceed the just or common limit(s)^{‎[4]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565; Lane, p. 1856.} in disobedience and rebellion,^{‎[5]Tahqiq, 7/81} to be excessive, and to be tyrannical (relevant Quranic examples for this meaning are 20:24, 20:43, 79:17, 79:27, 89:11, and 20:45), and to violate the established norms of justice (55:8).^{‎[6]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565.} The noun ṭughyan, which shares the trilateral root letters with the verb yaṭghā, is defined as pride, arrogance, and rebelliousness.^{‎[7]Razi, 32/220.} Thus it is argued that the essential meaning of its root letters is to rise high and exceed the known limits or the established limits of justice or that of a certain system, whether this be in the external world (such as in the case of water, blood, and the wind) or within a person’s self (such as described in the verses related to human rebelliousness and disobedience).^{‎[8]Tahqiq, 7/82-83.} Hence the peak or upper part of a mountain or any elevated place for that matter is designated the term ṭughyah because it exceeds the heights in accession, going beyond balance, and the surrounding system or plan.^{‎[9]Lane, p. 1856; Tahqiq, 7/82.}

EXPOSITION

Having mentioned the blessings that the human being is bestowed with in the previous five verses, which are the blessings of creation, nourishment through the various stages that a foetus undergoes until birth, the blessing of being inspired to read and write, and of being taught various things either via the agency of literacy and/or in addition to it, which should ideally lead to a sense of appreciation and gratitude on the part of the human being towards God, and consequently, obedience to His precepts, this verse states that such is not always the case. Rather, at times the contrary behaviour manifests on the part of the human being, which is that of ingratitude and rebelliousness,^{‎[10]Amthal, 20/326-327.} transgression, and exceeding the bounds and limits in oppressing himself and others.^{‎[11]Irshād al-Adhhān, 1/603; Mizan, 20/325.} This is stated in this verse which opens with the particle of emphasis inna^{‎[12]Karbāsī, Iʿrāb al-Qurʾān, 8/667.} (indeed), and emphasis is further strengthened by the emphatic letter lām prefixed to the verb layaṭghā;^{‎[13]Karbāsī, Iʿrāb al-Qurʾān, 8/667.} altogether, this becomes inna al-insāna layaṭghā, which gives a sense of definite inevitability to it if such people see themselves needless of God. But this verse is actually prefaced with a specific particle which is kallā. Several significations have been identified for this particle and these may be categorised into two major meanings. The first is rebuke, repudiation, aversion, and repulsion such as: not at all! Never! Certainly not! By no means! It thereby denotes the meaning of ‘to desist’.^{‎[14]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.} The second is confirmation and emphasis such as: indeed!^{‎[15]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.} In regards to the meaning of repudiation, several interpretations have been suggested such as: 1. This verse is in the form of a rebuttal to an implied question. The implied question is: has mankind fulfilled the duty of gratitude that comes about due to the blessings bestowed on it? And the answer is: kallā, rather man becomes rebellious …^{‎[16]Al-Tafsīr al-Qurʾānī lil-Qurʾān, 14/1626.} Thus, this particle may mean that the implicit intent of the previous verses is contravened, that is: nay, rather than being grateful and obedient to Allah for all His blessings such as creation, nurturing, knowledge, and teaching by means of the pen and via revelation,^{‎[17]Mizan, 20/324-325.} the human being is, on the contrary, ungrateful and rebellious,^{‎[18]Zamakhshari, 4/777; Anwār al-Tanzīl wa Asrār al-Taʾwīl, 5/325; Amthal, 20/326-327.} tending to misuse the blessings bestowed. 2. The particle kallā signifies a disavowal and rejection of the kind of person described in this verse which is one who is ungrateful to God for His blessings due to his rebelliousness and ingratitude,^{‎[19]Razi, 32/220; al-Aṣfā fī al-Tafsīr, 2/1459; Daqaiq, 14/347; Shawkani, 5/571.} as well as serving to rebuke and reprimand him.^{‎[20]Razi, 32/220.} 3. It signifies the meaning of ‘to desist’. Ṭūsī explains it as follows: ‘It means refrain and hold yourselves back O people vested with responsibility (for your deeds),’ (that is, beware!).^{‎[21]Tibyan, 10/379.}

In regards to the second major meaning suggested, which is that of confirmation and emphasis, this includes an implicit oath^{‎[22]Tibyan, 10/379; Razi, 32/220.} akin to 74:32.^{‎[23]Razi, 32/220.} The Quran commentators use the term ḥaqqan as a substitute for it,^{‎[24]Tibyan, 10/380; Tabrisi, 10/782; Razi, 32/220; Irshād al-Adhhān, 1/603; Tafsīr al-Muʿīn lil-Wāʾiẓīn, p. 597; Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, 1/562; Amthal, 20/326-327; Shawkani, 5/571; Bayān al-Maʿānī, 1/70; Samarqandi, 3/598.} meaning ‘truly’, ‘indeed’, ‘certainly I swear, man becomes rebellious!’ Although both interpretations for the particle kallā have their proponents, the second meaning for it is argued to be more apparent than the first. Nevertheless, perhaps both meanings can be taken together as complimenting each other and enriching the sense and meaning of the verse in this particular context.

Hence, this verse contains at least two places of emphasis, and it may be argued three places of emphasis if the second meaning of the particle kallā is favoured over the first one. This comes across clearly and eloquently in the Arabic diction of the verse as explained above although it may come across as rather convoluted if the Arabic diction is literally translated into English. Nevertheless an attempt would not be without benefit and thus this verse could literally be rendered either as: Nay! Surely man becomes rebellious indeed! Or it could be rendered as: Certainly I swear, man surely becomes rebellious indeed!

But when does this rebellious attitude on the part of the human being occur? The answer appears in the following verse.

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565; Tahqiq, 7/81.
[2] Tahqiq, 7/81.
[3] Hans Wehr, p. 656.
[4] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565; Lane, p. 1856.
[5] Tahqiq, 7/81
[6] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 565.
[7] Razi, 32/220.
[8] Tahqiq, 7/82-83.
[9] Lane, p. 1856; Tahqiq, 7/82.
[10] Amthal, 20/326-327.
[11] Irshād al-Adhhān, 1/603; Mizan, 20/325.
[12] Karbāsī, Iʿrāb al-Qurʾān, 8/667.
[13] Karbāsī, Iʿrāb al-Qurʾān, 8/667.
[14] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.
[15] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.
[16] Al-Tafsīr al-Qurʾānī lil-Qurʾān, 14/1626.
[17] Mizan, 20/324-325.
[18] Zamakhshari, 4/777; Anwār al-Tanzīl wa Asrār al-Taʾwīl, 5/325; Amthal, 20/326-327.
[19] Razi, 32/220; al-Aṣfā fī al-Tafsīr, 2/1459; Daqaiq, 14/347; Shawkani, 5/571.
[20] Razi, 32/220.
[21] Tibyan, 10/379.
[22] Tibyan, 10/379; Razi, 32/220.
[23] Razi, 32/220.
[24] Tibyan, 10/380; Tabrisi, 10/782; Razi, 32/220; Irshād al-Adhhān, 1/603; Tafsīr al-Muʿīn lil-Wāʾiẓīn, p. 597; Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, 1/562; Amthal, 20/326-327; Shawkani, 5/571; Bayān al-Maʿānī, 1/70; Samarqandi, 3/598.