قالَ فَالحَقُّ وَالحَقَّ أَقولُ
Said He: ‘The truth is that – and I speak the truth.
EXEGESIS
There is usage of a diacope in this verse with the word ḥaqq. The first could mean: I am the truth; or it could mean: The truth is that I will surely fill hell; or: The truth belongs to God. Others have argued it is used as God’s name, like in the verse, Allah is the manifest reality (al-ḥaqq) (24:25), meaning God swears by Himself. It has also been suggested to mean: The truth is my oath. What is most likely though is what we have mentioned in the next section.
EXPOSITION
God replies to Iblīs’ threats by saying The truth is that, meaning the path Iblīs has chosen for himself of attempting to misguide mankind, is something acceptable to God, and part of His true plan. This understanding is supported by the parallel verse in Sūrat al-Ḥijr, in which God replies to Iblīs’ threat by saying this is a right way with Me (15:41).
And I speak the truth is a setup for what God says in the next verse, as if to say ‘furthermore, what is true is …’; that He will surely fill hell with Iblīs and his followers, and this is a truth that Iblīs and all creation should be aware of.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Tabatabai says that I speak the truth is a reply to all the previous claims made by Iblīs, like him being better than man, and that God was wrong to order him to prostrate, and so on. So God is telling him that in fact he was wrong, and everything He says is true.
As for the statement The truth is that, it has been understood as an oath, as in to say ‘the truth is my oath’; but what was mentioned earlier is more appropriate.
[1] Tibyan, 8/585; Tabari, 23/120; Suyuti, 5/321.
[2] Zamakhshari, 4/108; Qurtubi, 15/229-230.
[3] Razi, 26/415; Mizan, 17/227; Nemuneh, 19/350; Tantawi, 12/183.
[4] Mizan, 17/228.
[5] Zamakhshari, 4/108; Alusi, 12/219; Mizan, 17/227; Nemuneh, 19/349; Tantawi, 12/183.