Yā Sīn – Verse 2

وَالقُرآنِ الحَكيمِ

By the wise Quran.

EXEGESIS

By the wise Quran is an oath (qasam) to emphasise what is stated in the next verse, that You are indeed one of the apostles. Taking an oath by the Quran indicates that the wisdom contained in the Quran is enough proof for the Prophet’s mission. That may be the reason why the Quran is explicitly described as wise here.

The word ḥakīm (wise) could have originated from ḥīkmah, which means wisdom. In this sense, the Quran is wise since it is significantly a wise guide, and whoever follows it will gain wisdom.[1] Another probable origin of ḥakīm could be muḥkam, meaning firm, in a way that no falsehood can penetrate it. In this sense, the Quran is firm since it presents solid arguments and firm proofs regarding its subject.

The word ḥakīm has been used ninety-seven times in the Quran, ninety-one times indicating all-wise as an attribute of God. Besides the verse under discussion, four other verses (3:58, 10:1, 31:2, and 43:4) describe the Quran as ḥakīm. Moreover, in 44:4, ḥakīm has been used to describe the decrees of God having great wisdom.[2] Therefore, God, His decrees, and the Quran are all attributed to possess great wisdom.

EXPOSITION

In the Arabic language, taking an oath has always been a literary device for emphasising important matters. It is not only to prove the honesty of the speaker but also to draw attention to the importance of the subject at hand. By making the oath, God tells us that the subject deserves all kinds of attention; it deserves to be thought over carefully and wholeheartedly. In fact, by taking an oath, the Creator brings Himself down to our level to tell us about the importance of the concepts He is teaching us. If you compare Allah in this respect to any other superior authority, which usually announces things to their subjects and expects them to follow without question, you would see how kind, considerate, and thoughtful the language of the Quran is.

Pondering on the oaths taken in the Quran, which are quite frequent, we find that their purpose is not to convince the listener about the veracity of the speaker, but to persuade them to ponder upon the object of the oath itself. In fact, by contemplating the object of the oath, one would automatically realise the truth of the statement. The object of the oath in this particular verse is the Quran. The oath tells us that by pondering on the Quran and its wisdom, you would necessarily admit that Muhammad (s) is one of the messengers.

The Quran is described as wise because it teaches wisdom, and its verses imbue wisdom in whoever seeks wisdom from them. For the wise, it is also proof of the veracity of the Prophet.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

  1. Imam Ali (a) is reported to have said: ‘And know that this Quran is an adviser who never deceives, a leader who never misleads, and a narrator who never speaks a lie. Whoever sits beside [and associates with] this Quran will not leave it unless he gains something or loses something, a gain in guidance or a loss in blindness [from truth]. You should also know that no one will be poor after having the Quran, and no one will be rich before having the Quran. Therefore, seek a cure from it for your ailments and seek its assistance in your distresses. It contains a cure for the biggest diseases, namely disbelief, hypocrisy, deviation, and misguidance. Seek mediation with Allah through it and turn to Allah by loving it. Do not seek mediation with the people through it.’[3]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

The Quran contains abundant wisdom; every surah in the Quran is a unit that is interconnected wisely, provoking the minds of thinkers and researchers. It allows them to contemplate and produce new ideas and concepts of knowledge and wisdom.[4]

The Quran being associated with wisdom could mean that every single concept and the idea it presents is founded on great wisdom and does not contradict the intellect. Therefore, the principles of religion presented by the Quran are grounded in firm wisdom. The Islamic practices are precisely the way they are supposed to be, aiming to develop the human being spiritually and morally. Additionally, even the structure of the Quran, with its surahs and verses and their meanings, are all interconnected and integrated, with strong coherence in every word and its meaning, which indicates that everything has been set and placed where it belongs, making the Quran wise.[5]   

According to Rāzī, there are several discussions concerning this verse; the first discussion is that usually, concepts are affirmed by proofs and evidence rather than oaths. However, the wisdom of using the Quran for an oath to affirm the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (s) has several probabilities.

The first probability is that the Arabs considered a false oath to be a cause of destruction to the person who made it. On the other hand, they observed that oaths were repeatedly used in the Quran yet nothing would happen to the Prophet; on the contrary, he would become stronger day after day; hence, the oaths would affirm his truthfulness.

The second probability is that oaths are used to affirm the message when the opposition insisted on rejecting the proofs and evidence out of their stubbornness, regardless of the relation between the false oath and destruction.

The third probability is that the oath on the Quran emphasises the importance of the Quran itself because the believers observe it as the most excellent book. Therefore, the use of the Quran for an oath is indicative of it being a book of lofty status for the Muslims and a great miracle that affirms the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (s).

The second discussion raised by Rāzī about the oath is: the polytheists did not believe in the Quran at all, so why would they be convinced with the oath By the wise Quran? He replies by stating that it is common that everyone makes an oath on objects that they hold in great respect. For example, the idol worshippers would affirm their words by swearing on the idols, the Christians would use a cross or the Bible, and the Muslims would use the Quran.[6]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

Wisdom is highly important in all Abrahamic and eastern religious scriptures and writings.

In monotheistic religions, the importance of wisdom is strongly associated with God, being the source of wisdom, which guides the people to develop their wisdom and attain the highest level of spirituality. In Zoroastrianism, God is called Ahura Mazda, which consists of Ahura (lord) and Mazda (wisdom).[7]  

In the Hebrew Bible, the word wisdom is mentioned frequently, and it is considered the highest virtue for the Israelites. In Proverbs 9:10,[8] the fear of the Lord is called the beginning of wisdom. Here are a few examples of biblical texts related to divine wisdom:

  1. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.[9]
  2. Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long-life bring understanding? To God belongs wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.[10]
  3. All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, and whose wisdom is magnificent.[11]
  4. Jesus said to some of his disciples, ‘For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.’[12]
  5. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.[13]
[1] Maturidi, 8/504.
[2] H-k-m in the online Quranic Arabic Corpus, < https://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(36:2:2) >.
[3] Nahj, sermon 176.
[4] ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Hasan Ḥabannakah, Maʿārij al-Tafakkur wa Daqāʾiq al-Tadabbur, (Damascus: Dār al-Qalam, 1942), 6/29.
[5] ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Hasan Ḥabannakah, Maʿārij al-Tafakkur wa Daqāʾiq al-Tadabbur, (Damascus: Dār al-Qalam, 1942), 6/29.
[6] Razi, 26/252.
[7] Boyce, Mary (1983), Ahurā Mazdā, Encyclopaedia Iranica, 1, New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, pp. 684-687, < https://iranicaonline.org/articles/ahura-mazda >.
[8] Proverbs 9:10.
[9] Proverbs 2:6.
[10] Job 12:12-13.
[11] Isaiah 28:29.
[12] Luke 21:15.
[13] James 1:5.