عَنِ النَّبَإِ العَظيمِ
[Is it] about the great tiding?
EXEGESIS
Nabaʾ is a news that has three characteristics: 1. It is great and significant. 2. It is useful and essential. 3. It brings about certain knowledge, or at least some knowledge that dominates speculation. In the Quran, however, it is used for any news, but always related to revelation and prophethood in one way or another. Given the attribute of ʿaẓīm (mighty, great), the first element is certainly intended in this verse.
EXPOSITION
The phrase nabaʾ ʿaẓīm is also found in verse 38:67, following a detailed description of paradise and hell. Say: ‘It is a great prophesy, of which you are disregardful’ (38:67-68). Matching the two chapters together, the difference of people about the great tiding is primarily their neglect and disregard. Of course, the signs discussed in the following verses can also prove other suggested meanings for the great tiding, such as God’s unity, or the truth of the Quran.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- There are many narrations that define the great tiding as wilāyah (guardianship, of the Infallibles). Some of these narrations specifically say that the great tiding is Imam Ali (a), about whose successorship people used to differ.
Notes: 1. These narrations are too many to be rejected. 2. If these verses were to be separated from the entire chapter and its context of revelation in Mecca, they could very well describe Imam Ali’s (a) guardianship and succession to the Prophet, for that was a great news of which many people were ignorant, that many people doubted, and upon which many people disagreed. 3. The last verse of this chapter could also be a subtle reference to this idea: and the faithless one will say: ‘I wish I were dust!’ (verse 40), because one of Imam Ali’s (a) titles was Abū Turāb (lit. the father of dust). Hence, ‘I wish I were dust!’ could be a subtle reference to having embraced the Imam’s guardianship and coming under his authority. This is exactly seen in a hadith from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a), and is confirmed by a prophetic narration: ‘When the faithless sees what God, blessed and exalted is He, has prepared for the followers of Ali in terms of reward, proximity, and honour, he will say: “I wish I were dust”, meaning “I wish I were a follower of Ali.”’ 4. Yet, given the apparent context of these verses and the entire chapter, these narrations should be regarded as inner layers and latent meanings of the verses and their application to instances which may happen even after the era of revelation, for indeed the Quran has multiple layers and different applications.
- According to a narration, the polytheists of Mecca (the Quraysh) used to mock the Messenger of God when he talked to them about the stories of the previous nations as a means of admonition. Thus God ordered him: Certainly He has sent down to you in the book that when you hear Allah’s signs being disbelieved and derided, do not sit with them until they engage in some other discourse (4:140). Thus, the Messenger of God used to only talk to his own companions and would stop speaking whenever any of the polytheists would come. So, one day they gathered around him and said: ‘O Muhammad! By God, your speech is truly amazing, and we yearn to hear your talk and speech.’ The Prophet replied: ‘But my Lord has prohibited me from speaking to you.’ Thus God revealed: What is it about which they question each other?! [Is it] about the great tiding?
Notes: It is very unlikely that this can be an authentic account for the context of revelation of these verses for the following reasons: 1. Chapter 4 was revealed in Medina. It is possible that what was revealed at the time in Mecca was verse 6:68, which has the same message and is a Meccan verse. 2. Based on the Prophet’s biography, he used to speak and converse with the polytheists throughout his stay in Mecca. Furthermore, neither verse 4:140 nor 6:68 prohibit the Prophet from talking to the polytheists whatsoever. Rather, they give a criteria for when to speak to them and when to stop: When you see those who gossip impiously about Our signs, avoid them until they engage in some other discourse (6:68). 3. What the polytheists told the Prophet according to this hadith raises serious doubts as to the consistency of this hadith.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Besides the suggested interpretation of the great tiding discussed earlier (as the hereafter), there are two other interpretations widely discussed by the exegetes: 1. The Quran, as interpreted by Ibn Abbas and Mujāhid. It has been argued that the Quran is a news and tiding itself, as opposed to the hereafter, which is the content of this news. Moreover, the disbelievers had different views about the Quran, such as viewing it as magic, confused nightmares, the word of man, or the myths of the ancients (16:103, 21:3, 21:5, 25:5, 74:24-25). 2. The prophethood and message of Muhammad (s), as interpreted by Qatādah. They also differed about the Prophet as being a magician, liar, poet, madman, or one taught by others (16:103, 21:5, 25:4-5, 38:4, 44:14, 51:52, 52:30), and used to question about what he used to recite (47:16).
However, given the entire chapter’s discussion on the hereafter, none of these can be the primary meaning of the great tiding, although they can be included by extension as they bear news about the hereafter. The same can be said about the difference of the people concerning other matters such as God, the angels, and the prophets. Furthermore, the distinction between news and its content (nabaʾ and munabbaʾun ʿanhu) has no Quranic evidence, not to mention that greatness is the quality of the content, not the mere words of a news. Some exegetes have suggested a more comprehensive sense of nabaʾ, which would include all of these possibilities.
[1] Raghib, under n-b-ʾ.
[2] Furqan, 30/11-12, 20. The early exegetes have suggested all of these possibilities, although they have mostly interpreted the great tiding as the hereafter; Tabari, 30/2-3.
[3] Qummi, 2/401; Kafi, 1/207, 418; Uyun, 2/6, h. 13; Tahdhib, 3/146; Hasakani, 2/417-418.
[4] Tasnīm, 25/497.
[5] Astarābādī, Taʾwīl al-Āyāt al-Ẓāhirah, p. 736; Daqaiq, 14/109.
[6] Maani, p. 120; Ilal, 1/156.
[7] Tibyan, 10/238.
[8] Suyuti, 6/305.
[9] Suyuti, 6/305.
[10] Razi, 31/7; Mizan, 20/159; Furqan, 30/12-13.