وَاتلُ ما أوحِيَ إِلَيكَ مِن كِتابِ رَبِّكَ ۖ لا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِماتِهِ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دونِهِ مُلتَحَدًا
Recite what has been revealed to you from your Lord’s book. Nothing can change His words, and you will never find any refuge besides Him.
EXEGESIS
Multaḥad (refuge) comes from laḥada, which means to lean towards something, such as in the verse, The language of him to whom they refer (yulḥidūna) is non-Arabic (16:113). Mulḥid (nonbeliever or atheist) is the one who inclines away from religion. Multaḥad means a place you run away to (mahrab), so a sanctuary or place of safety. It is different to the awī in verse 16, even though both have been translated as refuge.
EXPOSITION
As the story of the People of the Cave has finished, God now turns His attention to some of the lessons that may be derived from that story. This verse continues with the knowledge of God which was mentioned in the previous verse, exploring that concept further.
Recite what has been revealed to you from your Lord’s book: this sentence is very similar to the opening verse of the surah, although there the proclamation was more impersonal and spoke of the Prophet in the third person, whereas here it is addressed to the Prophet directly. This implies that the advice in this and the next verse is directed at the believers whereas the advice and warnings of the beginning of the surah were addressed to all people.
The verse is instructing the Prophet to recite the revelation as the true account of everything, including the account of the People of the Cave. He should not have any fear doing so, even if he is belied or rejected; he should not hesitate in conveying the communications of God because no one can give him refuge besides God.
As for the Lord’s book, it may be referring to either the Quran or the protected tablet (85:22), as discussed further on. If the latter, it would give further credit to the Quran by declaring that it is revealed from the protected tablet.
Nothing can change His words: some have interpreted this to mean nothing can change what God has said, or its purport, that is His commandments. Or that no one can change the words of the Quran, like in the verse, The word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice. Nothing can change His words (6:115). Based on this interpretation, some might consider this to deny the possibility of naskh (abrogation) in the Quran. Rāzī argues that the reality is that the abrogating verse (nāsikh) is the actual end goal at which the abrogated verse (mansūkh) was always aimed. The abrogated verse is never changed and is in effect until it is abrogated. This answer might seem unsatisfactory though as it apparently does not really answer the objection of there being change.
A better formulation of what Rāzī is trying to say is that the commands of God that translate into the rulings of the shariah are always based on certain considerations of benefit (maṣlaḥah) and harm (mafsadah). These considerations form the basis of God’s commands. It may be that in different times, situations, and conditions these considerations manifest in different ways. What may be harmful or beneficial at one point in time under certain conditions may not be so at another time. The objective of benefit and avoiding harm stays the same, there is no changing God’s words in that regard, it is only a matter of how those words manifest themselves.
Having said that, the words of God here are far more than just the commandments of the shariah, but rather God’s decree and plan. This should be understood in the light of the surah’s main theme of the ‘true account’. God has ordained a plan for all things, and He knows what will happen in every step towards that plan. Nothing can change His decree, The Originator of the heavens and the earth; and when He decides on a matter, He just says to it ‘Be!’ and it is (2:117). That is the word and decree of God, which will always manifest as He intended. This is the meaning of The word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice (6:115).
This is why Tabatabai’s assertion that Lord’s book is referring to the protected tablet is more appropriate. It should not be forgotten that the words of the Quran that are recited are from the knowledge of the protected tablet: Rather it is a glorious Quran, in a protected tablet (85:21-22), although of course the protected tablet is more than just the Arabic words of the Quran.
In this sense this verse is declaring that God’s knowledge is different to human knowledge, as it is not susceptible to change. We may learn something, forget something, come across new evidence and information, all of which may cause us to reassess our position or to change what we say. Whereas with God none of that applies or is possible, as His knowledge is of the unseen and complete. His word that He has decreed does not need to change, as it is based on an all-encompassing knowledge. The connection of this to His plan for the People of the Cave should be obvious for the reader.
We should also not ignore the usage of the term from in the statement Recite what has been revealed to you from your Lord’s book. While the Prophet has received knowledge and revelation, he was not in possession of a complete knowledge of all things, which is only possible for God. Yet God may reveal some of that as He chooses. Again, consider this in the light of the surah’s theme.
And you will never find any refuge besides Him: if you do not follow what the Quran commands, you will not find any safety from God’s punishment. The word refuge is also symbolic of the story that just finished, as it brings to mind the cave that the youths sought refuge in, then take refuge (faʾwū) in the cave. Your Lord will unfold His mercy for you (verse 16). It was not the cave however that saved them, but their Lord in whom they had faith and in whom they placed their trust. Much like the ship of Prophet Noah (a), which is described fittingly as a vessel made of planks and nails (54:13), something quite mundane. It was God and their faith in Him that rescued Prophet Noah (a) and his passengers: Board it: in the name of Allah it shall set sail and cast anchor (11:41). As Nothing can change His words, nothing can provide refuge for those who oppose His plan. The story of the People of the Cave is also a great example of this and a clear lesson.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Many reports claim that this verse until the story of Prophet Moses (a) forms one section of the surah, which is in reply to the disbelievers of Quraysh who came to Prophet Muhammad (s) and asked him to turn away the poor who were following him. God prohibited such a thing taking place and called upon His Messenger to remain steadfastly alongside the believers. This is discussed more in the next verse.
Ālūsī sees Nothing can change His words as a rebuttal to those who asked the Prophet to Bring a Quran other than this, or alter it (10:15).
Tabatabai says that the verse is addressed to the Prophet in his station of prophethood, and God is telling him that he should recite and relay what God has revealed to him. The message of God is always the same and is never changed. As a messenger he should also never turn away from the one who has sent him, like in the verse, Say: ‘Neither can anyone shelter me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge besides Him. [I have no duty] except to transmit from Allah, and [to communicate] His messages’ (72:22-23).
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
- I have known of old that You have established Your testimonies forever.
- Your word is true from the beginning, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
- “But the word of the Lord endures forever.” This is the word that was preached to you.
[1] Razi, 21/455.
[2] Tibyan, 7/33.
[3] Mizan, 13/301.
[4] Tabrisi, 6/715.
[5] Tantawi, 8/507. See also 15:9.
[6] Razi, 21/455.
[7] See also Nemuneh, 12/394.
[8] Tabrisi, 6/715; Tabari, 15/154.
[9] See for example Razi, 21/454-455; Tabari, 15/155-156; Suyuti, 4/219.
[10] Mizan, 13/301.
[11] Malachi 3:6.
[12] Psalms 119:152.
[13] Psalms 119:160.
[14] 1 Peter 1:25.