وَأَنَّهُم ظَنّوا كَما ظَنَنتُم أَن لَن يَبعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا

They thought, just as you think, that Allah will not raise anyone as a prophet.

EXEGESIS

Ẓannū derives from the root ẓann which implies a belief that has been acquired through unconfirmed evidence.^{‎[1]Raghib, under ẓ-n-n.} As such, here it signifies a belief that does not rest on proper evidence. The subject of They thought are the men from the humans.^{‎[2]Mizan, 20/42.}

Yabʿatha is the imperfect tense of the verb baʿatha which means to send out or to dispatch.^{‎[3]Hans Wehr, under b-ʿ-th.} It derives from the infinitive noun baʿth, which lexically implies to arouse something and give it direction.^{‎[4]Raghib and Bahrayn, under b-ʿ-th.} Nonetheless, Muṣṭafawī has held that the meaning of the word baʿth is literally composed of two concepts: to select and to raise somebody for accomplishing a certain task. As such, all other meanings stated for this term, such as to dispatch or to awaken, would be figurative.^{‎[5]Tahqiq, under b-ʿ-th.}

This term has been used in the Quran in different connotations, such as to dispatch (5:31), to elevate in status (17:79), to awaken from sleep (6:60), to appoint an arbiter (4:35), and to rise for a task (91:12), all of which are harmonious with the basic meaning of the term baʿth – to raise. However, the most prominent meanings in which the term has often appeared in the Quran is the dispatch of the prophets (62:2), and the resurrection on the Day of Judgement (22:7).^{‎[6]Qamus, under baʿth.} In the verse under discussion, the term signifies the dispatch of messengers by God towards mankind.^{‎[7]Mizan, 20/42.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is part of the conversation of the group of jinn who professed belief in the Quran with the unbelievers from their community.^{‎[8]Mizan, 20/42; Kashif, 7/435; Tabari, 29/69; Alusi, 15/96; Zamakhshari, 4/624; Thaalabi, 5/495; Fadlallah, 23/151; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/375.} It reveals an ideological misconception that existed amidst the polytheists from the jinn and the humans that God shall never send a messenger towards His creation, a notion that led them to deny the Quran and the apostleship of Prophet Muhammad (s). However, after listening to the Quran and comprehending its veracity, this group of jinn admonished their fellow members not to pursue further the path of infidelity as the polytheists among the humans had been doing.^{‎[9]Nemuneh, 25/110.}

It is worthy of note here that the verb yabʿatha in this verse could also be interpreted as implying resurrection and bringing back to life after death.^{‎[10] Qurtubi, 20/11; Shawkani, 5/366; Kashif, 7/435; Fadlallah, 23/151.} As such, the verse would thus read: They thought, just as you think, that God will not raise anyone from the dead. However, the context of the verses that follow is more harmonious with the meaning of sending prophets than resurrection.^{‎[11] Mizan, 20/42. See also Nemuneh, 25/111.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes such as Ṭūsī and al-Andalūsī consider this verse and the preceding verse to be parenthetic clauses, that is, they are not part of the narration of the jinn’s conversation with their community members, but rather these are God’s words directly addressed to the polytheists of Mecca.^{‎[12] Tibyan, 10/148-149; Muhit, 10/296.} Based on this, the verse would read as follows: The jinn thought, just as you – humans – think, that God will not raise anyone; but they realised their mistake after listening to the Quran, and so should you.^{‎[13] Nemuneh, 25/110.} However, considering that the verses before and after these two are all part of the jinn’s discourse, it would not seem proper to incorporate in between these verses a speech that is alien to the context.^{‎[14] Razi, 30/668; see also Mizan, 20/42, and Nemuneh, 25/111.}

A rather strange view has been maintained by Shawkānī in this regard as he believes that this verse is the speech of the jinn, addressed not to their fellow members, but to human beings.^{‎[15] Shawkani, 5/366.}

[1] Raghib, under ẓ-n-n.
[2] Mizan, 20/42.
[3] Hans Wehr, under b-ʿ-th.
[4] Raghib and Bahrayn, under b-ʿ-th.
[5] Tahqiq, under b-ʿ-th.
[6] Qamus, under baʿth.
[7] Mizan, 20/42.
[8] Mizan, 20/42; Kashif, 7/435; Tabari, 29/69; Alusi, 15/96; Zamakhshari, 4/624; Thaalabi, 5/495; Fadlallah, 23/151; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/375.
[9] Nemuneh, 25/110.
[10] Qurtubi, 20/11; Shawkani, 5/366; Kashif, 7/435; Fadlallah, 23/151.
[11] Mizan, 20/42. See also Nemuneh, 25/111.
[12] Tibyan, 10/148-149; Muhit, 10/296.
[13] Nemuneh, 25/110.
[14] Razi, 30/668; see also Mizan, 20/42, and Nemuneh, 25/111.
[15] Shawkani, 5/366.