Appearance
Verses 19–20
This is an argument on monotheism based on the path of revelation. Although Unity of God and rejection of a partner from Him can be proved rationally in several ways, there is nothing to prevent its establishment from the way of clear revelation in which there is no doubt. The aim is to achieve certainty that God is One God; there is no partner with Him; and if this objective can be achieved through revelation that there is no doubt in it being a divine revelation, like the Qur’an which relies on challenges, and then there is nothing to prevent in relying on this method.
قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ ۚ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَىٰ ۚ قُلْ لَا أَشْهَدُ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ١٩
(6:19) Say: “What thing is the greatest in testimony?” Say: “Allah is witness between me and you; and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah?” Say: “I do not bear witness.” Say: “He is only one God, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him),”
God orders His Prophet to ask them about the greatest thing in testimony.
Testimony means bearing the news with a kind of clarity like eye-witnessing, etc. and conveying such news by informing and announcing. This bearing and conveying of news—especially the bearing—greatly differs according to the perception of the bearers and according to the manifestation of the news borne by the bearer and according to the strength and weakness of the bearer in conveying the news.
So, a bearer of testimony afflicted by negligence, forgetfulness or absent-mindedness cannot be like the one who properly remembers what his ears hear and his eyes see; similarly, a vigilant person cannot be like a drunk, nor is a learned specialist in his field like an unaware layman.
With this difference in levels of the bearing and conveying of news, there is no doubt that the Glorified God is greatest of all in testimony because it is He who has created every small and great thing, and to Him returns every amr and khalq. He encompasses everything and is with everything, even (an entity as small as) an atom’s weight in the heavens and the earth does not escape from His knowledge, nor anything smaller than that nor bigger; neither does He go astray nor does He forget.
Since this matter was clear and there was no doubt about it, there was no need to bring forth its reply in words by saying: “Say: ‘God is the greatest in testimony,’” as God has said: Say: “To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth?” Say: “To Allah…” (); or by saying: “They will surely say: ‘God’, as He has said: Say:”Whose is the earth, and whoever is therein, if you know?” They will say: “Allah’s.” ().
Moreover, the Divine Word: “Say: ‘God is witness between me and you,’” lead to that reality and takes the place of a reply. It is not unlikely that the word ‘witness’ be a predicate to a deleted subject, i.e. the pronoun, ‘He’, pointing to God; and in that case, the whole sentence will be: “Say: ‘God is witness between me and you;’” it will thus contain the reply of the question and the beginning of a new sentence.
Bear in mind that the sentence: “Say: ‘God is witness between me and you,’” containing the Holy Prophet’s statement about God’s testimony, is in itself a testimony, as it begins with the word, ‘Say’ since God’s order to him, to inform them of God’s testimony for his prophethood, is not separate from this witnessing (of prophethood). Therefore, there is no need to hold to various types of witnessing that is found in the Noble Qur’an for his prophethood and for the coming of the Qur’an from Him as seen in: …and Allah knows that you are most surely His messenger (). But Allah bears witness by what He has revealed to you that He has revealed it with His knowledge… (); and there are other verses that prove the point explicitly or implicitly by using the term ‘testimony’ or other words.
Qualifying His testimony with the phrase: “between me and you,” shows that God comes in the middle of the two opposite parties: the Holy Prophet and his people. The Holy Prophet was not separate from them and was not distinguished from them except in the claim of prophethood and messengership, and the claim of revelation of the Qur’an; but descending of the Qur’an through revelation is mentioned in the next sentence: and this Qur’an has been revealed to me. So, God’s testimony between the Holy Prophet and his people is actually His testimony for prophethood. This is also supported by His Word in the next verse: Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons, as will be explained, if God will.
and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches: It is connected to the previous order, Say: and is in conjunction with: Allah is witness between me and you.
Presenting the process of ‘warning’ as the aim of revealing the Noble Qur’an is based on the path of fear in the prophetic call and it is more effective in minds of the general public. On the other hand, the path of hope and promise of reward (which is one of the two paths in the prophetic call, and the mighty Book has used it to some extent) does not raise in one the compulsion to seek it, it merely creates longing and desire; contrary to the path of fear in which averting the possible harm is rationally incumbent.
Moreover, Islam calls to the religion of nature which is endowed and placed in people’s nature, but they are concealed from it because of their involvement in polytheism and sins which bring upon them misfortune and Divine wrath. In such a situation, it was nearer to reason and prudence to begin their call with warning; and probably it’s for all this that the character of the Holy Prophet has been confined (in this verse) to one of a warner, as we see in the Qur’anic words: You are naught but a warner (). …and I am only a plain warner ().
This concerns the common people, but as for the particular servants of God, who worship Him out of love for Him, not out of fear of the Fire or greed for a garden, since they perceive the call with fear and hope from a different angle. They perceive the Fire as a symbol of distance (from God) and His wrath, so they are afraid of it for that reason; and they perceive the garden as the arena of proximity and pleasure (of God), and therefore they aspire to it.
Apparently, the sentence: “and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches”, seems that it is addressed to the polytheists of Mecca or to the Quraysh and to the Arabs in general. But the contrast between the second person pronoun ‘you’ and ‘whomsoever it reaches’—and this phrase refers to him whom the Holy Prophet did not call face to face during his lifetime or after it—shows that the call was addressed to all those whom the Holy Prophet called, no matter whether the call preceded the revelation of the verse, happened simultaneously with it or followed it.
So, His Word: and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches, show that the Holy Prophet was sent with the Qur’an generally to all those who heard it from him or (who will hear it) from someone else till the Day of Resurrection. You may also say: The verse shows that the Noble Qur’an is a proof from God and His Book which speaks with truth to the people of this world from the time of its revelation till the Day of Resurrection.
The verse uses the phrase: “with it I may warn you”, and does not say, ‘with its recital I may warn you; because the Qur’an is a proof against him who hears its words, knows its meaning and is guided to its purposes; or interpreted for him its words and made its content reach his ear. It is not necessary that a written message, to a community, to be in their language, but to raise its proof against them and make them comprehend the object of the message. The Holy Prophet had indeed invited the people of Egypt, Ethiopia, Byzantines and Iran by his letters while their languages were not of the Qur’an; and among those who believed in the Holy Prophet in his lifetime and whose belief was accepted were Salmān of Persia, Bilāl of Ethiopia, Ṣuhayb of Byzantine and several Jews whose language was Hebrew—these are the facts in which there is no doubt.
“Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah?” Say: “I do not bear witness.” Say: “He is only one God, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him).” When God mentioned His testimony (for the Holy Prophet), and it is the greatest testimony for his messengership, and he was not sent except for inviting them to the religion of monotheism. Once God has testified that He has no partner in His divinity, then no one has the right to bear witness that there are other gods besides Him. Now, He orders His Prophet to ask them a question like someone who is surprised and shocked: Do they bear witness for multiple gods? This emphasis is seen by the usage of an and lām; as if the soul does not accept that they would testify to it after hearing the testimony of God, the Sublime.
Then He ordered the Holy Prophet to oppose them in the testimony and to negate from himself the testimony given by them. So the verse says: “Say: ‘I do not bear witness.’”—that is, as you have testified. Then it says: “Say: ‘He is only One God, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him);’” and this is bearing witness for His oneness, and disassociating from partners that they set up besides Him.
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ ۘ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٢٠
(6:20) Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; (as for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.
It gives information of what God has testified in the Books which were sent to the People of the Book, and what their scholars knew from the Books of the prophets in their possession—the books that contained good news after good news of the Holy Prophet of Islam and his attributes in which there was no doubt at all.
Once the Holy Prophet’s attributes were brought to their attention; they recognized him exactly as they knew their own sons. God says: Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the Ummī, whom they find, written down with them in the Torah and in the Gospel… (); Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Torah and their description in the Gospel (). Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Israelites know it? ().
Since some of their scholars used to hide what was with them (in their books) about his good news and his attributes, they disdained to believe in him. So, God, the Sublime, clarified their loss in their affairs by saying: “(As for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.”
Some discussion in the explanation of a similar verse in the Sūrah al-Baqarah () has passed earlier; and we have explained there the reason of change from second person pronoun to the third person, and, God willing, full explanation of that will be given in the Sūrah al-Aʾrāf ().
Examining Narrations
- Ibn Bābawayh narrates through his chain from Muḥammad b. ʿĪsā b. ʿUbayd who said: “Abu al-Ḥasan said to me: ‘What would you say if it is said to you: “Inform me about God, to Whom belong Might and Majesty, whether He is a thing or not a thing.” ‘“ He said: “I said: ‘God, to Whom belong Might and Majesty, has identified Himself as a thing, when He says: Say: “What thing is the greatest in testimony?” Say: “Allah is witness between me and you.” And I say: ‘Surely He is a thing not like (other) things; because rejection of His being a thing entails His rejection and nullity.’ He said to me: ‘You spoke the truth, and well done.’” (Tafsīr al-burhān)
- al-Riḍā, peace be upon him, said: “In tawḥīd people are of three faiths: Negation, anthropomorphism, and affirmation without anthropomorphism. As for the faith in negation, is not acceptable; and the faith in anthropomorphism is not acceptable because nothing resembles God, the Blessed, the Sublime; and the correct faith is the third one: affirmation without anthropomorphism. (ibid.)
Author’s comment: The view of negation means repudiation of the meanings of the attributes from Him, as the Muʾtazilites believe; and it means to reduce the positive attributes to the negation of their opposite, for example, the meaning of ‘the Powerful’ is that He is ‘not powerless,’ the meaning of ‘the Knowing’ is that He is ‘not ignorant.’ This is not valid unless it can be traced to the third view as explained by the Imām. The view of anthropomorphism means comparing God to something else—and there is nothing like Him—that is, affirming for Him an attribute in its limited sense which is found within us and which is distinguished from other attributes. So, His power becomes like our power, His knowledge becomes like our knowledge, and so on. But if He had attributes like ours, then He would be in need like us, and consequently He would not be the Essential/Eternal Being—He is well above this.
The view of affirmation without anthropomorphism means that to affirm for God the basic meaning of an attribute, and to remove from Him the characteristics of the attribute which are found in the created beings; in other words, to affirm the attribute and to reject its limitation.
- Abu al-Jārūd narrates from Abū Jaʿfar that he said about the Divine Word: Say: “What thing is the greatest in testimony?” Say: “Allah is witness between me and you.” : That was (revealed) because the Meccan polytheists had said: ‘O Muḥammad! Didn’t God find any messenger to send other than you? We do not see anyone who would confirm what you say.’ (This was in the beginning of his call to them when they were at Mecca.) They (also) said: ‘And we have indeed asked the Jews and the Christians about you, and they believe that there is no mention of you (in the books) with them; so bring to us someone who would bear witness that you are indeed the messenger of God.’ The Messenger of God said: ‘Allah is witness between me and you.’” (al-Tafsīr, al-Qummī)
- Bakīr narrates from Muḥammad who narrates from Abū Jaʿfar, peace be upon him, about the Word of God: that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches, that he said: “ ʿAli, peace be upon him, is among those whom it has reached.” (al-Tafsīr, al-ʿAyyāshī)
Author’s comment: Apparently, whomsoever it reaches is in conjunction with the second person pronoun, you. It has been narrated in some traditions that whomsoever it reaches means the Imām; and then whomsoever reaches is a conjunction of the omitted subject: I may warn you. But the first meaning is clearer.
- Ibn Bābawayh narrates from Yaḥyā b. ʿImrān al-Ḥalabī from his father from Abū ʿAbdillāh, peace be upon him, that he was asked about the Word of God, to Whom belong Might and Majesty: “…and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches.” He said: “In every language.” (Tafsīr al-burhān)
Author’s comment: We have seen how this may be inferred from this verse.
- Abu al-Shaykh has narrated from Ubayy b. Kaʾb that he said: “Some captives were brought before the Messenger of God, so he said to them: ‘Were you invited to Islam?’ They said: ‘No.’ So, he set them free and then he recited: “…and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches.” Then he said: ‘Set them free until they reach their place of safety because they were not invited (to Islam).’” (Tafsīr al-manār)
- Verily ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb said to ʿAbdullāh b. Salām: “Do you recognize Muḥammad in your books?” He said: “Yes, by God! We recognize him with the attributes by which God has described him to us when we see him among you just as one of us recognizes his own son when he sees him with the other children.”
As for what Ibn Salām swears by, is that: “Certainly, I have greater knowledge of this Muḥammad than my knowledge of my son.” (al-Tafsīr, al-Qummī)