Al-Mizan

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Verses 84–90 ​

Chapter 6: Al-Anʿām (The Cattle) · Printed edition: Volume 14, pp. 1–35

وَ وَهَبْنا لَهُ إِسْحاقَ وَ يَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنا وَ نُوحاً هَدَيْنا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ داوُدَ وَ سُلَيْمانَ وَ أَيُّوبَ وَ يُوسُفَ وَ مُوسى‏ وَ هارُونَ وَ كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ٨٤ وَ زَكَرِيَّا وَ يَحْيى‏ وَ عِيسى‏ وَ إِلْياسَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ٨٥ وَ إِسْماعِيلَ وَ الْيَسَعَ وَ يُونُسَ وَ لُوطاً وَ كلاًّ فَضَّلْنا عَلَى الْعالَمِينَ ٨٦ وَ مِنْ آبائِهِمْ وَ ذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَ إِخْوانِهِمْ وَ اجْتَبَيْناهُمْ وَ هَدَيْناهُمْ إِلى‏ صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ ٨٧ ذلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ لَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ٨٨ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحُكْمَ وَ النُّبُوَّةَ فَإِنْ يَكْفُرْ بِها هؤُلاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنا بِها قَوْماً لَيْسُوا بِها بِكافِرِينَ ٨٩ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُداهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرى‏ لِلْعالَمِينَ ٩٠

In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate

  1. And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each did We guide, and Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron; and thus do We reward the good-doers.
  2. And Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias; every one was of the righteous;
  3. And Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot; and every one, We preferred them above the nations:
  4. And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them to a straight path.
  5. This is Allah’s guidance, He guides thereby whom He wills of His servants; and if they had associated others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them.
  6. Those are they to whom We gave the book and the judgment and the prophethood; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it.
  7. These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations.

Introduction ​

The connection between these verses and the previous verses is clear and without need of explanation, because here Abraham’s story continues. These verses describe some of God’s favors upon him and upon some other prophets who are named with him, as He says: And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob (); And thus do We reward the good-doers (); And every one We preferred them above the nations (), and other verses. However, unlike what some exegetes have said, this is not the only purpose of these verses. Rather, these favors are mentioned as the great blessings and pleasant graces that ensue from accepting God’s guidance and following the innate monotheism which is embedded in human nature. This complies better with the theme of the entire chapter, which is to clarify tawḥīd (monotheism, God’s oneness) in a way that it conforms to the innate human nature and disposition (fiṭrah). As we said, Abraham’s story here is mentioned as an example of the general principles discussed in the previous part of the chapter.

In addition to explaining monotheism, these verses also indicate that God has always preserved monotheism among people through a continuous chain, with links that were connected by God’s guidance. Thus God has prevented humankind’s divine innate nature from failing to actualize altogether due to satanic desires. Otherwise, the entire creation would be purposeless and pointless. God alludes to this [continuation] by expressions such as: And We gave to him…. (); And Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants (); And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren ( therefore if these disbelieve in it… (). These verses also outline the distinguishing points between divine guidance and other ways, including:

(1) Being chosen [by God];

(2) Having a straight path;

(3) Being given a book;

(4) Being given judgment; and

(5) Being given prophethood.

We shall discuss these below, by God’s will.

Commentary ​

وَ وَهَبْنا لَهُ إِسْحاقَ وَ يَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنا وَ نُوحاً هَدَيْنا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ داوُدَ وَ سُلَيْمانَ وَ أَيُّوبَ وَ يُوسُفَ وَ مُوسى‏ وَ هارُونَ وَ كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ٨٤

(6:84) And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each (kullan) did We guide, and Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron; and thus do We reward the good-doers.

Isaac was Abraham’s son, and Jacob was Isaac’s son. Exegetes have explained that the word kullan (each, every, all) in each did We guide is mentioned at the beginning of the phrase in order to indicate that each of them received divine guidance independently, as opposed to some of them receiving it independently—like Abraham—and others receiving it through him. This is equivalent to saying: “We guided Abraham, We guided Isaac, and We guided Jacob.”

… and Noah did We guide before…: This statement suggests that God’s guidance has always existed through a continuous chain. It is not something that began with Abraham, but before him this mercy had embraced Noah.

… and of his descendants, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron; and thus do We reward the good-doers (al-muḥsinīn, from iḥsān): As some exegetes have explained, the pronoun “his” in his descendants must refer to Noah because of two reasons: (1) that was the last name mentioned; and (2) some of the people listed below were not Abraham’s descendants, such as Lot and Elias.

Others have said that the pronoun refers to Abraham, and Lot and Elias are mentioned alongside his descendants by generalization (taghlīb). A similar verse [where the pronoun refers to Abraham] is: And We granted him Isaac and Jacob, and caused the prophethood and the book to remain in his seed ().

Another view is that the word “descendants” only includes the six prophets named in this verse [], not the rest of the prophets mentioned in the next verses. The next two verses—And Zachariah… And Ishmael… ()—do not add to “David,” but they add to and of his descendants. However, this view does not match the context and flow of the verses.

… and thus (kadhālika) do We reward the good-doers: Apparently the “reward” mentioned here is the above-mentioned divine guidance [where the verse says, each did We guide, and Noah did We guide before]. The word kadhālika is used to refer to something at a distance. Its usage here indicates the lofty status and magnificence of God’s guidance. It is similar to its usage in the verse: Thus (kadhālika) does Allah set forth parables (). The meaning is: “We reward the good-doers like this.”

وَ زَكَرِيَّا وَ يَحْيى‏ وَ عِيسى‏ وَ إِلْياسَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ٨٥

(6:85) And Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias; every one was of the righteous (al-ṣāliḥīn, from ṣalāḥ)

Key Debate: The Children of One's Daughter →

We have already discussed the meaning of iḥsān (excellent, good-doing) and ṣalāḥ (righteousness). The verse also names Jesus as one of the descendants of Noah even though his only connection is through his mother. This is a clear indication that the Noble Qur’an considers the children and descendants of one’s daughter to be part of one’s own children and descendants. A similar conclusion was made before from verses on inheritance and unlawful marriages. We shall complete this discussion below under our examination of the narrations, by God’s will.

وَ إِسْماعِيلَ وَ الْيَسَعَ وَ يُونُسَ وَ لُوطاً وَ كلاًّ فَضَّلْنا عَلَى الْعالَمِينَ ٨٦

(6:86) And Ishmael, Elisha (al-Yasaʿ), Jonah and Lot; and every one, We preferred them above the nations.

Apparently, “Ishmael” here refers to Abraham’s son and Isaac’s brother. Al-Yasaʿ is also pronounced as Al-Laysaʿ. He was apparently an Israelite prophet whom God has named next to Ishmael, as in the verse: And remember Ishmael and Elisha and Dhū al-Kifl; and they were all of the good (). However, the Qur’an does not discuss his story.

… and every one We preferred them above the nations (al-ʿālamīn): ʿĀlam is a group of people such as the ʿālam of the Arabs, the ʿālam of the Persians, and the ʿālam of the Romans [where ʿālam means “nation, world, community”]. Being preferred over the nations refers to their higher position compared to the people of their time in the sense that they were the first ones who directly received God’s special guidance, as opposed to others who were blessed with guidance through them. One can also say that they have been preferred over people of all times, not just their contemporaries, in the sense that they were guided by the divine guidance embedded in the innate human nature without any intermediary. God’s direct guidance is a blessing that is an advantage for those who receive it over those who do not. This blessing has embraced the group mentioned here—including the prophets and those related to them like their fathers, descendants, and brethren. Thus this group is preferred above everyone else by God’s preference.

Overall, the criterion of this preference is benefiting from God’s direct guidance without any intermediary. The prophets are preferred over others because this applies to them. Now, if one can conceive of others who are also subject to this guidance—such as the angels, as one can infer from God’s words; and such as the Imams, as we mentioned under the verse: And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words ()—then the prophets would not be preferred above them in this aspect, although they could be preferred over them in aspects other than guidance. Given the above explanation, one cannot draw on this verse—as some exegetes have done—to show that the prophets are superior to the angels.

It should also be clear that their preference is only because of the special divine guidance which embraced them without any intermediary. The preference mentioned in this verse is not based on their other qualities such as being chosen, being on the straight path, and having been given scripture, judgment and prophethood.

You should know that the seventeen prophets named in these three verses [] are mentioned neither in chronological order, as is obvious, nor according to their rank. Noah, Moses and Jesus are mentioned in the midst of them, even though they were superior to the rest of them according to the explicit text of the Qur’an, as we explained in our discussion on prophethood under verse .

Here is a summary of the explanation offered by the author of al-Manār about the order of the fourteen prophets named in these verses:

These prophets are grouped into three categories based on a commonality between them. The first group includes David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron. The common quality between them is that in addition to being prophets and messengers, God made them kings, rulers, judges, and leaders in the community. The verse first names David and Solomon, who were kings with wealth and affluence. Then it mentions Job and Joseph, where Job was a great, rich and benevolent ruler, and Joseph was a great vizier with authority. Both of them were tested by difficulty, where they showed patience; and they were also tested by ease, where they showed gratitude. The verse then names Moses and Aaron who were rulers among their people but were not kings.

Each of these three pairs shared a distinct quality. Their order is based on their enjoyment of worldly bounties, for David and Solomon were more materially endowed than Job and Joseph, who were in turn more materially endowed than Moses and Aaron. It could also be that the pairs escalate in terms of religious value, because apparently Moses and Aaron were superior to Job and Joseph, who were in turn superior to David and Solomon because of incorporating both patience in difficulty and gratefulness in ease.

The second group includes Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias. Their distinct quality was their high degree of zuhd (disinterestedness, aversion, renunciation) with regards to the pleasures and adornments this world (dunyā). That is why the verse describes them as “the righteous” (al-ṣāliḥīn), for this quality fits them more when they are compared to others, even though all prophets were righteous and good-doers in the absolute sense.

The third group includes Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot. They are mentioned last because there is no unique quality that was common among them. They neither had kingdom and dominion in this world, as in the case of the first group, nor an intense degree of aversion to this world, as in the case of the third group.

Al-Rāzī has a similar explanation in his Tafsīr, although al-Manār’s explanation is more plausible. The problem with both explanations, however, is that they consider the third group to be devoid of any distinct quality. This is not true. As with Ishmael, God tested him with the trial of being slaughtered, and he was patient with God’s trial. God says: So We gave him [Abraham] the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance. And when he attained [the age of] working with him, he said: O my son! Surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! Do what you are commanded; you will find me, if Allah wills, of the patient ones (). This is an exalted characteristic by which God distinguished Ishmael, and a clear tribulation by which he stands out, to the extent that God has made sacrifice as a universal requirement in hajj in order to remind everyone of the ordeal that Ishmael endured in God’s way. This is how God made his remembrance last among the posterity. Moreover, he was the partner of his noble father in building the Kaʿbah, which is itself a sufficient distinction.

As with Prophet Jonah, God tested him with a trial that He did not mete out to any other prophet. Jonah was swallowed by the fish, wherein he called out in the darkness: There is no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I was among the wrongdoers ().

As with Lot, the unique tribulations that he faced in God’s way are also mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. He faced the first difficulties of his life alongside Abraham, until when they migrated from their people and homeland. Then God sent him to the people of Sodom and its vicinity, who used to commit an indecency which was completely unprecedented in the world. They persisted with their evil practice until they were taken by God’s exterminating punishment. At that point, there was only one household that had submitted to God, and that was Lot’s household, with the exception of his wife.

As with Elisha (al-Yasaʿ), none of his story appears in the Qur’an. According to some narrations, he was the successor of Ilyās (Elias, Elijah). He went to his people with miracles similar to those of Jesus son of Mary, such as bringing the dead to life, and healing the blind and the epileptic. God tested his people with a massive famine and drought.

Hence, it is better to correct the above explanation about the order of the prophets who are named in these verses as follows.

The first group—which includes six prophets—consists of those who had kingdom and rule on top of messengership. The next four prophets are distinct for their disinterestedness from this world and their aversion to its adornments. The third group—which includes four prophets—consists of prophets with various distinction and great divine tests. Each of them were distinguished by a specific quality. And God knows best.

Another problem with the above explanation offered by the author of al-Manār is his point about the superiority of Moses and Aaron over Job and Joseph, and their superiority over David and Solomon. There is no evidence to support his view. The same applies to his interpretation of ṣalāḥ (righteousness) as zuhd (material disinterestedness and renunciation).

وَ مِنْ آبائِهِمْ وَ ذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَ إِخْوانِهِمْ وَ اجْتَبَيْناهُمْ وَ هَدَيْناهُمْ إِلى‏ صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ٨٧

(6:87) And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them to a straight path.

This verse confirms what we said above: that the purpose of these verses is to indicate the continuity of the chain of divine guidance. This is because the verse adds these groups to the previously mentioned individuals as their fathers, children or brothers.

… and We chose them (ijtabaynāhum, from ijtibāʾ) and guided them to a straight path: Al-Rāghib says in al-Mufradāt:

When one gathers and stores water in a pool he says: jabaytu al-māʾ. Jābiyah is the name of a pool where water gathers, and its plural is jawāb. God says: and bowls (large) as watering-troughs (kal-jawāb) (). The verb jabaytu is used metaphorically when one collects taxes. Another similar usage is found in the verse: to which fruits of every kind shall be drawn (yujbá ilayhi) (). Ijtibāʾ means “to gather by selection (iṣṭifāʾ).” God says [about Prophet Jonah]: Then his Lord chose him (ijtabāhu) ()….

God’s ijtibāʾ (choosing, selection) is when He favors a servant with an exclusive divine grace which results in various bounties for the servant without any effort on his part. This applies to the prophets and others who are close to them, such as the truthful and the martyrs, as the Qur’an says [where Prophet Jacob tells his son Joesph]: And thus will your Lord choose you (yajtabīka) (). Similarly, the Qur’an says: Then his Lord chose him (ijtabāhu), and He made him of the righteous (); And We chose them (ijtabaynāhum) and guided them to a straight path (); Then his [Adam’s] Lord chose him (ijtabāhu), so He turned to him and guided (him) (); He chooses (yajtabī) for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself him who turns (to Him), frequently ().

Al-Rāghib’s definition is consistent with the usage of ijtibāʾ in the Qur’an. However, this is not the original meaning of the term, but an implication and consequence of it, which pertains to God’s treatment of His chosen servants. The theme of these verses suggests that what is intended here is the root meaning of the term, which is “to gather things from various places and dispersed positions.” This would set the grounds for the next part of the verse, which talks about their guidance to the straight path. It is as if God is saying: “We gathered them despite their original dispersion. Then, when they all gathered and joined one another, We guided them all to such-and-such a path….”

This interpretation is according to the theme and purpose of these verses, which, as we discussed above, is to explain the continuity of the chain of those who have been guided by the divine guidance embedded in the innate human nature. To convey this meaning, it is most befitting to imagine them as gathered and united, such that divine mercy would embrace them as one unit, where they follow a single form of guidance, and that leads them to a single straight path which is free from any discrepancy whatsoever. They all follow the same path that is consistent in terms of:

(a) Its time and circumstances;

(b) Its parts and components;

(c) Its callers and followers; and

(d) Its goal and destination.

The path to which they are guided may differ in terms of wideness and narrowness of their apparent laws, but these laws differ only in terms of concision and elaboration, as per the capacity of different nations. Nonetheless, they are all unanimous over a single reality which is innately embedded in human nature: God’s oneness and the necessity of serving Him alone. The whole human formation is designed by God in such a way that inherently points to monotheism. Clearly there is no transformation or alteration of the creation and formation of the human being in and of itself, such that it would change the principles of human cognition and voluntary motion. The senses in the outside, the emotions and feelings in the inside, and the center of decision making and judgment—which is the innate power of reason—ever follow a fixed and unchanging set of principles throughout all human beings, even though specific views and goals for humanity may eventually evolve since they pertain to the requirements of life in every age and time.

Humans always feel a need for food, drink, clothes, shelter and sex. They always crave things that give comfort to their covetous souls, and dislike what harms and hurts them. They constantly want a happy life, and are afraid of misery and an evil end. These inclinations are always present in humankind, even though the appearance of their life and activities may change from time to time and from one generation to another. God says: Then set your face upright for the religion purely—the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering of Allah’s creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know (). The pure divine religion that upholds human society is what the innate human nature calls to and what the human creation inclines toward. This innate calling and inclination is based on the existential needs of human nature. Our souls are inspired with the means of our felicity in terms of right beliefs and actions—that is, in terms of facts, ethics and rituals. This is something that never undergoes any change or replacement because it is based on a fixed nature and creation. Thus it should be clear that:

(a) The innate human nature’s call to human felicity [that is, the innate religious call] is not limited to any specific time or circumstance.

(b) The innate religious call is also free from any discrepancy within its parts, meaning that no part of the pure religion opposes or contradicts another part of it, and there is nothing in it that necessitates an inner invalidation of it. This is because all parts of religion are nurtured from the same breast of monotheism (tawḥīd), and this gives religion the best balance. They are like our physical faculties and organs: if they come in conflict with one another or one part transgresses over another, then they will be checked and set in place by a supervising faculty that regulates each part according to its significance and impact in stabilizing human life.

(c) The divine innate religion does not differ from person to person. That is, those who are guided by this guidance follow the same course. None of these leaders calls the people to something different than another caller, even though their calls differ in terms of elaboration and concision, according to the evolution of human societies over time. God says: Surely the (only) religion with Allah is Islam (); He has made plain to you of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses and Jesus: that maintain the religion and be not divided therein ().

(d) This religion is also consistent and uniform in terms of its goal and objective, both of which lie in monotheism, which is the point of reference of all religious beliefs, moral values, and legal injunctions. God says: Surely this is your nation, one nation (only), and I am your Lord; therefore serve Me (); And We did not send before you any messenger but We revealed to him that there is no god but Me; therefore serve Me ().

The above should clarify the meaning of His words: and We chose them and guided them to a straight path (ṣirāṭan mustaqīman) (). The word ṣirāṭ (path) is indefinite in terms of inflection, as opposed to its definite usage in other verses like: Guide us to the straight path (al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm). The path of those upon whom Thou hast blessed (). The use of indefinite here directs the mind to the attribute of the path: straightness (istiqāmah). If something is straight, it means that it is uniform and consistent in terms of its qualities and specifications. This shows that they were guided to a path that was devoid of any discrepancy in any way and aspect. This can only make sense because it is about a path based on the innate human nature, which is how the human being has been created and fashioned. This basic formation and creation of humankind does not change in terms of its guidance and direction toward the existential goals of the human species.

Those who are guided to this straight path are under God’s security from the dangers of the journey and the slips of the way. This is because they are treading a way that does not vary in terms of guidance and misguidance, truth and falsehood, and felicity and wretchedness. Rather, its parts are all consistent and uniform at all times. It is a path that is founded on the truth and leads to the truth. It does not leave its follower in confusion, nor does it take the person to iniquity, disobedience and wretchedness. God says: Those who believe and do not mix up their belief with iniquity, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who have found guidance ().

ذلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ لَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ٨٨

(6:88) This is Allah’s guidance, He guides thereby whom He wills of His servants; and if they had associated others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them.

Here God defines His special guidance by which He guides whomever He wills among His servants. It was through this divine grace that He guided the above-mentioned prophets. True guidance is only that which comes from God. We can verify whether one is blessed with God’s guidance if: (1) the person is on the path of other guided individuals, which are the noble prophets of God; and (2) the person’s path is composed of a consistent set of components which all revolve around monotheism, promote the call of truth, and bear the mark of servitude and taqwá (Godwariness, self-restraint, piety).

On the other hand there are some paths that differentiate between God’s messengers by accepting some and rejecting others, or differentiate between God’s laws and orders by taking some and leaving out others. There are also paths that do not secure a felicitous life for human society, but result in unfavorable outcomes. God is by no means pleased with such paths, for they deviate from humankind’s innate nature and makeup, to the pitfalls of misguidance and slippery footholds of desires. Being guided by these paths is not God’s guidance.

The Qur’an says: Surely those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and (those who) desire to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and desire to take a course between (this and) that. These it is that are truly disbelievers, and We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful chastisement (); Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the other? What then is the re ward of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be sent back to the most grievous chastisement (); And who is more erring than he who follows his low desires without any guidance from Allah? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people (). What is meant here is that a path which involves the following of desires is nothing but error and misguidance; it does not lead its traveler to a felicitous life. This is not God’s guidance because it consists of injustice, while God has never decreed injustice, has not made it a means to happiness. One can by no means achieve happiness through wrongdoing.

In short, the special feature of God’s guidance is that it is completely free from misguidance and does not lead to any form of error. It is sheer guidance that brings about sheer happiness as an unending gift. Meanwhile, God’s bestowal is not like the gifts that are common among us, where the gift leaves the hand of the giver upon its conferment, and the ownership transfers to the receiver regardless of him being grateful or ungrateful. Rather, something continues to be God’s gift only if the person adheres to monotheism and servitude. No one has any position with God and no one is secure from Him except by sheer servitude. That is why He continues to add: and if they had associated others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them (). He refers to this [ungratefulness and lack of servitude] as shirk (polytheism, association of others with God) because the purpose of the verses is to explain monotheism.

أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحُكْمَ وَ النُّبُوَّةَ فَإِنْ يَكْفُرْ بِها هؤُلاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنا بِها قَوْماً لَيْسُوا بِها بِكافِرِينَ ٨٩

(6:89) Those (ulāʾika) are they to whom We gave the book and the judgment (al-ḥukm) and the prophethood; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it.

The word ulāʾika (those) is a demonstrative pronoun that is used for things at a distance. This indicates the lofty status and exalted position of this group [of prophets and their relatives]. They were given the book, judgment and prophethood in the sense that they as a whole were given these things, not that every single one of them was given all of these. We already explained this in our exposition of the verse: and We chose them and guided them (). In the case of “the book,” it was given only to some of the prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

When the Qur’an talks about “the book” of the prophets in a general sense [not any specific book], it means a scripture that consists of laws that are used to judge between the people in order to settle their disputes. We can see this meaning in the following verses: (All) people are a single nation; so Allah raised prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He revealed with them the Book with truth, that it might judge between people in that in which they differed (); Surely We revealed the Torah in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters).… And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth, verifying what is before it of the Book and a guardian over it; therefore, judge between them by what Allah has revealed ().

Ḥukm (judgment, rule) is “to make an affirmative connection between the parts of speech.” One example is when one states that “so-and-so is knowledgeable.” In social affairs and practical matters, both a proposition and the type of relation that it conveys [between the two parts of the sentence] are called ḥukm. Some examples are: “One must do such-and-such an act”; “It is forbidden to do such-and-such”; “This act is permissible”; “I would like you to do so” and “I would dislike it if you did so.” Therefore, each of the five imperative forms is a ḥukm (judgment, rule)—including wujūb (obligation), ḥurmah (prohibition, being forbidden), jawāz (permissibility, also called ibāḥah), istiḥbāb (being recommended, being approved) and karāhah (reprehensibility, being disapproved). Likewise, the statements which convey these rules are also called aḥkām (plural of ḥukm). There are also other rules (aḥkām) in societies that are based on other relations such as ownership, management, representation, guardianship, authority and so on.

Ḥukm is also used as an infinitive, meaning “to make and decree a judgment.” This can take several forms:

(1) Legislation and enactment of a law, where a suitable law is set in place to govern the interactions of the people in order to preserve social order.

(2) Exercising personal opinion and issuing a verdict, such as the case of judges and rulers in disputes, where they decide who has the right or who the owner of a property is. Another example is the edicts and rulings issued by those who make legal rulings (sing. fatwá).

(3) Exercising rule over the people, where a ruler or king exercises authority over a territory that is under his rule or possession.

Since the verse mentions ḥukm alongside “the book,” the term is apparently meant in the sense of judgment (qaḍāʾ). Hence, “being given the book and ḥukm” means that they were given legal rules and the position to judge based on them among the people. This meaning can be clearly seen in many other verses such as: And He revealed with them the Book with truth, that it might judge between people in that in which they differed (); Surely We revealed the Torah in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (yaḥkumu) (); That you may judge (li-taḥkuma) between people by means of that which Allah has taught you (); And David and Solomon when they were giving judgment (yaḥkumāni) concerning the field (); O David! Surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge (fa-uḥkum) between men with justice and do not follow desire, lest it should lead you astray from the path of Allah ().

It could also be that ḥukm here has a more general and inclusive meaning [that is, including more than one of the above interpretations], as used in a verse where Abraham says: My Lord: Grant me judgment (ḥukman), and join me with the righteous ().

We explained the meaning of “prophethood” (nubuwwah) in our exposition of the verse: (All) people were a single nation; so Allah raised prophets (). It is a position of receiving news from the unseen through a special divine grace. It pertains to realities that are beyond the visible and sensible world, such God’s unity, the angels and the Last Day.

These three qualities by which God blessed the chain of prophets—that is, the book, judgment and prophethood—are mentioned in a thread of verses that serve to describe God’s guidance. Therefore, it can be deduced that these are the results of God’s guidance, and they serve to complete one’s knowledge of God and His communications. It is as if the verses are saying: “The results of that guidance upon which We gathered all prophets and by which We preferred them above all nations were: (1) it led them to a straight path; (2) it made them learn “the book” which comprises of God’s laws; (3) it established them and placed them in a position to judge among the people; and (4) it informed them of unseen realities.

Discourse

The discussions “Discussion on the Meaning of “Book” in the Qur’an”; “Discussion on the Meaning of “Judgment” in the Qur’an” appear here in the printed volume. Read them in the Al-Mizan App.

أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُداهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرى‏ لِلْعالَمِينَ ٩٠

(6:90) These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow (iqtadih, from iqtidāʾ) their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder (dhikrá) to the nations.

This verse provides another description of the above-mentioned individuals, which were mentioned in order to define God’s special guidance. His guidance certainly does not fail to have its intended impact, which is to make the person reach the goal [of eternal happiness]. He says: Yet surely Allah does not guide one whom He leads astray ().

According to al-Rāghib, dhikrá is more expressive of the meaning of “reminder” than dhikr. The verse also shows the universality of the Prophet’s prophethood for all people.

Iqtidāʾ means ittibāʿ (to follow, to emulate). God orders the Prophet to follow “their guidance” not “themselves.” This is because the Prophet’s shariah (legal code) abrogated theirs, his book overshadows theirs, and the above-mentioned guidance is a kind of guidance that comes without any intermediary between God and the person who is guided. The verse involves an honorary ascription of guidance to “them” by saying their guidance. Otherwise, this guidance is primarily attributable to God, as we read above: This is Allah’s guidance… ().

Based on this verse, some exegetes have inferred that the Prophet and his followers used to practice the ritual and legal codes of the previous prophets except in cases that were specifically abrogated. However, this interpretation would only be plausible had the verse said, “follow them,” but the verse says, “follow their guidance.” Clearly the above interpretation cannot be deduced from this expression.

God then concludes His speech about innate monotheism and divine guidance by addressing His Prophet: Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations (). It is as if the verse is giving the following commands to the Prophet: (1) Follow the divine guidance which the previous prophets followed. (2) Remind all nations of the divine guidance without asking them for any reward for it. (3) Tell them this to assure their souls, to make your call succeed, and to be farther away from any accusation. God has also narrated this point [that the prophets do not require any compensation from their nations for their mission] from Noah and the later prophets as part of their call.

Examining Narrations ​

  1. Elias [the Prophet] went to the house of an Israelite lady who had an ill son named al-Yasaʿ b. Ukhṭūb (Elisha). The lady gave him shelter and hid him [from his enemies]. Thus Elias prayed for her son, who was cured from his ailment. As a result, Elisha believed in Elias, followed him and became his companion. He used to follow Elias wherever he went. When Elias was being raised to heaven, Elisha called to him: “O Elias! What do you say I should do?” Thereupon Elias threw his cloak upon him from the higher heaven, and that was a sign that Elisha would be his successor from amongst the Children of Israel.

God gave prophecy to Elisha by His grace and sent him as a prophet and messenger to the Children of Israel. God revealed to him and supported him as He had supported His servant Elias. Thus the Israelites believed in him, respected him, and abided by his commands and prohibitions. They lived under God’s rule as long Elisha was among them.

  1. Imam al-Riḍā said: Elisha (al-Yasaʿ) used to perform miracles that were similar to what Jesus performed. He walked on water, brought the dead back to life, and cured the blind and the epileptic. However, his people did not make a god out of him!...
  2. Concerning verse Imam al-Bāqir said: And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each did We guide—so that We keep it [that is, the divine guidance] in his progeny—and Noah did We guide before— so that We keep it in his progeny. Thus the descendants of the prophets commanded those who were before Abraham to [believe in] Abraham.

Author’s comment: This confirms our view that the theme of these verses is to explain the continuity of the chain of divine guidance.

  1. Imam al-Ṣādiq said: The one who holds this matter [that is, the bearer of divine guardianship, the Imam of the Time] has his companions preserved for him. Even if all people are gone, God will bring his companions [to him]. God says about them: Therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it () and: Then Allah will bring a people whom He loves and they love Him, who are lowly before the believers, mighty against the disbelievers ().

Author’s comment: This narration is based on jary (the verse having particular applications in different times).

  1. Imam al-Bāqir said: God says in His Book: and Noah did We guide before… disbelievers in it (). Thus He has entrusted the virtuous among his [the Prophet’s] Household, brothers and descendants [with His religion and guidance]. He is saying: “Therefore if your people disbelieve in it, We have already entrusted your Household with the faith with which We sent you, and they shall never disbelieve in it. I shall not remove the faith—with which I have sent you—from your Household. They are the scholars of your nation after you, the guardians of My covenant, and those who can extract the knowledge which is free from lie, sin, burden, extravagance and show.”

Author’s comment: This narration is also an example of specific application (jary) like the last one.

  1. Imam al-Ṣādiq said: Once I went to Abū al-ʿAbbās [al-Manṣūr]. Everyone was sitting in his place and the table cloth was spread out and ready before him. He extended his hand toward me [to shake], so I set off toward him but I stepped on the side of the table cloth. Only God knows how much I was grieved by that, for indeed God says: Therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it (). By God these are a people who establish the prayer, pay the alms and remember God a lot.

Author’s comment: The gist of this narration is that the Imam felt embarrassed before God even for involuntarily stepping on the side of the table cloth. He saw this as a form of ungratefulness to God’s bounty. Therefore, the hadith extends kufr in who are not disbelievers in it (bi-kāfirīn) () to mean ungratefulness for bounties.

  1. Imam ʿAlī said: Follow the guidance of your Prophet, for that is indeed the best guidance.

Author’s comment: This idea can easily be deduced from the [above] verses of the Qur’an.

  1. The Prophet said: The best guidance is the guidance of the prophets.

Examining Narrations: Islam Considers the Children of one’s Daughter to be one’s own Children and Descendants ​

  1. Imam al-Ṣādiq said: “By God, in the Qur’an God has connected Jesus son of Mary to Abraham via women [that is, via his mother Mary].” The Imam then recited: And of his descendants, David and Solomon... and Jesus ().
  2. Once al-Ḥajjāj summoned Yaḥyá b. Muʿammar and told him, “I have been told that you think al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn count as the Prophet’s dhurriyyah (descendants, progeny, lineage) based on God’s Book. I have read God’s Book from beginning to end but I have not found this there.”

Yaḥyá replied, “Have you not read Sūrah al-Anʿām: and of his descendants (dhurriyyatihi), David and Solomon… and John and Jesus ()?” He added, “Isn’t Jesus among Abraham’s descendants (dhurriyyah)?”

Al-Ḥajjāj answered, “Yes, I have read this.”

  1. Once Yaḥyá b. Muʿammar went to al-Ḥajjāj. In their conversation there was a mention of al-Ḥusayn, where al-Ḥajjāj said, “He is not part of the Prophet’s dhurriyyah.”

Yaḥyá replied, “That is not true.”

He said, “What evidence can you bring?”

So Yaḥyá recited these verses: and of his descendants, David and Solomon… and John and Jesus and Elias (). Then he explained, “Here God is saying that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham through his mother.”

Al-Ḥajjāj said, “You are right.”

Author’s comment: Concerning, and Jesus (), al-Ālūsī says in Rūḥ al-maʿānī:

The mention of Jesus here shows that one’s descendants also include the children of one’s daughters, because Jesus’ connection to Abraham was only through his mother.

Some have objected to this as follows: Jesus had no father to take precedence over his mother in ascription. Therefore one cannot set his case as a basis for including others in the descendants of their maternal grandfathers. He was included among Abraham’s descendants only because he had no father.

However, this objection deviates from the apparent meaning of the verse, although the scholars are not unanimous about this issue. Those who consider one’s descendants to include the children of one’s daughter have used this verse to support their stance—such as Mūsá al-Kāẓim who drew on this verse to argue against [Hārūn] al-Rashīd, as narrated in some sources.

Al-Tafsīr al-kabīr says:

Abū Jaʿfar [Imam al-Bāqir] argued against al-Ḥajjāj with this verse and the verse of Mubāhalah—because the Prophet called al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn when it was revealed: Come let us call our sons… (). Some exegetes have said that this is among those things that only apply to the Prophet. Our companions [that is, Ashʿarite scholars] have disagreed over this issue, but I incline more to inclusion.

  1. Once the Prophet referred to al-Ḥasan and said: This son of mine is a sayyid (master, chief).
  2. The Prophet said: Among all children of Adam, their lineage is through their father, except the children of Fāṭimah, for I am their father and pedigree.

Author’s comment: Al-Manār has quoted the last two narrations. Then it says:

Arabs do not use the term “son” (ibn) for the children of one’s daughter…. Nevertheless, people [that is, Muslims in general] have accepted this about the children of Fāṭimah—that they count as the children, sons, family and household of the Prophet.

Author’s comment: There has been some confusion in this regard, and some prominent scholars have mistaken the matter as something lexical which needs to be clarified by an etymological study. Thus they have quoted the following poems as evidence:

بنونا بنو أبنائنا و بناتنا بنوهن أبناء الرجال الأباعد

Our children are the children of our sons alone;

The children of our daughters are not our own.

و إنما أمهات الناس أوعية مستودعات و للأنساب آباء

Mothers are receptacles, but only for a while;

Fathers determine one’s lineage and profile.

Citing such quotes misses the point, because this is a socio-legal issue and that pertains to the topic of qarābah (kinship, family relationship). Different nations and communities differ in how they define and identify kinship. For example: (1) Are women included in it or not? (2) Do the children of one’s daughter count as his own children? (3) Is kinship only through birth or does it also include iddiʿāʾ (attribution)? Arabs during the pre-Islamic era (jāhiliyyah) considered women to only hold “natural” kinship, where they would get married, be provided for by their spouse, and so on. They did not consider women to hold any “legal” kinship where they would be entitled to inheritance and other legal rights. They also did not consider the children of one’s daughter to be part of one’s kin, but they considered attributed children (adʿiyāʾ) to be part of one’s kin. They would use the word ibn (son) for an attributed son. Their practice did not have any lexical basis, but rather they were following the civic laws or tribal customs that were practiced in advanced neighboring nations such as Rome and Persia.

When Islam came, it abolished the kinship of attributed children altogether. The Qur’an says: Nor has He made those whom you claim to be your sons your real sons (). Moreover, Islam revised kinship to include women—with its legal implications [such as inheritance]. It also treated the children of one’s daughter to be one’s own children. God says in verses about inheritance: Allah enjoins you concerning your children: the male shall have the equal of the portion of two females (); Men shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, whether there is little or much of it ().

Concerning unlawful marriages, God says: Forbidden to you are your mothers and your daughters…and lawful for you are (all women) besides those (), where He clearly uses daughter for the daughter of one’s daughter. God also says: and John and Jesus and Elias (), where God counts Jesus to be a descendant of Abraham or Noah, while he only connects to them through his mother.

The Imams from the Prophet’s Household (Ahl al-Bayt) have used this verse [], the verse about unlawful marriages [] and the verse of Mubāhalah [] to argue that the child of one’s daughter is one’s child. These proofs are universal even though the Imams have used them for particular cases. Imam al-Bāqir has an argument in this regard that is more explicit than all of the above, which follows.

  1. Abū al-Jārūd says: Once Imam al-Bāqir asked me: “O Abū al-Jārūd! What do they [non-Shias] tell you about al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn?”

I said, “They do not grant us that they were the sons of God’s Messenger.”

He asked, “And how do you argue against them?”

I said, “We argue against them by these words of God about Jesus son of Mary: And of his descendants, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron; and thus do We reward the good-doers. And Zachariah, John and Jesus (), where He includes Jesus son of Mary among the descendants of Noah.”

He asked, “What do they tell you in response?”

I said, “They tell us that the son of one’s daughter can be considered one’s child (walad), but he doesn’t count as part of one’s loin (ṣulb).”

He asked, “And how do you rebut that?”

“We rebut that,” I said, “by what God says to His Messenger: Then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves ().”

He asked, “What do they say?”

I said, “They say that in Arabic, sometimes one refers to the sons of another person as ‘our sons.’”

Then Imam al-Bāqir said, “I shall indeed give you a proof from the Book of God showing that they are from the loins of God’s Messenger; a proof that only a disbeliever would reject.”

I asked, “And what is that? May I be your ransom!”

He said, “It is where God says: Forbidden to you are your mothers and your daughters and your sisters…” and he recited up to: and the wives of your sons who are of your own loins (). Then he added, “O Abā al-Jārūd! Would it have been permissible for the Messenger of God to marry the wives of either of them [al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn]? If they say yes, then they have clearly lied and erred; and if they say no, then it is established that al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn are his sons from his loins.”

Author’s comment: Overall, this is not a linguistic or lexical matter. Islam has established both natural and legal kinship for women. Similarly, Islam considers the children of one’s daughter to be one’s children. The family tree runs through a woman just as it runs through a man. On the other hand, Islam has abolished lineage through attribution and through unlawful intercourse. Both Shias and Sunnis have narrated from the Prophet: “The child belongs to the husband, and for the adulterer there shall be stone.”

The only thing is that people have forgotten this fact due to their negligence in religious matters. Thus they only hold on to some of what holds for the children of one’s daughter, such their entitlement to inheritance, and the unlawfulness of marrying them. The governments which ruled during the early years of Islam also had a role in this. We discussed this under the verses about unlawful marriages [] above.

  1. Taghlīb is when a mixed group is entirely described by the quality of some of them, even though that quality does not apply to all of them. (Trans.) ↩︎

  2. The apparent meaning is that all of the names listed in these verses are “of his descendants.” This means that the next two verses add to “David.” If they add to “and of his descendants,” then the meaning would be: “And We also guided Zachariah… and We also guided Ishmael…” (Trans.) ↩︎

  3. Iḥsān refers to the end of the last verse. The author has discussed iḥsān under verses , and ; and ṣalāḥ under verses , and . (Trans.) ↩︎

  4. These are verses , and . The author has quoted and discussed them at the end of his discussion of the current set of verses. (Trans.) ↩︎

  5. See volume 3 of the English translation, pp. 183ff. (Trans.) ↩︎

  6. Fourteen is if we start the count from David, excluding Isaac, Jacob and Noah. (Trans.) ↩︎

  7. See verses and . (Trans.) ↩︎

  8. See verse . (Trans.) ↩︎

  9. See 1 Kings 19:16. (Trans.) ↩︎

  10. The author has explained each of these below. (Trans.) ↩︎

  11. See volume 3 of the English translation, under verse . (Trans.) ↩︎

  12. This is recorded as Elisha the son of Shaphat in 1 Kings 19:16. (Trans.) ↩︎

  13. Thaʿlabī’s Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyāʾ. ↩︎

  14. This is one of the Imam’s arguments against a Christian bishop (titled Jāthlīq). It is part of a long narration reported in Biḥār al-Anwār, on the authority of al-Iḥtijāj, al-Tawḥīd and al-ʿUyūn, on the authority of al-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad al-Nawfalī. ↩︎

  15. In other words, “We guided Abraham’s descendants and ancestors so that Our guidance may continue in the same household.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  16. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, on the authority of Muḥammad b. al-Fuḍayl, on the authority of al-Thumālī. ↩︎

  17. Al-Nuʿmānī, al-Ghaybah, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Sulaymān b. Hārūn al-ʿIjlī. ↩︎

  18. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Abū Ḥamzah. Al-ʿAyyāshī has narrated this hadith and the one before with an incomplete chain of transmission (mursal). ↩︎

  19. Al-Maḥāsin, via its chain of narration, on the authority of ʿAlī b. ʿUyaynah. ↩︎

  20. Kufr means both “disbelief” and “ungratefulness.” Therefore, kāfirīn in the verse can mean both “disbelievers” and “the ungrateful.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  21. Nahj al-balāghah. ↩︎

  22. The narration uses the same verb iqtidāʾ (to follow) as used in the verse. ↩︎

  23. Tafsīr al-Qummī. ↩︎

  24. Narrated on the authority of Bashīr al-Dahhān via a connected chain of transmission in al-Kāfī, and via an incomplete chain of transmission (mursal) in Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī. ↩︎

  25. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, on the authority of Abū Ḥarb b. Abū al-Aswad. A similar account has been narrated in al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Abī Ḥātim, on the authority of Abū Ḥarab b. Abū al-Aswad. ↩︎

  26. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Abū al-Shaykh, al-Ḥākim and al-Bayhaqī, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Malik b. ʿUmayr. ↩︎

  27. The argument is that Prophet Muḥammad chose al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn as his “sons” although they were his daughter’s sons. (Trans.) ↩︎

  28. In other words, it is only in the case of the Prophet where the children of his daughter count as his own descendants. (Trans.) ↩︎

  29. Al-Bukhārī, with an unconnected chain of transmission (marfūʿ), on the authority of Abū Bakrah. ↩︎

  30. Abū Nuʿaym, Maʿrifat al-ṣaḥābah, with an unconnected chain of transmission (marfūʿ), on the authority of ʿUmar. ↩︎

  31. Iddiʿāʾ (lit. claim) is when one is claimed to be a man’s child when he is not the real father. It is similar to adoption. (Trans.) ↩︎

  32. In other words, undoubtedly it is unlawful to marry the daughter of one’s daughter according to verse , but the verse does not explicitly mention this group. This shows that God has used the word “daughters” not only for one’s immediate daughters, but also for their daughters. (Trans.) ↩︎

  33. In other words, the Imams have specifically quoted these verses for al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, but the same conclusion is applicable to all people. (Trans.) ↩︎

  34. Being from one’s loin means being truly a child and descendant of the person, with all the natural, legal, and conventional implications of it. (Trans.) ↩︎

  35. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Ṣamad b. Bashīr. Al-Qummī has narrated a similar account to this in his Tafsīr. ↩︎

  36. What is meant by natural kinship (al-qarābat al-ṭabīʿiyyah) is not merely birth and the inevitable heredity that comes with it, which are found among animals. Instead, it means a kinship that naturally entails and calls for certain legal rules, without the need for further legislation, such as the children of a person belonging to him, and the person counting as the guardian of one’s child. These laws are equivalent to natural laws to jurists, as opposed to other laws that require additional legislation. (Auth.)

    The opposite of natural kinship would be legal kinship (al-qarābat al-tashrīʿiyyah), which defines more specific laws such as inheritance and nafaqah (the husband’s responsibility to pay for the expenses of his wife). (Trans.) ↩︎

  37. See volume 8 of the English translation, pp. 154ff. (Trans.) ↩︎