In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Gentle Commentary
on the book "Identification Cards"
for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an,
by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif,
may Allah preserve him.
Surah al-Shu'ara' (The Poets).
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah,
and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger of Allah.
We continue with our gentle commentary,
and with Surah al-Shu'ara'.
There are three points of reflection.
The first point concerns the name of the Surah.
Naturally, its well-known name is "al-Shu'ara'" (The Poets),
and it is also mentioned as "al-Zullah" (The Shadow).
However, we will focus on "al-Shu'ara'",
because some scholars,
or one researcher in particular—
whom I have mentioned to you before—
who looked at all the Surahs in their entirety
from the perspective of their names,
examined them collectively,
and found that "al-Shu'ara'" (The Poets) and "al-Qasas" (The Stories)
cover
what we call the field of literature.
He pointed out that poets
and storytelling
are the pillars of literature.
There are many literary forms and genres,
but these two are the pillars
of literature.
When the Qur'an was revealed,
poetry held a high status,
and it still holds a status today,
though it has diminished, while the importance
of storytelling and fiction has increased.
And the best of stories are in this Qur'an.
We must not forget
that when the Companions said
to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
"Tell us stories," Allah revealed:
“We narrate unto thee (Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this Qur'an, though aforetime thou wast of the heedless.” (12:3)
The stories of the Qur'an deserve much attention.
But the point is that naming
these two Surahs,
al-Shu'ara' and al-Qasas, alludes
to two great
pillars
of literature. And literature
has an influence on media;
it has an influence on people's minds.
We all know what
the state of fiction
and storytelling has become in terms of influence,
even films and the like;
they are originally stories
that were turned into films,
and thus they influenced
entire generations
at times.
This is the first point of reflection.
As for the second point,
it concerns what is mentioned
at the end of the history of revelation,
regarding the chronological order of the Surah's revelation.
It is said that this revelation is attributed
to the time of the public proclamation of the message
during the Meccan period.
It is established in the Sahih that the saying of the Almighty:
"And warn your closest kindred,"
when it was revealed to the Prophet, peace be upon him,
he gathered the people,
spoke to them, and called them to Allah.
So this revelation is attributed to the time
of the public proclamation of the message in the Meccan period.
This time was chronicled by
Ibn Ishaq,
and it is in the Seerah of Ibn Hisham, of course,
that this was after three
years of
the call. There is
research and discussion regarding this,
and some have remained silent on the exact timing,
but the well-known view
is that it was three years
from the beginning of the mission.
During that time, the call was secret,
then it became, with this verse,
public.
The third and final point of reflection
concerns
a passage in the Surah
that relates to the science of "Munasabat" (thematic coherence),
which some dear brothers ask about,
saying: "Is there affectation in it,
and how does one learn it?"
I know Dr. Muhammad Umar Bazmul
teaches the science of Munasabat;
it is useful for establishing a foundation in this field,
but the practitioner
finds it broader than that.
However, in terms of theory, it is good.
Then I say, notice
at the conclusion of the Surah's sections,
there is an informative opening,
which is His saying: "And indeed, it
is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds."
This verse
refers back,
as Imam al-Tabari explained,
to the beginning of the Surah.
For He mentioned the Book at the beginning of the Surah,
then said after it,
narrating all the stories.
“And lo! it is a revelation of the Lord of the Worlds,” (26:192)
Then the speech returned to the "Clear Book"
mentioned at the beginning of the Surah.
This confirms the importance of
reading the entire Surah so that
a person may take from its lights as much as
possible.
He said: "And the proof that the Qur'an is the truth,
and the refutation of the doubts of the disbelievers."
Among these is their counting the Qur'an as poetry—
this leads to the reason for mentioning poetry.
The Surah does not speak about poetry,
yet at the end of the Surah, there is proof that the Qur'an
is the truth. So what brought about the mention of
poetry here? A seeker might ask this question.
The Surah mentions the stories of the Prophets,
so why were the poets mentioned at the end
of this Surah?
This is a question that crosses the mind.
I point out that the refutation
of the doubts of the disbelievers regarding what
they describe the Prophet, peace be upon him, with,
and the Qur'an that was revealed to him, was at the end
of the Surah. Among the doubts was that [it was poetry],
so the mention of the poets came
for this reason.
And notice that He said:
"The poets—the deviators follow them."
As for the followers of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
they were not deviators; this contains praise
for the Companions, that they
are not among the deviators.
Rather, it is the deviators who follow the poets.
But here I wanted to
point out a subtle,
delicate issue that
al-Tahir Ibn Ashur relied upon
in explaining the relationship here.
It is an issue that goes back to what
scholars call—and it is important in the science of Munasabat—
what is called in the science of rhetoric
"the connector" (al-jami'), which has types.
The intended meaning here is the connector
that refers to people's customs
and habits. In the custom of
the Arabs to whom
the Qur'an was revealed, they used to
think that a poet had a devil
who dictated poetry to him.
Al-Tahir Ibn Ashur says this,
and adds: "So it was appropriate," meaning
he compared their falsification of the Qur'an—
saying it is poetry—and their saying about the Prophet,
peace be upon him, that he is a poet,
with their saying that it is the speech of a soothsayer,
just as he compared them
in the verse of al-Haqqah.
“It is not poet's speech - little is it that ye believe!” (69:41)
“Nor diviner's speech - little is it that ye remember!” (69:42)
You remember, then,
I want to arrive at the fact that
the connector that rhetoricians call
"imaginary"—which is very important
in the science of Munasabat—
refers to knowing the conditions of those to whom
the Qur'an was revealed, namely the Arabs.
I knew the Arabs and I knew their view of poetry,
and of soothsaying, and of devils.
I knew the relationship that
brought these verses
to this place.
I hope that this
insight is clear.
You may review the words of my master
Ibn Ashur in his Tafsir
at this passage, for he was brilliant.
And al-Biqa'i was brilliant before him
in explaining the description of the poets
who are saved from this condemnation:
"Except those who believe
and do righteous deeds,
and remember Allah
often,
and defend themselves
after they were wronged.
And those who have
wronged
will come to know
May their hearts be turned [toward the truth].
I ask Allah
to grant me and you success in attaining what He loves and is pleased with.
I ask Allah [to send blessings] upon our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him,
and upon all his family and his Companions.
And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.