In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah al-Jinn.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed unto me that a company of the Jinn gave ear, and they said: Lo! we have heard a marvellous Qur'an,” (72:1)
“Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed unto me that a company of the Jinn gave ear, and they said: Lo! we have heard a marvellous Qur'an,” (72:1)
“Which guideth unto righteousness, so we believe in it and we ascribe no partner unto our Lord.” (72:2)
“Which guideth unto righteousness, so we believe in it and we ascribe no partner unto our Lord.” (72:2)
Say, O Muhammad.
Allah revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened to this Qur'an.
So they said to their people when they heard it:
“Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed unto me that a company of the Jinn gave ear, and they said: Lo! we have heard a marvellous Qur'an,” (72:1)
It guides to the truth and the path of righteousness.
So we have believed in it.
And we will never associate anyone from His creation with our Lord.
“And (we believe) that He - exalted be the glory of our Lord! - hath taken neither wife nor son,” (72:3)
“And that the foolish one among us used to speak concerning Allah an atrocious lie.” (72:4)
“And lo! we had supposed that humankind and jinn would not speak a lie concerning Allah -” (72:5)
And that—exalted is the majesty, power, and authority of our Lord—He has taken neither a wife nor a son.
And that Iblis used to speak absurdities and transgressions against Allah.
And that we thought that neither mankind nor the jinn would ever speak a lie about Allah.
Yet, these jinn were astonished—
That you should know that anyone would dare to lie about Allah after having heard the Qur'an.
Because before they heard it,
They used to think that Iblis was truthful in the various forms of disbelief he called mankind to.
But when they heard the Qur'an,
They became certain that he had been lying about all of that.
That is why they called him foolish.
“And indeed (O Muhammad) individuals of humankind used to invoke the protection of individuals of the jinn, so that they increased them in revolt against Allah);” (72:6)
“And indeed they supposed, even as ye suppose, that Allah would not raise anyone (from the dead) -” (72:7)
And that there were men from among mankind who used to seek refuge with men from among the jinn during their travels when they stopped at their resting places.
So the humans increased the jinn in their transgression by doing so.
This is because they made the jinn feel that they were permitted to violate the prohibitions of Allah.
And the men from among the jinn thought, just as the men from among mankind thought,
That Allah would never send a messenger to His creation to call them to His Oneness.
And that we are listening now, and find it filled with powerful guards and shooting stars.
“And we know not whether harm is boded unto all who are in the earth, or whether their Lord intendeth guidance for them.” (72:10)
And that we sought the heaven and its regions,
And found it filled with guardians and shooting stars with which the devils are pelted.
And that we, the community of jinn,
Used to sit in places in the heaven to listen to what happens and what is to come.
But whoever listens now among us finds a flaming star lying in wait for him.
And we do not know whether Allah intends evil for those on earth,
By preventing us from hearing from the heaven and pelting those of us who listen with shooting stars,
Or whether their Lord intends guidance for them by sending a rightly-guided messenger to lead them to the truth.
“And we know that we cannot escape from Allah in the earth, nor can we escape by flight.” (72:12)
And that when we heard the guidance, we believed in it.
“And when we heard the guidance, we believed therein, and whoso believeth in his Lord, he feareth neither loss nor oppression.” (72:13)
And that among us are Muslims who act in obedience to Allah, and among us are those who are not righteous.
We were of different inclinations and various sects.
Among us are the believer and the disbeliever.
And that we have come to know that we can never escape Allah on earth, nor can we escape Him by flight if He intends evil for us.
And that when we heard the Qur'an, by which Allah guided us to the straight path,
We believed in it and acknowledged that it is the truth from Allah.
So whoever believes in his Lord need not fear any reduction in his good deeds, nor that he will not be rewarded for them.
Nor will he be burdened with the sins of others or sins he did not commit.
And that among us are Muslims and among us are the deviators.
“And there are among us some who have surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully.” (72:14)
As for the deviators, they will be firewood for Hell.
And that among us are the Muslims who have submitted to Allah in obedience.
And among us are those who have deviated from Islam and the right path.
So whoever submits and humbles himself to Allah in obedience,
They have sought and pursued righteousness in their religion.
As for those who have deviated from Islam, they will be firewood for Hell, which will be fueled by them.
And if they had remained steadfast on the path, We would have given them abundant water to drink, so that We might test them thereby.
“That We may test them thereby, and whoso turneth away from the remembrance of his Lord; He will thrust him into ever-growing torment.” (72:17)
And if these deviators had remained steadfast on the path of truth and righteousness,
We would have increased their provision and expanded their worldly life to test them therein.
And whoever turns away from listening to the Qur'an and acting upon it, Allah will subject him to a severe and difficult punishment.
And that the mosques belong to Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah, O people, and do not associate anything with Him.
Rather, dedicate your worship solely to Him and be sincere in your devotion to Him.
“And when the slave of Allah stood up in prayer to Him, they crowded on him, almost stifling.” (72:19)
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): I pray unto Allah only, and ascribe unto Him no partner.” (72:20)
“Say: Lo! I control not hurt nor benefit for you.” (72:21)
“Say: Lo! none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge beside Him” (72:22)
“Say: Lo! none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge beside Him” (72:22)
And that when Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood up saying, "There is no god but Allah,"
The Arabs were about to crowd upon him, one on top of another, to extinguish the light of Allah.
“And when the slave of Allah stood up in prayer to Him, they crowded on him, almost stifling.” (72:19)
He said to them, "I only call upon my Lord and I do not associate anyone with Him."
Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists of the Arabs who rejected the counsel you brought them:
I have no power to cause you harm in your religion or your worldly life, nor can I guide you to righteousness.
Because the One who possesses that is Allah, to whom belongs the dominion of all things.
Say, O Muhammad, to them: No one from His creation can protect me from Allah if He intends a matter for me,
Nor can I find any refuge besides Him.
“(Mine is) but conveyance (of the Truth) from Allah, and His messages; and whoso disobeyeth Allah and His messenger, lo! his is fire of hell, wherein such dwell for ever.” (72:23)
“(Mine is) but conveyance (of the Truth) from Allah, and His messages; and whoso disobeyeth Allah and His messenger, lo! his is fire of hell, wherein such dwell for ever.” (72:23)
“Till (the day) when they shall behold that which they are promised (they may doubt); but then they will know (for certain) who is weaker in allies and less in multitude.” (72:24)
Say to the polytheists of the Arabs: I have no power to cause you harm or bring you guidance.
Except that I convey to you what Allah has commanded me to convey.
And except for His messages with which He sent me to you.
As for guidance and abandonment, they are in the hand of Allah.
He is the Master of that, to the exclusion of all His creation.
He guides whom He wills and abandons whom He wills.
And whoever disobeys Allah in what He has commanded and forbidden,
And denies His Messenger and rejects His message,
Then for him is the fire of Hell, in which he will abide.
Remaining therein forever, without end.
Until, when they see what their Lord has promised them of punishment and the coming of the Hour,
“Till (the day) when they shall behold that which they are promised (they may doubt); but then they will know (for certain) who is weaker in allies and less in multitude.” (72:24)
Is it the army of Allah, whom they associated with Him, or these polytheists who associate partners with Him?
“Say (O Muhammad, unto the disbelievers): I know not whether that which ye are promised is nigh, or if my Lord hath set a distant term for it.” (72:25)
“Say (O Muhammad, unto the disbelievers): I know not whether that which ye are promised is nigh, or if my Lord hath set a distant term for it.” (72:25)
“(He is) the Knower of the Unseen, and He revealeth unto none His secret,” (72:26)
“Save unto every messenger whom He hath chosen, and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind him” (72:27)
And behind him, observers.
Say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists from your people:
I do not know whether what your Lord has promised you of punishment and the coming of the Hour is near,
Or whether my Lord will set for it a known term, the duration of which is long.
He is the Knower of what is hidden from the sight of His creation, so they do not see it.
He does not disclose His unseen to anyone so that he might know it or see it,
Except for a messenger whom He has chosen, for He discloses to him whatever He wills of it.
For He sends before him and behind him guards and protectors to watch over him.
“That He may know that they have indeed conveyed the messages of their Lord. He surroundeth all their doings, and He keepeth count of all things.” (72:28)
So that the Messenger may know that the messengers before him had conveyed the messages of their Lord.
And He encompasses everything they possess, and He knows the number of all things, so nothing of them is hidden from Him.