Tafsir of Surah Fussilat - Verse 2

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Description of the Qur'an, and what Those Who turn away from it say.

حـم - تَنزِيلٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(Ha Mim. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) means, the Qur'an is revealed from the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is like the Ayat:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ

(Say Ruh Al-Qudus (Jibril) has brought it down from your Lord with truth) (16:102).

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ

(And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of all that exists, Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down upon your heart that you may be (one) of the warners.) (26:192-194).

كِتَـبٌ فُصِّلَتْ ءَايَـتُهُ

(A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail) means, its meanings are clear and its rulings are sound and wise.

قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً

(a Qur'an in Arabic) means, because it is a clear Arabic Qur'an, its meanings are precise and detailed and its words are clear and not confusing. This is like the Ayah:

كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءايَـتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

((This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are completed, and then explained in detail from One (Allah), Who is All-Wise Well-Acquainted) (11:1). meaning, it is miraculous in its wording and in its meanings.

لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42).

لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(for people who know.) means, this clear style will be readily understood by scholars who are thoroughly versed in knowledge.

بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً

(Giving glad tidings and warning,) means, sometimes it brings glad tidings to the believers, and sometimes it brings a warning to the disbelievers.

فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ

(but most of them turn away, so they hear not.) means, most of the Quraysh did not understand anything of it at all, despite the fact that it was so clear.

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ

(And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings...") meaning, they are wrapped and screened,

مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِى ءَاذانِنَا وَقْرٌ

(from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness,) means, `we are deaf to the message you bring to us.'

وَمِن بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ

(and between us and you is a screen,) `so nothing of what you say reaches us.'

فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَـمِلُونَ

(so work you (on your way); verily, we are working) means, go your way, and we will go our way, and we will not follow you.

Commentary

The seven Surahs that commence with "Ha Meem" are known as "Al Hameem' or 'Hawameem'. Some more words are added as suffixes in their names to differentiate between them, for example, the 'Ha Meem' of Surah Mu'min is called "Ha Meem Al-Mum'in, and 'Ha Meem' of this Surah is called 'Ha Meem Sajdah' or 'Ha Meem Fussilat'. Both the names of this Surah are well-known.

The first addressees of this Surah are Quraysh of ` Arabia among whom Qur'an was revealed in their own language. They had witnessed the marvel of the Qur'an, and they had also seen innumerable miracles of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . And yet they turned away from the Qur'an. What to say of understanding, they did not even bear to listen to the Qur'an. Eventually, in response to the affectionate advices of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، they declared that they neither understand what he says, nor do their hearts accept it, nor are their ears prepared to listen to it, and that there are double barriers between him and them, so he should carry on with his business and leave them to their own.

This is the meaning of the first five verses of this Surah. In these verses, Allah Almighty has specially addressed and advised Quraysh that Qur'an has been revealed in Arabic language, so that you do not have any difficulty in understanding the contents. At the same time three qualities of the Holy Qur'an have been stated. Firstly it is said, فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ Here, the word fussilat' is a derivative of fasl which originally means distinguishing the subjects by separating them. So فُصِّلَتْ means stating things very clearly by explaining in detail, either by separating them subject - wise in different chapters, or by mentioning them at one place. Different subjects like injunctions of Shari'ah, stories, beliefs, refutation of the people of false beliefs, etc. have been stated separately in the verses of the Holy Qur'an, and each subject has been explained by examples as well. The second and third qualities of the Holy Qur'an have been stated as that of communicating good news of everlasting happiness to the believers and of warning the non-believers of perpetual scourges.

The call of a prophet is the pure call of religion. However, people mostly follow the religion of their forebears. Their thinking is dominated by their national traditions and contemporary mores. For this reason, the prophet’s unadulterated religion does not fit the pattern or mould of their thought. He appears a stranger to them. This difference acts as a mental barrier between the prophet and the common people. Unable to see the prophet’s call in its proper perspective, they are not prepared to accept it. The prophet’s call is in itself extremely rational. It is in itself a proof that it has come from God. But the aforesaid mental barrier proves so impregnable that a man is unable to penetrate it in order to grasp the meaning of the prophet’s call. Thus God opens the doors of His Grace to man, but he does not pass through them.