Tafsir of Surah An-Najm - Verse 18

The Trustworthy Angel brought Allah's Revelation to the Trustworthy Messenger

Allah the Exalted states that the Message His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ brought to people was taught to him by,

شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى

(mighty in power), he is Jibril, peace be upon him,

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ مُّطَـعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

(Verily, this is the Word a most honorable messenger, owner of power, with (Allah) the Lord of the Throne, obeyed (by the angels) and trustworthy.)(81:19-21) Allah said here,

ذُو مِرَّةٍ

(Dhu Mirrah), meaning, he is mighty in power, according to Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Ibn Zayd. In an authentic Hadith from `Abdullah bin `Umar and Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said,

«لَا تَحِلُّ الصَّدَقَةُ لِغَنِيَ وَلَا لِذِي مِرَّةٍ سَوِي»

(Charity is not allowed for a rich person nor Dhu Mirrah (a strong person) of sound mind and body.) Allah said;

فَاسْتَوَى

(then he Istawa (rose).) this refers to the angel Jibril, according to Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas,

وَهُوَ بِالاٍّفُقِ الاٌّعْلَى

(While he was in the highest part of the horizon.) meaning, Jibril rose to the highest part of the horizon, according to `Ikrimah and several others; `Ikrimah said, "The highest horizon where the morning comes from." Mujahid said, "It is (the place of) sunrise." Qatadah said, "That from which the day comes." Ibn Zayd and several others said similarly. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah saw Jibril in his original shape having six hundred wings, each wing filling the side of the horizon, with a colorful array, and pearls and rubies falling from each wing as much as only Allah knows." Only Imam Ahmad collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "The Prophet asked Jibril to appear himself to him in his original shape and Jibril said to him, `Invoke your Lord.' The Prophet invoked his Lord the Exalted and Most Honored, and a great huge figure appeared to him from the east and kept rising and spreading. When the Prophet saw Jibril in his original shape, he was knocked unconscious. Jibril came down and revived the Prophet and wiped the saliva off of his cheeks."' Only Ahmad collected this Hadith.

Meaning of "at a distance of two bows' length or less

Allah's statement,

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى

(And was at a distance of two bows` length or less.) means, Jibril came closer to Muhammad ﷺ when Jibril was descending to him on earth. At that time, the distance between them became only two bow lengths, when the bows are extended to full length, according to Mujahid and Qatadah. It was said that the meaning here is the distance between the bow's string and its wood center. Allah's statement,

أَوْ أَدْنَى

(or less) indicates that the distance was as only as far described, not more. This type of usage is found in several instances in the Qur'an, such as,

ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ مِّن بَعْدِ ذلِكَ فَهِىَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً

(Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness.)(2:74) The Ayah says that their hearts became not softer than rocks, but as hard and difficult as rocks, and more. There is a similar Ayah,

يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً

(fear men as they fear Allah or even more.)(4:77), and Allah's statement,

وَأَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى مِاْئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ

(And We sent him to hundred thousand (people) or even more.)(37:147), indicating that they were not less than a hundred thousand, but that amount or more. Therefore, this verifies the facts mentioned, leaving no doubt or means of refute. Similarly, Allah said,

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى

(And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.) We stated before that it was Jibril who came down near the Prophet , according to `A'ishah, the Mother of the faithful, `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, Abu Dharr and Abu Hurayrah. We will mention their statements about this soon afterwards, Allah willing. Ibn Jarir recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said about this Ayah,

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى

(And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.) "Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,

«رَأَيْتُ جِبْرِيلَ لَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاح»

(I saw Jibril; he had six hundred wings.)" Al-Bukhari recorded that Talq bin Ghannam said that Za'idah said that Ash-Shaybani said, "I asked Zirr about the Ayah,

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى - فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَآ أَوْحَى

(And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less. So (Allah) revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) Zirr said, "Abdullah narrated to us that Muhammad ﷺ saw Jibril having six hundred wings." Allah's statement,

فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَآ أَوْحَى

(So he revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) means, Jibril conveyed to Allah's servant Muhammad ﷺ whatever he conveyed. Or, the meaning here could be: Allah revealed to His servant Muhammad ﷺ whatever He revealed through Jibril. Both meanings are correct. Sa`id bin Jubayr said about Allah's statement,

فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَآ أَوْحَى

(So He revealed to His servant whatever He revealed.) "Allah revealed to him,

أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيماً

(Did He not find you an orphan.)(93:6), and,

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ

(And have We not raised high your fame)(94:4)" Someone else said, "Allah revealed to the Prophet that the Prophets will not enter Paradise until he enters it first, and the nations will not enter it until his Ummah enters it first."

Did the Prophet see His Lord during the Night of Isra

Allah said next,

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى - أَفَتُمَـرُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى

(The heart lied not in what he saw. Will you then dispute with him about what he saw) Muslim recorded from Ibn `Abbas about:

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى

(The heart lied not in what he saw), and,

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى

(And indeed he saw him at a second descent.) "He saw Allah twice in his heart." Simak reported a similar from `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas. Abu Salih, As-Suddi and several others said similarly that the Prophet saw Allah twice in his heart.Masruq said, "I went to `A'ishah and asked her, `Did Muhammad ﷺ see his Lord' She said, `You said something that caused my hair to rise!' I said, `Behold!' and recited this Ayah,

لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ ءَايَـتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى

(Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) She said, `Where did your mind wander It was Jibril. Whoever says to you that Muhammad ﷺ saw his Lord, or hid any part of what he was commanded (i.e., Allah's Message), or knew any of the five things which only Allah knows,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ

(Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain...)(31:34), Then he invents a great lie against Allah! The Prophet only saw Jibril twice, in his original shape, once near Sidrat Al-Muntaha and another time in Ajyad (in Makkah) while Jibril had six hundred wings that covered the horizon."' Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, `Have you seen your Lord' He said,

«نُورٌ أَنَّى أَرَاه»

(How can I see Him since there was a light)" In another narration, the Prophet said,

«رَأَيْتُ نُورًا»

(I only saw a light.) Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى - عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَى - عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى

(And indeed he saw him at a second descent. Near Sidrat Al-Muntaha.) "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«رَأَيْتُ جِبْرِيلَ وَلَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاحٍ يَنْتَثِرُ مِنْ رِيشِهِ التَّهَاوِيلُ مِنَ الدُّرِّ وَالْيَاقُوت»

(I saw Jibril while he had six hundred wings and a colorful array of pearls and rubies falling from the feathers of his wings.)" This Hadith has a good, strong chain of narration. Ahmad also recorded that `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw Jibril in his original shape while Jibril had six hundred wings, each wing covering the side of the horizon. From his wings, precious stones were dropping of which only Allah has knowledge." This Hadith has a good chain of narration. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«رَأَيْتُ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَى سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى وَلَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاح»

(I saw Jibril over Sidrat Al-Muntaha while he had six hundred wings.)" One of the subnarrators of the Hadith asked `Asim about Jibril's wings and `Asim refused to elaborate. So some of his companions were asked and one of them said, "Each wing was covering what is between the east and the west." This Hadith has a good chain of narration. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ فِي خُضْرٍ مُعَلَّقٍ بِهِ الدُّر»

(Jibril came to me wearing green with pearls hanging down.) This Hadith has a good chain of narration. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amir said that Masruq asked `A'ishah, "O Mother of the faithful, has Muhammad ﷺ seen his Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored" She said, "Glorious is Allah! My hair is standing on end because of what you said. Three matters, if one tells you about any of them, will have lied. Whoever tells you that Muhammad ﷺ has seen his Lord, will have lied." She then recited these two Ayat,

لاَّ تُدْرِكُهُ الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الاٌّبْصَـرَ

(No vision can grasp Him, but He grasps all vision.)(6:103), and,

وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ وَحْياً أَوْ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَابٍ

(It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation, or from behind a veil.)(42:51) She went one, "And whoever tells you that Muhammad ﷺ knew what the morrow will bring, will have uttered a lie." She then recited,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ

(Verily, Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs.)(31:34) `A'ishah said, "And whoever tells you that Muhammad ﷺ has hidden any part of the Message will have lied," and she then recited this Ayah,

يَـأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ

(O Messenger proclaim which has been sent down to you from your Lord.)(5:67).She went one, "However, he saw Jibril twice in his original shape." Imam Ahmad also recorded that Masruq said, "I asked `A'ishah, `Did not Allah say,

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ بِالاٍّفُقِ الْمُبِينِ

(And indeed he saw him in the clear horizon.)(81:23), and,

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى

(And indeed he saw him at a second descent)' She said, `I was the first among this Ummah to ask Allah's Messenger ﷺ about it. He said,

«إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ جِبْرِيل»

(That was Jibril.) He only saw him twice in his actual and real figure. He saw Jibril descend from heaven to earth and was so huge that he covered the whole horizon between the sky and earth.)"' This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs via Ash-Sha`bi.

Angels, Light and colors covered Sidrat Al-Muntaha

Allah said,

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى

(When that covered the lote tree which did cover it!) We mentioned before, in the Hadiths about Al-Isra' that the angels, Allah's Light, and spectacular colors covered the Sidrah. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was taken on the Isra' journey, he ascended to Sidrat Al-Muntaha, which is in the seventh heaven. There everything terminates that ascends from the earth and is held there, and terminates everything that descends from above it is held there,

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى

(When that covered the lote tree which did cover it!) He said, "Golden butterflies. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given three things: He was given the five prayers, he was given the concluding verses of Surat Al-Baqarah (2:284-286), and remission of serious sins for those among his Ummah who do not associate anything with Allah." Muslim collected this Hadith. Allah's statement,

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى

(The sight turned not aside, nor it transgressed beyond the limit.) indicates that the Prophet's sight did not turn right or left, according to `Ibn `Abbas,

وَمَا طَغَى

(nor it transgressed beyond the limit.) not exceeding what has been ordained for it. This is a tremendous quality that demonstrates the Prophet's firm obedience to Allah, because he only did what was commanded and did ask beyond what he was given. Allah's statement,

لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ ءَايَـتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى

(Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) is similar to another Ayah,

لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ ءْايَـتِنَآ

(In order that We might show him of Our Ayat.)(17:1), meaning, signs that testify to Allah's might and greatness. Relying on these two Ayat, some scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah said that the Prophet did not see Allah during the Isra' journey, because Allah said,

لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ ءَايَـتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى

(Indeed he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.) They said that, had the Prophet seen his Lord, Allah would have conveyed this news and the Prophet would have narrated it to the people.

وَلَقَدْ رَ‌آهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَ‌ىٰ 'And indeed he saw him another time' is explicit on the point. This verse too has two possible interpretations: [ 1] he saw Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) ; and [ 2] he saw Allah. That he saw Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) is perfectly obvious to any scholar. But there may be a hint to the fact that he saw Allah also, because seeing requires proximity and closeness to Allah, and the verse 14 عِندَ سِدْرَ‌ةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ 'by sidrat-ul-muntaha (the lote-tree in the upper realm) indicates this closeness, meaning when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was near sidrat-ul-muntaha and had reached a high stage of nearness to Allah, he saw Him. The Tradition cited below supports the notion of the Vision of Allah:

وَاَتَیتُ سِدرَۃَ المُنتَھٰی فَغَشِیَتنِی ضَبابَۃ خَرَتُ لَھَا سَاجِداً وَھٰذِہِ الضّبابۃُ ھِیَ الظُّلَلُ مِنَ الغَمَامِ الَّتِی یَاتِی فِیھَا اللہُ وَیَتَجَلّٰی۔

'When I reached sidrat-ul-muntaha, I was overshadowed by something like the cloud and I fell prostrate for it. On the Day of Resurrection, there will be something like clouds overshadowing in which His Majestic Descent will manifest.'

Likewise, verse [ 53:17] مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ‌ وَمَا طَغَىٰ (The eye neither went wrong, nor did exceed the limit.) includes both possibilities - vision of Jibra'il I and Vision of Allah - and it further proves that the this vision took place in the state of wakefulness with his physical eyes [ that is, it was not a dream experience ].

In sum, verses that relate to the Night of Mi` raj and contain words pertaining to 'seeing' carry the equal possibility of seeing Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) and seeing Allah Ta’ ala Himself. Other scholars too have interpreted them as the Vision of Allah. The Qur'anic words have possibility to be interpreted in that way.

The Question of the Beatific Vision of the Creator

All Companions, their immediate followers and overwhelming majority of the Ummah concur that the inmates of Paradise and the believers in general will see Allah. Authentic Traditions bear ample testimony to this fact and verity. They indicate that the Vision and Witnessing of Allah is not impossible. However, human sight cannot bear to see Him in this mundane world, because the capacity of the eyes is not powerful enough. Thus nobody can see Allah in this world. Regarding the Hereafter, the Qur'an says:

فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُ‌كَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ

"You were heedless of this. Now We have removed your veil from you; so your sight today is sharp." [ 50:22]

Venerable Imam Malik (رح) says that it is not possible for any human being to see Allah in this world, because his sight is perishable, and Allah is Eternal. In the Hereafter, man will be given non-perishable sight, as a result nothing will prevent it from the seeing Allah. Venerable Qadi ` Iyad says something similarly. A narration recorded in Muslim in the following words makes the point explicit:

وَاعلَمُوا اَنَّکُم لَن تَرَوا رَبَّکُم حَتّٰی تَمُوتُوا

"And know that you shall never see your Lord, until you die" (Fath-ul-Bari: vol 8/p. 493)

This indicates the possibility that if the Holy Prophet ﷺ is equipped with extraordinarily powerful faculty of sight, he should be able to see Allah in this world too on a special occasion. But on the Night of Ascension he was called in the most distinguishable manner from this world to see and witness the heavens, Paradise and Hell, and other great Signs of Allah and manifestation of His power. On this occasion, the Vision of Allah is an exception to the general rule, because he is out of the mundane world. The possibility of the Vision of Allah has thus been confirmed and verified.

So far we have proved that the possibility does exist, but the question is whether it really occurred. In this matter, the Traditions vary, and the Qur'anic verses are interpretable in two possible ways. Therefore, this question was always debatable among the Companions, their followers and leading authorities on religion. Ibn-Kathir says that under the interpretation of these verses Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ verifies that the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw Allah and a group of righteous predecessors have followed him. Other groups of Companions ؓ and their followers have differed from this viewpoint. He further adduced the evidences of both the groups.

Likewise, Hafiz (رح) in Fath-ul-Bari [ vol 8/p.494] under the Tafsir of Surah An-Najm has cited the differences of the Companions and their followers and then quoted some such statements which reconcile the divergent views. He further says that Qurtubi in his work mufhim prefers to observe silence in the matter and not to decide either way, because this question does not concern our practical life so that we have to choose a particular direction. The question concerns our belief system, in which case incontestable evidence is required. In any matter which cannot be proved incontestably, the rule is to observe silence. This author believes that this is the most sound and circumspect approach to the issue. Therefore, the arguments of the two groups have not been cited. Allah, the Pure and the Exalted, knows best!

Al-Lat, al-‘Uzza and Manat were the deities of ancient Arabia. Al-Lat was located in Taif, al-‘Uzza in Nakhla near Makkah and Manat in Qudayd near Madinah. These three, according to the popular belief of those days, were the daughters of god, and so they were worshipped. A belief of this kind was undoubtedly a baseless supposition. It is a contradiction in itself. These polytheists used to consider it a degrading thing to have daughters. So, God wanted them to ask themselves if He, who was the Creator of sons and daughters, were to create children for Himself, would He have created daughters for Himself?