Say: He is Allah, the One
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Presented below is a complete translation of the Tafsir of chapter 112 from the Qur’ān. Rendered from the acclaimed Tafsir of the grand Imām, the scholar’s scholar, Abu Ja’far Muḥammad ibn Jarir al-Ṭabari [see: Tafsir al-Ṭabari, Vol. 24, pp. 727/740].
In the Tafsir, al-Ṭabari covers the varying reasons as to why the Surah was revealed; an analysis of each verse, with accompanying grammatical points, and in his unique customary style, outlining the narratives from the Companions and successors containing commentary for each salient viewpoint. For the sake of consistency, a single translation of the Qur’ān is used throughout, the translation produced by Professor M. A. S Abdel Haleem.
Surah al-Ikhlāṣ is easily recognisable to every Muslim, adult or child, encapsulating key aspects of Tawḥeed (monotheism). That message cannot be reiterated enough. With the world dominated by those whose faces turn in aversion at the very idea of Tawḥeed, let this small contribution add to their misery. For we bear testimony to the truth of this Surah and will continue to reiterate this message, fearing neither censure nor blame.
Let it be known – there are no ‘gods;’ there are no ‘demi-gods’ nor is there any ‘divine offspring,’ neither is there any ‘pantheon.’ There is only Allah. Despite the insidious barking of the nihilists, those enchanted with the misguidance of Shayṭān, who believe ‘religion is at an end,’ and ‘data is the new god,’ let the words of Surah al-Ikhlāṣ be pronounced lucidly, let this message and the message of the entire revelation, the Qur’ān and the Prophetic Sunnah, reach the hearts and minds of all who inhabit this plain of existence.
قل هو الله أحد
الله الصمد
لم يلد ولم يولد
ولم يكن له كفوا أحد
Say: He is Allah the One
Allah the eternal
He begot no one nor was He begotten.
No one is comparable to Him
In the name of Allah, al-Raḥman, al-Raḥeem
[Abu Ja’far said] Regarding the interpretation of the verse(s) where He, may His names be glorified and sanctified:
قل هو الله أحد
الله الصمد
لم يلد ولم يولد
ولم يكن له كفوا أحد
Say: He is Allah the One
Allah the eternal
He begot no one nor was He begotten.
No one is comparable to Him.
It has been said that the mushrikeen asked the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him concerning the genealogy of the Lord of Power, so Allah sent down this Surah as a reply to them. Conversely, some of the (interpreters) have said: This Surah was revealed as a reply to the Jews, who asked him about (Allah), saying: ‘This God created creation, so who created God?’ This Surah was then revealed as a response to them.
(Regarding) those who have mentioned that: this Surah was revealed as a reply to the mushrikeen who had asked (the Prophet) to trace the genealogy of the Lord, Blessed and Exalted that He is.
حدثنا أحمد بن منيع المروزي ومحمود بن خداش الطالقاني قالا ثنا أبو سعيد الصنعاني قال ثنا أبو جعفر الرازي عن الربيع بن أنس عن أبي العالية عن أبي بن كعب قال قال المشركون للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم انسب لنا ربك، فأنزل الله قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد
Aḥmad ibn Muneeh’ al-Marwazi and Maḥmud ibn Khidāsh al-Ṭālaqnāi narrated to us, they said Abu Sa’eed al-Ṣan’āni narrated to us he said Abu Ja’far al-Rāzi narrated to us from al-Rabeeh’ ibn Anas from Abu al-‘Aāliyah from Ubay ibn Ka’b, he said: The mushrikeen said to the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Give us the genealogy of your lord.’ Thus, Allah then revealed (the verse): Say: He is Allah the One, Allah the eternal.
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا يحيى بن واضح قال ثنا الحسين عن يزيد عن عكرمة قال إن المشركين قالوا يا رسول الله أخبرنا عن ربك، صف لنا ربك ما هو، ومن أي شيء هو؟ فأنزل الله قل هو الله أحد إلى آخر السورة
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Yaḥya ibn Wa’ḍaḥ narrated to us he said al-Ḥussein narrated to us from Yazeed from ‘Ikrimah, he said: Indeed, the mushrikeen said to the Messenger of Allah: O Messenger of Allah – report to us about your lord; describe your lord, what is he? What is he made of? Then Allah revealed (the verses): Say: He is Allah the One – until the end of the Surah.
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن أبي جعفر عن الربيع عن أبي العالية قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد قال قال ذلك قتادة الأحزاب انسب لنا ربك، فأتاه جبريل بهذه
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Abu Ja’far from al-Rabeeh’ from Abu al-‘Aāliyah (regarding): Say: He is Allah the One, Allah the eternal; the confederate leaders said, ‘Give us the genealogy of your lord,’ then (the angel) Jibreel brought down this Surah.
حدثني محمد بن عوف قال ثنا شريج قال ثنا إسماعيل بن مجالد عن مجالد عن الشعبي عن جابر قال قال المشركون: انسب لنا ربك، فأنزل الله قل هو الله أحد
Muḥammad ibn ‘Auf narrated to me he said Surayj narrated to us he said Ismā’il ibn Mujālid narrated to us from Mujālid from al-Sha’bi from Jābir, he said: The mushrikeen had said, ‘Give us the genealogy of your lord,’ thereafter, Allah revealed: Say: He is Allah the One.
(Here) detailing those who said that this Surah was revealed in relation to the questions posed by the Jews.
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا سلمة قال ثني ابن إسحاق عن محمد عن سعيد قال أتى رهط من اليهود النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقالوا يا محمد هذا الله خلق الخلق، فمن خلقه؟ فغضب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم حتى انتقع لونه، ثم ساورهم غضبا لربه، فجاءه جبريل عليه السلام فسكنه، وقال: اخفض عليك جناحك يا محمد، وجاءه من الله جواب ما سألوه عنه. قال يقول الله قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد فلما تلا عليهم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قالوا: صف لنا ربك كيف خلقه، وكيف عضده، وكيف ذراعه، فغضب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أشد من غضبه الأول، وساورهم غضبا، فأتاه جبريل فقال له مثل مقالته، وأتاه بجواب ما سألوه عنه وما قدروا الله حق قدره والأرض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامة والسماوات مطويات بيمينه سبحانه وتعالى عما يشركون
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Salamah narrated to us he said Ibn Isḥāq narrated to me from Muḥammad from Sa’eed he said: A group of Jews came to the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and they said to him: O Muḥammad, this God of yours created creation, therefore who created him? The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him grew angry to the point that he visibly changed complexion. He was about to dismiss them out of anger on behalf of his Lord, but then (the angel) Jibreel, peace be upon him, came to him, calming him. He said unto him: O Muḥammad, calm thyself. Then the answer to the question (of the Jews) was revealed by Allah, thus he said: Say: He is Allah the One. Allah the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him. When the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him recited this to them, in reply they said: Describe your lord for us – what is his body like? What are his forearms and arms like? The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him became even angrier than previously, and again was about to dismiss them out, when Jibreel came to him and said the same thing; he brought the reply that (the Jews) had enquired about: These people have no grasp of Allah’s true measure. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole earth will be in His grip. The heavens will be rolled up in His right hand – Glory be to Him! He is far above the partners they ascribe to Him! (1)
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن سعيد بن أبي عروبة عن قتادة قال جاء ناس من اليهود إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقالوا أنسب لنا ربك، فنزلت قل هو الله أحد حتى ختم السورة
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Sa’eed ibn Abi ‘Aruba from Qatādah, he said: A group from among the Jews came to the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and they said to him: ‘Give us the genealogy of your lord,’ then the following was revealed: Say: He is Allah the One – until the end of the Surah.
If the matter is how we have described it, the interpretation of these verses is as follows: Say, O Muḥammad to the people questioning you regarding the genealogy and description of your Lord, and also regarding who ‘created’ him: The Lord about whom you have been inquiring, He is Allah; to whom belongs every being in existence worship. Worship should and cannot be directed to anything bar Him.
Experts in the Arabic language have differed over why (the word) ‘One’ is in the nominative case. One from among them has said that the nominative case is governed by ‘Allah’ and (the) ‘huwa’ is an affirming pronoun that is equivalent to the letter ‘ha’ which is in the verse:
يا موسى إنه أنا الله العزيز الحكيم
O Moses – I am Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. (2)
Others have said, instead it is in the nominative case, even though it is indefinite, because it starts a new sentence, such as to be found in the verse:
قالت يا ويلتى أألد وأنا عجوز وهذا بعلي شيخا إن هذا لشيء عجيب
She said, ‘Alas for me! How am I to bear a child when I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would be a strange thing!’ (3)
He said: He is Allah is the reply given to those that had said: ‘What is it that you worship?’ He said: ‘It is Allah.’ Therefore, when it is said: ‘What is he?’, the reply was ‘He is One.’
There are others who have said the word ‘aḥad’ – ‘One’ has the meaning of wāḥid, rejecting the premise that the affirming pronoun can initiate a new sentence unless one of the expressions of doubt precedes it, like the verb dthan ‘to doubt’ and her sisters, kāna, and her related expressions or inna – ‘indeed,’ or something that’s similar. The second of these statements is closest to being in agreement with schools of Arabic (language).
Qur’ān reciters differed over the reading of these verses. Most of the reciters of the garrison cities read ‘aḥadun, Allahul’ṣamadu,’ with tanween on the aḥad. (The) exception being Naṣr ibn ‘Aāṣim and Abdullah ibn Abi Isḥāq, for whom it was narrated that the tanween was left. It is as if those who read it this way had said – when the tanween is followed by the ‘al’ or consonant letters, it is sometimes dropped, as happens in the following example from the verse of poetry:
كيف نومي على الفراش ولما… تشمل الشام غارة شعواء
تذهل الشيخ عن بنيه وتبدي… عن خدام العقيلة العذراء
How can I sleep on this bed while
a hostile raid is spreading all over Syria
Causing the old man to neglect his sons
and the bashful, chaste girls to reveal their anklets.
Intending, ‘an khidāmin al-aqilatu.’
The correct opinion regarding that with tanween is for two reasons. First, it is the more eloquent form of speech, the better known, and considered superior among the Arabs. Secondly, there is ijmā’ that is proof among the Qur’ān reciters of the garrison cities that they chose the reading with tanween. This alone is sufficient evidence for the soundness of this reading and there is no need for further evidence to buttress it. We have already clarified the meaning of His statement, aḥad. previously in this work in a sufficient manner that renders repetition here.
Concerning where He says: Allah the eternal – He, the Exalted in his remembrance says: The One who is worshipped it is the only One who can be worshipped correctly, is al-Ṣamad.
There is disagreement among the people of interpretation regarding the precise meaning of al-Ṣamad. Some of them have said: He is the One who is not hollow, (having no need) to either eat or drink. Regarding those who held that view:
حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن الأسود قال ثنا محمد بن ربيعة عن سلمة بن سابور عن عطية عن ابن عباس قال الصمد الذي ليس بأجوف
Abdar-Raḥman ibn al-Aswad narrated to us he said Muḥammad ibn Rabiah’ narrated to us from Salamah ibn Sābur from ‘Aṭiya from Ibn ‘Abbās, he said: al-Ṣamad – is the one that is not ‘hollow.’
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا عبد الرحمن قال ثنا سفيان عن منصور عن مجاهد قال الصمد المصمت الذي لا جوف له
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Abdar-Raḥman narrated to us he said Sufyān narrated to us from Manṣur from Mujālid, he said: al-Ṣamad – is the one that’s solid, not being ‘hollow.’
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا وكيع عن سفيان عن منصور عن مجاهد مثله سواء
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Waki’ narrated to us from Sufyān from Manṣur from Mujālid, narrating it similarly.
حدثني الحارث قال ثنا الحسن قال ثنا ورقاء عن ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد قال الصمد المصمت الذي ليس له جوف
al-Ḥārith narrated to me he said al-Ḥasan narrated to us he said Waraqā’ narrated to us from Ibn Abi Najiḥ from Mujāhid he said: al-Ṣamad – is the One who is solid, not having any (form of) hollowness.
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا عبد الرحمن ووكيع قالا ثنا سفيان عن ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد قال الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Abdar-Raḥman and Waki’ narrated to us, they said Sufyān narrated to us from Ibn Abi Najiḥ from Mujāhid he said: al-Ṣamad – is the one not being hollow.
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا وكيع وحدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران جميعا عن سفيان عن ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد مثله
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Waki’ narrated to us and Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us, all of them (narrating) from Sufyān from Ibn Abi Najiḥ from Mujāhid, reporting similarly.
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا عبد الرحمن قال ثنا الربيع بن مسلم عن الحسن قال الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Abdar-Raḥman narrated to us he said al-Rabeeh’ ibn Muslim narrated to us from al-Ḥasan, he said: al-Ṣamad – is the One who isn’t hollow.
قال ثنا الربيع بن مسلم عن إبراهيم بن ميسرة قال أرسلني مجاهد إلى سعيد بن جبير أساله عن الصمد فقال الذي لا جوف له
He said: al-Rabeeh’ ibn Muslim narrated to us from Ibrāhim ibn Maysara he said, Mujāhid sent me to Sa’eed ibn Jubayr to ask about (the wording) al-Ṣamad – thus, he said (its meaning is) the One who is not hollow.
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا يحيى قال ثنا إسماعيل بن أبي خالد عن الشعبي قال الصمد الذي لا يطعم الطعام
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Yaḥya narrated to us he said Ismā’il ibn Abi Khālid narrated to us from al-Sha’bi, he said: al-Ṣamad – is One who doesn’t eat any food.
حدثنا يعقوب قال ثنا هشيم عن إسماعيل بن أبي خالد عن الشعبي أنه قال الصمد الذي لا يأكل الطعام، ولا يشرب الشراب
Yaq’ub narrated to us he said Hushaym narrated to us from Ismā’il ibn Abi Khālid from al-Sha’bi, that he said: al-Ṣamad – (means) One who doesn’t consume food, nor drink any drink.
حدثنا أبو كريب وابن بشار قالا ثنا وكيع عن سلمة بن نبيط عن الضحاك قال الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Abu Kareeb and Ibn Bashār narrated to us, they said Waki’ narrated to us from Salamah ibn Nabeeṭ from al-Daḥḥāk, he said: al-Ṣamad – is the One who is not hollow.
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا ابن أبي زائدة عن إسماعيل عن عامر قال الصمد الذي لا يأكل الطعام
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Ibn Abi Zā’ida narrated to us from Ismā’il from Aāmir, he said: al-Ṣamad: is the One who doesn’t eat any food.
حدثنا ابن بشار وزيد بن أخزم قالا ثنا ابن داود عن المستقيم بن عبد الملك، عن سعيد بن المسيب قال الصمد الذي لا حشوة له
Ibn Bashār and Zayd ibn Akhzam narrated to us, they said Ibn Dāwud narrated to us from al-Mustaqim ibn Abdal-Malik from Sa’eed ibn al-Mussayib, he said: al-Ṣamad – is the One who doesn’t have intestines.
حدثت عن الحسين قال سمعت أبا معاذ يقول ثنا عبيد قال سمعت الضحاك يقول في قوله الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Narrated from al-Ḥussein he said I heard Abu Mu’ādth saying ‘Ubayd narrated to us, he said al-Daḥḥāk was saying in relation to His statement, ‘al-Ṣamad,’ (that) is the One who isn’t hollow.
حدثني العباس بن أبي طالب قال ثنا محمد بن عمر بن رومي عن عبيد الله بن سعيد قائد الأعمش قال ثني صالح بن حيان عن عبد الله بن بريدة عن أبيه قال لا أعلمه إلا قد رفعه، قال الصمد الذي لا جوف له
al-‘Abbās ibn Abi Ṭālib narrated to me he said Muḥammad ibn Umar ibn Rumi narrated to us from ‘Ubaydallah ibn Sa’eed, assistant to al-‘Amash, he said Ṣāliḥ ibn Ḥayyān narrated to us from Abdullah ibn Buraydah from his father, he said: I only know of my father raising this, he said: al-Ṣamad is the One that isn’t hollow.
حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا بشر بن المفضل، عن الربيع بن مسلم، قال: سمعت الحسن يقول الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Ibn ‘Abdal-Alā’ narrated to us he said Bishr ibn al-Mufaḍḍal narrated to us from al-Rabeeh’ ibn Muslim he said I heard al-Ḥasan saying: al-Ṣamad is the One that isn’t hollow
حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى قال ثنا ابن ثور عن معمر عن عكرمة قال الصمد الذي لا جوف له
Ibn ‘Abdal-Alā’ narrated to us he said Ibn Thawr narrated to us from Ma’mar from ‘Ikrimah, he said: al-Ṣamad is the One that isn’t hollow.
[Abu Ja’far said] there are others that have said (the meaning of the word) is One from whom ‘nothing comes out.’ Those who mentioned that are as follows:
حدثني يعقوب قال ثنا ابن علية عن أبي رجاء قال سمعت عكرمة، قال في قوله الصمد الذي لم يخرج منه شيء، ولم يلد، ولم يولد
Ya’qub narrated to me he said Ibn ‘Aliyah narrated to us from Abi Rajjāh’ he said I heard that ‘Ikrimah said regarding His statement ‘al-Ṣamad’ (meaning that) is the One from whom nothing comes out, who begets not nor was begotten.
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا محمد بن جعفر قال ثنا شعبة عن أبي رجاء محمد بن يوسف عن عكرمة قال الصمد الذي لا يخرج منه شيء
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Muḥammad ibn Ja’far narrated to us he said Shu’ba narrated to us from Abi Rajjāh’ Muḥammad ibn Yusuf from ‘Ikrimah, he said: al-Ṣamad is the One from whom nothing comes out of.
[Abu Ja’far said] there are others that have said (the meaning of the word) is the One who begets not, nor was he begotten. Those who mentioned that are as follows:
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن أبي جعفر عن الربيع عن أبي العالية قال الصمد الذي لم يلد ولم يولد، لأنه ليس شيء يلد إلا سيورث، ولا شيء يولد إلا سيموت، فأخبرهم تعالى ذكره أنه لا يورث ولا يموت
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Abu Ja’far from al-Rabeeh’ from Abul’Aāliyah, he said: al-Ṣamad, is the One who begets not, nor is begotten; because nothing begets without leaving an inheritance in the future and nothing is born, which doesn’t ultimately end in death. Yet, He the Exalted in His remembrance informs them that He neither leaves an inheritance nor does He die.
حدثنا أحمد بن منيع ومحمود بن خداش قالا ثنا أبو سعيد الصنعاني قال قال المشركون للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنسب لنا ربك فأنزل الله قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد لأنه ليس شيء يولد إلا سيموت، وليس شيء يموت إلا سيورث، وإن الله جل ثناؤه لا يموت ولا يورث ولم يكن له كفوا أحد ولم يكن له شبيه ولا عدل، وليس كمثله شيء
Aḥmad ibn Muneeh’ and Muḥammad ibn Khidāsh narrated to us, they said: Abu Sa’eed al-Ṣan’āni narrated to us he said: the mushrikeen said to the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Give us the genealogy of your lord,’ thereafter Allah revealed (the Surah): Say: He is Allah the One, Allah the eternal, He begot no one nor was He begotten, No one is comparable to Him. He did so because nothing begets, which does not ultimately die and there’s nothing which dies except that it leaves behind an inheritance. Indeed, Allah doesn’t die, nor leave an inheritance. None is comparable to Him, which means nothing resembles or is (let alone) even equal to Him and There is nothing like unto Him. (4)
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا وكيع عن أبي معشر عن محمد بن كعب الصمد الذي لم يلد ولم يولد، ولم يكن له كفوا أحد
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Waki’ narrated to us from Abu Ma’shir from Muḥammad ibn Ka’b, he said: al-Ṣamad, is the One who does not beget, nor is begotten, and indeed there is nothing like unto him.
[Abu Ja’far said] there are others that have said – He is the Master whose power is unsurpassable. Those who mentioned that are as follows:
حدثني أبو السائب قال ثني أبو معاوية عن الأعمش عن شقيق قال الصمد هو السيد الذي قد انتهى سؤدده
Abul’Sā’ib narrated to me he said Abu Mu’āwiya narrated to me from al-‘Amash from Shaqeeq, he said: al-Ṣamad, is the Master whose power is unsurpassable.
حدثنا أبو كريب وابن بشار وابن عبد الأعلى قالوا ثنا وكيع عن الأعمش عن أبي وائل قال الصمد السيد الذي قد انتهى سؤدده; ولم يقل أبو كريب وابن عبد الأعلى سؤدده
Abu Kareeb, Ibn Bashār and Ibn ‘Abdal-‘Alā narrated to us, they said Waki’ narrated to us from al-‘Amash from Abu Wā’il, he said: al-Ṣamad is the Master whose power is unsurpassable.
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن سفيان عن الأعمش عن أبي وائل مثله
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Sufyān from al-‘Amash from Abu Wā’il, narrating similarly.
حدثنا علي قال ثنا أبو صالح قال ثني معاوية عن علي عن ابن عباس في قوله الصمد يقول السيد الذي قد كمل في سؤدده، والشريف الذي قد كمل في شرفه، والعظيم الذي قد عظم في عظمته، والحليم الذي قد كمل في حلمه، والغني الذي قد كمل في غناه، والجبار الذي قد كمل في جبروته، والعالم الذي قد كمل في علمه، والحكيم الذي قد كمل في حكمته، وهو الذي قد كمل في أنواع الشرف والسؤدد، وهو الله سبحانه هذه صفته، لا تنبغي إلا له
Ali narrated to us he said Abu Ṣāliḥ narrated to us he said Mu’āwiya narrated to me from Ali from Ibn ‘Abbās, regarding His statement: al-Ṣamad, he says: (It) is al-Sayyid (the Master) whose power is perfect, the al-Shareef (the noble) whose nobility is perfect, al-Azeem (the tremendous) whose glory is perfect, al-Ḥaleem (the clement) whose clemency is perfect. Al-Ghani (the self-sufficient), whose sufficiency is perfect. Al-‘Aālim (the knowledgeable) whose knowledge and wisdom is perfect. And al-Ḥakeem (the judge) whose judgement is absolute perfection. He is the One who is perfect in all manner of power, nobility. He is Allah, all glory is unto Him, and this is His attributes which cannot be ascribed to other than Him.
[Abu Ja’far said] Still, there are others who have said that nay, it means, al-Bāqi (the everlasting), which is ever present. Those who mentioned that are as follows:
حدثنا بشر قال ثنا يزيد قال ثنا سعيد عن قتادة في قوله قل هو الله أحد الله الصمد لم يلد ولم يولد قال كان الحسن وقتادة يقولان الباقي بعد خلقه، قال هذه سورة خالصة، ليس فيها ذكر شيء من أمر الدنيا والآخرة
Bishr narrated to us he said Yazeed narrated to us he said Sa’eed narrated to us from Qatādah in relation to His saying: Say: He is Allah the One; Allah the eternal, He begot no one nor was He begotten – he said, Qatādah and al-Ḥasan were saying, He is al-Bāqi (the everlasting) after His creation. He said: This Surah is exclusively to Allah, there is no mention of anything related to the Dunya (the present world) or the Akhirah (the hereafter) within it.
حدثنا ابن عبد الأعلى قال ثنا ابن ثور عن معمر عن قتادة قال الصمد الدائم
Ibn ‘Abdal-‘Alā narrated to us he said Thawr narrated to us from Ma’mar from Qatādah, he said: al-Ṣamad is al-Dā’im (the permanent, eternal).
Abu Ja’far said: al-Ṣamad is used by the Arabs to mean, ‘The chief to whom all affairs are directed, there is no one above that.’ This is also what they call their notables, as can be evidenced from the following stanza of poetry:
ألا بكر الناعي بخيري بني أسد… بعمرو بن مسعود وبالسيد الصمد
Alas, in the morning came the announcer of death
[who named] the best two of Bani Asad
with ‘Amr ibn Mas’ud, the supreme chieftain
And al-Zibriqān said: ‘There isn’t a ransom (bigger) than a supreme chieftain.’
[Abu Ja’far said] If this is how it is, then the most reasonable interpretation of the word (in this verse) is the meaning that is widely known in the language of those people the Qur’ān was revealed to. Were the ḥadith from Abu Buraydah narrating from his father Ṣaḥīḥ, (then, as outlined earlier, that view) would have been the best interpretation, because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most knowledgeable concerning what Allah had meant and that which was revealed unto him.
[Abu Ja’far said] In relation to the interpretation of the verse: He begot no one nor was He begotten. He is saying, He does not pass away to nothing because there is nothing which begets save that it passes away to nothing, and indeed it perishes. Nor was He begotten – He wasn’t brought into existence (by anything) from (that which is) non-existence. Everything which is begotten is made to exist after it had not been in existence. Yet He, Exalted in His remembrance is al-Qadim (the eternal) and He is al-Dā’im (the permanent, eternal). He does not perish, nor does He ever cease, nor even (if it could be conceived) pass to nothing.
[Abu Ja’far said] In relation to the interpretation of the verse: No one is comparable to Him – the scholars have differed over its precise meaning. Some from among them have said, that the meaning of the verse is that there is nothing in existence can resemble or even be comparable to Him. Regarding those who mentioned that:
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن أبي جعفر عن الربيع عن أبي العالية قوله ولم يكن له كفوا أحد لم يكن له شبيه، ولا عدل، وليس كمثله شيء
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Abu Ja’far from al-Rabeeh’ from Abul’-Aāliyah, regarding His saying: No one is comparable to Him, nothing is even resembling Him, nor (even) equal to Him and There is nothing like unto Him. (5)
حدثنا بشر قال ثنا يزيد قال ثنا سعيد عن قتادة عن عمرو بن غيلان الثقفي وكان أمير البصرة عن كعب قال إن الله تعالى ذكره أسس السموات السبع، والأرضين السبع، على هذه السورة لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد وإن الله لم يكافئه أحد من خلقه
Bishr narrated to us he said Yazeed narrated to us he said Sa’eed narrated to us from Qatādah from ‘Amr ibn Ghaylān al-Thaqafi, and he was the governor of Basra, from Ka’b he said: Indeed, Allah the Exalted in His remembrance laid the foundation of the seven heavens and earths upon this very Surah – He begot no one nor was He begotten, No one is comparable to Him. In truth, there is nothing comparable to him in His creation.
حدثني علي قال ثنا أبو صالح قال ثني معاوية عن علي عن ابن عباس ولم يكن له كفوا أحد قال ليس كمثله شيء، فسبحان الله الواحد القهار
Ali narrated to me he said Abu Ṣāliḥ narrated to us he said Mu’āwiya narrated to us from Ali from Ibn ‘Abbās (regarding): No one is comparable to Him, he said: ‘There is nothing like unto Him,’ thus, glory be unto Allah, al-Wāhid, al-Qāhar!
حدثني الحارث قال ثنا الحسن قال ثنا ورقاء عن ابن جريج ولم يكن له كفوا مثل
al-Ḥārith narrated to me he said al-Ḥasan narrated to us he said Waraqā’ narrated to us from Ibn Jurayj (regarding the verse): No one is comparable, (he said) similar.
[Abu Ja’far said] There are others that have held the meaning to be that He has no female cohort. Regarding those who mentioned that:
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا عبد الرحمن قال ثنا سفيان عن عبد الملك بن أبجر عن طلحة عن مجاهد قوله ولم يكن له كفوا أحد قال صاحبة
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Abdar-Raḥman narrated to us he said Sufyān narrated to us from Abdal-Malik ibn Abjar from Ṭalḥa from Mujāhid concerning His statement: No one is comparable to Him, he said: A female cohort.
حدثنا ابن بشار قال ثنا يحيى عن سفيان عن ابن أيجر عن طلحة عن مجاهد، مثله
Ibn Bashār narrated to us he said Yaḥya narrated to us he said Sufyān narrated to us from Ibn Ayjar Ṭalḥa from Mujāhid, narrating similarly.
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا ابن إدريس عن عبد الملك، عن طلحة عن مجاهد، مثله
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Ibn Idris narrated to us from Abdal-Malik from Ṭalḥa from Mujāhid, narrating similarly.
حدثنا ابن حميد قال ثنا مهران عن سفيان عن ابن أبجر عن رجل عن مجاهد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد قال صاحبة
Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us he said Mihrān narrated to us from Sufyān from Ibn Abjar from a man from Mujāhid (regarding the verse): No one is comparable to Him, he said: A female cohort.
حدثنا أبو كريب قال ثنا وكيع عن سفيان عن عبد الملك بن أبجر عن طلحة بن مصرف عن مجاهد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد قال صاحبة
Abu Kareeb narrated to us he said Waki’ narrated to us from Sufyān from Abdal-Malik ibn Abjar from Ṭalḥa ibn Muṣarrif from Mujāhid (regarding the verse): No one is comparable to Him, he said: A female cohort.
حدثنا أبو السائب قال ثنا ابن إدريس عن عبد الملك عن طلحة عن مجاهد مثله
Abu al-Sā’ib narrated to us he said Ibn Idris narrated to us from Abdal-Malik from Ṭalḥa from Mujāhid, narrating similarly.
Al-Kufu, al-Kafa and al-Kāfa’ are words that carry an identical meaning in the parlance of the Arabs for that being equivalent or resembling. An example of which, is the stanza of Nābagha regarding Bani Dhi’yān, namely:
لا تقذفني بركن لا كفاء له… ولو تأثفك الأعداء بالرفد
Don’t reproach me with a formidable thing, having no equal
Even if enemies should group around you, to aid one another
That is to say, the meaning is that which has no equal.
The Qur’ān reciters differed over the reading of ‘kufu’ comparable. In general, the reciters of Basra read it as being kufuwan, with dammas on the letters kaf and fa. According to some (of the reciters of) Kufa, they read it as ‘kuf’an, carrying a sukun on the letter fa, together with a Hamza above the letter waw. The correct thing to say about this matter is that both are known readings which are widely attested dialects. A reciter would be correct in reading either of them.
Endnotes
- Qur’ān, 39: 67
- Qur’ān, 27: 9. The verse quoted in full, the highlighted portions that mentioned by al-Ṭabari
- Qur’ān, 11: 72. The verse quoted in full, the highlighted portions that mentioned by al-Ṭabari
- Qur’ān, 42: 11. Only a portion of the verse is cited in the narrative.
- Ibid.
