Smoke, The Evident Smoke — Verse 5

As an ordinance a distinguishing from Us. Indeed We have been sending from your Lord messengers such as Muhammad (s) and those before him

Which was revealed in Makkah In Musnad Al-Bazzar, it is recorded from Abu At-Tufayl `Amir bin Wathilah from Zayd bin Harithah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Ibn Sayyad: «إِنِّي قَدْ خَبَأْتُ خَبْأً فَمَا هُوَ؟» (I am concealing something, what is it) And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was concealing Surat Ad-Dukhan from him. He (Ibn Sayyad) said: "It is Ad-Dukh." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «اخْسَأْ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ (كَانَ)» (Be off with you! Whatever Allah wills happens.) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Qur'an was revealed on Laylatul-Qadr Allah tells us that He revealed the Magnificent Qur'an on a blessed night, Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Decree), as He says elsewhere: إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَـهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ (Verily, We have sent it down in the Night of Al-Qadr) (97:1). This was in the month of Ramadan, as Allah tells us: شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِى أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ (The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an) (2:185). We have already quoted the relevant Hadiths in (the Tafsir of) Surat Al-Baqarah, and there is no need to repeat them here. إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ (Verily, We are ever warning.) means, telling them what is good for them and what is harmful for them, according to Shari`ah, so that the proof of Allah may be established against His servants. فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ (Therein (that night) is decreed every matter, Hakim.) means, on Laylatul-Qadr, the decrees are transferred from Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz to the (angelic) scribes who write down the decrees of the (coming) year including life span, provision, and what will happen until the end of the year. This was narrated from Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak and others among the Salaf. حَكِيمٌ (Hakim) means decided or confirmed, which cannot be changed or altered. Allah says: أَمْراً مِّنْ عِنْدِنَآ (As a command from Us.) meaning, everything that happens and is decreed by Allah and the revelation that He sends down -- it all happens by His command, by His leave and with His knowledge. إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ (Verily, We are ever sending,) means, to mankind, sending Messenger who will recite to them the clear signs of Allah. The need for this was urgent. رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ((As) a mercy from your Lord. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them,) means, the One Who sent down the Qur'an is the Lord, Creator and Sovereign of the heavens and the earth and everything in between them. إِن كُنتُمْ مُّوقِنِينَ (if you (but) have a faith with certainty.) Then Allah says: لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْىِ وَيُمِيتُ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ (La ilaha illa Huwa. He gives life and causes death -- your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.) This is like the Ayah: قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِى لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْىِ وَيُمِيتُ (Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah -- to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. La ilaha illa Huwa. He gives life and causes death...) (7:158)

أقسم الله تعالى بالقرآن الواضح لفظًا ومعنى. إنا أنزلناه في ليلة القدر المباركة كثيرة الخيرات، وهي في رمضان. إنا كنا منذرين الناس بما ينفعهم ويضرهم، وذلك بإرسال الرسل وإنزال الكتب؛ لتقوم حجة الله على عباده. فيها يُقضى ويُفصل من اللوح المحفوظ إلى الكتبة من الملائكة كلُّ أمر محكم من الآجال والأرزاق في تلك السنة، وغير ذلك مما يكون فيها إلى آخرها، لا يبدَّل ولا يغيَّر. هذا الأمر الحكيم أمر مِن عندنا، فجميع ما يكون ويقدره الله تعالى وما يوحيه فبأمره وإذنه وعلمه. إنا كنا مرسلين إلى الناس الرسل محمدًا ومن قبله؛ رحمة من ربك -أيها الرسول- بالمرسل إليهم. إنه هو السميع يسمع جميع الأصوات، العليم بجميع أمور خلقه الظاهرة والباطنة. خالق السموات والأرض وما بينهما من الأشياء كلها، إن كنتم موقنين بذلك فاعلموا أن رب المخلوقات هو إلهها الحق. لا إله يستحق العبادة إلا هو وحده لا شريك له، يحيي ويميت، ربكم ورب آبائكم الأولين، فاعبدوه دون آلهتكم التي لا تقدر على ضر ولا نفع.

"أمرا من عندنا" أي جميع ما يكون ويقدره الله تعالى وما يوحيه فبأمره وإذنه وعلمه "إنا كنا مرسلين" أي إلى الناس رسولا يتلو عليهم آيات الله مبينات فإن الحاجة كانت ماسة إليه.

ثم بين - سبحانه - أن مرد هذه الكتابة والتقدير للأشياء إليه وحده فقال : ( أَمْراً مِّنْ عِنْدِنَآ ) .ولفظ ( أَمْراً . . . ) يرى بعضهم أنه حال من ( كُلُّ أَمْرٍ . . . ) أى : يفرق فى هذه الليلة المباركة كل أمر ذى حكمة ، حالة كون هذا الأمر من عندنا وحدنا لا من عند غيرنا .ويصح أن يكون منصوبا على الاختصاص ، وتنكيره للتفخيم ، أى : أعنى بهذا الأمر الحكيم ، أمرا عظيما كائنا من عندنا وحدنا . وقد اقتضاه علمنا وتدبيرنا .

وقوله ( أَمْرًا مِنْ عِنْدِنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: في هذه الليلة المباركة يُفْرق كلّ أمر حكيم, أمرا من عندنا.واختلف أهل العربية في وجه نصب قوله (أمْرًا) فقال بعض نحويي (2) الكوفة: نصب على (3) إنا أنـزلناه أمرا ورحمة على الحال. وقال بعض نحويي (4) البصرة: نصب على معنى يفرق كل أمر فرقا وأمرا.------------------------الهوامش:(2) في الأصل بدون نقطتين.(3) كذا في الأصل. ولعل لفظة"على" زيادة من الناسخ.(4) في الأصل بدون نقطتين.

( أمرا ) أي أنزلنا أمرا ( من عندنا ) قال الفراء : نصب على معنى : فيها يفرق كل أمر فرقا وأمرا ، أي نأمر ببيان ذلك أمرا ( إنا كنا مرسلين ) محمدا - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ومن قبله من الأنبياء .

أَمْرًا مِنْ عِنْدِنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ (5) وإعادة كلمة { أمراً } لتفخيم شأنه ، وإلا فإن المقصود الأصلي هو قوله : { من عندنا } ، فكان مقتضى الظاهر أن يقع { من عندنا } صفةً ل { أمر حكيم } فخولف ذلك لهذه النكتة ، أي أمراً عظيماً فخماً إذا وصف ب { حكيم } . ثم بكونه من عند الله تشريفاً له بهذه العندية ، وينصرف هذا التشريف والتعظيم ابتداءً وبالتعيين إلى القرآن إذ كان بنزوله في تلك الليلة تشريفها وجعلها وقتاً لقضاء الأمور الشريفة الحكيمة . وجملة { إنا كنا مرسلين } معترضة وحرف ( إنّ ) فيها مثل ما وقع في { إنا كنا منذرين } .واعلم أن مفتتح السورة يجوز أن يكون كلاماً موجهاً إلى المشركين ابتداء لفتح بصائرهم إلى شرف القرآن وما فيه من النفع للناس ليكفُّوا عن الصدّ عنه ولهذا وردت الحروف المقطعة في أوَلها المقصودُ منها التحدّي بالإعجاز ، واشتملت تلك الجمل الثلاث على حرف التأكيد ، ويكون إعلام الرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بهذه المزايا حاصلاً تبعاً إن كان لم يسبق إعلامه بذلك بما سبق من آي القرآن أو بوحي غير القرآن . ويجوز أن يكون موجهاً إلى الرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أصالة ويكون علم المشركين بما يحتوي عليه حاصلاً تبعاً بطريق التعريض ، ويكون التوكيد منظوراً فيه إلى الغرض التعريضي .ومفعول { مرسلين } محذوف دل عليه مادة اسم الفاعل ، أي مرسلين الرسل . و { رحمة من ربّك } مفعول له من { إنَّا كنّا مرسلين } أي كنّا مرسلين لأجل رحمتنا ، أي بالعباد المرسل إليهم لأن الإرسال بالإنذار رحمة بالناس لِيتَجنَبوا مهاوي العذاب ويكتسبوا مكاسب الثواب ، قال تعالى :{ وما أرسلناك إلا رحمةً للعالمين } [ الأنبياء : 107 ] . ويجوز أن يكون { رحمة } حالاً من الضمير المنصوب في { أنزلناه } .

{ أَمْرًا مِنْ عِنْدِنَا } أي: هذا الأمر الحكيم أمر صادر من عندنا. { إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ } للرسل ومنزلين للكتب والرسل تبلغ أوامر المرسل وتخبر بأقداره.

قوله تعالى : أمرا من عندنا قال النقاش : الأمر هو القرآن أنزله الله من عنده . وقال ابن عيسى : هو ما قضاه الله في الليلة المباركة من أحوال عباده . وهو مصدر في موضع الحال . وكذلك رحمة من ربك وهما عند الأخفش حالان ، تقديرهما : أنزلناه آمرين به وراحمين . المبرد : ( أمرا ) في موضع المصدر ، والتقدير : أنزلناه إنزالا . الفراء والزجاج : ( أمرا ) نصب ب ( يفرق ) ، مثل قولك ( يفرق فرقا ) فأمر بمعنى فرق فهو مصدر ، مثل قولك : يضرب ضربا . وقيل : يفرق يدل على يؤمر ، فهو مصدر عمل فيه ما قبله . إنا كنا مرسلين .

The total clarity of the Quran is in itself proof of its being the Book of God, and this being so, its tidings and forecasts are also definitive. There is no scope for any doubt about them. The beginning of the revelation of the Quran took place on a particular night—a night fixed for important godly decisions. The revelation of the Quran was not a simple event. It resulted from a decision regarding the dawn of a new era of history. That is why it was revealed on this specially blessed night. Primarily, the Quran was and still is a declaration of Truth. It came into existence in order to show the falsity of polytheism and the truth of the Unity of God. Most importantly, it provides man with a standard by which to distinguish between truth and falsehood. The Quran was the distinguisher among nations solely on this basis.

لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَ‌كَةٍ 'blessed night', in verse 2 according to majority of the Commentators, refers to 'laylatul Qadr' or the 'Night of Power' which occurs in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. During this night Allah sends down countless blessings for his slaves/servants. It has been explicitly mentioned in Surah Al-Qadr, thus: إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ‌ "We sent it (the Qur'an) down in the Night of Qadr". (97:1) This clearly indicates that the phrase 'laylah mubarakah' (blessed night) occurring in the verse refers to the 'Night of Power'. It is narrated in a Tradition of the Prophet ﷺ that all Prophets (علیہم السلام) since the inception of man till the end, received their respective Books in the month of Ramadan on different dates. Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ reports on the authority of Sayyidna Wathilah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) received his Scriptures on 1st Ramadan, Torah was revealed on 6th Ramadan, Zabur was revealed on 12th Ramadan, Injil was revealed on 18th Ramadan and the Holy Qur'an was revealed on the night of 24th, that is, on 25th Ramadan. (Qurtubi). The statement that the Qur’ an was revealed in the Night of Power’ means that it was revealed in its entirety from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest Firmament in one night of the month of Ramadan. But, it was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ gradually over a period of twenty-three years. Some scholars have expressed the opinion that the installment of the Qur'an that was destined to be revealed in a given year used to be sent down on the Night of Power from the Preserved Tablet to the Firmament of the Earth. (Qurtubi). Some other scholars of Tafsir, like ` Ikrimah ؓ ، interpret the phrase 'laylah mubarakah' (blessed night) as referring to 'laylat-ul-bara'ah' (the Night of Immunity), that is, the 15th night of Sha` ban. But to say that the Qur'an was revealed during this night goes against the clear texts of the Qur'an: In شَهْرُ‌ رَ‌مَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْ‌آنُ ! and in إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ‌ we come across "The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was revealed...(2:185) " and "We have sent it (the Qur'an) in the Night of Qadr - (97:1) ". In the presence of such clear texts, it cannot be accepted, without any strong evidence, that the Qur'an was revealed in the Night of Immunity. There are, however, certain Traditions that speak highly of this night - that it is a night of blessings and that it is a night during which Allah showers His mercy. Some versions of the Tradition use exactly the same words as the Qur'an uses in the verse to describe 'laylah mubarakah' فِيهَا يُفْرَ‌قُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ‌ حَكِيمٍ أَمْرً‌ا مِّنْ عِندِنَا . "In that (night), every wise thing is decided (4) through a command from Us...(5) ". In interpreting this verse Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that it refers to the Night of Power, in which the Qur'an was revealed. In it all matters are decreed to happen from the present Night of Power to the next, relating to all creation, their births, their deaths, their provisions and other details. Other leading authorities on Tafsir, like Sayyidna Hasan, Qatadah, Mujahid and others ؓ concur with Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . Mahdawi says that all matters decreed by Allah are, on this night, transferred to the angelic scribes who record the decrees of the coming year. Other texts of Qur'an and Sunnah bear testimony to the fact that Allah had decreed all matters in pre-eternity (azal) even before the creation of man. Therefore, the statement that man's destiny is decreed in this night simply means that the decrees for the whole year are handed over, in this night, to the relevant angels for implementation. (Qurtubi). Because some versions of the Tradition state that births, deaths and sustenance are decreed in the night of immunity or 15th night of Sha'ban, some of the scholars have interpreted the phrase 'laylah mubarakah' in the current verse as referring to 'laylat-ul-bara'ah' or 'the Night of Immunity'. But this is not correct, because here the revelation of the Qur'an is mentioned first; and its revelation in the month of Ramadan is confirmed by the clear texts of the Qur'an. Some versions state that sustenance and other things are decreed in the Night of Immunity. Ibn Kathir, first of all, says this Tradition is mursal and such Tradition cannot be reliable in the presence of clear/express texts. Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn ` Arabi asserts that no authentic Tradition relating to mid-Sha'ban is available which may show that sustenance, births and deaths are determined and decreed in that night. He further rejects the idea that there is any reliable Tradition on the merit of this night. Ruh-ul-Ma` ani, however, cites a Tradition, without a chain of transmitters, narrated by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ in which he says that sustenance, life and death are determined in the mid-Sha'ban night, and in the Night of Power the decrees are handed over to the angels. If this Tradition is confirmed, then the two interpretations can be reconciled and synchronized. Otherwise, the express words of Qur'an and authentic Traditions relating to 'laylah mubarakah' and 'fiha yufraqu...' in the verse of Surah Dukhan فِيهَا يُفْرَ‌قُ clearly show that they refer to the 'Night of Power'. As far as the merit of the night of mid-Sha'ban is concerned, it is a separate issue. Some Traditions do speak about it but they are weak. Therefore, Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn ` Arabi denied any merit of this night. Chains of Transmission of Traditions concerning mid-Sha'ban are all weak but, it may be suggested that, if the various ways of transmission are put together, they gain strength. Therefore, many great scholars have accepted the Traditions about mid-Sha'ban because there is room to act upon weak Traditions relating to meritorious actions. Allah knows best!

(As a command from Our presence) an exposition from Us: We explain to Gabriel, Michael, Seraphiel and the angel of death what they are entrusted with from year to year. (Lo! We are ever sending) messengers with Scriptures.