CHAPTER 6 (Surah al-An‘ãm) , VERSES 1-3
سورة الأنعام
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَۖ
ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ ﴿١﴾ هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ قَضَىٰ أَجَلًاۖ
وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى عِندَهُۖ
ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تَمْتَرُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَهُوَ اللَّـهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِۖ
يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٣﴾
In the Name of Allãh, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allãh, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord (1). He it isWho
created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt (2). And He is Allãh in the heavens and in the earth; He knows your secret and your open, and He knows what you earn (3).
* * * * *
COMMENTARY
The purpose of this chapter is to elaborate on the Unity of the Almighty Allãh in its general meaning: that the human being has a Lord Who is the Lord of the whole universe; every thing originates from Him and to Him returns every thing; He sent the messengers as bearers of good tidings, and warners [of chastisement], and through them He guides His servants to His true religion. And that is why the majority of its verses came in form of arguments against the polytheists about monotheism, prophethood and resurrection. Of course, it also contains brief description of religious (shar‘ī) obligations and prohib-itions of the faith.
Its context - as inferred by meditation - is one and synchronized, with no indication in it of any division which could have shown that it was revealed in piecemeal form. This proves that this chapter was revealed all together; and that it is a Meccan chapter as it appears from its context in which most of the talk, rather the whole talk, is addressed to the polytheists [of Mecca].The exegetes [of the Qur’ãn] and the narrators [of ḥadīth] agree that this chapter was revealed at Mecca, except for six verses which some of them say were of Medina period, and they are: And they do not assign to Allãh the attributes due to Him… [6:91-93] and, Say: “Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you…” [6:151-3].
Some have said that the entire chapter is of Meccan period except for two verses 6:151-2. Others have said that it is wholly of Meccan period except two verses which were revealed at Medina about a Jew, who had said: Allãh has not revealed any thing to a mortal… (6:91).Someone
said that the whole chapter is of Meccan period except one verse which was revealed at Medina, and that is: And even if We had sent down to them the angels… (6:111).
There is, however, no contextual proof for any of the above views as we have explained earlier that this chapter has a single theme and its verses are all well-connected; and we shall further elaborate upon it according to our ability. It has been narrated from the Imãms of Ahlu 'l-Bayt (‘a.s.) as well as [some companions like] Ubay, ‘Ikrimah and Qatãdah that it was revealed all together at Mecca.
QUR’ÃN
[6:1]: All praise is due to Allãh, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light: The chapter begins with Allãh's praise and it is like an introduction to the main theme of explaining the meaning of monotheism - the praise contains the gist of the chapter and from it stems the detailed arguments; it further shows astonishment [regarding the polytheists] and blames them for setting up equals with their Lord and doubting His Unity. This all serves as an introduction to what follows of general admonition and threat.
In these three verses of praise, Allãh points to the true knowledge on which the religious call rests - which is like the substance of the sharī‘ah - and it is divided into three systems: i.) The universal system of existence (in the first verse); ii.) The system of man as far as his existence is concerned (in the second verse); and iii.)The system of human behaviour (in the third verse).
The sum total of the three verses taken together is to praise the Sublime God for having created the macrocosm in which the man lives; and for having created the microcosm (i.e., the existence of man himself who is limited in the sense that he begins with the clay and ends with the decreed term); and for having knowledge of man's inner [thoughts] as well as his spoken words, and whatever he earns [by his deeds].
The third verse: And He is Allãh in the heavens and in the earth, aims at elaborating the theme of the preceding two verses, and paves the way to explain that He knows man's inner [thoughts] and spoken words, and whatever the soul earns.
The phrase: “…Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light”, points to the universal system of creation on the basis of which things, with their multitude and numerousness, are managed. Our world with its firm operating system is confined to the earth which is encompassed by the firmament with its spacious-ness, then He manages it through light and darkness; and on these two revolves the hand mill of this manifest world in its evolvement and perfection. Here always one thing is born from another thing, one thing changes into another thing, one thing appears while the other disappears, a new thing is made and the old one decays; and with conjunction of all these multifarious movements comes into being the universal great movement which bears the load of the things and proceeds with it to its destination.
The term:al-ja‘l
(اَلْجَعْل
= to make) in: made the darkness and the light means: al-khalq = to create. However,al-khalq
(اَلخَلْق
) is derived from khalaq ath-thawb (sewing the dress) in which composition of an item from various components is part of its meaning, as opposed to the term al-ja‘l = to make [something without using components]. Perhaps for this reason “to create” has been reserved for the heavens and the earth since they consist of a multitude of components as opposed to the darkness and the light, and hence the use of “to make” for them. And Allãh knows better.
[Keeping the English idiom in mind, we have translatedaẓ-ẓulumãt
(اَلظلمَات
) as 'darkness' in singular even though the word: aẓ-ẓulumãt itself is plural.] TheQur’ãn
has used the term aẓ-ẓulumãt in plural form while it has used the terman-nūr
(اَلنور
= the light) as singular. Perhaps it is so because darkness appears only in comparison to light, as it is the absence of light in a thing that should be illuminated.
As such it has varying degrees depending on the changing grades of proximity and distance from the light. Not so the light, because it is an existential phenomenon and does not appear in comparison to the darkness which is non-existence. Even if one imagines its multiplica-tion in relation to the darkness, in reality, it does not augment or multiply.
QUR’ÃN:
yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord: It expresses astonishment mingled with blame. Surely Allãh, the Glorified, by the creation of the heavens and the earth, and by making of the darkness and the light, is solitary in divinity and alone in god-ship, nothing is like Him, nor is anything His partner. It is really strange that the disbelievers in spite of their confession that creation and management belong to Allãh in the real sense of ownership, and not to the idols that they have taken as gods, they have set up equals with Him from their idols and images which they think are equal to their Lord; thus they think that they are His equals; so they have to be blamed for it.
The above statement makes clear the reason of usingthumma
(ثم
= then, yet) which indicates delay. It is as though the speaker, when he described that Allãh is alone in creation and invention, and is solitary in divinity and god-ship, then stated the claim of the polytheists that these stones and wood used for carving idols were equals to the Lord of the universe. So, astonishment overwhelmed him for a moment and prevented him from speaking, then he again proceeded in his talk and pointed to the cause of his momentary silence - that astonishment had stopped him from continuing in his speech, so He said: “Yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord.”
QUR’ÃN
[6:2]: He it isWho
created you from clay, then He decreed a term: After describing the creation of the macrocosm in the previous verse, this verse points to the creation of the human microcosm. It explains that Allãh created the man and manages his affairs by decreeing a term for his physical abode in this world; and, therefore, his existence is limited between the clay and between the decreed terms which accompany death as Allãh says: Every soul must taste of death,then
to Us you shall be brought back (29:57). (Human species indeed begun from the clay but continued through marriage and sexual intercourse as Allah says: and He began the creation of man from dust. Then He made his progeny of an extract, of water held in light estimation [32:7-8].)
Possibly the 'term' may be taken to mean the return to Almighty Allãh through resurrection since it looks like theQur’ãn
mostly counts the life of purgatory (barzakh) as part of the worldly life, as is inferred from the apparent meaning of the verse: He will say: “How many years did you tarry in the earth?” They will say: “We tarried a day or part of a day, but ask those who keep account.” He will say: “You did tarry but a little - had you but known (it),” (23:112-4). Also, He says: And at the time when the Hour shall come, the guilty shall swear (that) they did not tarry but an hour; thus are they ever turned away. And those who are given knowledge and faith will say: “Certainly you tarried according to the ordinance of Allãh, till the Day of Resurrection, so this is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know, (30:55-56).
The meaning of 'term' has been kept vague by using it as a common noun in the phrase: then He decreed a term; it indicates that it is unknown to man, and there is no way to know it through normal way.
QUR’ÃN:
and the named term is with Him: To name a term means to specify it. Indeed it is an established custom to mention the term in agreements and loans and so on. It means the agreed upon time or the end of the time; and it is [the same meaning of] the named term. Allãh says: when you deal with each other in contracting a debt for a fixed time, then write it down, (2:282); it means the end of the agreed upon time. Likewise, Allãh says: Whoever hopes to meet Allãh, the term appointed by Allãh will then most surely come (29:5). Also, He says in the story of Mūsã and Shu‘ayb: He said: “I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on condition that you should serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be of your own free will…” He said: “This shall be (an agreement) between me and you; whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there shall be no wrong-doing to me…” (28:27-28). Here 'term' means the completion of the agreed upon term.
Apparently the expression'Ajal
(اَجَل
) = term' [by itself] in the sense of the end of an agreed upon time (sprouting from the word in the meaning of the completion of the term) is a common usage [of that term]: i.e., they often said, 'the settled term', then they deleted the qualifying word and only mentioned 'term' in the sense of 'the settled term'. In his al-Mufradãt, ar-Rãghib says: “The term fixed for man's life is called al-ajal; they say: 'his ajal came near', i.e. his death was near; its real sense is completion of the term.”
In any case, it appears from the Divine Speech that “the term” and “the named term” mean the end of the life's span, not the whole life term, as is indicated by the Divine Word: …the term appointed by Allãh will then most surely come;… [29:5].
It is clear from the above that there are two terms: “the vague term”, and “the named term” that is with Allãh. The latter never changes because of the phrase, with Him, and Allãh has said: …and what is with Allãh is enduring… (16:96); and it is the same determined term which does never change as Almighty Allãh says: [Say:] “… when their term comes, they shall not then remain behind for an hour, nor can they go before (their time);” (10:49).
The relationship of the named term to the unnamed term is that of unconditional and determined to the conditional and undetermined. The latter may possibly fail to materialize (if its conditions are unfulfilled), contrary to the unconditional and determined which can never fail to occur.
Meditating on the preceding verses together with the verse: …for every term there is a book; Allãh erases and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book (13:38-39), shows that the named term is that which is written in: the basis of the Book; and the unnamed term is written in what we call “the tablet of erasure and affirmation.” It shall be explained later that: the basis of the Book may be applied to the events which are established, i.e., the events that depend on the perfect causes which do not fail to produce their effects, and “the tablet of erasure and affirmation” is applicable to the events that depend on incomplete causes which we often describe as “requirements” which may be overcome by some snags, preventing them from bringing about their effects.
The perfect and imperfect causes may be likened to the sun's degrees of illumination. We know that this night will certainly end after a few hours and that the sun will rise, and the face of the earth will brighten up. Yet it is possible that the sunrise will be simultan-eously veiled by cloud or lunar eclipse or some other snag will appear to prevent the illumination; however if the sun shines over the earth and there is no hindrance between the two then the face of the earth is bound to illuminate.
Now, the illuminating effect of the sun is like “the tablet of erasure and affirmation” while it's rising on its time (with absence of any barrier between it and the earth) is like: the basis of the Book which is known as the Preserved Tablet.
The special composition of the human body with the limited requirements of its limbs, demands that man should live his normal lifespan which is variably fixed at a hundred or a hundred-and-twenty years. For instance, this is what is written in the tablet of erasure and affirmation, yet, all the components of the universe are connected to and also influence the human existence; and sometimes the causes and the barriers that we cannot compute, interact with one another in a way that we do not comprehend, leading to the arrival of his death before the end of his natural lifespan; and this is what is called sudden death.
This makes it easy to imagine the need, according to the divine order, of both the 'named' as well as the 'unnamed' terms; and that the ambiguity of the unnamed term does not go contrary to the fixed point of the named term; and that the unnamed and named terms sometimes correspond, and sometimes are at variance, and that which takes place is the named term.
This is what is inferred from meditation on the verse: then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him.
* * *
The exegetes have written strange explanations for the two terms mentioned in the verse. For example:
First term refers to the period between creation and death, and the second one to the period between death and resurrection. This has been mentioned by several ancient exegetes, and perhaps it is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbãs.
First term is the term of the people of the world until they die, and the second is the term of the next world which has no end. This opinion is ascribed to Mujãhid, Jubbã’ī and others.
First term is the time of those who have passed away, and the second is the time of those who have remained or will come later. This is attributed to Abū Muslim.
First term refers to the sleep and the second refers to the death.
Both terms refer to the same thing; and the noble verse should be read as: then He decreed a term and this is the named term with Him.
But I do not think that the paucity of time and brevity of life allow us to engage in discussing the validity or otherwise of these views.
QUR’ÃN:
still you doubt:al-Miryah
(اَلْمِريَة
= doubt). In these two verses, the pronoun turns from third person to the second person. The first verse mentions creation and its management in the general sense, and it concludes that the disbelievers should not have set up equals with Allãh; for this purpose it was appropriate to mention them in the third person. The next verse, however, deals with the creation and management specifically in case of man, and so it was proper for the speaker - the astonished and the censurer - to confront them in second person, and censure them by defying them directly. It is as though He says: You were oblivious of the creation and purpose of the heavens and the earth, and making of the darkness and the light, therefore We excused you for it since it was a general matter and it was possible to be oblivious of what it demands; but what is your excuse in doubting about Him Who created you, decreed a term for you and with Whom is the named term?
QUR’ÃN
[6:3]: And He is Allãh in the heavens and in the earth: The preceding two verses describe creation and management of the universe in general and of the man specifically. Hence it is enough to realize that Allãh is the God alone who has no partner in His creation and management. But these disbelievers have affirmed other gods and different intercessors for various aspects of management; for example, god of life, god of sustenance, god of terra firma, god of sea and so on. Likewise, for various species, nations and different groups like god of skies, god of this nation and god of that group. So, He negated all this by His Word: “He is Allãh in the heavens and in the earth.”
So, this verse is similar to the Divine Word: And He it isWho
is God in the heavens and God in the earth; and He is the Wise, the Knowing (43:84). It proves that His divinity overwhelms the heavens and the earth without any difference or limitation. This sentence elaborates what has been said earlier and also it paves the way for what is to follow below.
QUR’ÃN:
He knows your secret and your open and He knows what you earn: Secret and open are two opposites and they are the adjectives for our actions; their 'secret' is what they did secretly, and their 'open' means what they did openly without concealing it.
“What they earn” refers to the psychological dimension of what a man earns through his secret and open activities, be they good or evil. As you know, the secret and open which are mentioned here are two formal attributes of the external actions; and what they earn is a psychological and inner condition which is found with souls; so they are different in aspects of their appearance as well as substance. Probably the difference of the things known has caused the repetition of the word 'knowing' in these two phrases.
This verse paves the way for the theme of messengership and resurrection that is to come soon. As Allãh knows whatever man does secretly or openly, and as He knows what he earns for his soul be it good or bad, and as He brings up and manages the man's affairs, it was for Him to send a messenger with a religion which He would legislate for guidance of the people contrary to what the idolaters say that there was no need of prophethood, as Allãh says: Surely on Us is to show the way (92:12).
Likewise, as Allãh knows all the actions and their consequences in the soul of the man, it was for Him to take their accounts on the day that will not spare any one among them, as Allãh says: Or shallWe
treat those who believe and do good like the mischief makers in the earth? Or shallWe
make those who are pious like the wicked? (38:28).
TRADITIONS
1. al-Kulaynī narrates through his chain from al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ḥamzah who said that Abū ‘Abdillãh aṣ-Ṣãdiq, peace be upon him, said: “Surely the chapter of “al-An‘ãm” was revealed all together, escorted by seventy thousand angels until it was revealed to Muḥammad (ṣ.a.‘a.w.a.); so glorify it and respect it, because therein is the Name of Allãh, to Whom belong Might and Majesty, in seventy places
; and if the people knew what (reward) was there in reciting it, they would not leave it.” (al-Kãfī
)
The author says:
al-‘Ayyãshī has narrated it as a mursal ḥadīth from the same Imãm (‘a.s.).
2. al-Qummī narrated through his father from al-Ḥusayn ibn Khãlid from ar-Riḍã (‘a.s.) who said: “'al-An‘ãm' was revealed all together, escorted by seventy thousand angels, they had soft humming sound of at-tasbīḥ, at-tahlīl and at-takbīr;
so whoever recites it, they shall seek pardon for him till the Day of Resurrection.” (at-Tafsīr
)
The author says:
It has also been narrated in Majma‘u 'l-bayãn, from al-Ḥusayn ibn Khãlid from the Imãm (‘a.s.); but the phrase: 'shall seek pardon for him' is changed to: 'shall recite tasbīḥ for him'.
3. Abū Baṣīr said: “I heard Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) saying: 'Surely the chapter of “al-An‘ãm” (ch.6) was revealed all together, escorted by seventy thousand angels when it was revealed to the Messenger of Allãh (ṣ.a.‘a.w.a.); so glorify it and revere it, because in it there is the Name of Allãh, to Whom belong Might, and Majesty, in seventy places; and if people knew the merit in its recital they would not leave it.'“ (at-Tafsīr
, al-‘Ayyãshī,)
4. aṭ-Ṭabrisī says that Ubayy ibn Ka‘b narrates a ḥadīth from the Holy Prophet (ṣ.a.‘a.w.a
.) who said: “[The chapter of] 'al-An‘ãm' was revealed to me all together, seventy thousand angels were escorting it; they had soft humming sound of tasbīḥ and taḥmīd; so whoever recites it, those seventy thousand angels will pray for him for one day and night for each verse of 'al-An‘ãm'.” (Jawãmi‘u 'j-jãmi‘)
The author says:
It has been narrated in ad-Durru 'l-manthūr from the Holy Prophet (ṣ.a.‘a.w.a
.) through various chains of narrators. [as-Suyūṭī
]
5. al-Kulaynī narrates through his chain from Ibn Maḥbūb, from Abū Ja‘far al-Aḥwal, from Salãm ibn al-Mustanīr, from Abū Ja‘far (‘a.s.) that he said: “Surely Allãh created the Garden before creating the Fire, and created obedience before creating disobedience, and created mercy before wrath, and created good before evil, and created the earth before the sky, and created life before death, and created the sun before the moon, and created the light before the darkness.” (al-Kãfī
)
The author says:
That the light was created before darkness is clear in meaning, inasmuch as the darkness is a non-existent entity [and exists only] in relation to the light. [In other words, darkness is nothing but absence of light itself.]
As for ascribing the process of creation to obedience and disobedi-ence, it does not necessary negate free will; because negation of free will would mean negation of obedience and disobedience themselves, and then there would be no correct reason of ascribing them to creation. Rather it means that Allãh owns obedience and disobedience as He owns all those things which come under His ownership. How is it possible that a thing falls within His ownership and then be beyond His encompassment and authority, and isolated from His will and permission?
Moreover, there is no proof that 'creation' is confined to original invention and manufacturing in the sense that God directly invents all things whose creation is ascribed to Him; so that when it is said that Allãh has created justice or murder, it means that the will power of man is negated and He becomes directly responsible for justice or murder by removing any intermediate factor in between. [No, there is no proof for such a notion.] Understand it; and a detailed discussion on this subject was given in the first volume of this book.
By a similar explanation, the meaning of ascribing creation to good and evil, whether in universal matters or in human actions, will also be clear.
As for obedience being created before disobedience and good being created before evil, this too may be explained the way creation of light before darkness has been explained, because the relation between them is that of negation and potentiality, and the negative depends in its happening on the potentiality. The creation of life before death also becomes clear in the same way. It also proves that the mercy was created before the wrath, because mercy is related to obedience and good, and wrath is related to disobedience and evil, and obedience and good happen before disobedience and evil.
As for the creation of the earth before the skies, the following verses prove it: [Say] “…Who created the earth in two days…” Then He directed Himself to the heaven and it is a vapour, so He said to it and to the earth: “Comeboth willingly or
unwillingly.” They both said: “We come willingly.” So He ordained them seven heavens in two days… (41:9-12).
As for the creation of the sun being prior to that of the moon, that can be easily inferred from the verses: (I swear) by the sun and its heat, and the moon when it follows it (91:1-2). The modern natural sciences lean towards the view that the earth was split from the sun, and the moon was split from the earth.
6. al-‘Ayyãshī narrates from Ja‘far ibn Aḥmad, from al-‘Amrakī ibn ‘Alī, from al-‘Ubaydī, from Yūnus ibn ‘Abdi 'r-Raḥmãn, from ‘Alī ibn Ja‘far that Abū Ibrahim (‘a.s.) said: “Every prayer has two times,
and
the time of the Friday is the midday.” Then he recited the verse: All praise is due to Allãh, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord. (He said): “They consider the darkness and the light, and the injustice and the justice to be equal to one another respectively.” (at-Tafsīr
)
The author says:
This is another meaning of the verse; and it is based on making the phrase, with their Lord, related to the word, disbelieve, instead of, set up equals.
7. al-Kulaynī narrates from Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyã from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad from Ibn Faḍḍãl from Ibn Bakīr from Zurãrah from Ḥumrãn from Abū Ja‘far (‘a.s.). Ḥumrãn said: “I asked about the Word of Allãh, toWhom
belong Might and Majesty: then He decreed a term; and there is a named term with Him.” He [‘a.s.] said: “They both are two terms: the determined term and the deferred term.” (al-Kãfī
)
8. al-‘Ayyãshī narrates from Ḥumrãn, he said: “I asked Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) about the Word of Allãh: then He decreed a term; and there is a named term with Him. He [‘a.s.] said: “They both are two terms: the deferred term (in which) Allãh does what He pleases and the determined term.” (at-Tafsīr
)
9. al-‘Ayyãshī narrates from Mas‘adah ibn Ṣadaqah, from Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) about His Word: then He decreed a term; and there is a named term with Him. He [‘a.s.] said: “The unnamed term is the deferred term, He advances it whenever He pleases; and the named term is the one which comes down from what He wishes from the Night of Destiny to the similar night (next year).” Then he [‘a.s.] said: “So this is the Word of Allãh: When their term comes, they shall not then remain behind for an hour, nor can they go before (their time).”(ibid.)
10. al-‘Ayyãshī narrates from Ḥumrãn who narrates from Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.). Ḥumrãn said: “I asked him about the Word of Allãh: a term; and there is a named term with Him.” He [‘a.s.] said: “The named (term) is what has been mentioned to the angel of death in that night [i.e. the Night of Destiny]; and it is that (about which) Allãh has said: so when their term comes, they shall not then remain behind for an hour, nor can they go before (their time); and it is that which is mentioned to the angel of death in the Night of Destiny; and the other [term], He has (His) will in it, if He wishes He advances it, and if He wishes He defers it.”(ibid.)
The author says:
Other traditions narrated from the Imãms of Ahlu 'l-Bayt (‘a.s.) convey the same meaning; and what they explain of the meaning of named and unnamed terms is the same which has been inferred earlier from the noble verses.
11. There is in at-Tafsīr that ‘Alī ibn Ibrãhīm said: “My father narrated to me from an-Naḍr ibn Suwayd from al-Ḥalabī from ‘Abdullãh ibn Muskãn that Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) said: 'The decreed term is the determined one which Allãh has decreed and fixed, and the named one is the one in which is al-badã’, He advances what He wishes and defers what He wishes; and there is no advancing nor deferring in the fixed one.'“ (al-‘Ayyãshī
)
The author says:
One of the narrators has made a mistake, and has reversed the meaning by explaining the named and unnamed terms with the meaning of the other; moreover, the tradition does not aim to explain the verse; therefore [with this explanation] there is not much difficulty in accepting it.
12. al-‘Ayyãshī narrates from al-Ḥuṣayn from Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) about His Word: He decreed a term; and there is a named term with Him. He said that Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) said: “The first term is that which He conveys to the angels, messengers and prophets, and the named term is that which Allãh has kept hidden from the creatures.”(ibid.)
The author says:
The meaning of the tradition is apparently against that of the preceding traditions. However, it is possible to infer from his [‘a.s.] word: He conveyed it, that Allãh has given them the basis from which unnamed terms can be discovered; but when it comes to the named term, He has not given preponderance to any one over His knowledge in the sense that He might have conveyed to him a light with which every named term is discovered whenever he wants it. Of course, if the Sublime describes it to the angel of death or to His prophets and messengers when He wishes; so that is like the unseen whose knowledge is reserved for the Sublime, yet He reveals some of it to whom He chooses from the messengers when He so wishes.
13. It is narrated from Ibn Bãbawayh through his chain, from Muthannã al-Ḥannãṭ from AbūJa‘far
(I think it refers to Muḥammad ibn an-Nu‘mãn) that he said: “I asked Abū ‘Abdillãh (‘a.s.) about the Word of Allãh, to Whom belong Might and Majesty: And He is Allãh in the heavens and in the earth. He [‘a.s.] said: “Likewise He is in every place.” I said: “ByHimself
?” He said: “Woe unto you! Surely the places are measures; so when you say: In a place by Himself, it will be necessary for you to say in the measures and other than that. But He is different from His creation, He comprehends what He has created, in knowledge and power, comprehension and authority; His knowledge of what is in the earth is not less than His knowledge on what is in the heavens. Nothing is far from Him, and the things are equal for Him in knowledge and power, in authority, possession and will.” (Tafsīru 'l-burhãn)
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Author: Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai
