Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 23

(Ayah 23) ➊ In the meaning of { اَللّٰهُ نَزَّلَ اَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيْثِ …:’’ نَزَّلَ ‘‘}, gradual revelation is found, as He said: «وَ قُرْاٰنًا فَرَقْنٰهُ لِتَقْرَاَهٗ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلٰى مُكْثٍ وَّ نَزَّلْنٰهُ تَنْزِيْلًا » [ بني إسرائیل : ۱۰۶ ] "And the great Qur’an, We have sent it down in parts so that you may recite it to the people slowly and We have sent it down, (gradually) sending it down." By {’’ اَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيْثِ ‘‘} is meant the speech of Allah, because the speech of the creation can never be as beautiful as the speech of the Creator, nor can the creation present its example. (See Surah Al-Baqarah: 23, 24) The meaning of { ’’ الْحَدِيْثِ ‘‘} is "new," and since a statement is also new, it is called "Hadith." From this, it is understood that Allah speaks whenever He wills, and His speech is Hadith and Muhdath (new). (See Surah Al-Anbiya: 2; Ash-Shu'ara: 5) Some people accepted this principle of Greek philosophers that every locus of events is itself an event, meaning that from which something new issues forth cannot be an eternally existing being. Therefore, they denied Allah's hearing, seeing, descending, ascending, speaking, laughing, and countless other attributes, or they interpreted them away, whereas this principle is in clear contradiction to the Noble Qur’an. According to the Qur’an, Allah has always existed and will always exist; despite this, He is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing, the Creator and the Provider, He becomes pleased and angry, and He also speaks. And it is obvious that speech is with words, in which there is order and occurrence. Rather, Allah is at every moment in a new state and a new condition, as He said: « يَسْـَٔلُهٗ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ » [ الرحمٰن : ۲۹ ] "Whoever is in the heavens and the earth asks of Him; every day He is in (a new) affair."
Since the Greek philosophers were deprived of the light of divine guidance, their philosophy is in conflict with the Qur’an and Hadith, and their followers, despite claiming faith in the Qur’an and Hadith, feel great constriction in their hearts in accepting the divine attributes mentioned therein. Therefore, they make such interpretations which are clear distortions. For further details, see Surah Al-A'raf (143), At-Tawbah (6), Al-Kahf (109), Al-Anbiya (2), and Ash-Shu'ara (5).
➋ At this place, the entire Qur’an is called { كِتٰبًا مُّتَشَابِهًا :} { ’’ كِتٰبًا مُّتَشَابِهًا ‘‘}, meaning all the verses of the Noble Qur’an, in their subjects and meanings, in the truthfulness of all reports and the correctness of all rulings, resemble each other and confirm and support one another. If a statement is brief in one place, it is detailed in another; there is no contradiction or inconsistency anywhere, as He said: «وَ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللّٰهِ لَوَجَدُوْا فِيْهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيْرًا » [ النساء : ۸۲ ] "And if it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction." Similarly, in eloquence, rhetoric, beauty, and excellence, all are alike. Despite the long period of twenty-three (23) years in which the verses were revealed gradually, there is no difference in their beauty, eloquence, or excellence at any place, nor is there any decrease in its majesty and awe. For more details, see Surah An-Nisa (82). In another place, some verses of the Qur’an are called Muhkam and some {متشابه}; for its explanation, see Surah Al-Imran (7).
➌ {’’ مَثَانِيَ ‘‘ ’’ثَنٰي يَثْنِيْ‘‘} ({رَمٰي يَرْمِيْ}) is the plural of the passive participle {’’مَثْنِيَّةٌ‘‘} on the pattern of {’’مَرْمِيَّةٌ‘‘}, meaning to repeat or to reiterate. That is, the verses of this Book are repeatedly reiterated, which are repeated again and again, sometimes in the same way and sometimes in different styles, to instill beliefs, rulings, stories, encouragement, and warnings, so that they are well ingrained, and if something is not fully understood in one place, it becomes clear in another. The delight is that neither does the repetition of its various subjects cause boredom, nor does the heart become satiated by reciting any one surah or verse repeatedly. In the meaning of {’’ مَثَانِيَ ‘‘}, it is also included that usually, along with the mention of something, its opposite is also mentioned, for example, faith and disbelief, Paradise and Hell, the righteous and the wicked, encouragement and warning, and mercy and punishment, etc.
➍ {تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُوْدُ الَّذِيْنَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ …:} That is, when in these verses the majesty and wrath of Allah, or His punishment, is mentioned, the skins of those who fear their Lord stand on end due to fear; then when His mercy and forgiveness are mentioned, their skins and hearts soften and incline towards the remembrance of Allah due to hope. In the context of {’’ تَلِيْنُ ‘‘}, because of the meaning of {’’تَمِيْلُ‘‘}, it is mentioned along with {’’ اِلٰى ‘‘}. For this state, see Surah Al-Anfal (2–4), Al-Mu’minun (5–16), and Surah Al-Ma’idah (83, 84).

23. 1. By اَحْسَنُ الْحَدِیْثِ is meant the Noble Quran. "Similar" means that all its parts resemble each other in the excellence of speech, miraculous eloquence, soundness of meanings, and other virtues. Or it also means that it resembles the previous heavenly books, i.e., it is similar to them. مثانی refers to that in which stories, incidents, admonitions, and rulings are repeated again and again.

23. 2. Because they understand those warnings and threats which are in it for the disobedient.

23. Allah has sent down the best statement [36], a Book whose verses resemble each other [37] and are repeated [38]. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it, then their skins and their hearts soften towards the remembrance of Allah [39]. That is Allah’s guidance; He guides with it whom He wills. And whoever Allah lets go astray, for him there is no guide.

[36]
How is the Quran the Best Speech?

The Quran is the best speech in the sense that its verses are based on solid realities. Its style of expression is captivating. Its arguments are easy to understand, from which even a villager can benefit just as much as a learned scholar, and its commands and instructions show the way to live the best life in this world. Moreover, its commands are not merely theoretical but all are practicable, and if acted upon, they guarantee success in the Hereafter. And all these qualities cannot be found in anyone's speech except the speech of Allah.

[37]
What is Meant by Similar Verses?

That is, if a subject appears in the Quran at twenty places, even then there is no contradiction or inconsistency in it. Despite the difference in style and variation in words, the subject of one place confirms and authenticates the subject of another place. This makes the matter fully settle in the mind. That is why it is said: ﴿إنَّ الْقُرْآنَ يُفَسِّرُ بَعَضَه بَعْضًا﴾ It is possible that at one place there is brevity and at another place detail, but there is no contradiction or inconsistency. For example, the Quran has given the command that no non-Muslim should be taken as an intimate friend and confidant, so you will not find anywhere that in politics, no matter or principle is final.

[38]
What Kind of Verses are Meant by Mathani:

Mathani refers, firstly, to those verses which are recited and repeated again and again. In this sense, Surah Al-Fatiha is called "Sab‘ al-Mathani" because this Surah is recited in every unit of prayer at the very least. Then, apart from prayer, it is also recited. The second meaning is those verses which are repeatedly mentioned in the Quran. For example, ﴿وَيْلٌ يَّوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِيْنَ﴾, or ﴿وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآن للذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ﴾, or ﴿فَبِايِّ اٰلاَءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبٰنِ﴾, and there are many such verses which are mentioned two or three times. The third meaning is the verses that warn about the fate of previous nations or the stories of the Prophets, which are mentioned repeatedly in various styles in the Quran. Likewise, the refutation of polytheism and the arguments for monotheism are mentioned in countless verses of every Surah. All of these support each other. The fourth meaning is those verses in which there is a kind of comparison. For example, where the people of Paradise are mentioned, the people of Hell are also mentioned, and vice versa. Where the night is mentioned, the day is also mentioned. Where the attribute of Allah as "Qahhar" (the Subduer) is mentioned, in the next verse the attribute "Ghaffar" or "Ghafoor" (the Forgiving) is also mentioned.

[39]
Falling into a State Upon Hearing the Quran is Mere Ostentation:

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Zubairؓ asked his mother, Sayyida Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her), what was the state of the Companions of the Messenger of Allahﷺ when the Quran was recited. She replied, "Tears would come to their eyes and their bodies would shiver." Abdullah ibn Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "In our time, there are some people who faint upon hearing the Quran." Sayyida Asma said, "Allah's refuge from the accursed Satan." The effect of the softening of skins and hearts is that they perform Allah's worship with great happiness and eagerness. These are the qualities of the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those people who truly accept the effect of the Quran. Then some people, with affectation, invented such ways that upon hearing the Quran, they would faint and fall, which in our language is called "hal parna" or "hal khelna" (falling into a state). Ostentatious and artificial spiritualists do such things to impress ordinary people with their piety. Thus, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) passed by a man in Iraq who was lying unconscious. He asked, "What happened to him?" People said, "When he hears the Quran, this is what happens to him." Sayyiduna Abdullah said, "We also fear Allah, but we do not fall, and such people have Satan in their bellies." This was not the way of the Companions of the Messenger of Allahﷺ. And someone asked Ibn Sirin, "Some people fall upon hearing the Quran." He said, "Seat such people on a roof so that their legs hang down the wall, then recite the Quran to them. If they fall down, then they are true; otherwise, they are liars and pretenders."