سُوْرَةُ الصَّافَّاتِ
Surah As-Saaffaat (37) — Ayah 158
وَجَعَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُۥ وَبَيْنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَتِ ٱلْجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ ﴿158﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they have invented a kinship between Him and the jinn, but the jinn know well that they have indeed to appear (before Him) (i.e. they will be called to account).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلُوا۟
wajaʿalū
And they have made
بَيْنَهُۥ
baynahu
between Him
وَبَيْنَ
wabayna
and between
ٱلْجِنَّةِ
l-jinati
the jinn
نَسَبًۭا ۚ
nasaban
a relationship
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
but certainly
عَلِمَتِ
ʿalimati
know
ٱلْجِنَّةُ
l-jinatu
the jinn
إِنَّهُمْ
innahum
that they
لَمُحْضَرُونَ
lamuḥ'ḍarūna
(will) surely be brought
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 158) ➊ { وَ جَعَلُوْا بَيْنَهٗ وَ بَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا … :} What is meant by establishing lineage between Allah and the jinn? Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned two opinions in his exegesis. The first is the statement of Mujahid that the polytheists said, "The angels are the daughters of Allah." So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "Then who are their mothers?" They said, {’’بَنَاتُ سَرَوَاتِ الْجِنِّ‘‘} "The daughters of the jinn chieftainesses." However, in this explanation, a lineage relationship is not established between Allah and the jinn, rather an affinity (in-law) relationship is established, because if the daughters of the jinn women (Allah forbid) are the wives of Allah, then the jinn would be fathers-in-law. Moreover, Mujahid did not meet Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), so this is disconnected. The second opinion is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the enemies of Allah considered Allah and Iblis to be two brothers. The commentators have stated in this explanation that this was the belief of the Iranians that there are two creators: one is the creator of good, whom they call "Yazdan," and the other is the creator of evil, whom they call "Ahriman." However, there are two flaws in this explanation as well: first, its chain is not established, because Tabari narrated it through 'Awfi from Ibn Abbas, which is weak; second, it mentions a brotherly relationship between Allah and Iblis, whereas the verse mentions the general jinn.
Some commentators have said that here {’’ الْجِنَّةِ ‘‘} refers to the angels, because the jinn are called "jinn" due to their hidden nature, as the same meaning is found in words like "janin" (embryo), "junoon" (madness), etc., and the angels are also hidden, so the meaning here is that they established a lineage relationship between the angels and Allah, by considering them the daughters of Allah. However, there are two flaws in this as well: first, calling the angels "jinn" is a great stretch, because the jinn are created from fire and the angels from light. The second flaw is that this matter has already been mentioned above in verse (153): « اَصْطَفَى الْبَنَاتِ عَلَى الْبَنِيْنَ» so what is the benefit of mentioning it again without necessity? I have studied many exegeses on this issue, and the summary of all is what I have stated above. In the end, I found satisfaction in the exegesis of Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari, which is that just as the polytheists called the angels the daughters of Allah, they called the jinn the sons (or children) of Allah. The evidence for this is Allah's very statement that they established a lineage between Allah and the jinn. Clearly, the term "lineage" applies first and foremost to sons and daughters. This is not far-fetched from the polytheists, and who can be a more truthful narrator than Allah? (And Allah knows best)
➋ { وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمَتِ الْجِنَّةُ اِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُوْنَ : ’’مُحْضَرُوْنَ‘‘} (Presented) This is said about those who themselves do not wish to come. That is, certainly the jinn know that they will be presented for reckoning. Is this the way a father deals with his children?
Some commentators have said that here {’’ الْجِنَّةِ ‘‘} refers to the angels, because the jinn are called "jinn" due to their hidden nature, as the same meaning is found in words like "janin" (embryo), "junoon" (madness), etc., and the angels are also hidden, so the meaning here is that they established a lineage relationship between the angels and Allah, by considering them the daughters of Allah. However, there are two flaws in this as well: first, calling the angels "jinn" is a great stretch, because the jinn are created from fire and the angels from light. The second flaw is that this matter has already been mentioned above in verse (153): « اَصْطَفَى الْبَنَاتِ عَلَى الْبَنِيْنَ» so what is the benefit of mentioning it again without necessity? I have studied many exegeses on this issue, and the summary of all is what I have stated above. In the end, I found satisfaction in the exegesis of Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari, which is that just as the polytheists called the angels the daughters of Allah, they called the jinn the sons (or children) of Allah. The evidence for this is Allah's very statement that they established a lineage between Allah and the jinn. Clearly, the term "lineage" applies first and foremost to sons and daughters. This is not far-fetched from the polytheists, and who can be a more truthful narrator than Allah? (And Allah knows best)
➋ { وَ لَقَدْ عَلِمَتِ الْجِنَّةُ اِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُوْنَ : ’’مُحْضَرُوْنَ‘‘} (Presented) This is said about those who themselves do not wish to come. That is, certainly the jinn know that they will be presented for reckoning. Is this the way a father deals with his children?
