Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 29

(Ayah 29) ➊ Before {وَ اِذْ صَرَفْنَاۤ اِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ …:’’ اِذْ ‘‘}, {’’اُذْكُرْ‘‘} is omitted, which is connected to the previously mentioned verse {’’ وَ اذْكُرْ اَخَا عَادٍ ‘‘}. That is, mention to the disbelievers of Makkah the story of Hud (peace be upon him) and his people ‘Ad, who were much stronger and more powerful than them, and what happened to them for denying their messenger. Similarly, what was the outcome of the persistent disbelief of the towns surrounding the people of Makkah, so that the people of Makkah may take a lesson from their fate and refrain from disbelief and polytheism. {’’ وَ اِذْ صَرَفْنَاۤ اِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ يَسْتَمِعُوْنَ الْقُرْاٰنَ ‘‘} And mention for these disbelievers the time when We turned a group of jinn towards you and they listened to the Qur’an from you. The purpose is to shame the disbelievers of Makkah: that despite hearing the eloquent, miraculous Qur’an, revealed in the language of the Messenger sent among your own kind, your own Arab race, your own tribe of Quraysh, and your own city of Makkah, for a long time, neither did the Qur’an have any effect on you, nor did you believe in the Messenger, nor did you purify yourselves from the filth of polytheism. Just look at this group of jinn who suddenly arrived at the occasion when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting the Qur’an. They were not from the Messenger’s kind or tribe, but from a different kind altogether, their city was also different, and by chance, they happened to hear the Qur’an on the way. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not even know that a group of jinn was listening to his Qur’an. Despite this, compare their behavior with yours.

➋ {فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوْهُ قَالُوْۤا اَنْصِتُوْا:} When they arrived at that occasion, they said to each other, “Be silent, so that we may listen to the Qur’an attentively.” Look at these jinn, that by the success granted by Allah, they themselves are acting upon the command which is in Surah Al-A’raf: « وَ اِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْاٰنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوْا لَهٗ وَ اَنْصِتُوْا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُوْنَ » [ الأعراف : ۲۰۴ ] “And when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it and remain silent, so that mercy may be shown to you.” And look at yourselves, your way is as Allah has mentioned in Surah Fussilat: « وَ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَا تَسْمَعُوْا لِهٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ وَ الْغَوْا فِيْهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُوْنَ» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۲۶ ] “And those who disbelieve say, ‘Do not listen to this Qur’an and make noise during its recitation, so that you may overcome.’” They are advising each other to listen silently, while you are preventing each other from listening. At least listen, so that the door of mercy may open for you as it did for them. Do not remain stuck in arrogance and the desire for dominance, lest this desire destroys you as it did the people of ‘Ad.

➌ { فَلَمَّا قُضِيَ وَ لَّوْا اِلٰى قَوْمِهِمْ مُّنْذِرِيْنَ:} When the recitation of the Qur’an was completed, not only did they themselves believe, but they also returned to their people to warn them of the consequences of disbelief, because the completion of faith is in this. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) was given some advice by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), one of which was: [ وَ أَحِبَّ لِلنَّاسِ مَا تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ، تَكُنْ مُؤْمِنًا ] [ ابن ماجہ، الزھد، باب الورع والتقوٰی : ۴۲۱۷ ] “Love for people what you love for yourself, you will become a believer.”

➍ Tabari narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding {’’ وَ اِذْ صَرَفْنَاۤ اِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ ‘‘}: “They were seven (male jinn) from the people of Nasibin. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent them as messengers to their people.” [ الطبري : ۳۱۵۷۴ ] Ibn Kathir’s researcher has graded its chain as Hasan.

➎ On what occasion did this group of jinn come? For details, see the reason for revelation of Surah Al-Jinn and the commentary of its opening verses.