Sūrah Al-Ḥijr The Rocky Tract: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī The Source Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالحجرMakkī 99 versesContains the "seven oft-repeated" verse al-Ṭabarī identifies them as Al-Fātiḥah

Key DisagreementWhat are "sabʿun min al-mathānī"?Quranic self-referenceAl-Ṭabarī: Al-Fātiḥah (7 verses) supported by prophetic ḥadīth with strong chain

Competing OpinionsIs Iblīs from the jinn or the angels?Ontological debateAl-Ṭabarī: originally from the jinn who ascended to worship with angels; not an angel

MethodologyTracing creation of jinn from Companion narrationsCosmological tafsīrAl-Ṭabarī collects all narrations on jinn creation before siding with the smokeless fire chain

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

On the nature of Iblīs (15:27–31), al-Ṭabarī resolves the apparent contradiction Iblīs among the angels who were commanded to prostrate, yet later identified as a jinn. He collects narrations from Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others, then argues: Iblīs was created from jinn (fire), not angels (light), but had ascended through worship to be among the angelic ranks. The command "prostrate to Adam" was addressed to the angels in general, and Iblīs was included because of his position among them his jinn nature (free will unlike angels) allowed him to refuse, which no angel could do.

Al-Ṭabarī's identification of "sabʿan min al-mathānī" as Al-Fātiḥah is based on the prophetic ḥadīth in Bukhārī and Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ told Abū Saʿīd ibn al-Muʿallā: "Shall I not teach you the greatest sūrah of the Quran before you leave?" then recited Al-Fātiḥah and said, "It is the seven oft-repeated and the mighty Quran given to me." Al-Ṭabarī places this prophetic identification above all Companion views (some said they are the seven long sūrahs).

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ Wa-la-qad ātaynāka sabʿan min al-mathānī wa-l-qurʾāna l-ʿaẓīm "And We have given you seven of the oft-repeated and the great Quran" (15:87) Al-Ṭabarī: prophetic ḥadīth identifies this as Al-Fātiḥah its seven verses are repeated in every rakaʿah of every prayer; this identification is decisive over the "seven long sūrahs" view.

وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ Wa-innā la-naḥnu nazzalnā dh-dhikra wa-innā lahū la-ḥāfiẓūn "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian" (15:9) Al-Ṭabarī: divine guarantee of the Quran's preservation chains from multiple Companions confirm this means textual preservation, not just memorization.

Iblīs's nature resolved: Al-Ṭabarī's jinn-among-angels resolution explains how Iblīs could refuse what angels cannot his jinn nature (with free will) is the key, established through multiple chains.
Sabʿ mathānī = Al-Fātiḥah: The prophetic identification in Bukhārī is decisive al-Ṭabarī places it above the Companion view that they are the seven long sūrahs.
Quranic preservation: The divine guarantee in 15:9 is traced through Companion narrations on what "ḥāfiẓūn" means al-Ṭabarī concludes it means both textual and memorization preservation.
Lūṭ's guests: Al-Ṭabarī traces the angels' visit to Lūṭ through narrations, distinguishing Quranically confirmed details from Isrāʾīliyyāt accretions about the visit's details.
Divine decree and free will: The Iblīs story raises the qadar debate al-Ṭabarī avoids speculative kalam while presenting the Companion narrations on how divine knowledge and human choice coexist.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

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