Views on the Jasad by the classical commentators of the Qur’an

 

Dajjal (Anti-Christ), the Qur’an and the Beginning of History

Appendix Two

 

Summary of views on the Jasad by the

classical commentators of the Qur’an

By HasbullahShafi’iy

 

1. Many of the classical commentaries mention that Jasad, linguistically, is a human body inclusive of the head and flesh but without the Ruh. [at-Tafsir al-Kabir, atTabarani; Ruh al-Bayan, Isma’il Haqqi; Majma’ul Bayan, at-Tabarsi; Anwar at-Tanzil, Baidawi; al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu Hayyan; Gharaib al-Qur’an, Nizam ad-Din an-Naisapuri; al-Bahr al-Madid, Ibn ‘Ajibah; at-Tas-hil, Ibn Juzayy al-Gharnati; Ruh al-Ma’ani, al-Alusi]  

 

2. Most modern commentaries in English, Tamil and Malay have repeated most of the content mentioned in the classical commentaries. The only exception appears to be Maududi's commentary in which he mentions that the Jasad could possibly also refer to Nabi Sulaiman's ʿalayhi as-salām son who ruled for a short time after his father as a “good-for-nothing” since it is linguistically compatible to name a weak ruler such. He then lost the kingdom soon after he assumed power. Most of the modern commentators of the Qur’an like Prof. Hamka seem to incline towards Imam al-Razi's commentary (refer to No. 5 below).

 

Amongst the modern commentaries, al-Sha’rawi’s (d.1418H) is worth mentioning. He says in his commentary to this verse that Fitnah is not something reprehensible, and that the origin of the word Fitnah is the smelting of gold to purify it: “Gold is mixed with other materials and we want it to be pure; so what do we do? We smelt the gold in fire so that impurities are removed from it until it becomes clean and pure from them. In like manner, Fitnah purifies mankind to clarify the good from the bad, and Allah had caused Sulaiman to go through Fitnah like he had caused his father Daud to go through Fitnah.” He further comments on Jasad, “(it is) a body and structure outwardly visible that does not contain in it a Ruh, and about which Allah says, “And Behold in due proportion I fashioned it and breathed into it…” (15:29) i.e. al-Jasad (“it”) and referring to which He, Most High, mentioned in the story of Samiriyy (al-Qur’an, 20:88): “Then he (Samiriyy) brought out (of the fire) before the (people) the Jasad of a calf that seemed to low…” meaning: the structure of a calf and its physical body, one that is clearly visible but without a Ruh.”

 

3. Amongst all the narrations mentioned in the classical Tafasir, only one is a Marfu' Hadith recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ʿalayhi as-salām said that Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām went to all his wives on a particular night with the hope that all of them will conceive a child each and will bear him an army of horsemen who will fight in the path of Allah, just that he did not say Insha Allah, therefore only one lady conceived and later she gave birth to a deformed and dead child. The Prophet then went on to say that if only he had said Insha Allah, he would have received an army of horsemen who would have fought with him Fi Sabilillah. The Mufassirun say that this dead child was placed on his throne and this could be the Jasad. However, the Prophet ʿalayhi as-salām did not mention that this is the incident referred to in the verse and that it was the dead child that was referred to as Jasad in the verse, which if it was, he would normally specify, hence all the commentators are unsure if this is the Jasad (the dead child) that was placed on his throne. Imam al-Bukhari too did not record this Hadith in his book of Tafsir. It therefore remains as an authentic incident that had happened in Nabi Sulaiman's life but we are unable to confirm this to be the incident referred to in the verse. Al-Qushayri, al-Zamakhshari, Abu Hayyan, al-Tabarsi, al-Razi, al-Qurtubi, al-Baidawi, al-Mawardi, al-Baghawi, Ibn ‘Abd as-Salam, al-Nasafi, Isma’il Haqqi, Ibn ‘Ajibah, ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Kashani, al-Alusi and others have included this as a possible explanation of the verse in their commentaries.

 

4. All other narrations lead back to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and some other Tabi'in and Tabi' al-Tabi'in but not to the Prophet; some to Ka'b al-Ahbar too. These narrations are mostly only compiled as “it has been narrated”, “so-and-so said” and “it is said” but not as confirmed explanations of the event that is referred to in this verse of the Qur’an. Thousands of commentaries were more often than not compilations of narrations and interpretations unless otherwise clearly stated by the Mufassir, or commentator of the Qur’an. In this case, no Mufassir has clearly state that this is the incident referred to in the verse. They are in summary as follows:

 

A. Nabi Sulaiman conquered an island kingdom called Saidun, killed the king who was a tyrant and married his daughter who embraced Islam but remained unhappy. Her name was Jaradah. Some say she did not embrace Islam. She longed for her father's company and missed his court, therefore requested Nabi Sulaiman to instruct the Shayatin, i.e., Jinn who are Satans, to make for her a structure of her father. He did so and she soon started to prostrate to the image together with her maids in the palace in reminiscence of what she used to do in her king-father’s presence. This carried on without the knowledge of the Prophet (according to some for forty days). Later he found out this had been happening and destroyed the image, burnt it and dispersed its ash in the air. Jasad in this narration therefore would refer to this image/idol of her father. Al-Zamakhshari has this with the comment that Allah knows best about the soundness of this narration. Al-Qurtubi narrates this from Wahb ibn Munabbih and also records another version which has it that Jaradah remained an idol-worshipper even after the marriage, brought an idol made of Ruby into the house of Nabi Sulaiman and had been worshipping it in secret for forty days without his knowledge until she eventually submitted in Islam. Al-Qushayri, al-Mawardi, al-Baidawi, Ibn ‘Abd as-Salam, as-Suyuti, ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Kashani, al-Baghawi (with an extended version of this story leading up to the loss of his ring to a Shaitan), ibn ‘Ajibah, al-Jawziy, al-Alusi and others have narrated this. Ibn Juzayy al-Gharnati has also recorded this with a note that this report is weak because of its distant possibility that an idol could have been worshipped in the house of a Nabi, or Prophet, and also due to the distant possibility of a Nabi having instructed an idol to be made.

 

B. A child was born to Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām The Shayatin feared that they will be forced to labour for the kingdom for another generation after the Prophet so they plotted to kill him or make him a handicap. Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām feared that they would achieve it so he concealed him for safety in the clouds and the winds gave him the nourishment he needed but Allah caused the child to die, according to Isma’il Haqqi, due to his trusting the clouds and the wind and fear for the harms from the Shayatin. This Jasad—dead body—was then placed on his throne. Al-Qurtubi has paraphrased this from al-Sha’biyy saying that he was made to suffer the ill consequence because of his fear for the harm the Shayatin could cause his child and that he did not realize this until the dead child fell on his throne. Al-Qushayri, az-Zamakhshari, al-Nasafi, al-Baidawi, al-Mawardi, Ibn ‘Abd as-Salam, ibn ‘Ajibah, and others have included this in their commentaries. Al-Alusi has also recorded this but argues that this is a false report by the very apparent sequence of the verses that follow. He says that the wind was subjected to Nabi Sulaiman only after the Fitnah had occurred and therefore this could not have been true. He says this is a fabrication. 

 

C. Al-Suyuti in his al-Durr al-Manthur has reproduced a Hadith recorded in al-Awsat of al-Tabarani with a weak chain from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet ʿalayhi as-salām said, “A child was born to Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām. He said to (one) Shaitan, “Will you conceal him from death?” They (the Shayatin) said, “We will take him to the East.” He said, “Death will reach him.” They said, “Then to the West.” He said, “It will reach him.” They said, “To the seas.” He said, “Death will reach him.” They (then) said, “We shall place him in between the heavens and the earth.” And then the angel of death descended and said, “I was commanded to take a soul; I looked for it in the seas, I looked for it in all the boundaries of the earth but I did not reach it, and while I was ascending I found him and so I took his soul.” (The Prophet then carried on to say) His Jasad came and fell on the throne of Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām. And that is the mentioning of Allah, ‘We had certainly tested Sulaiman and we placed on his throne a Jasad and then he turned.’” al-Tabarani however did not record this in his Tafsir to the verse even though he had compiled it in his collection of hadith. This Hadith according to Ibn Kathir, al-Jawziy and al-Suyuti himself in another of his books, is a fabrication. It is said about this hadith that no one doubts it is fabricated unless one entertains doubts (in the tenets of Iman) that the Prophets of Allah may peace be upon them are infallible.

 

D. Sa’id ibn Jubayr said that Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām went to the lavatory and left his ring with his most reliable wife called Aminah. A Shaitan took on his form and appeared before the lady and took the ring from her. The kingdom came under his control. Qatadah said that Sulaiman gave the ring to the Shaitan who then threw it into the sea. Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab said he put the ring under his bed when going into the lavatory. A Shaitan took it and flung it into the sea. These three reports are recorded in the Tafsir of al-Jawziy well summarized from al-Tabari, az-Zamakhshari, al-Qurtubi and others. Here the Jasad refers to the Shaitan who sat on the throne of Nabi Sulaiman in his form.

 

E. Mujahid said that Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām asked a Shaitan, “How do you cause Fitnah amongst people?” He said, “Give me your ring, and I'll inform you.” When he gave him his ring, the Shaitan flung it into the sea. His kingdom left him and the Shaitan, or Satan, sat on the Prophet’s throne (as the Jasad mentioned in the verse). The ring and the kingdom eventually came back to the Prophet. Al-Suyuti in his al-Durr al-Manthur and many others amongst the Mufassirin have recorded this. Here too the Jasad refers to the Shaitan, or Satan, taking the form of Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām and taking over his rule.   

 

F. Nabi Daud ʿalayhi as-salām had another son who during Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām rule rebelled against him and took his kingdom from him and stood as King in Nabi Sulaiman’s place for a long period of time. When Allah Almighty wished to return the rule to Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām, he made the usurper a lifeless body on the throne that had no movement, meaning, from a king obeyed and who had control over a vast dominion, Allah Almighty snatched his power and made him one who had absolutely no control over anything, even over himself and his own limbs. His own people turned against him and was eventually killed by them. Then Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām regained control over his kingdom. Ash-Sha’rawi has recorded this attributing it to the classical Mufassirin. 

 

G. Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām had withdrawn from public life for three days and due to that Allah Almighty had placed a Shaitan, or Satan, on his throne as a punishment for his withdrawing from the people. Al-Razi and others have included this in their commentaries. The different possible names of the Shaitan are also mentioned in these narrations, namely, Sakhr, Asaf or Hubqiq, as well as the reasons why Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām was put on this Divine trial. For example, al-Qurtubi narrates from Ka’b al-Ahbar who said, “When he (Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām) wronged the horses by killing them, his kingdom was taken from him for forty days”, and that it is also said he had taken an oath not to marry anyone outside of Banu Israil but he broke his oath therefore made to suffer the trial. They also state why and how he turned back to Allah Almighty.

“Then he turned to Allah in repentance”, or “Then the kingdom/power/his rule returned to him”. Ibn alJawziy writes that the former is the view of Qatadah and the latter that of ad-Dahhak. Ibn ‘Abd as-Salam mentions the above two and a third: “... or (he “returned” meaning) he became free from his illness.”

 

5. Al-Razi divides all opinions on the matter into two categories: (1) The opinion of those who have gathered stuffing and mere stories and (2) the opinion of those who have verified factual evidence. Under the former he has collected A, D, a combination of A and D, E, and G. He relates why the people of the latter category have chosen to reject the stories of the former category. Amongst these reasons are that Shaitan, or Satan, cannot take the form of a Nabi and that a Nabi will not allow an idol to be worshipped and even if that had happened without his knowledge, how would Allah Almighty have punished him for a deed done without his knowledge? Under the latter category, he has collected 3, B and a third interpretation which is that Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām was struck by a severe illness that made him appear like a Jasad in his physical capacity and that was his trial based on the expression of the Arabs to describe a person who is severely ill; they call such a person a Jism (synonym for Jasad with a slight difference) without a Ruh. Carrying on the linguistic interpretation, he gives a fourth which is his own view:

 

“It is not dismissible to think that he could have been tested with the imposition of fear in him at one point in his rule, or trials caused by some of his officials and institutions that could have caused him fear/worry that weakened his power to the extent that made him like a Jasad in his rule at one point.” He is of the opinion that Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām himself appeared like a Jasad on his throne/in his rule. This then would mean that Kursiyy, i.e., throne or chair, in the verse would refer to his position of authority and Jasad would mean his weakened capacity to handle the troubles he faced from his own people.

 

6. Ibn 'Atiyyah says that the consensus is that the Jasad refers to a certain Jinn (mentioned in these narrations) because it had been appearing in the bodily form of Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām while in reality it was not the Prophet whose form people saw. Al-Qadi Abu Muhammad said this is the most correct view and the clearest in meaning. This appears to be close to Maulana Imran Hosein’s interpretation except that the Jasad is Dajjal, not a Jinn. Someone appearing like Nabi Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām in Jasad is clearer in meaning than to say Sulaiman ʿalayhi as-salām himself appeared as a Jasad in a metaphorical sense. 

 

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