9. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (4)

9. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (4)

          We continue dealing with some examples of repetition in the Qur’an in Shaykh Maḥmūd al-Kermānī’s   book where he mentions 590 examples, as follows:

4. (499).  الْمِيزَانَ(“the balance), is repeated three times in the following verses:

وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ (الرحمن:7)

And the heaven He has raised high,

 and He set up the Balance (Q. 55:7)

 أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ (الرحمن:8)

In order that you may not transgress

 (due) balance (Q. 55:8)

وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ (الرحمن:9)

And observe the weight with equity and do

 not make the balance deficient (Q. 55:8).

     Maḥmūd al-Kermānī says that the term الْمِيزَانَ (“the balance) is repeated for the following reasons:

a.   The balance intended in every verse stands by itself. In the first verse in which Allah sets up the Balance it means “the balance of the world”  (ميزان الدنيا) , whereas in the second verse it means “the balance of the Hereafter” (ميزان الآخرة), and in the last verse it is “the balance of reason” (ميزان العقل).

b.   There is no repetition here, as the three verses were revealed separately, not consecutively, not one after the other, so that the term balance was clearly mentioned.

5 (500). فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ  (“Then which of the Blessings of our Lod will you both (jinn and men) deny?” is repeated 31 times in sūrat al-Raḥmān (Chapter 55).

          For easy understanding we shall divide the chapter into four groups, as follows:

a.   Allah mentioned His signs, the wonders of His creation, the beginning of creation and its return, then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 1-30).  

b.    Allah mentioned Hellfire, and the suffering for disbelievers then He mentioned the above verse 7 (seven) times (verse 31-45). It is Allah’s blessings for people who are saved from Hellfire.

c.     Allah a mentioned two Gardens (in Paradise) and the blessings in them then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 46-61).

d.    Allah after mentioned two other Gardens (in Paradise) then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 62-78)

The first part (a) contains 8 repetition, followed by second part (b) containing 7 repetition, then  the third part (c) containing 8 repetition, and lastly the fourth part (d) containing 8 repetition, and the ratio is  8, 7, 8, 8. Al-Kermānī says that whoever believes in the first 8, namely in Allah, His creation and blessings mentioned in the first part namely, becomes a believer (a Muslim), and he will be saved in the 7, namely, Allah’s punishment, and he will get the remaining two 8s, namely, two Gardens plus two Gardens in Paradise.

6 (544). أَوْلَى لَكَ (“Woe to you”) is repeated four times in the following verse:

أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى. ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى (القيامة:34-35)

Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And

then (again) woe to you! Again, woe to

you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then

 (again) woe to you! (Q. 75:34-35)

             The classical Arabic philologist of the Baran school and one of the earliest Arabic lexicographers ‘Abd al-Malik al-Aṣma‘ī (121-216/740-831) says that  the expression أَوْلَى among the Arabs indicates the imminent destruction (perdition), as the origin of the term is الْوَلِي which means “being near.” Therefore, Muhammad Asad translates the above verse as follows:

[And yet, O man, thine end comes

 hourly] nearer unto thee, and nearer – and

 ever nearer unto thee, and nearer!

Shaykh al-Kermānī says that the Qur’an commentators agree that the repetition here indicates threat. They say that the above verses mean: “Woe to you the death, and then woe to you the punishment in the grave! Again, woe to you the horror of the Resurrection! And then woe to you the   punishment in Hell!”

7 (547). وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ  (“Woe that Day to the deniers [of the Day of Resurrection”]) is repeated ten times out of 50 verses of sūrat al-Mursalāt (chapter 77).

    Shaykh al-Kermānī says that the repetition occurs because it deals with different cases. Therefore, it is not a wrong repetition, and without this repetition the threat would be applicable for some cases only, and not all of them. Let us examine what he says, as follows:

Verse 1–15. Allah swears by different creatures (the angels, or the wind or the rain) that the Hereafter will surely occur. Then He mentions what will occur on the Day of Judgement: the stars will lose their lights, the heaven will become split, the mountains will be blown away, and the Messengers will be gathered (or postponed according to another interpretation) to the Day of Sorting out (i.e., Judgement Day). “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 16–19. Allah has destroyed people in the past who rejected the Messengers and what they brought to them. He will also do the same to people of later generations, who follow them in rejecting their Messengers. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 20 – 24. Allah reminds people how He created man from despised water, placed it in the womb for a fixed period of time. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 25–28.  Allah reminds people of His blessings: He made the earth kifāt (“a place of shelter”, Ibn ‘Abbās’s interpretation; “it holds the dead so that nothing is seen of it,” Mujāhid’s interpretation; “its interior is for your dead and its surface is for your living,” al-Sha‘bī’s interpretation). “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 29–34. Disbelievers who deny the Judgement Day will be punished by Allah in Hellfire where they will have no shade. Its fierce flame throws huge sparks. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 35-37. They shall not speak during some parts of that Day, and will not be allowed to make any excuse. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 38-40. That day will be a Day of Decision where people will be gathered together. Allah will challenge them to plot against Him. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 41-45. For believers Allah will make them enter Paradise as reward for their good belief and good deeds. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 46-47. Allah says to disbelievers whom He calls criminals to enjoy themselves for a while in this world. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 48-50. When these ignorant disbelievers were ordered to bow down themselves (in praying) they did not. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.” Then Allah concluded this chapter, saying: “Then in what statement after this will they believe?” (Q. 77:50).

8 (548. كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (“Nay, they will come to know! [the Day of Judgement]”) is repeated twice in sūrat al-Naba’ (chapter 78) as follows:

كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ. ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (النبأ:4-5)

Nay, they will come to know! Nay, gain,

 they will come to know! (Q. 78:4-5)

           It is said in previous verses that people were asking one another about the great news (the Qur’an, the resurrection after death, and the Day of Resurrection according to Mujāhid, Qatādah, and Ibn Yazīd respectively), which they were in disagreement  (verse 1-3). According to al-Ḍaḥḥāk it is a threat to disbelievers, namely, they will know the consequence of their disbelief, and the second repetition is a promise for believers, that they will know the consequence of their belief. Al-Ḥasan says that both are threats.

                         Al-Kermānī mentions three views on this repetition: (a) The first is directed to disbelievers, while the second is directed to believers. (b) The first is at the agony of death (النزع), whereas the second is at the Resurrection (القيامة). (c) The first is to prevent from disagreement (ردع عن الإختلاف) and the second is to prevent from kufr (disbelief).

       (CIVIC, 4 March, 2016)

 المكتبة الشاملة:

تفسير الطبري )ت. 310 هـ (

تفسير القرطبى )ت. 671 هـ (

تفسير ابن كثير )ت. 774 هـ(

الكَرَمَانِي, تَاجُ القُرَّاء مَحْمُوْد بن حَمْزَة. أَسْرَارُ التَّكْرَارِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ. دراسة و تحقيق عبد القادر أحمد عطا. القاهرة: دار الإعتصام, 1398\1978.

Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar:  Dār al-Andalus  Ltd, 1984

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