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Draft:Verse 124 of Sura al-An'am

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Verse 124 of Sura al-An'am
Verse's Information
Suraal-An'am (Qur'an 6)
Verse124
Juz'8
Content Information
Cause of
Revelation		Regarding the leaders of polytheists like al-Walid b. al-Mughira and Abu Jahl
Place of
Revelation		Mecca
TopicTheological
AboutSelection of Prophets by God


Qur'an 6:124 asserts that the selection of Prophets is a prerogative belonging solely to God. This divine appointment is based on the intrinsic personal characteristics of individuals—qualities fully known only to the Almighty. By invoking this verse, theologians argue that the selection of the Prophet's successor is similarly exclusive to God, as it demands comparable spiritual and moral criteria.

The verse was revealed in response to the leaders of the polytheists in Mecca, who conditioned their faith upon receiving the exact same station and revelations as the prophets. By making such a demand, they deceptively feigned belief in previous prophets while simultaneously denying the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (s). God characterizes this behavior of the leaders of polytheism (shirk) as a deceitful plot (makr) and warns them of a severe impending punishment.

Description and Position

Qur'an 6:124 addresses the divine selection of Prophets, establishing it as an exclusive right of God. The Shi'a tradition maintains that the Prophet's successor must be infallible like the Prophet himself and, in accordance with this verse, must be divinely appointed.[1] Furthermore, the verse highlights the arrogant attitude of the idol-worshipping leaders, who predicated their faith on being personally granted the prophetic station and its associated miracles.[2] Thematically, this verse serves as a direct continuation of Qur'an 6:123, which characterizes the leaders of disbelief (Kufr) as inherently plotting and deceitful.[3] The place of revelation for Qur'an 6:124 is recognized as the city of Mecca.[4]

Cause of Revelation

According to some exegetes, Qur'an 6:124 was revealed concerning al-Walid b. al-Mughira, a mastermind among the idolaters of Mecca, who arrogantly considered himself more deserving of prophethood than Prophet Muhammad (s).[5] Other scholars attribute the verse's revelation to the attitude of Abu Jahl. As a prominent member of the 'Abd Manaf tribe, he viewed Prophet Muhammad (s) as a direct rival and could not tolerate his spiritual and social superiority.[6] Conversely, certain exegetes, including Jawadi Amuli, argue that the cause of revelation extends beyond these specific individuals to encompass a broader typological critique of the polytheist leadership.[7]

Excuse of the Disbeliever

The initial segment of Qur'an 6:124 addresses the revelation of divine signs and miracles intended to authenticate the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (s), juxtaposed against the stubborn refusal of the leaders of polytheism to embrace the truth.[8] They audaciously demanded to be given the exact same revelations and status bestowed upon the Prophets.[9] This demand was driven not by a genuine quest for truth, but by deep-seated envy toward Prophet Muhammad (s).[10]

Analyzing the use of the term rusul (the plural form of Rasul), 'Allama Tabataba'i posits that the polytheists were not merely asking for divine teachings; they were demanding the very station of prophethood and the exclusive authority to propagate religion. He further notes that their request was laced with mockery, as these polytheists did not inherently believe in the concept of prophethood to begin with.[11] According to Fakhr Razi, while the majority of exegetes agree that the polytheists were demanding the prophetic office itself, a minority suggests their demand was limited to performing specific miracles comparable to those of the Prophet (s),[12] such as the Shaqq al-Qamar.[13] Fakhr Razi notes that the prevailing scholarly consensus strongly aligns with the subsequent phrase of the verse: "Allah knows best where to place His apostleship."[14]

Selection of Prophet and Imam in God's Authority

The latter half of Qur'an 6:124 establishes that the appointment of a Prophet is the exclusive domain of God. Quranic exegetes explain that this restriction exists because the prophetic office demands profound spiritual readiness, a pure heart, noble character traits, elevated intellect, and Taqwa (piety) reaching the level of infallibility—qualities that only God can accurately discern.[15] Exegetes emphasize that God alone knows who possesses the fortitude to bear the immense burden of this responsibility and endure its associated hardships.[16] The author of Tafsir-i ithna 'ashari interprets the verse as an implicit declaration that no one is worthy of Prophethood except those possessing a sound heart (Qalb Salim). Consequently, individuals ensnared by moral vices such as pride (Kibr), deceit, Envy, and obstinacy can expect nothing but Hell and Divine punishment.[17]

Selection of the Prophet's Successor

According to Shi'a theology, the successor of the Prophet (s) inherits all the responsibilities and roles of the Prophet, with the sole exceptions of receiving direct revelation and enacting new religious laws. To fulfill these monumental duties and serve as a flawless exemplar for humanity, this successor must possess the station of infallibility, exactly like the Prophet.[18] Consequently, the Prophet's successor can only be appointed by God. The declaration of Imam al-Sadiq (a), who affirmed that the selection of his own successor was beyond his personal authority and entirely dictated by God, is frequently cited as theological evidence for this claim.[19]

Historical records indicate that various prominent figures—including Hisham b. Isma'il, the governor for Banu Umayya in Medina;[20] al-Zuhri, a notable Tabi'un and Sunni scholar;[21] and a descendant of Umar b. al-Khattab[22]—invoked the phrase "اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ" ("Allah knows best where to place His apostleship") when praising certain Imams of the Shi'a.[23] The application of this specific Qur'anic phrase to the Imams is interpreted as a profound acknowledgment of their unique divine status as the rightful successors to the Prophet.[24]

Plot of Disbelievers

Qur'an 6:124 attributes the severe impending punishment of the leaders of polytheism directly to their deceitful plotting.[25] In his analysis of the disbelievers' schemes, Muhammad Sadiqi Tehrani explains that by demanding a Miracle identical to those of previous prophets, the polytheist leaders feigned a superficial belief in the past Prophets. Their underlying goal was to manipulate the masses into believing that Prophet Muhammad (s) lacked the credentials of true divine prophets.[26]

Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah posits that these individuals employed deception by artificially restricting the pursuit of truth to the five physical senses, deliberately sidelining reason ('Aql) and critical thought. They demanded only the sensational miracles they had heard of in ancient lore, refusing to acknowledge rational miracles or signs suited to their specific environmental and historical context.[27]

Muqatil b. Sulayman, a prominent exegete of the 2nd/8th century, argued in his commentary that the "plot" specifically referred to the audacious claim made by the disbelievers: they asserted that if the Qur'an were truly divine, it would have been revealed to powerful elites like al-Walid b. al-Mughira or Abu Mas'ud al-Thaqafi rather than Muhammad (s).[28] Furthermore, relying on various hadiths, some scholars have interpreted this plot as a literal, clandestine conspiracy aimed at physically harming the Prophet or dismantling his emerging school of thought.[29]

Consequence of Deception

The final segment of Qur'an 6:124 decrees humiliation and severe punishment as the inevitable fate of those who use deceit and plotting to reject belief in the Prophet (s) while actively obstructing others from the path of faith.[30] This divine humiliation serves as a direct, poetic justice for their pride (Takabbur) and self-aggrandizement, as they willfully denied the truth merely to safeguard their fragile worldly status.[31] Consequently, the severity of their punishment is portrayed as the direct outcome of their relentless obstinacy and vigorous efforts to champion falsehood.[32]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ṭayyib, Aṭyab al-bayān, 1369 Sh, vol. 6, p. 196; Ṣādiqī, "Muqāyisa-yi Payāmbar wa Imām az dīdgāh-i Imām Riḍā", p. 78.
  2. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 430.
  3. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, p. 341.
  4. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 143.
  5. ↑ Ṭabrsī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 4, p. 559.
  6. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 430.
  7. ↑ Jawādī Āmulī, Tafsīr-i tasnīm, 1392 Sh, vol. 27, p. 107; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, p. 341.
  8. ↑ Ṭabrsī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 4, p. 559.
  9. ↑ Ṭabrsī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 4, p. 559.
  10. ↑ Fakhr Rāzī, al-Tafsīr al-kabīr, 1420 AH, vol. 13, p. 136; Mughniyya, al-Kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 3, p. 259.
  11. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 7, p. 341.
  12. ↑ Fakhr Rāzī, al-Tafsīr al-kabīr, 1420 AH, vol. 13, p. 136.
  13. ↑ Muqātil b. Sulaymān, Tafsīr Muqātil, 1423 AH, vol. 1, p. 587.
  14. ↑ Fakhr Rāzī, al-Tafsīr al-kabīr, 1420 AH, vol. 13, p. 136.
  15. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 431.
  16. ↑ Ṭabrsī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 4, p. 559.
  17. ↑ Ḥusaynī Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīmī, Tafsīr-i ithnā ʿasharī, 1363 Sh, vol. 3, p. 371.
  18. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 431.
  19. ↑ Ṣādiqī, "Muqāyisa-yi Payāmbar wa Imām az dīdgāh-i Imām Riḍā", p. 78.
  20. ↑ Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, 1410 AH, vol. 5, p. 170.
  21. ↑ Dīnawarī, al-Mujālasa, 1419 AH, vol. 6, p. 159.
  22. ↑ Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī, Maqātil al-Ṭālibiyyīn, Dār al-Maʿrifa, p. 413.
  23. ↑ Ibn al-Jawzī, Ṣifat al-ṣafwa, 1421 AH, vol. 1, p. 355.
  24. ↑ Majdhūb Tabrīzī, al-Hadāyā li-shīʿat aʾimmat al-hudā, 1387 Sh, vol. 2, p. 130.
  25. ↑ Jawādī Āmulī, Tafsīr-i tasnīm, 1392 Sh, vol. 27, p. 107.
  26. ↑ Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 10, p. 262.
  27. ↑ Faḍlallāh, Min waḥy al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 9, p. 316.
  28. ↑ Muqātil b. Sulaymān, Tafsīr Muqātil, 1423 AH, vol. 1, p. 588.
  29. ↑ Jawādī Āmulī, Tafsīr-i tasnīm, 1392 Sh, vol. 27, p. 107.
  30. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 431.
  31. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 432.
  32. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i namūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 5, p. 432.

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