Abasa 80:4 - Linguistic Miracle

Or be strongly affected and the reminder might benefit him

Commentary covering verses 1–7

To understand this surah, we need to first look at the context of revelation.

قَالَتْ ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ، هَذَا مَا عَرَضْ نَا عَلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْ وَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، حَدَّ ثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ ، حَدَّ ثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الأُمَوِيُّ

( عبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى ) فِي ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ الأَعْمَى أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرْشِدْ نِي وَعِنْدَ : أُ نْزِلَ

رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ مِنْ عُظَمَاءِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْرِضُ عَنْهُ وَيُقْبِلُ عَلَى

وَرَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ هَذَا . قَالَ أَ بُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ . فَفِي هَذَا أُ نْزِلَ . الآخَرِ وَيَقُولُ أَتَرَى بِمَا أَقُولُ بَأْ سًا فَيُقَالُ لاَ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ . ( عبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى ) فِي ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ : الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْ وَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ أُنْزِلََ

“He frowned and turned away” was revealed about Ibn Umm Maktum the blind man. He came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah !ﷺ Guide me.’ At that time, there was a revered man from the idolaters with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned away from him and faced the other man, saying: ‘Do you think that there is something wrong with what I am saying?’ He said: ‘No.’ So it was about that that it was revealed.³⁹ These were very high ranking officials from the polytheists. In early days, Islam was still new and the few Muslims that there were, were heavily persecuted and oppressed. If any of the strong and influential leaders had become Muslim, it would have been a source of great relief for the Muslims because with it would have come the support, whether financial or otherwise, that they would need to at least hold their own. A high ranking leader would also bring his followers to Islam as well. So naturally, the Prophet ﷺ was really eager that these people accept Islam. As is the case with high ranking officials even today, they do not meet in public places. If you were to meet the president of a country, you would either meet him in the president’s house, or at a very reserved, very luxurious, closed off place. You will not meet him at a random cafe on the street corner. Similarly here, this was a special appointment with the Prophet ﷺ , in a reserved setting, where others would not be allowed to come in.

Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum was blind and he did not even know that the Prophet ﷺ was in a special meeting. So he barged straight in and started asking questions about Islam. This, of course, is not a nice thing to do and high ranking officials do not take kindly to such incursions. The prophet ﷺ frowned at this, which the blind could not see, and turned away from him to face the officials and preach to them. It was at this very moment that revelation started coming down to him.

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ

He frowned and turned away It is quite incredible how the Qurʾān says he turned away. The prophet ﷺ turned towards the officials. Instead of saying you turned towards them, the Qurʾān says you turned away from the Muslim.

أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ

That a blind one came to him The reason why the Prophet ﷺ got angry was not that a blind person came to him, but that any person should interfere with a reserved setting. We would not welcome it as well. Allah calls him a blind one, not to degrade, but as a recognition of the effort he put in. Blind people face difficulties we may never know. God forbid any one of us loses his eye sight. It is not easy for them to even walk. Allah recognizes that despite being blind and facing challenges associated with it, he made the effort to get to know Allah and his religion.

This verse has been used as the basis for the higher reward reserved for people with special needs and disabilities. A person will be given reward for his effort, and since people with disabilities have to put in more effort, and face more challenges, they will be given more reward for the same actions.

So Allah recognizes the effort this man put in despite being blind and he reprimands His prophet ﷺ for neglecting him.

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ

What can make you discover that he may purify/ nourish himself His blindness will not be any hindrance to spiritual purification. Life is unequal and harsh to many. Some people are born with disabilities, some people develop them later in life. These people never get the same opportunities as other people. They experience thorough inequality, and heartbreaking neglect. Allah regards their efforts more than others with no disabilities. That blind man who came running to learn the religion, will be rewarded more than a person with sight, who came running in the same manner, to learn the same religion.

Physical disabilities are a barrier for material success but they will never be a barrier for spiritual success - the success that really matters to Allah. What can make you discover that he may nourish himself? Yes, he is blind, but what makes you think he will not benefit from revelation just like other people? He is the same. His eyes are blind but his soul is not. He is just like other people, with the same spiritual potential. His physical disabilities will not hold him back from benefitting from revelation, as a matter of fact, he may get even more because he had to put extra effort. The same word that was used in the previous surah with Pharaoh is used here. The Qurʾān drew imagery there. It means to purify oneself. Literally, it means to water the garden of our soul.

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰٓ

Or be strongly reminded and being reminded might benefit him The word Dhikrā is translated as reminder. The words “strongly reminded” use the same root as well. At its root, Dhikrā means strength.⁴⁰ When this root is applied to speech, it means speech that has a strong impact on the listener. The Qurʾān is called Dhikr because it reminds people of what they are neglectful of in a strong, impactful and effective manner. Here, Allah first mentioned the blind person purifying himself and second being reminded by the Qurʾān. That is; either instruction and guidance may produce new understanding within him regarding what he did not previously know, or he may remember something about which he had been heedless.⁴¹

أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ

As for the one who deems himself without need Who does not feel in need of moral guidance. We see this with the wealthy often. I have everything in my life, all that I ever wanted. What do I need religion for? What can religion give me since I am not lacking in anything? This person is compared to Pharaoh in the previous surah who, drunk in the power and riches he owned, considered himself free of the need to obey God. This attitude runs from Pharaoh to the common man. Pharaoh had a kingdom, but others might only own a house, a car, a wife and children to reach the same attitude and you do not have to look far to see this phenomenon. There are Pharaohs everywhere.

فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ

Then you, to such a person, give attention A flip of the coin. A lot of emphasis is being placed. The words “Then you” as well as “for such a person” are both advanced for emphasis. Then you - a prophet of God ﷺ out of all people - to such a person - to such an evil person - give attention? Allah flips the coin. They are of great worth in their own eyes and also in the eyes of men, but Allah calls them worthless, and calls His prophet ﷺ , who had no riches except the revelation from Allah, and who will live much of his life in poverty from this point on, the most honored. How can you, a man of such greatness, give attention to such a worthless human being?

Allah judges men by their character and their obedience to him. The blind one who came running to Allah is more worthy to Allah than the wealthy disbelievers who are viewed highly by men. The righteous prophet ﷺ , who will go on to tie stones around his waist to deal with severe hunger-pangs because there was no food available to eat, and whose family would never eat a proper meal for three consecutive days until he passed away,42 is more honored in the sight of Allah.

وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ

While no blame is on you that he does not purify/ nourish himself Notice how it does not say “if he does not purify/ nourish” but says “that he does not purify/ nourish himself.” Allah is telling the prophet ﷺ that the person he was teaching and talking to, he will not purify himself because he feels himself free of need.

³⁹ Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3331
⁴⁰ Al-Muʿjam al-Ishtiqāqī al-Muʾaṣṣal li-Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān al-Karīm, vol. 2, p.718
⁴¹ Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol. 30, p. 107
⁴² Sahih al-Bukhari 5374