Question:
Assalaamo ‘alaykoum,
Ya shaykh, that is the meaning of “man” in the verse of Surat al-Mulk :
“ءَأَمِنتُمْ مَّن فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ ٱلأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ “. Who is fis-samaa ?
Baraakallaaho fiikoum for your answer.
Answer:
`Alaykum as-Salam,
According to the Tafsirs of Ahl as-Sunnah wa ‘l-Jama`ah the expression ‘man
fi ‘s-sama’ in Surat al-Mulk (67:17) refers to:
(i) Allah (al-Tabari, Ibn `Abbas according to al-Mawardi and al-Alusi); in case of this meaning then “the outward meaning is, by agreement of all Muslims, not meant, because it is impossible that the created heaven be encompassing the Creator” (al-Razi, Abu Hayyan);
or
(ii) the angels (al-Zamakhshari, al-Kisa’i, Ibn Bahr, al-Qushayri, al-Nasafi, al-Baydawi, Abu Hayyan, Ibn `Ajiba, Isma`il Haqqi), specifically Jibril (al-Razi, al-Naysaburi);
or
(iii) Allah’s punishment (`uquba) per the exegetes according to al-Wahidi, per Ibn `Abbas as narrated by al-Baghawi and al-Qurtubi, and per al-Kalbi and Muqatil according to Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi;
or
(iv) Allah’s authority, dominion, and power (al-Razi, al-Naysaburi, al-Qurtubi) and his Throne (al-Wahidi).
Hajj Gibril Haddad
