CHAPTER 98: AL-BAYYINAH (THE CLEAR PROOF)

It was revealed in the Medina period. It consists of eight verses. It is also said that it was revealed in the Mecca period. Bayyinah means "clear proof." The surah takes this name from this word mentioned in the first verse. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/598)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

98/1-5 AND THIS IS THE UPRIGHT RELIGION

Translation

1- 3- The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans were not going to depart [from their disbelief] until there came to them clear proof [the Qur'an]. 2- 3- [That clear proof they were waiting for is] a Messenger from Allah, reciting purified pages [free from falsehood], containing upright writings [correct laws and information].

4- [And yet] those who were given the Scripture did not fall into division until after the clear proof [the Qur'an and the Prophet] had come to them.

5- And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth [as Hanifs], and to establish prayer and to give zakat. And that is the correct [upright] religion.

Commentary

(1) ‘The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans were not going to depart (from their disbelief) until there came to them clear proof.’

They did not leave their denial until Muhammad (pbuh) was sent. When he was sent, some became Muslims, while others continued their denial. (S. HAWWA 16/311)

Before the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sent as a prophet, there were two groups of disbelievers in the Arabian Peninsula. The first was the People of the Book, and the second was the pagans. By "People of the Book," it is meant those who possessed a divine book—even if it had been distorted—and believed in it. Generally speaking, they are the Jews and the Christians. The Holy Qur’an informs us that the Jews fell into disbelief by saying, "Ezra is the son of Allah" (cf. Tawbah 9/30), and the Christians became disbelievers by saying, "Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary" (cf. Ma'idah 5/17) and "Allah is the third of three" (cf. Ma'idah 5/73). Although their religions were originally monotheistic, they later corrupted this. By "pagans" (mushrikun), it is meant those who did not believe in any prophet and had no book. Their original religion was the religion of shirk (polytheism). They absolutely rejected and denied monotheism (tawhid). (O. CELIK, 5/544, 545)

(2, 3) ‘(That clear proof) is a messenger from Allah, reciting purified pages.’

That is, they were not going to depart until a prophet sent by Allah with the duty of prophethood arrived. Such a Messenger who is "mutahher" (purified); that is, far from distortion, suspicion, error, and the doubt of falsehood, whom soiled hands cannot touch—as evidenced by the verse "None touch it except the purified" (Waqi'a 56/79)—"recites very pure pages." (ELMALILI, 9/355, 356)

In the 2nd verse, it is stated that the evidence mentioned in the first verse is the Prophet (pbuh), who was sent by Allah to recite "purified pages" and convey Allah's commands to people. "Purified pages" refer to the pages of the Qur’an, and the description "purified" expresses pages "cleansed from flaws such as lies, hypocrisy, doubt, deviation, and error." (From Qurtubi; QUR’AN WAY 5/664)

‘In those pages are the most correct rulings.’

"Kayyime" (upright); every ruling of the Qur’an is accurate and upright. The Qur'an is the guide for all people (Baqara 2/185). "Indeed, this Qur'an guides (individuals and societies) to that which is most upright." (17/9; I. KARAGOZ,8/588)

Regarding this verse, Ibn Jarir says: "In the pure pages, there are precious, upright books from Allah; because they come from Allah, the Almighty and Sublime, there is no error in them." (S. HAWWA 16/311)

(4) ‘(And yet) those who were given the Scripture did not fall into division until after the clear proof (the Qur’an and the Prophet) had come to them.’

Nasafi says: "Some of them denied his prophethood out of arrogance and envy. Another part of them believed in him. Although the People of the Book were mentioned together with the pagans in the previous verse, only the People of the Book are mentioned here. This is because the People of the Book had knowledge of the prophet as it was included in their own books. For this reason, they were characterized as dividing away from the prophet." (S. HAWWA 16/311)

(5) ‘And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, to believe in Him sincerely as Hanifs and to submit, to establish prayer and to give zakat. And that is the upright religion.’

This religion and the Qur’an were commanded to them so that they might worship only Allah, making the religion exclusive to Him in a way far from shirk and hypocrisy, believing in all prophets, and separating from false religions. For prayer is the most honorable of bodily acts of worship. Zakat is the goodness done to the poor and the needy. (S. HAWWA 16/311)

‘And that is the upright religion.’

And these three principles—(a) worshipping Allah with sincere religion, (b) establishing prayer, (c) giving zakat—are the "din-i kayyime." That is, the religion of the nation that will remain stable and enduring. In other words, it is the religion explained by the correct, incorruptible, stable, and true books mentioned above as "precious books." It means that these three principles are the most solid, unchanging foundations of all true religions. Prayer and zakat are the foundation of all foundations of worship after faith. Others are details. (ELMALILI, 9/363)

98/6-8 THE BEST OF CREATION

Translation

6- Indeed, those who disbelieve [and persist in disbelief] among the People of the Book and the pagans [who deify or idolize things other than Allah] will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.

7- Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds—those are the best of creation.

8- Their reward with their Lord will be gardens of Adn [Eden] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. This [reward] is for whoever has stood in awe and reverence [with obedience] of his Lord.

Commentary

(6) ‘Indeed, those who disbelieve (and persist in disbelief) among the People of the Book and the pagans will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.’

Hadith: In a Sahih hadith narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (pbuh) explains this verse: "By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, there is no one from this Ummah, whether a Jew or a Christian, who hears of me and then does not believe in that with which I have been sent, except that he will be of the inhabitants of the Fire." (S. HAWWA 16/312)

(7) ‘Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds—those are the best of creation.’

Using this verse as evidence, Abu Hurayrah and a group of the greats of Islam stated that believers are superior to angels. (From Ibn Kathir)

At this point, I would like to state that the prophets, who are the most superior of human beings, are superior to the great angels such as Gabriel and Michael. (S. HAWWA 16/317)

(8) ‘Their reward with their Lord will be gardens of Adn (Eden) beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever.’

They will remain in Paradise continuously, without it ever coming to an end. (From Ibn Kathir; S. HAWWA 16/313)

‘Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.’

Because they have attained the pleasure of Allah, which is the highest of all desires and the greatest of all pleasures; they have attained the greatest satisfaction, "which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived." They have reached the station of "merdiyye" (pleased with) while being "radiyeten" (pleased). (ELMALILI 9/366)

‘This reward and pleasure are specific to those who fear their Lord.’

That is, the sole reason and wisdom for this success is to feel the fear of Allah. As mentioned before, khashyah (awe) is a fear in the sense of respect that is the result of love combined with ta'zim (veneration/glorification). Therefore, khashyah is a beautiful state of soul that is worthy of the absolute Beautiful in obedience and awakens a high excitement of love that will bring one closer to ihsan (perfection/excellence). (ELMALILI 9/366)

Indeed, in Surah Al-Mu'minun, it is stated: "And those who give that which they give while their hearts are shaking with fear because they are to return to their Lord." (Mu'minun 23/60). (ELMALILI 9/366)