Verse 103 of Sura al-An'am and Ghadir
Verse 103 of Sura al-An'am is a monotheistic verse affirming God's comprehensive knowledge of human intentions and denying access to the essence of the Divine Being, which was cited by the Prophet (s) in the al-Ghadir Sermon.
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| Ayah Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Surah Name | Sura al-An'am |
| Ayah Number | 103 |
| Juz' | 7 |
| Ayah Content | |
| Topic | No vision can encompass Him, while He encompasses all vision |
Verse 103 of Sūrat al-Anʿām is among the verses mentioned in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon. The context of using Verse 103 of Sūrat al-Anʿām within the al-Ghadir Sermon is depicted as follows: One of the monotheistic issues that the Prophet (s) expressed in a part of the first section of the al-Ghadir Sermon was the sanctity of God, which was accomplished by citing Verse 103 of Sūrat al-Anʿām:
لَا تُدْرِکُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ یُدْرِکُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِیفُ الْخَبِیرُ
- The eyes do not perceive Him, but He perceives the eyes, and He is the All-subtle, the All-aware.
In a part of the al-Ghadir Sermon, the Prophet (s), relying on Verse 103 of Sūrat al-Anʿām, stated: قَدْ فَهِمَ السَّرائِرَ وَ عَلِمَ الضَّمائِرَ, which refers to God's knowledge; a knowledge by which God is aware of the inner and hidden aspects of affairs, and absolute dominance belongs to Him, and His creation was without any precedent or example.
Then the Prophet (s), by citing Verse 103 of Sūrat al-Anʿām, raised the issue of the inaccessibility to the essence of the Divine Being, stating that no one has a way to maʿrifa of Him except what God has said in His own description: He is too exalted for eyes to perceive Him, yet He perceives the eyes, and He is the All-subtle, the All-aware. No one can attain His description through observation, nor can anyone discover His nature, whether hidden or manifest, except by what God, the Exalted and Glorious, has guided to Himself.[notes 1][1]
Footnotes
- ↑ Sokhanrānī-ye Estithnāʾī-ye Ghadīr, pp. 137–146; Wāqiʿa-ye Qurʾānī-ye Ghadīr, p. 80.
- ↑ جَلَّ عَنْ اَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ الاَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الاَبْصارَ وَ هُوَ اللَّطيفُ الْخَبيرُ. لا يَلْحَقُ اَحَدٌ وَصْفَهُ مِنْ مُعايَنَةٍ، وَ لا يَجِدُ اَحَدٌ كَيْفَ هُوَ مِنْ سِرٍّ وَ عَلانِيَةٍ، اِلاّ بِما دَلَّ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلى نَفْسِهِ
References
- Sokhanrānī-ye Estithnāʾī-ye Ghadīr; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Dalīl-e Mā Publications, 1386 SH.
- Wāqiʿa-ye Qurʾānī-ye Ghadīr: Gozāresh-e Safar-e Yek-Māhe-ye Payāmbar barā-ye Eʿlān-e Wilāyat dar Sāye-ye Āyāt-e Qurʾānī; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Dalīl-e Mā Publications, 1386 SH.