1st question:

A innovator made the claim that by the Lord (rabb) it is meant God in the 69th verse of the 39th chapter, “Az-Zumar”. Is this the correct interpretation of the text? What are the reports that reached the lovers of the Ahl-ul-Bait (a.)?

Response:

The interpretation of the people of innovation is to be rejected because they interpret the Qur’an according to their own desires, as their illegitimate Imams and role models used to do before them.

Ammar Ibn Musa reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) was asked about those who judge and he replied: “Whoever judges between the two according to his own opinion, commits disbelief and whoever interprets even one verse in the Book of God according to his own opinion, commits disbelief.” [Tafsir Al-Ayyashi, Volume 1 page 18 Hadith 6]

عن عمار بن موسى عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: سئل عن الحكومة قال: من حكم برأيه بين اثنين فقد كفر، ومن فسر [برأيه] آية من كتاب الله فقد كفر

Abu Basir reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “We are the ones who are firmly established in knowledge and we know its interpretation.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 1 page 213 Hadith 1]

عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن النضر ابن سويد، عن أيوب بن الحر وعمران بن علي، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: نحن الراسخون في العلم ونحن نعلم تأويله

Consequently, we place the interpretation in the hands of the Infallibles (a.).

Al-Mufaddal Ibn Umar reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) was asked about the verse: “The earth will shine with the light of its Lord. The book will be laid down. The prophets and the witnesses will be brought. And it will be decided between them according to the truth and they will not be wronged.” (39:69) He said: “By the Lord of the earth is meant the Imam of the earth.” I said: “What will happen when the Imam appears?” He said: “The people will not pay any attention to the light of the sun and the moon and they will have a share of the light of the Imam.” [Tafsir Al-Qummi, Vol. 2 page 253]

حدثنا محمد بن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد قال: حدثني القاسم بن الربيع قال: حدثني صباح المدائني قال: حدثنا المفضل بن عمر انه سمع أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول في قوله: وأشرقت الأرض بنور ربها. قال رب الأرض يعني إمام الأرض، فقلت: فإذا خرج يكون ماذا؟ قال: إذا يستغني الناس عن ضوء الشمس ونور القمر ويجتزون بنور الامام

Al-Mufaddal Ibn Umar reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “When the riser (Qa’im) rises, the earth will shine with the light of its Lord and the servants (of God) will no longer pay attention to the light of the sun and the moon and the darkness will disappear.” [Nur-uth-Thaqalain of Al-Huwaizi, Volume 4 page 504 Hadith 122]

في ارشاد المفيد رحمه الله وروى المفضل بن عمر قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إذا قائمنا قام أشرقت الأرض بنور ربها واستغنى العباد عن ضوء الشمس و ذهبت الظلمة

Al-Husain ibn Khalid reported that one said to Imam Ar-Rida (a.): “O son of the Messenger of God, who is the Riser (Imam Al-Mahdi) from among you, the people of the House?” He said: “It is the fourth of my progeny. Son of the mistress that is a maidservant. God purifies the earth from all the injustices through him and purifies it from all the oppression. He is the one, whose birth the people doubt and he is in the possession of the concealment before his appearance. When he appears, the earth wil shine with his light and he sets up the scales of justice between the people so that no one will do injustice to each other. He is the one, for whom the earth is folded up and who has no shadow. He is the one, for whom there is a caller from the heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth can hear the call which is about him: “The proof of God has already appeared at the house of God, therefore you should follow him, because the truth is with him and the truth is in him.” And this is the word of the Exalted One: “If We willed, We could send down a sign upon them from the sky, so that their necks would submit to it.” – 26:4 – [Kifayat-ul-Athar of Al-Khazzaz Al-Qummi, page 274 – 275]

حدثنا محمد بن علي رحمه الله، قال حدثنا أحمد بن زياد ابن جعفر الهمداني، قال حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم عن أبيه عن علي ابن معبد عن الحسين بن خالد عن علي بن موسى الرضا عليهما السلام قال: قيل له: يا ابن رسول الله ومن القائم منكم أهل البيت؟ قال: الرابع من ولدي ابن سيدة الإماء، يطهر الله به الأرض من كل جور ويقدسها من كل ظلم، وهو الذي تشك الناس في ولادته، وهو صاحب الغيبة قبل خروجه، فإذا خرج أشرقت الأرض بنوره، يضع ميزان العدل بين الناس فلا يظلم أحد أحدا، وهو الذي تطوى له الأرض ولا يكون له ظل، وهو الذي ينادي مناد من السماء يسمعه جميع أهل الأرض بالدعاء إليه: ألا إن حجة الله قد ظهر عند بيت الله فاتبعوه، فإن الحق معه وفيه، وهو قول الله عز وجل إن نشأ ننزل عليهم من السماء آية فظلت أعناقهم لها خاضعين

Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Qummi mentions the verse: “The Book will be laid down. The prophets and the witnesses will be brought.” (39:69) And writes: “The witnesses are the Imams (a.) and this proves His word in the chapter on pilgrimage: “That the Messenger may be a witness over you and you (O you Imams) may be witnesses over the people.” (22:78) [Tafsir Al-Qummi, Vol. 2 page 253]

وقال علي بن إبراهيم القمي رضي الله عنه في قوله: ووضع الكتاب وجيء بالنبيين والشهداء قال الشهداء الأئمة عليهم السلام والدليل على ذلك قوله في سورة الحج: ليكون الرسول شهيداً عليكم وتكونوا أنتم – يا معشر الأئمة – شهداء على الناس

Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.) reported that Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “This particularly means thirteen men under this community.” Salman said: “Explain to us who these are, O Messenger of God!” He replied: “I and my brother Ali and eleven of his descendants.” [Al-Ihtijaj by Abu Mansur At-Tabarsi, Volume 1 page 216]

عن سليم بن قيس الهلالي رضي الله عنه عن أمير المؤنين عليه السلام قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله: عني بذلك ثلاثة عشر رجلا خاصة دون هذه الأمة فقال سلمان: بينهم لنا يا رسول الله فقال: أنا، وأخي علي، وأحد عشر من ولدي

2nd question:

The innovator also claimed that the scholar Abu Ali At-Tabarsi stated that the verse is referring to God.

Response:

The servant of Umar lied!

Abu Ali At-Tabarsi mentions the verse: “And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord.” (39:69) And writes: “What is meant is, that the earth will shine in the righteousness of its Lord on the Day of Resurrection and therefore there will be light given to the earth through righteousness, just as knowledge comes to light through action, reported from Al-Hasan and As-Suddi and it is said: “In the light, which God created and through which He makes the earth of resurrection shine without the sun and moon.” [Majma’-ul-Bayan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur’an, Volume 8 page 417]

قال أبو علي الطبرسي رضي الله عنه: { وأشرقت الأرض بنور ربها } أي أضاءت الأرض بعدل ربها يوم القيامة لأن نور الأرض بالعدل كما أن نور العلم بالعمل عن الحسن والسدي. وقيل: بنور يخلقه الله عز وجل يضيء به أرض القيامة من غير شمس ولا قمر

The scholar of Islam only quotes the opinion that is prevalent among the followers of the infallible imams and is not unusual for his exegesis. He neither confirms this opinion nor denies the reports of the infallibles (a.) that contradict it.

3rd question:

The innovator further added that it is wrong to call a man Lord [رب].

Response:

In the Book of God, the term Lord [رب] is applied to a human being.

The Exalted One says: “And the one from Egypt who bought him said to his wife: “Prepare a friendly abode for him. May he be useful to us, or perhaps we will accept him as a child.” And We gave Joseph a respected position in the land. And We wanted to teach him the interpretation of the stories. And God is superior in his matter. But most people do not know. When he reached his full power, We gave him the judgment and knowledge. Thus do We reward the righteous. And the one, in whose house he was, tried to seduce him. She locked the doors and said: “Come here.” He said: ” May God forbid! He, my Lord, has prepared a beautiful abode for me. Those who do wrong will not fare well.” She almost got involved with him and he almost got involved with her, if he had not seen the proof of his Lord. This (happened) so that We might ward off from him the evil and the shameful. After all, he is one of Our chosen servants. They both sought to reach the door first. She tore his shirt from behind. And they met their master at the door. She said: “Surely the reward of one, who would do evil to your family is prison or a painful chastisement.”[Yusuf 12:21-25.]

وقال الذي اشتراه من مصر لامرأته أكرمي مثواه عسى أن ينفعنا أو نتخذه ولدا وكذلك مكنا ليوسف في الأرض ولنعلمه من تأويل الأحاديث والله غالب على أمره ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون ولما بلغ أشده آتيناه حكما وعلما وكذلك نجزي المحسنين وراودته التي هو في بيتها عن نفسه وغلقت الأبواب وقالت هيت لك قال معاذ الله إنه ربي أحسن مثواي إنه لا يفلح الظالمون ولقد همت به وهم بها لولا أن رأى برهان ربه كذلك لنصرف عنه السوء والفحشاء إنه من عبادنا المخلصين واستبقا الباب وقدت قميصه من دبر وألفيا سيدها لدى الباب قالت ما جزاء من أراد بأهلك سوءا إلا أن يسجن أو عذاب أليم

This linguistic aspect is also confirmed by those, to whom the people of innovation obey.

Muhammad Ibn Jarir At-Tabari writes: “He (Joseph) says: “Your companion and your husband is my chief.” [Jami’-ul-Bayan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur’an, Volume 12 page 235]

قال محمد بن جرير الطبري: يقول: إن صاحبك وزوجك سيدي

Isma’il ibn Umar ibn Kathir writes: “They used to call the elderly chief as lord. It means: “Your husband, my lord, has prepared a beautiful abode for me.” What is meant is: “He has prepared a dwelling place for me and treated me well and I will not betray him by disgracing him with his family.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2 page 491]

قال إسماعيل بن عمر بن كثير: وكانوا يطلقون الرب على السيد الكبير، أي: إن بعلك ربي أحسن مثواي، أي: منزلي، وأحسن إلي، فلا أقابله بالفاحشة في أهله

Fakhr-ud-Din Ar-Razi writes: “The term Lord indicates towards a nurturer and it is permissible, to use it to describe the creature because it is said: “He nurtures (yarbini) me and treats me well.” [At-Tafsir-ul-Kabir / Mafatih-ul-Ghaib, Volume 8 page 40]

قال فخر الدين الرازي: والرب إشارة إلى المربي، ويجوز وصف المخلوق به، فإنه يقال: فلان يربيني ويحسن إلي