By Muhammad Muḥsin al-Fayḍ al-Kāshānī
Translated by Azhar Sheraze
Tafsīr al-Ṣāfī is a profound and multilayered tafsīr (exegesis) of the Qurʾan by Muhammad Muḥsin al-Fayḍ al-Kāshānī (d. 1090 AH/1679 CE). Al-Kāshānī was a prolific Imami Shiʿi scholar who studied and contributed to many of the various Islamic sciences, such as akhlāq (virtue ethics), hadith, and tafsīr. He was a student and son-in-law of Mullā Ṣadrā al-Shīrāzī, the renowned Shiʿi mystic-philosopher of the Safavid period.
In the introduction to his tafsīr, al-Kāshānī outlines his views in twelve sections, dealing with key issues related to the Qurʾan and Qurʾanic sciences. The third section, translated in summary fashion below, presents a number of aḥādīth to demonstrate that the Qurʾan is a written expression of the Ahl al-Bayt—the Family of the Prophet Muhammad. al-Kāshānī highlights how much of the Qurʾan directly–but not explicitly–references their lives and teachings, along with their adversaries. The text of the Qurʾan is neither solely historical nor abstract, but rather points to the living divine authority in every age, which in our case would be the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. As stated by the fifth Imam Muhammad al-Bāqir, If the meanings of the Qurʾan did not refer directly to an actual divine authority, its verses would have also “died” along with the people mentioned in them and “nothing would remain of the Qurʾan.”
The Qurʾan apparently uses universal moral archetypes so that it can be applicable to all people and times. However, Allah ultimately intends to draw one’s attention to moral characteristics that can only be found in the awliyāʾ—the divine authorities chosen by God—who best embody these universal traits and archetypes, and whose example endures until the Day of Judgment. In this vein, al-Kāshānī quotes Imam al-Ṣadiq explaining al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm in the first chapter of the Qurʾan in the following way: “We, the Ahl al-Bayt, are the straight path.”
According to al-Kāshānī, even though most Qurʾanic verses primarily typify Allah’s chosen authorities, the text remains universal and unrestricted. The parables, stories, and prescriptions of the divine text must apply to all of humanity, since everyone is meant to walk in the footsteps of those authorities. Allah did not limit His guidance to outlining humanity’s guides and demanding thoughtless obedience. Rather He provided the Qurʾan as humanity’s moral framework so they may better understand the principles their role-models utilize, and thoughtfully follow their role-models’ example. Therefore, Allah’s Book and the Ahl al-Bayt function in a synergistic relationship: the Ahl al-Bayt personify the universal principles located in Allah’s Book. In turn, this relationship allows us to deepen our own relationship with these divine representatives and provides us with some of the wisdom by which they operate.
The relationship of humanity to Allah’s guidance is symbolized by the concept of wilāyah. If humanity ties its heart to the Ahl al-Bayt and strives to embody the Qurʾanic principles like them, it can join ranks with the Ahl al-Bayt in spirit. On the other hand, should humanity personify the spirit of Satan and walk in his path, then it would belong to Satan and his followers. This is not a metaphor: Wilāyah is a spiritual reality. This explains why the Qurʾan attributes the actions of the ancient people of Banu Isrāʾīl to those living during the time of the Prophet Muhammad: they did not perform those actions with their own hands, but their hearts are aligned and they are pleased with the evil their spiritual ancestors committed. Their spirits are therefore the same. Wilāyah is the explanation for why Allah identifies them with one another despite their physical and temporal distance.
In line with this approach, the Ahl al-Bayt have explained to their followers: those whose hearts desire to be united with Allah’s beloved will be their companions across time and space. A narration mentions a man whose brother desired to be alongside Imam ʿAli at the battle of Jamal. The Imam responded, “Did your brother desire to be with us?… Then he was with us. Some members of our army currently exist only in their fathers’ loins and their mothers’ wombs. Time will bring them forth, and through them faith will be strengthened.”
The Qurʾan gives us the universal principles that help us find and understand the divine authorities chosen by Allah. The Ahl al-Bayt are those same universal principles embodied in human form. And wilāyah is the profound spiritual connection that unites the lovers of Allah and the Ahl al-Bayt together, and the same connection that unites their enemies to each other.
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Imam Muhammad al-Bāqir once said: “The Qurʾan was revealed in four parts: a fourth about us, a fourth about our enemies, a fourth on sunan and parables, and a fourth on obligations (farīḍah) and commandments (ḥukm). The most precious parts of the Qurʾan are about us.” , Imam ʿAli once said: “The Qurʾan has three parts: One third relates to us and our enemies. Another third are sunan and parables. And the final third are obligations and commandments.”
In another narration, Imam al-Bāqir once said: “The Qurʾanic revelation has three sections: a third regarding us and those who love us, a third regarding our enemies and the enemies of those who came before us, and a third regarding the sunnah and parables. Nothing would remain of the Qurʾan if a verse were revealed solely about a people who later died, and the verse died along with them (and became irrelevant). However, the Qurʾan from beginning to end persists for as long as the skies and the earth remain. Every people have a verse they recite; and they are of that verse, whether for good or evil.”
The aforementioned aḥādīth are not mutually contradictory. They are not all dividing the Qurʾan based on the same criteria. Therefore, it is not problematic for one categorization to result in three parts while another to result in four, nor for certain categories in one schema to overlap with another category in another schema.
Another narration from Imam al-Bāqir states: “We have a right to the muḥkam (clear) verses of Allah’s book. Therefore, it makes no difference if they try to erase [our right], then say ‘Allah had not revealed this’, or if they were unaware of [our right in the first place].”
Numerous aḥādīth specify that the taʾwīl of many Qurʾanic verses are about the Ahl al-Bayt, their awliyā, and their enemies. These aḥādīth are so numerous that some Shiʿi scholars have written entire books on this deeper interpretation of the Qurʾan, organizing them according to the sequence of Qurʾanic verses, and demonstrating that each verse is either about the Ahl al-Bayt themselves, their followers, or their enemies. I have personally seen one such book that was nearly twenty thousand lines long.
Many such narrations are found in al-Kāfī, Tafsīr al-ʿAyyashī, Tafsīr ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm al-Qummī, and the tafsīr heard from Imam Abu Muhammad al-Zakī (al-Hasan al-ʿAskarī). One such example is narrated in al-Kāfī regarding the Qurʾanic verse: “Truly it is the revelation of the Lord of all Being, brought down by the Faithful Spirit (al-rūḥ al-amīn) upon your heart in a clear, Arabic tongue so that you may be one of the warners.” Imam al-Bāqir clarifies what “revelation” here means: “It is the wilāyah of the Commander of the Faithful (Imam ʿAli).”
Imam al-Bāqir reportedly said: “O Muhammad! Whenever you hear Allah recount a people from this ummah with goodness, we are those people. Whenever you hear Allah mention the evil of a past people, they are our enemies.” In another narration, Imam al-Sādiq was asked about the verse of Qurʾan: “Say, ‘Allah suffices as a witness between me and you and the one who possesses the knowledge of the Book.” ʿUmar ibn Ḥanẓalah narrates: “When the Imam saw me looking into this verse and verses like it, he said: ‘Suffice it to know that everything in the entire Book (of Allah)—from its beginning until its end—like this [verse], is about the Imams.’”
The secret behind this type of interpretation can only be unveiled through a detailed discussion, which, by the grace of God, we shall undertake: Allah wanted to make Himself known to His creation so that they may serve Him. However, based on the causal system (sunnat al-asbāb) He created, creatures cannot know God except through the existence of prophets and awṣiyāʾ; only they can attain complete knowledge of God and perform perfect worship of Him. On the other hand, prophets and awṣiyāʾ cannot survive without the rest of creation providing them with companionship and their livelihood. So Allah created the rest of creation, commanding them to come to know His prophets and awliyāʾ, obligating creation to hold onto their wilāyah, and warning creation of their enemies and all that hinders creation [in fulfilling these commandments]. This allows creation to share in the blessings obtained by the prophets and the awliyāʾ. Allah has gifted everyone knowledge of Himself based on their knowledge of the prophets and the awṣiyā’: knowledge of them acquaints one with Allah, and their wilāyah is God’s wilāyah. Therefore, whatever they bring—whether it is news of Paradise and warnings of Hellfire, or commandments and prohibitions, or even advice and ethical admonitions—are all from Allah for this purpose.
Our Prophet Muhammad is the leader of all prophets and his waṣī is the leader of all awṣiyāʾ. Allah combined in them perfections of all the past prophets and awṣiyāʾ, and bestowed upon them additional virtues that are exclusively theirs. Since Prophet Muhammad and Imam ʿAli are from a single soul, one can attribute to both of them the virtues of all of God’s chosen. Both encompass the virtues and merits of all those past personages. Afterall, whatever is more perfect will doubtlessly also contain lower levels of perfection. Hence, the taʾwīl of Qurʾanic verses is exclusive to the Prophet Muhammad, Imam ʿAli , and the remaining Ahl al-Bayt from their offspring who “were descendants of one another.” In a word, it is wilāyah, a term that describes this comprehensive reality, comprising knowledge, love, obedience, and everything else that is necessitated for that rank.
Furthermore, Allah’s commands apply to universal realities and general categories, not to particular instances and individual cases. According to scholars and those possessing wisdom, whenever the Qurʾan speaks about a people or attributes an action to them, that message or attribution also applies to anyone of the same kind (sinkh) or nature (ṭinah). This is why whenever the Divine elite (ṣafwat Allah) are described with a particular honor or a noble quality, that honor can also be attributed to any of the prophets or the awṣiyāʾ of the same kind or nature. The same can be said of all the muqarrabīn (“those brought near”), unless that designation is exclusive to [the prophets and awṣiyāʾ] and no one else.
Likewise, if their Shiʿa are described by a virtuous quality or a good attribute, whoever has the same nature as their Shiʿa is also included amongst them [and is described by those qualities and attributes]. And if their enemies who are described by some vice or some evil is attributed to them, anyone of the same nature or kind is also included as amongst these enemies, regardless of whether they are among the first generation of humans or the last. This is because everyone loved by Allah and His Messenger will also be loved by every believer from the beginning of creation until the end. Likewise, everyone hated by Allah and His Messenger will also be hated by every believer in the same way. And conversely, this enemy of Allah will have animosity toward everyone beloved to Allah and His Messenger. All believers across the world—whether in the past, the present, or until the Day of Judgment—is their Shiʿa. And all those who reject them (jāḥid) across the world—whether in the past, the present, or until the Day of Judgment—will be their enemies.
This explanation is also reported from Imam al-Sadiq, as cited in the well-known narration of al-Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar. Al-Mufaḍḍal once asked the Imam, “What does it mean for ʿAli ibn Abi Ṭālib to divide the Garden from Hellfire (qasīm al-jannati wa al-nār)?” The Imam responded, “This is because ʿAli’s love is true faith (imān) and ʿAli’s hatred is disbelief (kufr). The Garden was only created for the people of true faith, and Hellfire only for the people of rejection. This is why Imam ʿAli determines the inhabitants of the Garden and Hellfire. None enter the Garden except the those who love him, and none enter Hellfire except those who hate him.” Al-Mufaḍḍal then asked, “Oh son of the Messenger, did the prophets and awṣiyāʾ also love Imam ʿAli? Did the enemies of the prophets and awṣiyāʾ also hate ʿAli?” The Imam replied, “Yes.” Al-Mufaḍḍal asked, “Can you explain?” The Imam said, “Do you not know what the Prophet said on the Day of Khaybar: ‘Tomorrow, I will hand the flag [of the Muslim army] to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger both love him. He will not return until Allah grants [the army] victory at his hands.’” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Of course.” The Imam continued, “Do you not know that when the Messenger of Allah was given a roasted bird, he said: ‘Allah, send me Your most beloved creature to share this fowl with me…’ and that this occurred about Imam ʿAli?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Yes, of course.” The Imam continued, “Is it possible for Allah’s prophets, messengers, and the awṣiyāʾ to not love a person who loves Allah and His Messenger and in turn is beloved by Allah and His Messenger?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “No, it is not possible.” The Imam said, “Is it possible for faithful believers from previous religious communities to not love the beloved of Allah, and the beloved of His Messenger and His prophets?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “No.” The Imam said, “Therefore all the prophets, messengers, and believers must love ʿAli ibn Abī Ṭālib. Likewise anyone who opposed the previous prophets and messengers also had hatred for ʿAli ibn Abī Ṭālib and all those who love him?” Al-Mufaḍḍal, “Yes.”’ The Imam said, “So, none—whether from the beginning of time or the end—enter Paradise except those who love him. Thus is he “the divider of the Garden and Hellfire”.
Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Son of Allah’s Messenger, you have granted me solace—May Allah grant you solace. Teach me more of what Allah has taught you.” The Imam said, “Then ask, al-Mufaḍḍal.” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Son of Allah’s Messenger, does Imam ʿAli bring those who love him into the Garden and those who hate him into Hellfire, or do Riḍwān and Mālik do this?” The Imam replied, “Al-Mufaḍḍal, do you not know that Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad to the past prophets while he and they were spirits (arwāḥ), two thousand years before all other creation?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Yes, I am aware.” The Imam said, “Do you not know that Allah’s Messenger invited the past prophets to tawḥīd (God’s unicity), to obey Him, and follow His commandments, and that He promised them the Garden in return? And he threatened [with punishment] any who opposed what these prophets invited them to?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Yes.” The Imam said, “Is the Prophet not liable for what he promises and what he threatens on behalf of his Lord?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Definitely.” The Imam said, “Is ʿAli ibn Abi Ṭālib not the Prophet’s successor and the Imam of his religious nation (ummah)?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Definitely.” The Imam said, “Is it not the case that Riḍwān and Mālik are among a group of angels who seek forgiveness for his Shiʿa and save whoever loves him?” Al-Mufaḍḍal said, “Definitely.” The Imam said, “ʿAli ibn Abi Ṭālib is therefore the one who divides the Garden and Hellfire by the authority of the Messenger of Allah, and the two angels Riḍwān and Mālik act by his command because Allah commanded them. Al-Mufaḍḍal, take heed of this, for this is among the secret treasures of knowledge. Do not reveal it to anyone except those who can bear it.”
This narration unlocks a gateway to knowledge that in turn unlocks a thousand more doors. This also explains why Allah attributes attributes the actions of the Israelites (Banī Isrāʾīl) from generations long ago to those who were the Prophet Muhammad’s contemporaries or holds his contemporaries to account for the blessings He bestowed on their forefathers. God saved the Israelites who lived generations before the Prophet from drowning as they fled the Pharaoh, miraculously gave them water to drink from a rock, and they in turn denied the signs of Allah, and so on. Yet Allah speaks as though these generations are all a single people, because they were of a single kind as their ancestors: they were content with whatever their ancestors were content with, and disliked what their ancestors disliked.
Furthermore, the Qurʾan was certainly revealed in the language and custom of the Arabs, where they would attribute to one man the actions of the tribe he belonged to, even if he himself did not commit the act himself. When Imam al-Sajjād was asked about this [Qur’anic language], he answered in this way: “The Qurʾan is in the language of Arabs. The people of that language are addressed by it in their tongue. Do you not say to a man from the Tamīm tribe whose tribe attacks a city and kills someone, ‘You raided the city, and you committed such and such an act…’”
What we stated above is the reason behind this Arabic linguistic usage. With this explanation, we are able to decipher how the Ahl al-Bayt interpreted (ta’wīl) the Qurʾan. Such an explanation also spares us from having to interpret each of these verses in detail: once this principle is understood, the wise can apply it to each and every verse. However, we will still provide a [deeper] glimpse into this type of interpretation when appropriate, if Allah wills. All praise is due to Allah for granting us this understanding and inspiring us.
Endnote
[1] In this context, referring to the Divine Authorities of Islam themselves, such as the Imāms of the Ahlal-Bayt, but may also refer to their followers who are spiritually connected to them. [2] al-Sadūq, al-Ma’āni al-Akbhār, p. 35. [3] Meaning the Ahl al-Bayt. [4] “obligation” (fariḍah) and “commandment” (ḥukm) refer to the legal and ethical rulings that must be adhered to and respected by a Muslim. [5] Al-ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-Ayyāshī, vol. 1, p. 9 and Al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p.628. [6] Al-ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-Ayyāshī, vol. 1, p. 9 and Al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p.627. [7] Or, “For every people is a verse which they recite.” [8] Al-ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-Ayyāshī, vol. 1, p. 10. [9] muḥkam refers to verses that are straightforward in meaning. Often contrasted with mutashābih, which refers to those that are deeper in meaning. [10] Al-ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-Ayyāshī, vol. 1, p. 13. [11] “deeper interpretation” as per the author's opinion that it refers to the Allah's intent for the verse based on narrations. [12] Qurʾān, al-Shuʿarāʾ (26):192-195. [13] Al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p.412. [14] Qurʾān, al-Raʿd (13):43. [15] Al-ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-Ayyāshī, vol. 1, p. 13. [16] The Arabic word waṣi (pl. awṣiyā’) refers to an individual who is granted authority to act on behalf of another. Here it refers to those who continued the mission of Prophets. [17] “steer clear” is a translation of the Arabic word tabarri, which means to disassociate, denounce, and be away from. [18] This hierarchy of authority is alluded to in many places of the Qurʾān, such as in 48:10: “Those who swear allegiance to you [Muḥammad] swear allegiance only to Allah - the hand of Allah is above their hands...” [19] This phrasing may be an allusion to Qurʾān Āl-ʿImrān (3):61 [20] This is a translation of the phrase Ṣafwat Allah i.e. chosen by Allah to represent Him. [21] Such as the exclusive trait of the Prophet Muḥammad being the “Seal of the Prophets”, an honor no other being shares. [22] Ridwān and Mālik are the two angels in Islamic sources responsible for maintaining Heaven and Hell, respectively. [23] Al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, ʿIlal al-Sharāʾiʿ, vol. 1 (Qumm: Maktabat al-Dāwarī, 1427 A.H.), p. 161. [24] See Qurʾān 2:50, 2:91 [25] Tafṣīr al-ʿAskarī, page 272.
