Transliteration:( Qul ayyu shai'in akbaru shahaadatan qulil laahu shaheedum bainee wa bainakum; wa oohiya ilaiya haazal Qur'aanu li unzirakum bihee wa mam balagh; a'innakum latashhadoona anna ma'al laahi aalihatan ukhraa; qul laaa ashhad; qul innamaa Huwa Ilaahunw Waahidunw wa innanee baree'um mimmaa tushrikoon )
36. Reason for its revelation:
When the infidels of Makkah asked the Holy Prophet ? to present a witness who would testify to his prophethood. Allah revealed this verse in which it is said that Allah Almighty is my witness; because He is the greatest of all witnesses.
37. Allah Almighty give testimony of the Holy Prophet ? in different ways:
1. He made His most beloved servants to testify about His Messenger's prophethood.
2. The Book which He revealed to him gives testimony to this effect.
3. He conferred many miracles on him. These are all testimonies of Allah Almighty.
From this we learn that bearing testimony of Allah is the way of life of the Holy Prophet and bearing testimony about is the Holy Prophet way of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty Himself is the witness of the Holy Prophet ?. For this reason, both testimonies are proclaimed in the Kalimah Shahadah, so that both these ways (sunnah) are carried out.
38. By this is meant that if Allah Almighty was not my witness then why should He have revealed His final Book on me? His revelation of the Holy QURAN upon me is in itself a testimony of my Prophethood.
39. From this we learn that the Prophethood of our Holy Prophet ? and the guidance of the Holy QURAN are not limited to any period, place, or people. Further, we learn that he to whom the message of the Holy QURAN has not reached, his mere belief in the QURAN would be deemed sufficient for his belief as was the case with the Naturalist Group as they are excluded from "whom so ever it reaches."
40. From this, we learn that it is important for a believer to declare his faith openly and keep himself aloof from all irreligious people. He should regard infidelity and polytheism as the most detestable sins. Thus feigning piety (TAQIYYA) is not worthy of a believer, that is the way of the hypocrites. A believer should openly proclaim his faith through his personal appearance, behaviour, action, and speech.Â
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The tafsir of Surah Al-Anam verse 19 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Anam ayat 17 which provides the complete commentary from verse 17 through 21.
(6:19) Ask them: ‘Whose testimony is the greatest?’ Say: ‘Allah is the witness between me and you;[11] and this Qur’an was revealed to me that I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach.’ Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with Allah?[12] Say: ‘I shall never testify such a thing.’ [13] Say: ‘He is the One God and I am altogether averse to all that you associate with Him in His divinity.’
11. God Himself witnesses that the Prophet (peace be on him) has been designated by Him and that what he communicated was by His command.
12. In order to bear witness to something, mere guesswork and imagination are not sufficient. What is required is knowledge on the basis of which a person can state something with full conviction. Hence. the question means: Did they really have knowledge of anyone other than God who could lay claim to man’s worship and absolute service by dint of being the omnipotent sovereign, the one whose will prevailed throughout the universe?
13. The interlocutor is instructed to tell people that if they wanted to bear false witness and testify without knowledge, they could do so, but that he himself could not do something so unreasonable.
[298]- At every time and place until the Day of Judgement.
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